WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.660 You know what I want. 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:02.940 I want to invite you to turn to Genesis chapter 12. 00:00:03.340 --> 00:00:10.400 We're in a series together called blessed, and we're studying them in a significant portion 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:11.240 of Scripture. 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:12.520 Genesis chapter 12. 00:00:12.740 --> 00:00:13.080 Abraham. 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:15.160 call or excuse me. 00:00:15.180 --> 00:00:21.300 God calls Abraham and tells him that he wants him to leave the land of earth to go to the land of Canaan, and that he will bless him. 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:22.940 He will multiply him. 00:00:23.200 --> 00:00:25.420 He'll create a nation through him and through Abraham. 00:00:25.460 --> 00:00:26.410 All nations will be blessed. 00:00:26.940 --> 00:00:26.960 The. 00:00:27.540 --> 00:00:34.760 The Bible uses the Abrahamic covenant as a backdrop to the explanation, really, is how the Bible is going to play out and God's identifying for 00:00:34.760 --> 00:00:38.650 us the place where the Messiah would come, as he calls Abraham. 00:00:38.660 --> 00:00:46.360 He points to us, the people group through which he would work through and recognizes for us, through that people group and through this person, trusting in the Lord God 00:00:46.360 --> 00:00:50.000 is going to supply for our need by bringing a Savior. 00:00:53.040 --> 00:00:55.060 The backdrop to Abraham's life in Genesis. 00:00:55.060 --> 00:01:01.380 Chapter 12 gives a wonderful insert of God coming into Abraham's life by his grace, not by anything Abraham has done. 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:03.690 Abraham worships false gods with his family. 00:01:04.099 --> 00:01:08.580 Abraham experiences God's grace in his life, and God blesses Abraham through his grace. 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:12.180 And Abraham begins to take steps of faith and following after the Lord. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:18.480 And if you're like me, one of the things that you find out as soon as you begin walking with Jesus, it's just because you walk with Jesus doesn't mean everything's perfect. 00:01:19.960 --> 00:01:25.520 In fact, what you find is that there are maybe even additional complications in following Christ before you followed the Lord. 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:32.760 Because as a sinful person, doing whatever you wanted to please yourself apart from the Lord, it's easy to live a life that 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:35.300 gives in to whatever temptation you want. 00:01:35.360 --> 00:01:38.940 But when you start walking with Jesus, it's important to learn how to align your life with his. 00:01:38.960 --> 00:01:45.800 And some of the things that maybe you pursued in life, the hopes and dreams that you had, you realize are short of what God's goal is for your life. 00:01:45.800 --> 00:01:49.300 And it's far under anything that you could imagine as far as what God has for your life. 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:50.500 But you can't do it. 00:01:50.580 --> 00:01:52.220 Apart from God's grace in your life. 00:01:53.320 --> 00:02:00.440 And so, in our Christian faith, as we follow after the Lord, what we find is it's got a lot of ups and downs learning the 00:02:00.440 --> 00:02:03.780 consistency of exercising our faith in God. 00:02:04.740 --> 00:02:09.259 And I would say our faith has a both trials and temptations that we face. 00:02:11.320 --> 00:02:15.740 I'm going to give us a backdrop to the thought of what trials and temptations are about. 00:02:15.880 --> 00:02:23.020 Because when we come to Abraham's life, there's a it's important for an understanding to the text as it relates to what he does and his walk with 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:23.400 the Lord. 00:02:23.940 --> 00:02:25.940 But have you have you considered what is what is a trial? 00:02:26.380 --> 00:02:26.720 What is a temptation? 00:02:27.320 --> 00:02:29.040 What is the difference between the two? 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:38.640 I would say a test becomes a temptation or a trial becomes a temptation when you lust for something outside 00:02:38.640 --> 00:02:40.080 of the Lord's will. 00:02:42.140 --> 00:02:48.600 Whether or not you face a scenario as a temptation rather than a test is really in some sense up to you. 00:02:49.160 --> 00:02:54.180 In fact, James chapter four, verse seven says this submit yourselves therefore to God. 00:02:54.200 --> 00:02:58.830 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you or thee, if you like King James. 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:05.060 Submit yourself to God, talks about the thought of trials in life and our faith and submitting to him. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:12.280 But the devil comes in with temptations, and if we resist the devil submitting to God's will, then we find ourselves not giving in to temptations, but rather experiencing maybe 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:13.300 trials. 00:03:14.380 --> 00:03:17.060 So let me give this differentiating idea within our mind. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:22.010 We experience temptations when our goal is to please ourselves. 00:03:23.920 --> 00:03:25.660 Temptation is all about self pleasure. 00:03:27.180 --> 00:03:32.060 We experienced trials as our goal is to please the Lord. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:38.360 We find the strength to escape temptations in surrendering to God. 00:03:38.380 --> 00:03:45.500 In James chapter four, it says that and again in first Corinthians ten and verse 13, the Bible says, no temptation has overtaken you except what 00:03:45.500 --> 00:03:46.700 is common to mankind. 00:03:46.720 --> 00:03:47.480 And God is faithful. 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:51.340 He will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able to bear. 00:03:51.580 --> 00:03:56.560 But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can endure it. 00:03:58.200 --> 00:03:59.240 When it comes to temptations. 00:03:59.880 --> 00:04:02.700 The author, according to Scripture, is not the Lord. 00:04:04.140 --> 00:04:06.240 Temptations are all about failure. 00:04:07.180 --> 00:04:12.980 Temptations come into your life for the sole purpose of or what it produces is sin, and in sin is death. 00:04:13.180 --> 00:04:14.430 Temptations are all about failure. 00:04:14.860 --> 00:04:20.360 When God brings a trial or a test in your life, the primary basis of it is not failure. 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:22.040 Look at some verses on that in just a minute. 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:25.980 But Satan is God, author of temptation because temptation is lie. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:26.900 Failure. 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:34.100 In chapter four, when job and goes into the outer darkness, it tells us that he is weathered by the devil, something 13 verse three, 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:35.560 it says he is the tempter. 00:04:37.640 --> 00:04:41.540 In James chapter one and verse 12 and describing trials and temptations. 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:46.040 Verse 12 says this blessed is a man who perseveres under trials or tests. 00:04:46.520 --> 00:04:52.400 For once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. 00:04:53.200 --> 00:04:54.780 Let no one say when he is tempted. 00:04:54.820 --> 00:04:56.000 I am being tempted by God. 00:04:56.100 --> 00:05:01.300 For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself does not tempt anyone. 00:05:02.020 --> 00:05:05.540 But each one is tempted when he's carried away and enticed by his own lust. 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:06.890 And so that's an important thought of temptation. 00:05:07.140 --> 00:05:13.680 James says here, yes, God allows us to go through trials, but God does not produce us or produce temptations for us to go through. 00:05:13.820 --> 00:05:21.100 God does not want us to go through temptations and give give over to temptations, because the birth of temptations 00:05:21.100 --> 00:05:22.640 is all about sin. 00:05:23.060 --> 00:05:28.840 And so he says something important in verse 14, every temptation you face doesn't fall squarely on the devil. 00:05:28.840 --> 00:05:32.680 Let me just say, just because you sin doesn't mean you get to say, the devil made me do it. 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:40.280 I had a niece who liked to do things when we were little kids and always get in trouble, and then she'd always turn to her grandparents or whoever was watching us and just confess the devil. 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:41.440 The devil made her do it. 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:42.360 That's what she would say. 00:05:42.700 --> 00:05:43.420 The devil made you do it. 00:05:43.420 --> 00:05:50.480 Well, the truth is that we have a sinful nature in our bodies, and you don't have to teach a kid to, to not 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:51.120 share. 00:05:51.420 --> 00:05:52.990 You don't have to teach a kid to throw fits. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:54.800 There's just something within them. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:55.920 All of a sudden you're going to the grocery store. 00:05:55.940 --> 00:05:58.570 As a parent, you realize whatever is coming out of that kid is ugly. 00:05:58.980 --> 00:05:59.690 What am I doing? 00:05:59.780 --> 00:06:00.800 What did I do wrong as a parent? 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.940 Well, it's this nature within us that draws us to temptation. 00:06:05.020 --> 00:06:10.900 Now, I'll say it may not be directly the devil, but it's certainly demonic influence because it's a part from the Lord. 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:15.760 Temptations are all about pleasing ourselves rather than God. 00:06:17.640 --> 00:06:21.780 What it says in James chapter one and verse two is important to recognize when it comes to trials. 00:06:21.840 --> 00:06:29.130 He says this consider all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, 00:06:29.200 --> 00:06:33.600 and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 00:06:34.840 --> 00:06:38.960 Now, I know we could come to this question and ask, why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:39.260 And I will. 00:06:39.820 --> 00:06:46.880 I will first say, there's no such thing as good people according to what Scripture says, but that's a too large of a question for me 00:06:46.880 --> 00:06:47.660 to answer this morning. 00:06:47.660 --> 00:06:48.900 What I want to just deal with is trials. 00:06:49.340 --> 00:06:50.900 God allows trials. 00:06:50.900 --> 00:06:58.100 We'll give way later to explain why trials come into our lives, but God allows us to go through trials, not temptations. 00:06:58.880 --> 00:07:05.460 The reason is God doesn't desire for you to fail, but God uses trials to expose to you where your faith truly lies. 00:07:06.580 --> 00:07:10.800 It's been cleverly said that a faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:14.840 Meaning it's not until your faith really costs you something that you know. 00:07:14.840 --> 00:07:16.160 Your faith in Christ is genuine. 00:07:17.580 --> 00:07:23.920 And so God uses trials not to reveal to himself what you're going to do in the midst of a trial. 00:07:24.060 --> 00:07:26.040 God already knows how you're going to respond. 00:07:27.560 --> 00:07:31.720 But God uses trials to reveal to you where your faith really lies. 00:07:33.760 --> 00:07:40.940 And so God uses to about within our lives to exercise our faith will to show us where his 00:07:40.940 --> 00:07:43.920 tendency rests in verse in him or else. 00:07:45.640 --> 00:07:48.810 Proverbs three five and six says, trust in the Lord with all your heart. 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:53.260 Lean not unto your own understanding, and all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path. 00:07:54.640 --> 00:07:54.850 May they may. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:08:01.240 The bigger question I ask about trials and temptations is there something that can happen in your life that would cause you not to follow Jesus anymore? 00:08:04.820 --> 00:08:05.660 Whatever it is. 00:08:05.700 --> 00:08:06.300 If there is something. 00:08:07.780 --> 00:08:11.770 And asking the question, is my faith in this rather than Christ? 00:08:13.900 --> 00:08:17.180 God uses trials to expose where our hope is. 00:08:19.260 --> 00:08:19.720 James. 00:08:20.280 --> 00:08:27.820 Excuse me first Peter chapter one and writing to the persecuted church, Peter says this, that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even 00:08:27.820 --> 00:08:34.320 though tested by fire, may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:08:36.280 --> 00:08:43.539 And maybe some hopeful news for us this morning comes in Philippians one six, for I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect 00:08:43.539 --> 00:08:45.380 it until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:08:47.380 --> 00:08:48.760 Meaning. 00:08:50.260 --> 00:08:52.280 God knows your faith has ups and downs. 00:08:54.020 --> 00:08:55.070 God knows you're not perfect. 00:08:55.580 --> 00:08:58.090 If he expects you to be perfect, he would have never sent Jesus. 00:09:00.300 --> 00:09:01.400 But God does want you to be holy. 00:09:03.260 --> 00:09:07.480 And God wants you to learn in the midst of whatever happens in the world around you. 00:09:08.640 --> 00:09:09.460 Trust in Christ. 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:14.960 Do what the Lord has called you to do and leave the results up to him. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:22.500 Genesis chapter 12 as that story of Abraham, of a man who goes through testing and temptations. 00:09:24.280 --> 00:09:24.720 Records. 00:09:24.780 --> 00:09:27.680 For us, a narrative of his actions is not giving an excuse for him. 00:09:27.680 --> 00:09:30.590 It's just simply saying, this is what happens in the life of Abraham. 00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:39.360 The good news for us when Abraham starts his journey to Genesis chapter 12, verses 1 to 3, is that Abraham did nothing to earn God's favor, and God gave him 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:39.800 his grace. 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.900 And God blessed Abraham apart from his pursuing and temptations and worshipping false gods. 00:09:47.580 --> 00:09:55.140 And Abraham is called from the land of Ur of Chaldeans, which is modern day Iraq, to the land of Canaan, where God promises 00:09:55.140 --> 00:09:58.360 him this land to bless him and bless all nations through him. 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:03.200 And so he says in verse four, So Abraham went, as the Lord had told him, and lot went with him. 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:07.140 Abraham was 75 years old when he set out for from Haran. 00:10:07.180 --> 00:10:11.400 So we stop here and just say, it doesn't matter how old or young you are. 00:10:12.580 --> 00:10:14.040 God is always growing us. 00:10:14.040 --> 00:10:15.540 God is always challenging us. 00:10:15.540 --> 00:10:21.200 God is always desiring for us to draw near to him and enjoy him in the life that he's given us. 00:10:22.340 --> 00:10:29.660 And so in verse five, he took his wife Sarah, and his nephew lot, and all the possessions that he accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and 00:10:29.660 --> 00:10:31.660 they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:36.840 The interesting thing about where we're picking up in the story today is that Abraham is not in her. 00:10:38.640 --> 00:10:39.590 He's in, I should say Haran. 00:10:42.060 --> 00:10:45.480 Abraham at some point had already left Aaron. 00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:48.780 By the time we get to Genesis chapter four, he's in this land of Haran. 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:51.520 What is Abraham doing in Haran rather than Canaan? 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:59.400 Well, in acts chapter seven and verse two, it tells us that Abraham was called when he was in Mesopotamia, which 00:10:59.400 --> 00:11:02.500 is the land of ur, before he lived. 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:09.780 The last part of the verse in verse two says, before he lived in Haran in Genesis chapter 11 and verse 31, it also tells 00:11:09.780 --> 00:11:13.830 us not only that God called Abraham, but he's also calling Terah Abraham's father. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:21.280 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson lot, son of Haran, and his daughter in law Sarah, and the wife of his son Abram, and together they 00:11:21.280 --> 00:11:24.560 set out for the land for ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. 00:11:25.100 --> 00:11:26.960 But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 00:11:28.780 --> 00:11:34.400 So somewhere along this journey, they recognize that what God has called them to do is go to the land of Canaan. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:39.860 But what they end up doing is stopping short of where God has called them. 00:11:41.790 --> 00:11:43.420 This happens to all of us. 00:11:44.980 --> 00:11:54.280 We think of a relationship with the Lord, and then we treat it like 75% is good, right? 00:11:54.280 --> 00:11:58.940 Abraham on this journey stops short of Haran, and I've read all kinds of commentaries on this. 00:11:58.940 --> 00:12:06.160 But Jewish Christian commentators and what they're saying about the circumstance, whether or not it was the right thing for Abraham to do, I mean, his father 00:12:06.160 --> 00:12:08.620 was older in years and couldn't travel as well. 00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:15.780 So they stopped short in Haran, and his father passed away before Abraham got back up on his journey in Genesis chapter 12 and verse four. 00:12:15.780 --> 00:12:18.300 And so it wasn't it wasn't wrong what Abraham did. 00:12:18.380 --> 00:12:19.780 That's what some people have said. 00:12:20.220 --> 00:12:21.760 And then others say this, um. 00:12:22.900 --> 00:12:24.200 Abraham was disobedient to God. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.390 And I believe Abraham wasn't following what the Lord had called him to in this passage. 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:30.020 Let me tell you why. 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:31.660 First. 00:12:31.940 --> 00:12:33.550 First has to do with archaeological understanding. 00:12:33.780 --> 00:12:40.960 And that is when archaeologists have uncovered this region of Mesopotamia and just the history that's happened there, what they've 00:12:41.180 --> 00:12:48.400 found is in the land of ur, they worshiped a God called sin, who was the moon God also 00:12:48.400 --> 00:12:49.240 called Gnaana. 00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:55.740 In certain civilizations and people, the land of Ur was considered one of the primary places on the earth. 00:12:55.800 --> 00:13:00.500 If you wanted to go worship the moon God, they had a beautiful place built there for dedication and worship. 00:13:00.680 --> 00:13:00.840 To him. 00:13:01.140 --> 00:13:06.960 There was only one other place where such a beautiful temple was built for worship and dedication to the moon God. 00:13:07.920 --> 00:13:08.420 Do you know where that is? 00:13:10.400 --> 00:13:10.820 Huron. 00:13:13.460 --> 00:13:18.740 I think Abraham and Terah were on this journey, and it wasn't necessarily an easy, I think, journey. 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:20.740 It is a place in which his life comfortable. 00:13:22.900 --> 00:13:23.600 And so they settled there. 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:29.880 Second reason that it was such he was short of God's calling in her his cousin. 00:13:30.020 --> 00:13:33.020 Genesis chapter 11 and verse 31, God just didn't call Abraham. 00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:36.120 He was calling Tura to. 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:41.990 And he stops short of where God had called them to in the land of Canaan. 00:13:44.140 --> 00:13:46.090 The comfort of what they were before. 00:13:47.340 --> 00:13:49.700 And the settling for what had God called them to? 00:13:51.140 --> 00:13:54.620 And they just found themselves in this place apart from the Lord. 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:02.740 Hebrews chapter five and verse 11 describes a similar tendency of us as people. 00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:07.480 Paul is saying, just like Abraham, we can relate to this as people. 00:14:07.540 --> 00:14:10.460 It says concerning him we have much to say. 00:14:10.540 --> 00:14:14.700 As it is, it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:21.480 For though by the time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God. 00:14:21.760 --> 00:14:24.810 And you have come to need milk and not solid food. 00:14:26.540 --> 00:14:29.360 And saying to us, Abraham's not different than us. 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:31.100 God calls you on a journey to. 00:14:33.220 --> 00:14:35.220 And what happens to us on our journey. 00:14:35.220 --> 00:14:39.420 Circumstances become our excuses, the temptations of life around us. 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:45.290 They may even sound pretty to us, but they're not clear as what God has said to us. 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:47.530 And so what they do is they doll her mind. 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:53.100 This word dull literally means to become lazy or not a part of this. 00:14:54.520 --> 00:14:57.000 Not a part of what the bigger picture is that God desires to do. 00:14:57.040 --> 00:14:59.440 At some point you get off the rail and you got placed on the bench. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:04.700 But what God has imagined and what God has called you to is far greater. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:11.880 And what I should say for us as people, sometimes we talk about what we talk about God's will like it's this big, giant mystery of what the 00:15:11.880 --> 00:15:12.920 Lord wants us to do. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:21.540 But I have the tendency to say to think this way according to what the Bible says in Romans chapter 12, verse one two and three, it says, I beseech you therefore, 00:15:21.660 --> 00:15:27.050 brothers, by the mercy of God, you present your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of service. 00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:34.740 Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and perfect will of God. 00:15:35.300 --> 00:15:36.640 Meaning God's will is not a mystery. 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:42.820 The only part of God's will that remains a mystery to me is the part where I don't give to him. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:45.980 Now may be true. 00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:52.800 You might be looking for direction or somewhere specific that God is calling you to do what the Lord has put you on the earth to do that. 00:15:52.940 --> 00:15:53.640 That could be true. 00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:59.240 But what God wants you to do and demonstrating his glory in this world has been given to us in His word. 00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:03.700 And as God gives us His word. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:10.120 And we're inclined to give our lives to it, to him, through it. 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:11.020 God then directs our hearts. 00:16:13.300 --> 00:16:16.520 Where is a ministry like mens ministry that we announced this morning? 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:20.780 Or blood drive to help people in need or India outside the hallway? 00:16:21.060 --> 00:16:25.160 As God molds us and shapes us, he inclines our hearts to help in certain ways. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:30.060 But apart from giving ourselves to him. 00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:32.980 Our lives become dull. 00:16:34.540 --> 00:16:40.500 And Abraham, in these moments, found perfect excuses to say when we could sympathize with him. 00:16:40.520 --> 00:16:47.680 In these moments, he wants to take care of his parents, and this is a good place for his dad to end in his life, rather than the place that God 00:16:47.680 --> 00:16:48.640 had called him to. 00:16:48.640 --> 00:16:50.480 It's comfortable to him, it's familiar to him. 00:16:50.540 --> 00:16:51.980 It's where he wants to be. 00:16:52.020 --> 00:16:55.100 The only problem with it is that it's not where God wants him. 00:16:58.270 --> 00:17:05.119 Maybe one of the good things for us in the midst of this message and recognizing Abraham, stopping short of where God had called him as what happens next? 00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:11.200 Tells us in verse four, Abraham packs up camp and he's finally starts heading to where God had called them. 00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:16.339 And in verse six, Abraham traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moriah and at Shechem. 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:22.520 At the time the Canaanites were in the land, and the Lord appeared to Abram and said to your offspring, I will give this land. 00:17:22.560 --> 00:17:25.339 So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. 00:17:25.760 --> 00:17:30.540 It's like God is saying to him, Abraham in verse seven, Abraham, I recognize your faith isn't quite where I want it to be. 00:17:30.800 --> 00:17:31.380 I'm coming. 00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:36.200 I'm ministering to you as you're seeking me, and I'm strengthening you and reminding you of the promises that I'm giving you. 00:17:37.820 --> 00:17:40.780 Abraham comes back to the Lord, and God's ready to receive him. 00:17:40.800 --> 00:17:42.600 It's a beautiful picture of God's grace. 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:47.940 Abraham erects a shrine here to worship his Lord in those moments. 00:17:49.280 --> 00:17:56.840 It's a beautiful not only demonstration what God has done in his life, but it also demonstrates the wonder of God to the people of Canaan in 00:17:56.840 --> 00:18:04.200 the land of Moriah, at Shechem, where Abraham erects this shrine and worship to his God, there were shrines 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:10.340 built to worship false idols, and on top of these shrines built would be the false idol. 00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:14.720 And now Abraham comes into the land and he builds this shrine. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:17.320 And instead of putting an idol on it, he just leaves it alone. 00:18:18.360 --> 00:18:21.120 Because God tells us you shall worship the graven image. 00:18:23.300 --> 00:18:26.780 Oh, so now, not only is Abraham acknowledging his God in these moments. 00:18:28.540 --> 00:18:29.140 So the people of Canaan. 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:33.660 Had the opportunity to see why Abraham moves into the land. 00:18:35.800 --> 00:18:39.830 Goes on and says in verse seven, the Lord said to Abraham. 00:18:40.780 --> 00:18:41.940 Abraham, your offspring, I will give you this land. 00:18:42.180 --> 00:18:44.420 So he built an altar there for the Lord who appeared to him. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:50.760 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethlehem, pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and AI on the east. 00:18:51.080 --> 00:18:55.280 There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. 00:18:58.340 --> 00:19:01.700 Abraham comes to this land as a pilgrim and a stranger. 00:19:03.620 --> 00:19:05.400 Anywhere you go that God calls you. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.200 You are a pilgrim and a stranger. 00:19:09.900 --> 00:19:11.480 Because the home you're living for. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:13.520 As not of this earth. 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:18.140 Abraham has physical reminder of his life. 00:19:18.180 --> 00:19:22.720 He left the luxury of air and a nice established home with running toilets. 00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:26.740 We talked about last week to live in a tent with his wife, who I'm sure is happy. 00:19:28.760 --> 00:19:36.000 And the entire time they look at every steak they have to drive to put these poles in the ground, they're reminding themselves that they are pilgrims 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:37.570 in their home belongs to the Lord. 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:46.680 Bible tells us when Abraham comes to this place that he camps between I and Bethel, which is a beautiful illustration of what God is doing 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:48.240 in the life of Abraham. 00:19:49.540 --> 00:19:52.360 Because the word Bethel, which is on the west of Abraham. 00:19:53.220 --> 00:19:55.260 The word Bethel means the house of God. 00:19:56.800 --> 00:19:59.080 And the word I means ruin. 00:20:00.580 --> 00:20:06.710 Anytime you read the book of Genesis, when you see someone traveling east rather than west, just go ahead and know there is destruction ahead. 00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:13.020 The westward direction always represented to them the direction of the godly. 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:18.420 By faith, all of us are placed in these circumstances. 00:20:21.060 --> 00:20:21.690 There is an opportunity. 00:20:22.080 --> 00:20:29.240 When God blesses our lives, then comes responsibility to determine whether or not I pursue him with my life or head to I 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:29.420 instead. 00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:37.400 All of us stand between a Bethel and an eye. 00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:45.800 A few weeks ago, my family and I went out to eat after church on Sunday and we went to Chili's and I won't tell you who was driving, but one of the 00:20:45.800 --> 00:20:46.980 drivers who was not a male. 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:53.040 May have accidentally bumped a car, just barely just. 00:20:53.080 --> 00:20:54.830 It was just like a tiny, tiny nudge. 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:58.760 And, and we swapped paint. 00:20:59.100 --> 00:21:02.360 As a matter of fact, it was our paint on their vehicle, and you could just take it off. 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:03.780 It wasn't even anything big. 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.750 And then we had the conversation. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:06.960 It's like we looked at it. 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:08.270 We were like, that's not even anything. 00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:15.440 Like, I go to Walmart and people hit my car with buggies or whatever, strollers or whatever harder than than. 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:17.590 We just did that and they don't say anything to us. 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.360 So here we are justified. 00:21:18.660 --> 00:21:20.120 Were like, do we really need to bother this person? 00:21:20.120 --> 00:21:22.920 It's just a, oh, you just take a fingernail and look, it's gone now. 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:26.380 And we debated back and forth and we were like, yeah, but. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:29.360 We represent the Lord. 00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:34.340 And so regardless if we think there's no damage or not, this person deserves to know just in case they want to do anything about it. 00:21:34.780 --> 00:21:35.840 Little did we know it was. 00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:39.940 It was an unmarked police car, so that worked out well for us, right? 00:21:41.300 --> 00:21:44.540 But every day, um. 00:21:44.780 --> 00:21:45.160 Every day. 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:48.640 You're faced with an wasn't even between Bethel and. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:53.880 It's easy to compromise. 00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:55.100 A matter of fact. 00:21:57.080 --> 00:22:03.080 As Abraham gets up from this place, the story goes on and tells us that as Abraham's worship worshiping the Lord, his faith is still growing. 00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:08.180 And he still walks away from God, even after hearing it says in verse nine. 00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:13.440 Then Abraham sent out and continued toward the Negev, and now there was a famine in the land. 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:15.150 I'll pause there and say, it's kind of interesting now. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.740 Now there's a famine in the land. 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:22.770 I wonder if Abraham had just went ahead and gone to Canaan without stopping, if the famine would have been there at that time. 00:22:24.820 --> 00:22:28.180 But Abraham set out and continued westward toward the Negev, and there was a famine in the land. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:32.490 And Abraham went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:37.020 And doesn't tell us that God called Abraham to Egypt. 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:42.000 It tells us that God called Abraham to Cain and into trust in him in the land of Canaan. 00:22:42.080 --> 00:22:47.330 And it tells us in this passage that Abraham takes it upon himself to leave the Negev and to head towards Egypt. 00:22:49.340 --> 00:22:50.750 Let me just throw out the illustration. 00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:54.830 Abraham has an entire family. 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:58.280 He has servants, he has animals all need cared for. 00:22:58.540 --> 00:23:00.480 And God called him to a land where there was a drought. 00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:03.200 And what would you do? 00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:07.740 What would it take in your life? 00:23:07.840 --> 00:23:10.730 Or what would have to happen in your life for you to stop following the Lord? 00:23:13.140 --> 00:23:16.350 What are you more concerned about than faithfulness to Christ? 00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:20.290 Abraham in this passage. 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:22.700 For him it was a drought. 00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:25.270 And he hands. 00:23:25.540 --> 00:23:28.960 He leaves for the land of Egypt. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:34.480 The Bible tells us in Genesis chapter 12 and verses ten and 13. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:39.340 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abraham went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe. 00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:45.000 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarah, I know what a beautiful woman you are. 00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:49.360 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, this is his wife. 00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:52.920 Then they will kill me, but will let you live. 00:23:54.760 --> 00:23:55.980 Say you are my sister. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:02.590 So the AI will be treated well for your sake in my life will be spared because of you. 00:24:05.840 --> 00:24:06.290 In your life. 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:10.420 When you stand between Bethel and AI. 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:18.980 It is foolish of us to think in those moments that the decisions we make only affect ourselves. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:29.440 Warren Wiersbe, in his commentary on this portion of Genesis, writes for things that happen in the lives of Abraham, because 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:34.360 he decides to compromise in his faith and pursue his will and temptation rather than the Lord's. 00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:38.140 Wiersbe says this in verses 10 to 13. 00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:41.800 He says Abraham moved from trusting to scheming. 00:24:43.780 --> 00:24:48.380 First thing Abraham does is he says to his wife, he just loses his spine and drops his wife. 00:24:48.560 --> 00:24:49.920 I don't want anything bad to happen to my wife. 00:24:50.040 --> 00:24:51.100 But you belong to Pharaoh. 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:54.960 And so he moves from trusting to scheming. 00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:59.220 The second thing he does is he moves from confidence to fear. 00:25:00.600 --> 00:25:07.960 When you see the call of Abraham in his life in Genesis chapter 12, verses 1 to 3, compared to the call that Abraham gives 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:15.080 to his wife and his family in Genesis chapter 12, verses 12 and 13, you'll notice that 00:25:15.080 --> 00:25:18.100 the focus in the beginning of the chapter is all about God. 00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:18.320 And at the. 00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:22.840 In the middle of this chapter, when Abraham is discussing here, it's all about others and himself. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.280 Meaning. 00:25:25.300 --> 00:25:29.140 When Abraham was confident in his walk with caning, he walked to Canaan. 00:25:29.140 --> 00:25:31.080 He was thinking of the promises of God. 00:25:31.340 --> 00:25:32.500 God said, I will. 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.500 And God said, I will. 00:25:33.540 --> 00:25:34.320 I will bless you. 00:25:34.320 --> 00:25:35.190 I will make you famous. 00:25:36.140 --> 00:25:37.260 I will bless all nations through you. 00:25:37.260 --> 00:25:39.090 He was living in the confidence of the Lord. 00:25:41.820 --> 00:25:42.600 But when he quit focusing. 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:46.760 On the promises of God. 00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:48.740 As statements go from the Lord said he will. 00:25:50.520 --> 00:25:50.840 The fear. 00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:52.380 Very well. 00:25:53.820 --> 00:25:54.460 And therefore I will. 00:25:56.020 --> 00:25:57.190 And who cares what the Lord will. 00:25:59.360 --> 00:25:59.920 Verse 12. 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:01.380 The Egyptians see you. 00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:08.030 They will say, this is his wife, and they will kill me, but will let you live. 00:26:09.060 --> 00:26:14.360 Say, you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for you or for your sake. 00:26:16.580 --> 00:26:17.260 I should tell you this. 00:26:17.320 --> 00:26:20.820 I'm just going to throw throw the rabbit out of the hat here and let you deal with it, because I'm not going to explain it today. 00:26:20.900 --> 00:26:25.960 But when Abraham says that Sarah is his sister, it's half true. 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:29.000 Sarah is Abraham's half sister. 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:31.340 What? 00:26:32.060 --> 00:26:34.200 Well, here's even more mind blowing. 00:26:34.320 --> 00:26:35.640 Adam and Eve are the first two people on the earth. 00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:36.280 Adam and Eve have kids. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.540 Adam and Eve's kids get married. 00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:38.760 To who? 00:26:39.860 --> 00:26:44.940 I'm not going to tell you, but I will tell you, this Levitical law didn't come later. 00:26:45.020 --> 00:26:47.420 Until God outlines that it's not good. 00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:48.700 Incest is not good, right? 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:49.040 So. 00:26:50.700 --> 00:26:54.970 But he says in this passage, he moves from confidence to fear. 00:26:55.000 --> 00:27:05.980 In verse 13, he moved from others to self, and then he focuses on I 00:27:05.980 --> 00:27:06.160 will. 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:08.260 I will. 00:27:09.760 --> 00:27:10.260 Verse 17. 00:27:12.520 --> 00:27:13.360 He moved from being a blessing. 00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:15.860 To bring judgment. 00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:19.710 You look what happens. 00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:22.740 Life of Abraham. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:26.900 Says, but the Lord inflicted serious disease on Pharaoh. 00:27:28.120 --> 00:27:30.180 And his household because of Abraham's wife, Sarah. 00:27:31.860 --> 00:27:34.380 Even though Abraham's messing up. 00:27:36.300 --> 00:27:37.100 God's still gracious. 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:41.440 And Farid brings in Sarah and he looks around. 00:27:44.610 --> 00:27:46.430 And fair notices. 00:27:46.490 --> 00:27:47.790 Everyone in this kingdom is sick. 00:27:47.890 --> 00:27:48.420 But Sarah. 00:27:51.030 --> 00:27:52.290 And God's favor is on her. 00:27:52.290 --> 00:27:52.480 Why? 00:27:54.850 --> 00:27:56.210 Because God's grace is on Abraham to. 00:27:58.380 --> 00:28:00.050 God's walking with them, even in their failure. 00:28:03.300 --> 00:28:03.950 Verse 20. 00:28:03.950 --> 00:28:09.240 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abraham to his men, and they sent him on his way, and his wife and everything he had. 00:28:14.310 --> 00:28:15.500 It gives us a good place to pause. 00:28:17.990 --> 00:28:18.770 And just say. 00:28:23.850 --> 00:28:25.870 The theme of our life's story. 00:28:27.830 --> 00:28:29.410 Is never really a US. 00:28:31.170 --> 00:28:32.070 It's about God's grace. 00:28:34.290 --> 00:28:36.550 The hero of Abraham's story is an Abraham. 00:28:36.690 --> 00:28:39.090 This story isn't written just for us to stop and say Abraham is bad. 00:28:41.850 --> 00:28:45.030 The story is written for us to say, Abraham, God is good. 00:28:48.310 --> 00:28:55.310 The story is written for us to say to us, whatever the scar is in your life and whatever you think the 00:28:55.550 --> 00:28:56.540 temptation is, it's too great. 00:28:56.730 --> 00:29:02.170 And whatever you think that you have that you can't overcome, maybe, maybe, maybe you can't. 00:29:02.170 --> 00:29:02.910 But God can. 00:29:04.410 --> 00:29:04.930 And God does. 00:29:05.070 --> 00:29:06.510 And I should say you can't, but God can. 00:29:09.890 --> 00:29:16.970 And it doesn't matter how much you feel like you failed, or how much of a failure you would call yourself, God 00:29:16.970 --> 00:29:17.830 is still gracious. 00:29:18.030 --> 00:29:24.710 And Lamentations chapter three and verse 21 to 23, it tells us his mercies are new every morning. 00:29:25.050 --> 00:29:25.430 Greatest faithfulness. 00:29:31.330 --> 00:29:39.080 Abraham is at a place in his life where his faith is just learning to get legs and trust in God, regardless of the circumstances. 00:29:39.430 --> 00:29:44.060 God and God knows we're not perfect because he sent Jesus, but what God calls us to is to be holy. 00:29:47.550 --> 00:29:50.590 And so what God wants in your life, rather than to stop short of the call. 00:29:50.590 --> 00:29:56.110 And rather than go beyond the call, what God has called you to do is just be faithful and trusting him. 00:29:58.050 --> 00:30:03.650 It doesn't matter where you've been, but what the Lord is calling you to. 00:30:03.670 --> 00:30:07.330 And God desires for you to walk with him through it. 00:30:08.930 --> 00:30:12.150 At a time in Abraham's life where we could have said in Genesis, you know what, Abraham? 00:30:12.150 --> 00:30:12.630 You blew it. 00:30:12.650 --> 00:30:13.410 God gave you a call. 00:30:13.410 --> 00:30:14.530 You didn't obey it, you blew it. 00:30:14.790 --> 00:30:19.690 God still shows up based on his goodness and his glory off the promises. 00:30:19.790 --> 00:30:22.090 He told Abraham, I will bless you. 00:30:23.870 --> 00:30:25.590 And he still offers his grace. 00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.760 God is the main character. 00:30:32.750 --> 00:30:35.220 Everyone in life has an idol that draws them to worship. 00:30:36.670 --> 00:30:39.330 Everyone is tempted to stop short of God's call. 00:30:40.450 --> 00:30:42.130 Everyone has a drought to endure. 00:30:42.970 --> 00:30:44.710 Everyone has a share to compromise. 00:30:44.810 --> 00:30:46.010 Everyone has a pharaoh. 00:30:46.050 --> 00:30:50.030 That seems like a giant, but everyone has the Lord to trust him. 00:30:51.890 --> 00:30:56.330 And despite your trials and temptations, God wants you faithful. 00:30:59.010 --> 00:31:03.770 Trials happen to be the game field where our faith gets the opportunity to exercise. 00:31:05.310 --> 00:31:05.950 When I was a kid. 00:31:06.230 --> 00:31:08.530 I moved out when I was still in high school. 00:31:08.530 --> 00:31:09.190 I moved out on my own. 00:31:09.330 --> 00:31:10.290 And you know what I really wanted? 00:31:11.170 --> 00:31:12.740 I missed mom real fast, by the way. 00:31:12.950 --> 00:31:20.050 But what I, what I really wanted was I wanted I wanted the car without the insurance, and I wanted the house without 00:31:20.050 --> 00:31:20.870 the utilities. 00:31:20.990 --> 00:31:24.460 I didn't want I wanted the privilege without the responsibility. 00:31:25.110 --> 00:31:25.870 That's what I wanted. 00:31:26.470 --> 00:31:27.570 But we still do that. 00:31:27.630 --> 00:31:28.490 Okay, laugh at me. 00:31:28.810 --> 00:31:29.670 But that's all of us. 00:31:31.750 --> 00:31:37.910 But the truth is, without the responsibility, I would never recognize the goodness of the privilege. 00:31:41.030 --> 00:31:43.790 Gods using trials and the life of Abraham. 00:31:45.170 --> 00:31:46.820 Just show to him his goodness. 00:31:48.770 --> 00:31:49.710 To show to Abraham. 00:31:49.950 --> 00:31:52.100 Regardless, he's worth trusting him. 00:31:54.310 --> 00:32:00.490 Abraham's faith in the midst of trials being tested has now the opportunity to grow. 00:32:01.750 --> 00:32:03.250 Second Timothy 219 says this. 00:32:03.270 --> 00:32:05.870 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands having this seal. 00:32:05.910 --> 00:32:08.030 The Lord knows those who are his. 00:32:11.010 --> 00:32:14.430 Nation of Israel when they are leaving the land of Egypt, they recognized. 00:32:15.050 --> 00:32:20.470 If you read about the wanderings in the wilderness as they're called out into a difficult circumstance, they complain the whole way. 00:32:20.550 --> 00:32:23.830 They know wherever God is taking them, it's got trials in it. 00:32:23.850 --> 00:32:26.490 And they're just for 40 years complaining to the Lord. 00:32:26.810 --> 00:32:28.430 But this is what they say in Deuteronomy six chapter 23. 00:32:28.890 --> 00:32:29.930 This is Moses's sermon. 00:32:29.930 --> 00:32:30.620 He says this. 00:32:31.030 --> 00:32:33.090 He brought us out talking about Egypt as slaves. 00:32:33.470 --> 00:32:36.470 He brought us out from there in order to bring us in. 00:32:39.670 --> 00:32:40.430 God brought you out. 00:32:41.610 --> 00:32:42.570 To bring you in. 00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:47.400 God calls you to Canaan to draw you near to him. 00:32:48.970 --> 00:32:50.270 Whatever God has in front of you. 00:32:51.630 --> 00:32:52.730 Whatever God calls you to. 00:32:54.730 --> 00:32:57.920 That's the most important thing in all of that is not just accomplishing the task. 00:32:59.650 --> 00:33:00.370 Finding the Lord in it. 00:33:02.570 --> 00:33:03.900 Walking with him through it. 00:33:05.490 --> 00:33:09.010 The question we ask ourselves when we go through trials and temptations shouldn't be. 00:33:10.390 --> 00:33:11.910 And how can I get out of this as soon as possible? 00:33:14.530 --> 00:33:19.950 But rather God, how can I walk with you through this as you guide me through, or as you get me through, or you take me through? 00:33:21.930 --> 00:33:23.690 God, how can I give you glory through what's ahead? 00:33:27.550 --> 00:33:28.620 And tell us this morning. 00:33:30.190 --> 00:33:31.070 Trial or temptation. 00:33:31.350 --> 00:33:31.950 Whatever you face. 00:33:33.970 --> 00:33:35.190 God's desire is to grow with him. 00:33:36.830 --> 00:33:40.150 Broken in adversity on top of a mountain. 00:33:41.750 --> 00:33:43.270 God want you to walk faithfully with him. 00:33:44.910 --> 00:33:46.570 The main character in your life. 00:33:48.110 --> 00:33:55.310 As God, and the reason you have opportunity to even experience such a joy and blessing in him is because 00:33:55.310 --> 00:33:56.070 of his grace.