To Circumcise or Not To Circumcise...Is It a Question?

Okay...so I've often wondered about circumcision.  I understand it is a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, but I wonder if ol' Abe would have agreed so quickly if he knew.  I've also contemplated on why it had to be in this particular place...

As I read Genesis 17 with my wife last night (BlessedGirl)  she made a very intelligent, and God-enlightened, point.  She said, in so many words, that maybe God chose circumcision because the covenant with Abraham was about making him the father of countless descendants.  It would always be a reminder of God's promises and the fulfillment of those promises, and maybe that's why we continue to do it today, much to many babies chagrin...

Thank you www.jewcy.com for the image.

"I will establish My convenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you." ~Genesis 17:7

There are many now that state that circumcision is a pointless procedure and there aren't any real health benefits.  I've even heard many christians make this argument.  "We live in New Testament times and we are no longer bound by the old covenant."  

It would not hurt to remember the old covenant and the promises that God made to us.  That promise still stands today just as it stood with Abraham, God made that same promise to us.  I feel it is vital that we as christians continue to keep that covenant with God.  Circumcision is a symbol, a reminder that God promised to be our God and to give us many descendants to spread His word and the good news of Jesus to all nations.  Health issues aside, this is a covenant that should not be taken lightly and should not be so easily broken (vs. 14).

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,

Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."

~NeedToBreathe

Silence is Golden--1 Samuel 10:26

  Do not be rash with your mouth,       And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.       For God is in heaven, and you on earth;       Therefore let your words be few. 

                                                     ~Ecclesiasties 5:2


Silence is golden.  It's a phrase we've all heard but few actually heed.  Throughout the Old Testament we are told that the wise hold their words and think through what they have to say.  The wise are not rash with their words.  


We find five of the most powerful words at the end of 1 Samuel 10:26..."But he held his peace."


What if we all were to follow Saul's example?  What if we all just took a breath before we spoke?  How would our world be different?


Saul was a man appointed by God and Saul understood that God was in control.  His rash and angry words would only worsen the situation.  So Saul held his tongue like a true man of God.


This is not to say we are to hold our tongues when we witness wrongdoing or injustice.  But our words should be spoken with prayerful consideration.


Lord, help me to hold my tongue and not speak rashly.  Help to know that you are in control and my many words only show a lack of trust in you.  Give me strength and patience as I attempt to walk in your light and on your path.  Thank you God for all you have given me.  Amen

Only Noah Was Left--Genesis 7

What sacrifices have to be made in order to follow God's directions and commands?


The answer to this question is different for everyone.  I guess the real question I'm asking is...


How many times has the idea of making sacrifices caused me to not follow God's directions?


Look at Noah's life.  He was livin' his life, talkin' to God, and then God lays down the boom.  "The end of all flesh has come before me...make for yourself and ark..." (Genesis 6:13f).  God gave a command and Noah followed.
     But what sacrifices did Noah have to make?
          -livelihood
          -family
          -respect


And then when the floods came Noah and his family climb aboard the ark while the rest of the world dies around them.  What kind of emotions must have they been growing through?  People they knew well, people they grew up with, people they called their friends all perishing right outside the door.  But they made those sacrifices because God commanded them too.


Am I willing?  Do I have it in me to sacrifice when God asks it of me? Can I hear the voice of God when He speaks? Can I make a complete fool of myself because I trust in what God has asked? ...

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,
Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."
~NeedToBreathe

Can You Hear?--Genesis 6

Okay...I know it's been a while.  But the main reason I'm struggling to write this post is due to the whole "God speaking" thing.  Through the first six chapters of Genesis we read about God speaking, and the tone of the writing suggests that God is speaking in an audible voice to His creation just like I would speak to you.

For many reasons this is simply blowing my mind.

In this chapter we find that all creation is filled with evil intent and unrighteousness.  God is pretty much starting over with the all races, human and animal alike.  And he still finds one to speak with...Noah.

As it happens Noah is the great-grandson of Enoch.  What a lineage!  Unfortunately Enoch was taken into heaven before Noah was born, but I'm sure, with it being such a close relation, that many of Enoch principles were also Noah's.  Noah was found righteous, and maybe because of his great-grandfather God saved the human race through him...
          and God spoke to Noah.

How many times have I said the statement, "If only God would speak in an audible voice it would be so much easier."  How totally wrong and backwards is that statement.  God speaks...will I listen?

God, please open my ears to hear your voice.  Speak to me through whatever channel you so choose and give me the faith and resolve to follow what you would ask of me.

What do you think?  How does God speak to you?  Do you take the time to listen?
twitter: @mjedallen  #ot2nt

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,

Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."

~NeedToBreathe

...and he died (Genesis 5)

Notice the pattern...(I italicized just in case you didn't catch it!)


⁵ Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.


⁸ Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.


¹¹ Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.


¹⁴ Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.


¹⁷ Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.


²⁰ Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.


²⁷ Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.


³¹ Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.


It's interesting to me that these men lived all these years and the last thing that was said about them was that "he died."  Well, all except for Enoch...


²³ Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years.²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.


Now there's something to put in your obituary.  Could you imagine reading that...


   "He lived a full 75 years and had three wonderful children.  He was a strong    Christian who walked with God closely.  According to witnesses he was taken into heaven after a giving his wife a tearfully happy good-bye kiss."


...I mean c'mon.  How many of you would believe that?


But Enoch, Noah's great grandfather, was simply just taken away by God.  I'm not sure I know what that kind of relationship with God feels like...and honestly that makes me a little sad.


Lord, I want to know you today more than I knew you yesterday.


Goodnight and Godspeed

A Thought on Cain--(Genesis 4:1-15)

Was Cain as evil as we tend to make him out to be?  I know, I know...he killed his brother.  But I must admit, there have been times where the thought crossed my mind also.  Of course I would never follow through and those times were because he was being mean to me or wouldn't let me hang out with him (and of course  I was only 7).


But let's take a quick look at Cain.  He was the first born of God's first humans...no pressure there.  He had all the attention of both his earthly parents and heavenly Father...until Abel comes along.  He brings his offering to God first and then tag-along Abel copies his older brother and Abel does it better.  I'm sure there were some (or a lot) of jealous feelings.


Then look at the beginning of verse 8 after God talks to him (wow moment there--to speak directly to God!) about sin.  "And Cain told Abel his brother."  He went to talk to Abel about what God said.  How did that conversation go?


Then sometime later Cain killed Abel...


The one thing Cain was lacking...righteousness.


      ¹²not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.  ~1 John


Here we go again with human beings having a direct, audible, and physical contact with God.  And still letting sin take hold.  How much more must we protect and guard ourselves against sin!


In reading this passage I've had to ask myself, "What are my intentions?"  We are human, we are prone to wander as the song says.  But, no matter our intentions, we must always come back to God; because, as He was with Cain, God is always there seeking us out and looking for repentance so that we may experience His love in the fullest.


Brothers and sisters in Christ...please don't let your deeds be evil, but be full of righteousness that we may truly experience who and what God is together.


Goodnight and Godspeed

Shhh...Did You Hear That?! (Genesis 3)

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day... (Genesis 3:8)


Adam and Eve just committed the first sin ever.  They purposefully disobeyed a direct command from God.  Not a command sent down on a tablet through a mediator, but a command straight from the Big Guy himself!  


(Side note: Sometimes we think it would be easier if God would just talk to us in an audible voice, but would it really?)


But despite this direct disobedience God still came to commune with His creation, and Adam still heard the sound of God...(insert awestruck moment here).  Adam sinned, God sought him out, and Adam heard God...and so can I.


Sin is direct disobedience to God's commands, but I still do it.  Fortunately we have an all powerful God (see Genesis 1-2) who sees these bad choices we make and still looks to commune with us.  It is up to us then to hear God and answer when He calls.


God, thank you so much for loving me and still wanting to spend time with me even though I've made, and continue to make, bad choices.


I was wondering about a time when you you heard God.  What was it like?
Also, what did God say to you as you read Genesis 3?
(Remember, keep the conversation going by commenting here and on Twitter using #ot2nt.)


Goodnight and Godspeed