Jesus sees the potential in the empty or what seems unusable. Likewise, our lives might seem void or insignificant, but God sees what we can’t. Jesus is like a sculptor seeing the potential of an uncut stone. In many ways, we are that uncut stone waiting for the master to shape and mold us. As …
The wonderful truth that God moves our hearts to pray is revealed in Scripture. Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.8 This implies that God is actively involved in shaping our desires, including prompting us to seek His will in prayer. Considering such matters …
God’s plan unfolds despite human deceit. God had given Abraham the promise of many descendants. Sarah was to be the mother of these descendants, who would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. However, when Abraham claimed Sarah as his sister rather than his wife, Abimelech took her into his harem. This put …
God desires that we choose integrity rather than deception. Proverbs 12: 22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.[1] Abraham had been on a faith journey since God called him out of Ur. Leaving what he knew had to be difficult and dangerous. From the beginning of the call, …
Abram is stepping into God’s promises with a new name, Abraham. God Himself changes his name. Genesis 17:5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.[1] Abram means “exalted father” and probably refers to his father, …
When the Lord spoke to Abram, he received covenant promises of God’s unchanging faithfulness. God had promised Abram an heir, but as he and Sarai grew older, having the child of the promise seemed impossible. During this time of doubt, God reminded Abram of His faithfulness. Genesis 17:2 I will make a covenant with you, by …
It doesn’t matter if you are a patriarch of the Bible or a modern-day believer; walking with God transforms. Walking with God represents a life of obedience and being led by the Spirit. The Lord gives us free will, but as I walk with God, I surrender my free will to the Lord as He …
Hagar discovered a God who sees and hears when she was alone in the desert. This was such an incredible revelation that she called God by a different name. She even gave a new name to the place where God had appeared to her. Genesis 16: 13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the …
I think every pregnant woman wonders, “What will my child be like?” God revealed what Hagar’s child would be like to encourage her in a difficult time. Genesis 16: 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” 11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth …
Submitting to God transforms our actions. Submission and change are hard, but why? Our sinful nature desires to rebel against God because we think we know more than He does. As an immature believer, I didn’t realize the importance of submitting to God and learned some faith lessons the hard way. You may have experienced …