All posts tagged: Abraham

Is Anything too hard for God

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Is anything too hard for God? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son. Genesis 18:14 Abraham and his wife, as we know, had no children for a long time. They had longed to have children, But Sarah was barren. In this chapter, they are old,  hopeless, a little bitter toward God. They had waited for a long time in prayer, but nothing yet had moved in their favor. Doubt and disappointment had set in! And instead of focusing on the greatness of God, they made their childless situation greater than God, by focusing on it. It is in this context that the question God asked Abraham is truly understood. “Is anything too hard for the Lord? The announcement of a somewhat miraculous conception for a woman in her old age was ridiculously laughable. So Sarah laughed. I think, a follow-up question would have put things – a little more in perspective for them: Is anything too hard for God? Haven’t you heard …

Divine Appointments

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El Roi – The God of Seeing I have studied Genesis chapter 16 many times but didn’t realize there was a deeper truth hiding in this verse 13. The angel of the Lord comes to Hagar and begins to speak some very comforting words to her. We understand that Hagar is in this place because she we kicked out of Sarah’s and Abraham’s home after bearing a child for the couple. After the angel appeared to her and began to talk with her; she mentions something very profound – but you will miss it if you don’t pause for a second or two to dig a little deeper.  She said,  “you are the God who sees.” Hagar is impressed by the perceptiveness of God as revealed through his angel-messenger. This is seen in the name she gives to the Lord; she calls him ’El Ro’i – meaning – God of seeing. For she is saying – here I have seen him who looks after me. Divine Appointments A similar thing happens again in the New Testament where Jesus comforts a non-Hebrew woman …

God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called!

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Isaac was a day dreamer, Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper and denied Christ, David had an affair and tried to cover it up with murder, Noah got drunk. Elisha was suicidal, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer and he was way too religious. Timothy had too many ulcers, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sara was impatient, Elijah was moody, Rehab was a prostitute, Samson – he liked prostitute. Isaiah preached naked for three years, John the Baptist ate bugs and had second thoughts about the very Messiah he baptized. Jeremiah was way too emotional, Moses stuttered, Zacchaeus was too short, Abraham was old and Lazarus was dead. God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called! I picked this up from a friend’s Facebook status. I don’t know if it is his original stuff, but it sure got my attention. Never say to yourself, “God can never use me.” God is not looking for the qualified, he’s looking for people who would …

How life’s pressure affects Good Judgment

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Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 I am confident that every one of us know the story of how Abraham and Sarah were desperate to have children. Even though they had a promise from God there was always an inexplicable delayed either by God or some unforeseen circumstance. Like you and I, these giants of faith did the very same thing we do when we are under pressure. They decided to take matters into their own hands. I have seen it happen over and over – couples with a horrible marriage, people dealing with illness or the loss of a family member or friend – when people come under pressure they always try to take matters into their own hands. As we see with Abraham and Sarah – it never works – it always backfires. So the word of God proposes a different and sometimes difficult approach. As difficult as things might …