Chapter One
Moses writes Genesis, a book of
beginnings, to tell us how God creates
the world, how sin comes into
the world, and how God loves mankind
in spite of his sin. He reports
exciting stories about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, how God cares for them and stands
beside them, no matter what they do.
As you read this book, think about
how God enters into a personal relationship
with you, cares for you, and
wants you to make serving him a
priority in your life.GENESIS
The Beginning
1 In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth. Now the earth
was formless and empty, darkness
was over the surface of the deep, and
the Spirit of God was hovering over
the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and
there was light. 4 God saw that the
light was good, and he separated the
light from the darkness. 5 God called
the light "day," and the darkness he
called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day.
6 And God said, "Let there be an expanse
between the waters to separate water
from water." 7 So God made the expanse
and separated the water under
the expanse from the water above it.
And it was so. 8 God called the expanse
"sky." And there was evening, and
there was morning-the second day.
9 And God said, "Let the water under the
sky be gathered to one place, and let
dry ground appear." And it was so.
JOB 14
7 "At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout
again, and its new shoots will not fail.
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump die in the soil,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant.
10 But man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and is no more.
11 As water disappears from the sea
or a riverbed becomes parched and
dry,
12 so man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, men
will not awake
or be roused from their sleep.
13 "If only you would hide me in the
grave
and conceal me till your anger has
passed!If only you would set me a time
and then remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
THURSDAY
VERSE FOR THE DAY: AUTHOR: PASSAGE:
Job 13:15 Charles Colson Job 13:13-19
God Is Who He Is
OBEDIENCE is the key to real faith-the unshakable kind of
faith so powerfully illustrated by Job's life. Job lost his home,
his family (except for a nagging wife),his health, even his
hope. The advice of friends was no help. No matter where he
turned, he could find no answers to his plight. Eventually he
stood alone. But though it appeared God had abandoned him,
Job clung to the assurance that God is who he is. Job confirmed
his obedience with those classic words of faith:
"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" ((Job 13:15).
This is real faith: believing and acting obediently regardless
of circumstances or contrary evidence. After all, if faith depended
on visible evidence, it wouldn't be faith. "We live by
faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7), the apostle Paul wrote.
It is absurd for Christians to constantly seek new demonstrations
of God's power, to expect a miraculous answer to every
need, from curing ingrown toenails to finding parking spaces;
this only leads to faith in miracles rather than the Maker.
True faith depends not upon mysterious signs, celestial fireworks,
or grandiose dispensations from a God who is seen as a
rich, benevolent uncle; true faith, as Job understood, rests on
the assurance that God is who he is. Indeed, on that we must
be willing to stake our very lives.
Additional Scripture Readings:
Habakkuk 3:16-19
2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Weekending
RETHINK
Our human sexuality, our maleness and
femaleness, is not just an accidental
arrangement of the human species, not just a
convenient way to keep the human race going.
No, it is at the center of our true humanity. We
exist as male and female in relationship. Our
sexualness, our capacity to love and be loved is
intimately related to our creation in the image
of God. What a high view of human sexuality!
Notice too that the Biblical stress upon
relationship helps to enlarge our understanding
of human sexuality. The problem with the
topless bars and the pornographic literature of
our day is not that they emphasize sexuality too
much but that they do not emphasize it
enough. They totally eliminate relationship and
restrain sexuality to the narrow confines of the
genitals. They have made sex trivial.
How much richer and fuller is the Biblical
perspective! To chat over coffee, to discuss a
great book, to view a sunset together-this is
sexuality at its best, for male and female are in
intimate relationship.
-Richard Foster
REVIVE Saturday: Genesis 1:26-28
Sunday: 1 Corinthians 13
(Continues.)
