Part 2 - Genesis 20:1-18 - SCANNING FOR A TROJAN HORSE!
TROJAN HORSE! It appears innocent enough, but it is a harmful piece of software that looks legitimate. It tricks people into loading the wrong things into their systems. It gives a hacker access to cause damage. Unless you have a good ANTIVIRUS PROGRAMME, you will get infected and your whole computer may crash! I should know. A few days without our computer to CLEAN OUT the whole system. Nothing too serious this time. More PRECAUTIONS needed though, and a much better VIRUS DETECTOR. It COST us something! On SCANNING, once again we are SAFE.
Genesis 20 in my Bible teaches me THAT BELIEVERS HAVE TROJAN HORSES. I knew that already from other parts of the Bible. Satan is the original HACKER and Adam and Eve fell for the Trojan Horse, installing unwanted data into the system. Right from the beginning the Bible doesn’t hide the truth about its STARS OF THE FAITH who were infected. NOAH gets drunk and exposes himself (Genesis 9:20-23), LOT, a believer, gets drunk and commits incest (Genesis 19:33-36). MOSES murders an Egyptian (Exodus 2:12), DAVID commits adultery with Bathsheba and murders Uriah, her husband (2 Samuel 11). ANANIAS AND SAPHIRA lie (Acts 5:1-11). And here ABRAHAM also lies about his wife (Genesis 20:2).
Here’s how it happens in Genesis 20.
Abraham and Sarah tell people what they consider to be a "HALF-TRUTH" in Genesis 20:12 by saying that Sarah is Abraham’s sister, not his wife. She actually is a half sister but this is still a FULL-ON LIE.
Abraham JUSTIFIES HIS LIE because he feels his life will be endangered by telling people he is married to this beautiful 90 year old woman. WHY DO WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO LIE IN ORDER FOR GOD TO KEEP US SAFE? I mean, do we really think that God needs me to SIN in order for Him to help us? Der!
Does God grant EXEMPTIONS when it comes to telling lies? Is the only exception the NAZIS LOOKING FOR JEWS scenario? Are there really EXCEPTIONS when God needs me to TELL A LIE in order for Him to protect me? I don’t think so. That would be ludicrous! What is that saying about a totally sinless and holy God?
The Bible says the devil is the LIAR! John 8:44 (NLT) "...He has always HATED THE TRUTH, because there is NO TRUTH IN HIM. When he LIES, it is consistent with his character; for he is a LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES."
Pastor Brian Houston reminded us this morning that part of the armour and character that protects us from the devil is the BELT OF TRUTH. Living a life of INTEGRITY. It enables me to STAND FIRM during the tough times (Ephesians 6:14). Great message! Great Pastor!
RUN A SCAN, Abraham! No, I said SCAN, NOT SCAM! Safe? How about Right? How about your example to unbelieving people, not to mention PROTECTING AND HONOURING YOUR PREGNANT WIFE and for that matter God’s name!
God called Abraham a prophet. This is the first time the word "prophet" is used in the Bible. He is the technician God will use to CLEAN OUT THE VIRUS FROM THE SYSTEM. Abraham’s prayer stops Abimelech life from crashing. This seems to be evidence that Abraham RAN THE SCAN on his own life, confessed his sins and that the Lord had forgiven him.
God bless you Church as you allow God to SCAN YOUR LIFE for areas of deception that indicate your life is in CRASH MODE. CLEAN THE SYSTEM! Start afresh through the cleansing work of Christ. 1 John 1:9 (NLT) says "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." "MAXIMUM PROTECTION! NO INFECTED FILES!"
Pastor Ross
