Day 5

Firstly, today I feel famous. Pastor Gary mentioned this little challenge at church today. Congratulations to any others out there who are reading the Bible in a year. I hope we can all encourage each other and learn heaps this year.

Genesis 13-15 and Matthew 5:1-26

Genesis 13 - So Lot and Abram were a little too blessed, they had too many flocks and herds for the land to support. So they decided to split up, Abram gave Lot the first pick of land, Lot chose a place near sinful Sodom and God told Abram to look over the rest of the land, that it it would all belong to him and his uncountable descendants. Abram then built another altar.

How cool would it be to be told by God what blessings He had in store for you. It would help on those tough days when you don't know where your life is going. When I read this passage I'm reminded of that song, "Father Abraham, had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham..."

Genesis 14 - There was a war, Lot was taken, rather than stay out of it, Abram gathered 318 men and got everything back that was taken from Lot! Melchizedek and the King of Sodom met with Abram, Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave him on tenth of the goods he recovered. The king of Sodom asked Abram for his people back but said he could keep any goods. Abram gave him everything back saying that he would only accept the dinner they had just shared.

Despite being in a war, Abram did what he could to follow God. He refused to take spoils of war and only kept what was taken from his family.

Genesis 15 - God promises Abram an heir, Abram gives sacrifices to God but falls asleep and dreams of horrible things. God tells Abram that though his descendants will see a lot of troubled times, they will come back to this land and then God seals the deal and Abram sees a smoking firepot and a flaming torch.

Matthew 5:1-26 - Sermon on the Mount. Jesus starts with messages of love, He tells us that God blesses those who realise their need for Him, and then He elaborates on that telling us different ways we need Him and He blesses us.
Then Jesus tells us we are salt of the earth and lights of world. To my mind that means that Gods has blessed us, so now we must share these blessings with others, so that they may know the love of God too.
Jesus warns that He did not come to break the law, but to fulfil the promises. We are not called to challenge God's laws but to obey them better than the Pharisees.
Jesus tells us we need to do more than just follow the letter of the law, we need to go further than that. We need to right any wrongs we have done to others, not allow anger to grow, or insult or curse people. I guess God just wants us to show is love, rather than hate.

Wow, today was a big one, my readings were full of learning to love and having faith. I pray that these lessons may stick.