Genesis 1 - 3

I am endeavoring to share a thought or two from my daily readings in 2010. Our church (www.thecitylifechurch) is reading through the Bible every year. This year, we are using the chronological reading plan. I hope you join us! If you are new to reading plans, any number of Bibles at your local Christian bookstore contains reading plans, there are even Bibles designed specifically for daily reading, like the Chronological Bible. We like to use online services so that you receive a daily email prompting you and listing your reading for the day...check out www.crosswalk.com for example.

It's still The Way today!

For today...I am always struck by what God does to Adam in Genesis 2:18. God acknowledges that it is not good for man to be alone. But does He proceeds, not in the creation of woman, but of animals! If one was not familiar with the nature of God from the rest of Scripture, it would appear rather sadistic, taunting. God then proceeds with giving the task of naming all the animals to Adam, with each naming event, a reminder of his loneliness. Who is this God? A sovereign One, all wise! For here we see one of the great principles of God's Kingdom, that it is in waiting without what God intends for us to have that we are able to recognize His will more clearly once it arrives. Verse 23, "An the man said, This is now bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh..."

I also reflect on how the devil works. In chapter 3, verse 5 he promises, "...you will be like God..." I believe one his most successful approaches in temptation is to play on appetites that we have that are pure, noble, righteous. All of us are called to be like God. In chapter one we read that He created us in His image. The devil takes desires that are God given and perverts them. God gave us an appetite for pleasure, rest, relationship, prosperity...yet we know all of them can be perverted. Be wise to the devil's schemes!

My last thought touches on something controversial. I strongly believe that The Church has failed in its calling to reach the homosexual community. I believe Cal Thomas got it correct in his book Blinded By Might where he accuses some popular evangelical groups for picking certain social issues not out of divine calling but because they were strategic issues for fund raising. I believe The Church has failed miserably in loving the sinner and hating the sin on this one. We have hated both. But we me must not let our mistakes cause us to fall into accommodating a life style that robs people of the abundant life Jesus promises. Genesis 2:24 and 25 are the best verses in the Bible to uphold romantic relationships being only between one man and one woman. Here again the insight above comes into play. Satan understands our innate need for romantic relationship, sexual fulfillment so he plays on this need in people and leads them astray. Genesis 2:24-25 teach us that the only way that need in us is going to be completely satisfied is with one of the opposite gender.

See you tomorrow!