Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis, Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
The Life We Now Live is Often A Reflection of the Thoughts We Have Thought, Are Now Thinking.
Yes! I know that statement sounds rather obvious.
But is it one for which we ever stop, take any quality time to think about?
Or does it seem to be too obvious that we take it far too much for granted?
Consider this …..
The Winds go whichever direction they go.
Why?
Who but a weatherman or an airplane pilot or a sailor or a ships captain ever really cares about the “whatever” directions of the speeds it blows or shifts.
The Winds are just “there” and we acknowledge them and move on without a second or third or fourth thought – shrug our shoulders and fly away to glory.
Unless, of course – you are about to be in the middle of a blizzard or a tornado or a hurricane and are about to have your whole life major league rearranged.
Like whitewater rapids rushing you downstream, your thoughts move your life in the direction of their strongest currents.
The thoughts you and I think, believe, hold onto, ruminate, obsess about and use to support your decisions determine your view of everything and everyone around you, up to and including yourself.
You and I probably don’t stop and think about the power your thoughts have over our lives—which only increases the power they have to determine your decisions and shape your actions, determine the shifting sands of our life.
Simply put, what you and I think determines what you and believe.
Every thought in our brain produces a neurochemical change in your mind.
And these thoughts shape your life.
Once our thoughts determine what you believe, these beliefs then determine how you and I behave.
In many ways, you become what you think about.
Therefore, the better you and I grasp the importance of our thoughts, the better equipped you and I will be to change our lives in powerful kingdom of God ways.
Drawing on what the Word of God tells us about the power of our thoughts as well as what we can learn from modern psychology, particularly an area called cognitive behavioral therapy, we have the ability to change lives for the better.
We can live according to the principles and promises God gives us and enjoy being all that he created us to be or live according to cultures shifting winds.
Otherwise, our thoughts will continue to sweep us away in dangerous currents of clever deception, wild misinformation, and lies from our enemy, the devil.
God told us this truth more than 1,500 years ago: “For as thinks in his heart, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7).
God knows better than we can ever know, what we focus on mentally affects every single aspect of our lives because He created us that way. Isaiah 55:7-9
But, still, God calls us out of our day to day thoughts, our day to day obsessions over ourselves, our families, our friends, our finances, our health situations.
God is always ever more aware of what it is our lives are being challenged by.
Despite whatever the magnitude of whatever it is we are challenged by, we are still summoned to go forth “in the midst of these things” to be God’s witnesses.
We are summoned away from the great winds of our thoughts which blow us about in every which direction, by our Baptism we are still “Sermons in Shoes.”
Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Jesus calls upon you, to spread the gospel news, (1) So walk it, and talk it, a sermon in shoes. (2) Live it, and give it, a sermon in shoes. (3) Teach it, and preach it, a sermon in shoes. (4) Know it, and show it, a sermon in shoes. (Ruth Harms Calkin)
Think of it, about and upon it and believe mightily upon it, “a sermon in shoes.”
Psalm 139:23-24English Standard Version
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts![a] 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting![b]
If you will recall, these very familiar verses, of the context of this psalm is David expressing his thoughts of his confidence that the Lord who knows all, and who thinks of, knows him intimately, can vindicate him in the midst of his accusers.
God knows that David is without blame–at least in terms of the accusations fired against him.
In these closing thoughts from, David is baring his soul, very willing to have the sum total of his very deepest, most intimate thoughts laid bare before the Lord.
Not only is he confident that such an examination will demonstrate that he is innocent of the crimes ascribed to him, but that he may also be made aware of any sinful thoughts which remain unacknowledged, that need to be dealt with.
In other words, David not only sought complete vindication before men, but also a complete sanctification, a complete healing of his soul before his God.
Verse 23 is not so much David granting the Lord permission to search his heart–the Lord hardly needs, nor asks, nor demands, for such permission.
He knows our hearts whether we want Him to or not.
Rather, David declares himself completely willing and utterly welcoming of such an indescribable magnitude of scrutiny by his Creator.
So sure is he of his innocence, that he knows the Lord will find nothing to hold against him with regard to the matter at hand.
We do not know exactly what this matter is, but David’s words challenge us: are we so sure of the truthfulness and sincerity of our words and the magnitude of our own “wildly windy” thoughts, we too would welcome the Lord’s examination of them?
As we have repeatedly noted, the Lord already knows our hearts, our motives, our worry and anxious thoughts and the honesty (or lack thereof) of our speech.
Is the thought of this something that makes us uncomfortable, or at peace?
If by our thoughts we feel at all uncomfortable, then maybe we are harboring additional thoughts and hidden, covert, and discrete motives we shouldn’t.
David’s “disquieting thoughts” are those thoughts which cause him to be troubled, or anxious.
Again, the challenge is whether we are at peace with our thought life.
Psalm 19:11-14The Message
11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
When the light of God’s truth is shone upon our lives, do we squirm and hide, become disquieted, or do we stand before our Savior Jesus with confidence?
Do we want to bare our thoughts, do we want our sin to be illuminated by our Heavenly Father, so He might lead us away from that path to the eternal path?
Or do we want to stay quiet, stay hidden within wild winds of culture, hide our sin away from everyone, and try to protect it from the Lord’s cleansing grace?
Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Jesus calls upon you, to spread the gospel news, (1) So walk it, and talk it, a sermon in shoes. (2) Live it, and give it, a sermon in shoes. (3) Teach it, and preach it, a sermon in shoes. (4) Know it, and show it, a sermon in shoes. (Ruth Harms Calkin)
Think of it, about and upon it and believe mightily upon it, “a sermon in shoes.”
As we make our resolutions before the Lord, we need to be seriously willing to let go of all that “barely” disquiets us–every sinful thought, desire, and motive.
Our chief desire is not only to have a blameless reputation before men, but more importantly, to have, to live, to walk, to talk, to teach and preach of a character whose #1 goal is that it glorifies God in its reflection of His goodness and purity.
This requires us exposing ourselves to His refining fire, allowing Him to search out the depths of our hearts and draw out of us the remaining sin in our lives.
It won’t be even minimally pleasant, but it’s necessary if we are to be sanctified and even minimally useful and minimally fruitful unto the Lord in His kingdom.
God does know us.
We cannot pretend we are something we are not with him.
He knows us — inside and out, through and through.
This should liberate us to share a remarkable degree of intimacy with him, but most of us will choose to run far from such a close relationship with our Father.
If our desire, however, is to become more like him, more Christ-like, the only certain way to be transformed is by “inviting” him in to look at our hearts, our motivations, our desires – take our prayerfully “fruit laden” resolutions to Him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
O Lord my God, you are my shield and my strength. Help me to trust you with my decisions and my future. Let me lean on you with all my heart instead of relying on my own understanding. Give me clear guidance in my life Lord. As I submit myself and the magnitude of my thoughts to you, I know that you will direct my paths and I can have confidence that your direction is always the best way to go. Lord, bless me and keep me, make your face shine upon me. Turn your face towards me and give me my just portion of thy everlasting peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
O God, I know you are the one who “searches hearts and minds.” for our disquieted and disquieting thoughts. Yet because of the grace you demonstrated in Jesus, I am confident that you love me and will cleanse me. My heart is sorry for the sin I have committed, but I am really trying to serve you in honor and purity. Please fill me with your Spirit to enable me to become more like Christ. In the name of Your Son I pray.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
15 “[a]I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. 4 Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. 5 [b]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
We are going to begin the New Year of 2023 by addressing the Resolutions I pray we made – the resolutions to Know God better, acknowledging our Savior more.
Maybe if God can catch us early enough in our zeal to plan out, think through, pray up, read up and study up, He can achieve a momentum in us to accomplish that which we said we covenanted to do – that others may know our Savior too.
Remember I wrote yesterday about the distinct possibility that we may be the only Gospel anybody reads or has any real chance of modeling their lives upon.
I also mentioned from our Baptism, of our being a “Sermon in Our Shoes.”
As a reminder, here are the Lyrics to that children’s song again ….
Again, when I was in Sunday School, I fondly remember singing one of my favorite choruses called, “A Sermon in Shoes.”
The lyrics went like this:
Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Jesus calls upon you, to spread the gospel news, (1) So walk it, and talk it, a sermon in shoes. (2) Live it, and give it, a sermon in shoes. (3) Teach it, and preach it, a sermon in shoes. (4) Know it, and show it, a sermon shoes. (Ruth Harms Calkin)
The song is a reminder that where ever a Christian walks, he or she is expected to share the Gospel news to others.
Whether it be by one’s actions, attitudes, or personal testimony, a Christian is always a sermon in shoes.
It goes along with something that American evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) once said:
“The preaching that this world desperately needs the most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with their Savior Jesus Christ.”
Indeed, it’s only fitting we are a sermon in shoes if we are walking with Jesus.
Several passages in the Bible refer to God’s people Israel as a vine planted by God – perhaps the most familiar words of reminder are those from Psalm 80.
Complete Jewish Bible Version ….
80 (0) For the leader. Set to “Lilies.” A testimony. A psalm of Asaf:
2 (1) Shepherd of Isra’el, listen! You who lead Yosef like a flock, you whose throne is on the k’ruvim, shine out! 3 (2) Before Efrayim, Binyamin and M’nasheh, rouse your power; and come to save us. 4 (3) God, restore us! Make your face shine, and we will be saved.
5 (4) Adonai, God of armies, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? 6 (5) You have fed them tears as their bread and made them drink tears in abundance. 7 (6) You make our neighbors fight over us, and our enemies mock us. 8 (7) God of armies, restore us! Make your face shine, and we will be saved.
9 (8) You brought a vine out of Egypt, you expelled the nations and planted it, 10 (9) you cleared a space for it; then it took root firmly and filled the land. 11 (10) The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches; 12 (11) It put out branches as far as the sea and shoots to the [Euphrates] River.
13 (12) Why did you break down [the vineyard’s] wall, so that all passing by can pluck [its fruit]? 14 (13) The boar from the forest tears it apart; wild creatures from the fields feed on it.
15 (14) God of armies, please come back! Look from heaven, see, and tend this vine! 16 (15) Protect what your right hand planted, the son you made strong for yourself. 17 (16) It is burned by fire, it is cut down; they perish at your frown of rebuke. 18 (17) Help the man at your right hand, the son of man you made strong for yourself.
19 (18) Then we won’t turn away from you — if you revive us, we will call on your name. 20 (19) Adonai, God of armies, restore us! Make your face shine, and we will be saved.
The overall idea is that, before Jesus came, Jehovah God took this rag tag group of chosen people and made a home for them where they could grow healthy and prosperous in a relationship with him.
But despite all that God did for his people, they failed to thrive.
Time after time, they wandered away from God in their sin.
They worshiped the gods of other nations.
They strayed from the path that God had placed them on.
Now, from John’s narrative we read Jesus is switching up the imagery about the vine saying that, ultimately, He has come as the true vine to give people the new opportunity to grow in a relationship with God, the way God always intended.
Practically speaking, the church has understood that this happens through spiritual disciplines, such as reading and studying Scripture and spending time in prayer, worship, confession, and fellowship an service within community.
And these things are never about scoring points with God or trying to make up for our sin.
Instead, they are all about staying connected to the vine so that we can thrive.
When we draw near to Jesus, we are supported, nourished, and sustained and able to bear for Him a high quality fruit in our day to day relationship with him.
Recognizing The Fruit God Produces In Us
Jesus compared genuine believers to branches that are grafted into Him so that they bear His good fruit.
He therefore warned that without Him, we can do nothing.
In fact, any branch that is not grafted in will be thrown into the fire to be burned.
The question becomes, what sort of fruit was Jesus referring to and how do we recognize if we are bearing His good fruit?
John 15:5-8 English Standard Version
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
The Fruit of God in our Lives
The Bible gives us a good indication of the type of fruit that God produces in us.
Good fruit of God’s light — a life that produces what is good, right, and true | Ephesians 5:8-9 ESV For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
Good fruit of obeying God’s commandment — love for another | John 15:12,16-17 ESV “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you… go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Good fruit of God’s wisdom — wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, impartial and sincere |James 3:17 ESV But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Good fruit of the Holy Spirit — the presence of the Holy Spirit who brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control | Galatians 5:22-23 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Good fruit of God’s discipline — holiness and righteousness that is peaceful and good | Hebrews 12:10-11 ESV For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Good fruit of knowing and conviction about God’s will — a life that is pleasing to God, filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding | Colossians 1:9-10 ESV … you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Good fruit of God’s righteousness — love, knowledge, and discernment that ensures our hearts remain pure and blameless before God |Philippians 1:9-11 ESV And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Good fruit of becoming “slaves” of God’s righteousness, set free from the bondage of sin — sanctification and eternal life | Romans 6:22 ESV But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
This good fruit is birthed from within us, through the Holy Spirit’s regeneration and renewal work in our hearts, minds, and souls.
Only God can make such fruit grow in us.
Titus 3:5-7 ESV he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
1 Corinthians 3:7 ESV So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
On our part, we need to maintain an honest and pure heart that abides in, or remains grafted to, Jesus so we continue to be nourished and protected.
Luke 8:15 ESV As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
Abiding in Jesus Christ
The act of grafting attaches a branch that has been carefully cut from a weak tree and fitted into a branch of another tree with strong, robust roots.
The grafted branch is held tightly in place for a period of time until it bonds with the tree and becomes one with it.
As it receives nourishment from its new roots and is pruned by an experienced gardener, it will bear an abundance of fruit, bursting with rich nutrients and flavor.
John 15:2 ESV … every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
The tree that receives the new grafted branch inevitably suffers momentary damage because it loses a healthy branch in order to receive the new one and shares its resources with it.
This is the act of abiding in Jesus — staying loyal to and holding on tightly to Him so that we are nourished by Him.
Jesus also paid a price for each one of us to be grafted in and He graciously shares His inheritance with us.
At the same time, He also corrects and shapes us to become more like Him.
Such pruning does not always feel pleasant but it always bears “the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:10-11 ESV … he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
This is a picture of us becoming one with Jesus in our hearts, so that we come to heavily desire what Jesus desires and that is to do our Heavenly Father’s will.
John 6:38,40 ESV For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Not all grafts, however, are successful.
The attempted union can be broken off or destroyed by bacteria or disease.
Un-diseased branches can sometimes be successfully re-attached if they remain tender, but calloused hardened branches can only be discarded.
Ephesians 4:18-19 ESV They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul gave us another picture of grafting.
He described Gentile (non-Jewish) believers as branches from a wild olive tree that now receive rich nourishment from God’s special olive tree.
Romans 11:17 NLT And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.
Paul warned us to not be complacent about abiding in Jesus because God can decide to break us off, if our hearts stop trusting and obeying Him.
We will slowly wither and die off, even if we were once alive in Him and bore some fruit in the past.
It is therefore important that we regularly resolve to check, re-check, if our graft into Jesus is still alive and well or is in any danger of coming apart.
Romans 11:20-22 NLT Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either… But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.
What Affects Our Graft into Jesus?
When our hearts are not fully grafted into Jesus’, we experience fruitlessness, immature fruit, and fruits for death.
This happens because we are still:
Satisfied only by our own desires | Jude 1:12,16 ESV … shepherds feeding only themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.
Caught up with the cares of this world |Luke 8:14-15 ESV And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
Seduced by worldly riches | Luke 8:14-15 ESV And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
Intoxicated with the pleasures of life | Luke 8:14-15 ESV And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
Led by sinful desires eg. revenge, hatred, judgment, condemnation etc. | Romans 7:5 ESV For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
These are the things which will inevitably cut us off, away from Savior Jesus.
Staying Grafted In ….
The good news is that we can ask God to search our hearts and convict us when we are in danger of diverging from His will and losing His nourishment.
This calls for tender humble hearts that are willing to re-bind to Jesus.
Psalm 139:23-24 ESV Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
God will always welcome us as we:
Luke 9:23-24English Standard Version
Take Up Your Cross and [DAILY] Follow Jesus
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Become more resolved in our daily walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus to ….
Repent of our sins | Matthew 3:8 ESV Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Turn away from a life defined by this world | John 12:24-25 ESV Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Grow in knowing and discerning God’s will for us | Philippians 1:9-11 ESV And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Seek to live out God’s Word with the right understanding | Matthew 13:23 ESV As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
God the Father is the perfect vinedresser and He will guide us continually, watering us when we feel dry and restoring our strength.
This is how we can recognize the Vine and Vine-Dresser, remain part of His well-watered, flourishing garden that bears numerous good and tasting fruits.
John 15:1 ESV “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Isaiah 58:1-11 ESV
True and False Fasting
58 “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. 3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,[a] and oppress all your workers. 4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed[b] go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Therefore, Oh Baptized Christian, in 2023, Let it Be it resolved ….
My God, My Savior, My Most Precious Holy Spirit ….
“Open mine eyes that I may see, visions of truth God hath for me ….”
“Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free….”
“Open mine eyes, Illumine me, Spirit Divine ….”
Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Jesus calls upon you, to spread the gospel news, (1) So walk it, and talk it, a sermon in shoes. (2) Live it, and give it, a sermon in shoes. (3) Teach it, and preach it, a sermon in shoes. (4) Know it, and show it, a sermon shoes. (Ruth Harms Calkin)
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of Grace, Creator of all life, plant us in the soil of your grace. Nurture us with the strength of Christ, the vine of everlasting life. Enlighten us with the wisdom of your Spirit, which flows through us today and all days. Abide in us, that we may abide in you and live in your love. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
9-10 Besides being wise himself, the Quester also taught others knowledge. He weighed, examined, and arranged many proverbs. The Quester did his best to find the right words and write the plain truth.
11 The words of the wise prod us to live well. They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd.
12-13 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this:
Fear God. Do what he tells you.
14 And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023 TO ONE, TO ALL!
Last year at this time, most of us were making promises to ourselves saying;
“This year, things are going to be different!
“I do not know what needs too change, but I’m definitely going to change it!”
I’m going to be a better spouse.
I’m going to be a better Parent or Grand Parent.
I’m going to spend more time with my family.
I’m going to be a better neighbor.
I’m going to spend more time reading my Bible.
More time loving God.
More time praying to God.
More time loving others besides myself.
More time serving others besides myself.
More money in my tithing.
This is the year I get my ducks in a row!”
Just by a simple show of hands, (remember we are operating on an honor system – God is watching!) who has stuck to their new years resolutions?
You know what they say about New Year’s resolutions?
They usually go in like a lion the new year and out like a lamb on the other!
Here is a link to a recent article of the most popular Resolutions for Year 2023:
How do your own personal 2023 resolutions stack up against the articles?
Surprised or Nor Surprised?
On your highest honor as a Baptized Christian ….
Remember – God is watching you and is right now definitely reading your soul!
A new year gives us an opportunity to start fresh and better ourselves.
Come the middle of January (or sooner) we somehow forget our resolutions and go marching straight as an arrow right back into our old barely flexible ways.
It is so easy to forget the commitments and resolutions we make at New Year’s.
This is quite literally the the very first day – the 1st Sunday of the New Year.
We’re going to begin by hitting the ground with both feet in perpetual motion.
January 1st of any year is a popular time for humanity to reset habits and goals.
It’s important for us to align our New Year’s resolutions with the Bible, but for us mommas, or you daddy’s we often use this as a time to think about all of the things we want to change about our self image, our parenting, our marriage.
We then take this list of our self-style discontents and make goals to fix them.
After all, that’s what New Year’s resolutions are all about – bettering ourselves, our short and long term circumstances and our short and long term situations.
Your list might include some version of the following:
I want to be healthier and more active, maybe go to the beach more often this summer so I’ll set a weekly routine where I go to the gym three times a week.
I want to be skinnier and lose 20 pounds, so I’ll stop eating desserts every day.
I want to be little more patient with myself, my spouse my kids, my co-workers, my boss or supervisor at my job so I’m going to work on effective communication skills.
I want a more family household income, so I’m going to work towards a promotion or find a new client or find a way to become self-employed and to work from home.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with setting goals and wanting to better yourself and move your family forward.
But as women and men who are striving to center ourselves around the gospel, we need to tread cautiously.
It’s important to know how to align our New Year’s resolutions with the Bible.
Are your goals aligned with God’s Word?
Are your motivations coming from a heart focused on things above or set on worldly things?
Are you focused too much on the one or two areas that YOU think need improvement while ignoring what God is trying to show or teach you?
What do your New Year’s resolutions directly or indirectly teach your children?
HOW TO ALIGN YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS WITH THE BIBLE
As you sit down to write your New Year’s Resolutions this year, consider these 6 questions and scriptures to align your goals with God’s Word.
1. DO YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS GIVE GOD THE GLORY?
Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth. Psalm 115:1 (CSB)
Everything we do first and foremost needs to give God every ounce of glory.
Every decision. Every action. Every breath.
Can you continue to give God glory while working towards your New Year’s resolution?
Will the result of achieving your goals give God glory, or take away from it?
2. DOES YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION HONOR YOUR BODY, A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
I’m going to dive a little deeper into this one because men and women tend to put a lot of downward pressure on themselves with this particular topic.
If you have a New Year’s resolution that is about your body, whether it’s losing weight or dressing yourself in a new wardrobe, quitting smoking, or dying your hair, looking like an Olympic weight lifter -ask self – is it giving God glory?
Bottom line: It’s God-honoring to want your body to be healthy.
It’s worldly to want our bodies to look a certain way just because someone else says it should. Set resolutions that produce a healthy body and a content heart.
3. CAN YOU COMPLETE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION AND KEEP GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE?
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
It’s good to be diligent about reaching our goals, but nothing should ever take priority over our relationship and obedience to God.
Don’t push God to the back burner while you’re working on your New Year’s resolutions.
Achieving your New Year’s resolutions will never fulfill you like God will.
4. IS YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION BUILDING ETERNAL VALUE?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:19-24 (NIV)
Making money isn’t a bad thing.
Striving to “store up treasures on earth” instead of treasures in heaven is the issue.
Verse 21 is key here. It’s easy to figure out where your heart is – the things you hold most dear point straight to it.
Is money (or something that money can buy) taking a hold on your heart?
Is your New Year’s Resolution revealing a heart issue or building eternal value in Christ’s kingdom?
5. IS YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION GOING TO BE A SOURCE OF ANXIETY FOR YOU?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
If you are going to be worrying about your progress and obsessing over your past history of successes or failures in achieving any previous resolutions, it’s probably not a very good or very realistic goal for you.
God calls us to put our anxieties on him, through prayer, not squarely upon us, we can resolve to live square in His peace which transcends all understanding.
Why would we want to put anything unrealistic between us, that kind of peace?
6. HAVE YOU PRAYED ABOUT YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?
Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (CSB)
Prayer is God’s way of communicating directly to us.
Pray before, during, and after writing your New Year’s Resolutions asking God to reveal to you any issues with your goals.
Before tackling them, pray about the best way to work towards them.
Ground yourself in the Word of God in fervent prayer.
Then get started!
Ecclesiastes 12:9-11New Living Translation
9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.[a]
11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd[b] drives the sheep.
True resolutions are supposed to point the way home to God.
But some choose to believe that getting lost in their self-image is the aim of spirituality: forget that you exist, that the world exists, that good and evil exist.
Just shed these illusions, immerse your self image into the image of God which God gifted exclusive to you as He knitted and weaved you together before birth.
dissolve yourself in the divine ocean like a grain of salt.
Many people today want to either “get high” on God, or “get high” on self, in a big noisy “in” crowd, with big lights and music, in an experience as popular, as mesmerizing as, the effects of an injection of a powerful psychedelics’ drug.
God calls us to be devoted to his Word and to follow the example of Jesus, taking up the cross of kingdom service.
Being resolved to Being found in Savior Jesus Christ is what perfects human life.
When we are found in Christ, we come to terms with his death as well as our own. Christ’s wisdom grounds us like embedded nails, helping us to make peace with our frailties even when we are young and we feel immortal.
In Christ, we also find life to the fullest— with freedom from fear, shame, and soul-crushing perplexities.
Life becomes a meaningful adventure, a race, a journey filled with awareness of God’s love for us all.
Citizens of Heaven or Denizens of the World
Philippians 3:20-21The Message
20-21 But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.
C.S. Lewis observed that if you aim to be successful only on earth, you may never get to heaven even as the things of earth slip away.
But if you aim for the things of heaven, not only will the Lord graciously bring you there; Jehovah will also make your life on earth something wonderful.
So if you aim only for the self-images born of life on this earth, you get nothing.
But if you aim for heaven, you get everything—Abundant life to the Maximum.
This is Paul’s point too as he rounds out Philippians 3.
We all are citizens of one country or another here on earth.
But believers in Christ have a far more important status as citizens of heaven.
God Resolved: All of our identity falls into line under our heavenly citizenship.
Paul pointed this out for the Philippians because then—and now—there are all kinds of influences distracting us from giving God’s kingdom first place in our New Years Resolutions and in sum total, our hearts, our souls and our lives.
We receive messages like this every day: live for the moment, go for the gusto, do whatever feels right, look out for number one – that being our self-image.
All this, Paul claims, makes people enemies of the cross.
It all amounts to self-centered living and reflects none of Christ’s selflessness.
But if we live “created in the image of God” as Christ’s people, then one day we will be made like Jesus, arrayed in all the glory and majesty of God’s kingdom!
ULTIMATE RESOLUTION FOR THE YEAR 2023 – FULLY RELY UPON GOD, THE FATHER, AND GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
Your ONLY Resolution for This Coming New Year
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:9-17 NLT
Would you or I resolve to totally depend upon Jesus Christ?
I mean totally depend upon Him?
Here’s the way you can tell—are you resting in Him today?
I reflected much on that vain desire, which had pursued me for so many years, of being in solitude in order to be a Christian. I have now, thought I, solitude enough; but am I therefore the nearer being a Christian? Not if Jesus Christ be the model of Christianity. Reverend John Wesley, Founder of Methodism
You see, when you are totally committed to Jesus Christ, you rest in Him. You realize that for your every need, it is necessary for Him to supply all of it.
Have you ever looked at a branch? It has no other source of life than the vine.
If you asked that branch, “What’s your secret for your healthy leaves and fruit?” the branch would answer, “My secret is that I’m resting in the vine.”
“But what about your needs?” you ask.
“I know I have needs, but that’s not my responsibility.
My resolution, My ONLY Resolution, is to rest in the vine’s ability to provide.
I don’t produce the fruit. I just bear it.”
Are you resting in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ today and all tomorrows?
Will you choose to rest in Him for the next 365?
Obey His Commandments?
Remain in His Love?
Be Filled with HIS Joy?
Be Filled to Overflowing?
Love one another as Jesus FIRST loved Us?
Make a Friend?
Be a Friend?
Bring a Friend to Christ?
Choose God, the Father?
Choose God the Son?
Choose God the Holy Spirit?
Choose Ministry and Mission, Mercy and Service unto your neighbors?
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. Reverend John Wesley, Founder of Methodism
John 13:34-35 Amplified Bible
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you [a]love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
I remembered that there’s an old song with the words ….
“Do you know, O Christian, You Are A Sermon in Shoes?”
These words have stuck with me as a powerful illustration for life.
Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes? Jesus calls upon you, to spread the gospel news, (1) So walk it, and talk it, a sermon in shoes. (2) Live it, and give it, a sermon in shoes. (3) Teach it, and preach it, a sermon in shoes. (4) Know it, and show it, a sermon shoes. (Ruth Harms Calkin)
The children’s song is a reminder that where ever a Christian walks, or talks he or she is expected to share the Gospel news to others.
Whether it be by one’s actions, attitudes, or personal testimony, by their own Baptism, Life in Christ, every single Christian is always “a sermon in shoes.”
It goes along with something that American evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) once said:
“Unquestionably, The preaching that this world needs the most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Savior Jesus Christ.”
Throughout my years as a pastor, I worked diligently to deliver sermons that help people hear God’s Word, but what about showing myself to be a sermon?
Through my longer years trying to be a “good Christian” I have often been told that I may be the ONLY Gospel anyone ever reads or tries to model their life by.
That is an enormous responsibility to be 100% accountable to God for!
When Jesus taught, “I am the true vine,” he made clear that all the work of fruit bearing was to the glory of God, his Father.
As Jesus’ followers, we are called to bear fruit for God’s glory also.
This means showing that we are Jesus’ followers, connected to him by the promised Holy Spirit.
And by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, we will “bear much fruit.”
This fruit bearing takes shape in a variety of ways.
However, it is always motivated by our friendship and our love for our Lord.
Be it, therefore, Resolved – My Only Resolution for the Year of Our Lord 2023;
To Fully Rely on God who is always and forever will be: NUMBER ONE!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
We Pray… For healing…prepare us for surprises. For strength…prepare us for surprises. For vision…prepare us for surprises. For transformation…prepare us for surprises. For messengers and messenges…prepare us for surprises. For community…prepare us for surprises. For acceptance – of ourselves and others…prepare us for surprises. For making room at our tables…prepare us for surprises. For Truth-seeking…prepare us for surprises. For support…prepare us for surprises. For Common Ground…prepare us for surprises.
Be it therefore Resolved ….
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be ….
In our Homes, Families, Neighbors, Neighborhoods, our Work across the Globe ….
Upon the Oceans and the Seas, Upon Continents, in Worlds Without End ….
Walk beside us, O Holy One, as we question and welcome, as we challenge and invite, as we discover and understand, as we see, touch, taste, smell, and listen for the Newness awaiting us in 2023.
May we, Your Beloved Children, Your Body, walk forward together side by side.
Glory Be to The Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ….
Adeste Fidelis, Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
7-9 I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings, all the things God has done that need praising, All the generous bounties of God, his great goodness to the family of Israel— Compassion lavished, love extravagant. He said, “Without question these are my people, children who would never betray me.” So he became their Savior. In all their troubles, he was troubled, too. He didn’t send someone else to help them. He did it himself, in person. Out of his own love and pity he redeemed them. He rescued them and carried them along for a long, long time.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
Celebrating God as God is Celebrating Us!
God’s Prophet Isaiah invites us to look back on a year of God’s grace drawing to a close and to look ahead to another year of God’s grace that is just beginning.
Celebrating What the Lord has Done for Us!
In the ancient calendar used by the Romans, from which our calendar was created, the name of each month had a meaning.
For example the month of February was so named because that was the time of the year for a feast called February.
Lupercalia was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as dies Februatus, after the purification instruments called februa, the basis for the month named Februarius.
Some of the months were named for the false gods that the Romans worshiped. March was named after Mars, the god of war.
May was probably derived from the goddess Maia.
June was named after the goddess Juno.
The months July and August were named, respectively, after Julius Caesar and his successor, Caesar Augustus. September, October, November, and December were named for the numbers seven, eight, nine, and ten in the Latin language.
That was the order in which those months fell in the Roman calendar.
One month in the ancient Roman calendar that had an especially descriptive name was January.
The Latin word janua means a door or window from which a person may look both ways, in other words, in and out–forward and back.
Historians say that January is also derived from the name Janus, a common household god among the Romans.
He was often depicted facing in two directions.
Basically, he was looking forward and back.
As we stand at the doorway looking back on 2022, to the first month of January and a new year in 2023, we will naturally look back over the way we have come.
We also naturally look ahead to the new year and where we are going.
As we celebrate, prepare ourselves and our families, friends and neighbors later this New Year’s Eve, we have to look at the year just past, the year lying ahead.
May we through our Love of God, through our Love for Word of God share in the coming of the New Year – Celebrate the coming of tonight’s midnight plus One Minute, be moved with anticipation, with confident expectation, to greet, God!
Celebrating the Grace of God in our Lives!
I. Look back on it in appreciation
II. Look ahead to it with anticipation
Our biblical text comes from the end of Isaiah’s prophecy.
Isaiah had just described the miraculous changes the Messiah—the promised Savior, would bring to God’s people in the chapters previous to our text.
Here Isaiah went on to describe the effect His preaching would have on those in Israel who were faithful to God.
He introduces the final section of his prophecy by recalling all of God’s ancient mercies, the ceaseless acts of loving kindnesses bestowed upon His Children.
Isaiah 63:7-9Amplified Bible
God’s Ancient Mercies Recalled
7 I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the Lord, and the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has done for us, And His great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has shown them according to His compassion And according to the abundance of His loving kindnesses. 8 For He said, “Be assured, they are My people, Sons who will not be faithless.” So He became their Savior [in all their distresses]. 9 In all their distress He was distressed, And the [a]angel of His presence saved them, In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them; And He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
To these ancient words, still ever true, we should all say, “Alleluia! Amen.”
It reminds us that throughout all of our days, the Lord has been kind to us.
Tonight, at midnight minus one minute we should all regale each other, tell of the abundance of his kindnesses, deeds, from 2022 which God is to be praised.
Tonight, at midnight plus one minute, we should all proclaim and claim and to hug all of God’s coming mercies and loving kindnesses, His grace in year 2023.
These ancient words from Isaiah’s prophecy reminds us to look back in appreciation of God’s grace in 2022 and to look ahead with anticipation and with confident expectation, for more of God’s miraculous grace in year 2023.
We don’t have to look very far back in the year that is ending to be reminded of God’s undeserved love.
In fact we really only have to look back one week.
A week ago tonight was Christmas Eve.
We were reminded, through the celebration of His Gospel, Christ was born to live the holy life we did not live, to die under the just punishment for our sins.
The clearest and most complete reminder of God’s kindness and love for us.
We rejoice, through the celebration of His Word, that we have had the privilege to once again celebrate his first birthday and speak about his great love for us.
But obviously our spiritual blessings for 2022 weren’t confined to Christmas.
For the last 52 Sundays our God has fed us with his Word when we gathered for praise and prayer and worship.
We followed Jesus to the cross, we shouted, “He is risen!”
We listened to the words and works of our Savior God.
In Bible study, and Sunday school, through the children’s ministries, and too, through our personal time in God’s Word we have found healing and hope.
We have felt God’s presence and been reassured of his love when we sinned.
As we celebrate God’s grace tonight, at midnight minus one minute, we look back in gratitude and appreciation of a whole year of enjoying the Word of God and all of the abundance of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, that it has brought to us.
In 2022 we also often received the pledge that we are forgiven children of God as we received the body and blood of Christ in the Lord’s Supper.
There Jesus invited us to eat and drink the proof that full payment for our sins has been made.
At His Passover table we were reminded that too we will eat and drink with him in the Kingdom of heaven.
Although we have many things to be thankful for this New Year’s Eve we are most thankful for those Means of Grace Jehovah God has given us–His Word and Sacraments.
The person speaking in our text from Isaiah acknowledged that the Lord had done many good things for his people.
The Lord had brought his people out of slavery in Egypt.
He gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.
He repeatedly defeated their enemies.
Through mighty miracles he had protected his people and prospered them.
He blessed their crops and their other sources of income.
He did all these things because of his compassion and love.
They were God’s people and enjoyed all the benefits of being God’s people..
This reminder of what God did for his people of old reminds us of what God does for his people today.
He still does great things for us.
Who of us can’t tell of the kindnesses of the Lord?
Take a moment to look back in appreciation for all that the Lord has done for us this past year.
Who of us can’t tell of the deeds for which God is to be praised?
Our Lord has given us abundant life, shelter, food, and clothing this past year.
We have enjoyed the blessings of family and friends and neighbors.
We have enjoyed God’s creation for another year.
The Lord provided us with blessings beyond belief, way more than we can use.
But someone might legitimately say not everything in 2001 was all that good.
What about the continued presence of covid19?
Someone might say, “I had troubles and problems from day one of 2022.”
“In fact this year was one of the worst I have ever had. I lost my job. I was sick. My wife and children too. I faced financial problems and other troubles. 2022 was not a good year at all, I really don’t see all that much God has done for me.”
Yes, we face the temptation to feel that way and have those kinds of thoughts.
But when Isaiah recorded these words from verses 7-9, he could have said something similar to that.
He and other believers faced persecution.
Their country was under the threat of foreign invasion.
Outwardly speaking, for him, things were very bad and seemed very uncertain.
Yet, Isaiah knew that no matter how bad things looked God was with him and his people, Isaiah knew that he could only see things from a human perspective.
If he could look at things from God’s perspective he would know that God was gravely concerned about him, doing everything possible for his eternal good.
If this Isaiah were to be reading these ancient words in 2022, from his ancient context and perspective, how might he now reflect back upon the grace of God?
Because of God’s grace great clouds of witnesses can look back at this year with real appreciation – no matter what has happened the Lord has been good to us.
We are reminded that even when things looked bad in 2022 God was with us.
Isaiah 63:9Amplified Bible
9 In all their distress He was distressed, And the [a]angel of His presence saved them, In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them; And He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
In verse 9 we are told, “In all their distress he too was distressed.”
God was distressed with us in our distress.
Through all the trials and troubles we faced in 2022 God was both empathetic and sympathetic to us.
It should always makes us feel better when someone knows what we are going through, when someone understands, when someone can relate to our stories.
Hebrews 4:14-16Amplified Bible
14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].
We have a great High Priest – Immanuel, God With Us, God Within Us – Jesus, who gives us anticipation of grace, everlasting expectation of faith, hope, love.
That is a reason to celebrate God’s grace. Our God felt the pain we felt. When we were shedding our tears of sorrow our God was watching us, caring about us.
Verse 9 of our text continues, “and the angel of his presence saved them.”
We may never know the full measure of all those ‘close calls’ we had last year.
We may never know how many disasters the Lord protected us from.
We may have repeatedly walked through the valley of the shadow of death and not even known it. But we do know the Lord’s presence saved us from disaster.
He sends his angels to protect us and he shelters us under his protecting hand.
Verse 9 concludes, “In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
Through everything God was there.
As we celebrate God’s grace this New Year’s Eve we look back with appreciation for God’s protection.
The Lord Jehovah said through Isaiah in 46:3-4,
“I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
From our youth to our old age God promises to be with us.
From year to year God will sustain and help us.
Through good times and bad times the Lord carries us.
As we take those few precious moments to look back and reflect at another year of our faithful God’s protection and love, may we look back at it in appreciation.
46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.
Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city, this sacred haunt of the Most High. God lives here, the streets are safe, God at your service from crack of dawn. Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten, but Earth does anything he says.
7 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
11 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. (
With the utmost expectation and confidence, may we celebrate God’s grace!
What reason did God have for allowing troubles into our lives this past year?
He used all these things to draw us into a much closer relationship with Him.
To remind us that the Lord is our strength and our only way out of trouble.
He teaches us where to go for help.
He teaches us how to be strong and face the attacks of the devil and this world.
Our struggles in 2022 have made us stronger Christians.
Have we learned to rely on God more fully?
I fervently pray the answer to that question is an unequivocal Yes!
I fervently pray we can even look back on the bad things of this past year with appreciation for our God has been with us,. God has carried us and protected us.
II.
The other part of our New Year’s celebration is looking ahead.
We make resolutions.
We make plans.
We look forward to another year of God’s grace.
That gives us a great advantage over many who will celebrate New Year’s Eve tonight.
We go forward with God’s grace. We can look ahead to 2023 with anticipation.
What is the one thing we look forward to with anticipation in 2023?
It is God’s mercy and grace.
We know that we will definitely, decisively fail and fall many times.
We know that we will fall short of God’s perfect and holy will.
But we also know that our Lord’s mercy is new every day.
We know that our God will forgive us through the blood of his Son Jesus Christ.
No matter how badly we stumble next year our God will have mercy on us.
We have blown it many times this past year and will blow it again next year, but our God will continue to extend us His grace and will have mercy and forgive us.
Will we look ahead unto 2023 with anticipation of God’s grace and forgiveness?
Will we also confidently, expectantly, eagerly look forward to 2023 with joy, anticipation because of the blessing of God’s Word for another 52 Sundays?
Will we once again find renewed faith, renewed hope and comfort in the Word?
For another year will we be built up in our faith and find guidance for our life?
In 2023 will we see souls enter the kingdom of God through the sacrament of Baptism?
Will we grow in love for one another as we stand together before an altar and receive the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
Will 2023 be a good year no matter what happens or how it happened because we have the one thing we need – the means by which God brings us his grace?
We have his Word and Sacraments.
Reality is, Truth is still that instead of looking ahead to 2023 with anticipation there are many of our neighbors who will look ahead with fear and trepidation.
What will the new year hold?
Will the economy be good or bad?
Will companies lay people off or will many be hiring?
Will taxes go up or down?
Will our investments go up or down?
What about covid19?
What about the ongoing scourge violence and senseless crime in our streets?
How wonderful it is for us to be confident that the no matter what happens God will be with us and care for us.
He promises to provide all that we need.
We may experience setbacks but the Lord will only do what is best for us.
And what about the potential problems we might face in 2023?
What if we lose a loved one or lose our job?
What if we ourselves get acutely sick?
What if our spouse or our children get acutely ill?
What if some physical or natural disaster strikes?
What if economic disaster strikes at our bank accounts?
Perhaps there will be another wave of the pandemic.
Again, I fervently we hear the ancient words of Isaiah from verse 9:
“In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
In any distress which might come flowing down our way in 2023, God will be with us – Jehovah will rescue us and carry us through even the worst of times.
So how does our knowledge of God’s grace and goodness for this new year affect our plans for 2023?
How do we look ahead with confident anticipation in a God pleasing way?
We put all our dreams and goals in the Lord’s hands.
We have to be careful how we look forward with anticipation.
We are given this New Year’s advice in James 4:13-15,
“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
As we look forward to 2023 with anticipation, expectation we recognize it will only be by God’s grace and only according to God’s will that we make our plans.
That experience allows me to ‘stand before you’ this day and ‘preach’ this text from Isaiah 63:7-9 with confident expectation of its contemporary fulfillment.
In the good times and in the bad times God is with us.
As God’s children we tell of all the good things he has done for us.
In 2022 we have enjoyed his love, and grace, and blessing.
We have enjoyed his Word and Sacraments.
He has been with us through everything.
He has felt our pain and sorrow.
We look back in appreciation. We also look forward with anticipation.
We also look forward believing God will be with us again in that New Year.
He will provide us with what we need both physically and spiritually.
He will comfort us and share our pain and sorrow.
Today or tonight as we ring in the new year 2023, celebrate God!
Celebrate God’s grace.
Celebrate Grace that moves us to reflect back on God with appreciation.
Celebrate Grace that allows us to look forward to God with anticipation.
Celebrate Grace that allows us to look forward to God with confidence.
Celebrate Grace that allows us to look forward to God with expectation.
Celebrate God EVERYDAY as God Celebrates Us EVERYDAY! Amen.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 19 The Message
19 1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening.
3-4 Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
4-5 God makes a huge dome for the sun—a superdome! The morning sun’s a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed, The daybreaking sun an athlete racing to the tape.
6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.
7-9 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.
10 God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.
11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 [a]In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil. 8 It will be health to your body [your marrow, your nerves, your sinews, your muscles—all your inner parts] And refreshment (physical well-being) to your bones.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen
Proverbs is one of the most quoted books of the Bible.
Everyone seems to know or has heard those often-quoted words of wisdom and advice.
Did they really work for and during the times they were written for?
But would they really work in our most contemporary of internet times?
Can they be or are they still relevant and effective ?
Are they really wise words to live by as we close 2022 and enter into 2023?
Has anyone ever gotten any real success out of these sagacious verses written thousands of years ago?
Having Proverbs 3:6 During Hard Times
In the Bible, specifically in Proverbs, there is great wisdom concerning how to live a happy and peaceful and successful life – to be able to move through our failures and failings and arrive at a place where faith becomes first, foremost.
So much so one might find it unfathomable that people would not look forward to immersing their hearts and their souls and their lives into reading, studying, praying through, following, the wisdom this well-known Old Testament book.
Of course, not everyone reads Proverbs.
Consequentially, many never follow its prodding.
That is indeed a shame, for as we look at our world today.
Never has it been so necessary, so vital, to get to know the true powerhouse of Proverbs, what Go brings to our table of life and what miracles it has to offer.
God only knows, it is never merely individual humans who need advice and guidance; it is our families, neighbors, neighborhoods, church, entire world.
Today, let us reflect together about our spiritual journey: its beginning and destination, sharp turns, slowdowns, shutdowns, its challenges and blessings.
Today’s Scripture gives us a crucial piece of advice for every successful journey of faith.
Before we can start “driving,” we have to fully trust the Lord.
The Bible often calls the Lord our Shepherd.
In today’s terms, we could say God is our GPS.
God Positioning System ….
Trust in this GPS, and you and I will never get lost – just twisted around a bit!
The Lord warns us against thinking we are smart enough to figure out our own way. He tells us to turn to him in single every part of our life’s spiritual journey.
Acknowledge His GPS, He will make our path straight and will see us through.
As for me, there is one particular piece of advice from Proverbs that has carried me through countless challenges to my faith, through myriads of my failures.
When was the last time (do we remember the first time?) you an I ever noticed when we were on a good smooth road, and things were moving well, that a big bump or even a big pothole comes out of nowhere and messes up everything?
What if we arrived at a point on that “messed up” road where it felt like we were driving on cruise control at 65 mph driving from the eastern most to the most western point then from the most northern point to the most southern point of our country – and driving around in ceaseless circles – on the rims of our tires?
For a long time, I kept asking myself …. are all roads leading away from failure unto any success such ceaseless circles, is failure all I’m ever destined to know?
Is there any pathway which leads me away from such a dark, defeating cycle?
THE PATH TO WELLNESS ……
The grace of God is demonstrated by the fact that He has a plan and purpose for our lives that He wants to reveal to us.
It’s a pathway He’s designed specifically for each one of us, yet some of us may fail to consider this.
We find it too easy to move through life without giving God a second thought.
Instead of wondering whether our lives have counted for anything, we can all choose to believe that the Lord has the best plan for us, discover His path, and get on it as soon as possible.
If we don’t fully trust God, we will be reluctant to follow the path He’s chosen for us.
Even though He always leads us the right way, our fears or uncertainty could cause us to sidestep His commands and opt for following our own course.
Proverbs 3:5-8 tells us what’s required to follow the Lord, what the benefits will be.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8 NKJV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (v. 5).
1. GOD COMMANDS US TO TRUST HIM
“Trust in the Lord” ProvERBS. 3:5a NKJV
Trust is a strong belief in someone’s integrity, ability, and character. This is the kind of confidence we are expected to have in the Lord. Then whatever He says or He also requires of us, we will prayerfully know with certainty that it is right.
If we lack that faith, lack that degree or measure of trust, we will not so innately or faithfully follow Him and will find ourselves living outside the will of God.
On the other hand, if we have spent some quantity and quality time, reading, studying, trusting, obeying Him, we can testify that He has never let us down.
Trusting God, is loving God in action. If we love God, we will trust Him.
“Loving God means keeping his commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3 NLT
“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And His commands are not burdensome.” I John 5:3 NIV
“Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-born. If we love the One who conceives the child, we’ll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.” 1 John 5:1-3 The Message
2. THE BASIS FOR TRUST IN GOD IS HIS SOVEREIGNITY.
“Trust in the LORD” Proverbs 3:5b NKJV
LORD = YAHWEH. The One Who Is. The Absolute and Unchangeable One. The Existing, Ever-Living, Self-Consistent and Unchangeable God.
He is the divine Ruler over all things and all people at all times.
His sovereignty is His wisdom, power, and righteousness all wrapped into one.
The Lord’s purpose is always right and good even if it doesn’t look that way from our perspective.
God says: “From the beginning I revealed the end. From long ago I told you things that had not yet happened, saying, “My plan will stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.” Isaiah 46:10 GN
“From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.” Isaiah 43:13 NLT
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NIV
3. THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE ARE TO TRUST GOD IS WITH ALL OF OUR HEART.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart” Proverbs 3:5b NKJV
Instead of so easily and instinctively relying on our own knowledge, perception, or reasoning, we should P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens) ourselves to place our total trust in the Lord.
This requires more than just agreeing with Him. We can actually agree with God about many teachings in the Bible without actually trusting Him. Agreement means we believe something is right, but genuine faith responds to that belief with action—do what God says because we trust Him to guide us the right way.
Wholehearted trust also means we cannot pick and choose areas we entrust to Him while trying to keep other parts of our lives under our control. It’s unwise to rely on our own perception because it is so limited, but God’s understanding is complete and eternal. Even when we do not fully comprehend or like what’s happening, we can still fully rely on His loving wisdom and respond in trust.
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:6 NKJV
4. IN EACH SITUATION, WE MUST FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE GOD
“In all your ways acknowledge Him” Proverbs 3:6a NKJV
To acknowledge someone is to recognize him. But when we acknowledge God, we are not merely admitting that He exists but confirming He is our Lord who has authority over us and the right to give us direction in every area of our lives.
In each choice or situation, each success, each failure, failing, we acknowledge His sovereignty over them by surrendering to His will and trusting Him fully.
5. “HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT.” Proverbs 3:6b NKJV
When we follow the Lord’s guidance, He protects us from side roads and eliminates obstacles and confusion along the way.
In basic terms, the straight path is the one of obedience. We may slide, stumble and slip into a few ditches along the way or need redirection, but God repeatedly and faithfully brings us back when we confess our change of heart, to obey Him.
His path is not always going to be easy to travel upon, but His forever promise is it is always going to be the best. If we think we can do a better job of plotting our own course for happiness and prosperity, it may look good, but eventually we’ll suffer the wear and tear coming from taking unprotected detours on our rims.
His Master Class after Master Class, after instructing us on what to do, God then gives us a poignant warning for our disobedience and a blessing for obedience;
6. “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil” Proverbs 3:7a NKJV
“Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” Proverbs 26:12 NIV
Whenever we choose our own way instead of trusting the Lord, we are playing the fool because your life does not belong to you. There are 2 masters in life
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” Matthew 6:24 NKJV
One day we are going to stand before God and give an account of how we lived.
If we’re wise, we’ll seek the Lord, listen to His directions, and trust Him. Since He cannot lie, we know that God will always keep His promises, and whatever He says is true.
7. “Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:7b NKJV
To reverently fear God is to recognize and honor Him as not only the sovereign Ruler of the universe, but as the Only Lord and Only Savior of our lives.
If we truly believe this, we’ll turn away from sin and seek to live in obedience to Him.
8. “It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones” Proverbs 3:8a NKJV
Every day we are faced with choices, and what we decide to do is based on whether we or not we believe God, that He has a plan for our lives and has chosen the best possible path for us, or we distrust Him, follow our own ways.
Whether we succeed or we fail, If we are willing to faithfully listen and trust Him, we will discover His faith-filled path leads to healing and refreshment.
Success or Failure, there will 100% be an underlying sense of peace, assurance, confidence, and satisfaction when we follow Him instead of going our own way.
Resolutions, Responses to Consider as we enter upon the New Year
Where do you find the most difficulty trusting God?
Why do you think it’s so hard to trust Him with this?
What promises in His Word could bring you assurance of His trustworthiness?
Does knowing God is sovereign over all the events in your life help you trust Him? Why or why not? Which of His other attributes motivate you to trust Him?
It’s easier to trust someone we know very well than someone we don’t. With this in mind, how well do you know the Lord?
Since the Scriptures are God’s self-revelation, what do you need to do to increase your trust in Him?
Sin has polluted our willingness to submit to the Lord.
The devil tempts us to implicitly trust our own way and intuition.
Our ever faithful God seeks to draw us to back to himself because he knows best.
By our Baptism in Jesus Christ, we are all constantly caught in a faith to failure back to faith tug-of-war, always leaning one way and then leaning the other.
There was a time when I thought I knew it all, but the one thing I did not know, would not acknowledge was God had a better way He was waiting to show me.
God’s Word taught me to more instinctively trust his GPS with the directions.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God, Author of my Life,God of all understanding, you have promised to give wisdom to anyone who asks. Well, I am now asking and indeed, I am pleading and praying. As I walk through life, give me wisdom and understanding in every decision I make. Guide those uncertain thoughts and redirect my misguided steps. When I experience failure, uncertainty and confusion, may I lean on your limitless wisdom. May your divine Holy Spirit be at work in me like a lamp to my feet and a shield to my mind. Help me to think clearly and calmly. Help me to act with confidence and wisdom. Help me to glorify you in everything I do. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, My Lord.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
10 Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive and severe. 11 And when he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “Listen: I know that you are [a]a beautiful woman; 12 so when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me [to acquire you], but they will let you live. 13 Please tell them that you are [b]my sister so that things will go well for me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you.” 14 And when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful. 15 Pharaoh’s princes (officials) also saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken [for the purpose of marriage] into Pharaoh’s house (harem). 16 Therefore Pharaoh treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
17 But the Lord punished Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her and go!” 20 So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him on his way, with his wife and all that he had.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum!
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
ABRAHAM’S FAITH AND FAILURES
The time between God’s promise to Abraham and its fulfillment spanned about twenty five years! During that time, Abraham made several wrong attempts to help God fulfill His promise. There were times, also, when Abraham made some decisions that revealed a definite lack of faith and decisive distrust in God.
ABRAHAM FAILS! GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
Despite obvious failings amidst his successes, Abraham is a wonderful example of a man who lived by faith but continued to make mistakes in judgement. The bottom line is we’ll fail yet God continues to remain faithful to His promises to Abraham, even in the midst of Abraham’s bad decisions and faithless choices.
OUR FAILURES AND GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
We are told there are two ‘inevitables’ in life: death and taxes.
In leading with your life as a follower of Christ, I believe there are two other ‘inevitables’ we need to be more acutely aware of as well: faith and failure.
As Abraham’s descendants today, we will still inevitably and faithfully fail our God. Thankfully though God’s faithfulness in the face of our inevitable failures is, only but by the indescribable grace and faithful mercy of ABBA God still true.
For His promise to us is still, “Let not your hearts be troubled” “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (John 14:1; Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5).
Our failures in our faithfully living for God will never deter God’s promises!
But now we come to Genesis 12 verses 10-20 to a time of failure in Abram’s life.
II. The Failure of Abram (Genesis 12:10-20)
Though he began with faith, a time of trouble leads to disobedience and doubt.
It all begins with growing, maturing sense of desperation, a time of famine.
12:10. Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.
I do not know if Abram should have gone to Egypt or not.
The way this part of the story reads, it sounds to me like it was a bad decision on Abram’s part to go to Egypt.
Nowhere do we read in the scriptures is Abram directly or indirectly condemned for his decision to go down to Egypt, but later developments, as made evident in this passage from Genesis, makes it clear his actions did not stem from faith.
Abram did not consult God, but acted independently.
No altars were built in Egypt which are mentioned, nor are we told that Abram ever called upon on the name of the Lord that he and Sarai should journey there.
His request of Sarai [later in the passage] also reflects his spiritual condition. It would thus be safe to say that Abram’s faith failed in the face of that famine.”
So we can’t be certain, but it seems that God wanted Abram to stay in Canaan – even with a famine.
Where God guides, He provides.
It was not God’s intention for Abram to leave Canaan and go to Egypt.
Now a time of testing had come upon Abram.
Not a time of plenty, but a time of wanting.
A time of famine.
Abram faced a choice.
He could stay in the land God had called him to, and trust in God to provide, or he could leave the land and trust in man, specifically the Egyptians, to provide.
Abram did what most of us do in times of trouble.
Abram trusted in man.
Abram stopped believing in God’s promises, and left for Egypt.
Through this whole chapter, we read of God speaking to Abram to tell him where to go.
We read of God appearing to Abram.
We read of Abram building altars and calling on the name of the Lord.
We read none of those things here.
In a time of trial, Abram ignored the promises of God, turned to Egypt for help.
This will become a pattern for Israelites.
Later, in another famine, Jacob and his entire family moves to Egypt.
This eventually leads to the enslavement of the Israelites to the Egyptians.
During the time of the kings, many of them made alliances with Egypt through marriage or treaties rather than trusting in God for help.
Many of the prophets warned the people of Israel about turning to Egypt for help rather than turning to God.
All of this began when Abram, the man of faith, turned to Egypt rather than turning to God.
This shift in trust leads to another failure.
He begins a pattern of lying.
Genesis 12:11-13. And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.”
Abram knows that his wife is beautiful, and that Egyptians are notorious for wanting to marry the most beautiful women.
If there was a husband in the way, it was okay to murder that husband.
So Abram concocts a lie to tell the Egyptians.
He is going to ask his wife to lie for him, so he asks her by beginning with a compliment.
Hopefully, we men compliment our wives more often than just when we want something from her.
Here, Abram wants Sarai to lie for him.
It really is only a half lie, for Sarai is Abram’s half sister (Genesis 20:12).
This is how Abram justified his lie.
It’s a little white lie.
What could it hurt?
It is also a pragmatic lie.
If Abram tells the truth, he might end up violently losing his life.
But notice what this lie does.
It not only reveals a lack of trust in God’s promises, but it also threatens their fulfillment.
In Genesis 12:10, Abram begins to trust in the Egyptians to keep him alive, now Abram is trusting in his wife.
I heard one pastor preach, “Abram was clinging to his wife’s petticoat for protection and blessing, rather than to the promises of God.”
Not only this, but his actions were a direct threat to his wife’s purity and the fulfillment of God’s promises.
God promised descendants to Abram.
Inherent in this promise is a promise that neither Abram or Sarai would not die until this promise is fulfilled.
20/20 hindsight being what it is with all of the commentaries we have to judge,
We can probably say Abram was not wrong in considering the possibility that someone would appreciate his wife as more beautiful and desire her for a wife.
Absent the cultural, historical context, we can probably also judge that it was not even wrong to suppose that someone might even kill him to marry her.
If we were doing an after-action debriefing with him, Abram was wrong to assume that this would happen and that the only way to prevent it was to lie.
Nowhere is the sure, certain promise and the protection of God considered.
Sinful deception is therefore begun before any real danger is ever experienced.
Abram has stopped trusting in God, and is fearful of a some danger not even encountered yet, and so turns to his own plans to provide his own protection.
Notice from Genesis 12:12 that Abram only thought the Egyptian men would find Sarai attractive.
And it was a common occurrence for men to murder other men just to get their wives.
Abram wanted to avoid being murdered so he decided to use this half truth about Sarai being his sister.
In such a situation, Abram, posing as Sarai’s brother, could agree to a marriage, but would insist on a long betrothal period.
Then, when the famine in Canaan was over, they could just pick up and leave.
No harm done.
It was the perfect plan.
But as the saying goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.”
In verse 14, things seem to begin just fine.
Genesis 12:14. So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.
Abram was right.
He had a beautiful wife.
The Egyptian men saw her and thought she was beautiful.
Many of them are probably thinking of marrying her.
So far, Abram’s plan was working out just right.
But something happens in Genesis 12:15 that Abram never counted on.
Genesis 12:15. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house.
It never entered Abram’s mind that Pharaoh might be interested in Sarai.
While Abram could put off the plans of other men, Pharaoh would not take no for an answer.
He took her into his palace, awaiting the time of the consummation of the union.
Part of this involved giving gifts to Abram.
Genesis 12:16. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
During this time, Sarai would likely undergo a relatively long period of preparation for her presentation to Pharaoh very similar to the preparation Esther went through before presenting herself to King Ahasuerus (Esther. 2:12-14).
Can you or I imagine the lonely, agonizing nights Abram must have spent, wondering what was going on in the palace?
Abram had asked Sarai to lie so that it would go well with him (verse 13).
And it did go well.
Pharaoh sent many gifts to Abram and treated him royally.
The only thing which kept Abram from enjoying his treatment was the realization of what it meant.
Pharaoh was giving these things to Abram as a dowry.
It did go well with Abram, but without Sarai, his wife.
I believe you and I can see ourselves doing an intervention here: Prosperity is never a blessing without the peace which comes from being right with God.
But God is not thwarted by lies, doubt or our mistakes.
His promises are not so easily broken by man.
He made promises to Abram, and although Abram has stopped trusting in those promises, and is living in sin and deception, God intervenes, not only to protect Sarai and Abram, but also protect the faithful fulfilling of His promise to them.
Genesis 12:17-19. But 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 you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.”
Abram was confronted by Pharaoh and soundly rebuked.
Abram had no excuse or explanation.
So far as we are told, he did not utter a word in his defense.
No doubt this was the wise thing to do in the light of Abram’s offense.
Pharaoh was not one to be challenged or angered unnecessarily.
Today, we can see the raging irony of the situation is obvious.
Here is a pagan correcting a prophet (cf. 20:7).
It was a sharp royal rebuke that Abram would painfully remember.
How sad, however, that Abram could not dare to speak, for this no doubt hindered any testimony to his faith in the living God Who had called him.
Christian conduct in the face of adversity does greatly affect their credibility.
Genesis 12:20. So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.
We see here the patience of God with Abram, for Abram comes away from his mistake with more blessings and riches than when he came.
Abraham becomes richer than he was.
This is a curious discipline.
You would think that God would discipline Abram in a different way.
Rather than make Abram richer because of his lack of trust, you would think God would make Abram a bit more poorer and then to make him more wiser.
Well, these extra riches are double-edged.
Negatively, this is probably how Abram received Sarai’s maidservant Hagar.
When it comes down to it, every failure significantly impacts a relationship because any degree or measure of personal failure in life involves people.
We will read later his marriage to Sarai was negatively impacted. how Hagar inevitably becomes a great stumbling block to Sarai and Abram later in life.
for it is through Hagar that Abram risks making his greatest mistake ever.
But the positive aspect of this blessing is that it shows God’s great love and patience with Abram.
God is not out to destroy and punish Abram for his lack of trust.
No, God is showing Abram love and patience.
God is showing Abram longsuffering and kindness.
Even when Abram stops trusting in God, and makes his bad decisions, God continues to watch over Abram, and even bless him despite those decisions.
Today, we might even conjecture as to how foolish Abram’s fears must have appeared in the light of history.
In order to avoid a famine, Abram was forced to face down a Pharaoh.
The might of Egypt was not employed against him, but was commanded to assure his safe arrival in Canaan.
Indeed, Abram left Egypt even richer than he had come.
But none of this was the result of Abram’s faithless and dishonest actions.
It was the product of undeserved grace and mercy and providential care.
I am not saying you should go out and sin to see if God will bless you even though you’ve sinned.
That’s not the lesson of this story.
Possibly, Abram would have been much more blessed if he had stayed in Canaan.
Maybe many of the Canaanites would have left, and Abram would have received some of the land right then – we really don’t know what would have happened.
The point of this devotional account is God remains faithful to us, even when we are faithless.
Above it all, most of us literally have no desire to be known as ‘failure experts’.
And He can bless us, even when we are “experts,” have PhD’s in being wrong.
Hebrews 12:4-11Amplified Bible
A Father’s Discipline
4 You have not yet struggled to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have [a]forgotten the divine word of encouragement which is addressed to you as sons,
“My son, do not make light of the discipline of the Lord, And do not lose heart and give up when you are corrected by Him; 6 For the Lord disciplines and corrects those whom He loves, And He punishes every son whom He receives and welcomes [to His heart].”
7 You must submit to [correction for the purpose of] discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons; for [b]what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 Now if you are exempt from correction and without discipline, in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate children and not sons [at all]. 9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of [c]spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short time as seemed best to them; but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].
Sometimes He does discipline us, for He disciplines those He loves.
But sometimes He wins us over with grace and mercy.
He teaches us to be faithful to Him by revealing His faithfulness to us.
This is a step forward in Abram’s faith development.
He has learned that God is a God of love, not of fear.
He has learned that God is a God of abundant blessing, not of destruction.
He has learned that God keeps His promises, even when we do not.
When our faith no longer knows where to look, God’s eyes are 100% upon us!
When our faith slides, slips and stumbles, God does not!
When our faith falls asleep, enters a coma on us, God remains awake!
When our faith plants us on our faces on the ground and fails, God does not!
Abram has learned when God promises the end, He also provides the means.
You and I do not, and cannot, accomplish God’s will with evil methods.
These are wonderful truths for Abram to have learned, and will aid him as he continues to grow and develop into the father of faith we all know and love.
As we close out 2022 and prepare ourselves to enter upon a New Year in 2023;
Are you and I anticipating, expecting, facing a time and a season of testing?
Can you and I safely say God has called you and me to something, and all it seems is He has called you and me into a time of true faith versus famine?
Keep trusting.
Do not short circuit the test.
If you and I try to bypass the test, God will just make you and me face a different test in a different way in a different place to achieve the same outcome for God.
If Abram had been given the choice of tests – a life lived through a famine or his wife in a Pharaoh’s harem – we can rest sure he would have chosen the famine.
And then in the end, Abram had to go back to living through a famine anyway.
Of course, he had been abundantly blessed by God with more animals and more servants to aid him, but the famine just made it more difficult to feed them all.
When God puts you and me in a faith versus famine test, do not try to bypass it.
Just pass it.
Do not sidestep it.
Walk through it.
Abram has gone from faith to failure, and now back to faith.
It is an oft-repeated, much cyclical lesson, we can learn much from ….
by our inevitable faults, the magnitude of our failings and failures ….
– by our faithfulness to God in prayer – we will see how long it lasts.
Immanuel, Immanuel, His name is called Immanuel ….
God with us,
God within us,
God revealed in us ….
God being revealed through us ….
His name is still, to this day and beyond, called Immanuel ….
John 17:6-12Amplified Bible
6 “I have manifested Your name [and revealed Your very self, Your real self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept and obeyed Your word. 7 Now [at last] they know [with confident assurance] that all You have given Me is from You [it is really and truly Yours]. 8 For the words which You gave Me I have given them; and they received and accepted them and truly understood [with confident assurance] that I came from You [from Your presence], and they believed [without any doubt] that You sent Me. 9 I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and [all things that are] Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 I am no longer in the world; yet they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and protected them, and not one of them was lost except [a]the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
Do not fear becoming a ‘failure expert’ and allow it to paralyze you from learning to lead with your life.
Faith-filled, Faithfully Learn through all degrees of failure how to lead your own life well by recovering from your failure for Jesus has prayed for you.
There is nothing more beautiful to Jesus than to see His prayer to His Father answered in and through you, through your failings and through your raisings.
He knows there is a source of strength to be found in those who recover from their failure.
All because they have come to know through recovery that their source is Him.
The One who prayed for firm faith to remain in Him before they ever wiped the fruit of the vine from their “leaking lips” and promptly went out and failed.
Our Struggle between Faith and failureis always an inevitable one for all of us.
Genesis to Revelation – all the promises of God remain 100% faithful and true!
The war has already been won so you may win your battle.
If maybe today, you are one who feels like a ‘faith in God failure expert’
I now join with God, the Father, Son, Spirit, in praying that you recover well.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
O Lord, Mighty in Power, equally mighty in grace and mercy and forbearance, You say that I should have faith in You so that I will be upheld. I do, Mighty Lord. I give over the full measure and weight of my failings and failures over to you. I place all my faith in You. You strengthen me. Your divine life force keeps my spirit alive and burning fiercely for You. I know that with You I can overcome anything. Thank You for remaining faithful to Your chosen people. Thank You for guiding me in my life and helping me to become a vessel for Your will. I pray that I may continue to put my faith and trust in You because You know all things. You know what the hearts of Your people need, and I believe You will help me through whatever this life brings. Amen.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum!
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
“Go away from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And [a]I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you [abundantly], And make your name great (exalted, distinguished); And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others]; 3 And I will bless (do good for, benefit) those who bless you, And I will curse [that is, subject to My wrath and judgment] the one who curses (despises, dishonors, has contempt for) you. And in you all the families (nations) of the earth will be blessed.”
4 So Abram departed [in faithful obedience] as the Lord had directed him; and Lot [his nephew] left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had acquired, and the people (servants) which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the [great] terebinth (oak) tree of Moreh. Now the [b]Canaanites were in the land at that time. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” So Abram built an altar there to [honor] the Lord who had appeared to him. 8 Then he moved on from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving]. 9 Then Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev (the South country of Judah).
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum!
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
Through much of the country these last several days the mountains of snows have fallen and furiously – snow drifts several feet tall have covered cars and snow plows, ambulances and firetrucks and covered the doorways of houses.
Blizzards have returned! Worse than ever, the winds are howling and the wind chills are plummeting deep, to very dangerous and even life threatening levels.
Roads are impassable, homes and apartments are losing power, no heat to cook the food with, no heat to warm the place of abode, pipes are frozen, bursting.
People are trapped in their homes – medical conditions, health and safety.
“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas ….”
“Just like the ones I used to know ….”
Merry Christmas! ….
You have your White Christmas … Just not the one you wanted to know!
Immanuel God with Us and within us, if you can manage to somehow survive.
Christmas Bells are ringing everywhere people can by whatever means travel to; to celebrate that once a year moment with long distant family and friends too.
Christmas bells are silent, just past, and travelers are trying to return home from anywhere and everywhere around the globe their families were living in.
Except, outside too many locations … impassable and dangerous weather, far too dangerous for automobiles, four wheel drives and far worse for- airplanes.
Airports cannot release the planes for take off – they cannot plow their runways fast enough or at all – the risk of life and limb is simply far to dangerous to all.
Travelers are stuck in airports behind a myriad and myriad of cancelled flights.
In many places, during this Christmas season, this isn’t an unusual occurrence.
It is one which many travelers have learned how to accept and how to manage.
They know how to pack “for the occasion” – with snacks and a host of patience.
With experience, traveling gets easier, more familiar, much more manageable.
If we have previously navigated an airport or are at least familiar with the local language and likely weather, it’s not overwhelming to get where we are going.
But if we don’t know the way to our next gate or can’t read the signs pointing the way, or we suddenly encounter all the worse kind of weather conditions, we can soon feel lost and have no idea where we are and where we need to go next.
And, guess what?
New Years Eve and New Year’s Day are but a few days away ….
Another very popular travel day ….
And the weather is still going to be the weather ….
An we still have not figured out how to stop the weather from happening!
Jesus did …. Mark 4:35-41
When the weather went crazy dangerous on those disciples in that boat, they like many of today’s travelers traveling in these blizzard conditions, feared.
Jesus told his disciples …. we are absolutely going over to the “other side” of the waters and the disciples obediently loaded themselves into the boat and sailed.
They were obedient to their Rabbi – then things suddenly got crazy dangerous, the weather threatened their very lives and seasoned fisherman became afraid.
No matter what they tried, seasoned fisherman failed to right the ship in the storm, failed in their efforts to protect the lives of the others an they panicked.
They turn to wake their Rabbi … their Rabbi wakes up … and just as fast, the Rabbi rebukes the weather – “be still!” an then Rabbi turns to the disciples and wonders aloud to them ….
“Why are you so fearful?”
“How is it you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN OBEDIENCE, FAITH AND OUR INEVITIBLE FAILURE
Abram soon to be Abraham was in a situation like that.
If we try to put ourselves in his sandals, we can see that it was no small thing to faithfully obey and follow God’s leading when he did not know where the other side was located and no one offered him a roadmap or a weather map to read.
There was only a promise from a God he had never met or experienced before.
God promised that Abraham would be a great nation and bring great blessings for “all peoples on earth,” but this would require a previously unknown, long, arduous journey and a new start, living among strangers in a faraway land.
“He did not know where he was going.”
In a miraculous demonstration of faith – against all of the best advice of his fellow countryman, he packed up and left what he knew of life behind him.
Here we pick up Genesis Chapter 12 …. Here we join the ancient Biblical story.
Genesis 12:1-20 – Faith and Failure
Genesis chapter 12 may be one of the most famous chapters in the Bible.
It forms the basis for pretty much everything that follows.
With the calling of Abraham God really begins to set a plan in motion to deliver the world from the problems that have occurred up to this point in the Bible.
I. Faith (Genesis 12:1-9)
II. Failure (Genesis 12:10-20)
Abraham is one of the most important men in all of history.
Though he lived about 4000 years ago, he is still a prominent figure today.
Christians hold up Abraham as our forefather.
Not necessarily as our physical descendant, but as our spiritual one.
He is the father of faith.
It is repeated over and over in the New Testament that He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
Christianity, which is all about faith in Jesus Christ, and walking with God by faith, holds up Abraham as an example to live by.
But for Christians of any generation, including ours, we have to admit that it’s awful hard to live up to that kind of faith standard.
We think of Abraham, or Abram, as this man of great faith who left his family, his home, his possession, just picked up, left one day when God told him to go.
He didn’t know where he was going.
He didn’t know how he would get there.
He didn’t know how he would feed himself or his family when he got there.
But God told Abram to go, and so obediently, Abram went.
That, however, is not quite the Abram of the Bible.
Was he yet a man of great faith?
Absolutely.
But do you want to know what encourages me most about Abram?
It’s not his faith, but his lack of faith.
I want to walk by faith. I want to trust God in all things, and never doubt, and never fear, and never worry – but that almost never works out – I get afraid!
And I could live my life and beat myself up all day about how Abram lived that way, therefore – “I should too – but why can’t I?, I just continuously fail!”
But when we get a real honest picture of Abram’s life, his times of great faith and trust in God, are balanced and offset by those intervening times of great doubt, disobedience and failure. Abram was not naturally a man of great faith.
Nor did he have some spiritual gift of faith, or some “secret” to trusting God.
No!
Abram became a man of great faith because for many years he had very little faith, and even in those times, God continued to keep his promises to Abram.
In Genesis 12 and following, God appears personally to Abram multiple times, each time to develop faith in his life.
During these times, God tested Abram.
You would think that a man of faith would easily pass all the tests.
But think again.
In four of those tests, Abram faith in God failed miserably.
So here is the difference between a man of faith and a man of fear.
Abram was a man of faith not because he never doubted, and not because he never failed.
Abram did lots of both.
Abram was a man of faith because when he failed, when he fell flat on his face, he got up, brushed himself off, and started over again.
That’s faith.
A man of fear gives up.
A man of fear stays on the ground.
A man of fear stops trying.
Not Abram.
And that is why he is the father of faith.
It’s not that he has great faith, but that he has a great God.
Abram knows that even when he fails, God will not.
But this is a lesson that Abram had to live into, steadily learn over time.
His first lesson is found in Genesis 12.
This chapter contains both the faithful obedience of Abram and the doubting failure.
It contains a well rounded picture of the father of faith.
The beginning of his life of faith is in verses 1-9.
I. The Faith of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9)
Abram’s walk of faith begins with God’s promise.
Genesis 12:1-3. Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
This is the first time God makes these promises to Abraham.
There are three promises of God here.
God promises to make Abram a great nation,
Go promises to give him a great name,
and Go promises to bring great blessing upon the earth through Abram.
Down in Genesis 12:7, there is also the promise of land.
Together, these are the promises of God to Abram.
These promises are often called the Abrahamic Covenant, and God will repeat it and make it unconditional in Genesis 15.
It is these promises of God, these covenants from God, that Abram’s faith is founded upon.
Abram was a man of faith because he knew and believed the promises of God.
If you an I want to develop faith, you an I must know what God has said in His Word, and especially what promises He has made to you and me.
How can you an I trust the promises if we don’t know what the promises are?
Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
If you an I want to be a person of faith, you an I must be in the Word of God.
You an I must read the promises, understand the promises, and as the hymn says, you an I must set a standard of living, to be “Standing on the Promises.”
The promises given to Abram were unconditional promises.
This will become much more evident in chapter 15.
The Abrahamic covenant did not depend on Abram’s faithfulness or the faithfulness of his descendants.
There are those who say today that Israel has lost their right to the land, they are no longer the chosen nation because of their constant sin and rebellion.
That is making the Abrahamic covenant based upon the works and faithfulness of the people of Israel, rather than the Word and faithfulness of God.
It is true Abram and many of his descendants did have times of disobedience.
Sometimes for hundreds of years.
But God always keeps His promises, even when great failure blossomed.
God has promised that Israel will be a great nation.
Isn’t it amazing that though Israel has always been a relatively small nation, and relatively few in number compared to the populations which surround it, yet, they are still one of the world powers in military, science and economics?
And they will become even greater during the 1000 year reign of Christ which is yet to come.
God also promised that He would make Abram’s name great.
I have already talked about how Abraham still makes the news today, even though he’s been dead for 4000 years.
Nobody else in history except for Jesus Christ has that claim to fame.
Abraham’s name truly is great.
There is also the promise in verse 3
God will bless those who bless Abram, and curse those who curse him, and all families on earth will be blessed through him.
That promise at the end of verse 3 is ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
All nations on earth have been blessed through Abram, because it is through Abram’s descendants that Jesus Christ came into this world.
And when Jesus Christ returns again, and sets up His kingdom on earth, all the nations of the earth will be blessed again.
Abram hears these promises when he is still living in Haran, and so in verses 4 and following, He acts upon the promises and sets out.
Genesis 12:4-5. So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.
When Abram left Haran, he took his wife Saria, and his nephew Lot with him.
As we learned last time we were in the book of Genesis, Abram probably left his father Terah in Haran.
His father had probably had enough of following God who-knows-where, and so wanted to stay in Haran. But Abram can wait no longer for he is now 75 years old. So he sets out with his wife Sarai and nephew and all of their possessions.
Can you imagine, at 75 years old, making such a change?
Most people, by the time they are 75, are pretty much set in their ways.
They are living where they are going to live, and they are comfortable there, and it’s hard to get them to change anything.
Of course, Abraham lived to be 175, so when he was 75, would be comparable to someone today being 39 if we consider it, try to figure it on a 90 year life span.
One of the reasons Abram is a man of faith is because he is willing to follow God anywhere, anytime, even when he’s 75 years old.
He departed and traveled south to Canaan, until they came to Shechem, which is in the middle, or very center of Canaan.
Genesis 12:6-7. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
This is the fourth promise of God to Abram.
The first three were a great people, a great name, and great blessing.
Now we have the promise of Land.
The Land is part of the Abrahamic Covenant.
God doesn’t promise the land to Abram, but to his descendants.
This is not only a promise the land will eventually belong to his descendants, but also that he will have descendants.
God is promising to Abraham that he will have descendants, and that God will give them this land.
This promise was almost completely fulfilled when Joshua and the people of Israel entered the land about 600 years later.
But the first piece of land was obtained through a purchase made by Abram as a burial plot for his wife (Gen. 23:16-20).
Later, his grandson Jacob also bought some land in Shechem, near where Abram received the promise (Gen. 33:19).
Later, it is at the oak tree near Shechem (NIV, NAS, NKJV), possibly the same tree mentioned here, that Jacob and his companions rededicated themselves to God, and got rid of all of their idols and false gods (Genesis 35:4-5).
Six-hundred years later, when the Israelites come to Canaan in conquest, they begin their campaign by gathering at Shechem to remember the covenant, and build another altar to God (Joshua 8:30-35).
After they have defeated their enemies and have gained ownership of the land, Joshua calls the people once again to Shechem to show them that the promises have been kept.
He also asks the Israelites to make their own promises to God (Joshua 24) to serve Him and obey Him.
So this is what they do. Just as Abram builds an altar to God at Shechem, so also do the people of Israel 600 years later (Joshua 24:26-27).
It is at Shechem where Abram received the promise, and it is at Shechem that the people of Israel received the fulfillment of the promise. It is there that they also made a promise to obey God and serve Him faithfully, just as Abram did.
Imagine the relevance and significance of worshipping God in a place where 600 years before, your ancestor Abram had also worshipped God.
Imagine building an altar to God, possibly using the same stones Abram used.
Shechem was a special place for the people for it is where God first appeared to Abram in the Promised Land, where Abram first built an altar to worship God.
The altar was a symbolic and public way of worshipping God.
As long as the altar stood, it was a reminder to all who saw and knew what it meant that God spoke to Abram and promised this land to him.
When God makes promises to you, it is sometimes advisable to set up reminders for yourself.
Make an entry in your journal.
Put a sticky note on your cupboard.
I have daily written these devotionals over the last three years or so and sent them out to quite literally all over the world – It is my ministry unto the world.
It is a reminder of a promise God made to me and a promise I made to God.
As humans, we have a tendency to forget the promises of God.
Altars were a way Abram gave glory to God for these promises.
You and I can find similar means and methods to give glory to God and find ways to give Holy Spirit credit for helping me remember His promises to me.
In Genesis 12:8, Abram moves further south and builds another one of these altars.
Genesis 12:8. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.
This site becomes important later when Israel does finally begin to receive the land.
In the book of Joshua, after the walls of Jericho fall down, the Israelites go to attack Ai.
But they are soundly defeated.
Because Achan stole 200 pieces of silver, a wedge of gold and a Babylonian garment as spoils of war from Jericho and buried them, hid them in his tent.
After Achan’s sin is discovered, and he is put to death, they once again attack Ai, and this time they prevail.
Where Abram worshipped God, called on the name of the Lord, the Israelites also rededicated themselves to God by getting rid of the sin in their midst and then going forth to battle.
Abram’s altar and the Israelite’s actions between Bethel and Ai are another witness to their faithful, faith-filled dedication to serve and obey their God.
Genesis 12:9. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
We don’t know how long he stayed in each spot, what we are shown is Abram has no place to rest, no place to stop and settle down, no place to call home.
Though he has found a place that God will give to his descendants, it is not yet his.
He has followed God from Haran to Canaan.
God spoke to Abram and promised Him blessings and land.
Abram has built two altars to God.
Things seem to be going well for Abram.
He is making progress on his journey of faith.
When Abraham arrived at his destination, he built an altar and dedicated it to the Lord, who faithfully fulfilled His promise and who had brought him there.
What a wonderful message, what a wonderful witness and testimony in the midst of one of the most memorable pilgrimages in the pages of Scripture.
Where has God brought you?
Is your first thought to worship him for his faithfulness?
God continues to promise us spiritual blessings in this life and the next.
So let’s not forget to faithfully dedicate the steps of our lives to our faithful God, even if, like Abram to Abraham it’s mostly unclear exactly where God is leading.
Tomorrow, we will dedicate and devote some critical time toGenesis 12:10-20.
Here we will try to delve deeper into the Failures of Abram (Genesis 12:10-20)
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of Heaven’s Armies, You tell me to put my faith and my trust in You when I am afraid. Dear God, right now I confess I am definitely afraid. I am afraid of things that are happening in my life. I am afraid for my future. I am afraid for my loved ones. I feel helpless, hopeless. I cannot breathe. The walls are closing in around me. I can feel the anxieties near and I need Your protection. Come into me, dear God, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I need You now! Help me to put my hope in You. I thank You for being my rock and my shield. Thank You for being my God in whom I can really trust. I praise You because even when I was faithless, You remained faithful to me. You have never changed nor ever withdrew Your love from me. I love You, God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum!
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
39 Now at this time Mary arose and hurried to the hill country, to a city of Judah (Judea), 40 and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. 42 And she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed [worthy to be praised] are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord.”
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Why Should This Happen to Me?
Whether in those most ancient of days of biblical times or in our modern days,
Why should anything happen to anyone in the Kingdom of the Most High God?
The much needed Revelation of Faith?
The much desired Revelation of Hope?
The much required Revelation of Love?
Maybe the significantly needed, desired, required Revelation of all three?
Elizabeth was utterly amazed.
She could hardly believe what was happening to her.
Not only was she expecting a child in her old age, but she also had the awesome privilege of meeting her relative Mary, the expectant mother of the Lord Jesus.
Suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit, the previously barren Elizabeth exclaimed, “Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Why me?
Why me, Lord?
I’m sure many of us have asked this question at one time or another for a diverse variety of reasons.
Something unexpected happened in our lives, and we could not help asking, “Why me?”
Someone unexpected happened in our lives, and we could not stop asking the question: “Why Me?”
Someone, indescribably, undeniably special just happens to quietly walk into the middle of our busy or not so busy lives at the most in opportune moment.
Inexplicably, unexplainable things begin to change and we ask: “Why Me?”
We tend to ask this question especially when things go wrong.
Maybe we have lost someone we have loved.
Perhaps we have had to deal with a physical disability, or we were diagnosed with a terrible illness, we may have lost our job, or our business may have failed, we are in financial straights and the one question was right there:
“Why me?”
We tend to ask this question when everything suddenly starts going right.
But there is a more important question in this Advent season:
Why should we have the privilege of getting to know Elizabeth and Mary?
Why should we have the privilege of being “reintroduced,” “reacquainted” to the Presence, the intercessory works, ministry of God, the Holy Spirit, in US?
Why should we have the privilege of getting to know the expectation of the coming birth of Immanuel, “God with US, God within US, God OUR Savior?”
Why should we be so privileged that the Lord should come to earth for people like Mary and Elizabeth and US, WE who did nothing to deserve his coming?
As we approach the celebration of the birth of the Savior, we do well to ask, Why should we be so favored?
Let us stand amazed that the fullness of God should love us so much that he sent his only Son, Immanuel, to bring us back to himself, give us eternal life?
One of the central themes of the beautiful story of when Mary visits Elizabeth is the revelation of the unshakeable unquestioning undeniable faith of both these women in God – even after long numbers of years when God appeared absent.
We see this faith witness through several moments which occur during the visit.
What Is the Context of Mary’s Visit with Elizabeth?
Elizabeth was an elderly barren woman experiencing the shame in her era of being childless.
Her priestly husband Zechariah, having no child to carry on his name, might have been shamed enough by his wife’s shame to sought another wife. But he didn’t. Rather, the couple remained faithful to each other and faithful to God.
Luke 1:13-17Amplified Bible
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your petition [in prayer] was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him [a]John. 14 You will have great joy and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth, 15 for he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord; and will never drink wine or liquor, and he will be filled with and empowered to act by the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”
The hard pressed Zechariah found this beyond hard to believe since he and his wife were “aged” far beyond childbearing years, so he then questioned Gabriel,
“How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
Luke 1:18-20Amplified Bible
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age.” 19 The angel replied and said to him, “I am Gabriel; I stand and minister in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent [by Him] to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 [a]Listen carefully, you will be continually silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe what I told you; but my words will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Just as Gabriel had prophesied, when Zechariah returned to Elizabeth, she did become pregnant and Zechariah could not speak.
When Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy, Mary, a young relative engaged to her fiancé Joseph, was also having her own unexpected encounter with Gabriel. He visited her one night and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:29-38
Mary understood Gabrielle’s message that she and Elizabeth were both having miraculous pregnancies that few would understand or believe possible.
She did not hesitate but hurried off to visit Elizabeth who lived about 50-100 miles away.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.Luke 1:39-40
Here are four significant faith moments when Mary visits Elizabeth:
1. Mary Had Faith That Elizabeth Would Welcome Her
It wasn’t by chance that Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth.
God knew that Elizabeth was going to be the perfect spiritual mother and mentor for Mary because not everyone would accept as true either of their miraculous stories of God’s sudden, favored, supernatural intervention.
A young Mary had faith that she would find comfort and reassurance, welcome and true acceptance in spending time with her much older relative Elizabeth.
Gabriel’s mention of Elizabeth’s pregnancy compelled Mary to go to her immediately!
She wasn’t daunted by the inconvenience, time required, energy expended or sacrifice, considering she was in the first trimester of her own pregnancy.
Mary did not stop to count the cost, weigh the hardships of the travel, analyze if that was really, truly what the Lord meant, worry about how it would affect her schedule, relationship with Joseph or if Elizabeth was too old to relate to her.
Mary must have felt that Elizabeth was a safe person. She could go to her with this supernatural story and Elizabeth would receive her with compassion.
Once there, she would learn that Elizabeth had her own supernatural God story.
2. Elizabeth Had Faith That There Was a Great Reason God Sent Mary to Visit Her
Imagine Elizabeth opening the door to a teenage unwed pregnant distant relative she hasn’t seen in years.
She was going through her own hardship of being an elderly pregnant woman with a priestly husband who could not tell her why he could not speak to her.
But from Elizabeth’s response at Mary’s arrival, it does not seem like she is worried or fretted that the house was a mess, or she was out of bread, or that she looked a sight and Zechariah really was not even close to himself lately.
She did not tell Mary that there were a million things she had to do to get ready for her own baby so this definitely, probably was not a good time for her visit.
Elizabeth wasn’t judgmental or condemning. Instead, the Bible tells us . . .
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:41-45
Before Mary could even explain her immaculate conception, the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth and she knew Mary was carrying the blessed Messiah.
Elizabeth began to prophesy about Mary and her baby.
She knew Mary had also believed and trusted in the Lord just as she herself had done.
Two divergent women of faith from different generations but the same God.
We’re now Face-to-Face With God, Elizabeth and Mary: Generation to Generation,
Pray and please note that while young Mary needed someone to prepare her for long pregnancy and giving birth to the Messiah, more importantly, she needed someone who understood and had insight into what this future would entail.
3. Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth Confirmed God’s Plans
God had a definite plan for Zechariah and Elizabeth’s, son, John the Baptist, to be the forerunner of Mary’s own unborn son, Immanuel, the future Messiah.
Upon meeting, both women, by Holy Spirit revelation, knew that immediately.
After the Holy Spirit–inspired greeting from Elizabeth, Mary’s heart filled with joy as she trusted God and she responded to Elizabeth with a Spirit-filled hymn of praise, hope, and faith which is today called the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)
4. Elizabeth and Mary’s Strong Common Bond Was Their Faith Testimony in God
Even though there was an obviously significant age gap and the women’s individual mission from God was different, their lives, their babies’ lives and their families lives, and our families lives, would be intricately intertwined.
Mary stayed for three months with Elizabeth and since Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Mary arrived, perhaps Mary even helped with the birth of baby John.
We have the vantage point of knowing the future for both babies.
During Mary’s visit there would be great camaraderie between the two women, one very young and one very old, who were each fulfilling God’s purpose in a way that was probably difficult to explain believably to others. .
I am reasonably sure they spent a great deal of time in prayer and affirming their faith and hope in God and each other that while their experience came with certain definite hardships, the blessings far outweighed the difficulties.
We do not read any discussion of poor me or why me, only praise God it’s me!
Mary had to be overjoyed and affirmed as she listened to her older wiser relative confirm she, Mary, was blessed indeed, as are all of us who put our faith in God.
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”Luke 1:45
What Can We Each Learn Today from These God Gifted, God Given, Faith-Moments?
There had to be many who severely questioned the credibility, veracity, and the implications of Elizabeth and Mary’s stories, but someone who has experienced something similar to us can understand our deepest concerns and even fears.
That’s why it’s so highly favorable and highly valuable that we maintain faith-filled, hope and love filled relationships where we feel safe to share our stories.
It takes real courage and “stand your ground” fortitude to stand strong and upright in what you believe when the world is trying to undermine your faith.
It’s so important for Christians to gather and worship together corporately at church, in small groups, and mentoring relationships to encourage each other, pray together, study God’s Word, and remind them that Jesus is real and alive today in every believer’s life realizing nothing happens by chance to a believer.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Jeremiah. 29:11
Luke 1:46-47, 49 (Amplified Bible)
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
Faith Is Believing in What We Cannot, Do Not, Probably Will Not, Ever Understand!
The foundation of the Christian life is the gift of faith that we freely receive by asking Jesus into our heart.
Believers should spend significantly more time than they do right now seeking and reaching out for the ever faith-filled hand of God in every circumstance.
Recognizing those timely God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit supernatural interventions and seeing purpose comes with spiritual maturity.
The Bible says that believers who have yet to see God’s involvement in their life, but still believe, will be rewarded for their patience and unquestioning faith.
But in reality, becoming a Christian, receiving Baptism and Holy Communion is the most influential evidence of a true divine revelation in every believer’s life.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:1-3
When faith, hope and love seem impossible, all things are possible with God!
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
36 And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “[a]Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.Gospel of St. Luke 1:36-38
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” St. Augustine of Hippo
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.
8 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, That You might silence the enemy and make the revengeful cease.
3 When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have established, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than [b]God, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth!
Lord, our God, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Savior, we ask that through your Holy Spirit we can feel something of the awe of Elizabeth. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 