God promised Abram (Abraham) the gifts of land, a son, and many descendants. God encouraged Abram by showing him the stars in the night sky. Like the stars, Abram’s descendants will be too many to count. God is a loving and giving God who wants to bless His people. He promises to protect you, and He encourages you to not be afraid. When God blesses you, it is so that you will be a blessing to others.

Nothing is too difficult for God to do! When you realize that God is the Creator of everything, that He is Almighty, and that His “is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty” (1 Chronicles 29:11), it makes sense that nothing is too hard for the Lord (Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17) and that, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Nothing! Absolutely nothing!

God offered Abram a gift of a special friendship or relationship with HIM! That’s right: a special friendship with GOD HIMSELF! It was a gift that would last forever. Adam and Eve tainted their relationship with God by sinning. The result is that, “[E]veryone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). When you confess your sin and accept Jesus as Savior, your relationship with God the Father is restored. “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). You become a child of God and have eternal life. Your relationship with God is forever!

We can learn from Abraham that we should put God first before everything else. God was at the top of Abraham’s list. He had faith in God and trusted in God’s promises. He obeyed God and put God first above all else, even his love for his only son. In 1 Samuel 15:22, God says that “[o]bedience is better than sacrifice.” Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). In other words, put God first above all else.

It sure does! Sometimes we find ourselves in tough situations where we don’t think anything or anyone can get us out. But God is a provider – and when we obey Him, He always has a plan. God provided the ram for Abraham’s sacrifice. It took the place of Abraham’s only son. This is a “picture” for us of how God provided salvation for sinners. It was through the sacrificial death of His only Son Jesus (the Lamb of God) on the cross. Jesus is God’s Perfect Gift to you. Read John 3:16. Replace the words "the world" and "everyone" with your own name.