Today Our Daily Bread Genesis 14 ++

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Genesis 14:1-24
Abram Rescues Lot
1About this time war broke out in the region. King Amraphel of Babylonia, F48 King Arioch of Ellasar, King Kedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim 2fought against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (now called Zoar).
3The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela formed an alliance and mobilized their armies in Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead Sea F49 ). 4For twelve years they had all been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but now in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5One year later, Kedorlaomer and his allies arrived. They conquered the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in the plain of Kiriathaim, 6and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the wilderness. 7Then they swung around to En-mishpat (now called Kadesh) and destroyed the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar.
8But now the army of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (now called Zoar) prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead Sea F50 9against King Kedorlaomer of Elam and the kings of Goiim, Babylonia, and Ellasar—four kings against five. 10As it happened, the valley was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some slipped into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains. 11The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and began their long journey home, taking all the wealth and food with them. 12They also captured Lot—Abram's nephew who lived in Sodom—and took everything he owned. 13One of the men who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was camped at the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram's allies.
14When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called together the men born into his household, 318 of them in all. He chased after Kedorlaomer's army until he caught up with them in Dan. 15There he divided his men and attacked during the night from several directions. Kedorlaomer's army fled, but Abram chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16Abram and his allies recovered everything—the goods that had been taken, Abram's nephew Lot with his possessions, and all the women and other captives.
Melchizedek Blesses Abram
17As Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought him bread and wine. 19Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies."
Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
21The king of Sodom told him, "Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered."
22Abram replied, "I have solemnly promised the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from you. Otherwise you might say, 'I am the one who made Abram rich!' 24All I'll accept is what these young men of mine have already eaten. But give a share of the goods to my allies—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre."
FOOTNOTES:F48: Hebrew Shinar; also in 14:9. F49: Hebrew Salt Sea. F50: Hebrew in Siddim Valley; see 14:3.

Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living TranslationCopyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

~ Lena’s Journalin’ Today ~
One sign of a true lover of God would be one who not only fights and sees to the destruction of his own personal enemies, but his covenant love extends to that of even the enemies of his family, however far away that may extend.
I was thinking about how many times in the Bible as we read about enemy defeat and God tells those who fight against the enemy to, “take every one of them till none more exist”. I also see many times how those in the fight only take a few and stop there ether because of being tired, worn out or whatever, all valid reasons. But why would God say, get everyone of them, don’t stop till everyone is gone? Notice some went up to the foothills to hide (i.e. high places 2 Cor 10:2-5, 2 Kings 18:3, etc), some went out into the deserts, or wherever they “escaped to”. Why would God want the people of God to get ALL of them, not allowing the unified people of God or the enemy to rest until? Why? Is God a relentless murderer? Is He unmerciful? Is He a Taskmaster?
The enemy throws those thoughts our way in the midst of battles, doesn’t he? Remember he is a liar and there is no trace of truth in him at all. He is trying to save himself with his sympathetic spirit, that says to us, ahh, save a few of them, rest here awhile. All the while that same enemy, we saved and left behind is lurking and waiting for us to come along the pathway of their fleeing, and in a few years when they’ve had a chance to grow and multiply we may think differently about taking them all, but are we ready then? If it is not us directly who will walk that path, it may be a member of our family. Abraham was just like God was, he had a true father’s heart, he went after the enemies of his family and interceded for his family, until every last one was taken care of. We’ve got to get to that place in the spirit and in prayer, to not let go of God’s heart until every last one of our family members are saved, healed, loving God and fighting for other’s enemies also.
Our tithes do this, they fight a spiritual battle for our families and every person that comes and will come across our spiritual pathway. It says to enemies and to God, we are a Godly people who will not allow any other hand on our lives other than God’s protective hand. It speaks in the natural and spiritual realms of who is really in charge of our goods and who our goods really belong to. When our own recourses and our own strength runs dry what is left, or who is left to intervene? Our tithes speak for us in the eternal realm of who’s who and what’s what.

Proverbs 27:17-19
17 You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. 18 If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you'll be honored.
19 Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart.
Psalm 122:1
1 When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.