It is often in times of waiting that it is most difficult to follow God, and that is where Abram and Sarai found themselves. Rather than continue to wait, they took matters into their own hands. This passage teaches us three actions to following God’s will. First, we are to trust him, and not commit … [Read More…] When We Go Our Own Way
When God appeared to Abram and changed his name to Abraham, He shows us three characteristics of Himself. First, He is a God of power, which will always be used for good and never for evil. Second, He is a God of grace. The covenant sign of circumcision pointed to God’s initiative in making and … [Read More…] When God Changes Your Name
There is a temptation in Christianity to be consumers of spiritual things rather than producers of spiritual fruit. How can we guard against being spiritually ineffective in our evangelism outreach to others? In this passage, we learn three keys to evangelism. The first key to evangelism is gospel proclamation; we need to remain excited about … [Read More…] The Gospel Goes Viral
Each of us, like Abram, will experience challenges to our faith along life’s journey. The first challenge Abram faced was that of success. Upon military victory, he still pursued God in the midst of victory by his generosity towards Melchizedek and his response to the King of Sodom. Second, Abram faced the challenge of fear, … [Read More…] Faithful Following
Abram found himself journeying back to the promised land from Egypt. Upon his return to the land, he displays three attributes of daring faith. First, Abram shows that daring faith is a faith that repents. Just as he turned around and went back to God, so should when we find our lives in sin. Second, … [Read More…] Daring Faith
Abram entered the promised land, yet soon after famine arrived. He traveled with his family down to Egypt, but there he lied about the identity of his wife to protect himself. This passage shows us three characteristics of sin. First, sin often looks appealing, as Abram was actually blessed in the short-term. Second, sin always … [Read More…] When Sinning Seems to Make Sense
After sin entered the world, things seemed to be spiraling down. In the midst of that darkness, God appeared to Abram, and made some astounding promises. He promised to give Abram land, that he would have a large family, and that he would be blessed and bless others. We see in this passage that God’s … [Read More…] An Unbelievable Promise
Do you ever feel like you were meant for another world, that you’re somehow out of place in this current one? As people of God, we are promised an eternal home in heaven, our great hope and future. Life is hard, but it’s worth living well. If we are homesick Christians longing for heaven, how … [Read More…] Homesick Christians
In today’s Christian culture, baptism often appears optional. But what does scripture really teach about the importance of baptism? Jesus spoke about baptism in an unequivocal way: baptism is a radical act of obedience to the radical call of Christ to repent and hear the gospel. It is meant to be a public display of … [Read More…] Baptism: A Radical Act Of Obedience
Do you really know Jesus? Or do you just know a lot about Him? Many people have a lot of information about Jesus, but they don’t really know Jesus. They have the head knowledge, but not the heart. There are three attributes of people who really know Jesus. Luke 7:36-50
