Permit me to digress a bit (blogger's prerogative) and return to the choice of Adam and Even in the garden. When they chose to disobey God and choose their own way (at the prompting of the Adversary), whether they knew it or not, they were choosing for themselves (and consequently us) the temporal over the eternal. You see, the choice to take that forbidden fruit was in reality the temporal or temporary things to take priority in their lives.
Think about this. The knowledge of good and evil is a temporal concept. It is something that will pass away and become irrelevant when the Kingdom of God comes in full. Just like sin and death will be no more, just as there will be no more pain or suffering, just like the need for evangelism will cease, the knowledge of good and evil will become obsolete. For we know that in His Kingdom coming these things will have no standing.
I have preached the idea that there is a huge separation in our lives today between the sacred and secular. I have even made the statement at times that we should live our lives as if it were all sacred. But I think I have been wrong.There is nothing sacred about a child that dies of hunger. There is nothing sacred about a community that is 80% HIV positive. And there is nothing sacred about genocide, hatred and enmity between brothers.
I think Satan likes to keep us thinking and discussing the divide between secular and sacred because he knows the true issue at hand is the eternal and temporal. In truth, if we saw our lives, our relationships, our possessions, our positions, etc., in the light of eternity, I think it would make a tremendous difference and the secular/sacred debate would be a moot point.
What if I started living my life tomorrow with asking the question of everything I do, "is this eternal?" I think the Enemy of Old would shudder and heaven would rejoice! Maybe I would be a little closer to the Kingdom of God as well...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Battle is On…God’s way versus man’s way
After chapter 3 of Genesis and the banishing of Adam and Eve from the garden, the great battle begins that will take us through the rest of the Bible. It is a battle for the heart of man. It is a battle of absolute good pitted against absolute evil. It is a battle of the Kingdom of God coming in full and His will being done.
The battle will manifest itself in story after story. It is seen in the constant struggle of God’s way versus man’s way. God has chosen and provided a way, the way for us to live. It is life in fellowship with Him. It is life according to His laws, His precepts and His plans. It is a life that surrenders and submits to His way forsaking all others. It is the way of being a part of His coming Kingdom.
Man’s way constantly struggles and fights against God’s way. It is the way of our own choices living life as if God did not exist. Or even worse, God is real but irrelevant. It is a way that the evil one, Satan, urges us to live by using temptation, doubt, and lies. Satan will constantly ask, “Did God really say?” He will consistently contradict God and God’s plan for our lives. He will enjoy seeing us choose our ways, our thoughts and our reason over God’s perfect plans and law.
Make no mistake. The battle is a kingdom struggle. There can be only one king and one kingdom in our lives. We cannot serve two masters.
In the next few chapters of Genesis (chapter 4 and following), we see this Kingdom battle unfold as brother kills brother (Cain and Abel, chapter 4), God sends a great flood but saves Noah and his family (chapter 6-9), and man tries to exalt himself on par with God (the Tower of Babel, chapter 11). The message is clear: choose God and His Kingdom and live; choose any other way and suffer the consequences.
One truth that emerges throughout this Kingdom epic is that there are no doubt hardships as well as joys when we commit to follow the way of the King. However, the consequences of choosing not to follow, of not becoming a part of His plan and His way for our lives, yield much worse consequences.
So, how will God begin making His Kingdom known and visible on the earth? Next time, we begin to answer this with the story of the call of a man named Abram…
The battle will manifest itself in story after story. It is seen in the constant struggle of God’s way versus man’s way. God has chosen and provided a way, the way for us to live. It is life in fellowship with Him. It is life according to His laws, His precepts and His plans. It is a life that surrenders and submits to His way forsaking all others. It is the way of being a part of His coming Kingdom.
Man’s way constantly struggles and fights against God’s way. It is the way of our own choices living life as if God did not exist. Or even worse, God is real but irrelevant. It is a way that the evil one, Satan, urges us to live by using temptation, doubt, and lies. Satan will constantly ask, “Did God really say?” He will consistently contradict God and God’s plan for our lives. He will enjoy seeing us choose our ways, our thoughts and our reason over God’s perfect plans and law.
Make no mistake. The battle is a kingdom struggle. There can be only one king and one kingdom in our lives. We cannot serve two masters.
In the next few chapters of Genesis (chapter 4 and following), we see this Kingdom battle unfold as brother kills brother (Cain and Abel, chapter 4), God sends a great flood but saves Noah and his family (chapter 6-9), and man tries to exalt himself on par with God (the Tower of Babel, chapter 11). The message is clear: choose God and His Kingdom and live; choose any other way and suffer the consequences.
One truth that emerges throughout this Kingdom epic is that there are no doubt hardships as well as joys when we commit to follow the way of the King. However, the consequences of choosing not to follow, of not becoming a part of His plan and His way for our lives, yield much worse consequences.
So, how will God begin making His Kingdom known and visible on the earth? Next time, we begin to answer this with the story of the call of a man named Abram…
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Paradise lost...
As you might guess from these first posts, I am taking a little more time to get through the first few chapters of the Bible in my 2010 quest. Things will speed up as I go along but these first chapters of Genesis are so foundational to the story of God's Kingdom coming that I feel the need to camp here a bit before moving on.
As Chapter 3 of Genesis begins, God has created everything. He has created man and woman and placed them in a specially prepared Garden for them. (Genesis 2:15) He has given them everything they need...food, water, fellowship with Himself. The only requirement He gives Adam and Eve is that they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for if they did, they would surely die. (Genesis 2:17)
Here's where the enemy, Satan, enters the story. Satan is a part of God's creation as well but from an older time. Satan was one of the angels who has chosen evil as his way. He was originally good but fell because of his pride. He even took a good number of angels along with him in his fall and now they serve him as his demons, fallen angels. His sole purpose is to defeat the divine plans of grace of God towards mankind. He is the ruler of a powerful kingdom in his own right but is still subject to God's rule and reign. He is frustrated and anxious because he knows that his time is short and he will be defeated. He and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity. But, for the meantime, he is the great adversary, the father of all lies, the deceiver; and his greatest pleasure is to keep you and I from entering and living in God's kingdom.
Taking the form of a serpent, Satan asked Eve, "Did God really say..." to which Eve replied, "...but God did say that we must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." (Genesis 3:1-3) But Satan, the adversarial deceiver said, "You will not surely die...For God knows that wen you eat of it...you will be like God..." (Genesis 3:4-5)
Eve listens to Satan, sees that the fruit is good and pleasing (and desirable for gaining wisdom) so she took some and ate it. She also gave some to Adam who with her and he also ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Paradise lost...Life as God had designed for the first man and first woman gone with the bite of disobedience. Why did God allow this to happen? Why in the first place was there a tree placed in the garden that would force them one day to make a choice? A choice that could bring about sin, death and separation from the Lover-Creator? What was God thinking?
The Lover-Creator in His infinite wisdom knows that love cannot be true love unless one chooses to love. It is only the choices to love or not to love that makes our love genuine and strong. Angels created with no choice to worship or not worship God would be simple slaves. Adam and Eve in a garden with no choice would be no more than robots obligated to their Creator.
Was it risky for God to create us this way? Yes. Does it even seem crazy or counterintuitive that this would be God's way? Maybe (at least to me). For whatever reason (that is far beyond my finite mind), God the Lover-Creator has made his Kingdom a Kingdom of choice: to love and follow Him and His plan and way for our lives or to love and follow our own selves and plans.
God wants us to find His Kingdom here and now and for all eternity. Satan wants us to deny God's Kingdom and follow the ways of the world, our own choosing. Satan would like nothing more than to drag you and I down to his level, literally.
In the last part of the fall story (Genesis 3:21-24), we see a picture of God's love and care for His first man and woman creation. He makes garments of skin for them and clothes them. He then drives them out of the garden away from the tree of life so that they won't eat of it and live forever. He knows that man and woman in their fallen state need to die in a physical sense so that the true self, the soul, has the opportunity to live with Him forever.
Round 1 - Paradise lost. However round 2 and the follow rounds are the story of how paradise can be regained! It is all about His Kingdom coming and His will being done! And our choice to regain the Kingdom in our hearts and lives.
It is an story of epic proportions...
As Chapter 3 of Genesis begins, God has created everything. He has created man and woman and placed them in a specially prepared Garden for them. (Genesis 2:15) He has given them everything they need...food, water, fellowship with Himself. The only requirement He gives Adam and Eve is that they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for if they did, they would surely die. (Genesis 2:17)
Here's where the enemy, Satan, enters the story. Satan is a part of God's creation as well but from an older time. Satan was one of the angels who has chosen evil as his way. He was originally good but fell because of his pride. He even took a good number of angels along with him in his fall and now they serve him as his demons, fallen angels. His sole purpose is to defeat the divine plans of grace of God towards mankind. He is the ruler of a powerful kingdom in his own right but is still subject to God's rule and reign. He is frustrated and anxious because he knows that his time is short and he will be defeated. He and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity. But, for the meantime, he is the great adversary, the father of all lies, the deceiver; and his greatest pleasure is to keep you and I from entering and living in God's kingdom.
Taking the form of a serpent, Satan asked Eve, "Did God really say..." to which Eve replied, "...but God did say that we must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." (Genesis 3:1-3) But Satan, the adversarial deceiver said, "You will not surely die...For God knows that wen you eat of it...you will be like God..." (Genesis 3:4-5)
Eve listens to Satan, sees that the fruit is good and pleasing (and desirable for gaining wisdom) so she took some and ate it. She also gave some to Adam who with her and he also ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Paradise lost...Life as God had designed for the first man and first woman gone with the bite of disobedience. Why did God allow this to happen? Why in the first place was there a tree placed in the garden that would force them one day to make a choice? A choice that could bring about sin, death and separation from the Lover-Creator? What was God thinking?
The Lover-Creator in His infinite wisdom knows that love cannot be true love unless one chooses to love. It is only the choices to love or not to love that makes our love genuine and strong. Angels created with no choice to worship or not worship God would be simple slaves. Adam and Eve in a garden with no choice would be no more than robots obligated to their Creator.
Was it risky for God to create us this way? Yes. Does it even seem crazy or counterintuitive that this would be God's way? Maybe (at least to me). For whatever reason (that is far beyond my finite mind), God the Lover-Creator has made his Kingdom a Kingdom of choice: to love and follow Him and His plan and way for our lives or to love and follow our own selves and plans.
God wants us to find His Kingdom here and now and for all eternity. Satan wants us to deny God's Kingdom and follow the ways of the world, our own choosing. Satan would like nothing more than to drag you and I down to his level, literally.
In the last part of the fall story (Genesis 3:21-24), we see a picture of God's love and care for His first man and woman creation. He makes garments of skin for them and clothes them. He then drives them out of the garden away from the tree of life so that they won't eat of it and live forever. He knows that man and woman in their fallen state need to die in a physical sense so that the true self, the soul, has the opportunity to live with Him forever.
Round 1 - Paradise lost. However round 2 and the follow rounds are the story of how paradise can be regained! It is all about His Kingdom coming and His will being done! And our choice to regain the Kingdom in our hearts and lives.
It is an story of epic proportions...
Friday, January 1, 2010
It is not good for the man to be alone...
In Genesis 2, when God had created everything and proclaimed that it was very good, he "rested from all His work" on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). Then the Bible tells us that "the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15) And when God saw man in the garden, He said that it was not good for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18)
This was the making of "the helper", Eve. A woman from the bone of Adam's bones and flesh from the flesh of Adam's flesh. But God's decision not to leave man alone was deeper than even the need of man for a helper companion. For from the very heart of God, no part of His creation is complete in and of itself; it all belongs in community.
From God's proclamation of, "let us make man in our own image" (Genesis 1:26), we see His plan and even nature in and for community. John Eldrege says in "Epic", "How wonderful to discover that God has never been alone. He has always been Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has always been a fellowship. This whole Story (about you and me) began with something relational."
Here's some good news about God's Kingdom. You and I were never meant to have to find it out on our own. Our very natures are created in, for and through community...the perfect community found in our one and only God! He created us for Himself, for one another and for the blessing of His overall creation. We are in the middle of a great adventure, a great love story, in which God Himself is the hero and, believe it or not, we are the sought after beloved! And it is not just you or I as individuals being sought by God. It is all of us that God seeks like a red-hot lover...the race of man, called out and sought out by the great Creator God. The creation being pursued by the Creator! Amazing!
This is what the story we are in is all about. God's Kingdom coming and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. This present earth, this present heaven, this present body, is passing and will pass away. Yet during this time of passing, we are being offered even wooed to find the true meaning to this life and even into eternity! The Kingdom of God.
I have heard it said from psychology that there are three basic inherent needs in all people: the need to belong, the need for significance, and the need for security. Though these are classified by science of human nature, they ring true and can only be truly fulfilled when we return to the Creator God's plan for our lives: to find these things by finding our place in His Kingdom!
This was the making of "the helper", Eve. A woman from the bone of Adam's bones and flesh from the flesh of Adam's flesh. But God's decision not to leave man alone was deeper than even the need of man for a helper companion. For from the very heart of God, no part of His creation is complete in and of itself; it all belongs in community.
From God's proclamation of, "let us make man in our own image" (Genesis 1:26), we see His plan and even nature in and for community. John Eldrege says in "Epic", "How wonderful to discover that God has never been alone. He has always been Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has always been a fellowship. This whole Story (about you and me) began with something relational."
Here's some good news about God's Kingdom. You and I were never meant to have to find it out on our own. Our very natures are created in, for and through community...the perfect community found in our one and only God! He created us for Himself, for one another and for the blessing of His overall creation. We are in the middle of a great adventure, a great love story, in which God Himself is the hero and, believe it or not, we are the sought after beloved! And it is not just you or I as individuals being sought by God. It is all of us that God seeks like a red-hot lover...the race of man, called out and sought out by the great Creator God. The creation being pursued by the Creator! Amazing!
This is what the story we are in is all about. God's Kingdom coming and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. This present earth, this present heaven, this present body, is passing and will pass away. Yet during this time of passing, we are being offered even wooed to find the true meaning to this life and even into eternity! The Kingdom of God.
I have heard it said from psychology that there are three basic inherent needs in all people: the need to belong, the need for significance, and the need for security. Though these are classified by science of human nature, they ring true and can only be truly fulfilled when we return to the Creator God's plan for our lives: to find these things by finding our place in His Kingdom!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
In the beginning, God...
With these four words of great expectation we begin our 2010 Blog through the Bible with a special focus on the Kingdom of God...
1. In the beginning,...There is a beginning for everything we know except for God Himself. Angels have a beginning. Principalities have a beginning. You and I have a beginning. But not God. Even the Kingdom has a beginning for in the beginning, there was the King but no subjects, no hearts to rule in and through. In His perfectness and wisdom, the King created everything and thus established a place and people for His Kingdom to come forth!
2. In the beginning, God...We know that God is community in the beginning in that he was Father, Son and Spirit; the perfect three in one yet one. And we know His desire to create out of love, for love and in love, a creation that would come from His deepest heart, which He would love and woo for it to love Him back. In His divine wisdom, He would endow the pinnacle of His creation with a free will to choose to have a relationship and community with Himself or not.
3. In the beginning, God created...In truth, the genesis of God's Kingdom, His rule and reign, definitely begins in the heart of God. But it is manifested and made possible by the creative love of God. From the Eternal with no beginning or end, flows the creation of both eternal and temporal. The eternal created are the unseen but true things such as angels, principalities, the true Kingdom of God and you and I, our souls. The temporal are the things seen such as our bodies, this present earth, and heavens. The eternal created things (angels, you, the true Kingdom) have this in common: they have a beginning but no end. The Eternal God, with no beginning or end, gives a beginning from His creative heart, His very self, to the true things that also will have no end. He also creates the temporal (things with a beginning and end) to serve as a model, a perfecting stage and even a battleground, in His longing for a race of beings who love Him with all their hearts, souls and minds.
Thus, with the first four word of Genesis, we have the setting for the Kingdom of God coming forth in the world. God is the King with no beginning or end. Yet He creates a race of beings for His Kingdom to come forth in. He creates them to be eternal and temporal whereby the temporal is the place He will use beauty, trials, and truth, among other things, to draw His creation back into the realm of His Kingdom, His rule.
As we walk through the Bible and God's revelation of His Kingdom, we will never find the King forcing Himself upon His creation/His subjects but gently calling, sometimes sharply punishing and in many cases truthfully confronting them in order to bring about His eternal Kingdom in their hearts and lives.
Stay tuned....
1. In the beginning,...There is a beginning for everything we know except for God Himself. Angels have a beginning. Principalities have a beginning. You and I have a beginning. But not God. Even the Kingdom has a beginning for in the beginning, there was the King but no subjects, no hearts to rule in and through. In His perfectness and wisdom, the King created everything and thus established a place and people for His Kingdom to come forth!
2. In the beginning, God...We know that God is community in the beginning in that he was Father, Son and Spirit; the perfect three in one yet one. And we know His desire to create out of love, for love and in love, a creation that would come from His deepest heart, which He would love and woo for it to love Him back. In His divine wisdom, He would endow the pinnacle of His creation with a free will to choose to have a relationship and community with Himself or not.
3. In the beginning, God created...In truth, the genesis of God's Kingdom, His rule and reign, definitely begins in the heart of God. But it is manifested and made possible by the creative love of God. From the Eternal with no beginning or end, flows the creation of both eternal and temporal. The eternal created are the unseen but true things such as angels, principalities, the true Kingdom of God and you and I, our souls. The temporal are the things seen such as our bodies, this present earth, and heavens. The eternal created things (angels, you, the true Kingdom) have this in common: they have a beginning but no end. The Eternal God, with no beginning or end, gives a beginning from His creative heart, His very self, to the true things that also will have no end. He also creates the temporal (things with a beginning and end) to serve as a model, a perfecting stage and even a battleground, in His longing for a race of beings who love Him with all their hearts, souls and minds.
Thus, with the first four word of Genesis, we have the setting for the Kingdom of God coming forth in the world. God is the King with no beginning or end. Yet He creates a race of beings for His Kingdom to come forth in. He creates them to be eternal and temporal whereby the temporal is the place He will use beauty, trials, and truth, among other things, to draw His creation back into the realm of His Kingdom, His rule.
As we walk through the Bible and God's revelation of His Kingdom, we will never find the King forcing Himself upon His creation/His subjects but gently calling, sometimes sharply punishing and in many cases truthfully confronting them in order to bring about His eternal Kingdom in their hearts and lives.
Stay tuned....
Thursday, December 24, 2009
A Foundation for Kingdom Studies...
The idea or concept of the Kingdom of God in the Bible originates in the heart of God. God has no beginning and has no end. He has always been: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. From the creation of the angels, who were the first subjects of His Kingdom, to the creation of heaven, earth and man, and ultimately the coming of the new heaven and earth, God's Kingdom is one of the scarlet threads that run as a theme of the whole of history.
The word "kingdom" comes from the Hebrew 'basileia', a noun, denoting "sovereignty, royal power, dominion; the territory or people over whom a king rules. Thus the Kingdom of God is the sphere of God's rule and sphere in which, at any given time, His rule is acknowledged."
According to Conner in his classic work 'Christian Doctrine', there are five stages of Biblical thought and development:
1. The universal sovereignty of God. God is creator of all and sovereign to all. He is sovereign over creation and particularly mankind. There is only one true God and He is sovereign over the entire universe. He reigns supremely over all nations and all individuals and each is subject to Him and His judgment. There is nothing or no one that is exempt from His sovereign rule.
2. The theocratic Kingdom of Israel. God selected Abraham, entered into a covenant relationship with he and his descendants and promised to give them a land as well as make them a great nation which in turn would be a blessing to the whole world. God chose and had a purpose for the people of Israel to be His chosen, peculiar people.
3. The spiritual Kingdom founded by Jesus. God promised David that a descendant of his would reign on the throne forever. He fulfilled this promise in the person of Jesus Christ even though He was not recognized by his chosen people Israel. Jesus, in establishing His spiritual Kingdom, gave relevance and fulfillment to the theocracy of the Old Testament. Jesus came to earth as the "Savior-King". He initiated the Kingdom of God on earth ushering in a reign of peace and righteousness not understood by the world. In His Kingdom, He saves men from sin and reconciles them to God as well as to one another.
4. His Kingdom as a progressive power in the world. The Kingdom has come in power with Jesus. However, as the mustard seed must develop so must the Kingdom of God in this world. This is accomplished primarily through the preaching and demonstration of the good news of the Kingdom.
5. The eternal Kingdom of God. The final stage of the Kingdom is the eternal Kingdom. It is to be finally established at the second coming of the King, Jesus Christ. It will consummate all of history and usher in God's planned rule since the beginning of time.
So, our journey this coming year, walking through the Bible and looking at the theme of God's Kingdom, will hopefully be a discovery of the foundational story of God's Word: His Kingdom coming and His will being done.
Blessings....
The word "kingdom" comes from the Hebrew 'basileia', a noun, denoting "sovereignty, royal power, dominion; the territory or people over whom a king rules. Thus the Kingdom of God is the sphere of God's rule and sphere in which, at any given time, His rule is acknowledged."
According to Conner in his classic work 'Christian Doctrine', there are five stages of Biblical thought and development:
1. The universal sovereignty of God. God is creator of all and sovereign to all. He is sovereign over creation and particularly mankind. There is only one true God and He is sovereign over the entire universe. He reigns supremely over all nations and all individuals and each is subject to Him and His judgment. There is nothing or no one that is exempt from His sovereign rule.
2. The theocratic Kingdom of Israel. God selected Abraham, entered into a covenant relationship with he and his descendants and promised to give them a land as well as make them a great nation which in turn would be a blessing to the whole world. God chose and had a purpose for the people of Israel to be His chosen, peculiar people.
3. The spiritual Kingdom founded by Jesus. God promised David that a descendant of his would reign on the throne forever. He fulfilled this promise in the person of Jesus Christ even though He was not recognized by his chosen people Israel. Jesus, in establishing His spiritual Kingdom, gave relevance and fulfillment to the theocracy of the Old Testament. Jesus came to earth as the "Savior-King". He initiated the Kingdom of God on earth ushering in a reign of peace and righteousness not understood by the world. In His Kingdom, He saves men from sin and reconciles them to God as well as to one another.
4. His Kingdom as a progressive power in the world. The Kingdom has come in power with Jesus. However, as the mustard seed must develop so must the Kingdom of God in this world. This is accomplished primarily through the preaching and demonstration of the good news of the Kingdom.
5. The eternal Kingdom of God. The final stage of the Kingdom is the eternal Kingdom. It is to be finally established at the second coming of the King, Jesus Christ. It will consummate all of history and usher in God's planned rule since the beginning of time.
So, our journey this coming year, walking through the Bible and looking at the theme of God's Kingdom, will hopefully be a discovery of the foundational story of God's Word: His Kingdom coming and His will being done.
Blessings....
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Plans for 2010 Blog
First of all, let me apologize to everyone. It has been a couple of months since my last blog. I came to a natural end of a topic being discussed and then got busy in travel and work and thus dropped our pursuit of seeing what the Kingdom of God looks like in our everyday lives. After reflecting over what has been written and thinking about next year, I have an idea of where I want to go next. I would like to hear from you and what you think about it.
Ever since my freshman year in college, I have read through the Bible at least one time each year. After my 33rd birthday, I felt led to read through the Bible (as a discipline) two times per year. Combined with my prayer time and other devotional reading, this "walking through the Bible" has become a cornerstone of my daily devotional life. By my reckoning, I have now read through the Bible 49 times. Since the 50th year in the Bible is the Year of Jubilee, I sense God leading me to do something a little different this year.
Here's what I propose. I am feeling led to walk through the Bible this year and journal what I see that relates to the Kingdom of God in each day's passage. I plan to read and pray over about 5 pages (5 to 7 chapters) of the Bible each day. I will start with Genesis chapter 1:1 and read/pray straight through to Revelation 22:21. Then, I will journal/blog each Sunday or Monday and share with you what I see God saying in regards to His Kingdom.
If God's Kingdom is the central theme of His word, then it should be a thread that runs through His whole word. And I believe it so here's a chance to prove or disprove my bias and impression of what God is saying (and doing) through His word.
I would appreciate your thoughts, reflections, encouragements along this line. I am planning for my first post to be shortly after the first of the new year.
Blessings to all! I would love to hear you thoughts...
Ever since my freshman year in college, I have read through the Bible at least one time each year. After my 33rd birthday, I felt led to read through the Bible (as a discipline) two times per year. Combined with my prayer time and other devotional reading, this "walking through the Bible" has become a cornerstone of my daily devotional life. By my reckoning, I have now read through the Bible 49 times. Since the 50th year in the Bible is the Year of Jubilee, I sense God leading me to do something a little different this year.
Here's what I propose. I am feeling led to walk through the Bible this year and journal what I see that relates to the Kingdom of God in each day's passage. I plan to read and pray over about 5 pages (5 to 7 chapters) of the Bible each day. I will start with Genesis chapter 1:1 and read/pray straight through to Revelation 22:21. Then, I will journal/blog each Sunday or Monday and share with you what I see God saying in regards to His Kingdom.
If God's Kingdom is the central theme of His word, then it should be a thread that runs through His whole word. And I believe it so here's a chance to prove or disprove my bias and impression of what God is saying (and doing) through His word.
I would appreciate your thoughts, reflections, encouragements along this line. I am planning for my first post to be shortly after the first of the new year.
Blessings to all! I would love to hear you thoughts...
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