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complaint |com-plaint|<br>Verb 1. A statement that a situation is unsatisfactory or unacceptable. Through a lack of trusting Him, God's people have complained since recorded history began.<br><br>In the book of Exodus they repeatedly did not trust God for food, water, or protection. Today we still forget what God has done for us in the past and what God is doing for us day by day. When life circumstances have us down, we need to heed God's words: “do not be afraid”. We may bring a lament of hard times to God through prayer. But we should always go back to the cross to remember that God is a good God no matter what our circumstances. God responded in a loving way to the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. In the same way, He will respond in love to us as we wander in our wilderness here on earth.

The Bible warns us that our rebellion against God will be punished with death. In the book of Exodus, God uses Moses and Aaron to get the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt. The proud Egyptian Pharaoh and God are locked in a power struggle. God shows His greatness by toppling, one-by-one, the gods worshiped by the Egyptian people. The power struggle ends with the death of all of the first-born Egyptian sons and eventually the death of the Egyptian army. The Hebrew people are released from their slavery by the power of God! Our sin, like the rebellion of Pharaoh, is leading us into a judgment of death by God. But God, in His mercy, offered a way out of slavery and death to the Hebrew people. God also offers us a way out of our slavery to sin. In Exodus, God instructed the Hebrew people to kill an innocent lamb and to put its blood on the doorposts of their houses. The Angel of Death would then “pass over” all of the households covered with the blood of the lamb, and spare them the death of their children. Centuries later, God also provided a way to cover our sin. Jesus was tortured, bled and died. Jesus is our “Passover lamb”--innocent and undeserving of torture and death. His blood is now offered to cover our sin. Jesus died so that we may have life. We must remember two things about our relationship with God: <br><br>1. We deserve death for our sin and rebellion against God. <br>2. God has provided a way out of our sin with the sacrifice and blood of His Son, Jesus. <br><br>We have an awesome God!

November 5, 2024 the United States of America will hold elections of public officials from the local civic offices all the way to the President of the United States. It is proper for Christians to have a voice in politics and to align values of the state with the Word of God. Christians are to vote. Christians should not fear politicians or the political process. Faith in God and fear are not compatible. Sometimes, God gives us the leaders we need and at other times He gives us the leaders we deserve. Christians must also recognize that all humans are imperfect. Flawed leaders may lead to faulty policy and unsound laws. In the upcoming election, we must focus on God and not the “religion of politics”, or the “religion of our political party”. We know that God is on the throne and is our Creator, our Redeemer and our King.

Genesis 39:2 “The Lord was with Joseph…..” Jacob's 11th son was named Joseph. Joseph lived through the lows of being sold into slavery in a foreign land and later being unfairly thrown in prison. He also experienced the success of being second in command only to Pharoah, King of Egypt. Joseph honored God during the successes in his life as well as during the trials of his life. Amazingly, even though Joseph experienced many hardships, it was through these hardships that God ultimately blessed other people, including Joseph's family that had wronged him. We must understand that no matter what season we are in, just like Joseph, God is with us. He is a good Father who will use our sufferings to bless us, and other people, by affirming that He is in control. All glory to God!

Sin started with the very first family on earth and has spread from family to family ever since. Genesis shows us how from Abraham, through his sons, grandsons and great grandsons, sin spreads. Family sin extends from one generation to the next and divides family members. Even today, we are imperfect people living in imperfect families in an imperfect world. But our broken families, and our personal brokenness, does not need to define us. We need to remember that even more powerful than our sin is God's righteousness and that God can stop generational sin if we allow Him to do so. As we grow in our Christian journey, we should aspire to let our Heavenly Father define us—not our earthly family. We are invited to join God's family with a perfect Father as the Head of The Family. We are to submit to God and become the men and women He has called us to be.

In Genesis 6, we read that God regretted creating mankind because wickedness was in man's thoughts, hearts, and deeds continually. God proclaimed judgment on the earth and sent a flood to wipe out all evil. Only one man on earth, Noah, was found to be righteous before God. God showed mercy to Noah by commanding him to build a large boat, called an ark, to save himself, his family, and also birds and animals from the flood. Noah had faith in God and believed that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says that He is going to do. Noah obeyed God and built the ark. Because of his faith and obedience, Noah, his family and the animals with them, were saved from death in the flood. God warns us in the Bible that another judgment day is coming in the future. This final day of judgment will not be a flood of water on the earth where we need a boat like Noah, but an ultimate judgment by God of good and evil. At that time Jesus is the “ark” that will bring us through God's judgment and save us for eternal life.<br><br>We are to build a relationship with Jesus now and grow in our love for Him. Love Jesus and study His word. Live a faithful life trusting and obeying Him. Worship Him with all Glory to God!

Why did Jesus have to die? Why do we have to die? Why is the world in the mess that it is? Genesis 3 tells us how Adam broke his relationship with God. And all of us disobey God just like Adam. We were designed to carry God's image on earth and to steward God's creation. But, due to our own selfishness and disobedience, God's perfect order is now in chaos. We lack trust that God's life for us is the best. Instead, we listen to the twisted words of satan, believing that God is keeping good things from us. Only too late, do we find out that sin has consequences both in this world and the next. Or is it too late? The good news is that in Genesis 3 God also tells us how His love goes beyond sin. God searches for us and is able to cover our sin through the blood of His Son, Jesus. Jesus is able to clothe us in His righteousness and cover our nakedness so that we may be with God. God is good and beautiful and He will restore us, and all of creation, to His goodness and beauty.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God……” The Bible opens with a statement to believe. It is not a proposition open for debate. Faith begins where the Bible begins. Genesis 1&2 outlines the creation of our universe. Light from dark; land, sea and sky; sun, moon and stars; plants and animals; people and marriage. It answers questions such as: Where did the world come from? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Is there any purpose? We see God's greatness and glory at the center of creation. Yet, He is also near to us, reaching out to have a relationship. The God who created the universe wants to be with you. Will you respond by worshiping Him and following Him?