It is Important To Know

GENESIS 17:9-27 IN AN EXPERIMENT SPONSORED BY •AN INTERNET SECURITY FIRM A FREE WI-FI NETWORK •WAS SET UP IN A BUSY PUBLIC AREA. •WHEN PEOPLE CONNECTED, THEY WERE PRESENTED •WITH LENGTHY TERMS AND SERVICES THE GOAL OF THE EXPERIMENT •WAS TO SEE JUST HOW LITTLE ATTENTION •WE PAY WHEN CHECKING THAT AGREEMENT BOX, •THE AGREEMENT INCLUDED A "HEROD CLAUSE" •THAT OFFERED UP FREE WI-FI IN EXCHANGE FOR THE COMPANY'S •PERMANENT OWNERSHIP OF THE USER'S FIRSTBORN CHILD •SHOCKINGLY, NEARLY 100% OF PEOPLE •CLICKED ACCEPT IN THIS EXPERIMENT •NO CHILDREN WERE ACTUALLY TAKEN SO DON'T PANIC. BUT THIS •THOUGHTLESS AGREEMENT TO TERMS IS PRETTY COMMON: •MOST OF US DON’T BOTHER TO READ •THE TERMS OF SERVICE AGREEMENTS •WE JUST CLICK ACCEPT AND KEEP ON GOING. IF IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT •YOU ARE AGREEING TO IN A TERMS AGREEMENT •IT IS VASTLY MORE IMPORTANT TO KNOW •WHAT YOU HAVE AGREED TO IN AN •ETERNAL COVENANT WITH GOD. WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST •AS OUR SAVIOR WE ENTER INTO •THE NEW COVENANT, AN ETERNAL COVENANT WITH GOD •IT IS VITAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND •WHAT THIS COVENANT PROMISES AND HOW GOD DESIRES FOR US TO RESPOND •TO THESE COVENANT PROMISES. •TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT GOD •EXPLAINING SOME OF THE PROMISES INCLUDED •IN THE COVENANT HE MADE WITH ABRAM •AND HOW ABRAHAM IS TO RESPOND TURN TO GENESIS 17:9 •GOD HAD CHANGED ABRAM’S NAME TO ABRAHAM •AND RESTATED SOME OF THE PROMISES OF THE COVENANT •THE COVENANT PROMISED DESCENDANTS AND LAND •AND THE COVENANT WAS EVERLASTING: GENESIS 17:9–14 GOD SAID FURTHER TO ABRAHAM, “NOW AS FOR YOU, YOU SHALL KEEP MY COVENANT, YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS. “THIS IS MY COVENANT, WHICH YOU SHALL KEEP, BETWEEN ME AND YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS AFTER↓ YOU: EVERY MALE AMONG YOU SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED. “AND YOU SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH OF YOUR FORESKIN, AND IT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND YOU. “AND EVERY MALE AMONG YOU WHO IS EIGHT DAYS OLD SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED THROUGHOUT ↓ YOUR GENERATIONS, A SERVANT WHO IS BORN IN THE HOUSE OR WHO IS BOUGHT WITH MONEY FROM ANY FOREIGNER, WHO IS NOT OF YOUR DESCENDANTS. “A SERVANT WHO IS BORN IN YOUR HOUSE OR WHO IS BOUGHT WITH YOUR MONEY SHALL SURELY BE CIRCUMCISED; THUS SHALL MY ↓ COVENANT BE IN YOUR FLESH FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT. “BUT AN UNCIRCUMCISED MALE WHO IS NOT CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN, THAT PERSON SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE; HE HAS BROKEN MY COVENANT.” IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW •YOUR PART… GOD HAD JUST EXPLAINED •WHAT HE WOULD DO IN THIS COVENANT •HE WOULD GIVE ABRAHAM MANY DESCENDANTS •HE WOULD GIVE THEM THE LAND OF CANAAN AND HE WOULD DO THIS FOREVER •AND NOW GOD EXPLAINS ABRAHAM’S •PART IN THIS COVENANT… AND IT IS INTERESTING •HOW GOD DESCRIBES THE COVENANT TWICE •BEFORE TELLING ABRAHAM HIS PART IN IT. TWICE GOD TELLS ABRAHAM •“YOU SHALL KEEP” AND TWICE HE TELLS HIM HOW •HE SHALL KEEP… “EVERY MALE AMONG YOU SHALL BE •CIRCUMCISED… THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS… •SEE THAT IS ABRAHAM’S PART… THAT IS HOW HE WILL “KEEP” •THIS COVENANT… THIS IS A CONFIRMING SIGN •OF THE COVENANT GOD HAD MADE WITH ABRAHAM •THIS SIGN… CIRCUMCISION WAS THE MEANS BY •WHICH ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS KEPT GOD’S COVENANT… IT WAS •AND OBLIGATION… IT WAS A DUTY… •AS CHRISTIANS IN THE NEW COVENANT •WE HAVE ONLY ONE OBLIGATION… ONLY ONE REQUIREMENT •THAT IS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVOIR HOWEVER, GOD HAS GIVEN US AN •AN ORDINANCE THAT SERVES A SIMILAR FUNCTION •TO CIRCUMCISION…. AND THAT IS BAPTISM •JUST LIKE CIRCUMCISION IS AN OUTWARD •SIGN OF A SPIRITUAL CHANGE… SO TO IS BAPTISM AN OUTWARD SIGN OF •A SPIRITUAL AND INWARD CHANGE.. •THOSE WHO HAVE TRUSTED IN CHRIST AS SAVIOR •ARE CALLED… BUT NOT REQUIRED… •TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST IN PUBLIC BAPTISM. WE ARE BAPTIZED AS A SIGN OF •HAVING ENTERED INTO AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH GOD •THE ORDINANCE OF BAPTISM IS PART OF HOW •WE “KEEP” THE NEW COVENANT.. •IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW OUR PART IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW •GOD’S COVENANT IS EVERLASTING.. •JUST TO MAKE SURE ABRAHAM UNDERSTANDS •THAT EVERY SINGLE MALE IN THE HOUSEHOLD •MUST BE CIRCUMCISED… GOD REPEATS IT TWICE… AND SPECIFIES •SERVANTS AND SLAVES BOTH BORN IN THE HOUSE •AND BOUGHT FROM FOREIGNERS… •THAT MEANS EVERYONE… ALL MALES •AND THEN GOD STATES SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING.. •THUS SHALL MY COVENANT BE IN YOUR FLESH FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT. •GOD HAD SAID THAT THE LAND WOULD BE FOR •AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION… •BUT NOW GOD HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS COVENANT IS AN ETERNAL •COVENANT… AND THE WAY HE SAYS IT •KINDA HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHY •HE CHOSE CIRCUMCISION AS A SIGN… •CIRCUMCISION IS AN UNREVERSIBLE SIGN OF AN UNREVERSIBLE COVENANT.. •JUST LIKE GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM •WAS EVERLASTING… SO TO IS THE NEW COVENANT •THAT WE ENTER INTO WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS. •ONCE WE ARE SAVED IN CHRIST JESUS, WE ARE ALWAYS SAVED IN CHRIST JESUS •SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO ARGUE ABOUT THIS •BUT JESUS HIMSELF MAKES THIS VERY CLEAR •WHEN HE SAYS… JOHN 10:28–29 AND I GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO THEM, AND THEY WILL NEVER PERISH; AND NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND. “MY FATHER, WHO HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF THE FATHER’S HAND. A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN THE •CHRISTIAN LIFE IS UNDERSTANDING •THE TRUTH OF OUR SECURITY IN CHRIST •WHEN WE REALLY… DEEPLY… TRULY.. •UNDERSTAND JUST HOW SAVED WE ARE.. IT WILL CHANGE HOW WE LIVE… •HOW WE FACE THE THINGS WE FACE IN THIS LIFE •IT WILL GIVE US PEACE IN THE FACE OF STORMS •IT WILL GIVE IS COMFORT IN THE FACE OF LOSS •IT WILL UTTERLY CHANGE HOW WE LIVE… IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW •WHO IS INCLUDED IN A COVENANT… •NOW, IN THE CASE OF GOD’S COVENANT WITH •ABRAHAM THERE WAS A VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT… •CIRCUMCISION… AND GOD HAD MADE IT CLEAR •THAT EVERY MALE IN THE HOUSEHOLD MUST BE CIRCUMCISED… BUT WHAT •ABOUT THE MALES THAT DID NOT GET CIRCUMCISED? •WELL IN V.14 GOD IS QUITE CLEAR ABOUT •WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ANY MALE WHO DOES •NOT GET CIRCUMCISED. GENESIS 17:14 “BUT AN UNCIRCUMCISED MALE WHO IS NOT CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN, THAT PERSON SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE; HE HAS BROKEN MY COVENANT.” TO BE “CUT OFF” MEANS TO BE •REMOVED FROM THE COMMUNITY.. TO BE •SEPARATED FROM YOUR PEOPLE… IN SOME CASES •THIS MIGHT MEAN DEATH… BUT GENERALLY •IT MEANT BANISHMENT… REMOVAL FROM THE HOUSEHOLD. NOW AT FIRST GLANCE THIS SEEMS •VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE NEW COVENANT •THAT GOD MADE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST •BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE •WE CAN SEE THE SIMILARITY… THOSE IN ABRAHAM’S HOUSEHOLD •WERE OFFERED A CHANCE TO ENTER INTO •AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH GOD •AND THE REQUIREMENT WAS CIRCUMCISION •IF THEY REJECTED CIRCUMCISION, THEY WERE CUT OFF FROM THE PEOPLE OF GOD •THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE COVENANT •THE BLESSINGS… OR THE PROMISES OF GOD •IN MUCH THE SAME WAY GOD REQUIRES •ONLY ONE THING TO ENTER INTO AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.. •TO ENTER INTO THE NEW COVENANT… •AND THAT IS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST… •THAT HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS •PAID FOR OUR SINS… TRUST IN HIS WORK •AND NOT TRUST IN OURS… ANYONE WHO HAS FAITH… IS PART •OF THE NEW COVENANT… AND JUST LIKE THOSE •WHO REJECTED CIRCUMCISION… ANYONE WHO •REJECTS FAITH IN CHRIST ON THE CROSS.. •IS CUT OFF FROM THE PEOPLE OF GOD… HAS NO PLACE IN THE NEW •COVENANT… SEE… WE NEED TO KNOW •THAT JUST LIKE GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM •ONLY APPLIED TO THOSE WHO WERE CIRCUMCISED •SO TO… THE NEW COVENANT ONLY APPLIES TO THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH IN JESUS •NEITHER OF THESE COVENANTS IS UNIVERSAL •BOTH OF THEM ARE LIMITED TO PEOPLE •WHO DO WHAT GOD REQUIRES… •FOR ABRAHM’S HOUSEHOLD THAT MEANT CIRCUMCISION. FOR THE WORLD TODAY THAT •MEANS BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST •TRUSTING THAT HIS DEATH PAID FOR OUR SINS… •IT IS VITAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND •THAT FAITH IS THE ONLY REQUIREMENT •THE ONLY OBLIGATION FOR SALVATION… ON HIS WEDDING NIGHT A VERY •FOOLISH YOUNG MAN GAVE HIS NEW WIFE •A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS SHE WAS REQUIRED TO AS HIS WIFE… •IT WAS AN EXTENSIVE LIST… •FILLED WITH OBLIGATIONS HE EXPECTED HER TO FULFILL…COOKING, CLEANING, IRONING… SHE WADDED IT UP AND TOSSED IT •IN THE TRASH…HE SLEPT ALONE THAT NIGHT.. •MANY YEARS LATER THE SAME WIFE •FOUND THE LIST IN THE BACK OF DRAW •UNDER AN ENVELOP CONTAINING THEIR MARRIAGE LICENSE THE MAN HAD PULLED IT OUT OF THE •TRASH THAT NIGHT… THE LIST WAS FADED •AND EVEN THOUGH THE MAN HAD TRIED •TO SMOOTH IT OUT… THE WRINKLES STILL SHOWED •WHERE SHE HAD CRUMPLED IT UP… AS SHE STOOD THERE LOOKING AT •ALL THE SILLY THINGS HE HAD •EXPECTED HER TO DO BECAUSE OF HER WIFELY OBLIGATION… •SHE REALIZED THAT OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS SHE HAD DONE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM… BUT NOT OUT OF OBLIGATION… •SHE HAD DONE THEM, OUT OF LOVE… •WE HAVE NO “OBLIGATION” •TO GOD IN THE NEW COVENANT… •WE BRING NOTHING TO GOD.. •WE HAVE NOTHING HE NEEDS↓ WE HAVE NOTHING OF VALUE •WE ARE CALLED TO WALK WITH GOD •NOT OUT OF OBLIGATION… BUT •OUT OF LOVE… OUT OF THANKS… •OUT OF GRATITUDE FOR WHAT HE DID FOR US. GENESIS 17:15–21 THEN GOD SAID TO ABRAHAM, “AS FOR SARAI YOUR WIFE, YOU SHALL NOT CALL HER NAME SARAI, BUT SARAH SHALL BE HER NAME. “I WILL BLESS HER, AND INDEED I WILL GIVE YOU A SON BY HER. THEN I WILL BLESS HER, AND SHE SHALL BE A MOTHER OF NATIONS; KINGS OF ↓ PEOPLES WILL COME FROM HER.” THEN ABRAHAM FELL ON HIS FACE AND LAUGHED, AND SAID IN HIS HEART, “WILL A CHILD BE BORN TO A MAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD? AND WILL SARAH, WHO IS NINETY YEARS OLD, BEAR A CHILD?” AND ABRAHAM SAID TO GOD, “OH THAT ISHMAEL MIGHT LIVE BEFORE YOU!”↓ BUT GOD SAID, “NO, BUT SARAH YOUR WIFE WILL BEAR YOU A SON, AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME ISAAC; AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH HIM FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT FOR HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM. “AS FOR ISHMAEL, I HAVE HEARD YOU; BEHOLD, I WILL BLESS HIM, AND ↓ WILL MAKE HIM FRUITFUL AND WILL MULTIPLY HIM EXCEEDINGLY. HE SHALL BECOME THE FATHER OF TWELVE PRINCES, AND I WILL MAKE HIM A GREAT NATION. “BUT MY COVENANT I WILL ESTABLISH WITH ISAAC, WHOM SARAH WILL BEAR TO YOU AT THIS SEASON NEXT YEAR.” IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW •THE PROMISES OF GOD’S COVENANT… •GOD HAD PROMISED ABRAHAM MANY DESCENDANTS •BUT AT 99 YEARS OLD HE STILL HAD NO PROPER •HEIR… YES HE HAD ISHMAEL, BY HAGAR BUT THAT WAS NOT GOD’S PLAN •THAT WAS SARAI’S PLAN… ABRAHAM •NEEDED A PROPER HEIR… BY HIS WIFE •SO GOD MAKES A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM •“I WILL BLESS HER, AND INDEED I WILL GIVE YOU A SON BY HER. GOD ALSO CHANGED SARAI’S NAME •TO SARAH AND THEN GOD SAYS HE WILL •BLESS HER AND SHE WILL BE THE MOTHER •OF NATIONS… KINGS WILL COME FROM HER •THESE ARE AMAZING PROMISES… BLESSINGS BUT THEY PALE IN COMPARISON •TO THE PROMISES WE HAVE IN THE NEW COVENANT •WE ARE PROMISED SALVATION FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION •WHICH IS AWESOME.. BUT MORE THAN THAT •WE ARE PROMISED ETERNAL UNION WITH GOD IN HEAVEN WHICH IS THE GREATEST PROMISE… •BUT WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET ALL THE OTHER PROMISES •THE PEACE OF GOD… AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER •THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT •ACCESS TO THE FATHER THROUGH CHRIST I COULD LITERALLY GO ON AN ON… •JUST LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ABRAHAM •TO KNOW THAT GOD WOULD PROVIDE AN HEIR •THROUGH SARAH… IT IS IMPORTANT •FOR US TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS GOD HAS PROMISED TO PROVIDE •FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TRUSTED IN CHRIST… •WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE PROMISES GOD HAS MADE IN HIS WORD… •WE NEED TO TRUST IN THEM IN OUR DAILY LIVES.. •WHEN WE DO TRUST THEM… WE↓ WILL RESPOND IN REVERENCE AND •REJOICE… WE SEE A RATHER INTERESTING •RESPONSE FROM ABRAHAM WHEN GOD TELLS •HIM THAT SARAH WILL BEAR HIM A SON •THE TEXT SAYS… GENESIS 17:17 THEN ABRAHAM FELL ON HIS FACE AND LAUGHED, AND SAID IN HIS HEART, “WILL A CHILD BE BORN TO A MAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD? AND WILL SARAH, WHO IS NINETY YEARS OLD, BEAR A CHILD?” NOW, I WILL BE HONEST… I AWAYS •ASSUMED ABRAHAM WAS LAUGHING AT THE IDEA •THAT SARAH WOULD HAVE A CHILD AT 90 YEARS OLD •BUT AFTER READING THIS A LOT CLOSER •AND LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT.. I THINK ABRAHAM IS SHOWING •REVERENCE FOR GOD… AND REJOICING… •THERE ARE A FEW REASONS WHY I THINK THIS •FIRST… RIGHT BEFORE ABRAHAM LAUGHS •HE FALLS ON HIS FACE… NOW REMEMBER FALLING ON YOUR FACE IS A SIGN •OF GREAT RESPECT… GREAT REVERENCE EVEN AWE… •ABRAHAM HAD DONE THIS SAME THING BACK IN VERSE 3 OF THIS SAME CHAPTER… •ALSO THIS WORD LAUGH CAN BE TRANSLATED TO BE DELIGHT IN… THIS WORD •FOR LAUGH CAN MEAN A LAUGH THAT MOCKS •OR A LAUGH OF JOY.. OR REJOICING. •THE FACT THE HE LAUGHS AFTER HE FALLS ON HIS FACE •MEANS TO ME THAT IT IS JOYOUS LAUGHTER THEN WE SEE ABRAHAM WONDERS •IN HIS HEART… NOT OUT LOUD.. •“WILL A CHILD BE BORN TO A MAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD? AND WILL SARAH, WHO IS NINETY YEARS OLD, BEAR A CHILD?” •ABRAHAM IS NOT QUESTIONING IF THESE THINGS CAN BE DONE… HE IS •EXPRESSING SURPRISE…EVEN SHOCK •THAT GOD WOULD DO THESE THINGS •AND THEN WE SEE ONE MORE STATEMENT •BY ABRAHAM THAT INDICATES HIS FAITH GENESIS 17:18 AND ABRAHAM SAID TO GOD, “OH THAT ISHMAEL MIGHT LIVE BEFORE YOU!” THE ONLY REASON ABRAHAM •WOULD ASK FOR ISHMAEL TO LIVE BEFORE GOD •IS BECAUSE HE TRUSTS THAT GOD IS IN FACT GOING TO PROVIDE AN HEIR THROUGH SARAH •HE ASKS THIS BECAUSE HE IS WORRIED ABOUT ISHMAEL… GOD IS GOING •TO PROVIDE A PROPER HEIR THROUGH SARAH •AND ABRHAM IS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ISHMAEL… •AS A RESULT OF THIS NEW HEIR BEING BORN TO SARAH IN RESPONSE TO GOD CLARIFYING •THE PROMISE THAT ABRAHAM WOULD HAVE MANY DESCENDANTS… ABRAHAM FELL ON HIS FACE OUT OF RESPECT… REVERENCE… AWE OF GOD •HIS LAUGH WAS A LAUGH OF SURPRISE AND DELIGHT HE TRUSTED GOD’S PROMISE •EVEN WHEN HE FOUND IT SHOCKING •HE TRUSTED GOD’S PROMISE OF A SON •THROUGH SARAH… •SO HE ASKED THAT HIS SON THROUGH HAGAR WOULD WALK BEFORE GOD WE NEED TO REMEMBER THIS KIND •REVERENCE… TRUST… AND DELIGHT… •WHEN WE ENCOUNTER GOD’S PROMISES. •SOMETIMES HIS PROMISES ARE SHOCKING… •AND YET THEY ARE ALWAYS DELIGHTFUL… WE SHOULD HAVE REVERENCE AND •JOY AS WE LIVE OUT GOD’S PROMISES… •KNOWING JUST HOW BLESSED WE ARE •TO BE IN AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP •WITH THE GOD WHO CREATED AND SUSTAINS ALL THINGS IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER •GOD’S PROMISES •IN VERSES 19 & 21 GOD SAYS TWICE •THAT SARAH WILL BEAR A SON TO BE NAMED •ISAAC… WHICH MEANS “HE LAUGHS” •AND GOD WILL ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT WITH ISAAC BUT BETWEEN THESE TWO VERSES GOD TELLS •ABRAHAM ABOUT ISHMAEL… GOD WILL NOT MAKE •HIS COVENANT WITH ISHMAEL… BUT ISHMAEL WILL •BE BLESSED BY GOD, HE WILL BE FRUITFUL AND FATHER 12 PRINCES •AND PRODUCE A GREAT NATION… •ONCE AGAIN, WE SEE GOD MAKING SURE ABRAHAM •UNDERSTANDS THE PROMISES OF GOD •UNDERSTANDS THE BLESSINGS… IN 7 VERSE GOD STATES A PROMISE •OR A BLESSING 14 TIMES… GOD MUST REALLY •WANT ABRAHAM TO REMEMBER THESE PROMISES •YOU KNOW THE TRUTH IS… WE CAN’T TRUST •A PROMISE WE DON’T REMEMBER WE ALL HAVE “SENIOR” MOMENTS •WHEN WE FORGET… OR FAIL TO REMEMBER. •THESE ARE NOT JUST “SENIOR” MOMENTS. •EVERYONE FORGETS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, •ACCORDING TO KAREN BOLLA, A JOHNS HOPKINS RESEARCHER. •THESE ARE THE THINGS PEOPLE MOST OFTEN FORGET: •1. NAMES 83% •2. WHERE SOMETHING IS 60% •3. TELEPHONE NUMBERS 57% THE BEST WAY TO REMEMBER THE •PROMISES OF GOD IS TO READ HIS WORD… •THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH THE PROMISES OF GOD. •I REALLY DO THINK HE REPEATS THEM IN SCRIPTURE •BECAUSE HE KNOWS WE TEND TO FORGET THEM GENESIS 17:22–27 WHEN HE FINISHED TALKING WITH HIM, GOD WENT UP FROM ABRAHAM. THEN ABRAHAM TOOK ISHMAEL HIS SON, AND ALL THE SERVANTS WHO WERE BORN IN HIS HOUSE AND ALL WHO WERE BOUGHT WITH HIS MONEY, EVERY MALE AMONG THE MEN OF ↓ ABRAHAM’S HOUSEHOLD, AND CIRCUMCISED THE FLESH OF THEIR FORESKIN IN THE VERY SAME DAY, AS GOD HAD SAID TO HIM. NOW ABRAHAM WAS NINETY-NINE YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN. AND ISHMAEL HIS SON WAS THIRTEEN YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS↓ CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN. IN THE VERY SAME DAY ABRAHAM WAS CIRCUMCISED, AND ISHMAEL HIS SON. ALL THE MEN OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, WHO WERE BORN IN THE HOUSE OR BOUGHT WITH MONEY FROM A FOREIGNER, WERE CIRCUMCISED WITH HIM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW GOD’S WILL QUICKLY •ABRAHAM GOT TO WORK RIGHT AWAY •TWICE IT SAYS; “IN THE VERY SAME DAY” •NO DELAY… NO WAITING AROUND… •GOD HAD MADE HIS WILL CLEAR •AND THEY GOT RIGHT TO IT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW GOD’S WILL COMPLETELY •ABRAHAM FOLLOWED GOD’S WILL TOTALLY •THE IDEA THAT ALL.. OR EVERY MAN.. •WAS CIRCUMCISED IS REPEATED 4 TIMES •THAT WAS WHAT GOD HAD CALLED THEM TO DO↓ AND THAT WAS WHAT THEY DID… •IN THE NEW COVENANT GOD’S WILL IS FOR US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS CHRIST LOVED US…. •GOD’S WILL IS FOR US TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD… •GOD’S WILL IS FOR US↓ TO GROW TO BE MORE CHRIST-LIKE •TO FORGIVE, SERVE, CARE FOR FOLKS •TO LIVE IN UNITY, TO BE A LIGHT •IN A DARK WORLD.. •JUST LIKE ABRAHAM DID GOD’S WILL •QUICKLY, AND COMPLETELY… WE NEED TO ↓ STRIVE TO DO GOD’S WILL QUICKLY •AND COMPLETELY. BUT TO DO THAT •WE NEED TO LET GO OF OUR FLESHLY WILL •THAT PART OF US THAT WANTS WHAT WE WANT •WHEN WE WANT IT… AT A REVIVAL MEETING, A SPEAKER, •WHO HAD JUST DELIVERED AN URGENT APPEAL TO A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO ACCEPT CHRIST, •WAS ASKED THIS STARTLING QUESTION BY A YOUNG GIRL, •"SIR, I SHOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE CAN BE CHRISTIANS, AND HAVE •OUR OWN WAY.".. •PERHAPS MANY OF US HAVE EITHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY ASKED THIS SAME QUESTION. •WE HAVE SOUGHT, IN SOME WAY AT LEAST↓ TO DO GOD'S WILL, BUT WE HAVE •RESERVED THE RIGHT TO HAVE OUR OWN WAY WHENEVER IT PLEASES US. •THIS IS NOT GOD'S PLAN FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING…. •AND IT ALWAYS WEAKENS OUR WALK WITH GOD. IT IS NOT VERY LIKELY THAT READING •A TERMS AND SERVICES AGREEMENT •BEFORE YOU…. CLICK ON AGREE •IS GOING TO RESULT IN A LIFE CHANGING EVENT HOWEVER… •KNOWING THE TERMS AND SERVICES↓ THAT ARE PART OF THE ETERNAL •RELATIONSHIP YOU ENTERED WITH GOD WHEN YOU TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST… •WILL CERTAINLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE.. •WE NEED TO KNOW THAT OUR PART IN THE NEW COVENANT… IS FAITH •IS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST… THAT IS ALL THAT IS REQUIRED… •WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE NEW COVENANT IS AN ETERNAL COVENANT… •EVERLASTING AND UTTERLY SECURE… •SO LIVE LIKE IT.. WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE NEW •COVENANT IS NOT UNIVERSAL… •ONLY THOSE WHO PLACE THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST… •HAVE ENTERED INTO THE NEW COVENANT... •ALL OTHERS CUT THEM SELVES OFF FROM GOD WE NEED TO KNOW AND REMEMBER •GOD’S PROMISES, NOT JUST THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL SALVATION, BUT ADOPTION AS CHILDREN OF GOD •INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT •PEACE WITH GOD, •AND SO MUCH MORE… WE NEED TO RESPOND TO GOD’S •PROMISES WITH REVERENCE AND JOY •WORSHIPING AND PRAISING GOD FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE AND WILL DO FOR US.. •DOING HIS WILL TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY… •QUICKLY… AND COMPLETELY… WE NEED TO DO ALL THESE THINGS •NOT OUT OF OBLIGATION… NOT AS A REQUIREMENT… •BUT OUT OF THANKS AND GRATITUDE FOR A GOD THAT LOVED US SO MUCH •THAT HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN… LIVED A SINLESS LIFE…