Hello friends, welcome to In Bolden. I'm Chris Shatter, an ordinary Christian living with and learning about an extraordinary God. Welcome to the new series, New Beginnings. I read this great comment by a young woman that I follow on Instagram.
And it goes, 2022 is not going to be your year. It's God's year. In fact, every year has been and will be his. Once you believe that your life and your time all belong to him, every year will be a victory.
He holds the victory and the whole world in his hands every year, every day, live for him. I hope that's what you get out of this series. Enjoy. Hello and welcome back to another edition of the podcast, New Beginnings.
I've really enjoyed researching for me what are new, some new characters, some little known characters that are to come in this series. And also a little known fact is when I'm researching for my series and the different podcasts. So often the Holy Spirit will work through the text with me in my head, either on a walk or out driving. But so often the Holy Spirit will come to me while I'm buying in bed, trying to fall asleep.
And an entire narrative will start in my head. And so often I'll need to get up and just sit down at my computer and just start typing. Or else I know if I do go to sleep and get up in the morning, I won't have remembered all the amazing little pieces of insight and wisdom that were imparted to me. I know for some that might sound a little strange, but when you really work on your relationship with God and ask for wisdom, ask for discernment, which throughout the Bible were told to do, God always comes through.
And he will give you that wisdom, that insight. And you need to delve farther into the scripture so that those references when the Holy Spirit is talking to you make sense. And that's something that when I was called and really sort of chastised by God one night, that's the part that had been missing in my faith. And that I really needed to dive farther into the Bible and look at scripture, look at God's character.
And that's the little key component that has really propelled my faith and my sanctification farther. And I hope that that little part of me that has changed is something that I can then also impart to you and help guide you along in your process. So today's podcast starts with Genesis 6, 3, then the Lord said, my spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal. Their days will be 120 years.
Now, most people today are familiar with the Wright brothers credited with inventing and building the world's first successful motor operated airplane. But unless you're an arrow enthusiast, you may not know of Carl Wilhelm Otto Lilleenthal, who died 1896. He was known far and wide as the flying man for his attempts to make successful glider flights. Because of his repeated and public attempts, newspapers and magazines influenced the public and scientific communities into believing flying machines were really possible.
But imagine this, walking by his artificially made hill he built near Berlin and seeing this man running and leaping forward into nothingness with a wing on his back. You'd think he was crazy. You'd probably say he was going to break his neck one of these days, which he did. But until that fateful day, when his glider took a nosedive, he influenced and educated many who would go on to create our modern flying machines.
You know, history is replete with inventors and entrepreneurs who have been mocked, dismissed and even jailed. Many failed in their endeavors while others succeeded, and even some of those only after their death. But what they all had in common was their steadfastness. That commitment to the dream which was placed on their mind by some unseen force.
In my series, 30 Days of Thankfulness, I thank God for placing that desire to create, to invent, to improve our world on our hearts and minds. Though we would look back through the history of the world, one man can be described as the father of steadfastness to an idea, to a goal of a new beginning placed firmly on his mind, Noah. Genesis 6, 13 through 14 says, So God said to Noah, I'm going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I'm surely going to destroy both them and the earth.
So make yourself an arc of cypress wood, make rooms in it, and coat it with pitch inside and out. You know what makes this steadfast commitment to following God's command even more amazing is that scholars believe the world had never seen rain. And here a man is building a giant boat because something called rain or a flood was going to inundate the earth. How the mocking must have been endless.
With each day spent placing yet another board on this 350 cubic or 510 feet long ship, Noah was like Mr. Lillienthal on his hill making yet another attempt at flight while the onlookers snickered. But Noah wasn't the only steadfast player in the scene of the world's imminent demise. His unnamed wife, sons, and their wives must surely have been the subject of constant ridicule.
Each day at the well or in the fields, the slurs and evil behavior towards them must have been almost overwhelming. How many of us could say we would have remained true to God's command? The Lord then said to Noah, Go into the arc, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. That's Genesis 7-1.
As Christians, we so often have been asked what we would do or say when we approach the dates of heaven. Imagine, however, being told before we leave this earth that God has found us among the few righteous. Would God say that to you right now? During the last few years our world has been put to a test.
We as Christians have been put to a test. A flood of sort began to overtake the earth. Some have fallen away out of the fear of that maki, out of fear of being set apart. Many have drawn closer like Noah and obedience and steadfastness, and their reward, a new beginning, a renewal of faith.
A rainbow placed in front of them reminding us that God always delivers on his promises. You know, like Noah, each day that we decide to commit to be steadfast in our faith, we are renewed with his love and his presence. Noah toiled away for 120 years building that arc, not knowing what the fruit of his labor would produce. He had no idea what his new beginning would be.
He just had the dream of a boat and a promise from God of a new beginning. He put his head down and started building it as God commanded. He let the mockers and the scoffers slide off his back day after day after day. His family toiled alongside him set apart from the world.
And his new beginning was our new beginning. A chance to make the world a better place. In our modern world, we so often overlook the everyday obedience God asks of us as banal. Yet the steadfastness of say Christian parenting reduces so much good fruit and beautiful new beginnings.
And when our children become successful, healthy adults, we get told it's luck. But Noah didn't go about his work with a rabbit's foot in his pocket, friends. He was diligent, sticking with God's plan. Every day it seems the work of Christians steadfastness gets harder and harder.
I bet as Noah's massive ship grew closer to completion and stood out taller than the trees, more and more people through insults at his family. God's path to our new beginning is rarely easy. In fact, during the Christmas season, I kept hearing the same Bible passage over and over. It's Luke 12, 51 to 52.
Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on, there'll be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. That's Jesus talking.
And this message from Jesus makes many uncomfortable. During the last 50 years or so, the prevalent message painted of Jesus is this kindly, gentle, quiet God. One who just wanted everyone to get along. But that rejects so much of Jesus' teachings.
And the life here on earth, it rejects the idea that there will be mockers and scoffers while we seek to be steadfast and obedience to God. The apostles, who many were surely educated about the steadfastness of Noah themselves, were faced with the same challenge. And while we are called to be peacemakers, we're possible when we go along to get along, we join the audience watching Noah build his ark. But friends, the flood will come, not as water, but in ways as described in Revelation.
It's time for your new beginning. It's time for you to make a commitment to steadfastness. The world in general may never know how your heart has changed, but God will. Your family will know.
Your friends will know. Be ready for the mocking, but also be ready to help others board your boat. Friends, what is God asking you to do today that might set you apart? Your steadfast commitment to it may just be your new beginning.
Have a great day. I hope you enjoyed this episode of The A Bolden Podcast. Be sure to follow along so you don't miss any episode. And check out my blog at embolden.net.