Ex 2: 1-10

Moses came from the tribe of Levi, which meant he had no country or could possess no land. His beginnings were humble and was cared for by God from birth. His mother was especially caring and gave him the best opportunity for survival given the current edict. The "happenstance" that Pharoah's daughter who drew him out of the water and his eventual naming and rearing was God's divine plan for the greatest man that the next 4 books of the Bible are about and were written by.

One could say that he was born with a "silver spoon" but internally he was just an alien in a foreign land, gaining life lessons and being chisled away.

Yesterday was a relatively hectic day, but things are cooking at work. The major regret of the day will be not being able to get back to see David perform with his HS friend's band at a NYC club tonight. Still looking forward to getting home and being in NYC tomorrow. Prayers for GG and his safe flight back and hopefully will be able to see him this weekend.

Praise for today: Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard: he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. Ps. 66: 8-9

Exodus 1

All good things must come to an end and so it was for the Israelites and the Egyptians. After Joseph and his brothers were long gone and the new king of Egypt came into power,  the Jews became a hazard rather than a benefit. Unlike the situation in Germany during the 1920-1940s, they became slaves of the Egyptians since their frame of reference from the famine was long gone. They became the bane of Egypt and ultimate built their cities, Pithom and Rameses as food storage facilities. Still the amount of Israelites grew to the point to where the Egyptians made the do all of the heavy lifting so that they would be discourage to breed. Soon the only way to curtail the population boom was to kill off all the newborn male babies. However, two Israelite women refused to obey the king's order and let the male babies live and were blessed by God for their actions. The male babies were then ordered to be thrown into the river in hopes that they would be drowned.

The stage is set for the introduction of Moses and his eventual rescue from the watery passage. Looking forward to it!

Good weekend but extremely tiring. Hopefully this week at work will be somewhat less stressful than previous year end ones... We'll see. Trying to make David's gig in Manhattan on Wed night but seems like that may not happen. Good to see GG and all of the people on Sat/Sun night.

Praise for today: The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whome I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. 2 Sam 22: 2-3a

Gen 50: 15-26

Now with Jacob out of the picture, the brothers feared for their lives. Pleading with him for mercy and grace, they literally threw themselves at him and gave themselves up to him as his slaves. Joseph reassured them that they wouldn't be harmed and gave them the perspective that defines his life (v20) and the bigger picture. The Bible reinforces the tone of the speech in v 21. The rest of the chapter details the rest of Joseph's life (110 years) and the 3 generations of Ephraim 's children as well as Manasseh's offspring. Unlike Jacob who was buried with his ancestors, Joseph's remains were embalmed and was placed in a coffin in Egypt until he would be moved from this place. This was carried out in spirit in Ex. 13:9 and in reality in Joshua 24:32.

I really enjoyed my run through Genesis. Since I spent some time teaching this book in a high school class, I hesistated for a long while to do this but it was worth the wait. I guess the next step will be to "let my people go"....

Looking forward to going home later but not having to fix my toilet tomorrow. I guess that is the joys of homeownership. Hopefully, this won't take all day.

Praise for today: His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Luke 1:50

Gen 50: 1-14

With Jacob's death came the fulfillment of God's promise. Jacob was embalmed for  40 days and was mourned by the Egyptians for 70 days. After the days of mourning had ceased, Joseph went to Pharoah and told him of the promise to return Jacob's body to the land of Canaan. With all of the pomp and circumstances that would accompany a dignitary, Jacob's body was laid to rest. There were so many Egyptians there at the ceremony that the Canaanites thought that they were burying an Egyptian. He was buried in the place that Abraham purchased centuries before. Then Joseph and the rest of the clan returned to Egypt. Given the distance between the two places, it was a difficult journey.

The end of an era, often God is referred to by the names of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. While Joseph would gain prominence, he would still never be equated the same as his fathers. Still, he was great unto himself and his God.

Long day yesterday but still rewarding. Getting ready for the holidays still much to do when I get home tomorrow night into Sunday.

Praise for today: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to redeem his people. Luke 1: 68.

Gen 49:19-27

The attention now turns to Gad and how his tribe will be under constant attack - they will be successful in thwarting their plans. Asher's land would be fertile and produce many crops. Even Solomon used their produce in his palace in 1 Kings 4:22-28. As for Naphtali, the commentary suggests that it is refering to Barak in Judges 4:6 and the poetry referring to Judges 5.

Now the attention is turned to Joseph, and while he wasn't a soldier - he was a righteous man (Ps 1:2-3) and while dealt wrongly was protected by God and made Joseph an overcomer. He then was bestowed the gifts that are due the one with the birthright and because of that his two sons received a double share of his father's possessions and was granted seperate parcels of land when the Promised land was divided up.

The tribe of Benjamin would be fighters, in the OT it would Saul that would come from this tribe and ruled with cruelty and in the NT, it would be Paul who would fight in a totally different way for the Gospel.

As we approach Christmas and the end of the year, I said goodby to an old friend and wished him well as he rides off into the sunset. 10 years is a long time and 170,000 miles is by some standards decent but still that was not meant to be. Who knows when the next time I will welcome a new one into the mix....

Praise for today: I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me. Ps 13:6

Gen 49: 13-18

Zebulun since he will live by the sea will be a trader since the tribe will settle at the Sea of Galilee (but didn't include Sidon) and it didn't extend to the Mediterranean. However, they too will trade with them. Issacher would use his rawboned strength to be a farmer. They would be blessed with good land but they will labor hard. Dan would spawn the judge of Samson who was a small viper who took down the Phillistines, despite of his flaws. He would deliver his people from  oppression. The tribe of Dan would fight for his people.

It is interesting how each son would ultimately fulfill their destiny. Names did mean something back then as they would play a huge part of their development.

All in all, a decent weekend. Still much to be done to get the place ready for the masses next Sunday. I plan on making a dish (Thai curry mussels) to go with the seafood theme of the evening. Still just one more gift to get and I am done.

Praise for today: I look for your deliverance , O Lord. Gen 49:18

Gen 49: 8-12

Judah was the first son to be addressed as far as the blessing goes. The older ones were not given as nice a treatment by Jacob but now Judah will - with good reason. Jesus is from the lineage of Judah and that's why he is referred to as the Lion of Judah who will take the throne. He will be an overcomer of his enemies and will gain the praise and respect that is due him. The tribe of Judah was the one who led Israel into war and was the one who would gain the victory. From Judah, David and Solomon would follow as their greatest kings. While their descendants would rule afterwards, most of them were not loyal and thus fostered the split between the tribes. Ultimately, Jesus would be the one who will be seated on the throne and will unite the world. Jacob described the land that Judah will have as one that is extremely properous and uses crazy analogies to prove the wealth that will be generated from the land. The person from that land will be healthy because the land is healthy as well.

Got home relatively early after the party last night even getting stuck in some construction traffic. Still a decent time and good grub. Today, I got the delivery that I was waiting for early, did my laundry and now ready to face the great outdoors.

Praise for today: Judah, your name means “praise”. And your brothers will praise you.

You will overcome your enemies.  You will be like a man who puts his hand on the neck of his enemy.

Your father’s sons will bow to give you honour. Gen. 49:8

Gen 49:1-7

As the end of the book draws near, Jacob now turns his attention to the rest of his sons and gives them his blessing and prophesy. It is interesting to note that not all of his sons were blessed and ultimately their descendants were denied land and prominence in the new nation. Reuben (from whom a great sandwich is named, ha!) had all the makings of being the leader and the chosen one but because of his sin of defiling his father's concubine he was not. Simeon and Levi, were the ones who killed on behalf of Dinah's attackers an entire tribe of men. Their cruelty even streched to attacking livestock and used the covenant between the tribes to their advantage and killed. All three of these tribes received little prominence and/or no land (Levites) as they entered into the promised land.

From the commentary:

The tribe of Levi became very important. Moses belonged to this tribe. And God appointed families from this tribe to become the priests. Because they were priests, they were responsible for all the people in Israel. So, the tribe of Levi could not receive its own region. Instead, the people from this tribe received their own towns. These towns were in every region in Canaan (Joshua chapter 21). So, people from the tribe of Levi were available to help people from all the tribes to worship God.

So ultimately, they were the servants of the other tribes.

Today, I will head home after my company's holiday party and relax tomorrow. In some ways I look forward to it but the mass of humanity becomes sometimes too much. Oh well....

Praise for today: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. Luke 1:68

Gen 48

Jacob's legacy comes from the fact that he starts the blessing in this chapter that will shape the future of Israel. He takes the two sons from Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim and claims them as his legacy. Any other children born to Joseph afterwards would not be included. With his failing eyesight and advanced age, he proceeds to bless the younger rather than the older (via the right hand) which displeased Joseph. When Joseph tried to correct him and asking him to bless his firstborn, Jacob refused stating that while the older will have prominence but the younger will have it all. Because of Joseph receiving the birthright, his sons will have future benefits (Joshua 16,17).

Long day yesterday but ended with our department's cocktail party at a local restaurant. Crowded but able to escape after an hour or so. Still nice to get together with others outside the work environment.

Praise for today: The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps. Ps 85:12,13

Gen 47: 13-31

Reality set in as the famine became more severe and was prolonged (7 years). As a result, Pharaoh became much more important as a ruler. This happened because of Joseph’s great skill. He bought the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. And Joseph also arranged regular taxes that made Pharaoh much more wealthy. At the end of the chapter, Jacob was very old. Soon, he would die. So, he called Joseph. Jacob asked Joseph to promise to bury him (Jacob) in Canaan. Jacob wanted his descendants to realise that Egypt was not their permanent home. Instead, God had promised Canaan to them. Joseph made the promise. In fact, Joseph would ask his own descendants to make a similar promise about his own body, too.

God did make good on his promise to Jacob about the greatness of Israel in Egypt and that God "will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes". (46:4). I often wonder and debate where my own final resting place would be when I and Irene pass. I guess it will be at Kensico Cemeterary  in Vahalla, NY where my sons have to go to just one place to visit their grandparents and us. Still seems distant especially since we ourselves only go there once a year. I guesss I would rather be visited more often, oh well. Ps 6: 5 just came to me now: No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?

Praise for today: From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Ps 3:8

Praise for today:

Gen 47: 1-12

The time has come when Joseph presents his father and his brothers before Pharaoh. He chose to present only 5 of them. They told him of their occupation and of their plight in Canaan where the drought was so severe that their flocks suffered. They requested to live in Goshen where they were granted along with their father to live in the best part of the land. Pharoah trusted Joseph's judgment so that if any of them possesed any special abilities to tend to the livestock, they could be put in charge of Pharoah's livestock. Jacob was then presented to Pharoah where he told him his age (130) and then blessed Pharoah and left. Joseph settled the family in Egypt and gave them the best part of the land, as Pharoah directed and gave them and all of his father's household food.

Unlike himself, Jacob didn't equate his significance to Abraham and Issac. Pharoah attributed significance to him based upon the abilities of his son. Still even Jesus refers to him when mentioning God to the Israelites.

What a lousy day on Friday! A foolish and careless mistake will haunt me for years to come, yet God will and has seen fit to love me and protect me. Shortcuts will always lead to failure.

Praise for today:Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. Ps 57:1

Gen 46

On the way to Egypt, Jacob stopped at Beersheba - a special place for him  and Isaac (26:4) and there God confirmed that it would alright for Jacob and his clan to settle in Egpyt. Unlike God's warning to Isaac, God blessed and gave a plan for him and his family in Egypt. Then the Bible gives an account of all of Jacob's clan which does become confusing but the bottom line is that 70 people were on that trek along with all of the the stuff that was accumulated by Jacob since Canaan days. Jacob and Joseph were very happy to see each other again. Joseph knew that Jacob would encourage him. Joseph still had his important work to do for  Pharaoh. Until now, Joseph was probably the only person in Egypt who served the real God. The Egyptians served idols. But now Joseph had Jacob to support him. Joseph arranged a place where his brothers could work. They would continue to be  shepherds albeit under the guise of livestock raisers since shepherds were a detestable occupation. So, they would not become rulers. But Joseph continued his important work for  Pharaoh.

Long day yesterday on my first day back. Still glad it's over with and heading back home tonight. Did my minute holiday decorating in my apartment to get me in the "holiday"spirit. Tomorrow is the tree getting and more stuff to do for Christmas.

Praise for today: Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Ps 66:20

Gen 45

Did you ever have a secret you were dying to tell someone that seemed to want to have a life of its own and burst out of you? That was the case of Joseph as he couldn't contain himself anymore. The fact that he could not and would not reveal himself as their brother was eating him alive. The change he saw in Judah was enough to tell him that there had been real change in his brothers and that they care for each other as a family. Even when he spoke to them in Hebrew they could not believe that this was the Joseph they had sold into slavery . Perhaps the greatest test was that of Pharoah himself approving and elated that Joseph had finally reunited with his family. He was forthright in showering his approval to the reunion with his blessing (a far cry from the days of Moses) and what that might mean. The news from Egypt astonished Jacob and when he saw the entourage that came from there to pick him and the rest of the clan up - he believed and saw the prophesy fulfilled. The dreams of Joseph and what God had promised him in Gen 35:11-12. God would let him "see" these things that would occur after his death but for now he was content to see Joseph.

Got back to NJ and Delly yesterday after a tumulous flight from MCO - rain and wind was intense. The drive back was much better going down later after dinner and getting myself settled for the long day ahead. Still, I enjoyed the weather down there and it was just a foretaste of what I hope is to come.

All in all, good to see GG and spend a day with my friend's in-laws (the father is recovering from heart surgery at 87) and pray with and for them.

Praise for today: But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!" Ps70:4

Gen 44

The testing continues, Joseph plants a silver cup in the saddle of Benjamin's ride and sends his servant to retrieve them after they have left to go home. The 10 are brought back and Benjamin has to stand in prison until they can prove his innocence. What is truly striking is the change in Judah, the one who sold Joseph into slavery. He was willing to become a slave so that Benjamin could go free. The attitude is one of selflessness rather than selfishness to the highest degree. The importance of the birthright was interesting as well since now Benjamin appear to have be the chosen one with Joseph out of the picture. Their actions proved that they who were passed over for the birthright were accepting of that fact. They knew that they ran the risk of Benjamin becoming a slave for his perceived actions and that the birthright would be given among the ten, but they were beyond that. They truly were concerned for their brother and the effect on their father who was getting older and was miserable without him.

Great day at MK, got to see the lighting of the castle, Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes from the train station (after we got there at 5 PM) - a lot of standing but well worth it. Going back to Epcot to see CP with GG and Irene.

Praise for today: Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Ps 66: 20

Gen 43

Apparently, Jacob and the family seemed content to let Simeon rot there in jail. They are the food that was intially bought and ran out which prompted Jacob again to request that food would be purchased from the Egyptian leader. The brothers told Jacob of the conditions placed upon them and the money in their pouches which caused hm to lament further. He didn't want to see Benjamin go but did so under Judah's care. They went with more cash, more goods to secure more food. They were hesitant, with good reason, but were treated like royalty and even had a reunion with Simeon. The things that Joseph did seemed odd to them but they were still unsuspecting of who they wre dealing with. When Joseph saw Benjamin he had commanded restraint to stop his emotions but made sure that he was treated better than the other brothers at the table. He also learned his father's condition and was pleased. Still he kept his identity hidden.

For Joseph, it was all about seeing if they had changed their attitude and their outlook on life. Were they still cruel, jealous and selfish or have they changed.

We went to  Celebration Community Church's new building that was in town. For the last 7 years they had met at the high school and now unveiled their new facility which was impressive but still a work-in-progress. Enjoyed the service and the sermon immensely. Also saw the movie Descendants which was an interesting flick with the fam. First attempt at a pork roast at the slow cooker - came out pretty decent with mashed potatoes and green squash.

Off to MK today with the troops and looking forward to that.

Praise for today: Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Ps 96: 7-8a

Gen 42

Desperate people do desperate things, and so it was for Jacob and his family. He has already seen the demise of his favorite son, the brutality of his other sons and now he watches as the family is in the midst of a extreme famine. He is angered and sends his idle sons to Egypt to but grain/corn from the ruler there but he leaves the youngest, Benjamin behind. As the 10 make their way to the leader, they bow before the ruler who was Joseph, fulfilling the prophesy that was set years before them. He tested the brothers and called them spies in order to find out how they have progressed over these years. He must have alter his appearance so much that even his brothers couldn't recognize him and he probably spoke to them through an interpreter in Egyptian. One thing that was not mentioned in the earlier chapter was that Joseph pleaded for his life when he tossed into the pit. That was brought out in their first update encounter. Reuben also made Joseph, who was unaware at the time, that he did feel for him and regretted the others' action. Still, despite his own weeping of the situation, he had Simeon bound in prison as they prepared to bring the youngest before him. Joseph not only filled their bags with grain but unbeknowst to them gave them back their money. When they found the grain and the cash, they were dismayed since now they appear as theives. Jacob, is now brought into the picture and doesn't want to give up Benjamin. Jacob, who fears that Benjamin will be lost to him as well as Simeon and refuses to comply despite Reuben's noble offer and thus the chapter ends.

I wonder what Simeon felt when he was placed into prison and how he felt he drew the "short straw". It was Simeon and Levi who massacred the men at the deflowering of Dinah, so he was a man prone to violence and brutality. Does he feel remorse or shame? Can someone like him change his stripes? Does he fall to his knees and come clean before a holy God?

Pretty good day yesterday - went to AK to pick up a free calendar (as a season passholder) and then went shopping before picking up GG at the airport. Went to Smokey Bones (my new fav BBQ place) and had lunch, went with Irene to the Disney Movie Studios to see the Osbourne lights and then came back and made dinner for the family.

Praise for today: Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble Ps 41:1

Gen 41

The tide has turned in c. 41 as now two years have past and the country and its leader faces a dilemma. God had placed a dream in the heart of Pharoah and only through Joseph can and will it be answered and addressed. The cupbearer to Pharoah finally acknowledges who was the one who can read dreams and allowed Joseph a chance to shine in the presence of Pharoah. Pharoah, while he delusional in his thinking that he is a god, still acknowledges his humanity and seeks to be a leader of his people over the long haul. Joseph, through all of this, still acknowledges the Lord and is faithful to His calling. He advised Pharoah what to do and in all things was not self-promoting or scheming to get a better position - still the Lord blessed him. Through Pharoah, he became the second in command  to bring Egypt through the next 14 years. He was also given an Egyptian wife who bore him two sons who had Hebrew names and were raised as such. God saw fit that this was acceptable. Through Joseph, Egypt was well prepared for the famine that was so severe that other countries would be clamoring for food to be bought from the stockpiles of Egypt.

It did take a while and through it all, God  did provide for Joseph and the world back then.

So far it has been a great few days since coming down to FL. Work has been extremely trying and still have to stay close to the BBerry as that world evolves. Still nice not being there.  Went to Epcot yesterday and saw MWS at Candlelight Processional - our annual tradition. With a late lunch, it seemed to have been our only "real" meal for the day. Weather here has been more on the cooler side for FL but still extremely nice and remains the goal for the balance of my life. Wed nite had a great meal at Smokey Bones and looking forward to returning at a future date.

Prayers for my sister-in-law and her family as they lay to rest U. Ralph today. Looking forward to having GG with us the rest of the way down here.

Praise for today: Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Ps 31: 23-24

Gen 40

This is the start of Joseph's tale of interpreting dreams for others. Here lies the fate of two of Pharoah's servants - the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. Joseph maintained his dignity and his integrity during this whole time while being in charge of the prisoners. He respected God and his holiness so much so that the prisoners trusted him. After interpreting the dreams of the two, one was restored while one died according to the dreams. The restored man, the cupbearer did not remember Joseph despite all that he had done for him. I often wondered why he didn't. Was it lack of memory or desire not to remember the past and who was good to him, or was it more that this was not God's timing for Joseph since the famine was not imminent. Still begs the reality of "no good deed goes unpunished" and it was so for Joseph for two more years.

All in all, a good but tiring week. Came back to NJ on Tues and went to one of my favorites, Red Robin. It was the drive from hell with the lousy weather and terrible roads - nearly 3+ hours for a normal 2 hour drive. Still it was worth it seeing everyone. Wed was a work day out of Princeton. Thursday was good since we had a small crowd of 31 for T-giving, pretty easy cleanup - took me an hour to do the dishes, pots and pans. Friday was a work day out of Princeton and went to a Bahama Breeze restaurant locally with Daniel and Irene. Sat was good - did my 2.5 mile walk and got the lights up and dinner with the in-law family at a diner. Sunday was the church luncheon where I cooked and was real tired. Thank goodness for a dental appointment yesterday before heading down to Delly. Today, heading home and off to FL for a week.

Heard some sad news on Sunday about U. Ralph who passed away after an extremely long bout with Alzheimers and a failing body. He will be missed but at least he is now in the arms of Jesus. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend any of the services/interment since we'll be gone. Prayers fo the my s-i-l and her family.

Praise for today: For God is King of all the earth: sing to him a psalm of praise. Ps 47:7

Gen 39

The story of Joseph unfurls with him being a slave in the household of the captain of the guards, Potipher. Joseph is given a chance to shine and became the head of the household and the affairs of his master. God blesses Potipher through Joseph and the promise is starting. Alas, the "desperate housewife" of Potipher wanted something above and beneath the job description of head of the household from Joseph, who in deference to the Lord, couldn't and wouldn't oblige her. She plots to take her revenge as a woman scorned and rejected and thus sends Joseph to prison where he proves that the cream rises to the top and is put in charge of many things there. The Bible doesn't say if the blessings that Joseph brought through God lasted after Joseph was sent to prison. It is my guess that it wasn't and Potipher and his wife was just given their one chapter of fame and shame and lived the rest of their lives in obscurity and mediocrity. What an interesting chapter due to the intergrity and determination of a young man, Joseph who rose above his situation and was blessed because of his faith and lineage - a sharp contrast to his brothers.

Heading home tonight and working out of Princeton tomorrow and Friday. Looking forward to seeing GG later as well as Dave and Irene. Hopefully the traffic and weather will allow for a reasonable commute.

Praise for today: Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Ps 55:22

Gen 38

What an interesting chapter, much like the chapter with Dinah, this one involves Judah and Tamar. Judah, the fourth son in the lineage of Jacob, and the next in line to receive favor from his father after the eldest three severely disappointed him. His first son who was married to Tamar, died after the Lord struck him down due to his evilness which left the second one, Onan, to fulfill the brother's obligation to have offspring which would not be credited to him. He decided that since the offspring would be his - he practice birth control which was also wicked in the eyes of the Lord and he was struck down as well. The next in line was Shelah but given the past history of the other two, Tamar decided to live with her father. In the meantime, Judah's wife died. Tamar goes out of her widow's garb to get dressed up and lo and behold, she and Judah hook up. She decided that until she got her payment for her services she was going to get Judah's seal, cord and staff. She gets pregnant and ultimately charged with prostitution to which it is revealed to Judah that it was he who did the dirty deed and was not put to death as charged. The tale of twins is again replayed here as two sons, Perez and Zerah  were born with Perez who was supposed to come out second came out first. I guess the ultimate significance was the establishment of Perez who would be the recorded lineage to Jesus.

Looking forward to this weekend  and getting stuff done before T-giving. Weather looks decent for the weekend.

Praise for today: Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. Ps 97:12

Gen 35:12-36

This begins the journey of Joseph towards fulfilling his dream but it was frought with danger, subtefuge and ultimately suffering towards the character building aspect of his life. Joseph started out as Jacob's eyes and ears and went out to meet his brothers in Dothan. When they saw him, they plotted to kill him but was thwarted by Reuben who either felt responsible to him or who wanted Joseph to pass on his birthright back to him. Ultimately his intent was to show his worthiness to Jacob by saving and securing Joseph. Judah was the one who concocted the scheme to sell him to the Ishmaelites who were passing through without Reuben's knowledge. Without Joseph, Reuben had to come up with a plan to reveal Joseph's demise and thus brought the famous coat with a dead goat's blood on it to put the legacy of Joseph behind him and them and hopefully secure his father's birthright and blessing. Jacob was so distraught that he could not be comforted by his family and mourned for his favorite son. Meanwhile, Joseph is sold to Potiphar by the Midianites.

One has to think why the detail and why him? This becomes the greatest and the most detailed story of perserverance and integrity that is recorded in the Bible. It is also a story of redemption and fulfilled promises.

Yesterday's events were sombering and sobering as 3 collegues were let go. Prayers go out to them and their families as they reconstruct their lives out of this dismal economy. Hard to say if this is it... Let's hope so.

Praise for today: Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; let the upright in heart praise him! Ps 64:10

Gen 37: 1-11

It seems that there are times that the Bible whizzes through history and merely glosses over time but as Phillip Yancey said "Genesis slows down when it gets to Joseph, and it shows God working behind the scenes". With Reuben, as the oldest, in line for the birthright but severely disappointing Jacob in c.35, the birthright was given to Joseph, the firstborn of Rachel. This was indicated by the special coat of many colors that was given to him by Jacob. This overstated the love of Jacob to Joseph and in turn created resentment and hatred between siblings. While he was blessed by Jacob and by God, he didn't really endear himself to his brothers and his parents by stating his dream that they will all bow down to him one day as ruler over them. Still while Jacob protested, he pondered it in his heart since he knew that God does work in mysterious and miraculous ways.

Long but enjoyable day with a dinner in Philly @ Capital Grill - excellent food and am glad it wasn't on my dime. Got back late 10ish so decided to bag the gym today.

Praise for today: The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Ps 28: 8

Gen 36

The listing of Esau's descendants were placed in this book to show how God did bless him despite not being the chosen one. The lines that came from Esau were extensive and showed how they banded together to forge a nation that was successful and thriving in the world's eye but still not under the banner of God and thus would be under the sword of Jacob's lineage. Esau married away from the house of Abraham and the writer reminds us of that with Esau's first two wives. Because he married "away", he could never carry the lineage of Isaac. He would be known forever as the father of the Edomites.

The situation at work in my eyes is getting a lot more terse. With review time comes the reassessment of the future. Seems like comp will get cut and how severely is always a question. It's been a while since we have adjusted our workforce and in the eyes of many, that could be troubling as it was in 2009. Still my hope is in the Lord and I'll live it one day at a time.

Praise for today: As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. Ps 18:30

Gen 35: 16-29

The 12 tribes of Jacob would now be complete but it would cost the life of Rachel who would die during childbirth. Benjamin was Rachel's son borne "out of sorrow" but would be Jacob's son "born out of his right hand". Since the term "right hand" was used, he would receive the blessing. It  seems like Reuben was to be the one that would want it so he slept with one of Jacob's wives and because of that Joseph was given the birthright over the others. The chapter ends with the death and burial of Isaac as the two brothers who were reconciled buried their 180 year old father together.

Tiring weekend with a lot of stuff done around the house. Nice to see all that came this past Saturday. Back to the gym this morning.

Praise for today: Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Ps. 80:5

Gen 35: 1-15

God finally told Jacob to settle in Bethel (house of God) and then to build an altar as a reminder of who was with him during his fleeing from Esau. I guess after the actions of Simeon and Levi, safety was a primary concern and they overstayed their welcome. Jacob obviously embraced the change and new direction and commanded them to "get holy" before this trip. God's protection came in v. 5 which allowed them safe passage. It was noted of Deborah's death who was Rebekah's nurse and her burial at a place called Allon Bacuth ("oak of weeping"). Even before the Levitical law was given, certain offerings (drink) was done and oil was used to signify cleansing and healing.

So now Jacob has come full circle, decades later, from the place in c 28 where he first encountered the famous ladder dream. The road to and from had given him the perspective that ultimately God was in control. Who says you can't go back home again?

Short day today and hopefully will get home early. Looking forward to the weekend and seeing everyone.

Praise for today: Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? Ps 113: 5-6

Gen 34

The violation of Dinah and the subsequent action of Simeon and Levi was one that would change the landscape of the relationship between the 12 tribes and the surrounding nations forever. Shechem's action were repulsive and his attitude towards Dinah and Hamar's request for intermarriages would be dealt with in a way that led to the death of all the males in the Hivite tribe. Not only were content in "righting the wrong" they took the next step and looted the city where their sister had be defiled and carried off all the wealth and all of their women and children as plunder. While their motives of revenge could be justified, Jacob in v.30 foretold of the troubles that would occur in their future.

From the commentary:

God had promised to make Jacob’s descendants into a great nation. But Jacob did not want that nation to be a wicked nation. So, Jacob needed to teach his sons about God (Genesis 35:1-15). Nobody in the story was innocent. Dinah went out to visit those people. That was a dangerous thing to do. Hamor and Shechem did something wrong to her. And they were not honest with Jacob’s family about it. Hamor and Shechem were not honest with their own people either. Jacob probably should have done more about Dinah’s situation. But he was perhaps more worried about his own safety among his neighbours. But the behaviour of Simeon and Levi was terrible. The brothers punished the men in Shechem too severely. They were cruel. It is clear that people in Jacob’s family were bitter and angry. And they were behaving like people who did not know God.

Oh well, back to work for a day and a half. Hopefully, today will be non-eventful (ha!). Wishing my cuz, Elaine a great birthday!

Praise for today: For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Ps 57:10

Gen 33

"The only thing that we fear is fear itself" an elder statesman once said. Thus was the meeting between Jacob and Esau. Both sides have changed and God had moved these two opposites closer together. Jacob was weakened physically from his encounter with God but was stronger spiritually. Still Jacob was cautious when approaching the unknown but he was growing more humble and reliant upon God. Esau accepted and he was also blessed by God and was more passionate about the reconciliation. He ran... and proved that he too was Issac's son by his own compassion. As they traveled, they grew closer and were truly brothers again. Despite the objection, Jacob gave and paid homage to his older brother as he passed through his land but knowing that he passed as a brother and an ally. Still the Bible said that the older will serve the younger and in later books this will hold true. The camp that Jacob finally set up was called Succoth before settling in Shechem which is in the country known as Canaan.

Glad to be back on the right coast and relatively adjusted to the 2 hour time difference. It was nice that Geege met us at the gate after a grueling night of flying and I hope he got some rest. Had a nice time over dinner with Evan and it was nice to catch up with him. Heading down to Delly later this afternoon.

Praise for today: For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice;  the upright will see his face. Ps 11:7

Gen 32

"I'm going home, to a place where I belong" - I'm sure that Jacob wasn't humming that song (because it wasn't written and he doesn't appear like the humming type) especially since he knew that Esau was still there. Prior that, the chapter opens with the Jacob seeing the glory of God in the form of His army of angels. After all that had transpired between them and despite the years that have passed, Jacob knew that he had to face the man that he screwed out of his birthright and the blessing. He knew that he had changed - become more humble and was able to stand on his own and ready for God's purpose. Jacob had accumulated much wealth and a tribe of kids to which to start a nation. What would await him especially since he knew that Esau had 400 trained men which indicated what direction that he took. Still he had no idea what would await him. Discretion still seem to be the best route and he split up his wealth and offered up half of it to appease Esau as a peace offering. Rather than be in the front of the brigade, he chose to stay behind just in case Esau was still in a foul mood. Still that was not enough for God and chose to wrestle him to test Jacob's resolve. The result was that God blessed him and changed his name to be a nation.

What a chapter! While Jacob feared what will Esau do forced God to meet him again to test his resolve. He feared Esau even with God on his side and at his side - angels. At least he was fair in splitting his wealth and not try to screw Esau again in intent. Now with the final test behind him, he was ready to meet his brother. I sometimes am like Jacob when circumstances like this come my way - holding back just in case God doesn't stand with me. What a fool I have been in those circumstances.

Great day yesterday! Went to Valor to see that awesome complex, had lunch at Joe's #3 which was featured in Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, saw a spectacular rock display called Garden of the Gods, had my first Colorado pizza at Beau Jo's with the fam in a really nice weather day. Still tough to get used to the thin air but the air is so clean and dry - just bring moisturizers.

Heading home soon but will definitely be back! Glad to see that this area missed a snow storm so that our flights out shouldn't be affected by it. Will spend the night in NJ before heading down tomorrow for Delly.

Praise for today: In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you, Lord alone, make me live in safety. Ps 4:8

Gen: 31: 22 -52

Once a user, always a user. Seems like Laban's (and his sons') whole world  revolved around Jacob's ability to work and be a "slave" rather than relying on their own abilities. Laban's sons are content when they are not bearing the workload and so is Laban. It seems that the Lord met Laban on the road to give him a warning but it seemed that the idols that governed his life meant more than the Living God that spoke to him. Still he  was admant that he was in the right and that his daughters was the only incentive for him to live. If he was so loving, he had a lousy way of showing it. Still it took an accounting of Jacob's life with Laban and a search by Laban (even though Rachel sticking it to him, which almost cost Rachel her life) that finally put the matter to rest. Jacob told him and the world that God Almighty had already judged and gave the verdict long before this encounter had ever occurred. Still, Laban went back defeated and with his tail between his legs. As for Jacob, he would not take any more wives and sacrificed  to seal the deal.

Great day and time so far in Denver. Went to Harvest and enjoyed their first anniversary as a church and hooked up with some old friends for lunch. Saw the Red Rock Ampitheater and downtown Denver where we had our first taste of bison. Still trying to keep on the Eastern time zone. Noticing the altitude and clearness of the air but the lack of humidity is apparent as well. Gym time this morning  was affected by the air but still got it in. Today visiting Valor HS and hopefully going to Garden of the Gods (weather permitting).

Gen 31: 1:21

Jacob decided that it was time to move on. Laban's sons were grumbling on how they were getting treated and what could be left of their inheritance as Jacob's wealth increased and Laban's attitude towards Jacob was souring as well. The Lord spoke to Jacob and told him to leave. He explained to his wives how his situation had developed and how he was getting screwed by Laban and God's dream and vision for him and his family. Rachel and Leah, not suprisingly, gave a similar view on how Laban had been treating them as well - so there was really nothing keeping them there. Rachel stole the things that were precious to Laban, household idols, and Jacob packed up and left Laban high and dry without telling him where he was going.

Finally, the boy becomes a man and follows his mandate. Jacob is now dependent upon God and what He will provide. His lessons are learned and his character is now formed into what God can use. Often times we need to read the writing on the wall and seek God and his wisdom even when we feel that things are fine.

Looking forward to the weekend and flying out to Denver tomorrow. Tonight is family worship and hopefully I don't get home too late to go.

Praise for today: Your ways, O God, are holy, What god is so great as our God? Ps 77:13

Gen 30

The truly dysfunctional family is the story for c 30. Rather than enjoy and rejoice in the oldest sister's fortune, Rachel was jealous and went as far as blaming Jacob for his sexual prowess. She went as far as giving her maids to Jacob as wives so that she could enjoy the sons born to them rather than through Leah. As a result, 6 sons were born to Leah, 2 to Bilhah and 2 to Zilpah. Rachel was even distraught enough to use "mandrakes". According to the commentary, "Mandrakes were plants. People thought that those plants could help a person to love his or her partner. They thought that the plants could help barren women. The plants would help such women to become pregnant. Rachel had never been pregnant. And she was desperate to have children. This is why she wanted the mandrakes." Clearly, Leah was not the favorite even with Jacob when it meant spending "love and relational time" but she was the most fertile as she produced 6 of the 12 sons that were Jacob's. The Bible usually doesn't record female births but the one of significance (in future chapters) was Dinah. The Lord finally granted Rachel her wish after many years of learning to depend upon God and gave her two sons.

The chapter ends with the parting of Jacob and Laban. Jacob was so trusting in God that he didn't scheme to take the best but rather the blemished as his parting wages. Laban, being the snake that he was, was willing to have one over on Jacob even after Jacob made him wealthy beyond measure. The markings on the cattle that Jacob had were surface at best since God gave him stronger animals as a part of the blessing.

God was in this family despite the strife that existed. He granted blessings not out of their goodness but out of His and the promise.

Another decent day yesterday and hopefully the trend continues. Glad to see that GG got all he needed to get done and will look forward to seeing him in Denver this weekend.

Praise for today: I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Ps 140: 12

Gen 29

I guess the lesson from this chapter is humility and character building. Jacob finally makes it to the home of Laban, his uncle who is a snake of his own proportions. It is not clear whether he was instructed by God in the deception of the 14 years of labor so he can marry off his two daughters but he clearly profitted from the free labor from Jacob. Still he was deceived into marrying the less desirable Leah, the oldest and it was from her that the first four of the twelve tribes of Israel would come. The deception was culturally based since she was veiled and was not revealed until after wedding ceremony was complete. Clearly this was a family with issues, Leah was fertile initially while Rachel was not. Rachel was loved by Jacob while Leah was not. Leah, while she could not garner any love from Jacob received her love from the Lord who heard her cryies and blessed her with four sons.Still the character building was going on in the life of Jacob, who learned to serve instead of scheme and humility rather than pride.

Decent day yesterday so no real complaints, just praise. Glad GG got home ok, and has some home time for things he wants/needs to get done. Also good that Dave's getting his rest and Irene is doing ok.

Praise for today: Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Ps 80:19

Gen 28

The journey from Isaac to Jacob is now complete. He has been summoned by Isaac and the rest of the blessing is revealed later by God. The lineage of Isaac was to be carried by Jacob and not by Esau. Marriage and the sanctity of the lineage was not to be extended to the Canaanites in this fashion and thus Jabob was forbidden to marry a Canaanite woman. He was to go to the land and people that gave him his mother Rebekah. The telling sign that Esau was his own man and not that of his father or of God was that he didn't care who he was marrying and went out of his way to align himself with Ishmael's line.

The ladder aspect was always fascinating to me of how He chose this picture to reveal Himself to Jacob - nevertheless it was effective enough for Jacob to commence his relationship with God and fulfill his mandate and receive the Promise. The important aspect at the end of the chapter was Jacob's decision to tithe out of his poverty not out of his wealth.

Glad to hear that GG is coming home although we won't cross paths until this weekend when I go to Denver. Also glad that things are restored in NJ as well.

Praise for today: The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore. Ps 121: 7,8

Gen 27

Lying and deception finally is complete. The die is cast and now Jacob has stolen the blessing from his brother Esau. The sale of the birthright was done earlier and now the blessing is at stake.

Isaac became an old man.

From the commentary: He thought that he might die soon. (But in fact, he would live for many more years.) Isaac wanted to give a special blessing to Esau, who was Isaac’s first son. Esau was also Isaac’s favourite son. The whole family realised that this blessing was an important matter. Isaac was a holy man. God would be present when Isaac gave his blessing. And Isaac’s words would not just come from his own imagination. Isaac’s words would be a prophecy that came from God’s Holy Spirit.

Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive the blessing instead of Esau. And Jacob himself was desperate for the blessing. Previously, he bought the birthright (the rights of the oldest son) from Esau (Genesis 25:33).

Jacob obtained Isaac’s blessing by methods that were not honest. But the blessing that Jacob received really came from God. And it seems that Jacob received nothing from Isaac except the blessing. Esau received great wealth in Canaan (Genesis 36:6). But Jacob left Canaan with very few possessions (Genesis 28:20).  Jacob left home quickly, because he had to escape from Esau. But the blessing was all that Jacob really needed. And, as Jacob escaped, he received an even better blessing. God himself spoke to Jacob. The God of Abraham and Isaac became Jacob’s God too (Genesis 28:13-21).

Jacob used the tact, "by whatever means necessary". Deception, like the apple, doesn't fall far the tree. God did not object to this so it must have been ordained. The importance of the blessing was far more than even Jacob realized. There was no mention of a relationship between Jacob and God or even with Esau and God. So we don't know if God was even in the plans of Jacob when he and his mom devised it. I am sure that Rebekah knew God and the importance of the blessing - otherwise she wouldn't have gone to the lengths to ensure Jacob's place.

Good weekend despite the snow and the shoveling. Minimal damage to the property due the freakish storm but the neighborhood saw some decent road closures and down branches and trees. No cable and internet. At least we have phone and power. Saw Courageous on Friday and loved it - very moving film. Saw In Time and was relatively pleased (6-7 out of 10). Made a great dinner on Sat and just rested.

Prayers for Megin as she and Jesse plan their future.

Praise for today: For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see His face. Ps 11:7

Gen 26

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Each person has to experience and have a relationship with Christ and God. Abraham had his and now the mantle is passed to Issac. He was told to Gerah due to the famine in Canaan by God. Issac felt that the only way he could survive was to claim Rebekah as his sister rather than his wife. How similar was that when Abraham also encountered an Abimelech. I guess this was either a common name or was the title given to a king or leader of the Phillistines. I guess Isaac made the same mistake that his father did not realizing that their sense of sin was higher than both Isaac and Abraham thought. They too recognized that sleeping with another man's wife was a sinful act - punishable by death. Deception for self preservation was a family trait. It seems that Isaac still flourish under the Lord's supervision there and the questions of wells and their ownership came to the forefront. After being driven away by Abimelech given his wealth and power, he settled in a land that his father did. The Lord prospered him with water from his father's wells. Upon the realization that Isaac was blessed by God, the treaty between he and Abimelech was sealed with a meal. The chapter ends with Esau and his wives and their lack of relationship with Isaac and Rebekah.

Looking forward to tonight - going to see Courageous with Irene! Rain, glorious rain forecasted for tomorrow.

Praise for today: From the Lord comes deliverance. Ps 3:8

Gen 25:19-34

It was amazing that God would make Isaac and Rebekah wait almost 20 years until He would bless them with a legacy. It was Isaac prompting and calling upon God that started the whole process which meant to me that they would have to seek their "daily bread". The struggle of the twins within her was litterally tearing her apart and she had to ask the Lord about this. This was to me a sign that she too had a relationship with God and was willing to come before Him about it. The struggle of the ultimate promise was at stake and while both were in the womb fighting about it, only one (Jacob) truly knew the significance about it and was waiting for the most opportune time to get the birthright. Even being a skilled hunter, Esau was not always successful since he came home from a trip and failed to secure food. It was his need for the immediate that outweighed his need for eternity. It also didn't hurt Jacob to have his mother in his corner which helped seal the deal. The sale of the birthright was significant since it proved to all (including God) that Esau's dependency was on his own initiatives and not that from God.

I am glad that in this day and age, we don't have the "birthright" to sell. I love and treat my sons equally and according to their needs and personalities. Had a great talk with GG last night and am very, very proud of him. Hope to spend more time with David this weekend as well. The rain forecasted for this weekend should make this a quiet and relaxing weekend.

Praise for today: The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Ps 85:12

Gen 25:12-18

The tale of Ishmael and his descendants are listed here for closure and historical significance. He, like Isaac through Jacob, have 12 sons and spawn 12 tribes but would choose to live opposite his brothers closer to Assyria. These tribes would be more aggressive and would be more prone to war and violence. Still the promise to Hagar and Ishmael would be kept that he, too, would have significance and worth in the Lord's eyes.

When I think of my sons, I often think of the legacy that they will leave and pray that in all of their ways that they have and still will acknowledge Him. I feel confident that they are His and He will never let go of their hands.

Starting to feel slightly better and will try at least to do some gym time today and tomorrow. Have a  business dinner tomorrow night and maybe a gametime decision but more than likely will go.

Praise for today: From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Ps 3:8

Gen 25:1-11

It seems that after (or maybe even before) Sarah's death that Abraham took on more wives and concubines. The account in v. 6 suggests that he "carried out the mandate" and became the father of "many" nations. Each one of them was not given the birthright or the fortune that Issac got and he sent them far, far away. The death of Abraham recounted his life as happy as he lived until 175 years. Not a bad thing and what was significant was that both Issac and Ishmael participated in their father's burial. He was buried in the same place that was set aside for Sarah. God then blessed Issac after the death of his father, Abraham. The reminder of the grave and that it was purchased and owned by Abraham was important enough for the author to recall.

Came home early yesterday to just chill out and recoup. Still not up to the gym, probably either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Praise for today: Great are the works of the Lord, they are pondered by all who delight in them. Ps 111:2

Gen 24

A beautiful but extremely detailed account of the Isaac and Rebekah. This account is one of faith and perserverance but also of obediance and answered prayers. Abraham was simply putting into motion the gameplan for eternity but in doing so entrusted the details and the execution to God. By entrusting and giving spiritual charge to his servant, he impressed upon him the importance of the task. This servant must have been so impressed with Abraham's faith that he too was seeking the Lord's guidance in this matter. The repetition of the account to Laban was classic since he left no detail out and impressed upon Laban the timeliness of his return. Laban was in no position to argue or to negotiate his end but we know that he was filled for his own agenda as he screwed Jacob in later dealings.

Long, tiring and exhausting weekend. Need a break from all of these tiring weekends.

Praise for today: Good and upright is the Lord. Ps 25:8

Gen 23

Sarah lived for 127 years before she died. What was significant about the Bible's mention reflects the importance of Sarah in the Bible. This was the only time that a woman's age was revealed upon her death. As a loving husband, Abraham grieved for her and wanted her to buried in the land that they were aliens in. So he asked to buy the land that she would be buried in rather than accept it as a gift. The peoples around the area respected Abraham so much that they wanted to give the land gratis but Abraham couldn't given that he knew of the 400 year exile. The plot of land was transacted for 400 shekels of silver - pretty steep price but it's all about location. I'm sure the area that Abraham had in mind was prime real estate. The cave that was used to bury Sarah was to be used for other relatives upon their passing.

It is hard for me to conjure what it would be like for me to bury Irene. Statistically, the opposite has been in vogue and so I tend not to think too deeply about it. I know that I would suffer deep and trying loss but still comfort knowing that she will be with her Savior.

This weekend is another "out-and -about" Saturday. Trying to do my morning walk before going to an Elders meeting and then the GFC Fundraiser. Long day but hopefully not too stressful. Glad that GG went to see Courageous and was encouraged and challenged by it. I too want to see it but the local theaters aren't inclined to carry it.

Praise for today: Be exalted, O God above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. Ps 108:5

Gen 22

A father's heart is only tested when he is asked to go above and beyond. The sacrifice of Issac was to be his defining moment and he passed. After waiting more than a lifetime to be a father, Abraham was instructed by God to sacrifice Isaac at Moriah. He proceeded to obey the Lord without hesitation and with great faith that God would provide the lamb (v 9). The hearing of God's voice twice in this episode was truly a sign that God was ready to now truly bless and not withhold anything that was promised to Abraham and his descendants. Abraham knew that the true meaning of worship included sacrifice (v 7) and fear (v 12). God mattered to Abraham above everything else. v 20-24 introduces the future wife of Isaac - Rebekah.

This story has been told and read countless times but still never loses its impact. For me, it is not if I would sacrifice them but how much I would sacrifice for them. God has provided me with two wonderful sons and I would lay my life down for either one of them or Irene as well.

Prayers for Chris Kent and his family as he goes to be "fully realized" with Christ. I met him once in Florida when he played for Twila Paris and he had a musical anthology of performances and recordings that spanned a few decades. He was and is a true man of God.

Praise for today: Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, He will not grow weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases power to the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Gen 21:22 - 34

It seems like when God is on your side who can be against you? Clearly Abimelech knew this and want to align himself with Abraham. The covenant between the two parties was interesting simply given prior dealings. Abimelech knew that he had to extract a true agreement between the two parties and had to seal the deal with more than a handshake. I guess I don't blame him given the prior deception and Abraham's need for self-preservation. In the case of the well, the only way that Abraham could prove it was his was to give Abimelech (the king) something unique and of value as a sign. The covenant gave both parties the peace that was needed. The tree was a sign that Abraham was now ready to settle down.

This week has been a relaxing one in that after Monday, I decided to give my body some rest and skip the gym. Probably will do the AM Sat walk before heading out to the Elders meeting and the GFC fundraiser. Still need to work on our study for Friday night and that shouldn't take too long. Overall relaxing and getting the sleep I need.

Prayers for Heather and her family, Megin and Jesse (GFC staff workers and all-around lovers of the Lord and His work) and for the GFC Fundraiser. Continued prayers for my peeps and their families. Glad to hear that GG will be home for Thanksgiving. Thanks to Irene for booking the trip to Denver (hotel, car, etc) and our December FL trip.

Praise for today: Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Ps 115:1

Gen 21:1-21

This chapter defines the birth of the nation of Israel. A baby is born to Sarah and grows into boy. He is the promise that God had intended for Abraham. Having her promise from God is not enough for Sarah. The abject cruelity/jealousy that rages with Sarah forces Hagar and Ishmael away into the desert where God comes and gives meaning to them both. He does make a way for them both and defines a nation in a different way. I appreciate what the commentary has to say about this: Sarah did not want trouble between Ishmael and Isaac. She realised that these troubles might become more serious. Isaac would become the head (leader) of the family when Abraham died. Sarah did not want Ishmael to oppose Isaac’s right to lead the family. Paul discusses this situation in Galatians 4:30. He explains that Isaac was born because of God’s promise. So, Isaac was born by the power of the Holy Spirit. But Ishmael was born in the natural way. Christians too should live by the power of the Holy Spirit. But other people live in an ordinary way. So, Christians should not be surprised if other people oppose them. And Christians should not copy the behaviour of people who are not Christians.

Similar to Sarah earlier in life, Hagar also had encountered the living God and was assured of their place in history but she too had her doubts and cried out for help. Their turn was much different as they became 12 nations that were of the desert ilk. Still a remarkable chapter, all said.

Can't wait to get home and see the family albeit in a frenetic way this weekend - 2 weddings on Sat. Still ...

Praise for today: My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart. Ps 7: 10

Gen 20: 1-18

I guess the Bible leaves out some of the rhyme and reason why Abraham and his family left where they were. Perhaps the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah left the area totally non-productive and they had to seek "greener pastures". Still, the next step of his life reveals much about his character and how God would intervene to allow Abimelech and his people grace since they were not at fault. Abraham defend his actions and his deceptions/lies simply for self-preservation and not once was it written that he consulted the Lord as to what to do. God covered his tracks. Abimelech did the right thing and returned Sarah to Abraham. I guess she was "hot" even at her age. I think that God's intervention and his instruction to Abimelech spared and actually blessed Abraham since he, as a prophet, profited from the deal.

The days are getting shorter as we go into the winter solstice and of course that means the "s" word. Still enjoying these days and the temps. Starting to enjoy some of the new shows - Person of Interest, A Gifted Man and Terra Nova while still enjoying some of my fays. Still need to re- Kindle my readings. Ha!

Praise for today: Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness. Ps 115:1

Gen 19: 30-38

The weird get weirder! I just love what my commentary says about this:

Verses 30-38 Lot soon left Zoar. God had promised to keep him safe there. But Lot did not trust God. Lot went to live in a cave with his daughters. He had been very rich. And he had lived in an area where crops grew easily. But now he lived in a cave. He owned just a few things and most people in his family were dead.

Like Noah, Lot drank too much. But Noah had first worshipped God. And he did not get as deeply drunk as Lot did. Lot’s daughters acted in a worse way towards their father than Noah’s son acted towards his father. Lot’s older daughter made things seem worse for her than they really were. There were young men not far away, whom she could marry. And neither girl suggested that they could go to Abraham for help. Lot got drunk on the second night too. He did not know what his daughter had done on the first night. Even so, he was foolish. The daughters made their father drunk. They knew that their actions were wrong. People realised that sex between close members in a family was wrong. However, God did not punish Lot’s descendants because of that. In fact, the descendants of both sons became important nations.

I guess nations had to start from somewhere. I think it is true that they were very prideful people back in those days not to mention selfish. Desperate people do desperate things. I guess it was just the moral decay that was pervasive back then.

Replaced stuff that was missing after the car got broken into the other night. Was glad that all they took was what they thought had value still have that feeling of violation. I just am thankful they left certain essential things. Still things could have been worse.

Praise for today: Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life- men without regard for God. Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.  Ps 54: 4-5

 

Genesis 19: 1-29

It seems like this story has many parts to it. Why did Lot stay with his family since he knew the evil that surrounded him. It wasn't like he couldn't afford to move and was tied to that community. He was an elder that knew of the vileness of the city but could nothing to stop it. The visitors (2) were practically pushed into Lot's house to prevent them from being violated and were well attended to by Lot and his family. The crowd of both young and old men want to have sex with the visitors were protested by Lot and his family. He was willing to put his own daughters up to prevent his guests from harm. Yet the crowds did come in but the Lord blinded the crowd so that the visitors would not be seen. Yet the evilness of the crowd still want to pursue their goals. Lot did see the errors of his city and when the angels foretold of the city's destruction, he want his family to leave (without their future husbands) but was rebuked by the family. Still God did save Lot and his family by sending them to a small town where they took refuge. As soon as Lot entered Zoar, the Lord rained down sulfur and burned the city that was once his home. Lot's wife was warned not to look back and she too die by becoming a pillar of salt. How sometimes we long to satisfy the desires that represents the old things. Abraham comes to aid Lot to return to him at the end of this section.

Good weekend and relative easy morning. Got a chance to use my crockpot yesterday and made chicken and ribs with bbque sauce for the week. Glad the family got home safely from FL.

Praise for today: For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. Ps 48: 14

Gen 18: 16-33

How do you bargain with God? Can one do so and ever really succeed? I don't think so. If God is all-knowing, all-powerful and all loving, His steps are calculated and good. God showed Abraham his intent for Sodom and Gomorrah which forced one of the Bible's most interesting interchanges between man and God.

I also like what I read from the commentary: Verse 19 Here, ‘I have chosen him’ means ‘I have known him.’ God knows each person among us. He was helping Abraham to become his (God’s) friend. God gave a short list of Abraham’s duties. He told Abraham to bring up his family in God’s way. That meant that they should obey God. And they should act fairly. God can only carry out his promises to us completely when we continue to obey him. To act fairly may mean to do the right things to other people.

Still it all comes down to choices and consequences. Sodom and Gomorrah made theirs and were willing to die by it. They had to have know their consequences but the sad thing was that even Lot wasn't able to change the culture of the area and was willing to stay and suffer the consequences. Abraham might have felt he won a victory over the Lord in his exchange but in reality God's standards never and can never change. We have to change to meet them.

Great evening seeing Chuck Girard, Jay Truax, Bob Wall and Tommy Coomes sing the songs that changed a generation and especially me. I look forward to seeing them tomorrow. Prayers for GG today! I know that the rest of the family is enjoying their time in WDW.

Praise for today: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever. Ps 107:1

Gen 18: 1-15

No one knows how long the pause was between 17 and 18. Perhaps it was a decent enough time that gave Abraham and Sarah both cause to think that the son promised to them was not imminent. Still in the heat of the summer, God came and delivered. He was customarily kind to the three visitors who apparently were no threat to him and he had a meal prepared for them. He gave them water to wash their feet and food for energy to be on their way. God then delivered the news that Sarah, this time next year, would be a mother of a son. While skeptical, she lied about her emotions to the Lord. What was special about this was that God said he would come back to deliver the promise. The visitor was special given his ability to "see and hear" Sarah.and deliver beyond her childbearing abilities.

God's timing is never, ever ours. It is true that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. I just stand in awe of Him.

Seeing Love Song tonight at a local church. The last time was nearly 40 years ago. Taking my camera and old stuff to get signed. Can't wait!

Praise for today: Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like that of mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. Ps 36: 5,6

Gen 17:15-27

The attention is now turned to Sarai and her name and purpose will change. Her name (which once meant "princess") will be changed to Sarah and she will be the mother of many nations and kings will descend from her. Despite Abraham's inability to conceive (ha!) that God will do unnatural things to both of them given their age, he is told that he will have a son and his name will be Issac. What is interesting here is that Abraham still held to the notion that Ishmael would be "the one" and prayed that God would be with him. God assured him that Ishmael would receive a just reward but not this one. Still the balance of the section was the keeping of the covenant on Abraham's side with his, Ishmael's and the rest of the males receiving circumscion at the same time. Since Ishmael received his passage into manhood at 13, I guess his was the first Bar Mitzah ever recorded. God also left and would return in 18 to fulfill His promise.

This was a huge step in the life of the nation of Israel. The lineage and the covenant was set and all man had to do was to "trust and obey".

Prayers for Irene, David and GG as they go to FL for a long weekend along with my cousin Jimmy. Hope they enjoy themselves as they head down for Food and Wine. As for me, it's heigh ho!

Praise for today: He is good and his love endures forever! 2 Chr 7: 3

Gen 17: 9-14

Circumscion - the act of cutting a male's foreskin on his manhood. Some say that the practice was started as medicinal but before the notoriety from this passage, some tribes in Abraham's time were already doing it but to young boys as they entered manhood. The difference now was that this was to be done to babies before they turned "of age" to promote the covenant and the inclusion into God's household. When my sons were born, even though they were not of Jewish persuasion, they too had to go through this as did I.

The physical act of circumscion however does not lead to the obediance into God's household. We all know that the circumscion of the heart is what is looking for - then and now. We need to cut away at the desires that will lead us astray and prune the dead branches that will keep us from blossoming as a productive and healthy entity. Sometimes it takes swallowing the humble pie and pride so that His light shines forth.

Praise for today: How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Ps: 139 17

Gen 17:1-8

How often do we read the currency that we use to secure our goods and services? "In God We Trust" is on every piece of currency we use and it proclaims a trust that the One behind it will never fail. The book of Genesis now takes a new turn in the relationship between God and man. The man, Abram, is now to be known as Abraham because that is the name that will mean - Father of many nations. The covenant, like all contracts, is based upon trust and adherance to the conditions. All Abraham had to do was not sin and God would do the rest. Of course, moral laws were not yet defined by God in a recorded fashion so the concept of sin was relative and ambigious. Still, the logical question that was to asked by Abraham was "what is sin?" I don't think the "don't ask, don't tell" concept really applies here nor is ignorance bliss. Still all Abraham could do is absorb and hopefully learn. God did promise that the marriage covenant would be the only means that  a rightful heir could be established since God did ordain and bless marriage back in 2:24.

Good weekend, got some cleaning done, saw Moneyball with the family and had a good day at church. Still not a good day for my team being thoroughly embarrassed on Sunday night. Good chat with an old friend and talk/prayer with GG. Getting ready to go back to morning gym time.

Praise for today: I love you, O Lord, my strength! Ps 18:1

Gen 16:7-16

I guess this is the first time that an angel of the Lord appears in the Bible (not counting the fallen one). According to the commentary, either the angel of the Lord or God is mentioned around 70 times. Still this is one for the ages, that God has come down to meet a woman and comfort her and assure her that she, in her own way, will be blessed, comforted and restored despite her being an Egyptian slave. God, through His power and wisdom, has given her the means and the incentive to go back and fulfill her role to Sarai. God was not promising that her life would be a bed of roses but rather that it will have challenges. She would be going back knowing that her place in history and her descendants would be secure and that she had the Lord as an advocate. The name of Ishmael was given to the baby by Abram to give validity to his role as a parent.What is also significant is the well that this all took place. God uses the well to symbolize a place of reconciliation and of promise. If you don't believe me, ask the Samaritan woman.

Looking forward to the end of this day and going home for the weekend. 'nuff said.

Praise for today: The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Ps 121: 7&8

Gen 16: 1-6

In this short passage, several character issues have arisen as we learn more about Abram and Sarai. Abram is weak as a family leader. Rather than trust God would have a remedy for his lack of heirs, he allowed Sarai to convince him that this was a viable way. The child that would come from him would be a special child and must come through the proper channels in order to funnel the nation of Israel and the Messiah. Additionally, Abram did not take the job of pleasing and protecting his wife seriously since Hagar was cruel to Sarai and gave her the responsiblity of handling it.  Sarai, also didn't trust God. I don't think that she had the same relationship with God since the Bible is silent as to any prior dealing that God might have had with her. She was a vengeful woman who once was unleashed became a living hell for Hagar. Sarai missed the boat when she thought that sex was the sole answer to a happy marriage since she blamed Abram for not being appreciative for her intents. Hagar was also a character in her own right with flaws given her ambitions and her malice towards Sarah.

Looks like the start of a either a sitcom or a precursor to the show Divorce Court. I think that total lack of understanding on the part of Abram of God's plan and his inability to ask starts this cascading snowball down the mountain. Still things and people have not changed even as we are versed in what happened thousands of years ago.

Today and tomorrow will be a horror show at work as quarter-end is approaching. I think the lesson learned and applied will be that it is out of my control and God is never going to give me more than I can handle.

Praise for today: But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. Ps 3:3

Gen 15: 7-21

The covenant is something is that is sacred and everlasting or until death do them part. Here was a case where the covenant was not just for a man but his descendants and with God who is eternal. Unlike deeds and title that are written documents that one keeps in a safety deposit box, there was a ceremony that took a special twist. Abram had animals sliced in two and the Lord had a smoking pot between the pieces. Along with fire, the smoking pot passed between the two halves. The Lord laid the plans for the descendants of Abram, not just for the land they are in but in their time in Egypt.

Usually when a covenant is made, there are conditions on both parties. Here the driving force and the promises were coming just from God. Abram just had to trust God and He would do the rest. Our Christian life while is two-way often becomes just uni-directional as we often fail to keep our end of the deal. I often see that in myself and my shortcomings. I just pray that the Spirit leads me daily to come to Him and acknowledge Him in all my ways - every moment.

Praise for today: Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord is Holy. Ps 99:9

Gen 15:1-6

Apparenly, Abram was so against the King of Sodom that he chose not to align or support him in any way. By taking a reward would be tantamount to support so Abram refused to be a part of him and his "evil" empire. The chapter starts with "after that", which to most means that some time has past between 14 and 15. Abram chose God to be his reward and the period of faith and relationship between he and God has now brought him to a new point in his life. In this instance, God chose to be the initiator and called to him in a vision. God felt that the timing of the next phase of Abram's life was ready and that came with numerous testing and interaction that prepared him for this. After all of this, he asked God for a son to carry his name and lineage. While this seems bold, it was only logical and thus the plan for eternity was set.

How often are we timid or bold when we approach the throne of God? Do our requests seem outlandish or noble? Do they mirror the will of God or of ourselves? After reading the Great House of God by Max Lucado, I am convinced that every prayer is precious to Him and He alone will sort out the selfish from the noble. It is our prayers that stoke the furnace and makes His house our home.

Prayers still for my peeps and for Irene who just went through root canal surgery yesterday. I am also praying for the ailing and the lost.

Praise for today: May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. Ps 119: 172

Gen 14: 13-24

Interesting that Abram is now referred to as "the Hebrew". While he by trade was not a physically trained man of combat, he had the means to recruit 318 men that were born in his household to rescue Lot and his family with their possessions. It seems that the 318 had help since there were a bunch of neighboring kings that he defeated. Perhaps the most interesting was the encounter with the King of Salem, Melchizedek - who met him with the communion elements and Abram in turn, gave him a tithe. Apparently, he was more of a priest than a king. The best was the facial that Abram gave the king of Sodom.

Decent but extremely tiring weekend. Leadership meeting, paying respects at the funeral home, Lion King in 3D, church on Sunday and the drive down was worse when you are not feeling well (runny nose, coughing, etc).

Praise for today: Blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand - Gen 14:19

Gen. 14: 1-12

Here was a case of enlightened self interest as friend of mine likes to say. With the areas being controlled by kings of small regions, they often got together to defeat a larger enemy or to plunder an area to maintain their own people. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah banded with a few other kings to form their allegiance and they were attacked by the other four kings. The land was so scattered that there were a lot that fell between the cracks when it came to aligning with a kingdom(s) for protection or support. Abram fell in this case and since his allegiance was to his nephew's welfare he got involved upon knowing that Lot would be affected.

I feel much like Abram when it comes to stuff like that. I don't get involved in the office politics and try just to do the "right thing" except when my peeps get affected. The same is true with politics in general whether it is on a local or national level. Don't get me wrong, I do vote at nearly every election I can and encourage others to do so as well. Perhaps my attititude is based upon apathy or trust that God is still in control and I have very little influence on the matter, after all - I do click "like" on FB to show my opinion... Isn't that enough? ha!

Prayers for Johnny, Pearly, Preston and Mabel as they are going through a tough season. Johnny's dad passed away and I'll be paying my respects tomorrow. Mabel, the baby, has some respiratory issues which required a hospital stay yesterday.

Praise for today: That our Lord restores us, makes His face shine upon us so that we can be saved. From Ps. 80: 19.

Gen 13

A tale of two men - Lot and Abram. Abram had it all - wealth and the Lord on his side. Lot had much too and with their combined wealth, their entourages clashed. It got to the point where "this town isn't big enough for the two of them". So rather than fight it out, Abram did the noble thing and gave Lot the opportunity to branch out on his own and go whereever he wanted. Rather than consult the Lord, Lot chose what was perceived as the "greener pastures". God assured Abram that he would not get second best and what was more important would be with him every step of the way. The man trusted and obeyed and built an altar to the Lord as a sign of faith and appreciation.

How often do we get tempted by the "greener pastures" whether it is a house, job, car or even location, spouse, etc. It is our greed that drives us and our perception rather than our trust and obediance to the Lord. We (and I) need to realize that our God will never give us second best and He will meet all of our needs. Beauty is truly skin deep when measured against the standards of eternity. The other aspect that I think should be mentioned is contentment - are we content in the Lord, or are we trying to "assist" the Lord along the way? I pray that I do trust and obey as well as be content in the Lord and seeking His ways.

Interesting day at work - 3 banks that were downgraded along which was BofA. The significance in that is my small pension is attached to that (via ML) and hopefully that will still be intact when I am ready to retire and draw upon it. The Fed also chose not to follow a path of lower interest rates on excess reserves which would have put a anvil in my industry and maybe my job down the road. Thankful and praiseful.

Praise for today: Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Ps 55:22

Gen 12: 10-20

Canaan was a pretty arid spot so it would not take long for Abram to leave there and head to Egypt where the land was more conducive. We know that God had trusted Abram but it took a while for Abram to trust God. Already the seeds of his character have started to sprout and shows in his cunningness and sense of self preservation. One can make the argument that he told "half truths" but ultimately there is a lack of faith and trust that would lead to a dialogue between Abram and God. In the end, Abram who benefitted from the gifts bestowed upon him left with Sarai while Pharoah suffered.

Prayers for today: praying for Johnny Leon and his family as they grieve the loss of their father. Hope to get to the wake on Sat morning before the leadership meeting.

Praise for today: How great your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! Ps 92:5

Gen 12: 1-9

Trust is a very unique quality. Some of us like myself hate to move out of our comfort zone. We tend to stay with people that we are accustomed to, eat certain types of food, stay with the same job (albeit a good thing in my case), live in the same neighborhoods and homes. It takes extreme circumstances to push us into something. Marriage is the same thing - trust, especially when two spouses are away is am essential key element to success. The Lord prompted Abram in an audible voice to leave his comfort zone and move. As mentioned yesterday, the Bible only mentions relationships - good and bad with man and God. There must have been much history between Abram and God to prompt such a calling. Unlike putting your trust in man, God never fails and is powerful enough to carry you through. In the case of Abram, he was promised so much yet as he looked around there was nothing to justify his moving and following God - just God. Sometimes, I need to realize that God is enough and the sole reason that I should.

Praise for today: His strength is perfect, when all hope is gone!

Gen 11: 10-32

The balance of the chapter goes through Shem's lineage. While the first born to Shem occurred two years after the flood, the lineage is traced to Abram. As the children are born, the life expectancy of man diminishes as was foretold in 6:3. While these are real people, the Bible doesn't really dwell on their lives - just their lineage. The story of faith doesn't really pick up until we get to Abram. The real plan for Israel doesn't start until v. 27 and goes until 12:9 since the Bible doesn't really concentrate on people who don't have a relationship with God. Terah, Abram's brother and Lot's father, probably didn't have a part in God's plan and died and was buried in Haran.

All in all, good weekend but another wedding Saturday which led to a tiring weekend. Found out I had to move all of my furniture away from the outlets that will be changed today so that was a pain. Hopefully, this will go smoothly and be over today. Good to see all of the kids who have moved away from the NY/NJ area that came back for this wedding. This Saturday is the Leadership meeting at our church so that is another Saturday that I can't chill, ugh!

Praise for today: You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you (Ps 89:8)

Gen 11:1-9

I guess I was mistaken in my last post regarding the language aspect of the world at that time or the timing in 11 preceded the lineage and language aspect of c 10.. The unity and pride of the people were such that it was defining their self worth and their ambitions. They felt their greatness was something that was theirs to grasp and take. Ultimately God saw fit to take that away from them and give them diversity of language and ideas. v 7 was interesting since it expresses the Trinity aspect of God. Thus they started to populate and diversify the world. Also the world has never been unified in mind, spirit and purpose ever since.

When I think about this passage and the outcome I am reminded by a song in the late 60s/early 70s called Everybody's Talkin' by Harry Nilsson which became the theme song for the movie Midnight Cowboy. Looking forward to this weekend and the wedding tomorrow. Daniel is home for this and of course I am looking forward to seeing him. Glad to hear that Irene's dental issues are being resolved. Decided to stay in my apartment for another year rather than move. I guess the "devil you know is better than the devil you don't know". While this is going to cost me $40 more monthly - the cable/internet bill will be unchanged so that will be somewhat manageable. I guess I'll be relegated to try and cut costs elsewhere.

Praise for today: that God has provided such a wonderful weather day for me! praying for traveling mercies for the weekend.

Genesis 10

The world and mankind starts anew.  The three sons of Noah are now the "Adams" of this section of Genesis. Perhaps the point of interest is how fast this all has occurred and how scattered they have become - truly to start nations.Families and tribes became nations and scattered all over. Japheth's sons took over the area around the Meditterean and north towards Europe. Ham's family moved south and into North Africa. His descendants landed in Canaan but they seemed to have a greater influence in the shaping of the Bible and particularly in places like Sodom and Gommorah. Shem’s family comes last in this chapter, although his name comes first in verse 1. We do not know why that is so. Perhaps it is because the Book of Genesis continues with the story of Shem’s descendants. Many of Shem’s descendants moved east. But this list also contains the names of places that are elsewhere. What also is amazing is that language and cultures grew out of this and of course - diversity.

These are real people who started real nations and cultures and languages. Amazing!

Spoke to an old friend (MKM) yesterday who called me out of the blue. Great catching up with him and setting his school up with some places and activities when they come to NYC next month. Hoping to see him in Nov in his area.

Praise for today: He is the Creator of all and is in contol!

Gen 9: 18-29

Bad things do happen to good people. Noah was a good man who did become a farmer and was able to "subdue the land".  Perhaps he was the first to invent or discover wine. He became a slave to his creation and thus revealed his weakness and a lot more. Still one son didn't honor and respect him while the others did. The Bible is unclear how Ham disrespected his father (some speculation was that he had a form of sex with him) but upon Noah regaining his senses, he (through God) cursed the descendants of Ham (the Canaanites) while blessing the other sons and their descendants. We know that Noah was blessed since he lived over nine hundred years and was the last one to do so.

All in all, it was a good day yesterday. Work dinner and got back early enough. While the rent is going up, at least the cable bill won't for the next year.

Praise for today: He loves me more than I could ever love Him!

Gen 9:1-17

Another chapter of promise and hope. Man is given another shot to have dominion of the world and to start again. Litterally the slate had been wiped clean. How many times do I wish I have had to opportunities to have started over, not said the hurtful or spiteful things. I think of all the things that I shouldn't have done and sins that I shouldn't have committed. Still God is a God of second, third .. chances. The promise of that type of worldwide destruction is no longer an option in God's eyes. The chapter also emphasizes the holiness and sanctity of life - especially when it comes to our dietary needs. This section ends with the rainbow and the promise and sign of the covenant between man and God.

Starting to get back into the gym routine. Long day today with a business dinner at a local restaurant. Hopefully I will survive - good company should see me through this as well as a forecasted nice day today. Prayers for Irene and her dental issues.

Praise for today: That my God is a God of second, third and many chances.

Gen 8

This is a beautiful chapter - when you put yourself in Noah's shoes and the world that you know ceases to exist. Some would look at it as despair and uncertainty but this is a chapter of hope and promise. Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and while we were in the area on Sat (for a wedding) and at church on Sunday, I felt safe and secure despite the terrorists warnings. God "remembered" Noah and acted decisively and positively on his behalf. It took over 150 days for the water levels to subside before the ark "settled" down. It seems that the first bird that was sent out was carnivorous so it fed on the dead animals that died during the flood. The second (dove) was not and need to eat vegetation. The olive tree seemed to have survived the flood and was blessed to feed the dove and to prove that it was growing again. The significance of the olive tree was seen in Hosea 14:6 that Israel would be like an olive tree. Despite the limited animals on the ark, Noah sacrificed to the Lord so that He would be honored and pleased.

Enjoyed the weekend despite the tireness, the lack of sleep and the long days before coming back to the apartment. Saw a young girl get married that came to our church and our lives a few years ago and she has been a blessing to me ever since. After they got married and their honeymoon, they will be moving to Buffalo to start a new life. Buffalo's gain is our loss. Still we "survived" the added security of the events yesterday in lower Manhattan and was able to pray with GG last night.

Taught my last SS class for the time being and really enjoyed doing so. Good kids and will hopefully make the right choices. Good service and remembrance at service as well.

Prayers for those who lost loved ones and remembered them yesterday and forever.

Praise for today: God will never give me more than I can handle.

Gen 7

The flood... This chapter was especially poignant given the amount of rains that the eastern seaboard of the US has experienced over the past few weeks. Today, rains and floods can and have caused devastation and destruction. Lives have been changed forever because of it. Not because of anything that could be prevented given the sheer quantity of rains that have fallen in such a short time. Churches and homes that were dedicated suffered with those who are non-believers today. In the times of the chapter, it was particularly devastating since it would cover the whole earth. A ship with all of God's creation apart from a family would start over and flourish. Even the mountains were under water.

Rain is such a fickle commodity - it can make or break a crop and it can help a lawn and plants while cleaning the skies and the land or damage a home beyond repair. The chapter also doesn't mention the hearts of those who were taken in the biblical flood - whether or not they converted.

With this weekend approaching, I am on one hand looking forward to a friend's wedding on Saturday but the location near the 9/11 site may become an issue - especially for transporting stuff. Still God is in control and we will be diligent, particularly when it comes to safety given all of the warnings about a possible terrorist act.
Still it has been a great week down here and am thankful that God has provided this place and Irene to be here to enjoy it. Glad to have GG down here for the first part of the week and looking forward to seeing David later.

Praise for today: Jesus is the Living Water that flows out of me!