Lion of Grace

The Lord's supper is a proclamation in that the ceremony "speaks" to us of the sacrifice Jesus gave for us and our sins and also speaks to us of the New Covenant that God is making with us. It proclaims that it was Jesus' body that was broken and given and it was the blood of Jesus that was poured out for many. It proclaimed a new agreement that God was now making with His people. It proclaims that Jesus was about a New Kingdom and we are to remember, and take part in that new Kingdom too! This new proclamation was and is made to all who believe on Jesus. That His death atoned for our sins and that we, in communion with Him will now share in a new life (a Kingdom life) and in eternal life along with Him. This is important because up to that point, people were seperated from God through sin and the curse, but when Jesus died, the veil was torn and we can now have fellowship with God first hand. We don't need to offer blood sacrifices to cleanse us from our sins and atone for them. We are reconciled through Jesus. Nothing but the blood of Jesus!! It is His righteousness that atoned for all our sins, past, present and future. When any proclamation is shifted to anything else but this truth in any church, then we have lost the very essence of Christianity. This is the foundation of our faith. We would, I think, be very displeasing to God if after sending His son to sacrifice and suffer as He did for us, we then made Christianity into something else....but said we followed Jesus. If we don't believe and teach and practice the very truth of what the Bible teaches about Jesus and what He commands us to do....then I think we need to take time and really consider where our faith really is coming from and what exactly we believe. When focus is shifted to other things also, I know many new believers really struggle to know and understand their freedom in Christ. We stay bowed down in guilt and despair until we know we are forgiven and how God does forgive us and cleanses us of our sins through Jesus. We can then give our burdens of sin to Him. We also have a harder time living for Christ because our love towards others should come from the spring of knowing how much God loves us. That makes all the difference between religious "duty" and a cheerful giver! Without the focus on Christ....We begin to live by works and by earning God's approval. The focus is taken off of serving out of love as Jesus did and of being obedient because we trust our Father as Jesus did. He loved us enough to send His Son to die for us! When we ponder on this...we know absolutely "Christ is all...Christ is all." If He is all...then our focus should be on Him!!!

The remembrance of Jesus' death is important because it keeps us focused on HIS atoning sacrifice. Without remembering Jesus' death as an atonement for our sins, our whole Christian faith is nullified! When we neglect remembering that, we create " religion". Our hearts stray from what our foundation is. There is only ONE way. That is through our faith in His sacrifice. Everything else should come from a grateful heart because of Jesus and His example. Sure, we have been given work to do, but the ultimate foundation of our faith is in Christ Jesus. When we individually neglect remembering the truth of Jesus, we become lukewarm at best and we become followers of our own design. We create religion and strive in our own works. We neglect our gratefulness to Jesus and we forget forgiveness....our own and for others. We forget to give freely and for nothing in return. We forget what great mercy has been shown to us and we forget to extend that to others. We as Christians should never forget our wonderful, beautiful gift of Salvation. That's why Jesus said to remember! Not just for ourselves either, but to let these truths change our lives and to ground us and to firmly root us in our faith and to make a difference in other lives around us as we share this good news!

The purpose of the Seder meal was to teach every generation the history of what God had done for His chosen people. To retell of how He freed them from bondage and slavery. To remind them of His faithfulness to them. To remind them of His care for them even when they were unfaithful and disobedient and bitterly complaining against Him! It was also tied in prophetically with the coming of the Lamb. Passover was repeatedly practiced because the people needed to remember. They needed to remember all God had done for them and all He promised for them in their future. Every new generation needed to hear and to pass on to the next generation how mighty God was and is. They weren't any different than we are today. We forget if we aren't reminded of His love and faithfulness to us even when we remain disobedient and complaing even today! We also need to pass on to each generation the truth of our mighty God and the redeeming work of Jesus. If the Jews had stopped remembering the Exodus they would have stopped remembering who to be dependant on. They would have forgotten the whole history of their race and who their God was and how powerful He is. They would have forgotten who their deliverer was. They would have forgotten that Messiah was coming! Today we remember the New Covenant and our redemption through Jesus. We remember God's faithfulness to us still in our bitter times and times of tears and all that Jesus did to free us from bondage to sin and that Jesus will return!

I know anything can become mundane in our lives if done too much or too often, but I also know that when everything is done from a pure heart, then we can be sure of those things not becoming mundane, but to be seen as blessings. We can apply that to everything from the most boring, small thing in our life to the most exciting! If it's not done from a pure heart for Jesus....then it will become mundane and we won't see them as a blessing and work of our hands for Him. I see that in relationships also. If we aren't in them with Jesus, then they can become mundane, but if Jesus is present, then they are blessings. I could take communion every day and if my heart was focused on Jesus, it never becomes mundane, but if done as a religious ritual...it will. On the other hand, if I don't take communion enough, I can loose that opportunity to be used as a reminder of all Jesus did for us and distance myself from my purpose here. To live a life in Christ in the ways He showed us. Our church does not take communion very often. So, I immerse myself in the Word and in studying and meditating on the Word. I seek to see His face around me and try to apply all that into my life. I can be continually stretched and sometimes fail but I always find a new thing He wants me to see or know either about myself for correction or encouragement, or how to live better for Him. I know Jesus wants us to remember in many ways....but communion is so focused on the broken body and blood poured out that it is our number one way to remember in reverance and solemnity what Jesus did for us and what He is asking of us in this life. The attitude we come with and experience in this is most likely the attitude we then take out into the world. We can be arrogant in our way or humble in our way. Casual or serious. All of these things are so connected and we are so connected together through communion and remembering what it was about then (Jesus) and still is about now. (Living a life in Christ Jesus)

There are two meanings most valuable to me at this time. The first that I am connected to Christ and His sufferings. I am so convicted of what He did for us as I meditate during communion and I recall the great love He has for me. I am reminded of the call on my life to follow Him. He said " Do this in remembrance of me." I don't think that means just perform a ceremony. I know that Jesus died for all of our sins once and for all....and we can't ever do that, but we can pour out our lives as He did and we can be broken for others as He was and we can forgive others and be forgiven as He taught. We can be connected as a body of Christ as we are connected to Him. We will be called to suffer for Kingdom purposes and we can accept that call and willingly and in love and most importantly as a servant to Him by His example. The second is in my meditating on the new covenant He established for us. To know my salvation through Jesus alone. The gift of grace. He did everything in love. That I can do all things through Him...not of my own striving or out of a sense of earning anything....but just because I love as He loved me. To know it's about love. Love God above all others and love my neighbor as myself. We can go anywhere, have all the knowledge in the world, we can rack up all kinds of honors, religious or not and write doctrines and laws and instructions....but if we don't have love...we don't have anything. With this acceptance, He will renew our minds and hearts and with the fruit of the Spirit He will pour Himself out through us to others and He is glorified.

The action words that teach us to be thinking of the sacrifice that Jesus gave for the atonement of our sins are: Gave: He gave His life as an atonement for our sins. Broke: He was broken and bruised and bled for us for the atonement of our sins. Poured out: His whole life and life blood was poured out as an offering for us for atonement of our sins. Forgiveness (forgive): He died for the forgiveness and atonement of our sins.

I think if we just focus on "symbolism " then we focus on the "outward" or the "ritual". That takes away from the "inward" renewal and can take the reverance out of the ceremony. It can also become so common place it becomes mundane. We are creatures of habit....and that's not good! Communion should never become something "symbolic" performed because " That's just what we do." We can't focus on what we use in it such as cups or wine or grape juice or what kinds of bread and make doctrines out of it. Communion should always be taken with emphasis on Jesus and what that means to us and for us and how we are to share with others in it.

I also was raised with the literal interpretation of taking in the body and blood of Christ, but now belong to a church that believes in it figuratively. I do embrace that belief now also, but I cherish the reverance with which I was raised in sharing in the sacrifice Jesus offered and suffered through for our sake. I will always be thankful for the deeper meanings it called for me to ponder on. When I take communion, it is not something to be done lightly or without thought. I am reminded we share in His suffering in our every day walk and we are to live a life as He did for others. Sometimes that calls for a death within ourselves as we give selflessly to another. I am reminded He is within me and it was only through the cross that I am reconciled. I am reminded that the best friend and brother I have, willingly died for me...just because He loves me so much and I'm reminded how obedient to our Father He was and even how much our Father gave to be reconciled with us. He willingly gave His only begotten Son. Who could understand such a love? I am reminded of not only our oneness with Christ in us, but of our oneness together. In the body of Christ. I know it is a time of reconciliation and not to be taken lightly if we hold anything against another. I am renewed in my love for Him when I take communion when I am reminded of His love and then...once again....I love, because He first loved me. I am encouraged to go out and share that love again....when I've become stale and have turned inward and forgotten as I so often humanly do. Communion to me is such a time of renewal and reconciliation and a "sending out" again. It is a "Remembrance" of who Jesus was and what it is He came to show us and how we are to do the same and a renewal of doing it from a pure heart.

I'm just going to quote from one of my favorite scripture verses that I have clung to in times of pain, growth, trials, sufferings, injustice, and sadness. Rev. 21: 1-7. " Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and there was no sea anymore. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now God's presence is with people, and He will live with them, and they will be His people. God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone." The one who was sitting on the throne said, "Look! I am making everything new!" Then He said, "Write this down, because these words are true and can be trusted." The one on the throne said to me, " It is finished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give free water from the spring of life to everyone who is thirsty. Those who win the victory will receive this, and I will be their God, and they will be my children." The very presence of God! We can't even imagine! See you there!

Gideon was just an ordinary man. I can just imagine everyday, ordinary, Gideon having an encounter with an angel of the Lord! This was in the time of judges and everyone was doing only what was right in their own eyes. God was severe with the people of Israel. He allowed them to go their own way until the results of their sinfulness led them into oppression from their enemies. He waited until they cried out to Him, then He raised a judge to help deliver them. God was one to be feared and at that point, the Israelites had turned from Him, so I'm sure Gideon faced a huge amount of fear at what the message from God might be! To hear the words " Peace! Do not be afraid, You aren't going to die." must have been a mighty relief and comfort! In gratitude alone I think He would have built the altar and named it " The Lord is Peace". God was revealing a facet of himself to Gideon. Fear was replaced with security. Gideon knew that with God on his side, that he would be ok. He was assured victory!

Old Testament: "Saved" To help deliver. To remove someone's burden. Helping or joining forces with someone so as to forge a stronger unit. Also meaning " Salvation". God's acts of help. That which God will do on man's behalf. New Testament: "Saved" The spiritual and eternal salvation granted immediately by God to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Of material and temporal deliverance from danger or suffering as in sicknesses. God's power to deliver from bondages to sin. Being delivered from the wrath of God and eternal doom. To bring safely through. Keeping a person safe. "Savior" means a savior or deliverer or preserver. The sense of preserving in giving life and breath. The sustainer and preserver of the church. What does a Savior do to earn that name? Gives whole heartedly and selflessly of Himself to others. Is a defender. Is a champion for the less fortunate. Loves unconditionally. Has the power to help in the very face of hopelessness. Can heal and renew. Can give freedom to individuals from their bondages. Will Shepherd individuals safely through. Will protect and keep safe. Will preserve life. Give breath. Will sustain and preserve.

It seems to me that the responsibility of the next of kin had many facets. When a relative fell into any kind of dire need, the kinsman redeemer would step forward and help in whatever that situatiion was. Financially, or by taking the needy under their wing for provisions of any kind, even emotional ones. They avenged for wrongs and in general made restitution. All for one who was in a hopeless situation. How does Jesus play that role for us? In all those same ways. I fall into sin, or life's circumstances. I have an enemy that just waits to roar at me and there is always someone he can use to help him along. Jesus rescues me. He covered my sins by His blood. He always hears my cry when I'm in trouble and He helps me. He provides for me daily, He overcomes my bondages and sees me through all circumstances in my life or those directly from satan. He sends people into my life that can help me and He continuously shows His faithfulness and love to me. He's like having the best husband in the universe! That reminds me of a song I sing often. One given to me several years ago. This is parts of it: Hurt and alone, tormented by fear. Far from my home. Love no where near. Held by a force, at the hand of the capture. But heaven responds to my song of despair, and sends my deliverer. He's the one on the white horse, and He rides on the wind, He can slay any dragon, He's my hero, He's my friend. Faithful and true is my Heavenly Warrior, He's the one my heart sings to, King of Kings and Lord Of Lords! That's a kinsman Redeemer! I can say He has been faithful and true and my heart does sing to Him! I still struggle with the "worth" part sometimes....but I'm very grateful for this lesson because it has made me stop and think about that. To really accept that He's not in for a " rescue and leave" but that He means forever and not for anything that has to do with me! WOW! That makes me ponder on my gratitude towards Him too.

There wouldn't be enough time or space to write how God has shown grace to my family. First and most...He chose us and called us to understand and accept the salvation of our souls. He gave His son Jesus to die for our sins. He saved us from eternal damnation and that is the one thing that when I really think of all He has done for us, can make me cry out and fall on my face in gratitude. We were on the fast tract and blind to truth, but He opened our eyes and has faithfully taught us what is most important in our lives. He has also given us so much healing. Emotional healing, healing in marriage, physical healing. He has shown us our way to a good church and has surrounded us with Godly people who help us on our way. He has placed teachers in our lives so we can understand scripture and others who can love us unconditionally and patiently. He has given us gifts and talents and balanced them with right attitudes and has shown us the way Jesus wants us to use them. He has forgiven us of so many mistakes and blessed us besides! He has faithfully walked beside us and has extended an arm of love and guidance to us. He lights our path every day. He shows us how to forgive and be forgiven. He reveals new things to us everyday. I could go on and on. I'm so overcome by the thought of it all, I can't even write anymore except to give thanks. "I am so grateful to you our dearest Papa. To our sweetest Savior Jesus and our wonderful counselor Spirit. Thank you, thank you for all you have done and all you continue to do. You are so beautiful to us."

God's faithfulness is so great, it is still the same from the very beginning of time until today. He has always found a way to keep us and save us, from the Old Testament atoning of sins through animal sacrifice until today being saved by the blood of His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. That is a love that we can not comprehend and a faithfulness to us that is beyond our capacity to understand. We really need to take time this Easter season to reflect on all of this, and to have thankful hearts towards Him and resolve to continue in doing good and renewing our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. To live our lives in faithfulness to Him, going out and sharing this wonderful good news! To be a light in the darkness! Showing others His love, through our devotion and gratitude in service to our King!

Faithfulness means belief in the truth. It has to do with reality. What is absolutely believable. If someone is faithful, that means that the very essence of that person is truthful, believable and REAL! We can trust them. They will keep their word. Since God is faithful, that inspires me to believe in all His promises to me. He inspires me to put my trust in Him. To find security in Him because when He says He loves me, or won't ever leave me He won't. When He says He has a plan for me and it's to prosper me, He is absolutely believable and I can rest in HIS plan or diection. When He says He will protect me and go before me and behind me, I can KNOW I'm protected. It means I can not only believe IN God, I can BELIEVE God! Faithfulness needs to be a part of Christian character, because non christians are watching! I know I watched before I was saved. I wanted to know if Christianity was the real thing. I wanted to know if God was believable. I tested what I read in the Bible and waited to see if God was faithful. I waited to see if people who said they knew Him really followed what He said. I came to know God IS faithful. I also learned not to put my trust in man, because man is not faithful. We still have to set a higher standard though individually and try to be better at showing the face of God to others. To rise out of our complacency and church pew sitting to really live our faith. To live like Jesus did. Not to condemn, but to serve.

God's willingness to forgive was essential to Israel, because they could not possibly survive without God. They were going through a desert experience and no one can go through a desert without provision. Israel didn't deserve provision. They constantly doubted and complained about the provider himself not to mention the appointed leaders! God though, in truth to His very nature, continued to provide for them, because it is impossible for Him to not be faithful! Today we are no different. We doubt and we whine and we want what we want, so we complain and we cry and we go our own way. When things get bad enough, (just like Israel) we turn to Him and He shows how faithful He is. He forgives us and provides for us. What He really wants though are people who are true to Him and will walk with Him on a daily basis and trust Him always.

The Bible says " Father" not "Mother" when refering to God. It says "Son" not "Daughter" when refering to God. So I know God's intention is to show himself in the masculine and refer to Himself in the masculine....because that's what the the Word of God says. He does reveal feminine characteristics of himself though, so His personality has both. We shouldn't change the Word of God...ever...so I don't like to hear of it being done. I know God in the masculine, because God refers to himself that way, so to me that is the truth. God designed men and women differently and we as a culture have blended those differences, so, many want to do that in a Spiritual sense also....but that's impossible....we can't change who God really is. Men have been given authority. We as women, are under the umbrella of the authority put over us. This can be a wonderful thing with Godly men over us just as it is a wonderful thing to have " Father" over us in all His authority. It is good that way. I couldn't ever relate to God as a woman, because I see Him covering over me in a most blessed way. Nor would I want to see Him as " just a spirit" with no assigned role except what I wanted Him to be either. I am secure under Him just the way He himself assigns Himself in the Bible. I have lived two ways, the first way on my own denying authority over me and with disasterous results and now under the umbrella of my husband and Godly men who were examples to both of us while we learn. I have more security and joy in my life now then I ever, ever had. God is also the head of man....so it seems to me they would relate in a similar way. Anyway you look at it...we are all submitting to His authority.

God was the husband of Israel because of the covenant He had with her. Entering into a covenant requires a commitment. God was commited to Israel even though she was constantly unfaithful to Him. He had great love for Israel and even though she wandered from Him for other things to fullfil herself and she constantly broke her commitment to Him, He always drew her back to Himself with His discipline and great love. Today, the new covenant is between Jesus and His bride (the church). We as Christians are His bride and Jesus is the groom. There is still the same commitment (covenant) with Him for all who truly believe. When we agape love, we want to follow without question. We want to surrender. We surrender at any cost. We are so commited we love without question. It's a love given by the Holy Spirit. Jesus requires that we give everything to Him. All of our day, every possible moment with His purposes in mind. He makes Himself intimately known to us. If we love Him, we don't even ask anymore " What's in it for me." We only live to please HIM. We trust Him. Everything that once seemed important pales in comparison to what we can do for Him. We want to know everything about Him and we seek to find Him everywhere and to win His favor. We are devestated when we displease Him and sense a loss so great when we are seperated from Him if even for a short time! We really are desperate for Him! He is jealous when our attention is on anything but Him. All our relationships are to be through Him and entwined in His purpose. All our possessions are given by Him, for His purpose. Our time and talents are for His purpose. Our bodies are kept pure for Him. Our minds are steadfsat on Him. Our hands serve Him, our mouths bless Him and our feet take us places to proclaim His name. When we start walking our own way or place any other purpose or thing other than Him first in our lives....then He is jealous and He will let us know! He's good to give us many of our desires and He gives so many good things to us...but He requires being number one first. He's Lord and Master. He's Husband and lover of our souls. He's everything to us!

Jesus and the Father are one in the sense that they are one in the Trinity. Both the Father and Jesus were present at creation, ( John 1:1.) so they were there as one. Jesus though, took on human form and was both God and man. (John 1:14) so He also had a distinct role that was only His. He became like us and understands us. He took our sins and sufferings on Himself and can have empathy with us. He restored us to our Father through His death on the cross. He was the final blood sacrifice that tore the veil and enables us to come to the Father ourselves. I think all three persons of the Trinity have a distinct role, but all are one and God. Father chose me. (Love.) Jesus saved me by His blood. (Grace.) Spirit is in me and convicts, comforts and guides me. That is sanctification. (Fellowship.) 1 Peter 1:2., 2 Corinthians 13:14 But all are one. Matt. 28:19. That is how I understand it from the Four Reasons Why I Believe in The Trinity article along with my 1 Peter study through my church.

The Jewish understanding of father was one of fear and reverance and absolute authority. There were no rights and the severity of discipline was not questioned. He was distant and though He was one to obey and receive the benefit from that obedience, I don't think they saw Him equated with love. They wouldn't even write out His name in full out of reverance. They knew God as " law" and even though those laws were given to benefit them, there didn't seem to be the "relationship" that would encompass them in his love. I don't think that was God's intent...there were plenty of times He offered love and comfort, but Israel wouldn't take it. To them God was the Father of the Nations and a helper in time of need, not a Father who loved and cared for them daily. I don't want to be lumping everyone together though. There were some Jewish people in the Bible that did have that relationship aspect with Him. That is why they could be used so mightily by Him. With Jesus though, He taught us God is love. God's intent was always on loving us, delighting in us and for us to be a part of fulfilling His plan here. We are " adopted" as sons and daughters and nothing will ever change His love for us or cause Him to forget us or forsake us. We are HIS! It was sin that set us apart from Him. He loved us so much He sent His son to die for us. To take away and make atonement for that sin so we could be reunited with Him. So we could come directly to Him and have a relationship with Him. I can't even fully comprehend that kind of love! But it is there and available. HE is available! Everyday! The best way I can sum it up is " I love because He first loved me." He sought me. He wanted me. And at such a price! We forget that! He paid such a price! Now my respect comes from devotion to Him. I want to give back. I want to please Him and if I mess up ( like we all do) He still loves me and is waiting for me with open arms. I get up and take His hand and everything is good again! When He disciplines I can know it's for my good and it won't be so severe and it won't be forever and it will be fair and His love is kind and pure and good. That's Abba....He looks on us with kind eyes.

In the old testament Patriarchal society the father was considered the only real person in the family. Everyone else, the mother and children were considered those either sent to bless him or to help him. There was no consideration for them. It was " all about father." There just wasn't any questioning anything the father said or did, because he could do anything he felt was ok. Unfortunately that is tragic by human standard because human fathers aren't like God who will always do things right and perfectly and will love with an everlasting and agape love. With God though, we can trust in His goodness towards us and believe we can be in service to Him as helpmates or as a blessing to Him, because He will never misuse that trust and He even honors and finds favor in the heart willing to be used in that capacity. God is to be understood first as " creator." He made us, we are the work of His hand. We are the clay. He molds us. He has the perfect plan for us. We should be able to trust in that and submit to what that plan is but we become distrustful through life experiences and we tend to want to go our own way. If though, we can overcome our sin in this and our fears, we can learn to "respect" Him in all things and come to value the authority He has over all things. Then when He shows us what to do and we are obedient to do it, we learn more and more of His faithfulness and love towards us. We can then learn to trust more in His perfect plan for us. That in turn gives us joy beyond measure! We find that He is for us and not against us and He will provide for us and protect us and our security can be found in Him because we have found Him to be good. It is a process though and comes from relationship with Him and in coming to know who He is. That's why this study is so beneficial.

When I think of a spring, I think of something completely natural and clean. Clear, pure water all gently flowing from a source we can't see. It is a constant, never ending flowing stream of refreshment when we are tired and worn and thirsty. I think of putting my feet into the cooling swirls of water and how rejuvenated I would feel after a long dusty journey. In a fountain, the water shoots upward with force and falls all around in steady small streams. Those who seek refreshment in a fountain after a hot tired day would be completely saturated and drenched in the coolness of it and I think of dancing and laughing because fountains of water delight me. God is like both of these, in that even though we can't see Him, He is a never ending source of renewal and rejuvenation for us as we travel through this world. He supplies not only living water (The Word) as drink for our souls, but He pours Himself out to and over us and saturates us with His love and care and compassion. As I soak in His tender mercy and He saturates every part of me, healing me, cleansing me with truth and surrounding me, I do dance with joy and delight in Him. In return I am also poured out as a drink offering to others, sharing His love, and becoming a steady stream of witnessing to His goodness and the truth of His Word. As for my future.... this means I am never in want. If I flow with the water (drinking in the Word) and stop for the refreshing the water can give me (resting in Him) I am assured of drawing on the constant flow of the goodness and mercy He desires to give me I liked this lesson because it made me ponder on why I don't seem to flow all the time with Him. I love His Word and read and study everyday...but I see when I get caught up in my everyday concerns and living....sometimes I forget to just rest in Him and receive the rejuvenation He offers..

I think sometimes the problem isn't in calling on God for help, but to submit to what He shows you needs to be done! Usually I resist because I'm afraid of moving forward into what He wants of me, or the solution to a problem means looking into my heart and seeing what I have done to compound the problem. I can fall to pride in this also when I deny my part in problems or have taken ownership of things He wants to move me out of. It's really a lack of trust I think. If we really believed God was ALWAYS going to do everything abundantly for our good...we should be running to do what He asks! When I finally do lay it all down, I always see how patient and kind He was to me and how much better HIS plan was or so much more abundant in blessing! Or I may experience a freedom He wanted me to have. Getting over the initial fear is always the hardest part for me because then I can let my Shepherd gently lead me into good things and I've learned that on His part....He is always faithful! Why I can't seem to just flow with that....I don't know. He has been faithful to me enough times I should be able to trust Him enough to submit right away. I'm just thankful He knows the inner most parts of me and understands and has unfailing love for me....otherwise it would be hopeless! I just can't do anything in and of myself! Worth mentioning anyway.

God has been my Shepherd in many ways in times of trouble and in times of blessing. I was just at church this morning for prayer and I was singing Psalm 23 to Him. I know what He wants me to share because of what He showed me this morning and then coming home to this Bible study question. I have in my past lived with huge amounts of fear. I have had many fearful experiences with men. When I was little, a stranger tried to abduct me and that was a very frightening experience for me. Later in my early teen years, I was abused by two teachers and have had to also contend with several physical attacks by men as well as abusive relationships. I was paralized by fear for many, many years. God led me to a good church, with Godly leadership and took me on a journey I'll never forget. He has healed me in so many ways and taught me about who I am in Him. He has led me to wonderful teachers who taught me His Word and sent me others who could take care of and stick with someone totally afraid and in a panic over most things. I had built a wall of protection around myself that was hindering me from even living anymore or letting anyone in. I had been abusing alcohol and drugs trying to cover my fear and shame. He freed me from those addictions and dug deep into my heart to show me why I turned to those things. He has taught me that in this sea of life we will have many troubles, but that He has overcome them all. He taught me to trust and to love again. Agape love. The love that sees through every circumstance....good or bad. He led me to forgive and to be forgiven. This morning, when I went to church to seek Him, I tried to relive that fear, but He wouldn't let me! He's leading me right out of it again! I'm taking His hand and singing a new song. He is my Shepherd...and I shall not want or be afraid. Ever hear the song with the lyrics: I want to make you famous. I want to shout your name, to every tribe and every nation, so every tongue will proclaim your glory and the way you've changed everything. Famous. I want to make you famous! Well... I want to make Him famous. Jesus is absolutely our good Shepherd. He is hope for the hopeless and rest for the weary and He has power to overcome everything! I don't care what it is!! Amen! I hope that encourages others in their walk.

I absolutely am in agreement that Abraham was expecting God to provide a sacrifice other than His son Isaac. Abraham told his servants that both Isaac and himself would be back. He also told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice. (Genesis 22:5) I believe he whole heartedly trusted God. He knew God. He knew God's heart. He knew God required obedience and Abraham knew God required his all. It is recorded that Abraham was a man of great faith in many ways, (Romans 4:1-3, Romans 4:13-25) and I don't think this time was any different. I have received many last minute provisions from God. I receive provision from Him daily! He is always faithful! The question for us is, do we believe in God, or do we believe God? I know God supplies all our needs, but not all our wants. Even then though, as we trust Him, He delights in giving abundantly to us, but He will never give anything bad to us or that will harm us. I have seen Him answer prayers for me though, that I thought were needs, but later realized were really just wants. But the key was.... He was faithful to cleanse and purify first, so all was good! That takes obedience and patience in the wait...but faith to know He can and will do it! I do think there are conditions for us. To have Him number one in our lives, to trust Him to do things His way and in His time. To be in relationship with Him and presenting all to Him in prayer. To have and act on the same faith and in the same way Abraham did. Your faith makes you right with God....but please remember to say thank you! He gives so much daily to us. He is so good to us! All in all....it's still the same today as then! A matter of faith!