Day 7 - Abraham Tested

Daily Reading:  Genesis 20-22

Do not lay a hand on the boy, he said.  Do not do anything to him.  Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.  Genesis 22:12

Footnote:

God tested Abraham, not to trip him and watch him fall, but to deepen his capacity to obey God and thus to develop his character. Just as fire refines ore to extract precious metals, God refines us through difficult circumstances. When we are tested we can complain, or we can try to see how God is stretching us to develop our character.
The purpose of testing is to strengthen our character and deepen our commitment to God and his perfect timing.  Through this difficult experience, Abraham strengthened his commitment to obey God.  He also learned about God's ability to provide.  

Keep reading -- 358 days left!

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Day 6 - Abraham (continued)

Daily Reading:  Genesis 16-19

For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.  Genesis 18:19

Who said the Bible wasn't interesting? These chapters were really full!

Chapter 16:

Sarai offering her servant girl to Abram...kind of strange, but not to them. That was the custom. Having children was so important that if a woman was barren, the husband would have children with the servants so they would have heirs. Although it was a common practice, Abram and Sarai took matters into their own hands when God had already promised them descendants.


Chapter 17:

Footnote for 17:1:  The Lord told Abram, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless." God has the same message for us today. We are to obey the Lord in every respect because he is God -- that is reason enough. If you don't think the benefits of obedience are worth it, consider who God is -- the only one with the power and ability to meet your every need.
Footnote 17:9, 10:  Why did God require circumcision?

1. As a sign of obedience to him in all matters. 2. As a sign of belonging to his covenant people. Once circumcised, there was no turning back. The man would be identified as a Jew forever. 
3. As a symbol of "cutting off" the old life of sin, purifying one's heart, and dedicating oneself to God.  
4. Possibly as a health measure. 

Circumcision more than any other practice separated God's people from their pagan neighbors. In Abraham's day, this was essential to develop the pure worship of the one true God.

Chapter 18 & 19:

What did you think about Sodom and Gomorrah? There was a lot going on there -- an evil city, Abraham's plea for the righteous, God's mercy on Lot, Lot's hospitality to the angels, the evil and perverted mob, Lot's wife "turning back", the sister's desperate act of incest.

An interesting footnote says that Moab and Ben-Ammi were the products of incest and they became the fathers of two of Israel's greatest enemies, the Moabites and the Ammonites BUT Ruth, the great-grandmother of David and an ancestor of Jesus, was from Moab.

This whole scenario is a reminder that we are all sinners and although God can forgive our sin and still use us for His glory, we cannot escape the consequences of sin.

A lot to think about.............

What did you find interesting, confusing or just plain STRANGE?!

Keep reading -- 359 days left!

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Day 5 - Abraham

Daily Reading:  Genesis 12-15

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15:16

In God's economy obedience equals blessings but not a trial-free life! Abram obeyed God by going to the land he would show him but he still had obstacles to overcome, like a famine!  God shows us how human and imperfect all of these people were -- Abram lets fear overtake him in Egypt and LIES about Sarai. Abram was still a good guy, though, and definitely a good relative....he lets Lot choose which land he wants and then he has to go and rescue the guy!   I love that he didn't want to take anything from the king so that God would get all the glory.

Footnote:

Although Abram had been demonstrating his faith through his actions, it was his belief in the Lord, not his actions, that made Abram right with God (Romans 4:1-5). We too can have a right relationship with God by trusting him. Our outward actions -- church attendance, prayer, good deeds -- will not by themselves make us right with God. A right relationship is based on faith -- the heartfelt inner confidence that God is who he says he is and does what he says he will do. Right actions will follow naturally as by-products.


NEED MORE FAITH??


Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith...Hebrews 12:2!

The disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith...Luke 17!

Ephesians 2:8 says faith is a gift from God and that he has given each of us a measure of faith...Romans 12:3.

Scripture also says that faith comes from hearing the word of God....Romans 10:17!


Keep reading -- 360 days left! 

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Day 4 - The Tower of Babel

Daily Reading:  Genesis 10 & 11

Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

Footnote:  The tower of Babel was a great human achievement, a wonder of the world. But it was a monument to the people themselves rather than to God. We may build monuments to ourselves (expensive clothes, big house, fancy car, important job) to call attention to our achievements. These may not be wrong in themselves, but when we use them to give us identity and self-worth, they take God's place in our lives. We are free to develop in many areas, but we are not free to think we have replaced God. 

What "towers" have you built in your life?

Keep reading -- 361 days left! 

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Day 3 - The Flood

Daily Reading: Genesis 6-9

God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 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. Genesis 6:12 & 13

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

Many have wondered how this animal kingdom roundup happened.  Did Noah and his sons spend years collecting all the animals?  In reality the creation, along with Noah, was doing just as God had commanded.  There seemed to be no problem gathering the animals -- God took care of the details of that job while Noah was doing his part by building the ark.  Often we do just the opposite of Noah.  We worry about details over which we have no control, while neglecting specific areas (such as attitudes, relationship, responsibilities) that are under our control.  Like Noah, concentrate on what God has given you to do, and leave the rest to God.

Can you identify with Noah?  Have you ever felt like God was asking you to do something BIG?  Something that went against what everyone else was doing or their way of thinking?  How did it turn out?  Did you do your part?  Can you testify to the ways God worked out the details?  Spend some time thinking, praying and praising God for his work in your life.  If you feel comfortable, please share!   

Keep reading -- 362 days left! 

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Day 2 - The Fall of Man

Daily Reading: Genesis 3-5

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. The the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:6-7

Footnote: The thought of two humans covered with fig leaves trying to hide from the all-seeing, all-knowing God is humorous. How could they be so silly as to think they could actually hide? Yet we do the same, acting as though God doesn't know what we're doing. Have the courage to share all you do and think with him. And don't try to hide -- it can't be done. Honesty will strengthen your relationship with God.

What did you think about Genesis 3:22? The NIV reads, "And the Lord God said, 'The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.' "

Why wouldn't God want us to live forever?

Footnote: Life in the Garden of Eden was like living in heaven. Everything was perfect, and if Adam and Eve had obeyed God, they could have lived there forever. But after disobeying, Adam and Eve no longer deserved paradise, and God told them to leave. If they had continued to live in the garden and eat from the tree of life, they would have lived forever. But eternal life in a state of sin would mean forever trying to hide from God. Like Adam and Eve, all of us have sinned and are separated from fellowship with God. We do not have to stay separated, however, God is preparing a new earth as an eternal paradise for his people.

Now, it makes sense! God didn't want us to live forever in our sinful state! Praise God! God is JUST but he's also LOVING!

How did you like the genealogy in Chapter 5?

Footnote: Why are genealogies included in the Bible? The Hebrews passed on their beliefs through oral tradition. For many years in many places, writing was primitive or nonexistent. Stories were told to children who passed them on to their children. Genealogies gave a skeletal outline that helped people remember the stories. For centuries these genealogies were added to and passed down from family to family. Even more important than preserving family tradition, genealogies were included to confirm the Bible's promise that the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, would be born into the line of Abraham.

Genealogies point out an interesting characteristic of God. People are important to him as individuals, not just as races or nations. Therefore God refers to people by name, mentioning their life span and descendants. The next time you feel overwhelmed in a vast crow, remember that the focus of God's attention and love is on the individual -- and on you!

Have you ever thought about this?

All human beings are related, going back to Adam and Eve. Mankind is a family that shares one flesh and blood. Remember this when prejudice enters your mind or hatred invades your feelings. Each person is a valuable and unique creation of God.

Thoughts anyone?  Who will be the first to respond?  Ready, set, go!

Keep reading -- 363 days left! 

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Day 1 -- The Beginning

Daily Reading:  Genesis 1 & 2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis 1:1

How appropriate!  As we begin our challenge, we read about THE BEGINNING.......

Genesis 1:1 Footnote:  The simple statement that God created the heavens and the earth is one of the most challenging concepts confronting the modern mind.  The vast galaxy we live in is spinning at the incredible speed of 490,000 miles an hour.  But even at this breakneck speed, our galaxy still needs 200 million years to make one rotation.  And there are over one billion other galaxies just like ours in the universe.  

Some scientists say that the number of stars in creation is equal to all the grains of all the sands on all the beaches of the world.  Yet this complex sea of spinning stars functions with remarkable order and efficiency.  To say that the universe "just happened" or "evolved" requires more faith than to believe that God is behind these amazing statistics.  God truly did create a wonderful universe.

God did not need to create the universe; he chose to create it.  Why?  God is love, and love is best expressed toward something or someone else -- so God created the world and people as an expression of his love.  We should avoid reducing God's creation to merely scientific terms.  Remember that God created the universe because he loves each of us.

Genesis 2:16, 17 Footnote:  Why would God place a tree in the garden and then forbid Adam to eat from it?  God wanted Adam to obey, but God 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.  When you are faced with  the choice, always choose to obey God. 

Genesis 2:18-24 Footnote:  God's creative work was not complete until he made woman.  He could have made her from the dust of the ground, as he made man.  God chose, however, to make her from the man's flesh and bone.  In so doing, he illustrated for us that in marriage man and woman symbolically become one flesh.  This is a mystical union of the couple's hearts and lives.  Throughout the Bible, God treats this special partnership seriously.  The goal in marriage should be more than friendship; it should be oneness.

These are just a few interesting footnotes from this section of reading.  Do you have any thoughts or information to share?  Please comment!

This was probably a very familiar section of scripture -- one you've heard many times -- ask God to show you something you've never seen before.

Keep reading -- 364 days left! 

All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV.