Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The main reason why Abram finally received the blessings God promised him.
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
“As for Me” = the guarantee of the fulfillment of the unconditional Abrahamic covenant, the very essence or character of God.
The Lord will do all the providing; He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our provider.
The right time is when Abram has adjusted to the justice of God, the source of grace action; the wrong time is when he has not adjusted to the justice of God, when he lacks spiritual maturity.
The sexual blessing and prosperity, changing him to a new race, the pregnancy of Sarah, the birth of Isaac, could have occurred many years before, but they would have gone unappreciated.
Even though the circumstances are hopeless and impossible for an heir, God will provide at the perfect time, because of the importance of Abrams status of soul.
It is what we are in our soul that counts.
PRO 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
PRO 27:19 As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.
1SA 16:7b “For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Gen 17 - God looks at our recognition of the authority of the one who teaches.
In Abrams case, Abram is not only occupied with the blessor, Abram has subjected himself to the authority of the blessor.
Abram has finally reached a point in his spiritual life where he has realized that Gods grace and mans world are mutually exclusive.
1TI 5:17 Those pastor-teachers who have ruled well with the result that they keep ruling honorably, they must be considered worthy of double honor - most of all thosewho work hard to the point of exhaustion in the study of the word and the teaching of doctrine.
1TI 5:18 For the Scripture says [DEU 25:4], “You shall not muzzle the bull while he is threshing,” also [DEU 24:15] “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
1TI 5:19 Do not receive an accusation against a pastor-teacher except on the basis of two or three witnesses.
1TI 5:20 Those who continue in the sin of receiving or making accusations, reprimand in the presence of all, in order that the rest of the congregation also may have respect.
What you are communicating is not yours; it belongs to God, and nothing can be more sacred or more important than what is communicated from the pulpit.
1CO 11:3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
You are never commanded to respect the individual; you are commanded to respect the office and the authority.
Peter too impulsive.
James too fanatical.
John too serious and passionate.
Philip asks too many questions - too inquisitive.
Bartholomew - composed so for some he seemed boring.
Matthew - humble, for some he seemed weak.
Thomas - pessimism.
James {the son} of Alphaeus - quietness.
Simon the Zealot - strong-willed.
Judas (son of James) - intense.
The apostle Paul was a genius and a prepared man, the greatest intellect and eloquence of his day; he used a lot of divine sarcasm, but he was not arrogant about anything.