January 26, 2017 – Genesis 41-42 -God protecting His people

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 41-42. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Joseph has been in prison for a considerable amount of time. He has gone from being his father’s favorite son, to being sold by his brothers, sold by his cousins, and enslaved in Potiphar’s house. However, God has been with him. Both Potiphar and the prison warden have seen God’s hand upon Joseph and elevated his position and responsibilities. But, he remains in prison.
• Until, Pharaoh himself started having dreams. Pharaoh had two dreams. The first was seven healthy cows being swallowed by seven sickly cows. The second dream was seven thick and luscious grains being devoured by seven scorched grains. These two dreams frightened Pharaoh, and no one could tell him what they meant. That is when the cupbearer remembered Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams.
• So Joseph is called for and Joseph tells Pharaoh he cannot do it … but God can. Joseph tells Pharaoh that the two dreams he had are the same … and they mean there is going to be seven good years followed by seven bad years … seven years of famine. Joseph recommends that they prepare for the bad times during the good times. Pharaoh likes this idea so much that he chooses to put Joseph in charge of preparing for the bad years.
• To prepare, Joseph charges a tax on all the people … he collects grain. It is during this time that Joseph marries and has two children of his own, Ephraim and Manasseh.
• After the seven good years’ famine begins to spread across the land. This famine wasn’t just in Egypt, it extended all the way up to Joseph’s homeland and made an impact on his own family. Desperate and hungry, his brothers, 10 of them, make the trip down to Egypt to buy grain from the only nation that is prepared.
• Unknown to them, the man who is in charge of this entire system is their brother they sold into slavery some twenty years before. He immediately recognizes them … and he has to know if they have changed. So, he accuses them of being spies. But they deny it and they even reveal who they are to him, indicating that Joseph’s whole brother Benjamin is still alive. After three days Joseph was ready to send them on their way.
• Before he could do so, he wanted to make sure he would one day see his brother again … so he forced Simeon to stay behind and be held in prison. Then he had their sacks filled, their money put back in, and sent them on their way. On their return trip, they found the money in their sacks, and when they showed their father, they were all frightened … frightened because they didn’t know what their future held … they didn’t know if they would get Simeon back … and frightened that they may lose Benjamin in the process. With food on their tables, Jacob had a dilemma on his hands … go back and get Simeon and risk losing Benjamin, or wait it out.

What Does this passage Teach?

• Our reading today reminds us that God has a plan and purpose. God had selected Abraham and his descendants to bring Jesus into our world. He allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery to be the one to save his family from drought. In this time of drought, they found relief in their own brother in Egypt. God’s plan is still working out, but so far, the mission of bringing Jesus into our world is still on. 

January 25, 2017 – Genesis 38-40 - God's At Work

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 38-40. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• This is perhaps one of those passages of Scripture that remind us the people that God used to tell His story were flawed. One of Jacob’s sons, Judah, moves out from his family and marries a Canaanite woman. They had three sons. The oldest marries, but God saw him as wicked, so he dies without producing offspring. The second one, follows the customs of the day and marries his brothers widow. He knows that any children born to him will not be his own, but will be his brothers (odd structure for us today), so he does not produce children. This displeases God. The third son, Judah refuses to give to Tamar. So, Tamar dresses as a shrine prostitute, disguises herself and sleeps with her father-in-law. This affair ends up with her pregnant, producing two sons, Perez and Zerah. Because of the payment Judah gives her, she is protected from punishment. This story is a brief interlude from the story of Joseph.
• Now we are back to the story of Joseph. He is now in the land of Egypt, where he has been sold in to slavery and purchased by one of Pharaoh’s officials. Potiphar likes Joseph and even sees that God has blessed him. So, Potiphar trusts Joseph with more and more responsibility, until he puts him over his entire household. Not only has Potiphar noticed Joseph, so has his wife. She noticed his physical attributes and desired him sexually. Joseph was an honest man and true to God. Every advance that she made he refused. One day, she trapped him, and because of his rejection, she cried foul, and this forced Joseph to be thrown into prison. I am convinced that Potiphar knew what kind of woman he was married to, and his anger was more directed to her than to Joseph. However, his only option was to send Joseph to prison.
• Joseph has now found himself in prison. A very similar scene plays out in prison as it did in Potiphar’s house. God is with Joseph, and the guards give him responsibilities, until he is caring for the entire prison. It is during his rounds he encounters two more of Pharaoh’s officials … his cupbearer and his baker. They have both been thrown into prison and both have had bad dreams Joseph reveals that he can interrupt dreams so both share them with him. Joseph’s dream telling comes true, the baker is killed and the cupbearer is restored to his position. Sadly, for a time Joseph is forgotten.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• In the story of Judah and Tamar two sons are born to this odd couple. Perez and Zerah. Both of these boys are mentioned in Matthew 1:3. Matthew 1:3 happens to be a portion of the genealogy of Jesus. That means that one of these two boys (Perez) is a direct ancestor of Jesus. Jesus is a descendant from this sordid affair. Friends, it is a reminder … not only is God a God of forgiveness, He can also do some amazing things, like save the world, though sinful people like you and me. What sin do you hide in your past? Remember, it isn’t too much for God to not be able to work with. 

January 24, 2017 – Genesis 35-37 – Catching Up

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 35-37 . Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has shared condolences with my family after the recent passing of my uncle. During this time I was unable to write the daily Bible reading thoughts. I appreciate the understanding during my time away. Thank you.

What Does This Passage Say?

• In my time away we have missed a lot of material. So, let’s do a quick recap. Abraham and Sarah end up having a child, and as God announced they named him Isaac. When Isaac was around fourteen years old God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him. Perhaps confused, Abraham is obedient and did just as God asks … and right before he finishes the task, God provides a ram to replace Isaac. It is on the heels of this that Sarah passes away.
• Following these events, when Isaac is around forty years old Abraham sends ones of his servant back to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. The servant is led by God right to Abraham’s own people where He selects a young girl named Rebekah for Isaac. The servant then takes Rebekah back to the promised land to marry Isaac. With this stage of life complete, Abraham passes away and is buried in the tomb next to his wife Sarah.
• Isaac and Rebekah end up having two twin boys. These twins are at odds with each other, even in the womb. The youngest one, Jacob is loved by his mother and the oldest is loved by his father. Out of weakness, Esau, the oldest, gives up his birthright to the youngest. Out of trickery, Jacob, the youngest, and his mother trick Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of Esau.
• With this trickery, Jacob is fearful that Esau will kill him so he flees … where he ends up at his uncle Laban’s house. It is here he falls in love and commits to working seven years for his uncle Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachel, hand in marriage. Again, trickery is at play. When the seven years are up, Laban’s oldest daughter Leah has not been married, so he tricks Jacob into marring her. Upset and still in love with Rachel, Jacob agrees to work another seven years for Laban for her hand in marriage. Now Jacob is married to two sisters, but to only one woman he actually loves.
• While living in his father-in-law/uncle’s house, Jacob’s two wives compete with each other for children … but struggling with infertility at times, with both giving their maidservants to Jacob as surrogates/wives. Through these four women, Jacob fathers twelve sons and one daughter. These twelve sons will go on to be the foundations for the twelve tribes of Israel.
• During this season of life, Jacob has bartered a deal with Laban that has made him wealthy, and he knows it is time to return to the promised land. There is just one problem … how will Esau greet him. God is obviously at work here, because not only has Esau forgiven Jacob, he welcomes him with open arms. The restoration of the family is complete.
• Now, in the middle of this return, as Jacob is preparing to meet up with his brother, Jacob has an odd encounter with a stranger … and angel of the Lord. This stranger wrestles with Jacob throughout the night and Jacob holds his own. Because of his wrestling with God, Jacob earns a new name … Israel, because he had struggled with God and man and overcome (Genesis 32:28). 
• For the most part that catches us up, all be it for a few small stories.

• In our reading for today, God speaks to Jacob/Israel and gives him instructions for where to set up his home. This spot, Bethel, was the place where Jacob meet God and his flight away from Esau and where he wrestled with God on his return to the Promised Land. It was here at Bethel that God established His covenant through Israel like He had done with Jacob’s grandfather Abraham. Because of what happened, Jacob worshiped God here.
• The rest of chapter thirty-five and all of thirty-six serve as a transition for us. They reveal to us the deaths of Rachel and Issacs as well as the family trees of Jacob and Esau. While this is a lot of names, there is a lot of valuable meat in these names. There may be times later in our reading that a group will pop up … such as the Edomite’s … and you can know they are the descendants of Esau. Let me challenge you to not just glaze over reading these names.
• Now in chapter thirty-seven we are introduced to one of the youngest sons of Jacob, the oldest son of Rachel, and the son that Jacob really loved. The remainder of Genesis revolves around Joseph’s story. Joseph is well loved by his father and all his older brothers know it. They are jealous of the special treatment he gets … plus he doesn’t help family relations much. You see, he has dreams and these dreams depict his brothers bowing down to him and honoring him. This upsets his brothers. So, one day, while they are out tending to their father’s sheep, Joseph shows up with some food and they decide to take action against him. Instead of killing him, they sell him to some Ishmaelite’s (remember the genealogy listing we just spoke about, this name should strike a chord, these are cousins, they are the descendants of their great-grandfather Abraham, through his son Ishmael). These Ishmaelite’s in return sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt. At the end of the day, Jacob believes Joseph is dead … something he mourns greatly over. 

January 18, 2017 – Genesis 19-21

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 19-21. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is a favorite of many Christians. It tells the tale of a righteous God bringing fast and swift judgement on a wicked people. Sodom and Gomorrah make up two cities out of five on a plain. They are wicked as evidence when the two visitors (angels) arrive at Lot’s house. They want to take these men and have sex with. This wasn’t women showing up but men.
• Because of this sin, God is ready to destroy the city, but because of His conversation with Abraham, He first sends in these angels to get Lot out. Lot and his family escapes and all would have gone well if his wife hadn’t looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. How this was done or what it looked like we are not sure. The sin of the city did have its influence on Lot and his daughters. Instead of just turning the men away, he was willing to offer his daughters so they could rape them. His daughter’s minds were warped enough to sleep with the father to preserve their family lines.
• On the heels of this event, Abraham picks up and moves his household and herds once again. This is the life of a nomadic shepherd. The region he moves into is governed by king Abimelech. Like before, he is worried for his own life because His eighty-nine-year-old wife is beautiful. So, he tells everyone she is his sister. Abimelech takes her and marries her as his own wife … think of this more as a political alliance than a physical marriage.
• And remember this … she is supposed to be with child … Abraham’s child. To preserve the promise and the genealogy of Jesus, God comes in and saves the day and restores Sarah back to Abraham with no physical consummation taking place.
• With the linage protected, Isaac is born. But his birth is going to disrupt the family. Ishmael was fourteen years old when Isaac was born, and possibly seventeen when Isaac was weened. His attitude and his mocking brought distress to Sarah … so she pleaded with her husband to send him away. Abraham did not want to do this, but God confirmed that Ishmael would be blessed and that God had a plan for him. And God did not forget Ishmael or Hagar, taking care of them as they left the safety of Abraham’s home.
• Our reading concludes with a treaty of peace and good will being established between Abimelech and Abraham. This foreigner, was now fully accepted in the land.

January 17, 2017 – Genesis 16-18 – Contrasting Redemption and Sin.

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 16-18. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• After Abram had been in the Land of Canaan for ten years with no offspring, his aging wife decided she was not going to be the woman to give birth to the promised son. So, Sarai gave her maidservant Hagar to Abram. Abram and Hagar conceived and this roused the jealousy in Sari. This jealousy caused Hagar to flee. It was while fleeing, no destination in mind, that God appeared to Hagar. This is the first physical manifestation of God we find in the Bible.
• While this coming son, a revelation to Hagar in a day and time with no ultrasounds, would not be the promise, God would bless her and him. To this Hagar responds with obedience by returning and with praise towards God.
• Thirteen years after Ishmael was born God once again approaches Abram. Perhaps the thirteen years of silence was God’s discipline for taking matters into his own hands. Perhaps it was just His timing playing out. Regardless, God comes before Abram and reconfirms the covenant He made with Abram when He first called him.
• In renewing the covenant God reminded Abram that this was all conditional based upon his ability to walk with the Lord be blameless. In confirming the covenant God also gave Abram a name change … Abram means exalted father … Abraham means father of multitudes. Abraham was going to be the father of many nations. Not only did Abram receive a name change, so did his wife Sarai to Sarah.
• That day, God also reminded Abraham that he would still bear another son … this son would be the child the promise went through, not thirteen-year-old Ishmael. To mark His covenant God gave Abraham and all the males in his household the sign of circumcision.
• Bible Scholar and Professor James Smith writes in his commentary, The Pentateuch, page 140, about circumcision … 

That the identifying mark of the Hebrew male should be on his sex organ is most appropriate. Far from being disreputable, this was the most sacred part of his while body. Thus if this, the most private of body parts, was dedicated to God, so must be his whole person. With this organ man became, in a special sense, a co-worker with God in producing godly offspring. In circumcision the sexual act was dedicated to God’s glory. When the wife became one flesh with her husband she too became sexually dedicated to the glory of God.

• This covenant, marked by circumcision was an everlasting covenant with the purpose of bringing redemption into the world though Jesus Christ.
• Our reading takes a drastic turn. Sometime after God’s announcement to Abraham, He appears as three visitors before him. Even though the visitors arrive at an inopportune time, Abraham is willing to roll out the red carpet, sending Sarah to bake bread and a servant to butcher a calf. During this discussion the Angle of the Lord declared Sarah would have a baby … which she heard from inside the tent … and laughed.
• So far, the conversation is good … but it is about to turn ugly. As the visitors were about to leave, the Lord declared His intent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. This scene creates a graphic contrast … in Abraham God is creating a new nation, a nation that would bring redemption and holiness into the world, a nation that was to model what walking with God was supposed to look like … in Sodom and Gomorrah, God was about to destroy a people who did not exalt God, who did not honor Him in the way they lived, people whose lives were marked by sin.
• When Abraham hears God’s plan he pleads for God to change course. He successfully does so, the only problem is, there were not 10 righteous people living there. But God does allow Abraham to rescue his nephew lot from the destruction. This is a stark reminder that sin and righteous cannot co-exist. 

January 16, 2017 – Genesis 12-15 – The Plan is in Motion

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 12-15. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• This is perhaps one of the most pivotal points in the entire Bible. In Genesis 3 we watched as man sinned. In Genesis 6 the world was so sinful God decided to send a flood. In Genesis 11 the world had tried to be like God and know the things of God so they created a tower. Sin is nasty part of the human condition. Sin separates us from God. But here in Genesis 12 God puts into motion his plan to redeem all of mankind.
• God calls Abram to follow Him, to move to a new land … a land God will give to his descendants. If Abram does this, God promises to bless all people on earth through him (v. 3). Basically, God is saying to Abram that one day, one of his offspring will be born that will redeem mankind. As Christians, we know that offspring to be Jesus.
• Seventy-five-year-old Abram listens and follows God to the promised land. But, he doesn’t remain there. Abram is a shepherd, driving large herds of sheep. Depending on the time of year and the others shepherds, he had to go where the water and grasses were. This causes him to end up in northern Egypt. It is here in Egypt that Abram makes his first mistake in this life of following God.
• Abram’s wife, Sarai, also his half-sister (different mothers, this is something unheard of in our society, but not uncommon in theirs), was beautiful. Abram knew that sixty-five-year-old Sarai was desirable and men have killed other men to claim their wives. So, he lies. Just as he predicted the king takes her as his wife. But God protects Abram and saves the day and all is restored.
• When Abram left his homeland, he took his nephew Lot with him. Because Abram had a large herd of sheep and Lot had a large herd of sheep the two separate. Lot took the better land and settled in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah. It was during this time that Lot got caught up in raid and was taken captive by the raiders.
• It is here that uncle Abram comes in and saves the day. Not only does he and the large number of men born into his household (a good reminder to us that Abram was wealthy) save Lot, but they also save the day for the cities on the plain, returning all that was lost.
• When Abram returns everything, he meets a king and priest of the one true God. In response to what God had done through him, Abram offers the first recording of a tithe given in the Bible.
• Because of his faith, God comes to Abram and builds on the covenant. It is here that we are introduced to the protection God is going to give His people. It is here that circumcision is introduced. Its is here that promises to bless this childless couple with multitudes of offspring.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• There are a lot of themes in these four chapters. But one stands out to me … God promised to world saving work through Abram … and no matter what ways he messed it up … God protected His promise.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• We serve a powerful God. God is a God who protects those He loves. Sometimes we may struggle with this. Sometimes we may wander does God even love me or care about me. Does God get upset with me. Is God ready to write me off. And the answer is no. One theme we are going to see as we keep reading through the Bible is that the people God uses in some amazing ways are really messed up and flawed people. If God could use them, and allow them to tell the story of His Word, then what will He be willing to do through your life. You are never beyond redemption. God loves you and will protect you as often as you need. 

January 12, 2017 – Job 32-34 – Wisdom with Age?

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 32-34. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• This is perhaps one of the sections in Job that I struggle with the most. There is some argument as to whether Elihu’s speech is even an original inclusion into the narrative of Job (Some argue it was added at a later time). Scholars still do not agree on this. However, it is in the book and we will treat it as original.
• Elihu has been sitting here listening all along. He has not spoken because he believes youth should take a back seat to the wisdom of age. However, the three friends accuse Job without offering him aid and Job seems to have self-pride before God. This angers Elihu. No longer can he bottle up his words. So he begins to speak, astounded that Job would stand before God the way he believes Job has.
• Elihu takes two of Job’s arguments into consideration … That Job is innocent and that God is Job’s enemy. While Elihu complains about the three friends and their words … in reality he ends up saying nothing too different than they have already said. While what he says may have some truth, again this is not overly helpful to Job in his suffering.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• In the opening words of Elihu we find that he was willing to yield to the wisdom that often comes with age. When he hears things that don’t make sense, or he even believes is wrong, he can keep quiet no longer. There is wisdom that comes with age. I know today I am much wiser than I was 15 years ago, why? Because I have more life experience and I have learned more over the years. I also know that there are things that I know that some older and yet wiser than me do not know. Yes, there is wisdom in age, but that doesn’t mean youth does not allow for any wisdom. What we must do is always share wisdom, whether older or younger, with gentleness and respect. 

January 11, 2017 – Job 29-31 – Job Rests His Case

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 29-31. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Job is now done debating with his three friends. You can almost sense a shift in tone as he begins to think about life before the calamities struck. Life was good. God had blessed. Men honored him. You can almost sense that Job is happy, if for just a brief moment in time. Job knew and understood that he was a good man. Notice, recognition is not the same thing as arrogance.
• But Job moves on, just as life continues to move on. And now, the people he treated so kindly, those whom he had helped time and again, are nowhere to be found. Instead of helping Job in his time of need, they mock him. Not only does he suffer the mocking of those around him, but God is silent. Job hurts and yet Job doesn’t even hear from God. At best this perplexes Job.
• As Job concludes this final speech he turns to the way he has lived his life. His friends have accused him of sin, but Job knows that is not the case. Sure, there have been moments of sin, after all Job is human. But his desire has never been to sin. He has worked hard to live a life that honors God. He knows that God could weigh his sin and Job would come out victorious. Job says all this to silence his critics. He knows he stands righteous before God. With this Job stops talking.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• When you are suffering, where do you turn? What does your focus become? After talking and listening Job has come to a very good place. He has looked back on the blessings and he has looked at his current situation. He knows he stands before God righteous. He knows he stands before God as a faultless man (as much as one can be). This is where we should all strive to be. Will there be sin in our lives? Absolutely. Will there be moments we don’t always live up to be the people we want to be? Yes. Will there be times in life we look back and see how life was better? I am confident. Will there be season of life where people mock us and look down on us? Perhaps. What we must do is continue to look forward and try our best, while we may not always understand, to stand righteous before God. 

January 10, 2017 – Job 24-28 – Who is God?

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 24-28. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Here in chapter twenty-four Job responds to Eliphaz. Remember from our reading yesterday, Eliphaz had a misconception about God … Job’s sin, whether public or private was the cause of Job’s hardship. Job continues reminding Eliphaz that perhaps this is not how God works. Sometimes in life, God allows the one who moves the boundary stone to prosper. Sometimes in life, God allows the hungry to remain hungry. Is it fair? Not at all. What Job is doing here is asking God why. Eliphaz blames it on sin. Job isn’t convinced, so He asks God why. Job understands why when sin is involved, not necessarily when sin isn’t.
• Once again Bildad speaks. This time his speech is silent and his speech is poor. While what he says may be true on some level, it does in no way help comfort Job in his misery and with his questions. In fact, many scholars believe Bildad’s understanding of God falls in line with many Islamic beliefs and teaching about God.
• Job then responds for the eighth time … this time, like the others, is lengthy. This speech is full of sarcasm directed towards his friends who have failed to bring him God’s comfort in his time of need. In doing so, Job speaks from a hurting heart, some great insights into the greatness and the grandeur of God.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• This section of our reading reminds us to keep our eyes focused on God through the hard times. However, what is important is to keep our hearts and minds correctly focused on God. Our moments of hurt and struggle are not a time to be tossed back and forth by every different concept of who God is. What we must do is focus on the one true God, the God we learn about in His World. Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad were misinformed about who God is, and because of this they offered no real comfort. True comfort comes from knowing the one true God.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• Ask yourself, “Who is it that I cry out to? What do I know about God? Is what I know really who God is?” This is incredibly important. Having a clear picture of who God is will help you understand the comfort and care He is going to provide in your life. 

January 9, 2017 – Job 21-23 – In the Beginning

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 21-23. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• In our reading today, Job is astounded that his friends continue to blame him and offer no comfort in his time of need. All along Job has held true to be a man who did everything he could to honor God. However, his friends, especially Eliphaz, believe that all that has happened to Job is a direct result of his sins.
• That is precisely where Eliphaz goes here. Job has defended his life … but Eliphaz does not believe him. If it isn’t a sin that we can all see, then it must be a hidden sin. A sin that Job has kept out of sight in the privacy of his own home and his own life.
• Eliphaz believes this because he has a preconceived notion about who God is and why God allows bad things to happen to good people. He believes God’s punishment is because God is judging us for our sins. If Job does not have public sin, then he must at the very least have private sin.
• Job, is bitter, Job is hurting, Job is confused by what God has allowed to happen, but he knows his heart, he knows that he hides no sin, that he stands before God admitting his sins and seeking forgiveness for them. While Job may hurt, he remains faithful to God.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• This passage, along with the book of Job is a good reminder that we all come to God with preconceived ideas about who He is. To some God is a bully on an ant hill with a magnifying glass waiting to smite those who step out of line. To others God is love without justice, and there is no way a loving God would send someone to Hell because of sin. To some we have an incomplete picture, because we have failed to read the whole of Scripture and failed to connect all the dots. This is where Eliphaz is at and it puts him in a very dangerous position.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life

• Take a few moments to pray and seek God’s wisdom in your heart and mind about the preconceived ideas you have about God. Perhaps a simple activity would be to make a list of the attributes and characteristics of God you believe are true. Ask God to help you remove the misconceptions and to see Him for who He truly is. 

January 8, 2017 – Job 17-20 – In the Beginning

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 17-20. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

Job is a man with a broken and crushed spirit. He is hurting. He is crying out to God asking for the promises of God, but at the same time revealing to his counselors why he feels and responds the way he does. He is hurting. He is feeling immense pain and he isn’t sure how to fully cope with it … other than to turn to God.

Bildad responds. Perhaps what Bildad says is accurate about God and about the wicked. We know in eternity much of what he says does play out. But again, while it sounds good, I know God’s response later on, and I am not fully sure what to do with it.

Job knows that he is hurting, and he knows he has had questions for God and about God, but he also knows he has not arrogantly blamed God. He does not get why his friends wont sympathize with him. Instead they keep reproaching him. Again, Job does not find this helpful. Job knows who God is, he calls Him his redeemer, and he puts full trust in him.

Our reading today ends with Zophar responding once again. Again Zophar puts much of the blame on Job for his accusatory approach to God. Unfortunately, Job’s three friends are missing Job’s heart in his words.  

January 7, 2017 – Job 14-16 – In the Beginning

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 14-16. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

1. Here in chapter 14 Job is being honest about life. He realizes that man’s life is short. He realizes the realities of life, how it begins in the womb and ends in death. Other than his legacy and his children, when he is gone he is gone. Unlike the tree which can be cut down, as long as life is left in it, it will regrow into another tree. Plus … even when it is cut down, it can be usefully used in new construction. Job ends with depressing words … because he is severely depressed.
2. Again, Eliphaz joins back into the conversation. Again, he is not helpful. He is accusatory of Job. He doesn’t think Job should be speaking the way he is speaking. So, in many ways he criticizes him. He also believes Job is speaking worthless and empty words. Again, what to do fully do with this discussion by Eliphaz I am not sure.
3. Job words end our reading again today. Job doesn’t understand why his friends are speaking to him the way they are. Instead of giving comfort, they give long winded speeches. That is not what he needs in this moment.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• As we have said in a previous post on our Job readings, there is balance to be had when asking God why. Sometimes we work through things by asking questions, by running through scenarios. I believe God understands this. When we approach God in anger … or when we lack reverence before God we find ourselves in sin. But when we are working through something, asking challenging questions, trying to understand is a good part of the process.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• Examine your approach. How do you respond when someone you love needs comfort? When you don’t understand what is going on in life, what kind of questions do you ask? What tone do you ask those questions with? Where do you turn when life is rough? Do you turn to worldly resources, or do you turn to God? I am confident that God is the right one to ask the tough questions to!

January 6, 2017 – Job 10-13 – In the Beginning

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 10-13. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• We return to Job’s own words. Here is crying out to God. He is asking God why. And he is struggling with his own feelings about his life and himself. But He is struggling with why God would allow so much to happen to him and effect his life.
• Now his third friend, Zophar speaks. Zophar is taken aback at the words that Job is speaking. He cannot believe that Job is blaming God … at least that is what he is hearing. Instead of comforting Job he accuses Job and calls him to task for speaking this way to and about God.
• Job then replies and Job can hold his ground. His three friends are not good at comforting nor are they good at compassion. That is really what Job needs. So he reminds them of this truth and need. Job holds his ground.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• There is a balance we must strike when we are asking God why. There is nothing wrong with asking God why things are happening, why He would allow it, or why you have to endure it, but the tone in which we ask is massively important. Job asks God why. His words are direct … because his hurt is real. Pain causes us to loose our soft touch. That’s ok. What we must make sure not to do is sin against God when asking why.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• Job is met with three friends and these three are there to offer comfort and support. But when they speak they do not do so. When you have a friend who is hurting, how do you respond to them. Do you do so with love and grace, or do you do so like Job’s three friends? Watch in your response how you respond and see where you can improve your help. 

January 5, 2017 – Job 6-9 – The Conversation Continues

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 6-9. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Again we find Job speaking. He is sharing the deep pains of his heart. We can certainly understand how much he is hurting. How would you feel if you lost everything, your health, your children (all 10 of them?), your wealth, and your servants?
• We also see Job say something along these lines … “Yes, I am questioning God, yes, I am attributing these hardships to God’s will, but never am I accusing God … “Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One”(Job 6:10 NLT).”
• In addition, Job looks back to his friend and acknowledges that his help, his advice that we read about in Job 4 & 5 wasn’t really all that helpful … in fact it was a little accusatory.
• After addressing his pain, his heart, and his friend’s response, Job turns to God. Job cries out and pours out his hurt and his heart to God. Job is very raw in his honesty before God.
• Next speaks Bildad, another one of the three who came to comfort Job. Again this is a discussion I struggle with. I have read the end of the book, and I know what God says to these three friends of Jobs. I have also read what they say. And what they say sounds good in places, but then God speaks harshly to them. This leaves me confused. I know this, like Eliphaz, Bildad is not as helpful to Job in his hour of need as a good friend should be.
• Job responds to Bildad with a beautiful proclamation of who God is. Job, while hurting, has a great understanding of the almighty.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• This passage is laying out for us the discussion between Job and his friends. This discussion sets up a response from God that causes God to proclaim fully who He is. That will come in time.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• When a friend is hurting, how do you respond? Are you helpful, or are you accusatory. Do you comfort first and then try and help them work through the why questions so they don’t have to repeat it. Sometimes the first and best thing to do is to simply be there for them instead of solving their problems. Sometimes comfort trumps the need for fixing. 

January 4, 2017 – Job 1-5 – Making it through the pain

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Job 1-5. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• We take a pause from our Genesis reading to dive into the book of Job. We do so because many scholars believe this is the proper time in our chronological reading to place the events of Job’s life. There are a few reasons for this … 1) the Patriarchy society matches that of Abraham and 2) the sacrificial system, of Job offering his own sacrifice is certainly pre-mosaic covenant, and resembles again the society of Abraham.
• Job is a wealthy man. He had seven sons and three daughters, a large number of livestock, and a large number of servants. Not only was Job wealthy, he was also a righteous man. His righteousness went so far that he sought God’s forgiveness for any sins his children may have committed.
• Job’s righteousness doesn’t go unnoticed. Satan, who was given freedom by God to roam the earth, notices Job’s faithfulness to God, and seeks permission to tempt him away from God. God grants Satan’s request and Job’s life is inflicted. In the first wave of attack he losses everything except his life and his wife. In the second wave of attack his health is inflicted. In all this, Job does not sin against God.
• Beginning at the end of Job 2, we meet three of Job’s friends who come to sit with and comfort him. To be honest, what transpires in the rest of this book confuses me.
• First Job speaks and he curses the day of his birth, throws himself a pity party, and it is understandable. Job is a man. He has a human heart. His health, and his children, and his wealth, and his servants, have all be ripped from him. No matter how faithful one may be, it is hard to see past the hurt and pain in life … especially when you are still in the midst of that pain. Job’s final first words sum up his hurt pretty well … “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” (Job 3:26)
• After Job speaks, his friend Eliphaz speaks. This is where I begin to be really confused. What Eliphaz says at times sounds great. But at other times, his words (along with the other two) are not really that comforting. It is strange. My encouragement to you is to read it, soak it up, pray about it, and see what God has to say to you.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• God has allowed us free will. He wants us to choose Him and to follow Him not because we have to but because we want to. That is wonderful. But there is also a down side to it. To truly have free will, Satan must exist and Satan does not like when we honor God. If a truly righteous man like Job still faced the temptation and attacks of Satan, then we too can be prepared to face the attacks of Satan. They may not come in the same forms that Job experienced them, but Satan will attack.
• How we respond is crucial. As we will see as we continue reading the book of Job, in all the hurt that Job experiences, in all the critical words that Job speaks, in none of that does Job sin against God. Sure, he may not fully understand, but he does not sin against God. While we may be angry with God, while we may have questions for God, while we may not understand what He is up to, we too must be careful to not sin against God.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• When things go wrong in your life what is your response? Do you get bent out of shape towards God? Do you curse God? Do you blame God? Or do you respond with grace and humility, turning to God for strength, guidance, and support? Sometimes, God may just use the pains in our life to make us stronger … something we may not see until we are removed from the pain. 

January 3, 2017 – Genesis 8-11 – The God of Mercy and Grace

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 1-3. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Genesis 8-9 concludes the story of Noah. God remembered Noah and his family while they were shut inside the ark. Over time the water receded and Noah and his family began making a new life for them in the cleansed world. God also made a covenant with Noah, and all of mankind, to never again flood the earth like He did here. He marked this covenant with a rainbow in the sky, a symbol that reminds us today of God’s promise.
• Genesis 10-11 begins to show us how mankind began to multiply on the earth. Sadly, mankind continues to be sinful, and wanted to reach God. So, they built a tower. This action displeased God. But instead of wiping mankind off the earth, God simply gave a punishment, mixing up language.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• In these chapters we see that God is a God of mercy and grace. In providing the covenant to Noah, He promised never to destroy mankind again like He did in the flood. In a few generations, mankind has fallen into sin once again. Instead of destroying mankind, God scrambled their language.
• Chapter 11 ends by showing us the family tree of Shem, one of Noah’s son. At the very end of that family tree we meet Abram. Abram is the very man God will select to begin His plan of salvation and redemption. God is a God of salvation.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• God loves you. No matter how many times you may mess up, God still loves you. In our reading we watched God cleanse the earth, make a covenant with Noah, and just a few generations later, and only two chapters later, mankind is up to our old sinful tricks again. But instead of wiping out mankind, God simply punished us. While we may face the consequences of our sin, God still loves us. God is still about mercy and grace. In your moments of weakness remember, God loves you!

January 2, 2017 – Genesis 4-7 – What Went So Wrong?

The New Year has gotten off to a start I did not intend. When doing a daily blog there is a lot of discipline that goes into this. This is only day two and I have already missed the mark. There is a part of me that wants to work far in advance to elevate any misses on the daily reading. There is also a part of me that wants to be timely and weave the daily readings into current events when possible. So right now the plan is to only be a day or two ahead.

But then life happens. Last week when my family and I were on vacation in Florida, when I planned to start my daily writings for the Bible reading, we were involved in car wreck. Working with insurance, replacing car seats, getting a rental vehicle and slightly changing our travel plans, messed this up.

So, today’s reading, is unfortunately a day behind. But we will adjust this, get caught up and work to do better as we press on into 2017.

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 4-7. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Genesis 4 takes us to the next development in the story of humanity. Man has already sinned, but this sin was solely a disobedience to God. Now, we see sin take a wrong turn where one man commits a sin against another human. Because God looked more favorably on Abel’s sin Cain killed his brother. As far as we know, this is the first sin committed against another human.
• Genesis 4 and 5 then begins to outline the progression of man creating a family tree from Adam to Noah.
• Genesis 6 & 7 begin to tell the story of Noah. Once mankind had sinned, disobedience to God spiraled out of control. The beautiful relationship God had with man was all but gone. In fact, things got so bad, God looked at mankind and decided to wipe us off the earth … except for one family … Noah and his three sons. This family was righteous and honored God. So, God commanded Noah to build and ark and take every species upon it, one male and one female. When all was done (100 years later) God sent flood waters over the earth.

What is This Passage Teaching?

• If we were to try and give our reading today a theme we might be wise to ask the question, “What went wrong.” In chapters 1-3 we see God very pleased with His creation, especially mankind. But then we see sin enter the picture. From their sin sparks anger and jealousy where Cain murders his own brother. Then we witnessed sin grow so bad that God is fed up with mankind that He wipes out the entire human race … except for one family.
• But what is amazing, even though sin separated us from God, even though God decided to start over with mankind through Noah, God still left a glimmer of hope. Just as He did when He was announcing the consequences of mankind’s sin in Genesis 3:15, God gave hope … through Noah and his family, mankind would find salvation and ultimately restoration. God is not willing to let sin fully separate us from Him. Like the old chorus says … “He will make a way, where there seems to be no way.”

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• I don’t know what afflicts your life. I don’t know how often you look at your sin and your mistakes and think there is no way God can love you or even have a purpose for you. But that is not how God looks at you. Even though He detested man’s sin, He still protected Cain, and He still saved mankind through Noah. He loves you so much that He has a plan and desire for your life, we just have to remind ourselves of that each day.

January 1, 2017 – Genesis 1-3 – In the Beginning

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Genesis 1-3. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read His Word.

What Does This Passage Say?

• Genesis 1 gives us the creation story. It tells us how God, who has always existed, created everything we know, from the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea, in six days.
• Genesis 2 starts with God finishing His work of creation and on the seventh day resting. Chapter 2 then goes on to give an intimate detail of the creation of mankind. This passage is a retelling of chapter 1, this time focusing on the creation account of man. God created the first man, named Adam, from the dust of the earth and placed him in a garden created just for him. One of the first tasks God gave mankind was to name all the animals. The animals came to Adam, both male and female. But none came to him like himself, so God put the man to sleep and formed woman out of the man. This chapter ends with the man and the woman joined in one flesh marriage relationship, naked, with no shame.
•  Genesis 3 established the conflict for the entire Bible. Satan is given reign on the earth and appears to the woman. Through deceitful language he is able to convince the woman to eat the forbidden fruit, which she gives to her husband. For the first time, man has sinned. This sin has made man feel shameful. The chapter ends with God establishing the discipline for man’s sin.

 What is This Passage Teaching?

• Genesis 1-3 introduces us to the characters and the conflict of the Bible. The characters are God, the creator, mankind (Adam and Eve), and Satan the protagonist. The conflict of the story is man’s sin, causing a separation from God. Because of sin, God and mankind can no longer walk together in the cool of the garden.
•  In addition to this main teaching point, we learn a few things about God and mankind.

1. God is a creator … He created everything on this earth.
2. Mankind is created in the image of God. That means in many ways we are created like Him. Just like He creates, we can create. Now we cannot create from nothing like God does, but we can take the raw materials that He has created and turn them into objects.
3. In God’s design for life, there is no shame, there is no guilt, because there is no sin. Sin ruined all of that.
4. God is torn and heartbroken over man’s sin.

• In Chapter 2 we see God’s design for marriage … “a man will leave his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become on flesh.” Genesis 2:24 NIV. God designed marriage, and sexual relationships, to be both for life and between one man and one woman. Anything outside of that is beyond God’s design and is essentially sin.

How Can I Apply this Passage to my Life?

• How often do you look at your life and wonder … “How in the world can the God who created the universe love me? How can God have a desire to be a part of my life?” The answer to that question is remember that God created you … and He created you in His image. He loves you. No matter who you are, no matter what you have done, God loves you and cares deeply for you.