Genesis 20:2
Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

Abraham’s journey had led him to the far south of the promised land, to an area that had begun to be occupied by the Philistines. Because of the reputation of the Philistine people, Abraham and Sarah decided the best approach to guarantee their safety was to lie about their relationship. They would tell anyone who asked, they were brother and sister. Thinking Sarah would not be taken and Abe would not be killed. It seems their plan backfired, because when the Philistine king of Gerar saw Sarah, he took her into his harem and sought to make her his wife.

This passage serves as an illustration of many things, not the least of which, it gives us a clear picture of what true repentance actually looks like.

It…

Genesis 19:14
“So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, ‘Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!’ But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.”

I remember growing up with the story of Paul Revere riding through the New England countryside, heralding the message that the British were coming. In the version I was told, he rode from town to town warning the people who responded by preparing themselves for battle. Lot, like Paul Revere, was given a warning. His warning came by the hand of two angelic messengers, explaining that the Lord was coming to judge. When Lot began to broadcast the message, those closest to him responded with laughter, thinking he must be joking. I have always been stunned by that. Lot lived in such a way that no one would believe he…

Matthew 9:2 “Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’”

This chapter introduces us to a man who is facing one of life’s greatest challenges; that of a terrible physical disorder. Being a paralytic would mean he not only missed out on much of the experiences of life that we take for granted, but also, he would be totally dependant upon others. He was not even capable of getting to this home on his own.

I find it interesting and exciting that Jesus says to this man, “Be of good cheer.” With such a difficult trial, what could he possibly have to be happy about? Maybe you feel that way. Maybe the darkness of what you are facing is stealing away your joy. What could…

Genesis 18:14
“Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

This question was not asked on a theology exam, but in a real life situation. A one hundred year old man, and a ninety year old barren woman, were promised a child from whom a great nation would be established. The promises of God were met head on by the circumstances of life, making them seem so far-fetched, both Abraham and Sarah laughed. It was not improbable for a 90 year old woman to have a child, it was impossible. Not only was she passed the age of child bearing, but she had been infertile her whole life. What did not happen in her youth, could not happen in her old age. Yet in these circumstances, God made a promise. When the promise was doubted, God asked them a question, “Is anything to hard for the Lord?”

Life is filled with…

Genesis 17:5
“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”

Juliet asked Romeo, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” That question takes on a whole new meaning when seen in light of the events recorded in Genesis 17. This chapter chronicles God changing the names of Abram and Sarai, as well as providing the name of their long awaited son.

At his birth, Abram’s parents must have had great hopes and expectations for their son. His name means “exalted father.” How sad it must have been for him to go through life never having the pleasure of a child of his own. Now, at an age where having children might seem, to some of us, more like a curse than a blessing, God…

Matthew 8:26
“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Out on the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of a great tempest, we find the disciples fearing for their lives. When they cry out to Jesus for help, He responds with a question. “Why are you afraid?” Naturally, they had much reason to fear. The storm was great, many in the boat were unaccustomed to the sea and it’s ways, and fear has a way of spreading from one to another. To make matters worse, when they looked to Jesus, He seemed to not care about their plight. He was sleeping while they were suffering. It seems they had reason to fear. On the other hand, they had been traveling with Jesus. They lived through the chapter we just read. They saw Him cleanse the leper and heal the crowds. If they had only looked back at what…

Genesis 16:13
“Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, ‘Have I also here seen Him who sees me?’”

We have four sons and had to select names for each of them. When making our decisions, we looked through name books, considered family names, then ultimately chose names that we liked. Very little consideration was given to what, if anything, the names actually meant. In Biblical times, names mattered much more than they do today. A person was named for an event that transpired around their birth, or to describe a particular character trait. A son who came out of the womb with a lot of hair was called Esau or Hairy, and his twin brother who held on to his heel, was called Jacob, or heel catcher. This principle is particularly true as it relates to God. The names ascribed to God in…

Genesis 15:1
​ “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Abraham had every reason to be afraid. He had just mounted a surprise attack against the forces of king Chedorlaomer and stole back all the spoils of his victory over the king of Sodom. It seems obvious, this king would soon return with his armies and attempt to wipe out Abraham.  I love that God wastes no time in coming to Abraham with a promise to be his protection against the enemies attacks.

Abraham’s fears may have been compiled by the fact that he had just rejected all the spoils offered to him by the king of Sodom. In an act of great, perhaps even heroic faith, Abraham resisted the temptation to take a financial gift from the king. He…

Matthew 7:5 “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Often, when we know of a Christian friend who is stumbling in their walk with Jesus, we are not sure what to do. They may have gotten involved in an ungodly activity or into a bad relationship or simply stopped investing into their relationship with Christ. We want to help, but at the same time we fear that saying something will be construed as “judging them.” Jesus gives us, in this passage, a keen insight into how to deal with one another in the body. When you see something amiss in my relationship with Christ, the first place you should look is inward. Is there anything out of place in your relationship with Christ? What you find must be removed. The Biblical way of…

Genesis 14:18-20
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And he gave him a tithe of all.”

Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek is one of the most interesting and encouraging stories in Scripture. The scene is set for their meeting in the previous chapter, where we find Lot departing from Abram, and moving to the plains outside the city of Sodom. What seemed to be a brilliant business decision, turned out to be a costly moral one, as Lot is soon caught up in the ways of Sodom. When fighting breaks out between nations, Lot finds himself taken captive as a POW, and led back to Elam where…