Genesis 20
V. 3 God came to Abimelech in a dream...
V. 11 Abraham said, "I thought surely there is no fear of God in this place...
Abraham and Sarah had moved to Gerar, and Abraham had told King Abimelech of Gerar that Sarah was his sister, rather than his wife, because he was afraid that they would kill him to have Sarah, because she was a very beautiful woman. And Abimelech had taken her into his harem, but hadn't come near her yet.
This is the second time Abraham did this. Right after God promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, and he had begun to travel around the land of Canaan, there came a famine, so they went to Egypt. And Abraham told Sarah to tell them that she was his sister, so they took her into Pharaoh's harem. She must've really been beautiful, at age 65! (see Genesis 12.)
These two times we see that Abraham depended on his own reasoning concerning these pagan kings, thinking that they would take his life to get him out of the way to procure his wife for their own harems; but they took her, anyway, considering her his sister.
I wonder why it didn't occur to him that God couldn't make him into a great nation if he was dead!
How many times have I depended on my own powers of reasoning and logic to make pivotal decisions? Instead of relying on God and His Word? How often have I not even thought to consult my Father in Heaven? Do I think He wouldn't be interested? That's not just silly, it's foolish! Of course He's concerned for every detail of my life. If He counts how many hairs that are on my head, how much more is he watching what I do!
Well, God protected Sarah from having to sleep with either of these kings, and they even paid Abraham to take her and leave.
Would that my foolish choices could turn out so well. I have found that my consequences haven't been that rosy. So I want to remember to pray about every decision before I come to act on it. I want to consider Him and His ways in everything I do, all the time.
This takes practice, to remind myself to pray. So I've been working on "practicing the presence of the Lord" for quite some time now, and I hope that my thinking processes are beginning to proceed along my Lord's lines, instead of my flesh.
O my Father, please help me keep my focus on what You would have me think about, to see with Your eyes and discern with Your understanding. Thank You for Your promise to never leave me, so I know that You are with me every moment of every day. Help me to continually be aware of Your constant closeness, and rest in Your arms.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Fear Or Faith?
Genesis 19: 19-21
"...I can't flee to the mountains. ... Here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it--it is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be spared." He said to him, "Very well, I will grant this request, too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of." ... (That is why the town was renamed Zoar.)
V. 30
Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.
Lot didn't want to go to the mountains like he was told to do, and so Bela's name was changed to Zoar, meaning "small" (see Genesis 14:1, 8), and it was the only town in that whole plain that was left intact; everywhere else around it was totally destroyed.
So now these village people probably blamed Lot for the disaster, not realizing that it was because of him that they were still alive. So he feared for his life there, and ended up in the mountains, after all.
Lot was a city guy, but God wanted him in the mountains. How often do I not go where God says, and delay God's plan for me? How often do I just stay where I am and not get off my duff and do what He has shown me to do?
O my Father, strengthen me to go and do what You want me to do, not procrastinate and delay and put it off. Help me, Father, for I am weak. My strength is only in You.
Then allow me to accomplish what You have placed before me; to not bang on the door you have closed, but to see and enter through the door You have opened before me, no matter how scary it looks to me.
Let my confidence in You give me the boldness to enter in, and do what my hand finds to do, even if I never did it this way before.
And may You get all the credit, all the honor, all the glory, all the praise, as You are the One Who has planned it all out and designed it to work this way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"...I can't flee to the mountains. ... Here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it--it is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be spared." He said to him, "Very well, I will grant this request, too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of." ... (That is why the town was renamed Zoar.)
V. 30
Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.
Lot didn't want to go to the mountains like he was told to do, and so Bela's name was changed to Zoar, meaning "small" (see Genesis 14:1, 8), and it was the only town in that whole plain that was left intact; everywhere else around it was totally destroyed.
So now these village people probably blamed Lot for the disaster, not realizing that it was because of him that they were still alive. So he feared for his life there, and ended up in the mountains, after all.
Lot was a city guy, but God wanted him in the mountains. How often do I not go where God says, and delay God's plan for me? How often do I just stay where I am and not get off my duff and do what He has shown me to do?
O my Father, strengthen me to go and do what You want me to do, not procrastinate and delay and put it off. Help me, Father, for I am weak. My strength is only in You.
Then allow me to accomplish what You have placed before me; to not bang on the door you have closed, but to see and enter through the door You have opened before me, no matter how scary it looks to me.
Let my confidence in You give me the boldness to enter in, and do what my hand finds to do, even if I never did it this way before.
And may You get all the credit, all the honor, all the glory, all the praise, as You are the One Who has planned it all out and designed it to work this way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, November 20, 2017
The Methods Of The World
Genesis 16: 2
And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
The custom of the peoples living around them had this practice of using a slave-surrogate to bear children for a barren wife. So Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) thought they could accomplish God's plan for them using the methods of the World!
And today we see the results of this. Verse 12 says that, "his hand will be against everyone, (then) everyone's hand will be against him. And he will live to the East of his brothers." So Ishmael will provoke "everyone" to bring their response of being against him; and they do live East of Israel, and are the most passionate against Israel.
How often we want to do things the way the World says, instead of doing the hard thing God has asked us to do. The thing we are not able to do at all. But we want His plan to succeed, and decide that we can do it for Him.
That always comes back to bite us. Every time I try to do things my way, they always mess up my life. Only as I learn to lean upon Him and not my own understanding, as I do things His way, even it it seems crazy, then He will cause it all to turn out well (see Proverbs 3:5-6).
O my Father, teach me Your ways, keep me from being seduced by my own flesh to do things the way the World says to do them; but to always turn to You and Your Word for the way to think, to speak, and to act. Show me the deception in all the World's ways, as they have taken Your good principles from Your Word and taught that we don't need You to follow them.
But I know that You alone are wise, that the World's wisdom is foolishness, and Your ways seem foolish to the World. But I want to do all I do according to Your ways, and trust You to bless others through me as You bless me.
Then You will get the credit, not me. You will receive the glory, and the honor, and the praise for everything You have done.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
The custom of the peoples living around them had this practice of using a slave-surrogate to bear children for a barren wife. So Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) thought they could accomplish God's plan for them using the methods of the World!
And today we see the results of this. Verse 12 says that, "his hand will be against everyone, (then) everyone's hand will be against him. And he will live to the East of his brothers." So Ishmael will provoke "everyone" to bring their response of being against him; and they do live East of Israel, and are the most passionate against Israel.
How often we want to do things the way the World says, instead of doing the hard thing God has asked us to do. The thing we are not able to do at all. But we want His plan to succeed, and decide that we can do it for Him.
That always comes back to bite us. Every time I try to do things my way, they always mess up my life. Only as I learn to lean upon Him and not my own understanding, as I do things His way, even it it seems crazy, then He will cause it all to turn out well (see Proverbs 3:5-6).
O my Father, teach me Your ways, keep me from being seduced by my own flesh to do things the way the World says to do them; but to always turn to You and Your Word for the way to think, to speak, and to act. Show me the deception in all the World's ways, as they have taken Your good principles from Your Word and taught that we don't need You to follow them.
But I know that You alone are wise, that the World's wisdom is foolishness, and Your ways seem foolish to the World. But I want to do all I do according to Your ways, and trust You to bless others through me as You bless me.
Then You will get the credit, not me. You will receive the glory, and the honor, and the praise for everything You have done.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Faith That Saves
Genesis 15: 6
Then he believed in the Lord, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
Abram (Abraham) believed in the Lord when He showed him all the stars in the sky, and there was no "light pollution" to to mask any of them; Abram must have seen thousands, even millions of stars, and God had told him that's how many descendants he would have, even before he had any children yet of his own. Even before God made the blood covenant with him with the divided animals (15:9-17) to "sign" the covenant, the contract He made with him to give his family the land (15:18-21).
Abraham believed, even before Isaac was born (21:1-7). Abraham demonstrated and proved his faith when God tested him (Chapter 22:1-18). And God said, "by Myself I have sworn," declares the Lord, "that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your Offspring all Nations on Earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me." (22:16-18).
So Abraham believed in God, and his faith was counted as righteousness in God's eyes. Then years later, God tested his faith, and because he trusted God enough to go ahead with the sacrifice of his son, he proved that his trust in the Lord was strong enough to overcome even the most challenging circumstance.
So our faith alone is enough to save us, but if it is genuine, saving faith, it will express itself in what we do. Our obedience proves that our faith is genuine; and the trials we face will grow our trust in God, Who always provides a way to escape the temptation, and do what is right (I Corinthians 10:13), just as He provided the ram caught by its horns in a thicket (22:13) to take Isaac's place in death.
O my Father, I look back and see how much You showed me, before I believed. I was taught Your Truth about Who Jesus is, but You showed me that He took my place on that Cross. How much more have You shown me through the years since that day You saved me. Thank You so much for Your grace-gift of the faith to trust You with all I am. Thank You that you are worthy of all my trust, that You are Almighty God Who can do all things. And thank You for designing this World to run on Love. Continue to teach me more of Who You are, how You designed things to operate, and how I can cooperate with You in my thoughts, my words and my works.
Keep me on that path You have set my feet upon, that I may confidently step each step with my hand in Yours, not turning to the right or to the left, with Your Light illuminating all the pitfalls and stumbling stones in the way. Cause what I do to be a benefit to all You bring across my path, and bless them also with Your good gifts.
And Father, draw them to Yourself, hiding my flesh in that "cleft of the rock" as You cover me with Your hand, and shine Your light that You have placed in me upon them.
And may You receive all the credit, all the honor and glory, for all that You are doing in my life and in this World.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Then he believed in the Lord, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
Abram (Abraham) believed in the Lord when He showed him all the stars in the sky, and there was no "light pollution" to to mask any of them; Abram must have seen thousands, even millions of stars, and God had told him that's how many descendants he would have, even before he had any children yet of his own. Even before God made the blood covenant with him with the divided animals (15:9-17) to "sign" the covenant, the contract He made with him to give his family the land (15:18-21).
Abraham believed, even before Isaac was born (21:1-7). Abraham demonstrated and proved his faith when God tested him (Chapter 22:1-18). And God said, "by Myself I have sworn," declares the Lord, "that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your Offspring all Nations on Earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me." (22:16-18).
So Abraham believed in God, and his faith was counted as righteousness in God's eyes. Then years later, God tested his faith, and because he trusted God enough to go ahead with the sacrifice of his son, he proved that his trust in the Lord was strong enough to overcome even the most challenging circumstance.
So our faith alone is enough to save us, but if it is genuine, saving faith, it will express itself in what we do. Our obedience proves that our faith is genuine; and the trials we face will grow our trust in God, Who always provides a way to escape the temptation, and do what is right (I Corinthians 10:13), just as He provided the ram caught by its horns in a thicket (22:13) to take Isaac's place in death.
O my Father, I look back and see how much You showed me, before I believed. I was taught Your Truth about Who Jesus is, but You showed me that He took my place on that Cross. How much more have You shown me through the years since that day You saved me. Thank You so much for Your grace-gift of the faith to trust You with all I am. Thank You that you are worthy of all my trust, that You are Almighty God Who can do all things. And thank You for designing this World to run on Love. Continue to teach me more of Who You are, how You designed things to operate, and how I can cooperate with You in my thoughts, my words and my works.
Keep me on that path You have set my feet upon, that I may confidently step each step with my hand in Yours, not turning to the right or to the left, with Your Light illuminating all the pitfalls and stumbling stones in the way. Cause what I do to be a benefit to all You bring across my path, and bless them also with Your good gifts.
And Father, draw them to Yourself, hiding my flesh in that "cleft of the rock" as You cover me with Your hand, and shine Your light that You have placed in me upon them.
And may You receive all the credit, all the honor and glory, for all that You are doing in my life and in this World.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Nothing Will Be Impossible
Genesis 11:6
...And now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.
I think this is one of the most astounding pronouncements in the whole Bible!
God says here, that, with the new technology of baked bricks and mortar instead of stones, to be able to build this tower; now that they see that they can do this, then nothing they imagine will be impossible for them to accomplish!
So we find today that Science Fiction in time becomes Science Fact. Throughout all of human history, everything that has entered into the imagination of Man, with cooperation, financing, and hard work, we now have technologies today that were only dreamed about just a few years ago.
And Satan has even convinced some people today that we are the kind of gods who created the Universe!
We are God's imagination, and He also gave us imagination, being made in His image and likeness. But we need to acknowledge Him in everything we do, not take the credit for ourselves. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).
O my Father, thank You for making me according to Your design, and for giving us, as a human race, to be able to imagine You, and to figure out how to do and make so many things. Help us, O Lord, to recognize You as the Source and Provider of our intelligence, our imagination, and our ability to earn a living in this World.
Keep us in Your hand, Jesus, with Your Father's hand over us, securely in Your care. Lead and direct us, each of us, in the path You have set our feet upon, step by step travelling closer to that final Day when our Lord and King returns to claim His Kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
...And now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.
I think this is one of the most astounding pronouncements in the whole Bible!
God says here, that, with the new technology of baked bricks and mortar instead of stones, to be able to build this tower; now that they see that they can do this, then nothing they imagine will be impossible for them to accomplish!
So we find today that Science Fiction in time becomes Science Fact. Throughout all of human history, everything that has entered into the imagination of Man, with cooperation, financing, and hard work, we now have technologies today that were only dreamed about just a few years ago.
And Satan has even convinced some people today that we are the kind of gods who created the Universe!
We are God's imagination, and He also gave us imagination, being made in His image and likeness. But we need to acknowledge Him in everything we do, not take the credit for ourselves. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).
O my Father, thank You for making me according to Your design, and for giving us, as a human race, to be able to imagine You, and to figure out how to do and make so many things. Help us, O Lord, to recognize You as the Source and Provider of our intelligence, our imagination, and our ability to earn a living in this World.
Keep us in Your hand, Jesus, with Your Father's hand over us, securely in Your care. Lead and direct us, each of us, in the path You have set our feet upon, step by step travelling closer to that final Day when our Lord and King returns to claim His Kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, November 17, 2017
Do I Run My Mouth?
Job 40-42
God confronts Job with Behemoth (sounds like the Brontosaurus, now called the Bracchiosaurus) and Leviathan (sounds like a fire-breathing water dragon, no wings). And Job says, I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know....Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes (Job 40:4).
Job says that he didn't know what he was talking about, and ran his mouth about things too high and deep for him to grasp. So he took it all back, and "repented in dust and ashes."
How often do I run my mouth, or my fingers, with texting and/or emails or postings of matters I don't fully grasp? Of situations I don't understand?
How can I take it back? Words are "out there," lie feathers on the wind.
Because Job humbled himself before God and prayed for his friends, God replaced everything he had lost with twice as much! (Job 42:12-15.)
I don't expect that in this life.
But I do trust His promise to accept me "in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6) and to live forever in that New Jerusalem that will come down to the New Earth (21:1, 7) after this Earth explodes in fire and this Universe implodes on itself (II Peter 3:7, 10-12).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
God confronts Job with Behemoth (sounds like the Brontosaurus, now called the Bracchiosaurus) and Leviathan (sounds like a fire-breathing water dragon, no wings). And Job says, I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know....Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes (Job 40:4).
Job says that he didn't know what he was talking about, and ran his mouth about things too high and deep for him to grasp. So he took it all back, and "repented in dust and ashes."
How often do I run my mouth, or my fingers, with texting and/or emails or postings of matters I don't fully grasp? Of situations I don't understand?
How can I take it back? Words are "out there," lie feathers on the wind.
Because Job humbled himself before God and prayed for his friends, God replaced everything he had lost with twice as much! (Job 42:12-15.)
I don't expect that in this life.
But I do trust His promise to accept me "in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6) and to live forever in that New Jerusalem that will come down to the New Earth (21:1, 7) after this Earth explodes in fire and this Universe implodes on itself (II Peter 3:7, 10-12).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Faith To Seek Him
Hebrews 11: 6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Some call themselves atheists or agnostics, claiming that there is no way to know for sure there is a God at all. And they are correct to a point.
There is no way for us to know God if He had not chosen to reveal Himself to us. But He has. When we choose to believe what He has told us, then we can learn to trust what He says. Our choice.
Believing that God exists is a good start, but only the first step. The demons also believe that God exists, because they've seen Him. But they don't trust Him.
God made Man with both, the ability to die and also to live forever, our choice. So when Adam willfully sinned, his DNA was changed to allow him to die. Had he ate instead of the Tree of Life, it would have changed his DNA to never die at all; that's why he was driven away from that Tree before he had a chance to sample it after first eating from the Tree of Knowledge.
Now, being subject to death, he can have a substitute to die in his place. The animals needed to die to provide clothing for Adam and Eve, showing that their sin would be covered by the blood of the animal.
Then He gave the sacrifical system to cover their sins until the Messiah (Savior) would come, and to show what He would accomplish for us as the Lamb of God, in not just covering, but actually washing away our sins without a stain or wrinkle by shedding God's own Blood on our behalf individually.
So, if you're searching for the Truth, His Name is Jesus, the Christ of God. He has promised that, if you seek the Lord your God you will find Him, if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).
When I was seeking for the Truth, it didn't matter to me what that Truth would be, just that I could find it so I could believe it, and not be deceived. That's when God found me (I'm the one who was lost!) and I realized that Jesus is the Truth I'd been looking for.
And He will also be found by you. And reward you with His precious salvation and redemption He so graciously and freely gifts to us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Some call themselves atheists or agnostics, claiming that there is no way to know for sure there is a God at all. And they are correct to a point.
There is no way for us to know God if He had not chosen to reveal Himself to us. But He has. When we choose to believe what He has told us, then we can learn to trust what He says. Our choice.
Believing that God exists is a good start, but only the first step. The demons also believe that God exists, because they've seen Him. But they don't trust Him.
God made Man with both, the ability to die and also to live forever, our choice. So when Adam willfully sinned, his DNA was changed to allow him to die. Had he ate instead of the Tree of Life, it would have changed his DNA to never die at all; that's why he was driven away from that Tree before he had a chance to sample it after first eating from the Tree of Knowledge.
Now, being subject to death, he can have a substitute to die in his place. The animals needed to die to provide clothing for Adam and Eve, showing that their sin would be covered by the blood of the animal.
Then He gave the sacrifical system to cover their sins until the Messiah (Savior) would come, and to show what He would accomplish for us as the Lamb of God, in not just covering, but actually washing away our sins without a stain or wrinkle by shedding God's own Blood on our behalf individually.
So, if you're searching for the Truth, His Name is Jesus, the Christ of God. He has promised that, if you seek the Lord your God you will find Him, if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).
When I was seeking for the Truth, it didn't matter to me what that Truth would be, just that I could find it so I could believe it, and not be deceived. That's when God found me (I'm the one who was lost!) and I realized that Jesus is the Truth I'd been looking for.
And He will also be found by you. And reward you with His precious salvation and redemption He so graciously and freely gifts to us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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