February 27, 2018 Tuesday

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. “And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17:1-7 NKJV)

            It is so amazing that God changes the names of so many of those who closely follow Him.   Abram becomes Abraham as God makes a Covenant with him that he will become the father of many nations and kings would come from him because of Abraham’s deep faith in God.

            Could that be because when we come to God and follow His call we are not the same person?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

            Through the work of Jesus Christ in our life and guided by the Holy Spirit everything about us changes and we do become and new “creation”. 

            God’s change to Abram can be seen in the meaning of the names.  Abram means exalted father and God changes him to Abraham which means father of a multitude.  God’s covenant with Abraham now extends beyond this group of people to beyond a people and time Abraham can imagine.

            When you follow God’s call upon your life you will reach out to a people you cannot even conceive and in places you do even know!  God will use you to change not only those today but also generations down!

            If we allow God to change us and use us through God we are able to be part of eternal changes as not just lives but eternal souls are changed forever!

            Are we descendents of Abraham?  What does that mean?   Has God given to you a new name and a new call?

            The new meds seem to working on the cellulites’ in my right foot but now the left foot is hurting even more than the other.  The pain is terrible and I pray it will lesson as I have to go to Dr Barker’s to have my CPAP machine checked out.  God still gives me places to pray for and people in so many places.  Often I do not know what I am praying for but I know God does.  It amuses me that I believe I travel farther as a disabled minister as I did as a pastoral minister!