The most important issue of our day..."In the Beginning....GOD"

Genesis 1:1 is arguably the most read verse in all of the Bible.  Have you read it?  You can most likely quote it from memory as
easy as stating your own name, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Today, there seems to be a war on God.  It has been stated from various sources that the new religion in America is to not believe in God.  And if you are going to believe in God, just don’t believe in the God of the Bible.  It’s interesting to note that every culture in recorded history has had some conception of a god, some source beyond ourselves that directly affected the beginning of life as we know it.

Why is that?  It seems that in our very make-up as humans we are created to look for answers outside of ourselves.  The French Philosopher Pascal said in the heart of every man there is a "God-shaped vacuum.”  Augustine said, “Lord, you have made us for yourself.  Our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.”

Monday Morning Devotional

The Molding Hand of Correction

“…so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

                                                                                Exodus 20:20

“I’m going to take you to the woodshed!”  If that statement was ever directed towards you, it wasn’t a happy time.  I can say that I never doubted the love my parents have for me.  I’ve always had  peace knowing that they love me, that they would care for me, that they would feed me (which has never been a small task), and even when I objected when they said “no” as we walked through the Toy section of the department store, down deep I knew my needs would always be met.

I have always known that they love me, however, I have also always known that correction awaited me when I was disobedient or defiant.   One night after a “moment of correction”, my mother sat beside me and said, “If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t correct you.”  That was a little hard to swallow at the moment, but as time passed I came to understand.

My behavior has been molded by both..a hand of love…and a hand of correction.  The writer of Hebrews states, “…the Lord disciplines those He loves”…(ch. 12:6). Like a loving parent, God is molding us into the people He created us to be.   He molds us with both a hand of love and a hand of correction.

The author writes, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, ⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Hebrews 12: 5-6).

Ultimately, God is shaping you to be like the Lord Jesus.