Prayer Works Morning Devotion: August 5, 2025

Thus Says The Lord-Who God Says He Is, His Commandments and Promises

Genesis 15:1-6 - "I Am Your Shield, Your Exceedingly Great Reward"

---

Good morning. Good morning, everybody. Today is Tuesday, August 5th. This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, and we are crucified with him. That nevertheless, will leave not yet us, but Christ leads by faith in us, his where dwells in us richly.  

We are able to say we are blessed, we are healed, we are disease free, sickness cannot dwell in us. The number of our days he will fulfill sin will not dominate us because the seed of God's word lives in us.  

We believe that Jesus Christ came and died on the cross. Suffered a brutal death so that we can receive salvation. So we now have salvation and the abundance of his victory and everything that he provides.  

No weapon formed against this shall prosper. We are more than conquerors because of his great love. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world and we are going to do everything through Christ who strengthens us as the redeemed of the Lord we say so. 

My brothers and sisters, I hope you had a wonderful night. You are well rested and waiting for a beautiful day un the Lord, today we are in Genesis 15. Brothers and sisters one of the beautiful things about being a Christian is that we have access to the Father. 

At any given moment we can go to him, I think, James says I think it's Chapter 2 somewhere he says that the reason we don't have is because we don't ask. And or if we do ask we ask amiss. And I was just thinking yesterday night when I looked at this scripture. That I think there are certain things that we desire.  

And if we haven't received them sometimes we fall into the trap where we just let go and almost going to get it into space where well, if God does it, then he does it. If it doesn't, then he doesn’t.  

It's almost kind of like we get comfortable in the position that we are in. And forget that we can still ask the Lord, especially things that seems beyond our reach. You know, we usually are good at asking at least I can say that I think we are usually good at asking things that we know God can do.  

You know that that that I'm not drastically big. But the relationship that Abraham had with God it got to a place where they were having these casual conversations about things and you'll see it when we read this passage of Scripture here.  

That it came to a place now where you know, God will say some things, and Abraham will say some things or us some things. And the reason we have scripture is so that we have a reference point of how we should interact with God.  

I was talking to somebody the other day and I was like, I didn't know, he says I didn't said I've been in church. In fact, he's a church leader. He's a Deacon in the church for 20 years. And we just having this conversation and he’s like I didn't know that you can have a conversation with the holy spirit.  

So I don't think you can. You can just talk to him like that and then you start asking why not? This is things that were given to us as a way to access our Father. And you have this deeper connection and relationship with him where we can literally ask for things.  

But we don't know how to ask. Or if we know I think they are things sometimes we just don't ask because they seem too big. Now let's just go back to when we were young and you wanted something from your father. 

And it was, it was big. Maybe you just get it driving and you want a car. You know it's easy to ask your father for ice cream like Dad, can take me to go get ice cream. Because you know that's an easy thing. 

You can you can just do it like that it's easy to ask God for journey mercies. You know, cause that's easy. That's just right there that big things it's almost kind of like when we were young.  

You're like, man, can I really ask him for that? And then it's so amazing that once we start asking God for big things. We almost start checking things in our background. Start checking if we are doing good or if I'm living right.  

Then we'll solve if things are not right that we almost kind of like, I don't know if I can talk to that or asking for that until I deal with my anger issues. That's what we do, especially when it comes to big things.  

We almost kind of want our relationship with God to be perfect in order for us to ask. But that's not the case. So Genesis chapter 15:1 says after these things, what things? Well, if you go to chapter 14 you understand what happened. 

In 14 few countries come together and they have a war fight against Sodom. And lot was Abraham's cousins captured and Abraham hears about it, he goes and he takes 300 men that he trained and he goes and fight against these countries, these nations, and he comes back with Lot.  

And then of course, every King he defeated gave him something. Sodom wanted to give Abraham something but because of the evil deeds and things that were taking place in Sodom, Abraham says no, I'm not receiving anything from you.  

I don't want anything from you because I know where it's coming from. To refuse to receive anything from the King of Sodom because of what that city represents. Then on his way back, he meet King Melchizedek, King of Salem, Melchizedek.  

And he gives immediately gives him 10% of everything that he had gained in victory. So now we you know he's on his way back now. So he gets back and now the scripture says after these things, after what had taken place.  

The Lord came to Abraham in a vision saying do not be afraid, Abraham. I am your shield. Your exceeding great reward, in other words, I am your reward. I mean this is incredible language.  

God says to Abraham, your reward. But Abraham said to the Lord, God, what will you give me? Consider this I mean, what will you give me? Is not a new please give me. What will you give me? This is how this relationship is. Seeing I go childless and the heir of my house is early years of Damascus.  

Then Abraham said, look you have given me no offsprings. Indeed, one born in my house is my heir. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him saying. This one shall not be your heir. But one will come from your own body shall be your heir. Then he brought him outside.  

He says, look now towards heaven and count the stars. If you are able to number them and he said to him, so shall your descendant be and he believed in the Lord. And accounted to him for righteousness. That's incredible.  

This is the interaction God is having with Abraham. And he says I don't have a child Lord. What will you give me? I mean, think about that statement for a moment. What will you give me? This is a relationship that we have with the Father.  

So again He is trembling before God something that that has been on his heart for a long time. This man is childless, he’s an old man by now. In fact, he has already made plans of inheritance. 

So he knows the end is coming very soon, so he already decided you know what I do not think I will have a child anymore that he picks his servant and he says hey you bought children for me. Early years I was his servant. 

And from you I will give my inheritance to your children because you've been an incredible phenomenal servant to me. So in other words, Abraham is settled in his heart and is comfortable with the fact that I am childless.  

This is never going to happen for me and I'm ok with it. But you know what? As an inheritance as a potential inheritance yeah your children will be my children, and I'll give them all that I belong whenever I do pass away.  

So he's comfortable in it. Just like all of us. There are several things that we use to love to do. And the things we wanted to do in this lifetime when we were young, somebody would ask you a question.  

What do you want to do? You know what? I want to travel the world. What do you want to do? I want to be this and I want to do that and I want to go over here and I want to do that. But is life progressed and time happens and it starts eroding some of our ambitions.  

Some of the things that we desire to do kids happen and we get busy. Grandkids come and all of a sudden, all of that God placed in our hearts somehow, slowly but surely, we start losing it.  

And when we get to this place where we are comfortable now and who we are and what we have, we don't want anything more. We are ok if God does it, it's fine. If he doesn't do it, it's fine.  

What we are seeing here on this particular day, there have been a casual conversation. And God is like, hey, I am your reward. Man and God says I'm your reward oh surely you will ask anything.  

Surely if he says I God I am your reward. Abraham, that Lord God, what will you give me? And then he goes hey I'm childless. So in other words, if you pretty much Abraham is saying if you if you give me anything, I don't really have anyone to give to.  

This is why he's asking this question. What will you give me? In other words, God, if whatever you give me at some point, I'm going to have to pass it on. But I don't have anybody to pass it on, I'm childless.  

So what can you give me that I can not pass that I don't have to worry about passing down? And God was like and he's like, well, I'm childless God. So what can you really give me that I'll pass on?  

I got everything he’s like, hey, I am the heir of my house. It's like I already have a heir Eliezer of Damascus. That's the one I'm going to hook up. Says look, you've given me no offsprings. Indeed, one of my house is my heir.  

Yeah, I had known forever you give me it's going to go down to Eliezer. Then God says to Abraham come, come here. Let's go outside, let’s go outside. I want us to really understand the language and relationship because and what's going on here. 

Yeah. Come on let's go outside Abraham, come on. So this this is in the night because you're not going to see scars during the day. So God is visiting Abraham at night. Maybe Abraham couldn't sleep. Who knows? Says let's go outside.  

So they're sitting, they're outside now. They're walking to look up look at these stars. Can you number them? Well, so shall be your descendant. Now  brothers and sisters and we're going to think about this.  

When Abraham was looking up all those stars that he couldn't count that included you. That included me says look up to descendants. The people that will come behind and have faith to believe in me.  

Just is what it is you are believing in me. That's going to be your descendants. In other words, they will be able to have this same conversation I'm having with you just because of you.  

Because if we are heirs right, that means we can have what the Father has. We can have the relationship that Abraham had with God if we are heirs. So as much as this was a promise to him, it was a promise to you and I.  

That you can have this relationship with me where you can ask. So homework assignment for today, I want you to kind of look back today, I want you to go back as far as you can remember and think about some of the things that you wanted to do.  

That you either give up or given and just I don't know if that will ever happen. Or you know what I'm good now? I want you go back and kind of excavate those things out and put them before you and understand.  

That surely I can have a conversation with God about these things. I want you to do that today. Yesterday I was just thinking, when I see, I was just thinking about some of the things I wanted to do. 

When I was young, things that I say, you know, yeah, I wanted to do that. And I know for a fact God placed those things in your heart. That's why you would say it but time and life happens and has eroded some of those things. That we are now in a miss, distant memory.  

But today I want to remind you we serve a God that we have a relationship with that he is able, he is more than capable, he is our reward. Not just a reward, I am your great reward.  

And when we come up with those things, if you still desire to do them, just not show only the Lord is willing to hear from you. He's waiting to hear from you because he is able. He is able. Quick story then we leave.  

My mother had a very difficult adult life because of just the relationship he had with my father. And when my mother wanted to travel when she was young I know she wanted to have a lot of kids.  

I think your goal was to have 10. And my dad didn't want ten, he wanted one. And then my dad was a prisoner of war, tortured, maimed. So his health was never really stable. It was always up and down and it got worse towards the end.  

But pretty much my mother's life was dedicated to looking after this man. And it progressively got worse and worse and worse and worse to an extent that you realize that this sickness that he has could potentially destroy both of them.  

Because of the emotional and demands that it plays on her. So she pretty much gave up on things. And where things she thought well, yeah, I don't think that will ever happen for me.  

My dad past 2018 and then 2019 she was going to you know, just seek trying to figure out. You know, you know what happens when you spend most of your life looking after someone and that thing is no longer there.  

You pretty much almost don't know what to do with yourself. And that was her and the pain of losing him and then the feeling like, ok, I've got my best now. And now I I don't have this thing that was in front of me every single day that I could think about take care of accommodate and everything that I do.  

If I needed to go somewhere to think about it. Will he be ok? Is somebody in place to take care of? So there are things that she gave up on and give in to like, yeah, I don't think I'm ever going to go. And I was talking to her a few years ago.  

I said preserve your mind because you have done incredibly well, you've been faithful and God has given you the strength to look after him. He is a great reward now and brothers and sisters  I received pictures from her.  

And she's travelling all over the place. And I'm seeing pictures of her in London. In England, Norwich at the beach and all these things and I'm just and I got these pictures yesterday and that's not when I was reading this.  

I was like, man, I remember her saying that she wanted to travel and do all these things. And now as an old woman senior she is now enjoying some of the things she wanted to do when she was 20,23,24 and never got an opportunity to do. And the Lord says you, I am your great reward.  

So I'm saying this to say the thing that God has placed in our heart he will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory. God does not give us desires in our hearts so that we can feel the anguish and pain of not accomplishing those things.  

That's not why he does it. He gives us desires because he wants us to enjoy the essence of who he is. So to date, because you go about your day take some time think about some of the things you wanted to do.  

And excavate those things and I want you to know that God is our great reward. And just like Abraham we can say, Lord, what can you give me? And let's watch the Lord fulfill some things in us, Amen.  

Let us pray. Father we praise you, for your goodness, and your mercy. We thank you for reminding us that you care about even the simplest needs. That you care about things that we care about.  

So I pray today Lord as we look back, as we look down in history and memory lane. Continue to remind us that you're more than capable of doing things for us, that seems to be the far distant memory. And thank you for your grace, for your love and thank you that you are a Father who loves us. 

So I pray, Lord, that as we continue on this journey of life. Bless us because you are our great reward. Encourage us, inspire us in our quest to do that, which is right. And we thank you for love, for faith, for salvation, for grace, for friendships, for family.  

And we thank you, Lord, for that in this season here while things around us seem to be falling aside and apart that our faith is rooted in you and our belief isn't rooted in you. We pray, Lord, that you have given us the ability to believe in things that feels impossible.  

So we bless you and today we just want to thank you and receive the blessing of having to be able to ask you of anything. In fact, the word says if we are abiding you and you abide in us we can ask you of anything and our Father in heaven will give to us out of his riches and glory.  

So Father, help us in our asking. Help us to formulate the right language to ask. We bless you and we honor you as we go through this day. Continue to lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  

For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen. Brothers and sisters may the Lord bless you, may you go through this day with great expectation knowing that our Father in heaven is our great reward and he wants to give us the desires of our hearts.  

We'll see you tomorrow morning. May your children be blessed this week as we wind down summer and as they get ready to start school. May peace be upon your house. We'll see you tomorrow.