DAY 11.
The promises of God given to Abraham are the subject of Hebrews 6 vs.13 – 20 and bring us to the truth that all the promises of God are opened up to the child of God.
It is up to us to take hold of them and to present them before the Lord at the Throne of Grace to prove them ourselves.
These promises of God are given to the child of God to enlighten their walk, to enrich their walk and to encourage us on our walk.
Abraham became aware of the promises of God in Genesis 12 and he delights to walk in the light of them leaving Ur behind and wandering across Canaan and Egypt.
He was enlightened regarding his walk in Ur of Chaldees and in Genesis 12 it is revealed to him that the Living God would make a mighty nation out of his obedient trust, 'I will make thee a mighty nation'.
Little did he realise that that nation would be growing daily right through to this day, so that they are so great in number we cannot actually number them accurately.
The promise continues 'I will bless thee' or be kindly benevolently to you, a promise that has been wonderfully kept during amazing periods of their hostility towards God.
The enlightening goes on 'I will make thee great' pointing to material greatness, physical strength and mental courage to go on against all the opposition.
What a trilogy of enlightening facts as we look back we look at Hebrews 6 v 13 all the promises were kept fully and fulfilled abundantly displayed history.
We can plot the course of history in scripture and look at the promises being fulfilled in the people
Now in enlightenment the Lord reveals these truths in super abundant form on the Church, His chosen people, He calls us 'His holy people' 1 Peter 2 v 9.
We have put aside the old nature to take up the new nature and the Lord makes these enlightening promises available to us that we should grow there by v 2.
Spiritual growth will lead us into the deeper things of God, we will not want to live a superficial life but will desire to plunge into the deep things of God.
Our heavenly Father still leads His obedient children in ways that seem strange to the onlooker mainly because they do not understand the spiritual calling that we have in Christ Jesus.
We are called to leave behind the works of the flesh to walk towards our goal, towards the heavenly home and then we shall see the wonderful promises were amply fulfilled by our heavenly Father as we join the innumerable host in His family.
The tragedy today is that we are not walking in the light of the promises made to us as Abraham did, we have been chosen just as the patriarch was to walk on the path of righteousness.
Our Father delights to reveal His promises through us His word and derives great pleasure when the child of God presents the promise to Him for enacting.
We take note in Hebrews 6 that the blessings were given so that Abraham would give them away, there are always more blessings to receive than we can appropriate our self.
The second thought we glean here is that the promises of God are given to enable the recipient to endure the hardships that they are called to go through.
'Endurance' points to enduring during the long march homeward, Abraham was looking for the eternal home when he left Ur of Chaldees Hebrews 11 v 10.
We remind ourselves that we too are looking for the same city 13 v 14 we are treading the path of righteousness that will bring us ultimately to the home and throne of the Living God.
The promises of God are given to build up our faith during this earthly pilgrimage so that we will endure to the end and James 5 v 11 tells us about the endurance required.
We are going through many trials and struggles but the promises of God will uphold us along the way, those miseries are met with the promise of Matthew 10 v 22 and 24 v 13.
The persecution and persistent trials are to be expected as the Lord works onus to bring us into Christ likeness Romans 12 is a mighty chapter of victory over adversity.
Submission leads to service and even that becomes a delightful experience for those walking on the right pathway, strewn with blessings and promises..
'Patient endurance' both words are a challenge to us, 'patient' points to long suffering for Christ sake whilst 'endurance' to bearing up under server and long provocations.
The Christian life is a tough life and many fall by the way side when the going gets tough the tragedy is they fail to take hold of the promises given to us so that we can testify as Paul did in 2 Corinthians 6 vs.1 – 10.
There he not only tells of his plight and progress but points out the we are workers together, there is no promise especially geared to Paul the major difference between he and us that he was obedient to the Lord.
The third issue coming out of Hebrews 6 is the encouragement gained through the promises of God, He never lets us down like we seem to so each other.
The truth gained in v 18 is so important because God has sealed His promises by promise and by oath, the 'promise' means declaring an undertaking that He is bound to keep.
He sealed the 'promise' with an 'oath' is the confirmation guaranteeing the discharge of liabilities, God will keep His word.
What encouragement this is and we have His word before us revealing these promises that He longs for us to use according to His will and purposes.
No promise is given for self indulgence or self gratification they are given to obedient Christians who are walking in the light of His word.
Abraham received the promises because he did that, he walked with the Lord with real diligence v 11 and 'patiently endured' v 15 to secure the promises given to him.
Now a little while let us review these three words to see what changes they bring to our way of thinking and living.
We should be learning to listen to the Lord speaking through His word to us bringing light on the scriptures and enlightenment to the believer.
The Devil is robbing so many Christians of their spiritual inheritance because they do not desire to study Gods word, they are resting on the milk when they should be enjoying a full meal.
It is a mighty privilege for us to be able to commune with the Creator God and we should be constantly looking for times to spend alone with Him and then enjoy His promises.
Spiritual endurance is something we need to come to terms with in the soft liberal society that we live in, we buckle at the knees at the slightest provocation when we should be standing firm on the promises.
The truth is we are not spiritually adjusted as we could and should be because we are being brought up on meetings in a building when we should be meeting with our Risen Lord.
'Endurance' was a specific prayer that Paul has for young Timothy out on the road with the Apostle but afraid of some of the situations they find them selves in.
So in the Second Letter he writes 'endure hardness as a good soldier' 2 Timothy 2 v 3 we like Timothy are called to live out the word of God in a hostile world.
That is where our spiritual growth will be tested and tried to prove that we are genuine in what we say and believe.
Then the encouragement that all of Gods children get from listening too and obeying the Holy Spirit promptings, we are being built up in the Holy Temple.
Now we can and should encourage each other in the Lord but the greater encouragement comes as we apply the word to our life.
In 1 Samuel 30 v 6 David is under real threat and discouraged by what he heard and saw but that threw Him on the Lord, 'David encouraged him self in the Lord God'.
That is an example given to us to follow as is v 8 'David inquired of the Lord' for victory.
