Abraham's Blessing - A New Nation

"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house ... and I will make of thee a great nation ..." - Genesis 12:1-3

My affiliation with Christ enables me to participate in "Abraham's Blessing".¹

Part of that blessing is nation building - not a political nation, but a common bond of heart and soul that will culminate upon Christ's return to rule this earth.

Jesus told his disciples, "I will build my church".² The word, "Church" literally means "the called out ones." Called out of every nation and ethnic group are individuals who are to be part of his work in the earth. The call is generic in that anyone can participate if they desire to do so. It is specific in that only the ones tapped by God will say, "Yes!" Do you feel that draw to participate? It's him calling.

These are, collectively, the "Mountain that filled the whole earth" mentioned in the Bible's book of Daniel, chapter two.³ They are the temple of God building for his habitation.⁴ They are the "joints and ligaments" of the Body of Christ, helping it to grow into full maturity.⁵

Entering Christ has made me part of something bigger than myself, bigger than my nation, bigger than my time in history.

How cool is that!

-fritz

^{1 - Galatians 3:13
2 - Matthew 16:18
3 - Daniel 2:34
4 - Ephesians 2:22
5 - Ephesians 4:16}

Not prisoner of the one who owned the chains...

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" - Ephesians 4:1 (KJV)

Pauls viewpoint on imprisonment is particuarly interesting.

He had been in Jerusalem when ¹Peter was miraculously released by an angel and saw, firsthand, God's freeing power. Paul, therefore, considered himself a prisoner not of the particular municipality owning the chains, but a prisoner of the Lord. He continued to write and preach like always, focused on Christ not his chains figuring God would either use him where he was or set him free. This was not a desperate man².

Jesus is a kind captor.

When I feel a prisoner of circumstances, or face what seems unchanging problems, it is not my circumstances holding me, it is Jesus. ³Nothing is impossible with God. He is working his character in me and at the ⁴right time the circumstances will change. He shall get glory from where I am, like I am, and/or place me where I need to be.

¹ Acts 12
² Acts 24:26
³ Luke 1:37, Matthew 17:20
⁴ Hebrews 4:16

FAL