NCV, Mom's Bible: God's Wisdom for Mothers

By Bobbie Wolgemuth

Mom’s Bible: God’s Wisdom for Mothers gives women an awareness of just how precious and vital they are in God’s plan for the family.

Available in the New Century Version and drawing on solid Bible teaching, it encourages women at every stage of life to strengthen their relationship with God. A perfect gift for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or whenever it’s time to say “thank you” to a special mom.

Includes these special sections:

• Book Introductions: historical, emotional, and spiritual context for each Bible book
• Walking In...: ways that are pleasing to God
• Our God Is...: discovering who God is and what He does, based on His words and actions
• Godly Character: exhibiting godly qualities in daily living
• Passing It On: creating a legacy of faith to inspire the next generation
• Moms in the Bible: lessons from some of the Bible's most famous mothers
• Insights: short, practical thoughts on Bible passages from a mom's perspective
• Wonderful Counselor: issues facing moms from the perspective of a Christian therapist
• Questions Kids Ask: answering the tough questions about God, the Bible, and Christian life
• First Touch Verses: verses to mull over throughout the day
• Topical Index

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Feb 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9781418562267

Bobbie Wolgemuth

Bobbie Wolgemuth was a Bible teacher and the author or co-author of several books, including Mom’s Bible: God’s Wisdom for Mothers and the four-book Gold Medallion bestselling series Hymns for a Kid’s Heart with Joni Eareckson Tada. She is also the coauthor of Couples of the Bible with her husband, Robert.

Book preview

MOM’S

BIBLE

GOD’S WISDOM FOR

MOTHERS

NOTES BY

BOBBIE WOLGEMUTH

AND

MISSY WOLGEMUTH SCHRADER

REGINA SENTELL, MSN, PMHNP

JENNIFER CASE CORTEZ

DR. ROBERT WOLGEMUTH

1

Mom’s Bible: God’s Wisdom for Mothers

© 2010 by Barbara J. Wolgemuth

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc.

The Holy Bible, New Century Version®

© 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

The Publisher is pleased hereby to grant permission for the New Century Version to be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications: (1) up to and including one thousand (1,000) verses may be quoted, except: (a) the verses being quoted may not comprise as much as 50 percent of the work in which they are quoted, and/or (b) the verses quoted may not comprise an entire book of the Bible when quoted; (2) all NCV quotations must conform accurately to the NCV text.

Quotations from this Bible may be identified in written form with the abbreviations (NCV) in less formal documents, such as bulletins, newsletters, curriculum, media pieces, posters, transparencies, and where space is limited.

A proper credit line must appear on the title or copyright page of any work quoting from the New Century Version, as follows:

Scripture quotations from The Holy Bible, New Century Version®, © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

For quotations of more than 1,000 verses, or other permission requests not covered by the above guidelines, write to Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attention: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214-1000. Written approval must be received in advance of use.

The preliminary research and development on the New Century Version was done by the World

Bible Translation Center, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas 76182.

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 – 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

Table of Contents

Mom’s Bible Introduction

Acknowledgements

Preface to the New Century Version®

Old Testament

New Testament

Answers to Questions Kids Ask

Topical Index

Index to First Touch Verses

About the Contributors

Endnotes

MOM’S BIBLE

INTRODUCTION

What Is the Bible?

The Bible is a living Book. It’s able to speak for itself. It’s a letter from God for you and your family. It tells how God planned both the beginning and the end of history with precision and wisdom. This Book will surprise, overwhelm, and astonish you because it speaks wisdom, instruction, and inspiration for everything in your life . . . from Genesis to Revelation.

The Bible is One Book about One God and the story of redemption through One Person . . . Jesus.

My hope is that the notes, features, and ideas in the Mom’s Bible will be encouraging and helpful and that they will lift you into God’s presence. I pray that He, in a powerful way, will use them to guide you in your role as a mother.

Introductions to the Books of the Bible

The Bible is a collection of 66 books inspired by God. The paragraphs at the beginning of each book will help you understand the historical, emotional, and spiritual context for the book you are about to read. The 39 Old Testament books are historically about creation and God’s chosen people, the Jews. They set the stage for the coming Savior. The 27 New Testament books focus on the life of Jesus Christ and the founding of His church. The perspective these introductions bring will help you to know what’s going on at the time each book was written so you can get the most out of your reading.

Our God Is . . .

God is the perfect Original, who, although He sometimes seems shrouded in mystery, puts in our hearts the desire to seek Him—and gives us ways to know Him. We study the Bible in order to find out what He is like. Even with our human limitations, we are enabled to discover who God is by noticing what He does, how He has acted in human history, and what He says about Himself. And to know exactly what God is like, we are encouraged to look at Jesus. This feature points out some things for you to know about your Holy and exalted God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Walking in . . .

How do we walk through each day with faith that pleases God? He is the Truth we seek as we try to discern moment by moment what is wise and good. This feature takes a look at our daily attitudes.

Godly Character

Just as we diligently watch over the character of our child’s heart, so God’s Word watches over the condition of our hearts. The character that He desires to display in our lives and in our homes is something only He can create and continually supply. This feature encourages openness to strengthening godly character and growing Christlike hearts.

Passing It On

What are we leaving behind us as our legacy? A scriptural look at what is worthy to pass down to our children challenges us to focus on what really matters.

Moms in the Bible

Some mothers whose stories are in the Bible are models of godliness. Some are not. Good or bad, their profiles give us valuable life lessons for our mothering roles and sharpen our focus on what it takes to be a woman who pleases God.

Wonderful Counselor

This feature is written by a Christian therapist who builds on solid biblical principles in her counseling ministry. Scripture is able to penetrate deep into a believer’s heart. Harmful ways of thinking, acting, and speaking must be identified so that healing may take place. These articles are written to help uncover issues that must be addressed in order to free us to be the women God created us to be. Only the Holy Spirit can untangle the deep knots in our hearts!

Insights

Short writings linked to specific Bible passages provide a healthy biblical perspective to think over and carry around in our motherhood backpacks.

Questions Kids Ask

Children ask tough questions about a lot of things, especially about God, the Bible, and the Christian life. We will never have all the answers, but we can always turn to Scripture. The Bible-based answers in this article will be helpful when your child says, Mom, I was just wondering . . . and may even answer a few of the questions you have wondered about, too!

Topical Index

The Topical Index helps you find all the great features of this Bible.

First Touch

At times, you may reach for your Bible because you need an instant word to instruct your mind or quiet your thoughts. Or discovering Bible truths may be part of your morning ritual. So much of the Bible’s wisdom can serve as an anchor for our attitudes and a compass for our behavior. The First Touch verses set apart in this Bible’s second color are ones you will cherish as you begin to collect your own favorite inspirational verses.

And Finally . . .

If you’ve ever heard someone say, Children should arrive with an instruction manual! I couldn’t agree more. The Bible is the best starting place for understanding life and the best resource we have to help us become the women we need to be for our high calling of motherhood.

With your Bible, a pen, and a journal, head for your favorite chair and meet with Jesus. Do this often. You’ll never regret time spent with Him. Write in your Bible margins and record the dates and names of people and things you’re praying about. Looking back, you’ll be amazed at how God has been involved in every detail of your life. And it could be that someday, when you’re in heaven, your children will cherish the notes and prayers you’ve written in the margins. They will see that you met with God in these pages and will be drawn closer to Him because you did.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The people who have helped with writing the notes in the Mom’s Bible have contributed much more than words on a page. These are family members and friends whose walk with Jesus and consistent prayer for this project have made the Bible you hold in your hands a reality. I am humbled by their diligent work, prayerful insights, and godly wisdom.

My husband, Dr. Robert Wolgemuth, besides being my beloved partner, best friend, and constant cheerleader, has also been my Sunday school teacher for over 40 years. The thoughts, insights, and notes I’ve taken, sitting on the front row of his classes, show up on every page of this book. His deep knowledge of Scripture and his wisdom have been a profound resource in my understanding of the Bible. Robert’s encouragement to share what I’ve learned with other mothers was what led to this Mom’s Bible. If I’m ever accused of stealing my husband’s best ideas, my defense will be that when he married me he said, Everything I have is yours.

My daughter, Missy Wolgemuth Schrader, has carefully and prayerfully worked over every single entry in this Bible. There were months and months of her early morning hours spent poring over the texts before her husband and three children woke up. Missy’s authentic and inspired insights kept the devotionals relevant and truth-filled. Because she is also a faithful wife to Jon, a nurturing mother to Abby, Luke, and Isaac, and maintains diligent involvement at church, school, and with friends, Missy was able to offer a sensible perspective on loving God and keeping life balanced like no one else I know. Some of my favorite memories are 5:00 a.m. e-mails from Missy with messages like Look what I found in this verse! I think this will help moms. God is so good! Her practical knowledge of the Bible and her enthusiasm to walk like Jesus in her world made Missy an invaluable partner in this project. It simply would not have happened without her passionate help.

Regina Sentell, my precious friend and long-time prayer partner, is also a nurse practitioner with a specialty in psychiatry and mental health. It is a gift to have ¹⁴ sessions in this Mom’s Bible available to mothers from a biblically devoted counselor. You will get a from the counselor’s chair look as a professional counselor exposes underlying problems, validates a mom’s feelings, and identifies the biblical truth available to transform difficult situations. There have been many times when Regina has helped me to see the heart of an issue hidden beneath my feelings. Her constant encouragement to walk with Christlikeness through the most difficult situations makes her the kind of friend I can trust to do the same for you. You will feel her love for Jesus and sense for yourself a loving embrace in the words she writes. Regina is a friend who cares. She will encourage your hurting heart and give you hope that God is very near.

Jennifer Cortez made an outstanding contribution of her time and talent in gathering research and helping to create and edit the Answers to Questions Kids Ask section. Being both a creative mother of three active sons and a thoughtful follower of Christ, Jennifer brought the best resources together for this feature. I cherish her friendship and admire her brain, wit, and winsome witness for Jesus.

During the long months of preparing this manuscript, several godly and inspiring pastors greatly contributed to my thinking and insight, helping me glean the morsels of truth that I share with you. My own pastor, Dr. David Swanson, is a brilliant expositor of biblical truth. His teaching has both inspired me and found its way into these insights. And the two men who pastor my daughter’s families—Loran Livingston and Jim Kallam—have contributed in manifold ways to the instruction you will receive in these pages. Besides these pastors, the music from the choir of Central Church under the leadership of Dennis Livingston has carried me.

The amazing women in my church Bible Study class have influenced this project in so many ways. Week after week they shared their lives and hearts as we studied God’s Word together. They were an example to me of faithful prayer warriors as they carried each other through every trial and celebrated every victory as sisters bound together in Christ. They sometimes brought their nursing babies to class, and we marveled at God’s good gifts. Sometimes they brought their tears, and we cried out together to our heavenly Father for comfort, peace, and hope. Every time we met, we discovered that the Holy Spirit was ready to teach us something unbelievable, practical, and hopeful. We were astonished every week how Jesus met us in a fresh way. The seeking hearts of these amazing women—their stories, insights, sorrows, and victories are woven into the shaping of this Mom’s Bible. I am a humbled and blessed Bible Mama because they showered their unrestrained love on me.

I am also blessed to have worked with the Thomas Nelson team and am so grateful for their encouragement, publishing expertise, and mission to find new ways to reach a world that is hungry for Christ.

Finally, other family members have both inspired and upheld us during the writing of the Mom’s Bible. My daughter, Julie Wolgemuth Tassy, has, along with her husband, Christopher, been a constant prayer warrior for Missy and me during the long writing process. From the trenches of mothering two vibrant and strong-willed daughters, Harper and Ella, she has been a confidante, listener, and clarifier of what it really takes to be a loving wife, unselfish mother, and an authentic Christ-follower. Julie wisely enlisted the prayers of her young daughters, knowing that participation in prayer now will prepare them to be the praying mothers of the future.

My ninety-two-year-old mother-in-law, Grace Dourte Wolgemuth, continues to be the most influential woman in my faith walk. Not only did she birth and train up my incredible husband with biblical wisdom, she considers me her own daughter and continues to pray for the fulfillment of God’s plan every day in our family’s lives. Her legacy of loving God’s Word with her whole heart, soul, strength, and mind, is passed on to you through many of the First Touch verses that she has cherished. There is no more beautiful contribution than the prayers Grace has prayed for all of us.

Blessings and smiles of gratitude to all of you,

Bobbie Wolgemuth

PREFACE TO THE NEW

CENTURY VERSION®

God intended for everyone to be able to read and understand his Word. The Old Testament is written in Hebrew, the language of the people of Israel. Through the use of vivid stories based on real events and beautiful poetry, it appeals to the minds and hearts of the educated and the uneducated. The New Testament was first written in the simple Greek of everyday life, not in the Latin of Roman courts or the classical Greek of the academies. Even Jesus, the Master Teacher, taught spiritual principles by comparing them to such familiar terms as pearls, seeds, rocks, trees, and sheep. Likewise, the New Century Version translates the Scriptures in familiar, everyday words of our times.

The New Century Version is a translation of God’s Word from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. A previous edition of the complete New Century Version, the International Children’s Bible, was published in 1986.

A Trustworthy Translation

Two basic premises guided the translation process of the New Century Version. The first concern was that the translation be faithful to the manuscripts in the original languages. A team composed of the World Bible Translation Center and fifty additional, highly qualified and experienced Bible scholars and translators was assembled. The team included people with translation experience on such accepted versions as the New International Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the New King James Version. The most recent scholarship and the best available Hebrew and Greek texts were used, principally the third edition of the United Bible Societies’ Greek text and the latest edition of the Biblia Hebraica, along with the Septuagint.

A Clear Translation

The second concern was to make the language clear enough for anyone to read the Bible and understand it. In maintaining clear language, several guidelines were followed. Vocabulary choice has been based upon The Living Word Vocabulary by Dr. Edgar Dale and Dr. Joseph O’Rourke (Worldbook-Childcraft International, 1981), which is the standard used by the editors of The World Book Encyclopedia to determine appropriate vocabulary. For difficult words that have no simpler synonyms, footnotes, references, and dictionary definitions are provided. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page and are indicated in the text by an n (for note).

The New Century Version aids understanding by putting concepts into natural terms. Modern measurements and geographical locations have been used as much as possible. For instance, terms such as shekels, cubits, omer, and hin have been converted to modern equivalents of weights and measures. Where geographical references are identical, the modern name has been used, such as the Mediterranean Sea instead of Great Sea or Western Sea. Also, to minimize confusion, the most familiar name for a place is used consistently instead of using variant names for the same place. Lake Galilee is used throughout the text rather than its variant forms, Sea of Kinnereth, Lake Gennesaret, and Sea of Tiberias.

Ancient customs are often unfamiliar to modern readers. Customs such as shaving a man’s beard to shame him or walking between the halves of a dead animal to seal an agreement are meaningless to most people today. So these are clarified either in the text or in a footnote.

Since meanings of words change with time, care has been taken to avoid potential misunderstandings. Frequently in the Old Testament God tells his people to devote something to him, as when he tells the Israelites to devote Jericho and everything in it to him. While we might understand this to mean he is telling them to keep it safe and holy, the exact opposite is true. He is telling them to destroy it totally as an offering to him. The New Century Version communicates the idea clearly by translating devoted in these situations as destroyed as an offering to the LORD.

Rhetorical questions in many instances have been stated according to their implied answer. The psalmist’s question What god is so great as our God? has been stated more directly as No god is as great as our God.

Figures of speech have been translated according to their meanings. For instance, the expression the Virgin Daughter of Zion, which is frequently used in the Old Testament, is simply translated the people of Jerusalem.

Idiomatic expressions of the biblical languages are translated to communicate the same meaning to today’s reader that would have been understood by the original audience. For example, the Hebrew idiom he rested with his fathers is translated by its meaning-he died.

Obscure terms have been clarified. In the Old Testament God frequently condemns the people for their high places and Asherah poles. The New Century Version translates these according to their meanings, which would have been understood by the Hebrews. High places is translated places where gods were worshiped, and Asherah poles is translated Asherah idols.

Gender language has been rendered in keeping with the principles of meaning-based translation. In the interest of providing the best rendering of the original Hebrew and Greek texts in contemporary English, appropriate gender terms are used whenever it is possible to do so without hindering clarity or accuracy. Masculine terms are used when the meaning of the original has to do with males, including references to deity and to male cultural situations such as the military and the priesthood. Feminine terms are used when the meaning of the original has to do with females. When the meaning of the original has to do with both males and females, nongendered terms are used. (In such cases, the masculine resumptive pronoun has sometimes been preferred to changing person or number.)

The divine name YHWH, the tetragrammaton, has been indicated in the New Century Version by putting LORD, and sometimes God, in capital letters, following the tradition of other English versions. This is to distinguish it from Adonai, another Hebrew word that is translated LORD.

Proper English style has been maintained while clarifying concepts and communication. The beauty of the Hebrew parallelism in poetry and the wordplays have been retained, and the images of the ancient languages have been captured in equivalent English images wherever possible.

Study Aids

Other features to enhance understanding of the text include subject headings throughout the text to identify speakers and topics, book subheadings to give a synopsis of each book’s theme, and footnotes offering additional information on selected verses.

Our Prayer

It is with great humility and prayerfulness that this Bible is presented. We acknowledge the infallibility of God’s Word, as well as our own human frailty. We pray that God has worked through us as his vessels so that we all might better learn his truth for ourselves and that it might richly grow in our lives. It is to his glory that this Bible is given.

THE PUBLISHER

THE

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

GENESIS

Home          Next

Chapter in GENESIS

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 1

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 2

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 3

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 4

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 6

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 7

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 8

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 9

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 10

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 11

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 12

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 13

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 14

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 15

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 16

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 17

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 18

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 19

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 20

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 21

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 22

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 23

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 24

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50

51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60

61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 25

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 26

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 27

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 28

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 29

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 30

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 31

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50

51, 52, 53, 54, 55

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 32

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 33

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 34

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 35

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 36

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 37

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 38

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 39

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 40

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 41

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50

51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 42

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 43

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 44

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 45

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 46

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33, 34

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 47

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 48

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 49

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31, 32, 33

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

Verses in GENESIS Chapter 50

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Back to Chapters in Genesis

Back to the Old Testament

Back to Table of Contents

GENESIS

THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS

Welcome to the Book of Beginnings. Genesis is an account of all things new . . . the universe, the first home with plants and animals, the first people, the first marriage, the first family, and the first sin. It is also the story of Almighty God. He spoke and things happened. His words brought order and purpose out of chaos.

Genesis is about God’s extraordinary desire to have a relationship with us, even when we sin and disobey. His great plan for redeeming fallen men and women was revealed through a special group of people, the Jews. The stage was set for the visit of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to earth at a future point in history.

The stories you’ll read in Genesis are about ordinary people who married, had children, and started legacies. Generation after generation followed. And like these patriarchs and matriarchs, many years from now, your stories may be familiar to a myriad of offspring. They’ll remember your gifts and your flaws, your successes and your failures. Genesis provides some clues about how to build a relationship with your Creator . . . to live a life of obedience and prepare your own children-your legacy—to live as God intended in the very beginning.

The Beginning of the World

1In the beginning God created the sky and the earth. ²The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean, and God’s Spirit was moving over the water.

³Then God said, Let there be light, and there was light. ⁴God saw that the light was good, so he divided the light from the darkness. ⁵God named the light day and the darkness night. Evening passed, and morning came. This was the first day.

⁶Then God said, Let there be something to divide the water in two.⁷So God made the air and placed some of the water above the air and some below it. ⁸God named the air sky. Evening passed, and morning came. This was the second day.

⁹Then God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered together so the dry land will appear. And it happened. ¹⁰God named the dry land earth and the water that was gathered together seas. God saw that this was good.

¹¹Then God said, Let the earth produce plants—some to make grain for seeds and others to make fruits with seeds in them. Every seed will produce more of its own kind of plant. And it happened. ¹²The earth produced plants with grain for seeds and trees that made fruits with seeds in them. Each seed grew its own kind of plant. God saw that all this was good. ¹³Evening passed, and morning came. This was the third day.

¹⁴Then God said, Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night. These lights will be used for signs, seasons, days, and years. ¹⁵They will be in the sky to give light to the earth. And it happened.

¹⁶So God made the two large lights. He made the brighter light to rule the day and made the smaller light to rule the night. He also made the stars. ¹⁷God put all these in the sky to shine on the earth,¹⁸to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw that all these things were good.

---

OUR GOD IS a

GENEROUS GIVER

In the beginning God created the sky and the earth. (1:1)

---

In this amazing chapter, we read about how our heavenly Father tackled the greatest creative project in history—our universe—complete with everything from oranges to orangutans. Then God did an incredible thing: He gave all of it to the man and the woman to rule over (verse 26) and to enjoy (verses 28-30).

Throughout the Bible, God demonstrates abundant generosity to His children. And He gives us more than tangible things. Of course, His ultimate gift was sending His Son, Jesus (John 3:16). God gives us His presence (Psalm 21:6), His mercies (Psalm 40:11), and other perfect gifts (James 1:17). But have you considered that God’s loving generosity includes the gift of setting boundaries? In His love, God told Adam and Eve there was something they could not do—eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).

God lavished His offspring with good things to enjoy within the framework of discipline. He provides every excellent gift for His children; then He holds them accountable to be obedient stewards.

Ask the LORD to help you become a giving parent. Generously give your presence, your tender mercy, your provisions . . . and your discipline.

¹⁹Evening passed, and morning came. This was the fourth day.

²⁰Then God said, Let the water be filled with living things, and let birds fly in the air above the earth.

²¹So God created the large sea animals and every living thing that moves in the sea. The sea is filled with these living things, with each one producing more of its own kind. He also made every bird that flies, and each bird produced more of its own kind. God saw that this was good. ²²God blessed them and said, Have many young ones so that you may grow in number. Fill the water of the seas, and let the birds grow in number on the earth.²³Evening passed, and morning came. This was the fifth day.

²⁴Then God said, Let the earth be filled with animals, each producing more of its own kind. Let there be tame animals and small crawling animals and wild animals, and let each produce more of its kind. And it happened.

²⁵So God made the wild animals, the tame animals, and all the small crawling animals to produce more of their own kind. God saw that this was good.

²⁶Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the tame animals, over all the earth, and over all the small crawling animals on the earth.

²⁷So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. ²⁸God blessed them and said, Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

²⁹God said, Look, I have given you all the plants that have grain for seeds and all the trees whose fruits have seeds in them. They will be food for you. ³⁰I have given all the green plants as food for every wild animal, every bird of the air, and every small crawling animal. And it happened. ³¹God looked at everything he had made, and it was very good. Evening passed, and morning came. This was the sixth day.

The Seventh Day—Rest

2So the sky, the earth, and all that filled them were finished. ²By the seventh day God finished the work he had been doing, so he rested from all his work. ³God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day, because on that day he rested from all the work he had done in creating the world.

WALKING in JOY

CREATE and CELEBRATE

God looked at everything he had made,

and it was very good. (1:31)

The first chapter of Genesis is the written account of Almighty God—Father, Son, and Holy Spiritwho made something fantastic out of nothing with the sound of His voice. After each day of creation, God stepped back, took a look at what He had done and declared it good.

God favored you as a mother when He created your family. His creation came with a divine purpose for each member . . . for His glory. We mirror the capacity to be in relationship with each other as God the Father was in relationship with the Son and the Holy Spirit. Parenting a baby to adulthood is a process that requires communication, years of hard work, prayer, persistence, and sacrifice. In every stage there are new challenges to deal with, new temptations for distraction, and new reasons to seek God for His view of family.

Always remember that God looks at you and your family with delight and joy (Zephaniah 3:17). Our challenge is to please Him by having that same wonderful perspective.

Keep in mind, too, that God chose you to reflect His glory, and He will equip you to take care of His creation . . . your family. Celebrate each unique member. God has declared your family good.

The First People

⁴This is the story of the creation of the sky and the earth. When the LORD God first made the earth and the sky,⁵there were still no plants on the earth. Nothing was growing in the fields because the LORD God had not yet made it rain on the land. And there was no person to care for the ground,⁶but a mist would rise up from the earth and water all the ground.

⁷Then the LORD God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living person. ⁸Then the LORD God planted a garden in the east, in a place called Eden, and put the man he had formed into it. ⁹The LORD God caused every beautiful tree and every tree that was good for food to grow out of the ground. In the middle of the garden, God put the tree that gives life and also the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil.

¹⁰A river flowed through Eden and watered the garden. From there the river branched out to become four rivers. ¹¹The first river, named Pishon, flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. ¹²The gold of that land is excellent. Bdellium and onyxnare also found there. ¹³The second river, named Gihon, flows around the whole land of Cush. ¹⁴The third river, named Tigris, flows out of Assyria toward the east. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

¹⁵The LORD God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it. ¹⁶The LORD God commanded him, You may eat the fruit from any tree in the garden,¹⁷but you must not eat the fruit from the tree which gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you ever eat fruit from that tree, you will die!

PASSING IT ON

HARD WORK and

HIRE POWER

GENESIS 2:15

From the beginning, people were created to work. That’s right—work was God’s idea. It wasn’t the result of sin or the consequence of God’s punishing curse. Work is a gift. Of course, the tasks we’re faced with aren’t always easy, but working—tending, cleaning, creating, resolving, implementing, organizing, or whatever it might look like for you—was a part of God’s original design.

Do your kids know the joy of hard work? Can they tackle a task and complete it? Even though it’s called work, there’s no reason it can’t be fun and fulfilling. Someday your children will be evaluated for job performance. Will they be the kind of workers that a prudent boss will want to hire? God’s Word is clear: Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the LORD with all your heart (Romans 12:11). Select tasks, chores, and jobs that your children can accomplish. Work alongside them and teach them to go beyond the level of expectation. Turn difficult tasks into a game. Monitor and evaluate results, holding your children accountable to do their best for the LORD (Colossians 3:17). Reward them with praise and appreciation openly and immediately for jobs well done, and you’ll find your teammates will be satisfied and enthusiastic. Work was part of God’s original plan. His Son said, I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you. . . . If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:15, 17). Give your children a gift with a blessing. Teach them to serve the LORD with hard work.

The First Woman

¹⁸Then the LORD God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.

¹⁹From the ground God formed every wild animal and every bird in the sky, and he brought them to the man so the man could name them. Whatever the man called each living thing, that became its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all the tame animals, to the birds in the sky, and to all the wild animals. But Adamndid not find a helper that was right for him. ²¹So the LORD God caused the man to sleep very deeply, and while he was asleep, God removed one of the man’s ribs. Then God closed up the man’s skin at the place where he took the rib. ²²The LORD God used the rib from the man to make a woman, and then he brought the woman to the man.

²³And the man said,

"Now, this is someone whose bones came from my bones,

whose body came from my body.

I will call her ‘woman,’

because she was taken out of man."

²⁴So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body.

²⁵The man and his wife were naked, but they were not ashamed.

The Beginning of Sin

3Now the snake was the most clever of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day the snake said to the woman, Did God really say that you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?

²The woman answered the snake, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden. ³But God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch it, or you will die.’

⁴But the snake said to the woman, You will not die. ⁵God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will learn about good and evil and you will be like God!

⁶The woman saw that the tree was beautiful, that its fruit was good to eat, and that it would make her wise. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of the fruit to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.

WALKING in WISDOM

MOTHERING INCLUDES SOME NO’S

But you must not eat the fruit from the tree which gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you ever eat fruit from that tree, you will die! (2:17)

The Garden of Eden was beautiful and perfect in every way. Woman’s relationship to man was filled with respect and companionship. Man’s relationship to woman was tender and loving. No tension or arguing. And both had a relationship with their Creator that was intimate and sweet. Amazingly, right in the middle of this pristine flawlessness was a no. A centrally located and exquisite tree, the fruit of which could not be eaten.

We sometimes think of enjoyment as having no boundaries or inhibitions. I want it, I get it, and no one stops me. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Our kids may think so. Being a wise mother, though, means we are diligent to surround our children with loving boundaries for their good. God knows we and they actually feel more secure when certain guidelines are in place. As they practice the discipline we teach—saying no to staying up too late or to watching an unapproved television show—they develop the strength to say no later when the stakes are much higher.

Take heart. Even Eden, as perfect as it was, included some restrictions. Your children may not celebrate your discipline right now, but with the fruit of self-control (Galatians 5:22), they will be better prepared to confront the temptations of their culture.

⁷Then, it was as if their eyes were opened. They realized they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made something to cover themselves.

⁸Then they heard the LORD God walking in the garden during the cool part of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees in the garden. ⁹But the LORD God called to the man and said, Where are you?

¹⁰The man answered, I heard you walking in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.

¹¹God asked, Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?

¹²The man said, You gave this woman to me and she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it.

¹³Then the LORD God said to the woman, How could you have done such a thing?

She answered, The snake tricked me, so I ate the fruit.

¹⁴The LORD God said to the snake,

"Because you did this,

a curse will be put on you.

You will be cursed as no other animal,

tame or wild, will ever be.

You will crawl on your stomach,

and you will eat dust all the days of your life.

¹⁵I will make you and the woman enemies to each other.

Your descendants and her descendants will be enemies.

One of her descendants will crush your head,

and you will bite his heel."

¹⁶Then God said to the woman,

MOMS in the BIBLE

EVE, FASHIONED by GOD

The LORD God used the rib from the man to make a woman, and then he brought the woman to the man. (2:22)

Gloriously created to be the pure ideal of womanhood, Eve must have been a wonder of unsurpassed beauty and strength. In every delicate detail, she was designed and assembled by the Creator with strength of body, innocence of heart, steady emotions, unbroken spiritual communion, and amazing intellect. She had balanced hormones, tender secret places designed for pleasure and procreation, and the capacity to be an exquisite companion and perfect helper for Adam as costeward over paradise. The LORD also gave Eve the desire to nurture the children she would joyfully conceive.

Taken from man’s side, Eve completed Adam and finished God’s creative work; she was designed without Adam’s suggestions or help . . . for he was asleep (1:21).

As a woman, Eve was equal to, yet different from man. She was built to be his spiritual counterpart, intellectual partner, sexual mate, and companion. Jesus referred to their flawless marriage as a perfect union (Matthew 19:4-6).

When faced with temptation, however, Eve threw away paradise. Sadly, in the face of indescribable prosperity and a happy marriage, she doubted the character of God. Unwilling to obey the LORD God, she acted on Satan’s lie that promised her wisdom and freedom. After the Fall, only through God’s redemptive grace would she ever again be able to experience joy, hope, and privileges in wifehood, motherhood, and her relationship with her Creator.

Even though Satan had a plot to ruin families, God took the first steps with Adam and Eve to heal homes with the plan of redemption. He stooped to clothe the fugitives’ nakedness and restore communication. And it is through the Savior’s stooping to clothe us with His righteousness that God makes our lives and homes a picture of what He originally intended. As we worship our Creator, we reflect glimpses of the paradise of redeemed lives, holy marriages, sanctified motherhood, and purposeful identity. God provides restoration with His presence, the faith to believe His Word, and the Holy Spirit’s inspiration to follow His example.

"I will cause you to have much trouble when you are pregnant,

and when you give birth to children,

you will have great pain.

You will greatly desire your husband,

but he will rule over you."

¹⁷Then God said to the man, "You listened to what your wife said, and you ate fruit from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat.

"So I will put a curse on the ground,

and you will have to work very hard for your food.

In pain you will eat its food all the days of your life.

¹⁸The ground will produce thorns and weeds for you,

and you will eat the plants of the field.

¹⁹You will sweat and work hard for your food.

Later you will return to the ground,

because you were taken from it.

You are dust,

and when you die, you will return to the dust."

²⁰The man named his wife Eve,n because she was the mother of all the living.

²¹The LORD God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them. ²²Then the LORD God said, Humans have become like one of us; they know good and evil. We must keep them from eating some of the fruit from the tree of life, or they will live forever.²³So the LORD God forced Adam out of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴After God forced humans out of the garden, he placed angels and a sword of fire that flashed around in every direction on its eastern border. This kept people from getting to the tree of life.

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

KEEPING YOUR MARRIAGE STRONG

So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body. Genesis 2:24

Changes in energy and mood as well as concerns about parenting skills prompted Kim to come in for counseling. She has three children; the youngest is only 8 months old. As she began to speak, her expression and body language revealed that she was anxious and weary. She talked openly about her concerns for each of her children, and how she is managing them. Her expression changed from anxious to sad when I asked about her relationship with her husband, Rick. Kim told me that she was very uneasy because, although they have always been deeply in love with each other, she now felt distance growing between them. Although she intensely desired to regain their original closeness, Kim wondered if oneness is possible during child-rearing years.

She explained that Rick has begun to complain that all their conversations are about the children, their problems, and their crowded schedules. At the end of the day, Kim has no energy left for Rick. Their previously vibrant

Reviews for NCV, Mom's Bible

[cherryblossommj_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Who knew that brown font could be so pretty? This Bible is a treasure and a delight. Being made up of the New Century Version translation this is a perfect companion to the popular Dad's Bible: The Father's Plan. Through the additional text in this Bible the notes from Bobbie Wolgemuth allow the truth of importance that a mother is to her family. The encouragement found within these pages is incredibly valuable. My favorite part is probably the "Moms in the Bible" segments where profiles are highlighted that share lessons for our own mothering roles and give a focus on how to be a woman that pleases God as a Mom. Another valuable segment is "Questions Kids Ask" with some great scriptural answers.This Bible is a great gift idea, and one that will definitely allow Mom a few moments of going back to God and just being with Jesus that is until the next tatrum. *grin* (Pardon me, my baby calls...)*Thanks to BookSneeze for providing a copy for review.*