the scarlet worm

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” ‘Pigments Missed’

Posted on December 4, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

We need to take out our palettes and mix some other pigments to get the right shades of color for the portraits of prayer we desire for our canvas. So, with brushes in hand, we back up a bit to Gen. 15:1, where, “The word of the LORD came unto Abraham.” Prayer is simply talking to God! In fact conversation with God is called, prayer! What a beautiful, intimate relationship God and Abraham shared, to simply converse back and forth! Isn’t that what God desires for every one of us? A simple, plain, naked relationship, to share our burdens, our cares, our needs, our desires, our wants and our lives with Him? We need to talk to God, He hears, He cares, what a beautiful chapter to meditate on, Gen. 15. Verse six says, “And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness.” Do we believe God, you and I? I mean do we really believe Him, against all odds, all circumstances, and all situations? Even to the point of offering your only son whom you love with all your heart on a rock, in a barren land? Gen. 22. Abraham believed, Abraham obeyed, and Abraham was blessed! Remember, God’s delays are not God’s denials! The word for believe here is amended, he said, ‘Amen, to God.’

The lesson here in prayer is, ‘What God has promised He will do in His own time frame, ‘But He Will Do It!’ What we need is the, ‘AMEN, of faith in our prayers.’ God cuts a covenant with Abraham and a pillar of fire and a pillar of a cloud pass between the animal parts. Was God showing Abraham how He was going to lead His people out of Egypt after 400 years? I don’t know! Abraham was open and honest with God and talked with Him; He hid nothing from God, Nothing! Do you hide anything from God? Some secret sin, that does so easily beset you? Heb. 12:1. We all have them! He stood like Adam, bare naked before his Creator and talked, face to face. We too, need to be open and honest with God in our prayer gardens. He knows everything, anyway. We can’t hide anything, right? Of course. right! Abraham just walked and talked with God and shared everything, we call it prayer, communion, worship, God calls it fellowship! We need to talk to God, to be open, to be honest; He hears, He cares, He listens; So, tell Him what’s bugging you, after all, He created the bugs too! “Oh LORD, may we be honest and open in our prayers, our conversations with You? Thank You, for hearing, for caring, for listening and for loving us.” Did you get to splash a little color on your canvas today?

Gen. 17:2 says, “And Abraham fell on his face.” Abraham is 99 years old and the LORD appears before him and says, “I Am the Almighty God, (El Shaddai) walk before Me and be thou perfect.” (blameless) Then Abraham fell on his face and God talked with him. Prayer is a two-way street; we talk to God and He listens; God talks to us and we listen, or do we? We need to develop the lost art of listening in our prayer closets. “Abraham fell on his face!” Good position, humble, not kneeling, NO! Prostrate! Face in the dirt! He couldn’t get low enough before, El Shaddai! What a chapter, Gen. 17; Abram becomes Abraham; Sarai, becomes Sarah; circumcision is instituted, 700 years before the law; they are promised a son; Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90; and God’s covenant is re-established, WOW!

Notice, God does all the talking from v.1-17, then Abraham gets a word in edge-wise in v.18, seven words and then El Shaddai takes over again. Then when God is finished talking with Abraham in v.22, ‘He goes up.’ This was a face to face encounter with God. When was the last time God talked face to face with you? Then when was the last time you took God at His word literally? Abraham believed God and ‘IT’ was imputed unto him for righteousness! Believed! Amended! He said, AMEN! To God! God said it and that settled it! Amen God! When we pray, we need to be like Abraham and fall on our faces before El Shaddai and be still and ‘LISTEN’ to God. Got your brush out, paint this, let us meet God face to face on our faces! Here in Gen. 17:18 we have the first recorded prayer in the form of a father praying for his son, “And Abraham said, Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!” I believe Ishmael is a believer in the LORD and is lying on the ground right next to his father with his face in the dirt too. However, this was asking far more than God had offered to do, and he also received an immediate answer in v.20. A beautiful example of prayer for your children to God, El Shaddai, The Almighty God, The All Sufficient One; The Strengthener and Satisfier of His people; The One Who enriches and makes fruitful.

El Shaddai promises a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman that He would bless them and multiply them exceedingly and make them fruitful, v.16. This is the name used for for God primarily before the law on Mt Sinai; El Shaddai, The All Sufficient One; Then it was Jehovah the Self-Existent One. (YHVH) Job uses El Shaddai 31 times; so Job chronologically fits right here in Gen. 17. So Abraham met El Shaddai face to face, on his face and listened intently and spoke only briefly and probably wished he could take those seven words back, although they came from a father’s heart. “El Shaddai, Sustainer, Strengthener, Satisfier of all mankind; we believe your word and we say, Amen! To Your promises. LORD we seek Your will in this coming year, may You strengthen us, sustain us, and satisfy us. LORD teach us to cultivate the lost art of listening in our prayer closets and lives.” I trust you were able to mix a few pigments on your palette and apply a few brush strokes to your canvas on ‘Portraits of Prayer.’ We have some more palette work to do before we jump back into Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and the Matriarchs, so walk with me, “Between The Lines.”

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” ‘Some Missed Pigments’

Posted in Ancient Judaism, Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Family Altars, Friendship, Heart After God, Personal EGO "Edging God Out", Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer and Thanksgiving, Prayer Closet, Prayer Garden, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Scarlet Worm, Spirituality, Unbroken Fellowship, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Ishmael – Part #3

Posted on November 24, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

Ishmael is not the only one to learn this very valuable prayer principle. Many other ‘Giants of the Faith’ experienced this same eye opening, ‘Prayer Principle,’ but have you? That’s the real question! But before we camp out with some of these ‘Giants of the Faith’ briefly, let’s pitch our tent by a ‘Tamarisk Tree‘ with Abraham and get out our canvas and brushes. After Sodom’s destruction, Abraham moves his family from Mamre to Beer-Sheba, or actually south between Kadesh and Shur, later it is named Beer-Sheba, Gen. 21:31. After Abimelech and Abraham make an oath and Abraham gives Abimelech seven ewe lambs. Beer-Sheba means, ‘well of oath, or well of seven.’ (be-ayr and sheh-bah) the first word is a pit or well and the second word is the primary, cardinal number, seven.

In Gen. 26:23 Isaac goes to Beer-Sheba to live and builds an altar; Jacob in Gen. 28:10 leaves Beer-Sheba for uncle Laban, for a wife and stops in Beer-Sheba with his family on his way back to Egypt for a 400 year lay over. In Gen. 45:1-5 Jacob offers sacrifices, probably on the altar his father Isaac built. There is no mention that Abraham built an altar in Beer-Sheba. However, it was true that everywhere Abraham had a tent, God had an altar! In Gen. 21:12, God speaks to Abraham as he struggles with the decision to send Hagar and Ishmael away. His fellowship and communion with God were pure and unhindered, a true ‘Friend of God,’ something we all desire, or should desire.

Gen. 21:33, “And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-Sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.” Abraham plants a ‘Tamarisk Tree.’ Webster says, “The oriental tamarisk, is native to Arabia, Persia and the East Indies and is encrusted with salt, which is used by the natives and is sometimes called, the tamarisk salt tree.” Your Bible may say, “And Abraham planted a grove…” (ay-shel) tamarisk tree, Strong’s #815. He can’t build an altar, he is not in the promised land, so he plants a tree instead and calls on the name of the LORD, the ‘Everlasting God,’ (El Olam). A name which expresses the eternality of God, the eternal duration of the Being of God. The perpetual, eternal, continual, always there, without end God! Psalm 90:2. This name doesn’t just mean that He is everlasting but He is also, “GOD” over, everlasting things. Like His everlasting covenant to Noah, 9:16 & Abraham, 17:13; His everlasting possessions and promises, 17:8 & 48:4. That’s the GOD Abraham is calling upon; The GOD Everlasting; The GOD Eternal; The GOD Who always was, Who always is and Who always will be. The great, “I AM!” Ex. 3:14, (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) That’s his GOD! The GOD of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul, Peter, Roger, and your GOD!

Why did He plant a tree? A living thing, maybe he recognized God is the God of the living! An altar requires a sacrifice, and a sacrifice is dead. We, like Abraham, need to call on the name of the LORD, the ‘Everlasting GOD, ‘El Olam.’ The God who always was and always will be, ‘from everlasting to everlasting.’ The One Who gives to us ‘Everlasting Life or we choose Everlasting Hell.’ Abraham realizes after leaving Mamre – Fatness, and Hebron – Communion, to journey south in the Negev-dryness; after his lie to Abimelech; after he had to send his son and Hagar away; after his battles with Abimelech’s men; and after his wandering and journeying in the desert. He had to plant a tree and call on the ‘Everlasting God’ Who knows all and is always there. He is Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnificent. He’s here, He knows, He can do it, and if need be, He can create a new one! You also have a tree, planted on a hill, that brings everlasting life, it’s called, ‘Calvary!’

How about those other ‘Giants’ whose eyes were opened by a simple prayer. In Gen. 22:9-14 we have Abraham the friend of God and Isaac on Mt. Moriah. Abraham is about to slay Isaac when the ‘Angel of Jehovah’ calls out from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” In v.13 Abraham lifts his eyes and looks and behold, right behind him is a ram caught by his horns in a thicket. Where did it come from? When did it arrive? Was it there the whole time and they just didn’t see it, like Hagar and the well? Jehovah-Jireh, “The LORD will see to it ahead of time,” on Mt. Moriah. (Ra-ah to see & Yah-Jehovah). To see Jehovah! Yeshua/Jesus said in John 8:56-58 that, “Abraham rejoiced to see My day and he saw it.” If this wasn’t it, then when was it? An altar serves three purposes sacrifice, worship and prayer and we saw with Ishmael that, ‘Prayer opens our spiritual eyes so that we can see God’s provision.’ In Ex. 3:1 Moses is on the back side of the Midian desert alone. Yes, he has a few sheep but I believe he’s searching for God’s direction, praying, meditating alone and he comes upon Horeb, the mountain of God and a ‘Burning Bush.’ And the ‘Angel of the LORD’ appears to him in that ‘Burning Bush’ and says, “Draw not near here, put off your shoes, from off your feet, for the place where on you stand is holy ground.” Then he received his assignment, “Go tell Pharaoh, to let My people go!” His first response was, “Who am I?” What changed his mind, what opened his eyes, what changed a stuttering, stammering, sheep herder into a fearless, courageous, valiant leader? One word, Prayer!

In Josh. 5:13-15, Joshua is about to conquer the promised land, the people are circumcised, celebrating passover, and eating the grain of the land, because the manna had ceased. Joshua is meditating, praying for direction alone when the ‘Angel of Jehovah’ appears with His sword drawn. He tells Joshua the same thing He told Moses, “Take off your shoes, you are standing on holy ground.” Once again prayer and meditation opens Joshua’s eyes so he can see the LORD’s provision. In II Kings 6:17 Elisha is surrounded by the Syrian army and his servant is scared so Elisha prays for God to open his eyes so he can see that, they that are with Elisha are more than they that are with the Syrian army and He did. Once again, prayer opened his eyes to see God’s provision.

In I Chron. 21 David numbers the people and God sends a plague and kills 70,000 men due to David’s pride. The Angel of the LORD is about to strike Jerusalem with his sword drawn when David sees him. Why? Prayer, v.16 he and the elders are dressed in sackcloth, fasting and mourning for God’s mercy. Again, prayer opened their eyes to see God’s provision and hand. In Dan. 9, Daniel is praying for 21 days when the ‘Angel Gabriel’ comes to him at 3:00 PM the time of the evening offering, v.21. Only Daniel saw the vision, why? The length of prayer, the depth of prayer, the fact that he was fasting v.3, for three weeks and they were not? I don’t know, but I do know this, that God opened his eyes so he could see the angel like Ishmael, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and David. ‘Prayer Opens Our Eyes!’ In Luke 24 the two disciples on the road to Emmaus who walked and talked with Yeshua/Jesus did not recognize Him because their eyes were holden. It was after Christ took bread and blessed it and broke it that their eyes were opened. “After He Prayed!” Lk.24:31. Prayer opens our spiritual eyes so we can see God, their physical eyes saw a man!

So what did you learn from Ishmael, “God Shall Hear?” First; He loved his father; He obeyed his father; He honored his father; He trusted his father; He served his father; and He worshiped his father. There are many types in the Bible, but the only type of, ‘God The Father’ is Abraham, Ishmael’s father. So as ‘God shall hear’ honored, obeyed, trusted, loved, and worshiped his earthly father, so should we do likewise with our heavenly Father. Second; We learned that prayer, an address, entreaty or petition to God whether verbal or mental, in word or in thought opens our spiritual eyes so we can see God’s provision or answer to our request. If you can’t see clearly, pray and God will open your eyes. Whether it’s a well, a ram, a burning bush, a talking donkey, a flaming chariot, or an angel with a sword drawn. Listen, if He can open the eyes of Balaam’s donkey, He can open your eyes. Don’t make prayer difficult, it is simply talking to God like you talk to a friend, it’s a two-way street. You talk and He listens, then He talks and you listen and don’t forget that part. Listening is a lost art in prayer, lets find it and bring it back. “Between The Lines.”

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Ishmael Part #3

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“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” – Ishmael – Part #2

Posted on November 17, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

Now we need to look at the ‘Great Archer’s’ later life and draw some ‘Principles for Prayer’ from it. In Gen. 21 Isaac is born, Isaac is weaned at age three, and Sarah sees Ishmael laughing and casts out the bondwoman and her son. She never accepted Ishmael as her own, Never! Note Abraham’s response in Gen. 21:11, “And the thing was very (meh-ode) exceedingly grievous (yara – to tremble or quiver) in Abraham’s sight, because of his son!” He loved Ishmael very much and I believe he had an attachment to his mother Hagar, as well. Have you ever been grieved to the point of trembling and quivering? Not mad, grieved? I have and it is very unsettling. He is all shook up, but in v.12, God says, “Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad or because of the bondwoman…” It will be all right, he is thy seed and I God will make it right.

After assurance from God, Abraham sends them off early in the morning with a skin of water and a loaf of bread into the wilderness of Beer-Sheba. From riches to rags, from prince to a pauper, from caviar to bread crumbs. Do you think Ishmael was upset? Wouldn’t you be upset? And on top of all that they are lost in this desert wilderness, Gen. 21:14. The word wandered is (ta-ra) which means, ‘to err or to go astray, to be deceived, to stagger.’ His father is gone, his water is gone, his bread is gone, the road is gone, and his inheritance is gone. His brother got it all and he is sitting under a bush in the hot desert sun about to die. BUT his God, El Shaddai, is not gone! Remember, He is the one in v.12 that told Abraham to send them away. His mother, Hagar is a bow-shot away, and for the ‘Great Archer’ that is a long way off and she lifts up her voice and weeps or wails, (Bek-ah) to cry, shed tears, wail, weep bitterly, or mournfully.

What did Ishmael, ‘God Shall Hear” learn from his father, Abraham to do in a situation like this, when he was between a ‘Rock and a Hard Place,’ like Ur, Haran, Canaan, Egypt, Damascus, Bethel, Moriah, or Gerar? PRAY! V.17, “And God heard the voice of the lad…” (na-ar) from weaning to marraige. Not Hagar’s wailing; God heard Ishmael’s praying! The angel of God calls out from heaven, “What ails thee Hagar?” What is your problem? He saw her, in her affliction (anah) but He heard the lad, Ishmael in his prayer. Then He says to Hagar, “Fear Not!” Why? v.17, a second time, “For God has heard the voice of the lad where he is, ‘right there!” Not only did He hear him, He knew right where he was!

Now here is your ‘Principle for Prayer’ in v.19 and it is a BIG ONE! “And God opened her eyes , and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.” Listen, the well of water was there the whole time, they just could not see it. Abraham gave her a bottle, but God gave her a well! Amen? Listen, prayer opens our eyes so that we can see God’s provision. Let me repeat that, “Prayer Opens Our Eyes So That We Can See God’s Provision!” What does v.19 say, “And God opened her eyes and she saw…” When did He open her eyes? Listen, after Ishmael prayed, not after she wept, after the lad prayed! Then you move into vv. 20-21 and it says that God was with the lad and he grew and dwelt in the “Wilderness of Paran” and became a “Great Archer.” However, his mother took him a wife from Egypt. You can take the woman out of Egypt but you can’t take Egypt out of the woman.

This is not the end of Ishmael, he comes back with Isaac in Gen. 25:9 to bury his father Abraham with Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. Then in Gen. 25:17-18 we have a strange ending and I will take it literally, he is 137 years old, “and he gave up the ghost and died (mooth) and was gathered unto his people.” (Paradise) But v.18 says, “and he died (naw-fal) in the presence of all his brethren.” This other word speaks of a violent death; to fall in battle; to be attacked and killed. Some authors see it as dividing up the land, I don’t! Yeshua/Jesus said, “If you live by the sword (Peter), you will die by the sword.” In fact if you change the vowel points (napal) becomes (nepel) which is a miscarriage, or an untimely birth or an abortion. Remember in Gen. 16:12, God said this man would be a ‘Wild Man’ and his hand would be against every man and every man’s hand would be against him.

However, Ishmael leaves us one giant ‘Principle for Prayer,’ “Prayer Opens Our Spiritual Eyes To See God’s Provision.” Why pray? Because we are blind! Prayer gives sight to our eyes; direction to our hearts; taste to our mouths; smell to our nostrils; sound to our ears; touch to our finger tips; and life to our cold dead souls. Prayer is to our spiritual lives what breathing is to our physical lives. If you stop breathing you will die physically and if you stop praying you will also die spiritually, that is an incontrovertible fact. God’s will, God’s plan, God’s provision, God’s way of escape is no mystery but it is only seen through the eyes of prayer. In this case it was a Lad. How humbling! Imagine hearing God say, “What ails you mom or dad? I have heard the voice of your son or daughter, go fill your water bottle!” Prayer doesn’t conform God to our desires, it conforms us to His desires. It’s a shame we have to wander in the wilderness dieing of thirst when the spring of living water is just a prayer away. We need to teach our children very early ‘To Pray.’ Not just how to pray, or what to pray, or when, or where, but why we bother praying at all. Shhhhhh, Ishmael, “God Shall Hear!” That’s why! Psalm 65:2. “Between The Lines”

“Oh God, help us to be an example to our children. Help us to be men and women of prayer, so that we might teach our children and grandchildren to pray. LORD, teach us to pray, so that we might teach others to pray.” In Yeshua’s name we pray. Amen!

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Ishmael – Part #2

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“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” – Ishmael; Part # 1

Posted on November 14, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

The word or name ‘Ishmael’ or ‘Yi-Shama-El’ means, “God shall hear and answer!” His very name implies prayer, in fact Ishmael’s name is a monument of God’s goodness in answering prayer. Now, we could call him, ‘Ishmael the Bow-Hunter’ as Gen. 21:20 states, “He grew , and dwelt in the wilderness and became an archer.” However, the Hebrew word for Archer is (Qash-shat) which is the intensive form of (Qe-shet) for ‘Bow.’ (Qe-shet) is the weapon and (Qash-shat) is the wielder of that weapon; the Bow-Man; The Archer; The Shooter. Now you can not see it in the English, but in the Hebrew there are two words for ‘Archer.’ (Rabah) to become great and (Qash-shat) Bow-Man or Archer. So Ishmael was not just a bow-man, but a ‘Great Archer.’ Maybe the greatest archer that ever lived. Because the intensive Hebrew word for ‘Archer’ (Qash-shat) is used only one time in the Bible, right here and has the word (Rabah – Great or to become great) attached to it. He kind of reminds me of Legolas the Master Archer in ‘Lord of The Rings.’

So we have Ishmael, the first born of Abram, whose name means, “God shall hear” who becomes the greatest Archer that ever lived. Nobody else in the Bible has this title, nobody! He becomes the, “Annie Oakley’ of the Older Testament, and he dwells in the wilderness of Paran, ‘The Place of Caverns.’ His mother Hagar, gets him a wife from Egypt and he has 12 sons which become Arab chieftains, much like Isaac who has 12 sons which become tribal princes of Israel. By the way Ishmael is not the founder of the Arab nations, Joktan the son of Eber was. Ishmael just joined them and adopted their life style. Historians tell us a pure Arab race came from Joktan to Mohammed and a mixed Arab race came from Ishmael, but I am getting ahead of myself.

Hagar whose name means, ‘Flight’ runs away from Sarai her mistress in Gen. 16 and ‘The Angel of The LORD’ finds her by the well in the wilderness of Shur which she names, ‘Beer-La-Hai-Roi.’ ‘The well of Him who hears and sees me…” And He promises her a son named Ishmael, “God shall hear.” Why, because, Gen. 16:11 says, “The LORD heard thy affliction (anah).” Same word we find in Isa. 53:4 of our LORD’s suffering. We learned from Hagar, last time that ‘God hears, God cares and God sees’ us in our affliction, in our distress and in our dire needs. When we are between a rock and a hard place, but we want to look at her son’s life and draw some ‘Principles for Prayer’ from, ‘God Shall Hear’ to apply to our lives.

First let’s look at the, ‘Great Archer’s early life.’ Hagar returns to Sarai and submits and her son is born, whom Abram names Ishmael at the age of 86, Gen 16:15-16. In Gen. 17:1 Abram is 99 years old when the LORD appears to him, 14 years pass between those two verses. The LORD talks to him and says, “I am the Almighty God, ‘El Shaddai’ the ‘All-Sufficient God’ and Abram falls on his face, a good position. God then changes his name from ‘Abram – Exalted Father’ to, ‘Abraham – Father of Many Nations.’ Now, there are 27 verses in Gen. 17 and 21 deal with prayer and prayer is a two-way street. God talks you listen; you talk God listens, it’s that simple. Most Christians miss this point! Abraham is laying on his face before God as God is talking for 20 verses and Ishmael who is 13 years old now is probably lying on the ground right next to his exalted father. He is the apple of his father’s eye, the son of his old age who had become a Great Archer. God affirms His land covenant with Abraham and gives him circumcision as a sign between Him and the children of Israel. Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah, ‘Princess – Exalted Woman, or Noble Woman, and God tells Abraham that He will give him a son by Sarah.

Abraham falls on the ground again, laughs and asks if a child can be born to a man who is 100 and a woman who is 90. Gen. 17:17. Paul affirms this condition in Rom. 4:18-22. He said Abraham’s body was dead and so was Sarah’s womb. But I want you to note the gravity and the urgency of Abraham’s words in Gen:17:18, this is not a question, but a statement, “And Abraham said unto God, “Oh, that (Lu-I wish; If only) Ishmael might live before thee!” Before Thy face or before Thy presence! Note the exclamation point in your Bible! He is begging and pleading for Ishmael. Oh, how he loved the son of his old age, who doesn’t? Did, he doubt God? NO! Rom. 4:20 says he didn’t! He loved Ishmael and Ishmael loved him back. How much? Enough to let his father circumcise him at the age of 13, v.25 with a sharp stone. Now that is love, sharp or not! They shared this moment, this covenant together, father and son!

Question, do you think Ishmael believed in and loved the God of his father Abraham? Do you? El Shaddai promised to bless Ishmael, to make him fruitful, and to multiply him exceedingly, Gen. 17:20 at the age of 13, his Bar-Mitzvah, if you will! Ishmael is with Abraham in Gen 18 when the LORD and the two angels appear to his family and Abraham intercedes for Sodom. Listen, God reveals His plans to us, so we will intercede. Has He revealed His will to you? Then pray! Isa. 45:11. If not, then listen! I would say Ishmael is standing right next to his father in Gen. 19:28 as they watch the smoke ascending from the plains of Sodom while Lot and his two daughters escape. That’s why Abraham prayed! God is some what bound by our prayers, look at Lots life and Abimelech’s life, if Abraham doesn’t pray, Abimelech dies. God reveals His plans to us so we will intercede! Ishmael was with him in Gerar when his father lied about his 90 year old step-mother Sarah.

He is crushed at the birth of Isaac in Gen. 21. He lost his total inheritance at the age of 14 and was humbled when Isaac was weaned at the age of 17 and he mocked or laughed. (tsaw-khak) The same word used in Gen. 17:17; 18:12 where Abraham and Sarah laughed at the news of a child being born to them. This is the root word for (Yitzak) Isaac! Question, was Ishmael a God fearing, God honoring young man? I believe he was. Not only would he have learned to pray, worship, and sacrifice with his father but I’m sure he helped build those altars and gather those stones. A key passage for me in Ishmael’s up bringing is Gen. 18:19 where the LORD asks Abraham if He should hide anything from him? (Read It) What lessons have we learned so far from Ishmael’s early life that can help us in our spiritual walk or journey or in our prayer life? Other than, ‘Prayer being a two-way street; and God revealing His will to us so we can intercede? Listen, Ishmael loved his father; He obeyed his father; He honored his father; He trusted his father; He served his father; and He worshiped his father. Now apply that spiritually to your ‘Heavenly Father’ and watch what happens. “Between The Lines”

“Father, please teach us to listen twice as much as we talk in our prayer time and maybe, just maybe we might accomplish a whole lot more. Thank You, for what we have learned from, “God Shall Hear” yet we have so much more to learn, so teach us.” In ha Shem Yeshua! Amen!

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Ishmael – Part # 1

Posted in Ancient Judaism, Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Family Altars, Friendship, Heart After God, Olivet Ministries International, Personal EGO "Edging God Out", Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer and Thanksgiving, Prayer Closet, Prayer Garden, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Scarlet Worm, Spirituality, Unbroken Fellowship, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” (Hagar – Part # 3)

Posted on November 11, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

“Ishmael’s International Influence Begins” Gen. 16:11-12. The first Son-A-Gram, Hagar knew she was pregnant but not with what! He will be a ‘Wild Man” in Hebrew, “A wild (pere – wild ass of a man – adom).” Untrainable, unattainable, untouchable, and untameable! “And his hand shall be against every man and every man’s hand shall be against him.” It’s no different today, fight, fight, fight! The only thing that unites Arabs is a common enemy like the Jewish people! The Sunnis fight the Sunnis and the Shiites fights fight the Shiites and the Sunnis fight the Shiites and they both fight their own clans and tribes and the Goi’im and especially the Jews and the ‘Great Satan – America.’ “He shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” Pitch his tent among them but remain independent. Listen, trying to conquer a bunch of nomadic Arabs in tents is like trying to count the stars in the sky. We will pick up on Ishmael next time in Gen. 21. Suffice it to say he was the progenitor of the Arabs, the traditional enemies of the Jewish people and the child of Abraham and Sarah’s lapse into unbelief. Moreover, Islam founded by Mohammed, who descended from Ishmael, is perhaps closest to Christianity and the hardest to penetrate with the Gospel of Christ, because it is a way of life.

Hagar names the well or fountain where ‘The Angel of The Lord’ found her, “Beer-La-Hai-Roi” Gen. 16:13-16. “The Well Of Him Who Lives And Sees Me.” In my affliction; In my distress; In my predicament; In my present situation; You see Hagar’s extremity became Jehovah’s opportunity! Does yours become His? Not only has He seen me but v.13, “Have I also seen Him, that sees me?” Sounds like Jacob on the river of Peniel in Gen. 32. Where did Hagar learn to pray? In Egypt or at Abraham’s family altars? She named the well, “The well of the One who lives and sees me!” Amen? He is interested in me , personally! WOW! If He heard the cries of an Egyptian handmaid , I’m sure He will hear the cries of an adopted child of His. It has been said, “Prayer knows no language but a cry.” Hagar offered a heart felt cry in the hour of her deep need. Hagar’s need was prayer and God met her in her wilderness by a well or spring of water. Isn’t that Christ’s invitation to us in John 7:37, “If any man thirsts let him come unto Me and drink…” It’s not a question of God’s ability to quench, it is a question of our desire to be quenched. Are you thirsty? Are you really, really thirsty? How thirsty? Willing to kneel and dip both hands in the water and drink till you are satisfied?

The most difficult journey has a beautiful, refreshing climax when the goal is God. Harsh treatment gave birth to a beautiful principle in vv.13-14, “The God who lives and sees me.” In our affliction, in our deepest need, even when we can only cry in our soul and not pray audibly, God hears your affliction. Only God can hear affliction, we can feel it, sense it, see it, and hear about it, but only God can hear our affliction. Meditate on that principle! What is your real need, your real heart felt need at this very moment? I believe it is the prayer God will hear and the one He will answer. Are we fleeing from our affliction, our harsh circumstances, our trials or testings? I hope you stop by the well long enough to take a drink, to inbibe, to hear His voice, to listen to His instruction, He hears those cries of your heart, even if they are not uttered. After all He lives inside of you, your body is His temple if you have been born-again into His family and adopted as His child!

Gen. 16:15, “Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called his son’s name whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. And Abram was 86 years old…” This is very important, Abraham is 86 when Ishmael is born, because he is 100 when Isaac is born and 103 when Isaac is weaned making Ishmael 17-18 in Gen, 21 when he and Hagar depart for the second time, not 4 or 5 years old as many believe. He was the ‘Apple of Abraham’s Eye’ for 14 years and a thorn in Sarah’s flesh for three more years. I am sure he got to know the God of his father Abraham in a very special, personal, intimate way. Hunting, herding, building altars, sacrificing, worshiping, praying, etc. But that’s for another chapter.

What can we learn about prayer from ‘Hagar The Egyptian?’ When we cry out in the midst of our affliction, God hears and God sees and God cares and that’s a comfort. God knows where we are at all times, in the desert, by the well, on the road to Egypt, or on the very edge of going over. Confession and Repentance are the keys to Restoration and God’s blessings. ‘Return is the way of victory, not retreat’ and you can’t run from your problems. ‘Divine Blessings’ are the result and fruit of our human obedience. ‘Why Pray? Ishmael – God Hears;’ ‘Why Call On God? Ishmael – God Hears;’ ‘Why Go To Church? Ishmael – God Hears;’ Why Go To Prayer Meeting? Ishmael – God Hears;’ What a beautiful name, ‘Ishmael – God Hears.’

Hagar saw the God who sees us and cares, have you? Where do you see Him, by the fountain of living water in John 7:37 or in the living ‘Word of God.’ Hagar learned a lot in trying to run from her problems, from her master’s God, from her situation and affliction. But three things seem to stand out; One – She learned that God shall hear and even named her son, ‘God shall hear; Two – She also learned that the God who hears her is also the God who lives and sees her in every situation and named the well ‘Beer-La-Hai-Roi;‘ Third – She learned that the God who hears is also the God who cares. What did you learn from Hagar today regarding your prayer life? “Between The Lines”

“Oh LORD, may the real needs and cries of our hearts be lifted up to You this day. May You hear our afflictions, only You know exactly what we need and what our families need. You are El Roi, the God-Who-Lives-And-Sees-Us. Oh LORD, quench our thirst! In Yeshua/Jesus name. Amen!

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Hagar – Part # 3

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“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” (Hagar – Part – # 2)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

In Gen. 16:7, we find that the ‘Angel of the LORD’ finds Hagar. Although God knew where Hagar was all the time, Amen? He wasn’t really looking for her, He knew where she was. The word ‘Found – mat-sa, means to appear, exist, come forth, meet, or be present.’ He just made His presence noticeable, that’s all. He is omnipresent! He was there when she was born, purchased, conceived and ran. He found her by the fountain of water, in the wilderness, running for home and running from her problems. Hmmmm? Question, are you running from your problems and in a real sense running from God? Or are you just wandering in the wilderness today? Did He really find her or did Hagar finally find God? The God of Abraham, her master? Obvious my dear Watson, isn’t it?

Where was Hagar when the ‘Angel of the LORD’ revealed His presence? “By a fountain of water in the wilderness?” Or, “By the fountain in the way to Shur?” v.7 The word ‘Shur‘ means wall and was on the very edge of Canaan before entering Egypt. In other words she was on the very edge of no return! One More Step! She was that close! Moses entered Shur after crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 15:22. Saul and David fought the ‘Ge-Shur-ites’ and Amalakites there. The Angel of The LORD found Hagar by the living water, a gurgling, babbling, bubbling spring. This word fountain (ayin) is used as a symbol of the LORD’s power to refresh. A flow of water from an opening in the hillside, in the desert. Ahhhh!

God my friend searches for you, but not until we are lost! He feeds your starving soul, but not until you are hungry! He quenches your ardent thirst, but not until you are parched! God will make His presence known to you only when you realize and recognize your desperate, destitute condition and need! When you stick up you hand and call out, “Help Me!” The ‘Angel of the LORD’ found Hagar, in the wilderness, right next to the living water, running from God’s perfect will. What a picture of believers today! Question, did He find you today? In the wilderness or in your closet? In the desert or in your garden? By the coffee machine or by your fountain of living water? Did you hear His voice this morning before the cock crowed or did the alarm clock wake you?

Don’t you just love God’s probing questions when you are in flight? v.8 “Hey Hagar, where are you coming from, better yet where are you going?’ You are on the edge, My child and about to step over the line and fall off the cliff!” Listen, God is not only omnipresent, He is also omniscient. He knows everything about everyone. Then why did He ask? Ahhh? Confession, Achan is good for the soul, gives glory to God, Joshua 7:19 and is part of the restoration process. Remember, we confess our sins to God, and our faults to the Brethren. Hey, Hagar where are you going? “To be honest, I am running away from my problems! I’m being beaten, afflicted, dealt with hardly. You understand God you are omniscient. You would not want that right?” WRONG! I want you to return and submit (anah), Hagar. Same word for affliction under Sarah’s hands. Oi Gevault! Sometimes life, the Christian life, is just hard for no apparent reason at all. This is the same word you find in Isa. 53:4 with our LORD on the cross. “Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted (anah).” Listen, compared to Christ, on that cross, your problem is Diddly! Return and Submit, this is insane! No it is God’s perfect will in this case. He found her v.7; He restored her v.8; He returned her v.9; WHY?

So, He could bless her! v.10, Obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings confusion, chaos, and curses. (Lev. 26 and Deut. 27). v.10, “I will multiply (rabah) your seed exceedingly (rabah) it shall not be numbered for multitude (rab).” Sounds a lot like Eph. 3:20, “Now unto Him Who is able to do exceedingly (rabah), abundantly (rabah) above (rab) all that we ask or think…” He gave her a promise v.10, His pledge, “I will multiply thy seed.” The seed or semen comes from the male. God not only knows where we are and why we are there but he knows who we are and what we can and will become. He had to do this because of His promise to Abraham in Gen. 15:5 to make Abraham’s seed like the stars of heaven. Not Sarah’s, not Hagar’s, Abraham’s. Can you number the Arabs today, plus the Jews? Can you? Try it! Over one billion and counting as fast as you can, 24 hours a day, it would take you 18 years to count to one billion. Take time out to sleep, eat and for personal hygiene and now its up to 30 years and they are at 1.25 billion. Question, does God keep His word? All The Time!

He found her in the wilderness! He restored her to fellowship! He returned her to His purpose and will! He blessed her with Divine blessings! WOW! God said it! That settles it! I believe it! Now watch this, ‘Principle For Prayer’ in v.11, ‘The Angel of The LORD’ speaks for the third time, “Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard thy affliction.” You shall call his name ‘Ishmael’ or ‘Ye-Shama-El’ which means ‘God Shall Hear.’ Why? “Because the LORD has heard (shama) thy affliction.” Shama! Means to hear, to listen, and to obey. Deut. 6:4 is referred to, for Jewish People, as ‘The Shema’ and prayed daily. Shema means, to hearken, to hear and then to do something about it. Did the LORD hear Hagar’s cries of affliction? He says He did! Does He hear yours? Psalm 65:2 says He does! Listen, God not only hears, but He cares, I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” So, why pray? Because God hears and because God cares! And his name shall be called ‘Ishmael – God shall hear.’ I like that! Because ‘El-Shama means God-Heard.’ “Between The Lines”

“Father, no matter how hard, how bad, how difficult, how terrible, things may seem, may we stand at the foot of the cross and look up and remember all that your Son went through for us and never forget that You never forget. Compared to His anah our anah is nothing! Please, forgive us for even bringing it to mind and burdening You with such trivia. We love You, thank You for finding us by the well of Shur, before we took that final step. In ha Shem Yeshua, we pray. Amen!”

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Hagar – Part # 2

Posted in Ancient Judaism, Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Family, Family Altars, Friendship, Heart After God, Personal EGO "Edging God Out", Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer and Thanksgiving, Prayer Closet, Prayer Garden, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Scarlet Worm, Spirituality, Unbroken Fellowship, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” (Hagar – Part #1)

Posted on November 4, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

“You Are The God Who Sees!” Gen. 16:1-16. Hagar knew about the God of Abraham but she also had a pagan background pulling her back to Egypt, Mizraim. Ishmael I believe, knew and believed in the God of his father Abraham. He hunted with him, built altars with him, offered sacrifices with him, prayed with him and lived with him for 14 years before his first flight. His father’s love for him was strong but his biological mother’s influence over him was stronger and he finally took an Egyptian wife. As you look through Genesis you find some very interesting characters. From many we have learned some tremendous principles for prayer and I hope you are applying some of them to your prayer life.

From Adam, ‘The Garden Tiller’ we learned he knew, “The Place, the Voice, The Time and he came, Bare-Naked.” From Enoch, ‘The God-Pleaser’ we learned, “Faith, Believing, and Persistence,” and that without faith it’s impossible to please God but without risk faith is impossible. From Noah, ‘The Ship Builder,’ we learned, “Grace, Righteousness and Integrity,” ethically, judicially and theocratically. Abraham, ‘The Family Altar Builder,’ gave us, “Prayer, Sacrifice and Worship.” Then Mt. Moriah explained the, ‘Prayer of Faith’ in a new and living way: The test of true faith – ‘Total Surrender,’ I Surrender All; The fruit of true faith – Total Obedience – Trust and Obey; The result of true faith was – Total Provision – Jehovah-Jireh; The lesson seen on Mt. Moriah was that prayer spoken on, “Faith Based Initiative” 🙂 opens our spiritual eyes to see God’s provision. However, Abraham is not the first one to show us this, Ishmael was.

Now we come to a woman, an Egyptian woman, a pagan woman, the possession or property of Abraham’s wife Sarah, ‘Hagar the Handmaid!’ The name Hagar is of Semitic origin not Egyptian. Maybe she was given this name after she ran, in fact the three letter Hebrew root (hey, gimmel, resh) means ‘to flee’ and is also found in the Arabic name for Mohammed’s famous flight, ‘The Hegira.’ Her name which means flight is found three times in the Bible; Gen. 16:1-16, ‘Pregnant and running from God;’ Gen. 21:9-21, ‘Pathetic and running into God;’ Gal. 4:21-31, ‘Prophetic and running for God,’ You can preach that! Genesis 16 is a short chapter with only 16 verses and it breaks down into three equal parts; Sarah’s Stupidity, vv.1-5; Hagar’s Haste, vv. 6-10; and Ishmael’s Influence, vv. 12-16.

Sarah is about 75, barren, and childless. Abraham is about 85. They have been married almost 60 years and she is getting a little desperate and beginning to distrust God and His promises to her husband, so she gave him Hagar, her handmaid whom she picked up in Egypt, as a wife until she bore a child. This was legal in that time and culture and still practiced today in some cultures. The ancient Rabbis teach that Hagar comes back as Keturah in Gen. 25: after Sarah dies and bears Abraham six more sons. Anyway Abraham consents unto Sarah’s wish and has relations with Hagar, dummy, and she conceives! Sounds like Gen. 3:12, “Want a bite?” Remember I Tim. 2:14-15 says, ‘Adam was not deceived only Eve, Adam knew what he was doing.’ So did Abraham, and Israel’s trouble starts here, with the expansion of the Arab nations. Joktan the son of Eber was the founder of Arabia, Mohammed and that whole lineage.

Sarah wants sons for two reasons: One – because of social pressure in the ‘Far East.’ Many sons equaled honor, influence and strength. (Every father wants a son, but needs a daughter) Two – It is every Jewish mother’s dream to bear Israel’s Messiah; Gen. 3:15; Ezra 9:2; Isa. 7:14; Mal. 2:15. The problem is, she has to be and remain a virgin until she delivers the child Isa. 7:14 and the moment she conceives, in fact has sexual relations she is no longer a virgin. Abraham was told three times that he would have a son and the last time he was told that his heir would be his son. Hagar is only his wife until she conceives. This is still a practice today in some far eastern countries. They are surrogate mothers, and Hagar’s child would legally be Sarah’s. Legend also says that Hagar was one of Pharaoh’s daughter’s, making Ishmael half Egyptian and half Jewish. Oh, how the plot thickens.

Hagar conceives in v.4 and immediately Sarah is despised in her eyes or lightly esteemed or of little account. So Sarah immediately passes the buck back to Abraham in v.5, “My wrong be upon thee…the LORD judge between me and thee.” You got a problem, blame your spouse! It worked for Adam in the garden, “The woman You gave me!” So, Sarah thought she would give it a shot here. However, Abraham read the same book and hands it, “Right back at you,” in v.6 “Behold, (there’s our railroad sign) (hin-ne) thy maid is in thy hand, do to her as it pleaseth thee.” Now be careful here, the phrase,”as it pleaseth thee” in Hebrew is (ayin tov) an idiom for ‘a good eye, a generous eye,’ not a ‘stingy eye’ (ayin ra’ah) Be kind, be generous, be benevolent to Hagar. Now look at Matt. 6:19-23 in light of this principle, the context is your treasures in heaven in regards to giving. The evil eye in Matt. 6:23 is a stingy eye or person, the healthy eye or good eye is a generous person. But what does Sarah do, she beats Hagar, afflicts her, oppresses her, and bruises her. Hagar is treated badly by a child of Jehovah; not good! So what did Hagar do? She fled, ran for her life! Remember, Hagar means flight, and she was on the first flight to, Shur! The wilderness of Shur, that is.

Hagar runs from her situation right into the, ‘Angel of the LORD.’ The ‘Messenger of Jehovah’ a Theophany or Christophany. A visible manifestation of the invisible God. Sounds like Heb. 1:3. By the way this never happens in the Newer Testament, never! The Angel of the LORD is none other than ‘Jesus, The Christ’ appearing to mankind in a physical form, vv. 7,9,10,11, four times in one chapter, WOW! The first time is here Gen. 16:7 to Hagar; Second time Mt Moriah Gen. 22:11 to Abraham; Third time Ex. 3:2 to Moses in the Burning Bush. Now we are looking for ‘Prayer Principles.’ “And the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.” Meditate on that verse until the next time we meet, ‘And the angel of the LORD found her by the fountain.’ “Between The Lines”

“Father, help us as we meditate upon these words to draw from your fountain, water that will refresh our sin parched, thirsty souls. Renew a right spirit within us. O, God, establish our ways, set our feet upon a rock and guide us in the way everlasting.” In ha Shem Yeshua’s name. Amen!

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” (Hagar – Part # 1)

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis’ (Mt. Moriah – Part #4)

Posted on November 1, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

As I said, Gen.22:8 is one of the most prophetic, if not the most prophetic verse in all of the Bible: “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” In English you don’t see the profound impact of this verse and the peace that came over Isaac that allowed him to continue walking up Mt. Moriah with his father because of his father’s answer. I was studying the Torah in a synagogue with several Jewish people, the teacher was Dr, Rabbi Peter Grumbacher and when we came to this verse I asked him, “Can this verse be translated, “My son, God will provide Himself AS a lamb for a burnt offering.?” (emphasis mine) He looked at it for awhile and finally looked up and said, “Yes, the word himself is a reflexive pronoun and can or should be translated, ‘God will provide Himself as a lamb for a burnt offering.’ It would be a good idea to add that little two letter word in the margin of your Bible. Now you can see John 1:29 in a much clearer light when John the Baptizer stood in the Jordan River and declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away, the sin of the world.” Notice the definite articles, ‘The Lamb, The Sin, The World.” The absence of the definite article qualifies, but the presence of the definite article identifies. Then again in John 1:36, John the Baptizer states it again to two of his disciples, “Behold, the lamb of God.”

In Gen. 22:9 Abraham builds an altar and Isaac, his son, allows him to bind him and lay him on that altar. Isaac is not 12 years old as many believe. Do the math, he is 37 and his father is 137. He could have easily over powered him but he willingly laid down his life, trusting his father’s will and word. In v.10 Abraham lifts his hand with a knife in it to slay his son, whom he loved. Listen, I don’t care if he is 7, 17, 27, 37, or 107 he had such trust and confidence in his father and in his father’s will that he allowed him to bind him and put him on that altar. In fact he helped him build it and he carried the wood up the mountain. How many of us would allow our father’s to tie us up and light a fire under us? Yet some of us could use a little fire under us at times! Amen? Don’t be to quick to judge your kids, Dad, and put them on the altar. How many of your kids would let you put them on the altar? Do your children have that kind of trust in you, in your life and your walk, your words, your will, your wisdom and your love for them? Would they carry the wood up the mountain and help you build an altar and let you bind them (Akeda)? How is your ‘Family Altar?’ I am speaking to myself here as well. I would have given anything to have heard my father pray one time, just one time!

There are two very important principles here regarding prayer, remember without FAITH we are absolutely powerless to please God! The first principle is this; The test of true faith is in its willingness and readiness to abandon all and devote all to God. “Take now thy son.” YES LORD! The second principle is this; The fruit of true faith is in its willing obedience to the explicit commands of God. (To obey is better than sacrifice…) Listen, the test of FAITH, is total surrender; But; The fruit of FAITH is total obedience. Remember Heb. 11:6, “Without faith, (total surrender) it is impossible to please God… you must believe (total obedience) that He is and that…” Listen, ‘Trust and Faith’ are nouns; ‘Obey and Believe’ are verbs, action words and they have the dynamic, propelling power of verbs! The test, trust Him implicitly! The fruit, obey Him explicitly!

Now we come to the LORD’s provision for Abraham, Gen. 22:11-19, “And the angel of YHWH Jehovah called unto unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.” Seven times in Scripture you have this repetition of names, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, Martha, Peter, Paul; an interesting study. But why the urgency in the Angel of The LORD’s voice here? The knife is coming down! Abraham turns and there is a Ram (ah-yil not a lamb sey) caught in the thicket by his horns and he becomes the offering for Isaac. Abraham calls the place, ‘Jehovah-Jireh‘ (The LORD will provide ahead of time) or Yehovah-Yireh. Jireh has the same Hebrew root as Moriah (ra-ah to see) The LORD will see to it; The LORD will take care of it. I love the end of v.14, “In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”

The ram was already there, why didn’t they see it? Maybe their eyes were on the fog and not on God? Maybe the weight of the test was so heavy they could not see? Maybe the Angel of the LORD put it there at the last second? Maybe we just don’t know? Many times God’s blessings, God’s answers, God’s way of escape is right in front of us or behind us and we can’t see it. In v.5 they are worshiping; in v.9 they are sacrificing; and I am sure in v.10 they are both praying before he slays Isaac. Here is the third ‘Prayer Principle;’ “Prayer opens our eyes so we can see God’s provision or His answer.” That is why Satan does not want you or your Church to get serious about prayer. Listen, after you have prayed, ‘Turn Around’ v.13 and see if your Ram or answer is caught in the thicket by its horns. The Test of Faith, ‘Total Surrender!’ The Fruit of Faith, ‘Total Obedience!’ The Yield of Faith. ‘Total Provision!’ The Result of Faith, ‘Answered Prayer!’ It’s that simple! “Between The Lines”

Father ‘Increase Our Faith” as we approach the coming day when the trumpet will sound, the clouds will part and Your Son will return, our faith wavers. You said to Peter, ‘Oh thou of little faith’ after he walked on water. How small is ours when we can’t stand on a puddle. Lord, ‘give more to us faith.’ You said if our faith was like a mustard seed we could say to a mountain, ‘Move’ and it would move and we can’t even move a paper clip. LORD, please increase our faith. In Your Son’s holy name we pray. Amen!”

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Mt. Moriah – Part #4)

Posted in Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Family, Family Altars, Friendship, Heart After God, Personal EGO "Edging God Out", Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer and Thanksgiving, Prayer Closet, Prayer Garden, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Scarlet Worm, Spirituality, Unbroken Fellowship, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” (Mt. Moriah – Part #3)

Posted on October 28, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did test Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.” Gen. 22:1. There is an immediate and ready response from Abraham, “Behold! Here, I am!” (hin-ne – a particle of interjection in Hebrew) Or an idiom, “Behold, Me!” or “Here I am!” The word here is in italics added for clarification by the translators. Anytime you have the word ‘Behold’ in your Bible you need to put an, RXR (for a railroad crossing sign in your Bible margin) When you come to a railroad crossing sign there are three words around it, ‘Stop, Look, Listen.’ So, when we come to this word in our Bibles we need to ‘Stop’ then we need to ‘Look’ all around and notice the context, then we need to ‘Listen’ to what the ‘Holy Spirit’ is trying to teach us, this is very important. Abraham says, “Behold, here I am!” three times in this chapter. Here in v.1 to God; in v.7 to Isaac; and in v.11 to the Angel of Jehovah.

Then God gives Abraham a command that would shake any saints foundation no matter how strong he or she was! “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” v.2 I don’t know about you but I can’t fathom that! Bible critics for ages have asked how God could demand a human sacrifice, like Jephthah’s daughter in Judges 11, but they miss the point, God did not let Abraham make a human sacrifice, nor did He intend to. Now Jephthah’s vow was rash and stupid. Listen, what God wanted was a living sacrifice not a dead one. Rom. 12:1-2. He wanted Abraham not Isaac, Isaac’s day was coming; Oh yes, the twins (Jacob & Esau) but this was Abraham’s day and Abraham’s test.

Listen, the real test, of real faith, is in its willingness and readiness to abandon all and devote all to God. ‘ALL!’ And that my friend is a ‘Principle for Prayer.’ Go and offer up thy god! (little g-o-d) son; daughter; car; boat; finances; butts; beer; wine; whatever! What is your little g-o-d? God wants you to take it up to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice it to Him as a whole burnt offering, all of it, today, right now! Security, home, retirement, job, hobby, or lack there of. Are you listening, are you paying attention, or just skim reading? The real test of real faith is in its willingness and readiness to abandon all and devote all to God! (BIG, G-O-D!) because without faith, real faith, true faith, genuine faith you are absolutely powerless (adunatos) to please GOD, so why even Pray?

God did not tell Abraham the reason for His command, neither does He always explain the reason behind the things He tells you and I to do. Amen? That’s why we need to keep singing that old hymn, “Trust and Obey.” Abraham’s response to God’s instructions is seen in Gen. 22:3-10. Notice v.3, Abraham didn’t hesitate or call a committee meeting or throw out a fleece three our four times, read his horoscope, or check his tarot cards. He woke up early, saddled his ass, took his son and went. Sometimes we deliberate too long, sometimes we just need to step out of the darn boat. It was his business to obey, it was God’s business to work out the details. Amen? And it is no different in your life and mine today! v.4 They arrive on the third day, interesting, Christ arose on the third day, never after the third day, always on the third day! (check it out) The parallels between this event and Jesus going to Calvary are amazing, to similar to be coincidental.

I love v.5, Abraham says to his young men, “Abide here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you.” (Prayer – Worship – Sacrifice) Watch this, “and come again to you” in Hebrew “and we will come back to you.” If he is going to kill Isaac, how is he coming back with him? Abraham believed God would resurrect Isaac from the dead. Heb. 11:17-19, “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which also he received him in a figure.” This was a profound expression of Abraham’s faith, Abraham believed God! (PERIOD!) YES LORD! That’s Faith! If you are saved there are two words you can never say in the same sentence, “No LORD!” Because if He is in fact your LORD, your can never tell Him, No! NEVER! By the way, look at v.19, “So Abraham returned unto his young men and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba;” You don’t see it in the English but in the Hebrew, Isaac is not with Abraham. Abraham says, “Let’s you and I return to Beer-sheba;” and they did. The ancient Rabbi’s claim five verses later Sarah saw Abraham and the two servants returning from Mt. Moriah without Isaac the son of her old age and had a heart attack and died at the age of 127. (speculation) Isaac stays on Mt. Moriah with the Angel of Jehovah and you don’t see him again until he takes a wife, Rebekah in Gen. 24:63.

In Gen. 22:6 Abraham takes the fire and the knife and lays the wood for the sacrifice on his son Isaac’s shoulder’s and they begin their ascent up Mt. Moriah. You can almost feel Abraham’s heart pounding in his chest and then in v.7 his son asks the inevitable question, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb (sey- small sheep or goat) for a burnt offering?” I don’t think Abraham told him, do you? Would you if the tables were turned? So this is a complete surprise to Isaac, and v.8 is probably one the most prophetic verses in the Bible if not the most prophetic, “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering; so they went both of them together.” “Between The Lines”

“Father as we come into Your presence and lay our all on the altar of sacrifice, we beseech you in the name of Your blessed Son Yeshua to lean down Your ear and hear. We are unworthy to enter your throne room, but come through the blood of Calvary. We know that without faith we are absolutely powerless to please You, so we pray with your disciples, ‘Lord, give more to us faith, increase our faith, strengthen our faith, build our faith.’ In Jesus name and for His sake. Amen!

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Mt. Moriah – Part – # 3

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“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” (Mt. Moriah – Part #2)

Posted on October 22, 2011 by The Scarlet Worm

Abraham’s spiritual life was marked by one crisis after another and each one drew him nearer to God and increased his prayer life, do they yours? In Gen. 12:1-3, God called him to leave his home, his country, his kindred, and his family which he loved and his father died in Haran making him ‘The Family Patriarch.’ So what does he do, he builds an altar in Bethel Gen. 12:8, “the house of God.” In Gen. 13:1-8, God calls him to separate from Lot his nephew, his kinsman and fellow believer whom he loved. So what does he do, he builds an altar in Hebron, near Mamre Gen. 13:18 (Communion & Fatness) In Gen. 21:10-11 God calls him to lay aside his plans for Ishmael, his 14 year old son whom he dearly loved and send him away. So what does he do, he builds an altar in Beer-sheba, Gen. 21:33, “the well of seven oaths.” In Gen. 22:1-14 God calls him to surrender his only beloved son Isaac, the son of promise, the son of his old age, whom he and Sarah loved. So what does he do, he builds an altar on Mt. Moriah, Gen. 22:9 (Jehovah-Jireh)

What do you do when God calls you to give up something or someone you love very much? Cry, throw a fit, get depressed, step out of the circle, take drugs, get drunk, quit, what? What should you do? Build an altar and ‘Pray, Sacrifice and Worship.’ Job 1:21, “The LORD gives and the LORD takes away, blessed be the name of the LORD.” What was Job’s wife’s name, anybody know? How about Lot’s wife, hmm! We know from Gen. 17:17-19 that God promised Sarah age 90 and Abraham age 100 a son Isaac named, ‘Laughter.’ So, Sarah is 90 when she gives birth to Isaac and 127 in Gen 23:1 when Abraham returns from offering Isaac on Mt. Moriah. (do the math) So how old is Isaac when Abraham binds him and puts him on the altar? (37) What seemed impossible in their old age happened, Sarah gave birth at 90 and nursed Isaac, Gen. 21:7 and this would be the key to Abraham’s future. Thirty seven years pass in Genesis 21. Isaac would have sons and those sons would have sons and from one of their offspring would come the Messiah. One by Whom all the Nations of the world would be blessed; Jesus The Christ, Gal. 3:16.

Can you imagine the shock to Abraham and Sarah when God told him to take his only beloved son, the son of promise and sacrifice him on Mt. Moriah as a burnt offering to God? Gen. 22:2. She is now 127 and he is 137 years old. A ‘Burnt Offering’ was a total sacrificial offering, all of it was offered by fire. All Of It! Listen, a burnt offering was of man’s voluntary free will and it was acceptable by God for atonement. That is what God was asking His ‘FRIEND’ to do! Listen only a Friend, can ask a Friend to sacrifice! Amen? And Abraham was a true Friend of God! John 15:15 says, “Henceforth, I call you not servants, for the servant knows not what the lord does, but I have called you friends…” We sing it, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear…”we mouth it, we pray it, but do we believe it? Better yet do we live it?

Gen. 22:2 says, “Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest…” This is the first time in the Bible we have the word ‘Love.’ It is the Hebrew word (ahab or ahav) and means to love, love, lover, lovest. In Hebrew the aleph means ox or strength and the bet means house and when put together they spell ‘AB’ or father or ‘the strong one of the house.’ When you put the Hebrew ‘hey’ in the middle to get (ahav-love, lover) it means, “the heart of the Father.” Isa. 41:8 says, “But thou Israel, art My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.” (ahav-lover) Abraham My friend, My lover, Whom I lovest. Our word ‘Friend’ comes from the old English word ‘Freond’ – to love, attached to another by affection. We use this word to loosely, Jesus used it to be my Friend, someone who loves me and is attached to me by affection. Why because He died for me, to set me free from the prison of sin.

God tested His friend’s loyalty, sincerity and faith. God did not tempt Abraham, He tested him. To tempt is to appeal to the worst in a man, desiring him to yield to the wrong. To test is to appeal to the best in a man hoping that he will endure the trial and benefit by it. Satan tempts to bring about evil, God tests to bring about good. James 1:13, “Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempts He any man.” God did not bring Abraham to this test to determine whether or not Abraham would obey Him. NO! God is omniscient, He knows ever thing, He knew in advance that Abraham would obey! He knew it! Then why did He allow it? For the same reason He allows you and I to go through the waters, fires, trials and tribulations of life. There is a “Principle For Prayer” here. Listen, the purpose of this experience was not to enlighten the LORD, it was to enrich Abraham’s prayer life! God knows how it is going to come out in the end, He wrote the Book, but you and I need the experience in order to be assured and better prepared for the rough places in life. Listen, there is nothing happening in your life right now that God is not fully aware of or not totally in control of. NOTHING! You got that, Nothing! You are a King’s kid! He knows every hair on your head, He counts them so I’m sure He is aware of your mortgage, your job, your marriage, your cancer, your operation, your decision, you bills, whatever! Is He your Friend, your ‘Freond’ or just an acquaintance? Hos. 6:3 “Between The Lines”

“Father, we desire more than life itself to be Your friend, but we are so unworthy to claim that title even though we are Your children by adoption through the shed blood of Your only begotten Son. Though we cry out Abba Father many times we feel like orphans and not Your heirs, forgive our sins, cleanse our souls, renew a right spirit within us that we may seek Your face; humble our hearts and heal our land.” In the name of Your Son Yeshua/Jesus we pray. Amen!

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis” Mt. Moriah – Part #2