God will Fight for You

Growing up, my older brother would always fight for me. If anyone ever troubled me or threatened me, he would step in to defend me. He would do it without question. He did not ask about what happened or how did the situation arise. If he was there and saw trouble, he got involved.

Abraham was in Egypt and allowed Pharaoh to take his wife because of his fears. Since God’s promise was upon Abraham and Sarah, we see His intervention  in a situation caused by Abraham and Sarah’s bad decision.

And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai               Abram's wife. Gen 12:17 (KJV)

         Abraham was clearly wrong, but God intervened on his behalf. He protected Abraham from the consequences of his actions. He also protected Sarah from being violated by Pharaoh. Some are facing situations that they, in effect, have caused themselves.

Do not lose faith and hope that God will be there for you. Just know that He is gracious and longsuffering and gets joy in showing mercy. God will fight for you.

Prayer of the Week:

“I trust you on this day Lord that you will intervene on my behalf. I stand in faith on your love and grace. Thank you for all things. Amen.”

 

Don’t Rely on Yourself

Fear is a powerful emotion. It can make one irrational and illogical. What things cause you to fear? How do you respond to your fears? If you would be honest, fears usually make you throw out reason and you begin to rely on your senses rather than sensibilities.

Though God has promised His abiding presence to those who know Him, Christians still find themselves governed by fear rather than faith. Abraham allowed his fear to dominate him; in turn, he dropped faith and relied upon his ingenuity in the situation.

Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. Gen 12:13 (KJV)

God had promised Abraham that He would bless Him. However, Abraham feared he would be killed because of his beautiful wife. Consequently, he relied on deception rather than on God for protection while in Egypt. What situations are confronting you? Are you relying solely on yourself or on God who is faithful and gracious?

Abraham’s reliance on himself nearly cost him his wife. When you turn from faith to fear, you will not rely on God; you will rely on yourself, which is subject to failure. Why not stand on the One who cannot fail. 

Prayer of the Week:

 “I know that I can trust you God, but help me to overcome fear in my present circumstances. I thank you that you will never leave me or fail me. Amen.”

Surviving Famines

 

      In recent decades, global attention has been given to nations that suffer consistently with famine. Hunger induced through famine can make individuals do and say things they would never do under normal conditions. So, the question remains, how do you respond to famines in your life? -  Not famine in terms of food, but famines that come up in your personal life and in your life with God.

Have you experienced times when it seems that your prayers are not answered and God is not there? Or, times when it seems like you are in a spiritual drought? These famines occur in the Christian life. Abraham went into Egypt when a famine arose, which placed him in a compromising situation.

And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn                  there;   for the famine was grievous  in  the land. Gen 12:10 (KJV)

While in Egypt, Abram and Sarah conspired to deceive Pharaoh. This resulted in placing Sarah in a compromising situation. During this time in your life, you may be experiencing famine and drought in your personal and spiritual life. Make sure you do not compromise your faith and integrity before God as Abraham did in Egypt. Understand that God knows all things and He will bless you and deliver you in due time. 

Prayer of the Week:

“Lord, help me during times of testing and famine in my life. Strengthen my faith and hope in you that I do not turn away from what is right. I thank you that you will do this. Amen.”

Altar of Acceptance

To commemorate important occasions, we take pictures, buy souvenirs, or even leave markings. This is done so that whenever any of these are seen, one can instantly remember  the event. How do you view your times with Christ?

Are there memorable events that have taken place that you want to always remember and cherish? After receiving the promise, Abraham built an altar to God in acceptance of His promise. In addition, it was to commemorate what had happened.

And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. Gen 12:7 (KJV)

As Christians, we no longer build altars, but we should mark special times and occasions with Christ in acceptance and appreciation for what He has done. We can do this by writing down the experience, marking special events on calendars, or even writing a psalm to God.

Abraham built an altar in response to the promise; remember to build an “altar” to the Lord for His blessings and promises in your life.

Prayer of the Week:

“Lord, I thank you for your blessings. On this day, I make special mention of your goodness and kindness. I am grateful for all things. Amen”