Salt & Light Blog

Genesis 21 Don’t Lose Hope; God Doesn’t Change

6/28/2016

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever Hebrews 13:8 On photo of Amber Sky by Lani Campbell

In Genesis Chapter 21 God keeps His promise to Sarah and Abraham and Isaac is born. Each person involved reacted, Abraham kept the covenant with God and circumcised his son on the eighth day. Verses 6-7 record Sarah’s joyful reaction,
And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.
Both Abraham and Sarah were grateful to The LORD and expressed their thankfulness appropriately. But Hagar whose son Ishmael was now 14 years old wasn’t so happy. She laughed but it wasn’t a laughter of joy or happiness it was the bitter laugh of derision. When Isaac was weaned Abraham had a feast to celebrate his young son. And Hagar didn’t hide her disdain any longer. Sarah had had enough of it. She told Abraham to send the slave woman and her son away. But Abraham wasn’t overly keen on sending his eldest son away. The LORD spoke to Abraham in verses 12-13,
But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.
So Abraham gave them a skin of water and some bread and sent the woman and young man away. Hagar and Ishmael wandered in the wilderness. I have to wonder why they didn’t go to a town. Why didn’t Hagar find a place and ask to live there? I think she had given up. She didn’t remember what God had said to her all those years ago when He told her about who her son would be and she called Him God Who Sees Me. She had lost all hope. When the water ran out. She set her son (about 16 years old now) under a tree and went to a place a few hundred feet away so that she wouldn’t have to watch him die. She was in utter despair.
But God hadn’t changed. He was still the God Who Sees, and He heard the prayers of Ishmael. He spoke to Hagar. Verses 17-21 read,
And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
God doesn’t change. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8). In fact, verse 33 of this chapter reads,
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
If he told you something last week, last year, or last decade, it has not changed. He doesn’t change. He is sovereign. He is Almighty. He is The LORD. He is Our Healer, Our Peace, Our Rock, Our Salvation, Our King, and Our Provider. He is Sufficient. He is our All in All. He loves you. He knows you. He sees you. He cares.
If you feel hopeless, if you have forgotten what He has said and done for you, call out to Him. Let Him be who He is. Let Him be your God.

0 Comments

Genesis 18 Intimate Friendship With God

6/20/2016

0 Comments

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me Revelation 3:20

Genesis 18
When we are in a relationship with God, it can become as intimate as we choose it to be. God is close and He will be as close to us as we are willing to let Him be. That closeness, that deep familiarity and mutual affection we call fellowship or friendship is not always easy. It is fueled by faith and strong faith is not attained by an easy life.
Abraham had that kind of intimacy with God. His faith likely began when his father Terah raised him to follow the Lord. I am struck by the fact that Terah was seventy years old when he became a father to Abraham (Genesis 11:26). He had waited a long time for his sons and he had three. I think it is clear from who both Abraham and Lot became, that Terah raised his sons to follow God. His faith had grown from the time he first obeyed God and traveled from his home in Ur to Canaan. It grew more as he obeyed the Lord time and again over the years and it grew as He believed God’s covenant, God’s word to him about his future. Abraham’s road was not easy, his faith was massive, and his relationship with God was as close as any relationship could be. They were friends. The Lord enjoyed spending time with His friend so one day, He came by for a visit. (Remember He did not yet dwell in His people). Verses 1-5 read,
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. 2 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 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”
The relationship is initiated by God but it is not forced. God showed up and let Abraham decide if he would spend some time with Him. There were three men, The Lord didn’t need Abraham’s company, He has Himself for community. He wasn’t lonely. He wanted Abraham’s company so He offered the chance for a little time together. Abraham took the chance and asked the Lord to stay and rest and take a little food. So, they, The Lord said, “Do as you have said.” Did God need a rest? Was He hungry? No. He chose to relate to Abraham on a level Abraham could understand.
What would your reaction be to having the Lord God come and agree to have a bite with you? I think that depends on where you are on your walk with Jesus. Would you cower in fear, would you be all formal and speak to Him in flowery words to keep distance between you? Would you fall at His feet, hug him, or give Him a high five? I doubt any of us can answer that question with complete objectivity. We tend to answer how we hope it would go down. One day, we will see Him face to face and since we will have been made into the perfect image of Christ, our response will be perfect love and worship. But for now, believers know Him just a bit, partially and even that is bigger than most of us can grasp (1 Corinthians 13:12). By the way, God has offered you the chance to fellowship. In Revelation 3:20-21 Jesus says,
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Abraham’s reaction showed his friendship with God as the LORD. He worshipped and invited Him to spend time with him. Then he rushed off to prepare the water and the morsel of bread. Verses 6-8 read,
And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
Abraham didn’t bring back a bowl of water and a morsel of bread. He had a feast prepared. He wasn’t doing this for the neighbor down the road, he was doing this for The LORD God Almighty. What difference does it make to you, when you are doing something for me and something for God? Do you do your best for God, do you give Him you best? Keep in mind that we are to do everything from washing a dish to serving a king as if we were doing it for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). Remember that whatever we do for even the seemingly most seemingly insignificant of people, we are doing for the Lord. (Mathew 25:40).
A seah of flower was a little under seven and half liters of flour, more than enough for three little cakes of bread, but Abraham had Sarah use a seah each for the three. Then he went and had a calf killed and prepared with curds and milk. (Had this happened in the days of Levitical law, he would have prepared the Lord a non-kosher dish). How long do you imagine that takes? Does it take a few minutes or is it many hours? He was giving the Lord more than a morsel of bread, He was giving him a feast and as long as it took to prepare it, he got to spend that time with God. As long as it took God to enjoy it, he got to spend that time with Him too.
Don’t imagine that the only time you can spend with your Lord is while you are at church or in service or in a carved out quiet time. What about the time you are preparing for those times? What about the times when you are working, concentrating on a task, or relating to the people in your life? If you allow the Lord to be in those times as well as the others, you can enjoy all that time with Him as well.
Abraham was not the only person present. Sarah was there too. She knew the Lord was right outside her door. She had made Him cakes and she could hear the conversation. She chose to remain outside of that fellowship. She chose to stay by the tent door listening. The Lord knew she was there and He invited her into the conversation. He wanted her to enjoy the same closeness that Abraham was enjoying. Verses 9-12 read,
They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”
Although the Lord spoke to Abraham, He addressed Sarah. His words were for her benefit and for her faith. She laughed, scoffed at the idea of having a child when she had not had her menses for such a long time. She wasn’t in menopause, she was long past it. She had desired a child for so long and had accepted the fact that she would not have one, even in the face of God’s promise to her and her husband. She had been through many of the same things her husband had been through, yet her faith was not as strong as his. What was the difference? Abraham chose to have a relationship right up close with God and spoke to and listened to Him directly. Sarah chose to listen from afar and let Abraham speak to and for God for her.
I’ve been where she was. I have laughed at the idea of God fulfilling my desires because science and logic say it can’t happen. How did God respond to His precious daughter’s derision? Verses 13-15 read,
The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Once again the Lord spoke to Abraham but addressed Sarah and this time Sarah answered the Lord and let Him speak to her directly. This passage doesn’t say what Sarah’s response was. But we know that the Lord didn’t change His mind about the child. A year later Isaac was born. And God didn’t choose to remember Sarah for her doubt or her sins. He chose to remember her faith and her righteousness. Hebrews 11:11 is a testimonial memorial to Sarah.
By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised
Intimacy with God, friendship with Him also lets us in on His plans. How many of us go through life wondering what God’s will is for us? How many times have you asked your friend what her prayer is and she has said, “I just want to know what God’s will is.” When you are friends with Him, He lets’ you in on it. Verses 16-22 read,
Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, 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 to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

The Lord wanted to share His will with Abraham. He wanted Abraham to be included in His work. God doesn’t work in mysterious ways. He is open with us about His will and His plan and He lets us participate. His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), but His work, acts, and plans are not mysterious. Jesus said it this way in John 15:14-15,
You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Letting us into His plans gives us to join in His work. Amos 3:7-8 reads,
“For the Lord God does nothing
    without revealing his secret
    to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared;
    who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken;
    who can but prophesy?”

God’s Word tells us His will and if we are in an intimate relationship with Him we’ll act. (BTW, God’s will is for the whole world to be saved, for your sanctification, a relationship with you and His glory 1 Timothy 3:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Hosea 6:6, Isaiah 43:7).
Abraham responded to the news that Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be destroyed for their wickedness by intervening to try and save them. The evil of these two cities was more than simple homosexuality as some would make us believe. It was ramped depravity, debauchery, and sexual immorality. It was hedonism to such a degree that the residents only care was their own pleasure. But Abraham had hope for them, because he had faith. He also knew his nephew Lot and was a righteous man living in Sodom with his family. Abraham stood his ground and spoke to the Lord as only a loving friend can. Verses 22-26 read,
So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Can you imagine? He stood in the way of the Lord without letting Him continue onto His plan until He knew more and could convince God to save the wicked cities for the sake of the righteous men within their gates. He knew that the Lord was on His way, the two men went on to the cities but Abraham also knew God is sovereign and powerful. He wouldn’t have any trouble communicating with them.
He then had the boldness to go further. Verses 27-33 in The Message read,
Abraham came back, “Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?”
He said, “I won’t destroy it if there are forty-five.”
29 Abraham spoke up again, “What if you only find forty?”
“Neither will I destroy it if for forty.”
30 He said, “Master, don’t be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?”
“No, I won’t do it if I find thirty.”
31 He pushed on, “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?”
“I won’t destroy it for twenty.”
32 He wouldn’t quit, “Don’t get angry, Master—this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?”
“For the sake of only ten, I won’t destroy the city.”
33 When God finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.

God already knew exactly how many righteous men dwelled in those two cities, one man, Lot and tomorrow we’ll read about what happened.
How close are you to the Lord? Do you visit with Him, talk with Him, and give Him your best? Are you His friend who He can share His plans with? Are you still waiting at the tent door afraid that God will see your doubt? God knows your heart completely whether you choose to be aloof or not. Let Him make you into who you are meant to be, the sanctified righteous image of Jesus Christ. Go ahead join Him for supper, hang out with Him and walk with Him.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

0 Comments

1 Peter 3:1-7 True and Appealing Beauty is about More than Pretty

4/1/2015

0 Comments

1 Peter Chapter 3 Verses 1-7

It is not only unpopular but right out disgusting to the world that Christian wives are exhorted to submit to their husbands. But we know that the husband wife relationship is not the man unilaterally making choices for the wife, beating her, and demanding his every need be met. It is a relationship of mutual honor, in which the wife honors her husband by making trusting his choices and the husband honors the wife by meeting her needs, knowing and understanding her, and caring for her as precious and beautiful.

Verses 1-2 tell us,

“Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.”

In the world wives are afraid to submit to their husbands. Perhaps it is because they don’t trust their husbands to really love them enough not to hurt them. Maybe it is because they do not want to give up power or control to anyone. Regardless of the reason it is only through our Lord that we can emulate Him with the godly marriage He subscribes. When the world sees it lived out in a Christian marriage they notice.

They notice when we as believers submit, or give our authority to another person. It is a courageous strong thing to do. It takes great strength, only the strength of the Holy Spirit makes it possible. We imitate our relationship with Christ in our relationship with others. We give Christ authority over our lives. We give our spouses authority over our lives. But in our union with Jesus, He gives our authority back to us and even shares His authority over the earth with us. In our Christian marriages we reflect our Godly union and our spouse also gives us back our authority and shares power with us. That is something the world doesn’t understand. But they do see something special about the woman who submits in a godly manner. They do note that submission in a world that treats life like a game in which winning is all that matters is unique. That deference, respect and willingness to trust another so deeply is a testimony to the love of the Father, the grace of Jesus, and the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Your faith in Christ, your relationship with the Father, and your manifestation of the Holy Spirit make you beautiful. People perceive there is something extraordinary about you when you emulate the Lord. Verses 3-4 read,

“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.”

God sees you as beautiful when you exhibit the traits of Jesus we call the Fruit of the Spirit. The world sees that difference too when your embellishments are inward rather than outward. Love, kindness, gentleness, and humility are much more attractive than heavy make-up, short skirts, tight tops, and high heels. The woman with a heart after her God is precious and rare herself, she doesn’t need jewels to entice others toward her. True beauty doesn’t fade with wrinkles and stooped backs, it grows with maturity in Christ.

Sarah was one of the most beautiful women in history. Her legendary beauty is the basis for Abram’s deception of Pharaoh and God sending plagues upon Pharaoh’s house in order to rescue her. But the source for her beauty was not how she dressed herself, it was not in the jewels she put on, but her faith in God and submission to her husband. Verses 5-6 say,

“For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.”

Sarah is the “mother of nations” She set out on the same long trek Abraham did. She believed the Lord with him. She spoke her mind, she guided her husband, but she acquiesced to him because she trusted him and she knew he loved her. Sarah didn’t have to guess whether her husband loved her. He showed her, even to the point of sending his son Ishmael away because his presence hurt her.

Wives do not just blindly submit to husbands. They are able to do so because the husband so blatantly loves them first. Verse 7 reads,

“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

My pastor once described it like this. Imagine your dinner plates. Compare your everyday dishes to your fine China. Where to you keep the Corningware? It’s tough, it is in the cupboard, it gets washed the same as the rest of the dishes, the kids use it, and you use it nearly every day. But what about the fine China, the Waterford or the Royal Albert? That is kept in a special cabinet, on display but out of reach of little hands. It is used for special occasions. It is handled carefully so as not to break it or even chip it. Its worth is proven by the honor it is shown. Treating the Waterford as if it were Corningware would be reprehensible.

In the world, husbands do not treat their wives with such honor, compassion, and love. It is a running joke that men can’t ever understand women, but here Peter exhorts husbands to be understanding of their wives. If the husband loves her, won’t he know her enough to get where she is coming from? Jesus loves us enough to understand us.

A godly marriage is based on the union of Christ and the church. The world looks at submission to anyone especially one’s spouse as appalling. But the faith it takes to live in such an unworldly manner makes us beautiful and therefore appealing. Do not be like the world. Remember we are exiles, we are strangers in a strange land. Let them see the splendor of Christ in us.

0 Comments

Genesis 21 Don’t Lose Hope; God Doesn’t Change

Genesis 18 Intimate Friendship With God

1 Peter 3:1-7 True and Appealing Beauty is about More than Pretty

Donna Campbell

Subscribe to Salt & Light Daily

Archives

Categories