I have a personalized Bible reading system. Today, a portion of that reading was Genesis 17. Though the passage was not new to me, I read with interest as Abram get a name change to Abraham as of a daily reminder of what God had promised to do.
It was interesting that Abraham laughed at God [v17] and God would throw it back in his face [v19]. Every day of his life when he would call to his son - "Isaac, Isaac!" [For those of you not quite sure of the joke, Isaac means laughter.]
But then comes the sign of circumcision [v9-14] - what a sign! Every man in Abraham's entire household (over 300+) is to have this sign and EVERY DAY you will be reminded of the promise God made to Abraham! Verse 23 tells us that Abraham obeyed that same day. He was 99!
So imagine it, Abraham gets out of the conversation with God and gets his knife sharpened. As head of the house and receiver of the promise, he performs surgery on himself, then Ishmael , then everyone else ... THAT IS LEADERSHIP. And I am amazed that everyone followed his lead! That is really believing in your leader!
My bullet points are: God Spoke; Abraham Believed; Abraham Obeyed by taking action, doing it immediately, showing true leadership by going first, and got involved with everyone. God gave testimony to the faith of this man.
Praise God, we don't have to be physically circumcised to live by faith today BUT we still need to be circumcised in our hearts Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:Â
That is a painful process BUT absolutely necessary
if you would walk by faith. SO, do you see what I am thinking about Abraham's leadership?
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