Abraham

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Misunderstandings

Gen 21:25-26 Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized. And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.”

Misunderstanding can ruin a relationship just as quickly as a slap to the face.

Abraham was holding a grudge against Abimelech, for something Abimelech knew nothing about.

They eventually did resolve this misunderstanding.

How many times do you get angry when someone misinterprets what you say or misdirects your intentions?

Better yet, how many times do you misunderstand someone else?

Give others the benefit of the doubt and let God do a work to clear things up. And remember that you shouldn’t spread rumors about what you do not fully understand.
It would have been easy for Abraham to tell all his friends about how Abimelech was such a thief and a scoundrel and Abraham would have been wrong.

Today you have a marvelous principle from Jesus on clearing up relationship problems.

Matt 18:15 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Of course, there is the old-fashioned “forgive and forget” and don’t bother bringing it up!

Abba, there are instructions for all relationships in Your word. YES&AMEN

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His Anger

Do you ever feel like God is angry with you? Like you can’t do anything right?

Though God can be a God of anger, it is aimed specifically.

When God told Abraham of His intentions toward Sodom and Gommorah, Abraham began to plead for the cities.

Would God destroy everyone if fifty righteous people could be found? Then forty?

It was here that Abraham said something that seems strange to me.

Gen 18:30 “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”

Why would the Lord be angry at someone for interceding for them – even the exceedingly wicked (Gen 13:13) people of Sodom.

God’s anger is not directed toward good. It is directed at sin.

His anger is not against…

love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal 5:22-23

His anger is not because of prayer and intercession. His anger is not at preaching the Gospel. He is not angry at praise and worship.

He is not angry with those that seek Him with their whole heart.

Abba, though I deserve Your fullest wrath, I am so thankful that You are not angry with me in Jesus name. YES&AMEN

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Never too old – Never too young

The service of God has no age limit – either upper or lower. We only limit ourselves by health and physical ability.

God does not!

Gen 18:11-12 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

I cannot imagine myself retiring from pastoring, teaching, and preaching. It’s not like I will one day speak on everything in the Bible and be through. It doesn’t end.

Lam 3:22-23 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;

With God it’s always a new beginning.

Did age stop God from using Abraham and Sarah? No.
Did physical ability stop God from using this couple? No.

God will use the willing heart no matter how many times it has beat in its lifetime.

Abba Father, here I am – use me. I am available for Your service today! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Know the Future

Sometimes it would be nice to know the future.

Abraham and Sarah had that knowledge.

Gen 17:19 God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac;

Gen 18:10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

Abraham and Sarah are told they will have a son. They will call him Isaac. And they even knew the time he would be born.

Often the desire for futuristic knowledge isn’t about having a baby. More likely it’s for next weeks $250 million lotto numbers, the final score for the next Superbowl, or penny stocks that will increase in value 500%!

Such knowledge is selfish, greedy, and temporary.

There is one future you can know.

God has said;

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord; Jer 29:11-14

God’s future for you is one full of hope and promises. It’s full of love, forgiveness, and grace. It’s also eternal.

The future belongs to God. Join in.

Abba, my future is in You. I trust you with it. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Your name

A name says a lot about a person. There are names that you hear and associate with different things.

For instance, if you hear Wright Brothers you may think about flying.
John Adams may bring a thought of statesman or president.
Billy Graham is associated with preaching or evangelism.
You may not know anything else about any of these people other than those simple things.

There other names about people you know personally and you may think drug user, drunk, creep, teacher, good person, athlete, grandmother, or any number of things.
The fact is you will associate some characteristic with a name.

And your name is associated with a characteristic by others.

Gen 17:5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;

Abram had his name changed by God to Abraham. Abram is lost in meaning and Abraham becomes the new association. Abraham is the father of Isaac. Abraham is the one that pleaded for Sodom and Gommorah. Abraham is the Patriarch of Israel.

What does your name say to others? Do they think bad or good? Do others think of Christ at the mention of your name or do they think about sinfulness?

By the way, Abram is never mentioned in the Bible again. He is known by the name of change – Abraham!

Abba, I want my name to be a reflection of You! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Big Promise

My promises to others are small. I try not to commit to what I cannot do. And sometimes I forget something, so I try to keep notes in my iPhone.

You don’t want to promise what you cannot deliver to begin with. Time and effort work against promises

I know I have broken promises, both intentionally and unintentionally. And promises have been broken to me.

God is the opposite of you and me.

Gen 15:5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

God’s promises are big. I mean to say your descendants will be as numerous as the stars is a huge commitment. It’s happened! How many descendants of Abraham have there been through the ages – both born naturally and adopted and grafted in!

It’s not the only promise He has made!

Isa 1:18 “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

Matt 28:20 “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Rom 10:13 “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Heb 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Ps 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

1 John 1:7 the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Acts 1:11 This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.

Rev 22:20 “Surely I am coming quickly.”

Abba, I have yet to see a broken promise from You. I believe them all, in Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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What will You give me?

Gen 15:2 Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me…

What did Abram already have?

The Bible reports he was rich in gold, silver, and cattle. He had a beautiful wife that was desired by other men even though she was in her 70’s.

He had trained servants that could take on the armies of four different kingdoms. He had the promise of possessing all the land.

And most importantly, he had God!

It’s not what you have from God that you are concerned about – it’s what you don’t have.

Though Abram was a rich man with a lot to be happy about, he had no children.

Gen 15:2
Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Abram had one other thing – God’s promise of an heir from his own body, but it was one promise he struggled to patiently wait on.

Look around your home at all the things you possess. It’s proof that people are never satisfied. Garage sales are further proof of too much around the house.

Can your possessions compare to the gift of eternal life from God?

Matt 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

How much of your life can you give God credit for having?
Are you coming to Him and asking for more?
Can you wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled?

Abba, I am rich because of You! My greatest possession is my salvation. Every day I only ask that I can encourage someone else, in Jesus name, with the Good News.YES&AMEN

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A Bribe from the Devil

Gen 14:21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”

There are some people, companies, and organizations that you should not take anything from. Don’t take a bribe from the devil!

Abram gives us this example when he was willing to give the recaptured hostages back to the king of Sodom but then he refused to keep anything else.

Abram would pay tithes to Melchizedek and, at least in principle, it look as if Bera wanted to do the same to Abram.

He refused it.

I think we need to be careful with where our money comes from.

For years the Italian mafia has been a part of the Catholic church. Now I’m not here to disrespect the Catholic church but if a mobster comes to church and puts something in the offering plate, what is the history behind that money – how was it earned? It would be a hard temptation to turn away from a large amount of money in an offering plate, even if you know it may be from illegitimate or sinful means.

Gen 14:22-23 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!”

Abram refused Bera’s offer. And so there are times you should too!

Let your blessing be from God Most High and not the devil!

Abba, give me discernment over the gifts given to me and the strength to refuse those that would curse and not bless me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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The Heart of Giving

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

Tithing is a hot, debatable topic in the church. Some say it was Law and therefore Christians are not bound to it; this despite the fact that Abram giving tithe to Melchizedek was before the Law.

Giving is not mandated by a law – giving comes from the heart and a need to help someone.

In my research on the subject one commentator said that Abram did not tithe to Melchizedek of his own resources but with the spoils he took in the rescue of Lot.
The Bible does affirm this but can you make it a legitimate excuse not to tithe because of it?

Years later, Abraham’s grandson, Jacob said, “…of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Gen 28:22
His decision also predated any law to do so.
His decision was also based on the resources God would bless him with.

There is no easy answer to whether you believe in tithing or not. You either do or you don’t.

Despite the fact that it’s in the Law, do you think God would demand less of His people today – the people He fills with His own Holy Spirit?
If God demanded 10% from His people under the Law – do you think He would now be happy with you giving 1% under Christ?
Does God move backward or forward?
Does He lower His standards or raise them?

There is more to be said and so I shall.

Abba, I ask for guidance in giving. You have abundantly blessed and I should never be stingy or greedy with what wasn’t mine to begin with. I am just a steward. In Jesus’ name, 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