Matthew quotes the old testament alot to prove Jesus was the Messiah. His main audience in teaching was the Jews.
Matthew was living what he was writing. All he had to teach about was what old testament prophecies he was seeing lived out.
It starts with the genealogy of Jesus. Gen 22:18 And through thou seed all the nations of the world will be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice.
That was what was told Abraham when he was willing to sacrifice Issac.
Abraham and David were both promised Christ would come from them. Jesus fulfilled both promises.
Even though it gets tedious reading through all the names and let's face it they are difficult to pronounce, there are little nuggets of information scattered in them.
Look at Matthew 1:6 Solomon was born to David, and to her that had been the wife of Urias. Rmemeber the old testament story of David seeing her and taking her. Then when she turned up pregnant and her husband had been off at war, David had him brought home hoping to make him and everyone believe it was his baby. When Urias wouldn't sleep with her, David arranged for him to be killed in battle.
Ever sin and think you are no longer of use to God? Did you truly repent of that sin? Then just as once David truly repented God could use him, God can use you. But remember David had consequences from that sin. His baby died that was conceived in that sin. So just as he had to face his consequences so do we.
Also hidden in here is a little history. It says in verse 11 that they were carried away to Babylon.
So far in 11 verses we were reminded of a covenant, of a scandal, and a little history. Always read over the names and see what hidden gems you can find.
In verse 16 Joseph is born who would later marry Mary.
In verse 18 we learn of Jesus birth. We have heard it so many times that we don't always pay attention to it now.
Back then engagements were very serious. Although they wouldn't have marital relations if they didn't go through with the marriage, they had to have what amounts to a divorce.
Joseph realized Mary was pregnant. Because he was a rightous man, he was merciful. He didn't want her stoned so he was gonna get out of the marriage quietly. He loved her and didn't want her hurt.
Righteous people don't desire to disgrace others. Remember the speck and the log in the eye.
Go to the one who offended you and privately try to work it out.
Seek God about how to handle the situation. That is what Joseph did.
Joseph assumed Mary had been unfaithful. He sought God and found out the truth. Sometimes what we think is true is not. Things are not always how they seem. All of this fulfilled the old testament prophecies.
Joseph was told to name Him Jesus. Verse 23 says Emmanuel means God with us.
Even though Jesus became man He was no less God then before He was born.
Mary and Joseph married but she remained a virgin until the birth of Jesus. Once He was born she was no longer a virgin.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Are you emotional?
Colossians 3:1-2 Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
2 Corinthians 10:5b We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he truseth in Thee.
The above will be a very good start to controlling our emotions.
Here are some promises from God's word:
Matt 28:20 I am with you always
(so we don't have to be overcome with loneliness)
Phil 4:19 My God will meet all your needs
(so we don't have to stay awake at night worrying about how the bills will be paid
Is 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken
(so we don't have to live in dread of an unknown future.
Jn 14:27 Do not be afraid
(so we don't have to give in to fear, regardless of our circumstances)
Phil 4:6 Don't worry about anything
(so even in the midst of stressful circumstances, we don't have to be anxious)
1 Thess 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances
(so we can choose to be thankful, even when everything around us seems to be falling apart.)
Mt 5:44 Love your enemies
(so by the power of the Spirit, we can choose to love anyone- no matter how greatly they have wronged us)
Mk 11:26 If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him
(so there is no one we cannot choose to forgive, no matter how deeply they may have hurt us or sinned against us.)
When we fix our minds on Christ and bring every thought into captivity to the truth, the Holy Spirit sanctifies our emotions and grants supernatural grace, comfort and peace.
Do you struggle believing any of these truths from the word of God? How do you deal with the struggle?
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Fun Saturday
We have a festival here this weekend called Festival Acadiens et Creoles.
Hubby and I helped out one of the days last year at one of the food vendors. Today we went just to look around, try some of the food, and watch a couple of cooking demos by local chefs and a dance troop perform. It was really a nice day to be outside. We took the shuttle to the park and back as parking near the park is almost impossible to find.
Hubby and I helped out one of the days last year at one of the food vendors. Today we went just to look around, try some of the food, and watch a couple of cooking demos by local chefs and a dance troop perform. It was really a nice day to be outside. We took the shuttle to the park and back as parking near the park is almost impossible to find.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Are you a glass half full or glass half empty person?
How do you view life? Do you see the glass half empty or half full? When things go wrong do you see God's hand in it so it isn't worse?
My son and I had this conversation just today. He sometimes sees the hand of God in bad situations, other times not so much. I think most are like that. Sometimes it is easy to see His hand working on our behalf and other times it isn't.
Here are the situations my son has dealt with in the last two days.
Yesterday at work, a stack of pallets fell. God's hand? They didn't fall on him. He saw that God protected him.
Yesterday the old van he is using to get back and forth to work while he saves up for a better one broke down. That is a bad situation. But here is the hand of God (which he saw right away and gave thanks for). It wouldn't turn. He travels on all 4 lane roads to get back and forth to work. It was afternoon when traffic was heavy. The van broke down in the parking lot where he works. He pulled out of his space went to end of row to turn and it wouldn't turn. He was able to pull in to two parking spaces and wait for help. Imagine if he was in afternoon traffic on a 4 lane?? God is good. He protected him even though the van broke, it was under the best circumstances.
Today he is cutting grass. The grass is high and damp from all the rain we have been having. The lawn mower kept killing and he had to remove the piece that keeps the grass underneath to mulch. He removed his glasses cause it was hard to see with the sunglasses clip on it. He put them down, forgot they were on the ground, turned the mower back over, started it and ran over his glasses. He came in very frustrated as you can imagine. Mad at himself for forgetting and ruining his glasses, but also feeling like what next cause of the van, and now his glasses. But here is God's hand. He has another pair of glasses. His old ones are the same prescription. They are scratched but still usable until he can get new ones. He remembered he had them, but was forgetting to look for the hand of God and to give thanks that he still has usable glasses.
Sometimes we get distracted by the bad situations in our life and forget to see or look for the hand of God. We are human. We get frustrated. But if we will just look at it to see where God is in the situation we will find He is there. He has promised us He will be. We just have to look.
Now does it still stink that now he has to spend money fixing the old van and to get new glasses? Absolutely. But look at how much worse it could have been! God is in control. He allows bad situations in our life to teach us something. What is He trying to teach my son? I don't know yet, but hopefully it will be learned quickly and he can move on. He just told me he thought of a song that says sometimes God lets us go through things to show He is still there with us. Maybe that is what God is showing him the last two days.
My son and I had this conversation just today. He sometimes sees the hand of God in bad situations, other times not so much. I think most are like that. Sometimes it is easy to see His hand working on our behalf and other times it isn't.
Here are the situations my son has dealt with in the last two days.
Yesterday at work, a stack of pallets fell. God's hand? They didn't fall on him. He saw that God protected him.
Yesterday the old van he is using to get back and forth to work while he saves up for a better one broke down. That is a bad situation. But here is the hand of God (which he saw right away and gave thanks for). It wouldn't turn. He travels on all 4 lane roads to get back and forth to work. It was afternoon when traffic was heavy. The van broke down in the parking lot where he works. He pulled out of his space went to end of row to turn and it wouldn't turn. He was able to pull in to two parking spaces and wait for help. Imagine if he was in afternoon traffic on a 4 lane?? God is good. He protected him even though the van broke, it was under the best circumstances.
Today he is cutting grass. The grass is high and damp from all the rain we have been having. The lawn mower kept killing and he had to remove the piece that keeps the grass underneath to mulch. He removed his glasses cause it was hard to see with the sunglasses clip on it. He put them down, forgot they were on the ground, turned the mower back over, started it and ran over his glasses. He came in very frustrated as you can imagine. Mad at himself for forgetting and ruining his glasses, but also feeling like what next cause of the van, and now his glasses. But here is God's hand. He has another pair of glasses. His old ones are the same prescription. They are scratched but still usable until he can get new ones. He remembered he had them, but was forgetting to look for the hand of God and to give thanks that he still has usable glasses.
Sometimes we get distracted by the bad situations in our life and forget to see or look for the hand of God. We are human. We get frustrated. But if we will just look at it to see where God is in the situation we will find He is there. He has promised us He will be. We just have to look.
Now does it still stink that now he has to spend money fixing the old van and to get new glasses? Absolutely. But look at how much worse it could have been! God is in control. He allows bad situations in our life to teach us something. What is He trying to teach my son? I don't know yet, but hopefully it will be learned quickly and he can move on. He just told me he thought of a song that says sometimes God lets us go through things to show He is still there with us. Maybe that is what God is showing him the last two days.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Rebekah - How marriages jump the tracks
Gen 24-29 tells the story of their marriage.
During the 5 chapters life happened. The end is far different from the beginning.
Godly characteristics of a wife
1. To leave their family
Gen 24:58-61
:60 When they blessed her in this way they didn't know the promise God had given Abraham.
Gen 2;22-24 This doesn't mean you never see or speak to your family.
It means your relationship with them changes.
Our husband should have the position in our life our family had.
You have to learn to work things out when there is a problem.
2. Prioritize your husband.
Only God should have a place above your husband.
Yes little children take a lot of your time. But that is why it is important to have a bed time routine. To give the parents some alone time.
As children get older, their activities can take as much of your time as the children did when they were younger if you aren't careful.
It is easy to lose your connection with your husband if you aren't careful.
3. Be a helper to our husband.
God has given us different abilities then our husband. We are on the same team. We shouldn't work against each other but together.
Gen 24:67 She was doing things right in the beginning.
4. Submit to your husband.
Submission is not a bad word.
Submission is voluntarily cooperating with anyone out of love and respect for God first, and then out of love and respect for that person.
Does that mean it will be smooth sailing? No. But first you must learn to submit to God, then the rest comes easier.
Doesn't mean you don't give input into decisions. But in the end it is the husband's decision. He will be held accountable by God for that decision. We will be held accountable to God for our submission.
You don't submit to illegal or ungodly things. But in every thing else we must submit. It doesn't mean you are a doormat. You have the right to voice your opinion. It is on them if they don't consider our input before making a decision. Even if it is a bad decision, if you submit, God will take you through the consequences.
5. Respect your husband.
Ep 5:33
Respect to your husband is what love is to you. They go hand in hand.
If he doesn't get it he will shut down and become defensive.
Respect means to honor and esteem. To be thankful for the provision, protection, leadership they bring to the family.
Your words should mean the most to him. If that isn't the case, it is between him and God and God will hold him accountable.
Gen 26
What started so beautifully became so ugly. Life can get you and your marriage off track if you aren't on top of things. You can't assume things will go well if you don't work at it. You are only responsible for your part in the marriage. It is how you get back on track after problems that will determine the end result.
Once all of your children are grown and moved out, it will be just the two of you. Does your husband have a responsibilty in the relationship? Absolutely. But you are only responsible for your part. That is what you will answer to God for, not his part. You must work on your marriage now if you want a good one in the future.
Gen 26:35 The boys were a source of grief to their parents.
Gen 27:1 Isaac was old and could not see.
The oldest son would get the blessing.
Rebekah loved Jacob more and Isaac loved Esau more.
The child who causes you the most problems is the most like you.
Because another child may be easier to handle, they may appear to be your favorite if you aren't careful.
Rebekah makes Jacob appear to be Esau so he gets the blessing.
She deceived her husband. She chose her son over her husband.
Job says the latter days can be better then the former days. But you must work at it.
Because of her deception, Jacob had to run from Esau. Jacob was grown and took part in the deception. He later was deceived when he wanted to marry Rachel.
What goes around comes around as they say.
During the 5 chapters life happened. The end is far different from the beginning.
Godly characteristics of a wife
1. To leave their family
Gen 24:58-61
:60 When they blessed her in this way they didn't know the promise God had given Abraham.
Gen 2;22-24 This doesn't mean you never see or speak to your family.
It means your relationship with them changes.
Our husband should have the position in our life our family had.
You have to learn to work things out when there is a problem.
2. Prioritize your husband.
Only God should have a place above your husband.
Yes little children take a lot of your time. But that is why it is important to have a bed time routine. To give the parents some alone time.
As children get older, their activities can take as much of your time as the children did when they were younger if you aren't careful.
It is easy to lose your connection with your husband if you aren't careful.
3. Be a helper to our husband.
God has given us different abilities then our husband. We are on the same team. We shouldn't work against each other but together.
Gen 24:67 She was doing things right in the beginning.
4. Submit to your husband.
Submission is not a bad word.
Submission is voluntarily cooperating with anyone out of love and respect for God first, and then out of love and respect for that person.
Does that mean it will be smooth sailing? No. But first you must learn to submit to God, then the rest comes easier.
Doesn't mean you don't give input into decisions. But in the end it is the husband's decision. He will be held accountable by God for that decision. We will be held accountable to God for our submission.
You don't submit to illegal or ungodly things. But in every thing else we must submit. It doesn't mean you are a doormat. You have the right to voice your opinion. It is on them if they don't consider our input before making a decision. Even if it is a bad decision, if you submit, God will take you through the consequences.
5. Respect your husband.
Ep 5:33
Respect to your husband is what love is to you. They go hand in hand.
If he doesn't get it he will shut down and become defensive.
Respect means to honor and esteem. To be thankful for the provision, protection, leadership they bring to the family.
Your words should mean the most to him. If that isn't the case, it is between him and God and God will hold him accountable.
Gen 26
What started so beautifully became so ugly. Life can get you and your marriage off track if you aren't on top of things. You can't assume things will go well if you don't work at it. You are only responsible for your part in the marriage. It is how you get back on track after problems that will determine the end result.
Once all of your children are grown and moved out, it will be just the two of you. Does your husband have a responsibilty in the relationship? Absolutely. But you are only responsible for your part. That is what you will answer to God for, not his part. You must work on your marriage now if you want a good one in the future.
Gen 26:35 The boys were a source of grief to their parents.
Gen 27:1 Isaac was old and could not see.
The oldest son would get the blessing.
Rebekah loved Jacob more and Isaac loved Esau more.
The child who causes you the most problems is the most like you.
Because another child may be easier to handle, they may appear to be your favorite if you aren't careful.
Rebekah makes Jacob appear to be Esau so he gets the blessing.
She deceived her husband. She chose her son over her husband.
Job says the latter days can be better then the former days. But you must work at it.
Because of her deception, Jacob had to run from Esau. Jacob was grown and took part in the deception. He later was deceived when he wanted to marry Rachel.
What goes around comes around as they say.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Rebekah
Gen 24 tells her story.
Isaac is grown and it is time to find a wife for him.
Abraham sent a servant to get Isaac a wife. He didn't want a wife from the people around them because they worshipped false gods.
The servant had to travel about 500 miles.
He took 10 of Abraham's camels, jewelry, etc and left.
He stopped by the well because that is where the women would come in the morning.
:15 before he is done speaking
Wouldn't it be nice if it always happened that way?
Issac and Rebekah marry.
1 Cor 7:32-34
No one knows more what is in your heart then God.
While single, there are many more opportunites for you to serve God. You have only yourself to be concerned with.
God completes you not a man.
Her name probably meant loop or tie.
Characteristics:
1. Energetic and hardworking
She watered all of the 10 camels along with the servant. She carried big heavy containers for the water. That took time and effort. Each camel would drink about 25 gallons of water. That is alot of water. Yet she ran to do it.
There is a difference between restless and energetic. Energetic people are calm while restless people are unsettled.
When you are restless, you need to seek the reason why from God.
2. Purity of body and heart
Gen 24:16
God still calls single women to purity of body and heart, whether single and never married, or single again. Just because you made a mistake and didn't stay pure, you can begin again today by asking for forgiveness and living pure from now till you are married.
3.Was generous
Not only did she give him water and his camels, but she offered him a place to stay.
Mt 5:41
We need to go the extra mile. We shouldn't look for the minimum requirement we need to do to get by.
The world is full of minimum requirement people and sadly, christians.
We shouldn't accept the minimum required from our children either. We are training them to be lazy when we do.
4. Was a woman of initiative
Gen 24:19
She didn't wait for him to ask her to water his camels.
initiative means readiness and ability to take action, one's personal responsible decision
This forever changed her life.
You won't wait for someone to ask you to do something you know needs doing if you have initiative. You will just do it.
We don't take control, but we do what we know needs to be done without waiting to be told or asked to do it.
You don't do it for recognition, you do it cause it is the right thing to do.
5. She was obedient.
Gen 24:54-58
She was quick to obey.
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Don't count for your children to obey. You are teaching them delayed obedience, not only to you but to God.
Blessings follow obedience.
Next time we look at Rebekah married.
Isaac is grown and it is time to find a wife for him.
Abraham sent a servant to get Isaac a wife. He didn't want a wife from the people around them because they worshipped false gods.
The servant had to travel about 500 miles.
He took 10 of Abraham's camels, jewelry, etc and left.
He stopped by the well because that is where the women would come in the morning.
:15 before he is done speaking
Wouldn't it be nice if it always happened that way?
Issac and Rebekah marry.
1 Cor 7:32-34
No one knows more what is in your heart then God.
While single, there are many more opportunites for you to serve God. You have only yourself to be concerned with.
God completes you not a man.
Her name probably meant loop or tie.
Characteristics:
1. Energetic and hardworking
She watered all of the 10 camels along with the servant. She carried big heavy containers for the water. That took time and effort. Each camel would drink about 25 gallons of water. That is alot of water. Yet she ran to do it.
There is a difference between restless and energetic. Energetic people are calm while restless people are unsettled.
When you are restless, you need to seek the reason why from God.
2. Purity of body and heart
Gen 24:16
God still calls single women to purity of body and heart, whether single and never married, or single again. Just because you made a mistake and didn't stay pure, you can begin again today by asking for forgiveness and living pure from now till you are married.
3.Was generous
Not only did she give him water and his camels, but she offered him a place to stay.
Mt 5:41
We need to go the extra mile. We shouldn't look for the minimum requirement we need to do to get by.
The world is full of minimum requirement people and sadly, christians.
We shouldn't accept the minimum required from our children either. We are training them to be lazy when we do.
4. Was a woman of initiative
Gen 24:19
She didn't wait for him to ask her to water his camels.
initiative means readiness and ability to take action, one's personal responsible decision
This forever changed her life.
You won't wait for someone to ask you to do something you know needs doing if you have initiative. You will just do it.
We don't take control, but we do what we know needs to be done without waiting to be told or asked to do it.
You don't do it for recognition, you do it cause it is the right thing to do.
5. She was obedient.
Gen 24:54-58
She was quick to obey.
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Don't count for your children to obey. You are teaching them delayed obedience, not only to you but to God.
Blessings follow obedience.
Next time we look at Rebekah married.
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