We see Abram worshipping God in transition. God had called him, by grace, out of Ur and idolatry. God had promised to make him a great nation even though he and Sarai were childless. Moreover, God promised to make him a blessing to all families on earth. After Abram entered Canaan, God made another promise. …
Transitions require trusting God’s promises and looking to Him instead of relying on our own strength or understanding as we move through life’s journey. The life of Abram, whom the Lord renamed Abraham, is an ongoing journey of learning to trust in God’s promises. As the Lord told Abram to go to a new land, …
Transitions require leaving the familiar and often result in spiritual transformation. This is why they are so challenging. Leaving the familiar behind calls us to move beyond established comforts, certainties, and mindsets to embrace an unknown future. To do this, we must be grounded in trust in God’s promise or leading. This process is central …
Transitions may begin with small steps, much like a child learning to walk. Learning to walk is a process, and small steps often mark transitions, as we see in Abram’s life. God called Abram (Abraham) to make the most significant transition of his life.Genesis 12:1The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your …
God’s transitions require obedience as we choose to follow His will rather than our own. Jesus describes God’s will as the narrow road. Matthew 7:13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway …
After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were careful to follow the required Jewish Ceremonies. They demonstrated how obedience can be worship. Matthew 2: 21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for their purification …
God provided a divine warning in a dream to Joseph. This was the second dream of Joseph that Scripture tells us about. In Joseph’s first dream, an angel explained how Mary was pregnant and instructed Joseph to marry her immediately. Joseph quickly obeyed. Now Jesus has been born, and the wise men from the east …
Joseph moved forward in obedience despite the shame it would bring. If Joseph married the pregnant Mary, the community would assume the baby was his. But God had instructed him to do so, and he did. When Mary came back from visiting her cousin Elizabeth for three months, it was evident to Joseph that she …
Jesus began His teaching by urging His disciples to abide in Him like a branch does to a vine. Then He tells of the joy of obedience. He asks the disciples to remain in His love. They can do this by being obedient to His commands. A result of this obedience will be overflowing joy. …
Being great in the Kingdom of God is part of His plan for every believer. But what does it mean to be great in God’s Kingdom? Matthew 5: 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone …