Genesis 24 - 5.18.26

Scripture

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Genesis‬ ‭24‬:‭45‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’”

Observation

Abraham was getting old and requested from his senior servant that he find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant prayed to the Lord that he would be successful in fulfilling this oath to his master. He even prayed for specific signs to reveal that the woman he met would be Isaac’s future wife. Verse 15 says, “Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.“ The Lord had already led Rebekah to the servant before he finished his prayer requests to the Lord!

Application

Keep praying! God knows our heart’s desires even before we ask Him.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” -Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The amazing thing about Abraham’s servant’s prayer was that He consulted the Lord for His will and didn’t just try to search for any woman that fit Abraham’s criteria.

The  Lord has been encouraging me to reevaluate my prayer life. Do I truly ask for His will for my life or my own will for my life to keep me comfortable, successful and without problems?

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” -James‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Even when I ask the Lord to take me out of suffering instead of through it, that can be selfish too, especially if it is not His will. In His Word, it says that Jesus learned obedience through suffering. So if God’s ultimate goal is to make me more like His Son, I shouldn’t be surprised by suffering, but rather know that He will be with me through it. (It just hit me! One thing I/we will never experience that Jesus had to experience on the Cross, was when His Father turned His face away from Him when He took upon our sins. Because of Jesus, we will never have to experience or endure being apart from God! Thank You Lord!)

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” -‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” -1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There have been prayers that I have fasted and petitioned the Lord for for many years and some prayers that stayed in my heart. I didn’t even verbally express them to Jesus or anyone else, but they got answered!

Prayer is communication with God and asking Him for His will for our lives, not our own. Let us not give up in lifting up our prayers to Him!

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” -‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Prayer

Dear Lord,

I admit that sometimes I don’t want to ask You for things because I don’t want to be disappointed and hear “No.” However, I am reminded by Your Word that You already know all the desires of my heart and to never give up requesting things, especially things that are in line with Your will. May I submit to whatever Your will is and not get disappointed when I get the answer I do not desire. Help my prayers to align with Your will and even when they don’t, I pray that I would always run to You, knowing that eventually my prayers will be answered and align with Your will. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi

Psalm 84 - 5.15.26

Scripture Psalm 84:1 - 12

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! 

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young - a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob. 

Look on our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God then dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Observation:

There is no better place to be than God’s presence. David talks about how he loves to be in God’s courts. A King holds “court” himself.  It is a place where people come and have an audience with him. This is an analogy David is familiar with. 

We always have an audience with God.  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. Now the temple God dwells in is not a building.  We are God’s temple. 

“Don’t you know that yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  1 Corinthians 3:16

When we are on a “pilgrimage,” our daily walk with God, and go through a dry valley, we make it a place of springs.  God in us shifts the atmosphere around us. God’s presence in us and our attitude of praise, have the power to transform places we go and the people we interact with.  He is a sun and a shield who bestows favor and honor.  He does not withhold any good thing from those whose walk is blameless.  We are blessed, happy when we trust in him.

Application

One of my favorite songs, “Better is One Day” by Hillsong, comes from this Psalm. Being in God’s presence and worshipping fill us up like nothing else can.  Reading this today, in its entirety, opened up an even greater meaning.  We have the “better” wherever we are because we are God’s temple.  His court is available any time and we can cry out to Him wherever we are.  This is a fact I want to remember as I go about my day.  My days are better when I dwell in His Court.

I also want to remember that He withholds no good thing.  When I walk with God, I will have good things as I seek His plan.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

You are amazing!  You created such a beautiful world and wonderful people to interact with.  Please help me remember every day can be the best day because your presence goes with me. You, glorified in me, has the ability to transform dry places.  Please help me worship you and bring your blessing everywhere I go. When things are discouraging or not happening the way I hoped, please help me trust you knowing that you don’t withhold good things. Thank you for providing all I need and that I always have an audience with you.

Amen

- Cindy Howard

Genesis 20 - 05.14.26

SCRIPTURE

Genesis 20:1-2 NIV

“Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.”

OBSERVATION

Abraham had been promised a son when he was 75 years old. Now almost 25 years later he was waiting for this promise to be fulfilled. When Abraham was 99 years old, God appeared to him and gave him a date and a name for his promised son. The time had come. Abraham. He knew an intimacy with God few had ever known. He was a Friend of God (Isaiah 41:8).  Abraham was chosen to be The Father of Many nations and from him all nations would be blessed (22:18).

Genesis 17:1, 3-5, 21-22 NIV

'When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said,

“I AM God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

Covenant: Hebrew-berith: at its core describes a solemn—binding relationship—established by oath—sealed with a sign—and administered by God as the highest party.

God established His covenant with Abraham and Promised by Oath that he would have a son. God gave the time and his name which was to be Isaac. Then, God graciously appeared again and confirmed the promise.

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah WILL have a son.” (Genesis 18:13,14)

Then—after God had given this promise—after living in Hebron for twenty years, Abraham moved to Gerar. There are many suggestions about why this move took place. Yet the Bible does not explain the move. What we do know is this move placed Abraham within Philistin country stirring fears about the ungodly pagan lifestyle of the inhabitants. A King had the right to take any woman—married or not—he desired for his own harem and would gladly kill her husband to fulfill his own desire. Abraham feared this possibility due to Sarah’s beauty. So they decided upon entering Gerar they would lie, saying Sarah was Abraham’s sister. This decision did keep Abraham alive but beautiful Sarah ended up being taken away for the King’s harem.  

“Is anything TOO hard for the LORD?”

“The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever TRUSTS in the LORD shall be SAFE.” (Proverbs 29:25 NKJV)

APPLICATION

TRUST In The LORD With ALL Your Heart

When I look back on Abraham’s life I am strangely comforted and hopeful.

Every ONE of our days are laid out before God before one comes to be (Psalm 139:16).

God called Abraham and covenanted with him. Abraham was His chosen one to build a people, nations, and bless all people from. Abraham was a friend of God. Yet, Abraham was human and flawed—like us.

Abraham sinned

Abraham is the man who lied twice by saying Sarah was not his wife to protect his own life. Thinking it was okay because it was a half-truth. Sarah was indeed his sister (half-sister). And Abraham is the man who listened to Sarah’s plan to produce an heir through her maidservant Hagar instead of waiting for God’s promise to unfold.

God does not see half-truths or “white” lies as a legitimate factor. A lie is a Lie. A Lie is a Sin. Sin causes destruction for us and many times for other people in our pathway. Abraham and Sarah’s sin had a cost. It took only a few minutes to speak out this lie—but this one lie in Gerar became a seed that planted a harvest of pain and suffering around them.

Abraham lost his testimony. How could Abraham talk to a pagan nation about the God of Truth when he had just told a lie?(vs 9,10) Could that nation have received salvation if Abraham had trusted IN God and witnessed to them about his faith in the almighty God who was giving him and his wife a miracle child in their old age?

Abraham lost his ministry. No babies were born during his time in Gerar. That’s a stunning statement when you consider the King had countless wives and a Harem. Instead of Abraham being a source of blessing he became the cause of Judgement (vs 17,18).

Abraham had moments of taking matters into his own hands when things got tough. Yet—God knew that Abraham would lay his son down on the altar when the time came. God is merciful and forgiving and was building Faith in Abraham.

Everything we have comes from God. Faith and Gifts come from God. To serve and glorify Him.

Faith will come at a cost. It requires us to lay ourselves empty and place our full reliance in Jesus—

Even IF—Even When—things don’t appear to be moving forward, or it appears God may have forgotten us, or circumstances are not lining up or seem to suggest God’s plan is an impossibility.

“Is anything TOO hard for the LORD?”

Trusting The Lord

When we genuinely Trust in God we have holy Fear and reverence for Him and Love Him and His ways

This is Trust for God. We will wait for His plan to unfold. We will not need to Fear man or obstacles.

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

At the beginning of each year I pray and seek the Lord for a scripture to stand on. It has been a practice for about twenty plus years now. God has taken me on several journeys through this process. One year the scripture came quickly from Proverbs 3:5-7. One of my favorites and my mom’s life scripture. I began writing down the verse when the Lord stopped me. I was confused. Jesus spoke deep into my heart and said: “Trust in The Lord” focus only on this. You don’t Trust me. (I was hurt, I admit this stung) but then the Lord gently said, “You can Trust me. I AM Trustworthy”.

This gentle correction and invitation led to a time of repentance and heart searching to see how I might shift some things in my life to be seeking God first and waiting on Him to experience what that Trust looks and feels like. It was a transforming year. Can I say this Trust never completes its cycle.

God will continually be offering opportunities for us to lay down more of the world, more of our flesh, more of whatever is standing in our way—in order to pick up more of Him. Trust in Jesus for Completeness.

Psalm 20:7

“Some Trust in Chariots and some in horses, but we (I) Trust in the NAME of The Lord our (My) God”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust IS The Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that send out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of the drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit”

Isaiah 26:3

“You Keep him in Perfect Peace whose mind is stayed on YOU, because he Trusts in YOU”.

Psalm 143:8

“Remind each morning of YOUR Constant Love, for I put my Trust in YOU. My prayers go up to YOU, show me the way I should go” (GNT)

PRAYER

Thank YOU Lord Jesus for YOUR Good and Perfect Plans. YOU are Almighty and Loving. YOU are a GOOD Father. YOU are Trust-Worthy. Teach me to wait. Teach me to Listen. Teach me to be quiet before YOU. Show me what to Lay down. Give me strength and courage to lay it down. As I wait on YOU and Your Plan—FILL me with JOY—build my faith that I may be pleasing to YOU. YOU are God—Perfect, Loving, ALL-MIGHTY. YOU make a WAY in the wilderness, PART the Sea, MULTIPLY the Resources, and Supply Left overs. YOU heal the blind and open the ears of the deaf. You restore limbs. YOU are the SAME Yesterday, Today, and Forever. Teach me to Have Faith that RUNS to YOU and RUNS for YOU. May I be the ONE who says--send me. Here I am. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Tina L Kudelka