Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / The Bringing of Abraham - 7/1/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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The Bringing of Abraham - 7/1/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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with your friends. Now, let's join
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Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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God.
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Um, we looked last time, it's been a few
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weeks, um, but we looked there, uh,
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concerning
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Lot in Genesis 13 and, uh, talked about
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Abram's, uh, brother in the text and
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dealt with Lot there the first time.
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We're going to finish up with Lot. And I
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want to talk mainly about Abram tonight
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if we could. verse number we'll begin
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reading verse number 11 just to refresh
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our memory tonight and uh try if I if I
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may uh to draw some parallels here in
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the text and I think it's interesting
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that we've come to this text um being
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this weekend's coming up um the 250th
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year of America and I see I see a lot of
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parallels in this text between uh Abram
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and our founding fathers and I thank God
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for that. Amen. um I see some things um
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that are definitely um drawn connections
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in the text and so I'm very interested
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in that and so I want to look verse
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number 11 tonight and we'll begin
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reading there and read down through uh
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the end of the chapter Genesis 13:1
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then Lot chose him all the plain of
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Jordan and Lot journeyed east and they
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separated themselves the one from the
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other Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan
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and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain
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and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But
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the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners
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before the Lord exceedingly. And the
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Lord said unto Abram after that Lot was
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separated from him, "Lift up now thine
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eyes, and look from the place where thou
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art, northward, and southward, and
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eastward, and westward. For all the land
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which thou seeest to thee will I give
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it, and to thy seed forever. and I will
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make thy seed as the dust of the earth,
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so that if a man can number the dust of
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the earth, then shall thy seed also be
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numbered. Arise, walk through the land
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in the length of it, and in the breadth
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of it, for I will give it unto thee."
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Then Abram removed his tent, and came
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and dwelt in the plain of Mamry, which
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is in Eron, and built there an altar
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unto the Lord. Father, I want to ask you
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once again, please tonight, that you
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would help us. Lord, I thank you so very
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much for the privilege that you've given
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me to come and share the word of God one
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more time with these precious people.
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And Lord, I ask humbly that you would
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help me tonight. God, give me liberty
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and wisdom uh to share the word of God
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and to uh draw these connections, Lord.
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But more than anything, God, I just want
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to do right by the word of God. And so,
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help us to rightly divide it and uh be
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pleasing unto you, Lord. We sure love
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you. Thank you for loving us. Thank you
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for this place on the side of the road
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God that you put here many many years
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ago Lord we celebrated 65 years this
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year and we thank you for that God thank
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you for putting this place here place we
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can come learn your word and worship you
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and I give you praise for that help us
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now we ask in Jesus name amen Genesis 13
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to get us back up to speed I want to
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refresh our memory concerning the
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location of where Abram is found in this
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text according to verse number three of
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Genesis 13, the Bible says that he went
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on his journeys from the south, that is
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um from Egypt, even to Bethl unto the
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place where his tent had been at the
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beginning between Bethl and Hi. And so
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Abram in the text has journeyed back
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again from Egypt. And we studied there
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last time about Lot. We dealt with um
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the choice that was given unto Lot, the
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contingency that was expressed, the
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consoling that Abram did in verse number
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eight. And we talked about Lot's final
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choice in verse number 11. And uh we
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said all of that about where Lot was.
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And I want to say this, I didn't really
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say a whole lot about this last time,
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but you understand that Lot made this
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decision when he was in the presence of
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God. You say, "How is that?" Well,
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according to verse number three, the
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Bible says that he went on his journeys
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from the south, even to Bethl. And so,
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Bethl's what? That's the the house of
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God. Amen. And so, Lot made his decision
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to walk away from Abram at the house of
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God. And isn't it amazing? Sometimes the
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worst decisions are made down at the
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church house.
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>> People make very foolish decisions. And
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you say, "Why is that?" Well, it's
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because they've come to a crossroads and
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they either going to have to get right
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or they going to walk away. Amen. And
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so, I've seen a lot down through my
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short day of ministry decide make the
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wrong decision uh even in spite of being
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in the presence of God and around those
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that love God. And I notice in this text
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verse 11, we we talked about that
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choice. It was final. Lot chose him all
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the plain of Jordan. And we emphasize
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the fact that the next time Lot would
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leave that place is when it was
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literally burning with fire. Lot would
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leave. He would leave his two daughters
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and sons-in-law behind. And evidently,
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he had some sons that were there, at
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least two sons that he would leave
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behind in Sodom and Gomorrah. And he
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would walk out with two of his daughters
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and his wife. But he would lose his wife
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because she would turn into a pillar of
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salt because she looked behind her. What
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I'm saying is is sometimes the decisions
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you make, well, let's just be real about
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it. The repercussions are a long long
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time down the road. Amen. And so, uh, we
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we talked about that being the final
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choice, but I want to pick up tonight
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and I want you to notice the contrast
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that's mentioned. Now, really, this is a
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summary. I want to remind you that
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Genesis is a record that Moses pinned by
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inspiration of the Holy Ghost. And so,
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notice what the Bible said in verse 12.
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Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan and
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Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and
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pitched his tent towards Sodom. So there
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first of all tonight I want us to notice
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the contrast. We dealt with the choice
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there on last time but notice the
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contrast that the Holy Ghost paints for
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us in verse 12. He labels in verse
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number 12 number one that Abram dwelt in
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the land of Canaan and Lot dwelt in the
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cities of the plain. So I see three
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things here in verse 12 and verse 13
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about the contrast. I would say number
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one when you think about the dwelling
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and that is what is being contrasted in
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verse number 12 where Abram is dwelling
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and where Lot is dwelling. Number one I
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would say the size is a contrast. You
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say what do you mean? Well notice it
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again in verse 12. Abram dwelled in the
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land of Canaan. So what do we know is
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the land of Canaan? Well, that's the
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whole area. You think about um the west
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side, westward of Jordan there, that
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promised land that God gave to them and
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east east side of Jordan, he gave to
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them. And uh and so he gave them all of
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that. And when you think about the land
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of Canaan, that is encompassing the
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entirety of that promised land. And
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remember, this is Moses writing in
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retrospect about this, giving us the
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history of this, that Abram dwelt in the
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entirety of the land. I'll say more
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about that in a minute. But Lot's
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location, the size of where he dwelt was
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was smaller. You notice at verse 12 that
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Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain. So
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Abram has the entirety of the promised
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land to himself that he is dwelling in.
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He is walking through it. We'll say more
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about that in a minute. But Lot chooses
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to confine himself to these cities of
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the plain there in verse number 12. And
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so I I thought about this as well. Not
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only the size is contrasted because
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Abram has a lot more real estate here
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that he is dwelling in as he is passing
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through this land uh than Lot does, but
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also the sort of the of the dwelling is
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different. You say, "What do you mean?"
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Well, verse 12, it says that Abram dwelt
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in the land of Canaan. So there's
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there's basically what this means is is
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that Abram is dwelling uh in a way
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that's really like you know we would
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compare it to uh the camper lifestyle.
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That's what a lot of people are living
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in America now. That's what some of
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y'all would like to Amen. Get you in a
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camper and just ride around all year uh
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every year and just find yourself in a
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different place every month. That's
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basically what Abram's doing in this
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text. Now that's by the will of God. Let
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me say that. It ain't the will of God
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for you to do that. All right, y'all
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laugh a little bit. Lighten up some.
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Okay. But uh he's dwelling in different
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locations. But you notice the
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description of where Lot's dwelling.
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Verse 12, notice it. Lot dwelt in the
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what? Cities of the plain. Now, you
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going to be hardpressed cuz I thought
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about it today. I couldn't I couldn't
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think of a single instance other than
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the city of Jerusalem anywhere in the
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scripture where city is a positive
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thing.
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I think about Revelation and about the
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holy city. But when you think about
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city, the first time that city is
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mentioned, it's mentioned about one of
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Cain's children by the name of Lame. And
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he built a city. He had two wives. Amen.
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And he built a city for himself. Amen.
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And uh that was a very wicked place.
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Cain's children, they were wicked. And
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so when I when I think about city this
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automatically and and putting aside
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everything that we know about Lot and
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his future, just think about this. This
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is already a vast difference. Abram is
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dwelling just with his family and just
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with his children. But what's Lot doing?
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He's going to go join himself up with a
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lot of other people. Notice the text
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again. The contrast is size. The
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contrast is sort. But I want to tie it
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together with this. All right. This is
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what makes the difference. There's a
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great contrast of the sin of these
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dwellings. You say, "What do you mean?"
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Well, we know Abram was not without sin.
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Amen. His life was not without failures
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and he's going to make mistakes from
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this point on. But when you think about
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what is labeled in verse number 12, it
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says that Lot dwelt in the cities of the
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plain. And the first thing that's
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mentioned about his dwelling there is
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what? That he pitched his tent toward
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Sodom. You know what that word toward
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means? It doesn't mean that Lot was as
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far off was was far off from Sodom. All
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right? It doesn't mean that Lot was he
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pitched his tent, you know, 50 75 miles
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in the distance where he could just see
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the distant reflection of Sodom. It
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didn't mean that he was looking toward
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Sodom. What that means is that word
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toward, you look up in its etmology, it
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means as far as that Lot pitched his
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tent as far as Sodom. So, you know what
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Lot's doing? He is trying to live the
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tent lifestyle that his father Abraham
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taught him, but he's trying to do it
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with the world.
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Man, I'm telling you, you seeing this?
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>> You can't live the pilgrim Christian
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life in the world.
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>> That's right.
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>> Amen.
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>> Amen. And that's what Lot's trying to
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do. What you're going to find is is Lot
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gives up his tent later on. We'll get to
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that story later on because he's not
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just dwelling in a tent at the city, but
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he's dwelling in a house in the city
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>> and he's part of the government and all
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of that. You know that's coming in yet
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future. Amen. But he is related to this
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sin. You say, "How is that?" Notice
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verse 13. What's the first word? But but
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but the men of Sodom were wicked and
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sinners before the Lord exceedingly.
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Now, the Holy Ghost interjects that in
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this text to to further solidify the
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contrast of where Abram's dwelling and
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where Lot's dwelling. I can tell you a
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lot about your life by the people that
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you yoke up with.
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>> That's right.
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>> Amen. You look at who your best friends
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are in this life and I can tell you a
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lot about where you're headed. Amen.
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because that's the truth is tonight.
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You've heard it said many times, you are
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or soon will be who and what your
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friends are. And so Lot here, the
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contrast is seen in their dwelling. And
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and that's enough of the negativity. I
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want to talk tonight about Abram. All
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right, we've we've illustrated Lot and
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his terrible choice. We'll see that
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later on again. It's going to show up in
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the next chapter. So let's talk tonight
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not just about the contrast but out of
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this contrast there leads to be a
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special time of communion in the text.
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Verse 14. And the Lord said unto Abram
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after that Lot was separated from him.
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Lift up now thine eyes and look from the
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place where thou art northward and
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southward and eastward and westward. For
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all the land which thou seeest to thee
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will I give it and to thy seed forever.
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So we go, the scripture goes from
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telling, revealing to us the contrast of
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their dwelling to speaking about the
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communion that Abram has with the the
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divine in the text for save literation,
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but the communion that he has with the
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Lord in verse 14. And and I want to
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emphasize a few things about this
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because it it paints to us the picture
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really of our own personal
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sanctification. And the first
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requirement, all right, when you think
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about communing with the Lord, what is
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the first requirement? Well, notice what
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the Bible said. What is the first thing
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verse 14 says? And the Lord said unto
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Abram, what's those next five words,
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church? After that, Lot was separated
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from him.
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So, I would say this tonight. Number
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one, when we think about this communion,
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first of all, there must be separation.
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All right? And I've preached this this
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church and preached this here and
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preached this. I've preached this out
14:01
there and preached it here. Separation
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is the first requirement.
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>> Amen.
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>> Now, you cannot
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divorce yourself from the world. All
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right. But you can divorce yourself from
14:14
the world's influence.
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>> That's right.
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>> Amen. God, he or Jesus prayed John 17.
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He said, "I pray thee, father, that thou
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wouldn't take them out of the world, but
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you'd keep them from the evil." That's
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what he said when he was praying for his
14:26
disciples. He said, "I've called them
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out, but don't take them from the world
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because the world needs their light."
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But the Bible tells us in verse 14 that
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Lot, the Lord said unto Abram, and it
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was only on the on this term, the
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contingency was after that Lot was
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separated from him. Now, I want you to
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think about this. All right? What has
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Abram done in this chapter? Well,
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chapter 13, the Bible says, verse three,
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he went to Bethlehe, went to Ai, verse
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four, under the place of the altar which
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he had made there at the first. And
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there Abram called on the name of the
14:58
Lord. So Abram's already been talking to
15:00
God. But you have no record of God
15:03
speaking to Abram again until verse
15:06
number 14, until Lot was out of the way.
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You know what Lot's a picture of? He's a
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picture of the flesh. Amen.
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>> There must be a separation
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from your flesh. And the Lord said unto
15:21
Abram after
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after and only after that Lot was
15:26
separated from him. You say, preacher,
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well, what's the what's what is the
15:30
ready illustration of the text? What is
15:32
the interpretation of the text? Well, it
15:34
goes back to chapter 12 and verse number
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one when he said, "Get thee out of thy
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country and from thy kindred and from
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thy father's house." Lot was the last
15:45
one for that to ultimately be completed
15:48
what God told him to do at the
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beginning. Lot had to be removed. And
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isn't it interesting that God speaks to
15:55
him when Lot is removed? It's not that
15:59
it's just after, but it's exactly when.
16:02
Notice that. And the Lord said unto
16:04
Abram after that Lot was separated from
16:06
him, let me ask you something. Said,
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"Preacher, man, it's been a long time
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since I've heard from God. What what are
16:11
you what are you failing to obey him?
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>> What is he ask? What is the next step he
16:17
is wanting you to take?" You see,
16:18
communion, it must begin. If communion
16:21
is to take place, there must be
16:23
separation. That separation must be from
16:26
your flesh. And you say, "Well, I I'm
16:28
separated from my my flesh, preacher. I
16:31
I died to my flesh." But what what
16:33
relationship is it in your life that you
16:34
need to sever? Because that was the
16:36
problem with with Abram in the text.
16:38
There was a relationship that he had to
16:41
sever. You say, "Preacher, how do I know
16:43
when I have to sever my relationship?"
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How do I know when a relationship gets
16:48
to a point that it has to be severed?
16:51
When God in your heart speaks to you and
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reveals to you that that other soul is
16:55
not going to come to the terms of
16:57
righteousness that you're trying to live
16:58
by, you say, "What do you mean?" God
17:01
knew that Lot was never going to get
17:03
right.
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You think about that. Abram didn't know
17:06
that. But God in his providence brought
17:09
them to a place in this text that there
17:11
was a strife between the herdmen because
17:13
God knew, Amen. God knew that Abram and
17:17
Lot was never going to get along. Abram
17:19
was never going to be spiritual as long
17:21
as Lot would never be spiritual.
17:23
And so God had to remove Lot. And let me
17:27
say this tonight. This relationship was
17:29
severed because God severed it. Um and
17:32
and I think about this specifically.
17:34
Abram could have obeyed at the beginning
17:36
when there was no attachment. All right?
17:38
Let me say this. All right? Some things
17:41
if we just obey at the start, we won't
17:43
have to endure a situation later.
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>> You get what I'm saying? If Abram had
17:48
have just left them at the beginning,
17:51
well, there would have been no problem
17:52
because Lot would have been left behind.
17:54
He would have never probably went into
17:56
Egypt. There's a lot of things that
17:57
would have been different if Abram had
17:59
done from the start what he was supposed
18:01
to do. But here's what had to happen.
18:03
God had to sever the relationship.
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>> And some of you tonight have through
18:07
your life, you have watched God se have
18:09
to sever things off from your life
18:11
because you didn't do it when he told
18:13
you to a long time ago.
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>> Hope that makes sense. Verse 14. After
18:19
that Lot was separated from him, I want
18:21
you to notice this. I love this. Okay.
18:24
Lift up now thine eyes. Lift up now
18:27
thine eyes. You say, "Preacher, what's
18:28
special about that?" Well, I want you to
18:30
notice who else just did that. Notice
18:33
verse 10. And Lot lifted up his eyes and
18:38
beheld all the plain of Jordan that it
18:40
was well watered everywhere. You know
18:43
what the difference between Abram and
18:45
Lot is in this text? You see, they are
18:47
both com they are both doing the same
18:49
thing. But the difference is is that God
18:51
told Abram to lift up his eyes. Lot was
18:53
acting on the will of man. When Lot
18:56
lifted up his eyes, he was in the flesh
18:58
looking out over that plain of Jordan,
19:00
desiring that prosperous land to raise
19:02
his cattle and to be prosperous and and
19:05
uh his business of cattle and the
19:07
herdman there. He wanted it to be
19:09
blessed. And so when he lifted up his
19:11
eyes, he was looking for his own
19:12
benefit. But Abram never lifted up his
19:15
eyes until God told him to. You say,
19:18
"What does that mean?" Well, when
19:19
there's communion, there must be
19:21
separation. And that's a prerequisite
19:23
from the flesh. But second of all, in
19:25
communion, there must be sight.
19:28
What is that sight? Well, it's faith.
19:31
Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11, now
19:33
faith is the substance of things hoped
19:35
for, the evidence of things what? Not
19:39
seen. You know what? Just because you
19:41
can't see it don't mean you don't need
19:42
to be looking at it.
19:45
>> There's a person that I've never seen
19:47
yet, but he saved me.
19:49
>> That's right. And every day of my life,
19:51
not with the fleshly eye, but with the
19:52
spiritual eye, I'm trying to behold him
19:55
who is invisible. And how is that? Well,
19:57
we look to his word. But what I what I
19:59
want to emphasize is is that Abram only
20:02
communed with God when God instructed
20:04
him to do so. Notice that after that Lot
20:07
was separated from him, the Lord said
20:09
unto him, "Lift up now thine eyes and
20:12
look." You know what our problem is?
20:15
We're always looking for oursel. Amen.
20:18
>> We ain't wait wait wait wait waited on
20:19
God to tell us to look. Amen. That was
20:22
something I had to learn as a young man.
20:25
Dad told me this as a young man. He
20:27
said, "What you need to do right now is
20:29
these these early years while you've got
20:32
the desire in you to look for a mate, to
20:34
look for a girlfriend, you know, and all
20:36
of that stuff." He said, "What you need
20:37
to do is you need to close your eyes.
20:39
And when God brings the right one by,
20:41
you need to listen to him because he'll
20:43
tell you to open them."
20:46
And I watched that happen.
20:48
>> And thank God for that. I'm thankful
20:51
that I'm not having to deal with
20:53
repercussions of decisions that I made
20:56
as far as opening my eyes too early and
20:58
desiring to see things that I should not
21:01
have beheld. Abram was blessed because
21:03
he opened his eyes when God told him to
21:05
open them. He said, "Lift up now thine
21:08
eyes." Look what the Bible says. and
21:10
look from the place where there are
21:13
northward and southward and eastward and
21:17
westward.
21:19
Now we see in this the the principle
21:22
communion that there must be separation,
21:24
there must be sight and and I said that
21:26
I I see in this our country. You think
21:28
about the reason that our forefathers
21:30
journeyed from England over over the
21:33
great sea to where we are and those
21:35
pilgrims what they did when they came to
21:37
this land. What were they desiring? And
21:39
they were desiring a place where they
21:40
could freely worship God. And God called
21:42
Abram out of the counties to do what? To
21:45
go to a place where he could freely
21:47
worship God and begin a nation of people
21:50
that would be God's chosen people. Amen.
21:53
And so in this text, I noticed not only
21:55
the separation for communion and the
21:58
sight in communion, but I noticed the
22:00
security of communion. What is that?
22:03
Well, it's the fields that he saw. Look
22:04
at this. And he said, "Lift up now thine
22:07
eyes, and look from the place where
22:09
there art, northward, and southward, and
22:11
eastward, and westward. For all the land
22:14
which thou seeest, to thee will I give
22:16
it, and to thy seed forever." Now, who's
22:21
speaking here?
22:23
This is God. You know what this is? This
22:25
is a covenant.
22:28
This is a promise. You read my mind,
22:31
brother?
22:32
>> I'll pay you after a while. Thank you.
22:35
Thank you so much. Seriously, that's a
22:37
blessing.
22:41
But this security is seen in these
22:44
fields. Now, it's given to him. You
22:46
notice the the area that's used
22:48
northward, southward, eastward, and
22:50
westward. And so, there is a
22:52
completeness in this security. I want to
22:55
say this verse number 15. There's a
22:57
covenant in this security. For all the
22:59
land which thou seeest, to thee will I
23:01
give it. Now, God is the one that's in
23:04
doing this to him. And you notice
23:06
there's a continual nature to this uh
23:09
security in verse 15. And to thy seed
23:11
for ever. So this thing, this is a big
23:14
deal. You say, "Preacher, what's so big
23:18
about this?" Well, you think about what
23:20
Abram could see. One writer said this. I
23:22
thought this was interesting. Abram in
23:25
this text could also see the place where
23:28
Lot was dwelling.
23:30
I want you to think about something with
23:31
me for just a minute. Lot less than
23:34
probably 50 years after this, the cities
23:38
that Lot are dwelling in are going to be
23:39
burned alive. There's going to be
23:41
nothing left of them. And you know what?
23:44
In this text, when the God tells Abram,
23:46
all right, you look all around,
23:47
northward, south, southward, eastward,
23:50
westward, you look at all of it. You
23:52
know what he saw in that pl that field
23:53
of vision? He saw the plain of Jordan.
23:57
He saw the place where Lot was dwelling.
24:00
He saw those cities. He saw those people
24:02
because that was where God said, "I'm
24:05
going to give it to you." You think
24:07
about this. Lot chose what he wanted and
24:10
it was small. I wrote this down in my
24:12
Bible. You see, Lot wanted a place and
24:15
got a lot of people. Abram wanted the
24:18
person and got a whole lot of places.
24:21
You say, "What was the difference?"
24:23
Well, when Lot, he desired that field
24:25
because it was well watered everywhere.
24:27
But you know what? When he went there,
24:29
you know what he had to deal with? He
24:30
had to deal with all them people. You
24:32
see, Abram, all he wanted was the Lord.
24:36
And God looks at him and says, "All
24:37
right, as far as you can see that way,
24:39
as far as you can see behind you, beside
24:42
of you, and on the other side, I'm going
24:44
to give it to you." So, you know what
24:46
that included? That included where Lot
24:48
was dwelling.
24:50
Do you realize that Abram would inherit
24:52
the very city that Lot thought he was
24:54
choosing for himself?
24:56
>> You know, isn't that the ignorance of
24:58
our flesh?
25:00
>> When we choose something in our flesh,
25:01
we think, "This is all that I need." But
25:04
God is saying, "I want to give you so
25:06
much more
25:07
>> than that."
25:09
>> You say, "How how can you picture that?"
25:11
that. Well, there's there's a thousand
25:13
ways I can picture that, but I think the
25:15
most read ready readily image of this is
25:18
found in um 2 Samuel
25:22
and it's found in David's message
25:25
to Nathan,
25:30
2 Samuel chapter number 12.
25:34
Listen to what Nathan says to David.
25:37
Verse number seven or verse number
25:39
eight. I gave thee thy master's house
25:42
and thy master's wives. David has just
25:43
sinned with Ba Sheeba. Nathan's rebuking
25:46
him. He's told him the story of the rich
25:48
man, the poor man, and the traveler, and
25:50
the little lamb. Verse eight, he said,
25:52
"I gave thy master's house, thy master's
25:54
wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the
25:56
house of Israel and of Judah." And
25:57
listen to this statement. "And if that
25:59
had been too little, I would moreover
26:02
have given unto thee such and such
26:05
things."
26:07
God looks at David and says, "Look, all
26:09
that I've given you, I was going to give
26:10
you a whole lot more than that. But you
26:12
picked out what you wanted, you went
26:14
after it." You know, that's what Lot did
26:16
in this text. He decided he was going to
26:19
go after what he wanted. And when he got
26:22
what he wanted, he wasn't able to keep
26:23
it.
26:27
But Abram got to have all of it.
26:31
Let me ask you something. You say,
26:33
"Preacher, what's the difference?" Well,
26:35
it's what it's what are you willing to
26:37
be content with? You see, Abram, all he
26:39
wanted was the Lord. Amen.
26:42
>> He just wanted what the Lord had to
26:44
give. And you know what? God gave him
26:46
everything. But Lot, he wanted that
26:48
place. And he got the place, but he
26:50
didn't get to keep it.
26:53
Notice this in the text. This security
26:55
was promised to him upon this time of
26:58
communion. You know, the reason why a
27:00
lot of people call themselves Christians
27:02
and yet they have nothing that Christian
27:04
ye Christian faith yields to a believer
27:06
is because they've never been in
27:08
communion.
27:11
You you get around God and you get in
27:12
communion with him, you're going to have
27:14
some things that other people don't know
27:15
nothing about.
27:16
>> You're going to know some things that
27:18
other people don't know. You're going to
27:19
be somebody that other people cannot and
27:22
will not be APART FROM COMMUNION WITH
27:25
GOD. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. There's a
27:28
clear distinction between those that are
27:31
content and satisfied with God alone
27:34
than those that just are wanting to feel
27:37
their flesh. You notice this security is
27:41
seen. The security of this communion is
27:43
expressed in verse 15. He said, "I will
27:45
give it to thee and to thy seed
27:47
forever." It's a promise. Verse 16,
27:49
notice the seed here that's mentioned.
27:52
That is the family that's expressed in
27:54
this communion. and I will make thy seed
27:56
as the dust of the earth, so that if a
27:59
man can number the dust of the earth,
28:01
then shall thy seed also be numbered.
28:04
And so he is promising Abraham here a
28:07
seed. Now we know that Israel would
28:09
proceed through the loins of Isaac his
28:11
son. But we know more so than the seed
28:13
of seed of his family, there would be
28:16
the seed of faith that Abram would be
28:18
the father of faith to all that believe.
28:21
In one of these days we will all be we
28:23
are the children of Christ but we are
28:25
the children of Abraham by faith and we
28:27
are expressed as the family of God. And
28:30
he says he said I will make thy seed as
28:33
the dust of the earth. You know where he
28:36
got that promise in communion with God.
28:40
It was in a time of communion after
28:42
there was separation, after there was
28:45
that side of faith, after he revealed to
28:48
him the security of the place where he
28:51
should be, then he got to see the
28:53
blessing of the seed that would follow
28:55
him. You know, I don't want to ever stop
28:57
short in my communion of where God wants
29:01
what what God wants me to have. I think
29:03
we get satisfied sometimes. And I I'll
29:05
be real honest with you. I think that
29:07
for myself, and I can say this
29:08
truthfully tonight, I think for myself,
29:10
a lot of times I get satisfied when I
29:12
get to that first point. You say, "What
29:15
do you mean that separation?" Because
29:17
you know what? There is nothing more
29:18
relieving to me than having this flesh
29:20
put off.
29:22
When it's dead, when it's put aside,
29:25
when it's out of the way, I'm thinking,
29:27
Lord, just thank you for thank you for
29:28
getting that burden off of me for today.
29:31
But you know what? That's that's really
29:32
he he's that's just the start. That's
29:34
what it requires to get in fellowship
29:36
with him. He wants to give me something.
29:40
He wants to bless me. He wants to to to
29:43
speak peaceibly unto me concerning my
29:46
future. But so many times I stopped
29:48
short of that because I'm satisfied. But
29:51
I'm thankful that Abram didn't speak up.
29:53
But he stopped and listened. He stayed
29:56
in the presence of God in Bethl. He's
29:59
still in Bethl. And the Bible tells us
30:01
that after this communion, there is a
30:04
command that is given. Verse number 17,
30:07
the Bible says, "Arise." Notice that,
30:10
"Arise, walk through the land in the
30:12
length of it and in the breadth of it,
30:15
for I will give it unto thee." And the
30:19
Bible says, "Then Abram removed his tent
30:21
and came and dwelt in the plain of
30:22
Mamry, which is in Hebron, and built
30:24
there an altar unto the Lord." And so
30:26
the order is given in verse 17, "to
30:29
walk." Notice that walk through the
30:31
land. You know what our Christian life
30:33
is? Paul tells us to work out our
30:35
salvation in fear and trembling. The
30:38
Christian life is a daily walk with the
30:40
Lord. And as it's expressed here, Abram
30:42
would live in this land, not ever
30:44
settling down, but having a continual
30:46
moving dwelling place. You know, I don't
30:50
want to drive my tent pegs in this world
30:52
deep
30:53
>> because you know what? Tomorrow I may
30:55
have to pull them up
30:57
>> because you know what? where God's voice
30:59
is. That's where home is.
31:00
>> Amen.
31:01
>> It's not a physical location. It's not
31:03
an address. God has a place for all of
31:07
us. Amen. And we're not to put our tent
31:10
pegs, not to drive our stakes down in
31:12
this world. You say, "What do you mean?
31:14
I'm saying you ought not put your faith
31:16
in your job."
31:18
>> Amen. As much as I love my little bride
31:21
over there in my family, I can't put my
31:23
faith in them.
31:25
>> I'll be honest with you. I don't think
31:26
that she I I don't believe that she'll
31:28
ever leave me. And I've got as much
31:29
confidence more confidence in her than
31:32
any person on this world. But I'll tell
31:34
you this, the flesh that she's robed in,
31:36
Amen. that can decay and death can come
31:39
at any point in time. I'm saying people
31:41
who would have never left you otherwise
31:43
because of sickness and illness. Many
31:45
times they leave us prematurely. What
31:48
are you saying, preacher? I'm saying we
31:50
cannot completely depend on anybody or
31:52
anything else.
31:55
>> Our dependence is upon the Lord and that
31:57
is it.
31:59
>> He is the one that gives us our command
32:01
and we are to walk to him for him
32:05
through him.
32:07
Notice this. Arise. There's the command
32:11
to walk. Then there is notice notice the
32:14
the will that he gives in verse 17. I I
32:17
love the imagery of this. Look what he
32:19
says. Walk through the land in the
32:22
length of it and in the breadth of it.
32:26
Now, what do we know about surface area?
32:28
It's measured by length multiplied by
32:31
height or width, whichever one it is.
32:34
And so, when God says you arise and walk
32:36
through the length of it and the breadth
32:38
of it, you know what he's telling him?
32:40
You need to go over it all.
32:42
You need to cover it all. What is that?
32:46
Well, the command is to walk, but you
32:47
see here, he reveals the word. There's a
32:49
distance that we're commanded to go. You
32:52
know what that is? That's all the way.
32:54
When I preach to you the word of God,
32:56
what did Paul say? He said, we're to
32:57
preach the whole council. That's
33:00
everything. That's the entirety. And you
33:03
know what? For the will of God in our
33:05
life, for God to be pleased with us,
33:08
it's not that we check all the boxes,
33:10
but that we do everything that God has
33:13
told us to do.
33:15
You need to walk through it in the
33:17
length of it and the breadth of it. It's
33:20
a complete walk to fulfill Jesus when he
33:25
came to this earth. John spoke to him
33:27
when he was there. Matthew chapter 3, he
33:29
said, you know, Lord, I have need to be
33:31
baptized of thee. And Jesus looked at
33:33
him and said, suffer it to be so now,
33:35
for thus it becometh us to fulfill all
33:38
righteousness.
33:40
Jesus said, "My meat is to do the will
33:41
of him that sent me and to finish his
33:45
work." You know what that is? That's
33:46
completeness. That's entirety. That's
33:50
covering all of the ground. Let me ask
33:52
you something. How much ground is God
33:53
wanting you to cover? All right? Only
33:56
you in your heart know that. Let me ask
33:58
you this, too. How much of it have you
34:00
covered?
34:02
You say, "Preacher, I don't really
34:03
know." Well, I can tell you a good place
34:05
to start.
34:07
You see, this is the ground we're called
34:10
to cover.
34:12
Genesis 1 to Revelation 22.
34:16
You think about this land. What is this
34:18
land represent? It's a land of victory.
34:21
What is God saying, Abram? You're going
34:23
to have to travel. You're going to have
34:25
to walk if you're going to know all the
34:29
victory that I have for you.
34:32
You know, when we get defeated, it's
34:34
when we stop walking.
34:36
Notice this. He said, 'I walk through
34:39
the land and the length of it and the
34:40
breadth of it, notice it again, for I
34:43
will give it unto thee. You know what
34:46
the tragedy of most Christian lives are?
34:48
Is that God has given them everything.
34:51
Are you listening to me? But most
34:53
Christians will never cover even half of
34:55
the ground that God has rightly given to
34:56
them.
35:00
God has given you the vast expanse of
35:04
land that Canaan is. All of the victory
35:07
that you want. How much of it have you
35:10
seen for yourself?
35:12
How much victory do you know?
35:15
You say, "Preacher, well, Canaan's a
35:17
land of hills and valleys." Well, I'll
35:18
say this. You got to go through it all.
35:23
Lot wanted that plane where everything's
35:25
flat and pretty. But you know what? fire
35:27
came there.
35:29
I'll say this all and and and and I I'll
35:32
be done tonight. We see the order in
35:33
verse 17. There is the obedience in
35:35
verse number 18. Then Abram removed his
35:37
tent and came and dwelt in the plain of
35:39
Mamry which is in Hebron and built there
35:41
an altar of the Lord. So he comes to
35:43
Hebron. This would be the place where
35:45
David would reign at the first there in
35:47
Hebbr before he would go and reign in
35:49
Jerusalem. And that word Hebr means
35:51
association.
35:53
This is a place where it's marked that
35:56
this land would be given to Abram. You
35:59
know, I thought about this when we look
36:01
at this picture as a whole of what God
36:03
has done for Abram in this text. I think
36:06
I didn't even title the message tonight,
36:08
but the title of it is this is is the
36:10
bringing of Abraham. What has God
36:13
brought him to? Well, he got Lot out of
36:15
the way. And God has brought Abram to
36:18
the land of Canaan. And now Abram's
36:21
getting to see the full beauty of it.
36:24
Abram is getting to behold everything
36:26
that God wanted him to see. And I
36:30
thought about this. Lot wanted just a
36:32
piece, but Abram wanted it all.
36:36
The difference in your life and mine is
36:38
is how much of it do you want?
36:41
You say, "Preacher, well, I don't know
36:43
how I don't know what all I'm supposed
36:45
to want." Well, here's the thing about
36:46
it. I don't neither. But you know what
36:48
my response to the Lord is every day?
36:51
Lord, I want everything that you have
36:52
for me
36:54
today.
36:56
What you need from me today is what I
36:58
want to give to you. Nothing more and
37:00
nothing less. I don't want to go beyond
37:02
you, but I certainly don't want to get
37:04
behind you. And Abram in this text, his
37:06
obedience is expressed. Then Abram
37:09
removed his tent. And I want to say
37:12
this, Abram lived his life in the tent.
37:15
He never put his stakes down. He
37:20
continually was moving about. Why is
37:22
that? Because God was moving him.
37:25
I want to say this.
37:27
We often times equate somebody staying
37:30
in a in a place for a long time to
37:32
spiritual strength and stability. But
37:35
you know what? I think sometimes the
37:37
people that really recognize the pilgrim
37:39
life are the ones that are moving.
37:44
I'm not talking about your marriage. I'm
37:46
not talking about your church, but I'm
37:47
talking about those that are going
37:49
forward with God and their lives are
37:50
changing.
37:51
>> I wouldn't want my life to be the same
37:53
forever. Would you?
37:55
>> I want it to constantly be moving
37:58
because you know what moving is? That's
37:59
growth.
38:01
>> Amen. It's growth. Now, I'll say this.
38:04
Not all movement's good. We know that. I
38:06
mean, we know that. You've got enough
38:07
sense to know that. But I'll say this.
38:09
The most spiritual people that I know
38:11
are moving. They're going somewhere.
38:14
Where are we headed, church?
38:17
We're headed home. Number one.
38:19
>> I'll say this. Number two, we ought to
38:22
be headed in the direction where God is.
38:24
>> Wherever he's found, that's where we
38:26
ought to find oursel. Amen. So, God's
38:28
brought Abram in this text here, I
38:31
believe, to a fullness of what Canaan
38:33
is. Now verse chapter 14 is going to
38:36
open up to us the story of the war of
38:39
these nations that are present in
38:41
Canaan. We're going to study about that
38:43
looking next. Abram's going to bring
38:45
deliverance unto his nephew once again,
38:47
but it is not going to cause him to get
38:49
out of Canaan land. And uh
38:53
I want to say this to you tonight.
38:56
Deliverance when we think about what God
38:58
did for Abram in this text. Abram was
39:02
delivered out of the Caldes. He's been
39:04
brought in to the land of promise. He
39:06
goes back to Egypt. He's been brought
39:07
out again. And what we find in chapter
39:10
14 is Abram is going to rescue Lot again
39:13
from suffering because of his sinful
39:16
choices. I want to say this, your life,
39:19
there's going to be periods in it where,
39:22
well, for lack of a better way to put
39:24
it, you sort of relapse. Now, to the
39:26
extent of how far back you go, Amen. And
39:28
that's going to be determined by your
39:30
spirituality. But I'll say this. The
39:33
Bible tells us a just man fallth seven
39:35
times, but he riseth up again. Here's
39:38
what you need to know about that. It
39:41
your spirituality is going to be
39:42
determined by how long you stay down and
39:44
how quick you get back up.
39:47
Let me say this. Wherever you at, if
39:48
you're depressed, if you're down, get
39:50
up. Don't lay in that. Get back to
39:53
victory. Because you know what? There's
39:54
a lot more of that land that he's
39:56
promised to you that he wants you to
39:57
see. And the longer you lay outside, you
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know what you're going to do? You're
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going to miss a day and opportunity to
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see more of that place that God's
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promised to you. Amen. Father, thank you
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for this time tonight. Lord, I thank you
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for where you've brought us from, but
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Lord, I thank you more importantly from
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where you brought us to. And uh Lord,
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I'm glad I'm not going to hell, but
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Lord, I'm a whole lot more glad that I'm
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going to heaven. And Lord, you've got a
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journey for me to take. And Lord, I pray
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that you would help me, Lord, this
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convicts me to know that I'm going to
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have to uh Lord, even days ahead,
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Father, to decide uh God, what it's
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going to take so I can see all of that
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land that you have for me. And uh Lord,
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I pray that you would give us wisdom in
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each of these hearts here. I pray you
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give them wisdom, Lord, to uh see the
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vast expanse of victory that you have
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laid up for them. And uh Lord, not to
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just be satisfied with uh the mundane,
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but God, to desire the supernatural and
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to desire the victory, Lord, that you've
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promised them. And Lord, I'm thankful
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that we have victory in spite of our
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circumstances. I'm thankful that we have
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victory in spite, Lord, of everything
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and everybody around us, Lord. You
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promised it to us, and we praise you for
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that. Help us to live there and trust
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you and uh be who you're be who we're
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supposed to be. Lord, I love you. Bless
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our choir practice tonight. We sure to
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thank you for what you do. We ask it all
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in Jesus name. Amen.
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>> Thank you for joining our service today.
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We'd love it if you join us in person
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the next time you are able at Meadows
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Baptist Church. Our physical address is
41:29
2988
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Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
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Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
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school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
41:38
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
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worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
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evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
41:46
information, visit us at
41:48
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
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Thanks again for tuning in.