Only Noah Was Left . . .

Today's Readings are: Psalm 6, Genesis 7, 1 Chronicles 7, Luke 3:23:-4:13

Genesis 7 ends with these words, "Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days."

It got me thinking . . .

"Noah, it's time."

"Lord, is that you?"

"Yes, Noah. Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. . ."

"It's time. It's really time," Noah thought to himself as he hastily rushed the animals onto the ark.

It was so surreal. Animals were coming to him, and this huge vessel that he and his sons had built. The jeers and taunts of godless friends and neighbors had taken their toll over the years. There had been more than one discussion with his wife and sons over just how God expected them to endure under such hostility. They had felt like fools on more than one occasion. But now, even as they saw the miracle of the animals coming, all Noah felt was sadness.

Why had the people turned their backs upon God? Why was it that only Noah and his family could hear the voice of God? The distractions of the world had so drowned out the voice of God in the lives of the people.

Those distractions would soon be gone. The lust of the flesh would soon be replaced with rotting of flesh. God's judgment was sure to come. God always kept His promises. Noah felt sad.

God said that he would send rain, whatever that was, for forty days and forty nights and every living thing that he had made would be blotted out from the face of the earth.

Noah had never seen God so angry. He had walked with God for all 600 years of his life. He had seen such a change in the people during those years. A people who just a couple hundred years back had served and followed God had forgotten about Him.

"Forgotten, Dad? Forgotten, or ignored?" It was the voice of Shem. Shem, one of Noah's triplets had always had a special place in Noah's heart. He asked good questions. He, like Noah, loved the Lord.

"I suppose, ignored would be the better word, son? The evidence of God is all around, isn't it? How can you see the sunrise and forget the Creator? How can you see these magnificent beasts, and ignore the Lord?"

Just an hour before, Shem had been talking with his brothers about the dinosaurs that entered the ark so peacefully. These were indeed fascinating times. Shem wondered about the effects of this impending judgment on the big meat eaters like the dinosaurs. How would they survive? And, if they did, how would the other animals survive. It was so complicated. And so. . . sad. So, sad.

When the last of the animals boarded the ark it happened. Rain came. "So this is what rain is," thought Noah. It was drops of water at first, but within moments it became violent. The best way to describe it is that the fountains of the great deep burst fourth and the windows of heaven were opened.

The screams were awful. There were a few who knocked on the ark begging for mercy. But, God had shut the door. The people had their chance long ago. And the people chose pleasure, temporary pleasure, over God.

There wasn't just weeping on the outside of the ark, there was weeping in the ark too. Weeping for everyone, EVERYONE, else on planet earth. Weeping that God had chosen this family to survive while all else perished. Weeping that life would be so lonely. And, there was hope. Hope that God would do something new. Hope that this line of people would stay faithful to God. Hope that never again would the earth choose to reject God like this.

Only Noah was left, and those who were with him on the ark. And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

A Faithful Remnant

Today's Readings are: Psalm 5, Genesis 6, 1 Chronicles 6, Luke 3:1-22

Genesis 6 is a sad chapter. It teaches us much about the holiness of God. Our wickedness grieves God. It always has and always will. But, there are those in every generation who find favor in the eyes of God. I've heard it said that God has a remnant who are faithful to Him in every generation. It's tragic, that in the days of Noah, that remnant consisted only of His family. It's interesting to note here too that the progression of man's sin was so grave that, according to verse 5, "every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

Does it ever feel to you like this world is becoming a place like that? My heart broke this morning as I drove into work, listening to Minneapolis talk radio, and heard nothing but wickedness coming from my radio. The hosts were joking about how uptight Christians were about things that God clearly calls sin. May we, like Noah, be people who find favor in the eyes of the Lord.

I'm preaching through the life of Elijah at WCC right now. One of the marks of Elijah has been his continued obedience to God, no matter what it was that God asked him to do.

Noah was like this. The chapter ends with this verse: "Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." May we do likewise!

Staying Silent

Today's Readings are: Psalm 4, Genesis 5, 1 Chronicles 5, Luke 2:22-52

I love Psalm 4! It gives us such a proper understanding of how to respond when people speak lies about us.

I have a friend who has had such terrible lies spread about him over the years. I remember asking him once, "Why don't you just set the record straight? Why not go after the people who are spreading lies about you? You could have your attorney threaten to sue them for defamation of character."

He responded, "Brian, it wouldn't be worth it. I'd be playing into their game. God is watching over me. He knows the truth, and He will reveal the truth in time."

This man was a great example of Psalm 4:4 - "Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent."

Sometimes it is so tough to be silent. When everything in you wants to scream at the person who has hurt you, remember the words of David. And, if you live by those words maybe like David, and my friend, you'll be able to say Psalm 4:8 with a pure heart, claiming it as your verse:

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

The Prayer of Jabez

Today's Readings are: Psalm 3, Genesis 4, 1 Chronicles 4, Luke 2:1-21

I had forgotten the fact that in the middle of 1 Chronicles 4, and the listing of the genealogies, Jabez appears. I love the two verses that talk about his life. In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, Jabez shows himself to be more honorable than his brothers. His name wouldn't have given a contemporary of his any indication that he was special, for it means that his mother bore him in pain.

But, his life must have been a delight to his mother. For, his life was a delight to God. Honor delights the Lord.

I want to be a man who lives a life that honors God. Jabez prayed for four very specific things in 1 Chronicles 4:10.

1) He prayed for God to bless him. Sometimes we are afraid to pray about such things. I remember hearing Louie Giglio speak once about prayer, and he encouraged us not to pray for God's blessings, because we have already been blessed. To be fair, Giglio was trashing trite prayers that a lot of people pray. I agree, we can't be careless in our prayer. And, we do need to recognize that God has already blessed us in incredible ways. But, Jabez's prayer would indicate that it is okay to ask God to bless you.

2) Jabez asked God to enlarge his border. This means that Jabez asked God to bless him specifically around the area of wealth and influence.

3) Jabez asked God to put his hand on him. He wanted his life to be marked by the working of God in his life. He wanted it to be clear that God was working in and through him.

4) Jabez asked for God to keep him from harm, so that he might not have pain.

In some ways, Jabez's prayer sounds like a lot of prayers that I have heard people pray over the years. God chose to grant what he asked.

God could have said, "No."

Jabez prayer is not a prescription for how all Christians should pray. It is one example of a prayer that God chose to bless. But, I believe God blessed the prayer because Jabez asked for it with a pure heart. As an honorable man, he wanted to use what he had to advance the cause of Christ. Could I say the same when I pray such a prayer? And would I be content if God's answer was, "No. I'm going to allow you to go through hardship to be an example to others about living for me and living by faith in difficult circumstances."

How do you feel about asking for God to bless you when you pray? How do you respond when God doesn't give you what you asked for? What surprises you about the prayer of Jabez?

When God Is Silent

Today's Readings are: Psalm 2, Genesis 3, 1 Chronicles 3, Luke 1:57-80

Have you ever had a time in your life where God felt absent? Maybe you are going through a season like that right now. Imagine what it must have felt like to be the Children of Israel. You are a proud nation. You have been called the Chosen People. Throughout your history, God has delivered you time and time again from the hand of oppressors, and then, due primarily to your sin and rebellion, God is silent.

Such was the case with the nation of Israel in the 400 year period of silence between the Old and New Testaments.

Public worship continued during those years. The people had been delivered from one group of oppressors, only to now feel the oppression of the Roman government. And, God's voice was sorely missed.

As you read the conclusion of Zechariah's story today in Luke 1, think about how the people must have felt when they saw God speak through Zechariah. They were cleary moved by what they saw. Pay close attention to Luke 1:65-66.

How do you respond when God is silent?

His silence doesn't mean that He loves you any less. Sometimes God's silence is there to draw us closer to Him. He will speak to us through His Word if we will let Him. He will speak to us through other Christians too. And, sometimes He speaks in a still, small voice; gently leading us as we pray. What is God speaking to you about today? Spending time with Him? Follwing Him closer? Taking that step that you should have made long ago? Take the step of faith and follow Him.

For Extra Thought: Today you read Genesis 3 and Luke 1:57-80. Both chapters speak about the coming Messiah. In the Genesis passage, man had just sinned and by the Luke passage the people had been waiting for thousands of years for Messiah. The effects of sin in those thousands of years were tragic. In the 2,000 years since Messiah has come, we have once again become a people who neglect God. The Bible tells us that Messiah is coming again. May His coming be soon, but until that time, may we be a people who fearlessly and courageously live for Him, no matter what the rest of the world does.

Blessings and Curses

Today's readings are: Psalm 1; Genesis 2; 1 Chronicles 2; Luke 1:26-56

Our family was driving across the country yesterday from Colorado Springs, Colorado to Eden Prairie, Minnesota. As we drove, my wife read The Challenge passages for January 1st. At the conclusion of her reading she looked at me, smiled, and said, "One down, 364 to go!"

She didn't say it with a look of stress at how difficult it might be to read through the Bible in a year, but with a face that said, "This is such a blessing! I can't wait to see what God does in us over the course of this year."

So, how are you feeling? Some of you may have taken this challenge as a sort of New Year's resolution, and even though it is only day number two, you are already tempted to give up. Don't give up! If you already missed a day, catch up and keep trying. It's never easy to start a new good habit; especially a spiritual habit that will help you grow in your faith. But, it's worth it!

Near the end of his life, Patrick Henry, that famous statesman who stood up so prominently for freedom in the American Revolution, said, “I have now bequeathed all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them and that is faith in Jesus Christ. If they had that and I had not given them a single shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed.” Do you feel the same way that Patrick Henry did?

Today's reading begins in Psalm 1. I love the way that God inspired the pslamist as he wrote this psalm. This entire Psalm blows me away with its simplicity and practical truth. How many people have been led astray by the company that they keep? God makes it so clear in this first psalm that our delight, our purpose, and our meaning stem from Him.

To the Jewish person, Torah, the law, (Genesis-Deuteronomy) represented the way, the truth and the life. The law was revered. It was worth giving one's all to. I wonder if we feel the same way.

The results of living a life with God's purposes is shown in verse 3. We bear fruit. We prosper in what we do, because our lives are about bringing glory and honor to Him. Does that prospering always happen this side of heaven? I wish. But, biblical prosperity must be understood in the context of eternity. Our lives on earth are but a blip. But, don't mistake it. That blip matters to God. We must be a people who live for Him on this side of eternity to experience prosperity on the other side of eternity. Bruce Wilkinson's book, A Life God Rewards is a good study on spiritual rewards.

The last reading for today is Luke 1:26-56. I love that our readings are bookended by Psalm 1 and Luke 1:26-56. Mary was a righteous woman. She was a woman who followed God. She grew up in Nazareth, a terrible town if there ever was one. Nazareth was better known for its houses of prostitution than its houses of worship. But, Mary lived a righteous life in that unrighteous city. In verse 50, after seeing God work and after spending time with her cousin Elizabeth, Mary sang a song of worship to God. The song actually encompasses verses 46-55, but verse 50 gives us a clue into Mary's character. She sings that God's mercy is for those who "fear him from generation to generation."

Mary understood what Psalm 1 was all about. She understood what it meant to fear God and honor Him.

The 1 Chronicles passage is a genealogy. If you look closely you'll see the terrible results that happened when some of the men and women in the genealogy chose to not follow in God's paths.

As you read today, ask yourself, "What does my life say about what I truly believe? Would those who know me best say that I live a life that recognizes and honors God, or is it all about me? Is my life yielding eternal blessings or curses?"

Remember to share your thoughts in the comments section of this blog. It's a great way to see what God is teaching us as a congregation.

It's All About God

Today's readings are: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Genesis 1; 1 Chronicles 1; Luke 1:1-25

The big day has arrived! Today is the first day of The Challenge 2010. I love that we begin by reading Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, a passage that many of you have thought about during different periods of your life.

There is a time for everything. . .

A New Year is a good time to reflect. It is a time to think about where we have been over the course of the past year. It is a time to think about what lies ahead. And, it is a time to look within. What does that look within reveal about you?

It's this looking within that has caused many of us to say, "2010 is the year that I do it! This is the year that God gets to be priority #1. This is the year that I make a concerted effort to know and understand Him as never before."

Your reading today includes Genesis 1. In the first chapter of the Bible we shown the incredible power of God in creation. It takes only four words in our English Bibles before the Subject of the Bible is introduced . . . God. The Hebrew word is Elohim. The Bible is about God. History is His story. Whether we want to admit it or not, everything is about God.

The opening line of A. W. Tozer's classic book, The Knowledge of the Holy says, "What comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you."

So, what is it going to be? Is 2010 going to be all about you, or all about Him?

What do today's readings teach you about God? What new insights have you gained about God by spending time with Him today?

For more insights on what I learned as I read, you can visit my personal blog by clicking here.