God's Promise Realized Through Faith - Romans 4:13-25

That famous promise God gave Abraham - that he and his children would posses the earth was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God's decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed.

If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an iron clad contract! That's not a holy promise; that's a business deal.

A contract drawn up by a hard nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise - and God's promise if that - you can't break it. This is why the fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and his ways and then simply embracing him and what he does.

God's promise arrives as a pure gift. That's the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them.

For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father - that's reading the story backward. He is our faith father. We call Abraham "Father" not because he got God's attention by living a faithful life, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody.

Isn't that what we're always reading in Scripture "I set you up as Father of many peoples?" Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he he trusted God to do only what God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing.


When everything was hopeless Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples.

God himself said to him you're going to have a big family, Abraham!

Ceremonies and rituals serve as reminders of our faith. They instruct new and younger believers, but we should not think that they give us any special merit before God. They are outward signs and seal that demonstrate belief and trust. The focus of our faith should be on Christ and his saving actions, not on our own actions.

Paul explains that Abraham pleased God through his faith alone, before he ever heard about the rituals that would become so important to the Jewish people. We too are saved by faith. It is not by loving God and doing good that we are saved; neither is it by faith plus love or faith plus good works.

We are saved only through faith in Christ, trusting him to forgive all our sins. For more on Abraham, see his profile in Genesis 18.

The promise (or covenant) God gave Abraham said that Abraham would be the father of many nations and that the entire world would be blessed through him. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus was from Abraham's line, and truly the world was blessed through him.

Paul points out that the promise to Abraham to be the father of many nations extended beyond Israel to all the nations of the world. Abraham never doubted that God would fulfill his promise. His life was marked by mistakes, sins, and failures as well as by wisdom and goodness, but he consistently trusted God. His faith was strengthened by the obstacles he faced.

His life is an example of faith in action. If he had looked only at his own resources for subduing Canaan and founding of a nation, he would have given up in despair. But he looked to God, obeyed him and waited for God to fulfill his word to him.

Reference summary used from The Message Bible and The Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL

Friday - Practice Mutal Discipline - Matthew 18:15-20 - 2/24/17

These are Jesus' guidelines for dealing with those who sin against us. Jesus' words are not a license for a frontal attack on every person who hurts or slights us. They are designed to reconcile those who disagree so that all Christians can live in harmony.

By contrast, we should go to the person first, as difficult as that may be. Then we should forgive that person as often as he or she needs it.


Ideally, the church's decisions should be God-guided & based on discernment of his Word. Handling problems God's way will have an impact now & for eternity.


Jesus looks ahead to a new day when he will be present with his followers not in body, but through his Holy Spirit. Two or more believers, filled with the Holy Ghost, will pray according to God's will, not their own; & thus their requests will be granted.

Reference summary used from Life Application Bible KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Living Justly With Others .... 1/12/20124 Sunday School Lesson

Psalm/Tehillim 7 . Praise - Lord - sing . Proverbs/Mishle 11 . Romans 6 . God . righteousness - holiness . Everlasting Life - Eternal Life . Submit Yourself - Every Ordinance . Matthew 18 . Peter . forgive - 7 times - 70 x 7 - unlimited . Kingdom of Heaven . Certain King . 10,000 talents . Compassion . Same Servant . his Fellowservants . Hundredpence . Luke 6 . Judaea . Jerusalem . Tyre - Sidon . Healed . Unclean Spirits . Rejoice . Love . Love your enemies . Bless Them . Merciful . Judge Not . Fruit - Foundation - Rock . Sunday School Lesson . Promises

The Sunday School Lesson is shared from Luke 6:17-31 (Background Scripture: Luke 6:17-36; Devotional Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35) for 1/12/2014.

The Sunday School Lesson is shared from Luke 14:7-18a, 22-24 (Background Scripture: Luke 14:7-24; Devotional Reading: Psalm/Tehillim 147:1-11) for 1/19/2014.


talents ... 1 talent (kikkar) weight-talent "of king" - 158 lbs - 1 oz. - 10 dwts - 0 grs.

pence ... The Roman penny is the 8th part of an ounce which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence half-penny.

Tyre ... an ancient city of Phoenicia (port of Crete), covering 100 acres on an island, & having two ports of 12 acres each; now a town of 3,000 inhabitants (Biblical Times).

Sidon ... capital of Phoenicia, a walled city of 10,000 inhabitants (Biblical Times).


Love ... agape (God's Love - Unconditional) .... philo (tender affection) ... eros (romantic type)





Promises: Psalm/Tehillim 7:10; Proverbs/Mishle 11:3,5,6,8 (The Upright Are Blessed & Prospered) .... Romans 6:23 (Eternal Life) ... Luke 6:22,23 (Joy, Rest & Peace) ... Luke 6:37 (Pardon for Iniquities & Sins) ... Prospered does not always mean wealth/material riches - but there were some in Biblical Times that did have wealth.


Luke 6:17-49 ... The great Sermon ... Luke 4:14-8:56 (The Return To Galilee)

Luke 6:17-31

Verses 17-20

Verse 17 ... Jesus Christ; Christ's Ministry; Christ Reception by Men, Followed by Multitudes

Verse 17 ... Matthew 4:25; Mark 3:7

Verse 18 ... Miracles; Miracles In Ejecting Devils & Destroying Idols; Ejection of Devils

Verse 19 ... Jesus Christ; Christ's Ministry; Christ's Miracles





Verse 19 ... Matthew 14:36; Mark 6:56

Verse 20 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded

Verse 20 ... Matthew 5:3

(Matthew 5-7 ... Reference Scripture in Sunday School Book)


Verses 21-323 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded

Verse 21 ... Matthew 5:6 ... Verse 22 (Matthew 5:11) ... Verse 23 (Matthew 5:12)

Verses 24-31

Verses 24-26 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Steadfastness Rewarded

Verse 27 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Prayer for Persecutors

Verse 27 ... Matthew 5:44

Verse 28 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Prayer for Persecutors

Verse 28 ... Matthew 5:44

Verse 29 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Meekness ... The Outward Man; body Clothed; Portions of Dress, Coat

Verse 29 ... Matthew 5:40

Verse 30 ... Trials & Persecutions; Conduct Under Persecution; Non-Resistance

Verse 30 ... Matthew 5:42

Verse 31 ... Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces Of The New Life; Love to Man

Verse 31 ... Matthew 7:12





Monday - January 6, 2014 - Judged by the Righteous God - Psalm/Tehillim 7:1-17

An Appeal For Justice ... Psalm of Supplication: On account of affliction - Expressing trust in God - Professing the psalmists integrity ... Didactic (instruct/teach) Psalm: Showing the blessings of God's people & the misery of HIS enemies.


Tuesday - January 7, 2014 - The Righteous & Upright - Proverbs/Mishle 11:3-11

Moral virtues & their contrary vices ... vice(blemish/defect/wickedness)


Wednesday - January 8, 2014 - Enslaved to God - Romans 6:16-23

The Gospel for The World: 'The Righteous - By Faith Shall Live' ... Romans 1:18b-8:39


Thursday - January 9, 2014 - Living as God's Servants - I Peter 2:11-17

The Christian Civic Submission (I Peter 2:13-17) ... The Submission Of The Christian (I Peter 2:11-3:12)


Friday - January 10, 2014 - Forgiveness & Mercy - Matthew 18:21-35

Teaching: The Church ... Matthew 17:24-18:35


Saturday - January 11, 2014 - Blessings & Woes - Luke 6:20-26

Woe ... warning


Sunday - January 12, 2014 - Do Not Judge - Luke 6:27-42


Scripture reference used/taken from: The International Teacher's Handy Bible Encyclopedia/Concordance KJV Precious Promise Bible, KJV Topical Edition Bible, Special Arrangement N.T, KJV, Zondervan Bible Commentary, Vine's Expository Dictionary of O.T. & N.T. Words, & Merriam Webster's Deluxe Dictionary 10th Collegiate Edition