Gen 9-11; Luke 4

Scripture - Gen 11:6 And the  Lord  said, “Indeed  the people  are  one and they all have  one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they  propose to do will be withheld from them.

Observation - In this portion of scripture the people have come together with a goal to build a tower that reaches heaven.  They have unified in their vision and their goal.  Even though the goal is not Godly, the goal of building the tower is a unified goal none the less.  God comes down to take a look at the work the people are doing and says "the people are all one and have one language, nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them."  It is amazing what can happen with a group of people that work together as a team with one voice and one vision.  Nothing will be withheld from them.  

Application - Nothing can be withheld from a team that is unified.  There is nothing that cannot be accomplished by a team that will work together and have one vision and one voice.  Too often we are trying to accomplish things in life by either flying solo or trying to have too many opinions with too many visions.  The bible says "where there is no vision, the people perish".  Having too many visions on a team is as detrimental as having no vision at all.  Unity is powerful.  When you have all members of the team focused on the same goal and the same vision, a dynamic takes place in that team and they are able accomplish what one member cannot.

Prayer - Father help me to be the kind of leader that inspires unity in my team.  Help me be the kind of leader that brings people together and never drives a wedge in the team.

Gen 6-8; Luke 3

Scripture - Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the  Lord.

Observation - The world is completely corrupt and full of evil behavior.  God had created men to be in fellowship with Him and love Him.  To spend time with God.  Men simply wanted everything their  flesh told them they needed.  They were motivated by greed and self indulgence, motivated to get and never to give, motivated to have everything they wanted to satisfy the flesh and the desire of their body.  At their most corrupt, when  God is regretting his creation, their is grace.  The bible says Noah found grace in the eyes of The Lord.  When you think there is no hope for humanity there is always grace.  God looks at Noah and finds a ray of sunshine in an otherwise very dark place.  A man that walk in righteousness and follows after God.   He finds grace with God and is charged with humanities salvation.  To build, to lead and to release.  That is Noah's task.  To build the ark, to lead the people and the creatures and to release them back to the earth to bless God.  

Application - The picture that was painted of Noahs' time can probably be overlaid on to any time in the history of man.  Some could say that we are living in the same kind of time now.  That the corruption of men has caused evil to rise and the world to be a very dark place.  Those people would probably be right.  We are living in some fairly selfish times and with some fairly significant corruption.  But there is always grace.  I don't mean that to say that all is forgiven because there is grace.  I mean that to say that there is always hope because there is grace.  In the midst of some significantly challenging times for humanity God found Noah full of righteousness and love for God. Today God is finding men and women that are full of righteousness and love for God and will challenge them to build, lead and release.  God needs men and women that can build an ark, gather the people and release them into the kingdom.  God is looking for Noah's in our day, Noah's that will build.  Build the lives of people, build hope for a new day, build love into the fabric of humanity, build Godly principles into the lives of people.  Leaders that will take the risk and stand against the common worldly viewpoint and be heard.  Release disciples back into the kingdom to build, lead and release.

Prayer - Father help me to be one that you look upon with eyes of grace.  Help me to be one that you can rely on to build, lead and release.  Father I love you so much and want to be part of the change and not part of the problem.  Father instruct me in Jesus name.

Gen 3-5; Luke 2

Scripture - Gen 4:8-9 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and  killed him. Then the  Lord  said to Cain, “Where  is  Abel your brother?” He said,  “I do not know.  Am  I  my brother’s keeper?”

Observation - This is one of the classic scripture versus.  This story is told over and over and has probably been preached as many times.  In this story the scripture is trying to teach us that we are to bring our best offering to The Lord.  That when we bring a slip shod offering to God it is not received  or accepted.  God only deserves the very best as he gave us the very best.  The story results in Cain's subsequent anger with God and offense against his brother Abel.  Anger to the point of murder.  God asks Cain where is brother is and Cain answers very flippantly - "Am I my brother's keeper?"  As I read the story today and think about all that is happening in our world.  I am compelled to believe that society needs to be confronted with this question.  The story results by clearly convincing Cain that in fact he is his brothers keeper.

Application - This story points out to us that we must be concerned for our fellow human.  I believe there are multiple points in this passage: 1.  We must be concerned with our brother and his well being. Too often we are not concerned about the well being of our fellow humans.  In this world of get what you want at whatever cost, the human condition gets lost and over looked.  We are our brothers keeper.  We are responsible for the other guy.  We have a spiritual and moral responsibility to do for our brother and ensure his well being.    2.  That life is valuable and should be treated as such. I have watched the generation behind me treat life as disposable.  In an age of shoot to kill video games and board games with titles like "Assassins Creed" it is no wonder this generation is prone to moving to reality from fantasy with their killing sprees.  We must begin teaching the value of human life.  We must shout the value from the tallest mountain and begin taking responsibility for human life.  God alone gives and takes life.  Life is to be treated with respect and highly valued.

Prayer - Father help me to be the proponent for my brother and for life.  Help me to see the message and how to teach the value of life to all that I come in contact with.

Gen 1,2 Luke 1

Scripture - Gen 1:1 In the  beginning  God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NKJV)

Observation - I have never written about the opening line in the bible.  This one sentence is probably one of the most controversial statements ever made.  The bible sets the tone for God's character in the first verse and opening passage.  In the beginning - tells us that when it all began God was there - this portion of the statement alone gives cause to controversy.  Some say that "Big Bangs" began our world, some say that we were a process of evolution, some that we are an enigma of transformational material. God says that he was there in the beginning, that all things have a start and he is the start.  God created is the second half.  This statement puts to rest the idea that evolutionary process took place or that we were some accidental concoction of nature.  God had purpose and intent when he formed and created us.  This earth was without form and void and God put things together.

Application - It does good for the soul to remember that God is at the helm of everything.  Understanding that God created and was in the beginning allows us to take a deep breath as we approach the things of life.  God created.  God had purpose.  God had intent.  Today I will remember the awesome gift of God's creation.  To understand that things are not done and have not been formed on accident but with a divine heavenly purpose.  

Prayer - God I love  you so much.  I am your child and man that longs to be in your presence and far from iniquity and trouble.  Father help me to remember today that you have created, that you were in the beginning, that you have purpose for all things.  I live today to dedicate my heart and soul to you.  I give you all my accomplishments and all my failures.  Father help me to appreciate the creation today.