THE SECRET TO BECOMING A PRAGMATIC BELIEVER.
3. THE SECRET:
When you go to church, don’t just read the Bible and quote the scriptures, seek to find out the secrets behind the occurrences therein. One of the greatest lessons we could learn from Abraham is that he discovered a principle, secret, through which nations could be redeemed. What I mean is one major lesson we could learn from the life of Abraham is that his relationship with God did not just stop at been a religious exercise as most of us often do. He derived insight from his relationship with God which is what we are supposed to be doing today.
More importantly though, Abraham took advantage of those secrets and insights he learnt from his walk with God. Abraham practiced what he learned from God in practical terms.
For example, he discovered that God was a great God and the next thing you see is that Abraham became exceedingly great. When he discovered that God was the lord of the universe who owns heaven and earth, soon afterwards we could read that Abraham had established his own estate, whereby he had become wealthy in livestock, silver and in gold. When Abraham discovered the righteousness of God and his perfection that became his goal and aspiration. Soon afterwards we could read about Abraham becoming the righteousness of God. When Abraham found out that God is about relationship, he began to pursue him so much that God would soon brag on him that “behold Abraham my friend.”
How would you like being called a friend of God? What an envious place to be! That is why I am writing this article, you indeed could become one. The key is, look for secrets and principles in the Bible instead of just reading the stories.
4. THE PRAGMATIC BELIEVER:
What is the principle that Abraham took advantage of that qualified him to become father of nations? Remember that Abraham from what we have read above is a very practical and pragmatic believer, what he discovered in God, he manifested in life. So I deem it important for us to know what secret Abraham discovered that qualified him to become father of nations.
Gal 3:8… “God would justify the heathen (nations) through faith.” Wow, What a secret! Bearing in mind that there were no scriptures in the days of Abraham, the question arises, how did Abraham get to know this? Note that I had mentioned earlier that all his revelations came to him through his personal relationship and interactions with God. To Abraham, he was not religious, he was on a journey with God in discovering secrets. So must we be.
That same passage in Gal 3:8, tells us how Abraham came across this revelation. IT WAS PREACHED TO HIM – BY GOD HIMSELF. “Preached before the gospel unto Abraham.” Friends can you believe that? The same way we go to churches today to listen to preaching, God preached to Abraham. It was now left to him and him alone if he was going to take advantage of the messages or not. Would he simply listen to a good sermon or he would go as far as to derive secrets and principles from it? We too face the same choice each time we read the Bible, listen to sermons or quote the scriptures. Are we engaging in religious exercise that only enlarges our knowledge base or are we actually looking for principles to apply, by which we could also become what we are reading about?
To be continued tomorrow with the following points:
- Becoming a man/woman of action.
- Why Abraham?
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, CHURCH AND NATION
By Pastor Sunday Adelaja.
