Category: faithfulness

The tragic story that is presented here is a reminder that what God hears the cry of our hearts and sees our life struggles. Hagar was an Egyptian slave that Abram brought back to the Promised Land when he failed to honor Sarai as his wife. God had told Abram that he would have a child but impatience bore its fruit and he succumbed to it. How often do we become impatient and succumb to the call of our human nature. First it was Eve and now it is Abram; how about me or you? 

The slave Hagar was taken from her homeland, her family and her freedom. No wonder then that after this that she ran from Abram’s tent and cried in the desert. Seeing her alone, God saw and heard her cry. He promised her a child as she sat in the desert. Sometimes God allows us to enter the desert where we can be alone with Him. In that place Hagar said: “ So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!”[ Gen 16:13] Hagar called God “El Roi” the God who sees me. Encouraging words to one who is suffering the mistreatment of her personhood. 

Perhaps you are in the desert with tears flowing. Beloved, God sees your pain and He hears your cry. Listen for His voice and obey Him for He has a blessing waiting for you. 

God told Abram to leave his home and go where He would send him, to the land of Canaan he went, but note: Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev. How like us, we move from here to there. There is a key word here: continually. That speaks of restlessness. Why are we restless? Why do we pick up and move constantly? How different was my mother-in-law. Her favorite saying was: “I was born in NY and I am going to die in NY” and she did just that. But Abram having left Ur moved to Haran and from there he moved “continually.”  

God told Abram that He would give this land to him, yet in his first test, he failed. A famine happened and he moved to Egypt. Abram was restless and he failed to trust God for the land of Canaan’s provision —even in a time of famine. How about us? Are we restless? Are we content? Take a lesson from Abram: trust God in all circumstances for He is the Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. 

How many generations are present in your family today? Moses, in writing the book of Genesis, noted the generations of several of Adam’s children, the most notable is the line of Shem. How about you? It is fun to look at those who are present now and you can share with them the history of their relatives. But, what happens when a generation dies as has happened recently in our family? That history if not recorded dies with them. Perhaps that is why the popular Ancestries.com is a popular website. People yearn to know about their relatives that make up their family line, good or bad. So what can we learn from this reading today? God placed the first generation to live outside the beautiful garden of Eden. It was not His design but sin separated them from the Holy God. From there they did as God said: multiply and fill the earth and today there are multiple generations that can look back centuries.

Stop today and consider those who have gone before you and give praise for those whose lives mirrored God’s perfect design: to love and worship He who is the generator of generations. 

Yesterday we read about the glory of God in creation and were overwhelmed by His goodness and beauty. Today what was beautiful is marred by the disobedience of one followed by the disobedience of another and so on and on. 

The voice of the serpent captivated Eve and she succumbed. So too with us when we succumb to his voice. When the serpent comes to us, do we stop and ask, is it truthful? Is it beautiful? The serpent said what God had said was not true. That is his way and the consequences are separation from God. 

Whose voice do I/we listen to? When we finished Revelation we read: “Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!” [Rev 16:7] What John wrote centuries ago and what Genesis tells that God is truth and that has not changed. 

And so God records what took place “in the beginning.” Today being the first day of 2026, we are “at the beginning” of a new year with fresh expectations and thoughts. It is marvelous to think that God was at the beginning and His description of all that took place is marvelous in our eyes. We stop and glorify Him for He was and is and always will be. He said it and it became. 

As you begin this new year what are your expectations? God planned a perfect creation and a special orchard in which He placed man. What must it have been like? We can only imagine for God is perfect and holy. Do you know Him? Are you ready to explore His creation with us today? 

As we draw 2025 to a close, it is fitting that we stop and ponder the truth of this word that is in honor to the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. He has ruled from eternity past, yet laid aside His glory to pay our sin debt. We shout with the throngs of believers this word for it captures what our hearts are singing. It means: “praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah.”  HALLELUJAH – hal-e-loo’-ya (halela-yah, “praise ye Yah”; allelouia): The word is not a compound, like many of the Hebrew words which are composed of the abbreviated form of “Yahweh” and some other word, but has become a compound word in the Greek and other languages. Even if the Jews perhaps had become accustomed to use it as a compound, it is never written as such in the text.

Today, our thoughts fly back to those who have entered eternity this past year and and as we pause, we know that they now stand in His Presence clothed in the righteous garment of their salvation and have joined the celebration chorus. 

A composer of many years ago wrote the Hallelujah Chorus based on this passage in Revelation chapter 19.      The “Hallelujah Chorus” originates from George Frideric Handel‘s 1741 oratorio Messiah, with lyrics compiled by Charles Jennens from the Bible, particularly Revelation 19, celebrating Christ’s triumph (resurrection, second coming). Composed in a burst of inspiration, it’s famous for its powerful, escalating “Hallelujah” and “King of Kings” sections, originally intended for Easter but now a Christmas staple, leading audiences to stand out of reverence (possibly started by King George II). 

From chapter one to these chapters we have seen the glory of Christ as John saw Him.  But now in these chapters we see Him as the reigning potentate who has all power and majesty.  He rules and orchestrates all events to reveal His last calls to mankind to repent that they may live and reign with Him. Yet, in all of this we see the unrepentant mankind before a holy and righteous Savior and our hearts are grieved. 

Yesterday we celebrated Gratitude Sunday and all praise was given for how God has blessed us this past year. In sharp contrast we now see how those who do not give praise and honor for how God has blessed men are ever before us. 

As you read these chapters, do you see your unsaved family, your neighbors, your countrymen and are you moved in your heart to step outside your comfort zone to share the gospel message? This is our challenge for 2026. 

Today our elders have coined this phrase each year as it draws to a close. We are to come prepared to share thoughts of gratitude to share with others. If this was your church’s program for this last Sunday in 2025, what would be your gratitude thoughts? 

It is humbling to know that the blessings we have had this year is because   “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”[ 2Tim 3:16] This echoes what the Apostle John wrote in Revelation 1: “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written init, because the time is 

The time is near for His return. To prepare are you reading, hearing and obeying this precious gift from God so you are equipped to present the gospel message in 2026?

We hear a lot about joy at this time of year. There are carols and songs that speak of joy but do any of them speak of joy that is everlasting? If you could write a song would you include that topic? It seems as if the Apostle John wanted the “lady” of the church and her followers to reiterate that joy that is everlasting. In addition, his joy comes from knowing the followers were walking in the truth.  Listen to what John wrote: “I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us.”  As you read these words do they resonate with you? Is this true of you? 

One of the Christmas hymns is “Joy to the World” and that is our prayer today for the world. Also, there is “ Joyful, joyful, we adore You, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before You, Op’ning to the sun above…” Are you adoring God for who He is?  

Take time today to sing these precious hymns to encourage your heart and encourage John who rejoiced greatly because you are walking in the truth. 

Throughout the centuries we have heard this refrain: God is light and in Him there is no darkness. If we say we have sin we are confessing with God about that truth, but if we say we have no sin, we are deceived. 

How can this be? 

It can be because the evil one has blinded the mind so that we cannot see the true image of Christ, the Savior of the world. The truth is this: we are sinners by nature and are in need of the Light of the Son to illumine us and reveal to us that truth. From there, we need to confess that truth and allow Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so we can be heirs with Him for all eternity. 

Has the true Light permeated your darkness and thus cleansed you from your sin? Today, allow that Light of the Son of God to penetrate your mind and darkness so you can be saved.