Choices

Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, "Send me away to my master."

But her brother and her mother said, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go."

He said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."

And they said, "We will call the girl and consult her wishes."

Then they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go."

Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham's servant and his men.

Genesis 24:54-59

Sometimes, even amongst the most upright intentions, a choice must be made that may cause some sadness and tears. As long as it's in God's desires we can never question it because that leaves room for doubt.

Unfortunately, I doubt all the time. I'm always seeking a little more information and confirmation that this or that path is the correct one. I need to keep my heart tuned into God and when called I respond with obedience. It's like a car, we don't just tune it up only when we're going to go on a big journey. We need to keep it working in tip top shape so that when called upon we can just jump in and go. We shouldn't be worried about gas, oil, tires and everything else when we need to respond now. But it's like that in our walks with Christ a lot of times. We called, we're not ready cause we're only starting to pray, only starting to seek His voice, only starting to make him a priority. By the time we do that the opportunity to serve is out of reach and may be that much harder to obey. Having feet fitted with God's righteousness is be ready to move.

Heavenly Father, thank You for You amazing lessons. I've been feeling lost recently, like I don't know where I am or where I'm headed. But I know that it needs to start with being in Your presence. I need to worship You with an amazing awe so that everything will be covered by Your grace. I cannot rely on any earthly thing for my joy (but I know I cannot ignore it). I love You and thank You for being my God. In the matchless name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

God's Evidence, Our Choice

When the men came to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, 'Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'"

At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.

And He answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.

Luke 7:20-22

God certainly has His ways of stopping us in our tracks. He makes us think and meditate on His words and not to just take it as it comes. He wants us to use our giftings to think long, deep and hard about our relationship with Him. Here, John's disciples were asking Jesus a simple question to confirm whether or not He was the Messiah, the One he's been waiting for. There was nothing to hide here, it was prophecy for this to happen. Jesus could've easily just said, "Yes, I am He." But He uses His works as evidence and allows the disciples to conclude it themselves. God performs wonderful works all through and around us, it's up to us to realize God's works in this world.

It's easy for me to get influenced by the world and almost fail to recognize God's hand in and around me. I complain and make excuses, especially when things are rough. But this passage reminds me that God is always working in this fallen world and I need to recognize the Father's fingerprint on every piece; even the things the devil intended for evil God will use for good. I have to align myself and never give into the strong temptations around me; and it happens a lot. Constant temptation and struggles but I know the One who holds my future.

Heavenly Father, thank You for influencing my life more than the world could ever; even if I succumb to it in my weakness. Help me Lord to discern the Light from the dark and I know my eyes will allow the Holy Spirit to enter and fill. In the wonderful, matchless name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen!

Patience - A Huge Virtue

So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.

He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.

And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done me be upon you I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight May the LORD judge between you and me."

Genesis 16:2-5

It seems like 10 years Abram and Sarai was waiting for God's promise to materialize. The promise of having a son in their late years became more distant as time passed so Sarai offered Hagar as a wife to bear a child. We all do this as well with great and small promises. God wants to bless us with His absolute best but we cut in front of Him and do things our way, never allowing the fruit to mature and blossom. It's not about God holding out on us; absolutely not. It's about Him knowing the perfect time, even if the timing is perfected by the quietness of our hearts as we grow closer and more patient to Him.

Gosh, I'm so impatient! When I think about Abram & Sarai's struggles to remain faithful to God's promise of a son I think how quick I'm wanting things myself. I want a baby and at one point in my life I re-prioritized everything to do it my way. In my marriage I can get impatient when things don't go my way. Sure, it may not seem like that on the outside but in my heart I grow restless and disobedient. I need to remember how straying off the Godly path can have a huge effect not only on me but my family and generations to come. I have an opportunity to offer a legacy of faith and I need to seize it now.

Father God, thank You for this blessing. I'm in awe of how You work. Just this morning I was feeling a little down and wondered how to get the most of Your mighty Word and You blessed me with a terrific lesson. Help me to develop and learn every single day as I continue to seek Your face. I love You, Father God! In the Most High's name I pray, Amen!

Hearts Prepared & Energized

...and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.

And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch."

Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets."

When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;...

Luke 5:2-6

Simon Peter was fishing all night and caught nothing. In fact, he was washing their nets calling it a day when Jesus went into his boat and asked him to set back into the water and began teaching. After that he turned to Peter and instructed him to throw out his net. Peter's heart, after hearing a message from Jesus, must've been well prepared to respond in faith and do as he was told.

I wonder what kind of response Peter would've had if Jesus not prepared his heart prior to the order to throw out the nets? I wonder if Peter would've responded like he did. I reflect on ourselves today. We feel great after we hear a wonderful message at church only to fall right back into the world and lose the gems that were deposited. There's no time like the immediate to stretch and work on our faith. God gives us little motivators all the time, we need to seize that opportunity when our hope is recognized and love tank is full.

Glorious and Wonderful Father, thank You for choosing to do life with Your children. You don't just give us a set of instructions and let us fend for ourselves. No, absolutely not. You came to this earth to show us how! If that wasn't enough, You sent Your Holy Spirit to counsel and guide us every single day! My God, what a good God You are! Thank You for Your encouragement and guidance. In the most Holy name above all names, Jesus, I pray, Amen!

Hidden Sin Revealed

He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness.

When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.

So he said,

"Cursed be Canaan;

A servant of servants

He shall be to his brothers."

Genesis 9:21-25

I'm reading this scripture and I stop to meditate on what sin Ham committed to his father, Noah. Why was seeing your father's nakedness such a huge sin? I looked around and some say that seeing your father naked was an abomination. He shouldn't have made a big deal about it but instead he broadcast it to everyone, like gossip or mocking his nakedness. Others say that looking at "the nakedness of his father" had to do with having sexual relations with his father's wife (Leviticus 20:11). Another view pointed to Ham taking advantage of Noah's drunkenness to perform some sexual acts. The word "see" is used instead of "uncover" (Lev 18:6-9;20:11,17-21; Ezekiel 16:36-37) and it means to have sexual relations (Victor Hamilton. The Book of Genesis, p.322). Whatever the details of this sin is the fact remains that because of Ham's actions, his son Canaan suffered the consequences (and ultimately Ham and all the descendants).

I'm not sure what the motive behind all this was but what I'm getting from this passage today is hidden sin. Noah didn't know what happened but sin was eventually revealed through Ham's two other brothers. If no sexual act was committed, did Ham feel like he was innocent? Did he feel that mocking/disgracing his father was nothing to be concerned about? Does sin have to be about an active performance or a passive one? The first scenario had Ham doing nothing other speaking about it yet he was cursed. God is teaching me that passivity can be just as detrimental to our obedience as acting incorrectly. I need to hear God's voice clearly before I can ever obey Him properly.

Father God, please help me to hear You clearly. I ask, and plead all the time but I'm unfaithful with what You've given me. Help me to break free of this stronghold that eats away at my faith. Help me to rebuke anything that's not from Your Mighty Spirit so that I can live a life of appreciation and love. Thank You for already winning, You are victorious! In the wonderful name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen!

Action Through His Grace

So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

"Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father, ' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

"Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Luke 3:7-9

Just because we're saved it doesn't mean anything. The people of Israel believed that since Abraham was their father they were entitled to the blessings of God. John strictly rebuked that by calling them "a brood of vipers" and that people who will share in God's kingdom are those who "bear fruits in keeping with repentance." In other words being a child of God involves doing good works that stem from full appreciation of the grace of God.

Why do we do certain things? Is it really from God's grace or is it stemming from some other personal motive? More than not it comes from the flesh. I need a daily tune-up so that my thoughts and intentions are purely from the Holy Spirit. Will it always work out the way we plan? No. But the more we discipline ourselves the closer we'll get to God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your divine grace! It's only through Your sacrifice that we even have a reservation into Your palace. Help me to prepare properly by understanding the road You set me on. I know that entrance into Your kingdom is huge but there's so much more. How that grace is supposed to guide us into servanthood. I love You Father God, Mighty Son and Holy Spirit! Amen!