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#10120 - God’s Blessings Turn Into Strife - Genesis 13 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Amen, open your bibles if you
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would please Genesis chapter 13 Genesis chapter 13 of entitled.
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Our Bible study God's blessings turn into Strife.
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We don't really equate, the blessings of God with Strife.
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But we see an example of that today.
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As God is blessing, Abraham, blessing, his servants that
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Strife arises between his Events and the Servants of lat.
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Now, we learned last time that Abram took matters into his own
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hands, we learned that his step of Faith was met with a crisis
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of faith and Abram didn't pass the test.
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He responded to the crisis of Faith with compromise.
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And as he met this crisis of Faith with compromise, he chose
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to go to Egypt and Egypt in the Bible is often used as a type of
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the world. So you can say in a very real
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way that when the faith of Abram was met with a crisis, he ran to
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the world. For help, it was a famine Egypt
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knowing as the breadbasket of the Middle East, he went to the
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place where there would be food where their be preparation,
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where he would find Refuge. But you don't want to turn to
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the world. When crisis hits, you don't want
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to look through the world in this world system for
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protection. You don't want to look to the
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world for safety or for help. The Bible says, in the Proverbs
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that the name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous
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run to it. Because when crisis hits, we're
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going to run somewhere, it's a natural response.
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And you want to learn not to run to this world Abram.
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Doesn't pray. He doesn't seek God, he just
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goes down in the land of Egypt because it was a logical because
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it was practical. I know many of you listening to
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me right now, you have more of a pragmatic approach to life.
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That's just how God made you. But in times of Crisis, you need
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to respond with more than just practical answers more than just
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human pragmatism. You've got to learn to run to
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the Lord. There's going to be a lot of and
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if you don't, Well, he tells his wife as you know, as they come
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into Egypt. Hey, you're so beautiful.
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You can't let him know. You're my wife, you got to lie
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to them and he lied and got himself in trouble, but more so
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Pharaoh chose her as his wife now, some believe, even some
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commentators look at this and say there was a there was a
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transaction that took place that all that Abram received in
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livestock and everything was actually a purchase price in the
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custom of the I thought that was interesting, but nonetheless,
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Abraham's failure was met with the grace of God and he learned
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some hard lessons and isn't it true.
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You're going to learn the lessons of life and you're going
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to hurt, learn the hard lessons of life and you can do that in
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one of two ways. You can go the hard way or the
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easy way and Abram unfortunately went the hard way.
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Another thing we want to remember about Abram, he's the
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father of faith, and that's how he's remembered.
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How he's mentioned many times. In the New Testament.
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However, the father of Faith didn't start out that way, there
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was spiritual growth in his life and maturity, he needed like
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you, and I need to learn how to grow in our Grace, grow in the
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grace of God grow in faith. None of you were born mature,
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either. It's funny as sometimes, I'll
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share a testimony of part of my past and maybe it's a difficult
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part or something that just it elicits a response.
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What? No, they look at me.
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Physically and go. Oh, I could never see that.
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I could, I just don't see that in your pasture and the thought
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is what, what do you think? I was born with coming out of
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glad coming out of my mom's womb with glasses on and I just had a
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Bible in my hand and I just know, I had to learn.
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I didn't like like it. I was looking for some pictures.
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I couldn't find them of some real difficult times in my life
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and maybe it's a good good reason for it.
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But man, there are some pictures of when I got out of jail when I
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got out of the hospital where I mean I got beat up pretty bad.
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And it was a reminder I should have.
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I asked my dad one year to send them to me because I wanted to
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use them as illustration and I lost them I guess I can't find
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them. Anywhere must be the Lord's will
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for me not to use them in this season but I should have just
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left him. My dad said Oh no, you're going
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to lose all my goal. No doubt, I won't lose them.
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I lost them. So you can grow in your faith,
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you can grow Abram grew, and you're going to grow to, so
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13:1. Then Abram went up from Egypt.
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He and his wife and all that. He had, we and lot with him, to
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the South Abram was very rich, in life stock in silver and gold
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and he went on his journey from the south as far as Bethel to
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the place where his tent had been.
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At the beginning between Bethel and AI to the place of the
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altar, which he had made their at first.
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And they're Abram called on the name.
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Of the Lord is coming back into the land, getting back on
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Journey on task, getting back into the lane that, the Lord had
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given him. And he's a different man from
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these experiences. You're always going to come out
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different through your successes or your failures.
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He's a different man and he's learned, he's learned that he
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could trust God, he's learned that he didn't need to cover up
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for himself. He's learned that he didn't need
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to manipulate the situation. He's learned that he didn't need
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to lie. He didn't need to lie.
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He's learned that he didn't need to involve his wife in lying.
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He's learned that he could trust God, even with his own physical
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life. You know, lying is such a common
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scented a it's so common in the church.
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I'm sure if we did some kind of heart survey we'd find lying all
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over the place, little here, a little there, not telling the
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truth, not wanting to hurt someone's feeling.
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I mean we could think of a million different things that
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prevent us from walking in the truth and lying sometimes looks
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like it worked There's a deceit involved or lack of Sheridan
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card. Well, you know, it kind of
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worked and you move on and you don't think about that your sin
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will surely find you out. It doesn't work.
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Lying is a sin that from the very beginning honesty and
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Fidelity is a value Exodus? 20:16 the top 10, the 10
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commandments, remember you shall not bear false, witness against
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your neighbor, Psalm 101. Verse 7, he who works.
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Deceit shall not dwell within my house.
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He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
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It is a sin like other sin, that breaks Fellowship, it breaks
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fellowship with God, but it breaks fellowship with one
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another. It happens immediately.
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Even as you plan, it was a lie and deceit that Drew Eve.
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Into a place of sin because she believed the LIE from who the
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father of Lies. Jesus said, he is the father.
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He birds all deception and lies. Jesus said, don't take the devil
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for granted or underestimate his power.
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One of the main weapons that you could say.
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In his left hand, he has Division.
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And in his right hand, he has lies and he uses them
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constantly. And we as Believers, we
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participated in all. Proverbs chapter 6 verse 16,
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these six things, the Lord hates seven or Abomination to him,
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proud, look a lying tongue hands, that shed innocent blood,
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a heart that devises Wicked plans feet are that are Swift to
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running to evil and on the list goes a lying tongue.
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Proverbs Chapter 19 Verse 9 A false witness will not go
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unpunished and he who speaks lies Shall Perish.
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While lying can seem like a very immediate convenient way to
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protect ourselves. It actually does the opposite.
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It exposes us to the work of the enemy.
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It exposes us to the furtherance of our flush, it breaks
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relationships lying will separate even the best of
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friends lying can even cause deep traumatic pain.
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Unfortunately, see, lights lying.
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Seems to be very common among us all.
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May the Lord give us a holy. Hatred of hot lies and a true
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repentance Godly sorrow. How much more could the church?
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How much more progress could the church make if we walked in the
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truth? We dwelt in the truth.
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Let me show you a passage of scripture that we value here at
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the church. Turn over to 1st John.
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It's not like we don't value all the scriptures with this is an
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important one. First John chapter 1 we had a
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real difficult season among our staff and team many years ago.
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And this was the verse that God gave us coming out of it and it
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becomes a very principled truth that we that we want to grow in.
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Notice in verse 5 of chapter one and first John, This is the
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message which we have heard from him and declare to you, that God
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is light and in him is no Darkness at all.
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If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness,
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we what does your Bible say lie? So lying starts first with God.
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We say, we have Fellowship. We say, you know, that we're in
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right with God. And when relationship with God,
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and we're abiding with him, but we're walking in the darkness.
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We're living a lie. That's where it starts.
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We don't practice the truth. However, verse 7, if we walk in
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the light, as he is in the light, notice what happens, we
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have fellowship with one another.
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So first, we have fellowship with God, we have light, we're
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walking the Live season the light.
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So we're right with God then that We become right with one
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another fellowship with one another and then we get to enjoy
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the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ who cleanses us
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notice from all our sins and we get to enjoy our relationship
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with God. So Abram lied in a huge way.
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And he was found out. And he knew now learned that he
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didn't need to lie to protect his wife.
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Or his life. He thought he would die, but God
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was with him. God was with him and God was
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protecting him. Even when it was found out it
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was alike, God expelled him. Because God was working a bigger
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plan in Abraham's life. He was setting up the coming of
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Messiah. And Abram can go the easy way or
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the hard way, but he's going to go nonetheless.
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God did protect him. God did watch over him and God
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will watch you and watch over you and God will protect you as
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you abide in him. Despite your faith fall
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turing's. Despite your running to the
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world. God will protect you.
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Now, remember this? For those that you might have
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failed that those of you that it might have failed.
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Those of you that might be in a position right now.
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We're just talking about Liza's bringing great conviction or
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condemnation in your life. Our relationship with God is Not
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based upon our goodness or our righteousness or our
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performance. No.
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Our relationship is based upon God's Amazing Grace, his eternal
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daily. Mercies are new Every Morning by
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morning because one of the questions that comes up when a
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time like Abram is, wait a minute, look at such a failure.
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He may look at what he did, look at how he treated his wife and
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and yet he receives all these perceived blessings from Egypt.
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He becomes a violently rich, man, if you will, with all the
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possessions and when Pharaoh press, it says to leave, he
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doesn't tell them to has to keep staying.
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He has to leave all this stuff he can take it with him.
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And we learned last time that this is a pattern of God, he the
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nation of Israel will do this once again later on and they'll
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do the same thing. They'll go in and they'll end up
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being expelled out of Egypt with all kinds of stuff.
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Because God is supplying his Nation for the future.
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But the question is this. Now, wait a minute.
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It seems like Abraham lied he's faithless here and yet he still
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blessed. And if you ask that question,
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you not only asked a really good question, but you Made a very
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good observation and you are right in your observation,
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Abraham failed greatly. And yet experienced the
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blessings of God. And the question becomes, why?
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Why? And it really messes with our
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heads because we've been raised in a culture whether you realize
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it or not that from a very young age.
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You do good, you get good, you do bad, you get bad, that's
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natural. It's in the natural realm, it's
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in the spiritual realm and it's even in the discipline and
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training in that mission of the war you do good.
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You get. It's very counterintuitive to do
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good and get bad. It frustrates us, that's not
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fair, that's not fair. And it's very counterintuitive
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to do bad to get good. That's how the world does
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things. So Pastor gets to the question,
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why was Abram Blessed. Well, God's blessings flow into
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your life and mine into Abraham's life.
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Sarah's life, not based upon performance, but based upon the
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grace of God, Because the flip side of that coin has to be
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considered. Do you really believe you
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deserve the blessings of God? Is that the type of life that
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you live that if you do good, you now God owes you.
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You know, there are a few things that God includes in a
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scriptures because I think he knew exactly the areas that we
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would need to be reminded and the Bible says God will be a
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debtor to no man it's his love and grace.
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Yes God's working out, a greater plan in Abrams life.
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He's also working out a greater plan in your life.
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Paul would tell the Romans don't you know that it's the goodness
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of God that leads. Repentance.
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Don't, you know, it's going to be a love relationships.
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That draws you away from sin. Don't you know that God is going
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to? Yeah, it's going to be hard
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Abrams going to suffer consequences.
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Yes. But he's also going to
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experience the love and the grace of God through the pain.
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In a very unique way. Paul would write inspired by the
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Holy Spirit to the church in Ephesus.
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It's by grace that you've been saved, it's not of yourselves.
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It is the gift of God, not of Works.
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Lest anyone should boast. We are his workmanship created
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in Christ Jesus. For good works prepared
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beforehand for us. Yet while we were dead in our
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trespasses and sins Christ died for the ungodly.
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And so now they returned and expelled from Egypt into the
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southern part of Israel. The Negev the desert area And I
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love this, and I hope we finish but I don't want to skip these
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things because you can't miss this.
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Abram experiences, great failure.
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And when he starts to come to the place of understanding, he
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goes back to Bethel. Back to the house of God but
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it's all described here, isn't it?
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He went as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at
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the beginning. and the place where the altar that he made
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there at first, And it was at Bethel that Abram called upon
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the name of the Lord, which to me implies that Egypt, the world
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was not really facilitating Abraham's worship of God.
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The other get back to Bethel and be humbled and broken and he
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goes back to the place of worship where he was before
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before the fact, the famine hit before the crisis came where he
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was developing his faith. He went back.
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He went back to the place of worship, back to the place of
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obedience, back to the place, where he received Divine
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Direction, back to the place, where Beth El the house of God,
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that's why often. Often the place of corporate
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worship. Like this becomes very symbolic,
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people come back to church, when really, it's just their step
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coming back to God. And if someone comes back to
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church, we want to be able to. So we'll come back to the place
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of worship because that's what we'll be doing.
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Composite back to the place where God spoke to you and maybe
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it wasn't this building. Maybe it was a building when you
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were a child, maybe it was a place where God really spoke to
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you and then you back slid into the world.
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But when you come back, you come back to the place of worship to
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the place where God speaks to the place, where the family of
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God is where all the broken people show up, so that God
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brings healing and strength. So you can hear the Lord again,
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and you can start worshiping God again and he will speak again.
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That's where Abraham goes. He goes home, doesn't it sound
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familiar? Did anybody make the connection
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yet does anybody reminded of a little Post-It note that Jesus
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wrote to the church in Ephesus? But thrived on the grace of God,
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that remember, they were the ones that were the workmanship.
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They were the ones that were enriched in every spiritual
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blessing from on high. They were the ones that were
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learning about the depth and the width and the height of the
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God's love. They were the ones that were
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making great inroads in a very Pagan City. and, Few years
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later, Jesus has this to say turn to Revelation chapter 2.
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Revelation Chapter 2 is so encouraging because what Abrams
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doing is what Messiah will instruct many years later.
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And today the Lord's telling you to come home, go back to Bethel
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Go back to the place of worship, go back to the place of
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obedience, go back to the place where God gives Divine
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Direction, where his word is valued, where there are people
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following Christ go back home. Go back to the beginning.
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He says, in verse 4, nevertheless, I have this
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against you, you have left your first love.
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Can you hear that interpret? It toward Abram Abram?
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I have man, look at you. Yeah, I know you have faith, and
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I know you want to believe, but you're afraid right now, you're
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scared. You want to save your.
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If you want to pray but you look what you did to your wife.
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No, no, no, listen Abram, I have this against you.
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You're in Egypt. You have left your first love
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you bailed on Bethel. You need to go home.
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Remember from where you have fallen Jesus says.
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Repent, with many times I've skipped.
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I'm going back to church. I'm coming back to the Lord.
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But have you repented, what do you mean, Pastor?
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I mean, I received the Lord when I was a baby.
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No. Have you repented of the sins
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that took you to Egypt? Have you repented of the
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faithless necess? Have you made things, right?
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With the people you hurt? Do you have Godly sorrow of
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this? Are you just tired of the
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consequences? Is that why you're back now, I'm
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glad you're back, but you got to go all the way you're going to
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go to Bethel, man. Build an altar.
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Go do the work. Set it up.
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And bow yourself before God. You got to repent, that's an act
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of worship. Repentance is an act of worship.
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You're not going to get where you want to go.
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Unless you go through the pathway of repentance forsaking
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your sin and then he says go back and do the first Works,
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which is exactly what Abram does and what God is calling to
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generations and generations of his followers throughout the
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ages. I love that.
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I'm so grateful Abram. Thanks for going home to Bethel.
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For showing us the pattern, verse 5 come back with me now in
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Genesis locked also who went with Abram had herds flocks and
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Tents. Now verse 5 when it be great, if
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it said lot, also went back to Bethel built an altar Worship
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the Lord. But all it says about lot at
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this time is he also was successful and prosperous.
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And verse 6, the land was not able to support them that they
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might dwell together for their possessions were so great that
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they could not dwell together. And there was Strife between the
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herdsmen of Abrams livestock and the heard men's of herdsmen of
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luck slots livestock and the Canaanites, and the perizzites
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dwelt in the land, it's interesting, isn't it?
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They're very successful, very prosperous, the area where there
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is not big enough for them. It's not Laden Abram that are
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arguing here. It's their servants.
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It's not lot of neighbor. I want you to notice that there
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are not the ones in broken Fellowship.
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It's a third party. Now, let me ask you this.
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You don't need to answer, but haven't you found it to be true
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that a lot of conflict in your life is actually not with the
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person that you might be in conflict with its, the conflict
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actually stems from a third party.
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Someone else, it's really not between the person.
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Although it's there, but the source of it actually wasn't
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between you two. It was someone else.
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Someone else button into your business, someone else doing
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some against you. Someone else talking about you
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taking sides, like if if that person didn't exist, you'd
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probably still get along but the enemies, use them in your life.
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Just like here Abram and lot they're fine at this point.
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And as they have all of this, they are hearing that.
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The herdsmen arguing, then verse 7, I thought it was interesting
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at the end of her seven, God just wants us to know.
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The enemies are still in the land.
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While you're fighting the enemies in the land.
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While you're off your game, the enemies are in the land.
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While you're distracted, with whatever, the herdsmen are
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arguing about the enemies in the land, never forget that church.
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The enemy is in your backyard. He's in your car.
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In the cubicle next to not the person, but the cubicle next to
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you, he's in that situation. There's enemies in the land.
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This is a real fight, It's Not Over.
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You know, when you're a new believer, fight fight, fight.
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I got it conquer. This got it?
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Yeah. Well, the fight still on and the
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farther along in the pathway. The greater the fight.
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Abram had a lot of Loft livestock.
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He was very blessed, hundreds of servants.
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That could be armed, 318. I think of servants.
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It could be art and probably many more that weren't armed.
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Very wealthy, very successful lot also was very successful and
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very wealthy. And this is a neat, principal
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understand, this log was blessed because of his proximity to
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Abram. Why does not the focal character
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in this? He's blessed because he's with
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his uncle. That's it the blessing.
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Yes the grace of God and then when he gets into the human
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realm, lot is blessed because of his closeness and association
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with Abram because God was with Abram lot, experience the same
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blessings And this is part of the Covenant promise.
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What did God say? Go back to chapter 12.
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Don't forget this. You may even want to remember
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eyes the Covenant promise, go back to chapter 12.
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The promise that made God made with the Pagan Abram gone out of
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his land into a relationship with himself.
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He said, verse 3, I will bless those who bless you and I will
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curse those who curse has you. Now that is towards Pharaoh.
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Pharaoh would live that out. and he said, in verse 2, I will make
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you a great nation. I will bless you and make your
25:35
name great and you shall be a blessing.
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So lots of experiencing the blessing of Abram before it's
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even fully fulfilled and at the end of verse 3 and in you all
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the families of the Earth shall be blessed.
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Lot is blessed because of Abram. And I would say even now there
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is a benefit to being around those who are blessed by the
25:57
Lord. There is a benefit of being
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around those that are experiencing the blessings of
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God, just as much. Now, as many times will hear
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that in the negative and the negative is true as well.
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But this is the positive. It is a good thing to be around
26:13
strong faithful, mature men, and women, even young men and women,
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boys, and girls who have a strong walk with the Lord in
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their living out the blessings of God.
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There is a benefit to being around those who are a blessing
26:27
because we usually hear it. In the opposite.
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Paul would write this in First Corinthians 15:33.
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Do not be deceived evil. Company corrupts good habits.
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The Company You Keep is very important.
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This is not to isolate yourself as Christians and never
26:47
interface with unbelievers or those who don't know Christ or
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family that that is not what he's saying here.
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He's saying that there is blessings available to you when
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you hang out with people that are blessed of God that are
27:00
following, the blood following the ways of God that that are
27:04
good examples. I found it even in the Proverbs
27:07
as I was looking at this and paused and listened to the
27:09
proverb chapter 13. Verse 20, listen to what he
27:12
says, He Who Walks With wise men will be wise, is not great, but
27:19
the companion of fools will be destroyed, isn't that not great?
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He says basic wisdom, you want to hang out with wise people,
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you're going to pick up on their wisdom.
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You want to hang out with fools. You're going to be destroyed.
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So Abram comes back to the land, the land of promise.
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He sets up an altar. His heart is right before the
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Lord. He's worshipping, he's seeking.
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And of course there would be strife Because with great
27:45
progress, comes great resistance.
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Of course, there would be stripe.
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I don't know why we're surprised by it.
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Of course, there'd be resistance Abrams finally back in the land,
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back at the house of the god, back at the place of worship
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back to the place, but the blessing turns into Strife is
28:06
that possible or we see it here, blessing growing into being so
28:11
much. That the blessing can be a
28:12
burden. Can actually begin to create
28:15
strife. Conflict arises even in the
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blessings of God and it's always a people issue.
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It's not a possession issue, it's not a stuff issue.
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The conflict is people. Jealousy, contentions
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covetousness. Being upset?
28:37
Yes, it's true that there wasn't enough land to support these
28:40
growing families. but notice in verse 8, Abram responds, This
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man of faith is ring directed by God and he responds, please let
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there be no Strife between you and me.
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No, stripe between our herdsmen, in your herdsman.
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We're Brethren. Can you just circle verse 8
29:02
somewhere in there? If there's an opening just
29:03
right, relationships are important.
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Abram made. Sure.
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They were brothers. We're family.
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I know there's conflict. I know.
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They're striped, but I don't want it.
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And notice what he does, isn't the whole Land Before You Verse
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9 set, please separate from me. If you take the left, I'll go to
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the right. If you go to the right, I'll go
29:27
to the left. And the solution was to Humble
29:32
himself. To die to himself and say lot,
29:38
you choose, whatever you want. I'll choose the opposite.
29:41
You get first shot. which, Was amazingly humble because even in
29:50
even in culturally, the Elder was to be respected above the
29:54
younger. In a very cultural pragmatic way
29:58
Abram should have been able to choose first and lat should have
30:01
put up some fight. No, no, no, no, no, no way.
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Brahma your humility. I'll match with humility and you
30:06
go first. Lord and Abram.
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At this point are in fellowship with one another one.
30:14
Another and he doesn't want that broken.
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Now, can I speak to this for a moment in the Church of Jesus
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Christ that God's people often find themselves at odds with one
30:23
another? Churches are often a hotbed of
30:28
conflict and division. It doesn't have to be that way.
30:32
It can be a lot less than sometimes.
30:33
It really is. But it shouldn't surprise you
30:37
that you would meet conflict. Even in this church, someone
30:40
will fail you, someone will not meet your expectations.
30:45
There might be real arguments and division.
30:47
You may have different political views or different upbringing,
30:50
or you might see different categories, you know, you see
30:53
different things in the world differently, but what we need to
30:56
do is not fight for our opinions, but to yield to the
30:58
word And follow the pathway of Abram here and learn how to die
31:02
to ourselves. I don't want any conflict.
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I don't need to fight and use the word of God.
31:08
The sword of the spirit to cut your head off.
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But rather to let the word of God bring us to the God of
31:13
Peace, which we learn in the scriptures, that if we Delight
31:18
ourselves in the Lord who give us the desires of our heart, we
31:21
learn in the scriptures. That if our ways please, the
31:25
Lord, then he can make. Even our enemies be at peace
31:28
with us. And so, Abram took the pathway
31:31
of pleasing the Lord Now there are a few steps, you can jot
31:36
them down. I'm not developing any of them,
31:37
but you can think about them later, if you'd like, we can
31:39
avoid a lot of conflict in the church with five things.
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Number one, don't be surprised or shocked.
31:45
When conflict comes your way as a matter of fact, I would even
31:49
add a number one sub point is if you're not sure if if you're if
31:56
what's I just had a thought in my mind and it just ran away as
31:59
fast as it came in. Don't be shocked and surprised
32:02
if you're involved in a conflict.
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Be shocked and surprised. If you're not involved in a
32:07
conflict making progress. Thank you, Lord, for shooting it
32:11
right back in number two, put on the mind of Christ.
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Put on the mind of Christ seek Him.
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First number three, humble yourself before the mighty hand
32:23
of God. Walk in humility.
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Number 4, emphasize. The important things, the things
32:31
that you agree on and number five in everything, love agape,
32:35
love because love covers a multitude of sins.
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I mean, we could probably come up a lot of different lists but
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just simple things, don't be surprised.
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Walk with the mind of Christ, put on the clothing, the
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breastplate of righteousness, the robe of righteousness.
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Well notice what happens here. It says, in verse 10 lot, lifted
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up his eyes and saw all the planes of the Jordan, and it was
33:00
well, watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed, Sodom and
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Gomorrah. Oh, that's where he's looking.
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Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go
33:11
towards 0, R. And then notice this, Number 1
33:16
verse 11 lot. Chose for himself.
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All the plain of the Jordan and Lot journeyed East and number
33:23
two. Notice they separated from each
33:26
other. I do know, those are practical
33:28
things and they need to happen in this situation.
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But I also believe the emphasis here in the Hebrew is lot chose
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for himself. Once again, we see no mention of
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prayer. No seeking of no humbling before
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Abram know you choose your the wise one, I'll follow your
33:43
wisdom. But he chose for himself Sodom
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and Gomorrah the word. Sodom, the cities Sodom means
33:51
burning, and Gomorrah means submersion and these two cities
33:56
were truly submerged in sin, and immorality and Abram.
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Receiving the grace of God himself was being gracious here.
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He was being gracious, he offered the opportunity for lot
34:11
to make a decision. You see Abram was at peace with
34:14
God and therefore he wanted there to be peace within his
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family. And he wanted the strive to end.
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Lot should have said, a dream. You're the one blessed of God.
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All I have is because of you. All I have is because you heard
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God and obeyed him. I'm blessed because you're
34:32
blessed you choose and I'll do this.
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Is none of this. But instead, puffed up with
34:36
pride, lot gets greedy and his greed sends him to a
34:41
well-watered. Beautiful area that was corrupt
34:45
on the inside. And it trapped him.
34:52
Ruined his family. you know, sin always looks good to the eyes,
34:58
you know that There's always some that send that's temptation
35:02
to you because you could say well it's not every sin.
35:05
I know because you're not tempted by everything but the
35:08
Temptations that come to you they always look good to the
35:10
ice. They always look like a
35:13
well-watered. Well taken care of.
35:17
That's why when you become a spiritual man or woman, you want
35:20
the Lord to lead, you and speak to you and guide you, because
35:25
not everything is As It Seems. Not everything is as it looks.
35:33
And of course, we live in a culture that really emphasizes
35:37
outward and pays no attention to the n word.
35:42
And you have to be careful. Lots mistake is not a good one.
35:46
Here, it automatically leads to the destruction of his family
35:49
verse Twelve Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan lot, dwelt in the
35:55
cities of the plain and pitched his tent.
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Even as far as Sodom in the men of Sodom were exceedingly,
36:04
Wicked and sinful against the Lord.
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Somehow lot was attracted to this.
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I don't think that was a secret. I don't think he was only
36:14
interested in what was well, watered, I do believe he knew
36:17
about the reputation of the wickedness of these cities and
36:21
somehow it appealed to his flush.
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God, let him go. Gave him up to himself.
36:29
Notice verse 14, the Lord said to Abram after lauded separate
36:33
him, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are
36:37
northward Southward, Eastward and Westward, and all the land,
36:41
which you see I give to you and your descendants forever, and I
36:45
will make your descendants as the dust of the earth.
36:47
So that if a man could number, the dust of the earth, then your
36:50
descendants could also be numbered arise, walk in the land
36:54
through its length and its width, and I give it to you and
36:57
Abram moved his tent and went to help.
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That are Urban trees of mamre, which are in Hebron, and notice
37:03
he built an altar there to the Lord.
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This is a pattern of worship again in Abrams life.
37:09
And he looks toward the north towards Samaria, and he looks
37:12
toward the South which is toward Jerusalem, he looks toward the
37:15
East, which is Moab and the West, to the Mediterranean area,
37:18
the Mediterranean Sea, and he moves on to Mamrie.
37:22
If you're writing, it means riches in Hebron speaks of
37:26
communion the Hebrew word, and so wild, Vlad is flirting with
37:30
the wickedness and moral corruption and burning, sinful
37:34
desires, Abrams, making spiritual progress in fellowship
37:38
with the Lord. And as painful as this must have
37:41
been, it was a good thing for Abram to be separated from lat.
37:47
That's a hard thing to say, but it was a good thing that this
37:53
activity took place. Because what God says, after a
37:57
lot leaves is you're not going to be able to number the
37:59
blessings. You're going to receive and
38:02
that's true for you and me too because we are Sons and
38:05
Daughters, If Abraham is our father, he's the father of
38:08
faith. We teach the kids in Sunday
38:10
school for many years, Father, Abraham had many sons and many
38:14
sons had Father, Abraham, you're one of them and so am I or we?
38:19
I don't even know what it is. I forgot the song.
38:21
I'm going to have to learn it again.
38:23
And then, let's all plays of the Lord left hand, right hand left
38:26
hand. That we're all father,
38:27
Abraham's, kids, father's of Faith, Sons and Daughters of
38:31
faith. And church received this and
38:34
pray over it, ready? This principle here in.
38:38
This is what will close. Maybe even hard to hear.
38:43
Very difficult to receive. But I ask you to pray over it.
38:45
For those of you that it's hard, sometimes we have to break loose
38:50
of relationships. Before we experience, the
38:54
fullness of the blessings of God.
38:58
Sometimes we need to break free and break loose of
39:02
relationships. Before we the experience the
39:05
blessings of God is painful as it is.
39:07
It may not even be our decision, it may be their decision.
39:11
They're going to move on and they're going to move over here,
39:13
and they're going to do this and we're brokenhearted and were
39:16
crying, and it hurts and I can't believe it happened and then,
39:19
you know, what did I do? If I would have just and I just
39:22
want you to step back for a second and consider sometimes.
39:27
It is God's will. For that person to be removed
39:31
from your life. To break free and loose of these
39:35
relationships. So much.
39:38
So again that's the positive side so much.
39:40
So we are familiar with the negative side of that.
39:44
Here's what the Bible says, in a more difficult verse second
39:48
Corinthians, 6:14 do not be unequally yoked together with
39:53
unbelievers for what Fellowship has righteousness with
39:58
lawlessness and what communion has light with Darkness.
40:04
I believe in a very practical way that Abram would have loved
40:09
to spend the rest of his life with lot and work out a deal and
40:13
stay in communication and just work it all out and let's just
40:16
work it out. We're brothers You're my family.
40:19
But God's will was for this to be unfolded.
40:22
The way it is and for Abram to be separated from lot.
40:26
And they we you know, if you're reading the Bible, these guys
40:29
don't know what's up ahead. If you read ahead, you know
40:31
what's up ahead? Lots going to get in big trouble
40:34
in Sodom and Gomorrah and Abrams going to be able to rescue him
40:38
from a position of strength, not compromise, weakness, that's for
40:43
another Bible study altogether. But there might be people in
40:46
your life tonight who are hurting you and not helping you
40:51
taking from you not giving draining and not developing
40:55
sapping. You of your Spiritual strength
40:57
and the effectiveness that God has for your life.
41:00
You may have people in your life that discourage you instead of
41:03
encourage you that tear you down, instead of build you up,
41:07
you need to separate from them. As unto the Lord.
41:14
And if you're yet still unconvinced, then pray.
41:20
And let the Lord lead you in that matter.
41:23
Let him reveal to you. What?
41:25
Even that separation? Might look like maybe a little
41:27
bit of distance. Maybe a little time of fasting
41:31
and praying to see how God might put you in a position of
41:34
strength. I was thinking this
41:36
illustrations, come up a couple times this week already, but I
41:39
was thinking when you get on a plane and they give you the
41:42
familiar instructions on how to read, how to respond in a, in a
41:46
crisis. Something really, really bad
41:49
happens. The the gal or the guy will drop
41:51
the mask and, and they will tell you on the recording or however
41:55
put yours on first Not the kid next to you they are literally
42:01
telling you don't think of the kid next to you until you think
42:04
of yourself, why? Because you'll be of no help
42:09
unless you're breathing. Yeah, it's just seconds but the
42:14
the pragmatic approach is take care of the kid.
42:17
Take care of the kid. Well you may not even have
42:19
enough time to take care of the kid and both will be lost.
42:22
But if you take care of yourself, first both are saved.
42:26
And that's just the way of the Lord.
42:28
So, often the way of the Lord is not what we would think.
42:32
Not what we would do. You may even have this thought,
42:35
like if I was God, this is what we would do.
42:38
Thank God, you are not God. We don't want to know your ways.
42:45
We want to know the Lord's ways, and if you have something to
42:48
share, share with us, the Lord's way.
42:51
What is the way of the Lord? Which way should I go?
42:54
What's the counsel of God's word?
42:57
How should I decide? What would you to the left or to
43:00
the right? 2nd Corinthians 6:17 says
43:08
therefore come out from among them and be separate says the
43:11
Lord. Don't touch what is unclean and
43:16
I will receive you. I saved that verse for last.
43:21
because I know in challenging words like this, there's such a
43:25
fight but you hear the word of the Lord come out from among
43:31
them and be separate saith the Lord.
43:36
And for those that the word of the Lord is speaking, we have a
43:38
special prayer for you. Just to encourage you and help
43:41
you because it's a challenging thing to consider.
43:43
Father, I pray especially for those right now challenged by
43:47
your word today. Challenged by the admonition,
43:52
challenged by the consideration. I pray for a special anointing
43:56
of boldness and courage in their life Comfort strength.
44:02
I pray father that you would help them what a heartbreak it
44:05
must have been for Abram to see lot go toward Sodom within right
44:08
away. You said oh I want you to look
44:10
Abram because you're going to get so much more.
44:13
It's all yours. You look, look North.
44:14
It's yours. Look, South, that's yours.
44:17
Look to the West. That's all yours.
44:19
Look out to the, to the east. That's all yours.
44:23
There's so much Rich blessings ahead for those that leave the
44:28
choice to you. He just came back from Egypt, he
44:33
made this choice but now Lord, I pray that as you have that that
44:39
sense of the spirit moving Among Us that God, you would have your
44:43
way. That would be great progress.
44:47
That would be great Freedom. That would be great.
44:49
Deliverance. And father we pray that your
44:54
spirit would speak to us in Jesus name amen.
44:59
Amen. Let's stand together today.
45:02
I do believe I've maybe I should have included in the message
45:05
when it airs on the radio. But maybe we'll get calls on it
45:08
and we can minister to people. But I do want, I do have a word
45:11
of caution. The instructions of the
45:14
scriptures are to never to respond in a central way.
45:18
So I don't want you to confuse what I said right now.
45:20
And I think baby like somebody needs to hear this, okay?
45:23
I did not say go divorce. Your husband or wife?
45:27
I did not say that. God did not say that.
45:30
So don't use this little section out of context.
45:34
Just so, you know. We'll have to like catch that
45:37
into the message somehow. God doesn't give you
45:40
instruction, then to go make a sinful choice.
45:45
You guys all hear me that and the one person they need to hear
45:47
it, did you hear it? I don't have to say it out loud.
45:49
I just want to make sure you heard it from the Lord if you
45:52
need prayer tonight, the pastor's will be up here to
45:54
minister to you and serve you to encourage you in the things of
45:58
the Lord. We pray that you've been
46:01
encouraged by this Bible. Study delivered live from the
46:03
sanctuary of Calvary Church for prayer.
46:06
Call us at 877, 30 Grace, that's eight 77304, 700.
46:15
Three to listen to this message in its entirety or to join us
46:18
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46:22
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46:27
blessed as you worship Jesus this week.