I was not sure that I, myself was seeing the true significance of Abraham. I wasn't making the full connection between Abraham and the kingdom of God. I understood that Abraham's seed was to be Christ and that we are baptized into Christ and thus become also the seed of Abraham and heir's according to the promise. But where's the power of this?

 

I thought I would write to the group about "Abraham believed God and he counted it to him for righteousness." it's what seemed to me to stand out the most.So, I began to think about that. The key words there for me are "Abraham believed God". I began to think about what it means to believe God, I thought that it is definitely more than just some blind faith. And that is what I want to present to the group. That to BELIEVE God is more than just a blind faith. Where's the hope? is hope blind? I think hope has vision, it is vision! Faith for me is understanding that vision. To BELIEVE produces works, as my study of James confirmed for me. To believe, for me, it seems there needs to be a connection between my mind and heart. I seek assurance. I am FEED by understanding. I hunger for it. It keeps me moving in the right direction. I am not satisfied with blind faith, I stall when I can't make connections of truth.

 

So, I knew that Abraham believed God and is called the father of the faithful. I sought to see how this could be so. How did Abraham believe God? How are we to have faith like Abraham? We know that Abraham was not without sin, he made some bad decisions. So, are we to see Abraham as just like us, a sinner who just believed with a blind faith?

 

It was from that I wanted to see. Was Abraham a bit like me? Did he want his mind and heart to meet? I began by wanting to make a connection, biblically, of the kingdom of God on earth. After all Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom of God right. Is the kingdom to be in heaven or on earth? I thought that if I could truly make the connection with Abraham to God's kingdom on earth and what Abraham believed, I needed to understand that(believe it too) the faith of Abraham.This has led me deeper than I could have imagined. Much thanks to Scott and Lisa. 

 

I understand now that God did not leave Abraham scratching his head as to how the promise was to be. Abraham did not have a blind faith. The vision he had come to understand was real faith(hope). Right there, in Genesis 17 Abraham understood, he truly understood, he fell on his face with understanding of what God was trying to tell him. Abraham understood that he was to be the father of nations not just of many grandchildren. Abraham walked the land that he is to inherit personally.

 

One key that I was looking for was to open up how Abraham himself(personally) was included in the inheritence of the kingdom. I have come to understand the order of the promise. That it is to be Christ first(thy seed), then Abraham and the rest of the saints. To thy seed who is Christ and then to thee and thy seed(those believers baptized into Christ). This has opened up a door for me to peek inside. It has moved me forward and strengthened my faith because a dot has been connected for me and satisfied my hunger, for the moment. I know as long as I live in this body my vision will not be as clear as it will, I hope, one day be. But hope for me is vision and God's revelation is vision and vision leads us somewhere, it does not leave us scratching or heads, at least not for too long, if we have a desire for truth and pray for understanding.

 

The faith of Abraham is that he truly understood what God was promising him, that he(himself) would one day be a father of nations of people and he would walk among(with) them on earth. I need to to fully grasp(vision) this truth because it is wonderful. That we too will walk with the saints on this earth as promised because we become the seed(promise) of Abraham. This truth has just began in me, I believe that God's word will continue to open my understanding and hope as long as I am willing to count the cost and follow Christ.

 

I'm continuing to study Abraham and family that I need to get a better understanding of counting the cost.