Genesis 8-9:17

Warming Up to God

As you come to Jesus today, let the truth of his love that was poured out for you sink into your soul. Reflect quietly for a few moments on the beauty of his love.

Beauty. Love. Patient, kind, selfless. So much more love than I display for my boys. God is continuously looking down on us and willing us to follow him and obey him; not as an angry dictator, but as a father who knows best for his children. He knows every intricate detail of our lives.

Discovering the Word

What do we learn about God's concern for the passengers of the ark and his activity to end the flood (8:1-5)?

• He remembered them.
• He made the waters subside.
• The rain stopped and fountains of the deep were closed, whatever that is. I'm imagining great sprays of water like a continual Old Faithful (Utah).

 

What initiative does Noah take during this period (8:6-12)?

• First he sent a raven, then a dove to roam over the waters and look for land. 
• Why did he not send the raven the second time too? - the raven apparently never returned.
• He sent the dove several times until one time it did not return to him. Then he knew that it had found land and it was safe to exit the ark.

 

Noah's first action after emptying the ark is to offer a sacrifice to God (8:20). What does this reveal about his priorities amid the pressure of urgent tasks calling for immediate attention?

• God came first. Kind of like me, right now I sit in the office at 5:51 going through this study when I could be sleeping. But I don't always live it out so well during the day. I get frustrated too easily and pray so very little. Lord, give me the desire to do better, Help me see the joy before me.

What commission does God now give Noah and his family (9:1-7)?

• Have babies! Lots of them.
• Eat anything that you want, but do not drink its blood, do not eat it alive.
• If anyone kills another, God will require their death (man or animal). This is to ward off the "you killed my friend, so I will kill you and all your family and friends" attitude. (an eye for an eye...)

In 9:17 God makes a covenant as unconditional as it is undeserved. What do we learn about the extent and purpose of this first covenant?

•  For all time, God will never flood the whole earth. He will never give up on us.

Applying the Word

How has God's grace been evident throughout this passage?

• God could have scrapped the whole thing as a bad job (I probably would have...after all, there was only one good man out of the whole bunch!), but he chose a different path. He chose to save the one faithful man and rebuild with him.

How has his grace been evident in your life lately?

• I guess God shows his grace in many ways. He sustains our lives, he gave us saving grace through his sun, he still loves me even when I am not the mom of the year.

 What aspect of Noah's example—his obedience, faith, courage, endurance—is most meaningful to you in a situation you are facing?

• Endurance. Just in the daily life of a mom of young children. sometimes I really feel the love that I have for my children. Other times, it is not so easy. When they are acting out, or they are just generally fussy, or I didn't get enough sleep, I struggle. Not only that, but sometimes (though I would never say it out loud) a envy my life as it was before children. I love my children, and I would never wish them away, but I remember what it was like to actually have time, and I feel a little bitter.
• So endurance! Motherhood is a long road. Oh God, help me to seek you and have peace in you in the stressful moments and in my moments of bitterness.

Responding in Prayer

Spend time in prayer thanking God for his grace to you, who deserves his judgment.

• I do so many things wrong. I don't pray enough (nor do I have the desire to, praying is so...boring/sleep inducing/empty...sorry! just being honest!), I have many, many selfish thoughts, I am not a "good Christian". I have been listening to a podcast about famous/notable Christians in the past 2,000 years, and I really don't come up to scratch!
• Oh God, help me with my unbelief! Thank you for your amazing grace! please help me to seek you with my life. Give me the desire. Help me see things the way you see them, so that I can prioritize a bit better. Give me the desire.

Genesis 6-7

Warming Up

Today is a day full of sin and struggle—and it is a day made and consecrated by the Lord. Tell him about the events of your day and let anxiety slip away.

School started yesterday. It is an interesting thing, This gives me no anxiety or fear. Teaching does not overwhelm me anymore. I guess that is what 5 years experience under my belt will do for me. :) However, at the end of the day, I do not feel like I have anything to give to my family, especially my kids. For the past week I have been almost completely drained when I get done at work, so when I go pick up my kids I am tired and out of sorts. I don't have the energy to give them 100% of myself.

I got more sleep yesterday and I woke up for a QT (at 5:30...who knew I would ever voluntarily do that...) but I still felt drained.

I am also trying to get my website up and running for Graphic Design teachers...but there is nothing else that I can really do. I am waiting on Brian to finish up a few things to help it function better. So, until that happens, I'm a little stuck. I don't spend much time on the website anymore, and I am ok with that. I am not trying to replace my work income...I like my job. The goal of the site has kind of changed. I am offering a lot of free stuff at the moment. I work on it when I can. I imagine that since school has started, I will have more time to put into it.

Time. That four letter word. Why does there never seem to be enough time? I am so jealous of when I had more of it. But that was then. Now is a new and different adventure, and if I am not careful, I will miss it.

Discovering

When the Lord looks at the human condition in the time of Noah, what does he see (6:5-13)?

• The wickedness of man was great.
• EVERY thought and plan of his heart was COMPLETELY evil.
• BUT Noah was not one of those men.
• God saw Noah as a righteous man, blameless among all the people.
• The world was corrupt and filled with violence.

How has God's attitude toward creation changed since the beginning (1:31; 6:6-7, 11-13, 17)?

1. First it was very good.
2. Then he regretted and was grieved that he had ever made man. God would destroy man, and as an extra precaution, all the plants and animals would have to go too. 
3. Then he saw it as corrupt and filled with violence. He was still ready to destroy the earth.
4. And the way that he will destroy the earth, would be with water.

How is Noah different from his contemporaries (6:9; 7:1)?

Noah was different from his fellow man. He was called righteous. He walked with God.  I do not feel like I truly walk with God. I do the right things and I am a "good girl", but I don't feel truly connected with God. And to tell you the truth. The idea scares me. What if God calls me to do something unbearably difficult...suffering...the Christian life is flooded with it. Oh, God. Help me look past my fears and find peace in your promises and joy in the knowledge of your grace.

What provisions does God make for Noah and for the various living creatures to preserve life after the flood (7:14-22)?

• God took two of every creature on earth and had them go with Noah on the ark.
• God sealed the door for their protection from the waters of the flood.
• Everything else...died.

 What details are given about the flood and its results (7:17-24)?

• The waters fell for 40 days.
• The ark rose high above the destruction.
• The water rose so high that even the tallest mountains were covered by more than 22 feet.
• Every land creature on the earth died.
• The waters prevailed for 150 days.
• That is more than 6 months, in case you're wondering.

Apply

In what situations have you felt embarrassed because of your obedience to God?

Sometimes it is in things as simple as prayer before a meal. I can feel the eyes on me and my prayer is...well less than spiritual because I am rather distracted.

Other times, I'm embarrassed in my daily life around the people I meet. I don't want to share my faith in the way I probably should because I worry about what people will think of me. Or worse, I don't feel confident enough in my faith to reach out to someone who needs to hear truth.

Other time still, I am embarrassed to represent such an unpopular subject. Jesus has been so watered down in our culture that the truth seems to be more of a children's story than saving truth. But this truth is the only truth that matters. I don't completely understand why Jesus had to die...but he did die and that somehow saved us all from eternal damnation, an eternity without God. This is the truth that everyone needs so desperately to hear, and I struggle to give this truth to those who need it because the topic has almost become taboo in our culture. People who speak this truth are sometimes construed as "Bible thumpers" and that his not how I want to come across.

God, help me get past these things and be obedient to the things that you have asked of me.

What do chapters 6 and 7 reveal about the severity and grace of God?

Severity of grace? I am not sure that I agree with the wording here...Severity is usually thought of in a negative way. But I suppose the definition is technically: very great, or intense.

So, he had to destroy man because he is a just God. I don't know why he chose to do it this way instead of simply striking every man dead on the spot and being done with it...But anyway, he saved Noah and his family. Noah was called righteous even though he still sinned. He made mistakes (which we read about later).

God saves righteous sinners. That sounds like an oxymoron, but it's true.

The New Testament compares the severe judgment in the days of Noah with the judgment that will be poured out at the return of Christ. How can you urge those around you to seek refuge in Christ?

Shall I stand in the street and shout their damnation? Not only do I not want to put in the energy for that, but I do not feel like that is effective. At least not in our time and culture.

My method is slow. Cultivate a relationship. Slowly ask leading questions and encourage them to seek you. To be completely honest, it's not a great method. I confess that I have zero success. I have lead one person to Christ and to be completely honest, I don't know that that person is really saved. My old college roommate.

A better method would be to pray...a lot more than I do. Time to make some changes there.

Responding in Prayer

Think of someone you want to come to salvation. Pray to God and ask him to "flood" that person with love and forgiveness.

 Leah. Thank you so much for her life and her love for her family. I pray that you would bring her to your grace. Help her to seek you. Bring someone into her life that would lead her to you.

Genesis 4-5

Warming Up

Jesus your Savior wants to care for you today. Hide under his shadow and tell him your concerns. He is listening and offers you peace.

I am not enough. I don't do enough. I am not good enough. There is so much that I want to do and don't have the time for and so much that I should do that I don't make the time for. I have very little self discipline and I struggle so much with indecision.
Lately I have had bad anger and frustration issues. Especially with my children. My head snaps up and my voice strikes like a whip these days. I want to be calm and collected when I discipline...but this is hardly ever the case.
Peace you say? My mind is 90 miles a minute, as expected by the culture that I live in. Peace. How? Extra sleep is a start...prayer can be a second. Actually, those probably ought to be reversed!

Discovering

Why do you think the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering but not on Cain and his offering (vv. 3-7)?

This is a hard question to ask. I've listened to multiple opinions and had a few discussions about it and I believe that it probably has to do with Cain's heart. The heart is what God always looks at, no matter what the situation. It could have been that Cain did not give God the first fruits, or that he really ought to have offered an animal, but either way, I don't think Cain's heart was in the right place when offering his gift.

How does 4:7 illustrate the nature of sin and our response to it?

The nature of sin is that it is patient and when I put down my defenses, it will rush in and take me over. We must continually be on our guard; asking for help in prayer and doing what we can to ward off sinful behavior and situations.

The Lord confronts Adam, Eve and Cain with their sin by using a question (3:11, 13; 4:9-10). What might be some of the reasons for this approach?

He wanted them to fess up. If they fess up, it gives them the opportunity to ask for forgiveness.

In what way is Cain's punishment (4:10-16) a logical consequence of his sin?

It was into the ground that he struck his brother, so that ground will not yield fruit for him any longer.
It was the ground that he worked and brought a sub-par offering, so now, he will not work the ground ever again.

How do Lamech's attitude and action expressed in his taunting song go beyond that of Cain's (4:23-24)?  

He speaks lightly of death. He would do much worse to so many more people for a less offensive act committed against him.

Apply

The lifestyle of Cain's family is a picture of humanity—technical progress matched by moral decline. How do you see this trend reflected in our own civilization?

It is getting easier and easier to commit crimes these days. A touch of a button can plant viruses, scam honest working people out of their money, or seduce unsuspecting teens in a chat room. Also, the  ease in which our technology lets us breeze through our days with very little toil produces laziness.

How has this chapter helped you to understand the nature and consequences of sin?

There are always consequences for sin. But, we can either ask for forgiveness and learn from it, or we can live in it and become calloused to it's effects. Sin is everywhere, all the time, and we ought to be on our guard. We ought to continuously got to God for help and guidance. 

Prayer

Ask God to heal relationships in your life damaged by the effects of the Fall.

Relationships. Oh, God there are so many neglected relationships in my life. I feel so busy all the time that I do not make time for these. I'm so tired that I do not even want to make time to pray and read the bible. Please give me wisdom in which relationships to pursue more aggressively. Help me to be open to mistakes that I may have made and to forgive where needed.

Genesis 3

Warming up

No sin is any worse or better than the first sin. Tell Jesus about your sin- and let him forgive you.

• Sin. There are so many small things that never really get realized. A small lie here, a completely impatient frustrated yell directed toward my children, a covetous glance toward other women (either at church or elsewhere...) I think the biggest one is my impatience toward my children. They are only 1 1/2 and 3 1/2. They require ALL my patience and then some.
• It is too easy to respond in anger, spank and send the 3 year-old off to his room. I really need to respond with love even when he throws something across the room or smears poop across the wall. Again! I hardly ever pray in the moment. Jesus, forgive me for my anger and help me pray in the moment.

Discovering

How does Eve's answer misrepresent God's command? (2-3)

God never said anything about not being able to touch the tree. Only that they should not eat of it. She also did not name the tree: the knowledge of good and evil.

What statements does the serpents make about the purpose of God's command? (4-5)

• He says that she will not die. 
• That she will be smarter, wiser. 
• She will be like God.
• She will know good and evil. 

How have the serpent's words distorted Eve's thinking? (6)

She now thought that it was good to eat and that it would make her wise. We are ever trying to seek wisdom in our own ways.

How did Adam and Eve's sin affect their attitude toward themselves and God? (7-13)

• They realized their nakedness.
• They were afraid of God.
• They are also passing the blame for the sin.

Describe the judgements of the man, woman, and serpent. (14-19)

• The serpent is cursed. It is the lowest of all livestock. He will always be fighting with man, and ultimately, he will lose.
• The woman will have pain in childbirth. She will always answer to her husband.
• The man will have to work the ground hard in order to get food. Then when he is old, he will die.

What action does God take to end the era in Eden? (21-24)

He clothed his children. Then he sent them out of the garden so that they would not eat of the tree of life, lest they live forever in this state of sin and judgement.

Applying

Adam and Eve made several mistakes: they listened to a creature instead of the Creator, followed their own impressions against God's instructions, doubted his concern for their best interests and made self-fulfillment their goal. In what situations have any of these led you to disobey a command of God?

• Listening to a creation: All too often I go to friends or family with problems before discussing it with God.
• Following their own impressions: Oh, all the time! Listening to my emotions instead of listening to truth. I feel too tired to do a quiet time. I think I know enough to do "life" on my own. I'm too angry at my children to pray in the moment for peace.
• Doubted his concern for my best interest and made self interest my goal: Not sure about this one. I don't think I so much doubt his concern for me...I just forget to remember him in my selfishness.

What lesson have I learned that can help me resist temptation.

Let's see...don't talk to snakes, don't do what God tells you not to do, don't try to hide from God. I think I can do 2 out of 3 pretty well. But you know the verse about doing the thing that you hate, not being able to stop yourself? I get stuck there a lot I feel like. Anger with my children for instance, It is so much easier to give into frustration and yell, than it is to calmly state the problem and deal with it. I guess the lesson is to ask for forgiveness and move on, remembering that God always has his best for us.

Genesis 2

Genesis 1

Back to blogging...maybe, at least. I can't decide if I like doing quiet times this way or with paper and pencil. When I am writing, I feel like maybe I ought to be typing. When I am typing, I feel like I ought to be writing...Well, we'll see.

My plan is to do the whole bible with Inter Varsity Press's comprehensive questions. There are 6-10 questions per chapter. I figure it may take a few years, but I could do this in between other studies that I do a church and/or with small group.

So here it goes!