Can We Trust God's Promises?

Trusting God's promises forms the basis of our life in Christ, but often we find ourselves struggling to believe. In this message titled, Can We Trust God's Promises?, God confirms His promise to Abram with a prophecy and a covenant, teaching us that God will never fail to keep His word.

► Genesis 15:7–21 ESV
7 And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

CROSS REFERENCES
► Isaiah 44:6–8 6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.’

► Galatians 3:26, 29
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith….29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What were some of the highlights and lowlights of your week? Everyone needs to get a chance to answer!
2. Where are you currently struggling to trust God (romantic relationships, school, future career, family life, friends, etc.)? Explain.
3. In tonight’s passage, we learned that God foretells the future, that what He says will come to pass without fail. How could that truth possibly help you trust God more in your current struggle mentioned in question #2?
4. 2Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are faithless, God remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” So, when God makes a covenant, He will never break it; He always keeps His word. Share about a person in your life that has a track record of keeping his or her promises? Are they more or less trustworthy? Explain.
5. What do you think are some of the differences between a person who truly trusts God and someone who doesn’t?
6. What are some promises of God that you have held onto to get through the challenges and difficulties of your life?

RISEN is a ministry of the Sheboygan eFree Church for students in grades 6 - 12 that aims to transform lives by proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ in all of His grace and glory.

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