Chapter 5
This chapter really spoke to me. Jesus is said to be sitting at the mountain teaching his disciples about the things that have been said but what really should be now lived by. Things such as love your neighbor and hate you enemy; He says to love your enemy just the same. Jesus brings up commandments and explains how they are vital for salvation pretty much. I just love Jesus. He is so gracious in His teachings. One thing cool I found out is it’s a sin to be mad at someone! I am trying super hard now to not shed anger towards anyone. This chapter really teaches you LOVE is the movement. Just LOVE! (and praise Jesus)
Chapter 6
This chapter really spoke to me because Jesus is basically saying don’t worry what other people think about you. But more than that He is saying flat out DO NOT WORRY. It’s comforting to read this chapter because Jesus is saying that God will take care of us in our times of prayer, fasting, giving…that He will provide as long as we are not being boastful in our ways. I think that is really cool. Just take heart knowing that Jesus got your back! He won’t let anything bad happen to you as long as you stay faithful in your devotion to Him. Closing with this verse: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Is that not super comforting? I am so comforted reading that verse.
Chapter 7
I will just jump to my main thought and that is the ending. The crowds just heard Jesus speak about not being judgmental, to ask, seek, knock, learned about true and false prophets and disciples and the crowds are just in awe of His teachings. It is described that they were amazed because He taught as one with authority and not a teacher of the law. I think it is really cool that they were so taken in by His word. I just can’t help but thinking how amazing it would be to witness this all. Must have been just incredible.
Chapter 8
Jesus is healing people like crazy in this chapter! Where there is healing needed He is there. I love how people come to Him so humbly and in return humbly He heals their loved ones. However, until he gets to the demon-possessed men who test Jesus and He tells them to do what they recommend which lead to their death. Just like that Jesus goes from hero to zero and is asked to leave the town. People are dumb. That is my ultimate thought. Jesus did so much to heal the people in their community and that one thing which wasn’t His fault at all; He immediately becomes a bad guy.
Chapter 9
Don’t the Pharisees just tick you off sometimes? They are just so ignorant in their thoughts and views. Jesus is healing the blind, the mute, the demon possessed, the dead to live, etc. and the Pharisees say that it is by the prince of demons that drive out the demons. I just can’t help but feel they want to believe Jesus but their pride won’t let them which I think is ridiculous. I think that this is such a cool book of the New Testament so far. I love seeing how Jesus came to be and what He has to deal with and the amazing things He does.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Matthew - Chapter 1 through 4
Chapter 1
The book of Matthew, the opening to the New Testament, starts off with the genealogy from the Old Testament starting with Abraham. It is interesting to see how there are 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile of Babylon and 14 from the exile to the creation of Jesus Christ. I think in some way 14 stands for something; like there is significance to the number 14. Whether it's been found out why or not, I do not know what it stands for but find it interesting, nonetheless.
The chapter goes onto the details of how Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, soon to be Mary's husband is sketch of this. I don't blame him...how exactly would you tell your soon to be husband that. "I got pregnant through the Holy Spirit." Sounds like a good excuse a teen girl would come home to tell her parents. I know I would be like, "Ya...sure..." And I am sure that is how Joseph felt because he had planned on leaving Mary until the Holy Spirit came to him in his sleep to confirm Mary's statement was true. Can you imagine? I can't. That would be so much to take in at one time. I just love Mary and Joseph's faithfulness to the Holy Spirit though. They did what was asked of them and went on to have the child the Holy Spirit told them to name Jesus.
Chapter 2
All I can imagine when beginning to read the first part of this chapter is how amazing it would be to live during the time of Jesus, our Saviors, birth. The chapter begins by saying how the wise men searched for Jesus to bring Him gifts and worship Him. I am just astounded! Can you imagine living in today’s world and society learning that a baby was born to a virgin and that we should praise and worship Him and call him our king? People would think insanity instantly. (I.e. the movie Evan Almighty)
So far this chapter is really humbling because Joseph is such a faithful man of the Lord and is so obedient to what the Lord tells him to do. On multiple occasions the Lord told Joseph to move his family otherwise Jesus would be found and killed. When defined in the dictionary of “man,” Joseph’s face should appear because he does so much for his family. It is just incredible. Even when the Lord doesn’t direct Him, Joseph is faced with decisions for the safety of his family and leads them. I just love how strong Joseph is.
Chapter 3
This chapter goes onto say how John came to Judea. While this is a much narrowed down story of how John came to Judea it is still cool to see how John is so strong in what he believes. He told people how it was; that they are living in sin and need to repent and be baptized. So, many people did come to John to be baptized. The next part just really humbles and strengthens me. Our Jesus came to John and asked to be baptized. This floored John. He basically told Jesus, “You should be baptizing me.” But Jesus just told him that this is proper. If others are being baptized to accept the Holy Spirit so should He. It just astounds me because Jesus is perfect. Do I think He needed to be baptized? No. But He saw fit for it, not to please society but to bring glory to God. I just find that Him doing this just shows how He was not boastful but humble in His ways.
Chapter 4
WOW! Jesus was tempted by the Devil in so many ways in this chapter. After fasting for forty days and nights the Devil came to Jesus and tried to have Jesus eat, test God and tempted Him with riches. Jesus always said no our declared what is written in the word of God. Finally in the last temptation to Jesus, the Devil says get down and worship me and you will have it all. Jesus declared for Satan to flee from Him and that He will only worship God. I am in awe. We are tempted in our everyday life and fall into temptation at the snap of a finger. While, I am sure, the thing Jesus was tempted with was nice, He said no. Can you imagine saying no to every temptation? I don’t think it would work out in our favor. But it’s nice to know that we are forgiven.
Also in this chapter is the first scripture stating that Jesus can heal the sick. Which I think is so amazing to have the power through God to do such a thing. I can’t imagine all the people being down with it. And it often makes me wonder if I was living back then would I be team Jesus or not? I would like to think that I would be.
The book of Matthew, the opening to the New Testament, starts off with the genealogy from the Old Testament starting with Abraham. It is interesting to see how there are 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile of Babylon and 14 from the exile to the creation of Jesus Christ. I think in some way 14 stands for something; like there is significance to the number 14. Whether it's been found out why or not, I do not know what it stands for but find it interesting, nonetheless.
The chapter goes onto the details of how Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, soon to be Mary's husband is sketch of this. I don't blame him...how exactly would you tell your soon to be husband that. "I got pregnant through the Holy Spirit." Sounds like a good excuse a teen girl would come home to tell her parents. I know I would be like, "Ya...sure..." And I am sure that is how Joseph felt because he had planned on leaving Mary until the Holy Spirit came to him in his sleep to confirm Mary's statement was true. Can you imagine? I can't. That would be so much to take in at one time. I just love Mary and Joseph's faithfulness to the Holy Spirit though. They did what was asked of them and went on to have the child the Holy Spirit told them to name Jesus.
Chapter 2
All I can imagine when beginning to read the first part of this chapter is how amazing it would be to live during the time of Jesus, our Saviors, birth. The chapter begins by saying how the wise men searched for Jesus to bring Him gifts and worship Him. I am just astounded! Can you imagine living in today’s world and society learning that a baby was born to a virgin and that we should praise and worship Him and call him our king? People would think insanity instantly. (I.e. the movie Evan Almighty)
So far this chapter is really humbling because Joseph is such a faithful man of the Lord and is so obedient to what the Lord tells him to do. On multiple occasions the Lord told Joseph to move his family otherwise Jesus would be found and killed. When defined in the dictionary of “man,” Joseph’s face should appear because he does so much for his family. It is just incredible. Even when the Lord doesn’t direct Him, Joseph is faced with decisions for the safety of his family and leads them. I just love how strong Joseph is.
Chapter 3
This chapter goes onto say how John came to Judea. While this is a much narrowed down story of how John came to Judea it is still cool to see how John is so strong in what he believes. He told people how it was; that they are living in sin and need to repent and be baptized. So, many people did come to John to be baptized. The next part just really humbles and strengthens me. Our Jesus came to John and asked to be baptized. This floored John. He basically told Jesus, “You should be baptizing me.” But Jesus just told him that this is proper. If others are being baptized to accept the Holy Spirit so should He. It just astounds me because Jesus is perfect. Do I think He needed to be baptized? No. But He saw fit for it, not to please society but to bring glory to God. I just find that Him doing this just shows how He was not boastful but humble in His ways.
Chapter 4
WOW! Jesus was tempted by the Devil in so many ways in this chapter. After fasting for forty days and nights the Devil came to Jesus and tried to have Jesus eat, test God and tempted Him with riches. Jesus always said no our declared what is written in the word of God. Finally in the last temptation to Jesus, the Devil says get down and worship me and you will have it all. Jesus declared for Satan to flee from Him and that He will only worship God. I am in awe. We are tempted in our everyday life and fall into temptation at the snap of a finger. While, I am sure, the thing Jesus was tempted with was nice, He said no. Can you imagine saying no to every temptation? I don’t think it would work out in our favor. But it’s nice to know that we are forgiven.
Also in this chapter is the first scripture stating that Jesus can heal the sick. Which I think is so amazing to have the power through God to do such a thing. I can’t imagine all the people being down with it. And it often makes me wonder if I was living back then would I be team Jesus or not? I would like to think that I would be.
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