” 8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” Psalm 25:8-10 KJV
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” 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had,“Put your hand under my thigh,3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there.7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.”9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia[a] to the city of Nahor.11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
12And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac.By this[b] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder.16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden[c] whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.”18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink.19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel,[d] and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels,23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.”26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. Genesis: 24:1-28 ESV
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Today I want to look at Abraham’s servant. He just touches my heart! Did you notice the love? I’m sure he must have had his own moments when he sinned, because the scripture tells us that all people (even people of faith) sin:
“12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men[e] because all sinned—13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.” Romans 5:12-14 ESV
However, He knew Abraham, his master, well, and he loved him. It says he was the oldest of his household. That would be pretty old. Just think of all he had witnessed…all of the happy times, all of the sad times..all of his master’s habits, and weaknesses……..and all of his master’s endearing qualities, and his great faith. He also knew his master’s Lord and had faith in Him and Love for Him. Can’t you tell? How else could he speak like that?
Just think about that man.
Wouldn’t you like to spend a day on the job with him, and then sit around the fire with him later on towards bedtime, and listen to the stories he could tell? Just think how privileged you would be if you allowed him to share the wisdom he had gleaned! He is one of my favorite characters in the Bible.
The Lord cared for him, too, and was his guide. He cares for all that he has created, and leads all who trust in Him and in turn, call on Him. He gives them so much cause for rejoicing.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[d]18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” James 1:17-18 ESV
“12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13 KJV
“23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 KJV
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The Sacrifice of Isaac
22 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy[a] will go over there and worship and come again to you.”6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”;[b] as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”[c]
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his[d] enemies,18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
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Do I even dare to comment on Genesis 22?
The Lord calls His Children, and they hear Him (He bestows on them the gift of Faith.). When they hear Him calling they not only answer with their lips, but they follow Him. They walk closely with Him. They stumble (sin), the Lord forgives them, chastises (disciplines and corrects) them, and they in turn repent and continue to follow Him. The Lord also protects them and delivers them from all kinds of evil.
This cycle repeats itself over and over in the lives of His children. As a result, their Faith in Him grows. They become increasingly more confident in His power. They suffer loss, too, but each time they witness the Lord fulfill one of His promises they become more fully persuaded that He will keep His word.
This continuously growing Faith is so powerful. It empowers the Lord’s children to become more and more willing……….more and more able to do things that under any other conditions would be impossible. The Bible tells us that without Faith it is impossible to please God.
But where does this Faith come from? Do we muster it up for ourselves? No. The Lord provides it:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 KJV
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
Then those times come when we who believe will be tested. We will not fail. Sometimes the tests will be administered in solitary places where few, if any, will be aware of it. At other times there will be many who will witness it and the Lord will be magnified in their eyes. It is a beautiful thing!
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16 KJV
“4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b]6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
“14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 ESV
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance,12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.”20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. Genesis 12:10-20 ESV
Abraham and Abimelech
20 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned inGerar.2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.”
And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him,
“Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people?5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid.9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?”11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.13 And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him.15 And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all[a] who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.”17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.18 For the Lordhad closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Genesis 20 ESV
Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 say a lot about people…..even people of faith. Those chapters say a lot about the Lord, too. I am so thankful He is patient and good even when I am older, but not much wiser. I am so thankful that we have a God who cares.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“29 Are not two [j]little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.
30 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 AMP
“6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.’ 1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV
“1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said to Abram, See here, the Lord has restrained me from bearing [children]. I am asking you to have intercourse with my maid; it may be that I can obtain children by her. And Abram listened to and heeded what Sarai said.
3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her Egyptian maid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his [secondary] wife.
4 And he had intercourse with Hagar, and she became pregnant; and when she saw that she was with child, she looked with contempt upon her mistress and despised her.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, May [the responsibility for] my wrong and deprivation of rights be upon you! I gave my maid into your bosom, and when she saw that she was with child, I was contemptible and despised in her eyes. May the Lord be the judge between you and me.
6 But Abram said to Sarai, See here, your maid is in your hands and power; do as you please with her. And when Sarai dealt severely with her, humbling and afflicting her, she [Hagar] fled from her.
But [a]the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness on the road to Shur.
8 And He said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from, and where are you intending to go? And she said, I am running away from my mistress Sarai.
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her,Go back to your mistress and [humbly] submit to her control.
10 Also the Angel of the Lord said to her,I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the Angel of the Lord continued,See now, you are with child and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael [God hears], because the Lord has heard and paid attention to your affliction.
12 And he [Ishmael] will be as a [b]wild ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the borders of all his kinsmen.
13 So she called the name of the Lord Who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing, for she said, Have I [not] even here [in the wilderness] looked upon Him Who sees me [and lived]?Or have I here also seen [the future purposes or designs of] Him Who sees me?
14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [A well to the Living One Who sees me]; it is[c]between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore[d]Ishmael.
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael.” Genesis 16:1-16 AMP
Here we are in Genesis 16 facing an interesting situation. The Lord had spoken to Abram on a number of occasions concerning offspring (note the scripture below), and if you look at Genesis 15:6 you will see that it says that Abram believed the Lord. Abram was a lot like us. He had some information, but not all of the information. I think a lot of people in a situation like theirs would reason and conclude that a surrogate mother was the means the Lord intended them to use. I can sympathize with Abram, Sarah, and Hagar. However the Lord had His own plan. The same God who sees every sparrow that falls looked upon them….all of them. He looks upon us, too, and He cares for us.
1Now the Lord said[a] to Abram, “Go from your country[b] and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 ESV
14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him,“Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are,northward and southward and eastward and westward,15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”Genesis 13:14-17 ESV
God’s Covenant with Abram
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:“Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue[a] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him:“This man shall not be your heir; your very own son[b] shall be your heir.”5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him,“So shall your offspring be.”6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
7 And he said to him,“I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”9 He said to him,“Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half.11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.13 Then theLord said to Abram,“Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterwardthey shall come out with great possessions.15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,“To your offspring I give[c] this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”Genesis 15 ESV
On December 20, 2013 I started a series titled “A Loving Pursuit”. I am resuming my study tonight. Below are the links to the other posts in the series for anyone who would like to start from the beginning and catch up. Although I started in Genesis, and am working my way through the Bible I won’t make a post on every chapter of every book, so if you only wish to read occasionally it really doesn’t matter what order you read the posts or if you only read some of them.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here: www.biblegateway.com They have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“25 When Methuselah was 187 years old, Lamech was born to him.
26 Methuselah lived after the birth of Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters.
27 So Methuselah lived 969 years, and he died.
28 When Lamech was 182 years old, a son was born.
29 He named him Noah, saying, This one shall bring us relief and comfort from our work and the [grievous] toil of our hands due to the ground being cursed by the Lord.” Genesis 5:25-29 AMP
15 And God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives with you.
17 Bring forth every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the ground—that they may breed abundantly on the land and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.
18 And Noah went forth, and his wife and his sons and their wives with him [after being in the ark one year and ten days].
19 Every beast, every creeping thing, every bird—and whatever moves on the land—went forth by families out of the ark.
20 And Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean [four-footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 When the Lord smelled the pleasing odor [a scent of satisfaction to His heart], the Lord said to Himself, I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination (the strong desire) of man’s heart is evil and wicked from his youth; neither will I ever again smite and destroy every living thing, as I have done.
22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8;15-22 AMP
“9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is,already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.[a]” Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 ESV
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 KJV
My intention when I started this series was to hopefully write every day, or at least a few times a week, but look how long it has been. I am such a mess. If you have hopes of being the model wife, or mother, or housekeeper, or blogger don’t look at me. If you are in search of the secret to becoming slim and trim, financially secure, or even the life of the party you won’t find it here. I am none of those things. If I were graded on those things my report card would be made up of C’s and D’s…and even an ‘F’ or two.
However, I am still trusting that the Lord loves me. I still believe that if I am to have any peace, or experience any joy in my life it will only come from my knowledge of the Lord. It has always worked for me without fail, so I will keep on praying and reading the Bible.
It is magical in a way.
I just love how I feel as I turn each page, and in a sense, enter that kingdom. During those times all of my own issues just fade away as I make myself at home there. Even hours later while I am doing household chores I find that each little task will hold some analogy that bears witness to that kingdom. Have you ever experienced that, ever felt that way, and just wished you knew someone who could identify?
Now that might be a reason to come here. 🙂
A little while ago I was looking at Genesis 5:28-29, and how it offered hope concerning the cursed ground and the grievous toil of their hands, and thought about the destruction that would need to take place first. During the fall and winter my yard doesn’t look so great. The oak, maple and sweet gum trees all lose their leaves, and the hydrangeas look pathetic. Then we will have an ice storm or two that will cause our pine tree to lose great big limbs. In March or April we start to clean up the yard, so it will look better when everything starts to grow again.
My life gets pretty messy, too from season to season. I’m a messy person in more ways than one. I always hope that I will become ‘neater’, but I have a long way to go and an even shorter time to get there. I am beginning to realize that maybe I should hope a little less in myself and just focus on these words and be glad:
“9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everythingbeautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is,already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.[a]” Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 ESV
“Sow for yourselves righteousness
Reap in mercy,
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord
Til He comes and rains righteousness on you. ” Hosea 10:12
Sow righteousness reap in mercy break up your fallow ground
for it is time to seek the Lord while He can be found.
Today I am praying that the Lord will help me to do that…to go to Him and allow Him to till the hard and unused portions of my heart, to destroy all that must be destroyed there, so it, too will be beautiful.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just clickhere:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 KJV
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 KJV
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him,What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him,Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him,Go, and do thou likewise.Luke 10:25-37 KJV
In spite of the fact that my devotional life has been almost non-existent these past few weeks, I have been actually learning new things. I have learned that there are some things about my own character that still really need improvement.
I still fail to step up to the plate…or at least when I do step up, I step up too slowly…I hesitate.
At other times I rush up to the plate…but with the wrong motive.
I still tend to jump to conclusions…the wrong conclusions.
I am thankful that the Lord loves me enough to bring these things to my attention.
I am thankful that He prevents me from “growing weary in well doing” when I take the time to ask Him to help me.
It’s true. I am a real piece of work…but I am also “His workmanship”.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45 KJV1
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
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“Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.” Psalm 25:8 KJV
“17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him,Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” Mark 10:17-18 KJV
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11KJV
“12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:12-14KJV
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16
“I and my Father are one.” John 10:30 KJV
“8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:8-9 KJV
“4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b]6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
“28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30KJV
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:24 KJV
Jesus came into this world with a mission. He had much to say and to do. He was and is the Good Shepherd. Everything He ever said or did was motivated by His perfect and unfailing love.
The account of the rich young ruler means a lot to me. In verse 18 Jesus was not denying that He was good. The young man had recognized that Jesus was good, but had not recognized “who” He actually was. Here is the entire conversation:
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Mark 10:17-27 KJV
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We follow commands all of the time. We have parents and teachers who instruct us, employers who give us tasks to do, and we have laws in the countries in which we reside that most of us obey. Some of these commands might be for our good, and some might not be for our good.
Aren’t you glad that all of Christ’s commands are for our good? He will never exploit us. He has so much He longs to give us. Let’s draw near Him, and allow Him to teach us today!
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
I think I am going to try to blog today. I still have other series that I need to finish—my “Loving Pursuit” series and a couple of others that I started and then abandoned about a year ago. But I have to feel “lead” whenever I write anything. Recently I have had this verse on my mind:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15
Ever since my early teens I have wanted to be an obedient follower of Christ.
At times my heart would cool and the lure of the world would entice me for a season here and there. Yet even then, I had that drawing going on inside me—convicting me, and eventually compelling me to return to the Lord.
I also want to say that even on my very best day I still sin to some extent in my thoughts, my words, and in my actions. My personal interpretation of scripture tells me that this is the experience of all Christians. We will not be perfectly obedient until we have our new bodies in Heaven.
I haven’t really written much on the subject of obedience, though, because ever since I first started this blog back in 2010 I have held to the belief that any obedience that takes place in a believers life will be the result of drawing near the Lord in Bible study and in prayer…that obedience is a product of the Spirit filled life. The goal of my blog has always been to present the reader with a glimpse of the Father’s heart, so that certain obstacles which keep people from approaching Him might be overcome.
Lately I have had a desire to return to the four gospels and read what Christ’s commandments are. I am really not sure how I want to go about this. There are many great scholars out there who have written much on this subject. I am not one of them. I am just an ordinary woman who has decided to read them and to share what I find there.
Please pray for me that the Lord would guide me in this.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
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Today I am looking at verses 20-22. Words fail me as I try to grasp this passage. I found a page with some really good commentaries. A song also came to my mind. I will share both.
“Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow” by Thomas Ken
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
Moore to Ponder 