In Your Favor

March 06, 2019 by Lizzy Staples

Genesis 15:13-21 NIV

Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-- the land of the Kenites,Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”'

God places the odds in your favor
In Abram’s day, for the peoples of the ancient Near East, a covenant was usually made between a superior party called the ‘suzerain’ and an inferior party known as the ‘vassal’. Generally, the suzerain would promise to protect the vassal and the vassal gave their taxes and loyalty in return. It calls to mind the European institution of serfdom in the Middle Ages. However, as I will show you in Genesis 15, God turned this institution on its head.

How the covenant was made
To make a covenant, during a public ceremony the suzerain would name a long list of duties for the vassal that outnumbered their own by a landslide. Then, the vassal would cut the sacrificial animals in half and walk between them. This symbolized what would happen to them if they broke their word. The deal obviously favored the suzerain, but what’s a vassal to do when dealing with one far more powerful than themselves?

As we discussed previously, after Abram cut the animals in half, God put him to sleep. He essentially took charge of the ceremony because He wanted to give Abram the absolute best deal possible. Instead of listing out all the conditions God expected Abram to follow, Abram was only required one condition, to trust in God. Genesis 15:6, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” The rest of the ceremony was a detailed list of God’s promises to Abram: I will judge the nations that enslave your descendants, I will give your descendants great possessions, you will die at an old age, you will die in peace, and I will give your descendants a vast and beautiful homeland.

Then, God made another radical change to the ceremony. He was the one to pass between the animals with the burning torch. This meant that God would die before he would break this covenant with Abram (1). It simply shows the goodness of God that, even though He had infinitely more leverage than a suzerain did over a vassal, that He still took the short end of the deal. That is His character, He is always tipping the odds in our favor whenever He can out of His love for us.

Who is the covenant for?
This covenant was meant for Abram and his descendants, Israel. As Christians, we are spiritual (if not biological) children of Abram. In fact, because of Jesus and His sacrifice, we get an even better deal, we get the promises of fruitful and prosperous lives as well as eternal salvation. The deal just keeps getting better and better for us as God continues to give more and more of Himself. It’s so lopsided in our favor it’s ridiculous.

1 Corinthians 2:9, “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him—”

Let’s Pray:
Father, thank you for always putting the odds in my favor. You do everything you can to ensure my success and prosperity out of your great love for me. Help me to take advantage of all the promises you have for me in the Bible. In Jesus Name, Amen.

References:
1.) The Chronological Study Bible. N.p.: Thomas Nelson, 2009. Print. page 23.

Deep Sleep

March 04, 2019 by Lizzy Staples

Genesis 15:12-14 NIV

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions."

God wants us to be at rest and have peace of mind

We’ve been talking about Abram’s role in the covenant ceremony up until this point. This week we will conclude Genesis 15 by discussing how God shows His goodness through the entire ceremony.

Deep sleep
Abram had laid out the sacrificial animals and God put him into a deep sleep. This is the second time the term ‘deep sleep’ is used in the Bible. The first time was in Genesis 2:21 when God put Adam into a ‘deep sleep’ and created Eve out of his flesh.

In Adam’s case, God put man into this state because He found the first ‘not good’ thing in His creation. It was not good for man to be alone. Imagine Adam’s state of mind after naming every animal in existence and not finding anyone like himself. He desired a companion. Eve was formed and the covenant of marriage was made between a man and woman.

Don’t be afraid
Abram was also without something he desperately desired, an heir. The night before the covenant ceremony, Abram was fearful and anxious that he would be forced to leave his inheritance to a servant. God had told Abram that he would have not only an heir, but a great many descendants. In fact, God was so moved on Abram’s behalf that He used the ‘deep sleep’ to put his mind at rest not only for his future son, but for all his descendants to the end of time.

God revealed the hardships that the future Israelites would go through, but reassured Abram that they would be a mighty nation with a place to call home. Verse 13 states, ‘

Then the Lord 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.”’

400

Numbers are significant in the Hebrew culture and 400 represents divine and perfect timing. Not only was God waiting for the perfect time for Abram to have an heir, He would wait for the perfect time to free his people and give them a homeland. He went so far as to outline the territories they would inhabit and describe the wealth they would possess.

God reassured Abram on every level that his descendants would prosper in His perfect timing and inherit every promise He had made to him. Abram was concerned with a single heir and God revealed to him the future of a great nation for many generations to come. It’s so amazing that when we are consumed with the worries of today, God not only comforts us in our distress, but also has blessings planned far beyond what we could ever imagine.

Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you a great many things, which you do not know.”

Let’s Pray:
Father,

I thank you that you comfort me when I have concerns. You reveal to me what I need to know when I need to know it. Thank you for peaceful sleep and a sound mind. I will trust your perfect timing. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Be On Guard

February 25, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:9-11 NLT

The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half. Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away.

God told Abram to make a covenant by offering sacrifices. This covenant would also apply to his descendants, the future nation of Israel. The heifer was to remove everything contaminated by death and fill it with the life of God (Full of Life). The goat was for the forgiveness of unintentional sins (Hindsight is 20/20). The ram was for the cleansing of unintentionally defiling the Holy Land (Get Clean). The turtledove and the pigeon were reminders to be compassionate towards the poor (Compassion).

God’s Words to Abram outlined his destiny and placed a dream in his heart. Eager to make covenant with God, Abram prepared the carcasses for sacrifice. But, as soon as he laid out the offerings, vultures attempted to eat them. Isn't that just typical? Abram wasn't going to let anything keep him from fulfilling his part of the covenant. He diligently guarded his offerings and held on to his destiny, his dream, and his inheritance.

Many of us are familiar with the parable of the sower recorded in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8. It begins with a farmer planting seed. Some of the batches landed on a footpath. The ground was hard from the pounding of feet, the grinding of wheels, and constant use. As the seeds could not penetrate the soil, birds devoured them all. Privately, the disciples asked Jesus for the meaning of His allegory. Jesus explained that the farmer represented the one sharing the Word of God to others. The seed represented the Word and the soil on the footpath represented the condition of the hearts of the people who heard it. The birds represented Satan who comes immediately to steal the Word from the hearts of the people. These people rejected the Word that was shared with them.

The vultures eyed those carcasses the day Abram prepared those offerings. Swirling overhead, they viciously tried to devour the animals (each symbols of a promise), but Abram fought them off. He would not allow Satan to steal the Word of God, kill his destiny and his dream, or destroy the inheritance God promised him.

Thank God for Abram! He is the ‘Father of our Faith’. Like Abram, we must guard God's promises. When Satan targets us and attempts to steal those promises from our hearts, fight him off! Guard God’s promises, fulfill your destiny, live your dream, and protect your inheritance! Believe God’s Words and watch them produce many times over.

John 10:10 NLT, “The thief’s purpose (satan) is to steal and kill and destroy.”

Let’s Pray:

Father,

everything You promise us is wonderful. But, we must be willing to fight in order to keep those promises. We have an enemy and he hates our guts. Help me to be diligent in guarding those promises. Help me not to allow an opportunity for Satan to steal my destiny, kill my dreams, or destroy my inheritance. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Compassion

February 23, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:7-9 NLT

Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.” But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

God Sees us as a benefactor

In my previous blogs, I have addressed the significance of the heifer (Full of Life), female goat (Hindsight is 20/20) and the ram (Get Clean). Today, I want to bring attention the fact that the poor were allowed to substitute these animals with turtle doves and pigeons. The poor, widowed, orphaned and foreigners are very important to God and He has much to say about their treatment. God’s statutes always stressed fairness and gave the needy opportunity for employment and dignity. Abram and his descendants were to live a lifestyle that contrasted from the peoples of the surrounding nations. Treatment of the poor would be foundational for the moral fiber and well being of the future Israel.

What challenges did the poor encounter?

It would not be unusual for the court systems to exploit the needy and favor the rich. They were not respected or recognized as a people with rights and were often abused (Exodus 22 & Ezekiel 18).

The poor would be overcharged in taxes and in rent payments. When acquiring a loan, they would be charged with exorbitant interest. This would leave little or no money left for food and clothing (Exodus 22).

What are the moral and legal obligations God set in place to protect the poor?

The Bible is clear on this matter.

Proverbs 22:22 NLT, "Don’t rob the poor just because you can or exploit the needy in court."

Psalm 82:3 NLT, "Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute."

There were laws constituted in the Old Testament that allowed the poor to glean from the harvest of crops. Those who were blessed would not strip the vines clean but allowed remaining grain and vegetables to be leftover for the poor and foreigners to gather for their own consumption (Exodus 23 & Leviticus 19).

The Israelites were ordered not to be tightfisted with their poor but to give generously to those in need. It was also commanded of them to pay the poor before sunset so they could make their purchases, pay their bills, and preserve their families from unnecessary hunger and suffering (Deuteronomy 24).

What happens when we take care of the poor?

Honorable rulers who dispense justice will establish a stable government.

Proverbs 29:14 NLT, "If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever."

God records that anyone who is kind to the poor removes generational curses over themselves and inadvertently their families.

Ezekiel 18:17 NLT, "He who helps the poor, and does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and decrees, such a person will not die because of his father’s sins."

God promises to deliver those who are compassionate towards the poor.

Psalm 41:1 NLT, "Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble."

Benevolence from the outlining community towards the needy allows God to bless the city with affluence and wealth.

Psalm 132:15 NLT, "I will bless this city and make it prosperous. I will satisfy its poor with food."

How does God feel about those who look down on the poor?

God attitude is that anyone who oppresses or mocks the poor insults and dishonors Him personally. People who revel in the misfortune of the poor and needy open the door of retribution upon themselves (Proverbs 14:31; 17:5).

God hears the cries of the needy. As God's representatives, our treatment of the poor is a demonstration of His love and compassion to them and to the rest of the world. Let's be a light. Be a benefactor. As Charles Dickens once said, 'Mankind is our business'.

Micah 6:8, "Do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God."

Let’s Pray:

Father,

I am sorry for the times I had considered myself superior to the needy in any way. You want us to be benefactors so we can help those in need. We are not to oppress the unfortunate in any way. It is Your desire for our nation to treat everyone fairly. When we are compassionate toward the poor, You will bless our cities with prosperity and rescue us from trouble. Help me to be conscious of how I can provide resources and opportunities for those less fortunate than myself so they can improve the quality of their lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Get Clean

February 20, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:7-9 NLT
Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.” But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

I've covered the significance of the heifer in Full of Life and the female goat in Hindsight is 20/20. Today, I'll talk about the ram sacrifice.

A ram is a guilt offering
In Leviticus 5:15, the priest is to present a guilt offering of a ram when someone unintentionally defiled sacred or 'holy' property. It's true that, in Leviticus, the sacred property referred to was either the Temple itself or items used by the priests for Temple service. However, I believe in this instance, the sacred property may refer to the land or property designated to Abram and his descendants.

Territory boundaries
Genesis 15 establishes the fact that God gifted to Abram the land of Canaan. The territory boundaries are as follows,
Genesis 15:18-21 NLT,
So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt [Hebrew the river of Egypt, referring either to an eastern branch of the Nile River or to the Brook of Egypt in the Sinai (see Numbers 34:5).] to the great Euphrates River—the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

God's Holy Land
In fact, Zechariah 2:12 calls this property ‘God’s Holy Land’. This territory is consecrated as sacred for the worshipers of the One True God. These people were to be a light and live a lifestyle that contrasted from the peoples of the surrounding nations. This land was dedicated or tithed to God for the purpose of blessing all the other nations and peoples of the earth.

Forgiveness for unintentionally defiling land
Can you imagine what passed through Abram’s mind? Canaan was filled with idols and the people participated in all types of vile and wicked practices. They really didn’t know any better and this holy land was defiled. How was this all suppose to change? The sacrifice of the ram would signify the forgiveness of the people unintentionally defiling the Lord’s sacred property, God’s Holy Land.

How can we apply this concept in everyday life?
God is still territorial. If we are not careful, we can unintentionally allow what is permissible in today's society to affect our decision making process. Inadvertently, we can find ourselves making moral compromises. God desires to consume and occupy our minds and hearts. We are to continually meditate on God’s Word and have the utmost respect and regard for His Person. Get clean. He lives in us and He will not tolerate us defiling ourselves with idols, intentionally or unintentionally.

1 John 5:21 AMP,
“Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart].”

Let's Pray:
Father,
You are merciful and You are holy. This world is so corrupt, it is easy to be contaminated by idols and not even realize it. I ask for Your forgiveness for anything that has taken Your place in my heart. Help me to stay clean and be a light to those around me. I want my life to be such a contrast to those who do not know You, that they can’t help but desire to meet Jesus. My heart and mind are Your's and by Your grace, I will keep myself holy. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Hindsight is 20/20

February 20, 2019 by Cee Maria

In our last blog, we discussed what the heifer symbolized in a covenant sacrifice. It sanctified someone who was contaminated by death. I'm going to explain the significance of each animal, and today I'll focus on the female goat.

Forgiveness of unintentional sins
A female goat sacrifice was required in Leviticus 4:28 and Numbers 15:27 for the forgiveness of committing unintentional sins. Sin is defined as 'miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit' (1).

It appears that one of Abram’s major concerns is making another mistake and missing God’s leading. He has good reason for being concerned, for reference read any blog I have written about Abram. I don’t know about you, but I have found myself to be anxious about this in my own life. Am I choosing the right career? Am I moving to the right city? Will this person be a good friend? As a matter of fact, you will find tons of articles, books, and sermons on this subject area. Why? Because God’s people still worry about making mistakes and missing His guidance.

God sees you as blameless
What is God saying here? Yes, Abram, you have missed My leading in the past and there will also be times in the future where you will miss My leading. There will be instances where you will unintentionally make wrong decisions and be guilty of creating problems. There will be times when you will ignore that uneasy feeling inside your gut and suffer the consequences. But, this female goat will shed blood for those unintentional sins and you will be forgiven.

God is reassuring Abram not to be afraid of what lies ahead. Abram is to keep moving forward in his destiny. Abram is forgiven of unintentional sins. But, more than that, God will also lead Abram through difficult circumstances of his own making and rid him of debilitating guilt.

Hindsight is 20/20
There may have been times when you sinned or made mistakes and not even realize it until years later. The guilt from such an oversight can paralyze you with fear and disable you from moving forward. What security we can find in God! Even if we miss His leading, or create unintentional problems, or commit unintentional sins, we can be forgiven because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. God even removes the guilt associated with that sin. Take God at His Word. Act on the covenant we have with Him as His children. Keep moving forward! God has our backs!

PSALM 32:2
Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt.

Let's Pray:
Father,
You address every thing that disturbs my heart. You pay close attention to all the things that concern me, including sinning unintentionally, making wrong choices, and missing Your leading. Your love and mercy towards me makes me confident and secure. I will continue to move forward knowing that You have my back. In Jesus Name, Amen.

References:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2398&t=NLT

Full of Life

February 20, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:7-9 NLT
Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”’

God sees you filled with His life
In Genesis 15:3-6, Abram was convinced that he would have a son as an heir and many descendants. However, Abram is now having doubts and asks God for proof that he will actually own this land where he currently sojourns. As a loving Father, God reassures Abram with something relatable to him.

God instructs Abram to bring him specific animals for a covenant sacrifice. Abram understood covenant sacrifice because it was established as far back as Adam and Eve. Each animal represents a distinct category. When we decipher what each animal depicts, we will understand the concerns on Abram’s mind. Today we will concentrate on the heifer, which always represents sanctification from contact with death. In the upcoming blogs I will discuss the other animals listed and their significance.

Three Year Old Heifer
Heifers are a female bovine who are almost matured and have not had a calf (1&2).

The two times heifers are used in sacrifice are in Deuteronomy 21 and Numbers 19. A heifer sacrifice always addressed situations that concerned contact with death. Anyone touching a corpse was considered defiled, unclean for 7 days. In these cases, a heifer was sacrificed to remove the defilement of death and sanctified the individuals involved.

So if the heifer sanctified people from contact with death, where was death in Abram’s life? The most obvious place was in his and Sarai’s bodies. Abram was in his eighties, he never fathered a child, and his lifespan would need to be increased to complete the assignment of possessing the land God had given him. Sarai also had never bore a child and when she did, she would need her lifespan increased to raise this son. God was reassuring Abram that these areas would be reversed from death to life.

Do you have areas of your life that are contaminated by loss or death?
So much happens in this world such as a death of a loved one, loss of a job, a divorce, or a debilitating illness. God feels your pain and recognizes and acknowledges these losses. He is a life giver and wants to remove the stench of death and breathe the breath of life back into our lives and situations.

An example of someone who experienced many extreme life and death situations was King David. As a musician, he would compose songs expressing his despair, even to the point of giving up his will to live. Always, in the end, God would renew his strength and revive him again.

Psalm 28:1-3, 6-8 NLT
I pray to you, O LORD, my rock.
Do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you are silent,
I might as well give up and die.

Listen to my prayer for mercy
as I cry out to you for help,
as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

Do not drag me away with the wicked--
with those who do evil--
those who speak friendly words to their neighbors
while planning evil in their hearts.

Praise the LORD!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.

The LORD is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

The LORD gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.

Let's Pray:
Father,
Your will for me is to be filled with Your life. When I read about the heifer, I will remember how You bring life to circumstances that are contaminated with death. You are my strength and shield, and I trust you with all my heart. Thank You for bringing joy to my heart again. In Jesus name, Amen.

References:

Always Faithful

February 20, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:6 NLT
And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

The US Marine Corp was established in 1775 and has served in the majority of American wars and armed conflicts. It is distinguished by its ability to rapidly respond on short notice to expeditionary crises (1). Their motto, ‘Semper Fi’, is a Latin phrase meaning 'always faithful'. The Marine Corps have a 240 year history and they're known for laying down their lives to keep America safe. We have faith in the Marines and their cause because their reputation has proven them faithful.

Abram had come to the point in his life where he had faith in God and in His cause. How did God bring Abram to this point?

He reminded Abram of their history, Genesis 15:7, “Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”

Abram flashbacks to Genesis 12
God gave Abram a directive to leave Ur and his family behind. 'If' he followed through God would give him descendants that would multiply into a great nation, bless him, and make his godly reputation famous. Not only that, but God would make Abram a blessing to others, curse those who curse him, and make all of the families of the earth blessed through him.

At the end of chapter 12, Abram made the mistake of traveling to Egypt. In His great mercy, God protected and delivered him and Sarai from Pharaoh, the most powerful ruler in the world at that time, even though the situation was their fault.

Genesis 13
When trouble arose between Abram and Lot, there was a peaceable solution and war didn’t break out among the neighboring tribes against them. God had given Abram wisdom and rewarded him with the promise of a land that countless of his descendants would inhabit forever.

Genesis 14
Lot was captured along with his family, possessions, and the citizens of Sodom. Abram defeated the enemy and Lot was returned to him by the hand of God. Melchizedek made covenant with Abram, declaring him an equal with the leaders and kings of the surrounding tribes.

All this happened to an aging old man who came from a seemingly obscure life in a city that worshiped the moon. Over an over again, God proved Himself faithful to Abram. He was certain of God’s good character and His cause because of His faultless reputation.

This has been the struggle since Genesis 1, taking God at His Word and perpetuating His cause to the next generation.

Faith in God counted Abram as righteous. 'Counted' is an accounting term (2). Abram’s faith was weighed in a balance and tallied righteous. Righteous means 'virtuous, ethical, in good and right standing with God' (3).

Can you imagine the thrill God must have felt? Through the ages, He could only find a few people who would believe what He said. He found a faithful and righteous man in Abram.

Let’s not confuse religious "self" righteousness with God’s righteousness. There’s a great example of this in the New Testament. Jesus asked this question in Luke 18:8, 'when the Son of Man returns in The Second Coming, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?’

Luke 18:9-14 NLT, “Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It would behoove us to remember that we were sinners before we were saints. God’s righteousness (virtue, ethics) stands alone. We become righteous when we place our total faith in Him. FAITH is believing in God’s Word and character to follow through on His promises to us. It is not our religious lifestyle that makes us righteous. Our lifestyle is patterned after and in compliance with our love, faith, trust, and respect for God and His Word.

Be like Abram. Believe God’s Word and place your faith in His person and character. Let God recognize your faith as righteous. Believe in every promise He has given you!

Let's Pray:
Father,
when I believed that Jesus died in my place, took away my sins, and rose from the dead, You judged me as righteous, period. You are always faithful and I decide to believe every promise in the Bible concerning my life. I want to be like Abram and believe for every blessing You so graciously entitled to me. Jesus is my righteousness and I praise You forever. In Jesus Name, Amen.

References:
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps
2 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2803&t=NLT
3 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6666&t=NLT

Starry Nights

February 20, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:4-5 NLT
Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

The setting
Abram is inside a tent, pitched in the Negev desert. It is night and the darkness is so deep you can’t see your hand in front of your face. The temperature dropped 25 degrees from the daytime high and the coolness is a welcome relief. It’s the end of a long day, business has come to a close, the family is taken care of, and now it’s time for a restful sleep. But he can’t. There’s too much on his mind and he reflects on his present day circumstances. Abram talks to the Lord about his concerns and the path he is to pursue to accomplish his destiny.

I can relate to Abram. When the day is over, the lights are out, and the house is quiet, there are times when my mind cannot stop rehearsing over the events of the day. As I reflect over each person, conversation, or incident, I ask myself, am I accomplishing my goals in life?

God understands how we feel
Did you know that God can relate to how we feel when we are in the darkness? Genesis 1:2 tells us the earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Our Father is privy to how darkness and the unknown affects us.

God gives Abram reassurance
With love and compassion, God speaks powerful words to Abram and addresses his fears. No, Abram, your servant will not be your heir. You, will have a son and he will be your heir. Abram’s heart must have skipped several beats during this conversation as he was directed to look into the starry night. In my mind's eye, I see God’s arm wrapped securely and affectionately around him, like a Father would place His arm around his son.

God is big on visuals.
Visuals jog the memory and connect information associated with an image. God points upwards and tells Abram that if he could even count the stars, that’s how many descendants he will have. God is expanding Abram’s faith so he wouldn’t obsess on a particular sliver of time. God is looking beyond the present into eternity and sees the entire picture. Abram searched for a son as an answer to his dilemma. God looks beyond and sees multiple generations, people of faith from all around the world who will be His children.

Did you know there are several star observatories and planetariums located throughout Israel today (1)? This location is the best in the world for stargazing. In fact, people book stargazing tours in the Negev where God spoke to Abram about the stars.

God's word sheds light where there is darkness
When the earth was shrouded in darkness, God illuminated it with light. In the deep blackness of the desert night, Abram’s mind was shrouded in darkness without any answers to his innermost questions. God chose His visual well when He pointed to the stars to illuminate Abram's mind and soul. Every night when Abram slipped under the covers, he could gaze into the beautiful starry Negev sky and be assured God would fulfill His promise. When we stare into the starry heavens, we must also remember that God’s promises to us are yes and amen.

Let's Pray:
Father,
thank You for Your powerful words to me that are written in the Bible. Thank You for the Words that You speak into my spirit. Thank You for wrapping Your arms around me securely and affectionately as You did Abram. When I gaze at the starry night, I will be reminded of Your promises to me. Thank You for illuminating Your light where there is darkness and unanswered questions in my life and mind. I will not obsess on a sliver of time but trust in You because You see the entire picture. I love You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

References:

https://www.israel21c.org/starry-starry-israeli-night/

Safeplace

February 20, 2019 by Cee Maria

Genesis 15:1, 2a,&8, NLT,
Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son?

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it (the land God promised to him)?” (parenthesis added)

Today we're starting a new series about how God sees us. Relationship is a two way street and it is important to understand how God perceives us. In this series, we will examine how God relates to Abram because it gives us insight into how God relates to us on a personal level.

For this entire chapter, God talks to Abram about his future, and the future of his descendants. It isn’t all rosy but there is always victory in the end. God strengthens Abram with knowledge and with faith. Knowledge gives us discernment of motives and a plan to move forward. Faith gives us confidence in God’s Word and causes us to rely on His character.

God sees us as someone with legitimate concerns
This conversation happened shortly before Ishmael was conceived. It was years after Abram’s amazing victory over the Kings of Canaan. Here we find Abram analyzing his current situation. Lot has his own household and he still doesn’t have an heir to leave his wealth, riches and blessings.

Fear
Abram was consumed with fear. He had lived among hostile foreigners, angered a world ruler, and fears that there will be more dangerous conflicts in the future. But, his two greatest fears were that he was incapable of producing an heir and possessing the land God promised him. A servant and not a son would inherit all the wealth he had accumulated. What would happen to his empire that he built for the Lord? Would the peace treaties and alliances that he had made with the surrounding tribes continue to hold? Obviously, Abram discussed these fears with God that weighed so heavily on his mind.

Be transparent with God
God responded to Abram in a vision, and Abram was transparent with God. They had a history and God had proven to be his safe place. Likewise, God recognized that Abram’s concerns were legitimate and He didn’t give Abram false hopes or a tongue lashing. The very first thing God personally addressed was Abram’s fear.

God is our shield
God told Abram not to be afraid because He would protect him. The King James says that God told Abram that He was his shield. All Abram had to do was hold on to that shield of faith because God Himself would protect him from every blow. WOW!

As we read in previous chapters in Genesis, God shielded Abram’s physical well being as well as everyone and everything that belonged to him. In Genesis 15, God shielded Abram’s emotional well being with powerful and beautiful gestures which we will address later.

God is relational
Furthermore, God told Abram that his reward would be great. God is not a taskmaster. He doesn’t whip us into submission and knock us on the head until we get it. Like Abram, we need to be honest with Him at all times. He has proven over and over again what a reassuring and encouraging Heavenly Father He is. God is our safe place.

Hebrews 10:35 NIV, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”

Let's Pray:
Father,
there’s no point in pretending with You. You already know what’s in my heart of hearts anyway. You know me better than I know myself. When I have fears and concerns, I will take them to You. I thank You for the incredible examples of Your love and encouragement recorded in the Bible. More so, I thank You for the love and encouragement You have shown me in the past and You will always show me until I leave this earth. You are my place of safety and I trust You with my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.