Genesis 15:6 (here @ Bible Gateway) is one of those passages in the Bible that forms the basis for others, for example:
Genesis 15:6 (here @ Bible Gateway) records Abram’s response. Note the focus of Abram’s faith. He does not believe in the promise, he believes in the Lord. His faith was not on what was promised but on who promised. The person of God, not the promise of God.
The implications for us are profound. We are not to believe or trust in what God has promised we are to believe and trust in Him. Abram desperately wanted a child, an heir. God promised an heir. Abram believed in the Lord.
I have heard messages that focus on what God can do for us, how He can meet our needs. Ok. In John 6 (here @ Bible Gateway), people were following Christ because He fed 5000 with five loaves and two fish. So they began to follow Him around. In John 6:26 – 27 (here @ Bible Gateway), Jesus rebukes the crowd telling them they are following Him for the wrong reason. The bread they wanted perished. He was what they needed.
The trap is subtle. When pain and distress overtake our lives we cry out in desperation. We cry for one to meet our needs to ease our pain to solve our problems. The reality is we will have more needs, more pain, and more problems. We need Him long term more than we need what He can “do” for us in the short term.
- Romans 4:3 (here @ Bible Gateway)
- Romans 4:20 – 22 (here @ Bible Gateway)
- Galatians 3:6 (here @ Bible Gateway)
- James 2:23 (here @ Bible Gateway)
You remember the context. Abram is childless, he points that out the Lord, reminding the Lord that one that is not his son will inherit Abram’s wealth. God responds to Abram by telling him that his descendants would be too many to measure.
Genesis 15:6 (here @ Bible Gateway) records Abram’s response. Note the focus of Abram’s faith. He does not believe in the promise, he believes in the Lord. His faith was not on what was promised but on who promised. The person of God, not the promise of God.
The implications for us are profound. We are not to believe or trust in what God has promised we are to believe and trust in Him. Abram desperately wanted a child, an heir. God promised an heir. Abram believed in the Lord.
I have heard messages that focus on what God can do for us, how He can meet our needs. Ok. In John 6 (here @ Bible Gateway), people were following Christ because He fed 5000 with five loaves and two fish. So they began to follow Him around. In John 6:26 – 27 (here @ Bible Gateway), Jesus rebukes the crowd telling them they are following Him for the wrong reason. The bread they wanted perished. He was what they needed.
The trap is subtle. When pain and distress overtake our lives we cry out in desperation. We cry for one to meet our needs to ease our pain to solve our problems. The reality is we will have more needs, more pain, and more problems. We need Him long term more than we need what He can “do” for us in the short term.
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