God Allows Us To Choose Genesis 12:1-9;
13:8-13 Jan. 13, 2008
Introduction
Many of the consequences affecting our lives became reality because of
our choices. If I look back on my
late teen age years I see differences in my life compared to friends
because of the choices I made related to
Christ and His church. I met my wife at church. The best friends I have
had through the years are church
people, and some of them have remained close friends through the years.
God used the influence of my mother
and good men and women in the church to greatly influenced my life. He
allowed me to make choices through
the years. As I look back I see His hand more clearly directing me than
I realized. I wanted to choose His way
and I am thankful God Allows Us To Choose.
1.
Abram Chose To Obey The . . Call Of God. 12:1-3
A.
Abram Obeyed Relating To The . . Premise Of The Call. 12:1
1 The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and
your father's house to the land
that I will show you.
B.
Abram Obeyed Relating To The . . Promise Of The Call. 12:2-3
2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make
your name great, and you will be a
blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who
treat you with contempt, and all the
peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
C.
Abram Obeyed Relating To The . . Perimeters Of The Call. 12:4-5
1. Perimeters Related Through . . Blood Relationship. 12:4-5a
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had
told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old
when he left Haran. 5 He took his
wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated,.
. ."
2. Perimeters Related Through . . Bought Relationships. 12:5b
". . . and the people he had acquired in Haran, and
they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came
to the land of Canaan,
Abram burst on the pages of our Bible almost unannounced and
unexplained, and then we hear of
God's call in His life. Through the years I have noted many newer
Christians answering the call of God for
ministry or service. Abram obeyed the call of God. He obediently
related to the premise of the call, received
God's promise, and with his family followed the perimeters involved.
Then, and now, when the call is
understood by one family member they need to realize the fact that
obedience to God does not negate the family. Sometimes a man may have
to wait until the wife understands the call also.
2.
Abram Chose To Obey The . . Celebration Of Worship. 12:6-9
A. Abram's
Celebration Of Worship After God's . . Conformation. 12:6-7
6 Abram passed through the land to the site of
Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. At that time the
Canaanites were in the land. 7 But the Lord appeared to Abram and said,
"I will give this land to your
offspring." So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to
him.
B.
Abram's Celebration Of Worship After God's . . Counsel. 12:8-9
8 From there he moved on to the hill country east of
Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the
west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and
worshiped Him. 9 Then Abram
journeyed by stages to the Negev. HCSB
Worship proceeds from our understanding of
scripture, and our personal walk with God. We can note
highlights in Abram's worship experiences as he witnessed the
confirmation of God's presence or obeyed His
counsel. What events would be a foundation for you as you spoke about
your most meaningful worship
experiences? It might very well be when you sensed God's presence and
voice in a more meaningful manner. It
might also include a journey where you obeyed the counsel of God and
rejoiced in His guidance and protection.
3.
Abram Chose To Obey The . . Compromises For Fellowship. 13:8-13
A.
Abram . . Began The Compromises Of Fellowship. 13:8-9
8 Then Abram said to Lot, "Please, let's
not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my
herdsmen, since we are relatives. 9 Isn't the whole land before you? Separate from me: if
you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left."
B.
Abram . . Bowed To The Compromises or Fellowship. 13:10-13
10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan
Valley as far as Zoar was well-watered everywhere
like the Lord's garden and the land of Egypt. This was before God
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
11
So Lot chose the entire Jordan Valley for himself. Then Lot journeyed
eastward, and they separated
from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in
the cities of the valley and set
up his tent near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were
evil, sinning greatly against the Lord. HCSB
Abram and Lot avoided a great conflict by
compromising. Abram began the idea of compromise, and it
pleased Lot. Do you think God led Abram to offer the compromise? I do!
Abram could have demanded the
best but he bowed to the choice Lot made. Many times the key to
compromise is the generosity of one party. At first it appears
he may have been too generous. But the long look shows Abram acted
wisely. What conflicts
in your church could have been avoided through compromise? Too often
people will not make the necessary
compromises. Many times a cursing or blessing are simply a matter of
compromise, but some egos, or personal
opinions, get in the way. Christians should follow examples like Abram,
but God Allows Us To Choose. Amen? Amen!
