O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Hosea 14

O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. Hosea 14:8-9

This morning, I wrap my study of Hosea by looking at Hosea 14, where God pleas with Israel to repent and return to Him and if they do, He promises blessings.  See also OverviewBible.com's survey of this book. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, chronicled in rich detail throughout the book of Hosea, including God's command to Hosea that he marry an unfaithful woman Gomer, we never lose sight of how God is jealous for Israel/us (not of us) and that He loves Israel in spite of her sin.  God is slow to anger, abounding in love, and rich and mercy.  He is faithful, even when we fall down. God offers mercies that never cease and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and He seeks for us to confess our sin return to Him (vv1-2). God even gives Israel the words to say in prayer to Him (of course He wants us to utter them with a contrite heart) - see vv2-3. In vv4-7 God shares the blessings Israel (us) will experience upon a return (repentance) to Him - what an incredible portrait of what fellowship with God looks like! V8 then shares how idols offer nothing and do not respond when we call, but God is a living God who hears and responds to our cries, looks after us (as only a Father/Shepherd does), and fruit/provision comes from abiding in Him (John 15:1-10). V9: The Lord's ways are right!  Amen!
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Sin causes us to stumble - vv1,9. No idol nor man (regardless of how powerful he is) can save us from eternal damnation - Solus Christus or Christ alone saves.  Knowledge of God and a discerning heart that seeks to understand Truth is key - and they help us remain upright (prevent us from stumbling into sin).   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeking idols or things of this world to worship - they do not save! Claim the promise of salvation, freedom from the sting of sin and death, and the blessings and fruit that accompanies fellowship with God.  Follow the example of David and so many others throughout scripture who repented of their sin and returned to the Lord. Confess and believe in Jesus!

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Word and Your unwavering love and faithfulness, despite how my sin is great and how it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 7-10

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12

After a brief hiatus this past week looking at Galatians, I return to my study of Hosea where I left off this past Monday, and my focus this morning is Hosea 7-10, where God continues to describe Israel's unfaithfulness and His plan for her discipline (including exile to Assyria).  See also OverviewBible.com's survey of this book. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: 7:2 reminds us that God knows all (omniscient) and no sin is hidden from God and He remembers all sin (see also this post on the books to be opened on Judgement Day).  While the new covenant based on Christ's shed blood gives us freedom from the law (see also Galatians 4:8-5:12), we do not have license to continue sinning but instead Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit and as we abide in Him, He abides in us and we bear fruit and He molds us into more of His image (see also John 15:1-10).  God wants us to know, love, serve and glorify Him - this is why we exist. Israel, unfortunately, lost its way on this during Hosea's time - readers of today are no different except that now we have Christ who saves us. Hosea also shares God's plans to discipline Israel, including 7:12, 8:5, 7-8, 14, 9:3, 7, 17, 10:2, 10:10, and 10:13-15.  At the same time, God is slow to anger and abounding in love - offering mercy and forgiveness for those who repent and turn to Him. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Over these four chapters, much is said that describes Israel's sin and unfaithfulness.  Israel forgot God, they worshiped idols, and they claimed to love God with their words and actions but not with a pure heart.  Believers of today can just as easily do the same.  God encourages us to create fertile ground for Him, and for His Word to take root and bear fruit. See Hosea 10:12. 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid worshiping God with an empty heart that is performative vs a contrite heart that genuinely seeks Him.  Claim the promise that God will "rain righteousness upon you" if you seek the Lord. Follow the example of Paul, the prodigal son and so many others who repented of their sin.  Confess your sins, accept Jesus as your Savior, and seek Him with all of your heart (and you will find Him - Jeremiah 29:13).     

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your rich mercy, patience, and for saving me despite my unfaithfulness. I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.

Hosea 2:14-23

And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD. Hosea 2:19-20

I continue my study of Hosea, and my focus this morning is Hosea 2:14-23, where God shares how He is a merciful God, and how He will restore Israel, despite her unfaithfulness.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: In a parallel to how Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit where Satan tempted Him (and angels ministered to Him) - see Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1–13 - God shares how He will in the future restore Israel; He will lead her into the wilderness and "speak[s] tenderly to her."  What an incredible portrait of mercy - although He is disappointed with Israel's faithfulness, He is full of love and mercy for her.  His mercy is further described how He will give her vineyards and hope, how He will provide peace and stability, and provisions. What a great God!  The text points to Jesus through the description of God's mercy in vv19-20 (and surrounding text) where it says "in that day" God will betroth Israel to Him not for a time - forever.  Similar to text elsewhere (see Ephesians 4:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21) how Jesus justifies, declares us righteous in His eyes, God will restore Israel and "betroth [Israel] to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth [Israel] to me in faithfulness."  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: V15 shares how Israel responds to God's mercy by returning to God and loving Him as she once did after He rescued her from Egypt (see also Israel's song of praise in Exodus 15:1-19).  In yet another parallel to scripture elsewhere, Israel's repentance and return to love of God mirrors the return of the prodigal son to his father (Luke 15:11-32). 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to avoid remaining in sin by returning to Him who forgives. Claim the promise of forgiveness and eternal life offered by Christ.  Follow the example of the prodigal son.  Confess, repent, believe, and be saved. 

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your rich mercy and for saving me - for declaring me not guilty of my sin and showering me with incredible mercies that never cease and are new every morning.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Jonah 4 

And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” Jonah 4:10-11

I continue my study in Jonah to supplement my church's current sermon series in this book.  In the text today, Jonah is angry about the grace God gives Nineveh and God scolds him. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V2: Jonah describes God is "a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster."  God is sovereign over all creation as He appointed a plant to provide Jonah shade - v6; He appointed a worm to attack the plant - v7; and He appointed a scorching east wind - v8.  In v10-11, God scolds Jonah for using His grace, mercy, patience and love according to His plan.  God's designs and plans are perfect and for good - Romans 8:28
• What do we learn from the text about people?: While Jonah accurately describes God in v2, at the same time, he is angry with God about how his grace, mercy, patience, and love are used to relent from punishing Nineveh.  It is not for us to judge how others deserve or not deserve grace, mercy, love, patience, etc. God alone decides how He want to display these attributes - He alone is judge.  We certainly don't deserve mercy or grace - no one does because all sin and are deserving of death (Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, Romans 6:23).  We must understand that God is always at work, that His work is perfect and good, and that He seeks to save as many as He can. When God give us a mission our job is to do the mission, not to question it. 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid questioning God's commands or the mission He gives us.  Claim the promise that God is gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love in ALL things!  Follow the example of those who do according to His Word - and not question Him.  Love God and love others - do as He says and see that obedience is not burdensome as we seek to please Him.   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who alone is sovereign and judge over all creation and all matters.  You hold my life in Your hand and You are so full of grace and mercy, withholding the punishment I deserve but giving the salvation I don't deserve.  Thank You for my salvation and for the blessings You pour out every day for me.  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exodus 32-34

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7

I have completed my study of Numbers, but before I move on to my next study (TBD), I pause for today to review text covered today in church - Exodus 32-34 - including for our small group time.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God is a jealous God as He is jealous for Himself when the people of Israel do not follow His commandments, particularly those commandments to love Him and not to put other gods before Him. God burns with anger (32:7-10) when Israel creates a golden calf (32:1-6) as they await Moses to come down from the top of Mount Sinai.  In Exodus 33, God shares (33:3) that He will not be with the people as they continue in their journey to the Promised Land and the people mourn.  God is "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (34:6), and He renews the covenant He made with Israel (34:10-27) - an act of incredible grace and mercy as Israel does not get what they deserve and they do get what they don't deserve. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Moses intercedes (32:11-13, 32:31-32) on behalf of the people - and God relents (v14). In 32:15-35, Moses punishes the people and God follows with a plague. After God shares that He will not be with the people as they continue in their journey to the Promised Land, Moses once again intercedes on behalf of Israel - 33:12. Moses also asks the Lord to show Himself and His glory, and to see Him face to face but God will not allow Moses to see His face - 33:23.  Moses goes back up to the top of Mount Sinai in Exodus 34, recreates the tablets with the Ten Commandments and intercedes once more on behalf of the people - 34:9. After Moses came down from Mount Sinai it was clear that He spoke with God because his face was radiant and shone from His glory (34:29-35). 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid taking matters into Your own hands when you believe that God is not hearing you or not responding - He is always at work.  Claim the promise that God is faithful, but that if you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).  Follow the example of Moses who served God faithfully and drew near to Him. Trust God that He is faithful (2 Corinthians 1:20).

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  You are slow to anger, abounding in love, and rich in mercies - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

Numbers 14:13-19

And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Numbers 14:17-18

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 14:13-19 - Moses intercedes on behalf of the people who continue to grumble, complain and fear that they will not be overtake those who inhabit the promised land.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: The Lord listens to Moses intercede on behalf of the people - He responds to prayer - reinforcing how prayer is a critical part of relationship with God. Moses' prayer also tells us that God "is slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression" (v18). We see again that although God forgives, this by no means that there are no consequences.  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Moses prays to God and the most important prayer here is that he cares about God's name - Moses seeks for God's name to be great.  This is consistent with how Jesus seeks for all believers to pray - see Matthew 6:5-15 Jesus seeks for the Father's Name to be hallowed.  This is why we exist - to bring glory to Him in all that we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid grumbling and complaining but instead be thankful for what God has done and go to Him with your cares and concerns.  Claim the promise that He will not only hear your cries but He will respond and help you carry the burden of your cares (1 Peter 5:7).  Follow the example of Moses who sought God's glory. In all that we do, bring glory to God.   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who is slow to anger and abounding in love, forgiving sin, saving, and giving life now to the full and for eternity.  Thank You Jesus!  Incredible - the greatest gift of all time.  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor the blessings You pour out daily for me.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their and savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[H]e looked around at them with anger[.]

Mark 3:5 

[H]e looked around at them with anger[.] Mark 3:5a

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 23: The Indignation of Jesus where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• "It has not escaped us that when men and women are angry they usually make fools of themselves. This fact has made a deep impression on us. Most of the indignation which we have known has been so childish or so brutish, so full of fury and of bitterness, that we find it hard to give it place in the experience of a strong and holy man."
• "It was thus that the Stoics taught, contending that ever to be moved by anger is a sign of weakness and unworthy of a full-grown man. The philosophy of the Stoics is not consciously accepted by us, but the considerations which led them to their estimate of anger are still operative in us all."
• "It is not easy to free one's self from the feeling that anger has something sinful in it, or that if anger is not actually sinful, it is at any rate unlovely, a defect or flaw in conduct, a deformity in character from which the lovers of the beautiful and good may wisely pray to be delivered. It is because of this assumption that anger is in its essence sinful that many persons find it impossible to think of Jesus in an angry mood."
•  ..."[I]t was inhumanity and insincerity which always kindled [Jesus'] heart to furnace heat. When he saw men — ordained religious leaders of the people — more interested in their petty regulations than in the welfare of their fellow-men, his eyes burned with holy fire. Those who were present never forgot the flash of his eye 'as he slowly looked round upon the pedants whose hardness of heart he held in abhorrence."
• "He was angered by the desecration of the Temple. The sordid wretches who cared nothing for anthems and prayers and everything for money, kindled a fire in him which well-nigh consumed him. The miscreants who fled before him had never seen such a flame as darted from his eyes. That a building erected for the purpose of adorning the name of God should be converted into a market was so abhorrent to his great soul that he was swept onward into action which astounded his disciples and which has been to many a scandal ever since."
• "One of the purposes of the New Testament is to give us a new revelation of anger. Take away Jesus' capacity for indignation and you destroy the Jesus of the Gospels. His anger was one of the powers by which he did his work. His blazing wrath is one of the most glorious features of his character."
• "Had he been less emotional, he would not have stirred men as he did. Had his passion been less intense, the world would never have called him " Master." Here, then, we have in Jesus what seems to some a contradiction. He is a Lamb and at the same time he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He caresses like a mother and he also strikes like a thunderbolt. He is tender but he is also terrible; he is loving but he also smites with a blow which crushes."
• "How can we reconcile the indignation of Jesus with his love? Nothing is easier. His indignation is the creation of his love. His wrath proceeds from his holiness. His mercy would have no meaning were it not for his immeasurable capacity for anger. Take away his indignation and you destroy the basis of his holiness, his righteousness, his mercy, and his love. Love and indignation are not antagonists or rivals. They ever go together, each one unable to live without the other."
• "In Jesus, then, we see what a normal man is and feels. He is full-orbed, complete. He gives sweep to every passion of the soul. He will not admit that in the garden of the heart there are any plants which the Heavenly Father has planted which ought to be rooted up. All the impulses, desires, and passions with which the Almighty has endowed us have a mission to perform, and life's task is not to strangle them but to train them for their work."
• "Jesus was angry but he did not sin. Anger because of its heat readily passes beyond its appointed limits. Like all kinds of fire, it is dangerous and difficult to control. But Jesus controlled it."
• "Our anger is frequently a manifestation of our selfishness. We become indignant over trifles. The street-car does not stop, or somebody carelessly knocks off our hat, or a servant disappoints us, and we are all aflame. Our comfort has been molested, our rights have been entrenched upon, our dignity has been affronted, and we are downright mad."
• "Our indignation then is quite different from that of Jesus. His anger never had its roots in selfishness. When men abused him, he was unruffled. When they lied about him, his pulse beat was not quickened. When they nailed his hands to the cross, no trace of anger darkened his face. His calm lips kept on praying, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." It was when he saw his brother men abused that his great soul rose in wrath. The more helpless the person who was mistreated, the hotter was the fire of his indignation."
• "It was when he saw cruelty perpetrated on the defenseless that his indignation rose to the fury of a tempest. The thought of bad men leading innocent souls to sin, converted him into a furnace of fire." 
• "If hearts do not burn with holy fire against wicked men and their wicked deeds, it is because the heart is too undeveloped to feel what manly hearts were meant to feel, or because the core of the heart has been eaten out by the base practices of a godless life. It is one of the lamentable signs of our times — our incapacity for anger. Many of us are lukewarm in the presence of evils which are colossal. Some of us are indifferent. Indifference to wrong-doing is always a sign of moral deterioration."
• "Society would be cleansed of much of its pollution if we had more men and women capable of becoming genuinely angry. Let us pray then every day that a new indignation may sweep through the world."
• "The New Testament is a glorious book. Its lines are straight, its discrimination is fine, it rings true. It is absolutely free from sentimentalism. It has no sickly fondness for bad people. It does not deal in excuses and in extenuations. It has no abnormal tenderness. The world is full of sentimentalists, — men and women who gush of love, and who do not know what love is.  After listening to their flimsy talk it is refreshing to get into a book where every bad deed is held up to scorn and every bad man, if unrepentant, is overwhelmed with shame. Nowhere in the Gospels is there a soft or flabby thought, a doughy or mushy feeling. All is high and straight and fine and firm and true."
• "One feels sure that God is in His heaven, and that though wickedness may flourish for a season, God's heart bums with quenchless fire against it, and that at the end of the days every impure man, and every cruel man, and every man who loves and makes a lie, will find himself outside the city whose streets are gold and whose gates are pearl." 

Many who don't (and perhaps some who do) believe in God cannot fathom why anyone would worship a God who wiped out all of humanity except Noah and his family (see Genesis 6-9) or who condemns people to eternal damnation.  Such actions are indeed harsh.  But we must remember that all of humanity is God's creation and humanity exists for His glory and not for its own glory.  As such God's anger is righteous - not a selfish anger.  When people reject God, intentionally mock or blaspheme His name, or willfully continue in sin without repentance, God had cause for anger.  But God is just, as all will be held accountable for all of their deeds and those whose name is written in the Book of Life (believers) will be saved - while everyone else who has not repented of their sin and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior will suffer eternal damnation.  At the same time, God is also merciful and patient as He seeks for all to repent and be saved.  For example, the thief next to Jesus upon the cross who is saved.  For us, in this life, We must remember that just because God has righteous anger, that we as believers do not have free license to be angry.  God calls us to be slow to anger and quick to listen - see James 1:19.  Our ability is be slow to anger is driven by the sanctification process as we become more like Him - see scripture for how God is slow to anger. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You an awesome God who is just, patient and merciful - full of love to see all people saved. You are slow to anger, abounding in love - and it is this love with animates anger towards those who are not loving like You are.  Thank You for the love, patience, and mercy You show for me - I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you[.]

Deuteronomy 30

For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you[.] Deuteronomy 30:9b

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at the extent to which God delights in blessing us.  John Piper starts the devotion with a bold word of encouragement: "God does not bless us begrudgingly. There is a kind of eagerness about the beneficence of God. He does not wait for us to come to him. He seeks us out, because it is his pleasure to do us good. God is not waiting for us; he is pursuing us."  Piper points us to Psalm 23:6 where the text (NLT) describes God pursuing us. Additional scripture from Exodus 34:6 is offered to show the contrast between God's anger and His mercy. God describes Himself as "a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[.]"  Piper continues to press on his point by sharing that "God loves to show mercy. Let me say it again. God loves to show mercy. He is not hesitant or indecisive or tentative in his desires to do good to his people. His anger must be released by a stiff safety lock, but his mercy has a hair trigger." Jeremiah 9:24 is yet another example from scripture that highlights how God ceaselessly seeks to bless us. As he moves to close the devotion, Piper wants us to understand that God is unlike people - whose "emotions go up and down," and who let us down.  God is constant and He never lets us down - His goodness is described as akin to Niagara Falls which flows at a rate of 186,000 tons of water every minute - God continues to bless us!  What an uplifting word this morning!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who I know pursues me without fail and never stops seeking to bless me - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You pursue and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.

Isaiah 54-57

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him. Isaiah 57:18-19

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 5 (of 5) of week 20, which looks at Isaiah 54-57.  Day 5 focuses on Isaiah 57, which contrasts the futility of idolatry with God's compassion that is as described a couple of days ago from Exodus 34:6 where it states "God [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[.]"  See also commentary from Charles Spurgeon. What an incredible God we have that as Spurgeon describes "God has two temples. The one is the high and holy place: the other is the lowly and the humble place. May we have him in our hearts, and then shall we be in his heaven ere long." Amen!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who offers salvation to those who repent and believe in Him.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

["]The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[."]

Exodus 34

["]The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[."] Exodus 34:6

I pause my study of Isaiah for today, and listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional - which today focuses on God's infinite love for us as believers. John Piper states that "[God] wants us to understand and feel that the resources of his love are not limited. You can drink at this mountain spring all day, year after year, generation after generation, and it never runs dry....[H]e does not need us to fill up any deficiency in himself. Instead his infinite self-sufficiency spills over in love to us — to sinners — who need him, and the gift of himself in Jesus." Indeed!  Believers, be encouraged by God's limitless love and make use of this invaluable resource!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and whose love is limitless - thank You Jesus for making this love available to me, for saving me, and for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is great and it continues daily....seeking comfort and joy in the world vs God - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from this sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness"[.]

 Old Testament (OT): Genesis 1 - Malachi 4

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness"[.] Exodus 34:5-6

Day 286 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as my commentary* pauses to reflect on the entirety of the Old Testament from the beginning through the teachings of Ezra and Nehemiah.  This pause coincides with what my commentary* refers to as the historical interlude (425 B.C. to 5 B.C.) between the Old Testament and the New Testament - which of course starts withe coming of the promised Messiah Jesus Christ. 

 *Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

With the OT, we see a God who is rich in mercy and compassion, patient, slow to anger and abounding in love, and faithful. 

John Piper offers this great brief explanation for what he believes is the value of the Old Testament for believers. At the end of this explanation, he offers up two benefits of the OT for believers:

"First, meeting God for who he really is so that we can know him and worship him since his character was revealed as truly in the Old Testament as in the New Testament."

"Second, letting the hundreds of promises in the Old Testament wash over you as your blood-bought birthright in Christ Jesus so that every day, you set yourself free from sin by the superior pleasures of the promises of God."

Of the many attributes of God, one of my favorite is how God is slow to anger and abounding in love.  These words are described many times (not with these exact words) and with these exact words 7 times, including one occasion when God spoke to Moses in Exodus 34 as He instructed Moses to carve out new stone tablets for the Ten Commandments.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are all knowing, all powerful, perfect, and I know personally how You are slow to anger and abounding in love.  I am not deserving of how You have poured out Your love for me.  My sin continues...worry, etc.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Nehemiah 7:73-10

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Day 283 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with the book of Nehemiah where my commentary* describes how "Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites spend long hours reading and interpreting the law. When the people mourn for all the sins they have committed under the law, they are reminded that it is a festival day to be celebrated. And the people soon join in the re-institution of the Festival of Tabernacles, which commemorates the Israelites’ living in tents during the wilderness wanderings. Some three weeks later the law is read again, and the people respond with a great national confession and a written covenant with God."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

The scripture reading for today also includes how the Levites led the people in confession and worship by describing how from Abram through the current day, God led the people, the people turned from God, and how God heard the people's cries of suffering and rescued them...despite their sin.

But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies. “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. Nehemiah 9:17-19

From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies. Nehemiah 9:27

And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time. Nehemiah 9:28

This story of repeated sin, and God's forgiveness, mercy, and compassion - is the story for all believers.

Ultimately, Jesus paid the price for all sin, for all humanity, for all of time. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are compassionate and merciful and You love me so much that You sent Your Son - Jesus - to die on the cross for me.  Thank You Jesus - the greatest gift of all time.  I am not deserving of such a gift.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.

Psalm 78

Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. Psalm 78:38

Day 272 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as my commentary* uses 11 psalms (over several days) to describe "praise to God for hearing the people’s prayers in captivity and for being faithful in his promises of restoration".

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Psalm 78 describes how Israel and Judah got itself into trouble by failing to truly worship God and remember all that He has done and who God is. Verse 38 nicely summarizes God mercies not just for the Jewish nation, but for all of us as believers.

God is merciful indeed - not giving us what we deserve (Romans 6:23) but giving us what we don't deserve. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are merciful and compassionate - full of patience and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such mercy and compassion.  My sin continues - I often lack patience for others and am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”

Ezekiel 23, 2 Kings 24-25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39 and 52 

“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 23:48-49

Day 230 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of Ezekiel. My commentary* this morning describes what has long been prophesied by Ezekiel and many other prophets regarding the sin of both Judah and Israel.  God gives Ezekiel a message to deliver to both Judah and Israel that my commentary* describes as "probably no more graphic an indictment...in all of Scripture.  Modern readers are almost offended by the candid exposure of two promiscuous sisters, representing Israel and Judah. One gets at least some idea of the degree to which God himself is offended by his people’s infidelity."  My commentary* goes on to describe how "God feels deeply the shame and disgrace that his “bride” has brought him. Her disrespect for his spiritual leadership, her chasing after material satisfaction, and her many adulteries with lesser gods have left him no choice. Israel must be put away until she repents. The time has come. Even now it [siege of Jerusalem] begins."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Yes...God is slow to anger and abounding in love, but God's patience is not unlimited (see also RC Sproul on this).  That is why believers are commanded to snatch others from the fire as this "the fire" will be the destination for those who do not accept Jesus - either when they die or when Jesus returns (whichever comes first). 

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1:22-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and You have snatched me from the fire - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom, energy and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[Abijah] committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

1 Kings 13-15 and 2 Chronicles 11-14:1

[Abijah] committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15:3-5

 
Day 152 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of of the divided kingdoms of Judah (and Benjamin) under Rehoboam and his son Abijah, and of the remaining tribes of northern Israel under Jeroboam.

God demonstrates his patience, is slow to anger and abounding in love and He is faithful as he seeks to fulfill the promise made to the House of David regarding how someone from David's line will always reign. 

Although Judah largely failed to follow the Lord, Judah is spared destruction from an attack by Egypt:

Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah. 2 Chronicles 12:12

In 2 Chronicles 13, God also spares Judah by leading them to route Jeroboam in battle.

The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 13:18

I am grateful for how God demonstrates compassion and mercy for me - I must demonstrate this for others.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is slow to anger and abounding in love for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such compassion and mercy.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103, 104, 113, 114, and 117 

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:2-5

Day 120 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues my focus on 112 of David's psalms which my study has not already covered or will not cover through other daily devotions as part of a broader study within their historical context. This study of these 112 psalms groups the psalms into five major topical areas, and I continue today with the group: "Psalms of Joy and Praise".

Today's psalms focus on praise for a compassionate God, praise for the wonders of God's creation, praise for a Lord of Heaven who is sensitive, how God's wonders ought to bring trembling, and praise for God's love and faithfulness.

Of the many attributes we must recognize about God, merciful and compassionate are key as we have a God who sees all of our sin, yet is willing to die for us, inviting us into His family and offering us salvation.

The word compassion appears 82 times in scripture, and merciful another 18 times.   That God is "slow to anger and abounding in grace" appears 7 times, including Psalm 103:8.  There are of course other ways to describe how God is compassionate and merciful so the prevalence of these attributes is even greater throughout scripture - point being that it must be important that we know that God is compassionate and merciful.  And of course we must demonstrate these attributes to others just as God does for us.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are indeed slow to anger, abounding in love, full of compassion and mercy for me - it is nothing short of astonishing how and why You do this...for me.  I am not deserving of such love, compassion, mercy and grace.  I am often quick to anger, quick to speak, and harsh with others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

Numbers 16-18

 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?” Numbers 17:12-13

Day 39 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on an insurrection from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and 250 men from among the Israelite community leaders (council).  The grumbling and complaining extends to a large pocket of the Israelites (14,700 of them).  God pours out His wrath on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (including all of the 250 associated men), as well as on the 14,700 Israelites.

Yes, God is slow to anger and abounding in love, but we should not put the Lord Your God to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16) by constantly grumbling and complaining, and by questioning who is put above us in positions of leadership.  God is in control and we need to view our circumstances through His eyes and fear Him.  We should also be aware that God's patience is not unlimited. The Israelites react in fear after seeing God's wrath and this is a good thing because such fear acts as preservative drawing us near to Him and keeping us from sinning.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who is slow to anger and abounding in love - I have felt this compassion and mercy in my life time and time again and I am grateful.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Exodus 32-34

Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. Exodus 32:14

Day 30 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on the Israelites' failure to remain faithful in God as Moses was with God on Mount Sinai.

Aaron holds much of the responsibility of this failure as he leads the Israelites in an effort to create an idol (see Exodus 32:2-6 where he makes no attempt to encourage the Israelites to remain faithful, and 32:22-24 where Aaron makes feeble excuses for his lack of courage to confront the Israelites in their sin).

Although God's anger burns, Moses intercedes on the Israelites' behalf and God's anger relents and He shows great compassion and mercy - see Exodus 32:11-14.  He renews his covenant with the Israelites.  Moses' act to intercede on behalf of the Israelites foreshadows what Jesus does for all of us as believers - He willingly lays down His life to atone for all sin for all of humanity.  Just as Moses intercedes for the Israelites, Jesus intercedes for us - we all need a savior, and Jesus is that Savior.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is full of compassion and mercy - for the Israelites...and for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love, compassion, and mercy.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

Genesis 15-17

“Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.  Genesis 16:6

Day 6 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on God's renewal of His covenant with Abram that from Abram will be a "great nation" (Genesis 12) and on the birth of Abram's son through Hagar (Ishmael) as well as the coming birth of son through his and Sarai's own blood (Issac).

About 2.5 years ago, I posted on Abram's passivity as a man when Sarai's patience for fulfillment of God's promise ran thin.  I do agree that Abram should not have agreed to Sarai's plan and both should have been more patient.  Yet this morning my focus is on patience and the havoc we wreak when we seek to impose our will vs God's will - particularly when we know God's will.

This is a contrast in patience - Abram and Sarai while largely patient, demonstrate at least a moment of impatience; yet God is perfectly patient, slow to anger and abounding in love. 

We know that Ishmael and his descendants live in hostility with those of Issac, God even foretells of this hostility (see Genesis 16:11-12). This hostility rages on with intensity to this day!  That's how off the rails Sarai's plan took things.

John Piper helps us this morning with this post, and by pointing us to Isaiah:

Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who love me and who has poured out so much grace, compassion, and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I worry and I speak ill of others - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 1-3

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. v21-24

Having long desired to do so, I began a chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith).

Of note from my reading this morning - consequences of sin include:

• sin produces shame* - see Genesis 3:6-7 for Adam and Eve's shame of their nakedness.
• sin produces fear* - see Genesis 3:8-10 where Adam and Eve hide from God in fear of punishment.
• sin produces blame* - see Genesis 3:11-13 where Adam blames Eve and Eve blames the serpent.

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

None of these consequences are good for us and of course sin separates us from God.  But as believers we know that God sent His Son Jesus for us because He loves us and does not want us to be without Him.  We get a glimpse of God's abounding love and grace in Genesis 3:21 where He clothes Adam and Eve and while He does banish them from the Garden of Eden, He spares their lives.  God is good indeed.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good indeed!  I know You are good and You have poured out blessings on me well beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.