Genesis 4:17-26

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
17 Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of [a] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed [b] a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
25 Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, [c] saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on [d] the name of the LORD.
At first glance, these verses seem boring and of little use to us. This is a story of heritage, a description of the first families. Read the verses again, this time look for similarities between the early families and families of today.
Lamech and his sons had various talents, but they also turned even farther from God. Lamech killed people all of the time, (he shot a man in Reno; just to watch him die.) The line of Cain was sinking into bad behavior.
Seth is born to replace Able as the good child. He is the line that will be studieed in the rest of the Bible. His decedents began to call on the name of the Lord.
Man, if left to himself, will turn to evil. It is easier, and evil makes evil. If someone does you wrong, it is a human condition to retaliate. Only through God can we live righteous lives. This is why these verses are important.
Prayer- Lord, we cry out to you, not as a baby cries, but as a father cries for joy. We know we are nothing without You, and with You, we are special.
Things to do-Read Genesis 5:1-20, do not be surprised by numbers, think about why this info is important.

Genesis 4:9-16

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so [a] ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, [b] east of Eden.
How Did Cain kill Abel? He shed his blood, and blood is life. Only God creates blood and only God has the authority to take it away. It is fascinating to see how sin evolves in us. Adam and Eve ate one little piece of fruit, and sinned against God. The first generation of man, their children, had taken sin so far that they murdered each other, sinning against each other as well as God. That is the nature of sin, it doesn’t take long for a small sin to grow big,(has anyone seen the Veggie Tales episode of the Rumor Weed?)
The simple answer to part of today’s reading is "Yes, you are your brothers keeper." We all need to look after each other. Cain’s punishment was severe, remember he was the farmer, the botanist. He lost his job, his home, everything and had to roam around, scrounging for a living. One generation from the Garden, his family was just barely ahead of the other animals, and losing ground quick.
Let me address what some are thinking. "If Cain and Able were Adam and Eve’s first children, and Adam and Eve were the first people on the earth, why was Cain afraid of getting killed by other people? (V.14) Adam and Eve multiplyed, and often. The human race was genetically pure, so they did intermarry, by necessity. They were others in the family, the big family, that might have wanted to take revenge on Cain, and God would not allow that. That my story, and I am sticking with it.
Prayer-God, Help us from letting sin take over our lives, and let us always remember that we are our brothers keepers. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today-Read Genesis 4:17-26 Remeber to be nice to your brothers and sisters.

Genesis 4:1-8

3 R’s (relax, Read and Reflect)
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me tolearn. G-F-W. Amen.
Genesis 4:1-8Genesis 4
Cain and Abel
1 Adam [a] lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. [b] She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth [c] a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." [d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
OK, we all know that this is brotherly love gone bad. Let’s look at this a little deeper. Why did God reject Cain’s sacrifice? We don’t know, and it doesn’t say. I have know both farmers(Cain) and ranchers (Abel) and usually the farmers are a little more subdued. I have a theory: verse 3 says he brought some of the fruits as an offering, but in 4 we see Abel brought the fat portions, the best. I think Cain held back on God. Sometimes we do the same. We know we should tithe, and we should give our time to God as well. Do we ever not give portions we receive, either because we think God would never notice or because we believe that we can not spare it? Remember, God gave us these things to begin with and we should joyfully give God our best in time , money and talents.
Some times we can not admit our mistakes. God gives Cain a second chance to make a sacrifice,(verse 7,) but instead Cain is angry at Able for making him look bad. So he does what he thinks he needs to do-he kills him. Cain can not be honest with himself, sin is crouching at our doors as well. The next time someone suggests you are wrong, don’t fly off the handle and lash out. Look at your actions, maybe you can master your ego as well as sin.
Prayer-Lord, Help us always be fair with you. Help us surrender our best to you, because you deserve nothing less. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today- Read Genesis 4:9-16, and look for ways to be honest with God, and yourself.

Who Ate It?

My eleven year old son Grider had this in his sketch pad. This was originally posted on another blog,Life in Lufkin, but I think it is appropriate that I post it here as well. It fits with our readings.

Genesis 3:16-24

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Genesis 3:16-24 (New International Version)
16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
20 Adam [a] named his wife Eve, [b] because she would become the mother of all the living.
21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side [c] of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
The punishment for sinning is great. Since Adam and Eve wanted knowledge, now they would know how difficult life can be. Women would now know pain during childbirth, and to make matters worse, women will desire men, and the men will rule,(usually.)
Men did not get off free even though the wife ate first. Up to that point, Adam and Eve kind of grazed on the bounty of the garden. They did not have to do anything to sustain themselves. Those days are over. Many people do not understand how difficult it can be to raise food. There is either too much rain, or drought. Weeds grow well, and farmers are always trying to keep the weeds from choking out the crops.
We toil in other ways in order to survive, in the words of the prophet-Monty Python-
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true,You'll see it's all a show,Keep 'em laughing as you go.Just remember that the last laugh is on you!
Ashes to ashes from now on, but here is the good news. After our bodies return to the earth, we go to live in paradise for eternity. God may punish, but he also forgives. So...
Always look on the bright side of life...If life seems jolly rotten,There's something you've forgotten!And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing,When you're feeling in the dumps,Don't be silly chumps,Just purse your lips and whistle -- that's the thing!And... always look on the bright side of life...Prayer- Lord, We know that we all sin. Thank you for forgiving us even when we sin against you. Thank you for sending us your son to die for us and our sins. We look forward to the day when we will be with you. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Things to do Read Genesis 4:1-8.

Genesis 3:8-15

3R’s (Relax, Read, Reflect)
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Genesis 3:8-15
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [a] and hers; he will crush [b] your head, and you will strike his heel."
Can you imagine trying to hide from God? Putting on fig leaves,(which make you really itch,) and get away from God. God created the entire garden, the entire world, and Adam and Eve thought they could put on camo and hide from him. That is almost humorous, right? Don’t we do the same thing? We sin against God and we try to hide from God. We have the same success as Adam did, but still we try.
God walked with Adam and Eve because He wanted to have a relationship with them. He walks with us for the same reason. Like Adam, we dis-obey God, and are punished. Also, like Adam and Eve we try to blame others for our mistakes. Satan will do anything to get us to hide from God, because then we are closer to him. That makes since, if we are distant from God, we must be closer to Satan.
God loves us, but he will punish us for sinning. The good news is that because of Jesus, God is willing to forgive us and restore our relationship with him. Once we stop hiding and admit our sins, God is willing to walk with us again and protect us from evil.
Prayer- Lord, Thank you for wanting to have a relationship with us. Even when we sin against you, let us always remember to walk with you, and protect us from evil. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do-Read the rest of Chapter three, and think of the times you tried to hide from God. How did that work?

Genesis 3:1-7

3R’s (Relax, Read and Reflect)
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Genesis 3:1-7 (New International Version)
The Fall of Man
1 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'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
The temptation of man, how easy was that. One rule, one law, but even with small limitations we are easily tempted. Satan is disguised as the serpent, a snake, hoe appropriate is that? Satan was one of God’s angels who had fallen from grace. He had already been created and fallen, now he is trying to lead man away. I think it is important that being tempted it self is not a sin. We will all be tempted at one time or another. Even Jesus was tempted by Satan before he started his ministry.(Matthew 4:11)
When we give in to temptation, that is when we sin. The forbidden fruit looked pleasing to the eye, as most temptations do. Eve also desired the wisdom the fruit would bring, and that is also what lures us into temptation. Maybe not knowledge per se, but some advantage. God provides. He provided for Adam and Eve, and he provides for us. If something seems too good to be true , too easy, and a little suspicious, this maybe a temptation.
I could sell out Eve here, saying that it was all her fault. After all, Adam was probably out naming animals when she was tempted. That is a cop out. He knew Eve had sinned, but he went along with her. They saw they were naked, this was the knowledge they acquired, and then they became ashamed. They realized they had done wrong. What do we do when we know we have sinned? What fig leaves are you wearing?
Prayer-Lord, We know there will be temptation. Give us strength to resist, and wisdom to understand when we fall short. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do - Relax, read the rest of chapter 3.

Genesis 2:19-25

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3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Genesis 2:19-25
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam [a] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs [b] and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib [c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, [d] ' for she was taken out of man."
24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Can you imagine how Adam felt having to name all the animals? I was unsure when I named Ben and Grider. How did he do it? That will be one of those little mysteries. What is more puzzling however, is that Adam was looking for a helper as he named the animals, and did not find one,(where were the border collies?) God had to do so more creating.
Man and woman are out of one flesh. When they are combined they make a perfect team, each helping the other as they go through the world. Man has to leave his parents however, and then trust God as he starts their own family.
Prayer- Lord, Thank you for caring enough to make helpers for us. Let us choose our mates wisely, for as teams we are more effective than two separate people. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Things to do-Think about what Adan had to do in naming all the animals. Suddenly your homework doesn’t seem so tough. Read Genesis 3:1-7.

Genesis 2:4-18

3R’s (Relax, Read and Reflect)
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.Genesis 2:4-18 (New International VersionAdam and Eve
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens- 5 and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth [a] and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth [b] and there was no man to work the ground, 6 but streams [c] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground- 7 the LORD God formed the man [d] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin [e] and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. [f] 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
After God had created the rest of the world, he created one more thing-Man. Did he save the best for last? I think so, and so does God. After he created us , he had to really work hard to keep us going. Has he worked as hard to help other animals survive. The Dodo and other extinct animals don’t think so,(if dodos think.)
God created man from the dust of the ground, and without the breath of God that is all we would be. He did breathe on us, and gave us life. Even better,(if anything is better than life,) he created a special place for humans to live. The Garden must have been a special place, and all that Adam would want was there, except a "helper." There was only one condition, don’t eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Does that mean we should not look for knowledge? No. It means that we should not try to second guess God, and that is something we all do from time to time.
Prayer-Lord, Help me learn all I can. Thank you for giving us the ability to learn. Help us remember that you are God, and no matter how much we read, we will never know what you know. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today-Read Genesis 2:19-25. Admire Gods handy work in the world and try to think of ways we can save it.

UMARMY 05

This is one of my favorite pics. I love all of you guys!

Genesis 2:1-3

3R’s (Relax, Read and Reflect)
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested [a] from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
This may be considered a day of rest because our verses are so short. These verses are important, however. After God created, he rested. Not only did he rest on the seventh day, he blessed it and made it holy.
One of the major obstacles we face in our Christian walk today does not come from outside, it comes from within. We try to do so many things in such a limited time that we don’t take time to recharge-physically as well as spiritually. We are in such a hurry we don’t realize that we are going nowhere-fast.
One of the things I missed the most in Texas are "blue laws." These were laws that prohibited certain things from being sold on Sunday. It seems very archaic to lots of people now, but it allowed many people a break from the work week, from their labors. They did not force citizens to worship, but it gave them a better opportunity. Now we expect everybody to work seven days a week, and that is wrong! God realized he needed to rest, are we better than God? With the rest comes that time for fellowship and worship. This is where we become stronger in our faith. If we don’t worship and fellowship, it is harder for us to grow spiritually, and that is when we become susceptible to sin and temptation. Maybe God knew what he was doing?
Prayer-Lord, Help me to slow down. Help me organize my life so that I can do the things I need to do in the world, and also take time to do the things you need me to do. Go-Fight-Win. Amen,
Things to do- Look at your life. Really look and see if you are living for God, or are you living for something else? Read about Adam-Genesis 2:4-18

Genesis 1:20-31

3R’s
Prayer-Dear Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Genesis 1:20-31 (New International Version)
20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
This concludes the first creation story. As God creates, he becomes proud of his work. He sees that it is good. We need to take pride in what we do and what we create. God created animals, fish and birds. Then he created Man. I do not believe this was an accident. We are created in God’s own image. Does this mean that God looks like a human? Not necessarily. We are created as God wants us to look. Did anyone else notice in verse 26 it says "Let us make man in our own image." There is a plural there. What does this mean? Are there more than one God? I don’t believe so. Even during creation the Trinity was involved, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
God gives Man dominion over all the earth, and what a tremendous responsibility that is. We are in charge of a fragile balance that is life. Do you think we are doing a good job as caretakers of God’s creation?
Prayer-Dear Lord, Give me the wisdom to properly take care of all you trusted me with. Help me and guide me, because I can not do a good job without your help. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today- Read Genesis 2:1-3

Genesis 1:9-19

3R's
Prayer-Dear Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen
9 And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
God is creating all we need to survive. He creates land from water, and then creates all the vegetation and saw that was good. Is there really any doubt? Do you think God was experimenting as he created? No, God knew that these things were necessary, and after he created saw they were working. He then created sun and moon. Does that mean that the Earth is older than the sun? I don’t know, but to someone writing about creation thousands of years ago, it would seem that way. As we read more of Genesis, remember that the whole bases of our relationship with God is based on faith. I do not know all the answers, but so what. As Ashley Adkins, one of the students in this years senior Sunday School class so eloquently put it, "If I knew all the answers I wouldn’t need faith. How long did creation take? Was the Earth created before the sun? I don’t know. All I do know is that God created, and is creating. I know that there are oceans, seas, lakes as well as land. I also know that land is covered with vegetation. I also know that there is a moon and sun, the details are not important.
Prayer- Lord, Thank you for creating the world we live in, we will try not to destroy your works. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Things to do today-Read Genesis 1:20-31 Rejoice in God’s creation, and have faith that we will take of it.

Genesis 1:1-8 The Beginning

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
The Beginning
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was [a] formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6 And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
Let’s look at the first five words, for they are some of the most important of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created..." This says the one thing that we base our beliefs on, God creates. More importantly, God is creating still. Without God, the universe is formless and empty, and it is a very big place. God brings order out od chaos, and brings life to a barren world.
When we read this in elementary Sunday school, we probably never considered how important this is to our beliefs. We just thought how could God do all of this in only a week, it takes us that long to plant a garden, and a small one at that. The most important thing is not how long it took God, but how he did it.
I do not know if God created the earth in six twenty four hour days. When I get to heaven I will ask him. I do know that he created life, and only God can breath life into inanimate objects. I believe strongly in evolution, but I am still in awe of how awesome God is. Sometimes my scientific background helps me see how wonderful this world is, and how mighty our God is. God gave us light, separated water from earth, and created a protective atmosphere, just so we can live. God must love all of us very much to do all of that.
Prayer- Dear Lord, Thank you for all you have created, and for all you are still creating. Help me do all that I can to help and understand what you have me do. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today-Read Genesis 1:9-19. Relax, and take in the wonder and beauty of God’s creations.

Genesis

3R’s
Prayer-Dear Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn.
The next Book we will study will be the very first book, Genesis-or Beginning. Why would we study that book? Haven’t we read it over and over before? It’s too old and there is nothing in it that we need to learn. Isn’t it just a series of fables and folk tales?
If we are serious about learning more about Christianity we need to have a firm foundation, we need to hit the basics. Genesis is the bases of all we believe. If we don’t know where we have been as a people, how can we tell where we are going? We will study both creation stories, look at Noah and the flood, study Abraham and his decedents, both sets. We will learn about the patriarchs, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
These are the neat stories we studied as kids,( last year,) This is a long book, and it will take more than a few weeks to do right. Be patient, be open minded, and get ready to have fun. We will go back from New Testament book to Old Testament book from now on.
Prayer-Lord-Thank you for letting us read and learn as a group. Watch over this family as we go through life. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do- Read Genesis 1:1-8

Recap of Ephesians

3 R's
Prayer: Lord, open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.

What have we learned the last few weeks? Let's review-This is a letter to the Church at Ephesus. That Church had been started by Paul, and must have been one of his favorites. Paul wrote the letter while under house arrest, and even though he addressed it to the Ephesians, it was meant to be read by other churches in the area. It contains info for churches everywhere, even those in our world.
Paul tells us that unity in God is very important, and we as a church have the responsibility to show God in everything we do. We are all one body, made up of different parts. As a Church, we are unified through Christ, and all have different talents. We all must come together as one and love each other.
Families are the building stone of our lives. Paul gives us advice and instruction on how to be better families. He also reminds us that there is evil and we need to be prepared to deal with Satan always. We need to surround ourselves with the Holy Spirit, and get dressed in the Armor of the Lord. If we show our Christian love to everyone, we are showing God's love for Man.
Prayer: Dear Lord; Thank you for giving us instructions to learn from, and thank you for giving us examples to follow. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Things to do-Reflect on this book, and start reading Genesis.

Ephesians 6:19-23

3R’s
Prayer-Dear Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Ephesians 6:19-23 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)

19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Final Greetings
21Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul asks his followers to pray for him. He does not ask to be released or set free. Instead he asks for courage and wisdom. If you found yourself under house arrest in a distant land, what would you pray for?
Paul is sending an emissary to Ephesus to help explain things. Paul had created many churches during his ministry, and he sent friends and trusted companions to various places to encourage, nurture and to instruct the churches. This is important. We as Christians need nourishment, we need instruction and encouragement. We pay ministers to take care of congregations, but is our job, all of us, to help build and strengthen the church. If we listen to Paul, and listen to God, this should not be a problem.
Prayer- Dear Lord, Give me wisdom and strength. Strength to do your work and wisdom to figure out what it is. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do-Decide what armor you have to wear, and then wear it.

Ephesians 6:10-18

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
This may be one of the most preached on passages that Paul wrote. Even if we have heard this one hundred times, we always need to hear again. Paul knows how to end a sermon, even if it is in a letter. He wants us to be ready for battle and take a stand. Our war is not with each other,( what a radical thought,) but with the devil and the powers of evil.
God gives us the tools, both offensive and defensive, to fight this battle. Read again, list all of the parts of the Armor of God and what they represent. Remember, God is with us. As long as we trust him we will be victorious. The whole body (church) needs to be armed and ready to fight against Satan. We need to use supernatural, (Holy Spirit,) power to win.
Prayer- Thank you God for giving me the things I need to do your work. Help me to remember to put them on and use them. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do-Pray

Ephesians 6:5-9

3R's
Prayer-Lord, open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
Ephesians 6:5-9 (The Message)
5Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. 6Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. 7And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. 8Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.
9Masters, it's the same with you. No abuse, please, and no threats. You and your servants are both under the same Master in heaven. He makes no distinction between you and them.
In older translations of these verses they started out saying,"slaves, obey your masters." I used the Message translation because it is less confusing. Does Paul support slavery? Many Christians through the years have used these verses to support slavery. Before the Civil War, in this country,these words were spouted from pulpits all over the south. What is Paul saying?
Paul did not support the overthrow of earthly governments. Many people of Jesus' day thought Jesus was sent to deliver them from Rome. Jesus came to deliver us from sin, from evil, and from hell, not an earthly government. Paul also realized that change needs to come from everyone. For slavery to effectively end, the owners and masters needed to make that change.
Paul also equates servants to us , and earthly masters to Jesus. We must obey Jesus, even when we do not understand why. Serving wholeheartedly-- so that we may do His will. Serve always, not just when people are watching. Paul also tells his followers to be good masters, treating everyone the same. Our Lord in heaven shows no favorites, so shouldn't we act the same?
Prayer- Dear Lord, help me to be both a good sevant and a good master. Give me the strength and wisdom to do your work the way you would have it done. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do- Read Ephesians 6:10-18-- Be ready to get dressed for the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen
Ephesians 6
Children and Parents
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2"Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."[a] 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Alright, we are finally getting somewhere. I think I will have all of my boys read verses 1-3 over and over. This is in line with the importance of the family unit. Believe it or not, usually it is our family that knows us the best. Decisions by the parents so often seem arbitrary and harsh, but are more often than not made in the best interest of the child. As we look at the situation, ask yourself who is thinking of the other party. Sometimes children are thinking of themselves, and what each rule means to them, not the family unit.
Parents should pray about their task in rasing their children, and the fathers should bring them up in training and instruction to the Lord. It is a two way street, parents and children should honor each other, and think of the other first. Is this the way we treat our parents? Do we honor them? Or do we worry about how their decisions are going to affect us?
Prayer- Lord, Help me become a better family member. Give my entire family peace and wisdom so that we may serve you better. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today-relax, and get ready to worship God. Reflect on what you have done this lenten season, and what you have left.

Re-cap of Chapter Five

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
In chapter five Paul is telling us,(the church,) how to live our lives as imitators of God. He understood, just as it is important that we understand, that it is not enough just to say you are a child of God, you have to show it. You show that by the way you live. He doesn’t want us to pull away from the rest of the world, to live by ourselves so that we won’t be tempted. Instead, he tells us to befriend non-believers and lead them. Remember, we are children of the light,(good,) and our job is to reflect that light to the world.
We must be careful that we live our lives wisely. We need to be aware of how we act, what we say, and the language we use. We must understand what God’s will is, and do not do anything that would lead us, or our friends to debauchery. Make music in your heart to the Lord. How can we do that? What part of our lives are a light to the world and a reflection of Christ, and what parts lead to darkness?
Husbands and wives. The family unit is very important to Christian lives. This is the building cell for our lives. Paul encourages marriage here,(as opposed to what he says in Corinthians, but that is another lesson.) The rerlationship needs to be based in love and devotion. Wives must submit to the leadership of a godly husband, if it is there. Again, Paul wants us to live in the world and be able to co-exist with all people. If society has rules that do not clash with God’s rules, we need to follow them. Husbands have more responsibility, because they are in charge of the growth and protection of the family unit. They should give all to their wife. When we base our relationships on this model, we will have an easier life, and that is what God wants for us anyway. Remember, everything we do should be out of LOVE.
Prayer- Dear Lord, Please help me live a life that is a reflection of you. Give me the strength and understanding to do these things we have studied and know we should do. Bless our family, bless our friends, and bless the church. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do- Read Chapter six, you will be glad you did.

Ephesians 5:25-33

3R’s
Prayer-Dear Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansinga] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[b] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
OK guys, we need to love our wives. I told you that Paul would have things for us to do. He spends over twice as long to tell us to love our wives as he tells wives to submit,(obey,) their husbands. What should a man do for his wife? Be ready to sacrifice everything for her. That is not easy, we want to take care of us first, that is a human condition. Christ sacrificed himself for us, and the union between husband and wife is the embodiment of the union of Christ and his followers.
The husband should take care of his wife as he would for his own body. He should cleans as he does he own body. Christ cleansed the church by the washing of baptism, and the husband should do all he can to keep his relationship pure. How
can we do this? We must keep ourselves clean,(spiritually as well as physically,) before we can expect to keep our family clean. We lead by example, and the example has been set by Christ.
Prayer-Dear Lord, help me stay clean, and create in me a desire to lead by example. Go- Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today: Pray, and ask God what he desires for you and your relationships.

Ephesians 5:21-24

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives and Husbands
22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
This has long been considered a very chauvinistic group of verses, and instead of bringing the church up, has been used as a divisive tool. Do we discount Paul’s teachings here because we do not agree with them?
It is important to look at several things here. Look at verse 21, submit to each other. Why? Out of reverence to Christ. Also, remember this was written by Paul during a time when the head of the household was the male. He was in charge of wives, children and slaves. Paul and the early church lived in this society, and he was not trying to overthrow Roman society. He just wanted people to follow God’s spiritual laws. Can we ignore this teaching because we think it is outdated and no longer pertains to our society?
Our families are the most important building stone to Christian fellowship, and every unit has to have a leader. Paul tells us that the Husband is that leader, in everything. Sometimes a husband will decline to lead, if so the wife must take charge to keep the family going.
One last comment, it is also thought that the women of Ephesus may have started to try and run the church. It was in it’s early development, and that is not too hard to believe.
If the husbands were not in charge, the church and the Christian movement would not be respected by society because it was being led by the women, who were second class citizens in the day. Men, do not take these verses as a symbol of superiority, we are also commanded to live in certain ways and show our wives love and support, but that is for tomorrow.
Prayer- Lord, Help us all to submit to each other out of reverence for Christ. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Things to do-Read Ephesians 5:25-33

Ephesians 5:8-20

3R’s
Prayer- Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen


8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Paul is telling us to be the light of the world. What does that mean? How should we do the lighting? We light up the world as a reflection of Christ. Much as the moonlight is a reflection of the sun, and by doing so lights up a darkened world, we are to reflect the light that is Jesus. When we do this, we will also enlighten a darkened world, and everything will become visible.
Paul then tells us to be careful how we live. We should make the most of every opportunity because evil is always lurking. Getting drunk on wine(or whiskey or beer,) is very temporary, but the Holy Spirit gives you a permanent high. Getting drunk is part of an old selfish life. When intoxicated with drink we can easily fall prey to evil. When we are high on God, we are fighting evil, and will not have the depression of a hangover when we come down. We need never come down. We can always live with joy and songs in our heart. There is big temptation to lower yourselves from the lofty position of God’s family. We are all better than that. Satan can take the foolish, but we are God’s, bought and paid for with the Blood of Christ.
Prayer- Lord, Help me be a light to the world. Help me show my community the joy that is a life with Jesus. Help me resist evil, wherever it is hiding. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today-Read Ephesians 5:21-24. Do not jump to conclusions, we may learn a different spin for the rest of this chapter. Be a "light."

Ephesians 5:1-7

3R,s (Relax, Read and Reflect)
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Ephesians 5:1-7
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
As children imitate their parents, at least the good habits, we should imitate Christ, all of his habits. They are all good. Although God does not expect us to be perfect, we must be aware that some habits will be more destructive to our reflection of Christ than others. Not even a hint of sexual immorality or greed,(lust,) these are improper. The messages we send to people by our actions are greater than the words we say. If we tell people to live in a moral way but do not ourselves, we are confusing people.
Another trap is with our talk. So many of us use profane language so much that we no longer even know that we curse. We tell dirty jokes because we don’t see how that hurts anyone. The names -profane language and cursing- should give us a clue how destructive they are. I like the term Paul uses, foolish talk. These words are truly foolish talk, and will never build up the kingdom. Never think that what you say doesn’t affect the way people think. Remember, someone is always watching. I am not trying to use that as a "big brother"care tactic. I only want to remind each of us that we are examples of Christ, and we don’t get the privilege of deciding when people look at us as Christians and when they look at us as people.
Prayer-Lord, help me be the best example of you that I can. Show your grace and love through me and let others see you. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Things to do today: Be aware of all your actions. Try your best to make all of your words and acts reflect that you are a Christian. Ask God for help.

Recap of Capter Four

3R’s
Prayer-Dear Lord, Open my heart and open my heart and help me to learn.
Chapter four was titled "Unity in the body of Christ." We can break the chapter, and unity, down by saying we are all one. We are one in the body-the church, Spirit-the Holy Spirit, hope-our future with God, Lord-Christ, Faith-our commitment to Christ, baptism-our entry into the church and God-our Father.
Paul reminds us that we should never be separated from each other by differences in doctrine. As long as we have unity, we can be effective through the Lord. Without unity, we stumble and fail. Do we spend more time uniting with each other as a universal church? How can each of us be more unifying and loving in the way we treat each other? This is not an option. Before we can heal and minister to others and bring them into the true faith, we must be healed inside.
Prayer-Lord, Make me a whole and complete Christian. I am your child, and I want to do the most I can to praise and glorify you. Thank you so much for all you do, and for all of us that you never forget. We love you. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.

Ehphesians 4:25-32

3R’s
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. G-F-W. Amen.

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin", Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Once again, we are told that we need to start living the gospel, not just preaching it. Don’t lie, don’t let anger cause you to sin. It is important to note that Paul is not saying that you can’t get angry, that is an emotion that God gives us. We can not let our anger let sin get a foothold in our lives. Don’t let anger rule you, rule your anger. Don’t bottle your anger up inside, it will only cause bitterness and pain. This may be a good time to ask yourself if you are angry with someone and have let the anger last for more than a day. Ask God for help, because Satan is waiting to use this as an advantage.
Remember that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. If we talk or act in a way contrary to God’s teaching, we are grieving the Holy Spirit. Compassion and mercy are big with God. He expects us to forgive others, as we have been forgiven.
Prayer-Lord, Help me remember that you are with me ALWAYS. I do not want to take away your power of love, because I need all of your love, all of the time. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do: Forgive, do not stay angry with another,(or yourself.) Do some forgiving, and forgiveness will come your way.

Ephesians 4:17-24

3R’s
Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn.Ephesians 4:17-24
Living as Children of Light
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Let’s look at this passage in "The Message."Ephesians 4:17-24 (The Message)

The Old Way Has to Go
17And so I insist--and God backs me up on this--that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. 18They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. 19They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! 21My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything--and I do mean everything--connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life, 23a life renewed from the inside 24and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
People should be able to see the difference between Christians and non-Christians. Pauls insists-and God backs him up, that Christians live life above the mindless crowd. Many people understand how to live, but refuse to do so. We, however, know Christ. Because we love him and want to live as him, we have chosen to live a life of love. We have to get rid of everything that holds us back, and because we know what God and Jesus expect from us, we have no excuses.
The new life is a life with God. Is there anything on this earth that would compare with God? I didn’t think so. So why do we hang on to things that hold us back? Instead of aimlessly going with the crowd, we should be directing the crowd. Don’t be a follower-be a leader, a leader to life eternal
Prayer- Dear Lord, Help me live the life you have showed me to live. Help me resist temptation, and give the patience to see what is right. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today: Read Ephesians 4:25-32. Review your covenant with God about Lent. Take an inventory of the baggage(good and bad,) in your life.

Ephesians 4:14-16

3R's
Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn.
Ephesians 4:14-16 (New International Version)
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
As part of Christ, (his Church,) we are expected to live in his truth. We are no longer children, we must show Christ's truth. This is not always easy. Not only should we be honest in our words, but with our works as well. Speaking the truth is not always easy, but remember what Lee Friesen always said, "if it is done in Love, then it is right. If we speak the truth with love, then we are reflecting Christ.
We may be afraid that we can not always do the right thing, and if we fail we will be doing harm to the church and to God, so we do nothing. None of us are perfect. If we all were afraid to do things because we were scared we would fail, nothing would get done.
We need to support each other constantly, and building and growing in love. As each of us does their work, we need not fear failure. This fear is placed in us by Satan, the enemy of truth. We will not fear failure, because we have others who are with us to help us. This way, we will succeed.
Prayer- Dear Lord, Give me the strength to live in truth. Help me, and surround me with your angels from heaven and your disciples on earth. Go-Fight-Win. Amen

Things to do today- Read Ephesians 4:17-24
Begin living a life of truth. Remember, it takes practice.