Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” -Genesis 15.4-5
Abram and God are discussing the fulfillment of God's promise, and Abram presents the facts from a human perspective. He has no son, no biological descendant, and so logically, his servant will become his heir. It has been years since the promise was made, and so far the key to that promise has yet to be fulfilled. So much of the promise is dependent upon descendants, and so far Abram has none. He presents God with the facts as he sees them, and then God responds. He assures Abram that he will have a son. God made a promise, and God is a promise keeper.
However, God doesn't do the minimum. He promised Abram a nation, and after reassuring him of the promise of a son, he takes him outside and shows him the stars, inviting him to count them, and promises that his descendants will be the same. God goes above and beyond. As Paul said in Ephesians 3, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
God not only keeps His promises, but God keeps them in a way that is truly a blessing. God blesses in ways that are abundantly beyond what we can imagine. That is who He is, and to Him be the glory.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Promise Keeper
"After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,'Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.'" -Genesis 15.1
Abram has just been in battle and achieved victory. In the aftermath, he has honored God and refused the rewards of men, so that God may be glorified. In the calm after the battle, God speaks to Abram, and as He speaks, He tells Abram not to fear, that He is his shield, and that Abram's reward will be very great.
God has made promises to Abram that are yet to be fulfilled, and it has been around a decade since the promises were initially made. Abram has allowed his nephew to choose from the land God has promised to give him, been in a battle where he could have been killed, refused an offering from a king for wealth, and still has no son. But here at the beginning of chapter 15, God is about to reinforce the promise that was made.
God begins by telling Abram to not fear, calling him to faith and trust in Him. He then tells Abram that He is his shield. God is protecting him. God made promises to Abram that have not been fulfilled yet, and God is going to watch over Abram and protect. Abram has been in life endangering situations and has come out alive because God is watching over him. Finally, God reassures him that his reward will be very great. The original promise involved land, descendants, and honor, and God is going to do all of it.
The promises of God may take time to fulfill, it could be years as was the case with Abram, but God does not forget His promises. God remembers His promises, and God will fulfill them. He is a promise keeper.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Abram has just been in battle and achieved victory. In the aftermath, he has honored God and refused the rewards of men, so that God may be glorified. In the calm after the battle, God speaks to Abram, and as He speaks, He tells Abram not to fear, that He is his shield, and that Abram's reward will be very great.
God has made promises to Abram that are yet to be fulfilled, and it has been around a decade since the promises were initially made. Abram has allowed his nephew to choose from the land God has promised to give him, been in a battle where he could have been killed, refused an offering from a king for wealth, and still has no son. But here at the beginning of chapter 15, God is about to reinforce the promise that was made.
God begins by telling Abram to not fear, calling him to faith and trust in Him. He then tells Abram that He is his shield. God is protecting him. God made promises to Abram that have not been fulfilled yet, and God is going to watch over Abram and protect. Abram has been in life endangering situations and has come out alive because God is watching over him. Finally, God reassures him that his reward will be very great. The original promise involved land, descendants, and honor, and God is going to do all of it.
The promises of God may take time to fulfill, it could be years as was the case with Abram, but God does not forget His promises. God remembers His promises, and God will fulfill them. He is a promise keeper.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Possessor
"He blessed him and said, 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth... Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth" -Genesis 14.19, 22
God is Most High, He is above all else, and He alone is worthy of worship. That is the first identifier attributed to God by both Melchizedek and Abram, but it is quickly followed by a second identifier, possessor of heaven and earth. God is above all, and being above all, He owns and rules everything that exists. Psalm 24.1 states, "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,
the world, and those who dwell in it." Everything you see, and everything you don't (everything the light touches, and even that shadowy part) is God's.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God made man in His own image and set him to rule over and care for His creation. God entrusted the world to man. The world is not ours, but God's. In the movie Kingdom of Heaven there is a quote early on in the movie "What man is a man who does not make the world better?" Later the main character is asked, "Would you make the whole world like Jerusalem?" to which he responds "This is my land. What kind of man would I be if I did not try to make it better?"
The earth is God's. Every unique, beautiful, and dangerous corner of it belongs to Him. He has entrusted its care to us, and it is our responsibility to do so. We are to protect the earth, not strip it for its resources. We are to care for God's possession, not worshiping it, but honoring the one who alone is worthy of worship by taking care of what He has entrusted us with.
God Most High is the possessor of heaven and earth. The earth is the Lord's and all that it contains.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Peace be with you
God is Most High, He is above all else, and He alone is worthy of worship. That is the first identifier attributed to God by both Melchizedek and Abram, but it is quickly followed by a second identifier, possessor of heaven and earth. God is above all, and being above all, He owns and rules everything that exists. Psalm 24.1 states, "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,
the world, and those who dwell in it." Everything you see, and everything you don't (everything the light touches, and even that shadowy part) is God's.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God made man in His own image and set him to rule over and care for His creation. God entrusted the world to man. The world is not ours, but God's. In the movie Kingdom of Heaven there is a quote early on in the movie "What man is a man who does not make the world better?" Later the main character is asked, "Would you make the whole world like Jerusalem?" to which he responds "This is my land. What kind of man would I be if I did not try to make it better?"
The earth is God's. Every unique, beautiful, and dangerous corner of it belongs to Him. He has entrusted its care to us, and it is our responsibility to do so. We are to protect the earth, not strip it for its resources. We are to care for God's possession, not worshiping it, but honoring the one who alone is worthy of worship by taking care of what He has entrusted us with.
God Most High is the possessor of heaven and earth. The earth is the Lord's and all that it contains.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Most High
"He blessed him and said, 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand... Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'I have sworn to the Lord God Most High'" -Genesis 14.19-20, 22a
Abram has just been in battle, and has emerged as the victorious savior. Melchizedek, a priest/king, comes to meet Abram, as well as the king of Sodom. Tribute is offered and denied, and God is identified as Most High for the first time in Scripture. Three times, and by two different men, God is identified in His proper place, God Most High.
God is above all. He is Most High which means that no one and nothing, can be above Him. God is to be praised and worshiped because of who He is. He is Most High, and alone worthy of praise. Melchizedek twice identifies God as Most High. Abram follows this up with a third identification putting God in His proper place.
As the new year begins, let us begin by realizing who God is, and acknowledging Him in His proper place as God Most High.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Peace be with you
Abram has just been in battle, and has emerged as the victorious savior. Melchizedek, a priest/king, comes to meet Abram, as well as the king of Sodom. Tribute is offered and denied, and God is identified as Most High for the first time in Scripture. Three times, and by two different men, God is identified in His proper place, God Most High.
God is above all. He is Most High which means that no one and nothing, can be above Him. God is to be praised and worshiped because of who He is. He is Most High, and alone worthy of praise. Melchizedek twice identifies God as Most High. Abram follows this up with a third identification putting God in His proper place.
As the new year begins, let us begin by realizing who God is, and acknowledging Him in His proper place as God Most High.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Peace be with you
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