Tag: God

Daily Word

Genesis 15

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 15 – After these things… after saving Lot,  after meeting Melchizedek,  after turning down the spoils offered by the king of Sodom,  the Word of the LORD came to Abram.  Yes, Beloved, that is our God.   He knew Abrams heart needed encouragement, and He had beautiful, wonderful things to say.   So often, after great things happen, we humans let worries in. 

God assured Abram that He would be his shield.  He reminded Abram that he would have offspring as numerous as the stars. Abram and Sarai were already quite old, babies would be impossible, but not for God.

After verse :9. things get weird by our standards, but these acts seal God’s covenant with Abram.  The animals were split in two and both parties were to walk between them, restating the terms. Abram walked through, then God waited for evening, and passed through as a smoking oven and a burning torch…. This is brimming with so much symbolism; if you can,  peek a commentary on it. 

And for now,  Beloved,  KNOW that God’s promises are certain.  Jesus is our seal.  May your faith be resolute. ☁️🔥🔰👑🔰🔥☁️

Daily Word

Genesis 11

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 11 – We can be dangerous people when left to our own devices. 

Verse :1 sounds lovely, everyone understood each other with one language. But take a look at verse :4, THEN THEY SAID, “COME, LET’S BUILD OURSELVES A CITY WITH A TOWER THAT HAS ITS TOP REACHING UP INTO HEAVEN, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES AND NOT BE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE EARTH.”  What’s missing?  God is missing – any level of reverence for Him – obedience is missing – God said, “Be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth.”  These people wanted to challenge God.  They wanted to reach the heavens.  They wanted to gather together when God said to spread out over the earth. 

I had the privilege of having a well versed Jewish passenger yesterday who was happy to answer my inquiry about Nimrod during our 5 hour flight.  He said Nimrod was believed to be the architect behind the tower of Babel, and that he was a hunter before Adonai (that’s the Hebrew word for God… I love it, it feels rich and reverent when I speak it.  Try it on.  It’s beautiful.)  In other words, Nimrod hunted men.  He wanted to rule the world, and, same old story as in the garden, be god. 

This does not escape the LORD’s attention.  He responds by saying, “Come,  let’s go down and confuse their language,”:7.  Isn’t that radical?  First, we get another subtle reference to the trinity with “Let’s”.  Second, the LORD doesn’t destroy the tower; He confuses the language…. thereby, confusing the people and returning them to His commission to spread out over the earth without taking away their free-will. 

Chapter 11 then goes into the lineage from Noah’s son, Shem, to Abram, who will become Abraham, who will become the first Hebrew patriarch. 

Beloved, can you think of a time you were headed down a path of sin, and the LORD intervened to get you back on course?  It was probably something from left field.  There is no such thing as a coincidence.  🏗🏙💬📖☝🙌🌏

Daily Word

Genesis 9

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 9 – Noah, his family, and all of the creatures from the ark are again commissioned to be fruitful and multiply.

God put a natural fear of man into animals, :2.  This is for their protection because in verse :3 we are given God’s permission to eat them, with the admonishment to drain the blood.  

Blood is life, and God will require blood for blood should a human life be taken by another human or animal, :5-6.  God secured his promise to Noah with the rainbow, :15. (more on that in the bonus blog below)

In verse :20 we see that even Noah is prone to a fall. Beloved, that happens so often after a great spiritual victory.   His son, Ham, sees him and tells his brothers, as if his father is deserving of ridicule.   The brothers, Shem and Japheth, show such reverence as they walk in backwards, laying a robe over Noah without looking. When Noah learns what transpired, he curses Ham and his son Canaan, and we will see that play out throughout the bible, wherever the Canaanites are mentioned.

Noah dies at the age of 950, undoubtedly a great influence to all the generations through Terah (Abraham’s father). 

Beloved, who do you relate to the most in this chapter?   Are you the kind of person you want to be? May your walk with Jesus be one of increasing and vibrant integrity. 

Bonus blog – Behold the rainbow!  The LORD declared it a symbol of his everlasting covenant to Noah that He will never again cause the waters to destroy all life, :15.  I’m guessing this rainbow was the first rainbow EVER.  If you’re like me,  every rainbow sighting is amazing!  

The rainbow reminds God of his covenant, and it reminds me how much God loves me.   I am a sinner,  yet God loves me (and all people) so much He made a way,  through Jesus Christ, to redeem us – it’s simply too beautiful a gift, John 3:16, but God says all who call upon the Name of Jesus will be saved. 

Beloved,  let your heart resonate with these ancient people as one who is rescued by God in heaven who loves you!  And your assignment is to share this Good News.  (See Acts 1:8).

Daily Word

Genesis 7

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 7 – Noah, Noah, Noah.  My son is named Noah.  I didn’t know much about the bible back then, but I did know that Noah of the bible is known for doing what he was told. 

You may think you know Noah too, the ark, the flood, and the animals – two by two.  Read chapter 7 with fresh eyes for any details you may have missed in Sunday school. 

Verse :1, God tells Noah to get on the boat with his family, as the LORD knows that Noah is righteous.  The population had gotten so lost in their sin, and ONLY Noah was righteous. 

God says to take seven pairs, male and female, of animals He has approved for sacrifice, :2.  So, even though they were going on this extraordinary voyage, provisions were made to continue the sacrifice. 

In verse :4, God says the rain will start in 7 days, lasting 40 days and 40 nights.  As you continue, do the math on how long Noah and his family were on the Ark. 

Verse :11, tells us this flood was more than rain.  Remember, the earth was watered from the underground springs (Gen 2:5-6), well now those springs were erupting everywhere!  Rain from above, erupting springs from below, it was catastrophic. 

Verse :16 has a fascinating detail – it says:   THEN THE LORD CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND THEM.  That is how personal God is.  He closed the door, sealing them in the ark and everyone else out; Salvation for Noah and his family – condemnation for everyone else.  Beloved, Jesus offers Salvation.  Right now the door is open, but one day it will be closed.  Revelation 3:7b reminds us:  WHAT HE OPENS, NO ONE CAN CLOSE; AND WHAT HE CLOSES, NO ONE CAN OPEN. 

Chapter 7 closes with the fact that the flood waters covered the earth for 150 days… that’s a lot more than 40 days and 40 nights on the boat… and no one is off the boat yet, tune in tomorrow!  (or read ahead now – it’s fascinating, right???)🌧🌧🌧🙏🌧🌧🌧

Daily Word

Genesis 6

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 6 – We tend to mess things up. 

The population is building, and wickedness is thriving.  The population is not purely human either.  We are only told a little bit about these “sons of God”, these “Nephilites”.  Scholars suggest they are fallen angels, and that they were corrupting human DNA with these unnatural unions with the daughters of men (human women). 

The bible doesn’t say a whole lot about them, and I don’t see any walking around today, so I’ll just add it to my mysteries I get to learn about in heaven file.  Paul assures us that one day we will know in full, even as we are fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).  I rather like the idea of story time in heaven – when all the gaps and more are filled in. 

At any rate, times are bad on earth.  Verse 6 tells us, “So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth.  It broke his heart.”  Ouch – oh LORD have mercy, I am so sorry for the times I have broken your heart! 

Global changes are necessary.  First, God limits our lifespan to 120 years, :3.  Second, God calls for a “do-over”.  Noah is a righteous man who walked with the LORD, only he and his family, and pairs of every animal will be spared and called to repopulate earth, :18-19.  He instructs Noah to build a boat from cypress wood.  You have to understand how this must have looked to the neighbors, remember it had never rained before, and Noah is building this giant boat in the middle of dry land.  Noah trusted God, and did as he instructed. 

Beloved, stay the course no matter what it looks like to the neighbors.  Stay faithful to God and build your life on His Word.  Storms will come, as will His rescue.🛳⚓💖🙌💖⚓🛶

Daily Word

Genesis 4

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 4 – Human nature is a messy thing. 

Meet Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve.  Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd, :2.  Both honor God with offerings, but Cain did so casually, offering some fruit, while Abel offered the best portions of the firstborn lambs, :3-4. 

The Lord knows the difference between someone who throws $5 in the basket at Christmas, and one who is delighted to send what the Lord puts on their heart (generally thought to be 10%) with joy and gratitude as soon as it hits their account.  The Lord did not accept Cain’s gift, and he reacted with pride and bitterness.  The Lord is aware and discusses the matter with Cain, :7.  But Cain does not heed God’s warning, instead he takes his bitterness out on his brother, Abel, and murders him, :8!  The Lord approaches Cain after, giving him the opportunity to confess.  Cain responds with arrogance, and the Lord issues punishment.  Notice it is punishment with protection.  The Lord puts a seal on Cain and anyone who kills him will be punished sevenfold. 

Beloved, take a good look at Cain’s reaction to his sentence.  He still does not repent!  He only complains.  Cain goes on to lead a life, marries, has children, and generations to follow. 

Meanwhile, Adam and Eve are blessed with another son, and name him Seth.  Seth grew up and had a son named Enosh.  AT THAT TIME PEOPLE FIRST BEGAN TO WORSHIP THE LORD BY NAME, :26b.  Hallelujah!  Cain’s offspring was selfish and boastful, but Seth’s legacy is one of worshipping God by name. 

Beloved, who are you?  As God looks at the truth of who you are, what does he see?  If it’s time to confess, then do it NOW!  Repent and become a legacy maker!

Daily Word

Genesis 2

judyinthesky91

Read Genesis 2 – on the seventh day,  God rested.  God rested, even though he doesn’t need rest.   Do you think he rested to teach us to work hard, rest and restore ourselves to himself?

Next we get more details on creation.  The order is important. The fact that rain didn’t exist is noteworthy, :5.  Also, consider that Adam was created from dust and God’s own breath, :7.  And then, the Garden of Eden, including the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with the warning not to eat from the latter.  And finally, God causes Adam to sleep, takes a rib from him, creates a woman and gives her to Adam. This was done in the garden, amongst beauty and order.

Remember, Adam was created from dust and God’s own breath… Beloved, notice how the essence of men and women were a part of our very origin – men in the raw wilderness – women in the garden amongst beauty and order. Both are made in God’s image, yet reflect Him uniquely. And when the two join together they are united into one, :24. This is God’s incredible design of us.   It overrides genetics and makes two become one in marriage… we leave our parents and join together,  :24. 

Beloved, take some time to reflect and thank God for his unique and wonderful design of you, and your spouse if you have one,  with such care and intricacies, and desire for relationship with Him. You are His precious creation. 💕💝💖☝💖💝💕