Read This Carefully

"What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who is against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,

how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?

God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?

Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised,

who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written,

“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,

nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,

will be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I was a bit frustrated after yesterday's bible study - I'm just being honest here - and I think I know why. I am poorly communicating something and this morning I want to straighten that out.

God's plan is personal and is driven by love.

Sometimes I think I want to emphasize the fact that God is in control so much that I forget to emphasize His love. The passage above does not replace the word "love" with "plan," (as in, nothing can separate us from the plan of God) but it uses the word "love" purposefully. Why? Because God really does love us. He really does want a personal, intimate relationship with each one of His children. He really has sacrificially met our need. He really does have a motivation behind His covenants and His actions.

We are not simply part of a plan that God is obliged to keep because of His character. He is holy. He is immutable. He is omniscient and just, righteous and true, faithful and forgiving, almighty and sovereign. And He also loves with a love that is so far outside of our comprehension...

I am thankful for the love of God and that I am securely bound to Him because of His character and His will, because left to myself, it would be impossible to attain.

Thank you, Father, for including me in your story. May all the glory and honor and praise be to You alone.

Notes for Lesson 5

Lesson 5 – Abraham and Ishmael

Genesis 12, 15, 16

I. Abram – Genesis 12:1-3

· Why should we study Abraham?

o Genesis 22:16-18 – the seed of Abraham

o Galatians 3:16,29 – who are Abraham’s seed?

· The Call of Abram – the Abrahamic Covenant:

1. God will give him a specific ___LAND________

2. God will make him a great ____NATION________

3. God will _____BLESS____ him and make his name ____GREAT___

4. God will protect him from his ______ENEMIES________

5. God will bless the ___NATIONS_____ of the world through him – this is the promise of a Savior

II. The confirming of the covenant and the prophecy of Egyptian captivity – Genesis 15:1-21

· Background

· Abram’s salvation – v. 1-6

· What other biblical writers say about Abram’s salvation;

o Romans 4:1-8 – His salvation was based on ____FAITH___ - not works

o Romans 4:16-22 – Abram believed what seemed humanly ______IMPOSSIBLE______

o Galatians 3:1-9 – believing through ____FAITH_____ saved him

o James 2:14-26

· The covenant is ratified – v. 7-21

o God tells Abraham to gather:

1. A three year old ____COW___

2. A three year old female _____GOAT____

3. A three year old ___RAM______

4. A turtle ___DOVE_____

5. A young ____PIGEON____

o 3 types of covenants in the Old Testament:

1. A _____SANDAL_______ covenant – Ruth 4:7,8

2. A ______SALT________ covenant – Leviticus 2:13

3. A ___BLOOD_______ covenant – as seen here

o The seven-fold Prophecy:

1. Abram’s descendants would be _____STRANGERS___ in a foreign land (Genesis 46:2-4)

2. They would become _____SERVANTS___ in that land (Exodus 1:7-14)

3. The servitude would last ___400___ years (Exodus 12:40) “In the fourth generation”

**the actual amount was 430 and considered the equivalent of 4 generations, since men lived past 100 years then – 400 is a general number, most likely rounded off

4. God would ____JUDGE____ that nation (Exodus 7-12)

5. Abram would be ____SPARED_____ (Gen. 25:7.8)

6. Israel would return to the land after __FOUR_ generations (Exodus 6:16-20)

7. Israel would come out with great ______SUBSTANCE____ (Exodus 12:35,36)

III. Abraham and Ishmael – Genesis 16

· Sin of Arrogance – Genesis 16:1-4

o What Sarai did was ___CULTURALLY___ acceptable

o What else is culturally acceptable but contrary to God’s Word?

· The fallout – v.4-16

o Who is speaking to Hagar?

o He tells her to return to her mistress

o His Promise – I will greatly multiply your ____DESCENDANTS_____

Fall Shots

We were up at Conover this weekend and my twins took my granddaughters on a fall walk to get some pictures...I thought you would enjoy these!

Almighty vs. Kindofmighty

Many of us boldly proclaim that we worship God Almighty, but we live as though He is God Kindofmighty. I wonder why that is?

"You do what you do and you feel how you feel because you THINK what you THINK."

It all starts in the mind. If we truly believed God was Almighty, wouldn't we act like it? But our actions prove that we believe He is only Kindofmighty.

You see, God Kindofmighty, created all things but is not intimately involved with His creation. He is concerned about the big picture and has major events that He orchestrates from time to time, but the day to day is just not His thing. He loves His children but He is a bit unsure from moment to moment exactly who His children are. Thankfully He can see into the future and in the end He knows who will be His, however, every once in a while He has to pull out that big heavenly eraser and make a correction in His book of life. Sometimes His love just doesn't have enough pull to get someone all the way into eternity because after all, He is Kindofmighty.

Kindofmighty also is not overly interested in His children's daily choices, so they can get away with habitual sin. It is amazing how many know that they are being disobedient and yet rely on Kindofmighty's wonderful grace to forgive them when all is said and done. It's almost as if Kindofmighty isn't able to keep track of everyone all at the same time, so some of their sin can be inconsequential.

Kindofmighty also is not responsible for the natural disasters or major terrorist acts. It is very hard for His children to explain away these things, but deep down in their hearts they know that He's not involved because it would be impossible to defend if He was. After all, He's just as upset about sin as we are.

And finally, Kindofmighty has some sins He just can't pay the price for - some sins are too much for Him to overcome. His Spirit simply can't lead some away from their vices and His love is not quite enough to offer hope in extreme cases. But the good news is that most things He can help with, if someone really wants help. After all, He is Kindofmighty!

Is this the god you serve? One who sits on his hands and hopefully cheers on mankind to choose Him? One who overlooks sin and just extends forgiveness without any expectation of repentence? One who sits idly by as the world spins out of control? One who cannot give hope and help for even the most desperate souls?

If this is your god, then you don't know Jesus. Jesus is completely in control, completely involved, completely concerned and invested, and completely able to defeat sin and death! As followers of Jesus, we must live the truth of our God through our lives. We must be a light in a dying world. We must not live lackluster lives in bondage to sin, but ones who live in victory here on earth where the flesh still battles us on a daily basis.

Our Spirit is all powerful, Our Father is all-involved and our Savior is all in.

Our God is truly Almighty.

Let's live like it.