Genesis 21:3 (KJV) Divine Timing

Genesis 21:3 (KJV)

And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

 

It’s subtle. A person must reflect a moment to see it. But there is a huge blessing to be found here.

 

Isaac is born.

More; “whom Sarah bare to him…”

·       They were old.

·       They had made many mistakes.

·       They had practically given up.

But Sarah bare a son. 

 

Just as God had promised, at the time God promised. 

·       Abraham’s inheritance would not go to his servant.

·       Abraham’s inheritance would not go to the work of the flesh.

·       Abraham’s inheritance, the promise to be a blessing to all nations, would go exactly where God said it would go. 

 

It’s a miraculous, supernatural, spiritual fulfillment.

·       Believers sometimes wonder.

·       Skeptics laugh and mock.

·       The wicked attack and spew hatred.

 

But GOD keeps His promises.

 

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

Therefore,

Psalms 27:14 (KJV)

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

 

#MiraculousFulfillment  #FaithInGod  #GodIsFaithful  #PromisesKept  #DivineProvidence

Divine Timing: Waiting on the Lord

 

Call to Action

• How have you seen God's promises fulfilled in your life? 

• Take a moment to pray and thank God for His faithfulness.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Genesis 21:3 (KJV) Divine Timing

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV) Guarding Our Faith

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

 

The easiest way to apply this passage is to claim an unbeliever is a pagan, a heathen, an atheist, an agnostic. The context suggests something quite different. In First Corinthians, the Apostle had written to correct several serious problems in the church. He had not held back much of anything, and while he did express both confidence in and love for them, he had also been quite frank with them. They were behaving like babies!

 

The good news was that so many of them had received his rebuke in the positive manner he had prayed they would. They had repented. They had dealt with the issues of sin. They were on the right path.

 

But they were not out of the woods. Within the church was a group of Judaizers. This bunch was running off at the mouth, attempting to discredit Paul as a man of God. They insisted that no one was saved unless they practiced Jewish traditions along with their faith in Christ—the very thing the Christians had assembled in Jerusalem in Acts 15 to address. The very thing that they had determined was NOT the mind of the Lord.

 

- These Judaizers, 

- These contentious people in the church, 

- These who rejected the ministry of the Apostle.

 

These were the unbelievers the Apostle was speaking of. To be unequally yoked with an unbeliever is to fellowship with those who, however sincere they are in their faith, oppose the faith you profess. I’m not saying we need to be mean to them or fight with them. We don’t even have to be obnoxious against their faith. But we do need to separate from them. We need to acknowledge and admit we are not the same. We do not believe the same. It is not spiritually healthy for either of us to act like we are the same.

 

The passage uses some pretty harsh terms: 

- Unrighteousness, 

- Darkness, 

- Belial, 

- Infidel.

 

I want to say this as clearly and compassionately as I am able, and I will probably fail. There is right and wrong. If my position is right, that means the other is wrong. If my position is righteous, that means the other is unrighteous. If my position is light, then the other is darkness. If my position is of God, then the other is of the devil.

 

But what’s more devilish, dark, and unrighteous is to keep up the contention. It’s far better to separate, to recognize our differences, and find unity with people instead with whom we agree.

 

#BibleTruth #SeparateAndStand  #UnequallyYoked  #FaithAndUnity  #StandForRighteousness

Guarding Our Faith: Spiritual Separation

 

Call to Action

• In what ways have you found it challenging to maintain spiritual separation while still showing love and compassion?

• How do you balance loving others with standing firm in your beliefs?

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV) Guarding Our Faith

Genesis 19:12 (KJV) The Cost of Compromise

Genesis 19:12 (KJV)

And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

 

I noticed right away that it was the LORD who would destroy the city. 

·       That was not Lot’s place.

·       That was not Abraham’s place.  

It was God’s place.  

 

Truth be told, Abraham did not even pray for their destruction; he prayed for their salvation. Nothing is said by Abraham concerning their wickedness. He only spoke of those who might be righteous in the city. 

 

"Vengeance is mine; I will repay,"[1] saith the Lord.  

 

What Abraham had done, and what the angels of the Lord urged Lot to do, was to separate from them. He was to get his wife, his sons, his daughters, his sons-in-law, and get them out of that place.  

 

We are supposed to be witnesses in the darkest parts of the world, but we are to remain separated from that darkness.  

 

Untold numbers of children of Christian parents have been lost because the parents lost sight of this.

 

#LotAndTheCity  #GodsJudgment #AbrahamsIntercession #SeparationFromDarkness  #ProtectTheChildren  

The Cost of Compromise: Parenting with Purpose

 

---

[1] Romans 12:19 (KJV)

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Call to Action

• How have you found ways to remain a light in dark places while staying separate from the world's negative influences? 

• Are we staying true to God's call to be separate from the world's darkness, or are we allowing ourselves and our families to be influenced by it?

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Genesis 19:12 (KJV) The Cost of Compromise

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) From Flesh to Faith

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

I was taught whenever I see the word “therefore” in the Bible to ask the question, “What’s the therefore there for?” I am certain the context goes beyond the previous verse, but at least the previous verse ought to be considered.

 

2 Corinthians 5:16 (KJV)  

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

 

We find here a definition of being “in Christ.” And we may find in the Apostle Paul an example of the definition. Paul was contemporary with Jesus and, while we have no record of him meeting Jesus, he was a Pharisee of that same time period, in the same region of Jerusalem as Jesus and must have known of Jesus. One could hardly fathom a Pharisee of that day, however low his position may have been, or young, not having conversations with his peers about Jesus, the things He was doing, and their superiors’ responses to Christ. He must have known Christ “after the flesh.” He must have at a minimum, heard of His crucifixion, His death, and His burial.

 

But a radical change happened one day on the road to Damascus.

 

Acts 9:3-5 (KJV)  

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

 

On that day He came to know Christ, not after the flesh, but after the resurrection. After that meeting, Paul went into the city of Damascus just as he had planned. But his work there had been turned around. Paul was a new creature. He had been changed physically, spiritually, emotionally, economically, eternally.

 

The difference is, if you will pardon the cliché, from religion to relationship. It’s the difference between believing in Christ and knowing Jesus Christ. To have heard of His death, burial, and resurrection and to believe they happened is not the same as having met and now knowing Jesus Christ. It’s why religious people and non-believers get so frustrated with those who are in Christ. They don’t know who we know. They know about Christ “after the flesh.” But we know Him to be resurrected, alive, and fully engaged in our lives. That knowledge has made us new, different, unchangeable creatures

 

#NewCreationInChrist #LifeTransformation #ResurrectedSavior #FaithJourney #KnowingJesus

Knowing Christ: From Flesh to Faith

 

Call to Action

• Are you ready to move from knowing about Christ to truly knowing Him?

• How has your relationship with Christ transformed your life?

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) From Flesh to Faith

2 Corinthians 4:5 (KJV) Fallible Men, Divine Purpose

2 Corinthians 4:5 (KJV)

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

 

The challenge of the preacher - the challenge of Christianity in general - is to keep the message about Jesus Christ. That God uses men is undeniable. That some of them rise to become highly respected, who can doubt?

 

- Joseph

- Moses

- Joshua

- David

- Daniel

 

These men shine so brightly in the Old Testament. They, and men whose lights may not have been as bright, fill what I think of as the darkness of the night sky like so many stars, a few of them becoming luminaries such as our sun and moon are for us.

 

- Peter

- John

- Paul

 

In the New Testament, they and a handful of others reflect the light of Christ so brightly we might compare them to gods, as indeed the heathen did in Acts 14. But they were not gods. In every case, they were men, and fallible ones at that.

 

- John wanted to call fire down and consume his enemies.

- Peter denied the Lord three times.

- Paul had condemned Christians to prison and to death.

 

They were no gods. They were men who had been called to reflect the light of Christ. It’s appropriate to recognize and respect those whom God has called. It is right to accept and obey that call when and if it comes. But always remember to deflect all glory to Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy.

 

#PreachChrist #JesusIsLord #ChristianFaith #BiblicalHeroes #GloryToGod

Fallible Men, Divine Purpose: Reflecting the Light of Christ

Call to Action

• How can you reflect the light of Christ in your daily life and interactions with others?

• Share His message, live His teachings, and bring glory to His name.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 4:5 (KJV) Fallible Men, Divine Purpose