I have been thinking about what the new year is going to bring.  For us here at Vida Nueva, I think that 2009 will bring great possibilities.  As with all possibilities it will bring with it significant challenges.  The greater the possibilities the greater the challenge; right?  This year we may have the opportunities to start several ministry initiatives here in Parras.  Possibly even expanding the Children’s home with an additional multi-purpose room, and maybe even a separate property for future growth.  What will be the challenge?  The challenge will be to continue to expand our support base, to work towards providing the funding for the various projects and for the expanded facilities and staff.  In today’s economic world, only God’s leading will make that possible.

Today we inaugurate a new US President.  This time it is historic as we have our first black President in Barak Obama.  President Obama has promised many things, many things that will ensure the continued decline of the American family, and the wasting away of the foundation of the USA.  Simply put a constitution based on high moral ideals will only stand while the people who support that constitution also support those ideals.  Today we find ourselves in a position where our founding ideals no longer represent the people that benefit from them.  Our new President, was the perfect candidate to represent our country, because he is a true representative of the majority of our people. 

I believe that election and inauguration of President Barak Obama that the US has now truly entered what has been called, Post-Christian.  Does this change the mission of the church?  Should this impact the way church’s operate?  I would have to say a huge yes and a huge no. 

On the yes side of things, the Christian Church* of America, needs to understand that building Christian empires is not the task at hand.  Having huge buildings, comfortable seats, gymnasiums are not the primary mission if anything they are supposed to be tools to aid that mission.  The American Church is as material minded as the common American.  Being as such the American Christian though they go to church, though they serve occasionally in Children’s ministry, though they give a little in the offering, they are more American than they are Christian. 

Pastor’s yeah we are exactly the same, in fact, we are worse.   We are told that because we are leaders we will be held accountable for all that we lead and teach.  Pastor’s who are immersed in this culture and cannot see Jesus through it, lead their people away from Him. 

Matt 25 talks about whether or not you care for the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the prisoner… it says that those who did those things were welcomed into the Kingdom of God.  Unfortunately He continued and said that those who did not do those things were turned away from the Kingdom.  Luke 6:27-36 talks of loving your enemies, doing good to those who hate you; turning the other cheek; giving your shirt and your coat to; giving to anyone who asks, without demanding repayment; then finishes in vs 35 with “then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  How many Pastor’s are preaching this word, yet are not doing this in their lives or in the ministries that they lead. 

The no is very simple that we the Body of Christ; the international grouping of Christ followers; were given a commission to share the gospel with all nations, tribes, and peoples.  We know that God will have a representation of every people group before His throne in Heaven (Rev 7).  So the mission remains unchanged.  The global church needs to rise up and push hard to train and send out ministers of the gospel to neediest places on earth.   You do not have to look far…

The hungry, the thirsty, the brokenhearted, the sick, the prisoner, the orphan & widow, those with no access to God’s Word, the poor, the neglected, the prostitute, the slave, the nations.   This is our mission!

Make 2009 a year where you allow Jesus to make you first a Christian, and being such, make you a better American. 

-Chad

*By Christian I mean all churches and denominations that believe the primary basics of Christianity

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We heated our house with a wood stove, and we cut wood on our property and the neighbors allowed us to cut on theirs as well.  So we were always warm.  Hauling water was difficult.  You see we lived in the country in Rural Northwest Arkansas.  The closest town was called Omaha and had a population of 391 (yes I mean Omaha, AR). 

This period lasted for 2-3 years.  Different friends would help us by letting us borrow a generator for a time, sometimes people would give my dad money, and some friends would even give us food.  We were blessed to have many friends who could cared about us.  There was one Thanksgiving during this time when we had very little, and in the end we felt so richly blessed. 

I think I was in 7th or 8th Grade.  Dad was slightly depressed because we had no money with the holidays approaching.  We all tried to be positive and say things like gifts, feasts, and such were not what was important, we would be together and that is what mattered…  I remember a few days before Thanksgiving Day, dad shared with the whole family that we did not have money for a Turkey and a big feast on Thanksgiving Day.  Also we did not have the money to drive to Texas to celebrate with other family like we did often at Thanksgiving. 

Dad said we should pray that God would provide for our Thanksgiving Day, but we all knew that it was going to be a little different than normal.  So we prayed. 

The next day we noticed that there was a lot of heavy truck traffic on the dirt road that bordered our property.  Later that afternoon we were completely surprised when two very large white Turkeys wandered into our yard.  What had happened was that several miles down that dirt road were several Turkey Farmers.  They had huge Turkey and Chicken houses for the Tyson’s food company.  The Turkeys had matured and were being transported by the thousand past our house to the processing plant.  One of the doors on one cage on one truck had popped open and two Turkey’s had escaped. 

Those Turkey’s had gone up the hill, through our woods, and into our front yard a few days before Thanksgiving.  We were blown away.  We prayed for God’s provision for Thanksgiving and he provided for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

I know that for many of us it is always hard to trust that God knows our needs and is willing to meet those needs.  I know that it does not always work out the way that we want it to, but this Thanksgiving think about all of the things that you have that you don’t need, and Praise God for his provision. 

Living in Mexico really gives us different perspective on what we “need” and what we want.  You would be surprised to know that you don’t need all of the things in your life.  If your life suddenly changed and you didn’t have your large TV, your soft Couch, your down comforters, your huge refrigerators, your late model cars, and the many other things like; Xbox’s, laptop’s, ipods, closets full of clothes you never wear…  you would realize that you don’t need those things to live.  Sure they make life easier, most of the time, but you don’t “need” them. 

This Thanksgiving give to someone in need.  This holiday season take some time to find ways to make this season special to someone who you know is having a difficult time, who knows maybe you will be the answer to their prayers.  God Bless!

Chad

I want to continue sharing about Abram.  Last time I posted I shared about the 3 fold promise of God to Abram.  Today I want to talk about God’s promise and what it required of Abram and what it required of God. 

Often in Scripture you find God’s promise of blessing attached to an if then statement.  Take 2 Chronicles 7:14 for example, “IF my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  Notice the requirements:

IF my people:  Humble themselves, pray, seek my face, turn from wickedness.

THEN I will: hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

The promise to Abram does not have this if/then qualifications.  God tells him to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household and go to the land I will show you (Gen 12:1).  Then God says, “I will 6 different times.  God does not if you leave then I will… he says, “GO” then he says I will.  The promise is not contingent on the actions of Abram.  The promise is solely contingent on the promise of God.  

So as long as God is faithful this promise WILL come to pass.   Now consider this Galatians 3:6-9, “Consider Abraham: “he believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.  The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”  Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”  He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” 

The fact that Abram received God’s blessing so that he, Abraham, could be a blessing to all nations.   Applies directly to all who would call himself a person of true faith. 

The ultimate fulfillment of God’s three fold promise to Abraham is the life and person of Jesus Christ.  He was a literal descendant of Abraham.  He was the primary BLESSING that this section of Gen talks about, and he is the hope given to the Gentiles for the giving of that hope to others. 

The key thing to understand, is that God’s heart for the entire world did not start when Jesus gave the Great Commission.  From the moment of Creation, God desired that all of His creations be in relationship with Him, the creator.   From the moment sin entered the world, God set about a plan that would redeem for himself a representation of all peoples in the world.  As he cursed man, he says, that the seed of man will crush the serpent’s head, once again a bold prophetic word about the life of Jesus Christ. 

How have you used the blessing(s) that God has given you?  Have you been a blessing to others?  In one sense this applies financially, but the more fundamental focus is, “have you used the knowledge and hope of Jesus Christ, and given that hope to others?” 

-Chad

Check out Gen 11:31

Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Caldeans to go to Canaan.  But when they came to Haran, they settled there.

It seems likely to me that God spoke to Abram’s father first.  He was the one that uprooted his family and moved them away from their home.  Abram was living in a foreign country when God spoke to him.  Sure he may had been there for a while, but Abram was accustomed to two things.  1.  He knew that when God spoke to you, that you were bound to obey.  2.  He was able to move his family on and complete the purpose that God gave him, and the purpose that his father had when he first moved his family. 

Gen 12:1-3

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.  “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;  I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

John Stott said in his article “You Can Tell the World”, that, “these are perhaps the most unifying verses in the Bible; the whole of God’s purpose is encapsulated here.”

Here is why!  God who created the universe, then the earth, then mankind, saw fit to choose a family that would impact all of the generations to come in the history of the world.  God makes several promises and similar to the Noahaic Covenant, he does not require much of Abram.  Here is the requirement, “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”  We already talked above about how he had already left his country, and his people, all that was left was to leave his father’s household.  He did have to demonstrate the faith to uproot yet again and go. 

Now lets look at God’s promises.  I see three of them.  1.  I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.  2.  I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.  3.   I will bless those who bless you and curse whoever curses you and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 

First God promises to make Abram’s descendents into a great nation.  This is obviously fulfilled in the nation of Israel.  Only 3 Generations past Abram we have the beginning of the Israelites.  Abram’s son Isaac had a son named Jacob who had 12 sons who became the father’s of the 12 tribes of Israel.  (there is more to this one, but we will revisit it later)

Second, God promises to make Abram’s name great and that he would BE a blessing.  This is fulfilled as well, in that Abram was quite famous in his own day, but he is still famous now.   This occurred immediately and over many generations. 

Third, the promise that through Abram all people’s on earth would be blessed.  This is the main thing.  This shows God’s intention.  It was not only to choose a family that he could bless, and lavish upon.  The blessing that God has promised Abram here is given so that it can be a blessing to the whole world.  

The phrase made famous by the Perspectives Class is, “blessed to be a blessing”.  God chose to bless Abram so that all peoples on earth would be blessed. 

-Chad

If you skip on down to vs 7 God says again, “As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”  Do you think this commission was important to God?  Why does he repeat this over and over. 

Then in Vs 8 the actual covenant, “Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you–the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you–every living creature on earth.  I establish my covenant with you; Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”  Then God shows them the rainbow and says that is the reminder of His covenant with all living things. 

Why is this covenant important.  I mean sure it promises that God will not destroy the earth by a flood again.  I want you to notice one thing here.  This covenant between God and man and all living things, what was the role that the living things had to do?  What requirements did God make of them so that he would not flood the earth again?  If you are looking at the passage to see where he says, if you do… then I will never flood the earth, you will be surprised that in this passage and this covenant God puts all responsibility on himself.  He puts no requirements on the living things to prevent future floods. 

In the verses following this huge event in Noah’s life we find him in a slightly different scenario.  In chapter 9:18-29 Noah, the same guy who God looked at as the one righteous one left on earth.  Planted a vinyard, got drunk, got naked, and got angry.  Strange for the mighty man of God is it not. 

Why did God choose a guy like Noah.  Well we know that he was stubborn, the whole world told him he was crazy for building the Ark.  We know he was faithful to God, check out Gen 6:9.  We know that he worked hard; I mean to build a boat like the Ark with the tools available in that time period was an extremely long and laborious process.  But it appears that he also had blind spots, holes in that righteousness.   Do you ever wonder if God’s choices in the people that he chooses to do his work, has more to do with His work and His mission than the person’s ability represent him well?  With the exception of Jesus Christ.  There is not a human alive or has ever lived that could not be considered a disappointment and a failure.  None of us can live up to the standard of perfection that is the character of God himself.   There is a book called “Messy Spirituality” by Michael Yakonelli, I definitely recommend on this topic.  It is a great way to spend a few hours. 

Finally Chapter 11, you have the tower of babel.  This is a very important event in History that has significant bearing on our world today.  Mankind gathered together and decided that they were going to build a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that they could make a name for themselves and not be scattered across the face of the earth.  Remember what God told both Adam and Noah, to increase upon the earth, to subdue and fill the earth.  This desire that mankind was pursuing was in direct opposition to what God had commanded. 

So God confused their languages, and you have the beginning of different tribes, languages, nations.  And the people were scattered over the face of the whole earth.  Look at 11:6-7, “The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so that they will not understand each other.”

We are closer today to universal communication than any other time since that event.  All over the world the urbanization of people is a huge problem.  We have the ever-increasing mega-cities in the world some as large as 40-50 million people.  We have a knowledge base that grows every day, that has given us inventions like plastic, nuclear power, Atom Bombs, Space Ships, and millions of other brilliant things with both good applications and bad applications.  We are quickly approaching a time when language will no longer be the biggest barrier to global unity. 

What are the repercussions?  I have no idea.  I hope a cure for cancer; I hope a answer for global hunger; I hope solutions for many of the worlds worst problems.  But knowing the human condition, I expect that it will yield great things on one hand, and the worst things ever created on the other. 

The only hope that the world has is based in self-less people willing to spend themselves on behalf of those in need.  The world doesn’t need Christian’s who babble on television about their piety and humility.  We need God to raise up an army of self-less leaders, a generation of servant hearts that are willing to suffer, to give it all, to go the distance, to count the cost, to build the bridges of culture and be willing to live as Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”  Luke 9:23-25

I hope that you have enjoyed my rambling.  Let me know if you have any thoughts you would like to share. By the way through Gen 11 I have counted the world “earth” 53 times, and started in chapter 11 the word “nations” showed up 3 times.  I will start totaling that as well. 

Chad

I wonder how often in our lives, when we are met with failure, we decide that we are no longer able to pursue the things that God has for us.  Over and over in scripture we find that failure is treated more like an obstacle than a mission ending barrier. 

For the next several chapters in Gen, you get a lot of genealogies, ages, births, and some very strange items.  You have the first murder, Cain killing Abel, because of jealousy. (Gen 4:8)  One strange thing is that Enoch lived 365 years before he was taken, he never died (Gen 5:21).  You have the “sons of God” desiring human woman and bearing children.  These children are referred to as the “heroes of old, men of renown? (Gen 6:4-5).   You have passages that seem to indicate that God walked among men in these days. 

That brings us up to another huge event in world history.  The Flood.  Anthropological evidence has been found worldwide supporting the fact that at one time the entire earth was covered with water.  The bible records this world wide cataclysm as the punishment of God on the people of earth.  Gen 6:5-6 says, “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he has made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”

That is a pretty rough verse.  It makes me wonder just how bad it was… you see later in Gen when Lot is living in Sodom and Gomorrah that things were pretty bad there.  I wonder how it compares to the state of the world today.  We have a great deal to be thankful for.  Yes we have some very bad practices present in our culture today,abortions among the worst,  but it has not reached the point of depravity that it has at other times in our history. 

Mankind was in bad shape at the time of the flood.  It would do us well to take notice and learn from the mistakes that they made.  One great comfort at this time is that there remain millions faithful to the God’s word.  Millions seek the truth and find that Jesus is the answer that they seek.  As evil grows and darkness deepens in many places in the world, the light is growing stronger and is shining into areas that have never seen the light before.  We have hope, not for a problem free existence, not for a stronger economy, or even for a Christian USA again. 

Our hope is in Christ alone.  The hope of glory. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:1-2)

Chad

Gen 3 is either the saddest or second saddest narrative in scripture.  I think one could make the argument that the Gospel’s narrative of the crucifixion and death of Christ could be one, but if you consider that His death would not have been needed had Mankind chosen obedience, then I think you could say that the Gen 3 chapter is the worst narrative in Scripture. 

Lets see how this initial sin worked out… I’ll paraphrase.

Chapter 3 (my commentary in italics)

The serpent leads Eve with a question, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” so Eve to set him straight says, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and  you must not touch it, or you will die.” So far so good, the serpent asks a leading question, and Eve sets him straight with clear information that is resolute. 

1st sin - The serpent replied, “you will not surely die,” “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.  I am not sure about you, but the sole knowledge of Good would be nice.  As the saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss.”

1st human sin - The woman listened to the snake.  She saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye so she took it and ate.  Then she gave some to her husband who was there with her, and he ate it.  So hold on a second, Adam was there?  I heard so many people talk about how original sin started with Eve…  Adam was there with Eve and did nothing!  Now sure Eve made a decision, but Adam was a part of that decision.  The fall of man rest’s squarely on the shoulders of all mankind, both men and women. 

I would like to take a minute to ask a question?  What was the first sin?  Was it when Eve touched the fruit from the tree, because remember God told them not to touch it and not to eat it?  Or was it when  she decided that she was going to touch it?  For Adam was it when he took it from his wife, or when he listened to the serpent and considered the serpent’s words as truth.   You see I think the first sin was in their hearts when the decided that the God that created them had lied to them.  They decided that the serpent was right and God was trying to keep them from something even better.  In that initial deed of eating the fruit, we see many evil traits.  Greed -wanting to be like God, even though they had all they needed and lived in paradise.  Selfishness - they put their own desires in front of what they knew was right. 

Upon turning from God, they were immediately overwhelmed with the realization of their own sin.  They realized they were naked, they were ashamed, the hid from God, Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent, and God’s good creation began to die, literally.  

God punishes the serpent by making him crawl on his belly (apparently before the fall, snakes walked or looked a little differently) in his curse of the serpent there is a line that already gives hope that things will not always be this bad… vs 15 “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.”

There embedded in God’s first words after learning of mankind’s disobedience, is the first promise of hope, of a deliverer that will crush the head of the serpent.  Then he curses the woman with pain in childbirth, and curses the man with having to work for the food that he receives.  They both are told that they would return to the ground from which they had come, and then he removes them from the Garden. 

This, the saddest of all human narratives tells us the story of how pain, sickness, death, hate, and all forms of evil entered our world.  There are many elements to this chapter that are interesting and could be discussed at length. 

The point I wanted to make is that pain and sorrow present in our lives today are a direct result of our own disobedience.  We share in the choice that Adam and Eve made, we daily make the same choice, or will over God’s will.  Yes, today we share in a great deal of pain that is not a result of our own personal sin, but it is not God we should blame, or even evil itself, but ourselves our ancestors, our decisions that bear bad consequences. 

Today the suffering in our world is so widespread, babies are born with deformities because of a nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl.  Children are born with AIDS because of parents unfaithfulness, people needing blood to survive surgeries are at risk of contracting AIDS.  Wars loom in several places in the world and affect many people who did not choose to go to war.  Drunk drivers kill thousands each year, because their own personal pain or addiction drive them to smother it with alcohol.  Each accident ruins many lives, the life of the ones who are injured or killed and the life of the drunk and most likely the driver’s family as well.  Dictators slaughter thousands sometimes millions needlessly.  Civil governments pass laws that allow for legal killing of children before they are born. 

Is God to blame for the sufferings we see and endure?  No, the decisions of mankind are to blame.  Even if they be enticed by demons or Satan himself, they are decisions we make.  That is the one real right that God gives us and protects for us.  We have a right to choose.  We have the ability to choose his way or our way.  We have a choice to live or good or live for evil.  Adam and Eve had that choice, and we have the same one.

Unfortunately we are so consumed with our own needs and pain that often it is impossible for us to choose good.  This is a vary dark picture.  All of us suffer because of the bad choices of others.  I wonder how many suffer because of our bad choices?  

God, seeing that our fall was great, and our need was even greater.  Set into motion a plan that would make it possible for mankind to choose again for itself, and make that choice available all people on this globe.  That plan is still in effect today!

Chad

So moving on to Chapter 2.  It is basically a recap of Chapter 1 told from a different perspective.  Vs 1 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.”

In verses 4-6 the word earth is used 5 times in the quick recap narrative leading up to the creation of man. 

The rest of this chapter focuses on the creation of man, and the threat of death for disobedience, and  the creation of woman.  

What would it have been like to live in that time before the fall.  Before human disobedience disrupted the balance of nature and stated purpose of all of nature.  No sickness, no disease, no disorders, no crime, racism, hate, frustration, no bad days, no rough days, no depression, no death,  only bliss and one rule; don’t eat from that one tree over there.  As we all know the one rule often gets the better of us, and like each of us, Adam and Eve succumbed to the Serpent’s temptation, and the fall of man was the result. 

I wonder how often we think about, or if any of us really understand just how far we fell.  Do you understand what it was exactly that was lost.  Sure all of those things I mentioned above are important, but since we live with those every day in our “normal” fallen lives, we may not think about the bigger picture issue.  At one time the human race lived in community with their creator. 

When I was growing up, my parents were divorced before I could remember.  There was a time when I was very young, when my younger brother, Collins, and I were living with my mother.  My father had moved to Arkansas and we lived in Texas.  We loved our dad very much and missed him a great deal.  We had a step-father, but we did not get along with him well at all.  It made us desire Dad even more.  We loved our mother, but we lived with her, so we missed and desired our Dad. 

One day I a gotten into trouble with my step-dad and I decided I had had enough.  So that I night I convinced Collins that we could pack our things, and the next day after my mother left for work, we could run away to my Great-Grandmother’s (my father’s grandmother) house.  I was convinced that if we made it to my great-grandmother’s house she would take us to our dad.  I had watched the roads and new the route from the house we lived in.  This was the spring of my 2nd grade school year.  So the next morning after mom left for work, we each took two bags packed with every toy we could possibly carry and left for school.  On our way to school, we hid our toys under a small bridge, to be retrieved after school (yeah for some reason I did not consider skipping school). 

After school was out we returned and retrieved our toys and set off for the long journey to my Great-Grandmothers house.  About half way I realized our bags were too heavy so we hid them a second time; this time in some bushes next to the road.  After what seemed like a long time we found the house we were looking for and my great grandmother answered the door.  Looking back that must have been a very surprising moment.  Especially when I gave her my plan, it must have broken her heart for me to ask her for help and her not be able to give me what I wanted. 

A little while later the police arrived and my mother came to pick us up.  She of course was scarred for us and didn’t know where to find us.  When she received the call about where we were she was greatly relieved, though I cannot remember it, I am sure after the initial relief there was also some residual frustration.  I really did not mean to hurt my mother, but I really, really, really, wanted my Dad. 

Later that year, Mom sent us to spend the summer with him.  It was an amazing time for us in AR.  We did not have much money, or really much of anything, but we were where we wanted to be. 

My point is this, my 7 year old desire for my dad, is maybe the closest thing I can think of to describe a moment or a feeling like what could have been felt in Eden.  The anticipation of God walking with us daily, the excitement of what those conversations would have been like, the complete innocence of being enjoyed and enjoying the one that made you. 

Think of the happiest moments of your life, what were they, but more importantly why were they?  Did you feel safe, valued, secure, loved, surprised, excited…?  That is what we fell from.  A life that was perfect with the complete absence of miss-trust, insecurity, competition (for other affection), a never ending question “am I good enough”.   I have only just mentioned the fall, and that is discussed at length in Chapter 3 of Gen. 

If you were wondering how this is important to understanding God’s heart for the world?  This describes God’s intention for all human’s everywhere.  His desire for us is good things, He created us to enjoy him and to be enjoyed by him.  It is important that all of us understand, His desires for us then, and His desires for us now have not changed.  The paradigm in which we exist has changed a great deal, but we will discuss that more later. 

In chapter the Earth is mentioned specifically 6 times bringing us to a total of 13 times in the first two chapters.  Hope this has been thought provoking…

Chad

Gen 1 - Ready, Set, Begin!

The first mention of the whole earth is in the very first sentence of Genesis.  Many are very familiar with this one…”In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)  I know that we are only in the first line, but there is something to be said about this.  The fact that all reality that we know and interact in, was created by God, is truly a magnificent wonder. 

Creation implies that this act of making things that were never made before, requires fore thought, planning, calculating, and obvious action.  Does is please you or scare you to consider that all things made have been thought through. 

I imagine that if you believe you have had a difficult life, then the idea that everything that has happened to you has been thought out, makes God seem cruel, heartless, and mean.  I seems that it would be easier, and many have gone this route, to decide that God does not exist, and all of this is an accident.  It is much easier to believe that nothing is there than to believe that God is cruel, or at best doesn’t care. 

Others of you may have an easier life, in your life you are able to trust people, believe that God is good, and notice the magnificence of God around you.  To think that God has a sense of purpose about this world, brings you a peace that cannot be surpassed.  Thought the storms of life may come, you are not shattered. 

Verses 2-25 - Describe just how God made the earth and all that is in it.  He makes the sun, moon, land, plants, fish, animals… and then in verse 26 he makes something very special. 

“The God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all of the earth, and over all of the creatures that move along the ground.”  (Gen 1:25)

This verse does two things: 1 it states the purpose of man (man and woman) is to rule over all the earth.  Now here the word rule means much more than wielding authority over it.  Yes the authority is there, but there is also a implication of stewarding the resources that God has given us.  Resources such as the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the plants of the land, and the animals and livestock.  2.  It shows that God’s plan did not include hatred, sin, turmoil and death.  These things that ever person on earth deals with were not part of our original missions statement.  It is also the second mention of the earth as a whole.  Lets go on…

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”  (Gen 1:28)

This time God mandates His wishes to the man and the woman (vs. 27).  What is that mandate?  To make babies, increase in number, to fill the earth and subdue it.  This is the third mention of the earth in scripture.  Part of our role as humans is to have children, to fill the earth and bring it under control.  This would be fun study to understand what bringing the earth into submission would look like, minus corruption, sin, greed,… it would look different I am sure than what we might all imagine. 

In verses 29-30, God gives man further instruction and He basically says, everything I have created is yours, take care of the animals, and eat the plants. 

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.   And there was evening and there was morning - the sixth day.”  (Gen 1:31)

After God created all that we see and enjoy in our world today.  He looked at it like a master painter stepping back from the freshly finished canvas and said, “I like it!” actually He said, “It is very good!”

Now to go back to the persons I mentioned above.  If you are that first person and you do not believe in God because it is easier to accept than believing in a God that would allow you to suffer.  He did not intend for you to suffer.  You were not created for the purpose of suffering.  You were created to rule, make babies, and manage this world.  Every human alive was created for this purpose.  You were created to have dignity.  To have happiness and joy, created to be in relationship with your creator (that is getting ahead in the story though).  If nothing else for now, we must realize that God’s design for humankind was and remains “Good”.  It is vastly different that we know today.  The fact that God looks at you, regardless of your mistakes, your failings, your insecurities; He looks at you and because you are His creation, he has already said, “I like you!”.  “You are Good.”

By way of not getting to distracted… Gen 1 mentions the whole earth 3 times and refers to the whole earth when it says, “God saw all that he had made”.  So 4 times a global focus, no focus on lost or needy.

Feel free to let me know what you think, if you disagree, or if you concur.  -  Chad

For many years I was leading worship at least once a week and sometimes up to 4 times a week.  On top of that I was typically speaking at least once a week, sometimes as often as 2-3 times a week.  Since moving to the mission field, I do not lead worship, and due to learning a new language, I do not have opportunities to share very often at all. 

Currently my wife Alise and I are in Seattle and in the last 7 days I am certain that I have spoken more than I have in the last 6 months combined.  Today I met with one of my mentors, Pastor Larry, and he said he would like to read articles like these.  So… even if you are the only person that ever reads this Pastor Larry, here it is.  I will be writing on here at least once a day.  In attempt to share the truths of life in Christianity that I am learning, that I think may be useful for others to hear about. 

I hope that this blog does not offend anyone, but I will seek to stay true to Gospel of Christ.  Feel free to subscribe, comment, and even argue about the things that you see here.  I will be moderating comments, but only to assure that this site is appropriate for all ages of people to read. 

God Bless!

-Chad