After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. —Genesis 15:1-6

The Ride of Faith

1. Can easily fall into fear Vs. 1

2. Can be lifted up when we listen to the Lord Vs. 1

“Where God is—a spiders web is like a wall, and where God is not—A wall is like a spiders web”

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” —Revelation 22:13

“God’s method of supplying our need is to give us fresh knowledge of Himself, for every need can be met by seeing Him” Then the pastor when on and concluded, “If you’re facing a crisis in your life, look in God’s Word for a fresh insight into who He is. Abram didn’t know God as his shield until he was afraid of retaliation from his enemies. He didn’t know God as his very great reward until he was worried about his financial condition. Are you lonely? Look to Christ as your Bridegroom, Lover, and Friend! Are you depressed? Come to know the Lord as your joy! Are you fearful and anxious? He is your refuge and peace! Are you confused and need direction? He is your wisdom and guide! One reason He allows trials into our lives is so that as we trust Him, we will come to know more of His sufficiency for our every need…He graciously reveals more of Himself to us as we trust Him in our trials” —Steven J Cole

3. Can panic us into trying to change the plans Vs. 2

4. Can bring peace from a Godly perspective. Vs. 4-5

“A change of pace and a change of place, can many times lead to a change in perspective” —Mark Batterson

Reminded of God’s promises Vs 4a

Refocused perspective Vs 5

“O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.” —Psalm 3:-14

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. —Psalm 121:1

5. Can bring a reckoned righteousness Vs 6

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast” —Ephesians 2:8

“Know then, that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. —Galatians 3:7

Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” —John 8:56

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” —2 Corinthians 5:21

“It is only the cross of Christ that deals both with the dreadful depths of despair and the pretentious arrogance of the pride of man that says, “You know, I can figure this out” and “I’m doing wonderfully well.” No, because the sinless savior died my sinful soul is counted free. For God the just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me. We’re not saved as a result of our professions, but we’re saved as a result of what Christ has achieved” —Allistair Begg