Genesis 12-15 (Day 16)

1/16/2012

Romans 4:20 says of Abram that, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”

So how did he give “glory to the God?” In context, to give “glory” means that you honor, give someone their due respect, or literally to “make weighty.” One way he did was by doing Proverbs 3:9; “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase.” Genesis 12:7 says, “Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him;” Abram honored the LORD with his giving when the LORD spoke to him.

Of course, the first way he honored (or gave glory) to the LORD was when he obeyed him. Genesis 12:4 says, “So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him.”

I think it is interesting to note that Abram had the faith to leave behind his home to obey God but he had fear that the Egyptians would kill him for his wife. (See Gen. 12:11-20) That is a paradox of walking in faith with God. You step out in faith with God and sometimes confront things that cause fear. As we continue to obey, taking God at His word, and “giving glory to God” our faith will be strengthened.

There is so much that could be written on these 4 chapters; I will leave off for now, but hope you will chime in with your great comments or questions!

5 Comments

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Shari

1/17/2012 01:30:17 am

Yes it seems with so many people of the Bible it's interesting how they will be such a person of faith and then seem to loose it as Abram did with saying his wife was his sister. Another example is Peter who denied Jesus after admantly saying he would never deny Him.

For Abram to leave his home was not no small feat either my Bible comments say that he had perhaps thousands of people with him including trained soldiers, family and servants.

Interesting when Lot chooses which land he and his family and men would go to he chose what (looked best to his eyes). What then turned out to be Sodom and Gomorrah, not the choice you would pick if you allowed God to lead you. But God blesses Abrams' land even though it would of seemed to be second choice in the natural. Something for us to remember in our choices, just because something looks good in the natural it is not necessarily something thats good for us. We need to allow God direct us when we are making choices in our life!

Sandi

1/17/2012 11:10:20 am

That's good. How many times do we just do what we think is the obvious choice, without praying and getting the mind of the Lord?

James 4:13 says: Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit."; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? Is it even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do, this or that."

1/17/2012 10:41:53 am

God had chosen Abram as the father of the nation that God would call His own. God made a covenant with him and promised him the land that is still being battled over today. Through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed, because through his seed, Jesus would come. We would all be grafted into this covenant that he made with one man!

The first thing he did was separate him from his family, because he would need to have a new mindset, new standards, a lifestyle that honored God. It's the same today, that we have to separate ourselves from the society that we have been emmersed in, and many of the ways of our family that just seem normal. We may think it's just "who we are" if we have anxiety, worry, laziness, selfishness, a quick temper, independence, stubborness, etc, but really we just need a separation, to be disentangled from the world and it's ways, so that in us, through Jesus, all the nations of the earth can be blessed!

Such a great example of how God is not in time! He is already telling Abram, even before one child is born, how his people will be slaves for 400 years, before He brings them out to take this land that He is showing Abram! And he says, the people of that land, their iniquity is not complete, so I can't destroy them now, because it wouldn't be right. They have to have the full opportunity to choose to do right, the full allotment of time....even though God already knew what they were going to do! God is just. He is merciful. He always does right! We never have a good reason not to trust Him. He knows what He is doing, and He always has a purpose for doing it.

shari

1/17/2012 11:48:23 am

Great insight Sandi on how God was separating Abram from his family.

(The first thing he did was separate him from his family, because he would need to have a new mindset, new standards, a lifestyle that honored God.)

Romans 12:2 says: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We can't just go with the flow of what our society is doing but we need to continually let the word of God transform us by giving us a new way of thinking so we will be in his perfect will.

Joshua

1/17/2012 12:39:49 pm

Yep, good stuff from both of you.
Did you notice how God called Abram out from his family BUT Lot went with him. It wasn't until Lot separated from him that the LORD spoke to him again.