GENESIS 20-22
MATTHEW 7
24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
JOURNAL
I have to wonder if God tested Abraham here because of the way he had handled Sara and their relationship. He always passed her off as his sister for fear of his own life. He risked hurting others to save his own skin. Here now is the one thing in his life that he wants and loves more than anything and God asks him to destroy it. Abraham was in danger of making Isaac his God. God pushed Abraham and he proved faithful and obedient. Because of this his faith was never questioned and Isaac was spared.
I think this goes right along with Jesus' story of the man who built his house on the wrong foundation. When the tests came...it crashed. It again goes back to the same question...Who is your God and do you obey him?
For far too long I lived life from a position of entitlement. I felt I was owed more than what I had. I was often dismissive of blessings and God's grace. One thing I am learning is that all is a gift. If just the breath in my lungs is a gift then that means that all things even the hard ones are to be seen through the eyes of joy and gratitude. This is the foundation of the cross. This is the life Jesus lived...grateful regardless of the circumstances, obedient even in the midst of ridicule and suffering. No circumstance or person or situation was beneath him...even though he was God incarnate. He made the most of every moment...through obedience and love.
58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
I have to wonder if God tested Abraham here because of the way he had handled Sara and their relationship. He always passed her off as his sister for fear of his own life. He risked hurting others to save his own skin. Here now is the one thing in his life that he wants and loves more than anything and God asks him to destroy it. Abraham was in danger of making Isaac his God. God pushed Abraham and he proved faithful and obedient. Because of this his faith was never questioned and Isaac was spared.
I think this goes right along with Jesus' story of the man who built his house on the wrong foundation. When the tests came...it crashed. It again goes back to the same question...Who is your God and do you obey him?
For far too long I lived life from a position of entitlement. I felt I was owed more than what I had. I was often dismissive of blessings and God's grace. One thing I am learning is that all is a gift. If just the breath in my lungs is a gift then that means that all things even the hard ones are to be seen through the eyes of joy and gratitude. This is the foundation of the cross. This is the life Jesus lived...grateful regardless of the circumstances, obedient even in the midst of ridicule and suffering. No circumstance or person or situation was beneath him...even though he was God incarnate. He made the most of every moment...through obedience and love.
For far too long I lived life from a position of entitlement. I felt I was owed more than what I had. I was often dismissive of blessings and God's grace. One thing I am learning is that all is a gift. If just the breath in my lungs is a gift then that means that all things even the hard ones are to be seen through the eyes of joy and gratitude. This is the foundation of the cross. This is the life Jesus lived...grateful regardless of the circumstances, obedient even in the midst of ridicule and suffering. No circumstance or person or situation was beneath him...even though he was God incarnate. He made the most of every moment...through obedience and love.
58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:58
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