Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Hand of Providence E-100 Day 15 (Genesis 45:1-46:7)


Joseph got a chance to see something that few of us take notice of...God's Providence. He had the opportunity to look back on each circumstance in his life and see that if those things didn't happen, he wouldn't be where is now. Had his brothers not hated him, they wouldn't have sold him into slavery. Had they not sold him into slavery, he wouldn't have been in the house of Potiphar. Had he not been in the situation with Potiphar's wife, he wouldn't have been put in jail. Had he not been put in jail, he wouldn't have been there to interpret the dreams for the butler and the cook. Had he not been there to interpret their dreams, the butler wouldn't have known to tell Pharaoh about him and his ability to interpret dreams, which led him to being the second in command of all of Egypt! Whew! I know that was a mouthful, but I want you to look back now. There are circumstances from your past that you didn't quite understand at the time, but as you look at them now, you can see that they led to you being where you are today! I won't go into mine here. It would take too long! But I do love to look back at all of the times of my past where now I can see God's hand at work, leading me to the place where I am now! Once you do that, you'll be in awe once again of our God who loves us and has a purpose and plan for us! Thank Him for His divine providence in your life today! Have a good one guys!

Ron Foster

You Can't Make This Stuff Up! E-100 Day 14 (Genesis 43-44)


Ok, so you know how when you are in a good book or into a movie, you can't put it down or bear to leave to go to the bathroom, because you want to see every second? That's how I am with the story of Joseph! How could I stop anywhere in the middle? So I'm letting you know that I'm doing all of Joseph's story in one day (I may not blog it all in one day). But I just had to read ahead! You can't make this stuff up! This is blockbuster drama stuff man! Here are some observations from this day's reading:

1. Did anyone else notice that they left Simeon in prison the whole time they were away? That lets us know how much Jacob treasured Benjamin...enough to give up another son to prison just to keep him home! How much time do you think went by before they ran out of grain and food from their trip! It was only then that they went back!

2. I think this whole scheme of Joseph's lets us know why he is in charge of Egypt...the dude is smart. He knew that Jacob treasured Benjamin, so he had to devise a plan to Benjamin there. Then once he got Benjamin there, he would devise a plan to keep him there. This would force his dad to come. This is what he longed for.

3. You gotta think that he was enjoying seeing his brothers sweat a little bit too. I mean, come on, who wouldn't?

4. Notice that if Joseph was feeling any form of resentment, he didn't let it come out. He removed himself from the situation and started to devise a strategic plan to reconcile himself to his family again.

I don't know about you, but Joseph is one of my heroes and the more I read about him, the more I wish I were like him. Have a good one guys!

Ron Foster

The Skeleton is Coming Out! E-100 Day 13 (Genesis 42)


I'm sure by this time in Joseph's life, his brothers and the rest of his family were a distant memory. He had been in Egypt for years. No one knew of his past with his family of being hated and sold into slavery. He now was in charge of all of Egypt! He was the day-to-day operations guy, that the only one higher up was the CEO, the Pharaoh. He had a new life. He was respected beyond imagination. He had power. He had position. He was married and had kids. He had moved on. But then the 10 skeleton's from his closet came busting out of his closet and were standing right in front of him! Imagine the shock, the rush of emotions that were going through Joseph. Was he remembering the last time they were together, or was he thinking he was just glad to see his brothers (like Esau was)?

I can't even imagine all the different possibilities that went through Joseph's head. We know his immediate plan was to see his younger brother, Benjamin, and so he devised a plan to get him out there. I think God had worked so much in Joseph's life that from the beginning he never had ill intent toward his brothers, but he did want to think about how to reveal himself to them. This plan would give him time to think about it.

What about you? Have you allowed God to work in your life enough that if someone from your past that has hurt you came walking up, you could love them as Jesus did and forgive them as Jesus did? If the answer is no, then what is it in your life that you haven't given over to God to change in your life? Can you give it to him today? Have a good one guys!

Ron Foster

This sounds familiar E-100 Day 12 (Genesis 39-41)


Picking up the story with Joseph, we find that Joseph has been sold into slavery to Potiphar's house. Potiphar was the captain of the palace guard which meant that he would be in charge of the guys that were bodyguards and guards of the palace and the prison guards, since it was near the palace. Now we see that God was with Joseph and blessed everything that he touched basically. Potiphar took notice of that and eventually, Joseph worked his way up to being Potiphar's right hand man. Potiphar basically said that he trusted Joseph and what he says goes in all of Potiphar's dealings. The only thing held back from Joseph was Potiphar's wife, everything else was fair game!

Now, this scenario sounds pretty familiar. Someone given all the freedom to do whatever, with one thing to stay away from...hmmm. Oh wait I know! Wow! Funny how this story parallels Adam and Eve. We even have Joseph being tempted with that one thing. And yet this story has a different outcome. Rather than Joseph taking Potiphar's wife just as Adam and Eve took the fruit, he runs. He gets out as soon as possible! Now the immediate outcome stinks for Joseph, but we see God blessing everything he does wherever he goes. But just look for a second how different the outcome was for Joseph as opposed to Adam and Eve.

We talk alot about temptation. We know about it. We fall to it day after day. Many times we think that it isn't possible to win against the temptation. Joseph showed us how. He didn't stay there and try to resist Potiphar's wife. He didn't try to argue with her. He didn't try to have a debate with her. He got out of there! He left the situation, because he knew that is the best strategy with temptation...look for the way out, and take it!

Have you been battling temptation? Maybe you've been arguing with it or debating it. It hasn't been working, has it? Maybe we need to take the lesson from Joseph and try his strategy - run. Try it the next time you are facing temptation. Don't stay there. You'll lose. Just get out. Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

It Was Just A Dream! E-100 Day 11 (Genesis 37)


I've heard people talk about Joseph that he was a tattle tale or high on himself, or kind of a brat. I don't necessarily see that here. Did Joseph give reports to his dad on how the other guys were doing? Yes, but at his dad's request. He was doing what he was told. Did Joseph share with his brothers the dreams that he had about them worshipping him? Yes. But it was just that...a dream. Joseph never claimed it was going to happen that way. We all have dreams that are out there and we share them with people. So why were Joseph's brothers so upset with him over every little thing? Because he was the favorite. In this chapter, we see that Jacob favored Joseph over all the others. It says because he was born in Jacob's old age, but one has to think that it could have also been because he was born to the wife that Jacob truly loved. Was all of that Joseph's fault? No way. And yet, he still finds himself trying to do right and just live life while being hated and despised by his own brothers! We also get the sense that Joseph loved his brothers, it just wasn't reciprocated. If this is where the story ended, it would be a very dark, depressing story. This just sets up the rest, but for now, think about this...we often come across people that despite what we do or how nice we try to treat them, they hate and despise you. How might you go about dealing with those people on an every day basis? Joseph did. What would you do? Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

Monday, January 28, 2008

I'm Sorry! E-100 Day 10 (Genesis 32-33)


As we read in these two chapters, Jacob was very nervous to face his brother. He had every right to be nervous. He swindled him out of his birthright (inheritance), then stole his father's blessing and ran away because Esau was going to kill him. Now, it's years later and Jacob hasn't forgotten what he did to his brother, and they were about to meet. I'm nervous just thinking about the scenario.

I get nervous because I found myself in a similar predicament. When I was in 7th grade our school had the Jr. High and Sr. High buildings together, so we saw the Sr. High all the time. There was a sophomore named Hector Orellana who also went to our church. Hector was the coolest guy. He was awesome at all three sports. He was dating Erica (one of my counselors from day camp for the last few years). And for some reason, Hector befriended me. ME! A 7th grade little turd! He made me a big shot! At church we had separate Sr. High and Jr. High classes but would all be together in "Big Church", and he would save a spot for me! Right next to him! I didn't get it, but I loved it! He showed me how to play soccer, to slidetackle, that you tithe even in high school. He showed me alot.

One day, another 7th grader and I were assigned to empty out all of the big garbage cans and bring them to the dumpster. As we were putting the bags in the dumpster, we looked over and the gate to the dumpsters swung wide open because of the wind, and hit the pick up truck that was parked right there! I ran over to see who's it was and I didn't recognize the truck. What I did recognize was when I pulled the gate away from the truck it had left a scratch and dent from the top to the bottom on the passenger side of the truck! This truck looked pretty brand new as well. It was black and shiny (except for this scratch now). For a minute the other guy with me and I were thinking about running off and pretending that we knew nothing, but in the end we talked each other into going to the office to let them know what happened. When we let them know, they were really assurring to us and making us feel that we had done the right thing until we found out who's truck it was...that's right...it was Hector's. Actually it was Hector's dad's truck and this was the first day that Hector was allowed to drive it to school. I was feeling sick. I heard that when Hector saw the dent and scratch, he was screaming and shouting. I avoided him the rest of the week. I was so scared. All of that cool stuff that I was able to do with Hector was gone now. I was in his inner circle of friends to his hated list. At church, I went and sat in an entirely different section hoping to avoid him again. I glanced over and to my terror saw Hector walking over to me! Oh my gosh, he doesn't even care that we're in church! He's gonna kill me right here! He sat down next to me and asked, "You're the one that hit my car?" I couldn't even look at him. Almost about to cry with my head down, I said in a quiet tone, "Yes. I'm so sorry. I'll get a job and pay for it. It was my fault." Hector interrupted me. "No, you don't have to do that. My insurance has covered it. I knew I shouldn't have parked that close to the dumpster. It's ok. Let me ask you though, why are you sitting over here?" I couldn't believe how this was going. "I thought you wouldn't want me around for awhile." Hector told me something that I'll never forget, "You could have totalled the car, and that wouldn't change our friendship. Ok? Besides, who else will sit with me when me and Erica are having a fight? Come on." We got up and walked back to where we normally sat with an understanding of what forgiveness feels like.

How relieved do you think Jacob was when Esau gladly received his brother? Have you ever experienced forgiveness in a manner that totally shocked you? Have you ever given it in that manner? Is it time for you to show someone in your life today what forgiveness feels like? Search them out and experience it all over again. It's awesome! Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

That Hurts E-100 Day 9 (Genesis 27-28)


As I read through the passage of Scripture for today, I couldn't help but think to myself the kind of brother relationship Jacob and Esau had. They were twins that apparantly didn't look much alike. They apparantly didn't act much alike either as we get a sense that Jacob hung out around the house mostly and when he had an issue, brought it to mommy. Esau on the other hand seemed to be Mr. Outdoorsman. He could hunt, fish, cook the food that he caught, and when he had an issue seemed to bring it to daddy. It's easy to see that the dad (Isaac) definitely favored Esau over Jacob (probably because Esau was the oldest), and the mom favored Jacob over Esau. So how did they get along? You get a sense that they didn't really. Before this reading if you go back a few chapters, you see that Jacob swindled his dying brother out of his birthright (inheritance) for a bowl of soup! What a loving brother Jacob must have been! Then in this passage you see him going along with his mom's plan of getting Esau's blessing too!

I don't know if Esau picked on Jacob growing up, and he had some stored up anger for him. All we know is that Esau at the end of this is left with nothing, and Jacob has it all, and God is now going to bless Jacob! How can this be right? I think it goes back to the promise God made to Abram. God told Abram that he would be the father of many nations and the world would be blessed through him. God didn't give him the details. I think God was going to work that out in Abram's life and families lives no matter the circumstances. Maybe God knew that Esau would eventually not follow after God's ways and that Jacob would? I don't know. What I do know is that Jacob had hurt his brother and needed to get it right to move on. Have a great day guys! Be good!

Ron Foster

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Hidden Treasures E100 Day 8 (Gen.21:1-22:19)


I once heard a pastor telling a story about how when he turned 16 he really wanted a car. He had been talking with his dad and his dad said that he would look into it. In the meantime, it was summer time, the 16 year old got a job and the dad asked his son to read a book that he had given him. Throughout the summer, the dad kept asking his son if he had read the book yet, and of course the son hadn't even started it. His dad kept asking and the son would say that he was halfway or 3/4 of the way through it, and he still hadn't touched the book. Finally, toward the end of the summer the son got a little motivated to read it just so his dad would stop asking. He got through chapter one and at the beginning of chapter two, there was a cut out in some of the pages. It was a cutout of some keys. Sure enough, there was a set of keys hidden in the book. He brought the keys to his dad and his dad drove to a parking lot that the 16 year old had been passing every day and noticing a car that he liked. His dad drove right up to the car and handed the keys to his embarrassed 16 year old son. The car had been waiting for him all summer long and he could have been enjoying it, had he done what his dad asked him in reading the book!

Lucky for Abraham, he started to obey God without the hesitation of this pastor. God asked Abraham to give up his son, the very son that he had been waiting over 25 years to arrive. Abraham obeyed and then God revealed the ram that He was providing! Sometimes, God asks us to do something way out there. We can't understand it, and it may even require us giving up something dear to us, where all He wants to see if we're willing to obey and then He pulls out the surprise.

Is there something that you've been holding tight to, that God is now asking you to give up? It doesn't make sense, but remember, He is looking for your obedience over anything else. So the question is: Will you obey or won't you? Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Just Not Sure E-100 Day 7 (Genesis 15)


The goal seemed attainable enough on our way to the gym...win the game. At least that's what our high school basketball team thought on the way. It was my senior year. We had one of the best basketball teams in the state. Our point guard (Ben) and center (Mario) were considered the best at their positions. Our 2 guard (Jon Mark) was this incredible lock down defender. You could put him on the other team's best scorer and reduce him to 5 points. Our small forward (Mike) was not only a sprinter, but also a high jumper, and could dunk on you in a second. Then our power forward (Doug) had this incredible sense of where the ball was going to miss off the rim and he would be there. To top that off, our next 5 guys off the bench (me, Domingo, Caleb, Matt, and Jason) could have easily started if we were on another team. We were good. Real good. And the team we were about to play wasn't even close and we knew it. As we sat in the locker room, getting ready and waiting for our coach to run through the game plan we were confident. Until he revealed the gameplan. "Guys" he said, "The goal tonight is defense. They better not score more than 20 points tonight for the whole game, or when we have practice tomorrow we won't even touch a basketball." That, by the way, meant we would run until we threw up, and then run some more.

All of the sudden, we weren't so confident. We knew we would win the game, but we weren't so sure about holding a team to 20 points for an entire game! It takes alot out of you to try and keep a team from scoring every time down the court! What was our coach thinking? Why would he give us such a goal and consequence? Unfair? You bet! Impossible? Absolutely!

The game started and it wasn't good. In the first five minutes we just kept exchanging baskets. We score, they score. We score, they score. All the way to where it got to be a tie game 8-8. My coach stood up furiously, yelling for a time out! He looked at me and the other 4 guys next to me and screamed while pointing at each of us, "You, You, You, You, and You get in there!" We all jumped up, kind of surprised as we normally didn't go into the game at least until the 2nd quarter. As the starting 5 came walking off the court a little stunned at being taken out and we were stepping onto the court, my coach yelled at us one instruction, "Don't let them score the rest of the half!"

I can't quite explain what or how it all happened, but for the rest of the half, our coach left us in the game, and we started to believe that we could keep this team from scoring. A steal here, a blocked shot there, a missed shot there. For the next quarter and a half we played harder and faster then ever before and as halftime rolled around, the scoreboard said 45-8! We hadn't let them score the entire time! At halftime, coach used us to threaten the starting 5, letting them know that he has no hesitation about taking them out of the game. The 5 started the half fired up, and through substitutions and playing as a team, the final score was 108-16! We did it! We couldn't believe it! Something that was impossible to us, actually happened! Was there some complaining along the way? Sure. Were there times we didn't believe it could happen? Absolutely. Did we eventually come around to believe it could happen? Yes.

Do you think Abram and Sarah went through some of the same emotions when God was reassurring them that they would have a son at their age (well past retirement)? We know that Sarah laughed at the proposition and eventually they took matters into their own hands by having Abram get another wife basically and have a child with her. Eventually, God reassurred them again and they believed and God made Sarah pregnant. How do you think they felt about their unbelief after Isaac was born? Do you think they would change their attitude, thoughts, and faith toward what God had said to them? I bet they would.

Is there something impossible that God is leading you to do? Something that you can't see the steps for getting from A to F? That's just how God wants and needs it! That means you are going to have to trust Him to get it done! Are you game? Are you ready to give God a chance today? I'm pretty sure He knows what He's doing even if you don't. Let's do the impossible today! Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

I dare you! E-100 Day 6 (Genesis 12)


I had been living in Long Island for no more than 6 months when we decided to take our first winter retreat with the teens. I decided to hook up with a church in the Philadelphia area where their youth pastor was a rookie too. In fact we had just graduated from college together. He got hired there at the same time I got hired in Long Island. We found this Christian Retreat Center on the shores of New Jersey to go to. Seemed more like a summer place, but that was why we were getting it for so cheap, so why not? Obviously, this was a rookie mistake on both of our parts because what are we supposed to do when it's freezing outside, there's no snow because we had the bright idea of holding a WINTER RETREAT on a beach! It was miserable! Right up until I saw Kyle Aiello. Kyle had just met another guy from the other church. They were talking but looked like they wanted something to do. So, at some point someone, and I'm not going to say who, suggested to Kyle to go jump into the Atlantic Ocean! With no thought or hesitation, Kyle took off running toward the water! This other kid started following him! I couldn't believe it. Kyle ran onto the deck, and took a huge jump and landed himself smack dab in some freezing Atlantic Ocean water!

I was impressed with Kyle's attitude of just being ready to jump into whatever, whenever. It reminds me of today's reading of God calling Abram. We don't have any qualifications as to why God chose Abram. No record of him following or worshipping God. Enoch walked with God. Noah was considered a righteous man before God. But nothing from Abram. All we have is Abram's reaction to God's call. Think about this. God comes to Abram (no record of this happening before) and tells him that he wants him to move to some other place. Now if you're a normal human being, you question that. You want some kind of a plan; some kind of a destination. Where am I moving to, one might ask. But I think we get a glimpse of why God chose Abram based on his reaction. Abram, without any thought or hesitation said ok and took off toward the direction God showed him. Abram didn't know what was in store for him. All he knew was that God had spoken. God wanted him to move. He moved.

Could it be that we find ourselves not moving in a direction because God already knows our reaction of doubt, questioning, and hesitation? Do you trust God? Do you follow Him? They why don't we trust Him to guide is in the direction when He is the one leading it? Let's be a little more like Kyle today. Let's be a little more like Abram. Let's jump into it! Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

Hola, como estas? E-100 Day 5 (Genesis 11:1-9)


Do you remember the first time you ever heard someone speak in another language? How about the first time someone was speaking to you, and you had no idea what they were saying, and they had no idea what you were saying? I remember being in Jr. High in California, trying to order a burrito from a "burrito truck" and the women didn't speak a word of English. While this was comforting to me that my burrito was going to taste good, there was a lot of pointing and gesturing going on, just so I could tell them what I wanted. That's just ordering a burrito. Think about the confusion at Babel. They were trying to build a tower! Construction! Architecture! Working together! In Sunday School growing up, my teachers used to say that God was upset with them because they were trying to get to heaven with their tower (hey, it made sense at the time), but after reading the passage again, we see that they were building the tower as a tribute to themselves and how great they were! It turns out that they needed a piece of humble pie, so God gave them different languages! Can you just imagine the scene? You're talking to your buddy and mid-sentence you start flowing into Spanish dialect! Then your buddy starts talking and out comes German (I'm not saying those were the languages, just getting my point across)! We might be thinking right now, "who would build a tower in honor of themselves?" Don't we do the same thing today? As a tribute to our wealth or how smart we think we are or how the kind of job we have, we pay tribute to ourselves with our stuff! And we say, "I'm awesome!" When, not if, we get to that place, remember the lesson of Babel, and that when they got to the place of honoring themselves, there was God ready to remind them of who is the CREATOR and who is the creation. Have a great day guys!

Ron Foster

Monday, January 21, 2008

LET ME OUT! E-100 Day 4 (Genesis 8:1-9:17)


So Noah gets on a boat that he built with his sons. He followed God's directions. He put a whole lot of animals on this boat with him. It rained and flooded just like God had said. He was safe. But now, he was stuck on this boat! For 10 months! Most people read that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. But it took nearly 10 months for the water to go down, and them to be able to leave the boat! 10 MONTHS! Are you kidding me? I don't know about you, but what might be going through my head would be, "Thanks, God, for saving me, but can you get me off this boat?"

Think through that scenario for a second...you have to live on this huge boat with who knows how many animals (alot), taking care of them, trying not to go crazy (cabin fever). What did they eat? What did they drink? Where did they go to the bathroom? How did they sleep? Where did the animals sleep? What did they do for fun? Did they jog to release some energy? How did they do it?

I'll tell you how they did it. When it got hard to live, they remembered the whole reason they were even on the boat, because they served God when no one else was. So they weren't about to stop now. There are times when I get tired of trying. There are times when I get tired of doing right. There are times when I just wish I could not care what I do. There are times when I wish I had no consequences for stupid actions. And in those times, I remember why I am here and why I have the life that I do, with the mind that I do, and the heart and emotions I do...it's because of one man...Jesus Christ. Then I remember how to endure just like Noah and his family on that boat. To keep my eye on the big picture. What is most important?

Having thoughts of giving up? Having thoughts of quitting? Is it getting hard to keep going? Just remember what is most important. Have a great day guys.

Ron Foster

Friday, January 18, 2008

Can you be you? E-100 Day 3 (Genesis 6:5-7:24)


Once, when I was in college I did something stupid. Ok, I did alot of stupid things, but I'll only mention the one here. At my school, all of the classes were done by lunch time, which was great. It allowed students to get full time jobs if they needed to (like I needed to). What this also did, is it made for a dead campus in the hours following lunch because everyone would split. One day, I didn't have to go in to work for a while and didn't leave campus. I was hanging out with three of my friends from my floor; Brandon, Gary, and Albert. We were all in the entry area of our school's main offices enjoying the new leather sofas, when this idea hit me.

"Hey guys, wouldn't these (sofas) get much better use in our dorm? No one comes here to hang out, but everyone hangs out in the dorm. We need a sofa like this! We need THIS sofa!"

The other guys smiled and agreed, but didn't move. Then I got up, went to one end of the shorter sofa (also known as a love seat) and said, "Who's gonna help me bring it over?"

Gary pretended to and then sat back down when he saw that I was really ready to carry this thing to our dorm. Then Brandon jumped up, shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm in. Let's do it."

We picked up the sofa and headed across the middle of campus with this burgandy love seat in our hands. Bear in mind that I was also wearing my bright red suit at the time as well (don't ask). The length we had to get without being seen was roughly the length of 2 to 2 1/2 football fields. We were laughing the whole time, mainly because we couldn't believe no one saw us! We made it half way and we saw our first person...the school nurse. I nice lady named Gaynell. She came outside of her office and just stared at us. All we could do is laugh even harder and keep going. We were thinking that if we looked like we were supposed to be carrying this thing, no one would bother us.

We made it to our dorm, brought it up the four floors, set it in an empty room, when we heard several footsteps running up the stairs. Basically, we had several visits in the next minute between maintenence guys, security guys, the head of Maintenence, and the head R.A. all telling us that the nurse revealed our little escapade and we had to get back the Vice President's pride and joy sofa back to where it goes before he saw it or we would really be in big trouble.

This was an escapade of me, when no one was around, showing who I really was. I messed up. We all do. There have also been times when I have felt like the only one trying to follow Christ, and stood strong when no one else was. How about you? Do you ever feel like a lonely follower of Christ? Sometimes it's easy being "good" when you know people are watching, but what about when no one is watching? In those moments, we are told that our true character is revealed. The real you comes out. Is that a scary thing to think about or encouraging? Noah did what was right in God's sight! That's pretty awesome! Is there something that has been revealed about you when you are alone that you can make right with God today? Don't just sit there. Get praying.

Have an awesome day!

Ron Foster

Flirting with disaster. E-100 Day 2 (Genesis 3)


It's 9:30 am. I just finished reading Genesis chapter 3 (for probably the 150th time in my life) along with the reading in the E-100 guide, and a few things stuck out to me like never before! You would think that if you read something so many times, you would have it down. That's what I love about God's Word! There's always something new! Anyway, here are some things that hit me today.

1) The chapter starts as though you are jumping into the middle of a conversation already happening, with Satan in the serpent form saying, "Really? Did God really say that you can't eat of any of the fruit of the garden?" This led me to start thinking that maybe this wasn't the first conversation Eve had with the serpent. Maybe, just maybe, he had plenty of conversations with her to lead up to this temptation. Maybe Eve got to know this serpent so well that now, she had no reason to doubt him in this instance? Maybe Eve got so comfortable with the serpent that now she had her guard down and made herself open to temptation. I say all of that because that's what we do. We talk about, talk with, think about, and flirt with temptation so much that eventually we let our guard down as well. Take a lesson from Eve here...run. Don't even entertain the conversation. You're not strong enough. Run.

2) Many people that that one of the consequences of Adam and Eve's sin was that now we have to work. That's not true. Man was given a job or task when he was created. We were created to work. We were created to have a purpose. Man was told to tend to the garden and the animals. That was his job already. The curse made his job harder in that he would have to deal with weeds and thorns and getting tired and sweaty. Embrace work. We were made for it. We are fulfilled in doing it for the Lord.

3) When Adam and Eve are banned from the Garden, God (Father, Son, and Spirit) has a conversation and in that conversation mention the tree of life. God said that he needed to put Adam and Eve out of the garden because if they ate of the tree of life, they would live forever. Then I remembered in Chapter 2 of Genesis that at the center of the garden was not only the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil (which is the only tree Adam and Eve were not allowed to eat), but also the Tree of Life. The tree of life is only mentioned here in Genesis 2 and 3, Proverbs once relating it to wisdom, and again in Revelation in the description of Heaven. Funny, that where the tree of life was, God was. In the Garden, and in Heaven. He is the source of our life. What kind of life are you going to live today? One that reflects the source of our lives or one that ignores it?

I know today was kind of long. Sorry. But God just showed me some new stuff and it was awesome! Have a great Friday! Praying for you!

Ron Foster

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Creator is Creative. E-100 day 1 (Genesis 1-2)


As promised, I'll try and comment each day after my reading, and hopefully you will do your reading as well. Today is the first day for me, as I was out of town last week and didn't have a book. The reading was for Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Some of the thoughts that came to my mind were that, when God was creating everything in this world, from plants to the waters, to the ground, to all of the animals, to the atmosphere we would need to breathe, to man himself, He was not only making something adaquete, He was using His creativity in doing so! Have you ever thought of God as "creative"? Not as the Creator, but as creative? He used his imagination and came with some crazy cool stuff! I want to encourage you to look around today at some of God's "creation" and see how "creative" God is, and then realize this creative God passed this creativity to you, as you were made "in His image". You may not think of yourself as creative, but I bet you are when you try at something. It doesn't have to be painting or with crafts which is what we tend to think of with creativity. It can be with anything. Find what you're creative with today and thank God for giving you His creativity! Have a good one, guys!
Ron Foster