Today’s reading is:
Genesis 8:1-10:32 Matthew 4:12-25 Psalm 4:1-8 Prov 1:20-23
Gen chpts 8 thru 10 and Matt 4 are about new beginnings. Gen 8:1 in the NIV starts with… “But God…” It’s after the flood and the sign of new beginnings is a rainbow. In Matt 4, the sign of new beginning is healing the poor and Jesus proclaiming the good news to the poor.
The curse on men is that we will always have weeds (imperfections) in our fields. That means crop failure is a normal part of life as we toil. Pulling together the New beginnings from Matt and Gen, by faith, we can lie down in peace and sleep. By faith, we realize the more correct presence of Psalm 4: 4 “Be Angry but do not sin.” The Hebrew hear is actually saying, ‘tremble in fear of the Lord so you don’t sin.”
You see, if we have the fear of the Lord, as we step into New Beginnings in 2020, we will discover the passage in Proverbs that tells us, ‘By faith, step away from simplicity and God will make known His word to us, granting discernment and wisdom. Make sure your New Beginnings this year step from floods and crop failure (they will still happen) to faith and trembling in fear of the Lord so we don’t sin. God’s word will move us from simplicity to wisdom and discernment.
Inman