Gordon Johnson

Genesis 6:8 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

Who was Noah?-

     In honoring our veterans of the faith, we definitely have to include Noah. This is part 2 of Noah. I encourage you to watch part 1, click here- https://sherylmariefranks.blogspot.com/2022/07/blog-post.html

Noah was the tenth in line behind Adam. Noah's Dad's name was "Lamech". His Dad gave him the name of Noah, saying, Genesis 5:29 says, "And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." Lamech prophesied to Noah when he gave him his name. He said This one will comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. See, when we go back ten generations to Adam, the ground was cursed because of Adam and Eve's sin. Because of the curse, a man had to work hard by the sweat on his brow. Genesis 3:17-19 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb (plants) of the field; 19. In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." 

     Working hard and toiling by the sweat of your brow was under the curse. God chose Noah to be the one to change history back then. It took a hundred years to build that ark, but on God's appointed time, it happened. God washed them all away with the flood. All who didn't heed the warnings. God started over.

Could you imagine a hundred years of building, and to see the promise of God finally fulfilled? Here I am getting upset about waiting forty-three years. Of course, they had a hundred years, because back in those days they lived for what, 500, 800 years? So, forty years is like a hundred to us. To God be all the Glory, Honor, and Praise, for it was his faithfulness that kept Noah going, and he keeps us going, as well.

"He's Faithful"

Oh!, Jesus, you're so faithful.

I have to express my gratitude.

For your promises are true.

When I think of faithfulness,

Dear Lord, I think of you.

I can't be quiet for all you've done for me.

Everyone has to know, 

and the whole world has to see.

For if it wasn't for your faithfulness,

I don't know where I would be.

I thank you for your faithfulness,

for I could never do anything,

to make you love me less.

Thank you for your faithfulness

and washing me clean,

when I simply just confess. 

      God's faithfulness kept Noah afloat before he even finished with that ark. God just raised Noah and his family to a new level when he finally completed that ark. The people in Noah's day were already drowning, and didn't even realize it.

     Another thing that kept Noah going was that he couldn't wait to finish that boat. I am sure he probably could not wait to get away from the violence and perversion, from the people causing it! I can so relate to that, because every book I write, I write in hopes that this is  "the one" that takes off. So I can move and have the freedom to serve my Lord fully without hindrances or distractions. I am about done with another, and I believe it's going to be the "one" to help me get away from sinful people around me. Father God understands! He felt the same way. The fallen angels had children with the daughters of men, producing giants in those days. That created something that God did not create. Genesis 6:3 says, "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." In verses 5,6, it says, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

     God saw that the wickedness was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts was on evil continually. 8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." In verse 13, God had had enough! " He has a little talk with Noah. See, that is what God wants with us. He wants us to "Have a Little Talk With Jesus." That is an old church song, and that is one of my favorites. Have you ever heard it? I will leave a link below. God just wants to fellowship with us and talk to us. He would have with any of those people on that day, if they had seen their sin and repented. God would have given them grace, as well. They had a hundred years to turn and be able to have that talk with him and Noah, but they mocked instead. Proverbs 28:13 says, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; But whoso confesses his sins, and forsaketh them shall have mercy." That's what God wants, but sin grieves him. God delights in mercy. "Mercy is a joy against judgment." Getting back to 6:13, "And God said unto Noah, 'The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."

     God said, 12. "The earth was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth." 

What does the word, corrupt mean? The Merriam Webster Dictionary: corrupt means: 1. to change from good to bad in morals, manners, and actions. Example: The officials were corrupted by greed. Example: was accused of corrupting the youth. 

2. Rot; Spoil

3. to subject (a person) to corruption of blood.

4. to alter from the original or correct form or version. Example- the file was corrupted.

 God says, "Give honor to whom honor is due." Noah deserves honor for his resilience, persistence, faithfulness, and long-suffering. Because of his obedience, we can endure, as well. Nothing is impossible with God.   

     

 

 

 

    Playing Hide and Seek-

     I have been waiting on something for quite a while now that Father God has promised me, and he said, "The time is now." Praise God! However, I feel nervous today, and anxious. I have been quoting the Word of God and Praising him while I am waiting, but I still feel ansy, (yeah, Grammarly, I know it is not a word.) If I want to say, "ansy", I will. It's ok! I feel as though I am standing in a dark forest, behind a skinny, tall pine tree, trying to hide. Have you ever tried to hide behind a pine tree,  a skinny one, while playing hide and seek? It doesn't work. I used to think my nose was sticking out. Today I felt like a soldier hiding behind a pine tree with enemies lurking all around me. I felt as though I am looking around the tree dodging this enemy and that enemy. While at the same time I was anxiously looking up to the sky for my Commander-in-Chief to send a helicopter to drop down my provision. I felt also, that God was being silent, but watching me. I know the teacher is always silent during a test. I know everything is in God's perfect timing, but I really need him to send provision or work a miracle somehow, like "yesterday".

Please, Hurry Lord!

     I personally with my natural eyes do not see any way except up for provision to happen. In the natural, I appear to be in trouble! I really need my Commander-in-Chiefs' (Jesus Christ), help right now! Not tomorrow, but today. So, with my eyes of faith, I know God is making a way or has a way already planned. I know that what he has promised me is already done! It's just got to manifest on this earth. I am celebrating and rejoicing, but it's like okay, please, hurry Lord. I know you aren't going to fail me. I Love you. I trust you, please, hurry! I know I am not the only one that has ever felt like this or been through this. You may even be going through this at the moment. Only you know, but rest assured God knows! He sees you! You are not alone! You have Father God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, and Angels all around you. The Word of God says, "The angel of the Lord encamps round about them who fear him and delivers them." You have Heaven watching you and backing you up! They are cheering you on and encouraging you to keep believing and keep going. Have faith and don't give up. Father God is faithful! Jesus is not a man that he should lie to you. If he told you he was going to do it, he will do it. It's done!

Honoring our Heroes-

     We can take a lesson from all of those heroes of the faith who have gone before us. They stood brave and strong and fought the good fight of faith and didn't give up. They have been where we are right now in our journey. They are an example to us to keep standing in our faith and belief in God. They trusted God and he brought them out with a mighty outstretched arm. He made a way when the Israelites came up to the Red Sea with nowhere to go and the enemy coming fast up behind. He parted the Red Sea. He made a way out of no way. He delivered them from lions. God even brought provision down from the sky. So as we honor some of our heroes and veterans of the faith that have gone on before us, I would like to say, "To God Be All Of The Glory, Honor, and Praise!" We acknowledge that it was all him, but he does say, to give honor to whom honor is due. He does want us to be reminded of how they stood in faith and follow them. So without further ado. Let's honor some of our veterans of the Faith today!

Noah-

     Noah lived in a time probably pretty much like it is today! The Bible says in Genesis 6:5 "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Let's look at what verse 11-13 says, "The earth also was 'corrupt (wasting) before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13. And God said unto Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them from the earth." 

     God said that back then to Noah, what do you think he is saying to us today? When he looks on this earth right now in 2022, do you think he is saying the same thing, that the earth is 'corrupt (wasting) and filled with violence through them? I think so! It looks pretty much the same to me. If Noah could stand in faith in his day, we should be able to do, likewise. 

     There was one man that the Lord could count on out of all of them back then, and it was Noah. Genesis 6: 8,9 says, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." 

     Think how Noah must have felt building that Ark. Do you think he thought, wow, this is taking longer than I thought? Or I wonder how he felt year after year the people ignored him. I am sure they mocked him, and they probably said he was crazy. I wonder also, if anyone said, Hey, Noah, why don't you get a "real" job? Or I wonder if they shook their head at him and thought he was wasting his time and he was delusional? Do you think people turned their nose down to him and thought they were better than "him" because he wasn't chasing money? Follow Me For More About This On Next Blog.

Image By: Coco Paris Sienne (Pixabay)

Here is my playlist on YouTube, As in the Days of Noah, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RQQau4PeVA&list=PL_lEJ-eRDMZGAmqcFOzjdtxXAnmubgQeX