January 5th
Today’s Reading
Genesis 12, 13, 14 & Luke 5
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Scripture Focus
“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. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.’”
Genesis 12:1–3 NLT
“This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again.”
Genesis 13:4 NLT
“Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.’ Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.”
Genesis 14:19–20 NLT
⸻
Reflection
And now we come to Abraham.
After so much violence, conflict, and turmoil in the early chapters of Genesis, we see something steady and beautiful: the line of Jesus is still being preserved. From Adam to Seth, to Noah, through Shem, and now to Abraham. Though humanity repeatedly fails, God’s redemptive plan never wavers.
Here, God calls Abram into a relationship of faith and obedience. The call is clear—but the destination is not. God does not give Abram a map; He gives him a promise. Abram is asked to leave what is familiar—his land, his people, his security—and to walk forward trusting the God who called him.
As we walk through Abraham’s life, we will watch his faith develop. It is not perfect faith, but it is growing faith. And woven through every failure, every misstep, and every fear, we see God’s grace and sovereignty faithfully covering the life of the one He has chosen to walk with Him in close fellowship.
Again and again, Abram returns to worship. Genesis 13:4 tells us that he went back to the altar and “worshiped the Lord again.” After seeing God rescue his family—after God protected Sarah and brought her back unharmed—Abram’s response is not pride or self-confidence, but worship.
Then comes his next great venture of faith: rescuing Lot. Abram steps into battle, experiences victory, and afterward encounters Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High.
This moment is deeply significant.
Melchizedek is not an ordinary king or priest. Abram immediately recognizes that this man represents the true God. Without being commanded, Abram gives him a tenth of everything. This discernment reveals Abram’s spiritual maturity—he understands that victory did not come from his strength, but from God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
Scripture later tells us that “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Yet Abram does discern. He recognizes spiritual authority when he sees it.
Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness,” and he is also king of Salem, meaning peace. Hebrews later explains that Melchizedek is a picture pointing forward to Christ—a priesthood not based on genealogy, but on God’s eternal appointment (Hebrews 7:1–3).
What is striking is this:
The other kings come to Abraham—but Abraham goes to Melchizedek.
They should have gone to the priest of God Most High. They lived in a land where righteousness and peace were present, yet there is no record of them seeking God. Abram, however, recognizes that the world has nothing to offer him. He refuses the king of Sodom’s riches and instead aligns himself with the priest of God.
Abram chooses righteousness over reward, submission over self-glory, and God’s blessing over worldly gain.
From the very beginning, Abraham teaches us this truth:
When God calls us, faith responds—not by grasping what the world offers, but by bowing before the God who gives the victory.
⸻
Lessons to Learn
1.God’s call always invites us into trust before clarity.
Abram was not given full details—only a promise. Walking with God means learning to move forward by faith, trusting His character even when the destination is unknown.
2.Faith grows through obedience, not perfection.
Abram’s journey shows us that God develops our faith over time. Even when there are failures, God remains sovereign and gracious, shaping those who stay close to Him.
3.True worship flows from remembering what God has done.
Abram returned to the altar again and again. Worship was his response to God’s faithfulness, protection, and provision—not just in peaceful moments, but after trials and battles.
4.Spiritual discernment recognizes God’s hand behind every victory.
Abram understood that success did not come from his own strength. His response to Melchizedek shows a heart that gives God glory and honors spiritual authority.
5.The people of faith seek God, not worldly gain.
While other kings pursued power and wealth, Abram sought the priest of God Most High. He understood that the world had nothing to offer compared to God’s righteousness and peace.
6.Alignment with God requires intentional choices.
Abram chose righteousness over reward, humility over recognition, and obedience over self-advancement. A life of faith is marked by who—and what—we choose to align ourselves with.
⸻
Application Questions
1.Where is God calling me to step forward in faith without having all the details yet? What fears or comforts might I need to leave behind?
2.How do I typically respond when my faith is tested—do I withdraw, or do I return to worship like Abram did?
3.Can I identify ways God has recently protected, provided for, or delivered me? How intentionally am I acknowledging Him for those victories?
4.Who or what do I seek first when success, opportunity, or pressure comes—God’s wisdom or the world’s rewards?
5.Are there areas in my life where I am tempted to accept what the world offers instead of trusting God’s provision?
6.What intentional choices can I make today to align myself more fully with God’s righteousness and peace?
⸻
Prayer 🙏
Father God,
Thank You for calling us to walk by faith and not by sight. We ask for the help of Your Holy Spirit to trust You when the path is unclear and to obey You even when it feels costly.
Teach us to return to worship, to recognize Your hand behind every victory, and to seek what is righteous and eternal rather than what the world offers. Align our hearts with Your will and lead us to choose faith, obedience, and surrender each day.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
Amen.
⸻
Takeaway
When we recognize God as the source of every victory, worship becomes our response and discernment shapes our choices.
⸻
Journaling Reminder
Sit quietly and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart. Write down everything the Holy Spirit brings to your mind and places on your heart. Keep writing until your thoughts come to a pause. Then reread what you have written.
Begin your journal with “My little lamb…” or “Dear daughter…” and listen for what the Lord wants to say to you.
Today’s Reading
Genesis 12, 13, 14 & Luke 5
⸻
Scripture Focus
“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. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.’”
Genesis 12:1–3 NLT
“This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again.”
Genesis 13:4 NLT
“Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.’ Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.”
Genesis 14:19–20 NLT
⸻
Reflection
And now we come to Abraham.
After so much violence, conflict, and turmoil in the early chapters of Genesis, we see something steady and beautiful: the line of Jesus is still being preserved. From Adam to Seth, to Noah, through Shem, and now to Abraham. Though humanity repeatedly fails, God’s redemptive plan never wavers.
Here, God calls Abram into a relationship of faith and obedience. The call is clear—but the destination is not. God does not give Abram a map; He gives him a promise. Abram is asked to leave what is familiar—his land, his people, his security—and to walk forward trusting the God who called him.
As we walk through Abraham’s life, we will watch his faith develop. It is not perfect faith, but it is growing faith. And woven through every failure, every misstep, and every fear, we see God’s grace and sovereignty faithfully covering the life of the one He has chosen to walk with Him in close fellowship.
Again and again, Abram returns to worship. Genesis 13:4 tells us that he went back to the altar and “worshiped the Lord again.” After seeing God rescue his family—after God protected Sarah and brought her back unharmed—Abram’s response is not pride or self-confidence, but worship.
Then comes his next great venture of faith: rescuing Lot. Abram steps into battle, experiences victory, and afterward encounters Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High.
This moment is deeply significant.
Melchizedek is not an ordinary king or priest. Abram immediately recognizes that this man represents the true God. Without being commanded, Abram gives him a tenth of everything. This discernment reveals Abram’s spiritual maturity—he understands that victory did not come from his strength, but from God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
Scripture later tells us that “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Yet Abram does discern. He recognizes spiritual authority when he sees it.
Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness,” and he is also king of Salem, meaning peace. Hebrews later explains that Melchizedek is a picture pointing forward to Christ—a priesthood not based on genealogy, but on God’s eternal appointment (Hebrews 7:1–3).
What is striking is this:
The other kings come to Abraham—but Abraham goes to Melchizedek.
They should have gone to the priest of God Most High. They lived in a land where righteousness and peace were present, yet there is no record of them seeking God. Abram, however, recognizes that the world has nothing to offer him. He refuses the king of Sodom’s riches and instead aligns himself with the priest of God.
Abram chooses righteousness over reward, submission over self-glory, and God’s blessing over worldly gain.
From the very beginning, Abraham teaches us this truth:
When God calls us, faith responds—not by grasping what the world offers, but by bowing before the God who gives the victory.
⸻
Lessons to Learn
1.God’s call always invites us into trust before clarity.
Abram was not given full details—only a promise. Walking with God means learning to move forward by faith, trusting His character even when the destination is unknown.
2.Faith grows through obedience, not perfection.
Abram’s journey shows us that God develops our faith over time. Even when there are failures, God remains sovereign and gracious, shaping those who stay close to Him.
3.True worship flows from remembering what God has done.
Abram returned to the altar again and again. Worship was his response to God’s faithfulness, protection, and provision—not just in peaceful moments, but after trials and battles.
4.Spiritual discernment recognizes God’s hand behind every victory.
Abram understood that success did not come from his own strength. His response to Melchizedek shows a heart that gives God glory and honors spiritual authority.
5.The people of faith seek God, not worldly gain.
While other kings pursued power and wealth, Abram sought the priest of God Most High. He understood that the world had nothing to offer compared to God’s righteousness and peace.
6.Alignment with God requires intentional choices.
Abram chose righteousness over reward, humility over recognition, and obedience over self-advancement. A life of faith is marked by who—and what—we choose to align ourselves with.
⸻
Application Questions
1.Where is God calling me to step forward in faith without having all the details yet? What fears or comforts might I need to leave behind?
2.How do I typically respond when my faith is tested—do I withdraw, or do I return to worship like Abram did?
3.Can I identify ways God has recently protected, provided for, or delivered me? How intentionally am I acknowledging Him for those victories?
4.Who or what do I seek first when success, opportunity, or pressure comes—God’s wisdom or the world’s rewards?
5.Are there areas in my life where I am tempted to accept what the world offers instead of trusting God’s provision?
6.What intentional choices can I make today to align myself more fully with God’s righteousness and peace?
⸻
Prayer 🙏
Father God,
Thank You for calling us to walk by faith and not by sight. We ask for the help of Your Holy Spirit to trust You when the path is unclear and to obey You even when it feels costly.
Teach us to return to worship, to recognize Your hand behind every victory, and to seek what is righteous and eternal rather than what the world offers. Align our hearts with Your will and lead us to choose faith, obedience, and surrender each day.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
Amen.
⸻
Takeaway
When we recognize God as the source of every victory, worship becomes our response and discernment shapes our choices.
⸻
Journaling Reminder
Sit quietly and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart. Write down everything the Holy Spirit brings to your mind and places on your heart. Keep writing until your thoughts come to a pause. Then reread what you have written.
Begin your journal with “My little lamb…” or “Dear daughter…” and listen for what the Lord wants to say to you.
Explore Hebrew Words
1. “Go” / “Leave” – לֶךְ־לְךָ (lech lecha)
Genesis 12:1
This phrase literally means:
“Go for yourself” or “Go toward yourself.”
👉 God is not just relocating Abram geographically—He is forming him spiritually.
This journey is about becoming who God created him to be.
Devotional insight:
God’s call is not loss—it is transformation. Obedience leads us into our truest identity in Him.
⸻
2. “Bless” – בָּרַךְ (barak)
Genesis 12:2–3
This word means to kneel, to bestow favor.
👉 God’s blessing is relational, not transactional.
Abram is blessed to be a blessing, not to store it for himself.
Devotional insight:
God’s blessings are meant to flow through us, not terminate with us.
⸻
3. “Altar” – מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach)
Genesis 13:4
From a root meaning “to draw near through sacrifice.”
👉 Every altar Abram builds represents intentional closeness with God, not religious routine.
Devotional insight:
Worship is not location—it’s response. Abram returns to the altar because he returns to God.
⸻
4. “Peace” (Salem) – שָׁלוֹם (shalom)
Genesis 14:18
Salem comes from shalom:
wholeness, completeness, rest, well-being.
👉 Melchizedek is king of righteousness and peace—pointing forward to Christ.
Devotional insight:
Righteousness always produces peace. You never find true peace apart from God’s order.
⸻
5. “Tenth / Tithe” – מַעֲשֵׂר (ma‘aser)
Genesis 14:20
Means “a portion set apart.”
👉 Abram’s tithe was not commanded—it was discerned.
It flowed from recognition, not obligation.
Devotional insight:
True giving begins with revelation, not regulation.
⸻
6. “Most High God” – אֵל עֶלְיוֹן (El Elyon)
Genesis 14:18–20
Means “God above all powers, authorities, and kings.”
👉 Abram aligns himself with the Highest authority—not earthly kings.
Devotional insight:
When you know who God is, the world loses its power to impress you.
Abram discerned El Elyon—the God Most High—and chose righteousness and peace over worldly reward.
1. “Go” / “Leave” – לֶךְ־לְךָ (lech lecha)
Genesis 12:1
This phrase literally means:
“Go for yourself” or “Go toward yourself.”
👉 God is not just relocating Abram geographically—He is forming him spiritually.
This journey is about becoming who God created him to be.
Devotional insight:
God’s call is not loss—it is transformation. Obedience leads us into our truest identity in Him.
⸻
2. “Bless” – בָּרַךְ (barak)
Genesis 12:2–3
This word means to kneel, to bestow favor.
👉 God’s blessing is relational, not transactional.
Abram is blessed to be a blessing, not to store it for himself.
Devotional insight:
God’s blessings are meant to flow through us, not terminate with us.
⸻
3. “Altar” – מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach)
Genesis 13:4
From a root meaning “to draw near through sacrifice.”
👉 Every altar Abram builds represents intentional closeness with God, not religious routine.
Devotional insight:
Worship is not location—it’s response. Abram returns to the altar because he returns to God.
⸻
4. “Peace” (Salem) – שָׁלוֹם (shalom)
Genesis 14:18
Salem comes from shalom:
wholeness, completeness, rest, well-being.
👉 Melchizedek is king of righteousness and peace—pointing forward to Christ.
Devotional insight:
Righteousness always produces peace. You never find true peace apart from God’s order.
⸻
5. “Tenth / Tithe” – מַעֲשֵׂר (ma‘aser)
Genesis 14:20
Means “a portion set apart.”
👉 Abram’s tithe was not commanded—it was discerned.
It flowed from recognition, not obligation.
Devotional insight:
True giving begins with revelation, not regulation.
⸻
6. “Most High God” – אֵל עֶלְיוֹן (El Elyon)
Genesis 14:18–20
Means “God above all powers, authorities, and kings.”
👉 Abram aligns himself with the Highest authority—not earthly kings.
Devotional insight:
When you know who God is, the world loses its power to impress you.
Abram discerned El Elyon—the God Most High—and chose righteousness and peace over worldly reward.