“I Will Be Their God” (Gen 17:1-8)

(vs1, 7-8) “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless...And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God”.

The promise that God will be our God and we His people isn't without condition and result. Abraham was COMMANDED to walk before God and be perfect, blameless, or sincere in his obedience. Therefore, when God calls a man to covenant relationship, He gives the man instruction and power in how to live. He doesn't say, “I'll be your God, and you'll do as you please”, but “walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant with you” (vs1-2).

First, this blamelessness is fruit brought to completion; it is good works from those, who though faulty, sincerely love God.

I see Paul, Peter, Moses, Jeremiah, Mary, Sarah, and all the rest: they had FAULTS plenty, but they had sincere love for God. They have sins that are in the scriptures, but you cannot blame them as hypocrites, disqualified from the ministry.

We wrongly seek perfection in the flesh; it isn't here. However, we must seek blamelessness in character, and true believers have it. We have the sincere conduct that proves that we practice what we preach.

I heard a man, Francis Chan, and have thoroughly enjoyed his preaching. He isn't perfect, but like others I love to hear, it is obvious that he practices what he preaches. His words and deeds are consistent with God's glory, though we all are fickle, sinful, humans.

Secondly, don't be ashamed of the GREATNESS of the promise. God has promised, “I will be their God”. He says that He is for you, He meets your needs, and He is to be trusted at all times. We have Bigger than the biggest on our side. We have almighty power - the God of the ages - covenanted to do us good.

Don't think you're on your own in any regard. Do you need help with sin? Your God will help. Do you have a stained conscience? Your God has remedied that with His Son's blood. Do you need purpose in your life as all of us do? Live for this God who saved you, to make His name known, and get your REWARD from Him.

Thirdly, you and I have promises that are sure. This God has said, “I will be their God”, and, “I will multiply you exceedingly”, and He WILL do it, though it takes fighting, hope, patience, and faith. We must RESIST the devil and repent from many a fall, but He's given us the blood, the Spirit, the word, and all that we need.

His gift is the sure victory that we may rely on. We may see opposition against obedience and respond confidently, “God's GIVEN me the victory over you. I still must fight, but I will win”.