Genesis 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Sarah had just heard that God was going to give her a son in her old age. Sarah immediate reaction was to laugh. Sarah presumably speaking to herself or to one of her maids stated […]

Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
God had promised Abraham a child, but Abraham and Sarah have grown weary of […]

Genesis 12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
Abraham had been commanded by God to sojourn in the land of Canaan. A great famine arose in the land and the next thing we know, Abraham has […]

Proverbs 19:25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
When the nation of Israel was wondering in the wilderness, Korah led a rebellion against Moses. God had the ground to open up and swallow Korah and those who were following him so that the […]

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Jacob was on his way back to the land of Canaan when his father-in-law Laban came after him with a band of men. Jacob was doing that which was pleasing to the Lord and as such, […]

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
You are a fool if you do not listen to counsel. You are a fool if you think that you do not need the help of others. You are a fool if you are proud […]

1 Peter 3:6 Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Abraham obeyed God by leaving his home to sojourn in the Promise Land. However, when a famine was in the land, Abraham went down to Egypt. Abraham was […]

Proverbs 4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened: and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
The word straitened in this passage can also be translated as distress. How would you like to live your daily life without distress? How would you like to live your life not stumbling in sin? God has […]

Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
The words wait and seeking do not seem like they belong in the same passage. A very quick glance at this passage would cause one to scratch their head and wonder what this verse means. Wait typically means […]

James 4:2 yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

In this passage you see a very important element of prayer, asking. In Matthew 7:7 Jesus told you �Ask, and it shall be given you�. He went on to say in verse 8 �For every one that asketh receiveth�. Christ taught the importance of asking when HE promised you in Matthew 21:22 �And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.�

It is important to ask, but just as important in asking is making sure you are asking for the right thing. James went on to tell you in verse 3 �Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.� Thus it is not only important that you ask but that you ask for the right thing. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus analogized our relationship with God to that of a son asking his father for bread. Jesus explained that a father would not give his son a rock when he asked for bread. Jesus then said in Matthew 7:11 �If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Proverbs 31:26a She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

The fifth benefit Solomon would receive in marrying a virtuous woman would be that his wife would demonstrate wisdom. Solomon once wrote that �He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.� (Prov. 13:20). By choosing a virtuous woman as a wife, Solomon would not be marrying a woman who would encourage him to do wrong but would encourage him to do what is right.

While Solomon was taught that he was to marry a virtuous woman, Solomon allowed himself to marry many strange women and �when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.� (I Kings 11:4). Solomon may have been the wisest man who ever lived, but he departed from the instruction of his mother which greatly diminished his ability to finish the race that God had set before him.

Genesis 25:21 And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Isaac and Rebekah had a problem in that they could not have children. Evidently, whatever medical problem Abraham and Sarah had was passed down to their son Isaac. However, unlike his parents, Isaac did not attempt to have a child by the world�s means. Isaac knew the promises of God that through Isaac, God was going to make a great nation. Nonetheless, despite the promise of God, Isaac and Rebekah were barren.

When Abraham grew tired of waiting on God to give him the promised child, Abraham went into Hagar and conceived a child with her. However, the child Ishmael mocked Isaac and to this day, the children of Ishmael desire to destroy the seed of Isaac. While Abraham took matters into his own hands, Isaac did not, and instead, Isaac demonstrated his faith by going to God and interceding with God to give him a child so that God�s promise to Abraham might be fulfilled.

Genesis 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

The promised child Isaac was finally born to Abraham and Sarah and Ishmael was found mocking Isaac. Sarah requested that Abraham remove Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham had a decision to make and he did not know what to do. God came to Abraham and told him to send Ishmael and Hagar away and that God would make a nation out of Ishmael because he was Abraham�s son. However, God stated that it was Isaac who was the promised child and it was through Isaac�s seed that God�s promise would be fulfilled.

Genesis 21:3-4 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

It has been a year since God�s last recorded conversation with Abraham and it had been ten years since God made a covenant with Abraham. When God made a covenant with Abraham, he told Abraham that, Sarah�s son should be called Isaac. In addition, a part of the covenant between Abraham and God was that all of his seed was to be circumcised on the eighth day. Ten years after God made a covenant with Abraham and left specific direction for Abraham to follow, Abraham demonstrated his faith by obeying.

Genesis 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

After Abraham demonstrated a lack of faith by allowing Abimelech to take Sarah as his wife, God spoke to Abimelech in a dream letting Abimelech know that Sarah was Abraham�s wife. God also told Abimelech that Abraham was HIS prophet and that Abraham should pray for Abimelech. Abimelech gave Abraham gifts of sheep, oxen, and both male and female servants. Abraham then prayed for Abimelech and Abraham�s prayers were answered. God healed Abimelech and his house.

Genesis 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

Abraham had just visited with God where God informed him that within the year Abraham and Sarah would have a son. Abraham demonstrated his faith by continually petitioning God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham knew what God�s plan was for his life, yet he still did not have very much faith in God protecting him. Abraham had over 300 trained men to help defend himself, but still, something about Abimelech caused Abraham to look at the man and forget the power of the God he served.

Genesis 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

This is the second time in a very short period of time that God specifically stated that Sarah was going to have a son. Based upon Abraham�s age, it is clear that no more then a couple of months had expired since God told Abraham of the covenant between them which required him to circumcise every male in his house. It was during this conversation that God rejected Ishmael as the promise child and stated that Sarah would bear a son.

Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

It has been 13 years since Abraham showed his lack of faith by conceiving child with Hagar. There is no indication that during these 13 years that God had come to Abraham and told him that this child was not the promise child. We know that prior to the birth of Ishmael, God had spoken to Abraham four different times over the course of approximately 11 years about both the promised land and the promised child.

It had been at least 14 years since Abraham spoke with God. For many years, Abraham thought that Ishmael was the promised child. During this conversation with God, God indicates to Abraham for the first time that Ishmael was not the promised child but that Sarah would bear Isaac. During this conversation, God changed Abram�s name to Abraham and Sarai�s name to Sarah. In addition, God established a covenant with Abraham in which Abraham was to circumcise all male�s eight days and older.

Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

Abraham may have been the father of faith, but he was still a man who fell short of the perfect will of God. Four times God came to Abraham and told Abraham that he was going to be a father of a great nation. Abraham had received the word of God and he believed. On the fourth occasion when God renewed HIS promise to Abraham, Abraham even asked God to prove the promise and God did. Nonetheless, Abraham was overwhelmed by the impossibility of God�s promise and as such, he found a way that he could make the promises of God happen in his own timing.

Genesis 13:4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Abraham had just left the land of Egypt where he had seen the Lord bless him with possessions even though he had been deceitful regarding his relationship with Sarah. As Abraham traveled, he found himself back at the altar where the Lord came to him and told him that he had found the land that God had called him to.

It appears that Abraham came back to the place where he had last heard the Lord voice. Abraham made the effort to draw near unto God. Abraham understood the importance of hearing the Lord and keeping a close relationship with HIM. However, Abraham felt the need to find a place where he could call out to speak with God and he chose to go to the place where God clearly directed his paths.

There are times and places in your life where you clearly heard the voice of God. These mountain top experiences really encourage you because they were so eye opening. However, God does not allow you to remain on the mountain, and like Abraham, HE allows you to face some times when you might begin to doubt HIS direction. Nonetheless, it is important to remind yourself of those mountain top experiences so that you continue to do that which is right in the eyes of God.

In this passage, we have no indication that God actually responded to Abraham when Abraham came back to the place were God showed him the promise. The only thing that we know is that Abraham came back to the place where God gave him the promise.

Revisiting the mountain top experiences may not always result in God� reappearing, but it will help build your faith to encourage you to continue to follow the path God has directed. Satan desires to discourage you from doing what is right, but when you are able to go back and remind yourself of just how God has led, then you are in a position to strengthen your resolve and overcome the temptations to quit.

One thing that Abraham had done when he heard the Lord�s direction the first time was he built an altar. This allowed Abraham to come back and remind himself just what the Lord had promised in the past. Without this Altar, Abraham could have still remembered what the Lord had said, but the fact that there was a tangible object that signified the importance of that day, gave Abraham the extra assurance that God�s speaking to him was real and that it was not some vivid dream he had one day.

When the Lord takes the time to speak to you, you need to take the time to write it down so that you can go back and read it when life becomes discouraging. While you are on the mountaintop, everything is wonderful and you feel so close to God. However, there will come a day when the trials of life will discourage you and the only hope you have is to look back and remind yourself of what God promised you.

It takes faith to hear God and to do what HE tells you to do. God has given you the strength to endure the trials that will beset you while you are following HIS will. Remember to tangibly record the Lord�s instruction so you can return to them.

Genesis 12:1-2 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father�s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

These verses are the first recorded conversation between God and Abraham. What we know about Abraham at the time of this encounter was that he was 75 years old, he lived in Haran, that his father Terah had recently passed away as did his brother Haran. Scripture also makes clear that his wife Sarai was barren.

Look at the instructions that God gave Abram. These instructions are not exactly the most detailed instructions. Abram was not told where he was going; he was simply told he had to leave where he was at. Abram was told that God would bless him but he really did not explain how he was going to bless him. God said that he would be the father of a great nation, but Abram was already 75 years old and he had a barren wife. This first recorded conversation is not the clearest instruction that one could receive. Yet that did not stop Abram from hearing God�s voice and obeying the Lord.

Would you know who Abraham was today if Abraham had chosen to stay in Haran? Abraham would not be known as the father of faith if he did not obey the Lord and step out in faith. Abraham was commanded by God to leave his comfort zone in order to go into the world of the unknown in order to receive promises that seemed impossible.

There is no indication that Abraham questioned God�s direction, but that Abraham simply trusted the Lord and followed the Lord�s leading. Abraham did not require that God give him all the details but instead was willing to take the vague instructions and start obeying. We do not know if this is the start of Abraham�s relationship with God or if he had been maintaining a relationship with God for a period of time. However, while we do not know when the relationship began, we do know that because Abraham demonstrated obedience to follow God�s direction for his life, that Abraham had many significant conversations with God and we see several incredible instances where God really blessed Abraham.

Abraham did not become a great man of God overnight. Abraham�s faith in God grew as he drew closer to God. While Abraham was a man and did make many mistakes, the reason he is remembered today is because of the relationship that he maintained with the Lord. While Abraham had his days of unbelief and did things that were not the Lord�s perfect will, it was because of Abraham�s faith and his relationship with the Lord that caused God to use Abraham as such a powerful example of faith.

Abraham was not called to do some great act of serves for the Lord, Abraham was simply told to get away from his father�s house. Abraham left the known in order to live in a place where he had to rely upon God on a daily basis for provision, protection and direction. God desires that you come to the place where you are not relying upon yourself. God desires that you be like Abraham were the most important thing to you is your relationship with God and your desire to live your life so that God can use you. God wants to be all you need, the question for you to answer, are you willing to live by faith?

Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Abraham believed that God had called him to land that he would not possess but that his children would possess. Abraham believed God that he was going to be the father of many nations. On many occasions, it is recorded how God came to Abraham and spoke to him. Abraham believed God, and God was glorified.

Abraham was not perfect. Abraham did sin by not fully trusting God�s perfect plan for his life. However, while Abraham did attempt to fulfill God�s promises in his own way, God was faithful to complete in Abraham those things that God had promised.

God knows that you have a sin nature that sometimes causes you to doubt those things that HE has promised you. Nonetheless, it is your duty to God to remember those things that HE has promised and to not grow weary in waiting. How much better would God�s blessing be upon Abraham had he not taken matter into his own hand and conceived Ishmael? Abraham had heard the voice of God. God had blessed him in all things other then the promised child. It was impossible for Abraham and Sarah to bear a son, but God desired to do the impossible through them. While Abraham did not lose the promise of God as a result of his sin, his sin did cause turmoil that exists until this day.

You have an obligation to God to put yourself into a position that you can hear HIM. Once you hear God�s voice and understand HIS will for your life, then like Abraham you must trust God and obey HIM. Satan will do everything possible to get you to grow impatient and to try to fulfill God�s promise in your own way. Nonetheless, God will be glorified in your life if you learn to simply trust and obey.

The Jews knew that they had a special place in the sight of God because they were of the seed of Abraham. However, Abraham did not receive his position of favor with God because of who his father or grandfather were, but his position with God was determined based upon his actions of faith. It was Abraham�s faith that was accounted to him for righteousness and it will be your faith that God desires to see.

As you live your daily life, you must learn to put God first. You must learn to hear HIS voice and do those things that are pleasing in HIS sight. Your faith in God will grow as you learn to do HIS will and you begin to see HIS blessing and protection as you do HIS will. Your life is a spiritual journey in which it should be your goal to please the One who made you and saved you. Your purpose in life is to glorify God.

It is your faith that saves you. It is your faith that gives you an identity with God. It is your faith that enables you to please God. Without faith you are nothing. However, by your faith you can find true contentment. Just because you believe, it does not mean that your life will be easy. Abraham believed and there were many times that he was afraid for his own life. Yes, you will not be perfect, yet nonetheless, you can still live a life pleasing to the Lord if you will hear God and follow HIS footsteps. Without faith it is impossible to please God. However, with faith, you are a spiritual child of Abraham.

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Abraham could have said all day long that he believed God and that he trusted God. However, Abraham could not prove his words with words alone, but he had to step out and demonstrate to God that he trusted HIM no matter what. God tested Abraham�s faith by asking Abraham to sacrifice the son of promise. Abraham had no idea that this was a test. Abraham�s actions of taking his son and raising the knife to kill his son demonstrated to God that Abraham�s faith was genuine.

You have heard that actions speak louder then words. Abraham�s actions proved his faith. You can say all day long that you believe in God, but until you start obeying HIS commandments, you are a hypocrite. Faith without works is dead, or faith without action is dead. It is too easy to say one thing and do another. God and others look at your actions to see if they correspond with your words.

King Saul is an example of one whose actions and words did not correlate. Saul was told to go kill all the Amalekites. He was not to leave one of them alive, including no animals. Saul however spared some sheep, oxen and the king, Agag. Saul made the excuse that he spared the animals for sacrifices. However, God had commanded utter destruction and had not asked for sacrifices. Saul was talking the talk, but he did not walk the talk in that he did not completely obey God. There is no such thing as partial obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience or faith without works.

It is not easy to always walk the talk. There are so many great examples of individuals who did great things for God. You feel so inadequate by your own imperfections. However, the Bible does not just tell you the good things that your heroes did, but it also tells you their shortcomings. God told Abraham that Sarah would bear a promised child, yet Abraham did not demonstrate his faith in God when he attempted to fulfill God�s promise through Sarah�s servant Hagar. This lack of faith on Abraham�s part demonstrates that God is willing to forgive and still use you after you have fallen short of HIS perfect plan. It also shows that no matter how much faith that you demonstrate later on, one is still accountable for the consequences of your actions.

You know that �Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.� (Romans 4:3). Abraham�s belief was not filled with words but it was demonstrated by his actions. Without Abraham�s actions, he would not be attributed as the father of faith today. Abraham had to take God at HIS word and do as he was instructed.

You can claim all day long that you have faith. However, if your life does not demonstrate that claim, you are a hypocrite. Until you start living your life for God and do what HE has commanded you, your faith is dead and you will have no impact upon this world. Why should anyone follow you if you have no fruit?

Stop sitting on the fence. You are committed to God and HIS purpose for your life or you are serving yourself. You cannot serve both God and the world. Your actions prove whom you serve. Your works will prove your faith. Faith without works is dead.

II Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

In Elisha�s travels, he would often pass through Shunem. There was a woman there who started providing meals and later built an apartment for Elisha on the roof of her house. Elisha wished to repay this woman but she indicated that she did not want anything. Elisha then asked Gehazi if he knew of any needs that this woman had and Gehazi replied that she had no children and her husband was old.

Elisha called the woman and informed her that God was going to perform a miracle in her life by giving her a son. Elisha had faith that what he asked God for God would perform. The widow however did not have the faith that she was going to have a son. She probably had already tried everything and prayed to God for many years all to no avail. While she recognized Elisha as a man of God, she just did not have the faith to see that what the man of God said was going to come to pass.

It was not the faith of the woman that gave her a son; it was the faith of Elisha that gave her a son. The woman may have been full of good works in serving the Lord, but she did not have the faith to see God open her womb and allow her to bear children because of her impossible circumstances. It did not matter that God had demonstrated to Abraham and Sarah his ability to bring children even in old age, this woman did not have the faith to believe that God was willing to give her the thing that she had always desired, a child.

This woman had evidently lost hope in every having a child. Instead, she focused upon pleasing the Lord and helping those who were about HIS business. It was because she had given up focusing upon the desire of her heart that she was able to focus on serving the Lord. By serving the Lord, the Lord gave her the desires of her heart.

This woman who God called great is both an example and a lesson to you today. You need to learn from her life and see how you should be looking to meet the needs of others. You should be looking for ministry opportunities rather then focusing on those things that you do or do not have. As you put your focus on doing the will of God and causing others to see God through your life, God will be able to bless you by providing for the things that you need. However, learn from this woman and do not ever become so harden that you are unwilling to believe that God can do the impossible through you.

God can do the impossible through you regardless of your faith. However, God is much more glorified when HE performs a miracle in accordance with your faith. This woman may have asked and prayed for a child in the past and did not receive it, but now was the time for her to claim the promise because God had revealed HIS will through Elisha.

When you hear the will of the Lord, it is your duty to believe and act accordingly. Do not hesitate or be reluctant. Instead, learn to believe that HE is faithful. Learn to understand HIS power and look forward to ways that HE might be glorified through your life. Be active in serving the Lord but do not serve the Lord for what you might receive in return, serve the Lord so that HE is glorified through your actions.

Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

By a careful look at the life of Sara and Abraham, one will quickly learn that it was not Abraham�s lack of seed that was the problem with Abraham and Sara not having a child. Several years prior to Isaac being born, Abraham was able to give seed to Hagar, Sara�s servant. In addition, after Sara�s death, we learn that Abraham remarried and had six more sons. We learn in this passage that Sara demonstrated her faith in God by receiving Abraham�s seed that resulted in the promised son.