This Week's Sunday School Lesson, 'God Has a Plan For Your LIfe", Gen 15:1-21, 10/1/2017

GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

Genesis 15:1-7, 17-2

NOTHING TO FEAR WITH GOD

V:1. " After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,  your very great reward."

A.  Those who are faithful to God are constantly inspired by Him to greater heights.

    1. When God said move, Abram moved.

    2. When God said go, Abram walked by faith even though he didn't know

        where he was going.

B. Those who are faithful to God must expect to hear a Word from God.

   1. When God speaks we must have the confidence to know that it is Him

       that is speaking.

   2. God may speak to us in different ways. In this case it was in vision.

C. Following God does not eliminate worldly problems.

   1. In fact, I think following God guarantees problems because  the world hates Him.

   2. God told Abram not to be afraid.

   3. That indicates to me that God was going to allow Abram to face some

       difficult times.

   4. God has not given us the spirit of fear, power, love and sound mind.

       a. Fear is a stumbling block to the power that God has made available to us.

       b. Fear blinds us to the power of God and the love He has for us.

       c. Without a working knowledge of God's power and love, the mind is

           unsound.

D. The problems that we face in life are going to be bigger than us, that why

     God promises  to be our shield.

   1. Those who are obedient to the Lord have Him as their protector.

   2. God knew Abram was going to have confrontations with kings and other

       nations.

   3. When we face problems we ought to be quick to take them to the Lord in prayer.

E. God promises that if we are faithful to Him, that we will have a great reward.

    1. Our success in life is based on trusting the Lord in all situations.

    2. God is the way to success.

    3. The  steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

ASK GOD WHAT YOU WANT

V:2-3. " But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."

A. What Abram wanted most was a son to carry the family name.

    1. He and his wife probably had tried to have a child many times without conception.

    2. He may have been frustrated that other families around him had sons.

    3. He was faithful to God, his Lord, but that didn't yield a son.

B. Just because you don't have your desires, don't mean you quit praying.

    1. God knows the desires of your heart.

    2. Abram asked God for what he wanted.

    3. Abram didn't want a non relative to inherit what he had gained through

        his labors.

C. Maybe God uses our desires to keep us on our knees in prayer.

    1. Abram was also trying to please the wife that God had given him.

    2. I am sure it was  embarrassing to Shari before the other women that

        she didn't have a child.

    3. Abram use his opportunity in prayer to tell God his desires.

    4. Abram understood that God control the birth of children.

    5. He understood that children were a gift from God.

    6. Abram didn't want just a child, he wanted a son.

    7. Your prayers ought to be specific.

WAIT ON GOD'S ANSWER

V:4. " Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir."

A. God answers prayers in His time and His way.

    1. We can rest assured that God hears our prayers.

    2. You can rest assured that God will make it known to you that He heard your

        prayers.

    3. We have to be patient enough to let God handle our prayers.

B. The Word of God never changes.

   1. The command to Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and fill the earth.

   2. In the confines of marriage, the command to Abram was the same.

   3. What God did for someone else in the past, He will do for you.

   4. You got to have both male and female babies to fill the earth.

EXPECT GOD TO DO MORE THAN YOU ASK

V:5. " He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

A. God can do exceedingly abundantly more than you can ask or conceive.

   1. Not only did God promise Abram a son but that he would be the father

       of many generations.

   2. This was the prophecy to Abram that his family would be continuously

       full of sons.

   3. This was the prophecy to Abram that his family would be successful.

B. This was the prophecy to Abram that his family would continuously

     follow God.

  1. We are the role models for generations to come.

  2. What our children see us do, they will follow.

  3. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he gets old

      he will not depart.

FAITH CAUSES GOD TO ACT ON YOUR PRAYERS

V:6. " Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. "

A. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things

     unseen.

   1. Abram was hoping for a son and the evidence was in the number of

       stars in the sky.

   2. The signs of God's power and glory is in front of our eyes.

   3. Abram is known as the father of righteousness.

B. Abram was by no means perfect, but he based his life on the Word of God.

   1. Abram was by no means sinless, but his faith in the Word covered his sins.

   2. Abram by no means did everything right, but his faith in Word made

       him acceptable to God.

GOD WILL DO WHAT HE PROMISE WITHOUT YOUR HELP

Genesis 15:17-16:1

V:17. " When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. "

A. The fulfillment of God covenants is not dependant on us.

    1. God ratified the covenant with Abram with himself.

    2. God made an agreement with Himself that He was going to keep the

        covenant.

B. A sacrificial animal was cut in half and placed on two separate altars.

   1. The agreeing parties would pass through  indicating acceptance.

   2. Abram was asleep. Only God pass through the halves of the animal .

   3. The smoking fire pot represented either the afflictions  of Israel during

        400 years of slavery or the judgment of Egypt.

   4. The blazing torch represents the divine presence of the Lord, His

       cleansing and illumination.

   5. The fulfillment of the covenant included blessings and tribulations.

       1. The tribulations while the nation was born in slavery.

       2. The blessings of freedom in deliverance from slavery into the

           promise land.

  

GOD BLESSES THE FAMILIES OF THE FAITHFUL

V:18. " On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates — 

19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,

20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,

21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."

A. The first part of the covenant with Abram was the perpetual generations.

    1. The second part of the covenant was the promise land which is

        particular to the Jewish people.

    2.

B. Notice that land was then occupied by other folk.

   1. Someone else may be cultivating what God has for you.

   2. God will ensure that you get what he has planned for you.

   3. It you job to pray for what you want.

   4. In order to get what you pray for, you have to be obedient

       to God's commands.

ASK WHAT YOU WANT. THEN WAIT ON GOD'S ANSWER

Rev M Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Tollway North

Houston Texas 77041

For more lessons follow me on facebook or visit my

blogs   www.revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrecmitc.blogspot.com

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "God Promises Our Restoration", Eze 36"22-32, 9/24/2017

GOD PROMISES OUR RESTORATION

Ezekiel 36:22-32

INTRODUCTION

It had been 800 years since God gave Israel His commandments. Because

Israel failed to follow God's commands and worshipped idol gods, they

were taken captive by the Babylonians. Jerusalem was destroyed and the

temple was burned to the ground.  Even though they were in sin, God offered

hope for their restoration. Ezekiel and Daniel were the prophets during

the Babylonian exile.

GOD PUNISHES US FOR HIS GLORY

V:22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. "

A. We lose blessing when we are disobedient to God's commands.   Psalms 89:31

     1. God should not have to do what He has commanded us to do.

     2. We ought to bless God before others.

     3. We should be the ones who tell others about God.

     4. We should be the living role models for God.

B. According to the text, Israel willfully disrespected God before other nations.

   1. The Hebrew word for "profaned" is chalal which means to wound, dissolve,

        break your word, wedge or opening.

   2. Before going into the promise land, Israel promised to keep God's commands.

   3. Israel wounded God with their constant disobedience.

C. Because Israel wouldn't praise the Lord, He took action to show His power

     glory and authority to foreign nations.

   1. Israel broke the covenant with God by worshipping idol God.   Lev  19:4

   2. In effect, Israel chose worthless idols over the true living God.

   3. We should be careful to bless the Lord at all times.

THOSE WHO REJECT GOD WILL COME TO KNOW HIM

23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

A. It is our job to proclaim our testimony that our God is the Sovereign Lord.

    1. Houston suffered some terrible losses as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

    2. The lost of life was minimal.

    3. In any given week more people die at the hands of murderers and accidents than

        died during the storm.

B. While homes were lost, there was an out pouring of love from neighbors and

      strangers to help those affected.

    1. The God we serve protected us and provided for us during the storm.

    2. That is our testimony to the world.

    3. The world should not have to come to a conclusion about God, because His

        praise ought to come from us.

    4. The world should hear it from us first that God is Sovereign.

C. Because we want reverence God, we cause Him to put us through

    trials and tribulation to bring us to proclaim His holiness.

   1. Because Israel would not acknowledge God, they suffered 70 years of

       captivity.

   2. God sent the king of Babylonian to destroy Jerusalem.  2 Kings 24:2

   3. God caused a later king  to release Israel from captivity.

GOD PROMISES OUR RESTORATION

V:24 "'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. "

A. In these verses we have both near term prophecies and long term prophecies.

    1. Through the prophet Daniel and  his friends, King  Nebuchadnezzar and King 

         Darius  came to know Daniel's God as the true living God.    

    2. God showed His power and authority when Daniel was saved in the lion's 

        den.    Daniel 6:25

    3. God also showed His power when Daniel's three friends were  saved in the fiery

        furnace (Daniel 3:29).

B. Israel would not get a clean heart until after the death of Jesus on the cross some

    600 years later.

   1. After 70 years of captivity, God caused  Daruis, the King of Persia to release

       Israel back into the promise land. Ezra 6:1-3

   2. God can cause our enemies to do us harm.

   3. God can also cause our enemies to bless us.

   4. God can turn your enemies to your friends.

GOD WILL TRANSFORM HIS ELECT

V:26.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. "

A. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes

     in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

  1. This is the prophecy of the age of Grace.

  2. This is also the prophecy of the fulfillment of the Law through Jesus.

  3. It is faith in Jesus that gives us a new heart.

  4. We are cleansed by the Word of God.

  5. Upon confession of our faith in Jesus we receive the indwelling of the Holy

      Spirit.

B. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to keep God's commands.

    1. It is the Work of the Holy Spirit gives us an understanding of God's

        Word.

   2. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that convicts us of God Word.

   3. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that brings about a change in us.

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES REGARDLESS OF OUR SINFULNESS

V:28.  You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you."

A. God reminded Israel of the promise that He made with Abraham.

     1. He reminded Israel that they would return to the land that He promised Abraham.

     2. Notice there are 12 "I wills" in this text.

     3. God's Will, will be accomplished without our input.

     4. God's "I wills" is a covenant He made with Himself.

B. Because we are so stubborn, God has to make a change in us.

    1. He set aside a place for us.

    2. He is the provider of our salvation.

    3. He is the provider of all our material needs.

    4. He will clean us up through the baptism of His Word.

    5. He is  our protector.

    6. He is our God.

    7. We are His people.

GOD'S RESTORATION INCLUDES OUR PROPERITY

V:30. " I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. "

A. God is the authority over nature.

    1. God controls the seasons for our benefits.

    2. God will insure that the works of our hands are profitable.  Eph 2:10

    3. God will insure that we stand out among nations.

B. We put a stop to God's blessing when we are disobedient.

   1. Some of our suffering is needless.

   2. God has given us a way to a comfort living though our relevance of Him

GOD WILL CAUSE A REPENTANT HEART IN US

V:31. " Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. "

A. Once God has made a change in us , we will be reminded of our sinful past.

    1. Our hearts will be convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives

        within us.

    2. When we consider how good God has been to us in spite of our sinful

         behavior, we will be grieved.

 B. God identifies our past behavior that grieves Him.

     1. Evil ways

     2. Wicked deeds

     3. Detestable practices.

     4. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our behavior can be change.

WHAT GOD DOES FOR US INCLUDES BLESSINGS FOR THE FUTURE

V:32. " I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel! "

A. God has not blessed us based on our merit.

    1. God blessed us that He might be glorified.

    2. We do not deserve God's love, forgiveness, grace or mercy.

    3. Everything in creation was brought into existence for God's Glory.

B. We were chosen by God to give Him glory.

    1. We constantly receive His grace and mercy without merit. 

    2. When we consider all that God does for us, we ought to be ashamed

         of our attitude toward the Holy God.

THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACE AND MERCY

Rev M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Toll Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons follow me on facebook or visit my blogs

goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com and www.revmmitchell.com

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "A Command To Worship God", Exodus 31"12-18, 9/17/2017

A COMMAND TO WORSHIP GOD

Exodus 31:12-18

INTRODUCTION

The book of Exodus is a book of transition for the nation of Israel from slavery to

freedom.

The nation grew up in 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Although they knew the true and living God handed down by word of mouth from Jacob and his family, they only

knew formal worship of the idol gods of Egypt.  The Egyptians worshiped from 500

to 2000 idol gods (Baker Theological Dictionary).

The true living God had not performed any miracles or given them any new revelations during their time in slavery. After the death of Joseph there is no recorded man who

regularly spoke with God.  There seem to be a 400 year gap in God's communication

with man. It is the same as the gap between the close of the Old Testament and the

beginning of the New Testament. In both cases God selects a deliverer of His people

to start a new covenant or dispensation with man. Moses is the dispensation of the Law

and Jesus is dispensation of Grace.

Israel probably knew God as God Almighty. God revealed to Moses that He is Yahweh,

I AM That I Am. After delivering Israel from slavery God gave them His Law for

freedom.

God also establish a formal structure for all Israel to  worship Him.

In slavery all Israel knew was oppression and death. Under God's law, Israel would

learn freedom and eternal life.  They would learn that freedom comes with responsibility

to Yahweh, the almighty God. Yahweh would be their protector, provider and

promise keeper.

In the mist of desert, the Lord established His law and His tabernacle with Israel.                                The Tabernacle was complete with an order of priests, rules for sacrifice, sacred vessels                     and an order of worship. 

I believe all of us go through a "desert time", a time of growth and development

before He takes us to the next level. Israel had to go through the desert to get prepared

for the promise land.

Exodus began the dispensation of the Law. God's house rules for free and holy

people.  In slavery, Israel depended on the Pharaoh of Egypt. In freedom

Israel would have to learn to depend on Yahweh.

The delivery of Israel out of slavery is the fulfillment of part of the prophecy

God gave Abraham 400 years earlier.  Genesis 15:13 . This is proof that

God keeps his promises.

WHEN GOD SPEAKS WE SHOULD LISTEN

V:12. " Then the Lord said to Moses,

13 "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. "

A. Those who serve the Lord must always have a listen ear.

    1. Like a man and his wife must be tuned to each other, the servant must tune his

        ear to the Lord.

    2. God always has a message for us. The question is are we ready to hear from God.

B. God commanded a day of rest for the Israelites.

    1. God wants us to have some vacation time each week.

    2. God intends for us to set aside a day to worship Him.

C. We are not like the world.

     1. Our relationship with God has separated us from the world and its habits.

     2. A sign of our devotion to God is our day of worship.

D. Not only has God separated us from the world, but by His divine operation

     has made us Holy.

    1. The Hebrew word for Holy is "qodesh" which means a sacred place.

    2. God equips each believer with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

    3. We are God's holy place, the temple of the Lord.

    3. When we worship the Lord, we come to know Him as our Lord.

    4. We need that constant reminder that we belong to the Lord and that He

         takes responsibility for us.

WORSHIPPING THE LORD IS OBEDIENCE

V:14. "'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. "

A. During the  day of worship, the Israelites were commanded to dedicate themselves to

     the Lord.

    1. The Israelites were just starting their way to the promise land when God gave them

        His commands.

    2. God's commands were the tools that the Israelites would need to face the difficulties

        of being free people.

    3. They grew up as slaves in a foreign land and were not accustom to controlling their

        own lives.

 B. In Egypt, they were bombarded with the worship of idol gods while trying to

     maintain their belief in their God.

   1. Notice, God gives us a choice to choose salvation or death.

   2. Worship on the Sabbath day was a command not an option.

   3. In slavery in Egypt, the hard labor of Israelites was to their death.

   4. Now being freed from slavery, God made the labor of the Israelites

       their livelihood.

   5. So that their work would not become their idol, God commanded a day of rest.

   6. The consequences of rejecting God's command is death.

FAILING TO WORSHIP IS SEPARATION FORM GOD

V:15 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.

16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant."

A. To understand the "work" we must consider it in God's divine creative order.

     1. The work of creation was God giving life, first to earth and then to man.

     2. God gave man the work of maintaining his creation.

     3. Man was not given work to survive but to participate in God's ongoing population

         of life on earth.

B. Man was made in God's image and likeness, therefore He mandated a day of rest so

     man could reflect on the good done with his hands under the divine power

     of the creator.

   1. Under slavery in Egypt, work was death, but under freedom with God, work

       produces life.

   2. Under slavery there was no rest, under obedience to God is the freedom to rest.

   3. Sometimes we have to break with the traditions of the past to find                            

       the joy in the presence.  

C. We have to understand this concept of work because in the New Testament

     Israel had a misconception of its meaning and application.

     

            The Hebrew word for work is melakah which is general employment or

             occupation.

           The Hebrew word for rest is sabbathown which means special holiday.

           The Hebrew word for Sabbath is the same but means intermission.

           God commanded Israel to take an intermission from their general occupation.

           This intermission was meant for their good, not to their harm nor to

           deny the care for those in need. The act of healing ( Mark 3:2)

           and the act of preparing a meal was considered a violation of the Sabbath which

           not intended (Matthew Chapter 12)

WORSHIP, A SIGN OF OUR DEDICATION TO THE LORD

V:17. " It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested."

A. God set the example for us to follow.

     1. He completed His creative plan in six days.

     2. On the seventh day God rested and reflected on His creation.

B. God set believers apart from the world.

    1. The world work to survive, believers work to rest.

    2. The world work to obtain goods, believers work to enjoy the goods provided.

    3. The world's work ends in death, believers work ends in  life

C. When the world see us worship, it is a sign that we serve the true and living God.

    1. We worship the God of peace, joy and everlasting life.

    2. The world worship their works wish leads to misery, frustrations and death.

    3. We are commanded to worship God which will work to our good.

THE WORD OF GOD IS PERMENANT

V:18. " When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two

     tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God."

A. The study of the God's Word should bring confidence in our lives.

     1.God's commands are to be permanent in our hearts.

     2. We need to study and meditate on God's Word so that they are permanently

          implanted in our hearts and minds.

  

B. God is the author our health and our salvation.

    1. The love of God has to be maintained with our obedience.

    2. Love is defined as our obedience to God's commands.

Rev M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Toll Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons, follow me on face book or visit my blogs

goodnewsrevmmitc.blogspot.com and www.revmmitchell.com

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "God Selects His People", Gen 17:1-14, 9/10/2017

GOD SELECTS HIS PEOPLE

Genesis 17:1-14

NEVER TO OLD TO BE USED BY GOD

V:1. " When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. "

A. You don't get to old to be used by God.

    1. At 99 years old, God had a message for Abraham.

    2. This was a reminder of the message that God gave Abraham at 75 years of age.

B. The requirements to be blessed by God are:

    1. Acknowledge that He is God all by himself.

    2. Walk before God. Walk according to His commandments.

    3. Live according to His righteousness.

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES

V:2. " I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your   

      numbers."

 A. God made an agreement with Abraham that did not require his approval.

     1. At the time of this covenant with Abraham,  Sarah had not conceived a  child.

     2.  Abraham had a son by Sarah's maiden.

     3.  Abraham had nieces and nephews, but no biological child between he and Sarah.

B. God promise a miracle conception between Sarah and Abraham.

     1. God also promised generations of off springs .

     2.Even though it was 25 years since God first made the promise of a child,

        Abraham still trusted God.     Gen 12:4

    3. God does not work on our time.

    4. God works on His divine time.

V:3-4. "Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,

        "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. "

A. The covenant God made with Abraham is the prophecy of the nation of Israel.

    1. The covenant that God made with Abraham is also the prophecy of the Church.

    2. The prophecy that God made with Abraham is the prophecy of

         salvation by faith in the Word.

    3. Abraham was considered righteous because he believed God.

B. Abraham shows us how to approach God: face down.

   1. When we go to God, we must first humble ourselves.

   2. Abraham had a long history with God.

      a. From his first call, Abraham followed God's directions.

      b. He trusted God to lead him from his family into another place.

      c. He knew the voice of God and did not hesitate to respond to

         Him willingly.

   3. In order to respond to God like Abraham, we need to know

       His voice.

   4. When the voice we hear lines up with God's Word. we will know it

        is Him.

GOD WILL ELEVATED THE FAITHFUL

V:5-6. " No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. "

A. The name change from Abram to Abraham is the indication of God's

      elevation of Abraham.

     1. The name Abram means exalted father.

     2. The name Abraham means father of a multitude.

 B. Along with the elevation of Abraham came the promise of his personal

      success and the success of his descendants.

     1. In Genesis 12:7, God promised a son to Abraham.

     2. At that time Abraham was 75 years old.

     3. The first 25 years of Abraham's relationship with God may have been

         his time of testing.

       a. It may be that God was molding and shaping Abraham into the kind

           leader he would need to be to start his family on the road of being

           a nation.

C. Notice God is laying the ground work for Abrahams descendants to

     produce the king of Kings; Jesus Christ.

   1. In God's promise was King David, King Solomon, and King Jesus.

   2. God called King David a man after His own Heart.

   3. God made King Solomon the wisest man to ever live.

   4. God elected King Jesus to be our salvation.

D. In God's covenant with Abraham is the promise of the Nation of

     Israel  and the Nation of Believers, the body of Christ.

   1. God's covenant with Abraham is called the Abrahamic Covenant.

   2. In God's covenant with Abraham is salvation by faith.   Gal 3:6

  

THE FAMILY OF THE FAITHFUL WILL BE BLESSED

V:7. "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. "

A. God says "I Will", meaning that this covenant with Abraham is non conditional.

     1. This covenant depends only on the divine will of God.

     2.  This Abrahamic covenant is an everlasting covenant.

     3.  God says, heaven and earth will pass away but my Word will never pass away.

          Matt 24:25

B. This covenant was not just with Abraham but with all believers.

     1. God establish Himself as our God forever.

     2. God said I change not.    Mal 3:6

     3. God promised to be our God for all times.

     4. The Hebrew word for God used here is Elohiym which means

          the supreme God.

WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU IS FOR YOU

V:8. " The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

A. God's covenant with Abraham includes the promise land.

     1. Abraham's grand son Jacob and his family will go into Egypt

         for 400 years and develop into a nation of millions before

         returning to this promise land.

     2. What God has for you is for you.

         a. This promised land was occupied by the Canaanites until, God

             got ready for Israel to inhabit the land.

         b. Some of the promises that God makes to us are reserved for a

             later time.

         c. Abraham and Sarah had a son, the start of the Nation of Israel,

             but did not see his descendants inhabit the promise land.

         d. It is a comfort to know that if you serve God faithfully, your

              descendants will do well.

B. Our trust in God is a role model for our children and grandchildren.

    1. As parents and grandparents, we set the standards for our

        children to follow.

    2. Our children need to see that we trust God in all circumstances.   

GOD'S COVENANT IS FOREVER, OUR BLESSING ARE CONDITIONAL

V:9. " Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.

10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. "

A. This is the conditional part of the Abrahamic covenant.

    1. God promise is non conditional.

    2. Our individual blessings are conditional, based on our obedience to

        God's commands.

B. God adds circumcision of each male as a personal condition of

     this covenant.

    1. This circumcision represents the personal commitment to God's

        commands.

    2. Each believer must make a personal commitment to God.    

AN OUTWARD SIGN OF A SPIRITUAL CHANGE

V:11-12. " You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner — those who are not your offspring. "

A. Israel was required to make this personal commitment to God.

    1. Fathers set the standards for their children to follow.

    2. We should dedicate our children to God from the time they are born.

    3. Everything we do can affect those we love.

B. Every child born to us and those we take responsibility for should

     follow God's commands.

   1. God makes parents responsible for the welfare of their children.

   2. Train up a child in the way they should go and when they get old

       they will not depart.   Prob 22:6

C. The circumcision of the males set the nation of Israel as  apart

     from nation who worshipped Idol god.

   1. Circumcision was an outward sign of an inward change.

   2. Our baptism is an outward sign of an inward change to God.

ALL THAT YOU ACQUIRE  IS BLESSED BY GOD

V:13-15. " Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.

14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

A. Notice the last sentence in verse 14. It is God's covenant with

     His chosen people.

   1. Circumcision was included in the Abrahamic covenant as a sign

       to all nations, that Israel was God's people.

   2. God will not break His covenant, it is permanent.

   3. Man can choose not to be under God's protection and provisions.

B. This requirement was for Abrahams descendants and any male

     who they took in ownership .

  1. Circumcision  became part of the Law God gave Moses

      400 years later.

  2. Circumcision was required until Jesus death on the cross which

      fulfilled all the requirements of the Law.

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Tollway North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons follow me on facebook or visit my blogs

www.revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com