Job 19-20

Job still thinks that these bad encounters are not because of him doing wrong deeds. He feels that these are induced by God. Hope has been taken away from him. (19:1-10) We are told he is righteous enough to say this, but it sounds awfully similar to people complaining the bad things they go through and say God left them. Surely, they are not righteous as Job is!

Psalms 27-29

• Steadfast faith in God, tries to live with him (27:4) and trust God will look after him (v5)
• He knows he will be delivered from the enemies and has a heart to give thanks (v6)
• Very encouraging to learn off David especially when we are weak and are surrounded by temptations

• God will protect and is the rock, the foundation. (28:1-3)
• Trust God judges fairly. (v4-5)

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

-- Psalms 28:7

Ruth

• Ruth was very loyal to mother-in-law. Although Naomi did not want them to be widows forever, Ruth chose to stay (1:16) Declares the true God as her God

• Ruth a hard worker (2:7)
• Boaz provides Ruth despite she is a foreigner (v8-10)
• Ruth is protected from danger (v22)

• Ruth trusts what mother in law says (3:5)
• This is supposed to be very great loyalty to marry Boaz (v10)

Genesis 36-39

• Geneology of Esau (Edom) - Chapter 36

• Brothers jealous of Joseph (37:4)
• Joseph was given a vision to rule over his brothers (v5-8)
• This time in another dream, he finds himself ruling even his parents. (v9-10)
• "Here I am." (Isaiah said that to God - v13)
• They plot to kill Joseph (v14-20)
• Reuben repented at the last minute (v21)
• Made a plan to say he was killed by animal (v22-33)
• He was sold to Egypt (v36)

• Chapter 38 had the biggest immoral and inter-relationship issues.

• Joseph has all this respect and power given to him. He is handsome but he does not abuse the powers given to him and sin against God. Notice he fears God more than not being accountable to his master. He he is accountable to God, he will be accountable to his master. (39:1-9)
• Joseph was framed in raping master's wife (v14) and put in prison (v20)
• Joseph has lived a testimony to affect the guard's life next to him (v21), and was given power (v22)

Week 10

Mon 30 Jun 2008	Genesis 36-39
Tue 01 Jul 2008	Ruth
Wed 02 Jul 2008	Psalms 27-29
Thu 03 Jul 2008	Job 19-20
Fri 04 Jul 2008	Isaiah 51-55
Sat 05 Jul 2008	Matthew 26-28
Sun 06 Jul 2008	1Corinthians 3-4

1 Corinthians 1-2

• Called by the will of God. God made the decision (1:1)
• Grace and peace from God (v3)
• Thanksgiving nature for what God has given (v4-6)
• Who will sustain to the end (v8) - assurance that God will be there with us in every moment
• No division within a church (v10). Paul explains there is no division in the body of Christ so no division in the church (v12-13)
• Wisdom cannot in beyond God's thinking or his plan (v19-22)

• Paul may have delivered a respectable speech, but he humbles himself and honours God for using the spirit to guide him (2:4)
• God's wisdom is not our wisdom, otherwise Jesus would not have been crucified (v6-8)
• And God's wisdom is revealed through the spirit (v10), because the spirit is from him and no one can understand him better but through himself.
• So it is not our wisdom who teaches us but through the Holy Spirit (v13)

Ruth

When reading Ruth, I realise how a faithful, happy family can experience unfortunate event and how this unfortunate event can be the beginning of a blessing.

From how Ruth takes care of Naomi, I can imagine she is a faithful woman who is loyal to her family. The death of Naomi's husband and the two sons is perhaps the worst thing which could have happened in Naomi and Ruth's life. Unfortunate event brings a lot of sadness to the happy family (Naomi calls herself Mara).

However, this seemingly unfortunate event could be the beginning of a blessing. Ruth continues to be loyal to Naomi and obedience to God after her husband is dead. She meets Boaz and eventually becomes the grandmother of one of the great kings, David; and the ancestors of the Saviour and the Lord, Jesus. How great is that blessing!

As I think about this, I am really encouraged by Ruth that, while we may be facing the most unfortunate, the worst thing in our life, we can never imagine how God will turn it around.

Matthew 23-25

• Jesus says what the Pharisees say is right, but don't follow their actions, because they do not live what they teach. Jesus wants us to live God's teaching, not just speak of it. It all comes from the heart (23:2-3)
• They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, but they are not willing to take on these burdens. (v4) Consistent with the fact that Jesus wants us to carry our cross.
• They do it just for people to see them. So they can earn people's respect. (v5) not to please God.
• There is only one leader (whether it be called rabbi, teacher, father, or instructor), and he is Christ Jesus. It's wrong to have other religious leaders leading on earth. (v7-10)
• And he is there to serve (v11), for "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (v12)
• Proselytes are supposed to be very bad? (v15)
• Jesus says that the scribes and pharisees have missed the point. They go so much into the details and forget what the source of 'sacredness' comes from(v16-21)
• Jesus says they are good on the outside, but bad on the inside by comparing them with the insides of cups and plates (v25-26)
• So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hpyocrisy and lawlessness. (v28) and describes them as serpents and brood of vipers.

• Foretells the fall in the temple. (24:2)

Signs of Closing of Age

• v7: Nation will rise against nation - wars we have, Iraq, Afghanistan; Famines and Earthquakes (China)
• v9: Christian persecution
• v10: Betraying one another and hate one another - selfish society - self-centred
• v11: All the leaders of different religions ...
• v12: People leaving the Christian faith - more secular society, what do we get? Divorces, one-night stands, selfishness, irresponsible unplanned births ...
• v13: Promise that God will save us if we hold on to the end.
• v14: Gospel reaching the world before the end

• But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,but the Father only. (v36)
• Jesus' second coming is like Noah and the Flood coming when no one expected! (v37-39)
• Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (v44)

• The servant not only doubts the Master allocating money for the servants to invest according to their capabilities, accuses that he is a hard man, and reaps where he did not sow! (25:24-25), said he was "afraid", but was he? If he was, he would have listened to the Master and did as he was told.
• Master asks how could he come to such conclusion (v26)?

Week 9

This week in Matthew 23-25 there is a topic on the end of this age and when Jesus will return as well as on who will get into Heaven and who will be thrown into hell.

This reminds us "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father” and the return of Christ will be like the ‘Days of Noah’ where the whole earth was flooded with water and there was warning of this coming beforehand but no one listens!! What it is saying here is, now that Jesus has warned us about what will happen before end of the age and how there will be signs when that day is getting closer and closer. This passage followed by the parables of the 10 virgins – illustrates those who are lazy to fill up the oil for their lamp came knocking on the door of Heaven and asked to be accepted by God will be rejected - 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you’.

Let us listen and repent and get ourselves ready before that day arrive and not foolishly think there are still time and the master will be late in arrival.