Genesis 15:1

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great".

From Background Notes [BN] for November 23^rd& 24^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

When God gave his promise to Abraham, he needed to receive, believe, and hope. In the dialog which follows, God’s covenant partner shared his deepest concerns — his fears, asking God, “What will you give me… You have given me no offspring … Make my slave my heir …” These disputatious words show us a man wrestling with his fears based on what was in front of him now.

Abraham was in a battle between fear and faith, not simply doubt and faith. He grappled with certitudes, in this case having just one child that could be a down payment on the future God promised him. Ultimately, the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. What do we do when the facts on the ground tell us one thing and the promise of God tells us another thing?[BN,5]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am