Genesis 16

Not a shining moment for the future patriarch.  Listening to the voice of his wife (be careful boys! women can be very influential and not always in good directions), Abram agrees to take a new "wife" to get children, rather than wait on the Lord.  And this chapter comes right after that amazing covenant ceremony where God once more affirms all His promises to Abram.

What really catches my attention is how God shows special concern for Hagar, a simple servant girl (and a bratty one at that.)  At this first reference to "The Angel of the Lord", my commentary says that when "The Angel of the Lord" appears in the Old Testament, it is probably Christ Himself ("The Angel of the Lord" doesn't appear after Christ's birth.)  Hagar certainly thought it was God and called him "The God Who Sees", or "El Roi" in Hebrew.   And El Roi tells her to name her son Ishmael, which means "God hears".

How astonishing that God himself would "see" and "hear" her affliction; however, notice that Hagar's circumstances don't really change.  God doesn't direct her to a new luxury tent or give her a handsome new master.

He tells her to go back.  Go back and submit to your mean mistress, who will probably give you a beating for running away and your elderly master, who obviously doesn't care what happens to you even though you carry his child.

But He also gave her a promise.  He gave her the promise of a nation of descendants, which would have been astounding for someone in her position; but think about it....a promise that she would never see fulfilled in her lifetime.

This is such a great reminder that God always sees and hears my cries for help and gives me many promises of love and faithfulness in His Word, but often, my circumstances do not change.  God wants me to rest in His plan for my life, and trust that all things really do work together for my good (Romans 8:28).  This is hard.  I do not like being uncomfortable.  Like Hagar, I don't like living in difficult circumstances.  But God's promise to her, His very presence, was so life-changing that she obediently went back.

He does that for us too....any time we go to His Word, seeking fellowship with Him.  And unlike Hagar and other Old Testament believers, we don't have to hope for one special visitation from God.  We have the Holy Spirit living in us every day....His presence is assessable 24/7.

"I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my supplications.  Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live."  Psalm 116:1-2

Living it today:  I will remember that the Lord sees and hears my prayers even if my circumstances don't change.

Living it yesterday:  Fellowship with God is such a cool think...I even think better.  New ideas were coming to my mind all day for my up-coming classes.  And I had the opportunity to share with two other moms on the soccer field some truth the Lord was bringing to mind, and I think it was helpful for them.

Genesis 15

The Lord tells Abram in verse 2, "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."  I wonder if Abram had any clue what God was about to tell him?   I wonder what Abram was thinking?  I have an exceedingly great reward???  Isn't is awesome when something wonderful unexpectedly happens to you?  Can you imagine hearing that you have won the lottery and then waiting with growing excitement to find out how much you won?  Abram truly hits the jackpot and so do we....

I first learned about the concept of "covenant" and Old Testament faith in this chapter so it is really special to me and reminds me of many amazing truths.  God officially makes promises to Abram which include an heir, descendants that would be as numerous as stars, and a prime piece of land.  All things that would have brought great joy to Abram, an old man living as a nomad with no children. And Abram "believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."  This should have seemed like an impossibility to Abram,  but he believed in the future promises of God which is what "saved" him.  God counted his belief/faith as "righteousness"....Abram was made righteous because of his belief that God would do what He said.  Paul refers to this verse often when he discusses that salvation is by faith, not works (Romans 4:3,9, 22; Galations 3:6)  He goes on to say in Romans 4:21 that Abram "being fully assured that what He (God) had promised, He (God) was able also to perform."  What a great definition of FAITH!  So Old Testament people (before Christ) were saved by believing in the promises of God, specifically, the promise of a Savior.  Just to be clear....to be made righteous....right before God....one believes, trusts, puts faith in God.

After Abram declared his belief, God "sealed" His promise with a covenant ceremony that was common in ancient days.  When two parties came to an agreement or made a contract, they would take an animal, cut it in two, lay the pieces on the ground, and walk through the pieces together in a ceremony.  Symbolically, they were saying may God do to me what we did to this animal should either of us break this contract.  In verse 18, it says "the Lord made a covenant".  The Hebrew word for "made" is "karath" which means to cut, and "covenant" in Hebrew is "beriyth" which is "an alliance of friendship" when the reference is between God and man and also "a divine ordinance".

So God cut (literally and figuratively) a divine (everlasting) alliance of friendship with Abram with the terms dependent only on Himself.

Abram was put to sleep and only God, represented by the smoking oven and burning torch, walked through the pieces sealing the deal.  This is an incredible act....God promises not only descendants and land but that He will be Abram's friend.  Simply as a result of his belief, God will honor his end of the bargain.  This would have been incomprehensible in ancient times....that you could be the friend of the supreme deity, Jehovah..."the existing one".  But it is incomprehensible today really.....that we can be called God's friend??  Yet, that is exactly what Paul describes in Romans 4....that God did this not just for Abram's sake, but "for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead."  Like Abram, we become God's friend.  I love the words, "reckoned", "reconciliation", "reconciled" that Paul uses throughout the next chapter; all words that show we are no longer "enemies of God" (Colossians 1:21), but we have been brought into rightness with Him.....friendship.

Living it today:  No matter what happens today, I will remember that I am a friend of God.  That as my best friend, I will obediently follow Him in the way He leads me today.  I love you guys so much....please make Him your best friend, too.  He is so worth it.

Genesis 13 and 14

Abram gives Lot his choice of land which shows Abram trusts God in allowing Lot this privilege.  Abram is obviously growing in his faith.  Lot chooses the best land but its to the "east" near Sodom and Gomorrah.  Often, Bible reference to the "east" are an indication of spiritual darkness or wickedness.

This reminds me to be careful about making big decisions.  The most seemingly desirable choice may be disastrous spiritually.  Always consider how a choice might have negative spiritual consequences.  And I notice that after Abram gives up his right to choose first, God blesses Him by reaffirming the covenant in showing him all that will be his legacy, his family's forever...

"....for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.  And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered."  verses 15, 16

What a great blessing for an old nomad with no children.

Typical of the times, chapter 14 describes a lot of fighting over land and people (come to think of it, that is typical of all times in history.)  When Sodom is attacked, Lot is captured with all the people and all their possessions.  According to commentaries that I read, Abram would have been a well-seasoned military man, used to defending his very large clan and leading in battles.  He had his own private, well-trained militia ("318 trained servants") who apparently marched over 150 miles to reach the enemy just north of Damascus.  They successfully defeated the armies and rescued the people.  (Again, Abram's trust in the Lord had come a long way.)  But rather than take the spoils of war, which is customary for the victor, Abram takes nothing so he can give all the credit for the victory to El Elyon, God Most High, Sovereign Lord.

Living it today:  Carefully consider the spiritual consequences of a decision.  Remember that God is in control and He directs my path and deserves the credit for my success.  But that path may be difficult and challenging (150 mile march and THEN a battle) requiring preparation, stead-fastness and boldness.

Living it yesterday:  No major trials yesterday, but several small "character tests" did occur.  It was good to remember that trials are a good thing.  They produce endurance leading to a "perfect result".

Genesis 2 - one more thing:)

OK....I couldn't resist....one more thought about Genesis 2.  It says, "the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."  The Hebrew word for "pleasant" is "chamad" which means "covet", "delectable", "desirable", "greatly beloved".  So God provided an amazing smorgasbord (great $ word:) of food for Adam and Eve.  I'm not sure we can really imagine what that looked and tasted like since we live in a twice changed Earth (curse after man's fall and after the flood). As great as our fruits and veggies are today, they can't possibly taste or look as good as "in the beginning."  I guess the best we can do is imagine being surrounded by perfect orchards and fields of peaches, apples, oranges, mangos, bananas, strawberries, kiwis, papayas, coconuts, blueberries AND who knows what other flavors???  steak or lobster flavored fruit?  OK...that might be a stretch, but apparently it was ALL "greatly beloved and desirable".....to eat any time, day or night, as much as they wanted (just think of it my big eaters who will remain nameless!)

And yet, in spite of all this amazing provision, a succulent banquet every day,  Adam and Eve would later choose the one food they couldn't have.

I am Adam and Eve.

So often, I fail to see and appreciate the abundant provision all around me, wanting instead something else....something bigger, better, easier, more comfortable.

Living it today:  I will purpose to see and appreciate God's amazing provision all around me.  I will be thankful for all things for this is God's will for me in Christ Jesus.

Genesis 12

In chapter 12, we are introduced to the "Abrahamic Covenant."  God tells Abram to leave his country, his extended family and go to some mystery land to be revealed later.  God promises children (a nation), land, divine blessing and protection.

In great faith and obedience, Abram does it...at 75 years old.  (I wonder if he remembered Great Grandfather Noah's faith?)  Abram makes it to the land but has to leave because of famine.  He goes to Egypt, and has a major lapse in trusting the Lord.  Because his wife is beautiful and he fears the Egyptians might kill him to have her, he tells Sarai to pretend to be his sister.  Sure enough, she is taken.  I'm imagining the scene as she is being abducted and Abram says nothing, does nothing to defend her.  That was some serious, paralyzing fear that prevented him from helping the person he most loved in the world.  And later, he still doesn't have the courage and faith in God to rescue her.  God finally intervenes.

I also notice that this failure happened after Abram made it to the promised land and built an alter to worship, basically establishing his worship of and faith in the one true God in the new land.

Abram was all in.

And then he goes to Egypt and fails the faith test.  This seems to happen a lot in scripture.  A believer will trust God, commit to God in a big way and then fail a big faith test (think Jacob, King Saul, Peter.)
God will test our faith.  And the more times we are tested, the more we grow in our faith...

"Consider all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  James 1:3-4

Interestingly, when we fail faith tests, we experience God's grace and forgiveness covering our heavy guilt feelings.  When we pass faith tests, we grow more in our love and trust in God because we see Him taking care of us.

Even the most Godly people have moments of failure.  We are all broken people who make mistakes, but our God uses all those failures to grow us in our faith, for our good and ultimately, for His glory.  Abram was a fairly new believer when this happened, but after many years of walking with God, we see later how Abram passed the ultimate faith test by his willingness to sacrifice Isaac.

Living it today:  Thank the Lord for any trial today, knowing that testing produces endurance.  Purpose to pass the test:)

Living it yesterday:  Believing I'm too busy to take on any new responsibilities, I've resisted committing to any new teaching responsibilities.  But knowing my spiritual gifts are teaching and encouraging, I've committed to leading a much needed women's Bible study in the fall with Mrs. Meredith.

Genesis 11

Today we come to the end of the "beginnings" chapters.  So much more could have been studied and gleaned from the first 11 chapters of Genesis, but please remember that God's word does give us all the information we need for any origins' arguments.  Remember to start with scripture first when asking foundational, scientific questions....not the other way around.

In verses 1-9, I see the whole earth had one language and they lived together in Shinar, which is modern-day Iraq.  Shinar is also the area we call Mesopotamia, known as "the cradle of civilization."  (Much later, Babylon and Assyria, Israel's enemies, will control this region.)  Verse 4 describes how the people decide to build a city and tower to show off their greatness and encourage national unity, "Let us make a name for ourselves lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

Remember God's command to Noah and his sons after the flood?  Multiply and fill the earth.  "Populate the earth abundantly." So God wanted them to spread out.  They refused.  So He "scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth." (verse 8)  For me, is God commanding me to do something and I am refusing?

Also in this chapter I see Shem's descendants and their ages when they had children.  Isn't it interesting that the lifespans get shorter?  I notice the ages go 500-403-403-430-209-207-200-119.  Though there is much speculation about how people really lived hundreds of years (some over 900 years), it is clear that life span changed after the flood.

Once again, I'm reminded that rebellion against God---sin---has consequences.

Living it today:  What can I do today to obey God in an area where I have been resisting His direction?

Living it yesterday:  Thinking back over the last few days of study, several unfortunate "living it yesterdays" come to mind:  I made some impulsive decisions when I was clearly counseled by the Word not to do so (trip decisions.)  I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with different types of people (the Wal-Mart employee clearly wanted to chat) but I didn't make the time.  I purposed not to hurt the heart of God and I totally ignored the Word for three days in my busyness and trip preparations.  I lost my temper with one of you....enough said.  I had a major pity party over some unexpected expenses (after a week of praising God for His provision.)  BUT the Gospel is good...grace is good...because I'm his child, God will not love me any less (or any more) because of my actions.

Interesting link about lifespan after the flood....

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2010/07/16/feedback-why-did-people-have-shorter-lives-after-flood

Genesis 10

Occasionally, you will read a chapter and wonder what in the world can I learn from this???
This is one of those chapters:)  But as you prayerfully read through it, the Holy Spirit will bring to mind something to take away....and sometimes, I just read the next chapter, too.

This chapter describes the descendants of Noah's sons:  Shem, Ham and Japheth.  Fast forward to verse 25 where it says, "....the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided..."  The Hebrew word for earth is "erets" which means "the whole earth under God's dominion; land; nations." This word is used over 2500 times in the Old Testament which tells me to remember that God does own it ALL.  The word "divided" is "palag" (sounds like Peleg doesn't it?), and it means to "divide, split".
Verse 25 is describing what happens later, doing Peleg's life,  at the tower of Babel when God "divides" the people and confuses their languages.  (Just for fun, I looked up Peleg and it actually means, "earthquake"....very symbolic I would say.)

Three times we read the phrase, "These were the sons of ____ according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations" and about the sons of Noah, "according to their generations, in their nations, and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood."

This reminds me of verse 7:9 in Revelation where John sees multitudes, "from every nation and all  tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...." worshipping Jesus. God created the nations.  He is orderly and loves variety.

I also see the first reference to Babel started by Nimrod, Ham's grandson, in what is modern-day Iraq.  It's interesting to think about the parallels between what happened in that part of the world thousands of years ago and the conflict that is still happening today.

Living it today:  Remember today that Christ loves variety; He loves ALL people.  He wants people from all nations to be in His Kingdom.  I will be mindful of this truth today and be very aware of any prejudice I may have.

Living it yesterday:  Nothing specific happened the last few days that made me wait on any weighty decisions, but it was interesting how just meditating on that thought, and honoring and loving God with all my heart, made me order my day more carefully.  The things I said and did were more intentional.  The Lord also gave me two opportunities to encourage friends with the scripture I've been praying for myself.  God is good all the time.

Interesting article on race, prejudice and interracial marriage....

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/are-there-different-races

Genesis 9

This chapter introduces the very important Biblical principle of "covenant", which is an unbreakable contract you make with another person or group.   It is so binding, that if one person breaks it, the penalty is death.  I counted the word "covenant" 7 times in this chapter...very emphatic.  After God smelled "the soothing aroma" of Noah's sacrifice, he promised never again to wipe out life with a flood, even though "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth."  (verse 8:21)  This is the first of 5 covenants that God made with man (we later call this the Noahic Covenant.)  And a covenant is usually accompanied by gift giving to commemorate the event and act as reminder.  So God gave us the gift of a rainbow which reminds us of His bargain, His contract, His promise.

I'm reminded how God must grieve when we chose to live apart from Him.  That He was soothed by Noah's sacrifice which represented obedience, repentance, honor, restored fellowship.

God needed soothing.

This is such a hard thing for me to grasp...that all powerful, sovereign, creator God has a soft side.  And yet I see it throughout scripture that He hurts when we don't want Him....when we turn away and walk defiantly with our own plan.  "The Lord said in His heart,  I will never again curse the ground for man's sake...." (8:21)  In His heart....God's heart....again, this soft side demonstrating regret, sadness, hurt, love.

One of the verses I pray for myself (really for y'all) is 3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth."  But it just occurred to me that this is true of God as well.....how the Father has no greater joy than for his children to walk in the truth.

Living it today:  I will purpose today NOT to hurt God, but to bring Him joy.  I will focus on loving God with all MY heart, soul, mind and strength.

Living it yesterday:  Actually, I studied chapters 8 and 9 today so I'm still "living it today" from chapter 8.  I'll give you an update tomorrow on four chapters.

Genesis 8

Can you imagine being stuck on a large boat without a lot of light with thousands of stinky animals for over a year?   (From beginning to end, the Flood lasted one year and ten days.)  I'm guessing Noah and his family had no formal zoo keeper training before this event; I guess they had to settle for OJT....on the job training.  Of course, Noah was given a hundred year heads-up so maybe in between building the ark, he and his family began an observational zoology course.  But I can only imagine how ready they were to get off the ark.

Yet scripture lists a lot of "patient" words:  the waters receded "steadily"; the ark "rested"; "he waited yet another seven days".  How patient Noah had to be; he had to wait for the rains to stop, wait for the waters to recede, and wait for the ark to rest on dry ground.  He even waited for instructions to leave the ark.  Scripture is full of teaching on the importance of waiting on the Lord.

"The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness."  Psalm 147:11

Living it today:  I will wait on the Lord today.  I will not make hasty decisions.  I will remember that "when in doubt, don't".  God often makes us wait to show His greater glory (as in the Lazarus story).  He may have a much better solution if I will listen to the Spirit telling me to wait before I act on something.

Living it yesterday:  I had several opportunities yesterday to remember the bigness of God.  He truly does prevail and is in control.  It was especially comforting to be pondering those thoughts when MG called to say she was in a ditch on the mountain.  I know y'all don't get this, but a parent never wants to get a phone call from an emotional child saying she's run off the road (sorry MG...I know you were OK in 5 minutes...nothing shakes you up for long:)  The cool God thing was how I'm stuck without a car, Dad is on the other end of town, Madison, who could have used his car's wench, had just left going the opposite direction, and I can't get any guy to answer their phone who could get their quickly to help you, and it's 5:00 traffic going over Hugh Daniel...BUT.... God planned for a good Samaritan to drive by minutes later (apparently a cute one:) to pull you right out and the car was drivable.  God prevails; He's in control.  

Genesis 7

One more time, God tells Noah that he alone will be spared with his family because he alone is righteous....the only ONE on the planet.  And the animals "went into the ark to Noah".  It doesn't sound like Noah had to catch or trap them does it?  I've never noticed this before, but verse 10 says they and the animals were in the ark seven days before the flood started.  Why would God make them wait around with all those animals, ready to go, for a week?  Could He have been testing Noah?  Was Noah tempted to get off?  Did he feel foolish and wonder if he had misunderstood?  Were friends and family making fun of Noah like we've seen in children's books and videos?  The Bible doesn't answer that, but isn't it interesting that God closed the door later in verse 16?  Was God giving people one last week to repent?  One last chance?  We know Noah was preaching, and surely they noticed a parade of wild animals walking into the ark.  Scripture tells us that God so desires the salvation of men.  The ark was such a great picture of salvation.....the one way to escape God's judgement.....one door.

"Jesus said, 'I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved."  John 10:9

This reminds me that I will rewarded for my faithfulness if I stand alone in a crowd, but my reward may not be immediate.  But God's timing is perfect. And God is so loving and willing to give chance after chance to follow Him...but those chances eventually run out.

Living it today:  If given the opportunity today, I will be outspoken in my defense of the Gospel.

Living it yesterday:  It was interesting how many times during the day I had turn off the radio and watch what I said.  If you really think about filtering everything by a Philippians 4:8 standard, it's amazing how much more positively you speak to other people.  Since the Olympics are on, I did't really have to "filter" any TV.  It's interesting how much less stress my mind felt not listening to or thinking about negative news or non-Christian music.....wait, wait....I didn't say you had to do this!  But it did seem to be a more peaceful day; I had a lot of clarity of thought:)

Genesis 6

God is so "grieved" by the "wickedness of man", his "corruptness", and "the earth filled with violence" that He decides to wipe man out and start over.  I am struck by verse 5 which describes "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."  How important is my thought life?  Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinketh, so he is."  My thoughts and what I put in my mind will guide my actions.  If I fill my mind with ungodly things, I will be anxious, confused, discontent, maybe even "violent" and "corrupt".  If I fill my mind with godly thoughts, I will be peaceful, loving, content.  I remember Kay Arthur used to say, "shake down every thought with Philippians 4:8":

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things."    This is quite a high standard isn't it?

In spite of the heaviness of this chapter, there is hope.  One man was "just", "perfect in his generations" and "walked with God":  Noah.  His faithfulness gained him favor and salvation, not just for himself but for his family.  I remember David preaching on personal purity a while back and how our personal sin affects those around us; conversely, our personal holiness affects those around us.  The scripture doesn't say Noah's wife, sons and daughters-in-law were "walking with God".  Yet, they were all saved because of his faithfulness.

That is convicting to me.  That my personal sin, unconfessed sin, sin that I don't deal with, detramentaly affects my friends and family.  But my "walk with God" affects them toward salvation.  What a powerful truth.

Everything in the Bible, all promises and truths, is based on the idea of "covenant."  An unbreakable promise of provision, protection and relationship with God.  This is the first mention of covenant in the Bible and it's given to the only faithful man on Earth.  God notices our actions....

"The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the Earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."  2 Chronicles 16:9

Will we be faithful men and women of God when everyone else is compromising??  God revealed His plans and promises to Noah because he feared God and walked in obedience.  Don't we want to be on God's plan?

"The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant."
Psalm 25:14      Very cool.

Living it today:  To live differently, to walk with God and be a positive influence on those around me, I will guard my mind today, and before I watch TV, read online articles, or speak, I will give it the Philippians 4:8 shake down:  Is it true? honorable? right? pure? lovely? of good repute? excellent?

Living it yesterday:  Thinking about the whole genealogy thing, I thought about how faithful Mom and Dad were to take me to an amazing church with Godly, wonderful teachers who loved me and trained me to follow God.  When Mom called, it prompted me to take them some tomatoes from the garden and visit a while.  What a blessing it was for me and them.  Thank you, Lord.  Your Word is soooo good to guide me day by day.

*****If you are interested in a fascinating ark article, read this....

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/really-a-flood-and-ark

Genesis 5

"In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God."  (verse 1)  Once again, I am reminded that people are different from animals because we are made in God's "likeness."  In the original language, it means "resemblance, model, shape, manner"; like God, we have intellect, the ability to reason, a will and emotions.  Like God, we are spiritual beings. We have a soul, which allows us to have a relationship with God.  A soul allows us to live forever after our bodies are dead.  Animals do not have a soul; we couldn't have evolved from animals.

I also notice that God named us collectively:  "He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created." (verse 2)  Naming someone was a big deal because it showed your authority over the one named.  Adam was given the privilege of naming the animals, showing his "dominion" over the Earth (1:28).  God naming man was God's final stamp of authority over His creation.  I think it further established a universal hierarchy or chain of command.

This chapter also gives us the genealogy of Adam to Noah (Adam had many lines of children, but this is the one godly line that we get in detail), and we see just how long people were living.  I have read many theories about why people lived such a long time, but how can we really know?  I accept the fact that somehow, pre-flood conditions on Earth were favorable for very long life. And because Adam's sons and daughters lived so long, the Earth would have been quickly populated.
The Bible doesn't tell us exactly how many children Adam and Eve had, but the famous Jewish historian Josephus (about the time of Christ) states that tradition attributes them with 33 sons and 23 daughters. And yes, originally, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews must have married.  It is not until the time of Moses, over two thousand years later, that such unions were forbidden.  This is a BIG issue today, and one that we need to be able to understand and articulate.  A great article for later reference is "Cain's Wife-Who Was She?" by Ken Ham (Do you remember the fascinating Australian guy we heard at one of our homeschool conventions years ago?)  This is the link...

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/who-was-cains-wife

One final thought:  I notice on one of my cool Bible charts that Adam's life would have overlapped slightly with Lamech's life (Noah's father.)  It appears that Lamech would have been in his 60s when Adam finally died; surely Lamech would have spent time with his great, great, great, great, great, great, great Grandfather Adam (7 greats/8 generations back).  And I can imagine that since ancient people had such rich oral histories (picture story telling around the camp fire), that Lamech would have heard some amazing accounts from Grandfather Adam.  The FIRST man telling about walking with God, living in a once perfect world.  I'm guessing that Adam must have had rock-star status in the minds of many.  I imagine Lamech and the other grandchildren asking him many questions over and over:  What was it like to live there?  To see the first woman and later, the first baby?  To name the animals and play with them?  To live differently because of the curse?  To see things being built and invented?

Would Lamech have told Noah about the family history?  I would think so since Lamech, "called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." (verse 29)  Noah must have been very influenced by his rich heritage to live a godly life.  Noah's great grandfather Enoch was so godly that God "took him"; he didn't die.

Living it today:  Hmmm, lots to ponder.  There is a chain of command in the universe and I've been given the privilege of working under, serving alongside and communing with the Creator.  I am special.  You are special.  I must live today in light of that awesome truth.  Will my line be one that carries on a rich, godly heritage?  I purpose to teach on!

Living it yesterday:  Only an hour after finishing the mastering anger/sin post, I was given the opportunity to act on my resolve when Garrett waited until late Friday night to be sure he had the right uniform shorts that he needed for soccer camp the next morning.  And I had been told much earlier that everything had been located.  And we stayed up until 1:00 AM looking and they were never found. (Sorry Garrett, just keeping it real for the purpose of sharing my teachable moment:)  How did I do?  Did I master my anger or did I give in and sin?  Well, let's just say God was definitely at work and my demeanor was much calmer than it would have been.  Thank you, Lord for preparing me and keeping me from saying or doing things I would have really regretted later.  

Genesis 4

What was it like to have lived in an absolute paradise?  What was it like to be kicked out of paradise, now toiling and sweating to produce food from a now cursed Earth growing thorns and thistles?  The regret and despair must have been overwhelming at times.  I wonder what Adam and Eve told the children about their first home?  Their rebellion?  Their one act of disobedience that forever changed their lives and future generations?  The fall of man in chapter 3 was devastating, but things don't improve much in the beginning of chapter 4.

Cain's offering wasn't acceptable to God, but Abel's offering was accepted.  Apparently, Cain didn't follow God's instructions for making a proper offering, it was rejected, and he "became very angry and his countenance fell." (verse 5)  Now I recall the last time I noticed the word "very", it was used to really emphasize the incredible completion of creation:  "it was very good".  For Cain to be described as "very angry" with a fallen ("to be overcome with emotion" in the original language) countenance, he must have been a fuming, steaming, raging mess.

And God the loving Father counseled him and gave him another chance to present the right offering.  "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?"  "Do well" in the Hebrew means "to make pleasing" and "be lifted up" means "exaltation in rank or character; dignity; excellency." Isn't that just like the Lord to gently give us another chance to make things right and then totally restore our dignity and sense of well-being?

And God the loving Father also counsels him about the consequences of not doing "well" by giving him a vivid word picture:  "Sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Now I have always heard that "crouching" in this verse meant like a lion or predator, ready to devour.  (I'm sure I have actually given at least one of you this example, emphasizing the importance of controlling your anger.)  And it may mean that, which really makes the word picture intense.  But when I looked up the word "crouching", its "rabats" which means "to rest, sit, recline, lie down" and even "on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal".  Hmmm....that doesn't sound like an animal about to attack.

OK....pause....since I am not a language scholar and you are not language scholars, sometimes word meaning is just plain tricky and not clearly understood for the text.  OK...I confess...it is often unclear.  BUT....I can still glean a lot of insight from thinking about possible meanings and applications as long as I don't stray far from the original intent.  What can I say?  You know I love words.  So.....

If crouching means "to recline", maybe the point is that sin is waiting "at the door" but isn't through the door yet.  It's right there, ready to walk on in, but I can "master it."  I just have to "do well"....take a deep breath, calm down and make it right...."make it pleasing."

Living it today:  Being angry is just a glorified form of discontentment with God.  I am not happy because I am not getting my way.  I will master my anger today and look for God's plan in that moment.

Living it yesterday:  Not five minutes after I finished writing the Genesis 3 post, your dad called and told me we had to pay for a very expensive, unexpected car repair....thank you, Lord for preparing me to be thankful.  Thank you that I can trust in Your provision for ALL things.

Genesis 3

Once again, I notice "Lord God" used a lot - 9 times.  But notice in verse 1 that satan does not use that title; as he questions God's instructions, he says to Eve, "Has God indeed said..." Obviously, satan refuses to acknowledge the Lord God's authority.  And as satan plants doubt in Eve's mind, she gets confused or doesn't have the courage to voice what she knows is true.  She actually adds to God's words when she claims not only can we not eat of the tree, but we can't touch it either.  God didn't say "no touching". I can almost hear the indignation in her voice....like how we get when someone mentions we didn't get something that we deserved.  I know how easily I can get bent out of shape thinking I'm owed something.  Like Eve, I might even add some extra detail to the "offense" to justify my complaining....and justify my actions.  I wonder if Eve had already been pondering why she couldn't have that fruit?  I think satan knows our areas of weakness, and will try to make us doubt God's goodness and provision....he wants us to think God is the bad guy......the mean, stingy father.  Verse 6 says Eve discovered 3 things about the tree:  1. It was good for food.  2. It was pleasant to the eyes.  3. It would give wisdom/all knowledge.

So from the beginning, like Adam and Eve (wimpy Adam ate too by the way), it is clear that I will be tempted to be dissatisfied with God by things (or people) that look good, feel good, and/or make me look important.

Thousands of years later, John writes in 1 John 2:15 and 16, "Do not love (delight in more than God) the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (feels good), the lust of the eyes (looks good) and the boastful pride of life (makes me look important) is not from the Father, but is from the world."

Sounds like the same list, doesn't it?  And this is convicting to me as I realize how often my mind ponders the things that would make my life more comfortable and pleasant.  Like Eve, I can be deceived (1 Timothy 2:14)/tricked into thinking that I can't be content with what God has given me.
And if I dwell on those things too long, it can lead to a seriously bad attitude or even sin if I disobey God to satisfy my desires.

So how do I battle discontentment?  Years ago, I remember my Bible teacher, Mrs. Yancy, used to say the Christian life is lived between the ears.  In other words, we live out what we think.  So if we think thankful thoughts, we tend to live in thankfulness which is how we combat discontent.  That Bible study group practiced living in thankfulness.  I remember they were always "thankin' the Lord" for not just good things but bad, difficult things and the lessons God was teaching them.  They lived with an attitude of gratitude which really amazed me.  But when we look at scripture, it is full of "always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, even the Father." (Ephesians 5:20)

Even my life verses from Philippians 4 say that when I make requests, that I am to be thankful first.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (verse 6)  If I do this, God promises his peace will guard my mind and heart. (verse 7)  So actively practicing thankfulness initiates a God "guard" over my mind.  You know I can't resist looking that up.

"Guard" in Greek is "phroureo" which means to keep watch like a military sentinel or actively display whatever defensive or offensive means are necessary to guard.

Living it today:  OK...I think that is a really awesome application.  Whenever I am actively thankful, even as I'm giving God my requests, I activate the God Guard on my mind.  Even if I'm NOT particularly thankful, if I speak and think thankfulness today, God...specifically the Holy Spirit in me....will swoop into action like a Navy seal or Auburn's awesome lineman to guard and protect my mind.  (Quite a word picture, right?)  I will practice thankfulness today and ask God to show me all His blessings in my life.

Genesis 2

God finished His work in six days and "rested" on the seventh day.  Does God need rest??  No, of course not.  But He established the pattern of man's work week and his need for a day of rest.  Later, the Mosaic Law sticks to this pattern, setting up the Sabbath as a day of rest.  Jesus confirms the need for rest in Mark 2:27 when He says, "The Sabbath was made for man..."  But it gets better...What is so cool about this is how it sets up an understanding for the Jews about Christ.  They were used to working hard six days of the week and resting on the seventh.  But they were also used to making multiple sacrifices in order to make atonement for individual and collective sins.  They "worked", believing that sacrifices would atone for sin.  (We will see a few chapters later that Old Testament people were not "saved" by their sacrifices.)  But the writer of Hebrews in chapter 4 discusses an amazing concept....that Jesus IS our Sabbath rest.

 "There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.  For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works as God did from His." Heb. 4:9,10.

In other words, EVERY DAY is the Sabbath that we rest in Christ from our works.  God's "rest" is entering into the plan of God and His work.  So we don't work for our salvation, because of Jesus, our Sabbath rest, but in obedience, we go about the work of the Father.  The Hebrew word for rest is "shabath" which means "to cease", "to put an end to".  Christ put an end to our "works".  I love that.  The pattern set in Genesis for future generations, thousands of years later, to get a clear understanding of "rest."

Another thing I notice about chapter 2 is how it goes into more detail about the Creation week.  And I see how the phrase "Lord God" ("said", "caused", "formed") is used 11 times, which is different from the phrase "God made" in chapter 1.  Why is that?  In Hebrew, Lord is "Jehovah" which means "self-existent" and the "I AM THAT I AM".....Wow.  And God is "Elohiym" which means "supreme God" (when used with "the" as in "the Lord God").  So.....

"Jehovah Elohiym"....The self-existent, I AM THAT I AM, supreme God....very intense isn't it?
Maybe God wants us to see His authority in the hierarchy of His Creation.  He planted, He made, He took, He said, He caused, He formed, He commanded.  I think He makes a statement here....I AM in charge.  I AM has all authority.

Living it today:  God is in control, all powerful, sufficient for every need today.  Walking by faith, in obedience is resting in Christ's work on my behalf.  I am NOT working to save myself.  I am following His lead in my daily walk with Him....a GREAT adventure!  Love you!!

Genesis 1 - 2:4

"Genesis" comes from a Greek word meaning "beginning" which is fitting since we read about the beginning of the universe, earth, people, sin, families, nations and languages (and a lot more).  Over half of all human history is covered in its 50 chapters.  Jesus says that Moses wrote "The Law" which is the first five books of the Bible including Genesis.  In Luke 16:31, 24:44 and John 5:46-47, Jesus references Moses' words as truth so if we believe the words of Jesus, we should believe in the authority of Genesis.  This is very important today as you will be confronted with unbiblical world views that question the truths taught in this foundational book.  As Christians, we want to view the world through a Biblical lens when evaluating theories, ideas, and evidence.  Many modern scholars and scientists would have us evaluate theories, ideas and evidence through a God-less lens.  As a result, we are bombarded with evolutionary thought and because many Christians are not grounded in their faith, they are not able to stand against the calculated attacks on the origins of man which ultimately attack Christianity's claims.....a Holy God created a perfect world but man sinned, leading to fallen mankind in need of a savior (very simplistic theology here.)

After reading through this chapter several times, I am struck with many thoughts, some inspired and some I've learned over the years...

In the first verse, God establishes/creates what scientists refer to as the "time, space, matter continuum" which is what defines all the characteristics of the universe.
"In the beginning (time), God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter.)"   Very big, vast, splendor beyond understanding.

In the first three days, God sets a stage:  Day/Night, Expanse/Heaven, Earth with vegetation/Seas
In the next three days, God fills it:  Sun, Moon, Stars; Birds, Sea Creatures; Land Animals/Man   Very orderly and carefully planned.

"And there was evening and morning, one day"   The Hebrew word for day is "yom" and all its uses in the Old Testament indicate a 24 hour period of time.  Also, when "yom" is used with a number, "one day", "a second day", etc. it means a literal day.  Not to mention the phrase "and there was evening and morning" used six times points to a literal day.  It is important to believe that God created the universe in literally 6 days, not in spans of time as some would interpret "a day" in order to justify the belief that the earth is millions of years old.  Finally, Moses says in Exodus 20:11, "For in 6 days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the 7th day."  And we believe Moses right?    Very powerful.

God created the "sea monsters" and every living creature in the waters "after their kind" and "every winged bird after its kind" and every "living creature after their kind" and "the beasts of the earth after their kind" and "cattle after their kind" and "everything that creeps on the ground after its kind" and then "God created man in His own image."  I think God clearly states that He created unique types of animals and man.  They did not evolve from one another.  1 Corinthians 15:39 states,
"All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish."  Can we really believe in evolution??  I think God is clear.  Very intelligent design.

Living it today:  God is so big.  Beyond my comprehension big.  He is in charge.  Why would I not trust Him with my life and every problem, every decision I might encounter today?  I will be willing to defend my beliefs about Creation if the opportunity arises. Even though I don't have all the answers or evidence that might be required, I have resources that I can explore later.   He is worth it.

  

In the Beginning.....

Where should we start??  Where do I begin??  I have so much I would like to hodegeo!  So in some ways, it makes sense to start "in the beginning"...Genesis 1...and then just keep going.  So I would like to attempt the impossible....studying the Word from beginning to end with you.  All 1189 chapters of the Bible.  Oh my....Yes, that is a big number and this is a big task that I'm not sure I can do.  I'm great at starting things, but not always so great at follow-through.  So I'm asking the Lord to give me the courage to start this, the commitment to be consistent, and the conviction to see it through till the end.  (how about that alliteration?  sorry, couldn't resist:)  If we start now, maybe we'll finish Revelation by the time I'm 50...two and half years away. I have a few big goals to achieve by 50 so this seems to be a great one more to add to the list.  So by January 24, 2015, we will have studied the whole Bible together....yikes.....i can do this....we can do this.

All I ask is that you read what I have to say with grace....don't be too hard on me if you don't agree with my understanding.  And don't expect too much.  Some days, I really glean a lot from scripture.  Some days, I don't.  Some days, my grammar may be terrible and my explanations unclear.  Some days, my words might be truly inspiring (hopefully.)  I am no expert, but have just enough training to be dangerous.  So feel free to hold me accountable and ask questions, make comments.  Let's have some great dialogue together.  Will I post every day?  Doubtful.  But I will try to be consistent.  I ask one more thing....if you plan to follow my posting, and I hope you do, please try to read the scripture BEFORE you read what I have to say about it.  God may impress upon your heart a different principle from the passage or He may give us the same insight and wisdom for the day.  And I would encourage you to keep a journal, on the computer or on paper.  Every time you read a chapter, write down your insights and the lessons God is teaching you.  It might just be a sentence or two.  It might be a a whole page.  You will come to cherish these notes and they will be a point of reference that you can refer back to.  I love looking through old journal notes.  I can see how much I've grown over the years and all the ways God has been faithful to teach me and answer prayer requests.

Remember this:  God mightily used young people throughout the Bible.  Joseph, David, Daniel, Timothy, Samuel, Esther, Stephen, Gideon, and Joshua (and others) performed courageously for the Lord as youths.  My constant prayer for all four of you, since you were born, has been I Timothy 4:12, "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."

So will you purpose to spend time with the Lord and with your Mom?  Tomorrow....we begin!

Now What?

There is no set formula for spending time with God.  Sometimes, I set aside an hour; Sometimes, I have only five minutes.  Sometimes, I only pray; Sometimes, I only read.  Sometimes, I just pray for my family;  Sometimes, I just pray for specific circumstances.  Sometimes, I just read a Psalm;  Sometimes, I read the "chapter for the day".  But years ago, a faithful mentor guided me on having"a quiet time" with the Lord, so I have followed (more or less) this basic pattern since I was in high school, usually spending time with God in the mornings:

30 Minute Meditations

10 minutes of praise, thanksgiving and confession:  I pray scripture to God such as Psalm 19, Psalm 23, Psalm 29, or Psalm 100.  Or I praise Jesus from any Gospel account.  Or from sermon notes still in my Bible.  Praise before reading gets my mind focused on the task at hand, and I feel more settled and peaceful after a few minutes (especially if I'm very distracted and just want to check it off my list for the day...sad but true.)  And I'm also following the pattern of praise in prayer first that Jesus taught his disciples..."Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name...."

Thanksgiving, acknowledging what God has done, is different from praise, acknowledging who God is.  At this point, I ask the Lord to bring to my mind all the things going on in my life that I need to be thankful for, good or bad, easy or hard.  Again, this attitude of thanksgiving makes me grateful and changes my thinking.  And it reminds me to trust God for my life by acknowledging His control....sovereignty.

Finally, I ask the Lord to remind me of any thought, attitude or deed that wasn't right and confess it to Him, admitting that I was wrong.  Confession is agreeing with God that I have sinned in some area and I need to repent of that thought, attitude or deed.  I purpose to change my ways.  And sometimes I have to go one step further and make it right with someone else.  When I confess my sin, I restore my fellowship with God.  Nothing breaks fellowship with God like unconfessed sin.  "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." (1 John 1:6.)  If I feel unsettled or uncomfortable in my spirit, especially as I am trying to be in the Word, chances are I have some unconfessed sin that I need to deal with.  God will "restores to me the joy of my salvation" when I have a "clean heart" (Psalm51).

At this point, I ask the Holy Spirit to teach me (because spiritual things are spiritually discerned), and I usually pray a scripture about understanding scripture.  My current favorite is Psalm 119:18:  "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law!"  Now I'm ready to read.

15 minutes of Bible reading:  Read at least one chapter and ask God to teach you and give you wisdom for the day.  As you observe the chapter, look up any unusual or interesting words in the original language (Greek or Hebrew) for better understanding.  Mark any repeated words because if the same word is used three or more times, it is important and key to our understanding the meaning.  Always look for lists of commands, instructions or exhortations.  Number them or underline them in your Bible.
When you finish reading, ask the Lord what truths you should meditate on for the day.  Sometimes God gives me specific instruction that I need for that day; Sometimes He just reminds me of one of His many attributes;  Sometimes He very clearly answers a prayer request.  You may read a chapter that seems strange or irrelevant but God promises that His "Word will not return void." Isaiah 55:11 and "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 16-17.   So know that there is something significant in any chapter that you read.

5 minutes of prayer:  This is rarely enough time to pray for every prayer request for friends, family, myself, missions, etc. but this is a start!  My 7th grade Sunday School teacher told me to pray "JOY"...praise Jesus (which we did first), pray for Others, and lastly, pray for Yourself.  So start by making a list of people to pray for as God shows you needs.  Pray for the people you love.  Pray for your friends.  Pray for the lost.  And then pray for yourself.  Pray for specific needs, but also pray scripture.  Find scripture that addresses areas of need in your life.  Nothing is more powerful than praying God's Word.  A few verses that I pray for myself are "..that I would prove myself a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer who deludes myself."  James 1:22
And "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul." Psalm 94:19 And "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth.  Keep watch over the door of my lips." Psalm 141:3.  And my life verses are Philippians 4:4-8....I'll let you look those up:)   If you don't have a "life verse", ask the Lord to show you what that should be.  He may give you several over time, but the more you're in the Word, He will give you scripture that seems particularly meaningful or appropriate for your life.

Again, this isn't the only way to spend time with God and you can certainly adjust the time for every segment.  The idea is to development a love for God and a love for His Word.  And this will grow more and more as you make spending time with Him in His Word a priority.  Let the adventure begin!

"Hodegeo"

Hello, my Darlings!  Welcome to my blog world!

I know you must be alarmed, wondering what in the world is Mom thinking??  What does she plan to say to the outside world??  Actually, this is not for the public.  This is for you....my four fascinating, winsome, wonderful, interesting, emerging young adults.  This blog is my way of communicating with you all, in the same place, at the same time, since we are rarely in the same place, at the same time.  So what am I communicating that requires such a forum??

First, imagine we are in the family room, finally situated on the chairs, couch and floor after multiple interruptions...phone ringing, getting a drink, finding a blanket, arguing over a seat, locating your Bibles and bathroom emergencies.  At last, we pray.  Occasionally, we sing Fanny Crosby hymns (badly).  It's "Bible time". Remember those days?  (tearing up)  I loved those mornings together.  (sniffle)  But a few days ago (or years), you grew up and life got too busy for Bible time, just as you were ready for deeper, more thoughtful instruction, and I dropped the ball on training you to really walk with the Lord.  (weeping now)  Thankfully, you have gotten excellent instruction from many awesome people in the Body of Christ, but no one, at this time, to my knowledge, is intentionally discipling you, one-on-one.  No one is sharing with you personally how to spend time with God, in His Word, every day.  And spending time in prayer, in the Word is the ONLY way to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  Because that kind of relationship is based on faith.  And it takes faith to believe that God is real and wants a personal relationship with you.   And the ONLY way you grow your faith is by being in the Word..."Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the WORD."

So I want to guide you on a journey...a wonderful, transformational journey.

Speaking of guiding, do you like my blog title?  Catchy isn't it?  It is pronounced hod-ayg-eh'-o (I know the phonetic spelling is so helpful:), and it's the Greek word which means "to be a guide", "to lead on one's way", "to give guidance to".  It is used 5 times in the New Testament, but I really like the application in Acts 8:31 where the Ethiopian official is sitting in his chariot, reading the book of Isaiah and Philip heard him reading aloud and asked the stranger, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  And he answered, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides (hodegeo) me?  And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him."  And Philip was able to hodegeo him to Jesus (and then he vanished.)  I love the picture of a willing servant giving guidance to an earnest seeker.  I love that the Ethiopian sounds so female....Weellll.....how could I possibly understand without a guide???  In a strong Southern accent of course.  (Sorry guys...MG, you get what I mean, right?)  So my plan is to hodegeo you through the Bible, showing you how to spend time with God every day.


                                             ****BIG PAUSE...DEEP BREATH*****


Realizing you know me VERY well....really know me....it is fair to ask the question, is Mom really qualified to be my "guide".  I admit that I am often not a great example of transformational living and "walking in the Spirit".  I occasionally lose my temper, speak judgmentally, and lecture unlovingly. And it may seem like I have unrealistic, perfectionistic expectations for you.  And I can be down right cranky.  Please forgive me (on my knees).  Darn flesh.  But more and more, I'm realizing that's what the Gospel is for....sinful people like me who constantly mess up.  So I am infinitely qualified to guide you on this Gospel journey.  The Gospel of God's amazing grace, showered on us who believe, day by day, moment by moment.  God is awesome.  I am never more satisfied, more peaceful, and more intentional then when I am walking in fellowship with God.

So find a seat....MG, wake up....grab a blanket....Madman, be nice.....open your Bible....GB, BE STILL!....and let's get started....come sit by me, Little Darlin (no "little suck-up" comments).  Let's get started......