TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY OCTOBER 3, 2014.
BITTERNESS
DEFINITION:
Anger; disappointment at being treated unfairly; resentment.
SCRIPTURE:
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. Acts 8:23.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Bitterness is one of the most destructive of human emotions. Bitterness stems from the greedy desire for something that we feel has been unfairly denied to us. Bitterness results in anger and resentment that can lead us to do sinful things and can lead to our downfall. There are many situations in life today that causes bitterness. They include broken relationships, being treated unfairly, economic concerns, losing a job or a home, family disagreements, jealousy of others, coveting what someone else has, etc.
Bitterness sneaks into a person’s life when they start losing their communication with their Lord. Many times unfortunate situations come our way as believers in Jesus and our minds move from the Lord to the situation. For others (non-believers) bitterness is part of a person’s life because they never have had a relationship with God. They seem to be bitter about something all the time.
In the eighth chapter of Acts (verses 5-25), we read about Philip, a disciple of Jesus, who became an evangelist in Samaria. Philip, like many of the followers of Jesus had left Jerusalem to escape persecution. He continued, wherever he went, to preach the gospel message. Philip was preaching to people that were listening to false prophets who were teaching a false religion and urging false confessions.
Among them was a man named Simon, who used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria by claiming that he was the great power of God. The people followed him because he amazed them with his magic. The scripture tells us that when Simon heard Philip preach and saw him perform great miracles that he repented and believed in Jesus and was baptized.
Peter and John came to Samaria to help Philip and to pray for him in this revival. When Peter and John laid hands on the believers they received the Holy Spirit. Simon wanted to buy this ability and he offered them money so he could perform the same miracles.
It was Peter who saw that Simon’s heart was not right in the sight of God. He told Simon that he needed to repent and ask God to forgive him of his wickedness. Peter told Simon that he saw that he “was full of bitterness and a captive of sin.” Simon was still tied up in the bond of iniquity even though he professed to be a believer. Like Simon, many people today claim to be saved but still cannot get free of their sinful ways.
The point is made very clear in this incident with Simon. Simon’s life was filled with hypocrisy, trying to fool people that he was something that he was not. He wanted to be known as the great man of God but for his own selfish purpose.
As so often happens, Simon became bitter because he was denied what he thought he should have. In Ephesians 4:30-31 we are told to get rid of all bitterness and anger because it grieves the Holy Spirit.
Where do you stand in your life? Are you bitter because of circumstances in your life that are causing you to be angry and resentful? If you are, it is sin in God’s sight and now is the time to ask for forgiveness as Peter told Simon to do. God is willing and waiting to forgive you. You are the one that needs to take that step and the Lord will change your bitterness to joy.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33:
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
Help me to get rid of any bitterness in my life. Help me to realize that bitterness serves as a divide between You and me. May our family be an example to others, never showing bitterness but always showing the love of God through our words and deeds.
October 5, 2014
Success: October 2, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 2, 2014.
SUCCESS
DEFINITION:
A person or thing that prospers; the favorable accomplishment of what was attempted to achieve a favorable outcome.
SCRIPTURE:
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the verse above God has given us the key as to how we as believers can have success in our lives. First, it refers to the Book of the Law. This is God’s Word and we must read it and study it daily so that we may know it. But it is not enough just to know His Word. We must observe it and apply it to our life so that what we say and what we do is based on the words and lessons we have learned from God’s Word. We need to notice that Joshua writes that we need to meditate on God’s Word day and night. God’s Word should always be on our mind.
The end result of following God’s instruction is that “then you will have good success.” You will not have just “success” but “good success.” It is only through our obedience to God’s Word that we will have success as God defines success for our lives.
We have learned as we have talked to people down through the years that success is influenced by what you want success to be. The story is told about a clergyman who had a very good friend who was an actor. The clergyman wanted success to be found in his ministry in his church. The actor wanted success to be in the reaction of the crowds to his acting.
One day, late in life, the clergyman asked the actor why it was that the actor was drawing large crowds to his performances and my audiences in my church are so small.
The actors response was quite simple but good for us to understand today. “I present my fiction as though it is truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.”
Several thoughts come to our mind that will help us as believers have success in our lives as God wants us to have. We might call this TEN WAYS TO HAVE GOOD SUCCESS!
First, we must always take responsibility for our actions.
Second, we must be willing to work for what we want in life. It will not just come to us on a golden platter. God expects us to make good use of our time on earth.
Three, do not waste your time fighting for something you cannot change.
Four, admit it when you are wrong and pay the consequences. A successful person will always admit wrong when they are wrong and God always honors that decision.
Five, do not nurse a grudge and refuse to accept forgiveness or to ask for forgiveness. Holding grudges with people will always hinder you in being successful.
Six, always be generous to those in need. So many people today show no generosity but only think of themselves. God will honor those with success that are generous to those in need.
Seven, let your mouth always be used to give a word of kindness. Always being kind to others always is honored by God and appreciated so much by the one you showed kindness to.
Eight, refuse to wallow in self pity. When you are wronged or something does not go your way look at the bright side and move on with a positive attitude.
Nine, always be willing to listen. You need to put aside your own agenda when you are talking to people and really listen to what they are saying. God will honor you with success when you listen to others and show concern for their need and seek to help them, even if it is only a word of encouragement.
Finally, learn to be a peacemaker. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” God keeps His promises and He will bless you beyond anything you could ever imagine.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
Help me to desire only to be successful from Your perspective and not from mine. Instruct me from Your Word, as I study it, so that I may be a successful disciple for You. Enable me to exemplify You in all that I do.
SUCCESS
DEFINITION:
A person or thing that prospers; the favorable accomplishment of what was attempted to achieve a favorable outcome.
SCRIPTURE:
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the verse above God has given us the key as to how we as believers can have success in our lives. First, it refers to the Book of the Law. This is God’s Word and we must read it and study it daily so that we may know it. But it is not enough just to know His Word. We must observe it and apply it to our life so that what we say and what we do is based on the words and lessons we have learned from God’s Word. We need to notice that Joshua writes that we need to meditate on God’s Word day and night. God’s Word should always be on our mind.
The end result of following God’s instruction is that “then you will have good success.” You will not have just “success” but “good success.” It is only through our obedience to God’s Word that we will have success as God defines success for our lives.
We have learned as we have talked to people down through the years that success is influenced by what you want success to be. The story is told about a clergyman who had a very good friend who was an actor. The clergyman wanted success to be found in his ministry in his church. The actor wanted success to be in the reaction of the crowds to his acting.
One day, late in life, the clergyman asked the actor why it was that the actor was drawing large crowds to his performances and my audiences in my church are so small.
The actors response was quite simple but good for us to understand today. “I present my fiction as though it is truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.”
Several thoughts come to our mind that will help us as believers have success in our lives as God wants us to have. We might call this TEN WAYS TO HAVE GOOD SUCCESS!
First, we must always take responsibility for our actions.
Second, we must be willing to work for what we want in life. It will not just come to us on a golden platter. God expects us to make good use of our time on earth.
Three, do not waste your time fighting for something you cannot change.
Four, admit it when you are wrong and pay the consequences. A successful person will always admit wrong when they are wrong and God always honors that decision.
Five, do not nurse a grudge and refuse to accept forgiveness or to ask for forgiveness. Holding grudges with people will always hinder you in being successful.
Six, always be generous to those in need. So many people today show no generosity but only think of themselves. God will honor those with success that are generous to those in need.
Seven, let your mouth always be used to give a word of kindness. Always being kind to others always is honored by God and appreciated so much by the one you showed kindness to.
Eight, refuse to wallow in self pity. When you are wronged or something does not go your way look at the bright side and move on with a positive attitude.
Nine, always be willing to listen. You need to put aside your own agenda when you are talking to people and really listen to what they are saying. God will honor you with success when you listen to others and show concern for their need and seek to help them, even if it is only a word of encouragement.
Finally, learn to be a peacemaker. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” God keeps His promises and He will bless you beyond anything you could ever imagine.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
Help me to desire only to be successful from Your perspective and not from mine. Instruct me from Your Word, as I study it, so that I may be a successful disciple for You. Enable me to exemplify You in all that I do.
Conscience: October 1, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 1, 2014.
CONSCIENCE
DEFINITION:
The inner sense of right and wrong impelling one toward the right action; the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.
SCRIPTURE:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. I Peter 3:15-16.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you ever been concerned if you can trust your conscience? When one faces decisions in life, many times decisions will be made based on whether one feels that it is right or wrong. Our conscience does give us a sense of right or wrong and it is good to listen to our conscience.
Conscience comes from training whereby we learn what is right and what is wrong. When we know the difference between right and wrong then our conscience is able to convict us to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. In order to have a conscience that can be trusted to be a reliable guide it must be continually sharpened and molded through the study of God’s Word. It is God’s standard of right and wrong that matters and not the world’s.
We urge you to consider asking God every morning to cleanse your mind and to guide you in your words and deeds for the day. If you will do this we believe God, through His Holy Spirit, will clearly help you know the difference between right and wrong throughout the day and convict you to do right.
Peter reminds us, in the verse above, that when we speak to others to defend and testify of our faith we must be sure that we can speak with a clear conscience. Non-believers look for every opportunity to point out misconduct in the life of a believer so they can criticize the believer’s faith. That is why every believer must be sure that they are living according to God’s ways and not the sinful ways of the world. Our words will carry no weight with others if the way we live contradicts what we say we believe.
Dr Charles Stanley recently preached a sermon on the role of our conscience and he called it, “You can trust your conscience if.”
We would like to share several of his remarks with you because they are scriptural and excellent for one to follow if one is concerned about knowing they have the Lord’s leading in their life.
The first and foremost requirement that one must meet in order to trust your conscience is that you believe in Jesus and you call Him your Lord and Savior.
Secondly, the Word of God must be the basis of all of your conduct in life. This can only be a reality if you spend time daily not only reading the Bible but applying it to your life.
You can trust your conscience when you daily have made it your strong desire and priority to obey God. As you read God’s Word you will hear God talking to you and He will use your conscience to guide you in obeying God and will warn you when you are not. You need to prayerfully consider all of the decisions you make. Before you act or respond you need to pray.
When your conscience sounds an alarm you need to react immediately. It should not be ignored. You must listen to and react to what you know is right or wrong. When you feel guilty about a decision it is important to reverse your direction fast and get back on track. Your conscience is a warning system and you know it has reacted if you feel guilty.
The final point that Dr. Stanley made is that God uses your conscience to compel you to repent for your disobedience. It is the work of your conscience that leads you to repent. It is up to you to do what is right in the first place. If you do wrong it is up to you to repent.
Study these thoughts and make them part of your life and you will be able to trust your conscience. When you put your faith and trust in the Lord and communicate daily with Him, you will be able to walk with the confidence that He will use your conscience to keep you on the path of righteousness.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
PRAYER:
Through studying Your Word teach me today how to distinguish between right and wrong in my daily life. Help me to be faithful to communicate with You so that You can speak to me through my conscience so I will know Your will in every decision I make.
CONSCIENCE
DEFINITION:
The inner sense of right and wrong impelling one toward the right action; the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.
SCRIPTURE:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. I Peter 3:15-16.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you ever been concerned if you can trust your conscience? When one faces decisions in life, many times decisions will be made based on whether one feels that it is right or wrong. Our conscience does give us a sense of right or wrong and it is good to listen to our conscience.
Conscience comes from training whereby we learn what is right and what is wrong. When we know the difference between right and wrong then our conscience is able to convict us to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. In order to have a conscience that can be trusted to be a reliable guide it must be continually sharpened and molded through the study of God’s Word. It is God’s standard of right and wrong that matters and not the world’s.
We urge you to consider asking God every morning to cleanse your mind and to guide you in your words and deeds for the day. If you will do this we believe God, through His Holy Spirit, will clearly help you know the difference between right and wrong throughout the day and convict you to do right.
Peter reminds us, in the verse above, that when we speak to others to defend and testify of our faith we must be sure that we can speak with a clear conscience. Non-believers look for every opportunity to point out misconduct in the life of a believer so they can criticize the believer’s faith. That is why every believer must be sure that they are living according to God’s ways and not the sinful ways of the world. Our words will carry no weight with others if the way we live contradicts what we say we believe.
Dr Charles Stanley recently preached a sermon on the role of our conscience and he called it, “You can trust your conscience if.”
We would like to share several of his remarks with you because they are scriptural and excellent for one to follow if one is concerned about knowing they have the Lord’s leading in their life.
The first and foremost requirement that one must meet in order to trust your conscience is that you believe in Jesus and you call Him your Lord and Savior.
Secondly, the Word of God must be the basis of all of your conduct in life. This can only be a reality if you spend time daily not only reading the Bible but applying it to your life.
You can trust your conscience when you daily have made it your strong desire and priority to obey God. As you read God’s Word you will hear God talking to you and He will use your conscience to guide you in obeying God and will warn you when you are not. You need to prayerfully consider all of the decisions you make. Before you act or respond you need to pray.
When your conscience sounds an alarm you need to react immediately. It should not be ignored. You must listen to and react to what you know is right or wrong. When you feel guilty about a decision it is important to reverse your direction fast and get back on track. Your conscience is a warning system and you know it has reacted if you feel guilty.
The final point that Dr. Stanley made is that God uses your conscience to compel you to repent for your disobedience. It is the work of your conscience that leads you to repent. It is up to you to do what is right in the first place. If you do wrong it is up to you to repent.
Study these thoughts and make them part of your life and you will be able to trust your conscience. When you put your faith and trust in the Lord and communicate daily with Him, you will be able to walk with the confidence that He will use your conscience to keep you on the path of righteousness.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
PRAYER:
Through studying Your Word teach me today how to distinguish between right and wrong in my daily life. Help me to be faithful to communicate with You so that You can speak to me through my conscience so I will know Your will in every decision I make.
David: September 30, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2014.
DAVID
DEFINITION:
A model of servant hood.
SCRIPTURE:
And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever. II Samuel 7: 28-29.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
For the last few devotionals we have looked at the lives of five great men of the faith from the Old Testament. We can learn, from each one, principles that can be applied to our lives today. It is our prayer that these five devotionals, about these men that God used and blessed, will make a life changing impact on your life.
In II Samuel 7:5 God gave David the title, “My servant” when He said to Nathan, “Go and tell My servant David” In David’s prayer to God recorded in verses 18-29, David spoke of himself as “Your servant” ten times, acknowledging that he desired to be God’s servant.
David served God in many capacities. He went from being a simple shepherd boy to a heroic ruler. We want to look at the various stages of his life so we can clearly see how his deep devotion to God allowed the Lord to use him mightily. David was not perfect and neither are we. We can learn from the life of David that God can use us, even though we are not perfect, just as He used David in spite of his shortcomings.
As a shepherd David learned how to protect the sheep. It was a job that he took seriously, even killing a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. As a shepherd he became strong and brave in order to take care of creatures weaker than himself. He had an early obedience to his earthly father who taught him the humility that he would need in order to depend on God.
David’s writings reveal his hunger for God. He was open about his own issues like fear, depression, defeat, loneliness and sorrow. David provided in his writings glimpses of himself for us to see that show that he knew God intimately. He described valley experiences so vividly and how he went to God for His leading and protection.
David was a commander and King. These positions were ones of privilege and power, However, He lived a life that was plagued by heartache, pain, suffering, and conflict. In his times of despair he turned to God who David knew was the source of comfort and mercy. From a young age David had come to understand that the Lord was his strength, his shield and his help. (Psalm 28:7)
In spite of his deep devotion to God, David committed great sins in his life. David acknowledged he had sinned and sought the Lord’s forgiveness. God forgave him and continued to use him. His restoration teaches us about the consequences of sin, but more importantly it shows us the limitlessness of the grace of God and how great is His mercy toward us. No matter what the circumstances were in his life, David never ceased to honor God and give Him praise and all the glory.
King David served God’s purpose when he lived but more importantly the record of his life in the Bible continues to impact every follower of Christ down through the centuries. Have you been challenged by David’s example of obedience and service to the Lord? He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our life to Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
How I rejoice in the testimony of the lives of the godly men that have lived in years past for the example they are to me today. Help me to be an obedient and willing servant serving You faithfully as you lead me hour by hour.
DAVID
DEFINITION:
A model of servant hood.
SCRIPTURE:
And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever. II Samuel 7: 28-29.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
For the last few devotionals we have looked at the lives of five great men of the faith from the Old Testament. We can learn, from each one, principles that can be applied to our lives today. It is our prayer that these five devotionals, about these men that God used and blessed, will make a life changing impact on your life.
In II Samuel 7:5 God gave David the title, “My servant” when He said to Nathan, “Go and tell My servant David” In David’s prayer to God recorded in verses 18-29, David spoke of himself as “Your servant” ten times, acknowledging that he desired to be God’s servant.
David served God in many capacities. He went from being a simple shepherd boy to a heroic ruler. We want to look at the various stages of his life so we can clearly see how his deep devotion to God allowed the Lord to use him mightily. David was not perfect and neither are we. We can learn from the life of David that God can use us, even though we are not perfect, just as He used David in spite of his shortcomings.
As a shepherd David learned how to protect the sheep. It was a job that he took seriously, even killing a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. As a shepherd he became strong and brave in order to take care of creatures weaker than himself. He had an early obedience to his earthly father who taught him the humility that he would need in order to depend on God.
David’s writings reveal his hunger for God. He was open about his own issues like fear, depression, defeat, loneliness and sorrow. David provided in his writings glimpses of himself for us to see that show that he knew God intimately. He described valley experiences so vividly and how he went to God for His leading and protection.
David was a commander and King. These positions were ones of privilege and power, However, He lived a life that was plagued by heartache, pain, suffering, and conflict. In his times of despair he turned to God who David knew was the source of comfort and mercy. From a young age David had come to understand that the Lord was his strength, his shield and his help. (Psalm 28:7)
In spite of his deep devotion to God, David committed great sins in his life. David acknowledged he had sinned and sought the Lord’s forgiveness. God forgave him and continued to use him. His restoration teaches us about the consequences of sin, but more importantly it shows us the limitlessness of the grace of God and how great is His mercy toward us. No matter what the circumstances were in his life, David never ceased to honor God and give Him praise and all the glory.
King David served God’s purpose when he lived but more importantly the record of his life in the Bible continues to impact every follower of Christ down through the centuries. Have you been challenged by David’s example of obedience and service to the Lord? He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our life to Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
How I rejoice in the testimony of the lives of the godly men that have lived in years past for the example they are to me today. Help me to be an obedient and willing servant serving You faithfully as you lead me hour by hour.
Abraham: September 29, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2014.
ABRAHAM
DEFINITION:
The founder of the Jewish nation and the first Biblical patriarch. In Hebrew Abraham means “Father of multitude?”
SCRIPTURE:
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12: 2-3.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Abraham was God’s chosen vessel through whom He would reveal Himself to the world. Abraham could never have imagined how significant a role he would have in the future of all mankind. When God promised Abraham to make of him “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2) he had no idea of what God was saying to him.
The key to the fulfilling of God’s plans was Abraham’s obedience. We can follow the steps of faith in Abraham’s life in Genesis chapters 12 to 25. In Genesis 12:1, Abraham was told by God to, “Get out of the country, get out of your father’s house and go to a land that I will show you.”
In order to accomplish what God had commanded Abraham to do there were six stages of journeys that Abraham took over a period of 600 years that showed his growth in obedience to God’s will.
First, he travelled from Ur of the Chaldeans, where his father’s house was, to Haran. We are told that his father Terah and his nephew Lot traveled with him. He only obeyed God in part. He left his father’s house but he did not leave his father.
Second, he travelled from Haran to Shechem which is in the center of Canaan with Lot (his father had died in Haran). By making this move he left his country, obeying God’s command but still not separating himself from his father’s family. At Shechem the Lord appeared to Abraham and promised He would give the land of Canaan to his children. In response Abraham built his first altar to the Lord to worship and honor God.
Third Abraham moved from Shechem to Bethel. Bethel means “House of God’ and it was a place where people went to seek God’s counsel. Abraham built his second altar to the Lord here.
Fourth, he moved from Bethel to Egypt because there was a famine in the land of Canaan. This was the way that God was testing the faith of Abraham. He disobeyed God by going to Egypt and he did not build an altar to God in Egypt. He was out of the will of God being in Egypt and not in Bethel. It is only when one is in the will of God that he can truly worship the Lord and Abraham was out of the will of God. It is better to endure trials (famine) and accept the will of God than to attempt our own limited solution such as Abraham did.
Fifth, Abraham left Egypt and went back to Bethel. He went back to the house of God (Bethel). He went back to worshiping at the altar of God. At Bethel, Lot was separated from Abraham and for the first time since the Lord called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans, he was fully obeying God. He now was separated from his country, his family and his father’s house.
Finally, Abraham moved to Hebron which became his home as God desired for him. It was here that God really started blessing him because he had become fully yielded to God and was in His perfect will. It was here that his two sons were born. It was here that Isaac was presented for an offering on an altar of sacrifice. God had truly blessed Abraham as He had promised.
We can learn from the experiences of Abraham the importance of listening for the leading of God in our lives and responding according to His will and not according to our desires.
Abraham could not have understood the full significance of the importance of his obedience to God’s will for his life, but every believer understands it now because it was through the line of Abraham that Jesus, our Messiah, came to this earth to save us.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
Open my heart to listen to You and obey Your directions for my life. Just as Abraham returned to Bethel to seek Your guidance, may I continually come to You and seek Your guidance. May I be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit today so that I can represent You to those who are hurting and needing a relationship with You.
ABRAHAM
DEFINITION:
The founder of the Jewish nation and the first Biblical patriarch. In Hebrew Abraham means “Father of multitude?”
SCRIPTURE:
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12: 2-3.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Abraham was God’s chosen vessel through whom He would reveal Himself to the world. Abraham could never have imagined how significant a role he would have in the future of all mankind. When God promised Abraham to make of him “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2) he had no idea of what God was saying to him.
The key to the fulfilling of God’s plans was Abraham’s obedience. We can follow the steps of faith in Abraham’s life in Genesis chapters 12 to 25. In Genesis 12:1, Abraham was told by God to, “Get out of the country, get out of your father’s house and go to a land that I will show you.”
In order to accomplish what God had commanded Abraham to do there were six stages of journeys that Abraham took over a period of 600 years that showed his growth in obedience to God’s will.
First, he travelled from Ur of the Chaldeans, where his father’s house was, to Haran. We are told that his father Terah and his nephew Lot traveled with him. He only obeyed God in part. He left his father’s house but he did not leave his father.
Second, he travelled from Haran to Shechem which is in the center of Canaan with Lot (his father had died in Haran). By making this move he left his country, obeying God’s command but still not separating himself from his father’s family. At Shechem the Lord appeared to Abraham and promised He would give the land of Canaan to his children. In response Abraham built his first altar to the Lord to worship and honor God.
Third Abraham moved from Shechem to Bethel. Bethel means “House of God’ and it was a place where people went to seek God’s counsel. Abraham built his second altar to the Lord here.
Fourth, he moved from Bethel to Egypt because there was a famine in the land of Canaan. This was the way that God was testing the faith of Abraham. He disobeyed God by going to Egypt and he did not build an altar to God in Egypt. He was out of the will of God being in Egypt and not in Bethel. It is only when one is in the will of God that he can truly worship the Lord and Abraham was out of the will of God. It is better to endure trials (famine) and accept the will of God than to attempt our own limited solution such as Abraham did.
Fifth, Abraham left Egypt and went back to Bethel. He went back to the house of God (Bethel). He went back to worshiping at the altar of God. At Bethel, Lot was separated from Abraham and for the first time since the Lord called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans, he was fully obeying God. He now was separated from his country, his family and his father’s house.
Finally, Abraham moved to Hebron which became his home as God desired for him. It was here that God really started blessing him because he had become fully yielded to God and was in His perfect will. It was here that his two sons were born. It was here that Isaac was presented for an offering on an altar of sacrifice. God had truly blessed Abraham as He had promised.
We can learn from the experiences of Abraham the importance of listening for the leading of God in our lives and responding according to His will and not according to our desires.
Abraham could not have understood the full significance of the importance of his obedience to God’s will for his life, but every believer understands it now because it was through the line of Abraham that Jesus, our Messiah, came to this earth to save us.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 6:33.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
PRAYER:
Open my heart to listen to You and obey Your directions for my life. Just as Abraham returned to Bethel to seek Your guidance, may I continually come to You and seek Your guidance. May I be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit today so that I can represent You to those who are hurting and needing a relationship with You.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
