Title: It is all in the plan.
(S) Gen 42:6-7 "Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them."
(O) If Joseph's brothers had never sold him to be a slave in Egypt, if Joseph had never had a job with Potipher, if Potipher's wife had never falsely accused him of rape, if Joseph had never been put in an Egyptian jail, if Joseph had never interpreted the Pharaoh s dream and stored up food for when the famine came, if Joseph's brothers had not come and therefore been spared of starvation -- especially Judah from whom the line of Christ would come, there would be no Jesus and no salvation. All this so that Christ would come down to earth...and there is a verse that says that there is more rejoicing over the one that comes to Him than the 99 that were always in his fold.
(A) What a lot of planning - just for the one - for me - for the few that come to Christ.
(P) What a difference it has made - that my parents were Christians - that my husband is a Christian - that I am - all because of God's plan to come to earth and provide salvation. ..... Thank you Lord.
Title: It is human nature to think that we are all good people no matter what we have done.
(S)Gen 42:31 "But we said to him (Joseph) 'We are honest men; we are not spies. We were twelve brothers, sons of one father...."
(O) These men plotted to kill their brother, then sold him into slavery and yet when they meet this Egyptian leader (who is really Joseph) they say that they are honest men ..... probably for the last many years they have forgotten what they did to Joseph and go on with their lives thinking that they are honest men.
(A)They did an evil thing but God turned it into good. There is a verse like that Genesis 50:20 "you intended to harm me, but God meant it for good to accomplish what is now being done." God can take those things that people meant to harm us with and turn them into good - even our poor choices he can turn it to good.
(P) Thanks for being a constant help in time of trouble - even when I do not know you are there.
(S) Gen 43:32 "They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the ,Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians."
(O) Since the beginning of time it seems people have hated the Jews. I like historical novels and in every time period Jews are considered detestable.
(A) Jews have always been considered detestable and yet the U.S. is very supportive of the Jews - will the U.S. come under God's special protection because of this? Will God bless those who bless Jerusalem?
(P) Lord I pray for the peace of Jerusalem - for Jew, Arab and Christian alike.
Luke 5
(s) "Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice..."
(O) I know that I should do this time with God in the morning - before the day starts but I have a hard time doing it. In the middle east the Muslims are called to prayer at 5:00 a.m. and they do it - why can this Christian not also do it?
(A) The Muslims show us up in their ability to get up early and worship - to get up early and spend time with God and what a difference it would make.
(P) Lord help me to start my day with you rather than reading and praying at the end of the day.
(S)pslam 5:12 "For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."
Luke 17
(S) Luke 17:1 "Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come."
(O) What do I do that causes someone else to be led astray - others watch our lives - if they think it is okay because I do it and then fall down then it is more than wrong it is an action that hurts someone else. Awareness of this type of fault is very necessary.
(A) Need to be constantly aware of those actions that cause another to fall.
(P) Lord put a guard on my actions and the things I fail to do that prevent others from walking with you.
Title: Only one of the 10 leppers that was healed came back to say thanks.
(S)Luke 17:15 "One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him--- and he was a Samaritan."
(O) The Jews thought that the Samaritans were the lowest of people - and yet the verse notes that although 10 people were healed only one came back to say thanks and that one was a dreaded Samaritan. He did not just say thanks - he threw himself at Jesus feet.
(A) How thankful am I - I live as if , I deserved all this goodness that Jesus gives me - I should be throwing myself at Jesus feet in appreciation......
(P) God forgive me for my lack of appreciation and help me to be more thankful --- thank you for all you have done for me.
Title: What is the Coming Kingdom of God like?
(S) Luke 17:20 "Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come visibly nor will people say, 'Here it is, or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
(O) This is not a physical place - a place of heaven - so to speak but a changed state of the world since mankind has a spiritual inner change. Are we looking for a visible heaven --- perhaps that is not the case --- I am not sure quite what that exactly means - "the kingdom of God is within you." but I am sure it does not mean some place with golden roads that is visible.
(A) I have a problem with imagining some type of heaven with golden streets and some of the people I love missing. I think that heaven is not that at all - have to think about this concept for a long time yet - I am not there yet on a opinion of what this coming kingdom is like but perhaps by the end of this year with this blog and studying and reading I may have some sort of idea. ...... a beginning of an idea at least.
(P) Thank you Lord that this Bible is not cut and dried and always new and interesting - it is an ongoing process to learn each day.
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