Please take your Bibles and open them up this morning to Genesis chapter 12.
! Genesis chapter 12 and our passage this morning will be the second half of Genesis chapter 12 starting in verse 10 and then all of chapter 13.
So when you found that in your Bibles Genesis 12 verse 10 all the way through the end of chapter 13.
Let's stand in honor of the reading of God's Word this morning.
Now there was a famine in the land.
So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there for the famine was severe in the land.
When he was about to enter Egypt he said to Sarai his wife,
I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance.
And when the Egyptians see you they will say, this is his wife.
Then they will kill me but they will let you live.
Say you are my sister that it may go well with me because of you and that my life may be spared for your sake.
When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her they praised her to Pharaoh.
And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
And for her sake he dealt well with Abram.
And he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys and camels.
But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
So Pharaoh called Abram and said, what is this you've done to me?
Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?
Why did you say she is my sister so that I took her for my wife?
Now then here's your wife, take her, go.
And Pharaoh gave orders concerning him and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.
So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had and Lot with him into the Negev.
Now Abram was very rich in livestock and silver and in gold.
And he journeyed on from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning,
between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first.
And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord.
And Lot who went with Abram also had flocks and herds and tents,
so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together,
for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock.
At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
Then Abram said to Lot,
Let there be no strife between you and me and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen,
for we are kinsmen.
Is not the whole land before you?
Separate yourself from me.
If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right,
or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.
And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere,
like the garden of the Lord,
like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar.
This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east.
Thus they separated from each other.
Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley,
and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.
Then the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him,
Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are,
northward and southward and eastward and westward,
for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.
I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth,
so that if one can count the dust of the earth,
your offspring also can be counted.
Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land,
for I will give it to you.
So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre,
which are at Hebron.
And there he built an altar to the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Father, we praise you for your word,
and we pray now as we look to this account
and see your faithfulness to your promises.
Lord, we ask that you would deepen our faith in you,
we pray in Christ's name.
Amen.
You may be seated.
But you learn pretty quickly as a parent
that you ought not make promises that you can't keep.
Or better yet,
don't make promises that might in some way be threatened
by something outside of your control.
Because as you know,
there are about a million ways
that things can go off the rails,
things can go wrong,
and your promises might not be capped.
For example,
don't promise your kids
that no matter what happens,
you promise
you will take them to the pool
next Friday.
Because of course,
next Friday is a long way away,
and something might go wrong.
Something might go wrong with you.
You might get sick before next Friday.
Something might happen.
Some work comes up.
Something else comes up.
Some family emergency might happen.
Or if you're honest,
you might just change your mind
before Friday comes.
You might not want to go to the pool anymore.
So the issue might be within you,
and you won't keep your promise.
Or the issue might be something outside of you,
something external,
something beyond yourself.
So Friday comes,
and it starts to rain.
Friday comes,
and the pool is closed.
Friday comes,
and you're on your way.
Somebody else runs a red light
and runs into your car.
There are all sorts of threats,
both internal and external,
to our promises coming to pass.
But not so with God.
God faces no such obstacles
to His promises coming to pass.
The good news of our passage this morning
is that when God makes promises,
no distraction,
no enemy,
no threat,
whether internal or external,
can keep Him from fulfilling His word.
Our God is faithful
to fulfill every promise.
No threat, internal or external,
can ever nullify the promises of God.
That's the big idea for us this morning
in our passage.
We saw last week from Genesis chapter 12
that God has made some pretty incredible promises
to Abram.
But this morning,
what we see is that
as soon as God makes these promises,
what happens?
We see threats to the promise.
In fact, we see two threats
here in our passage this morning.
This will be our outline this morning.
Two threats to the promise.
We see the first one here
in the second half of chapter 12.
First, we see a threat to the promised seed.
A threat to the promised offspring.
Look there to chapter 12, verse 10.
We saw last week
that Abram has come into Canaan.
He's arrived in the promised land.
But pretty quickly,
we see things aren't so great
here in the promised land,
are they?
Verse 10 says that
there was famine in the land.
And apparently,
it says the famine was severe
in the land.
So what does Abram do?
He leaves the promised land
and he comes down
to the land of Egypt.
And already here
in just one verse,
things have taken
a pretty drastic shift,
haven't they?
God has just called Abram
and told him to go
into the land of Canaan.
He's just promised
to give him this whole land.
All this would be his.
But here,
automatically,
right away,
as soon as there's an issue,
here he is
leaving the promised land
because quite literally,
the grass is greener
down in Egypt.
It's not a good start
for Abram.
And we see that
once he gets there
in Egypt,
it doesn't go much better
for him, does it?
Look there,
starting in verse 11.
As Abram and his wife Sarai
are about to enter Egypt,
he has this bright idea.
Now, married women
in the room,
I want you to
place yourself
in Sarai's shoes
for a minute.
Tell me how this would go.
Now, you have just moved
to a new place
with your husband.
He said,
we got to go.
We got to move.
You just move
everything you have,
everything you own
to leave your father's house,
to leave what's familiar to you,
go into a brand new place.
And now he says,
babe,
it's time to move again.
It's time to go.
We need to go down
into Egypt.
And then he says,
darling,
you are so,
so beautiful.
That's a good start,
right?
You are so beautiful
that any man
who lays his eyes on you
would want you
as his wife.
It's pretty good.
He says,
darling,
you are so beautiful
that when we get down
to Egypt,
I want you to tell everybody
you're my sister.
Now, we don't have
Sarai's account
of what happened here,
but I can only imagine
that she might say
something like,
why would I do that,
Abram?
And he says,
well,
because if you tell them
that you're my sister,
maybe they'll let me live
and they'll take good care of me
and they'll give me
all these blessings
and so you go be with them
so that it might go well
with me.
How would that go over
for you ladies?
This would be a threat,
I would think,
to any marriage,
wouldn't it?
But there's a bigger issue
at stake here,
isn't there?
Do you see what it is?
This is a threat
to God's promise.
God promised
to give Abram
offspring
and that would be
difficult enough already
considering Abram's age
and considering
Sarai's infertility,
she is barren,
but that would be
absolutely impossible
if as soon as
they go to Egypt,
Abram just gives
his wife away.
We're left wondering,
how will God
fulfill his promise
to Abram?
Abram almost immediately
because of his own sin,
because of his own selfishness,
he is a threat
to the promise of God.
And to make matters worse,
look there,
starting in verse 14.
To make matters worse,
it seems like the plan
is working,
doesn't it?
It seems like he was right.
Verse 14 says,
when Abram entered Egypt,
the Egyptians saw
that the woman
was very beautiful,
he was right about that,
and when the princes
of Pharaoh saw
her,
they praised her
to Pharaoh,
and the woman
was taken into
Pharaoh's house,
and for her sake,
he dealt well
with Abram,
and he had sheep
and oxen
and male donkeys
and male servants
and female servants
and female donkeys
and camels,
and by all accounts,
it looks like his plan
is working out
just fine,
doesn't it?
By all accounts,
Abram is doing
pretty well.
He's getting away
with it.
His plan
is resulting
in prosperity.
He's got all sorts
of material blessings,
sheep and oxen,
donkeys and servants.
He is prospering
because of his lie.
Abram deceives
his way into blessing.
He lies
and he prospers
and it seems like
all is going great
for Abram,
doesn't it?
But do you think
that that's how God
desires to bless Abram?
God promised
to bless Abram,
but do you think
that this is
how he desired
to do it?
No,
not at all.
Psalm 37,
verse 16,
it tells us,
better is the little
that the righteous
has
than the abundance
of the wicked.
You hear that?
Better is the little
that the righteous
has
than all
the abundance
of the wicked.
In other words,
in God's accounting
of things,
in God's economy,
righteousness
and integrity
and faith
and blamelessness
and holiness,
Christ-likeness
are worth more
than all the material
blessings in the world.
Sometimes I think
that you and I
can be tempted
in the very same way
that Abram is tempted here.
We can be tempted
to just maybe
just tell a little
white lie,
just something
a little bit short
of the truth,
just some alternative
version of the whole truth
in order that it might
go well with us.
That we might be blessed.
I mean,
what's wrong with that?
We come out
on the positive
end of things.
What's so wrong
with just giving
a little bit
less than the truth?
And so we might
be tempted
to just fudge
the numbers
just a little bit
on our taxes.
Maybe just a little bit.
That way we don't
have to pay everything
that we actually owe
and we come out
a little bit better
on the end.
What's wrong with that?
Maybe we're tempted
to deceive our boss
and pretend like
we're busy at work
when we're really
using that paid time
to go take care
of personal things,
personal business.
That's so normal
and we think,
well,
what's the big deal
with that?
The big deal
is that God's people
are called to be
people of the truth
and we aren't called
to just chase blessing
any way that we can get it.
We're called to be people
of holiness
and righteousness
and blamelessness
and to seek God's blessing
in God's time
in God's way
even if we think
we could just reach out
and grab it ourselves
if we just took
a little shortcut.
We're called to seek first
the kingdom of God
and His righteousness
and all these things
will be added to you.
Maybe not now,
maybe not how you desire.
Abram here,
the man of faith,
he shows us very clearly
that he too,
like us,
is a sinner.
You know,
it's amazing
how similar this passage
is to the fall
in Genesis chapter 3.
We just talked about this
in our grow class
this morning.
The fall in Genesis chapter 3,
Abram,
like Adam before him,
fails in his responsibility
to love
and to guard
and to protect his wife.
But what I want you to see
is that Abram's not just
acting like Adam,
Abram is acting like Satan.
Now the language here
is so similar
to Genesis chapter 3.
Just think about it.
Just as the enemy
deceived Adam and Eve
and they saw
that the fruit was good
and they took it
and ate,
here because of
Abram's deception,
the Egyptians see
that Sarai looks good
to the eyes
and they take her
into Pharaoh's house.
You see that pattern?
See,
good,
take.
See,
good,
take.
This is in many ways
another repeat of the fall,
but did you notice
Abram's place in all of it?
Abram is standing
in the place
of the serpent himself.
He is the one
deceiving the Egyptians.
He's the one
that's leading them
to see
and to take
what was not rightfully
theirs to take.
What a tragedy.
The one who is meant
to be an agent
of blessing to the world
is right away
because of his sin,
he is multiplying curse
instead of blessing.
The one
through whom
the promised offspring
is meant to come
is threatening
the promise
right away
because he's giving
his wife away
in exchange for blessing.
Look at what God does.
Verse 17.
God does not
let Abram's sin
stop his promise.
You see that?
God does not
let Abram's
unfaithfulness
nullify
his faithfulness.
Verse 17.
God afflicts
Pharaoh with plagues.
Now that ought to
sound familiar too,
doesn't it?
Oh, this is
sort of
foreshadowing
the events
of the Exodus
to come.
You remember
the Exodus.
God's people
are driven to Egypt
because of famine.
They are taken
into Pharaoh's
property.
The promises
of God
appear to be
threatened,
but God
steps in.
God afflicts
the Egyptians
with plagues.
God intervenes.
He brings
his people
out with
all the blessings
and the property
of the Egyptians
back to the land
of promise.
Well, this is
exactly what
happens here
with Abram.
And the point
is, the point
that would
certainly comfort
the Israelites
in years to come,
God will
defend
his promises.
God will
not let
Abram's
faithlessness
or foolishness
derail
or destroy
his purposes.
God will
not let
Abram's
sin
or Abram's
selfishness
alter his
plan in
any way
to bring
about the
promised
offspring
through
him.
God
acts
to fulfill
all his
promises.
That's true
for the
promised
offspring.
And second
here we see
is also true
for the
promised
land.
Look there
to chapter
13.
The second
threat that
we see
here is
the threat
to the
promised
land.
Look there
with me
starting in
verse 1
chapter 13.
Chapter 13
tells us that
after all of
this,
Abram left
Egypt.
He's kicked
out of
Egypt.
Pharaoh
says,
you've got
to get
out of
here.
And through
this whole
ordeal,
he comes
out very
rich,
very wealthy.
He has
sheep and
oxen and
donkeys and
servants,
silver and
gold and
somehow still
has his
wife.
But starting
in verse 2
we see that
this abundance
of wealth
very quickly
poses a
problem for
Abram.
Look there
to verse 2.
Verse 2
says,
Now Abram
was very
rich in
livestock and
silver and
gold and
he journeyed
on from
the Negev
as far as
Bethel to
the place
where he
had his
tent at
the beginning
between
Bethel and
Ai to
the place
where he
made the
altar at
the first
and there
Abram
called upon
the name
of the
Lord.
And we
hear in
verse 5
that Lot
also who
went with
Abram also
had an
abundance of
material
blessings,
flocks and
herds and
tents,
so that the
land could
not support
both of
them dwelling
together,
for their
possessions were
so great that
they couldn't
dwell together
and there's
strife between
the herdsmen of
Abram's livestock
and the herdsmen
of Lot's
livestock.
The promised
land has some
problems here,
doesn't it?
For one thing,
there's famine,
and for another,
it's just not
big enough.
It's not big
enough to host
even two wealthy
men, and the
reason why we
see it here is
that it's still
occupied by the
Canaanites and
the Perizzites.
They're still
dwelling in the
land.
The enemies are
still there,
and so the
space that
Abram and
Lot can
occupy is
limited.
There's simply
not enough
room for both
of them.
They're stepping
on each
other's toes.
It's a problem.
You know how
when you go on
vacation with
your family,
extended family,
and you have
all of them in
maybe like one
big beach
house, and you
just are trying
to get into the
kitchen, trying
to get what
you need,
trying to go to
the bathroom,
and there's only
like two or
three for 20
people?
It gets old
real quick,
doesn't it?
You are
stepping on
each other's
toes.
The space
simply isn't
there.
Look how
Abram goes
about it.
Notice the
contrast here
between Abram
and Lot.
Abram makes
a move
towards peace
with his
family.
Chapter 13,
verse 8,
Abram says to
Lot, let there
be no strife
between you
and me,
between your
herdsmen and
my herdsmen.
Why?
For we are
kinsmen.
We're family.
I don't want
to fight with
you.
Is not
the whole
land before
you?
Separate
yourself from
me.
If you take
the left
hand, I'll
go to the
right.
If you take
the right
hand, I'll
go to the
left.
Look out
and take
whatever you
want.
Abram gives
Lot first
pick.
Now Bethel,
where they are,
that's about
2,800 feet
above sea
level.
And so Lot,
he can truly
look out on
all the land
as far as
his eye can
see.
He can lay
eyes on all
of it and
take his
pick.
And Abram,
very generously
I would say,
he says,
I don't want
there to be
trouble between
us, so you
just take a
look, you
get whatever
you want.
Lot looks
and it
doesn't take
him too
long to
make his
decision,
does it?
Right away,
verse 10,
it says,
he lifts
his eyes
and sees
that the
Jordan Valley
looks good,
it's well
watered,
like the
garden of
the Lord,
like Egypt
in fact.
And so what
does Lot do?
Look at
this.
Lot sees
that it
looks good
and he
takes for
himself the
Jordan Valley.
Here we go
again.
Do you hear
that pattern
again?
See,
good,
take,
see,
good,
take.
That's a good
indicator for
us that
something is
not quite
right with
Lot's decision
making here.
He sees,
it looks
good,
he takes.
what's the
issue?
Ultimately,
this is a
contrast between
Abram walking
by faith and
Lot walking
by sight.
You think
about it,
what could
motivate Abram
to be so
generous?
What could
motivate him
to be so
confident that
he can open
up all the
land and tell
Lot to just
go take
whatever you
want?
Abram is
acting like
someone who
trusts in
God's promise
to give him
all the land,
isn't he?
And meanwhile,
Lot is acting
like someone who
makes choices
based on
simply what
appeals to
the flesh.
Abram,
he's showing
us here that
trust in God's
promises ought
to make God's
people incredibly
generous and
open-handed with
all of our
worldly treasure.
You realize,
church,
God has
promised us
eternal riches
in Christ
beyond our
wildest imagination
for all
eternity,
all our needs
met in
Christ,
and so
therefore,
we can be
generous
and open-handed
in ways that
simply don't make
sense to the
world's way of
accounting for
things.
God has
promised us
forgiveness
in Christ.
He has
reconciled us
to himself
in Christ.
And so,
God's people,
we can humble
ourselves and
risk looking
foolish in
order to
reconcile and
make peace
with others.
Christ has
promised us
there is no
one who has
left house
or brothers
or sisters
or mother
or father
or children
or lands
for my sake
and for the
gospel who
will not
receive a
hundredfold.
Now,
in this time,
houses and
brothers and
sisters and
mothers and
children and
lands with
persecutions
and in the
age to come
eternal life.
if so,
God's people
can take
risks that
look foolish
in the world's
eyes.
Risks like
moving to a
dangerous place
to take the
gospel where
it's not yet
been heard.
Risks like
turning down
extra hours
at work on
the weekends
to prioritize
gathering with
God's people
in worship.
Risks like
risking
relationships
and risking
rejection to
share the
gospel with
our friends
and our
family and
our neighbors
and our
co-workers.
Why?
Because like
Abram, we are
called to walk
by faith and
not by sight.
Abram shows
us what this
looks like.
Meanwhile,
Lot shows us
what it looks
like to walk
by sight.
Did you notice
the little
editorial comments
about the land
that Lot
chose?
It looks
good, doesn't
it?
It looks
beautiful.
It's like
the land of
Eden.
It's like
Egypt.
It's well
watered.
It's beautiful.
But look at
these little
comments.
All this
was before
the Lord
destroyed
Sodom and
Gomorrah.
Verse 13,
the men of
Sodom were
wicked,
great sinners
against the
Lord.
As far as
Lot's eyes
could tell,
this was
clearly the
best choice,
but as we'll
soon see,
there are
bigger issues
to come
for Lot.
Calvin,
in light of
this passage,
he urges
us,
let us
then learn
by this
example,
that our
eyes are
not to
be trusted,
but that
we must
rather be
on our
guard,
lest we
be ensnared
by them,
and be
encircled,
unaware,
with many
evils,
just as
Lot,
when he
fancied that
he was
dwelling in
paradise,
was nearly
plunged into
the depths
of hell.
Church,
how often
are our
choices
driven by
sight,
faith,
and not
by faith?
How often
are our
decisions
driven by
what appeals
to our
senses,
and not
by the
promises
of God?
Do we
realize that
in every
single decision
that we
make,
there is
more to
consider
than simply
what appeals
to our
flesh?
There's
application
here all
over the
place,
isn't there?
There's
application
for moving
to a new
place.
Often people
make moves
based on
jobs,
they get a
new,
better job
opportunity,
leads them
to a new
place,
they look
up the
place,
they Google
it,
and they
see all
this beautiful
landscape,
all the
fun things
to do,
all the
areas to
explore,
all the
good restaurants
to eat
at,
and then
somewhere
all the
way down
the list,
eventually,
maybe,
they might
think about
finding a
church
somewhere.
Can I
suggest that
that's
completely
backwards?
It is
infinitely
better to
be in
a place
that is
physically
famished,
but spiritually
well watered,
than to be
somewhere physically
beautiful,
but spiritually
famished.
Apply this
to dating.
A few of you
are maybe
in that
phase,
and if you're
not,
maybe your
kids or
your grandkids
will be
soon.
If there
is anywhere
in our
culture
that emphasizes
sight,
and feeling,
and physical,
appealing to
the senses,
this is it,
isn't it?
And hear me
say,
attraction is
good,
chemistry,
if you want
to call it
that,
that's fine,
that's good,
but for a
Christian,
nothing is
more important
than making
sure that you
are spiritually
united in
Christ.
I mean,
how far down
the list
is that for
you?
as you
date and
evaluate the
potential of
a future
with somebody,
put this
first,
do they
know the
Lord?
Are they
committed to
walking with
you in a
Christ-honoring
marriage?
Do you
share a
common vision
for the
spiritual
health of
your home?
Here we
see another
apparent threat
to the
promise of
God.
The land
is insufficient,
it's famished,
it's occupied
by the enemy,
it's causing
problems for
Abram's
family and
Lot chooses
the most
attractive portion
and here is
Abram left
in a desert
without any
family and
he's wondering
will God
fulfill his
promise?
How will
God fulfill
the promises
that he's
made?
Look down
to verse
14.
God
speaks
and he
assures
Abram once
again,
no
threat,
will
overcome
my
promise.
The Lord
said to
Abram,
after Lot
separated
from him,
lift up
your eyes
and look
from the
place where
you are
northward
and southward
and eastward
and westward
for all
the land
that you
see I
will give
to you
and to
your
offspring
forever.
I will
make your
offspring
as the
dust
of the
earth
so that
if one
can count
the dust
of the
earth,
your
offspring
also
can be
!
Arise,
walk
through
the
length
and
breadth
of
the
land
for
I
will
give
it
to
you.
So
Abram
moved
his
tent
and
came
and
settled
by the
oaks
of
Mamre
which
are
at
Hebron
and
there
he
built
an
altar
to
the
Lord.
In
other
words,
God
says,
Abram,
no
threat
can
cancel
out
my
promise.
You
may
mess
up
a
thousand
times
but
I
will
make
your
offspring
as
the
dust
of
the
earth.
Others
may
sin
against
you
and
be
selfish
and
take
what
looks
best
to
the
naked
eye
but
walk
through
the
land
I
will
give
it
to
you.
No
threat
from
within
no
threat
from
without
can
cancel
out
my
promise
when
I
speak
and
when
I
promise
I
will
accomplish
everything
I
say
to
you.
Certainly
Abram
would
be
assured
and
comforted
by
this
but
church
now
let me
tell you
why
this
is so
good
for
us
because
this
has
everything
to do
with
us
in
Christ
God
has
made
promises
to
us
in
Christ
in
fact
we saw
last
week
and
we'll
see
over
and
over
and
over
and
over
again
throughout
Abram's
story
we
are
the
heirs
of
these
promises
by
faith
in
Christ
it
is
those
who
share
the
faith
of
Abraham
who
are
children
of
Abraham
and
heirs
of
the
promises
Paul
says
in
Galatians
3
so
here
again
we
have
layers
to
these
promises
layers
to
these
promises
here
in
the
Old
Testament
on
one
layer
on
one
level
yes
we
can
look
forward
and
see
how
God
fulfills
his
promise
to
Abraham
he
gives
him
physical
children
Isaac
and
then
through
Isaac
the
whole
nation
of
Israel
those
who
are
his
offspring
according
to
the
flesh
!
and
we
can
look
forward
and
see
how
on
one
level
God
fulfills
his
promise
to
Israel
and
brings
them
into
the
promised
land
of
Canaan
but hear
me
that
is
not
the
whole
picture
that
is
temporary
and
partial
there
are
greater
promises
at play
here
than
just
a
physical
offspring
in
just
a
small
patch
of
dirt
over
in
the
Middle
East
these
promises
!
all
God's
promises
are
ultimately
expanded
and
fulfilled
and
extended
to
us
in
such
a
way
that
no
threat
can
ever
remove
them
in
Jesus
Christ
the
promised
son
of
Abraham
who
can
number
the
church
who
can
count
the
number
of
God's
people
throughout
the
ages
all
those
who
by
faith
have
trusted
in
the
promises
of
God
they
are
more
numerous
than
the
sand
on
the
shore
more
numerous
than
all
the
stars
in
the
sky
you know
John
saw
this
in
revelation
and
he
spoke
about
it
he
said
there
was
a
great
multitude
that
no
one
could
number
from
every
nation
from
all
tribes
and
peoples
and
languages
!
standing
before
the
throne
and
before
the
lamb
clothed
in
white
robes
with
palm
branches
in
their
hands
and
crying
out
at
the
loud
voice
salvation
belongs
to
our
God
who
sits
on
the
throne
and
to
the
lamb
this
is
your
future
if you
are
in
Christ
God
promises
to
adopt
you
as a
son
as a
daughter
and
to
give
you
infinite
eternal
unshakable
joy
that
spills
over
into
praise
and
worship
for the
rest
of
eternity
in
a
countless
company
of
other
redeemed
sinners
just
like
yourself
from
all
nations
of
the
earth
by
faith
in
Christ
what
a
promise
here's
another
God
promises
you
all
the
earth
as
an
inheritance
in
Christ
Canaan
isn't
big
enough
to host
all this
multitude
Paul
tells us
in
Romans
4
verse
13
he says
the
promise
to
Abraham
and
his
offspring
was
that
he
would
be
heir
of
the
world
Canaan
is
too
small
our
inheritance
the promise
made to
Abraham
received
by faith
in
Christ
is
all
the
world
the
new
heavens
and
the
new
earth
a
beautiful
inheritance
that
Peter
says
is
imperishable
undefiled
unfading
kept
in
heaven
for
you
who
by
God's
power
are
being
guarded
through
faith
for
a
salvation
ready
to be
revealed
in
the
last
time
church
look
around
as far
as your
eyes
can
see
go
outdoors
and
walk
the
land
travel
the
world
all
of
it
is
yours
in
Christ
does
that not
take your
breath
away
God
has
promised
you
eternal
life
by
faith
in
Christ
God
has
promised
you
all
the
world
renewed
restored
cleansed
from
sin
beautified
and
glorified
to be
received
in the
age
to come
by
faith
in
Christ
God
has
promised
to
bless
you
and
to
keep
you
by
faith
in
Christ
God
has
promised
to
adopt
you
as
sons
and
daughters
by
faith
in
Christ
God
has
promised
to
forgive
all
your
sin
to
remove
it
as
far
as
the
east
is
from
the
west
by
faith
in
Christ
he
has
promised
to
love
you
and
to
be
your
God
and
for
you
to
be
his
people
by
faith
in
Christ
he
has
promised
such
incredible
blessing
for any
sinner
who
trusts
in
Christ
by
faith
and
our
confidence
church
is that
no
threat
no
threat
in
heaven
or on
earth
no
threat
from
within
or
from
without
can
ever
take
these
promises
away
he
who
did
not
spare
his
own
son
but
gave
him
up
for
us
all
how
will
he
not
also
with
him
graciously
!
give us
all
things!
What's
our
assurance
that all
this will
come to
pass?
It's not
us
it's not
our own
goodness
it's not
our own
perfection
goodness
no
we
look
to
Christ
and
see
the
faithfulness
of God
displayed
we
look
to
Christ
and
see
all
of
God's
promises
are
fulfilled
in
him
Christ
Jesus
came
and
lived
and
died
and
rose
to
secure
for
us
his
people
by
faith
all
the
promises
of
God
we
look
to
Christ
we
rejoice
that
Christ
is
not
like
Abram
who
traded
in
his
bride
to
save
his
own
life
that
he
might
be
blessed
we
rejoice
that
Christ
Jesus
gave
his
life
to
save
his
bride
that
we
might
be
blessed
in
him
you
see
how
good
this
is
sinner
rejoice
that
your
weakness
cannot
nullify
God's
promises
to
you
in
Christ
your
failure
cannot
cancel
God's
promises
to
you
in
Christ
your
sin
is
insufficient
to
overpower
God's
grace
given
to
you
by
faith
in
Christ
if
you
are
in
Christ
by
faith
here's
our
assurance
God
who
began
a
good
work
in
you
will
bring
it
to
completion
at
the
day
of
Christ
no
enemy
can
pluck
you
from
his
hand
God
will
defend
his
promises
those
from
within
and
those
from
without
as
Paul
says
in
Romans
chapter
8
I
am
sure
that
neither
death
nor
life
nor
angels
nor
rulers
nor
things
present
nor
things
to
come
nor
powers
nor
height
nor
depth
nor
anything
else
in
all
creation
will
be
able
to
separate
us
from
the
love
of
God
in
Christ
Jesus
our
Lord
isn't
this
such
good
news
what
can
we
say
to
these
things
Christian
when
you
lay
your
head
on
your
pillow
tonight
your
mind
races
with
all
of
your
failures
all
of
your
sins
all
of
your
troubles
all
of
your
shortcomings
or
maybe
you
think
about
all
the
stresses
all
the
issues
in
your
life
worries
over
children
worries
over
finances
worries
over
health
worries
over
life
look
to
Jesus
remember
the
faithfulness
of
God
and
rest
in
the
confidence
no
sin
from
within
no
threat
from
without
can
render
void
his
promises
to
you
in
Christ
father
we
praise
you
for
your
faithfulness
we
praise
you
for
the
truth
that
we
just
sang
Lord
when I
fear
my
faith
will
fail
Christ
will
hold
me
fast
when
the
tempter
would
prevail
Christ
will
hold
me
fast
Lord
we
praise
you
that
your
faithfulness
is our
hope
and our
confidence
that
every
promise
of
God
is
fulfilled
in
Christ
and
how
undeserving
we are
to
receive
them
but
we
gratefully
receive
them
by
faith
we
love
you
Lord
we
pray
this
all
in
Jesus
name
Amen
Thank you.