Genesis 1, 2 Peter

Monday, Nov. 26, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker


(Genesis 1)

While there are many incredible things to discuss in the first chapter of Genesis, there are two that stand out to me today that I want to take note of. The first is the power of God. Throughout the chapter God “spoke”, and it was. That’s it. He said, “Let there be…” and it was. Wow. This is the same God that claims us as His children today.

The last few days my five year old has been sick. It’s been miserable for him. But it’s been miserable for us as well. I hate it as a parent when I feel powerless. Literally nothing I could do to comfort him. Jen or I could scratch his back while he’s awake in the middle of the night and give him advil for his fever. We could try and comfort him and hold him while he’s crying because his throat hurts so bad. We could try to convince him to eat although he doesn’t want to swallow. But we are so limited.

Our God, spoke and it was. Believer, let me ask you, what problem will we encounter in life that our God cannot pull us through, protect us in, or lift us up? It doesn’t exist. Sin. No problem. Death. No problem. You name it. Thank you God.

The second is found in verse 2, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep.” This is the first time I’ve ever thought about it this way, but this is a great picture of our lives prior to Christ: formless, empty, and dark. What an amazing image of what all our hopes and dreams look like without a divine perspective of eternity. What an amazing example of the true value of an accomplished personal goal without the hand of God. Without him, we are truly passing away. To claim a famous line from a song “just dust in the wind.”

Father, I pray for the continued confidence and growing faith in your power. God may we entrust with you all of our lives. All of our possessions are from you. All our blessings in life, all our opportunities in life, are from you. Thank you Lord. Give us a faith to trust in you. May we be encouraged to continuously be amazed by your faithfulness, your power, and your love. May we always give you credit when we see it.

(2 Peter 3)

In speaking of the inevitable return of Christ, Verse 14 challenges us, “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

It’s amazing how much time and effort we give towards gaining approval of man instead of God. Yet scripture says to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with HIM. I think this is why this theme is found so often throughout scripture. It’s a problem for us. It’s one of the key things that keep us from moving forward in so many areas of our lives.

Now we certainly have to consider others feelings, perspectives, etc… that is a given. But when something is right, or God is leading, we must do it. To the best of our ability, we must consider the impact on others and follow God. This verse reminds us that we stand accountable to God, not man. This should give us comfort.

So here’s a question, when do we listen to man? I think when it’s obviously Godly counsel. Once again, when it’s obviously Godly counsel. Why? Because when it is Godly, it’s obvious. When it comes from someone who has a greater perspective than you, that you trust. Someone you know who spends more time in God’s Word than you. It’s someone that talks more about the ways of Jesus than the ways of the world. Someone who is always sharing what God is doing in their lives because God is always working in their lives, and it’s evident. It’s someone who is always looking out for other people more than themselves. It’s someone that is proven not to have an agenda. This may not always be a person of power or position. It may just be someone God has placed in your life who has been a humble servant of the King for many years.

It’s tragic how much self-focused counsel we give and receive as believers. It’s difficult for us to even see through our own personal agenda to realize that there is a life and a vision outside of ours. When our whole life is about us, we become blind to the world around us.

God, this morning I pray for continued clarity and confidence in the desire to gain your approval. That we would stand blameless before you alone. God, give us the strength to give counsel only that is from you and help us to see when our selfishness is taking over. Give your children the discernment to know what is counsel that is of you, and what is of man. May we claim verse 18 as a prayer that we may, “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” So that to him, be glory both now and forever!

Malachi 4, 2 Peter 2

Friday, Nov. 24, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker

(Malachi 4)

In the final chapter of the final book of the Old Testament, Malachi offers two indictments and their punishment: He tells us there was a day coming in which the (1) arrogant and (2) every evildoer will be stubble that eventually will be burned. Through Christ, God makes available to us forgiveness for our arrogance and evildoing, but it still exists in our life in various forms. And more so, it is still opposite of the ways of God. Scripture says that we have been released from the eternal consequence of our sin, we have been given everything we need through the spirit to live a life of holiness, now we must make effort to do so.

The word arrogant used in Malachi 4, comes from a Hebrew word that translates directly as the “proud”. It’s root has a focus on action more than the state of being meaning to “be insolent or deal with proudly”. The soul heart of this scripture relates to how we relate with others. With that in mind, here’s a question: In what ways are we arrogant? Scripture teaches clearly that we are to be humble in spirit, considering others more highly than ourselves, to be gentle with one another, and to love as Christ loved us. Malachi doesn’t give us a topic of discussion in which we must not be proud about, just a method. We need to fill in the blank.

Another quick thought on Chapter 4. The very next verse (vs2) says, “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”

I grew up in western Colorado. We had horses and I got to see a handful born. It was something amazing to see a newborn colt get his legs and stand, then start walking. But even more entertaining was watching them start running and kicking for the first time. You couldn’t help but laugh watching them run around. It was a very joyful thing. I can’t explain it, but it was. It’s close to the same thing as watching your dog run around your house after getting out of a bath. It’s crazy. I’ve never seen anyone not think that was funny.

Verse 2 says for those of us who revere His name, not only will we experience the healing in His wings, but we will “go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” While I can’t say that I’ve seen calves released from the stall, I’ve seen horses and wet dogs. That’s a pretty great word picture. What an amazing moment that will be when we realize how truly we are cleansed, free, and secure.

(2 Peter 2)

Verse 19 reminds me us to not take lightly our personal weaknesses, “a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him”. I’ve found it common that each of us have a “deadly sin” issue or temptation that is unique to us. One man may struggle more with lust, while another with pride. One man may struggle with insecurity, while another with anger. Many have multiple struggles, obviously, but there is usually one or two that dominate each of us uniquely. We must know what ours are in order to do battle with them. Why? Peter reminds us of the truths about our nature found in Proverbs, "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Father, thank you that you have given us every ability through Christ, to overcome temptation and sin in our lives. Father, continue to give us the strength and leading to abide in Him. Help us to stay in your Word, to trust in it’s truth, to have faith in your ways. Help us to grow in the knowledge that then, and only then, will we walk and find comfort in that truth.

Malachi 3, 2 Peter 1

(Malachi 3)

So many times we think about justice as someone getting what they deserve. We think often about someone who’s done something terribly wrong to another person and then get the consequence of their actions. But there is another side of justice, injustice. When someone has been treated wrongly, taken advantage of, or neglected. How many times are we agents of injustice? This is a great question to ask ourselves in light of God’s justice. Especially his grace.

Father, Malachi 3 says that when we are filled with your Spirit, we are empowered with justice and might (vs8). Help us to use that first to blot out transgressions in our lives God and seek to fight injustice. God we are so quick to turn to judgment. Fill us with appreciation for sharing your grace.

(2 Peter 1)

In verse 3 we find a bold statement, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

Why is it that we continue to look elsewhere for the power and strength to live the life worthy of our calling outside of Christ? Everything, and I mean everything we need is found in Jesus. That’s it. It’s the fulfillment of the law. It’s grace. It’s love. It’s peace. It’s a healed relationship between a creator and his fallen creation. It’s for yesterday, today and forever. Thank you, Lord.

Malachi 2, 1 Peter 5

(Malachi 2)

It’s always interesting to me when I read something in the New Testament at the same time as I read a related truth in the Old Testament. There are times that I feel most certainly that the Spirit is leading that to affirm or confirm a leading, but there are other times that I just have to realize that some of these truths are just ALL OVER the Bible. I feel that way about the topic of how we view injustice, the oppressed, and the poor. I’ve always, and I mean always, thought that was primarily a New Testament topic. But read the prophets from cover to cover. Most frequently, that was God’s indictment. When we don’t read through scripture as we study, and instead only pick and choose our verses, we miss them in context and even more so can easily miss the consistency of God’s heart. We’ll find ourselves going back to the same verses over and over instead of discovering new ones.

In Malachi 2, we see a continued theme that we saw in 1 Peter 4: The significance of our relationship with our wives on the IMPACT of our communication and worship of our God. Just look at verses 13 and 14: “Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.”

Father, thank you for the gift of marriage, and the covenant relationship that it represents. Thank you that you saw us as men in your creation and knew something was missing. Thank you for our wives. May we cherish them and honor them as an act of worship to you.

(1 Peter 5)

There is so much to learn and be challenged from in chapter 5. I’ll focus on verse 8, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

This morning Father, I pray for my brothers in Christ. I pray that you will help each of us see our blind spots. I pray you will help us stay in your word. Protect us. Help us to be self-controlled and alert. Give us the strength to follow your leading and resist our own selfish desires that entice us and drag us away and give birth to sin. God, may we see sin for what it is, leading only to death.

Malachi 1, 1 Peter 4

(Malachi 1)

Malachi certainly jumps out of the gates with some bold accusations on God’s children, and by direct implication, us. So many times we offer our “second best” to God as worship, sacrifice, efforts, and life. As I look at verse 7, I saw something I never noticed before. It says, “ (7) You place defiled food on my altar. 
But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. (8) When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?

God certainly draws light to the low level of sacrifice the priests were bringing to the alter table, he reminds us in verse 9 that they would never bring such a poor offering to worldly leaders and authorities in their lives, but they still brought them to their God.

But look at what he says, “You place defiled food on my alter” But you ask, “ How have we defiled you?”

Yes, we see that. But look what’s next in what they have said: “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible.’

They are indicting themselves by their own accusation. They know, in advance, exactly their hypocrisy. Geeze, this sounds just like us when we say we should live a certain way as believers and yet don’t. We spend all our time figuring out what is the way we should live in Christ, then don’t do it. How long can we live like this? This is an uncomfortable thought for me, but must be addressed. I think we should take notice to this accusation, the problem was not just what they did wrong, but also in what they acknowledged before they did it.

God, bring to light in our lives the area in which we condemn, yet live the same way. Help us God to get passed the sacrifice and get to the heart of the sacrifice.

(1 Peter 4)

During our small group conversation Sunday evening we discussed briefly the question: “What exists in my life that is polarizing to others who might be far from Christ?” The heart of the question is to discover what things are in our lives that might turn seekers away from God. I think when this happens, we have to take a long, hard look at whether they are seeing a pure image of Christ, or a poor image of us and our religiousness. I'm not talking about how we can pretend to have it all together. I'm talking about how we TRULY invite Christ to shine through in our lives.

Peter made me think of this today in verses 12 and 13 when he said, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

We have a lot of claims in our lives as believers. We claim that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We claim that Christ not only gives us life, but life to the fullest. We claim that we rejoice in our sufferings. And yet, do we live like it? Too many times I’ve heard skeptics and critics of faith look at a believers life and they would argue they don’t see joy, contentment, fulfillment, peace, or a number of other things we claim. Bottom line, they don’t believe that is the result of a faith life. All they see is the stuff they really like in life they have to give up. Doesn’t sound like much of a full life to them.

So when we have struggles and we cannot rejoice. When we are down and do not experience joy in our faith. We must take great issue with finding out where is that coming from that we might live under the Grace of God’s design.

May we do business with God and find the reason why. May we let go of our selfishness to have things our way (which is probably a majority of why we’re not at peace, joyful, or content). May we remember that while He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, it is us who is ever changing. It’s not God, it’s us.

Father, help us to find complete peace, joy, contentment, satisfaction, fulfillment, direction, leading, and love in you. Help us to deny ourselves and keep us from infiltrating the image of Christ that we portray with our own flesh. May you be glorified in spite of us and through us.