Books of the Bible Book Club: "Genesis and the Covenant with Abraham"

Discover the transformative power of scripture in our latest Books of the Bible Book Club episode, featuring the wisdom and companionship of Elder Harper. We explore the profound journey from Genesis to the story of Abraham, reflecting deeply on the significance of taking God's call seriously. Elder Harper, a cherished spiritual companion, enriches our discussion with her insights and shared history, setting the stage for a heartfelt exploration of faith, patience, and the divine promises that guide our lives.

We'll unfold the awe-inspiring nature of God's sovereign plan, tracing His promise from Adam and Eve to Abram and Sarai. By examining the covenant with Abraham, we discuss the unyielding commitment God has to His people, contrasting it with human conditional promises. Our conversation navigates through modern challenges, urging listeners to trust in God's timing amidst a world that often demands instant gratification. This episode is a reminder of the steadfast faith needed to witness the fruition of God's promises.

Finally, we delve into the enduring significance of the biblical covenant, culminating in the redemptive work of Christ. The symbolic rituals and unwavering commitment of God's covenant with Abraham highlight the sacred bond that extends to us today. We also share an exciting update about our transition to YouTube, encouraging our community to join us on this new platform. Tune in for an enriching conversation that promises to deepen your understanding of God's word and His unwavering promises.

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Chapters

• 0:23 Book of Genesis Study Group
• 13:29 Unconditional Promises of God
• 28:37 Trusting in God's Timing and Voice
• 41:49 Understanding the Biblical Covenant Bond
• 50:12 Trusting in God's Promises and Faith
• 1:04:17 Online Platform Announcement

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:23

Hey, everyone, everyone, how are you doing on this beautiful? It's Monday, right? Okay, let me tell y'all, y'all don't understand. Your girl has been running light Like I've been doing some work like a bee today.

Speaker 1: 0:44

So, anyways, I want to get on here. First I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that you like, you share, you commented, whatever you've done. I'm so excited, you know, yada, yada, yada, all that stuff. I'm excited because, let me tell y'all, you know, know, this is something that I do take serious. Okay, this is something you know, when, um, when God call you, you have to make sure you take it serious. So, anyways, I am so excited to be up here, um, and, like I said last week, this is the books of the Bible book club. I'm so excited that we have started this and I want to just extend this to everyone because it is something different. Right, we're taking the book club to a different level. Right, we are not just saying, okay, there's nothing wrong with reading other people's books, but we want to read the word of God. Okay, and I want, like I said, anybody can participate in this. All you got to do is go grab your Bible, grab your phone. You know what I'm saying, and so you don't have to go and spend money on books. You could go and get your Bible, because this right here will enrich your life. Okay, my pastor, pastor Darius, I always say you get better with the Bible and that means your life get better and everything that you're doing. You know it is the most important thing that you need to be studying in your life is the Bible. Okay, so we want to make sure that we are doing our due diligence when it's when it comes to that. It's almost like when you, um, when you get a table to put together and you don't read the instructions, it's going to be messed up. Okay, you might miss some screws here and all that stuff. I want to make sure that you know the word of God. So, anyways, anyways, I am so excited to be doing this with Elder Harper. Can't you just put some hearts in the chat for Elder Harper? I'm so excited that Elder Harper is here.

Speaker 1: 3:01

How are you doing tonight, elder Harper? I'm doing pretty good, doing pretty good. Thank you for asking. I am well. I know that it has been a good long week for all of us and we're just looking to get together, have some fun and refresh ourselves in these scriptures. Girl, there you go, girl, girl, girl, girl, girl.

Speaker 1: 3:25

I say, when I say it's been a week, I feel like like I was talking to my cousin earlier and I said you know, I was thinking that our Zoom meeting was tomorrow and I said, because I said I'm so sorry, I ain't gonna nobody do it, I got something to do tomorrow. And she said cuz it's next week. I said oh, I said see, I said I done did about a hundred. My mama say a hundred, I done did about a hundred things already. I said my bad, cuz my bad. But you know, god is so good. So, anyways, I'm, I'm so excited about um being being up here with you. Um, you know, for the people that don't know elder harper, could you just give a little bit of background of who elder harper is, so people can know that elder harper has been in my life for a long time now? Okay, yeah. So thank you.

Speaker 1: 4:26

For all the newcomers, those who may not have been on with us before, my name is Darlene Harper and I am a good friend of Kiana's from way long time ago. Let's see where you was at, maybe 2007. So 2007, 2000. Yeah, 2007. Yeah, I think it was. I had to be mad because my yeah 2007. I think it was little yeah 2007. Kindergarten, yes, wow. And now they are graduating. They will graduate from college, college, college, y'all. Wow, that's a good long time. And you know, it's just been cool to trek along with my sister, yana, and faith, you know, um, on and off through the years and just been alongside, you know our families and that kind of thing.

Speaker 1: 5:15

So, yes, it's, it's, and, and to be doing something like this right now is is more than an honor. So, probably, and like I said, I'm just so, I'm so excited you're here and in my sister app, said hillary, she used to be here, but she is. She is um doing her boss thing. Okay, all right. So, anyways, um, like I said earlier, we are studying the books of the bible and last week we um had the opportunity to start with the beginning with with the first sin, and so this day we're going to continue with with genesis, but we are going to move right along to the to abraham. So I'm excited about this one, because this one, this one is, is is near and dear. So what I'm gonna do now is say a quick prayer before we go any further, because we want to usher in the holy spirit and we want to make sure that we, um are are doing that. That's one thing that I do is make sure that the Holy Spirit is in the room, because, you know, I don't want people to be thinking that I'm talking from Kiana. I'm not talking from Kiana. So, anyways, I'm going to say a quick prayer and then we'll move forward.

Speaker 1: 6:39

Okay, so, dear Heavenly Father, we come to you. First. We want to say thank you. Thank you, god, for carving out this time for us to be able to discuss your word. God, we just thank you now for, um, all the things that you have brought us through on last week, god, to bring us here, god, god. We know that the enemy comes to kill, steal, steal and destroy, but, god, we will still stand strong in the word of God. So we thank you now, god, for what you have done.

Speaker 1: 7:10

God. We thank you for even the obstacles that you have brought us through, god. God, we thank you now for even any illness that you have brought us through, god. We just thank you now for anybody that is under the sound of my voice, that is wondering what they can do, god, we ask you now to give them clarity, god. God, we thank you now for allowing them to be able to receive this word, god, from you, god, because we know that it was sent from heaven, god, and so we thank you now, god, for what you're going to do. God, we just thank you now for your people, god, that are thirsty and hungry after the word of God, and so we just want to give your name to praise God for sending them here, god, so they can be able to learn a little bit more, and we can learn together, god, because we know that iron sharpens iron, and so we thank you now, god, for your love. We thank you now for your grace. We thank you now for your peace, god. God, we thank you now for going to Elder Harper's home and representing for her, representing on tonight, god, and so we thank you now, god, for what you are doing. We thank you now. It's in Jesus' name that I pray. Amen, amen, amen, praise him, hallelujah.

Speaker 1: 8:21

Yeah, girl, I am so excited because I um this one right here. Like I said, um, we are talking about the call of Abraham and the covenant promise. Right, when you know that God has given you a promise. You can always refer back to what he gave to Abraham. Right, we know that he gave Abraham that promise. We know that you know he gave him just the threefold you know, I'm saying the threefold promise, which is the land, the descendants and the blessings of all nations. So we know that we can get what Abraham got. And so that right there just is like ooh, okay, okay, god, you know, and the thing about it one thing that the reason why for me this is so important is because, if you're like me, you are waiting on a promise that God has given you. Oh yeah, you know what I'm saying. You are waiting on a promise because you have stepped out on faith, you have did something, so you are waiting on a promise from, from him.

Speaker 1: 9:41

So I'm gonna start and I'm gonna read genesis um 12, 1, and I think I'm gonna just read 1 through 6, genesis 1. I think I'm gonna just read 1 through 6 and it, and I'm gonna read it. Oh wait, no, you said genesis 12, yes, genesis 1 through 6. Okay, and it says the Lord has said to Abraham go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land. I will show you, I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all people on earth will be blessed through you. So Abraham went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him.

Speaker 1: 10:38

Abram, I'm talking about Abraham, abram. Abram was 75 years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. And they arrived there, it said. Abraham traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Morah at shechem. At that time the canaanites were in the land.

Speaker 1: 11:09

Let me just read. I'm gonna read the rest. The lord appeared to abram and said to your offspring I will give this land. So he built an altar there to the lord who had appeared to him. From there he went all towards the hills east of Bethlehem and pitched his tent, with Bethlehem on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called the name of the Lord. Then Abram set out and continued towards Negah.

Speaker 1: 11:39

So what translation was that? Well, that was the NIV. I'm so sorry, so sorry. I'm sorry, that was the niv y'all. Uh, so, anyways, one of the the first key thing that I wanted to kind of discuss tonight and tonight with you is, um, god's covenant with abram abraham. But we know, before he was abraham, he was abram. Okay, um, and that's, that's a whole another, that's a whole another day, for there's a whole, nother story for a different day, because god, when, when God gets you where he wants you, he'll change your name. And that's when you know that is Okay.

Speaker 1: 12:29

So we want to talk about God's covenant with Abraham, and so we know that the profound nature of God's covenant with Abraham. It laid the foundation for the nation of Israel and ultimately, for the coming of Christ. And so, when you think about that, the promise that God had gave to Abraham, not the promise, but the call, we wanted that covenant when you think about that, what do you think about when it comes to us, and how God shows his long term plan of redemption, you know. So what do you think about that? When you think about the whole promise and the covenant that God has with Abraham, and you said, in reference to the long term plan of redemption yes, yeah, you know, really, like you said, the foundation was laid.

Speaker 1: 13:29

I think I feel like you know I probably said this already, but it's one of my favorite things about the Lord is that, you know, he already knew what he wanted to do, right, so he wasn't taken. He wasn't taken off, you know, by anything that happened. He, he's a beginning and the end. He knew what he wanted to do for the foundations of the world. So it's just amazing to me that in his genius, um, he's starting out with a story, he's starting out with these people. You know this, this, this the progression of family, even you know, starting out from adam and eve, and just how everything has progressed, even to where we are now with Abram and Sarai, and so to me, it's just amazing because he knew what he wanted to do and he had the end in mind.

Speaker 1: 14:35

So I just think that it's just one of my favorite things, because it might not seem like, uh, you know, we're thinking about redemption right away when you read this. You know, because you might not be able to recognize okay, yeah, he's, he's gonna, he's gonna fix everything in the beginning when you're reading it, what it's like. You gotta hang in there, read the story. You gotta keep reading, you gotta, you gotta and that, and you know, and that's like with us. You know what I'm saying. Um, because he gives us that.

Speaker 1: 15:12

You know that promise and and, like I said, if you're like me, you know that god done, promised you some things. You know if you, if you a, if you are a child of God just like how Abram before you know he was when he, he was a child of God, and so we know that we, we can get that promise. That's just like when, when, when you talk to your children and you say, oh, okay, you know if you do this or I need you to do this, and I promise you that this is it, and so they be looking for it. But we have to know that sometimes it don't come exactly then. But we have to know that God is sovereign, right. We know that he's a man that cannot lie. So we know that he is going to fulfill his covenant. He is going to fulfill his promise, he is going to do it. So we know that he is going to fulfill his covenant. He is going to fulfill his promise, he is going to do it.

Speaker 1: 16:08

So we have to know, just like how Abraham was, like, okay, you know, I know that God is, he's taking me from here. He told me to leave, and it's like when God tells us to do something, we don't know what to do, we don't know what's going to happen, what's going to be the. We don't know that you know where it's going to lead. So the promise encompassed three key elements land, offspring and universal blessings, like I said earlier. And so we have to realize that this is not just a contract, but a divine commitment initiated by God and rooted in his sovereign grace. So we know that the promise is that's what it is. There ain't no contract Like, if you do this, if you do this, they ain't going to do that. You know what I'm saying. Like it's, it's that's God in his sovereignty. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1: 17:07

So, um, you know, I think that that's that's really, really good because, like we know that God is, is unconditional. His love is very, very unconditional for us. You know you got some people that that that say, ok, I promise that I'm going to do this if you do this. Right, that ain't what God said. So, when you think about, when you think about that conditional and that unconditional, and how some people, when they do make their covenant, when they make their promise, how, what do you? When, when you think about it, how do you can tell whether they are really unconditional and they are or just saying stuff, wow, yeah, you know. I mean there's a big difference between conditional, unconditional. So I mean we're talking about people making promises.

Speaker 1: 18:04

In general, I will say it is so natural to think of, you know, whether somebody else is going to uphold their end of the bargain, whether we got enough to really do it anyway, you know, and, and I mean we're talking about various types of promises, various types of promises and and even covenants or contracts and things like that, where people, um, you know it could, we people could be fickle so very, I mean even starting out. Well, even with the, with the plan to stick to it to the end. And you know, the, the counting up the costs, may not have added all the way up in their minds, because there's conditions, you know, and so. But that's what with god? You know he already counted up the cost. He was sovereign, like you said. So with him this is so different. That's why I love how I say universal blessings, because he's the only one that we can trust and stand on. That is not going to falter, it's not going to fail right, because people will fail. And that's why that scripture say when, uh when, man, things are impossible. Well, with god, all things are impossible, but with God, all things are possible, everything, I mean. You know, and that's the thing you know.

Speaker 1: 19:31

Sometimes we forget how unconditional God is. You know, and that's when we start to like not realize that we are, since we are children of abraham, we, we get that that same faith that I mean get that same um inherences that abraham, the children of abraham, got um. The bible says um in galatians 3 and um 3 and 29, and if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring cares according to promise. So we know that we can. You know, since we are God's children and we are children of Abraham and we are descendants, we can get those promises. So we don't have to worry. We don't have to worry about it. You know that that covenant, you know, god gave us that that is something that he cannot, because he is a God that cannot right his word would not come to him anyway.

Speaker 1: 20:37

You know, return back to him, boy, and I'm so glad that he was the one who started it into motion, because he had to do something real big and real long to cause us to understand, to cause us to see, and and get him, you know, and not something short, not something quick, not just, you know, uh, something little like okay, yeah, I'm gonna give you this. No, like he, his unconditional love for us went beyond time, right, right, you know. So it goes beyond the moment, it goes beyond. It goes beyond what we're doing, what we're not doing.

Speaker 1: 21:14

He had to establish himself. He had to establish what he wanted, between us, to be himself. And that's why I love this later on, where it talks about him looking for somebody. But he had to look towards himself, because he can't depend on humankind. He is the one, who is the only one that is capable, right, and that's that's why he had to put on human form and come down, right, you know, because he knew that we would not, you know, be able to hold our end of the bargain. No, no, he knew that he had to roll that already, right, because look at what happened in the beginning, when he created Adam and Eve. He knew, he knew. He said y'all ain't gonna hold it up. We didn't come over there, y'all ain't gonna do right, y'all ain't gonna do right. He said I have to connect you to a covenant to keep you tethered to the promise. I gotta let you myself too, so I'm. That's why I'm grateful for this inheritance. We're talking about right, right, you know? So, yeah, that that is, that is good.

Speaker 1: 22:39

And so the next, the next thing that we are going to talk about is the faith and obedience. Oh, that is so good Because we have to and I talked to somebody about faith, being able to step out of faith. We have to know that Abraham's journey of faith began with a call um to leave everything. Oh, my goodness, somebody say everything, type it in the screen, everything, everything, everything familiar and step into the unknown. Okay, so, and I, you know I can speak on this because that was something that that God had to do. And I always talk about when, when God moved me from where I was living to, you know, here, I said this Abraham move. You know, I always associate that with it because I was like comfortable, like I didn't, I didn't, and I always associate that with it because I was like comfortable, like I'm good, you know what I'm saying, and God is like no, I need you, I need you to showed you know how remarkable it was.

Speaker 1: 24:13

What do you think about when it comes to faith and Christians these days? Because a lot of Christians, when you talk about faith, they shy away from what is like okay, really really coming out of their comfort zone, you know. So, when we think about Abraham and his faith, how do you think that that coincides with the world today? Because there's a lot of people that speak on faith but are scared to step out on faith. So how do that coincideide? How do you think that that?

Speaker 1: 24:45

You know, um, this story, abraham responds should, where it should look like in our, in the culture today, but it don't. Um, yeah, um, you know, in every generation there's going to be challenges. There is going to be challenges, there's going to be opposition, as there has been from the beginning, from the garden, right, the time that we're living in. It just seems like, for example, we're in 2024, right, I think we're still in 2021. It's already August, it's about to be 2025. Right, already, already, anyways.

Speaker 1: 25:33

And so we can just think of how things were different from where we are now, even when we were younger and our young adulthood, our childhood, you know, and how the different persuasions or the different influences that existed at that time were different. Right, there are different major influences and kind of themes that are in this nation and kind of themes that are in this nation. Some of them have existed for ages, but how they look and how it's playing out have shifted from one way to another. So I'm saying all this to say is that currently, I feel like there was a lot of fear and trauma and insecurity, things that would shake people and not cause them to be as secure as we should be in the things of God.

Speaker 1: 26:38

Right, maybe the times were very much more simpler in Abram's day. I mean, he totally was coming up from idol worship. No, we need to go our best, because his father and them were not, like they were christians, you know, but at the same time they were comfortable. You know, that was their world, that was a world, right, and so our world as it stands today, it seems to just come along with a lot of I don't know, you know, a lot of apprehension. I mean financially, everything. Things just seem to be more up in the air, you know, as they were, as they probably weren't before, you know.

Speaker 1: 27:25

So trusting in God in this time really requires some faith, you know, and obedience in this time will cause a person to have to believe, for you know everything, and I'm not saying that it wasn't for anyone, because, again, he was picking up. So it's different, but it's the same. You know it's different, but it's the same because. But it's just what is influencing people in that generation. So our challenges are different than his, but it's still. It's still that makes so much sense that you know, when you think about it, because, um, you know, like, like, like you said, their time, of course, was different than our time, and um, so now, when you look at the times now, it's like, oh, everything's so expensive and god, you asked me to quit my job. Oh, you know what I'm saying like it's, it's.

Speaker 1: 28:37

People are just like no, you know, I, I, I don't know. See, here's the thing they don't know whether it's God's force or not. And that's the problem, right, because you know, we have to know. The Bible says in Genesis 15 and one after this word, after this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. Do not be afraid, abram, I am your shield, your very great reward. So we have to be able to recognize that that is the Lord talking to us, because sometimes, when you and I think that that is a lot of people's problem, because the Bible says my sheep knows my voice, right, and so if you don't know that, that's the, that's the voice of the lord telling you to quit your job, right, yeah, yeah, we're telling you to start a business, right, you know all, right, okay, it's time for you to write that book or it's time for you to do this. You don't. If you don't understand and know that what the voice of the lord is, then it's going to be hard, and so that's right there. That's the number one thing. Right there is, people don't know God's voice. Yeah, and I think that you're right.

Speaker 1: 29:55

That is one of the biggest things, because I've heard the statistics to it that this time that we're living in is one of the greatest times where people are not really going to church as much as times used to be, and even the children of this age are haven't been going to church. Like, like christianity. It seems like it's going down, but that's such a trick of the enemy, because it's like we are supposed to be so far past where we are. So hearing his voice is like the least, it's the least of things that we should be understanding right now. So, if we're listening to, um, oh, yeah, I'm, I'm supposed to be doing this because, you know, it's like not having money will cause people to go into these different ventures or things to try and chase dollars and serve mammon, and it's like it makes, it makes sense to them, right, this is what I need to be doing. But if we don't have that centering on him, yeah, no, it, no, it's it's gonna seem like right, a crime, because it may have come into the place of being their God and they're going to realize it.

Speaker 1: 31:09

You know, because we don't know the voice of the Lord, right, and you know, like, you know how Abraham, when he was waiting on Isaac, right, and so it just seemed like it was impossible. First off, you know he was 75,. You know, and if we think about that in these days, we're like, so you're going to go somewhere, just let it go, let it go. But you know, you know, but it seemed like it was humanly impossible and and that's that's the thing, and that's what a lot of people problem are because they you know this world has made it where, um, everything is so skeptical, skeptical about getting or skeptical about doing, like you know and it's and it's, you know, to that point where you like, you're like, okay, now I don't know, I can't do that or or whatever, and so, but another thing that we get from Abraham, his life teaches us about, um, the patience and the waiting and the trusting in god's time. You know his timing, you know we know that it was doubt and um, and everything seemed like it was not going to do, you know, come to pass. But we know that abraham was able to. You know, even in, even when it was that doubt, he was able to still trust god. And so how big it is, in these days and times when you got to really, really, really, really know that you can trust in the Lord and lean not to your own understanding, and being able to wait on God, how important I think that's an important thing right there. So how important do you think that that is nowadays right there? So how important you think that, daddy is nowadays? Yes, it is definitely important really to to fight the current being lulled into indifference and complacency.

Speaker 1: 33:21

And abram and Abram, he said he just said okay, yes, right, you know what I mean. Yeah, he might have probably looked over a little bit, like, okay, I'm getting doubtful, but it's really like a lot of I don't know, you know, and a lot of kind of wavering, a lot of lukewarmness. You know, we, we not, um, we hard pressed, but we're not hard pressed. You know, being in the western church, being in the US, people super blessed, but yet they still got poverty and poverty mindsets. So it's like can we just get somewhere and make a decision? Right, you know, because there's already so many things that's feeding, you know, and already wanting to satisfy, so it's like what do I actually want more? Right, right, you know, look, and, and you know, we have to know that, like you, like you say, we have to be able to trust him you know what I'm saying and trust his trust that, um, it is coming, you know, and and it's not it, you know, god is going to keep his commandment, god is going to give us that promise, you know.

Speaker 1: 34:50

And but a lot of people they get so impatient these days. It's like that microwave mentality. We want it now. Give me my money. Oh, I just saw that I'm so late to the party. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. So you know, we want what we want, and Pastor Darius was teaching about yesterday, about how the middle, you know, we see what God is going to do we don't got the promise and we don't have that vision of the end, but now we want, we see what God is going to do.

Speaker 1: 35:26

Or we don't got the promise but, and, and we don't had that vision of the end, but now we want it, we ready, you know, but it ain't. It don't work like that, you know. You know we have to make sure that we don't get doubtful when, when God gives us that, that you know, and and and look at what, um, what abraham went through. He went through a lie, and if y'all haven't read the bible, y'all need to go read genesis, about everything that abraham went through after he got his, you know his promise after he got his, his, um, his. You know god, his call and everything you know. But one thing we have to remember, and I want to read the scripture Romans 12 and two do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. So we know that, if we can, we have to. You know, in order to trust God fully and solely, we have to make sure that we are transforming our minds.

Speaker 1: 36:31

I'm quite sure, like I'm quite sure, that Abraham was just like okay, god, you, you, um, um, look, I'm 70, I'm 75. Okay. So you said I'm gonna have a baby. I'm 75, okay. So you said I'm gonna have a baby. Oh, okay, so I'm 80, god, okay, you know, can you just imagine how Sarah was? You know she was like, yeah, you know, especially when, when she, when they said she gonna have a baby, she laughed. You know, she laughed. She was just like, okay, you said this a long time ago, but we have to know that sometimes the promise, just like, okay, you said this a long time ago, but we have to know that sometimes the promise, just like when the farmers, when they go and they sow their seeds it ain't going to come the next day, oh, my gosh, I have definitely been that impatient farmer.

Speaker 1: 37:19

I mean I go out, I would go out every day and be looking, and I mean wait, and I just wanted to hurry up and grow already, not not just past the, the dirt. I wanted to already be to where I could get the stuff off the vine and start chopping up and eating. I want to chop it up already, but that's not how it worked. We know that. You know, um, when, when we sow it, it it takes time to grow, it takes time to get there, it takes time, and you know, I want to say something about that too.

Speaker 1: 37:54

Like again, seed time of harvest is still in god's sovereignty, because god gonna find a way to make sure we stay humble and realize that we are not him, that we are not on his timing. He going to make you wait, like you might as well let it go and go with it, because the seed time of harvest that whole principle is, it will never cease. So it's like, listen, if it was coming fast, we would think it was us, we would think that we really have nothing to do with it. That's like, no, you're gonna trust the whole process right, because no, I was gonna say like, even while the promise is coming, there's other things that he's working on, you know. So it's like he's so sovereign he's teaching us to trust him. Trust him in general, not just for what he said he was going to do. But what he said was going to be done still embodies and encompasses so much more than what we really realize. So we got to let him be God, so we can see the whole picture of what he really meant.

Speaker 1: 39:15

Anyway, right, right, you know, and and that is so, so true, because I was, um, I think I saw something the other day. I I don't know where I saw it. I see so much stuff Y'all, don't pay me no attention, but I see some stuff. Right, but they were saying you can do everything. Anyway, you can do everything, you can plant the seed, you can put, you know, go and dig it up, plant the seed and do everything, but you can't make it rain. Only God can do that. You know what I'm saying. So, you, because we know that in order for our harvest to come through, we know that we need the rain, right so, but you can't make the rain. Only God is the one that can do that. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1: 40:00

And so we have to in that moment when God tell us, but we still have to do on our part, meaning that we have to in that, in that moment when God tell us, but we still have to do on our part, meaning that we have to stick to our faith, we have to stick to trusting, we have to stick to doing what God has called us to do. If God tells you to relocate, then guess what God said relocate? You know, and and all the time, like it all boils down is to is whether you know God's voice or not. You know, and I feel like I feel so strongly about it, I just don't, I don't know why I can't let that go, but it all boils down to to that you know, because a lot of people, you know, when God and that's the main thing you got to know that in that time of waiting, in that time of patience, in that time of saying, of waiting, in that time of patience, in that time of saying, okay, god, you told me this and I done seen the vision. I know where I'm going, you know, but I don't know none of this. Like, uh, pd has said yesterday um, he said it's like god done, show you a movie trailer. You don't know you. You know it's gonna be good, but you just don't know. You know how it's gonna happen in the middle. So it's like like like, okay, you're right, yeah, we, we just, we just, we gotta be okay because it is, is like you said, it's gonna be's going to be good, because we know what Romans 8 and 28 says it's going to be good. We know that we have to be able to trust, anyways, that's a whole another lesson by itself, right there, anyways.

Speaker 1: 41:49

The next one is the concept of the covenant. Um, we have to have the biblical understanding um of the covenant with abraham. You know is is the the biblical, it runs throughout the scripture. You, you know it's a covenant. It's more than an agreement. It is a sacred bond, often sealed with a sign or ritual that you know God is. It reflects his unwavering commitment to his people and his desires for a relationship with them, and so we have to know that that is the main thing. Is the bond that God has given us. He has given us. He has said okay, this is what I am doing, this is the bond. That's like.

Speaker 1: 42:39

You know that, mother and children, we know that when our mom would tell us that they're going to do something, we knew that they were going to do it because they had that bond. My mom always told us your word is your bond right, meaning that that's the only thing that you have, meaning that you can trust me, you can be able to know that I am going to do what I say. I am going to do so. When you think about that, that sacred bond, or you know, that unwavering commitment that God has given us, what comes to mind when you think about that, that sacred bond, that unwavering commitment, you know I mean it was all leading up to Jesus anyway. So, yeah, it makes me think of Jesus, because I mean he died on the cross, you know. It makes me think of my Lord and Savior, because he still got up on that cross when he had all power to not do that. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 43:41

And, like you said, in contrast, people are so not like that. I know my track record has not been the best. I could say I'm going to do your hair tomorrow, you know. Or that's totally different, your tree has got a lot of hair. I mean like, look, if I had a child that had as much hair as your daughter, I would be like, okay, give me another day, let's put it in a ponytail. Okay, let's work our way into what this is really going to be, because you know, but that's why it's like, okay, so the lord is, like, he is top tier right, so he's the, he's the best at all of this and that's why it is a covenant, it is a bond.

Speaker 1: 44:31

Like I said, it's more than just a promise, because promises can be broken, you know when, in the way that, in human interaction and dealings. But he is our example and he is showing us that he put so much into it, into it, he put so much thought, he put in so much in it. So we can understand, and I think that's why he took his time explaining the story, like, even with um abram, he had to have the, the ritual, the sign which was abram's circumcision. You know, know what I mean? That was just a sign, you know, just to show like I'm committed to you, you do this thing and you, you know it is that is a seal to say, okay, you're my people, you know. And so um he, all of these words have, I feel like Cat Williams words have definitions, all these words have meaning. Do you not know the meaning of these words? And so that's why it's important to kind of look at that, look at those definitions sacredness, bond, covenant because it's more than just something that is said. He backed it up with his life and he's not even finished. He is coming back again. Right, the whole story isn't even over. So it's beautiful to begin to, like you were talking about, to begin to see the connection with Abram and Sarah in the story of redemption, because he started this process long ago, but he always had it in mind that he wanted us to be together, you know. So all of this is pointing towards us being together, one, you know. That's the point, right, right, and, like you said, he wants us to have that connection and be together, like you said, and we know that it's leading up up. Like you said, the story is not over, it's not, it's, it is not over, and and we have. And so that's why it's so important to make sure that we know that, um, if God made this covenant in the beginning and it's still going through, that lets us know right there that we are still in that covenant.

Speaker 1: 47:13

A lot of people think, okay, yeah, that was the Old Testament. No, god sent Jesus to redeem the law, but he didn't break the covenant. You know what I'm saying? He didn't break the covenant. You know what I'm saying he didn't break. That you know. And so we know that. You know, we know that Christ, established through Christ's blood, is the culmination of the convention promise that was made to Abraham. You know what I'm saying. I tell you. You know, I really really think that a lot of people lose sight of that because we have to know that it leads up to Jesus. Yeah, it leads up to you know that's. You know Jesus is the ultimate offspring through whom all nations are blessed. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1: 48:07

And so when you think about that and I and I think you kind of touched on a little bit then but when you think about that, you know we have um, what do you think about why people don't? Well, let me, let me say I ain't gonna say people, because I don't want y'all to think that that girl don't see it. Everybody don't believe that. I don't want y'all, I don't want y'all to think that that girl done said everybody don't believe that. I don't want y'all, I don't want y'all to say that.

Speaker 1: 48:29

But when you think about some of the people in the world, how they are not really accepting what Christ did and how he came to redeem us, what do you think about that, when it comes to trying to implement this to people, oh gosh, you mean just I. I mean we're talking about sharing the good news at this point, right, I mean even just believing that he did it. I mean the scripture tells we got to believe that he is first, you know, and it's like, once we connect with that, it's like step by step, and this is what gets me, because God did things step by step, just like this whole story in the Bible, and he even showed us in order to even have faith, you got to first believe that he is. So it's like we have, we got to understand that the power of agreement in our mind is so important, it's valuable, so it's like okay, some people like be like okay, well, I believe in god, but, um, you know, I don't think. I don't agree with this, I don't agree with that. Look, hey, we're supposed to say that I believe in god, but what does that mean? Everything that you just said, right, you know that. That, don't you know that? That that mean Everything that you just said, right, don't you know that? That's what? But means that you just scratched out everything at the beginning of the lesson. That but is washed away, it's gone, it's washed, everything that you said. I believe in God, but you might as well just say I don't believe in God. Right, and it's like I said, it's going to always be an excuse, it's going to always be something that can be said.

Speaker 1: 50:12

There's so many arguments out there, so many cases, but there is a case for price and the reality is that until you try them, until you know for yourself, you won't really know. And I think people, probably, I think we all, were fooled at one time or another. I think we all were kind of tricked or deceived and beguiled by the enemy of this age into thinking that he is not all that, he says, that he is right and so, yeah, it's gonna always be some sensation there's. But but that's why, like I think you mentioned it earlier, my people perish for a lack of knowledge and it's really we need to know. There's not if, if, um, if the government is giving us a million dollars each family, a million dollars, and I didn't know about it and I threw my mail away, I don't get the card in the mail, I will not be able to receive my million dollars because I don't know nothing about it. I'm lost. I'm lost in the sauce. I'm going to be millionless, but those who knew about it, they get to get their car and they go and spend their money and do what they need to do and I think that's kind of like the difference.

Speaker 1: 51:39

No, I'm not saying to increase their knowledge and make knowledge your idol, but I mean, come on into the fold and at least try this what you say. Try him. You know, we can see, we can reason with him, we can go on this journey and figure it out, and there has been plenty of um atheists and agnostics that has just asked. Very plain are if you are who you say you are, then show me boom. And he did, he did, he would encounter the unbeliever, right, right, so like we need to come out of our whole little game, stop playing these games and like, whatever Right, you know, because it's there's always these rhythms and these things, these soap boxes that we can get on. But no, if we're going to take it seriously and be for real, like you said, when God gives us to take it seriously, if we take it seriously and we just be genuine, he will respond. He will meet.

Speaker 1: 52:44

People got thousands of testimonies out here about being in jail and crying out to him and him showing up. All kinds of these Muslims, even right now, to this day, are counting Jesus. He is walking into their dreams, into their lives. You know what I'm saying. So it's like no, of course he's real, you know Right, and he is able to explain himself and show those who really want to know that he's real. And just like he did Abraham you know what I'm saying he called on him and was like hey, I got something for you. I need you to pick everything up and come, follow me, I'll show you where to go. Look, I'll show you where to go. I said look, I'll show you where to go. You know what I'm saying? Look, and and and the thing about it. We have to realize that.

Speaker 1: 53:30

And you said something that, uh, it was just because we was talking about knowing and we have to know, and it's like you were saying about the millionaire and I and the thing about it. What really, you know, like you say, it's some people that will miss it, but most people won't, because that is that materialistic thing. You know what I'm saying? They're gonna be there, but when it comes to your life and your salvation, most people will just miss it, it will pass their head, you know, because now you don't have that. This is where that unconditional and conditional comes in. Right, yeah, if, if, if the world, if, if the government say I'm going to give you a million dollars, all you got to do is do this. They can do that because now they're going get something, you know right. But now, but see with, with god, we have to know that, yeah, we might not get it right now. You know, god sent things in in seed form, you know. So we might not get it right now. And so a lot of people that's where the impatient comes in impatient, they don't want it, they don't want to wait, they want it right now.

Speaker 1: 54:47

And so we have to know that, um, you know, and looking at abraham's story and we get ready to wrap it up, so, um, looking at abraham's story, it is a powerful reminder of god's faithfulness and the importance of living a life of faith and obedience. You know, we, we know that God made this covenant with Abraham and we have to know how it can inspire us to just be able to trust in God. You know, even when it seems like it's impossible, even when it seems like it's not going to happen. Even when it seems like the whole world is up against you and I'm a living witness about that you have to know that we can really, really, truly just step out and be obedient to what God has called us, because it is a greater story. It is a great, trust me, we know that is a greater story. It is a great, trust me, we know that is a greater story.

Speaker 1: 55:45

Yes, I wanted, um, to really end right there, because we can go on and on to the break of dawn talking about Abraham, because, like I said, that was one of my, that was the thing that God had told me. You know it it was. It was an Abraham moving. God just said okay, get up, I need you to go. I'm like, really, god, okay, you know. And so I um just want to encourage somebody that are, you know, god has tasked them with something. I want to encourage someone to know that God is a covenant God. Whatever he tells you to do, trust me, he is going to stick to you. He is going to make sure that you get to an expected end, you get to where he has shown you. Yes, because that's who he is. And so I want to go ahead and end it right there.

Speaker 1: 56:48

Did you have anything else to say about Abraham? How his story helped us? You know it helped us in our lives in the world. You know it help us in our lives in the world. You know and I really just want to go back to that word where we started in, at Genesis 15.

Speaker 1: 57:08

The thing about it is that God spoke to Abraham himself, right Right, and he dealt with what he already knew was going on in his heart. He started out by saying don't be afraid, abram. I mean, if we could just pause and learn how to focus and to hold on to what he said, and if you hold on, then you will be able to behold. That's what we got to learn how to do is hold and behold. Like that, hold and behold. Like that. Hold and behold. He said I am your shield, your bearing great reward, and if we just stay right there, he already carved out everything for Abraham and he basically took care of everything just in that moment.

Speaker 1: 58:03

So I just want to say to everybody that know that he will do it, yes, and know that he will speak to you himself, he will reveal himself to you and you will be comforted and you will. He will give you what you need to be sustained in this process. So it's not like you just start now and then it's over. No, he's going to speak directly to your soul, that personal place. Don't be afraid, abram, right, right, I am your shield. So he is pointing everything back to himself. So, as we are holding on, as all of us are yet walking and and the things that god has for us to do, and we can just go back to the word and remember what he said, hold on to that thing and we'll be able to see it, see it to where it will come to pass, because his word is true. Amen, oh, my goodness, oh gosh, we can keep going.

Speaker 1: 59:00

That right there, that when, when he said do not be afraid, see, do not be afraid is is implying that you and your emotions at that moment, and see, we cannot allow our emotions to come into play. That's because that's when the enemy if you look at the first scene, he, he played on Eve emotions, right, talking about oh, you won't die, you surely won't die. You know he played on that. And so we have to know that in those moments when we have, you know, are in our feelings, or when we are in it. We need to go back to the word. What did God say, right? Go back to the word. What did God say, right? Go back to the word. When you start getting fearful, go back to the word, because whatever he spoke hallelujah, whatever he spoke to you is going to come to pass. You cannot allow and I'm speaking to myself, yes, you know, I'm telling you because you know we have to know that the word is what God gives and that is what's going to stand. That's it and so. So, anyways, I'm full. I am full because you know I have read this story over and over again, but tonight it just really really touched a little different and went home.

Speaker 1: 1:00:28

So, eldon Harper, I want to say thank you. If you can pray us out, then I'll say you know all that little extra stuff at the end, okay. So, father, we thank you tonight for us being together and have an opportunity to delve into your topics of your word. Lord that we may be encouraged. And I just lift up each and every hearer, all of us. God, I pray that we don't be hearers only, but doers. Why? Because we will find ourselves going back to your word. We will find ourselves being built up in our faith, because you have already provided everything that we need through your scripture. So, father, if we can just get those foundational skills, these basic skills, lord God, just to interact with you and to learn how to be in relationship with you, father, you will continue on with us because you're already working out your plan. So, god, as this is happening, let us work out our own soul salvation.

Speaker 1: 1:01:31

I just pray for strength for the people right now, strength, oh God, and encouragement, lord, god, that they will be able to pick up even more and to stand. So I thank you for increasing your people tonight, thank you for increase in those who belong to you, and I pray for even an encouragement for those to come into the kingdom to know that it is better with Christ, because you are a covenant keeping God, you are somebody that we can trust, that we can depend on, so I thank you for speaking and touching to their hearts even now, god. In Jesus' name, we pray God, amen, amen, jesus, god, have mercy. That was so good. I'm, you know, like I said, god is a covenant keeping God and he will not. His word will not return to Him. So I just want to say thank you again.

Speaker 1: 1:02:28

Elder Harper, thank you for everybody that is tuning in. Even if you're tuning in next week, next year, I'm so excited that you have tuned in, that you have tuned in and Anyways, if you want to give him the Christ, you have to act, a-c-t-s. You can acknowledge that you are a sinner. You can confess with your mouth and believe with your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again. You can turn from your your evil, evil ways Christ died on the cross and rose again. You can turn from your um, your evil, evil keneval ways. And then you can seek after a bible, um, bible-based church, seek after his face. Okay, um.

Speaker 1: 1:03:13

And also I wanted to say I didn't say this last week, but if you want to be a blessing and I know that I have to make sure I say this because you know it I just have to be able to say this if you want to be a blessing and I know that I have to make sure I say this because you know it I just have to be able to say this if you want to be a blessing, you can always go to buy me a coffee at q4christcom and and you can always give then, because I don't do cash out. Sorry y'all, I don't do cash out. So, anyways, also, you can um go to the website wwwq4christcom. Like I said, I am an arthur now you can go and pre-order the book. I'm so excited about that. And um, make sure you go into the? Um parking. That's, that's, that's enough. I think that's a lot. My God, that is a lot, and I probably didn't say everything. I didn't, you know, but I'll come back later on. But so, anyways, I thank you again. Thank you, elder Harper.

Speaker 1: 1:04:17

Next week, we will be on YouTube, and I love Facebook. I love Facebook. Harvard, next week, we will be on youtube and I I love facebook. I love facebook, but youtube. Next week we will be starting on the on youtube. So, um, if you ain't connected to the youtube channel, I'll make sure you you get connected, so so, anyways, I thank you again and please, please, just thank you for christ. All right, bye y'all.