Title: Receive by Faith
Contents
Bible Text: Genesis 15:1-7
receive by faith
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). If you think about that word, you must first receive in order to become a giver. It is impossible to give without receiving. Giving is an ability, receiving is also an ability. Yet, people only know that giving is power. In order to have the ability to give, you must first have the ability to receive. We must be receivers before we become givers. If we look at Abraham, the father of faith, he is a man with the ability to receive. Those who do not have the ability to receive do not have the ability to give.
Look at verse 2, "Abraham said, "Lord GOD, what will you give me?" Abraham believed that God was a giver and a giver of anything. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you, and the door will be opened to him who knocks.” I hope that you will receive the ability to receive through faith.
be counted righteous by faith
“Abraham believed the LORD, and the LORD counted it to be his righteousness” (verse 6). When Abram believed God, he counted his faith as “his righteousness.” In other words, not because Abram was righteous, but because Abram believed God, and when he saw his faith, he counted him righteous. The word "here" means "acknowledge". In fact, it means that it is not, but that it is considered as such.
Romans explains it this way: “...He himself is righteous by overlooking the previous sins, and that he may justify those who believe in Jesus. Where, then, is there room for boasting? It cannot be. By what law, not by works, but by faith” (Romans). 3:25-27)
Overlooking (看過) refers to overlooking something without paying close attention to it. When we believe in God, God overlooks our sins. You overlook it because of faith.
There is no one who does not get dust by shaking it, but those who believe do not shave. “Now, apart from the law, a righteousness has been revealed, as evidenced by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, without distinction” (Romans 3:21-22).
“What does the scriptures say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). There is nothing to brag about because it is not righteous. Don't be shy. Be careful of gas fire, close zippers, be careful of words, and boil ramen. Just as God considers me to be righteous even though I am not righteous, so faith also counts me as righteous.
It is not humility, but a lack of faith that keeps me from feeling guilty because I don't deserve it. He does not count himself righteous because he has no faith. It is up to me to decide whether I consider it righteous or not. It is enough to think of yourself as worthy of being justified. Only those who have faith to be saved are saved. “Your faith has saved you,” Jesus declared. It is faith that changes my perception of me. God's grace changes my perception.
The human mind has a self-protection instinct that seeks to find fault with itself. Animals with low intelligence do not know how to do that. Only highly intelligent humans can break their limits in this way. From now on, I hope that God will consider me righteous. Please declare that by the power of my faith, I recognize myself as worthy of being! It is God who justifies; who can condemn? May you be justified by faith.
Receive an heir by faith
An heir is a son who passes on from generation to generation. Also refers to the heirs. The heir of God is Jesus Christ. “...and he appointed the Son to be heir of all things, and through him he made all the worlds” (Hebrews 1:2). In the Bible, heirs of God refer to children of God who are led by the Spirit of God. Children of God receive the spirit of adoption and live by calling God Father. The Holy Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, “...for we must suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8: 14-17)
Abraham speaks to God. “…I am childless, and my heir is this Eliezer of Damascus” (verse 2). "Look up to heaven, and count the stars, if you can count them." And he said to him, "So shall your descendants be" (verses 4-5).
God gave Abram a vision of a blessed family. The heir God gave to Abram was Isaac. Isaac means “laughter”. I hope that you will receive the descendants of faith that bring in God's blessings by faith.
Not having the attitude to receive comes from not believing, and the attitude to receive comes from believing. Abram's faith is the faith to receive, the power to receive.
“The one who has will receive it and have an abundance, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matt 25:29). Those who have faith receive it. You must have a prayer and a vision to receive it.
When it rains, the rainwater has to go somewhere, but the water flows to a lower place. Water does not go up to a high place and descend to a low place by its own will. Water only flows wherever it receives it. The ability of low valleys to receive water.
Abram is a receiver no matter how you look at it. Everyone is born empty-handed, but after a certain period of time, some have and some do not. have the ability to receive.
To receive an heir means to nurture descendants of faith so that they can attract blessings. Great things cannot be achieved in one lifetime. This is done by interfering. David wanted to build a temple. But God did not allow it. The temple is built by his son Solomon. The father prepares the building materials for the temple his son will build in advance. The temple of Solomon was built over generations.
Abram was a turning point in the family. A son was born who would pass on the legacy of faith he had begun. So God became the God of the generation. He became the God of Abram, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Matthew 22:32). If you inherit the heritage of faith, you will be blessed wherever you go. You will receive a blessing you never expected. I hope that the descendants of faith that attracts blessings to your family will continue. I hope that your children will become heirs of faith and heirs of spiritual blessings.
Receive the inheritance by faith
“Abraham believed the Lord, and it was accounted to him as righteousness, and he said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as an inheritance” (verses 6-7). If it is a spiritual blessing, then inheritance is an earthly blessing and a material blessing.
The reason God brought Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans was to give him the land of Canaan as an inheritance along with spiritual blessings. It is natural for him to believe in God and receive the land as an inheritance as a reward for leaving the mainland. If he does not take any risks, he will never fail, but he will never succeed. “By faith Abram, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).
He left his hometown by faith. “Fools always make up their minds,” they say. Cowards always make excuses. Faith works even when you are afraid. Unbelief is afraid to act. Those who received one talent could not overcome their fear. His fear soon stemmed from unbelief. He was afraid to invest.
Unrealistic thoughts lead to unrealistic actions, and unrealistic actions lead to unrealistic results. Walt Disney has been waking up early in the morning to deliver newspapers since he was nine years old. When I was in school in my late teens, I had two part-time jobs. However, they experience failure and become unemployed. They get fired and sometimes get evicted for not paying rent. But in the end it worked.
As Abram left the mainland, there was a famine and a crisis that almost took his wife. But going through these and other difficulties, he was getting closer to the land of the corporation.
There is a saying, “If an oak tree that grows 30 meters has a human heart, it will only grow 3 meters.” The reason the oak tree grows to 30 meters is because he didn't know he couldn't grow that much. Imagine yourself being able to grow to 30 meters.
“Do not be afraid, for I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward” (verse 1). Successful people have absolute confidence that they will succeed. Even if you fail, think of it as a learning step towards success. He had faith in the power to receive. Abram is focused on rich thoughts. I drew in my heart the enterprise that God had promised to give, and made it a reality according to the picture. Belief in success wins businesses. Don't avoid failure, take success. “Lift up your eyes and look north, east, west, and north from where you are! To you and to your descendants I will give you the land you see, and it will last forever” (Genesis 13:14-15). Please receive your inheritance through faith.
My faith is lacking, but we must pass it on to our children. I hope that you will build a family of faith and become a prestigious family. I hope that you will build it into a blessed family where faith can be passed down to thousands of generations. The glory of the family is achieved through the inheritance of faith.
A company is a business or property that has been passed down from generation to generation. Faith or spiritual heritage is also a business. It is said that children are an inheritance from God (Psalm 127:3). I hope that you will become entrepreneurs by faith just like the 12 tribes of Israel who received and distributed the inheritance God gave through faith.