Genesis 1:1 - Beginnings

I heard someone on the radio several months ago saying that if you could not "buy" the first four words of the Bible, you could not "buy" the rest.  "In the beginning God..."  The Bible nowhere tries to rationally or scientifically explain God, although it is filled with amazing logic and accurate science.  It is not a textbook, although it has the answers to every question we have.  The Bible just assumes the existence of God - HE IS!  So, if you start with that truth, the rest falls into place.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. If you want a relationship with God, it requires that you acknowledge His presence!  And He promises that we will be rewarded for our diligence in seeking Him.  What more could we ask for in 2011?

So, the words, "In the beginning God" tell us that we are going to learn about how and why God created this amazing world and Man.  And almost since the beginning, Man has tried to take God out of this picture.  For many, their life's work has been to try to explain away the Creator.  I read an e-mail joke about a scientist arguing with God about creation.  He was going to prove how he could "create" a world by just mixing together the right compounds.  But as he reached to grab some soil, God said, "Get your own dirt!"   I love that!  The Bible is clear that God created it all from NOTHING.  Every one of the approximately 100 natural elements on the periodic table that make up everything within the universe, were created by God from nothing!  He merely spoke and they came into being!  WOW!  In just the first chapter of Genesis, the phrase, "And God said..." is followed by "And it was so,"  or its equivalent, at least eight times.  When God speaks, it happens.  And the amazing thing is that this all-powerful, Creator God, wants to have a relationship with us!!

My prayer for us in this new year, is that we will be excited and encouraged by the wonderful truths in this book, and that we will find very practical, life-changing applications to our own lives as we study the lives of the patriarchs in this book!  Tomorrow we'll get into the creation details.