Day 5 - Bible Reading Notes

Matthew 5 - In the sermon on the mount, Jesus begins to magnify the law.  For example he clarifies that yes murder bad, but so is hating or insulting.  Yes, adultery is bad, but so is looking lustfully at another.  Divorce should really only happen in circumstances when adultery is taking place.  Also, if you get a divorce for another reason, you shouldn't re-marry because you are committing adultery and so is your new spouse. You shouldn't swear by heaven, because it is God's throne, or the earth because it is His footstool, or even by yourself because you can't even control the color of your hair… but instead just be honest and say yes or no.  Don't get back at people when they wrong you.  Pray for them, don't curse them. Love your enemies.

Genesis 5 - Three thoughts after reading this chapter.  1) I didn't realized that Adam had Seth when he was 130 years old.  2) I have never thought about the fact that Noah had Shem, Ham and Japheth when he was 500 years old. I know that Noah and his wife, and his three children and their wives (8 people) were on the Ark… but I wonder if Noah had other kids.  Think about what people would say of a man that didn't have any kids after 400 years.  That would be like a man now waiting until he's 70 to have kids.  Interesting…  And 3) It would be awesome to live for 969 years like Methusaleh.

Romans  5 - Favorite parts: (v.1)…Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (v.8) God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  This chapter has some confusing verses to me: For example, I still don't fully understand 5:13 - and 5:18 seems contradictory.  I guess how I understand v 18 is that one trespass (sin) lead to condemnation for all who are in Adam (that's everybody) but one act of righteousness (Jesus' death on the Cross) leads to life for all men.  Not that all men are saved by it, but that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  So then the inherited guilt of Adams sin is automatic to all, but the justification of the death of Jesus Christ must be received through faith.

1 Thessalonians 5 - This chapter has a lot of do's and don'ts.  Which I'm totally fine with but it seems like pastors sometimes say that Christianity doesn't have a list of "Do's and Don'ts" but it clearly does.  Not that you are saved by Do's and Don'ts but once you are saved, there are certainly a lot of them. Pray without ceasing.

Job 5 - Eliphaz the Temanite said some stuff to Job, but honestly I have no idea what he was talking about. (According to the MacArthur study notes, he is saying that if Job would only confess his sin, God would forgive him.)

Psalms 5 - Favorite verse: Psalm 5:5 [God] hates all evildoers.  (Easy address to remember too.)

Proverbs 5 - Stay away from a forbidden woman!

Joshua 5 - The Lord told Joshua to circumcise all the children of all the people that died during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness because they hadn't yet been circumcised.  Then Joshua saw a person who had a sword and he asked him if he was for or against him.  And this man was the commander of the Army of the Lord and told Joshua to take of his shoes because he was on holy ground.  I think this 'Commander' was God Himself.

Isaiah 5 - v.20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil… and (v. 21) Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes - These two verses remind me of me.  That's not good.  Sometimes I might say "That was a really good movie" when God may hate the movie.  And also, I think I am wise (just being honest.)  I need to change some things. (v. 22) is funny to me, it seems like sarcasm. "Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine…" that's like saying congratulations on being a fat pig.

Acts 5 - Ananias &  Sapphira: the liars.- I can't put my finger on it, but something about the beginning of this chapter rubs me the wrong way.  I don't like when pastors, or anybody for that matter, claim that God killed Ananias and Saphira for telling one lie.  That's not entirely, or potentially, true.  This one like may have just been the 'straw that broke the camels back.'  Also, It bothers me that all the Apostles were just sitting by themselves in Solomon’s Portico, and that people regarded them so highly even waiting that Peter's shadow might fall on them.  I don't fully understand this. I wonder if these Apostles may have thought of themselves a little to highly, or just the people thought of them too highly, or rightly. - I like v.31 God exalted [Jesus] at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. I like how the Pharisies say that they agree with Gamaliel, who said to leave these men alone, but then they still punished the Apostles. ?  The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to be beaten.

* Actually January 6th, I skipped a day.  I was pretty productive yesterday, however.  I changed a toilet seat (for the first time), unclogged my kitchen sink, helped my brother move some furniture, and cleaned my kitchen at the request of my wife.  Then later, some friends invited me over for dinner and we discussed some business with them as well.  Am I justifying missing a day of reading; yep. :)