Lessons and Applications - Day 2 Through The Bible

Mt. Mitchell Golf Course up the road from us - a 4.5 Star Golf Digest "Must Play" public course.

(We thought you might enjoy seeing photos of the beauty that surrounds Mt. Celo Church.  The golf course above is a favorite course to play and home of some of our Mt. Celo Church members.  We hope you will worship with us at church and then enjoy the acclaimed outdoor sports and beauty all around us.)

JANUARY 2

TODAY'S BIBLE READINGS (Bold type, italics, all caps, and underlines are mine - according to how I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me.)

Lessons I learned from the readings:

1) The Blame Game - take responsibility for my own disobedience to God.  It's not God's fault ("The woman YOU gave me.. "Gen 3:12); someone may have influenced me, but they rarely make me do something contrary to God's will ("The WOMAN you gave to me, SHE gave me of the tree, and I ate."Gen. 3:12); things (even lies) and people don't cause me to disobey - I choose ("The SERPENT deceived me, and I ate." Genesis 3:13.

2) There Are Consequences to Sin - even when we are forgiven. (Genesis 1: 14-19)  I loved this from Dr. Stanley:  "Sin fractures the relationship between God and us and between us and others.  It also creates a painful emotional distance and destroys the close fellowship God intended for us to enjoy."  Guilty.

3) Jealousy/Envy/Anger/Murder - An Escalation of Sin: Cain and Abel:  Sin increases in intensity.  Again, we are responsible for choosing our reactions to circumstances.  And, again, there are consequences to these choices. Note especially Genesis 4:6-7  So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry?  And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

4) Maybe my favorite of the day: "Then men began to call on the name of the LORD."  Gen, 4: 26 Prayer Enters the Human World.  This was from Spurgeon's Morning devotional today:  "Prayer is the struggling speech of the believing infant, the war cry of the fighting believer, and the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in the arms of Jesus.  It is the breath, the password, the comfort, the strength, and the privilege of a Christian."  May I be a prayer warrior for You this year and throughout my life, Father.

5) An Eternal Question in Psalm 2:1-6 - Why do the nations rage, plot, set themselves against,  and take counsel together against the LORD and His anointed?  Then the great promises that the LORD will hold them in derision, speak to them in His wrath, distress them, and has set His King on His holy hill of Zion.  The battle between the 2 forces still rages.  Note how well this parallels with the Genesis reading.

6) Proverbs 1: 8, 9 reminds us and our children of The Importance, The Essence of Hearing, Not Forsaking, and Clothing Ourselves with the Instruction and Law of God.  And so we commit to this study.

7) Matthew 2: 1-23  God's Providential and Sovereign Care of Us with His Great Plan is in evidence here.  God communicated to Joseph and to the wise men.  He communicates with us.  Jealousy/Envy/Anger/Murder again raise their ugly heads in King Herod's choices.  As Dr. Stanley said, "Herod believed enough in Scripture to inquire where they said the Messiah would be born, but not enough to shape his life according to its teachings.  A little religion can be a dangerous thing.  We must know the full counsel of God's Word."  This is why we commit to this study.  We want to know all of God's Word - not just portions pulled out in a wrong context.  I want to interpret Scripture by Scripture - the whole counsel of God.  I want to quote another note of Dr. Stanley's since some of our blog readers may not have his annotated study Bible.  "The wise men formed an important part of the celebration that surrounded Jesus' birth.  In fact, they represented you in God's great plan.  They portrayed the countless stargazers who set out in search of a king and find the Son of the living God.  Through your own seeking and serving, you become part of the heavenly symphony that gives passionate praise to the Savior.  Allow your heart to burst into song at the thought of Him.  Permit the tune of your being to swell with the joy of who He is.  Just like the wise men, you have joined the great multitude in never-ending worship.  Seek Him and sing, for surely He is worthy."

APPLICATIONS:  I want to know God better through His Word, draw closer to Him in prayer, and have His Holy Spirit be the only controlling force in my emotions, choices and life.  I want my walk to honor and glorify God, to be a faithful witness to other believers, and to be His light in this dark world.