Mark's Daily Reading Journal

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I pray that everyone is experiencing a Jesus filled beginning to 2010!  This post is primarily for my Bible Fellowship class.  We started our study in "Firm Foundations Creation to Christ," this past Sunday and I am making available the students notes and study questions for those that would like to use them.

Teachers, just so you know I do plan to pause and teach the Operation Andrew lessons beginning January 17.  I am looking forward to seeing you and your class leaders at our leadership meeting this Sunday!

Below are the student's notes and questions for the first 7 lessons.  Lesson 1 is on God's Word, lesson 2 focuses on God, after these two foundations are laid we dive into the chronological study of the scriptures.

If you have never read Tozer's works "The Knowledge of the Holy," and "Pursuit of God," let me encourage you to find them and read them!  They will provide an awesome foundation in your understanding of our awesome and mighty God!

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 01.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 02.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 03.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 04.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 05.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 06.pdf

http://disciples.bellevue.org/pictures/FFCC Notebook_Lesson 07.pdf

Through 2010 I am encouraging my class, the men I am discipling, and all who will listen to prayerfully read and study the scriptures chronologically.  The Bible is God's talk, message, Word to ALL people! 

Each week I will post notes and a lesson outline for our study.  We will be using the NTM "Firm Foundations, Creation to Chirst," curriculum.

Below is a simple acronym (not sure who created it...sorry) to help with gaining a better understanding of who God is, HIS Word and who we are in HIM.

Discovery Questions

SPECKA:

Is there as sin to avoid?

Is there a promise to claim?

Is there an example to follow (or not follow)?

Is there a commandment to obey?

Is there knowledge to gain?

These questions are followed by application...how do these spiritual truths apply to me as a child of God?

As you journey through your daily readings prayerfully ask the above questions, crying out to be Spirit-filled, Spirit-illuninated so that you may more fully understand...know and make known, your creator, sustainer, maker and Savior.

Pursuing HIM together!

So is it wrestle or nestle...which is it?  I'm thinking both!  Speaking out of my own experience...after wrestling with my children I enjoy nestling with them.  The boys won't admit that they enjoy nestling with Dad, but they do...well, for about 20 seconds and then they are ready to attack again.  That is a good thing!

After Jacob wrestles with God and prevails there is an intimate exchange between the two.  Jacob vows that he will not let go unless he receives a blessing.  Then something strange happens, God asks Jacob his name...do we think that God did not know?  Possibly, for the first time in his life Jacob gives an honest answer at a poignant moment.  His name, Jacob, means deceiver, surplanter...he deceived his brother, his father and his uncle, but now after wrestling with God all night Jacob answers God honestly.  This coming clean with God gets Jacob a name change and what I would like to call an opportunity to nestle with almighty God and live to tell about it!  What does Israel mean?  One who struggles with God!  “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”  Jacob confesses that he is a deceiver to God and God changes his name.  Listen to the way Jacob followed his name change...“Please tell me your name.”  Jacob asks to know the name of the One he had been wrestling with all night...I think he knew who it was.

Gen 32:25-30 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Corrie ten Boom offered the advice, "Don't wrestle with God...nestle."  I believe that she was equating wrestling with being restless.  It is one thing to wrestle with God in HIS Word and in prayer, it is quite another to be filled with anxiety, worry, being restless before HIM.  Wrestling with HIM says that you believe that HE and HE alone has the answers and provision and that you believe HE has invited you to wrestle with HIM to strengthen your faith in HIM.  An anxiety filled restlessness says that you don't trust HIM and that you fear your circumstance more than you fear (are in awe) HIM!

Prayerfully consider these verses and take great joy in knowing that HE has invited you to wrestle with HIM in HIS Word and in prayer and HE has invited you to nestle with HIM..."to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12.  You are HIS adopted child, HIS heir, joint heirs with Jesus.

Rom 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

There are those times when we don't have the strength to wrestle, we are at that place where we have nothing left, empty, desperate...Jesus has a wonderful word, a perfect word for that moment in Matt 11:28-29  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Wrestling and Nestling pressing hard after God in 2010!

I love to play wrestle with my three children.  The boys love to gang up on Dad and try to take me down...often I will allow them to think that they have pinned down just before I pin both of them and tickle them until they plead for mercy.  One day very soon I know that I will go to make my victorious move and will be stunned and shocked when I can't...when I can't move.  It will be a sad day for Dad and a great day for the boys...I will have to endure their laughter and taunts...it will be a blast:-D

Our Heavenly Father is delighted when we wrestle with HIM!  Jacob wrestled all night with God and cried out “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  As I read those words I have to ask myself what has moved me to wrestle with God in prayer all night and to cry out, “I will not let you go unless you bless me"?

Gen 32:24-26 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Please allow me to inject a sticky note thought here...God has promised his children to love them with an everlasting love, we are secure in the hand of God the Father and we are secure in the hand of Jesus...they are one (John 10:27-30), the one who died for us ever lives to intercede for us, (Heb 7:25), and God the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in the hearts of His children (1 Cor 2:12; 3:16; 6:19-20).

I share that to say emphatically that we, (those who have been born again, born from above...those who have believed on the LORD Jesus Christ, repented and turned to Jesus for eternal life), are absolutely secure in our relationship with our heavenly Father because HE has PROMISED to love us with an everlasting love, Jesus is praying for us and God the Holy Spirit lives within us...HE delights over us (Zeph 3:17) and longs for us to wrestle with HIM.

What do I mean and how do we wrestle with our heavenly Father?  I believe that HE longs for HIS children to engage HIM and wrestle with HIM in HIS Word and in prayer.  This side of the Cross we know that God's final Word to us is Jesus, the Word became flesh, Heb 1:2 tells us that in these "last days HE has spoken to us by HIS Son."  God perfectly revealed HIS glory in and through the final Word, the Word incarnate, the Word that dwelt among us...Jesus! 

The first hand, the right hand is the Word hand from the Navigators web site http://www.navigators.org/us/resources/  (tons of wonderful tools here)  The right hand is how we are invited to take hold of God through HIS Word...in a sense we are taking hold of Jesus, the Word incarnate.  The second hand, the left hand (also from the Navigators web site) is one way that we can take hold of our heavenly Father through prayer.

As we prepare to enter the year 2010, let me challenge you, exhort you, encourage you to accept the invitation of your heavenly Father to wrestle with HIM in and through HIS precious Word, to wrestle with the Word incarnate and to wrestle with HIM in prayer...to talk to HIM, to enter into the intimate relationship that HE has called you to enjoy with HIM, to enter into the love, joy, peace that cost HIM the shed blood of HIS Son!

Jesus modeled this for HIS followers!  HE was the Word incarnate, but the Word incarnate still had to learn the Word and we can learn much from Jesus own prayer life, how HE often retreated while it was still dark to spend extended times in prayer with HIS Father.

Heb 5:7-10 "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek."

Join me in 2010 and let's cry out with Jacob, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  Let's wrestle with our Heavenly Father in HIS Word and in prayer!  Once you have experienced the great JOY in wrestling with your Abba, your heavenly Father, invite as many as you can to join you in the pursuit of seeking HIM!  Let's wrestle with God together in 2010!