Matthew 6

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven...

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This is another great chapter that has helped me change myself over the years in a couple areas.  

Years ago I could feel in myself the desire to have someone know when were giving now I actually enjoy trying to provide gifts in secret and in doing this it helps me know that I am not doing it for my own glory.  I think I have also grown in where I store up my treasures, not to say that I don't have more than enough stuff down here on earth but my stuff doesn't define me my faith and family do.

Worrying....that's another story.  I am far better than I use to be yet for some reason I still struggle with worry.  I can worry about work, being a good leader at work, my kids, my relationship with Gina, about having to do a presentation, my Mom, brother, sister, mother-in-law, retirement, the list goes on.  But I have so much evidence to go along with what He says here in the bible that I don't need to worry because he takes care of everything.  yet i continue to worry.  I need to hold vs. 34 close and get it baked into my brain.

knut

Matthew 5

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.


This chapter is loaded, I love it!  You could spend days writing about several pieces of this chapter.  All of the beatitudes are simple yet say so much.  I chose this one because I want to be someone who is hungry to be close to God and to have that bring me the peace that cannot be bought.

Its so easy to get caught up in money and the treadmill having some of it creates.  The pressure to continue to earn to sustain the lifestyle built by having certain things-nice house, new cars, nicer motor home, newer trailer, better phones for the kids, faster race car.  While I don't feel Gina and I are too materialistic if you look around an argument can be made against that statement.  Sometimes the things we have can create pressure and detract from my relationship with God.  I want to make sure I keep a hunger for being close to him and in turn this verse tells me I will be more satisfied than I can get any other way.


knut  

Matthew 4

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”...7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”...10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

So if it is important for Jesus to use God's written word to protect himself from the devil maybe it makes a little sense for us to know it inside out too huh?

knut

Matthew 3

8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance....10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.


When I think of an ax I think of power maybe even a little bit of anger.  Huge trees can be sent to the forest floor by the powerful swing of the man running the ax.  Beyond just repenting and asking for his forgiveness and salvation I need to being using my life to help be a productive part of his Kingdom.  If not maybe I should prepare for being struck by the ax and burned by the fire.

knut

Mathew 2

 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.


In this chapter he calls out at least 3 specific actions taken by Joseph that helped fulfill prophesy, linking the old and the new testament together.

Do you suppose Joseph realized these events and actions he was taking with his family helped to fulfill the prophesy or was he just busy living life and trying to keep his family safe?  I assume he was well studied on the Old Testament and he knew who his son was so it seems possible he could make some of these connections.

no real takeaway but it is interesting to make a movie in your mind like you always say as you read chapters like this.  He must have some clear dreams and he is not afraid to act on them either.  I think I'm a little more hesitant to take action even when I feel the nudge inside me is coming from God.  I should learn to act if I feel he is moving me and see what great things he can do through me.

knut 

Mathew 1

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.


So this must have been some dream.  Its written kind of matter of fact, but I imagine it must have been a pretty powerful dream.  I assume he was pretty ticked before he went to bed that night, after all he just found out his fiancee was cheating on him.  I assume she tried to tell him the same story about how she became pregnant, I sure that went well.  

I'm not sure what my take away is other than I admire Joseph's ability to trust that it is truly God speaking to him and how he then immediately takes action to obey his instruction.

I doubt God has ever asked me to do anything as difficult as this yet I'm sure I have failed in acting as faithfully as Joseph did.  So my take away is to better at both listening for his instruction and then being willing to obey with my actions.

knut

Reading List

Below is our reading history.  I propose we go through Mathew during the rest of this Christmas season then back to finish off the Leviticus and Numbers.

Book:	Completed
Written by Moses
1. Genesis	Oct-13
2. Exodus	Dec-13
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy	Oct-11
OT Narratives
6. Joshua	Oct-11
7. Judges	Dec-11
8. Ruth	Dec-11
9. 1 Samuel	Feb-12
10. 2 Samuel	Mar-12
11. 1 Kings
12. 2 Kings
13. 1 Chronicles
14. 2 Chronicles
15. Ezra
16. Nehemiah
17. Esther
Wisdom Literature
18. Job
19. Psalms	Ch 1-32, Jan 2013
20. Proverbs	Mar-13
21. Ecclesiastes	Apr-13
22. Song of Songs	Apr-13
Major Prophets
23. Isaiah	Isaiah 1-35 Jun-13
24. Jeremiah
25. Lamentations
26. Ezekiel
27. Daniel
Minor Prophets
28. Hosea
29. Joel
30. Amos
31. Obadiah
32. Jonah
33. Micah
34. Nahum
35. Habakkuk
36. Zephaniah
37. Haggai
38. Zechariah
39. Malachi
NT Narratives
40. Matthew
41. Mark
42. Luke	Jan-13
43. John
44. Acts	Aug-13
Epistles by Paul
45. Romans	May-12
46. 1 Corinthians	May-12
47. 2 Corinthians	Jul-12
48. Galatians	Jul-12
49. Ephesians	Jul-12
50. Philippians	Aug-12
51. Colossians	Aug-12
52. 1 Thessalonians	Sep-12
53. 2 Thessalonians	Sep-12
54. 1 Timothy	Sep-12
55. 2 Timothy	Sep-12
56. Titus	Sep-12
57. Philemon	Sep-12
General Epistles
58. Hebrews	Oct-12
59. James	Apr-12
60. 1 Peter	Nov-12
61. 2 Peter	Nov-12
62. 1 John	Nov-12
63. 2 John	Nov-12
64. 3 John	Nov-12
65. Jude	Nov-12
Apocalyptic Epistle by John
66. Revelation

Exodus 38-40

Ch 40 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded him.


So throughout these recent chapters God shares in extreme detail the construction of the ark, priestly garments, setting up the tabernacle.  I have a feeling there is much significance I do not notice or understand in the details he is sharing with us.  

v21 is an example of one detail I would not have even noticed if it were not for a sermon I heard in the past year regarding the tearing of I believe this very curtain that occurs later upon Jesus death and the significance it represents.

its like you have said before its fun to explore his word and see how it is perfectly woven together from book to book chapter to chapter old to new testament.  he has a plan.  just like all the details he lays out here regarding the tabernacle he has the details of my life laid out as well. pretty overwhelming.

knut

Exodus 36

3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.


looks like everyone was doing their part and doing it with great enthusiasm.  if you had skill you were doing the construction if that wasn't your calling everyday you were taking more materials for the cause.  

so we each need to find our place on the team then pitch in as best we can, not just because we have to but because we want too.  if so it looks like God has given us more than enough resources to help us do his work.

knut

Exodus 35

5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering... 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord... 22 All who were willing...26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill...29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.


I don't know where I'm going with this but as I read this today for a second time it really jumped out at me all of the times he mentioned being willing as well as using the skills he had given them.  He has given us all direction and his expectations and he has given us unique skills and resources.  He expects us to follow the direction and use those skills and resources but at the same time its up to us, we have to be willing, he is going to make us.

He has given me plenty of resources, skills might be debatable but this fits with your point yesterday.  Am I doing as he is asking me with the skills and resources he has provided.  Even if I am, am I doing it willingly with the right heart.

pretty tough questions or at least tough to answer out loud completely honestly and feel good.

knut

Exodus 35-37

I just kept reading until something stuck......here's my line

¹⁰ “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded:

This one struck me, probably because I consider myself to be someone that would have stepped forward to make this stuff.  It reminds me again of Paul talking about the church, and how everyone needs to bring their skills to the table to make it work.  Those that can build.....need to.  Those that can cook......need to.  Those that have a nice house......should allow God to use it (that's a little justification from yesterday)

pretty slim pickens, but still good to read thru.

tp

Exodus 34

15 “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.


This verse seems pretty relevant today as we live in a society which seems to be actively trying to remove God from existence.  It may even go beyond what is stated here of being misguided and worshiping other Gods, today the is active effort to say get God out of here.  

I find this hard at times as I don't want to be confrontational but at the same time am I falling into the trap called out here of making treaty with those who deny God?  not fighting actively against abortion, gay marriage, removing prayer from school, etc.   am I too passive?

separate note, I wanted to write about Moses radiant face but couldn't make any conclusions.  there is a lot written about it as I research.

knut 

Exodus 33

²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

I understand that God is so much bigger than us, it makes us look like ants.  I completely believe he has powers beyond my imagination.  But, this is really saying something, isn't it?  God is so fantastic and powerful, that if you see his face, you'll die......WOW!  Not sure how that applies to our lives, but just to know that God is that HUGE and still pays attention to a little dude in Michigan that can't stop doing stuff wrong....is really comforting.

short one
tp

Exodus 32

22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. '


today I read and re-read this chapter and I think there might be a lot of things tucked in here I'm not getting.  Did Moses really get God t change his plans, if so was that showing the power of prayer and connection to God?  

But finally I selected short verse above as a reminder of how quickly I can fall away from God if I do not seek him and get into his word and speak to him.  These people had just been brought out of Egypt and in a few short days after not hearing from Moses they are prepared to worship some golden calf god they created. 

so today I pray to be close to you God and not let the things around me replace my time with you.

knut