January 5

Today's Bible reading...

Genesis 11:1-13:4 - Starting in 12:4 I find it interesting that Abram was 75 years old when he departed following Gods lead, he was following the numbers we see that Abram even after the call of God waited some time before stepping out to follow God into the land He had promised him. I love, on one hand that he waited, because it shows first that Abram was not perfect but it also show that God is not in a hurry, after all He isn't going anywhere. Once God gives a command He waits, patiently, quietly waits for us to respond. I love the patience and long suffering of God.

Abrams first journey is packed full of great insights into God and what a walk with Him is like and even the very nature of God. I will try to make this brief and not leave any details, that have touched my heart, out.

Abram starts out and lands in the plain of Moreh which is located in lower Galilee, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles west of the Sea of Galilee and like anywhere the Lord takes us He is right there immediately to reward our faith with the best reward and that is His Presence vs 7. Now Abram does something odd, something you or I would do he leaves and travels further on to the outskirts of Bethel. The name Bethel means literally house of God. Abram even sets up an alter to try and recreate the very atmosphere that he experienced previously all to no avail. And why? Simply because God was not there, oh He was there to the extent that He is everywhere, but this was not where God wanted Abram to go. God even said "I will give you this land". So why did Abram leave? Maybe Abram assumed he was supposed to keep going, maybe he was trying to help God out, maybe he thought he knew what and where God wanted Him to go... Abram was wrong. Thankfully God is graceful and gently corrects him... and us...

Next Abram suffers what will always eventually happen when a follower is outside of God's Will, a famine comes over the land. So he goes to Egypt. Upon entering Abram lies about His wife, do you see the descent happening already and the toll it is taking on Abram-fending for himself.

Eventually Abram goes back to where God was and still is back in the Plain of Moreh and all is well. Abram is even blessed materially after leaving he finds himself pack full of sheep and camels etc. though I think all he really ever wanted was God and he finally has Him again.

As a follower of God it is important to remember we WILL end up where He wants us "He who began the good work in you is faithful to complete it unto the day of Christ Jesus" however, to the extent that we are thankful and are in His will is the extent that we will enjoy His presence and perfect Will. We have to travel for a few years through the world and hopefully not get to banged up all to find ourselves back right where we started at the alter at the feet of Jesus Christ enjoying His presence and all that come with it, mainly HIM.

Matthew 5:1-26 - This sermon on the mount as it is commonly called is so rich I don't know if there is enough space on all of blogspots' hard drives to contain all that could be said of these scriptures so again I will keep it brief only to bullet point what has touched my heart.

I will first point out that all of the "be attitudes" are aspects of the Christian. Yes all of them. Time spent at Jesus feet will produce every single one of these attributes and I think He wants all this for us. We have every single one of these Scriptures to look forward to Not to make it happen in our own strength but simply to wait on Him patiently, enduring, as He molds us and shapes us less like the world and more like Him, more the the very verses that we read today.

vs 3 -Blessed are the poor in Spirit. May I suggest "knowing God" by A.W. Towzer I think he does an unparalleled job at expounding on these few verses. I have, often, wondered what it means to be poor in spirit only after the Lord showing me do I now know, as anything else for that matter. Poor, poor as a beggar on the street as a common homeless person. Not, maybe a homeless person in America for even they are rich compared to some, but poor as the poorest person found on the earth. In spirit, as in mindset or thought pattern.

For to be poor in spirit is simply to have the mindset that I do not have anything. No possessions nothing to claim my attention. To be as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 vs 10 having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Maybe that will mean you selling everything you own and following after Jesus as He commanded or selling everything and laying it at the Apostles feet as the early church members did. However it "fleshes out" one thing is for sure to be poor in spirit is to not keep physical things in such a place that they choke the Word f God out or even come into your heart to slowly take the place of God as riches or things do.

We as American Christians have built our barns bigger and bigger filling them to the rim with things calling it blessing all the while getting further and further from Jesus, from His presence, from His heart and from our rightful place.

I will also encourage you to read "Christian Devotedness" by A.E. Groves it is available free online here www.theblackmile.com look for the link on the left side of the page and you can read it for free.

There is so much more that can be said about these Scriptures but in the interest of time I will stop there for this section.

Psalm 5:1-12 - Asking God to "consider my meditation" implies that you are meditating. I ask you when is the last time you stopped and stayed quiet before the Lord meditating on His Word? For in His presence is the fullness of Joy and at His right hand are pleasure evermore.

Proverbs 1:24-28 - It is often thought of God that He will put up with anything and to an extent He will. but when you get yourself into trouble time and time again and expect God to just bail you out only so you can run back to the world thanking them and not God, only to go back as a dog does to his own vomit verses like these come to mind. Especially the last part, God laughs because He has tried time and again to warn us of the dangers of the sins we are messing with and yet we willfully run to them as a man to a whore. We, without even a second thought, throw off the wisdom of God and then wonder why we get flattened by sin and the world. Frankly we have coming to us exactly what we deserve not only as individuals but as the Church his Bride and a nation.

Jesus, please forgive me for running from you to the World. I sit at your feet waiting on you. Make me as the be attitudes describe not only poor in spirit but all of them. Thank you for making me as you desire, a follower of you. Clean out my heart of all the idols that have taken their place on your throne in my heart. I repent of my sinful ways and change my direction to one heading and staying with you! In Jesus name amen.