Dangers of Gloating

“So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheeba.” Genesis 20:14

What a dilemma. Abraham wanted a child, a son. Sarah wanted a child. God promised many children. Sarah wanted to trust but found another way to have God’s promise fulfilled. Hagar obeyed, yet gloated. The child grew strong. Then God’s promise was fulfilled for Sarah and jealousy grew in her heart. Sarah sought to punish Hagar for her own sin and so another journey began that affects us all to this day.

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had born him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Now behold the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my main; perhaps I shall obtain children through her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. – And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.” Genesis 16:1-2, 4

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Clarie’s daughter for clarity of purpose; Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Besetting Sin

“Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night and said to him, ‘Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, because she is married.’ -- Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, ‘What have you done to u? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.’” Genesis 20:1-3,9

Besetting sin is sin that you repeat even though you KNOW it is not right. Abraham did this and showed us not only that it hurt him and his family, but others were hurt along the way. God’s work in another person’s heart can be damaged by our actions – sometimes we never even know this has happened.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Clarie’s daughter for clarity of purpose; Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Price

“Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. And Lot went up from Zoar, and stayed in the mountains, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; and he stayed in a cave, he and his two daughters. – Thus both daughters of Lot were with child by their father. And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And as for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-amni; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day.” Genesis 19:29-30, 36-38

God promised Abraham He would save and protect Lot. Lot wanted to make his own choices outside God’s plan, and God let him. Yet, Lot ended up where God had originally planned, but the disobedience Lot had displayed toward God resulted in a tremendous fear after Lot saw the destruction of the two cities. His fear drove him to withdrawal and isolation. His daughters grew resentful and fearful as well and instead of abandoning all hope arranged a way to meet their immediate needs. What resulted was a grave, abominable sin and the birth of two nations that warred against God’s people forever.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Not There !

"But Lot said to them, ‘O no, my lords! Now behold your servant has found favour in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest the disaster overtake me and I die; now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.’” Genesis 19:18-20

Lot did not demonstrate trust in the Lord’s provision and wanted to negotiate for something easy and desirable. God knows what is waiting up ahead. He also knows why He has taken you through your journey to this moment. The only “weakness” God has is His amazing love for you, in that He has given you free will and He knows you will not always choose to trust Him. But He does know best.

“In this is love; not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (full, perfect and complete payment) for our sins.” I John 4:10

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

I Don't Want To Go!

“Then the men said to Lot, ‘Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.’ And Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, ‘Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.’ But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. And when morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up, take your wife and your two daughters, who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city,’ But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.” Genesis 19:12-19

Sometimes you KNOW you are to leave and still you hesitate for the strangest reasons. Yet, the Lord HAS a plan and His plan will unfold in our lives one way or another. The sooner we learn to trust Him, the sooner we begin to grow into the image of His beloved Son. For that is why we are here really.

‘But we all, with unveiled face behonding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:18

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Pray for Nancy’s recovery from brain surgery yesterday. Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Coming With Me

“Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kingd of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. – And they also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed for he was living in Sodom.” Genesis 14:10-12

Sometimes we get to go places we never intended to as we follow others or circumstances dictate. But God’s hand is not so short that He cannot hold ours wherever we are.

“ For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'’” Daniel 4:34-35

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Look Up & Around

“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if anyone can number the dust of then earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” Genesis 13:14-17

Abram had family, position, friends and knew his home land. When the Lord called him, he had faith to follow; but can you imagine how difficult it must have been for him? People need leadership and a vision to follow; to know there is something to move forward for. Abram was asked to separate himself, to lift up his eyes, to look around, to see, and to walk on the land he was being given. It must have seemed he was left with a dry and dusty desert land compared to Lot. But he just walked on in faith because he knew his God.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Road Not Taken

“Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.’ And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere – this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other.” Genesis 13:8-11

In all of our lives there are decisions we must make and some we take – do we go to the left or the right? Do we stay or go? Do we argue or hold our tongue? We make and take these decisions for many reasons. Some we make for ourselves and some we make to benefit others. No matter what decisions we make, we learn the value of seeking the Lord’s wisdom and know the Lord will guide us through them, when we reach out to Him.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack, Adrian’s ageing uncle.

PPS: Was off line for a few days with technical difficulties.

Separate

“So Abram when up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him; and Lot with him. – Now Lot, who when with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. – Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strive between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.’” Genesis 13:1-8 various

Family and friends are critical gifts of the Lord in your life; and through them, many lessons are learned. Sometimes you are separated from those who love and support you. When this is true, for whatever reasons, the lessons you have learned in their presence become even more clear and valuable.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Laughlin, getting better. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Adrian’s ageing uncle.

Travelling Damage

“And it came about when Abraham cane into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. Therefore he treated Abram well for her sake; and gave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and male and female servants and female donkeys and camels. But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. -- So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him; and Lot with him.” Genesis 12:14-13:1

Sometimes nothing seems to matter for us from our disobedience. But if we look around, the effect of our decisions may hurt others around us.

Take care to know God’s Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Continue to pray for: Adrian with life changes. Barb to find satisfying work. Isaias, mission work in Philippines. Jo in NZ for her new direction. Tim & Barb to be encouraged. Laughlin, getting better. Michael & Diane for travelling mercies. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle for recovery. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Virgil, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Adrian’s ageing uncle.