Peggy Crans

False doctrines cause controversies in the church. There has to be love and a strong desire to know God and false doctrines just take everyone down the wrong path and away from God. Paul and Timothy were preaching truth, they were hearing from God and proclaiming His word. Controversy just separates believers from God. When believers are talking small talk they get their eyes off what is important and have their eyes on self. God is love and love has to grow. When there is love in a church it draws people to God. When there is bickering and strife eyes are surly not on what God wants. The mission of the church is to show the love of Christ, to help others and to tell others about the love of Christ that brings salvation and eternal life.

I think his faith really inspires me the most. It must have been hard for Abraham to obey what God ask. What obedience. Even sacrificing his som that he waited so long for and loved beyond words. What stands out for me is he never waivered in obeying God. He just did what God ask him. If we could all be so faithful without questioning how much more we would please God.

I think the servants prayer was from the heart but not so hasty. It was simple and to the point. I don't think it was a test of God. The servant swore an oath that he would follow Abrahams directions to the letter. Abraham having been in conversation with God for he said, "the Lord will send His angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. The servant was asking for guidence to get the right girl. God led him to the right spot at the right time to ask the right girl and even from Abraham's own family. The servant was asking to show kindness to his master Abraham. The servant sees that God was faithful to answer to prayers of a humble servant.

Abraham believed God's promise. Although the land was not his or his heirs as yet, but he knew the promise God had made would materialize. There was no doubt in Abraham even as he was paying for this small parcel of land. He didn't know when this covenent promise would be fulfilled, but he knew it would be.

Her strengths were her faith,obedience and devotion to Abraham. Her weaknese was doubt, jealousy and fear. She doubted that God was going to fulfill his promise after so many years. After so many years of waiting for an heir in her old age she conceived and had Isaac her strong faith returned, knowing that God was faithful in His promises. I think she lacked faith when there was unbelief that she would be able to conceive and have a child. After all she was an old women way beyond any child bearing age.

What Abraham must have been going through and yet his obedience to God. As a parent I can fully understand just how terrible he must have felt. It is hard to put into words the heartache Abraham must have felt. Then I think of God and His perfect son, sinless, perfect in all ways,willing to sacrifice His only son for a sinful people. We have done nothing to deserve any sacrifice for our sins. HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD. His love overwhelms me. To have so great a love is what I strive for.

I have no othere choice but to trust in God. God has never broken a promise, people let you down but not God. My great grand daughters and I have always had food to eat, I pay my bills, and I have a Savior that loves me no matter what. Just our daily routine sometimes is a challange, but He is there to give me what is needed. He has never let ne down yet and I'm betting(is I was a betting person)He never will.

We must trust Him with our whole lives. The more we get into His word and talk to Him(pray) the closer we allow Him to get close to us. He can get no closer to us than we allow Him to . Only when our whole heart belongs to Him can we really know and trust Him. Yes I have given my life to Him. When I surrendered to Him I eventually realized that it wasn't my will but His. It was hard to give up my way of thinking and put things in His hands. WOW what a relief to know He was in control and He still is. There are still trials, but I have a Friend that sticks closer than a brother. I still get upset sometimes but He reminds me that He is there and I can trust Him. AND I DO TRUST HIM.

Satan wants us to to believe his lies, and to doubt God. God wants us to grow in Him. To trust in Him and know that He is with us always no matter what we are going through. Yes I have been through a few trials that have really strengthened me when all was done. It is always so good to know that we have Our Heavenly Father with us no matter what we go through. Trials come to us and they draw us closer to our Maker. I don't know if I have inspired anyone, I certainly hope so. I certainly have been inspired by another's trials.

Living as they did with so much sin around them I guess they thought that was the only way. They were isolated from anyone and wanted to carry on the family name. They apparently didn't have many values in their lives. Both girls had the same idea. Their faith was null and void. If there ever was any faith it was gone so they took matters in their own hands. Lot was isolated from everyone and after he lost everything he owned and instead of turning to God he turned to wine. Like so many people today do they think they can find peace by drinking. When they sober up they still face the same problems and sometimes even worse ones than they had before He put all his faith in the things he had and by not removing himself from the place he lived, it was a bad influence on his children. Lessons from this story to me is listen to what God wants you to do and don't hesitate just move.

To know that God, the Eternal God, is my savior, my friend, my provider, the one that lknows me and still loves me, even better than I know myself, He knows the dirt that is still in my heart and He stills cares what happens in my life. He will never leave me or forsake me. WOW! What an AWESOME GOD WE SERVE! I try to live my life that is pleasing to God. I don't always succeed. I know He is still working on me and I am so thankful that He has not given up on me. HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!

God blessed Abraham with the promised son Isaac and the promise that He would make a nation from Ishmael, so he knew that Ishmael will not be forgotten. Isaac and Ishmael probably would not been compatable. Isaac might have taken on some of Ishmael's manerisms and actions. Isaac would have received all the spiritual promises. He was the heir God promised Abraham and Sarah. Yes I have been rejected and it hurts. Although I don't know why I went through this terrible time. It was a time in my life I felt so alone but looking back I know God was there even though it didn't feel like it. He's still working on me. I know He will never give up on me.

She is angry and jealous because things are not going as she expected they would. I don't think she was even thinking about being righteous, she was angry and wanted Hagar and her son to be gone. No I have never tried to force anyone to act against their principles and to my knowdedge I have not been forced to act against my own pronciples. That's where free will comes in. If I have done anything against my own principles, I was not forced to do so. God told Abraham to do as Sarah said because He would make a nation of Ishmael. Abraham knew God would keep His promise.

They wanted children and they took matters in their own hands. They wanted to carry on the family name and not to be considered as barren. In those days to be barren was not good. The way they took shows us they had no values. They were raised in this kind of enviroment and probably thought it was the only way to get what they wanted. Their faith was null and void. There was none. Although God saved them they didn't give Him any thanks . Lot had lost everything and as so many people do turned to the only comfort he thought there was. He not only didn't thank God for what He had done for him, he thought only of what he had in the past and what he had now. His mind was on himself and things and not on how God had taken care of him. His faith was pretty much gone too. He had no hope. Instead of praising God for what He had done, he was having a pity party of sorts. Parents influence their children by their actions a his actions were not at all good. He chose to live isolated from everyone, and chose to cling to his wine instead of cllinging to and praising God. The lesson we should learn from this story is to always remember to stay away from the things of this world they can only bring grief and heartache. Remembering God is our provider and our anchor. He will never let us down or forsake us.

It's hard to leave your roots and start a new life. Perhaps out of curiousity she just wanted to see what was going on behind her. She apparently thought just one peek wouldn't hurt. He wanted to save her just as He wants salvation for us. He loves us. Probably her heart was filled with different emotions, sadness at leaving her past life, fear of what her new life would hold for her. Maybe even unbellief or shock of what was happening. Yes I have struggled and I am so fortunate God didn't give up on me. Lessons learned are don't look back, that's the past. We must look ahead at what Christ has for us.

Probably because of fear of the unknown, leavilng his life style and his possessions. He was living a comfortable life style and to leave was a drastilc change. Maybe he thought God was going to change His mind. Who knows for sure. I guess it's the same human nature in all of us. We want to take the next step but we hesitate because of the uncertainty of the future. Even though he knew that he was being saved from destruction he had to be forceably removed. I have never been in a situation where I would be fleeing from danger. I don't know how I would react. Hopefully I would know that God was iln control. Our lesson I think would be that when God speaks we obey, as Abraham did, without hesitation.

Keeping balance, I don't know. I do know I wouldn't be cruel if talking to a homosexual. They are loved by God as much as anyone is. He loves the sinner, but hates the sin. I certainly couldn't agree with them that being a homosexual is ok with God. The Bible does not mix words when it comes to this discusting act. They are being sucked in by satan, believing his lies that it is their right to do as they please. I certainly don't think they should flaunt their lifestyle as they do. I have never seen a gay parade, but I've been told that they are X rated, which should be an abomination to everyone. It probably is possible to be loving and compassionate toward them while comdemning such sinful acts. Probably just as possible for the homosexual to be compassionate toward straight people. They are very good at making fun of and comdemning too, which does not make it right . No I don't think the church should be quiet. If preachers are afraid to speak out about all sin, they shouldn't be behind the pulpit. After all they are called to proclaim the Word boldly. After all God's views on this sin(and all sin)are quite clear. One place we shouldn't be condoning homosexual behavior is in the schools, they are calling it an alternative life style. No, it is a sinful life style that leads to death.

Abrahan knows that God is a righteous God and He will do what is right. He said, " Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham went boldly before the LORD and spoke. I believe He desires us to do the same. He is our Father and even though He knows what we are going to ask He still wants us to come before Him and ask. Abraham pleased God because of his boldness and honesty . He was talking to his Father in a straightforward way not in a disrespectful way but honestly. God wants us confide in Him with our deepest feelings. I think to please Him in our prayers would be as Abraham did, to come boldly before Him and pour out our hearts to Him.

To walk in keeping the way of the LORD in this twenty-first century, is keeping our eyes on the LORD. To walk a straight and narrow well worn path. It is difficult sometimes because there are obsticals that get in our path, but always knowing that God is with us makes it easier to overcome these stumbleing blocks. The special challenges are to remember that we are overcomers. We sometimes get bogged down with trials and we forget that we are children of the King and nothing is implossible with God.

Actions speak louder than words. By being a good example to his family. As Abraham was showing respect and honor to the leader of the three visitors, fathers and husbands should respect and honor their family. It should not be all one sided, because marriage is two people and they should be in agreement when decisions are made. They should be able to dicuss anythingwith each other in a rational manner. Mothers and wives should do the same. Wives should be able to talk to there husbands about anything and should be able to voce what their needs and desires are, just as husbands should be able to. When wives or husbands act like dictators there is no neeting of the minds and there is no love shown. Husbands and wives should show love and respect to each other and the affects will flow over to the rest of the family.

Because we serve a loving God who loves us beyond our comprehension, who is willing to do the same yesterday, today and forever knowing in our hearts He will do more than we ask. It has to do with our faith. We know because we just know without question He is still in the miracle business. A seed of faith is planted in us and as we get closer to the Lord our faith just grows and grows. No I don't believe there is any indication He will ever stop doing miracles. He has our best interest at heart. If we just stop and think of the things in our lifetime we have been through, we can see the things He has walked us through. All we have to do is look around us to know that God continues to do miracles. My little great granddaughter is a miracle. Before she was born of course ultra sounds were done and the Dr. said she would have club feet. Her little feet were really twisted. Her mother saw the twisted feet in the ultra sound and was very upset. Well, she was put on our prayer chain in church and my daughter and I started praying. When she was born her little feet were just as straight as could be. She's walking now and is doing fine. God is still doing miracles. A baby, whether human or animal is a miracle of God. I believe when a person surrenders their life to Christ is one of the most beautiful miracles there is. We regain an active faith in the God of miracles by just believing no matter what the circumstances are. He is still on the throne.

There is baptism for all, men and women alike. Men, in Biblical times were circumcised as a sign of the covenant, not women although there were true women of failth . Baptism is our sign of relationship with Christ, that we have a circumcised heart, a covenent relationship with Him and are covered by the blood of Jesus. I'm sure circumcision is still taking place, for religious reasons or personal reasons. Baptism takes place in all Christian churches as a sign of the covenant we have. This was a difficult question to put into words .

To have a circumcised heart means a daily cutting away or cleansing of the hardened garbage we have. We receive a heart of flesh, soft and pliable so the Holy Spirit can mold us, fill us and use us. We must have a purification(an emptying out) of the heart to let the love of God fill us. We can keep our faith active by staying in and absorbing the word. We should be in tune with the prodding of the Holy Spirit. I think we all struggle with this sometimes. When we let our eyes and heart dwell on other things. God never gets tired of hearing when our hearts cry out for repentence. He loves us.