Faith

For Love of the King

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The King Separates

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:34-37 (KJV)

When we take up the cross of Christ to lay down our lives with Him, there will be a separation which takes us away from the fellowship of an ungodly family. Jesus is our chief joy; loved above all people and things of this world. Even your family’s rejection of your faith will not stop your love for Jesus. Because they reject your faith and Savior, they may even reject you, and some have been known to command their sons or daughters to leave the house.

The very faith that saves takes away any peaceful existence. There will now be no peace with the enemy of God who is Satan. There will be no peace with anyone who is opposed to Christ. There will be no peace with the old friends you used to party with. Many of them will turn their back on the follower of Jesus Christ. It is because there will be a definite change in your life. There will be no peace with sin. Once you were at peace with sin and at war with the Savior; but now you are at peace with God and His Son Jesus – your Lord and Savior – and a now at war with sin, satan, and death, and all who are opposed to Jesus Christ.

If you deny Jesus because the family rejects you is not the love which Jesus gave you, nor the love He requires. Your faith, your confession, your profession, and change of life will cause them to see Jesus Christ in you. The disciple of Jesus specializes in the love of Jesus and Jesus alone. There is no room for another.

Love your family in the Lord. Don’t give up on them. Pray for them to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Don’t waver in your faith in Him, no matter what their reaction to your faith is. Be strong.

By Faith, or By Flesh

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Faith or Flesh

“Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.” Genesis 16:1-3 (KJV)

There are so many times that we make decisions by what looks like the right thing, and goes against what God has said, then later we pay consequences for doing so. Abram was no different. He experienced famine in the land of promise (chapter 12), then left that promise for greener pastures in Egypt. The act of proceeding down to Egypt was an act of unbelief, and in their unbelief they had taken to themselves a servant girl who would later become a source of temptation to further unbelief.

Abram needs not be put on a pedestal for us to admire, receive encouragement from, and seen as an example of faith. He was, and Sarai was; they were simple people capable, and quite able of making mistakes. We all can easily indentify with them. We have been there. We have had our faith tested, and tested again. If you haven’t; you will. You may even leave your place of promise, but God will bring you back to it, just as He did Abram and Sarai.

As far as Sarai was concerned things looked hopeless. They had no children, and it did not look as though God was going to do anything about it. Abram was now eighty five years of age – they had “dwelt ten years in the land…”. Sarai was seventy five; how could they have a son and fulfill the promise of God?

Waiting, waiting, waiting… It is such a grueling task. If you have not noticed recently, though; the Bible mentions, “Wait on the Lord…” so many times it should cause us to “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:7). Far too many times I want to rush in, to solve the issue, the problem, and far too many times the flesh is involved, and receives fleshly results. Isaiah 40:31 says, “They that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength…”

In our churches and evangelical groups we have people rushing around trying to accomplish the mission of God in our society. They use every imaginable thing they can think of to draw crowds. Some have used strong men, breaking and bending objects, to the cheers of the crowd. Some have used motor cycle races, and jumping. All of this in the name of Jesus to “Win souls”. Did Jesus ever call us to draw a crowd? I admire the attempt to win souls. We long for the salvation of the lost soul, but it cannot be done by fanfare. Each believer is commanded to be a witness. As we wait patiently on the Lord, He will bring people into our lives in which He intends us to be witnesses. Yes, send missionaries to the foreign fields, and our home fields, to establish churches for training ministers, ministers of reconciliation. We are witnesses in our life, our work place, our play place, our driving, our children, our worship life, on vacation, etc.. If every Christian would live the life of Christ which we are supposed to live, God would bring more people into our lives, and we would have better ears for listening to people and their problems, and better eyes for seeing troubled hearts and lives, and be waiting “patiently on the LORD” in life. Thus, more people coming to faith in Jesus.

We have a zeal for reaching the lost, but not a trust in the Lord to give the increase; so we do our own increasing. In doing that we have people who profess Christ, but do not live Christ like lives. We have young, and a few older preachers who have no backbone to stand against evil, but would and will rather compromise to win a crowd of people.

The time is short, yet we must “Wait on the Lord” to give the increase. Just like Abram and Sarai should have and could have “waited on God”, yet ended up in a lack of faith; so too, do we in rushing headlong in the flesh to accomplish spiritual goals, which only God can do.

God could not have been pleased with what Abram and Sarai did. In fact due to their short sighted act, they brought terror into the world. From them we should learn that acts of the flesh never achieve the purposes of God, but God in His sovereignty works all things out for and in His glory.

Now, do not get the idea that “Waiting on the LORD” means sitting idly by watching the leaves fall or the grass grow, and doing nothing. Hopefully, and believing it to be so; in all these years together Abram and Sarai were trying to have a son, in the way children are conceived, and born; and it was entirely in God’s plan and timing to give that son, as He had promised. Waiting on the Lord is simply going about your life as God directs and leads, trusting Him and Him alone to fulfill His promises. You keep yourself busy doing the work you are called to do, and doing it unto the Lord, with all your heart, glorifying His name.

It Will Surely Come

/ Tim A. / 1 Comment

IT WILL SURELY COME

Habakkuk 2:1-4

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:3 (KJV).

The verses of chapter one 12-17 are the comments of the prophet to the Lord. He seems to be recognizing God’s sovereign power, and that God can use the enemy to chastise and correct His children.

In chapter 2:1-4 the prophet is a watchman, but in this situation he is “watching” for an answer from the LORD. The prophet seems to be set on waiting for an answer. He is intent on getting an answer. The words “stand” and “set” imply that he will wait until an answer is given. Habakkuk is definitely exhibiting faith in God coming through with this act.

Strong’s word for “Set” Heb. 3320 yaw-tsab’ = ‘to place (anything so as to stay)’. Also the word “Stand” – Strong’s 5975 Aw-mad’ = to stand in various relations, abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish…. Standfast.”. Habakkuk was set to stand until he received an answer from God; as to how long it would be, when it would come to pass.

In verse two the LORD does answer and confirms His message to the prophet. Habakkuk receives the message to “Write the vision…”. The vision of judgment upon the nation of Israel to continue until God’s work is finished, and the vision of God’s judgment on the instruments of God’s judgment of His people.

He was to write it and make it “Plain…” so that it could be read easily and understood by all who passed by. The message of God’s Word should be made where a child can understand. Some preachers use such elevated vocabulary that they cannot be understood by even a college or university graduate. If you must use a word that is of questionable understanding explain its meaning.

God speaking to Hosea the prophet said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6). Could that be so today because, God’s Word is not presented by the preachers in an understandable vocabulary?

Verse three tells the prophet that the vision God has given has an appointed time. It may seem as though it is being delayed, but it has a time of its own – by God. When its time comes it will not delay. It will not ‘tarry’. When God’s time for carrying out His promises come; they will be fulfilled, and to the letter. There are many who because, the rapture of the Church, or the glorious appearing of our Savior has not occurred yet think it is not literal, or that it has already happened. It will happen – in God’s time (His appointed time), and it has not happened yet. It will, and will not tarry. This is just as a means of illustrating, but it does make the point – God’s Word will be fulfilled completely.

Verse four provides a word of ‘faith’. The one who is lifted up in pride in themselves is one who will not be edified in the LORD.

“The just shall live by his faith” and in Romans 1:17. One’s faith is God cast out and cast off all arrogance and pride which exalts itself against God. When pride is there; there is no faith. It is said that this is one verse which God used to open the eyes of Martin Luther, led him to faith in Jesus Christ, and delivered him from the bondage of the Roman religion.

When God’s Word is at work in your life your faith will grow, Jesus will be glorified, and you will be satisfied in Him.

When was the last time we stayed put, set or stood pat until we received an answer from God for something which troubled us? If it is something God wants us to know He will answer. God’s Word will be fulfilled just as He has said, and when it is time it will not tarry. It will move very quickly. IT WILL SURELY COME.

Pray Until Something Happens

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The following came by email sometime ago.  It may have been around for quite a while, but it is a good illustration of faithfulness to our Lord. There is no author given, so I will call her/him UNKNOWN.

PUSH

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to Push against the rock with all his might….
So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, Pushing with all his might!
Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)!
“You have been Pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn’t moved.” Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.
Satan said, “Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough.” That’s what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to The Lord.
“Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why
am I failing?” The Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to Push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to Push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to Push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my child, will move the rock.”
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He Wants, when actually what God wants is just Simple Obedience and Faith in Him. By all means, exercise The Faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God Who Moves The Mountains.
When everything seems to go wrong….just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down…..just P.U.S.H.
When people don’t do as you think they should…..just P.U.S.H.
When your money is “gone” and the bills are due…..just P.U.S.H
When people just don’t understand you…..just P.U.S.H.
P = Pray U = Until S = Something H = Happens

Thanks UNKNOWN for this great illustration.  We don’t know the reason for certain things in our lives.  Only God knows.  He has not called us to understand, but to be faithful.

LORD, How are YOU Going to Fulfill YOUR Promise?

/ Tim A. / 2 Comments

LORD, How are YOU Going to Fulfill YOUR Promise???

“And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:2-6 (KJV).

There is a new name for God which comes into the picture at this point. That name is “Lord GOD” or “Adonai YHWH”. The “YHWH” is where we get the word Yahweh or Jehovah. God introduced Himself as Jehovah previously in chapter two as LORD God or Jehovah Elohim. Jehovah is the personal name of God, and this name, as you will see by reading chapter two was during the time we learn of how God made Adam and Eve and names them. With His giving His personal name He gives personal names to His crown of creation. “Adonai” means = master, lord, or ruler. By using “Adonai Jehovah” Abraham is ascribing to the GOD he knows personally, as also being his Master, Lord, and Ruler.

This question is asked with faith. In other words, Abraham has believed the promises of God, and he is curious as to how the promise of an heir is going to come about. The man even offers God a way out. The “steward of my house is this Eliezer…”. “God, you have given me no heir, but there is a man who was born in my house. You could have him as my heir”. I see in this the element of faith. He knows God’s promise, and has not seen it happen yet, so he is concerned about God’s keeping His attributes in tack. It seems that the man would have kept on beliving the Lord GOD, even if he and Sarah adopted Eliezer as their own son. Abraham still had to learn that God says what He means, and means what He says. God will fulfill His Word just as He has spoken it.

God is not pleased when we try and dance around His promises. There are too many professing Christians today who try and do dances around the teaching of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and His death, burial and resurrection. They do dances around it by saying things such as we believe it, then we must keep it by our good works. They do dances around it by taking the glory, by their good works, that belongs only to our Lord and Savior. Then there are those who trample all over the Lord’s promise of grace. They trample upon it by giving license to sin. They would not dare call it that, though, they use a good Biblical term like “Christian liberty or freedom”. Since when does the Christian have license to sin? Never. Christian liberty is for the purpose of growing in Christ, loving Him, following Him, serving Him. Where we were once the servants of sin we are now the servants of righteousness – His righteousness.

“This shall not be thine heir”, God says to Abraham. Your heir will be your’s and Sarah’s own son. God had said it some time ago, but God’s promises never fail. It matters not for how long you wait. God will come through and just at the time that really counts. You and I cannot see the total picture, or the “Big Picture” which God sees. He sees the beginning and the ending. Think of it this way. You have watched the very end, the winning moment of a NASCAR race at Taledega Speedway. You watched that exciting moment while you were at a friends home, and you happened to come in, turned on the TV, and there it was. You had your own recorder on at home recording the whole event, now you see the end. Now you know the end. You can go home turn on your television and recorder/player tivo or what ever you use, and you see a whole lot different race than the one you saw, but you still know who is going to win. Well, God is even better than that. He not only knows the beginning and the end, but He also directs the events that goes on in between. He is involved, and committed to fulfilling His own Word. He will not allow one word to fail, or neglect to accomplish His purposes.

God took Abraham outside of the tent to behold the stars. This would be one of Abraham’s great events in His life. At least it would be to me; for God to speak to me and say, “Look now toward heaven…” that would really mean much to me. I am always looking at the stars in wonder, knowing that such a wonderful matchless, glorious Creator could place that within my eyesight, to behold its beauty, and to glorify His name. Could Abraham number the stars? Can you? Some Scientists have come up with a computer generated guess. I do not recall what that number is, but it is an enormous number. “…If thou be able to number them… so shall thy seed be”. An innumerable amount of people coming from the lineage of Abraham is the promise of God.

Abraham, then, we are told, “Believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness”. This is a tremendous declaration promise. Abraham has done nothing, but believe God, and God declares Abraham “Righteous”. The only way to the righteousness of God is by God declaring us so. He declares us so through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus paid the sin debt that was ours. His burial carried the guilt, the shame, and filth or sin far away, never to be seen again. The bodily resurrection is the evidence that Jesus was victorious on the cross in defeating sin, death, and the devil and his minions of hell. If you do not believe in the only means of atonement for your sin, there is no salvation.

Of What was Abram Afraid?

/ Tim A. / 2 Comments

Of What Was He Fearful???

“After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Genesis 15:1 (KJV).

There is a possible clue as to why Abraham was fearful. “After these things…” could be referring to, and most likely is referring to the events which have just transpired. He has fought a great battle, delivering his nephew Lot, Lot’s family, the people of the cities of the plain, and taken back their possessions. There could possibly have been some very angry family members of those defeated kings. Abraham may have been fearful of a reprisal from those sons, daughters, uncles, and cousins.

One of the things which seems to be prominent throughout Scriptures is that when a man of faith has won a victory in one thing, he is immediately prone to fall into fear following it. Take for example Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings, and his victory on Mount Carmel in chapter eighteen, then his fear in chapter nineteen. We have many things about Abraham which reminds us he was a human man, capable of sinning, capable of failing, and falling. We find him faithful through his whole life – faithful.

God, in a vision came to Abraham, speaking to him, calling his name, “Fear not, Abram…”. Does it not do your heart good to know that people of higher office or position knows you by name, and not in a disciplinary way. Well, here we have the God of creation, calling one of His creation by name. You know what? The day I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, He called me by name; and He called you by name; or is doing so right now. He knows you and He knows your heart. He knows your joys, fears, doubts, and unbelief.

Abraham had experienced great victory against the kings who captured Lot and the people of the cities. God seems to be reminding him of who it was that actually gave him the victory. It was not with swords, spears, or arrows; it was by the hand of God. Abraham was trusting the Lord as he went into the insurmountable numbers of enemy soldiers of the battle. He would not have entered into the battle without the great assurance of faith in the God who called him here.

The “Friend of God” had seen the power of the Shield of God which protected him and his servants who went and fought beside him. Rather than taking the bounty of the war he refused it; trusting the Lord instead to provide his exceeding great reward, and in fact be Abraham’s exceeding great reward.

Growing Up…Faith

/ T. A. Blankenship / Leave a comment

Growing Up in the Faith

“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Genesis 13:5-9 (KJV).

After their return to the Promised Land from Egypt the LORD blessed Abram and Lot in their herds. The place where they lived had become quite crowded with the livestock. Both have been extremely blessed materially. Their herdmen were at strife with one another due to the close quarters. Part of the crowd was also local natives.

Living by faith or having a maturing or growing faith does not mean one does not sin. It does mean continuing on the journey despite our sins, and at times yielding our rights to others and letting them choose their course in life, even at our expense.

The one who was growing in faith toward maturity gave first choice to the weaker of faith. Remember God’s promise of the land was to Abram, not Lot. Abram gave Lot the first choice in order to cease the strife which was brewing between them and their herdmen. The land was Abram’s by God’s promise, but he chose to go which ever way Lot did not.

We will see in a later chapter of Genesis what is emphasized throughout all of the Scriptures; “Abraham believed God” (15:6; Hebrews 11:8-10). Believing God is more than believing in God. The former is an abiding trust and dependence upon; the latter is only a knowledge of existence. You know that airplane to exist, but there is no trust extended to it until you get on board and fly away. To believe God is to get on board. Abraham’s faith was so extensive that he believed if Lot chose the most fertile land, then the land he himself would receive would be blessed by God. He believed it better to be in the desert with God, than in the fertile lands without Him. That is a Growing Up…Faith.

Getting Back to the Promise

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Getting Out of the World

“And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.” Genesis 13:1-4 (KJV)

Abram and Sarai and Lot came up out of Egypt; the picture of the world, and all its wealth; for that was not the place of God’s call or blessing or presence. Abram had left that when a famine had come into the land. He had deserted the altar, his dwelling, and had sought after comfort. On the way to Egypt he and Sarai had plotted and schemed together of how to save Abram’s life; at the risk of the Promise.

Egypt was not the place where God had called Abram to abide. That was back at the place where there was a famine. There are some who would question the sanity of a person who would stay in those troublesome circumstances. However, if we look at the life and ministry of Jesus His whole life was lived for a vital and important climax – His death. he could have left Israel (the land of promise) and remained alive. Jesus knew, however, that He would not be fulfilling the will of His Father. In order to live, we must die.

Abram came out of Egypt a wealthier man. Verse 2 declares “…In cattle, in silver, and in gold”. We should in no wise take this to be a reward for going to Egypt. Instead it became a test and temptation of its own. We can see that Abram was a blessed man. God’s hand was on him, guiding, protecting, providing, and blessing him; even when he was out of place.

After being virtually run out of the country by Pharoah of Egypt he returns to his proper place of residence; the promise still in place. He went back to where he had his tent in the Promised Land. Abram also went back to the altar. There, once again, he “…called on the name of the LORD”. In Egypt he had no altar. When God’s children get out of God’s promise they will have no altar, no worship of God, and no peace with God.

Of Faith and Famine

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Of Faith and Famine

“And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.” Genesis 12:10-20 (KJV)

Adverse circumstances hits all of humankind. Christian, non-christian; it makes no difference, and anyone who believes otherwise is deceived, naive, lying, and/or deceiving others. Abram the father of our faith experienced adverse circumstances, made wrong choices, sinned against God; yet was forgiven, and most of what we remember of him is his faith and faithfulness. He is truly an inspiration to our faith

Abram had come to the promised land through his new found faith, and he had much growing yet to do. That could take us back to the Warren Wiersbe quote concerning “…If your feet are going your faith is growing”. Abram, the man of God, found himself in a bit of dilemma. God had called him to this promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now there is a famine in the land. He must have heard that Egypt had it pretty good still; green grass for the sheep and cattle; plenty of food and water to eat and drink. It looks like the best time to consider your comfort in life.

He decides to leave the land of promise. This is a famine of testing. He departs from his trust in the LORD, and goes down to Egypt. He now enters a time of fear, and begins scheming and plotting with his wife Sarai. When he got away from the place of promise he became fearful for his life, and forsook the promise that God had given he and Sarai. Because of this lapse of faith the scheming and plotting is not to protect the promise, but to protect Abram’s life. It is not to protect Sarai’s life and purity, but Abram. That is the path of departure from the promise of God.

As we look at this event in Abram’s life we see that when he went into Egypt he built no altar to the LORD, nor are we told that he “pitched his tent”. At least his heart did not grow fond of the land of Egypt. His altars were still back in the land of promise. It was the LORD who was protecting the promise. It was the LORD who “plagued Pharoah and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife”. It was the Almighty who made the Pharoah aware of the deceit of Abram. There could have been shame brought into the house of Abram, but God protected him. There could have been a sin of impurity committed, but God protected Sarai from that, thus preserving the promise.

Does any of this relate to the Christian life? Most definitely. We too, have been called to leave the land of our sin and the worship of false gods. We too, have been called to a Promised Land of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; a place of new beginning and new life and promise. We are never called by God to leave this place of promise. No matter what adverse circumstances may come our way in faith or in famine we are to stay and grow and believe, and trust the LORD and His provisions through it all. Do we ever leave the place of promise? I am afraid that I have more than once. When I have God has always brought me back to where I departed from to make things right once again. When we are out of His promise we become fearful, and we too will begin plotting and scheming to achieve our own ends rather than God’s. In Egypt we see a picture of the world and its system of doing things. Their way is against the way of God. The way of Egypt is actually attempting to overthrow God and His way. Our attempts of scheming and plotting can only bring harm to relationships that have been formed through our deceit.

Here are the things Abram should not have done: 1) He left the land of promise; 2) He went to Egypt (a picture of the world and its ways); 3) He lies, leads his wife to lie and deceive; 4) In Egypt he has no testimony for God, except how God preserved the promise. Let’s look at what God does: 1) He let Abram go; 2) He protects Sarai’s purity and the messianic lineage – the Promise; 3) God enriches Abram materially; 4) God brings Abram back to the place of Promise.  Fearful thinking is one sign we have left the place of God’s promise.

When the Christian leaves the place of Promise it is because God does not put us in chains to keep us from wrong choices; we too get into worldliness, rebellion, and sin; but God has a wonderful grace in protecting us; protecting the Promise of eternal life in Christ. The riches we receive from the world can be deceptive, delusional, and powerless. Depite the fact that we leave, God is faithful to bring us back to the place where we departed from Him. The LORD Almighty has a way of keeping that Promise and will not let it escape Himself or us.

When, as a Christian, your are faced with famine – adverse circumstances – stay in the place of promise. Never leave it. Never forsake it. Rest assured, that if you have; God is faithful and you will return.