COUNT THE STARS IF YOU CAN!

 

Genesis 15:1-21 / Keywords 15:5

COUNT THE STARS IF YOU CAN!

 

1. I am your great reward (1-6)

The battle was won. But Abram was afraid of the 4 kings’ retaliation. God knew

his fear and his sense of loss. He appeared in a vision and strengthened him:

“Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Abram raised

his life-long concern: “Since you have given me no son, Eleazer, a servant, would

be my heir!” God refused Abram’s idea: “No, not this man, but a man from your

own body will be your heir.” God further took him outside and showed the stars

in the sky to count. God said, “So shall your offspring be!” Abram took God’s

unbelievable promise and believed in God absolutely. God credited his faith as his

righteousness. Thus he became the father of faith and of all believers.

 

2. To your descendants, I give this land. (7-21)

God further confirmed his promise for the land. But Abram was not sure about it.

So God performed a serious covenant ceremony, as a life and death matter. God

revealed that he would make his descendants be innumerous in Egypt. God will

allow them Exodus. They will possess the Promised Land as well as all nations of

the world, which Abram could name at that time.

 

Prayer Lord, you are the very great reward. Help me to enjoy you forever.

One Word So shall your offspring be!

BLESSED BE ABRAM BY GOD MOST HIGH

 

Genesis 14:1-24 / Keywords 14:20

BLESSED BE ABRAM BY GOD MOST HIGH

 

1. Abram rescued Lot (1-17)

There were wars in Abram’s time: 4 kings against 5. Kedoraomer and his 3 allies

defeated 5 kings and captured everything in Sodom, Gomorrah and Lot too.

Abram did not gloat over Lot who didn’t care for Abram by choosing the better

land when he left Abram. Abram rather had great compassion on Lot. He loved

Lot and risked his life and all his possessions against the victorious kings of that

ancient world. He boldly attacked the kings at night with only 318 trained men. He

miraculously rescued Lot and brought a lot of spoils too.

 

2. I will accept nothing (18-24)

Melchizedek, a king of Salem, reminded Abram of God the Creator who gave

him the victory. Abram acknowledged God by giving a tithe to Melchizedek. Then

against the suggestion of the king of Sodom Abraham refused any of his material

not even the thong of a sandal. Why? For he did not want the King of Sodom to

say that he made Abram rich. Abram trusted in God who would make him rich

and he only wanted to glorify God’s name.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for growing Abram’s faith to love one person more than

his life and all his possession. You are the Sovereign God who rescues

your chosen people for your glory.

One Word You are God, Most High, Creator of heaven and earth!

GOD PROTECTED AND BLESSED ABRAM

Genesis 12:10-13:18 / Keywords 12:17

GOD PROTECTED AND BLESSED ABRAM

 

1. God protected Abram in Egypt (12:10-20)

The land, where God told him to go, was struck by the severe famine. Abram

didn’t complain to God. He neither prayed to God. Rather he hurriedly evacuated

into Egypt. In his desperate situation, he even lied that his beautiful wife was his

sister. So Pharaoh took her as his wife and gave Abraham a lot of possession.

However, God protected Sarai and Abram as he promised (12:3).

 

2. If you go to the left… (13:1-18)

Abram learned God’s faithfulness in keeping his promise to bless him through

disastrous situations. His faith grew to give the first choice to Lot, for he loved

Lot more than materials. Lot didn’t care for his aged uncle. He quickly chose the

better land and went off. Abram lost the best land and Lot too. But God appeared

to comfort Abram. He promised to give all the land that he sees. He also promised

to make his offspring like the dust of the earth. So Abram believed God’s promises

and made an altar to the Lord to thank God.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for protecting Abram from all harm and blessing him

because of your promises.

One Word I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth

 

GOD CALLED ABRAM

Genesis 12:1-9 / Keywords 12:1

GOD CALLED ABRAM

 

1. God called 75 years old Abram (1-3).

When the world after the Babel Tower incident was dark and chaotic, God

began a new history of redemption by calling one old man, Abram. It required

for Abram a painful separation from his people who were idol worshiping and

from his father’s household, his comfort zone. It required going to an unknown

land trusting in God’s guidance alone. If he obeys, God promised him abundant

blessings: to make childless Abram into a great nation, a nameless into a great

man, a hopeless person into a source of the blessing of all nations through the

Messiah, Jesus, his descendant. God is God of hope. He called 75 years old

Abram to be the source of blessing for all generations of the entire world. God is

mighty who can change a dead person into a blessing. He calls each of us from

sin and death with the promise of salvation and blessing too.

 

2. Abram obeyed God’s word (10-20).

How did Abram respond? Abram left, as the Lord had told him. His faith was

based on the word of God and not on his calculation. God also promised to give

him the land, Canaan where Canaanites were already living in. Yet Abram thanked

God, building an altar wherever he went and called God’s name many times. He

took his fatherless cousin, Lot with him too.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for calling such a worthless and useless sinner like me for

your redemptive history. Let me follow your word giving thanks in all my

pilgrimage.

One Word I will make you into a great nation

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

Psalm 136:1-26 / Keywords 136:26

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

 

1. He is our Creator (1-9)

Who is the Lord? This Psalm praises Him for three aspects of the Lord. He is

the Lord who created the heavens and the earth. We learn in Genesis that God

created everything out of nothing, with only His word. He is the God of gods

and the Lord of lords. We are reminded here He did all this out of His love, which

endures forever.

 

2. He is our deliverer (10-22)

The second aspect is His power to deliver His people. Exodus tells us of how

God saved His people out of the hands of Pharaoh, brought them through the

wilderness, and allowed them to defeat many large and powerful enemies.

His power to deliver His people is awesome. He delivered them to the land He

had promised to them. The Lord delivers His people because of His abundant,

everlasting love.

 

3. He remembers His own (23-26)

Finally, the Lord always remembers His people. He loves us with a love that

endures forever and ever. He remembers us and He frees us from all our enemies.

He takes care of every creature, giving them abundant food. Let us remember the

Lord today and give thanks to Him.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you that you are our awesome God. Thank you for your

enduring love for us all.

One Word Give thanks to the Lord

THE TOWER OF BABEL

Genesis 11:1-32 / Keywords 11:7

THE TOWER OF BABEL

 

1. Let us build a city (1-9)

Noah’s descendants spoke one language. When they moved eastward, they

found a plain and built a city. They worked hard together to build a tower but with

3 wrong motives and purposes (V4): 1. To reach heaven: For they didn’t believe

God’s love and his covenant of the rainbow. They wanted to protect themselves

if God sends a flood again. 2. To make a name for themselves; God made men

for God’s glory but they only wanted to make their names great. 3. Not to be

scattered: God blessed them “to fill the earth!” But they didn’t want to obey God.

God came down and saw. He only confused their language instead of destroying

them again. Whatever we do, if we go against God’s will, God will stop it. So it will

not be successful.

 

2. Abram’s account (10-32)

Amid unbelief and great confusion, God still prepared a seed of a new start of

salvation. Among Shem’s descendants, there was Abram, who would live by faith

as the father of faith and his wife Sarai with Lot their cousin.

 

Prayer Lord, you see my heart and check my motives in all what I do. My success

and failure belong to you. Let me live a life glorifying you always.

One Word What are my motive and purpose?

 

THE SONS OF NOAH

 

Genesis 10:1-32 / Keywords 10:1

THE SONS OF NOAH

 

1. The Japhethites (1-5)

Japheth (means open) was probably the eldest son of Noah. After the incident

of Babel Tower, Noah’s descendants spread out over the earth, each with its

own language. The Japhethites were maritime peoples. They are said to be the

Europeans and Asian minors.

 

2. Hamites (6-20)

Ham (means warm) was the youngest. His descendants became today’s North

Africans and South Arabians. Among the Hamites, Nimrod grew to be a mighty

hunter before the Lord. Babylon and Nineveh were built by him. But the other

descendants of Philistines and Canaanites occupied the land where God gave

Abraham. Sodom and Gomorrah were their cities which God judged with fire.

 

3. Shemites (21-32)

Shem (means prosperity) was the second born of Noah. Among Shem’s

descendants, Arphaxad is the ancestor of Abraham and Arabs. Some historians

claim that Melchizedek who met Abraham in C14 might be a Shemite. From

Shem’s descendants Jesus came.

 

Prayer Lord, you are the sovereign ruler of peoples and history. In the midst of

ungodly society and peoples, help us to live as your people.

One Word Godly descendants

NOAH’S SONS

 

Genesis 9:18-29 / Keywords 9:23

NOAH’S SONS

 

1. Noah became drunk (18-21)

Noah was blessed by God to start a new history with the rainbow covenant.

He planted a vineyard. He became accidentally drunk from the wine. He lay

uncovered inside his tent. When God blesses, we need to be more careful. When

God blessed David with many victories, his heart was complacent and was

tempted to commit adultery. But Jesus never gave Satan any chance to tempt him

by going to pray always after big successes and events (John 8:1). In the same

way, we must pray continually (1 The 5:17), for our enemy Satan is like a prowling

lion to devour anyone (1 Pet 5:8).

 

2. Noah’s curse (22-29)

The behavior of Ham, the father of Canaan, is sharply contrasted with that of

Shem and Japheth toward their father’s fault and mistake. Ham saw Noah’s

nakedness and reported it to his brothers. But Shem and Japheth walked

backward not to see Noah’s mistake and covered his naked body with a garment.

Noah’s curse to Ham’s descendants shows us two things; the historical legitimacy

of conquering Canaan by Israel; and we must cover the faults and mistakes of our

leaders or fathers rather than point them out with contempt.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for covering our sins and shames with the blood of Jesus.

Help us not to expose our leaders’ faults with contempt but rather cover

them with Jesus’ love.

One Word Love covers all our sins!

 

PURIM CELEBRATED

Esther 9:20-10:3 / Keywords 9:22

PURIM CELEBRATED

 

1. The celebration of Purim established (9:20-32)

God gave victory to the Jews over the enemies throughout the kingdom. From

that time on, it would be a time a celebration for Jews the world over, a celebration

of the protection their God had given them over those who tried to annihilate

them. After the king’s edict was carried out for a second day, Mordecai sent

letters throughout the kingdom asking Jews to celebrate with feasting and joy.

Thus the Feast of Purim was established. It is still celebrated by the Jews to this

day. We should always remember with joy what God has done for us.

 

2. Mordecai’s greatness (10:1-3)

The annals of the kings of Media and Persia tell not only of the power of King

Xerxes, but also of the greatness of Mordecai, King Xerxes right-hand man.

Mordecai helped Xerxes to rule the kingdom, and he was held in very high honor

by his people all over the world, for Mordecai always remembered his people the

Jews and always worked for their good and spoke out for their welfare.

 

Prayer Lord, help us to always remember and celebrate all that you have done for

us.

One Word Remember and celebrate God’s grace

THE JEWS TRIUMPH OVER THEIR ENEMIES

 Esther 9:1-19 / Keywords 9:1

THE JEWS TRIUMPH OVER THEIR ENEMIES

 

1. The Jews got the upper hand (1-10)

The king’s edict was carried out on the day that was originally appointed to

be the day of the annihilation of the Jews. God was with the Jews and they got

the upper hand over their enemies and killed many of them all throughout the

kingdom. The kings administrators throughout the kingdom helped the Jews. The

enemies of the Jews could find no allies because they were afraid of Mordecai.

Haman’s sons were hanged, but the Jews took no plunder. God gave His people a

great victory.

 

2. Another day of retribution (11-19)

The king reported the results of the events of the day to Queen Esther, and asked

her what else she wanted. She asked for another day of the Jews being allowed

to carry out the edict. She also asked that Haman’s sons be made an example

of and hanged for all to see. King Xerxes granted Esther’s petition and the Jews

vanquished their enemies. God’s salvation was sure and complete.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you that you are God who rescues your people. Help us to

trust in you that you are our sovereign God.

One Word God gives His people great victory

THE KING’S EDICT ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS

 Esther 8:1-17 / Keywords 8:17

THE KING’S EDICT ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS

 

1. Esther’s second plea to the king (1-9)

The king gave Haman’s estate to Queen Esther and Haman’s position to

Mordecai. Esther risked her life one more time and went to the king. Again the

king welcomed her. She pleaded to the king that Haman’s plan be thwarted. They

had eliminated the evil Haman, but his plan to annihilate all the Jews was still

in place. She asked the king for an edict to stop the slaughter. The king allowed

Mordecai to write an order to protect God’s people. We need wisdom to know

when to speak up and to do what is right. God gave Esther strength and wisdom

to do just that.

 

2. Mordecai’s edict (10-17)

Mordecai’s edict, under the authority of the king, gave the Jews the right to

protect themselves against their enemies, to destroy them, and to plunder

them. This was a great victory for the Jews. There was feasting and celebrating

everywhere Jews lived in the kingdom, especially in Susa. When we have faith,

God can turn a time of seeming disaster into a time of great victory.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to have faith to pray and act in times of trouble. Thank you

that you turn times of trouble into times of victory.

One Word God turns trouble into victory

ESTHER’S PLEA TO SAVE HER PEOPLE

 Esther 7:1-10 / Keywords 7:3

ESTHER’S PLEA TO SAVE HER PEOPLE

 

1. “Spare my people” (1-6a)

The king and Haman arrived at the second banquet Queen Esther had prepared

for them. Again, the king asked her what her request was. This time, she told him.

She pleaded with the king to grant her her life and to spare her people. She didn’t

hide the truth. She laid it all out before the king-the plot against all the Jewish

people in the whole kingdom. And she pointed to Haman as the instigator of this

vile scheme against God’s people. Because of her faith and the prayers of her

people, she was not afraid to confront the enemy of God’s people in front of the

king.

 

2. Haman is hanged (6b-10)

Haman knew the jig was up. He was caught red-handed. He was terrified. The

king was so angry he left the room. Haman begged the queen for his life, and

when the king returned, he thought Haman was molesting the queen. The king

ordered Haman to be hanged. One of the king’s eunuchs told the king about a 75-

foot gallows standing outside Haman’s house, the one made to hang Mordecai.

There, the king ordered Haman hanged. When we are faithful, God is with us.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for your hand of protection on your people. Help us to be

bold knowing your hand is with us.

One Word Have faith and courage to stand up to evil