Today I have very little to say, not because I don't want to say anything, but because I'm kinda stumped. We have started a new book today, and its one I'm even less familiar with then the last one. Today we are in the book of Numbers, I'm pretty sure its more laws and do's and don't but I'm not well versed in this book so I could be wrong. I do like the verse of the day though. It's pretty straightforward, and even if I could explain the context, I don't think that would do anything but make more confusion. So I'm just gonna write the verse and kind of let it go.
Numbers 6:24,25 The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you:
To me I feel like someone has prayed a blessing on me as I go my way. Having God's face shine upon me would be the greatest thing ever. However we know that God never shows his face or his full glory for a mere human could not handle it.
So I pray that your day is blessed, and I pray that if you don't know Christ, look through some of my previous blogs to see how you can come to know him. Also please contact me if you have any questions. You can look me up on Twitter @Bypain, or you can email me at silverstar_of_the_galaxy@yahoo.com
God bless, Jonny
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Living Lovingly
Today, we have begun another new book. We have jumped into the book of Leviticus. Better known as the book of the laws. The whole book is mainly a list of does and don't and what to do ifs, and how to deal withs, and so often even Christians dread grudging through it. However the verse today is actually a good one. It's got a don't and a do in the same sentence.
Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance of bear grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
So this verse tells us not to get even with others, but to love on them instead. In all honesty, I know we often find this very difficult to do. As soon as someone hurts us we automatically think of ways to get them back, the truth is, the best way to get back at them is to not and to love them instead. By loving those who hurt us, we have the opportunity to show God's love through us instead of our own sinful life. When we love our neighbor as ourselves we learn to be better people. This world would be a lot better if we followed this command because too many people love themselves way too much, and they don't share the love with others. Of course if everyone loved everyone the way we were supposed to it'd be a utopia and everybody knows that's not possible, plus that would make the bible a lie because the world can never be perfect or even a utopia, at least not til the return of Christ. So start changing your attitude of revenge to an attitude of love, and see if it doesn't make a difference in your life.
If you struggle with this idea, don't be to quick to throw it away and forget about it. Work it over with God, He loves those who struggle and who cry and groan to him. I read once that often our best prayers are not words but groans and mutterings of a struggling heart.
If you haven't given your life to Christ and you don't feel that God is listening, just remember what Christ did for you. He died on that cross, so that whomever believed on Him would have eternal life. John 3:16
Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance of bear grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
So this verse tells us not to get even with others, but to love on them instead. In all honesty, I know we often find this very difficult to do. As soon as someone hurts us we automatically think of ways to get them back, the truth is, the best way to get back at them is to not and to love them instead. By loving those who hurt us, we have the opportunity to show God's love through us instead of our own sinful life. When we love our neighbor as ourselves we learn to be better people. This world would be a lot better if we followed this command because too many people love themselves way too much, and they don't share the love with others. Of course if everyone loved everyone the way we were supposed to it'd be a utopia and everybody knows that's not possible, plus that would make the bible a lie because the world can never be perfect or even a utopia, at least not til the return of Christ. So start changing your attitude of revenge to an attitude of love, and see if it doesn't make a difference in your life.
If you struggle with this idea, don't be to quick to throw it away and forget about it. Work it over with God, He loves those who struggle and who cry and groan to him. I read once that often our best prayers are not words but groans and mutterings of a struggling heart.
If you haven't given your life to Christ and you don't feel that God is listening, just remember what Christ did for you. He died on that cross, so that whomever believed on Him would have eternal life. John 3:16
Monday, July 18, 2011
Glory Before Me
Today's verse is again one that I cannot quite understand why its important to learn. In fact it makes no sense unless you read it in the context of the chapter.
We're still in Exodus and we're still traveling around in the desert. The scene of this particular verse is Moses on Mt. Sinai where he goes to talk to God and be in His presence. our verse is Exodus 34:6,7 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed," The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children;s children, to the third and fourth generation.
So in this verse we see that God passed before Moses, meaning Moses got to see the glory of God. if we look a few verses before this we see the reason that Moses is on the mountain with God. Moses had broke the two tablets that the ten commandments had been written on because of his anger at what the people were doing at the foot of the mountain while he was with God. So Moses is going back to God to ask for the Commandments to be rewritten. So God comes down in a cloud and stands with Moses.
Now we can look at the verse and understand it a little better now that the context has been revealed. These verses are God talking about himself. Only he can be this kind of loving God, to not give up on His people after time and time again they turn away from Him to worship things they created. Not only that but He extends this love to the future generations.
So soak in this truth. God is forgiving and gracious, merciful and loving, steadfast and faithful, and on top of all that slow to anger. Being slow to anger is vitally important because otherwise there would be no world for us to be living in now. If you haven't experienced this truth, this love that God has for you, please cry out to Him, ask for His forgiveness, because He won't clear the guilty, and without Christ we are all guilty. But when you accept the free gift of Christ's death on the cross you are no longer viewed as guilty, but as a forgiven son or daughter of God.
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
We're still in Exodus and we're still traveling around in the desert. The scene of this particular verse is Moses on Mt. Sinai where he goes to talk to God and be in His presence. our verse is Exodus 34:6,7 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed," The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children;s children, to the third and fourth generation.
So in this verse we see that God passed before Moses, meaning Moses got to see the glory of God. if we look a few verses before this we see the reason that Moses is on the mountain with God. Moses had broke the two tablets that the ten commandments had been written on because of his anger at what the people were doing at the foot of the mountain while he was with God. So Moses is going back to God to ask for the Commandments to be rewritten. So God comes down in a cloud and stands with Moses.
Now we can look at the verse and understand it a little better now that the context has been revealed. These verses are God talking about himself. Only he can be this kind of loving God, to not give up on His people after time and time again they turn away from Him to worship things they created. Not only that but He extends this love to the future generations.
So soak in this truth. God is forgiving and gracious, merciful and loving, steadfast and faithful, and on top of all that slow to anger. Being slow to anger is vitally important because otherwise there would be no world for us to be living in now. If you haven't experienced this truth, this love that God has for you, please cry out to Him, ask for His forgiveness, because He won't clear the guilty, and without Christ we are all guilty. But when you accept the free gift of Christ's death on the cross you are no longer viewed as guilty, but as a forgiven son or daughter of God.
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Top Ten
I'm sorry this one is being done super late, its been a crazy day. However, I didn't forget. Today's verse is actually a bit of a long one so instead of typing it all I'm just gonna say go here -> Laws.
Alright now that you've read that, you know those are what any and all Christian religions call the Ten Commandments. I really can't think of much to say, because these verses are pretty straightforward. However we do know that it's impossible to keep all these commands, and God knew this before he even decreed them. So why did he even bother? Because God is a God of forgiveness and grace, and also because he wanted us to see that we can't be perfect enough to get back into heaven and we won't be able to experience what Adam and Eve once had. So, this means God must have had a plan to redeem us from being unable to keep his commands. And He did, that plan was the death of Jesus His son on the cross. Jesus was the only man to never sin, and never had to die, but he not only died, but he bore the sins of the whole world past, present, and future, this caused his father God to turn His face away. So I encourage you to please if you haven't already give your heart to God. Surrender to Jesus Christ. Without his intervention no one could be given a second chance to experience eternity with God.
Alright now that you've read that, you know those are what any and all Christian religions call the Ten Commandments. I really can't think of much to say, because these verses are pretty straightforward. However we do know that it's impossible to keep all these commands, and God knew this before he even decreed them. So why did he even bother? Because God is a God of forgiveness and grace, and also because he wanted us to see that we can't be perfect enough to get back into heaven and we won't be able to experience what Adam and Eve once had. So, this means God must have had a plan to redeem us from being unable to keep his commands. And He did, that plan was the death of Jesus His son on the cross. Jesus was the only man to never sin, and never had to die, but he not only died, but he bore the sins of the whole world past, present, and future, this caused his father God to turn His face away. So I encourage you to please if you haven't already give your heart to God. Surrender to Jesus Christ. Without his intervention no one could be given a second chance to experience eternity with God.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Doing as Commanded
Today's verse is a lesson to the Israelites. We've jumped through the entire book of Genesis and almost halfway through the second book of the Bible, titled Exodus. Since we've jumped right into the story I'll do a bit of summarizing to get us caught up. The rest of Genesis there are lots of great stories about people who follow God's commands and listen to His voice. There's Abraham, Joseph, Noah, Isaac, and probably more that's not coming to my mind. What we've missed in Exodus is the birth, and hiding of Moses. Moses gets picked up by Egyptian princess as he's floating in his basket down the Nile river. He grows up thinking he's a prince. One day he's walking through town and notices a slave driver beating an Israeli slave. Moses kills the slave driver. The slave gets angry and Moses runs away for fourty years for fear of his life. Moses meets God through a burning bush, God tells him to go back and lead the Iraelites out of Egypt. Moses tries to get out of it, and eventually God says fine take your brother Aaron and he will speak for you. Moses goes back to Egypt and with God on his side does a few miracles to try and get Pharaoh to let the people free. That doesn't work, so God sends plagues, seven to be exact. The last one Moses tells the Israelites to kill the first born lamb and smear the blood over their doorway so that when the spirit of God passes over the house their first born son will not be killed. So Pharaoh tells them to go. Then Pharaoh gets angry and sends the soldiers after them, they get trapped by the red sea start complain, God through Moses splits the red sea and leads the people to safety. Now we've come to a point where Moses had just giving the people a long list of blessings and curses, and commandments to follow. So here is the verse.
Exodus 15:26 saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer."
So this verse is telling the people that if they follow all the commands of God they would never receive the plagues that the Egyptians suffered. We know however that its impossible to keep all the laws, so there is a way out. God has grace for us.
So now we have a new form of grace and it comes through the death of Jesus Christ his son. So if we call upon Christ to be our savior we can receive that grace.
Romans 3:23, 24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Exodus 15:26 saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer."
So this verse is telling the people that if they follow all the commands of God they would never receive the plagues that the Egyptians suffered. We know however that its impossible to keep all the laws, so there is a way out. God has grace for us.
So now we have a new form of grace and it comes through the death of Jesus Christ his son. So if we call upon Christ to be our savior we can receive that grace.
Romans 3:23, 24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Friday, July 15, 2011
Regret or Repentance or Something Else
Today's memory verse is a little confusing. Not confusing like what does it mean. It's a pretty straightforward verse. It's confusing in the sense of why do the makers of this particular Bible reading Devotional think that it's important to memorize. The verse is Genesis 4:23.
23 Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice: you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
The first thing to notice here before we get into the verse is that Lamech had two wives. This is the first time in the bible that it is noted that a man has more than one wife. Is this important, for this verse no, in general that's still in the air.
Now for breaking down the verse itself. In order to better understand this verse we need to know the context. Chapter 4 of Genesis starts with the birth of Cain and Abel, which are the first two children born of a woman. The story continues with Cain becoming jealous of Abel because God favor's Abel's offering to God more then his own. Out of Cain's jealousy we have the birth of our very first physical human murder. God ask Cain where Abel is, and he lies and says he doesn't know. This harbor's God anger and he curse's Cain and all his descendants. Cain shall no longer be able to easily toil the land, and is cast out to be a wander. Cain becomes grieve because he is concerned that he will be killed by whoever finds him. So God still being the loving father has compassion on him and marks him, then says if anyone kills Cain God's vengeance would be seven times worse. Then we get the genealogy of the descendants of Cain until we come to the man Lamech. And so now we see that Lamech is like a great great grandson of Cain. So in this verse that we opened with he is repenting to his wives about the murder he committed because he fears punishment. If we read on to verse 24 we see the rest of what he was telling his wives. 24 If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold." So basically he is telling them they shouldn't worry because, hey if Cain gets away with murder and God was generous to protect him then he'll be even more generous to protect Lamech.
So I know this was a little long and had a lot in it, but I feel like without an explanation of the context this verse is almost meaningless. But also I'm begging to see that this verse is about pride, and just expecting God to do for you what He has done for others, even if you're not living righteously, or living for God. This one verse points out two sins committed by Lamech, 1. He married two women, 2. He killed a young man.
If this verse seems silly to you, or it just doesn't make sense, I encourage you to read the first four chapters of Genesis for yourself so you can better understand. But I beg you, don't expect things from God just because you see Him working in other peoples lives, or just because you think He owes it to you. God doesn't owe any of us anything. We all deserve the death that Cain should have suffered, but like Cain, God gave us a second chance through the death and resurrection of his only son Jesus Christ. So cry out to him for forgiveness of your foolish thinking. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
23 Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice: you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
The first thing to notice here before we get into the verse is that Lamech had two wives. This is the first time in the bible that it is noted that a man has more than one wife. Is this important, for this verse no, in general that's still in the air.
Now for breaking down the verse itself. In order to better understand this verse we need to know the context. Chapter 4 of Genesis starts with the birth of Cain and Abel, which are the first two children born of a woman. The story continues with Cain becoming jealous of Abel because God favor's Abel's offering to God more then his own. Out of Cain's jealousy we have the birth of our very first physical human murder. God ask Cain where Abel is, and he lies and says he doesn't know. This harbor's God anger and he curse's Cain and all his descendants. Cain shall no longer be able to easily toil the land, and is cast out to be a wander. Cain becomes grieve because he is concerned that he will be killed by whoever finds him. So God still being the loving father has compassion on him and marks him, then says if anyone kills Cain God's vengeance would be seven times worse. Then we get the genealogy of the descendants of Cain until we come to the man Lamech. And so now we see that Lamech is like a great great grandson of Cain. So in this verse that we opened with he is repenting to his wives about the murder he committed because he fears punishment. If we read on to verse 24 we see the rest of what he was telling his wives. 24 If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold." So basically he is telling them they shouldn't worry because, hey if Cain gets away with murder and God was generous to protect him then he'll be even more generous to protect Lamech.
So I know this was a little long and had a lot in it, but I feel like without an explanation of the context this verse is almost meaningless. But also I'm begging to see that this verse is about pride, and just expecting God to do for you what He has done for others, even if you're not living righteously, or living for God. This one verse points out two sins committed by Lamech, 1. He married two women, 2. He killed a young man.
If this verse seems silly to you, or it just doesn't make sense, I encourage you to read the first four chapters of Genesis for yourself so you can better understand. But I beg you, don't expect things from God just because you see Him working in other peoples lives, or just because you think He owes it to you. God doesn't owe any of us anything. We all deserve the death that Cain should have suffered, but like Cain, God gave us a second chance through the death and resurrection of his only son Jesus Christ. So cry out to him for forgiveness of your foolish thinking. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Blessed from the Start
Today's memory verse in Genesis 1:28.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
This verse starts off with a very important sentence. God blessed them. This is major because it shows that God didn't just create man and woman and then kick them to the curb and tell them they were on their own. No, God blessed them. Basically He told them I will be here for you and you are my chosen creation. But it doesn't stop there. Then He gives them authority over basically all the earth. He wanted the first man and woman to have many offspring that would have authority over the earth and have God's blessing. It was the perfect command.
Now you can look around everywhere you go and see that we have greatly multiplied since the beginning, and we have taken dominion over almost every living creature on the earth, in the air, and in the sea. However, you also see that much of this world has fallen from doing everything to the glory of God, and being done with God's blessing. But it doesn't have to be that way, and it won't always be that way. Jesus came down to restore God's blessings to us by Jesus' death on the cross, and when he returns and creates a new heaven and new earth everything will be uncorrupted and beautiful again. But we aren't called to sit on the sideline and wait though. God wants us to do our part. Be a blessing to people, don't continue in the destructive ways of this world.
If you're a born again Christian and you aren't doing this, I pray that you study this passage and ask God to open your eyes and your heart to His blessings so that you can start being a blessing to others. If you aren't a born again Christian or if you are unsure if you are or not, I ask that you maybe open your bible (if you have one) or go to biblegateway.org and look up John 3:1-21. If you have more questions feel free to write me on here, or if you have Christian friends, or know any Christians, you can ask them.
Until tomorrow, I'll be praying for you all. God bless, and good day.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
This verse starts off with a very important sentence. God blessed them. This is major because it shows that God didn't just create man and woman and then kick them to the curb and tell them they were on their own. No, God blessed them. Basically He told them I will be here for you and you are my chosen creation. But it doesn't stop there. Then He gives them authority over basically all the earth. He wanted the first man and woman to have many offspring that would have authority over the earth and have God's blessing. It was the perfect command.
Now you can look around everywhere you go and see that we have greatly multiplied since the beginning, and we have taken dominion over almost every living creature on the earth, in the air, and in the sea. However, you also see that much of this world has fallen from doing everything to the glory of God, and being done with God's blessing. But it doesn't have to be that way, and it won't always be that way. Jesus came down to restore God's blessings to us by Jesus' death on the cross, and when he returns and creates a new heaven and new earth everything will be uncorrupted and beautiful again. But we aren't called to sit on the sideline and wait though. God wants us to do our part. Be a blessing to people, don't continue in the destructive ways of this world.
If you're a born again Christian and you aren't doing this, I pray that you study this passage and ask God to open your eyes and your heart to His blessings so that you can start being a blessing to others. If you aren't a born again Christian or if you are unsure if you are or not, I ask that you maybe open your bible (if you have one) or go to biblegateway.org and look up John 3:1-21. If you have more questions feel free to write me on here, or if you have Christian friends, or know any Christians, you can ask them.
Until tomorrow, I'll be praying for you all. God bless, and good day.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Creation from the Start
Today I started a new Bible reading plan. Its called Top Verses to Memorize. Today was day one of 443. Today's verse started us right at the start Genesis 1:1.
Gen1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Looking at this verse I wondered why this verse was so important to memorize. I mean its pretty plain, but then I realized there are lots of people out there who don't even believe this verse. So to start off right, and to learn properly its important to understand the depth of this verse. God created the heavens and the earth. Before God there was nothing. There was a void. Just God, and nothing more. I know, some people are thinking, then where did God come from? This is one question I have no answer for. The only thing we know is that God in an uncreated being, and that he exist outside of time. So through trusting in the entire rest of the Bible, we have to trust that God not only exist, but he is an infinite being who can create and destroy as he wills. And the only way there can be a beginning is if he created it. So this verse is so important, because it sets up not only the story of creation, but the evolution of God's plans and God's creation.
So until tomorrow, meditate on this verse and ask God to reveal something new to you through it.
Gen1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Looking at this verse I wondered why this verse was so important to memorize. I mean its pretty plain, but then I realized there are lots of people out there who don't even believe this verse. So to start off right, and to learn properly its important to understand the depth of this verse. God created the heavens and the earth. Before God there was nothing. There was a void. Just God, and nothing more. I know, some people are thinking, then where did God come from? This is one question I have no answer for. The only thing we know is that God in an uncreated being, and that he exist outside of time. So through trusting in the entire rest of the Bible, we have to trust that God not only exist, but he is an infinite being who can create and destroy as he wills. And the only way there can be a beginning is if he created it. So this verse is so important, because it sets up not only the story of creation, but the evolution of God's plans and God's creation.
So until tomorrow, meditate on this verse and ask God to reveal something new to you through it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)