It’s Your Fault

It’s Your Fault

Genesis 16: ⁵ Then Sarai said to Abram, My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”

 

⁶ So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.

 

 

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Months after becoming pregnant, Hagar and Sarai did not get along. Sarai’s plan to fulfill GOD’s prophecy fell apart quickly. Now she had a mess on her hands. She stormed into Abram basically saying “It’s your fault!”  Abram, not wanting to be in the middle of the mess, said “you deal with it as you please.” Sarai was so harsh that she drove Hagar away.

 

My Observations:

• Sarai seemed to feel insecure about Abram’s promise from the LORD.
• Sarai may have gotten frustrated with people, knowing deep down that she may be the problem.
• Sarai took out her frustrations on Hagar.

 

Seeing Hagar pregnant every day was a reminder that something is wrong to Sarai. How was this promise going to come to fruition, Sarai must have thought. Jealousy, rage and insecurity may have caused Sarai to behave as she did. She was even frustrated with Abram, who went along with a terrible plan.

 

How in the world could GOD clean up this mess? GOD does not react. HE knew this mess would come and accounted for it. Sarai did not know what GOD could do. Same with you and me. We may get frustrated with our current situation, not knowing what GOD has in store. Sarai was frustrated and now Hagar felt persecuted. GOD was needed.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD include the detail of Sarai’s blame of Abram to Moses?
• Have you ever gotten yourself in a mess and wanted to blame other people?
• If it is easy for you to blame other’s for your lack of relationship with GOD, will you ask HIM for more accountability today?

Belief Accounted For

Belief Accounted For

Genesis 15: ⁴ And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” ⁵ Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

 

⁶ And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

 

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After hearing GOD’s promise, Abram left the land of his father just like GOD said. He did not know when GOD would show up so he kept moving. GOD then showed up. Abram was excited! But then a famine hit and he had to leave the land GOD showed him. He went to Egypt and almost had his wife taken from him. BUT GOD intervened.

 

Upon return, He had so much stuff, that him and Lot could no longer live together in peace. They separated to Lot’s demise. Abram had to rescue Lot and return the stuff to evil people. Abram said to GOD, after all this, “I still have no children.”

 

My Observations:

• Abram needed to hear from GOD when his patience was running low.
• Abram heard from GOD and immediately believed.
• GOD saw Abram’s belief and “accounted it to him for righteousness.”

 

Since GOD does not react, HE saw Abram’s belief before he was born. HE sees the same in you and me. GOD knows our heart. Unfortunately, we don’t. HE gives us free will to choose HIM and accounts for any belief we do immediately.

 

Abram’s belief needed to be renewed. When he heard from GOD, he may have felt better and was able to move forward in belief in GOD, stronger than before.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about this conversation with Abram?
• Have you ever had a moment that you needed your faith renewed?
• When GOD speaks to you through HIS word, do you immediately believe?

Give an Account

 

Give an Account

1 Peter 4:  ⁵ But they will have to give an account of themselves to God, who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ That is why the Good News was preached also to the dead, to those who had been judged in their physical existence as everyone is judged; it was preached to them so that in their spiritual existence they may live as God lives.

 

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After I woke up, I realized that an hour had passed. The supervisor came by and asked “What have you been doing during this time?” I was supposed to be counting surveys, but the job was repetitious and boring. “I don’t know” was my childish reply.

 

• I didn’t do what I was supposed to be doing.
• I wasted my time sleeping.
• I had to give an account for what I was supposed to be doing.

 

Peter continues his theological explanation by stating why JESUS spoke to those who died without believing in HIM for salvation. Their spiritual existence is permanent so, unfortunately, their judgment is also permanent and eternal. After physical death, those who did not believe in JESUS will be judged.

 

My Observations:

• Salvation through JESUS is necessary for my current life.
• GOD wants all believers to spread the Gospel to everyone so that all may be saved.
• Those who reject the message of JESUS, unfortunately will not be saved.

 

Each of us has to give an account for our short time on earth. I mean, at some point I will stand in front of GOD and have HIM ask me “What did you do with your time on earth?” or HE will tell me “This is what you spent your time on earth.” Either way, I have to give an account for what is important to HIM, namely spreading the Gospel of HIS SON.

 

JESUS became a human to be murdered by HIS creation. HE was raised from the dead, showing GOD has all power over life and death. JESUS now rules at the right hand of GOD and they are waiting for the last person to accept HIM as Savior. I am glad GOD includes me in HIS plan to reach people with the Gospel.

 

Challenge

• What account is the writer speaking about?
• Have you ever looked at your time to assess how much of it you are giving to GOD?
• Will you give more time to GOD during the week to intentionally spread the Gospel of JESUS today?

Ownership

 Ownership

2 Thessalonians 3: ¹¹ We say this because we hear that there are some people among you who live lazy lives and who do nothing except meddle in other people's business. ¹² In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living.

 

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Frustrated with how things were going, I quickly assessed it was someone else’s fault. If this boss would simply act right, then I could climb the ladder faster and higher. I left that job in pursuit of the perfect group, only to be met with zero success. “What is wrong with me?” I finally shouted out.

 

• I could not fix my problem until I realized I had a problem.
• I was so busy looking at everyone else, that I took my eyes off of myself.
• I got comfortable blaming other people and did not own my choices, mistakes or path.

 

Paul, Silas and Timothy give some harsh words to those who refused to work and who were meddling in other people’s business. They provided a solution to “Lazy lives” and “Meddling”, namely ownership.

 

My Observations

• My complaint about other people is usually a problem within myself that I need to give to the LORD.
• Any tendency to live a “lazy life” will backfire in my face.
• GOD wants me to confess ”my” sins so HE will cleanse “me” of all unrighteousness.

 

Ownership starts and stops with me. I mean, when I hear a sermon, it is not about someone else, rather I need to hear the words to grow in areas I am weak. GOD speaks to me daily through HIS word and convicts me in areas HE wants to grow me.

 

When I own my deficiency, HE gives me a workout plan to exercise to. Trial after trial, GOD strengthens me in areas I need to grow. When I can stand up in that area, GOD says “Well done!” I am glad GOD examines me and shows me that I need a perfect GOD to help me with “my” imperfections.

 

Challenge

• What complaint were the writers trying to address?
• Have you ever just wanted to be lazy or speak to other people about someone else?
• Will you take ownership of your relationship with GOD and confess your sins to HIM so HE will be faithful and just to forgive you today?

Standing on My Own

Ezekiel 18: ²⁰ The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

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³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. ³¹ Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? ³² For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

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Watching the consequence of sin play out, I said to myself “I will never do that!” I heard of neighbors who had been shot or jailed because of theft. I watched executives who were fired because of porn or sex in the office. Then one day I realized, someone may be watching me and saying the same.

• At one time I used to point out sin in others.
• At one time I used to see the wrong people did.
• At one time I used to say “Look at that person and the awful thing they did.”

Talking about other people is an easy way to get the spotlight off of me. I mean it’s easier to tell people what’s wrong with “that” person than to admit my own sin. BUT GOD knows better.

• GOD says to me “All have sinned and fall short of MY glory.”
• GOD says to me “Confess your sins and believe in your heart that JESUS died for your sins and you will be saved.”
• GOD says to me “Get a new heart and a new SPIRIT simply by turning to ME.”

I can no longer blame someone else for the sins they commit. I can’t even blame them if their sin affected me. All I can do is confess my sins to the LIVING GOD and praise HIM for my forgiveness. My sin is my sin and I need to stand on my own and ask GOD for HIS favor.

• Are you blaming someone for the situation you are in?
• Do you think it it their sin that caused you to be where you are?
• Can you let go of their sin and look at you own heart?
• Will you confess your sins to GOD and allow HIM to cleanse you of all unrighteousness?

If I don’t know then am I accountable?

Judges 14: ⁸ Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. ⁹ He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.

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Standing in line in one of my frequent eatery joints a man approached me with the ultimate cliché… “you want to buy a watch?” This was easy for me to resist because I knew it was stolen and besides the watch was way too big for my scrawny arms.

As I proceeded outside another guy approached me. “You want to buy a DVD?” the movie was still in the theater and I really wanted to see it. “Hmmm” I thought to myself.

• Sometimes I ignore what is wrong so I can have what I want.
• Sometimes I fool myself into thinking “if I don’t know something wrong happened then maybe it’s alright.”
• Sometimes I conveniently forget to tell others if I have done wrong and they don’t know why consequence has fallen on them.

Consequence of sin is usually not what I want to hear when it comes to GOD. I mean isn’t HE all love and no wrath? On the contrary, GOD is all powerful, full of love and wrath. GOD despises when I categorize my sin into large and small so I can get away with the “small.”

• GOD wants me to confess my sins so HE will be faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness.
• GOD wants me to take HIS yoke upon me and learn about HIM so I can allow HIM to steer my path.
• GOD wants me to allow HIM to lead me beside still water which means I have to be on HIS path.

Allowing GOD to be in my life means GOD has the right to say “NO” or “Not now” or “yes, but with a different outcome.” I should not hide ‘what I’m doing’ from HIM so HE can guide my path.

• Are you ignoring what’s going on around you so you can get your way?
• Are you caught up in something that you feel is not right?
• Are you blind to the fact that you may be off GOD’s path?
• Can you learn of GOD and confess what you are doing so HE can put you on HIS path?