August 20, 2012 by memullin
As we mentioned in the last post, the book of Genesis, is a book of origins or beginnings. We found many origins or “firsts” in Chapter 1, but there are more to be found in Chapter 2:
Verse 7 – First record of rest
Verse 8 – First garden
Verse 9 – First record of Tree of Life and Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
Verse 10 – First record of a river
Verse 11 – First record of a job (Adam was to tend and keep the garden)
Verse 16 – First record of God giving a command to Adam.
Verse 20 – Origin of the names of animals
Verse 21 – First surgery
Verse 22 – First woman
Verse 23 – First words of Adam
Verse 24 – First Marriage
Verse 25 – First husband and wife to wear matching outfits
If I missed one, post a comment and let me know.
Posted in Bible, Genesis, God, Old Testament | Tagged First Marriage, Genesis 2, Old Testament, Origins in Bible, Origins in Genesis |
August 19, 2012 by memullin
It is not surprising that a book entitled “Genesis” , which means origins or beginnings, has within it, many important “firsts.” For example, in verse 3 we have the origin of light. In verse 5, we have the first morning and the first day. In verse 6, we have the first atmosphere (firmament). In verse 9, we have the first appearance of dry land. In verse 10, we have the first seas. In verse 11, we have the first grass, the first herb that yields seed, and the first fruit trees. In verse 14, we have the origin of the stars and seasons. In verse 16, we have the origin of the sun and the moon. In verse 20, we have the first sea creatures and the first birds. In verse 22, we have the first blessing recorded. In verse 24, we have the first land creatures. In verse 27, we have the origin of man.
Those are all I saw. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know if I missed any.
Posted in Bible, Genesis, Old Testament | Tagged firsts in the Bible, Genesis 1, God, Origin of Man, Origins in the Bible |
August 10, 2012 by memullin
C.S. Lewis on the subject of the return of Christ:
When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is gong to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else – something it never entered your head to conceive – comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discovery which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.
–Mere Christianity
Posted in Jesus, Quotes of famous people | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Christ's return, Second Coming of Christ | 2 Comments »
August 8, 2012 by memullin
As one who came with ointments sweet,
Abettors to her fleshly guilt,
And brake and poured them at Thy Feet,
And worshipped Thee with spikenard spilt:
So from a body full of blame,
And tongue too deeply versed in shame,
Do I pour speech upon Thy Name.
O Thou, if tongue may yet beseech,
Near to Thine awful Feet let reach
This broken spikenard of my speech!
Laurence Housman (1865-1959)
Posted in Poem | Tagged Christian Poetry, Laurence Housman, Spikenard |
August 6, 2012 by memullin
Recently, a woman I have known for over 20 years became a believer in Christ. By her own words, she was “born again.” I was deeply impacted by her conversion.
My friend and I ware both small business owners and have dealt primarily with each other in that capacity. Through the years that I have been going to her business, I have not kept my relationship with Christ a secret. I shared with her what was going on in my life, what my husband and I were doing in ministry and invited her to church-related events. Although I did pray for her and her family over the years, I am sad to say, I never asked her if she wanted to be born again.
But GOD . . . He sent another to lead her to Christ. The first time I saw her after she got saved, she told me with great excitement. I could see the change. I could sense her hunger. I met with her that very day and began to answer her questions about the Bible . She was very grateful.
But that was so little to give her for what she brought to me. Through her, I heard God speaking to me. “Out of the world, I continue to pluck them. One by one I will claim them from wherever they are. I am not finished the work of saving.”
I felt so amazed. In the brightness of her excitement about God and all the things of God, I was humbled. For surely God had done this thing and had let me see it. I am so grateful. I pray to be in the path of many more new believers. They give off such a pleasant aroma . . . the aroma of God.
Posted in God, salvation | Tagged born again, new believers in Christ, salvation | 4 Comments »
August 5, 2012 by memullin
The following is a quote from the last will and testament of William Shakespeare:
“I commend my soul into the hands of God my creator, hoping and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Savior, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth, whereof it is made.”
Posted in Quotes of famous people | Tagged Last Will and Testament of William Shakespeare, Quote from Shakespeare |
No coward soul is mine,
No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere!
I see Heaven’s glories shine,
and Faith shines equal, arming me from Fear.
O God within my breast,
Almighty ever-present Deity!
Life, that in me hast rest
As I, undying Life, have power in thee!
Vain are the thousand creeds
That move men’s hearts, unutterably vain;
Worthless as withered weeds,
Or idlest froth, amid the boundless main.
To waken doubt in one
Holding so fast by thy infinity,
So surely anchored on
The steadfast rock of immortality.
With wide-embracing love
Thy spirit animates eternal years,
Pervades and broods above,
Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates and rears.
Though earth and moon were gone,
And suns and universes ceased to be,
And thou wert left alone,
Every Existence would exist in thee.
There is not room for Death,
Nor atom that his might could render void
Since thou art Being and Breath,
And what thou art may never be destroyed.
–Emily Bronte
Posted in God, Poem | Tagged Devotional Poem, Emily Bronte's Poem, God, No Coward Soul is Mine, poem, Poems of faith |
According to Dr. Henry M. Morris, in his book The Genesis Record, the following are some of the origins that are given in the book of Genesis:
- Origin of the Universe
- Origin of order and complexity
- Origin of the solar system
- Origin of the atmosphere and hydrosphere
- Origin of life
- Origin of man
- Origin of marriage
- Origin of evil
- Origin of language
- Origin of government
- Origin of culture
- Origin of nations
- Origin of religion
- Origin of the chosen people
As you are reading through Genesis, consider what God says about these various subjects.
Posted in Bible, Genesis, Old Testament | Tagged Bible, Genesis, Henry W. Morris, Old Testament, Origins in Genesis, The Genesis Record |
On the subject of prayer and in the context of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice Always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
John Wesley said, “One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them as coming from Him, and receives them only for His sake — not choosing nor refusing, liking nor disliking, anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will.”
In essence, the heart of thanksgiving springs out of an understanding of God, His character, that He is the source of all things and that His will is to be sought above all else. Having that focus, I can continue in a perpetual attitude of thanksgiving to God for all that He has done for me, is doing for me and will do for me.
Posted in Bible, New Testament, Prayer, Thanksgiving | Tagged 1 Thessalonians 5, John Wesley, Prayer, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving |
Considering the battle that takes place in the mind, we are continuing our look at the weapons of our warfare . . . which are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” From 2 Corinthians, we then proceeded to Ephesians 6 to review the weapons which are described by Paul there. We pick up with the shield of faith.
- Shield of Faith – above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Faith is seeing what is there when it is unseen or hidden by the fog or chaos of battle. For a believer, faith will protect him or her from the lies of the enemy, aimed at undermining belief in the God who cannot be seen, but to whom all the evidence clearly points. When negative thoughts persist, the believer needs to put the shield of faith between him and negative thoughts. Faith will affirm that the promises of God are true and will come to pass. For example, God will never leave us or forsake us, and God will never temp us beyond what we are able. Believing these things is an exercise of faith. It puts the shield of faith between us and the temptation or negative thinking.
- The Helmet of Salvation – take the helmet of salvation. No solider can fight in the LORD’s army without receiving the work of salvation. Jesus said, you must be born again. When we receive salvation, it is a helmet, a protective covering for our thoughts. Without the helmet, we might receive a mortal wound that would take us out of the battle.
- The Sword of the Spirit – the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The word of God is a weapon we wield. It can be used to answer the lies of the enemy. Our example is Jesus, who when tempted three times in the wilderness by the devil, was able to answer each time from the word of God. As we study, meditate on and memorize the word of God, we will be able to use the word as an offensive weapon to counter the lies of the enemy.
- Prayer – Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. The tool that helps us to apply the weapons and know their effectiveness in our battles is prayer. It is our communication with God, the Supreme Commander, and it allows us access to the wisdom of the creator. Prayer is ongoing and never-ceasing.
When you are plagued with negative thinking, consider the weapons of your warfare. Be reminded that they are not of this world, but of the eternal realm. They are might of God. Review and study and apply. You will have victory in Christ.
Posted in Bible, New Testament | Tagged armor of god, Ephesians 6, Helmet of Salvation, Prayer, Shield of Faith, Spiritual Battle, Spiritual Warfare |
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