Scripture Sunday: Forgiveness

....he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, slaughter and animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon."

Genesis 43:16 (NIV)

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me."  When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!  And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.......So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.

Genesis 45:4-5, 8 (NIV)

If you remember, the last few weeks I've shared how Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers & was thrown into prison after being wrongfully accused, but through it all, he sought to honor & obey God.  In return, God blessed & honored him, making him a ruler in Egypt!  Well, a time came when there was a severe famine, but because God had revealed to Joseph that there would be a terrible famine, Joseph was able to help Egypt prepare for the famine.  Eventually, surrounding countries began coming to Joseph to get some food.  And guess who was included in those who came?  Joseph's brothers!

Now Joseph could have held a grudge against them for their terrible treatment of him.  In fact, he could have even kept them from receiving food.  But instead, he was quick to forgive..........blessing them with food & even returning their payment.  He soon invited them for lunch, & when he told them who he was, he encouraged them to forgive themselves as well.  Wow!  What an example of forgiveness!  You see, Joseph knew that God had a plan & had worked good out of their evil.  He also knew that God had given him this opportunity to see his brothers & father again.  So he took full advantage of it by continuing to honor God......by completely forgiving them.  And because of that, history was changed!  If Joseph had chosen to hold a grudge & had not lovingly invited his family back into his life, the story might have been much different.

May we all remember that not only does NOT forgiving alienate others from our life, but it also hurts ourselves.  After all, we're the ones holding those feelings in our heart. 

After God has so mercifully forgiven us, how can we not choose to forgive those around us?

Forgive, & watch God work out His wonderful plan!

{By the way, as I was referring to my calendar this week, I discovered that this Friday is "National Forgiveness Day." What perfect timing!  But I would like to suggest that every day be "forgiveness day"!} 

Scripture Sunday: Humility & Honor

Pharoah said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it.  But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream  you can interpret it." 

"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharoah, "but God will give Pharoah the answer he desires."

Geneses 41: 15, 17 (NIV)

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.  Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

Genesis 41: 39, 40 (NIV)

The last couple Sundays I've shared a few "lessons" from Joseph's story, regarding how God has a plan & works for our good, if we only continue to trust & honor Him even in what may seem to be the worst situation.  But there was yet another thought or "lesson" that came to my mind when reading this passage:

Humility &Honor

Not only did Joseph honor God in the rough times, but he also did so in the good times.  While spending time in prison (for a crime he did not commit), Joseph was given a gift from God, the ability to interpret dreams.  So some time later when Pharaoh himself had a dream, Joseph was called upon to interpret it.  Did you notice Joseph's response to Pharoah in the first passage?  While Joseph could have easily taken the credit in order to look good, he was very quick to give all credit to God.  He humbled himself, realizing that interpreting dreams was not from his own ability but a gift from God.  In return for his humility & honor to God, God honored him, and he was made second in command!

I don't know about you, but sometimes when life is going good or when something I do turns out good, it's really easy to want to take the credit, and perhaps even become prideful.  Interestingly, this reaction may actually stem from low self-confidence.  You see, when you have a poor image of yourself, you often seek the approval of others to help you to feel better about yourself.  The only problem with that is that it is only a temporary fix!  However, if we base our self-image on who we are in Jesus & the love that God has for us, we can be much more at peace with ourselves.  When we are confident in who we are in Jesus, we don't have to worry as much about what others think of us.  And when we aren't worried about the opinions of others, it is much easier to step out of the way & give the glory to God!  Funny how that works, huh?

But just as God honored Joseph, He has promised to honor us if we humble ourselves & honor Him:

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.

James 4:10 (NLT)

And the cycle continues. 

I pray that God not only helps me to base my self-image on who I am in Him & His love for me (and not on the ever-changing opinions of people), but that I give Him the credit & the honor He so deserves.

Scripture Sunday: Bloom Where You're Planted

Joseph found favor in his [Potiphar's] eyes and became his attendant.  Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.......with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Genesis 39: 4, 6 (NIV)

But while Joesph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.  So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.

Genesis 39: 20-22 (NIV)

If you have never read the story of Joseph in Genesis, I encourage you to do so, as it is an amazing story of how God used terrible circumstances to bring Joseph to the place he wanted him to be.  Last week I shared a little about how God works for the good of those who love Him & seek to honor Him.....that He has a plan for each of us.  Sometimes however, in the journey, it might feel as though we've been abandoned.  We might not understand why God is allowing us to be in the situation we're in, or better yet, we might not like the situation we're in. 

Joseph sets a great example of what to do in those situations.  You see, Joseph continued to honor God, even when it seemed as though his family & God had abandoned him.......even if he felt discouraged (which I'm sure at times he did!).  When sold by his brothers into slavery & taken to Egypt, he still worked with all of his might.......he put forth all of his effort.........he BLOOMED WHERE HE WAS PLANTED.  In return, God showed him favor.  I'm sure at that time, he was feeling a little better about things, but then something happened.........Potiphar's wife wrongly accused Joseph and he was sent to prison!  Talk about another blow!  But even in prison, Joseph continued to honor God, and in return, he was given a position of authority in prison.  Eventually, Joseph was released from prison and made 2nd in command in all of Egypt!

You may be in a discouraging situation........you might be feeling abandoned...........or perhaps you just feel kinda lost, unsure of what your purpose is.................but just like with Joseph, if we will make the most of the situation by continuing to honor God in all we do, by BLOOMING WHERE WE'RE PLANTED, God will honor us in return and will continue to work out His plan and purpose for us.

A couple more scripture to leave you with:

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might........

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV)

 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.....
Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Sunday Scripture: Working for Our Good

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe - the richly ornamented robe he was wearing - and they took him and threw him into the cistern........they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming form Gilead.....Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites"......So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. 

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.  Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.  The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.  When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant.  Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 

Genesis 37: 23-28; 39: 1-4 (NIV)

The story of Joseph, which I'll be sharing a little more of in the coming weeks, goes on to tell us how Joseph, who continued to face trials, trusted God & in return, God blessed him & made him a ruler!

But right now I want to focus on this one point:

God had a plan for Joseph.  While being hated by his own brothers & being sold into slavery probably made Joseph feel very abandoned, not only by his own family, but possibly even by God, he continued to honor God.  He trusted that God had a plan.  And guess what?  God did!  God used the horrible circumstances {hated by brothers, sold into slavery, wrongly accused, forgotten in prison, etc.}, to get Joseph to where he wanted him to be!  Romans 8:28 tells us that in all things, God is working for the good of those who love Him.  And Psalms 37: 23 reminds us that the steps of a righteous person are ordered by God.  In other words, no matter what trials you may be facing, no matter how difficult life may seem at the moment, no matter how abandoned you may feel, God has a plan for you!  He simply asks that we continue to trust, love, and honor him.......He will do the rest!

Scripture Sunday: Wrestling with God

But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.  When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint......The man said, "....Your name is no longer Jacob.  From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through........The sun came up as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip.

Genesis 32: 24-25, 28, 31 (The Message)

What does it mean to wrestle? According to most dictionaries, it means "to contend" or "to struggle."  Merriam-Webster even goes a step further and states that it can mean "to engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate."  While we might not physically wrestle with God as Jacob did, it's quite likely that we wrestle with God in other ways.  At first, "wrestling with God" might seem like a negative thing, like God is our opponent, but the truth is, sometimes it is in those "wrestling matches" that God can most change us.  {Did you notice that Jacob emerged from his struggle different?  With a new name?  With a limp?} In fact, God would much rather us wrestle with Him than not have any relationship or any communication with Him at all.  Throughout Scripture, you see men & women of God who often "wrestle" with God, question Him, and ask Him to change His mind.  Often those "wrestling matches" with God result in miracles, answered prayer, and change.  {One example is in Genesis 18 where Abraham pleads with God to save Sodom & Gomorrah for the sake of even just a handful of righteous.  Through Abraham's consistent prayer & questioning of God, God chose to save Lot, Abraham's nephew.} 

What is it that you're wrestling with God about today?  Is it about His calling on your life?  Something He's asked you to do?  Or maybe it's about that miracle you've been longing for or that healing you've been asking for.  Or maybe it's about something you just don't understand and you're seeking an explanation from God.  Whatever it is, I encourage you to press on!  Scripture tells us to be persistant in our prayer (Luke 18) & to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).  It's okay to ask God questions.  You may think asking questions means you lack faith, but the truth is, it's a sign that although you don't understand something or agree with something, you believe that God is in control.  Why else would you ask God for an answer or an explanation?  You wouldn't ask a waiter at a restaurant to prescribe you a medication or even how to fix your air conditioner, would you?  Why not?  Because you wouldn't trust his answer.....you couldn't be sure that he had the correct answer or could give you what you ask.  In fact, you'd probably assume that he wasn't any more knowledgable than you on the subject. 

So why do you ask of God and question God?  Because, know matter how upset or unsure you might be, somewhere in your heart you know that God has the answer and is in control.  You know that He knows more than you do.  You know that ultimately He's in charge & has a plan.  So you see, that's faith!

Does wrestling with God mean that He'll always answer you as you hope or that you'll win?  Not necessarily.  Notice that the passage above doesn't say that Jacob won, but rather that he "came through".  Sometimes the most important part of these "wrestling matches" is not getting an answer, but "coming through."  It's what you take from your encounter with God.  It's how you come out of it a new person......changed.  Jacob's new name & limp forever served as a reminder to him of his encounter with God, of his dependence on God, of his relationship with God.

You see, it's impossible to have an encounter with God and not be changed!  And maybe, just maybe, that change in us is the reason God allowed the "wrestling match" in the first place.

Scripture Sunday: Blessings & Birthrights

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.  He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew!  I'm famished!"  Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."......Esau said, "What good is the birthright to me?".......So he swore an oath, selling his birthright.

Genesis 25:29-34 (NIV)

This passage reveals the priorities of both Jacob & Esau.  While Esau was more concerned about the present, momentary pleasures, Jacob was focused on the long-term, spiritual blessings.

So what exactly did Esau give up for a bowl of stew?

Well, the birthright included headship in the family & leadership (priesthood) in worship, as well as a double portion of the inheritance, and the title to the covenant blessing that God had earlier promised to Abraham.  (At that time, priesthood meant the privilege of entering God's presence.)

So how does this apply to us?

As children of God, we are given a birthright........We are given the privilege to enter into God's presence freely (Hebrews 10), to receive all the blessings He has promised us, including the promise of eternal life with Him and being heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).  We are given more grace, love, & mercy than we could ever fathom!  We are given the promise of an abundant life (John 10:10)! And I could go on & on.

However, it's so easy to get caught up in life, in the present situation, in the things of this world, & to lose sight of our birthright in Christ Jesus, of all the blessings & promises of God.  The reasons for God's commands is that as our Father, He wants to protect us.......He wants us to have the most blessed, abundant life possible.  Sadly, we often choose the things of this world.......instant gratification.......over the long-term blessings & victorious life we could have.  I don't know about you, but I often get my priorities all out of order, focusing on things that I think will bring me happiness, but in the end, it is only momentary......

God, may my focus & desire be for You, for Your presence, for Your will.......for the things that will bring lasting joy & peace, for the things that will bring glory to You!  May I not get so caught up in the temporary pleasures of this world that I sacrifice my birthright!

Scripture Sunday: Before We Finish Praying

Before he had finished praying....

Genesis 24: 15 (NIV)

Today's passage is short & sweet, but so very powerful to me.  If you read Genesis 24, you'll see that Abraham had sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac from among his own country and relatives.  The servant prayed that God would grant him success and show him the one that Isaac was to marry.  While many things stood out to me in this passage, such as how God used a willing servant & how the servant prayed for a sign from God, one of the most powerful phrases was found in verse 15.  It states that while the servant was still praying, God answered his prayer!  It is so comforting to me to know that God knows our needs even before we speak them, and although I might not always have the answer I want when I want it, God ultimately hears & is working on my behalf (see also Romans 8:28).  Of course, this doesn't mean that I should just stop praying because God already knows what I need!  It is God's greatest desire that we have a relationship with Him.  And what is one of the most important components to a relationship?  Communication, of course!

Scripture Sunday: The Ultimate Sacrifice

{Golgotha, "The Place of the Skull", where Jesus was crucified.}

After all this, God tested Abraham.  He said , "Abraham!"

"Yes?" answered Abraham.  "I'm listening."

He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you."

Abraham got up early in the morning and.....set out for the place God had directed him......

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry.....

Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?"

"Yes, my son."

"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"

Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering."

And they kept on walking together.

They arrived at the place to which God had directed him.  Abraham built an altar.  He laid out the wood.  Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood.  Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son. 

Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

"Yes, I'm listening."

"Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the alter for me."

Genesis 22: 1-3; 6-12 (The Message)

It's amazing to me that as I've been gradually sharing Scripture from Genesis that this was the next passage I had planned to share......it ties in so wonderfully with the whole point of Easter!

But first I want to back up just a little.  If you remember, Abraham had prayed for years that he & his wife Sarah would have a son.  He waited patientently as God continued to promise him that not only would he have a son, but that he would have more descendants that he could ever imagine.  Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old, God answered his prayer & blessed him & Sarah with a son, Isaac.

So, after all of that, why in the world would God even think about asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering?!  After all, we all know how God feels about murder!

So why did he ask Abraham to do such a thing?

It was to test him!  To see if Abraham was willing to give up the most important thing in his life for the sake of God!  To see if obeying God was really Abraham's top priority!

God didn't really want Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.  He simply wanted Abraham's willingness & obedience!
(I Samual 15:22 tells us that our obedience is better than our sacrifice.)

How many of us would be willing to sacrifice one of our children, or maybe a spouse, or another family member if God wanted us to?!

Most of us wouldn't even be willing to sacrifice something much less important, such as our house or our job!

But there was One who gave up His only Son.........who allowed His only Son to be persecuted.....to be sacrificed on a cross......to die.....that we, the sinners that we are, might live!!

As hard as I try, I cannot fully imagine how great our God's love must be for us!

Who of us would give up a family member so that a bunch of sinners, who don't even care about us, might live?

But God did just that!  And it's that love for us, for me, that makes me want to serve God, to obey Him!

After what He did for me, how can I not want to live for Him?

My obedience to Him is nothing in comparison to the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE He made for you & me!

And one more thought, I love that fact that Abraham tells Isaac that God will provide the sheep (or lamb as another version puts it), because ultimately, that's exactly what God did!  Jesus is the Lamb of God, provided as a sacrifice for our sins! (John 1:29)

So today as we gather with family & friends for Easter, may we remember the One who loves us so much that He died & rose again that we might live!

{Jesus' Empty Tomb!}

May God bless you & yours this Easter!

Scripture Sunday: A LOT of Salt

But Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:26 (The Message)

If you're not familiar with this story, here's a little background for you:

  Due to the horrific sin in Sodom & Gomorrah, God planned to destroy both cities.  God had earlier revealed His plan of destruction to Abraham, who pleaded with God to save Lot & his family.  So shortly before the cities were to be destroyed, God sent angels to warn Lot & his family & to help them get out.  As these angels were helping them out of the city, they warned them to run for their lives & not look back, or they'd be swept away.  But as you read in the verse above, Lot's wife, whose name isn't even revealed, looked back and inevitably turned into a pillar of salt.

You see, Lot & his family had accumulated a LOT of possessions & were quite weathly.  Earlier scripture shares that they chose to live in Sodom because the land was so amazing, despite the fact that they were aware of the horrific sinfulness of those living there.  They were caught up in the things of this world, their "stuff."  So when they were told to flee & leave everything behind, Lot's wife was still focused on her "stuff."  Her heart was still with the pleasures & possessions she was leaving behind, to the point that she lost her life.

Let me share one more passage with you.

It was the same in the time of Lot - the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp.  That's how it will be - sudden, total - when the Son of Man (Jesus) is revealed.  When the Day arrives and you're out working in the yard, don't run into the house to get anything.  And if you're out in the field, don't go back and get your coat.  Remember what happened to Lot's wife!  If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms.

Luke 17: 28-33 (The Message)

I don't know about you, but I have a LOT of stuff........only a small fraction of which you've seen on my blog.  It's easy sometimes to get caught up in all of the "stuff"........whether it be possessions or just life itself.  I spend a LOT of time, energy, & resources on this "stuff"......shopping, buying, decorating, organizing, & re-organizing to make it all fit, getting rid of a few things to free up space, just so I can fill it up with more "stuff" in the future, and then once again organizing it (and the cycle continues).  Can any of you relate?

In the midst of all it, I often have to remind myself what the real purpose of life is, why we are here, what's really important. 

"Stuff" is fine, but it's a little like salt: it can add a little flavor to your life, but doesn't have much substance to it, and too much of it can be bad for your health! 

So today I'm reminded that the only thing that truly matters in this life is my relationship with God........everything else is just "salt."  I pray that I never let my stuff become more important than my God.  I would much prefer to get life on God's terms, than on my own!  And at the end of the day, I want to have a life of substance, a life built on my relationship with God, not simply a pillar of salt.

Scripture Sunday: Hospitable Host

God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.  It was the HOTTEST part of the day.  He looked up and saw three men standing.  He RAN from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.  He said, "Master, if it pleases you, stop for a while with your servant.  I'll get some water so you can wash your feet.  Rest under this tree.  I'll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path."  They said, "Certainly.  Go ahead."  Abraham HURRIED into the tent to Sarah.  He said, "HURRY.  Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread."  Then Abraham RAN to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant WHO LOST NO TIME getting it ready.  Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate. 

Genesis 18: 1-8 (The Message)

When I read this passage, one of the first things I noticed was Abraham's sense of urgency in welcoming these unexpected guests & making sure they were well cared for.  Multiple times, it states that Abraham ran & hurried.  Not only that, but he did it all during the hottest part of the day & a time when he was resting.  It made me think about how much we've lost this sense of hospitality in our society, where we often don't even know our neighbors!  We seem to rarely welcome people we know into our homes, much less unexpected guests that we don't know.  I'm not by any means suggesting that we welcome just anyone off the street into our homes, as it could, unfortunately, be very dangerous.  But I do think we could take a few tips from Abraham. 

First, Abraham looked up & saw the men.  I don't know about you, but I often get caught up in my own little world, and fail to take the time to look around me & see who I might be able to help or to minister to.

Second, Abraham didn't delay.  He saw a need & hurried to help.

Third, he took the time to greet them.  How often do we go throughout our day and fail to to even smile or say hi to those we come in contact with?

Fourth, he acted as a servant.  He honored them, both by speaking to them with respect & by acting to meet their needs.  Although it was the hottest part of the day and he was taking a break, he put their needs above his own.

Finally, he was detailed in taking care of them, supplying water for their feet & food for their tummies.  And he gave them the best (the best flour & a nice plump calf).

My prayer is that God helps me to serve as Abraham served........that He will bring people across my path to minister to, and that, whether it be inviting them into my home or just into my life at that moment, I will serve with a joyful heart.   

Sunday Scripture: Trusting in God's Timing

Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. Genesis 11:30 (NIV)

The Lord had said to Abram, "......I will make you into a great nation...."

.....Abram was seventy-five years old. Genesis 12: 1-2, 4 (NIV)

The Lord said to Abram....., ".....I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted."  Genesis 13: 14-17 (NIV)

But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless....? You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."  Then the word of the Lord came to him, "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir."  He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, " So shall your offspring be."  Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15: 2-6 (NIV)

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children.....so she said to Abram, "The Lord has kept me from having children.  Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."  Abram agreed to what Sarai said......He slept with [his maidservant], and she conceived.  Genesis 16: 1-4 (NIV)

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ".....I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.......I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you." Genesis 17: 1-2, 6 (NIV)

God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife.....I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her...."  Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?  Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"  Genesis 17: 15-17 (NIV)

Then the Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."  Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.  Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.  So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"  Then the Lord said to Abraham, " Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?"  Is anything too hard for the Lord?  Genesis 18: 10-14 (NIV)

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised.  Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.  Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.  Genesis 21: 1-3 (NIV)

As I was reading through these passages a few weeks ago, these verses really hit home with me.  You see, I, like Sarah, have struggled with fertility issues.  While I plan to save my story for another time (just that fact that I shared this much is HUGE for me!), I couldn't help but share this passage now.....if for no other reason but to remind myself that God is in control and His timing is perfect. 

If you noticed in the above scriptures, these events take place over several chapters, but more than that, over a span of 25 years!  Abram, whose name was later changed to Abraham, was 75 years old when God first promised to bless him with a child.....and numerous descendants.  But it wasn't until he was 100 that Sarai, now Sarah, gave birth to Isaac!  Talk about having to trust God's promises and His timing.  (That makes my 4 years seem small in comparison.) 

What is also interesting to me is that God promised descendants greater than the stars in the sky (one of those descendents of whom would be Jesus Christ!) through Abraham's line, yet his wife Sarah and later Isaac's wife Rebekah were both barren!  (Genesis 25:21)  But in God's perfect time, he allowed both to have children.  Could it be that this was the only way to show that it was only by God's supernatural power that His promised was fulfilled, and not by anything man could do?

And speaking of man trying to take things into his own hands, Abram & Sarai tried to "fulfill" God's promise in their own way by having a child through the maidservant, which if you read on, only caused problems for them.

But God had a plan.....a perfect plan, and although Abraham's faith waivered at times (whose wouldn't after waiting for 25 years?), he still believed God (Genesis 15:6).  And in God's perfect timing, He fulfilled His promise and blessed Abraham beyond measure.

While you may not be struggling with infertility or longing for a child, there may be something else.....some other promise, some other longing....for which you continually hope & pray. 

What is it that God has promised you? 

Don't give up yet!  Know that if, like Abraham, you continue to trust & obey God, in His perfect timing, He will give birth to that promise!

Scripture Sunday: Faith + God's Grace = Righteousness

Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15: 6 (NIV)

And he believed!  Believed God! God declared him "Set-Right-with-God."  Genesis 15:6 (The Message)

Today's passage is short, only one verse, but it has a powerful message!

First, Abram believed God.  I looked up the definition of "believe" in several dictionaries, and repeatedly found that it means "to accept something as true or real."  So in other words, Abram believed everything about God, including all that God had spoken to him, to be true and real.

Secondly, God credited him.  Here are a few definitions I found for "credited":
1) to regard as having performed an action or being endowed with a quality
2) recognition or approval for an act, ability, or quality
3) giving something of value to someone (usually with their agreement to repay)
4) the balance in a person's favor
5) reliance on the truth or reality of something 

In other words, God regarded Abram as having done what it requires ("performed an action") to be considered righteous, and gave Abram His stamp of approval!  God "loaned" Abram His righteousness, although Abram had done nothing to earn it, and the only repayment Abram had to make was to continue believing and following God.  And I love the last definition, which implies that when God credit Abram as righteous, He now sees that as the truth! 

An alternative to "credited" is "declared,"  which means to state emphatically.  In other words, once God declared Abram to be righteous, there was no question!

Finally, God credited Abram with righteousness.  So what does "righteousness" mean?  It means free from guilt or sin, & the state of being right with God!

So Abram simply had to believe God, and he was declared by God to be innocent and in right standing with Him!  How amazing is that?

Well, guess what? It's that simple for us as well!  We must simply believe that Jesus bore our sin on the cross &  rose from the dead, giving us victory over sin and death, & ask God to forgive us, and God declares us to be right with Him!  It's that easy!

Belief (Faith) + God's Credit (Grace) = Righteousness!

Scripture Sunday: The Call to Walk by Faith

The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people, and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you.  So Abram left, as the Lord had told him......

Genesis 12:1-4 (NIV)

God asked Abram to separate himself.....to leave all that he knew (his country, people, & household), all that he was comfortable with, to go to a place that he knew nothing about.  For that matter, he didn't even know where he was going because God had yet to show him.  Abram obeyed simply out of faith that God had a plan and would be with him every step of the way.

While God may not be asking us to physically move from our current location, He very much is asking the same thing of us.  How is that, you ask? 

First, as His children, God asks us to separate ourselves.....to set ourselves apart from the world......to be different.....to get out of our comfort zone.  

Secondly, God has a divine purpose and plan for each and every one of us.  Often He will ask us to do things that don't make much sense to us.........but we can't always see the whole picture or the final destination.  It's at those times, that God asks us to simply walk by faith......to trust Him and His guidance.  It's not always an easy task, but one thing is for sure, if we will trust and obey God, He'll bless us beyond our wildest dreams! 

If your going through a difficult time right now and feel that you're all alone, or if what God is asking you to do just doesn't make sense, here are few promises to hold on to:

1) God promises to NEVER leave us or forsake us.  (Joshua 1:5)

2) He also says this, "For I know the plans I have for you.....plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  (Jeremiah 29:11)

3) Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose."

4) And finally, Philippians 1:6 reminds us, "that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." 

It's so comforting to know that our loving Father only wants the best for us and that He'll be with us every step of the way!  We must only walk!

Scripture Sunday: The Tower of "Babble"

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech....Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."  But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building.  The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."  So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.  That is why it was called Babel - because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world.  Genesis 11:1, 4-9 (NIV)

I'm going to keep this short & sweet today, but I want to share two thoughts:

1) Obviously, there is nothing inherently wrong with constructing buildings or towers, but it was the motivation behind it that troubled God: their strong desire to make a name for themselves and their reliance on themselves, rather than on God. 

When I read this, I had to do a little self-reflection.  I don't know about you, but for me, too often I'm focused on what will help me look good and what will help me gain the approval of others.  Even when I initially start out doing something with the pure intention of glorifying God, it is all too easy to lose my focus along the way.  Ironically, it seems that it is often at the times that God is most blessing my endeavors, that pride kicks in and my focus quickly changes to myself.  Hmm, I'm noticing a recurring theme in my life lately of the need to not only glorify God, but also to seek acceptance &  self-worth from Him!  (Click here to see related posts.)

Galations 1:10 says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  Colossians 3:23 says this: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.  I Thessalonians 2:5 says, "....We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts."  And finally, John 8:54 says, "Jesus replied, 'If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing....' "  Wow!  If even Jesus, who was God wrapped up in human form, didn't have the right to glorify himself, how much less do I?  God, may I only seek to honor and please You!  Please tear down any towers of pride in my life.

2) My second thought from this passage focuses on verse 6, which is where God states that if they are one people, speaking the same language, then nothing will be impossible for them.  Although this isn't typically the lesson or sermon we hear concerning this message, this verse made me stop and think a minute about the importance of communication.  So God is saying that if they can communicate purely, without any confusion or misunderstanding, that they can succeed in anything they do.  What does that say about the importance of communication in our relationships?  Our marriage?  On the job?  And of most importance, what about our communication with God?  My prayer is that God gives me the wisdom to know how to best communicate with those around me.  But more than that, I pray that my communication with God becomes all that it needs to be.  And by the way,communication doesn't just involve speaking, it also involves listening!

Scripture Sunday: The Flood & The Blood

The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.  The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain.  So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth - men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and the birds of the air - for I am grieved that I have made them."  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord......Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God......... So God said to Noah, I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them......So make yourself an ark.....I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it.  Everything on earth will perish.  But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark - you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.  You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female.....Noah did everything just as God commanded him.  Genesis 6:5-9, 13-14, 17-19, 22 (NIV)

As I was reading this passage a few weeks ago, I began questioning why chapters 6 & 7 were fairly repetitive?  Then it occurred to me that perhaps God really wanted to get a point across.  After all, when we repeat something, isn't it usually because we either don't think someone is listening or we really want to emphasize the importance of something?  So I decided to delve a little deeper.  I believe that God didn't give us the Old Testament just so we'd have a history lesson (although much of that information is helpful), but rather to teach us something of importance.  I also believe that much of the Old Testament foreshadows or points to Jesus Christ.  As I continued reading & researching, many parallels between Noah's ark and the cross of Jesus began to be revealed to me.  

Genesis 6:8 (NIV) says, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.." Another word for "favor", as the King James Version states it, is "grace."  It's interesting to me that Noah was only saved by the grace of God.  Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." It is only by the grace of God that we are saved from His judgment!  In addition, Noah had to trust God that the flood was actually going to come and that he truly needed to build and enter the ark.  Had Noah not trusted (had faith) in God, he would have been destroyed.

Genesis 6:14 (NIV) says, "So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out."  The King James Version says it like this, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."

I thought it was interesting that the KJV used the word "pitch" twice.  As I researched, I discovered that the Hebrew word for "pitch," when used as a verb ("shalt pitch") is "kaphar," which is used seventy times in the Bible to mean atonement as it relates to blood sacrifice.  The Hebrew word for "pitch," when used as a noun ("with pitch"), is "kopher" and means "price of a life" or "ransom."  In other words, Noah & his family were protected from the flood (God's judgment on the earth) by atonement.  Could it be that the pitch is symbolic of the blood of Jesus, who sacrificed His life, covering all our sins, so that we would be protected from God's judgment?

I also found one reference that stated that wood in the Bible often represents man.  If this is so, could it be foreshadowing that God would become "flesh" or man (John 1:14) in order to be our salvation?

"Put a door in the side of the ark...." (Genesis 6:16 NIV).  Notice that although the ark is huge, there is only one door to the ark....only one way to enter.  In John 10:9 (NIV), Jesus states, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved."   The KJV uses the word "door" in place of  "gate."  Just as in the ark, there is only one way to be saved.....through Jesus!

"...and make lower, middle, and upper decks" (Genesis 6:16 NIV).  It makes sense that the bottom deck is likely where the larger animals were.  It was probably crowded, dark, & smelly (and it's possible you'd get trampled on by animals!).  The middle deck likely had the smaller animals, but it was still dark & probably smelly.  The upper deck, however, had a window, which could allow both light & air in.  I began to see that although every creature on the ark was saved from the flood, there was definitely a difference in the decks.  Sometimes as Christians, we may feel that just being saved (entering the ark) is enough, but God wants so much more for us!  He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him!  He wants us to have abundant life (John 10:10)!  (This may be a stretch, but I also think it is interesting that a window's primary function is to let light & air in because in the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the light & the Holy Spirit is referred to as wind or breath.) 

Genesis 7:1 (KJV) says, "And the LORD said unto Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark..."  Notice that God gently invited Noah into the ark, but Noah had to make the decision to enter.  ("Come" also implies that God would be there with Noah.  In Matthew 11:28 (NIV), Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  We are gently & graciously invited to come to Jesus, to trust in Him, but ultimately, we have to make the decision.

After Noah had done all that God commanded him & entered the ark, ..."the Lord shut him in" (Genesis 7:16 NIV).  What powerful words!  God, Himself, seals us in. John 10:28 (NIV) says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."  That does make me wonder though, did Noah have no control over the door?  Hmmm....that gives me something to think about.  (We do know, though, that he had control over the window.....how much light & air he let in.)

After the flood had receded, the Bible states that "the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis 8:4).  After researching, I discovered that "Ararat" likely means "curse is reversed."  The curse of sin & death was reversed by Jesus' death on the cross (Galations 3:13)!

Although the flood represents the judgment, the thought also crossed my mind regarding it's similarity to baptism.  Besides the obvious fact that they both involve water, with the flood, the old was gone, and the new began.  Isn't that what baptism represents, that through faith in Christ Jesus, we are a new creation and the old is gone  (II Corinthians 5:17)?

Finally, Genesis 9:13-15 (NIV) states, "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth......I will remember my covenant between me and you....Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life."   I found that Revelations 10:1-2 refers to an angel who is robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head, his right foot planted on the sea and his left on the land, and he is holding a scroll containing a message affecting the destiny of the world.  In my research, I also read that it points to "no judgment" for those who are in Christ.  It's interesting that the rainbow God set in the sky represents the very important message to the world that God will no longer destroy the earth by a flood.

One last note: Although I didn't completely research this myself to confirm it's truth, I did find an article that spoke of the meanings of names from Adam to Noah, and if accurate, it is very interesting.

Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Kenan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall come down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = The Despairing
Noah = Comfort (or Rest)

If you put them all together, it says, "Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.”

I am convinced that all of these parallels aren't just coincidences, but that the great flood definitely is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ.  What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Scripture Sunday: The Shame-Blame Game

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"  He answered, "I heard you in the garden, & I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."  And He said, "Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"  The man said, "The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."  Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"  The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, & I ate."  Gen. 3:8-12 (NIV)

When I read these verses, a couple things came to mind.  First, it's interesting that earlier in scripture (Gen. 2:25), it states that Adam & Eve were both naked, but "felt no shame".  However, the very second that they sinned, that they disobeyed God, they suddenly felt shame.  That shame led them to hide (or separate) from God.  Isn't that so true?  When we know something is wrong, we tend to do our best to hide it, which in turn only hinders our relationships with God & others.  Remember last week when I shared about being made in God's image & how our purpose is to be a reflection of God?  Well, at the very instance mankind first sinned, that image was marred.  And remember how God's will was for us to find complete security & acceptance through our relationship with Him?  Well, at that same very instance, we not only became separated from God, but we began looking for our security in all the wrong places!  After all, it's hard to find security in our relationship with God if we're shamefully hiding from Him!

This leads to my second point.  When God questioned Adam, Adam not only blamed Eve, but in a round-about way, he blamed God ("The woman YOU put here....").  God then turned to Eve, who of course, blamed the serpent.  Neither one wanted to take responsibility for their own actions.  Why was that?  Could it be because they wanted to still be accepted by God, and they believed that their failure or sin made them unacceptable or unworthy of God's love?  Perhaps they felt that if someone else could be blamed, they'd be relieved of their guilt, or at least if everyone else was guilty too, then they wouldn't look so bad.  We've all done it before......blamed someone else or pointed out someone else's shortcomings in an effort to make ourselves look better.  When you get to the root of it, it all stems from our desire to be accepted.....a desire placed in each of us by God......a desire that can only be fulfilled by God.   So in the long run, the very thing we do to try to gain acceptance only leaves us feeling more unacceptable & unworthy! 

So then what is the answer?  Well, there's good news!  The Bible clearly states that Jesus bore the punishment we deserve for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6; I John 4:9-11).  He was our substitute.  While God allows us to feel guilt & convicts us of our sins so that we turn to Him, once we acknowledge that we'ved sinned and confess our sins to Him, accepting Jesus as our substitute, we no longer have to feel shame (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 1:9)!  The sin, along with the guilt, has been removed!  Once again, we can find complete acceptance & security in God!  In addition, when we realize that we're completely loved & accepted by God, we are much more likely to love those around us.....building them up & encouraging them, rather than using their failures to try to meet our own needs.

As the story of Adam & Eve continues on, God allows them to experience the consequences (punishment) of their sin, but it's interesting that He then makes garments for them & clothes them.  In other words, He punished them, forgave them, & continued to take care of them, covering their sin & shame (nakedness). 

I don't know about you, but I am simply amazed by God's love for us!

Scripture Sunday: God's Spitting Image

Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness....."  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)

Another version puts it this way:
God spoke: "Let us make human beings in Our image, make them reflecting Our nature...."  God created human beings; He created them godlike, reflecting God's nature.  He created them male and female.  (The Message)

When I read these verses, it got me to thinking.  What is the definition of "image"?  What exactly does it mean when it says we were made in God's image?  So I did a little research, and here is what I found:

First, it means "likeness."  In fact, the Merriam-Webster dicitionary not only uses the term "exact likeness," but they also use Genesis 1:27 as their example of how to use it!   I love that!  So what exactly does "likeness" mean, you ask?  Well, it means resemblence or imitation or simply "the state of being like."  In other words, out of all that God created, He chose us to resemble or be like Him. 

So in what ways were we made like Him?  Well, it likely doesn't mean we are like Him physically since God existed before anything physical came into being, and Scripture tells us that God formed man "from the dust of the ground."  (Although when God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth, He did choose for Him to be in the form of a man).  Most likely, it means that we are like Him in the sense that we are spiritual beings.  Genesis 2:7 states that God breathed into man "the breath of life."  We are the only creatures that God breathed His breath in to.  By the way, want to know one of the definitions for "breath"?  SPIRIT!  God breathed His very spirit into us!  Scripture also reveals that we were made like God in the sense that we were given intelligence, moral consciousness, freedom of choice, and emotions.

Another definition of image is "mirror" or "reflect."  So it made me think.....when I look in a mirror or look at my reflection, what is it that I see?  The mirror or reflection isn't actually me, it's simply a piece of glass, but rather it gives me an idea (or represents) what I look like.  In other words, God created us to be a reflection of Him.  He wanted mankind to reflect His very nature.....His love, His holiness, His glory!  We weren't made in His image so that we would be equal with Him or all-powerful or all-knowing; we were made in His image so that we would be a visible (or tangible) representation of God to those around us!  Our purpose as human beings, the reason we were created, is to have a relationship with God and to bring Him glory!  It's that simple.

Of course, Scripture also reveals that humans quickly chose to dishonor and disobey God, thereby, marring His perfect image in us and hurting our relationship.  From that point on, history leads to one thing: restoring that image and relationship.  And how did God do that?  He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, to take the penalty for our sins, and to rise again to give us power over death!  You see, by simply asking God to forgive us and believing that Jesus died in our place and that He rose again giving us victory over sin and death, our relationship is restored and we can once again begin to reflect the nature of God!  Of course, we're still human.  We're still gonna mess up, but Jesus' blood covers all of our sins, if we simply ask and believe.  I don't know about you, but the more I grasp how great God's love for me is, that He would sacrifice His own Son in order to have a relationship with me, the more I want to spend time with Him and glorify Him!  And it makes sense that the closer the relationship, the more time we spend with God, the more we'll be like Him and the better our reflection will be!   

Just for fun, I also looked up the term "spitting image."  It actually comes from "spit and image," for which I found 2 possible origins.  First, it could mean that one looks so much like the other that he or she was "spat out of that person's mouth."  Second, it could have come from a hasty pronunciation of spirit and image, which suggests that one is like another in both spirit and image.  I also love the fact that when we use the term "spitting image," we are almost always referring to a parent/child relationship.  Hmmm......God breathed His breath (or Spirit) out of His mouth and into ours......we are God's children.....GOD'S SPITTING IMAGE.....pretty fitting, don't you think?

Seeing as how Valentine's Day is tomorrow, I want to leave you with one last verse, one that I think sums everything up and shows us the greatest love relationship of all:

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Romans 5:8 (NIV)

Scripture Sunday: In The Beginning...We Were Called to Be Light in a World of Darkness!

After doing a little thinking, I've decided that on Sundays I'm going to strive to make my posts about something I've recently read &/or learned from my Bible reading....thus, I'm deeming Sunday "SCRIPTURE SUNDAY."  (I have ideas for the other days of the week, too, but I'll share those some other time.)   While the perfectionist inside of me is wishing I would have started this blog the first week of January (when I started reading the Bible chronologically) so that the scripture(s) I share line up with what I read that week, I keep reminding myself that this year I'm aiming for PROGRESS, not PERFECTION.  (For those of you who read my "perfectionism" post a week or so ago, you know where I'm coming from.)  So today I'm sharing a little about what I read back at the first of the year.....I think it's quite fitting that at the beginning of the New Year, a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, I read about THE BEGINNING.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1 NIV).  I also like how another version words it: "First this: God created the Heavens & Earth - all you see, all you don't see" (The Message).

Genesis 1 & 2 go on to talk about the creation of the world & the beginning of mankind, but I didn't just learn about those very important things......God showed me several other "hidden" lessons in those scriptures!  I chose one to share with you today:

When God was creating the world, the very first thing He created was LIGHT (Gen. 1:3).  That got me to thinking....what is the importance of light?  Why did it have to be created first?  When I really stopped to think about it, what good would the rest of the creation have been if there was no light?  It would have been pointless (& hopeless). 

Hmmm....that reminds me of something else.  Later in scripture, Jesus is called the "LIGHT of the world."  Without Jesus, our Light, life is pointless & hopeless!  Interestingly, God also calls us to be a light to those around us.....in other words, we are called to bring hope to this world!  Yes, I got all that from 6 little words: "God said, 'Let there be light...'".

It's amazing what you can learn when you really stop & listen to God!