Method - When a verse strikes me I go through it in detail with following 1. Scripture 2. Observation 3. Application 4. Prayer that came outof the previous.
Title: What is our responsibility and relationship to the planet?
(S)Gen. 9:3 "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything".
(O) So if everything is okay to eat than what is with clean and unclean animals and the Jewish laws of things that are not okay to eat? What is this? Many people are vegetarians -- that is not supported here either.
But there must be some things that are not acceptable - what about drugs - surely they also grow as plants but are not acceptable - for the Levites - they were not suppose to drink anything fermented - why does it say - "I now give you everything"????
(P) Another question Lord - I guess much of the Bible requires common sense to figure out what is good and everything cannot be taken literally - God keep me going on this blog.
Title: To disrespect our parents is a very great crime.
(S) Gen.9:22-24 "Ham, the father of Canaan saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth tool a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backwards and covered their fathers nakedness. Their faces were turned hte other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son and done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan (Ham's son) The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers".
(O) Noah was in a drunken stupor but it was not his drunkeness that offended God but that his son was mocking him by saying to his brothers that Noah was naked and drunk and by not looking away from his father's foolish behaviour.
(A) It is better to cover a sin than to share it - the other brothers that covered Noah without even looking at him did a much more noble deed.
If we can cover the screw ups of our family and not shame them to the world it is better.
(P) God help me keep a guard on my tongue.
Title: God does not want us to become a one world government with one language.
(S) Gen 11:6-8 "The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, "
(O) It seems that God does not want man to forge ahead too quickly and accomplish great things. It is odd that God wants to hold man back from being the best he can be. Will co-operation lead to world destruction??? Perhaps it is only man's struggle that leads him to call on God and so the road to accomplishment must not be too easy.
(A) When my kids were small I prayed that they would have enough struggles to make them call on God - this has occurred for some of my children but some struggle and do not call on God - but I do see the wisdom of God for making great accomplishment a difficult process.
(P) Lord help me keep on going and doing each day - no matter the struggle.
From Shem to Abram
Luke 4
Title: Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit and is led by the Spirit
(S)Luke 4:1 "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert,..."
(O) It is here that Jesus confronts Satan who tempts him. It is interesting that Jesus does not face this temptation without being filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit. He is taking time out for time with God to let the Holy Spirit fill Him and assist Him in his challenges and temptations.
(A) If Jesus himself must take time out from the world to be filled with the spirt and be alone with God so that he can face temptation and problems - how much more to I have to take time out with God each and every day?
(P) If not another soul reads this blog it is still good for me to spend this time with you each day - thank you Lord for this time.
Title: Very similar to what what Satan said to Eve - it is doubt that Satan presents to Jesus --
(S) Luke 4:3 "If you are the Son of God" and also Luke 4:9 "If you are the Son of God"
(O) It is always doubt in the greatness of God and who He really is that begins the cycle of temptation to not hold fast - even Jesus was tempted by the same method that we are led to fall - lack of faith in who God really is and that He can really help us.
(A) Seeds of doubt in who God is creates a downward spiral of doubt in everything else - if we have faith that - he provides, he knows our future and he is there for us - we will be okay.
(P) Never let those seeds of doubt that Jesus is the Son of God and can do the impossible ever sneak into my thoughts.
Title: Time with God brings about great spiritual power.
(S) Luke 4:14 "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about him spread through the whole countryside"
(O) Effective witnessing begins with much time alone with God. We cannot be useful to God if we do not spend the time it takes to get to know Him and become merely an extension of God's work rather than depending on ourselves.
(A) More time with God is good
(P) Help me keep this appointment with you dear God.
Title: Even Jesus could not do his great works in the area he grew up in - perhaps neither can we.
(S) Luke 4:24 "I tell you the truth, "he continued, " no prophet is accepted in his home town. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time , when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to anly of them but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon."
(O) I think it is probably rare that a person can really do much great missionary work in the same town where his or her family lives. This is probably for many reasons - for one - family takes time and committment to the great cause of missions work must often take a back seat and therefore cannot be the most important feature of a person's life. Another reason is that we rarely see someone we know well as a person to be listened to -- we still see them as little Johnny or little Mary - not a great soldier for the Christian cause.
(A) To do great work for God - perhaps a person must go to another country.... it was true for Jesus..... perhaps it is true for ordinary people too.
(P) If one of my children wants to live in another land to serve you - Lord help me accept that.
Title: Does a sickness have a spirit in some instances???
(S)Luke 4:39 "So he bent over her and rebuked the fever and it left her."
(O) It seems that he is rebuking a being of some sort that has manifest itself in the form of a fever. Perhaps on some occasions a sickness can be rebuked as a spirit????
(A) Can we rebuke the spirit of a sickness - perhaps sometimes? If Jesus does this - we should also - how does one know when this should be done??
(P) Lord - I am out of my depth on such topics as rebuking spirits of sickness - but I do have those I love that are sick - so teach me if there is something that I should know.
Title: Worship God in the morning
(S) Luke 4:42 "At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place."
(O) There are many verses that speak of spending time with God in the early morning and yet it is difficult for me to do.
(A) This is the beginning of the year and soon I would like to be able to get up very early to write this blog and spend time with God.
(P) Lord- make me a morning person so that I spend time with you in the early hours of the morning.
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