Genesis 15-17
Class discussion was great, helping several of us think about God’s work in our lives. And then the message during the worship service reinforced what we’d been talking about. “God can do all things; no plan of His can be thwarted.”
Genesis 15-17 show God dealing with Abram and his household.
We were reminded that “a personal God” was not common in this time period. Many “gods” were worshiped, but they were separate from humanity. Worship tended to be a means of attracting a god’s attention, not a celebration of a relationship. So God speaking to Abram was amazing.
These are some of the points brought out in our discussions:
- Abram was honest with God. “You’ve promised a child. How do I know this will really happen?”
- Believing God meant that God considered Abram righteous.
- Belief is more than an intellectual understanding. Trust is involved, putting the belief into action. If we say we trust a doctor, teacher, or God, but then pay no attention to their instructions, our “trust” can be questioned. (James 2 deals with this.)
- Grace is God being good to us, though we do not deserve it. And even when we start behaving in ways that please God, we aren’t earning His blessing. We change because His grace is working within us, not only to invite us to heaven but to make us better here.
- We sometimes slip into thinking that God is interested in us obeying rules. He is really interested in building a relationship with us. As we come to know Him better, we do live differently. But that’s because He already loves us and is helping us to become more like Him.
NOTE: The 10/9/2011 a.m. message, "God Can Do All Things", by Missionary Dan Hopkins speaks to today's topic.
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