Psalm 62:5-8

'Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my HOPE comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation; 

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, My rEfugE.

Trust in him at all times, O people; 

pour out your hearts to him, 

for God is our refuge.'

Genesis 16, 17...

Genesis 16 tells us about God's faithfulness to all people... Sarai had still not had any kids so told Abram to sleep with her maidservant Hagar. Abram agreed and Hagar conceived.

Hagar started to despise Sarai & Sarai blamed Abram. Sarai asks that the Lord judge between her and he husband. Sarai ill-treated Hagar and she fled. The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring in the desert & asked what she was doing - Hagar confessed that she was running away from Sarai & the angel of the Lord told her to go back to Sarai & submit to her. The angel PROMISES Hagar that her descendants will be too numerous to count. The angel of the Lord told her she was going to have a son & he should be called Ishmael for 'God has heard of her misery'. "You are the one who sees me" was the name Hagar gave to God. Then Hagar said, "I have now seen the One who sees me!" So Hagar bore Abram a son & Abram named him Ishmael (which means 'God hears')

• Sarai lost faith in God's promises and tried to fix things herself.
  
• Abram agreed to this, also not standing up for God's promises even though God spoke so clearly to Abram (how & why did they let go of God's word?)
  
• Hagar fled Hagar fled from Sarai but the angel of the Lord found her, encouraged her & told her to return... he had a job for her!
  
• Who is 'the angel of the Lord'?
• God is a God of great promises - he also promised Hagar many descendants
• God gave insight to Hagar about her future & the future of her offspring
• God told her to call her son Ishmael & that's what he was called - she obeyed!
• Did Hagar talk to Abram or Sarai about hr experience with the angel of the Lord? 
• Hagar saw God and believed him & obeyed what he asked of her.

In Genesis 17, God appears to Abram, aged 99 & says, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me & you & will greatly increase your numbers." 

Abram fell face down & God says more, "As for me, this is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, for I have made you a father of many nations... fruitful... kings... possession of Canaan" He is now called Abraham!

God tells Abram he must keep his covenant... every male among you shall be circumcised... sign of the covenant... everlasting covenant.

God also changes Sarai to Sarah - "I will bless her & surely give you a son by her... mother of nations.. kings of peoples will come from her."

Abraham fell face down - he was in disbelief, "Will this really happen?" (it would have to be a miracle)

Abraham asks God to bless Ishmael.

God says Sarah will have a son within a year. He is to be called Isaac (which means 'he laughs')

God will establish his covenant with Isaac & Ishmael will be blessed... fruitful... greatly increase his numbers... father of 12 rulers... great nation.

When God had finished speaking with Abraham he went up from him. 

Abraham obeyed God & circumcised every male in his household. Abraham & Ishmael were circumcised on that same day.

• How did God appear to Abram? What must it have been like?
• God chose his timing
• God makes promises to Abram again & again
• Abram falls face down in worship
• God makes Abram Abraham - changes his name to mean 'father of many nations'
• God makes a covenant with Abraham & the sign of the covenant is circumcision (what must Abraham have thought when he heard this?)
• God also changes Sarai's name to Sarah - God blesses her too.
• Abraham begs God to bless Ishmael too, again he falls face down
• Abraham is in disbelief of all God's blessings & promises for him
• Sarah will bear a child against all odds by the hand of God! Anything is possible with God!
• What does it mean that once God had finished speaking with Abraham he 'went up from him'?
• Abraham again obeyed God & believed him.

Father God, perfect, wonderful, awesome, holy God, thank you that I can come to you just as I am today. Thank you for your promises to prosper us and thank you for the acceptance we have eternally before you because of the sacrifice of Jesus once for all! Where would I be without you Lord? You bless us over and over and over again without a smidgen of deserving from us. We don't even realise half the blessings you pour out on us, there are too many to count & our understanding is too small to take in all that you do. God you are faithful and you have good plans for us, for each life on earth you have made good plans. God fill us with appreciation and thanks-giving to understand how blessed we are even on the really hard days. God you will always be for us even when we go against you. God you always want the best for your children. Help us Lord Jesus to have our lives focussed on you, your cross and your commission to go out into all the world. Break our hearts for the lost on our doorsteps, the neighbours you place around us that are stumbling around in darkness. Let us be the light that show them your wonderful freedom in salvation. Give us boldness to believe your promises and speak your word out loud daily. Inspire us to save lives by the leading of your Holy Spirit. We simply cannot do anything without you. We are totally dependent on your guidance, your wisdom, your provision, your word... YOU! Give us eyes to see the need around us, to see people as you see them Lord, and give us a passion to serve you for your glory. We need faith. Help us to encourage each other and build each other up in the faith. God I love you and I want so badly to please you with my life. Teach me to love others, help me to remember what I'm made for. Amen

Genesis 13-15...

So... Genesis 13:

Abram had become very wealthy, went from place to place and arrived back at the spot between Bethel & Ai where he first built an alter and called on the name of the Lord.

Lot & Abram had so many possessions between them that the land could not support them both & quarreling arose between their herdsmen.

Abram didn't want to quarrel with Lot, who he calls brother, so they part ways.

They go in opposite directions & Abram lets Lot choose his way first.

Abram lived in Canaan & Lot lived near Sodom.

The men of Sodom were wicked & were sinning greatly against the Lord.

God made another promise to Abram:

"All the land you see I will give to you & your offspring for ever, I will male your offspring like the dust of the earth... I am giving it to you"

Abram pitched his tents & then made an alter to the Lord.

-Abram was continually seeking God's will

-Abram & Lot were so well off that they had to part ways.

-Abram gave Lot the choice.

-God blessed Abram abundantly & promised to make his offspring greatly numerous - why was Abram so favoured by God?

-Abram built another alter to God, he gave to God regularly. What did these alters look like & what did Abram do once he'd built one?

Genesis 14:

A load of kings went to war against a load of other kings at that time.

For 12 years they had been subject to one king but in the 13th year they rebelled.

However, in the 14th year that king, Kedorlaomer, and the kings allied with him defeated them & carried off Lot who was living in Sodom.

This was reported to Abram, who took his men and retrieved Lot and his possessions & women & other people.

When Abram returned, Melchizadek, king of Salem brought out bread and wine for he was a priest.

He blessed Abram; "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven & earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand."

King of Sodom tried to bargain with Abram but Abram accepted nothing due to an oath he had made with God.

-Abram stayed faithful to Lot even at his own risk.

-Abram retrieved Lot & was blessed by a priest king, Melchizadek, with bread & wine - is this common practice to bring out bread and wine? Symbol of Jesus body and blood-shed, symbol of sacrifice & salvation.

-Abram gave him a tenth of everything he had.

-Abram was not fooled by king of Sodom but remained faithful to his oath with God.

Genesis 15:

The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision; "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."

But Abram points out to God that he still remains childless & he doesn't want some random-er to inherit his estate

God promised Abram a son.

God takes him to count the stars - "So shall your offspring be."

Abram believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness.

God reminded Abram of his promise to give Abram the land but Abram was not convinced.

At God's request Abram brought a sacrifice to him.

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep & a thick, dreadful darkness came over him.

God gave him insight into the future:

"Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and ill-treated for 400 years."

But God promises to punish the nation they serve & that they will come out with great possession.

Abram will die in peace before this happens.

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram; "To your descendants I give this land..."

-God speaks clearly to Abram in a vision

-Abram talks back to God airing his doubts & concerns.

-God again promises Abram a son & numerous offspring.

-Abram was righteous because he believed God - and he couldn't have believed God without hearing God, so Abram obviously had a good relationship with the Lord and had open ears & an open heart to what God might say to him.

-Abram sacrificed to God often

-God gave Abram insight into the future.

-God made a covenant with Abram

-How did Abram make himself so available to hear God?

-Why did God tell Abram so much? Would he say so much to me if I was in a place to listen?

-Abram shares his fears and doubts with God. He is honest with God and doesn't hide his feelings. 

Lord, you have been SOOO faithful. Faithfulness is your name. Thank you God that you want a relationship with us and that you have chosen to use us for your purposes. That you give us freedom to choose and that we have a choice to choose you. Lord thank you that you never leave us, never forsake us, always love us, always help us when we ask. You are ALWAYS faithful. God help us to trust you. To trust that even when we feel lost and alone or hurting and low and insecure. The truth is that we are never alone, we are accepted, secure and special to you. We are each children of God - how amazing is that, that you want us so much. God would you help us to be open to hearing your voice like Abram was. Help us not to get bogged down with our own selfish ambitions but to look to you and the plans that you have for us. Good plans, to prosper us and not to hurt us. You are an amazing God and I love you massively. Help me to believe in you. I really want to know more about you and know more of your heart. I want my actions and my words to display your love to people around me. Use me to help others see you God.

Genesis 10-12...

In Genesis 10, Noah's sons each had their own sons. They made clans and built cities & from these, spread out into their territories, each with their own language.

From these, the nations spread out over the earth after the flood. 

-They were fruitful and increased in number as God had said

-There was division of the people

Genesis 11

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech

They made bricks and planned to make a city with a tower that reached to the heavens, so to make a name for themselves.

But the Lord came down to see the city... "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them"...

"Come, let us go down and confuse their language..."

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth and they stopped building the city.

That is why it is called Babel, because their language was confused.

An account is made of the male lineage from Noah to Abram.

Abram's wife, Sarai, was barren; she had no children.

Terah, Abram's father, took Abram Sarai & Lot (Abram's nephew) towards Canaan, but whenthey came to Haran, they settled there.

Terah died in Haran aged 205.

-The whole earth spoke one language and made prideful plans without God. Even after God had shown his power and authority in Noah's ark, the people still rebel against him and go their own way.

-"But the Lord came down to see the city..." - what does this mean? Did he come down in person or just in action? 

-After this it says that God said "Come, let 'US' go down..." This is a clear indication of more than one person. This is the trinity relating together. Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

-God hindered their plans by confusing their language and scattering them

-They stopped building the city

-Abram is chosen by God and highlighted in the lineage along with Sarai, his wife. Very few females are mentioned up to this point.

-You can see that God has a plan.

Genesis 12

God told Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you."

God makes a promise to Abram (great nation, blessed, blessing to others)

Abram left as the Lord told him & Lot went with his as did Sarai

They took their possessions and the people they had acquired and set out for the land of Canaan.

Again the Lord appeared to Abram with a promise, "To your offspring I will give this land" (even though the Canaanites were in the land)

Abram built an alter to the Lord

Abram went on from there and pitched his tent between Bethal and Ai

Abram built another alter there and called on the name of the Lord

Then Abram continued toward Negev

There was a severe famine in the land so Abram live din Egypt for a while

Abram asks Sarai to lie and say she is his sister because he fears for his life, he fears the Egyptians.

Pharoh's officials saw that Sarai was beautiful (as Abram had forseen) and took her to Pharoh who married her and treated Abram well because of her.

Abram acquired wealth

But the Lord inflicted serious disease on Pharoh and his household because of Sarai.

Pharoh tells Abram to leave Egypt with his wife. He got away with it and left with everything he had, including his new wealth.

-God spoke clearly to Abram

-God makes promises to Abram

-Abram was obedient to God

-Abram built alters to the Lord and called on God

-When Abram & Sarai go to Egypt, they lie to Pharoh which to me seems wrong and as if they aren't trusting God's promise, yet they still leave with everything they had. 

-God punished Pharoh for the wrong even though he did it unknowlingly having been lied to.

-Pharoh doesn't appear to take revenge

Lord, you are a mystery to me, a beautiful mystery. There is nothing and nobody on earth who can be compared to you. You are great and your wonder surrounds you. You are the only holy God, sovereign and reigning over all with the whole world at your fingertips orchestrating everything for your good purposes. You are just even when we don't understand what you are doing.

Lord teach us as your church to relate to you in such a way that we each hear your voice with the same clarity that Moses, Noah and Abram did in Genesis. Will you teach us to pray in line with your will Lord and help us to take the right steps and to make wise decisions. Lead us Lord I pray. We are utterly dependent on you providing for us. The wealth of the world is no wealth at all. It will perish in no time but your wealth is what we hunger after. The precious jewels in your Word, the diamonds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control given through your Holy Spirit that we as your children all have access to. Lord thank you for blessing us so abundantly and thank you for the Bible where we have streams of living water at our fingertips, so readily available to us. Your Word is life God and I don't ever want to take that for granted. Teach me to treasure it more than I do anything of the world. Inspire me to learn and meditate on the teachings you give so that I can know you better and come to you with a clearer, more accurate picture of who you are, more able to relate to you in spirit and in truth. God you are indescribable and incomparable yet you made us in your image so that we can know you. You're amazing God! Totally amazing! Thank you for your incredible love and grace and mercy  patience for us. Love you x

Genesis 7-9

7... Noah believed God and was the only one found righteous by God in his generation

God pre-warned Noah of his plan... and Noah did ALL that the Lord commanded him.

The animals came to Noah and entered the ark, just as God had commanded Noah and it rained (first time it rained EVER)

Noah and his family entered the ark and the Lord shut them in.

The waters rose more than 20ft over the mountains and every living thing on the earth perished. Only Noah was left and those with him on the ark.

-You are righteous if you believe God, by faith and not by 'self-righteousness' or 'works'

-God communicated his plan with Noah because Noah was listening

-God has ALL sovereignty

-Noah hadn't even seen rain before and yet he believed God and obeyed what he said to him.

-What God promises happens!

8... But God remembered Noah. He sent a wind over the waters and they receded. The rain stopped and the waters receded steadily from the earth.

The waters flooded the earth for 150 days.

Noah sent a raven out a little window to see if the waters had receded yet but each time the raven returned. Then he sent a dove, but it returned.

He waited 7 more days and sent out the dove again - it returned with an olive leaf.

Noah waited 7 more days before he sent out the dove again. When it didn't return, he removed the covering of the ark and saw dry land.

God told Noah to come out of the ark with his family and the creatures.

Then Noah built an alter to the Lord and sacrificed some of the clean animals on it.

God vowed "Never again will I curse the ground because of man even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood"

-God kept Noah in mind, God believed in Noah because Noah believed in God. 

-God made Noah wait a long time but Noah trusted God and obeyed him.

-Noah waited for the Lord and the Lord answered him.

9... God blessed Noah and his sons, "Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth. THe fear and dread of you will fall upon the beasts and birds... they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you" 

Before this time it appeared that man was vegetarian and animals didn't fear man.

God will demand an accounting for death. "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man will his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man"

-What does this mean? That God is just? (Eye for an eye tooth for a tooth is old testament, Jesus says we should turn the other cheek as it is God who judges and has justice come upon all who do wrong and right for that matter) 

Again God says "Be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it"

God established his covenant with Noah and the sign of the covenant is the rainbow.

Noah grew a vineyard and got drunk on the wine produced from it.

Canaan (Noah's youngest son) saw Noah's nakedness and told his brothers, but his brothers covered their fathers' shame without looking at his nakedness

Noah cursed Canaan when he heard what he had done; Canaan was to be Shem and Japheth's slave.

Noah lived 350 years after the flood, 950 years in total.

-God loves to bless

-God will never again destroy the earth by flood

-Rainbows are beautiful, I wonder what Noah and his family made of it when God showed it to them

-The relationship between Noah and God was very close

-When Noah got drunk why was he not warned by God? Was it an accident or was Noah aware of the effects of alcohol? 

-Noah cursed his son for showing disrespect I guess?

-Noah lived 950 years - how quickly did aging process happen and what did he die of?

Father God, thank you that you bless us and love us and want to have relationship with us even though we are manky and sinful. Thank you Jesus that even though we still do wrong you have covered ALL our sin with your blood and have made us a white as snow and as clean as bleach in the eyes of God. You are just and faithful and holy and awesome and even though I don't understand everything that happens in the world, I believe that you are sovereign and I ask that you will reassure your church of you faithfulness again so that we can know peace that surpasses understanding, and so that we can give beyond reason for your glory. Help us to be fervent in prayer and to come to you first when we are in need in any way, knowing that you will provide for your beloved. We believe that you love to bless your church so I ask for your blessing God. Give us gifts of healing and prophesy and words of wisdom to see your will be done on the earth as it is in the heavenly realms. Thank you for the new covenant that means we can come to you without bringing sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jesus, you sacrificed your life once for ALL so that we can know you intimately. Words are not enough but thank you anyway. Amen

 

Genesis... a bit more

Genesis 4 is pretty cool - Adam and Eve have sex and eve gets a bump with a baby in it. She gives birth (painfully!!) to Cain and then Abel. 

Abel kept sheep and Cain worked the soil.

Cain and Abel both brought offerings to God but Abel was favoured by God because he brought the best of what he had.

Cain got well jealous and ended up killing Abel. Naughty Cain!

God tells Cain off and punishes him by making him a restless wanderer. Cain went out from the LORD's presence

-God wants us to trust in his provision and not be greedy. He wants our best.

-We all have different gifts to offer God - Am I giving God the best of what I've got?

-Sin results in Cain leaving God's presence but God still protects him.

-Where did Cain's wife come from? Perhaps not mentioned in male lineage, Adams life is summarised, not all offspring are mentioned?

-Mankind briefly recognise their dependance on God.

In Genesis 5 we learn that... 

-We can relate to God because we are made in his likeness/image.

-Male and female are different

-We are blessed! God has blessed us even though we are totally undeserving and don't even thank him.

-What happened to Enoch and what did it look like for him to walk with God?... and then be taken away? Did he not die?

-Am I walking with God? Do I ever walk away?

GENESIS 6 tells us about how...

-Man got greedy and went against the will of God. They disobeyed God.

-God was grieved and pained at man's evil heart.

-Only Noah found favour with God, he walked with God

-God doesn't like violence

-He had a plan

-Noah was obedient to EVERYTHING God said.

That'll do for now  though have heard a lot from God on his faithfulness and deliverance from reading Genesis. Will fill you in more very soon

Lord of all creation, Father God, perfect Saviour. I pray to you my God asking with all my heart that you will reveal yourself again to me. Give me a passion for your truth, help me to walk with you and never to walk away. Let me be faithful. God you are so good and I put my trust in you to keep me on the right path. God let me be open to hearing your voice. Let your Church know how dependent we are on you. This breath we are breathing right now comes from you, it ALL comes from you, so let us have thankful hearts daily. Let us remember your goodness and faithfulness to us and let our lives display your glory for those who don't know you to see your light and be drawn to you because of our lives. Teach us and guide us Father. Thank you Jesus. Amen

Genesis

I LOVE Genesis! I love how you read it and you're like - 'but that's too simple!' But then you think about it and you realise how massively awesome God is and if he put creation in terms of how he actually made everything we would never understand it anyway. It's on my level and I love that!

So, this is gonna be a quick one as have only got to Genesis 3 but in Genesis 1, I came up with the conclusion that NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD, HE HAS A PLAN! Awesome or what!

From Genesis 2 I figured the following:
-We were made for relationship
-God has trusted us with freedom
-God gives us choices. We've been told through the Bible and even our conscience what is right and what is wrong. We choose which we go for!
-God loves unity

And last but not least, Genesis 3:
-Satan works to a pattern starting with lies and deciept
-Get soaked up in the Word of Truth so that we don't believe Satan't lies
-There are always consequences to sin
-Sin separates us from God, we hide from him
-God still provides for Adam and Eve, he doesn't stop loving them.

I really feel inspired to read more of the Word having realised how easy it is to be decieved by Satan and to be distracted from God's purposes. I've just been watching Marc Driscoll on You Tube and it's amazing how he quotes Bible references off the top of his head - I wanna be able to do that!

Lord, you are the whole reason behind existence! You created everything and you sustain everything. You made us out of love and you want us to love you back. I am desperate for you. I wanna know you better and know your truth. Your truth alone sets us free! Let your Word be firm in my heart so that I can know your faithfulness wherever I stand and will have the wisdom to help and lead others in your truth. I pray Lord, fill your church with faithand love. Fill us with a hunger for your Word and thirst for your Spirit so that we will have understanding and be able to live lives that honour you and make us more like you every day.

Over and out xx