Trusting and obeying God as he opens the way to what’s next
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"Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6 NIV). God tells Abram four things in the first five verses of this chapter.
1. You do not have to be afraid.
2. I am your shield.
3. I am your very great reward.
4. Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
"Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."
"You do not have to be afraid." There are, so I have been told, 365 other instances in the Bible where men and women, and us, are told not to be afraid. This equals one each day including Leap Year. Why were Abram and all those other Bible characters able to live fearlessly?
"I am your shield." Nothing gets into our lives without passing through God's defenses. As Dr. Jim Denison of the Denison Forum (denisonforum.org) likes to say, "God redeems all he allows." Hard times are never the last word.
"I am your very great reward." God's abundant goodness would provide for Abram what he could not provide for himself.
"Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky." Our Father in heaven is better to us than we would be to ourselves. God's dreams for us are better than our dreams for ourselves. God's plans for us are better than any purpose of our hearts.
God invited Abram to take a walk. Taking a walk with God always leads to adventure. It always leads to reward.
Trusting God no matter where you stand, no matter where you are bound, is the way of righteousness, the way of life.
Where are you in your journey today?
What are your best next steps?
How are you trusting and obeying God in this moment as it opens the way into what's next?
 | David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as a Multiplying Trainer for Future Church Co. Learn More » |
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