Tag: Genesis

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You’re Genesis

“You’re Genesis”

What if this week was your Genesis moment?

“In the beginning God”

Dare we begin another day without God? How deep the darkness, how void our lives would be, how aimless and without purpose our lives would be without his direction. ‘Lord, create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me’ Psalm 52:10. On the first day as you take your first borrowed breath give thanks as the Holy Spirit begins to awaken you to a new dawn… and listen carefully for God to speak. 

And God said: ‘Let there be light’

Thank God for his light, thank God he separated us from the law of sin and death and from self destruction. Thank God for his gift, the gift of his own Son who gave his life a ransom for us all. ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning’ James 1:17 Lord; thank you for your light for it leaves no shadows where sin can hide in me, no place to run to, no area of my life which he cannot enable me to be an over comer by his power. 

And God said…‘Let there be a firmament, a sky, a heaven’

To daily awaken with his voice separating us unto himself, drawing us closer, inviting us into realms of glory, to live in the world still but not to be worldly, and so he separates us unto himself.  ‘But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ 1st Peter 2:9 Lord; what a privilege you have afforded us that we should be called the sons and daughters of God, to view the majesty of a sunrise, the beauty of an evening sky, and to stand admiring your stars which illuminate the night sky. 

And God said… ‘Let the waters be gathered together and let dry land appear’

Note for diary; I will not drown today… Listen; regardless of how dark things might be this morning know this God is still on the throne. 'when you walk through the waters He will be with you and through the rivers they shall not overflow you, Isaiah 43:2in Christ there is safety for he is the rock of your salvation, a shelter from every storm, a strong tower, a place of refuge. Listen no evil shall befall you nor any plagues come near your dwelling place. Thank you Lord for liberty to serve you without fear knowing that around about and underneath are your everlasting arms.

And God said…‘Let the earth bring forth’

News flash; Look up, open your eyes and see the abundance of God, see him so desirous to bring life that he sows it into the earth as soon as the waters were removed. Life here, life there, from the highest mountain top to the lowest valley, Life poured out from the giver of life… life with a capital L. No more fear of dark days and lonely nights. 'Christ in us the hope of glory' the comforter had come and visited our once void and dark lives and brought with him light and life. Lord; let every flower I see today, every tree shout loud enough to remind me; ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’ Galatians 2:20 

        And God said… ‘Let there be Lights in the heaven, the sun by day and the moon by night’

Another diary note; URGENT reminder to brain; it might look dark, things may look gloomy but take a plane journey, get above the clouds and see the truth, there is no darkness day or night! The sun literally shouts out at the top of its voice to those that sit in darkness; ’Fear not for Christ the true light has come into your world.' John 1: 9 The moon whispers to those whose strength is failing; 'he will never leave you nor forsake you, Hebrews 13:5They are a reminder that even when darkness is all around us his face still shines upon us. Lord; never allow me to take your creation for granted again for everything has your fingerprint, all things point to you and reveal the depth of your love for me. 

And God said…‘Let the waters the seas bring forth life in abundance’

Dear diary; emboss this note, write it indelibly on my faithless heart. 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want' Psalm 23:1 Remove far from me the notion that poverty honours God, remind me that he desires to create abundance in every area of my life even those that are hidden from view even as he did with the seas and the skies. Lord; let every bird remind me that I am to soar like an eagle by trusting in your strength and not my own, let the abundance of the seas remind me that 'the wealth of sinner is laid up for the just' Proverbs 13:22 and that ‘wealth and riches shall be in the house of the righteous’ Psalm 112:3

And God said…‘Let us make man’

Gods workmanship, his masterpiece, his finest work, but above all a mirror image of himself, his image, his likeness in human flesh destined to become the  'Light of the world' a city set on the hill that cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14A people so special that he didn't just create us, he made us, fashioned us with his own hands out of the dust of the earth. Important? Yes, of great value? Oh yes indeed, his treasure hidden in earthen vessels. Special? Adam was blessed above all that God had created, so special that when it came to giving him life he breathed into Adam his own breath and life and he became a living soul. Lord; remind us daily as we look in the mirror that we are not some animal to live and die, that we are made in your image and likeness, living souls. A pearl beyond price to you.

‘God rested’ Hebrews 4:4

URGENT MEMO For immediate attention; its okay to rest on Sundays, seriously, it is all right to take a day off, have you not heard that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath? Sometimes we feel guilty about not going to church and end up going because of duty, sound familiar?  

Think on this as you step into this awesome ' God day' there is a rest for the people of God' Hebrews 4:9

Christ is our Sabbath rest, seven days a week. As believers we are called to rest in the Lord 7 days a week whether it be in the work place or in fellowship for we are called to enter into your rest. Called to trust you with every minute of our lives, in every fearful moment, in good times and in bad troubled times.

Lord I invite you to be Lord of my whole life, to be the Genesis of every bright morning, the day star of every dark night. I invite you to be my shield and my fortress against every enemy real or imagined, to be my strength when I am weak, my joy in sorrow, my peace in turmoil, the health of my countenance and my God… Thank you for hearing me always and for answering me according to your promises and thus your will…

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Those Pesky Thorns

Those Pesky Thorns

One Easter morning, several Seasons ago, I was removing the Crown of thorns from the cross outside my house, and the black drape that had displayed the reminder of His death for two days. I then placed the white flower wreath around the head of the cross and draped the arms in white. As I laid the pieces on the ground, I began to wonder whatever happened to Jesus’ actual crown of thorns. I recently saw on the news, during the tragic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, that there was a relic housed there that is said to be that crown of thorns.

Thorns have been with us since the fall of Creation. The Scriptures tell us this in Genesis:

The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

(Genesis 3:17-18 HCSB)

Thorns are a result of the fall of man. My Pastor recently said that they represent sin, and as you study them in the Bible, that sure makes sense. They show up in many ways. In three instances in Scripture, they are used as a metaphor for the people the Israelites did not drive out from the land. God says that these people would be thorns in their eyes and in their sides, and that their false gods would be a trap and snare to them. (Num. 33:55, Joshua 23:13, Judges 2:3) In this instance they are the result of disobedience in following God’s command. In the book of Judges, they are used as an instrument of punishment (Judges 8:4-17). People are said to be entangled in them; they are what overgrows everything when not tended to. They are mentioned often as what is gathered and burned.

Most famously we have the New Testament references of the Crown of thorns Jesus wore, and the thorn in the flesh spoken of by the Apostle Paul.

As I stood there pondering the question of Christ’s Crown of Thorns, God began to weave together for me the picture of each of us carrying a thorn in our flesh from Jesus’ crown.

As Paul spoke of these thorns in the flesh, he said this:

Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

(2 Corinthians 12:7-9 HCSB)

This picture of a thorn from Jesus’ Crown being given to each of us to carry, as a thorn in our flesh, has blessed me many times in my own personal struggles. Paul said the thorn was given to him to keep him from exalting himself. Even so, I believe our thorns keep us from this same snare. The thorn I asked to have removed early in life was social anxiety disorder. Instead of removing it, God is always placing me in situations, where I am used to speak, teach, share, or sing publicly. Each time, I do it afraid, leaning on Him for the ability and stability to bring Him glory. Writing is so much easier because I can hide behind this computer alone, typing away. I pray that the Lord will bless you with that picture as you struggle with your own thorns in the flesh. Picturing it as one of the precious thorns that pierced our Savior’s brow, and is tipped with His blood, may just make it feel more like a privilege than a burden.

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5 Truths about God’s Design for Sex in Marriage

5 Truths about God’s Design for Sex in Marriage

Living in an over-sexualized culture, we hear messages about sex, wrong messages.   These messages become more a part of us than God’s truth because we hear them repetitively and churches are scared to address sexuality.

For too long, I believed the world’s message about sex.   That it’s a superficial, feel-good avenue to self-satisfaction.   Wrong, partly.   God did design sex to feel good!

But, there is more than that.   He designed it for profound spiritual, physical, and emotional connection.   It is just a shadow of things to come.

God’s design of sex is too amazing to keep silent about.

Here are five truths about God’s design of sex in marriage.

God designed sex to be bonding.

Not only spiritually bonding, but emotionally and physically.   When the two become one flesh, biochemicals are released in our bodies like oxytocin and dopamine.   Oxytocin, especially, is a bonding chemical.   When I embraced this truth and started engaging in the marriage bed more, the tone of our marriage completely changed.

“This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh,” Genesis 2:24 (NIV).

God designed sex for both husband and wife to experience pleasure.

It’s an equal opportunity activity.   Why else would there be a clitoris?   It’s only function is for pleasure.   The Song of Solomon is full of beautiful poetic language about the pleasures of physical love for both spouses.

If one spouse struggles with the ultimate moment, there are Christian resources available to help the couple understand how to achieve mutual enjoyment.

“The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved,” Song of Solomon 7:13 (NIV).

God designed sex so that we would know yearning.

Before you were married, you yearned for your fianc.   Not only did you crave your fiance’s touch, you craved his/her presence and knowing him/her better.  Even after years of marriage, it is good to remember this yearning.  It mirrors how God desires us to yearn for him.   I believe this is one reason he frequently uses the marriage as a symbol of his relationship with us throughout the Bible.

“Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” James 4:5 (NIV).

God designed the marriage bed to be a place to show the fruit of the Spirit.

Peace, patience, love, joy, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control are the foundation of all Christian life, especially the marriage bed.   All conflict surrounding the marriage bed can be managed through employing these key traits.

My own marriage endured a long season of mismatched sex drives.   It was through these qualities and some wise communication tools that we overcame our conflict.

God designed sex as a powerful mystery.

Biblical stories of sex often confused me when I was young.   There was some nasty stuff in the old testament, the rape of Dinah, Lot and his daughters, the men of Gibeah  clammering for the male visitor, Leviticus 20.   And yet, there is the beautiful Song of Solomon.   The New Testament seemed to prefer celibacy, to be honest.   As a teenager, I couldn’t understand why I liked thinking about sex if it was disgraceful and violent.

But, as an adult, I realized the stories were teaching me that sexual intimacy is powerful and mysterious.   It’s OK not to have it all figured out, as long as you respect the power it holds to do good when it is aligned with God’s perfect design.

“For my thoughts  are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the  Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways  and my thoughts than your thoughts,” Isaiah 55:8-9.

Final Thoughts

Don’t let the world’s message of cheap sex destroy the meaningful sex in your marriage.   Sex may only be a small portion of the whole of your marriage.   However, sex matters.   It especially matters if one spouse is more interested than the other.   When we ignore its power and importance in marriage, the relationship suffers.

Now, granted chronic health issues can affect sexual function and that’s a more complicated story.

 

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Championing Women Is about Restoration, Not Progression

Championing women is about restoration, not progression

“If there ever comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has never known.”  – Matthew Arnold, poet and cultural critic, 1822-1888.

Growing up, I loved strong female characters. As a child bookworm, I started with the adventures of Lucy Pevensie from C.S. Lewis’  The Chronicles of Narnia, then graduated to some of the classics. I loved the wit of Elizabeth Bennet, the integrity of Jane Eyre and the willpower of Scarlett O’Hara – to name a few recognisable examples.

I confess that as a twenty-something, my love of strong fictional heroines hasn’t waned in the slightest. My inner child was ridiculously excited about the  Wonder Woman  movie last year.

Appreciating strong fictional characters is fairly universal, and we only need to count all the superhero movies over the past few decades to note that humanity has an intrinsic love of heroism.

Last week marked International Women’s Day and whilst I have numerous concerns about feminism, IWD is still an opportunity to honour women, and to talk about some of the issues it seeks to raise.

On International Women’s Day I found myself listening to church leaders as they spoke about God’s heart for women. Amongst all the wonderful insight they shared with the group was this fundamental reminder: There is a war against women, and it’s a spiritual one, going right back to the enemy’s temptation of Eve in Genesis. After the Fall, the Lord told Satan, “And  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”  (Genesis 3:15).

Lisa Bevere writes in her book  Girls with Swords:  “Enmity is deep-rooted hatred and irreconcilable hostility. This describes a breach so profound that with each passing generation, Satan’s hostility and hatred deepens as he runs out of time and the urgency increases. Never has his attack against women and children been more wicked, obvious, and widespread.”

A mere glance at the list of evils facing women today around the world – human trafficking, pornography, abuse, gendercide, FGM, oppressive religious systems – will demonstrate that the enemy certainly has a vendetta against women. This doesn’t excuse humanity’s part to play – those who have oppressed, silenced, exploited and demeaned women. But at its root, this is a battle that goes much deeper, and man is not the enemy.

We are not called to partake in the ‘progressive’ movement, which is only driving divisions between men and women deeper still. We are not merely to condemn or mock the culture either. Both of these tactics are worldly and destructive.

The good news is that the cross redeems us from the curse of the Fall. As Christ’s Kingdom ambassadors, we are called to redeem and restore what has been tarnished and destroyed. Our mandate is to co-labour with God in restoring all things to His original design. To the one who thinks like the world, this seems counter-intuitive, backwards or regressive. To the one who is kingdom-minded, it is true progress.

Some of the injustices that need addressing are obvious and have already been mentioned. Others are more subtle and start ‘closer to home’.

Much has been said of how men should treat women – and rightly so. But less is said about the power women already have to instigate change in whatever sphere of influence they are in. I think the popularity of the fictional females I loved growing up is largely down to how they responded to adversity, not how they felt about it.

Whether or not you feel as though you’ve had to fight for your place, it doesn’t define your worth. In the Kingdom of God, you already have a place at the table, and there’s more than enough for everyone. Knowing this gives us permission to celebrate ourselves and one another. There’s no need for insecurity when God says you are enough; no need for jealousy and comparison when God has enough for you.

So let’s lift other women up, amplifying one another’s voices instead of muting them. Romans 12:10 (ESV) says ‘Outdo one another in showing honour’ – if we’re going to compete with one another in anything, let it be in this.

Much of the answer to winning the war on women lies in becoming less ‘me-centred’  (my  rights,  my  convenience,  my  choice,  my  happiness), and more other-centered. To do the right thing when it’s hard, inconvenient and costs something. That’s not what we’d prefer to hear. We want easy fixes, comfort and ease. But that’s not the gospel. That’s not the way of the cross.

Bevere continues in Girls With Swords:  ‘Heroes tend to champion causes rather than themselves. Being motivated by something outside themselves drives them to risk being more daring, compassionate, willing, responsible, and courageous.’

Movies that depict true heroism are popular for a reason.  Wonder Woman was by no means perfect, but I think it  resonated with so many because it appealed to something in us that aspires to these key traits of courage and selflessness. The movie celebrated men and women working together – Wonder Woman respected, befriended and loved men, even as she raised her voice in objection to the injustices and cynicism she encountered. Wonder Woman wasn’t screaming ‘down with the patriarchy’. She championed everyone around her whether or not they ‘deserved’ it.

Wonder Woman  also seemed to kickstart a trend of displaying the power of female unity through its depiction of the Amazons, who reappeared in  Justice League. It’s nice to see this trend continue in  Black Panther  with the Dora Milaje warriors – both ‘armies’ defend not only themselves but  mankind. I love it when filmmakers unintentionally convey the heart of God and I hope to see more of this in future.

But more importantly, I hope that we move beyond the fantasy of film and work towards making these values manifest.

If you gain nothing else from this post, remember this: Change starts with you.

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11 Valuable Lessons We Learned from Noah’s Ark

Prayer for the End of The School Year

Everything I needed to know about life, I learned from Noah’s Ark (Author Unknown)

  1. Don’t miss the boat.
  2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
  3. Plan ahead, it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
  4. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
  5. Don’t listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done.
  6. Build your future on high ground.
  7. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
  8. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
  9. When you’re stressed, float a while.
  10. Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic, by professionals.
  11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

Now wasn’t that nice? Pass it along and make someone else smile too.

Noah’s Ark (Hebrew: תיבת נ×–’Ž’Ž; Biblical Hebrew: Tevat Noaḥ) is the vessel in the Genesis flood narrative (Genesis chapters 6–9) by which God spares Noah, his family, and a remnant of all the world’s animals from a world-engulfing flood.  In Genesis the first book of the bible, God gave Noah instructions for building the ark. Seven days before the flood, God told Noah to enter the ark with his household and the animals. The story goes on to describe the ark being afloat for 150 days and then coming to rest on the Mountains of Ararat and the subsequent receding of the waters.  The story is repeated, with variations, in the Quran, where the ark appears as Safina NÃ…«Ã¡¸¥ (Arabic: سفÙŠÙ” Ã˜© Ù” Ã™Ë†Ã˜­’Ž’Ž “Noah’s boat”). The Genesis flood narrative is similar to numerous other flood myths from a variety of cultures.

 

 

 

 

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