GENESIS- ABRAHAM THROUGH JACOB

My what a wonderful day we had at Church yesterday!  It was a blessing!  God was so good to us in so many ways.  We had a great crowd, saw five baptized from our Spanish Church, had two families join our church, and Dr. Raymond Barber was our guest preacher all day long, and what a blessing he was!  God was so good to us! Today, I'm in Genesis again and here are a few thoughts to share with you today: 1) THE TEST- In Genesis 22:1, is says:  "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, ..."  Now the word "tempt" means to test.  Not to trick into doing evil, but to test the metal of one's character and loyalties.  God saw that Abraham loved him supremely.  Now, why did God do this?  To find out?  No.  God already knew!  God knows everything.  The Bible will tell us why:  1 Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."  You see, God tested Abraham so that we (all of God's future followers) could see the loyalty that Abraham had.... and God expects!  Now the question then comes to us:  Could we pass the test?  Don't think for a moment that God doesn't test us so that we can see what we are made of and so that those around us can see what we are made of.  We pass the tests of life for those around us and those that follow us.  Take each test seriously and look to God for the strength to pass each test of life.  I've no doubt failed so many, but I so desire to pass them for the sake of others. 2) SPEAKING OF GOD- I love to see how God is called upon in Genesis and for that matter throughout the Bible.  Here are just a few found in chapters 21 through 26.  "the LORD, the everlasting God"; "The LORD God of heaven"; "O LORD God of my master Abraham"; "the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth";  these are just a few.  They are wonderful reminders of how awesome our great God is! 3) THE WOMEN TALK WITH GOD- Since we have started reading in Genesis, we have gone through 2000 years of history.  But, we see that men and women talk with God.  It is significant that the Bible says in Genesis 4:26 "And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD."  So we see Sarah talking with God, we see Hagar talking with God, we see Rebekah talking with God, and we see Rachel and Leah each talking with God.  I think God is showing us in the Bible that men and women both should talk with God and that God will talk with both men and women.  Ladies, God wants to talk with you, and God wants you to talk with Him! 4) NOTHING WRITTEN- In Genesis 26:5, it says:  "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."  Now keep in mind that history has come 2,000 years thus far, and there is nothing written down my God.  All of these laws and commandments are verbal, or put into the heart of man.  There has been only three laws given verbally: Don't eat blood, and Don't shed blood of man, and circumsize each male at 8 days old.  So, this is it.  Yet, we see that Abimelech, knew it was wrong to sleep with another man's wife (Sarah) and here we see that Abraham obeyed God's voice, charge, commandments, statutes, & laws.  No written laws, but God was working in the hearts of man and had His laws written in their hearts. Well, my time has come and gone.  Hope you have a blessed day in the LORD!  Pastor Mike Mutchler