Profile of a Doubter, Part 4: Gideon

 

Although Gideon may seem like a brave warrior, let's explore how he fits into the category of a doubter.

In the book of Judges, it is repeatedly stated that God was displeased with the Israelites for their disobedience. Yet, you will also read how God, in His great mercy, has compassion on them (like us) many more times than they (or we) deserve.  In chapter 6, we learn:

The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.  Judges 6:1 

However, due to the Israelites crying out to God in their dire situation, God answers their call by raising up Gideon to lead them.  Like many before and after him, Gideon is called into service by an angel.  

And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him," The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."  Judges 6:11-12

The definition of valor is: "great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle."  So right away, you can see Gideon is being called to bravely lead his people to battle.  Is Gideon always brave?  No, and even more surprising, Gideon very often lacks faith and doubts God.  As soon as he is called by the angel, we see his pattern of questioning God.  

"If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us... now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Judges 6:13

As disrespectful as this seems, haven't we all acted this exact same way?  I know I have.  While we may not literally have an angel in front of us, we can be given messages from other sources such as dreams, visions, and even other people. (A note of warning here: Be careful if someone says they heard from God.  If that person is not living a Godly life, or their words go against the Bible, disregard the message.  If it is a person you can trust as a spiritual leader, it is okay to still ask God for confirmation.)  When we receive true messages, we may still refuse to believe and question God based on negative experiences in our past. This side of Heaven, we cannot know why God chooses to allow difficult things to happen. Although difficult, we cannot live in the pains of the past, but trust God for each circumstance as separate occasions. Try to trust in his sovereignty even if you feel let down in the past. Remember God is always good, even though men rarely are. 

Again, God is gracious to Gideon and slow to anger.  Instead of the angel leaving and choosing someone else, he calmly states,

"Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? "Judges 6:14

Gideon still is full of doubt and but now it is in himself that he questions.  Why would God choose him?  He is "poor" and "the least in" his "father's house." (verse 15).  Goodness, that sounds like me!  I have used too many excuses to count for why I am not worthy to be used by God.  God does not want our list of shortcomings and failures.  He knows them better than we do.  He wants our obedience.  He will always provide what we lack.

In verse 16, the angel insists God will be with Gideon, and he will be successful in defeating the Midianites.  But is Gideon satisfied yet?  Nope.  He continues his doubting track.

And he said unto him, "If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me." Judges 6:17

In verses 18-21 Gideon prepares a goat and bread and places it on an altar with some broth, and the angel uses his staff to create fire and consume the meal.  Let me make clear a brief, but important truth on angels. Angels are often depicted as magical.  They are often shown as having special powers to perform ridiculous tasks I will not even go into.  Be not deceived, God HATES witchcraft (Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these... witchcraft... of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21) as it comes from Satan, and not from God. Any "powers" angels display do not come from them but are granted by God. Just as when holy saints perform miracles, it is ONLY by God's power that allows them to do so. No angel or human can produce a miracle on their own.  If God is not involved, the power comes from Satan not man.

Therefore, this act performed from the angel in Judges is not an evil conjuring of fire from Hell, but fire from Heaven.  It was not the angel's power, but the power of God.

After Gideon witnesses the sign of God, he finally believes.

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. Judges 6:22

Gideon then gets to work and destroys the altars of Baal.  Now he is finally letting go of doubt and stepping into his role as a man of valor.

Throughout the rest of Gideon' story, we see the pattern of doubt.  He continually questions God and asks for signs of proof.  Yet God is beyond patient and provides each sign.  Gideon is also very successful in battle, even when greatly outnumbered (you can read the rest of his amazing story through to Judges 8:35).

Maybe you can relate, or maybe you have always had an unshakable faith and never questioned God, but we can agree that God is always gentle and kind with us.  He understands our doubts and as a patient Father, continues to give us time to wake up to His Truths and He will strengthen our doubts.

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His word
What a glory He sheds on our way
While we do His good will
He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay
For the favor He shows
For the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey

Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet
Or we'll walk by His side in the way
What He says we will do
Where He sends we will go
Never fear, only trust and obey

Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But to trust and obey

- John H. Sammis

The Ministry of John the Baptist

In Part 3 of the "Profile of the Doubter" series that I posted a few days ago, I wrote about John's father, Zacharias, so I wanted to also reshare this post. Because I mentioned it in my post about Zacharias, I will not get into the miracles surrounding John's birth, but I will explore his life as an adult and the message that he was born to share. 

In the four gospels, John is only mentioned in two or three chapters per book. In other words, his story is brief.  And yet, he is such an important part of Jesus' story.   

His message was so simple, yet timeless and perfect for his time and much needed for every generation until today. He was the one mentioned in Isaiah 40:3, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord."   

And his father Zacharias said of John:

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins. Luke 1:76  

As I said, his message was simple:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  Matthew 3:3

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14

 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance... And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:8-9 (said by John)

It's pretty clear, isn't it?  The one preaching repentance was the one whose ministry was foretold in Isaiah, whose birth was announced by an angel, whose conception was miraculous (as his mother was past the age of childbearing), who was filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb, and was the cousin of Jesus Christ. Does he ever say there is grace for all sins whether we repent or not?  No!  Does he say Jesus has come and will die for our sins, so we no longer need to strive for righteousness?  No! He preaches that we must repent and bear good fruit or be cut off from heaven and thrown into hell.  Jesus says the exact same thing. 

"Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  Matthew 7:17-19 (said by Jesus)

We need to repent of our sins and bear good fruit.  Bearing good fruit is not just about doing good works and treating each other with love and kindness, it is also about pursing holiness and doing our very best to daily (Luke 9:23) put down sins.  Pretty simple.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:19-26

In spite of John's success as a preacher (he had many disciples as well), he never allowed anyone to glorify him, and always pointed them to Jesus.  He tells his followers that he is not the Messiah and humbly states: 

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Matthew 3:11

May we have the same desire as John, to lead people to Christ, teach them to repent of their sins, and bear good fruit.  May we always be bold enough to speak the Truth as John did, even if it means respectfully disagreeing with false religious teachings. And may our goals never, ever be about exalting ourselves, but to point to Jesus as the true teacher, and the only way to Salvation through repentance.  

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him...' Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.  John 3:27-30 

Even Jesus spoke good things about his faithful messenger. I pray Jesus will also find me doing my best to be a "burning and shining lamp" that points to Jesus and that my "witness" bares only "the Truth"!  

“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. John 5:31-36

Profile of a Doubter, Part 3: Zacharias

The story of Zacharias is a short one.  He is only mentioned in one of the four gospels, and then, only in part of one chapter.  His story beings in Luke, chapter 1.

Zacharias was a priest, and the lot was cast to him to burn the incense in the temple.  While he stood at the altar of incense, an angel appeared to him.  At first, Zacharias was very afraid.  Yet, the angel Gabriel assures Zacharias there is no reason to be afraid.  Gabriel has come to tell Zacharias that his and his wife Elizabeth's prayers have been answered. 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:13-17

Pretty amazing, right!  As with Abraham & Sarah, Zacharias and Elizabeth were past the age of conceiving children, and Elizabeth had always been barren.  Yet, instead of worshiping God, Zacharias' fear quickly vanishes, and he becomes doubtful, you might even say arrogant.  He asks the angel how he should know this is the truth. 

I don't know about you, but if an angel came to me, I would believe anything he said.  Or would I?  Perhaps so many years of feeling disappointed at never having a child had make Zacharias fail to see God's true love for him and Elizabeth.  That is sometimes easy to do.  When we feel like God has not answered our prayers for many years, we sometimes de-throne God and take away His power (not literally, of course).  We demean the Almighty by saying, "Are You sure You can really do this?"  We become arrogant.

Due to the brazen attitude of Zacharias...

And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”  Luke 1:19-20 

And indeed, Zacharias was mute for nine months.

In verse 25, a son is born!  At the baby's circumcision, the people were saying that surely the baby would be named after his father.  But Elizabeth insists the child will be called John.  The people are baffled, but Zacharias was handed a writing tablet where he writes, "His name is John" (verse 63), and immediately, his voice returns.

As you probably know, this baby John was no ordinary child.  When you back up to verse 26, the same Gabriel that appeared to Zacharias appears to Mary, the mother of Jesus.  (Mary is also the cousin of Elizabeth.) Gabriel announces John's birth as well as her up-coming miraculous conception of Jesus!  In verse 39, Mary visits Elizabeth while she is pregnant with baby John.  At the sound of Mary's voice, the baby already knows his purpose is to prepare the way for Christ, and leaps for joy as he is filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb.  

At John's dedication ceremony, Zacharias is also filled with the Holy Spirit and prays over his son.

Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began...

Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.  Luke 1:67-80

Now this may be all that was written about Zacharias, but we know his son, also known as John the Baptist, played a very important role in history.  He was a true hero of faith as he went about proclaiming the upcoming ministry of Christ.  He was very bold and full of faith. (I will also re-post "The Ministry of John the Baptist" blog I wrote in a few days.)

Chances are, Zacharias was not typically a man prone to doubt.  However, we do not know the condition of his heart prior to John's birth.  Luke 1:6 does say that he and Elizabeth were righteous before the Lord.  Following all the rules and regulations does not automatically mean you have a personal relationship with God, however.  Oftentimes rituals become hollow and routine.  We cannot know for sure if Zacharias was merely doing these actions out of habit or out of a true love for God.  By his attitude toward Gabriel, we do see a bit of an arrogance.  It was pretty bold to doubt an angel sent by God.  Yet, he and Elizabeth were chosen to be the parents of an important prophet.  Were they humble before, or did the miraculous events of John's birth change them?

Either way, we do see the condition of his heart after John's birth.  We see obedience in naming the child John, and great faith spoken during Zacharias' prophecy.  Perhaps his faith was there all along and he had one moment of weakness.  His faith may have been buried in years of ritual and also temporarily hidden beneath disappointment at never having children.  

We do not know the exact ages of Zacharias and Elizabeth, or if they were still alive when their son's ministry began, so we don't know if they ever knew how important (as well as hated) their son became.  But we do know that by the time John was born that they were both true believers in the ministry of their son as well as believers that the Messiah was about to be born.

When God promises a ministry to us or through us, it may be hard to believe when circumstances are against us (such as age, health, finances, etc.), but have the courage to let go of doubt and believe.   

Profile of a Doubter, Part 2: Elijah

I know what you're thinking.  Elijah was a great prophet of God.  Why am I including him in my doubter series?  Elijah is known for his many acts of faith, so why would I want to shed light on the negative?  I want to show you that even great people of faith suffer from depression from time to time. 

I am going to sum up the story of Elijah as quickly as possible, so keep in mind this is all a shortened version of his story.
 
We first meet Elijah in I Kings, Chapter 17.  As someone who reads and writes fiction (I am well aware my strength as a writer is not in the form of blogs, but I do love to write novels), it seems strange that Elijah is suddenly on the scene as a major character with no former introduction.  (Of course, this is history & not fiction!) Nevertheless, Elijah appears before King Ahab and tells him there will be a drought in the land.  Because the king is angry with Elijah for his prophecy, God tells Elijah to flee to the east and hide.  God promises Elijah that He will send ravens to feed Elijah, and He does as He promises.

In the same chapter, God sends Elijah to a widow to take care of him.  Because of the widow's willingness to serve, as long as Elijah stays with her and her son, she never runs out of oil or meal.  While staying with the widow, her son dies, but Elijah prays, and through the power of God, the son comes back to life!

That's a lot of miracles in one chapter.  Still confused as to why I am including Elijah in my doubter series?

 

 
In Chapter 18, Elijah and King Ahab decide to have a contest to prove which of them is serving the real God.  They both set up altars to see which God (or god) will send fire from heaven.  I love this story!  When Ahab calls upon Baal, there is no answer. 
 
So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.  And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. I Kings 18:26-28 
 
Elijah has his opposition douse his altar with water three times.
 
And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.  Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” I Kings 18:36-38
 
Because the people have repented and turned back to the True God, rain comes back to the land. Yes, because they repented.
 

 
In Chapter 19, Elijah must flee for his life.  Queen Jezebel wants to kill Elijah because he killed the prophets of Baal. 
 
This small section of Elijah's life is why I have included him in this series.  I realize it may seem like the stretch of an over-active imagination to say Elijah was depressed, discouraged, and losing faith at this point.  But we do indeed see Elijah in despair. 
 
You cannot blame him for feeling discouraged and weary from the stress of having to flee for his life.  When he is resting after his escape, he prays for God to allow him to die.  In I Kings 19:4, he even says, "It is enough; now Lord take away my life," which could easily mean, he wanted to die. Although he has seen many miracles (possibly even more than are recorded), he does not ask for one for himself.  He is ready to give up and die.  However, God still has a purpose for Elijah and sends an angel to feed him.
 
This is why I have chosen Elijah.  Absolutely not to discredit such a great man of God, but rather to use his time of doubt to encourage you!  If someone so full of faith and as important as Elijah could feel so discouraged that he asks God to end his life, then how can someone who feels insignificant feel any better?  Remember this: none of us are unimportant to God.  It is true that only a few are called to be ministers or prophets, but that does not mean God loves you or me any less. 
 
Think God has never sent angels to minister to you?  Think again.
 
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.  Hebrews 13:2
 
For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’  Luke 4:10
 

 
The food given to Elijah by the angel sustains him for 40 days and nights.  What happens next shows that God really wants to make it clear to Elijah how powerful He is.  But more than that, He wants Elijah to be fully aware of God's great love for him.  It is a sermon that is preached often because it is a wonderful reminder that we cannot always predict how God is going to choose to speak to us.  We must always be ready and willing to listen.
 
And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts... I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
 
So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts... I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. I Kings 19:9-16 

Notice that the Lord asks Elijah twice why he is hiding in the cave.  This is just my interpretation (as are all my writings, of course), but God knows every emotion we go through, and God knew Elijah was feeling depressed.  It's almost as if God was letting him know that He was not asking Elijah why he was hiding in the cave, but asking Elijah what he thought his reason for being alive was.  After demonstrating His power, God gives Elijah instruction and tells him what his next assignment is.  God makes it clear that Elijah still has a purpose and that God will be with him.  The kindness, gentleness, and loving encouragment from God moves me every time I read this story.
 

 
Elijah then meets Elisha and places his mantle/coat (symbolic of spiritual authority) upon him.  In other words, God has chosen Elisha to take Elijah's place.  Elijah's purpose is now to mentor Elisha as well as perform his regular "duties" as a prophet. 
 
I am going to end with the story here.  I think you pretty much understand where I am going with this theme by now.  

It is perfectly normal for us to feel depressed or discouraged when things are going against us.  It sometimes even feels like God Himself is against us.  This is something the devil would love for you to believe.  But God does not fight against those that love, trust, and obey Him. 
 
I do not believe Elijah was suicidal in the true sense of the word, but he was so distraught that he asked God to take his life.  I am sure we have all wanted to give up in a dramatic way.  We want physical and/or emotional pain to disappear because we cannot handle it any longer.  We may or may not literally want or ask for death, but we are willing to give up the fight.  We don't even bother to ask for help.  We say as Elijah did, "It is enough."  It is then that God may choose to speak to us with His still small voice.  He may or may not grant a miracle, but he is willing to comfort and guide as we need. 

^"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30
  

Elijah's time of doubt was a brief one, and his life continued forward as he again faithfully followed God's calling.  So when you falter in your faith, pick yourself up and pick up where you left off.  Or better yet, allow your faith to grow from there.  You never know where God may want to use you and even be a teacher or encourager to someone else along the way.

Elijah mentored Elisha as God wanted, but eventually it was time to say good-bye.  So I will end my blog here: 

Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”  Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.  He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.  Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.  II Kings 2:8-15

Profile of a Doubter, Part 1: Sarah

I wrote this series as much for me as for my readers, because God has been dealing with me in the area of doubting Him.  Because I have so much to say on the subject, this will be in several parts, each one focusing on different people of the bible.  

As I prayed over this series, one story sticking with me the most is the story of Abram & Sarai, also known as Abraham & Sarah.  I am not going to copy and paste their entire story, but I will sum up a small portion of their lives.  You first learn about them in Genesis 11.  By Genesis 12, God first promises He will make Abram into a great nation.  Although they have no children, God continually promises Abram that his "seed" will inherit the land.  At one point, he shows Abram the stars and tells him his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky. 

By Genesis 16, Sarai no longer trusts she is supposed to be included in God's plan to bless Abram with children.  She does not believe God is capable of opening up the womb of an old barren woman.  In her disbelief and impatience, she goes against the will of God and wants Abram to have a child through her young servant Hagar. 

This could be seen as an act of love for her husband because she wants God's best for her beloved.  Sarai wants to make sure Abram is blessed even if she cannot be the one to help assure this blessing.  However, also because of her great love for Abram, she is very jealous of Hagar's pregnancy.  She abuses Hagar and sends the servant away. (Also because Hagar has begun to despise Sarai as well - we don't know why.  Maybe she never wanted to have a child with an old man, or maybe the opposite: she loved Abram as well.)

This shows that when we go against God's plan for our lives and try to take matters into our own hands, that not only do we suffer, but those that get dragged into our schemes suffer as well.  Yet, God had mercy on Hagar and her son Ishmael, and continually took care of them.  God eventually sent them back home so Ishmael could benefit from being raised by his father.  (Although Ishmael is cursed and told he will be "wild" and "his hand will be against everyone" and the feelings will be mutual - Genesis 16.)

In chapter 17, God appears to Abram and changes his name to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah.  He again renews his promise of many heirs.  When God reestablishes his covenant with Abraham by saying Sarah will have a son, He says they will call him Isaac, which means "he laughs."  Isaac will be the father of many nations.  Abraham initially laughs because he is now 100 years old and Sarah is 90.   When Abraham laughs, I believe his laughter is more out of amusement than of disbelief.  After all, the bible says he fell facedown before the Lord, which shows humility, not arrogant doubt.     

In chapter 18, the Lord and two angels visit Abraham's camp.  He asks Sarah to fix their guests a meal.  The Lord tells Abraham that by this time next year, Sarah will have given birth to a son.  Sarah has been listening to the conversation.  She also laughs.  The difference in her laughter is that there seems to be more disbelief in her heart than that of her husband. 

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord [husband] being old also?”

And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’  Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.

And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”  Genesis 18:12-15

These above verses are what have been sticking with me - how much I am like Sarah.  Evidence can be staring me in the face, and I will still not believe.  The Lord Himself gives signs asked for (in Sarah's case, God appeared in bodily form), and yet I still laugh and say, "Are you sure?" 

Not only did Sarah laugh, but she lied to the Lord and denied her disbelief.  But God knows all and, as you just read, He says, "but you did laugh!"   We may also be afraid of God knowing what is in our heart, but we cannot hide our feelings from God.  Besides, God understands our human nature, so we do not need to be afraid to admit when we have fear or doubt. 

So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us.  Acts 15:8

By Genesis 21, Isaac is born! 

And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken.  For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac...  Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” Genesis 21:1-7 

In spite of Sarah's disrespect in the presence of God, He is faithful and honors His promises. 

I don't know how much time passed from when Abram is first promised to be the father of many nations until the time when Isaac is born.  We do know it took him a long time to travel from Ur to Canaan, so it was a bit of a wait.  It may sometimes seem like a long time before God fulfills what has been promised to us.  This is where faith plays a major role.  It is sometimes difficult to focus on the big picture of what we know lies ahead.  It is easier to focus on the here and now staring us in the face.  It is hard not to become discouraged while waiting.  We wonder if maybe God changed His mind, or if we were really promised what we thought. Are we being punished?  God can sometimes withhold a blessing until we have our hearts right with Him, but we have to also consider certain circumstances are merely a timing issue.  God goes before us and prepares the way so that by the time we get to where the promised blessing can be fulfilled, it will all easily fall into place. 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  Hebrews 10:23

In spite of Sarah's laughter, she is still remembered in history as a woman of great faith.  She is even mentioned in Hebrews 11, also referred to as "The Hall of Faith" chapter.  This shows that an occasional doubt in God's limitless abilities does not have to ruin our relationship with Him.  It is okay to be like Sarah and have doubt and maybe even laugh when we think something is impossible.  The key is to repent of our ignorance and ask the Holy Spirit to help increase our faith.  It is never to late to trust again. We apologize to One who makes all things possible, and rebuild our faith, even if it takes a brick at a time.

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.  Hebrews 11:11

The Half Gospel and the Full Gospel, Written by my Husband

The Half Gospel and the Full Gospel, Written by my Husband, Mel

There is a difference between receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and the power gifts of the Holy Spirit. God's Word teaches us that if we repent, we shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was water baptized the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. When we truly repent of our sins and put our faith in Christ and his atonement upon the cross, we are saved by Grace. It is also essential that we are baptized in water. Water baptism is an act of obedience, it proclaims to the world that you have been born again. You are marked by God, and you identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ through water baptism. 

Being saved by Grace, water baptisms, and you receiving the Holy Spirit. This is only half of the Gospel. Most Christians are content to remain babes on milk and not grow spiritually. Some believers have never been taught that there is more to their spiritual walk. In order to live an overcoming Christian life in these dark times, it is essential that we be filled with God’s Holy Spirit (baptism in the Holy Spirt).

 Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

 The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a second act of Grace, and it is a release of the Holy Spirit, as well as an immersion in power that is accompanied by spiritual gifts according to God's will and must be sought after by faith. The Holy Spirit is God, he is the third person of the Holy Trinity, and he indwells us, as well as ministers to us. It is God’s will that we all experience the fullness of God and that is only possible by receiving the baptism in the Spirit. The infilling of the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles within Scripture. It was first given on the Day of Pentecost to those seeking God in the upper room. You may receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit by earnestly seeking God in prayer, or through the laying on of hands.

Acts 2:1-3 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

There are nine gifts and nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is God's will that we seek him for the fullness of his Spirit. The strivings of the flesh are worthless. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we may become a new creation (set apart people).

Dream of the four Harlots and the Holy Spirit

I recently had a dream of the four harlots and the Holy Spirit. Babylon is a biblical term that means wickedness. We read of Mystery Babylon in Rev 17 and 18. This is a reference to an adulterous or harlot church. Many people within modern day Christianity have not been taught to be filled with the Holy Spirit, or to crucify their old carnal nature.

I dreamed that there were four young adult girls wearing ankle length night gowns. They were running around in many directions and then each one stood still next to a gas pump. Four gas pumps with four girls. I woke from the dream as the Lord spoke the word Babylon to me four times. The interpretation is that the young girls were playing the harlot. They were running around in many directions, being tossed to and fro by many false doctrines of men. They were wearing night gowns meaning they were asleep to spiritual issues like holiness.

The church is the bride of Christ; however, many are not faithful to Christ. They have not allowed God's Holy Spirit to teach them to walk and bear good fruit. Mystery Babylon is the end time apostasy (Great Falling Away). When the church is indistinguishable from the sinful world they are not set apart. The gas pumps within the dream were symbolic of the need for Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit which empowers them to live an overcoming life. The young harlot brides stopped running around playing the harlot, and stood Still, next to the gas pumps in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is essential for all believers. There are believers saved by Grace, who are Not filled with the Holy Spirit; however, it is God's will that they experience the fullness of his Spirit.

Come as you are to Christ, but don't stay that way. It is true that we are justified, saved, and sanctified by faith alone. Christ's finished work upon the cross paid our debts in full and his shed blood sanctified us and removed our shame and guilt! However, faith must be accompanied with repentance to be sincere. You must be born again to inherit eternal life with Christ.

Repentance means that you are not only sorry for your sins, but you are turning from your old sinful ways and pursuing God's ways (righteousness)! Without holiness no man shall see the Father. A dead, or lukewarm, church will be vomited out of God's mouth according to His Word. You cannot overcome your old nature, or bear good fruit, apart from God's Spirit. It is only possible to live an overcoming, or holy life, by surrendering your will to God and allowing the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out. God gives us Grace to grow in Him. We come to Him as babes on milk and learn to walk by his Spirit.

You must abide in the vine (Jesus Christ). Scripture teaches us that to abide in Christ is to continue in the faith and allow His Spirit to pour love into our hearts for others. To truly know Christ is to love one another and forgive others their trespasses, as Christ has forgiven us. We must give others grace to live in His grace. To walk in the Spirit is to live in God's freedom and no longer to be a slave to sin. Are you a new creation in Christ? Are you born again?

Hebrews 12:12-16 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Hebrews 13:20-21Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Galatians 5:15-26 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.