Intro:
1. Buddy Ebsen, the actor who played the role of Jeb on the Beverly Hillbillies, told of a lesson he learned on the set for a movie which was being filmed in England. One day, a bright faced-twenty-year old assistant brought a completely different set of scene numbers for the day's shooting than the ones he had previously received and for which he had prepared. He blew up and asked the kid how they expected him to instantly learn this new set of scenes. The kid smiled at Buddy and said, "With all due respect, sir—that's not my problem." And he turned and left.
2. All of our anxieties begin when we worry about things that are not our problem. What is our problem - only one! It is too trust God. Prov.3:5-6
It's only when we focus on our problems, instead of on God, that we become anxious.
3. The Anxiety of Abraham.
Trans: Gen.15
I. FIRST, HIS APPREHENSION. 15:1
A. The Context.
after these things - the "things" refer to Abram rescuing Lot. Now that he has had time to calm down, he realizes that those kings might regroup and retaliate. Remember he is not living within a walled city but out in a tent! What happens if they make a surprise attack.
I have been Colorado several times, and hunted, living in a tent. You cannot tell what's going on outside from the inside of a tent. The so-called friends I was with decided to play a joke.
They had a tape of a growling bear, which one of them played at night outside the tent...I thought feet don't fail me now!
B. The Comfort.
1. It came from the Word of God.
a. It was Visible.
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision - this is God's Tell-a-vision! What did he see? Don't know.
b. It was Audible.
saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram
(1) Words to Prohibit fear.
This is the first time "fear not" is used in the Bible, but it is not the last time. In fact "fear not" is used 366 times in the Bible. That's one for every day of the year...and one for leap year! Josh.1:9/Isa.41:10/2 Tim.1:7
Fear is the opposite of faith - when we get focused on many different problems in our life, we take our eyes off God and lose confidence.
Karl Wal-len-da thrilled crowds with his daring stunts on the high wire—before that fateful day in 1978, when his show ended.
He plunged 75 feet to his death before an audience of thousands in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
What happened? His widow explained, "Karl was never one to know fear. Self-confidence marked his style—until he started worrying. Little details of safety preoccupied his mind. He checked and double-checked the tightrope.
He was began to change, instead of putting his energies into walking the wire, he concentrated on not falling."
(2) Words of Protection.
I am your shield - speaking of protection. If God had protected Abram from them in the past, He can certainly do so in the future.
Think about it - has God ever really failed us? The older I get the more I think about security! But if God has taken care of me for 58 years - can he not take care of me now?
"I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread." Psalm 37:25
Paul said, "8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--" 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
"5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 (AMP)
(3) Words of Promise.
your exceedingly great reward - Abram had just turned down a great deal of wealth from the king of Sodom. But God is of greater value than worldly wealth.
"15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' 18 So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21 (NKJV)
28 Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You." 29 So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life." Luke 18:28-30
Trans:Point comfort comes from the Word of God which Prohibits fear; speaks of Protection; and gives us a multitude of Promises for lives problems.
Several years ago I purchased an ipod, at first I was delighted to hear music. I can listen to music for literally hours upon hours without having to flip a tape or put in another CD.
But then one day I noticed the little booklet that was in the box it came in - I began to read it and was amazed! (1) It has a clock that tells me the time, day and year; (2) It has a calendar; (3) An alarm clock; (4) Games; (5) Will play videos; (6) Can shuffle the songs; (7) can change the setting on the music - small speakers; treble booster; bass Booster; etc.
The Bible is like that - if you get into it, you will be amazed at all that is in that book!
2. The comfort comes from the God of the Word.
I am you... - not only the Word of God but the God of the word! It's one thing to have promises - it's another to have the Promiser! God does far more then to give us something - He has given us Himself!
Wiesbe, "Your life is only as big as your faith, and your faith is only as big as your God. If you spend all your time looking at yourself [or your problems], you will get discouraged; but if you look to God by faith, you will be encouraged."
II. FURTHERMORE, HIS DESPERATION. 2-5
A. The Problem.
1. The problem of Delay.
We read in Gen. 13:14-16 that God promised he was going to have a son, who would father a great nation - that was 10 years ago!
2. The problem of being biologically Dead.
Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran - by now he is in his 80's. Not to mention the fact that Sarah is not only too old to have children - she couldnt even have children when she was young!
Oliver Wendell Homes took up the study of Greek at the age of 94. He was asked, "Why are you doing it now?" He said, "It's now or never!"
Abraham had said that about 20 years ago!
B. The Proposal. 2-3
2 But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!"
The flesh always looks for a Plan B, his Plan C, will be Hagar.
How about Eliezer of Damacus? In those days if a man had no son, he could legally adopt a servant as his heir.
It is hard to trust God, when years go by, and we do not see any results. Unaswered prayer often gives way to Doubt.
Lucado, "Doubt. He's a noisy neighbor. His voice interrupts your thoughts. "Hey, Bob. God a few minutes? I've got a few questions. I don't mean to be obnoxious, Bob, but how can you believe, that a big God, could ever give a hoot about you?"
He'll pester you. He'll irritate you. He'll criticize your faith. He'll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up.
He's a mealy-mouthed, two-faced liar, who deals from the bottom of the deck. His aim is not to convince you but to confuse you. Had any visits from this fellow, Doubt, lately? Abram was finding God's promise, about as easy to swallow, as a chicken bone!"
B. The Proclamation - he simple reaffirms the promise. 4-5
4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." 5 Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
1. The Correction - not Eliezer, but as I promised, one will be born from you and Sarah. We need to take God's word literally!
How many today have watered down prophecy so that we are now living in a spiritual kingdom. But God has promised us a literal removal to the air; followed by a literal time of Tribulation on this earth; followed by a literal return of Christ to set up His literal earthly kingdom...
2. The Calculation - count the stars!
I am told there are billions of stars out there! God promised Abram that his descendants would be countless. But of course it all had to start with - one descendant.
Trans:We can all understand Abram desparation - who among us has not wrestled with the truth of Rom. 8:28?
Butler, "How often, our inability, seems to contradict the promises of God. Before He fulfills the promise, He often, nearly disables us, so that we feel totally helpless, apart from His power. It was Abram and Sarah extreme inability, that will show the greatness of God. Our inability has nothing to do with God's ability."
In fact His strength is perfected in our weakness! 2 Cor. 12:9
Kay Robinson, "It is a curious thing, that the extremes of heat and cold seem to be most easily endured by the flimsiest creatures.
What is it that, when the frost is splitting our strongest metal water-pipes, yet has no effect on an small insignificant gnat?
In tropical countries the tiniest insects brave the blistering midday heat which drives men, gasping under shelter.
In India a small, blue butterfly flits all day about the parched grass or sits in full blaze of the sun where metal or stone becomes so hot that it burns the hand. What heat-resisting secret resides in the minute body of that little butterfly, scarcely thicker than notepaper?
The same God who made the natural world made the spiritual also. Similarly, then, the saints have the least reason to be afraid, when they recognize their utter weakness and dependence. In our weakness we experience God's strength (2 Cor. 12:9)."
The Lord waits until Lazaruth is death become He intervens, so no one is confused about who is really great.
D. The Profession of faith - he believed God's promise.
And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness - Paul used this in Rom. 4:
1. The Confusion - Paul uses this passage to point to Abram's salvation experience. But Abram was saved when he left Ur.
Allen Ross, "Gen. 15:6 provides an important note, but it does not pinpoint Abraham's conversion. That occurred years earlier when he left Ur. The form of the Hebrew word for believe, shows that his faith did not begin after the events recorded in vv. 1-5.
Abraham's faith is recorded here because it is foundational for making the covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant did not give Abram redemption; it was a covenant made with Abraham who had already believed and to whom righteousness had already been imputed."
2. The Conviction - Abram seems to have eventually believed God that him and Sarah would be enabled by God to have a child. Rom. 4:20-21
Yet we have to be careful, after this he goes to Plan C with Hagar; and will allow his wife to become a slave again, to save his own neck.
Trans:The main thing is how Paul uses this passage in Rom. 4:, it demonstrates that righteousness is imputed by faith not earned by works. Few things removes anxiety like understand the truth of imputed righteousness!
There is 14 years between Gen. 15:6 and 17:23-25 when he circumcised!
Martin Luther, "Justification is the chief article of Christian doctrine. Everything else will seem slight and turn to nothing. For what is Peter? What is Paul? What is an angel from heaven? What are all creatures in comparison with the article of justification?
For if we know this article, we are in the clearest light; if we do not know it, we dwell in the densest darkness...It cannot be sufficiently extolled."
In 1975, Felix Jardio, 60, a Filipino farmer had been saving his money for years to buy a caribou. He finally saved 1,300 pesos and found an animal he wanted to purchase.
What Felix did not know was that in 1973, the government had ordered all Philippine paper bills exchanged for the "Bagong Lipunan" issue currency no later than February 28, 1974.
All of Felix's savings were the old currency and they were worthless.
Felix was illiterate, so with the help of some schoolboys, he wrote to the President.
The answer came back. It said: "The law must be followed. Because the deadline for exchanging bills has already passed, the government can no longer change your bills with the new ones. Even the President of the Philippines is not exempt from this rule."
The letter continued: "However, because I believe that you really worked hard to save this money. I am changing them with the new ones from my own personal funds. I hope that you will be able to buy your caribou." The letter was signed President Ferdinand Marcos.
We do not have the currency for righteousness, but our Heavenly Father has credited us to righteousness if we have faith in Christ.
Anxieties cannot remain in a heart that can sing:
"My hope is built on nothing less then Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame but whole lean on Jesus name."
Con:
1. Our problem is we let life before filled with problems - we need to have only one problem, that of trusting God.
2. One boy had it right. His teacher asked this question:
"Who was the distinguished foreigner, who was a big help to the American colonists, during the Revolutionary War?"
She ask Tommy if he knew who the person was, and Tommy said, "God?"
The only help we need in our daily war - is God!
Johnny Palmer Jr.
StrugglingThruScriptures.ning.com
StrugglingThruScriptures.ning.com
