# 151 The Power of Faith

The Book of Genesis Day 151 Ge 18:10 And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" 13 And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?' 14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!" Sarah was eavesdropping in the tent when she hears the news that she is going to have a son. She reacts the same way her husband had reacted….she laughed! She laughed to herself of course, but then she becomes acutely aware of who was speaking as the Lord says, “Why did Sarah laugh?” Now Sarah knew it was the Lord because (A) How did He know she was listening in? (B) How did He know she laughed to herself? (C) How did He know the reason for her laughter? God knows our hearts! Then the Lord speaks a word of faith to the eavesdropping Sarah. He gives her something to believe. He says, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you , and you will have a son.” What did Sarah do with this word from the Lord? Let’s jump ahead to the New Testament and find out. Heb 11:11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Another way of stating this might be, “She believed God and it was accounted to her as a miracle.” Sarah clung to God’s Word that said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” This was the flashpoint of faith for Sarah, and as she clung to it, God visited her and with His miraculous power wrought the miracle of conception in a dried up womb! Her trust in God’s Word opened the door for a miracle because it removed the great enemy of faith…..doubt. Jesu said in Mt 21:21, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. Remember that as God calls you to faithful action. As He speaks His simple commands and promises to you through His Word, and you believe them and act on them, miracles will come your way. They may not be as miraculous as Sarah giving birth, but they will be unmistakable evidence of God working in your situation. Judge God as faithful, and see what He will do in your life! Pray: Father, you are a miracle working God, help me today to remember that with You, nothing is impossible!

# 150 Visits From God

The Book of Genesis Day 150 Ge 18:9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent." 10 And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Wait a minute! How did these three visitors know Sarah’s new name? And what is this talk about a personal return “according to the time of life?” There can be no doubt in Abraham’s mind now as to who he is talking to. He is being visited by the Lord Himself with this good news! The “time of life,” that the Lord was referring to is that time of the month when Sarah would be most likely to conceive. Let’s not miss the importance of this statement. The Lord will visit Sarah and Abraham at the time of conception. He will be there as He was there when you and I were conceived as well. Yes, He is even present at the laboratory procedures now used to bring about new life. He is in the test tube! He is in the petrie dish, and if He says yes, then life will come forth. It was to the prophet Jeremiah that He said, “I knew you BEFORE I formed you (Jer 1:5) To Abraham and the eavesdropping Sarah He said, “I will return to you at the appointed time of the conception of Isaac. I will pull this off as I do all others! God brings forth life when and how He chooses. “I will praise you , for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; my frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.” (Ps 139:14-16) God is present at each and every creative act of His creatures. He is the ultimate Genetic Engineer. Just about everything you and I are today was put together “at the time of life” at conception! All that was added was time, nutrition, and God’s care. Knowing this, how can we in the church be so apathetic about life issues? How can we ignore such things as the abortifacient qualities of some of our so called “birth control methods?” God visits, but we don’t open the door and we miss out on a blessing from God! God visited Sarah and her time of fertility. He still visits today. If we would meditate on this one simple truth, how different our outlook on life issues would be. Pray: Father, help us to realize anew that life is a gift from You! Help us to be more hospitable when You visit!

# 149 Hey! I('m Glad You Are Here!

The Book of Genesis Day 149 Ge 18:1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 "Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 "And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said." 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes." 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. Let’s continue to examine the “hospitality” of Abraham and see what we might learn. First of all, notice how Abraham makes his guest feel like they are not imposing. In fact, it’s just the opposite, he makes it seem like his guests will be doing him a favor by tarrying for a while. He says, “If I have found favor in your sight, do not pass on by your servant.” Then, he seeks to meet their immediate needs. These three men have arrived at Abraham’s camp in “the heat of the day,” in the middle of nowhere. Likely they have traveled far and are hot and tired. “Please, let me wash your feet while you rest under the shade of my tree.” These men are likely hungry, so Abraham meets that need as well. Hotcakes all around, and not just some cow that needs to be culled, but a “good and tender calf!,” Nothing but the best for these guests! Abraham made these three guests feel important! Why? What was his motivation? What did he hope to accomplish? The key is found in verse 5 and it should be the goal of every hospitable act! He did it, that these three might refresh their HEARTS! There is something about good hospitality that leaves the guest refreshed! This should be our goal whenever we engage in hospitality! The blueprint for proper hospitality can be found right here in Genesis! These men entered Abraham’s camp as strangers, they left refreshed! He accomplished it by serving them in such a way that they felt important. Always be prepared for showing hospitality! It may involve serving refreshments to a public servant working outside your door. It may be supplying a listening ear to a store clerk. It may be just setting your home up in such a way that visitors sense your welcoming heart. You don’t have to have a mansion, (a tent and a shade tree will do) Frankly, my best experiences of hospitality have come around cluttered kitchen tables, with a pot of hot coffee, and a simple attitude of “Hey, I’m glad you’re here!” Pray: Father, help us to learn that hospitality isn’t about everything being “Martha perfect.” Help us to always be ready to be a breath of fresh air to others.

# 148 Extravagant Hospitality

Day 148 Ge 18:1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 "Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 "And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said." 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes." 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. Another Old Testamant “theophany!” (an appearance by the pre-incarnate Christ) It was a typical hot afternoon. Abraham was taking it easy in the door of his tent, grabbing a little shade, and who knows maybe a little nap, when he looks up and sees three men standing before him. One of the three, we are told, is the Lord, (hence theophany) When he saw them, he hurried to greet them and immediately embarked on a frenzy of hospitality! “My Lord,” he says, demonstrating humility, (a tremendous trait to have when exercising hospitality) “stay a while, please allow me to wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me get you something to eat.” They agree, and Abraham has Sarah cook up three cakes. Then he literally ran as fast as a 100 year old man can run, (pardon me but I have this picture of the Tim Conway shuffle) and picked out the best calf and had it prepared. He served up milk and butter, and then stood quietly by as they ate. ……another sign of humility and certainly the mark of a good waiter, who is unobtrusive, yet always ready to jump in and serve where needed! Wow! If this is a “morsel of bread” one has to wonder what Abraham and Sarah consider a regular meal I guess another lesson here might be that hospitality should be extravagant! This whole incident should make each one of us thing of the words found in Heb 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Extravagant hospitality is a mark of the followers of Christ. We are to imitate Christ who didn’t come to be served, but to serve! Jesus washed His disciples feet, He chastised Simon for not showing classic hospitality to Him when He came to dinner. Jesus encourages us to give cups of cold water to others in His name. He reminded us that when we do these things to the least, we do them unto Him! That alone ought to push us toward extravagance! Abraham has set forth a tremendous example for us to follow. Let’s ask the Lord to show us how to be warmly hospitable in the midst of an ever colder world. Hey, you never know whom you may be entertaining! Pray: Father, I likely will have opportunity to refresh someone along the way today. Open my eyes to those opportunities and help me seize them in the name of Jesus.

# 147 One Messy and Painful Day

The Book of Genesis Day 147 Ge 17:22 Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; 27 and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. One can picture Abraham getting up off of his knees after his prayer time with God and coming back to his house and gathering Ishmael, and all of Abraham’s servants, and their children for a little meeting. Abraham: “Got some good news and some bad news for you fellas. The good news is, I just heard from God, the bad news is you are all going to get circumcised right now!” I am having a hard time imagining the whole scenario! What were Hagar, Sarah, and all the other wives and mothers thinking? Sounds like Abraham was the one who performed the procedure, but we aren’t told who performed the procedure on him. At any rate, this was one messy and painful day for the men and boys in Abraham’s camp. But you know, it was one messy and painful day on Calvary when Jesus paid the price for our sins and opened the door to the new PAINLESS (for us) covenant of baptism! The thing I really wants us to glean from this account is the immediacy of Abraham’s obedience! We are told that the circumcisions took place, “that very same day!” I am reminded of the Ethiopian eunuch , who, upon hearing the full gospel, as explained to him by Phillip, ordered the chariot to stop as soon as they came upon some water! Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" That’s immediacy! Abraham, immediately circumcised every male in his household who was at least 8 days old, The 8 day old infant certainly couldn’t understand what was happening to him in this God-ordained procedure, but the adults certainly could. In subjecting themselves to this procedure they were entering into a covenanted relationship with God, and in submitting their infants to the procedure, they were doing the same for them. Sometimes, I think we spend too much time trying to teach about baptism, rather than just doing it as Jesus commanded. I don’t read anything in the New Testament about baptism classes. People who heard the gospel rightly preached (as Philip preached it) knew that they needed to be baptized, and so there was always an immediacy to baptism in the New Testament ! Not only for adult believers, but just as in Abraham’s case, all of those (including infants) in their households. Baptism and the proclamation of the Gospel are inseparable. That’s why Jesus said in Mr 16:15,16, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Pray: Lord, help us to get a sense of the importance of the immediacy of baptism. Remind us often of the benefits promised to us in this rite as found in Your Word.

# 146 Having A Good laugh With God

The Book of Genesis Day 146 Ge 17:17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed Imagine praying to God. You are engaged in conversation with the creator of the universe, and He tells you something that he is going to do for you and you break out in uncontrollable laughter because it is so unbelievable! Where is the fear of the Lord here? Where is the holy awe? You know, in the beginning of this exchange between Abraham and the Lord, the first thing Abraham did was fall on his face in worship, and now he is falling on his face with laughter! This seemed so foreign to me, so opposed to my concept of prayer! I mean isn’t prayer supposed to be completely solemn? I can understand tears, but laughter? I was really struggling with this until one day, when I was praying with a group of pastors, I like Abraham broke out in laughter. It wasn’t anything delirious, but it was laughter. We were just praying in a circle, vocalizing some things that God was laying on our hearts, when one pastor said something that struck me as being funny. I didn’t plan to laugh, it just happened! The pastor wasn’t trying to be funny, it was just something that the Holy Spirit had moved him to verbalize, and I laughed. We laughed! Then I understood. Yes God is holy. He should be held in reverence and awe, but one of the miracles of the new life in Christ is the establishment of fellowship with God. We become friends again! (That in itself should cause us to laugh with joy!) Only a friend of God could get away with what Abraham did when God told him Sarah would bear him a child. He did a natural thing, he laughed! Seriously, do you think Adam walked with God in the Garden of Eden and never laughed? Not likely! (I’m guessing they were both laughing to tears when Adam was coming up with the names of all the animals!) The implication of this Hebrew word for laughter is “to make sport.” Abraham's laugh was the equivalent of "You gotta be kidding me!" It's the kind of exchange that real friends have license to do with one another, (just don’t cross the line from joviality to something hurtful.) Abraham’s laughter was not contrived, it was real….heartfelt, and isn’t that what prayer is all about? It’s being real with your Friend, Your Father, and your holy God! As the writer of Ecclesiastes has stated, “to every thing, there is a season,” and that includes a time to laugh. There is room for smiling and laughter in God’s family, as one former Christian radio personality used to say. “Jesus loves you! Tell your face about it! Pray: Father there is a time for laughter and a time for being somber! Help us to always know the difference! Help us to not take ourselves too seriously!

# 145 Be Patient and Persevere In Prayer

The Book of Genesis Day 145 Ge 17:15 Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 "And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her." 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" 18 And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" 19 Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. 20 "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 "But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year. 22 Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. Do you ever get discouraged about your time of prayer with the Lord? Does it seem like you go for long periods of time without really hearing His voice? Sometimes I think we fall for the trap of thinking that every time we pray we are going to have these deep revelations about God and His plan for our lives! But think about it! Abraham lived to be well over 100 years, how many of his conversations with God were recorded in Scripture? Not that many! It’s not that he didn’t pray often, we know he did because he was called “the friend of God,” and friends communicate! Abraham likely spent time confessing his sins, remembering God’s promise of forgiveness, worshiping God, thanking God, and supplicating God for his daily bread! These are daily needs for all of us, and ought not to be neglected! And every now and then, God (as recorded in Scripture) interrupted this daily routine with Abraham to pass along information that Abraham needed to know! He will do the same for you and I if we persist in prayer. Ps 53:2 says, “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.” If you neglect your time of prayer, what does God see when He looks down from heaven? He sees someone who really doesn’t care to hear from Him. He sees someone too busy for Him, and when the time comes when He wishes to fill you with revelation and guidance, where are you? You are no where to be found. So shall it be with your revelation and guidance as well….it too, will not be found! Pray: Lord, help me to patiently persevere in prayer!

# 144 The Mark 16:16 of the Old Testament

The Book of Genesis Day 143 Ge 17:11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 "And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant." I want to spend one more day speaking of circumcision and baptism. One of the pitfalls found in Old Testament circumcision and New Testament baptism, is people have fallen into the trap of relying solely on the rite of God, while neglecting the relationship with God. (Faith) Somehow people have gotten the idea that they can be baptized and just live as they please! Is that what the Bible says? In the Old Testament, God continually reminded the “people of the circumcision,” to circumcise the foreskin of their heart! In other words, they were to cut off the covering of their hearts that kept them from walking before Him. Listen to how important the circumcision of the heart was to God. In Jer 9:25,26 we read, "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised- 26 "Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart." The point is this: circumcision is of no value to the unbeliever!Should Abraham and his descendants throw out circumcision? Certainly not! As believers they would want to be circumcised because God commanded it and promised to do something in it for the recipient! This would mark them as children of God, much like the seal of the Spirit received in baptism! Remember, there were two types of circumcision….the physical and the spiritual1 In Ezek 44:9, God had this to say about the importance of both! Eze 44:9 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel. (This is the Mk 16:16 verse of the Old Testament! Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Circumcision of the flesh and circumcision of the heart were required to enter the sanctuary in the Old Testament. (Let’s call that heaven!) Water baptism and faith are required to enter the sanctuary in the New Testament! As the Israelites should’ve remembered what God do for them in circumcision, so should the Christian daily remember what God has done for us in baptism, and then live accordingly! Pray: Father, thank You for the grace bestowed upon us at baptism. Help us to not waste it through neglecting our faith!

# 142 The Connection Between Circumcision and Baptism

The Book of Genesis Day 142 \ Ge 17:11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 "And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant." Required by God and performed by men. This circumcision was required in order to be in a covenanted relationship with God and it must be accompanied by faith. (A circumcised heart) Wait a minute! How is it possible for an 8 day old infant to have faith? First of all, we must understand that it is God who grants faith. (See Eph 2:8,9) It is worked in the heart and it is something only God sees with certainty. If it’s there, He knows it! If it’s not there, He knows that too. Faith is not a matter of our intellect, it is a matter of the unseen heart! God is able to impart saving faith in circumcision to an 8 day old infant (in the Old Testament) and in infant baptism in the New! That’s why David was able to say in Ps 22:9,10 “But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God.” Yes! A nursing child can have saving faith! I think it is interesting that circumcision was accomplished by “flint knives” (See Josh 5:3) and Jesus said in Mt 3:9 "I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” ( Could this be a veiled reference to the flint knives used in circumcision? The point is, God is able! And in Ac 2:38, 39 we read, “ Then Peter said to them, "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." “The promise is to you and your CHILDREN.” God is able! In Col 2:11,12 Baptism is compared to circumcision! Col 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. One has to wonder if an 8 day old infant was brought into the faith covenant in the Old Testament, why not an 8 day old infant in the New Testament through “the circumcision of Christ?” (Baptism!) In fact, personally, I wish more people would consider baptizing their infants on the 8th day, but that’s a subject for another time! Circumcision mattered for an 8 day old infant in the Old Testament, and baptism matters in the New. But never forget baptism must be coupled with God-given faith! Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Pray: Father, let us use this devotional thought today to remind ourselves again that You are able!” You were able to save in circumcision; You are able to save in baptism.

# 141 The Sign and Seal of Circumcision

The Book of Genesis Day 141 Ge 17:10 "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. Circumcision. So painful. So fitting! The circumcised Hebrew would be reminded daily from the eighth day of his birth that God was going to send a human Messiah born of woman through the descendants of Abraham. The promise made to Eve would come to pass through God’s covenanted people. Every sexual act of a man would serve as a reminder to him that God was working to restore creation and redeem all people. Even the shedding of blood which accompanied a circumcision would serve as a reminder of the cost of God’s redemption. I’m not so sure men were always thinking these things, and that’s rather obvious as we read of the exploits of these men in the Old Testament, nonetheless, circumcision was not only a covenant but a sign. A sign that would point to the arrival of Christ, and a seal that would mark the circumcised child from the eight day as a covenanted child of God! As wonderful as this sign and seal were, it would avail nothing should the circumcised person cease to “walk before God!” Faith had to accompany circumcision or it had no power to save. Unfortunately, many of the people relied solely on the mark of the covenant instead of the covenant itself. John the Baptist warned against such an attitude when he told the circumcised Pharisees IN Mt 3:8-10, "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” In other words, “Don’t think that your circumcision as an eight day old child is going to save you! God is able to raise up children of faith from stones! It’s the circumcision of the heart that must accompany the circumcision of the flesh! This circumcision of the heart is accomplished by God, who grants the gift of repentance and faith! De 30:6 says, "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” God commanded the physical act of circumcision in the Old Testament, but He is looking for the inward reality of a circumcised heart! A heart that is “cut off” from every desire, except to walk before God, to love and serve Him alone! If He is able to do that to a stone, He is able to do it to your hardened heart as well. Of course, circumcision has been replaced with baptism in the New Testament, but as in circumcision, faith must accompany baptism or you are lost! Mr 16:16 says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Pray: Lord, I pray especially for those today, who are relying on their baptism alone for salvation. Remind them of the necessary requirement to believe! Help them to receive the gift of repentance and a re-ignited faith.

# 140 A Painful Pun

The Book of Genesis Day 140 Ge 17:9-11, “And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Now we get to the “as for you,” part of the covenant. God has already told Abraham what His part of the covenant will be, now He has something He wants Abraham and his descendants to do. Abraham, and every male child shall be circumcised. Circumcised? What is that? Abraham knew very well what that meant because it was already in practice in the culture in which he lived. Non-Jews practiced it as a puberty rite at about the age of 13. Ouch! The word “circumcise,” means to “cut off.” That is very significant as we relate the act of circumcision to God’s Covenant. Let’s jump ahead to verse 14. “And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be “cut off,” from his people; he has broken My covenant.” At first glance, this seems like some sort of a bad, painful pun, but it’s not! It’s a vital part of the covenant process! By obeying God’s command to be circumcised, Abraham was saying to God, ”We believe that You will do what You have said You will do in this rite. May we be cut off from You just as these foreskins have been cut off from us, if we don’t remain in the faith. As we have been saying all along, Abraham and his descendants must walk before God (be rightly related to Him through faith) in order to be blameless in His sight. Circumcision was meant to be an earthly picture of a heavenly reality! It is a graphic portrayal of the fate of those who refuse to walk before God. They will be cut off! Pray: Thank You Lord for painting these pictures for us in Your Word. Let us realize the finality of being cut off from You should we not endure in the faith.

# 139 An Everlasting Deal

The Book of Genesis Day 139 Ge 17:5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." The change of names is complete. Abram (exalted father) becomes “Abraham” (father of many) Please note that God says, “I have made!” In other words, it’s a done deal. 99 years old, yet God says, “What I have said about you fathering a child with Sarai is so certain, that you will henceforth be known as “the father of many nations! Perhaps you’ve seen the bumper sticker, “God said it, that settles it.” Well that’s what we’ve got going on here. Abraham believed it and it was accounted to him as righteousness! Fast forward to Re 7:9,10, and see the culmination of this promise! “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" These are all the children of Abraham. They are the children of faith! God’s covenant would include the giving of the Promised Land to Abraham’s descendants as an everlasting possession and God also promises to be their everlasting God! Everlasting, is a long time, but that’s how long God is willing to extend the offer. It is good to all who “walk before Him,” (that is, those who are rightly related to Him through the same kind of faith that Abraham held to. Anyone who refuses the offer, will be cast out. That’s the covenant! And if you don’t think He is serious about it, just ask the Israelites who refused to walk before Him . They were cast out of the Promised Land because they broke their part of the deal. And so it will be for you and I if we refuse to “walk before God!” God’s offer stands until time as we know it passes away, but if we refuse it, and walk in our own ways, our voices will be missing from that heavenly chorus that John wrote about in the Book of Revelation! Therefore, walk before God! Pray: Lord, Again we thank You for Your patience and Your everlasting offer to us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to ever walk before You, believing Your Word!

# 138 Naming Rights

The Book of Genesis Day 138 Ge 17:5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. Finally, we can start calling Abram, Abraham! This is a very significant moment in the relationship between God and Abraham. You may recall how early on in the Book of Genesis, we discussed the importance of giving names. In ancient times, name givers demonstrated dominion over what was being named! God of course needs no such vehicle to prove His dominion, but He also knew it would be a vehicle that the ancient world would understand, and so He uses it in Holy Writ often. From the very beginning, when God called light, day, and darkness, night, to Adam naming the animals, and naming his wife Eve, to the naming of their children, we see this principle of the connection between dominion and naming in play!There is more! Later, God tells Abraham to change Sarai’s name to Sarah! (Ge 17:15) Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. Please note the chain of command here! God, with dominion over Abraham, Abraham with dominion over Sarah, but God with dominion over both! Some other examples in Scripture: The rebel Jacob wrestles with God, and after acknowledging God as Lord, God changes Jacob’s name to Israel! Pharaoh renames Joseph in Gen 41:45, “And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah” Why was he allowed to do that? Because he had dominion over him! The chief official of Nebuchadnezzar renames Daniel and his three companions in Da 1:7 “To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.” Again, indicating dominion over them. Even in New Testament times, we read of Simon Bar Jonah, who upon confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, was renamed Peter by Jesus! Mt 16:17 “Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Abraham’s name change was significant because he was about to become the father of a nation that will experience the personal dominion of God Almighty. Peter’s name was just as significant for the same reason. His confession of Jesus as Lord becomes the basis for the personal dominion of Jesus Christ in all who are believers. Why is this important for us today? It’s important because name changes matter! They are meant to reflect dominion in God’s created order! When my wife took on my last name on our wedding day, she was reflecting the transfer of her father’s dominion over her to me. This is all part of the very important aspect of “leaving and cleaving” in a marriage. It seems like a small matter, but anytime we can reflect the relationship between Jesus and His bride (the church) and His lordship (dominion) over us, we ought to seize it, especially in the matter of marriage, because that is its primary purpose! In marriage we are to reflect the relationship we have with Jesus via our relationship with our spouse! It seems the world needs to see a little more of that reflection from the church today! Pray: Lord, help us to understand the importance of names and Your created order, then help us to live it out in grace and mercy, always seeking to do Your will!

# 137 The Narrow Way

The Book of Genesis Day 137 Ge 17:4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. God covenant was personal with Abram and his descendants, and there is no other way to have fellowship with God except though the provisions set forth in this covenant. Only those who believe God will have it accounted as righteousness and be counted among the “spiritual” descendants of Abram!It is true that God’s will is for all to be saved, but it is also true that it is God’s will that they be saved in this manner….namely by faith! Just believing in God or a Supreme Being is not enough (Even the demons believe….and tremble! James 2:19) Remember, God didn’t say Abram believed IN God and it was accounted to him as righteousness, He said Abram BELIEVED God, and there is a huge difference! To believe God is to hold all His Word as true. Everything He says about Himself as Lord and Savior must be believed and trusted with childlike faith. With this stipulation, one can easily see that to believe in God in such a manner requires a faith that can only be given by the grace of God! Eph 2:8 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. Just going to church, just being a nice person is not good enough! Mt 5:48 says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” That perfection only comes through the imputed righteousness of Christ which comes through faith in what God says in His Word.God’s way is narrow! Jesus said in Jn 14:6, “I am the way , the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult and the way which leads to life and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves!” (Mt 7:13-15) These false prophets will try to broaden the road for you, they will attempt to bypass the gate of God’s prescribed way to salvation. Don’t listen to them! Believing IN God is not enough, we must, like Abram, BELIEVE God. But why is the Way to heaven so difficult? It’s difficult because our flesh wants to add something to the salvation equation! We want our eternal grade to be based on our opinion of ourselves rather than God’s opinion of us! (All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!) We want a God who allows for us to determine the path, rather than His unchanging truth! Quite frankly, it’s difficult because it is too simple. It’s so simple, and almost too good to be true! God said that Jesus died for my sins, and that through trust in Him and baptism I am regarded as sinless and fit for heaven? Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. You gotta be kidding me! No I’m not! By grace, you have at this very moment found your way to the narrow gate. Here is your opportunity to cast aside all other notions you may have about obtaining eternal life. Let go of any and all other false doctrines you have been clinging to, and trust in God’s Word alone! Trust in what He says about Jesus! He is your Savior and Lord, acknowledge Him as such and be saved! Pray: Lord, I have made this all so complicated, grant to me the faith of Abram! Help me to believe You and what You say about me and salvation. Throw open the door of my heart to Jesus as Lord and Savior today!

# 136 As Many As Have the Faith of Abram

The Book of Genesis Day 136 Ge 17:4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. This little verse, tucked away in the 17th chapter of Genesis, is a very important verse for Jew and Gentile alike, (it is God’s promise of salvation for “as many as the Lord our God will call.” Ac 2:39) The use of the word “behold” is always important in Scripture, because it reminds us to slow down and take in what is being said! God is speaking about what He is going to do in this covenant with Abram and He wants Abram to look at the fine print! First of all note the personal nature of the covenant. It is with Abram and nobody else. Such is God’s covenant with you! You and I , you don’t get to ride on the coattails of others. This treaty or pact of friendship is with Abram here and nobody else! It is exclusive, but in its exclusivity, we also find the clause that it is extended to Abram’s descendant’s forever as long as they hold up their part of the deal, and their part, (your part and my part) is to continue in the faith of Abram. This is spoken of in Ro 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, (the father of many nations including Gentiles!) He continues: “though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.” In other words, this covenant of God being a Father and we being His children, this covenant of Him being our Monarch and we being His subjects, this covenant of a personal relationship with Him, this covenant of forgiving our sins and being blameless in His sight is available to all who walk in the steps of the faith of Abram BEFORE he was circumcised! The faith is simply what has been stated in Gen 15:6, “Abram believed God and it was accounted to Him as righteousness.” This same covenant is restated in Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Believe this passage from Jn 3:16 and God’s covenant becomes personal to you, and it will be accounted to you as righteousness. Pray: Father, thank You for the gift of faith!

# 135 The Monarch/Subject Relationship

The Book of Genesis Day 135 Ge 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 "And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. So God brings an offer to the 99 year old Abram. “Walk before me,” which is another way of saying, “Be rightly related to me, if you do this, you will be blameless in My sight, and I will make My covenant with you. A covenant again, is a treaty, an alliance of friendship, a pledge, an obligation between a monarch and his subjects. It was a contract that was accompanied by signs, sacrifices, and a solemn oath which sealed the relationship with promise of blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience. God, the Monarch, desires an alliance of friendship with His subject Abram. God makes the move. He initiates! He is extending the offer to Abram and promises that this 99 year old man will have an exceedingly large amount of descendants! It was at this point that Abram fell on his face in worship! The God of the universe has approached the mere man, Abram and has made it clear to him, that he and his descendants will be part of this eternal covenant! This falling on his face was an act of acknowledging that he was interacting with Someone superior to him. It was his Lord, his Monarch if you will. I am reminded of a similar incident in the New Testament, when Saul was on his way to Damascus. He is met by Jesus and is knocked to the ground. He “falls on his face,” and the first words out of his mouth were, “who are You Lord,” Read that “Monarch!” and the Monarch/subject relationship was established in Saul’s heart just as it was in Abram’s! God has offered to make a Monarch/subject covenant with you too. It is an offer of friendship with Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ! It is an offer to be rightly related with Him by grace through faith. As you receive this offer, you may not fall on your face in worship as Abram or Paul did, but your heart will bow before Him in worship and gratitude as you acknowledge Him as your Lord and Savior. If not, you ought to check and see if you are still breathing! Pray: Thank You Father for Your mercy whereby You are willing to stoop down to my level and invite me to have eternal fellowship with You through Jesus! Thank You for being my Monarch, help to live as Your grateful subject!

# 134 Do You Want To Be Blameless?

The Book of Genesis Day 134 Ge 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 "And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. Thirteen years later and still no child for Abram and Sarai. 13 years! We freak out when our prayers aren’t answered the next day! By now, if Abram is like you or me, he has probably forgotten the promise of God to give him and Sarai a child and has settled on Ishmael as his child of promise. But God! But God hasn’t forgotten and He appears to Abram to remind him of some marvelous truths! Truth #1: I am Almighty God. This is the first time this form of address is used in Scripture. God says, “I am El Shaddai!” “I am Almighty God!” In other words, “Hi Abram, I am the God who can do anything! Trust Me! Walk before me and be blameless!” This is a tricky little phrase, and it’s important that we understand it correctly. One could view this as a command of God, but it’s not! It is simply stating a fundamental truth! Think about it! If God is demanding that Abram live before God without fault as a condition of this covenant, you might as well shred it, it would be useless! For as the Scriptures say, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God! There is none righteous, no not one, all we like sheep have gone astray,” and so on. So you see, this is more like an offer to Abram, an offer that is steeped in unshakeable truth! To walk before God is to turn toward Him, (repent) to face Him with the idea of having a continuing relationship with Him. If Abram is willing to walk with the Lord, (turn to Him) in accordance with God’s covenant, God will regard Abram as blameless. He will be perfect and without blemish in God’s eyes! This offer is no different than the offer we have with or Lord today! It’s still just as true for us as it was for Abram! It doesn’t mean that we will live perfect lives, but it does mean that God will look upon us as if we were blameless and perfect, if we “turn to Him, and strike up a covenanted relationship with Him through faith in the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross! Understand this! Any degree of blamelessness, any degree of perfection, that Abram or you and I have is obtained as we are rightly related to God! That’s what it means to “walk before God!” And we can only “walk before God,” through faith in Jesus! Pray: Lord God, open eyes and hearts to the truth that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, it is Your gift, not by our works, lest anyone of us would boast!

# 133 The One Who Lives and Sees

The Book of Genesis Day 133 Ge 16:11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." 13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" 14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. Note the capital “A” in Angel of the Lord. This indicates what theologians call a theophany, that is, a manifestation of God. These manifestations occur several times in the Old Testament and are meant to show God’s personal interest and involvement with people and events. THIS IS NO ORDINARY ANGEL! He is the Pre-Incarnate Christ! The Angel lets Hagar in on a little secret. She is going to have a son, and she is to name him Ishmael, which means, “God will hear.” God will hear what? God will hear, and in fact has heard her affliction! This should tell us a little bit about what Hagar was going through with the ill treatment she was receiving from Sarai! In fact, the word “affliction” here is the same one used when God acted to deliver the Israelites from the harsh treatment they were receiving from Pharaoh in Egypt! This should also tell us something very important about the character of God! God will hear affliction! Therefore, we should stay away from afflicting others, and if we are experiencing affliction we ought to ENDURE, confident that God hears! God hears, God knows of our afflictions, and in His time will deliver us! Hagar, excited about her encounter with this manifestation of the Living God, gives Him a name! She says, “”You are the God who sees,” and calls the well, Beer Lahai Roi, which means , “well of the One who lives and sees me.” You can catch the chilling awe in her response as she says, “”Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” (A rare privilege granted to few!) It’s almost too much to comprehend! She has had a personal encounter with the God who sees, the God who knows exactly what’s going on in her life! The God who saw and knew of her affliction! He heard her inward cry for relief and assures her that everything will be okay! The same God who knows all and sees all, meets her where she is at! No wonder she is overwhelmed, and no wonder she is able to go back and face Sarai and Abram!. This same God who knows all and sees all will be with her! Did you know that this same God who knows all and sees all, desires to have encounters with you too? You will find Him in the pages of the Bible. He wants you to approach Him through the Ultimate Theophany, the”Post-Incarnate,” Lord Jesus Christ! It is His desire to speak to you and he does this through His Word. Heb 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The more you read His Word, the more you will realize that it is the well of Beer Lahai Roi, the well of the one who lives and sees you, and speaks to your every need. By the way, this is kind of a good news/bad news word for Hagar. She will have a son, but, “He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." This was the beginning of the ongoing struggle between the Arabs and the Jews that continues even to this day. Pray: Lord, I ask that You would let those know who are enduring affliction, that You have not forgotten them. Show them that You hear, You see, and You know.

# 132 The Rewards of Submission

The Book of Genesis Day 132 Ge 16:9 The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand." 10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude." This won’t be easy for Hagar to do! She is going to have to eat a lot of crow and come crawling back to Abram and Sarai. More harsh treatment from Sarai likely and maybe even some legal ramifications. She’s going to have to go back and face the music. Not only has the Lord ordered her to return to her harsh mistress, but He also tells her she must submit! But, the angel of the Lord gives her an incentive and some hope as he passes on a blessing concerning her progeny. Hagar will be blessed with many descendants! You know, there are people who have been placed in authority over us, and sometimes it’s not easy to submit to them either, yet God has some incentives for those willing to submit as well! In Eph 6:2 we read, "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." And in Col 3:20, we see that submission to our parents is pleasing to God! “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.” Bondservants, or we might say workers, are encouraged to obey and submit to their masters in all things with a promise of reward as we read in Col 3:22-24, Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Sometimes we spend so much time complaining about our work or family situation that we miss the blessing! Or sometimes, we pine away our time seeking ways to serve the Lord, and here we have one right under our nose! This passage in Colossians tells us we can serve the Lord by simply putting in a God-honoring day at work! And here’s another one, especially for wives of unbelieving husbands: 1Pe 3:1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. But, here’s the best reward of all for submitting to authority. Jas 4:6b,7 says, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. How about that? Grace given to those who submit! In submitting to God, we resist the devil and he flees! I know it’s not always easy, but submission to authority brings God into the mix with His divine influence (grace) applied to the situation. What more could we possibly ask for? Pray: Lord help me today, in all opportunities I have to joyfully submit to those you have put in authority over me, knowing and believing that there is no authority except that which You have established

# 131 Submit To Authorities

The Book of Genesis Day 131 Ge 16:6 So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai." 9 The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand." Sarai has dealt so harshly with Hagar that she decides to break the law and flee from her presence. The angel of the Lord catches up with her by the spring on the way to Shur, which means she was probably on her way back to Egypt. By the way, this is no ordinary angel, this is the angel of the Lord, and it is as if the Lord were speaking Himself. He even asks God-like questions! “Hagar, where have you come from? Where are you going?” How often do we find that line of questioning in the Bible? “Adam where are you?” “Cain, where is your brother?” Questions that God already knows the answers to. He just wants us to respond to them, because it forces us to stop and think. Hagar responds to part one of the question. “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Did I hear the word, “mistress?” That tells me that Hagar is fleeing from someone who has legal authority over her! And how does the angel of the Lord respond to that? The angel says, “Return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hand.” One can almost hear Hagar protest, “Me? Submit to her! She has made my life miserable!” But as we shall see, that is Sarai’s problem, not Hagar’s. The writer of Hebrews tells us in Heb 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” God’s Word is consistent in this matter of submission to authority, (See Rom 13:1-7) Unless we are being asked to directly disobey God, we are to submit to those who have been placed in authority over us. If there is maltreatment or abuse of authority, that authority will have to give an account to God! But if we rebel, it becomes our problem. Pray: Father thank you for the authorities, from parents to teachers to pastors to civil servants. Help us to learn to live godly lives under them in accordance with Your will.

# 130 Someone Needs A Family Life Conference

The Book of Genesis Day 130 Ge 16:4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me." 6 So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. Okay, now this surrogate parenting idea starts to get real ugly. Sarai goes out of her way to deal harshly with Hagar, and shifts the blame for the whole thing on Abram. (She had a case against Abram, as the head of the household, it is part of his job to guard the family from sinful actions! The buck ultimately stops with Abram here! (See Blog # 41 Man Up) Now, let’s talk a little more about Sarai here. By ancient law she was not allowed to banish Hagar, but the slave was also required to remain in absolute subjection to her mistress. Armed with that knowledge, Sarai (with Abram’s permission) sets out to make life absolutely miserable for Hagar, it was so bad that Hagar eventually decides to run away. Please note that both women were “despised” in each other’s eyes. The word means “belittled.” Hey guys, how would you like to listen to that all day? Two women under one roof constantly belittling each other. This is one fine happy God-fearing household here! We find clueless Abram, scratching his head here, “What did I do? I just did what you asked me to do! And now you’re madder than a wet hornet! You ask God to be the judge between you and me” And in the typical male response he says, I’m not going to talk about this, I’m not going to argue with you, do what you want with Hagar! You know these two could use a Family Life Conference about now. ( Family Life Conferences are put on by Family Life Today and our designed to strengthen marriages!) Does any of this sound familiar to you married couples? The wife throws a little test toward hubby and he thinks he is responding in a way pleasing to her, yet she really wanted him to say no and take a stand! Then, rather than getting into a big time argument about it, he just walks away and says, “OK, have it your way.” And nothing gets resolved! And a certain kind of chill enters the house! Let’s get real here, all three parties have contributed to this mess, but blaming one another, and taking it out on each other, does nothing to resolve the issue. How much further would humility and forgiveness have worked to correct the hard feelings in this situation? The movie “Love Story” which came out in 1970 had an oft quoted line it that went something like this, “ Being in love means that you never have to say I’m sorry.” Oh that sounded so good to us at the time, but I have learned through the years that being in love means I have to say I’m sorry often! And perhaps even more importantly I have to act like it! Pray: Father, this was such a mess, help us to learn that as sinners our Christian marriages aren’t all roses! Thorns come with the package! Give us that spirit of humility and a willingness to forgive that is so necessary to model marriage the way it should be!

# 129 Surrogate Parenting

The Book of Genesis Day 129 Ge 16:3 Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. Surrogate parenting has been around a long time. It was perfectly legal and sanctioned in Abram’s day. A son born as the result of the union between her husband and the wife’s slave could be claimed by the wife as her own. Although this was permissible in ancient societies and tolerated by God in Old Testament times, it (just like divorce) lacked divine sanction. Jesus commenting on the permanence of marriage had this to say in Mt 19:4-6, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Like it or not, in surrogate parenting, man’s customs and laws, were mingling with the union of Abram and Sarai, and therefore “separating” their God-blessed and sanctioned marriage. Something that God had joined together was being messed with….the two were becoming three instead of one. Though well-meaning, surrogate motherhood is not part of God’s original plan for marriage and when practiced can result in all sorts of domestic strife. Nasty court fights have come about over parental rights and children (created in the image of God) are sometimes tossed around like legal footballs! Pr 30:21-23 says, “ For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up: 22 For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food, 23 A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.”Did you note number 4? That’s what was going on between Sarai and Hagar, “The earth is perturbed” is just another way of saying, this goes against nature, and that usually means trouble! Trouble that can be avoided if we would just stick to God’s original plan. Pray: Father forgive us for those times when we take matters that belong in Your hands and place them in ours.