"Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran."
Genesis 11:32
Genesis 11:32
This verse has had an incredible impact on me. Wow! The crossroads are not where I want to stay.
My take-aways:
Something old in a new way:
Genesis 21:17, 20
God heard the boy [Ishmael] crying. God was with the boy.
God's compassion is overwhelming. Ishmael was the direct result of disobedience and taking the plan in your own hands. Yet God took care of him.
Something new:
Genesis 21:33
I knew El Olam was Eternal God but never noticed this name was mentioned in Genesis. I love that the God we worship and serve is Almighty, Sees, Provides, and is Eternal.
Something to do:
Genesis 11:32
Stay moving toward the cross when I face crossroads.
37 Comments:
Wendy, I have just transcribed your video and it will be up on my blog shortly (www.princessjoyful.blogspot.com) for those who need it...but girl...God is echoing the very same thing to my heart here now that He had already impressed on me about an hour ago as I shared my quiet time with Him.
Listen to the first quote I wrote in my journal this morning: "I want to make your life a glorious adventure, but you must seek to know Me in greater depth and breadth instead of striving for a safe lifestyle." (Sarah Young)
The "safe lifestyle" sits and lives in the crossroads. Too often we settle for mediocrity because it feels more comfortable. Sarah continued to write, "A predictable lifestyle may feel safer, but it can shield you from what you need most of all - Me! When unexpected shakes your routine, recognize that you are on the threshold (or as you said Wendy, crossroads) of a new adventure and that God will be with you all the way."
Now I've been touched by His presence twice this morning. I could barely write fast enough while transcribing your video, God was speaking so clearly. I'm praying that the Lord will move me from a mediocre, and dare I say "safe" life. I've asked the Lord to invite me on an adventure today. Will you join in praying that with me? I'm praying I won't miss His invitation. That I won't miss any more opportunities to know Him more and love Him deeper. I don't want to live any longer in Haran.
Wendy thank you for touching and blessing my life again.
Love ya,
Joy
Thank you for your commitment to read Gods word and help others like myself to get encouraged and live a better life and get through the crossroads!Have a wondeful day.
Fran
wow. We are at a crossroads. My husband lost his job a year and a half ago. We have to put our house on the market this month and through God's blessing we are able to move into a rental house that my husband's mother owns. I'll be honest-I don't want to move. I want to stay here and see if our house sells first -but we homeschool our kids and it will be hard to keep the house up and have it on the market and homeschool- it just grieves me so to move. My husband feels strongly it is the Lord leading us to sell the house, he understands it is my nest with four little ones in it. So we are in a hard place. Really hard.
BUT I want to be in the promised land. I would covet your prayers today for my heart to be in the right place and not hanging onto my desires.
Streams in the Desert TODAY said "People who are God's without reservation "have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." His will becomes their will, and they desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do. They strip themselves of everything, and in their nakedness find everything restored a hundredfold."
Thank you Wendy for your comments and encouragements. I am loving this commitment and get excited to get up every morning.
Blessings-Kimberly
Wendy, this was SOOO good today! I think God has been placing this on so many of our hearts. God hit me very hard with this message back a few days ago when we first read that they settled. Terah never did move on, he stayed between ruin and God. I don't want to be there, I want to be towards God.
With Nathan's inspiration on the meanings of words I wrote a second blog post yesterday about settling. It is a transparent look at one of my own struggles and a crossroads that I am on. I know Wendy your blog using to be called "Confessions of a Former Shopaholic." Maybe you can identify with my struggle.
My post is too long to post on here as a comment so if anyone wants to read it got to my blog A Journey to Freedom when you click on my name. It is about the crossroads I am on with my own struggles with shopping and God working in my heart. I am choosing to move towards Him and away from ruin as hard as it might be.
You all have a wonderful day in the Lord. We were suppose to have snow by this time this morning but none yet. I think my son's school closed schools a little too early :) Stay warm!
Love,
Brandee
Kimberly, praying for you right now...
Wow very moving video Wendy. Thank you so much.
Something Old: Ishmael grew up and settled in the wilderness and married a woman from Egypt. Read it before but hadn't remembered it.
Something New: The servant lays out the exact scenario he needs from the Lord to be able to find Isaac a wife. The exact scenario happens yet the servant STILL wondered whether or not the Lord had given him success in his mission. I know I am guilty of doubting the obvious from God.
Nugget: Abraham said, "The Lord in whose presence I have lived". May I be able to say the same at the end of my days.
I also wondered about the angel calling Isaac Abraham's "only son" at the time he was about to sacrifice him. Why wasn't Ishmael counted?
Oh today's reading was filled with so much I could go on and on, but I'll stop.
Blessings to all.
Morgen
Wow what a powerful message today! Moving out of the crossroad is scary but God Yahweh-Yireh does provide. Praying for all!
1) heard in a new way;Gen 22:6-14 Abraham obeyed even when he did understand God's will for his life.'God will provide Yahweh-Yireh' is the name to pray in times of not understanding & in difficult times.
Gen 22:12 reminds me of John 3:16 'For God loved the world so much that he gave His only Son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.'
2)did not know; Gen 24:22,30,47, the servant gave a nose-ring & bracelet to Rebekah.
3) nugget; Asking for a sign to know, that you know, that God is working in a situation is not a bad thing. You need to pray & be willing to listen & be lead.
Blessing & Peace Mary
Kimberly I am praying right now, too.
Praying in the name of El Roi.
Thank you so much for your insight. I heard about this study from one of the Proverbs 31 devotions, and my husband bought me the Chronological Bible for Christmas. I am loving the time spent with God every morning, and I also appreciate your reflections! I have yet to watch a video, but I like the ideas of something old, new, and to do. Thank you for inspiring others! I've always been a little scattered in my daily readings, and I am excited to continue with this - it really feels like something I CAN do consistently!
Good morning sisters,
God is speaking gently but powerfully through our wonderful teacher Wendy. Praise him, and thank you so much Wendy for your obedience and dedication.
Pressed for time again, I am heading to the airport to a destination where I won't have internet...but I will be back this weekend and anxious to catch up with all of you. I'll be keeping up with the readings, just missing your voices!
Love, Blessings & Prayers,
Liz
Alaska
Wendy, thank you so much for sharing so openly and to joy for her words of wisdom as well.
Last year, I was at the crossroads; it was safe, but I knew God wanted me to move. I stepped out in faith, and am still stepping out today. The road has been very rocky, but the peace within this traveler is so much greater.
My nugget comes from Genesis 21:17 in that God hears us when we cry.
Blessings
Gaylene in NE Indiana where the snow is falling yet and again!
good morning friends,
wow! emotional video this morning, wendy...beautiful and moving...i am one who is easily moved by God's kindnesses and 'moments', and tear up easily...you had me crying first thing in the morning!
i'd like to create my own name for God...the one who 'moves' me...what do you suppose the hebrew is for that? smile...
have a blessed day,
love
amy jane
Kimberly, I am praying that God will fill you with His peace and you will find contentment and blessings in where He has placed you right now.
Something Old in a new way: Hagar wandered aimlessly. Gen. 21:!4 Abraham set them out early in the day so they would find shelter by noon. That would seem to indicate that Hagar would have known or been told how to arrive at some sort of shelter by then, yet she got lost. Could it be that she was so upset that she was paying little attention to where she was going?
Something new: The trees Abraham planted were planted as an open air temple or place of worship. Although it was established that the property was his, he welcomed others to worship there. Gen. 21:33
Something to do: When I am upset, keep my eyes on Jesus so I don't wander around aimlessly.
Just a PS on yesterday's thought on Abram's intercessory prayer--God could have destroyed Sodom by just speaking. So was the whole reason God chose to tell Abram a way of letting him join God in his work.
Tears in my oatmeal this morning, Wendy. Thank you for sharing your story. I, too, feel a call of God but am hesitant to move - because of fear of how my husband would take it.
Joy and Kimberly, praying for you.
Morgen, I think I heard this question raised on Pastor's Perspective yesterday. God called Isaac Abraham's only son because Isaac is the son of promise. Ishmael is the son of the flesh.
1. Familiar but new: Gen 2:22 was the first time God mentioned the word "love" and it refers to a son. Also after God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, verse 3 says "The next morning Abraham got up early..." Abraham did not pray about it, hesitate or questioned God. He did it the next day - and even got up early. For the life of me, I can't even get up early to save my life. Let alone knowing that I am about to sacrifice the one I love the most. What warms my heart is that God tested Abraham "some time later." The testing came after He appeared to Abraham several times. God helped build Abraham's faith which enabled Abraham to obey without hesitation.
2. Something new that I did not know (courtesy of Dr. Chuck Missler) was that Mount Moriah where Isaac's sacrifice was to take place is the same as Golgotha where another Son was sacrificed. I have heard of the foreshadowing of our Lord's death and resurrection before. How they travelled and returned on the third day but when I learned it was the same location - it just gave me chills. Our El Shaddai.
3. Takeaway: To quote Dr. Charles Stanley whom we had the privilege to see in his recent booktour (if he comes to your town folks, be there early or be prepared to stand in line), "Obey God, leave all the consequencs to Him." May we all take that to heart.
Have a blessed day, fellow sojourners.
I have to say that I read the bible on my own a few years ago but I love reading it this way! You bring up points I may have missed and it's neat that so many others are reading it with me.
Crossroads....like a fork in the road; which way will I go? I've gone back the way I came, I've gone off to the right and left but this time--TODAY--I'm choosing to go straight ahead. Ahead with God.
Today's reading had a lot to do with obedience--Abraham obediently taking his son-'Whom he loved dearly' up the mountain, Rebekah leaving her family to marry a man she never met, let alone even saw.
To leave my crossroads I must be obedient to the God who sees me, is almighty,eternal and provides. :)
Amy V.
All these are really good...thank you Joy for transcribing the video for us. Wendy, you get gooder and gooder all the time.
My thoughts took a different way. In 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree. Tamaraisk is also mentioned in 18:4,8. What was so important about a tamarisk? Again in my book "A Way through the Wilderness" Jamie Buckingham said that tamarisk, or eshel...meant hospice...which I looked up and found another meaning of it besides the one we know,( for terminally ill) is hospitality...food, drink, and accommodations for travelers. How am I in the hospitality-giving? Do I look for people who might need my care, rest in my home, taking a meal to a sick neighbor, is this MY crossroads? Do I invite people into my home for a meal, even if its inconvenient and my house is a mess?
Look forward to hearing what rest of you have to say. Come on you men...jump in here. I know you are out there...I know of one is in WI who is reading with us.
Jan TN
What struck me as I read Genesis 22 is that God will take us to the end of ourselves in order to provide the full blessings from HIM. Often I am not willing to fully let go of what is in my hand - even if it is something that God has blessed me with - to allow God to give me more; even better than what I have. Fear gets in the way and I hold tighter still crying out for more or better all the while God is trying to give it to me but my hand is clenched tight. My brother died about a month ago and thru his death God has and is teaching me about letting go. I thank HIM daily for the experience and now thank Him for this wonderful biblestudy with you.
Intense and so much to take from today's reading. I'm finding it takes longer than 30 mins every morning for me to do my study. Between two bibles, notes, vblog, and comments, I'm filled in thoughts and time. :) I praise God that I have it!
Wendy, I had missed Nathan's post about the meaning of Haran. After listening to you and making the connections, all of my note taking, though great information, wasn't the nugget of today's study. God has fully provided for my husband and I in the last year, abundantly. But it gets me wondering...
If I have everything I need and then what is left? I know the answer isn't nothing, that there is an adventure waiting. I pray that I do not get too comfortable with the new place, his new job, financial stability, and time given to me. I pray that the Lord uses me and that I keep moving. Through you and everyone here He has spoken to me. I feel very blessed.
Something familiar but new: I never realized all of the different names for God. I have read them over and over, but never stopped to really look at them. I'm going to start writing them down, this is a biggie!
Something new: Gen.22:18
I knew that through Abraham that Jesus would become flesh, but this passage clicked like never before:
"And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed..." I asked myself..um...how? There are a lot of times I don't feel blessed. But, duh! Because Jesus is born through the line of Abraham and because of Jesus do we have eternal life = blessing. :)
Life application: Don't be afraid to pray for a sign or for something specific, and trust in the Lord when He provides it. All too often, like the servant, I doubt what I see when I just asked for it a minute ago. God is good and can do anything, why doubt or question it? By following the Lord the servant was blessed, because he was faithful and most importantly to me, wasn't afraid to ask.
Blessings,
sara
Wendy, thank you for your faithfulness, for being transparent. Your video brought me to tears. It's right to the heart of what we all struggle with. Playing it safe, holding on to the sure thing.
Yesterday I had to post under anonymous because I could not get my account to work. I had the story about the rug and looking back.
Kimberly, bless your heart. I understand and have been where you are... just over a year ago, my husband lost his job. We fought hard to stay afloat. We sold house,cars, everything we could and started over. I held tight to all the promises of God. He is faithful to those promises. My husband is employed with a wonderful christian led company now, we live in a new town and rent. God is teaching me what my needs really are, not things of this world, but HIM, His ways, seeking things that moths will not destroy.
Abraham's faith in His God providing was HUGE! I have one son, that I just adore. My heart can't even go there. The faith Abraham had in our God just challenges me. Abraham KNEW his God. I need to KNOW my God. Abraham knew his God would provide. I need to KNOW my God will provide. God has a plan and it is better than anything we can make happen ourselves. He loves us so!
Hi,
A note in my study Bible stopped me when I was reading today. I guess it's my 1, 2, and 3 altogether and kinda related to what Grace and Peace said. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his own son and hold nothing back from God - to come to God empty handed and with a full heart. God released him from this, however, and saved his son Isaac - but He did not release His own son, because in saving Him He would have been condemning all of us. I'm not sure that I could sacrifice one of my children; what a test! My brain can't quite wrap around this one.
I heard something in a new way this morning in our read.
Abraham told the servant (Gen.22: 5)...the boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there and then WE will come right back.
Never noticed this verse in the way it was brought out in the light to me this morning. Abraham knew and had faith that in his obedience God would be faithful! I saw no doubt (as we often have) in his mind.
Again Abraham says...when Isaac asks, (Gen 22:7)but where is the sheep for the sacrifice?
Abraham faithfully says, "God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering." But didn't stand around waiting for the sheep, Abraham continued in his obedience.
Now that's faith! I believe that's the kind of faith we read about in
Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see!"
The angel then goes onto say..."You have not withheld anything from me even your son, your only son."
Now for the nugget...Wow obedience to God is not withholding anthing from God. God should come first in our life. We should be willing to sacrifice and give up anything we have...in essence everything we have comes from God.
What do I hold on to?
What in my life is more precious than God himself and a relationship with Him?
Sometimes this seems like a choice between chocolate cake and a slice of warm french bread with butter. Especially when we hold on to our children and our "treasures" so tightly.
When I read above, your son, your only son...it brought me to John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His ONE and ONLY Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
So thankful that God gave his one and only Son, Jesus, for me, for us so that we might be in relationship with Him and have eternal life! Now that's a treasure to hold onto...and share with others!
Love from Debbie in Illinois..getting hit with another snow storm...6-11 inches expected.
My nugget for today is to take Goad at HIs promise and not try to put my spin on it. About 5 years ago, I was standing at a crossroads, too. I decided, however, to go ahead and move forward as the Lord was calling me. Since that time, I have stayed on that path, but will admit to kicking and screaming (sometimes literally) to go back to where I started from. Never has the Lord left me or failed to gently whisper His reassurance along the way. Each time I lay down and throw my tantrum, He waits for me to finish, picks me up, dries my tears and reminds me, "Yes, sweet child, I know your fears. But come along with me and see what I have waiting for you." Oh, praise His name. I must constantly surrender to His hand and trust Him through my doubts.
Wow Grace and Peace: The place of Isaac's intended sacrifice and Jesus' actual sacrifice was the same location! How absolutely cool is our God? So much treasure to uncover in His Word.
Morgen
hi friends,
the wonderful thing about all of the voluminous comments this year, is that i can't read them all in one sitting. i, therefore, read/study morning AND night... what a great use of my time!!
as i was reviewing tonight, i found another name of God (since we are keeping track!)... in genesis 18:25 abraham is 'negotiating' with God not to destroy S&G...abraham calls him the 'Judge of all the earth'...
another great visual, and way for me to pray to Him...
have a great night of study!
amy jane
I am here. Quietly here and absorbing all like a sponge. I guess my Bible study ended with Sunday School and I still have those childish visions. Now it is like a whole new experience in reading the Bible with all of you. I have learned so much in the past week and will continue to grow in God's word. Bless all of you who contribute to this! knowledge and all who share this experience with me.
Great stuff today! The one thing that stood out to me so much when I read it was how close the story Abraham and Isaac foreshadowed God and His Son. Something about it today - I just could not let go of it. And WOW! to Grace and Peace- thanks for sharing about it being at the same place...that is really chilling (but exciting).
Wendy- your vlog today was beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing your struggle to encourage all of us. Fear has kept me at a crossroads way too long.....its time to move forward.
Can't wait until tomorrow!
Grace and Peace~ I just want to comment on what you said about feeling God call you to move but not sure how your husband would take it. One thing I have learned is that God's will is never going to be contrary to what is best for your marriage. That does not mean that there will not be things to work through, but if you are suppose to go where you feel He is leading then He will make a way for your husband to be supportive. I will share an example in my own life. Two summers ago at our leadership retreat, our MOPS Coordinator announced it was going to be her last year and she was going to step down and she knew the person to take her place was in that room. I KNEW as soon as she said the words it was me. I was scared to death, I argued with God for a couple of weeks but I got to the place of surrender and asked Him, like in our reading today, for a sign. If this was really what He was leading me to and wanted me to do He had to make my husband supportive of it and on board. I talked to him and He was! That was my final answer as to God's will. Pray, seek God and talk to your husband. Tell God what you think he will struggle with. If it is where He wants you to go it will be a positive for your marriage too. God would never ask you to do anything that is not pro your marriage.
Great, great stuff today everyone! "See" you all tomorrow.
Brandee
My personal challenge today came from Rebekah's mom. In less than 24 hours from the time Abraham's servant arrived at her door, she said goodbye to her daughter to ride off to a very distant place to marry someone she'd never met! Did they ever see each other again? Wow - talk about trusting and obeying! What a reminder that our children and grandchildren belong to the Lord, and we dare not stand in the way of God's plans for their lives.
Hi Wendy! Well, this is the first time in a very, very long time since I have posted on your blog, so here it goes...
Something 'heard' in a different way:
In Genesis 22 God called Abraham and commanded him to sacrifice Issac. I found these words interesting (some paraphrasing and emphasis is mine):
* take your son, your ONLY SON, take him to the MOUNTAIN and let him be a SACRIFICE
* on the THIRD DAY they saw the place God instructed them to go.
* Abraham told his servants that they would go to worship, "AND THEN WE WILL COME RIGHT BACK."
I see the comparison to God taking his only son to a mountain (hill) and allow him to be sacrificed, and 3 days later they (God/Jesus) came back.
Something I did not know: Isaac walked and meditated in the fields.
Nuggest/Truth:
Obedience - God does test us AND when he does he always has the perfect plan as long as I obey (immediately and with little questioning) :0)
Brandee,
Thank you for sharing your MOPS experience. I am very encouraged.
Thanks so much.
Wendy - Thank you so much for your leading, your emotion, your heart this is so good, thanks for all you do for us.
Kimberly Praying for you also.
Something Different: Gen 24:2 One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh.
Then again in vs - 9 So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions.
I hadn't noticed this how the oath was by putting under the thigh before and I guess according to ancient custom, it describes a very serious oath.
Something New: Gen 24:67 "And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother." I didn't see before that is how they became "married".
Something to do/Apply: Gen 22:1 Some time later God tested Abrahams faith. "Abraham" God Called "yes" he replied "Here I am" then in vs 22:11 At that
moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
Both times, first when nothing was going on, and again when he must have been distraught knowing he is moments away from sacrificing his only heir... both times Abraham promptly responded "Yes Lord Here I am". Today and everyday may I promptly, obediently respond "Yes Lord Here I am"
Blessings,
Lynn - OR
Wendy, thank you for being so open and vulnerable before us. Sharing our hearts and testimonies is a big part of why God gave us the body.
Everyone basically touched on what I was thinking, but what gets me is in Gen 21:10, Sarah calls Hagar 'the slave woman' yet back in 16:3, she was given to Abraham as his wife. That just disturbs me for some reason.
I don't know why it still amazes me that even though our flesh can rule or judgement sometimes and we can stray from the path God is leading us on... He still will work everything out. Even for Hagar and Ishmael.(Gen 21:20) God was with the boy as he grew. I love that.
No matter your background. No matter your circumstances or your 'place' in life, God is with us. Always.
Every time a name for God appears, I have taken to writing it in the back of my notebook, along with the scripture reference. I know that God has alot of names and each one has a different meaning, and for me, that fact was brought home to me at She Speaks this year. And I love that to God, I am not just Danielle, He has a special name for me that no one else has ever called me.
First of all i want to thank God for everything he does for us...Wendy wow you vlog just made tears come out that i couldnt hold them in..as a matter of fact im still crying right now..lol..im a big cry baby anyways...well ive been married for 10yrs and didnt have any children..i was scared bc there is alot of marriages that fall because of tht..i askd God to give me words to talk to my husband on wanting to foster children..my husband doesnt go to church but i know that one day God will bring him...well God answered my prayers like always and we decided to foster to adopt and now we have 3 kids..but for awhile we(my husband and i) were waiting for this special little girl to come to our home so we can adopt her for 2yrs and now she is at my home...so soon we will be adopting 3 children..i am so happy for this...thanks be to God for answering our prayers...GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD..
1. NEW WAY = Gen 21:20 God heard Ishamel's cry and took care of Ishmael as he got older..doesnt ISHMAEL mean "God hears"..he never left him alone...
2. SOMETHING NEW = Gen 24:65 Rebekah covered her face with her veil as soon as she saw Isaac because she didnt have it on before...but why did she do tht, well to show honor...
3. APPY TO LIFE = wow i have been just amazed at so many things we can apply to our life since the begining of this journey..we need to have FAITH in God like Abraham did and TRUST him...YAHWEH YIREH {HE WILL PROVIDE}...how much more do we need...God will always be there for us and HE WILL PROVIDE...we just need to OBEY his WORD and HE will BLESS us in so many ways...yes and im still crying of joy here because of all the blessings he has given us...thank you God...
"GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD"
Wendy, your lesson today was very inspirational. I don't want to die in the crossroads!
My old, new and to do list.
Abraham was able to trust God because he had spent time with God, listening to him and talking with him.
22:6 Abraham placed the wood for the burt offering on Issac's shoulder. This is another foreshadow of Jesus caring a wooden cross up the mountain to be offered as our sacrifice.
24:50 When it is obviously the Lord has brought us to a place of obedience, there is nothing we can say but yes, Lord your will be done for the sake of the Kingdom.
Blessings!
Debbie - North Carolina
Okay, it's really late and I am soooo sleepy but I just came to your blog for my first time in 2010 and I LOVE THAT YOU ARE VLOGGING!!!!! And you cracked me up that you are secretly recording in my office today. That made me smile SO BIG!
I have to go to bed and want to be awake when I listen to your message for today so I am going to come back tomorrow. Can't wait to listen to this one and the next one, and the next....Oh I just love this new format girl and the powerful way God is speaking through you!
I'm so thankful for faith in God to come through right when you need Him the most. When things around you look hopeless, think of Abraham as he obeyed God concerning Isaac and know that He will prepare a ram for you no matter your situation. When things look doubtful, God will provide! ;o)
Crossroads. I'm there and this week I said yes to God. Shaking with anticipation but willing. Praise the Lord.
Thank you for your ministry and your story. I appreciate it. Much!!
Post a Comment
Home