When God Shows Up- Part 3

February 22, 2020 by Cee Maria in When God Shows Up

Genesis 18:6-8 NLT

So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

“When God Shows Up” is based upon Genesis 18. Part 3, “Expectations” focuses on verses 6-8. Abraham offered God and His two angels a very beautiful meal. The question we will ask today is, what does God expect to find when He visits His Church?

Figurative Language:

When God visits, He expects the leadership and the Church to be actively providing and partaking of bread, meat, and milk.

A generous bounty of three specific foods were set before these men. There is a lot of figurative language involved in these verses. The Word of God is referred to as bread, meat, and milk. Let’s take a look at the symbolism of these foods laid out before these three men.

Bread

Sarah needed to hurriedly bake 3 large measures of flour which is roughly 18 gallons of flour, making enough bread to feed a small country.

What is the significance here? As stated in the last blog, the Word of God is referred to as bread.

John 6:33 NLT

The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Bread is called ‘the staff of life’ because it contains the necessary sustenance for proper nutrition. I believe the significance here is that we could never get enough of the Word of God. It is the pastors’ responsibility to to study and apply the Word everyday and in every area of life. Only then, can a pastor successfully teach his congregation properly through example and personal experience.

God expects His people to be filled with living bread. It’s the only assurance for the Church to be continually sustained and victorious no matter what circumstances we go through.

Meat

Abraham hurriedly chose a calf to be quickly prepared. The average calf weighs 60 plus pounds at birth. That’s a lot of pot roast! Meat is a complex protein and is more difficult to digest than foods from the other food groups.

What is the significance here? Hebrews 5:14 tells us that solid food (meat) is for mature Christians who are trained through knowledge of the Word of God and personal experience.

Hebrews 5:14 NLT

Solid food (meat) is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

They have honed their skills to hear God’s voice and recognize the difference between right and wrong. Mature Christians walk in their callings and have the knowledge and experience to teach others. When God visits, He should find mature Christians who live for God and disciple other Christians.

Milk and Yogurt

Abraham served milk and yogurt along with the meat and bread. Milk is fed to babies because it is easily digestible and contain all the nutrients necessary for growth and vitality. Also, yogurt or curds are fed to toddlers that are growing up and need a little more than milk to sustain them.

What is the significance here? Hebrews 5:13 describes young believers who are unskilled in the teachings of righteousness are just beginning to build a foundation of faith, so they are taught elementary concepts of the Bible.

Hebrews 5:13 NLT

For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

They require a lot of teaching, help, prayer, time, direction, and assistance in retraining their minds and getting rid of sinful behavior patterns. God expects to find lots of new healthy believers being nursed by the Word of God and discipled by mature Christians.

Summary:

When God visits, He expects the pastors’ to be filled with His Word and teaching the congregation so they could grow in their knowledge of Him and of spiritual truths. Next, God checks to find if mature Christians are walking in their callings, teaching, and discipling others, especially new converts. Lastly, God examines if the new Christians are being taught the Word of God and directed and trained by the good examples set by mature Christians.

When all three tiers are in order, then leadership can calmly wait to hear God’s next direction, just like Abraham waited under the shade of the tree.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for Abraham’s sterling example. He is the father of our faith and kept his household in good order. I lift the Church up in prayer. I pray for pastors’ to study the Word of God and apply it to their everyday lives so they could proficiently teach it to their congregations. I pray for mature Christians to walk in their callings, be thoroughly trained in the Word of God, and discipling others. I pray for new believers to be taught the Word of God so they can build a foundation of faith and get rid of sinful behavior patterns. When You came to visit Abraham, You found everything in place. Help me to be an excellent manager of my household and everything and everyone that You have blessed me to be in charge over. I pray that when You come to visit me, You will find everything in place. In Jesus Name, Amen.

When God Show Up- Part 2

January 27, 2020 by Cee Maria in When God Shows Up

Genesis 18:3-5

“My Lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

“When God Shows Up” is based upon Genesis 18. Part 2, “At Your Service” focuses on verses 3-5. Abraham offered God and His two angels shade, water to wash their feet, and food to refresh themselves. The question we will ask today is, how do we honor God?

With anticipation, Abraham offered shade, water, and food hoping God would accept his invitation to stay a while. God is a gentleman and will not remain where He is not wanted. The imagery here is symbolic of revivals which are special visitations from God. They have happened throughout history and the Church has been praying for another revival for several decades now. Let’s discuss the meaning behind the shade, water for washing, and preparation for food; three very important aspects of what God will watch for when He shows up.

Shade:

Symbolically, shade or shadow represents protection from an enemy. As a host, Abraham would ensure that God and His angels would be kept safe from harm. For example, Psalm 91 speaks of those who trust in the Lord of being hidden or protected under the “shadow” of the Almighty, whose power no foe can withstand.

When God visits His Church, He expects us to protect our hearts by keeping Him first and foremost. When we remove Him from that position, He can no longer cover us with His shade or shadow. Think about it. All day long we are bombarded with news and situations that require our attention. Nothing should replace the love, time, and affection that belongs only to God. We need to remove all obstacles that force Him to step down from being “Number 1”!

Water for Washing:

Abraham stood under the tree (Genesis 18:8) and acted as the men’s personal wait staff. It would be reasonable to assume that it was he who brought the pitcher of water in a basin and washed the men’s feet to refresh themselves.

In Luke 7, Jesus was invited to eat at the home of Simon the Pharisee. A prostitute knelt at Jesus’ feet. In front of everyone, she washed his feet with costly ointment and tears, and wiped them dry with her hair. Simon was livid. But Jesus rebuked him saying that he did not even offer the customary courtesy of a bowl of water to wash his feet when he entered his home. The woman welcomed Jesus with love and adoration and the Pharisee’s welcome was one of mockery and disrespect. Both Abraham and this woman respected and honored God’s presence. When we respect and honor God’s presence, we refresh His soul.

Preparation of Food:

In full hospitality mode, Abraham suggested that his visitors eat some food. Rest assured, Abraham offered the best of the best of the ingredients to present an amazing meal to digest and enjoy. Nothing would be too good for his guests!

We know that the Word of God is often symbolized with food. It is the best of the best wisdom, advice, and inspiration. It contains life giving power. When the Word of God is taught in its purest form without incorrect interpretation, and is meditated and acted upon, people’s hearts and lives are changed forever. We are translated from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Word of God is life itself!

Matthew 4:4

But He (Jesus) answered and said, "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.""

How do we honor God?

When God visits, He expects to be first place in our lives so He can cover us with His shade and protect us from all harm. He wants us to respect Him and welcome His presence. And, He wants us to feed and meditate on the pure Word of God. These things refresh His soul and He will stay and abide with us as long as we welcome Him, to.

Let’s pray:

Father, by Your grace, You will always be first place in my life. I will respect and welcome Your presence and You will find me feeding on Your pure holy word. In Jesus name, Amen.

When God Shows Up- Part 1

January 13, 2020 by Cee Maria

Genesis 18:1-3 ESV

And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.”

Our current series, “When God Shows Up” is based on Genesis 18.

Part 1, “Make A Run For It”, is about God stopping by Abraham’s tent and Abraham respectfully offering God hospitality in his home. The question we will ask today is, “What should we do when God visits us?”

God Appears

God, in human form, appeared to Abraham shortly after He spoke to him in Genesis 17 after the men were circumcised and before Sarah became pregnant.

The Oaks of Mamre

In Genesis 13 and 14, Abraham is recorded living by the oaks of Mamre. Oak trees are symbolic of strength and a grove of oak trees symbolize a strong, established community. The name of the oak, Mamre, is defined as “fatness or prosperity, strength” (1). Just as the name indicated, Abraham and his people were a strong and prosperous community.

The Heat of the Day

Obviously, there wasn’t any air conditioning at the time. During the hottest time of the day, it would be more bearable to sit in the open air than to remain inside a stuffy tent. Customarily, the people of the ancient world would be napping and not expecting visitors. Remember when, in the Garden of Eden, God came to visit Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening?

Let’s compare and contrast these two visits.

Shielding His eyes from the desert sun by gazing downward at the sand, Abraham must have sensed a presence and jerked his head up. Three men were standing not very far from where he sat. For sure, he would have noticed them traveling towards his camp riding camels strapped with supplies. But this was not the case. These men didn’t have camels or supplies and appeared out of nowhere.

What was Abraham’s reaction?

Abraham RAN to God

Abraham spent a lot of time with God and he knew His presence. Even though he had made some really bad mistakes, he repented. Abraham and God were on very good terms. Instantly, he recognized that these men were from heaven and that God, Himself stood before him. Ecstatically, Abraham ran to meet them.

On the other hand, when God visited Adam and Eve, they hid from God. Guilt caused unbearable shame and they avoided God because they sinned.

Abraham REVERENCED God

Immediately acknowledging the men’s superiority, Abraham bowed low in reverence. He humbly recognized himself as “God’s servant”. Bowing signaled to them that they were worthy of his respect and honor.

Adam and Eve’s sin was desiring superiority over God. They believed that eating the forbidden fruit would make that happen.

Abraham desired God’s FAVOR

Abraham asked God “if” he found favor in His eyes. God’s approval and high regard meant the world to Abraham.

Adam and Eve aligned themselves with the serpent hoping to gain his favor.

Abraham WELCOMED God

Abraham asked God not to pass him by. He wanted God to remain with him as long as He wished. He wanted to demonstrate to God how much he loved and honored Him.

Adam and Eve dreaded the hour God would walk the garden with them. They didn’t want to expose themselves, admit their disobedience, and suffer the consequences. Even though they spent a lot of time with God, they listened to the enemy and believed his lies about God’s character. Pride prevented them from running to God when He showed up, asking His forgiveness and restoring their relationship.

That’s Why We Need to Live a Blameless Life!

As Christians, God is always with us (Hebrews 13:5). However, there are times He shows up in extraordinary ways. Blameless doesn’t mean we don’t miss it. It means that we humble ourselves so we are quick to repent. Unless we have already spent time with God and be honest and transparent with Him, we won’t know when He shows up! We will believe lies about His character just like Adam and Eve did.

God wants us to RUN to Him. He wants us to REVERENCE and acknowledge His presence and His great love for us. He is thrilled when we ask for His FAVOR. He wants to be WELCOMED into every part of our everyday lives. We should desire for God to show up anytime He pleases.

Let’s pray:

Father,

It is my deepest desire to know You better and better. Thank You for the grace to recognize Your presence. I can and will always run to You no matter what the circumstances. You are worthy of my reverence and I greatly desire Your favor and approval. You are warmly welcome in every area of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

References:

1) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H4471&t=KJV