---------------------------------------------------
Note: Transcripts are unedited. Please forgive any errors.
---------------------------------------------------
THE ACTIVE WORD
TITLE OF
Message: What's Not His? TAPE NUMBER: A1499
MESSAGE DATE: 04-5-2009
SERVICE TIME: Sun 12:30p,
DEN
Main Scripture Reference for Message: Genesis 22
Opening Prayer -
Father this day we give you thanks, we are grateful and certainly thankful we have you to turn to in our time of need. We trust God as we do you will meet that need and Lord will it be, could it be our life the extension of that grace we trust, we pray, we ask God equip us so that we are the bright light, prepare us God so that we taste like the salt that so flavors society the world turns your direction cease this light, taste this salt, and their lives forever changed because of your grace in and through us this we ask in Jesus name Amen.
Message
So what is it? What is it in your life that means the most? Take a second, a minute a moment identify that item, that ideal. Identify that object or that opportunity. Identify the possession or the person or the dream that you say today without that, I couldn't- without that I wouldn't want to live another day. Really? You mean to tell me you have that treasure, that possession, that precious, that means so much to you that it might mean it means more to you than even the Lord? What do you mean Bob? I mean what if once we identify that item, that object, that thing-He asked you for it. He requires it from you, He demands it of you my curiosity, do you give it up or do you give Him up? Uh, well it's uh, my life. I mean your talking about my will, your talking my stuff. Yeah, but that word, mine. I thought that was a word that we more often heard from the little ones, who believed that they actually owned that thing. In their hand, that now with a clutched fist they look at mommy or daddy and say no! Mine! You have something like that?
I'll illustrate it to you this way, in the back of my Bible for the sake of this study, I have some post up notes. And on every post up note you'll find one of my personal treasures. Yes, I treasure and have learned to my age, my health. Will I surrender it to you Lord? What sa-You, you, you want my body? Your gonna try and test me with my health? Uh, let me put that to the side. My house, well Lord you know it's your house, you've been paying the mortgage for some time, yeah that that's your house. Whatever happens to it, yes, that's your house. Uh, car, yeah, it's five years old now, yeah, that's your car. Boat? Yeah in fact you can have it, it's only-your thinking- Bob you have a boat? Twenty foot, uh, five years old still a few payments. Let's move it to the side here. Uh, my future, uh, my plans, uh, yes Lord, you can have my ideals, yes, yes, yes. You can have, no, no, no, no, wait, wait ,wait a second. No, no, no, it's it's my wife. Ha ha, you gave her to me, but this is, this is mine uh, that's mine, we'll leave that here. And then my kids. You, Lord we've already-we have this issue. Uh, we've dealt with this, we were barren for many years and first one came and second one- You decided that you-you would have. You took him home, hey God I uh, tell you what. I'll give you all the stuff here, you can have all this but can we agree...I'll give you all this don't, don't please my wife, my kids. Is that ever been asked of you? Ever required of you?
Oh, you can open the news paper this morning and find sixteen year old boy outside of a high school immediately following a little concert -he's shot sixteen. Now, is that not, wait a second - what - wait a minute...if I, if I give you this are you gonna use my kids are you gonna use my wife in an illustration? I, I don't mind if you have the rest but, but honestly God there are just some things I think are mine. There mine, I mean, aren't you a blesser aren't you a giver, you, you want all this? Bobby, I I thought it was mine? I thought when you prayed your prayer you said Lord, take my life. Oh, oh, you wanted me to take your life but now your being a little resistant , your being a little reluctant, Bobby do you not trust what I would do with what you have would be, the best for you? Well Lord, I uh, I just tend to think some of these things, I mean, does that imply that I think I can do a better job with my kids and my wife than you could? Bob, I uh find your introduction intriguing because certainly all of us have something that we would hold back from completely and totally surrender to God. But I'm wondering, Bob does He really ask of us, does He really require from us, would He ever demand by us? A child? It's Genesis chapter twenty in the first two verses we read Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."
Pause right there your attention please, What? Yeah, and I'll say it again that way, What? Because if this is the first time you ever read Genesis chapter twenty two in the first two verses your thinking who is your God, Bob. The kind of God that requires a father to offer as a burnt offering his own only son. Bob, that makes no sense. You missed the word, didn't you? It's very operative for our understanding key, to our text, it says again verse one, God tested Abraham, God tested Abraham, God tested Abraham, God tested Bob, God tested Mike, God tested Debbie, God tested...you see God's in the business of testing. And this is Abraham's test
First of three things if you are a note taker. Number one, He test us to humble us. To humble us- to humble me, to humble you. Is it true? Keep your place in Genesis twenty two, I'll asked you turn to Deuteronomy chapter eight, this time it's the first verse we read "Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you see it here it is and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Your attention please, humble me? Yeah, we have this tendency as human beings to assume that our health, that our strength, that our status, that our position, the every thing that I have will at some point is taken for granted we assume it's a right. We assume it's a- well I mean of course I'm strong, of course I'm healthy, I mean it comes from knowing the Lord. I mean he won't take that away from me, I mean I pray, I tithe...
Do you know recall the contest- the enemy Satin himself approaches God with Job in view. Oh, you see your servant Job satin says- you know the reason he worships you-the reason he lives for you is because you give him so much stuff and you keep him healthy here's what I think you take away his stuff or inflict his body I promise you he curse you to your face. Oh, no he won't. I know what will happen in Job's life, he will be broken and he will be humble but he will not curse me to my face.
How about you? What does it take? I mean what will it take? You you think everything is yours? You have a title for how long? You actually climbed the ladder of success and became the CEO or you became the CFO, or you became the COO. And that's exactly what happen, last month it was the COOOOO no, don't tell me, what do you mean the entire corporation? well I don't have a position? I don't have a title? What about my stuff? My stuff? Your stuff? If your kids are the age of my kids I-pod, I touch, I phone in my house it's my phone, its my touch, it's my pod. You see Dad acknowledges all the things belong to God but I have authority over it all. That's first Bob chapter three in verse two. Yeah, we have the Bible but we also have the Bobile. And in the Bobile there are rules and regulations for our home and my thirteen year old son, my eleven year old daughter they just understand that and every once in a while we debate that fact every once in a while you'll debate that fact with God. God will say that's not yours, that's mine, I'm the one that gave that to you. You think that food is what you provide, you think your water is what you provide? Here's the deal, I'm gonna lead you Israelites into the wilderness and you will you find that your bread and your water comes from the good grace of my Holy hand but it's not you doing for you, it's me doing for you.
Let me say America that we as a people need to be reminded that the luxuries and privileges and possessions we own, we are a class outside of the rest of the planet my friend. So when we find our selves man, things are really tough, I'm gonna have to cut down on my snacks. I can't afford cable anymore. You have a TV? It's an amazing thing, do you know statically speaking, computers on the planet when you compare how many we have per household to the rest of the world, you know the world it doesn't even show up as a statistic because there is not that number on the planet like there is here in the United States or in the UK. So you stop for a second and say, I'm bothered because I don't have high speed internet, you have a computer? So He takes it away or it crashes for a day and there you are. All man, can't close the deal, I don't know how I'm gonna do this...time for me to pray. Oh, time for you to pray? Humble heart, humble heart something happens suddenly you've been humbles because He took it away.
[13: 18:52.05] Well what happens when you have a stroke/ What happens when half of you body doesn't operate like the way it did for how many years? Let me tell you something you'll humbled. Your broken. And you will naturally immediately say...God, I need your help, I know this is a test and if the test is was whether or not in my arrogance and pride I assume it was mine and I acknowledge its yours and I need your help to restore it. And He humbles us to test us.
Number two if you are a note taker, He humbles us for self discovery. For self discovery, did you see the way it read in Deuteronomy chapter eight once again He said and it was really imperative for you to note He test us these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart. Now is that so He knows what's in our heart or so we know what's in our heart? You don't think He knows what's in our heart? Well of course He knows what's in our hearts so why does He test us so He knows what's in our heart? Who's knowing what about whom? Well obliviously, if my car is broken down or if my car is having an issue, I take it to the local Toyota dealership they plug it into this diagnostics system and you know it will do it will identify were the weakness is. It won't tell me I'm strong for strong sake, I'm looking for weaknesses, I'm looking for problems and when it comes to self discovery it's the way we live life.
How many you men ever turn to another guy and say How many push ups do you think you can do? why is that push ups? Or how about this one? What can you bench? Oh, what can you bench? Oh, let me tell you what I can bench dude. Or How far and how fast can your car go? Or how late for some kids did they get to stay up? What is it with us and this contest mind? Where its all the time, who can beat who and who can actually go further and who is able to run the high-farthest-jump the high-you know...yesterday, I'm with my daughter we are leaving the drug store she's eleven years old, she turns to me, stop right there, stop, stop, stop, dad. I say what, what, what-were walking out back to the car, she goes on the count of three race me to the car. Alright Kate, one, two, and now were racing out to the car, I'm thinking what is it in a kid. Now, you get a, a little older and you just say, run you won that's fine. Yeah, you can bench more, so what I don't care. But is that how it should be when it comes to our faith? Should not our faith like a muscle enjoy the stretch for greater strength?
I have in my hand this little rubber band thing the kind that you put on your wrist and declare some truth or some cause. If I stretch this band when does it break? Well obviously this one is a lot stronger than this one here, if I stretch this one here it will break right in front of you. Do you want to see how long it takes to break, you go Bob your gonna hurt your hand. I know but I'm in good health, you know that. I uh, I can do this in front of you. But for the sake of the illustration, let me just ask how does it take to break you? At what point do you get angry with the God, raise your fist to Heaven and say you know what- I didn't know you were going to test me with that. That's it, I'm turning in my believers badge I don't even want to call my self a Christian. Oh, so we found out about you did we. You found out about you. You found out that although many times you said to God I'm yours, I surrender most. I surrender some a lot to you my precious savor, let me take back this one for me. That's not how the song goes is it? No it's not how the song goes. So the song goes and your supposed to learn through testing how much actually is His, how much is yours and why in the world it is.
And Here's what the Bible says and take not of it. 2 Corinthian's thirteen and five, test yourselves- see if you're in the faith. There are certain tests you can take to see if you are actually in the faith. If somebody needs lodging, if somebody needs food, if there is a homeless guy on the side of the road have you already determined the all these homeless guys are using that street corner is a scam and because you predetermined that you actually in your pride and righteousness pull up a the light say he's scamming me and using this to make a lot of extra money. Is that what you predetermined? Do you think your passing the test? Or do you think the greater test is rolling down your window and go hey bud, I want to pull over real quick- I want to talk to you. You pull over long enough to go tell me your story. Cause I'll be more than happy to help you if you really want some help. What's really going on in your life. And you take that kind of time ,dialog and discover or is the real discovery a lack of faith in your life and the lack of faith in your life is actually an indication that your not gonna past the test.
You see He test us to humble us, he test us for self discovery but number three he test us for the purpose of reward. I'd asked you to turn to Hebrews chapter eleven and well go back there keeping you place in Genesis twenty two look the way verse six reads this is Hebrews eleven and six But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Did you see that, He rewards those who diligently seek Him, are you diligently seeking God today? Or have you already determined you know enough and you kicking back and just kind of waiting for your big piece of pie and eternal glory? No don't. why? Because He's a dad, He's a dad. And He will say to you tomorrow Oh, oh, oh, listen I want to see you a little more stash in the kingdom. So here's what were gonna do, were gonna give you a test because that test will actually listen to this become an investment opportunity for your kingdom account. And you can't miss that every test is actually an investment opportunity in your kingdom account. You see you might not have much here, you can be a popper, you could be, you could be in financial poverty and be one of the fat cats in the kingdom because you've been storing stash away doing the right thing, doing the right way for the glory and purpose of God. And you look at your life here and you go, nah, it's not what I thought it would be. But you should see my Heavenly portfolio dude. Oh man, here's what I'm doing and you begin describing to somebody that's really close not for self applause and they look on - really, you do that, really that's what you do...yeah, God tested me a few years ago and I'm hoping I'm doing the right thing. But here's what I know, seeking Him and purposing to do His will, He promise to reward me and He's a dad, I get what he's doing.
So if in fact test are to humble us, if test are to self discovery, if test are for reward, does Abram past the test? Go back with me to Genesis chapter twenty two pick it up with me this time verse three we read So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, please note that we'll come back that fact and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and please note this and we will come back to you." Verse seven or verse six, So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. And pause right here and give me your attention if you would. Come on back. Come on back.
I'm not gonna start until I see everyone's head. Thank you very much. That's my point, that's my next point. Pause right there and give me your attention. Some of you obeyed immediately, you did, you're used to that. Because if you've been coming to church here for any length of time that sentence sometimes is even nauseating to you because every week a couple of times, pause right there and give me your attention, pause right there- oh, pause right there and give us your attention. But if you were asked to sacrifice your son how long would it take you to obey?
You see, I say, pause right there give me your attention all the time because I know that God in the course of the work week is gonna say Pause right and give me God your attention. But some of us are so preoccupied in the thing we are doing God says stop the story. Start paying attention this way not that way. And here's what we say, well when I get around to it God I'd. when you get around do it. I have it here in my hand. Please it's a round to it. Now, you've never seen one before over the years I've been given a few of these sometimes there small and wooden, I have a large one that's kind of like a coin but this is a round Tuitt. And the reason that I think these are given to men like me from close friends is that we all from time to time will say when I get around to it. Well here, here's a round Tuitt, now do it.
Abraham, I want you to sacrifice your son. Verse three look again, early in the morning. Alright, you want me to sacrifice my son I'm gonna obey, I'm gonna obey first thing in the morning. I'm not gonna get around to it I'm gonna do it right now because your telling me to do this it must important. You're God and I'm not, I will obey immediate obedience. So how about you? Immediate obedience? One of these days I'd- one of these days I need to give to some church or some thing, maybe the Salvation Army or something you know when I get around to it. I will uh, you know the voice of the Lord about a year ago said teach Sunday school, ha one of these days I'll get around to it. You know my wife says we need to have family devotions, I said I will, I know how important that is, my son's twenty eight now and I said when he comes from college he's taken the longer route, uh, he's having a tough time with college he says, Dad studying is hard but when I get around to it, ha, ha. We nee to pass these out and give them to everybody, everyone need s round Tuitt. Early in the morning, he gets up. Here's what I'm thinking, now, now really make this connection. If God's gonna have the life of Abraham's son in His hand in just a few days when he gets to the place of sacrifice. Wouldn't now be the best time to obey God?
If you are going to financial trouble right now, when's the best time to start giving to God? Uh, this is not a connection to our church, this a connection to your reasonable responsibility there's a tendency for all of us to say, God I need you to for me. But how often does God says I need you to with me and we say when we get around to it. How would you like to cry out to God and ask Him for help and says you know when I get around to it, I got a lot of things happening in the Middle east right now, right now is not the time to ask me anything. I'm trying to do some stuff in Washington, I've been struggling with this like you have, really? No, you see when I want God to do something for me, I'm expecting immediate obedience from Him. But I hope He doesn't expect immediate obedience from me. But that's what Abraham proves. And because Abraham does, I'm thinking he's passing the test. He's passing- what else does he do?
Oh, please this time its verse five Genesis chapter twenty two you got a see it again he says "Stay here with the donkey; Abraham said to the young men -the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." Now there only four, two are staying behind, two are going forward, the Father and Son are climbing Mount Moriah, he says we are gonna go worship and we are coming back. Wait a minute. If you are gonna sacrifice one of the we it will only be me coming back right? No, no, no. you see- not only do I have immediate obedience I also have great faith. And I see that right there that's great faith.
Now, why does he have such great faith? Remember the book of Hebrews? I'd asked you to turn there earlier, we read verse six. Keep your place in Genesis twenty two this time its Hebrews eleven and seventeen. Hebrews 11:17 we read By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, don't forget that the only begotten son for we will come back to that of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," watch verse nineteen concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. What is happening? Here's what's happening, Abraham has great faith, he believes that if in fact he does take the life of his son, God would immediately after raise him from the dead so that he's actually come back with his son after sacrificing him. That's great faith. And it's the same great faith that's required of you if in fact one of your little cards-one of your little post it is your boyfriend. Lord, I don't want to give him up, were in love he means so much to me. We've been going out for three weeks. God says laying him down. And while he's out of your life, God's doing miracles in his life and then he comes back completely changed. Twice the man and your parents prayers are answered. Grandma's prayers saved his life.
I mean do you understand there's so many things in life we just hang on to so tight and we won't let go of them. But in Abraham's life what do we see, look at verse ten in Genesis twenty two look at the way this reads And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. To slay his son, I see immediately obedience, I see great faith, but listen to this number three, I see wiling sacrifice. Willing sacrifice, he's lifting the knife to fulfill the objective of taking the life of his son, he lifts it up and it's coming down. Now, that's not how I would do this, just for you to know. I would lift up the knife and then I would hold it up in the air. I'm ready! I'm gonna sacrifice my son now. I'm waiting, Anybody want to say anything in the Heaven? Michael are you there? Gabriel I'm waiting? Any angel of the Lord watching here it comes, it's closer, it's even closer now. Is that a willing sacrifice?
No, and a lot of us, listen were willing to sacrifice any thing to God we don't want. Have you ever notice that? Let me find one that I don't want. That boat, that's been a pain. Here take the boat that one is yours. They can reposes that thing, that's yours. In fact, think about it most of us gave God our life when we didn't have anything to give him.
Lord, I'm a drunk, my liver is shot, I'm broke and my wife just kicked me out, so I'm yours. Oh, boy! You, you've heard me say in the past, I think when I'm giving my life to the Lord there's a couple of angels turning their head. No don't take, we know who he-not Bob don't take Bob Oh, no! It's a funny thing when we nothing we give it all to Him. Here I don't have anything. And then over the next ten years of knowing the Lord, we start collecting stuff, oh, now I have a car, I have a house, I have a wife and it's all mine. You want it, you had your chance, I gave you my whole life ten years ago. Now that I have stuff...Now here's what's happening right now in our study some of you are sitting out there going...I don't like this story. I don't get your God, Bob. He uh, He is proving a point that he should be more important than anyone's kid so he asked Abraham the father of faith to kill him kid as a burnt offering. I'm struggling, Bob with your God what's the point
Well let me help you. We learned a few weeks ago, that for every Old Testament picture there's a New Testament principle. We learned a few weeks ago that every one of these characters in the Hebrew Scriptures are a type- and Abraham is a type of the Father and Isaac is a type of the son. So you have the father and the son climbing the mount together to the point of sacrifice? Does that do anything in your brain? You see Mount Moriah today is also called Mount Messiah because it's the same piece of property that Jesus climbed the high hill on. That's where Jesus Christ hung on the cross bleed and died. Now, I mentioned the fact we have two standing by remember Isaac and I are gonna move forward. You two stay here, you two stay here. Rabbi submit that one it's Ishmael who's a type of the flesh and the other one is Eliazer, who's a type of the spirit. So when Jesus Christ is hanging on the cross we have a thief on the right and a thief on the left. One of them declares something every fleshly. If you are the Son of God save me and save your self. The other one declares something very spiritual- He says, I believe and because this is the Son of promise, Jesus Christ, who saves the world, He offers paradise to those who believe by the spirit he's able to do the impossible. Because you see, He is actually a byproduct of the impossible.
Jesus came into the world through the virgin birth a little girl, named Mary the Holy Spirit over shadowed her. Isaac he shouldn't be this is a boy who came form a woman, Sarah was past menopause. Abraham was impotent, it is an impossibility that this son of promise should live. So we have a son of promise on a mount to. And the sacrifice of a father of his son and the flesh and the spirit standing close by one reflects faith the other reflects rejection? But there's more. You see In Genesis twenty two in the first few verses we read, God say, Abraham take your son whom you love. Your only son, who you love and that's what's called in scripture this word love for those who study it know that's the rule of first mentioned that needs to be supplied because it's the first time the word love has in the book of Genesis now that's a amazing to me because we've already seen man and woman come together as husband and wife and yet the word love has not been used into Genesis chapter twenty two. The fist time the word love is used in the Bible? Its in a relationship between a father and a son, now again, you take the rule of first mentioned and you move that rule father and son love into and from the Old Testament into the New Testament. And where is the fist time you see the word love used in the New Testament teachings? It's Matthew's Gospel the third chapter in the seventeen verse. Where the Heaven's open up and the voice of the father says, behold my son in whom I love. I love my boy, that's my son. Now, that's the gospel of Matthew. Go to Mark the fist time the word love is used, it's the same story, the Heaven's open up Behold my son, how I love. Then, Matthew, Mark, Luke, go to Luke the first time the word love is used it's the same story, the Heaven's open up behold my son whom I love. Go to the gospel of John, the fist time the word love is used, for God so love the world, that He gave that Son He loved so much. So you could actually be saved. You, you see this is not just about a dad and his kid and his willingness to love God to the point of sacrifice. No, this is God knowing every dad in this room and knowing if you are dad like I'm a dad, there's one piece of paper that you want to keep away if in fact there's the risk of harm, ha, ha. Can't give you the kid card. I can't! I'm having a hard time saying you can do what ever- I'm a pastor, He's always using my life for an illustration. I don't want him to take my son or my daughter home to use me for an illustration. {] No, I I don't want you to use my kids for an illustration God. Bob you know how much you love your son. You don't want me to use him for an illustration, you know understand how much I love son? And that I used Jesus for an illustration? And that I used Abraham and Isaac to kind of set up the Illustration so everyone knew the next time they were tested. That I really, really love them. And that's why I said, that's my son in whom I'm love, that's my son the one I love, that's my son in whom I love. I love the world so much that I'm willing to sacrifice my Son. Because when you go thru a trial, and you start to lift you hand towards Heaven and say I don't think you love me, my heart will break. What do you mean, you don't think I love you? You, you are so close to passing the test. Don't think I don't love you. I'm trying to do something for you, I'm trying to help you see how much I love you and if you are parent you know how much you love your kids, please. I couldn't do that with a husband and a wife, I wouldn't do that with a man and his business, I can't do that with a man and his sport, but when it comes to a dad and his kids, if he has a heart like I have a heart. It's the last thing you want see used in an illustration if it means saying goodbye. And I'm a dad and when my Son hung there and He stretched out his arms, He even cried out to me. from the cross He said Hey Dad Dad why are you forsaking me, I'm your son? And I had to turn my face oh for a moment cause the only reason I was forsaken him as I was taking your sin and I was putting on my boy so through His suffering I would never have to forsake any one of you. I love you that much you see. And I didn't know how else to tell you this so I set it up way back when, thousands of years ago I painted this picture and I'd hope that you wouldn't think it so gross or so gruesome, why is God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son? It had very little to do, I didn't take son, I took my son, I didn't take his son I didn't ask him to kill him and let him do it. don't you know the rest of the story? NO, Genesis twenty two pick it up with me in verse eleven we read But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided." Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son- blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. Your attention please.
God will say to you today; one, I see don't think I'm blind-I see your sacrifice I see what your doing, I see, I I stop Abraham I see I can see this. Galatians six and nine- don't grow weary in doing good for in due season your gonna reap a harvest if you don't give up. Some of you are doing good and it's really tiring when you doing good for so long, I've been so faithful and now I'm facing tough times, God will say to you...I see. I see your sacrifice I've been trying to live pure and I've tried to keep my self free from temptation. I see, I see, I see your sacrifice. Mount Moriah, Mount Messiah? The word Moriuh- the Lord will provide. The fear the Lord, yeah they are all connected you fear God and you put Him first He will be the provider, that's the point.
As in Numbers eighteen about twenty, God gets all the Israelites together and he says I'm giving everyone property, I'm giving everybody land, but those of you closest to me, you Levites, come here. I'm giving every Israelite land and property although that sounds like the same thing it's not. Land is land, property is stuff. He says here's what I want to give you guys those who are closest to me. I want to give you, me. I want to be your portion, I want me to be your prize and you understand that if you have the Lord it doesn't matter if you have anything else. But if you have the Lord, you have oh so much. Today, He says I I want to be your prize. Well, Bob it's nice to have Jesus as a prize but how in the world does he meet my needs. Well that's the point, if He is your prize; listen to this, if after the study you say, I want to go to the Bookstore. I I don't know how. Well I can tell you how, I can say leave this building and got out the double doors take right go down the hall oh, a couple of hundred feet then actually hang a right or you hang a left uh, go about another twenty feet and then yeah, that's the Boo- Now, here's what I could do. I can lean over and go hop on my back...Bob you know how old you are? Yah, I'm ready. Want a race? No, no. Hop on my b-listen think about it, if I say hop on my back am I giving you directions or am I the direction? You see when Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life He's not saying I'll show you the way, He's not saying I'll teach you the truth - I am it, am it. You get really close to you me see how I'm gonna provide. Because if you are really close to me and I'm your provision let me tell you something my provision is a perfect provision because I know what you need even before you ask. But if you want to keep me a distance away and continue to wonder through life...I don't know which way to go He said two hundred feet and then he said left then he said right, wasn't sure if he knew his own bookstore was. I know where it is, it's easier for me to take you there then showing you the way. Jesus said its easier take you to Heaven than just to show you the way because I am the way, I'm the way to Heaven, climb on board, get on me and I'll make sure you get there, you see.
And then finally he says and I'll bless you. And I'll bless you. And the word bless is a really great and crazy cool Hebrew word. When God says I'm gonna bless you, the word listen, means benefit but it also means applause, it also means at boy and it also means like like you end up with some form of reward. Now when I took all those words and mixed up them together I came to understand that God is actually going to test us like I tested my kids to swim. Ok guys here we go, and they are swimming across the way I'm cheering them on they accomplished something through the test and when out the water, then it's like Yeah! Look what you did! Look what you did, man. Remember that one time when the swimming teacher came over and you were scared and you thought I was abandoned you and I had to hide behind the kitchen counter while you were screaming. I was there the whole time. I was praying for you and I know for a moment it seem like I wasn't near by but I was and now look at what you've accomplished. Yes, I tested you because I knew that after the fact you say... God, you know what we did together. Yeah, you did it together. How cool it that.
So- so here's your hand today and here's your stuff today Ok. Let's try it again I'm yours Lord. And everything that I have, uh, this is so hard to do. Everything God-kids, wife because I really trust God in your care its certainly better place to be than my care. Is Is that where your at? Are you kind of like Oh, ok here's the friend card, you can have these friends - I don't like them that much anyway. :Car, yeah, at this stage you can have even more than that in fact if it really breaks it will give me an excuse to get a different one you can have the whole thing. Plans, well I am a pastor so my plans should be yours or at least half of them so here's the deal, I'm work hours- all yours. This is my personal life- don't mess with that. I am a pastor you do get that much of a pastor's life. Or is it? Let's pray.
Closing Prayer
Father we thank you so much that you have reminded us how important it is to reach out with open hand with everything we have and everything we are and offer it afresh God. We would that you didn't have to pry it from a close fist. We know you can and you will over power us and certainly take it away, but we would instead be wiser and pray have your way. God, in moments like these even now if we yet not surrendered our life to you we know this is that opportunity that now is the time and today is day. God, speak to our heart, may your might hand of salvation move through out this place saying, delivering, forgiving, Doing what you do best, God. In Jesus name.
Salvation Message
Hey, I'm not gonna say Amen yet because this is that opportunity and we do this every week and we do it every Wednesday - it's the chance for you friend to find out how much a friend you are. Because if you brought a friend here today, here's what I'm going to say to the friend you brought. We love you so much that this is your opportunity if you would like to go to Heaven and know that your on the way. We've been praying for you. As a church we've been praying as friends we've been praying for you and at the close of every Bible study here at the church I give you an opportunity to actually make a decision that can secure for you a place in the kingdom so you can as the Bible teaches - so you know that you know you know that you are saved. now please if you don't have to be a distraction, please don't be but for those of you who are sitting sacrificially this is the chance to pray because there is somebody here right now who is willing to in light of what they learned actually surrender their life to God. And in just moment Pastor Clay's gonna close us in song and the minute he starts to play and the minute that the singers start to sing, well that's your cue
If if you are here and you've yet not surrendered you life to God- you've never said Jesus, I want you in charge of my life- I want you to have control of everything. Father, forgive me of my sins change my li- If you yet not done that, you need to do that and I'll tell you why. Jesus said it this way, He said if you will confess my ma- my name-before man on earth, I will confess you before my father in Heaven. And the word confess is a, is a unique Greek word, it means if you say the same thing on planet earth that I'm saying in Heaven I am who I claim to be guess what? That confession of me will be my confession of you That's -that's you saying on Earth I believe that you are who you are and I want to go to Heaven. Well I believe you are who you are and I want you to go to Heaven. He said this, but if you deny me before men on Earth, I will also deny you before my father in Heaven. I want nothing to do with Jesus this guys has to stop talking; I want to get out of here. Ok, you can, you can leave and sadly I must say if you continue on that course you will get your wish. If you want nothing to do with God guess what, you will secure that decision and all see to it that eternally you will have nothing to do with God. You don't want that.
[13: 55:23.29] So in the quiet of this moment with just a few minutes left I say to you is anybody today interested in a real relationship with God thru His son Jesus Christ, you can't have a relationship with God without Jesus Christ because you are stained with sin and you can't approach a Holy God until you dealt with this sin. Glad you're here. So it has to happen in your heart is the same thing that is happening in this girl's heart. In her heart she's saying I'm ready, I'm ready to say I'm a sinner, I'm ready to confess I need God and today when she prays that prayer with whoever else comes forward, listen to what God's gonna do. God's gonna met her right here, God's gonna touch her heart, God's gonna deliver her, God's gonna save her and she will never regret that. Come on up. Listen, we gonna sing this song, church if you would pray if there is anyone here interested in a relationship with God thru this Son Jesus Christ you leave you sit now and come forward and stand and once the group is gathered we'll pray to together for you and with you. Pastor Clay if you leave us in song.
Amen, you know I remember being invited to a friend to a church like kind a like church. It's a Baptist church, they taught the Bible. I heard the Bible and I remember sitting in the seat after the message was delivered and it was like I had all this stuff in my hand thinking, when I -am I doing to do this thing? And you could be sitting in your seat right now thinking the same thing I thought. You know what I regret? I regretted assuming that for that time in my life it was best that I hung on to everything, because I'll be honest with you and say at that moment I wasn't as bad as I got to be. But over the next year of my life as I continue to hand on to all my stuff, the abuse of my body, the condition of my heart, I wasted, I wasted, I wasted, I wasted another year of my life. Cause I thought I was smarter than God, if you-if you are still sitting in that seat and you got all your stuff man. And you actually convinced yourself that it's smarter for you to hang on to your stuff than to give...who you are and what you have to God you can keep it.
I'm afraid, however, that if you understood what I came to discover, you'll change your mind, you see, I thought all this stuff in my hand while it was in my hand, you know what I didn't know? That I had surrendered some of it and actually put it hand of the enemy and that the pit of hell actually had control some of my stuff and I was losing a lot of I had cherished to the power of the pit. Satan himself was grabbing hold of my life and beginning to take it away. If you would hold your applause for just for a moment. So So here's the thought and I don't want to miss that chance to say to whoever is really tuning in right now. Is it in your hand? Is it in His hand? Or quite possibly you lost your hand and right now the pit of hell is choking you and you're slowly dying. And you came to church and you're afraid to take it out of the pit of hell and put it in the hand of Heaven. I'm saying if you lost it that much you don't know the difference you need to right now where you at cry out to God and say God, help me get this thing this pastor is saying, I'm that blind I don't even know that I'm lost. And all you have to do to do that, right where ever your sitting just call on His name, say Jesus, help me. Jesus help me to see God, help me to see Spiritual things and you know what scales are gonna come off your face and your eyes and your going to sense something in your heart and your going to get up out of your sit right now and your gonna make your way forward and make sure you are a part of this group that says today, I am deciding to follow Jesus. Is there one more person here today with that little bit of logic you go- you know what Pastor, Thank you for making me think this though, I need to be up there. I'll just a moment for the any one person whose going you know what I should be up there. Come on up-make that decision today. Anybody else at all? You're not joining our church, that's not what this is about. There are a lot of great churches in Florida and around. This is not about church membership; this is about your heart and God's heat and you joining the family of Faith. This is joining His family. This is you becoming a son or daughter of the Living God. Any body else at all? You know what I belong up there. Praise God, glad you're here. Come on up. We'll wait for you and we are gonna pray, come on up. Proud of you, good move. Amen. He loves you very very much. And I know that. Let's pray
Salvation Prayer
Father we come to you in Jesus name, and Lord I'm filled with emotion because I know what this means. And although my future brothers and sisters can not completely comprehend what you have in store for them. God we are their future brothers and sisters know there is great joy in every hearts that's here this is their chance to change. This is their new beginning, this is their second chance for a triumph life. That for this day forward, will be oh so different cause you will abide and reside in them. Those of you that have come forward it's your turn to pray out loud after me. Say out loud
Lord God, I open my heart and I invite you inside to be my God to be my savior and to be my friend. Forgive me of my sins, wash me clean for I have decided this day to follow you Jesus for this day forever, I'm yours. Help me God follow you everyday in Jesus name I pray Amen. Amen. Great decision. Wonderful! Outstanding! Good move.
Now listen, hey guys before you go, listen before you guys go. We have a Bible and we have a Bible study guide we like to give you. You haven't joined our church and that's obvious, but here's what's has happen something happen in your spirit that moved you up here. But we want to give you mind understanding to what's happening in your spirit. So if you don't mind take a minute, you see all those hands standing by, if you will follow them get the Bible and the Bible study guide, you'll be back with your friends in a minute ok. Can you head that direction? Church give them a hand as they go, please. Shall we stand. Pastor Clay
19
Feedback
