Reflections on Genesis - A Journalizing Experience

Completion of Reflections on Genesis

2009-01-02T20:38:00.002-05:00

I have posted my final entry on the book of Genesis. I will now leave this blog for those who may be searching for comments on the first book of the Bible, authored by Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and reflected on by Carol Casarez, a simple woman following God one step at a time.

Genesis Chapter 50 - Turning Inadequacy into Victory

2009-01-02T20:25:00.005-05:00

The end of an era had come…Jacob had died. Joseph loved his father very much, and he mourned his death deeply. He followed the Egyptian tradition of embalming, which took 40 days, and Egyptian mourning, which lasted 70 days. After that Joseph asked permission from Pharaoh to honor his father’s last request of being buried in the family tomb back in Canaan that had been purchased by Abraham. There was a very large funeral procession with Jacob’s sons and their households, along with the dignitaries of Egypt who went in support of Joseph, their beloved ruler.

Once again the brothers were afraid of Joseph. Now that Jacob was dead, they wondered if Joseph would finally seek revenge. However, Joseph had truly forgiven his brothers, and he reassured them of his continued provision for them and their families. He once again reminded them that even though what they had done to him was evil, God brought good out of it. To see things from God’s perspective is the essence of wisdom, and Joseph was a very wise man. He continued to live in the land of Egypt until his death, but he knew a day would come when the Israelites would go back to the land of Canaan. When that happened they were instructed by Joseph to carry his bones out of Egypt with them.

Throughout the rest of the Bible there will be references to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three patriarchs had made their place in history in the nation of Israel for all time to come. The fact that they were buried in Canaan, at their request, was indication that they truly believed this land would be given to their descendants, as God had promised. This is the point where Moses ended his book of beginnings, the book of Genesis. He gave us a living portrait of the earliest fathers of faith. None of them were perfect. They were all very human, and they made their mistakes. But it was their underlying faith in God that made them repent and move forward at God’s instructions. They were very inadequate men who recognized that it was in following God that they became victorious.

I trust you have found the same great assurance that I have found in this study of Genesis. The Almighty God of the universe, through whom all things were created; the Faithful God of the patriarchs, through whom they were led…this same God is Lord of my life and abides in me. I am His created being; I am His chosen servant. God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, is in control of my path. I can rest in Him and rely on Him. Throughout the book of Genesis in my Bible, He has spoken to me:
"I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless." (17:1)

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (18:14)

"The Lord will provide." (22:14)

"The Lord, before whom I have walked, will...make your journey a success..." (24:40)

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go," (28:15)

"...God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done..." (50:20)

"How big is God! How big and wide His vast domain,
To try to tell these lips can only start;
He’s big enough to rule His mighty universe,
Yet, small enough to live within my heart."
(Stuart Hamblen, Copyright 1959, Hamblen Music Co.)

Joy and Peace to you,
Carol

Genesis Chapter 49 - Passing The Faith

2008-12-28T19:27:00.007-05:00

A story is told of a dear old saintly lady who called her pastor to her home one day to help her plan her funeral. After covering all the necessary details, she had one last request for him. She wanted to be buried with her Bible in one hand and a fork in the other hand. This seemed like an unusual request, and he asked her why she wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand. She told him that at all of the best fellowship dinners at the church, when someone would come by to collect the dirty dishes, they would say, "You can keep the fork." That meant that the best was yet to come…either pie or cake was about to be served. So when people passed by her casket and saw a fork in her hand, she wanted her pastor to be able to step up and say of this saintly lady’s life, "The best is yet to come!"

Today’s passage tells us of the time that Jacob gathered all of his sons around him for a final blessing and a prophetic word. He told each son what his future would hold for him. For some of those sons, the best had already been, and they would face days in which they would pay for some of their actions of the earlier years of their lives. It was a case of reaping what they had sowed, praying for a crop failure, and God did not answer their prayers. Our futures are shaped by our actions today.

After giving his final blessings, Jacob reminded his sons that he wanted to be buried with his fathers in Canaan. He then "drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people." (vs. 33) For Jacob, the best was yet to come. He joined his father, Isaac, and his grandfather, Abraham, in the presence of Jehovah. What a homecoming there must have been! These three men, called of God, faithful in service, had laid the foundation for the nation of Israel. They had lived their lives so that their faith was passed along.

Are we passing the faith along today? Can our children see God at work in our lives? Have they been told of God’s continual guidance and provisions? Have they heard how one day we had an encounter with Jesus Christ that forever changed our lives? Do they know Who to turn to in their dark moments, times of confusion and distress? What an incredible responsibility we have as Christian parents. We are shaping our destiny and impacting the destiny of those coming behind us. What will we do with today? Let me repeat once again an earlier chorus that just seems to continually go through my mind, and may we live these moments we have today to the glory of God!

"We have this moment to hold in our hands
And to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;
Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment today."
(copyright 1975 William J. Gaither)

Genesis Chapte 48 - Hold On

2008-12-25T08:11:00.010-05:00

Mark Lowry, in his video "Mouth In Action", talks about his favorite Bible verse: "And it came to pass......" He said no matter what we are going through, it will pass. That should be words of encouragement to us today. I suppose when Jacob’s sons came home one day from the fields with a shredded and blood-soaked coat that belonged to Joseph, Jacob thought life might as well be over for him. His favorite son was dead. There seemed to be no reason to live. Then the day came when Jacob learned that Joseph was alive. Not only alive, but he was also a very powerful ruler in the land of Egypt. In fact, through Joseph’s wisdom there was food available for them that would save the rest of Jacob’s family from starving to death during the time of famine.

Just knowing Joseph was still alive had to be joy unspeakable. When he heard that Joseph was a rich ruler, such news was full of glory. And then to hear that his very own son was inviting him to come live with him in Egypt, and Jacob and all of his family would be provided for…well, the half was yet to be told! I can just heard Jacob singing, "I have found His grace in all complete; He supplieth ev’ry need......" And continuing on:

"I have found the joy no tongue can tell. How its waves of glory roll!
It is like a great o’er-flowing well, Springing up within my soul.
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of glory, full of glory.
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory. Oh, the half has never yet been told!"
(B.E. Warren)

Jacob was getting near death now, and he called Joseph to him. He promised him that Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, would inherit land as though they were Jacob’s own sons. It was as if God had not only given him Joseph back, but two more sons besides. Jacob blessed the two boys, purposefully giving the younger son (Ephraim) the greater blessing. He had learned that God works in mysterious ways, ways that were unpredictable and unexpected. But now at the end of his life, he could look back across the years and see that God was always there, had always provided, had fulfilled every promise.

Whenever Jacob was distressed over his present circumstances, they came to pass. When he did not see how any good could come from tragedy, things turned out better than he could have ever imagined. Yes, Jacob’s life was full of trials and perseverance, but in the end God allowed him the opportunity to see how His Holy Presence had been there all along. Jacob, the young conniving lad, had become Israel, the father of God’s chosen people.

Probably most of us can recall a time in our lives when we felt a sense of despair. We could not see how anything could happen to erase the present sorrow from our lives. We have been hurt and disillusioned. Life has dealt us some ugly blows. Sometimes we just did not feel like it was worth it to get up and go on. But we did. Time passed. Things that did not make sense seemed to lose their importance.

Or maybe a time has come when God has revealed some of life’s mysteries to us. Regardless, we know we can trust God. We can look at the life of Jacob and know that God has a plan for each of our lives, and He will see that plan through to its completion. He’s going to be there for us. For whatever we are going through, this too shall pass. "Hold on my child!"

"If you’ve knelt beside the rubble of an aching, broken heart,
When the things you gave your life to fell apart;
You’re not the first to be acquainted with sorrow, grief or pain,
But the Master promised sunshine after rain.
Hold on my child, Joy comes in the morning,
Weeping only lasts for the night;
Hold on my child, Joy comes in the morning,
The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight."
("Joy Comes In The Morning", William J. and Gloria Gaither, Copyright 1974)

Genesis Chapter 47 - An Influential Leader

2008-12-21T14:11:00.002-05:00

Pharaoh was very kind and gracious to Joseph’s family. He gave them the best land in Egypt to settle in and pasture their flocks. Joseph presented five of his brothers and his father to Pharaoh, and then Jacob blessed Pharaoh. This is one of those stories in the Bible that seems like it almost has a fairy tale ending. If time had ceased to exist, it would have been just that. To see how the story continues, one would have to read Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, right on through the whole Bible. God had a chosen people back then, and He still has a chosen people today. The Bible really is a book about our own history. Hopefully this study in Genesis will inspire us to keep on reading!

The famine continued in the whole region. Grain was available because of Joseph’s management of the surplus during the years of plenty. At first people came to him with money to purchase grain. When the money was gone, Joseph told them to bring their livestock in exchange for food. As the famine continued people were forced to sell their land to Pharaoh in exchange for food. They were glad to do this because it meant the difference between life or death. Life as servants of Pharaoh was better than the other option. Priests were the only ones who did not have to sell their land, as they were given an allotment of food. Joseph gave the rest of the people seed to plant, and in exchange they were to give one-fifth of their crops to Pharaoh. They could keep the remaining four-fifths for themselves to live on. Everyone was extremely grateful to Joseph for saving their lives by devising plans that would benefit them all.

Meanwhile, down on the farm, Jacob and his clan were steadily increasing in number. The land of Goshen was filling up with Israelites. After living there for 17 years, Jacob made Joseph take an oath to bury him with his fathers in his own land, not in Egypt. Joseph solemnly swore to keep this promise to his father.

When I think of Joseph and the strong leadership he showed during the famine of his day, I am reminded of a well known Christian psychologist, author, and speaker, among other things, who is providing leadership in our day of moral famine. Dr. James Dobson has been a tremendously influential leader in family values and ethical behavior. It isn’t food that we hunger for today…it is morality, integrity, and character. Somehow I think Dr. Dobson feels the same sense of urgency that Joseph felt in serving God and people. The following quotes from Dr. Dobson could have been passed from Joseph down to him. May these thoughts influence who we are and the way we live our lives:

"....you can see that I have chosen to make you visible and influential among my people for purposes that you may not comprehend. In so doing, I am making my church vulnerable to you. You will be able to hurt and disappoint the family of believers by the things you do and say. Don’t mess it up! Bridle your tongue. Guard your behavior. Raise your ethical standard. Protect my people!" (God speaking to Dr. Dobson)

"When I reach the end of my days, a moment or two from now, I must look backward on something more meaningful than the pursuit of houses and land and stocks and bonds. I will consider my earthly existence to have been wasted unless I can recall a loving family, a consistent investment in the lives of people, and an earnest attempt to serve the God who made me. Nothing else makes much sense."

Genesis Chapter 46 - Faith is a Journey into the Unknown

2008-12-12T08:04:00.011-05:00

The fear of the unknown. Maybe it was a new job. Perhaps the first day of school at a new school. A blind date. A transfer to a new community. Waiting for the test results from the lab. Have you been there? You didn’t know for sure what was in store, yet you knew you had to face it…the unknown. I am sure that is how Jacob (Israel) felt when he set out for Egypt. He knew he could not stay in Canaan, or his whole family would starve to death. He also knew that Joseph was waiting for him in Egypt, which should have been a big enticement for Jacob to make this move. However, it still required him to pull up all of the stakes, gather all of his clan together, and head out from a place he could call his own, and head for a place that was new and foreign to him.

Making those kind of changes when a person is young and adventuresome is not as difficult as when a person has aged and grown very comfortable in his surroundings. Remember the day Jacob was sent away from his home by mom and dad for having deceived his brother? They were trying to protect his life, and even though he was afraid of what was ahead, he trusted them to know what was best for him. Here he is now in his last days, at the end of his life, and God Himself is sending Israel (Jacob) away from home. Again, it is to protect not only his life, but the lives of all of those in his family. They would be sheltered from the famine if they moved down to Egypt where Joseph could take care of them. Israel trusted God and set out on this journey in faith, taking a total of 66 descendants and their wives with him.

The first night on his journey Israel offered a sacrifice to God, a praise offering for what God had done in his life and was going to do. Father God knew that Jacob was scared. He came to him in a vision telling him he did not have to be afraid, for God would be with him and would make him into a great nation. God would give him Joseph to comfort him in his old age and be there for him when he died. God also promised Jacob that one day his family would return to Canaan. What comfort there must have been in that vision to a man who felt tremendous responsibility for his whole family. Just as Jacob’s family respected his leadership, and trusted him, Jacob looked to God to assure him that this was the right move for all of them.

When we face the unknown, not sure what the future holds for us, we can have the same peace and assurance that God gave to Jacob. He has promised over and over again in His Word that He would never leave us, nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Hebrews 13:5). God knows that we are human, and it is only natural for us to be afraid at times. Jacob did not yet have God’s Word in a written form, so God appeared to him in a vision. This same God comes to us when we pick up the Bible and begin to read His comforting promises. He speaks peace to us in John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. That peace comes from knowing that you have given control of your life over to God, and no matter what circumstances you face, you know God will be there for you. Psalm 23 is another good passage to bring a sense of calm in a time of anxiety.

What a time of rejoicing must have occurred when Joseph and Jacob were finally reunited. It was almost like Jacob had not allowed himself to die until he could see his son again (see Genesis 46:30). Pharaoh had already promised to give Joseph’s father and brothers the best land in Egypt, the land of Goshen. Since Egyptians detested shepherds, it was good that Israel and his family were located in a separate area where their flocks could graze, and they could live the lifestyle they were used to living, not having to measure up to the Egyptians. God provided them a place where He could continue to increase their number and keep His people separate from the other cultures around them. God thinks of everything, doesn’t He! What a mighty God we serve!

Genesis Chapter 45 - God is Always in Control

2008-12-06T18:48:00.006-05:00

God is sovereign. What does that mean to you? Could you explain that to someone if asked? Joseph had a good grasp on what the sovereignty of God meant. His statement to his brothers is the essence of what it means for God to be sovereign: "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God." (vs. 8). God has a plan, and He will work His plan through us…or in spite of us. We do not get in the way of God’s overall design for His creation. We are pawns in His hands, and He can move us about as He pleases. Or He can create circumstances, whatever it takes to fulfill His plan.

When Joseph could contain himself no longer, he wept openly before his brothers and told them who he was. While they were afraid of what he might do to them, he assured them of the sovereignty of God. Anything that they had done to try to harm him had actually been the hand of God at work in all of their lives. Not only was Joseph saved from evil and harm, God’s larger blueprint was that all of Jacob’s family would be saved from the famine of the land. They would be preserved and made into the nation of Israel. God was not finished with them yet…He was only just beginning.

God is not finished with us yet either. He tells us, "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) No matter what satan throws our way with the intention of destroying us, God is ultimately in control. It is so good to be able to turn and grin at satan, knowing God gets the last laugh. satan is a loser…always has been, always will be. Only losers give into him. The Power of God at work in us is so much greater than the power of evil that is the world. Claim that Power. Walk in the Spirit.

Apostle Paul admonishes us in Galatians 5:16: "So I say, live by the Sprit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." That is the secret to living an undefeated life, just as Joseph did. He knew that God was in control of his destiny. He placed his trust and his hope in God, knowing that all things would work out in the end. If Joseph could have read the New Testament, he probably would have chosen Romans 8:28 as his credo: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

What a day of excitement it must have been when the brothers got back home to their families and their father Jacob and told them of the good news about Joseph. Their load of guilt was gone, and their future was secure. They would all be moving to Egypt where Joseph could provide for them during the years of famine. Jacob and his beloved son Joseph would be reunited! Even Pharaoh got in on the excitement of Joseph being reunited with his family. He offered them the best land in Egypt to settle in. He even gave them carts to move their families with. He offered them the best of everything Egypt had to offer.

We all love happy endings. We need to just stop the story here for a while and rejoice with Joseph and his family. Together again. The past is behind them, the future is in God’s hands, and they have this moment of time to rejoice. Enjoy the moments of your life to the fullest, for they are passing. Gaither penned some words that tell us we need to take full advantage of the moments we have today:

"We have this moment to hold in our hands
and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;
Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment today."
(Copyright 1975 William J. Gaither)

Genesis Chapter 44 - Follow the Leader

2008-12-03T17:01:00.006-05:00

Have you ever played "follow the leader"? If you have, then you know sometimes the leader did something you really did not want to do, or went a direction you did not really want to follow. In this chapter we observe a leader that had done things we would never think of doing, and took some paths we just would not have chosen. Let’s turn our focus from Joseph and give closer attention to his brother Judah, the natural born leader amongst Jacob’s sons.

We first find Judah taking leadership out in the field with all of his brothers, trying to decide what to do with "the dreamer". It was at Judah’s suggestion that they sold their youngest brother to a band of traveling salesmen headed toward Egypt. Would you sell your own flesh and blood into slavery? No, at this stage Judah’s leadership leaves much to be desired.

In Chapter 38 we studied the character of Judah in depth as we watched the story unfold about his compromising relationship with Tamar. When we contrasted his character with that of his brother Joseph, we found Judah to be immoral and lacking in the discernment and integrity that Joseph displayed. Judah gave in to his temptation for a "quick fix" with a "prostitute" (a disguised Tamar), but Joseph fled from the temptation of Potiphar’s wife. Would you make Judah your role model here? No, I don’t think so. But there did seem to be a turning point in Judah’s life at this intersection. When faced with his guilt, he admitted it. All of a sudden Judah is starting to stand a little taller. He’s beginning to display characteristics that we can admire. For this, he starts to gain our respect. We have political leaders and church leaders today that could learn something from Judah.

We move into Chapter 43 of Genesis and we find Judah taking leadership in speaking to his father Jacob, trying to persuade him of the necessity of taking Benjamin back to Egypt with them in order to get more food. He even counted the cost and was willing to risk his own life for the sake of all the rest of his family. He would do whatever it took to keep them from starving to death. And it appeared, in this current chapter, that Judah would indeed have to give his life on behalf of his brother Benjamin.

Joseph had played a trick on the brothers once again, and had again placed their silver back in their sacks. He also had his silver cup placed in Benjamin’s sack. This was a test Joseph had devised to see if his brothers truly had a change of heart from when they had sold him into slavery. When the silver cup was found, Benjamin was to become Joseph’s slave while the rest of the brothers were to be sent back home. Judah knew this would be the death of his father, and he took full responsibility for Benjamin’s life. He was ready to make a personal sacrifice of his own life in order that Benjamin could go free. The same brother who was the leader in selling Joseph into slavery, now offered himself as a slave in the place of his youngest brother. Would you follow this kind of leader, someone who was willing to risk his very own life for you?

One of Judah’s descendants has done that very thing for each of us. One day Jesus Christ stepped forward and said to the Ruler of the universe, "Father, let me pay the price for their guilt. Let me give my life as a payment of their ransom. Let me be crucified so that they may be freed from their sins, their guilt, their bonds that hold them so tightly." Jesus willingly paid the ultimate price by being stretched out and nailed to some rugged pieces of wood in the form of a cross. The price of leadership. Would you pay it? The good news is, we do not have to. Christ paid the price once for all.

"There is a Savior, what joys express,
His eyes are mercy, His Word is rest.
For each tomorrow, for yesterday,
There is a Savior who lights our way."
(Copyright 1986 New Wings Music/Greg Nelson Music)

Genesis Chapter 43 - Forgiving Grace

2008-11-22T16:52:00.005-05:00

When the famine continued, it became necessary for Jacob and his sons to replenish their food supply. Judah informed his father that it would do no good to return to Egypt to buy more food unless Benjamin went with them. Joseph had made it very clear that they were not welcome without their youngest brother.

Jacob was finally persuaded of the necessity of sending his beloved Benjamin with the other brothers on a return trip to Egypt. Jacob sent gifts to Joseph in hopes of assuring that all would go well, and that all his sons would be allowed to return home. He also sent double payment for the food. He wanted to repay the silver that had been sent back in each of his sons’ sacks on the first trip.

Upon their arrival in Egypt, Joseph had his brothers taken to his house to eat the noon meal with him. Though the brothers were fearful it was because he wanted to punish them, instead they were shown genuine hospitality. Their feet were washed, their donkeys were fed, and their brother Simon was returned to them. When Joseph saw his youngest brother Benjamin with them, he was moved to the point of tears. However, he still kept his identity from them.

What a forgiving heart Joseph had. He was still a man with the utmost integrity. What had happened in the past was left in the past. His brothers were here before him, and he gave them the best treatment available…a feast in his own home. They had put him in a pit, but he gave them a party. Because of his love for them he extended mercy to them far above what they deserved.

So it is with God’s love for us. His grace has known no limits with us. We can never go so far that He will not beckon us back to Him. He loves us unconditionally, and is always willing that we change our course of direction to walk in His footsteps. He wants fellowship with us as much as He wanted fellowship with Adam. It does not matter what we have done in the past, He forgives us. It does not matter how far away from Him we have traveled, He welcomes us back home.

We may have been suffering a season of draught, and living in a land of famine. He invites us to feast in His presence. He wants to bathe us in the beauty and fragrance of His holiness. He desires to put a new heart within us, and give us joy and peace to sustain us until He comes back to take us to be forever with Him. I see Him even now beckoning to us, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:18-19).

"In the presence of Jehovah,
God Almighty, Prince of Peace;
Troubles vanish; hearts are mended
In the presence of the King."

Genesis Chapter 42 - God Hates Pride

2008-11-15T16:05:00.002-05:00

Just as the Pharaoh had dreamed, there were seven years of abundance, followed by seven years of famine. The famine was world wide, so other countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph. From the land of Canaan came ten familiar faces…the brothers of Joseph. Even though Joseph recognized them, they did not know who he was because of his royal dress and his Egyptian dialect. Therefore Joseph decided to hide his identity for a while to test his brothers. His last memory of them was of their intent to kill him, or leave him for dead, before they sold him to the caravan going to Egypt.

As the brothers were bowing down to him in request to buy food from him, Joseph recalled his earlier dreams. He accused them of being spies, and he put them in custody for three days. Then, in order for them to prove they were not spies, he ordered that one of the ten brothers stay in prison while the rest went back home with some grain for their families. They were to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, back with them in order to have Simeon released from prison and to get any more food.

The brothers started talking among themselves about their punishment being a result of what they had done to Joseph years before. They did not know that Joseph understood every word being spoken, and it brought him great sorrow as he listened to their conversation. When he sent the brothers on their way, he also had the money they had paid for the grain put back in their sacks. Upon discovering their silver coins in the grain bags, the brothers were frightened for their lives. They told their father Jacob they had to take Benjamin back to Egypt in order to retrieve the brother left behind. They would also need to take Benjamin back with them to gain purchasing power. Jacob was adamant that Benjamin would not go to Egypt with them. He had already lost his son Joseph, and now Simeon, and he was taking no chances with his youngest son.

It was good for the sons of Jacob to have this time to think about their crime of earlier years. I am sure not one day had passed since they had sold Joseph and deceived their father that they did not regret what they had done. However, pride would not allow them to admit their guilt.

Pride. What a powerful word. It is a word of bondage, for it keeps people from doing what they know they should do, and maybe really want to do, but "what will people think?"

There is nothing God hates more than pride. Worrying about what others think instead of what God thinks has kept many people out of heaven. Pride stands in the way of people having a personal relationship with the Heavenly Father because He must be approached in humility and honesty.

One man once admitted to a friend that he would probably accept Jesus as his Savior if he wasn’t so proud, to which the friend replied, "What is it you’re so proud of?" Any answer that could be given seemed foolish, and end result was the shedding of his pride that he might gain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Check it out…does pride stand in your way of doing what you really want to do? Are you afraid of what other people may think? Guess what…they are so busy thinking about themselves these days, that it does not really matter what they think about you. But what God thinks about you…THAT MATTERS! Think about it!

Genesis Chapter 41 - Perseverance Pays Well

2008-11-09T16:14:00.005-05:00

Joseph had to wait two more years before the cup bearer finally remembered his request. After Pharaoh had two troubling dreams that the wise men of Egypt could not interpret, the light went on in the cup bearer’s head. How convenient that he should finally remember! "Oh, by the way, Pharaoh, there’s this guy I met back in prison. I think he might be able to help you. His name? Let’s see, let’s see.....oh, I think they called him Joseph. You see, I had a dream once, and this Joseph told me that it meant I would be restored to my position as your chief butler, and well, here I am! He’s pretty good, huh!"

Pharaoh sent for Joseph immediately. Now Joseph had spent his time in prison becoming very intimately acquainted with his God. Therefore, when the door of opportunity opened for him to speak on behalf of God, he was ready. He did not have to do a last minute cram on the Works of God and the Faith of the Fathers. He knew God. He trusted God. He lived for God. God was there for him, and he would be there for God. This was his moment. God opened the window of opportunity, and Joseph walked through. No hesitation on his part. No playing games, "Well, I don’t know, God, you sure took long enough to answer my prayers. How do I know this is the right opportunity for me?" Joseph stepped in front on Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and said, "I can’t, but I know a God who can, and will." God qualified the called.

Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams with the wisdom of God. He told Pharaoh that there would be seven good years of abundance in the land of Egypt, followed by seven years of severe famine. God had forewarned Pharaoh so that provisions could be made during the years of abundant harvest to cover the years of ravaged land. In response to Pharaoh’s request about what to do, Joseph told him to put a wise and discerning person in charge of storing provisions for the lean years ahead. "And, by the way, Joseph, thou art the man. There is none in all of Egypt as wise and discerning as you. You’re going to be my right hand man. I want you to take this ring, these richly ornamented robes (sound familiar?), this golden chain, and this mighty fine chariot to cart you around Egypt. And, let’s see.....for your wife, I give you Asenath. She’s the gorgeous daughter of Potiphera." Joseph was given two sons through Asenath: Manasseh and Ephraim. God caused Joseph to forget all the troubles he had endured, and He made him very successful in place of his suffering.

Oh yes, God makes all things beautiful in His time. He gets the last laugh. I love how these stories have such an ironic twist. What satan means for harm, God brings glory out of. From rags to abundant riches, Joseph rises again. All those years of faithful service, giving his best to his Master (God), have finally resulted in what God had planned for him all along. We do not see the whole picture, just like Joseph never knew what was next in store for him. But, like Joseph, if we will just take life one day at a time, making the best of it for God, we too will someday receive a robe and crown. Hang in there, faithful servant. Persevere, child of God. Be ready, for you know not when God may call upon you. Your day of elevation comes!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Genesis Chapter 40 - Inconvenience or Opportunity?

2008-10-31T18:48:00.006-04:00

The story of the cup bearer and the baker, servants to the king that were put in prison, gives us another opportunity to observe Joseph’s character. Joseph had already been promoted to prison administrator because of his diligent service and positive attitude. These two new prisoners were put in his care. Why these two new men were there is somewhat unclear, but somehow they managed to displease the king of Egypt, and prison was their current punishment.

One night both the cup bearer and the baker had dreams which left them perplexed. When Joseph came to attend to them the next morning, he could tell they were upset about something. A less compassionate person probably would not have cared how the prisoners felt, but Joseph truly cared. He asked them what made them so sad, and they told him of their dreams. This dreaming business was right down Joseph’s alley…he had been there, done that! So he listened closely, not only to their dreams, but to God. Joseph was humble enough to recognize that it was God who gave him the wisdom to interpret the dreams. When he told the two servants what their dreams meant, he also made sure to give God the credit. Joseph was not looking for any self glory, nor was he trying to win a popularity contest amongst the prisoners. God had him there for a purpose, and he intended to fulfill that purpose.

Have you ever thought about the "inconveniences" that may come your way may in fact be opportunities instead? There was a man who had been stood up by his boss. His boss was to have met him for dinner and then taken him to the airport to catch his plane. The boss had forgotten about the appointment and was at the zoo with his grandchildren. So the businessman called another business associate. This associate was unable to meet him for dinner, but would pick him up at the restaurant and deliver him to the airport. When that person did not show up either (having gone to the wrong restaurant), he finally called a cab. Wouldn’t you know it, the cab driver and this man started talking, and before they reached their destination, Jesus intervened. The man was able to witness to the cabby for the cabby was eager to learn more about this man’s spiritual journey. If the businessman had been bitter about being stood up by two people, and focused on the inconvenience they had caused him, I doubt he would have been in the frame of mind to be used as a witness for God. He made the decision, however, to focus on the potential of the situation, rather than the problem. That’s exactly what Joseph did while in prison. We need to learn to focus on God’s promises, and potential moments of service for Him. It will give us a whole new perspective on life, one of opportunities and blessings, instead of disappointments and bitterness.

Joseph had good news to give the cup bearer…he would be restored to his former position; but he had bad news for the baker…he would die. Joseph asked the cup bearer to remember him when he was free and ask Pharaoh for his release from prison. Both dreams were fulfilled, but the cup bearer forgot about Joseph. God did not. Joseph knew to trust God, and in His time he would be set free. Let us trust God today, and wait upon Him.

"In His time, in His time;
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord, please show me every day
As You’re teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say in Your time."
(Diane Ball, Copyright 1978 Maranatha! Music)

Genesis Chapter 39 - Have You Made Up Your Mind?

2008-10-24T19:05:00.006-04:00

From rags to riches would certainly describe the young lad who was stripped and thrown into a pit in the middle of a desert. He was then sold to a band of merchants as a slave, taken to Egypt, and again sold to one of Pharaoh’s captains, Potiphar. Potiphar was a man of extreme importance and wealth. Joseph would be living and serving in an elaborate setting, far beyond his most creative imagination. No doubt he was very lonely for his own home, his beloved father, and all that was familiar to him, but working for Potiphar was a better outcome than dying of heat stroke and malnutrition in a dried up old well. So Joseph accepted his new surroundings, and made the choice to give his best service for his new master.

It didn’t take Captain Potiphar long to realize that he had a golden nugget in his servant Joseph. Everything Joseph did resulted in God’s blessing on the captain’s household. With Joseph around, Potiphar did not have a care in the world. He could eat, drink, and be merry. However, Potiphar was not the only one to take notice of the blessings Joseph had brought with him. This young man deserved a second look, and look is exactly what Mrs. Potiphar did. Here was a young stud with rippling muscles, a firm, strong body, and eyes to melt your heart. What would it be like to be held in his arms? Her look turned to lust, and since she was used to having anything she wanted, she decided she wanted him in her bed. She made herself very available to Joseph, and began to demand that he give in to her sensuous desires.

Joseph not only had physical strength, he had inner strength because of his strong relationship with God. He had standards which kept him from entertaining wrong desires. He recognized his position as a trust worthy servant, and he would do nothing to violate his master’s trust or his own conscience. Beyond being accountable to Potiphar, he was accountable to God for his actions. Having made his mind up to take responsibility for his actions ahead of time, he was able to say a most definite NO! to one of man’s strongest temptations, illegitimate sexual desires. Joseph had enough sense to put distance between him and that which was tempting him to be disobedient to God.

One day the lady of the house saw the perfect set up to trap Joseph. The house was empty except for the two of them, She grabbed him by the coat and demanded instant gratification from him. He slipped out of his coat and ran out of the house. "He’s going to pay for this! No one has ever refused me before and gotten away with it, and neither will Joseph!" Potiphar’s wife turned the tables and made it look like Joseph was the one with the lustful desires. She had his coat to prove how he had tried to advance on her. Potiphar had learned it was easier to go along with his wife, than to cross her, and he took her word for what had happened. In his anger he had Joseph confined to prison.

From riches to rags, now Joseph was in a prison cell. Time to pout now. Time to complain because it didn’t pay to serve God after all, right? Look where obedience had led him! Probably a lesser man would have given in to self-pity, but not Joseph. He saw his present circumstances as a time to trust God, and continue to give of his best service. Wherever God placed him, he would still honor God and be the person God called him to be…a person of integrity, dependability, and perseverance. And again, the Lord gave Joseph success in all that he did, even while in prison.

What have your made your mind up to do? What kind of a person do you want to be remembered as? You must make those decisions before the heat of the battle, or you might cave in to the pressures of the moment. The Psalmist wrote, In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. (Psalm 41:12) Determine today your life will count for God, and then enjoy His presence. He will be with you today, tomorrow, in the moment of crisis, and throughout eternity. Praise God Almighty!!

Genesis Chapter 38 - Double Standards

2008-10-21T18:14:00.002-04:00

Double standards have been around a long time. Whereas Joseph was a man of honesty and integrity, his brother Judah was a man with double standards. What he did in his public life and his private life did not match up. What he demanded of others and what he demanded of himself was not consistent. We will put Joseph’s story on hold while we take a look at Judah’s conflicting lifestyle.

If you will recall, the men of Israel were not to marry the Canaanite women. Israelites were God’s chosen people, and they were to marry within their own clan to keep their race pure. Those women of Canaan must have been some kind of temptation, as many of God’s chosen men gave in to their lust for them. Judah, ignoring God’s command, married a Canaanite and they had three sons. When his first son was of age, Judah got a wife for him, named Tamar. However, this firstborn son was judged wicked by the Lord, and the Lord brought his life to an abrupt end.

We take God too lightly. We think of Him as an emergency room doctor who is there when we need Him, but it is up to us how we live our lives. I mean, He’s a God of love, and He wants us to be happy, right? The thing is, God knows what will bring us genuine happiness, and not just momentary ecstasy that fades away. His commandments are to help us make choices that lead to our happiness. When we go against His rules of wisdom, we choose disaster. Sometimes it is immediate, sometimes it simmers on the back burner for a while. Just remember, payday does come eventually. For this first born son of Judah, payday was rather immediate.

The custom of that day was for a brother to marry his brother’s widow so that she might have an inheritance. Therefore, Judah ordered his second son to marry Tamar. But he also did wrong, and God demanded his life. Afraid for his third son’s life, Judah sent Tamar back home to her father’s house, making a false promise that his son would marry her when he grew up.

Recognizing that Judah had basically written her off, Tamar decided to take matters into her hands. She seduced Judah to sleep with her so that she might have an inheritance. She pretended to be a prostitute, and Judah demanded her services, not realizing it was Tamar. For payment, Tamar asked for Judah’s seal, cord, and staff.

When Judah found out that Tamar was pregnant as a result of prostitution, not realizing he was the guilty person, he ordered her to be burned to death. Double standard par none. Don’t you just love it when Tamar was able to produce proof of who fathered her child…Judah’s seal, cord, and staff. Caught in his own trap, Judah realized his guilt. He was guilty for sleeping with her, and guilty for not giving her his third son as he promised. She gave birth to twin boys. And the life line went on, a life line that eventually results in the birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-6). God is the ultimate Judge, but He is also full of mercy. May I live so I do not have to rely on His mercy…no double standards for me!

Genesis Chapter 37 - Conquer Jealousy Before It Conquers You

2008-10-18T20:20:00.004-04:00

We have observed the lives of several Bible heroes whose stories are well known. As we looked closer at each of them…Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…we found that they were very human. They each failed God in some way. God never gave up on them though, and He never withdrew His promise to make them a mighty nation. Hopefully, we have learned lessons from their mistakes. Once in a while, however, along comes a golden nugget, someone who follows God without wavering. Joseph was such a man. He was a man of integrity, and we can learn from what he did right.

Jacob loved his son, Joseph, more than all of his other sons because he was born to him in his old age. He displayed his favoritism by making Joseph a very costly robe. This favored son was already on his brothers’ "most likely to hate" list, and this robe only added more strain to their relationship. In addition, Joseph had a couple of strange dreams regarding how his brothers would bow down to him. He would have been wiser to keep these dreams to himself, but in his innocence he told his brothers about the dreams. By then they were furious with him. Even his father Jacob was troubled by Joseph’s dreams.

What was the true element that caused the hatred the brothers had in their hearts for Joseph? The bottom line is they were jealous. Their father loved Joseph more than he did them. He gave Joseph special attention and privileges. To them Joseph was a spoiled little brat. While they had to toil hard, Joseph was lost in his dreams. Each one no doubt thought, "Why him and not me?" Trouble enters the door when we begin to look at others and how it seems they have all the gifts, the talents, the privileges, and life comes easy for them. In comparison we seem to diminish and then we have laid the groundwork for jealousy to take over. Jealousy leads to bitterness and can destroy us. It is better to conquer jealousy before it conquers us.

The brothers of Joseph allowed jealousy to take root in them. One day when they were out in the fields working, they saw "the dreamer" coming toward them. They decided to take care of their "little problem" once and for all. At first they decided to kill him, but his brother Reuben convinced them to just throw Joseph into an empty well there in the desert. While they were eating, a caravan of merchants came along. Judah came up with the idea of making some money on their brother by selling him to the merchants heading to Egypt. To cover their crime, they dipped Joseph’s costly robe in the blood of a slaughtered goat. When they took it back to their father Jacob he assumed that Joseph had been devoured by a wild animal. They might as well have murdered their father or sold him into slavery also, for that day his heart was broken, and nothing could comfort him.

Jacob himself had been a deceiver in his younger days, and now his sons were playing the same game. It is a game where no one wins. The only possible winner in this episode is the one that currently appears to be the loser…Joseph. Living above reproach…a life of total honesty…is the way God would have us to live. We will learn that this lifestyle of integrity is how Joseph chose to live, and God was with him all the way, turning his trials into triumph.

Quick Update

2008-10-05T08:08:00.013-04:00

We are on vacation in the Traverse City, Michigan, area. Therefore I did not post a Genesis chapter on Sunday. I did make a post for my Journey of Hope blog, and mistakenly posted it on this blog first. I have now corrected it and put in on the Journey of Hope Blog. You can go there from here by clicking on that blog sight under the side bar title "My Other Blogs". I'll post the next Genesis chapter when I get back home and have a little time to catch up on things.

Genesis Chapter 36 - Mountain Tops and Barren Deserts

2008-09-28T09:40:00.009-04:00

If you are searching for just the right name for a baby-to-be, something unusual, out of the ordinary, check out the family tree that extends from Esau. This twin brother of Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, had married Canaanite women back before Jacob ever left home. It brought much grief to his parents, and evidently Esau himself was not totally satisfied, for he took yet another woman to be his wife, a daughter of Ishmael.

Remember Ishmael? He was Abraham’s first born son by Sarah’s maid, Hagar. Tough to keep it all straight? Maybe that is why God intended that there be one man and one woman, and the two would become one unit. Not only is life simpler that way, it is purer. It was never God’s idea to have mixed or multiple marriages.

Anyway, Esau became the head of the clan known as Edom, or the Edomites. He took all of his family and his possessions and moved away from Jacob to the hill country of Seir. He did this because both he and Jacob were so wealthy, there was not enough land for all of their cattle to graze on in Hebron, where they were both raised. The land he chose to move to was located southeast of the Dead Sea, and the terrain was marked by rugged mountains and desolate deserts.

Mountain tops and barren deserts. Have you ever been to either? As we walk with God, it seems that He takes us through both of those territories. We are blessed by wonderful mountain top experiences where we are saturated with God’s goodness and blessings. We bask in His sunlight and we feel like life could never get better this side of heaven. Enjoy those retreats when they occur. Soak up all the blessings and sunshine and happiness you can. For no doubt about it, your path will at some time lead you into the dry barren desert where you will need to have some of those resources in reserve. If all you have is an empty flask, you won’t make it very far on the dry stretch.

Deserts can produce their own kind of fruit. It is when you are totally alone with no one to lean on and nothing to grab onto that you find God is still there for you. And the lessons He will teach you in the desert will be life-changing. You will not come out of the desert the same person you walked in as. You will realize that if you depend on your own strength or wisdom, you are doomed. It is not enough. It takes a Supernatural Force to bring you to an oasis where you can absorb God’s love and His strength to see you through to the other side of this unbearable time in your life.

As He begins to fill you with who He is and what He wants in your life, you start gaining momentum. You can feel your body repositioning itself from crawling, to walking, to running. And you move on out of the desert to a victorious future, one where God is now in charge and you are free to be all that He intended you to be.

It has been said that no man or woman ever became great in God’s kingdom without first going through the desert. So do not be afraid of the desert, just don’t go there alone. Reach out and grasp the hand of God, and you will have all that you ever need to make it through this journey. He’s not only our Creator, He is also our Provider. Praise His name!!

Genesis Chapter 35 - On A Journey With God

2008-09-21T17:20:00.004-04:00

It was time for Jacob and his family to move on. God instructed Jacob to go to Bethel to settle down. This was the same place where Jacob had his first encounter with God when fleeing from his brother Esau.

Have you ever noticed how God makes a full circle? He will sometimes take us on a journey into new territories for He has much to show us and to teach us. Then, after we have had opportunities to grow and learn, He brings us back to our "land". This land could be geographical, denominational, or perhaps even relational. The exciting thing about this journey we are on with God is that we never know what is around the next bend. It is good just to trust Him and keep walking in His steps one day at a time. We need to grasp this moment in time, enjoy all the benefits this day offers us, learn all the new things we can learn---for tomorrow it may all change. "Only one life, ‘twill soon be past....Only what’s done for Christ will last."

God once again reminded Jacob of his new name, Israel, and how a nation would come from him. The land of Abraham and Jacob was now his. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes Jacob had made, he was still chosen for God’s purpose. Every now and then God would faithfully remind Jacob of this.

When is the last time God reminded you that you are His and that He is at work through you, fulfilling His purpose in you? If it has been a while since you have felt His personal touch, a reminder of how much He loves you, why don’t you make an altar today and pour out your love offering to Him on it. See if He doesn’t come in His own gentle way.

"He is here, hallelujah; He is here, amen!
He is here, Holy, Holy, I will bless His name again.
He is here, listen closely; hear Him calling out your name.
He is here - you can touch Him -
You will never be the same!"
(Kirk Talley, Copyright 1990 Kirk Talley Music/BMI)

This chapter concludes with the death of Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel, and his father, Isaac. The tomb of Rachel is a tourist attraction in Bethlehem today. This woman made her mark in history, giving Jacob his two favorite sons, Joseph and Benjamin. It was Leah, however, that gave Jacob his son Judah…the line through which came King David, and eventually King Jesus. Rachel has a tomb in her honor; Leah has a King in her honor. This King is the only way of salvation and eternal life. King Jesus…do you know Him?

Chapter 34 - Vengeance Is Not Ours

2008-09-15T16:26:00.002-04:00

Jacob had only one daughter, and her name was Dinah. She had eleven older brothers to look after her, but on one occasion she was by herself. In one of those moments when she was alone she was raped by Shechem, a young man from the local village. Even though Shechem loved Dinah, and wanted to marry her, what he had done to her was unforgivable by Dinah’s brothers. Shechem would pay a mighty price for his uncontrolled passion. And, as usual, sexual sin has such far reaching consequences that not only would Shechem have to pay, but he was the cause of every male in his village being deceived, circumcised, and then murdered by the sons of Jacob.

The brothers of Dinah wanted revenge for their sister being violated. They took the matter into their own hands rather than leaving it in God’s hands. Even though Shechem’s act was evil, Simeon and Levi allowed their uncontrolled anger to lash out and murder even the innocent men. The first mistake they made goes back to the same pattern of their father Jacob…that of being deceitful. "Oh the games people play....never meaning what they say...."

We can be sure if any of our plans start with, or include, deceit, we are plotting our own destruction. One day we will pay. And the price will be far greater than we ever imagined.

When we have been wronged, it is best for us to take the wrong to Jesus and leave it with Him. He can give us peace in our turmoil; love in place of hate; and grace to overcome evil with good. That is what Jesus is all about. What would we do without Him?

"Without Him I could do nothing,
Without Him I’d surely fail;
Without Him I would be drifting
Like a ship without a sail.
Without Him I would be dying,
Without Him I’d be enslaved;
Without Him life would be hopeless
But with Jesus, thank God, I’m saved.
Jesus, Oh Jesus, do you know Him today?
You can’t turn Him away,
Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus
Without Him, how lost I would be."
(Mylon LeFevre, Copyright 1963 The LeFevres)

Genesis Chapter 33 - God Goes Before

2008-09-07T21:02:00.004-04:00

After the passing of twenty years, Jacob and Esau meet once again. Jacob had left his home twenty years ago in fear of losing his life, for Esau had planned to kill him after their father died. It was also with fear that Jacob returned to the homeland of his childhood. He had prepared for this reunion with Esau by sending gifts ahead. He had laid a plan in place for his family to escape, if need be, and he had prayed about this time of meeting his brother again. His fate was now in the hands of God.

Jacob must have chosen to momentarily forget God’s promise to bless him and give him the land and many descendants. If he had placed his trust and hope in God completely, he would not have needed to face Esau with fear, but could have met him with confidence. As it turned out Esau was very glad to see Jacob after all the years that had separated them. He had become a wealthy man himself, and he had no need of the herds that Jacob had given him as gifts.

Esau must have had a change of heart in Jacob’s absence, for he displayed no bitterness or anger. Instead he was anxious to have Jacob back home as soon as possible. Jacob declined to immediately travel back with Esau, explaining that his herds and his children needed to move at a slower pace. The necessary forgiveness and healing had taken place between these brothers, and both could go on with their lives in peace with one another. While Esau returned home, Jacob purchased some ground in Shechem in Canaan and pitched his tent there. He had much to be thankful for, and he wasted no time in building an altar to offer the Lord his sacrifice of praise.

In this episode of Jacob’s life we are once again reminded that what God promises, He will do. We need not be afraid of the unseen or the unknown if our trust and hope are in God. He goes before us and prepares the way. He is so deserving of our worship and praise.

"We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.
We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.
And we offer unto him our sacrifices of thanksgiving;
And we offer unto him our sacrifices of joy."
(Kirk Dearman, Copyright 1984 John T. Benson Publishing Co.)

Genesis Chapter 32 - Resolving the Past

2008-09-01T15:52:00.006-04:00

As Jacob follows God’s leading to go back home, he is very aware he is going back to a situation from which he had left in haste. He was going back to face his brother Esau, whom he had deceived and from whom he had taken the inheritance. Jacob devises a plan to divide his family and flocks into two camps. If one camp was captured or destroyed, perhaps the other camp would be able to escape and survive. He also sent gifts ahead to his brother Esau with the message that he was coming behind. In doing this he was hoping to win favor with Esau and be forgiven of his past wrongs.

If there is something in our past that remains unresolved, we will not be able to go forward, no matter how hard we try. The past will always be there to haunt us until we face it head on and clear it up to the best of our ability. Perhaps we need to ask forgiveness and make our wrongs right. Or perhaps we need to offer forgiveness to someone who has done wrong to us. God wants us to face life with clean slates. We must seek His forgiveness first, then He gives us the strength and wisdom to do our part in clearing up the past. Only then can we go forward. The past can be left behind, buried in forgiveness, and we can face the future knowing our hearts are free and clear, and God is in control.

Jacob’s struggle with God, alone in the night, is somewhat mystifying. There are no doubt many spiritual implications in this wrestling match that took place, but we know that scripture says Jacob struggled with God and men and overcame. Because of that he was both touched and blessed. He was touched and left with physical evidence of his struggle, but he was also blessed with a new name. He would now be called Israel. Both his limp and his new name would be continual reminders in his life of the night he met God face to face. It was a life transforming moment for him, and he would never be the same.

Jabbok River near Penuel where Jacob wrestled with God, Image courtesy of www.BiblePlaces.com

When we have an encounter with God, it changes our life. We have a new name written down in the Book of Life. We begin to walk a different walk. People observe our walk and know that we, too, have been touched by God in the inner most part of our being. Because of God’s touch we can become overcomers in this life. Praise the Lord!!!

Genesis 31 - Secret Sins

2008-08-24T07:31:00.006-04:00

Jacob had become weary of broken promises. Ten times his father-in-law had changed his wages. In the midst of his discouragement God came to him and told him it was time to go back home---that He would be with him. Jacob called his wives to him and told them how he had been cheated by Laban, but blessed by God, and that God had said it was time to leave. Leah and Rachel believed in their husband and his God. They agreed to go with him.

In our times of discouragement God is there to comfort us and lift us up and move us on. He knows the limit to our endurance, just as He knew Jacob’s. When we think we "can’t take it anymore", God intervenes. His intervention brings instant relief, and we can pick up and go on because He has assured us He will be with us.

After Jacob and his family and flocks had been gone three days, Laban realized what had happened. He began to pursue Jacob to punish him and bring him back, but God told Laban to not speak against Jacob. When Laban caught up with Jacob words were exchanged, but the disagreement ended with a covenant to not bring harm to one another. Laban blessed his daughters and grandchildren and then went back home, sending them on with Jacob to his homeland.

In this story we have one person who seemed to want the best of both worlds. Agreeing to go with her husband, but wanting to hold on to her past also, Rachel stole her father’s gods. When Laban searched for them, Rachel was sitting on them to keep them hidden. Jacob was totally unaware of these actions of his wife. Rachel reminds me of Lot’s wife who wanted to go with her husband out of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorra, but did not want to leave her comfort zone.

Perhaps Rachel had another reason for stealing her father’s gods…maybe to get even with Laban, maybe to keep him from consulting his gods to their whereabouts, or maybe even to gain any inheritance that these false gods would pass down. Regardless of Rachel’s reason for stealing Laban’s gods, disobedience to God can be fatal, as Lot’s wife found out. Will Rachel escape punishment for her disobedience?

Do we think we can hide some secret sin and not be found out? Surely a judgment day is coming for each of us when those deeds done in darkness will be fully exposed in the light. Am I living a life of honesty and integrity so that I will not have to hang my head in shame, nor have to pay the price of my "secret sin"?

"Search me, O God, and know my heart today.
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free."
(J. Edwin Orr, Maori Melody)

Posting Schedule

2008-08-17T13:30:00.003-04:00

I have now posted 30 chapters out of the 50 chapters that are in Genesis. At this point I am going to continue to post the remaining 20 chapters at the pace of one chapter per week. That should pretty much take this blog down through the end of 2008 before it is completed. The Journey of Hope Blog will be updated more frequently. I am currently posting my Hope Springs Eternal retreat messages, given at a spring 2008 Women's Retreat in Muskegon, Michigan. The messages are broken down into several segments to keep each blog posting a readable length. I plan to make Sundays my day to post a new Genesis Chapter...so see you next Sunday!

Genesis Chapter 30 - Let God Be God

2008-08-17T00:51:00.003-04:00

Some of the stories in the Old Testament show how foolish we can be as humans. Let us rest assured that whenever we lose faith and take matters into our own hands, we are setting ourselves up for misery.

Rachel could not be satisfied with the love of her husband, Jacob, alone. She had to show up her sister, Leah. Rachel was very jealous of Leah’s children, so she entered into a game of competition in which there would be no winners, only bitter players. She gave her maid servant to sleep with Jacob to conceive a child for her. Leah decided two could play that game, and she also gave her maid servant to Jacob. Leah had more children herself, and eventually Rachel also bore two sons to Jacob.

The jealousy that existed in that bizarre household must have been unbearable at times. We will later see that the jealousy between the two sisters was also passed down to their children. The plot begins to thicken once again because people decided to play God, instead of allowing God to be fully in control. The happiness we seek through our own means often becomes bittersweet.

Jacob felt like he has served Laban long enough. It was time for him to set out on his own with his family. He asked Laban for the speckled and spotted sheep and goats and the dark lambs as his wages. Laban agreed to this, but then he once again deceived Jacob by hiding those animals with his sons in fields that were three days away from Jacob. Remember Jacob is just as crafty, and he in turn played a trick on Laban. He devised a method by which the stronger females mated and gave birth to speckled and spotted young ones, increasing Jacob’s wealth.

God provided for Jacob, in spite of his bickering wives, and Laban’s conniving ways. Jacob always found God to be faithful even when life threw him curve balls. When there seems to be no one that we can turn to or trust, it is comforting to know that God is just a prayer away.

Genesis Chapter 29 - Justice Is Served

2008-08-12T08:32:00.003-04:00

When Jacob arrived in the land where his mother’s brother Laban lived, Laban’s daughter was one of the first persons Jacob met. Rachel was a shepherdess and had brought her father’s sheep to be watered at the well. Jacob’s initial act of kindness toward Rachel was to water the sheep for her. When Rachel found out that he was a relative she ran to tell her father. Laban went out to meet Jacob and invite him into his house.

It did not take any time before Jacob fell in love with Rachel, and he agreed to work for Laban for seven years to gain her as his wife. After seven years of labor, his wedding night came, but the next morning he found that he had been deceived. Instead of Rachel Laban had given him her older sister Leah. There was a custom in the land that Laban neglected to tell Jacob…the older daughter must be given in marriage first.

One might feel sorry for Jacob until it is remembered that Jacob himself had deceived others. Getting a dose of his own medicine was not pleasant. However, Laban would give him Rachel for his wife also if Jacob would work for Laban an additional seven years. Sounds like Jacob had met his match in his father-in-law, a man as crafty as he had been in working things out to his own good.

Justice is always served. It may not be immediate, and it may not come in the way we expect, but it does come. When we choose to do things ahead of God’s plan, and in our own way, we need to remember God is still ultimately in control. He will call us to an accounting, and we will pay the price.

Leah was not loved by her husband, but God looked on her misery and cared about her, and He gave her children. Rachel, however, was not able to have children. This did not change Jacob’s love for Rachel. After Leah gave birth to her fourth son, she decided to give praise to the Lord for her children instead of trying to continually win her husband’s favor.

When life seems unfair, we need to look around and count our blessings. We need to focus on what God has done for us rather than focusing on our disappointments. In all things we need to praise Him, and trust Him. Proverbs 3:6 reminds us, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Jacob was beginning to learn this in his life. His name meant "he deceives", but as we continue on through Genesis, we will find that his name is changed to Israel, meaning "he struggles with God". He became a Godly man because he sought to honor his Creator in all that he did.

Genesis Chapter 28 - Gift Exchange

2008-08-08T08:55:00.006-04:00

To save the life of her son Jacob, and to preserve her own family line, Rebekah requested Isaac to send Jacob back to her homeland to find a wife. Isaac sent Jacob off with his blessing. At this point Esau must have realized how his marriages to heathen wives were a source of grief to his parents. In trying to gain their favor, he married a daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s other son.

I wonder about these extra wives that some of the Old Testament characters had. I do not believe that multiple marriages were in God’s plan. Instead I believe it was man’s way of trying to find fulfillment for a void in his life. It is a void we all have…a spiritual cavity. It can only be filled and satisfied with God Himself. He created us to seek after Him and His fellowship, but far too often we use substitutes. We fail to understand God is Who we need, and God is All we need.

The focus of Genesis at this point turns to Jacob. One night, on his journey to Haran to seek a wife, he had a dream. In this dream God spoke to him and told him He would give Jacob and all of his numerous descendants the land where he was resting. This was a continuation of the promise God had made to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob was the third in line to receive God’s promise. God also promised Jacob He would be with him and would watch over him. What a tremendous promise to hold on to!!

Jacob took the stone he had used as a pillow and poured oil on it, naming the place Bethel, meaning "house of God." He then made a promise back to God. Jacob promised to give God a tenth of all that God gave him. This appears to be Jacob’s way of saying thank you…"Since you have been faithful to me, Father God, I will be faithful to you."

In our lives has God been faithful? Has He watched over us and been with us all along the way? He has probably provided for us in more ways than we will ever know. What can we give Him in return? What can we say thank you with? To return a tenth of all that God gives us is the least we can do. To say, "Here I am, Lord, use me." is the least we can give in return. As God continually blesses our lives with His presence, His promises, and His provision, may we willingly say to Him, "All that I am, all that I have, is yours, God!"

"I’m yours, Lord, everything I’ve got,
Everything I am, everything I’m not;
I’m yours, Lord, try me now and see,
See if I can be completely yours!!"

Genesis Chapter 27 - The Price of Deceit

2008-08-05T08:28:00.004-04:00

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when others we try to deceive..."

Rebekah probably died of a broken heart, or at least had reason to. She overheard Isaac give Esau instructions to hunt game and prepare a last meal for him. In return he would give Esau the blessing of the firstborn. Rebekah immediately went into action. Her plan was to have her favorite son Jacob wear Esau’s clothes and to appear as Esau with a meal of wild game. She prepared the meal and helped Jacob with his costume as she wanted him to receive the blessing instead.

Even though her plan worked, did she get what she really wanted in the end? Could her husband respect her for deceiving him? Love is based on respect, and her acts of deceitfulness were damaging to their relationship. Also, she ended up having to send her beloved son Jacob away to her brother’s land to escape being killed by Esau.

What a mess she made of things, and it cost her the close relationships she cherished the most. So often when we go after what we think we want, it usually turns out sour, and we regret having the desire in the first place. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." When we choose to live pleasing to the Lord, His desires become our desires, and they bring joy, not heartbreak.

One cannot help but feel somewhat sorry for Esau who was once again tricked by his brother. Esau was honoring his father’s final request, doing what his father instructed him to do…hunt game and prepare a meal. Perhaps his motive was not to please his father, but to receive something in return…his father’s blessing. The end result for him was not only losing his first born’s right, but also a curse was given him. He would serve the brother who deceived him and took his blessing. This was the final straw, the one that broke the camel’s back. Esau made plans to kill his brother Jacob after their father died.

We need to check our motives in all that we do. If greed and selfish ambition are our motives, we can rest assured that the outcome will be bitter, not better. There is a verse we should make our daily prayer to keep our motives pure: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

Genesis Chapter 26 - Setting An Example

2008-08-01T19:25:00.009-04:00

Like father, like son. Isaac displayed some of the same qualities of his father Abraham, both his strengths and weaknesses. During a famine, Isaac went to Gerar, the land of the Philistines, whose king was Abimelech. The Lord instructed him to stay there during the famine, rather than going to Egypt. He stayed, but he was worried about being killed because of his beautiful wife. So Isaac lied about Rebekah, calling her his sister rather than his wife. Sound familiar? He was reprimanded by King Abimelech just as his father had been.

Isaac was very successful in his farming endeavors, as was his father, and he became very wealthy. He had to move to new land because he became too powerful for Abimelech’s territory in Gerar. As Isaac moved, he dug wells and built altars in worship to the Lord, carrying on the practice of his father, Abraham. Like father, like son. Because Isaac continued to grow in wealth, the Philistines were jealous, and would claim the wells that Isaac had dug out. Rather than go to battle with them, Isaac chose to display patience and keep peace by picking up and moving on. Because of these character traits, he eventually won the respect of the Philistines.

To what lengths will we go to keep peace? Are we willing to surrender our "rights" to win friends, or do we choose to enter into conflicts and make enemies? I have to admit it is much easier to battle for my "rights" than to swallow words, turn, and walk away. But if I desire to be an instrument of God’s peace, then I must learn there are times to give up my rights. God will honor that, just as He did Isaac’s patience and perseverance.

Esau, Isaac’s first born, became a source of grief to his parents. Complete details are not given, but we can assume his choice to marry pagan women led to the disappointment his parents felt. What a contrast between Isaac, a man of patience, and Esau, the impetuous son. Hebrews 12:14-17 is a good summary of the contrasts in lifestyles of the two sons: "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. After, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears." Which son do we pattern our lifestyle after?

What attributes and values are we passing on to our children? We should strive to live lives of integrity so that our children will have role models before them to imitate. We will be blessed for the wise choices we make. Wisdom is simply a matter of seeing things from God’s perspective. Let us choose wisdom and live a life pleasing to God, and leave a godly example for our children.

Genesis Chapter 25 - Count the Cost

2008-07-26T20:33:00.008-04:00

Abraham, a friend of God’s, a faithful steward, a good father, and a loving husband, died at the age of 175. His sons, Isaac and Ishmael buried him with Sarah, his first wife and the mother of the son of promise. Abraham had concubines, a second wife, and several other children, but it was Isaac and Ishmael, both leaders in their own rights, who took care of Abraham’s body. (Picture of the Cave of the Patriarchs).

History is marked by the separation of these two sons and the differences between them. Perhaps the burial of Abraham was their last unified act. It was an act of honor, love, and respect---an act Abraham was well-deserving of. He made his mistakes, but it was his acts of obedience that made him the father of faith. We would do well to remember and follow after his role model as an obedient servant of God’s.

The final statement of this chapter is not a good reflection on the life of Ishmael: His descendants lived in hostility toward all their brothers. No honor, love, and respect shown here. No role model of obedience and faithfulness to follow after. When bitterness settles deep in one’s heart, it affects how that person lives and what kind of heritage is passed on. It is much better to live in peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

Isaac’s wife Rebekah, like Sarah, was unable to have children until God intervened. Did God want to make sure He had their attention first? After all, Isaac was the son of a promise, and he was the recipient of Abraham’s blessings and promise of a multitude of descendants. We don’t always understand God’s timing, but I do think it includes giving us time to become totally focused on Him---to know His will, and to acknowledge God as sovereign. As long as we are self-sufficient, God will let us struggle on our own efforts. When we totally surrender to Him, then He can weave His pattern and will into our lives.

God answered Isaac’s prayer, and twin boys, Esau and Jacob, were born. It appears that Isaac and Rebekah played favorites with their sons. In so doing they set the stage for animosity between their two sons. While Esau was an outdoors man, Jacob liked staying close to home. He was somewhat cunning, planning ahead, while Esau lived for the moment. In Esau’s moment of hunger, he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. He gave up the rights of the first born for one simple meal. Meanwhile Jacob seized the opportunity to make a profit for himself.

We can learn a lesson from this episode out of their lives. Esau acted on impulse, seeking instant gratification---food for his stomach. He gave no thought to the long term consequences of his "here and now" satisfaction. In the face of temptation there are pressured filled moments that scream out for all of our attention. Our perspective becomes distorted, and if we act on impulse we will no doubt regret the choices we make. It is better to wait, analyze the situation, count the cost, and proceed with caution in the face of any temptation that seeks instant gratification.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Teach me, Lord, to wait. Amen.

Genesis Chapter 24 - Intimate Details

2008-07-23T09:28:00.005-04:00

When Isaac came of age to marry, Abraham did not want his son to marry a Canaanite woman. Rather, he wanted Isaac to marry a woman from his father’s family. Before Abraham died he gave instructions to his chief servant, Eliezer, on how and where to obtain a wife for Isaac. In obedience to his master, the chief servant made a trip back to the land of Abraham’s ancestors. Upon arrival he prayed a prayer for wisdom and success in finding a wife for Isaac.

When Rebekah came to the well where the chief servant rested and prayed, she was an immediate and direct answer to his prayer. Her offer to draw water from the well for Eliezer’s camels was unusual, and this act of kindness displayed Rebekah’s servant heart. Abraham’s chief servant was more concerned about choosing a woman with a right attitude and disposition than concern with physical beauty or social status. It would be good for us to follow his example and focus more on the inner beauty of others, as well as improving our own.

Eliezer went with Rebecca to her home to ask permission for her to go with him back to the land of Canaan for the purpose of becoming Isaac’s wife. After he related his story to her brother, Laben, Rebecca was freely given to become Isaac’s wife. Rebecca was also given a choice in the matter, and she chose to return with Eliezer to the land of Canaan. She must have known that it was part of God’s plan for her life to be willing to leave her family and loved ones to join a stranger in a distant land. She was walking into the unknown, trusting God with her future.

The customs were different back then, but there are some elements in this story that would be beneficial in the courting ritual today:

1. The future mate should be sought for from within the family…the Family of God. Compatibility is much more likely when the backgrounds and beliefs are similar.

2. There should be much prayer for guidance in the right selection. Sometimes laying out fleeces is a good way to know for sure the wisdom of God. We should pray in specifics, as the chief servant did, for God delights in answering in specifics. When choosing a life-long partner, God is very concerned that we seek His guidance and choose carefully. He alone knows our future path and who can best accompany us on our journey through life.

3. No one should marry against his or her own will. Adults are given the freedom of choice in our culture, and both partners before the marriage should be able to freely choose whom they intend to share life with. However, once the choice is made and consummated, a new principle goes into effect…one of total commitment until death they both part. Without that commitment, when the road gets bumpy someone may decide to jump off the tandem bicycle. Commitment, on the other hand, will keep both partners working together to complete the journey.

God truly does honor very specific and sincere prayers. His beautiful provision to Eliezer’s prayer left no doubt that God was also answering one of Abraham’s last prayers for the future of his son. If you have not tried praying in the specific state, next time you pray give God some details to work with. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at His response. Intimate details are God’s specialty. Get intimate with God, go ahead….He’s waiting for you!

Genesis Chapter 23 - Nothing But The Best

2008-07-19T07:59:00.006-04:00

Abraham’s beautiful and beloved wife, Sarah, died when Isaac was 37 years old. God had granted her a son in her old age (90), and had given her time to raise him and enjoy the privilege of seeing him grow into a man of God, like his father. God is so good, His timing so perfect.

In this passage we note a custom of those times…that of purchasing land in a public setting with witnesses. Even though Abraham was promised the land and a multitude of descendants, at the time of Sarah’s death he was without a place to bury her. In the "bargaining process" of selling and purchasing property, Abraham was offered the land as a gift, but he wanted to pay the value of the property. Both sides were gracious to one another as they bargained, so different from the greedy attitudes we find today. The final price was determined to be 400 shekels. Sarah was buried in Hebron, part of the promised land of Canaan. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would also be buried in this place with Sarah, when they reached the end of their lives.

When we trust God with out lives, He works out every detail…nothing is forgotten, overlooked, or left out. Because we know God is in control we do not have to argue or fight to defend our cause. We can live in peace and act graciously toward others, for "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

This passage brings to mind a scripture found in 2 Samuel 24. King David is wanting to build an altar and make a sacrifice to God to stop a plague. He offered to purchase the threshing floor of Araunah, but Araunah wanted to give him the threshing floor, as well as the animals and wood needed for the sacrifice. Then king David responds to him, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." Here again is that same attitude that Abraham displayed in purchasing a burial plot for his wife. The reasons for which these men of God wanted to purchase the respective properties were just too precious, too valuable, for them to accept a freebie or a cheap deal. The object of their affection deserved the best they had to give.

Whether the object of my love and devotion is God, or a family member, or a dear friend, am I desirous of giving my best, paying the full price, sacrificing whatever it takes to offer the best I can to the one I love? I like bargains, I shop under the clearance signs as much as possible. But when I face God, my Maker, and Jesus, my Savior, I do not want to be guilty of having given them the remnants of my life, the leftovers, the worn outs.

When I pay my tithe, may I never be guilty of seeing what I have left to give to the "church" (God’s storehouse, the Bride of Jesus).

When I offer my talents, may I never be guilty of seeing how I can fit God into my schedule, if it’s convenient or not.

When I have opportunity to testify of His faithfulness to me, may I never be guilty of shrinking back and feeling embarrassed, afraid of what others might think of me.

I want to be able to stand before the throne of God and look Him straight in the eyes, and say to Him, "Though nothing I could do for you would ever repay what was done for me at Calvary and all the times you interceded in my life, I have tried to live a life that put you first in all that I did and gave." My ultimate goal is to hear my heavenly Father say to me, "Well done, my child, enter into my eternal kingdom. Welcome home!"

Genesis Chapter 22 - Passing the Test

2008-07-13T09:10:00.003-04:00

As God promised, a bouncing baby boy was born to Abraham and Sarah, and they named him Isaac. While Isaac was still a lad God put Abraham to the test by asking him to sacrifice his son up on Mount Moriah. I wonder what Isaac must have felt when his own father bound him up and placed him on the altar to be slaughtered and set on fire. As his dad raised the knife to complete the act, was Isaac quiet and submissive, trusting his father Abraham? Or was he screaming bloody murder, thinking ol’ dad had finally lost his mind?

Somehow I believe Isaac had experienced his father’s deep love and affection for him, and had observed Abraham’s steadfast faith in God. Therefore he could trust his father completely. Whatever was going to happen, it was part of God’s plan for his life. If God wanted to use him as a sacrifice, so be it.

In today’s world it is hard to fathom that kind of belief and trust. Must be Abraham had faith that God had another way of fulfilling His promise of many descendents if Isaac was taken from him. He had seen God’s faithfulness deliver him out of other impossible situations where his own life was at stake. He had also witnessed the deliverance of Lot and Lot’s daughters out of Sodom and Gomorra before the cities were destroyed. If God had a mind to do something, Abraham figured he might as well go along with it because it was going to happen regardless. It was safer to follow God’s instructions than to devise his own plan.....What? Wait a minute…you mean Abraham finally learned to completely trust God---no more little white lies to protect himself?

When God puts one to the test, and the test is failed, rest assured that person will have to take the test again. Abraham failed the test in Egypt when he lied about Sarah’s relationship to him. Years later in another location he had the opportunity to take the test again, but he lied to Abimelech also.

This time the test came in a different form…it involved not his beautiful wife, but his only son. This time he did not have to answer to a king, he answered God Himself. From his first response to the angel of the Lord, "Here I am" (vs. 1) to the second response of "Here I am" (vs. 11), Abraham was sincere…he was doing what God asked of him. Can’t you just see a wide grin spread across God’s face as He looks down on Abraham’s willingness to be radically obedient---"Oh, Abraham, my friend, I can trust you. You have shown your love to me by your act of obedience. You will surely be blessed with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky." (vs. 17) WOW. Abraham finally passed the test, and what a reward he received!

Theologian Dennis Kinlaw said there was a conversation going on between another Father and Son on Mount Moriah that day. As they looked on at Abraham and Isaac, the Son said to the Father, "This isn’t the last time we will come to this place, is it Father?" "No," said the Father. The Son continued his questioning, "And the next time we come to this hill, it will be me that is sacrificed, right?" "Yes, Son," replied the Father. After a silent pause the Son speaks once more, "And Father, the next time we come to this mount, and I am the one who is placed on some crude pieces of wood formed into a cross, you will not say, "Stop! Do not lay a hand on him!" will you, Father?" The Father looked with deep compassion on His Son and said, "No, Son, there will be no stopping of the sacrifice when we come to Mount Calvary. For you see, Son, we cannot ask them to go to a place where we have not been."

The Father and the Son go before us to pave the way, to pay the price, to make the ultimate sacrifice---once for all. Am I willing to pass the test by my obedience to God’s leading in my life?

"I’ll say, Yes, Lord, Yes!

To your will and to your way.

Yes, Lord, Yes! I will trust you and obey.
When your Spirit speaks to me,

With my whole heart I’ll agree,

and my answer will be Yes, Lord, Yes!"

Genesis Chapter 21 - Place Markers

2008-07-02T17:10:00.007-04:00

Sarah gave birth to Isaac exactly as promised and foretold by God. She said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." (vs. 6) This was a time of great joy for Sarah and those who had been praying over her sorrow of not having a son. In chapter 18, verse 12, Sarah had laughed when she first heard the news that she would have a son within the year.

Here is food for thought: Could her laughter in that moment have stemmed from her inward acceptance that God was going to bless her? Was it the beginning of exuberant joy, that overwhelming feeling of elation that one has after waiting on God for a long time, and finally receiving the answer hoped for?
Have you ever prayed for something fervently and unceasingly, and then the answer came you had long waited for? In your heart you knew it seemed impossible, but God thrives in things thought impossible, and it is hard to contain the fountain of bubbling joy that answered prayer brings.

Even though Sarah was past childbearing age, and it may have sounded funny to her that she would conceive a child, I believe in her heart she knew that God was able to do anything He said. And He said He was going to give her the gift of joy and laughter through a child of her own.

Just as God delights in sharing our joys, He also watches over the broken hearted. Hagar and Ishmael were sent away from Abraham’s family because Ishmael tormented Isaac. However, God heard their cries and provided water in the desert for them, and promised them a future.

Ishmael was to become a leader of a great nation also. Rather than gratefulness for God’s intervention in Hagar and Ishmael’s lives, the descendants of Ishmael became a nation who were hostile to Israel and to God (Psalm 83:1-6). In Jeremiah 29:11 we read: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Are we grateful for what God has done and is doing in our lives?

Abraham made it a practice to show his gratitude for God’s intervention by building wells or altars, and worshipping God at those markers. One of the wells built by Abraham had been seized by Abimelech’s servants. When Abraham complained to Abimelech, the two of them formed a treaty that kindness would be shown between the two nations. Abraham gave Abimelech a gift of seven lambs as a witness to the treaty, and the place was named Beersheba. This location was at the southern tip of the land given to Abraham, the land we know as Israel today.

Beersheba stands for "two men swore an oath". Since there was already a well there, Abraham planted a tree and called upon the name of the Lord, once again showing worship and gratitude for God’s protection and goodness.

It would be beneficial for us to have place markers where battles have been won in our lives so that we might remember God’s infinite goodness and intervention on our behalf. We should reflect on what He has done for us because it speaks of His constant presence in our lives, and His plan which is continually being worked out. In dark moments, times of doubt and confusion, we can look back to the "well" or "altar" that we built, our markers. Just recalling how God saw us through those times encourages us in the present. It is a handrail to grab hold of when we think we are slipping.

Thank you, Father God, for your ever present help in times of trouble, and for times of great joy. You are always faithful.

Ganesis Chapter 20 - A God Who Cleans Up Messes

2008-06-29T10:10:00.005-04:00

Well, they did it again! Abe and Sarah "lied" to assure Abe would not be killed by yet another king. Sarah must have been some beauty to be so desirable that Abraham thought they would kill him if they knew he was her husband.

Did this couple not learn their lesson the first time? They were playing a dangerous game of telling lies every time they got into a tight spot. If this pattern persisted, it would soon lead them away from trusting God at all. However, God intervened and protected everyone involved. He cleaned up Abraham’s mess once again. When would Abraham get it right and trust God by speaking the truth? God’s grace and constant protection are very evident in Abraham’s moments of weakness. How many times does God have to clean up our messes because we are not patient enough to wait on Him, or trusting enough to follow Him?

We may question why Abimelech and his kingdom were being punished since he did not realize Sarah was married to Abraham when Abimelech took her for his wife. The NIV Life Application Bible gives a good illustration regarding this. "A person who eats a poisonous toadstool, thinking it’s a harmless mushroom, no doubt has perfectly good intentions---but will still suffer. Sin is a poison that damages us and those around us, whatever our intentions."

God had closed up the wombs of the women in Abimelech’s kingdom until such time as Sarah was returned, untouched, to her rightful husband. We do not know, but perhaps this incident caused the king to gain a new respect, a reverent fear of God Almighty.

God is faithfully using our "ugly moments" for His glory. He can turn blemishes into beauty marks. Are we ever in danger of using up God’s grace? I would not want to play games of chance with God. However, there is a gospel song which brings me encouragement when it seems like giving up would be the best thing to do:

You may be down and feel like God has somehow forgotten
That you are faced with circumstances you can’t get through;
Right now it seems that there’s no way out and you’re going under,
But God’s proven time and time again, He’ll take care of you.

And He’ll do it again, He’ll do it again,
If you’ll just take one look at where you are now and where you’ve been;
Well, hasn’t He always come through for you; He’s the same now as then,
You may not know how, You may not know when, But He’ll do it again.

God knows the things you’re going through and He knows how you’re hurting;
You see, He knows just how your heart has been broken in two;
He’s the God of the stars, of the sun and the sea, And He is your Father;
He can calm the storm and He’ll find some way to fix this for you.

And He’ll do it again, He’ll do it again.
If you’ll just take one look at where you are now and where you’ve been;
Well, hasn’t He always come through for you; He’s the same now as then,
You may not know how, You may not know when, But He’ll do it again.

Genesis Chapter 19 - The Consequence of Choices

2008-06-25T10:38:00.008-04:00

Two of the angels that had visited Abraham arrived in Sodom to check the city out. Lot insisted that they come to his home rather than stay in the city square. He knew what would happen to them there. How very, very vile Sodom was---all the men of the city, young and old, came to Lot’s house to rape the two guests.

In order to protect his guests, Lot went so far as to offer his daughters to the men to do with as they pleased. It is unbelievable that anyone could do that to his own children. I wonder why a righteous man would continue to live in such a wicked and evil place. Evidently Lot had allowed himself to grow accustomed to his environment rather than being God’s change agent.

This raises a question for us. How much do we influence our environment, our work world, school, neighborhood, wherever we exist? Do we dare to be different and take a stand against those things that are not pleasing to God and are harmful to our society? If we do not stand against what is wrong, we ourselves will become shaped by the world in which we live. Things that once bothered us may no longer have an effect on us.

We turn our televisions on and allow garbage to fill the atmosphere of our homes, the same atmosphere we want God’s presence to dwell in. God cannot abide sin, and He will not reside where it exists. When we compromise with the world, we lose our witness and usability for God.

Sodom was the epitome of a sick society. Our society today is headed that way. The "rights" of gays and lesbians are more protected than the rights of Christians. We are becoming a wicked and perverse generation of people, and I wonder how much longer God will put up with "Christian America"?

The angels persuaded Lot to take his family and flee to the mountains because God was going to destroy the cities and plains of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot was very much blessed by God’s grace in delivering him and his family from the wicked cities, for he and his family must have been close to depravity also.

Lot still wanted to choose his own place, and requested that they be allowed to go to the city of Zoar instead of the mountains. How full of mercy and patience God is, for He granted Lot’s request. After Lot and his family were safely out of the city, the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and fire, including the plains and the inhabitants and all that grew on the ground----GONE!

During their deliverance Lot’s wife looked back, even though she was told not to, and she, too, ceased to exist, except as a pillar of salt. What did she miss about the place? Why could she not let go of a lifestyle that was destroying her family?

Contradict God’s commands? I don’t think so. He says what He means, and He means what He says. Keeping my eyes on Jesus, being radically obedient to God’s commands, is the only way for me to live and have peace of mind. However, I must go beyond obedience. It was for Abraham’s sake that Lot was saved (see verse 20). My prayers for others are also essential. God hears our prayers, and He honors our faith and our perseverance, just as He honored Abraham’s request and trust.

Lot wasn’t happy with his choice of Zoar as a place to live, and went to dwell in the mountains, as God had told him to do in the first place. His daughters were with him, and to preserve their father’s lineage they got him drunk and then slept with him. What a messed up family---what a price Lot paid for earlier choices he had made.

We must remember each decision we make brings about results that affects others beyond ourselves. Therefore we must make our choices carefully and with wisdom, not based on emotions and feelings. Our tomorrows are determined by our choices today.

Genesis Chapter 18 - God Listens

2008-06-22T22:11:00.004-04:00

Abraham was a man of reverent respect for God, but he also displayed great respect for the people around him. When three angels in the form of men came to visit Abraham to tell him that his son would be born of Sarah within the next year, Abraham’s first response was one of total hospitality. Even before he found out their purpose for visiting him, he bowed before them, had their feet washed, gave them a time to rest in the heat of the day, and had a meal prepared for them.

Only after he was assured of their comfort did he find out their purpose. Sarah, standing nearby, heard their news and laughed at the impossibility of their message. Even though she denied laughing, the Lord confronted her with the truth of her doubt. There is nothing, not even the unspoken secrets of our heart, that God is not aware of. We might as well be totally open and honest with Him, because He already knows what is going on inside us.

One of the three angels was God Himself, and He informed Abraham what was going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. The two cities were to be destroyed for their wickedness. Recall that Sodom is where Abraham’s nephew, Lot, had settled. Abraham, stepping in the gap on behalf of the righteous ones living in Sodom, dared to ask God to spare the city on account of them. Though he started with a count of 50, he bargained with God down to a count of ten. This tells me when one walks in faith and lives obediently, God will lend an ear to His child to hear the cries of his heart.

God already knew there were not ten righteous people living in Sodom, but He did not grow impatient with Abraham as he asked for mercy. Abraham’s intercession on their behalf displays an unselfish attitude that wants what is best for others. God is a God of mercy, and it must warm His heart when He sees His children extend it also. I have to admit that sometimes I do not have that kind of attitude toward others, and I am not good at interceding. Change my heart, O God.....

This Creator of all things, who knows all things, still loves us so much that He listens to us. There is nothing that we cannot take to God in prayer. If we are genuine in our asking, God will prepare us for the answer which He will give. He desires to have us come to Him with all of our cares. I Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

"What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; Take is to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our Refuge!---Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee; Thou wilt find a solace there."
("What a Friend", Charles C. Converse)

Genesis Chapter 17 - God Speaks

2008-06-15T18:13:00.012-04:00

Suppose you are asleep one night and all of a sudden you hear this thunderous voice saying to you, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless..." Do you think you would listen? I believe God had Abram’s attention when He spoke so authoritatively. God did not say to Abram, "Yoo-hoo, Abram, guess who’s coming to dinner?" Nor did He say, "Hey, Abram, you want to play a game of ‘Knock, Knock’?"

When God spoke, Abram did not have to guess who it was. He knew God’s voice. The power of That Voice caused Abram to fall on his face before God. When God spoke, Abram listened. Would you be able to recognize God’s voice today if He spoke to you?

God came to Abram once again to renew His covenant with him. This is the third time God has given The Promise to Abram (see Chapter 12 and 15). A covenant consists of two parties each fulfilling his part of the agreement. In His covenant with Abram God promised to make Abram a father of many nations and kings, and He would give him the land of Canaan. Abram’s descendants would possess this land down through all of history. In exchange, Abram’s part of the covenant was to be obedient to God, "...walk before me and be blameless." (verse 1).

This third time God renewed His covenant with Abram, He also changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning "the father of many". He changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, for she would become the mother of many nations and kings.

The covenant was sealed with a "sign", that of circumcision of all the males for every generation present and to come. Circumcision is what marked the difference between God’s chosen people and the rest of mankind. If a male chose not to be circumcised, his disobedience would break the covenant with God and he would not be part of God’s family.

Today when we choose not to obey God, we too break the covenant and are no longer part of God’s family. He made the promise…we make the choice to live within His covenant, or go our own way without Him.

God told Abraham his descendants would come through his union with Sarah, not Hagar. Because of their age (Abraham - 100, Sarah - 90) they laughed at the impossibility of this, but God once again was able to do what seemed impossible to man. He promised the birth of Isaac would occur within the year. Abraham displayed his belief in God by his immediate obedience. That very day he had all the males of his household circumcised.

You can believe that God honors radical obedience. What has God promised you? What has He asked of you? If you hear His voice speaking to you, don’t play games with Him. Give Him your full attention, your immediate obedience.

God is able---I am weak, but He is strong.
God is able---when I don’t see how, He says, "Watch me."

Genesis Chapter 16 - "WAIT" Is A Four Letter Word

2008-06-11T09:52:00.014-04:00

When we fail to wait upon God, when we go ahead of His plan and His timing, we create nothing but trouble for ourselves as well as others. Waiting on God seems to be a hard lesson for us to learn. Waiting was Abram’s weakness also.

In this chapter we find that Abram and Sarai got impatient with God and devised their own plan to have descendants. Sarai offered her maidservant to Abram, giving into the customs of their day. Because it was such a disgrace for a woman not to give birth and provide heirs, she was often forced into using her female servant to produce children. Therefore the plan that Sarai and Abram came up with was not deviant from the norm of society, but it was out of line with God’s plan.

The norm of society…now there’s a wide open field to explore! The acceptance of alternate life styles is making homosexuality more popular than the old-fashioned idea of marriage between one man and one woman for a lifetime. Divorce no longer brings shame to anyone. In fact, friends and counselors often offer it as the best solution in a marital conflict. There are more children in schools today who come from blended families than from homes where their original mom and dad are still together.

What is the norm any more? How about the singles of society who decide they want to be a parent, but they do not have a spouse. No problem. Children from single parent homes may even outnumber those from blended families. How are children in our society even aware of God’s original plan for marriage? His plan is not the norm today. Pick and choose whatever lifestyle you want, and society will be taken to court if they stand in judgment of you. How far we have come from what God ordained back in the Garden of Eden: "...she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." (Gen. 1:23-24)

The failure of Abram and Sari to wait on God’s timing...to stick to God’s plan...has been a source of contention throughout the rest of history. The on-going conflict in Israel today stems from this one act of disobedience. Too bad Abram could not see into the future to realize what the decision to sleep with Hagar would cost his people.

Too bad we cannot see the future outcome of our choices today. Perhaps it would cause us to be more willing to live in absolute obedience to God. We need to learn to wait. Throughout scripture God tells His people to wait, and He speaks the same words to us today. "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." (Isaiah 64:4)

Abram slept with Hagar and she gave birth to a son named Ishmael. Of course this made Sarai angry. She basically devised the plan, then was the cause of her own grief and frustrations when the plan worked. However, she blamed the other two instead of accepting responsibility for her own actions. Hagar did not have any choice in this whole matter, and she ran away to escape Sarai’s anger.

How often do we try to run away from our problems? No matter how far we run, we cannot hide from God. He knows where we are at, and He offers to be with us and help us through our dilemma. God gave Hagar the promise of many descendants if she would return and be obedient in her service to her mistress. Hagar had no doubt that it was God Almighty speaking to her in her moment of despair. She called Him "The God Who Sees Me".

This same God is with us today. He has the answer for our problems if we are willing to face them squarely, change our attitude, and depend upon Him. Learning to wait on God is the key. "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14)

Genesis Chapter 15 - Faith In God's Blueprint

2008-06-08T17:40:00.007-04:00

"Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." (vs. 6) This is one of the most important verses in the whole Bible. When someone tries to explain what faith is, it is this very verse that best explains it. Abram believed God, trusted Him, and took Him at His word. Because of that faith Abraham was made righteous, right in the eyes of God. He was forgiven and made an heir to God’s kingdom simply for believing God, even when things seemed impossible. For example, God promised him a son from Abram’s own aging body, and descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Also, through a vision God revealed to Abram the future captivity of Israel and what the final outcome would be. Abram was told he would not be part of the captivity, but that he would rest in peace. God was assuring Abram that the future of his family, the multitude of descendants he would have, was completely under God’s control.

It is hard to imagine having descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky when you are aging and do not have even one child. Abram thought perhaps God would bless him through his faithful servant, Eliezar, but that was not God’s plan. God’s plan is always more creative and expansive than we can even fathom. Remember, this is the same God who had created the whole universe and everything that exists. Is anything too hard for Him?

Am I willing to surrender my own agenda for the magnificent blueprint that God has for my life? My plans are so small, so insignificant compared to His. Oh, Lord, I pray that I may have patience to wait on your revelation of the pattern you are weaving in my life. May it be a tapestry of beauty that you are creating one stitch at a time!

"Something beautiful, something good;
All my confusion He understood.
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful out of my life."
(Gloria and William Gaither, Copyright 1971)

Even though Abram was faithful in his service, God did not consider him righteous because of his hard work. Abram was made right in his relationship to God because of his simple belief in God, that He was ruler of all, and that He could and would do all that He promised. By the same token, all of our good works, or faithful attendance to church, or service to our community will not make us right with God. It is only when we put our absolute trust in God that we are accepted by Him.

In the study notes of The Wesley Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Copyright 1990) we find these comments: God is righteous, which means He is always right in His actions, attitudes, and character. He is always consistent and fair. When we are made righteous, we are given God’s Spirit of holiness to help us to be right…to have integrity of character and to treat others right. When we surrender our wills to God, He guides us in the process of becoming more and more like Him. Above and beyond having a right relationship with God, I desire to be like Him. This journey through Genesis is teaching me so much about God, and about me. Thank you, Father, for leading us down this path so that we may know you better. Amen.

Genesis Chapter 14 - Waiting For God's Best

2008-06-04T15:05:00.002-04:00

The lust of his eyes and the greed of his heart had enticed Lot to settle in Sodom. What had captivated Lot, also captured him. In a war between several kings, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were looted, and all the goods and food were carried off, as well as the people. Lot was among those seized. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! One of the lessons my husband has taught our two sons is that you can be perfectly innocent of a crime, but if you are in the company of those who are guilty, it will be hard to prove your innocence. Hanging out with the wrong crowd, and in the wrong places, is not a wise choice. It’s a dangerous game to play. Lot played the game, and he got caught.

Abram learned of the dilemma Lot was in, and he gathered a small army of men and pursued the forces who had captured his nephew. His men rescued Lot and the others, and brought them and their possessions back to their homes. Sodom’s king wanted to reward Abraham, but Abraham refused as he didn’t want the king to be able to say he had made Abraham rich. Abraham knew where his riches and blessings came from, and he didn’t need whatever the king had to offer him. Not only did Abram refuse to take any rewards, he went a step further and gave a "tithe" (a tenth of everything) to Melchizedeck, the King and priest of Salem. In doing this, Abram was following a tradition that even pagan religions followed - to give a tenth of their earnings to their gods. Melchizedeck, by the way, was a priest "of God Most High". Therefore, Abram was tithing to his God, like we do when we give a tenth of our earnings to our church.

Abram could have accepted the gifts and rewards offered to him by the King of Sodom. He certainly had earned them. However, Abram was thinking ahead. He knew there could come a day when someone would point a finger at him and all his riches and say he received it from earthly means. Abram lived his life so that people would know God alone was the One who blessed him. He wanted people to see God’s goodness, not what Abram had done or some king had given him. I wonder if we settle for what mere man has to offer, or are we willing to be content with God’s goodness and await His blessings?

Listen closely, I think I hear Abram singing his theme song:

"The path that I have trod, has bro’t me nearer God,
Tho’ oft it led thro’ sorrow’s gates.
Tho’ not the way I choose, in my way I might lose
The joy that yet for me awaits.
Submission to the will of Him who guides me still
Is surety of His love revealed.
My soul shall rise above this world in which I move;
I conquer only where I yield.
Chorus: Not what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go,
For who am I that I should choose my way?
The Lord shall choose for me; ‘Tis better far, I know,
So let Him bid me go, or stay."

("Submission"; C. Austin Miles/Mrs. R. R. Forman, Copyright renewal 1962, The Rodeheaver Co.)

Genesis Chapter 13 - When Life Is Unfair

2008-06-02T14:23:00.010-04:00

After leaving Egypt, Abram and Lot both became very successful herdsmen. So successful, in fact, that the land could not support them both. Also, there were petty arguments between their workers. Abram, being older and wiser, saw the need for the two parties to separate. He gave Lot first choice as to where he would dwell…to the east or to the west. Lot chose the appealing area of the east as it looked more fertile. It was the lust of his eye that drew him, a choice that would be detrimental to his family. Lot chose to move to the area of Sodom, where there was much wickedness.

What a contrast between these two men. Abram had every right to be first in choosing the land he wanted. He was older, a father figure to Lot. Probably most of what Lot had was due to Abram’s generosity. Also, God had already promised the land to Abram, not Lot. So for Abram to give Lot first choice shows a man full of grace. His example in resolving conflicts is good for us to observe:

1. Abram recognized the problem, the family conflict, and took the initiative to correct it.

2. Abram elevated the desire of the other person above his own desire, even though the outcome might be unfair.

3. Abram sought to have peace in the family above all else. Hebrews 12:14 reminds us: "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

While it appeared that Abram was very determined to live by the standards of God’s holiness, Lot was a man who lived by his own standards. He sought what was best for him, not really caring about anyone else. You would have thought out of respect for his uncle who had raised him he would have given Abram the best land, the first choice. However, greed led Lot to make a foolish choice. Foolish choices lead to disaster, step by step. When we ignore God’s best for us, and decide to go our own way, we have made a foolish choice, and we, too, can expect eventual disaster.

After Lot left to pursue his own pleasures, God again came to Abram and promised him all the land he could see and a multitude of descendants. God said to Abram, "Lift up your eyes and look.....and you will see....for I am giving it to you." (vs. 14-17).

God knows when we are left behind, put down, rejected, passed over, ignored, left out. He knows that sometimes life is unfair, and the unfairness brings pain, grief, and loneliness. But He says to us the same words He spoke to Abram. He wants us to look above and beyond our present circumstances. He has a plan far greater than we could ever imagine. His blessings far surpass what we could choose for ourselves. If we are obedient to Him, He is going to reward us for that faithfulness, on that we can rely. We need to take our eyes off ourselves and off those around us who have treated us poorly, and we need to see Jesus.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3)

Abram showed us how to respond when life is unfair. He believed God was in charge of his destiny, and he built an altar to the Lord. That was his worship, his way of expressing gratitude to God, and his dependence upon God. Let us show our gratitude to our heavenly Father as we depend on Him to see us through our "unfair" circumstances.

Genesis Chapter 12 - Man Steps Out, God Steps In

2008-05-30T13:34:00.010-04:00

Abram was a man who believed and followed God. When God called him to leave his home country and go to a new land, there was no hesitation on Abram’s part. God had selected Abram to be the father of a great nation, a nation that would be known as the people of God, the children of Israel...a nation that would be a blessing to others.

Following God cost Abraham his obedience. God said to "leave behind..." and follow Him, but He did not say where. He asked of Abram the same thing He asks of us today: "Trust me, and I will lead you one step, one day at a time." What has He called us to leave behind? Can we let go of it completely and walk through God’s open door? When we do, God blesses us for our obedience, even as He blessed Abram.

When Abram left Haran to follow God, he took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot with him, along with all of their possessions and the people they had acquired while living in Haran. When they arrived in the land of Canaan, God again spoke to Abram. The land of Canaan was to become Abram’s land, and in this land God’s people would dwell. It was in actuality a small parcel of land, compared to other countries of the world, but a very strategic piece of property. All of history would be marked by the events that would take place in this land.

Upon arrival in Canaan, Abram built an altar to the Lord. We will find that he was often building altars, for they signified a point of promise and praise. God would promise, and Abram would praise…he would give his worship to this God who was leading him. Do we remember to thank God in our daily walk as we sense Him at work in our lives? He is so worthy of our praise!

Abram, with all the faith he had in God, was still human, he was not perfect. His choices were not always the best ones. When famine came, Abram forgot to trust God, and he headed down to Egypt. One step away from God led to another, and soon Abram was devising his own plans to take care of himself instead of trusting God to take care of him. Of course, Abram’s plan was foolish, and many were hurt by it. His plan was that Sarai would say she was his sister, rather than his wife. Abram feared that he would be killed so that Pharaoh could acquire his beautiful wife. As her brother, however, they would both benefit and be given many gifts. God intervened in the middle of Abram’s stupidity, and warned Pharaoh that Sarai was Abram’s wife. Pharaoh rebuked Abram and sent him, with Sarai and all of his belongings, out of Egypt.

I am glad that Abram was not perfect in his faith, for I see that God is always there. He did not leave Abram alone and helpless when Abram faltered. There have been times when I have taken the reins out of God’s hands, thinking my way of doing things was the best way. Did God get angry with me? Did He turn His back on me? No, just like He stepped into the middle of Abram’s fiasco, He has been there in the middle of my muddled messes. What I have broken, He has mended. That is His business…to mend brokenness. And in my brokenness, He has mended me. Thank you, Father, for always being there for me. Thank you for picking me up, wiping my tears, loving me, equipping me, and putting me back on your path.

"I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You. O my soul rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what You hear; May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear."

Genesis Chapter 11 - New Age Thinking

2008-05-25T14:27:00.008-04:00

Once upon a time, long, long ago, in a far away place, "when E. F. Hutton spoke, everyone listened." That’s because everyone could understand what he was saying. Everyone in the whole world spoke the same language. These people were a proud group of people. They had "found themselves." They were "nobody’s fool." They "had the power!" So they said to themselves, "Hey, man, let’s build us a city. We’ll put up a tower like ain’t nobody seen! It’ll reach right up into the heavens, man, and then everyone that looks at that tower, they’ll know we’re cool. We are somebody! Yeah, that’s what we’ll do…build us a stairway to heaven!"

With all their self-satisfaction, self-motivation, self-exaltation, they forgot one thing. They forgot to check with the Master Builder…the One who owned the land, the sky, the heavens. They just went right ahead with their plans without getting a building permit. Why, they did not have to bow down to any one. They could do their own thing. They were independent…they didn’t need anyone, certainly not God. Do you see a problem here? Well, God did.

God knew that if He let them continue with that line of thinking, they would begin to think they were individual gods, and they could do anything they set their minds to. These were mere creatures that God had created. They were going to try to do the very thing one of His former celestial angels did…try to elevate themselves to be the same as God. There can only be one God, the One who is the Originator of all things. When satan tried to overthrow the throne in heaven, God had to cast him out (see Isaiah 14:12-15). Now here he was again, a piece of him in each of the hearts of these people. Was he trying to fool God? Did he think he could hide inside someone’s flesh and God would not see him? He must have forgotten who God was…the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful God of the universe. There is absolutely nothing that can be hidden from God. How does that phrase go, "You can fool some of the people some of the time....", but you can never fool God.

To bring an end to this "I am God" thinking, this new age that had entered upon the earth through the great deceiver (and we thought it was a new religion in our time!), God scattered the people all over the surface of the earth, and He confused their language. No longer would they be able to understand each other without extreme difficulty.

The Tower of Babel…the place of mass confusion. Do you have mass confusion in your life? If so, I would like to suggest it could be you are listening to too many voices, or the wrong voices. You are hearing babbling voices that are irrational, foolish, incoherent, and meaningless. You need to hear God’s voice. He alone speaks peace in our storm-tossed minds. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27). "Be still and know that I am God;" (Psalm 46:10). Take time to listen to His voice today.

As we continue on with this chapter, we find the genealogy of Shem. He’s "the good guy in the white hat," remember? In the list of his descendants we find a man named Terah, who had three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran had a son named Lot, who was Abram’s nephew. Abram had a wife, named Sarai. These are key people in the chapters ahead, so it will help us to get their relationship straight. Terah took his son, Abram, and Abram’s wife, Sarai, and Abram’s nephew, Lot, on a one way trip out of Ur of the Chaldeans, headed toward Canaan. However, they settled in Haran instead, and that is where Terah died. For the next few chapters we will be focusing on Abram. He has much to teach us. Ready?

Genesis Chapter 10 - Descendants Designed By Us

2008-05-20T19:35:00.010-04:00

Okay, I admit it. Some chapters of the Bible just do not seem to be too interesting to read, nor do they seem to hold any importance to us today. Sometimes we get bogged down with too many details, and we know more than we want to know. If this chapter in Genesis leaves you feeling like "Who cares?", perhaps we can fill in some blanks and find a purpose for this being included in God’s inspired Word.

The three sons of Noah did as God had told them to do when they left the ark...be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it. (Genesis 9:7) The earth was once again replenished by the descendants of these three men. All the nations we read about in the Bible can be traced back to Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Let’s take a brief look at which nations came from which son.

Ham is the son who discovered his drunken father’s nakedness and ridiculed Noah to his brothers. Because of his lack of respect, he was cursed by his father to be the slave of his brothers. From Ham we have the Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hitites, and Amorites. Currently those nations may not mean much to us by name, but as we continue on through the Bible, even through Genesis, we will find that these are the nations that were always causing trouble for God’s chosen people.

We will find that the Israelite people, those separated for God’s purpose, will continually be tempted by and intermarry with the Canaanite women.

The Egyptians will become such hard task masters that Moses will confront their leader, and then all of the Israelites will be chased by Egyptians into the desert.

The Philistines will be the "giants" in the land that a little boy named David fights single-handedly.

The other nations will be mentioned in battles that lay ahead for the people of God. Did Ham have a clue that he would be responsible for centuries of disobedience by his descendants? Surely the curse Noah placed on him proved to be everlasting.

Japheth was blessed by Noah, who asked that God extend his territorial boundaries. Probably Japheth’s descendants traveled the farthest, and they settled in Europe and Asia Minor. In years to come we will find the first missionary, Apostle Paul, traveling to these far away regions to take the gospel of Jesus Christ, and many churches will be started along his journey among the nations fathered by Japheth.

Shem, the third son of Noah, was the most blessed of the three surviving sons of the flood. His descendants will include the Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians, and Syrians. Some of the big names that will come out of his line are Abraham, David, and Jesus. It is from Shem that God will call a people to come out and be separate from all the other nations. They are to be His chosen nation, the nation of Israel. But now we are getting ahead of the story.

If you were to be chosen as a father or a mother of a nation, what would your descendants be like? If they were carbon copies of you, would you produce a belligerent slave driver or a fearless leader? A great big bully or a child with conquering faith? A miser or a missionary? Each of us do leave a part of us behind. We influence lives every day by the way in which we live, whether it is our children, our co-workers, the grocery store clerk, or the driver in the other car. What kind of impression are we making? Would God be pleased?

"May those who come behind us, find us faithful!"

Genesis Chapter 9 - Mutual Respect

2008-05-16T13:45:00.008-04:00

Perhaps too many of us have been guilty of looking for, longing for, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. What we really need to look at is the rainbow itself. God put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His covenant with Noah. Never again would God destroy the earth with a flood. Every time it rains, all the inhabitants of earth are reminded of that promise as we observe the rainbow.

Finding the rainbow may sometimes take close observation. Sometimes we need to look more closely at what God has done for us already instead of waiting for our next request to be filled, our next prayer to be answered, our next mountain top experience to occur. God has been very, very good to us. His mercy and His grace have been extended to us far more times than we even realize. We are here, and we are in His care….no matter what the current circumstances…if we are obedient to Him. We need to accept this day as one that the Lord has made, and rejoice and be glad in it. Focus on the promise, not the problem. Look for the possibility, not the perplexity. God is good, all the time.

As Noah emerged from the ark, God gave him some instructions. He told him and his sons to be fruitful and multiply the number of humans on the earth. They were also to be in charge of all the creatures of the earth, just as Adam had been in charge. God further instructed them to care for one another, for an accounting of how they treated one another would be demanded by God. He did not want anger to lead to revengeful killing. Each individual is precious in God’s sight, for they are made in His image.

We have no right today to treat others with any less respect than we want for ourselves. None of us have been created in a higher order than other humans. God created us equal. Although He gave certain strengths to each gender that the other does not possess, He never intended that one sex would lord it over the other with an attitude of superiority. We see this attitude in the church world all the time. It does not please God. We are His children, men and women, boys and girls…not lords and lambs, masters and mice. Let us be reminded of what Apostle Paul wrote:

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-39)

Heirs to the promise---not only the promise God made to Abraham that God would have a people for His own, but also the promise God made to Noah: life would never again be destroyed by floodwaters, nor should life be destroyed by one another. Murder is the extreme of what begins as a lack of respect. Both are wrong in God’s sight, and we must not be found guilty of either action.

Even though God had wiped out the stench of evil from the earth by the flood, evil still existed in the hearts of men. Though Noah had been found faithful, and God protected him from death, Noah still had the capacity within himself to bring displeasure to God. He did this when he became drunk. His lack of respect for God, his Father, was reenacted as a lack of respect for Noah by his son Ham, who ridiculed his father’s drunkenness and nakedness. Because the other two sons of Noah, Shem and Japheth, tried to cover Noah’s shame, they were blessed by their father, whereas Ham was cursed. Ham became the father of the wicked nation of Canaan, the people who were constantly causing trouble among God’s people.

As God searches our hearts, may He find only that which pleases Him.

Genesis Chapter 8 – Crazy or Committed?

2008-05-13T02:18:00.012-04:00

Do you believe in long term commitments? What is the longest you have stayed on one job? How many years have you lived in the same house? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, how long have you been walking in the pathway of faith? Long term commitments are not easy. In this day, making a commitment, period, seems to be difficult. "Oh, well, if I don’t like this situation, I can always change...."

Perhaps God would have our generation stop and reevaluate what it means to be committed. To do so, He gave us a man named Noah. When God saw the flood of evil on the earth, He knew He had to put a stop to it. He looked more closely and He found one man, Noah, who had kept the faith. For the sake of this one faithful steward, He chose not to bring an end to the existence of everything He had created. Instead, He chose to bring about a flood of waters to wash away the wickedness of the earth. He gave Noah the blueprint of His plan.

"Rain? Uh, Lord, I don’t think that word is in my vocabulary…is it a dirty word? I mean, it is a four letter word, you know... Oh, I see…it’s a clean word…you’re going to send "rain" to clean up your world. Well, Lord, that sounds like a good idea to me. It sure could use a bath! But, Lord, you see, I don’t know how to swim…just never took time for those leisure activities.

Build a house that floats? Oh my goodness, Lord, how in the world would I do that? Oh, this scroll contains the blueprints, huh? Well, let’s see.......
Whoooooeeeeeee…that’s some kind of structure! You going for the Guinness World Record here, Lord? Let me take a look at my schedule and see when I can work that project in. Oh.....you want me to start now? Well, I guess it’s either that or take swimming lessons!"

For 120 years Noah worked on the ark. One hundred and twenty years, in case you did not catch the figure in the previous sentence. That is longer than most people live. I don’t know if God knew it would take Noah that long to build the ship, but I do know He was quite gracious to the rest of mankind. He gave them 120 years to change their minds about serving God, and in all that time not one person said, "Yes, Lord, put me to work…I’ll be glad to help Noah." So after that grace period while Noah faithfully pounded away on God’s vessel, God finally told Noah to get on board with his family and with all the creatures in God’s second Parade of the Birds and Beasts.

For forty days "the rains came down and the floods came up", and the houseboat floated. After it stopped raining, the floodwaters stood still for 150 days before God sent a wind to start drying the earth. Noah was 600 years old when he went aboard the ark to become the chief zoo keeper. He had that position for one year and ten days (see Genesis 7:11 and 8:13).

Now, a year long cruise might sound exciting to you, but remember the circumstances in Noah’s trip:

Eight adults, and thousands of creatures, all with different sounds and smells.
No ports to stop in and purchase souvenirs.
No scenery to watch from the upper deck.
No shuffleboard to while away the hours…probably not even a best seller to read.

Eight adults, thousands of creatures, one floating ark, and water, water everywhere. For one complete year. It took him 120 years to build this vacation boat, and then he served as captain for one solid year. That’s called obedience to God’s call upon his life. That’s called commitment.

Commitment. Following God’s call. Sticking to it. Hanging in there. Riding out the storm. God’s way, or no way.

Lord, may I, like Noah, be found faithful in my commitments. Thank you for your never ceasing promise of "seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night." You are good, all the time!

Genesis Chapter 7 - Is God On Board?

2008-05-08T08:39:00.010-04:00

Have you ever wanted to live in a zoo? Or maybe sometimes you feel like you do. Certainly Noah can go down in history as having the first floating zoo. Whatever kind of creature God had created, Noah took at least one male and one female on board the ark. It has been estimated by biblical scholars that almost 45,000 animals could have fit in the boat with Noah and his family.

This is one of those stories in the Bible that is best accepted by faith. When you try to figure out where all the food supplies came from, or where it was stored, or where they kept the "compost" pile, it just becomes overwhelming to imagine. How could a family of eight care for that many animals? Maybe God used the waves of the flood waters to rock the boat and put every creature to sleep for the next six months or so. I don’t know, and it’s too much for me to fathom. I just know God cared about all of His creation, not just His highest order. That gives me comfort, for it tells me there is nothing too small for God to give His attention to.

When the ark was fully loaded with all the living creatures that God had commanded Noah to take aboard, God shut the door. He was about to bring about a very destructive phenomenon called flooding. The Bible says "the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened (vs. 11). For forty days it rained without ceasing. With all of that water, even the highest mountain top was under water more than twenty feet. Every living creature on the earth, except those in the ark, perished in the flood waters, which lasted a total of 150 days.

When God shut the door, He slammed down the gavel of judgment. Sin and evil had become such a stench to God that He wiped everything out except those on the ark. If Noah had not found favor in God’s eyes, would that have been the end of man, the end of all creation? God had once again shown judgment and mercy in dealing with the wickedness of earth.

Since the beginning of time, "God has always had a people." I find comfort in this thought also, for it tells me of a God who is so holy that He cannot bear to look on sin, and yet in His holiness, He is so full of love, that He delivers His own from total destruction. We may go through a "flood", but if we have God in our boat, we can be assured that He will see us safely to the other side. No storm will ever completely overtake us, for He speaks peace in the middle of our storms.

"There is peace in the midst of my storm-tossed life;
Oh, there’s an Anchor, there’s a Rock to cast my faith upon.
Jesus rides in my vessel so I’ll fear no alarm;
He gives me peace in the midst of my storm!"

Genesis Chapter 6 - Bath Water

2008-05-05T19:42:00.019-04:00

If you think the Bible is boring, having no intrigue or mystery, try reading Genesis 6:1-4. What is meant by the "sons of God and the daughters of men"? We know that they married and produced children, but who were they…aliens or earthlings? The best explanation that biblical scholars come up with is that the sons of God were descendants from Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve. The daughters of men were descendants from Cain. Remember, he was the first born son of Adam and Eve who was sent away to become a restless wanderer for having murdered his brother Abel.

Sons of God would refer to those that were still living under God’s rule because Seth had honored the Lord. However, Cain had turned his back on God, and his descendants were evil (daughters of men). When the two groups got together, the good influence of the men of faith fell into moral depravity, following the evil ways of the daughters of men People turned very wicked and brought sorrow to God.

The world He had created had become very smudged and dirty. It desperately needed a bath to wash away all of the filth. The tub would have to be filled to overflowing…there would have to be a flood to cover the complete earth.

God would have wiped out all of His creation had it not been for a man called Noah. Noah was found righteous in the eyes of God, for he was a man who walked in the ways of his Creator. God looked on Noah with kindness. Here was one of His creatures that did not deserve to die. He had Noah build a vessel with very specific instructions. Noah, his wife, his three sons, their wives, and a male and female of each animal species would be saved from the flood by boarding this ark. If you can imagine a structure that is as long as one and a half football fields, and reaches the height of a four story building, you get the picture of this "boat".

When God does things, He does not cut corners or scrimp. He goes all out. When I think about the celebration that He is planning for eternity, I mean, you talk about a party! I would not want to miss it! Disney World has nothing over God! How do you even compare a few acres in Florida with the whole universe. Our God is very creative, and He knows how to use space well. (No pun intended.)

Not only do we know that God is all-powerful, we also are aware that God knows everything. Let’s stop and think about it. Since He knew He would be grieved at the evilness of man, why then did He create man in the first place? Why would He cause Himself so much anguish? Could it be because God is love?…because He loved man...and love brings pain. He sacrificed Himself already knowing it would bring rejection. What an awesome God!

Noah was righteous, blameless, and walked with God. If God were to decide to destroy the earth today, would He find those character traits in me? Would He find at least some of His creation worthy of redeeming?

Oh, Lord, make me holy, let me walk with you, blameless and righteous. I desire intimacy with you, God, that I might be worthy of being called your son, your daughter. Amen.

"Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, pow’r and love---Our God is an awesome God!"

Genesis Chapter 5 - Long Life

2008-05-01T19:35:00.004-04:00

As we read the genealogy from Adam to Noah we discover that men lived much longer lives back in the beginning. We find that Adam had a son when he was 130 years old, and then lived another 800 years. Methuselah, the man with the reputation of living the longest, lived a total of 969 years, almost a millennium! Can you imagine! We moved into the new millennium in year 2,000. How would you like to live through a good portion of the next 1,000 years? I think most of us are very content with a much shorter life span. How would we ever keep up with the new technology that 1,000 years would bring when our computers that we bought in the last couple of years are already outdated? I am not sure when our life cycles became shorter, but we will find in the next chapter that man’s days will be 120 years.

The very fact that this genealogy exists right here in the beginning of the Bible is proof enough that God’s Word had to be inspired to be written. Who could have kept those kind of records? Whose diary could Moses read to know exactly who was the father of whom and how long each one lived? Moses, of course, is attributed to writing the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch, or The Law. Moses only lived to be 120 years old, so it must have amazed even him as he listened to God’s Spirit tell him of his ancestors and the longevity of their lives.

Did they live so long because of their lack of exposure to all the pollutants in the air that now exist? Since the earth was less populated back then, perhaps there were not as many diseases as we have now. Maybe people needed to live longer so they would have time to populate the earth, as God had commanded them. And thank goodness, no one had yet discovered euthanasia. They lived in a time when there was great respect for the elderly in society. The almost total lack of respect we see today is a good example of how far we have degenerated from God’s ideal.

In this list of our early forefathers, one man stands out to me. His name is Enoch. Enoch walked with God, and then God took him away. Why? He must have been very special to God, pleasing to Him, a good companion. This is one of those mysteries I look forward to understanding when I get to heaven. Am I living a life that pleases God? Does God find good companionship in me? After all, He did create us for fellowship. How often do I spend time with Him? How much time do I allow Him to talk to me, or do I monopolize the whole conversation?

Lord, make me a good companion today. Not only for your sake, but may I be a friend to those about me who are so lonely for someone to talk to. May my focus be on others, and not on myself. Amen.

Genesis Chapter 4 - The Consequences of Choices

2008-04-29T16:54:00.007-04:00

Let’s take a look at the First Family of the Bible. The first created man and woman, Adam and Eve, procreated with God and gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd. They both brought offerings to the Lord, but God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice. However, He looked on Abel’s with favor. Could it be that Abel gave his best, and Cain offered only leftovers? Because of his jealousy, Cain killed Abel. God punished the world’s first murderer by sentencing him to wandering the earth. However, God put a mark on Cain so no one would kill him. After that Adam and Eve had another son named Seth.

Here we are only in the fourth chapter of the book of beginnings and we already have a murder. It doesn’t take long for sin to fester and boil over. What began with a wrong choice for Adam and Eve has now cost them the life of their son. We never know how far reaching will be the results of the choices we make.

Before Cain had committed murder God warned him, "Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Those are good words for us to give heed to. There will always be the temptation to sin as long as we walk this earth, but with God’s help we can overcome that temptation.

God does not want us to choose evil, but to choose Him. He gives us nudges along the way that He is there for us. Only when we become determined to have our own way, as Adam, Eve, and Cain had done, do we become mastered by sin. We need to count the cost of our choices before we so willingly and thoughtlessly make them. Each choice has a consequence and an outcome. What price are we willing to pay for the choices we make?

Genesis Chapter 3 - The Sorrow of Self Will

2008-04-26T11:52:00.011-04:00

We are only in the third chapter of the first book of the Bible and we already have temptation and sin to deal with. satan did not waste any time in taking a leading role in this play. God had graciously made man and woman in His image so that He could have fellowship with them. He gave them everything to enjoy, and only one rule to obey. Obedience to that one rule would mean happiness for everyone, but Adam and Even discovered that disobedience to that one rule brought unbelievable turmoil into their lives. They now knew fear, guilt, shame, and evil. Because of that knowledge they would also know death. How sad they gave in to the tempter so easily and lost all that they had cherished. Here’s how it happened:

The serpent tempted Eve and she gave in to her sensuous desires. She then enticed Adam to join her, and he also gave in. They ate fruit from the tree that God commanded them not to eat from. Only one tree in the whole garden was forbidden…and they could not resist. They thought it would make them equal to God, knowing good and evil. Notice how cunning satan is in his deceit. Being like God did not seem like a bad idea to Eve, but in essence she was choosing to be her own god. She would be able to make her own choices, with no one to stop her. The other method satan used on Eve was to make her focus on the one thing she did not have, and she overlooked all that she did have. It would be good for us to make note of the ways of satan so that we do not fall for his traps. We need to check our motive for the things we do, and we need to focus on the positives in our life, not the negatives.

Because of their sin, God cursed the perfection of the world He had created. The serpent would crawl in the dust and be hated; the woman would have pain in childbirth; the man would have to toil hard to provide food; and humanity would return to the dust from which they were created. The pain of death, both physical and emotional, was the ultimate curse. The rest of human life would be affected by this one act of disobedience. No longer would anyone come into the world perfect and holy, but rather we are all born with a sinful nature. Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit, is the only one ever born without the bent toward doing evil.

Another part of Adam and Eve’s punishment was banishment from the Garden of Eden. This was to keep them from eating of the tree of life. If man ate from that tree he would live forever, but that privilege was surrendered by his punishment of death. Oh the sorrow of disobedience to God…the cost is so great. Pleasure for a season is far too expensive of a price to pay.

However, there is good news. We must remember that God is also a God of forgiveness. When we do disobey, we may still have to suffer the consequences, but we can be forgiven and someday be delivered from this world of sin to live with Him forever. This forgiveness is available to us because of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. His blood is the only price that will cover our sin. In God’s omniscience He already had another plan in mind to redeem mankind. God is love, no doubt about it.

Genesis Chapter 2 - The Love Gifts of God

2008-04-23T21:21:00.028-04:00

A day of rest…doesn’t that sound good? God knew how essential to man’s well being that a day of rest would be. Therefore He provided for it when He created the seventh day. He had been at work all week creating the world and all that was in it, but on the seventh day He rested.

God made this day of rest a holy day, a day set apart from the other six. If God needed to rest, how much more we feeble human beings need to do the same. The hectic world we live in today could easily push us over the edge if we do not schedule that one day out of the week to set apart all other activities and give our bodies, minds, and souls a day of peace and refreshment. Do yourself a favor…follow God’s leading and take a day of rest. You earned it. You need it. Go for it!

God has many ways of displaying His love for man. After He created the most beautiful garden on earth, He placed His first human being there to enjoy it all. Adam could walk among the trees that were pleasing to look at, and also produced very tasty food to eat. He could sit on a river bank and watch the water flow so gracefully through the garden...water that was also fun to play in. What a lush surrounding God had created for Adam to bask in!

What delight God must have had in seeing the pleasure that Adam took in the beauty of the garden. Then, one by one, God brought all of the animals and birds that He had created in a parade before Adam. Wanting to bring His new companion into partnership with Him, He gave Adam the honor of naming each living creature. I wonder if God and Adam laughed together as Adam would look at the different sizes and shapes of the animals, amazed at God’s creativity, and then he would call it something like "rhinoceros"

or "hippopotamus"

or "kangaroo". It did not matter what Adam named it, God gave him the final say.

God also gave man the gift of freedom. Adam was free to choose whether he would love God and fellowship with Him...or live selfishly to himself. God planted a tree in the middle of all the other trees in the garden, calling it the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told Adam he could eat freely of all the trees in the garden except that one. If Adam ate fruit from that marked tree, he would be disobeying his Creator. That would mean that his fellowship with God would be broken...death would occur. This gave Adam the freedom to choose love rather than the command to love. Love is not genuine if it is demanded of someone.

On top of all of these expressions of God’s love to man, God also recognized Adam’s need to have a companion in fleshly form. Out of Adam’s own body the Creator formed Eve. God blessed their union and made them one. They were free to enjoy each other as they frolicked in the garden of paradise that God had provided for them. Talk about having your cake and eating it too…besides each other, they also had fellowship with the Creator Himself!

What a utopia…what more could they ask for? What God had created was good...it was pure...and it was holy. Life was perfect. Too bad the story does not end there, but if it had perhaps we would not be here. We will learn more about our roots as we travel through Genesis. We have much to discover about our ancestors, as well as ourselves.

Are you ready? Take up your Bible and let’s go!

Genesis Chapter 1 - God, The Awesome Creator

2008-04-19T17:49:00.023-04:00

Don’t you just love fresh new beginnings? There is something about having a blank slate with no smudges that makes one feel like he or she can conquer the world. It’s like standing on the top of a mountain looking at the other sparkly snow covered peaks around you...peaks where no man has been...no imprints...no dirt...just fresh fallen snow glimmering in the sunlight. You take a deep breath of fresh air and feel its sharpness rush through your nostrils and down your wind pipes, and you just feel "clean all over."

You stand there and ponder the awesomeness of this scene from nature and the One who created such beauty...One who was there before the mountains existed, or the sun shone, or the breezes blew.

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:2)

Don’t you wish you could have been there---to observe God with His clean slate...to hear Him speak and see the world take formation?

We were not there. Nobody was there, but God. However God knew His creatures would be curious, and so He gave us Genesis -- the first book of the Bible...the story of creation...the beginning of everything that exists. As we begin to read how He created day by separating light from darkness...

how He created sky by separating the mists of the air from the water of the earth...

how He formed land by separating dry ground from the seas...

and how He planted all of the vegetation...

we begin to get a sense that this Being is some kind of artist!

We look at His slate again and we squint as we see the bright orange glow of the sun.

At night we look up and study the big round moon to see if we can see a face on it. Then the stars start to twinkle around us...and we begin to think this is better than any fireworks display!! Before God is finished creating He:

puts birds in the sky,

cattle in the fields,

wild animals in the forests,

To top it all off He decides to make a being in His own likeness and calls this being man, and gives him authority over all the other creatures.

You shout out in ecstasy, "Brilliant!! How did you do it, God?"

He turns, He looks, and He sees that He has made everything perfect. He is pleased with all of His creation, calling it good...very, very good.

Did I say only God was there that week? You need to know that God, the Creator, is three dimensional, and we find that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were all present together at creation. We know this by what is written in His Word:

God the Father: And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)

Jesus the Son: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:16 - refers to Jesus - see context)

The Holy Spirit: The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4)

All Three: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. (Genesis 1:26)

Think about this: we were created in the image of God…perfect…no flaws! Since God is holy, this means we were also created holy. That original nature created in us changed to sinful because of choices that were made by the first man and woman, as we will discover very soon in our study of Genesis. I look forward to when we again shall be made like Him, restored to perfection.

Lord, I desire a perfect heart, holy and acceptable to you. May this study lead me to become once again more like you. Amen.