Thoughts that I have at 6:30 am while lifeguarding the empty pool

Hey guys,

So I was thinking that I would tell you guys about a Bible study that I sometimes do in the mornings. Right now Melissa and I are doing this as a way to establish a good discipline and to keep the Bible at the forefront of our mind daily. Its pretty simple and is just a suggestion. Take the Proverb of the day. Since today is the 3rd you would do Proverbs chapter 3. Then just take verses 1-10 the first month of each Proverb and write a little something about each verse. Sometimes you will find that two verses go together well. If this is the case then group them together and write about them. The point of this Bible study is to be personable and practical. Write about how you can take the truth and wisdom learned in this proverb down as it applies to you. Do not write it like, "A person should acknowledge God by prayer about the decisions of life everyday as he goes throughout his day". However you should write it like, "I need to pray about the everyday decisions that are I come across everyday. I need to pray about what Melissa told me last night. I need to pray about getting a better paying job. I need to pray about all these needs because then I am truely acknowledging God in all my ways." Well this is simply a suggestion of a way to study the Bible daily. I know it must break some hermenutical principles but I still think it is a good devotional thing to do.

Abrahamic Covenant focus of ch. 15

The Abrahamic Covenant
Review
Land- Genesis 12:1, 12:7, This weeks verses: 13:14-18, Ch. 15
Nation- Genesis 12:2, This weeks verses: 13:15-16
Blessing- Genesis 12:2-3, 12:16-13:11, This weeks verses:
Seed- Genesis 12:2
Overview
Genesis 13:10-12: Abram and Lot Separate due to their great blessings from the Lord.
Genesis 13:13: This verse foreshadows the future divine judgment of Sodom, through its characterization of Sodom as “wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord”.
Genesis 13:14-18: God affirms that He will make Abram a great nation and that He will make his descendants great in number.
Genesis 14:1-11: The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah are involved in a war with some other hard to pronounce named kings. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah lose and the political background of why this battle took place is also given.
Genesis 14:12-24: Lot and his family got taken in the battle and a messenger reports this to Abram. Abram takes his army and conquers the kings that took Lot and brings Lot and all the possessions back. He then gives a tithe to Melchizedek king of Salem (i.e. Jerusalem)(Heb. 5:6;10, 6:20, 7:1;10-11;15;17). Then Abram gives all the possessions that he had received from his battle back to Sodom and Gomorrah and went on his way. This showed that he knows that the Lord is his blessing and not military might.
Signing the Covenant
- God say, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” 15:1
- Woe is me I have no heir. 15:2-3
- God says OK I heard you. Tells Abram that he will have a vast number of descendants. 15:4-5
- Abram believes the Lord and BY FAITH IS DECLARED RIGHTEOUS. DID I MENTION IT WAS BY FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15:6
- God says I brought you out of Ur to posses this Land. 15:7
- Abram says that is nice BUT, can I get it in writing? 15:8
- God says fine bring me some paper which just so happened to be a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon which were cut in two except for the birds. 15:9-11
- Abram goes into a deep sleep. 15:12
- God then signs the agreement that Abram’s descendants will enter the land. God also prophecies the future of Israel for the next 430 years. God taking on the form of a smoking oven/pot and a flaming torch passes between these pieces and God then signs the contract. 15:13-21

This is the link to the New York Times article that makes reference to the Abrahamic Covenant in relation to Israel and our views of foreign policy. http://www.ouramericanvalues.org/press_release_article.php?id=040303