Needing Jesus

This blog will henceforth have but one purpose: to keep a record of my personal devotions and Scripture readings from today’s date on.

Now, I have never been particularly good at keeping these things, because I have never been very good at following through wiht plans to read the Bible consistently. But I have a new found fervor: I want to worship Jesus as much as possible in everything I say and do. This is simply my private time with God.

For the first year, I will follow one of the reading plans given to me by one of my pastors in last weekend’s seminar on how to study the Bible. I have no intention of reading the entire Bible in a year, but I will keep a record of what I have and have not read from this reading plan, and next time I go through it, I’ll cover the parts I didn’t initially.

I will be using the R.E.A.P. method of study. This was recommended in the seminar.

Where Is Wisdom?

Job 28-29, Matthew 13:1-30

I’ll start with the passage from Job. My Bible titles chapter 28 “Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?” I think this is an excellent title. In chapter 28 Job is just explaining, either to himself or to his friends, that real wisdom doesn’t come from doing things, or amassing large amounts of wealth. Indeed, it seems the earth longs to find where it comes from, but doesn’t know (v20-21). But Job knows. At least, he knows who knows. Verses 23-24 explain that God alone knows how to obtain wisdom, and it is found through Him. But then in Chapter 29, Job talks about all the things he has done, as in a comparison to what God does. Did he start to think so highly of himself that he temporarily lost sight of God?

Let’s move to Matthew. Jesus is speaking at the start of this passage, teaching a parable to the crowds of people. In verse 10, the disciples talk to Jesus (more in private) and ask Jesus, not for the explanation of the parable, but why he is speaking parables and not just telling them what it means. Jesus explains that its to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 6:9-10, that the people will hear, but not understand, see, and yet not perceive. The verse that jumped out to me what what he told them next:

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Then Jesus explains the parable. After that, he gives them another parable that must have been for their eyes only (the Parable of the Weeds). I didn’t really understand this parable. But I felt like it just said that sometimes we are supposed to roll with the enemy’s punches, and in the end, it will be taken care of by our Master.

Lord, teach me to remember that You are the Keeper of Wisdom, and not to rely on my own great deeds. Also, thank you for allowing me to be a seer and a hearer. I love you, Jesus. Thank you for your Word and your teaching.