Monday 6-12-23 2nd. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Sivan 23 5783, 85th. Spring Day
Read June 12, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional, ODB Devotional Message for Monday
TOPIC: Freeing Obedience
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezra 3–5; John 20
KEY VERSE: And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” – Genesis 2:16–17
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Genesis 2:15–25
INSIGHT FOR OUR DAILY BREAD 12TH JUNE 2023 BY BILL CROWDER
The phrase “helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18) is a dynamic statement. It literally means “a helper that corresponds to him” or “a helper supplying what he lacks.” This perhaps acknowledges what Adam learned in the exercise of naming the animals: they weren’t suitable companions for him; he lacked a helper. Unlike the animals, Adam found himself incomplete. But the word helper doesn’t refer to weakness. In fact, the Hebrew term used here (‘ezer) is repeatedly used in the Old Testament to refer to God Himself (see Psalms 33:20; 70:5; 115:9)! Far from being a demeaning term, help or helper is used to describe the strength of God who comes to our aid with all His strength.
From the early days of humanity, God has revealed the importance of obedience as we exercise our free will. Disobedience led to devastating effects for Adam, Eve, and all of us as sin brought brokenness and death to our world (Genesis 3:6–19). It didn’t have to be that way. God had told Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree” but one (2:16–17). Thinking their “eyes [would] be opened, and [they would] be like God,” they ate of the banned “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (3:5; 2:17). Sin, shame, and death followed.
God graciously provides freedom and so many good things for us to enjoy (John 10:10). In love, He also calls us to obey Him for our good. May He help us choose obedience and find life full of joy and free of shame.
REFLECT: How does the world view freedom? Why is it ultimately freeing to obey God and His ways?
PRAY: Father, thank You for the true freedom and life found in choosing obedience to You.
Decision Making Genesis Two:15-25
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Read full chapter
Love, Walter and Debbie
Read June 12, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional, ODB Devotional Message for Monday
TOPIC: Freeing Obedience
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezra 3–5; John 20
KEY VERSE: And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” – Genesis 2:16–17
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Genesis 2:15–25
INSIGHT FOR OUR DAILY BREAD 12TH JUNE 2023 BY BILL CROWDER
The phrase “helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18) is a dynamic statement. It literally means “a helper that corresponds to him” or “a helper supplying what he lacks.” This perhaps acknowledges what Adam learned in the exercise of naming the animals: they weren’t suitable companions for him; he lacked a helper. Unlike the animals, Adam found himself incomplete. But the word helper doesn’t refer to weakness. In fact, the Hebrew term used here (‘ezer) is repeatedly used in the Old Testament to refer to God Himself (see Psalms 33:20; 70:5; 115:9)! Far from being a demeaning term, help or helper is used to describe the strength of God who comes to our aid with all His strength.
OUR DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL 12TH JUNE 2023 MESSAGE:
The look on the young teen’s face reflected angst and shame. Heading into the 2022 Winter Olympics, her success as a figure skater was unparalleled—a string of championships had made her a lock to win a gold medal. But then a test result revealed a banned substance in her system. With the immense weight of expectations and condemnation pressing down on her, she fell multiple times during her free-skate program and didn’t stand on the victors’ platform—no medal. She’d displayed artistic freedom and creativity on the ice prior to the scandal, but now an accusation of a broken rule bound her to crushed dreams.From the early days of humanity, God has revealed the importance of obedience as we exercise our free will. Disobedience led to devastating effects for Adam, Eve, and all of us as sin brought brokenness and death to our world (Genesis 3:6–19). It didn’t have to be that way. God had told Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree” but one (2:16–17). Thinking their “eyes [would] be opened, and [they would] be like God,” they ate of the banned “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (3:5; 2:17). Sin, shame, and death followed.
God graciously provides freedom and so many good things for us to enjoy (John 10:10). In love, He also calls us to obey Him for our good. May He help us choose obedience and find life full of joy and free of shame.
REFLECT: How does the world view freedom? Why is it ultimately freeing to obey God and His ways?
PRAY: Father, thank You for the true freedom and life found in choosing obedience to You.
Decision Making Genesis Two:15-25
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Read full chapter
Love, Walter and Debbie