Notes from my Bible Study for January 28, 2010

Today's Reading: Psalm 27, Genesis 25:19-34, 2 Chronicles 1, Luke 18:31-19:27

Psalm 27 - Psalm 27:1 says, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid."

What an awesome truth! I don't know how many times in my life that I have come back to the power and simplicity of this verse. It is God from whom my salvation comes. He is my light. I don't have to be afraid, when God is the foundation upon Whom my life is built.

David goes on to list the many enemies and things that God has protected him from. I could go on and on to.

I wonder what would happen if you were to take out a sheet of paper and begin to list down the many ways that God has protected you over the years. There would be so many items that you would leave off of that list, because the simple truth is, God protects us in ways that we never see.

Is God your light and salvation? If He is your Savior, the answer is, "Yes!" Thank Him anew for what He has done in you.

Genesis 25:19-34 - This passage tells the fascinating story of the birth of Jacob and Esau and the foolish choice that Esau made to sell his birthright to his brother.

If ever there was a family where sibling rivalry was present, it was this one. Isaac's two sons were pit against each other by their parents. Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob. Oh how much damage can be done in a home where one child is favored over another!

Like God did with their Grandfather, Abraham, God promised that a great nation would come from Jacob and a great nation would come from Esau.

2 Chronicles 1 - The book of 2 Chronicles opens with the newly crowned king, Solomon, worshipping the LORD, and the LORD doing for Solomon what He has done for no other human being. God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for whatever he would from God, and God promised that He would grant the request. Solomon did something remarkable. He asked for wisdom!

What would you ask for? I'm not sure that I would have been wise enough to ask for wisdom. Solomon's request pleased God, and God promised Solomon that he would not only be given wisdom but riches like no king before or after had or would experience.

The New Testament book of James tells us that we too can ask for wisdom. In James 1:5we read, "5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

We may not have a "ask for whatever you want and I'll give it to you" guarantee, like Solomon was given. But, we do have a "ask for wisdom and I'll give it" guarantee. Why don't we ask more often? May we be a wise people, because our wisdom comes from God.

Luke 18:31-19:27 - I love how Jesus did ministry. He broke all of the rules of organized religion by hanging out with people who desperately needed redemption. In Luke 19, Jesus encounters a chief tax collector who was curious to see what this Jesus fellow was all about. We know, according to the text that Zacchaeus was vertically challenged. He was also quite the swindler. When Jesus saw Zacchaeus, up in a tree, He told him to come down. He was going to dine in the home of Zacchaeus that very day. Another thing I love about Jesus was that He wasn't afraid to invite himself over to the home of someone else for dinner:O)

When Jesus made the decision to dine with Zacchaeus, He opened himself up to criticism from the religious elite. They couldn't understand how Christ could justify dining with such a well known sinner. Jesus could care less what the religious leaders thought of Him. He was here for people like Zacchaeus. He was here to cleanse people like Zacchaeus for sin. Zacchaeus was so touched by Jesus' presence that He vowed to repay his debts fourfold and to give half of his goods to the poor. Jesus responded by saying that salvation had come to that home today.

From the time He was born, Jesus was about restoring broken people into fellowship with God. I'm so glad for that! Aren't you?