From Eden to Egypt- Day 3

In the beginning God created... - Genesis 1:1

God is active.  He's always doing something.  Even from the very beginning, God was actively engaged in creating.  The mental picture that is set forth in this phrase has our minds seeking to formulate the pre-creation thoughts of One whose thoughts and ways are far above our own.  We cannot fathom it at all.

Henry Morris writes: "The work of creation, however, is uniquely a work of God." We must not lose sight of that theological fact.  God is the Creator.  All things were made by Him and for Him.  In fact, John writes that nothing was made without Him.  The triune God was at work from the beginning.

The word used for God's handiwork of creation is "bara," "used always only of the work of God." When we look at the majestic and mighty work of God through creation was marvel at how God set things in order from the very beginning.  Thus, if He is not the author of confusion, He is an orderly God.  Even in Creation, He keeps things in order.

Look out today at His power to create waves that cease at invisible walls to create tides that subside upon soft sands of beaches.  Witness how He created trees to reach astronomical heights but still not reach the very outer edge of the heavenly realm.  See how His creation lives and breathes in harmony, whether it be the animal kingdom or the plant kingdom.

He created.  He created from the beginning.  He created by His own power.  God is a creative force as the Creator.

*From Eden to Egypt is a series for Life Path Ministries by Rev. Bruce Jackson that chronicles a daily study and reading of the Book of Genesis and The Genesis Record by Henry M. Morris.

From Eden to Egypt- Day 2

 In the beginning God...- Genesis 1:1 (NASB)

Trust me! I am being totally honest here.  The rest of this study will not take so long, but I must tread through this slowly.

Genesis starts with an opening phrase that presents God already in existence "in the beginning." It does not presume Him to be existent.  It states that He was there "in the beginning."

God was already on the scene "in the beginning." Elohim was present.  Henry M. Morris says that
Elohim, the "Creator" name of God, also speaks of God as "uni-plural." John opened the first chapter of the Gospel that bears his name by stating that the Word was in the beginning with God and as God, and then restates it again in the second verse of the first chapter.  Therefore, we see that God's existence from the beginning is necessary to establish the deity of Christ (the Word) for the Gospel of John that was written so that people would believe in Him.

Belief is critical at this point.  There is no middle of the road here.  You either believe that God exists or you do not.  You either believe in a big bang theory or a big "G" (God) theology.  The Bible is not seeking to prove God's existence.  The Bible affirms our notion of a "higher power" being more than something.  No, it is someone.  It is the One. It is the true and living God.  It is Elohim.  It is the triune God.

From the very beginning, the Bible requires that you believe God to be true or it's not even worth continuing to read.




*From Eden to Egypt is a series for Life Path Ministries by Rev. Bruce Jackson that chronicles a daily study and reading of the Book of Genesis and The Genesis Record by Henry M. Morris.

From Eden to Egypt- Day 1

In the beginning. . . - Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

I am captivated every single time I read it.

I crack open my Bible and thumb through cheese-cloth thin pages that crinkle like crisp dollar bills as I pass over the preliminary pages.  I bypass the pages that tell of the inerrant and infallibe of God's Word handed down from heaven by His Holy Spirit that allowed power to work through divinely-inspired men that led to the Council of Nicea and other gatherings of rulers and rule-makers alike that led to the creation and compilation of the Bible as we know it today. 

That's when the words hit me.

In the beginning. . .

They seem to linger in mid-air somewhere just above my grasp.  They don't drift or stray.  They just hang there in some solitary space perfectly fit to between understanding and faith.  They are wedged between belief and some alternative instinct that leads me to desire to fully understand something by laying out as much as evidence and facts as possible to arrive at a solution.

In the beginning. . .

Was that in the beginning as far as I can remember? Or, are you talking about in the beginning in reference to some time even prior to Moses' being born in the midst of a cruel regime of Egyptian bondage or Noah even entertained the Lord's leading of building an ark?

In the beginning. . .

No matter how you look at it, "In the beginning" works for Genesis since it means "origin."  It is the story of creation.  The family line of Adam stems from the beginning. The animal kingdom initiates in the beginning.  Everything comes out of the creation, which marks our very beginning.

Awe seems to sink into my members as I settle in for the ride of a lifetime.  I have restarted with Genesis again as many times before.  As I restart reading God's Word again, I restart from the same famed verse and very simple prepositional phrase that says so much in three little words.

In the beginning. . .

*From Eden to Egypt is a series for Life Path Ministries by Rev. Bruce Jackson that chronicles a daily study and reading of the Book of Genesis and The Genesis Record by Henry M. Morris.

Special Events and Beyond

"I shape my own destiny." - Laurie Beth Jones

Your special events are only as special as you make them.  Sadly, if your approach and attention to your special events resemble your regular routine, then you need to assess your readiness to make it a success.  You make special events a success by making them special.  You make them special by adjusting your approach to them.

• Preparation: How you prepare will impact how you perform.  If you are lackluster in preparation, don't expect to tap into some hidden gem of enthusiasm and energy that wasn't present before it is time to perform.  Go full strength with your preparations.
• Promotion: You have to talk it up and take it up a notch. You are to talk it up to get others talking about what's coming.  If you don't show any enthusiasm about what you are putting on, then you won't see many people rushing to get there.  Talk it up and take it up.  Introduce something new.  Innovate it.  Put a new spin on an old idea. Let it wow your audience.
• Presentation: Small budgets don't have make your events small-scale ventures. Get others to partner and support your efforts.  Look at your vendors for discounts.  Do you always use the same caterers or order from the same local restaurants? Ask for a discount and offer premiere signage.  See where you can cut costs without cutting corners.  Keep your presentation flawless and fantastic.

Remember: You shape your own destiny.