December 7
“The Promise”
Genesis 9:8-17 & Hebrews 10:11-14
– Taylor Gibson, Women’s Ministry Associate
As we enter into this Christmas season we are reminded of the birth of Jesus, Immanuel, which means God with us. We focus on God being with us a little more this time of year, but God has always been with us. Before Jesus was born into this world, He made the rainbow as a sign to Noah, and us today, that God is with us. Then Jesus entered the world to atone for the sins of the world and bridge the gap between us and God. He became the final sacrifice we needed.
As we enter this season of advent, take a few moments to be honest with God and yourself about the following questions:
Is there any unconfessed sin in your life?
Do you truly believe that God wants good for you?
Read Genesis 9:8-17
Who does God make a covenant with?
What is the covenant about?
What is the sign of the covenant?
A covenant is promise, alliance or divine ordinance marked with a sign. In this passage God makes a covenant with all life on earth that He will never again destroy all life on earth with a flood. The cloud will come, but the rainbow will be the sign that God is with us. If you find yourself this Christmas season with clouds of suffering over you, remember that God is with you. Immanuel has come. Hope is here.
Read Hebrews 10:11-14
As believers in Christ, we are continually being made holy. Because we live in a broken world, we live at war with our sinful desires, but God does not give up on us. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again 3 days later, He paid the debt we owe for our sins. He took the punishment we deserved. It is finished, but God isn’t finished with you yet.
In what areas of your life do you need to be made holy?
Have you ever had someone make a promise to you, then not keep it? Have you ever made a promise and not kept it? How can we know God will keep His promises?
God is the creator of everything. He rules over time. God is not a man, that he should lie (Numbers 23:19). Because God is before all things and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17), He is able to make and keep His promises. He is trustworthy.
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