January 20- The Weird Dream

January 20, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 41:17-42:17; Matthew 13:24-46;
Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 4:1-6

Genesis 41:17-42:17

When I was a kid there was a period of time during my childhood when I had a recurring bad dream.  In my dream I saw a young girl from behind walking down a side walk. The grey of the cement was very stark, the green grass next to the sidewalk was very intense, and the silence of the air was thick.  All of a sudden in my dream there is an atomic explosion and the world ends.  I would always get up after my dream and run into my parents' bedroom and jump into their bed.  My poor parents! This happened repeatedly during one year.  The only thing scarier than my dream was my dad's hairy legs once I jumped into their bed.

Today in our reading Pharaoh has a repeated dream.  Joseph, through God's power, is able to interpret the dream and predict seven years of abundance for Egypt and seven years of severe famine for the region.  It is decided that they should have a national program to collect 20% of all crops during the good years to store so that food will be available during the years of famine. Joseph tells the Pharaoh to put the wisest man in charge of the program.  Guess what...  Pharaoh decides to put Joe in charge!! 

Joseph is made the governor of Egypt and is second only to the Pharaoh.  Pharaoh gives Joseph an Egyptian wife and renames Joseph, Zaphenath-paneah.  Boy, that's a mouth full, but it speaks volumes to how Joseph's life has been a witness to the One True God.  This long name means "God speaks and lives."
What a huge statement from the Pharaoh of Egypt!

Lesson: My life should testify to the greatness of the One Who created me.  People should know that God speaks and lives because of how I live my life.

How are you proving that God speaks and lives with your life?

Joseph has two sons from his wife and those boys names reflect both the suffering and comfort that God has brought into Joseph's life.  Manasseh means "to forget." Joseph says, "God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father."  Ephraim means "fruitful." Joseph explains, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

Lesson:  God takes us through pain and suffering.  He does not necessarily prevent it or stop it. God uses suffering to develop our character. 

Are you humble enough to let God shape you through trials?

The famine in the land occurs and Jacob and his sons hear that there is grain that can be bought in Egypt.  Jacob sends his sons to purchase grain and they come before the governor of Egypt to bow low before him.  The governor, of course, is their brother Joseph.  They do not recognize him and have no idea that his childhood dream that his family would bow down to him has now been fulfilled.  Joseph recognizes them, asks about his younger brother, and throws the group in jail for three days.

Joseph is beginning to see the hand of God in his life in a new way.  God is slowly revealing to Joseph the reason for his suffering.

Lesson:  God has a broad plan for my life, too. I cannot know all the purposes at this time, but I can trust that God loves me and has a good purpose in all things.

How can you trust that God is using even the hard things in your life for a good purpose?  This takes faith.

Matthew 13:24-46

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States of America.  Most children in America learn about honest Abe in school. Legend has it that he was mostly self-taught and learned to read by pouring over the Bible by firelight in a one room log cabin. Abe was known as a fabulous story teller.  Perhaps he picked up this talent from reading the words of Christ.

Today we see that Jesus was a tremendous story teller.  As a matter of fact, he spoke ONLY in parables in front of the crowds.  Matthew explains that this is a fulfillment of the OT prophecy from Psalm 78:2 that says, "I will speak to you in parables. I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world."  (NLT)

Let's take a look at the mysteries revealed by Jesus in his stories today.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

• Jesus (the farmer) sows the good seeds that create the Church/all believers (good wheat) in the world (field).
• Meanwhile, the Devil (the enemy) sows tares/weeds (unbelievers and all who do evil) in the world (field).
• The righteous (good wheat) and the unrighteous (tares/weeds) are meant to coexist here on earth during all of history.
• At the end of time (harvest) the angels (harvesters) will separate the righteous (good wheat) from the unrighteous (weeds) and the righteous will be with God forever.
• The unrighteous (tares/weeds) will be separated, burned, and thrown into a place with weeping and gnashing of teeth forever.

Sometimes, Christ teaches hard truths.  Do you have ears to hear?

Lesson:  Good and evil are going to coexist on this earth and even in the Church.  Only God knows the human heart.  He will separate out good and evil in the end. This is not my job. This is God's job.  There is an eternity of punishment for those who hate God. I can try not to believe this, but this does not change the reality.

The Mustard Seed

• The Church starts on a simple premise (very small seed), the sacrificial death of Christ (you bury a seed) for the sins of the world.
• Christ's resurrection results in the growth of the Church/invisible body of believers (largest herb in the garden/like a tree).
• This Church (tree-like plant) will grow so large that evil (birds) will be able to nest in it. 

Lesson:  God will grow His Church on earth, but false teachers and false teaching will be part of the experience.  This is a warning by Christ for the people to realize.

Christ is no Polly Anna.  Do you have eyes to see false teaching in the Church?

The Leaven in the Dough

• The Church (batch of dough) has evil (leaven/yeast) added to it by a woman (false prophet). 
• The evil (yeast) causes the whole Church (batch of dough) to bubble up with sin.

Christ is predicting apostacy in the Church in the end times.

Each parable told by Christ is a warning to the apostles and anyone who has ears to hear that the Church on earth is going to always struggle with evil in its midst.  Believers will cope with false teachers, false teaching, and false believers right up to the end of all history. This is a new teaching, unique to Christ. These lessons are not found in the Old Testament.

How do Christ's stories affect you?  Are you able to discern false teaching when you hear it?  How about New Age Philosophy?  Do you think that fits into a false teaching category?

The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price

• The Church is formed by two precious things to God. The hidden treasure in the land are believers from the nation of Israel (the Jews). In the parable, the man finds a treasure hidden in a field. It is so precious to him that he sells everything he owns to buy the land that contains the treasure.  The nation of Israel is always symbolically tied to the land in the Bible. Here is a beautiful picture of those who believe in Jesus Christ from the nation of Israel may not be easily seen from the outside world. They are hidden from view within the land. Jesus is saying that among the Israelites, his true followers are like a hidden treasure. Jesus will sacrifice everything for "true Israel," those who follow their Messiah. His blood will purchase the land that contains the treasure.
• The Gentiles will also be part of Christ's universal church on earth and the Gentiles are symbolically tied to the sea in Scripture.  In the parable a merchant is seeking beautiful pearls in the vast see. He finds one and then sells everything he has to buy the great pearl. Just as the land contains a small, hidden treasure, the vast sea contains one small pearl of great price. As part of Christ's Church, the tiny group of people from the Gentile nations who follow Christ are of great value to him. Christ gives up everything to purchase our salvation. Notice that a pearl is formed through trials when sand irritates the oyster causing a secretion to cover the irritation. It is the abrasion that forms the pearl. Trials also result in the beautiful character of Christ seen in His Church on earth.
• Christ (the merchant) is seeking Gentiles to be part of His Church (choice pearl), as well as true believers from the nation of Israel. This is a beautiful parable.

We have been bought with a price, people.  We have been paid for with his blood.  Do you see yourself as a precious pearl in God's eyes?  You are. If you are Jewish by birth, do you see yourself as the hidden treasure in God's land?  If you believe in Jesus as your Messiah, you are, indeed, the treasure for which he gave his life.

Psalm 18:1-15

The Lord is our rock when our whole world is an earthquake. Lean on Him for stability.

Proverbs 4:1-6

Don't turn your back on wisdom. She will protect you. By the way, it is God's Holy Spirit who is wisdom.  Do you turn your back on relying on the Holy Spirit to guide your life?

What did you notice in the Scriptures today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 19- Put Joe in Charge!

January 19, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Genesis 39:1-41:16; Matthew 12:46-13:23
Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 3:33-35

I give a damn, because a good man once made me responsible 
for what was most precious to him in the whole world. 
~ Alfred Pennyworth

Genesis 39:1-41:16

Do you ever just wish there was someone who could organize your life for you and make sure that everything turned out hunky dory?  Someone who made all the wrongs turn out right?

In the comic series and movies about Batman one of the primary character is Alfred Pennyworth.  Alfred is that kind of guy.  As Bruce Wayne's tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and legal guardian after the death of Bruce's parents, Alfred makes life good for Bruce Wayne.  Some people say that Alfred is Batman's batman.  He is always ready to solve a problem and divert a crisis.  Having a person who is trustworthy, capable, and loyal is a true blessing.

In today's reading, Joseph is an "Alfred." Joseph has been sold into slavery and is working in the Egyptian household of Potiphar, the chief of the Pharaoh's guards. Joseph is so blessed by God and so gifted in administration  and organization that he is eventually put in charge of every aspect of Potiphar's household.  He is extremely handsome, well-built, and apparently irresistible to Potiphar's wife.  She becomes like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction and stalks Joseph, eventually falsely accusing him of rape after he rejects her many propositions.

Potiphar has Joseph thrown into prison and the Lord blesses Joseph even in prison.  Eventually, everyone wants to put Joe in charge!  So Joseph becomes the administrator of the prison, while still a prisoner. What a gift of administration this guy has! Wish he could come run my household for a while!

While in prison Joseph correctly interprets two prisoners' dreams, giving God the credit for doing it through him. The prisoners happen to work for the Pharaoh. Joseph is forgotten for two more years until one of the prisoners, the chief cup bearer who was released, tells Pharaoh that Joseph is able to interpret dreams.  Pharaoh has had a disturbing dream that none of his Egyptian magicians has been able to interpret.  When called by Pharaoh, Joseph emphasizes to Pharaoh that only God can interpret dreams.

Joseph is a shadow of Christ in both his attitudes and actions.  Here are some examples:

• Joseph suffers hardship like Christ.
• Joseph resists temptation like Christ.
• Joseph relies on God like Christ.
• Joseph uses his gifts in service to others like Christ.
• Joseph accepts his hardships with humility like Christ.

How do you react when you are put in an unfair situation?  How are you gifted by God?  Do you use your gifts to help others?

Matthew 12:46-13:23

This passage of the Bible starts with an incredible truth, Jesus says that if you do the will of his Father (believing that Jesus is the Savior), then YOU are part of God's family.  Christ is not being disrespectful to his mother and brothers in this situation.  He is using the incident as a teaching moment.  Jesus considers you and me his family.  We are family......you know the song....EVERYBODY SING! 

But seriously, this is important.  Jesus tells the group that many prophets and godly people of old longed to see the day when the Messiah would walk the earth.  These people are the privileged group who get to see Jesus in the flesh.  I know that Eve longed to see this Redeemer Child, as did Abraham, David, and Daniel, just to name a few.

The Parable of the Soil

I will not go through this whole parable again.  You read it today.  I will simply ask you this, is your heart hard, rocky, thorny, or good? 

If your heart is good soil then the seeds of Christ's teachings will be able to take root in your life.  If your heart is made of good soil you will over time see the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.  Will you be perfect all the time?  NO.  But you will see over the years a gradual change, a wisdom, a quietness, a stillness that seeps into your life. This is a work that God does over time.

If your heart is good soil, your life will affect others in a positive way.  It will glorify the God who created you.

Psalm 17:1-15

To me this psalm is the voice of Christ while he was on earth.  He, alone, can be examined and found innocent Vs. 2.  Only in Him, is nothing amiss Vs. 3-4.  Only Christ has done what is right Vs. 15. Christ knows the Father personally Vs. 15.  We can only hope to experience this through the grace found in Christ's sacrifice for our sins.

Proverbs 3:33-35

Joseph's life is like this proverb.  The Lord shows favor to the humble.

What did you find interesting in today's reading?  What did you notice?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

January 18- All My Children

January 18, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 37:1-38:30; Matthew 12:22-45;
Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 3:27-32

Genesis 37:1-38:30


Back in the day before laptop computers, the Internet, Netflix, and dvr's, college kids had to arrange their class schedules and activities in order to catch their favorite television programs on a dorm television.  When I was in college, a large group of students in my dorm would congregate in the first floor lounge every week day at noon to watch a soap opera called All My Children.  It was an extremely  popular soap opera in its day that included lots of souped up drama and over -the-top romance.

We can easily call this portion of Genesis, All My Children.  Jacob has many sons and if you ever wondered what the dynamic might be between brothers from different mothers, this story will give you some insight.

It begins with Joseph, the favored son born from Rachel, wearing a multicolored, beautiful robe given to him by his father, Jacob.  If it weren't enough that as a seventeen year old he is obviously the favorite child, Joseph rubs it in by telling the whole family that he has had two dreams where he becomes the master of them all. 

Joseph is later sent out to report on what his step brothers are up to as they herd the flock. The step brothers decide to take this opportunity to kill "the dreamer."  Reuben, the oldest of the group, comes to his rescue and convinces them to just throw Joseph in a pit.  Reuben plans to come get him later.  Judah, another son of Leah, suggests they sell Joseph to some Ishmaelite traders on their way to Egypt.  Joseph is sold for 20 pieces of silver. I told you this was like a soap opera!

Reuben is anguished when he discovers what they have done.  The brothers decide to deceive their father, dip Joseph's robe in animal blood, and claim that Joseph was killed by a wild animal.

What can we learn from this story?

• Don't have kids from four different women.
• Don't favor one child over another.
• Don't tell your step brothers that you are going to be their master one day.
• Don't model deception to your children.  That may come back to bite you.

But seriously, what is God doing in this story?  Joseph is a type of Christ.  His life is a picture of a future reality about the Messiah.  Here are some parallels:

• Jesus is God's favored Son.
• Jesus is master over his people (the Jews).
• Jesus is handed over to death by the people who are his family.
• Jesus was sent by the Father to monitor his people on earth.
• Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.
• Jesus was sent into the world (Egypt represents the world in Scripture).

Lesson:  God allows bad things to happen. We cannot always see His broader purpose as we endure the trials.  Jesus is the central character of history. Somehow, this affects everything.

What hard times have you endured?  Do you trust God even in your trials? Do you realize that you are part of a broader story?

Genesis 38

Next, we have a very strange story that fits in nicely with our soap opera theme.  It appears that if we were ever tempted to elevate the forefathers of the faith to some sort of perfect god-like status, these stories would prevent that error.  Only God is God. 

Judah, the brother who suggested selling Joseph to the traders, ends up later in his life impregnating his daughter-in-law. It is a sordid tale of weaselly behavior.  Tamar, the daughter-in-law, marries Judah's son, Er. Er dies and Judah must provide another son to give Tamar a child to be an heir in the family.  Judah doesn't come through. Tamar decides to disguise herself as a prostitute and get impregnated by Judah. This tells you that Tamar understands Judah's character flaws. 

When he is with her, she requires that in leiu of his payment for her services, he leave his identification cord, his seal, and his walking stick with her.  Upon news of her pregnancy, Judah wants Tamar killed for her immoral behavior.  That is until he sees that she is in possession of his cord, seal, and walking stick.  Judah apologizes for not providing Tamar with a proper man to continue Er's family line.  Tamar, who got pregnant from her encounter with her father-in-law, is blessed with twins.

Tamar went through a very hard time in her life.  But the good news is that God used this man of bad character and this woman's suffering to bring us the Messiah.  In Matthew 1:3, Tamar is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.  Jesus descends from these two people.  Our Lord is part of a soap opera!

Lesson:  God takes this messy and broken world and redeems all situations.  He makes something beautiful of our lives.

What messiness in your life can God use for good?

Matthew 12:22-45

Sometimes when I wake up on the morning I feel like I am in a fog until I have that first cup of coffee.  Today the Jewish people are acting like they are coming out of a fog after having had their first cup of coffee.  They are starting to say amongst themselves that maybe Jesus is their prophesied Messiah. Maybe after all these years the Redeemer Child promised to Eve, destined to come through Abraham's line, is finally here.

The Pharisees would prefer that people stay in a fog.  They loudly protest claiming that Jesus is demon-possessed and that is how he is able to cast demons out of people.

Jesus shows the fallacy of their logic by pointing out that a house divided cannot stand. Satan would be defeated if Satan were casting out demons.

Aware of their apostasy, Jesus warns that since he does his miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit, when the Pharisees claim that he is doing it through the power of Satan they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  According to Jesus this is an unforgivable sin.  Jesus again refers to the Judgment Day. He says that good words flow from a good heart and evil words flow from an evil heart, and all of our words will be judged one day.

Have you noticed that Jesus is constantly referring to Judgment Day?  It is one of his missions on earth to make sure that we understand that our life on this earth counts. It matters to God and it will be reviewed one day. Yikes.

In their unbelief the religious leaders ask for a miracle from Christ. He tells them that the only miracle they will get will be a Jonah and the fish-type miracle. He is referring to his future death and resurrection. Jonah was a type/shadow of Christ.

Lesson:  Your life matters to God. Make decisions that will hold up in the Judgment. Be careful with your words.

Do your words reflect a good or an evil heart?

Psalm 16:1-11

Notice how Joseph from our earlier reading could easily pray this psalm.  Vs. 2 says, "I said to my Lord, 'You are my Master!'"

Proverbs 3:27-32

"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to help them."  Reuben is an example of needing to hear this. We all need to hear this.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton 

January 17- Destroying Idols

January 17, 2011

All idols made by man, however terrifying they may be, are in point of fact subordinate to him, and that is why he will always have it in his power to destroy them. 

~Simone de Beauvoir

Scripture Readings:
Genesis 35:1-36:43

If you Google the word "idol," about four entries down you will get news for what is happening with American Idol.  These days we tend to think that idols are just potential music stars on television.  But throughout the history of mankind, idols have been a way to worship the product of man's own making.  They have been a way to deny the One True God's power and authority over the earth.

Like Lot before him, we see Jacob has tolerated the evil of his family worshiping idols.  Rachel hid her father's family idol in her camel sack when they were first leaving her home. Jacob did not stop this practice. Today we see that after wrestling with God and seeing the pre-incarnate Christ face to face, Jacob, who is now named Israel, is a changed man. Jacob is ready to get rid of the idols.

His faith is seen through his actions as follows:

• He insists that all idols in his household be destroyed and he buries them under a tree- Vs.2, 4
• He requires everyone to put on clean clothes -  Vs. 2
• He builds an altar to sacrifice to God - Vs. 7
• He worships the Lord with his family- Vs. 3, 14

God meets with Jacob, once again emphasizing that Jacob's name shall now be Israel.  Then God gives Jacob a pronouncement, a primacy, and a promise:

• I am God Almighty - Vs. 11
• You must multiply and fill the earth and become many nations- Vs.11
• There will be a king among your descendants - Vs. 11
• You and yours will get the land (Promised Land) I promised to Abraham and Isaac- Vs. 12

Rachel dies in childbirth on the journey to Bethlehem.  Her last son is named Benjamin. This completes the children born to Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel come from Jacob. Isaac, his father, lives to be 180 years old. Jacob and Esau bury him in Hebron.

The Bible then gives us a detailed account of Esau's descendants. Why? Because in God's story Esau's descendants play a role until the very end of the story. They are the counterpoint to Israel's children. While Jacob's descendants represent a life of faith, Esau's descendants, also known as Edomites, represent rebellion against God.

What idols are you clinging to in order to fill a void in your life?  What idols need to be destroyed in your life? How can you set up a pillar of worship to acknowledge God?


Matthew 12:1-21

The Old Testament Law had become an idol to the religious leaders of the nation of Israel in Jesus' day.  Today we see Jesus begin to tear down the idol of the Law.
Here is how he begins:

• He and his disciples pick grain in a field to eat on the Sabbath- Vs. 1

• He heals a man in the synagogue on the Sabbath- Vs. 9-14

Jesus admonishes the Pharisees to understand the Old Testament Scriptures that said God desires mercy, not a sacrifice- Hosea 6:6.  Declaring his deity, Jesus says that he is the Master of the Sabbath.  Here we see that Jesus is indeed our Sabbath rest!

Matthew concludes this passage by pointing out that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 42:1-4, which states:

“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.

    He is my Beloved, who pleases me.

I will put my Spirit upon him,

    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

¹⁹ 

He will not fight or shout

    or raise his voice in public.

²⁰ 

He will not crush the weakest reed

    or put out a flickering candle.

    Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

²¹ 

And his name will be the hope

    of all the world.”

Are you trying to live your life by rules and regulations to please God?  Think of ways that you can experience Jesus' Sabbath rest in your life.  How can you show mercy to someone this week?


Psalm 15:15

David asks in this psalm, who can enter God's presence to worship Him?  Here are the answers given:

• Those who lead a blameless life
• Those who don't slander others
• Those who despise sinners
• Those who don't accept bribes or charge interest

In other words, no one can do any of this perfectly so we are all out of luck. Thankfully, we know the whole story.  Jesus is the only one capable of this lifestyle.  We rely on his sacrificial death and resurrection to allow us to come before God's presence boldly.

Proverbs 3:21-26

Be a good planner.  It makes life easier.

What did you notice today?  I want to hear from you.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 16- Wrestling with God

January 16, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 32:13-34:31; Matthew 11:7-30;
Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20


When I was younger all the kids in my neighborhood would go out in the front yard after school and play games.  Sometimes it was kick the can or tackle football, but at other times we would just wrestle. I didn't like wrestling because it not only took physical strength, it also took great mental strength to beat your opponent.  I was always the one to wimp out and give up. I hated the feeling of the struggle.

In today's story God is willing to wrestle with Jacob and as Jacob wrestles with God, it changes his life forever. Jacob has finally come to a point in his life where his wits and smarts cannot help him. He is between a rock and a hard place because he is afraid that his brother, Esau, is going to kill him because of his past deceits. As he begins his journey to the Promised Land, Jacob is confronted by God, who comes to Jacob in the form of a man. This mysterious man wrestles with Jacob all night. It is a test of the wills and Jacob is very strong willed. He is resistant to humbling himself before God and letting God truly be his Lord.

Do you find yourself wrestling with God? Is it a struggle for you to submit to God's will for your life? Would you rather do it your way than God's way? If so, you can relate to Jacob.

It has been a hard fought battle, and Jacob does not appear to be letting go. At dawn, the man injures Jacob's hip and tells Jacob to let him go because there is no other way to get Jacob to quit struggling. At this point in the struggle Jacob is no longer fighting against God, but is hanging onto God for dear life. When Jacob realizes that he has been beaten, he asks God to bless him. He wants to be a friend rather than an enemy of God.

The man asks Jacob his name and then tells Jacob that he is no longer to be called Jacob, but is to change his name to Israel because he has struggled with both God and men and won.  This is how we know that Jacob has been wrestling with the pre-incarnate Christ. Jacob is told that he has just wrestled with God. We also learn that the nation of Israel will struggle on earth with men, but in the end will be blessed by God.

This incident tells us a lot about Jacob's persistence and his desire to know God.  It also tells us a lot about God and His patience and desire to have a relationship with Jacob. We now have a very good picture of what God's relationship will be with the Jacob and his offspring, nation of Israel. This name change is a prophecy of things to come.  God will continue to struggle and wrestle with the nation of Israel and they will struggle with God, but in the end they will submit to their Creator and receive His blessing.

Lesson:  God is willing to get down in the mud with you and wrestle through your problems, too. But you must be willing to humble yourself before Him, if you are to be His friend. Are you ready to hang onto God and receive the spiritual blessings He has for you?


Genesis 33

We see a tremendous change in Jacob after this encounter.  He is focused on pleasing God and acts in a much more humble fashion throughout the rest of his life. His bad hip reminds him to be humble before his Creator and trust God to work out the blessings in his life. This is never more evident than in his reunion with Esau. With great humility, Jacob returns to Canaan and offers gifts to Esau. Esau welcomes Jacob and his family with grace and forgiveness. This is a beautiful picture of what God can do in the lives of people who are willing to forgive. Humility promotes forgiveness.

Lesson:  God can change us to become humble and gentle. He can make us people who forgive others.
Are you willing to change your ways?  Do you offer forgiveness to those who have wronged you?

Genesis 34

We see Jacob's children still struggling with men and God through the story of Dinah.  Dinah is Jacob's only daughter. Dinah is raped by a local prince. Her brothers find out about the rape, deceive the local townspeople where the prince reigns, and end up killing all the men in the town because of this incident.  Jacob becomes worried that his clan will be considered a stench among the local Canaanites.  His sons, Levi and Simeon, are unapologetic about avenging their sister.

Deception and dysfunction still continue in this family. They had been wronged, but their response seems to be an over reaction.

Lesson:  What we teach our children can become a blessing or a curse in our lives. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Be careful how you raise your kids.  Be careful what you model for them in your behavior.

Matthew 11:7-30

Today we see that the struggle that started with God and Jacob/Israel continues during Jesus' time on earth between Jesus and the nation of Israel.

Christ, speaking to his Jewish audience, pronounces that John the Baptist was the prophet predicted by Isaiah, who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Jesus states that John is great, but that anyone who receive the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John. 

Jesus emphasizes that they are all witnessing what the Scriptures predicted of the coming Savior. (Vs. 13) He derides the Israelites as unsatisfied children, and denounces the Israelite cities where he has performed his miracles.  He wrestles with their unbelief and states that if those miracles had been done in Sodom, those people would have believed. This is quite an indictment.  Jesus tells the Jews that it will be better for Sodom in the Judgment than it will be for them.

Jesus' prayer reflects God's on going contentious relationship with His chosen people:

"O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!  My Father has given me authority over everything. No one really knows the Son except the Father, and no one really knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."  (NLT) Vs. 25-27

Jesus states that for those who would like to heed his teaching and who are willing to stop trying to have a relationship with God based solely on following Old Testament Law and traditions, they can come to him if they are burdened and weary by trying to live by the Law and he will give them rest.  He is humble and gentle. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. This is in direct contrast to how the religious leaders of the his day approached God. They tried to live by rules and regulations, rather than living by grace.

Does it surprise you to hear Jesus say that he chooses to whom he will reveal the true nature of the Father?  Are you okay with Jesus' authority over all things?  He describes himself as a gentle teacher.  He claims that his message is easier than the message of the teachers of the Law in Israel. Do you agree? Do you rest in Jesus' teaching or do you continue to rely on your own works to please God?

Psalm 14:1-7

Only a fool says in their heart "there is no God".  The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race to see if there are any who seek Him.  Conclusion:  Vs. 3  There is no one who does good, not even one!

How do you define good?  Do you define it the way God does?

Proverbs 3:19-20

God founded the earth on wisdom and the heavens by understanding. Think back to Genesis as you read these words.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 15- The Benefits of Boundaries

January 15, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6;
Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18

Good fences make good neighbors. 
~Robert Frost

Genesis 31:17-32:12

One of the reasons there are dysfunctional families on this planet is because many people don't understand or respect the personal boundaries of the individuals within the family.  This can lead to all kinds of issues including control issues, conflict and strife, and even abuse.  Personal boundaries prevent victimhood.  With clear lines drawn, an individual can protect their self-worth and personhood even within a group.

Today Jacob packs up his wives, children, and possessions and sneaks away toward the Promised Land.  He sneaks away because he has a bad relationship with his father-in-law who tries to control him. Unbeknownst to Jacob, his wife Rachel has stolen the household gods of her father Laban.  Here is one boundary crossed.  Rachel oversteps her father's boundary by stealing his stuff.

Three days into their journey, Laban realizes that his son-in-law, daughters and grandkids have left and he decides to pursue them. When he catches up, he scolds Jacob for leaving without telling him and for stealing his gods.  Laban has his men search everything that Jacob owns, but does not find his god's because Rachel, who is also overstepping boundaries, has put them in her camel sack, sits on them, and claims to be on her period. Jacob becomes furious after Laban does not find the idols.

Let me take a moment to say that if you are a family that does not have proper boundaries, you may find yourself lying and manipulating situations as a means of coping.  Rachel is an example of this.  Jacob fleeing Haran without telling Laban is also an example of this.

Laban claims that his daughters, the grandkids, and all of Jacob's possessions are really his. Do you think Laban is a control freak? Here is a major boundary issue! Laban has not learned, as the in-law, to allow his son-in-law and daughters to have their own separate family. He feels that they are all part of HIS family. He is wrong. Remember that the Bible teaches that when a man and woman get married they are to leave their father and mother, cleaving together as one (Genesis 2:24). This passage teaches that married couples should have boundaries with the in-laws.

Jacob launches into an angry tirade about how Laban has overstepped proper boundaries and has treated Jacob poorly all of these years. Because God has intervened prior to this meeting and told Laban to watch what he says to Jacob, Laban agrees to disagree.

The two men set up a "Witness Pile."  This group of stones represents a boundary that the men will honor from here on out. They are to be at peace with one another and not cross this line. They vow to respect one another and make their vow to God.  The vow is not made to Laban's pagan statue gods, but to the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Afterwards, they sacrifice to God and worship Him together.

Wow!  This is beautiful.  Perfect. 

Lesson:  God approves of boundaries. Healthy families and healthy people have boundaries. You and I should develop "Witness Piles" in our lives.

As Jacob starts his journey, God sends angels to minister to him and confirm that God is with him.  Jacob sends word to Esau that he is coming.  Esau sets out to meet him with 400 men.  Jacob is afraid that Esau is coming to fulfill his threat to kill Jacob for stealing his birthright and blessing. Jacob is learning to turn to God and ask God to fulfill His promises as seen in  the following prayer,

"O God of my grandfather, Abraham and my father, Isaac-O Lord, you told me to return to my land and to my relatives, and you promised to treat me kindly. I am not worthy of all the faithfulness and the unfailing love you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home, I owned nothing except a walking stick, and now my household fills two camps! O Lord, please rescue me from my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to kill me, along with my wives and children.  But you promised to treat me kindly and to multiply my descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore- too many to count."  Genesis 32:9-12 (NLT)

Here are lessons from Jacob's prayer:

• Acknowledge who God is in your prayers.
• Recount His promises to you.
• Count your blessings from God.
• Ask your requests humbly, but boldly.
• Recount God's character traits like His lovingkindness and mercy.
• Expect an answer.

Matthew 10:24-11:6

Get your head in the game.
 ~High School Musical

I love Coach K, Mike Krzyzewski, the basketball coach for Duke University because of his ability to recruit the appropriate players, train them well, and motivate them to work as a team with purpose.  Needless to say, I was thrilled last year when they won the National Championship.  My son was a junior at Duke that year. What a great college memory!

Today Jesus is a good spiritual coach who has recruited his apostles and disciples, has trained them through teaching and miracles, and is now and giving them a motivational speech before sending them into the game and out to the wolves (Jews). It was God's plan from the beginning of all time to have the Good News of the gospel of Christ sent to the nation of Israel first. He intends to use the disciples for this purpose. Therefore, the disciples need to have a game plan and it is essential that they have their heads in the game. Here are the highlights of coach Jesus' talk:

• A student is not greater than his teacher and a servant is not greater than his master.  Both will share the same fate. Vs. 24-27
• Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body. Be afraid of God who can kill both your body and your soul. Vs. 28
• Don't be afraid because God has numbered the hairs on your head and you are valuable to Him. Vs. 29-30
• If you acknowledge Christ while on earth, he will acknowledge you to the Father in heaven. If you deny him, he will deny you in heaven. Vs. 32-33
• Your family (the Jewish Nation) will be your enemies. This gospel message will cause strife in families. Vs. 34-37 
• You must be willing to take up a cross for Christ. Note:  The cross was a uniquely Roman torture method for death. Vs. 38
• If you cling to your life, you will lose it for eternity. Get your priorities straight. Vs. 39
• There are eternal rewards for those who welcome Christ and his disciples and for those who do Christ's work on earth. Vs. 40-42

What do you think of Christ's speech?  Does it motivate you to follow him and be part of his team?  He is asking that you be willing to take a bullet for him, if you need to.  Are you willing?

Next, we have a very interesting scene. John the Baptist sends a message to Jesus asking if he is truly the Messiah who was to come to Israel.  My thinking is that John the Baptist, who has been arrested and is facing death, might be confused as to why he (John) is in such a predicament. He is suffering in jail and facing death. If Jesus really is God, why are bad things happening to him?  Why is John in jail? How is it that he is having a wilderness experience in the midst of Christ's ministry on earth?  How can bad things still be happening when the Messiah is on earth?  John the Baptist is having to "take a bullet" for Christ. This confuses him. My guess is that he thought the Messiah would bring peace and harmony when he came to earth, but John is experiencing persecution.

Jesus answers by recounting his physical miracles, culminating with even raising the dead.  Jesus reassures John also that the Good News of the Kingdom of God is being preached to the poor.  Jesus knows that John the Baptist knows his Scriptures. Jesus is showing John that he (Jesus) is the fulfillment of what the prophet Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 29:18-21; 35:5-6; 61:1.

Jesus encourages John not to give up hope in the midst of his circumstances by reminding him "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."  Jesus is asking John to stand firm, even though following Christ is going to result in his physical death. John the Baptist is having to take up his cross and follow Christ. John the Baptist is having to get his head in the game.

Do you have expectations about what the Christian life should be like? Are you sometimes disappointed that bad things happen to you, even though you love God and believe in Jesus?

Lesson:  Your life is not going to be sunshine and light just because you have decided to follow Christ.  It might actually get tougher. God promises eternal rewards for those who trust him and follow him.  Eternity lasts a long time. Get perspective.

Psalm 13:1-6

Use this portion of this psalm as an example to you that you can come to God when you are down.  He doesn't mind if you have a little "Whine" with your cheese.

Proverbs 3:16-18

Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her.  Remember the tree of life in the Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve were banished from eating?  Here is a tree that you can eat from each day!

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

January 14- Sister Wives

January 14, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 30:1-31:16; Matthew 10:1-23
Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15

Genesis 30:1-30:16

Reality TV in America has created a show called Sister Wives. The show follows a Mormon family that practices polygamy. Yep, that's right.  One man is married to three women and as the story unfolds, he is courting another woman to become his fourth wife. I watched the show a couple of times, but I can't remember how many children he has.  I think it is eighteen.

His wives appear to get along like sisters until the man begins to court the fourth gal.  Her presence creates jealousy and as it rears its ugly head, conflicts abound.

In today's reading we have real-life sister wives.  Jacob is married to two sisters named Leah and Rachel, but he only really loves Rachel.  We learn that Rachel directs Jacob's sex life, because we see her telling him to sleep with her servant, Bilah, and we also see Rachel bargaining with Leah to allow Leah to have sex with Jacob.

This is not what we would consider to be normal family relations.  Jacob flies into a rage when Rachel blames him for her infertility.  Have you seen this plot line before in the Bible?  What's up? We know by now what God is up to.

Rachel uses her servant as a surrogate and Bilah, the servant, has two sons.  Rachel, who is very competitive with her sister, Leah, feels vindicated.  Leah, meanwhile, sleeps with Jacob and has her sixth son.  I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted just thinking about all of this! 

God finally opens Rachel's womb and she has a son named Joseph.  He is the last son, and following the pattern set in the Bible, he is the favored child.

Genesis 31

After Joseph's birth, Jacob wants to go back to his home land.  His skill as a livestock breeder/herder has made his father-in-law, Laban, a very wealthy man.  Laban and Jacob cut a deal that Jacob will be paid for his work by taking all of the spotted or streaked goats and all of the black sheep. Through mating techniques and the supernatural blessings of God, Jacob increases in wealth. (Vs. 8-13)

Laban has been deceiving Jacob the whole time and Jacob has been deceiving Laban. This is a deceptive family.  In the end, Jacob has a dream where the Lord tells him that He (God) is with Jacob, has been blessing him, and wants Jacob to return to the Promised Land.

The sister wives have no problem leaving their character-impaired father.

This is the complicated story of how the twelve tribes of Israel came to be.  This is how God fulfilled that prophecy given to Isaac.  Are you surprised at how messy and dysfunctional it all was?

Lesson:  God uses flawed people and dysfunctional families to bring about His beautiful purposes on earth.  Our sinfulness cannot thwart His plans to redeem the world.

Matthew 10:1-23

Posse- (A Noun) Your hommies, your peeps, the gang of friends you hang out with that make you powerful.  ~Urban Dictionary

In our Old Testament reading we saw how the twelve tribes of Israel came to be.  Jacob's sons fulfilled a prophecy given by the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament.  Those twelve sons were a shadow and picture of things to come.  The twelve sons of Israel were a picture of  the twelve apostles who Christ calls to be the foundation of his Church.

Today we see these twelve apostles get their first instructions from their leader.  Let's just say that Jesus gives his posse their power.  Jesus tells them that he wants them to go to the nation of Israel to cast out demons and heal every kind of disease. He intends to fulfill all that the Scriptures have predicted by using these completely ordinary men.  From a management standpoint and team leadership standpoint, Christ shows wisdom in having others share the load. His first command is that they go only to the nation of Israel.  Why does he say this?

Can you guess a reason based on principles we have learned so far?  Well, many of you probably said it out loud, "The first shall be last and the last shall be first."  Yes, the descendants of Abraham must receive the opportunity to accept the world's promised Redeemer Child first. You can probably guess that since they are the first to receive the message, they may end up being last to enter the kingdom (spoiler alert).  They are the people who wrote down the story, received the prophecies, and produced the child.  They get first dibs.

Jesus already knows that the majority of his people will not take too kindly to his message.  How does he know?  He's read the Scriptures and they predict that he will be rejected by his own people. Notice how he instructs his apostles as they consider approaching the Jews:

• Don't take money or possessions with you. Vs. 9
• Accept hospitality. Vs. 10
• Stay with people who are worthy of you and my message. Vs. 11-13
• If a town rejects the message, leave without incident. Vs. 14-15
• Jesus calls the nation of Israel "wolves." Vs. 16
• Jesus prophesies that the Jews will persecute the Apostles. Vs. 17-18
• God will provide the Apostles with the proper words for their defense when they are arrested and taken before government officials and kings. Vs. 17-20
• Jesus says that their families will betray them and everyone will hate them because of him. Vs. 21
• Jesus assures them that if they endure, they will be saved. Vs. 22

Wow.  Do you think his posse realized what they were getting into when they signed up to follow him?  Does this sound like a fun assignment to you? Part of what Jesus says here is a prophecy about the future. Jesus is quoting from Micah, the prophet, and predicting a time in the future when witnessing about Christ on earth will become even more difficult during the end of the age. This particular prophecy applies specifically to the nation of Israel, as they once again become the primary evangelists on earth after the Church is raptured to heaven prior to the Great Tribulation. This passage is a double reference to the apostles evangelizing and to the future group of witnesses who will evangelize across the earth during the Great Tribulation.

Jesus realizes that God's plan, as explained in Romans 11, allows for the nation of Israel to reject their Messiah at his first coming (not all, but most), so that the gospel message will be spread throughout the whole world to every tribe, language, and culture to all of the Gentile nations. Israel's corporate rejection results in their being cut off from the olive tree, but they (the nation of Israel) are grafted back into the olive tree and resume their ministry as a kingdom of priests at the close of the story prior to Jesus' Second Coming.

Remember Christ's prophecy in Matthew 8:11-12 when he says, "And I tell you this, many Gentiles will come from all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites-those for whom the Kingdom was prepared, will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  (NLT) During Christ's first coming, the Gentiles are graphed in after Jesus' disciples go first to the nation of Israel and receive rejections from the Jews for the most part. Although most of the nation of Israel rejects their Messiah, there is always a remnant of Israel that believes.

Jesus is methodically following God's plan for history or shall we say the plan for His Story.

From their perspective, the Apostles probably didn't really understand what was happening at the time. You and I have the benefit of being able to read and analyze the story after the fact.

Lesson:  Jesus is not surprised by those who reject him.  He sees it as part of the plan. Not all people will accept Christ.

What have you learned?  Do you feel that your learning new aspects of how God works and thinks? Does anything surprise you?

Psalm 12:1-8

Notice how this psalm could be talking about both our Old and New Testament passages today.  Do you see the overlap?  This is truth about humanity.  People lie and are evil.

Proverbs 3:13-15

Wisdom is better than money and jewels.  It is as valuable as silver and gold. Do you believe that?  Do you act upon that?

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton