Day: January 23, 2024

Day 23 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Genesis 46:1–47:31; Matthew 15:1-28; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 4:14-19

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The Fear of the LORD is Clean, Enduring For Ever
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. – Psalm 19:7-10

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable, O Lord
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:11-14

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In today’s passages in Genesis, we learn how the children of Israel (70 in all) got to Egypt. They were saved there and prospered there. They increased in numbers and grew into a great nation there, but they would also be enslaved there for 400 years!

Every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians. Shepherds or ministers today are fast becoming an abomination to this world, and yet as in Joseph’s day, being obedient to that call will be what protects, sustains, and grows the Kingdom of God.
And it shall come to pass, when Pharoah shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians. – Genesis 46:33-34

God Spake Unto Israel in the Visions of the Night
And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. – Genesis 46:1-7

Joseph fed his family from the bread he had stored. Jesus commands us to feed others with the bread (the Word) we have stored in our hearts,
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families. – Genesis 47:12

And the Time Drew Night that Israel Must Die
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head. – Genesis 47:27-31

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Enter Not Into the Path of the Wicked
Enter not into the path of the wicked, And go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, Turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence. – Proverbs 4:14-17

If there is wickedness in my heart, I will stumble (and won’t even know why)
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. – Proverbs 4:18-19

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Why Do Thy Disciples Transgress the Tradition of the Elders?
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. – Matthew 15:1-2

Ye Have Made the Commandment of God of No Effect By Your Tradition
But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. – Matthew 15:3-6

It is not what goes into your mouth, but what comes out of your heart – spoken through your mouth – that defines who you are!
“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people drawers night unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defiled a man; but that which comets out of the mouth; this defileth a man.” – Matthew 15:7-11

Every Plant Which My Heavenly Father Hath Not Planted, Shall Be Rooted Up
Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. – Matthew 15:12-14

Those Things Which Proceed Out of the Mouth Come Forth from the Heart
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. – Matthew 15:15-20

I am Not Sent but Unto the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. – Matthew 15:21-24

Yet the Dogs Eat of the Crumbs which Fall from Their Master’s Table
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. – Matthew 15:25-28

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The Passages that Spoke to My Heart

Thoughts and observations
In Matthew, Jesus quotes the book of Isaiah. That prophecy spoken by Jesus from Isaiah in many ways sums up the ministry of Jesus. He is trying to call the truth out in people’s lives. And the truth is born out in how they conduct themselves, not in what they say. Because what they said showed incredible hypocrisy, control, and hiding. That kind of echos back to Genesis 3 – when Adam and Eve were naked and ashamed. From that moment in Genesis 3, humans have been hiding and putting a false front out there, while the truth remains hidden in the darkness of our hearts. Here Jesus is calling out the truth. He asks them to unite what they say with who they are, not who they pretend to be.

So what was the Scripture in Isaiah that Jesus was quoting? It was Isaiah 29:13 but verses 14 and 15 are so relevant to what Jesus said and what I am mediating on today.

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? – Isaiah 29:13-15

It was Jesus’ ministry and is no less relevant today. The world we live in now is naked, ashamed, and hiding. We try to present a perfect version of ourselves, but it is exhausting. Why can’t we just relax and be made perfect…for real…so we don’t have to hide? So we can be true and reveal the Kingdom of Heaven that is among us?

Father, transform me through Your Word today. Holy Ghost change me, I pray. Convict me of the meditations of my heart that are not of You and help me to line my actions and words up with Your perfect Word so that they are acceptable in Thy sight. I ask this in the Holy and Beautiful Name of Jesus! Amen!!!