Bringing the Best Out of the Worst

Read Genesis - Ruth

In December of 2009, a decision was made that transformed my deliverance of the Word in the local church. For the first time in thirty four years of preaching, I decided to preach from Genesis to Revelation within the same year. The sixty-six books of the Bible are meaningfully connected in purposes and proclamation of the promises of God.

From the Father of faith to the great, great grandmother of King David and ancestor of Jesus, the Christ (not named in the first eight books of the Bible, but acknowledged in Matthew 1:5) God is at work ushering in redemption by way of a wanderer and a prostitute. An awesome God is transforming the world by way of bringing the best out of the worst.

Enjoy reading the Word of God through each of the Books of the Bible as you join me in this journey of faith. Below find selected verses from Genesis to Ruth. Promise to stay with me through the Word, and I promise that God will deliver on the Word.

Now the Lord said to Abram. "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great , so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:1:3)

The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means clearing the guilty, but visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. He said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance." (Exodus 34:6-9)

Thus you shall keep my commandments and observe them: I am the Lord. You shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel: I am the Lord: I sanctify you, I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 22:31-33)

And now, therefore, let the power of the Lord be great in the way that you promised when you spoke, saying: "The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children to the third and the fourth generation." Forgive the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now. (Numbers 14:17-19)

When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God hands them over to you and take them captive, suppose you see among the captives a beautiful woman who you desire and want to marry, and so you bring her to your house: she shall shave her head, pare her nails, discard her captive's garb, and shall remain in your house a full month, mourning for her father and mother; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. But if you are not satisfied with her, you shall let her go free and not sell her for money. You must not treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her. (Deuteronomy 21:10-14)

"...Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:6-9)

After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, who lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim, rose to deliver Israel. He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died, and was buried at Shamir. After him came Jair the Gileaditee, who judged Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys; and they had thirty towns, which are in the land of Gilead, and are called Havvothjair to this day. Jair died, and was buried in Kamon. (10:1-5)

Then the woman said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourished of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him." Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, " A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:14-17)


Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, now and forevermore. Amen