Friday, December 31, 2010

the 2nd sin

Isn't it interesting to wonder?  I mean what do you suppose would have happened to Adam and Eve if they had accepted responsibility for their sin?  God simply asked them, "who told you that you are naked?"  What would God's response have been had Adam 'fessed up?  "I did, Father, and I am sorry for breaking your rule."  Would God have responded with forgiveness?  We will never know, because both Adam and Eve compounded their rebellion by seeking to absolve themselves of their misdeed and blaming someone else.  Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the snake.  How much better off we are when we accept responsibility and seek forgiveness.

Creation

Interesting thing in the 2nd chapter of Genesis; God created man from the creation, that is from the dust of the earth, something that God spoke into being; but then he added his breath and that separated this part of the creation from all the rest.  All of creation came to be because God spoke it into being, but mankind (man & woman) came to life because God gave part of himself to give it (no longer an it) life.  How much like that was the Easter story when again God gave a part of himself (Jesus) to give mankind life eternal.  Just a thought as I read from our 1st day's assignment.  Anything strike you as interesting?
I am jumping the gun just a little, sitting here at home on New Year's Eve waiting for Patty to say that it is time to go to church for the watch party.  So here goes....In the beginning....a very good place to start.  I hope that this exercise in bible reading will bear great fruit for the kingdom something that is very good.  Very good is kind of the theme of God's creation.  Each day (whatever that was) when God had included his work, he pronounced it to be very good!  Wouldn't that be a marvelous way to live our lives, that at the end of each day we could look back on the events of our day and say, "that was good"!  I think that God intended for us to live our lives in a way that produced good as we shepherd and have Christian dominion over all that God has given us charge over.

God has given us these Holy scriptures and as we spend a little time in them in 2011, our prayer will be that God will do a mighty creation work in us; that we, the people of Faith will become good and out of his goodness will do good in the name of the great I Am.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

almost time

Dear Faithful,
Are you ready?  I am getting excited about the possibilities.  God's word is alive....sharper than a two edged sword.  Imagine what God might reveal to us if we are sincere in searching his word for the truth that he intends for Faith UMC.  We have been birthed and nurtured by God's goodness and I believe that he intends great things for us in the time that lies ahead.  If we have 2o or 30 folks engaged in his word as we read the Bible chapter by chapter together, he may well provide some real "aha" moments for the faithful.  I hope that you will keep me faithful and on track.  3 chapters each day and 5 on Sunday.  God has been faithful to us.  Can we discipline ourselves to be more faithful to him.  I am praying for the church today.  Will you join me?