Last week, I listened to an interview with a billionaire. This particular billionaire owned a company that had experienced both prosperous and lean times. During the interview, the billionaire told how business was conducted fifty years ago when he founded his company. When a deal was agreed upon, no matter how big or small, the word of the deal makers was the bond. No contract, legal, or financial documentation was needed. The billionaire shook his head slowly and said. "Sadly today, a person’s word no longer means much".
When we give ’our word’, it means that we make a promise to do something. When we make a promise, how seriously do we consider the commitment? When someone else makes a promise, do we expect them to keep that commitment? Politicians are infamous for making promises during their campaign but once they are elected, they seem to forget. They make all kinds of promises to do things that seem impossible to fulfill! We listen to politicians today with skepticism because we know they cannot possibly do what they promised to do. Politicians today, regardless of country or government, are not considered trustworthy or honorable. Politics today are often associated with graft, greed, and compromise instead of honor, truth, and fulfillment of promises made.
Surely that is how Abram felt when God promised Abram that he would have many descendants! In fact, Abram asked God how he could be sure He (God) would deliver! Abram trusted God. He had faith in God. God had led him from the land of Ur and the bond between God and Abram was solid. But a promise that Abram would have more descendants than the stars in the sky or grains of sand stunned Abram. At that point in his life, Abram was 95 years old and his wife Sari was ’barren’. They had no children. But God takes His promises seriously. God revealed Himself to Abram through the smoking firepot and torch. The smoking firepot and torch symbolize God’s holiness and His desire for righteousness. God made a covenant with Abram and followed through. What Abram thought to be impossible was not impossible with God! God’s goodness and honor is demonstrated through Abram and through many other instances in the Bible.
Have things changed since Abram’s time? Yes, mankind seems to constantly change. The ’ends justify the means’ is practiced today without thought or remorse. Law suits abound. People take other people to court everyday because contracts (both written and agreed to verbally) are not honored. A contract is a promise; a covenant. The good news is that even though people change God does not. He is the same today as He was in Abram’s time. His honor and promises never waver; never change; never go void. We can trust God fully to do what He says He will do. God’s covenant with Abram was simple. Abram was to obey God by circumcising all males and God would provide Abram and the people with wealth, land, and power. Just as with us today, God gives much more than what we have to give to receive His blessings. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham as part of their covenant. "Abraham" means ’father of many’.
As we see through the eyes of Abraham, God kept His promise and blessed the people beyond all Abraham could have imagined. We too are blessed in that God promises did not stop with Abraham. God promised He would send a Redeemer, the Messiah, to be the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind’s sins and through this Redeemer, Jew and Gentile alike, could have eternal life with the Father in Heaven. God’s covenant with us is laid out in the New Testament of the Bible just as His covenant with Abraham was defined in the Old Testament. The word ’testament’ means ’covenant’. The covenant God made with us is fulfilled by the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus!
Abraham obeyed God by circumcising the males. This act represented several things: obedience, cutting off the ’old life’, and a dedication of oneself to God. God promised to send the Redeemer. He did. What action is required to receive God’s promise? Just as with Abraham, God asks little in return for much. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins. Trust in God by faith. Worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Those are the simple acts required to realize God’s promise! Friends, God honors His Word. He is faithful to save those who seek His Son, Jesus. Won’t you ask Jesus today to live in you? God’s promise of living with Him in eternity is yours for the asking!
Papa Joe Mac's Commentary:
Last week, I listened to an interview with a billionaire. This particular billionaire owned a company that had experienced both prosperous and lean times. During the interview, the billionaire told how business was conducted fifty years ago when he founded his company. When a deal was agreed upon, no matter how big or small, the word of the deal makers was the bond. No contract, legal, or financial documentation was needed. The billionaire shook his head slowly and said. "Sadly today, a person’s word no longer means much".
When we give ’our word’, it means that we make a promise to do something. When we make a promise, how seriously do we consider the commitment? When someone else makes a promise, do we expect them to keep that commitment? Politicians are infamous for making promises during their campaign but once they are elected, they seem to forget. They make all kinds of promises to do things that seem impossible to fulfill! We listen to politicians today with skepticism because we know they cannot possibly do what they promised to do. Politicians today, regardless of country or government, are not considered trustworthy or honorable. Politics today are often associated with graft, greed, and compromise instead of honor, truth, and fulfillment of promises made.
Surely that is how Abram felt when God promised Abram that he would have many descendants! In fact, Abram asked God how he could be sure He (God) would deliver! Abram trusted God. He had faith in God. God had led him from the land of Ur and the bond between God and Abram was solid. But a promise that Abram would have more descendants than the stars in the sky or grains of sand stunned Abram. At that point in his life, Abram was 95 years old and his wife Sari was ’barren’. They had no children. But God takes His promises seriously. God revealed Himself to Abram through the smoking firepot and torch. The smoking firepot and torch symbolize God’s holiness and His desire for righteousness. God made a covenant with Abram and followed through. What Abram thought to be impossible was not impossible with God! God’s goodness and honor is demonstrated through Abram and through many other instances in the Bible.
Have things changed since Abram’s time? Yes, mankind seems to constantly change. The ’ends justify the means’ is practiced today without thought or remorse. Law suits abound. People take other people to court everyday because contracts (both written and agreed to verbally) are not honored. A contract is a promise; a covenant. The good news is that even though people change God does not. He is the same today as He was in Abram’s time. His honor and promises never waver; never change; never go void. We can trust God fully to do what He says He will do. God’s covenant with Abram was simple. Abram was to obey God by circumcising all males and God would provide Abram and the people with wealth, land, and power. Just as with us today, God gives much more than what we have to give to receive His blessings. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham as part of their covenant. "Abraham" means ’father of many’.
As we see through the eyes of Abraham, God kept His promise and blessed the people beyond all Abraham could have imagined. We too are blessed in that God promises did not stop with Abraham. God promised He would send a Redeemer, the Messiah, to be the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind’s sins and through this Redeemer, Jew and Gentile alike, could have eternal life with the Father in Heaven. God’s covenant with us is laid out in the New Testament of the Bible just as His covenant with Abraham was defined in the Old Testament. The word ’testament’ means ’covenant’. The covenant God made with us is fulfilled by the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus!
Abraham obeyed God by circumcising the males. This act represented several things: obedience, cutting off the ’old life’, and a dedication of oneself to God. God promised to send the Redeemer. He did. What action is required to receive God’s promise? Just as with Abraham, God asks little in return for much. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins. Trust in God by faith. Worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Those are the simple acts required to realize God’s promise! Friends, God honors His Word. He is faithful to save those who seek His Son, Jesus. Won’t you ask Jesus today to live in you? God’s promise of living with Him in eternity is yours for the asking!