Genesis

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Give Honor

Gen 14:20 And [Abram] gave [Melchizedek] a tithe of all.

Who is this man that Abram would give him a tenth of all?

He was a king of a city and a priest of the Most High God, but is that enough to warrant such giving?

Perhaps in such a godless land, Abram was glad to enjoy fellowship with someone that believed and followed God as he did. And this wasn’t just some ordinary person. The fact that he was a king and priest made him much more unique, especially when you compare him to the king of Sodom, an exceedingly wicked man.

Today we honor special people.

I once was received an email from a man I did not know. He wanted to know if I was the Tim Swanson that served with him in Vietnam.
I told him I was in high school when the war ended.
But then I thanked him for his service in Vietnam to help keep freedom for a kid like me so I could stay in high school.

He wrote back and said he’d never been thanked for his service in Vietnam.

As Abram gave a portion of his goods to honor Melchizedek – surely you can give a portion of your time and effort to honor someone that has made a difference in your life – no matter how small.

And how much more should you honor the Lord and Savior for what He has done for you, which is so much!

Abba Father, my praise is insufficient to honor You. My tithe is insufficient. The truth is I can never do enough for what You have done for me. I can offer nothing to You but my life. Take me – I am Yours. In Jesus’ name, YES&AMEN.

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Giving

Gen 14:20 And he gave him a tithe of all.

It is one of the most difficult things for most Christians to do – tithing.

In fact, many Christians don’t believe in the practice stating as their reason that tithing was part of the law.

That is not the case. Tithing predates the law by at over 400 years.

There was no law that commanded Abram to give a tenth of everything to Melchizedek – but he did.
Abram did this out of the joy in his heart to give.

Had Abram received anything from the king and priest of Salem?
Certainly he received and accepted the communion between them, symbolized by the bread and wine. And he accepted the blessing that Melchizedek spoke.

When we receive the Communion of God (the body and blood of the Savior) for ourselves and then accept the blessing of God, then joy should be the motivation to give from the heart!

Abba, I fail in this area in so many ways – giving! Giving to you and to others in true need. Yet I have never turned down any of Your blessings for me. I repent of my shortcomings and seek Your help to overcome it. In Jesus’ name, YES&AMEN

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Hindsight and Foresight

Gen 14:12 – They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

Hindsight is 20/20!
It’s easy to say Lot would not be in this predicament if he would have made amends and stayed with Abram.

But that’s not what happened and Lot lives in a city with exceedingly wicked men.
He is taken prisoner with the other inhabitants.

What gets me is how after Abram rescues him, Lot returns back to Sodom.

Them again there are some I know that claim to know Jesus as Savior and still wallow with the exceedingly wicked.

I saw someone on Facebook claim saved by grace and also claim to be a hell raiser. The photos gave more evidence of the latter than the former.

I know God still cared for Lot and eventually rescued him from the judgment on that city.

I’m sure you’ve recognized your own hindsight before because you cannot see the future.

God can!!! Trust Him!

Abba Father, I look to the past and see my mistakes. I also look in the past and see Your care over me. In Jesus name, I look to putting more of my trust in You for my future. YES&AMEN

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Pride in Sin

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’ (Genesis 14:22, 23)

While there is no debate that the King of Sodom was an exceedingly wicked man (Gen 13:13) and that there was an element of homosexuality in the city (Gen 19:4-5), the great sin of Sodom was pride. (Ezekiel 16:49) – they were proud about their sin.

Many people today brag about the sin they’ve done – about how drunk they were over the weekend or how many they have fornicated with.

Even the term “gay pride” gives honor to that which God calls an abomination.

Abram refused to be honored by such an abominably prideful person.

It is written, better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:19)
This is what Abram did!

It is wise to do the same!

Abba Father, I am ashamed of all my sin. It’s memory still haunts me. Yet I know the blood of Jesus has cleansed me from it all. I rejoice in this. YES&AMEN

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The Flaming Sword

Gen 3:24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Continue reading →

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He is mindful of you!

passover blood moon-8199-2Ps 8:3-4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him,

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