Tag: trust

Wooden sign with text 'God our Father Provider' amid vibrant garden flowers and three small birds.
Posted in From the Insideout, Bible study, Devotion, Journey Through The Word, Love

Trusting God’s Provision

Posted on by MaryEllen

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, o you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:30-33

As we’ve learned/seen on our journey through Matthew 6:25-29 this week, Jesus’s early followers either had real concerns about food and clothing, or He was preparing them for a time when these concerns would become real. Whatever the situation, Jesus uses the well-fed birds of the air and the beautifully clothed flowers to illustrate and assure them that their Father will provide for them in every need. No area of their life is beyond His care.”1 The point – at least in large part – is that Jesus doesn’t want them to be anxious about where their needs will come from. He wants them to trust that God will provide for them even more than he does for the birds and flowers. He impresses on them that God’s love for them is greater than what He feels for the birds and flowers.

Hear the Words of Jesus again:

25That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,  29yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Matthew 6:25-30

Friend, “If you feel anxious, ask yourself what you’re chasing. If you’re chasing temporary things, you’ll always crave more. And your anxiety will increase as you watch life slip through your fingers. Jesus tells His followers to prioritize things of eternal value because God will handle the big deals and the details. He wants to set their hearts at peace by reminding them that God can be trusted.2

I love that Jesus used things we see or hear every day. A strategic picture lesson that, no doubt, will be a daily reminder to trust that God, our Father, is our good and faithful provider. It is also an illustration that we can easily use to share this character of God with others around us.

The More We Know

Finally, Jesus speaks to those with little or no money. He tells them not to live in anxiety over the basic needs of life, even if they don’t know how they will pay for food and clothing. God the Father feeds the birds and clothes the lilies, and His people are far more valuable than that. Worry accomplishes nothing. Believers should make it the point of life to pursue God’s kingdom and His righteousness. We can concern ourselves with that, trusting Him to provide all we truly need. Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow. Trust God for today’s troubles (Matthew 6:25–34).3

Reflection and Application

Friends, how have you seen God’s provision? Have the birds or the flowers ever reminded you of God’s love and provision?

  1. Adapted in part from The God Shot, p 21 ↩︎
  2. The God Shot, p 21 ↩︎
  3. Bibleref.com ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Overcoming Anxiety About Material Needs

Posted on by MaryEllen

Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 6:28-29

As a child, to my remembrance, I didn’t want for anything. We had food and clothing, a comfortable and safe home. My dad worked as an inspector at a local plant, and my mother was home with us before we started school. At some point after that, she began working as a receptionist in the local doctor’s office. She had various other jobs after Doc Sadler retired. Most of my growing-up years, there was only one car; if my dad drove to work, we did without the car during the day, but our small town was equipped with a grocery store, a bank, a pool, our schools, and friends and family all within walking distance. Our clothes were from thrift stores, rummage sales, the local Sears department store, and occasionally from one of the nicer/bigger downtown stores, particularly on dollar day. I didn’t know it at the time, but they scrimped and saved and took advantage of layaway plans, and life was always good. I truly do not recall ever having thought that the grass was greener on either side of the fence. However, I’m sure after growing up and hearing the stories of how they scrimped and saved, life wasn’t as easy or rosy for my mom and dad as it was for me.

Today’s snapshot of God’s character is still zoomed in on Him being a God of peace. Just as my mom and dad provided in ways that never left me wondering if we would have food, a place to live, or clothes on our backs, our God does the same. He’s never left me wondering, even when money’s been tight, or I didn’t know how repairs would get done, or I would manage on my own when my husband left – God always provided, always sent help, always made a way. He is a good and loving provider and a loving Father who has also taught me not to put too much emphasis and/or focus on having to have all the latest and greatest clothes, shoes, and purses. The lessons haven’t always been easy or comfortable, but they have been valuable and even life-altering.

Friend, let me close with this encouraging quote from The God Shot:

God is your provider. He knows all your needs. He is attentive to them. That means you have enough for this moment. And the next. And the next.

God Shots, p 17

Reflection and Application

Are there times/places where you’ve forgotten that He is a trustworthy provider? Thank Him for meeting your needs in the past. Ask Him to meet your needs in the present. Trust Him to meet your needs in the future. Rest in the peace of His provision. He’s where the joy is! (p 17, God Shots)

Ask yourself, do you see God as your provider, as an all-sufficient provider? Or do you feel like He leaves you wanting and needing to strive harder to have more or keep up with others around you? ~ Let’s face it, in this world of excess and pleasure, it is difficult not to get caught up in the desires of the culture and ‘keeping up with the Joneses’; my prayer is that I/we will remember to not focus on what we have or don’t have or what the people beside us have, or being the trendiest. Instead, may our focus be on God, our provider, and what’s important to Him, which is to reflect Jesus to the world around us.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 4

Rebekah, Part 1 – God’s Choice

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from the study, She, delighting in the examples of women of the Bible, volume 4/pp51-52

Today’s Scripture Reading: Genesis 24: 1-21

The day and time were different in the days of Abraham. Parents often, if not typically, chose not only who their child would marry, but purposefully arranged for them to marry within the same family line.1 This is where our journey through Rebekah’s story opens. Abraham, described as a “very old man” now, is making arrangements with his oldest servant, Eliezar, who was in charge of his household, to make arrangements for Isaac to marry a relative from their homeland2 and not a Canaanite woman.

Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2 One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, ‘Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. 3 Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. 4 Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’ Genesis 24:1-4

Eliezar has a few questions, but in the end, he promises to do as Abraham has requested. Abraham assures him that God will send an angel to help him. Scripture says that the servant went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water. So he stops to pray a very specific prayer, saying:

O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,’ he prayed. ‘Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. 13 See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. 14 This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ — let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.’ Genesis 24:12-14

Have you ever prayed for God to show you something in such a specific way? While our journey’s focus is on Rebekah and not Abraham or Eliezar, I can’t help but stop and focus just briefly on this prayer of Eliezar. It is a prayer that God has used through the years to teach me how to pray specifically. It is also a vivid reminder that God’s gift of prayer is an opportunity for us to talk to Him, not just thanking Him for things He has already done (though that is important), but casting our cares on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and yes, asking Him for things we need.

Specific prayers build a more personal relationship with God and enrich our prayer life with trust, confident boldness, and joy. ~Me, from the inside-out

Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. ~Genesis 24:15

Rebekah serves as an example that the LORD has a purpose appointed just for us💜

She, Volume 4, p52

Don’t you just love it? Before the servant had finished praying, a daughter from the tribe of Abraham was coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. Whether there were others there at the same time is not clear, but we do know that Rebekah is the one he saw and that she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up again. When she did, he ran to meet her, saying: “Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.”

Little did Rebekah know it, but with the water jug on her shoulder (most likely, like every other day), she was prepared for what God had planned for her today. Her life was about to change as God was answering the specific prayer of Abraham’s servant for the provision of a wife for Isaac and clear direction as to who that should be.

She was prepared for what God had planned for her.

She, Volume 4, p51

Tomorrow’s journey will reveal more details on God’s answer to Eliezar, the beauty and benefit of praying specifically, and Rebekah’s response to what Eliezar was seeking. Today, let’s rest in the beauty and comfort that come from knowing that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, but also a desire to make His way known to us. May we learn from Eliezar to pray specifically and watch for God to answer.

The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.I will advise you and watch over you.

Psalm 32:8

Reflection and Application

How has God directed you before?

The More We Know

  1. Marriage within the same family line ↩︎
  2. The homeland of Abraham ↩︎

Person standing beside signpost on dirt road in desert at sunset
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, She, Volume 4

Sarah’s Visit from the LORD

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, Volume 4/pp69-70

Today’s Scripture: Genesis 18 and 21:1-3; Isaiah 64:4; Psalm 56:3

For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! Isaiah 64:4 NLT

Genesis 18 is filled with details that are helpful, if not necessary, for understanding and truly appreciating this part of Sarah’s story and the blessing that she and Abraham experience.

Bibleref.com sums the first portion up like this: “The events of Genesis 18 take place not long after God’s visit with Abraham in chapter 17. However, this visit from the Lord is quite different. It’s not clear, at first, if Abraham even recognizes the three men who appear outside of his tent as the Lord and two angels in human form. In either case, Abraham runs to show them deep respect and hospitality. He tells Sarah to bake them bread and has a young calf slaughtered for them to eat as they rest in the heat of the day.

Once the meal is over, the Lord fully reveals Himself, in a conversation He conducts with Sarah through Abraham while she remains hidden and listening in the tent. First, the Lord asks where Sarah is and then reveals to her what He had said to Abraham in the previous chapter: by this time a year from now, she will have a son.“

“by this time a year from now Sarah will have a son.“

Genesis 18:10

Part of the story hasn’t changed, Sarah is still barren and advanced in age…but now she knows her waiting is about to come to an end. As we read in Genesis 21:1, the Lord keeps His promise – regardless of how difficult a thing may seem in human eyes or understanding – nothing is too difficult for our God! We are not told exactly how the promise comes about – only that “the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did unto Sara as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac” (Genesis 21:1-3).

How would you say you wait? Patiently…Impatiently…Excitedly…Nervously…Doubtfully…? I would venture to say that for most – if not all of us, it depends on what we’re waiting for. My four-year-old grandson is working on waiting patiently to have our attention if we are already talking to someone else. Sometimes he waits really well, but if what he wants to say is super exciting or important, the wait becomes nearly impossible for him. Sometimes I wait well, but waiting on a doctor’s report or a job position may turn into waiting nervously, waiting on my smoothie at McDonald’s when I’m running late for work may stir up the impatient side of me, and the eight years of waiting on a baby ran the gamut from waiting patiently to impatiently to excitedly and nervously and eventually doubtfully. The fact of the matter is, waiting is generally not easy, so when you’re talking 25 years of waiting, which is approximately the amount of time that Sarah and Abraham waited on the promise God had made concerning Sarah having a child, specifically a male child who would be the first seed of the great nation God had told Abraham he would one day father.

As we have seen through our journey with Sarah, it wasn’t an easy wait for her, and subsequently not an easy wait for Abraham either. However, “the longer she waited, the more of a miracle her situation became.” Why? Because the older she and Abraham became, the possibility of conceiving and giving birth, humanly speaking, diminished. Sarah understood this, which is why she laughed at the very thought of it being true – it is also why God’s rebuttal to her laughter was a question: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14). It was a pointed reminder then and remains so today, that nothing, absolutely nothing, can limit or hold back the power of God.

“Waiting sometimes causes us to fear the unknown. However, there is no need to fear when we trust in Him.”

She, study guide, volume 4, p70

Friends, I don’t know if waiting ever becomes easy. However, I have found that the more life has required me to wait, the more God has strengthened/deepened my roots of faith. Waiting teaches us to depend on God, to look to Him for help when we grow weary and/impatient, to confess our weariness and trust Him even in the midst of humanly impossible situations that raise shadows of doubts. … Yes, as today’s journal entry states: “Waiting sometimes causes us to fear the unknown. However, there is no need to fear when we trust in Him.1“

The More We Know

The Wait for Isaac

Genesis 12 begins the story of Abraham (then called Abram) and his barren wife, Sarah. Verses 1 through 4 record God’s first words to him about a homeland for his offspring. Even though the gift of a son is not directly mentioned in this first communication, God hinted at His plan for Abram. Abraham was 75 years old when he first received the promise, and Genesis 21:5 tells us he was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Sarah was 90. So Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise.

In those 25 years between the time that Abram was promised a son and the birth of Isaac, Abram and Sarah had certain ideas of how they might facilitate the keeping of the promise. One was that Abraham’s steward, Eliezer, would become the heir of Abraham’s household (Genesis 15:2–3). Another idea was that Abraham could have an heir through a son conceived by Sarah’s slave, Hagar (Genesis 16:1–2). In both cases, God rejected those men as Abraham’s heirs, pointing Abraham and Sarah to a literal, miraculous fulfillment of the promise.2

  1. She, study guide, volume 4, p70 ↩︎
  2. Gotquestions.org ↩︎
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 Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study

He Kept His Eyes Up

Posted on by

Based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w2d5

Read: Genesis 37:9-11,23-24 and 50:15-21; SOAP: 50:20

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Genesis 50:20

“Joseph was saying, ‘You could have tried everything, but it would still not have worked because God is faithful.’”

LGG BLOG/FRIDAY, OCT 10, 20251

Joseph kept his eyes “up” – past the people and the circumstances of his life. This isn’t an easy task; it takes discipline, and Joseph had it. From his dreams to the pit his brothers left him in, being sold as a slave to Potiphar, falsely accused of attempted rape, imprisoned by Potiphar, forgotten by those in the king’s household who pledged to help him, and eventually reunited with the brothers who had left him for dead, Joseph kept his eyes on God, and it affected all that he did and said.

This isn’t to say that the betrayal by his brothers, the false accusations by Potiphar’s wife, being left in prison, or even seeing his brothers again was easy. Yet what he says here to his brothers…is a good indicator that he had seen God’s hand at work in his life all along the way.

Scripture tells us that Joseph excelled at his duties…became one of Potiphar’s most trusted servants…and was put in charge of his household. Even Potiphar could see that, whatever Joseph did, God looked favorably on him and he prospered in all that he did. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he fled from her, leaving his cloak behind, and was then accused of attempting to rape her, and he was put in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. It was actually his time in prison that allowed him the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and find favor in his eyes, which positioned him right where he needed to be to save his family when the famine hit.

Based on Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph predicted seven years of bountiful harvests followed by seven years of severe famine in Egypt and advised the king to begin storing grain in preparation for the coming dearth (Genesis 41:1–37). For his wisdom, Joseph was made a ruler in Egypt, second only to the king. Joseph was in charge of storing up food during the years of plenty and selling it to Egyptians and foreigners during the years of famine (Genesis 41:38–57). During these years of plenty Joseph had two sons—Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 41:50–52).

gotquestions.org

Of course, this is the abbreviated version of Joseph’s story, but I think most would agree that even in its abbreviated form, it is quite a testimony to the sovereign and intimate workings of God in Joseph’s life. Which is undoubtedly the reason Joseph was able to say to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.“

Oh, friends, may we keep our eyes on the Lord our God. May we not lose sight of what He has done and is doing in, for, and around us. May He be the one that we love and trust above all others, so that others see that it is God at work in our lives. May we keep our eyes up on the Him, so that neither the past nor the present nor the future shake us. Whether we are facing plenty or want, may our hope still burn through the dead of the night. May we keep our eyes on the One who has overcome the great enemy of this world, and may we never forget all the battles He’s won and that the work that He has finished cannot be undone. May we join the song of Heaven and sing: “Holy holy, holy is the Lord!

Keep Your Eyes Up

[Verse 1]
I look to You, not the left or the right
You are my vision, You are the prize
I’m grounded in love, my fear’s taking flight
And hope is still burning through the dead of the night

[Chorus]
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (
To the One that I love, the One that I trust, Jesus
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up

[Verse 2]
Your eyes full of fire, Your face like the sun
Your robe fills the temple from all the battles You’ve won
And there’s nothing to fear ’cause You’ve overcome
The work that You finished cannot be undone

[Chorus]
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Yes, I do, yeah)
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Oh, yeah)
To the One that I love, the One that I trust, Jesus
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up

[Bridge]
And when the whole Earth is shaking
Heaven keeps singing
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
And when the whole Earth is shaking
Oh, Heaven keeps singing
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
Yes, I will sing holy, holy, holy is the Lord

[Chorus]
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Yes, I do, yeah)
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Oh, yeah)
To the One that I love, the One that I trust, Jesus
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Yes, I do, yeah)
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up (Oh, yeah)
To the One that I love, to the One that I trust, Jesus
I keep my eyes up, I keep my eyes up

(Keep My Eyes Up/Ryan Ellis)2
The More We Know

Do you know the God of Joseph? Let me introduce you to Him~

https://mefromthensideout.wordpress.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

For more insight into today’s journey, be sure and read today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study

A New Beginning

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Based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w2d1

Read: Genesis 12:1-9; SOAP: verses 1 & 2

The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. 9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.

Genesis 12:1-9

Oh, how I love this passage of our journey. It’s easy to gloss over if you’re familiar with the Scriptures, but I encourage you to take the time to really read it and take in the beauty and specific details of God’s first-ever conversation with Abram (later named Abraham).

God’s first word to Abram was “go”. Yes, God called this man, whose father and his people worshiped false gods (Joshua 24:2) and whose former homes had been located in “the center of moon worship.” Some commentaries suggest that “Abram was pagan in every sense of the word”, and admittedly it seems logical given their surroundings and no mention of faith before this. However, as gotquestions.org points out, when God called to Abram, “Abram knew and recognized the call of Yahweh, the LORD.” God called him to leave everything and everyone he knew – to go to an undisclosed place that He would show him. Keep in mind that God was not simply moving Abram; He was sending him out of a pagan culture and away from his family. In doing this, God was saving Abram from influences that would have been at the very least a deterrent to the life God was calling him to – a life that called him to commit himself, his time, and his ways to God.

Along with the call to “go,” came a promise from God to make Abram into a great nation, to bless him and make his name great, and to make Abram, himself, a blessing. Not only would God bless Abram, but He also promises to bless those who bless Abram and to curse those who dishonor him. It is worth noting that the only notable condition to the call/promise is that Abram “goes”. “God’s promises here are not dependent on Abram’s actions, obedience, goodness, or worthiness. God simply says He will do these things to and through Abram. Period. Abram’s character is irrelevant to the purposes of God in this instance.1“

What would you have done? Would you stay put with your ‘people’ and their/your gods? Or, at seventy-five years of age, would you have packed up and left it all behind for the unknown destination, trusting a God that you neither know nor worship to lead you who knows where? If you know the story, then you know Abram trusted God and left it all behind. His response is a beautiful picture of walking by faith and not by sight – for he had no idea if anything God said would come to pass.

For we walk by faith not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7
Prayer of Response

Father, You know the whole store, from the beginning to forever, and as you promised Abram, when we choose to follow You, You will show us the way to go. Your Word will be a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path. The blood of Your Son has saved us, and Your Spirit empowers us to live as You have called us to live. Help us to listen for Your still small voice and to follow where You lead – even if You call us to something new, help us to faithfully and obediently follow You. – To Your Glory – Amen 💜

The More We Know

Abram may have been the first called to “go”, but many others came to mind as I was wrapping up today’s notes. While we will likely encounter many of these on our journey, I believe they are worth noting now. As they reveal how God’s plan is from beginning to end, a beautiful picture of His sovereignty, and how He always intended to use Abram and his family to carry out His will. Seeing and understanding God’s sovereignty and intentional involvement in our lives is another game-changer, as the reality of it strengthens and builds our faith.

  • Isaac … called to stay where he was and was blessed to have God reaffirm the covenant with him. (Genesis 26)
  • Jacob … sent out and called to go back (Genesis 27:43;28:13-15; and 31:3)
  • Moses … protected at birth, positioned, and called to “save his people”. (Ex 2-4)
  • Even Jesus … sent to be the Savior of the world (John 3:16)
  • The Disciples … called to leave all for the sake of Christ (Luke 9:23-24; 14:26-33; Acts 1:8; and Matthew 28:18-30)
  • All followers of Christ … called to go and spread the news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to make disciples, and baptize (Acts 1 8 and Matthew 28:18-30). We are also called to live and love like Jesus (John 13:34; Eph 4:32)

“Even when we can not see what is ahead, we know that God does, and He will direct us along the way.”

Love God Greatly/From Beginning to Forever/journal p69
The More We Know

For more insight in today’s journey, read today’s Love God Greatly blog

  1. Bibleref.com ↩︎

Do you know the God of Abram, Issac, and Jacob? I would love to introduce Him to you –

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Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study

The Ark of Grace

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based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w1d4

Read Genesis 6:11-14 and 17-22 or KJV; SOAP: Genesis 8:1

Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

14 “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.

“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 21 And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”

22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Genesis 6:11-14, 17-22 NLT

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.

Genesis 8:1 NLT (KJV)

I recently went with a friend to the “Sights and Sounds” production of Noah, so it is very fresh in my mind, making today’s portion of the journey a bit more 3-D in my mind’s eye. Watching it play out on the big screen certainly made me realize, at least in some small way, the depth of courage, faith, and work it must have taken for Noah and his family to actually live through the reality of it…not to mention the fear and agony of knowing the earth would be destroyed and all life with it. The unknown factors, such as whether the boat would truly keep them safe, and what would happen afterwards, not to mention the thought of being trapped on an enclosed vessel for that long, would have been added concerns, at least for me. Reading the story on the pages of Scripture has never been less than a marvel, but seeing it portrayed in the theater, was an impressive revelation to Noah’s complete trust in God, his commitment to this strange call of God, and his family’s commitment to work with him and follow Noah’s lead despite the unknowns.

While the theatrical production embellished the story for effect, the reality is we only know the short version of what God tells us in His Word, where we see God’s utter disappointment in humans and what they had become and what they had done to His once tranquil and beautiful creation. Adam and Eve’s sinful choice to trade life for death had indeed brought about death and destruction, except for Noah and his family, because Noah had found grace in the eyes of the Lord. As I poured these words out on the pages of my journal, I couldn’t help but thank God for the grace He has shown to me/us, through the righteousness of Christ alone, and the salvation extended to all who abide in Him.

In the show about Noah, there were a few scenes where he would warn others about what was coming. He pleaded with them to listen, so that they would not perish. Whether or not this is how it actually happened, in the years it took to build the ark, possibly 120 years, Noah certainly had the time to “preach righteousness1” Gotquestions.org points out an interesting and convicting truth, saying: “In addition to Noah’s proclamations to the unbelieving world of his day was his “wordless preaching.” In the very construction of the ark, Noah bore witness to righteousness. Every hammer blow, every pounding of a nail was a call to repentance and a declaration that judgment was coming.

May our hearts be burdened for those who are lost and in danger of perishing. May God find us faithfully sharing His message of love and gift of grace, and bearing witness to righteousness – so that no one will perish.2

Friends, as Noah’s family entered into the Ark, trusting God to save them, we must enter into a relationship with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. When we do this, we receive the promise of eternal life, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, enabling us to abide (live in) Christ. Because of this act of love and grace, when this earth is again destroyed,3 those who are found “in” Christ will be saved from the destruction to live with God for eternity. 4

The More We Know

Jesus called out the fact that Noah’s contemporaries ignored the message that would have saved them. At the same time, the Lord warned us of making the same mistake: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26–27).

The point of Peter referencing Noah and others like him in his second epistle is that, if God did not spare the ancient world who rejected Noah’s warnings, how much less can He be expected to spare those who dismiss His calls to repentance today?

Gotquestions.org

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

The Life-Changing Power of God’s Love

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Originally posted by ourdailyverse.com / Feb 11, 2025

What a beautiful truth to know that we can rely on the love God has for us. It is a gift to know that the God who created us and adopted us as His own – is Himself – LOVE and has invited us to abide in Him … click the devotional button for encouragement and inspiration about the life-changing power of God’s love.

Devotional
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Safe In God’s Hands

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Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

1 Peter 5:7

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

1 Peter 5:7

For further reading: Read 1 Peter Chapter 5

Sometimes, I hesitate to use or write about this verse, which has been a crutch and saving grace for almost fifty years of my life. I’ve shared it often as a testimony of how I came to know it when I was in my teens and the many ways He has used it in my life since that day in the little farmhouse in Texas. Yet, really, can God’s Word ever be shared too much? I don’t think so … plus it is the verse that came to mind when I watched the video that I am sharing with you today.

The video is a beautiful reminder of what a difference it makes to give all of our worries and cares to God. I have seen it time and time again in my own life. I’ve seen what happens when I try to handle the worries and cares on my own and what happens when I lay them at His feet or raise my hands in urgency and sometimes tears – saying, “Here, God – please take ‘this’ I can’t carry ‘it’ alone.” I’ve given Him everything from a daughter’s cancer to my sore knees. Yep, He even cares about sore knees and parking places – well, the truth of the matter is He cares for us, so if our concern is a parking place, then He has invited us to give that concern to Him. Before you laugh too hard or perhaps scoff at giving such a seemingly trivial concern to such a great and mighty God – let me share this brief story/example.

I have bad knees, and for the past year, I have been getting injections to help manage the pain. The doctor I see is in a building with limited “close” parking. There is plenty of parking, but you may have to walk a city block or two—or more, depending on the day and time. I learned very quickly to make it my mission to give God the concern – both for a parking place and/or strength to walk as far as I had to. Time after time, I saw a place open right as I pulled in or when I circled for the third time. There have also been days when I found nothing close and ended up in the three-story garage. Disappointed, yes? But not for long, because in spite of the pain, every time I had to walk further than was comfortable, I knew His strength or saw the greater need for another, whom He allowed me to encourage or the one I was able to share Him with along the pain-filled walk.

You see, it wasn’t that I prayed for a parking place; it was that I prayed. I talked to the One who cares for me and placed my care/needs in His hands and then watched to see what He was going to do.

It Depends On Whose Hands It is In! Watch the short Video here