Shalom,

I want to look at two Truths today as we begin another year of reading chronologically through the Bible via our Spoken Word Bible Reading plan. The first is found in Genesis 1:1-2:

1 IN THE beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.

Many believers try to argue with unbelievers that the actual age of the earth is only 6,000 years. The problem with that is that there are some parts of the earth that have been scientifically proven to be much, much older than that! Where then is the discrepancy? Look closely at the above Scriptures. Verse 1 says that God created the earth. Do even imagine that God would create something that wasn't perfect? NEVER! So what happened between verses 1 and 2 that would cause the earth to now be "without form and an empty waste" as the Amplified Bible says? The key here is the little word "was" in verse 2. This is the Hebrew word "hayah", which means: to exist, to become, come to pass, to happen, to fall out, to occur, to come about. SOMETHING happened to cause chaos and destruction to happen to God's original perfect creation. What happened? We know that at some point in time Lucifer was cast out of Heaven and on to the earth. Was THAT what happened? It may have been, but that has not been revealed specifically to us in the Word of God. What we DO know is that WE are responsible for what HAS been revealed! We have 6,000 years of recorded history available to us, so let's pay attention to that and leave the rest alone! AMEN!  

The second Truth is found in Matthew 1:20-23:

20 But as he was thinking this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary [as] your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of (from, out of) the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior], for He will save His people from their sins. 22 All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, 23 Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel--which, when translated, means, God with us.

As we continue through the Bible plan, pay attention to every mention of the "coming" Messiah in the Old Testament. Match these with the fulfillment found the life of Jesus of Nazareth and revealed in the New Testament. He IS Who He says He is! When you grow in faith concerning that, you will realize that what the Word says about YOU is also TRUTH! Amen! To go along with the picture above, here is a promise for the coming year as you put HIM first place in your life. Hillsong Live with "You Crown The Year":

You crown the year with Your goodness
You answer us with awesome deeds
Your hope resounds God our Saviour
To distant lands and farthest seas

O paint the fields bright and golden
Drench the harvest with Your rain
God's river filled with living water
That flows to all as You ordained

CHORUS
Praise the Name of the Lord
O my soul sing His worth
All of life join the song
Come and lift up our King

VERSE
Now let the earth join the dancing
Deck her out in showers of spring
The dusk and dawn forever relay
The call to come and worship Him

BRIDGE
Holy holy
Worthy are You Lord
All the glory
To Your Name forever

Shalom in Him!