Today’s readings take us deeper into the story of Abram’s journey and his faith in God’s promises. We also conclude the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches us about wise living and building our lives on a solid foundation. Let’s explore these powerful lessons together.
📖 Today’s Readings:
- Genesis 13-14 – Abram and Lot’s separation, God’s promise to Abram, and Abram’s victory in rescuing Lot.
- Matthew 7 – Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with teachings on judgment, prayer, and the foundation of a life built on His words.
- THE 1611 KJV
🙏 Challenge of the Day:
- Reflect on how Abram trusted God’s promises, even when circumstances seemed uncertain. How can you demonstrate similar faith in your life?
- Meditate on Jesus’ call to build your life on the solid foundation of His teachings. What steps can you take to live out His words today?
- Share today’s readings with someone who might be inspired by these powerful messages of faith and wisdom.
📌 Tip: Write down one way you can apply Matthew 7:12, the Golden Rule, in your relationships this week. Small acts of kindness and respect can have a profound impact.
🌍 Genesis 13-14: Abram’s Faith and Victory
In Genesis 13, we see Abram’s humility and trust in God as he allows Lot to choose the fertile lands of the Jordan Valley. Despite receiving what appeared to be the lesser portion, Abram’s faith in God’s promise of blessing remained steadfast.
Genesis 14 recounts Abram’s courageous rescue of Lot and his encounter with Melchizedek, a priest of the Most High God, who blesses Abram and praises God for his victory.
👉 Reflection: How does Abram’s reliance on God’s promises inspire you to trust Him in your own life? What can we learn from Abram’s humility and willingness to act in faith?
Genesis 13
- And Abram went vp 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 cattell, in siluer, and in gold.
- And hee went on his iourneyes from the South, euen to Beth-el, vnto the place where his tent had bene at the beginning, betweene Beth-el and Hai:
- Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the Name of the LORD.
- And Lot also which went with Abram, had flocks and heards, & tents.
- And the land was not able to beare them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
- And there was a strife betweene the heardmen of Abrams cattell, and the heardmen of Lots cattell: And the Canaanite, and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
- And Abram said vnto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, betweene mee and thee, and betweene my heardmen and thy heardmen: for wee bee brethren.
- Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thy selfe, I pray thee, from mee: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will goe to the right: or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will goe to the left.
- And Lot lifted vp his eyes, and beheld all the plaine of Iordane, that it was well watered euery where before the Lord destroyed Sodome and Gomorah, euen as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou commest vnto Zoar.
- Then Lot chose him all the plaine of Iordane: and Lot iourneyed East; and they separated themselues the one from the other.
- Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plaine, and pitched his tent toward Sodome.
- But the men of Sodome were wicked, and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
- And the LORD said vnto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift vp now thine eyes, and looke from the place where thou art, Northward, and Southward, and Eastward, and Westward.
- For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seede for euer.
- And I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbred.
- Arise, walke through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it: for I will giue it vnto thee.
- Then Abram remoued his tent, and came and dwelt in the plaine of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar vnto the LORD.
Genesis 14
- And it came to passe in the dayes of Amraphel King of Shinar, Arioch King of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer King of Elam, and Tidal King of nations:
- That these made warre with Bera King of Sodome, and with Birsha King of Gomorrah, Shinab King of Admah, and Shemeber King of Zeboiim, and the King of Bela, which is Zoar.
- All these were ioyned together in the vale of Siddim; which is the salt Sea.
- Twelue yeeres they serued Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth yeere they rebelled.
- And in the fourteenth yeere came Chedorlaomer, and the Kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims, in Ashteroth Karnaim, & the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaueh Kiriathaim;
- And the Horites in their mount Seir, vnto El-Paran, which is by the wildernesse.
- And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, & smote all the countrey of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
- And there went out the King of Sodome, and the King of Gomorrah, and the King of Admah, and the King of Zeboiim, and the King of Bela, (the same is Zoar) and they ioyned battell with them, in the vale of Siddim,
- With Chedorlaomer the King of Elam, and with Tidal King of nations, and Amraphel King of Shinar, and Arioch King of Ellasar; foure Kings with fiue.
- And the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits: and the Kings of Sodome & Gomorrah fled, and fell there: and they that remained, fled to the mountaine.
- And they tooke all the goods of Sodome and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
- And they tooke Lot, Abrams brothers sonne, (who dwelt in Sodome) and his goods, and departed.
- And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew, for hee dwelt in the plaine of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
- And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captiue, he armed his trained seruants borne in his owne house, three hundred and eighteene, and pursued them vnto Dan.
- And hee diuided himselfe against them, he and his seruants by night, and smote them, and pursued them vnto Hoba, which is on the left hand of Damascus:
- And hee brought backe all the goods, and also brought againe his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
- And the king of Sodome went out to meete him, (after his returne from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the Kings that were with him) at the valley of Saueh, which is the Kings dale.
- And Melchizedek King of Salem brought foorth bread and wine: and he was the Priest of the most high God.
- And hee blessed him, and saide; Blessed bee Abram of the most high God, possessour of heauen and earth,
- And blessed bee the most high God, which hath deliuered thine enemies into thy hand: and hee gaue him tithes of all.
- And the King of Sodome said vnto Abram, giue me the persons, and take the goods to thy selfe.
- And Abram said to the King of Sodome, I haue lift vp my hand vnto the LORD, the most high God, the possessour of heauen and earth,
- That I wil not take from a threed euen to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I haue made Abram rich:
- Saue onely that which the yong men haue eaten, and the portion of the men which went with mee, Aner, Eschol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
✝️ Matthew 7: Building on the Solid Rock
In Matthew 7, Jesus emphasizes the importance of living according to His teachings. He calls us to avoid hypocrisy in judgment, to trust God’s goodness in answering prayer, and to live by the Golden Rule. He concludes with the powerful metaphor of building our lives on the solid foundation of His words, which withstands life’s storms.
👉 Reflection: What areas of your life need to be more firmly grounded in Jesus’ teachings? How can you practice the Golden Rule in your interactions with others?
Matthew 7
- Iudge not, that ye be not iudged.
- For with what iudgment ye iudge, yee shall be iudged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you againe.
- And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beame that is in thine owne eye?
- Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let mee pull out the mote out of thine eye, and beholde, a beame is in thine owne eye?
- Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye: and then shalt thou see clearely to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye.
- Giue not that which is holy vnto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearles before swine: lest they trample them vnder their feete, and turne againe and rent you.
- Aske, and it shalbe giuen you: seeke, and ye shall finde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
- For euery one that asketh, receiueth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shalbe opened.
- Or what man is there of you, whom if his sonne aske bread, will hee giue him a stone?
- Or if he aske a fish, will hee giue him a serpent?
- If ye then being euill, know how to giue good giftes vnto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heauen, giue good things to them that aske him?
- Therefore all things whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you, doe ye euen so to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.
- Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which goe in thereat:
- Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth vnto life, and few there be that finde it.
- Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing, but inwardly they are rauening wolues.
- Yee shall knowe them by their fruits: Doe men gather grapes of thornes, or figges of thistles?
- Euen so, euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit.
- A good tree cannot bring forth euil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
- Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.
- Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
- Not euery one that saith vnto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen: but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen.
- Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, haue we not prophecied in thy name? and in thy name haue cast out deuils? and in thy name done many wonderfull works?
- And then wil I professe vnto them, I neuer knew you: Depart from me, ye that worke iniquity.
- Therefore, whosoeuer heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I wil liken him vnto a wise man, which built his house vpon a rocke:
- And the raine descended, and the floods came, and the windes blew, and beat vpon that house: and it fell not, for it was founded vpon a rocke.
- And euery one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall bee likened vnto a foolish man, which built his house vpon the sand:
- And the raine descended, and the floods came, and the windes blew, and beat vpon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
- And it came to passe, when Iesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.
- For he taught them as one hauing authoritie, and not as the Scribes.
🌟 Final Thought
Today’s readings remind us of the power of faith and the importance of living by God’s Word. Abram’s trust in God’s promises and Jesus’ call to build our lives on His teachings challenge us to align our actions with our faith. As we reflect on these passages, let’s commit to trusting God more fully and living out His truth in our daily lives.
👉 Are you ready to live out these teachings? Share your reflections in the comments, invite someone to join the challenge, and let’s grow together in faith and action.
See you tomorrow for another day of reading! May God bless and guide your journey. 🙌✨
