Noah's Obedience and Patience
Please forgive me for missing last week. My schedule had changed drastically and I also had 3 finals to do as well as trying to sleep. I will still be doing this weekly, Lord willing.
As we read through Genesis 7-8, there are points to take and questions to ask. I may not have answers to the questions that I propose, but we should always ask questions about scripture in order to bookmark (in a sense) how we think and answers that we seek to find in their proper context.
One point to take home is from Genesis 7:5, "And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him." Think about that. When the Lord commanded Noah to do something, he did it. He did not fight God for years and try to figure out why God was wrong, Noah just did it , like Nike. That paid off major dividends for Noah and his family as they were spared during the flood. When you do what God wants you to, He is sparing you from what is inevitable trouble if you do not follow through with what he said.
Also, there is another take home point from Genesis 8. The water was subsiding, but not quickly like a drain in a sink or bathtub. It took over 10 months for Noah to see the tops of mountains. That takes much patience. Now we also see that Noah kept checking for the development of what had happened to see if it was safe to exit the arc. Noah sent a Raven and then a dove to test the earth. When the dove no longer returned, another 50+ days later- Genesis 8:12, Noah knew then it was time to exit the arc. Do you see the obedience and the patience this man had? No wonder God spared him. That was not some guy that just reacted to everything on an emotional whim. He did what God said. Period.
A question I had was regarding the earth. I wondered if the flood covered the literal earth as in our entire planet, or did the flood cover the earth that surrounded Noah. I did not think I would come up with an answer (probably THE answer) so quickly. In Genesis 8:21 it reads "And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done." We know that there are still floods that happen on earth, but there are not major floods that have covered the entire earth/planet. So, we can understand the flood was covering the entire planet and not just a small portion of it.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
From Adam to Noah and the Flood
Genesis 5 breaks down the genealogy of Adam all the way down to Noah. A quick point to take from that chapter is that (similar to Matthew 1) you don't know what is going to come from your time on earth. I can look at the fact that I don't have a children and think that is where my "legacy" stops. But, I cannot see the impact I have had on people and kids through my 38 years of living and how that affects people. I cant see how what I was taught and then taught others will affect future generations. Which brings me to Genesis 6 and a serious point of how we should live our lives according to what God wants. God saw that the earth was filled with wickedness and decided to wipe it clean, but before he did so, he spared Noah and told him specific instructions on the arc Noah was to build that would eventually save his family and human kind. The final verse of Genesis 6 is verse 22 which states "Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." I read that and say, this is what we are to do all the time in our walk with the Lord. We aren't to do whatever we want and validate it later, we are to do what is holy and pleasing to God. Is it difficult to stay on the path of pleasing God, absolutely. But no one said that walking with the Lord would be easy. It will be difficult. God gives us instructions and guidance on what he wants from us. We need to do like Noah did and do all that He commands us.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Honesty with God
Many of us know the story of Cain killing Abel due to jealousy and shame because Cain did not honor God with his sacrifices. Abel sacrificed his fattest portion to God and Cain sacrificed what fell on the ground. Now, in this time sacrifices were a part of the culture. When you sacrifice to God, it was not what you could muster up, but what was your fattest portion. That means, if you tended to trees and bushes that bore fruit, then you do not sacrifice what is rotted, you give what is the best in honor to God. Abel did that with his livestock. Cain brought forth sacrifices/fruits that fell to the ground. These fruits may be bruised and dirty and essentially not the best to bring forth to God to represent your thanks and sacrifice to Him.
Now, how does that play into your life? When you look at your relationship with God, what is it you are sacrificing? In other words, what are you hanging on to that God would rather have you sacrifice? Is it trust in Him? Is it tangible? Maybe it is money you are hanging on to. How is your tithing? Is your tithing based on a fear that you won't be able to survive?
The funny thing is, we are to trust in God and know that He will provide for us if we do what it is He wants us to do. If we just stay comfortable and make sure we are happy then we are missing out on truly giving up things for God. God doesn't want us to rely on the tangible, but know that He will provide for us. But we can't hold back from Him. We have to sacrifice.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
When Satan Tempts You
We come across many temptations in life and when we have heard from God or have read what God's standard is, we are to follow that. But then there are those times that we really aren't sure and we let someone come in and twist what we believe or what God has told us and they mislead us intentionally or unintentionally. Either of those ways is dangerous as you are responsible for your own decisions and the reasons behind why you made those decisions.
In Genesis 3, we have Adam and Eve in the garden with Eve being mislead by the serpent. Eve tells Adam that is it okay to eat from the tree that God instructed them to avoid. Eve disobeys from the serpents words and twisting of what God said and meant. Then Eve leads Adam to do the opposite of what God said buy following the serpent's words. That gets them both in trouble with God. What would have saved them? If Eve would stayed away from the tree. They could have been saved. If Eve could have ignored the serpent they could have been saved. If Adam could have redirected Eve, they could have been saved. Yet, we see they disobey God and force God's hand of punishment (Genesis 3:16-19). Makes you wonder what life would be like if we just obeyed God instead of allowing ourselves to be lied to and mislead.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
God Has Plans
In Genesis 1 we saw how God created the earth and how we have to realize that we are not accidents and that we have a purpose here on this earth. God finished making the earth and then rested on the 7th day (Genesis 2:1-3). First off, which day is your day of rest? If you are not fully rested how can you be re-energized to not only do the job(s) that lay before you, but also do the work God has before you? People will make excuses and say "Just gimme coffee and I can get it done" but is that what God wants from you? I know American culture is "go go go" and "achieve more and make more money", but God established a predominant culture many, many moons ago that also involved rest. Let's be honest, even cars, cell phones, lap tops, light bulbs are not meant to run at all times...and neither are we.
God created man and placed hm specifically, not just anywhere, but in a place for him to do the job God bestowed upon him (Genesis 2:15). God also saw that the man did not need to be alone. Many take this section of scripture to mean God's view of marriage in terms of we should all be married, but in context, Adam was the first person on the planet and therefore was completely alone. Today, if you are not married, do not force yourself to be married due to the belief of this verse because celibacy/singleness is also a gift (Matthew 19:9-12) and God does not contradict Himself.
God know what He wants from you, now you must be receptive to what it is He wants and then you must be obedient to do what it is He has called you to do.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
God Creates the Earth
Welcome back to me :)
A quick note, this blog will be posted once a week on Mondays for the time being and maybe from here on out. I am in grad school and have taken on a heavy load for the next 4 months. The once a week schedule may stay in place, but I am just not sure and will listen to what God says and see how He directs my path. Now...on to Genesis.
In reading through Genesis 1, I am greeted with an introduction of God's creation of the planet earth. The wording used from the English Standard Version states that "God created the heavens and the earth." This does not mean that there are multiple heavens for us when we die, but it is in reference to what we call "outer space."
In verse 2, we read "The earth was without
form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." This means in God creating the earth and the heavens, He shaped them. Their shape has a purpose, it isn't just "random" nor is it just "evolution" apart from God. Think of how big the planet is. Well it is really small in comparison to Jupiter and Saturn. Think of all the seemingly insignificant animals and plants on the planet. God created them and has a purpose for them. Now, for Him to create us there had to be a connective purpose in that as well. Frogs need to eat flies to survive. Connection. Big fish eat smaller fish and plants to survive. Connection. We eat the animals and plants of this world to survive. Connection. It is all connected, not by chance, but because God made it that way.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Do Not Sit in Shame
When we look at the sword shame you can attribute it to various parts in your life such as guilt, shortcoming or embarrassment. You could feel guilt and shame from getting caught doing something you know you should not have (like stealing). Or you could feel shame from losing a competition (athletic, academic or business). Or you could have been trying to make a solid impression (maybe for a job) and you find out that how you saw yourself is not how you were seen. All these situations and many others can bring about that feeling of shame. It hurts. It hurts in public and it really hurts in private. But remember, God does not want you to carry that feeling. It does nothing good for you nor does it honor Him.
Shame started with Adam and Eve when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. When Adam heard God coming he hid. The text reads he was afraid (Genesis 3:10), but if you know you have done something wrong and the person who told you not to do it is coming back and they will see you did exactly what they said not to do, you will feel shame. Shame starts here but it does not end here as we know that God is our shield (Psalm 3:3) and when we do as He commands (for our own good) then we avoid shame.
For those who have accepted Christ we also know that there is no shame in that. When we mess up and repent, we sin no more. We do not carry that shame of the sin with us. That is not necessary. Granted, you will remember what you did and seek to avoid that again, but to carry the burden of the shame around with you does not honor God or your mission to fulfill His purposes for your life.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Being Loving Like Jesus
For those of you who know me, then you know (other than football and pro wrestling) one of my favorite topics to discuss is relationships. They are vital and date back to the beginning of man- see Genesis 2:4-25 and Adam and Eve. We were designed to be among other people. We were designed to live life with other people and have friends and date and marry and have children. It is great to do these things, but there is a point where those people that we have been living life with do things or say things that we get upset about. It is up to us on what we do with that emotion. Do we submit to the emotion and ignore people that we have known for a long time (or even a short while)? Or do we focus on being loving like Jesus? Hard to do, but here are some reminders.
In Matthew 5 we read through the sermon on Mount. In verse 44 Jesus speaks on what people have been taught and teaches them a new way. He says to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This can also be applied to a person you are having a relational issue with. If you and your friend/family member are having an issue and you saw them on the side of the road with their car broken down in the pouring rain or snow, do you just drive on by them and just hope they get help? That is not very loving. Even if they are an enemy for the time being, be loving. If you know of someone or a group of people who is persecuting you, pray for them. Pray that they will let God come into their life and take over their heart. We as Christ followers have to set the standard on being loving, just as Christ loved us by dying for us on the cross.
In Romans 12:1 we read that we are to be living sacrifices to God. We sacrifice those things that please us in moments in order to please God. We worship Him by doing what is right in his eyes with His will. Jesus, while man and God at the same time, showed us what it is like to submit to God's will even when it is truly painful. Yes, what someone said or did was painful, but that does not mean that you have to wish them hell or throw away the relationship forever due to an offense or disagreement. I love to make jokes and while I have brought smiles to many, there are some that I have offended. Their choice was to tell me about the offense and forgive me even if I defended my joke and attacked their sensitivity. There are numerous times where I had to go back and apologize because in the moment I was not walking with the Holy Spirit and needed to seek forgiveness in order to restore the relationship.
I challenge you today to seek forgiveness from someone that you have offended. I also challenge you to forgive someone who did or said something to you that has hurt you. Then I challenge you to make a phone call or see someone to reconnect. This gives them the chance to also apologize for what they may have said. But overall, it allows us to shed what was holding us back relationally and put on a robe of righteousness in moving forward to honor God.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
The Obedience of Noah
You remember Noah. He built the ark and put all the animals on it 2 by 2. The earth was flooded and he saved his family.
We tend to forget why Noah did all of this. If you read Genesis 6:5-7, you will see how God was disappointed in the world and the evil in the hearts of people and decided to start over. Yes, God was planning to start the human race over. There was one person God found favor in. That one person was Noah (Genesis 6:8).
Noah was a righteous man who walked blamelessly among the people (Genesis 6:9). God told Noah about His plan and told Noah what he needed to do in order to be spared (Genesis 6:13-21). Noah had a choice. He had a choice to either follow what God said or to ignore it and just do what everyone else is doing. But instead, Noah did what God commanded (Genesis 6:22).
I don't want to overlook the grace of God either. God did not have to find favor in Noah. But, since Noah was obedient and serving God's will in his life, God spared him. We must learn that in all that we do, we must be obedient to God. God does forgive unlike many of us who do not. But, He wants us to come to Him and seek that forgiveness. He doesn't expect perfection, He just wants us to do what He says.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Make Time for God
We all have 24 hours a day and 168 hours a week. What we do with that time is up to us. That is our decision.We cannot blame our boss for "making" our day crazy and keeping us from God's word. We can't blame the kids or spouses for things being hectic at home and keeping us from a quiet time. Our quiet time is our decision. I know people who wake up extra early (over an hour than usual) just to have a quiet time with God before they go to work. It is that important to them. That leaves no excuses for later in the day.
As cliche as it may seem, the first few of the 10 Commandments are focused on God and keeping the Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8) and having no others gods before him and not taking His name in vain. Ask yourself, am I keeping a Sabbath? It doesn't have to be Sunday, but is there a day where you stop working and rest and give respect to God?
What other gods are there (Exodus 20:3) I don't think it just means other religions, but the other things we do that take precedence in our lives over what is most important. I know I talk a lot about social media, but we waste so much time on our devices seeing what everyone else is doing rather than spending time in the Bible and seeing what God wants from us. What was the last thing you did last night? What was the first thing you did this morning? Did it have anything to do with being thankful to God? Did it have to do with the other things that are not important?
God doesn't want our left over, but our first fruits (Genesis 4:4-5). If you are struggling with making time for God, maybe put a sign on the first thing you are going to see every morning to remind you to make time for God. The sign could be a verse or a simple reminder to pray or be thankful. Whatever it is, make time for God and keep Him first.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Why Look Back?
I have a personal testimony that is quite long and would take an entire conversation to cover every part of it. Also, my testimony is not over yet. God is still directing my steps. It is up to me to follow them. And when I don't follow those steps that He lays before and my selfishness redirects me to another path, God jumps right back in and lays another path before me. Once again, it is up to me to be obedient to His word and do what it is that Has commanded me to do (John 14:15).
I bring up this topic because in a conversation I had with a friend the other day about regrets in life. We were talking about what life would be if "this" happened instead of "that." While I do struggle with how nice things would have been if I worked at this company or finished school sooner or gone to school elsewhere or had been married to an ex-girlfriend, I also realize that I am in life where God needs me to be to do the work He has commanded me to do. While I do not know where life would have taken me had past things worked out a certain way, it also doesn't matter to even think about it. I am a different person today than I was 15 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago, and 2 years ago. I can appreciate where I am even if I do not like all the parts (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
In Genesis 19, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for not having righteous people in it. God spared Abraham's family and God's angels told Abraham's family not to look back at the city as it was being destroyed or they would turn into pillars of salt. Lot's wife looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah and did the opposite of what she was instructed and turned into a pillar of salt.
It is one thing to look back at life and appreciate where you have been and stay faithful in the path God has laid before you, but is another to see your past life (before following Christ) and wish it was that instead of where God has you now (2 Corinthians 5:17).
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Taking Ownership of Our Actions
We have to stop blaming God for where our life is. We have to stop blaming God for how we feel. And we have to stop blaming God for the things that happen to us after we make bad decisions. Ultimately we have to take ownership of our actions. Our actions can be a determining factor as to whether or not we are seeking to be aligned with God or just seeking to please ourselves.
I have had many conversations regarding God and what He would allow in our lives. Such questions circle around topics like why does God allow suffering or evil. The truth is, we live in a broken world full of broken people. It started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God said in Genesis 2:15-17 that Adam and Eve could eat from any tree except for that tree for surely they would die. So what did Adam and Eve do? They did exactly what they were not supposed to. They were tempted by the serpent (we understand to be Satan or temptation) who in Genesis 3:1-7 questioned what God said and then debunked what God had already commanded.
Isn't that what Satan does to us now? We know what God says based on what is written in scripture. We understand what God says, but when tempted with whatever tempts us, we can fall when we stray away from obedience. We do not always choose to run away from temptation. When we give in to temptations the results can be immediately catastrophic or eventually. I am not writing these things to scare people into obedience but to illustrate how when we do the opposite of what God commands, we fall right into Satan's trap and we are now further away from God.
Remember King David and Bathsheba and how their affair lead to a child out of wedlock and she was married to someone else? In order for David and Bathsheba to try to hide their shame (just like Adam and Eve wearing loincloths after eating the fruit), David tried to have Bathsheba's husband sleep with his wife (had him come home from war early), but Uriah was too drunk and did not so then David set Uriah up to be killed. Do you see how David and Bathsheba's infidelity and disobeying God went from something small and in a worldly sense very "innocent" lead to her husband's death? Even though David eventually married Bathsheba, God was still not happy with what David had done (2nd Samuel 11:27).
Look at is this way, when you do what God says and you are obedient, it doesn't make life perfect, but His will protects us from Satan's temptations and our own selfishness. In Proverbs 14:12 we see how a way that a man/person sees is the right way to them ends up being the track to death (not necessarily physical death- but even spiritual).
When we are tempted to go against God's will, we can either flee from the temptation which leads to only momentary satisfaction or we can seek God's will for our lives on a moment by moment and daily basis which leads to a closer connection to Him. We are not perfect, but God's will for our lives is.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE THIS VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS.
