Yesterday's GEN 37; MARK 7; JOB 3; ROM 7
Have a blessed Sunday!!!!!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
GEN 35-36; MARK 6; JOB 2; ROM 6
Romans 6:16–18 (ESV)
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Obedience comes from the heart not from keeping laws and regulations. We know that the law is good and holy, but the law doesn't have the power to change us. The power comes from Christ and when we look to the cross and see what the Lord has done on our behalf, the response should be obedience to His word. We do it from the heart, out of love. If we love, we will obey. We don't keep the law as a means of earning righteousness, we trust Christ for our righteousness. We are being transformed into the image of Christ, that means we will walk in union with Christ, the more we will be obedient to what He commands. We we graze upon the cross and the wrath that Christ endured on our behalf, we see His love, and we love Him because He first loved us(1 John 4:19). Jesus told His disciples in John 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments" Our obedience to the Lord is one of of love, it is from the heart.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
GEN 33 MARK 4 ESTHER 9-10 ROM 4
Romans 4:20–21 (ESV)
20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
It is said of Abraham that he was as good as dead and God approached him and told him that he was to have a child. Abraham trusted in the word of God. He was fully convinced that God was able to do what He promised. The God that Abraham trusted and brought about the promise He made, is the same God that is dealing in the lives of men today. Lets not limit God and what He can do. Lets not neglect the promises that have been made. Like Abraham we need to be fully convinced that God will bring about what is said in His Word. And notice that it is God who is able to do it. Abraham tried to take things into his own hands if you remember. That is were we get Ismael. The work of the flesh. To do the work of the Spirit is to trust in the Word and allow God to work. God is faithful, my friends, we can trust in His Word!!!!!
Tomorrows readings as I will be traveling to Lima and won't be able to post them are as follows:
GEN 34
MARK 5
JOB 1
ROM 5
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Illuminated by the Word
For the past few years I have used the Robert Murray M'Cheyne reading plan to go through the bible. It is a great plan that when used you read through the Old Testament once and Psalms and the New Testament twice a year. As Christians we need to be in God's Word and meditating on it. I recently saw an article about the presidential campaign and it had a poll that stated nearly half of evangelical Christians thought that mormonism wasn't evangelical, mormons aren't Christians. Nearly half! That means more than half of professing evangelical Christians think that mormonism is Christian! Another denomination or something. Why is this happening? There are numerous reasons, but first and foremost I think it is the biblical ignorance of Christians. The church is biblically illiterate. We can blame the pulpits and other areas, but the fact of the matter is, the responsibility falls on us.
The daily reading plan isn't that much reading, typically it is 4 chapters a day. 2 from the Old 2 from the New. However your schedule works, but maybe you could read 2 in the morning before work or school or whatever it is you do. Then 2 more before you sleep for the night. However you can work it out, do it. Think how much time is wasted during the day. We focus on so many other things that may be legitimate concerns. School, work, homeschooling kids, dinner, shopping, all these things need to be done, but we need to align our priorities. Christ needs to be first and all those things need to be done for His glory. Ephesians 5:15-16 says"Look carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of time because the days are evil" Our time should be focused on Christ and though we have worldly responsibilities we need to place Christ at the top of the list and everything else we do needs to be governed by this.
As we are reading through the Scriptures it is also important that we are pursuing Christ and not just reading to read. We shouldn't just be dissecting and breaking down the text. We need to read it as it is, God's Word. When we come to the Scriptures for any other reason than to seek God and to hear from Him we rob the Word of it's purpose. God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures and He desires for us to know Him. So many want to hear from God yet do they open the Bible? Everything we need is found from Genesis to Revelation. Psalm 119 is a great psalm about God's Word. In verse 135 the psalmist states"Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes" God's face shines on us when we are in His Word, learning and seeking His face. When we go to the Scriptures for this purpose we receive God's favor and have communion with the living God. To know Christ should be our focus when we read. Jesus said in the Gospel of John that the scriptures testify of Him, and then in Hebrews chapter 10 Christ says that the "volume of the book was written of me". Do you want to know Jesus? Do you want to become more like Him? To fall more in love with Him and experience His grace? We find this In His Word. You want to learn the will of God? You want to know the mind of Christ? Open His Word. Calvin says "we ought to believe that Christ cannot be properly known in any other way than from the Scriptures, and if it be so, it follows that we ought to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding Christ in them." If you aren't in the Scriptures daily then start, start today. I will be posting the reading plan daily and trying to just give some devotional thoughts that go along with the reading. Lets grow closer to Christ and truly get to know Him as the days draw near to His coming!!!!
Todays reading list:
Gen 32
Mark 3
Esther 8
Rom 3
The daily reading plan isn't that much reading, typically it is 4 chapters a day. 2 from the Old 2 from the New. However your schedule works, but maybe you could read 2 in the morning before work or school or whatever it is you do. Then 2 more before you sleep for the night. However you can work it out, do it. Think how much time is wasted during the day. We focus on so many other things that may be legitimate concerns. School, work, homeschooling kids, dinner, shopping, all these things need to be done, but we need to align our priorities. Christ needs to be first and all those things need to be done for His glory. Ephesians 5:15-16 says"Look carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of time because the days are evil" Our time should be focused on Christ and though we have worldly responsibilities we need to place Christ at the top of the list and everything else we do needs to be governed by this.
As we are reading through the Scriptures it is also important that we are pursuing Christ and not just reading to read. We shouldn't just be dissecting and breaking down the text. We need to read it as it is, God's Word. When we come to the Scriptures for any other reason than to seek God and to hear from Him we rob the Word of it's purpose. God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures and He desires for us to know Him. So many want to hear from God yet do they open the Bible? Everything we need is found from Genesis to Revelation. Psalm 119 is a great psalm about God's Word. In verse 135 the psalmist states"Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes" God's face shines on us when we are in His Word, learning and seeking His face. When we go to the Scriptures for this purpose we receive God's favor and have communion with the living God. To know Christ should be our focus when we read. Jesus said in the Gospel of John that the scriptures testify of Him, and then in Hebrews chapter 10 Christ says that the "volume of the book was written of me". Do you want to know Jesus? Do you want to become more like Him? To fall more in love with Him and experience His grace? We find this In His Word. You want to learn the will of God? You want to know the mind of Christ? Open His Word. Calvin says "we ought to believe that Christ cannot be properly known in any other way than from the Scriptures, and if it be so, it follows that we ought to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding Christ in them." If you aren't in the Scriptures daily then start, start today. I will be posting the reading plan daily and trying to just give some devotional thoughts that go along with the reading. Lets grow closer to Christ and truly get to know Him as the days draw near to His coming!!!!
Todays reading list:
Gen 32
Mark 3
Esther 8
Rom 3
Monday, January 30, 2012
Psalm 63:1-2, 5-6
O God you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of night.
Psalm 63:1-2 5-6
my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of night.
Psalm 63:1-2 5-6
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Good to be back
We are back home in Banos del Inca and it feels so good. We had a really good time in Lima and were blessed with great fellowship, but there is something about the pace of life here that is just refreshing. The state of emergency is still in effect and in Cajamarca there is a strong military presence.
As soon as we were getting dropped off and getting our baggage out of the car our neighbors were all coming out and seeing us. It was one of our best moments being here. You could just see the happiness on there faces. The following morning Nicole went across the street to buy some bread (we have a panaderia directly in front of our building). There was a lady there who Nicole bought her bread for her a couple weeks ago because she only had 100 soles bill and they couldn't break it. It was only like 1.00 in american money that Nicole paid and the lady was so greatful, and when she saw Nicole that morning she was so happy to see us home. The lady then took Nicole to her house to show Nicole where she lived so she can come and talk with her. She showed her a little area where our kids could play while they talk. The Lord is opening doors for us. The people at the local market where asking us where we had been and that they missed us. The town is watching us and we are praying that the Lord continues to give us the opportunity to share Jesus. I was just asked if I was missing the beach and ocean at all, and to be honest I had to say not that much. While in Lima we took a cruise by the beach and the surf was looking so good and there were a few guys out and it looked fun, but the Lord has really given me grace in that area as well. He has put such a love in our hearts for Cajamarca and the people that we couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Our kids love the culture and the area. For us to see how much our kids love it is a conformation to us that the Lord has brought us here.
These past 5 months have been a real time of growth for all of us. We have experienced Gods grace at a whole new level. The challenges that we thought we would face haven't been such an issue and things that we never would have expected have popped up. Through it all the Lord shows that when He calls you, He will give you the strength to get through.
I have been given the great privilege next semester to teach a class. I will be teaching a two week class on the gospel of Mark. It will be at the end of february so I will be studying quite a bit until then. One thing that I have already learned in my preparation is that the gospel of Mark is an amazing book. Many times it is kind of looked over because it's the shortest gospel and what not, but when you crack into it, it is full and rich. We shouldn't expect anything less from Gods Word. I'm starting to wonder if I can get it all in with just two weeks.
Christmas is coming and it will be our first Christmas away from the states and our families. It will be difficult at times, but the Lord has given us a great family here and it will be a blessed time because Christmas is truly about the Lord Jesus taking on flesh and coming into the world to give us the gift of salvation for those who put their faith in Him.
Have a wonderful Christmas, Feliz Navidad!!!!!!
As soon as we were getting dropped off and getting our baggage out of the car our neighbors were all coming out and seeing us. It was one of our best moments being here. You could just see the happiness on there faces. The following morning Nicole went across the street to buy some bread (we have a panaderia directly in front of our building). There was a lady there who Nicole bought her bread for her a couple weeks ago because she only had 100 soles bill and they couldn't break it. It was only like 1.00 in american money that Nicole paid and the lady was so greatful, and when she saw Nicole that morning she was so happy to see us home. The lady then took Nicole to her house to show Nicole where she lived so she can come and talk with her. She showed her a little area where our kids could play while they talk. The Lord is opening doors for us. The people at the local market where asking us where we had been and that they missed us. The town is watching us and we are praying that the Lord continues to give us the opportunity to share Jesus. I was just asked if I was missing the beach and ocean at all, and to be honest I had to say not that much. While in Lima we took a cruise by the beach and the surf was looking so good and there were a few guys out and it looked fun, but the Lord has really given me grace in that area as well. He has put such a love in our hearts for Cajamarca and the people that we couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Our kids love the culture and the area. For us to see how much our kids love it is a conformation to us that the Lord has brought us here.
These past 5 months have been a real time of growth for all of us. We have experienced Gods grace at a whole new level. The challenges that we thought we would face haven't been such an issue and things that we never would have expected have popped up. Through it all the Lord shows that when He calls you, He will give you the strength to get through.
I have been given the great privilege next semester to teach a class. I will be teaching a two week class on the gospel of Mark. It will be at the end of february so I will be studying quite a bit until then. One thing that I have already learned in my preparation is that the gospel of Mark is an amazing book. Many times it is kind of looked over because it's the shortest gospel and what not, but when you crack into it, it is full and rich. We shouldn't expect anything less from Gods Word. I'm starting to wonder if I can get it all in with just two weeks.
Christmas is coming and it will be our first Christmas away from the states and our families. It will be difficult at times, but the Lord has given us a great family here and it will be a blessed time because Christmas is truly about the Lord Jesus taking on flesh and coming into the world to give us the gift of salvation for those who put their faith in Him.
 |
| Our panaderia across the street |
Thursday, December 8, 2011
A few days in Lima
We were told by the U.S. Embassy that they would like us to leave Cajamarca until things cooled off so to speak. The Peruvian government had issued a state of emergency for 60 days, which is what I would call martial law. The military is now in charge of the city and they have full authority. The governor of the region said this decision would make things a blood bath. We are praying that these are just empty threats. We had tickets to come to Lima on the 6th and the airport was open so we came to Lima. We needed to get here anyways because on the 7th we had an appointment to get our kids residency cards and praise the Lord that all went smoothy. Our original flight back to Cajamarca was for the eighth which is today, but we were able to change our tickets for a small fee for another week. We will be heading back to Cajamarca on Dec. 15th. It is not as long as the embassy wanted us to stay away, but we feel the Lord is wanting us to go back and remain in Cajamarca. That is our home now and the Lord has called us there right now and He will be our shield and our protection. When we left everything was very mellow. The airport is completely secured by the military. There is at least 150 soldiers on site and they are around the whole perimeter. It actually felt very safe. It has been a blessing to spend some time back in Lima. Most the staff is back here and we got to spend some time with some of the students who are still here. Please continue to pray for Cajamarca and the situation, as it could flare up at any moment.
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