Podcast appearances and mentions of abraham father

The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman Spud Webb 5'7 In Junior high he went to try out and his coach told him to sit in the stands…. You are too short.  Cut from his Junior year of BB and had to talk his coach into keeping him. He scored 20 points his first game.  No Div. 1 college would even look at him. So he had to play at Midland College- lead them to a national JR league Championship, then got a scholarship to NC state.  Every NBA scout scoffed. They said maybe he could play overseas or if he was lucky he could play with the Harlem Globetrotters. Every NBA team passed on him multiple times… He fell to the fifth round and was drafted by the Detroit pistons… and cut before the season ever started.  He was “lucky” enough to be signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Hawks… At that time his star teammate Dominique Williams was the Slam dunk Champion… spud entered the contest and Dominique said he thought it was a joke and he would do layups… Spud won with numerous 360 slams, dunks off the backboard and Reverse slam dunks…. People laughed at him! He credits his belief in knowing God gave him that talent for a reason, and that dream for a purpose.    My question today is: How will you respond when people laugh at your dream?       Gen 18:1  And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2  He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3  and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.4  Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,5  while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”6  And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.7  And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.8  Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.9  They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”10  The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.12  So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”13  The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?'14  Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”15  But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”         Rather than just "inappropriate" or "disrespectful," biblical scholars and linguists often look at Sarah's reaction in Genesis 18:12 through a few distinct lenses:   1. Incredulous Incredulity captures a mix of disbelief, shock, and impossibility. Sarah was roughly 90 years old, well past childbearing age, and had dealt with a lifetime of infertility. Hearing a stranger tell Abraham she would have a baby by the following year sounded biologically absurd.   Abraham lives in a Spiritual and Theological worldview… Sarah lives in a physical biological world view…     2. Sarcastic (or Cynical) In Hebrew, Sarah's inner monologue reads as a self-deprecating scoff: "After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Describing her reaction as sarcastic or cynical highlights the defense mechanism of a woman who had likely given up hope decades prior and saw the statement as a cruel taunt or bad joke.   3. Human Her reaction was deeply human. It wasn't necessarily a malicious rebellion against God; it was an involuntary emotional slip—a defense mechanism triggered by years of grief, trauma, and disappointment over her barrenness.   The Nuance: Her laugh isn't scoffing insolence; it's a reflex against emotional re-traumatization. When a deep, long-buried desire is suddenly brought up by a stranger, cynicism acts as armor to protect the heart from being broken one more time. The Insight: Faith doesn't require instantaneous emotional compliance. God engages directly with her reaction rather than striking her down, recognizing the pain behind her defense.   4. Prophetic In the broader arc of Genesis, her laughter is viewed as prophetic or foreshadowing. The Hebrew root for laugh (tzachaq) is the exact root used for the name of the child God promises: Isaac (Yitzchak), which literally means "he laughs" or "laughter". What began as the laugh of doubt in Genesis 18 transforms into the laugh of joy and wonder when Isaac is born in Genesis 21: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me".   Key takeaway: While her response is often labeled as "disbelief," calling it incredulous or sarcastic better captures her emotional reality, while calling it prophetic reveals the literary wordplay embedded in the text.     MAYBE OUR REACTION SHOULD MATCH *TO SOME DEGREE …SARAHS… WHY? WHY WOULD GOD USE ABRAHAM A MAN OF MANY FAULTS?      Failure 1: Deception in Egypt Age ~75 (Gen 12:10–20) The Misstep: When a severe famine strikes Canaan, Abram migrates to Egypt without seeking divine direction. Fearing the Egyptians will kill him for his beautiful wife, he asks Sarai to lie and say she is his sister.   The Fallout: Pharaoh takes Sarai into his royal palace as a concubine while enriching Abram. God strikes Pharaoh's household with severe plagues. Upon discovering the truth, Pharaoh rebukes Abram for his deceit and expels his family from Egypt.       Separation from Lot & Rescue Age ~75–80 (Gen 13–14) As their livestock herds grow too large for the land to support both of them, quarreling breaks out between Abram's and Lot's herdsmen. Abram generously gives Lot first pick WITHOUT SEEKING GOD - Lot gets captured.      The Unconditional Covenant Age ~85 (Gen 15) Abram voices concern that he remains childless and his servant Eliezer will inherit his house. God reassures Abram that a biological son will be his heir and cuts a formal covenant with him, promising descendants as numerous as the stars.       Failure 2: Scheming with Hagar Age 85–86 (Gen 16) The Misstep: After living in Canaan for ten years without a child, Sarai proposes that Abram take her Egyptian servant, Hagar, as a surrogate mother. Abram agrees without seeking God's guidance, taking matters into his own hands to force the fulfillment of the promise.   The Fallout: Once Hagar becomes pregnant, domestic conflict erupts. Hagar despises Sarai, Sarai mistreats Hagar, and Abram washes his hands of the dispute. Hagar flees into the wilderness before an angel instructs her to return. She gives birth to Ishmael when Abram is 86.       The Covenant of Circumcision & Abraham's Internal Doubt Age 99 (Gen 17) The Moment of Disbelief: After 13 years of silence, God appears, renames Abram to Abraham ("Father of a Multitude") and Sarai to Sarah ("Princess"), and institutes circumcision as the covenant sign. When God explicitly states that Sarah herself will bear a son within a year, Abraham falls face down and laughs to himself, asking mentally: "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at ninety?" (Gen 17:17).     The Three Visitors at Mamre & Sarah's Laugh Age 99 (Gen 18:1–15) Three divine visitors visit Abraham under the oaks of Mamre. The Lord repeats the divine pledge: "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."   Overhearing this from inside the tent entrance, Sarah laughs to herself, thinking about her advanced age and physical state. When the Lord asks why she laughed and whether anything is too hard for God, Sarah denies it out of fear, but the Lord responds: "No, you did laugh."     MAYBE SARAH IS LAUGHING KNOWING WHO HER HUSBAND REALLY IS?       BECAUSE EVEN AFTER THIS VISITATION FROM GOD….   King Abimelech (Genesis 20:1–18) The Outcome: Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem. However, God appears to Abimelech in a dream, warning him that Sarah is married and that he will die if he touches her. Abimelech protests that he acted in good faith, returns Sarah untouched, gives Abraham restitution, and asks why Abraham did this.     Pattern in Abraham's Failures Across these 24 years, Abraham's missteps shared a common theme: self-preservation and impatience.     BUT LETS ASK OURSELVES A QUESTION: Regardless of how Sarah saw her husband Abraham - regardless of how we see him… How did God see him?      Names and Titles Given to Abraham   Abraham ("Father of a Multitude"): Originally named Abram ("Exalted Father"), God personally renamed him in Genesis 17:5 to reflect his ultimate destiny: "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations." "My Friend": God personally refers to Abraham as His friend in Isaiah 41:8 ("Abraham My friend"), a title affirmed throughout Scripture (2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23). Prophet: In Genesis 20:7, God speaks to King Abimelech regarding Abraham, stating, "Restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live." "My Servant": God repeatedly refers to Abraham with honor as His servant (Genesis 26:24, Psalm 105:6), marking him as a trusted agent of the Divine will. The Promises and Blessings Spoken Over Him Divine Shield and Great Reward: Infinite Descendants: Royal Lineage and Multiplied Nations: Universal Blessing for All Humanity: Divine Protection: An Everlasting Land Covenant:     SARAH MAY HAVE LAUGHED AT FIRST IN DISBELIEF - BUT   3. Sarah's later reversal is the untold "second half" of the story. But Genesis 21:6 gives Sarah's own commentary once Isaac is born: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." She takes the very word she used in doubt and reclaims it in worship. Isaac's name literally means "he laughs." This is a remarkable narrative arc — cynical laughter transformed into worshipful laughter —          FINAL THOUGHT: WHY DID GOD CHOOSE ABRAHAM?  IN SPITE OF ALL HIS FLAWS HE PRACTICED GODS HEART AND DESIGN FOR PRAYER.   What do I mean? Gen. 18 later in the chapter God tells Abraham I am going to destroy Sodom and Gomorra and Abraham does something very familiar according to Luke 11.       Luke 11 tells us how to pray - AFTER SHARING THE LORDS PRAYER JESUS SAYS SOMETHING AWKWARD ABOUT PRAYER - A parable.  A man goes to his friends house - he needs 3 loaves of bread… he will not give up asking.    If you ask seek knock - out of sheer perseverance I will answer!   Abraham here in Gen. 18 does just that for Sodom and Gomorra - showing Gods heart for the lost. 50 45 40 30 20 10!   I believe one of the greatest clues is given in these two stories in scripture about who God uses!   The one that will not give up asking God to fulfill his purpose!     WHAT IF WE UNDERSTOOD THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LIKE THIS: Yes he was a heap of missteps, failures, a massive example of weak humanity….    But in all his mistakes and failures he never quit asking God for that son!  FOR THAT ANSWERED PRAYER.      WILL YOU BE THE ONE WHO P.U.S.H.es into God. P - pray U - until S - something H - happens?

The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman   Gen 18:1  And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2  He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3  and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.4  Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,5  while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”6  And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.7  And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.8  Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.9  They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”10  The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.12  So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”13  The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?'14  Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”15  But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”         Rather than just "inappropriate" or "disrespectful," biblical scholars and linguists often look at Sarah's reaction in Genesis 18:12 through a few distinct lenses:   1. Incredulous Incredulity captures a mix of disbelief, shock, and impossibility. Sarah was roughly 90 years old, well past childbearing age, and had dealt with a lifetime of infertility. Hearing a stranger tell Abraham she would have a baby by the following year sounded biologically absurd.   Abraham lives in a Spiritual and Theological worldview… Sarah lives in a physical biological world view…     2. Sarcastic (or Cynical) In Hebrew, Sarah's inner monologue reads as a self-deprecating scoff: "After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Describing her reaction as sarcastic or cynical highlights the defense mechanism of a woman who had likely given up hope decades prior and saw the statement as a cruel taunt or bad joke.   3. Human Her reaction was deeply human. It wasn't necessarily a malicious rebellion against God; it was an involuntary emotional slip—a defense mechanism triggered by years of grief, trauma, and disappointment over her barrenness.   The Nuance: Her laugh isn't scoffing insolence; it's a reflex against emotional re-traumatization. When a deep, long-buried desire is suddenly brought up by a stranger, cynicism acts as armor to protect the heart from being broken one more time. The Insight: Faith doesn't require instantaneous emotional compliance. God engages directly with her reaction rather than striking her down, recognizing the pain behind her defense.   4. Prophetic In the broader arc of Genesis, her laughter is viewed as prophetic or foreshadowing. The Hebrew root for laugh (tzachaq) is the exact root used for the name of the child God promises: Isaac (Yitzchak), which literally means "he laughs" or "laughter". What began as the laugh of doubt in Genesis 18 transforms into the laugh of joy and wonder when Isaac is born in Genesis 21: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me".   Key takeaway: While her response is often labeled as "disbelief," calling it incredulous or sarcastic better captures her emotional reality, while calling it prophetic reveals the literary wordplay embedded in the text.     MAYBE OUR REACTION SHOULD MATCH *TO SOME DEGREE …SARAHS… WHY? WHY WOULD GOD USE ABRAHAM A MAN OF MANY FAULTS?      Failure 1: Deception in Egypt Age ~75 (Gen 12:10–20) The Misstep: When a severe famine strikes Canaan, Abram migrates to Egypt without seeking divine direction. Fearing the Egyptians will kill him for his beautiful wife, he asks Sarai to lie and say she is his sister.   The Fallout: Pharaoh takes Sarai into his royal palace as a concubine while enriching Abram. God strikes Pharaoh's household with severe plagues. Upon discovering the truth, Pharaoh rebukes Abram for his deceit and expels his family from Egypt.       Separation from Lot & Rescue Age ~75–80 (Gen 13–14) As their livestock herds grow too large for the land to support both of them, quarreling breaks out between Abram's and Lot's herdsmen. Abram generously gives Lot first pick WITHOUT SEEKING GOD - Lot gets captured.      The Unconditional Covenant Age ~85 (Gen 15) Abram voices concern that he remains childless and his servant Eliezer will inherit his house. God reassures Abram that a biological son will be his heir and cuts a formal covenant with him, promising descendants as numerous as the stars.       Failure 2: Scheming with Hagar Age 85–86 (Gen 16) The Misstep: After living in Canaan for ten years without a child, Sarai proposes that Abram take her Egyptian servant, Hagar, as a surrogate mother. Abram agrees without seeking God's guidance, taking matters into his own hands to force the fulfillment of the promise.   The Fallout: Once Hagar becomes pregnant, domestic conflict erupts. Hagar despises Sarai, Sarai mistreats Hagar, and Abram washes his hands of the dispute. Hagar flees into the wilderness before an angel instructs her to return. She gives birth to Ishmael when Abram is 86.       The Covenant of Circumcision & Abraham's Internal Doubt Age 99 (Gen 17) The Moment of Disbelief: After 13 years of silence, God appears, renames Abram to Abraham ("Father of a Multitude") and Sarai to Sarah ("Princess"), and institutes circumcision as the covenant sign. When God explicitly states that Sarah herself will bear a son within a year, Abraham falls face down and laughs to himself, asking mentally: "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at ninety?" (Gen 17:17).     The Three Visitors at Mamre & Sarah's Laugh Age 99 (Gen 18:1–15) Three divine visitors visit Abraham under the oaks of Mamre. The Lord repeats the divine pledge: "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."   Overhearing this from inside the tent entrance, Sarah laughs to herself, thinking about her advanced age and physical state. When the Lord asks why she laughed and whether anything is too hard for God, Sarah denies it out of fear, but the Lord responds: "No, you did laugh."     MAYBE SARAH IS LAUGHING KNOWING WHO HER HUSBAND REALLY IS?       BECAUSE EVEN AFTER THIS VISITATION FROM GOD….   King Abimelech (Genesis 20:1–18) The Outcome: Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem. However, God appears to Abimelech in a dream, warning him that Sarah is married and that he will die if he touches her. Abimelech protests that he acted in good faith, returns Sarah untouched, gives Abraham restitution, and asks why Abraham did this.     Pattern in Abraham's Failures Across these 24 years, Abraham's missteps shared a common theme: self-preservation and impatience.     BUT LETS ASK OURSELVES A QUESTION: Regardless of how Sarah saw her husband Abraham - regardless of how we see him… How did God see him? 

Privilege of Being in God’s House Gratitude for the freedom and presence of the Spirit of God. Many people would love to be in a place where the spirit of God is free. It is a privilege to be in God’s house. Romans Chapter 4 Reading of Romans 4:17-25 and verse 16. Focus on faith and grace. It is of faith that it might be by grace. The promise might be sure to all the seed. Not to that only which is of the law, but also which is of the faith of Abraham. Abraham: Father of Many Nations Abraham as the father of many nations, not just Israel. God told Abraham, “I’m going to make you a father of many nations.” All are children of Abraham through faith, not the law. Abraham pleased God through belief, not law-keeping. The law had yet to be given. Abraham came because he believed God. Abraham’s Faith God’s promise to Abraham to make him a father of many nations. Sarah was barren. Abraham didn’t have any children. Abraham believed God despite his age (100 years old) and Sarah’s age (90 years old). Abraham believed God. It was imputed to him for righteousness. Righteousness imputed to Abraham because of belief, not personal righteousness or worthiness. Not because Abraham was righteous. Not because Abraham deserved righteousness. Not because he was worthy of righteousness. But because he believed God. Importance of Faith Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God puts such a value on faith. When any soul will simply believe God in spite of all the circumstances, in spite of all the situations. God imputes righteousness to those who believe. Righteousness of Christ imputed at the moment of faith. We believed. Hope in a Hopeless World Hope is very important. The world has lost hope, even the lost. Wickedness abounds and it’s getting worse. Political changes have not brought righteousness. A lot of people thought when Trump got in office that somehow this country would turn around and get righteous. We’re no closer to God than we were two years ago. Evidence of lack of revival: no abandonment of sin, no church filling. If things were really getting right, brother, we’d see it in the church. It ain’t here. It’s growing more wicked every day. Encouragement to keep hope. Don’t let anything steal your hope. Advice to avoid negative influences: turn off TV and radio, open the Bible. Turn your TV off. Turn your radio off. And open up your Bible. Stop the influences of the devil. Hope as a Necessity Hope is absolutely necessary for the people of God. Despair and worry heard in voices of men at a gathering. There were some of them that were sharing before church, and some of them shared even after we had started. I could hear the despair in their voice. I could hear the worry and the concern. Concern is valid, but must be balanced with hope in God. Without a vision, you’ll perish. We cannot as the people of God in good faith talk about it without still having hope in God. Faith and hope are linked; faith precedes hope. If you’ve got faith hope’s right behind you. The more faith you have, the greater hope you’ll have as well. 1 Corinthians 13: faith, hope, and charity (love). Love is the greatest, but in good company with faith and hope. Now abideth these three. Faith, hope, and charity. But the greatest of these is charity. Need for hope in the church. We need to have hope in our heart tonight. We need to have a hope down in our soul. With God, anything can happen. When God’s involved, anything can happen. Believe God and let hope save each day. What we need to do is believe God and then let hope save us each and every day. Hope as Verb and Noun Hope is both an action (verb) and a thing (noun). Hope is both a verb and a noun. It is both an action and a thing. Like faith and love, hope is a real thing. Faith is an action, but faith is also a thing. Love is an action, but it is also a noun. It is a thing. Appreciation for people with hope who haven’t given up on God. I love to meet people that have got hope. I like to meet people that ain’t give up on God. They’ve not laid down on God. They’ve not quit believing in God. Hope leads to expecting God to move in unexpected ways. God’s going to do something that they ain’t expecting, that God’s going to move in a way they’ve never seen, that God’s going to come in and help them in a way that they can’t even understand or foresee. Hope should follow faith. If you’ve got faith, you ought to have some hope with you. Hope ought to follow your faith. Many Christians seem to lack hope. I see a lot of people that ain’t got much hope. I talk to Christian people, good Christian people. And when you talk to them, it seems like they don’t give up. They just throw it in the towel. Losing belief in God leads to hopelessness. When they quit believing in God, they quit believing God can do something. Focus on the present and the work to be done. I’m still breathing. I’ve still got a day ahead of me if God wakes me up and the sun shines again. We’ve got work to do. Need for hope to avoid emotional and spiritual backsliding. You’ll get so far down the ditch that you’ll end up backslidden emotionally and spiritually. You’ll get to the place where you sell out on faith and you sit down on God and suddenly, amen, everything that is wrong begins to come your way. Reaping hard things from sowing bad things. You’ll begin to reap hard things because you’ve sown bad things. Even without understanding God’s plan, hope is essential. Even though we cannot see what God is doing, we do not know what moment in time, what dispensation we’re in. What I can tell you is that we still need hope today. Abraham believed against hope. Abraham, who against hope, believed in hope. Hope is part of faith. Hope’s part of our faith. These three abideth, faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is hope. Believing Against Hope Abraham believed against hope (Romans 4:18). Every earthly argument or sense was not supporting what God was telling Abraham. Everything that God told Abraham, the worldly argument, the worldly sense, the worldly rationality, The worldly experience would tell Abraham that’s not going to happen. Worldly rationality says it’s impossible, but God can do anything. It cannot be. It is impossible. There’s no need to believe in that because that is not reality. It is not something that can occur. Believing God despite circumstances allows hope to flourish. When everything says it cannot be. It still can be. Believing in God Believing in hope means believing in God (verse 17). Before him whom he believed even God. Believing in God overrides worldly rationale and human experience. If you’re believing in God today, all bets are off as far as the world’s rationale. All bets are off is on human experience. God can change situations even when doctors say nothing can be done. You may have been to a thousand doctors and every one of them tell you, Nope, there is nothing that can be done. But brother, when you put it in God’s hands, it can change. Question of who to believe: doctors, lawyers, personal experience, or God. Do you believe the doctors? Do you believe the lawyer? Do you believe that person? Do you believe your experience, your own rationale, your own common sense? God can do anything, including wondrous miracles. All of those things are nothing to my God. Because God can do anything. God acts when humans cannot. God did it because you couldn’t do it. God did it because nobody else could do it. God did it to show you He could do it. Believing in God despite terrible circumstances. There are circumstances in my life that are terrible, and I have no idea how this is going to turn out. Anything is possible with prayer and belief. If you’ll keep praying and you’ll keep believing, friend, anything is possible. God’s timing differs from human timing; patience is needed. God’s timing ain’t your timing. So just be patient. Human solutions to God problems don’t work. His wife said, I’ve come up with a human solution to a God problem. What you need is not a human solution, but you need the God solution. Trusting God with all your heart leads to directed steps. If I trust in Him with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding but in all my ways acknowledge Him that He will direct my steps. God fixes what humans cannot. You’re liable to find out He fixes what can’t be fixed by humans. God’s Abilities Believing in God who is able to do all things. Abraham believed in any help because he was believing, number one, in God who is able to do all things. Believing in God who can quicken the dead. He was believing that God was able to quicken the dead. This God had power to raise someone up from the dead. Believing in God who calls things that are not as though they were. When God talks about something that has not happened, he’s speaking to it as if it will happen because he will make it happen. God will speak it as if it has already happened. Need for More Faith Need for more faith. I need more faith. I need to believe God for more than what I’m believing. Trusting God for things that are impossible for humans. When you trust God and believe Him for things that you can’t fix, you can’t do. Daily choice to believe God or the world. Every day when you get up, you’re going to have to make a choice. Am I going to believe God today or am I going to believe the world? Believing God leads to the birth of hope. If you believe God, friend, hope is born again right in your soul. Abraham’s Strength in Faith Abraham was not weak in faith. Abraham was strong in the faith. Abraham believed God when asked to sacrifice Isaac. Take your only son Isaac up there and offer him up as a sacrifice unto me. Abraham believed God would provide a sacrifice. God will provide himself a lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham believed God could raise Isaac from the dead. He believed in his heart that if God allowed him to take that boy, that he’d raise him from the dead. Overcoming Weakness in Faith Problem of weakness in faith. I think that’s part of our problem today. Faith can move mountains (Matthew 21:21). If we had faith we’d say to the mountain be you moved and cast into the sea and it would be. Abraham’s example of not considering his own body as dead. Being not weak in the faith, he considered not his own body, now need. Not letting the mind dictate faith. Abraham did not let his mind dictate what God was saying, whether it be possible or impossible. Not staggering at the promise of God through unbelief. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in the faith, giving glory to God. Being fully persuaded that God could perform what He promised. Being fully persuaded what he had promised, he was also able to perform. Value of Hope Faith, hope, and charity (love) are all important. These three things abide. Faith, hope, and charity. The greatest of these is charity. Need for hope. You need a lot of hope, by the way. Wake up with enough faith to produce hope for the day. You need to wake up in the morning with enough faith to produce more hope so that you have hope to do you all day long. Losing hope leads to stopping. The minute you run out of hope, the minute you sit down. The minute you quit working for God, the minute we quit living for God and serving God and reading and studying and seeking God, when you lose hope, you just stop. Hope is essential for survival, like for prisoners of war. The main thing that those prisoners of war in Vietnam needed, the main thing they needed was hope that they’d get out. Hope can lift one out of pits, depression, and hurt. It’ll lift you up out of that pit that you’re in, that depression that you’re in, that hurt that you’re feeling. Hope is powerful and can save. Hope will save you. It’s that powerful. Hope from the Scriptures Hope comes from the Scriptures (Romans 15:4). Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Increased faith leads to bold hope. As your faith is increased, brother, hope becomes bold within yourself. Need for hope at all times, not just in church. You don’t need it on Wednesday and Sunday. You need hope on Thursday morning. You need some good hope on Friday morning. The world should see hope in Christians. Reckon why they’d ever ask you about Christ if when they see or hear you, all they see is somebody that has no hope. The lost are the most hopeless. If there’s anybody hopeless, It’s the lost. Without hope in Christ, life is miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19). If I had hope in this life only in Christ, I’d be of all men most miserable. God of Hope The Word of God gives hope and sustains belief. The Word of God was meant to give us hope because it gives us faith. Hope keeps serving and fighting and helping and it’ll sustain you. God is the God of hope (Romans 15:13). Now the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace and believing. Prayer for God to fill with joy, peace, and belief. I pray that He fill you with all joy and peace and believing. Abounding in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. That ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Supercharged Hope The Holy Ghost supercharges hope. The Holy Ghost then gets into hope. It gets supercharged at that point. Hope begins to do unexpected things. Suddenly hope begins to do things you didn’t know hope could do. The power of the Holy Ghost brings action. When you get the power of the Holy Ghost into something, you better get out of its way. Because it’s fixing to do something. Hopelessness leads to despair. So many people have got their head down, which infers to me they’ve lost hope, which means they’re not believing God. Christians should never be hopeless. You’re never hopeless. Simple faith in Christ produces supercharged hope. That simple faith in Christ produces a supercharged hope that has power to lift you up out of depression, lift you up out of the pit, lift you up out of that hard place. God can do what no one else can do. God can do what no one else can do. Hope as an Anchor Hebrews 6:18-19: hope as a strong consolation. By two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. Lay hold upon the hope set before us. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Hope is both an action and a thing. Hope is both a verb and a noun. Hope is an action and a thing. Hope is the answer and a supercharged power. Out there in front of you is hope. Out there in front of you is the answer, the hope that you need. You’ll experience hope as a thing. A supercharged. Holy Spirit-filled thing. A power unlike anything else on the earth. Hope changes perspective. Give somebody real hope. Their perspective changes on every circumstance. Loss of hope leads to despair and suicide. If you take their hope away, you know what they do these days? They try to kill themselves. Need to exercise faith to increase hope. You better keep working on hope. Hope will rescue and save. Hope’s going to rescue you. Hope’s going to save you. Hope as an anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19). Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Hope leads to Christ’s presence. Hope will lead you into His presence. Need to be at the feet of the One who can do all things. The one thing you need, more than anything else, is to be at the feet of the One who can do all things. Hope takes one to Christ. Your hope took you there. Hopelessness leads to quitting. You take a person that’s hopeless and you know what they want to do? They want to quit. Hope leads to seeking Jesus. Somebody that’s filled with hope is going to find themselves at the feet of Jesus one more time. Hope is supercharged by the Holy Ghost. Hope is supercharged of the Holy Ghost. Hope is brought by the Scriptures. It is brought to us by the Scriptures. Hope is a refuge and a sure anchor. God has said it before us that we might lay hold upon it as a refuge. It is a sure and steadfast anchor of our… Hope leads into the presence of Christ. It takes me into the presence of Christ. Creation’s Groaning and Hope’s Saving Power All creation groans (Romans 8:22). We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Everyone experiences problems. Every one of you have got problems. Choice to believe God and have hope or go farther down. They can either believe God. In that moment, they can either believe God and watch hope be born and supercharged powerfully enter into their life and lift them out of that circumstance or they will go farther down. Saved by hope (Romans 8:24). For we are saved by hope. Hope saves like a life preserver. Like a life preserver, when I’m going under it, Hope saves me. Hope lifts one up when feeling overwhelmed. When it feels like you’re just so far down that you ain’t going to come up again, and suddenly you feel like something grabbed a hold of you and just hit you right back down. That was hope. Hope replaces negative emotions with positive ones. A smile replaced the frame. And confidence the worry. And boldness the fear. Hope is always available in Christ. In Christ, there is always hope. Hope rescues and lifts up. Hope, it didn’t rescue you. It didn’t lift you up out of that where you said it didn’t pull you right back up to hope it saved you. Waiting with Patience Hope is born of faith. Hope is born of faith. When there is no faith, there is no hope. More faith leads to more hope. The more faith you have, the more hope is born. Hope lifts above the world’s troubles. Hope will save you. Hope will lift you above the waves of this world and the wretchedness we live in and the groaning and the pain. Hope is for things not seen (Romans 8:24-25). Hope that is seen is not hope. If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Patience is needed while waiting for God’s promise. If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Hope sustains while waiting. That hope will be what sustains you as you wait for it. Hope is an anchor of the soul. Hope will hold you. As an anchor of the soul. Hope leads closer to God. That hope is taking you right into him. Hope leads into the holiest of holies. It’s walking you closer and closer to him. Until it goes right inside, within the veil, behind the curtain, to the holies of holies. God does what no one else can do. God did something that nobody else could do. Patience allows hope to work until God fulfills His promise. With patience while hope did its work in sustaining and saving day after day moment after moment until finally God does what God said he’d do. Once the promise is seen, there is no more need for hope. Once you see it, you no longer have to hope for it no more. Faith, hope, and charity (love) are essential. Faith, hope, and charity. These three. Gratitude for hope. Thank God for Hope. Believing and carrying on despite uncertainty. You just keep carrying on. And you keep believing. Hope it keeps up. God’s plan is good. What a good plan He came up with, honey. Use faith, hope, and love. You’ve got them. Use them. Invitation to be filled with hope. I’d like to see you leave here filled with hope. Filled with hope. Let God save and help. Let him save you tonight. Let him help you.

A lesson on the way that Abraham's story both proves and illustrates the doctrine of justification by faith alone, apart from works. The sermon, drawn from Galatians 3:6–9, powerfully affirms that salvation has always been by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, as exemplified in Abraham's life, whose faith was credited to him as righteousness long before the law or circumcision existed. Paul uses Abraham's story to dismantle the heresy of justification by faith plus works, showing that true spiritual descendants of Abraham are not defined by ethnic lineage or obedience to the law, but by faith in God's promise—faith that looks forward to Christ and rests in His finished work. The passage reveals that the gospel was preached to Abraham centuries before Christ, and that all who believe in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are blessed with Abraham through the same faith that credited him with righteousness. The sermon underscores that faith does not earn righteousness but receives it as a gift imputed by God, and that any addition of human effort or merit nullifies grace and undermines the sufficiency of Christ's work. Ultimately, it calls believers to rest entirely in Christ's perfect righteousness, recognizing that our standing before God is not based on our performance, but on His grace, and that this eternal truth remains the foundation of the church's identity and mission.

Carla Chud - November 23, 2025

Abraham's great faith in his God. He is the father of our faith and we are to walk in the steps of Abraham and emulate him in our Christian lives.

To support the ministry of Celebration Church please click here: https://subsplash.com/celebrationchurchtn/giveSubscribe to receive our latest content: https://tr.ee/2b6XuDKlaS...FOLLOW US►► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwmccollum/►► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rwmccollum/►► Twitter: https://twitter.com/rwmccollum#celebrationchurchnashville #online #jesus #celebrationchurch #church #onlinechurch #sermon #nashville....And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe...Romans 4:11Our study of the Book of Genesis now brings us to chapter 12, where we meet the man who would become the patriarch of 3 of the world's major religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. His name was ‘Abram', which means ‘father'; later, God renamed him ‘Abraham', which means ‘father of many nations'. But the New Testament calls him ‘the father of all those who believe'. Do we really understand what that means for you and me today?We hope you can be with us this weekend for a fresh look at one of history's most consequential men: “Abraham: The Father of All Who Believe”

In this sermon on Romans 4: 9-17, we think about how Abraham had faith before he was circumcised and how therefore he is the father of all who have faith. This meant that for Jewish background believers and for Gentile background believers that what was important was faith in Jesus Christ. And only that faith could save them. We then go on to think about how no matter who we are, that we too can be saved by faith - and that we shouldn't be surprised to see the unlikely saved by faith too. First preached: 10th August 2025. Speaker: James McNay.

WOW!!!

This Sunday's message, "Abraham: Father of Mess" by Josh, was recorded on Sunday, 13th July 2025.This is the second message in our new series, "Messy People of Genesis".This week's Communion talk by Karen has also been included in this podcast.For more information, reach us at www.westcitychurch.com.au© Westcity Church 2025

Peculiar story of Abraham; Ur to Haran; Hebrew language - written to be read; Latin; Covetousness = idolatry; Family lineage; Name changes; Graft and corruption; Moneychangers; Sacrifice; "Leaven"; Cain and Abel; Altar purposes; Atheists?; Terah the organizer; Alexander the great; Genghis Kahn; Patterns of government; God's way; Gen 17:1; aleph-nun-yod; "walk" = hey+tav+hey-lamad-kof; Jacob walking in the spirit/faith; Covenant with God; Living by faith; Following false Christs; Welfare snares; Minutemen for each other; Choosing your way; "Perfect" offerings; Deut 18:13; Caring for neighbor; Deut 25:15; Dreams; Lk 6:4 Perfect as his master; Laying down your life; Learning to be Israel; Covenant = beit-resh-yod-tav+yod; Spirit and Truth; Daily ministration; Gen 17:4 Explaining to Abram; +hey+mem = Abraham (Father of many nations); "Kings"; Gen 17:7 Establishing the covenant; "Canaan" those following Nimrod; "Samad" destroyer?; "Give" nun-tav-nun - continuous; Repentance; "Seed" vav-lamad-zayin-resh yod kof; aleph-tav = relationship between God and man in faith; Possessing the land; Circumcision; Lev 10:16; of the heart; Knowing what to believe; Moving in Spirit; Divine spark; "token" of the covenant; Sarai to Sarah; Barak - biet-resh-kof = Blessing; Getting back to the light; Sarah model; Understanding bible meaning; "Thummim"; Tav-mem(+yod)-mem faith; Completeness; Abraham's laugh; Knowing by fruits; Physical token; Abraham's new societal structure; Ex 28:30; Double faith; "Urim" light and fire; Awakening; Gathering in tens, hundreds and thousands; What is your corruption?; "Perfect"; Bondage of Egypt; Discovering the solution; Being fruitful; Draw near to God.

By Bart Bornhorst - Think about any man or woman in the Bible, that you consider to be a dedicated follower of God. Maybe you're thinking of David (A Man After God's Heart), or Abraham (Father of the Faithful), or maybe Naomi (Mother In-Law of Ruth). I could go on, but my point is that these faithful men and women of

Genesis 17:1-27 1. El-Shaddai – “Almighty God” (17:1) 2. Abraham – “Father of a Multitude” (17:2-14) 3. Sarah – “Princess” (17:15-18) 4. Isaac – “Laughter” (17:19-22) 5. Abraham's Secret – Immediate Obedience (17:23-27)

Discover the journey of George Abraham on Cyrus Says , a global changemaker who turned blindness into a catalyst for empowerment and inclusion. Blind since , George revolutionized opportunities for the visually impaired by introducing cricket for the blind in India and founding the World Blind Cricket Council, organizing the historic inaugural Blind Cricket World Cup. As the founder of Project Eyeway, George leads the charge in reshaping societal perceptions of blindness through advocacy, knowledge-sharing, and inclusion. His groundbreaking TV series Nazar Ya Nazariya and the podcast Eyeway Conversations amplify untold stories of visually impaired individuals thriving against all odds. His previous experience was in Advertising at Ogilvy & Mather. He studied at studied Mathematics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi UniversitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thank you for worshipping with us.

A new MP3 sermon from Calvary Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Grieving Wisely Subtitle: Abraham - Father of Faith Speaker: Phillip Yowell Broadcaster: Calvary Baptist Church Event: Sunday - PM Date: 8/25/2024 Bible: Genesis 23 Length: 32 min.

God loves faith, He promises to move mountains when He sees even a “Mustard seed” of faith in a person. The Bible tells the story of God doing everything He can to move us to a place of faith and trust. There is a whole chapter in Hebrews 11 that highlights the great exploits of faith taken by the main characters in the Bible. And yet, when we look at the lives of men like Abraham (“Father or faith”) Moses, Elijah, Sarah, David… we also see moments of great doubt, indecision and unbelief. In fact, there is not a person of faith that does not know what it means to doubt. To question the existence of God, His power, or His goodness.Moments of doubt can be threatening and disillusioning, and sadly man christians for reasons of fear and pride, will not acknowledge the possibility, or worse treat the questioner with derision. But that is never how God deals with honest doubters. He remembers our frames, and that we are but dust. He meets us in mercy, challenging our doubts, and moving us to faith. This week we took a look at the most famous doubter in history, Thomas, and see how Jesus dealt with his doubts and how he deals with ours. Join us for service online or in person every Sunday at 8am, 9:30am, 11am, & 12:30pm (PST).If you want to share how God is moving in your life through this ministry, please let us know at info@captivatesd.com!Decided To Follow Jesus? Sign up to receive a copy of our “I Have Decided” booklets - https://bit.ly/3RFzfCBGet plugged in!Next Steps - captivatesd.com/nextstepsVisit - captivatesd.com/visitCommunities - captivatesd.com/communitiesIf you would like to support Captivate financially you can give online through our website by clicking here captivatesd.com/giveNeed prayer? Please let us know! - https://bit.ly/3PANKVnFor more information about Captivate Church, visit captivatesd.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - Instagram.com/captivatechurchsdFacebook - facebook.com/captivatesdWatch More Messages: youtube.com/@CaptivateChurch/videos

Abraham | #MenOfTheWord Week 5 Connect with us, Send Prayer Requests and Stay Up To Date on our FREE ChurchApp: thevine.tv/app [Sermon Notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/40960/note-208129.html ] [Video: https://youtu.be/Iguzoi0Aiqg ] DMCA used with permission via Multitracks Streaming License and Church Creative Commons Streaming License info: thevine.tv/license Used with Permission through our Church CCLI Copyright License Number 11348202 and Streaming Plus & Podcast License Number 20956771 and Multitracks.com Streaming License 2100 Church CCLI Copyright Song Numbers: 7167669 Full Worship Experience: https://youtu.be/RvKa78VdYDE Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thevine.tv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thevinetvSC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thevine.tv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thevinetv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/thevinetv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #jesus #jesuschrist #bible #bibleteaching #godlovesyou #godsfamily #allhaveaplace #church #churchonlineservice #churchonline #churchfamily #churchlive #praiseandworship #lovegodloveothers #thebestisstillyettocome #lifechanging #christiancommunity #thevinetv #joinspartanburg #vinefam #menoftheword #abraham #fathersday

A new MP3 sermon from Calvary Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Reassurance of Abram’s Faith Subtitle: Abraham - Father of Faith Speaker: Dr. Greg McLaughlin Broadcaster: Calvary Baptist Church Event: Sunday - PM Date: 3/24/2024 Bible: Genesis 15:1-6 Length: 39 min.

Evening Service | Pastor Travis Greene

Gene Wright

Abraham series. Sermon by Ian Mulreaney. Genesis 25:1-11.

David Johnson looks at how the apostle Paul used the example of Abraham, “the father of us all,” to remind the Jews and gentiles of the early Church that we are all equally God's children. There is no room for artificial distinctions among God's people.This episode is a companion to the following Daily Bible Verse post: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/father-of-the-faithful/Verse by Verse releases every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Be sure to subscribe in your player of choice to hear each new episode as soon as it's released!

Faith in God does not reach just to the probable or possible. We do that when exercising trust in one another: but with God, our faith reaches to the impossible. Today Dr. John teaches on the impossible wonder God performed for Abraham. Abraham believed that God would do what He promised. So when we trust God for more than the possible in our lives, we exercise faith like Abraham.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Very early in church history, believers had to recognize what the mark of Christianity was. As the gospel spread beyond the country and culture of israel, the church debated what the identification of God's promise was. Dr. John teaches that the mark of the gospel was faith. Faith was and is the sign of God's covenant.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

It is one thing to change your own name out of preference. It is another thing to have someone else change our name. Now the change has meaning. God changed Abram's name to Abraham. Dr. John teaches us today that the new name was a reference point for Abraham. It would always remind him of God's promise. Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Bestowing a name upon an infant is an act of promise. It becomes their identity we trust they will grow in to. We want "Faith" to become faithful or "Hunter" to explore the fullness of life. Dr. John teaches today on the Names of God revealed to Abraham. The names are promises, not of what God will become, but of who God is.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

We rarely have trouble with God's grace. In fact, it is our hope and prayer. God's grace only becomes a problem when it extends to people we think don't deserve it. Today Dr. John teaches on the favour of God towards Hagar and Ishmael. We expect the blessing of God upon Sarah and Isaac, but God's favour flows beyond our expectations. Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

All human actions have consequences. We assume that we can predict and control what those will be. But any action outside of the will of God produces effects beyond our control and our wishes. Sin reaps judgement and death.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

We are to abandon any confidence in our presumed abilities. Each day we renew our commitment to trust in the promise and power of God. In the tension between Ishmael and Isaac, between what we can do and what God promises - trust the Words of God. Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Coming to God is an exchange of what we could never do, for what He has done. He did it all and we are invited to believe. And so we learn to surrender to Christ by faith, trusting in His power and His power alone.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

The most high God gives to Abram an image he will never forget. It is an emblem of assurance on which to found his faith. God signs a contract that He will keep His word.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Can God be trusted? If you are a Christian, you feel obligated to answer "Yes." But don't ask the question intellectually. Examine the practical, experiential faith of the heart in your daily routine. Are you trusting God moment by moment? He is worthy of our faith. Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

It's been suggested that we learn who we truly are by losing. But winning will also reveal our default nature. Dr. John teaches today about Abraham's response after a victorius battle. He honours Melchizadek but refuses to honour the King of Sodom. Listen and understand the difference.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Doing what is right is especially challenging when we think we might benefit by doing what is wrong. Today Dr. John teaches that when Lot was captured in battle, it wouldn't be the worst thing for Abraham's flocks and pastures. Pressed between what is right or what is beneficial, what would Abraham do?  Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

We are built so that our forward motion follows our eyes. A motorcylist knows that if they turn their heads, the bike will eventually follow. Today, Dr. John reminds us that if we are to make forward motion in our pilgrimage, we need to lift our eyes higher - not simply to see the bigger picture, but to see God.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Self defence is more than a physical response. We also defend our reputations, time, possessions and perceived rights. If any of these are infringed upon, we fight for our rights. Dr. John holds Abraham before us as a peacemaker. Abraham trusted in God's protection and provision. What about you? Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Throughout our spiritual journey, we often weave around obstacles of our own making. Abraham is on a pilgrimage to the land of promise - but he gets sidetracked in Egypt. Today Dr. John teaches that our lack of faith in God's promises leads to problems we try to fix on our own. We don't need man-made solutions to man-made problems. We need the grace of God. Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Abraham was a pilgrim looking for a city whose founder and maker is God. So we, like our father in the faith, are sojourners on this earth. We can trust the leading of God to take us all the way home to dwell with our Lord foreverAbraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

It's been quoted that, "no man is a fool who gives up what he cannot hold, to gain what he cannot lose." In the promises that come to us in Christ, we have lost nothing and gained everything.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Abraham is a story of belief in God - but it is a sacrificial faith. The gospel is free, but invites us to consider the cost. So like Abraham, let us count on God and His promises as more precious than any thing of this world.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Genesis is more than the beginning of time and space. It holds the beginning of faith's story, as exemplified by Abraham. The story of Abraham is at the front of the Scriptures and sets the stage for the entire Bible.Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Abraham is spoken of as the "father of faith." He does not generate faith but is a template for all of us. Therefore, one can never fully understand Abraham without seeing him not only encountering the gospel, but encountering Jesus Himself. Abraham: Father of All Who Believe: The faith of Abraham is the basis for our faith today. To study Abraham is to study the life of faith. James refers to Abraham as “God's friend”, a title used of no one else in Scripture. In this four – week series, Dr. Neufeld unpacks the significance of Abraham's life of faith and its importance in laying a foundation for God's people to follow.

Message from Steve Holt on 02/05/2023

Genesis 37-50 tells the great story of Joseph (yep, the one with the multicolored coat!) This story is so rich with twists and turns, theological depth, and practical life takeaways that I wanted to tell it to you today and invite you to go deeper the first chance you get. Check it out! LINKS/RESOURCES: - Link to the beginning of this story in Genesis 37: https://my.bible.com/bible/2017/GEN.37.RSV-CI - Very interesting comparison chart between the Joseph in Genesis and Jesus put together by “Jews for Jesus” and available in PDF form here: https://staging.jewsforjesus.org/files/pdf/other/a-comparison-between-joseph-and-jesus.pdf - Steve Ray's outstanding documentary Abraham: Father of Faith and Works from his Footprints of God series - https://www.steveraysstore.com/AbrahamMovie ================== To find more faith-enriching content than you'll know what to do with and to contact Mike Creavey, be sure to visit https://thegraciousguest.org

Questions Covered: 15:33 – I've heard people say that Abraham knew that he wouldn't have to actually sacrifice his son because he said, “wait here, we'll be back”. What do you think about this? 29:23 – What happened with Abraham's other son? 41:20 – Did Abraham know God to be a trinity, or did he know God to just be one person, the Father? 45:48 – Follow up on the conversion earlier – Do you typically call the elder generation “brethren”? 50:54 – Did Abraham have/receive the Holy Spirit? …