Tag: Sabbath

The God Who Sees, Forgives, and Rescues

The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar reveals the faithlessness and impatience of humanity that leads to disobedience against God while waiting [in obedience] for God’s promise to be brought into fruition. When we consider God’s covenant with Abram in Genesis 15 and the events that follow, prayerfully, we will gain a new perspective of the love of God for His creation fearfully and wonderfully made in His image.

The popular film “The God Who Sees” by Nicole Mullins and Kathie Lee Gifford is biblically inaccurate and misleads many individuals to view God as harsh and punitive. Because of our perspective of God, our spiritual eyes are often blinded to His never-ending supply of grace and mercy. Hagar was not abandoned, nor was she a victim. This situation was caused by Sarai’s and Abram’s disobedience to God, and Hagar’s pride and arrogance. Sadly, humanity’s saga continues into the 21st century, where we continually rebel against God. Yet, He lovingly forgives us and rescues us in our self-inflicted distress.

The story of Hagar is one of God’s mercy and rescue plans to provide deliverance to people just like you and me who create messy situations, which require divine intervention for resolution.

The characters of our story: Abram, Sarai, and Hagar.

Historical overview: God’s Covenant with Abram

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:1-5 NKJV

God’s promise included an heir that would come from Abram. Verse 6 in Genesis 15 tells us, “And Abram believed in the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.” Abram fully believed that God would do exactly what He promised. Certainly, we can expect that Abram shared this joyful news with Sarai, they would have a male child–because males were the rightful heirs according to Jewish law.

“You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5:7.

Doubting God’s Covenant Promise: How did Sarai convince her faithful husband to agree to have children through Hagar, her Egyptian servant? The last part of Genesis 16:3 gives us the answer for Sarai’s rebellious scheme (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) Ten years had passed since God made the covenant with Abram to give him a male heir. The 10-year wait for God to fulfill His promise was too much for the older couple who were feeling desperate. Indeed, God had forgotten His promise, forcing them to think,  “God requires our help.” Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6.

Question: Did God condone the polygamous marriage between Abram and Hagar? 

In Genesis 2:24 when Moses writes of a man leaving his mother and father and clinging to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh, that is God’s original standard, he said. Much of the Old Testament, however, is the documented history of God’s covenantal relationship with his people. “A covenant is like a marriage, where two parties make a commitment to be devoted to each other, to be loyal, to be faithful,” he said, noting the Old Testament contains a series of these covenants. An example of this is how Abraham did not trust God or wait for His promise of a son, and then has a relationship with Hagar, yielding Ishmael. https://www.christianpost.com/news/does-god-condone-polygamy-bible-scholar-says-no-old-testament-shows-it-only-creates-turmoil.html

Question: Besides her advanced age, what prompted Sarai to create the plot and why did Abram agree to marry Hagar? Polygamy was against God’s law of marriage between two individuals–husband and wife. Genesis 2:24

So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— 19 the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” Genesis 15: 18-21

Canaan was inhabited by unbelievers with pagan practices and polygamy was one of those practices. All of us live in glass houses, so we cannot throw stones. We are influenced by worldly customs, often using our desires to manipulate the meaning and intent of God’s Holy Word. Many Christian marriages do not reflect God’s original law for a holy, loving, joined as one flesh, and confusion-free marriage based on a thriving spiritual relationship between God, Husband and Wife. The result is unhappiness along with a high divorce rate among married believers as opposed to working together in harmony to prepare for the reward of eternal life living in the New Heaven and New Earth.

The Disobedient Plan is Fulfilled: Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. Genesis 16:3.

I will deviate from the biblical story for a moment. In the 1990s, I lived in New Jersey in a community whose majority culture included the practice of polygamy. Often we have misconceptions of the actual design and structure of polygamy. Much to my surprise, my friends suggested an individual that was interested in dating me. But when we met, He indicated that the relationship involved an offer to become a first wife with the agreement that a second wife would be brought in at a later time to bear children. Not only would I select the second wife, but she had to be one that would be subservient in nature and respect the position of the first wife along with our husband. I am a servant of the Most-High God. Therefore, I respectfully declined the relationship along with the marriage offer.

The Aftermath of a Broken Covenant

The Internal Chaos Begins: Hagar, the Egyptian servant became Abram’s second wife. When Abram and Sarai agreed to help God produce an heir, Abram broke his covenant vow with God. The conditions of the vow was that God would give them [Abram and Sarai] a male heir. God specifically said in Genesis 2:24 that marriage was between two people. 

But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Genesis 16:4. Definition of contempt: the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn; the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful.

Becoming Abram’s second wife did not change Hagar’s status as a servant to Sarai. Now the situation begins to escalate: Hagar feels that she is above her mistress because she is Abram’s wife, and pregnant with his child, something that her aged mistress was unable to do. 

Abram assumes no responsibility:

Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. Genesis 16:5-6.

The grievous act of two becoming three reaped chaos and confusion. The miserable consequences of sin–disobedience to God always produces negative consequences. And for those who could identify with Hagar, how many Christian, modern-day infertile wives would bring another woman into their home to live as a surrogate mother throughout the pregnancy? Artificial insemination would not alleviate the situation of two women–one legally married and the other carrying her husband’s child living in the home together.

The husband who is the father of the surrogate’s child would have to divide his attention between two women. And yes, it would be natural for the surrogate to develop feelings for the father of the child. Pregnancy empowers the woman as intended by God. But a live-in surrogate would also result in a loss of self-esteem and worth in the wife. The disrespect of woman to woman is certain to develop when we attempt to change God’s original plan for the family by violating His commandments. 

Additional consequences: There are no rational thought processes in a situation like this. Sarai taking matters into her own hands resulted in an emotionally charged fiasco. Blaming Abram and retaliation against Hagar were Sarai’s only possible responses. After Hagar running away, the marriage between Abram and Sarai had to suffer. After all, Hagar was pregnant with Abram’s only child. Yes, he would have great concern for her. But God, who is Omniscient–already knew of the pending disobedience. God expected for this situation to become volatile. He was prepared to intervene in a situation above and beyond the disobedient couple’s ability to resolve.

God’s Divine Intervention of Rescue: 

The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”

God’s mercy includes obedience, structure, and discipline. The angel instructed Hagar to submit to Sarai’s authority, which clarifies her position according to God’s hierarchy. In addition, there was a grave consequence for Abram, Sarai, and Hagar’s sins:

And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” Genesis 16:11-12

There are always consequences when we sin against God. We may suffer the full impact, or we may be shielded entirely from residual damage. Still, we have made a covenant vow to serve and faithfully trust in God. Please know that every sinful act desensitizes us to the barrier that exists between truth and error and obedience and disobedience. Sin always changes our willingness to obey God.  

God’s Love and Mercy: A new covenant between God and Abraham is established: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” Genesis 17:1

Prayer: God, it is your grace and mercies that you extend to forgive our disobedience every day. We ask forgiveness for the impatience to wait on your promises. Please give us the strength and the wisdom to trust in you and accept that your plans are perfect and you do not require our help. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Worthy Name. Amen.

Evidence of a modern surrogacy plan gone wrong: I can recall a surrogacy case in the 1980’s, in New Jersey, where I lived that had a bitter outcome for the mother of the child. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/24/us/baby-m-and-the-question-of-surrogate-motherhood.html

© 2021 Sonya Johnson, Faithful Fishers Ministry

Good Ole Soul Food Recipes

A friend shared this with me. I pray that you are blessed. Sonya Johnson

At the grocery store this morning, I heard a loud crash and something shattering. Being nosy, I walked towards the sound and saw some people whispering and looking back to the end of the next aisle. When I walked down that aisle, I saw an older lady had hit a shelf and many things had fallen to the ground and broke. She was kneeling on the floor embarrassed, frantically trying to clean up.


I felt so bad for her, and everyone was just standing there staring at her. So I went and knelt beside her and told her not to worry and started helping her pick up the broken pieces. After about a minute, the store manager came and knelt beside us and said, “Leave it, we will clean this up.” The lady, totally embarrassed said, “I need to pay for all this first.” The manager smiled, helped her to her feet and said, “No ma’am, we have insurance for this, you do not have to pay anything!”


If you have read this far, I would like for you to give me a minute. Wherever you are, close your eyes, and imagine God doing the same for you!


Collecting the pieces of your broken heart from all the blows life has thrown at you. The bill for your faults, sin and folly has already been paid through the precious blood of Christ. God will heal all your wounds. He wants to gently lift you to your feet again, clean up your mess, and pick up all the broken pieces. He wants to heal you! He wants to take care of your soul!


We can have that same insurance and it’s called GRACE! 💪💪
Somebody say, Amen. Melissa Johnson

No Greater Love–Sabbath Blessings of Peace

The tumultuous times for this week are over. And we made it to the Sabbath. Yes, I also feel weary. And that is one of the reasons, I exclude all secular activities and busyness for the next 24 hours. This time belongs to God. I have bundled all of my problems and worries and sent them to God by Prayer Express. Here I am to worship and bow down before the King of Kings. Happy Sabbath!

“But Who Do you Say I Am?”

Whether we learn from experience or from researching every possible detail before purchasing, or acceptance of “proven theories or methods,” we still rely on the expertise of other individuals. No person is “self-made.” Seeking knowledge coupled with wisdom is the foundation for living a fulfilling life. It is a personal decision to evolve in a world that consists of dynamic processes, norms, and values determined by the people for the people. Even if, we agree or disagree with the global culture, we are compelled to make the decision to fit in or exclude ourselves. Our convictions always involve some level of risk. Yes, we have the freedom to stand against the status quo, but that decision takes courage and self-confidence. Most often, exclusion from one’s peers can lead to a lonely existence.

Humanity has several common threads. We thrive off knowing the most credible, the elite, the record-breakers, the billionaires, etc., on a global level.  When you need to source accurate information on the past history, achievements, and current activities of leading world figures, from heads of state to sporting greats, The International Who’s Who 2020 published by Routledge is available for the discounted price of $960.

But an issue has arisen that plagues modern civilization. The Who’s Who are being challenged by the up-and-coming who desire that their opinions are heard. And that is the dilemma that many of us face in changing times, “Who do I listen to?” Why are people who possess similar credentials and considered experts in their profession or discipline on the opposite ends of the spectrum? There are many factors, but one that readily projects itself, we have the freedom to express our opinions–whether factual or not. Our focus is on people. Many have lost or never possessed the motivation to research credible sources to know the truth of the matter.

At the age of 17, I entered the healthcare profession as a licensed vocational nurse [LVN, LPN]. Years later, when I became a registered nurse, my knowledge, along with my clinical responsibilities, increased substantially. However, there was one subject that remained the same, Human Anatomy and Physiology, throughout the pursuit of my advanced nursing degree. The structure and function of the human body are valid and unequivocally non-refutable. The disagreement among physicians is limited to the varied treatment modalities for their patients. Still, there is not much leeway in the delivery of patient care. All healthcare professionals are governed by regulatory agencies.

Sadly, humanity has a more significant problem than the anarchy against world leaders, disagreements between medical experts, and the chaos between federal agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and politicians. We are involved in a spiritual war between Christian religious leaders and their followers of the various Protestant denominations. Within the body of believers, there is disagreement over the Holy scriptures, disbelief of the Trinity, and whether or not, God really cares about human beings. Satan has gained additional followers–former believers because his deceptions include the promise of wealth. One of his tactics is that human beings have the power of manifestation to produce money and other material objects. The catch: They must proclaim their allegiance to him. The war of believers has escalated to the point that many have forgotten why they committed to serve God.

When did God become a religion or denomination? 

Is there one and only true God? Why didn’t God forgive Satan? The study of the Bible, is it important? Why is the life of believer so hard? I know what I did was wrong, but doesn’t God promise forgiveness? These are just a few of the questions that many believers are asking. Many of the religious leaders are avoiding the answers to these questions by preaching motivational messages.

Does anyone remember that the most critical aspect of our lives is to have a relationship with Jesus Christ?

Historically, dissension among religious experts has existed since biblical times. “One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.” Matthew 16:1

  1. After 6AD, Jewish religious leaders were appointed by the Romans.
  2. The High Priests were both secular and religious leaders of the Jewish community. 
  3. Rabbis were Jewish religious teachers who taught and discussed interpretations of the Jewish law…Jesus was regarded as a Jewish rabbi (‘teacher’) by most of his followers (see Mark 10:1, 17, 35 & 51). The teaching of most rabbis reflected one of the three main religious schools of thought – Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.
  4. The Jewish Council (the ‘Sanhedrin’) was also both a religious and political assembly. It enforced the religious laws regulating Jewish worship and legislated on day-to-day affairs in Jerusalem and throughout Judaea. Prominent members of the council in Jesus’s day included Nicodemus (see John 3:1), Joseph of Arimathea (see Mark 15:43 & John 19:38-39), and Gamaliel (who was Paul’s religious tutor) (see Acts 5:34 & 22:3). https://www.thebiblejourney.org/biblejourney1/21-the-romanojewish-world-of-the-new-testament/jewish-religious-leaders/

There is a growing phenomenon in 2021 when people hear or read conflicting opinions. They readily accept the false and the inaccurate information but disregard the truth. “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24. Either they lack knowledge from not studying the Bible or possess the will to serve God according to their mindset.

The book of John is an account of Jesus’ disciple who was an eye witness to the events that He documented. Whenever Jesus taught, He was always challenged by the religious leaders [Matthew 16:1-4]. But their attempts were futile. They were very knowledgeable in the scriptures and doctrines, still they did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah or the Son of God. Regardless of the supernatural miracles Jesus performed, the religious leaders refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah–prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. Jesus’ parables [a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.] exposed their diabolical mindsets, making them appear as leaders uneducated in the Scriptures.

Jesus did not have an easy life. He dealt with rejection, anger, and was always avoiding the people’s desire to stone Him to death. Even Jesus’ disciples had their own agenda. The disciples argued amongst themselves quite frequently over “Who was the greatest?” Severe rivalry existed between the twelve men. They were so competitive, when Jesus attempted to warn them of the deception of the religious leaders, they misunderstood His words. “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” At this, they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread.” Matthew 16:6-7

It would be interesting to know how they would have answered the religious leader’s confrontational questions. Sadly, even though the disciples were in the physical presence of Jesus as God Incarnate—the Son of God who is God in human form, manifesting divinity, holiness, and righteousness, their minds were filled with foolishness.

After making the Pharisee’s and Sadducees stand down [Matthew 16:1-4] Jesus and the disciples traveled to Caesarea Philippi; Jesus asked His disciples two questions:

  1. “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Matthew 16:13
  2. “But who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15

We can easily search the Internet to answer the first question. Countless religious articles describing various doctrinal beliefs of who Jesus really was [yes, other religions view Jesus in past tense] are available. They say that Jesus was a prophet, a great man, etc., but never the Son of God. Nor do religions apart from Christianity believe in the Second Coming of Jesus [Revelation 22]. 

Question #2 is up-close and personal. “Who do you say I am?” confronts your intimate, personal beliefs of who Jesus is to you. Salvation is a 1:1 relationship with God who is only available through His Son, Jesus Christ. The saying, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time,” is only applicable to humanity. We can never fool God at any time!

The Holy Spirit motivates us to self-evaluate, which is only possible when using the scriptures as our standard. We must come clean and face the most crucial relationship in the life of a believer. During worship this morning, I questioned the strength of my relationship with Jesus while reading Matthew 16. I could easily use many adjectives to describe the Alpha and Omega, but that would not answer the question, “Sonya, who do you say I am?”

Prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson 

Wait for Your Victory!

Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:17

Why are we worried? Who told us that God has left us alone to fight that BIG problem or that situation that’s been going on for years?

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalms 27:14 NKJV

God, please open our eyes that we may see you as the GREATEST, the Alpha and the Omega, our Provider, our Warrior, our Father, and our Problem-Solver. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson