Part 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
In Genesis 6:5, before the flood God saw “that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The flood didn’t get rid of the evil mindset. Romans 3:23 says, “For EVERYONE has sinned; we ALL fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (NLT). So although Noah is generally spoken of as a “righteous man” who “found favor in the eyes of the Lord”, he was still a sinner, still part of our race that “falls short of God’s glorious standard.” In Part 2, we’ll see how that is good news for us.
Today, in our readings, think about the fact that God made a powerful promise to this sinful man on behalf of all of us who have come after.
Take a few minutes and read this last story about Noah in Genesis 8:20 – 9:29.
By the grace of God, the first thing Noah did after leaving the ark was to offer a sacrifice to God for His goodness in saving them from the judgement He sent on the earth. Noah knew, like those who had died, he was also a sinful man worthy of that same death. But God chose to set Noah and his family aside to be a holy people, obedient to building an ark and preaching righteousness to those of his evil day. He was not perfect, but, as Hebrews 11:6-7 says, by faith Noah became an “heir of righteousness”. This is good news for us – like Noah, we are not perfect, but by putting our faith in Jesus we can also become heirs of righteousness.
Following Noah’s sacrifice, God made a COVENANT with Noah. God solemnly vowed that He would never again bring a world-wide flood in judgement of the sins of man. The sign of that covenant is the rainbow. How interesting that the rainbow should have been usurped as a symbol for a SEXUAL SIN that God hates so much he rained road-tar down, thoroughly destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. The real point of the Rainbow is that God punishes sin, but He will not bring about world-wide destruction for the depth of our sin until Jesus returns on the final day. On that day, just as with the day the flood began, people will suddenly realize just how wrong they were and that there is no place they can hide.
PART 2 – Strength Training – Memory & Thinking
Keep going! Keep working on your memory work, adding the verse below. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring it to mind throughout the day. Keep reviewing the other verses to keep them fresh.
Genesis 9:13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 7:5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
2 Peter 2:9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
Genesis 4:7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Read through the verses below in light of the section of the Bible you read today. Let the Holy Spirit teach you even more about Noah and God’s covenant with him and us.
Ezekiel 14:13-14 “Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness,” declares the Lord God.
“This is like the days of Noah to me:
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
and will not rebuke you.
Luke 17:26-27 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Part 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Noah was reckoned a righteous man even when he was not perfect. The same is true for all believers in Jesus; we are not perfect in obedience as Jesus was; but, because Jesus gave Himself as the penalty for our sin, we can wear His righteousness as Noah did. As you pray today, thank God for the blessings of His covenants with us, for Jesus blood and the righteousness it brings to us, for the opportunity to tell others of the coming judgement and how they can escape. You might pray something like this:
Dear Father, thank You for forgiving my sin. I confess that I have done _____________. Please forgive me and help me work to kill this sin in my life. Thank You that through Jesus blood, I can wear His righteousness. Just like Noah, who got drunk and passed out, You cover my sins like Shem and Japeth covered their father, and You make it possible for me to have a relationship with You. Help me make the most of the opportunities You give me to speak about Your amazing salvation from death; help me warn those I know about the coming judgement and show them the way to being saved from that final death. Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray.
Part 4 – Endurance Training
Even Paul, one of the greatest, boldest evangelists of history asked fellow believers to pray that he would be courageous. In Ephesians 6:18-20 Paul says: “To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” I pray that words may be given to you so that you may persevere as you proclaim the mystery of the Gospel to those in your life.
Then come back tomorrow to learn more good news about God through His Word.
Faith Gym 