July 15th, 2012 Genesis 1-3

S. Gen 1:2 “…The Earth was empty a formless mass cloaked in darkness, and the spirit of God was hovering over its surface”

O. Even while the Earth was nothing, “a formless mass” even before creation or light existed, God’s presence was still there.

A. Whenever I feel like God isn’t there, I can remember that he has ALWAYS been there. Even before the beginning of time itself, his presence was in existence. I don’t have to be afraid, or lonely or confused; I know my God really is there.

P. God, help me to remember every day that you are and have always been there. No matter what life throws at me, you are there.

S. Gen 2:27- “So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.”

O. We are all made in God’s perfect image.

A. I am made by God. Therefore, as it says, I am patterned after him, in his own image. God doesn’t see my flaws or scars, God sees me as his beautiful, precious daughter that he so carefully and delicately created. God sees me for me, and still chooses to unconditionally love me.

P. Lord, help me to know who I am in you. That I am one of a kind and that you specifically designed me and created me in such a unique way with every hope and desire, with a purpose and destiny.

--Interesting that as I wrote this because earlier tonight my youth pastor said something that has stuck with me: “We must know Whose we are, before we know Who we are.” Before we know our purpose in life, our gifting and specific callings, we must first recognize who we are in Christ. That he designed us for specific reasons, with certain wants and hates different than the next person. Only then, can we realize what purpose we were really designed for, a purpose to glorify God in our own designated way.

S. Gen 3:33 “Then the Lord God asked the woman, “How could you do such a thing?”… “The serpent tricked me, that’s why I ate it she replied.””

O. Satan knew just how to trick Eve into eating the fruit. He was keen and knew just the right words to get her to disobey God’s words.

A. Satan knows just the right way to get me to do something I know isn’t right. He does it with the right person at just the timing, and that’s it. I want to be stronger than that, stronger than Satan’s sly words to get me down.

P. God I pray that I stray away from Satan’s plan of attack and defeat. That I become strong in you, strong like Job, enough to know exactly when the enemy is attacking and to look straight towards you. I pray that I can point out when Satan is coming at me, and go the other direction.