God sees you

I was reading in Genesis about Hagar. I was wondering why Hagar is named in the Bible. How often do we read something and the person isn't named? especially a female?...especially a servant?

Hagar was an Egyptian maidservant, and yet her story is so important that she is given the honor of being named in the first book of the Bible. 

Hagar escapes and runs away from her mistress who dealt harshly with her. (Genesis 16:6)

You know how you read a story and think, oh yeah this is familiar, I already know that. But I remembered the story all wrong!

I always thought Hagar ran away because Sarai despised her and treated her so terribly...but no!

Sarai became despised in Hagar's eyes. (Genesis 16:4) ...meaning, 

Hagar could not stand the sight of Sarai anymore.  Hagar was disgusted to even look at Sarai anymore. 

Hagar is the one who changed her attitude after she got pregnant with her master's first child. 

She was given the honor of being the mother of Abram's first-born son! But instead of being humbled by this honor, she felt entitled to more respect. She was jealous of Sarai and hated her for being the master's wife. She didn't want to be a servant anymore because she's the mother of the master's heir. 

So now imagine how Sarai feels as her maid is acting more indignant towards her. So Sarai says to her husband, look at how she is treating me now like she's all high and mighty like she owns the place now! She's not doing her job like she used to and it's all your fault! It's certainly not my fault! How are you and God going to fix this? (Genesis 16:5)

Sarai is the one who came up with the whole plan in the first place, but it's his fault because he heeded the voice of his wife. (Genesis 16:2)

The man is supposed to be the head of the house so he's responsible. 

When Adam took the fruit, he sinned because he heeded the voice of his wife instead of doing what God told him to do. (Genesis 3:17)

So Abram told Sarai, She's your problem, you deal with it. 

This probably infuriated her to no end that he wouldn't defend her and stand up for her as his wife. So then in her anger, humiliation, and frustration, she takes it out on her maid to try and put her in her place. 

If Abram had dealt with the issue himself, maybe Sarai wouldn't have been so harsh with Hagar.

So really, each of the three people involved are all to blame for their own actions. 

So when Hagar runs away, probably to go back home to Egypt, God stops her and asks her a question. 

***Does God ever ask a question He doesn't already know the answer?***

"Where have you come from, and where are you going?" (Genesis 16:8)

He knows she's running away from a problem, but running back home is not going to solve it. 

God says, I need you to go back and face the problem. Not only that, I need you to change your attitude and submit to the authority that I have given. If you obey Me, then I will bless you exceedingly. (Genesis 16:10)

So Hagar says, You see me! God actually sees me! 

Hagar's heart was softened because she knew God saw her! (Genesis 16:13)

Dear Lord, please help me to hear you and obey your voice Father God. Please soften my heart and change my attitude. Thank you for helping me to learn something new from a story I thought I already knew. Thank you for teaching me to not take something for granted so quickly but to dig a little deeper. Thank you for helping me to be humble and filling me with your Spirit. Thank you Jesus my Lord and Savior! Amen. 

Living Word

 I try to read my Bible almost every day, but I don't always post in my blog what I gain from my Bible reading because it is usually too personal. That just proves to me that it is The Living Word!

I love it when I read something thinking... oh, I have already read this before, I already know this story, but then I learn a little something new that pertains to what I am going through currently!

The Bible is God's Word, His love letter to us, to each and every one of us individually, because He loves each of us. He loves us because He is Our Creator, and we are His children. He speaks to us through His Word every time we read it, if only we take the time to glean from it and hear what He has to say to us. 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12

So if the Bible is God's Word, 
and the Word is Jesus, 
then the Bible is Jesus?

How is this possible?

God's Word = The Bible  (2 Timothy 3:14-17, Revelation 1:2)

The Word = Jesus (John 1:1, John 1:14)

The Bible = Jesus

If A = B, and B= C, then A = C

If God's Word is The Bible, and if The Word is Jesus, then the Bible is Jesus?

• Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophecy
• The Scriptures point to Jesus

Matthew 5:17

Romans 8:1-4

John 5:36-37, 39

Hebrews 1:1-4

John 3:16

Romans 6:9

Hebrews 4:12

The Living Word

Jesus is alive! We serve a living God! God's Word is alive! God speaks to us through the Bible when we read it, learn from it, and put it into practice in our daily lives. 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for speaking to me personally when I read my Bible. Help me to stop and listen to what you are trying to tell me. Help me to hear and understand you, Lord. Thank you Lord for your guidance, your mercy, and your patience with your sheep. 

Acts 18:5

Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 18:5 NKJV

He was compelled by the Spirit.

Compel - to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly; to cause to do by overwhelming pressure

• He didn't do it on his own.
• He was nudged to do it.
• He didn't do it alone.
• He was filled by the Holy Spirit.
• Just because he was pressured didn't mean he had to act on that pressure.

He testified.

Testify - to bear witness to, attest, to affirm to be true or genuine

• He acted.
• He listened to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and followed the suggestion.
• He told others what he had actually witnessed.
• He had a personal conviction of truth.

Jesus is the Christ.

• Jesus is the Messiah - the expected king and deliverer of the Jews
• Jesus is the Savior.
• Jesus is the Son of God.
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophesies.
• Jesus is the one that the Jews were waiting for and didn't realize it, so when they opposed and insulted him, Paul said he was going to go tell the Gentiles. (Acts 18:6)

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

Dear Lord, please help me to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Thank you Jesus. Amen. 

The Unknown God

"His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him - though he is not far from any of us. For in him we live and move and exist... We are his offspring." Acts 17:27-31

One of their altars had the inscription, "To an Unknown God." This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I'm telling you about. Acts 17:23

Even the people who don't know him, know that he's there. 

He created us so that we would seek for him and so that we would find him. 

All humans come from one blood - Adam, and the breath of life that God breathed into Adam. We are all brothers and sisters as children of our Creator. 

God is so big that we can't fathom it, but we live and move and have our being in Him.

God loves all of his creation. 

God doesn't need anything, but He wants us to seek Him and find Him. 

When you love someone, you want to spend time with them. 

When you love someone, you hope that they love you in return.

When you love someone, you hope that want to spend time with you as well.

To seek and to find infers a process, a hunt, or a journey, like going on an adventure to find a lost treasure.

I'm guessing that since we are all different, we will all have different journeys or paths to take, just like there are several roads to take to get from point A to point B. Some will take shortcuts and others will take the scenic route, so we will all have different obstacles to face along the way.

So, brothers and sisters, we need to give each other grace as we are all on our different treasure hunts facing different challenges along the way. 

My identity is not as a wife, a mother, a leader, a teacher, a singer, a student, a worker, a counselor... 

My identity is being a child of God. My identity is in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

I love you God! Thank you Jesus! 

The Name of Jesus Christ

 "His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." Acts 3:16

Observations:

Faith in the name of Jesus Christ is power.

"soundness" = freedom from flaws or defects, not diseased or sick, freedom from error, right.

Faith in Jesus healed the lame man and made him well again.

This could be a metaphor that faith in Jesus can make us right with God.

This soundness is something that other people can see.  

        - This reminds me of Psalm 23... He renews my strength... He prepares a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. 

Application:

Faith in Jesus is very powerful and gives us His strength.

We need to have faith and believe, or else it's all for nothing.

We are to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I have faith in You. You are faithful to us. Thank You that we can trust You. Help my faith to grow stronger in You Lord. Let my faith in You be an example to others. Help me to be a good witness for You Lord. Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and Savior! Amen

Daily Decisions

 "So, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:46-47

Observations:

The word "daily" speaks out to me - every day.

"One accord" - they were all in agreement.

They were fellowshipping with each other at each other's homes. 

They were satisfied and content.

They praised God. 

So, because of their example, many people were saved.

Application:

We have daily decisions and choices. 

We need to have fellowship with one another.

We need to be content and praise God for His blessings.

We need to be good examples to others around us so that they can know the love of God.

Prayer:

Please help us Lord to follow You every day. Thank You Lord for all Your many blessings. I am so grateful for all You have done. Please help us to be a good witness for You. Thank you Jesus! Amen!

I don't need to know everything

Jesus said, "The Father alone has the authority to set dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere... in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:7-8

Obervation:

We need to be baptized with water and be baptized with the Holy Spirit as well. That is when we receive His power so that we can tell the world about Him. 

We are to be His witnesses in our own hometown, in the next city, in the whole country, and around the world. 

God has plan and a purpose. God's timing is perfect. 

God is in control. God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. 

Application:

I can trust God. I don't need to know everything, because God does. I know that God wants what is best for me because I know that He loves me no matter what! I don't need to worry because I have faith and hope in the Lord's promises. I have been given a Helper who gives me His power. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I need to use His power and His strength that He gives me to do His will and to be an example to those around me. 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, please let your light shine through me. My identity is in Christ. Thank you, Lord, for your help, your strength, and your power to do your will. Please guide me and direct my path. I can do nothing without you Lord. I'm so tired Lord. Please help me to remember that I don't need to do things in my own strength. With you, the yoke is easy, and the burden is light. I am a leaky vessel and need you to fill me with your Holy Spirit on a daily basis. I need your strength everyday Lord. I cannot do it my own. I love you, Lord. Thank You Lord for all your many blessings! Amen!