The DJBRP Jan 5th

The reading for Jan 5th was Matthew 3:1-12, Acts 3, Psalm 5, and Genesis 12-14.

The passage from Matthew covers the beginning of John the baptist's ministry. This is a very interesting passage to me. It describes John's message as a warning, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand", "who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?", "even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees", "but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." John's message about Jesus is a one of judgement. How do we reconcile John's message with Jesus' ministry?

The passage from Acts covers Peter healing the beggar at the temple and his sermon to the people gathered there. Peter says about the healing, "And his name-by faith in his name-has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given this man perfect health in the presence of you all." The man who was healed had faith in Jesus, but not only faith in Jesus, but faith through Jesus. The power of Jesus not only healed him, but also gave him the faith to be healed. Isn't God good?

I wish I could pray like David. He had such confidence when he prayed that God would hear him and meet his ,whatever they might have been, and he was living under the law! How I want to learn to say with David, "Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray."

The passage from Genesis covers some of Abraham's journey. God's promises to Abraham are incredible. In verses 2 and 3 of chapter 12 he says, "And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." In verse 16 of chapter 13 he says, "I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted." I think Abraham might be a post-millenial if he were alive today :-) When I read these promises, I can't help but think of the passage in Revelation where John is shown a multitude that no on can number (Rev 7:9-12). That scene is God's promises to Abraham ultimately fulfilled.

The DJBRP Jan 3rd

The reading for Jan. 3rd was Matthew 2:1-12, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 3, and Genesis 5-8.

The passage from Matthew covers the visit of the wise men. This is the first time in the gospel of Matthew that Jesus is referred to as king and the first time that he is worshipped as such. Verse 3 says, "When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him." I can understand Herod, the wicked king, fearing the birth of Christ, but I don't understand why all of Jerusalem was troubled. Isn't this the one they were all waiting for? It seems to me that they would have been excited about his birth.

The passage from Acts covers the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. The interesting thing to me about this passage is the prophecy of Joel that, as Peter declared to those who were gathered, is fulfilled. The prophecy of Joel is not just about the Spirit being poured out, but also about judgement and the last days. I can definitely see how verses 17, 18, and 21 were fulfilled, but how were verses 19 and 20 fulfilled? Anyone?

Psalm 3 is a beautiful psalm of God's protection. David, while running from his son Absolom, says, "But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord and He answered me from His holy hill. Selah. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me." Can anyone have greater confidence than this? The only reason we make it through the night is God's care of us. This should give us the confidence of David, who cried out to God and expected to be heard because God loves us!

Genesis 5-8 cover the events of the flood. The main thing in this passage, to me, is the promise that God gives at the end of chapter 8, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither again will I strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." Even though God recognizes the evil heart of man, He chose to put up with us. Instead of destroying the earth, God promises to sustain it in spite of evil man. How much does God love the works of His hands? I could be wrong, but I believe the phrase "while the earth remains" could be understood as "forever" and it is reinforced by the final phrase of "shall not cease." So you might say that this promise to the earth is "forever and ever."