Empathy for Sinners

While out on visitation one day, I found myself taken aback by the appearance, demeanor, language, and overall condition of a woman who actually took the time to sit and talk with me. She smoked like a freight-train, and had visible signs that go along with long-term drug abuse. The house was in horrible disarray, and she acted as if she didn't really care to get any better.

While the temptation during visitation is always to steer the conversation toward the church, how great the church is, why the person should come to church, etc etc, I have learned to allow people to talk about themselves. (A) It makes them feel better. (B) It allows me to learn more about them, so I can learn how better to minister to them.

As the woman spoke, I learned a lot. She was basically abandoned by her parents, abused, and endured unspeakable horrors. As a means to escape that situation, she turned to drugs at a young age, and wound up in a bad way. As I learned more about her experience, I came to understand that this present situation which repulsed me was actually an improvement for her. She was making progress in her life.

She still needed the Lord, I believe she still needed salvation. She needed God's guidance in her life, and she needed the healing only He could provide.

When confronted by the devastation sin has left on the life of one who has been in a bad way for a long time, a Christian can be repulsed, jump to conclusions, and even be tempted to write off the one that has had their lives basically destroyed. What we need to do in these situations is try to gain some insight into what happened. No one wakes up and decides, "I am going to trash my life with drugs, and crime, obtain a criminal record, lose my job and home, and alienate my family." No one says, "I am going to trash my body today," or, as the old commercial says, "No one ever says, I want to be a junkie when I grow up."

The dilapidation in which a sinner finds himself is the result of years of sinful choices, bad decisions piled upon each other, each with a seemingly manageable consequence... but once all those consequences have been added up, total destruction is all that is left.

Often times, these decisions are made because of the sinner's background. In John 8:38, Jesus said "I speak that which I have seen with My Father; and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." From those words, we learn that Jesus is righteous, holy and all-powerful, just like His (and our) Heavenly Father. We also learn that we tend to mimic the activities of our earthly fathers.

Remember the Drug-Free America commercial, "Parents who use drugs, have children who use drugs?" Many people today grew up in dysfunctional situations. Having never seen good decisions modeled for them, they grew up making the same dysfunctional decisions, and life seems normal to them.

Others endured abuse. Abuse toward children has devastating effects. As the child fears for his safety, his brain function shuts down the higher-level thinking, and goes into survival mode. If the child remains in this condition long enough, his higher-level thinking never develops, meaning he never learns how to think through situations, make good decisions, and link causes to effects. Further, he becomes stuck in survival mode, meaning he becomes more volatile, develops a quick temper and takes rash courses of action. (Those are all self-defense mechanisms.)

The child who grows up in that environment will eventually become an adult, still incapable of hgher-level thinking. He will still be unable to think through situations, make good decisions, and link causes and effects. Of course, he will marry, or have romantic relationships, and father children, who will then be raised in the same environment that he knew as a child. The process repeats itself.

I tell you all this, not to excuse sinful behavior, bad decisions, or to blame the parents, but to explain why people often make the decisions they do. I am not out to justify Godless living, but it is well worth the investment to get to know people, and to love them on a personal level.

To disciple someone out of a sin-devastated life takes time, patience, energy, and lots of love. There will be setbacks, and there will be times when you wonder if you are really doing any good. However, if you are willing to invest in people, you will see fruit. You will see God work miracles, and you will see lives changed for the better. When that happens, there is no greater feeling on earth. May God bless you as you minister to those around you.

Some People Change

I was fairly useless when I was younger.

When I was about 12 years old, the pastor of the church I attended preached a sermon on Hell, which scared me. I was nervous, restless, and couldn't get any peace. So, I approached this pastor, asking how to be saved. He explained salvation to me the best he could, and I went through the motions of asking Jesus into my heart.

For a while, I did alright. I became the president of the Galileans club at the church, even holding statewide office in that organization (I was state historian), but as high school came along, my interest in the Lord, and the church quickly faded. By the time I graduated high school, I had already amassed a collection of memories I now wish I could forget. I was drawn to rebellion, bad decisions, and things that would freak people out.

Then, I moved off to college. Going to college meant no more parental presence... no one to make sure I was in by curfew, no one to check on where I was, no one to hold me accountable. As you can imagine, I began to make worse choices.

Senior year at Stephen F. Austin, I met Jessica. I instantly knew I liked her, and I also knew she was way out of my league. So, with those two things in mind, I took a different approach with her than I did other girls I chased. First, I cleaned up my act a little. Second, I didn't try to put up a front when I was around her. I would just be myself. After all, I really didn't stand a chance.

Except I did. I am not sure why, but she liked me, too. In the early years of our marriage, I was still incapable of making a good decision. I wrecked my radio career, trashed our finances, and totally neglected my family's needs.

All the while this is happening, all throughout my teenage rebellion and sin, people were there for me. They were teachers, coaches, youth ministers and volunteers, college professors (believe it or not), team mates, room mates, and friends. Then, there was Jessica. Each of these people ministered to me, were patient with me, forgiving toward me, and I believe praying for me.

I really had no excuse. I was raised in a Godly home, was taught the Bible at a young age, and taught to worship the Lord. I rejected that. This cycle continued until one night, November 2002, I broke. The Godly raising of my childhood came back to me, and the fact that I had spent the first 24 years of my life as useless sludge just sort of hit me in the face. This is what preachers refer to as "conviction." I was hit with an overwhelming sense of guilt over my sin, and a sorrow for the things that I had done, especially to my young family. It was that night, I asked God to forgive me of my sins, and I turned to Jesus Christ as my Savior.

I announced my salvation to my church the following morning, where Bro. Jim Slocumb informed me that my life would be forever changed. I didn't know how right he was. In the years that followed, the bad habits that I had embraced as an adolescent faded away, one by one. I struggled with some, and I lost my desire for others. In the years following my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior, God reformed my life. He changed me, from the inside out.

Psalm 51:10 says "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." I was changed, my life was changed, and things were getting better... and it was God that was doing the changing. Today, I am a completely different person than I was then... and those who knew me then, or who have even seen pictures of me then, know that is the truth.

I can't help but wonder if those people who were there for me all those years know the positive impact they have had on my life, or how much I appreciate the fact, that, while I was bent on self-destruction, they never let me cross that line. They were there for me, they prayed for me, and they allowed God to change me.

Perhaps there is someone you know that is making bad choices, that is in rebellion against God, that is bent on self-destruction. Be there for them, minister to them, pray for them, and trust God to change them. God works in people's lives. He changes them, in their hearts and in all facets of their lives.

So, have a little faith, and don't be afraid to invest in someone you care about, even if it seems futile at the time. Who knows? Maybe one day, a preacher will be writing a blog about how you played a big part in turning his life around.

He Began a Good Work

Our little red brick building on West Commerce may not
look like much, but God has done amazing things to bring
us this far, and He has far greater things in store
for our future

Everyday I wake up thinking the same thing... "We have to reach more people."

In 2007, God called me to uproot my family from East Texas, and move to the West Central Texas town of Brownwood to start a new church. I felt funny explaining my calling to potential employers and contacts in Brownwood, because anyone who has been there knows there is a Baptist church on just about every corner. Still, God compelled my wife and I to move to Brownwood and begin ministering to the community.

What we learned upon arriving in Brownwood is that, despite the best efforts of some of the best churches around, there are still lost people in Brownwood who need the Lord, who are receptive to His word.

From the moment we moved to town, God has guided every step. He led us to our first visitors (our neighbors). He led us to the first place we held worship services (Brownwood Apartments Phase II Community Room). He led us to our first members. He guided my secular employment in ways that have raised Grace Pointe's visibility in Brownwood. Every step of the way, God has been there.

So here we are, 4 1/2 years after arriving in Brownwood. I've gone from just a new resident, to news director for the #1 radio station in town (KOXE 101.3 FM), where I also get to host a Sunday morning program about Jesus. Furthermore, Grace Pointe has a solid group of core members. Our youth ministry is going strong, and there is a good spirit among the members.

The Brownwood Apts. Phase II community room,
Where it all started

Yet, everyday, I wake up concerned... I am concerned about the health of the church, and I am concerned that we are not reaching enough people. Then, the other day, while reading my Bible at Riverside Park, it hit me. I didn't wake up one morning in East Texas and decide to move to Brownwood to start a church. God called me to Brownwood, shortly after Sunday morning services at Denson Springs MBC in Slocum, Texas. Not only did He call me, he confirmed that calling through things that happened with some of our ministries there, and through conversations with church members. And just to let me know that Denson Springs would be okay after I resigned the pastorate there, God added many people to that church right after I left. Once in Brownwood, He took over, and made things happen.

God is in control of things, and He reminded me of that this week. He has great things in store for Grace Pointe, and He is bringing those things about right now. All we have to do is keep moving forward, trusting Him, and following His lead.

Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Format Change!

Over the past year, I have tried to use this blog as a Bible study blog, but with the ongoing maintenance of Grace Pointe's site, social media, work, etc, I am finding little time to prepare regulary Bible studies and devotionals for this blog.

Therefore, I am returning this blog back to its roots. Five years ago, I began this blog to chronicle my experiences in life and ministry, and to share lessons I have learned. I think it's time to pick that theme back up. Hopefully, someone will have learned from my mistakes.

Thanks for visiting.

Ultimate Acts of Faith (Genesis 22)

It ought not to take long to realize by reading the Bible that Abraham was a man of faith... a man of God. He trusted God completely... this Genesis 15:6 says "He believed in the LORD, and He counted it unto him for righteousness.

The Bible also teaches that Isaac was the one through whom the promises to Abraham would be kept. In Genesis 17:5-7, God promised:

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. (6) And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (7) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

In Genesis 12:3, God promised, "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." And then the promise through Isaac was made in Genesis 21:12, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called."

Abraham received and believed these promises from God.

The story takes a turn, however, in Genesis 22. In this passage, God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac... to offer up the one through whom all of God's promises would come. Abraham's faith wasn't shaken, though. He had received promises from God, and knew God was not a liar, so he trusted God to keep His promises by sparing, reviving or resurrecting Isaac.

Abraham's faith was such that he trusted God to keep His promises, and why not? Abraham had already seen God perform the impossible. He and Sarah couldn't have children during their childbearing years, and now they were beyond childbearing age, yet God promised them a son. It was in that context that Genesis 15:6 says "He believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness."

God delivered on that promise in Genesis 21, so why not trust God to keep Isaac, his promised son safe? Abraham had a couple of theories on how God would do this. The first appears in Genesis 22:7-8:

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? (8) And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went both of them together.

Abraham expected God would provide the sacrificial lamb at the last moment, and if He didn't, Hebrews 11:17-19 says:

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from whence he also received him up in a figure.

So, Abraham believed God would either supply an offering, or resurrect Isaac. Either way, he trusted God enough that he expected to return home with Isaac. (Genesis 22:5). How could Abraham trust God in this situation? Abraham knew he could trust God because (a) God does not lie, (b) God keeps His promises and (c) God can do the impossible. Luke 1:37 says "For with God all things are possible."

Abraham wasn't the only one showing faith, though. Isaac showed faith. Contrary to popular belief, Isaac was not a baby in Genesis 22. He turned five at his weaning ceremony in Genesis 21, and many days had passed since then (Genesis 21:34), and Isaac was big enough to carry the wood. So, he was big enough that he didn't have to go along with this if he didn't want to. He could have fought off, or ran away from Abraham, but he didn't. Why? Because Isaac had faith in God, and Abraham.

Isaac showed faith in God and Abraham by submitting to Abraham. Abraham told Isaac that God would provide a lamb for sacrifice, and Isaac trusted him. Isaac not only trusted Abraham, but also God for the sacrifice.

Isaac depended on the Lord for deliverance. People today should depend on the Lord for deliverance, whether it be from sin, or problems in their lives. They should trust God to work things out for them. Isaac's life teaches us that we can please God simply by following God and making Godly decisions as we live our lives.

God responded to Abraham's faith, and provided a sacrifice. Abraham said as much in Genesis 22:8, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." Abraham trusted God to provide a sacrifice, and God did in Genesis 22:13, "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." God provided a sacrifice.

This is a foreshadowing of what Christ did for us when He died on the cross. He was God's sacrifice for our sin. Isaiah 53:5-6 states:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6 says we have all gone astray, turned from God and to our own ways, but the sin and iniquity we committed in the process were placed on Christ, and paid for when He died on the cross. Hence, He was bruised and wounded for our sins (transgressions) and iniquities. The chastisement that brought us peace with God was put on Christ. With His stripes, His crucifixion and sufferings, we are healed from sin.

John 1:29 says "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." In the days of John the Baptist, the Jews would sacrifice a lamb to cover their sins for a year. John referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God in John 1:29, which would take away the sins of he world for good. He would be the ultimate sacrifice.

Romans 3:24-25 says "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.)

God set Jesus forth to be a propitiation, a sacrifice for ins. God, once again, provided a sacrifice. Therefore, we are justified freely by His grace, because Christ redeemed us on the cross. But, you have to believe (John 3:16).

And then there's 1 John 2:2, "And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours' only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

Repent, and believe in God's sacrifice. In John 5:24, Jesus said "He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." If you believe on Christ, you are saved and will live eternally in His Kingdom. If you reject Him, you'll be condemned to Hell. Accept Jesus as your Savior.

One final thought...

In James 2, James used the occasion of Abraham offering up Isaac to demonstrate perfect, or complete faith (James 2:21-22). A key verse is James 2:18, which says "Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

You you believe in the Lord? Does your life prove that you believe? May God bless you in a special way today.

Genesis 21 - Turning Sorrow into Laughter

For their entire marriage, Abraham and Sarah were unable to have children. Sarah was barren, and thus unable to have children. This was a source of sorrow for Sarah, because her desire (like most women in that day) was to bare a son for her husband, Abraham.

God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, and years passed before He followed through on that promise. Nevertheless, Abraham and Sarah continued to believe the Lord, and they continued to serve Him. This continued until Genesis 21, where Sarah finally had a son. God kept His promise.

Abraham and Sarah named their son, Isaac, which means "laughter." Sarah said the Lord had made her to laugh. From her experience, we learn that God turns our sorrow into laughter.

In verses 1-2, the Bible says "And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him."

God kept His promise to Abraham. Even though years had passed, God kept his promise in His time. God delivered the promised son to Abraham and Sarah. This teaches us that God keeps all His promises, in His time. He kept His promise to Abraham, and He keeps His promise to us.

The Lord has promised us that He will return to earth and establish His Kingdom, and He will wipe away our  tears. Those promises will be kept, in His time. 2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Christians have been looking forward to the return of Christ for nearly 2,000 years. Though a long time has passed, we can still trust Christ to follow through on His promise to return and set up His Kingdom.

Genesis 21:6 says "And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me." By fulfilling His promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah, God had caused them to laugh with joy. He had turned their sorrow into laughter. The Bible teaches that God will one day turn our sorrow into laughter as well.

In John 16:20, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world will rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned to joy." Jesus told His disciples that the day was coming when He would no longer be with them in body, and the world would celebrate and persecute them. Nevertheless, the day would come when their sorrow would be turned to joy. Jesus would welcome them into Heaven.

In John 16:22, Jesus continued, "And ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." When Jesus returns, our sorrow will be turned to joy, and that joy will be everlasting. No more will we mourn the loss of loved ones, fear the wrath of the creditors, or face ridicule for our beliefs. Our sorrow will be turned to everlasting joy.

So, keep living your faith, knowing that one day, your sorrow will be turned to joy. God will keep His promise.

God gives comfort. After the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21, we have an incident. Isaac was being weaned (which happened at the age of 5), and Abraham threw a feast to celebrate Isaac's weaning. Ishmael (who would have been an older teenager by this point) mocked Isaac, which infuriated Sarah. So, Sarah told Abraham to kick Ishmael and Hagar out. In verse 11, the Bible says the whole situation was very grievous to Abraham.

However, God comforted Abraham. In verses 12-13, God says "Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed." God comforted Abraham by reminding him of His plan for Isaac, and by promising to take care of Ishmael and Hagar. God comforts us today in similar ways. He reminds us of His plan, and He reminds us to trust Him with the things beyond our control. He speaks to us through His scriptures.

God also comforted Ishmael and Hagar. In verses 17-18, the Bible says "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven, and said unto her, what aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, and lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation."

God comforted Hagar by reminding her that He hears. He heard the lad's (Ishmael's) cries. He knew their hearts. He hears our cries, and our prayers. He also reminds Hagar of His promises to her concerning her son, Ishmael. God still gives us these comforts today. Pray to Him in faith, knowing that He hears your prayers... and trust Him to answer your prayers.

God provides. In verse 19, "God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad to drink." God provided their needs by leading her to a well. He supplies our needs as well.

Then, in verse 20, "God was with the lad, and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer." God was with Ishmael, blessed his efforts, and grew his talents. God is with us today. He blesses our efforts and blesses us with talents and gifts.

We serve an awesome and wonderful God... one Who loves us, comforts us, turns our sorrow to laughter, and supplies our needs. He is more than worthy of our worship. Do you worship Him? Do you trust Him? Do you believe in Him?

May God bless you today.

Genesis 20: In League with God

At the end of Genesis 16, Abraham had to be feeling low. He had followed Sarah's advice to father a child with Hagar, which led to problems between Sarah and Hagar, and Sarah and Abraham. In Genesis 17, God spoke with Abraham, and reconfirmed His covenant to give Abraham a son, through whom all the promises would come. The lesson we learn from that is that God forgives sin, He incorporates the effects of our sin into His plan, and He confirms His covenant with us. He keeps us in His plan.

God reiterated His plan for Abraham in Genesis 18, once again promising a son. Abraham prayed that God would deliver Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and we see the spirituality of Abraham was once again on the rise.

However, in Genesis 20, Abraham fell again, committing one of the oldest sins of which he was prone. Fearing his life, he told the people of Gerar that Sarah was his sister. This led to a repeat of the situation that happened with Pharoah in earlier chapters. Sarah was taken from Abraham and given to Abimelech to be his wife, but God intervened, and Sarah was given back to Abraham.

The more you study the life of Abraham, the more you learn that Abraham was far from perfect. His faith wavered. On two separate occasions, he said Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. He did that because he feared for his life. He was afraid that the people would kill him and take Sarah. He also violated God's plan for marriage by fathering a son with Hagar (Genesis 16) and fathering children with concubines (Genesis 25:6). Despite his failures, God still forgave him, and continued to work in his life. God kept His promises to Abraham.

When we fail, God forgives us and re-establishes His covenant, His plan with us. He calls us to repent, and calls us out of the sin we in which we trapped ourselves, but He restores us all the same.

God is with us, even when we fail. Abraham failed. He told the people of Gerar that Sarah was his sister. He also compelled Sarah to lie and say she was his sister. While this was actually half-true (verse 12), the aim was to deceive, thus it was a lie and a spiritual failure.

That failure came from a lack of faith. Even though God made promises to Abraham about his future and heritage, Abraham still feared the people of Gerar would kill him to take Sarah as their wife. (Sarah was nearly 90 years old at this time, which was still old back in that day. She must have been a looker.) The result is that Sarah was taken from Abraham and given to the king, Abimelech, as a wife. (They didn't know they took Abraham's wife, they thought they took his sister.)

Nevertheless, God was still with Abraham. He protected Sarah from Abimelech (verse 6), He confronted Abimelech, and He told Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham. Abimelech obeyed.

If you know Jesus Christ as your savior, you are in league with God. He stays with you, even when you make the wrong decision. He'll discipline you, but He'll stay with you. He will also restore you from that bad decision, if you know Him as Savior. He will get you back on track. God does not cast you aside, withdraw from you, revoke your salvation, or throw you away. He will lovingly discipline you, and get you back on track. If God can not get the wayward Christian to repent, He calls them home.

God calls heathens to repentance. Abimelech was a pagan king. He had multiple wives, but was basically a good ole boy. However, he didn't fear the LORD. God used the occasion of Abraham's failure to reveal Himself to Abimelech. He warned Abimelech to return Sarah, and promised healing and life for obedience. God gave Abimelech space to repent. Abimelech responded by obeying God.

God calls the lost to repentance. He confronts them for their sin, calls them to repent and believe, and gives them time to repent. Have you repented and believed in Christ? Will you, if you haven't?

God wants us to be a blessing. At the end of the chapter, Abraham prayed for Abimelech, and God healed Abimelech and his people. God identified Abraham as a prophet, which means that Abraham spoke for God. Abraham was God's representative. God's will for Abraham was for him to pray for Abimelech. Abraham did. God healed Abimelech, and God revealed His power. By praying, Abraham was a blessing.

God wants us to be a blessing. We are God's ambassadors on Earth. Represent God well. Present God to the lost, evangelize, and pray for the lost. Be a blessing.

If you are a child of God, that is, if you know Christ as your savior, you are in league with God. God will work through your life. He will work around your shortcomings (possibly incorporating them into His plan), and forgive your sin. Whatever happens, God is still with you. His hand is still on you.

May God bless you in a special way today.

Genesis 17: The Covenant

By the time we get to Genesis 17, Abraham has endured a long, hard road. He's 99 years old and still hasn't received the son God promised. There has been a lot of silence in the 13 years between Genesis 16 (the Hagar debacle) and Chapter 17. Abraham is aging, and time is taking its toll.

But in this chapter, God speaks to Abraham, and reminds him of the covenant. God also encouraged Abraham, and spells out the conditions of the covenant. God also promised quick action on the covenant.

Genesis 17 reminds us how God doesn't give up on us, that He has a covenant with us, and that we want our friends to be in that covenant.

God does not give up on us. Whenever a believer strays, God calls him back. Verse 1 says "And 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 thou perfect." To "walk" means to live a certain way, or to adopt a certain lifestyle. God was calling Abraham to live for Him. Abraham had already lived a life of faith, but God was calling him to get back on track. Often, we become distracted in our day to day lives and lose sight of the big picture. When that happens, God calls us to get back on track.

"Perfect" means complete, the real deal. God called Abraham to be perfect, complete, the real deal. God calls us to be perfect, complete, the real deal. To be "perfect" means that you are a Christian who is the same on the inside as you present to others on the outside. You don't have a Jekyll and Hyde mentality, you are the same person no matter where you are. You are complete, you are a true Christian. You achieve this by reading the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God also reminds us that He has a covenant with us. Verse 2 says "And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and, will multiply thee exceedingly." God had already made that covenant with Abraham. Here, He's reminding Abraham of the covenant. God was also encouraging Abraham to continue to live by faith.

God keeps his promises. When God saves you, He keeps you, and no one can pluck you from His hand, or separate you from His love (John 10:28-29). He never gives up on you, He sticks with you through the good times and the bad (Hebrews 13:5), but, He calls you to repentance. He also encourages us to Godly living.

God had a covenant with Abraham, and He has a covenant with us. Verse 7 says "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee."

God established a covenant with Abraham, to give him a son, a seed, to make him a father of many nations, and to raise up a Godly nation from his descendants. Those who know Jesus as their savior will receive the blessings promised to Abraham's seed. God will be our God, and He'll establish His kingdom for us. (Verse 8).

Have you accepted God's covenant? Have you repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ as your savior? Do you live by your faith in the Lord? Do you look forward to His kingdom? If so, don't you want your friends and family to be a part of that covenant, and to be in God's kingdom?

In verses 24-27, Abraham circumcised Ishmael, and the men of his household, and his male servants, thus bringing them into the covenant. Today, I am glad that all we have to do is share the Gospel with our friends and family. If you share the Gospel with those around you, and live as an example to them, you will impact their lives. Are you willing to disciple and teach them?

The bottom line is that God made a covenant with Abraham, and God kept that covenant, despite Abraham's shortcomings of saying Sarah's his sister and fathering a child with Hagar. God has a covenant with you, if you know Christ as your savior, and He will keep that covenant with you despite your shortcomings. Trust the Lord, and spread the word of salvation.

Genesis 16:1-13 - When Good Christian People Attack

You don't have to look very far to see someone express anger at Christians for doing something wrong, hurting their feelings, or betraying them in some way. Some days, all you have to do is log on to Facebook.

Some of this anger toward Christians is unwarranted. Sometimes, people are angry at what Christians stand for, and thus express that anger toward them. Some feel convicted of their sin, and justify it by saying the Christian is "judging them," or being "legalistic" or "hypocritical." But we'd be naive to think that Christians never sin, and Christians never hurt people.

In Genesis 16:1-13, we read about a woman named Hagar, who wound up in a world of hurt because of the actions of Abraham and Sarah.

God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they were old, and beyond childbearing years. So, Sarah devises a plan to have her children through her servant, Hagar. Back in those days, it was a custom that a woman could use her handmaid as a surrogate... to have children by having the handmaid have children with her husband. Hagar, a handmaid, has no say in this.

This situation causes problems. Sarah's plan, in spite of the custom of the day, was still sin. Customs and cultures do not excuse sin. This sin leads to problems between Sarah and Hagar, and it leads to hardships for Hagar.

Through reading Genesis 16, we see that even God's people mess up. Abraham and Sarah were Godly people. They lived their lives following God. They are listed in the Hebrews Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11. Some theologians have even suggested that their actions with Hagar were acts of faith. (Sarah was trying to deliver the promised son). However, what they did to Hagar was still sin. It violated God's plan for marriage (one man-one woman), and Hagar wasn't even given the option.

Now look at the level of Hagar's victimization. She's a slave. She has nothing. She has no rights. She is an Egyptian, which means she is in a foreign country serving foreign owners. Now, she even loses control of her body. Once she does have a son, he will be taken away and given to Sarah (or at least, that was the plan). When things go south, Hagar is treated harshly (Genesis 16:6)

Sometimes, Godly people hurt you. They might have good intentions, but they still hurt you. (Sometimes the intentions weren't good, but it still hurts.)

Sin always causes problems. Genesis 16:4 says "And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes." Hagar conceived a child by Abraham, and despised Sarah for it. Her anger toward Sarah led to disrespect toward Sarah, which led to problems in Abraham and Sarah's relationship, and led to Sarah dealing harshly with Hagar... to the point that Hagar had to flee.

Sin destroys peace, relationships, and lives. It creates chaos, discord and conflict.

When people hurt you, even when Godly people hurt you, God sees it. Hagar fled from Sarah, and the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water. The LORD told Hagar to go back to Sarah, and submit to her, and make amends. He then tells her that He has heard her affliction, and made promises concerning her son.

Genesis 16:11 says "And the angel of the LORD said unto her, behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction." God's message to Hagar was that He heard her affliction, and He was going to work it out for her. That's why God wanted her to go back, so He could work it out for her.

God hears our afflictions. He knows what we struggle with, what hurts us, who hurts us, and He will work those things out for us. We need to allow Him to work. We need to trust Him to work.

In Genesis 16:13, Hagar responds by saying "Thou God seest me... have I also here looked after Him that seeth me?" Hagar realizes that God sees her, and that gives her reason to trust and obey Him. God is watching, God will protect, God will avenge, God will care for you.

God is real, He's living, He interacts with us. That is why we should trust Him. That is why we should obey Him.

Healing begins with forgiveness, and forgiveness begins when we take the first steps. Forgiveness simply means that you will no longer hold the person who hurt you accountable. Forgiveness is an act of faith, because you are trusting God to take care of you, to protect you, and to deal with the one who hurt you. Trust God to do that.

Hagar returned home to Sarah, and life sort of went back to normal for a while, before Abraham and Sarah had their own son. After that, an incident involving Ishmael and Isaac would lead to Hagar and Ishmael getting kicked out. Even after that, God provided for Hagar, and Abraham even continued to visit and care for her and Ishmael.

A bad experience doesn't have to end in a dark hole. It can end in a light of faith in the Lord, forgiveness and healing. Which path will you choose?

Genesis 15:1-6 - Abraham's Faith is Rewarded, But Not How Many Think

In Genesis 14, Abraham rescued Lot after he was kidnapped by foreign invaders. Again, this all happened because Lot set his sights on earthly things, and allowed the pleasures of this world to lure him away from Abraham, and God's influence, into the unGodly city of Sodom.

Anyway, Abraham returned to the area with the rescued captives and all the goods and valuables stolen by the enemy raiders. The king of Sodom offered to reward Abraham by giving him all the goods and valuables he repossessed from the invading army, but Abraham refused, wanting God to get the glory for Abraham's prosperity, not the king of Sodom.

It is on this occasion that the conversation between God and Abraham took place in Genesis 15. God told Abraham that He was his shield and reward. Verse 1 says "After these things, the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying fear not, Abram. I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."

God had made many promises to Abraham. He had promised the land of Canaan as an inheritance... and not only the land of Canaan, but just about the entire fertile crescent. God promised Abraham a son, a seed, through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed. He also promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations.

However, Abraham's reward was not all those things God promised. Abraham's reward was God Himself.

The LORD said "I am thy shield." God was Abraham's protection, and God fought Abraham's battles for him. How is it that Abram took 318 of his trained servants, and defeated a foreign military power? God must have been fighting his battle for him.

God also said, "(I am) thy exceeding great reward." All the stuff God promised to Abraham was not Abraham's reward for faith. Those things promised were things with which God would bless Abraham, which would be used to fulfill God's plans. The land would become home to the nation of Israel. The son would father Jacob, who would go on to become known as "Israel." Israelites, also referred to as the children of Israel, are descendents of Jacob. One of those descendents would be the seed through Whom the nations of the earth would be blessed. That Seed is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Abraham's reward was the LORD... having the Lord defend him, provide for him, and having an eternal relationship with the LORD. Abraham had faith in the LORD, and having the LORD as his reward was his heart's desire.

Hebrews 11:10 says "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Abraham was not as interested in the earthly blessings God promised as much as he was interested in the eternal blessings... entering that city to be with God... and entering into God's kingdom. Hebrews 11:16 backs this up by saying Abraham and Sarah "Desire a better country, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He hath prepared for them a city."

Notice how this is in stark contrast to Lot's values in life. Lot looked at the plain of Jordan and decided it was a place he could prosper. He looked at the wicked city of Sodom, and saw a place he could rise in prestige. He was looking at earthly things. Abraham, on the other hand, is fired up about heavenly things. He trusts God, and looks forward to the day he enters God's city.

God's people should get excited about having the Lord as their reward, and quit being so distracted by the things of this world. Preaching faith for prosperity is a multi-million dollar business, with many people paying money to prove they have the faith it takes for God to bless them on this earth. God never intented to reward His people in this life. The blessings of this life are temporary.

The rewards God offers His people are eternal. His reward is eternity with Him in His Kingdom. The golden streets and pearly gates of Heaven aren't even the point. The point is that one day, we'll sit at the table and commune with our Lord. Our relationship with Him will be like Adam's relationship with Him in Genesis 2, before man sinned. The sad truth about spirituality in America today is that it is next to impossible to get people fired up about this fact. You can motivate people with promises of earthly riches. You can motivate people with promises of golden mansions in Heaven. But motivating people with promises of sitting down and talking with Jesus is increasingly difficult as our culture grows more secular.

After God defines Abraham's reward and makes more promises concerning Abraham's son, Abraham defined faith by believing God.

In Genesis 15, Abraham was an old man. He was beyond the age when men fathered children, and he was beyond child-rearing years. His wife, Sarah, was beyond child-bearing years. Even in her prime years, Sarah was unable to have children. Yet, the LORD promised Abraham a son.

Verse 4 says "And behold, the word of the LORD came unto him saying, This shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir." Here, God is promising the impossible, but Abraham believes God.

Verse 6 says "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it unto him for righteousness." Verse 6 was used in Romans 4 to prove salvation by grace through faith apart from works... and the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, rightly applied that verse. What is important to remember is that verse 6 describes Abraham's faith in the context of being promised the impossible. God promised something impossible, and Abraham believed Him. Abraham trusted Him. God was pleased with Abraham's faith.

Having faith means trusting God. Trusting God means taking Him at His word. Do you take God at His word? Do you believe His plan of salvation by grace through faith apart from works because Christ died on the cross for your sin? Do you trust Him to save you? Do you trust His word for child-rearing? Marriage? and the principle of sowing and reaping?

The Bible is not an archaic book of a dead religion that is no longer relevant. It is God's word, and its truth still holds up in modern society. Do you trust the Bible? Do you trust God's word?

In Genesis 15, God promises Abraham the impossible, and Abraham believes Him. In Luke 1, God promises a priest by the name of Zacharias the impossible, the birth of a son named "John the Baptist." Zacharias didn't believe, and was disciplined. Who would you rather be? Abraham? Or Zacharias?

Take God at His word. Believe the Bible. May God bless you and guide you on your journey of life.

Genesis 13-14, 18-19: Lot's Downfall

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the great state of California.Whether you like beaches, farmlands, mountains or forests, California has something for you. During my week-long stay in California, I crossed the Mojave Desert, visited the giant sequoia trees in the Sequoia National Park, enjoyed California's picturesque beaches at Monterrey Bay, bought fruit and cheese from family farms in the San Joaquin Valley, and took in the sights along Highway 101. Travelling through California showed me why people would want to live there, in spite of the state's high cost of living and tax rates.

If I were to drop what I am doing here, and move to California, I would be stepping out of God's will for my life, as I know His will is for me to minister here in Brownwood, Texas. The results of such a move would be disastrous. So, I remain committed to my life and church family here in Brownwood.

For Lot, however, the lure of the Jordan river plain and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were too much to resist. In Genesis 13, Lot finds himself in conflict with his uncle, Abraham, because their herdsmen could not get along. The herdsmen were at odds with each other because Lot and Abraham had gained so much livestock that the land could no longer bear both herds. So, Abraham suggested they part ways.

In Genesis 13:9, Abraham says "Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right. or if thou depart to the right hand, I will go to the left."

When Abraham suggested that he and Lot separate, he wasn't thinking of the plain of Jordan. Think about it, would Abraham, a man of God, seriously consider living in a place like Sodom? And would he suggest that Lot move to Sodom? Highly unlikely. Abraham was likely suggesting that Lot go north or south, and then Abraham would travel the opposite direction.

Lot had other ideas, however. Genesis 13:10-11 says "Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan."

Lot looked down on Jordan's plain, and saw a wonderland of fertile land, well watered, that would easily support and prosper his livestock, and I suspect the cities excited him, too. So, he moved to the plain of Jordan, lived in the city of Sodom, and began to blend in.

That decision cost Lot dearly. He wound up being kidnapped by enemy troops, only to be rescued by Abraham. The raid in which Lot was kidnapped was limited to Sodom and Gomorrah. Had Lot not been living there, he would not have become a victim. He would up losing everything when God executed his wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah... he lost his wife, self-respect, and wound up being homeless.

There are lessons to be learned from Lot's downfall. The first is not to let conflicts go unresolved. Had the conflict between Lot's herdsmen and Abraham's herdsmen been resolved sooner, Lot and Abraham might not have had to split up. Prolonged conflict always leads to broken relationships.

The second lesson we learn is that the desire for earthly pleasures leads to destruction. Lot looked down on the plain of Jordan and the city of Sodom, and he liked what he saw. He saw fast riches, and a city where people were living it up, and were uninhibited. But, the Bible says Sodom was a wicked city. Often, Christians are attracted to the wrong things. We can be attracted to earthly wealth, living the high life, and pursuing personal pleasures. When Christians give in to personal pleasure, and turn their back on God, destruction follows.

The third lesson is what the destruction of a Christian life looks like. Motivated by his own selfish desires, Lot moved to Sodom, where he was kidnapped, lost everything, including his home and wife, and saw his witness ruined. Lot's legacy in scripture is not a good one.

If you leave God's will, not only will you see destruction in your life, you will also see your witness ruined as well.

So, let's put this into practice. Don't be ruled by greed, trust God for who He is, and look forward to His Kingdom. Don't be distracted by the temporary things of this world. Maintain a strong relationship with God.

Genesis 12-13: The Beginnings of Abraham

In Genesis 12, we meet a man named Abram, who will go on to become Abraham, a hero of the faith. Abraham is mentioned many times in the New Testament to illustrate salvation by grace apart from works, as well as the fact that if you have faith, works will result.

As great a man as Abraham was, he started small. He was called by God to go into a foreign land, he followed God, but his faith faltered on a few occasions... one of those occasions is in Genesis 12.

Abram, or Abraham, followed God. Genesis 12:1 says "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." God called Abraham to leave home and go to a place where the LORD would lead. So, at this point, Abram has no idea where he is headed. He still follows God, though, because he has faith. In following God, we don't always have to know how things will turn out, or where the road will lead. We should follow God without having all the answers, because we have faith.

In Genesis 12:8, Abraham, or Abram, arrives. "And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD."

Abram followed God until he landed at a place called "Bethel," which literally means "House of God." There, he built and altar, worshiped God, and called upon His name. If you follow God, it will lead to His house... the church. God does not lead people out of His house, or His church, He leads them into it. There, believers are to worship, pray, and encourage each other.

Sometimes, though, our faith falters. In Genesis 12:10, "There was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land." There was a famine in the land. Food was hard to come by, Abram's ability to feed himself and his wife, and to keep his livestock was threatened. So, He went down into Egypt.

The problem with this is that Egypt symbolizes sin in scripture. People always "Go down into Egypt." They never "travel over to Egypt." They "go down" there. Then, they "come up out of" Egypt. They don't "travel from," rather, they "come out of" Egypt.

Tempted by famine and the possibility of losing everything, Abram went down into Egypt. He went down into sin. Often, God's people go down into sin when they are tempted and tried by hardships and tribulations. There, the destruction continues. Abram, in an attempt to save his own life, lied about who Sarai, his wife, was. He said she was his sister. The result is that Pharoah took Sarai to be his wife. So, Abram has gone down into Egypt, lied, and thus has lost his wife. Going down into sin leads to more sin, which results in lost blessings. But, there is time to repent.

God protected Sarai by placing a plague on the men of Egypt. Pharoah returned Sarai to Abram, and they left Egypt. They came out of Egypt.

Genesis 13:1 says "Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south."

They came out of Egypt, they came out of "sin." There comes a time in a prodigal believer's life when he has to repent and return to the Lord... notice where that repentance leads...

Genesis 13:3-4 "And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; (4) Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the LORD."

Abram returned to Bethel, the house of God, and there he worshiped and prayed. The repentant believer's path returns to the house of God, and there he should pray and worship.

Are you stuck in sin, are you stuck in Egypt? Has Egypt, or sin, robbed you of your blessings? Come out of that today, and return to the house of the Lord.

Genesis 10-11 The Rise of Nimrod and Babel

In the midst of the genealogies in Genesis 10, we meet a man named Nimrod, whom the scripture describes as a mighty man, a mighty hunter before the Lord, who founded the kingdom of Babel. In Chapter 11, we learn how Babel grew, and the people decided to build a tower that drew the ire of God.

Nimrod was a mighty man. He was a mighty military leader, a mighty hunter (Genesis 10:9), and he founded a mighty kingdom. Nimrod's kingdom began at Babel (Genesis 10:10-12), and expanded to Erech, Accad, and Calneh. Then, they built Nineveh, which would become a prominent location in the book of Jonah.

Nimrod's kingdom of Babel took control of much of the fertile crescent, which produced most of the world's food supply at the time. Controlling the most valuable land in the world made the kingdom of Babel a world superpower.

As the people built the city of Babel, they decided to build a tower that would reach into Heaven, so that they could make a name for themselves, and so they wouldn't be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth (Genesis 11:4). The problem with this is that they were challenging God's domain, they were lifting themselves up against Him, and they were ignoring His command to replenish the earth by staying in one place. So, God confounded their language, thus forcing them to scatter.

The lessons we learn? God hates pride and rebellion, and He always deals with it.

Genesis 9 - Life in the Post-Flood World

In Genesis 9, Noah and his family step off the ark to a world that has been totally changed by the flood of Genesis 7. At that time, God instructed Noah on how to live in the post-flood world. While giving Noah instructions, God told Noah that He would provide and protect him, that there would never again be a judgment by flood, and God extended his grace and forgiveness to Noah, even when he fell.

God gives protection to man. In verse 2, God said, "The fear of you, and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered."

In the post-flood world, food would be scarce for a while. Animals who were desperate for food would become more vicious in their search for sustenance, and man could be prey to some. So, to protect man, He gave animals an instinctive fear of man. So, God protected man.

Not only did God protect man from animal attacks, He protected man from starvation. In verse 3, "God said "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things." Fruits, vegetables and grain, which had been man's food supply, would be in short supply in the months following the flood. So, God expanded man's food supply to include meat.

God then set protections for man from other man. In verse 6, God said "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: For in the image of God made He man." When one man kills another, He commits violence against the image of God, and God takes that seriously. So, God's penalty for murder is execution.

God then promised that He would never destroy the world in a flood again. In verse 11, God said "I will establish My covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood, neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."

God promised to never again destroy the world with a flood. In fact, He won't destroy the world again until His judgment in the end time.

Then, in verse 13, God said "I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth." This is, of course, the rainbow. When you see the rainbow in the sky following a rain, you have a reminder that God promised that He won't destroy the world with a flood again. You also have a reminder that God is delaying His judgment upon the earth, giving men plenty of time to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men county slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

And finally, God is gracious, even when His people fall. Verses 18-29 record how Noah got drunk and passed out naked in his tent, and the fall-out this caused in his family. From this, we learn that alcohol abuse is sinful, and it destroys lives, families and testimonies. But, we also learn how forgiving God is. Despite this sin Noah committed, God still held him in high regard. God loves us, and forgives our sin, but we have to repent and turn back to Him.

God has given us many blessings. He has met our needs for shelter and food, He comforts us after the storm by providing the rainbow, and He forgives our failures. Have you appreciated His blessings today?

Gospel Glory, the Entire Series

New Sermon Series at Grace Pointe

The new sermon series based on Hebrews 11 begins June 3 at Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church in Brownwood, TX. For more information on Grace Pointe, log on to www.GraceforBrownwood.com.

The Journey: Genesis 8 - God Remembered Noah

In Genesis 6, we studied how the world was evil, so evil that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart were only evil continually. So, God judged the world with a flood. Noah escaped God's judgment by grace through faith. The Bible says Noah found grace in the eyes of God (Genesis 6:8) and that Noah's faith motivated him to follow God's command to build the ark (Hebrews 11:7). Noah was saved by grace through faith... by God's grace through his faith.

The ark symbolized Jesus in scripture. We enter into Christ by grace through faith, and He shields us from God's wrath, much like the ark shielded Noah from the flood.

Genesis 8:1 says "And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;"

When the Bible says God remembered Noah, it means that He had continual concern for Noah. God had a continual concern for Noah before, during and after the flood. God has that same concern for us too.

God remembers us in His plans. God planned on judging the world with a flood, but Noah found grace in His eyes. So, God instructed Noah to build the ark, and God didn't flood the earth until the ark was built, and Noah and his family were safe inside.

God remembered Noah in his plans, and He remembers us in His plans as well. God's plans include our salvation. God will not allow anyone to die until they have had the opportunity to accept Christ as Savior, and He will not allow someone whom He knows will be saved to die before they make their profession of faith (Romans 8:28-30).

Furthermore, He will not send Christ to return to the earth to establish His kingdom and judge the world until all who will be saved have been saved. II Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

God's plans also include our well-being (Romans 8:28). Anything that happens in our life will work to make us better, stronger and more faithful. God's people do not suffer pointlessly.

God remembers us, He has ongoing concern for us.

God will remember us when He pours His wrath out on the earth. During the flood, God kept Noah safely inside the ark (Genesis 7:16 - The LORD shut him in.) Noah and his family was safely inside the ark. Inside the ark, they had all they needed. When God executes His wrath upon the earth again, this time by fire, He will remove us from the earth, and we will be safely by the Lord's side. Why? Because God remembers us.

God will remember us in His kingdom. Verses 20-21 speak to how Noah sacrificed when he came off the ark. This was how Noah worshipped. Upon being delivered from the wrath of God, Noah worshipped the LORD. When we enter into eternity with the Lord, we will also worship Him, like we have never worshipped Him before.

Noah was invited into the ark because he was God's man... He trusted and followed the Lord. He was saved. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, God will not shield you from His wrath. Repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today.