What was wrong with building a great city and a massive tower? The answer if found in what they really built upon— not bricks and mortar but the motives of the human heart? What was its foundation? It was the spirit of self-promotion— the lust to make a name for ourselves. The story of Babel teaches us the nature of this attitude, as well as the way God changes our hearts.
Study Guide: 06.28.09 Foundations of Faith: The Architecture Of Self-promotion

David Plotz, author of Good Book, summarizes well the thoughts of many upon reading Genesis 6-9. “When I have quizzed Christian friends about Noah and the planet-wide devastation, they have given me some version of this answer: The Flood is just God teaching a lesson; He’s giving us a powerful reminder to obey Him; etc, But aren’t there more efficient ways to ‘send a message’ than global genocide? Until now God has been a little scatterbrained and inconsistent. But, now I’m wondering if He’s just cruel?” Even long time Christians flinch a bit as the read. Why does God bring judgment? Is there anything else?
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06.14.09 Foundations of Faith: Understanding Gods Judgment

After sin enters the world, God, like any good parent, seeks to prepare Adam and Eve for what lies ahead. Part of which involves his informing them that life will be a battle. That battle will hit close to home for them, as it does for us.
Study Guide: 06.07.09 Foundations of Faith: The Battle for Your Self

As you read the early chapters of Genesis you get a sense of how things were meant to be: we were meant to understand the world not as a glorious accident, but a glorious gift; we were meant to experience work not as a never ending episode of the “Office”, but as significant; we were meant to experience relationships as the answer to our loneliness, not the cause of it; we were meant for unbroken, intimate communion with God. What went wrong? Genesis ch. 3 answers that question.
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05.31.09 Foundations of Faith: Not the Way it’s Supposed to Be

When you read the early chapters of Genesis you see that our “work” is unique, significant and even sacred. God takes his work seriously and so should we. But, he also takes His rest seriously- do you?
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05.24.09 Foundations of Faith: Work and Rest

These early chapters of Genesis teach us much- the meaning of the world, our place, and ourselves. And throughout we hear God’s delight in it all, until chapter 2. It is the first time we hear the declaration- “it is not good”. Why? Not because God made a mistake or moral evil has entered, but for the lack of something- and that lack is relationship. From the beginning we see that relationships aren’t just nice but necessary.
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05.17.09 Foundations of Faith: Relationships

In our day, image and identity is approached as something we create, manage, or spin. Every individual is free to re-invent themselves. So the question arises: Is there anything that’s non-negotiable about who we are? Anything non-negotiable about our identity? Could it be that in trying to find yourself you can actually lose something about your identity? The book of Genesis addresses this question as it tells us that human being are made “in the image of God.” But what does the “image of God” represent? What does it involve?
Study Guide: 05.03.09 Foundations for Man: identity

If you’ve ever been on plane which is descending or ascending over your part of town, you immediately begin to look for landmarks that might help you find…your home, your place. That’s a good instinct to apply in reading Genesis 1-2, because God didn’t just make an “earth” or a “world”, he was making a place or home for humankind. Do you understand the created world as a place?
Study Guide:04.26.09 Foundation of Faith: A Place

A runner can’t run, a dancer can’t dance, a builder can’t build, unless they have foundation. The same is true for us. Unless our thinking, living and believing has a foundation we will lack confidence, vision and freedom. Genesis 1-11 was written for that very purpose.
Study Guide: 04.19.09 Foundation of Faith: Creation Questions Part 1