A GUILTY CONSCIENCE WILL WHIP YOU

Proclamation:

“I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant.  I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.  Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children.”  Genesis 32:10-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Jacob and Laban parted company, Jacob returned to his homeland and prepared to face his brother Esau.  It had been more than twenty years since Jacob had left home after tricking his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing which was meant for Esau and caused his brother to despise him and plan to kill him. (Genesis 27:1-45)  Since that time he had acquired much wealth, flocks, and herds, in addition to having a large family.  Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau with a peace offering and his reply was that he was coming to meet him with four hundred men. (Genesis 32:3-6)  When he heard this, Jacob became afraid and distressed, and prayed that The Lord God would save him from his brother. (Genesis 32:7-11) 

Application:

The Lord God may have forgiven us of our sins but the devil will not let us forget them and frequently reminds us of them.  Our sinful memories can rob us of our peace of mind and cause us much distress.  We need to pray that God will forgive us and restore unto us the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12) and grant us His peace. (Psalm 29:11)  Each of us is a sinner, but some of us have been saved by the grace of God and forgiven of our sins.  The Bible teaches us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK THE LORD GOD TO DO

Proclamation:

“Laban said, ‘This heap is a witness between you and me today.’  That is why it was called Galeed.  It was also called Mizpah, because he said, ‘May The Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.’”  Genesis 31:48-49 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jacob worked for his father-in law, Laban for twenty years, seven years before he was tricked into marrying Leah, seven more years in order to have Rachel as his wife, then six years as his dowry for Rachel.  During that time Jacob fathered twelve children, four with his wife, Leah, two with Rachel’s servant Bilhah, two with Leah’s servant, Zilpah, then three more with Leah, and one with his wife Rachel. (Genesis 29:31 to Genesis 30:24)  When Jacob wanted to leave, he and Laban did not part company on good terms.  They divided the herds of sheep, goats, and cattle between them, with the spotted and streaked animals going to Jacob and the solid color ones remained with Laban. (Genesis 30:32-35)  However God caused Jacob’s animals to be healthier and more productive than Laban’s animals. (Genesis 32:11-12)  Jacob left with all that he had while Laban was away and when he found out he pursued Jacob and caught him in the hills of Gilead.  After a lengthy discussion they ended with the agreement above.  The heap was a pillar of stones and basically a line in the sand which they both agreed not to cross.

Application:

This text has often been used as a benediction at the end of worship services.  However, this is not a blessing, this was more of a curse between two men who did not trust each other and they wanted The Lord God to punish the other if they broke their agreement.  These words are more appropriately spoken to someone that you don’t trust when they will be out of your sight.  This is more of a request for God to punish someone who breaks a promise to you.  However, we should be careful when we ask The Lord God to punish someone for doing wrong.  We are to forgive people of their trespasses and wrong doings as we are forgiven for ours by our Heavenly Father. (Matthew 6:14-15)  We should remember that Jesus, The Christ, told Peter that we ought to forgive our brother who sins against us not seven times but “seventy times seven” times. (Matthew 18:21-22)

PEOPLE WHO PLAY TRICKS ON OTHERS WILL GET TRICKED

Proclamation:

“When morning came, there was Leah!  So Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me?  I served you for Rachel, didn’t I?  Why did you deceive me?’”  Genesis 29:25  (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jacob left the land of Canaan to flee from his brother, Esau, and to honor his father, Isaac’s request not to marry a woman from Canaan. (Genesis 28:1)  He went to the land of his mother, Rebekah’s brother Laban.  There he met Laban’s beautiful daughter Rachel, fell in love with her, and agreed to work for Laban for seven years in order to have her because he did not have a dowry to offer him for her. (Genesis 29:18)  Jacob thought that he had married Rachel but was given Leah instead.  Jacob had been drinking at the wedding feast and Leah was heavily veiled when she was brought to him.  Laban tricked him because it was their custom that the eldest daughter, Leah, must be married before the younger daughter. (Genesis 29:26)  So Jacob worked a second period of seven years, after he married Leah, so that he could have Rachel. (Genesis 29:30)  Jacob, who had tricked his father, Isaac, in order to get the blessing of his older brother, Esau, (Genesis 27:19-25) was himself tricked, by Laban, into marrying Leah.

Application:

There are a lot of appropriate old sayings which fit this situation, “Players will soon get played.”  “Those who play tricks, will eventually get tricked.”  “As you sow, so shall you also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)  The Lord God is not to be played with, and He does not like liars and deceivers.  People who deceive others will pay for it sooner or later.  Be true to yourself and present the real you to others.  All of the blessings which The Good Lord has in store for you are yours and yours alone, no one else can get them.  However, you can mess up and lose out on your conditional blessings.  So, do not pretend to be someone that you are not, in order to impress others or to get that which you do not deserve.  God is always watching.

PLAYING FAVORITES AMONG YOUR CHILDREN HAS BAD OUTCOMES

Proclamation:

“Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him.  He said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are near, then I will kill my brother Jacob.’”  Genesis 27:41 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Abraham’s wife Sarah died at the age of one hundred twenty-seven, (Genesis 23:1) and she was buried in a cave overlooking a field in Canaan. (Genesis 23:19)  Abraham sent his senior servant to his home country to find a wife for his son Isaac. (Genesis 24:1-4)  When he got there, the servant prayed and then he found Rebekah. (Genesis 24:12-16)  It was in her arms that Isaac found comfort after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:67)  In the mean time, Abraham remarried and had five more sons. (Genesis 25:1-4)  He lived to be one hundred seventy-five years old before he died. (Genesis 25:7-8)  Later on when Isaac was sixty years old, he and Rebekah had paternal twin sons, Esau and Jacob. (Genesis 25:26)  The problem was that Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:27-28)  When the boys grew up and Isaac had gotten old and his eyes were weak, Jacob, with the help of his mother, tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing that he had planned to give his oldest son, Esau, and he held a grudge against Jacob and planned to kill him. (Genesis 27:1-45)

Application:

We are blessed to have children. (Deuteronomy 33:24)  We are to train them in the way that they should go. (Proverbs 22:6)  We are to nurture them and bring them up in the fear and admonition of The Lord God, but we are not to provoke our children to anger. (Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21)  By showing more love and favor to one child more than the others, parents cause children to resent their siblings and that resentment can lead to some very bad outcomes. 

DON'T VALUE YOUR CHILDREN MORE THAN GOD

Proclamation:

“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the region of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.’”  Genesis 22:2 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham moved on from Canaan southward towards Egypt.  Again Abraham referred to his wife Sarah as his sister. (Genesis 20:2)  While they were in a foreign land, Sarah became pregnant and bore a son, Isaac, to Abraham when he was one hundred years old. (Genesis 21:1-5)   Sarah did not want Abraham’s other son, Ishmael, to share in his inheritance with her son, Isaac, so she told him to “get rid of that slave woman,” Hagar, and her son. (Genesis 21:8-10)  Sarah’s request distressed him, but after talking to The Lord, he did what Sarah wanted. (Genesis 21:11-14)  Some time later, when Isaac was a young man, God tested Abraham. (Genesis 22:1-2)  He passed the test and The Lord God promised to bless him. (Genesis 22:9-18)

Application:

Unfortunately, today too many parents value and love their children more than their mates and more than they value and love The Lord God.  Our children can take us to brunch on Sunday morning but we can’t take them to church on Sunday morning.  The Lord God said that He was a jealous God and no one should make anyone or anything a god above Him. (Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9)  We are to love The Lord God with all our heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27)  Nothing is to come before God in our lives.  We are to make God first, and everything else fall into place after Him. (Matthew 6:33)

DON'T LOOK BACK LONGING FOR THE PAST SINFUL LIFE

Proclamation:

“Then The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of heaven … destroying all those living in the cities, and also the vegetation in the land.  But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”  Genesis 19:24-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After being warned that The Lord God was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, (Genesis 19:12) Lot was told to take his wife and two daughters and get out of the city and go to the mountains. (Genesis 19:15)  They were told by one of the angels of The Lord to: “Flee for you lives!  Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!” (Genesis 19:17)  When they reached safety in the city of Zoar, the destruction of the cities began and Lot’s wife turned and looked back behind them.  As she looked back she was changed into a pillar of salt. 

Application:

There has been much speculation as to why Lot’s wife looked back.  Some say that she longed for the life, the lifestyle, or the possessions that she left behind.  Some say that she did not believe that anything serious would happen if she just briefly looked behind them.  Some say that she was not a believer.  Regardless of the reason why she did it, she disobeyed the angel of The Lord and was punished immediately.  Once we are saved, we are not to go back to our old sinful ways, or wish for them, or look back longing for them.  Jesus, The Christ, said that no one who takes us the work of God and looks back longingly is worthy of the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)  Jesus also said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”  He said this while explaining to His disciples regarding the coming of the kingdom of God (Luke 17:22-33) after telling them that no one should go back into the house for his possessions or back into the field for anything. (Luke 17:31-32)  We are to learn from past mistakes and do better, and not long to return to our past life.  We should not value our past so much so that we ruin our future.

THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE SPARED WHEN THE WICKED ARE DESTROYED

Proclamation:

“Then Abraham approached Him and said, ‘Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  What if there are fifty righteous people in the city … What if only ten can be found there?’  He answered, ‘For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.’”  Genesis 18:20-32

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Lot and Abram parted company, Lot chose the well-watered plain of the Jordan and moved his herds and flocks near Sodom.  Unfortunately the people of Sodom were wicked and sinned greatly against The Lord. (Genesis 13:11-13)  It came to pass that the kings in area made war with the other kings nearby, they were defeated and Lot was captured and his possession taken. (Genesis 14:1-12)  When Abram learned of this he took 318 of his servants and attacked and routed them, rescuing Lot and the other captives. (Genesis 14:13-16)  The Lord God told Abram that He was his shield and his very great reward, (Genesis 15:1-5) and God promised him a son.  Abram’s wife Sarai was also old and she was barren, so she gave Abram her slave/handmaid Hagar so that he could have a son.  After she conceived, she began to despise her mistress and Sarai began to mistreat her so she left. (Genesis 16:1-6)  Hagar was confronted by the angel of The Lord and returned and bore Abram a son named Ishmael. (Genesis 16:7-15)  The Lord God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Genesis 17:5) and his wife Sarai’s name to Sarah. (Genesis 17:15)  God made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-11) and promised him that Sarah would bear him a son and he will be called Isaac. (Genesis 17:17-19)  Then The Lord appeared to Abraham (Genesis 18:1-2) and told him that the sins of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were so great that He was going to destroy the cities. (Genesis 18:17 and 20)  This is when Abraham questioned The Lord regarding sparing the lives of the righteous living among the wicked. (Genesis 18:22-32)

Application:

The Lord God destroyed the whole earth but spared Noah and his family. (Hebrews 11:7)  Here He told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah but He would spare the righteous there, namely Lot and his family. (Genesis 19:15-16)  He said that if there were ten righteous people there, He would spare the cities for their sakes.  Even when surrounded by wickedness and corruption, a child of God should maintain his faith and Christian walk.  By doing so we will find grace and favor in the eyes of The Lord and thereby be spared the wrath of God which will come to those people who are doing evil.  

IT PAYS TO BE GENEROUS TO GOD'S PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.  Is not the whole land before you?  Let’s part company.  If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.’  Lot looked around and saw the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of The Lord … So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east.”  Genesis 13:8-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Abram left his father’s household and country, he went to the land of Canaan near Bethel where he pitched his tent and built an alter. (Genesis 12:4-8)  In order to avoid the famine in the land, Abram went down to Egypt for a while where he lied and said that his wife Sarai was his sister so that the Egyptians would not kill him and take her. (Genesis 12:10-20)  He returned to Bethel with more than he had when he left, and his herds and Lot’s herds were so large that the land could not support them both. (Genesis 13:1-6)  When quarreling started between Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders, Abram told Lot to choose the part of the land that he wanted, and he would take the other side.  Abram was generous and let Lot have the best part of his land.  After Lot left, The Lord spoke to Abram and blessed him saying that all of the land that he could see, in all directions, would be his. (Genesis 13:14-18)

Application:

All separations are not bad.  Sometimes it is better to separate yourself from some people in order to keep the peace.  The children of God are to be peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9)  It is also good to be generous when you give to God’s people.  The Bible says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” (Luke 6:38)  By giving, we shall receive; and as we give, so shall we receive.  The Bible also says that the generous person will be made rich, and he that blesses others will himself also be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25)  By giving generously to God’s people, we will be blessed.

WHEN THE LORD SAYS GO AND LEAVE IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON

Proclamation:

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your county, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’”  Genesis 12:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the great flood, The Lord God told Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply, and to replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1)  Then God made a covenant with Noah, and all of his descendants after him, that He would never again destroy the earth and all life by the waters of a flood. (Genesis 9:8-11)  Then God set a rainbow in the clouds as a sign and a reminder of the covenant. (Genesis 9:12-16)  Noah’s three sons had children and their children begat other children. (Genesis 10:1-32)  At that time, all of the people on the earth spoke the same language. (Genesis 11:1)  This changed when man decided to build a tower to reach the heavens and God came down and confounded their language, and scattered them to different parts of the earth. (Genesis 11:3-8)  After they were scattered, they continued to multiply. (Genesis 11:10-26)  Abram was born from the lineage of Shem.  Abram and his wife Sarai went with his father from the land of Ur to Harran and settled there. (Genesis 11:31)  It was from there that The Lord God told Abram to leave.

Application:

When The Lord God tells us to “Go” then it is time for us to go, even when we are not sure exactly where we are going.  When He says that we are to leave a place or a person, then it is time for us to move on.  Sometime we have to move out of our comfort zone in order to be where God wants us to be.  There are also times when we need to leave a job, a city, a relationship, or some people behind, and that includes family.  We can still love them but we need to do so from a distance.  We need to listen to and obey the voice of God.  He speaks to us with a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) and through His Holy Word.  Are you listening to Him?  Are you where God wants you to be?  Are you doing what God wants you to do?

WAIT ON THE LORD

Proclamation:

“Then God said to Noah, ‘Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.  Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you …”  Genesis 8:15-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God spoke to Noah and told him to build the ark, Noah did all that God had commanded him to do. (Genesis 6:22)  Then The Lord God told Noah go into the ark and He shut him in. (Genesis 7:1-16)  Afterwards, it rained continuously for forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:12)  The rain caused a flood which lifted the ark, (Genesis 7:17) and covered the mountains by more than twenty feet, (Genesis 7:20) and all the animals and all mankind died. (Genesis 7:21-22)  The water covered the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)  After the waters began to recede, Noah stayed inside of the ark.  Even when he could see that the surface of the ground was dry, Noah stayed in the ark until The Lord God said for him to come out of the ark. (Genesis 8:1-17)

Application:

Noah had faith in God, he was obedient and built an ark even before there was a cloud in the sky.  He entered the ark when The Lord God told him to do so, and he did not come out of it until God told him to come out.  Even though he could see that the ground was dry, he did not come out.  We need to learn to trust in The Lord and lean not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)  Things are not always as they appear.  Relying on our five senses and our limited intelligence, instead of doing what thus saith The Lord, will get us into trouble.  We need to develop patience.  We need to pray before we act, (Philippians 4:6) and before we speak, and we need to learn to be patient and to wait on The Lord (Psalm 27:14) 

IT IS BEST TO STAY IN GOD'S GOOD GRACE

Proclamation:

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of The Lord.”  Genesis 6:8 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23-24) they had children, (Genesis 4:1-2 and 4:25) and their children begat children, who also begat children for nine generations before Noah was born. (Genesis 5:3-30)  By that time there was much wickedness on the earth and The Lord God was displeased. (Genesis 6:5-6)  God said that He would destroy both the man and beast that He had created but Noah found grace in the eyes of The Lord. (Genesis 6:7-8)  God told Noah that He was going to destroy mankind because it was corrupt but that he should build an ark (Genesis 6:12-14) so that he and his family would be saved from the coming flood which would destroy all flesh. (Genesis 6:17-18)

Application:

Even when surrounded by wickedness and corruption, a child of God should maintain his faith and Christian walk.  By doing so one will find grace and favor in the eyes of The Lord and thereby be spared the wrath of God which will come to those people who are doing evil.  By following The Word of God we will be protected from the evil around us and from the punishment that they will receive. (Hebrews 11:7)  He will make a way out of no way to protect the righteous from His punishment of the evil, even if there are only a few righteous people involved. (Genesis 18:22-32)  Only He knows the future but occasionally The Lord God will share some of His secrets and plans with those who truly believe in Him. (Psalm 25:14) 

GIVE THE LORD GOD YOUR VERY BEST

Proclamation:

“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to The Lord.  And Abel also brought an offering, fat portions from some of the first born of his flock.  The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.  So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.”  Genesis 4:3-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this fourth chapter of Genesis, Moses presents the sons of Adam and Eve.  Cain grew up to be a worker of the soil and Abel grew up to be a keeper of the flocks. (Genesis 4:1-2)  In the course of time, Cain brought of some fruits as an offering to The Lord.  Abel, however, brought the best from the first born of his flock as an offering to The Lord.  Abel and his offering were looked upon with favor by The Lord, but He did not look upon Cain and his offering with favor. (Hebrews 11:4)  Cain did not give The Lord God his best and The Lord God told him that if he had done that which was right, he and his offering would have been accepted. (Genesis 4:6-7)

Application:

When we give to The Lord God, we should give Him the very best of what we have to offer.  We are to give to Him from the first fruits of all of our increases. (Proverbs 3:9)  He deserves the first portion of the very best that we have, and not some small part of that which is left over after we give to ourselves and to others. We need to put God first in everything, including our giving. (Matthew 6:33)

MAN'S PUNISHMENT FOR THE ORIGINAL SIN

Proclamation:

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; dust you are and to dust you will return.”  Genesis 3:19 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The third chapter of Genesis describes the first sin of man, his fall from grace, and the punishment that he received for it.  Eve was tempted by Satan, in the form of a serpent, and she did eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17) which The Lord God had commanded them not to eat. (Genesis 3:1-6)  She offered some of this fruit to Adam and he also ate it. (Genesis 3:6)  After eating the fruit they immediately became aware of their situation and tried to hide from God. (Genesis 3:7-10)  When God questioned Adam about his action, he blamed Eve, and she blamed the serpent. (Genesis 3:9-13)  For their part in this, the original sin, God cursed the serpent, Eve, and Adam. (Genesis 3:14-20)  Even though He punished them, God still provided for Adam and Eve, and He protected them. (Genesis 3:21-24)

Application:

Even though he was blessed with the abundance of God’s provisions, man still sinned and disobeyed God.  When we sin today, it is not out of necessity for our survival; it is because of our selfish desire for personal gain, greed, or lustful pleasure.  There is a price to be paid for our sins. (Romans 6:23)  Jesus, The Christ, paid the price for our sins on Calvary and offered us the way to salvation and eternal life.  However, we must all give an account of our behavior and stewardship, (Luke 16:2 and Revelation 20:12) and every word that we speak. (Matthew 12:36)   Man had it made in the Garden of Eden with all of God’s provisions, now after the sinful fall from God’s grace we have to work and sweat to eat and survive.  Even though we are punished for our sinful choices, The Lord God still blesses us.  Our physical death will be the separation of our spiritual soul from our physical body.  Our body will return to the dust of the earth.  However, where our soul will spend eternity depends upon our acceptance or rejection of Jesus, The Christ. (Ephesians 12:7 and Revelation 20:15)

A MAN AND WIFE ARE TO BE AS ONE FLESH

Proclamation:

“And The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which The Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.  And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.’”  Genesis 2:21-23 (KJV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This second chapter provides the information regarding how some of the things that were presented in the first chapter were created. (Genesis 2:7 and 21-23)  The Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone …” (Genesis 2:18) and He made man a suitable helper.

Application:

Woman was formed from one of man’s ribs.  She was taken from his side.  She was created to be a help mate for man. (Genesis 2:20)  She was not created to be his slave, or his servant, or his punching bag.  She should be at his side, not behind him or in front of him.  The two of them are to be a team, working together as a unit, so close together that they are to be as one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)  The husband is to love his wife as he loves his own body (Ephesians 5:28) and as he loves himself. (Ephesians 5:33)  The wife is to submit to the husband. (Ephesians 5:22-23)  If both the man and the woman would do as The Bible says, this world would be a better place.

GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS THE EARTH AND MAN

Proclamation:

“And God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”  Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This is the first Book of The Bible and this first chapter is all about the beginnings of everything, including the creation of the heavens and the earth, and everything therein. (Genesis 1:1-31)  When God said, “Let Us … in Our …”, He was referring to The Holy Trinity, God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit, and collectively these three are one God. (John 1:1 and 1 John 5:7)  God created something, the earth and man, and everything in the universe, out of nothing.  Everything was created in six days, but a day to God is like one thousand years to man. (2 Peter 3:8)   

Application:

God created the earth out of nothing.  He spoke and it came into existence.  Man was created in the very image and likeness of God.  As different as we all look today, who is to say which one of us looks more like God, our heavenly Father.  We should be very careful when we make references about someone’s physical appearance.  We are all made from the same chemicals that are in the dust of the earth, just arranged differently.  Our souls are completely different, special, and from the breath of God (Genesis 2:7) and are eternal.  Our bodies, however, are from the dust of the earth and to dust they shall return. (Job 34:15, Psalm 104:29, Ecclesiastes 3:20, and Ecclesiastes 12:7)  Jesus taught us to pray to our heavenly Father, (Matthew 6:9) but He also said, “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:30)  God is omnipotent, all powerful. (Matthew 28:18)  He alone can make something out of nothing.  With God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27)

HE IS RISEN DO YOU BELIEVE IT

Proclamation:

“As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said.  ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.’”  Mark 16:5-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark as he received it from the apostle Peter.  Mark begins this sixteenth and final chapter describing the events which occurred after the resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  The women who went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus were afraid and alarmed at what the saw. (Mark 16:1-8)  After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene who did not recognize Him at first, (Mark 16:9-11 and John 20:11-18) but when she did, she went and told the disciples who did not believe her.  Jesus later appeared the disciples while they were eating and He rebuked them for their lack of faith and disbelief. (Mark 16:14)  Jesus told Thomas, who said that he would not believe it unless he saw for himself and touched the nail prints in His hands, (John 20:25) because you have seen you have believed, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Application:

The basis of our Christian faith is the belief in the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  He predicted His death and resurrection and told His disciples several times beforehand. (Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:33, and Luke 24:7)  They did not believe until He appeared to them after His resurrection and they saw Him for themselves.  Jesus said blessed are those of us who believe in Him and His resurrection without having seen Him. (John 20:29)  He rose from the dead on the third day just as He said that He would do. (Matthew 12:40)  The question is: “Do you believe?”

ALL BELIEVERS HAVE A CROSS TO BEAR

Proclamation:

“A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.  They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place of the skull’).”  Mark 15:21-22 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark as he received it from the apostle Peter.  Mark begins this chapter with the “trial” of Jesus before the Sanhedrin council and then before Pilate. (Mark 15:1-15)  After Jesus was flogged and scourged, beaten and bleeding, the soldiers mocked Jesus before they led him out to be crucified. (Mark 15:15-20)  As Jesus struggled to carry the cross to Golgotha, the soldiers picked a man out of the crowd and made him carry the cross.  Jesus was weakened from the scourging that He had received earlier and perhaps Simon was picked because he looked strong.

Application:

The Bible does not record why Simon was chosen to carry the cross.  The fact is that he literally carried the cross for Christ.  Earlier, Jesus had said to His disciples, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 and Luke 9:23)  Let a man deny his sinful, ungodly, worldly, lustful self and be prepared to endure rejection, persecution, and suffering if he wants to be a disciple of Christ.  The song writer said, “Must Jesus bear the cross alone, and all the world go free; No, there’s a cross for everyone, and there’s a cross for me.”  (Words from the song, “Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone” written by Thomas Shepherd)  As believers and followers of Christ, each of us must quietly submit and carry his own cross.  In order to walk the Christian walk, we must put Christ before self.  Our faith, our belief, and our resolve will be tested. (James 1:2)  However, we should not worry about any of the things that we must suffer through (Revelation 2:10) for there is a reward for all those who endure to the end. (Matthew 10:22 and James 1:12)

PRAY THAT THE WILL OF GOD WILL BE DONE IN OUR LIVES

Proclamation:

“Abba, Father,’ He said, ‘everything is possible for You.  Take this cup from Me.  Yet not what I will, but what You will.’”  Mark 14:36 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark as he received it from the apostle Peter.  Mark begins this chapter with the anointing of Jesus, (Mark 14:3-9) and the preparation for the Feast of the Passover. (Mark 14:12-16)  During the Passover meal, as they were eating, Jesus foretold of His betrayal. (Mark 14:18-21)  Then Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crows twice. (Mark 14:27-31)  After they ate, they went to a place called Gethsemane where Jesus wanted to pray. (Mark 14:32-36)  As He prayed, Jesus said to His heavenly Father, not My will, but Thy will be done. (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, and Luke 22:42)

Application:

All too often, the things that we want and pray for are not within the will of God.  We need to remember that Jesus taught us, in the model prayer, that when we pray to our heavenly Father, we should say, “Thy will be done.” (Matthew 6:10 and Luke 11:2)  It doesn’t matter what it is, our will is insignificant and unimportant, and His will is paramount.  We should want the will of God to be done in our lives.  Don’t be so selfish that you cannot pray this prayer.