Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s see what God wants to show us about following Him by faith.

Today’s scripture, Genesis 12:1 (NLT) shares…
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.

Consider…
There’s a phrase used to warn people who doubt a person’s ability. The phrase is “I can show you better than I can tell you.” The statement means I am getting ready to prove to you that you’re wrong for doubting me.

This makes me think of Psalms 34:8 (NLT), which challenges…
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

The Psalmist is saying try God and see!

It also makes me think of the Lord’s response to the Israelites cheating Him with their tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-9). In Malachi 3:10 NLT
the Lord says…
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

God was, and is, telling His people, show me your full devotion by blessing me with your all, and watch me reciprocate more than you can imagine. Said another way, God says give me your best, and you’ll be overwhelmingly blessed!

The Holy Spirit is compelling me to clarify that God evaluates our best based on the heart in which we give or do anything for Him. The scripture He gave as an example is Luke 18:10‭-‬14 (NLT), where Jesus said…
“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing that God is not into rituals and formulas. God wants an authentic relationship.

Speaking of relationship with God, did you know the star of today’s scripture was called a friend of God? James 2:23 (NLT) shares…
And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

Notice Abraham believed God and God counted Him as righteous. That’s sounds an awful lot like Romans 10:10 (NLT)…
For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

But zeroing in on the relationship emphasis, notice James said Abraham was even called a friend of God. That’s so awesome! Please indulge me as I share the scripture that James is referring to. Isaiah 41:8 (NLT) reads…
“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,

I believe this beautiful friendship between Abraham and God began with today’s scripture, when God said go to a land I will show you. In today’s slang, God would have simply said “come ride with me.” God is telling us, don’t worry about where I’m sending you, just trust Me and go.

Hebrews 11:8‭-‬10 (NLT) gives us a better appreciation of Abraham’s faith to follow God. It explains…
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. 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. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

God is still asking us daily, are you willing to go to a place I will show you? Or said another way, He asks, are you willing to follow me by faith to where you can’t see?

The Holy Spirit is flashing in neon letters…
(for we walk by faith, not by sight:)

• 2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV

Seeing that message, reminds me of 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT), which says…
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

The Holy Spirit is saying, God has so much that He wants to show you. However, in order to see it, you must leave where you are and go where He leads. The good news is that you don’t have to go alone, because Jesus said…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

• John 14:6 KJV

Therefore, if you follow Jesus, you will find the place God wants you to see. As a matter of fact, here’s the pretext to Jesus’ declaration…

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

• John 14:2‭-‬5 KJV

That means, when we, like Thomas, wonder where we’re going or how we’ll get there, Jesus reminds us…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

If you’re like me, you want to see what God wants to show you. Because I do, I tell Jesus daily that I will follow Him.

Tell Jesus that you’ll follow Him too!

By the way, when you follow Jesus, He calls you His friend too! (Jesus 15:14) 🤯

True friends follow real friends by faith. We know Jesus is a real friend (John 15:13), the question is are you a true friend, like Abraham was.

Today’s song is…
I Will Follow Him

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)