Genesis 6, 1 John 5

Monday, Dec 3, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker (Genesis 6, 1 John 5)

(Genesis 6)

Noah lived during corrupt times. Genesis 6 does a pretty good job of painting that picture. There was some crazy stuff going on, enough that God couldn’t stand it anymore and planned a “purging”, if you will. In the middle of all of it all, scripture says, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” It says that, “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” So he had a great reputation, people liked him, and even greater, he walked with God. Could you imagine the moment he started building the ark and people starting wondering what the heck he was doing? I wonder how often Noah struggled as well.

Chapter 6 doesn’t paint a picture of how Noah felt about that task. I would imagine, because he’s human, that he went through a range of emotions. But I’m struck by the detail in which God led Him. He was very deliberate in his instructions from the coating of the interior of the ark, to how close the ceilings should come to the roof, to how many levels the ark would have. I wonder if Noah could have built an ark and figured out the details himself once God told him what the task was without knowing the details? He probably could have. I wonder if God gave Him all the details to give him confirmation of His intentionality. That He was truly in it, with each detail. That it was, indeed, a divine task. How could God be so deliberate and he miss it? He didn’t. He got the message. Whether Noah struggled with the task or not, the final verse from this chapter says it all: Vs. 22, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

Father, whatever our task in life, may we follow you. God, I don’t believe you are a God of incidental ways. I believe you have a divine plan. Teach us God to find our place. Give us comfort when we point our ship into the fog when we know you told us to go that direction. May we celebrate you God when the fog clears and your plan is revealed. May we stay true to your ways with our families, in our friendships, in our profession, and with you dear God as we claim Jesus as our banner.


(1 John 5)

Verse 3 says, ”This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”

So, let’s be honest, why do they feel like a burden at times? Scripture CLEARLY says it’s not because of God or His commands. In fact, Jesus said a NEW command he gives, to love as he has loved. How can that be a burden? Jesus said that his yolk is easy and his burden is light. I believe with all my heart that it becomes a burden only when we are either doing the wrong things, or with the wrong intention. If each of us were to think about it, there have been moments in our faith journey in which we can unmistakenly say, “that just felt right”. We have to be careful, I’m not talking about emotion and feelings, I’m talking about something that truly nourishes your soul and resonates with the Spirit that lives inside of you as a believer. There’s a huge difference, and it’s obvious. We need to press into those things. We need to chase after them as a priority. We need to cast off the things that do not result in freedom, joy, peace, and love. Deep inside, we know the difference. It’s built into each of our being and is testified by the Spirit.

God, help us to claim today your truth that, “The Joy of the Lord is my Strength”. Help us to chase after the things that resonate with our spirit more than our tradition. May we find peace, joy, and fulfillment in you during our journey.

Genesis 5, 1 John 4

Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker (Genesis 5, 1 John 4)

(Genesis 5)

It’s interesting to me that of all the children of Adam, that the Bible brings light to the faith walk of Enoch. Enoch was of the seventh generation of Adam’s lineage and the great grandfather of Noah. Verses 22b-24 say, “ Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

All the discussion of his life was boiled down to two things. The first, that he had children with Godly descendants. What a legacy. And second, that 300 of the 365 years he walked the earth, he walked with God. That’s a pretty important list of two things. Makes my 29 of 35 years of faith seem awfully small, especially in relation to the years God would probably actually label as me “walking with him”. I pray it would be credited as years and not months, weeks, or days.

When I look at this scripture, my nature is to instantly ask, “hey, what about the other 65 years?” But God does not make focus on that. It focuses on his years of devotion. 300 years! Can you imagine a growing faith for 300 years?

But then my mind thinks, “So, why did God take him away?” Hebrews 11:5 gives us the answer to that. God found such favor with him, that he rescued him from this world. Look at what Hebrews says, “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Here’s some thoughts from a commentary that I read recently on Enoch, “The Spirit, instead of saying, Enoch lived, says, Enoch walked with God. This was his constant care and work; while others lived to themselves and the world, he lived to God. It was the joy of his life. Enoch was removed to a better world. As he did not live like the rest of mankind, so he did not leave the world by death as they did. He was not found, because God had translated him, Heb 11:5. He had lived but 365 years, which, as men's ages were then, was but the midst of a man's days. God often takes those soonest whom he loves best; the time they lose on earth, is gained in heaven, to their unspeakable advantage. See how Enoch's removal is expressed: he was not, for God took him. He was not any longer in this world; he was changed, as the saints shall be, who are alive at Christ's second coming. Those who begin to walk with God when young, may expect to walk with him long, comfortably, and usefully. The true christian's steady walk in holiness, through many a year, till God takes him, will best recommend that religion which many oppose and many abuse. And walking with God well agrees with the cares, comforts, and duties of life.”

Father, may we be found faithful to walk with you. May it be our joy. May it be a journey of dependency in continual communion with You through your Spirit and grace. God, may we be encouraged by the faith of Enoch, that we would see even an early departure to heaven not only as gain, but as an “unspeakable advantage”.

(1 John 4)

Verse 12 says, “…if we love one another, god lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

When I first read this verse, I was thinking about love in the form of affection or fondness. I thought for sure it was speaking of the word “philos” which means “to have affection for, denoting personal attachment.” That’s an emotional love.

Many times in response to a scripture or principle like mentioned in verse 12, we say, “oh yeah, I love that guy” or “I love people”, but if it’s just words or even a GENUINE feeling, is that enough? Not according to this scripture.

The word for love used in 1 John is “agapao”. It means to love in a social or moral sense. It has a wider definition of love than typically thought of, embracing especially the “deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety”. In layman’s terms, it’s a verb. It’s an action. To act in love. To do caring things or act caringly because our faith morality depends on it.

The result? Verse 12 says that if we do this, God’s love is made complete in us. It actually says His love is “perfected” in us. What kind of love is he speaking of when speaking of himself? It’s not the same word used earlier. This time God uses the word “Agape” to describe His love. It’s from “agapao” (the word used earlier) but has a different meaning. Agape means not just the action of the love, but the affection and benevolence of a complete, Godly love.

I believe with all my heart that God’s love has multiple desires for our lives. First, that it would simply be received. Second, according to scripture, in order for it to be made “perfect” or “complete” in YOU and ME, our response to that love has to be a moral and social action of love towards others. I would imagine this should be a way of life, more than a scheduled event. This is one reason why Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God and love others.

As I read some of my past entries, I realize that I’ve spent a lot of time recently talking about loving those who are poor. I’m not trying to do that. In fact, I’m trying to find a new theme, but God has placed on my heart, more than ever in my life, those who are outcast in our society (no matter the reason), the abandoned of our world, the sick, the hurting (the list goes on and on.) How appropriate when we are talking about a love in a moral or social sense. With that in mind, I find myself writing about it a lot, and in turn, for the first time in my life, trying to make a significant effort to do something about it.

My goal has not been to go through the bible and find all the verses on injustice and social morality. I’m just reading and studying along, one chapter at a time, as it’s written. What I’m finding, I can’t get away from this stuff. It’s everywhere.

Genesis 4, 1 John 3

Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker

(Genesis 4)

It’s so important that not only do we offer God our best, but also that we offer him our first. This goes far beyond our money or physical offerings. The question comes to mind, do we have God’s interests in the front of our minds. When we do, all the pettiness of the world falls away. All our selfish ambition and mental and spiritual struggles fade into perspective. This is why we are encouraged regularly throughout scripture to get ready for persecution and trials, because they will come. And if our starting point of each move, decision, and effort is from an offering to God from the BEGINNING, we will stand upright before him. He will lift us up. He will give us strength.

Priority was the difference with Cain and Abel. Chapter 4 says, “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.”

The scripture tell us that Abel brought “some fruits”. Abel brought “first fruits”. It’s as much about priority and heart as it is what they actually brought. In fact, scripture doesn’t even describe the quality or portion of the fruit that Cain brought. Think about what might have gone through their minds that made them come to the decision of what they would bring. There are so many “mental” deals we make with God instead of just choosing him first. God, if you’ll just do this, then I’ll do this. God, I’m just gonna do this one more time and then never again. I promise. God, I know I should do this, but you know my heart, right… one day I’ll live for you. God, I know this isn’t about me, but look what I’ve done, I’ve done it for you.

Father, this morning I pray that your Spirit does His work in our hearts. Your Word says that you have given us everything we need through the Spirit to live a righteous life. Give us strength and desire to yield to you each moment, each decision, each reaction, that we might be found upright before you and in turn, build up the body of Christ instead of tear it down.


(1 John 3)

So clearly it is written in verse 7, “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.”

So let’s take a look at ourselves. What wrong are we doing? What are we doing right? What are we doing that is idle or neutral? What is the condition of our attitudes, our speech, our hearts, our thoughts, our actions, and our reactions? Today. Let’s answer these questions according to scripture, not according to opinion, or custom, or of our flesh, but according to scripture. Let’s look at scripture, not to be torn down or beat ourselves up where we fail or fall short. Instead, let’s look at it to be encouraged where the small amount of light is shown, to celebrate it, to foster it, to fan the spark to a full flame. May we find confidence in knowing that when we do what God’s Word credits as righteousness, righteousness is credited to us. (By the grace of God, and His grace alone).

I had the honor of spending several hours this week with Alan Graham, the founder of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, in Austin. (An organization that has served more than a million meals to the poor and the outcast of Austin over the last 9 years) He’s my new hero. My wife is convinced that now she knows what Jesus really looks like, and he has a big white beard. The irony, Alan kind of looks like Santa Claus (Seriously). His words were full of practical wisdom and confidence. Everything he said resonated so perfectly with my spirit. While I’ve served the homeless before, I was on the verge of tears all night as we went from stop to stop feeding (and spending time with) the outcasts of our city. It was something about the Spirit with us. It was something about Alan’s Spirit. It was something amazingly Godly about that truck we drove that had been prayed over and dedicated for this task alone, full of food. Constantly he referenced Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25. So if there is ever a doubt about what we do that will be credited as righteousness, remember what the scriptures say in both the Old and New Testaments, these scriptures teach themselves:

Isaiah 58: 3-12

3“’Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' 
"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? 
Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD ?

6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, 
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. 
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, 
then your light will rise in the darkness, 
and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you always; 
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. 
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”


Matthew 25:31-45

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

Genesis 3, 1 John 2

Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker

(Genesis 3)

Genesis 3 introduces the fall of man. What a colossal turn in history it represents. Not only for what happened that day in the garden, but also an image of how we deal with sin today. So many times it starts with us questioning what scripture really says about something or even more common, the lack of us having any exposure to God’s instructions or word at all. I’ve always been drawn to a couple things out of Genesis 3 that we should be aware of. The first is how Satan (and many times ourselves, thanks James) questions what God “really” says. I believe we have always fallen prey to our own ignorance of God’s Word. Many times in trying to justify an action. In verse 1 it says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

The answer, yes he did. But we still question it. Second, the attack is on the “real consequence” of our action. So many times we have a lapse of reality in choosing to do something wrong. We don’t see the significance of it or the gravity of it’s impact whether directly or collateral damage. In verse 4 it says, "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

He even began to question God’s motives. Can you believe that? Reminds me of today. So many questions of faith of those skeptical come from a misunderstanding of God and His Holy intentions. I think we as his ambassadors sometimes add to that “distorted” image, even unintentionally. Just take a moment to think about how true it is that people question God’s intention. He tells us over and over and over, it’s love. It was proven in Genesis 3. His instruction was rejected and man was now under the head of sin through Adam. If we weren’t deceived, and the world could see His pure love, who wouldn’t want that?

Then look what happens. How often is this our typical response to our own sin, blame someone else?

After God called them out for their disobedience, verse 12 gives us Adams excuse, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." And her excuse was captured one verse later in 13, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

God, help us to see the schemes of Satan in our life. Protect us from our selfish desires as well. Help us to not be enticed and dragged away. Help us to stay true to your Word. Father, give us a burning passion for your Living Word that we might know when we are distorting your truth or twisting the true consequence. Then God, when we sin, may we confess it. Help us to stop covering up and blaming others. Help us God to own our mistakes and live in your grace.

(1 John 2)

Verse 3-6 says, We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

These are very powerful words. These are very indicting words as well. Jesus said that it is enough for a student to be like his teacher. John says we must walk as Jesus walked. He says that we must obey his command. What was his command? He said it in John 13, “A new command I give to you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

I’m struck by the fact that this new command was not a “thou shalt not…” as typical commands were and as we’ve grown accustom to in our religious practices. Instead, and on the contrary, it was about what we should do with the truth and life of Jesus.

“And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.” 1 John 2: 28-29

Genesis 2, 1 John 1

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007 – Brandon Hatmaker


(Genesis 2)

Today, I’ll just give some brief thoughts from Matthew Henry on God’s command to Adam and Eve:

“Let us never set up our own will against the holy will of God. There was not only liberty allowed to man, in taking the fruits of paradise, but everlasting life made sure to him upon his obedience. There was a trial appointed of his obedience. By transgression he would forfeit his Maker's favour, and deserve his displeasure, with all its awful effects; so that he would become liable to pain, disease, and death. Worse than that, he would lose the holy image of God, and all the comfort of his favour; and feel the torment of sinful passions, and the terror of his Maker's vengeance, which must endure for ever with his never dying soul. The forbidding to eat of the fruit of a particular tree was wisely suited to the state of our first parents. In their state of innocence, and separated from any others, what opportunity or what temptation had they to break any of the ten commandments? The event proves that the whole human race were concerned in the trial and fall of our first parents.”
Thank you Lord that you loved the world so much, that you gave us a savior. Thank you that you gave your only son, that we might believe and have eternal life in Him.
(1 John 1)

In speaking of the “Word made life”, 1 John says in verse 3 and 4, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”

The word translated fellowship, is From the Greek word “koinonos”. What an amazing concept! It literally means a partnership, participation, benefaction, communion, and distribution. What an amazingly complete relationship.

It’s amazing that the word is proclaimed that we might have fellowship with one another, with the Father, and with the son. And just as much, that the reason for him writing these words were to be of an encouragement resulting in JOY.

Father, may our plight together be one of joy and relationship with one another. May we put our agendas aside and trust in your divine leading. May we throw off the desires of man and press into the Word made flesh that brings life, and proclaim that truth with passion. Whatever you call us to do, give us the courage and strength to do it.