Faith Lesson #2 God WiIl Provide!

Genesis 22 Abraham and Isaac are walking up Mount Moriah and there God provides!

The place that they stood, Abraham called Jehovah Jireh.  This means

 God will provide. God provided an animal for them to sacrifice.

Many years later on a hill named Golgotha in the area of Mt. Moriah, God provided another lamb for us. 

There on a cross, Jesus became our Jehovah Jireh.

Today let us be thankful that God provides!

When there is not enough

When all seems lost

When frustration sets in

When all energy is gone

When there is no direction

When hope can not be found

God will Provide!  He is Jehovah Jireh!

The question is do you trust Him to provide? 

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NLV

Father we often forget that You are the great provider. Remind us that you will provide for us, just as you did for Abraham, Isaac and countless others!  We praise you Jehovah Jireh for providing Jesus for us.  May we trust you in our every day lives for all of our needs.

Faith lesson #1

My husband has a tough time giving things up. He must own a million tee-shirts.  okay maybe 50. How many does one person need?  Truth be told, I have issues here as well. Ask me to give up a "Brighton" necklace and it may cause me to shed a tear or two. Ask me to leave friends and family and that is even harder  to do. 

What do you cling to? 

What possession means a lot to you?  

Could you just lay it down and give it up?

  

What or who would be difficult for you to part with?

I love that God has given us examples in the bible of others who had to struggle with everyday issues as well.

God called on Abraham to make some great sacrifices: his country and family, Lot, Ishmael, and Isaac. 

With each sacrifice it became an increasing challenge because each one was deep relationship to him personally.

Lot was the son of a brother; Ishmael was the son of his wife’s handmaid; Isaac is the son of promise by his own wife.  With each test that he struggled through he received greater blessings from God.  

He encountered the greatest test of his life.

A test of Faith. 

It was not so much a test to produce faith as it was a test to reveal faith.

God built Abraham slowly, piece by piece, year by year, into a man of faith.

  

   Take now your son, your only son Isaac: Offer him there as a burnt offering: 

This test was especially hard because it seemed to contradict the previous promise of God.

Hadn’t God promised in Isaac your seed shall be called? Genesis 21:12

If Isaac hadn’t had children to pass the promise on to yet, how could Abraham kill him? Wouldn’t he be killing the very promise God made to him?

Abraham needed to make a decision on this day. Would he let go of that which was precious to him to trust God? Did he have enough faith to obey?

We know the end of the story. 

What about you?

Do you have enough faith to listen and obey when God calls you into a difficult situation?

Are you willing to let go of things that are precious to you to receive the new thing that He wants to give you?

Father, we want to trust you, we say that we do, but in those instances when you call us, we are afraid to let go.  Help us to walk in faith and obedience to your call. 

Stones of Forgiveness

Last night I partook of a wonderful experience with women in prayer.
Set up all around the room were prayer centers. There are many great ideas at a website http://www.creativeprayer.com/index.php?blog=1. I am grateful that they had so many experiences listed and ready to try out. We had 8 stations each one with a focus, verse, picture, object or task.

One of the stations focused on forgiveness. At this table were smooth flat stones and washable markers. As we prayed if a person came to mind that we needed to forgive we were instructed to write their initials on the stone and then asked to offer a prayer of blessing for them.

As I held onto the stone in my hands,I realizedhow powerless I am to forgive anyone. Only through Christ can I even attempt to forgive. Only through His blood and forgiveness in my life, do I know how to forgive and to receive forgiveness.

The next step was to wash the stone in water and watch the name drip away. This was very significant for me. I have been holding onto this for way to long. God does not remember my sins, should I hold onto the sins of others? It felt good to release this and ask blessing for this person.

Holding onto unforgiveness takes up space that God wants to have in our hearts. I wonder how much space I have been wasting? If I truly want to be filled to overflowing with the Spirit then There has to be room for Him.


I have a suspicion that I may need to use some more stones! :)

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13


Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times Matthew 18:21-22

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:14

Father,

How many times have you forgiven me? I am grateful and humbled by your mercy and grace. You have also blessed me beyond belief. I stand before you as one who has experieinced your love and peace and yet struggle to let go of old hurts, dissappointments and forgive. Outwardly I may appear as one who is upright, but you oh Lord know the condition of those places in my heart. As I hold these stone in front of you, may I be as Abraham and offer them to you as an altar of praise. Bless these dear ones of yours and remove from me the stain of unforgiveness. I am humbled by you longsuffering and crave to know you more.

Jann