The Book of Genesis Commentary / Bible Study
Mike Furches,
The Virtual Pew
I started doing daily devotions some time ago and it was
recently that I decided to start journaling those devotions. What yo are about
to partake in is not done in a professional, deep study way, but just a journal
of me when I was doing my devotions. I try to do 1 - 3 chapters a day,
sometimes a New Testament passage mixed in with an Old Testament passage or
vice versa. After completing the book of Genesis I decided to go ahead and put
them all together for that book. I recommend you get your Bible, or go online
and use a translation at Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com and pick out the translation
or paraphrase of your choice. For my devotions, I use the Contemporary English
Version. When I am doing more serious study I use a variety of translations
from King James to New International Version and even paraphrases like The
Message or The Living Bible. I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit of God which
inspired the Scripture is fully capable of giving me understanding. The issue
is to read, and ask God through His Holy Spirit to give you wisdom.
Again, these are just my journal thoughts from day to day.
If you want to know more about what drives my thinking, well, this is a good
place to start. These devotions include 2 chapter readings a day and then your
thoughts. I would encourage you to do as I do, turn everything off, read the
Scripture, then journal your thoughts. I pray that God will bless you, cause
you to think, and then your relationship with him will either grow, or become
anew.
God Bless,
Mike Furches
Genesis 1, 2
In The Beginning
The
first thing that jumps out to me in the passage for today is that God is the
creator. A lot of people often give credit to Satan for the things he has
created but it is clear that in the early parts of Genesis, that it is God who
is the creator, of course that does not negate the fact that Satan can pervert
and misuse God's creation, but we need to remember, the power of creation
belongs to God. The epitome, the best of all of God's creation is humanity,
the creation of man and women. Of course when looking at the world today one
has to wonder what has happened to us as humans that were created in "the
image of God?"
Another
thing that sticks out to me, a concept often misunderstood is the concept that
God rested on the 7th day. I find it a lack of theological thinking that
thinks that the word rest means to take it easy. God didn't need rest,
God is God. A more appropriate interpretation of the word rest is to reflect.
God reflected on his creation and saw it as good. Later on, on down the road we
will go over the 10 commandments of which, one is to remember the Sabbath and
to keep it holy. I think many people take that day as a literal day, I don't
think that is the case, of course I could go into a lot of discussion about the
difference between "The Lord's Day," and "The Sabbath."
I think our Sabbath, our day of rest is a day we take to reflect on what God
has done for us and this world. It may be hard at times but a time to
reflect and focus on God and His work in our lives and in our world is an
important concept we should all observe.
I
also think about in this passage the goodness of God and the indication that He
clearly shows that even though Adam walked with God, he was still lonely, so he
created Him a companion a partner, named Eve. I think here of my own
journey of being alone and people often saying things like, "It's okay,
God is with you." While they say that, God clearly shows that He
recognizes the need of human companionship. He realizes this even though He is
God. Yet, so often we often take light the need of human companionship and take
light the requests of others for companionship, not necessarily a lover, but,
someone to spend time with and be with.
Daily Devotional: Genesis 3, 4
Reward & Consequence
Today
as I write this it is Labor Day in the United States, a day where those
who worked in labor and the unions are recognized for the work and improvements
made in this country. It is with this in mind that I do today's devotion
on Genesis chapters 3 and 4.
Early
on in Genesis 3 we read about sin. There is the sin of Adam and Eve disobeying
God, (when in reality they had it so good and only had to follow one directive,
to not eat of the fruit of the tree) and then later on the consequences of
disobeying God and also the sin of one of their son's in the first of Chapter
4, Cain who murdered his brother Abel.
All
of us must accept the fact, and we see it early on here, God has expectations
and there are consequences for not doing what God tells us we need to do.
God isn't a God who like many parents, warns us over and over again, ultimately
in some cases without consequences. When we see children live a life of not
facing consequences for their inappropriate actions, we see much of what we see
in society today, people who think the world owes them everything, while at the
same time, acting like spoiled brats. We need to also understand, what
few rules God has are not rules to keep us from the joys of life, but are
guidelines that helps us enjoy the goodness of God and the very purpose of our
creation, to have relationship with God.
Many
think that one of the major punishments from God is the requirement of labor.
Some draw that conclusion from part of what we see in regards to the
consequences of violating God's one rule. Yet, would that be a punishment
if God himself is a worker, after all, he created, worked for 6 days in the
creation of the universe prior to taking a day off to reflect on that creation.
Labor, work, is not a sin, it is not a punishment. It is something we can, and
should take pride in and find joy in. Unfortunately many don't seek out the
very things that God would have them do and get stuck in a rut, but that rut,
is also a place, that if we search, while doing the things that God desires of
us, can be a place to find joy and purpose. It all depends in a way on how we
see our work.
In this country, and I challenge, in every country, there are those who work
and make life easier for the rest of us, whether on an assembly line making
product we use every day or working jobs that while considered blue collar are
really works of service for others, things that make life easier for all of us,
whether a fireman or police officer serving their communities to keep them
safe, or a garbage man or woman keeping our streets clean. Every job in
many ways provides a service. Of course there are those jobs that provide a
service that is outside of the desire of God for us and that is a whole other
devotion, I would say, remember the first part about there are consequences for
violating God's directives and instructions.
I
like to address things that others don't address when I study Scripture, the
end of Chapter 4 is one such area. We read about the sons and daughters
of Adam and Eve, meeting people, getting married, and the start of the
formation of cities. I won't make something up that I don't know, here is my
truth, I don't know where those people come from. I'm not going to
pretend I do. I will say, in the overall scheme of things, it doesn't change
for me who God is, and the basics of what I get out of chapters 3 and 4.
Daily Devotion: Genesis Chapters 5, 6
Ancestry and Super Heroes
In
today's reading Chapter 5 starts off with something that many tend to overlook
when reading the Bible, genealogy. We do the same thing in life, well at
least most of us do until we get older. We tend to not focus on, be concerned
about or search out our own history. Thankfully in today's world we are seeing
some changes in that due to things like ancestry dot com and DNA research.
Prior to my wife's death, early on in her diagnosis with Pancreatic Cancer, I
decided to invest in a detailed DNA test and research into our Ancestry.
We
learned fascinating things. It was like her 10th great grandmother who
was a passenger on the Mayflower, and my 10th great grandfather was the pilot
of the Mayflower. The fact that our relatives likely knew each other was a
fascinating thing to us. There were other things, like one of Mary Jane's
grandfathers, being John Sterling whom Sterling Castle was named after where
Mary Queen of Scotts was christened and King Richard the 3rd or 4th being one
of my grandfathers and Henry the 8th being a distant relative as well. Ancestry
while interesting is a part of defining who we are and where we come from.
A fascinating part of Jesus ancestry shows that not only King David was a part
of his lineage, but so was Adam and Eve.
While
there is a lot who will debate the story of Adam and Eve and the history there,
I find it fascinating and them being a part of the listed genealogy of Jesus is
meaningful to me on various levels.
Another
thing that stuck out to me in today's reading is the Nephilim who were
supernatural beings who bred with women on earth, and them being described
essentially as "super heroes." Personally I am fascinated and
would like to know a lot more about these beings and their offspring as we just
don't have that much written about them in the Bible. Anyone knowing of other
reliable texts that may tell more about them, I would like to know as this is
one of those things that keeps the Bible, for me, far from being a boring read.
Of course I like reading The Contemporary English Version when reading because
of the easy to understand translation and the way it was translated. That said,
wouldn't you like to know more about this species of creature? Is it angels, is
it something else and how were they like super heroes?
The rest of Chapter 6 starts to get into the story of Noah. We see how far
human kind has progressed, or regressed in the time frame from the point of
creation to the point of Noah. We see again, just like we saw earlier,
God will only take so much before he acts. He is tired of what humankind has
become and even contemplates the total destruction of the earth except for one
who was faithful, Noah. How faithful are we in today's world to loving and
serving God and others? How many times will God show through scripture
that he will only put up with so much? Of course we know some of what is
coming next and in the future, but until then, keep enjoying the read and
thoughts.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 7,
8
An Often Unspoken Lesson From Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
is one of the most debated concepts of the Bible. Did it happen or did it not?
There are all kinds of beliefs and serious conversations about these two
chapters. Here is a point I will bring out, there are flood stories in
virtually every religion. That gives for me, credence that a flood
happened. I take the Bible for it's word here, and I realize that is a measure
of faith but I also believe there is evidence of the flood. Now I won't debate
that in a devotional, but there is a point I want to bring out after this
mornings reading.
In today's world it seems as there are so many varying views of faith,
unfortunately one of those aligns itself with a focus that seems to be more on politics,
which can include varying concepts that may or may not be Biblical, and others
that keep a focus on Biblical concepts. There is a concept here that aligns
with what is often called The Creation Mandate. That is; God cares about our
planet as well as his creation, including the animals.
Think about it, we see clearly here, that God cared enough about the animal
kingdom in this passage that he made sure to include two of every species to
come onto the ark to maintain the animal kingdom. God also cares about the
creatures that roam the earth.
I see how people often treat animals and unfortunately there are far too
many that mistreat and abuse the animals on this planet. Now don't get me
wrong, I'm a meat eater, I'm so far from a PETA type of thing it is ridiculous.
I am saying though, do we have compassion for animals, the way they are
treated, the way they are raised. God does. I challenge, that today, think
about loving the whole of the planet, including animals in the same way that
God did in seeing to it that the animal species survived. In a world where
animals are becoming extinct, we should care.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 9,
10
God Loves the Cities and It's Many Nations Under God
In chapter 9 of Genesis we see the establishment of cities. I have lived in
the cities but I have also lived in the country. There is definitely benefits
to both, but when doing the work of God, there is so much opportunity in
cities. There are those ministries, to people that we see Jesus involved in in
the New Testament. For whatever reason, we know that often times people are
drawn to the cities. People from all walks and with all kinds of needs.
Unfortunately we see unrest in cities as well, we see this especially so as of
this devotion, in America,
we see riots, discord and rebellion. The one thing we don't see enough of is a
turning to God as the answer to the worlds problems.
There is also a concept approached in chapter 10 that I appreciate here. We see
that God is the God of all Nations, that in reality, many nations, not just
one, is to be under the rule and direction of God. We often think, no matter
where we are at in the world that it is all about us no matter what nation we
live in, yet we can clearly see through scripture that God loves all people, of
all nations. In church this morning I appreciated the comments of the pastor on
this subject, while some of us are blessed, and should feel so to be in the
nation we are, we must remember, we are only visitors here, our ultimate nation
as followers of Jesus is the Kingdom of God, our brothers and sisters are in
many nations around the globe, not just the one we live in.
How should we see the needs of our brothers and sisters around the World,
how do we contemplate their faith journey and especially so in conjunction with
the reality that while we may have brothers and sisters who are citizens of
other nations, we are all citizens of the Kingdom of God.
Daily Devotional,
Genesis Chapter 11, 12
The Tower and Lies
In Chapter 11 we read about how the people wanted to build a
tower to the Heaven's. On the surface
one may think, "what's the big deal?"
But we have to see God's plan.
God desired for the people to move beyond where they were to a place he
would have them in order to accomplish his purposes. Ironically in the New
Testament we see where God brings people together through the gift of tongues
on the Day of Pentecost, but here, in this time, God wanted something
different. The question I think of regarding myself here is am I at the place
doing the things God wants me to do. We need to all remember, there is often
times, a purpose God has for us that is beyond where we are presently at. When
need be, God will do what is necessary to move us to the place we need to be.
Then we see the story in chapter 12 of Abram and Sarai. Abram realized how beautiful his wife is and
tells a big ol lie in order to protect himself out of fear. Of course there is much more to the story,
but Abram convinces Sarai to present herself to the Egyptians as his sister and
not his wife. That is how it is with many of us. We justify the lie out of fear
of the unknown, in this case that Abram would be killed so they would take his
wife. Little did he know, that for a period of time, his lie caused just that
to happen. The king took Sarai because he thought she was Abram's sister. He later came to find out through tragic
events that she was really Abram's wife.
What are the reasons we use to lie. There is an old saying that the truth will
find you out. I used to tell my kids, that while they might get in trouble for
something they did, they would get in far worse trouble if they lied to me
about it, it was always better to tell the truth.
We have to ask ourselves, why the lie? What is the good of
it? What will I really gain from the
lie? I've had to deal with this in my
life. A part of it was the desire to be accepted. It was upon realizing that
Christ accepted me as I am that I begin to lie less and now, lying is one of
the things that I despise. It's how funny how God moves one from one place to
another, for the reasons he does. Whether that be the desire to be at the place
God wants us or because of a lie that was told. We all need to remember, God
loves us despite…. despite the whatever. While there are more times than not
consequences for actions, or inactions, it doesn't change the love God has for
us. Therefore, may we seek to be at the place God desires and to be truthful in
all things.
Daily Devotional,
Genesis Chapter 13, 14
Being There For Others
In Chapters 13 and 14 of Genesis we see an interesting
story. It is a story of Abram and Lot. Lot is the nephew of Abram and it is obvious that there
are some issues between the two. In those issues we see Abram go out of his way
to make amends, to set things right. He
encourages Lot to move on and in that moving
on to take certain lands to settle and live on since he, (Abram) has enough. Lot obliges and moves on, taking the fertile land, a
great place to start a family, raise his children and take care of his needs.
In Chapter 14 we read of Lot
being taken captive by another king. One may think it easier for Abram to
abandon Lot due to their conflicts in the
past, yet, Abram does just the opposite. He gathers a small army of servants
and others to free Lot from captivity.
How many times in life do we have people we haven't gotten
along with, for whatever reason that we abandon? I'll admit, it is easy to do.
There are clearly times that one needs to move away from others, (I'm at that
place in life right now with a few people) but that doesn't mean you don't care
and for a time go out of your way to help that person. Of course the person has
to receive the help and one must realize the difference between helping and
enabling. This is a tough place to recognize but one must follow their heart.
That doesn't mean you don't care or make an effort to help. We see this in the
actions of Abram for someone he had issues with. Are we willing to do the same?
Are we willing to study scripture, seek council and follow what God would want,
even if it means showing love and compassion to an enemy or one you have had
disagreements with.
We see this example in the New Testament. While in somewhat
of a different context. We see a consistency of God's nature in caring for others,
trying to help even our enemies. We also see through further study that there
is also a time to move on, shake the dust off your feet if you will and
recognize your time and efforts are better spent someplace else. Thank God
though, He shows compassion.
Daily Devotional,
Genesis Chapter 15, 16
God Keeps His Promises
This morning as I watch the news there is continued talks and hopes of more
peace in the Middle East between Israel and some of the Muslim
nations. This warring between nations has existed since the days of Abram and
Sarai, Hagar, and Ishmael. The conflict started historically with today's
passage.
God made a promise to Abram that even in his old age he and his wife Sarai
would have children and that their decedents would outnumber the stars in the
sky. In their old age and the impatience of waiting you may say, Sarai offer
her slave Hagar to Abram to have relations with. Out of that relationship was
born Ishmael, often known as the father of Islam. Later on another son born to
Sarai, but more about that later. The discord between Hagar and Sarai in many
ways, and the decision of Abram as to which son would inherit his rights would
become a matter of debate that continues to this day in the creation of the
conflicts in the Middle East.
I have always been amazed by this story and the "Hollywood"
nature of the story. It's difficult to explain the rationale of why Sarai would
offer her slave Hagar to Abram so he could essentially, have sex with her in
order to have a son. Then there is Abram who knew and had heard the direction
of God in a vision from the Lord yet, here it is, a story that changed the
course of the world.
There is an interesting tidbit from the story though that sticks out to me.
That is the faithfulness of God. God keeps His promises to all parties
involved, not just Abram and Sarai, but also to Hagar. I am reminded, that as
messed up as things might get, God is faithful in keeping his promises despite
our ability to keep our promises to God. Imagine though, that if we honor God
how much better he will treat us. That is not always in the way of material
means but in the way that is explained in the New Testament as a way that gives
a peace that passes all understanding. In a way that no matter what is going on
we have a peace with God and in our own lives.
Today as we read about and see the peace talks that are going on, remember
there have been attempts at peace for many years. One thing is certain; to the
individuals God has made promises to, God keeps his promises. Something to
think about as we think about our own relationship with God.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 17,
18
The Promise of God and a Man Who Would Barter With The Lord
Genesis Chapter 17, and 18 bring out a number of interesting topics. One of
the reasons I encourage you to do your own study is to check out and discover
the things God wants to show you. I always pray before studying
Scripture, Lord, show me something in this passage. The amazing thing to me is
He does.
In this reading we see Abram and Sarai have their names changed by the Lord
to Abraham and Sarah. We see as they enter their old age that God still hasn't
forgotten the promises he made them regarding having children and their
ancestors being more numerous than the stars in the sky. We even see that Sarah
is beyond child bearing years but God reminds Abraham, that He is God and can
do as He chooses, including giving them a son to be named Isaac.
In the process, God makes Abraham promise that he will do right for the
remainder of his life. It is if you will a sort of contract or covenant between
the two. As we may guess, we see that God is faithful in the things He
promises. We also see that sometimes there are conditions to those promises, It
is a sort of contract that is called a covenant.
God after leaving for a brief period of time returns to tell Abraham that
within a year that Sarah will have a son. She laughs at the suggestion. She
knows her age, she even lies about the laughter but God reminds her who He is
and of the promises He has made.
After Abraham spends time with the Lord they take a walk towards the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
along with what I believe are angels. The Lord states that He wants to see for
himself how bad things are there. The Lord makes it known, that His plans are
to destroy the city. An interesting thing takes place here, we see Abraham's
compassion for the cities and people. He barters with the Lord, if they have
50, 40, 30, 20, 10 good people will God not destroy the cities. It's an
interesting exchange. God responds favorably each time, showing a willingness
to show mercy but also a willingness to listen to Abraham and his passion for
others.
Do we keep our promises to God? Do we love others enough to be compassionate
towards them. Do we barter or ask God for things? I'm certain that if we will
we will answer these things honestly but we need to remember, just like
Abraham, we better understand who God is. Each time Abraham asked God for a
favor, he did so with an understanding of who God is and had a bit of fear and
concern about asking those things. We also must understand who God is. We must
not forget His power and authority. Of course we have the Bible to help us
understand the nature of God and the directives He gives us in order to
experience joy, purpose and ultimately relationship with God.
We need to remember that with Christ we are not saved by works, but, as
James states in the book of James, faith without works is in reality non
existent or dead. God is willing to help us, work with us, keep His promises to
us, are we willing to show our appreciation and do our part?
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 19,
20
Rape, Deceit, and God's Anger
I believe that today's passage could easily have numerous Bible Devotions related
to it. It is why I encourage folks to read the passage for themselves and see
what they get out of it, of course with a bit of understanding and openness
would be beneficial.
I believe that especially chapter 19 of Genesis is one of the most misused,
abused passages in all of scripture, especially when it comes to the
misinterpretation and way many have taken it regarding the story of Sodom and
Gomorrah and their destruction.
We see the continuation of the story after Abraham has been visited by the
Lord and two angels. He and the Lord are on a hill conversing as the two angels
go to the cities of Sodom and Gommorah to try
and see what is going on and then ultimately deliver Lot
and his families to safety as God decides to destroy the cities.
What we see is a group of men in the cities who try to take the angels captive,
to rape them. Many over the years have said this is specifically related to
homosexuality. Let me be emphatic, it is about rape, and much more not
homosexuality. In fact, in the book of Ezekiel Chapter 16 we see God give the
specific reason as to why the destruction of Sodom
and Gomorrah.
In Ezekiel 16:49, we read from the NIV - "'Now this was the sin of your
sister Sodom:
She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help
the poor and needy." You can look at other translations, all say the
same thing. It was not homosexuality, it was a perversion of focusing on self
more than others, and not caring for those in need, especially the poor and
needy. While there can be debate as to how to care for the poor and needy,
God's desire to care for the poor and needy, to not be arrogant and prideful,
are not up for debate. I will also say, if one wants to address the area of
homosexuality, there are other passages to discuss and study, this is not one
of them. I would however, even on this subject, encourage a detailed study
using the Hebrew and the Greek.
I challenge, it is easy to misinterpret and misuse scripture because it
makes it easier for us to get away from examining ourselves. Do we care for the
poor and needy? Do we engage in sins to bring self pleasure, even when done
inappropriately and outside the will of God. Are we perverts in seeking sexual
gratification, I'm not talking about with a loved one you are committed to, I'm
talking to the point that the sex you are engaged in is for the wrong purposes
and solely to bring self gratification without the love God intended. When
doing a self examinations, this passage becomes rather difficult because I still
maintain, while we have Christ as a redeemer in our lives that forgives sin,
the nature of God does not change.
Of course the passage is about much more. Do we laugh at those trying to
give us advice that would save us such as the potential husbands and families
of Lot's daughters did? Do we make excuses to
delay the things God would have for us? Think about it, the arguing and
persuasion the angels had to do for Lot and
his family? If we look at the world around us today, is it really that much
different than what we see in these passages?
I could go on, in chapter 20 is a continuation of a story we read about
earlier in Genesis. It shows how God intervenes at times to save us and to
protect our relationships, such as between Abraham and Sarah. It also shows a
measure of deceit of where we have to be careful, even among family who would
try to do the wrong things to obtain the things they want. It is all about if
you will, in a way, selfishness, a concept where we ignore the aspect of loving
our neighbors, to care for our fellow human being.
All in all, we see that while God is a God who will go out of his way to show
love, mercy and forgiveness, we need to also remember that God is also a God
who exercises justice and vengeance. Just because we think God will never do
harm, or have His way, doesn't make it so. God is God and God will not be
mocked, nor will God be made light of. He has aspects that He holds true. Us
not liking them or putting God in a place where we don't agree with what we
read does not change God no matter how much we try. Of course in this I can
also say, misquoting scripture and making it say things it does not say,
especially in situations like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah does not make it
so either. We will know this if we study scripture. Today's passage is one that
can take days and days to reflect and chew on. Yet, it is also one that shows
the lack of study that we sometimes engage in. We can't just take the word of
the one doing the teaching, we have to be prepared to do the study ourselves.
The Holy Spirit is fully capable of giving us understanding.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 21,
22
2 Sons, 2 Directions
In these passages for today we see two interesting stories, one of a son
born to the slave woman Hagar, Ishmael, and another born to the wife, Sarah,
Isaac. Abraham was the father of both.
Despite Sarah encouraging Abraham earlier on to have relations with Hagar, in
order to have a son, I've always thought she had some jealousy issues, from the
fact that a firstborn son was born and then encouraging Abraham to get rid of
the slave woman and the son to insure that her son gets everything when the
time comes. God however knows that Ishmael is still the son of Abraham
and is going to honor him. While the honors won't quite be the same, God still
sees to it that Hagar and Ishmael are taken care of and that they are worthy of
recognition and reward.
In many ways this is where much of the conflict between Jews and Muslims
originated. Unfortunately, today people still see little value in each other
just as during this time. Yet, God still sees the true story. He knows the
history and will honor those who deserves to be honored. God will not abandon
those He loves.
We will, just as Abraham via Sarah, face issues that could have us doing the
wrong thing, based out of jealousy, hate, misunderstanding and so forth. Yet,
God as mentioned above knows the truth. So many times we as individuals are
caught up in conflict, yet, we must remember, God will do what is right.
Instead of going through life placing blame, sometimes it may be a good idea to
try and understand where people are coming from and why they are in the
situation they are. God loves. It is our actions, our lack of faith, just as it
was in the case of Abraham and Sarah that leads to issues coming about. In the
long run, Abraham shows God that it is to God that his ultimate love is shown
to. While it was a hard lesson and temptation, Abraham came through. I can only
imagine if Sarah had known of what God's test for Abraham would have been. The
angels where there the whole time but the test was still challenged Abraham's
faith and in the end, that faith won out.
As we go through life we need to understand and follow God and his direction,
even in the hard things. In the process though, try to understand the other
parties involved in our decisions. Don't hold grudges or place blame especially
for the conflicts we take part in creating.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 23,
24
Lost and Found Love, A Godly Woman
I can so relate do the deep love Abraham has had for Sarah, although I don't
always understand his reasoning in some things. There comes a time when all of
us will leave this planet and so was the case for Sarah who has died. Abraham
wants the best for her, even in death, so he goes out of his way to honor her.
He insists on buying land to have his wife buried on even after he was offered
the land for free. I've learned, grief does that. There is no doubt of the love
Abraham had for his wife; we saw it through his life, we see it in the death of
his wife Sarah.
I can't help but think; while there are many lessons we can learn here; do we
show the love we have for others in the now? I'm convinced, the more we love in
the now, the more we grieve in the loss. I've experienced that, we see it with
Abraham and Sarah.
After the death of Sarah, Abraham turns to his son Isaac. He wants the best
for him. Abraham realizes it is through his son that God will do the things He
has promised. Abraham sends out a servant to find a wife for Isaac. Through a
rather unusual set of circumstances the servant finds the wife that God has for
Isaac, Rebekah. Rebekah and her family see the hand of God in all of this. They
allow Abraham's servant to take back Rebekah to Isaac where they will wed and
have a deep love for each other.
The one lost person in this story is the servant. A servant who saw the
sincerity of Abraham's faith and prays to the God of Abraham as he sees the
power of God. Do we display a faith so strong that others around us are moved
by that faith? I'm not talking about a lot of the things people relate to faith
like healings, money and so forth, (although that can be a part of it,) but a
faith that recognizes and accepts the ways and reality of God?
I know that in the scheme of things, I'll never be wealthy like Abraham, but, I
realize I can have faith in my life, as messed up as I am that can inspire
others. Of course I have to walk in faith to demonstrate that May we all have a
faith that produces results and inspires others.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 25,
26
Remarriage, Deceit, and Peace
These two chapters seem to go all over the place in regards to themes. It is
one of the reasons that I hope these daily devotions encourage you to check out
the scriptures yourself, think about them and were possible, apply the concepts
learned into your life.
We see that Abraham has remarried after the death of Sarah, despite his age he
has more children. There are several things to think about here but one of the
things that sticks out to me is the knowledge that this is a continuation of
the story of the separation of Jews, Muslims, and to some extent, later on,
Christians.
One of the things that causes me to ponder here is that despite the
differences in belief that would later develop, Isaac and Ishmael came together
to bury their father. There is a recognition of family among these half
brothers. They found a way to come together and accomplish something despite
their differences. Family and the love of Abraham had for his children,
especially these two sons was a contributing factor as to why these two could
come together to honor their father. As I write this, it is known in America as
National Son's Day; Abraham was a father who was also honored by his sons.
We also read about other decedents and some of the early history of the
decedents of Ishmael and Isaac. We also see aspects of deceit among family.
There is the desire for power and wealth we see in the story of Jacob and Esau
where one brother tricks the other out of his birthright. While it can be
debated as to what is right or wrong, one could also debate if one appreciates
what they have or do they take these things lightly.
Today, many of us are in the same boat. Do we appreciate the things we have?
Do we take what we have for granted and live in the moment or do we plan for
the future? I'll admit, I'm guilty and as a result I know how much better
things could have been.
There is so much more in these two chapters, but you can check them out for
yourself. It would be interesting to know your thoughts and what stuck out to
you. What caused you to ponder?
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 27, 28
Deceit and How God Uses Broken People
I am grateful that I don't have to be perfect to find favor with God. Many
people over the years have told me over and over again how they can't be loved
by God because of the things they have done in their past. There are multiple
passages in the Bible that says otherwise, this is one of them,
One could, in fact, often does think that they are a good person, that they
haven't done anything wrong but in comparison to Christ and the law as
established in the Old Testament, (which doesn't exist as of this story) we are
all broken. There is an innate nature to all of us that knows at some point the
difference between right and wrong. It is clear here that Jacob and his mother
know this, as does Jacob's brother Esau. What is somewhat confusing to me, and
I'll admit it, is the realization that even after being fooled, and knowing
that he was tricked, Isaac keeps the blessing he has made to Jacob, (which
rightly belonged to Isaac,) and will not take it back.
We see the decrepit of both Isaac and his mother Rebekah, yet we also see
the redemption in part of Jacob as he is traveling and has an experience with
God. There is an old song with a line in it that refers to this, "I am
climbing Jacob's ladder," which was really the ladder of God. It is during
this experience that Jacob makes a pledge to God to follow him, in all ways,
for the remainder of his life. He makes a commitment of time, and money.
Have you had a moment of realization where you realize who God is and his
power? Have you experienced his love? If so have you made the commitment of
time and money, I say, giving time on your calendar and through your bank
account? Time and money are often the indicators of a willingness to follow
God, in the Old Testament it was a minimum of a 10% commitment, in the New
Testament it is the realization that it all belongs to God so it isn't how much
you give, but how much you keep. This is a totally different concept. There are
often excuses, but like Jacob, if we want the blessings of God we have a
commitment to God.
Think about it, yes, God can use that which isn't perfect, me and you, and
in our appreciation of that, there should be little to no issue of our
willingness to show God appreciation for what he has done for us, even in our
brokenness.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 29,
30
Love, Deceit, More and More Wives
In this story, Jacob goes and takes a trip to visit his uncle Laban. Laban
who lives some miles a way, has a daughter that Jacob loves, her name is
Rachel. Immediately upon seeing her, he falls in love and wants to marry her.
The only problem, Laban tells him he has to work for him for seven years and
after that seven year period he can marry Rachel.
Well a series of events happen that I honestly have a hard time figuring out.
Laban is deceitful and somehow Jacob marries his older daughter Leah. He
doesn't realize he has married the wrong woman until the next morning. See what
I'm talking about.
Naturally he is a little upset and has a talk with Laban. Laban makes another
agreement that he can marry Rachel if he works for him for another 7 years.
Jacob agrees to it and puts in another 7 years of labor.
Through Jacob's life he has at times practiced deceit, and now, it is being
used against him. A lot of people in today's world talk about the concept of
Karma, while I don't personally believe in Karma, there are definitely times
where God gives us some of our own. In other words concepts like "You reap
what you sow" and other come to mind.
There is another interesting concept here, these two sisters are jealous for
all kinds of reasons, children being the main one. Jacob and Leah have a number
of children and it is sometime before Rachel is able to bear children. As a
result of the jealousy they both give their servants to Jacob to marry,
(brining him up to at least 4 wives,) and he has child after child. Can
you imagine that type of jealousy. I know times were different then in a lot of
ways, but I can't imagine more than one wife, especially since Jacob so loved
Rachel and it was obvious to all of those around.
In life, we need to find peace with where we are at, we need to accept that to
get some of the things we want in life, we need to work for it. In Jacob's case
it was 14 years. In the end God provided for Jacob, there would be multitudes
of descendents and he would accumulate wealth for his hard work habits. There
was a price to pay though, one that I can only imagine, and thankfully have
never had to experience. Another lesson though, that reap what you sow
thing can cause all kinds of problems if you're not careful, so for me, for
you: be careful.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 31, 32
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Today I start something a bit different. I am doing the daily devotion on 2
chapters in the Old Testament and 1 in the New Testament.
The Genesis passage is another interesting passage. One of my favorite
stories in the Bible is at the end of Chapter 32 but more about that later.
It is fascinating that Jacob would put up with as much as he did from his
father in law. He has now worked for his father in law Leban for almost 20
years, despite the deceit, lies, and being taken advantage of. He does it out
of an attitude of commitment and love for his wife Rachel, and subsequently Rachel's
sister who he has also married Leah.
There comes a time in all of our lives that enough is enough and we must
take action to take care of ourselves. There is a popular misconception in many
church circles that we as individuals in the scheme and order of things are
last despite such teachings that state otherwise such as we are to love our
neighbors as ourselves which implies that we are to love ourselves. There are
those Jacob is committed to, his wife, children and his family, so after a
period of time, Jacob does what is best for Jacob.
In the journey for independence and to go back to his family, Jacob
practices a sort of deceit. He sneaks off from the lands he is in takes his herds
and his family and slaves to head back home without telling his father in law
Leban. I can kind of understand why, especially after some 20 years of labor
for this man and the way he was treated.
On the journey Rachel steals some things from her father unbeknownst
to Jacob and he makes a pledge that he will take action against the thief.
Rachel becomes deceitful and hides the fact that she is the thief and
ultimately Leban and Jacob make a peace agreement. In a strange sort of way,
despite the harsh differences and feelings, they still make peace. How much can
we learn from that?
In their agreement we also see a situation at the end of chapter 32 where
Jacob essentially ends up having a wrestling match with God through the night.
Now I admit, this is a hard concept to grasp; he wrestles with God all night
and the passage says he wins. I don't get it; how can he defeat God?
I think there are some interpretations here that likely mean more than what we
read on the surface but in the long run, Jacob has his name changed to Israel and he
has an injury that has him limping for the rest of his life. There are
consequences for wrestling with God, I think especially so when done in a
spiritual sense.
Are we wrestling with God in any way? Do we want things our way? Are
we willing to do what is necessary to show those that we love that we love them
and will do the best for them? On those points, Jacob passed the test.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 33, 34
Love, Revenge and How Do You Get Your Information
How far does one go to show family love? At the start of this story, a good
one by the way, we see a reunion of brothers that turns out much better than expected.
Jacob has been away from his brother Esau for sometime and the reunion of sorts
was far better than what Jacob thought it would be. His brother is wealthier
and more powerful and due to the long time away among other circumstances Jacob
was concerned about his servants, tribe, wives and family, yet Esau surprised
him.
One of the things I've learned myself is that time heals and the love
between family can be a deep and passionate love can overlook past
transgressions. We can all be surprised at the possibility of reuniting with
family if we will only give family a chance. Believe me, I know all too well
the hardship that family can cause on each other, but, I also understand the
ability of God to heal broken relationships if we give Him a chance. Of course
we have to use wisdom in these decisions, we have to be smart, we see the
efforts of Jacob to make sure that there is a healing and a effort to bring
peace, I think God rewarded that, yet today, we see so many who are unwilling
to do the way of love towards anyone, including family who may have done wrong
at one point. I know one thing for sure in my life, there are many situations
where God may provide healing, but I also know that there are some situations
where there will never be peace and healed relationships, but it is important
to know, that doesn't take place because you haven't tried, it takes place
because the other party hasn't accepted it or tried. I wrote this last week,
before I knew the circumstances of the last few days, how true I know the
importance now of both parties willing to do what they should, and others who
involve themselves to search out truth prior to involving themselves into a
family matter, including people with other church groups.
We also see in this passage the love of a brother and sister as Dinah is raped.
The brothers, as I an imagine many brothers, decide to take action into their
own hands after nothing seems to be done. While I'm not advocating for
vigilante justice, it is easy to understand why these brothers did what they
did. They thought about a plan, put the plan into action and then were
successful in their actions. I guess for me, while there are a lot of things to
think about in this story, the one thing I think about is the need to think
through ones actions, especially when there is the possibility of danger.
In some places, and in some times, law does not exist. Later we will see the
establishment of laws that God puts into place to see to it that appropriate
justice takes place. In this time though, we see the need of revenge often has
consequences, even for those who may be innocent.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 35,
36
God's Promises and Our Faithfulness
Today, we are reminded once again that God made a promise that many
descendants would come to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Through these three
individuals we see a faithfulness and consistency in their willingness to
follow and obey God. It is as they honored God, that God honored them. There is
also the clear aspect that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the God to be
honored. We will hear later on how God is a jealous God and how He is to have
no other God's before Him. The question is, what is it in our lives that is our
God or takes priority over the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
We see a willingness to serve God, to follow His directives no matter what.
In a situation where fear exists, God gives courage. In a situation where harm
may come, God gives protection. Even our enemies will fear God. Of course there
may be hardships along the way. There may even be what some would consider
failure, but ultimately, God comes through to those who faithfully follow Him
in all things, not just some things. Could that be a reason many don't have the
peace that God offers, or the results that brings joy even in difficult times.
Yes, we will all be lacking at times but it is important to return to honor and
serve a God that keeps His promises.
The remainder of Chapter 36 is a genealogy. It is a reminder that God did
indeed keep His promises that many descendents would follow Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. It is a reminder that for us, God will as well keep His promises. Are we
willing and do we need to and follow through with doing the things God would
have us do?
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 37, 38
When a Story Begs for More and Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
In Genesis Chapters 37 and 38 we have two stories that beg for more. I love stories,
I love writing because I can create the narrative. If I want to know more, I
can write more I an answer my questions. Sometimes in the Bible we have stories
that beg for more. The story of Joseph and his amazing Dream Coat and the story
of Judah and Tamar are two such stories.
In the story of Joseph, his brothers get upset at him because of his pride
him being declared his fathers favorite. Then there are his dreams of ruling
over his older brothers. It is a fascinating story where much is left out. Of
course many will know the ending of the story but can you imagine him being
taken by his brothers, whom some were wanting to kill him out of jealousy and
then ultimately being sold into slavery by those brothers? What was
Joseph's response to all of this? What was he thinking? What did he tell those
he was being sold into slavery to? All questions that scripture doesn't answer
but one can imagine. If anyone ever had a right to complain or question God
about their Joseph would be in the top 5. Did he complain? We don't know. What
we do know is more of the story is to come. Stay tuned in or go ahead and read
ahead because there are some incredible aspects of love and forgiveness about
to come forth.
There is also the story of Judah and Tamar, lost love, sex with
"prostitutes," abandonment, hypocrisy and so much more. When I read
this story I think of things like Ying and Yang or Karma. While they are
concepts I don't accept they certainly are concepts that at times, seems to be
real. Such is this story and again, a story that leaves much to the
imagination.
There are also aspects here about life in the womb, when does it occur and
what constitutes birth. Interesting points of discussion as we live in a world
and time when abortion is available in late stages and even in the place where
some support what is called partial birth abortion. Yet, we see the value God
and the people of the Bible placed on the life of a child, even with tying a
red string around the wrist of a child who was sort of born but not out of the
womb yet.
Today, the concept that the Bible can be an interesting book that leaves much
to the imagination is an encouragement to read the Bible. All have a purpose
and while we may not see the immediate benefits, ultimately we will.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 39, 40
Integrity Despite Accusations
We have another great story in the Bible. We continue on with the story of Joseph
after he has been sold into slavery. Yet, despite the circumstances, God is
intervening and taking care of Joseph. As it ends up, this big, handsome man is
put to work for one of Egypt's
top officials, Potiphar.
Joseph is obedient, appreciative, and faithful not only to God but to his
master. The only problem is that Potiphar has a wife who, how can I say it, has
desires for Joseph, yet Joseph remains faithful, refusing to give in to the
temptation of having sex with this beautiful woman.
Joseph's faithfulness' though doesn't present him from problems. After
allegations of attempted rape by Potiphar's wife Potiphar has Joseph put in
prison, but even here, Joseph makes friends with guards, and others in jail.
Despite his circumstances he maintains his integrity. I have often said,
integrity is an important character trait and while it doesn't stop
allegations, in the long run, truth and integrity will win out.
While in prison Joseph was presented with the chance to interpret the dreams
of two prisoners, both former servants of the king. Joseph volunteers to tell
the men their dreams, one having the man going back to serving the king and the
other having a dream that indicated he would be beheaded and his body eaten by
birds. Joseph asked the one with the good dream going back to the king to
remind the king and tell him that Joseph had interpreted the dreams.
Unfortunately, that man forgot initially upon going back to work with the king.
Even though we try to maintain integrity, do good for others, we need to
remember there are no guarantees that things always work out the way we wanted
to, in Joseph's case, certainly not right away. Sometimes there are delays, and
sometimes, it just doesn't happen on this earth. As hard as it is to accept, we
have to still do our best, maintain integrity and then, accept things as they
are while still trying to do what is right and waiting on God.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 41, 42
Letting Go, Letting God, and Reaping The Benefits
In Genesis 41, we see the continuation of Joseph's story. He is in prison,
has been for several years, and he seems to have been forgotten. There was the man
who served the king whose dream he interpreted that forgot to tell the king
about Joseph as he promised he would do. Then the king one night has two
troubling dreams. He calls his prophets, magicians and others, none of whom can
interpret the dreams. It was then that the man who had been in prison with
Joseph tells the king about Joseph and his abilities.
That’s
how it seems to be with me sometimes, people I have done things for, helped and
been there for seems to forget about it as they move on in life. I am sure many
of us have experienced this. I have found out though, even as a one who
believes in free-will, that there are times people will remember or do
something that reminds them and they contact me back with a thank you, a recommendation
or something of the sort. Of course there are times that helping others seems
to get lost and we get nothing in return. But many times, just like in the case
of Joseph here, we find there is a right time and place that things do come
back to us. So it was with this situation, a perfect time where Joseph
experiences a blessing beyond his dreams. He interprets the kings dreams and
goes from a place of imprisonment to a place where only the king has a higher
place in all of Egypt.
In
Chapter 42 we see Joseph's brothers going back to their father Jacob. Joseph
has an elaborate scheme to get all of the family there, while at the same time
the reminder for his brothers of the dream he had had in his youth of his
brothers bowing down to him. Joseph is planning retribution to get even. We see
his sadness when he hears the brothers telling their story and he has to turn
his head away as he weeps.
Joseph
knows the plans God has before him and for his family. On the surface upon
returning to Jacob by his brothers this adds to the pain and suffering of
losing one son and a brother for the family for Jacob. Joseph has plans though,
he has intent. While we don't see it yet, Joseph desires to see his family
together again and taken care of. He is patient in obtaining the results of the
story.
Are
we patient in waiting on God or working through the difficulties and waiting
for the ultimate prize or rewards God has for us? I'll admit, often times I'm
not. We want instant gratification and reward but we have to remember, God's
timing is better than ours and just like Joseph and his family are about to
experience, if we are patient, we may see the ultimate blessings and rewards
God has for us, despite the difficulties and pains we have gone through.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 43, 44
Sacrificial Love
Today we are in the story of Joseph where his brothers, who had been sent
away with grain and supplies from Egypt have to return from their
land because they are running out of food and Joseph is the only one who can
provide for them. Their father Jacob is reluctant but must agree to send the
brothers back with their youngest brother Benjamin.
The
brothers are nervous, not knowing that Joseph is the ruler they are going to
see. Joseph knows and we see an emotional aspect of him seeing and meeting his
brother for the first time. He has to leave the room, go back to a room alone
where he cries and then cleans himself up only to come out and continue the
ruse.
Joseph
is still planning to surprise his brothers and ultimately his father. While
this in some ways doesn't make sense, we see a part of Joseph that while
cautious is also planning ahead.
Joseph
had a plan and sets it in place. He isn't done yet. He has his servants put a
cup in the sack of Benjamin and on the way home they are to be confronted by
some of Joseph's men and then take Benjamin as a slave. Of course the
brothers have no idea of this and when it happens they are very upset and hurt.
We see in some ways the remorse for what they know their father will feel,
especially after they had told their father their brother Joseph had been
killed. We see that Joseph's brothers truly love their father Jacob.
In
this effort to talk Joseph into reconsidering what they think he is going to
do, Judah
pours out his heart, spilling the beans if you will and telling Joseph the
whole story. He is heartbroken out of his love and concern for his father.
What
happens next? Well you'll either have to read ahead or wait until the next
devotional, because just like a lot of good stories, this chapter ends in a
cliff-hanger.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 45, 46
Family Reunions and Going to Jesus
After the last devotion we ended in a sort or cliffhanger, today, we have
the continuation. Joseph is now in the palace serving his brothers and is so
overcome with emotion that he tells his servants to leave the room. After they
leave the room Joseph can't hold in his emotions any longer, he breaks down and
starts weeping so loud that those outside of the room hears him. After a bit of
convincing Joseph convinces his brothers that he is in fact Joseph, the brother
they had sold into slavery. There is something amazing though at least to me.
All through this experience Joseph is not angry at his brothers, he has no
desire to seek retribution against them. Instead, he pours out love and
compassion, telling them it was God that sent him before them to Egypt.
Do we look at our circumstances and the hand of God as putting us in the
place we are? I'll be honest, I fail at this, but maybe this is not only
something you need to be more aware of, but I as well. We serve a God who knows
the future and will do His part to put us in the places we need to be. We get
in the way. If we let go and let God, God will put us in places that goes
beyond our imagination. Of course we live in a world where evil exists so it's
important to be on our toes and make sure our relationship with God is in an
appropriate place.
In Chapter 46 we see Jacob and all of his family going to Egypt. There
are some 70+ people that make the journey as the list does not include many of
the wives. The reunion between Joseph and his father is emotional. Jacob has
lived a long time, living much of it in the pain of losing his son. He realizes
now his beloved son is alive and Jacob is content with his life and is now okay
with dying.
I believe there comes a time near death that the one who is dying, if dying
of old age, illness or something of the sort desires to come to a place of
peace. I realized and experienced that with my wife before her death. She
wanted to live until Christmas and see that I was okay. It was upon releasing
her and telling her that I was going to be okay that she died within seconds of
telling her that, on the day we celebrated Christmas. Are we at a place of
peace with God? What do we need to have happen in our lives to be at a place of
peace? Unfortunately many seem to still be fighting with God in their
relationships, acceptance and other areas where our own desires take over. Like
Jacob, or my own experiences have shown me, it is better to be at a place where
we can find peace with God, but to get there, we have to be honest as to what
it is that is holding us from that place of peace.
Daily Devotional, Genesis Chapter 47, 48
God Takes Care of His Own and a Bold Faith and Response.
The first chapter today, 47, shows us a shrewd business man, yet a man who
also understood the concept of caring for his people. In today's world it's
hard to imagine a king, president ruler, requiring someone to give them all of
their animals, all of their land, and then 1/5th of their possessions in order
to survive but that is exactly what Joseph and the King of Egypt does. Of
course early on, Joseph and his family were provided the best land to raise
their sheep on and the King had them take also care of his flocks. How would we
look at this in today's world?
We
also see before going to the next chapter that Jacob, Joseph's father is
getting older and near death. He makes a request to not be buried in Egypt but
instead in his homeland.
In
Chapter 48 we see that Jacob is sick and Joseph takes his sons to visit him. We
see the concern of a grandfather for his grandchildren and an act that while on
the surface seems confusing, was one directed by God, that has Jacob giving the
primary blessing to the youngest of hi grandsons when was normally for the
older son. Even though Joseph tries to correct this, Jacob assures him that he
knows what he is doing.
Through
all of his years, Jacob kept his faith in God. He kept in tune with God to know
what the Lord would want him to do, even if it meant going against tradition.
In the same way today followers of Jesus must be willing to be in tune with The
Holy Spirit. Do we have a deep enough relationship that we can go against the
flow or traditions when God calls us to? We also need to look at our children
and grandchildren and take into consideration that what we teach them should be
things that will carry on for generations, long after we are gone.
Daily Devotional,
Genesis Chapter 49, 50
Living by Example and Expecting Difficulty
In chapter 49 Jacob gathers all of his sons around to address them before
they die. One thing of notice here is that by all indication this address which
includes praise and judgment is done in private. While there are rare times to
do these types of things in public, there is a general approach that we see that
it is done straightforward, to the point, honestly, but amongst each other, not
for the world to see.
How many times in today's world do we like to stand on pedestals and look like
we are all that to the world around us involving things that should be done
privately? We also see here that the 12 sons of Jacob are what are later
known as the 12 tribes of Israel.
Right after talking to his sons, Jacob one of the leaders of the
Christian faith, dies.
Joseph
shows deep compassion for his father at the point of his father's death. We see
Jacob has a great deal of respect from the powers that be in Egypt. In
today's standards you would say he had an elaborate state funeral where the
whole nation turns out to show respect. Part of that was the way Jacob handled
himself around others. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a time to be
bold and to the point, we see that in Jacob in the previous chapter, but the
way he did things was respected by others.
With
the death of Jacob the brothers are afraid that Joseph may take their past out
on them, yet Joseph is moved to tears because he loves his brothers. While he
has power he can exercise he chooses to act in love and compassion. Do we
do that? There are times it is best to remove the obstacles around us but
that doesn't mean we don't love those removed.
Joseph
was a man of integrity that loved his family and saw the work of God without
complaining about his past. That is a test for us as well. How do we look at
the negative things in our lives? Do we use them as motivators to move on and
make us better, or do we hold on to grudges and complain about our situation?
In these regards, Joseph and Jacob are most definitely examples to follow.
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The Virtual Pew
1249 N. St. Francis
Wichita Kansas,
67214
Email: mike@furches.org
Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew
To follow Mike's Band, Pastor Mike and the Demon Slayer Blues Band, click
the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/TheDemonSlayers
The Movie Guys
Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Reviews With Mike
The Virtual Pew Sermons
The Virtual Pew News
