God’s Story… For My Life

Genesis 8:1-22

Five months after the flood began, the waters recede.

Powerful Patience

Read

Then God said to Noah, “Leave the boat, all of you—you and your wife, and your sons and their wives. Release all the animals—the birds, the livestock, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth.”

So Noah, his wife, and his sons and their wives left the boat. And all of the large and small animals and birds came out of the boat, pair by pair.

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.”
(Genesis 8:15-21)
Reflect

The story of the Flood is an example of great patience—both God’s patience with us and Noah’s patience with God.

Throughout the Bible, God showing his love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although he knows that their hearts are evil, he continues to try to reach them. When we sin or reject God, we deserve to be destroyed by his judgment. But God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the Day of Judgment, when Christ will return to destroy evil. Now every change of season reminds us of his patience.

Noah also exhibited great patience. While on the ark, occasionally Noah would send a bird out to test the earth and see if it was dry. But Noah didn’t get out of the boat until God told him to. He was waiting for God’s timing. God knew that even though the water was gone, the earth was not dry enough for Noah and his family to venture out. What patience Noah showed, especially after spending an entire year inside his boat! We, like Noah, must patiently trust God during those difficult times when we must wait.

Respond

Waiting for God’s timing can be difficult. Things look good from our view, so we want to rush ahead of God’s timing for us. God knows what’s best and his timing is always perfect. Where do you need to take a step back and wait for God to lead you? Ask God for patience.

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God’s Story… For My Life – Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Genesis 7:1-24

The flood covers the earth.

Flooded and Floated!

Read
For forty days the floodwaters grew deeper, covering the ground and lifting the boat high above the earth. As the waters rose higher and higher above the ground, the boat floated safely on the surface. Finally, the water covered even the highest mountains on the earth, rising more than twenty-two feet above the highest peaks. All the living things on earth died—birds, domestic animals, wild animals, small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people. . . . The only people who survived were Noah and those with him in the boat.
(Genesis 7:17-21, 23)

Reflect
Was the Flood a local event, or did it cover the entire earth? A universal flood was certainly possible. Enough water exists in the oceans to cover all dry land. And since God promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood, this flood must have either covered the entire earth or destroyed all the inhabitants of the earth. Remember, God’s reason for sending the Flood was to destroy all the earth’s wickedness. It would take a major flood to accomplish this.

And how did this animal kingdom roundup happen? Scholars estimate that almost 45,000 animals could have fit into the boat. Pairs of every animal joined Noah in the boat; seven pairs were taken of those animals used for sacrifice. Did Noah and his sons spend years collecting all the animals?

In reality, the creation, along with Noah, did just as God commanded. Gathering the animals seemed to be no problem—God took care of those details while Noah did his part by building the boat. Noah didn’t need to worry about how the animals would get there; he just trusted God.

Respond
Often we do just the opposite of Noah. We worry about the details over which we have no control, while neglecting specific areas that are under our control such as attitudes, relationships, or responsibilities. Like Noah, concentrate on what God gives you to do, and leave the rest to him. What details do you need to entrust to God?

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God’s Story… For My Life

Genesis 6:1-22

Several hundred years after Adam and Eve, God speaks to Noah.

Obedient Preparations

Read
“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. . . .”

“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.
(Genesis 6:14, 17-22)

Reflect
Noah got right to work when God told him to build the huge boat. Other people must have been warned about the coming disaster (1 Peter 3:20), but apparently they did not expect it to happen. Today things haven’t changed much. Each day thousands of people are warned of God’s inevitable judgment, yet most of them don’t really believe it will happen.

Does the flood mean that God regretted creating humanity? Was he admitting he made a mistake? No, God does not change his mind (1 Samuel 15:29). Instead, he was expressing sorrow for what the people had done to themselves, as a parent might express sorrow over a rebellious child. God was sorry that the people he created had chosen sin and death instead of a relationship with him. Still, God did not abandon them. He chose to preserve humanity through Noah.

The boat Noah built was no canoe! Picture yourself building a boat as long as one and a half football fields and as high as a four-story building. The boat was exactly six times longer than it was wide—the same ratio used by modern shipbuilders. This huge boat was probably built miles from any significant body of water by the few faithful men who believed God’s promises and obeyed his commands.

Respond
Don’t expect people to welcome or accept your message of God’s judgment against sin. Those who don’t believe in God will deny his judgment. But remember God’s promise to Noah to keep him safe. This can inspire you to trust God for deliverance in the judgment that we will all face.

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God’s Story… For My Life – Monday, November 5, 2012

Genesis 4:1-16

Adam and Eve were banished from Eden after disobeying God. Later they have two sons: Cain and Abel.

Sibling Rivalry

Read
When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
(Genesis 4:3-7)

Reflect
The Bible does not say why God did not accept Cain’s gift. Perhaps Cain’s attitude was improper, or perhaps his gift was not up to God’s standards. Proverbs 21:27 says, “The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives.” God evaluates both our motives and the quality of what we offer him.

After Cain’s gift was rejected, God gave him the chance to right his wrong and try again. But Cain refused. Sin was “crouching at the door,” waiting to control him. Cain would have to give up his jealous anger in order to subdue the sin that was waiting to attack and destroy him.

Sin is still waiting to attack and destroy us. Like Cain, we will be victims of sin if we do not subdue it. But we cannot subdue sin on our own. Instead, we must turn to God to receive faith and turn to other believers to receive encouragement and strength. The Holy Spirit will help us overcome sin. This will be a lifelong battle that will not be over until we are face-to-face with Christ.

Respond
Cain refused God’s second chance, and the rest of his life shows what can happen to those who refuse to admit their mistakes. The next time someone suggests you are wrong, take an honest look at yourself and choose God’s way instead of Cain’s.

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God’s Story… For My Life

Genesis 3:1-19

Adam and Eve face temptation to disobey God.

The Shrewd Tempter

Read
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. The she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
(Genesis 3:1-6)

Reflect
Disguised as a shrewd serpent, Satan came to tempt Eve. Satan had once been a glorious angel, but he rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. Satan tempted Eve by getting her to doubt God’s goodness. He implied that God was strict, stingy, and selfish for not wanting Eve to share his knowledge of good and evil. Satan made Eve forget all that God had given her and, instead, focus on what God had forbidden.

Satan succeeded in getting Eve to sin. Ever since then, he’s been busy getting people to sin. He even tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). But Jesus did not sin! Why does Satan tempt humanity? Temptation is Satan’s invitation to adopt his kind of life and give up on God’s kind of life. But Satan is a created being and has definite limitations; he will not be the final victor. God will.

How could Eve have resisted temptation? By following the same guidelines we can follow. First, we must realize that being tempted is not a sin. We have not sinned until we give in to the temptation. Then, to resist temptation, we must (1) pray for strength to resist, (2) run, sometimes literally, and (3) say no when confronted with what we know is wrong.

Respond
Like Eve, we fall into trouble when we dwell on what God forbids rather than on the blessings and promises God gives us. Take time to consider all you do have and thank God for it. Then your doubts won’t lead you into sin.

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God’s Story… For My Life

Genesis 2:4-17

On the sixth day of Creation, the Lord gives instructions to Adam.

Choices

The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
(Genesis 2:15-17)

Reflect
God placed Adam in a perfect environment, the Garden of Eden, and he gave Adam the responsibility to work the garden and to take care of it. His only rule: Adam could eat from any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Rather than physically preventing him from eating, God gave Adam a choice and thus the possibility of choosing to disobey.

Why would God place a tree in the garden and then forbid Adam to eat from it? God wanted Adam to obey, but he also gave Adam the freedom to choose. Without choice, Adam would have been like a prisoner, and his obedience would have been hollow. The two trees provided an exercise in choice, with rewards for choosing to obey and sad consequences for choosing to disobey.

God still gives us choices, and we, too, often make the wrong choice. These choices may cause us pain, but they can help us learn and grow and make better choices in the future. Living with the consequences of our choices teaches us to think and choose more carefully.

Every day we face numerous choices, many with moral and ethical considerations: what to do with gossip we’ve heard; how to respond to an irritating customer or coworker; whether or not to face the facts and tell the truth; financial pressures; sexual temptation . . . Often we know that God wants us to go one way, but we desire to go another. When you are faced with a choice, place your desire before God, and ask him to help you choose well.

Respond
In each choice today, ask, “What does God want me to do?” If you know the answer, do it. If you don’t know the answer, ask him to show you . . . then do it.

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Genesis 1:1-2:3

In the very beginning, God creates all things.

In His Image

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like ourselves. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
(Genesis 1:26-27)

Reflect
God chose to create human beings different from the other animals, in his image—both male and female—and he gave them authority over all other living creatures. This gives us great value and raises an important question: In what ways are we made in God’s image?

God obviously did not create us exactly like himself, because God has no physical body. Instead, we reflect God’s glory. Some believe that our reason, creativity, speech, or self-determination is the image of God. More likely, our entire self is what reflects the image of God. We will never be totally like God because he is our supreme creator. But we do have the ability to reflect his character in our love, patience, forgiveness, kindness, and faithfulness.

Knowing that we are made in God’s image and that we share many of his characteristics provides a solid basis for self-worth. Human worth is not based on possessions, achievements, physical attractiveness, or public acclaim; instead, it is based on being made in God’s image. Because we bear God’s image, we can feel confident in who we are. Criticizing ourselves is discounting what God has made and the abilities he has given us.

Knowing that you are a person of worth helps you love God, know him personally, and contribute meaningfully to the lives of those around you.

Respond
Stop and thank God for creating you in his image. You are his unique creation and he loves you. Thank him for your special gifts, talents, abilities, physical characteristics, emotional makeup, and personality. And ask him to help you respect others, even those you don’t get along with, because they are his image-bearers as well.

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He’s on His Way

Read Revelation 22:7-21
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.
(Revelation 22:17-21)

Reflect
Revelation closes human history as Genesis opened it—in paradise. But there is one distinct difference in Revelation—evil is gone forever. Genesis describes Adam and Eve walking and talking with God; Revelation describes people worshiping God face-to-face. Genesis describes a garden with an evil serpent; Revelation describes a perfect city with no evil. The Garden of Eden was destroyed by sin, but paradise is re-created in the new Jerusalem.

The Holy Spirit and the bride, the church, extend the invitation to the entire world to come to Jesus and experience the joys of salvation in Christ. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her of the living water that he could supply (John 4:10-15). This image is used again as Christ invites anyone to come and drink of the water of life. The gospel is unlimited in scope—all people everywhere may come. Salvation cannot be earned, but God gives it freely. We live in a world desperately thirsty for living water, and many are dying of thirst. But it’s still not too late. Let us invite everyone to come and drink.

Respond
We don’t know the day or the hour, but Jesus is coming soon and unexpectedly. This is good news to those who trust him, but a terrible message for those who have rejected him and stand under judgment. Soon means at any moment, and we must be ready for him, always prepared for his return. Would Jesus’ sudden appearance catch you off guard? Why or why not? What are you doing to prepare for his coming?

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He’s Worthy

Read Revelation 5:1-14

No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth.
(Revelation 5:3-6)

Reflect
In John’s day, books were written on scrolls—pieces of papyrus or vellum up to 30 feet long, rolled up and sealed with clay or wax. The scroll that John sees contains the full account of what God has in store for the world. The seven seals indicate the importance of its contents.

Jesus is pictured as a Lion (symbolizing his authority and power) and a Lamb (symbolizing his submission to God’s will). One of the elders calls John to look at the Lion, but when John looks he sees a Lamb. Christ the Lamb was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. He was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll by living a perfect life of obedience to God, dying on the cross for the sins of the world, and being raised from the dead to show his power and authority over evil and death. He conquered sin, death, hell, and Satan himself. Therefore, he can be trusted with the world’s future. Christ the Lamb won the greatest battle of all. But as the Lion, he’ll return in victory to lead the battle where Satan is finally defeated (Revelation 19:19-21).

Respond
Which of Jesus’ roles—Lion or Lamb—brings you the most comfort? How has Jesus been victorious in your life or especially comforting to you recently?

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