# 128 When Technology Races Ahead

The Book of Genesis Day 128 Ge 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. This “surrogate” motherhood thing has been around for a long time. Archaeologists have found that this was one of the preferred methods to produce a male heir in Assyrian marriage contracts. If a wife was barren, then the husband would try to have children by a maidservant. It was part of their culture, it was the way they did things. Why shouldn’t Abram and Sarai jump on the bandwagon, I mean, everyone else was doing it! (Where have we heard that before?) It’s an age old problem isn’t it? God’s people trying to live in a culture without adopting all its customs and ways. It’s trying to be “in the world, but not of the world!” Francis Schaeffer once said, “ Tell me what the world is saying today, and I’ll tell you what the church will be saying in seven years.” Unfortunately this is pretty much spot on. But 2Co 6:17 says, "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." God’s plan for Abram’s family did not include having children through surrogate parenthood, yet they succumbed to the pressure of the world and did it the “world’s way” and paid the price. What seemed like a good idea at first, resulted in an awful lot of personal pain for all the parties involved. Sarai became hated in Hagar’s eyes, flaunting her ability to have children in the barren Sarai’s face! Abram gets caught between two feuding women whom he knew intimately! He eventually has to cast out his surrogate son and maidservant from the family, and the ramifications of this “casting out” are still being felt in our world today! We face the same kind of pressures today. We live in a world where technological advances seemingly race ahead of the Word of God. It’s easy for us to get caught up in doing things the world’s way rather than God’s way. Yes scientists are doing amazing things…..but are they moral? Are they within the guidelines of God’s Word. We’re not talking about “flat earth” things here, we are talking about crossing the lines of biblical morality! All the more reason for us to be spending time in God’s Word. No matter the source of peer pressure, always take the time to run the ways of the world through the filter of God’s Word. See how the world’s way stacks up against God’s way. Then save yourself some pain and do it God’s way. Pray, Father, sometimes these scientific gains come at us at the speed of light! Help us to slow down and not get ahead of what Your word says about how we should live in accordance with Your will!

# 127 A Failure To Communicate

The Book of Genesis Day 127 Ge 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. To quote one of my all-time favorite movie lines (From Cool Hand Luke) “What we have here, is a failure to communicate.” We just read about this elaborate covenant that Abram and God had finalized a covenant that promised descendants to Abram but evidently, Abram hadn’t clued Sarai in on the matter. Sarai, has a deep longing for children, but her biological clock has ticked past the time for childbearing, and so she decides to run the idea of surrogate parenting past Abram. This was a popular practice in the culture they lived in. My Lutheran Study Bible comments on this practice this way, “The OT saints sometimes obtained children through means that the Holy Scripture describes but does not advocate. However they were recognized legal practices of the day and shared some of the same benefits and complications realized in today’s fertility options.”In other words, just because the world is doing it, doesn’t make it right! Proceed with great caution! Do the benefits outweigh the complications? Some of today’s fertility options result in the death of unborn children! Some result in us humans attempting to play God in the creation of life, and some, well some, can get a little messy as Sarai and Hagar are about to find out. I think it’s telling here, that we don’t read of Sarai taking here barrenness to God, (as Hannah did in 1 Samuel) she brings the problem to Abram. “Hey Abram, I want some kids,” since God isn’t granting me any, why don’t we go the surrogate parenting route like so many others do in our world today?” Does Abram protest? Does he bother telling Sarai, “Hey God and I just made a covenant and HE assured me we will have children the old fashioned way!” Nope! He doesn’t make one squeak of protest; he “heeded the voice of Sarai.” (Sounds like Adam in the garden doesn’t it?)This whole mess may have been avoided if Abram would’ve communicated to Sarai what God was speaking into their lives. Does that sound like something that has happened in your marriage? Was Sarai supposed to guess what God and Abram were up to? Did Abram give in too soon in order to keep peace in the family? Would Sarai just laugh (probably, see Gen 18:12) at the whole idea and Abram thought he should just keep this to himself? Men and women! In marriage, God has made you one! Communicate with each other on the basis of that fact! Talk to your spouses, especially about the things God is speaking to you in His holy Word! Yes, what we had here was a failure to communicate, and what we wound up with was one big mess! Pray: Lord, help us to share with our spouse those things that You are laying on our hearts! These are things that can help us to trust Jesus together, believe in Jesus together, rejoice in Jesus together, and take comfort in Jesus together

# 126 The Price Of Our Credentials

The Book of Genesis Day 126 Ge 15:17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates- 19 "the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 "the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 "the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." Darkness, a smoking oven and a burning torch. These items represent the Holy God Himself passing between the pieces of meat! This is not the only time the Scriptures associate God with smoke and fire. He was in the burning bush when He spoke to Moses. He led the children of Israel out of Egypt via a pillar of smoke and fire. The Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mt Sinai in the midst of smoke and fire. Elijah’s offering on Mt Carmel was consumed by fire, and of course the Holy Spirit was poured out on the New Testament church on the Day of Pentecost and accompanied with tongues of fire! God and fire (an agent of purification, a symbol of holiness) are inseparable. So God Himself walks through these pieces of meat and the unconditional royal grant of the Promises Land was sealed and made holy. And it came to pass on this day! There’s that phrase again! “And it came to pass!” A crossroads has been reached. The animals have been split in half, the blood has been spilled, and the covenant has been made ready. What will God do? What will He allow to pass here?Let us not forget that this covenant was based on both parties walking between the animals that have been split in half with the idea that if either one should breach this covenant, then a similar fate would await them as the fate of those animals, namely death! This covenant of course foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins. By walking through these pieces of meat alone, God was telling us and Abram, that the acquiring and occupying of the Promised Land was on Him. Abram’s part, our part, is to believe God and it will be accounted to us as righteousness. It is our faith that gives us the credentials necessary to enter the Promised Land and the price for those credentials was paid by Jesus! Here’s the thing, you and I break faith with God all the time, its called sin, and because of our sin, we deserve to die. We certainly don’t deserve to inherit the Promised Land! But God, by walking through that meat alone says to Abram, and you and I, “Don’t worry, I will walk through the meat for you! I will allow myself to be slain, so that you and all those who follow in your footsteps of faith may still inherit heaven!” It’s called grace and mercy and it came to pass on this day that God chose to foreshadow it for Abram and you and I. Abram did nothing! He slept through it all! He just received it! And that’s what all children of God need to do! RECEIVE IT! Joh 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: Pray: Father, thank You for this solemn and holy picture. May it always serve as a reminder to us of the awful price Jesus paid that we might inherit eternal life and be called Your children.

# 125 God's Merciful Patience!

The Book of Genesis Day 125 Ge 15:13 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 "Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." God has chilling news for His friend Abram. His descendants will experience a very difficult 400 years before they inherit the Promised Land. (In this world you WILL have tribulation!) At the same time He gives Abram assurance that this difficult time will occur after he is dead and gone, and He promises Abram that he will die at a ripe old age in peace. So why will Abram’s descendants be denied access to this beautiful land of Abram? Oh, it’s because the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete! “Wait a minute God! You’re going to keep the Israelites from occupying the promised land because the Amorites haven’t used up all their iniquity? That’s not fair! Their iniquity is terrible! Why they worship idols, they practice temple prostitution, divination, and they even sacrifice their children to their false gods!!!!!!!!!!! God, You are going to allow this to continue for 400 more years, while Your children endure tribulation and slave away in Egypt?” Doesn’t make sense to us does it? Well, sensical or not, it points out some attributes of God that we should make note of. First of all He is omniscient, He knows all things. He has infinite awareness. He knew exactly how long it would be before the Israelites would be released from captivity and sent packing to the Promised Land! This time would not be wasted. There would be tremendous faith lessons for God’s people then, and through the ages for all to learn. Lessons intended to point us all toward Jesus!Lessons from Joseph, Moses, the Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, the Ten Commandments, and of course God’s provision for His people, all coming as a result of their captivity. Still another attribute to glean from the iniquity of the Amorites is the forbearance of God! While the Amorites and their despicable practices deserved to be wiped out, God kept giving them time to repent! Eze 33:11 says, “As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” And in 2 Pe 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Before we jump all over this grace and mercy extended to the Amorites, maybe we ought to reflect on the grace and mercy God has extended to us! Where would you be? Where would I be without the forbearance of God? Let’s admit it, God refrained from giving us what we deserved, and gave us time to repent. He gave us grace, ought we not to be graceful to others? Pray that God would continue to be patient with the sins of our nation, and rather than bemoan the fact that the wicked seem to be escaping judgment, let us ask God to empower us to live and proclaim His Word so that the Amorites of our land may come to life saving repentance and escape the wrath to come. 400 years is a long time, but it has and ending. This is a sobering thought and one that should cause us to witness to the saving grace of God with a greater sense of urgency. The bucket of iniquity is filling up in our land! Pray that God’s Spirit would move and once again bring revival to our nation! Pray: Lord thank You for Your grace, mercy, and patience. I am so grateful that You granted me the time I needed to receive Your call to repentance. Let me be patient with others as well.

@ 124 Know Certainly

The Book of Genesis Day 124 Ge 15:13 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Before God passes between the pieces of meat and verifies His covenant with Abram, He wants to make sure Abram knows what he is getting into! It’s sorta like Jesus saying to His disciples (and that includes you and I) in Joh 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." In Abram’s descendant’s case. A promise to inherit the land might seem like a pipe dream during 400 years of captivity and affliction, but God assures Abram (and consequently, his descendants) that the day will come when they will be released with great reward. Beloved, this is a picture that we need to capture in our hearts and minds as well. There will be tribulation while we are in this world, but one day, Jesus will return, and we will finally be set free and receive our great reward! Please note the words “know certainly!” I wonder how often those two words were repeated as this covenant was passed down through the generations? Those two words would be a great source of comfort to a people who would be in bondage for 400 years! Knowing certainly that it was coming, and knowing certainly that they would eventually be coming home to the Promised Land with great reward would go a long way in consoling the people. The New Testament equivalent of “knowing certainly” is the phrase “most assuredly.” Before Jesus departed this earth He said this to His disciples in Joh 16:20 "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” And in Joh 10:7-9, He said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Let us not allow the delay of our Lord’s coming to muffle these proclamations! Most assuredly there is salvation for whosoever enters through the door of faith in Jesus! What great words of comfort for those times that we may wrestle with our own eternal security on earth! So whether it’s Jesus prefacing His statements with “most assuredly,” or God prefacing His statements with “know certainly,” we can receive great comfort from them. History tells us that those words to Abram came true, just as God said they would, and the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples came to pass just as He said they would, and therefore we know with certainty that His words concerning eternal life will also come true. Most assuredly, anyone who enters through Jesus will be saved! Come to the sheepfold through faith in Jesus today! Pray: Lord, Your Word is life! When doubt assails me, help me to turn to Your Word, paying special attention to those parts of Scripture that say, “know certainly,” or “most assuredly.”

#123 The Holiness of God

The Book of Genesis Day 123 Ge 15:12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. Abram has dropped off into a deep sleep or trance, and “behold” (behold, is the Scripture’s way of telling us to pay attention to what’s going on!) What are we to behold? We are to behold the horror of this great darkness that fell upon him!Seems a little strange doesn’t it, that darkness and horror would overtake Abram, when he was being visited by God, the Father of Lights? It’s possible that the horror came as God gave Abram, a picture of what was in store for his descendants. I mean 400 years is a long time to suffer affliction. But I believe this horror and darkness is brought on by the appearance of a holy God! In times past, we have read that the “Word” of the Lord came to Abram, but this time God shows up in person as He walks between the halves of meat set up for the covenant. Mercifully, God puts Abram to sleep for as Ex 33:20 puts it, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." One of the things that makes horror films horrific is that the creatures portrayed are so “other.” And that’s the idea of holiness in Scripture! God is “holy!” He is completely void of sin! He is “other”! So “other” that men like Isaiah became completely “undone” in His presence. (Isaiah 6:5) And when Peter realized Who had been telling him where to fish, he realized that he was in the presence of God (Jesus) and he fell on his knees and said ”Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man.” (Luke 5:8) In his deep sleep Abram caught a sense of the contrast between his own sinful self and the sinlessness of God , and he trembled with horror! Oh if we would more clearly understand the holiness of God! How we would tremble! How much more time we would spend appreciating and applying the blood of Jesus before rushing into the throne room of God! (Heb 10:19) How much more we would appreciate the New Covenant given to us in Holy Communion! As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been granted a special relationship with a holy God. But I’m afraid many of us have trivialized our worship and turned it into a “back slapping” good old boy, relationship with the King of the Universe, forgetting about His holiness. God is our friend through faith and the sacrifice of Jesus, but let us never forget His holiness. May God give us all a fresh glimpse of His holiness, because when He does, our heart will tremble on one hand and on the other set ablaze with fresh and meaningful worship of the Holy One of Israel! Pray: Father, I thank Thee that I may approach the holy of holies through the blood of Thy dear Son Jesus, but never let me forget Your holiness/ Let me never trivialize my sin!

# 122 It's Not Called HOLY Communion For Nothing

The Book of Genesis Day 122 Ge 15:11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. God has told Abram to prepare animals for the making of a covenant. A heifer, a goat, and a ram have been cut in half , their pieces set opposite each other and forming a bloody walkway. Note what happens next. The vultures arrive! Why not? There’s a real feast of dead meat lying before them! I can picture Abram frantically chasing them away like a beach goer shooing the seagulls away from a bag of popcorn! But unlike that bag of popcorn, this is holy meat. This meat has been sanctified by the Word of God and is not to be treated as carrion. This meat is meant to be a vital part of the covenant God is about to make with Abram. A covenant that coupled with faith, promises Abram, the land of Canaan. (A picture of heaven!) I can’t help but think of another covenant that God has made with His people. We call it the Lord’s Supper. It is a means of grace in which God promises the forgiveness of sins, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who gave up His body and blood for us, that we might inherit heaven! Jesus is our bloody walkway to heaven! His Body and Blood are not to be taken lightly in this Sacrament of the church! It is not to be treated as something common! Jesus said in Joh 6:53-55, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 "For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.Further, on the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus instituted the covenant of the Lord’s Supper and made it plain that in His blood, there is forgiveness of sins! "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Mt 26:28) It is the church’s responsibility to keep this meal holy, and not treat it as something common as we read 1Co 11:23-32, “ For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. This personal examination, and the corporate examination by the church, (the withholding of the Lord’s Supper from unrepentant sinners) is the equivalent of Abram keeping the vultures away. Hey, it’s not called HOLY communion for nothing! Pray: Lord, God, let us rightly discern Your Body and Blood in this Holy Sacrament, always acknowledging our sinfulness with repentant hearts and receiving Your promised forgiveness!

# 121 The New Royal Land Grant

The Book of Genesis Day 121 Ge 15:7 Then He said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it." 8 And he said, "Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?" 9 So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. Abram’s faith had just been accounted to him as righteousness as he believed God’s promise of a child to be born to him and Sarai. Now, God reminds Abram of who He is. “I am the Lord (the Self-Existent one) who brought you out! That’s one of God’s calling cards! He brings out! In this case He brings Abram out of Ur, (the land of the heathen) to what we can call the “Promised Land,” which is symbolic of heaven. God does the same thing for you and I! He brings us out of the world (the land of unbelievers) and promises us heaven! (the land of believers) He brings us out in accordance with Eph 2:8,9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” But what’s this? Abram wants some assurance? What’s that all about? It’s about the practice of Abram’s culture to make a covenant. God knows this, He knows how we fallen humans seek assurances and so He does an incredible thing! He says, “OK, I understand where you are coming from here Abram,” So he instructs Abram to prepare animals for the purpose of making a covenant in accordance with the custom of the day. The two parties involved in the covenant would split these animals in two, place them opposite each other, then walk between them. By doing so, both parties declared themselves liable to the fate of those animals should they break the terms of the agreement. Think about this! God, the Self-Existent One, was willing to stoop down to Abram and do this! He was willing to enter into this covenant with Abram in terms that Abram could understand. This was one of the types of royal covenants used in the ancient Near East. It was called a “royal grant.” And it was unconditional! It involved a king’s grant of land (in this case, God granting the land to Abram) to a loyal servant for faithful or exceptional service. The grant was normally perpetual and unconditional, and the loyal servant just needed to remain loyal. Abram understood this, and he knew that this land would be passed on to his heirs! “Be faithful Abram! If you and your children remain faithful, loyal, and serve the King of kings, the land (heaven) will be yours! Be unfaithful and the covenant is made void, the land will be taken from you! The entire Old Testament became a testimony to this covenant. God keeps His covenants and His new covenant will also be kept! His new covenant is simply this: Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. This is the new royal land grant of the New Testament! This new covenant was spoken of by Peter in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost when he said in Ac 2:38,39, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." You and your children can inherit the land! (heaven) Believe! Be baptized! Be saved! Pray: Father thank You that it was the blood of Jesus that was shed for us for the New Covenant. Let us, and our children, by faith, receive all the benefits of His shed blood through faith and water baptism.

# 120 Look At the Stars!

The Book of Genesis Day 120 Ge 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." 2 But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!" 4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." 5 Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. First of all, let me say that we are privileged here to be able to listen in on Abram’s visitation with God through a vision. It was like a “face time” call with God. It’s like a Skype prayer! In this conversation, Abram expresses his concern about not having children. God replies by assuring Abram that his heir will indeed come from his own body. (Though not specifically stated, God is including Sarai in this arrangement, which is further proof of the reality that in marriage, the two shall become one!) To make His point, God takes Abram outside, and if you have ever been out on a moonless night, away from artificial lighting, and look to the heavens, you will see what Abram saw! And God says, “Look Abram! See if you can count them! That’s how many descendants you will have!” Parents, at some time in the impressionable age of your children or grandchildren, take them to such a place! Show them the stars and tell them the story! Remind them of God’s promise to Abram and tell them as baptized believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, they are counted among those very same stars that Abram saw that night! Please note what is said after this part of Abram’s conversation with God. There is a pause, a switch is flipped, and God-given faith is turned on in Abram! He believed these words from God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Abram’s right standing with God was not related to any of his works or good deeds. (he had just rescued Lot and gave a tithe to Melchizedek) No! It was His belief and trust in God that made him righteous! This passage (Gen 15:6) is the John 3:16 of the Old Testament. “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life! Believe Jn 3:16 and it will be accounted to you as righteousness! The Holy Spirit speaking through Paul spoke of Abram’s faith this way in Ro 4:20-23, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,” Believe this! Teach it to your children! It was not meant for Ab ram alone, but for all who would believe and be baptized! What God has promised in Jn 3:16 and Mark 16:16 He is able to perform! Believe! Be Baptized! Be saved! Pray: Thank You Lord for making us children of Abram by grace through faith! Remind us Holy Spirit of this truth whenever and wherever we gaze upon the stars!

# 119 Spill the Beans

The Book of Genesis Day 119 Ge 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." 2 But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!" Have you ever spent time moping? That’s kinda what’s going on with Abram. He has just been through a rather “busy” time in his life to say the least! He risked life and limb to rescue his nephew, then there was the big victory celebration with Melchizedek, then the giving of the tithe, there was a lot of faith stretching taking place here! But now the dust has settled and the daily routine of life sets in and with a little more time on his hands Abram apparently begins to worry. So much so, that God finds it necessary to appear to Him and allay his fears. One can almost hear the thoughts of Abram tumbling in his mind concerning his own peace and security! “I beat them off this time, but unless I start getting some real numbers in my camp, I’m going to be in trouble out here!” And, “What was I thinking, giving away 10% of the loot, I may need that money later on!” In the midst of whatever was troubling Abram, the Lord shows up to console His friend. (James 2:23 says that Abraham was “the friend of God.”) He says, “Do not be afraid, I am your shield.” The word “shield” here carries with it the idea of armor as the skin of a crocodile. So God is assuring Abram that numbers don’t mean anything. God will protect His friend from harm just as the skin of a crocodile protects it from harm. Furthermore, Abram doesn’t need to worry about that loot that he gave away, because God is his “exceedingly great reward!” You’d think this would be the end of the conversation, but it isn’t! You see, God has a way to get to the heart of what is really eating at us. In opening the conversation with His friend Abram, God gives Abram room to speak honestly about his deepest concern. And he blurts it out, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless?” Ahhhh, that’s what’s eating at Abram! The old biological clock is ticking and he has no child! God was just waiting for Abram to say it! What’s eating at you today? Do you think God is not aware of it? He may be waiting for you to verbalize it to Him in a friendly conversation with Him! It’s not like you or I can hide anything from Him? He knows our every thought! Ps 139:2-4 says, “ You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You were made a friend of God through faith in Jesus Christ, why not open up your heart to your friend and spill the beans? Talk to Him in prayer! Pour your true feelings and desires out to Him and see what He will do. After all, isn’t that what friends are for? Pray, Father, forgive me for my tendency to mope, help me to remember that I always have a friend with You, a friend who desires to hear my deepest thoughts and concerns. Help me to cast my cares upon You, if for no other reason than, You care for me!

# 118 A Word About Boycotts

The Book of Genesis Day 118 Ge 14: 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 "that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich' - 24 "except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion." It’s fairly clear here that Abram is not interested in the worldly goods of the King of Sodom. He’ll stick with the providence of the God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. It is Abram’s desire to give all glory to God, and to not share that glory with anyone. Isa 42:8 says, “I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” Oh, that we would learn from Abram! How quick we are to settle for the scraps offered to us by the King of Sodom. How quick we are to forget who is the real possessor of heaven and earth, and how quick we are to dilute the glory of God. We often look at our budgets, (business, ministry, and household) and in our panic, we will do business with the King of Sodom to save a buck or two. I’m not a huge fan of boycotts because people often don’t bother to get their facts straight, or they don’t take the time to let the business know why they are no longer buying their product, or they often write or say things that just aren’t very Christ-like. But, I do boycott. I do my research, and I refuse to do business with companies who use their profits to promote and support ungodly causes and organizations. AND I do keep the conversation with these businesses…..civil! Eze 28:18 says, "You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.” This Scripture was addressed to the city of Tyre and it was completely wiped off the face of the earth because of the iniquity of their trading. As people of God, we ought to monitor how and where we spend our money, always keeping the glory of God as our true bottom line. Pray: Father, help me to spend wisely, always looking to bring You glory!

# 117 My God Shall Supply

The Book of Genesis Day 117 Ge 14:19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all. 21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself." 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 "that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich' - 24 "except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion." The King of Sodom, who was bailed out by Abram, says, “let me keep my subjects and you can keep all the loot.” But Abram let’s us in on a little secret between him and God. Apparently Abram swore to God that he would not keep a thread or a sandal strap of what he had recaptured. You gotta love the way Abram puts in a plug for God before the King of Sodom. He calls God, the Most High Possessor of heaven and earth!” He was saying, “I don’t need your goods, my God who possesses everything will supply my every need! It is as we read in Php 4:19 concerning the generosity of the church at Philippi, “ And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” One more thing. Abram’s reason for not taking anything except the fair portion due his allies in the rescue mission was so he wouldn’t be beholding to the King of Sodom. Great counsel for all of us. The world will seek to woo us with mammon, but if we look to it, rather than God, (who is the Possessor of heaven and Earth) we set ourselves up for compromise. Always remember another great promise found in Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Pray: Father, help us to have the faith of Abram in this regard. He sought Your kingdom first, let us do the same, knowing that You will add to us whatever is needed.

# 116 Another First!

The Book of Genesis Day 116 Ge 14:20B “And he gave him a tithe of all.” This is the first mention of a tithe in the Bible. It should help us to solidify the connection between the “order of Melchizedek” and Jesus. Speaking of Jesus the Messiah in Ps 110:4 we read, “The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."So Jesus is likened to an “eternal” Melchizedek, who serves as King, Priest, and Prophet. As our Prophet, Priest, and King He is due a tithe. Abram sets the “forever” example for us here in the King’s valley. This tithe on Abram’s part was an acknowledgment of Melchizedek as the Priest of the Most High God. This tithe was given to God through Melchizedek. When you bring your tithe to your house of worship, you are doing the same thing! And quite frankly, you ought to be doing it! Jesus mediated peace between you and God through His sacrifice on the cross, can we not then, like Abram, gladly give Him 10% of all? Jesus said in Mt 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” Jesus is not “bad-mouthing” the practice of tithing here! In fact He says the tithe “ought to be done!” But, the tithe is to be accompanied by justice, mercy, and faith! Our worship is not to be limited to one area at the expense of another. It should include praise, justice, mercy, faith, and yes…. giving! It is good to gather in worship with other believers in a local congregation, but if that’s all we do, we have become the clanging cymbal that Paul speaks about in his first letter to the Corinthians!. 1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. While not mandatory in the New Testament, tithing ought to be part of our worship of the High Priest of the Most High God and our King! It’s easier than it seems. Get started by resolving to do it! Then take a look at your next paycheck. What is your gross pay? Take 10% of that and set it aside for giving to your local congregation. This is your tithe! Subtract the amount of your tithe from your net pay and you now have your spendable income. Then sit down with a paper and pencil, (and your spouse) and make the necessary spending adjustments. Yes there may be some cuts, but don’t look at them as cuts, view them as an act of worship……because that’s what it is! Pray: Father, let us never forget what Jesus has mediated for us, by dying on the cross. Give us the spirit of Abram and move us to a proper acknowledgment of our forever Priest, King, and Prophet!

# 115 The Calling Card of Melchizedek Is the Calling Card of Jesus

The Book of Genesis Day 115 The Calling Card of Melchizedek Is the Calling Card of Jesus Ge 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all. The priest of God Most High, (Melchizedek) brought out bread and wine. It’s what priests do even today and when they do, the Supreme mediation occurs between God and man! And when I say priests, I mean those who serve as pastors, elders, spiritual leaders, priests, or whatever else the Bible calls them whenever and wherever the Sacrament of the Altar is observed. And it’s all because of what the Most High Priest, (Jesus) did on His last night on earth! Mt 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. He then charged His disciples (His church) to perform this same ritual in remembrance of Him. When they do, bread and wine become His Body and Blood and the supreme mediation, (remission of sins) is accomplished. How is this possible? How can Jesus say that this bread IS His body? And how can Jesus say, this IS My blood? The answer to that question can be found in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. Just as Jesus blessed the bread and gave thanks for the wine, so He also did at the feeding of the 5,000. Mt 14:19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. Something miraculous happened to the loaves and fishes. They were transformed into very real fish and very real bread that satisfied the physical need of 5000 people! Let me ask you something. How many people do you believe Jesus could’ve fed with those loaves and fishes that day? The answer of course is, “as many as would’ve been there.” As many as had come to hear Jesus and be healed would’ve been fed and fully satisfied. Let me ask you another question. Who distributed the bread and the fish? The answer is “the disciples.” (The church) So why can’t Jesus bless the bread and give thanks for the wine and proclaim that henceforth , in this God-ordained ritual, these elements would be His Body (This is) and His Blood, (This is) distributed by His church and forgiveness (remission) of sins would be mediated! AND the spiritual needs of as many as come to the Table would be met and will be met until He returns! Melchizedek, a foreshadow of Christ, mediates with bread and wine, but Jesus, (the real deal) mediates with His actual Body and Blood! I hope this is helpful for you the next time you partake of this Holy Meal! There is forgiveness waiting for you in the Body and Blood of Jesus! Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving us Your Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins!

# 114 A Mediator

The Book of Genesis Day 114 Ge 14:16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all. Abram rescues Lot and bails out the King of Sodom, and then we have this interesting meeting between Abram, the King of Sodom, and the King of Salem. Not only is Melchizedek the King of Salem, but He is also the Priest of the Most High God! According to Zodiates Lexical aid to the Old Testament, a priest is someone acting as God’s ordained mediator, to receive the gifts of the people. A mediator is someone who acts as a go-between in order to reconcile two parties. He brings two parties together to make peace. He is a peacemaker. No coincidence then that Melchizedek is also the King of Salem, which is the Hebrew word for “peace!” So this meeting is a mediation between the King of Sodom and Abram. Why is mediation needed? Well, as the King of Sodom comes out to meet the victorious Abram, he can see that Abram’s got all the loot that used to belong to him! I mean he can probably see the royal I Pad, sticking out of one of the sacks, the royal lawn mower out of another and he would like his stuff back! But hey, Abram risked life and limb for this stuff, and you can see the potential for trouble between these two. Enter Melchizedek. His mere presence as priest of the High God speaks of mediation. What a picture to ever keep before us! A picture of mediation! Through faith in Christ, a peace has been mediated between you and the Most High God! You have been redeemed! (rescued from the world as Lot was!) Thank God for His redemption every day and seek to persevere in your God-given faith to the end! You know, these pictures that God keeps painting for us in the Old Testament should remind us all of how much HE wants each soul He creates to “get it.” Jesus is the only way! He is the Peacemaker between a holy God and sinful men! Surrender your life to Jesus and have eternal peace with God! Pray: Father, thank You for redeeming me a sinner. Help me to continue strong in the faith until You take me home or Jesus returns!

# 113 Prophet, Priest, and King

The Book of Genesis Day 113 Ge 14:11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all. By the way, in verse 13, we have the first mention in Scripture of Abram as the one who makes the coffee! He Brews! (Sorry I couldn’t resist) And in verse 18, we have the first mention of the office of priest. In this mysterious King of Salem, (Melchizedek) we have one who is (1) King, (of Salem) (2) Priest, (of God Most High) and (3) Prophet! (As he pronounced a blessing on Abram from the God Most High! Do you know of Anyone else who is Prophet, King, and Priest? It doesn’t take much to associate this Melchizedek as a “type” of Jesus, and as such, we can learn much from this portion of Scripture. For now, let’s turn to another portion of Scripture, where the Holy Spirit leaves no room for doubt. He speaks of the coming Messiah in Ps 110 and makes the sure connection for us! Ps 110:1 <> The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." 2 The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! 3 Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. 4 The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. 7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.” The Messiah, who would be the antitype, (the real deal) of the “order of Melchizedek,” and serve as the eternal Prophet, Priest, and King, now sits on the right hand of God the Father, and will remain there, carrying out His duties of Prophet, Priest, and King until the Father gives the Word to return and judge the earth. As the Apostles Creed puts it, “ He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from where He shall come to judge the living and the dead.” This Psalm speaks of the ultimate and complete destruction of the enemies of God that will take place when Jesus returns. No middle ground here, and a good time to ask, “Where are you with Jesus? “ Are you in or out? Jesus says it plainly in Mt 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me,” and in Re 3:16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Time is short, the table is set, Jesus could return at any moment! Let Him speak to you as Prophet in Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Bow your knee to Him as King. Php 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, And allow Him to forgive your sins as He mediates peace (serves as a Priest) between you and God Most High, 1Ti 2:5 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” Pray to God that Jesus would be all three to You, it is one prayer the Father longs to hear, for He desires that all people would come to repentance! 2Pe 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Pray: Father, I confess that I am a sinner, and I know that I cannot save myself. Jesus come to me as Prophet, Priest, and King and save my soul!

# 112 When He Heard, He Acted

The Book of Genesis Day 112 Ge 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar. 8 And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar-four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. 11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. Historians make note of this Mesopotamian invasion in the nineteenth century B.C. but none of the kings mentioned here in Scripture can be identified with certainty. Apparently the Bible is the only place where they are identified. That’s good enough for me! There is no doubt about the geographical location of these contested areas. Some of these locales, like, Shinar, Sodom, Gomorrah, Zoar, the Salt Sea, El Paran, and Kadesh, are found in other places of Scripture. I think it’s important that the Bible mentions these kings or warlords by name because a very important name is to be brought into the picture at this time. That name is Melchizedek king of Salem. As far as the battles go, let’s just say that the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were on the losing side, and all their goods and provisions, and even some of the people including Lot and his family were taken away. Abram gets word of Lot’s lot, and he went after them with a mere 318 trained and armed servants. The mere fact that Abram had a small army tells us that Abram was quite a powerful and rich man. With God on his side and the element of a surprise night time attack, he won the day! Let us note Abram’s immediate response to the news that his nephew had been carted off by the enemy! Verse 14 says , “now when he heard!” Abram heard and he took immediate action! Let me ask you, what kind of crisis has been brought to your ears lately? What did you do about it? Is there someone in need in your own biological family? 1Ti 5:8 says, “ But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Is there some need in your local congregation? Ga 6:10 says, “ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Is there a neighbor pummeled by life and laying in the ditch? Be the Good Samaritan. Be like Abram in these cases, When he heard, he acted. Don’t worry about the odds of success, just use what God has given you and trust Him for the results. Pray: Father, forgive us for the times that we “have heard” and done nothing. Open our ears to the cries for mercy that You hear every day in our surroundings, and show us what we can do to help!

# 111 Snap Out of It

The Book of Genesis Day 111 Ge 13:14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are-northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 "for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 16 "And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 "Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." 18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.” I get this picture of a sad moment here for Abram. He and his nephew Lot have been through (ahem) a lot together. How long did Abram stand there watching Lot and his family, wend their way towards Sodom? How long did the disciples stand on Mount Olivet, watching Jesus ascend into heaven, before the angels appeared and snapped them out of it? (Acts 1:10,11) Questions, likely were flooding the mind of Abram at this time, like a parent watching their child traipse up the steps of their dormitory for their freshman year of college. “Will he be alright?” “I hear this place called Sodom is very wicked!” “I hope he doesn’t get caught up with any of that.” Suddenly, the Lord breaks through this cloud of worry and pulls Abram from the land of worry to the land of promise. “Lift up your eyes now and look Abram!” “Look in all directions! Everything you see here, I will give to you and your descendants forever!” “I will make your descendants as numerous as the dust of the earth!” Wow! There’s our heavenly Father again, coming alongside Abram and reassuring him of the promises of His Word. You may be experiencing some of the same emotions that Abram was likely experiencing in your life right now. God is wanting to speak encouragement to you at this very moment just as he did to Abram. He has promises for you too, but you aren’t going to find them with your Bible lying on the shelf. You aren’t going to find them isolated from the people of God. You aren’t going to find them wallowing in self-pity. You aren’t going to find them if you keep dwelling on what was. Listen to the Word of the Lord for Abvram and know that this Word is for you too beloved. “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width. For I give it to you.” That’s a call to action! Walk through the Word of God. Experience the promises He has given to you in His kingdom on earth! Things like worship, fellowship, obedience will reveal those promises to you! You have a choice. You can hang around Bethel (the House of God) and mope, but you’ll have to do it without Abram. He responded to God’s Word and immediately began walking through the Land, checking out all that God had promised him. His first stop was Hebron, and please note his first activity. He worshipped! Beloved, arise, walk, and worship for the kingdom has been placed before you! Pray: Thank You Lord, for placing Your kingdom before us. Help us to get into Your Word and walk the land in obedience and trust. Let the great adventure begin as we follow in the footsteps of Abram.

# 110 Vehemently Anti-God

The Book of Genesis Day 110 Ge 13:10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. Here we have the first mention of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible. Pay attention to the stark contrast, the before and after picture painted here for the whole world to see. Before the judgment of God fell, the area was compared to the very Garden of Eden and the fertile land of Egypt! This is meant to be a picture of the difference between heaven and hell. Before judgment Sodom and Gomorrah are teeming with well-watered life, then after the judgment, a total absence of anything good. The closest picture I can think of would be that of ground zero at Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped, or even the ruins of the twin towers on 9/11. Two beautiful buildings, suddenly lying in a heap of ashes, and all that was left standing were a couple of I-beams forming a crude cross. That cross, (I believe) a message from God, that the cross stands above all destruction. Jesus is the only way to escape the final destruction! But I digress. Lot pitches his tent as far as Sodom, and actually moves inside the city walls. This was not a good environment for Lot and his family, as we read that the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. Mark that term, “exceedingly.” In the Hebrew the word means “vehemently.” Vehemence is associated with forceful energy and intensity. This wickedness and sinfulness against the Lord, was marked by the intensely evil actions of the people. It was deeply felt and forcibly expressed. Incredibly, Lot settles in this environment and it must’ve been like moving in with a lynch mob! I think we have seen this kind of vehemence against the Lord in our own nation. Have you noticed? There is a vehemence against the Lord and His people from groups who do not wish to be shackled with biblical morality. Pro homosexual movements and pro choice forces often display this kind of virulence against God’s people. (unfortunately many professing Christians respond in kind, this should not be so, for we are to love our enemies! Ro 12:20,21 says, “ Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I have personally experienced this kind of vehemence while participating in peaceful protests at abortion clinics and while distributing pro-life literature. While not to the degree that Lot and God’s angels would later face it in Sodom and Gomorrah, it is a sobering thing to experience. But you know what? Our Lord experienced it to the greatest degree as he hung on the cross and passersby spit and hissed at Him and mocked Him, yet He gave us the perfect example of how to respond to vehemence! “Father forgive them for they know not what they do!” Pray: Father, help us to brace ourselves for vehemence in our world today, keep us from responding in like manner, help us to learn to turn that other cheek and to pray for our enemies, loving them as Jesus would have us to do.

# 109 Be Generous

The Book of Genesis Day 109 Ge 13:9-11, "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." 10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. I want to spend a little more time on the generosity of Abram. It is a trait that followers of Christ would do well to cultivate and practice. I don’t think I have to tell you, that Abramic generosity flies in the face of our flesh. Don’t believe me? Break off about a third of a candy bar and offer the two pieces to a child. Inevitably the child will take the larger portion.In a sense that’s what Abram was doing for Lot. He was breaking it apart and allowing Lot to have his choice. Naturally Lot chooses the land more pleasing to his sight. Abram didn’t have to do this, but he did, because he was generous! Did you know that God rewards heartfelt generosity? Pr 11:25 says, “The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.” Remember Cornelius in the Book of Acts? We are told that he was a devout and God-fearing man who gave generously to those in need. “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. (Acts 10:1,2) One day an angel of the Lord visited Cornelius and said, ”Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.” (Acts 10:4) A memorial is a sweet aroma to God, it is an offering that remembers and marks the goodness of God to the one doing the offering, and God makes special note of it! He blessed the generosity of Cornelius by sending the saving gospel message to his house through the preaching of Peter, and the Holy Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and all who were in his house! Salvation came to many that day and it all started with the generosity of Cornelius! God also blessed the generosity of Abram and he prospered everywhere he went! As for Lot, well his choice of land didn’t turn out so well. As the Holy Spirit notes here in verse 10, Sodom and Gomorrah and all it’s sin and grief came with the package! Ultimately Lot ends up in a cave with nothing but his two daughters after narrowly escaping the destruction of these doomed cities. One of his daughters would bear Moab, the father of the Moabites and the other bearing Ben-Ammi, the father of the Amorites. These people groups would be a thorn in the side of God’s chosen people for a long, long, time. Which legacy would you rather have? The legacy of Abram or Lot? Children, let us imitate our father Abram, let us practice God-pleasing generosity at every opportunity! Pray: Lord we know, You love cheerful giving. Help us to freely give to others as You have freely given to us!

# 108 Strive For Unity

The Book of Genesis Day 108 Ge 13:8 So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." 10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram’s request of Lot is good advice for us in the church today. , “Please, let there be no strife between us, for we are brethren.” Then Abram follows up with this generous offer made to Lot! It’s a good example of not quarreling over non-essentials. There was plenty of land in view from the vantage point of Bethel (God’s house) and Abram, being the senior, had every right to choose the land he wanted, but for the sake of peace, he yielded to Lot. I wonder, are you ready to do the same thing at your next church board or council meeting? I wonder if spouses are ready to do the same thing the next time strife rises up in their marriage. Ro 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” How much more then with your husband or wife? How much more then with your brothers and sisters in the Lord? Paul also wrote about this in his letter to the Phillipians: Php 2:2-9, “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,” And he continues in Php 2:14,15, “ Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, My brothers and sisters, be willing to relinquish to one another in non-essentials for the sake of peace and unity. Remember, the Canaanites are watching. Pray: Lord, help us to be ready to relinquish all the non-essential territories in our lives, knowing that You desire peace and harmony amongst Your children.

# 107 The Great Connector

he Book of Genesis Day 107 Ge 12:16 He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels. 17 But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 "Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way." 20 So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had. Pretty good deal for Abram! Pharaoh takes Sarai for his harem, thinking she is Abram’s sister, and instead of getting killed because he was her husband, Pharaoh showers him with gifts!Not a good deal for Pharaoh though. The moment he takes Sarai into his harem, the plagues begin. Somehow Pharaoh makes the connection between the plagues and the true relationship between Abram and Sarai. Now, by the custom of the Egyptians, he has every right to kill Abram and take Sarai. But the plagues have likely changed his mind. He is dealing with someone special here and he knows it, so he returns Sarai and tells Abram to go on his way. There are other “connections” here between these plagues and the ones that were going to be brought against a future Pharaoh through Moses. Both plagues were designed to force Pharaoh to release something that was not his. IN this case Sarai, Abram’s “chosen” wife. In the case of Moses, it was the Hebrews, God’s “chosen” people! By the times the plagues ended, both Pharaoh’s were most anxious to have the “chosen” ones released, and they sent them away loaded with treasures. God, the great Connector is at it again! He has done a masterful job of connecting Abram’s famine inspired journey to Egypt with Jacob’s similar journey in the future, and here He connects Abram to Moses through the plagues in the house of Pharaoh. Later, God will connect Abraham to the sacrifice of God’s only Son, as Abraham prepared to offer up his only son Isaac, and let us not forget how the Apostle Paull in his letter to the Romans would make the connection between Abraham’s saving faith and our own saving faith. (He believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness. ) This same righteousness is imputed to you and I and all who put their faith in Jesus! God connects things in His Word so that we too might make the connection between those things foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and which came to pass in the New Testament. Bottom line is it is His desire that we all become reconnected to Him through faith in Jesus! Pray: Father God, thank You for being in the business of making connections. May there be rejoicing in heaven today over every single sinner who repents and is reconnected to You through faith in Jesus!

# 105 Mistakes Are Made

The Book of Genesis Day 105 Ge 12:11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 "Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 "Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you." 14 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. There’s that phrase again, “it came to pass,” the situation involving Abram’s fear has come before God, and He allows the scenario to continue, He ”allows it to pass.” What will Abram do? Will he give in to fear? As great as Abram’s faith was, don’t you find it hard to believe that he could actually give his wife up to the Egyptians? Well if you’ve ever been gripped by fear, maybe you can identify with Abram! Fear will often cause us to do stupid things! But this “fear” of Abram’s did not begin here We get more details about this “fear” of Abrams from an incident that would take place 20 years later! That’s right, 20 years later Abram would attempt to pull off the exact same stunt with the king of Gerar. The king, (Abimelech) asked Abram why he tried to do such a thing, Abram said, “But indeed, she truly is my sister. She is the daughter of my father , but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. (The laws against this kind of a relationship were not yet codified by God through Moses as found in Lev 18) And it came to pass when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, this is your kindness that you should do for me; in every place, wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother.” Wow! This was Abram’s plan from the beginning and Sarai knew about it, and she hung with her man in spite of it! No wonder the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter in 1Pe 3:5,6 gives her special honor! “ For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.” In this instance, Sarah had more trust in God than Abram did! With this plan in Abram’s mind before the journey even began, one can see how quick he was to call on it, when he found himself in these sticky situations. Maybe he didn’t think he’d have to use that plan when he took off in faith for Canaan, but “it came to pass,” that he would have to decide. His “hedged” bet was called by the famine that forced him to travel to Egypt. When “it came to pass,” he blinked, he made a mistake, but it was one that God covered for him as we shall see. God was more interested in Abram’s willingness to follow Him, knowing that Abram would make mistakes along the way, but God would use these mistakes to grow Abram’s faith. You and I often hedge our bets as we step out in faith. You and I will make mistakes as we choose to follow Jesus. Of course we try not to, but mistakes will come. But God is more interested in your willingness to continue following Him. He is more interested in growing your faith, and there is a wonderful verse in Scripture that helps us to move on after our mistakes. It is found in 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Don’t let your mistakes turn you away from following Jesus, confess those mistakes. Receive His promised forgiveness, and move on. “Go, and sin no more!” Pray: Lord, help my faith to grow as I learn to trust You in all things, and cover my mistakes through the precious blood of Your Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

# 104 Distractions, Fear, and Doubt Will Come

The Book of Genesis Day 104 Ge 12:11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 "Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 "Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you." The famine has driven Abram and his entourage to Egypt. Before we are too harsh in our judgment of Abram here, let’s recall an episode with Peter. Jesus invited him to walk on water with the simple command, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and was walking on water until the wind became boisterous. That’s when fear and doubt gripped him and he began to sink. But Jesus was right there to bail him out. This is what is happening to Abram right now. He has become distracted by outside circumstances; he becomes afraid and does a terrible thing to his wife Sarai. It was the practice of Egyptian princes to kill the husbands of beautiful women, and then confiscate the women for themselves. Abram knew this and was afraid for his own life, so he asked Sarai to tell the Egyptians that she was his sister. That way, they would still confiscate her, but would do no harm to him. (Not exactly loving your wife as Christ loved the church. Not exactly trusting God’s promise of giving the land of Canaan to Abram’s descendants. Abram was gripped with fear for his very life and with that fear came the great enemy of faith…..doubt. One can almost hear Satan whispering in Abram’s ear, “Did God really say HE would give the land of Canaan to your descendants?” If so, what are you doing in this strange land? Dead men have no descendants.” So Abram decides to take matters into his own hands, and to protect his life, his gives Sarai away to the Egyptians. Now, let’s not be too hard on Abram, after all, to be truthful, most of us would still be in Haran, afraid to take that first step of faith into Canaan! The lesson here is simple. Be on guard! As you exercise faith by trusting in God’s Word and His promises, fearful distractions will arise. They will be boisterous, like the waves with Peter, demanding your attention. About the only voice you will hear at times like this will be the devil, and his proverbial, “Did God really say?” Recognize this, and before you panic and act foolishly like Abram, turn to the Word, just as Jesu s did in the wilderness when He was tempted. Remember His response? “It is written! Pray: Lord, fear is a great enemy of my God-given faith, help me to hear Your voice above all the din, and fear not!

# 103 Famines: God's Moving Company

The Book of Genesis Day 103 Ge 12:10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. Think about the test of faith this must have been for Abram. God had just promised this magnificent land to Abram’s descendants, and now he had to leave it because of famine. Think of the grumbling you and I would probably engage in at such a turn of events! Well, like it or not Abram needed to find food for his family and entourage and so he journeyed to Egypt. Famines have a way of moving people to where God wants them to be. Later on, in this Book of Genesis, we will read of a grandson of Abram, (Jacob) who would send his sons to Egypt to find food, and ultimately the family and the great nation of Israel would be preserved! A famine also played a role in the dispersal of main characters in the Book of Ruth. Even in the New Testament, when the early church seemed to be content to stay at Jerusalem, God sent a famine and the believers were dispersed, and this resulted in their delayed obedience to spread the Gospel to the four corners of the earth! None of these people could have imagined that these famines were a part of God’s plan, yet they were, but in spite of all the detours, God carried out all of His promises just as He said HE would! It was just not done in the way these people imagined it. Look at your own life. What kind of shortages and roadblocks have popped up to lead you to where you are today? Is this the route you would have taken or did God have to open and close some doors for you? Well, here you are, and you still haven’t finished the journey. Someday when we are in the promised land of our heavenly home, and we’ll look back and see the providential care of God in each one of our lives, and we will fall down and worship because we are not aware of the half of it! We’ll see the reasons for the detours, and the roadblocks and will worship all the more. Our way may have been more convenient, but God’s way will ultimately result in things like, more character, more faith, and most importantly more people coming with us! It’s about trust! Believe in Jesus Christ and He will get you there and it will be the absolutely best way for you and all others involved. Reflect: Think of just one thing where You can see God’s hand in directing your life. Pray: Father, thank You for Your providential care for Your children. Help us to trust You no matter our circumstance, knowing You have our well-being and the well- being of others in mi

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America and want to share a thought on thankfulness today. But before I do, let me say that I am extremely thankful for those of you who take the time to read my blog on a regular basis. According to the statistical readout this blog has been viewed by many in the United States and around the world! Would you do me a favor? Sometime in the near future would you drop me a line at duanematz122@msn.com and tell me a little bit about yourself. I'd love to hear your story and how you found the blog! Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving! One day of the year which we have set aside in our nation to give thanks to God. Wow! Aren't we something special! A day that has been gobbled up with massive tradition laden meals , football games, dreams of shopping deals on the morrow, and oh yes, maybe.....maybe a table prayer that mentions God, or more likely a list of things and people that we are thankful for. Believe it or not, I don't have a problem with that. Please, enjoy all these good things that God allows us to have! I know I will! But would you at least consider this. Would you consider making a thanksgiving resolution today? No need to declare it at the table, or make an announcement during halftime, just a quiet resolution between you and the Lord to become a thankful person on a daily basis for the next year. Ps 54:6b,7 says, “I will give thanks to Your name O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.” There's your resolution. “I WILL give thanks.” Why? Because God is good, and even when it doesn't appear that way, we have His promise that “all things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose,” (Rom 8:28) Further we read that He has delivered us from every trouble. That doesn't mean that He removes trouble, it means that He delivers us through our troubles. He gives us what we need to cope and endure. Is that not reason enough to thank Him on a daily basis? Who knows what lies ahead today, tomorrow, or in the year to come? And finally, as you daily give thanks to God for His gift of Jesus, and daily come to Him confessing your sins and receiving His forgiveness, your “eye will look in triumph on your enemies.” No, your enemy is not that family member or neighbor or co-worker that you just can't seem to get along with. Your enemies are the world, your flesh and the devil, who all desire to separate you from the love of God. And in the coming year, if you keep your thanksgiving resolution, and daily confess your sins, receiving God's forgiveness and asking His help for victory over sin in your life, I guarantee you, that your eye will see victory over your enemies. This is the key to the preservation of your soul, and when all is said and done, if it is well with our soul, all we can say is “Thanks Lord!”

# 102 Calling On the Lord

The Book of Genesis Day 102 Ge 12:8 And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he 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 So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. Abram keeps moving. He heads south to a place called Bethel. It’s one of the highest places in Canaan with a spectacular view. The name Bethel means “House of God,” Perhaps you have been to such a place yourself. You have paused and looked in awe at a God’s eye view of His creation and were moved to worship. Perhaps it was the view, or maybe it was just Abram seeking direction from the Lord, but he builds another altar and “calls” on the name of the Lord.The basic meaning of the Hebrew word for “calling on the Lord,” is “the enunciation of a specific message.” It is usually addressed to a specific recipient and intended to elicit a specific response. Sounds like a prayer of supplication to me! Abram had a specific question for the Lord, and was desiring a specific answer. I suspect the question had something to do with direction. This must’ve been a beautiful area with a beautiful view. A place that Abram would quite naturally be taken with. In fact, we know that after his journey to Egypt, he returned to this very place and settled with Lot. One can almost hear Abram praying, “Oh Lord, this is such a beautiful place, thank You for leading me to it. Is this where You want me to settle down? “ But God’s silence is deafening. , so Abram picks up stakes and continues traveling south.. It must’ve been very difficult, but Father knows best! So Abram moves on. Perhaps you are in a similar place in your life right now. A time of searching for direction. Don’t be afraid to “call on the Lord.” 1Jo 5:14 says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us”. Ask for a specific response. Jesus did it in the Garden of Gethsemane, Abram did it at Bethel. If God is silent, perhaps you need to look back at His original instructions. (You’ll find them in His Word) One thing to remember just because something appears beautiful and easy, doesn’t necessarily mean it is God’s will. Learn to be patient. I have seen too many people grab the first option that comes along and they wound up missing what God had intended for them. The Psalmist said in , Ps 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! Pray: Lord, guard my heart from being impetuous. Help me to learn to recognize Your will for me and give me the necessary patience!

# 101 There He Built An Altar

The Book of Genesis Day 101 Ge 12:5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. For reasons unknown, Terah, Abram, Lot, and Sarai tarried at Haran. It was Terah’s original intent to travel to Canaan, but for some reason, he decided to stay at Haran, and he died there before he could move on to Canaan. After his death, Abram, Lot, and Sarai took all their possessions and all the people (servants) they had acquired in Haran and took off for Canaan. We are not told how Abram knew it was time to leave, we just knew he went, and we trust that God somehow guided His way. Abram’s first stop was Shechem at the terebinth tree of Moreh. The mention of the tree tells us that this was likely an easily identifiable place. This tree stood out from its surroundings! This tree is referred to in other places in Scripture. For instance, Jacob buried the foreign gods and the earrings that his household had accumulated under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem. (Gen 35:4) The terebinth trees of Moreh are also mentioned by Moses as he tells the people about the land they are about to conquer. (Dt 11:30) This was a place that stood out and a natural place for Abram to stop! It becomes a SUPERNATURAL place as the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants (that word out to perk up the ears of the childless Abram!) I will give this land!” What a marvelous promise. The barren Sarai and Abram would one day have children and those children would own this land! And so Abram built an altar to thank the Lord and serve as a reminder of this great promise to him and others who would follow! Yes, this was a special place, a place where a divine promise was made. It was a place of confirmation! Abram could now move on, for he knew he was on the right path. This was indeed the land that God had promised to show him. How precious it is when the Lord’s sweet confirmation comes to us. Why it’s enough to make you want to build an altar and worship! I have a folder in my computer that I call “Standing Stones.” In this file I have recorded the times that the Lord has confirmed a promise to me. It is a great file to keep because when I am overcome by doubt, I can simply open the file and be reminded of God’s faithfulness. If you don’t have a similar file or journa,l or notebook, may I encourage you to start one? Pray! Thank You Lord for those times when we need to hear from You with some sort of sign that we are on the right track, and You give it! Let us pause often and thank You for Your guidance in our daily lives.

# 100 God’s Incentive Package

The Book of Genesis Day 100 Ge 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 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." 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Many times, God attaches promises to His commands or instructions. Here, Abram is told that if he gets out of his country, away from his family, and his father’s house, God would make him a great nation and God would bless him. Abram would have a great name and would be a blessing to others. Those who blessed him would be blessed and those who cursed him would be cursed, and through Abram all the families of the earth would be blessed! That’s quite an incentive package wouldn’t you say? In fact, almost a little unbelievable. It might be a whole lot easier to believe God for a little piece of land in Canaan, a family of four, and a camel or two for transportation, but that’s not what God had in mind for Abram. Abram was to become the apple of God’s eye, the father of the great nation of Israel! Wouldn’t you like that “apple of the eye” status of Abram? You already have it in a sense, for God so loved the world (that includes you) that He gave His only begotten Son! If that doesn’t make you feel special I don’t know what will! But He wants to do more for you and through you! That’s why there are so many invitations and calls to obedience and trust in God’s Word, and His promises. It doesn’t take some spiritual giant to accomplish these things. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours ( He put his pants on one leg at a time just like you and I) and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. His secret? He was just obedient to and trusting in the Word of God. Moses, David, Rahab, Gideon, the disciples were all ordinary people with hearts willing to trust God and His promises. Don’t let your story stop at salvation! Rather, imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Heb 6:12 says, “that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Notice the plural…promises!) God has so much more for His children, all He asks is a little faith, a little obedience, and a little patience. Pray: Father God, thank You for the free gift of salvation. It was only by Your gift of faith that My heart surrendered to You, now I ask that You help me to become the child You want me to be as I continue to exercise faith in Your Word.

#99B Ante Up Dude!

The Book of Genesis Day 99 Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. I love to play poker! I’m not very good at it, but I love to play the game. You can’t play poker though unless you ante up. You have to put some chips in the pot before you get the rest of your cards. Well, God is about to play some holy poker with Abram, but Abram is going to have to ante up before the game begins in earnest. In the matter of exercising faith, the first step is to be sure you are hearing from God. Read His Word, and as you read, ask yourself, “Is there something here I can obey? Is there something God is instructing me to do? He instructed Abram by telling him to get out of his idol chasing country and away from his idol worshiping family. That was the ante! Abram had to say to God, “Count me in!” So Abram anted up and left not even knowing where he was going, not yet knowing what cards he would be dealt. I am reminded of the Apostle Paul on his way to Damascus. He meets Jesus , surrenders to Him as Lord, and Jesus tells him to ante up and go to Damascus, and then he will get further instructions (the hand will be dealt) Do you get this? This is God-pleasing faith! God keeps it simple. We need not worry about elaborate planning and our own scheming. God first of all wants to know if you are in the game! Ante up dude! When Abram packs up and leaves Ur, he is telling God, “Count me in!” Paul says the same thing when he heads for Damascus! Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Abram and Paul go, hoping and believing God for further instructions. It’s stepping out in obedience and trusting in God’s Word, confident that He will be faithful on His part. Peter wasn’t given a Coast Guard manual on “How to Walk On Water.” Jesus said “Come!” and over the side of the boat he went, and he walked on water!. God calls each one of us to exercise the measure of faith He has given us. What is He telling you to do in His Word? Are you going to ante up and follow His simple commands, or are you going to fold even before the ante is called for? Ante up pilgrim! Let God know you are in the game, and then be waiting for the cards that He deals out and play them in accordance with His Word! Pray: Father, in the matter of faith, help me to keep it simple and uncomplicated. Let me learn to follow Your simple commands always measuring them in accordance with Your Word.

# 99 Hearing From God

The Book of Genesis Day 99 Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. The New Testament gives us a couple of deeper glimpses into this event in Abram’s life. In Acts 7:2-4, Stephen guided by the Holy Spirit fills us in on more of the details of Abram’s calling. “And he said, "Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, 3 "and said to him, 'Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.' 4 "Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.” It was God who moved Abram to move to Canaan, and when He did, Abram had no clue as to where he would be going. (Try explaining that to the guy who rents you a U-Haul truck!) In Heb 11:8 we read more of this calling, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” This gives us insight into what it means to exercise faith and it is a key to powerful kingdom living! When exercising faith or trust in God’s Word, the first step is to make sure we are hearing from God. God appeared to Abram, so he had no problem there. He knew who he was talking to! You and I hear from God as He speaks to us through His Word, (the Bible) Oh, we may have special visions and prophecies (indeed, some will!) given to us, but every vision and every prophecy must be checked out to be sure it is in compliance with God’s Word! In matters of faith, the bottom line is always, “What does God say?” Peter, commenting on the surety of God’s Word gave his eyewitness account of the spectacular events of the transfiguration, but as spectacular as that event was he said, “We also have the more sure prophetic word” ….the Bible. So before exercising faith, make sure you are hearing from “the more sure prophetic Word,” namely the Bible. Pray before you read. Pray before you heed, and then wait and see what God will do! Reflect: How important is context when reacting to the Word of God? Pray: Lord, help me to boldly trust Your Word, being careful to keep it in context!

# 98 Let Goods and Kindred Go

The Book of Genesis Day 98 Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. The Lord speaks to Abram while he was still living in Ur. He tells him to get out of his country, from his family, and from his father’s house, to a land that God would show him. How would you like the Lord to give you that kind of a command? Leave the United States! Say goodbye to all your aunts and uncles, and cousins, even your father, and go someplace else. “Where God? “I will show you!” Good luck explaining that move to the fam! It sounds like an unusual request, yet it was God’s time to move and to show the people of the earth that there is a better way! He would use Abram to be the father of a great nation. Through Abram, all the families of the earth would be blessed. In order to do this, God needed to separate Abram from the idol worshiping Chaldeans, even if some of those idolaters were family members! You see, once again the people of the earth had reverted to all sorts of idolatry including Abram’s family! In Jos 24:2 we get a glimpse of life in the household of Abram: “ And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. So God called Abram out, even from his family! You know, that reminds me of what Jesus said in Lu 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” The Greek word for “hate” here means “to love less.” Abram loved his homeland, his family, and even himself, “less” than he loved God! So he departed as the Lord had spoken to him. He had no idea where he was going, he just followed God’s instructions. Guess what? When Jesus said to His disciples (and that includes you and I) “Follow Me” He was simply restating the command that God had given Abram. Beloved, Follow Jesus! Love all things less than you love God. It is the test of true discipleship. As the hymn states, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also!” You have no idea where the path of Jesus will take you, but you won’t regret it. Just remember to be true to His Word as you follow Him. Reflect: Have you ever taken any steps of faith, not knowing what the outcome would be? Pray: Father, we want to follow Jesus, especially after all He has done for us on the cross. Help us to “let go” of anything that may be holding us back. Help us to be “all in” with Jesus!