RTW January 3
The Perfecting Storm
When everything was ready, the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous.”
Genesis 3:1
My Takeaways
Something Old
They were closed up on the boat 7 days before the flood started. Seven is the number of completion. Even storms come at the perfect time.
Something New
Sometimes storms come to:
- Protect us from further hardship
- Purify us from sin and unrighteous living
- Provide a way for a better place.
Something to Do
Ride the storm with great confidence because God has nothing but the best on the other side.
“Providing a way for me to get to a better place.” Thank you, Wendy, for your wonderful teaching this morning! I am so excited to be back with RTtW. Father, give me your perspective and your purpose in ALL things, even when I don’t understand. Help me to TRUST you in the storms and to hold on to the truth of your word and who you. May I profess with my mouth that I believe even when I don’t see. Thank you Father for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
Thank you, Wendy. My heart needed this today.
Beautiful lesson and so true. Many times in my life I could not understand why certain storms raged over and in me. I even got mad at God. But every time it has brought me to a place where it was better for me to be. Sometimes I didn’t realise it till years after the storm, sometimes I could see it rightaway. I now know that I can trust God and that He will never ever cause me harm out of some punishing desire to show me “my place”, I know now that He longs to have me close and that sometimes a storm is what it takes to draw me closer. Not by force for it will always be my choice how to react on any kind of storm. Being in RTW has helped me tremendously to build that kind of trust. To be in His word everyday, to hear the teachings, to read other persons insights and wisdom, it equipped me to handle the storms of life and to cling to God instead of turning away from Him in anger. God must have know when the information about RTW “coincidentally” came to me through proverbs 31 where I was doing a study. He knew I was finally ready now and how glad I am that I followed the tug on my heart to subscribe!! Thank you Wendy for your faithful providing of the teachings and for your encouragement and thank you all for being here with me!!!
I am thrilled to be back with you in 2018. I was a daily faithful follower Jan 1, 2014-Dec 31,2014! Although I have completed other bible studies, classes, etc.. since then, I made a pact to follow you daily in 2018! I can’t wait to see what God shows all of us in this new year!!! Love and prayers to you and all followers of “RTW”! ❤️?❤️
Sometimes I read the Bible and it provides right answers. Other times when I read it I come away only with the proper questions -leaving it up to me to pursue and investigate. Day 3 is one of those times. Here’s the thing
I knew there was a raven and a dove but I have not remembered that they were both sent out on the same day.
#Why a Raven?
#What could it tell Noah that the other couldn’t?
#Was this done at God’s direction or was it Noah trying to hurry Gods timing up ?
#Since the raven NEVER returned to the ark…how did we get other ravens?
#What does the rest of the Bible anout ravens?
Here’s a thought. The raven was sent first (Gen.8:6-7). The raven could feed off dead animals in the water and survive. The dove on the other hand would return to its point of origin if no land was found. The dove became Noah’s way of determining when to leave the ark. I think God spoke to Noah throughout the entire event. Just like he did when instructing him in making the ark. He probably instructed him to know when it was safe to leave the ark. Noah was a righteous man. This we know. So I’m sure he listened to God’s directions. But of course I will never know these answers for sure. I too ponder, so much, when reading thru the word. I suppose when God wants to reveal these things to us it will all make sense and we will wonder why we ever pondered it in the first place.
Hoping to be more faithful in 2018 with RTW, as the past couple of years have only been occasional drop-ins. I am one who is smack dab in the middle of a huge storm right now and truly needed to hear today’s lesson.
Something Old
It always reassures my heart that God allowed Noah’s righteousness to spare Noah’s whole family. When we are the only Believer in a family there is a great responsibility, but also great blessing and coverage. (It is still necessary for each to independently come to Christ for salvation).
Something New
Genesis 7:17…….The floods prevailed. But notice what one of the direct effects was……the waters lifted the boat high above. So although the storm came, it actually provided the means by which the ark was buoyed above the circumstances.
Something To Do
Allow my storm to lift me HIGH above and to dwell in the protective and powerful presence of Jesus Christ, Himself. I want this to provide a way to a better place. I want to expect it and to actively look for it.
Love the thought that we are lifted above the storms! Thanks for sharing.
My Take Aways
Something Old:
“…Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.” Gen.7:5
“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark…” Gen.
8:1
Something New:
God always remembers his people ((Rachel, Abraham, Hannah, etc.). He will never forget me.
” For the Lord your God it’s a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.” (Deut.4:31)
So just like Noah I need to work on doing everything the Lord commands by living God’s Way and not my way. Obedience to God’s commands is the true sign of my love for God. The only way to know if I am obeying God is by knowing his word. That’s why we have to stick with each other this year by reading through the world with Wendy!
” Jesus replied, but even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke11:28)
Something To Do:
I need to remember to spend time with God every single day. I must remember to pray, read, and follow God’s ways because God’s ways are always right. I must remember that whenever I start to think that I have all the answers I don’t. I need to turn to God for everything. In the good times and bad times. I need to put into actions the truths that I read.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” ( Isaiah 55:8-9)
Something Old: The waters that were stored up in the sky on day two of God’s creation were used for the mighty flood. One source that I looked at noted that up to this point we had a different ecosystem than that of the current type – I believe that means that before that time, there was no such thing as rain before. I also noted that before that time it appeared that pre-flood people did not eat animals of any kind in their diet.
Something New: Note from my John MacArthur study Bible – Gen. 6:9 a righteous man, blameless . . . walked with God. Cf. Ezek. 14:14; 20 and 2 Pet. 2:5. The order is one of increasing spiritual quality before God: “righteous” is to live by God’s righteous standards; “blameless” sets him apart by a comparison with those of his day; and that he “walked with God” puts him in a class with Enoch (Gen. 5:24).
Good things are produced through us and for us when we go through storms in our lives. God always brings good from bad things when we love Him.
Something to do: Focus on God’s will in my life when going through storms. Don’t always try to rush through the storms, and don’t spend my time asking why while in the midst of a storm. Pray instead that although I don’t know what God is doing at the time, and I don’t know just how He’s going to work things out, that I tell Him that I know that He will work things out according to His will. Pray also that I tell Him that I can’t wait to see how His outcome is brought about, that I look for ways to glorify Him in the midst of the storm, and thank Him in advance for those things I experience in the midst and at the conclusion of the storm.
Something OLD: God told Noah to leave the boat. They had signs before that it was safe to leave, but they waited.
Something NEW:God promised he would never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything we think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood.
So happy to be back in this group after a few years of falling back but God is a faithful God. So thankful that even though we might move away he stays right in His place waiting for us!!!
Today’s reading God showed me that some storms are slow at receding but that doesn’t mean He has forgotten us there. It might be a long time before my feet hit dry ground but each and every step in faith is getting me closer and closer to where God wants me.
Something to do is-stop focusing on the “storm”. Ride it out and in God’s perfect timing I will be on solid ground again
Wendy. thank you so much for your study!!
I’ve not previously joined an online group and certainly did not plan on commenting, but here I am doing just that. God does work in mysterious ways! I know it’s only day 3, but I’m truly enjoying this program.
My something old: when remembering the flood, I always remembered the rain for forty days and nights. I seemed to have forgotten that the floodwaters covered the earth for 150 days, and thy remained on the boat for over 10 1/2 months.
Something New:- the rainbow! I love the rainbow and have always marveled at seeing them. How wonderful to know they are truly a sign from God.
Welcome to the RTW study and I am so glad for your comment. I too had forgotten the 150 days, but love the rainbow! (May we all forget the length and pain of our storms and focus on the rainbows in our lives).
Love this study from Wendy and all the insightful comments today. I joined this study midway 2017 so it is nice to have the 1st half of 2017.
I think that the verse for today is Genesis 7:1 instead of 3:1.
I am a few days on the video lessons but God knew I needed to hear this lesson today. My storm has been going on for about 2 1/2 years. Yesterday we had a big sign that it might finally be coming to an end. I loved the teaching for today and saw how I could identify each part of our storm related to Wendy’s points.
My something to do is to be alert for God’s prompting and leading. God shut the door on the ark and told. Noah when to leave the ark. Noah had been looking for signs by sending out the birds but ultimately God tells him when it is safe to leave the ark.
Thanks Wendy I nust loved this lesson! It spoke to my heart that God is always in control of our lives even during the storms and He doesnt withold anything good from His children.