Faith Icons: Abram (Part 3 of 6)

FAITH ICONS: ABRAM (Part 3 of 6)
Genesis 12:1-3
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’”

Now that’s a whale of a covenant! (pact, promise). It’s one thing to hear this as a boy, or young man, but Abram was 75 years old when God said this. With God’s new human life expectancy to be 120 years, in Genesis 6:3, Abram’s life was more than half over! But, he obeyed God and left his country—just like the Lord commanded.

Taking his wife, Sarai, and nephew, Lot, Abram set out for Canaan (Genesis 12:4). They traveled with all their possessions, the people they acquired, and all their stuff. When their caravan landed at the great tree of Moreh at Shechem, God appeared (Genesis 12:4-7).

“You do realize that the Canaanites are living in this land, Lord?” Abram inquired.

“Yeah, don’t sweat that! To you and your offspring, I will give you this land.”

Abram must have looked right, left, and ahead. WOW! He thought, all for me? He built an altar to the Lord right then and there (v. 7).

Abram journeyed east of Bethel, towards the hills, and pitched his tent. There he built another altar to the Lord, and worshipped. How must he have praised God for this wondrous promised land! Then he proceeded to Negev (v. 8-9).

Abram wandered—through Egypt when there was famine, facing Pharaoh, separated from Lot, then rescuing him in chapters 13 and 14. Abram got a vision from God in chapter 15.

“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am you shield, and your very great reward.”

“I still do not have a son, Lord!” Abram reminded God.

“Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be.”

Abram believed the Lord, and his faithful obedience was attributed to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

“I brought you here to take possession of this land, Abram!”

Take Home Nugget

I challenge you to read Genesis chapters 12-25 for yourself. Oh the wonders!
Abraham died at age 175. Ishmael and Isaac buried him in the cave of Machpelah. (Genesis 25:9).

Abraham, as father of the Jewish race, and patriarch of our Judeo-Christian belief, shows us victory by faith.

J.D. Griffith

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Faith Icons: Abel, Enoch, Noah (Part 2 of 6)

FAITH ICONS: ABEL, ENOCH, NOAH (Part 2 of 6)
Genesis 4:2a
“Later, she [Eve] gave birth to his [Cain’s] brother, Abel.”

Abel kept the family livestock, while Cain worked the fields (v. 2b). God wired their desires differently; their work even complemented each other. One day they brought offerings to the Lord.

Cain brought fruits from the soil, and Abel brought fat portions from the firstborn of his flock (vv. 3-4a). The Lord favored Abel’s offering over Cain’s (vv.4b-5). When the Lord rejected Cain’s offering, competition was born. Cain became enraged. Why hadn’t the Lord accepted his offering as easily as He did Abel’s?

Cain’s offering was rejected because he was angry. The Lord inquired, “Why are you so angry?” The Lord told Cain that his heart was not right, warning Cain that his sin begs for payback. Cain better get a grip (vv. 6-7).

What happened next? Cain took Abel into a field, and killed him (v.8).

Why did God accept Abel’s offering, and not Cain’s? Abel’s heart was pure, but Cain’s heart was poisoned. Abel teaches us that God loves those who model cheery dispositions and clean hearts.

Genesis 5:18
“When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.”

Jared was Adam’s great-great-great grandson. Enoch was born 622 years after Adam had Seth (his 3rd son—after Cain and Abel), Enoch’s great-great-great Granddads. Adam was still alive when Enoch was born! (Adam died at age 930 vv. 3-19). Enoch had children, and at age 365, he simply disappeared (vv. 21-24)! God took him.

Enoch—God’s superstar!

Genesis 6:9
“This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteousness man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”

Check out Genesis 6:1-8 to learn about the giants in the land, and why God was so ticked off. He’d gotten to know Noah intimately, and saw that Noah was the only person who was righteous, moral, and good. This is why God decided to wipe out everyone else, and restart the world’s population with Noah’s family.

God made a covenant (pact) with Noah: 1. He told him to build a huge boat. 2. The boat’s dimension, made out of which wood, and how He’d destroy everything except Noah and his family (vv. 11-18).

“Really, Lord?” Noah wondered.

“Yep.”

"OK, Lord--whatever."

Noah never wavered, even though folks laughed at him the whole time. “What’s a boat, Noah?”

“What’s a flood?” Snickers, heads shaking, clapping others on backs, laughing.

“Tell us again what’s going to happen” uproarious laughter.

Who laughed last?

Take Home Nugget

The best way to live joyously amid ridicule is to find joy in Jesus!

J.D. Griffith

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Faith Icons (Part 1 of 6)

FAITH ICONS (Part 1 of 6)
Hebrews 11
vv. 1-2: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Kids love to emulate (EM-u-late)—meaning to copy—people they admire. Those who love to read, absorb themselves into adventure stories, imaging they are the hero, or heroine.

God has His heroes, too. They are His kids who grew into people of great faith. The author of the book Hebrews, possibly Apollos1 or Barnabas2, around 70 A.D., listed God’s heroes in Chapter 11.

1Apollos is a Christian from Alexandria who learned Scripture from Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:24-28). He ministered at Corinth (Acts 19:1; see also 1Corinthians 1:12, 3:3-8, and Titus 3:13).

2Barnabas is a disciple, originally called Joseph (Acts 4:36). He was also a prophet (Acts 13:1), and apostle (Acts 14:14). He brought Paul before the apostles (Acts 9:27), and accompanied him to Antioch (Acts 11:22-29), (Galatians 2:1-13), and on the first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). Together at the Jerusalem Council, they parted company over John Mark (Acts 15:37-39). They were co-workers in 1Corinthians 9:6 and Colossians 4:10.

Details of martyred Christians, because of their faith, can be found in texts other than the Holy Bible, such as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. But Hebrews 11:35-36 tells about death by torture to people referred to as “others”. Verse 38 pays them tribute by saying, “the world was not worthy of them.” Each one died courageously for their faith in Jesus.

While most of us are not tested to this extreme, Christians are still persecuted throughout the world. Religious freedom is a rare blessing, and it’s never free. Paul had a tremendous attitude about being persecuted for his faith in Jesus. In Acts 20:22-24 he said, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

This series will outline the faith heroes of Hebrews 11. I call them icons, because they’re symbols, representing those whose faith we can emulate today.

Take Home Nugget

Would you boldly claim Jesus Christ as your Messiah, Lord, and King?

DEDICATED TO ACTIVE AND VETERN SOLDIERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. MAY THE LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU.

J.D. Griffith

When pressures mount because we walk
The path of truth and right,
We can rejoice to know that we
Are pleasing in God’s sight.

D. De Haan

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Unity

UNITY
1Samuel 20:2
“…Jonathan replied, ‘You’re not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without confiding in me. Why should he hide this from me?’”

King Saul went crazy with jealous rage over David’s popularity among the Israelites and Israel’s troops—again. (See Tackling Discord devotion). Jonathan, Saul’s son, reiterated (re-IT-ter-a-ted, meaning say again) David’s loyalty, hoping to convince his Dad of David’s reliability.

But it didn’t work, and David fled to the prophet Samuel at Haioth, Ramah. Saul dispatched men to capture David and return him (1Samuel 19-18-23).

Failing to bring David back, Saul went after David, himself. Saul’s death threat against David led Jonathan to avow his love again. Together, they agreed to a plan. Check out 1Samuel 20:9-43, and decide whether they loved each other as brothers.

Why is unity so hard?

Does unity mean we all have to agree?

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 says, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given one Spirit.”

Every believer is indispensible (in-dis-PEN-sa-ble, meaning necessary) to the body of Christ. While we have different talents and interests, working together, our unity glorifies the Father.

Unity does not mean that everyone’s opinions or goals are identical. Each person is uniquely created, which means that no one person is like another. But our common purpose is the same—to serve and honor God.

Ephesians 4:12-13: “…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith…”

Take Home Nugget

Unity was not King Saul’s intent as long as jealousy gripped his heart. Infighting among family, friends, and organizations erupt with harsh accusations during conflict. But Scripture proclaims God’s sovereignty over nature (Psalm 135:6), government (Job 12:23), and mankind (Acts 17:25). When united believers strive together, God proves His sovereignty. God cannot fail, even under adverse circumstances.

Striving for unity does not mean avoiding conflict entirely; it means handling discord appropriately. Mismanaged conflict leads to fractured relationships. Avoiding conflict leads to unresolved hurt and anger. Believers arrive at peaceful resolutions to disagreements when relying on the Holy Spirit’s lead.
Psalm 34:14 says, “Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”

We’re never alone, or on our own.
Confident in unity, believers are Ambassadors of Christ.

J.D. Griffith

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Tackling Discord

TACKLING DISCORD
1Samuel 19:1, 4-5
“Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David…Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, ‘Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. He took his life in his hands when he killed the philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?’”

Jonathan, and David were as close as any brothers could possibly be, and struggled to stay alive during many demanding times. When Jonathan’s Dad, King Saul, was so jealous that he wanted to kill David, Jonathan went into combat mode to protect his friend.

Yes, the Philistine, in the Scripture verses at the beginning of this devotion, is Goliath!

Jonathan’s Dad was jealous because David killed the giant, and achieved rock star popularity. Not only was David adored by the Israelites, but revered among the soldiers. King Saul wanted their respect more than being grateful for David’s battle victories. The conflict was within the Saul’s heart, but his jealous rage erupted on his son, Jonathan.

Your household may not be as chaotic as theirs, but we can learn much by how Jonathan reacted. Like Saul, people often look for someone to criticize during conflict. The best way to handle anger during a crisis is to turn to the Lord in prayer. We can then ask the Father to provide us spiritual discernment—because He already knows everything about our problem. Often, when jealousy invades someone’s heart, objective discussion becomes impossible, and tension rules. With the Spirit’s help, gaining insight into the situation often leads believers to manage a peaceful resolution.

Human nature automatically shifts into the defense mode during warfare, (personal attacks on oneself). Hasty reactions yield disputes, and tempers flare.

How to dissolve discord?

Focusing on God provides believers a calm, supernatural pause, and inner peace (John 14:27). Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would provide wisdom to speak correct words when facing hostility (Luke 12:11-12). Sometimes it’s best to not say anything.

Words spoken in anger can never be taken back.

Take Home Nugget

God has called us to represent Him in every situation—the same way Christ did—by depending on our heavenly Father.

Lord, help me to turn aside
From saying words that spring from pride.
Teach us to act as Jesus had done,
Praising You with battles won.

J.D. Griffith

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Hallow Living

HALLOW LIVING
2Timothy 2:14-26
V.15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

“How are you going to dress up?” Cassie asked Brenda, walking to their school bus.

“Not telling! Mom got me a costume last week, and I love it. You’re just going to have to guess, Cassie!” Brenda giggled at Cassie’s open mouth.

The last day of October, in the United States, is a fun holiday where kids and some adults dress into costumes and party. The name of the celebration is Halloween. This is shortened from the original “All Hallow’s Eve.” We don’t use the word hallow much anymore, but in Scripture, the word hallow means sanctify. This means to make holy, make sacred, or consecrate, set apart.

The name of God is not the only thing that believers hallow. (In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us, “Hallowed be Your name”, Matthew 6:9). St. Paul urged Timothy to be a vessel sanctified and useful for the Lord. This is for us today, too. We’re to live “hallowed”, or righteous, every day.

This means that Christian believers are to be set apart from the world by pursuing righteousness, loving others peacefully by faith. With a pure heart, we are supposed to avoid foolish and stupid arguments. We’re to resist quarrelling and evil desires. Senseless fighting causes disputes.

The Lord’s disciples (you and me, all believers) must not squabble. We’re to be kind to everyone, ready to teach without offending. If anyone opposes us, we’re to gently instruct the truth. Our hope is that God will lead them to His Word. This is the only way they can escape the devil’s trap of taking people captive to his will (2Timothy 2:24-26).

“What are you guys dressing up as?” Brenda said to the kids boarding the bus.

Randy pretended to whip a sword up and down, “a pirate, matey. Dare to board my ship?” He ran onto his bus laughing.

Trevor and Jesse looked at each other, then Jesse said, “We’ll be soldiers in a foxhole, back to back.”

The kids hope to fill their bags to overflowing with sweet treats as they parade from door to door, or to parties in neighborhood centers.

Take Home Nugget

Does thinking of these sweet treats remind us to be uplifted while set apart from the world? How do I present myself to others? Is my face set in an angry frown, or does my mouth stay in a ready smile that welcomes interaction with others?”

Is our greatest satisfaction being used for God’s Kingdom?

J.D. Griffith

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Relationship Challenges

RELATIONSHIP CHALLENGES

Proverbs 12:14
“From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.”

Galatians 6:7-10
V. 7: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

The three kids (Jesse, Cassie, and Randy) fell down, laughing hysterically. (See Being Vulnerable Devotion). “I am sorry for passing this gossip around, Cassie. My bad.” Randy admitted after catching his breath.

“Mark’s a good-looking guy, Randy. If he weren’t my cousin, I would be tempted to…oh no—that’d be too weird!” Cassie exclaimed—hands clamping her mouth shut.
They all burst out laughing again.

Jesse only knew that his heart was bursting with happiness, after having resolved this gossip issue between his classmates.

The person who sows in the Spirit, reaps eternal life. Jesse’s positive actions reaped benefit to all involved. Randy’s negative actions of spreading gossip could easily have led to harm. The difference between Jesse and Randy is who, or what each boy follows. When following the flesh, instead of God’s Spirit, people sow corruption.

What do corrupt actions reap?

This sowing/reaping (Relationship Challenges) devotion is a corollary (COR-ol-lar-ee, meaning a natural accompaniment) to the Being Vulnerable devotion. As we follow Jesus’ second greatest command (to treat others as we’d like to be treated), our actions reap benefits to everyone. Sowing kindness and respect towards others reap rewards and good will.

God sees all.

Walking in God’s Spirit also rewards believers with supernatural gifts. These are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). These gifts transform believers from the inside out, and provide all that is needed to live victoriously.

The challenge is to treat mean people with undeserved love and respect. Accepting this challenge and treating everyone well is always a win-win. Believers receive God’s blessings when following Jesus in obedience to His commands.

Do we recognize that obedience makes forgiveness possible, builds good character, and develops endurance?

What does sowing harmful actions reap? God sees all.

Take Home Nugget

When God’s children lead Spirit-filled lives, relationship challenges showcase God’s love in every circumstance. Living in the Spirit sows seeds of love, joy, and peace. This reaps rewards in our own lives, as well as in the lives of others (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Living a Spirit-filled life overcomes self-destructive needs to harbor bitterness and anger.

Love looks beyond what people are to how God intended them to be.

J.D. Griffith

“Lord, help us to believe in people
And all that in them You can do,
So we can say we’ve loved too many,
Rather than too few.”

Sper

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