Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

When God makes a promise to an individual he intends to keep it. And we are reminded by the apostle Peter that ‘God is not slack concerning his promises but he is patient with us not wanting any of us to perish (2Peter 3:9).’ It was always God’s intention to bless his people, however when we go away from his proposed plans for us we bring curses on our lives. Abraham started out life as a believer in the stars. He believed that they would bring him fame and fortune. His encounter with the living God changed everything in his life. To do this however, he had to leave all his previous practices behind. He left his idols, his divining sticks, his charms and all his amulets behind to follow God.  Because of his obedience, his name was changed from Abram [meaning exalted father] to Abraham [meaning father of many nations]. How can a 75 year old man listen to the words from an invisible God who tells him that he will be a father of nations? God called Abram answered. God promised and Abraham believed his promise and 25 years after he left all his horoscopes, amulets and charms, God fulfilled the first part of the promises. If we count one generation as 30 years, it took God one generation to give Abraham a son and heir, however by that time Abraham was unrecognisable from the Abram that left Ur in Chaldea [Modern day Iran]. And two generation later, about 60 years, Abraham’s grandsons; Esau and Jacob were populating and possessing the land.

So the word to live by today is this, if God calls you and gives you a promise, wait for it for as Habakkuk says, it will surely come to pass. God keeps his promises and is waiting for us his children to be ready to receive them. Read Genesis 12:1-9; 18:1-15 for starters.