DON'T FORGET ABRAHAM - PART 1

TUESDAY 25 APRIL 2023

No matter the service you are rendering to the Lord, do not forget father Abraham. The Almighty loves Abraham so much. Accurate and attentive understanding of the life of Abraham is a good sign of the work of grace and truth in any human heart, and a durable means of carrying it on. The Bible says, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17 NIV). Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, and those who belong to Christ, are the true children of Abraham. In addition, all the promises that God made to Abraham are fulfilled by Jesus and given to us.

Reference: Galatians 3:6 The Voice (Voice) "You remember Abraham. Scripture tells us, "Abraham believed God and trusted in His promises, so God counted it to his favor as righteousness."

What promises did Abraham believe God for? The Bible says, "Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, "Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith" (Genesis 15:5-6 NLT). Have you ever thought or imagined of the level of understanding and conversations between God and Abraham? This was similar to God's intimate relationship with Adam and Eve. The only difference is that they messed up their privilege of chatting and mingling directly with God by yielding to the enticing voice of the Serpent. So the last time they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, they hid themselves in the trees of the garden, in order to avoid God.

But I thank God that Abraham wasn't found wanting when the Almighty visited Him for a surprising outdoor experience. His sense of fellowship with the Lord was strong upon him, and so, God made it the link of his generational transformation by which His earnest, lasting covenant was exerted, and also, without doubt, I consider their closeness apparently weighty, unco direct and profoundly significant because God did not use any mediator when He gave His promise to Abraham (see Galatians 3:20 NLT).

Observationally confirmed, if you read the entire chapter (Genesis 15), you'll grasp that the sequence of their conversations is one of high-priority and seasoned train of friendship. Remarkably, God kept on conferring blessings on Abraham, making covenants with him, and confirming His promises to him and his descendants. His love for Abraham was too deep that even at his sleeping hours, God continued to minister to him, sharing His purposeful thoughts with him, and at a point, promised him long life (Genesis 15:15 NLT). In a nutshell, the idea contained in his friendship and intimate relationship with God is that of sincere dedication.

Just as Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith, the real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. Few of the promises God proclaimed to Abraham are: I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2 ESV); and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice (Genesis 22:18 ESV). Question: Which offspring? Christ! This is in line with Galatians 3:16 which reads, "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, Christ (NIV). Got it?

Beloved, Christ Jesus is of Abraham's descent or noble lineage, and the new covenant with God is mediated by Jesus and the Holy Spirit, not the law. To that effect, through Christ Jesus, God has included and blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that all who believe in Christ might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith, bearing in mind that God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when He said, "All nations will be blessed through you." So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith." Therefore, don't forget Abraham and stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Genesis 17:1-8; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 35:11; Isaiah 51:2.

Exuberant Declaration: I belong to Christ; therefore, as a partaker of divine nature, I am the very seed of Abraham, and I exercise my spiritual faculties as a heir according to the promise. Praise God!