Welcome to Genesis – Week 1
The Christian life is a workout. It’s hard work. In order to prepare for those hard days that we all face, we need to develop strong spiritual muscles.
Each week there will be a verse to memorize to help you develop your Spiritual Endurance.
This week’s verse is from 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.”
Each week there will be Daily Reading from the Bible to help you with your Spiritual Agility. The more you read from God’s Word, the easier it will be to face tough days and opposition. With that, there will be a Daily Thinking point to help you with your Spiritual Strength. Each day will end with prayer to help you in your Spiritual Cardio training. Enjoy your time with God! Holy Spirit, guide us as we workout.
Day 1 – Creation
PART 1 – Flexibility Training -Reading
Read Genesis 1
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
The Bible starts so simply, but so profoundly. In the beginning. Sometimes, like a child I ask, “what happened before that?” What happened before the beginning?
God.
God was before the beginning. He has always been. So…
In the beginning God.
He had a plan. He knew every details of that plan. He knew how the elements would work together. He knew how everything would look and sound. He knew everything He made would be “good.” He even knew how evil would try to wreck it all and make it bad. So before He began, He also knew His plan would involve the cross. Before we were ever created, God had already made a plan for how to deal with our sin.
But we are not to that story yet. Today we get to enjoy God telling us how He made the heavens and the earth and everything else. Enjoy that God made it all GOOD!
Spend a few minutes working on memorizing Genesis 4:7.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, You created an amazing universe. I love the beauty of the planets and nebulae. I love the different shades of green that You used for the different types of trees. I love how You made people different from the rest of creation. You made us in Your image. You have an amazing plan that we cannot mess up, no matter how sinful we are. From before creation, Lord Jesus, You were already set to take on human form and give Yourself to pay the penalty for our sins. Thank You for making that plan for us. Thank You for giving us such a beautiful creation, that even though sin has marred it, it is still marvelous.
Day 2 – Toxic Questions
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 3
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
It all begins with a question: “Did God really say…?”
It seems so innocent, doesn’t it. Almost like a clarifying question. “I want to get this right. Just what did God say?” But that’s not how it went. It was a toxic question intended to get Adam and Even doubting the goodness of God.
This is the same tactic that the enemy, Satan, still uses. He questions what God has said. Gets us doubting the goodness and provision of God. This is why it is so important to know, really know, the Word of God. What did God really say?
So spend a few minutes working on memorizing Genesis 4:7.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, I read how You created us, that You were very personally involved, even breathing Your very breathe into us. I also read how our first parents didn’t learn Your rules very well. They didn’t know just what You had required for them to do. That made it easier for the serpent to trick them and confuse them and doubt You. Father, forgive me for not knowing Your Word better. Help me learn it well. Help me understand it well. And help me honor You by obeying Your rules. Help me begin to think more about Your Words today than I did yesterday. And when anyone asks me what You said, help me get it right.
Day 3 – Brotherly Love
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 4
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
Have you noticed that drivers are more angry than they used to be? Pull up to the four-way stop and count the number of times people yell at you, or flip you off, because you didn’t move quickly enough, or because they thought it was their turn to move, or who knows why. And at the grocery store, the people in line are mean. They yell at the checker, at the bagger, at the stock boy, using language once only heard in R-rated movies.
What does this have to do with Genesis? Everything. The people of the US are an angry people these days. There are some horrible things happening that justify anger. But a lot of it goes back to the oldest story of anger in the book – the story of Cain.
There is a lot of speculation about why Abel’s offering was accepted but Cain’s was not. We’re not told directly. But we do know that Cain knew why his offering was not accepted and that he knew how to correct things. God even took time to meet with Cain and warn him about the temptation that he was facing, to encourage him to do the right thing. But Cain ignored God’s words and instead went ahead with the plot to kill his brother.
Keep working on the memory verse from this story.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, I don’t always love my brothers and sisters, or my fellow Christian brothers and sister, as I ought. I find that, like Cain, I let my anger rule my mouth and my frustrations lead me to sin. I may not have actually killed anyone. But as Jesus said, thinking about harming my brother makes me as guilty as if I had carried out my thoughts. Open my eyes to my sins and where I fail in doing what You have made clear I should do. These are the things that come to mind as I pray… (Share with God those sins and failures that come to mind.)
Day 4 – Evil Days and the Coming Judgement
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 6:5-22
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
First, imagine yourself in a world that is totally messed up. Everyone is out only for himself. People have lost the kindness and generosity that they once had. It seems only a handful of people love God and are willing to do what it takes to serve Him faithful. If that sounds like the world you live in, it is. That is the result of The Fall. That is what we saw with Adam and Eve, and what we saw in the example of Cain. There have always and will always be people who are ready and eager to break every concept of morality (especially those ways of living that God has said are good) just because they consider themselves first and foremost.
In this portion of the Bible, we find that God “regretted” having made man to dwell on the earth. Some translation even read it to say that God “repented” that He had made man. When the Bible says this, it doesn’t mean that God made a mistake. It is not possible for God to sin or make mistakes for which He must be sorry and repent – God is light (righteous) and in Him is no darkness (sin/mistakes) at all (1 John 1:5).
And don’t think that the wickedness and sin of men surprised God. He knew before He ever began His act of creation that sin would come into the world. And from before the beginning, He had a plan in place that would ultimately lead to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to pay the vast penalty for this sin and rebellion. Nothing was going to mess that plan up. God is the Creator of the Universe. He can do anything, including making everything work for His purposes. More on that in the story of Joseph. But for now, just know when you read that phrase, “the Lord regretted”, it means that God grieved greatly over the sins of man.
It says the people of Noah’s time were extremely corrupt and wicked. So much so that God decided to destroy them all, save the 8 of Noah’s family. In Peter’s first letter, he called Noah a “preacher of righteousness”. So it’s quite possible that Noah spent part of his time building the boat and part of his time warning the people that God’s judgement was coming. They had a chance to change their ways and be saved from the coming flood. But they chose to continue in their evil ways. God was patient with them for a time. But soon that time ended.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Our Father, You are the Creator of the world. All that You created was good. But like our Father Adam, we have chosen to do deeds of ungodliness. We are loud-mouthed boasters. We are grumblers and malcontents. And we are worthy of the judgement that you are bringing to the world. Father, open the eyes of Your Church to those sins we commit. Help us confess them and turn away from them. Help us to be more like Noah, a righteous man willing to stand firm in obedience to You even when all those around us are doing such evil things. Father, for those who refuse to obey You, for those who hurt and oppress Your people, for those who lie and cheat to get their own selfish ways, for those who teach others to despise authority and follow their evil passions, we ask that You would bring them to justice. Let them reap the penalty of their wicked ways. Help us to stay faithful to You and love You more each day so that, like Noah, we may find favor as we walk with You.
Day 5 – More Than Just a Children’s Story
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 7:1 – 8:19
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
We tend to think of Noah and the Ark as a tale for children. “Noah, he built him an arky arky.” “The animals they came two by two.” “The rain came down and the flood came up.” But the reality is more like those videos on Facebook when there is severe flooding somewhere, seeing helpful neighbors working to save someone from drowning in a sinking car. In that moment everyone is frantic. Lives are at stake. The water is moving in so much quicker than one would think. This is the reality of the flood, like a news report: 56 deaths from the floods that resulted in numerous homes and businesses being swept away. Except in this flood, only eight people were saved from drowning. The waters came down and drenched everything. Then in a matter of moments, flash floods started sweeping people and things away. Frantic parents pushed their children up on the rooftops but the water kept rising. Perhaps some were able to cling to floating objects for a day or two; but without provisions, they had no hope of surviving. Could Noah and his family hear the screams of their neighbors? Or did the frightened brays and barks and growls of the animals mercifully mask the sounds of those outside the ark.
No. This is no story for children. It is frightening. It reminds us that God is in control and can bring a well-deserved judgement on us at any time.
Now let the dove come to mind. That dove with the olive branch in it’s mouth has become the symbol of peace in our time. But originally, it was a sign of God’s abating judgement, hope that life will continue. The only way that life may truly continue is through the hope Christians have in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only way we will escape the coming judgement upon His return. That is what Jesus is talking about in the quote from Matthew 24 below. How important it is that we, like Noah, get the word out that judgement is coming, that God requires obedience; but the good news is in return for that obedience we get Him Who is our greatest joy.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, you are a Righteous God who cannot stand to see the sin that is so rampant in our world. But You don’t leave us without a warning. You’ve told us exactly what will happen and exactly what it is we need to do. That, as in the life of Adam, sin brought death. As in the lives of those in the days of Noah, sin put them under punishment. But if we head the warning, You have provided the way of escape. Help me be courageous to tell those who are heading toward death just how they may be saved – that it is only in Jesus, Your Son, that they may be rescued.
Day 6 – The True Meaning of the Rainbow
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 8:20 – 9:29
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
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.
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 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
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.
Day 7 – The Tower of Babel
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 11:1-9
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
Ever wonder why the French speak a different language from the Germans? Or the Japanese from the Koreans? Now we know – Pride. In pride the people of Babel thought to make a name for themselves. People haven’t changed much in four millennia.
And it is interesting to note that the descendants of Noah clustered together for the most part. It took this push of not being able to communicate to spread people throughout the earth. Did families end up speaking the same language? Or did brothers need to learn the other’s language to keep peace in the family?
What questions came to your mind as you read?
Keep working on memorizing and reviewing Genesis 4:7
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Jesus, You alone are worthy of being first in every way. Because You ransomed people from every language, from every nation, from every ethnic group and tribe, the Father has raise You above all to sit on the throne. Thank You for ransoming me. Thank You that I may join in that final multitude and sing “Worthy is the Lamb… For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
Faith Gym 