My friend Dana says, "Reading the Bible is like crack. You just get a little of it and you want more and more." The hilarious part is neither one of us has ever done crack. If you know Dana, it's even more hilarious to hear her say it. But I wholeheartedly agree. I love that Jesus-lover. She came down last year on a mission trip. We cried our little eyes out after the church service. I think the people around us thought we just missed each other or the service was so moving. Not so. We actually missed our Jesus conversations. The shoot the other person the "crazy thing God did today" text or the "I am so filled with joy, I think I might burst, and I know you know what I mean!" and most of all, our monthly accountability lunches where we would take up some poor girl's table at Chili's in Lake Wales' table for HOURS on Saturday. She's the only other person I knew that never got sick of talking God, 24/7. Good news is, we figured it out. Thank, God, for Magic Jack, her learning Skype, and TextPlus App.
I'm seriously obsessed with the Bible lately. This has not always been the case. For years, I would swear I was going to read more. Move me to another country and I read that thing all the time now. So, I was reading Genesis today. Side note: I don't get anything that has to do with Lot. That is a blog post all in itself. Ya know those times, you pause and go, "Uhhh, I'm sorry, God, what??" That is Lot to me. He, his crazy daughters, and his wife turning to a salt pillar. No entiendo. Go read about Lot, you''ll say the same.
Getting to Abraham. So, God tells Abraham to take his kid, Isaac, whom he waited to be blessed with until he was 100 years old, up to one of the mountains and offer him as a sacrifice to God. Genesis 22:3 says, "The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkeys and took two servants with him, along with Isaac." I bet Abraham didn't sleep a lick that night. I bet he got into bed talking to God, tossed and turned through the night talking to God, then opened his eyes in the morning mumbling to God in prayer. At least that is what I do when God asks me to do crazy things.
This was one of the greatest acts of obedience. He traveled over 50 miles to the location. Bible says about 3 days he went on the journey, then arrived at his destination. Sooooooo, 3 days of talking to God, I image. "Is that what You said? Are you sure You want me to do this? This doesnt make sense! Is that what You said?"
So he arrives and he left the servants and loaded Isaac up with wood on his back and headed up. I can't seem to figure out how old the kid is, the Bible says he was weaned from Sarah and they had a feast for the occasion, but he was old enough to carry the wood on his shoulders up the mountain as well. Either way, you know this kid didn't just lay down and let Dad tie him up. I am sure there was a struggle and screaming involved. How horrific for Abraham. None of this makes sense, God already told Abram that the sky's star count is equivalent to the descendents he will have. We kinda need this kid to stay alive to fulfill the promise. Doesn't make sense. I bet Abraham prayed "Your will be done" a thousand times and still wondered if God was sure. My NLT Life Application Study Bible says in Gen 15:8, "Abram was looking for confirmation and assurance that he was doing God's will. We also want assurance when we ask for guidance."
Absolutely. It is a perfect prayer to pray and ask God. If we seek His will first, I believe He answers and gives direct steps in how to do it. Sometimes it is really just being obedient with what He said to do. Other times, you are blind to the next step, but He always reveals the next path as you walk (Psalms 32:8). So, then in Genesis 15:17 the study notes reveal, "God took the initiative, gave the confirmation, and followed through on His promises. God's passing through the pieces was a visible assurance to Abram that the covenant God had made was REAL." Abram needed confirmation and assurance that that would come to pass. I heard you say it, but how are You going to do it, God? I would be asking WHEN!? So he was granted assurance through asking God and knew that he will be the father of many nations.
Abraham knows what God said. After Sarah tried to get ahead of God, she finally conceived and they had the boy, and now Abraham's being asked to sacrifice him? This is crazy to him, I am sure. I wonder if Abraham talked it over with Sarah. I would have liked to have heard what she said about this kid she waited so long for and didn't even believe she would actually conceive, is going to die at the hand of her hubby. Or, maybe he left that morning in obedience to God and said I'll be in a few days. Her faith seems weak and wavering in Genesis and she may have been an obstacle. I think the latter happened. I really have no idea. It doesn't say.
So, as he goes to stab the child with a knife, an angel of the LORD called to him to stop. Faith was tested. He was going to do what God asked him to do even though he didn't want to and there was nothing that made it logical. I bet if he asked some friends what they thought, they might have said, "You're crazy. Don't do it." He could have talked himself out of all of it because, really? Why would God ever say such a thing. He had to mean to do something else. Maybe he heard him wrong.
Like God would say don't take the job offer when you don't have a job, be a stay-home mom when you cant afford it, switch careers, do volunteer work, etc.???? Surely, God wouldn't, it has to make sense.
He does. And, I love when someone shares with me that they took the leap when He told them to do something.
The week before I moved here, as clear as day, God said, "JCS will hire you and you are moving to the Dominican Republic." I cried. Holy Spirit cry. The next day I told my bff, either I hear God or I don't know what that voice is!! They hired me the next week, of course. There are billions of things God did and said before I left that I still recall and stand on when I am doubting His provision/His voice. He knew I needed all of those to continue the mission here in another country. I'm thankful for the tears and the pressure in trying to be obedient and follow through when I swore I was going to die following God as as others called me foolish in their sight.
I was reading a blog yesterday that said God tells us what is coming sometimes to grow us. Sometimes to keep us focused and in line with His will. I completely agree. I know not all Christians believe that and I am okay with that. I believe the Spirit can give us feelings and emotions to direct us and I believe just like the Bible says the Holy Spirit speaks and is clear. We can't do His will if we don't know or come up with our own ideas. He has done it to me too many times for me to deny what He says. I have two very specific things God spoke to me to be and I am just waiting for them to come. Jeremiah 33:3. When they do, I know my faith will sky rocket with confirmation of His Sovereign hand.
So I wait. They seem crazy, but I am waiting.
His will be done. His will be done. ::wink::
I'm seriously obsessed with the Bible lately. This has not always been the case. For years, I would swear I was going to read more. Move me to another country and I read that thing all the time now. So, I was reading Genesis today. Side note: I don't get anything that has to do with Lot. That is a blog post all in itself. Ya know those times, you pause and go, "Uhhh, I'm sorry, God, what??" That is Lot to me. He, his crazy daughters, and his wife turning to a salt pillar. No entiendo. Go read about Lot, you''ll say the same.
Getting to Abraham. So, God tells Abraham to take his kid, Isaac, whom he waited to be blessed with until he was 100 years old, up to one of the mountains and offer him as a sacrifice to God. Genesis 22:3 says, "The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkeys and took two servants with him, along with Isaac." I bet Abraham didn't sleep a lick that night. I bet he got into bed talking to God, tossed and turned through the night talking to God, then opened his eyes in the morning mumbling to God in prayer. At least that is what I do when God asks me to do crazy things.
This was one of the greatest acts of obedience. He traveled over 50 miles to the location. Bible says about 3 days he went on the journey, then arrived at his destination. Sooooooo, 3 days of talking to God, I image. "Is that what You said? Are you sure You want me to do this? This doesnt make sense! Is that what You said?"
So he arrives and he left the servants and loaded Isaac up with wood on his back and headed up. I can't seem to figure out how old the kid is, the Bible says he was weaned from Sarah and they had a feast for the occasion, but he was old enough to carry the wood on his shoulders up the mountain as well. Either way, you know this kid didn't just lay down and let Dad tie him up. I am sure there was a struggle and screaming involved. How horrific for Abraham. None of this makes sense, God already told Abram that the sky's star count is equivalent to the descendents he will have. We kinda need this kid to stay alive to fulfill the promise. Doesn't make sense. I bet Abraham prayed "Your will be done" a thousand times and still wondered if God was sure. My NLT Life Application Study Bible says in Gen 15:8, "Abram was looking for confirmation and assurance that he was doing God's will. We also want assurance when we ask for guidance."
Absolutely. It is a perfect prayer to pray and ask God. If we seek His will first, I believe He answers and gives direct steps in how to do it. Sometimes it is really just being obedient with what He said to do. Other times, you are blind to the next step, but He always reveals the next path as you walk (Psalms 32:8). So, then in Genesis 15:17 the study notes reveal, "God took the initiative, gave the confirmation, and followed through on His promises. God's passing through the pieces was a visible assurance to Abram that the covenant God had made was REAL." Abram needed confirmation and assurance that that would come to pass. I heard you say it, but how are You going to do it, God? I would be asking WHEN!? So he was granted assurance through asking God and knew that he will be the father of many nations.
Abraham knows what God said. After Sarah tried to get ahead of God, she finally conceived and they had the boy, and now Abraham's being asked to sacrifice him? This is crazy to him, I am sure. I wonder if Abraham talked it over with Sarah. I would have liked to have heard what she said about this kid she waited so long for and didn't even believe she would actually conceive, is going to die at the hand of her hubby. Or, maybe he left that morning in obedience to God and said I'll be in a few days. Her faith seems weak and wavering in Genesis and she may have been an obstacle. I think the latter happened. I really have no idea. It doesn't say.
So, as he goes to stab the child with a knife, an angel of the LORD called to him to stop. Faith was tested. He was going to do what God asked him to do even though he didn't want to and there was nothing that made it logical. I bet if he asked some friends what they thought, they might have said, "You're crazy. Don't do it." He could have talked himself out of all of it because, really? Why would God ever say such a thing. He had to mean to do something else. Maybe he heard him wrong.
Like God would say don't take the job offer when you don't have a job, be a stay-home mom when you cant afford it, switch careers, do volunteer work, etc.???? Surely, God wouldn't, it has to make sense.
He does. And, I love when someone shares with me that they took the leap when He told them to do something.
The week before I moved here, as clear as day, God said, "JCS will hire you and you are moving to the Dominican Republic." I cried. Holy Spirit cry. The next day I told my bff, either I hear God or I don't know what that voice is!! They hired me the next week, of course. There are billions of things God did and said before I left that I still recall and stand on when I am doubting His provision/His voice. He knew I needed all of those to continue the mission here in another country. I'm thankful for the tears and the pressure in trying to be obedient and follow through when I swore I was going to die following God as as others called me foolish in their sight.
I was reading a blog yesterday that said God tells us what is coming sometimes to grow us. Sometimes to keep us focused and in line with His will. I completely agree. I know not all Christians believe that and I am okay with that. I believe the Spirit can give us feelings and emotions to direct us and I believe just like the Bible says the Holy Spirit speaks and is clear. We can't do His will if we don't know or come up with our own ideas. He has done it to me too many times for me to deny what He says. I have two very specific things God spoke to me to be and I am just waiting for them to come. Jeremiah 33:3. When they do, I know my faith will sky rocket with confirmation of His Sovereign hand.
So I wait. They seem crazy, but I am waiting.
His will be done. His will be done. ::wink::
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