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“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.'” (Genesis 12:1, NIV)

This recollection of God’s first encounter with Abram (later called Abraham, the father of the faithful) reminds us that we must first “go” in obedience to God before God will “show” us the promise.

Most of us prefer it the other way round, as if to say to God: “Show me and I will go”; while God is saying to us, “Go and I will show you.”

It may be a strange thing to our family, friends, and neighbors to see us commit to something without being able to describe the end-state or the desired outcomes; but obedience ahead of evidence is how God dealt with Abram — and it is how God deals with us.

Whenever God’s spirit moves you to move — move! God will be with you every step of the way and, in time, you will see the promise. – Luther

Tagged Abraham, Abram, faith, faithfulness, obedience, the book of Genesis

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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV)

Prophecy and miracle-working in the name of Jesus — though impressive — will not get us through the “pearly gates.” Jesus makes a clear distinction between (for lack of a better term) “exceptional religious performance” and righteous living in the day-to-day.

The Lord doesn’t care whether you or I ever perform miracles, prophesy like an Old Testament seer, or put demons to flight. (Any of that is 100 percent God and 0 percent us, anyway.) What impresses God is our obedience to Him in even the smallest and most ordinary of things.

God is not seeking rock stars, but He is seeking men and women who are “rock solid” in their commitment and in their obedience to His will. – Luther

Tagged faithfulness, profession of faith, the book of Matthew

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“In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.” (Ruth 1:1, NIV)

The great works of God — whether in us, with us, or through us — begin in the most humble and common of circumstances.

The story of Ruth and Naomi and their persistent faith, loyalty, and humility began with the compelling — but utterly common — circumstance of famine, and a humble family’s sojourn to a foreign land for the purpose of surviving the famine.

Be utterly faithful to Him in even the most boring of times; and look for Him in the commonplace. We often miss experiencing God because He appears to us in rags when we expect Him only in robes. Whether in rags or in robes, God is God. Be vigilant in all circumstances! – Luther

Tagged faithfulness, humility, Naomi, Ruth, the book of Ruth