Thursday, January 1, 2009

january 3rd...

Genesis 6-9, 11:1-9


Ever since choice entered the picture and Satan set out to confuse the decisions placed before us, it seems that this theme has repeated itself over and over throughout scripture. “The earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence”, BUT someone “found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” And, in every instance, God has overcome Satan by entrusting the future of His people in the hands of one who was righteous. One who walked with Him.


In Genesis 6:6 we are told that God “grieved that He had made man” and that His heart was “filled with pain”. Mankind was so distorted from its original design, His image, that it made the Creator sad. Do we grieve Him today? Does He regret creating us?


We are told that Noah found favor in God’s eyes. It says that he was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and that he walked with God. We are also told that he did all things that the LORD commanded him to do. Every generation relies on those who are righteous, who walk with God, to continue God’s work on earth. As Christians, this is our call.


What does it mean to be righteous? How can we be blameless among the people of our time? Do we walk with God? What has He commanded us to do? Do we do it?


Today, let’s focus on our goal: to become more like His image each day and to find favor in the eyes of the LORD in a corrupt world.


think about it:

what is too outrageous for you to follow?

i heard someone pray one time:  "Lord, don't let us make fools of ourselves?"  but, isn't that what God asks us to do?  to make it obvious that we are following a power that does not make sense to this world?

how purposeful does God want families to be when it comes to passing down their faith and telling the next generation what God has done in their lives?  look what happened after the flood... it didn't take long to forget.  even then, the next generation didn't need religion, they needed to hear how God was real, and His ways lead to fulness of life... any other way leads to destruction.

would you be asked to build an ark?  do you think God would trust that you'd follow?  would God see you as different than the world just by witnessing your day to day life?  thank God for grace... but take a look at yourself in a spiritual mirror... what does God see?  a committed follower, or a comfortable church goer?

1 comment:

  1. I think that to be righteous means to strive to follow the Lord's commandments and to believe in Him every hour of the day. God gave us a choice, and we have to chose right and hold to it.

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