GOD DELIVERED ISRAEL BECAUSE OF ABRAHAM'S COVENANT

The nation of Israel, after Jacob, did not keep the covenant and was deep in bondage in Egypt for more than 400 years. Israel's cry to the Lord for deliverance must be initiated on earth for divine intervention. It wasn't God who kept them in bondage in Egypt for so many years. If they had left after the famine, there would not have been days of suffering in Egypt. Exodus 2:23–25 (NLT)23 Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. 24 God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.During the period when Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, knew Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob, they lived well there. After that, they were poorly treated and enslaved by other Pharaohs who did not know Joseph.When they could not take the suffering anymore, they cried out to God - that's their prayer. It was their prayer and supplication, pleading with God to deliver them. Even though they were held captive in Egypt, and God's plan was on hold for 400 years, God could not have them delivered until they prayed - cried out to God. It was at that juncture that God chose to act. God said it was time to act, and that was after they prayed. The time for God to work on our behalf is after we pray. As we cry out in prayer, it is an acknowledgement of dependence on Him, an expression of faith, and an act of submission to God's will. As Israel cried out to God, God delivered them because of His oath with Abraham in the covenant. God delivered them not because of their sufferings but because of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants. If it was because of their sufferings, He should have delivered them when they suffered and without their crying out. But they needed to cry out to God for deliverance. God could do nothing for them unless they prayed. God would keep His promises because He had a covenant with Abraham and Israel. While God had made promises within the covenant, there was to be a synergy between sovereignty and human response. The act of prayer is required for divine intervention. The covenant between God and Abraham extended to his descendants and was foundational in God's commitment to deliverance. God promised and was faithful to fulfil them despite human failings or disobedience. The blood covenant of Jesus is a profound connection between God and humanity through Jesus' sacrifice. It grants us access to God's grace, forgiveness, and salvation, allowing believers to approach God in prayer confidently. God will answer all our prayers if His Word abides in us and because we have Jesus' blood covenant. We must have faith in His covenant. Then, our prayers have a firm foundation when we seek the Heavenly Father's intervention in our lives. God is faithful to His commitments within His covenant with humanity. Rev. Cheong Yew KwongFaith Church SingaporePlease visit our website at faithchurch.sg#goodtoread ... See MoreSee Less

神拯救以色列是因亚伯拉罕之约

以色列民族在雅各过世后没有遵守约定，结果困在埃及，被人奴役了四百多年。他们向神呼求，而他们必须先在地上发出求救的声音，神才能够出手干预。让他们在埃及为奴那么多年的不是神。如果他们在饥荒结束之后立刻离开，就不会在埃及受那么多的苦。出埃及记2:23-25【新生活版】23 许多年以后，埃及王死了，但以色列人仍然在埃及人的奴役下痛苦呻吟。他们呼求帮助，呼声传到了神那里。24 神听到他们的呻吟，并且记起他与亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各所立的约，25 就垂顾以色列人，知道是他该行动的时候了。在埃及法老还认识雅各的小儿子约瑟时，他们在埃及过得很滋润。但后来的待遇就大不如前了。他们在不认识约瑟的新王手下沦为了奴隶。等到他们实在忍受不了这种痛苦的时候，就向神呼求 —— 那就是他们的祷告，是他们在祷告、恳求、呼求神来拯救他们。尽管他们在埃及为奴，神的计划也搁置了四百年，但如果他们不祷告，不向神呼吁，神就无法拯救他们。而当他们开始呼求的时候，神就开始行动了。神说这是祂该行动的时候了，也就是在他们向神祷告了以后。当我们祷告完以后，也就是神要为我们动工的时候。我们在祷告中呼喊恳求，就是承认我们必须倚靠祂，是一个信心的宣告，也是对神旨意的降服。以色列人向神呼求，神就因祂在约中向亚伯拉罕所起的誓而搭救了他们。神救他们不是因为他们所受的苦难，而是因为神与亚伯拉罕及其后裔所立下的约。如果是因为他们受的苦，那没等到他们开口呼求，神就应该搭救他们了。但他们需要向神呼求，求神拯救。除非他们开口祷告，否则神就无法为他们做什么。神会信守祂的诺言，因为祂与亚伯拉罕和以色列人立有一个约。当神在盟约中许下承诺后，地上的人必须回应、配合那位至高掌权者。要让神出手干预，就必须有人祷告。神和亚伯拉罕所立的约也惠及他的子孙后代，这个约是神定意拯救以色列人的基础。虽然人类再三犯错、悖逆神，但神一言既出，就言出必行。耶稣的血约是神与人之间意义非凡的连结，是藉着耶稣的献祭建立起来的。这个约是我们的通行证，让我们可以进入神的恩典、饶恕和救恩，让信徒可以满有把握地在祷告中来到神面前。如果神的话语长存在我们的里面，神就会回应我们所有的祷告，因为我们拥有耶稣宝血立的约。我们必须对祂的约有信心，这样，当我们寻求天父在我们生命中的作为时，我们的祷告才会有坚实的根基。在神与人所立的盟约里，神一定会忠于祂自己的承诺。新加坡信心教会请访问我们的中文播客,faithchurch.sg/牧师手札/#牧师手札 ... See MoreSee Less