2024.04.14.SERMON NOTES. Abram’s Faith beyond Circumstances
William Akehurst, HSWC
Big idea: GOD told Abram to pack his belongings and to “GO to the Land I will give to you”. Abram obeyed GOD, but the journey wasn’t easy. Abram had conflict, strife, uncertainty, etc. But he remained trusting in the LORD outside of his comfort zone.
And after the conflict, came the blessing...
QUESTION: Are you willing to allow GOD to lead you, and to trust HIM beyond your comfort zone?
What is the one word you would use to describe your relationship with GOD?
Scriptures: Genesis 14:1-24, Hebrews 7:1-3, Hebrews 11:8-10, Psalms 103:1-19
INBOUND WAR, 4 KINGDOMS DEFEAT 5 AND TAKE CAPTIVE AND GOODS.
Vs. 14, ABRAM GOES AFTER HIS CAPTURED FAMILY/NEPHEW LOT AND RETURNS IN VICTORY WITH ALL THE STOLEN GOODS.
Genesis 14:1-17 (NKJV)
1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
8 And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. 11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
AFTER THE CONFLICT, BLESSING.
TRUE BLESSING BY THE KING OF PEACE AND PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
Genesis 14:18-24
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
THE KING OF SODOM, ATLERNATIVE MOTIVE TO TAKE CREDIT
21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
ABRAM’S DISCERNMENT AND RESPONSE
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
BACKGROUND OF MELCHIZEDEK
Hebrews 7:1-3 (NKJV)
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
ABRAHAM’S FAITH TO TRUST AND OBEY GOD, REGARDLESS OF HIS SITUATION
Hebrews 11:8-10 (NKJV) Faithful Abraham
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Abraham was used by GOD because of his FAITH, TRUST, OBEDIENCE. Here in Hebrews, “Hall of Faith”, Abraham is listed by that one word…Faith. And because of that faith, Abraham would receive an inheritance, a reward from GOD.
During a recent meeting with the BGEA, we were asked to define our relationship with GOD in ONE WORD.
WHAT ONE WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
Some of the responses were Humbled, Forgiven, Salvation, Redemption, Intimacy, Loved, Blessed, Joyful, Peaceful, Comforted, Trusting, Faithful…
I felt like I couldn’t explain it in one word. I’ve been Blessed, Joyful, Humbled, Strengthened, Tired, Weak and Stretched all at the same time.
Stretched with so many things going on in life, too much actually. But knowing that the LORD is my Strength and that HE gives me the ability to continue on. I’ve shared in past, that I’ve come to a Bible Study totally beat after a long day at work, but have come away from that Study fully regenerated and revived!
Because that is the Work of the HOLY SPIRIT IN me! And you and I need to realize the REALITY of that…the HOLY SPIRIT working in us. It makes all the difference.
I’ll never forget one day when an employee asked me how I was doing. My response, in a downcast look, I’m OK. At that instance, he rebuked me, NO MR. BILL, YOU ARE GOOD! What you speak says so much and you can’t afford to speak down about yourself, you must say GOOD, no matter how you feel.
It’s not about feeling, it’s about declaration.
Lesson learned.
This morning, as I listened to my Daily Audio Bible, afterwards they run 2 minute uploads of call ins who share testimony, prayer or need. This morning, I heard a woman in Texas state that she didn’t feel close to GOD and was wondering if HE even existed. She finished her talk with the following statement… “I think I need to search out other religions. This is my last with Daily Audio Bible…signing off.”
OTHER RELIGIONS???
WHAT???
DEAR LORD HELP HER!!!
I am praying for this woman in Texas to find the TRUE GOD in CHRIST ALONE. And my thoughts are that she had belief (head knowledge) but NOT faith (a heart change by HOLY SPIRIT). Because faith is more than a feeling, or a condition of your circumstances…
I’ve been teaching that we must speak GOD’s WORD out loud over our lives, because HIS WORD has impact on our surroundings as well as our own lives.
Recently I was listening to a Reel called “Miracle caught on Tape” and heard the Testimony of Duane Miller, a pastor who had lost his voice permanently with ZERO possibility of reversal.
3 years after he totally lost his voice, he was asked to fill in for another pastor. They would put a microphone up to his mouth where he could speak in his raspy, almost unintelligible voice and preach.
The message was on Psalm 103.
And while he was reading Psalms 103 out loud, and specifically the words of vs. 4, “who redeems your and my life from the PIT”…GOD HEALED HIM!
His testimony and miracle caught on tape can be found here.
https://youtu.be/u1ASnL5fIAM?si=ET5Q8lqnarQDVswP
His testimony on Focus on the Family.
https://youtu.be/8Z7GphSukTI?si=28VCwhTg0FCTuKgj
Psalms 103:1-19 (ESV) Bless the LORD, O My Soul
OF DAVID.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
This testimony and healing caught on tape causes me to tear up and praise HIM every time I listen to it. And it proves that our experience and relationship with GOD is beyond words. So if I had to put that in one word, it would be a word with 14 syllables, the word…
“SU-PER-CAL-I-FRA-GIL-IS-TIC-EX-PI-A-LI-DO-CIOUS!”
That’s how I am IN CHRIST, and IN CHRIST alone!
Amen.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Bill
