Walking Thru the Word Day 5

Today's segments were Gen. 12-14, Psalms 5, Matt. 3:1-12 and Acts. 3

Today in the Gen. segments there was a lot of talk about "pitching your tent". If you have not seen the YouTube video of the poor pastor who mixed up his words when he was preaching about "pitching your tent" you so need to find it! If you have already seen it then get your giggles out now and then read on!!

Gen. 12: v8 "From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an alter to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord." When Abram was at a crossroad and had to go east or west (good decision or bad decision) he pitched his tent and called on the name of the Lord. Oh how I long to be still and learn to just wait and call on the name of the Lord when I do not know what direction I should go. I am a doer so I tend to run all over the place trying to figure out a solution instead of just being still. A little over a year ago I was in a situation where I had a decision to make. Was I going to go east or west? I am so very thankful that God brought this verse to my attention exactly 2 months before I even knew I would be going somewhere! Another verse that was and still is a great reminder to me is Is. 30:21 " Whether you turn to the right or to the left your ears will hear a voice behind you saying This the way-walk in it."

Gen. 13 and 14: v.12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tens near Sodom. There is one little word in that verse that is a great warning for us. Isn't Lot so much like us. He did not (as of v.12) actually go live in Sodom just near it. He was not really going all in, he just wanted to be around it. He liked flirting with sin/danger. Just like us, the whole near thing wasn't enough and in Gen. 14:12 we find out that indeed Lot has moved in to Sodom. One of the things that is most frustrating to me is that Satan really has not changed his ways or his methods to tempt us and the sad thing is he does not have too! We still want to flirt with sin and think when we get to deep we will stop. I do not know who said it but I love the quote " Sin will keep us longer then we ever intended to stay and cost us more then we ever intended to pay." I do not want my first response to be "Where is the line?" I want my first response to be "Where is Christ?"

v.18 Melchizedek.....I think Melchizedek is just going to be one of those people that I will not ever fully be able to wrap my head around this side of heaven! I have spent months studying about him and still really do not know anymore then when I started! If I ever complete Percepts Hebrews I hope to get a little glimpse but he is most definitely on my list to ask God about!

Psalms 5 v3 " In the morning O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my request before you and wait in expectation." I posted this on facebook earlier today and will include it here. I am very good at the laying my request out before him part but not so much the waiting in expectation. I long to have an expectant heart. I 100% believe that God can do anything I ask but my attitude while I am waiting does not match my belief. Instead of being anxious for an answer I long to be able to wait expectantly. My Lord does hear and He will answer. The difference is not the outcome but my heart during the process.

Matt. 3:1-12 The verse that really sticks out to me is verse 8 "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." I also want to look into a little more exactly what a "winnowing fork" is. I know it has something to do with separating wheat but I want to dig a little more.

Acts 3 Peter and John heal the beggar at The Gate of Beautiful. I love verse 12 when Peter says "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you?" Don't you think God wants to say that to us today?! I know that He wants to shake me sometimes and say "Lori why does it surprise you that I came through on your behalf? I am who I say I am. I can do what I say I can do. You are who I say you are. The Word of God is alive and active in you. God holds the entire universe together by His powerful Word (Heb. 1:3) yet we do not think He can handle whatever it is that is currently rocking our world. When we hear about miracles today....are we surprised or do we say "well of course that happened because look at our God!"