MONTHLY ARCHIVES: May 2015

Promise Keeper

Posted by Karah

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Skim over God’s words to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3. Thank God that He is a God who does what He promises.

The Lord said to Abram:

“Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

—Genesis 12:1-2

A good story has a strong protagonist, the lead character and chief actor. The protagonist moves the action forward; his decisions initiate and advance the plot. Read over Genesis 12:1-3, then dig deeper with these questions:

Who is the Protagonist in these verses? Why?

Look back over verses 1-3, underlining in your Bible all the “I will” statements God made to Abram. How do you see God acting as the Initiator of the action in these verses? Explain.

How do you see the scope and greatness of God’s great plan coming into focus in this passage?

The Point

God isn’t just the Protagonist of His story. He is the One who guarantees that what He has said will happen.

Respond

God didn’t give Abram a bunch of requirements he had to meet before God would fulfill His promises. God didn’t say, “When you do this, then I’ll . . .” when He called Abram. God didn’t predict Abram’s future; He promised it. To have that future, all Abram had to do was respond.

The same is true of us. Through Jesus, God has promised us salvation, forgiveness of sin, and an eternity with Him. But to have that guaranteed future, we must respond to His gospel.

If you have placed your faith in Christ, you don’t have to be mired in doubt and fear about your future. What God has promised is sure. Rest in the security of the hope He gives today.

For further study on God’s faithfulness, read Psalm 117; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; and 1 John 1:9. Listen to “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)” by Chris Tomlin (Burning Lights, 2013).

Behind the Story

The call of Abram in Genesis 12 uses many poetic elements, but the most prominent one is repetition. The call involves juxtaposition between the second person pronouns (“you” and “yours”) and the first person verbs (“I will”). This all works together to make it clear that Abram is the recipient and God is the “Promiser.”


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Still His Story

Posted by Karah

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Take a few minutes to write down everything that is pulling your attention away from God. Pray over the list, then focus your mind on Christ.

Read over Genesis 11:1-9 in your Bible. Take a moment to set the scene for these verses. What words would you use to describe the culture? The peoples’ attitude toward God?

“And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” —Genesis 11:4

Dig a little deeper with these questions.

The flood had been a new beginning for the world, but humanity’s sin nature didn’t go away when the flood waters receded. How are today’s verses an example of that? Explain.

Think back to Adam and Eve’s sin in Genesis 3, then reread Genesis 11:4. Adam and Eve sinned against God by trying to achieve power and knowledge independent of Him and the ways He had provided. How does the story in Genesis 11 echo that idea?

Reread verses 5-9 and consider God’s response to the peoples’ plan to make their own names famous. How does that help you to see that God is still the main Character of Scripture and it is His story? Explain.

The Point

We should live to make His name famous, not our own.

Respond

The people in Genesis 11 focused all their energy and effort on something they thought would bring them fame and power, which they equated with security.

When do you find yourself trying to find security, safety, or hope in something other than God? Be honest before God, confessing anything that is keeping Him from His rightful place as the Author and Main Character of your story.

What are you putting all of your energy into right now? Is the focus of all that energy about making God famous or making a name for yourself?

For further study, read “A Giant Staircase to Heaven” in The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones.

Behind the Story

Building the tower was sinful because of the pride and arrogance involved, but also because it was an act of disobedience. In Genesis 9:1, God had commanded Noah and his family to spread out over the earth and continue multiplying in order to “fill the earth.” Ultimately, instead of obeying God, the people decided they didn’t want to be scattered across the earth and attempted to build their own fame rather than obeying and glorifying God.


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Grateful Praise

Posted by Karah

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Think back over the story of Noah and how the flood played a role in God’s redemption story. Thank God for teaching you new truths and invite Him to speak to you again today.

Recall a time when someone did something unexpectedly nice for you—completed a chore you didn’t have the time to do, gave you money for camp or a mission trip, or did that task at work that you despise the most. What emotions did you feel? How did you respond? Jot down a few thoughts.

Now, for the last time, read over Genesis 8:15-22 in your Bible. Then, focus in on verses 20-21.

“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord. He took some of every kind of clean animal and every kind of clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, He said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, even though man’s inclination is evil from his youth. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done.” —Genesis 8:20-21

Think about how you felt when someone did something unexpectedly nice for you. Now, think about what God had just done for Noah. How did Noah respond to God’s work in his life?

The flood had destroyed everyone and every thing in the world, but God had saved Noah and his family. Noah responded with worship and sacrifice.

Look closely at verse 20. Noah sacrificed from “every kind” of clean animal, going well beyond what was necessary. What does that tell you about His level of gratefulness to God?

As a Christian, how grateful are you for the rescue from sin God has given you? How does your life reflect your gratefulness?

The Point

Great salvation calls for great worship.

Respond

Noah didn’t hop off the ark, say “Thanks, God,” and go on his merry way. He worshiped, going above and beyond the norm by offering sacrifices of “every kind.”

Go above and beyond your norm to show God gratefulness for salvation. Whatever that means for you, do it, because He has gone above and beyond for you. For ideas, read Psalm 51:16-17 and 19:14.

Sin can get in the way of experiencing the joy of your salvation. Read Psalm 51 and confess any sin the Holy Spirit reveals in your life. Personalize verse 12 as your prayer to God.

Behind the Story

Noah’s account in God’s story is the first time we find the use of the words clean and burnt in regards to sacrificial offerings. These two terms became an important part of life for God’s people. Clean refers to something that is holy or acceptable to God, and the Old Testament describes laws about that in detail in Leviticus 11. A burnt offering was an offering completely burned to ashes. It was used in connection with worship, seeking God’s favor, to pay for sin, or preventing judgment.


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By Faith

Posted by Karah

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Ponder this quote from A.W. Tozer as you begin your quiet time:

“The man that believes will obey; failure to obey is convincing proof that there is no true faith present.”

Think about people in your life who you have to obey: teachers, parents, and others in positions of authority. What’s the reason behind your obedience? Respect? Love? You just don’t want to get in trouble? Journal your response.

Skim over Genesis 6:1-22 in your Bible. As you read, underline any words or phrases that help you to understand what fueled Noah’s obedience to God.

Read Hebrews 11:7. Look for the word or words that describe why Noah obeyed God.

“By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” —Hebrews 11:7

Noah’s obedience was good, but meaningless without faith. Look back at Cain and Abel’s story to refresh your memory. God knows what fuels your obedience to Him, and it matters. He knows when you’re faking it, and He’s not fooled when your motivation to obey is more about having a good reputation or the fear of getting caught than honoring Him.

It’s easy to get the idea that your obedience to God can earn you favor with Him. But that’s not what Hebrews 11:7 describes. God warned Noah that destruction was coming and Noah obeyed Him, building the ark. Noah’s faith fueled his obedience, not the other way around.

The Point

Noah’s obedience flowed from His faith. Our faith should fuel our obedience to God, too.

Respond

What fuels your obedience to God? Examine your relationship with God and motives for obeying Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth and confess any motivation that doesn’t come from faith.

Are there specific ways that you know God is calling you to be obedient to Him, but you haven’t taken any steps to do so? Now is the time to step out in faith. Jot down two steps you’ll take to follow Jesus in obedience in those areas this week.

For further study, read 1 John 5:3.

Behind the Story

Noah isn’t the only one described as obeying God because of faith. The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 records men and women whose faith fueled their obedience to God in the most difficult of circumstances. Clearly, faith is key to God’s redemption story. Faith brings a confidence in God’s promises and shows our trust in His character.


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