Abraham's Obedience

by Charity Pence

This Week's Verse: Genesis 22:2 "Then He said, 'Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (NKJ)

I cannot imagine what was going through Abraham's mind when he received the command from God to sacrifice his son Isaac. The Bible only tells us that Abraham went. But it could not have been easy for Abraham. That is why I believe we can learn much from this story.

Abraham was an old man by the time he was blessed with a son. Consider for a moment the joy he must have felt when Isaac was born. His faith was already strong, but surely receiving such a seemingly impossible blessing must have strengthened his faith in God. Isaac would be his heir! The descendants promised by the Lord became a reality with Isaac's birth. But then God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as an offering. At that point, I would have said, "Hold up. How are you going to carry out your promise if I kill my son?" The story in Genesis doesn't mention Abraham doubting the Lord. But taking that journey to Moriah had to be one of the most difficult trips for Abraham.

The point is, being obedient to God is easy when His command makes sense. When we understand. But when we don't understand? That's when real faith kicks in. That's when we reveal our true character.

We may never know what would have happened if Abraham withheld Isaac from God. What we do know is that Abraham took those steps, despite how hard it must have been. And he was blessed for his obedience. "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand whch is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies." Genesis 22:16, 17 (NKJ)

Dear Heavenly Father, It's so easy to rejoice and be obedient when things go our way. But when the path you set before us is difficult or doesn't make sense, too often we stumble. Please help us to be more like Abraham. Strengthen us so we can let go of fear and doubt, and so we can continue walking until your will is done. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Power Verse:
Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." (NKJ)

Thou shalt...

by Charity Pence

This Week’s Verse: Psalm 9:8 “He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.” (NKJ)

…not lie.
…not steal.
…not commit adultery.
…not murder.

Sound familiar? They should. Christians ought to have the entire Ten Commandments committed to memory. As soon as we learn them, they become our creed. We live by them. Take a moment to take an inventory. Which commandments have you obeyed today? Now what about this:

Thou shalt not judge.

Hmm. Feeling uneasy? I am.

Sometimes in our eagerness to be “good little Christians” we judge those who do not appear to be as “good” as us. But who are we to judge? Has God appointed us with that task? No. In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (NKJ)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find a ranking system for sin. However, don’t we rank sin anyway? For example, wouldn’t we say a murderer is worse than a liar? But you know what? God views all sin equally. A sin is a sin is a sin. Period. Case closed. So why is it we judge others based on their sins?

Now what about this:

Thou shalt love thy neighbor.

Feeling convicted? Yep, me too!

When we judge others, we show condemnation rather than God’s love. We treat others as if their sin defines them. “She’s a liar.” “He’s a murder.” “She’s an adulterer.” “They’re sinners,” you think. We’re all sinners! Ask yourself what sin you struggle with the most. Do you want your life to be defined by that? Do you want God to judge you for that sin as harshly as you judge others? I sure don’t. Jesus died for every single one of us. As Christians, covered by the blood of Jesus and saved by God’s grace, our focus should be on showing that love and grace to others rather than behaving as if we are better than they are. “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Luke 6:35-38 (KJV)

How many people do we turn away from God with our hypocritical attitudes? How many people could we save if we were truly obedient? Think about that.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I have judged harshly and neglected to show Your amazing love to others. Please forgive me for being a stumbling block to those who would otherwise come to You. Thank You for forgiving me, despite my sins. I thank You, dear Lord, for offering Your grace, which allows me to come to You without condemnation. Continue to convict me so that I can be truly obedient to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God does not intend for any to be condemned. We are not condemned; we should not condemn others. If this week’s devotion has convicted you, seek God’s guidance. Repent, and God will forgive. Then take the grace God has offered you and share it with those around you.

Power Verses:
1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (KJV)
1 John 4:11 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (KJV)
1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.” (NKJ)

Are You Robbing God?

by Charity Pence

This Week’s Verse: Deuteronomy 8:18 “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” (KJV)

What do you think of when you hear about tithing? When the offering plate is passed around at church, do you just throw in a few dollars, believing that’s enough? Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, in what way have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.” (NKJ) Basically, this verse says we are robbing God when we do not tithe. To tithe means to give God ten percent of what we have. And I don’t think God is asking much from us.

It’s easy to make excuses for not tithing. Maybe we can’t afford to. Or maybe we think giving of our time is enough. But God’s word makes clear that we are to give ten percent of our money to Him. Not only that, He has promised blessings to those who are obedient. God even tells us to test Him! Malachi 3:10 goes on to say this, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

Imagine what God could do if we were more obedient in this area. We would be blessed, and we’d have more to offer to God, which would further His kingdom. Look at it this way. The more you give to the church, the more money the church has to feed the poor, to bring the Gospel to those who have never heard it, to give shelter to the homeless. And the list goes on. God doesn’t give us money so we can buy ourselves material objects. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t believe God wants us living in poverty. And I don’t believe it’s wrong to have nice things, provided we give to God first.

Proverbs 28:22 warns, “He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.” (KJV) So what are you doing with your money?

Dear Heavenly Father, I have learned the hard way what blessings we miss out on when we do not return to You what is Yours. Please forgive me for the times I have held back what I owed to You. And show us how we can be more obedient in this area. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you are not currently obeying God’s command to tithe, search your heart to determine why. What do you gain by holding on to your money? Give to God that which is His, and watch Him move!

Power Verses:
Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich [at any cost] shall not go unpunished.” (Amp)
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (NKJ)
Proverbs 11:24, 25 “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” (NKJ)

Big Expectations

by Bethany Lashbrook

Recently, my children had a lot of adult situations poured onto them. Not by choice, but just because life happened. As we prepared for the days, my husband and I had a talk with them. They were to behave, to be quiet, to be respectful, to remember their manners, and to listen to what we told them and do exactly as we said without question.

Big conversation. Big expectations. Big girls.

Turns out, I have never been more proud of my girls. They behaved and not only that, they became beautiful young ladies in the process. They could have chose to not listen, to not behave, to blow off their mom and dad but they chose to do the opposite.

I wasn’t surprised that they behaved, because they behave a lot, but I was somewhat surprised that there were no questions as to why they were to behave. There were no questions as to why they couldn’t talk. There were no questions as to why they didn’t get a say in the matter.

Big conversation. Big girls listening. Big girls understanding of who was in charge.

As for myself, I don’t know if I can say the same. Many times the Lord speaks to me and says “no questions, Bethany”. But, I don’t seem to listen. I instantly say these words:

“But, I’m not the right woman for the job.”

“But, somebody else might do this much better than myself.”

“Are you sure I am to do this?”

“Father, I’ve failed at this before. I don’t want to fail again.”

Just like my girls, I must learn to listen to those times that it means something bigger than the Lord just telling me something. Sometimes, it brings on growth. Sometimes our conversation can make me more mature in my faith, in my increasing trust in Him. Sometimes, I just need to listen, to not talk back, to act in faith, to believe and to trust in his word. And then afterwards, realize:

Big conversation. Big expectations. Big growth.

Father, thank you for continuing to believe in me and asking me to do things, even though I have turned you down many times. Thank you for your constant forgiveness in my life and knowing that sometimes I AM the right person for the job. In your name I pray, Amen.

Application: Have you ever heard "don't ask the Lord for patience"? Well, sometimes I ask the Lord for something, but act disappointed when he gives it to me. Like growth. I ask him to grow me, yet when he gives me a task, I turn Him down. This week, let's ask for something, but then have the faith that we can finish the task!

Power Verse: 1 Chronicles 16:8, “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” (NIV)

Obedience

By Charity Pence

This Week’s Verse: Exodus 23: 22-23, “But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. For my Angel will go before you.” (NKJV)

Devotion: Recently, I had an idea to do something and I brought it up to my husband. When he did not respond, I asked him what he thought. His reply was that I was going to do whatever I wanted so it did not matter what he thought. I am ashamed to admit he has said that to me before. His words really bothered me this time, though. However, I was not bothered by him speaking those words to me. I know he would agree that for the most part, we are very good at discussing things and making decisions together. I have never had a problem with authority either so why was I bothered?

Then a question formed in my mind. Do I do that to God? Do I ask Him what I should do and then do what I want regardless of what God tells me? My answer shamed me even more. Deuteronomy 5:29 says, “Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever.” This verse assures me that I am to obey God. So why is it so hard to do what He commands?

We know in our heart when God is trying to teach us something. I have long felt that God has been trying to teach me obedience. God would tell me to do something and I would always say in return, “Why?” or “That doesn’t make sense.” What He was telling me to do seemed so trivial that I could not help but wonder what the point was. I would like to give you an example.

Something that God has made me do repeatedly is change hangers when I am putting laundry away. I would put a shirt on a hanger and God would tell me to take the shirt off and use a different hanger. (In case you are wondering, I have never actually heard a voice so I am not crazy, I do not think. But feel free to laugh if you would like!)

Sometimes I would obey. Sometimes I would refuse. Why did it matter what hanger I used? After many, many lessons, I finally realized this: if I cannot do something as small and insignificant as change a hanger without questioning God, how can God expect me to do something bigger? After all, the purpose of obedience is to do as told without questioning. In 1 Samuel 15:23, Samuel tells Saul, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” Disobedience to God has some pretty harsh consequences. Thankfully, God has not given up on me and continues to give me lessons.

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I have refused to obey Your voice. Continue to shape me so that I am willing to do Your will. Help me to understand the consequences of being obedient and the consequences of being disobedient. Thank you for not giving up on me. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Applications: God desires for us to respond to His voice alone. This week, make it a point to recognize when God is giving you the opportunity to be obedient.

Power Verses:

Deuteronomy 6:18, “And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land of which the Lord swore to your fathers.” (NKJV)

Amos 5:4, “For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, seek ye me, and ye shall live.” (KJV)

Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” (KJV)

Trust and Obey

By Lisa Lashbrook

This Week’s Verse: Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” (NIV)

Devotion: There is an old hymn Trust and Obey that I’ve sang over the years. It’s a hymn most of us know and can sing along so easily.

As I look at our grandson, Gram, with his big brown eyes looking up at me, I know he trusts in me with everything I do. He trusts that I will feed him, change his diapers, play with him and continue to make him laugh with peek-a-boo. He has a total TRUST in me that is a safe trust, a caring trust and non-disappointing trust.

When did we learn NOT to trust? Was there an incident in your life that has caused you not to trust people, friends, your children, your spouse, or your boss? Has some fear of things or life experiences caused you to doubt others?

I know when the trust between my parents and me was broken. In high school, some classmates stopped by our house close to Halloween. They wanted some eggs to throw at cars. Trying to be the cool friend, of course I wanted to assist. I didn’t think any harm would come from it, so I gave them some eggs out of an egg carton in the refrigerator.

Well, the boys threw the eggs at a car right outside of MY house. The car stopped and called the cops. I was in total denial to my parents that I had anything to do with it. They had total trust in me to believe what I said to them. Up to this point, they had no reason to doubt me. The cops left and I thought I was cleared of being caught!

The next morning, my Mom went to refrigerator to get more eggs for breakfast. She noticed there were a few eggs missing. Upstairs she came! You know the rest of the story - lets just say the trust was broken.

I knew from that point on my Mom would wonder with a slight suspicion of what I was doing or where I was going. Could I really be trusted? I didn’t like that feeling of her doubting me. I had to rebuild that trust again.

The greatest example in the bible for me of trust is Abraham in Genesis 22: 1-5 in the offering of Isaac. First of all, Abraham is strictly obedient by getting up early. Second, Abraham trusts in God his Father; vs. 5 says “we will worship”. He was praising God during this storm! WOW! Also, in the midst of this offering and trial, Abraham was putting his trust in God for whatever the future held. This demonstrates to me that my relationship with God has to be so close to have that complete trust! Just like Gram has with me.

Father, help us to find our trust in you again. We want to put our trust in the Lord with all our heart; and not depend on our own understanding. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Applications: Review these 3 areas in your life:

1. Do you have a need to control and can’t trust others?

2. Are you ruled by fear and anxiety causing you not to trust?

3. Do you feel disconnected to friends or family?

~Remember, it is the shepherd’s responsibility to lead the sheep home. The shepherd knows where to find you; you are not lost. The sheep know the shepherds voice and follow him. Put your trust back in the Lord and so you will obey and follow his voice home!

Power Verses:

Proverbs 22:19, “I am teaching you today—yes, you—so you will trust in the Lord” (NIV)

Proverbs 31:11, “Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.” (NIV)

Isaiah 26:14, “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” (NIV)

Giving

Anonymous Submission

This Week's Verse: 1 Timothy 6:18, "Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them." (NLT)

Devotion:
I have been blessed throughout my life in various ways. Whenever bill time came around each month, there is always enough money in the checking account to pay those bills. I have need of very little and feel led to help others when I see a need.

I have in the past been able to help others with their financial needs. I don’t say this boastfully because, just like this devotion, I do it anonymously. I try to live as it says in Matthew 6:2-4, “When you give a gift to someone in need, don't shout about it as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.”

A couple years ago, I knew of a family that was struggling financially and I felt led to help them out. Another time I felt God telling me to give money to another family that I perceived as a whole lot wealthier than me. I thought You’ve got to be kidding. These people are far better off than I am! Why do they need any money? Especially mine! Are You sure? (Don’t you question God when you think you’ve heard from Him, but just don’t want to be obedient?) But in the end, I was obedient and gave them the money God instructed me to give.

I’ve also been involved in WBGL's "Random Acts of Christmas". I’m not trying to brag, just to set an example of how God can work in our lives and the lives of others if we are obedient. Obviously, we can’t help everyone all the time. God will speak to you if you are to help in a situation.

Since these “acts of charity”, I have been overwhelmed by the ways God has given back to me. For instance, I was at a store about to purchase an item that was supposed to be $250. When all was said and done, it ended up only costing me $80! Another situation happened when I went to pay the dues for an organization I belong to. The regular membership dues were over $200, but this year I received a discount and they only cost me $60! About a month ago, I ‘pre-figured’ my taxes just to see how much I was going to have to owe this year. I estimated that I was going to have to pay over $900 (Federal and State combined). But a few weeks ago, I was doing my taxes and noticed a tax credit that I had overlooked and another deduction that I had not figured in. So now, instead of OWING $900, I am getting a REFUND of $702 from the Fed and I only owe the state $105. Holy Cow! That’s a total variance of $1500!!! (Thank God for procrastination!!)

Just remember, money is not really ours to begin with. We are to be good stewards of our money, but not to hoard it for selfish desires. Give from your heart and you will be blessed in return. But please don’t give just to manipulate God into re-paying you. God cannot be mocked (Galatians 6:7).

I read a facebook status that said, “God can do a lot more with what you don’t have, than you can do with what you do have.” Listen to His voice and you will be rewarded.

Father, thank you that You continue to bless us in many ways. Help us to not be caught up in the world and place more value on things than we do You. Show us the areas where You would have us to serve and give. Helps us to be better stewards of the gifts You give us. In Jesus name, Amen.

Application:
Is God calling you to give to someone today? It doesn’t have to be monetary; perhaps there is something you have that you could give to someone. It may be just the giving of your time. I encourage you however to give without looking for something in return. Give from your heart that God has spoken to.

Power Verses:
Luke 6:38, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you."(NLT)
Mark 12:42-44, "Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, 'The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all.'"(MSG)
2 Cor. 9:7-8, "You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."(NLT)

Okay, So Anyway...

by Kathy Lay

This Week's Verse: 2 Peter 1:10-11, "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."(NIV)

Devotion:
We see references to it on facebook multiple times a day, we hear it from people’s mouths, and we say it ourselves: I just can’t get motivated. I really should be doing so and so but I just can’t find the wherewithal to do it. I don’t feel like doing anything.

See, I know what I’m talking about because I have a propensity to be easily overwhelmed. And when I get that way, often my coping mechanism is to shut down and not do a whole lot of anything. I allow myself to be paralyzed in times when I should be productive.

In some areas of life that may not be a big deal. If the dishes sit overnight they’ll get done the next day. If the floor goes unvacuumed no one will probably even notice—at least for awhile.

But what about when God has clearly called me to do something and I have said yes to Him? I’m fueled by excitement at first, but feelings fade. Eventually, I’m left to carry out obedience even when I no longer want to because it’s hard or boring or confusing.

I’m referring specifically to my writing. God made it clear that I am to write fiction for young people that will draw them into a closer relationship with him. Fun, right? Not so much anymore. And then I ran across this little excerpt from Cynthia Ruchti:

As in marriage, feelings come and go. (But) devotion and commitment hold us to the task. An author lays fingers to the keyboard whether emotionally full or emotionally empty. That's where miracles happen. God responds to our obedience and commitment by restoring the feelings we thought were dead.

It's all about writing *anyway*.

•No one will ever buy this dribble. *Write anyway.*
•Even I don't like the story anymore. *Write anyway.*
•Laundry looks mighty tempting right now. *Write anyway.*
•I've been writing a very long time with no visible success. *Write anyway.*

It's natural to write when we feel it. What a sweet victory (and testament to God's power at work within us) when we write when we don't feel it!

How remarkable is it to be faithful when the words come easily? When your mate is adorable? When your boss just gave you a raise?

(But) how *divine *to be faithful when your mate did something unkind and the boss doesn't appreciate you and the words come hard!

Now, that's remarkable.

These words hit me right between the eyes. I have to be obedient to my calling and not let doubt or distraction or yes, even being overwhelmed, become strongholds for the enemy who wants to thwart God’s plan.

It’s easy to serve when everything is roses, when life’s going our way, and when our motivation skyrockets on pure emotion. But it's commitment to God and perseverance in our "anyway" that grows us closer to God as we serve him through the dry spells.

Father God, forgive me for doubting your call or dragging my feet with it just because things get tough. Help me to be faithful in my follow-through. Lord, my desire is that you find favor in my service because you know you can count on me to do your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application: What’s your “anyway” area? Is there something you know you’ve been called to do but haven't yet? Make a list of anyway statements similar to Cynthia Ruchti's above. Resolve to fulfill your calling by persuing it anyway.

Power Verses:
2 Peter 1:3-4, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."(NIV)
Hebrews 10:36 , "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."(NIV)
2 Peter 1:5-8, "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."(NIV)

Leaving Smallville

by Kathy Lay

This Week’s Verse: Isaiah 65:9, “I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.”(NIV)

Devotion:
Every time I read Genesis I find myself having a lot of issues with Abraham’s nephew, Lot. During the month of September as FCC read through Genesis, I was convicted that I have issues with him because I’m quite a bit like him. I sometimes put myself first, I want the best portion for myself, and I allow myself to blend into the corruption around me.

(Still, I don’t think I would ever offer up my two daughters to a mob of perverts banging on my door. Oops! There I go again, oozing contempt and judgment onto someone God loved and protected from destruction.)

But another lesson that fell afresh on me as I read about Lot this last time had to do with fear and settling. In Genesis 19:17, the angels are warning Lot and his family to “Run for your lives!...Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don’t look back! Escape to the mountains, or you will die!”(NLT).

I’m thinking that with the threat of sure destruction looming, I’d listen to the angels’ instructions and high-tail it to those mountains quicker than I could say “Hey, where are my hikin’ boots?” The further away and higher up, the better!

But what does Lot do? He refuses to go to the mountains and asks instead for an easier option. He seems to be afraid of something disastrous there that would result in his death (v. 19). In verse 20 he says, “See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don’t you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved.” (NLT--emphasis mine). Something tells me Lot was thinking small, while God's thoughts were mountain-sized.

The angels grant his request and promise to spare the little village of Zoar if Lot will just hurry up and get there! He does and they do. Whew!

But check out verse 30! “Afterward, Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters.”(NLT). Excuse me, where was that again? Oh yeah, IN THE MOUNTAINS! The place where the angels had originally told Lot to go, but he was too scared to do it! And what drove him there now? Fear of the people of Zoar.

Now before I go off judging again, here’s the same lesson: I’m not so different than Lot. And I suspect many of you aren’t either. When God is pointing us to a mountain saying, “Go up there. It’s where I want you,” how many of us respond with, “Well, something about that mountain looks a little scary, and it’s pretty far away, so how ‘bout I only go half-way?” We settle for something so much smaller, our own little Zoar.

Don’t let fear lull you into settling in Smallville. It looks good and comfortable initially, but it’s not without its own traps and vices, which may very well drive us to the originally planned destination in a much harder, more painful way. Aim higher in the first place. Obey the first time. Climb that big mountain. God will help you get where He wants you, and there you’ll find the life he has planned for you.

Father, how often we act just like Lot! Forgive us for short-sightedness and forgetting that all things are possible with You. Help us to discern the mountains you want us to tackle and grow our faith to rely on Your power to do it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Application:
List one mountain you know God’s asking you to climb. Where are you at on the journey? Until we become just like Christ (which won’t happen this side of heaven), God is always calling us higher. Are you currently camped out in a little comfort zone, perhaps a Zoar? Resolve to leave it today and head for the next mountain God’s pointing out to you.

Power Verses:
Genesis 19:17, “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’”(NKJV)
Jeremiah 46:21, “But when their lives are on the line, they'll run off, cowards every one.
When the going gets tough, they'll take the easy way out.” (MSG)
Psalm 19:7, “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.” (MSG)