Jehovah-Jireh - "The Lord Will Provide"

Hebrews 11:17-19 "By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."  Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the dead."  

The story of God testing Abraham's faith recored in Genesis 22:1 -19 is so powerful!  It is a clear picture of the provision of our God, the power of God, and then love of our God.  It also reveals our humanness compared to God's divine nature.  

Remember from one of my earlier posts what John MacArthur pointed out about our tests/trials:  We don't experience them b/c God is trying to "figure out" our faith. They come so we can see the condition of our faith (how weak...how strong) and so we can see what we really are clinging to the most!  

I think it's interesting that Isaac is repeatedly referred to as Abraham's "one and only son."  (Gen. 22:2, 12,16, Heb. 11:17).  It's interesting he is described this way b/c Abraham had another son, Ishmael.  Now Ishmael was not the Son who God had chosen to establish his covenant with, but still he was Abraham's son.  Hmmm... I am no theologian.... so don't quote me on this one... but could it be that Isaac is referred to as his "one and only son" to describe not his literal familial standing but perhaps his standing in the heart of his father.  Issac was not Abraham's only son but he was the son he treasured the most, the fulfillment of God's promise, a sign of God's provision & power to do the impossible.  In that sense, he was the one and only son who captured his father's deepest affections.  "It's through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."  He was a treasured possession.   

That's interesting you might be thinking.  I know that's what I'm thinking!  But wait... from what we know about Abraham he believed God.  He believed God's promises.  When God said to sacrifice Isaac he believed that God would even raise him from the grave just to keep his promise to Isaac.  He recognized that God could do the impossible for his son was the proof of God's power!  So why would God test Abraham?  We already see that he believes the Lord will provide: 

Genesis 22:5 "He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there.  We will worship and then we will come back to you."  

Genesis 22:8 "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering,my son."  

Let's see what Genesis 22:12 says, "Do not lay a hand on the boy, "he said.  "Do not do anything to him.  Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."  God was testing Abraham to see his genuine fear of him.  His reverence for God.  His respect for God.  I believe the reason it was so important that we noticed that Isaac is called Abraham's "one & only son" is because it shows us the place he held in Abraham's heart.  Maybe at times Isaac even held 1st place in Abraham's heart. And God needed Abraham to see that He, Jehovah-Jireh, needed to be the one who received his deepest affections and attentions.  

Wow.  There's so much more to say about this passage... but I'll leave that for tomorrow.  For now let's all take time to pray about the "one & only" in our life.  Is our "one & only", where our affections and attentions are set, God or someone or something else?  Let's pray that God will give us the strength to sacrifice whatever it is that we may treasure more than God so that He may be glorified more in our lives and so our lives may be more blessed by finding our joy & security & fulfillment in the One who Provides all things for those who love Him!

Choosing what is better...

Luke 10:38-42 "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to come help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Food for Thought: "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better..."

I can totally relate to Martha.  She has a house full of people, and not just any people, special people... Jesus and his disciples.  She is trying to prepare for their visit, striving to be the best hostess she can be and she's feeling the pressure of not being able to get it all done. (Reminds me of preparing for guests during the holidays).  In her frustration it clicks... "My sister can should be helping me! If she would stop being so lazy and come over here I wouldn't be so stressed out!"  Meanwhile, she storms out of the kitchen ( or where ever she was) to see Mary relaxing at the feet of Jesus as he speaks.  I can feel inside me Martha's blood pressure rising.  "I am going crazy trying to prepare for all these people to make them happy and Mary is just sitting on the floor!"  A mix of jealously and anger I'm sure.  And then she snaps (as we all do when trying to pretend we've got natural Martha Stewart like instincts), she goes right to Jesus to plead her case.  I can see the wheels in her head turning now... "fine Mary isn't going to help well wait until I tell Jesus about this one... I am doing all this for him and she is choosing to be lazy."  And THEN the unlikely response "Martha, Martha...you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

AND her jaw drops.  Talk about humbling huh?!  Haven't we all had days like that?  We just want sympathy, we're stressed and need help, we're frustrated and just as the pressure makes us want to explode b/c of all we're doing (to serve others and God no less!) we're humbled by God pointing out our wrong motives.  Martha wanted to receive attention for all she was doing but Mary received it because of the attention she gave Jesus. Martha wanted Jesus to scold Mary for her lack of help but instead he pointed out Martha's need to be humbled.  

I love Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in your way everlasting." In Martha-like times I like to say this verse to myself.  It helps give me the right perspective.  When we're frustrated it's easy to blame someone else and difficult to see we need an attitude check.  

Let's make it our prayer today to surrender our Martha-like ways of worry and stress and at times jealousy.  And let's instead pray to be like Mary choosing what is better.  To put Christ first in everything we do.  To focus on him in times of frustration.  To choose what is indeed better.  

God's Possession

Ephesians 1: 3-8 "Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us all , in all wisdom and insight."

Consider: "He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him..."

He CHOSE us.  I love that God CHOSE me.  He didn't just put up with me he chose me.  When I was in elementary school I wasn't very athletic.  Sure I played softball and soccer for rec sports for a short time (except that I never made it to 1st base and use to take a seat in the middle of the soccer field to pick dandilions while the other kids swarmed around the soccer ball like bees would a beehive).  I was just more of an artsy kid... I wanted to pick flowers and draw stick figures in my journal and dance and sing.  Well having a more "artsy" side in gym class in elementary school didn't really pay off.  Kickball was not my favorite game.  So there I would stand on the softball field the last of three waiting to make it on a team.  I wouldn't have admitted I was a worthy player.  I wasn't going to score a homerun and my team would be lucky if I made it to 1st base.  Eventually I would hear... "Ok I'll take Kristin."  And off I would go to join a team feeling discouraged, unwanted, insignificant. My teammates would have to "put up with me" as I would miss the ball and kick a foul.  They didn't have a choice I had to be picked.  

God doesn't play favorites. Isn't that cool?  He doesn't just deal with us either.  He didn't say (sigh) "Okay I'll pick Kristin fulfill my purposes and be in heaven with me since she's the best out of the last 3.  At least she'll enjoy my creation of daisies in the outfield when she gets bored."  NO... that's not what God said.  He said "I chose Kristin."    Before the foundation of the world God chose us to be adopted as his sons to be holy, forgiven, & redeemed.  In love he predestined us.  It's one thing to feel loved b/c God is loving and you know he created you.  It's another thing to feel loved b/c he chose you.  We choose people for a reason. In a human sense we choose to love people based on their personalities, what they look like, sometimes even the things they have.  I don't believe God chooses the way we do...that's why it's so beautiful to know He chose us.  

Hebrews 5:7-9 "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and was heard because of his reverent submission.  Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him..."

  I feel that the Lord has given me a perfect picture this weekend of what a map of life here on earth might look like.  Friday night a good friend of mine shared some heartbreaking news with me.  That someone I love dearly hasn't been honest with me, that this person I care so much about is on a road leading to brokenness.  That same night I received a text from one of my best friend's in college letting me know that she and her husband have been blessed with their 1st child a healthy and beautiful baby girl, Emme, entrusted to them as a gift from God.  I spent all afternoon Sat. surrounded by my girls from college staring at Emme, Joel, & Lauren and marveling at the miracle of life.  Sunday came with another dose of hard news keeping me up in prayer, teary-eyed and in deep thought.  

This is life.  Valleys that lead to victorious mountain tops and then back to another valley that we might again gain even more strength to conquer the next obstacle ahead.  It's funny how the Lord prepares your heart.  All weekend I was reading short segments out of a sermon by John MacArthur that spoke about why trials happen.  Yesterday I finished the sermon and the one thing that pierced my heart the most was the verse above.  

We will face trials, hardship, & heartache.  And God does not allow us to go through these trials b/c He is testing us to find out the strength our faith.  He ALREADY KNOWS the strength of our faith.  He allows us to face trials so that WE can see the strength of our faith.  As we face the valleys of life's journey we will see for ourselves the strength of our faith, what we trust in most, whether we react in pride or humility, the things of this world we treasure above the Lord, and we will receive 3 gifts 1) The ability to recognize the status of our faith 2) The ability to rely on God to increase our faith 3) The ability to comfort others around us with the comfort that he has given to us.

If your facing a trial a season of a valley that seems to have no sight of a mountain ahead remember the verse above.  Jesus offered up prayers & petitions to God who he knew would deliver him.  He cried and trembled at the thought of the cross but with reverent submission to God's will for He knew that God would keep his promise to work everything together for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose.   He saw the cross in the distance standing at the foot of the mountain top experience He knew would come and he learned obedience by suffering.  And after he suffered he was made perfect.  Jesus understands what it is to suffer, he knows the pain we feel as we enter these times of hardship.  He came here and experienced all of life and overcame sin and death & by Him we to shall overcome and be perfected through our suffering to be more like Jesus. 

After all falls Apart

He Repairs, He Repairs

Oh, the Glory of it all is:

He came here

for the rescue of us all

that we may live

for the glory of it all

the glory of it all......

Luke 9:3-4 "He told them: take nothing for the journey- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic."

Jesus sends his disciples out to preach about the kingdom of God and to heal the sick with the power & authority He has given to them (v.1). And these are the instructions he gives them... "take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic."  "Take nothing."  Notice Jesus doesn't only tell them to take nothing, he's specific.  He Jesus covers any future questions they might have had about these instructions. For example, maybe Matthew could have said, "but we have to eat so we can have energy to serve shouldn't we at least bring some food?"  or say Andrew was thinking, "shouldn't we bring an extra tunic so we don't offend people with the smell of our dirty one?"  No, no, no.  He answered every possible question.  

What was the journey they were on?  Their journey was to do the work of evangelists.  Their journey was to be Christ to others, to teach others the truth Christ had taught to them, to give others the hope Christ gave them, to love others with the patient and accepting love of Christ. To live our lives like Jesus we don't need the material things of this world.  To live like Jesus we just need Jesus.  

Faith through the Storm

Luke 8:24-25 "The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master we're going to drown!"  He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.  In fear and amazement they asked one another, Who is this?  He commands even the winds and the water and they obey him."

I can't help but think that this was a test.  Jesus proposes that the group go to the other side of the lake and then as he rests his head a storm comes.  Jesus wasn't surprised by the squall that came about them, in fact, He was sleeping through it!!! Notice how our Saviour is afraid of nothing.  I think that is one of the things I love most about him.  When I am afraid what I desire most is to be with someone who is calm.  Someone who comforts me.  Jesus is never fearful and is indeed THE comforter of us all...especially when we're afraid.

Last spring, I was driving home from the school I was working at on a day they were calling for strong storms.  I'm not from the VA area so I wasn't sure what this meant.  I hopped in my car and tried to get home before the storm hit.  Too late... as I drove the sky started to get gradually darker and darker.  I picked up the phone and called my mom who lives in NJ and as the wind picked up and the sky got dark I began to scream to her, "What should I do?  What should I do?"  Then my phone disconnected.   Now here I am fearful and irrational screaming out "Jesus, please don't let me die."  I began to speed down the shoulder of 28 trying desperately to take cover.  The Lord did get me to an exit and safely into the Wegman's grocery store (and kept other safe from my terrible example on the road...with a Messiah College sticker and Jesus fish on the back of my car...don't you love those!) where my husband was able to meet me.  There I stood shaking with fear...so much so that one of the Wegman's employees actually came up to me to check if I was okay.  I stood around the quiet grocery store as people crowded around to look outside and to watch NBC 4 broadcast a tornado warning for our area.  TORNADO warning! What was that?  I had never heard of one of those!  

  Notice while I was driving I immediately called my mom for help.  My mom who lives 5 hours away.  This experience led me through a season of learning to turn to the Lord for help; learning to trust Him.  I was brought low before the throne of God spending my summer going to counseling for a tornado phobia, dealing with panic attacks, and days locked inside b/c I was afraid of the clouds or drizzle and this all b/c I was choosing to trust in myself and not my God.  

The Spring is coming and although the Lord has been working in my heart and no doubt has increased my faith I still get anxious thinking about what my 1st time in a storm will be like. But here is my comfort... my Saviour is not afraid and is indeed in control of the storm.  Not only the literal storms of life but also those seasons of hardship/trial that come and go.  

So here is the question for us all to remember, "Where is your faith?"  My faith used to be in myself and others and the Lord had to take me through a storm and counseling to discover my own self-reliance and fear of accepting his will for my life.  

I hope that today you will ask yourself that question; choosing to humble yourself before God instead of waiting for Him to humble you.  Where is your faith today?  Is it in God or someone or something else?

Remember:"He commands even the winds and the water and they obey Him."  Thank you Jesus!

Luke 7:41-43,47 -48 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed him five hundred denarii {or a day's wages}, and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both.  Now which of them will love him more?  Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled."  "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.  

.... Therefore, I tell you, her many sins are forgiven - for she has loved much.  But he who has been forgiven little loves little.  Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

A woman walks into Simon the Leper's house with an alabaster jar in hand weeping at the sight of Jesus.  She approaches him ready to pour out possibly her most valuable possession at his feet.  The account of Christ's anointing in Mark 14 tells us that the perfume the woman poured on Jesus was worth a year's wages!  Clearly, this expensive perfume poured out for Jesus displays a sacrificial love.  

While all of this is taking place Simon says (v.39) "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner."  

I have to say that Simon the Leper was clearly not the most humble man on earth.  This woman comes into his home displaying her love for Christ and she is mocked for it.  She after all is a sinner.  But isn't that the most beautiful part of this story?  A sinner at the feet of Jesus pouring her most valuable possession at his feet.  And to her Jesus says, "Your sins are forgiven."  

I wish we could see what happened after Jesus dismissed her that night...(v.50) "Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you, go in peace."  Where did she go?  What was she thinking?  To whom did she share what had happened?  How did her life change?  

One day she was lost in her sin, the next she was freed from it.  And this all at the feet of Jesus where she poured out her life to him and received it back a new...forgiven...set free...loved by the Saviour.  

Do you remember the first time you bowed at the feet of Jesus and knew in your heart that he had forgiven you?  Remember what that was like today.  Pour out this season of life and all its ups and downs at the feet of Savior and know that Jesus hasn't only saved us from sin and death but saves us everyday as he sanctifies us by His truth.  His love for us abounds in every season...through every change."And to her he said, "Your sins are forgiven."