Genesis 4

Genesis chapter 4 Bible Gateway link NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=4&version=31

 

Redemption comes at a very high price. Taking your life, or being killed is the easy way out, and of course God knows this. No……redemption does not come from death. Redemption comes from sacrifice. It comes form atonement, and the realization that you are not as important as you think you are.  Jesus himself told us in Mark 10:43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. It is by becoming selfless, and magnifying God that we start to redeem ourselves. The Lord is a forgiving God, he wants us to walk with him, however once we walk away from him, it is a long road back. We are all sinners, and we have all fallen short. That is why it is up to each of us to help our fellow brethren when they fall, not beat them. We are all searching for redemption on some level, let not one of us forget that and start to puff with pride! It is in the name of the Lord, and for the Lord that we toil away, there is no room for jealousy, there is no need; if you want to be first, you must be a slave to all. 

 

 

Peace,

Brian

 

 

Genesis 3

Genesis 3 Bible Gateway Genesis 3 NIV Bible link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=3&version=31

And the grand finale is they were thrown out of the garden of Eden!

I have to point out, I find it fascinating that here are the first Humans, they did not make it long with out making a mistake. God did not ask much, just do not eat from a couple of trees. They had a whole garden, and it was not good enough! Then to top it off when asked, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.

Fast forward to present day, and things really still look the same for some! Still making excuses, still looking for something when all they need is right in the palm of their hand! We still battle the serpent on a daily basis, and he is still peddling the same empty promises. The sad part is so many still fall victim to him daily, just as Eve, and Adam did. However, we have the upper hand, we have already defeated the devil, through the death of Christ, all we have to do is stay the course! Christ died for us, and took the weight of the world on his shoulders, through that sanctification we were given the promise of eternal life with the Lord. Yes, it is true this world is far removed form the garden of Eden, however each of us are given the same chance that Adam and Eve received. God has once again laid out the guidelines, and shown us the path, all we have to do is trust in the Lord, and rely on him, not the promises of the devil.

Peace,

Brian

Genesis 2

Bible Gateway Genesis 2 NIV link:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=31

 

No knowledge of good and evil so there is no need to be ashamed. However, here we see what happens when the forbidden fruit is eaten. Which always starts a good debate over who’s fault is it that they ate the apple!? That very answer can be found in this chapter, and it is one that is often overlooked today. “24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”  There is no He or She, there is only THEY. They did not become a couple, they did not become partners…..they became one flesh, each accountable for, and to the other. What one does, the other is liable, for they are two acting as one. Notice how it says Holds fast to his wife? We don’t do enough of that in this day and age. Today with all of the self-serving, and self-appreciation that is promoted by the media, and “friends” it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we are number one in our lives…….Of course the right answer is that first and foremost God is first, all honor and Glory is his, but second, has to be our spouse, for us to put ourselves over our spouses is like taking better care of your arms than your legs.  We are not two. We are one flesh, one unit. I know for me there are two people that I can stand naked before (spiritually, emotionally, and physically)  and not be ashamed, God and my spouse.  I do not think that is a small coincidence!

 

 

Peace,

Brian

Genesis 1

Bible Gateway Genesis one link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=1&version=31

 

WE are made in the likeness of God, but put a little thought in to that statement. We are like him……that does not necessarily mean that we look like him. Think of a child that you know, and the times you might think or say wow, they are just like so and so………or maybe when you meet someone new in your life they have many of the qualities or mannerisms of someone else you know.

 

Being made in his likeness only means that we have the potential to be identified with him. We really have no idea what the true image of God is. We cannot really even fathom what our lives will be like in the after life, much less what our creator will be as far as image is concerned. Just as Jesus told the Sadducees in Matthew 22: "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

 

The power of God is beyond our grasp. I believe that the best we can hope for as mere mortal humans is for other people to catch a glimpse of us every now and then and think, to themselves that must be a hint of what God is like!

 

 

Peace,

 

Brian