JEWELS FROM THE WORD
SET APART FOR DESTINY
Grandmother claimed she was a quarter Cherokee, but her family was not on the Indian Dawes rolls of 1894-1914. Grandmother Hightower looked like an Indian—black hair, brown eyes, high cheekbones, but we were her little blond white grandchildren.
We have been working on our family tree since 1973, while Grandmother was still alive. Daddy and we questioned her at length and began the search, which continues to this day. One of my sisters has been “into” genealogy all these years, with my other sister and me taking it in spells. Right now we are all three “into” it.
I am so thankful that I was born into a Christian home. Thank God, I had parents and grandparents on both sides who were faithful Christians. However there came a day when I had to put my faith in Christ Jesus as my own personal Lord and Savior. I could not inherit eternal salvation.
Frequently the question comes up about what Paul wrote about genealogy. In I Timothy 1:4, Paul said, “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith. . .” Does Paul say not to research genealogies? No, the 'endless genealogies' spoken of by Paul were the Jews' claim to salvation. You were nobody in that society if you could not trace your family tree back to Abraham.
The Jews as a matter of great pride pointed to their family tree to show that they were descendants of Abraham, God’s chosen people. Their genealogy represented salvation to them, because as Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Salvation is of the Jews.” John 4:22.
The Jews depended on their genealogy and keeping the law for their salvation rather than depending on faith alone, as their father Abraham did, according to Romans chapter 4. However the Jews’ genealogy gave them an identity among the heathen as a special people set apart by God for a purpose.
Romans 5:1 “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Your genealogy gives you an identity. Who you are in this natural life and who you are in Christ Jesus sets you apart for your destiny.
Lavon Hightower Lewis
To join my Jewels From The Word devotional group go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jftw
Remember this: Romans 5:1 “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Playing Games
My little grandson loves to play an aquarium game on the computer. The object of the game is to feed your fish, win points from the “shell money” the fish drop, and keep the monster from eating your fish. At the top of the screen is a place to buy bigger guns if you have collected enough shell money, special food for your baby fish, or pets.
I should say, my grandson likes to watch me play it and win, but lately since he is growing up, he is learning to do these things for himself. He loves to fight the monsters, shooting them until they die, then collecting the “diamonds” that they drop.
God does not expect babies to provide for themselves or fight their own monsters. He lovingly provides other more mature Christians to lead the baby Christians and help them to “fight the monsters” in faith. Church leaders pray with them and for them as well as teach them the Word of God, so that when they get grown up in Christ they can pray for themselves.
God is always watching out for His children. He provides for our needs and takes care of the monsters for us.
However this is where the analogy ends. God is not some great manipulator in the heavens, playing games with our lives. He is our Father God, who lovingly watches over us, going before us to provide for our every need. All scripture points to the loving God, kind and good, that cares deeply for His children.
Jesus spoke of this in Luke 12 (NKJV) when He said, “. . .do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. . .But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Father God takes pleasure in providing for His little children.
I should say, my grandson likes to watch me play it and win, but lately since he is growing up, he is learning to do these things for himself. He loves to fight the monsters, shooting them until they die, then collecting the “diamonds” that they drop.
God does not expect babies to provide for themselves or fight their own monsters. He lovingly provides other more mature Christians to lead the baby Christians and help them to “fight the monsters” in faith. Church leaders pray with them and for them as well as teach them the Word of God, so that when they get grown up in Christ they can pray for themselves.
God is always watching out for His children. He provides for our needs and takes care of the monsters for us.
However this is where the analogy ends. God is not some great manipulator in the heavens, playing games with our lives. He is our Father God, who lovingly watches over us, going before us to provide for our every need. All scripture points to the loving God, kind and good, that cares deeply for His children.
Jesus spoke of this in Luke 12 (NKJV) when He said, “. . .do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. . .But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Father God takes pleasure in providing for His little children.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)