Posts with the tag “genesis”

A God to Befriend Genesis 3:8-21 (NLT) Looking at the whole story: From hiding in fear to being covered in love.When we read Genesis 3 as one complete story, we see the most beautiful picture of God's heart toward humanity. This isn't a story about an angry God looking to punish. This is a story about a heartbroken God looking to restore.Adam and Eve expect judgment, they're hiding in terror, wait...  Read More

Love that Covers Genesis 3:21 (NLT) "And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins to clothe them."This might be the most tender verse in all of Genesis. Adam and Eve have just brought sin and death into God's perfect world. They've broken trust, shifted blame, and damaged their relationship with God and each other. And God's response? God makes them clothes.Think about this. The Creator of the...  Read More

Love that Seeks (And the Sound of Love) Genesis 3:8-9 (NLT) "When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'"They heard God walking. This suggests that God's footsteps in the garden were a familiar sound. A sound they associated with ...  Read More

The Fear that Shame Creates Genesis 3:8-10 (NLT) "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.""I was afraid." These might be the saddest words in the Bible. Adam, who was created for fearless intimacy with God, is now afraid of the One who loves him most. Shame has twisted his perception so completely that love feels like a threat.This is what shame does to relat...  Read More

As you enter Week 2, remember Crosswalk’s End Statements: we’re becoming people of belonging, becoming, generosity, restoration, and presence. This week especially invites us into restoration and presence, learning how God meets us when shame enters the story and how we can Lovewell in the middle of failure, fear, and hiding.When Shame Enters Genesis 3:8-10 (NLT) "When the cool evening breezes wer...  Read More

INTRODUCTIONThe following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.OPENING QUESTIONWhat does loving well mean to you and why do you think it’s so important to our call as followers of Jesus, and our call a...  Read More

Very Good Genesis 1:31 (NLT) "Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!"After creating humans, God doesn't just say it's "good" like He did with everything else. He says it's "very good." The Hebrew here suggests something that is exceedingly, abundantly, supremely good. Humanity is the crescendo of creation.This isn't about human superiority, it's about human signifi...  Read More

Made for Dominion – Together Genesis 1:26-28 (NLT) "They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground... Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.'"God doesn't just create humans and leave them to figure out their purpose. God immediately...  Read More

Blessed Before PerformingGenesis 1:26-31 (NLT) "Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.' Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!""Then God blessed them." This happens before Adam and Eve do anything. Before they acc...  Read More

Created for Love Genesis 1:26-31 (NLT) "Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.' So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then Go...  Read More

“What have you done?”  Genesis 3:8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God ...  Read More

Even though He knew the risk  Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light…26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish...  Read More

“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.  Bright copper kettles and warm woolen  mittens. Brown paper packages tied up  with strings. These are a few of my favorite  things.” —The Sound of Music Have you considered that you are one of  God’s favorite things?  I enjoy thinking about favorite things.  My favorite color is blue. My favorite holiday  is Christmas (a snowy one). I prefer fall and  ...  Read More

Genesis 2:18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”God never wanted us to be alone. As stated before, one of his greatest values is that of community. So much is this a value of God’s that God lives in a community and has forever. We call this community the Godhead, or the community of God. When God created the world, there ...  Read More