Genesis 14:18-15:21

"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.”

{Genesis 15:1} (NIV1984)

YHWH is our reward! What do I want from YHWH’s hand? Do I want riches, children and lands? If I had the riches of Bill Gates and didn’t have YHWH in my life, would I be content? If I had seventy children, each of them physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially perfect and didn’t have YHWH in my life, would I be fulfilled? If I owned vast lands of forest, mountain, lake and stream, with fertile fields and herds galore and didn’t have YHWH in my life, would I be secure? Oh friend, think on this today. I don’t want to even get in my car and drive down the road unless YHWH is with me. I don’t want to be a dad to my children, unless YHWH is with me, helping me, filling me with His love and wisdom. I don’t want to own a single piece of land, if YHWH wasn’t going to walk it with me. May we know, with absolute certainty that YHWH Himself is our reward! May we be like Moses who cried out to God, “Unless your Presence goes with us, don’t send us anywhere.” (Ex. 33:15) May we be like Abraham, whom YHWH called ‘His friend” (Isa. 41;8; Ja. 2:23). May we know that the LORD is our very great reward.

Genesis 14:18-15:21

"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.”

Genesis 15:1 (NIV1984)

Do I truly know God? Do I know His heart, His character, His benevolent nature? Genesis 15 is the base of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the foundation on which we stand. Abram believed God and was declared righteous by faith. You cannot over-emphasize the importance of this passage to our faith. ‘After this’, refers to Abram refusing to take any payment from the king of Sodom, so that the king could not take credit for Abram’s future riches. The LORD appears to Abram and tells Abram that not only is He Abram’s shield, He is Abram’s reward, and then goes on to promise him descendants and land for those descendants to live on. Riches, children and money, it sounds like a prosperity gospel text, but those preachers warp the meaning of these texts. 

Friend, God loves you. He desires to prosper you. Seek Him first; honour Him first and He will honour you. His heart is a heart of benevolence, a heart of generosity, a heart that rewards His children. He is the Giver of Life;the Giver of children. The One who gives us the ability to make money; the One who has chosen the land in which we live. The One who has prepared a mansion, a wonderful land for us to live with Him forever. Oh Friend, do you know Him today? Don't turn Him away! Believe His Words!

Revelation 3:1-6

"Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God."

{Revelation 3:2} (NIV1984)

These letters from our Lord to His seven churches are a constant encouragement to all who read them. To realize that the Lord walks amongst each local church, including Parkdale, and has a Word of encouragement for all of us, brings a tremendous peace to anyone involved in the work of a local church. Surely He is with us always!

Parkdale is a church that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are His church, His bride, His people. We meet on Sundays and look around at each other, even catch up on our week. The Lord is with us during our week. He doesn’t need to catch up with us on Sunday, for He knows every step we took, every word we said, every thought we had, everything we did. Out of the seven letters, five of them say, “I know your deeds”. This letter says that their deeds were not complete. 

Oh friend, may we heed the words of our Lord, may we “Wake up!” May we strengthen our faith and may we complete the deeds that our Lord has prepared for us to do for His glory and for our covering. Move Holy Spirit, move! Wake up church, wake up!

Philippians 4:13

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

{Philippians 4:13} (NIV1984)

 

The apostle Paul had the eyes that saw people as Jesus saw them. He had eyes of compassion and discernment. Paul had the faith that took him many places. He took the gospel into the world; into palaces, into prisons, into pagan worship centres, even into the midst of the intellectuals of his world. Paul testifies in this verse that he had strength, the strength that comes from God. 

Friend, an ‘act of righteousness’ is a gift to us from God. He changes our hearts, so we see what He sees. He changes our hearts, so that we have the faith we need. He then changes our bodies, so that we have the strength we need to carry out these ‘acts of righteousness’. Are you tired today? Too tired and too weak to do what you know God has put in front of you today? Then friend, pray and ask God to give you the strength for this task. God gave Hagar strength, and we could talk about Joseph, Moses, the judges, Ruth, Jonathon, David, Elijah, Jonah, many others and our Lord Himself. God is a God who gives us strength. May these words be on our lips today, I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

1 Samuel 14:1-14

"Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few. ”

{1 Samuel 14:6} (NIV1984)

'Perhaps' seems a little vague when a life is on the line, especially when it is our life. We like written promises spelled out in the Word that we can pray back to God, guaranteeing the success of whatever it is we will put our hands to. We don’t think of the word ‘perhaps’ as a word of faith; yet is a word of faith, when it is used as Jonathan used it. Jonathan knew that the LORD was a Saviour, and he knew that the LORD was mighty to save. He knew that he needed the LORD’s help; he couldn’t do this by himself, and success depended upon God’s help. Finally, he knew that the LORD would not act unless he took the first step. He knew that the LORD’s method is to help His people as they step out in faith. Chapter 13 tells us that Saul and the army were hiding, paralyzed with fear. No doubt wondering why God wouldn’t move on their behalf. May we be like Jonathan today, may we have the faith to know our God is a Saviour. May we be willing to step out in risk, not knowing how it will turn out, but trusting in a Mighty Saviour who uses our acts of faith to bring salvation to many.