Struggles From Within

"The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.  And the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”

~Genesis 25:22-23

The life of Jacob was a struggle. Even before his birth, he wrestled with his twin, Esau. Throughout his life, he struggled to have what he wanted and he didn't always go after those things fairly. In fact, the name Jacob means: he takes by the heel; he cheats. And Jacob did cheat, lie, and manipulate, but he was also cheated, lied to and manipulated by others. By the time he was an older man, he even wrestled with God, fighting to be blessed. He got his blessing, but it cost him - he was crippled for the rest of his life. Everything Jacob acquired during his life cost him. From the wives who cost him twenty years of hard labor to the blessing of God.

Sometimes we have to struggle for what we want. Whether it's working through problems to save a relationship, or struggling with money to pay our bills, or with coworkers to keep our workplace peaceful, life is a struggle. But there's a different kind of struggle many of us go through, and that is the struggle within ourselves. The struggle between our hearts and our heads, which was also some of the problem Jacob had.

Often, we see things we want and go headlong into getting them without thinking through what the cost might be. We want and will use any means to get it, often hurting others and making enemies. Once we have what we desire, we may enjoy it for a while but then the reality of what it cost us sets in and we see it really wasn't worth it. 

While Jacob made many mistakes, the one thing he did right every time, was to go to God. In spite of all of our shortcomings, we have a God who bigger than any mistake we can make. While our mistakes may cost us here on Earth, we don't have to let them cost us spending eternity with Christ.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7)."

Read

Genesis 31-32

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha

©2018

Do What Is Right

"Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."
~Genesis 4:6-7

Our 'sin nature' is spoken about a lot in sermons and books, but what exactly is a 'sin nature'? Are we born to sin? And if we are made in God's image, how can we have a 'sin nature'?

First, Adam is considered to be the first sinner, and because of that, we have inherited that 'sin nature'. So sin becomes a kind of inherited part of our DNA like eye color. Psalm 51:5 says, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." So it's clear that sin is a very real part of human nature, and we see it all around us every day.

But if we are created in God's image, how did sin, something completely opposite of who God is, get into our nature? Simply, God also gave us free will. Adam had as much free will as you and I, and just as all of us are from time to time, Adam was faced with temptation. He had a choice. Adam could have obeyed God and said no, but he chose to sin. That decision has had eternal consequences for each and every one of us.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (Ephesians 2:1-2)."

So while we may have inherited a sinful nature, we do not have to give in to it. We are made in God's image and when we accept Christ as our Savior, we are given a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Sin may still be around us and we may be tempted by it, but we have power over it in the Name of Jesus.

"Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous (Romans 5:19)."

Read
Genesis 28-30

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
@2018

Breathe Life

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
~Genesis 2:7

I recently learned that two people I knew in my younger days passed away. They weren't friends, just people I knew back then and probably haven't thought of more than once or twice over all the years. As I was reading their obituaries, I kept thinking about them as I knew them, which was in great contrast to the comments friends and loved ones had left about how great they were, how loving, how they'll be missed. That's not how I would've described either of them.

It got me to thinking of who I was then too. If those two had read my obituary, would they be thinking the same thing? Would they have laughed and said, "That's not how I remember her!"? Probably. We all change over the years, some for the better, some for worse, but either way, it's our choice to decide if we are going to breathe death, or are we going to breathe Life.

In Hebrew, the word "soul" is "nephesh", which means “an animated, breathing, conscious, and living being” as in the above verse. Adam would have remained a lump of dirt had God not breathed life into him.

We are the same way in our lives before we accept Christ as our Savior. We may be walking around, living and breathing, but we aren't breathing life. We are simply existing day to day, going through daily tasks, biding our time. Breathing life is much more than inhaling and exhaling,; it is the understanding of our place in the eyes of God, in knowing we were created by a Master builder for a special and specific purpose.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2)."

When we accept Christ as Lord of our life, we can step away from the things of the world, and enter into our heavenly purpose here on Earth. When we enter into that relationship with Christ, we breathe Life into all we do.

Read
Genesis 25-27
1 Chronicles 1:32-54

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
©2018

Sarah Laughed

'So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”'
~Genesis 18:12

I'm not nearly as old as Sarah was when she learned she would become a mother, but if someone told me that today, I'd laugh so hard and loud I'd probably choke! I don't believe Sarah's laughter was unbelief but rather shock and a very human reaction. She knew she was long past childbearing age and I'm sure the news sounded absurd. But haven't we all laughed when we heard unbelievable news?

I've heard people say, "If you'd told me a year ago (or five or ten), I'd be doing this today, I'd have laughed." In fact, I've said it myself. I can look back over the years and see events in my life that if someone had told me were going to happen, I would've laughed and thought they were crazy. Life is full of surprises!

God is full of surprises too. We may not receive news through burning bushes, or have angels visit making announcements but God still speaks to us through His Holy Spirit, through His Word, and through other people. We are never too old to be surprised by God, and we are never too old for Him to birth something brand new in us in an unexpected way. 

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green (Psalm 92:12-14)."

God couldn't care less about our age, infirmities, gray hair or wrinkles, all He sees is our willingness to obey His Word and calling in our lives. Whether we are 9 or 90, we are all the same in His eyes. Our righteousness lies in our faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 1:17) and not in our own abilities. We are who God says we are through our faith, and not of our own wisdom or capabilities. 

Hebrews 11 says, "By faith..." seventeen times as it describes the saints from the Old Testament who did what was humanly impossible simple because God told them to. Because God is faithful, they too the steps of faith to obey and accomplish that which they were left to do.

You too can be all that God wants you to be, no matter what your situation is. God uses us for His glory right where we are, whether rich it poor, homeless or an executive, in prison it in school, young or old. He is just looking for the willing and obedient.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10)."

Read
Genesis 25:1-4
1 Chronicles 1:32-34

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
©2018

Waiting For The Lord

"Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
~Psalm 27:14

I am not good at waiting. I like to move through life at my own pace, and anyone who messes with that, irritates me. I can be the same way when waiting on the Lord to answer prayers or do something in my life. But if you've followed God for any amount of time, you come to realize, He doesn't run on our schedules! When I was young and a new Christian, I thought God was old and slow. In our frame of mind, He can seem to be slow, but what He's really doing is teaching us a few things along the way.

Without God's seemingly snail's pace of doing things, I would not have learned patience. I would not have learned that God always has a better plan, and that what I think would be a great path, actually had a deep hole at the end. We don't see the big picture until we're looking back; God sees the beginning, the middle, and the end all at once, and His plans are always in our best interest (Jeremiah 29:11).

Learning to think the way God does and to trust in Him completely is to grow in our relationship with Him. Accepting that an unanswered prayer doesn't always mean God said 'no', but has said 'I have something better in mind' is what also makes this journey so exciting. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6)."

Read
Genesis 22-24
1 Chronicles 1:28-31

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
@2018

There's Gonna Be Trouble

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
~John 16:33

Life is loaded with curve balls, and they seem to be randomly lobbed at us, especially when we are walking with the Lord. Our confession of faith is like having a target painted on our backs that the devil likes to take aim at. The difference between the trouble we have prior to salvation and the ones we have afterward may seem a lot alike, but there are differences.

We may have financial problems, marital problems, loss of jobs etc. prior to, and after, salvation. It's the motives that change. Prior to salvation, the devil couldn't care less about you or your life, but after you become a Christian, you become a threat. You are one less person the devil gets to take to hell. Whether you know it or not, the devil knows how his story is going to end.

The devil's prowls around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) and Christians are his favorite prey. Trying to take down a Christian, making us doubt our faith, and ultimately, getting us to slide back into our old lives, is his ultimate goal. And he uses everything he can - from finances, old habits, spouses, to illness, to name a few.

However, Jesus has already defeated the devil (1 John 3:8). When we take hold of Christ's victory, we see victory in our lives. That's not saying the devil will give up, but we will see victory after victory in our lives. And victory over the enemy grows our faith and deepens our relationship with Christ. So take heart, Jesus has already won your battle!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (Romans 15:13.)"

Read
Genesis 19-21

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
©2018

The King of Glory

"Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty—
    he is the King of glory."
~Psalm 24:7-10

This is one of my favorite Psalms. Who is the King of glory? The Lord Almighty! To me, that sums up the entire Bible, and answers every question about life on planet Earth! The Lord is the King of glory, what else do we need to know? If we take that statement on faith, everything else falls into place. 

In Great Britain, and a few other countries, kings and queens sit on the throne and rule their kingdoms, and unless something grave happens, it is a lifelong position. They are in charge of everything that goes on in their kingdom, and they rule over their subjects. Hopefully, they rule with kindness, fairness, honor, and justice, ensuring the well-being of everyone. 

Over the centuries, history has shown us the good and bad in rulers. Some in kings and queens like Mary Queen of Scots, or Henry VIII, who ruled by murdering (or plotting to murder) the competition. And we've also seen the rise of military powers like Hitler and Stalin, who ruled with intimidation and fear, committing atrocities against anyone who disagreed. In America, we have presidents, and we've seen both the good and bad, and occasionally, even the ridiculous. People who accept positions of power, or are born into them, or even thrust into them, are only as good as their own moral character.

However, when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, who is, and who was, and who is to come (Revelation 1:8), we do not have to fear the whims of man. We can trust that He is in complete control in every situation. The Lord, the King of glory, has our best interest at heart in every matter from the smallest to the greatest.

Who is this King of glory? He is Jesus! So lift up your heads and open your hearts so the King of glory may come in!

Read
Genesis 11:27-15:21

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
©2018