Speaking with God Men's Bible Study Wednesday


[PDF]Speaking with God Men's Bible Study Wednesday...

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Union Baptist Church 31 Manhattan Avenue White Plains, New York 10607 Pastor Verlin D. Williams

Speaking with God Men’s Bible Study Wednesday December 13, 2017 Genesis 17 (NKJV) At least fourteen years have elapsed in Abraham’s life since God was last recorded speaking with him. During that time Ishmael was born to Hagar and was now thirteen years old. Abraham and Sarah had grown to the age of ninety-nine and eighty-nine respectively, which made them too old to hope for a child of their own. The covenant promises had faded considerably in Abraham’s mind – especially those about Abraham and Sarah having a son. This period of silence was the longest pause in God’s speaking to Abraham since he arrived in the land of Canaan. So, it had to be a most welcomed occasion for Abraham when God broke the silence and “talked with him”. God spoke more in this session of speaking with Abraham than at any other time recorded in Genesis; from verse 1 of this chapter to verse 22 God speaks. God speaking with man is such an awesome thought. But God does condescend to speak with mankind. Today, God speaks to us through the written Word. In Abraham’s day, God spoke through visions and (as here) through the spoken Word. It’s a great blessing to have God speak to us; therefore, it is important to always be on speaking terms with Him. Let us be faithful in obedience to His ways so that His Word will always speak to us and will never become a book closed to our understanding. Consider the Text Verses 1-3

Shared | Bible Study | Principles of Faith – 2nd Wednesdays 2017

As of: 12/13/2017

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1. The desire for illumination. God desires that we grow in knowledge regarding Him and His will for us; He provides opportunities for us to do just that. God places no premium on spiritual ignorance. 2. The design in illumination. Notice that the message spoken is designed to fit the circumstances of the one to whom it is spoken. 3. The degree of the illumination. God speaking to Abraham in this text is an enlargement upon that which God had already spoken to Abraham about in the past. In fact, each time God has spoken to Abraham it was an expansion of previous revelations. 4. The duty from illumination. Notice here that right after Abraham was told that God was the “Almighty” God, Abraham was given some practical instructions. The instructions were twofold in this case: “walk before me and be blameless”. 5. The deference to the illumination. Abraham’s reaction to God speaking to him was to “fall on his face”. This shows his reverence for Divine illumination.

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This introduction of God speaking to Abraham is brief, but gives lessons on spiritual illumination.