mydailythought

New Testament Matt 17:24: 18:1-14; Rom 4
Old Testament Gen 11: 12:1-10

I have not read this short story from Matt 17 before now. It is then followed by the disciples asking who will be greater in heaven. What catches my thoughts is that Jesus takes a small boy... I can just picture it as a live picture... Jesus sitting by the shore with the fishing boats and people around him.

What is it about children that Jesus tells us to be like?

The Jewish concept of taming the tongue and not causing others to sin comes through again in Jesus teaching. We can fan a spark of life into flame or we can extinguish it with our actions and words.

I think that it is because children have often not yet learnt the power of their ability and though they may be hurt by others and they may learn to protect themselves they are the usually the first to turn for love and support when such things happen. they also forget very quickly and always hope for the best.

Perhaps this is why the matt passage is linked with the Romans passage. 'v18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed'.

New Testament Matt 17:1-23; Rom 3
Old Testament Gen 8; Gen 9:1-17

And it is because of these verses from Rom 3 that our family learn and obey the laws of Moses:
29Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

New Testament Matt 16:13- ; Rom 2
Old Testament Gen 6:5- ; Gen 7

It is obvious that the disciples and believers of the early church thought Jesus would come again and when it was clear he did not mean ' he would come again ' literally they began to consider what he may have meant. But I wonder why it is not just simply that Jesus did come again.. He returned to earth to the early believers and so he has come again and his kingdom is here. I know that there is much more in Scripture but essentially I wonder if this is simply a done deed, so to speak.

These verses from Romans 2 are essentially why I am not an 'evangelical'
11For God does not show favoritism. 12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

New Testament Matt 15:29-16:12; Rom 1

Old Testament Gen 3; 4:1-16

My sister has given birth this morning to a baby boy. I gave birth just 10 weeks ago. The contractions and preparation of the body to bring forth this new life is astonishingly painful. My labour lasted about 40 mins so I was jolly quick, thankfully at home because I would not have made it to hospital!
But the fact that we are bringing forth a new life is utterly breathtaking. Thank you Lord.

Rom 1:20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

New Testament 2 Cor 10; 2 Cor 11

Old Testament Jer 9: 1-24; Jer 10

2 Cor 10:9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

Is this a characteristic of Paul we rarely see? We think of Paul as a strong, bold, out spoken even difficult person. This is such an interesting chapter. Paul the 'great speaker' is considered 'unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing'. Perhaps he was really a timid, beoved man who shared his life and his thoughts with those around him. He was certainly a well versed man who had a way with words and who passionate about God he studied hard to be well educated and obviously loved to share that with others.

there is another thought to be gained from these verses:

It is very interesting and perhaps wise to consider how Paul handles these difficult situations. Paul is able to be bold and blunt in written word, but in person he explains through his actions. I think that is enough said.......

New Testament Acts 18 Acts 19
Old Testament Jer 31

That 'this man' was persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to their law is something I find awesome...what a statement. there is so much I am always led to think about when i consider the Jews reaction to Paul and the message he preached.

To persuade people to do something different is really difficult. People hate change, unless they hate what is already at hand. Think of the pew situation in churches at the moment. So many churches want to replace pews with chairs and they also want to put in loo's and kitchens. Whole communities are stirred up.

I wonder if Paul held Jeremiahs words in his heart as he travelled. jer 31v8 "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands:

The amount of money it costs to replace pews is silly, surely proclaiming the 'Word of the Lord' in this economic world where people need us to buy fairtrade products and those in countries like Zimbabwe (where governments rule by terror and economic hardship) need us to put our heads into gear and work out justice for them.

Epistle 2 Cor 5; 6; 7
Old Testament Jer 5; 6

2 Cor 6: 3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.

Paul, who stands before crowds and stirs up riots can say this!!!!! he makes me smile. But when we read carefully we can see that Paul is a very clever and calm man.

Paul manages to speak to crowds even after nearly being killed by them. He manages to see who he is speaking to and he knows what to say to them to enable 'the gospel' to be discussed and actually be the issue he is on trial.

epistles 2 Cor:4; 5
Old Testament Jer 4:1-18; 5:1-19

It is our hearts that need to be renewed. It is our thoughts that need to be washed and controlled. May our wills be searching the vision of God.
Jesus please help us.

this is a bit off the cuff really but I often feel that these words:

2 cor 4: 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

are used too often as a way of thinking 'I am right and I am suffering for God' when actually 'I' am way off track. Consider for example those who establish cults.

and also:
2 cor 4:16 Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

At the time that Paul was writing the local believers would not have had scripture to read each day. So then their renewal came from growth through hearing, discussing and acting out.

this is one of my favorite verses of the New Testament:
2 cor 4:18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
it matches the passage from 1 Peter 1:8

New Testament Heb 10:1-10; Rom 12:1-5
Old Testament 1 Sam 1:21-end; Hag 2:1-9

I have never believed that Jesus came to set aside the Old Testament and I have never beleived that Paul tried to teach that either. And here we have Pauls words and explanation:
9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.'

I hope that they weaned late in those days.. maybe to the age of 5 or 6... I know some of my friends have done that. I cannot imagine the love of a mother, those years of looking down into the face of a feeding child, the heart of satisfaction and sacrifice, coming to a place to leave the child of her prayers. I am sure if it were me I would have convinced myself that God actually answered my prayer so I may have the child and continue to bring the child up, not give him back. The resolve and faith is astonishing really.

Haggai is such an amazing passage. The Glory and Peace... give such a sence of praise and majesty that it inspires worship so greatly.. like David dancing through the streets.
'be strong' these words are re-emphasised to each person or group. 'be strong'
'my spirit remains among you' It reminds me of the passage from rom 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Gospels John 3:22-end John 6:41-end
Epistle Amos 3; 4; 5; James 3

To be very honest I find the passages about Jesus being the bread and wine very difficult to understand. I ask God to help me consider this more and bring me to a point where I can understand the meaning in context of Scripture, eternal life and daily meaning.

I was thinking about this passage from James just this week. It is a very important part of the Jewish faith. We can destroy a persons faith so easily with our words and actions. God wants us to build each other up and it is a sin to hinder someones faith, so we should be very careful what we do with our tongues... Think, pray and then speak to encourage and build up.