Welcome to Genesis – Week 2
This week we will add a new verse to the Endurance section. As you memorize the new verse, don’t forget to keep reviewing the first verse.
This week’s verse is from Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
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 Flexibility. With that there will be a Daily Thinking point to help you with your Strength. Each day will end with a prayer to help you in your Cardio training. Enjoy your time with God.
Day 8 – God Calls Abraham
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 11:27-12:20. Watch for signs of Abram’s faith.
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
Today we meet one of the most pivotal men of history: Abraham. Today we will read the beginning of what made him such a great man of faith.
If you look at the chart of life-spans of those from Adam through Abram [Abram, aka Abraham – more on that name change later], you’ll see that Abram’s life overlaps Noah’s. Was it possible that they knew each other? Or that Young Abram had heard Old Noah’s stories about how God called him to build an ark? When God called Abram, did knowing the stories of Noah help him say “yes”?
A thousand years and more later, the New Testament writers called Abraham a man of great faith. And in these chapters, as well as in the next several, we see that when God told Abram to do something, he did it as quickly as possible. But in this chapter, we also see that when God wasn’t giving explicit directions, Abram had a tendency to live in fear. Instead of protecting his wife from men who might have evil intentions toward her, Abram basically gave his wife away to another man. The men of “great faith” in the Old Testament were just as flawed as we are and the Bible does not attempt to hide that. Like Abram, we can be encouraged to stand strong and obey God immediately, even when we keep blowing it.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Father, I want to be a person of faith. I want to be obedient to You. But there are times that I find it difficult to honor Your call. Help me want to honor You. Help me want to obey You. Increase my faith and my courage so that even as Abram went to land he didn’t know, left all his family behind, help me be willing to leave all behind for You.
Day 9 – The Early Warning Signs of Lot’s Choice
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 13:1-13 & Genesis 14:8-16
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
In chapter 11 of Genesis, we read that Lot’s father had died. We also read that Abram’s wife, Sarai, was barren. It’s easy to guess that Abram became as a surrogate father to Lot, even though Lot was probably already an adult by this time. So when Abram gave Lot the choice of which land he would like to settle, it is quite possible that Abram was giving Lot every advantage he could as a father would his child. Little did they know that Lot’s choice would bring grief to him and his family in so many ways through the years. When trouble showed up as a raiding party following a losing battle, Uncle Abram was there to come to the rescue of Lot and his neighbors. Remember, Uncle Abram was likely in his young 80s when he lead the successful attack against those who had already defeated the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, I have some big decisions coming up. Please open my eyes to see where You want me to be. Help me not just see the superficial qualities as Lot did, but help me see the true nature of my choices.
Day 10 – Moving Ahead of God
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 16
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
God’s time is not our time, and God’s ways are not our ways. Abram was almost 100 and Sarai almost 90 (and quite barren). It was then that God said that they would have a son through whom would come innumerable descendants.
Okay. They believed God, they just didn’t see how that was going to happen. How does a woman in her 90s, infertile all this time, have a child? Sarai got thinking along these lines: “If I can’t have a child, perhaps I can have one through my servant. She’s young. She should be able to have a baby. Abram can be with her just long enough to get her pregnant.” Only problem with that, two women make for a “crowded” home and jealous rivalries become almost guaranteed.
Little did Sarai know that the sin of her impatience would set the world up for some spectacular clashes between her descendants and the descendants of Hagar. The conflict between Israel and the Arab nations is a direct result of Sarai’s sin. While she didn’t live to see this result, she did live to see the tensions created in her own home that would eventually lead to Hagar and Ishmael being sent away. Abram doesn’t get off the hook either. If he had been strong and encouraged Sarai to have faith that God would do what He covenanted to do, her house may have been much more peaceful. But like his father Adam, Abram silently went along with his wife into sin.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Father, forgive us when we try to make Your promises happen before Your chosen time. Forgive us for not waiting patiently. As Sarai learned, impatience puts our lives into tension and conflict that we could have avoided by waiting for Your perfect timing. Help me wait for You. Help me trust You.
Day 11 – Covenant
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 17
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
Here is where Abram (meaning Exalted Father) becomes Abraham (Father of a Multitude) and Sarai becomes Sarah (both mean Princess, but might have a slightly different slant). Like circumcision was to be an outward sign of his covenant with God, so the change of names was to reflect God’s promise of uncountable descendants.
Pay special attention to the terms of the covenant God makes with Abraham. God’s part is in verses 1-8, Abraham’s in verses 9-14. [If you want to know more about covenants that God made, you can check out the article here.]
Circumcision is a difficult thing to ask of any man, let alone a 99-year-old man. But did you see that Abraham carried this out the very day he was told. And his men went along with him. Not a word of any man balking or questioning. That likely shows great faith on their part as well.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, I think You are asking me to ___________________. I want to trust You and to obey You. Right now, this seems impossible. I find myself shaking my head at this. I don’t see how I can do this – how this is going to work – how You are going to make that happen. Help me trust You. Father, even Abraham laughed at the thought of having a son at the age of 100, and yet he is known as a man of great faith. Show me what to do and help me obey You even when I don’t have the faith to back up my actions…
Day 12 – Abandoned Hopes Restored
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 18:1-15 & 21:1-7
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
Sarah had passed that point long ago. She was 90 and well into menopause. Even before menopause set in she had not been able to have a child. That was hard. All those years being married to Abraham. Waiting, hoping, waiting, hoping, waiting, waiting, waiting, hope fading. Even calling him his new name, Abraham, “The Father of a Multitude” must have been hard for her. And when her servant had a son with no problem, that must also have eaten at her faith. No, she had long passed the point of being able to hope for a child of her own.
And now, what is this God is telling Abraham? She overheard “This time next year, Sarah will have a son.” Right, now that I’m old and worn out. A laugh, likely a heart-broken laugh, escaped from her. Even so, they both dared to believe that with God nothing is impossible.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Dear Father, like Sarah, I’ve been waiting for ______________ for a long time. There are times I can believe that You will answer this prayer so close to my heart. But I must confess, there are times that I find it hard to hope You will still answer – or, that Your answer isn’t “no.” And I know it may be “no.” Help me to trust that You know best what should be and should not be. But help me also be like Sarah in that I believe it when You say nothing is impossible for You. Help me continue to believe this truth. Help me to know this.
Day 13 – Sodom and Gomorrah
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
Let’s do things a little different today.
Remember that story a few chapters earlier where Lot made the choice to live in the region of Sodom because he saw the land was good for grazing? That choice lead into Lot and his family and possessions being taken captive. Fortunately, 80-something-year-old Abraham rode off like Indiana Jones, full of courage, smarts, and quick moves. He saved Lot and so many others from the marauders who had conquered and captured them.
Many years later, Lot has now moved his family into the city. Only now the corruption of Sodom had reached its full depth of depravity and, once again, threatened the safety of Lot and his family. And, once again, Abraham once again came to the support of Lot and his family and any other righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
As you read Genesis 19, read it using your imagination. Imagine that there you are, like Lot, in the midst of evil, murder, and depravity but there is nothing you can do to change things. Suddenly two angels show up and tell you to leave, to flee to safety. Would you go immediately? Would you be like Lot and need to be dragged out by the hand? Would you be like Lot’s wife and look back at all the things you love in that wicked city of yours?
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 19
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill Your covenant and keep Your promises of unfailing love to those who love You and obey Your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against You and scorned Your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants, who spoke on Your authority to our leaders and to all the people of the land. Lord, You are in the right; but as You see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us because we have sinned against you. Because of this, You have brought on us the disaster we earned. O Lord our God, You are right to do all of these things, for we did not obey You. But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.”
Day 14 – The Sacrifice of Isaac
PART 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Read Genesis 1
PART 2 – Strength Training – Thinking & Memorizing
There are many short stories written about Abraham sacrificing Isaac. In at least one of them, Isaac was portrayed as a young man who did not want to be sacrificed, didn’t want to die, so he ran around the camp site trying allude capture by his 100+ year old father, who was depicted as weak and feeble. In contrast, this is how the Bible says it went. Isaac was old enough and strong enough that Abraham put the wood for the burnt offering on his back instead of taking it himself. Abraham was still quite spry, as is evident by the fact that he and his son climbed the mountain on foot (the donkeys were left with the servants). This is the Abraham who was able to bind his son and pick him up and put him on the altar. Both men were strong and a confrontation between them could have been lengthy. But again, the Bible does not speak of a struggle.
Abraham had lived at least a half-century of obedience to the True God. And in all of Isaac’s life, he had witnessed and been trained by his father and mother to honor God and obey quickly and completely.
With what in your life would God test you? What person or possession or identity are you so bound up with that you would have a hard time giving up if God asked you to give it to Him? Abraham knew that anything valued more than God meant idolatry. If Isaac had become an idol to him, Abraham quickly realized it and chose to value God more. As we’ll see in the New Testament verses below, this was the greatest demonstration of Abraham’s faith.
PART 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Father, open my eyes and show me those good things that I have placed above You in importance in my life. Help me give them to You, even as Abraham gave Isaac to You. Help me love You more. Help me grow in faith and obedience. I confess that ______________ is a central part of my life. There are times that _____________ becomes more important to me than You are. Move the focus of my life from __________ to You.
Faith Gym 