Bible Study

Good Morning! I thought I would started this morning with a little explaination about how I want to organize this bible study...I have a study book that I use for Sunday School that goes along with whatever book we might be studying, in this instance, Genesis. The book makes many great points, add some perspective I couldn't pick up on, plus offers other little tidbits of information I also would not know on my own. So I want to realize that when the text is in purple those comments/ information is from the study book not my own words. I definately don't want to give anyone I am a bible scholar of any sort, instead know that I am a Bible believing Christian woman who believes that every word of the Bible is "God breathed" and it is my heart's desire to learn all I can about Him and his word to grow me in my Christian walk. So with that being said "Let's dig in and see what God's word has for us today."

Chapter One begins with God's showing us how creative he is.

Note that Genesis doen't try to prove the existence of God; it assumes that He exists. Remember that Genesis was written for people who already believed in God.
Genesis tells about the creation of all things by one true God. "God" in Hebrew is Elohim which is the plural form emphasizing God's majesty and power. This Hebrew form also allows for the trinity without falling into polythesism (belief in many Gods.)

I know it is hard for some to really grasp the fact that God has always been and always will be. There is no "begin date" for Him. Which as human being is hard for us because we are used to referring to things in a timely manner. We have a start and finish time for work, our earthly life begins at the day we are born and ends when we die, and holidays have a definate time when we celebrate and end each one. Just like those things the heavens and earth have definate beginning point in time. although many "scientist" if you would call them that, would like you to think that the beginning point was millions of years ago. There is much evidence to show that the method they use to label time with is inaccurate.

In this first book of the Bible notice that God is involved in the creation but is distinct from His creation. People often make the mistake of worshiping the created instead of worshiping the Creator Himself. ( we shouldn't appreciate the painter without giving credit to the painter.)
In the early stage the earth was chaotic. confused, formless, empty, and disorganized.

So now let's talk about God's creativeness and see how amazing it must have been to see creation happen just because He breathed the words from His lips. Ya know the creation story is one of things we can take for granted as we read quickly through it. When you really stop to think about ALL he did it's breath taking to image that just by saying the word and it was done! It also should make us realize and shake in our boots alittle too. What a mighty and powerful God we serve.

Back to some more study book thoughts. Some Christians say that God created everything in six 24 hour days. Others suggest that the desciption of a week is simply a poetic framework the writer, Moses, used to describe God's creative activity. Yet all Bible-believing Christians agree that the universe has not always existed, nor did it come into existance through natural and impersonal forces. I was created by God in a miraculous way.

At the end of each day God saw His work and it was "good". At the end of His work when God saw everything He had made "very good".

???????? Do you get satisfaction from the work you do? Why or why not??????????

It is important to note that after creation God commanded animals and humans to reproduce and fill the earth with life. God set apart Adam and gave them rule over the rest of creation. Adam is held dominate in creation because he was made in God's own image.
When God reached the 7th day "He rested". Don't make the mistake of thinking that this means he was physically tired and needed to rest! This reseting shows us that His work was complete, He had completed His creation. It also shows us an example of resting on the sabbath (holy day).

The study book makes a few great points about Eden, the garden where Adam and Eve lived. It says that the author of Genesis meant for readers to understand that Eden was a real place. He, the writer, provided geographic details, named rivers,and even mentioned natural resources of those lands. Living in Eden was no "vacation" for Adam he was expected to work and take care of the garden.

I think some people miss the mark at realizing how this related to us. Nothing in this world is ours..NOTHING! We are simply caretakers of the things God has given us. Just like Adam took care of a place that was given to him, we are given things God's will someday make us accountable for.

????How are taking care of the things God has blessed you with??

Please feel free to leave any additional insights, comments, about anything I wrote. Let me know if you think I should change anything..you know I am new at this an woudl appreciate anything you have to say :)