God Promised Me Good Things, So Why Did Bad Things Happen?

God loves to make promises.  He is a promise making God, and also a promise keeping God.  Sometimes we get discouraged waiting upon God to keep his promises.  Until you understand HOW God does things, you will never understand why we must wait upon the Lord.

God does not make promises the same way that we make a promise.  Usually when we make a promise we are shortly going to fulfill the promise, because we are building our reputation with someone.  We want them to trust us, and we want them to be happy now because of the good thing we are going to do for them later.  We often make promises because we want the other person to 'feel better'  or that they would 'know they are loved'   We cannot see the future so we make promises based on what is happening right now.

Most generally when God makes a promise it isn't with the motive of making up feel better, or just simply giving us a gift.   God sees into the future, and when he gives a promise it is most often because he sees we are getting ready to go through something hard and he wants to give us a promise before we go through that challenge.  The promise He gives to us to meant to be an anchor, and benefit to us, to help us to go through the storm.   I have found that when God speaks a personal promise to my heart  often it is because I am at the brink of going through a terrible storm.  The promises is meant to be a comfort to me to help me through the storm and to come out the other side of the storm in faith.     It used to confuse me that everytime God would speak something wonderful to me that often that was followed by a very trying time in my life.   It would frustrate me because I would hear God say that he was going to bless me, and then boom something hard to go through would happen.   It sometimes made me doubt that I heard God.  But God has done as He promised and I have been greatly blessed, even though I have had to face some trying times in my life.    I began to realize that often the reason that God gives us a dream or a promise is because he sees what is up ahead for our lives and he wants to give us a good promise to help us  make it through our worse storms.    God has done this in my life often, and as we look through the Bible we see this is how God did with others.

Right before Joseph was sold into slavery God gave him dreams and promises.   The promises didn't stop him from being sold into slavery, but they were meant to be an anchor for this faith as he went through the many trials he faced.  God knew the challenges that Joseph would face, so he gave him dreams about his future to keep him during the hard years.

God promised the children of Israel a land flowing with milk and honey, and that helped them endure all those years in the wilderness.   God promised a rich land, but they had to go through the wilderness to get there.  It is the same in our lives.  Before we go through our toughest seasons God gives us a good promise of what he will do in our lives if we persevere.
God knew the challenges the Israelites would face in the wilderness, so He  gave them the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey to help them go through it.

It was the same with Sarah the wife of Abraham.  God knew she would have trouble baring children, so he promised her that she would give birth to whole nations.  It would be terrible to hear God say to you that  your children would be so numerous and then turn around and you can't get pregnant.
God knew that Sarah would have trouble conceiving children, so he gave her the promise of Isaac so that they would not give up hope.

God knew that David would have to fight giants, and enemies and be chased by the King, so he gave him the anointing and the promise that he would be King to keep him through his problems.

We receive a promise from God and then often instead of the promise coming to place in our lives quickly, often we are faced with JUST THE OPPOSITE of what promised actually happening.  Look at Joseph he was promised that the sun, moon and stars would bow down to him, and then he was sold into slavery where HE had to bow to everyone.  Abraham was promised a land flowing with milk and honey for him and his descendants, yet he lived in tents as a nomad.  Sarah was promised a child but turned out to be barren.   David was promised to be King of Israel, yet, Saul chased him out of the nation as banished and he was living with the Philistines.   Here he was anointed the King of Israel by the prophets, and now he is banished by Saul and can't even live there.    Yet though the opposite of what was promised happened to each of these people almost immediately after God promised them good things, in the end each of these people continued to walk with God and was eventually elevated by God to receive the promise.  

Often when God gives a promise something goes VERY WRONG shortly after he gives it.  Why does this happen?  It happens because he sees your future, he knows when you are getting ready to go through a hard season, and He gives you a promise to help carry you through it to victory.  When you cleave to the promise, you will find that you walk on the water to the other side!

We often mis-understand what is happening.  God gives a promise and then things start going the  opposite direction, and we want to know WHY?  We want to know if we MISSED God.  We want to know why God promised us such good stuff and then terrible things happened.

Think of Joseph for a minute.  Here he had just told his brothers that God was going to promote him above them and then before he got a chance for him to fully grow up, he is a SLAVE in Egypt.  Slavery is just the opposite of ruling others and having them bow down to  you.  God gave him that promise in a dream and then the exact opposite happens.  The unthinkable happens, he becomes a slave.  God knew he would go through these tragedies, so he gave Joseph the dreams to help him go through them.  I have learned that when God gives me a promise, hold on, adversity is often between myself and the promise, and the very reason God spoke the promise to me was to help me go through the trials I would face.


IF God has given you some promises and you are going through tough things right now, know that the promise was His love for you, and in the proper time, these trials will pass, and the promise will come to you.


Maybe God promised you something good and you wonder why it seems like the opposite of what God promised you is happening in your life.   You are in the same boat as all the men and woman of the Bible that receive promises from God.   Let that promise that God gave you be an anchor for your life as you go through the storms and  know that whatever he promised you will come to pass as you stay faithful to our God.

I know that there have been discouraging things and God brought my life through the storm into the p promises fulfilled.  Don't give up.  God will keep his promises.

Genesis 21 1And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

2For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Adultery is Still Sin

King Abimelech took Abraham's wife Sarah, because Abraham had told the King that Sarah was his sister.  He was afraid that if the King knew that Sarah was his wife, that he would kill Abraham and take Sarah as his own.  King Abimelech had NO IDEA that she was another man's wife, he walked in integrity, he was a good man.  Though he didn't realize that Sarah was married to Abraham, God was still going to punish the King for taking Sarah.

Genesis 20:2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, you are but a dead man, for the woman that you have taken; for she is a man's wife.

We have people today that are living with, sleeping with, hooking up with people that are married to someone else, and they have no shame about it.  God makes it plain in both the new and the old testament that ADULTERY is WRONG.  If they are married to someone else, even if they are separated God says they are OFF  LIMITS!  

If you are married you made a vow, a covenant with your Spouse.  Don't run and around and cheat!   God expects us to be faithful to one another!

What a minute, someone is saying, "Don't judge me, don't judge me."  I don't judge you, the of WORD OF GOD and the actions of God against that kind of behavior is what convicts, if the shoe fits you, then YOU have judged yourself.   Nobody is talking about you or anyone else here, there is just someone preaching God's Word here.  If you been cheating, or living with someone while you are married to someone else your own actions judge you, I certainly don't have to.  God calls that adultery, and the Bible condemns adultery.  Here are the Scriptures.

2 Peter 2:13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, reveling themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15Who have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb donkey speaking with man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever.

Hosea 4:1Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. 2There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.3Therefore the land mourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, And also the fish of the sea disappear.…

Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery?  They wanted to stone her.  What did Jesus say?  He said, "he who is without sin cast the first stone."  They all left.  So Jesus said to her, "where are your accusers?"  She said, "There is none."  He said, Neither do I condemn you"  Most people want to end the story right there.  To justify their sins.  People want to think they can sleep with anyone they want, anytime they want.   I'm sorry, but that was not the end of this story.  What was the last thing that Jesus said to the woman?  

Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more."  

Jesus told her to it was SIN and she should do it NO MORE.  When he said, neither do I condemn you, he WAS NOT CONDONING adultery, he was giving her a SECOND chance to make things in her life right!  IF he had been condoning the act, he wouldn't have called it sin, and he wouldn't have told her to make it right and sin no more.  Jesus was saying, let's give her another chance to get her life straight.  

Maybe you don't believe that sleeping around is a sin.  The Bible says it is sin.  It is one of the 10 commandments of God.  Do NOT commit adultery.  The apostles said it was sin, and Jesus told the woman caught in the very act, that it was sin and she should no longer do this!  

Sleeping around hurts everyone involved.  It hurts those who are participating, it hurts the people you are cheating on, it hurts God, it hurts society, it hurts those children born out of wed lock, it hurts those babies that get aborted.  If God says that fornication (sex before marriage) and adultery (sex with someone who is not your spouse) is wrong, we should fear God and listen to him and obey His Word.  

God is LOVE and He Brings JUSTICE!

The city of Sodom was full of violence and Abraham tried to find righteous men living there so that God would spare the city from judgment but he could only find his Nephew Lot who was kind and compassionate and who cared about God's commands.   God sent two Angels into the city to get Lot out before his judgment hit the city. 

Genesis 19

1And there came two angels to Sodom at evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

2And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early, and go on your way. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

4But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men who came in to you this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

6And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7And said, I pray you, brethren, do not act so wickedly.

8Behold now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do you to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

9And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with you, than with them. And they pressed hard upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

10But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.

11And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves trying to find the door

So we see here that strangers passing through Sodom were not safe to pass through the city without threats of violence.  Lot took them home with him so they would be off the streets and safe, but the men of the city, both old and great all surrounded Lots house and they wanted the strangers for their own sinful pleasures.  Lot tried to talk them out of it, but though Lot was their friend they threatened Lot will violence as well if he did not hand the strangers over to them.  And such was the overwhelming violence, sin and disreguard for the lives of  others by the men of Sodom.  This is why they were ripe for judgment, their violence, disreguard for the lives of others and their sexual sins.  

I have seen many terrible places in some of the larger cities of America, yet, there are very few where ALL the men of the city would unite together to threaten both neighbor and strangers with violence if they didn't get their kicks with sin and violence.  Most of the time it is gangs of people within our cities that are guilty of these things, and this is bad, very terrible.  Just imagine a city in which every man, both young and old was like the gangs of the inner cities and no one passing through that city was safe from violence and sexual assault. 

God is a loving God, but, when men are wicked BEYOND measure God does bring judgment and destruction upon them.  People complain about God no matter what He does.  If people are violent and wicked and do terrible things like these men of Sodom wanted to do to these Angels and God sends judgments everyone start yelling, God is love, don't you dare say that he sends judgments!  But, if men are wicked, and God does nothing, people complain and say, "If God is a good God why doesn't he stop the wicked people?"  So God gets criticized no matter what He does.  

In this instance, the men of Sodom where so wicked, and only Lot was righteous in the city.  Everyone else was full of evil desires and violence towards others.    And God destroyed the city. 

You may not agree with what happened, but, you are not God.   If you had a loved one passing through that city and the men of that city both young and old came out and violently fulfilled their lustful desires on them by force I'm sure you would want some justice.

God is a God of love, but he is also a God of JUSTICE, and that is good news for all the victims out there in the world.  This world has plenty of innocent victims and it has a lot of violence too.  Some may not want to believe that God has prepared a place called HELL for those who walked in wicked ways on this earth, but he has prepared a place for the wicked.   God is not only a God of love, HE is also a God of Justice.   No matter what hurts or pains you have endured in this life,  God told us not to try to get even.  Vengeance is MINE says the LORD!   

Check out our website at www.praiseassemblyonline.com  God bless!  

What If God's Promise Hasn't Come to Pass?

There are many today that are in such dire circumstances that the idea that things could get better, that God could actually move, that your situation could change is a laughable thought to you right now.   It's not that you haven't served God, it's not that you haven't prayed, it's not that you haven't searched for the answers, on the truth the opposite is true.  You have served God,  you have prayed, you have searched for answers but God has NOT answered you a Word.   You have received a lot of PROMISES from God, but you haven't seen any real answers materialize to date, and it just goes from bad to worse each day.   You are in the same situation that Abraham and his wife Sarah were in many years ago.

They had served God, they had obeyed his Word the best that they could, they had honored God, and yet his promises had not come to pass.  Sarah was without child, and to make matters worse both Abraham and Sarah were not past child bearing age.

Three men who were heavenly beings sent from God came to meet Abraham one day.  Abraham fed them and washed their feet, and they began to speak words to Abraham about God's promise to him.

Genesis 18:9-14 9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10And he said, I will certainly return unto you according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I have grown old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a certainty bear a child, who am old?

14Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Sarah had heard the promise of God SO MANY times, she had counted on that promise, dreamed that it would come to pass, but had gotten too old, it became impossible for the promise to happen because of the age of their bodies.  Just because something is impossible for YOU does NOT mean it is impossible for GOD.   Sarah was no longer hoping for the promise to come to pass, she was now laughing at the idea that it could ever be so.  Do you have promises from God that are unfulfilled in your life to the point that the idea that things could ever change is just laughable?  Don't laugh too hard, because God is listening, and He doesn't get the joke.  As sure as the sun rises each morning in the sky, If God gave you a promise,  keep holding on no matter what, because He will not break a promise, His Words are always fulfilled in His time!  

God's covenant equals God's favor

God made a covenant of circumcision with Abraham.  God said that Abraham would be the Father of many nations.  When God makes a promise he seals it with a covenant.

Genesis 17: 1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be you perfect.

2And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.

3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

5Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you.''

God was good to honor his covenant with Abraham, and Abraham was good to keep the covenant with God!   Through Jesus was have been brought into a new covenant with God.  In Luke 22, at the Lord's supper Jesus said

Luke 2219And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. 

The new covenant each of us have with God is the covenant made by the blood of Jesus.  In Exodus 24, Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."  So we see that the covenant that God made with the people was a blood covenant, as circumcision covenant that God made with Abraham also requires the shedding of blood.  God makes a blood covenant with man, and the new covenant is made through the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us.  

Hebrews says that Jesus is the mediator the of a new covenant 
Hebrews 8:6But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

God has always made covenant with mankind.  First through Abraham, then through Moses, and now because of the blood of Jesus we are all made near to God in covenant with Him.  Yet it is the same God, the God of Abraham and to Christ Jesus his descendant  as the scripture declares

Galatians 6:26For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29And if you are Christ's, then are you Abraham's descendants, and heirs according to the promise.

When Things Aren't Working Out, You Can Try to Fix it Yourself, or You Can Do This...

Gen 16:1-2

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.  So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.

Prov 16:25 comes instantly to mind in this situation, it says, There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Sarai makes the statement, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children, so instead of trusting God she decides that she is smarter than God and takes matters into her own hands.

If you are a born again believer there are two ways you can make decisions, by the spirit or by the flesh. If you have not put your faith in Jesus there is only one path available to you, and that's the flesh.

Paul teaches in Galatians,   Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

We often deceive ourselves into thinking that we can do whatever feels right at the time and all will work out.

There is one way of doing a thing and that's God's way all other ways lead to destruction and death. Any time we follow our flesh we will always cause heartache and disaster.

The greatest revelation a person can get is that God is smarter than us. God's ways may not always be the easiest or the quickest, but they always lead to a good place.

Put your trust in God, call on Jesus and let His spirit lead you in the right path, the path to life.

God is our Sheild and Our Reward

Gen 15:15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward

We face a lot of situations that are bigger than us, but we have never faced anything bigger than God. With God all things are possible, without Him there is no hope.

2 Timothy 1:7
 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

The most repeated command in scripture is fear not or don't fear. The problem is that this world is be a scary place when looked at from natural eyes.

Abram was not promised that nothing bad would happen, but that God was their as a protector.

Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble, then He told us to be of good cheer because he had overcome the world.

As children of God we also have the promise of Abram.

 The Great I Am is with us.

1.  As a shield. Nothing gets past God, He himself stands before us as a shield. By trusting in God we have this assurance, IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US!

2.  As our exceedingly great reward. God has not promised us a bunch of stuff, He has promised us Himself

The creator of all things has sent His word to us in the person of His son JESUS. And all who call on the name of The Lord shall be saved.

The next time the world seems too scary, when it seems like you are pressed in on all sides, call on The Lord. Remember His promise, and The Lord himself will be your help.

When God Is On Your Side You Are Never Out Numbered!

Picture this, we have a total of 9 kings with all their armies. The battle rages like a scene out of a middle earth movie. Swords, spears, men yelling, running around, hacking and slashing. finally one side emerges victorious.
Five kings rose up  and were defeated and lost all their stuff. Scripture tells that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had all their possessions  were taken by the victors.

 Genesis 14:12 makes a statement of great importance to the rest of the story,
12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

As we read on the story gets more interesting, Abram gets word that his nephew was captured. He gathered his army and set out after the victors,

An army that consisted of a total 318 servants.
318 men against 4 kings and their armies really does seem one sided as far as fighting goes.
 Abram doesn't seem to hesitate he just rolls out.

The lesson we take from this story and others like it in scripture, Samson defeating 1000 with a jaw bone, Gideon with his 300 defeating the Midionites, etc is that no matter how lopsided our battles seem, with God for us who can be against us.

 God is all powerful and always victorious and He has invited us to be a part of His Kingdom. Jesus through his sacrifice has given us access to the Father.

Matt 6:33
 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

Gods Kingdom operates by different principles than this world. Abram had placed his trust in God and had given up everything to seek His Kingdom, and Gods favor affected everything Abram did.

Where Have You Pitched Your Tent?

Abram and Lot took off too the land of Canaan, and they were both greatly increased with goods and live stock.  The herdsmen of Lot began to quarrel with Abram's herdsmen over the land.   Abram said that they were kinsmen and shouldn't quarrel, so he let Lot take the first pick of what part of the land he wanted to settle in.  Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the land that looked the best and decided to take the 'best land' for himself.  That is here the real trouble started. 

Genesis 13:11Then Lot chose all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

 

The Bible says that lot pitched his tent towards Sodom.  The problem was that the people of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD.  Lot was only thinking about what land would make him the richest, would give  him better opportunity for wealth.  Instead of thinking about how wicked the people were in Sodom and protecting his family from exposure to sin, he could only think about what was best for his pocket book.  When you go to making decisions based on what is best for your pocket instead of what is best for your family, or your moral character, or your spirituality you have pitched your tents toward Sodom just like Lot did.  I ask you today, where have you pitched your tents today?  Do you compromise your moral standards to boost up your financial security?  Do you compromise your family to make your pocket book fatter?  Do you compromise your spirituality to live where you have greater opportunities?   Lot pitched his tent towards Sodom and it was the beginning of the end for his family.  What are you sacrificing to have 'good business partners' in this life.  Whatever it is, I know it is not worth it. 

 

 

 

The Blessing of Abraham

Genesis 12:1But the LORD had said unto Abram, Depart out of thy country and from thy nature and from thy father’s house unto a land that I will show thee; 2and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. 3And I will bless those that bless thee and curse those that curse thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

In Genesis the 12 chapter we see the great call of God to Abram to continue on from Haran to the land of Canaan.  Abram believed God and obeyed the Word of the Lord and entered into the land of Canaan.  His wife Sarai was barren.  When a woman was barren this was seen as a sign from the LORD that you were not blessed.  There was great stigma in not being able to bare children.  Later on she said to Abraham, "give me children lest I die!" 

When our lives are unproductive and do not pan out to be all that we thought they would be it can leave us with the feeling that we are under a cloud of defeat all the time.  I know people that as soon as they start something they expect things to go wrong.  I know people that expect failure more than they expect success.  There are those today that feel like God is not for them, but is against them.  Sarai had every reason to believe that she was cursed, and that God had no good thing for her in life.  She was barren, unproductive, unfruitful and it was a disgrace for her to be this way in their culture.

  17But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19Why didst thou say, She is my sister? I might have taken her to me to wife; now, therefore, behold thy wife, take her, and go away. 20Then Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away and his wife with all that he had.

She was a beautiful woman, and Abram was concerned that Pharaoh would want her for his palace.  So he said to Sarai, "if they ask who you are, say you are my sister."  She complied and was taken off to the palace of Pharaoh.  Did her experience change there?  NO!  After she came to the house of Pharaoh the WHOLE house of Pharaoh also became barren.  How would you feel if you brought barrenness and unproductiveness?  What would it be like for the whole house to go from fruitful to barren just because you arrived in it?   This had to be a terrible experience for Sarai.  

Yet, we know that in the end even after she had gotten past being able to bare children, she bore a son and named him Isaac.   Maybe you are getting older and you look back at your life and it looks like one failure after another, one set back after another, one heart ache after another, one broken promise after another.  Even so, stick close to God.  He can and will turn your life around if you will patiently wait upon Him. 

 

Does God Ever Use Confusion For His Purposes?

Genesis 11:1And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

3And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and bitumen had they for mortar.

4And they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

 

The people had a plan that contradicted Gods plan. God had told Noah to go replenish the earth. Their idea was to stay together and build themselves a city, so they would not be scattered.

They were so of one mind that it got Gods attention.   They were excited, they were doing a 'good thing.'  It seemed so perfect, why would God oppose such an endeavor as this good work they were doing to unite them all in one accord fulfilling a purpose?  

 

5And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

 

This is a powerful picture of how unity among people gets Gods attention.

 

6And the LORD said, Behold, the people are one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

 

God himself said about them, there is nothing they cant do, they are one.

The only problem with this is that they were doing what they wanted and not what God had commanded, replenish the earth.

God had to step in and confuse their language so that His will would be done.  Sometimes when our UNITY is uniting us to do something that is against God's will he has to step in and confuse some things, and scatter some people.  Wait, people will speak that confusion is not of God, disorder is not of God, breaking unity is not of God...I think that they forgot to tell those things to GOD in this instance!  It just goes to show you that when we think we have God and the Bible all figured out God surprises us and moves in a way that we cannot even comprehend.  Can you imagine the people all saying, "But why?"   "What's Going ON?"  Others likely blamed it on the devil...When will we ever learn that when we don't do things God's way that God gets down in the middle of it and shakes until it is broken, scattered, and torn apart so that only that which cannot be shaken remains. 

7Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

8So the LORD scattered them abroad from there upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city.

9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confuse the language of all the earth: and from there did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

 

Compare this story with Acts the second chapter. In the upper room were 120 people who were in one mind and in obedience to Jesus' command to tarry for the promise of the Father.

This time when God moved it was to empower them to do even more than they could on their own.  They were in unity doing GOD'S WiLL!  And God blessed it and brought to them great power and miracles and they experienced HIS glory!  

 

How many times have we done things according to man's way in our church, our home, our community, and God got down in the middle of it and confused it and scattered it and we blamed the whole thing on the devil.  When will we learn that when we do things GOD'S WAY the devil can't stop it, defeat it, or break it...

 

The trend of the world is once again to join together under the banner of unity, for all religions, all beliefs, all opinions to be equally valid and accepted, and this leads to confusion and darkness.  Does God ever use confusion for his purposes?  He did so at the Tower of Babel, like it or not, God is still God. 

 

Scripture teaches that Jesus is the only way, the only path, the only  banner under which God will allow the power of unity to accomplish its end.

There is Hope After the Storm

Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth.

God spoke to Noah to build a boat.  God was grieved that he made man because man was wicked and the earth was filled with violence.  When the flood came it wiped everything out and every living thing.  All that had been was gone, and all that was left was Noah and his family.  There was a lot destruction, a lot of memories, a lot of regrets of losing everyone that they had ever none.  You know that it had to be a horrific incident.  After the flood came God's promise, his covenant, the rainbow.    Noah and his family could have focused on all that was LOST, or they could look at the rainbow and live.  They could think about how barren the earth was now that everyone was gone, or they could be thankful for the covenant that God made.  They could think about how everyone died, or they could be grateful that now they could live in an earth that was no longer filled with evil and violence.


What have you been through in life?  What tragedies have you seen?  What loses have you endured?  What disappointments have you faced?  What emptiness have you had to endure? 

Just like Noah you have the choice to think about  your losses, revel in your misery or to think about the promises of God and begin to live again!   That rainbow was God's promise that they would never go through that storm again.   You have a rainbow given to you by God, it is his promise that though you have went through a terrible storm that took everything, God will bless you, and make you fruitful once again.  His love for you out weighs any problems or storms that you face in life. 

Genesis 9:

12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

God Will Bless You In the Midst of the Storms

Form the time of Adam to the time of Noah man sinned and sinned more.  God was grieved that he had made man on the earth.  When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God cursed the ground.  He said:

Genesis 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because you have listened unto the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life;

 

Adam lived under a curse of the ground because of his sin in the garden, and that curse brought hardships and sorrows to him.  Then when Cain killed his brother Able, God cursed the ground beneath Cain's feet.   He said:

 

Genesis 4:11 And now are you cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand;

 

We see the precedent that disobedience to God's Word is sin, and sin bring on the curse which includes hardships and sorrows. 

 

Look at the scripture where Noah is born,  His Father Lamech said:

Genesis 5:29 and he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the LORD has cursed.

 

Noah's dad spoke prophetic words over him when he was born.  What you say over your children carries weight.  Don't call them bad things, even as a tease.  Words are powerful and often carry weight that guide us through life.     But notice what was said at his birth.  This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the LORD has cursed. 

 

Look at the life of Noah.  Noah was the only man on the face of the earth that was righteous.  He pleased the LORD.  God determined to destroy the earth, but because Noah blessed the LORD through his obedience he was instructed to build a boat.   The floods came and once the waters receded look what happened. 

 

Genesis 8:20And Noah built an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

21And the LORD smelled a sweet odor; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done.

22While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

 

So here we see that God made a covenant with Noah.  This was the first recorded covenant of God with man since the fall of Adam.  What did God promise?  I WILL NOT CURSE THE GROUND ANYMORE...Here man is sinning, God is cursing, cursing the ground.  And YET, one man in all of the people that ever lived pleased God and it made God so happy he promised to never curse the ground again, and also to never again smite all living things as he had done in the flood.

 

This world is bad, and people are crazy.   Things are hard, and times are tough.  But, it pleases the LORD if even ONE person is found righteous.  If one person honors God and serves him it causes God to decide to bless and not to curse.  Even if things are terrible in the USA, terrible over seas, terrible in our governments, terrible in our churches, terrible in our school systems...one person submitted to God can turn the tide and cause God to remember his covenant and to bless us once again.    Will YOU be the one? 

You Can Be Safe During The Storms

Genesis 7:12And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
 What are you going to do when the rain stops?  The storm of all storms came upon the earth.  The Bible says it rained for 40 days and 40 nights.  The fountains of the deep opened up.  The earth was completely covered.  Everything upon the face of the earth with breath died, except for those that God had kept safe in the ark.  Do you know that no matter what storm you are facing that GOD can and will make an ark of safety for you?  We GET SO focused on the rain, that we forget to go into the ARK that God has prepared for us!   It is time to stop looking at the clouds that are approaching, and the winds coming, and the troubles we see on the horizon.  It is time to look for the ark of safety, because when we get in their God will shut the door and the winds can blow and the rain can fall, but the fury of the storm cannot touch us their! 

1 Corinthians 10:13  There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

No matter what test or trial you go through God always makes a way of escape.  You have to find the ark of safety when the storms rise up.  You have to find God's hiding place when the winds of trials and test come your way.  The only safe place in the storms is in the ark of safety.  He is our safety.  We can hide in HIM.  He is our escape route, the storms cannot shake Him, the waters never rise up above Him, He is above all things! 

Psalm 62:2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

Because even after the rain stops, their are waters, and floods and fall out that comes with stormy problems, and the fall-out can be worse than the rain itself! 

24And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.

 So I ask you again, what are you going to do after the rain is over, and the waters have receded?    You are going to look up to the heavens, and praise God and behold the beautiful rainbow that God has placed in the sky.  For he makes ALL THINGS beautiful in HIS time!