Here's a recap of my devotions I had over the past week.
Sunday
(Psalm 7:1-9, Matthew 7-8, Genesis 19-20)
The main thing that struck me today comes from Ps 7:3-5
O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my ally with harm, or if I have plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy of my soul pursue, and overtake and trample my life into the ground, and lay my honor in the dust.
How many of us live our lives in a way that we would make this statement to God (the one who could actually make it come to pass)? Do we live our lives in a way that we’re prepared to ask God to let our enemy trample us if we’ve dealt unjustly with anyone?
Monday
Today I’m starting a new devotion plan on the Bible app. I have started Elisha: A Tale of Ridiculous Faith. I’ll be adding my thoughts on this to my rewind.
Elisha
(1 Kings 19:14-21)
How weird is it that Elijah came through and told Elisha that he was the new prophet and, just like that, he slaughtered his oxen (you know, the ones he made a living with) and made a dinner and then moved on? I know I don’t have faith like that. I keep trying to justify it; back then, Elijah was a mighty prophet, known throughout Israel, so maybe it’s no big deal that he dropped everything to take up Elijah’s mantle. There’s really no correlation which I can think of which relates, but if the President of the United States (regardless of your politics) came to my house and told me that he was going to make me the next President, would I drop everything and follow that guy? That’s some serious faith!
Tuesday
Elisha
(2 Kings 2:1-18)
Am I willing to follow Yahweh, even those around me are telling me to do things differently?
Wednesday
I’ve taken a couple days off from the 1 year Bible plan so I’m going to attempt to catch up today.
(Psalm 7:1-9, Matthew 7-8, Genesis 19-20)
The main thing that struck me today comes from Ps 7:3-5
O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my ally with harm, or if I have plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy of my soul pursue, and overtake and trample my life into the ground, and lay my honor in the dust.
How many of us live our lives in a way that we would make this statement to God (the one who could actually make it come to pass)? Do we live our lives in a way that we’re prepared to ask God to let our enemy trample us if we’ve dealt unjustly with anyone?
Monday
Today I’m starting a new devotion plan on the Bible app. I have started Elisha: A Tale of Ridiculous Faith. I’ll be adding my thoughts on this to my rewind.
Elisha
(1 Kings 19:14-21)
How weird is it that Elijah came through and told Elisha that he was the new prophet and, just like that, he slaughtered his oxen (you know, the ones he made a living with) and made a dinner and then moved on? I know I don’t have faith like that. I keep trying to justify it; back then, Elijah was a mighty prophet, known throughout Israel, so maybe it’s no big deal that he dropped everything to take up Elijah’s mantle. There’s really no correlation which I can think of which relates, but if the President of the United States (regardless of your politics) came to my house and told me that he was going to make me the next President, would I drop everything and follow that guy? That’s some serious faith!
Tuesday
Elisha
(2 Kings 2:1-18)
Am I willing to follow Yahweh, even those around me are telling me to do things differently?
Wednesday
I’ve taken a couple days off from the 1 year Bible plan so I’m going to attempt to catch up today.
1 Year Bible Plan
(Psalms 7-9, Proverbs 1:20-33, Matthew 8-11, Genesis 21-28)
Gen 21 – First we see Hagar at the well in Beersheba, and then we see “at the same time” Abraham and Abimilech talking about this well and Abraham gaining pledge that this well is his. Are these 2 things related?
Gen 26 – Did Isaac really pull an Abraham and say Rebecca was his sister? And did he do this to Abimilech?
Matt 9 – The new wine and new wineskins reference comes right after John’s disciples ask about fasting. What is this referring to?
- “by the ruler of demons, he expels the demons.” What was the belief about demons at the time, and what would they have meant by this?
Thursday
Elisha
(2 King 3:1-27)
We have to show the faith to start a thing before God will finish it for us.
If you dig your ditch, the water will come.
The king of Edom burnt his son as a sacrifice and great wrath came upon the Israelites? There seems to be a few renderings of this statement. It could be that the Israelites were so shocked by this abhorrent behavior that they abruptly left, or it could be that when the Moabite soldiers saw the sign being offered to their god they fought with an increased ferocity and drove the Israelites back from the walls.
1 Year Bible Plan
(Psalms 9, Matthew 11, Genesis 29-30)
Ps 9:9-10 – Is it strange that we read “those who know Your name will trust in You,” and we think that the name being referred to is LORD? We’re told that the Angel of the LORD has Yahweh’s name inside of him (Ex 23:21), but how often do we meditate on the actual name of Yahweh?
Matthew 11 – No matter what you do, somebody is going to criticize you. Just do what you are supposed to do and rest easy knowing that you are doing the will of God. But, also, accept a rebuke if it can be discerned to be from God.
Gen 29-30 – I know that this is often said, but I’m not sure how Jacob got any work done with Leah and Rachel fighting over giving him children. “Time of Jacob’s Trouble”, indeed!
Friday
I’m writing this on Saturday because I was a slacker and didn’t do any devotions yesterday. I wasn’t too busy or, had to rush out of the house, or anything. In fact, not only did I not leave the house yesterday, I barely left the couch yesterday. Yesterday was my relaxation day. I watched TV all day. And yet, how relaxed can I be when I spend no time with God. I don’t really feel convicted by not having devotion time, I feel like I lost out.
I don’t know how this is actually going to work but I’m thinking of instituting a new rule for my TV watching: however much time I pray or spend reading the Bible, that is the amount of time that I am allowed to watch TV. For instance, if the Steelers are playing, I better spend at least 3 hours in prayer or the Bible if I want to actually finish that game. But, I don’t want to read the Bible with a timer on, either. This isn’t a science yet…
Saturday
Elisha
(2 Kings 4:1-7)
Through Elisha, God provided enough olive oil to the widow for her to pay all of her debts. Don’t ever look down on the one thing you have, it just may end up being the one thing you need to be able to start over.
(2 Kings 4:8-37)
Sometimes, the ill fortune that happens can be used as a test to make sure that we are still walking in the right amount of faith to carry it out.
1 Year Bible Plan
Psalm 9 –
Proverbs 2:1-11 – To fear Yahweh is the goal, to seek the treasure of Wisdom is how you understand how to fear Yahweh.
Matthew 12 – David eating the show bread is often used to say that it’s ok break the laws of Moses, but this really isn’t doing this. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, and He can heal and do good on the Sabbath, but should that justify us in doing anything we want on the Sabbath, or should that justify us in doing good works on the Sabbath?
Genesis 31-33 – Jacob and Laban are good examples of how not to treat people. Anyone who thinks that the Bible is not divinely inspired, and was just made up by the Jews, needs to answer the question of why they would make every one of their patriarchs look so idiotic at times. When the Angel of Yahweh appeared and wrestled with Jacob, it was exactly what Jacob needed at that point. Jacob was so scared of what Esau would do to him , even though God had told him that He would with with him, that Jacob needed to not only see God but also struggle with Him, in order to have the faith he needed to face his brother the next day. If he can struggle with God and survive, he can face Esau and survive.
(Psalms 7-9, Proverbs 1:20-33, Matthew 8-11, Genesis 21-28)
Gen 21 – First we see Hagar at the well in Beersheba, and then we see “at the same time” Abraham and Abimilech talking about this well and Abraham gaining pledge that this well is his. Are these 2 things related?
Gen 26 – Did Isaac really pull an Abraham and say Rebecca was his sister? And did he do this to Abimilech?
Matt 9 – The new wine and new wineskins reference comes right after John’s disciples ask about fasting. What is this referring to?
- “by the ruler of demons, he expels the demons.” What was the belief about demons at the time, and what would they have meant by this?
Thursday
Elisha
(2 King 3:1-27)
We have to show the faith to start a thing before God will finish it for us.
If you dig your ditch, the water will come.
The king of Edom burnt his son as a sacrifice and great wrath came upon the Israelites? There seems to be a few renderings of this statement. It could be that the Israelites were so shocked by this abhorrent behavior that they abruptly left, or it could be that when the Moabite soldiers saw the sign being offered to their god they fought with an increased ferocity and drove the Israelites back from the walls.
1 Year Bible Plan
(Psalms 9, Matthew 11, Genesis 29-30)
Ps 9:9-10 – Is it strange that we read “those who know Your name will trust in You,” and we think that the name being referred to is LORD? We’re told that the Angel of the LORD has Yahweh’s name inside of him (Ex 23:21), but how often do we meditate on the actual name of Yahweh?
Matthew 11 – No matter what you do, somebody is going to criticize you. Just do what you are supposed to do and rest easy knowing that you are doing the will of God. But, also, accept a rebuke if it can be discerned to be from God.
Gen 29-30 – I know that this is often said, but I’m not sure how Jacob got any work done with Leah and Rachel fighting over giving him children. “Time of Jacob’s Trouble”, indeed!
Friday
I’m writing this on Saturday because I was a slacker and didn’t do any devotions yesterday. I wasn’t too busy or, had to rush out of the house, or anything. In fact, not only did I not leave the house yesterday, I barely left the couch yesterday. Yesterday was my relaxation day. I watched TV all day. And yet, how relaxed can I be when I spend no time with God. I don’t really feel convicted by not having devotion time, I feel like I lost out.
I don’t know how this is actually going to work but I’m thinking of instituting a new rule for my TV watching: however much time I pray or spend reading the Bible, that is the amount of time that I am allowed to watch TV. For instance, if the Steelers are playing, I better spend at least 3 hours in prayer or the Bible if I want to actually finish that game. But, I don’t want to read the Bible with a timer on, either. This isn’t a science yet…
Saturday
Elisha
(2 Kings 4:1-7)
Through Elisha, God provided enough olive oil to the widow for her to pay all of her debts. Don’t ever look down on the one thing you have, it just may end up being the one thing you need to be able to start over.
(2 Kings 4:8-37)
Sometimes, the ill fortune that happens can be used as a test to make sure that we are still walking in the right amount of faith to carry it out.
1 Year Bible Plan
Psalm 9 –
Proverbs 2:1-11 – To fear Yahweh is the goal, to seek the treasure of Wisdom is how you understand how to fear Yahweh.
Matthew 12 – David eating the show bread is often used to say that it’s ok break the laws of Moses, but this really isn’t doing this. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, and He can heal and do good on the Sabbath, but should that justify us in doing anything we want on the Sabbath, or should that justify us in doing good works on the Sabbath?
Genesis 31-33 – Jacob and Laban are good examples of how not to treat people. Anyone who thinks that the Bible is not divinely inspired, and was just made up by the Jews, needs to answer the question of why they would make every one of their patriarchs look so idiotic at times. When the Angel of Yahweh appeared and wrestled with Jacob, it was exactly what Jacob needed at that point. Jacob was so scared of what Esau would do to him , even though God had told him that He would with with him, that Jacob needed to not only see God but also struggle with Him, in order to have the faith he needed to face his brother the next day. If he can struggle with God and survive, he can face Esau and survive.
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