Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / The Benefits of Abraham - 8/5/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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The Benefits of Abraham - 8/5/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to [music] the podcast of
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Meadows Baptist Church of Walnut Cove,
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North Carolina. We're so glad [music]
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you joined us today. If you enjoy
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today's message, be sure to subscribe,
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[music] follow, and share with your
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friends. Now, let's join Pastor [music]
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Charlie Branch with a word from God.
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Genesis tonight. The book of Genesis,
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chapter number 14.
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Chapter 15. Genesis chapter 15.
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Get wired up here. Genesis chapter 15.
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We'll read one verse tonight. We took a
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break uh last week from our study and
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going to pick up again uh tonight here
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in Genesis 15. And I know uh for those
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of you that's paying attention, some of
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you remember that we did skip over some
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verses in chapter 14. And I hope all of
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you are paying attention. Amen. But some
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of you might notice that. And so we're
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going to look at those verses tonight.
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Um but verse number one of chapter 15 is
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the subject matter that is at hand. And
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so
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we'll deal with that. Did I tie this up,
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brother?
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That thing is in an evermore knot.
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All right.
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Holy cow. Okay. Gen, let's just do that.
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Genesis 15
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verse number one. The Bible says, "After
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these things, the word of the Lord came
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unto Abram in a vision.
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saying, "Fear not, Abram. I am thy
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shield and thy exceeding great reward."
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Probably some of my favorite scripture,
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probably one of my favorite verses in
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all the word of God. And uh if you
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hadn't noticed by now, I really like
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Abraham. And the reason being is is we
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know Genesis is that book of beginnings.
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Abram's life introduces us to a lot of
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principles and a lot of practices that
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were not before him in the word of God.
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And I want to look at one of those
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tonight out of this text in chapter 15
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and verse number one. And tonight the
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subject matter following along with uh
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the outline of the life of Abraham.
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We're going to talk about the benefits
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the benefits of Abraham. And uh let's
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pray and ask God to help us tonight.
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Father, thank you so much for allowing
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us to be in the house of God, for the
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privilege that we have to pray. And God,
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I thank you for these precious people.
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Lord, I love them tonight and thank you
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for them. And God, I pray you'd bless
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them for being here. Lord, I pray God
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that you allow me to be a blessing to
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them tonight from this text. I pray that
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you would speak to us. Help us, give us
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wisdom, discernment as we navigate the
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scriptures tonight. And Lord, keep us
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from saying anything that should not be
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said and help us to say everything that
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should be said. get glory and honor unto
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yourself for what you do. We'll thank
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you for it because we ask it in Jesus
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name. Amen. Genesis 15 begins with the
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phrase verse number one. Your Bible says
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after these things, now I I love the way
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the King James Bible is written. It's
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written the way it is for reason. We
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ought to stay with it. Somebody say amen
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right there. And uh we'll preach
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sometime along those lines here in the
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near near future. praying that God would
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give me the liberty to do so on far as
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why we use the King James Bible. But
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this text, he begins with the phrase
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after these things. Now, we look back to
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chapter number 15 and to uh refresh our
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memory, Abram uh has won the battle
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against Chador Le, the king there of
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Elum in the text. And he's won the
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battle. He's brought back Lot. He's
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brought back the goods of the uh of the
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I I say sodomites, that's what they are.
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Amen. Uh he's brought back the goods of
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the people of Sodom uh in the text. And
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the Bible tells us that when he comes
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back um he meets up with Melzdc. We
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talked about him on the last study
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there, verses 18 down through verse
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number 20. And he also meets up with
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another individual in this text. Verse
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number uh verse number 17. The Bible
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says, "And the king of Sodom went out to
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meet him after his return from the
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slaughter of Chad Leommer and of the
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kings that were with him at the valley
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of Shava, which is the king's dale."
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Verse 21. And the king of Sodom said
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unto Abram, "Give me the persons and
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take the goods to thyself." And so just
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for information's sake tonight, what has
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happened here is Abram has won this
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victory. He's brought back the goods uh
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of the people of Sodom and also spoiled
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Chader Leh the king of Edom and took
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some of their goods as well. Um there's
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no doubt in my mind that he did. The
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king of Sodom tells to Abram tells
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Abram, "Look, you just give me back the
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people uh the children." uh he says the
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persons in verse number 21, the people
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of my kingship and you can take the
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goods to yourself, you can have the
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possessions. And we find Abram's
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response in verse number 22. And Abram
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said to the king of Sodom, I have lift
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up mine hand unto the Lord, the most
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high God, the possessor of heaven and
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earth. Now, if you've noticed a theme
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throughout the life of Abraham, there's
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a lot of there's a lot of talk about
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goods, about possessions, about uh
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means, and and uh you notice in this
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text, there's there's some thoughts
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here. I want to give you by way of
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introduction, chapter 15, verse number
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one says after these things. Well,
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number one, I want to say it was after
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Abram's faithful tithe. You say, what do
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you mean? Well, the Bible said in verse
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20 that uh blessed be the most high God
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Melzdc says which hath delivered thine
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enemies into thy hand and he that's
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Abram gave him tithes of all. Abram has
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won this victory has wrought this great
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battle and uh defeated uh cher these
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kings he's brought back Lot and that was
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really his desire was just to rescue Lot
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and he gives him tithes of the spo that
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he has gotten out of this w out of this
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battle that he has fought and this tithe
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was a representation of his faithfulness
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and he was speaking here it speaks here
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of his desire to bless the priest here
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in the text in verse according to verse
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number 18 that he was the priest priest
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of the most high God. And so Abram was
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faithful in his tithe. And in and you
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see this statement in verse number 19,
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you see it again in verse number 22 that
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the the high priest Melzdc says to
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Abram, "Blessed be Abram of the most
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high God." Notice this, possessor of
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heaven and earth. And then you see Abram
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says this again in verse 22, to the king
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of Sodom. Look at this. And Abram said
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to the king of Sodom, "I have lift up
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mine hand unto the Lord, the most high
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God." Notice your Bible, the possessor
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of heaven and earth. And so Abram has
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given his tithe. But you notice in this
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text, what is the king of Sodom wanting
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to talk to Abram about when he comes
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back? It's his possessions. Notice it
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again, verse 21. Give me the persons and
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take the goods to thyself. Well, Melzdc
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meets him first. And what does Abram do?
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tithes out of that because it's a
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representation of the Holy Ghost of God
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or really of Christ coming to him and he
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gives him that tithe in the text. But
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isn't it interesting that after he gives
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his tithe and faith to Melzdc, there's
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his flesh is immediately tempted. Isn't
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that interesting? Notice verse 21. Sodom
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said, the king of Sodom said to Abram,
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"Give me the persons and take the goods
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to thyself." So all the goods that Abram
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got back from the people of Sodom in
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this text, the king of Sodom says, "All
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right, look, you can have that. You can
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have that if you want it." But in spite
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of the fact that they were in Abram's
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possession, let me say this. Just
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because something is in your possession
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at this moment mean does not mean that
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it's yours.
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>> All right? You say, "What do you mean?"
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Well, some of us have automobiles and
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banks on them.
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Let's just be real, okay? You have homes
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and do you really own your home?
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>> Let's let's get it to a spiritual sense.
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You have children. You have a husband.
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You have a wife. Do they belong to you?
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Who do they belong to first?
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>> And so this question of possessions, you
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say, "What does that have to do with the
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king of Sodom?" Well, the king of Sodom
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looked at those people and those
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possessions as his.
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That's how the devil does. You see, he
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thinks you belong to him. All right? And
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if you give him the opportunity, he'll
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sell your goods.
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>> There's a message in that, but I'm not
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going to preach it tonight. Abram was
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tempted. His flesh was tempted after he
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was faithful to tithe. Now, I want to
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say this before I go any further
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tonight. This is after after these
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things. It's all under that heading. I
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want to say this tonight. When you give
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what God tells you to, you just better
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watch out because he's going to come
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around and say, you know, you got this
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bill that's coming up this week. You
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know, you've got, you know, you've got
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that thing you've been wanting to buy
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that you'd saved up for, and you know
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that you was going to do that this week,
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and here you have give your money away.
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That's when your flesh is going to be
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tempted. But you see, it's that's when
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you've got to decide. You hopefully you
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already decided, but hopefully you have
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a response to that temptation. Notice
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this. After his faithful tithe, his
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flesh was tempted. But I want to say
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this, he trusted the father. Notice this
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in verse 22. And Abram said to the king
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of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto
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the Lord. Do you know what that is
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representation of?
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You know what he was doing? He was
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vowing.
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>> Notice this. I have lift up mine hand
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unto the Lord, the most high God. Notice
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it again. The possessor of heaven and
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earth. He looks at the king of Sodom and
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says, "What you're trying to give me
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really ain't yours anyway."
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>> Amen. Let me just say this to you. What
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the devil's trying to offer you, you
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just look back at him and say, "Well, it
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don't really belong to you anyway."
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>> Amen. It belongs to God. Just because
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he's got his fingers in it don't mean
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that God's not going to get glory out of
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it somewhere down the road. Amen. That's
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right, friend. Notice this. Verse 23, he
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said, "I've lifted up mine hand." verse
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22 verse 23 that I will not take from a
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thread even to a shoe latchet and that I
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will not take anything that is thine
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lest thou should have say I have made
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Abram rich. Now some some would say
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tonight that this is the pride of Abram.
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No, I think it's the position of Abram.
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I tell you this, the world looks at the
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position we take upon the word of God
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and they say we're prideful. They say
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we're arrogant. They say this. They say
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we're narrowminded. That's right.
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>> And let me say this to the world that
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looks in a carnal sense with a broad
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spectrum, a broad view in mind, that is
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that does seem prideful. Let's just be
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real. What did when Jesus come to this
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world? Let me ask you something. Did
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Jesus ever apologize for anything?
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>> Why? Why are we so ready and willing to
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apologize to this world for our
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standards? That's
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>> right.
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>> Jesus never apologized.
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Abram said, "Look, I don't want nothing
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you got. because it ain't yours anyway.
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Notice this. Lest thou should have say,
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I have made Abram rich. You see, Abram
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was not willing to compromise his
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righteousness. Why? Lot was down there,
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and he knew that if Lot was going to get
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out, him getting in going to help Lot
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get out.
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>> That's right, friend. Hey, you going and
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yoking up with the world and throwing
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yourself out there and giving yourself
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away, getting caught up with them hook,
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line, and sinker, hoping that you might
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deliver them out. That's that's that's
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>> dumb,
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>> right?
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>> Amen.
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>> They're out there because they chose to
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be out there. And if you're going to
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bring them out, you're going to have to
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stay out
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>> to raise somebody up, you got to be
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above them.
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>> Notice this. He said, I will not take
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anything that is thine, lest thou should
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have say, I have made Abram rich. Verse
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24, save only that which the young men
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have eaten, and the portion of the men
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which went with me, Aner, Esko, and
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Mamry, let them take their portion. And
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he says only what we have gotten to
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survive through this is the only thing
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we're going to take. I want to say this.
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All you need from this world is what is
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just enough to survive.
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>> You know what Paul said? He said,
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"Having food and rainignment,
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let us therewith be content." I think
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that every one of us fall short of that.
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Let's just be real, okay? He says,
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"Look, just what we've eaten, just what
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we needed for the battle is all we're
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going to take. And that's really all you
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need in this life. Any more than that,
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it's a burden. But you say, "What does
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that have to do with chapter 15 and
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verse number one?" Well, Abram was
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faithful to tithe. He was tempted by the
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flesh, the representation of the flesh,
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the king of Sodom. But he trusted the
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father. He responds to that king. And
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just the way that you have to respond to
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your flesh every day. I do not want what
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you have to offer. I have not come to
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purchase what you have to give. And I'm
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not giving myself to you today. That's
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why Paul said, "I die daily." And so he
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dies to the king of Sodom. There's no
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desire to take what he has to offer. And
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notice what happens. Verse number one.
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After these things, I want to give you
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just a few things tonight. We we see the
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after here in the tithe, the temptation,
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and the trust. But you see, out of the
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trust, there comes the first truth. You
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say, "What do you mean?" Well, notice
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the verse. After these things, I don't
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want you to miss this. All right, I want
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you to be enamored by this just the way
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that I was. After these things, the word
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of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision.
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So, we see the after here is mentioned,
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but now we notice Abram in this text.
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Now, what does this have to do with
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Abram? Now, he he's done all this. He's
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handled all these situations correctly.
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He he is he's tithed the way he should
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have. He was tempted and he passed. He
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trusted in the Lord. Amen. And he was
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obedient. And so God comes to him in
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verse number one. And then this
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statement is made. The word of the Lord
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came. You know, this is the first place
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in your Bible where that appears.
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The word of the Lord came. You say,
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"What does that mean?" Well, it's a
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specific thing. The word of the Lord
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came, notice this, unto Abram. It's
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specific. I want to say this. This was
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not a generic blanket statement. You
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say, "Preacher, but God spoke to him
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while he was in the Caldes." Well,
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here's the thing about it. This is the
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first time it said in this way. Why is
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that? Because it it's it signifies a
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relationship.
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You see, when God called unto him and
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the Caldes, what was it? What was it? It
15:01
was a call to get out.
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But you see here in the text, it's not a
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call to get out. It's a call to come
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near.
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>> Because you say, "What is that?" Well,
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he's in the place where he's supposed to
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be.
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But it's not just it's not enough to
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just be in the place where he's supposed
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to be. We've learned that through this
15:18
study, haven't we? Abram failed while he
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was in Canaan. We know that he got out
15:22
of the will of God there for a little
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while and then he came back. And yet,
15:26
even still, there was some thing there's
15:27
some struggles that Abram has in this
15:29
text. But I want to say this, God comes
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to him in this way because he was
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faithful to obey. He tithed to Melzdc.
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He was faithful in the temptation of his
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flesh. He trusted the father. He said,
15:41
"I've lift up mine hand unto the Lord."
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And then the Bible says after these
15:47
things, the word of the Lord came unto
15:49
Abram. It's specific. It's direct. I
15:52
want you to notice about this this uh
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Abram about Abram here in the text.
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Number one, you'll see that there's a
15:57
voice. Look what the Bible says. The
15:59
word of the Lord came unto Abram in a
16:01
vision saying there's a voice that
16:05
speaks to him. You say, "Preacher, but
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but God had spoken to him prior, but not
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like it was this time."
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You see, the thing about our
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relationship with Christ is is that the
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further we go, his voice ought to get
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more clear.
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The further that we live our Christian
16:21
life, things ought to become more
16:23
defined in our life. It's just like, you
16:26
know, the Bible says now we see through
16:27
a glass darkly. And so, in reference to
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that, one of these days we'll see him
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face to face, but from here until there
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things ought to get more clear. Amen. We
16:38
all our our vision should not be getting
16:41
dimmer but it should be getting
16:42
brighter. And this voice here is is
16:45
speaking to Abram directly. Now you
16:48
notice not only the voice but you notice
16:50
the vision. The word of the Lord came
16:51
unto Abram in a vision. Let me ask you
16:53
something. What do you think he saw? Say
16:55
what do you mean preacher? Well I think
16:57
he saw the Lord. You say how is that?
17:00
Well it says the word of the Lord came.
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Notice that the word of the Lord came
17:04
unto Abram in a vision. All right. So,
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who's the word?
17:11
>> Jesus is right. The vision is not
17:13
described to us. He has a vision of the
17:16
Lord in this text. He has a vision of
17:19
the Lord Jesus. It's the voice of the
17:22
Lord Jesus in this text saying, and then
17:24
notice this. And Abram experiences the
17:28
voice. He hears the voice. He sees the
17:30
vision. But notice the vitality in verse
17:32
number one. The word of the Lord came
17:34
unto Abram in a vision, saying,"Fear
17:37
not, Abram." Now, all right, let's step
17:40
back for a minute. What was the first
17:41
three words of verse one after these
17:45
things? So, what has happened? All
17:47
right, up to this point, Abram has
17:50
fought with the king of Elim. He's waged
17:53
a war against him. 300 and some men,
17:55
they go up against him. They take them
17:57
out. They bring they spoil them. They
17:59
bring the goods back. All right. Now,
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who are the people that Abram has met up
18:03
with in chapter 14? He's met up with
18:05
Melzdc, which is a representation of the
18:08
Holy Spirit of God, of righteousness.
18:10
He's met up with um the king of Sodom,
18:12
which is a type of the flesh. Who's he
18:14
not met up with yet? Cheddar Leon. You
18:18
know what he is? He's a type of the
18:20
world.
18:21
More definitely a type of the devil
18:23
himself. You say, "What does it mean,
18:25
fear not Abram?" Well, let me just let
18:27
me just say this. He's met up with all
18:29
of these other kings and he's done all
18:30
right to this point, but you know what?
18:33
He's not fought against them.
18:36
You see, the flesh, he won the battle
18:38
for them. All right, man. I ain't got
18:40
time to preach all this tonight, but
18:44
he he won the battle for them to deliver
18:46
Lot. Or let me say this. He won the
18:48
battle in spite of them to deliver Lot.
18:51
All right? In spite of the king of
18:53
Sodom, in spite that they did nothing to
18:55
help him win. He won the battle and
18:57
delivered Lot. Amen. Because it was his
18:59
desire to deliver them. He wins the
19:01
battle. Melzdc greets him. Amen. That
19:04
that righteous king greets him. But
19:06
who's not come back yet? It's the king
19:09
he fought against. The one that you deal
19:12
with every day
19:15
after he does everything right. He
19:17
pushes the flesh aside. He says, "Look,
19:19
I don't want nothing you have to offer."
19:21
He responds to Melzdc. And what is he
19:24
waiting for? Well, let's just picture it
19:25
in a logical sense. Abram's one man. He
19:29
doesn't have a city around him. He's not
19:31
a king. He has an army of 300 and some
19:34
chosen men. That's all he has. Well,
19:36
he's know he knows that he has no
19:38
defense city to live in. He doesn't have
19:40
a battalion that's going to defend him
19:42
when the king comes back. And so, you
19:44
know what he's doing now? He's thinking
19:46
about everything that he did while he
19:47
was fighting for Lot. Now, it's going to
19:49
come back and get him.
19:51
Boy, isn't that how we are sometimes? We
19:54
fight the good fight of faith. We do
19:56
what we're we know we're supposed to do
19:58
and we walk away from that thing and our
20:00
mind immediately begins to attack us.
20:03
>> Man, look what's going to happen now.
20:05
>> Man, wonder what could happen next.
20:08
>> You know what my problem is? I'm already
20:10
playing out scenarios that's never
20:12
happened yet.
20:14
>> You know what that is? That's
20:15
depression.
20:17
>> That's anxiety.
20:19
I'm playing out things in my mind that's
20:22
not happened yet. and really, if we're
20:24
honest, are not going to happen. That's
20:27
>> right.
20:28
>> Somebody said one time, "Don't preach
20:29
what you ain't lived." I've lived this
20:31
one. I can preach it.
20:33
>> DON'T DON'T PLAY OUT in your mind what
20:35
ain't happened yet. God comes to him
20:37
after these things. He's done right. He
20:39
did WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. And and
20:41
God shows up. Boy, aren't you thankful
20:43
he shows up right when you need him
20:44
most.
20:45
>> And what's his first words? The first
20:47
thing that he says to Abram is, "Fear
20:50
not."
20:51
>> Fear not.
20:53
Look, you don't have to be afraid. You
20:55
know what that is? That that that is
20:57
vitalizing.
20:59
You say, you say, "What do you mean by
21:01
that?" I'm saying you can't live without
21:02
it.
21:05
Just as you got to have water and air to
21:07
live, that's what this is. You've heard
21:10
it said, it's nothing new, 365 times in
21:13
the King James Bible. Fear not.
21:16
It's it's a truth that we need to get a
21:18
hold of because that is God's answer to
21:21
OUR OUR SITUATIONS ALL OF THEM.
21:24
What what Peter say for God hath not
21:26
given us a spirit of fear but of power
21:29
and of love and of a sound mind. Fear
21:32
does not come from God. Perfect love
21:34
John said it cast out fear because fear
21:38
hath torment.
21:42
He says to Abram, "Fear not." I want you
21:46
to notice this. We we've considered
21:48
tonight and and this will be short and
21:50
I'll be done. We we've considered
21:51
tonight the the the after. We've
21:54
considered Abram. Now, let's consider
21:56
the answer in the text. Notice this. He
22:00
speaks to him and says, "Fear not." This
22:02
voice, this vision gives him vitality.
22:05
And and it and it begins, "Fear not,
22:06
Abram." I don't know about you, but that
22:08
soothes my spirit because let's just be
22:11
real tonight. doing right. Tony Hudson
22:13
said this way. You You can like him or
22:15
not, but he's right about this. Amen. I
22:17
like him a whole lot. I like to hear him
22:18
preach, okay? Don't catch me out for
22:21
that, but if you do, it'll be okay. But
22:23
I like him anyway. He said this. He
22:25
said, "You can't do wrong and get by."
22:27
He said, "But you can't do right and get
22:28
by."
22:32
>> I'm telling you that king will be after
22:34
you.
22:36
Abram, in the back of his mind, he's
22:37
already playing out how it's going to
22:39
happen. He's already seeing what what
22:41
ridge they're going to come from. He's
22:43
already seeing how many of them going to
22:45
be coming for him. There's going to be
22:46
twice as many of them that come against
22:48
me this time. They're going to wipe me
22:50
out. Look what God says to him. The word
22:54
of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision,
22:56
saying, "Fear not Abram. I am thy
22:59
shield."
23:01
>> You say, "Preacher, you don't know
23:02
that's what in what was in Abram's
23:04
mind." Well, God did.
23:07
Why would God be telling him that? Why
23:10
would God tell him to fear not? Why
23:11
would God say, "I am thy shield." You
23:13
say, "What does that mean?" Well, that
23:15
word shield, when you look up its
23:17
translation, it it's not a big shield.
23:19
Now, I was thinking when I was thinking
23:21
shield, I'm thinking, man, you know,
23:23
God's my shield. This is a fortress.
23:25
He's a wall, you know, and he is. Amen.
23:27
That's that's who he is. He's a fortress
23:29
about us. He's a buckler. Amen. He's
23:31
he's a wall around us. My high tower,
23:33
David said. He's all of that. But you
23:36
know what this shield means? It it
23:38
literally translates to the word buckler
23:41
and and you look up the word in its in
23:43
its etmology and it goes back to the
23:45
translation of a small shield.
23:48
Something just small. And I was thinking
23:51
about that those small shield that's a
23:53
handheld shield.
23:56
God told Abram, he said, "Look," he
23:58
said, "I'm your shield." He said, "What
24:01
do you mean by that?" Well, I'd say
24:02
this. Number one, when when we think
24:03
about the shield, it means that look,
24:06
Abram, you're carrying me with you.
24:10
You say, "What do you mean?" Well, it
24:13
was the word of God that got Abram out
24:15
of the Caldes. You know what he carried
24:17
out of? He left his family.
24:20
He left his friends. He left his fortune
24:23
there and went and started life. But you
24:26
know what he carried out of there? It
24:27
was his faith and the word of God.
24:30
When he says it's my it's he he says I'm
24:32
your shield. He's saying you carry me.
24:36
You say what is it? What do you mean?
24:38
Well, you think about us. Our body is
24:40
the temple of the Holy Ghost.
24:43
>> We know we talk about the armor of God.
24:44
Ephesians talks about the shield of
24:46
faith.
24:48
>> But God himself literally says, "I am
24:50
your shield. You carry me with you." You
24:54
say, "Preacher, what does that mean?"
24:55
Well, remember Abram don't have a city.
24:58
He don't have an army. He's got some men
25:00
that are trained and they do their job
25:01
well. We already saw that in the last
25:03
chapter. But he don't have a big army.
25:06
He don't have a defense city. He don't
25:08
have everything that these other kings
25:09
and kingdoms has. But you know what God
25:11
says? You don't need it.
25:14
>> Is anybody in the building tonight?
25:16
>> He says, "I am thy shield.
25:22
God is my shield. I carry him." But I
25:25
thought about this that small shield.
25:27
But I couldn't get past that in my
25:28
studies, brother Leon. You know, a big
25:31
shield, we think about a wall or
25:32
something like that. We can't be too
25:34
close to it, can we? Because we, you
25:36
know, it inhibits our function to war.
25:38
But you think about a shield. A shield
25:39
is carried with you. And so, what is a
25:41
shield? It's not just carried with you,
25:42
but it's close to you.
25:45
>> God said, Abram, I'm your shield.
25:49
>> You carry me, but I I'm close to you.
25:52
He's a wall about him. And thank God he
25:55
is. But you see that wall only does so
25:59
much. You got to be inside of it. Now I
26:02
know God's everywhere. Get the image
26:03
what I'm trying to say. Abram's in
26:05
Canaan land with no city, with no
26:09
defense wall, with none of that. He
26:12
says, "I'm your shield.
26:14
We carry him. He's close." But I thought
26:16
about this. You think about a shield. A
26:19
shield is controlled by the one carrying
26:22
that. And you know what? I thought about
26:24
this. God in our life will be as
26:27
effective as we want him to be.
26:29
>> Amen.
26:31
>> Said, "What do you mean?" Well, if you
26:33
let the shield down.
26:37
>> God says, "Abram, look, I am your
26:39
shield." Why did he say that? He said
26:41
that because Abram, you've done right to
26:43
this point. You've obeyed me. YOU HAVE
26:46
NOT FALTERED UNDER TEMPTATION. YOU DID
26:48
WHAT I TOLD YOU TO DO. You You've worked
26:50
righteousness. And what is that? As long
26:53
as to them that work righteousness,
26:55
amen, there is the promise of
26:57
protection. Not not physical for us, but
26:59
I'm talking about spiritual. You
27:02
understand there's no weapon formed
27:04
against us can prosper. You realize that
27:06
none. How is that? YOU SAY, "PREACHER,
27:09
WHAT ABOUT ALL the people who are saved
27:11
that fall out? They let the shield down.
27:15
>> NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEE
27:18
SHALL PROSPER. SO IF the enemy prospers,
27:21
it's because of you.
27:23
So So I thought about this. I carry him.
27:26
He's close to me. But you see this
27:28
shield, I think about a shield. A shield
27:31
is for the the enemy's attacks that you
27:34
can't see coming.
27:36
>> So what do you mean? Well, you think
27:38
about Roman soldiers. Their shield, they
27:40
would they would stick that thing up in
27:41
the ground and get behind it. But I
27:44
thought about this. That shield is
27:46
effective when it's put in the right
27:48
place. I was thinking about this. All
27:50
right. God only works when you put him
27:53
in the place where he belongs.
27:55
>> You can't put him in a box.
27:58
>> You can't make him fit your mold. All
27:59
right. And God tells Abram, "Look, look
28:02
son, I'm your shield." Man, there's so
28:05
much in that.
28:07
>> He controls. You think about this. He
28:09
controls what I cannot see coming. You
28:11
think about this. Does that shield ever
28:13
fail?
28:17
Can't nothing penetrate it, can it?
28:21
>> When that those fiery darts come at you.
28:23
Amen. They cannot get through that.
28:28
>> God tells Abram, "I'm your shield." He
28:30
doesn't say, "I'm your walled city." He
28:32
doesn't say any of that. I couldn't get
28:33
past that in my study. All right? He
28:35
doesn't say any of that. He says, "I'm
28:36
your shield." He said, "Because you have
28:38
chosen to walk with me, you've put me in
28:41
my rightful place. I will protect you.
28:45
>> You know what we can expect tonight? And
28:47
I like this. You know what we can
28:49
expect? Furthermore, you know what we
28:51
can count on tonight? When we put God in
28:55
his rightful place,
28:57
>> we're protected.
28:58
>> Right?
28:59
>> You say, "Preacher, but what about
29:00
cancer?" It it's not it's not the
29:02
physical side. What about what about all
29:05
the problems of life, relationships, and
29:08
all of that? It's not It's not physical,
29:10
and it's not mortal.
29:12
It's spiritual.
29:15
>> You say, "What do you mean?" Well, the
29:16
devil can't can't take your soul. Amen.
29:19
That shield is never coming down.
29:20
Somebody say, "Amen." But he also can't
29:23
take your joy.
29:25
>> There is no Listen to me, church. There
29:26
is no situation, there is no
29:29
circumstance that can take your joy
29:31
unless you allow it to.
29:35
>> Here's the thing about it. All right.
29:38
Abram is told in this text and it's
29:41
obvious. He's got things going in his
29:42
mind. He says, "Look, fear not, Abram. I
29:45
am thy shield." We carry him. He's close
29:48
to us and he controls what we cannot see
29:52
coming. But I notice this. You say,
29:55
"Preacher, what about those possessions
29:57
you were talking about?" Well, notice it
29:59
again. Verse one. He says, "Fear not,
30:01
Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding
30:04
great
30:06
reward." What has Abram done after these
30:09
things? First of all, he tithed, didn't
30:11
he? He give of his spoil. But you know
30:14
what he also did? He turned down the
30:16
spoil that was offered to him. He turned
30:19
down that hand that was stuck out from
30:20
the world said, "Abram, you take all
30:24
those goods. You deserve them." But you
30:27
know what? Abram because of his
30:30
righteousness and and was completely
30:33
unwilling to identify with this world
30:36
rightfully. He could have took all of
30:37
that. Nobody could have said a thing.
30:40
But you know what? Because he wanted to
30:42
be completely separated from this world.
30:44
You know what he did? I'm not going to
30:45
take that. And so, you know what God
30:48
says? He says, I am thy exceeding great
30:53
reward. Now,
30:56
you say, "What is that?" Well, God says,
30:58
"I am your shield." But he also says, "I
31:01
am your satisfaction."
31:04
You see, the truth that Abram learned
31:06
out of this is that when you just do
31:08
what God says, God will do to you what
31:11
he said he will do.
31:15
He promised Abram, promised him in
31:17
chapter 14, promised him that that he
31:20
would protect him, that he would provide
31:22
for him. And he says, Abram, I am thy
31:24
shield and thy exceeding great reward.
31:26
But here's what we miss in this. I we
31:28
think about everything that God has done
31:31
in this four apron.
31:34
But you notice what's said and I and I I
31:36
put this to last. It's not last in the
31:39
in the verse, but it's last for sermon
31:42
purposes tonight. The Bible says, "Fear
31:44
not Abram." And what's those next two
31:46
words? I am.
31:50
You see, God says, "Look, I'm your
31:52
shield. I'm your exceeding great reward.
31:54
But the miracle of this is not in the
31:56
shield. It's not even in the
31:57
satisfaction. Here's what the miracle
31:59
is. That the sovereign is allowing
32:01
himself to be possessed
32:04
by Abram.
32:06
Notice it again in the verse.
32:09
I am thy
32:13
thy. You know what that is? That's him
32:16
giving
32:18
himself
32:19
>> to Abram.
32:23
Say what is that? Well, it's like the
32:25
vows of the marriage. I do, I will.
32:30
>> Turning over
32:32
themselves to the will of another.
32:36
You think about this. We know you say,
32:38
"Preacher, well, God doesn't compromise
32:40
his holiness." And you're exactly right.
32:42
But here's the thing about that, okay?
32:44
When you operate in the realm of God's
32:45
righteousness and his holiness, you know
32:47
what you have? I don't want to say you
32:49
have control of God, but here's what you
32:51
have. All right. God has control of
32:54
control of you. And so here's what
32:56
happens. You know what you're doing? You
32:57
are operating as the arm of God.
33:02
We're hands and feet. We're ambassadors
33:05
to this world. And so you know what
33:07
happens? He allows us to possess him.
33:13
You say, "How is that?" Well, what's
33:14
salvation?
33:17
Whosoever shall call upon the name of
33:18
the Lord shall be saved. How? How are we
33:20
saved? by the word of God taking up
33:22
residence in our heart. Salvation, the
33:25
spirit of God lives on the inside. You
33:27
know what? We possess him.
33:30
Y'all looking at me all glassy eyed.
33:35
You say, "What's the miracle of that?"
33:38
Well, this is only the God of heaven.
33:42
He tells Abram, "I AM ONLY MAN IN THE
33:44
WORLD trying to do right." As far as we
33:47
know, one
33:51
He looks at Abram says, "Son,
33:54
I'm thy shield."
33:57
Personal.
33:58
I am. GOD SAYS, "I AM thy shield and thy
34:05
exceeding great reward." You know
34:07
what'll change your life? When you
34:10
realize like the song says, "He is
34:14
mine."
34:14
>> That's right.
34:17
>> You say, "Preacher, I believe that."
34:18
Well, if you grasp that,
34:22
you know what? Why we don't live the
34:23
Christian life the way we should? It's
34:26
because we forget number one, who we
34:28
belong to.
34:29
>> But you think about this, you forget the
34:31
fact that he has given himself
34:35
to us.
34:38
He belongs to us. Oh my friend,
34:42
I am thy shield and thy exceeding great
34:45
reward. I'll say this and I'll be done
34:47
tonight. You see when the holy had
34:48
visited him, Melzdc came and then the
34:52
fleshly visited him when that king of
34:54
Sodom came, he was expecting the world
34:57
and the devil to come very soon.
35:00
And God says to him,
35:03
and I love this, God showed up before
35:05
the devil ever got there and said, "Fear
35:08
not."
35:11
Before Chad Lemer could ever get all of
35:14
his army together, before anybody could
35:17
ever come to him and try to destroy him,
35:19
God says, "Look, Abram, it's going to be
35:21
all right."
35:23
Let's be real tonight. The people, the
35:28
things that you think are going to
35:29
destroy you probably haven't even
35:32
thought about you.
35:36
Can I get a witness tonight?
35:39
the people that you think are against
35:41
you and you think that every waking hour
35:43
of the day that they are just out to get
35:46
you. They probably haven't even thought
35:48
about you.
35:52
You say, "What do you mean? I know the
35:53
devil's after me." And he might be,
35:56
but let's just take it back a minute and
35:58
remember God said, "Fear not. I am thy
36:03
shield." You know, we have protection
36:06
promised to us when he's in his rightful
36:08
place.
36:08
>> Yeah.
36:11
>> We carry him. He is close to us and he
36:14
controls what we cannot see. You see,
36:17
God's working on the other end of the
36:18
story and doing things that you don't
36:20
even know about. Why would you waste
36:22
time worrying?
36:24
>> That's right.
36:25
>> About something that he's going to take
36:27
care of.
36:28
>> If it comes to you, here's what you have
36:30
to do. You have to make sure you're
36:32
right with him. Cuz you know what? When
36:34
it comes to you, he says, "I'll take
36:36
care of it if you'll let me."
36:40
This is what I'm found. I've found in my
36:42
own life, learned this by experience,
36:46
particularly this year, last couple
36:49
years. I found out that I cannot
36:52
physically prepare for anything that's
36:55
coming my way without first
36:59
submitting myself to his authority and
37:02
recognizing the fact that I belong to
37:04
him and he belongs to me.
37:06
>> And until I prepare myself with him,
37:10
there's nothing else I can do.
37:12
Let me say this to you tonight. Your job
37:14
will never work out until you are right
37:17
with him. Abram was blessed in the land
37:21
of Canaan because he was in the place
37:23
where God spoke God put him. He was in
37:25
the place where he's supposed to be. He
37:27
was doing what God told him to do. And
37:29
and I tell you this, all right, Abram
37:31
could have done all of that. He could
37:33
have left uh of the Caldes. He could
37:35
have went to the Canyon land. He could
37:36
have done every bit of that. But if his
37:38
personal relationship with God hadn't
37:40
been right, let me say this. You can be
37:42
in the job that God wanted you to be in.
37:45
You can be in the marriage that God
37:46
wanted you, God wanted you to be in. Let
37:48
me say this, uh, tonight, this evening,
37:51
um, the marriage you're in now is the
37:53
one God wants you to be in.
37:55
>> All right? But you can be where God
37:57
wants you to be, but if you're not
37:59
living the way that you're supposed to
38:00
live, God will not bless even when
38:02
you're supposed in the right place,
38:04
>> right?
38:06
>> But if you will be in the right place
38:08
and be the right person for him, here's
38:12
what what'll happen. You'll find that
38:14
God will prepare you for things before
38:16
you even know they're coming.
38:18
>> God will be putting things into your
38:20
heart. You say, "How is that?" Well,
38:22
your your devotion time through the
38:24
week, God will be interjecting scripture
38:26
in your life, in in your heart. And who
38:28
knows, it may be a couple weeks, months
38:30
down the road before you're going to
38:31
need every bit of that scripture he's
38:33
been putting in your heart
38:35
>> to live, to get through something. You
38:37
may not need it right now, but friend,
38:39
you better know it's all there for a
38:41
reason. And he's orchestrating your life
38:44
in a certain way. And this is what he
38:46
says. Fear not.
38:49
Fear not. I am your shield. He said,
38:53
"Preacher, that was said to Abram."
38:55
Well, the writer of Hebrews said it this
38:56
way. He said, "So that we may boldly
38:58
say, the Lord is my helper. I will not
39:02
fear what man can do unto me." That is a
39:06
personal promise. Jesus said, "I will
39:08
never leave thee, nor forsake thee." We
39:11
have that promise tonight. Father, thank
39:14
you for the truth of your word tonight.
39:16
And Lord, these truly are the benefits
39:19
of Abram. It wasn't the land of Canaan.
39:22
It wasn't Isaac.
39:25
Lord, it had nothing to do with anything
39:27
that you gave him. But Lord, it was all
39:29
in the fact that he had a relationship
39:31
with you. And Lord, you are the greatest
39:34
thing that's ever happened to any of us.
39:37
Lord, you're the greatest thing that's
39:38
ever happened to me. And Lord, I thank
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you that Lord, before I was in the womb,
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you knew me. And Lord, long after I'm
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gone, Lord, you'll still know who I am.
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And Lord, I thank you. You've never lost
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a one. And God, I pray you'd help us to
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trust you. Lord, help us to be vitalized
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in this day and time. Lord, by the fact
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that we don't have to be afraid of what
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man can do to us, but Lord, we can trust
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in faith, knowing, God, that what you've
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done in us, Father, will far succeed
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anything man could ever do to us. Lord,
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I sure love you. Thank you for loving
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us. Bless our church. And uh I pray God
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you'd keep your hand on this place. I
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pray for every question on the hearts of
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your children tonight, Lord. Burden
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about their jobs, burden about their
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families and relationships. I pray God
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tonight, Father, that you would give
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them an answer according to your will.
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And Lord, I pray, Father, tonight, Lord,
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if there's if there's strengthening
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needed, Lord, if there's change needed,
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I pray you'd help them to make that and
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do right by you and trust you because
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Lord, you alone are worthy. And Lord,
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you alone can handle these situations.
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And God, if we'll let you handle it,
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Father, you'll do what we could never
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imagine. Lord, I sure love you. Thank
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you for loving us in Jesus name. Amen.
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>> Thank you for joining [music] our
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service today. We'd love it if you'd
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join us in person the next time you
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[music] are able at Meadows Baptist
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Church. Our physical address is 2988
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Stewart [music] Road in Walnut Cove,
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North Carolina. Our service times are
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Sunday school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday
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morning worship [music] at 11:00 a.m.,
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Sunday evening worship at 6:00 p.m., and
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Wednesday evening Bible study at 700
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[music] p.m. For more information, visit
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us at meadowsbaptisturch.com.
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Thanks again for tuning in.