I am NOT a "Good" Christian

I need a platform to rant over something that has been shaking me to my CORE during this election. It’s the use of a judgmental phrase/term that is being thrown around continually. And if I see or hear it ONE MORE TIME…I might just scream or throw a tantrum….well probably both.

Since when has it become acceptable as “Christians” to judge others who claim to be of the same faith? Since when has it become the norm to say to someone else: “So I guess you're not a good Christian” AND/OR “Some good Christian you are!” 

Let me tell you…I AM NOT A GOOD CHRISTIAN. I am a sinner worst of all, I HAVE to have a continual dialogue with Jesus all day every day or I will go back to a past that I am not proud of. I have never been a GOOD CHRISTIAN and I will never be a GOOD CHRISTIAN. And so help me God, if one day I think of myself as a GOOD CHRISTIAN…I want Jesus to take me home right then and there. 

Jesus Himself says in Mark 2 that He did not come to call the righteous, He came to call the sinners.(vs. 17) Praise God for the Savior that calls us sinners into His open arms. I need Him at all times. Because ever since evil came into this world, we have needed a Savior. And on this side of the New Covenant, we are fortunate enough to have a Savior that calls us sinners into His redemptive glory, into His unfailing love, into His arms. 

Let me also tell you…just become I am going to vote for the Republican Nominee doesn't mean I am less of a follower of Jesus Christ or less of a woman for that matter. Let’s ponder this for a moment: which of the two Nominee’s stand with Israel? Which of the two Nominee’s will appoint sound Supreme Court Justices? Four years comes and goes, shoot I feel like the last four years of my life flew by. But 40-50 years keeping the laws of this country for future generations and remaining allies with God’s chosen land full of God’s chosen people? Sold. I don't want to hear about your emails, I don't want to hear you try to justify degrading/insulting women and I also don't want to hear about your “Foundations” or mistresses. I want to hear about protecting Jerusalem, I want to hear about protecting unborn children. I want my children and future generations to have the RIGHT to say the Pledge of Allegiance AND pray in school/out of school -in public and in private. 

I will never and I mean never: slander someone else’s beliefs. My outline for such a practice of self control in this world of so many idols and other gods is JESUS. No where in the gospels does He condemn someone, He saves them. Discussion and slander are two completely different things. So if you, social media world, are tempted to blast someone else because they don't believe the way you do: you should be ashamed of yourself. Completely. We have been entrusted with the Gospel to spread it throughout this world, to shine the Light that we have accepted into our hearts. This is an eternal issue. Maybe I am just blowing this out of proportion, or maybe I just have a deep love for all of God’s creation to sit at His feet one day, basking in His glory. 

How are you shining His Light when you are condemning someone else? “Some good Christian you are!” (I cringed as I typed that!)

God may change your direction

Hello!

So I have been slacking on my blog posts lately! There has been so many things God has been doing in my heart. And I have been focusing on those things. A lot to deal with strongholds I have been holding on to and what the heck He wants me to do in Pennsylvania!

I know exactly where we left off and will continue at some point. But in the mean time I would like to share posts on different things I am learning while being submerged in His Word. Lately, I have been reading the Bible(cover to cover) again, this will be my second time and I am doing it chronologically this time. The first time I feel as though I was confused on several things, I'm hoping that reading it as it happened will clear some things up!

Daniel and I at our first Pittsburgh Pirates game..he's the best!

One of the things I hold dearest in my heart is: my husband LOVES when I read the Bible. He loves it! (Now, if I could just get him to read with me...) But he has requested one "simple" thing...summarize every book of the Bible for him. OK so this is NO easy task! Do I outline? Do I do little paragraphs? Oh goodness the Bible is just so RICH and every single time I open it I find something new...how do I (a finite human) summarize the Book of the Infinite God?!!!!! I have prayed over and over about this, I mean there are multitudes of books doing this very same thing. But did the author do it for her husband? Maybe, but probably not. I've got everything I need to accomplish this up until King David which is where I am at in my reading. Most important on that list: the Holy Spirit. I trust Him. I trust that it will not be me typing up information, but it will be Him speaking through me with just the Truths that my husband needs to know. Maybe my prayer will come true and we will end up reading the Bible together or maybe God has a different plan.

My "utensils" for this task (not seen: the Holy Spirit, He's very present!) 

You better believe I have a binder, inserts, and page protectors too! Haha

My point is this: God may change your direction. He may want you to accomplish more than you've ever dreamed. He never fails and His plan for your life will never change. But He will whisper something new to you that you want to conquer! I must say I have a Bible Study problem, while I am doing one I have about 10 in my brain that I want to do. So when He calls me to just read His Word, personally I feel He is calling me to rest in His love. Rest in Him. I can be doing two Bible Studies, reading a book and run through different chapters of a book in the Bible, coloring Bible verses on tracing paper to tape into my Bible-but what do I retain? What does this accomplish? Besides extra places on my book shelf filled? And sometimes, if I am being honest, a headache.

I firmly believe He calls us to meditate on His Word. Obey His commands. Trust and rely solely on Him. Be still and know He is God. We are not saved on good deeds, we are saved through Jesus Christ.

I will leave you with one of my favorite verses from Matthew 11:
Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light. (vs. 29-30)

My prayer for you is that you find Rest in Him, and you Learn from Him.

The Father of Multitudes and His Princess

Imagine at the age of 65, being a city gal living in a wealthy metropolis in the Mesopotamia(current day Iraq) named Ur. Picture the nagging truth, that you are an older woman and you feel the greatest tragedy up to this time for your 75 year old husband, is the fact that you cannot give him a child-let alone a son to carry on his name. You look in the mirror and know that you are absolutely beautiful. But why? Why you? You are married to a man you adore and respect, but yet can’t give him that one thing his heart desires. Then one day your father/father-in-law(literally), moved you, your husband, Lot(your husband’s nephew) to a “brighter future”-so he says-and you find yourself settling in Haran(current day Syria). Now, this is not where the “brighter future” home is supposed to be, but Terah is awfully sick in his 205 years of age. He passes away, and then something extraordinary happens. The One true Living God speaks to your husband. And your life drastically changes forever. 

This my friends, is just the beginning of the marriage of Abraham and Sarah, that is shared to us in the Bible. They are the basis of many Jewish traditions/prayers. And hold such a firm foundation in almost all theology that Christians and Jews alike respect and learn from. I want to just focus on their marriage, but oh how hard it has been to do that! God speaks freshly through Genesis every time I read it. Let’s start in Genesis 12 where God first speaks to Abram(his city name meaning exalted father) and Sarai’s role in this epic love story that I pray brings you not only closer to Jesus but also makes you hug your husband a little tighter today. :) 

“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance—all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.” Isaiah 51:1-2, NLT

Please note before we begin: God did not change Abram and Sarai’s names until further in their life. I will try my best not to jump back and forth too much until that part of their story. But when quoting other authors, I simply cannot help it! (haha)

While still in Haran, God spoke to Abram and told him, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family and go to the land that I will show you.” God promises Abram that He will: make Abram into a great nation, He will bless him and make him a blessing to others. God also promises Abram: He will bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him. All the families on earth will be blessed through Abram. (Genesis 12:1-3) So Abram, Sarai, Lot and all of their possessions departed Haran towards Canaan aka the Promised Land. Sarai had nothing but Abram’s word that God had spoken to him. Coming from a booming city where there were gods for everything, to now living as a nomad and doing what the One and Only God told your husband to do might have been a challenge for her.  But we have no reason to believe that Sarai did anything except support her husband and stand beside him. I love how Edith Deen in her book All the Women of the Bible describes Sarai in all of this: Sarah’s life became Abraham’s. Where he went, she went, not as his shadow but as a strong influence. Together they experienced the vicissitudes of nomadic life and found in them great spiritual significance. Abraham, man of God, who was willing to forsake home and country for the unknown, with Sarah ever at his side. Her love and loyalty were blessed by Abraham’s devotion to her….Tenaciously, Sarah shared her husband’s dangers and heartaches and also his great purposes and dreams. 

Now, they traveled to Negev which is in Canaan and settled there. A severe famine hit Negev leaving them unsure how they were going to make it. If you ask for my personal opinion, I would be praying to the Living God that had spoken to my husband and asking Him why there was a famine and how we were to live. BUT, Abram decided “Let’s escape the famine and head towards Egypt,” he also decided that they should tell anyone who asks: Sarai is his sister-so that he wouldn't be murdered because she was beautiful. I love how Abram’s bargaining was “Look, you are a very beautiful woman.” (Remember this flattery as her age at this time is 65) Pharaoh did indeed take the beautiful Sarai into his household. We are not told if Pharaoh took her as his wife, but he did give Abram a lot of presents for her. (Genesis 12:16) How must she have felt? Away from everything she had ever known, in a foreign land and then sold to the Pharaoh while her husband was enjoying presents like it was his birthday or something!  Scripture suggest that we’d be mistaken to picture Sarai minus an outspoken opinion.* But are their any words for this? Betrayal, desperation, anger…might come to mind. At this point in her life, did she even fathom the promises made over her life when God made His promises to Abram? God saved her by striking Pharaoh and his household with plagues. Abram and Sarai were escorted out of Egypt…along with Abram’s new possessions. Oh to be a fly on the camel that day! 

Moving along, we are just going to dabble on Lot and his life. His life and marriage will be on the next blog post. But I feel it appropriate to include him as he did(several times) stir up drama. Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold. Naturally, Lot was very rich too. They could not sustain the same land anymore. Their herdsmen began fighting for heaven’s sake! Even though God promised Abram all of the land, Abram did let Lot pick what land he wanted and he chose the valley of Jordan as far as Sodom aka he took what he thought “looked” like the best of the best. Not long after, there is a battle and Lot is captured from his “paradise” of land.  Abram not being the military type, did mobilize 318 trained men (that had been born into his household) recovered Lot, his possessions, all the women and other captives. Although Sarai is not mentioned in this portion of Scripture(Genesis 13:1-14:16) we have to think about how she felt seeing her close family move away and how worried she must of been when hearing about their capture. Then her husband leaves to save him. Did she worry about Lot or did she think to herself “here he goes again…stirring up trouble!”? We won’t know until we ask her ourselves one day. However, it is wise to personalize as we are relating this historical story to our lives. Who in our life, do we feel, makes “boulders” in our marriage? A family member? A close friend? Maybe Lot’s intentions were not intentional, Scripture does imply he was just looking out for himself. Maybe that is the same with the person that came to your mind. Praying over that person can remove the boulder quite remarkably. (I know from personal experience.)

Oh Melchizedek, the King of Salem and priest of God Most High. How I would love to write a whole novel on him.(Even though he is only mentioned a handful of times in the Bible.) After Abram’s victory, Melchizedek blesses Abram.(Genesis 14:17-20) Please read and study about this amazing priest of God Most High, you can also find him paving the way for Jesus to be our Most High Priest in the book of Hebrews. 

Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision. Abram was upset, because he thought his only heir would be Eliezer of Damascus, who was a servant in his household. God told him Eliezer would not be Abram’s heir. Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, ‘Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’t how many descendants you will have!’ And Abraham believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.(Genesis 15:5-6, NLT) I want you to know something: the real children of Abraham are those who put their faith in God-all who put their faith in Christ share in the same blessing Abraham received(see Galatians 3:6-9) Were Abram and Sarai discussing this in their tent before bedtime? God took Abram outside and promised him descendants. Was she crying like every other night over the fact all she wanted was a baby? What exactly did Abram tell her about God speaking to him about the descendants they will leave this world with? Because Sarai takes matters into her own hands….

(Once again, we are going to touch briefly on Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar was taken as Abram’s wife so she and Ishmael will be covered in the next blog post.)

Sarai had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. Could she of been one of those presents from Pharaoh? We don't know, what we do know is that Sarai tried to “play God” and that was not a good move for her. Before we try to rap our heads around WHY a wife would chose someone else to sleep with her husband and/or WHY a wife would want her husband to take on another wife, here are some commentary notes I found that might give us some insight:

• An ancient Near Eastern law code describes the practice of giving one’s maid as a second wife. The law provided protection for children born to the second wife. It prohibited the disinheriting of a firstborn son of a slave wife(Ishmael) in the even that the barren upper-class wife should later bear a son(Isaac). However, the upper-class wife’s son would supersede the slave wife’s son as the legal “firstborn.” Furthermore, the slave wife and her children could be offered their freedom, in which case they forfeited their inheritance. Isaac did become Abraham’s heir, representing one case in which a younger son received the inheritance and blessing. (The Chronological Guide to the Bible by Thomas Nelson, Inc-page 11)

• Ancient marriage contracts obligated wives to provide a son for the married couple. Contracts dating from the mid-second millennium B.C., have been discovered in the city of Nuzi that specify that if a wife bore no male child she had the obligation to provide a child via a female servant. If a child was thus born to a servant, the child would be considered the child of the wife in regards to the contract. Thus, even a barren wife could fulfill her marital contract. (The Chronological Guide to the Bible by Thomas Nelson, Inc-page 11) 

• An old Assyrian marriage contract included this instruction: if within 2 years she has not procured offspring for him, only she may buy a maid-servant and even later on, after she procures somehow an infant for him, she may sell her wherever she pleases. (The Patriarchs by Beth Moore, page 36)

WHATEVER THE REASON MAY BE: Being around 75 years old, I assume her pressing need this time around to have a child was God’s promise to her and Abram that they would have descendants. Maybe she thought that God didn't deem her worthy to have her own child, she was however past child-bearing years. “Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children through her.”(Genesis 16:2, NASB) Maybe she talked herself into this because all she truly wanted was for Abram to be happy. Whatever the case may be, this took a HUGE toll on their marriage. Abram did as she instructed, laid with Hagar and from then on Sarai despised her. Sarai treated Hagar harshly, but Hagar did indeed bear a son. Abram was 86 years old, when the wild donkey of a man-baby Ishmael was born. 

When Abram was 99 years old and Sarai 89 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El Shaddai-‘God Almighty,’ serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” (Genesis 17:1-4) Abram immediately fell to his face, and God told him His covenant with him:

• establish a covenant between Me and you and all of your descendants
• multiply you exceedingly 
• My covenant is with you
• you shall be the father of a multitude of nations
• no longer shall your name be Abram(exalted father), but Abraham(meaning father of a multitude)
• I will make you exceedingly fruitful
• your descendants will become many nations, kings will be among them
• I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you
• give you and your descendants the entire land of Canaan for eternal possession 
• every male shall be circumcised  as a sign of this covenant

In some translations, it says the Spirit of the Lord spoke this to him. The Hebrew word used for the Spirit of God is the word Ruach-meaning ‘the out-breathing.’ He breathes Himself into Abram and makes him Abraham, Father of Multitudes..Abram, with [Jehovah’s breath] within him, becomes Abraham.* Sarai was NOT left out of the covenant, here is her blessing:

• her name shall no longer be Sarai, but Sarah(meaning Princess)
• I will bless her
• will give a son to Abraham by her
• she shall be the mother of all nations
• kings of the peoples shall come from her

Note how God chose to announce the name change and blessings concerning Sarai to Abram rather than directly to her. God’s revelation to Hagar dismisses the idea that He preferred not to speak to women. …God may have wanted Abraham himself to view Sarah as blessed, changing how Abraham-as her husband-identified her. …Whether or not Abraham consciously deducted such, his attitude suggests that he believed Sarah’s barrenness was more powerful than God’s promises. That’s why he kept suggesting other ways of helping God fulfill His promise, not the least of which is found in Genesis 17:18,  “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” In his wildest imagination, Abraham did not think God could use Sarai. She was, after all, unfruitful. Unable. Unusable. (The Patriarchs by Beth Moore, Page 46, emphasis mine) WOW. Let all of this soak in. God made SURE that Abraham knew his wife was being taken care of as well, God wanted Abraham to know who He had chosen for this unconditional covenant. “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man 100 years old? And will Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child?”(Genesis 17:17,NASB) Here are two people-that are not spring chickens, I might add-getting their whole livelihood spelled out for them. This unconditional covenant is not just words on a page, but LIFE for you and me too. We are Abraham’s ancestors through Sarah, we are blessed because they were blessed. How different would our lives be if we fully grasped this blessing? Our marriages are blessed. Our household is BLESSED.  

In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in His sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when He said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (Galatians 3:6-9, NLT)

Guess what Abraham did immediately: took Ishmael and every male among his household and circumcised them, along with himself. 

One day, Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent at the heat of the day. The Lord appeared to him and when he looked up he saw 3 men coming to him. He immediately ran to and bowed himself to the ground asking them not to pass him by but to let water be brought to wash their feet and bread to refresh them. When they accepted, Abraham ran to Sarah to prepare the finest bread. You can see part of Sarah’s personality in Genesis 18:6-9, because A. she had servants but made the bread herself and B. she gave great attention to this custom of hospitality. Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and choice calf and had a servant prepare it. Once all complete, he presented this to his guests and stood by them under a tree as they ate. “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “I will return to you at this same time net year and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18:9-10 NLT) Sarah was behind the tent door listening and laughed to herself. OK: shouldn't she be doing cartwheels or something? God adamantly said SHE WOULD BEAR ABRAHAM’S SON. Now, its all happening and she laughs? Lord have mercy! Naturally, the Lord asked Abraham why Sarah was laughing. “Is there anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you at this same time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”(Genesis 18:14, NASB) He even previously pens a name to their beloved child: Isaac. (Genesis 17:19) Of course his name means laughter, his parents laughed every time they thought of the impossibility of his birth(see also Genesis 17:17; 21:6)! May I suggest why Sarah laughed in this instance? According to the John MacArthur Bible Commentary: Sarah was not thinking of divine miracle but of divine providence working only in the normal course of life, being convinced that, at her age, bearing children was not possible. (vs 9-13, paraphrased) Maybe also, their laughter came from the sorrow and heaviness of spirit that they had never been able to conceive? Proverbs 14:13 says, Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and at the end of joy may be grief.(NASB) This “laughter” speaks volumes to us. Do you ever feel like God is pressing on your heart a change in direction or a major change in your life? Do you respond in laughter? When God called Sarah out on laughing at His fulfilling promise, she denied it because she was afraid. Being afraid of something or anything can change our lives. Oh that we may not be afraid to let God guide our lives for His will! I love how God got in the last word: “No, but you did laugh.” (Genesis 18:15, NASB) HE KNOWS. He knows what is in our hearts, HE KNOWS what is in our marriage. He knows when we laugh because we are sorrowful, have a heavy heart or are just plain afraid. God then explains to Abraham that HE CHOSE HIM, in order that he may command HIS CHILDREN and household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice. (Genesis 18:19, NASB) God always has a plan, He will is ever present in our lives. 

(Now, let me just give my “input” on these 3 men that came with God to Abraham. They were headed to Sodom because of the men of Sodom’s exceedingly wicked sin.  I believe that this appearance of God to man was Christ in a physical pre-existent form, not to confuse Him with the 3 men that came. I believe they were angels. My basis of this believe is that God stayed behind and talked with Abraham alone(Genesis 18:22). Also, while in Sodom the 3 men were called angels. God gave us Christ as the visible image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15A, NLT) 

AND here we go again! As if Pharaoh and that lesson wasn't enough: Abraham and Sarah journeyed and told Abimelech, King of Gerar, that Sarah was his sister. SO ABIMELECH TOOK SARAH AS HIS WIFE!(Fun fact: Gerar came to be known as the Philistines whole land aka Palestine.) Ok let’s back up a second and notice, where was Abraham’s flattery? When Sarah was 65, she was sooo beautiful, he didn't want to get killed. Now, its just “you’re my sister.” May I suggest that it was now a political agenda? Abraham was so wealthy he didn't want anything to mess with his land/fortune. I agree with Beth Moore in The Patriarchs when she states: We learn from history, however, that love and desire were often among the least of the motivations for marriage among heads of states. Politics and protection often motivated alliances…If Sarah had only been Abraham’s sister, she would have been a shield for Abimelech and perhaps a charm of sorts to the superstitious.(Page 60) Am I saying that Abraham and Sarah weren't in love anymore? Absolutely not! I’m saying that this time around, the reasoning for the deception might have been political instead of physical. Once again, God wasn't happy about this one bit. He came to Abimelech in a dream and said to him, “Behold you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.” God didn't allow Abimelech to come near or touch Sarah. God also told him to restore Abraham his wife. It is blatantly clear that God takes sins against marriage personally. As we have previously learned, when you are married, you become One Flesh. Abimelech confronts Abraham, Abraham’s response: “I thought surely there is no fear of God in this place and they will kill me because of my wife. Also, she and I have the same father, different mothers.” Once again, Abraham received gifts: sheep, oxen, servants, HIS WIFE with 1,000 pieces of silver. Now, during the time Sarah was taken as Abimelech’s wife: God closed all the wombs of the household because of her. Once Abraham blessed Abimelech and left Gerar, all the wombs were opened back. Here we are again, Abraham has presents at Sarah’s expense. (I no longer want to be a fly on that camel.) Abraham left Egypt 25 years earlier a very rich man, but don't for a moment discount the emotional and mental torment and marital distress that resulted from his poor decisions.* I will just leave this right here, because we have a baby to celebrate!

Just as and when the Lord said they would: Abraham and Sarah welcomed baby boy Isaac!!! (Genesis 21:2) When Isaac was around 3 he was weened and Abraham threw a big feast for him! Enter the drama: Sarah caught Ishmael making fun of Isaac, so she told Abraham to throw Hagar and Ishmael out. Sarah was not wanting to deal with a toddler around a rough half-brother and his jealous mother. The whole situation distressed Abraham. Ishmael was his son, his flesh and blood. God told Abraham to listen to Sarah. Servants who provided such children were not supposed to be sent away, but rather treated favorably. So it was that it took the voice of God to convince Abraham to listen to Sarah’s desire.(Genesis 21:12) (Taken from The Chronological Guide to the Bible by Thomas Nelson, Inc., page 11, paraphrased, emphasis mine) Luckily, God never planned on leaving Ishmael out, He stated He would make a nation from him too because he was Abraham’s son also.(Genesis 21:18) Early the next morning, Abraham gave Hagar and Ishmael water and bread and sent them on their way. Was their strife between Abraham and Sarah over this? Did Sarah rejoice as Hagar and Ishmael descended through the land and disappeared? Did she show her appreciation to Abraham and praise God for the intervention on her part? Did it take Abraham a little bit to get use to not having his 13 year old son around? Oh I bet it stung his heart, but he knew God would protect Ishmael. 

Some time later, God spoke to Abraham and told him to take Isaac where He directs him and offer him as a burnt offering. Scripture says the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, split wood for the altar, took 2 young men and Isaac and journeyed to the place God told him. Just like that. No arguing. No trying to get God to “change” His mind. I wonder what Abraham told Sarah. It took them 3 days to get where God told Abraham to go. They had been married quite a long time up to this point, could she tell God told Abraham to go just by looking in his eyes? This was her promised son, I’m sure she knew something but the faith that gave her this miracle baby would remain her faith through this test to her husband. Abraham told the 2 young men to stay behind, that he and Isaac were going to go up the mountain and worship. At this point, Isaac was asking what they were going to sacrifice. I wonder when he realized it would be himself, did he at this point in his life have the same closeness to God as his parents did? Did he trust God with his life? When they arrived, Abraham built the altar, bound up Isaac and laid him on it. He then took out his knife and stretched out his hand-but the angel of the Lord stopped him! Whew! “For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.”(Genesis 22:12, NASB) Hebrews 11:17-19, says that by faith Abraham offered Isaac, his only begotten son but that he also thought God would raise Isaac from the dead because of His promise. Abraham had faith in God completely. He knew God’s promises and believed in everything God said with his whole life. He knew that God would provide even if He wanted Isaac sacrificed. If Isaac didn’t trust God with his whole life yet, I’m guessing he did at this point because when Abraham raised his eyes he saw a ram caught up in the thicket. There was their offering to the Lord. The name of this altar is the Lord will Provide. How fitting! When they returned home, I wonder how excited they were to share everything with Sarah! Was Isaac just overjoyed with the Lord who Provided?! Was he out of breath relating all of God’s wonder in this? This family just got stronger in the Lord Who Provides! 

When Sarah was 127 years old, she passed away.(She is the only woman in the Bible, whose age at the time of death is recorded.) Isaac at this point was 37 years old. And unwed.(Remember this, it’s important later!) Abraham was beside himself. He mourned and wept over his bride.(Genesis 23:2) Abraham held her so close in his mourning and realized that he had no place to bury her. Sarah’s death could not possibly be the first in their clan since reaching Canaan. Over 60 years have passed. They have undoubtedly lost loved ones as well as trusted servants and employees. Forgive my crudeness, but up until now any dirty would do. Not for Abraham’s Sarah, however. Not for the Princess.* So Abraham went to great lengths to buy the burial site for Sarah. Sarah was buried in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre in the land of Canaan(aka the Promised Land). His honor as a husband was also at stake in the manner by which he’d pay his last respects. This burial site would be his final gift to his princess.*

In Genesis 23:6, Abraham is called a prince while trying to buy Sarah’s burial site. I want to leave our journey on the strong and powerful marriage of Abraham and Sarah with this excerpt from Beth Moore’s The Patriarch’s study. I feel it pulls their marriage together beautifully. God appointed Abraham the task of telling Sarai she had a new name. Perhaps she asked what it meant, or maybe she already knew: princess. Sarah was the most beautiful woman Abraham had ever seen. He was so captivated by her beauty that he obsessed with fear that someone would kill him to have her. Despite their every faithless act, God proved faithful. (Page 79, emphasis mine)

Their marriage was filled with love, devotion, heartache, struggle, suffering, joy, faithfulness, the list goes on and on…and guess Who was the center of their marriage? God. The Lord will Provide. 

*Quoted from The Patriarchs by Beth Moore

From Cain to Noah and in Between

This post is going to cover 4 different marriages. Since none of the wives’ are named, we can only imagine from their husbands what kind of marriages they had. Lets start with Cain. 

If you remember right, Adam and Eve had Cain. Cain decided that he would kill his brother Abel. God was NOT happy about this, so He drove Cain away telling him he will be a wanderer.  So he settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived. (Genesis 4:17) Now there is a lot of speculation on where Cain found his wife. Some say since Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters, she was his sister. But given the longevity of the time, I think she was probably his sister or possibly a close relative. 

Cain and his wife had Enoch which means initiative. This shows that God was still present in their lives. Then Cain built a city east of Eden and named it Enoch after his son. This is pretty much all we have Biblically on their marriage. But it makes me wonder, were they married when Cain killed his brother? Did she grieve the loss of her brother in law? Or did they meet when God drove Cain out and made him a wanderer? Did Cain have anger issues all of his life? When she was pregnant, did she thank God over and over for redeeming them for Cain’s sin? Oh how I would love to sit down, learn Cain’s wife’s name and share a cup of coffee! 

Ok, so because Cain killed his brother Abel. God gave Adam and Eve a baby boy and they named him Seth. Seth was Adam and Eve’s godly son, who the seed of redemption would come through aka Jesus! Even though Seth’s wife is not named in the Bible, I would love to think she was devoted to God just like Seth. Because she has a key role in how the lineage of Christ happened too! Anyway, Seth and his wife had Enosh. Then men began to call upon the Lord, we do know that worship already existed, Genesis 4:26 implies that men were beginning to address God formally in prayer and thanksgiving around the time of Enosh’s birth. Maybe this is the first “fellowship” with other believers/couples around this time? Did Seth’s wife make a great food spread while everyone came to tell how God was speaking to them? I love this! 

So let’s fast forward a little bit. Enosh had Kenan, who had Mahahel(say that name 10 times fast!), who in turn had Jared, who welcomed into the world Enoch. (Genesis 5:6-24) Another Enoch? I’m thinking this name was pretty popular! 

This Enoch was married to….his wife! His “no named” bride welcomed into the world Methuselah.  The really neat thing about Enoch was, he was spared death all together. One day he was walking with God on earth, the next day he was gone. Disappeared. Never to be seen again. Put this one on your list of questions to ask God when you get to heaven. He was so intimate with God, was God like “I want you in heaven pronto!”? And was his wife still living? Did she search for days for her husband? Or did she see him disappear? Did he rise up to heaven like Jesus did? Or did he just vanish? Did she send a search team to look for him or did God speak to her quietly and tell her? Was she just so proud to call Enoch her husband, seeing firsthand his walk with God? Was her husband an inspiration to her in her own closeness and walk with God? I could go on and on with the questions..but lets keep going. 

Enoch’s son Methuselah had Lamech, and Lamech had Noah. Have you heard that name before? (if you haven't you might have heard of his ark and God’s flood….oh yes, rings a bell now! :)) 

Noah had God’s favor, he was righteous, blameless and walked with God. God, at this point, was extremely upset in the actions of man. He said the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of their hearts was only evil continually. God was sorry that He made man on the earth, and was very grieved in His heart. (Genesis 6:5-6) I would like to think that since Noah had God’s favor, that his wife walked with God as well. And that they together lived righteous before the Lord. However, that is not mentioned in the Bible. God’s plan was to blot out man and animals(from creeping things to birds of the sky) via flood. Since Noah had God’s favor, God told Noah His plan and gave him instructions to build the ark and bring two of every animal(male and female). Side note: I love how God said “try to keep them alive” in verse 19. Like you have a big responsibility, please make sure they are all alive when they come back to actual ground!  God made a covenant with Noah and his family, Noah and his wife had 3 sons at this time: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. His covenant made sure that Noah’s wife, sons and their wives were safe from the flood. This makes me think that Noah’s wife was close to the Lord as well. We as one flesh with our husbands, should have the same interests as each other. I wonder how the conversation went: “Hey hun, just got done with God’s ark. Yes, I followed His instructions! The animals are about to arrive. Can you please run out and get enough food for all of us? And we need to be thinking of where to put everyone, call our daughters in law they can decorate. Yes, yes, Shem is helping. No, Ham won’t forget the bedding. Oops, yeah I will make sure Japheth brings clean clothes.”  After the flood, God promised US that He would never blot out man like that again. Also, after the flood Noah retired to farming and planting a vineyard. Now, we don't know if his wife was still living. But I like to think they had a wonderful retirement, embracing God’s beauty. 

Abram, who we will be studying next, was married to Sarai.(YAY! We have a named WIFE!) Abram is a descendent from Shem, Noah’s son. If you want to jump ahead to all of the wonderful things we will learn from Abram and Sarai, later known as Abraham and Sarah, their story starts at the end of Genesis 11 and goes through to Genesis 25. 

There is however, a part of Genesis 6 that needs to be covered. If you have been following along in Genesis, I do not want anyone to get this confused or want to get into a theology debate, but I feel the need to “touch” on this. Verse 2 states: The sons of God saw that the daughter’s of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whoever they chose. This was in the heightened time of wickedness. The sons of God in this verse do not mean humans, it puts emphasis on angelic vs. human contrast. We do know that our struggles here on earth are not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, paraphrased) These fallen angels(Job 1:6; 2:1) were violating the God-ordained order of human marriage. Now, before you get upset and/or scared, if you have salvation in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit(Ephesians 4:30) meaning this cannot happen to you..EVER! Also, verse 4 states the Nephilim were on the earth in those days. They are not the offspring of the fallen angels and beautiful daughters. They were strong men(some say giants) that were overpowering. The word Nephilim actually means to fall, indicating that they were strong men who fell on others in the sense of overpowering them. If you would like more information on any of this Biblically or questions on how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please comment or email me at enthralledbyjill@gmail.com. 

Until next time, thank you so much for reading! I love every minute of this! To God be the Glory!

The First Marriage

Why did I think studying Adam and Eve was going to be easy? We all have heard the story: God created Adam, made Eve out of his rib, Eve ate an apple from the snake and they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Read my words: This isn't even half of their story, let alone their marriage!  So lets digest them separately, and then put the pieces of their marriage together. 

Adam lived toward the East in Eden, where God planted a garden. In this garden was the Tree of Life which was an antidote for a life without disease and bodily decay. And the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, designed as a test of obedience. The reasoning behind God placing Adam on earth was to cultivate it and keep it. He did however, warn Adam upfront that he could eat from any tree freely except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Keyword: EAT…don’t EAT…remember this!) Now God formed all the living creatures, but there wasn't one suitable(mentally, sexually, emotionally…you get it) for Adam.  One thing I love is God said “it is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”(Genesis 2:18, paraphrased) Moving along, God caused Adam to go into a deep sleep taking his rib (closest to a man’s heart)  and closed up his flesh. 

So with this rib, God made Eve and fashioned into her the rib He took from Adam. God was already thinking fashion when He made the first woman! (Literally! Look it up-Genesis 2:22)  The woman was also created in God’s image but, instead of being made out of material in the earth, she was created with material from the man. Eve’s genetic structure was derived from and therefore perfectly harmonious with Adam’s. * 

Here is married life, both are naked in their beautiful garden and out of love for Eve, Adam said:

“This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man. For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the Man, and his Wife were both naked and not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:23-25, emphasis mine) 

How beautiful that God intends for intimate sexual joys only to be fulfilled with in the bonds of holy matrimony and without shame! When Adam says one flesh, he is meaning complete unity of parts making a whole. Such a beautiful example of complete gratification in their joy of their one union and service to God. But with this comes the kicker: with no inward principle of evil/sin for them to be aware of, the solicitation of sin had to come from outside their marriage, and it sure does. 

It is said that the serpent picked Eve to deceive because Adam wasn't by her side at the time to protect her. What we do know is she was alone and don't know is where someone decided the forbidden fruit was an apple! Enter: a manifestation of satan in the form of a serpent. The serpent asks Eve if she could not eat from any tree in the garden. Eve’s response is just sooo like us women at times, over-talking, “We can eat from any trees in the garden except the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it OR TOUCH IT, lest you die.”(Genesis 3:2-3, paraphrased, emphasis mine) Remember our keyword from Adam’s detail: EAT…DON’T EAT…..well Eve decided to put some words into God’s mouth.  Some commentaries imply that Eve was beginning to feel God’s restriction was too harsh so she decided to add harshness to it. I am not sure I agree with that since she had no reason to feel like God would be harsh to them in any way. 

Sidenote: God doesn't like it when we add words to His own. He is very clear to us throughout the Bible in how to be His disciple. Proverbs 30:6 says Do not add to His words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar. Gulp.

Well, she ate the fruit. Her deception took 3 forms- good, pleasant, desirable. (Genesis 3:6) When she ate the fruit: her physical, emotional, and desirable appetite was awoken. Isn't this what deception always does, in the moment we feel some sort of physical, emotional and/or desirable fixation? Beware of this. As Paul said, “But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)  We could go on and on about this…but we are focusing on marriage-so let’s get back to it!

Like all of us wives, she gave to her husband and of course he ate it. (Men or at least my man, do NOT pass up food!)  With this Adam committed sin without any form of deception. What an example of man’s inclination to follow women’s impulsiveness-Eve led, Adam followed. I think this is a big lesson we can learn in our own marriages. How to set the example and lead our husbands into the Light not sin. Then BOOM: they realized they were as naked as a jaybird! In order to cover their sin, cough cough, I mean bodies they decided to make a nice ensemble of fig leaves. You see their eyes were now open to a whole new realm of sin. Their innocence as a married couple, as the first man and first woman was replaced with guilt and shame. 

Oh hello God walking in His garden in the cool of day….how I would love to see this! (Only this part, not the sinning and serpent slithering around parts)  Adam and Eve heard Him walking because He was walking in a visible form, and then they went into hiding. Together, teamwork right? You may or may not know this, or even realize it BUT no guilt or shame in your life can EVER be hidden from God, not even for your teammate…partner in crime…you get it. God wanting them to confess why they were hiding asked “Where are you?”-once again there was no place for them to hide from Him.  Adam confessing he was naked is not the kind of confession that God wanted, so once again God asked questions to get the confession out. Nope, not happening for Adam. No confession there, lets just rationalize and blame God saying it was because He gave him Eve. Also lets blame Eve because she gave it to him. Great idea! Goodbye, teamwork. Goodbye, accountability. Hello, Eve’s honesty “the serpent deceived me and I ate.” Although she was honest, she would have consequences for her distrust and disobedience toward God. Let’s look at their consequences, because we are still dealing with them today.

• Eve’s Consequences: 
• greatly multiply your pain in childbirth: reminder that women gave birth to sin and genetically passes it to her children BUT you can be delivered by raising godly children(1 Timothy 2:15)
• your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you: man and woman will face struggles in their own relationship and will need God’s help to get along 

• Adam’s Consequences:
• cursed is the ground because of you: hard work, condemned to a life of labor
• by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground: he was changed and subject to all the miseries of life

Next, God made them garments of skin to clothe them. 

“This was a graphic object lesson showing that only God can provide suitable covering for sin, and that the shedding of blood is a necessary part of the process.(Hebrews 9:22) The first physical deaths should of been the man and his wife, but it was an animal-a shadow of the reality that God would someday kill a substitute to redeem sinners.” * (paraphrased, emphasis mine)

Then, they were removed from the Garden of Eden.  And now its time for some babies! 

Welcome to the world, Cain and Abel. Both of their children had acceptable occupations. When Cain was born, Eve was estatic. She said, “I have gotten a man child with the help of the Lord!” She realized that God gave her a son, which shows us she knew who ruled her life, God. Cain was a tiller of the ground and Abel was the keeper of flocks. But unfortunately, he was murdered by Cain out of jealousy. 

Recap of their marriage: Paradise with God walking amongst them, deception, abandonment, hard work, labor pains, dealing with a child with anger problems, their firstborn murders their second born son thus becoming a wanderer. This is what we can get out of Adam and Eve’s marriage: center your marriage on God, alone. Let no amount of temptation/deception make one or both of you fall. If you do, openly confess it immediately. God made you one flesh for a reason. You were made to compliment each other- sexually, emotionally…in all walks of life together. 

Though it is not detailed in the Bible, we can assume that their marriage was full of anxieties, heartaches, and torments due to their children. Which is an example for future generations going through the same. What we do know is, they stuck it out TOGETHER.  Cain eventually married and they became grandparents. When Adam was 130 years old, Eve bore him the son Seth. Seth was the “godly son through whom the seed of redemption would be passed all the way to Jesus.” (Luke 3:58) They also had other sons and daughters. 

Yes, their marriage started out wonderful and perfect, then they hit very hard bumps in the road. Did they turn away from each other? Did they turn away from God? No. They learned how to deal with the hardships and stuck it out, together.  They didn't let their transgressions remove them from a life with God, even after the Garden of Eden.  And they sure as heck didn't get divorced because “life was too tough” for them. Jesus mentioned Adam and Eve once, when being questioned about divorce. His response? “What God has joined together, let no one put asunder.” (Matthew 19:6, paraphrased) 

Out of all of this, their greatest blessing came-their son whom carried the lineage to our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Dear Reader: Whether you are married, single, divorced- God has the perfect mate for you. If you are single, don't settle. If you are divorced, don't be weary. God has a plan, He has His will for your life. Oh, I am just so excited that this is just the beginning of our study on what God says about marriage! It has been such a delight to me personally. I pray over you and your marriage, that you are as inspired by God and His Word as I am! I read this quote out of the book Adam, Eve, and the Serpent and agree whole heartedly:

Yet those who seriously confront the Bible will realize that genuine interpretation has always required that the reader actively and imaginatively engage the texts. Through the process of interpretation, the reader's living experience comes to be woven into ancient texts, so that what was "dead letter" again comes to life. (Page xxviii)

Oh I pray His Word comes to life for you!!! 

*Excerpts taken from the MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur

Please note: all Scripture is taken from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB

You are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

After much prayer and research, I feel as though we need to look into how God created each and every one of us. See I don't know if you realize this but God created you and me from the ground. He got down to our level and carved the human being into His likeness. You were skillfully crafted in your mother's womb by the Creator. And I feel like an in depth look into how humans were first created needs to start off this study.

In Genesis 1:26, God says Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, meaning He had a distinct purpose.(The name for God in this verse is Elohim and is a plural version of El, meaning the Godhead-Father, Son, Holy Spirit.) Our image, likeness is described as establishing a personal relationship between God and man that does not exist with any other aspect of creation.*

He had a goal for us, right from the very beginning. The Lord explained this purpose in Genesis 11:6, He said "Behold they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them." This was His goal in crafting together man. So what did He do? He created man in His own image, male and female He created them. Wow! Dear friend, do you realize that God created YOU in His image? He designed you with a specific goal in mind and personal relationship with Him. He knew from the very beginning exactly His purpose for YOU.

I love how the MacArthur Bible Commentary puts this: It explains why the Bible places so much stress on God's hands-on creation of Adam. He fashioned this creature in a special way-to bear the stamp of His own likeness. It suggests that God was, in essence, the pattern for personhood of man. The image of God is personhood, and personhood can function only in the context of relationships. Man's capacity for intimate, personal relationships needed fulfillment. Most important, man was designed to have personal relationship with God. It is impossible to divorce this truth from the fact that man is an ethical creature. (emphasis mine)

We were designed to have a personal relationship with God.  I can't get enough of this. God fashioned us in a special way to bear the stamp of His likeness! Let me say WOW again! Wow!

Not only that but we are God's representative in ruling over creation. While God shared His image with both man and woman, they were designed by God to accomplish His goal to multiply. Neither one could reproduce without the other. (Gen. 1:27) While we are studying all of the marriages of the Bible, we need to always remember: God created male AND female in His likeness. He created us to have a personal relationship with Him, fellowship with one another and reproduce to multiply the earth. 

Moving on to Genesis 2:5, "Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth; and there was no man to cultivate the ground. Verse 7-"Then the Lord God, formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

So here we are, God has decided to create man in His image, according to His likeness so He formed man of dust from the ground. The word dust used in this verse figuratively signifies abundance. Genesis 13:6 says And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. The word ground used in this verse signifies the earth or clay God used to form man-Adam, both came from the ground and was assigned the task of tending the ground. 

Stick with me here, God formed man abundantly from clay of the earth and then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The meaning for nostrils here means face-to bow one's face to the ground. (Gen. 3:19; 19:1; 1 Sam. 24:8[9]) Here is God, bowing man's face to the ground and breathing into his nostrils- he was made from dirt but his physical components were made with such perfect precision and quality from the Master Craftsman! God gave him life! He gave him a living soul.

I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery]. Psalm 139: 14,15 AMP

When man became a living being, his body and soul became alive. He received an inner being with thoughts and emotions.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 5:23

This is my prayer for you as we start this study into the marriages of the Bible. I pray that you realize how much the Master Craftsman intricately put you together for His diving purpose here on earth. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me!

See you next time! "For it was Adam who was created, then Eve." (1 Timothy 2:13) 

*The MacArthur Bible Commentary
**All scripture was taken from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB version-unless otherwise noted.

New Year, New Study

For the past couple of months, I have felt God stirring in me to write. There have been so many topics that I have weighed on...going through the entire Bible chronologically, the life of Jesus, Muslims vs Christians...etc. But as 2015 came to close and 2016 came in...He has told me to study all of the marriages of the Bible.  What an "easy" task! :) 

My husband and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. My husband traveled Mon-Fri for 2 years of our relationship and when we got married was still traveling- 3 months in we found out we were moving and his traveling was over. So this year, we moved cross country twice, added 2 puppies to our little family and had our share of ups and downs. Going in to this next year of marriage, there is a lot we need to learn, absorb and change. What better way to do this then to enlist God's help by shining His Word on our relationship? I am a firm believer that in order to fully live, you must give everything to God. 

Each week, I will dig deep into the marriages (chronologically) from the Bible. I truly feel like they are written in God's Word so that we may learn and live our life accordingly.  Whether you are married or single, I would love for you to join me. And would absolutely love feedback and/or questions. 

Our goal for this study is found in Ephesians 5:33 (verses 22-33 cover Paul's description of marriage if you would like to take a peak),

"However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].  

It is my goal to do all of these things for my husband and likewise him to me. I pray through this study that we learn through others how to have a God-centered and successful marriage.  

Happy Friday! Hope you join me or pop in from time to time on this journey!

Side Note: All scripture will be used from the Amplified Version of the Bible unless I note differently. 

2nd Side Note: I am in no way a Bible scholar, I just love the Word and love digging deep into it. And I will share the books, etc that I use to do so! :) I will use The Chronological Guide to the Bible (Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc) A LOT- I purchased from LifeWay and recommend to everyone! 

3rd and Final Side Note: Starting February 1st, we will cover Adam & Eve, their decedents and possibly start the Patriarchs, if you would like to read their stories beforehand.