Tag: Bible

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time, She, Volume 4

Sarah~ [Sarai], part 2… and Hagar

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from the study She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, volume 4/pp63-64

Today’s Scripture Reading: Genesis 16 and Isaiah 55:8-9

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.

Genesis 16:1

In our last encounter with Sarah, we learned that she was married to Abraham, and she left her family and a life she had known for more than 50 years to follow Abraham to a land God said He would show them. She has heard God’s promise to Abraham of many descendants that would make up a great nation. Yet, four chapters later, Scripture still reports that she has no children.

Sarah was considered barren, Yet she knew what God had promised.

She, Delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, Volume 4, p65

The journal for this study poses the question, “Why had she not gotten pregnant yet?” This made me think of others we’ve met on our journeys, like Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5) and Rachel (Genesis 30:22), both of whom are reminders of the fact that it is God who opens the womb and/or keeps it closed. The journal also reminds us that “she was getting up in years, and it seemed as if time was short.” This truth is made evident in today’s journey through Genesis 16, where we find that Sarah decides not to wait any longer; she devises a plan and takes the necessary steps to carry it out. The plan involved her Egyptian handmaid, Hagar, and the very desperate act of having her sleep with Abraham. (Yes, this was a cultural norm at the time, but I can only imagine how desperate you must be for a child to consider, let alone actually, employing it.) I would like to say that I have never been one to manipulate situations for a certain outcome, but sadly, I played those games for years when I was younger, and I learned, just like Sarah, that manipulation comes with regret and consequences that are often more difficult and disappointing than waiting for God and His timing.

Friends, we must never forget that patience is a highly esteemed virtue in the Bible, often described as “long-suffering” or “endurance”. It is not passive waiting, but an active, steadfast trust in God’s timing and loving treatment of others. Patience is not only a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), but according to James, it is also a key ingredient in developing spiritual maturity (James 1:3-4).

We would be wise to remember that our God, the same God of Abraham and Sarah, is a sovereign God, a keeper of promises, and His timing is always perfect. Apparently, though, the years of waiting have made her question, if not flat-out disbelieve, that she would ever get pregnant. Unlike God, she had a plan B and set it in motion through a conversation with Abraham, explaining her plan. She then takes Hagar and gives her to Abram as a ‘surrogate’ wife. Can you even imagine what a desperate desire Sarah had for a child, to the point that this became her solution?

A Plan Gone Wrong

2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) 4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.

Genesis 16:2-4

The plan accomplishes Sarah’s desire for a child, but it backfires in every other way. Her husband was now the husband of Hagar, her handmaid, who was now pregnant with his child. On top of that, Hagar now despises Sarah and treats her with contempt, and in turn, Scripture says that Sarah treated Hagar harshly, and Hagar fled from Sarah’s presence.” (Genesis 16:6, CSB)

Sarah is an example of how impatience, not being willing to wait on God’s will, can lead to trouble and heartache ~ having a negative impact on our lives as well as others. I also believe Hagar serves as an example of how jealousy can lead to broken relationships. ~ May God guard us from jealousy and impatience. In His worthy and powerful name I pray – AMEN!

The More We Know

I hope you will take time to learn more about Hagar from this commentary, borrowed from Gotquestions.org.

Posted in Uncategorized

Esther, Part 1

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from She, volume 4 of Delighting in the examples of the Women of the Bible/pp17-18

Today’s Scripture: Esther 1-2 and Psalm 37:23

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23

Friends, can you remember a time in your life when it was clear to you that the Lord ordered your steps? For me, it was the timing of my children. Actually, when I look at the broader picture, it was the timing of my grandfather’s death (April 19, 1987). At the time, I thought the only thing special about the timing was that my mom and dad made it home from vacation shortly before Papa took his last breath. I had been sitting there by his bedside with my grandmother throughout the day; he had had little to no moments of ‘alertness’, that is, until my dad returned home and walked into the room and stood by his bed. As memory recalls, he reached down, touched his hand, and simply spoke the word “dad”-and in that moment, Papa’s eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, a smile tinged his lips, and within the hour, he was in the presence of his God.

I remember being amazed at God’s timing. I remember thinking how sweet it was that God had loved and cared enough about my dad to give him that last hour with his dad, instead of coming home to find him dead. I remember the comfort that it brought my grandmother. I also remember meeting Don Post (my mom and dad’s pastor) and other members of their church that night, and in the coming days surrounding the service and celebration of his life. Little did I know those days were the beginning of not only beautifully timed friendships but the awakening of a faith suppressed by sin and a spirit of pretense. – Ouch, that truth hits hard and is honestly difficult to share, but it is perhaps the truest beauty of God ordering my steps in those days, though I couldn’t see it at the time.

God had a purpose

You see, I had been married nearly seven years by then. I had longed for children through all of those years. My relationship with God (and my husband) had ebbed and flowed accordingly, but I became very good at the ‘cover-up’ (you know, church stuff on Sunday and Wednesday and special event days and living as I pleased the rest of the time). Over the next two years, I became pregnant, my husband changed jobs, we decided to build a house, and we moved in with my parents while we were building. All the while, I was oblivious to the true beauty of God’s timing. Beauty that included being under my parents’ roof, where Christianity wasn’t just a religion but a relationship with God. Conversations about Scripture (God’s sovereignty, grace, redemption, and love…) were not uncommon; friends from their church frequently popped by, and while I don’t know that I realized it at the time, all of it was like fresh water on the dry roots of my faith. Bible reading and prayer began to become a daily part of my life again – not just part of a checklist but a desire of my heart. So many good changes and blessings – yet with my growing faith came the realization that not all of my relationships were healthy ones, including the one with my husband, who wasn’t thrilled by my rekindled faith. The very thing that he once said he loved about me had now become a point of contention and regret, and finally fueled an argument that forced me to choose between standing firm in my faith and appeasing him. God gave me the courage to stand firm, and He honored the choice for many years to come. As for the other unhealthy relationships, God either weeded them out or transformed them, all the while cultivating new relationships that strengthened my faith and prepared me for things only God could have known were coming.

Almost two years from the date of my grandfather’s death (April 19, 1897), Annie, my first daughter, was born (April 17, 1989). Almost two years after meeting the people from my parents’ church, and the friendships that ensued, they were in the hospital when she was delivered. They welcomed us home, and they became an integral part of our lives. Why? Because God ordered my steps – and led me to the place and the people He knew I (and my family) needed. I had been in church all of my life, Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, and any special events. I was saved at the age of five or six, and grew up to teach and serve in the church of my childhood. I didn’t understand when my parents chose to leave the church for another church just a few short years before my grandfather’s death, but God did. He understood it all, saw it all, and was ordering their path too, and purposefully used it to rescue me from the wilderness I was in, lead me to a new body of believers, where I would learn about the depth of God’s mercy and grace in a way I had never understood. In doing so, He prepared a better path for my children than what they would have known if the path had not been changed. Oh, how I love and praise Him for being a God who orders the steps of His people according to His perfect will.

Friends, God ordered Esther’s footsteps as well. He placed her exactly where she was for a specific reason, exactly when she needed to be there. We will explore this further in the days to come, but for now, please do not miss the seemingly small things we see in Esther chapters 1 and 2, particularly verse 9 or chapter 2.


5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is, Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 8 So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. 9 And Esther pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem.

Reflection and Application

List out the ways you see God ordering the steps of Esther in 2:9?

Write down a time you remember when God clearly ordered your steps.

The More We Know

10Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. 11And every day, Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.

Woman running on dirt path with stone arch and sunset in background
Posted in 100 Meditations on The Names Of Jesus, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Author and Finisher of Our Faith

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from 100 Meditations on the Names of Jesus, p18


1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (NLT)

I love the variety of synonyms concerning this particular name of Jesus. While they all mean the same thing, I am particularly fond of “the pioneer and perfecter of faith… as I picture a pioneer forging the way through … setting a path for others to follow … with the goal of leading them to a better place. ~ Which one is your favorite and why?

… fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

… Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set NKJV/KJV

… looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, ESV

…. keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, HCSB

… looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, NASB

“Jesus is not only the originator of our faith, but He is the one who perfects it.”1

As always we must be careful to understand the context of the passages that we read as we journey through God’s Word. Specifically, in this passage, we cannot truly understand it if we do not know that chapter 11 was filled with the imagery of the faithful saints who have gone before us. The writer shares a considerable amount of examples to show “how God honors and works through true, godly faith—which is a trust sufficient to produce obedience, despite our doubts and fears (Hebrews 11:1–3). The writer also mentioned how these faithful ones endured hardships during their earthly lives, and even now are waiting to see God completely fulfill His promises (Hebrews 11:35–39.” Having these examples before us we should be inspired to run our own race of faith (“a trust sufficient to produce obedience, despite our doubts and fears”).Yet, the ultimate example, as the writer goes on to conclude here in Hebrews 12:2 is Jesus Himself, the beginning and the end, or as it is here written, in one fashion or another: The founder (pioneer, author, source, origiantor) and perfecter of our faith.

I believe it is worth it, if not necessary, to share this commentary from bibleref.com, explaining how Jesus is not only the ultimate example of godly faith but also as one who “suffered hardship and persecution (Philippians 2:8-11), as well as temptation (Hebrews 4:15), but never wavered in His resolve to do the will of God the Father (Hebrews 5:8). Christ’s entire ministry and the superiority of the new covenant (Hebrews 10:12–14) are grounded in His example, which we should strive to follow (Hebrews 2:10–11). His willingness to endure those trials came from an understanding that God could, and would, “work together for good” all of those things (Romans 8:28). The end goal of Jesus’ obedience was to establish the purpose we should be striving for: the “city with foundations” (Hebrews 11:10), our ultimate victory and reward in God (Hebrews 11:13–16; Revelation 21:1–14).”

The old hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” just flooded my mind. So let me end with that encouragement for us all; a wonderful call to worship and way to live … Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” As we know from the Scriptures, Jesus suffered much on our behalf – but we know that He never stopped doing the will of His Father, striving to please Him in all that He did. May this be our resolve as well my friends.

Reflection and Application

  • What do you think it means that Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith”?
  • Does your life relfect this truth?

  1. 100 Meditations on the Names of Jesus, p18 ↩︎
Posted in 100 Meditations on The Names Of Jesus, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time

Alpha and Omega

Posted on by MaryEllen

Scripture for the Journey: Revelation 1:8; 21:6; and 22:13.; John 1:1-5, 14; 2 Peter 3:10; Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, and 48:12

He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Revelation 13:8

Christ, as the Alpha and Omega, is the first and last in so many ways.1

  1. He is the “Author and Finisher” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), signifying that He begins it and carries it through to completion.
  2. He is the totality, the sum and substance of the Scriptures, both of the Law and of the Gospel (John 1:1, 14)
  3. He is the fulfilling end of the Law (Matthew 5:17)
  4. He is the beginning subject matter of the gospel of grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9)
  5. He is found in the first verse of Genesis and in the last verse of Revelation
  6. He is the first and last, the all in all of salvation, from the justification before God to the final sanctification of His people.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:1-5

I do not remember how old I was (most likely, somewhere between 13 and 16), but I do remember where I was when I first read John 1. I was sitting on my bedroom floor and checking out my new Bible (The Way Edition). While I didn’t completely understand them at the time, they definitely caught my attention and sent me on what I now realize was my first solo “journey through God’s Word”. I sat there on my bedroom floor trying to wrap my head around the fact that Jesus, the baby who was born in Bethlehem, could have possibly been with God in the beginning. Honestly, friends, while I believed the words I read were true then in my teens, it would be more than ten years before God helped me fully understand and appreciate the marvelous truth they conveyed. Truths like those listed above, namely, that He is the totality of the Scriptures, found in the first verse of Genesis and in the last verse of Revelation – literally the beginning and the end. The Alpha and Omega. The First and the Last.

Jesus as the beginning and end of all things is a reference to no one but the true God. This statement of eternality could apply only to God. It is seen especially in Revelation 22:13, where Jesus proclaims that He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Gotquestions.org

Jesus in All of Scripture

“A second meaning of Jesus as the “Alpha and Omega” is that the phrase identifies Him as the God of the Old Testament. Isaiah ascribes this aspect of Jesus’ nature as part of the triune God in several places. “I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last I am He” (41:4). “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6). “I am he; I am the first, I also am the last” (Isaiah 48:12). These are clear indications of the eternal nature of the Godhead.”2

Reflection and Application

I was reminded recently in a study of Ruth that I’m doing with some ladies at my church that “God wants us to stay in His fields. We have no need to go wandering off into other fields, seeking fulfillment elsewhere. The world will dangle other fields in front of us, such as success, pleasure, or money. But these fields are dangerous. God has provided protection and everything we need with Him. Do not wander off.”3 A similar lesson appeared in this particular meditation on Jesus as the Alpha and Omega. ~ I pray it is an encouragement to every reader. “Everything we know in this world, from the earth to the skies above, falls within the confines of creation. No one person is greater than the Creator. Let’s be sure we don’t worship those we admire, putting them on pedestals they were never meant to occupy. Jesus is far better than the rulers of this world, far better, even, than the best of men. Let’s worship Him and follow in His ways, for He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. No one can compare with Him.”4

  1. Gotquestions.org ↩︎
  2. Gotquestions.org ↩︎
  3. Ruth, God’s Amazing Love for you, p56, Courtney Joseph with Beverly Wise ↩︎
  4. 100 Meditations on the names of Jesus, p10 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Tamar

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from She, Volume 3, Delighting in the Women of the Bible, pp 69-70

Today’s Scripture: Genesis 38 and 1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

1 Corinthians 15:57

Tamar, believed by most commentators to be a non-Jew1, ‘married into the family of God’ when she married Er, the oldest son of Jacob and Leah. While Er was Judah’s son and thus of Israelite descent, it is important to note that after selling his brother into slavery, Judah had left his home and family and married a Canaanite woman2. Through this woman, Judah had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er was given in marriage to a woman by the name of Tamar3. As we read in today’s Genesis 38, “Er was an evil man, so the Lord put him to death (verse 7). Following the custom of levirate marriage, Tamar was then given to Onan, who selfishly refused to give Tamar children (verse 9); he was also put to death by the Lord for his actions. Shelah was too young to take a wife, so Judah ordered Tamar to live as a widow in her father’s house (verse 11).4

Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Genesis 38:11

However, as today’s journal entry points out: “Instead of doing what he had promised, Judah refrained from giving his third son to her to marry. When she realized this, Tamar took matters into her own hands and disguised herself as a prostitute, or harlot as she is called in the KJV, by covering her face from Judah when he inquired of her. She became pregnant with twins after her encounter with Judah, though he did not know it was her.” Afterward, Scripture says:

 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face. 16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come, please, I want to sleep with you.” (He did not realize it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me so that you may sleep with me?” 17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” 18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her, then slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. 19 She left immediately, removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

Genesis 38:15-19

Tamar had tricked Judah into sleeping with her so that she would become pregnant. She also cleverly kept the one pledge for “her services” that she knew would prove that Judah was the father. According to verse 24 of Genesis 38, it is a good thing that she had the proof. For when Judah first learned she was pregnant, he ordered for her to be burned – “While they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” Then she said, “Identify the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He was not physically intimate with her again” (Genesis 38:23-26).

Tamar gave birth to twin sons, Zerah and Perez, and through the line of Perez came our Savior, Jesus Christ.


1This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham :

2Abraham was the father of Isaac.Isaac was the father of Jacob.Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.3Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).Perez was the father of Hezron.Hezron was the father of Ram.4Ram was the father of Amminadab.Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.Nahshon was the father of Salmon.5Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).Obed was the father of Jesse.6Jesse was the father of King David.David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).7Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.Abijah was the father of Asa.8Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.9Uzziah was the father of Jotham.Jotham was the father of Ahaz.Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.Manasseh was the father of Amon.Amon was the father of Josiah.11Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).12After the Babylonian exile:Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.13Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.Abiud was the father of Eliakim.Eliakim was the father of Azor.14Azor was the father of Zadok.Zadok was the father of Akim.Akim was the father of Eliud.15Eliud was the father of Eleazar.Eleazar was the father of Matthan.Matthan was the father of Jacob.16Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

17All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

Matthew 1:1-17

Tamar serves as an example of how God can overcome the sin we commit and give victory through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

She, Volume 3, delighting in the women of God, p 70

  1. While the Bible does not explicitly state her ethnicity, Tamar (Genesis 38) is widely considered to have been a Canaanite or Aramean Gentile. She married into the Hebrew family of Judah, and despite her foreign background, she became an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ. C.S. Lewis Institute +4
    Gentile Background: Many scholars and traditions, including the C.S. Lewis Institute, describe her as an Aramean or Canaanite Gentile.
    Marriage and Family: She was married to Judah’s firstborn son, Er, and later to his brother Onan.
    Significance: Tamar is noted for her righteousness by Judah himself and for using unconventional means to secure her place in the family line.  ↩︎
  2. Genesis 38:1 ↩︎
  3. Did you know there are three Tamars in the Bible? ↩︎
  4. https://www.gotquestions.org/Judah-in-the-Bible.html ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Rahab, part 2

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from the She study, volume 3, pp. 51-52

By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

Hebrews 11:31

Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, had not only welcomed the spies into her home, hid them, and lied to protect them, but she also professed her faith in their God. God considered this an act of genuine faith and spared her and her family from the destruction that met all the others who lived within the city’s walls. This was the promise the spies had made to her at her profession of faith in God and her request to “be saved” (Joshua 2:12-13).

For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below!

Joshua 2:11

The spies agreed to her request, giving her three conditions:

  • 1) She must distinguish her house from the others by hanging a scarlet rope out of the window so the Israelites would know which home to spare.
  • 2) Her family must be inside the house during the battle; and
  • 3) She must not later turn on the spies.

Rahab agreed to the conditions and sent them safely on their way, and then tied the scarlet cord in the window, a signal of their commitment to her and visible expression of her faith in God

Safely escaping the city, the two spies returned to Joshua and reported that the “whole land was melting with fear.” The Israelites crossed the Jordan into Canaan where they laid siege to the city of Jericho. The city was completely destroyed, and every man, woman, and child in it was killed. Only Rahab and her family were spared. Ultimately, Rahab married Salmon, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. Her son was Boaz, the husband of Ruth. Joseph, the legal father of Jesus, is her direct descendant.

Gotquestions.org

I love that Scripture gives us details about what happened after the spies escaped. I love that it includes the details of Rahab and her family being spared, and I marvel at how we see that she was saved for a purpose – and what a purpose it was! Rahab was not only spared from certain death but also escaped to safety and married Salmon. Salmon was from the tribe of Judah, whose wife, Tamar, gave birth to Boaz, who grew up to marry Ruth, who gave birth to Obed, who became the father of Jesse, the father of King David, whose royal dynasty leads directly to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad. Psalm 126:3

The More We Know

The cord was not merely a passive marker but a visible expression of Rahab’s faith in God.

Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute from Jericho who, due to her faith, protected two Israelite spies and became a significant figure in the Bible. Often cited as one of the first Gentile converts to worship the God of Israel, she is part of the lineage of Jesus Christ, demonstrating God’s grace to outsiders. (gotquestions.org)


Salmon, the father of Boaz is a significant figure in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as outlined in the Gospels. He is traditionally believed to have been one of the Israelite spies who married Rahab, the Canaanite woman from Jericho who protected the spies (Joshua 2). This union is a powerful example of God’s grace and the inclusion of Gentiles into the covenant community. Salmon’s marriage to Rahab also highlights the theme of redemption and transformation, as Rahab’s faith led to her becoming part of the lineage of the Messiah. This connection to Rahab is a testament to God’s ability to use unexpected people and circumstances to fulfill His divine purposes.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

The Widow with Two Mites

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, Volume 2/pp89-90

Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4

While there is much we can learn from the story of the widow and her two mites, two things stood out to me the most. First, as gotquestions.org points out, “God sees what man overlooks. The big gifts in the temple were surely noticed by people; that’s probably what the disciples were watching. But Jesus saw what no one else did: He saw the humble gift of a poor widow. This was the gift that Jesus thought worthy of comment; this was the gift that the disciples needed to be aware of. The other gifts in the treasury that day made a lot of noise as they jingled into the receptacles, but the widow’s mites were heard in heaven.”

God sees what man overlooks.

Got questions.org

The widow mentioned by Mark and Luke is used by Christ to teach the disciples the difference of giving from your wealth and giving from your poverty. In other words there is more value in giving two small coins when you have nothing left to give and giving “large sums” with an abundance left over. Borrowing again from gotquestions.org, “The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.

“Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service.”

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬‬

 “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43–44; cf. Luke 21:1–4).

The widow with two mites serves as an example of how any sacrifice for Christ does not go unnoticed by Him.

She, Volume 2//90

Friends, let’s ask Jesus to help us see as He sees and to make much of even the smallest things done for or given in His name. May our gifts and works for God be ones of faith and sacrifice, rather than those born of duty or seeking notice.

Reflection and Application

  • What has the widow taught you?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

Sapphira

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Adapted from: She, Volume 2/pp77-78

Read: Acts 5:1-11

While Sapphira is one of the lesser-known women of the Bible, she is most definitely one that we should acquaint ourselves with, so that we do not fall into the same trap of sin. But, exactly what was the sin?

Sapphira serves as an example of how dangerous it is for us to portray to be something we are not.

She, Volume 2/p78

 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. 2 He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? 4 Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!”

5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. 6 So the young men came, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?” Sapphira said, “Yes, that much.” 9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things.

Acts 5:1-11

She and her husband deceived people by agreeing together to surrender a part as if they had surrendered all.

She, Volume 2/p66

Friends, to understand the outcome of this story, it is important to look at all the details. Here’s what we know from the immediate passage: Saphira and her husband owned property and were free to do with it as they pleased. Together, as a couple, they decided to sell a portion of their property, and then they gave some of the money to the church. It’s a nice gesture, but from Peter’s conversation with them, the problem seems to be that, somewhere along the way, they indicated they had given the church all the money. As Peter points out, the property was theirs to do with as they wanted, and the same was true of the money they made from selling it. So the problem (aka ~ the sin) is not that they kept some of the proceeds for themselves, the grievous sin was that they “lied to God”. The following details from Bibleref.com shed a little more clarity on the situation and outcome.

Ananias and Sapphira sold some land and, apparently, promised God they would donate all the proceeds to the church. Before they gave the money to the apostles, they either changed their minds and kept some, or never really intended to give all of it. Rather than being honest, the pair seems to have chosen to lie about their generosity. Ananias brought the money earlier in the day, but because of his dishonesty, God struck him dead. Sapphira has now appeared and knows nothing of Ananias’ death (Acts 5:1–6).

Peter uses a technique God has used throughout history, starting with Adam and Eve. When God came to the garden after Adam and Eve ate the fruit, He called out, “Where are you?” He didn’t ask this because He didn’t know where they were. He was giving them an opportunity to engage in conversation (Genesis 3:9). He wanted them to admit what they had done so He could restore some of their relationship. God also asks questions when He wants to direct the course of the conversation. He used this tactic with Moses (Exodus 4:2), and Jesus used it with the woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:30).

God condemned Ananias with death for his lie. Sapphira still has a chance to tell the truth. Peter invites her to do so by directing the conversation. She doesn’t have to follow her husband into sin—Abigail didn’t (1 Samuel 25). Unfortunately, Sapphira is as deceitful as Ananias. She repeats the lie, and God judges her for it.

Bibleref.com

Some stories in the Bible are not easy to hear, and the lessons that come with them are often even more difficult. This is definitely not a feel-good story/lesson, but we would be wise to not brush it aside but rather to learn from what Peter says to them and the serious consequences that followed. Remember, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness…” We would also be wise to remember Paul’s warnings to not only submit ourselves to God but to resist the devil. If we do not, we will find ourselves entertaining the temptations of the great deceiver, leading us to make choices that will not only hurt us but also the Church and the people around us. This is best explained by gotquestions.org.

The case of Ananias and Sapphira illustrates the fact that even believers can be led into bold, flagrant sin. It was Satan that had filled their hearts to lie in this way (Acts 5:3) and “to test the Spirit of the Lord” (verse 9). Covetousness, hypocrisy, and a desire for the praise of men all played a part in their demise.

The sudden, dramatic deaths of Ananias and Sapphira served to purify and warn the church. “Great fear seized the whole church” (Acts 5:11). Right away, in the church’s infancy, God made it plain that hypocrisy and dissimulation were not going to be tolerated, and His judgment of Ananias and Sapphira helped guard the church against future pretense. God laid the bodies of Ananias and Sapphira in the path of every hypocrite who would seek to enter the church.

Click the link for the full and excellent commentary

The More We Know

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Wisdom

How We Live …

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Read: Esther 2:1-4 and SOAP: Ephesians 5:15

Therefore, consider carefully how you live – not as unwise but as wise – Ephesians 5:15

Read: Esther 2:1-4 and SOAP: Ephesians 5:15

“For Such A Time As This,” as we will see throughout our journey, applies to Esther in her day and—as we have seen this week—we can learn much from the truths that surround her story. Of course, not in the sense that we live in palaces filled with riches to display or have week-long ‘banquets’ celebrating our wealth and power—but surely we live in a world filled with distractions of other varieties, wrong responses, demanding our own way, and the temptation to follow the world’s ways rather than God’s. Which is why today’s SOAP passage points us to the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:15.

We must carefully consider how we live. Specifically, we are to live as wise and not unwise. This lesson is important and one that will play out throughout the rest of our journey. The question is, how do we do live as wise and not unwise? Today’s journal entry1 has a wonderful answer … May we take it to heart and daily seek God’s help to walk wisely in such a time as this.

  1. LGG Journal, For Such A ime As This, p57 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues, Quiet Time

Choosing The Jesus Way

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Based on the LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues,/w3d2

Read: MICAH 3:9-12; 4:1-5 and 4:10-12
Bad morals corrupt good character

Today’s journey through Micah reveals an unflattering picture of God’s people and disturbing news of what was to come. Israel’s leaders had forgotten the God whom they were committed to serve. Micah writes that they hated justice and perverted all that was right. They were building Zion through bloody crimes and Jerusalem through unjust violence. Legal cases were decided on bribes that the leaders received, even the priests proclaimed rulings for profit, and the prophets read omens for pay. As if this corruption was not bad enough, despite the fact that devastation and destruction were already wreaking havoc within the nation, the leaders continued to claim to trust the LORD and were telling the people, “The LORD is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”

What About You?

We, too, face a similar choice. In a world that says that serving self and doing what seems right to you is the most important, we must, as Joshua told the people in his day, decide whom we will serve. Will we serve self or God? Take a moment to think about your own heart. Are you willing to set aside your wants and desires to follow what God may be calling you to? Are you willing to put others first over getting something you want? Is your heart’s desire to make the name of Jesus known over building your platform or building your own renown? It’s a choice we all must make.

Our God Who Pursues/LGG Journal p99
The hope of Future Days

In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. 2 People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. 3 The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore 4 Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise! 5 Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.

Micah 4:1 -5

The Temple Mount/Mountain of the LORD’S House written about by Micah: A hill in the Old City of Jerusalem that has been venerated as a holy site for thousands of years, including in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The Jesus Way

Admittedly, serving oneself or garnering the applause or approval of others can be pretty enticing. Goodness knows I have succumbed to those choices more than I care to admit, but I can tell you it generally led to disappointment or heartache. Choosing the Jesus Way isn’t always the easiest, most desirable, or most comfortable way, but it is most certainly the best way, for it leads to immeasurable blessings and joys.

As I wrote that last sentence, A group of women I used to lead on Sunday mornings came to mind. The name of our group was JOY, which stood for Jesus … Others … You. Seems like a great acronym for our focus today. Jesus first, then others, and then yourself. Whether it is in serving or living out our day-to-day lives, or even in our prayer lives, pay our eyes to stay on Jesus, the One we chose to follow.

23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

Luke 9:23-24

But I say love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:44

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Mark 12:29-31
Prayer of Response

Father, do not let us be like the leaders of Israel, who forgot their commitment to serve You and Your call on their lives to serve the people. Help me to remember Jesus’ similar call to let go of my life and follow Him. It isn’t always easy, but You knew that, and You sent the Spirit to empower us to do all that You have called us to do. Holy Spirit, keep my focus Heavenward, guard me from the distractions of this world and the enticements of the flesh. May I be known for living a J.O.Y.-focused life: Keeping Jesus first in all things and serving and loving others before myself. In the name of Jesus – I pray and believe – Amen!

The More We Know
The Jesus Way Devotional
The Jesus Way Song