Reading: Matthew 5:21, Acts 7:39-60, Psalm 12, Genesis 29-30

Recall:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell." Matthew 5:27-30

Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord do not hold this sin against them." Acts 7:60

He set the rods that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, the flocks bred in front of the rods, and so the flocks produced young that were striped, speckled, and spotted. Genesis 30:38-39

Reflect:
I've noticed that everything that jumps out at me in my scripture reading lately is put through the filter of my life situation right now.

I am in no fear of of going to hell, but Jesus' words in Matthew still are powerful. Whatever is keeping me from being the disciple of Jesus that I need to be needs to be removed. Whatever is keeping me from fulfilling my mission needs to be removed.

From Genesis, I see the opposite side of the coin. Whatever I need to do to accomplish the mission God has given me, I need to do. It would appear that Jacob fooled around with magic to get the goats he needed. And from the results, it would appear that God was OK with that.

And in everything, I gotta love. As Stephen was being pummeled with stones, he cried out to God to not hold it against them. What love!

Respond:
Mighty, gracious, loving God, I am ready. Whatever I have to do, however I have to do it, whatever I have to relinquish in order to do it, I will do it.

Reading: Matthew 5:13-20, Acts 7:1-38, Psalm 11, Genesis 27-28

Recall:
Matthew 5:15 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house."

Genesis 27:36 Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing."

Reflect:
Jacob was a schemer, a conniver, and a patriarch. He saw what he wanted and took it. Or I guess his mother saw what she wanted for him and she encouraged him to take it. Still used by God though--in spite of or because of his actions?

As we put our lamp on the lightstand, we might be accused of grasping, but the risk must be taken. We can't spend our lives under the bushel basket afraid we will be perceived as going too far.

Respond:
Wow, I guess that reflection was very personal. I need to be on the lampstand. I need to be taking advantage of every opportunity. If I am crossing the line, I have no doubt I will receive that feedback!

Reading: Matthew 5:1-12, Acts 6, Psalms 10, Genesis 25-26

Recall:
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8

And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.”
Acts 6:2-4

When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “My wife,” thinking, “or else the men of the place might kill me for the sake of Rebekah, because she is attractive in appearance.” Genesis 26:7

Reflect:
I wonder what the significance of the lie about wives is in Genesis. Abraham did it twice and Isaac once. It must have meant something to the original readers.

"The pure in heart" the single-minded. That is what I am striving for. My heart seems rarely pure. It's always pulled this way and that. As a result, I often don't make it to the finish line.

It's funny I should come across this passage from Acts today since I was just talking about the role of deacons with them yesterday.

Respond:
God, I want to see you. I want to experience as much of you as is possible on this side of eternity. I will put the practices into my life that will facilitate the purity of my heart.

Reading: Matthew 4:18-25, Acts 5:17-42, Psalm 9, Genesis 24

Recall:
Matthew 4:22 "Immediately they left their nets and followed him."
Matthew 4:23 "Jesus went through Galilee, teaching...proclaiming...and curing every disease."
Acts 5:38b-39a: "...if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them..."
Genesis 24:12: "And he said, 'O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham."
Reflect:
Good stuff in these passages. In Matthew it is important to note that the disciples immediately left their nets to follow. They just went.

Jesus not only preached and taught, he healed. He wasn't all talk about the Kingdom of God. By his actions he showed that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

I love the words of Gamaliel. Let's watch. Let's see what happens with these folks and this movement. If it's the real deal, it will succeed no matter what. If not, then we don't have to worry about it.

And the servants prayer in Genesis struck me. "Please grant me success." How often do I begin my endeavors with that prayer?

Respond:
Action, action, action. I will follow he examples of these apostles. I will follow. I will let my actions speak for me. The proof will be in the results. And I will bathe everything in prayer, asking for, and expecting success, just like Abraham's servant!