We are Abraham’s Children by Faith

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham…For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus…And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:7-9; 26, 29

Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12

Anyone who has faith in God is accounted a child of Abraham, and a son of God. Thus we are incorporated into the covenant of Abraham and are considered His children. As a child of Abraham we should also be accepting of Jesus the Christ. As accepting of Christ we become heirs of the promise.

Prayer for Today: God, how do we say thank You, for all of the attention You have shown us. We don’t know how to say thank You, but You already know what goes on in our hearts. Thank You for making us Your children by faith.

Abram’s Name is Changed to Abraham

And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of the, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Genesis 17:3-7

Steps 4, 5, 11, 12

God gave Abram a son. Then God promises to be with Abram and make him a father of many nations. As Abraham has been steady with God, God changes his name from Abram – High Father, to Abraham – Father of many nations. God will fulfill His promise to Abraham and though him many nations will be established. God also promises to be our God through Abraham, for we are his descendents by faith.

Prayer for Today: Thank You for bringing us into Abraham’s covenant with You. He was not worthy of this gift and we certainly are not worthy. Thank You for thinking of us and, working with us, we appreciate it when we finally see it. Thank You for making these arrangements with us and allowing us to enter into Abraham’s relationship with You.

Abram Gets His First Son at 86

And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. Genesis 16:15-16

Steps 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

Now that Hagar bears him a son Abram is pretty proud of himself for he has helped God with a child. Abram does not yet understand that God does not need Abram’s help – God could give Abram a son in many different ways. But God wanted the son of Abram to be a child of promise rather than a child of works. Abram had worked hard to have this child and he was happy.

Prayer for Today: God, You know how limited our understanding of most anything can be. We pray today that we may learn Your lessons that we may seek You out, and that we may respond to You positively when You seek us out. We recognize that we get caught up in things and we pray again today for Your love, Your mercy, and Your grace.

Hagar Runs Away from Abram and Sarai

But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Genesis 16:6-13

Steps 4, 5, 10

Hagar runs from Sarai. She gets out into the wilderness and finally God finds her to start the discussion. Hagar does not know what will happen but God assures her that she is pregnant and she will have a baby and that that baby will have many children. God tells her to go back and name the baby Ishmael for God had heard about her affliction and would help her with ways that were His own.

Prayer for Today: When we run away from our duties we ask that You will help us get our thinking straightened out. Help us to trust You and come to talk to You about our problems. Help us to remember that it is only You that can help us. Help us to get back to our duties and get them done in Your power and Your strength.

Fighting Among the Wives

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. Genesis 16:4-6

Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The inevitable happens and the wives start to fight with each other and the household is disrupted. Sarai, as the first wife, is upset with Hagar the second wife. But Hagar was pregnant and thought herself better than Sarai. Abram judges that Hagar is still the first and special wife and she is granted power over Hagar and treats her in a hard manner and Hagar flees from her persecutor. Abram, Sarai, and now Hagar all do things without talking to God about the problems. They seek to solve it their own way and keep creating chaos.

Prayer for Today: God, thank You for making things simple for us. We have great difficulty with simple things, and complicated things are worse. Please help us to talk to You first before putting our plans into effect. Since You know the end from the beginning help us to trust in Your plans over our plans. Thank You for being there to rescue us from us.

Abram Loses Sight of God

Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived… Genesis 16:1-4

Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12

Abram had been assured by God that he would have many children. But Abram had difficulty trusting that God would do for him what He said He would do. Abram logically calculated how to handle this problem and his wife Sarai even helped him out with an idea. The idea was to get a second wife. This was against God’s counsel for in the Creation He had made it clear that His plan was one wife and one husband. By violating this arrangement Abram and Sarai started in motion a whole lot of chaos and confusion. The plan was to get a second wife, and Sarai chose a non-recovery oriented wife for Abram, and he “knew” her, or had sex with her, and she conceived. The plan technically was a success, but a disaster in reference to relationships.

Prayer for Today: God, You have promised us many things. We are tempted to help You like Abram attempted to help You. Please help us to learn how to trust You that You know what You are doing and if You need our help You will tell us. Help us to trust You for You are far more consistent, healthy, and well rounded than what we are. Help us to be like You are.

Probationary Time

And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Genesis 15:12-16

Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12

God can see the future. He is the only One who knows what will happen and He has made arrangements to deal with all things. He tells His Friend Abram that His descendents will be in captivity for 400 years. He tells Abram that his descendents will come out of Egypt with great substance. He also tells Abram to be careful of the Amorites for their probationary time is not yet full because they have not turned totally evil like the people before the flood. God will do everything He can to save everyone, and yet preserve their ability to freely choose to obey, or disobey – because He loves them.

Prayer for Today: God, thank You for Your patience with us. We have practiced iniquity and we are thankful that You have not forgotten us as we often forget you. Teach us that we need Your presence and Your guidance. Thank You for Your mercies.