Beginning the Book of Genesis

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

When Melodee and I traveled to Hawaii for our 20th anniversary, our desire was to make sure we got the most of out of our days. With that in mind, we set out a framework of what we want to accomplish on the first day or so. This became the foundation of what we would do with the rest of our time.

So too, with our journey through the Bible. Our first book (Genesis) lays out a great deal of foundation for the rest of our journey, so we want to be careful to map it out first.

Major Old Testament Route No. 1:

Forming the first five books of the Bible

(Genesis – Deuteronomy)

  • On this route we will explore approximately 2,300 years of the formation history for the nation of Israel. Our first route was written as a diary or journal of the actual travels of a people guided by God in the Old Testament. These five books are their history books.  As we travel on this route, we will be following the original journeys as they unfold, often as if we were participants in the actual events. We now look at:

The Book of Genesis, The Book of Beginnings

(About 2,300 years)

God Began It All In The Beginning! (Genesis 1-11)

As we journey through these first 11 chapters, we will see and understand exactly what the Bible describes as the beginning of the world.  Some of the biggest questions that face every person are answered in this section.  Questions like …

  • How did life begin?
  • What is my purpose?
  • Why is there evil in the world?

And many more questions like these find their answers in these first 11 chapters of Genesis. Let’s explore these beginnings.

Beginning Of The Earth and The Universe (1-2)

The Bible begins with a declaration of how everything began.  It does not apologize; it simply gives you a historical record. God created the entire universe in six days, according to these chapters. Take just a moment to think about God.  If God is not able to create what this record states, the way the record reads, then could he really be God? In order to be God, one must have the supernatural ability of ultimate power.  In other words, he must be able to create out of nothing.

The record in the Bible states that God created:

  • Day and night on day one.
  • Atmosphere on day two.
  • Plant life on day three.
  • Stars on day four.
  • Sea life and birds on day five.
  • Animals, land creatures and humans on day six.
  • God rested on day seven.

Consider the differences between the models of creation, as explained here in the Bible, and evolution, as explained by many scientists today. (This will be one of the two or three major hurdles every reader of Bible will have to overcome.  You do not need to do it today.)

Creation:

  • Personal agent
  • Design with a purpose
  • Provides meaning for life
  • Explained by an actual eyewitness: God
  • Focus is God’s supernatural ability
  • Allows for personal contact with creator

Evolution:

  • No personal agent
  • Accident without a purpose
  • Excludes any meaning for life
  • Explained by hypothetical models: Scientific Theory
  • Focus is random chance
  • Defies any personal contact with creator

Beginning Of Mankind In The Garden of Eden (2)

Humanity, the creation of mankind, is explained in detail in chapter two. This portion of the Bible reveals:

  • God’s personal involvement in the creation of mankind, thus rejecting the idea of an uncaring, impersonal force or god governing the universe (2.7)
  • Man’s beginning is one of design by a personal, “hands-on” God, thus rejecting the idea of evolution (2.7)
  • God personally cared for the well-being of his creation, thus demonstrating the reality that God cares for every person, including you (2.8-14)
  • Man was designed to work, manage and care for the world, thus explaining why care for our environment should be a natural concern of every person (2.15)
  • Man was designed with the ability of choice, or a free-will, thus allowing us to choose or reject the God who made us (2.16-17)
  • Man was designed for companionship, thus helping us to comprehend the deep need we have to eliminate our personal loneliness (2.18-25)

Beginning Of Death and Destruction In The Fall (3)

If everything started out so wonderful why did things go so bad? When God designed humanity, he gave him a free will. An essential part of our personality is our ability to choose. With our ability to choose, we were also given the freedom to fail.  One of the core truths of the Bible is that God wants the best for us, and if we follow his directions, we will enjoy the best life has to offer.  But if we choose to ignore his directions, or disobey them directly, he will not experience all that life has to offer.

When God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, he provided them with a perfect environment in which to live.  There was only one prohibition: they were to obey God to avoid DEATH. God had commanded in Genesis 2:16-17:

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (New King James Version)

Adam and Eve willfully chose to disobey God’s command, and His warning. The results were:

  • Shame of their nakedness (3.7)
  • Fear of God’s presence (3.8-10)
  • Blame, instead of accepting responsibility for their actions (3.9-13)
  • Consequences for their disobedience (3.14-19)
  • Removal from God’s perfect environment for living (3.20-24)

The consequences for their disobedience are still being felt today in our lives. Not until God restores his rule on this planet will we know the restoration of this time by God.  We will discuss this in more detail at the end of the New Testament journey.

Our next post will bring us directly to the issue of death and destruction on earth.

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Hearing from Heaven in 2011! (Part 2)

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

We are here again today to invite you to participate in an exciting campaign we are sponsoring for 2011. It’s called, “Hearing from Heaven in 2011!”

It’s a simple idea – one with profound benefits for your life. We are inviting you to join Dr. Matthew Lee in reading the Bible in the New Year. That’s right – we will read together from Genesis to Revelation in 2011.

In our last episode we spoke of how to talk with God and receive hundreds of answers to prayer each year. In this episode we will discover how to read God’s Word so that we can discover hundreds of insights into his will and his ways each year.

As we mentioned last time, Dr. Smith is already publishing short blogs to help you in this endeavor of reading God’s Word and hearing from Heaven in 2011 – a task he has committed to doing all year long as we read God’s Word from cover to cover. You will find these on our website: EaglesInLeadership.org. Sign up now for the blog on our website.

In today’s concluding episode, Dr. Smith shares part 2 of How to have an exciting daily devotional. Let’s listen in as he teaches a small group of men and women – just like yourself – on how to hear from Heaven! We know you will greatly benefit from this time-tested way of hearing from God.

In this episode, Dr. Smith talks about using a Daily Devotional Journal. You can learn more about the journal he has written by following this LINK.

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Hearing from Heaven in 2011! (Part 1)

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

We are here today to tell you about an exciting campaign we are sponsoring for 2011. It’s called, “Hearing from Heaven in 2011!”

It’s a simple idea – one with profound benefits for your life. We are inviting you to join Dr. Matthew Lee Smith in reading the Bible in the New Year. That’s right – we will read together from Genesis to Revelation in 2011.

As you read, you will discover God’s amazing presence – you will hear from God in the coming year! You will enjoy him as you pray – and you will watch God answer your prayers each week!  As you read God’s Word, God will speak to you in amazing ways. He will highlight new ideas and help you start new behaviors – all calculated to bring about great growth spiritually and his presence individually.

In fact, Dr. Smith is already publishing short blogs to help you in this endeavor – a task he has committed to doing all year long as we read God’s Word from cover to cover. You will find these on our website: EaglesInLeadership.org. You can sign up now for the blog on our website.

In today’s episode, Dr. Smith shares part 1 of How to have an exciting daily devotional. Let’s listen in as he teaches a small group of men and women – just like yourself – on how to hear from Heaven!

Dr. Smith mentions his Prayer Journal in this episode. You can obtain one of his prayer journals by following this link.

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The Difficulty of Current Information

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Never retreat in the face of difficulties. Advance as conditions permit. If conditions don’t permit, create those conditions.

–       John Maxwell[1]

Let no one or anything stand between you and the difficult task; let nothing deny you this rich chance to gain strength by adversity, confidence by mastery, success by deserving it. Do it better each time. Do it better than anyone else can do it. I know this sounds old-fashioned. It is, but it has built the world.

–       Harlow H. Curtice,

The Thin Book 2[2]

In every journey there are obstacles. It is not a question of whether there will be obstacles in our journey through the Bible. The real question you will have to answer will be, “Is the reason I picked up the Bible more important than the few problems I may encounter along the trip?” Is your why compelling?

Melodee and I knew that we would have some difficulties on our trip to Hawaii, but our goal of finding a romantic setting to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary was more compelling than the problems we might have encountered.

By knowing these difficulties, and making plans in advance to avoid them, or at least coexist with them, we will save ourselves much heartburn and frustration.  Let’s roll up our sleeves, get out our pens, and begin to understand the difficulties so that we can plan around them!

The Difficulty of Current Information

One of the important issues when traveling, is how current our travel guide or brochures are.  Many people today struggle in their journey through the Bible because the Bible they are trying to read is old, and outdated in its language.  Most people picking up a Bible for the first time will pick up a King James Version of the Bible.

First written in 1611 A.D., one can quickly see why this version is outdated.  Although it has been revised several times, the language is still Old English.  Filled with thee’s and thou’s, this Bible makes it very difficult to understand the message God is trying to communicate to us.

Versions

Although we will deal with this in more detail in chapter 17, let me say at this point, that you should read that chapter before you begin reading the Bible seriously. A version is a translation into English from the original languages of the Bible.  This is a pain-stakingly-slow process, and it is a precise science. There are several laws of translation that must be adhered to carefully before an accurate translation can be printed.

There are many good English versions today.  Among the best are:

  • The New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible.
  • The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.
  • The English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible

Paraphrases

Travel agents will often tell you what information or services you can depend on in a foreign land.  They may also tell you who to avoid, because they are not as dependable. As we read our travel guide to Hawaii, Melodee and I noticed many times the guide recommended that we avoid certain restaurants, services, and tours. The reason for this was dependability and reputation. Other services, restaurants and tours were recommended.  Again the issue was dependability and reputation.

Some of the Bibles available are called “paraphrases.” A paraphrase is exactly what the word means, a phrase given by someone else that makes the verse sound simpler to understand.

The problem with a paraphrase is that anyone can paraphrase.  There are no rules. There are no laws of translation. One can simply make up whatever they want as they see fit.  For the experienced traveler, you understand exactly what this means.  If you’re trying to understand something in a foreign land and someone who does not know English well might be translating for you.  Perhaps they will say to you, “Oh, how do you say?” and then they will try to use what they think the English term is. This can be helpful. Sometimes it can lead you off track.

Often a paraphrase is one person’s opinion of what the verse says, as opposed to a team of educated, informed, translators who understand what the original language says.  We recommend that you stay far away from paraphrases.

As we read through the Bible this year, we will provide simple tools (information guides) that will explain what is happening as we encounter the past.  Some of this will be covered when we look at culture, some of this will be looked at when we deal with history.  In all of our journeys, we will make the trip as clear and crisp as possible, without burdening you with unnecessary information and details.

Only a few days now till we begin! Are you as excited as I am?

[1] Maxwell, John. It’s Just A Thought. Tulsa: Honor Books. 1996. 36.

[2] Curtice, Harlow H. Cited in Bits & Pieces. Fairfield, NJ. The Economics Press. August 13, 1998. 14

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Prepare for These!

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

When was the last time everything happened just the way you planned it? Everyone makes travel plans with a “best-case scenario” in mind! However, when things don’t go according to their plan, many people lose the joy of the journey because of the problems of the present.

As we read the Bible together, we need to realize a few minutes planning and preparation now will help you avoid a few hours of frustration and anger later! Think about the following items and how you would cope with them should they arise:

  • Unforeseen delays. All of us have been stuck somewhere. A plane is late, a rainstorm slows down traffic, or somebody oversleeps. When taking the journey through the Bible, there are countless unforeseen delays. Things you don’t understand, customs that make no sense, and words or phrases that you are unfamiliar with. Often they can slow you down or stop you in your tracks. And before you know it, you are way behind on your itinerary! How will you choose to handle these delays? We suggest you prepare for these delays by preparing your attitude! Consider the delay as an opportunity to relax, to rest, to contemplate, and to meditate upon what you already know! This will make the journey much more pleasant than allowing the delay to raise your blood pressure! Consider these words of wisdom.

The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives. ~ William James

  • Mid-course corrections. When traveling to Disneyland one time, Space Mountain was closed. Another time while there, the Matterhorn was closed. Both instances were times when, although we had planned to enjoy these rides, there was nothing we could do to ride them. So, we adjusted our schedules. So too, when journeying through the Bible, there will be times when you will need to adjust your schedule. Something you thought you’d have little interest in fascinates you. You spend much more time in it than you planned for. Relax! Just reschedule your schedule! Remember: A journey through the Bible is supposed to be beneficial, so just relax, adjust and continue your trip with that good attitude mentioned above!
  • Rest stops. As I write this, I am an urban dweller. Physical exercise is a term I have to look up in a dictionary! When I see someone running down the street, I look for his or her assailant! So when I travel in Hawaii, and want to see a “breath-taking” view at the top of a mountain, you can be assured it will take my breath away! I already know that along the way I will need to stop and rest, to catch my breath! So too, while journeying through the Bible, you may need to take a break; a few days to rest and “catch your breath.” Great! Do it! Don’t allow the trip to discourage you by letting it “wear you out!” Take a break, and then return refreshed and ready for a new day of travel!

As we journey together through the Bible, we will discover many things that will make our travels through the Bible much more satisfying. In our next blog we will talk about the difficulty of current information when we are reading our Bible.

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Who Will We Take On This Journey?

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

We are getting ready to read through the Bible in the New Year. Our goal is to read cover-to-cover and “Hear From Heaven in 2011!” I am asking you to think of this as an adventure, a journey …

When taking any journey, it is always more enjoyable to travel with someone else! On a spiritual journey through the Bible, this is also true! Just as an anniversary honeymoon trip to Hawaii would not be much fun without my wife, so too, a spiritual journey through the Bible would be of little fun if it were taken alone!

Who will you take along? When taking a spiritual journey, just like a physical journey, having someone along to share the experiences and their perspectives enriches the trip. You can point out things to each other you might miss if traveling alone – after all, four eyes are better than two!

When deciding whom you will take, I suggest someone close to you, someone you like! If married, perhaps your spouse. Are you a parent, why not your children? Have a close friend or buddy? Ask them to come along with you! If they can’t afford to whole trip, maybe you could help pay a part or all of it for them! (By buying them a Bible and an occasional cup of coffee or a soft drink when you get together?)

Take a moment and think about this question before you continue any farther. “Who will I ask to take this journey with me?” Write out several possibilities. After all, not every one will want to take a spiritual journey through the Bible! I’d make a list, something like this:

  • _________________________
  • _________________________
  • _________________________
  • _________________________

Now that you have a few names, make it a point to explain what you are about to do and ask them to join the journey with you. Ask your first choice and give them a day or two to think it over and get back to you. If they are not inclined to do so, ask your second, and so on until you have found a travel partner. Well, you getting closer to being ready to take that trip!

Next time we will talk about some preparations we need to make before we take off on our journey. See you next time!

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The Spirit of CHRISTmas! – Part 3

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

As we check and recheck our Christmas gift list this year, many of us are admitting that we are giving less than last year due to the economy. While there are many things we would like to give to others, we just can’t afford to do so.

However, like the Magi of old, we can ask God to give us more resources so that the gifts we give this year can benefit others.  Paul prays for 5 ‘gifts’ to be given to the members of the church in Colossae. When we look them over, they are presents we can pray for in others and ourselves. He says …

“Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. ” (Colossians 1:9–12, The Message)

What are the 5 gifts for the Master?

Paul asked God to give the Christ-followers …

1.     “Wise minds” – wisdom comes from applying the instructions of God’s Word to our daily routine.

2.     “Spirits attuned to his will” – by listening carefully and prayerfully to the voice of the Spirit of God when we walk through our day we can find God’s newest mission for our lives.

3.     “A thorough understanding of the ways in which God works” – understanding comes from applying God’s Word (#1) and listening for new assignments to apply (#2).

4.     “Live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work” – we don’t work to gain special bonus points with God or even salvation; we work because we love him and want to ‘make him proud of us in his orchard’ as his loving and grateful children.

5.     “The strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us” – your attitude of gratitude and your trust of his best show others that Christ is your life (Col 3.4) and the love of your life (Matt 22.37).

Not a one of these gifts requires any financial expense. They are all gifts of the will and the heart, otherwise known as our offerings of worship. What better presents can we give away this Christmas?

I’d love to hear what you think! Take a moment and write a comment below.

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The Bible As A Journey!

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

I once read a story in The Employment Counselor where a young Christian was preparing for a trip when his traveling companion came into the room to see how he was doing.

“Are you done packing?” his friend asked.

“Almost,” said the young man. “The only things I have left to pack are a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a volume of fine poetry, a couple of biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer, and a set of books I’ve been reading.” Where are you going to fit all that stuff?” the friend asked?”

“Right here,” the young man replied. He reached for his Bible and put it in the corner of his suitcase.

– John Maxwell[1]

For our 20th wedding anniversary, my wife Melodee and I made plans to go to Hawaii! Since we had never been before, we decided that we would need to get some help. We began to ask friends for their advice and, as a result, booked our first trip to Hawaii with a travel agent that had been recommended highly by close friends.

Then the tough part really began. We were desirous of having a wonderful time and, since it was our 20th anniversary, a romantic one as well. But how would we know what we should do, schedule and plan for? After all, we had never been and were inexperienced with Hawaii! You may have guessed it; we bought a guidebook on Hawaii!

Perhaps the reason you have decided to join in the journey and read the Bible from cover-to-cover this year with my help is because you have picked up a Bible, but you have no experience with it! Relax then! You have done the right thing. I am going to help you break down the Bible into ‘bite-size’ chunks to make it easier to understand.

Let’s Begin By Changing Our Perspective

In order to accomplish that, the first thing we need to do is change our perspective about how we look at the Bible. It is true that the Bible is a spiritual book. However, when most people think in terms of spiritual books, they grow weary or ever a bit frightened! After all, the thought of reading a “Holy Book” can be quite intimidating. Much like the intimidation Melodee and I experienced as we began to think about visiting the strange and unfamiliar land of Hawaii!

In order to change our perspective effectively, we need to think of reading through the Bible as more of a journey, and less as a book. After all, the Bible covers the journeys of the people of God over thousands of years! Why not think in terms of a journey when reading it. There are SEVERAL key points that will help us change our perspective on the Bible. Let’s look at the first one today:

Why Are We Going?

In every trip or journey, the most important question is, “Why do we want to go?” or “Why is this trip important?” When we ask and answer that question thoroughly, we have the basis for who, what, where, when, and how?

Why did we pick up the Bible in the first place? What spurred us to seek out its advice and wisdom? There are many reasons why people are attracted to read the Bible. Perhaps you will find yours among these: Did we pick it up because …

  • You feel an emptiness inside, and realize it may be spiritual in nature?
  • You are in the midst of a crisis and hope that you can find guidance for your situation?
  • You have young children and know that if you are to provide them a good home and moral foundation, the Bible probably has the answers?
  • You have a deep desire to get to know God and feel that the Bible is the logical place to start?

All of these are good reasons, and yours may be in the list, and it may not be. One thing is sure though: If you know why you picked up the Bible, then your journey is already much easier!

When Melodee and I began our trip to Hawaii, we quickly wrote out our why we wanted to go to Hawaii in a single sentence. “We want to go to Hawaii to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in a romantic setting, where we can leisurely enjoy both each other and our surrounding without a schedule.”

Take a moment today, and figure out the reason why you have picked up the Bible and write it in a single sentence in the front cover of your Bible or on a sheet of paper you can keep there.

Next time we will try to answer the question, “Who will we take on this journey?”

[1] Maxwell, John. Partners In Prayer. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1996. 38.

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Comedian Daren Streblow Talks About Christmas!

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Mike Powers caught up with Daren Streblow exclusively for Eagles In Leadership this past week as they talked about Daren’s ministry, life and Christmas.

Daren Streblow appeals to wide audiences and has been described many ways: clean comedian, Christian comedian, corporate comedian, business comedian, college comedian, church comedian, youth group comedian, club comedian, school-assembly comedian, outreach comedian, and cruise ship comedian.

However, one description says it all – hilarious. If you are looking to book a comedian that appeals to a wide range of audiences, or you are just searching for some good clean fun, you need go no further than DarenStreblow.com!

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Just Read It!

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

(Growing Closer to God by Listening to Him Through His Word!)

In 1993 I was challenged by God to read his word, the Bible, cover-to-cover. I quickly wrote a reading schedule and found that by reading about 3 chapters a day, this was ‘doable!’

So, off I went, not knowing what to expect. What happened was … God showed up! BIG TIME! I am still amazed that I had been a Christ-follower for two decades and no one had told me to, ‘Just read it!”

Over the years I have enjoyed an intimate, spiritual walk with God, enjoying hundreds of answers to prayer every quarter, and hundreds of new insights monthly from God’s Word. I have now read it cover-to-cover some 28 times since God’s challenge to me in 1993.

One of the greatest joys for me was to experience the truth of these verses:

“but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” ” (Jeremiah 9:24, ESV)

That’s my desire for you; that you would be able to say, “I understand and know God.” Is that something you are interested in?

It is my habit to label and file each insight topically for future retrieval for personal growth, training and messages. Currently I have some 20,000 plus topical observations from the Bible that are a direct result of God’s intimate work during my devotional time.

Why Am I Telling You All This?

I would like to invite you on a journey through the Bible in 2011. In fact, I believe you will “Hear from Heaven in 2011” if you will walk with me through this process.

All along the way I will provide help and insight and ask you to share what you are learning as well. We will encourage one another as we read.

In fact, I am dedicating this blog to this journey this year. Throughout each week I will post something short to read and, hopefully it will help you as you read.

Are you willing to join me?

If so, would you just post a quick comment telling me you are going to travel with me through the Bible in 2011?

I will start talking about how to read the Bible so that you can, “Hear from Heaven in 2011” this week!

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