Thurs.’s Devo Abram’s Beginning

Read: Genesis 11:1-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28 God had told the people to be fruitful and multiply across the earth but instead they had all migrated east together and settled on a plain in the land of Babylonia. They all spoke the same language and decided to make a great city with a tower that had its top that reached into heaven. Because they were one, God knew they would do it and anything else they imagined to do. God went down with his angels and confused their language so they couldn’t communicate. This caused them to scatter throughout the earth like God had intended them to do. The name of the city they had built was Babel which means “confusion”. We are given Shem’s lineage. Man began to have children at a much younger age and died much younger than before the flood. Abram was in Shem’s lineage, the ninth generation. Abram’s wife was Sarah and she was barren. Abram’s father Terah had two other sons Nahor and Haran. Haran had a son named Lot, then Haran died. Terah took his family and Lot to the land of Canaan but stoped in Haran where they lived until Terah died. Then God called Abram to finish what his father had started out to do. Abram came to Shechem which was inhabited by Canaanites. God appeared to Abram and told him that he was giving this land to his descendants. Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord. He went on to the hill country between Bethel and Ai and built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord. Abram continued across the land toward the Negev. A severe famine struck the land of Canaan which forced Abram to go to Egypt for a while. He told his wife to tell everyone that she was his sister so they would spare his life because Sarai was so beautiful. She obeyed him and the Pharaoh took Sarai into his palace. He gave Abram many gifts to pay for her. The Lord protected Sarai and sent diseases to the Pharaoh and his household. They realized it was because of Sarah and when they investigated further, they found that Sarai was Abram’s wife. The Pharaoh was very upset at Abram and called him in. He ordered him to take Sarai and get out of his country. Abram left with all his gifts and all his livestock. He went back to where he had built his altar between Bethel and Ai and worshiped the Lord again. Jesus saw he had a drawn a large group of followers so he sat them down on the mountain and taught them. He pronounced a blessing on his followers for their many circumstances they might find themselves in. He told them that they were the salt or seasoning of the earth and the light of the world. He encouraged them to use these attributes to further the kingdom of God. Jesus explained that he didn’t come to do away with Moses’ law but to fulfill it. He then went through the Ten Commandments teaching the spirit of the law. Lord, help us to read your word with your Spirit as our teacher and our guide. Lead us in the way of righteousness.