Kingdom Bites

A Faith-Filled Father: Listens to the Lord. Throughout his life Abraham listened to God. From the calling out from his own land into a new one, from the warning against Sodom & Gomorrah to the  promise of a son; he listened. And this time was no different. In verses 1-2 when the Lord came and spoke to Abraham; he listened. Not just to part of what God said, but to all of it. He didn’t tune God out when half way through, nor did he argue with the Lord. He simply listened.


A Faith-Filled Father: Obeys the Lord. Abraham didn’t waste any time. Verses 3 tell of his immediate obedience. “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.” He didn’t ask God again, or wait for another sign to confirm what was said. He didn’t dilly dally around, instead he acted in direct and immediate obedience to God. Leaving early in the morning, despite how crazy the request of sacrificing his son seemed, he obeyed holding nothing back.


A Faith-Filled Father: Trusts the Lord. It didn’t take Isaac long to notice the missing element, a lamb; and when he questioned his father about it Abraham replied in verse 8. “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Abraham had a complete and confident trust in the Lord; holding nothing back, not even his own son. He trusted God to keep His promise to bless the whole world through his seed.

The buzzing of the alarm, the chirping of the birds, the crack of thunder, or rustling of the wind through the leaves; there are many sounds that can wake us each morning. However, none quite compare to the sound of little feet.

Most mornings, before my alarm sounds or the song of the birds reach my ears, I am awakened by the sound of little feet racing across the hardwood floors at our home. Soon the hinges on our bedroom door begins to squeak and before I know it, our bed has some extra occupants, a five and three year old.

Although, this has happened for years, it never ceases to amaze me. The first thing my kids want to do each morning is to be with their dad. They don’t reach for the remote, or rush off to play with their toys. No, they simply want to be with me. If I have gotten up before they have stirred, they quickly leave our bedroom and set out on a hunt to find me.

But what about us? What do we seek out each morning? Coffee? Breakfast? A shower? The paper?  Or maybe it’s the snooze button. Yet should’t we reach for something else?

Consider the words of David in Psalm 63:1 “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” Likewise the Prophet Isaiah said “All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God.” (Isaiah 26:9)

Each morning before our day begins there is a need, a desire, a blessing in seeking God through His Word and Prayer; feeding our spiritual life as we do our physical one. Receiving nourishment, strength, refreshment, and encouragement for the day ahead. We are reminded that our sins are forgiven, that we are His, and that this day was made by Him for Him.

Before you reach for your morning caffeine or hit the snooze button one more time, grab your Bible and crawl up into your Abba Father’s lap and enjoy some time with your Dad.

I hope you are eager to see and spend time with your heavenly Father first thing each day.

• It is in Church where we are fed spiritually, where we hear God’s truth taught, are fed spiritually, and have our faith strengthened. Consider what would happen to your physical body if you stopped eating all summer. When we stop feeding on God’s Word our Spiritual bodies weaken as well. 
• It’s what God Intended us to do. From the beginning God intended us to be in “Mutual Community.” From the creation of Eve to the calling of the nation of Israel, mankind was not intended to be alone. In fact, Jesus called 12 disciples not one. In Acts the Christians met together, and throughout the New Testament Paul didn’t just evangelize people, he planted churches. For it is within the body of Christ that fellowship and encouragement are found from other believers; challenging us to press on.
• Once we stop going, it’s easy to stay away and hard to go back. From diet to exercise, once we stop doing anything it is very hard to start back up again. Once we stop going to church, it is difficult to get into the routine again.   

I could hardly believe my eyes as I watched the 10PM news two years ago. Right before the commercial break a new company entitled “Eternal Image” was featured. On my 36 inch TV screen was a computer generated rendering of a casket with the Minnesota Twins logo pasted all over it. In fact, Major League Baseball has entered into a licensing agreement with Eternal Image, which makes urns, caskets, and headstone markers containing the logos for all 30 MLB teams.

However, if baseball is not your thing, there are many more options to choose from, a full line of Vatican, Precious Moments, and Star Trek caskets and urns. Not to mention memorials for your beloved pet. Now, matters of life and death are very serious, and I do not mean to make light of them; moreover, what a person wishes to be buried in is completely up to them, for the Bible provides no guidelines for burial places.  Yet what worries me, is how many in our culture view life and death.

Oftentimes the grave is referred to (and seen) as our final resting spot. The end of our life. However, this is not true. While on earth Jesus spoke very plainly about life and death; and life after death. In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, found in Luke 16:19-31, Christ is clear that while death is end of our physical life, our soul continues to exist for eternity.

In John chapter three, Christ has a late night meeting with a man named Nicodemus. In verse 16 Jesus gives this promise “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.”

Christ promised Life, not Death. In fact, this was the reason why Christ was sent to earth. In verse 17  Christ expands this thought “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him coming to earth.”

Christ came paying the penalty for sin; offering the promise of everlasting life in the presence of our magnificent and glorious God for all of eternity. This promise is universal, and is offered to everyone who repents, believes, and trusts in Him alone.

This promise will never fade, spoil, or perish; but will last for all eternity, and will change you for eternity as well. The only true rest one can ever find in this life or the next is found in Jesus Christ.

Thank you Lord for offering hope, peace, and the great promise of new life in Jesus Christ. Teach me to rest in His peace.