How can we trust God's promises in our lives, like Abram did? Genesis 15:4—The Promise Stated “Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, ‘This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.’” Abram’s Trust Put in Motion • God spoke directly; Abram chose to take Him at His word, even when circumstances (age, barrenness, passing years) screamed otherwise. • Verse 6 shows Abram’s response: “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” The hinge of trust is belief, not evidence we can see. Why We Can Trust God’s Promises Today • God’s character is unchanging—“God is not a man, that He should lie…” (Numbers 23:19). • His promises are grounded in covenant loyalty—“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant…” (Deuteronomy 7:9). • His word is effective—“So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty” (Isaiah 55:11). • All promises find their “Yes” in Christ—“For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Practical Steps to Cultivate Abram-Like Trust 1. Remember what God has already done • Keep a journal of answered prayers and fulfilled Scriptures. • Rehearse personal testimonies and biblical accounts (Joshua 4:6-7 stones of remembrance). 2. Anchor yourself in specific Scriptures • Select promises that apply to your situation—healing, provision, guidance—and speak them aloud (Romans 10:17). 3. Choose obedience before clarity • Abram moved tents, built altars, counted stars—acts that embodied faith before fulfillment. 4. Wait with expectation, not resignation • “Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). Delay is often preparation, never abandonment. 5. Guard against alternative voices • The serpent’s question, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) still whispers. Counter with written truth, as Jesus did (Matthew 4:4). Encouraging Scriptures to Anchor Your Heart • Hebrews 6:17-18—God’s oath and promise are “two unchangeable things” making it “impossible for God to lie.” • Psalm 145:13—“The LORD is faithful in all His words and kind in all His works.” • Jeremiah 32:27—“I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?” • 2 Peter 3:9—“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise…” Living It Out Today • Speak God’s promise over your life as settled fact, not future possibility. • Act in a manner consistent with that promise—like Abram buying baby clothes in faith. • When doubts surface, revisit the cross: if God kept the greatest promise (salvation through Christ), every lesser promise is secure. God still comes to His children with a sure word. Like Abram, we can respond with simple, wholehearted belief—and watch the impossible become our testimony. |
    |