God will provide

Genesis 21- 24

What terrible awful situation are you facing right now?  Well, today's reading should offer you great comfort, if you are trusting and believing in God.  Oh, it may not be the way you expect the answer to happen, but His way will be the best way.

I am reminded after reading today that God indeed provides just not the way we expect.  Imagine, your son asking you about where is the sheep for the sacrifice offering.  Abraham answering with so much faith in verse 8 ~ God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son.  Now, think about Isaac what were his thoughts as his father put him on the altar and his father raised the knife.  Was Isaac believing like his father?  Oh, I hope so.

Do you ever struggle with your father on much smaller issues than this one?  I do.  Yet, why would we?  God provides just not the way we expect.  If you are at all like me, you think God will provide walking up to the altar, but not on the altar?  Am I alone?  This is a tough situation.  I always wonder did Abraham and Isaac talk on the way back about Abraham's faith?  Did Isaac gain a lot of faith that morning laying on that altar?

I know this story helps to build my faith.  God indeed provides.  The name Yahweh-Yireh which means"the LORD will provide is something that we all need to take from this day forward and know in our hearts indeed God provides.  Another thing to remember He provides in unexpected ways, we just need to have the faith of Abraham!

Today, remember Yahweh-Yireh!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Permission to Doubt ~ Ann C Sullivan Book Review

 Doubt is defined as to be uncertain about, hesitate to believe and well for Christians admitting those feelings happen is a hard thing to do.  Admit it!  I know with me it almost makes me feel less than I should be, but through Ann's book I've realized it is a part of our journey and that I am not alone!

Admitting doubt and realizing we need help is how I define this wonderful, easy to read book by Ann Sullivan.  It's okay to admit that we don't have all the answers, but we do have lots of questions.  Panic attacks resulted in Ann digging deeper into the doubts she had to a very real, alive faith journey.  It made Ann dig deeper through scriptures, stories, people to realize most all Christians have these same feelings, they just may not admit it.  She tries to take the stigma away from asking questions and admitting her feelings.  I think she achieves it!

The book is anchored in God's Word and throughout the journey of reading this book, you will be strengthened in your faith.  Many of us have doubts for many different reasons, but Ann addresses many of them.  We all face 3 big ones which Ann writes about spiritual, intellectual, and emotional doubts.  

I think one of the most beautifully written paragraphs was found in the chapter ~ The Day I Met Doubt on page 135 where Ann wrote these words "I wondered if I'd offended Him (God) or if He was punishing me for something?  Was my problem guilt related?  I compulsively searched for sins to confess and apologized to anyone who'd listen.  Then, when even that didn't help, I started questioning Him.  Doubts began to plow through me with a vengeance."  How many of us have not ever had these thoughts?  These words of honesty just touched my heart, because she was saying things I had thought, but never spoken aloud.  These are just a few of the words I am offering my book is dog eared throughout with touching heart felt times that I had experienced myself.

I was given this book to review by Kregel Publications and I encourage all of you to check it out for yourself.  It is worth buying it at Amazon.com or any other book outlet.

Purchase it today!

Permissions to Doubt by Ann C. Sullivan

Blessings,

Debbie Covington

Keep the Faith

Genesis 18 - 20

Today the words that caught my attention are things the LORD did in Genesis 18:1 the LORD appeared, 18:22 the LORD remained, in 19:29 But God had listened.  Abram kept the faith and the LORD took action.

Do we belief all the things we say we do?  Are we proactive in petitioning the LORD for His help?  Abraham Interceded for Sodom and the LORD acted.  Over and over Abram showed his faith by putting his faith in the LORD!  Not little stuff either, big stuff.  He saved the righteous few left in Sodom and Gomorrah by petitioning on their behalf.  Are we petitioning the LORD with all of the things we are witnessing that we really need God's help with?  Look around things way bigger than any of us, but God can handle!  When are we going to believe it and start acting?

How often are we like Lot's wife?  We look back for whatever reason...perhaps longing,  curiosity, doubt, fear...the list could go on forever, but we see in this passage that looking back might not be a good thing for any of us.  We need to move forward believing keeping the faith.

I have a question for all of you.  In Genesis 18:17, who is the LORD asking the question?  "Should I hide my plan from Abraham?  What are your thoughts?

Take a leap of faith today!

Keeping the faith,

Debbie

This is your fault!

Genesis 15 - 17

The scripture that grasp my attention this morning was found in 16:5 ~ This is all your fault!  How often have we wanted to point the finger at somebody  else other than at ourselves?

The story of Hagar really bothers me.  The first thing that always comes to my mind is Hagar had absolutely no say in Sarai deciding to give her to Abram.  The words found in verse 3 used are Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife.  Okay, I've said it before and I'll say it again ~ How did she think this was going to work out and be a good thing?  

It doesn't work out for the best when we take matters into our own hands for anybody.  Yet I know that sometimes, I convince myself that it's the right thing, so I move forward without waiting which means I'm being disobedient.  Disobedience just doesn't work out the way the way we think it should does it?  I mean look at this story.  Sarai took matters into her own hands sent Hagar to Abram and then gets mad when Hagar doesn't treat her nicely after being given to a man that she might have viewed as very different from herself, older, married, so many things yet who gets the blame for this whole situation?  Abram.  Abram didn't have to go into that tent ~ agreed.  But who started this whole ball rolling right into that tent?  Yes, Sarai.  How often do we not want to take a good look at ourselves and take responsibility for our actions?

I am reminded that God's timing isn't my timing and that I need to listen for His Will and His Desire and don't take things into my own hands because His plan is so much better!  Think back about your own journey for a moment.  Think of a time you moved forward because you decided to take something that wasn't really yours or what you were suppose to do?  How did it work out for you?  I know in my own experience not good.  Yes, God used it in the long run, but things could have been much better had I waited for God to show me the right choice.

Hagar had no choice, she was a slave.  Her attitude wasn't good, so she fled.  How often do we run away rather than face the situations.  Yet, God met her in the situation and this terrible situation brought her to know that God saw her.  She called Him, "You are the God who sees me."  God will meet you in your situation too!  It doesn't matter how far you run God still loves you.

So in closing today, I learned again how important God's timing is in my journey.  

Sweet blessings,

Debbie