"Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, 'In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.'" -Genesis 22.13-14
I read these words yesterday, and felt like there was something there. It's been a long day, and I've been thinking about them a lot. And I think what this says to a man is that a man worships with his children, and declares what God has and will do.
Abraham has been faithful and obedient to God, and God has showed Abraham that child sacrifice does not happen in His kingdom. And then, God provides the lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham takes the ram, and with his son Isaac, offers it as a burnt offering to the Lord. Together they praise God for what he has done.
I don't think this is the first time that Isaac had been part of a sacrifice. After all, he's probably in his twenties, and he's aware that they didn't have a lamb to offer. But he has gotten to take part in the sacrifice to God. He and his father worshiped together. Men, we must worship with our families. I don't remember the specific statistic, but if a dad sets the example of church worship to his children, they are much more likely to stay active in the church as they grow.
But it isn't enough simply to worship, there is more we see with Abraham here. He declares what God has done, by calling the place "The Lord Will Provide". He identifies the place by how he has seen God work there. Are there places like this in your life? Do you have places where you have encountered God and He has done something great? What do you call that place? Have you shared the place and experience with your children?
Men, let us worship God with our families, let us lead them in worship. Let us declare what God has done, and share that with our families. Let us celebrate the goodness of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
A Man's Willingness
"Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood." -Genesis 22.9
We don't know how much time has passed between Genesis 21, when Isaac is born, and Genesis 22, when Abraham goes to offer him as a sacrifice. I've seen different thoughts, some say it was 15-25 years, one said it was 37 years. But no matter which one is correct, we know two things. First, Abraham is over 100, anywhere from 115-137, he's an old man. Second, Isaac is young and strong, anywhere from 15-37, in the prime of his life.
And so with that in mind, you begin to look at the story with another perspective. Isaac, was more than capable of overpowering his father. He could have easily outrun him if he didn't want to fight his father hand to hand. But he doesn't. He willingly carries the wood to the top of Mt. Moriah. He willingly allows himself to be tied up. He willingly allows himself to be place on the altar. He was willing to allow his father to sacrifice him. Why? Because it was the will of God.
You'll see many similarities to Jesus in this story. And we have another example of what a man is to do. Are we willing to do whatever God asks? Are we willing to struggle and sacrifice ourselves if that is what God's plan is? Our are we trying to figure out how to gain the upper hand in wrestling match with Him? Or looking for the clearest route to book it out of there?
Are you willing to go to death for God? Are you willing to die to yourself to fulfill His will? And more than that, are you willing to carry the wood to the place where you will be sacrificed? Are you willing to do whatever God asks in order to do His will? Are you willing to help it be fulfilled no matter the cost to you? Are you willing?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
We don't know how much time has passed between Genesis 21, when Isaac is born, and Genesis 22, when Abraham goes to offer him as a sacrifice. I've seen different thoughts, some say it was 15-25 years, one said it was 37 years. But no matter which one is correct, we know two things. First, Abraham is over 100, anywhere from 115-137, he's an old man. Second, Isaac is young and strong, anywhere from 15-37, in the prime of his life.
And so with that in mind, you begin to look at the story with another perspective. Isaac, was more than capable of overpowering his father. He could have easily outrun him if he didn't want to fight his father hand to hand. But he doesn't. He willingly carries the wood to the top of Mt. Moriah. He willingly allows himself to be tied up. He willingly allows himself to be place on the altar. He was willing to allow his father to sacrifice him. Why? Because it was the will of God.
You'll see many similarities to Jesus in this story. And we have another example of what a man is to do. Are we willing to do whatever God asks? Are we willing to struggle and sacrifice ourselves if that is what God's plan is? Our are we trying to figure out how to gain the upper hand in wrestling match with Him? Or looking for the clearest route to book it out of there?
Are you willing to go to death for God? Are you willing to die to yourself to fulfill His will? And more than that, are you willing to carry the wood to the place where you will be sacrificed? Are you willing to do whatever God asks in order to do His will? Are you willing to help it be fulfilled no matter the cost to you? Are you willing?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, February 10, 2014
A Father's Faith
"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 the two of them walked on together. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, 'My father!' And he said, 'Here I am, my son.' And he said, 'Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' So the two of them walked on together." -Genesis 22.6-8
Father and son have come to Mt. Moriah, and after loading up they begin their trek to the top. The son knows they are there to offer a sacrifice. They have wood, fire, and the knife, but something is missing, the lamb to offer. So the son asks his father, "Where is the lamb?" His father knows what God has told him, offer your son. But he also knows that this is the son of promise. This is the son that God has made a covenant to bless the world through. And so the father replies, "God will provide the lamb." And the two continue on together.
We see here the faith of a father. God has made a promise, and then has asked for the fulfillment of that promise to be sacrificed. But he has faith in God that the promise will still be fulfilled, somehow. And we see in the father, the reassurance to his son, that God will provide the lamb.
Father's we don't have all the answers. We don't know what God is up to, or how He is going to work. But our children look to us for comfort and guidance. They look to us for security. It is our job to provide it. It is our job to trust the Father. God's will may come with difficult requests. We may find ourselves, time and again, in difficult situations with very few answers. But it is not our job to have every answer. It is our job to trust God.
Our children will learn that God is dependable and trust worthy from us. They will learn faith and confidence in God from us. What example are you setting? Do you have faith in God to provide, or are you overcome with worry and doubt?
God will provide, have faith and trust Him. Your children are watching you, and they will learn from what they see. As their father, set an example of faith.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Father and son have come to Mt. Moriah, and after loading up they begin their trek to the top. The son knows they are there to offer a sacrifice. They have wood, fire, and the knife, but something is missing, the lamb to offer. So the son asks his father, "Where is the lamb?" His father knows what God has told him, offer your son. But he also knows that this is the son of promise. This is the son that God has made a covenant to bless the world through. And so the father replies, "God will provide the lamb." And the two continue on together.
We see here the faith of a father. God has made a promise, and then has asked for the fulfillment of that promise to be sacrificed. But he has faith in God that the promise will still be fulfilled, somehow. And we see in the father, the reassurance to his son, that God will provide the lamb.
Father's we don't have all the answers. We don't know what God is up to, or how He is going to work. But our children look to us for comfort and guidance. They look to us for security. It is our job to provide it. It is our job to trust the Father. God's will may come with difficult requests. We may find ourselves, time and again, in difficult situations with very few answers. But it is not our job to have every answer. It is our job to trust God.
Our children will learn that God is dependable and trust worthy from us. They will learn faith and confidence in God from us. What example are you setting? Do you have faith in God to provide, or are you overcome with worry and doubt?
God will provide, have faith and trust Him. Your children are watching you, and they will learn from what they see. As their father, set an example of faith.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Sunday, February 9, 2014
God's Difficult Requests
"He said, 'Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.' So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him." -Genesis 22.2-3
I wonder what was going through Abraham's mind as he heard this? He came out of a pagan culture where child sacrifice was a common practice, so I don't think God asking for this would have been a shock to him. But the fact that God has promised him a son, who would be the beginning of a nation, and Isaac is the son of promise, he's probably wondering how God will fulfill the promise. At the time he doesn't know what's going to happen, he just knows that God has given him a command.
We are able to look at the whole story, we know the ending just as we know the beginning. But Abraham didn't. And yet look at his response. God says do this, and Abraham does it. He gets up early, gets ready, and prepares wood for the offering, and then goes to where God told him to go, planning to do what God told him to do.
What is your response to the requests of God. God has never asked you to sacrifice your child to Him, but what has he asked you to do, or to stop doing? Your fantasy league? An addiction? Overtime that takes you away form your family? Maybe it's a food, or working on your car. Why are they so difficult to let go of? Why is it so hard to do what God has asked?
And maybe He isn't asking you to give up anything. Maybe He's asking you to accept a calling. Maybe He wants you to leave everything behind and go to an unreached people group in Africa. Maybe He wants you to stay right here, and go to the unreached people next door.
God was testing Abraham, and in this test He showed Abraham more about Himself, and saw Abraham's unquestioned faithfulness to Him. What are you unable to learn about God because of the things you are refusing to do? What is God seeing about your faithfulness? God will requests of us that are difficult, but all of it is for our good, and our gain.
When we give up something temporal, and physical, we gain the eternal and the spiritual. When we are willing, and determined, to obey everything God says, we grow into Men of God.
What is God asking you? What is holding you back?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
I wonder what was going through Abraham's mind as he heard this? He came out of a pagan culture where child sacrifice was a common practice, so I don't think God asking for this would have been a shock to him. But the fact that God has promised him a son, who would be the beginning of a nation, and Isaac is the son of promise, he's probably wondering how God will fulfill the promise. At the time he doesn't know what's going to happen, he just knows that God has given him a command.
We are able to look at the whole story, we know the ending just as we know the beginning. But Abraham didn't. And yet look at his response. God says do this, and Abraham does it. He gets up early, gets ready, and prepares wood for the offering, and then goes to where God told him to go, planning to do what God told him to do.
What is your response to the requests of God. God has never asked you to sacrifice your child to Him, but what has he asked you to do, or to stop doing? Your fantasy league? An addiction? Overtime that takes you away form your family? Maybe it's a food, or working on your car. Why are they so difficult to let go of? Why is it so hard to do what God has asked?
And maybe He isn't asking you to give up anything. Maybe He's asking you to accept a calling. Maybe He wants you to leave everything behind and go to an unreached people group in Africa. Maybe He wants you to stay right here, and go to the unreached people next door.
God was testing Abraham, and in this test He showed Abraham more about Himself, and saw Abraham's unquestioned faithfulness to Him. What are you unable to learn about God because of the things you are refusing to do? What is God seeing about your faithfulness? God will requests of us that are difficult, but all of it is for our good, and our gain.
When we give up something temporal, and physical, we gain the eternal and the spiritual. When we are willing, and determined, to obey everything God says, we grow into Men of God.
What is God asking you? What is holding you back?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Saturday, February 8, 2014
When God Calls
"Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.'" -Genesis 22.1
What is your response when God calls? In Genesis 3, Adam hid from God, ashamed because he was naked. Here, Abraham hears God call him by name and responds, "Here I am." He isn't hiding, ashamed and afraid to hear from God. He welcomes the conversation, ready to hear what God has to say.
What is your response? God is calling you. He's reaching out to you. Are you hiding from Him, or are you calling out to Him, "Here I am"? Some of you have been hiding from Him for years, maybe decades, afraid and ashamed of something in the past. You're hoping He won't find you. That is no way for a man to live.
A man must own up to his mistakes if he is ever to find healing from the past. God cannot work in us, or through us, if we are determined to try and hide from Him. We'll see a King who tried this at some point in the future. But when we are open, and available, with "Here I am" God can work and teach us. He's about to test Abraham, and in the testing, to teach Abraham more about Himself.
God is calling us because He wants to know us more deeply. He wants to reveal more of Himself to us, and mold us more into the image of His Son. God is calling you, what will your response be?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
What is your response when God calls? In Genesis 3, Adam hid from God, ashamed because he was naked. Here, Abraham hears God call him by name and responds, "Here I am." He isn't hiding, ashamed and afraid to hear from God. He welcomes the conversation, ready to hear what God has to say.
What is your response? God is calling you. He's reaching out to you. Are you hiding from Him, or are you calling out to Him, "Here I am"? Some of you have been hiding from Him for years, maybe decades, afraid and ashamed of something in the past. You're hoping He won't find you. That is no way for a man to live.
A man must own up to his mistakes if he is ever to find healing from the past. God cannot work in us, or through us, if we are determined to try and hide from Him. We'll see a King who tried this at some point in the future. But when we are open, and available, with "Here I am" God can work and teach us. He's about to test Abraham, and in the testing, to teach Abraham more about Himself.
God is calling us because He wants to know us more deeply. He wants to reveal more of Himself to us, and mold us more into the image of His Son. God is calling you, what will your response be?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Friday, February 7, 2014
Kindness for Kindness
"Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, 'God is with you in all that you do; now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.' Abraham said, 'I swear it.'" -Genesis 21.22-24
Abimelech has shown great kindness to Abraham. He has allowed him to sojourn in his land. And he didn't kill him over the issue with Sarah. He has also given him livestock and servants. He has dealt kindly with this man because he is a prophet of God. And he asks for kindness and honesty in return toward himself and his descendants. And Abraham agrees.
A man does not repay good favor with evil. To those who show him kindness, he returns it. And to those who don't offer kindness, he gives it still, but more on this later in Scripture. As I read these verses my mind kept going to a quote from the movie Robin Hood. "We can't repay our good luck with bad grace, it invites darkness." Robin and his companions are headed back to England after years on Crusade in the Holy Land. On the way they come upon a group of knights who have been ambushed. There is one survivor, Robert Loxley. He asks Robin to return his sword to his father, and he swears to. This ambush gives the men their passage home, and Robin feels compelled to honor his vow. That is what a man does.
What kindness have you been shown? How have you repaid it? It isn't always convenient or desirable, but it is right. We must reach out with kindness, and return it when it is given.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Abimelech has shown great kindness to Abraham. He has allowed him to sojourn in his land. And he didn't kill him over the issue with Sarah. He has also given him livestock and servants. He has dealt kindly with this man because he is a prophet of God. And he asks for kindness and honesty in return toward himself and his descendants. And Abraham agrees.
A man does not repay good favor with evil. To those who show him kindness, he returns it. And to those who don't offer kindness, he gives it still, but more on this later in Scripture. As I read these verses my mind kept going to a quote from the movie Robin Hood. "We can't repay our good luck with bad grace, it invites darkness." Robin and his companions are headed back to England after years on Crusade in the Holy Land. On the way they come upon a group of knights who have been ambushed. There is one survivor, Robert Loxley. He asks Robin to return his sword to his father, and he swears to. This ambush gives the men their passage home, and Robin feels compelled to honor his vow. That is what a man does.
What kindness have you been shown? How have you repaid it? It isn't always convenient or desirable, but it is right. We must reach out with kindness, and return it when it is given.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Old Weaknesses
"Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah." -Genesis 20.2
Again we see Abraham pass his wife off as his sister. For a second time he enters a foreign land as a sojourner, and allows his wife to be taken by another man. I'm just like, "What the heck dude?!" So much has transpired since Egypt. God has spoken on several occasions. Abraham has received a new name, a covenant, and the sign of the covenant. And yet here he is pulling the same stunt again.
How many times have you beaten yourself up over the same sin that you commit time and again? How many times have you tried to move past it, and heal from it? And yet time and again it continues to be a struggle. And every time you hate yourself for giving in again.
First, let me say that that's a good thing. The fact that you are upset over the act is a sign of new life in you. You know who you were, you have entered something new, and are striving to live differently. You are aware of the wrongness of your actions, and what's more, you care about the wrongness of your actions. This is a sign of the work that God has done in you.
It is important to know that we cannot overcome our sins and struggles on our own. The more we rely on our strength and will power to resist, the more we fall into them, and the worse we feel when we do. It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome the sin in our lives. It is only in God's strength that we can triumph.
And so we must lean on Him more. We must draw ever closer to Him. The deeper our relationship with Him is the stronger we will be. But also, the closer I am to God, the more I want to do things that please Him, and the less I want to do things that displease Him. My desire to please God is stronger than my desire for any sort of gratification, and that gives me strength to resist the temptations that come.
My desire is to live my life in a way that gives glory to God, and with His help, and in His strength I am able to do that. He empowers me to do the right thing, even when it isn't the easy thing. He encourages me to speak the truth, even if it may lead to my death. He fills me with His spirit so that I can live in holiness. My old weaknesses are powerless compared to the new strength I have in Christ.
It will not always be easy, and there will be times we fail. In those moments we turn to God quickly, seeking His forgiveness and healing. We pray for God to lead us away from the situations, and when we find ourselves in them, to give us eyes to see the escape He has promised to provide. And the more we walk with Him, the easier it becomes. It takes time, but God is loving and patient, and He walks with us every step of the way.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Again we see Abraham pass his wife off as his sister. For a second time he enters a foreign land as a sojourner, and allows his wife to be taken by another man. I'm just like, "What the heck dude?!" So much has transpired since Egypt. God has spoken on several occasions. Abraham has received a new name, a covenant, and the sign of the covenant. And yet here he is pulling the same stunt again.
How many times have you beaten yourself up over the same sin that you commit time and again? How many times have you tried to move past it, and heal from it? And yet time and again it continues to be a struggle. And every time you hate yourself for giving in again.
First, let me say that that's a good thing. The fact that you are upset over the act is a sign of new life in you. You know who you were, you have entered something new, and are striving to live differently. You are aware of the wrongness of your actions, and what's more, you care about the wrongness of your actions. This is a sign of the work that God has done in you.
It is important to know that we cannot overcome our sins and struggles on our own. The more we rely on our strength and will power to resist, the more we fall into them, and the worse we feel when we do. It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome the sin in our lives. It is only in God's strength that we can triumph.
And so we must lean on Him more. We must draw ever closer to Him. The deeper our relationship with Him is the stronger we will be. But also, the closer I am to God, the more I want to do things that please Him, and the less I want to do things that displease Him. My desire to please God is stronger than my desire for any sort of gratification, and that gives me strength to resist the temptations that come.
My desire is to live my life in a way that gives glory to God, and with His help, and in His strength I am able to do that. He empowers me to do the right thing, even when it isn't the easy thing. He encourages me to speak the truth, even if it may lead to my death. He fills me with His spirit so that I can live in holiness. My old weaknesses are powerless compared to the new strength I have in Christ.
It will not always be easy, and there will be times we fail. In those moments we turn to God quickly, seeking His forgiveness and healing. We pray for God to lead us away from the situations, and when we find ourselves in them, to give us eyes to see the escape He has promised to provide. And the more we walk with Him, the easier it becomes. It takes time, but God is loving and patient, and He walks with us every step of the way.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Lead Your Family
"When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, 'Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.' But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city." Genesis 19.15-16
Lot moved to a city full of wickedness. But God is going to save him. He is told to gather his family and flee, but when the time came, he hesitated. For whatever reason Lot is afraid to leave even though he has been warned of the coming disaster. And his hesitance destroys his family.
Lot moved to a city full of wickedness. But God is going to save him. He is told to gather his family and flee, but when the time came, he hesitated. For whatever reason Lot is afraid to leave even though he has been warned of the coming disaster. And his hesitance destroys his family.
His wife turns back to look at the city and becomes a pillar of salt. After a brief stay in a neighboring city he takes his daughters to a cave in the mountains. When they realize they won't marry, they get their father drunk and commit incest in order to preserve the family line. What would have happened if he had never hesitated?
Men, we must lead our families. Our hesitation may not lead to the same fate as Lot did, but if we fail to lead we let our families down. How many heart broken wives are out there because their husbands won't initiate? How many children are orphaned because of fathers who won't engage? How much damage has been caused by men who won't lead their families?
What do you want for your family? What do you want the future to hold for your children? How do you want your wife to feel? You have a lot to do with that, for good or bad. If you lead them correctly, you leave a solid foundation for them to build on. But every hesitation, weakens it until its at the point where anything built on it crumbles.
Will you lead?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Lay a Solid Foundation
"For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him." -Genesis 18.19
God made a covenant with Abraham, that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. Abraham was just one man, but he marks the beginning of a family, a nation, and from his line the Messiah would come, and save the world from sin. Abraham was the beginning, the one that God began to speak with and teach. And it was Abraham's responsibility to teach his family about God, and lead them in following Him, so that the blessings could come. God had made promises to Abraham about his descendants, but they could only be fulfilled if Abraham's descendants followed God.
As men, we have the responsibility to lead our families and instruct our children to love and fear God. As husbands and fathers, we are to be the leaders, the head of the household. We are to set the example by living righteously, and acting justly. Our children's first impression of God will be what they see in us. Our children's initial love of God will come form the priority we place. And the legacy we leave we be measured most by our children.
What can God do with a family led by a man of God? The father's ceiling is simply the foundation his children can build upon. So how strong is it? Is it solid and ready for construction to begin? Or is it in serious need of repair? The later hinders them, and holds them back. Things they may have been able to accomplish for the Kingdom won't be because of the work they had to do that wasn't theirs to fix.
It is the role of a man to lay a solid foundation for his family by leading them in the paths of righteousness. A man must know God, and have a personal and intimate relationship with God if he is ever to do this. His life must be dedicated to following God and growing closer to Him daily. And if he does this, and teaches his children to do the same, they will far surpass anything their father did for for the Kingdom, and that is our hope.
We lay the foundation for the next generation, how strong is it?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
God made a covenant with Abraham, that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. Abraham was just one man, but he marks the beginning of a family, a nation, and from his line the Messiah would come, and save the world from sin. Abraham was the beginning, the one that God began to speak with and teach. And it was Abraham's responsibility to teach his family about God, and lead them in following Him, so that the blessings could come. God had made promises to Abraham about his descendants, but they could only be fulfilled if Abraham's descendants followed God.
As men, we have the responsibility to lead our families and instruct our children to love and fear God. As husbands and fathers, we are to be the leaders, the head of the household. We are to set the example by living righteously, and acting justly. Our children's first impression of God will be what they see in us. Our children's initial love of God will come form the priority we place. And the legacy we leave we be measured most by our children.
What can God do with a family led by a man of God? The father's ceiling is simply the foundation his children can build upon. So how strong is it? Is it solid and ready for construction to begin? Or is it in serious need of repair? The later hinders them, and holds them back. Things they may have been able to accomplish for the Kingdom won't be because of the work they had to do that wasn't theirs to fix.
It is the role of a man to lay a solid foundation for his family by leading them in the paths of righteousness. A man must know God, and have a personal and intimate relationship with God if he is ever to do this. His life must be dedicated to following God and growing closer to Him daily. And if he does this, and teaches his children to do the same, they will far surpass anything their father did for for the Kingdom, and that is our hope.
We lay the foundation for the next generation, how strong is it?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, February 3, 2014
Be Careful what You Pray For
"And Abraham said to God, 'Oh that Ishmael might live before You!'... 'As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.'" -Genesis 17.18, 20
God has promised Abraham a son with his wife Sarah, and Abraham laughs. He says, "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" (verse 17a) The idea is unfathomable to him. He knows how things work, and he knows that things like this are impossible. Remember, he's still learning about God and all that He is able to do.
And so he presents another option, Ishmael, the son that he already has. But God, who is almighty, able to do everything we call impossible, tells him, "No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him" (verse 19b).
But none the less, God does not ignore the prayer of a father for his son. Ishmael will be blessed by God, and from him twelve princes will come. And we have the twelve Imams of Islam. The prayer to bless Ishmael has led to conflict for thousands of years. This prayer has led to seven crusades fought over the Holy Land between Christians and Muslims. It has led to constant fighting in the Middle East, as well as the desire of many to wipe Israel off the map.
We must be careful what we pray for, because our prayers, though they seem right in our eyes, could lead to things we never imagined. May we always seek the will of God, and take God at His word. When God says He will do something, may be believe and trust Him, no matter how impossible it may seem.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
God has promised Abraham a son with his wife Sarah, and Abraham laughs. He says, "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" (verse 17a) The idea is unfathomable to him. He knows how things work, and he knows that things like this are impossible. Remember, he's still learning about God and all that He is able to do.
And so he presents another option, Ishmael, the son that he already has. But God, who is almighty, able to do everything we call impossible, tells him, "No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him" (verse 19b).
But none the less, God does not ignore the prayer of a father for his son. Ishmael will be blessed by God, and from him twelve princes will come. And we have the twelve Imams of Islam. The prayer to bless Ishmael has led to conflict for thousands of years. This prayer has led to seven crusades fought over the Holy Land between Christians and Muslims. It has led to constant fighting in the Middle East, as well as the desire of many to wipe Israel off the map.
We must be careful what we pray for, because our prayers, though they seem right in our eyes, could lead to things we never imagined. May we always seek the will of God, and take God at His word. When God says He will do something, may be believe and trust Him, no matter how impossible it may seem.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Name Change
"No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." -Genesis 17.5
An encounter with God, where humble ourselves to truly listen to Him, cannot leave us unchanged. As we grow in our relationship with God, and come to know him more, we also come to see ourselves through God's eyes. We come to learn our true identity and divine purpose.
An encounter with God, where humble ourselves to truly listen to Him, cannot leave us unchanged. As we grow in our relationship with God, and come to know him more, we also come to see ourselves through God's eyes. We come to learn our true identity and divine purpose.
Abram becomes Abraham. His name changes from "exalted father" to "father of multitudes". He is given the identity that God has for him, his true identity. And just as we see Abram is the first to fall on his face before God, he is also the first to have his name changed by God.
What identity have you been given by the world? Who have your parents told you you are? What have your peers led you to believe about yourself? How do you see yourself? Now forget it all, and ask God, "What is my name?"
Warrior. Leader. Son. Beloved. Man of God.
That is who you will be after you believe Him, and humbly fall on your face before Him. God's voice will speak your true name, your new identity, listen and believe it.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Humility Before God
"Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him" -Genesis 17.3a
God shows up and speaks, and Abram's first reaction is perfect, fall flat on his face. This reaction is one of complete surrender and submission. We'll see this reaction time and again throughout the Bible, but this is the first. Abram was the start of a lot, and so it's fitting for him to begin this practice as well.
Humbly on his face, fully surrendered, open, and vulnerable, God is free to speak to a fully captive audience. This is how it always should be. God speaks, we shut up, drop what we're doing, and give our undivided attention. But how often is it like this? How often do we really even seek conversation with God? (Notice it says that "God talked with him".)
When is the last time you really prayed? I have to be honest and say I don't know. Yes, I've talked with God. I've lifted up concerns to Him and presented my requests. I've thanked Him for everything He's provided. But the last time I had this reaction I don't know. I don't know the last time I've just sat, fully open, and listened to God speaking. I don't know the last time I've fallen on my face and listened to God talk. This has to change in my life, and if your life is in the same situation as mine, so does yours.
I've really started to think about where my life is headed career wise. I'm not actively pursuing anything in full time ministry, but am preparing as best I can for when that time comes again. I've started to think about interviewing. Everyone wants to know your plan and your strategy to help the Church grow. Honestly, I don't have one. And I'm wondering what would happen if I answered that question, "We're going to seek God together. When something comes up, we're going to stop right then, and fall on our faces and ask God. And we aren't going to move until He tells us what the plan is."
What if more churches, more pastors, and more Christians took this approach to life? What is God trying to say to us that we are missing because we haven't fallen on our faces before him to listen?
Men, it's time for us to get flat on our faces before God. Let's set aside everything that distracts us and get face down before God. When you're flat on your face you can't look around at anything else. There is nothing to focus on but God. And if we would be Men of God, this is exactly where we need to be.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
God shows up and speaks, and Abram's first reaction is perfect, fall flat on his face. This reaction is one of complete surrender and submission. We'll see this reaction time and again throughout the Bible, but this is the first. Abram was the start of a lot, and so it's fitting for him to begin this practice as well.
Humbly on his face, fully surrendered, open, and vulnerable, God is free to speak to a fully captive audience. This is how it always should be. God speaks, we shut up, drop what we're doing, and give our undivided attention. But how often is it like this? How often do we really even seek conversation with God? (Notice it says that "God talked with him".)
When is the last time you really prayed? I have to be honest and say I don't know. Yes, I've talked with God. I've lifted up concerns to Him and presented my requests. I've thanked Him for everything He's provided. But the last time I had this reaction I don't know. I don't know the last time I've just sat, fully open, and listened to God speaking. I don't know the last time I've fallen on my face and listened to God talk. This has to change in my life, and if your life is in the same situation as mine, so does yours.
I've really started to think about where my life is headed career wise. I'm not actively pursuing anything in full time ministry, but am preparing as best I can for when that time comes again. I've started to think about interviewing. Everyone wants to know your plan and your strategy to help the Church grow. Honestly, I don't have one. And I'm wondering what would happen if I answered that question, "We're going to seek God together. When something comes up, we're going to stop right then, and fall on our faces and ask God. And we aren't going to move until He tells us what the plan is."
What if more churches, more pastors, and more Christians took this approach to life? What is God trying to say to us that we are missing because we haven't fallen on our faces before him to listen?
Men, it's time for us to get flat on our faces before God. Let's set aside everything that distracts us and get face down before God. When you're flat on your face you can't look around at anything else. There is nothing to focus on but God. And if we would be Men of God, this is exactly where we need to be.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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