December 25 - Genesis 12-16
Merry Christmas! I pray that each of you will have a wonderfully blessed day, as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let each present remind you of God's greatest gift. Allow your praise to Jesus to overflow to those around you, so they can come to know Him, too.
This passage of Genesis shows us that the coming of Christ was no accident or spur of the moment decision. God promised Abram in Genesis 12 that the whole world would be blessed through him. The fulfillment of that promise was the coming of Jesus to die for our sins and provide salvation to the world. This was God's plan from the beginning, but here we see how He began to use Abram to accomplish His will. I believe that one of the greatest blessings in life is to know we have been used by God to carry out some eternal business on this earth. Have you experienced that blessing? I hope you have had that joy in your life.
The rest of this passage tells how God gave Abram the land of Canaan for an eternal possession. (13:15) It shows how God blessed him even though he was not perfect. He lied about Sarai. (12:13) He made bad decisions. (16:3) However, he did believe God or put his faith in God. (15:6) When he did that, God gave him righteousness. In other words, Abram was saved from his sins by grace through faith, and God gave him His righteousness. As Abram lived he grew in that righteousness, so all could see the difference in his life. Today, when we trust Christ for our salvation, the same thing happens. Have you experienced salvation through Jesus Christ? Are you growing in His righteousness? That is the ultimate blessing of life.
When we know the Lord, He is there for us, as He was with Abram. He gives us victory in the battles of life. (14:16) Then, we must worship Him and give Him all the glory like Abram did, when he tithed to Melchizedek. (14:18-20) All of life is trusting God and worshiping Him in a daily relationship. Sometimes we fail, and we must confess our sins. However, our hearts are set on the One who saved us and changed us. I pray that you know the joy of living in the Lord this Christmas day and all year long.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 17-21.
This passage of Genesis shows us that the coming of Christ was no accident or spur of the moment decision. God promised Abram in Genesis 12 that the whole world would be blessed through him. The fulfillment of that promise was the coming of Jesus to die for our sins and provide salvation to the world. This was God's plan from the beginning, but here we see how He began to use Abram to accomplish His will. I believe that one of the greatest blessings in life is to know we have been used by God to carry out some eternal business on this earth. Have you experienced that blessing? I hope you have had that joy in your life.
The rest of this passage tells how God gave Abram the land of Canaan for an eternal possession. (13:15) It shows how God blessed him even though he was not perfect. He lied about Sarai. (12:13) He made bad decisions. (16:3) However, he did believe God or put his faith in God. (15:6) When he did that, God gave him righteousness. In other words, Abram was saved from his sins by grace through faith, and God gave him His righteousness. As Abram lived he grew in that righteousness, so all could see the difference in his life. Today, when we trust Christ for our salvation, the same thing happens. Have you experienced salvation through Jesus Christ? Are you growing in His righteousness? That is the ultimate blessing of life.
When we know the Lord, He is there for us, as He was with Abram. He gives us victory in the battles of life. (14:16) Then, we must worship Him and give Him all the glory like Abram did, when he tithed to Melchizedek. (14:18-20) All of life is trusting God and worshiping Him in a daily relationship. Sometimes we fail, and we must confess our sins. However, our hearts are set on the One who saved us and changed us. I pray that you know the joy of living in the Lord this Christmas day and all year long.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 17-21.