Encouraging God
I have been working on a chart on Abraham's life, then Isaac, and on to Jacob. (What happened to Leviticus? Well, I am way behind as usual, but I will post some more later...soon, I hope.) I love categorizing and charting because I don't do well if I am just reading long sentences. I do this in order to comprehend more and make things simple.
I noticed something I never thought of before.
Abram was already 99 when he was told:
that God's covenant was with him,
that his name was going to be Abraham,
that the uncircumcised was to be cut off,
that Sarai's name was going to be Sarah,
that she was the one who would give Abraham a son.
Then he went down to Gerar and told a lie about Sarah (this was the second time to tell the same lie). But the king Abimelech had a dream from God. He was innocent. It is clear that Abimelech did not touch Sarah. This is one year before Isaac was born. Then God told the king that Abraham was a prophet, and he could pray for him.
What was the prayer and what was the result of the prayer?
I don't see how he prayed but as a result, the wombs of the women at the King's palace were opened. (Genesis 20:17-18) I really don't know how soon they could see that the LORD healed them, but I would think that Abraham was greatly encouraged by the fact that his prayer healed the barrenness of the king and his household. Then Isaac was born when Abraham was 100. I see this incident in Gerar as a great encouragement to Abraham! His faith must have grown rapidly. God used the situation to encourage him!!
approximate translation
アブラハムの人生を表にしてまとめると言う作業をしていまして、そして自然とイサクとヤコブの人生へと続けています。それがはたして何なんだと言われるかもしれませんが、私としては長い文章を読むということが大変で、表にしたりするとわかりやすくなるのです。おもしろいです！そして以前は気づかなかった事に気づいたりするともっとおもしろいのです。
アブラムが９９歳のとき、彼は"私の契約はあなたとともにある”といわれ、また、名前がアブラハムになるということ、永遠に割礼が契約のしるしとなること、サライの名前もサラとなること、そしてサラがアブラハムに息子を産むことなどを神様から語られました。でもその後に彼はゲラルに行きそこで二度目のうそをつきます。サラは私の妹だと。でもゲラルの王の夢によって神さまがあらわれてそこで王が無実であることが私たちにわかります。彼はサラには触れていないのです。そして。。。アブラハムが祈ったら、王とその妻と女奴隷たちが癒され、胎が開かれました。
アブラハムの祈りがどのようだったのか、いつそんなことが癒されたって言うのがわかったのかとかは聖書にはないけれど、このことはアブラハムの信仰の大きな励みになったはず！祈りによって閉ざされていた胎が開かれ、子供がうまれるようになった(創世記20：17-18）。。。そして１００歳の時、年寄りのアブラハムとサラにイサク誕生。神様はアブラハムを励ましてくださったのだと思いました。表を書いたことによってこの話の流れを見ることができて、このタイミングも理解することができました。ヽ(^◇^*)/ おすすめです。
I noticed something I never thought of before.
Abram was already 99 when he was told:
that God's covenant was with him,
that his name was going to be Abraham,
that the uncircumcised was to be cut off,
that Sarai's name was going to be Sarah,
that she was the one who would give Abraham a son.
Then he went down to Gerar and told a lie about Sarah (this was the second time to tell the same lie). But the king Abimelech had a dream from God. He was innocent. It is clear that Abimelech did not touch Sarah. This is one year before Isaac was born. Then God told the king that Abraham was a prophet, and he could pray for him.
What was the prayer and what was the result of the prayer?
I don't see how he prayed but as a result, the wombs of the women at the King's palace were opened. (Genesis 20:17-18) I really don't know how soon they could see that the LORD healed them, but I would think that Abraham was greatly encouraged by the fact that his prayer healed the barrenness of the king and his household. Then Isaac was born when Abraham was 100. I see this incident in Gerar as a great encouragement to Abraham! His faith must have grown rapidly. God used the situation to encourage him!!
approximate translationアブラハムの人生を表にしてまとめると言う作業をしていまして、そして自然とイサクとヤコブの人生へと続けています。それがはたして何なんだと言われるかもしれませんが、私としては長い文章を読むということが大変で、表にしたりするとわかりやすくなるのです。おもしろいです！そして以前は気づかなかった事に気づいたりするともっとおもしろいのです。
アブラムが９９歳のとき、彼は"私の契約はあなたとともにある”といわれ、また、名前がアブラハムになるということ、永遠に割礼が契約のしるしとなること、サライの名前もサラとなること、そしてサラがアブラハムに息子を産むことなどを神様から語られました。でもその後に彼はゲラルに行きそこで二度目のうそをつきます。サラは私の妹だと。でもゲラルの王の夢によって神さまがあらわれてそこで王が無実であることが私たちにわかります。彼はサラには触れていないのです。そして。。。アブラハムが祈ったら、王とその妻と女奴隷たちが癒され、胎が開かれました。
アブラハムの祈りがどのようだったのか、いつそんなことが癒されたって言うのがわかったのかとかは聖書にはないけれど、このことはアブラハムの信仰の大きな励みになったはず！祈りによって閉ざされていた胎が開かれ、子供がうまれるようになった(創世記20：17-18）。。。そして１００歳の時、年寄りのアブラハムとサラにイサク誕生。神様はアブラハムを励ましてくださったのだと思いました。表を書いたことによってこの話の流れを見ることができて、このタイミングも理解することができました。ヽ(^◇^*)/ おすすめです。
Breaking down the wall
My son loves the LORD and His words. He went to a church meeting one night (one of the churches he visits sometimes) and came back, looking solemn. O, oh..what happened? I started to be worried because even in the Christian world, people hurt people, and a lot of ugly things happen. I waited over night, then I asked him how the church was. He said the message was not that good. Then I tried to tell him that it may not have been for him (
trying to be an encouraging mom) and so on. BUT my wonderful God is already present in is life. My son is experiencing and understanding much more than I can imagine. He said that he was blown away by the overwhelming love and support the church showed to the young speaker who gave a message that night. Wow... It is so precious. He is experiencing God's love. The look he had was not a disappointed look, but was a deeply-touched-by-God look.
I have friends in pentecostal church, methodist church, non-denomination church, and so on. I still tend to judge by the names of the church, but I am quickly ashamed by my thoughts. Praise God. Who am I to judge if I don't know who they are? (even if I know who they are??)
Then I came across this tonight. There is deep love involved in this message. This is Bill Johnson.
God is breaking down the walls among us.
trying to be an encouraging mom) and so on. BUT my wonderful God is already present in is life. My son is experiencing and understanding much more than I can imagine. He said that he was blown away by the overwhelming love and support the church showed to the young speaker who gave a message that night. Wow... It is so precious. He is experiencing God's love. The look he had was not a disappointed look, but was a deeply-touched-by-God look.I have friends in pentecostal church, methodist church, non-denomination church, and so on. I still tend to judge by the names of the church, but I am quickly ashamed by my thoughts. Praise God. Who am I to judge if I don't know who they are? (even if I know who they are??)
Then I came across this tonight. There is deep love involved in this message. This is Bill Johnson.
God is breaking down the walls among us.
Happy Easter- He is risen indeed.
One of my favorite images from the Bible passages is the "Road to Emmaus". After the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, two disciples were on the way to Emmaus (= bath water). Then Jesus appeared and joined them in their conversation.
Luke 24 (KJV)
"And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? "
It makes sense to ask the Holy Spirit to teach us when we read the Bible!!
For when our eyes are opened, we know Jesus.
When we read the Bible just as a regular book, nothing burns inside us because we don't know Him. If we know Jesus already and nothing burns withing us, I would keep reading because emotion doesn't need to lead us. But that is not what I am talking about. When the Holy Spirit shows us something personally, then something inside burns. This is available to all of us who want to have it. I believe that. The passage says "...while he opened to us the scriptures?" Which part? Luke 24:27 "... beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
The New Testament teaches us about Jesus yet when the authors of the NT encourage us to read the scriptures, they must mean the Old Testament because they were the beginning of the New Testament and the NT part of the Bible was not available. This was one of the reasons why I started reading the OT.
May our hearts burn within us!
Happy Easter!
