Week One

Well, week one is complete and we have read Genesis 1-11 and Job 1-23. The study we are doing is a chronological read through of the Bible, so naturally, it jumps around a bit. If you would care to read along with us, the complete list can be found here: http://www.ewordtoday.com/year/31/c.htm.

Additionally, we are doing a more focused study each month recommended and put together by The Annex. The Annex is CU Boulder's ministry that meets Tuesday nights and is a time of music, teaching, and fellowship with other CU students. While I'm not a CU student, I still attend the service with Teri, who actually IS a student currently enrolled at the University. They haven't kicked me out yet, so I assume it's open to anyone who wants to attend ;) The passages we have read from the first month's study (titled "31 Days to Know God's Plan for Us) are as follows: Genesis 3:1-19; Genesis 12:1-3, 28:10-15, and 32:22-38; Exodus 20:1-17; Leviticus 5:14-19; Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 11:13-21; Judges 2:10-19; 1 Samuel 15:17-23; and 1 Samuel 17-23. If you would like to follow along with this study as well, I will post the next week's reading at the bottom of this post.

Normally, we will try to post more than we have recently. This week we were just trying to get into the groove of reading as well as trying to understand how to use a blog! As for discussing the reading, there is too much to highlight everything interesting thing I noticed, so I will just focus on one thing that I came across that I have always skipped over in previous readings.

Many take for granted the story of Adam and Eve as well as the creation story. I always have. I figured that it was a story that was really straight forward, but on closer study, there are many "hidden" motifs and themes that I've always missed. One such example is seen when God kicks Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. We are first introduced to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as well as the tree of life in Genesis 2:8 and 9. God then commands man not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, warning him that the punishment is death, but He doesn't say anything or set guidelines regarding the tree of life. After Adam and Eve fall short by eating from the tree, they are ashamed and try to hide from God. God asks them, "Where are you?" in verse 9 (as if He didn't know... There're several times that I have noticed where God does even though He clearly knows the answer to the questions that He's asking. Why does he do this? I'm not totally sure but a speculation that I have is that it shows God's desire to have a relationship with us. God wants to build trust between himself and us so that even when we mess up, we're comfortable going to Him because of our intimacy with Him... Maybe?... Just a thought) Because the punishment for eating from the tree is death (and also a sinful legacy that forever separates us from God), Adam and Eve must not be allowed to eat from the tree of life. God states in verse 22: "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."

In Romans 6:23, God tells us that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This is why God had to remove Adam and Eve from the garden; so that they could not partake of the tree of life and live forever. Throughout history, people have always sought after things that could get them eternal life (ie, the sorcerer's stone, the fountain of youth, the elixir of life...), but in reality the only way to gain eternal life is through Jesus (John 6:47: "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.")

It amazes me how many little details throughout the Bible that I overlook. Every time I read or reread a passage, I seem to discover something new (or if I don't, I know that I'm most likely missing something!)

Here are the readings for out January study:

Day 10: Many Kings fail to heed God: Jeremiah 1-7

Day 11: The Sins of the People hurt God: Ezekiel 20:5-26

Day 12: An Eternal King Promised: Jeremiah 23:1-6, Isaiah 9:6-7, Zechariah 9:9-10

Day 13: The Promised Christ is Born: Luke 2:1-20

Day 14: The Word Becomes Flesh: John 1:1-18

Day 15: Signs and Wonders of Jesus: Matthew 9:1-8, Luke 13:10-17

Day 16: Jesus Fulfills the Law: Matthew 5: 17-20, Romans 8:1-14

Day 17: Jesus Teaches About our New Life: John 3

Thank you for all of your encouragement and support. Please feel free to start discussions and agree or disagree with anything we say. Healthy disagreements can lead to great discussion and deeper understanding of God's Word. Furthermore, please feel free to email any prayer requests, comments, concerns, etc.

His child,

sam wright ><}}}:>