Author: Don Guthrie

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 6 (day one)

It was a corrupt age.  Every trace of truth or kindness was gone from the earth.  A barbaric and brutal world.  “EVERY inclination, ONLY evil, ALL the time.” is the Lord’s fair assessment of this chapter in human history.   v 5.

“Yet just at this point, when the black thunderclouds of God’s wrath against human sin were most threatening, a small crack appears.  Grace shines through, and the promise of a new day dawns.”–James Boice.

“Noah found favor with God” says v 8.  Discovered it.  Received it.  Responded to God’s offered grace.  Became (in that dark age) a ray of light, an example of a new/different way to live.  Different principle (faith)  Different outcome (righteousness)

The work of God in the world is often carried out in the life a single individual (or small group) who has come out of the world.  To lead the world, a man must first leave it behind.

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 4:1-16; 25-26 (day seven) 

“Sin is crouching at the door and you must master it.”–v 7.

“For consider Him who endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. (For) you have not resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.”–Hebrews 12:3-4.

Happy Easter!  With great joy we will gather today with people around the world and across all ages of time to shout,”He is risen!”

Our conflict with sin, however, will not be over.  Soon hopefully, but not yet.  On Easter Monday we will all get back in the good fight.  So long as there are unsaved men, and unsafe homes, and hungry children, and dark hearts, the followers and partners of the Savior cannot be finished.

The Resurrection gives us power to fight, not permission to quit.  He is Risen! May the world see His courage in us!  Want to build a church?

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 4:1-16; 25-26 (day one)

[Note from Don–On Sunday, I will preach from the Easter text, Luke 24:1-6, 13-35.  Even so, I encourage you to continue in the daily study of Genesis.  Much to gain!  God bless you.]

Cain learned the tendency from his parents.  (see Genesis 3)  Never take responsibility!  Blame someone else if at all possible!   Cain was angry with God, sad face, rebellious heart. v 5.  Rather than address his own sin, he focused his frustration on his little brother. v 8.

Maybe you see the same tendency in yourself.  I do.  Be angry at life and God! Retreat into unproductive sadness!  Blame others!  Never yourself.

The truth stands, however. God speaks it.  We are NOT victims.  We have NOT been treated unfairly.  All of us are invited by God to walk a righteous path and find His favor. (v 7).  To do so, however,  we must take responsibility and master the crouching enemy.

My real problem is in me.

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 3:8-24  (day seven)

It is a strange story.  A paradox.  God curses Adam and Eve for their sin.  Then cares for them providing a covering and a promise of a Redeemer to come.  Is it possible that God is always both with us too?

The New Testament teaches us to expect this “severe mercy”.  “Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him.  For whom the Lord loves, He disciplines.”–Hebrews 12:5-6.

Do you complain when life gets hard? I am tempted to make both Hebrews 12 mistakes.  I “regard lightly” His discipline.  (not seeing the necessity of it).  I “faint” (give up in self-pity and despair).

Genesis 3 teaches a different virtue.  If man cannot be innocent, then he (we) must be brave and humble and patient in suffering.  Accepting God’s judgement without complaint, we look to Him for help.  The curse and the care come from the same heart.

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 3:8-24 (day one)

“So He drove the man out. . .east of the garden of Eden.–v 24

East of Eden is the title of a John’s Steinbeck novel written in 1952.  It tells the stories of two families in Salinas Valley, California in the years after WWI.  It is a tale of depravity, love, courage and self-destruction.  The title (and story) are references to Genesis 3 and 4.

In Scripture, east of Eden is God’s poetic (literal and symbolic) description of life after the Fall.  As Adam and Eve leave the garden they travel East (the direction of the rising sun) into a new day dawning with difficulty and danger.  (The world we now live in).

It is NO part of God’s mercy to guarantee a consequence-free existence. ” Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.”–Hebrews 12:17. Lord help us obey before consequences come. Help us trust your mercy when they do.

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 3:1-7  (day seven)

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”–1 Corinthians 10:13.

Eve didn’t know.  We do.
1)Temptation is common.  (Everyone experiences some version of the same attack).
2)God is faithful.  (Carefully monitors temptation so that it does not overwhelm us).
3)Provides a way of escape.  (in His time, provides a “door out”–even though it is not always obvious or immediate)
4) Calls us to endure.  (Assures us that we can).

“And though the world,with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.”–Martin Luther, “Ein feste Burg–A Mighty Fortress is our God”

Be brave, dear friends!  No temptation is stronger than God.

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 3:1-7  (day one)

“But each one is tempted when he is carried away by his own lust.  Then when lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it bring forth death.  DO NOT BE DECEIVED, my beloved brethren.”–James 1:14-16.

It is an old story.  Ever new, sadly.  The enemy questions God’s word.  Harmless question (or so it seems).  “Did God really say?”  Moves quickly to a statement.  “You will not die!  God knows you will become like Him.  He doesn’t care for you.  He is looking out for Himself!” (free translation/interpretation)

And, like all of her sons and daughters since, Eve falls for it.  Without any evidence or experience to support such a claim, she abandons her innocent confidence that God is good, and dies as she steps over the line of His commandment.

Why did she doubt God’s goodness?  Why did she second-guess His commands?  An enemy has done this!

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25 (day seven) 

We are made in God’s image. The Genesis story (God-given. Moses-recorded) makes it clear.  What does it mean?

Some say it is rationality.  We can think, reason, decide on a level that is much higher than animals.  In this, on a small scale, we are like God.

Some say it is spirituality.  Sharing the “breath of God” gives men a facility to hear God, connect with Him.  God is Spirit.  In Genesis, and when we are “born of the Spirit”, we share this identity with Him.

Some say it is responsibility.  V. 28 commands us to increase, fill, subdue and rule the world.  The Sabbath story (last week) underscores this idea.  Completing our task we rest with satisfied hearts.  Like God, we are responsible and creative.

What do you believe?  Whatever you decide, one thing is certain.  Our true identity is godly.  We are like Him.  Until we find Him we cannot know ourselves.

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25 (day one)

“Shame is the intensely painful feeling that we are unworthy of love and belonging”–Brene Brown.

“I want to drag knives over my skin, just to feel something other than shame, but I’m not even brave enough for that.”–Paula Hawkins The Girl on the Train.

Long wait before we saw it again.  Adam and Eve had it.  (Then lost it.)  They weren’t embarrassed by who they were.  Felt no need to hide, or pretend, or fantasize, or envy. They were unashamed.

After a long winter, this sweet spring came again.  In Christ, people began to discover that they were “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)  Ordinary people began to say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel” (Romans 1:16).  The reason?  The gospel led them to Christ in whom they received a “righteousness from God through faith”.  And the shame evaporated!

Great gift!  Great gospel!  Great God!  You don’t have to be ashamed anymore.

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 2:4-17 (day seven)

“the day you eat from it you shall surely die.”–v 17.

I was on death row.  Part of my  sentence had already been executed.  (In many ways, I was already dead.)  Part of the sentence was still in the future.

Convicted of a crime(s).  No excuses.  Waiting without hope.  I had been warned.  Foolish. Stubborn.  Too proud to listen or fear.  The jail was full of people just like me.

“I have come that they might have LIFE” said the Great Judge when He came to me that day.  He commuted my sentence!  He pardoned me!  Lifted the weight from my shoulders and carried it away.  Breathed original LIFE into my heart.

From convict to convert, through pardon to praise, from death to LIFE, I emerged from jail to a new chapter.  Only He could have done it!  Only He would have done it!

What does this Great Judge deserve from me now?