PROMISES, PROMISES

GENESIS 12:1-3

Pastor Rick Jackson

Almost every day we hear promises. Ads promise us happiness, weight loss, a perfect smile, the toughest truck or even the perfect match in a mate. People promise us their presence, their support, their undying gratitude. Countries promise they won't develop nuclear weapons, they won't restrict freedom of religion, and that all will be well. Ads lie, people lie, countries lie, Satan lies, parents lie, children lie, mates lie, preachers lie, heathen lie, Christians lie but GOD NEVER LIES!

When God makes a promise, He keeps it. When God says it, it's a promise. The Word of God is stedfast and true. If you get nothing else out of this message- get this. God keeps His Word. His promises are true. He does not lie!

I. THE FAILURE OF ABRAM [v. 1]

The story of Abram is not the story of a perfect man. It is the story of a fallible man with a perfect, infallible God. Abram didn't start out as "the friend of God", he became the friend of God. In many ways he failed. He lied, he feared, he failed to focus on what was important and, as in this chapter, he hesitated.

1. HE HESITATED IN LEAVING HIS COUNTRY [v. 1, 11:31]

2. HE HESITATED IN LEAVING HIS KINDRED [v. 1, 4-5]

3. HE HESITATED IN LEAVING HIS FATHER [v. 1, 11:31-32]

II. THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD [v. 2-3]

1. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION" [v. 2]

The nation of Israel qualifies on many levels. For it's survival, for it's strength, for it's history, for it's future... God made of Abram a great nation.

2. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "I WILL BLESS THEE" [v. 2]

Abram went from a childless, nomad to Abraham, a father of multitudes, a man of wealth and "the friend of God."

3. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "I WILL... MAKE THY NAME GREAT" [v. 2]

Abraham is better known by more people today than Bush, Clinton, or Obama or Osama. He is respected by Jews, Christians and Muslims. His name is great indeed.

4. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "THOU SHALT BE A BLESSING" [v. 3]

Quite literally fulfilled and used both in the Old Testament and New Testament.

Mark 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Luke 20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

5. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "I WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS THEE" [v. 3]

History has shown this to be true in Abram's life and even in the life of his offspring. Nations have been prospered by being kind to the Jews. Egypt prospered under Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar prospered with Daniel, even Rome prospered when it regarded the offspring of Abraham. England and America are but two modern day examples that come to mind.

6. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "I WILL ...CURSE HIM THAT CURSETH THEE" [v. 3]

Even a nation that had been blessed by God for it's treatment of Israel learned the hard truth when it turned from blessing to cursing. Egypt, Babylon, Rome, England, etc. Is America next?

7. GOD PROMISED ABRAM "IN THEE SHALL ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED" [v. 3, Gal. 3:6-9]

III. THE FAITH OF ABRAM

His failures, like our failures are, not what made him who he was, and is, in the eyes of God. It is his faith in God that makes him stand out.

Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.