Devotional

Gen 15:1, 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.” 

Pro 30:5, Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 

Gen 15:5-6, Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS be.” AND HE BELIEVED IN THE LORD, AND HE ACCOUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Rom 9:6-8, … For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE ARE COUNTED AS THE SEED.

Rom 11:19-20, You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith…

We have been grafted in to the family of GOD, we are heirs to and EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD! According to the world Abraham had no chance for a son, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!  MATT 19:26!

Gen 14:18-20, Then Melchizedek KING OF SALEM brought out bread and wine; he was THE PRIEST of GOD MOST HIGH. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.

Melchizedek, king of Salem (the original name for Jerusalem) & Priest of the MOST HIGH! (Elyon)!

Heb 7:1-3, For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, …, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “KING OF PEACE,” WITHOUT FATHER, WITHOUT MOTHER, WITHOUT GENEALOGY, HAVING NEITHER BEGINNING OF DAYS NOR END OF LIFE, but made LIKE THE SON OF GOD, remains a priest continually.

Melchizedek is a type of JESUS both King & Priest. JESUS HAS NO BEGINNING AND NO END! HE IS A PRIEST AND KING FOREVER! HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED! JESUS SAID!

Joh 5:46, If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, BECAUSE HE WROTE ABOUT ME. 

Heb 10:7, THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME—IN THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME—TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’ ” 

HE IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE KING & PRIEST!

Gen 13:10, AND LOT LIFTED HIS EYES AND SAW ALL THE PLAIN OF JORDAN, THAT IT WAS WELL WATERED everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 

1John 2:15-16, Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. FOR ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD—THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE—IS NOT OF THE FATHER BUT IS OF THE WORLD.

Gen 13:12, Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even AS FAR AS SODOM.

As 2Cor 5:7 says, FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT, Abram was walking by faith in his GOD, but LOT was guided by the lust of the eyes!

WHEN WE ARE GUIDED BY LUST, DESIRE OR EVEN OUR HEARTS WE END UP CLOSER TO THE WORLD BUT FURTHER FROM THE LORD!

2Tim 2:22-23, Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

WALK BY FAITH & KNOW THAT HE IS WITH YOU!

Gen 12:1, NOW THE LORD HAD SAID TO ABRAM: “GET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY, FROM YOUR FAMILY AND FROM YOUR FATHER’S HOUSE, TO A LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. 

Terah & his family (Abram) lived in Haran until his death, Yet before they got to Haran God had already told Abram to leave his country!

Act 7:2, …The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, BEFORE HE DWELT IN HARAN,

I believe that Abraham was taking care of his father Terah and, in his mind couldn’t leave because he needed help! Upon his death, God repeated HIS command to Abram!  HE DOESN’T GIVE UP ON US THAT EASILY!

Rom 4:3, For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Gen 12:3, i will bless those who bless you, and i will curse him who curses you; AND IN YOU ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.”

This promise still holds true today! ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED BECAUSE OF THE COMING MESSIAH! HE CAME ONCE AS PER THE SCRIPTURES AND HE WILL COME AGAIN!  BE PREPARED FOR HE IS NEAR!

Gen 11:1-3, Now the whole earth had ONE LANGUAGE AND ONE SPEECH. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, AND THEY DWELT THERE. Then they said to one another, “COME, LET US MAKE BRICKS AND BAKE THEM THOROUGHLY.” THEY HAD BRICK FOR STONE, AND THEY HAD ASPHALT FOR MORTAR.

Already these people are disobeying the command of the LORD! For HE said, Be fruitful and multiply, and FILL THE EARTH.” (Gen 9:1)

It’s interesting that they used asphalt for mortar which is the same material used for Moses’s basket to make it waterproof (Exo 2:3). Apparently, they wanted to make a water proof tower in order to protect themselves from another flood! NOT BELIEVING IN HIS PROMISE!

Gen 9:11, Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood

HE is faithful, HE can’t lie; if HE said it will HE not do it? HE honors HIS Word above HIS name! Is there anything to hard for HIM? NO!

Rom 4:21, AND BEING FULLY CONVINCED THAT WHAT HE HAD PROMISED HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO PERFORM. 

1Th 5:24, HE WHO CALLS YOU IS FAITHFUL, WHO ALSO WILL DO IT. 

Gen 10:8-9, Cush begot NIMROD; HE BEGAN TO BE A MIGHTY ONE ON THE EARTH. He was a MIGHTY HUNTER before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 

From the commentaries I’ve read Nimrod was not a game hunter, but a hunter of men! He made himself great in the sight of men because of his conquest and brutality!

Psa 52:7, “Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness.” 

Gen 10:32, These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and From These The Nations Were Divided On The Earth After The Flood. 

Just to imagine that Noah is our great…. great grandfather is surprising, but GOD used this family to fill the earth!

Evil again started to fill the earth, people started to do what’s right in their own hearts and leaving their Creator aside! Like Solomon once said,

Ecc 7:20, FOR THERE IS NOT A JUST MAN ON EARTH WHO DOES GOOD AND DOES NOT SIN. 

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? HIS NAME IS JESUS!

Gen 9:4,6, BUT YOU SHALL NOT EAT FLESH WITH ITS LIFE, THAT IS, ITS BLOOD. Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning;… “WHOEVER SHEDS MAN’S BLOOD, BY MAN HIS BLOOD SHALL BE SHED; FOR IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE MADE MAN.

When one man kills another, they are killing the image of the Creator of heaven and earth! Live by the sword & die by the sword!  Jesus said,

Mat 26:52, … for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 

Lev 17:11, FOR THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; FOR IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKES ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL.’ 

Yet, true life is found in the blood of JESUS. For we were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, but with the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT!  1Peter1:18-19

Jesus used HIS own blood to cover our sins, He bought us with HIS blood (acts 20:28), He made peace through HIS blood that was shed on the cross! WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD (HIS BLOOD) THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS OF SIN!

Gen 8:1, THEN GOD REMEMBERED NOAH, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 

It does not mean that GOD forgot Noah, it means that GOD again turned HIS focus on NOAH.

Psa 136:23, Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures forever; 

Gen 8:21, AND THE LORD SMELLED A SOOTHING AROMA. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, ALTHOUGH THE IMAGINATION OF MAN’S HEART IS EVIL FROM HIS YOUTH; …

This sacrifice pleased the LORD yet, HE offered us a greater sacrifice of HIS SON! JESUS!

Eph 5:2, … as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 

2Co 2:15, For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 

HE knows exactly who we are! Jesus said it plainly! “you being evil” Matt 7:11. YET, HE gives us unmerited grace! HE IS OUR ARK THAT WE MUST ENTER BEFORE THE TRIBULATION COMES!

Gen 7:1, Then the LORD said to Noah, “COME INTO THE ARK, YOU AND ALL YOUR HOUSEHOLD, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 

When reading the genealogy in Genesis it says “they had sons and daughters”. Scripture doesn’t tell us that Noah had other sons or daughters nor does it say that his kids, who were about 100 years old at the time of the flood, had children before the flood?  KNOWING THAT YOUR KIDS ARE GOING INTO THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEYOND SCARY!

3Jn 1:4, I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN WALK IN TRUTH. 

Gen 7:8-9, Of clean animals, OF ANIMALS that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, two by two they WENT INTO the ark to Noah, male and female, AS GOD HAD COMMANDED NOAH.

IT’S INTERESTING TO ME TO SEE THAT THE ANIMALS OBEYED GOD, YET HUMANS WITH ALL HIS KNOWLEDGE REFUSE TO OBEY GOD?

Jer 8:7, “Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. BUT MY PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE JUDGMENT OF THE LORD. 

BE WISE & FOLLOW HIM! FOR HE IS OUR ARK!

Gen 6:6-7, AND THE LORD WAS SORRY THAT HE HAD MADE MAN ON THE EARTH, AND HE WAS GRIEVED IN HIS HEART. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, FOR I AM SORRY THAT I HAVE MADE THEM.”

Taking one verse out of scripture and making it doctrine is completely wrong!  Scripture confirms Scripture! Some may think that GOD changed HIS mind! That HE didn’t see this coming?  Wrong, HE knows all!

Isa 46:10-11, DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, AND FROM ANCIENT TIMES THINGS THAT ARE NOT YET DONE, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ …INDEED I HAVE SPOKEN IT; I WILL ALSO BRING IT TO PASS. I HAVE PURPOSED IT; I WILL ALSO DO IT.

 Num 23:19, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. HAS HE SAID, AND WILL HE NOT DO? OR HAS HE SPOKEN, AND WILL HE NOT MAKE IT GOOD?

HIS ways are above our ways, HIS understanding is beyond ours!  HE didn’t change HIS mind, but looking at all the evil in this world caused HIM to grieve! NOT WANTING ANY TO PERISH! HE STANDS WITH AN OUTSTRETCHED ARM, FOR ANY THAT WOULD TAKE HIS HAND!