Water's Recede - Genesis 8:1-19

1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. 2 Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf ! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. 13 By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.15 Then God said to Noah, 16 "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you--the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground--so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it." 18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds--everything that moves on the earth--came out of the ark, one kind after another. - Genesis 8:1-19

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What happened after God remembered those who were aboard the ark?
2) What did Noah do after he opened the window of the ark?
3) How many times did the dove return to Noah?
4) When did Noah know that the waters had receded?
5) When did the inhabitants of the ark leave it?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) What do you do to "remember" (or remind yourself of) the promises of God?
2) What do you do to test (or assure yourself of) the fulfillment of God's promises to you?
3) When do you know that God has fulfilled a promise to you (i.e., before or after it happens)?
4) How do you know that God will keep His promises (i.e., through the Bible and/or experience)?
5) How do you decide when to go to, stay, or leave a place the Lord sends you?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) God always remembers His promises to His children.
2) Followers of Christ are to wait on the Holy Spirit to direct and counsel us.
3) The peace of God infills us when we do those things that please the Lord.

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL

Earth's Flood (Genesis 7)

1 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2 Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, 3 and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. 4 Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." 5 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, 9 male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah.10 And after the seven days the flood waters came on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month--on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in. 17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. 21 Every living thing that moved on the earth perished--birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. 24 The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.- Genesis 7:10-24

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:

1. What did Noah do after the Lord's command?
2. How many days after God told Noah what He would do, did the floods come?
3. How many days and nights did the rains fall on the earth?
4. What did Noah and his family do when the rains came?
5. Who, or what, also entered the ark with Noah?
6. What did the floods do to all living things on the face of the earth?
7. How long did the waters flood the earth?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) How have you responded to the Lord's most recent direction to you?
2) What is the result when people willfully disobey the Lord?

3) Have you ever taken the Lord's favor for granted?
4) If so, what will you do to gain favor with the Lord, again?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The only correct response to the Word of God is obedience!
2) It is because of God's mercy that we are not judged as harshly as we deserve.
3) God's judgment is also God's mercy. 

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL

Noah's Favor - Genesis 6:8-7:9

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring flood waters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them." 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

1 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2 Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, 3 and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. 4 Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." 5 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood waters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, 9 male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. - Genesis 6:8-7:9

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) Why did Noah find favor in the eyes of the Lord?
2) What did the Lord tell Noah He was going to do? 
3) Why had the Lord made that decision?
4) What did the Lord tell Noah to do to prepare for the devastation?
5) What did the Lord promise Noah?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) How has the Lord blessed and favored you and your family?
2) How has the Lord preserved you and your family during difficult times?
3) Have you obediently obeyed all that the Lord has asked you to do? 
4) If not, will you confess your disobedience and repent today?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The righteous always find favor and blessing with God.
2) God is long-suffering but will one day judge the wickedness of men.
3) The only correct response to God's commands is to obey them.

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL

God's Grief - Genesis 6:1-7

1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. 5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them."  - Genesis 6:1-7

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) Were the "sons of God" mortal? Please explain your answer.
2) What did the "sons of God" do with the "daughters of Men"?
3) What grieved the Lord?
4) What did the Lord purpose to do?
5) Why did He purpose to do it?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) What examples of wickedness on earth are currently taking place on this earth?
2) Do you believe that the Lord is grieved by man's wickedness in this present age? Please explain.
3) Do you believe that the Lord will judge this nation and/or this world because of wickedness?
4) If so, why do you believe the Lord will judge this earth again?
5) What have you done, if anything, that grieved the Lord's heart? 

LIFE LESSONS:
1) God is long-suffering but He is also just and will one day judge the inhabitants of this world.
2) The Lord will always chasten those He loves for our good and His glory.
3) The Lord always warns us before He judges us.

READ TODAY'S DEVOTION

The Righteous Seed - Genesis 10

1 This is the written account of Adam's line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man." 3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. 7 And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died. 9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10 And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died. 12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 And after he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died. 15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16 And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died. 18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 

19 And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died. 21When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. 25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed." 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died. 32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. - Genesis 10

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:

1) Who was the first man, born of woman, to birth godly descendants?

2) What phrase is continually repeated to indicate that man had been cursed?

3) Who, among Seth's descendants, "walked with God"?

4) What happened to the man who "walked with God"?

5) Why was Lamech's son named Noah?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

1) Who in your family have surrendered their lives to Christ?

2) Has anyone in your family died apart from Christ? 

3) Do you follow (walk with) Christ? 

4) If so, how do you know?

5) Noah means "comfort" or "rest". Who, or what, gives you "comfort" or "rest"?

LIFE LESSONS:

1) The best that we can do for unsaved family is to pray for them and live righteously before them.

2) The best way to follow (or walk with) Christ is to obey Him.

3) The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and we rest in Him by allowing Him to lead us.

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL!

Cain's Unrighteous Descendants

16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived , and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. 18And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. 19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. 21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. 22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. 23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 24 If Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech seventy and seven fold. 25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she barea son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew . 26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. - Genesis 4:16-26

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) Where did Cain live after leaving the Lord's presence?
2) What did Cain do after his first son's birth?
3) Who among Cain's descendants kept livestock?
4) Who among Cain's descendants played musical instruments?
5) Who among Cain's descendants were inventors?
6) What three things was Lamech noted for?
7) With whose birth did men begin to call upon the name of the Lord?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Have any of your ancestors forsaken their faith to pursue what this world values?
2) If so, what happened to that individual and/or family?
3) What happens to a society that rejects God? (Hint: consider Jewish history)
4) Do you call on God in any and every situation? 
5) If not, why not?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The righteous recognize their need for God and call upon Him in every situation.
2) We call on God when we've learned that He is the only One that we can trust to provide the answers we need to live life in a wicked world.
3) A lack of reverence for God draws us further away from His presence and leads to further corruption.

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL

First Man Driven from God's Presence

9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said , I know not: Am I my brother's keeper ? 10 And he said , What hast thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear . 14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass , that every one that findeth me shall slay me . 15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. - Genesis 4:9-15

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) Why do you think that God asked Cain where Abel was, when He already knew?
2) Why was Cain cursed?
3) In what two ways did the Lord judge Cain?
4) Was Cain filled with Godly sorrow or was he just sorry that he was caught? 
5) Why was Cain sorry about the Lord's curse on him?
6) Considering your answer to the last question, was Cain repentant?
7) In what two ways did the Lord make provision for Cain, despite His judgment against him?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever refused to confess a sin that you committed knowingly, or unknowingly?
2) If so, what was the result?
3) Have you ever felt that the Lord was distant from you?
4) If so, what did you do?
5) What sin, if any, are you struggling to overcome?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) Our first response to sin ought to be confession and repentance.
2) The worst fate that can ever befall man is the absence of God's presence.
3) Lack of time spent in God's presence always leads to emotional, spiritual, and moral decay!

READ TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL