Volume 2, Issue 12

January 28, 2025

We often think that if God opens a door to something we want, we must be smack dab in the middle of His will. But the book of Genesis (and the Bible as a whole) paints a different picture. We often see God open a door to something that is not His design because we need to learn something or it is for His glory or both.

 

For example, when Lot's daughters got him drunk and slept with him out of desperation for a child, that was outside of God's design, yet they became pregnant. However, their children fathered nations that were enemies of God's people. When Abram's and Isaac's lies to Abimelech successfully kept them safe, they were outside of God's design, but God blessed them in spite of the lies.

 

Often, when God gives us what we want, it turns out not to be the fantasy we envisioned. If we could just get into that college, or marry that man, or buy that house, or get that job, life would be perfect. God may open the door for us to get the things we want, yet those things will never give us the fulfillment we are seeking and often become the very things that cause us the most pain.

 

On the other hand, we may be smack dab in the middle of God's will when things are going horribly wrong! Look at Joseph's life at the end of the book of Genesis. If we are told of any flaw Joseph had it was immaturity or naivete when it came to sharing the content of his dreams with his family. He did everything right, yet he was sold into slavery and thrown in prison under a false accusation. Even in the midst of suffering, Joseph was exactly where God needed him to be.

 

So if the outcome doesn't confirm God's will, how will we know if we are making the right choices? We continue to praise God no matter our circumstances. We continue to seek Him in spite of success or suffering. We continue to learn from whatever situation in which we find ourselves.

Ultimately, His will will be done, and He will be glorified, so we can choose, no matter what we are going through, to be a part of what He is doing.

As you get ready to turn the page on Genesis, take some time to turn to the book of Hebrews and read 11:1-22 and 11:38-12:2.

 

In light of everything you’ve read in Genesis this month, how has your understanding and interpretation of these passages changed? Take some time to journal your thoughts.

As you prepare to move on to the book of Exodus, you might find some helpful tips in my blog post How to Read the Book of Exodus. You can read it by clicking the button below.

I have added a Bible markup video to my YouTube channel for Hebrews 11:1, which defines the faith of a Christian. You can watch the short video by clicking the button below.

While I have been saved since I was a young child, I would not have called myself a mature Christian for most of my life.

 

I specifically remember the time my sister came to me for advice during a particularly difficult time in her life. The advice I gave her was anything but godly! When that situation was over, I remember wondering how I could be a Christian as long as I had been yet give such terrible advice when godliness was most needed.

 

The author of Hebrews shows us the difference between the immature and mature Christian in 5:11-14. The immature Christian is "dull of hearing." This means she is slothful or lazy. She needs someone to teach her the basic principles of Christianity again and again, indicating that she doesn't put into practice what she has learned. The author compares this to living on milk instead of solid food.

 

But the mature Christian, we are told, lives on solid food. She practices what she has learned, honing her skills of discernment. She knows the difference between good and evil, so when the world throws a "new" philosophy at her, she filters it through her Christian worldview.

 

While there is always room for improvement, and I don't know anyone who would call herself "mature," we should be working towards that goal. Are you "dull of hearing," waiting for someone to teach you the foundational principles of Christianity again, or are you practicing what you know to do as you continue learning and honing your skills of discernment?

I want to draw your attention to five "Let Us's" towards the end of the epistle to the Hebrews. These give us a guideline for how to rest in our faith and live out our Christian walk (the specific words may be different based on your translation, but the ideas should be the same):

In light of the fact that we now have a great high priest who opened the curtain and allows us access to the throne of God, let us draw near to Him as one who has full confidence since we are washed clean.

 

Let Us Hold Fast
We can trust that He is faithful so we can stand on our hope without wavering.

 

Let Us Consider
Think about how we can encourage each other to live in a way that is worthy of our calling, loving one another and doing good works.

 

Let Us Lay Aside
Anything that would hinder our walk or, as the author puts it, our race should be discarded. This isn't just sin, but even good things that take our attention off of our goal. Our relationship with God comes first, and everything in our lives should be filtered through and in subjection to that relationship.

 

Let Us Run with Endurance
We must stay the course by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the one who gives us our faith and completes our faith. Times will get hard, but don't give up!

If this is your first Faith FULL Echoes newsletter, you can access previous issues by clicking the button below. Feel free to reach out to me to let me know what topics you would like discussed in the future.

If you would like to peruse the content on my blog, including lessons on studying the Bible, instructions for Christian living, book reviews, and more, click the button below. It will take you to my blog library.

If you would like to watch some video teachings, Bible mark-up videos, or just some family fun, head over to my YouTube channel. There is a little bit of everything, including meeting a celebrity in Alaska.

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