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Wednesday 12 March 2014

Abraham believed God

I have always found the relationship between Abraham and God encouraging.  The main thing that I found encouraging about him was that he believed God when being tested in two very hard trials .  As I read of his experience regarding leaving his country  I could see that there was no questioning, or fear of the consequences, of what God was asking him to do, and no reasoning with the carnal mind to prevent him from doing what he was being told to do. 
This story of Abraham leaving his country was what I felt was being pointed out to  me many times before moving to this area.  

God accompanies His word with signs and there were little things that appeared to go with this at the time we were looking for a house to move to, with no real intention of coming this distance from the town we lived in.  I love the blackbird and, shortly before we moved, the man across the road from us cut down lots of trees in his garden that attracted many blackbirds that used to sing beautifully every morning. The blackbirds disappeared once the trees were cut down and I missed their song greatly.  

Just before we left, a new lady came to a ladies meeting I attended every week, she was called Meryl.  Our neighbour at the new property is called Meryl, the lady across the road is called Merle and the pastors wife at the new church I prayed about going to, who said to me when I first met her 'I feel like I have known you all my life.' is called Meryl.  These names mean 'blackbird', and there are lots of blackbirds in and around the garden of our present home.















In Genesis ch.22 God tested Abraham by instructing him to take his son to be sacrificed. Abraham obeyed God without question, but he knew that God had promised him that his descendants would come through Isaac. Genesis ch.6 vs.13-15 'For when God made promise to Abraham because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself, saying Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee,  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. God let Abraham go so far and then said to him  'Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.'  Genesis ch.22 v..12 

This incident in particular has always encouraged me to believe that what we are promised by God when we are born again in Jesus is granted through our faith in Him and that I must not worry if hard trials come my way, but I must carry on trusting God for those promises.   One of the verses the Lord spoke to me very early on in my walk with Him was 'If you love Me, keep my commands.' John ch.14 v.15.' and I have learned, and am still learning, that there is no need to let fear and uncertainty cause me to allow my carnal mind to persuade me to do things according to my old worldly ways instead of Gods ways.

I have no need to worry about  material things if I put my trust in the Lord as Matthew ch.6 vs.31-33 says 'Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.' and I have to say that in all the thirty years that I have known the Lord He has provided for myself and my husband, and I have found that a person can be content with little or with much when the Lord is in their life.  Admittedly, many times I have found it hard and have made many mistakes while learning, but provided I keep my eyes upon Him and ask forgiveness when I get it wrong, then my peace is restored to me.

Proverbs ch.22 v.6 'Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.' reminds me of the fact that as I am growing in the Lord gradually being taught His ways, and mature in Him, His ways will become my ways.  We go from the milk to the strong meat, and He fully understands that we are flesh while guiding us on our journey, encouraging us to build one another up in the Spirit through the gifts He has given each one of us  'until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.' Ephesians ch.4 v.13.  I was reminded of this scripture last week when I put a bunch of daffodils into a glass vase which has the shape of daffodils cut into it, all of us being made into the image of Him whom we are in.






29 comments:

Frank E. Blasi said...

Dear Brenda,
Abraham had certainly demonstrated his faith in God when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. James commended Abraham, and also Rahab the prostitute, who hid Israel's spies when Joshua was preparing to take Jericho. As a result, Rahab was accepted into the Messianic Line, being the ancestral mother of King David, and of Jesus Christ himself.
This does goes to show that no matter what background a person comes from, anyone who has faith in the living God will be justified. Indeed, what a glorious God we have!
A well written blog,
God bless.

Brenda said...

Hi Frank,
yes, there are many stories in the old testament which have a message in them. I love the way that Abraham's story encourages obedience to God's instruction and not to fear the consequences of doing so. He demonstrated his faith by his actions. Salvation is open to all, no matter what, because God wants all to be saved. Without the Holy Spirit in our lives we would not be able to put the 'old man' to death ( Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.)Colossians ch.3 v.5. Repentance is to re-think, to change our way of thinking. Praise God for a long suffering and forgiving God as 'we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.' 2 Corinthians ch.3 v.18
God bless you Frank, and God bless Alex too with full recovery.

Never Forsaken said...

I am always so amazed by the way the Lord uses things in your life to paint a picture, or piece a puzzle of His will working out...I took some time to think about this today, and it occurs to me that He is always communicating with us, and so we must always be listening, but not only listening...but ready to hear. I can't help but think of the scripture that teaches us that God is seen in the things that He has created.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and 7Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Rom 1:20
And when I re-read that verse, the word that stands out to me is 'clearly'...In order to see things clearly Jesus teaches us to make sure there is no obstructions in our eye...This is what you have done...You have learned how to remove the obstructions in order to see clearly. This is something each one of us can do in order to see how God is working on a more personal level in our everyday life!
Blessings and love to you, my sister~ Lisa

child of God said...

Hi Brenda,
I have always loved the story of Abraham and Issac. The faith Abraham has in God is clear and the faith Issac has in Abraham is clear. If God has called us to something He will always provide for us.

I love how Father provided so many blackbirds for you! In the names of people and in the bird itself, He is so cool!

Blessings,
<><

Brenda said...

Lisa, I agree with everything you have said. All scripture can be discerned spiritually to instruct and guide us when we are born again, and as the church is Gods Israel we can identify with people from the old testament when the Holy Spirit is teaching us, whether encouraging us to be like them or not like them. I believe that all of creation can speak to us if we look at it through our spiritual eyes, just like the three stages of the butterfly speaks of new birth.
God bless you Lisa as your strength is renewed as the eagle by being still in Him and waiting upon Him.

Brenda said...

Hi coG,
Amen to loving the story of Abraham and Isaac. God will always strengthen us to do what He calls us to do, and we will always know if it is His voice or not if we seek Him daily. We can do nothing without Him.
God bless

Laurie Collett said...

Dear Brenda,
Abraham's example of faith -- of trusting the Lord one step at a time, even when the path and destination are unknown -- is a great blessing. I love the symbolism of the image of the daffodils being cut into their vase, as we are made in His image. Beautiful post.
God bless,
Laurie

Brenda said...

Yes Laurie,
isn't it wonderful how Abraham trusted the Lord - at a time. If we trust the Lord at the start, and continue that journey of trust, we too shall learn line upon line, little by little and be made into His beautiful image.
God bless you Laurie, and keep dancing in the Lord.

Sola Scriptura said...

Wonderful post :) Abraham's faith was great and we can see that he trusted God and even if he was to sacrifice his son, he knew God could raise him up again (he told his men that both he and his son would return from the mountain)
Genesis 22:5
He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Brenda said...

Amen to that eh?,
How is that for pure faith. When the Lord speaks to us that word of promise, we only have to believe. If we find it difficult we can say 'I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief'. (Mark ch.9 v.24). Thank you for your encouraging 'additive'.
God bless you

Ceil said...

HI Brenda! I have also been meditating on the story or Abraham. He is really an inspiration in both being so human, and so faithful all at the same time. Hopefully, I am like that too.

All those names! Wow! God was being very clear with you, wasn't he? I went to school with a girl named Merle, and she was the only Merle I have ever met. I don't think it's that common? Anyway, thank you for sharing your message from the Lord.

Your daffodils are gorgeous! So vibrant, I can't wait for the flowers to start blooming here. We are all being made into his image aren't we. I love that insight :0
Ceil

Brenda said...

Hi Ceil,
Hope you are enjoying your break. I seem to be spending so much of my time looking at houses on the internet. We had a good offer for ours but could not find one we liked and could afford in the area we are thinking of going to (long story). The Lord keeps reminding me that our times are in His hands. Yes, the name thing was amazing. My husband's name is Merly, which means 'blackbird' too. I know the 'Abraham' thing is the Lord encouraging me to trust in His promises to me no matter what. Yes, He we are all in Him, being made in His image.
God bless

S. Knowles said...

Fist I want to say sorry for this comment being so long, just really want to share some things in my life with you.

Thank you so much for sharing this post. Every time I come to read one of your post, I learn some great stuff. Along with wonderful spiritual things I learn, you almost always have something else wonderful to share. I never knew Meryl meant blackbird, I even looked it up & it's french.


The scripture in Matthew 6 you shared I have seen several times over the past several days, and I can't helped but to feel this is talking right to me. It is God's words and I truly believe the reason I have seen this scripture so much is because God wants to remind me to trust in Him. God knows that I have been worrying a lot about all the things mentioned in that scripture recently.

I have a tenant renting one of the rooms in our house and things haven't been going very well, and I have asked him to leave. The money from the rent I have been using to help with bills and groceries, since I am unemployed. Now with this guy having to move out soon, I have been worrying about how I will be able to purchase groceries and take care of the bills that the rent was covering. I prayed to God about getting a job, but truly I feel the reason I was praying for the job may not have been for the right reasons. I prayed out of fear I think, that I must work somewhere because I will need to be able to make ends meet when this tenant is gone.
I was always thinking well, the real reason I'm praying is because everybody is supposed to work and I don't want to be considered lazy and not pulling my own weight around here. But the real reason I was praying for the job I think is because of fear. But that scripture I think I kept coming across all over the place was for me to remember that God will take care of me so why am I worrying.

continued below....

S. Knowles said...

My brother's bike got stolen the very last night of the year, just a few hours b4 it became 2014. His bike has been his way of transportation for years now and with that gone he started to catch the bus some days but most days he would walk to work, a long journey. I prayed to God to help him get a bike.

My sister has been having many troubles with a car she bought a while back and for months, even what seemed to be a year, she was trying to get it fixed but it didn't work out. That also was the way she got to work. So now she had to catch the bus too, but the bus drivers wouldn't pick her up, so many times she would walk or catch a ride with someone. I prayed that God would help my sister get safely to and from work and that he would make sure she got a ride on time to and from work, because she had problems clocking out/in because she would reach late on account of the buses not picking her up.

One evening as I was walking to the kitchen,I saw in one of the rooms a really pretty blue bike sitting close to the wall. I went to my brother and said you finally got your bike I know you probably was saving for, but he said no. I said then who's bike is that? he said it's his, I said how did you get that bike if you didn't buy it? He said the pastor from church had bought him it and dropped it off that very evening. I right away knew it was God answering my prayer and I thanked God.

A few hours ago before I read your post, my sister knocked on my room door and said look out the window, I went over and looked out the window and saw a black Jeep parked outside in front of our gate, at first I thought is that hers? Then I said to myself maybe it's somebody giving her a ride and there is something she's about to take out of it that she wanted me to see. So, I waited for her to pop the trunk open, but she didn't. She went in and reversed so that I could see it was her who was driving it. She was smiling. Brenda, I haven't seen my sister smile I think in maybe 2 years or more, but she was smiling and I began to cry tears of joy. And even now I don't know what I was crying for more, the fact that my sister was happy or because God had answered another pray and my sister finally got her transportation again and didn't have to worry about getting to and from work on time any more.

I wonder about worrying. I wonder why it occurs even in a person who has seen countless times the faithfulness of God. Is it me worrying because of lacking faith, or having very little faith, or because of some other reason? Why is it worrying occurs when God told us not to worry, yet we still worry? When I worry is that a sign of disobedience then? Am I being rebellious? Is it that I lack some very important fruits of the Holy Spirit that would enable me not to worry? This troubles me greatly, because If God said not to do it, I want to obey God, but I find myself doing some of things He has said not to do. And I'm not sure if it is for a lack of trying hard enough or from me being weak? I wonder about worrying because I want to be rid of it. It is written that it is impossible to please God without faith. Do I lack the faith required to please God? Is that evident in the way I worry so much about the things God said not to worry about?

Sorry for writing such a long-winded comment, I just have so many questions. So many.

Brenda said...

Sateigdra,
please do not apologize for leaving a long comment, it is lovely to hear from you. Your comment is actually a testimony of the Lord's faithfulness and His ability to carry out what He has promised. I really believe that what has happened with your brother and your sister is not only answered prayer for their welfare but confirmation doubled that the Lord will confirm His word to you regarding meeting your needs as you seek Him and His righteousness. My life is full of stories about the Lord supplying my needs and yet still I get anxious when a trial becomes very hard. I am going through something now which I will probably share on my blog soon, but the Lord has told me to be anxious for nothing and is bringing me to lean on Him and His assurance of having my times in His hands. I really believe that the main thing is that we seek Him and try to act on what He tells us to do. Sometimes it is difficult to put down the carnal mind with its reasoning even when we have experienced miracles, but we get stronger as we put our trust in the Lord. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God but there is a process of growing in that faith through the word, and I find that the Lord is patient and does not demand that we immediately go from baby in Him to full grown maturity. He encourages us to trust in His word but understands that we are flesh. I think it is wonderful what the Lord has encouraged you with Sateigdra, and I know He will lead you into what He has in store for you. I know you love Him and all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.
God bless you Sateigdra, love and peace in the Lord to you.

STUFF (GOD'S WORD IS THE REAL STUFF) said...

FULL CIRCLE BLESSINGS
GOODNESS does not come with a plan
It is birthed in the hearts of man
Then passed from hand to hand
Never knowing where it came from or on whom it will finally land.

Brenda said...

Hello STUFF (GOD'S WORD IS THE REAL STUFF)
I like the poem. If I think deeply upon it, I think of how it is God who is 'Goodness', and He is the One who does come with a plan - a plan for all men to be saved, through birthing belief in His Son Jesus in the hearts of man. This is passed from hand to hand by the Spirit who is at work in believers to spread the Gospel.

Laurie Collett said...

Your poem is beautiful, Brenda! I love the way He uses you to communicate His beauty in all things. May we have the faith of Abraham!
God bless,
Laurie

Brenda said...

Hello Laurie,
thank you for your kind comment, though the poem was in the previous blogger's comment. It is just that I see the only goodness we have in us is through the introduction of Jesus into our lives.
God bless

S. Knowles said...

Thanks Brenda for those encouraging words and reminding me that the Lord said to be anxious for nothing. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who called me from Texas. He reminded me that the reason people worry is because of fear and because of lacking patience.

We are told in Psalms 27:14 to "wait on the lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, wait I say on the Lord." I think I have been impatient and very anxious at times, but with the encouragement from you and others I have been reminded simply to be patient and to trust in the Lord God Almighty.

I love those words, "my time is in His hands". There's a song I like that starts off with those words and I just love those words. So comforting. Thanks again Brenda. :-) To God be the glory.

Brenda said...

You are very welcome Sateigdra,
you are an encouragement yourself and I don't think you realize it. Many people go through the same anxieties and can share similar fears and I believe communicating with one another and sharing testimonies can strengthen and encourage spiritual growth in the Lord. It is amazing how the word of the Lord has a power to bring into existence that which does not exist, and Psalm 27 v.14 is a beautiful verse of instruction at this moment, and also what that instruction will bring to pass.
God bless you Sateigdra -Amen To God be the glory.

Aritha V. said...

Thank you. I am always impressed by this story. Let us listen to Gods voice today and every single day. Like Abraham. And trust Him in our ups and downs.

Brenda said...

Hi Jedidja,
you came into my mind today while I was out. I too love the story of Abraham and his absolute trust in Gods voice. Amen to what you have said.
God bless you

Ken said...

Hi Brenda, I think of the passage "without faith, it is impossible to please God." Abraham is one of the many examples we have in the Bible about those who demonstrated faith and God accomplished many great things through them. Thank you for sharing and God bless.

Laurie Collett said...

So true, Brenda -- until we are saved, we are the children of the devil, and even after we are saved, we must contend with (and die to) our sin nature every day. The only goodness in us is through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Praise God that when He looks at His children, He sees only the perfect righteousness of His Son.
God bless,
Laurie

Brenda said...

Hi Ken,
lovely to see you back. You are so right in what you have said in your comment. James ch.2 vx.21 -24 demonstrates this perfectly. ' Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.' Abraham did what God told him to do even though it would have gone against the reasoning of the natural mind.
I have to smile because I think the Lord is directing me also to take a break from blogging now as there are so many things that I hope to do, God willing, over the next month or so.
Lovely to see you, God bless.

Brenda said...

Hi Laurie,
That is right what you say about contending with our sin nature every day, even Jesus said 'Why do you call me good, only God is good'. John ch.1 vs. 12 and 13 says that as many as received Him had the right to BECOME children of God. We still have to grow in Him by eating that Word and being doers of it and not just hearers who remain trusting in the will of the flesh, otherwise we would be like spiritual babies that remain in the womb eh?
God bless you Laurie

Sandi said...

That is such a beautiful vase!

This really encouraged me:

"...and have made many mistakes while learning."

Thanks. :)

Brenda said...

Hi again Sandi,
I love that vase too. I definitely have made many mistakes while learning, but isn't that how we learn best - through our mistakes, recognizing that that is what they are.... mistakes.
God bless Sandi, lovely to see you.