Date: Friday, January 09, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 25-27
Message Title: Waiting For The Promise
Hello My Friend,
Salvation is not given to us by some merit in our part, it is simply God's gift of grace to all who believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. God has graciously saved us, made us new creatures, and prepared us to do His work, but it is only through God's grace that we can mess up time and time again and still receive the blessing He promised. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” -Ephesians 2:4-8.
After Sarah died, Abraham remarried and had several children, their lineage is listed, while they were not the focus, it's an interesting contrast to how they would play a part in the lives of the Israelites years later. “Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.” - Genesis 25:1-7.
Abraham made sure to separate them from Isaac, the promised seed that would make up the Israelites, and in which Jesus would descend. God always separates His children from those who would hinder or separate us from Him, even if that means He has to separate us from our own family. While everyone is a creation of God, not all are His children, which means we have loved ones that will end up in hell because they never knew Him as their Father. There is only one way to be born into the family of God, and that is by knowing the Lord, Jesus Christ as our Saviour. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” - Romans 8:16,17.
Issac and Rebekah had twins, Esau and Jacob, even in the womb they were fighting, and God foretold that Jacob would be head over Esau. We get an insight as to the events that take place in which Jacob would become head over Esau, as well as the seed that would make up the Israelites. “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.” - Genesis 25:27-34.
For a bowl of soup, Esau gave up his birthright, and this act of carelessness not only proved to God that he had no intention of following Him, it also would bring a division between the two countries, so much so that Gos would eventually destroy it, also known as Edom. “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” - Romans 9:6-8,12-16.
God sent a famine in the land, one in which Isaac found himself making the same mistakes as his father. It was during this trial that God spoke to him. “And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.” - Genesis 26:24-29.
When we please the Lord, even our enemies find peace, God allows us to interact with the people in the world, not only to keep us faithful, give others an opportunity to know Christ as well. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.
We do not hear much about Isaac's life beyond him being the seed that God promised He would establish His covenant with. Much of this is due to the fact that he tried to alter God's will by blessing Esau with what should have been Jacob's. Since Rebekah never forgot what God told her, she came up with a scheme to deceive Isaac into thinking he was blessing Esau. “And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.” - Genesis 27:1-8.
When God promises that something will come to pass it will happen no matter how many times people try to divert His will. Oh, they might think they can slow Him down or get Him to change His mind, but once He has spoken it it will come to pass at the appointed time, even with detours along the way. When God makes a promise to us He keeps it, we do not have to help Him out, all we have to do is be faithful, love Him, and wait patiently for Him. “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” - Romans 8:27-29.
Today's Prayer: God, When we put our faith and trust in Your Son we never fully comprehend just how merciful You are until we are faced with a situation that cries mercy. Thank You, for Your grace, it is infinite and given freely to all who call upon Your Son to save them. Lord, be with us in all that we do, lead us and guide us through the mercy and grace that only You can provide, while others mock us, remind us that Your grace is sufficient enough to keep our heads up high no matter how many times we fall. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
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Friday, January 9, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Living By Faith And Obedience
Date: Thursday, January 08, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 22-24
Message Title: Living By Faith And Obedience
Hello My Friend,
Faith and obedience, while it is certainly not a requirement to be obedient to the Word of God to obtain our salvation, it is a requirement for us to have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ in order to obtain it. Faith, it's believing in something that we cannot see or is impossible to human reasoning. Truthfully, it is living in obedience to the Word of God that increases our faith in seeing God do the impossible, as well as the things we will not see until God brings us home to Him. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” - James 2:17-20.
The word tempt means to entice someone to do something often regarded as wrong or immoral, but there is also another meaning for the word, and that is to be put to the test. After God blessed Abraham and Sarah with their promised son, God decided to test Abraham's faith, in a most peculiar and unimaginable way. “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” - Genesis 22:1-3,10-12.
God was not tempting Abraham like the devil would, He was testing his faith, Abraham knew that Isaac must live since God said he would establish His covenant with him, so he continued, by faith, to offer up Isaac, in which, God immediately told him to stop. When temptations come, we must take a look at the entire picture, if we are being told to do something that goes against God you can be sure it is the devil. God would never have let Abraham kill his son, He would have stopped him some way. It is the devil that tempts people to actually kill, God will never tempt us with something that we cannot get out of. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13.
To fear God means to honor and respect Him, meaning to love Him and have faith in Him no matter what we are faced with. God reveals to Abraham why He tempted him. “And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” - Genesis 22:15-18.
Abraham's offering of Isaac foreshadowed the most amazing act of obedience one could ever know, the act of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, offering Himself on the cross on that same mountain. Because Christ gave Himself for us, multitudes become spiritual children of Abraham and joint heirs with Christ. You see, everything that we go through in life has a purpose, we do not always understand them, and sometimes we are faced with some really heartbreaking events, but something good always comes out of them. I got myself involved with a guy that pretty much turned my life upside down, it was so bad that I almost killed myself, not on purpose, but by mixing herbal supplements. It was during that time that God spoke to me and not only healed me, but got me to dedicate my life to Him. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” - James 1:12.
Sarah died and now, Abraham's health was deteriorating, he decided that it was time for Isaac to have a wife. He sent his servant to seek out a wife for him, with only one rule. “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.” - Genesis 24:1-4,10,12.
Whether we are doing things for ourselves or others it is best to seek God for guidance, in fact, it is the only way you can know that you are even doing the right thing. History proves that when we seek God for guidance we always see the best outcome. “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” - Isaiah 48:17.
We all have been tempted, sometimes by God and sometimes the devil, the more faith you have in God, the more your faith will be tried by the devil, even Jesus was tempted, but God promises that good will always come out of every temptation. We must never confuse the tests of God with those of the devil, and while sometimes we really cannot tell who is the source of the test (think about Job) is, we can look to God by faith, continue obeying His Word, and when the time is right, you will be just as blessed as Abraham. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” - Job 23:8-10.
Today's Prayer: God, Your tests of faith are never without void, and while we do not always understand some of the ways in which You do test us, everything You do has a purpose and a meaning, and comes out good if we live by faith, and trust You completely. Lord, I will never forget the day You came to me and revealed Your purpose for my life. I want to fulfill that purpose, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to live by faith, and in obedience to Your Word, not because I have to, but because I love and respect You. Give me the strength to fight evil temptation, and let me not even be tempted to go against Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
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Today's Chapters: Genesis 22-24
Message Title: Living By Faith And Obedience
Hello My Friend,
Faith and obedience, while it is certainly not a requirement to be obedient to the Word of God to obtain our salvation, it is a requirement for us to have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ in order to obtain it. Faith, it's believing in something that we cannot see or is impossible to human reasoning. Truthfully, it is living in obedience to the Word of God that increases our faith in seeing God do the impossible, as well as the things we will not see until God brings us home to Him. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” - James 2:17-20.
The word tempt means to entice someone to do something often regarded as wrong or immoral, but there is also another meaning for the word, and that is to be put to the test. After God blessed Abraham and Sarah with their promised son, God decided to test Abraham's faith, in a most peculiar and unimaginable way. “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” - Genesis 22:1-3,10-12.
God was not tempting Abraham like the devil would, He was testing his faith, Abraham knew that Isaac must live since God said he would establish His covenant with him, so he continued, by faith, to offer up Isaac, in which, God immediately told him to stop. When temptations come, we must take a look at the entire picture, if we are being told to do something that goes against God you can be sure it is the devil. God would never have let Abraham kill his son, He would have stopped him some way. It is the devil that tempts people to actually kill, God will never tempt us with something that we cannot get out of. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13.
To fear God means to honor and respect Him, meaning to love Him and have faith in Him no matter what we are faced with. God reveals to Abraham why He tempted him. “And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” - Genesis 22:15-18.
Abraham's offering of Isaac foreshadowed the most amazing act of obedience one could ever know, the act of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, offering Himself on the cross on that same mountain. Because Christ gave Himself for us, multitudes become spiritual children of Abraham and joint heirs with Christ. You see, everything that we go through in life has a purpose, we do not always understand them, and sometimes we are faced with some really heartbreaking events, but something good always comes out of them. I got myself involved with a guy that pretty much turned my life upside down, it was so bad that I almost killed myself, not on purpose, but by mixing herbal supplements. It was during that time that God spoke to me and not only healed me, but got me to dedicate my life to Him. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” - James 1:12.
Sarah died and now, Abraham's health was deteriorating, he decided that it was time for Isaac to have a wife. He sent his servant to seek out a wife for him, with only one rule. “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.” - Genesis 24:1-4,10,12.
Whether we are doing things for ourselves or others it is best to seek God for guidance, in fact, it is the only way you can know that you are even doing the right thing. History proves that when we seek God for guidance we always see the best outcome. “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” - Isaiah 48:17.
We all have been tempted, sometimes by God and sometimes the devil, the more faith you have in God, the more your faith will be tried by the devil, even Jesus was tempted, but God promises that good will always come out of every temptation. We must never confuse the tests of God with those of the devil, and while sometimes we really cannot tell who is the source of the test (think about Job) is, we can look to God by faith, continue obeying His Word, and when the time is right, you will be just as blessed as Abraham. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” - Job 23:8-10.
Today's Prayer: God, Your tests of faith are never without void, and while we do not always understand some of the ways in which You do test us, everything You do has a purpose and a meaning, and comes out good if we live by faith, and trust You completely. Lord, I will never forget the day You came to me and revealed Your purpose for my life. I want to fulfill that purpose, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to live by faith, and in obedience to Your Word, not because I have to, but because I love and respect You. Give me the strength to fight evil temptation, and let me not even be tempted to go against Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
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Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Our Biggest Journey
Date: Monday, January 05, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 13-15
Message Title: Our Biggest Journey
Hello My Friend,
A journey, it's a passage from one place to another, and the biggest journey we will ever be on is that of our own lives. As with all journeys, there are hills and valleys, rocks and desserts to trek through, but the rewards are great if we trek through with Jesus walking by our side. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” - Psalms 23:4-6.
When Abraham set out on the journey that God led him through, he did not just take his wife, he took all of his substance, along with cattlemen, and his nephew Lot, and all that he had. The two men together had so much that they had to separate. “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.” - Genesis 13:1-6.
When God chooses a journey for us, it rarely begins with other people, I mean those outside our immediate family. It's not that God cannot use loved ones and friends, but if they are not living to please God as we are, they often hinder us from our journey, which is why He often separates us, even from brothers and sisters. When God called Abraham, He told him to leave, just with his wife, no one else, so, God would not reveal His plan until he separated himself from Lot. “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” - Genesis 13:14-17.
Lot probably thought that God blessed him with that beautiful land, he soon found out that that beautiful land was no blessing from God, it was of Satan, full of corruption and wickedness. He ended up being captured during a war. Abraham, hearing of this, gathered his army together to go after them. “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” - Genesis 14:14-16,18-20.
While God does often separate us from family and friends, that does not mean He does not give opportunity for us to love them, care for them, and show them Christ through us by being there for them in times of distress. Showing kindness to others is always one of the best opportunities to show the existence of Christ, and what He has done in our lives. Jesus gave His life for us, the best thing we can ever do is show that love by being there for those who need us. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:12-16.
After that generous act of love, which Abraham had done, in rescuing his neighbors, perhaps he got a little scared about retaliation, but was also excited about such a great victory. It was then that he got a vision fom God, first, He comforts him by telling him that He would always be there to protect him. While talking to God, Abraham had a question. “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.” - Genesis 15:1,2,5-7,13,14.
God answers him, giving him a great prophecy about his heirs becoming slaves in Egypt, and His judgment upon them, referring to the ten plagues. As our heavenly Father, it's okay to ask Him questions as sometimes our journeys in life seem so great and overwhelming that we lose sight of the promise. God never lets us down, and while we often cause some of our own obstacles by taking detours along the way, God never gives up on His promise for us. He will bless us when we trust Him, remain faithful, and be patient as we walk our journey with Christ. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” - Hebrews 6:10-15.
Today's Prayer: God, The second we are conceived, You have a journey for us to walk, sometimes we take a turn and get lost, never to return, but some of us are blessed to find You. Thank You for loving us, and never giving up on us, for being there when we need You, even when we make detours, and for always seeing better things of us that we see in ourselves. Lord, I want to walk my journey with Your Son, keep me looking to Him, and let me not veer off path in my attempts to rush and or seek other means to get what I desire in life. Give me Your power, wisdom, and discernment to know where You want me to go, the patience to wait for Your promises, and remind me that You always have something better in store for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
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Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Today's Chapters: Genesis 13-15
Message Title: Our Biggest Journey
Hello My Friend,
A journey, it's a passage from one place to another, and the biggest journey we will ever be on is that of our own lives. As with all journeys, there are hills and valleys, rocks and desserts to trek through, but the rewards are great if we trek through with Jesus walking by our side. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” - Psalms 23:4-6.
When Abraham set out on the journey that God led him through, he did not just take his wife, he took all of his substance, along with cattlemen, and his nephew Lot, and all that he had. The two men together had so much that they had to separate. “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.” - Genesis 13:1-6.
When God chooses a journey for us, it rarely begins with other people, I mean those outside our immediate family. It's not that God cannot use loved ones and friends, but if they are not living to please God as we are, they often hinder us from our journey, which is why He often separates us, even from brothers and sisters. When God called Abraham, He told him to leave, just with his wife, no one else, so, God would not reveal His plan until he separated himself from Lot. “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” - Genesis 13:14-17.
Lot probably thought that God blessed him with that beautiful land, he soon found out that that beautiful land was no blessing from God, it was of Satan, full of corruption and wickedness. He ended up being captured during a war. Abraham, hearing of this, gathered his army together to go after them. “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” - Genesis 14:14-16,18-20.
While God does often separate us from family and friends, that does not mean He does not give opportunity for us to love them, care for them, and show them Christ through us by being there for them in times of distress. Showing kindness to others is always one of the best opportunities to show the existence of Christ, and what He has done in our lives. Jesus gave His life for us, the best thing we can ever do is show that love by being there for those who need us. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:12-16.
After that generous act of love, which Abraham had done, in rescuing his neighbors, perhaps he got a little scared about retaliation, but was also excited about such a great victory. It was then that he got a vision fom God, first, He comforts him by telling him that He would always be there to protect him. While talking to God, Abraham had a question. “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.” - Genesis 15:1,2,5-7,13,14.
God answers him, giving him a great prophecy about his heirs becoming slaves in Egypt, and His judgment upon them, referring to the ten plagues. As our heavenly Father, it's okay to ask Him questions as sometimes our journeys in life seem so great and overwhelming that we lose sight of the promise. God never lets us down, and while we often cause some of our own obstacles by taking detours along the way, God never gives up on His promise for us. He will bless us when we trust Him, remain faithful, and be patient as we walk our journey with Christ. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” - Hebrews 6:10-15.
Today's Prayer: God, The second we are conceived, You have a journey for us to walk, sometimes we take a turn and get lost, never to return, but some of us are blessed to find You. Thank You for loving us, and never giving up on us, for being there when we need You, even when we make detours, and for always seeing better things of us that we see in ourselves. Lord, I want to walk my journey with Your Son, keep me looking to Him, and let me not veer off path in my attempts to rush and or seek other means to get what I desire in life. Give me Your power, wisdom, and discernment to know where You want me to go, the patience to wait for Your promises, and remind me that You always have something better in store for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
The Generation of God
Date: Sunday, January 04, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 10-12
Message Title: The Generation of God
Hello My Friend,
Family, you love them, drive them crazy, and sometimes even hate them, but they are family, and no matter how far you travel they are always with you. If you have accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then your heavenly Father is none other than God Himself, you are royalty, and no matter how far or near you are to Him, He never leaves you. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:9,10.
God preserved the lives of eight people in order to create a new generation, one that would worship Him, and Him alone. To worship God means the act of paying divine honors to God or the reverence and homage paid to Him in religious exercises, such as adoration, confession, and prayer. Just as God commanded, they multiplied, and we get a glimpse of the generations of Noah, through His three sons.“Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.” - Genesis 10:1-5.
Japheth's descendants would make up what is known as the Gentiles, many probably of European descent, these would be generations that would follow the Jews path of seeking a relationship with God. The descendants of Ham, also Caanan, many would be of African descent, and rebel against God, as they were cursed to be servants of the other two generations. “And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.” - Genesis 10:6,15-18.
While we do not know a lot about these generations, we can learn much from knowing them as they play a big part in the Jews lives, and the world as we know it today. God focus was in the lineage of the Jews since this would be the generation in which Jesus would descend from. And the descendants of Shem will make up what is known as the Israelites or Jews. “The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.” - Genesis 10:22-25.
Now, with just eight people on earth witnessing the wrath and mercies of God, you would think that all of them would worship only God, and teach their children. They might have while Noah was alive, but it did not take long before some of them began moving away from God., which is why God chose to scatter people all over the world, and change their speech. “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.” - Genesis 11:1-8.
This is known as the tower of Babel, and would become Babylon, these were children of men, not of God, meaning they had no desire to reach God, but perhaps become gods themselves. God dealt with this rebellion by dividing the people into nations and giving them different languages. God also confounds the language of those who read His Word, anyone can read the Bible, but in order to truly understand what God has to say in His Word we must be His children. Why do you think there are so many different versions of the Bible? All the modern versions, all put together by children of men and not of God. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” - 1 Corinthians 2:6,7,12-14.
You know, before the Bible was penned down, people did not have a book to guide them and teach them about God. Instead they had to rely totally on their faith, and a few people He spoke through, not knowing what the future might hold as we do today. Of course, they made mistakes along the way, but it was through sin, trials, and error that they learned to not only trust God, but to worship only Him. God chose the lineage of Shem to be where Jesus would descend, one man in particular, Abraham. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” - Genesis 12:1-5.
Abram responded to God's call, and by faith gave up his country, home, and friends, trusting in Him to guide the way. Of course, being blessed to be the father of a great nation did not mean that he was not going to make any foolish decisions once in a while, in fact, he did when he took his nephew along, but it did mean that he had God's favor. In reality, the generation of God, is not a particular race or religion, it is a generation of believers, those who believe in and accept Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, as their only way to become a child of God. Being a child of God does not mean that we will never make mistakes, it does mean that we have a great and merciful Father, who will love us, chasten us, and grow us into the image of His Son, if we seek to worship only Him. “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” - John 4:23,24.
Today's Prayer: God, As Your children, it is Your desire that we stay faithful to Your teachings. Scripture gives many examples of those who knew to do right, but chose to do wrong. The consequences of their actions caused a great deal of loss, life-long regret, and emotional pain, not only for themselves, but others as well. Help us to avoid the traps Satan has set for Your children by not only reading the Word, but applying its truth to our lives, and standing firm when the temptation to do wrong is ever before us.Heavenly Father, help me to present my body, mind, and voice as a living sacrifice, holy, upright, and honorable to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Today's Chapters: Genesis 10-12
Message Title: The Generation of God
Hello My Friend,
Family, you love them, drive them crazy, and sometimes even hate them, but they are family, and no matter how far you travel they are always with you. If you have accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then your heavenly Father is none other than God Himself, you are royalty, and no matter how far or near you are to Him, He never leaves you. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:9,10.
God preserved the lives of eight people in order to create a new generation, one that would worship Him, and Him alone. To worship God means the act of paying divine honors to God or the reverence and homage paid to Him in religious exercises, such as adoration, confession, and prayer. Just as God commanded, they multiplied, and we get a glimpse of the generations of Noah, through His three sons.“Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.” - Genesis 10:1-5.
Japheth's descendants would make up what is known as the Gentiles, many probably of European descent, these would be generations that would follow the Jews path of seeking a relationship with God. The descendants of Ham, also Caanan, many would be of African descent, and rebel against God, as they were cursed to be servants of the other two generations. “And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.” - Genesis 10:6,15-18.
While we do not know a lot about these generations, we can learn much from knowing them as they play a big part in the Jews lives, and the world as we know it today. God focus was in the lineage of the Jews since this would be the generation in which Jesus would descend from. And the descendants of Shem will make up what is known as the Israelites or Jews. “The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.” - Genesis 10:22-25.
Now, with just eight people on earth witnessing the wrath and mercies of God, you would think that all of them would worship only God, and teach their children. They might have while Noah was alive, but it did not take long before some of them began moving away from God., which is why God chose to scatter people all over the world, and change their speech. “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.” - Genesis 11:1-8.
This is known as the tower of Babel, and would become Babylon, these were children of men, not of God, meaning they had no desire to reach God, but perhaps become gods themselves. God dealt with this rebellion by dividing the people into nations and giving them different languages. God also confounds the language of those who read His Word, anyone can read the Bible, but in order to truly understand what God has to say in His Word we must be His children. Why do you think there are so many different versions of the Bible? All the modern versions, all put together by children of men and not of God. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” - 1 Corinthians 2:6,7,12-14.
You know, before the Bible was penned down, people did not have a book to guide them and teach them about God. Instead they had to rely totally on their faith, and a few people He spoke through, not knowing what the future might hold as we do today. Of course, they made mistakes along the way, but it was through sin, trials, and error that they learned to not only trust God, but to worship only Him. God chose the lineage of Shem to be where Jesus would descend, one man in particular, Abraham. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” - Genesis 12:1-5.
Abram responded to God's call, and by faith gave up his country, home, and friends, trusting in Him to guide the way. Of course, being blessed to be the father of a great nation did not mean that he was not going to make any foolish decisions once in a while, in fact, he did when he took his nephew along, but it did mean that he had God's favor. In reality, the generation of God, is not a particular race or religion, it is a generation of believers, those who believe in and accept Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, as their only way to become a child of God. Being a child of God does not mean that we will never make mistakes, it does mean that we have a great and merciful Father, who will love us, chasten us, and grow us into the image of His Son, if we seek to worship only Him. “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” - John 4:23,24.
Today's Prayer: God, As Your children, it is Your desire that we stay faithful to Your teachings. Scripture gives many examples of those who knew to do right, but chose to do wrong. The consequences of their actions caused a great deal of loss, life-long regret, and emotional pain, not only for themselves, but others as well. Help us to avoid the traps Satan has set for Your children by not only reading the Word, but applying its truth to our lives, and standing firm when the temptation to do wrong is ever before us.Heavenly Father, help me to present my body, mind, and voice as a living sacrifice, holy, upright, and honorable to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Learn How To Get Saved: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
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