freedom

1 peter 2: 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Freedom is often misunderstood. Common wisdom thinks that freedom is being able to do whatever you want to do. Being free is being able to sleep around, get blaked, spend money, live large. That's not freedom, that's slavery. Sex, alcohol, money, power, image become the slavemasters - you end up spending all the time, money and effort you've got on chasing those things. True freedom comes from submission to God, where everything else takes on it's rightful place and we're free to enjoy created things while worshipping the creator.

Freedom and grace in christian circles are often used as a cover up for evil, as this verse tells us not to do. God's grace is not a licence to sin, knowing that I'll be forgiven. If I think it is, then I never really understood it to start with.

longing?

Verses 2-3 of 1 Peter 2 says:

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Do I long for God, do i long to spend time with Him, to get into His word? Babies know that they need milk and are dependant on it. I am dependant on God but live as though I'm self-sufficient. When we taste and see that the Lord is good, we want more. The more time I spend with Him in prayer or reading His word, the more I want, the more I recognise my need. I just forget very quickly when I'm out of the habit! I need to recognise that I will shrivel away and die without that pure spiritual milk!

Get your own - Open publication

purification

the first chapter of 1 peter talks about suffering and trials testing/refining our faith in the same way as gold is refined in the fire. When things are going fine for me, I may be under the impression that I'm doing a good job. When things get difficult and I suddenly start losing my temper or doing something else, it reveals something that was in my heart all along. The suffering/persecution that we endure is not God's original, perfect plan, because sin is not part of that, but like the heat of the fire brings the scum to the surface of the gold so it can be removed, God can use our suffering to bring sin to the surface and deal with it. Suffering can be a way that God works on our hearts.

1 samuel 31 - approval

Saul dies, and some men risk their lives to rescue his body, showing that in Israel, Saul was probably viewed as a good king. We read all the stories of him turning his back on God and think of him as a rarf, but for your average man on the street at the time, who didn't have the insight we have from the Bible, he was probably a hero. Saul had approval from the people but missed the most important thing - God. How much of the time do I put people's approval ahead of my relationship with God. The position of my heart towards God is the most important thing.

1 samuel 30 - weakness

It's difficult to imagine what the situation was like when David and his men found out their wives/children had been kidnapped. 600 fighting men weeping until they had no strength left to weep! That included David and then on top of the that the people want to stone him. God has barely been mentioned in the last few chapters, David has made some questionable decisions, and now this. David knows that there is only one thing to do - turn to God. He "strengthens himself in God" (v6). This is the definition of what it means when we say that our weakness is His strength. There was nothing and no-one that could possibly strengthen David here, other than God. And God answers, restoring everything back to the men.

It's easy to read the 2nd half of the chapter and think that's it a simple lesson of how we should share things with others and be fair. While there's nothing wrong with that, it involves us picturing ourselves as the men who went into battle with David. In spiritual terms, we are the men who stayed behind. The men too weak to do anything, unable to help ourselves, depending on someone else to go into battle for us. Jesus did. He went into battle and gave us everything when we deserved nothing.

1 samuel 29 - ?

a weird little chapter. If the Philistines hadn't told David to get lost, would he have gone to battle with them against Israel? Was he intending to double cross them as they suspected he might? There are more questions than answers here, but yet again we see God providing David with a way out of his own questionable decisions.

1 Samuel 28 - guidance

Why does Saul think that consulting a medium will help him to hear God's advice on the battle? It seems baffling. Saul is out of control, we have seen that clearly over the last few chapters. God has given him opportunity after opportunity to repent and he has just continued to harden his heart against God. Is it too late for him to turn back to God here? No. But his request to Samuel shows where Saul's real motives lie. Saul's biggest problem at that point is that he is separated from God. his biggest need is God. But he is not looking for a way back to God here, he is looking for God to tell him what to do. God's guidance for us is important, but not more important than God Himself. Do I go looking elsewhere for advice or guidance (or more likely, someone to agree with what I think I should do) when what I need is to repent before God and come back into His presence?

1 Samuel 27 - trust

This is a strange chapter. Despite God repeatedly protecting David, life on the run seems to be getting to him and so he runs off to live with the Philistines, carry out dodgy raids and lie about them. God is not mentioned in this chapter, does this reflect a period in David's life where he went with his own plan instead of God's. It's easy for us to think that if God did x, y or z in my life, I would be able to trust Him more easily. But then we see biblical characters, just like us, resorting to backing ourselves when things get tough, regardless of what God has done in the past.

1 samuel 26 - deja vu

Again, David refuses to take the short cut, refuses to take revenge, trusting God for justice and his own future. Why do I want to be the one dishing out justice? Why do I want the easiest or quickest way when I know that God's way is best. Sometimes God tells us to act, sometimes He tells us to wait. We don't know why, but He does, and that needs to be enough for us.

1 Samuel 25 - mine

Nabal is literally a "fool" and v11 gives a glimpse of why. He uses the words my, mine etc over and over again when referring to his possessions. He does not recognise the gifts that God has given him. I have money, a house, a car, not because I earned it - but because God gave me a job, the abilities to do that job and it's His money inside His wallet in the pocket of His trousers. This is very similar to the story Jesus tells of the rich man who builds bigger barns so that he can horde his wealth while God calls him a fool and killed him that night.

This chapter also shows how God gives us an opportunity out of our sin. David reacts in anger and God sends Abigail as a way out for David. David still has the choice, he could have taken what Abigail offered and then went on to kill Nabal anyway, but he recognises God's intervention.

1 samuel 24 - I did it my way

Another opportunity to kill Saul and become king? Would David do it his way or God's way? His humility (which comes from his respect for God, not from an idea that he is a "dead dog or a flea") allows him to submit to God's plans. Doing things the way you want to do them is the ultimate aim in our society, but why? when things so often go wrong, why do we still think we're the best person to decide which way to go? Arrogance. Submit to God and follow His plan for my life - it's the best one.

1 Samuel 23 - guidance

It would be mint if God always guided us as clearly and directly as he does with David in this chapter. Should I do this? Yes. Should I do that? No. God guides us in a variety of different ways but I think a lot of the time the problem is the fact that we are not even asking. We make our own mind up what we're going to do and then ask God to bless our plans. We can learn from David here, who doesn't want to do anything other than God's plans.

When Jonathan meets up with David, he "helps him find strength in God" (v16). He does this by reminding David of God's promise that he will become king. Firstly, when I'm talking to people, how often is my motive to help them find strength in God? That should always be my motivation and my aim in contact with other people. That doesn't mean I've got to turn every conversation back around to Jesus, but it does mean that I am actively trying to encourage that person in God rather than passively waffling. Secondly, the way to help somebody in a desperate situation is not to say "don't worry, it'll be alright", because it might not be. That is not what they need, what they need is a fresh revelation of who God is and what He has done.

1 Samuel 22 - in need?

David is on the run, living in a cave and "All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader"(v2). A good picture of Jesus. Anyone who is in distress, in debt or discontented needs Jesus as their leader. Anyone who isn't any of those is kidding themselves. Saul is in distress and discontented but still does not turn back to God, instead he goes on a killing spree of the preists. We end up out of control when we don't face up to our need for God.

1 samuel 21 - desperation

The stories in this chapter and the next are written in a very matter-of-fact way but David must have been under immense pressure. On the run for his life, having to bend the truth to get the holy bread for something to eat, having nowhere else to go other than Goliath's home town, being so terrified for your life that he only way you can think of getting out of it is to pretend to be mad! That incident may conjure up images of Blackadder with two pencils up his nose, but to actually pretend to be mad to escape must mean that the situation is totally desperate.

David wrote Psalms 34 & 56 about these incidents and knowing the background behind them adds even more weight to what he says there. verses like "the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit" (psalm 34:18) are always an encouragement, but we need to recognise that David was not just writing some generic truth there - he is writing that because he is brokenhearted, crushed in spirit, desperate but he knows God will draw near to him.

1 samuel 20 - prosperity?

When David first came on the scene, everything seemed to go very well for him. He was successful in everything he did as God blessed him. Everything seemed to be working nicely towards him becoming king. But now we start to enter a (long) time when David is running for his life, a long way from being the next king and looking as if it's all gone wrong. What would the believers of the prosperity gospel do here? Say that David didn't have enough faith? God is with David during period of difficulty he is about to enter just as much as he was when he was killing Goliath or collecting Philistine foreskins! And God uses this time to continue to develop David's character in preparation for being King. What can we learn from this? Things that God has promised us may not be about to happen immediately - he may need to shape us first. Following Jesus does not mean everything will be nice and easy for the rest of your life, it might turn out to be the opposite - but God is with you. This chapter finishes with Jonathan telling David to "go in peace". How can he be peaceful in this sort of situation? Because the peace that God gives us is not based on our external circumstances but on what Jesus being with us.

1 Samuel 19 - protection

In this chapter, God protects David three different times in three completely different ways. Firstly, through Jonathan talking to Saul, secondly through a plan involving an idol covered in goats hair and thirdly by ambushing Saul and his men with a worship service! Why does God do it like this? Who knows? Sometimes He uses people (Jonathan and Michal) , sometimes He bypasses them completely. Hopefully I'll never be running for my life and need this variety of God's help, but I can be secure in the fact that God is in charge and He will protect me. In a situation that may seem impossible to me, and I can't work out a way out of it, God's probably choosing from a long list of options!

For more on the interesting worship service, see an earlier post on this chapter here.

1 samuel 18 - jealousy

David is now seemingly successful in everything he does while Saul's plans result in increasing frustration, jealousy and fear. The difference is God. David is not successful because he is the man, he is successful because God's favour is on Him. It's all God's grace.

We start to see David and Jonathan's friendship develop in this chapter and where as Saul is envious of David, Jonathan is an example in humility. We see a good example of what it means to put others ahead of yourself in humility. When I see God blessing someone like David do I get jealous like Saul? Or do a rejoice with them, like Jonathan?

1 samuel 17 - strength?

The story of David and Goliath is well known, but the popular, commonly known version seems to miss a few things out. For example, kids in Sunday school never hear about the bit when David hacks Goliaths head off! More importantly, God is rarely mentioned when people retell this story, even though, as far as David is concerned, God is the main focus.

David vs Goliath gets used as an underdog tale - "David took what skills he had and conquered the giant, If you believe in the abilities you've got then you can conquer the giant obstacles in your life" It's like a motivational pep-talk to get you to believe in yourself. The reality of what happened is very different. David sums up the point when he says to Goliath...

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." (v45-47)

As far as David was concerned, this was not an example of his abilities or strength, or strength of character. This is an example of God's strength in David's weakness. David was not a match for Goliath. David didn't not win because he had self belief, he won because he believed in the strength of God. The answer for my problems is not to believe harder that I can overcome them, it's to believe in the God that can.

1 Samuel 16 - nothing to hide?

God tells Samuel something in verse 7 that he needed to here, Saul needed to hear, the Pharisees needed to hear, I need to hear. Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. In this case, physical appearance was unimportant for the next king (David was also good looking, but that wasn't the important thing), in our case we are obsessed with our image and reputation - what other people see and think about us, trying desperately to show everyone the good stuff about ourselves while hiding the things we're ashamed of. God looks at our heart. There's no hiding place. He sees all the stuff that we work so hard to keep people from knowing. And He still came to earth and died for us. That's the beauty of the gospel.

God's spirit leaves Saul, the only time in the bible when the Holy Spirit is specifically said to have left someone, and is replaced by an evil spirit "from the Lord". This seems strange, but is this just God's next attempt to get Saul's attention so that he repents? Time after time, Saul has turned his back on God, is God allowing an evil spirit to torment him (and soothing him throught the Holy Sirit filled David) just another act of mercy from God, to potentially push Saul towards repentance? Similarly, God sends a locust plague in Joel to drive the people to repentance and back to Him. The short term effects of the locust plague were devastating, but the long term result of reconcilliation with God is far better.

1 Samuel 15 - obedience

This chapter starts with God's command for Saul to wipe out a group of people. Because this seems so shocking, it can sometimes obscure the main point of this story, which comes out later in the passage. However, that's not to say it's unimportant. Firstly, these were not innocent people being wiped out by a cruel God, this was a group of people who had turned their back on God (despite 300 years of him being "slow to anger") and were getting justice. Even so, we are not supposed to look at this and think "nice one God, give them what they deserve", because we deserve the same! This story should be shocking to us, but no more shocking than the fact that thousands of people will die today without knowing God. This is sin and death close up and whether it takes place with a sword or in your sleep, an eternity of separation from God is terrifying stuff.

Moving on, Saul does not fully obey and gives a load of excuses to Samuel while not seeming to get the point that God will not delight in an offering that resulted from disobeying His command. So Samuel spells it out for him in v22-23. This is what Saul hasn't understood since very early in his reign, that obedience is better than sacrifice. Does Saul really repent in the little exchange that follows? Or are his true motives revealed in v30 when he pleads with Samuel to honour him in front of the elders? Is he just looking after his reputation?

God isn't impressed with my "sacrifices", with the amount of hours I've put in of prayer, or at church. He wants my heart. And where is my heart? Is it broken before him, repenting of sin and experiencing his forgiveness, or is it too concerned with my own reputation?

1 Samuel 14 - if you want something enough...

At the start of this chapter, Jonathan gives us a good example of faith in God. While Saul (the king who God has rejected) sits under a pomegranate tree with Ahijah (the priest from the line rejected by God) taking it easy, Jonathan and his armour bearer are pro-active and put themselves in a position where God might do something. The common understanding of faith seems to be that it's just believing something really hard so that it comes true or God does it. It's like the people on the X factor who have "faith" that they can be the next big thing when what they mean is that they just want it really badly. In Christian circles this can end up in believing that the healing didn't happen because we didn't have enough faith etc. Jonathan shows us solid faith in God in v6 - God can do it, perhaps he will. Faith is not presuming that God will do something, it's knowing that He can do it and asking Him to, because perhaps He will. We pray about our needs with faith in the one who we are praying to, but we also pray "your will be done".

Saul's superstitious religion shows up again later in the chapter - surely making the army fast all day will guarantee a victory! Fasting is good, but it doesn't force God's hand, in the same way that the ark didn't (ch4) or the sacrifice didn't (ch13) or prayer doesn't or church attendance doesn't or leading a good life doesn't. Those things are all good, but they are not bargaining chips with God, and Saul's reliance on them puts the men in a position when they end up sinning as a result. Who is responsible for their sin? They are responsible for their own sin, of course, but it's clear that Saul is also responsible. Pride also comes in again, with Saul's refusal to admit he was wrong almost leading to the execution of his son.

So how does this apply to me. Do I pray with faith in the prayer or faith in the one I'm praying to? What does it take to get me to admit I was wrong?

1 Samuel 13 - under pressure

When you are under pressure, aspects of your character that you may normally be able to keep hidden come out. Saul is under pressure here, the people are panicking, Samuel doesn't seem to be coming, what is he going to do? In this pressurised situation two aspect of Saul's character come out - pride and religion. The pride that he shows is not arrogance, but taking matters into his own hands rather than do what God has asked. He took matters into his own hands - possibly to protect his reputation (he was the king, does he really need to wait around for Samuel), possibly because he couldn't wait for god's timing (despite specific instructions from Samuel in ch10). The pride also shows up when he is confronted about his sin by Samuel and gives his excuse - I saw, I thought, I forced myself. It was all evaluated by himself, rather than humble reliance on God.

Secondly, in doing the sacrifice himself, he is demonstrating a religious attitude that places the religious routines ahead of God Himself. In the same way that the Israelites in ch4 thought that the ark would save them instead of looking to the God of the ark, Saul thinks the sacrifice is what they need when actually it is God that they need. And God, as Saul will be told in a few chapters time, desires obedience more than sacrifice.

Where do I show pride by backing myself to sort a situation out or by justifying my actions? When do I rely on routines and rituals to "buy" me favour with God?

1 Samuel 12 - the gospel according to idols

At the end of Samuels speech reminding the people of what God has done for them in the past and how they rejected Him in demanding a human king, the people recognise their sin and cry out for Samuel to pray for them. He responds with an interesting little bit of information about idols: "Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless." (v22). That's the thing with idols, they don't confront you with your sin, they don't ask for repentance, but when you recognise how broken you are, they also can't offer any help. Samuel tells the people not to be afraid, not because they haven't done anything wrong (he reaffirms the fact they have done evil in the same sentence!) but because God is good. We have sinned, but god is good. That's the gospel, and if we miss half of it, we've missed the full thing.

1 Samuel 11 - angry?

"the spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he burned with anger (v6)"

Of all the things that the Holy Spirit does, anger is not one of the first things people tend to think of. This is probably because when i get angry it tends to be selfish - something hasn't gone the way I wanted it to. That kind of anger is sinful, but not all anger is - Jesus got angry but never sinned. The anger that the Holy Spirit produces in Saul is not selfish - it is a response to oppression of God's people and results in action. My anger is in response to myself and results in self pity - that is not the work of the Holy Spirit! Too often i am totally unmoved by injustice. Those are the times that I need righteous anger stirred up in me producing action.

Towards the end of the chapter we see (possibly for the last time) humility in Saul. He's just won an important battle, his supporters are lapping him up, it looks like a good time to punish the people who doubted him or at least say "i told you so". Saul doesn't. he focuses the attention back on God. When things are seemingly going well for me, am I trying to put the attention onto God?

1 Samuel 10 - a changed heart

God gave Saul a new heart (v9). This is what happens to us in the exchange of our sin for Jesus' righteousness. God changes our heart. When we look at sins we continue to commit, or sinful attitudes we continue to have, the answer isn't to try harder, it is to ask God to continue to regenerate our heart. everything we do, say and think flows from what is in our heart and that is where we need God to work on us.

It's interesting to note that when Saul is proclaimed king, that some people were not happy with it, even though at this point Saul appeared to be a good candidate. There is still that attitude towards Jesus, even though He is the perfect King, some people still say "how can he save us?", "how can He rule over us?". This displays an arrogance in us that thinks we know best, that thinks we are the best person for the job of king in our lives. What is the solution? We need God to change our heart!

1 Samuel 9 - random events?

In chapter 9, God introduces Samuel to the man who is going to become king. How does He do it? Through a series of "random" events - donkeys go missing, Saul goes looking for them, someone suggests going to ask the "seer" about it, the servant happens to have some money on him. Why does God do it like that? Who knows? But things that seem random to me now can be used by God for all sorts of things. That's why I need to be alert to what God wants me to do now, today, not just always looking to the big thing in the future.

1 Samuel 8 - everyone else is doing it

In chapter 8, the people decide that they want a king like all the surounding nations. This is a similar situation to the ark in chapter 4. The people recognise there is a problem (ch4 - defeat in battle, ch 8 Samuel's sons not doing their job properly), but instead of crying out to God for His solution they ask for their own solution (ch4 - the ark, ch 8 - a king). They are happy for God to help, as long as he helps in the way they have already decided they should be helped. They think they know better than God for a solution to their current situation. How often do I do that?!

The description of the king that Samuel gives is just what a good king would do, many would be far worse and have the people as practical slaves. How often do we do this? Looking around at what everybody else is doing and desiring that "freedom" when in actual fact it is slavery. Coming under God's rule, having Him as our King is the only way to be truly free.

1 samuel 7 - turn around

The people repent in chapter 7. This involves acknowledging that they have sinned (v6) and also involved physical action - removing the altars and idols. I can imagine saying, "well I wont worship the idols any more, but I don't need to physically destroy them do I?". Real repentance involves taking any action you can take to stop doing whatever it is you are doing. That's not to say that it's our effort that can defeat sin, it can't. But if there's no desire to change anything, there is no repentance.

This time, the people rely on God Himself when they are in trouble and He rescues them. They have stopped looking to religion and have turned to God.

Samuel then goes on to build an altar to remind them what God has done. This is a constant theme throughout the old testament - God does something, you build an altar to remember it. When I'm totally caught up in whatever situation is going wrong at the moment, I need to look at the altars and remember what God has done. In the middle of this chapter the people ask Samuel to pray for them and he offers up a sacrifice. this was good, but was just an imperfect reflection of what Jesus eventually did perfectly and permanantly - He died as a sacrifice for all our sins in the past and in the future and allows us access to God - we don't need Samuel to intercede for us because Jesus is constantly doing that (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25), and we can approach Him oursleves

1 Samuel 6 - The ark is back in town

God brings the ark back by himself, he doesn't require any help! (see post on 1 Sam 4) He brings His presence back to His people. Most of them are very happy about that but some are either apathetic or disrespectful (v19 either not worshipping or looking into the ark) and get wiped out by God.

Jesus shows that God still makes a way for people to be back in His presence, and that still results in different reactions today - some accept it joyfully, some don't care, some reject it. While we are unlikely to see the second two groups of people being killed instantly, they are still on a trajectory towards death and eternal separation from God. Surely that realisation, that fear of God, that respect of who He is and His holiness should inspire action from us, not just sitting back and taking it easy. "the absence of godly fear signifies a lack of the knowledge of God" Jonathan Edwards.

1 Samuel 5 - independence

Chapter 5 shows the power and independence of God. God does not require any one's assistance. He humiliates dagon and demonstrates his power to the philistines without any of the Israelites in sight. God does not require my help or my assistance. He is perfectly capable of defending Himself, revealing Himself, doing whatever He wants to do without my help, which makes it even more amazing that He usually chooses to work with us to carry out His purposes. Pagan gods are dependant on what man is doing. The God of the Bible is not.

When I was dead in my sin, unable to help myself (as dead people usually are!), God again showed His power and Independence by coming to earth as a man, dying on the cross and coming back to life. I needed help and He helped me. He pursued me and revealed Himself to me. He does not need me, but He wants me. Crazy!

1 Samuel 4 - the ark

This chapter starts with the Israelites defeated in battle which leads them to ask in v3 - "Why has the Lord defeated us". They are asking the right question but they don't seem to consider it for very long or wait for an answer before saying they should bring the ark out into the battle so that it can save them.

This reveals a superstitious type of religion where they think God will have to come through because they bring the ark out. There is surely no way God will let them lose when they've got the ark. As it happens, God is more than willing to let them lose, and even lets the ark get captured by the Philistines. The ark was a holy, important object, but not as important as God Himself. If they'd brought the ark out because they wanted to recognise their dependence on God for victory, then the outcome might have been different, but they didn't. they brought the ark out because they though it guaranteed victory.

What are the superstitions that creep into my life as a Christian? What are the good, important things that then replace God? Am I praying because I am asking God to act or because I think a certain amount of time spent in prayer will produce action? Am I going to church, reading the Bible etc to grow closer to God, or because they earn me some sort of credit? All of those things are good, but they are the means to get God, who is the ultimate prize. God is not the means to get something else.

Dale Ralph Davies, in his commentary on this passage, says " whenever the church stops confessing "thou art worthy" and begins chanting "thou art useful"... you know that ark of God has been captured again". He also makes the point that " [God] will suffer shame rather than allow you to carry on a false relationship with Him, and [He] will allow you to be disappointed with Him if it will awaken you to the sort of God He really is".

gensis 15 - contract?

God reminds Abram of 2 amazing truths - that He is protecting him (shield) and that He is everything that Abram needs (very great reward). Abram is still focused on what he doesn't have, a son. If I was God, I'd be saying something like, "didn't you hear what I just said?", but amazingly God reassures him and continues to reinforce His promise to Abram. God passes between the animal corpses which was the sign of entering into a binding contract. Only God passes through because this is a covenant, not a contract. Even when we are faithless, he remains faithful. Even when turn away, He keeps his promise. We should have walked through the corpses and then paid with our life when we disobey. Instead, God passes through and Jesus pays our penalty with His life when we disobey.

genesis 14 - melchizedek

The king of righteousness, king of Jerusalem, priest of the most high God, without father or mother etc (from Heb 7). Is this Jesus coming to meet Abraham? Whether it is or it isn't, we know that Jesus is our great high priest now, He bridged the gap between us and God forever, and He is deserving of our offerings (whether it is a tenth or more!).

Here Abram seems keen to be dependant on no-one other than God for his wealth, even though a lot of the wealth he currently was given to him by the Pharaoh etc. It seems as though Abram might be exercising a bit of discernment, God will let him know when it is and isn't appropriate to accept gifts from the various people he encounters.

Tim Keller - The Reason for God

Introduction
"First, each side should accept that both religious belief and skepticism are on the rise"
" Believers should acknowledge and wrestle with doubts"
"All doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs... if you doubt Christianity because "there can't be just one true religion" you must recognise that this statement is itself and act of faith. No one can prove it empirically, and it is not a universal truth that everyone accepts"

One - there can't be just one true religion
"... we couldn't all be equally right about the nature of God"
"How could you possibly know that no religion can see the whole truth unless you yourself have the superior, comprehensive knowledge of spiritual reality you just claimed that none of the religions have?"
"[the statement] "no belief can be held as universally true for everyone" is itself a comprehensive claim about everyone that is the product of social conditions"
"You can't say "all claims about religions are historically conditioned except the one I am making right now"
"skeptics believe that any exclusive claims to a superior knowledge of spiritual reality cannot be true. But this objection is itself a religious belief"

Two - suffering
"Just because you can't see or imagine a good reason why God might allow something to happen doesn't mean there can't be one. Again, we see lurking within supposedly hard-nosed skepticism an enormous faith in one's own cognitive faculties"
" On what basis does the atheist judge the natural world to be horribly wrong, unfair and unjust?"
"God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself"
"we can know that God is truly Immanuel - god with us - even in our worst sufferings"

Three - straight jacket
"one of the principles of love... is that you have to lose independence to attain greater intimacy"

genesis 13 - choice

When Abram and Lot seperate, Abram gives Lot the choice of where to go. Abram trusts that God will give him the land He has been promised, He doesn't feel the need to try and take the initiative himself and get the best looking land. Lot, on the other hand, looks at the physically attractive land and chooses that, basing His decision totally on his livelihood, seemingly without involving God in the decision at all. As it turns out, this choice of land will result in his wife dying and his daughters with a messed up view of sex because they were living in a town of perverts. What looks like the best decision for me financially, may not be the best decision spiritually. God needs to be the focus of the decision making process.

genesis 12

God tells Abram to leave his country, and doesn't really give many more details! The promises God gives are not specific locations, times and things but are centered around Himself (God). "I will...". It's more about who God is than what Abram is doing. Abram trusts God and leaves.

A pattern then starts which will continue throughout Abram's life. Great faith - leaving for the unknown at God's word, followed by huge mistakes - trying to tackle problems his own way instead of God's way. God doesn't punish Abram for His mistake, but graciously returns Sarai. Do I let myself get puffed up with pride when I think I've done something right in following God and then turn round and mess up? God's not waiting there to say "I told you so" but He continues to pursue me and bless me. I need God's help all the time, He's responsible for everything "I" do right, and He is where I need to look when I don't know what I'm doing (which is the vast majority of the time!)

genesis 11 - bricks

The invention of bricks in genesis 10 isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's neutral. It's the people's attitude that wants to use to boost their own name, their own reputation, their own pride, to push themselves upwards and anybody else down, to make themselves equal with God. There are loads of good or neutral things that can be misused or abused. It's not about the things themselves, it's about the attitude of wanting to be your own God.

Even though this is the biggest tower that they can build, in verse 5 God has to come down to see it! We are so far below God that it is laughable that we try to be our own Gods, or it would be laughable if everyone wasn't doing it! god confuses their languages - what must that have been like at the time? I think of language that is something that is in-built to me, I think and speak in English. But God could change that in an instant! We are totally dependant on Him for everything.

genesis 9

God initiates the covenant with Noah. He's not under any obligation to do anything for Noah - He could in theory just say - "right, get on with it, make sure you do a better job than the last lot otherwise I'll have to do it again". But He doesn't, because He is loving. This is the sort of love that God has, not the greetings card, fall in and out type love that we think of. This is the love that pursues us.

Noah then goes and gets drunk and falls asleep naked in his tent. Was he the first person to drink wine? Had he committed a sin? The text doesn't tell us, but what is made clear is that the action of drawing attention to someones sin, gossiping about it, is a problem. If Noah had been in sin with this act, ham could have covered him and brought it up with him the next day. Instead he chooses to publicise it. How do I react when I encounter other people's sin. Do I want to help them as graciously as I can, or do I want to casually talk about it?

genesis 8 - worship

Noah's first priority when he gets off the ark is not to build a house, or get food or whatever, but to worship God by making a sacrifice. I might well be in the same situation - if I'd been on an ark for months and the water had finally subsided, thanking God would probably be on my mind as well. The worship of God needs to continue just as much in the seemingly mundane, ordinary days of my life just as much as it does when God has done something big.

genesis 6 - I'm a good person

God saw that people's hearts were only evil, all of the time (v5). We are not good people needing a bit of affirmation from God. We do not just need a bit of encouragement to raise our self esteem. We are sick and we need a saviour.

Noah wasn't righteous (v9) because of his actions. If he was, then he was Jesus - someone able to follow all of God's law (unwritten at the time). He was righteous because he found favour with God (v8). We are made righteous by what Jesus did, by grace, not because we were the one good person in a crowd of bad people and God recognised us. Everyone was only evil, all the time, and God gave grace.

genesis 4 - response

Why did God recieve Abel's offering but not Cain's? It's not mentioned but presumably it's to do with the attitude of his heart. It's possible to go through the motions and do the right things in worship but if the heart isn't right, then there's no point. God rebukes Cain and, if he'd repented, then things might have turned out very differently. Instead, he gets angry and kills Abel, not in the heat of the moment, but premeditated. How do I respond to rebukes from other people or God. Do I humbly listen, or get angry? Even though there are consequences to Cains sin, God still offers him mercy - no sin is too big for God to deal with. Unfortunately, the seeds of disobediance to God had been sown, and within a few generations, Lamech pops up who has multiple wives, boasts about killing someone and assumes that God is on his side. My actions now have an impact on future generations.

Genesis 1-3

Chapter 1

men are the image of God (v26), men are the glory of God

v28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

God likes to bless us. He is a good God.

We are made to be rulers/kings/fathers

Wisdom is thinking God's thoughts after Him.

"and there was evening, and there was morning" The day begins in the evening. Rest, Sabbath, prayer, fellowship is to prepare for work the next day (or week), not to recover after a day's work.

Chapter 2

God speaks everything into creation except man, who He hand crafts (v7)

The tree, the temptation was in the middle of the garden, Adam and Eve would have been walking past it every day. Temptation will be in the middle of your life, you will be walking by it every day. (v9)

Man was made to work (it only becomes toil after the fall). Work is worship (v15)

God gives commands and we obey. God has given us plenty to enjoy and He forbids some things, so why do we focus on the few forbidden things rather than on all the good things He gives. (v16)

Society thinks it is good to be alone - less responsibility. God said it is not good. We need a helper because we need help! Man needs relationship that reflects the relationship God has in the trinity (v18)

The woman was made from the man's side - she belongs at the man's side. Not infront (feminism) or behind (chauvenism) (v21).

First recorded human words (v23). v24 shows the pattern - leave parents, marry, become "one flesh"

Society connects sex with shame. God created it with no shame. Adam's standard of beauty was Eve. Our standard of beauty is our wife. (v25)

Chapter 3

v1 - Satan will talk to wife and lie to her. Marraige doesn't get rid of Satan's attacks, if anything he steps them up. The attack is on the word of God - do we believe it? Is our different interpretation just trying to "supress the truth" (Romans)?

Eve adds something to what God said - "touch it" (v3)

Satan tempts us with something that seems good - bait on a hook (v6)

You don't need God - you can be God (v5)

Adam was with Eve the whole time - he did NOTHING. DOn't let the enemy do all the talking. (v6)

notes from Mark Driscoll session at menmakers conference, Edinburgh, Nov 2007