Day 1

Day 1 of the 90 day challenge is complete. I read Genesis 1:1-16:16.

Important people that I read about today were:

• Adam and Eve
• Cain and Abel
• Noah
• Abraham and Sarah

Key verses were:

Genesis 1:28--"God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Genesis 12:3--"I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

A few things that stuck out to me:

As I went through the accounts of creation, there were two things that were repeated. The word "good," (everything God did, He saw that is was good). It is mentioned seven times, the last time it is mentioned, "God saw that all he had made, and it was very good." (Gen.1:31)

Also, the phrase "Be fruitful and increase in number...." is mentioned three times (Gen. 1:22, 1:28 and 9:1). Do you think God was stressing something here? To be fruitful means, producing good results; beneficial; profitable. To increase means, to become greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality, also to reproduce or multiply. Yes, we not only increase in number but we are called to produce good fruit. Are you/I/we producing good fruit?

Genesis 4:7— “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” This is what God said to Cain after he (pitched a fit) got upset about Abel’s offering being favored more than his. Right there, God says it all. If you do what is right, what is there to worry about? If you don’t, just remember that sin is at your door, wanting to get in and take over. The amazing part about it all is that we have a choice to take control over it (along with help from God). To me, this scripture is almost a challenge. When sin is crouching at my door, will I be able to stand firm on God’s word and my faith to MASTER (rule over) it?

Genesis 15:1—“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Simply put: Trust in God, he is our protector and in the end it's all good.

Genesis 15:7—“He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” God reassures us (numerous times) that He knows what he said and he meant every word of it. Sometimes, it is hard for us to believe that God really does have it under control. Good thing for us, He doesn’t mind repeating himself every now and then. God told Abraham more than once that his offspring would great in number. Abraham was hesitant that it would really happen, which in his defense, he was childless and had no prospect of producing a child at this point. (Good thing I already know the outcome of Abraham and Sarah’s story, or I would be a little hesitant too).

Overall, I have gained a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness. So far in my reading, God has followed through with every promise he made. He was faithful then and He is STILL faithful now. I have a feeling, better yet, I know that as I continue to read the next 89 days, I will constantly be reminded of God’s faithfulness to his children.