Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Consider

CONSIDER

James 1:2-4, 12

The Message vv. 2-4: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so that you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

Today challenges us more than yesterday. Tomorrow may be even harder to get through. We saw that when Sarah acted out prematurely (pre-ma-TUR-lee means ahead of time, hastily, rashly), God’s best wasn’t received. (See I’ve Got it, and So Far, So Good? devotions). And we saw that Jacob’s struggle with God to claim His blessing was God’s best in Worth the Struggle devotion.

“Consider” is an accounting term that means to evaluate (e-VAL-u-ate means measure or calculate). James wrote these words to encourage us to evaluate our troubles as seen from God’s eyes. James is offering us a divine perspective, instead of viewing hardship from a human point-of-view. Surprising benefits to struggling through suffering and hardship are revealed when seen through the Father’s eyes.

We saw Jeremy cheer Benjy’s victory against his twin brother, Danny, in Worth the Struggle devotion. Can you imagine that Jesus and James are cheering for your victory in every struggle? Humanly speaking, trials hurt. But in God’s view, struggles help. They help by evaluating how we respond to difficulty. Let us “consider” what God wants trials to accomplish in His kids’ lives. Every difficulty tests, measures, and grows our faith. God notices our growth, (and we can, too). The next test finds us dealing with, or putting up with the trial better. (Less drama, less emotional wear-and-tear).

Into every struggle, our Father has hidden a beautiful character gem. Whether we grow or mark time (remain unchanged) during trials is seen by how these gems shine. Are we more patient? Are we more considerate of others? Every choice we make, every response to hardship measures our transformation into Christ-likeness. This is the Father’s goal.

How far do you “consider” you are from being like Jesus? The closer we get, the more we rejoice when facing yet another trial. This was James’ point.

Take Home Nugget

None of us want to struggle through pain, but it’s unavoidable in today’s fallen world. Why not respond to trials with an eternal point–of –view? Why waste your struggle? When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit (instead of refusing to grow) our character gems will be polished into a brilliant sparkling shine—noticeable by all.

J.D. Griffith

You’ve given us Your Spirit Lord,

To help us grow, mature, and learn.

Teach us from Your written Word,

So truth from error we’ll discern.

Sper


A personal, private lesson experience with our staff







Posted by at No comments:

Friday, November 25, 2011

Relationship Love

RELATIONSHIP LOVE

JOHN 14:21

The Message: “The person who knows My commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves Me. And the person who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and make Myself plain to him.”

(Jesus' words are in Red font;  the Father’s words are in Purple font.)

“God, are You there?”

“I’m listening.”

“It’s Frank. You may not know me, but Jesus sent me.”

“Welcome!” Door opens wide to show a great cloud. “You’re coming on the best recommendation! Come in. Sit down. What can I do for you, Frank?”

“Well, uh, I’m embarrassed to say.” Hear feet shuffling. “I’ve ignored you all my life.” Pause. “But I’ve fallen and need Your help. Will You help me? Please?”

“Tell Me all about it, Frank.”

“Well, I’ve got this roofing business. Many people are depending on me, and my company’s success. We’re doing pretty well, too. But yesterday I fell off a roof. I can’t move, or even open my eyes. My wife’s holding my hand. I can hear her reading from the Bible. I hear her prayers for me to wake up. We’ve got three kids. She needs to be home to take care of them!”

“Lisa is very dear to Me. She never stops trying to get you to worship Me.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“So what’s your problem, Frank?”

“I didn’t think I had a problem.”

“And yet here you are.”

“Right. Here’s the thing: I need to get well and return to work. Seasonal businesses end in bad weather, and it’s almost winter!”

“So?”

“You don’t get it! Cold weather kills my work. I’ve got to get back to it, Lord. This last project will feed us through the winter. I can’t be off now!”

“Did you just call me Lord?”

“Uh. I don’t remember. I suppose I did. Jesus is with me, urging me to pray. He coached me to repent of my sins. He wants me to admit that You don’t owe me a thing.”

“And…”

“Jesus said to mention His Name. If I could only get on my knees…”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“I deserve nothing from You, Lord. I repent of my drinking and gambling. I just want to win the lottery so that I can take care of everyone!”

“That’s your excuse?”

“Yeah.” Gulp. “I promise to stop that…if You’ll just heal me.”

“Your sins are forgiven, Frank. Wake up and begin serving Me now. If you love Me with your whole heart, I will give you the desires of your heart!” (Psalm 37:4).

Take Home Nugget

Frank opened his eyes.

There is One Who all my needs knows.

Addressing these He promises to supply

Answers to all my woes,

When in faith to Him I cry.

J.D. Griffith


A personal, private lesson experience with our staff


Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Miraculous Gift

MIRACULOUS GIFT
Matthew 1:18-25

Vv. 20-21

“…Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save the people from their sins.”   Blue font are words from an angel of the Lord.



The Christmas story, recorded in Matthew and Luke, is the most familiar story in the Bible. Jesus’ birth is often the Bible’s favorite story—rightly so—because it speaks of the most miraculous gift ever given. Let’s never gloss over the story just because we’ve heard it so often. The Christmas story deserves full attention every time we hear it, because it’s the Father’s miraculous gift of salvation to a fallen people.

This familiar deserves attention because it contains hidden clues about how to achieve victory in our own lives. Notice that Mary surrendered herself to the Lord for His purpose, although it caused her confusion and ridicule (RID-e-kule means mockery and scorn). Joseph surrendered himself to the Lord for His purpose, even though he became the laughing stock of a small town. The shepherds surrendered themselves to the Lord for His purpose, and walked to Bethlehem to discover the miraculous gift. The Wise Men surrendered themselves to the Lord for His purpose, and followed a star that led them to the miraculous gift.

Jesus surrendered Himself to the Lord for His purpose—and died a torturous death on the cross—presenting us His shed blood as the miraculous gift. Only Jesus knew the outcome of these surrendered lives. Everyone else was delightfully surprised. Each one took the step of faith by surrendering lives to the Lord for His purpose, and achieved profound (pro-FOUND means intense or extreme) victory.

The miraculous gift of God’s Son Jesus—and that belief in Him achieves everlasting life—is a profound delight that shouldn’t surprise believers. The gift of faith is what we all believe and stand firmly upon. Faith is a miracle, too.

What gifts are you presenting to loved ones this Christmas?

Take Home Nugget

The nugget today is the “surrender ourselves to the Lord for His purpose” clue that achieves victory in our own lives. The outcome is never anything we know. But the Christmas story shows us that the result of a surrendered life to the Lord for His purpose guarantees victory and delight. Faith never knows where it’s being led, but loves the One Who’s leading.

J.D. Griffith

To follow the leading of God,

To step out in faith and obey,

Is always the path we should take

Whenever we can’t see the way.

Sper

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD!




A personal, private lesson experience with our staff




Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Worth the Struggle

WORTH THE STRUGGLE

Genesis 32:28

“Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.’”

Ten year old Jeremy urged his little cousin Benjy, “Come on, you can take him!”

Eight year old Benjy grunted while wrestling his twin brother, Danny, on the family room carpet. Smells of Thanksgiving dinner wafted through the house. Danny and Benjy continued wrestling until Mom called, “Dinner!”

The nation of Israel was born during an intense struggle between Jacob and God. The God’s Best devotional series taught that Christians claim Abraham as the patriarch of their faith in God, passed to us through Isaac and Jacob. Jacob could teach us all a lesson about not giving up with struggle. We should thank God for every struggle.

Jacob’s life was one of skill, deception and disappointment (see lesson). After he deceived his father, Isaac—into blessing him instead of his older twin, Esau—struggle became his life. Jacob worked seven years to marry Rachel. When he discovered that Leah was his wife, Jacob worked another seven years for Rachel (Genesis 29:16-30).

But throughout Jacob’s trial-filled life, he wanted a relationship with God more than anything. He was determined to struggle to get what he wanted. Camping alone near the banks of the Jabbok River, Jacob was challenged to a wrestling match. Lasting until dawn, Jacob refused to give up until his opponent, a “man,” touched Jacob’s hip. From that moment, Jacob walked with a limp (Genesis 32:22-32).

The opening Scripture tells us that the “man” renamed Jacob, Israel. Why? Jacob’s struggle taught him dependence on God. Let believers not be deceived: Life will be hard from time to time. Just because life’s hard is no excuse for us to give up. God hasn’t let us down. He’ll never abandon us!

The “man” Jacob wrestled was God Himself. (Why the Man's words are in purple in the opening).  God assumed a form that Jacob could wrestle, and went easy on Jacob.  Jacob's limp reminded him to whom he belonged, Who's really in charge.

Won’t you remember Jacob and give God thanks for your struggles this Thanksgiving? They could be your biggest blessing!

Take Home Nugget

Jacob=Israel now. The man=the country Israel, today. A people and a nation were born that day, almost 4,000 years ago. The twelve tribes of Israel are Jacob’s sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, took Joseph’s place, and became heads of tribes.

Jacob’s descendents are known as the children of Israel, God’s chosen people.

God’s present in every trouble.

Forget the hardship, forget the pain.

God’s worth your intense struggle--

Let hallelujahs be your refrain!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE WHO CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAY

J.D. Griffith


A personal, private lesson experience with our staff








Posted by at No comments:

Friday, November 18, 2011

This is My Land

THIS IS MY LAND

Seventh of seven in God’s Best devotion series.

Genesis 26:1-6

Vv. 2-6: “The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for awhile, and I will be with you and I will bless you. For to you and your descendents I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father, Abraham. I will make your descendents as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through all your offspring all the nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My requirements, My commands, My decrees and My laws.’ So Isaac stayed in Gerar.”

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” Where’s their peace? God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.

This map shows Gerar to be in south Canaan. The Mediterranean Sea is west of Canaan. 


Gerar is also known as Tel Haror, Tell Abu Hureireh, or Geder. God’s covenant with Abraham shows his descendents include most of the world’s population, (Arabs, Jews, and Christians are blessed through Abraham). As many as stars in the sky! God’s covenant included land as an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8). That land is Canaan, or what is Israel today. Notice the cities with red dots:  Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Gerar, especially. 


Water is always an issue in the desert. Abraham and Isaac were both forced to dig wells for their survival.  Well issues caused them to move on after settling down.


“Then Isaac moved away from [city of Gerar] and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father, Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given therm.” (Genesis 26:17-18).

Isaac and Ishmael settled in different parts of the Middle East. While Ishmael’s land spread far and wide, Canaan is a narrow strip (See Ishmael’s Claim devotion).


Take Home Nugget

God’s best only comes when we wait for His perfect timing in answer to prayer, or receiving His promise. Not waiting always leads to trouble. We just traced the tension in the Middle East today back thousands of years ago to the sons of Hagar and Sarah.
God’s everlasting covenant came from Abraham through Isaac (Genesis 17:19), and includes the land of Canaan (v. 8).  But Abraham’s people didn’t honor their part of the covenant.  Their disobedience caused God to scatter them, put them into bondage, and destroy their land.  Many have returned to their homeland, Israel, but there’s no peace.

Waiting on and obeying God are two ways for believers to get His best. Won’t you consider this the next time you’re impatient when waiting for something?

J.D. Griffith

The stories in the Word of God

Are there for us to see

How God has worked in people’s lives

Throughout all history.

Sper

A personal, private lesson experience with our staff







Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Ishmael's Claim

ISHMAEL’S CLAIM

Sixth of seven in God’s Best devotion series

Genesis 25:13-18

Vv. 13-15, 18: “These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in order of their birth: Nebaioth the first-born of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah….His descendents settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the border of Egypt, as you go toward Assur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.”

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” Where’s their peace? God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.

Do you remember how God assured Abraham that Ishmael would be the father of 12 rulers, and a great nation in Genesis 17:20? (See But…devotion). God did not lie. Ishmael’s sons lived between Shur and Havilah. Havilah means stretch of sand. The Wilderness of Shur is desert that borders Egypt to the West, the Mediterranean Sea on the North, the Red Sea to the South, and Israel (Canaan) to the East. Assur refers to what became Assyria, (eventually modern-day Iraq).









The darker green represents the Assyrian Empire until 824 B.C. The light green represents the Egyptian Kingdom and the Assyrian Empire before 671 B.C. (B.C. means Before Christ. Jesus’ birth reset our world’s date to 0. After year 0, we use A.D. (Anno Domini which means in the year of our Lord). Unrest throughout the Middle East began thousands of years ago. Ongoing wars changed ownership of lands from one kingdom to another. Ishmael’s descendents’ land overlapped where Isaac and his descendents settled in Canaan.


These lands, except for Canaan (Israel--tiny pink shoreline East of Mediterranean Sea), are Arab nations today:


Genesis 16:11-12 says the angel of the Lord told Hagar: “‘I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.’ The angel of the Lord also said to her: ‘You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall call him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.’” Emphasis mine.

What must Hagar have thought about Ishmael being a “wild donkey of a man?” What could that mean? It could mean that Ishmael would not be dependable. He might be unpredictable (un-pre-DICT-a-bl means erratic, impulsive, hot-tempered, unreliable.

How would your family describe you?

Take Home Nugget

Can you see why Sarah’s short-circuiting God’s promise forced a different path than what God intended for our best? (See I Got It! devotion). 

J.D. Griffith

Whatever trouble may assail,

Of this we can be sure:

God’s promises can never fail,

They will always endure.

Hess




A personal, private lesson experience with our staff








Posted by at No comments:

Friday, November 11, 2011

WOW!

WOW!

Fifth of seven in God’s Best devotion series

Genesis 21:1-3

“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.” Emphasis mine.

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” Where’s their peace? God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.



How happy Sarah must have been—after waiting so many years—that God would bless her with a baby! She must have regretted not having Abraham’s first child, and all the conflict with Hagar! (See devotions I got it! and So Far, So Good?).

We certainly understand Sarah’s frustration. Waiting patiently for God’s best sometimes seems impossible. We learn as we grow. We also get to build faith on our journey, because Jesus is walking beside us.

Do you have any questions on this God’s Best devotional series? Sarah’s heartache didn’t sound like God’s best, did it? Believers aren’t promised a life of roses; we’re promised times of both joy and hardship (Psalm 4:7, James 1:2-8). Hardships test and teach God’s kids, purifying our faith (Job 23:10). If we never lack: needing, wanting, or suffering, we’d NEVER be tested. Why do some people fall apart when times get tough? How can others simply take hardship in stride (Psalm 16:8)?

Some people make life look easy—rolling with the flow however life tilts—whatever the storms. Sure they get disappointed when things go wrong. They could face difficulties on every side, but always end on their feet. They may not get what’s happening, but are never depressed. Despite getting punched out and bullied, they continue to bounce back—and are stronger for it (1Corinthians 4:12-13, 2Corinthians 4:8-9).

It certainly isn’t God’s will that we suffer, but it IS His will that we be transformed into the likeness of His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29). Jesus showed us how to live courageously and sinlessly all the way to victory. He never short-circuited the Father’s will (like Sarah did in I Got It! devotion). Jesus refrained from using His divinity when times got tough, even willingly dying on the cross! Jesus shows us how to wait on the Father’s timing to get His best.

Take Home Nugget

While it took many years for Sarah to finally give birth to Isaac, she would be the first one to encourage us to hold firm to what God promises, and believe that it’ll happen. Sarah chose the hard road to receiving her promise. Won’t you think about Sarah the next time you’re tired of waiting for God’s best?

As a believer, trust that in all life’s setbacks, God’s plotting for your best.

J.D. Griffith


A personal, private lesson experience with our staff


Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

But...

BUT…

Fourth of seven in God’s Best devotion series

Genesis 17:18-22

Vv. 18-21: “And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under Your blessing!’ Then God said, ‘Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendents after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.’”

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” Where’s their peace? God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.



The title of this devotion, But…has a flip side. First, Abraham wanted to ensure that Ishmael would also receive God’s blessings, but God wanted to impress upon Abraham that His everlasting covenant would come through Isaac. Can you see God’s frustration with Abraham? Pleasing kids isn’t easy, especially when they have their own ideas.



Genesis 18 shows that something astonishing happened next. Abraham saw three men standing near to the entrance of his tent. He rushed up to them, and bowed low to the ground (a show of respect). He begged them to stay, offering them hospitality. He hoped that refreshment would entice them to hang around. But why?

Abraham must have guessed the importance of this unexpected visit. He brought water for the men to wash their feet (feet get dusty wearing sandals when walking in the desert). After everything was prepared, Abraham brought them meat from a choice calf, fresh bread, and milk. While they were eating, Abraham stood close by under a different tree. (Another sign of respect). “Where is Sarah?” they asked Abraham.

“In the tent” Abraham answered. (Sarah was listening, hiding behind the tent flap).

The Lord responded, “I will return about this time next year, after you and Sarah have a son.” (Genesis 18:10).

“Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, After I am worn out, and my master is old, will I have this pleasure?” (Genesis 18:12).  But Sarah must have been overjoyed.

“Why are you laughing?” the Lord asked.

“I wasn’t laughing” Sarah lied, blushing.

“Yes you were! Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).

Take Home Nugget

Isn’t it embarrassing when you’re caught in a lie? But red-faced Sarah might was probably too thrilled to be upset.

Abraham walked with the men a ways, and was told that all nations of the world will be blessed through him. Check out Genesis 18:1-15 to see if one of the men wasn’t the Lord, Himself!

Faith is confident that God ALWAYS does what He promises.

J.D. Griffith


A personal, private lesson experience with our staff


Posted by at No comments:

Monday, November 7, 2011

So Far, So Good?

SO FAR, SO GOOD?


Third of seven in God’s Best devotion series

Genesis 17:1-16

Vv. 5-8, 15: [The Lord said] “No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendents after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendents after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendents after you; and I will be their God….As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her, I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Why can’t Israel live in peace? Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.



More than ten years have passed since Sarai gave Hagar to Abram to be his wife. (See I’ve Got it! devotion). Now that God changed their names, their lives would certainly be different.

Why would godly people (Abraham and Sarah) choose a path of self-sufficiency? (Self-suf-ISH-in-see means ability to satisfy one’s needs). Intense desire clouds one’s thinking. Desperation (des-per-A-shon means hopeless despair) comes when one isn’t thinking straight. (Indeed, the devil tempts God’s kids to give in to desperation). Why would God Almighty EVER need our help to deliver one of His promises? From a human standpoint, we simply get tired of waiting.

No one is immune to impatience. The danger of strong desire, human reasoning, and others’ influence, is giving into bad judgment. We justify taking action, because “waiting” seems non-productive. We think it’s good to attack a problem with action (what it means to be pro-active).

But, God’s best is achieved ONLY when His kids wait for His perfect timing. (God’s way always runs counter to human logic or instinct). When waiting on God becomes an attitude we choose, we’re fruitful for the Lord. We grow in trust and obedience to Him. We see how God works, and that increases our faith.

Take Home Nugget

Trouble in Abraham’s household started after Hagar got pregnant. Genesis 16:4-6 says that Hagar hated Sarah. Sarah grew jealous, and blamed Abraham. Abraham told Sarah to do what she thought best. So Sarah mistreated Hagar, and Hagar left Sarah’s house. Check out the lesson to this devotion to see where Hagar went.

J.D. Griffith

Oh what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear;

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Scriven

A personal, private lesson experience with our staff








Posted by at No comments:

Friday, November 4, 2011

I've Got It!

I’VE GOT IT!

Second of seven in God’s Best devotion series

Genesis 16:1-6

Vv. 1-3: “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.”

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Why can’t Israel live in peace? Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.



Today, when a couple has trouble having a baby, they can get help from a doctor. While Brad’s Mom and Dad have this option, it’s very expensive. But Sarai didn’t have this choice. (See The Promise devotion).

We live in a fast-paced world, and are used to quick results. Fast food restaurants offer quick meals. Equipped with drive-through lanes—to pay for and pick up food without even having to stop and get out of the car—makes these restaurants very popular. The Internet and search engines, such as Google or Bing, supply answers to every question we think to ask. Who has the time to look things up in books today? Have people stopped waiting on God for His best because waiting takes too long?

So, it’s easy for us to understand that Sarai wasn’t interested in waiting any longer. It had already been ten years, and still no baby. Did God forget? Sarai probably wondered. She must have known that she was past the age to have children (Genesis17:17, 18:11). Desperate, Sarai must have decided to “help.”

Perhaps she surprised Abram. “Guess what honey, I decided to give you Hagar to be your wife, too. She can begin our family. Won’t the Lord be pleased that we came up with a way to fulfill His promise?” (Did she even pray about her decision, or discuss her idea with Hagar?)

“Uh, I don’t know, Sarai” Abram might have replied. “It IS an interesting idea. Let me think about it.” Finally, Abram agreed to Sarai’s plan, and married Hagar. (He could have refused.)

Take Home Nugget

Apparently, “waiting” isn’t natural for humans. After all, patience (PA-shins means enduring without complaint) is one of the fruits of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). When we step out of God’s plan and take matters into our own hands, we NEVER receive God’s best.

Hallelujah to God, Who is able

To promise what’s ALWAYS true!

Give me patience to remain in Your timetable

Lord. Give me assurance when I don’t have a clue.

J.D. Griffith


A personal, private lesson experience with our staff








Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Promise

THE PROMISE

First of seven in God’s Best devotion series

Genesis 13:14-17

Verse 16: [The Lord said to Abram] “I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.”

This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Why can’t Israel live in peace? Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.

Brad stopped short when racing through the kitchen on his way outside. His brow wrinkled as he asked, “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Brad’s Mom sniffed, and wiped her eyes while sitting at the table. She forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong, don’t worry.”

“But you NEVER cry! Tell me what’s wrong” Brad pleaded.

“Well, Dad and I want to give you a brother or sister. But…”

“But what, Ma?”

“We’ll just have to trust God.” She patted Brad’s hand. “Go outside and play.”

Offspring are children. God promised Abram as many offspring as the dust of the earth. WOW! All in one house? Where does it begin? One child grows up, gets married, and has kids. Two children grow up, get married, and have kids. Offspring multiply. The more kids a couple have, the more offspring. It begins with one child.

Just like Brad’s Mom, Sarai, Abram’s wife, wanted to have a child. Unlike today, where women often get jobs outside the home, women’s job back in Abram’s time was to have children. The more children a woman had, the greater her worth. Sarai must have felt like a failure, and a disappointment to her husband, Abram. That doesn’t seem fair, does it?

It takes a man and a woman to make a baby. Some men and women can have physical problems that interfere with having children. When a woman got pregnant after waiting a long time in the Bible, it says that God “opened her womb” (Genesis 29:31, 30:22). This issue can be very frustrating for some women.

So, Sarai must have been delighted when Abram told her God’s promise. No longer would she be mocked by others. She must have clung to that promise, sure that she would get pregnant soon. But that didn’t happen. Not after one month. Not after one year. It took more than ten years for Sarai to hold her baby boy in her arms.

Was the delay because Sarai’s and Abram’s faith was weak? Can God forget His promises?

Take Home Nugget

Weak faith is different from having no faith. God often grows His kids’ faith through tests and trials. When we feel weak, we can ask Him for more faith (Luke 17:5). God always provides what we need, especially when we ask (James 4:2).

It often helps how we feel

When afraid and totally alone,

To cling to the Almighty with zeal—

What the greatest saints have always known.

J.D. Griffith




A personal, private lesson experience with our staff







Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)