S - Genesis 17
O -
God revises his covenant with Abram.
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."
4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
SB: v4 As for me - refers to God's promises to Abram, just as he promised in 15:8-21. God reviewed his covenanted commitment to Abraham and broadened it to include the promised of offspring.
v5 Abram - exalted father, Abraham - father of many
v7 Everlasting covenant - From God's standpoint, but capable of being broken from man's standpoint.
To be your God - the heart of God's covenant promise, repeated in OT. This is God's pledge to be the protector of his people and the One who provides for their well-being and guarantees their future blessing (15:1)
9 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner--those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
v9 As for you - Abraham called to make a covenanted commitment to God - to "walk before me and be blameless" v1 and "keep my covenant". Participation in the blessings was conditioned on obedience.
Everlasting
v10 - circumcision was God's appointed sign of the covenant - shows Abraham's covenanted commitment - like an oath (analogous to 15:17 to which God submitted himself)
v14 - removed from the covenant people by divine judgement.
15 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."
v15 - both names mean "princess". Renaming stressed that she was to be the mother of nations and kings to serve the Lord's purpose
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
I think that v20 shows that God listens to our prayers, and if it is his will, they will be answered. Again reinforcing the basis of a relationship between God and man.
21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year."
SB: Paul cites the choice of Isaac as one proof of God's sovereign right to choose to save by grace alone (Ro 9:6-13)
22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
A solemn conclusion to the conversation
23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day. 27 And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
Shows Abraham's prompt obedience
(Almost all notes made with Study Bible)
A/P - Same as for Chapter 15, continuation.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Genesis 16
S - Gen 16
O - This is where things start to get interesting (complicated).
1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservantnamed Hagar; 2 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."
SB: Some time had passed since the revelation of 15:4, Sarai impatiently implied that God was not keeping his promise. According to ancient custom and Old Assyrian marriage contracts, this was to ensure the birth of a male heir. Sarai decides to solve the problem of her barrenness herself.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."
SB: An expression of hostility or suspicion.
It seems that Sarai has taken matters into her own hands and then is annoyed with the unfavourable outcome.
6 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
Yea, Sarai isn't the nicest or Godliest lady.
9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." 11 The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
God promises to establish the family through Hagar. The first son Ishmael - SB: the hostility between Sarai and Hagar passed on to their descendants. Roam the desert like a wild donkey, away from human settlements.
13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
And she had faith in the Lord.
O - This is where things start to get interesting (complicated).
1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservantnamed Hagar; 2 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."
SB: Some time had passed since the revelation of 15:4, Sarai impatiently implied that God was not keeping his promise. According to ancient custom and Old Assyrian marriage contracts, this was to ensure the birth of a male heir. Sarai decides to solve the problem of her barrenness herself.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."
SB: An expression of hostility or suspicion.
It seems that Sarai has taken matters into her own hands and then is annoyed with the unfavourable outcome.
6 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
Yea, Sarai isn't the nicest or Godliest lady.
9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." 11 The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
God promises to establish the family through Hagar. The first son Ishmael - SB: the hostility between Sarai and Hagar passed on to their descendants. Roam the desert like a wild donkey, away from human settlements.
13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
And she had faith in the Lord.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Genesis 15
S - Gen 15
O -
This is truly an amazing chapter.
Right from verse 1 God is there with Abram leading him down the right path.
1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."
That he said "Do not be afraid" shows what a loving and caring God he is. He is our shield too. (Shield referring to "king" or "sovereign") He is definitely not randomly here and there. He is always here for us, and forever more (hahaha).
Funny thing though, Abram asks God "what can you give me" (v2). Abram is bordering on whinging to God about his "reward". He wants an heir to his estate and the wealth God's blessed him with.
God is very clever (duh) and he does the show not tell thing which he does quite often in the bible
5 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."
Wow!!!! It's like "Here, count the stars. Can't count them, right? Your offspring (the thing you were whinging about not having) I will give you so many you can't count them."
And Abram the whinger, give him credit for this
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Abram is really a model believer. Sure he can whinge (we all do) but when it comes down to it, God says - he has faith.
Also, because it is a two-way relationship, God believes Abram can establish this covenant. He chose him for it and has total confidence in him.
Study bible (henceforth referred to as SB) notes: Abram is the "father of all who believe" (Romans 4:11) and this verse is the first specific reference to faith in God's promises. It also teaches that God graciously responds to a man's faith by crediting righteousness to him.
7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
God speaks again, a God of authority. He has already brought Abram through some crises, so Abram would know the sovereignty of the Lord.
SB: Ancient royal covenants often began with 1) self identification of the king and 2) brief historical prologue.
8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" 9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces.
As in the OT, sacrifices were still required.
SB: Smoking firepot with blazing torch symbolizes the presence of God. The practice in ancient times to solemnize a covenant - signifies an oath - "may it be so done to me if I do not keep my oath and pledge". God assures him regarding the land.
13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
SB: God is patient in his judgement.
18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-- 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
It's amazing that God wants to establish this covenant which entitles a bunch of very sinful people to the promised land. Sometimes God's plans we can't understand...
A - I feel that God establishing a covenant with Abram can be compared to God calling us to do things for his ministry. He calls, he provides a path, reassures, and promises that we'll get there. It's not just him ordering us around; it's really loving, much like a father would guide his children, except that this father we're speaking of is sovereign.
P - Respond in obedience to God's calling. We can have complete faith in him because he is in total control. May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
O -
This is truly an amazing chapter.
Right from verse 1 God is there with Abram leading him down the right path.
1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."
That he said "Do not be afraid" shows what a loving and caring God he is. He is our shield too. (Shield referring to "king" or "sovereign") He is definitely not randomly here and there. He is always here for us, and forever more (hahaha).
Funny thing though, Abram asks God "what can you give me" (v2). Abram is bordering on whinging to God about his "reward". He wants an heir to his estate and the wealth God's blessed him with.
God is very clever (duh) and he does the show not tell thing which he does quite often in the bible
5 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."
Wow!!!! It's like "Here, count the stars. Can't count them, right? Your offspring (the thing you were whinging about not having) I will give you so many you can't count them."
And Abram the whinger, give him credit for this
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Abram is really a model believer. Sure he can whinge (we all do) but when it comes down to it, God says - he has faith.
Also, because it is a two-way relationship, God believes Abram can establish this covenant. He chose him for it and has total confidence in him.
Study bible (henceforth referred to as SB) notes: Abram is the "father of all who believe" (Romans 4:11) and this verse is the first specific reference to faith in God's promises. It also teaches that God graciously responds to a man's faith by crediting righteousness to him.
7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
God speaks again, a God of authority. He has already brought Abram through some crises, so Abram would know the sovereignty of the Lord.
SB: Ancient royal covenants often began with 1) self identification of the king and 2) brief historical prologue.
8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" 9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces.
As in the OT, sacrifices were still required.
SB: Smoking firepot with blazing torch symbolizes the presence of God. The practice in ancient times to solemnize a covenant - signifies an oath - "may it be so done to me if I do not keep my oath and pledge". God assures him regarding the land.
13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
SB: God is patient in his judgement.
18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-- 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
It's amazing that God wants to establish this covenant which entitles a bunch of very sinful people to the promised land. Sometimes God's plans we can't understand...
A - I feel that God establishing a covenant with Abram can be compared to God calling us to do things for his ministry. He calls, he provides a path, reassures, and promises that we'll get there. It's not just him ordering us around; it's really loving, much like a father would guide his children, except that this father we're speaking of is sovereign.
P - Respond in obedience to God's calling. We can have complete faith in him because he is in total control. May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Genesis 14
 |
| My illustration of Gen 14 |
Then when King of Sodom offered Abram all his goods, he refused (smart tip from God) so that the king couldn't turn around and say "I made Abram rich" (v23) So Abram fought basically to save his nephew Lot.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Matthew 11
S - Matt 11
O -
2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
John the Baptist wants to find out if Jesus is the Messiah - the one whom he had been "preparing the way" for.
5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Jesus doesn't answer directly, but points to the works done, which are listed in order, with raising the dead and good news preached to the poor at the greater end. Importance is stressed on the good news being preached. Poor could be referring to the poor in spirit. Jesus did not want John to doubt that he is the Messiah.
9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
John's role was that of a prophet. The Law in the old testament - the old covenant - was in preparation for Jesus' coming. John was the end of that age. John isn't the actual reincarnation of Elijah, but fulfilled the role of the prophet.
They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'
flute - wedding - Jesus
dirge - funeral - John
Jews - like children who do not respond to either occassion
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Again, reference to Sodom. Jesus is saying or "denouncing" the cities in which he performed miracles still lack faith and change in people's lives.
27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father.No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
We are chosen. We don't choose God
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Seek him for refuge when we are weary and burdened. Take Jesus' yoke upon ourselves. Learn from him by adopting his attitudes.
A yoke is a wooden beam, normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoke>
A - The analogy at the end - Taking Jesus' yoke upon me. What it means. We can then find rest for our souls (hence "my yoke is easy and my burden is light")
P - catch up with devotions. Not be so tired.
Spiritually not tired. Spiritually fit so I can take Jesus' yoke upon me. We can be yoked together :)
O -
2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
John the Baptist wants to find out if Jesus is the Messiah - the one whom he had been "preparing the way" for.
5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Jesus doesn't answer directly, but points to the works done, which are listed in order, with raising the dead and good news preached to the poor at the greater end. Importance is stressed on the good news being preached. Poor could be referring to the poor in spirit. Jesus did not want John to doubt that he is the Messiah.
9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
John's role was that of a prophet. The Law in the old testament - the old covenant - was in preparation for Jesus' coming. John was the end of that age. John isn't the actual reincarnation of Elijah, but fulfilled the role of the prophet.
They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'
flute - wedding - Jesus
dirge - funeral - John
Jews - like children who do not respond to either occassion
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Again, reference to Sodom. Jesus is saying or "denouncing" the cities in which he performed miracles still lack faith and change in people's lives.
27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father.No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
We are chosen. We don't choose God
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Seek him for refuge when we are weary and burdened. Take Jesus' yoke upon ourselves. Learn from him by adopting his attitudes.
A yoke is a wooden beam, normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoke>
A - The analogy at the end - Taking Jesus' yoke upon me. What it means. We can then find rest for our souls (hence "my yoke is easy and my burden is light")
P - catch up with devotions. Not be so tired.
Spiritually not tired. Spiritually fit so I can take Jesus' yoke upon me. We can be yoked together :)
Sunday, 28 August 2011
In relation to the Gen 12 theme
Genesis 12
S - Gen12
O - 1 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. 2 "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. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Hoohar. God wants you to leave everything. Your house, possessions, friends, and move to another country. God doesn't say what country. He just said to go.
However, there is the good part.
He promises to make you into a great country, shower you with blessings, protect you from those who curse you, and bless others through you.
Would you do it? The promises are great. In our modern world, we might be like "oh, I'm quite happy where I am. God please don't disrupt my bubble. I don't want to move out of my comfort zone. Besides, you haven't even told me where you want me to go."
4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.
Woah Abram man, your faith so strong! "So Abram left".
"Prompt obedience" (study bible) is a common theme in the bible. God expects obedience. He wants us to heed his calling.
Whether it's Noah, Abram, Moses, Joshua...Sure they have made mistakes and failed along the way, but these men showed their love for God through their obedience. God also used tax collectors, prostitutes, fishermen. God could call anyone, not just the smart, talented, good-looking, young or popular.
Abram's journey so far:
5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. 9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
As they entered Egypt, Abram tells Sarai to act as his sister so that when the Pharoah inevitably takes her away, he would not be killed.
16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
Hmm, I'm not sure why this happened? Abram gained wealth in this way.
17 But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. "What have you done to me?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!" 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
It is evident that God was protecting Abram along the way. Just as God called on Abram, Abram called on the Lord and worshipped him when he sought direction. It's a two-way relationship.
A/P - Have to pray about prompt obedience. There are so many reasons that hinder us and make us reluctant to obey, but true success in life would be to live a Godly one. I'm sure God will guide us along the way, and pick us up when we fall, even when he doesn't reveal where we're heading. Makes me think more about going on missions - something I never considered seriously before the start of this year.
O - 1 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. 2 "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. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Hoohar. God wants you to leave everything. Your house, possessions, friends, and move to another country. God doesn't say what country. He just said to go.
However, there is the good part.
He promises to make you into a great country, shower you with blessings, protect you from those who curse you, and bless others through you.
Would you do it? The promises are great. In our modern world, we might be like "oh, I'm quite happy where I am. God please don't disrupt my bubble. I don't want to move out of my comfort zone. Besides, you haven't even told me where you want me to go."
4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.
Woah Abram man, your faith so strong! "So Abram left".
"Prompt obedience" (study bible) is a common theme in the bible. God expects obedience. He wants us to heed his calling.
Whether it's Noah, Abram, Moses, Joshua...Sure they have made mistakes and failed along the way, but these men showed their love for God through their obedience. God also used tax collectors, prostitutes, fishermen. God could call anyone, not just the smart, talented, good-looking, young or popular.
Abram's journey so far:
5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. 9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
As they entered Egypt, Abram tells Sarai to act as his sister so that when the Pharoah inevitably takes her away, he would not be killed.
16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
Hmm, I'm not sure why this happened? Abram gained wealth in this way.
17 But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. "What have you done to me?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!" 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
It is evident that God was protecting Abram along the way. Just as God called on Abram, Abram called on the Lord and worshipped him when he sought direction. It's a two-way relationship.
A/P - Have to pray about prompt obedience. There are so many reasons that hinder us and make us reluctant to obey, but true success in life would be to live a Godly one. I'm sure God will guide us along the way, and pick us up when we fall, even when he doesn't reveal where we're heading. Makes me think more about going on missions - something I never considered seriously before the start of this year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)