Friday, January 27th
www.moravian.org/daily_texts/
Readings for Today:
Psalm 18:1-6
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm18&version=NIV
Genesis 27:30-28:9
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis27&version=NIV
Matthew 10:17-25
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew10&version=NIV
Psalm 18 For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
1 I love you, LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
You can see David’s heart for praise, which all starts from his personal relationship with Him and in the words, “I love you Lord, my strength.” Then, he recounts why he is able have so much trust in the Lord by lifting up all the metaphors that describes power and sovereignty. He calls God His, “Rock”, “Shield”, “Horn” and “Stronghold”.
When we feel powerless, we can turn to our all-powerful God. When we don’t see the answers to life’s problems, we can turn to the all-knowing God. When we feel afraid and alone, we can know that God is always with us because He is always present with us and only a prayer away. What a great truth to celebrate that our God is an awesome God, and He desires nothing more than to be with us in every situation and the one in whom we call out in our distress.
Genesis 28
1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the
blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Even though Issac does not like being tricked and Esau even more so, his word of blessing and the giving of the birthright was done and were irrevocable. As this causes more friction to the point where Esau starts to plot revenge on his brother, Issac sends Jacob back to his homeland, where his servant found Rebekah, his eventual wife. And, in fact, he sends Jacob back to Uncle Laban, who tried to bargain with the servant to keep his daughter a little longer.
Just as Issac married a first cousin, so will Jacob eventually. In some states in the U.S. (26 to be exact this is marrying a 1st cousin is considered incest), but with a careful read of Leviticus, 1st cousin marriage is not considered incest, or sexual immoral, though many other relationships within family are. If you would like to read more about this distinction see this link:
http://www.cousincouples.com/?page=religion
The bottom line is the blessing given to Issac is passed on to Jacob, albeit in strange circumstances, reminding us that God’s ways are higher than our ways and often confound human logic.
Matthew 10:17-25
17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
As Jesus has given his disciples power and authority to make disciples and bring in His kingdom, Jesus also warns them that just as he suffered in bringing in God’s kingdom, so would they. But he lets them know that as they are suffering for His name, it will also be a moment where the Spirit will speak through them and witness to Jesus.
As we follow Jesus as his disciples, he reminds us that no student is above his teacher. This theology challenges a theology of “glory and prosperity”, which falsely teaches that being a disciple means you will always have success and material prosperity. Jesus didn’t have it, and tells his disciples that they will undergo many of the trials he did. That doesn’t mean that God can’t bless us with material possessions, as we see many faithful Christians who God has blessed who use their resources to advance the kingdom. But where these modern theologies get off base, is when they teach that everyone who is a Christian will be blessed with material prosperity. That is only for God to decide, and it shouldn’t surprise us when we face trials in this world as our Lord did.
But we must remember in the end, that God uses all things to His glory and even when Paul was on trial and in prison at the end of Acts, it is a chance for him to proclaim the gospel to kings and emperors for God’s glory!
Heavenly Protector, when we are threatened by the world around us, watch over us. When our fears weaken us, be our strength. When discouragement squelches the joy of life, shine your light into our lives and into your world. Amen.
Readings for Today:
Psalm 18:1-6
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm18&version=NIV
Genesis 27:30-28:9
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis27&version=NIV
Matthew 10:17-25
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew10&version=NIV
Psalm 18 For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
1 I love you, LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
You can see David’s heart for praise, which all starts from his personal relationship with Him and in the words, “I love you Lord, my strength.” Then, he recounts why he is able have so much trust in the Lord by lifting up all the metaphors that describes power and sovereignty. He calls God His, “Rock”, “Shield”, “Horn” and “Stronghold”.
When we feel powerless, we can turn to our all-powerful God. When we don’t see the answers to life’s problems, we can turn to the all-knowing God. When we feel afraid and alone, we can know that God is always with us because He is always present with us and only a prayer away. What a great truth to celebrate that our God is an awesome God, and He desires nothing more than to be with us in every situation and the one in whom we call out in our distress.
Genesis 28
1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the
blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Even though Issac does not like being tricked and Esau even more so, his word of blessing and the giving of the birthright was done and were irrevocable. As this causes more friction to the point where Esau starts to plot revenge on his brother, Issac sends Jacob back to his homeland, where his servant found Rebekah, his eventual wife. And, in fact, he sends Jacob back to Uncle Laban, who tried to bargain with the servant to keep his daughter a little longer.
Just as Issac married a first cousin, so will Jacob eventually. In some states in the U.S. (26 to be exact this is marrying a 1st cousin is considered incest), but with a careful read of Leviticus, 1st cousin marriage is not considered incest, or sexual immoral, though many other relationships within family are. If you would like to read more about this distinction see this link:
http://www.cousincouples.com/?page=religion
The bottom line is the blessing given to Issac is passed on to Jacob, albeit in strange circumstances, reminding us that God’s ways are higher than our ways and often confound human logic.
Matthew 10:17-25
17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
As Jesus has given his disciples power and authority to make disciples and bring in His kingdom, Jesus also warns them that just as he suffered in bringing in God’s kingdom, so would they. But he lets them know that as they are suffering for His name, it will also be a moment where the Spirit will speak through them and witness to Jesus.
As we follow Jesus as his disciples, he reminds us that no student is above his teacher. This theology challenges a theology of “glory and prosperity”, which falsely teaches that being a disciple means you will always have success and material prosperity. Jesus didn’t have it, and tells his disciples that they will undergo many of the trials he did. That doesn’t mean that God can’t bless us with material possessions, as we see many faithful Christians who God has blessed who use their resources to advance the kingdom. But where these modern theologies get off base, is when they teach that everyone who is a Christian will be blessed with material prosperity. That is only for God to decide, and it shouldn’t surprise us when we face trials in this world as our Lord did.
But we must remember in the end, that God uses all things to His glory and even when Paul was on trial and in prison at the end of Acts, it is a chance for him to proclaim the gospel to kings and emperors for God’s glory!
Heavenly Protector, when we are threatened by the world around us, watch over us. When our fears weaken us, be our strength. When discouragement squelches the joy of life, shine your light into our lives and into your world. Amen.
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