1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Let us pray in the beginning, God created the heaven 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: and the earth. Genesis won one, Dear God. As I 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: meditate on to day's Bible story inspired by Genesis one 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: two to four, my soul will be revived and excited 5 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: at the fact that the Grand Artist has created me 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: in his image. Through chaos and nothingness, Lord, you brought 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: forth light and beauty. Therefore, my mind will be at 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: rest knowing that even in the midst of a chaotic day, 9 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: you will create moments of beauty for me to bask in. 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: As I meditate on the book of Genesis, I will 11 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: be reminded that this name means the beginning. Then, through 12 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: this truth, I can stand in expectation, knowing that my 13 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: best and most creative days are just about to begin. 14 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: I declared that you are the God of ex Nilo, 15 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: the god who creates something out of nothing. And I 16 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: declare that whatever you make, you've stamped it as good. 17 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: And because I am your creation, your stamp of approval 18 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: is all over my life. I am art in motion. 19 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: I'm a creative being, and the Master Artist has sculpted 20 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: me in Jesus' name. Amen, Thanks for making prayer a 21 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: priority in your life to hear the Bible come to life. 22 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for the Bible in a Year, brought to 23 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: you by Bible in a Year dot com. 24 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 2: The Creation. In this Bible's story, we discover the beginning 25 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: of the universe, God God's poetry spoken over the void 26 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 2: and chaos turning into order. God speaks the world into existence, 27 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: and with his voice all life and meaning came. 28 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 3: All is good. 29 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 2: Inspired by the Book of Genesis. 30 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 31 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 3: Bible and a Year podcast. Today, we're going all the 32 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 3: way back to where it started. We're taking a look 33 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 3: at Genesis one in the beginning, So begins the greatest 34 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 3: story ever told. We start out our journey on the 35 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 3: Bible here at the beginning. It's total darkness, a great void. 36 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: Then something happens. God speaks. This is the story of creation, 37 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 3: God making something out of nothing and not just something everything. 38 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 3: It's what theologians call creation ex nihilo, or creation out 39 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 3: of nothing. Hear God's word of powers fully on display, 40 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 3: his voice commanding our whole universe to spring forth. As 41 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 3: you listen, picture the awesomeness of each event. When God 42 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 3: speaks light and darkness are separated. Stars, planets, entire galaxies 43 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: burst onto the scene. Imagine the mountains springing up from 44 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 3: the waters, the animals and trees and fish covering the earth, 45 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 3: and the rivers and the oceans. Is a spectacle of creativity. 46 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 3: And it all happened through the power of God's word. 47 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 3: But God didn't create willy nilly like a mad scientist. 48 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 3: He created with brilliant design, intent and love. As you 49 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 3: listen today, take notice of a powerful truth God repeats 50 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 3: over and over with each act of creation. The passage reads, 51 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 3: and God said that it was good. God doesn't make junk. 52 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 3: He makes everything perfect. Not a single thing out of 53 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 3: place are not a according to his plan. God not 54 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 3: only speaks things into existence, he speaks order into the chaos. 55 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 3: This story reminds us that God isn't a god of 56 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 3: confusion or disorder. And through it all God was thinking 57 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 3: of you, people like you and me, and our ultimate 58 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 3: place in his created order. He created us in his 59 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 3: own image with a unique purpose, unlike anything else in creation. Humans, 60 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,799 Speaker 3: as you will see, stand apart from the rest of creation. 61 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 3: And it's not until God has placed his imprint through 62 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 3: mankind on this world that he will say it is 63 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: very good. This is where it all begins. So let's 64 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 3: get started. 65 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: In the very beginning. Out of nothingness, God formed and 66 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: created the expanse of space and the details of Earth. 67 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: The earth was empty, chaotic, and without life. God's spirit 68 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: hovered over the empty, in chaotic void. Then at an instant, 69 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 2: God spoke, Let there be light. He called out, and 70 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 2: there was light, just as he commanded, for from God's 71 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 2: lips springs forth reality. The earth was now filled with 72 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: light and with it the potential for life. The light 73 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 74 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 2: So God named the light day and the darkness night. 75 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: There was evening and morning the first day, and this 76 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 2: was good. The waters, roaring and in disorder, were spoken to. Next, 77 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 2: with the power of his words, God spoke order to 78 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: the elements. The waters were separated from the atmosphere, and 79 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 2: the skies were apart from the earth. There was evening 80 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 2: and more the second day, and this was also good. 81 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 2: Then God said, let the waters gather and the dry 82 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: land appear before them. And just as he said, there 83 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 2: it was. The waters traveled, gathered and scattered, The land rumbled, shifted, 84 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: and emerged from among them a beautiful dance to the 85 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 2: words of their creator. He called the gathered waters, seas, 86 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 2: and the dry land earth. God looked at all of creation, 87 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 2: though beautifully incomplete, and saw that it was good. As 88 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 2: an artist adds color to a blank canvas, God adorned 89 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 2: the earth with beauty. He made trees, flowers, fruit, vegetation, 90 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 2: and grass. This was the third day, and God saw 91 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 2: that this was also good. God was also at work 92 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 2: in the rest of the universe, creating stars, suns, galaxies, 93 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 2: and all the other mysteries of space. Let them be 94 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 2: seen in the night and used to measure signs, seasons, days, 95 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 2: and years. Already God was thinking of humanity. There was 96 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 2: evening and morning the fourth day, and God saw that 97 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: this was good. After the revealing of light itself and 98 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: the adorning of plant life in all of its beauty, 99 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 2: God created living creatures. First was the dwellers of the 100 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 2: sea and the explorers of the air. All living creatures 101 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: in the sea and birds of the air were created 102 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 2: to roam the depths and heights of the planet. All 103 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: these things God spoke with the word of power. This 104 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 2: was the fifth day, and God saw that this was good. 105 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: Then God spoke again. Let the earth bring forth living 106 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 2: creatures of all kinds. Once again, out of nothingness and chaos, 107 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 2: life sprung forth. Beasts of all kinds began crawling, roaming, 108 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: and grazing the earth. Then God said, let us make 109 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 2: man in our own image, in our likeness, and they 110 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 2: will care over the world. So God, with his own 111 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: breath of life and word of power, created mankind. He 112 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 2: then charged them with caring over the earth and all 113 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 2: that is living in it. His desire was to give 114 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: them purpose and enjoy the world he had created in 115 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 2: relationship with him, For mankind was the only created things 116 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 2: stamped with the image of its creator. And on that 117 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 2: sixth day, the onceid earth was filled with life. This 118 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 2: God knew was very good. God had taken the chaotic 119 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 2: void and inserted purpose. The heavens and the earth were filled, 120 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 2: and his piece of art was complete. So on the 121 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 2: seventh day God paused to enjoy what he had done. 122 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 2: So he blessed the seventh day and made it holy. 123 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 3: Genesis is the beginning of our story. But before anything existed, 124 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 3: God was there. God didn't appear at the time of creation. 125 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 3: We see that when there was nothing else, God was there, Father, 126 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 3: Son and Holy Spirit. Were present at the dawn of time. 127 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 3: He is our eternal, past, present, and future God, and 128 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 3: he chose to create this world, including you and me, 129 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 3: for his glory. Now that's amazing. No matter how many 130 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 3: times I read it, the Creation account never gets old. 131 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 3: I never cease to be struck with the awe and 132 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 3: wonder at just how great our God really is. We 133 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 3: cannot even fathom this kind of power, mere words birthing 134 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 3: our planet and the infinite mysteries of space. I just 135 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 3: love how this story speaks to the order that God 136 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 3: brings to things. Where there was chaos and confusion. He 137 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 3: brought things into order, into a perfect functioning according to 138 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 3: his purposes. That same power is alive today. God silences 139 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: the chaos and takes away the darkness. He creates order. 140 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 3: Listen to Genesis one, three and four again. And God said, 141 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 3: let there be light. And there was light. God saw 142 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 3: that the light was good, and he separated the light 143 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:56,079 Speaker 3: from the darkness. I absolutely love those words. God separated 144 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 3: the light from the darkness. It was like a foreshadowing 145 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 3: of what he would do one day through Jesus. The 146 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 3: very light of the world, and the one Scripture describes 147 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 3: as the Word made flesh. You may even want to 148 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 3: write down those verses and hold them in your heart 149 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 3: to remind you of what God has done and can 150 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 3: do will do in your life. God speaks light into 151 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 3: your life through the power of his word, his son Jesus, 152 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 3: and through him, he also restores the purpose for which 153 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 3: you were made created, the purpose that all mankind was 154 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 3: created for which we hear in today's reading. We are 155 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 3: to be caretakers of this world he created and to 156 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 3: enjoy all that He has made. Don't miss that you 157 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 3: and I are made to reflect God's image, to care 158 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 3: for the world that he has made, to enjoy his presence, 159 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,559 Speaker 3: and to enjoy what he has created. How well are 160 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 3: you living out that purpose? But the creation story isn't 161 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 3: just about what once was. It reminds us of where 162 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 3: we who follow Christ are headed, a return to a 163 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 3: world where everything is good and we are free to 164 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 3: live out our purpose and to enjoy God and his 165 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 3: creation now and forever. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for 166 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 3: giving us this wonderful story of your creation and how 167 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 3: it shows us your incredible power and care for every 168 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 3: detail of this world that you have made. Thank you 169 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 3: for creating us in your image and fulfilling us with 170 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 3: your purpose. Help us to live with that purpose front 171 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 3: and center in our minds, and to reflect your glory 172 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 3: to those around us today. In Christ's name. Amen, Thanks 173 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 3: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm 174 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,199 Speaker 3: Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com 175 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 3: app and make prayer a priority in your life. If 176 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 3: you enjoy this podcast, share it with someone you love. 177 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 3: By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in 178 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 3: someone's life. And if you want more resources on how 179 00:12:56,559 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 3: to tap into God's power for successful Christian living, be 180 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: sure to visit Jack Graham dot O r G. God 181 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 3: bless you