Bible Reading Planner - Step 3

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <P><FONT SIZE="-1">Notes for: <A HREF="#week4">Week 4</A> | <A HREF="#week5">Week 5</A> | <A HREF="#week6">Week 6</A></FONT></P> <H2><A NAME="week4"></A>Week 4</H2> <TABLE BORDER="0"> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP"> <H3>GOD CALLS ABRAM</H3>Abram (later called Abraham) was commanded by God to leave Babylonia, a land of false religion (Genesis 11-12). God promised him great blessings and a future inheritance in a new land - the Promised Land. This was Canaan, later called Palestine. <P></P>Abram's obedience and faith were remarkable. He became the pattern for all who want to please God. Because Abram believed in God, God esteemed him righteous (Romans 4:12-13 and 19-25). <P></P>Abram's faith was later demonstrated by his actions. He lived by his belief. God made the promise even before this.</TD> <TD><IMG SRC="../images/abramur.gif" HSPACE="10" WIDTH="461" HEIGHT="371"> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-1"><I>Lands and peoples at the time of Abraham <BR>(see Genesis 11)</I></FONT></P></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Genesis 11</I></TD> <TD>Notice how God selected the family of Shem, a son of Noah, leading up to Abram (verses 10-26).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Genesis 12</I></TD> <TD>There are seven parts to the important promise made by God in verses 2 and 3. The fulfilment of God's word to Abram affects all nations.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 13</I></TD> <TD>More promises (verses 14-17) which involve the eternal inheritance of the land of Canaan.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 14</I></TD> <TD>Melchizedek (verses 18-20) was a king and priest. Jesus is a Priest now for true believers and will come back to be King in Jerusalem.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Genesis 15</I></TD> <TD>Abram was counted righteous because he had FAITH in God's promises (verse 6). God foretold that Abram's descendants would become slaves for a time (verses 13-14). The Hebrews did subsequently become slaves in Egypt.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Genesis 17</I></TD> <TD>God's promises were renewed (verses 1-8) and Abram's name was changed to Abraham (a father of many nations). The promise was to go through Isaac, not Ishmael (verse 19).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Genesis 19 </I></TD> <TD>God was still concerned about the moral condition of the world, as He was in the time of Lot. (See Luke 17:28-32). Sodom has lent its name to wickedness which is not acceptable to God (Genesis 18:20).</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <H2><A NAME="week5"></A>Week 5</H2> <H3>THE KINGDOM OF GOD</H3> <P>Matthew tells us about Jesus as the King of the coming Kingdom of God promised in the Old Testament. The kingdom is described as "the kingdom of heaven" (because it belongs to God) but it will be on EARTH with Jerusalem as its capital.</P> <P>The "call of Christ" is in many ways like God's call to Abram. It requires belief in the same promises made sure in Christ and a life of willing discipleship.</P> <H3>PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM</H3> <P>Jesus often taught in parables. They were designed to help the humble to understand the gospel of the Kingdom and to confound the proud and antagonistic. The parables can teach much to "those who have ears to hear" and they are wonderful aids to the memory. Some parables, like the Sower (Matthew 13) tell of the preparation stage of the Kingdom. Others, like that of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25) tell us of the future.</P> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Matthew 8 </I></TD> <TD>The many miracles performed by Jesus were a witness to the truth of his teaching and his ability to help those in need.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Matthew 9</I></TD> <TD>Verses 6-9. Forgiveness of sins is possible through Jesus. Matthew was called to follow him. We need to learn about Jesus if we are to follow him.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Matthew 10</I></TD> <TD>Verses 2-4. The Twelve left everything to follow Jesus. We need their faith which puts God first in our lives (verses 38-39).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Matthew 11</I></TD> <TD>Verses 2-3. Jesus' reply to John's enquiry was to quote from Isaiah 35 (which is about the future kingdom).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Matthew 12</I></TD> <TD>Verses 15-21. Jesus' attitude fulfilled Isaiah 42, verses 1-4. God's servant was to invite, not to force people.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Matthew 13</I></TD> <TD>This chapter contains seven parables about the Kingdom. Notice the important stages in verse 23: (a) Receiving ... (b) Hearing ... (c) Understanding God's Word.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Matthew 14</I></TD> <TD>Jesus always thought of others - the sick (verse 14), the hungry (verse 19), Peter's faith (verse 29), Peter's fear (verse 31).</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <H2><A NAME="week6"></A>Week 6</H2> <H3>THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM</H3> <P>God chose certain of Abraham's family to continue the line which would eventually lead to Christ. He repeated the same PROMISES to them, promises which would be fulfilled through one particular descendant - Jesus Christ.</P> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="10"> <TR> <TD> <PRE> Abraham = Sarah | Isaac = Rebekah ____________|______________ | | Esau Jacob _________________________________|_____________________ | | | | = Leah = Bilhah = Zilpah = Rachel ________________|________________ __|__ __|__ ___|____ | | | | | | | | | | | | Reuben Simeon Levi JUDAH Issachar Zebulun Dan Naphtali Gad Asher Joseph Benjamin | ___|___ DAVID | | | Manasseh Ephraim CHRIST</PRE></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-1"><I>The sons of Jacob were called "The Children of Israel" (12 tribes)</I></FONT></P> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Genesis 22 </I></TD> <TD>God "did tempt" (verse 1 - tested) Abraham to let him show his faith. This chapter points to the time when, later, God was to give HIS own Son! See how it is used in the New Testament (Galatians 3:8-9, 16).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Genesis 26</I></TD> <TD>God's promises to Isaac (verses 1-4) are related to Abraham's obedience (verse 5) and again concern all nations of the world.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 27</I></TD> <TD>Rebekah knew Jacob was to be blessed (Genesis 25:19-34). Even so, she should have waited for God to do it.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 28</I></TD> <TD>God (not Isaac now) gives Jacob the PROMISES, as made first to Abraham (verses 13-15). He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (verse 13).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Genesis 29</I></TD> <TD>Jacob had to learn patience and trust in God. He was 20 years in Laban's house, serving for Leah, Rachel and cattle (Genesis 31:41).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Genesis 30</I></TD> <TD>The sons born to Jacob, including Joseph's sons, were to be ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 46:3 and Exodus 1:1-7).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Genesis 31</I></TD> <TD>God brought Jacob back again just as He promised (Genesis 28:15) to bring the nation of Israel back to the Land of Promise in our day (Jeremiah 30:3; 31:8-11).</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-1"><A HREF="#top">Top of page</A> | <A HREF="step2.htm">Step 2</A> | <A HREF="step4.htm">Step 4</A> | <A HREF="brtable.htm#table">Table of Readings</A></FONT></P> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <A HREF="../index.html"><IMG SRC="../images/snicon.gif" ALIGN="MIDDLE" BORDER="0" WIDTH="28" HEIGHT="39"></A><A HREF="../index.html">Home</A></FONT></P> </BODY>