Each year we grow in our understanding of what our covenant with God means... our growth and expansion of understanding is pleasing to God.  Today we will look at how God used the process of covenant review in the life of Abraham. ****************************************Subscribe on Youtube: use the top left icon on the video!****************************************God’s Covenant With AbrahamGenesis 12:1-3 this is the covenant Paul refers to in Galatians 3. It is a covenant graciously offered by God and based on faith…  a willingness to believe what God says and then to act upon it. It is a covenant we now know had blessings built in for all people on earth (not just Israel). It is a covenant that looks forward to the coming of the Messiah... so that by faith in Him we might receive the promise of the holy spirit... the power of everlasting life... and share in the better promises of the new covenant.You could say the new covenant is built on the foundation of this covenant of faith.However, much time and many events take place between Genesis 12 and Galatians 3. God's covenants and promises unfold, are expanded, and head in new directions.Physical Blessings For A Physical NationAbraham received his calling not long after the tower of babel incident. The people of the earth had a plan to pool their resources and challenge the authority of the Creator... to declare themselves a great nation and a mighty people. God put an end to that by confusing their languages... then proceeded to roll-out a plan to create a TRULY great nation based on BETTER priorities and ways... the nation established by God… would be called Israel.God begins by calling this man Abram. Abram was 75 years old at the time but still had many years of living to go. He left his father, people, culture, religion, and false gods to follow the living God.Genesis 12:4-7 Abraham demonstrates his willingness to step out and act on faith. God responds by expanding (or building upon) the basic promise of blessing by saying "this great nation you are to become will be given this choice land". God adds concrete realities to the previous statements. ****************************************Get a FREE bible study guide:Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion*************************************Action & Events in Abrams Life (Genesis 13-14)There is a drought in the land. So, Abraham travels to Egypt for the duration. While there he has some questionable interactions with the Pharaoh. Pharaoh tries to appease God's anger by giving Abram all kinds of livestock, servants (great wealth) and then kicks Abram out. The upshot is: Abram is now rich.Abram goes back to Canaan. Friction builds up with his nephew Lot. Abraham suggests they separate to different territories to keep the peace. Lot goes to Sodom where he gets into some serious trouble. Abraham comes to the rescue.  After the conflict and settling of accounts we are introduced to Melchizedek.Summary: Abraham has had some hits and some misses…  all this is interesting and exciting... but Abram is getting old by now. The situation is looking bleak. What good is God's promise of land and a great nation if Abram doesn't have a child? Genesis 15:1-4God Reaffirms Their CovenantSo... when Abram is having some doubts, questioning the plan... how does God respond? He says “let’s go over our covenant again”. (Note: deal with doubt by going back to the basic NC promises, if you believe God’s promise of eternal life everything else falls into place).Genesis 15:5-7 God reaffirms his promise of a child to whom all the promises and inheritance of the land will flow. He adds a promise that they will be a huge number of people (more concrete detail). Abram believes God can deliver on His promise, This is a big deal. Why? God wants people to believe what He says… its even more important than obedience!Consider this: If obedience was all God wanted He could force you to obey! You cou