“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 NLT
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Every day we go through a change or the other, some temporary, others permanent. Some are life changing but most are not.
The moments of big changes in my life:
When I went off to university,
When I got married,
When I had my first daughter,
When I accepted the amazing gift of salvation and dedicated my life to Yeshua, at about age 40.
Every change since then has to do with my new life in Christ.
Many people do not like change because we are very comfortable in our familiar. Anything unfamiliar brings fear.
COVID 19 pandemic has brought transformation to our way of life, living and working. The way we socialise is now with limited hugging or even no touching. We called it social distancing. The way we work is more remotely and less mass congregation in a physical space. The use of technology is now global, for the young as well as the elderly. No longer can anyone claim too old to use communication tools, WhatsApp and many social media platforms. The way we do fellowship is church without walls.
All these changes impacted us directly. Most people easily adapted, many struggled and are still struggling. Many people think one day, things will go back to the way it was before. Some might even try to force things back to the way it was.
Change could be both good and bad; positive or negative. Change could be willingly or enforced. Change might not be sustained, or it could lead to a new way of life.
When we accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, we began a change. A transition from an old state of being into another . Our old life - the old man has gone. Or has it?
Are we still trying to adapt to the new life? Do we still go back to the old one, to feel that familiarity again?
Let us use a case study of the Life of Patriarch Abraham. The man Elohim saw fit to take out from all human beings and set apart to showcase Himself.
Abraham was a man that went through a transformational change. He had to leave everything that was familiar to Him. Although he took his father, wife and nephew with him. But he left the known for the unknown. People will say he took a risk. But he took a risk on God. The best guarantee ever.
On this change he had to depend on God all the way. Prayer altar became a lifestyle on his journey of transition, Abraham built altars, four were recorded. Altar symbolises sacrifice and worship.
Praise /dedication
“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants. ” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”
Genesis 12:7 NLT
Prayer/Worship
“And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.” Genesis 12:8 NKJV
After that, Abram travelled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord.” Genesis 12:8 NLT
Separation unto the Lord
“After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” So, Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord.” Genesis 13:14-18 NLT
Faith in (sacrifice) of Yeshua
“Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So, he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.””
Genesis 22:13-18 NLT
As believers, we have two sections of life: Before Christ / in our old man and After Christ / in our new man
Christ has called us out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light. Though it is not like the physical journey Abraham took, but for us it is a spiritual journey. The spiritual things Abraham did are examples for us, of things that are integral part of our journey.
Where we are going is the New Man nature. Our Chaldean is the Old man nature
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him...Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:10, 12, 14 NLT
Change to the new man is deliberate. Yeshua has done his own part. We must do ours.
To be continued…
#Prayerfortheweek
Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of my salvation and the Holy Spirit. In the mighty name of Yeshua Christ Jesus. Thank you for my new life in Yeshua. May I be renewed as I learn more about and grow in him. I give my body completely to You. I renew my mind to that of Yeshua. I am free from the power of sin. Amen.
If you accepted Jesus or turned back to him through, please get in touch. I am so excited! You give me hope and joy and are my proud reward and crown when I stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns. Yes, you are our pride and joy. (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 NLT)
Inbox me, email me, just get in touch. I want to join you in prayers every day
My email is info@adeolaakintoye.com
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