Abraham's Call - A prototype

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee - Genesis 12:1

Abram's (later known as Abraham) life is the prototype of faith. He was called to leave his country, kindred, fathers house and follow God to a place he did not know. What he did know is that God would be with him.

We, too, are called to leave, not necessarily our parents or city but the comfortable, familiar, and natural way of life inherited through our father, Adam, and follow Christ to an unfamiliar place we can't truly imagine - except we know that we will be with him, and we will be like him.

Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. - 1st John 3:2 (GOD'S WORD)

- fritz

Swimming with Sharks - God's Answer

My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. ...I will sing and give praise. - Psalm 57:4,7b

Maybe with a different analogy, but everyone in corporate America knows what the Psalmist means, here. We would say that "we are swimming with a bunch of sharks".

We can not escape this fact of life, our environment is sometimes vicious. But God has an answer - it is singing.

Singing, specifically singing praise about God's goodness and care, dispels fear and dread and brings courage.

Pick a good song or hymn and when fear invades take time to sing.

- fritz

Lingering Guilt - God's Answer

And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. - Genesis 42:21

The Bible tells of the children of Jacob, the patriarch, throwing their brother into a pit then selling him to foreigners. They got rid of their brother but they could not get rid of their guilt. Years later, and probably every time something bad happened, they remembered that terrible selfish deed as if it was yesterday.

Guilt is like that. It keeps popping up no matter how long it is ignored or who gets the blame. It demands resolution, justice, payment.

The Bible also tells us God's answer for guilt is Christ,

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: - Colossians 1:14

God's answer for guilt is to confess, not deny, the wrong and ask for the forgiveness Christ provided.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1st John 1:9

-fritz

What Love Gives

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. - Genesis 15:1

God told Abraham, "I am your reward".

Love always gives, but what does it give? Itself.

And that is enough.

- fritz

Trust means Obey

The idea that you can trust Christ and not intend to obey him is an illusion generated by the prevalence of an unbelieving “Christian culture.” In fact, you can no more trust Jesus and not intend to obey him than you could trust your doctor and your auto mechanic and not intend to follow their advice. If you don’t intend to follow their advice, you simply don’t trust them. Period.

- Dallas Willard, Renovation Of The Heart, Pg. 95

Grafting Plants and Hearts

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. - James 1:21

I have a grafted Orange tree. The original stalk was cut and a cultured Orange tree was tied in place until the stock actually grew into and through the graft. If you look closely you can still see the scars.

"Engrafted" is the horticultural term used to describe how the Word of God, both the living and the written, becomes part of our lives.

We are cut by our guilt, grief, and repentance, and God's word is placed in our hearts then held there as we grow into and through it. If you look closely you can still see the scars.

Take the bible, read it, think about it throughout the day, talk about it, meet with others doing the same, letting God's word stay close enough to enable your life grow into and through it.

- fritz

^{Also See: Patrikin blog post, October 30, 2010 - "Reading the Scriptures Adequately and Accurately"}

The Children's Bread

A Canaanite woman ... came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." ... He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." - Matthew 15:22, 26

A foreigner asked Jesus for healing. Jesus initially resisted by saying food belongs to the family.

Ignoring the controversy over the way he addressed her and why, notice Jesus equated deliverance and healing to food that a father provides to his children.

There can be extenuating circumstances¹ but we need to see that God considers our health and well being as not just important but essential as food on the table, and the Lord's Prayer request for "our daily bread" for more than just something to eat.

- fritz


^{1 - Paul's thorn in the flesh, 2nd Corinthians 12:7}