1

Abram left home in obedience to the Word

2

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. (Genesis 12:1-4)

3

There was a man named Terah.
Terah's family lived in a place called Haran.

4

Terah had three sons.
The well-known, Abram, was one of those sons.

5

Abram married a woman named Sarai.
They really wanted to have a child but for a long time, they could not have any children.

6

One day, God appeared to Abram and said: "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." God was telling Abram to leave the place he was living to go to the place where God told him.

7

God promised Abram. "I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and I will make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and I will curse those who curse you. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

8

After hearing God's words, Abram believed with faith in his heart. Abram was so sure that God's power could give him a child and make a great nation through his child.

9

Abram told his decision to all the family members. "I am going to believe God's words and leave for the land God is telling me. Pack all of your belongings and prepare to leave."

10

Abram brought his wife Sarai and he also brought Lot, the son of his younger brother Haran who died earlier. Then, they left the land of Haran. Abram, at the age of 75, brought all the property he had at Haran and all the slaves also followed Abram and left for a land, which they didn't know.

11

Abram and the people left for Canaan, which is the land God told them to go. God led the people of Abram. They followed God's guidance and finally arrived at Canaan safely.

12

When Abram arrived at Canaan, God appeared again and spoke to Abram "I will give this land to your children."

13

The place where God appeared to Abram was a place named Shechem. Abram built an altar and commemorated God there since it was a place where God appeared and spoke.

14

From Shechem, they moved again to the hills east of Bethel. Then they put up their tent in that place. Abram thanked God for leading them there so he built an altar again and worshipped God.

15

The Hebrew people wrote about Abram like this. "By faith Abraham, when God called him to go to a place God promised him, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

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Abraham was the new name given by God to Abram. God made him the father of faith and he became the way of all blessings. Like Abraham, God let's us, the believers of Jesus, become children of faith, too.

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We who are worshipping today, should work hard to have the faith that Abraham, the father of faith, had. We should work hard to follow the Bible, which is the word of God. If so, we will also receive the blessing of God's amazing grace, which Abraham received.