Faithful Writers

There are two important points about the call of Abraham. First , when God called Abraham, He made it clear to him that his family was NOT welcome. God was calling him to a complete separation from his past and everything he held dear. To Abraham, this must have been a terrifying prospect. He had to leave his homeland and become an unprotected wanderer abroad. In addition, in a society where one’s culture and family were held in the greatest esteem, it could not have been easy for Abraham to have to reject his father’s pagan values and standards. Second, why did God choose Abraham out of all the people of the earth to become the one through whom He would bring about a holy nation unto Himself? I would like to share the following excerpt I got from a heavy volume titled The Jewish Study Bible. “In Genesis chapter 12, these extraordinary promises come like a bolt from the blue, an act of God’s grace alone ; no indication has been given as to why or even whether Abram merits them.” -The Jewish Study Bible, page 30, commentary on Genesis Chapter 12. This passage is similar to the Mishna excerpt I quoted in a previous lesson regarding why Noah was considered worthy of the salvation that God extended to him. The conclusion in both of these cases was that neither Noah nor Abraham merited their election from God. It was all God’s grace. I mention this again because of the common misconception that grace began in the New Testament era. This ain’t true homies! I reiterate pretty much word for word what I said in an earlier lesson. The Hebrews did NOT believe they could work their way into heaven. Their obedience to God’s laws was predicated on their gratefulness to God for saving them. Even in the Old Testament ( and boy I sure hate to use the term Old Testament ), the pattern set down is salvation first and then obedience to God’s ways. Remember God saved Israel from Egypt first and then gave them His Torah. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”- Luke 14:26 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”- Matthew 19:29 © Richoka

Although Abraham is the father of our faith… We see in Chapter 20, through his dealings with Abimelech, that he was beset by the same worries and fears we all have. First, his faith in God was limited because obviously from his words of “surely, I thought there is no fear of God in this place” , he was assuming that God’s sovereignty was in someway confined to certain regions. Second, even though it was the truth, Sarah was his sister through having a common father, it was still a lie. The Rambam has noted that even if Sarah was Abraham’s half-sister, Abraham was still in the wrong for not mentioning the much more important point that she was his wife. The ancient sages have called this scene a “ comic inversion of common expectations ” as here we have a Gentile king righteously scolding an Israelite prophet for his failures. The following are also two interesting differences between Abraham’s earlier encounter with Pharaoh and his encounter with Abimelech. 1) When God confronts the Pharaoh in Egypt, he only speaks to him through plagues whereas Abimelech is given direct address from God in a dream. 2) After finding out that Abraham lied to him, Pharaoh kicks Abraham out of Egypt ( for those of you who know the story of Exodus, notice a pattern here? ). However, in contrast, Abimelech allows Abraham to settle wherever he wants. Finally, there is an interesting linguistic point that I would like to show you. Let’s read verse 13 from both the King James version and the New International Version. “And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.” Genesis 20:13 from the King James version “And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me,” He is my brother.”- Genesis 20:13 from the New International Version First, the original Hebrew here is ELOHIM . Remember, ELOHIM can have two meanings. When used as a “ PLURAL OF MAJESTY ” form, it is referring to the one and only true God of Israel. However, it can also mean “ gods ” with a small “ g ” when referring to the pagan gods of the heathen nations. So which one is it here? First, the word “Elohim," although normally taking a singular verb ( even though it has a plural suffix ) when it refers to God in this episode IS LINKED WITH A PLURAL VERB . Second, in a world where monotheism was practically nonexistent, Abraham wouldn’t have been speaking to a pagan like Abimelech using the word god in such a way as to imply that there is only one God. So a correct translation should read “ when the gods caused me to wander ." I believe conventional translations are wrong when they render ELOHIM here as “ God ” or “ Heaven ." The whole world was polytheistic at this time, and Abraham’s speech would have reflected this. It is also interesting to note that Abraham in his speech, far from suggesting that God has directed him to a promised land, stresses to Abimelech that the gods have imposed upon him a destiny of wandering. © Richoka

Today, we begin Genesis Chapter 5. For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here. For the King James version, click here . If you’ve ever wondered what’s up with all the genealogies listed in the Bible, I gave you the answer in my last post . In the Bible, bloodlines are everything. These genealogies stand as an objective and enduring testimony to God’s faithfulness to preserve His chosen nation, Israel. And the great news is that you too, can become one with Israel through faith in the Messiah. In my last post , I pointed out that Cain (the one who killed his brother Abel) would be the forerunner of the wicked line of Satan while Seth would be the ancestral forerunner of the people of God. So, Genesis Chapter 5 is the genealogy of Seth and his descendants. It is from this holy line that Noah of Noah’s ark fame will emerge. Note that Noah’s father is named Lamech. However, this is NOT the same wicked Lamech mentioned in Genesis chapter 4. Lamech was likely a typical name for that era, just as Bill and George are typical names in our day. In the Bible, when you see the same name pop up repeatedly two or three times, do NOT immediately assume it’s the same person we are talking about. Another interesting feature that stands out as we read this list is that folks lived quite a long time back then. As unlikely as it may seem to be, there is nothing symbolic or metaphorical about the ages listed. Those are real ages. At the close of this chapter, two important things are revealed to us. First, we are introduced to Noah, who will be commissioned by God to build the ark. Second, we are introduced to Noah’s three sons, Shem, Japheth and Ham from whom the whole human race will emerge. However, again, keep in mind that these were NOT Noah’s only sons. At the time, he was 500 years old and had already given birth to quite several children. It was only these three sons who were specially chosen by God to be saved from the flood. Soon, we will be discussing the great flood that God sent to destroy every human being and every creature that dwelled on the land. There is an interesting historical fact that I would like to point out. The great flood will effectively put an end to Cain’s race. However, through Noah and his offspring, Seth’s line will live on. What this teaches us is that any man or nation that chooses to go against God will eventually be cut off. No matter how many grand accomplishments any one individual or nation achieves, in the end their surefire destruction is guaranteed. Look at what the God of Israel did to Egypt. Look at what happened to the Roman Empire. In closing, I leave you with this insightful quote from Mark Twain testifying to the eternal nature of the Jewish people. “If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also very out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself and be excused for it. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished. The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” — Mark Twain, September 1897 © Richoka What’s your biggest takeaway from this article?

In his book “The Gifts of The Jews — How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels,” Thomas Cahill made the following profound observations. “The Jews started it all-and by " it” I mean so many of the things we care about, the underlying values that make all of us, Jew and Gentile, believer and atheist, tick. Without the Jews, we would see the world through different eyes, hear with different ears, even feel with different feelings.” And: “For better or worse, the role of the West in humanity’s history is singular. Because of this, the role of the Jews, the inventors of Western culture, is also singular: there is simply no one else remotely like them; theirs is a unique vocation. Indeed, as we shall see, the very idea of vocation, of a personal destiny, is a Jewish idea. ” What’s interesting is that Mr. Cahill attributes this monumental shift in human consciousness to Abraham’s calling from God to “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. ” I don’t think many of us realize how utterly staggering and revolutionary this calling was. In response to God’s calling, the Scriptures tell us “ WAYYELEKH AVRAM ” (“Abraham went.”) These are two of the boldest words in all literature. They mark a final departure from everything that has come before in the long evolution of culture and traditions. Before the Jews entered world history, the existing view of the cosmos was cyclical. In other words, there was no such thing as a unique event. Every event that occurs is already an event that has occurred in the past and will occur again in the future. Life was seen as part of an uncontrollable, endless, and hopeless circle of birth and death. However, once the Creator of the universe called Abraham, this circle was broken. Abraham and his progeny, the Jews, would begin seeing time differently. Once God called Abraham away from the paganism of his ancestors, time would now have a beginning and conclude with a triumphant end. To put it simply, God gave Abraham hope for the future! In a world mired in a circle of hopelessness and despair, God promised Abraham that he would have a son and eventually end up becoming the father of a great nation. Again, I reiterate, before Abraham, there was no hope for the future. All civilizations believed that man could not escape his fate. Upon hearing of Abraham’s journey, the Egyptians would have informed Abraham: “There is none born wise. Copy the forefathers. Learn what has been said in the past. And then you will set a good example.” The early Greeks might have proffered: “Remember the story of Prometheus, whose quest for the fire of the gods ended in personal disaster. Do not overreach. Come to resignation!” In India, Abraham would have been told: “Time is black, irrational, and merciless. Do not set yourself the task of accomplishing something in time, which is only the dominion of suffering.” In China, the anonymous sages would have advised: “There is no purpose in journeys or in any kind of earthly striving; the great thing is to abolish time by escaping from the law of change.” The ancestors of the Maya in America would have pointed to their circular calendars and said: “Everything that has been comes around again. Each man’s fate is fixed. Lao-Tsu and the Buddha would have told Abraham: “Do not journey but sit; compose yourself by the river of life, meditate on its ceaseless and meaningless flow-on all that is past or passing or to come-until you have absorbed the pattern and have come to peace with Great Wheel and with your own death and death of all things in the corruptible sphere.” On every continent, in every society, Abraham would have been given the same advice reflecting the cyclical worldview of the universe. Yet God called Abraham, and he went. I believe God is calling you to a new life as well. How will you respond? CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT "By trusting, Abraham obeyed, after being called to go out to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were to receive what was promised along with him. For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God." Hebrews 11:8–10 © Richoka

Today, we begin Genesis Chapter 21! For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here. If you’re a King James diehard, click here. Verse one of this chapter informs us in a somewhat nonchalant fashion that God came through on His promise, and Sarah gave birth to a child. Abraham and Sarah were overjoyed. In her joy, Sarah named her son Isaac, which means “he laughs." So, finally, after many, many long years, God’s promise to give Abraham a child from his loins was fulfilled. But until it did, boy, what a roller coaster ride it was! We can learn a lot about the frailties of human beings and ourselves by examining the life of Abraham and his wife Sarah before the occurrence of this seminal event. We know that we have been saved. We know the sealed promises given to us in Scripture. Yet despite that, how often have we worked ourselves into major fits of worry because the circumstances seemed so contrary to what God had promised? Out of disbelief, Sarah gave her slave-girl, Hagar, to Abraham. A decision she would later regret. Out of fear and worry, Abraham pleaded with God to let Ishmael be the inheritor of the promises. But God would have none of it. I can glean two very important life application principles from this story that we can put to immediate use. 1) Always keep your focus on God, NOT on your circumstances. 2) Remember that God always says what He means and means what He says. There is a major mistake that people make when it comes to Biblical prophecies. WE DO NOT TAKE GOD’S PROMISES LITERALLY ENOUGH! There is too much allegorizing going on. Every promise that God made to Abraham was literally fulfilled… And in the future, every promise that God has made to Israel will also be literally fulfilled ! The rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948 is a prime example. Before this event occurred, since it was such a long time in coming, the Christian church didn’t think it was going to happen, and eventually concluded that the church had replaced Israel. However, this theory was turned on its head once Israel was resurrected following World War II. Despite this, I find it quite laughable that there are still segments of the institutional church that uphold replacement theology ( the idea that the church has replaced Israel ). And now that Israel is back in their land, Bible prophecy is also very clear that no matter what happens, they will not be removed. Even if every nation in the world comes against Israel, the Scripture says that Israel will become a stone so heavy that nobody will be able to lift it. You can count on this, literally! So when Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old. Given that Sarah’s womb was as good as dead, there is no doubt about the miraculous nature of what occurred. Even though we normally only consider the birth of Yeshua to be the first virgin birth, the birth of Isaac was also, in a sense, a virgin birth. Here are a few other fascinating similarities between Isaac and Yeshua. -God established a specific appointed time when Isaac would be born. The same for Yeshua. -Isaac’s name was determined by God far in advance of his birth. So was Yeshua’s. -There was a huge length of time between the prophesied birth of Isaac and its happening. The same happened for Messiah. © Richoka

“But there was a famine in the land, so Avram went down into Egypt to stay there, because the famine in the land was severe.” Genesis 12:10 In the closing paragraph of Chapter 12, we are shown that even Abraham, the father of our faith, is capable of succumbing to worry and temptation when external circumstances appear severe and troublesome. The narration states that there was a famine in the land, and given its severity, we are told that Abram fled from the promised land to Egypt. This was an unworthy action because he should have trusted in God’s protection. In the Scriptures, Egypt symbolizes the world that the true follower of God is to stay away from. Egypt ALWAYS indicates slavery to the devil in the Bible. One of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of our time, Maimonides ( otherwise known as Ramban ) offered the following concerning Abraham’s decision to journey to Egypt. “The patriarch “committed a great sin inadvertently” by not trusting in God’s protection, leaving the promised land, and subjecting his righteous wife to the possibility of sexual victimization.” One mishap leads to another as Abram ends up fibbing to the Pharaoh about the true identity of his wife, Sarai, fearing that a jealous Pharaoh might have him killed on account of his wife’s beauty ( by the way, Sarai would have been about 75 years old at this time ). However, Abram’s plan backfires as the very fib he offers up becomes the very reason Pharaoh attempts to court Sarai. Nevertheless, despite Abram’s less-than-commendable actions, the Lord intervenes on his behalf and smites Pharaoh and his household with as the Scriptures say “ mighty plagues ." In the end, Abraham prospers greatly and ends up leaving with an enormous number of animals and servants. This would have been a customary bride’s price paid by the Pharaoh at the time. One point we shouldn’t miss is that right here, a pattern is established between how Israel will interact with Egypt in the future. Abraham has a scuffle with Pharaoh. God smites Egypt with mighty plagues. Abraham leaves Egypt with great wealth. There is no doubt that this event foreshadows Moses and the Exodus. © Richoka

Abraham held a great feast in celebration of Isaac’s birth. However, all wasn’t well in the neighborhood. Undoubtedly, the birth of Isaac resulted in an instant diminishing of Ishmael’s status and his mother, Hagar. We are told that Ishmael was taunting the toddler, Isaac. Sarah responded instantly. She went to her husband and insisted that the two be banished from the clan. This request no doubt caused Abraham much grief because, as was mentioned before, Abraham loved his firstborn son, Ishmael, greatly. Nevertheless, God commands Abraham to listen to Sarah and consoles him by assuring Abraham that Ishmael would not be without blessing. There is a very important legal reason why God assured Abraham that Ishmael would be blessed. According to the law codes of that era, known as the Law of Lipit-Ishtar, it was Abraham’s prerogative to deny or accept Ishmael as the sole inheritor of his estate. Even though Ishmael’s mother Hagar, was owned by Sarah, Sarah only had the right to banish Hagar out of the clan. She couldn’t order Ishmael out without first getting Abraham’s permission. Here is excerpt 25 from this ancient legal code. If a man married his wife and she bore him children, and those children are living, and a slave also bore children for her master, but the father granted freedom to the slave and her children, the children of the slave shall not divide the estate with the children of their former master. It seems like Ishmael was already on track to become the heir-apparent of the clan. As such, he would have received the firstborn portion of Abraham’s wealth… And if this happened regardless of whether Ishmael’s mother Hagar, was banished or not, she would have benefited tremendously from the financial windfall her son Ishmael would have received from his father’s inheritance. Nevertheless, due to God’s decision, it was not to be. God told Abraham to comply with Sarah’s request that the two be kicked out of the clan… And at the blink of an eye, Ishmael’s inheritance went from great wealth to zero. However, God in His grace promised to supply the earthly inheritance that had just been taken from Ishmael. And that is exactly what happened. Ishmael became a great nation and, in the final analysis, received just as much wealth, if not more than Isaac. However, the inheritor of the covenant promises would stay with Isaac. That is the one thing Ishmael could not have. © Richoka

Today we begin Genesis Chapter 13. For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here . For the King James Bible, click here . “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold .” -Genesis 13:1–2 So after the altercation that Abram had with the pharaoh of Egypt due to his lying about his wife’s identity, we are told that Abram left the country with much wealth. Keep in mind that in those days coins and paper money were not yet in use. A wandering nomad’s wealth would have been his livestock. We are told that Avram received so much livestock that fights were breaking out between his and Lot’s herdsmen. It was at this point that Abram suggested to his relative Lot that they separate . Abram graciously offered Lot first choice of the land that lay before them and Lot chose an area called Sodom and Gomorrah. The reason we are told is because it was “ well-watered like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt ." There are two principles and patterns we can glean from this incident. First, here again, we encounter the God principle of division and separation. Whether deliberate or through circumstance, God will begin to separate us from the ungodly. Second, in examining the characters of Lot and Abram, we are shown the difference between a worldly man and a Godly man. Lot chose to head out to the rich lands in the Jordan Valley. Abram moved to the fields of Canaan. Lot drooled over the world’s wealth. Abram displayed a Godly indifference to such attractions. Lot’s foolishness is further underscored in verse 13 where we are told that “ the men of Sodom were evil, committing great sins against Adonai. ” © Richoka

“God heard the boy’s voice, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What’s wrong with you, Hagar?” -Genesis 21:17 So per God’s command, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. They were abandoned and on the verge of dying from thirst when a voice from the heavens called out to them. This situation smacks of the mysterious encounter Abraham had with the three men who had visited him a couple of chapters ago. So, who is the “ angel of God ” that spoke out to Hagar? As usual, let’s take a look at the original Hebrew. The original Hebrew is “ Mal’ach Elohim." Literally, “Mal’ach Elohim” means “ The Messenger of God ." Was this an angel sent by God to do His bidding? Or was this a manifestation of God Himself? Honestly, based on just the Hebrew itself, it’s difficult to tell. I believe this was a manifestation of God the Father. Why? Because the “ angel of the Lord ” speaks by His own authority, saying, “ I will make Ishmael a great nation ." On the other hand, Angels always make sure to tell people… “Hey, I’m just sharing God’s message — these aren’t my own words.” However, this is just my opinion… I’m not gonna be dogmatic about this. Moving on, a water well miraculously appears, and God makes a promise to Ishmael that he will be the father of a great nation. Lemme say that again. God asserts that Ishmael will give birth to a GREAT NATION. Such a positive pronouncement is a far cry from the ignorant demonizing of the Arab nations that goes on in some circles. Remember, we are to pray that the sons of Ishmael come to faith in Yeshua as fervently as we would pray for any other people group. One final point. While God promised Ishmael that he would father a nation, there was NO PROMISE OF LAND! Understand that in the Bible, nations are NOT about land; they refer to people groups. Hagar and Ishmael would end up becoming desert dwellers ( Bedouins ) in an area known as the Paran Desert. Later, it would be called Midian. Today, we know this area as the Arabian Peninsula, the area from which all the Arab nations sprang. © Richoka

The person in the parable on prayer nobody talks about. If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you have probably come across Jesus’ parable on prayer. I believe His motivation for telling this story is to encourage and persuade us to persevere in our prayer life. Here is how Luke recalls it: “Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this — though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.” 11: 5–8. The lesson is simple: make your prayer life effective and fervent. Don’t just ask once and quit. Persist. Have faith and patience. Jesus goes on to say: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” 9–13. I’ve heard this story expounded upon for many years from the perspective of the person with a need who gets what they want. And then they usually tie in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, where he encourages them to “pray without ceasing." (1 Thes 5:17) The character in the story that nobody preaches about. Have you thought about the jerk in bed? Remember, the story refers to him as a friend. And for you, Biblical scholars, the Greek word literally means “friend.” Not a neighbor or acquaintance. It is the same word James used when he called Abraham a “friend of God." (James 2:23) Can you imagine this conversation between Abraham and God? God: “Abraham, leave the home of your father and move to a land I will show you.” Abraham: “Go away, God. I have a great family and thriving business. Come back next week when I am out from under the covers.” God: “But I need you to go. I’ll keep knocking until you leave Ur of the Chaldeans.” Abraham: “OK, geez, I’ll go. You are a pain in the rear. But to shut you up, God, I’ll go.” Abraham was a friend of God — a real friend, not a social media contact, not a neighbor, not an acquaintance. The man in the parable should have bounced out of bed, run to the door, and said, “Is everything all right? It’s midnight. Are you OK?” And then rejoiced. “Make sure to introduce us before he leaves. What else do you need? A friend of yours is a friend of mine.” But he didn’t. His friendship was active if it was convenient. This article isn’t about prayer. Although the parable is. This article is about being a friend. Solomon nailed it: “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Prov 18:24 This verse highlights the importance of having authentic friends. And suggests that some friendships can be incredibly deep and supportive, even surpassing those of family. We all have friends who operate between the hours of 8 and 5. But will they be there on moving weekend? Or drive to pick you up if your car breaks down? Are they available 24/7? This is why so many people feel lonely at church. Like-minded people surround them. But none of them are friends. When I left Facebook, I had almost 1,000 “friends." And I didn’t know who most of them were. They knew someone I knew. I couldn’t tell you a thing about them. Do you have friends? Are you friendly? Would you open the door at midnight? Or do they have to badger you incessantly for what they need? Are you available to them? Are you trustworthy and faithful? Or what is called a “ fair weather friend ”? These are questions we should all ask ourselves. I want to be a friend to God. What should I do? First, study the lives of the people God called His friends. You know about Abraham. He had faith and a close relationship with God. Moses was also called God’s friend: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33:11 Moses had an intimate relationship with God, characterized by direct communication and trust. Jesus called his disciples friends. “I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” John 15:15 Bottom Line: God often arrives at inconvenient time s. He knocks . A nd how we respond determines if we are authentic friends or not. He wants to get us out of our warm, comfortable resting place because He might want to provide for the needs of another person through us. We are blessed to be a blessing to others. Is it bothersome? It depends on the level of spiritual friendship you have. I hope I am the one who, when there is a knock at my door, bounds out of bed, provides generously what God has entrusted me with, and says, “It was nothing. No big deal. It’s how I roll. My pleasure, Lord.” God always repays. I know I’ll get much more than three loaves in return. © I.M. Koen Thanks for reading this. You might also like: God Misses You; Why not give Him a quick call to check in? Jesus Wants to Make You Breakfast.; An invitation to dine for all atheists, ex-Christians, and God-haters. Is Jesus your Boss or your Friend? May the Lord make His face to shine upon you! -Issachar