Choices...we all have to make them - every.single.day.
Meet Abram.
Abram had a choice to make when God called him to leave everything that was familiar to him - even those of his extended family that he loved. But Abram loved God more than what was familiar and comfortable to him and chose to take his wife and follow Him. Abram didn't even know where God was taking him, but yet he trusted God without having all the answers. Now that is walking by faith! Abram's faithfulness led him to the promises of God.
Now meet Lot.
Lot decided to take his wife and children and go along with Abram. Conflict arose between Abram's and Lot's herdsmen and when given the choice by Abram of any land for his own, Lot makes a choice that will ultimately cost him those he loves. Lot walked by sight and that took him right out of the will of God for his life. We will find out in our reading in the next few days exactly what happens to Lot and his family.
Our choices not only affect us, but they affect those around us too.
Our choices are either taking us closer to God or they are taking us away from Him.
Choices: Where are yours leading you?
***Here are my S.O.A.P.s for Thursday and Friday. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Genesis 12
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your
father’s household 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.”
Observations: Here is the call of God upon
Abram’s life to leave his country, his people, and his father’s house in order
to follow Him. All of these were dear to Abram, but this was a call to love God
more and leave it all in order to go with Him. God doesn’t tell Abram where He
is taking him. God asks Abram to leave everything that is familiar to him to go
to an unknown land.
This call tried Abram’s love, his trust,
and his faith in God.
In return, there are six promises of God
given to Abram:
1.
I will make you into a great
nation. (He took Abram from his own people and made him the head of another.)
2.
I will bless you. (Obedient
believers will inherit the blessings of God.)
3.
I will make your name great.
(He would be losing his name in his country, but God would be promoting him!)
4.
You will be a blessing.
5.
I will bless those who bless
you, and whoever curses you I will curse.
6.
All peoples on earth will be
blessed through you. (The crowning promise of the Messiah!)
Application: God calls us all at some point
in our lives to leave behind all the enticements of this world to follow Him. We
trade what is seen for what is unseen to us right now. We have His ultimate
promise of Heaven that far outweighs anything this world has to offer. We must hold
on to all the promises of God while we wait for Jesus’ return.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us not to
become distracted by the trappings of this world that would take our attention
off of our promises of Heaven and of Jesus’ return. We know that You are
faithful to do all that You have promised. Thank You for calling me out of this
dark world. Help me to remember that this world is only temporary and let my
love for You guide me. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen!
Friday, October 10, 2014
Genesis 13
Scripture: Genesis 13:10-13 Lot
looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well
watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the
land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So
Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the
east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived
among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were
wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
Observations: What stands out to me in these
verses is Lot’s greediness and that he walked by sight which led to a decision
that would end in complete failure as he stepped outside of the will of God.
Lot had left with Abram who had followed the call of God to leave everything he
knew to inherit the promise of God. Once the going got tough, Lot chooses for
himself to go to a place away from Abram who continued to walk by faith toward
the promise God had given to him. This is Lot’s first mistake.
His second mistake was in pitching his
tents near Sodom, a land filled with wicked people who were sinning against
God.
Application: The wickedness of this world
continues to grow every day and sin is totally out in the open. Satan tries to
make sin look good so that we will be tempted to partake in it. We have to
choose to stay close to God and walk by faith toward the promise of Jesus’
return – when He will take us out of here to our glorious home in Heaven. We
cannot desire the things of this world above God as Lot did. The choices we
make every day determine whether we are walking toward God or walking away from
Him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have made me a
promise – a promise that one day Jesus is coming back to take us home. This
world is not my home, and there is nothing here that can fulfill the longing of
my heart. Help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Help me to keep my eyes
focused on You in a world that screams for my attention. May the daily choices
I make lead me closer to You. I pray this for all Your children, Father. Let us
all run the race that is set before us so that when Jesus returns, we will all
hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In the mighty name of Jesus I
pray. Amen!
Walking in His Grace,
Laurie
It's Friday, so that mean's it's time to link-up this #bloggingthroughthebible post with Courtney Joseph at Women Living Well home of Good Morning Girls! Please click on the image below to read others posts for Blogging Through the Bible.
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