DIVINE PROMISES

“And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him” (Acts 7:5 NKJV).

In addressing the Sanhedrin, Stephen spoke about Divine promises. In particular, he is speaking of Abraham and the promises that God gave him. Three lessons are present here in this verse: the place of the promises, the patience for the promises and the problems for the promises.

Place of the promises - Note the sequence of events – First, Stephen spoke of Abraham’s performance, he moved to Canaan as ordered by God; then he spoke of the promises given after the move. This is the usual way that God operates: we are generally told our responsibilities before we are told our promises. So, if we want to be given promises from God, we must first be faithful in doing the will of God. If we ignore our responsibilities, we will be short on promises.

Patience for the promises - “God gave him no inheritance in it…But…He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.” The promise of land given to Abraham really sounded great, but it required much patience to appreciate it. In fact, this promise of land was something that he would only realize through his descendants. God’s promises require much patience; they are not fulfilled overnight. Because of this, the devil will always offer us a shortcut to obtain the promises quicker. But we must beware of the devil’s shortcuts - they will cut us right out of the promises.

Problems for the promises - “When Abraham had no child.” Note that Abraham’s descendants were promised some land, but when the promise was made, Abraham did not even have a child yet. Furthermore, he was up in years at the time. The problems seemed to mock the promises. But God often gives His promises when the conditions look bleak. This does three good things: it tests our faith, it encourages us in our present duty, and it provides opportunity for God to show His great power over circumstances.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The promises of God are His guarantees amid life’s uncertainties. They’re the basis of all our life of faith!”

David Jeremiah (1941 - )

American Evangelical Christian Author, Theologian and Pastor

Word Study

Freely bestowed / favored

In Eph. 1:6 we read, “To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (NASB).

“Freely bestowed / favored” is the Greek word charitóō (χαριτόω = khar-ee-to'-o) and it means to cause one to be the recipient of a benefit. It is to bestow grace or favor upon or to show kindness to someone. Charitóō can also convey the sense of to make one agreeable or possessed of grace. In the most technical sense, charitóō means to endue with grace. In the Septuagint, charitóō means to have grace shown to one, to be highly favored. And in the New Testament, charitóō refers to the bestowal of God’s favor. And so, the idea here is that God has extended His favor or grace to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. Literally, God has “begraced” us with His grace in the Beloved, the Son of God.

Did You Know…

According to Deut. 16:6, the Israelites were told to offer the Passover sacrifice the same time of the day that they left Egypt - “Sacrifice the Passover at twilight, at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt.”

Bible Quiz

How did king Nebuchadnezzar describe the fourth person he saw walking around in the fiery furnace?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

What were the soldiers told to say regarding the missing body of the Lord Jesus? “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept” (Matt. 28:13).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:21-23; 1 Cor. 5:7)

"Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb” (Ex. 12:21 NJKV).

In context, God was going to judge, the ancient Egyptians. However, He would pass over and not destroy those protected by the blood of the Passover Lamb. This was the only way to be saved and be delivered from God’s judgment. Thus, the Passover lamb became the substitute for the Israelites, and the way of redemption and deliverance. This act of slaying of the lamb and sprinkling the blood on the door of the house had great significance. It immediately pointed to the great price of redemption, and symbolically it pointed to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ who is our “Passover Lamb” (1 Cor. 5:7). We were in bondage to our sin, yet through the Lord Jesus Christ, our perfect Passover Lamb, we were delivered from the wrath of God and given new life. What that lamb was for the Israelites, the Lord Jesus Christ is for believers today.

Did You Know – Christian History

On January 8, 1956, five Christian missionaries lost their lives in the Amazon jungle of Ecuador at the hands of the Waodani, an isolated tribe known for its extreme violence, even within their own group. Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming and Roger Youderian were a team of pioneers missionaries dedicated to establishing peaceful contact with the native people, with the aim of sharing their Christian faith. Jim Elliot had heard about the Waodani, a group that avoided contact with Western society, and dreamed of bringing them the gospel message. The mission was named Operation Auca, as the neighboring Quechua referred to the Waodani as “aucas”, an insulting term meaning “savages” or “enemies.” Inspired by this purpose, Jim assembled his team who accompanied him on this daring expedition into the heart of the mighty South American rainforest. After exploration flights, they managed to locate the Waodani villages and planned to approach them with gifts as a sign of goodwill.

The missionaries began throwing gifts from an airplane while repeating phrases in the local language such as “I want to be your friend,” hoping to gain the trust of the tribe. Over time, they noticed that tribal members reacted with applause and friendly gestures during the flyovers, which they interpreted as a sign of acceptance. On January 3rd, 1956, the missionaries set up camp at a place they called “Palm Beach,” on the banks of the Curaray River. The first contact occurred on January 6th when a man and two women from the tribe approached the camp. However, two days later, on January 8th a group of Waodani warriors surrounded the camp and the five missionaries were attacked and killed with spears. Their bodies and belongings were thrown into the river. Four of the five bodies were later recovered and buried in a mass grave in the jungle. The news shocked the world and was widely reported in the media, leading to a significant increase in financial support for evangelistic missions.

Elisabeth, widow of Jim Elliot, and Rachel, sister of Nate Saint, returned to the jungle years later as part of a Summer Institute of Linguistics mission. They were able to establish a peaceful relationship with the Waodani, some of whom expressed remorse for the killings. Then, the translation of the Bible into Waodani began. One by one, the men who committed the murder became believers in the One who sent the missionaries to reach them. Steve Saint, son of Nate Saint spent much of his childhood among the Waodani. Despite the fact that his father had been killed, Steve became an adopted son of the tribe and eventually brought his own family to live for a time among them. The painful arrival of the gospel among these violent people worked a miracle of transformation.

Interestingly enough, on Oct. 28, 1949, Jim Elliot wrote in his journal a statement of faith that has inspired all who have read it in the decades since: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

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A Little Humor

At the end of the service, the pastor said, “Turn to your neighbor and tell them the good news.” Little Johnny turned and whispered, “Lunch is only five minutes away.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Jesus is the R.E.A.L. - Rescuing Everyone Always in Love!”