Worth the Repeat - In Silence

The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
Genesis 24:21 ESV

This is an amazing chapter in the life of Abraham, his son, Isaac, and Eliezer, his servant.

Abraham sent Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. He gave him very explicit instructions and prayed that God would prosper Eliezer in his journey (make it successful). When the servant arrived in the region, he prayed to the God of Abraham with very explicit requests for what the girl would do in order to make his journey successful. No sooner had he finished the words in his heart when Rebekah showed up at the well and began to do what Eliezer had silently prayed. 19 'When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they HAVE FINISHED drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for ALL his camels.' [emphasis mine]

I did some research on this. Camels drink between 30 and 50 gallons of water at a time depending on whether they have one hump or two (even though they don't carry the water in their humps). So Rebekah drew water for 10 camels! Now 5 gallons of water weighs about 41.5 lbs so if she only drew 300 gallons that would weigh 2,490 lbs or 1 1/4 US tons. If they were the two-hump ones at 50 gallons per camel, that's 500 gallons which would be 4,150 lbs- over 2 US tons of weight in carrying water!! How many trips do you make to fill that trough? It was no easy task, that's for sure.

When he saw that she also began to water his camels, he could have said something and acknowledged her work, but he "gazed in silence to learn..." He could have settled for good enough when she filled the trough the first time, instead he "gazed in silence to learn..." For how long? I have no idea how long that took, do you?

Do we have the patience to wait "in silence to learn" - to see the promise of God fulfilled in its entirety?

Prayer:

Father,
           Teach us well how to hold our tongue. To wait in silence before You so that we may learn... Our lives are in Your hands. It is not in us to direct our own steps—we need You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Something Different for May - Day 8 - The Faith of Abraham

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!

Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!" And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

Romans 4:1-25 NLT

Prayer:

Day 8

Jesus, 

         How grateful we are for the example of Abraham. Through him, You showed that righteousness comes from You, by faith. As David said, “Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them!” So today, Lord, we trust in You who were raised to life for our justification. Thank You! Amen!

No Way, Right?

 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
Romans 4:18-19 NLT

Abraham never allowed his failures or sins to change his belief in God's promise. He didn't allow them to redefine who or what God said Abraham would be. He kept right on believing that he would be the father of many nations because God said so and he used God's word as his foundation. It's not easy - especially in the face of circumstances that scream "No way!". And yet, he was.

How about the borrowed axe head that floated?  (2nd Kings 6) No way, right? And yet it did...

The donkey that talked to the prophet (Numbers 22) - No way! YES, absolute way!

The Bible is filled with testimonies of overcoming impossible situations that had no reason for hope until God stepped in. 

It doesn't matter what you're facing - or how hopeless it seems. Invite God into it. Get into His Word and BELIEVE what He has to say about it. Spend time in His presence and listen for his voice. He'll make a way where there is No Way...

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You for giving us the measure of faith and the opportunities for us to be able to grow in it. Thank You for allowing us to come into Your presence and stay there. Thank You for making a way when there is no way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - The Abraham Generation

Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Psalm 71:18

There is a common misconception that as we age, we lose our value. We may not be able to move as we did in our younger days, or lift as much, or remember as quickly, but I can assure you this: If you get two or three seasoned followers of Christ in the same room praying, they will touch heaven on your behalf.  

I have known three women - all of them prayer warriors - who died from Alzheimer's. They lost their memories. Those precious, loving women couldn't recognize their own children, but they did NOT forget their God! They knew Him and prayed powerfully until the end of their lives on Earth. They were a living testimony of Romans 8:38-39 - NOTHING separated them from God's love! 

That is why I was SO pleased to see the honor bestowed by a church body on its' older generation. I was privileged to attend a ground-breaking ceremony for an older church to begin a new building. It is a congregation of generations in a small town. During the ceremony at the construction site, I was impressed with the way they lovingly gave honor to whom honor was due.

While the whole of the congregation walked out to the construction site, the seniors were helped into golf carts for a smooth ride to the front side of the site. They were then assisted the few feet to the pastor's side as he honored them for having carried the church on their knees in prayer. He titled them, "The Abraham Generation" and explained to the younger folk about the blessing of generations, and how the new church would not be a reality without the prayers of the saints that stood before them. He acknowledged and reinforced why it so important for the older generation to teach and for the younger generations to listen and learn. It was incredibly beautiful and holy as the Abraham Generation pointed it all back to God! I know God will continue to mightily bless the young pastor and his congregation.

If you are blessed with knowing members of the Abraham Generation, thank God for them, and also pray for them. Treat them with respect. If you have to slow down for them, do it honorably. It will be time well spent.

Prayer:

Father,

           We pray Your Word* - May we experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. May we be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to You, God, who is able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to You in the church and in Christ Jesus through ALL generations forever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

*Ephesians 3:19-21 NLT

* What Came Before?

^26d the son of Josek, the son of Joda…,  ^27b the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa…, ^28b the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam…,  ^30d the son of Jonam…, ³¹ the son of Melea, the son of Menna…,

(portions of Scripture from the New International Version – I’ll tell you where a little later)

My least favorite parts to read in the Bible are the begats… those Scriptures in the King James version, Adam begat Seth who begat Enos who begat Cainan who begat Mahalaleel, and more sons and daughters and so on and so on… A litany of names I cannot pronounce, although I know they all have a meaning and I know the lineage is important, too, but sometimes I wonder why I have to know all that…

Ancestry and heritage are all the rage right now, people want to know their lineage - maybe there's someone famous in their family line... or maybe not. However, they're all important! How important you ask? Well, I thought I would start in Luke 2, And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus… We all know that story and we think that’s where it all started, but it’s not. Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) reads, Even before he made the world, [emphasis mine] God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eye.

Before Genesis 1:1 In the beginning… God chose us before He made the world…  

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “I don’t even know why I’m here.” When asked if here meant the current location, almost unanimously, it was No, here at all. Born… Sad, too sad… I could go into lots of reasons why we are here and provide lots of Scripture as to the sanctity of life itself that God has given each of us, etc, but let me just say this…

If your great-great-great-great grandfather had died before he married your great-great-great-great grandmother, you wouldn’t be here. If any of the limbs of your family tree that came before you had been chopped down before re-seeding so to speak, there would be no you. Why is that important to know? Well, let me ask you this… Do you know any of the names in our Scripture reference for today? Do you recognize them? Joda - Addi -  Cosam? Do you know what they did? What set them apart for distinction?  They lived. That’s it. God’s plan – they were born and they lived, and I dare say they lived their lives to the fullest. I didn’t recognize any of the names in our list. They are from the third chapter of Luke. If you read the whole list, you’ll find names you do know… Jesse, David, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob… However, without the names in our text today - there wouldn't have been Jesse, David, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All in the lineage of Jesus the Messiah.… 

You see, God had a plan even before He made the world… and you were in it. Are there any more questions as to why you're here?  

Prayer:

Father,

          You know the end from the beginning. You wrote our days in Your book. Forgive us for those times we question Your plan. Help us to fulfill the plan You have for our lives. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen