Subscription Lists

Over these past weeks we have spent much time reading of, and observing, the various stages in the Creation narrative and we spend one last day as we move into Genesis Chapters 10,11, where we read of the sons of Noah and how the scenario develops – some of it good – some of it not so good – perhaps not so exciting and thrilling, but so like life!

Japheth means to enlarge - Japheth may you grow and extend - you will dwell in the tents of Shem - and you will share in the blessings of God.

At the beginning of Chapter 10 - we read of them each going their…  ( Click for more )

Why are we reading and studying these verses in Genesis - because we learn from the successes and failures of the past. This is God's Word for His People - to be led – and guided. We can learn from this Word how to avoid the errors of others. We can do that if we are willing to learn.

In Genesis Chapter 9 verse 20, Noah began to work the soil.

He planted a vineyard, made wine, and got drunk!

In his drunkenness, he lay uncovered in his tent. The word does not mean the covers fell off - there is here the implication of sexual perversion. The word means…  ( Click for more )

In Genesis Chapter 9 verse 8 - God speaks once again to Noah. God desires to make a Covenant with man. This is more than a contract. It is more than two people making an agreement or a bargain. It is one party laying down conditions and the other party accepting. A Covenant is always a thing of LOVE.

How often do we see two things like this side by side in Scripture? There is this principle of Capital Punishment - and then a revelation of such caring concern and love. There are no 'ifs'. We do not read - if you do this, I will do that. When God makes a Covenant…  ( Click for more )

We are in Genesis Chapter 9. The Flood is past. The cataclysmic devastation is over - never to be repeated. God has dealt with a world which had become so wicked and evil, and through this period of judgement God had kept eight people secure and safe in the ARK - with the animals which had been brought together - so that Creation would be preserved.

Noah emerged. The first thing he did was build an altar, and worshipped the living God Who had preserved and saved his family - and the worship which arose from the earth was pleasing to GOD. Desire to worship the living…  ( Click for more )

We come to Genesis 8 verse 20. The Flood is past and Noah's first thought was to build an altar - and Noah remembers the God Who had remembered him. Noah wants to begin living in this very different world in communion with the Creator God, Who judges and saves.

Noah takes some of the clean animals which he has kept safe for over a year and sacrifices them as part of his worship and thanksgiving.

What he did pleased the Lord God. God was pleased with the worship that arose from the earth that day.

Is Almighty God pleased with what flows from our lives and minds…  ( Click for more )

We read in Genesis Chapter 8 verse 1 that “God remembered NOAH”. Now - this is a FACT! There was no-one else around who could have remembered Noah.

The word ‘remember’ means to RENEW. We say - O we must remember so-and-so - and send them a card. We must renew our relationship with so-and-so. When we come to the Table Jesus says - Do this in remembrance of ME - renew your relationship with ME every time you eat the bread and drink from the cup. God remembered Noah. God is going to get in touch with Noah again. He is going to contact…  ( Click for more )

Remain in the Ark - take GOD at His Word – remain in the fellowship of the Church of Jesus Christ. Prepare for the coming again of Jesus Christ. Get ready, by believing in Jesus, and by obeying whatever Jesus asks you to do - no matter how others might regard it as peculiar or old fashioned. We are preparing for the future. When we understand how we are preparing for the future, everything appears to become clearer and more simple. We are reading and studying The Flood in Genesis Chapter 6 to 9.

In II Peter Chapter 2 verses 4,5 - there is no question whatsoever regarding…  ( Click for more )

On that day specific things begin to happen. It was as if there were gigantic underwater earthquakes. The earth began to break up or cleave open, causing immense tidal waves and flooding. The flood gates of heaven were opened.

We are in Genesis Chapter 7 verses 11,12.

We saw back in Chapter 1 verses 6,7, that there was this water vapour canopy surrounding the earth - protecting it - keeping its climate uniformly mild - and keeping out any dangerous radiation. This water vapour canopy collapsed and the earth was deluged or inundated – it was cataclysmic!…  ( Click for more )

The ARK never had a trial run and was never brought back for modifications. We move on to Genesis Chapter 7 - the measurements - the materials - the reasons - are all given.

God had taken Noah into His confidence. God shares with Noah truths which no-one else around could have received and believed - and God gives Noah commands which no-one else would have obeyed. God reveals that HE would bring all the animals to Noah - and Noah was to shepherd them safely into the Ark at the right time - and care for them during the period of the Flood.

Now - see Jesus Christ in all…  ( Click for more )

Noah was concerned about others - but hardly anybody listened. Seven did - seven believed the truth.

It is important to hear and listen and believe – it is as relevant today as it was at the time of Noah.

We are in Genesis Chapter 6. Verses 11,12 describe what the world was like at that time. It was corrupt in the sight of God - filled with violence - sacred things were trampled on - honesty and morality had vanished.

The society which God destroyed had already destroyed itself. See that clearly.

God judges SIN in whatever form it manifests itself…  ( Click for more )

What does God think of the moral mess in our nation? What does God think of the way our country is going? What does God think of what is going in the world - where man was created to be a caring compassion steward. We are reading in Genesis Chapter 6, where circumstances have deteriorated seriously.

When sin is rampant, God's company is not sought. God see man's imaginations - his desires - intentions - thoughts - purposes - goals - aims. What dominates our thinking? What do we allow to influence our thought life?

It was so bad that a crisis point is reached.…  ( Click for more )

As we move on to Genesis Chapter 6 we come to another massive topic – The Flood.

From very early days, most of us will have known something of the basic story of Noah and the Ark and The Flood. When we read this we need to remember that we are dealing with fact and not fiction.

Jesus Christ treated this record of The Flood as FACT. The detail is so vivid. There is perfect balance between the Mercy of God and His Judgement.

The emphasis is upon the Ark - and on the eight who were being saved - and not on those who were lost - and - we see God drawing…  ( Click for more )

Is it not highly significant that as man moved away from relying and depending upon God, that God is deeply concerned that we have a description of how all this happened? This is nothing other that a demonstration and revelation of the love of God – and it is He Who takes the initiative. He always does.

That is why He sent His Son to be our Saviour. We are in Genesis Chapter 4 and we come to verse 19. Man moved further away from God's order as Lamech married two women - he took two wives.

In verse 23, he sings the praises of killing, and boasts of his own…  ( Click for more )

It is a question easily answered but do people really want an answer to the questions they raise?

In Genesis Chapter 4 at verse 17, we read that Cain lay with his wife - and a son is born, called Enoch. Many like to ask the trick question - Where did Cain get his wife?

One friend replied to a questioner - "Why are you so interested in other men's wives?"

A very simple answer and totally satisfactory explanation lies in Chapter 5 verse 5 - Adam had other sons and daughters. Remember at this time, in one sense, the race was as near to pure as it could be.…  ( Click for more )

Almighty God mercifully and graciously comes again to Cain, with another question. We are in Genesis Chapter 4 and at verse 9. Note Cain's response to, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know - and I am not interested - and he's not my responsibility." He is impudent and cheeky to GOD. "I have nothing to do with my brother."

This is the first murder - no human saw it - but God saw it - and shed blood speaks to GOD - and GOD sees and hears when we think we are totally on our own.

God was concerned and God places Cain under…  ( Click for more )

These two brothers came with their offering - Abel bringing a lamb - and Cain bringing some of the fruit which he had grown. The Lord respected what Abel brought and received what Abel brought. We are reading in Genesis Chapter 4.

When Cain came with his offering of grain, God was not so ready to accept and receive what he brought - and he knew how God reacted - and look at him. Cain becomes angry and he is about to give vent to his feelings. Now we know from Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 4, that Abel had a faith which Cain did not have. And yet, once again, we see how God…  ( Click for more )

Having been reading of how our loving compassionate concerned and powerful God - the Father of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ - created this universe, we move onto Chapter 4 of Genesis.

He created our world and everything in it.

He creates man and places him in that perfect environment.

Adam was filled with the life of God - and Adam was given a perfect companion - and God gave man authority over the whole of Creation. We saw how man was given the gift of work - meaningful purposeful work - to give him a sense of fulfilment. We read of how everything went…  ( Click for more )

Do you see the language of sin - hiding - running away - pain - sorrow - suffering - sweat - fear – death? Yes, circumstances move fast when man falls and sins, and they move faster than he expected.

Everything has changed – fellowship – innocence – even the environment and ecology.

We are in Genesis Chapter 3 and it is not one of the most favourite Chapters in the Bible, yet it explains much and clarifies what we see around us today. Adam names his wife Eve. He knows she is going to bring forth children into the world - and note he…  ( Click for more )

It was pleasing and desirable and so I took it and ate. These words in Genesis Chapter 3 verse 6 explain a lot. I saw the chocolate bar, and because it looked good, I wanted it, and I stretched out my hand and took it and ate it – and because I got off with it once I thought I could get off with it time and time again, and one day someone tapped me on the shoulder! The illustration can apply to anything!

We move on to verse 8 where we read that the Lord God comes and walks in the Garden. How do we react when God draws close? He loves to walk with the people…  ( Click for more )

Remember these three words - Intimidate - Dominate - Manipulate - these are not of GOD.

If someone appears attempting to intimidate you or dominate you or manipulate you, know that is what is happening is not coming from the heart of a caring, compassionate and loving God.

We are in Genesis Chapter 3, where Satan in that conversation with Eve goes for the kill, having questioned what God has said and having twisted what God has said.

You can hear what we have to wrestle with in our hearts and minds and lives. "I am going to be independent of God - I am going…  ( Click for more )

Why did he go for the woman? Well - she is on her own, and we have seen that it is not good for anyone to be on their own, and he tries to get the woman to lead the man, and that is something we have to face today. It is NOT progress!

Genesis Chapter 3 is more highly relevant and applicable than many would wish to admit.

God has a special concern for defenceless widows and women who are on their own. Satan initiates a discussion - a debate - about GOD! Have you heard that being around even in the Church of Jesus Christ - let's have a discussion group - where…  ( Click for more )

Having spent time in Genesis Chapters 1,2, we move on to Chapter 3.

At the end of Chapter 2, we saw that what God had created and made was good and very good - exceedingly good. Man is placed in a perfect environment. There is no sin - no disease - no death - no pain - no corruption - no pollution - there is no struggle for survival. Everything is good and pure and wholesome.

Now we could not say that of our world today. There is something terribly wrong. It is out of order. Something has been lost - destroyed. People do say that things are out of control…  ( Click for more )

We continue to read in Genesis Chapter 2 and in verses 18 we are given a Divine principle - it is not good for man to be alone. You cannot grow into a mature Christian on your own. We need to have fellowship and communion and intermingling - the one with the other.

God is about to do something about possible or potential loneliness. You need me to sandpaper you and I need you to sandpaper me. A Christian on his own can get into all kinds of trouble - and can begin to believe all kinds of funny things. And man is NOT made to commune with the animals or the plants.…  ( Click for more )

We come to Genesis Chapter 2 verses 16,17. This is where we can begin to see things just about to go wrong. We are quite pleased to receive gifts and blessings - and to be placed in beautiful surroundings - but how do we react when HE comes along and issues a command?

"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden - except that one - not that one." If man had avoided eating from that tree he would never have died. Let me say this again - when our Creator God created man - He never intended that man should experience - sin - disease - pain or death.

When…  ( Click for more )