Summary: God honors our rule of the earth by allowing us to name the creatures, in the same way we must rule the relationships in our life.
Genesis 2:19-23
Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
Application: Upon creation, God told man to rule over all the living creatures of the Earth. God brings that honor to fruition in this passage. He gathers all of the animals on the earth to give Adam the honor of naming them. There is power in naming. Naming gives everything unique identity and ongoing familiarity. In a way, it is like creation in that it brings something's identity into the world of a person. In all of these ways we can surmise that a name is an essential ingredient in relationship.
God's first guidance in our life is setting up our principles and giving us a home. God's second guidance was to show us he would be with us wherever we went. God's third guidance was to tell us to stay away from evil. God's fourth guidance is to name (to identify and familiarize ourselves with) the people around us. A man must rule over the relationships in his life. It is a man's responsibility to care for, to provide guidance and direction for, the people he is in relationship with. We must learn the names of the people around us and be involved in their life. God trusts that we will rule kindly and justly.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
The Way The World Works - Part 6
Summary: God created us for relationship and knows the desires of our heart.
Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
Application: God created us for relationship with Him. He gave us free will to allow us to be willing participants in relationship with Him. He wants nothing more than another person that shares His love for all that is good. But He also created us to be human... whatever that entails, he could see that our happiness would not be complete and we would not be able to thrive. To solve this, God decided upon a helper. God knows the desires of our hearts, and he wants to bless us. Going back to the space we have created, the area that we develop in partnership with God, God gives all of us a helper to share the load. He seems to say to himself "I love you so very much that I am going to make you even happier by making it easier for you to do your share in the partnership that will grow your life. Here is a helper, from me to you". In your life, trust that God has a helper in store for you to share your load and he will give it to you when the need is in your heart. He knows the desires of your heart, count on it. And he wants to bless you!
Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
Application: God created us for relationship with Him. He gave us free will to allow us to be willing participants in relationship with Him. He wants nothing more than another person that shares His love for all that is good. But He also created us to be human... whatever that entails, he could see that our happiness would not be complete and we would not be able to thrive. To solve this, God decided upon a helper. God knows the desires of our hearts, and he wants to bless us. Going back to the space we have created, the area that we develop in partnership with God, God gives all of us a helper to share the load. He seems to say to himself "I love you so very much that I am going to make you even happier by making it easier for you to do your share in the partnership that will grow your life. Here is a helper, from me to you". In your life, trust that God has a helper in store for you to share your load and he will give it to you when the need is in your heart. He knows the desires of your heart, count on it. And he wants to bless you!
The Way The World Works - Part 5
Summary: Our free will is a gift from God. God commands us to stay away from evil, but he does not remove it from our presence... he trusts us to choose good.
Genesis 2:15-17
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when youeat of it you will surely die."
Application: The first of God's commands for our life starts right in the centre. There is evil in the world. We know both good and evil exists. God now affirms to us in the form of a command that good and evil exists. All the fruit within the garden is good, the Lord explains, except for this one tree that bears the fruit of both. It resides in our centre, one of the forces that drives us and is the root of all decisions we make. Leave it at the core says the Lord, do not eat of it, eat the good fruit that is all around you. If you heed my warning you will choose to leave the good and evil fruit at your core and continue to choose the good fruit I have provided. In doing so you will surely live. But if you choose to eat of the fruit containing evil, you will suffer and die.
This is God giving us choice, then telling us to choose right. He does what I believe was a very hard thing for God; He chooses to let us make our own choice as to whether we will live with him in his way and enjoy life abundant or stray from his way and die. He trusts us enough to give us the choice, but out of love He commands us to stay away from the tree. An order, for our own good. I am honored to believe that God believes in me enough to let me choose to live with Him in His way.
Genesis 2:15-17
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when youeat of it you will surely die."
Application: The first of God's commands for our life starts right in the centre. There is evil in the world. We know both good and evil exists. God now affirms to us in the form of a command that good and evil exists. All the fruit within the garden is good, the Lord explains, except for this one tree that bears the fruit of both. It resides in our centre, one of the forces that drives us and is the root of all decisions we make. Leave it at the core says the Lord, do not eat of it, eat the good fruit that is all around you. If you heed my warning you will choose to leave the good and evil fruit at your core and continue to choose the good fruit I have provided. In doing so you will surely live. But if you choose to eat of the fruit containing evil, you will suffer and die.
This is God giving us choice, then telling us to choose right. He does what I believe was a very hard thing for God; He chooses to let us make our own choice as to whether we will live with him in his way and enjoy life abundant or stray from his way and die. He trusts us enough to give us the choice, but out of love He commands us to stay away from the tree. An order, for our own good. I am honored to believe that God believes in me enough to let me choose to live with Him in His way.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
The Way The World Works - Part 4
Summary: God may give us a home but he will be with us wherever we choose to go.
Genesis 2:10-14
A river Watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
Application: The river runs out of our home (God's blessing and provision) into the unknown. To me this is God saying, "there is more out there, I'll provide for you if you want to leave". It is the road to discovery. God provides an abundant source of water (his portion of the growth process within our world) out of Eden, saying "When you are ready, follow the river out into the world. The world is yours for the taking, you may leave at any time and use the water to grow anywhere you like. Anyplace in your space is good, feel free to pick your path. The river does not just head in one direction, God is not forcing us one way. The river leads to different lands, puts the choice in our hands as to which way we want to travel. Our world is our domain, ready to explore and claim as we see fit. God will provide the water. His living water doesn't pin us down, it branches out and goes wherever we need it.
Genesis 2:10-14
A river Watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
Application: The river runs out of our home (God's blessing and provision) into the unknown. To me this is God saying, "there is more out there, I'll provide for you if you want to leave". It is the road to discovery. God provides an abundant source of water (his portion of the growth process within our world) out of Eden, saying "When you are ready, follow the river out into the world. The world is yours for the taking, you may leave at any time and use the water to grow anywhere you like. Anyplace in your space is good, feel free to pick your path. The river does not just head in one direction, God is not forcing us one way. The river leads to different lands, puts the choice in our hands as to which way we want to travel. Our world is our domain, ready to explore and claim as we see fit. God will provide the water. His living water doesn't pin us down, it branches out and goes wherever we need it.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Way The World Works - Part 3
Summary: God gives us a home and sets up our core principles for success.
Genesis 2:8-9
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground---trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Application: God puts the entire world at our disposal... but he doesn't force it all upon us at once. It would be a little overwhelming. His first action is to give us a home. A place of safety and security where all we need is set up for us. He does the first part for us. He grows beauty and provides us with our first experieneces, examples of what the world can look like and eventually create ourselves. He wants us to succeed and to see what we need to strive for, what the upkeep of the world can produce if we are willing to try for it.
Not only does he provide a home of safety and security filled with his blessings for us, he organizes it in such a way that we can understand it. At the centre of all that God provides stands the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil. He shows us that these two pillars should be at the core of our world, that they stand at the centre of beauty and all that God has for us. We must have life and live it abundantly, the life that only God provides. And we must be haters of evil and lovers of good. The difference between good and evil should be at the core of all our decisions, the determining path for which way we set out in life.
Genesis 2:8-9
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground---trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Application: God puts the entire world at our disposal... but he doesn't force it all upon us at once. It would be a little overwhelming. His first action is to give us a home. A place of safety and security where all we need is set up for us. He does the first part for us. He grows beauty and provides us with our first experieneces, examples of what the world can look like and eventually create ourselves. He wants us to succeed and to see what we need to strive for, what the upkeep of the world can produce if we are willing to try for it.
Not only does he provide a home of safety and security filled with his blessings for us, he organizes it in such a way that we can understand it. At the centre of all that God provides stands the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil. He shows us that these two pillars should be at the core of our world, that they stand at the centre of beauty and all that God has for us. We must have life and live it abundantly, the life that only God provides. And we must be haters of evil and lovers of good. The difference between good and evil should be at the core of all our decisions, the determining path for which way we set out in life.
The Way The World Works - Part 2
Summary: Everything in our world is God's.
Genesis 2:7
the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Application: Our bodies were formed from the dust of the earth... does that mean man was made alive through the forming of lifeless ground? Not at all! The living being did not arise from the dust. We must examine the verse more carefully. The purpose of this verse in not to attach our mind to the idea that man is created from earth. The purpose of this verse is to free our minds from thinking our forming out of dust has anything to do with life. It outlines the separation between being formed physically from the world and being made ALIVE by the breath of God. The physical side of us is nothing but dust... but instilled with the breath of life from God we are LIVING beings. What does this mean to us? Let us follow the ideas through logically... if the life of man comes from the breath of God... and it is our being alive that grows life upon the earth... all life, all that we produce with our toil, came from the breath of God. So where do we turn when we feel lifeless and empty, to the world or to God? Who do we thank for our success, and how do we celebrate it? Who really has the ownership of all that we own, all that we possess? Free your minds, the earth has no stake in anything produced by your life. So keep only the portion of God's blessing that you need and let God claim the rest. Ask him how he'd like to spend it!
Genesis 2:7
the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Application: Our bodies were formed from the dust of the earth... does that mean man was made alive through the forming of lifeless ground? Not at all! The living being did not arise from the dust. We must examine the verse more carefully. The purpose of this verse in not to attach our mind to the idea that man is created from earth. The purpose of this verse is to free our minds from thinking our forming out of dust has anything to do with life. It outlines the separation between being formed physically from the world and being made ALIVE by the breath of God. The physical side of us is nothing but dust... but instilled with the breath of life from God we are LIVING beings. What does this mean to us? Let us follow the ideas through logically... if the life of man comes from the breath of God... and it is our being alive that grows life upon the earth... all life, all that we produce with our toil, came from the breath of God. So where do we turn when we feel lifeless and empty, to the world or to God? Who do we thank for our success, and how do we celebrate it? Who really has the ownership of all that we own, all that we possess? Free your minds, the earth has no stake in anything produced by your life. So keep only the portion of God's blessing that you need and let God claim the rest. Ask him how he'd like to spend it!
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Way The World Works - Part 1
Summary: Our world runs on a partnership of trust between man and God.
Genesis 2:4-6
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens---and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground---
Application: When God created the earth He created potential. The earth had everything it needed to fulfill the potential of God's design except for 2 essential ingredients. Water to feed it and man to cultivate it. When we create our new life as displayed in 'The Beginning' series, the same principles apply. Our new life has potential for being the pure life of God's design. But our new life will not grow on it's own, not even with a foundation of people that offer their support and people to share our space with. These people that surround us and the fruit that grows out of our foundation will die off without upkeep and our space will end up barren and empty. To obtain a full life above and and beyond a new life, there is an upkeep. The upkeep is water and work.
The Lord is always willing to meet us halfway. There is God's part, and then there is our part. If man was naturally able to trust, our part would be easy. But often, as the bible repeatedly points out, our lack of trust makes our part very difficult. I point this out now because the first part of the upkeep requires alot of trust. God will provide water to make things grow in the world and in our lives.
The water comes from God. Man has no part in it's creation, we receive it as a gift from God. The water will be provided and will never stop, so long as we want it and so long as we need it, which is forever and always. The only part of this upkeep we can participate in is to harness the water into effective areas, which will help things grow better and more efficiently. But God provides the basic tool for all growth. Harnessing the water also is a prelude to the second part of the upkeep, as we harness the water into areas that need the largest quantity or the places that require alot of water due to our work.
The work comes from man. It the effort of man that feeds a family, that tills the earth and sows the seed. We work the land in order to sustain ourselves and support the ones we love, to extend and develop our life. God designed us well for the work that is required, bestowing us with knowledge, creativity, strength, passion, tools for performing the tasks that are required by the world and in our new lives. We sow seed and till earth in the trust that God will water our efforts and grow what we need for a fruitful and sustainable life. The parternship is completed through our continual effort to improve and upkeep our space and our determination to keep it from ending up barren and empty.
Genesis 2:4-6
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens---and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground---
Application: When God created the earth He created potential. The earth had everything it needed to fulfill the potential of God's design except for 2 essential ingredients. Water to feed it and man to cultivate it. When we create our new life as displayed in 'The Beginning' series, the same principles apply. Our new life has potential for being the pure life of God's design. But our new life will not grow on it's own, not even with a foundation of people that offer their support and people to share our space with. These people that surround us and the fruit that grows out of our foundation will die off without upkeep and our space will end up barren and empty. To obtain a full life above and and beyond a new life, there is an upkeep. The upkeep is water and work.
The Lord is always willing to meet us halfway. There is God's part, and then there is our part. If man was naturally able to trust, our part would be easy. But often, as the bible repeatedly points out, our lack of trust makes our part very difficult. I point this out now because the first part of the upkeep requires alot of trust. God will provide water to make things grow in the world and in our lives.
The water comes from God. Man has no part in it's creation, we receive it as a gift from God. The water will be provided and will never stop, so long as we want it and so long as we need it, which is forever and always. The only part of this upkeep we can participate in is to harness the water into effective areas, which will help things grow better and more efficiently. But God provides the basic tool for all growth. Harnessing the water also is a prelude to the second part of the upkeep, as we harness the water into areas that need the largest quantity or the places that require alot of water due to our work.
The work comes from man. It the effort of man that feeds a family, that tills the earth and sows the seed. We work the land in order to sustain ourselves and support the ones we love, to extend and develop our life. God designed us well for the work that is required, bestowing us with knowledge, creativity, strength, passion, tools for performing the tasks that are required by the world and in our new lives. We sow seed and till earth in the trust that God will water our efforts and grow what we need for a fruitful and sustainable life. The parternship is completed through our continual effort to improve and upkeep our space and our determination to keep it from ending up barren and empty.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Beginning - Part 8
Creating a new life in me.
Day 8: Now our new life is set up for a good start at success. It is not the end of the battle, but it is time to wait on the Lord and reflect on what we have accomplished, assured in our faith that the lord will bless us. And he will.
Genensis 2:1-3
Thus the heavens and earth were completed in all their vast array.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Action Plan: Take it easy, reflect on what you have done, and rest easy in the knowledge that Gods got your life in hand.
(it's my mom's birthday today, HAPPY B-DAY MOMALOO! You guided me to my new life in the Lord, helped me set up my space and define it, and are with me in my foundation! I'd like to earn a spot in yours. May the Lord bless you today and always!)
Day 8: Now our new life is set up for a good start at success. It is not the end of the battle, but it is time to wait on the Lord and reflect on what we have accomplished, assured in our faith that the lord will bless us. And he will.
Genensis 2:1-3
Thus the heavens and earth were completed in all their vast array.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Action Plan: Take it easy, reflect on what you have done, and rest easy in the knowledge that Gods got your life in hand.
(it's my mom's birthday today, HAPPY B-DAY MOMALOO! You guided me to my new life in the Lord, helped me set up my space and define it, and are with me in my foundation! I'd like to earn a spot in yours. May the Lord bless you today and always!)
The Beginning - Part 7
Creating a new life in me.
Day 7: Foundation relationships and Ownership. Our space cannot be maintain with our will alone, especially with the relationships in the waters below threating to drown us if we get too attached. So He does not leave the earth barren, merely a solid, supporting platform. Instead, he popuplates it with creatures. In our new life we are creating it is Him blessing our foundation with relationships, people that speak into our lives and support us. People we lean on when we need a hand or our spirit needs strengthening. The the Lord gives us ownership and dominion over them. They are our relationships to manage, we are resposnible for each one and accountable for each one lost. We have ownership and with ownership comes responsibility. He gives us all that is to support us, in every aspect of whatever we need. But we must also respect these gifts and care for them.
Genesis 1:24-31
And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then 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 the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruiful 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." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--- everything that has breath of life in it---I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning---the sixth day.
Action Plan: Pray for your family and the people you have met that are good friends in Christ, that God would guide and protect them and keep them safe. Thank God for blessing you with all that you have, for all that he has give you. Do it right now, wherever you are reading this. If your family or friends have fallen away, or out of touch, get back in touch with them. If they are not unified, work towards unifying them. They are your responsibility and your foundation. By keeping them safe you are obeying God, keeping them safe and helping yourself in your battle against sin. Keep your foundation close to your side, you are going to need them... guaranteed.
Day 7: Foundation relationships and Ownership. Our space cannot be maintain with our will alone, especially with the relationships in the waters below threating to drown us if we get too attached. So He does not leave the earth barren, merely a solid, supporting platform. Instead, he popuplates it with creatures. In our new life we are creating it is Him blessing our foundation with relationships, people that speak into our lives and support us. People we lean on when we need a hand or our spirit needs strengthening. The the Lord gives us ownership and dominion over them. They are our relationships to manage, we are resposnible for each one and accountable for each one lost. We have ownership and with ownership comes responsibility. He gives us all that is to support us, in every aspect of whatever we need. But we must also respect these gifts and care for them.
Genesis 1:24-31
And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then 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 the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruiful 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." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--- everything that has breath of life in it---I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning---the sixth day.
Action Plan: Pray for your family and the people you have met that are good friends in Christ, that God would guide and protect them and keep them safe. Thank God for blessing you with all that you have, for all that he has give you. Do it right now, wherever you are reading this. If your family or friends have fallen away, or out of touch, get back in touch with them. If they are not unified, work towards unifying them. They are your responsibility and your foundation. By keeping them safe you are obeying God, keeping them safe and helping yourself in your battle against sin. Keep your foundation close to your side, you are going to need them... guaranteed.
Friday, April 20, 2007
The Beginning - Part 6
Creating a new life in me.
Day 6: Relationships. Understand that God did not leave the world empty. The air he created was meant to be filled, to be enjoyed by creatures that swoop and soar in all directions, that live in and enjoy the air. So too is the space that is our new life to be shared with others, filled up with people that love what we have created and want to soar within it. We support them with our space and we help them to fly. As well, the creatures that dwell in the sea are not to be forgotten. They dwell in the waters of the earth and are as important (if not more important) as the relationships within the boundaries of our space. Our space is the only link they have to water in the heavens, and we must work hard to keep our space open and visible so that the relationships in the water below might one day end up with their own space and access to the waters above. Both of these kinds of creatures were called to be fruitful and fill the water and the seas, as our relationships are called to be fruitful and fill up our lives. Only the birds were called to increase on the Earth, as they are the workers within the space. The workload is big and the workers are few, so we must increase.
Genesis 1:20-23
And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let the birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to it's kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water and the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning---the fifth day.
Action Plan: Think about someone you have taken for granted. Think about the people you haven't allowed access into your life. Think about people you have been in contact with that seem alone or struggling with something. In order to create life in and beneath your space, you need to open up your borders and take relationships in. Allow relationships to be fruitful in your life by choosing 3 people you have had the opportunity to love but you have chosen not to. Instead, make the conscious decision to love them in whatever way you can think of. Saying hello and talking to them would be a good start. You'll be surprised how fruitful these 3 relationships can be and how quickly they multiply once the borders around your space have opened up.
Day 6: Relationships. Understand that God did not leave the world empty. The air he created was meant to be filled, to be enjoyed by creatures that swoop and soar in all directions, that live in and enjoy the air. So too is the space that is our new life to be shared with others, filled up with people that love what we have created and want to soar within it. We support them with our space and we help them to fly. As well, the creatures that dwell in the sea are not to be forgotten. They dwell in the waters of the earth and are as important (if not more important) as the relationships within the boundaries of our space. Our space is the only link they have to water in the heavens, and we must work hard to keep our space open and visible so that the relationships in the water below might one day end up with their own space and access to the waters above. Both of these kinds of creatures were called to be fruitful and fill the water and the seas, as our relationships are called to be fruitful and fill up our lives. Only the birds were called to increase on the Earth, as they are the workers within the space. The workload is big and the workers are few, so we must increase.
Genesis 1:20-23
And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let the birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to it's kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water and the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning---the fifth day.
Action Plan: Think about someone you have taken for granted. Think about the people you haven't allowed access into your life. Think about people you have been in contact with that seem alone or struggling with something. In order to create life in and beneath your space, you need to open up your borders and take relationships in. Allow relationships to be fruitful in your life by choosing 3 people you have had the opportunity to love but you have chosen not to. Instead, make the conscious decision to love them in whatever way you can think of. Saying hello and talking to them would be a good start. You'll be surprised how fruitful these 3 relationships can be and how quickly they multiply once the borders around your space have opened up.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
The Beginning - Part 5
Creating a new life in me.
Day 5: Structure. Understand that God brings us clarity and order. God sheds light onto all of our uncertainty, our daily problems. He gives us points of references and laws which act as beacons to separate the good from the bad, even when things are at their darkest he provides light to show us the way through. The Lord also provides the gift of time, which brings diversity and progression to life and makes all of our moments precious. He blesses us with time to give us perspective, so that we might learn and constantly improve based upon where we have been and where we are headed. He allows us to grow.
Genesis 1:14-19
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. God made two great lights---the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning---the fourth day.
Action Plan: This is about analysis and experience. Think of five situations in which you have done wrong in the past. How could these have been avoided. What does the bible say about these issues and what does it suggest to counteract them. Choose to say a prayer and make a promise to yourself each morning. That if God will bless you with clarity (the ability to see the heart of matters and the right and wrong inherent within) that you will choose to act towards the good. There is no way to achieve perfect preparedness for all situations. This section of creating a new life is about equipping yourself with as much of God's word as you can so that you will be able to spot the light in the darkest of times, and also about choosing to improve yourself daily by heading towards the light.
Day 5: Structure. Understand that God brings us clarity and order. God sheds light onto all of our uncertainty, our daily problems. He gives us points of references and laws which act as beacons to separate the good from the bad, even when things are at their darkest he provides light to show us the way through. The Lord also provides the gift of time, which brings diversity and progression to life and makes all of our moments precious. He blesses us with time to give us perspective, so that we might learn and constantly improve based upon where we have been and where we are headed. He allows us to grow.
Genesis 1:14-19
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. God made two great lights---the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning---the fourth day.
Action Plan: This is about analysis and experience. Think of five situations in which you have done wrong in the past. How could these have been avoided. What does the bible say about these issues and what does it suggest to counteract them. Choose to say a prayer and make a promise to yourself each morning. That if God will bless you with clarity (the ability to see the heart of matters and the right and wrong inherent within) that you will choose to act towards the good. There is no way to achieve perfect preparedness for all situations. This section of creating a new life is about equipping yourself with as much of God's word as you can so that you will be able to spot the light in the darkest of times, and also about choosing to improve yourself daily by heading towards the light.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Beginning - Part 4
Creating new life in me.
Day 4: Foundation. Understand that God will provide the needs of your life within the space. We cannot live in the water, so the lord provides us with dry ground, a firm foundation to support us and allow us to build from. From the ground all manner vegetation springs forth, sustaining us with their fruits and sustaining themselves with the seeds that scatter throughout the ground and start new life to sustain others. This is the development of trust, knowing that your space has foundation, solidity beneath it that will sustain you. The Lord is with you, and he will provide. Your space is secure, you have nothing to fear.
Genesis 1:9-13
And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God Called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kind." And it was so. The land produced vegetation; plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning---the third day.
Action Plan: Give of yourself and watch how you prosper. Tithe (give money to the church and to areas that you feel God calling you to support), as hard as it may be with however much money you have. Spend a day giving time to others or working hard, tirelessly, for a full day. Watch how the lord refreshes you with a deep sleep and blesses your basic needs. Take account of how you feel aftwer doing so. Do anything that is good that would be hard for you to normally do because of your attachement to the way the world works. Hopefully this will help break you of some habits that you didn't know you had.
Day 4: Foundation. Understand that God will provide the needs of your life within the space. We cannot live in the water, so the lord provides us with dry ground, a firm foundation to support us and allow us to build from. From the ground all manner vegetation springs forth, sustaining us with their fruits and sustaining themselves with the seeds that scatter throughout the ground and start new life to sustain others. This is the development of trust, knowing that your space has foundation, solidity beneath it that will sustain you. The Lord is with you, and he will provide. Your space is secure, you have nothing to fear.
Genesis 1:9-13
And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God Called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kind." And it was so. The land produced vegetation; plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning---the third day.
Action Plan: Give of yourself and watch how you prosper. Tithe (give money to the church and to areas that you feel God calling you to support), as hard as it may be with however much money you have. Spend a day giving time to others or working hard, tirelessly, for a full day. Watch how the lord refreshes you with a deep sleep and blesses your basic needs. Take account of how you feel aftwer doing so. Do anything that is good that would be hard for you to normally do because of your attachement to the way the world works. Hopefully this will help break you of some habits that you didn't know you had.
The Beginning - Part 3
Creating a new life in me.
Day 3: Breathing. Discovering your purpose and defining your living space. Take the facts from the first two days; that you are living for God and you understand that there is good and evil in the world. Now you can set up parameters for living, a space that is filled with your principles and character that you can use as a guide for the day to day choices of your life. This space is edged by the living water of God above, which gives our spirits life, and the physical water of the world below, which gives our bodies life. In between is the 'air', the place that God designed for us to live and breathe. It is the area for you to live the life that God has called you to, where you can breathe in the sustaining love of God.
Genesis 1:6-8
And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning---the second day.
Action Plan: This is about getting in touch with yourself and identifying what's inside your heart... ask yourself 5 questions.
1) Why am I alive?
2) What is my purpose?
3) Who needs to know God?
4) When does God need me?
5) How does God want me to live?
6) Where can I learn to understand?
The answer to the last question is the bible. If you could not find the answers to the rest within yourself, the bible holds them all. The Word is our air, it is the guide for living in our space between the spiritual living water of Christ and body nourishing water of the world.
Day 3: Breathing. Discovering your purpose and defining your living space. Take the facts from the first two days; that you are living for God and you understand that there is good and evil in the world. Now you can set up parameters for living, a space that is filled with your principles and character that you can use as a guide for the day to day choices of your life. This space is edged by the living water of God above, which gives our spirits life, and the physical water of the world below, which gives our bodies life. In between is the 'air', the place that God designed for us to live and breathe. It is the area for you to live the life that God has called you to, where you can breathe in the sustaining love of God.
Genesis 1:6-8
And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning---the second day.
Action Plan: This is about getting in touch with yourself and identifying what's inside your heart... ask yourself 5 questions.
1) Why am I alive?
2) What is my purpose?
3) Who needs to know God?
4) When does God need me?
5) How does God want me to live?
6) Where can I learn to understand?
The answer to the last question is the bible. If you could not find the answers to the rest within yourself, the bible holds them all. The Word is our air, it is the guide for living in our space between the spiritual living water of Christ and body nourishing water of the world.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
The Beginning - Part 2
Creating a new life in me.
Day 2: Awakening. Identifying the difference between light and dark, good and bad, right and wrong. Understand that there is a separation between that which God says will bring us life and prosperity and that which God says will bring us death and destruction. Don't focus on specifics or look at any grey areas that may exist between light and dark. The first step is to delight in the things you can deem good and hate the things you can deem evil. Establishing this difference at a basic level is very important, before anything else crowds in and starts blurring the line.
Genesis 1:3-5
'And God said, "Let there be light." and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning---the first day.'
Action Plan: Think of five good things (shown love to God or another human being) that have you have done recently. If you have not done five good things in the last week, go out and do good things until you have 5. Do these things as anonymously as possible. Every even hour throughout the day, think about the good things you have done and smile about them. Recall them in your mind and delight in knowing that God is smiles down from heaven when he watches you show love to someone. Imagine how you would feel if these things were done to you. After dwelling on good things, think of five bad things (caused hurt to God or another human being) that you have done recently. Every odd hour throughout the day, think about the bad things you have done and get angry at them. Admit to yourself that these actions only hurt yourself and others. Imagine how you would feel if these things were done to you. Hate the fact that you did these things to someone else. Before the end of the day, try to rectify these actions.
Day 2: Awakening. Identifying the difference between light and dark, good and bad, right and wrong. Understand that there is a separation between that which God says will bring us life and prosperity and that which God says will bring us death and destruction. Don't focus on specifics or look at any grey areas that may exist between light and dark. The first step is to delight in the things you can deem good and hate the things you can deem evil. Establishing this difference at a basic level is very important, before anything else crowds in and starts blurring the line.
Genesis 1:3-5
'And God said, "Let there be light." and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning---the first day.'
Action Plan: Think of five good things (shown love to God or another human being) that have you have done recently. If you have not done five good things in the last week, go out and do good things until you have 5. Do these things as anonymously as possible. Every even hour throughout the day, think about the good things you have done and smile about them. Recall them in your mind and delight in knowing that God is smiles down from heaven when he watches you show love to someone. Imagine how you would feel if these things were done to you. After dwelling on good things, think of five bad things (caused hurt to God or another human being) that you have done recently. Every odd hour throughout the day, think about the bad things you have done and get angry at them. Admit to yourself that these actions only hurt yourself and others. Imagine how you would feel if these things were done to you. Hate the fact that you did these things to someone else. Before the end of the day, try to rectify these actions.
The beginning - Part 1
Creating a new life in me.
Day 1: Background. Where have we come from? Initially we must understand the difference between man and God (remember, "God" is capitalized for a reason). There is the world, and then there is heaven. Do you live for God or for man? Do you live for the world or for heaven? You cannot live for both, they are separate entities, separate places created specifically apart by God at the dawn of creation.
Genesis 1:1-2
'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.'
Action Plan: Choose God. Give your day entirely to the Lord. Do nothing but spend time with him, in his word and in conversation and quietness with him. Ask him what he wants in your life, praise him for your creation and for the way you have been wonderfully made. Take the day off and remind yourself that the hang ups on this earth will be temporary but life in heaven is eternal. Transform your stress into worship.
Day 1: Background. Where have we come from? Initially we must understand the difference between man and God (remember, "God" is capitalized for a reason). There is the world, and then there is heaven. Do you live for God or for man? Do you live for the world or for heaven? You cannot live for both, they are separate entities, separate places created specifically apart by God at the dawn of creation.
Genesis 1:1-2
'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.'
Action Plan: Choose God. Give your day entirely to the Lord. Do nothing but spend time with him, in his word and in conversation and quietness with him. Ask him what he wants in your life, praise him for your creation and for the way you have been wonderfully made. Take the day off and remind yourself that the hang ups on this earth will be temporary but life in heaven is eternal. Transform your stress into worship.
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