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• Tad Wychopen II

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Youth Devotional Creation to Christ- Week 1

©Tad Wychopen 2009 Day 1 Daily Reading: Genesis 1:1-10; Psalm 32 Genesis is a critical book for people to understand. It has man foundational elements that help a person understand God, His creation, the beginning of humanity, the entrance of sin into the world, and the promise of a Savior. The first chapter of Genesis gives a clear description of how God created the world. 1.) Answer these questions about Genesis 1:1: Who created the World? When was the world created? What did God create? 2.) Is evolution mentioned in verse one? Explanation: God created the heavens and the earth. It was not a process of evolution! In verse one, we can learn many things about God. God is all powerful: He created the world! God is perfectly intelligent: He knew how to create the world. God is eternal: He existed before the world was created. God is completely independent of His creation: He did not need man’s help in creating the world! God is the creator of all things, so He is the ruler and owner of all things. 3.) According to verse 2, where was God? Explanation: We can see from verse two that God is omnipresent (everywhere at one time) since He could be over all the waters. 4.) What was the first thing that God created through His speaking? (1:3) 5.) Who created the light? 6.) What was the light that God created declared to be in verse 4? 7.) From verses 6-10, what did God create? 8.) What was the declared condition of these creations? (1:10) Explanation: God created all things! He is the self-sufficient, all-powerful, self-existing, God. He is the ONLY God and He created all things in a perfect and holy way. Application: Consider the greatness of God. Praise Him for this wonderful creation! ~ Do you believe that God created the world? Why or why not? -Many people reject and deny the truth of the Bible. Some say that God did not create the world; they believe in a “Big Bang” or some sort of evolution. The reason they believe that is that they do not want the accountability of a creator. If someone says that God created them, then they are the possession of God and God owns them. People do not want to be accountable before an almighty God! Praise the Lord right now for His wonderful, perfect creation! Day 2 Daily Reading: Genesis 1:11-31; Ecclesiastes 1 God created things in an orderly, logical fashion. He did not put things in place and then allow things randomly to develop into creatures! God is an Awesome Creator and it is a terrible thing to mock God and to believe evolution.

1.) Why do you think that the phrase “according to its kind” is used in verses 11 and 12? 2.) What day did God make the evening and the morning? 3.) How did God create the things in the water and the air? 4.) What was the command that God gave in verse 22? 5.) What phrase is again used three times in verses 24 and 25? Explanation: God did not just randomly make things and then allow them to do whatever. God did not create chaos. For example, He made trees of their own kind. An apple tree bears apples. An orange tree does not produce pears. A cow does not give birth to a cat. God created things “of their own kind” so that everything would be orderly. This completely ruins any thoughts of evolution. Evolution is built on randomness, mistakes, and mutations. That is NOT how God created the world. 6.) In verse 26, God said, “let US make man in OUR image.” This is talking about the Trinity. What did God give man authority over? Explanation: God made man in His image. That means that we have a personality, a mind, emotions, a will, and intellect. Man has the ability to communicate to each other and to God. God also gave man a creative ability. God made humans special. Humans are completely different from animals! God has a special relationship with man; He gave man the special privilege of managing His creation. 7.) In verse 29, what did God provide for man? 8.) What does verse 31tell us about the result of creation? Explanation: God made a wonderful place for man to live. Everything was perfect and everything had a purpose. God’s creation was complete; no evolution was needed! Application: What do you believe about God? Do you trust Him and His judgment? He created you and He loves you. Will you trust in God or your own weak and futile self? _______________________________________________________________________________________ Day 3 Daily Reading: Genesis 2:1-25; Psalm 33 This chapter is important in many ways. It tells us about God resting on the 7th day, it tells us about life in the garden, it tells us about God’s command to man, and it tells us about Eve, Adam’s wife. 1.) What did God do to the 7th day? 2.) Considering verse 4-6 and Genesis 1:31, do you think God created a perfect world for Adam and Eve? 3.) Describe how God created Adam. Explanation: God created man. Science has proved that man is basically dirt. After a person dies, they do not turn into a stone or water, they turn into dirt. Strange? No, God gave us our souls – our life. Our soul is the part of us where our ideas, desires, attitudes and decisions are located. It is interesting even today, men cannot create something out of nothing, nor has anyone been able to “give life” has God did. God created us; we are His possession. 4.) Who has provided food, life, and a place to live for Adam? (2:8-9)

5.) What was man’s job in verse 15? 6.) What was the one command God gave to Adam? (2:16-17) Explanation: God created man. God created the world; therefore, God is the owner and has the right and authority over His creation. His laws are not to hurt us, but to help us. 7.) What is the punishment for disobeying the command of God? (2:17) Explanation: This death is both physical and spiritual. Man would be separated both physically and spiritually from God! 8.) What did Adam do in verse 20? 9.) Did Adam find a partner? 10.)What did God do for Adam in verses 21-24? Explanation: When a man and woman get married, it is a beautiful thing. They are to leave their parents and start a new home together. Man needs woman to complete him, and woman needs man to love and protect her. God’s creation was perfect, sinless, and unashamed because there were no problems Praise the Lord for being such a wonderful, marvelous Creator! _______________________________________________________________________________________ Day 4 Daily Reading: Genesis 3:1-13; Ecclesiastes 2 This chapter records that first sin of the human race. This chapter is very important for people to understand, because it helps us know about God, about Satan, about man, and about man’s need for a Savior. What is not seen is the fact that Satan, or Lucifer, has already rebelled against God. 1.) Who or what spoke to Eve? (3:1) (Also, look up Revelation 12:9) 2.) Satan tired to get Eve to doubt God’s word. What was his first question to Eve? 3.) What was Satan’s response to Eve’s answer? (3:4-5) Explanation: Satan grew more bold and began to openly lie to Eve. She did not run and turn form temptation, but instead she stayed and listened to him. When temptation comes, you should run away!! 4.) Did Adam and Eve both eat of the fruit? 5.) What did they realize immediately after they ate the fruit? 6.) What makes you think that Adam and Eve knew they had sinned? (3:7-9) 7.) What did Adam and Eve try to do when God asked them about eating the fruit? (3:11-13) Explanation: God gave a chance for Adam and Eve to tell the truth and be responsible for their own sin, but they blamed another person trying to avoid the guilt and punishment. Interestingly, people attempt to do the same thing today. 8.) Whose fault was it that Adam and Eve disobeyed God?

Explanation: God was not at fault; man was at fault for sinning and breaking God’s law. Man cannot blame anyone but themselves for their sin. 9.) Please read James 1:12-15. Whose fault is it when you sin? Application: Every person is a sinner because of his or her own wicked heart. What do you do after someone confronts you about your disobedience? ~You must realize that your sin is your fault and you must confess to God that you need His forgiveness. Don’t make excuses for your problems! _______________________________________________________________________________________ Day 5 Daily Reading: Genesis 3:1-24; Psalm 34 Adam and Eve just committed sin against God. They ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that God had told them not to eat. After realizing that they had sinned, God asked them about what they had done. Adam and Eve both tried to blame another person for their actions. Beginning at Genesis 3:14, God begins to give the punishments for the sins. 1.) What were the punishments for the serpent? (3:14-15) 2.) What promise does God make about the offspring of Eve? (3:15b) Explanation: In verse 14, it is clear that after Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed all of creation. Sin is terrible and has horrible results. God punished sin by cursing all the animals; the serpent was cursed even more than all other creation. However, there is a beautiful promise in verse 15. God promised that from the Seed of Eve, there would be one that would kill the serpent. He will be referred to as the “Promised One.” God is gracious and merciful to provide the Promised One. 3.) What were the punishments for Eve and all women? (3:16) 4.) What were the punishments for Adam and all men? (3:17-19) 5.) What did Adam name his wife? 6.) How did God clothe Adam and Eve? (3:21) 7.) Where do you think the skin came from? 8.) Did Adam and Eve get to continue to live in the Garden of Eden? Explanation: The punishment for their sin was death. In verse 19, it is clear that man would physically die. From verses 22-23, it is clear that man would not live forever outside of the garden. However, God was very gracious and provided clothes for Adam and Eve. Despite their sin, God still loved Adam and Eve; He still provided for them. God is very merciful and loving; in fact, He made a way for men to be forgiven of their sin. All but one person since Adam and Eve had sinned. God must punish sin; the penalty of sin is death. Application: Are you a sinner? Do you think that God was fair to Adam and Eve in His punishment? The truth is Adam and Eve deserved to die immediately, without any mercy! Every sinner is the same- all deserve immediate death, but God is merciful. Will you turn to God to forgive you of your sins?

Day 6 Daily Reading: Acts 1-2; Ecclesiastes 3 Read the first two chapters of Acts. The first two chapters in Acts describe Christ’s final command to His apostles, His ascension into heaven, Pentecost, and the beginnings of the church. In your own words, summarize the first two chapters of Acts. Use at least three sentences. Be sure to include any instructions for the church or examples of what the early church did.

Day 7 Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 4; Psalm 35 Please read Psalm 35 and Ecclesiastes 4. Make a note of verses that show the futility of man struggling against God. Record any verses that praise God.