by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Genesis 19-21
Chapter 19 opens with God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Remember in the last chapter God had promised Abraham that if He could find 10 men who were righteous he wouldn’t destroy the cities. But He couldn’t find 10 righteous.
Two angels, which obviously looked like humans, came to visit Lot. All the men of the city gathered around the house and demanded that Lot send these two men out so that they could rape them. They didn’t know who they were dealing with.
Lot and his family were asked to leave, and the cities were destroyed.
When you read these early stories of the Bible, Satan was not mentioned. It might appear that everything was done on a human level. However that’s not the case.
From the beginning there was a war going on in the earth to capture the hearts of men. Satan was always trying to destroy God’s creation. God was working His plan to preserve it. From time to time, Satan would gain such a stronghold that the entire earth was in danger, so God would intervene to protect His creation from destruction.
God is Almighty, Creator of all things, and a God of Love. He could have left man, including you and me, to have eternal death because of man’s sin. But His love continued to work His plan so that Jesus could eventually come into the earth and deliver us from ourselves.
Abraham, Abraham, you did it again! This is the second time Old Abe let his wife go into a harem to save his own skin. Not very chivalrous. We don’t hear much about Sarah’s faith in these chapters, but I’m sure she was praying. (I Peter 3:5 says that she was submissive to Abraham, but her hope was in God. So she must have been praying). Anyway, God once again supernaturally worked her release from the king.
Then Isaac was finally born. After all those years, when it was totally impossible for Sarah and Abraham to have a child, it happened.
Doesn’t that stimulate your faith? Are there things which God promised you years ago?Things which haven’t happened yet and seem impossible? Don’t stop believing!!
Matthew 8:1-17
Jesus shows us that healing is truly part of His plan of salvation.
When the leper comes and says, “Lord, if you are willing, make me clean.” Jesus quickly responds, “I am willing.” and the leper is made clean. And he continues to heal the centurion’s servant and Peter’s mother.
Then many are brought to Him and he heals them all.
As we are going through the four gospel books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), I want you to notice something with me. I know of no time when Jesus refused to heal people. Everyone who came to Him for healing received it. In verse 16 we just read that when people brought all of their sick, He healed them all.
You might say, well why then today are not all healed?
I can’t speak for everyone, but I can for myself. I know that there have been times in my walk with God when my faith has been high, and I have experienced noteworthy, quick healings. And there have been times when my faith was compromised, and I didn’t.
Our society is so intellect-conscious, we want to reason everything out. We want to look around and develop our doctrine from what we see. If we see a wonderful Christian who meets an early death from disease, then we want to believe that was God’s plan.
I personally want to develop a faith which is beyond reason and “looking around.” I want to look at God’s Word and let that be my light. If my life is not measuring up to what I see in the Word, then I want to be corrected – not try to correct the Word.
I’ve tried to be an intellectual (in my early adult years) and I’ve tried to be a believer. I’ve found that being a believer is better!
So I salute the believer in all of us!
Blessings,
Suellen
PS Bird photography is by Mickey Estes http://www.mickeyestes.com
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Today we move into some rich territory. So let’s get started.
Genesis 10-12
Begat, begat, begat. That seems to be the mantra when we take first glance. We must remind ourselves that God is a covenant-keeping God. In the 3rd chapter of Luke, the lineage of Jesus goes all the way back to these times, and you can see who His ancestors were. (When you are praying for your children, this attitude of God should be very comforting. He will pursue your children because of His covenant with you)!
In chapter 11, we see the story of the tower of Babel. These humanists said, “We can build a tower to the sky.” (You see that same spirit today; in fact it’s always been around.)
We need to take note of what God said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.”
He confused their language so that they couldn’t agree on their project. But the concept is true for righteous causes too.
He wants those who are His to agree with each other so that His plans can be accomplished. “And nothing shall be withheld from us.”
Chapter 12 introduces Abram and Sarai. We could write volumes about the father and mother of our faith.
Let’s be sure to think for a moment about the fact that God spoke to this man to leave his family and his country. In those days, travel was very difficult and time consuming. When they left their land, Abraham knew that he would not return there. This was for good. All that was familiar to them would be gone forever.
Even though he was 75 years old, Abram obeyed God and did exactly as he was told. Then God showed him the land of Canaan and said that this land would be given to his descendants. So Abram was doing all of this for his heirs, not even himself.
Would you be that willing and obedient if God spoke to you to do something hard? Think about it.
Matthew 5
This is the first chapter of what is called the Sermon On The Mount. Jesus sits on the side of a mountain, with many people around, and begins to introduce some very new concepts.
It may seem like bits and pieces of information, but there is a theme throughout. Jesus is introducing the multitudes to the Kingdom of God.
There is another Kingdom (I like to think of it as a “parallel universe”). We can choose to live in either one. If you are satisfied with the status quo, you are less likely to want to enter this new kingdom. So those who are poor in spirit, or mourn, or hunger and thirst for righteousness are the ones who will probably make the journey in the spirit.
He goes on to show that the new kingdom is not one of the law, yet the standard is higher. Under the law, you weren’t to commit adultery; under the new kingdom, you weren’t even to lust after someone. Under the law, you weren’t to kill; under the new kingdom, you weren’t even to hate anyone.
The people must have been somewhat confused, because their lives had always been directed by the Law of Moses. But they were hanging on every word. They had never heard anyone speak with such authority. This Man seemed to really know what He was talking about.
So interest was aroused in what would eventually lead to the Holy Spirit coming to live within us.
I like to meditate on these scriptures in the light of what I know now. You might like doing the same.
Blessings for a great day!
Suellen
![Read The Bible Through: Let’s Go!]()
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Happy New Year!
It’s time to start our Read The Bible Through Project. And, boy, does it start off with a bang. (That’s my version of the “big bang theory,” God’s Word surely starts with a bang)!
Genesis 1 and Matthew 1.
In the Genesis chapter, we could spend hours gleaning all of what is being said. There are just a few points I would like to make.
1. God created the earth, and notice how He did it. He spoke the world into existence. When God speaks, things happen. If ever you doubted the significance of words, this should change that forever. Words are powerful, and they can change things around you.
2. Throughout the Bible, if we dig a little deeper than the surface, we will find deeper meaning. For instance, in verse two, most translations say that the earth “was” without form and void. If you look at the original Hebrew, you will find that it really says that the earth “became” without form and void. For those who think that the Bible isn’t true because it says that the world is only 6,000 years old, they just haven’t studied it enough.
Actually, the word doesn’t say how long it was after God created the earth that it became without form and void. There was obviously a time gap between verses 1 and 2. I have found throughout my life of studying that the more you study, the greater truth you find. (You know, that “wow” truth).
3. God delegated His authority to man and gave him “dominion” over the earth and all the creatures of the earth. He wanted man to manage the earth according to His purposes.
So how was man to rule the earth? If God created man in His image, then man operates in a mirror fashion of God: man speaks and things change.
If we look out across our territory and see darkness, as God did, what do we say? Do we say, “Things surely are dark out there?” If so, we aren’t operating in God’s image. If we are acting in God’s image, we say, “Let there be light.” Think about this . It’s one of the most important keys for living the life of faith we are called to live. We can learn to live so that our words have meaning and power. That was God’s original intention.
4. Everything that God created was good. He is a good God.
Matthew 1
1. God shows us what a covenant-keeping God He is. Sometimes, when we read the “begats, ” we think they are boring, so we skip them. This time, read the names. In a few days, we will be reading about the covenant God cut with Abraham. In this first chapter, we see God’s faithfulness to fulfill His part of the covenant. If you belong to Jesus, God is in covenant with you also. He will keep His end of the bargain, will you?
2. In verses 18 through 24 the Word speaks about the virgin birth. Jesus was and is truly the Son of God. He was the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 which says that His name shall be called Immanuel. (God with us).
3. He came to “save His people from their sins.”
So these are a few of my thoughts as I read today. I’m sure you have some of your own. I would love to hear from you also, so please share what’s on your heart as you read.
See you tomorrow.
Suellen
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
On a cold winter night in 1981, I had a life changing experience with the Lord. I remember the year, because our country was going through a crisis at the time. A revolution in Iran had occurred, overthrowing the Shah, and putting the radical Islamic rulers (the same ones who threaten the world today) into power, and in the process, seizing the American Embassy. By the time of my encounter, all of the workers had been held hostage for more than a year, and there seemed to be no solution to getting them released.
That night, as I drifted off to sleep, a voice woke me suddenly. I knew that God was speaking to me, but the message seemed strange. “What if you could send a coded message to the hostages in Iran which would contain a perfect plan of escape?” I sat up in bed, pondering this unusual message. Of course, I thought that was a good idea, but the question seemed so strange. I knew it was God speaking, but I didn’t understand why he was saying that.
Then He clarified the statement. “That’s what I have done with My Word.” Suddenly what he was saying became crystal clear.
People all around the world are being held hostage by their circumstances. They may be victims of abuse, neglect, or poverty. They may have hurts, fears, and frustrations which run very deep. Anger, resentment, and bitterness may seem to rule their lives.
Yet they don’t have to stay that way, because we have been given a plan of escape. God’s Word is that plan of escape. It will point us in the direction of release from all of the negative influences which try to hold us, and it will give us the power to overcome those influences.
Some see the Bible as merely a history book; others see it as a rule book. Yet the Bible is so much more than either of those things. If we will begin to read it and ask Him to show us His plans and purposes, we will begin to see a God of unconditional love who is reaching out to us. We will begin to understand His power toward us and we will want to latch onto it.
Here’s the thing. We have to read it for it to make a difference, and we have to meditate on what we have read. It is a coded message which only God’s Holy Spirit can reveal in its entirety. As we read, pray, and listen, our eyes are opened to see realities we have never seen before.
Joshua 1:8 says it well. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
There’s wisdom in God’s word and there is power. When you allow yourself to feed upon His word, something happens on the inside of you. You find your faith and confidence increasing. You also see your world view changing – coming closer to the way God sees things.
The best part is that you receive the liberating message which sets you free from the negative elements of the world around you. You are no longer a hostage to these evil forces, but you are set free – into the liberty of God’s plan.
Forever Upward!
P.S. Check out my daily Bible readings available on Amazon. As you allow the context of God’s Word to come into focus, your life will be changed. http://www.amazon.com/Soar-Bible-Through-First-Quarter/dp/150521503X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426682950&sr=1-3&keywords=suellen+estes
by Suellen | The Church Awakening
I often tell a story about my granddaughter, Lauren. When she was in second grade, as a school project, Lauren had to give an oral report on her favorite state. Since she lives in Atlanta, we were flattered that she chose Mississippi, where we live. Her accompanying prop was a white poster board with many symbols of our state. The symbols included a Magnolia blossom, items related to the zoo we visit, certain facts, and a tiny (and I do mean tiny) dot with the words “Blue Mountain,” our town. The dot and words were cut out of a map and placed right in the center of the poster.
We couldn’t help but chuckle. From the display, there was no context at all. Just a tiny dot and tiny words. There was no way of knowing where the town was located, or anything else about it – except that it was small.
I think that we are like that about the Bible sometimes. We pull verses out of the Bible and put them on the refrigerator. Without the proper context, there are times when we totally miss the meaning. The words would mean so much more if we would read them in the framework around them.
Thus my 2013 project. I want to read the Bible through with a group of people who want to discuss it. If we break it down into daily bites, it’s a doable project even for the busiest among us.
So starting January 1, we will have assignments of our daily reading. I will have a group going on Facebook and we will do it here also. I would love to have you join us. Just check in, read with us, and add your comments, if you like.
I think that 2013 is going to be a significant year for those who want to follow God. I believe that we will see many dreams come into fruition – many dreams that have seemed elusive for a long time.
Hope you can join the venture.
Many blessings, and forever upward!
Suellen
