Genesis 3 "The Fall of Man" is the title given to this chapter.  It is the sequence of events from which the rest of scripture plays out; the telling of the story's dramatic plot that all of history tries to solve; which climaxes in our Savior's death, resurrection, and someday His glorious return.  There is a detailed retelling of the drama through the actions of the main characters.
The crafty Serpent tempts. He lies.
The woman is deceived. She breaks the commandment.
The man is persuaded. He sins.
God is righteous. He does exactly what He said He would do.

Satan always acts the same.  He lies and deceives.  He tries to convince us that what God has said is wrong. He is cursed to always eat dust. (Since we are dust, that means he is after us.)
The woman saw the fruit, delighted in it, desired it, ate it, shared it, and paid for it.  Pain in childbirth,  longing/ desperation for a husband, dominated by him.
The man listened to his wife, hid from God, and ushered in death.
God cursed the serpent and the ground.  He gave consequences to the man and the woman for their disobedience. They were removed from the garden that He had planted and returned to the place of Adam's creation, to the place where he was formed from the dust. Out of the garden where there was life, into the wilderness where they would eventually die.
Yet, God clothed the man and woman. He covered them with the skin of an animal.  And He gave a promise that one day the "seed" of the woman would bruise the head of Satan.  A  promise that is fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of God.

It is all here.  All the drama of our lives and every life before us, and those who will follow after us.
We are all deceived by the cursed serpent.  We see the "tree" that we think is delightful.  We desire after that which God has told us not to desire.  We share it with others, leading them to the same fate. We hide from God's presence. We are destined to return to dust. We dwell in a wilderness instead of a garden.  Until we turn to Jesus.  Until we are covered by His blood, by His righteousness, clothed by the Father's grace.

Oh we need You, Lord Jesus!  Every hour we need You.  We need Your Truth, lest we swallow the enemy's lies.  We need Your life, for we are just dust.  We need Your covering, for we are naked and afraid.  We need Your will to be done, not our own.  For Your will is good and holy and right.  We need You.   Thank You for rescuing us from sin and death through Jesus, the Lamb of God, slain for our redemption. Bless Your Holy Name forever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 91:4 "... and under His wings you may seek refuge."    God is big enough to cover all of us that come to Him for shelter.  He is strong enough to protect from anything that seeks to make us terrified.  He is kind enough to rescue us when we call and to be with us in trouble.  He even says that He will honor a person, "because he has known My name".  Dwell in His shelter today. Abide in His shadow. Call Him your fortress and refuge and trust in Him.
This is His desire, His will for us.

Father, let Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.  In me, as You have desired.
Amen.

Genesis 2
Starting in verse 4 there is an expanded explanation of the creation of man. Some details are given.
v5 the shrubs and plants had not sprouted yet.
     No rain had been given yet.
v6 A mist rose from the dirt and watered the surface.
v7 God used the dust from the ground to form the man.
    God breathed life into the man.  Something He did not do with any other creature.
v8 God planted a garden.
     God placed the man in the garden.
v9  God caused the trees to grow in the garden, including the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
v10 God made a river to flow out of Eden, the land of His garden.
v11-14  That river divided into 4 major rivers.
v15  God commanded the man to take care of His garden.
v16-17  God restricted the man from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but all the others were freely given.
v18  God brought all the animals to the man to name.
v20 The man took on the name Adam.
V21 God knocked the man out, took his rib and created a woman from it, closed up the wound, and presented the woman to Adam.
v23-25 Marriage is established.
Work, law, and marriage all flow from this passage.  We were given a purpose, to take care of God's creation. We were given restrictions, to obey and live, or to disobey and die.  And we were given relationships, purposeful and sacred relationships, to help one another.

Your thoughts are deep and Your works are wonderful, Father.  Teach us truth and help us to walk in it. Always.
Thank you. Be glorified in our lives today,
Amen

Psalm 91  My mom's cousin, Betty, 90 years old, recently memorized this psalm.  I can see why.  It exalts God for all He is and all He does for those who put their trust in Him. This is one I need to meditate on often and have in my heart and mind forever. Psalm 145 has been a wealth of instruction, comfort, and hope to me as I review it often, especially at night before I sleep. I need to add this to my memorization of the Word.

God is: Most High; Almighty; my Refuge; my Fortress; my Deliverer; my Protector; my Shield; my Dwelling Place; my Rescuer; " My God in whom I trust!"

I can: Dwell in His shelter; abide in His shadow; hide under His wings; find His faithfulness to be a shield; make Him my Refuge; call on Him and know He will answer; know that He will rescue me because He loves me; I will behold His salvation.

Because of Who You are Father, I can come to You and not be afraid of the terror by night.  I don't have to fear arrows of war or pestilence, or destruction.  I do not have to fear evil. You are my shepherd and Your rod and staff comfort me.  You guard my ways. You give Your angels charge over me.  You alone will satisfy me with life. You have provided Your salvation.  Help me to dwell in Your shelter, Most High God. To live, settled down and at home in Your Presence. Moment by moment, day by day, every day of my life. Amen

Genesis 1 Sometimes, when I can't fall asleep for whatever reason, I have an opportunity to meditate on the Word. Often I recite the Scriptures I have memorized, like Psalm 145 or pray for anyone who the Lord brings to mind. But last night I was still awake after doing those things and I found myself contemplating Genesis 1.  Just want to share some thoughts here.
Isn't it interesting that God created the heavens (plural) and the earth(singular)?
Was there never light before God said, "Let there be light."? There had to be since we are told that He is Light and in Him there is no darkness, right?
God separated light from darkness, making day and night before the sun was formed.
It wasn't until the 4th day that God made the sun and moon and stars. AFTER the earth had already begun sprouting vegetation! ( Science likes for us to think that the sun is the source of life since plants cannot grow without sunlight, but this proves them wrong again.)
Since we are told that these lights are for "signs and seasons and days and years" - measuring time - Is it at this point that "time" actually begins?
Why is it that God blesses the fish and birds, but not the beasts and cattle and creeping animals?
Since God made man in His image and gave them the job of ruling over the fish, birds, cattle, and every creeping thing - is that what we will rule over in the eternal future?

Any thoughts?

Genesis 2  "Thus the heavens and the earth were completed and all their hosts." By the 7th day God was finished with the work and He "rested".  He "shabath" -ceased, put away, celebrated, desisted.
He blessed the 7th day.  He sanctified it.  He declared the 7th day to be clean, holy, special.  Different from the the rest of the days. Set apart.  This established the definition of a week. 7 days. 6 of work and 1 of rest. Of putting away and ceasing and resting. A day to celebrate. A day to come away and be separate from our work and to be with Him.
Father, our world has forgotten that we need to come away to You. The busyness of our culture leaves little time for true rest. But not just our culture but the whole world seems swept up into everything but You.  Help us to truly come apart to You and rest in You.  Help us to walk in the Light of Your Truth and live in obedience to Your word, every day. Teach us what pleases You. Amen

Psalm 92 Praise the Lord every day!  Declare His worth and honor His Name.  The psalmist writes this song for the people to sing praises to God.
Give thanks!  For all we have comes from His Hand.
Sing praises, for He is the Most High.
 Declare His loving kindness and His faithfulness.
Be glad, rejoice in everything He has done.   His works are great and His thoughts are deep.  He never changes and will forever reign above any other power.  His enemies will all perish.  He is always right and always strong.
In His Hand, the Hand of the Gardener, the Vine and his branches flourish.  "They will still yield fruit in old age. They shall be full of sap and very green."

Father, I desire to be fruitful all the days of my life. I want to live in a way that always honors You and brings glory to Your Name.  My request is that I will abide in Christ every day, all my days, and that He abides in me. That I might still yield fruit in old age.
 "Take my life and let it be, Consecrated Lord to Thee. Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise, Let them flow in ceaseless praise."
Amen

Genesis 1  The Creation.  Father, teach me through Your  Word. Speak Your Truth into my life and heart as I begin once again from "the beginning".  May I have ears to hear and eyes to see.  May I remember and obey all that You reveal from Your Living Word. Amen.

Day 1 - "God created the heavens and the earth".  Out of nothing God created everything.  At first the earth is "formless and void".  It was dark and empty with water covering its surface.  Yet the Spirit of God was moving there.  God spoke and said, "Let there be light" and light came.  He separated light from darkness.
Day 2 - God made the heavens, the sky or firmament. He separated waters from above the sky and below the sky.  He called this expanse heaven.
Day 3 - God separated the waters below the sky so that dry land appeared.  He called that earth and the waters were the seas.   He also called for the earth to produce plants. Each yielding seeds.
Day 4 - God made great lights to separate day from night. He set them in the expanse of the heavens.  Their purpose was to give light, to govern time ( days, years and seasons), and to be "for signs".
Day 5 - God called for the waters to teem with living creatures and for birds to fly through the heavens.
This time we are told that "God blessed them, saying,' Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.'"
Day 6 - God calls for the "earth to bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts".   Then He said, "Let Us make man in Our image according to Our likeness;" So "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them.... Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
God also tells them that the plants and trees that have fruit are for their food, and the food for all the animals.
And "it was very good" in His sight.

O Most High, Your works are great and Your thoughts are deep.  We give You thanks for all You have provided. You created all things from nothing and You alone are worthy of our praise and our thanksgiving. It is by Your blessing that we can be fruitful and multiply.  It is Your work, by Your power, from Your grace, and to Your glory.  Keep us mindful of this today. We praise and worship You. Amen

John 15 -16   Abiding in Jesus, the true Vine.  Staying in relationship, attached and bound together so closely that His life flows into ours.  This is God's will for us.  It is what we pray for when we pray "Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven".  It is in the abiding that fruit is produced.  It is the fruit of the Vine, not ours.  It is the glory of the husbandman, the gardener, God the Father, not of the branch.  Abiding in Him involves faith and commitment.  We must be thoroughly attached. Grafted together and as one with Him.  Jesus tells us that we are to obey His commandments, His Word. And we are to love one another.  Love like He loves.  Love enough to lay down our own lives for another.  It is a love beyond our own capacity to love.  It must come through our connection to Him.
This is the place of True Joy.
But it is also the place of persecution.
For when we abide so closely with the Jesus.  When we are branches attached to the Vine, whatever He suffers we do too.
The world hated Him.  It will hate us too.  Many Christians in other countries face this every day. Many have been kicked out of their families. Many have been thrown into prison.  Many have been killed.  Just for naming the name of Jesus.
We can't imagine this.  But as our culture continues to turn from the principles of Truth and godliness, we can see the writing on the wall.  Just the issue of gay marriage is enough to see how the lines are being drawn. Christians are being labeled bigots. We are not.  We are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Father, help us to bear witness of Jesus faithfully, every day.  Holy Spirit, lead us continually in the truth. Abide in us and us in You. Steadfastly. Eternally.  I pray this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 93 "The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty."  Psalm 145:5 reminds us to meditate on the "glorious splendor" of His majesty and on His wonderful works. To meditate, to think about and contemplate and dwell in the truth of God's majesty.  This clothing of majesty, of magnificence , what does that mean?
Psalm 93:1 tells us that the Lord clothed Himself "with strength".  He established the world, firmly, unmovable. He established His throne, eternally.  He is mighty! And He is holy! The psalmist stands on the shoreline and listens to the breaking waves.  They are pounding and roaring and mighty, but they are nothing compared with the mighty God Who made them.
Psalm 104:2 tells us that the Lord is also clothed with light. "Thou are clothed with spendor and majesty, covering thyself with light as with a cloak,"

Father, I want to dwell on this today. To think of Your majesty. At least these two characteristics of Your majesty, for I know that You are infinitely more than these, but for now You have revealed these truths - You are clothed with strength and with light.   There is nothing that is impossible for You to do. And there is no darkness that You cannot overcome.  Shine Your light into our hearts today and remove all darkness, every shadow of doubt and fear, every evil thought and lie planted by our enemy. Move with might and strength to establish us in Your salvation, in Your Kingdom. Move the mountains and part the seas, that others may come to worship You and praise Your Name. That they will also meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty.
Amen.

Revelation 21-22   John has seen and written of all that will happen at the end of this age.  After the final judgement the Lord reveals a new heaven and new earth.  "Behold I am making all things new!"
On this new earth there will no longer be an ocean.  And there will no longer be a sun.
There will be a beautiful city where God will dwell. Where tears are wiped away.  Where there will be no pain, no death, no mourning.  There also will be no wicked people. No immorality, no murder, no idolatry, no liars.   This city is described very specifically, its walls and gates, its foundation and its measurements. It is not like anything that we can imagine.  But the most important aspect is the presence of the "Lord God, the Almighty and the Lamb".  His glory illumines this city!  There is no need for the sun or the moon. There is no night! It is a place where the nations will bring glory and honor. ( What nations? I don't know)
There is a river of the water of life.  There are trees of life.  Light and life permeate this city. For God is worshiped there.
John closes this book with a final message, "the time is near".  Be ready! Only those whose names are written in His book, who have washed their robes, who are righteous and practicing righteousness, who are holy and keeping themselves holy, will enter into this wonderful eternal city.  We can come to Him freely, without cost, and take this "water of life".  He calls us to do this.  But if we refuse, or if we take away from this Book anything that God has revealed as True, He will take away any part that we may have in His City.
John ends with a blessing, which seems quite appropriate here, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen". For all we have and all we hope for come by His grace to us.  How we need You!
Come, Lord Jesus!
For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever! Amen.

Psalm 94  "O Lord, God of vengeance....."  Our God recompenses the proud. He judges the wicked.
"He who planted the ear, does He not hear?  He who formed the eye, does He not see?"   Yes, He does!  He sees those who crush others.  He sees those who kill widows and strangers, who murder orphans.  He sees the abusers, the haters, the bullies, the immoral.  They may not think that God sees them, but He does.  They may not believe that He cares, but He does.  The psalmist calls these people senseless and stupid! For God will repay wickedness back to them.  He will destroy them in the evil that they do.  We see this every day.  The murdering gang member shot down by a rival.  An abuser who is wretched and angry and dies by their own hand or by the drug of choice.  We may not see the Hand of God reach down and wipe them off the face of the earth in an instant, but we know that what one sows, he does reap.  Vengeance is in His Hands.  Not ours.  He knows the tare from the wheat.  He knows who will repent and find salvation in Jesus.  He knows the heart and thoughts of every man. His judgements are always right.
O Almighty God, thank You for Your grace. Thank You that You never abandon Your own.  Thank You for being righteous in Your judgements. Thank You for being our help. For holding us up by Your loving kindness. For being our stronghold and our rock of refuge.  You are Holy and Sovereign and we praise You.  Let Your will be done, perfectly on earth as it is in heaven. Keep us in Your Presence and Love today. Keep our feet from slipping. Forgive us our sins that cause us to slip. Deliver us from the evil one. We ask this in Your Name , Jesus, to the glory of the Father's Holy Name. Amen.

Revelation 19-20  Today's theme is judgement it seems, for here in these chapters John records the final judgements.  The multitudes in Heaven sing Hallelujah!   This is what we wait for!  This is the final victory!  Jesus comes to reign and vengeance is poured out upon the evil one.
The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire.
The dragon, Satan is bound for 1000 years.
The dead believers who resisted the beast's mark are raised and reign with Christ for those 1000 years.
After Satan is let out of the abyss he wars against the saints once more but then is removed forever.
Then, all the dead, including those in Hades, are raised and judged according to their deeds.
"And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Bottom line - where do we stand?  "Is my name written there? On the page white and fair? In the book of Thy kingdom, is my name written there?" Oh Yes!  Thank You Jesus, my name is written there because You have saved me, You covered my sins by Your blood. "But Thy blood, O my Savior is sufficient for me. For thy promise is written in bright letters that glow, Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them like snow."  Thank You!