Abraham (Abram at this time) had obeyed God in everything and in every way. God had made great promises to him including the promise involving his family. However, Sarah (Sarai) was barren and had given him no children. God promised Abraham that he would have children. Abraham asked how this would be possible because Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah in disbelief told Abraham to go into her handmaid, Hagar, so she could raise up children to Sarah according to the customs of the time. Abraham did as Sarah had said and Hagar had a child she named Ishmael. God spoke with Abraham and told him Ishmael was not the promised child, but that Sarah would give him a son and that his descendants would be as numberless as the stars in the sky. Just as God had promised, Sarah gave birth to a male child they named Isaac.
In Romans 4:16-25 – “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17(as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” 19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”
In 2 Corinthians 5:7 we are told we are to “walk by faith, not by sight”. The Bible has been given to us as a guide to direct our walk with God. (Psalm 119:105) It has been given to us to help us in our fight against Satan and sin. (Psalm 119:11) We are told that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) This God encourages us to be diligent students of His word and allow it to direct our daily lives. (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
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