Did you notice in today's reading that Isaac repeats the same sin his dad committed twice? Lying about his wife - saying she was his sister because he feared for his life. (Genesis 26:6 and following)
I work extensively with the Freedom in Christ resources (ficm.org) and in today's language what Isaac did would be called generational sin...sin that is passed down, or repeated from one generation to the next. Satan seems to be a very good record-keeper. He knows what sins caught one person and will use those very same temptations (maybe packaged a bit differently, but ultimately the same) with their children, grandchildren, etc.
Let me encourage you to spend time looking back at your parents' lives (and grandparents and great-grandparents if you knew them). Do you see sin, bad habits, etc in their lives that are showing up in your life or the lives of your kids?
Rage/anger is a generational sin that I have struggled to kill in my life. It was in my brother, mother, and grandfather (and while I didn't personally know generations beyond that, I wouldn't be surprised to learn it went back farther). When one of my kids was a lot younger, I was grieved to realize the rage/anger had transferred to the next generation. But through the painful battle God was taking me through to victory in my life, He was also training my hands for war to do battle for my young child. I talked often with my child about the generational sin so it could be recognized for what it was, but also explained to my child that ultimately the responsibility for dealing with the rage/anger was his/hers.
Don't brush sin, bad habits, etc off as "well that's just the way my family is." And please, please, please do not sit passively by and watch it be passed to your kids or grandkids. Victory can be yours! Christ died to set you free! "If you know the Truth, the Truth will set you free!"
If you would like to interact with me more about this, feel free to email me. I would be very happy to point you to resources that would be helpful.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
"The LORD will provide."
I love the book of Genesis! There are so many amazing and profound truths about God, His love for us, and His pursuit of relationship with us in Genesis; and there are so many wonderful stories of 'real' people in Genesis. By real, I mean sometimes they failed in their obedience to God, and sometimes they succeeded in their obedience to God. I can relate to them! Can't you?!
I read Genesis in December, and as I've been reading through it again now, what has impacted me most is the question from yesterday's reading "Is anything too difficult for God?" and from today's reading after God sees that Abraham will not withhold his only son from God, God provides the ram for the sacrifice and Abraham names the place "God will provide."
As I've struggled with health issues since this past summer, these two truths from God's Word have been a huge source of peace of mind and comfort for me. Nothing is too difficult for God, including my health issues; and God will provide - everything I need, when I need it. When I keep my focus on these truths, peace floods through me. When my focus wavers and the pity party begins, it's a whole 'nother story!!
How about you? Where have you seen God provide for you and how has it helped your faith?
I read Genesis in December, and as I've been reading through it again now, what has impacted me most is the question from yesterday's reading "Is anything too difficult for God?" and from today's reading after God sees that Abraham will not withhold his only son from God, God provides the ram for the sacrifice and Abraham names the place "God will provide."
As I've struggled with health issues since this past summer, these two truths from God's Word have been a huge source of peace of mind and comfort for me. Nothing is too difficult for God, including my health issues; and God will provide - everything I need, when I need it. When I keep my focus on these truths, peace floods through me. When my focus wavers and the pity party begins, it's a whole 'nother story!!
How about you? Where have you seen God provide for you and how has it helped your faith?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
"Is anything too difficult for the LORD?"
Did you catch that short question in today's reading?! "Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" (Gen. 18:14)
Just a few words, but what impact; what ability to refocus our perspective when in the midst of a seemingly difficult or impossible situation.
"Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" We all know the answer is "no"! But yet how easy it is to forget that when life is hard, when finances are tight, when relationships are strained or severed, when evil appears to be winning - and the list could go on and on.
But NOTHING is too difficult for the LORD. That is where our focus needs to be, and it needs to be an unwavering focus in the midst of life's difficulties and life's curve balls. We need to remind ourselves of this over and over. NOTHING is too difficult for the LORD! Then let the peace and security of that truth flood your very core.
Just a few words, but what impact; what ability to refocus our perspective when in the midst of a seemingly difficult or impossible situation.
"Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" We all know the answer is "no"! But yet how easy it is to forget that when life is hard, when finances are tight, when relationships are strained or severed, when evil appears to be winning - and the list could go on and on.
But NOTHING is too difficult for the LORD. That is where our focus needs to be, and it needs to be an unwavering focus in the midst of life's difficulties and life's curve balls. We need to remind ourselves of this over and over. NOTHING is too difficult for the LORD! Then let the peace and security of that truth flood your very core.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Encumbrances
I had hoped to post something over the weekend, but life quickly got out of control for me, and nothing got posted!
For those of you who aren't reading in the Holman Chronological Bible, but are using the reading schedule I sent you, every 7th day is a 'summary' - the first one being Saturday, Jan 7. This is a day to reflect on what you read the previous 6 days and prayerfully seek God's face in what He want you to apply to your life from your time in His Word.
I have just finished up Pam Gillaspie's (free!) online study called Ignite - excellent study, and her video posts are still available through vimeo.com if you have interest in checking it out.
Anyway, as we finished the study which was about the when, where, why, what, who, and how of being in God's Word, Pam's last session (on how to be in God's Word) included Hebrews 12:1-2.
The 'how' of being in God's Word on a regular, consistent basis includes laying aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us. It includes running with endurance - not giving up!! It includes fixing our eyes on Jesus - and keeping them there, not letting them drift to the many distractions of life.
So back to encumbrances and sin which so easily entangles us....
I think most of us, if we are walking with Christ, know when sin is present in our lives. The Holy Spirit is faithful to let us know about it - then we have a choice to ignore Him or deal with the sin.
Encumbrances are a little more tricky!! They are not necessarily bad things or sin. They can be good things in our life which are out of balance or are being given more priority in our time than they should be given.
This has been very challenging for me to 'chew over' the past week - and especially over the weekend as it became apparent to me that several things in my life are out of balance. On Sunday I spent time in God's presence asking Him to show me how to take control of my time and get Him back as the center point. Now I know part of this is due to the Holidays and schedules getting wacky because of family being home and more guests being over, so I don't want to be too hard on myself. But a big part of it is wrong priorities and things in my life that have no eternal value. So those are things that I need to prayerfully take a long, hard look at and either remove from my life or get into the right place in my priorities and time schedule.
Why am I posting this? Because I know I'm not the only one who struggles with enough time in the day, priorities, juggling family, work, friends, etc. There are millions of things screaming for out attention each day, but we need to examine our lives, our schedules, our use of money, etc and make sure God is at the center of it all. If we don't do this on a regular basis, God will get pushed aside for the 'tyranny of the urgent', time in His Word will get pushed aside and we will end up being part of the 93% of people who claim to be Christians, yet don't spend time in God's Word on a regular basis. (statistic from Brian Hardy, creator of Daily Audio Bible).
So while we are new into 2012, let me encourage and challenge you to ask God what encumbrances exist in your life - make a list and keep in close by. Then begin the hard work of removing the encumbrances, or getting them into their proper priority place. Run with endurance! Fix your eyes on Jesus!
And feel free to ask me from time to time how I'm doing with encumbrances! I covet your accountability!
For those of you who aren't reading in the Holman Chronological Bible, but are using the reading schedule I sent you, every 7th day is a 'summary' - the first one being Saturday, Jan 7. This is a day to reflect on what you read the previous 6 days and prayerfully seek God's face in what He want you to apply to your life from your time in His Word.
I have just finished up Pam Gillaspie's (free!) online study called Ignite - excellent study, and her video posts are still available through vimeo.com if you have interest in checking it out.
Anyway, as we finished the study which was about the when, where, why, what, who, and how of being in God's Word, Pam's last session (on how to be in God's Word) included Hebrews 12:1-2.
The 'how' of being in God's Word on a regular, consistent basis includes laying aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us. It includes running with endurance - not giving up!! It includes fixing our eyes on Jesus - and keeping them there, not letting them drift to the many distractions of life.
So back to encumbrances and sin which so easily entangles us....
I think most of us, if we are walking with Christ, know when sin is present in our lives. The Holy Spirit is faithful to let us know about it - then we have a choice to ignore Him or deal with the sin.
Encumbrances are a little more tricky!! They are not necessarily bad things or sin. They can be good things in our life which are out of balance or are being given more priority in our time than they should be given.
This has been very challenging for me to 'chew over' the past week - and especially over the weekend as it became apparent to me that several things in my life are out of balance. On Sunday I spent time in God's presence asking Him to show me how to take control of my time and get Him back as the center point. Now I know part of this is due to the Holidays and schedules getting wacky because of family being home and more guests being over, so I don't want to be too hard on myself. But a big part of it is wrong priorities and things in my life that have no eternal value. So those are things that I need to prayerfully take a long, hard look at and either remove from my life or get into the right place in my priorities and time schedule.
Why am I posting this? Because I know I'm not the only one who struggles with enough time in the day, priorities, juggling family, work, friends, etc. There are millions of things screaming for out attention each day, but we need to examine our lives, our schedules, our use of money, etc and make sure God is at the center of it all. If we don't do this on a regular basis, God will get pushed aside for the 'tyranny of the urgent', time in His Word will get pushed aside and we will end up being part of the 93% of people who claim to be Christians, yet don't spend time in God's Word on a regular basis. (statistic from Brian Hardy, creator of Daily Audio Bible).
So while we are new into 2012, let me encourage and challenge you to ask God what encumbrances exist in your life - make a list and keep in close by. Then begin the hard work of removing the encumbrances, or getting them into their proper priority place. Run with endurance! Fix your eyes on Jesus!
And feel free to ask me from time to time how I'm doing with encumbrances! I covet your accountability!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Noah
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart." (Genesis 6:5-6)
"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8)
"Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." (Genesis 6:9)
"Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." (Genesis 6:22)
I cannot even begin to comprehend Noah's faith. Imagine what it took for Noah to 'swim against the tide' of wickedness and evil. It certainly wouldn't have been 'politically correct' for Noah to walk with God and be a righteous man! If Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD, you can bet he did not find favor in the eyes of his neighbors and friends!
"He lived a life of communion with God; it was his constant care to conform himself to the will of God, to please him, and to approve himself to him. Note, God looks down upon those with an eye of favour who sincerely look up to him with an eye of faith." (Matthew Henry)
This text today really challenges me to examine my own life: my tendencies to want to 'people please' versus finding favor in the eyes of the LORD; my tendencies to rush through time with God to get on to others things versus living a life of communion with God, etc.
All in all, it really reveals some crud in my heart that needs to go!!
How about you? What challenged you today as you read? I love to hear from you!
"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8)
"Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." (Genesis 6:9)
"Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." (Genesis 6:22)
I cannot even begin to comprehend Noah's faith. Imagine what it took for Noah to 'swim against the tide' of wickedness and evil. It certainly wouldn't have been 'politically correct' for Noah to walk with God and be a righteous man! If Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD, you can bet he did not find favor in the eyes of his neighbors and friends!
"He lived a life of communion with God; it was his constant care to conform himself to the will of God, to please him, and to approve himself to him. Note, God looks down upon those with an eye of favour who sincerely look up to him with an eye of faith." (Matthew Henry)
This text today really challenges me to examine my own life: my tendencies to want to 'people please' versus finding favor in the eyes of the LORD; my tendencies to rush through time with God to get on to others things versus living a life of communion with God, etc.
All in all, it really reveals some crud in my heart that needs to go!!
How about you? What challenged you today as you read? I love to hear from you!
Monday, January 2, 2012
In the Beginning....
"In the beginning God created...." (Genesis 1:1)
"In the beginning was the Word...He was in the beginning with God..." (John 1:1-2)
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him." (Ephesians 1:3-4)
There was a lot going on in the beginning!
Did you know you were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world to be His child? Did you realize that? That is how loved and special you are to Him! Before the foundation of the world...you were chosen! Keep that in mind today as you go through your day; keep that huge piece of truth close to your heart - however mundane your tasks may be today - YOU were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world! You are loved by Him! You are special to Him! You are the apple of His eye!
"In the beginning was the Word...He was in the beginning with God..." (John 1:1-2)
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him." (Ephesians 1:3-4)
There was a lot going on in the beginning!
Did you know you were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world to be His child? Did you realize that? That is how loved and special you are to Him! Before the foundation of the world...you were chosen! Keep that in mind today as you go through your day; keep that huge piece of truth close to your heart - however mundane your tasks may be today - YOU were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world! You are loved by Him! You are special to Him! You are the apple of His eye!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year! Happy Reading!
Happy New Year, Everyone! And Happy Reading!
January 1st is finally here and it's time to dig into God's Word! I am so excited to read through His Word with you this year!
Whether you are using the Holman Chronological Bible, or the reading schedule I emailed you, you will notice that every 7 days there is a 'summary' - this is a day to reflect on what you read the previous 6 days (or to catch up if you've missed a day!)
And let me suggest that if you are having trouble reading every day - don't give up! Consider reading until the story changes...for example, if you are reading about Noah and the ark, read the whole story (Genesis 6-10) - this will hold your interest better.
OR consider reading a whole book at a time. Leviticus can be a tough book for most people to read through! So consider sitting down and reading the whole book at once.
If following the chronological schedule does not work for you, that's okay! Don't quit reading! Use the blog to find how other people are doing and gain encouragement to stay in God's Word. The key is to be reading God's Word and applying it to your life!
So, come back to the blog often and leave a comment! I look forward to hearing from you!
January 1st is finally here and it's time to dig into God's Word! I am so excited to read through His Word with you this year!
Whether you are using the Holman Chronological Bible, or the reading schedule I emailed you, you will notice that every 7 days there is a 'summary' - this is a day to reflect on what you read the previous 6 days (or to catch up if you've missed a day!)
And let me suggest that if you are having trouble reading every day - don't give up! Consider reading until the story changes...for example, if you are reading about Noah and the ark, read the whole story (Genesis 6-10) - this will hold your interest better.
OR consider reading a whole book at a time. Leviticus can be a tough book for most people to read through! So consider sitting down and reading the whole book at once.
If following the chronological schedule does not work for you, that's okay! Don't quit reading! Use the blog to find how other people are doing and gain encouragement to stay in God's Word. The key is to be reading God's Word and applying it to your life!
So, come back to the blog often and leave a comment! I look forward to hearing from you!
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