not happily ever after

Genesis 15:11-13

11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

13 And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

We are reading about a gruesome scene, God is directing Abraham to sacrifice animals, placing each half opposite the other along a path. It's the stage for a blood covenant. The loosing party would walk between the slain animal bodies saying; "If I do not fulfill this covenant, I will be sacrificed like these animals." It's brutally blunt in its meaning. We can only imagine the thoughts going through Abraham's head.

In today's verses it gets stranger still; Abraham has to chase vultures away from the sacrificed animals. Then he passed out and God speaks to him; "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall AFFLICT them four hundred years;" SPOILER ALERT! God is sharing the plot line of His plan, Abraham's descendents will be slaves held captive by the Egyptians for 430 years! Those that are blessed and beloved of God are often afflicted by wicked men and as God promises He stands up for them and saves them from their oppressors.

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I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.

God’s patience

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God did not immediately punish King Solomon when he allowed his foreign wives to build altars for false gods. Despite multiple compromises, God remained patient. Over time, Solomon’s endorsement of idolatry defied God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment, including the loss of the kingdom for his son. Some mistake God’s patience for indifference or inaction, but He follows His plan in His timing. If our nation, culture, church, or we ourselves stray like Solomon, we can repent and return to God’s path. And, should do so sooner than later! Amen!

we also...

Romans 6:3&4 "3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." In our studies we are striving to understand God’s love and care. God's unconditional love for His followers, appreciating that we are part of GOD’S family! God is with us from cradle to grave. His divine presence is always giving us purpose and guidance. One of the most important milestones in the life of a Christian is baptism. When we are baptized, an indelible mark is made on our soul. This mark signifies a permanent transformation and dedication of the individual to God. The act of Baptism involves water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity. This ritual is seen as a symbolic washing away of original sin and a new birth into the life of Christ. Baptism is a foundational s...

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