Read Genesis 12:10-20
After Abraham received God's promise v. 4 tells us he left from Haran and set out for the promised land of Canaan. His response was obedience and yet when we continue reading the story in v. 10 and following we find there's trouble after the promise.
Trouble follows us wherever we go and even after this promise from God it follows Abraham. I don't know to many people who look forward to trouble; most of us want to avoid it and when it comes we wonder where is God in this. So the timing of this trouble for Abraham must have had him wondering what God was up to.
We learn from Abraham's story that he didn't exactly respond the way we'd expect a godly man to respond. But throughout his life he always came back, always realized and remembered the covenant promise God made with him.
No matter what trouble comes our way, what trouble we face, God wants us learning from stories like Abraham's and others in the Old and New Testaments that God is always faithful. Trust in Him, follow Him, believe in Him, rely on Him, listen to Him and love Him all the time because in good times and bad - God always keeps His promises, especially His covenant promises.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
God's Promise to Abraham
Read Genesis 12:1-9
Last week we began a series of devotions in helping us focus on God's revelation. We might think that we should just stay in Revelation - it's a good idea to go back and begin with understanding what God has revealed and ultimately promises.
All of us know what a promise is. We've made promises and promises have been made to us. Some are kept and some are not; that's the nature of earthly promises, they are flawed because we are flawed. However, when God makes a promise He keeps a promise. We see this over and over again in scripture.
Possibly one of the most important promises ever made was God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-9. Take some time and read God's promise to Abraham. His promise has come to be known as the Abrahamic Covenant. This promise is both eternal and unconditional. At it's core we find three basic provisions:
This covenant promise required nothing more from Abraham than faith and trust to follow God. God was offering Abraham blessings and we're told Abraham listened and left his country to a land God would show him. We're told later in scripture that Abraham was a man who believed God and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. God wants us to know His promises, and then believe and follow.
We'll continue unpacking God's revelation to His people as we walk through this Abrahamic and other covenant promises of God. For now, read again the passages in Genesis 12 and cross-references (Gen. 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-27; 18:17-19; 22:15-18) to get the bigger picture of God's promise to Abraham.
Last week we began a series of devotions in helping us focus on God's revelation. We might think that we should just stay in Revelation - it's a good idea to go back and begin with understanding what God has revealed and ultimately promises.
All of us know what a promise is. We've made promises and promises have been made to us. Some are kept and some are not; that's the nature of earthly promises, they are flawed because we are flawed. However, when God makes a promise He keeps a promise. We see this over and over again in scripture.
Possibly one of the most important promises ever made was God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-9. Take some time and read God's promise to Abraham. His promise has come to be known as the Abrahamic Covenant. This promise is both eternal and unconditional. At it's core we find three basic provisions:
- First, there were personal blessings for Abraham
- There were blessings for Abraham's descendants, or national blessings
- There was a universal blessing, which would include all people
This covenant promise required nothing more from Abraham than faith and trust to follow God. God was offering Abraham blessings and we're told Abraham listened and left his country to a land God would show him. We're told later in scripture that Abraham was a man who believed God and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. God wants us to know His promises, and then believe and follow.
We'll continue unpacking God's revelation to His people as we walk through this Abrahamic and other covenant promises of God. For now, read again the passages in Genesis 12 and cross-references (Gen. 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-27; 18:17-19; 22:15-18) to get the bigger picture of God's promise to Abraham.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
He's Given a Revelation...
Read Revelation 1:1-3
End times prophecy is probably one of those Biblical subjects many would like to know more about but are not quite sure how to go about learning. Well we're going to engage in a few devotions to help walk through some of the key elements of Revelation. For this week - take a quick look at Revelation 1:1-3.
We're told this revelation comes from Jesus and God gave it to show his servants what events are going to happen in the end times. He presented this revelation to his servant John through an angel and John faithfully reported everything he saw. Now this is just my guess but I'm not so sure John understood everything he saw but he reported everything he saw faithfully.
Verse 3 tells us whoever reads the words of this prophecy to the church will be blessed if they listen and obey the message. So as we approach this message we should pray God will help us to hear clearly and obey what we're told to obey.
Understanding end times prophecy reminds us that:
End times prophecy is probably one of those Biblical subjects many would like to know more about but are not quite sure how to go about learning. Well we're going to engage in a few devotions to help walk through some of the key elements of Revelation. For this week - take a quick look at Revelation 1:1-3.
We're told this revelation comes from Jesus and God gave it to show his servants what events are going to happen in the end times. He presented this revelation to his servant John through an angel and John faithfully reported everything he saw. Now this is just my guess but I'm not so sure John understood everything he saw but he reported everything he saw faithfully.
Verse 3 tells us whoever reads the words of this prophecy to the church will be blessed if they listen and obey the message. So as we approach this message we should pray God will help us to hear clearly and obey what we're told to obey.
Understanding end times prophecy reminds us that:
- God is sovereign
- God is good
- Motivates us to holy living
- Helps us establish proper priorities
- Gives us hope
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