Destination: "The Beginning"

Dear Grace Baptist Family,

   We are continuing our look at “destinations.” It is the early part of the summer vacation season and there are many people who are making plans and preparations for their summer vacation destination.

   I am having us take a look at another type of destination. These are Biblical places that we should visit and linger in and actually make a part of our daily lives.

   Our destination today is, “The Beginning.”

   We just returned from a couple of days in which we visited the Creation Museum [https://creationmuseum.org] and the Ark Encounter [https://arkencounter.com]. If you have never been, then take a look at the links provided and I think you will want to try and visit some day. We had a wonderful experience and were enriched and blessed.

   Genesis chapters 1-11 is one of the most attacked portions of Scripture in the Bible…for good reason. In these chapters we find treasures of truth that are essential to our faith. In fact, one of the statements at the Museum sums it up as Satan might whisper, “If I can convince you that the Flood was not real then I can convince you that Heaven and Hell are not real.”

   We need a vigilant defense of the authority of Scripture. So it is imperative that we have reasonable answers to questions regarding our faith and our belief in Scripture and in what the Bible teaches about Creation.

   If you go to the destination of “The Beginning” you will start at Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  From there you will go through the next 10 chapters through chapter 11.

   As you go to this destination you will observe at least the following topics:

• God
• The beginning of time
• Creation of all things—in six literal 24 hour days
• There is a Creator
• Adam and Eve
• Cain and Abel
• Accountability to God
• Authority
• Rules
• Gender distinction
• Animal/human distinction
• Man has a soul
• Sin entered the world and the fall of man
• Guilt
• Redemption
• Love of God
• Plan of God
• People of God
• Worship of God
• Faithfulness of God
• Judgment of God
• Power of God
• Presence of God
• Relationship with God
• The Ark
• Noah
• Worldwide global flood
• Promises of God—a Savior to come; a rainbow
• God’s provision for life and living and all Creation
• Fellowship with God
• Marriage
• Rest
• Work
• Conflict
• Family
• Death
• Satan
• Beauty of creation
• Punishment for sin
• Parenting
• Justice
• Mercy
• Covenant of God
• Language
• Dispersion of the human race

   There is a lot to see and observe at this destination!

   As you can imagine, there is much more to discover when you go to “The Beginning.”

   If you go to this destination, let me suggest the following:

1. Take some time to read Genesis 1-11
2. Identify the key people—notice their role in the early history of the world, their responses and observe life lessons from them
3. Identify the key events that you will find in these chapters
4. Look for the principles listed above and discover others
5. Express you gratitude to God in a posture of worship to Him

   I hope you will go to this Biblical destination. 

   And if possible, I hope you will one day be able to visit the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter.   

In Christ,

Wynne Kimbrough

Your Pastor