Knowing God, Changes Us.

GENESIS 17:1-8 THERE ONCE WAS A KING WHO •WENT HUNTING GAME WITH HIS FRIEND. •AS THE KING SHOT THE ARROW, HIS THUMB CAME OFF. •HIS FRIEND SAID, "PRAISE GOD BECAUSE HE'S IN CONTROL." •THE KING WAS FURIOUS AND THREW HIS FRIEND IN JAIL. SOME TIME LATER, THE KING WAS •HUNTING IN A DISTANT LAND. •SUDDENLY HE WAS SURROUNDED BY CANNIBALS. •THEY TIED HIM UP AND WERE READY •TO COOK HIM WHEN THEY SAW THE HAND WITH NO THUMB. "NO PERFECT, NO COOK," SAID THE •CHIEF, AND THEY LET THE KING GO. •HE WENT BACK TO HIS FRIEND AND APOLOGIZED. •"YOU WERE RIGHT. •NOT HAVING A THUMB SAVED MY LIFE." HIS FRIEND SAID, "PRAISE GOD THAT •I HAVE BEEN IN JAIL FOR SO LONG." •"HOW CAN YOU PRAISE GOD?" ASKED THE KING. •"IF I HADN'T BEEN IN JAIL. •I WOULD HAVE BEEN HUNTING WITH YOU. •AND LOOK: TWO THUMBS." HOW WE SEE LIFE IS GREATLY •IMPACTED BY OUR ATTITUDE. •IF WE LOOK FOR GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN THIS LIFE •WE ARE SURE TO SEE IT IN EVERY SITUATION •IF WE GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT GOD •WE CAN ONLY KNOW DESPAIR WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE •KNOW WHO GOD IS… •THE ALMIGHTY GOD WHO CREATED AND SUSTAINS ALL THINGS •WE NEED TO LET THIS FACT GUIDE OUR ATTITUDE •IF WE KNOW THIS ALMIGHTY GOD AND WALK BEFORE HIM.. •OUR ATTITUDE SHOULD REFLECT THAT.. •WE SHOULD TRUST HIS PROMISES •AND DISPLAY OUR RESPECT.. OUR •REVERENCE FOR HIM IN ALL THAT WE DO TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT •GOD HELPING ABRAM TO UNDERSTAND JUST WHO GOD IS •AND ABRAM’S RESPONSE •TURN TO GENESIS 17:1 •HAGAR HAD HAD A SON WITH ABRAM •NAMED ISHMAEL THAT HAPPENED WHEN ABRAM •WAS 86 YEARS OLD, THIS HAD BEEN SARAI’S IDEA •AND NOW 13 YEARS LATTER GOD WILL •APPEAR TO ABRAM •AND EXPLAIN JUST WHO GOD IS AND HOW ABRAM SHOULD BE LIVING GENESIS 17:1 NOW WHEN ABRAM WAS NINETY-NINE YEARS OLD, THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM AND SAID TO HIM, “I AM GOD ALMIGHTY; WALK BEFORE ME, AND BE BLAMELESS. GOD WORKS ON HIS OWN SCHEDULE •ISHMAEL HAD BEEN BORN WHEN ABRAM WAS 86 YEARS OLD… •THEN GOD APPEARS TO ABRAM WHEN HE IS 99 •THAT MEANS ISHMAEL IS 13 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS HAPPENS…. •THERE MAY BE A REASON GOD CHOSE APPEARS AT THIS TIME •UNDER ANCIENT EASTERN TRADITIONS •A MAN CAN DESIGNATE SOMEONE AS HIS HEIR •WHEN THEY ARE 13 YEARS OLD…. •GOD MAY HAVE COME AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME SO THAT ABRAM WOULD NOT •DESIGNATE ISHMAEL AS HIS HEIR… •NOW… THIS MIGHT BE THE REASON •GOD CAME AT THIS TIME… OR IT MIGHT NOT BE •WE DON’T REALLY KNOW… •THE TEXT DOES NOT SAY.. BUT WE DO KNOW FOR SURE •THAT GOD WORKS ON HIS OWN SCHEDULE… •HE HAS A PLAN… RIGHT DOWN TO THE SECOND •AND HE DOES THINGS ON HIS TIME TABLE •NOT ON OUR TIME TABLE… PSALM 27:14 WAIT FOR THE LORD; BE STRONG AND LET YOUR HEART TAKE COURAGE; YES, WAIT FOR THE LORD. I KNOW MANY OF US DO NOT LIKE •TO WAIT… WE WANT WHAT WE WANT WHEN WE WANT IT. •BUT WE ARE SO MUCH MORE BLESSED WHEN WE WAIT FOR THE LORD… •HIS TIMING IS ALWAYS PERFECT… •HE IS NEVER EARLY OR LATE… I AM SURE ABRAM AT 99 THOUGHT •THE LORD WAS RUNNING LATE ON HIS PROMISE TO PROVIDE AN HEIR… •BUT GOD SHOWS UP RIGHT ON TIME… AND EXPLAINS TO ABRAM EXACTLY WHO GOD IS… GOD IS A SOVEREIGN GOD.. •JUST TO MAKE SURE ABRAM UNDERSTANDS •WHO GOD IS… GOD SAYS….“I AM GOD ALMIGHTY •IN HEBREW THIS IS Êl Shaddai •AND THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME THIS NAME APPEARS IN THE BIBLE… THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS •TO UNDERSTAND THIS NAME Êl Shaddai •GOD ALL-SUFFICIENT… OR MY FAVORITE TRANSLATION •THE GOD WHO CONSTRAINS AND SUBDUES •NATURE SO THAT IT YIELDS TO HIS SERVICE OR MORE SIMPLY… GOD ALMIGHTY •FOR A SECOND…. PUT YOUR SELF IN ABRAMS PLACE •YOU ARE 99 YEARS OLD… YOU HAVE NO HEIR •BUT YOU DO HAVE ISHMAEL… WHO IS NOW 13 •YOU CAN JUST MAKE HIM YOUR HEIR… BUT GOD APPEARS AND SAYS… •I AM GOD ALMIGHTY…. MAYBE •THIS WOULD HELP ABRAM UNDERSTAND •THAT GOD IS FULLY ABLE TO PROVIDE THE HEIR •ABRAM NEEDS… BECAUSE HE IS Êl Shaddai… GOD ALMIGHTY •SOMETIMES WE NEED TO BE REMINDED WHO GOD IS… •WE FACE SOME SITUATION… SOMETHING OVERWHELMING •AND WE FORGET WHO GOD IS… •WE THINK OF HIM AS THE GOD OF THE BIBLE SOME REMOTE… DISTANT GOD THAT •GIVES US A LIST OF WHAT WE SHOULD & SHOULD NOT DO •A GOD WHO SHOWED UP 1000S OF YEARS AGO •AND LIVES IN CHURCHES NOW… AND WE GO SEE HIM ON SUNDAY •BUT THIS IS NOT WHO GOD IS…. GOD IS A SOVEREIGN GOD… •GOD IS…. GOD ALMIGHTY… CREATOR.. SUSTAINER •OF THE UNIVERSE… THE ONE WHO •SUBJECTS NATURE TO HIS WILL.. •HE IS NOT A DISTANT GOD HE IS RIGHT HERE WITH US IN OUR TRIALS… IN OUR SITUATION… •RIGHT BESIDE US AS WE DEAL WITH OVERWHELMING THINGS… •AT THOSE TIMES WE NEED TO KNOW •THAT HE HAS A PLAN FOR OUR LIVES… •AND PART OF THIS PLAN IS FOR US↓ LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL… •WHEN GOD APPEARS HE GIVES ABRAM AN INSTRUCTION •WALK BEFORE ME, AND BE BLAMELESS. •NOW, AT FIRST GLANCE THIS LOOKS LIKE TWO INSTRUCTIONS •BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEBREW THERE IS ONLY ONE INSTRUCTION HERE… •WALK BEFORE ME… IS THE INSTRUCTION •THAT SECOND PART… AND BE BLAMELESS •IS NOT AN INSTRUCTION… IT IS THE RESULT •OF FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTION. IF WE WALK BEFORE THE LORD •WE WILL BE BLAMELESS.. •SO, THAT MAKES IT REALLY IMPORTANT •TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK BEFORE THE LORD •CAUSE IF WE CAN DO THAT…. WE WILL BE BLAMELESS… TO WALK BEFORE THE LORD MEANS •TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT WILL BE PLEASING TO GOD. •LITERALLY IT MEANS “WALK AS YOU WOULD •IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD” •OR LIVE AS IF YOU KNOW GOD IS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. JUST THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH IT •WOULD CHANGE HOW PEOPLE ACT.. •IF THEY REALLY LIVED LIKE THEY KNEW GOD WAS RIGHT THERE WITH THEM… •I MEAN SERIOUSLY.. WOULD PEOPLE REALLY DO •SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO… IF THEY REALLY KNEW GOD COULD •SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING? •WOULD WE SAY WHAT WE SAY… WOULD WE LIVE THE WAY WE LIVE… •IF WE REALLY KNEW WE WERE WALKING •IN PLAIN VIEW OF GOD ALMIGHTY? WE LOVE TO GOSSIP.. YOU KNOW •DISCUSS PEOPLE BEHIND THEIR BACKS… •BUT THE TRUTH IS WE CAN NEVER TALK ABOUT GOD BEHIND IS BACK… •WE CANNOT SPEAK OF GOD IN HIS ABSENCE… •IF WE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS WE WILL KNOW THAT ANYTIME WE •TALK ABOUT GOD HE IS RIGHT THERE WITH US….. •WHATEVER ATTITUDE WE HAVE ABOUT GOD… HE KNOWS IT… •WE CAN’T HIDE OUR ATTITUDE… •TO REFUSE TO WALK BEFORE GOD IS TO DENY WHO GOD IS TO HIS FACE •AND THE PROPER RESPONSE TO WHO GOD IS…. IS AWE AND REVERENCE…. •IT IS RESPECT AND GRATITUDE •FOR A GOD WHO CREATED ALL THINGS GENESIS 17:2–4 “I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND YOU, AND I WILL MULTIPLY YOU EXCEEDINGLY.” ABRAM FELL ON HIS FACE, AND GOD TALKED WITH HIM, SAYING, “AS FOR ME, BEHOLD, MY COVENANT IS WITH YOU, AND YOU WILL BE THE FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS. WE HAVE SEEN GOD MAKE •PROMISES TO ABRAM OVER AND OVER…. •PROMISES OF MANY DESCENDANTS •PROMISES OF LAND… INFLUENCE •BLESSINGS… SO MANY PROMISES AND HERE WE SEE GOD MAKE THE SAME •PROMISE TWICE… FIRST IN VERSE 2 •AND THEN AGAIN IN VERSE 4.. •GOD STATES IN BOTH THESE VERSES THAT HE PROMISES •TO MULTIPLY ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS.. NOW… GOD HAD PROMISED THIS •BEFORE, BUT HE SAYS IT AGAIN…. TWICE •NOW, WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING REPEATED •IN THE BIBLE… IT IS A BIG DEAL… BUT •WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING REPEATED TWICE RIGHT TOGETHER LIKE THIS… •IT IS HUGE…. WE REALLY NEED TO STOP •AND TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON. •AND IF WE LOOK REAL CLOSE WE WILL NOTICE •THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS BETWEEN THESE REPEATS IN VERSE 3… RIGHT IN BETWEEN •THE REPEATED PROMISE TO MULTIPLY ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS…. •WE SEE THE WORDS •ABRAM FELL ON HIS FACE •SO.. GOD REPEATS A PROMISE… ABRAM FALLS ON HIS FACE AND GOD REPEATS THE PROMISE •AGAIN… THIS IDEA OF ABRAM FALLING ON HIS FACE IS A BIG DEAL… •WE NEED TO NOTICE IT.. •WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT…. •THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE BIBLE THAT WE SEE SOMEONE FALL ON •THEIR FACE… BUT IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST… •MOSES WILL FALL ON HIS FACE… •SO WILL JOSHUA AND DAVID… IN THE ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST •FALLING ON ONE’S FACE IS DISPLAYING AN ATTITUDE OF THE MOST •PROFOUND REVERENCE… •IT IS A SIGN OF IMMENSE HUMILITY AND SUBMISSION… •IT IS A POSTURE OF GREAT RESPECT TOWARDS A SUPERIOR… •BASICALLY IT IS A WAY OF ACKNOWLEDGING↓ THAT GOD IS A SOVEREIGN GOD… •ABRAM SHOWS IN THE MOST AMAZING WAY POSSIBLE •THAT GOD IS GOD ALMIGHTY…. AND THAT HE… •ABRAM IS WILLING TO WALK BEFORE GOD…. •JUST AS GOD HAD JUST INSTRUCTED HIM TO DO… HOW WE SHOW RESPECT VARIES •GREATLY DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES •AND WHO IT IS WE ARE SHOWING RESPECT FOR… •IF I WANT TO SHOW RESPECT WHEN I WALK INTO A CHURCH •I TAKE MY HAT OFF. IF I WANT TO SHOW RESPECT TO A •LADY I OPEN THE DOOR FOR HER. •IF I WANT TO SHOW RESPECT TO A SKATEBOARDER… •A SLAP THE TAIL OF MY BOARD ON THE TOP OF THE RAMP. •BUT HOW DO YOU SHOW THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, THE CREATOR SUSTAINER OF ALL •THINGS, THAT YOU RESPECT AND REVERENCE •THAT YOU ARE IN AWE OF HIM? •WELL ONE WAY OR ANOTHER… YOU •FALL ON YOUR FACE BEFORE HIM… NOW…. LITERALLY FALLING OUR FACE •IS NOT REALLY SOMETHING WE DO IN OUR CULTURE •BUT THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE CAN •DO THAT HAVE THE SAME AFFECT •THE IDEA IS TO HUMBLY AND COMPLETELY SUBMIT TO GOD… ACKNOWLEDGE •THAT HE IS GOD ALMIGHTY… •AND LIVE IN A WAY THAT SHOWS •THAT YOU KNOW HE IS THE SOVEREIGN GOD… •WHEN WE DO THIS … IT WILL CHANGE US… GENESIS 17:5–8 “NO LONGER SHALL YOUR NAME BE CALLED ABRAM, BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM; FOR I WILL MAKE YOU THE FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS. “I HAVE MADE YOU EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL, AND I WILL MAKE NATIONS OF YOU, ↓ AND KINGS WILL COME FORTH FROM YOU. “I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, TO BE GOD TO YOU AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU. “I WILL↓ GIVE TO YOU AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU, THE LAND OF YOUR SOJOURNINGS, ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN, FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.” GOD CHANGES US •GOD LOVES ALL OF US… JUST LIKE WE ARE •BUT HE DOES NOT WANT US TO STAY THAT WAY….. •GOD CALLED ABRAM OUT OF UR OF THE CALDEES •BUT ABRAM WILL NOT STAY ABRAM RIGHT HERE WE SEE GOD CHANGE •ABRAM… •ABRAM HAS GROWN IN FAITH HE HAS WALKED BEFORE GOD… •HE HAS WON BATTLES… INCREASED HIS HERDS AND FLOCKS •AND NOW GOD WILL CHANGE ABRAMS NAME “NO LONGER SHALL YOUR NAME BE •CALLED ABRAM, BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM; •IN OUR CULTURE NAMES DON’T REALLY MEAN ALL THAT MUCH •YOUR NAME IS JUST WHAT PEOPLE CALL YOU •BUT IN THEIR CULTURE…. NAMES MEAN MUCH MORE… •GOD TELLS ABRAHAM WHY HE CHANGED HIS NAME •FOR I WILL MAKE YOU THE FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS •THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE… THE NAME •ABRAHAM SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO THE HEBREW WORDS THAT MEAN •FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS… •ABRAHAM AND HIS WIFE HAD BEEN BARREN •ALL THESE YEARS… HE IS NOW 99 YEARS OLD •AND AT THIS POINT… GOD CHANGES HIS NAME THIS NAME CHANGE LOOKED AHEAD •TO WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN… •GOD IS ABOUT TO WORK AN AMAZING MIRACLE… •BARREN SARAI WILL BRING FORTH A SON •ABRAM WILL HAVE AN HEIR… GOD WILL FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO •ABRAHAM… AND THIS NAME CHANGE IS PART OF THIS •PROCESS OF FULFILLING HIS PROMISE… •NAMES ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD… •THINK ABOUT HOW MANY NAMES HE CHANGES… I NEVER REALLY LIKED MY NAME ALL •THAT MUCH. WHEN I WAS A KID.. •I WANTED TO BE A SCIENTIST, AND THERE JUST AREN'T •ANY SCIENTIST NAMED RANDY. •RANDY IS A GOOD NAME FOR A FOOTBALL •PLAYER OR MAYBE A COUNTRY MUSIC STAR, PREACHER.. RANDY IS JUST NOT A GOOD •NAME FOR A SCIENTIST. I TRIED TO CHANGE MY NAME •A FEW TIMES… TO GO BY ROBERT OR RANDLE •OR ANYTHING BUT RANDY.. • IT'S KIND OF HARD TO CHANGE YOUR OWN NAME. PEOPLE CALL YOU WHAT THEY'RE •GOING TO CALL YOU. BUT IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING •WHEN GOD CHANGES YOUR NAME. •AND DID YOU KNOW GOD CHANGES OUR NAMES WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST REVELATION 2:17 ‘HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES, TO HIM I WILL GIVE SOME OF THE HIDDEN MANNA, AND I WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE, AND A NEW NAME WRITTEN ON THE STONE WHICH NO ONE KNOWS BUT HE WHO RECEIVES IT.’ THAT’S RIGHT ALL WHO TRUST •IN CHRIST FOR SALVATION WILL RECEIVE •A NEW NAME THAT NO ONE WILL KNOW •NOW, WE DON’T RECEIVE THIS NEW NAME JUST YET •SO I AM STUCK WITH RANDY FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER BUT I DO LOVE THE IDEA THAT GOD •WILL GIVE US A NEW NAME… JUST LIKE •HE GAVE ABRAHAM.. AND JACOB.. AND PETER.. •BUT THE IMPORTANT PART OF GETTING A NEW NAME •IS NOT ACTUALLY THE NAME… THE IMPORTANT PART IS THE •CHANGE THAT THE NEW NAME REPRESENTS •ANY TIME GOD GIVES SOMEONE A NEW NAME •IT MEANS THEY HAVE CHANGED… THEY ARE NOT •WHAT THEY USED TO BE… THAT IS TRUE FOR ABRAHAM AND SARAH… AND •IT IS TRUE FOR JACOB… AND PETER.. •AND IT IS TRUE FOR US… WE ARE NOT •WHAT WE USED TO BE… WE ARE NOW CHILDREN OF GOD •WE ARE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN, WE HAVE BEEN MADE NEW 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 THEREFORE IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE; THE OLD THINGS PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, NEW THINGS HAVE COME. AND AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN •MADE NEW… WE NEED TO LIVE LIKE IT •WE NEED TO LET GO OF THE OLD WAYS WE LIVED •AND TAKE A HOLD OF LIVING LIKE GOD CALLS US TO LIVE •WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD CAN USE THE NEW US FOR HIS •PLAN… GOD IS GOING TO USE ABRAHAM FOR AMAZING THINGS… •GOD TELLS HIM •“I HAVE MADE YOU EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL, •UP TO THIS POINT GOD HAD BEEN TELLING ABRAHAM “I WILL MAKE.. •AND RIGHT HERE WE SEE IT CHANGE TO •I HAVE MADE THAT MEANS GOD HAS CHANGED •ABRAHAM… AND GOD IS USING THE CHANGED •ABRAHAM AS PART OF GOD’S PLAN AND I WILL MAKE NATIONS OF YOU, •BECAUSE GOD HAS CHANGED ABRAM •TO ABRAHAM HE CAN NOW MAKE NATIONS •COME FROM HIM.. AND NOT JUST NATIONS •KINGS WILL COME FORTH FROM YOU. AND AS WE READ THROUGH OUR •BIBLES WE WILL SEE THAT THIS PROMISE •COMES TRUE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD •GOD HAD IN FACT MADE ABRAHAM FRUITFUL •HE DID PRODUCE NATIONS AND ABRAHAM DID CERTAINLY •HAVE KINGS COME FORTH FROM HIM •MANY EARTHLY KINGS… AND MOST IMPORTANTLY •THE KING OF KINGS… JESUS CHRIST •A KING WHO WILL RULE AND REIGN FOR ALL ETERNITY… BECAUSE GOD IS OUR GOD •ETERNALLY… GOD HAS MADE PROMISES •TO ABRAHAM… THESE PROMISES STARTED •WHEN ABRAHAM WAS STILL IN UR… •THESE PROMISES WERE REPEATED ONCE •ABRAM GOT TO THE LAND OF CANAAN AND HERE IN CHAPTER 17 WE SEE •THESE PROMISES NOT ONLY REPEATED •BUT EXTENDED ETERNALLY… •GOD TELLS ABRAHAM THIS COVENANT WILL BE WITH •AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, AND THAT HE WILL BE GOD TO YOU •AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU. •THEN GOD GETS VERY SPECIFIC HE SAYS •“I WILL GIVE TO YOU AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU, THE LAND OF YOUR SOJOURNINGS, ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN, FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.” NOW IT MIGHT JUST SEEM LIKE •GOD IS REPEATING WHAT HE HAS ALREADY SAID •ABOUT GIVING THE LAND TO ABRAHAM’S •DESCENDANTS… BUT THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT… •IT IS ONE THING TO GIVE LAND TO SOMEONE IT IS SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT •TO PROMISE THAT THE LAND WILL BE THEIRS •FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION. •THAT THEY WILL HAVE THIS LAND ETERNALLY. •THROUGHOUT HISTORY… MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GIVEN LAND… •BUT IF YOU LOOK BACK AT OLD MAPS AND GLOBES •YOU WILL SEE THAT NO ONE IS EVER GIVEN •LAND ETERNALLY… THAT IS BECAUSE ONLY SOMEONE •WHO IS ACTUALLY ETERNAL… CAN GIVE YOU SOMETHING •ETERNALLY… THAT MEANS ONLY GOD •CAN GIVE LAND ETERNALLY… FOR AN EVERLASTING •POSSESSION… THE REST OF US CAN’T DO THAT SINCE ONLY AN ETERNAL BEING CAN •OFFER ETERNAL GIFTS… IT MAKES •SENSE THAT ONLY GOD CAN OFFER US ETERNAL SALVATION •ANYONE ELSE CLAIMING TO OFFER ETERNAL SALVATION… •IS JUST NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE THE OFFER. NOT MOHAMAD… NOT BUDDHA... •NO… HUMAN CAN OFFER US ETERNAL SALVATION •BECAUSE IT IS AN OFFER BEYOND THEIR ABILITY TO FULFILL… •BUT GOD THE SELF EXISTENT CREATOR SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE.. •GOD ALMIGHTY… IS NOT ONLY QUALIFIED TO MAKE •AN OFFER OF ETERNAL SALVATION •HE HAS THE POWER TO BACK UP HIS OFFER… •JUST LIKE HE HAS THE POWER TO BACK UP WHAT HE PROMISED ABRAHAM… THAT THE PROMISED LAND WOULD •BE AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION FOR HIS DESCENDANTS •AND THAT GOD WOULD BE THEIR GOD •THESE PROMISES ARE STILL IN EFFECT TODAY •AND THEY WILL BE FOR ALL ETERNITY OUR ATTITUDE HAS AN IMMENSE •EFFECT ON HOW WE SEE THE WORLD •OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD EVEN MORE SO… •DO WE SEE GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN OUR LIVES… •OR DO WE FAIL TO NOTICE GOD AT WORK… WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW •WHO GOD IS… HE IS GOD ALMIGHTY… •GOD IS ETERNALLY GOD… WE ARE CALLED •TO WALK BEFORE HIM… AND OUR ATTITUDE •SHOULD REFLECT THAT… •HOW WE LIVE↓ SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH •WALKING BEFORE GOD… IT SHOULD •DISPLAY OUR TRUST IN GOD.. •IT SHOULD DISPLAY OUR REVERENCE, •OUR RESPECT, OUR AWE OF GOD THESE THINGS SHOULD BE •SHOWN IN ALL THAT WE DO •IN OUR PATIENCE… •WHILE WE WAIT OR GOD’S TIMING… •IN OUR WORSHIP AS WE PRAISE GOD.. •IN OUR SERVICE TO GOD AS WE CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER… AND THERE IS A VERY GOOD REASON •WHY WE SHOULD HAVE THIS ATTITUDE… •WE SHOULD HAVE THIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD •BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US… •HE PROVIDED A WAY FOR OUR ETERNAL SALVATION. HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN •HE LIVED A SINLESS LIFE •DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS •HE ROSE AGAIN AFTER THREE DAYS, •ASCENDED TO HEAVEN… •AND HE IS COMING BACK..