Genesis 15,16,17,18 * Matthew 5:27-48 * Psalm 6

Genesis 15, 16, 17, 18 & Matthew 5:27-48 Reflections

Although it has only been a week, I find myself seeing things I have never seen before. Truly, praying to God to open my ears and asking that He speak to me through His words, has been eye opening. Apparently in my excitement, I read all of Matthew 5, instead of breaking it out the way I was suppose to. I don't really find it to be a problem, since Matthew 5 had soooooo much to tell me. Yesterday, I commented on a questions that was given asking, "I am wondering, concerning the sermon on the mount, what you would do with Matthew 5:48 48 Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Its a phrase I struggle to respond to faithfully. I continued my reading for today, starting in Genesis 15 - 18, and was astonished at what God was providing me in the details. It might not be this ground breaking answer that everyone may be looking for, but what was presented to me was awesome in itself. While the question from yesterday was still on my mind, I turned the page of the Bible to Genesis 17. Genesis 17:1 reads as this, 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. After reading text that was written way before Jesus Christ was born, I could not help but see the parallel from Genesis 17:1 and Matthew 5:48. Again, Matthew 5:48 reads as this 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. What is it to be perfect? I looked up perfect on http://www.dictionary.com/. Perfect, stated as a verb (used with an Object,) is defined as the following; 1: To bring nearer to perfection; improve, and 2: To make fully skilled. In the words of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provides us with a list of characteristics that, if lived by, should bring us nearer to perfection. By looking at the words of God and of Jesus Christ, they continually give us important information that gives us glimpses into what perfection is and how acting in certain ways on this earth bring you closer to perfection. Use these words as structure to your life, understanding that we do not have the ability ourselves to be perfect. Continually ask God to work with you through the Holy Spirit to open your heart to the characteristics that can be applied to your daily life.