Understanding God's Will

Updated: Feb 13, 2020

October 28, 2019

Good Morning Princesses!

Welcome to our new landing site on GO! Women's Empowerment Network!

Understanding God's Will ~ A Journey of Faith (Part 1)

The Patriarchs- Week 4

1. Genesis 24 - 25 ~ The Story Continues With Issac

For this week and next, please read Genesis Chapters 24-25 where the Bible begins to unfold the story of Issac, the beloved son of Abraham and Sarah. As you read, note any similarities or differences with Abraham and Sarah's journey of faith. Onward!

2. Great Examples of Faith

In Hebrews Chapter 11, the Bible titles the chapter as "Great Examples of Faith" (NLT); "Faith" (ESV); "Faith in Action (NIV); and "Heroes of Faith" (HCSB). Notice the key word..."FAITH". Yes, if you read the forty verses in this chapter, you will notice example after example of everyday heroes, just like you and I who walked out their life story. Some good, some bad; and some ugly. One central theme transcends each journey- faith. Similar to you and I we are able to see that for these heroes, their life was not a rose garden (lest we forget) when we want to make comparisons, and yet God was still on the move. For every step, misstep, test, celebration, tear, and yes, God was there. His will for our lives is intentional. As Beth Moore reminds us in reading Genesis Chapter 22:2 about the land of Moriah that the term has a deeper meaning. According to an analysis by Robert Harris, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages, in Examining the Word of Moriah, there are two interpretations for the term Moriah, "the name "Moriah" means "land of teaching"" and "to the land of Worship." Moreover, Professor Harris informs us that for both instruction and worship,

From Rashi's commentary, we learn that Moriah can lead us to worship God: by davening/praying, both in the synagogue and privately, we can seek to feel close with God: we "say the words" and try to draw close to God and hope that at the same time God will draw closer, as it were, to us. This is certainly the conventional way! But we can also "see" God by experiencing "awe" of God (again, remember the word–plays of both Genesis 22:8, 14)

3. A look at a few heroes...Abraham and Sarah (Hebrews 11:8-12; 17-19 NLT)

8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

Oh, princesses of faith...remember

Prayer “empowers and ‘charges up’ every other piece so they can be used effectively against the enemy. Without prayer… your armor, cannot, will not, be infused with the power that only God’s-Spirit can give."

Closing Thoughts-