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IEA Devo 2021 IntheBeginning • Becoming a Disciple-Maker

In the Beginning – The Disciple-Making Lifestyle

“In the beginning God created…”
(Genesis 1:1)

 

Part One

When we are confronted with the reality of our world’s sinful condition and its many physical and spiritual challenges, it helps for us to understand its origin and God’s purpose. Without this knowledge, we would understandably spend endless hours wondering why seemingly undeserved or unexplainable problems exist. We could even subconsciously hold God responsible for events specifically instigated by Satan. Our enemy wants us to mistakenly attribute all evil dilemmas to God as if they were expressions of His will!

The Bible teaches us that “God is not a man, that He should lie…” so, we can fully depend upon what He tells us. It also explains that He is a “faithful God who does no wrong…” (Numbers 23:19 and Deut 32:4). Because of His holy and sinless character, He can be fully trusted. Moses thoughtfully expressed this when he wrote, “He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just…”. He also asked this searching question “… Is He not your Father, your Creator, Who made you and formed you?” (Deuteronomy 32:4a; 6b) We are the evidence of God’s amazing creative plan and power. Our high calling is to conform to His character!

 

Part Two

God alone is our origin. In the book of Genesis, He provides an explanation for the world’s formative era of creation. “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.” (Genesis 2:4a) Additionally, in the New Testament, all of the Lord Jesus’ many miracles and statements about heaven were confirmed through His resurrection. Together, the seamless message of the Bible’s many writers combined to provide us with salvation’s history.

In the beginning, “When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them…” (Genesis 5:1-2) Then, because of the fact that Adam and Eve were both created in God’s image as body, soul, and spirit, they were privileged to exercise their own “free wills.” Due to that capacity, at the very moment when they were first tempted to consider eating from the “tree of knowledge,” had to make a choice. They could either believe God’s clearly spoken words or reject them!

Sadly, for all the world’s future generations, both genders were easily deceived, so tragically they soon sinned! Their unwise decisions set the course for mankind’s turbulent future! The Bible explains, “… the soul that sins, shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)

 

Part Three

As the result of sin, the challenge of earning a living, women’s pain experienced in childbirth, and the world’s natural disasters will all continue until the coming reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. At that time, all of those who have been redeemed by placing their faith in Him will finally be set free from the hardship and suffering caused from the beginning by – Adam and Eve’s original sin.

The Bible promises, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
(Revelation 21:4)

As you pray today, ask for the Holy Spirit’s control and embrace your role as a Christian disciple. That means living in keeping with your highest of all callings – to be His witness. We were created for that wonderful privilege!

 

By Billie Hanks Jr.

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