Tag Archives: life

Genesis 7:1-5 — Go into the ark, you and your whole family. Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

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Madeline

The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”

And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

Genesis 7:1-5

The King James Version of verse one says that …the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Indeed the Hebrew word for “come” is used here in the original text. What does this mean? If God is directing Noah to “come” into the ark, it can only mean that God is in the ark already! He’s beckoning Noah and his family to come. This is how it always is with God. His heart is for you and for me to come unto Him. Jesus beckons you and I to come unto Him for He said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) This is the answer because Jesus Christ is the ark of our salvation! Coming unto Jesus is the solution to the problem of separation from God. If you haven’t already, listen to God’s heart, come unto Him. (see Join Christ’s Family)

Here’s more good news from verse one of our text. We know the Lord loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) We know that He loves the world and we know He loves individuals. But pause for a moment and think with me about this first verse in Genesis chapter 7. In verse one we see that God has obviously taken notice of Noah’s righteousness, yet He tells Noah to Come thou and all thy house into the ark… (v.1) God could have started over with just two. He’d already done it once with Adam and Eve. But He chose to save Noah’s whole family instead.

Isn’t it terrific that God desires to save not only you, but your whole family as well!

Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal… (v.2) Seven pairs of clean animals would have been necessary to account for the animals sacrificed to the Lord. Only one pair would be required for the unclean.

And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (v.5)

A few days ago my wife Kathy asked me to install a new thermostat.

“I did some research on the internet and it should only take about an hour,” she said.

So I dove in, removed the old thermostat from the wall, pulled out seven wires, and found that only four were used by the old model. As I read the instructions I learned that the new model used five wires.

“No big deal,” I thought. “How hard can this fifth wire thing be?”

After some research online I had the panel off of our heating unit and I was looking for a place to hook up the fifth wire – no good, can’t find the “C terminal” inside my heating unit.

“C terminal?! What the heck is that anyway?”

After a few phone conversations with Al, our local heating guy, I learn that I need to go under the house to check a junction box.

“I hate crawling under the house! A raccoon used to reside there, what if he’s back? My back always hurts when I crawl under the house.” I said to my wife with enthusiasm.

Under the house I go, belly crawling my way around in the dirt I find the junction box. It turns out that the blue wire is connected to a gray wire at the junction box.

“Dirty trick!” I said out loud.

So I figure out I need some extra wire and it’s off to Home Depot. At the checkout counter I see one of those large flat carts next to my wife, it has a large box on it.

“What’s that?” I ask, trepidation in my voice.

“It’s a grill,” Kathy answers.

“A grill?” I ask increduously.

“We need a new grill,” she says flatly.

I look at the box and read the words out loud, “some assembly required.” Great, just what I needed.

“Why me,” I say. “It’s Christmas time, New Years time. It’s the holidays. I’m supposed to be watching football! For goodness sake the Chick-fil-a Bowl is on!”

When we return it’s back on the internet again, back to the heating unit again, under the house again…

“This was supposed to take only one hour! What about me time? For cryin’ out loud the Meineke Car Care Bowl is on!”

Are you getting the picture?

Nearly two days and one hundred or so complaints later the thermostat is still not installed. So I call a friend of mine who is an electrician, Rick Chown, to seek some advice. While we’re on the phone Rick and his wife Linda begin to share about their granddaughter Madeline. (just a few minutes ago I also spoke with Madeline’s mother, Rachel)

How she had her first surgery when she was one day old.

How she’s had over fifty surgeries during her nine years on earth.

How she’s had pieces of metal implanted in her back to support her spine.

How these had to be removed recently.

How she continues to suffer from infections.

And how she lights up a room with her smile and great attitude, in spite of her many painful challenges.

Rick shared this video of Madeline with me. She was recently fitted with a halo device which is attached to a rack designed to take pressure off her spine. She wheels around the Dallas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in this thing, encouraging the other patients with her good cheer. (see Rogers Family Blog)

Wow! You can imagine how I feel.

…Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (v.5) Noah knew what the Lord wanted him to do. Like you I often wonder what God’s will is for me. Sometimes I say to myself, “If only I knew what God wanted me to do, I’d do it.” I have good news. God tells me and God tells you what His will is for us.

…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“What does God’s will, giving thanks in all circumstances, look like?” you might ask.

Sometimes it looks like a little girl with a halo,

spinning and smiling,

spinning and smiling.


References:

Bible Gateway

Jon Courson

Rogers Family Blog

Genesis 6:16 — A window shalt thou make to the ark… (KJV)

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A window shalt thou make to the ark…

Genesis 6:16

God directed Noah to build a window near the top of the ark. He provided light for Noah and his family, if…

If Noah chose to open the window.

God provides light for you and for me, as long as we choose to open up the window of His word.

It’s up to you and it’s up to me how much of God’s light we enjoy. His word is there, waiting for us. It might feel easier to watch Sports Center or that cooking show. You might feel like gravitating toward Facebook or Call of Duty: Black Ops.

But the degree to which we choose to spend time in God’s word is the degree to which our lives will be changed for His kindgom.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5

Let God’s light in.

Read His word.


References:

Bible Gateway

Jon Courson

Churches unite to help thousands of stranded passengers in Moscow’s airports

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Stranded at Moscow airport

Apparently the U.S. isn’t the only country dealing with flight delays. Due to a recent ice storm that hit a large area of Central Russia hundreds of flights have been delayed. The airport in Moscow is designed to hold around 3,000 people but the crowds have swollen to 10,000 due to the flight delays. Interestingly, in this nation that not so long ago claimed atheism as their national religion, Churches and Synagogues have stepped up to assist with food, bottles of water, and perhaps most appreciated of all, bunches of those moist towlette thingies. If you’re interested you can read more at Churches unite to help thousands of stranded passengers in Moscow’s airports | Russia | RIA Novosti.

How great is it to see God’s people in action.

This is how it should be because the Bible tells us that…

…the fruit of the Spirit is love…

Galatians 5:22

1 Corinthians 6:9–12, 19-20 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial

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Submission to Christ (Courtesy of Revelife.com)

The following is a guest post from my friend and brother in Christ, David Smith.

In Chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians, Paul is dealing with a church where some very poor choices are being made. There are people in the church that are living like the world. They claim a faith in Jesus Christ, yet they still openly walk in the sin of the world. Paul then gives a very stern warning that speaks to eternity. I don’t know about you, but when inheriting the Kingdom of God is mentioned, I really pay close attention.

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

As a side note, look at the part where he says “do not be deceived.” This implies that there are people in the world that will try and deceive you concerning these things. Do not be fooled. The lists of sins in these verses are non-negotiable. We know the world will try and deceive us into thinking they are ok, but we must head his warning and not play the fool.

In reading this list, we all find conviction. Although as Christians we do not walk in these sins, to say that since I have been saved I have never had a sexually immoral thought or made a decision that greed played a factor or spoke a slander about someone out of anger or frustration would be a lie. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, right? Is Paul sentencing all who have committed these sins to hell?

No, what Paul is saying is that salvation in Christ is submission to Christ. That is, are you submitted to what Christ deems is right or wrong, or are you simply claiming Christ as your Lord, but not submitted to Him? Look at the next verse.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

So they are coming to the table saying “Hey, you said that in Christ, I am free from sin. Sin has no hold over me anymore and because sin has no hold, I can do whatever I want.” And in one sense they are right. In Christ you are free from sin. It no longer needs to reign over your life and eternally you are saved from the ultimate consequence, eternal separation from God. But let’s jump up to verses 19 and 20 to see how Paul closes out this argument.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

This is where the submission to Christ comes in. See, Paul is not saying you must be perfect. What he is saying is that you need to check yourself and see if you are living for you or living for God. Look to the list of sins mentioned above. Do you believe they are wrong? You are free from them, yes. But do you believe they are wrong? By giving your life to Christ by being born again in the spirit and claiming Him as your Lord and savior, you agree that you should not walk in sin. That is, salvation in Christ is submission to Christ. You cannot separate the two.

Paul is calling out those that are living as luke warm Christians. Do you have something in your life that you are holding on to? Do you have something that you are hiding behind the freedom in Christ, yet in hiding behind the freedom in Christ, ignoring what Christ has commanded? If you are, let it go. The game you play is one that could have eternal consequence. Remember, salvation in Christ is submission to Christ.

In walking with Christ we need to constantly be reckoning the old sinful nature of our flesh dead. Do not be deceived, as some were at the church of Corinth. You are free in Christ, but to be in Christ is to be dead to yourself. Carrying your cross is the calling of a Christian. The world has many “prizes” that it offers to those who give in to its lusts. Those prizes will always fail you. As you’re carrying your cross in this life, do not forget to keep your eye on the only prize that never fades, eternity with a loving, awesome, gracious, and beautiful Father God.

Photo Courtesy of revelife.com

Genesis 6:13-22 — I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens. But I will establish my covenant with you

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Noah's Ark by Edward Hicks

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.  Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Genesis 6:13-22


The animals:

There’s much debate concerning how all of the animals fit on the ark, were fed and cared for on the ark, etc. The ark was as long as one and one half football fields and taller than a four story building. The available storage space on the ark was equivalent to that of 520 modern boxcars and it’s been calculated that this would be more than enough space to accommodate the 16,000 species necessary to ensure the continuation of all of the animal kingdom. There’s a good article on the topic by John Woodmorappe that can be found on the Institute for Creation Research website.

The discussion on the feasibility of the animals on the ark is interesting but think this through with me. Isn’t this one of those questions that comes down to whether or not you believe in God and all that He is? If God did indeed create the universe in all of its vastness and majesty, if God did indeed create all of the animals on earth to begin with, then isn’t it an easy thing for God to preserve all of the animals on the ark? He could have brought only immature animals to ensure adequate size, once on board He could have put all of the creatures into a state of hibernation to ensure adequate care. The same God who created the universe, the same God who created Adam from dust, could have easily preserved the animals on the ark. Is anything too hard for the LORD? (Genesis 18:14)


Some interesting observations:

Noah was a carpenter – Jesus was a carpenter.

Noah was righteous, blameless, walking faithfully with God – Jesus is righteous, blameless, walking faithfully with God (and He is God).

The ark had only one door in its side. There was only one way into the ark. – Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…” (John 10:9 KJV) And Jesus also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

The ark had many rooms — Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms…” (John 14:2) As the ark had many rooms for the many different types of animals, we see that our Father has designed heaven with many rooms for the many different types of Christians who will dwell there (yes, even Charismatics).

Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (v.22) — Speaking of God, Jesus said, “…I always do what pleases him.” (John 8:29)


The way of escape:

Yes the world was filled with violence but God provided a way of escape! The way of escape for mankind in Noah’s day was through the door in the side of the ark. There was no other way. You either went through that door, as Noah and his family did, or you perished.

The Hebrew word kapher is the word used in verse 14 that we see translated pitch. In every other instance in the Bible kapher is translated atonement. For you and for me, the way to escape hell is through Jesus Christ. That’s the only way. This isn’t my idea. As a firefighter that’s not the way I would have designed salvation. When a builder submits plans for a room that will hold a large number of people, we like to require multiple ways to escape. The greater the number of people, the greater the number of exits. That’s how I would have designed salvation. But God says: “…my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” When God designed the ark, He designed it with one door. When God designed salvation, at great personal sacrifice, He designed it with one Door, Jesus Christ, His Son.

Jesus said,

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…”

John 10:9 KJV


Join Christ’s Family



References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Institute for Creation Research

Ray Stedman

Jon Courson

Don’t Go Rafting Without a Baptist in the Boat

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This is just too funny not to share. In case you’ve never heard her before, when she says “Left Brain” she’s referring to her husband. Check it out.

Genesis 2:24-25 — …a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

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For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Genesis 2:24-25

Many young people today are attempting the first part of Genesis 2:24, becoming one flesh, but leaving out the second part of the verse, leaving their father and mother. I believe that many marriages suffer unnecessarily or even fail because without the second part, leaving father and mother, the first part, becoming one flesh, doesn’t work very well. Independence from mom and dad is key to a healthy marriage. A husband and wife must form a team of two. When a dad and/or mom is involved it becomes a team of 3 or 4. Or if both sets of parents are involved, a team of six! God’s way is the best way and it’s up to us as parents to allow our kids to separate, to leave, because if they don’t leave, emotionally as well as physically, then they won’t cleave. Well intentioned parents of adult children often make this mistake of over involvement. Follow God’s plan, too much involvement in our adult kids marriages will make things worse instead of better. Young married people, especially you husbands, insist on independence. Guard your marriage from your parent’s over involvement, in a loving and gracious manner, but with tenacity. For you to be successful in your marriage your spouse must come before your parents, and your God must come before your spouse.

And in case you’ve already successfully left your parents, be sure to leave others as well. Friendship with those of the opposite sex, the kind of friendship that involves time alone together, even small amounts of time alone together, is nearly always found at the beginning of an adulterous relationship. Don’t do it, don’t invest in that relationship at work or at the gym, even if you don’t feel an attraction. As you invest your heart will inevitably follow as Jesus said in Luke 12:34. And as God says to us in Proverbs 6:27-28, Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

Jesus quotes from Genesis 2:24 when the Pharisees came to trap Him with a question. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” (Matthew 19:3) They probably thought, “If we can get Jesus to say that divorce is not permitted, not God’s will, then we can quote the law of Moses and, BOOM, the trap is shut, we’ve got him.” But Jesus goes back to the beginning, to God’s original plan for marriage, before the law was given to Moses. Jesus from Genesis 2:24…

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)

Perhaps at this point the Pharisees, realizing that they’d been out maneuvered, asked the following question, as a last ditch effort to salvage their trap…

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” (Matthew 19:7)

But Jesus replied,

“Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:8-9)

Today we’ve seen a rather large cultural shift from divorce being such a negative thing to divorce being a liberating, freeing, positive experience. A single parent household, a man and woman living together unmarried perhaps with children, these are seen as acceptable alternative lifestyles. What’s being completely ignored is the wellbeing of the children of divorce. The vast majority of children from divorced families surveyed say they’d like to see their original family back together. Have you heard that statistic before? Probably not. Five years after divorce more than a third of children experienced depression. Even at 10 years and 15 years after divorce, many of the children involved had significant problems. Children from divorced families were found to be less successful in life than children from intact families, particularly in the areas of relationships and careers.

Most of the time the custody of the children goes to the mother. What’s not a part of the public discussion is that about half of all single mothers live below the poverty line. And this desperate economic circumstance is not for the short haul — on average it lasts six years. For African American single mothers it’s much worse, 10 years after divorce only 33% of African American mothers were remarried and continued in financial distress. (McLanahan-Garfinkel)

Dear reader, don’t close your eyes to the devastation caused by divorce, build your marriage on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His word. Invest in your wife, invest in your husband and your heart will follow. Follow His ways, in life, and in your marriage.

Finally, notice in Genesis 2:25 that God provided that The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. God very specifically tells us in Hebrews 13:4 that His plan for the marriage bed is for it to be undefiled. Sex inside of marriage is a gift from Him, and shame has no part in it. When you invest in your wife, when you invest in your husband, do so in all areas including your physical relationship. For God tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:4-5

The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.



References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Jon Courson

Chuck Smith

The Atlantic

Single Mothers and Their Children, Sarah McLanahan and Irwin Garfinkel, 1986

Genesis 2:18 — It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.

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The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:18

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) Here we are in only the second chapter of the Bible and already God is declaring that it is not good to be isolated. God in His wisdom of course knows that isolation is associated with all kinds of problems. In fact, according to the Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, isolation as a predictor of mortality is comparable with cigarette smoking — your risk of dying increases by 2 – 3 times if you’re isolated vs. if you’re socially connected. Besides mortality — depression, illness, and a host of other problems accompany isolation.

Your spiritual life is also very connected to the dynamic of isolation vs. social connection. Just watch the lives of those who attempt to walk their Christian walk apart from attending church vs. those who do attend. Pick someone you know who says that their way of connecting with God is through the enjoyment of nature, or by hanging out with Christian friends, or by self study. Of course there’s nothing wrong with any of those things, but, at the same time pick another who you know attends church, say, 2 or more times a week. You’ll find the difference in the depth of relationship with God between these two to be striking. By and large, you’ll find the church goer to be happier as well. According to author and speaker Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, those who attend church regularly are 40% more likely to be happy than those who don’t. (See previous posts: Congregate and Rest)

“I will make a helper suitable for him.” God’s desire for Adam was to make a helper for him because Adam alone can’t live the blessed life that God has in mind for him without Eve. Furthermore man can’t execute his part of God’s plan for mankind here on earth without women. God gave Adam His plan and agenda, but both Adam and his wife Eve are to work together, as a team, to live out God’s plan and to advance God’s agenda. Adam, the husband, has been put in a position of leadership and Eve, the wife, has been put in a position of service. Not that Adam wouldn’t serve Eve because any great leader will serve those he leads. (Traveler and the Chaplain, p. 56), But Eve has been formally appointed, by God, to be Adam’s helper. In the world’s view this certainly has a negative connotation, but in Gods view, in Christ’s view, the helper is esteemed highly for Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Mark 9:33-35



References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

David Guzik

J. Vernon McGee

Jon Courson

Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine

Kurt Bennett, Traveler and the Chaplain, p. 56, Enoch Publishing 2009