January 28, 2014 Praying for my Church, Genesis 25-27, Belief and Work Go Hand in Hand

PRAYER

 Lord,

Be with the leaders of my church today. I know they are seeking you to know how to best lead us that we may know you and live the lives you desire for us. Give them insight, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Answer them when they call to you.

 Give them wisdom for prospering in their marriages and families. They are so focused on blessing our church. I ask that you would keep before them the importance of blessing their family. Your word says a man who cannot lead his family cannot lead your body. I think that is because a family goes awry when priorities are wrong. When eyes wonder to power, worldly success, laziness, and selfishness, a family goes awry. Holy Spirit, give these men and women wisdom to keep their priorities right, to know the only success is in seeking and serving you. Give them hearts for their families.

 Give them permission to rest. I’ve met too many pastors who do not know they are called to rest. I ask you to give these men and women wisdom to rest and be still. Bless them with your restoration and presence. Bless them with deep breathing of you and the joy that is found in just being with you.

 Lord, thank you for these men and women who desire you and have answered your call to be leaders and shepherds. Bless them and their families richly.

 To you be all glory,

Amen

BIBLE READING

Genesis 25—Ishmael lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to him. Really? Can you blame him?
 
^“21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.” I wish husbands really understood this. So much deep stuff right here in this one sentence. So much poverty in marriage and relationships because men do not understand their roles as husbands and intercessors for their wives.

Oh, by the way, did you notice? Twenty years passed from the time of marriage till the promised babies came. Again, learning to hold on when the promise takes so much time…

Genesis 26—HUGE thing to see here. Isaac was in someone else’s territory. He didn’t have his own place yet, but God blessed him so much that the Philistines became afraid of him and asked him to leave. This seems like a small thing, and it is easy to read over it, but so many people I know are living in a foreign land, whether it be in a rental house or their job or a city where they would rather not be. Too often all they see is how things aren’t just what they want. Some may be there because they didn’t heed the call to get up and move. That is their fault, but in this case, Isaac was exactly where God told him to go, and it wasn’t his. It wasn’t the promise fulfilled, but it was still a place of prosperity.

I know folks who are miserable to talk to because all they talk about is how this place isn’t the promise fulfilled, and this is not what they Daddy wants for them, and this is not what they were promised, and the enemy is stealing from them. They don’t stop to think about the blessing of where they are. In Isaac’s case, he had someone covering him. He had someone protecting him from invaders. He had the covering of the king. He didn’t have to worry about safety or a lot “overhead” issues of being totally independent. Someone else could worry about those and let him focus on his crops and herds. Yes, Isaac was in a foreign country, but, God blessed him there.

And I want to point out too, Isaac didn’t just sit on his backside and wait for God to pour out heaven on him. He worked. He worked the soil. He tended the animals. He put in the effort so God could pour out the blessing.

It says Isaac reopened the wells the Philistines clogged. This is so deep with good stuff, but I just want to say one  thing: Isaac didn’t sit and whine about how someone had stolen his water or filled in his well. He did what had to be done to restore the blessing of water. He actively took back what his father had done.

Oh, my goodness, so much depth in this chapter!!! I don’t want to leave. I want to camp out here all day, but alas, this is not a dig a well and make it home reading. This is just a drive through tour, but I will have to come back on my own with a glass of tea and stay awhile.

Genesis 27—“Let the curse fall on me.” I wonder how many times she regretted that choice and those words. I wonder if having to send her son away and not seeing him was a curse to her.

 

MEMORIZATION

I reviewed several verses I’ve memorized this month. I try to review them once a week just to keep them fresh. How is your memorizing going?

 

BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

I wrote a lot of my thoughts above, so I won’t spend time here, but I am pondering deeply on Isaac and his obedience. He didn’t just wait for the promise. He did what it took for God to bless him.

Lord, what do I need to be doing so you can bless me and prosper me? What am I doing wrong, and what am I not doing right?

Blessings, y’all.