2011-01-23 Raw and ‘live’ notes – 1st and 2nd svc Ncc
Ours prayers , support and confessions of faith are producing wonderful testimonies globally and church becoming truly international
Every church is called to do a specific thing and as long as this church does that which it has been called, we are alright
David said those who go to battle and those who stay behind to support share the reward alike
Jesus also talked about receiving the prophet’s reward if you support him (?)
Work as unto Lord and money will run after you
If there’s a problem with Sg is that many of us too focused on money.
Focus on Jesus. Care for your family.
Rom 4:1-4
Rom 4:1 Abraham found something which previous generations did not know. Faith righteousness
Rom 4:3 Abraham believed the Gospel story in the skies and that Christ would justify him. This is the context of Rom 4:3
So it is very clear that Abraham is righteous by faith and not via the law.
We are therefore heirs of Abraham and his blessings
We are blessed because we are righteous by faith
Once you believe this , you will live right, and produce fruit
Abraham was blessed in All things , bible says at end of his life of Abraham.
Abraham first blessed with salvation then wealth.
Other blessings include renewing wife ‘s youth . It is blessing of Abraham not Sarah, bible says.
There are 2 types of righteous people
- Abraham and Lot
2 groups. One defeated. One victorious .
Lot also called righteous but got into a lot of trouble
2 Pet 2:6-8
V6 making them an eg to those who afterward would live ungodly
V 7 righteous lot
V 8 righteous man … Rightous soul
Righteous soul will be tormented by seeing lawless deeds
Likewise you are righteous guy, your flesh may enjoy for a while, but will dislike it, that is the nature of righteous
We might fall into pit of fith sin but we are like lamb and not pig which loves pit. Lamb will bleat and cry if fall in pit
Abraham did lie again but much later many years. He did not stay in sin. This is nature of righteous . Don’t wallow in sin
Lot righteous by faith like Abram . Blood sacrifice of lamb. Learnt from Abram
Lot never cry out to lord unlike Abraham who had heart for God. If you have heart for God, gifts required in leadership can come later
Abraham instead was mountain of hebron enjoying high life and fellowship and acceptance with God
Lot was in low life . Literally lowest point of earth as Sodom was in dead sea area
Gen 13:1-7
God’s system is you don’t have to compromise values.
World is Egypt . Abraham don’t live there and went back to where he was with at beginning , between bethel and ai, where altar he built before he went to egypt . Gen 13:3
He like us go back to place of fellowship. He has heart for God. This quality good for choosing leaders
Abraham had a heart for testimony of God as he was in land where Gentiles were
Gen 13:4 go to place where he made altar at first
Jacob had heart for God and wants first born blessing. Cf the world
Bible says: God of Abraham not God of Lot
We want to blessed directly not by association like Lot
Obviously Abraham shared his wealth with Lot as Bible mentions lot has plenty of herds , wealth
Starting biz together with Christians in same church ‘best ‘ way to destroy friendship. Likewise if you rent room in house to best friend, or go on holiday , etc
Proverbs : don’t set your foot in neighbor ‘s house …
Gen 13:7 the outsiders were watching the strife between abram and lot
Abram gracious and let Lot choose the land he wanted
Gen 13:12 Lot went by his natural eyes and pitched his tent as far as Sodom
Don’t let sales people push you and sales people . They should have confidence in their own product and have integrity . If sale is purportedly for one day only, say no thanks.
If there is something scratchy in your heart, don’t go into it
He that is hasty at heart, exalts folly. Solomon says.
Abraham did not have to be delivered as he was never in Sodom
Are we pitching our family tents towards Sodom ? We are not called to good friends with children. You can be friend but We are called to be parents. Don’t put computer in teen room. Monitor what they watch. Discipline kids. They might hate you for a while, but they were value your wisdom in the the years to come.
Kids need boundaries . They hate u if you dont correct because they feel unloved. If u care , u discipline and chastise
Repossess your kids and family
If you watch restricted movies, you will be affected just as you get shocked when finger in electric socket
Tell kids, we trust you, but we don’t trust your flesh. Likewise , for dating couples. We trust but not each others flesh so don’t go dark place
To spoil a child is to kill a child, Chinese proverb
Some things child should earn then they value it. Not given freely
Be glad that kids are spending time in dare – youth Sunday school group . Don’t say they are spending too little time studying. Pastor felt God when in a youth gathering praying in circle. Also apart from u, u need youth leaders to affirm identity in Christ to them. With strong identity, youths well grounded and won’t sow wild oaths etc
Gen 13:14
When u choose by eyes u r limited like lot. Cf Abraham – northwards eastwards . These are spiritual eyes for Abraham as no way to walk all this land. These was a new vision given by God to Abraham
Gen 14:14 despite lot being in trouble , he still considered lot a brother and later he said lot righteous when interceding God for Sodom
Abraham did not have attitude of abandoning lot even though lot in trouble of own making. He prayed and helped lot. This is the the type of righteous man we want to model after.
After delivered from kidnap, lot went back to sodom ! Probably Sodom king saw how Lot was associated with Abraham so made him leader in Sodom. We don’t want to be lot kind of righteous man
When u r delivered by God, don’t go back to sin and be vexed
Don’t lay up treasures on earth as can be taken like Lot’s
Gen 18:1-2
One visitor is probably Jesus . And 2 angels. Probably gabriel and Michael as they are arch angels
Gen 18. God visited Abram and gifted a present – laughter – issaac to them in a year as child to them. God had fellowship with Abraham
While Abraham enjoying, Lot vexing soul . Those truly righteous will be vexed when in sin eg those in adultery not enjoying
High cost of low life.
Instead choose to be Abraham and breath fresh air of faith on mountain and clear conscience
When came to judge sodom , no laughter , probably angels Michael and Gabriel came only. No laughter
Gen 19:1. Even angels don’t want to stay with Lot. Lot now a board member with Sodom as he is leader as sitting at gate
Lord not in Sodom as exceedingly wicked. Only angels
Lot made a leader sitting in gate of Sod om because king wanted to be in good books of Abraham
Praise God we don’t have to cheat and manipulate like world.
We have Abrahamic blessing
Gen 19:12-17
Even Angels not comfortable to stay in lot house . Cf Abraham
Angels purposely mention sons in lot
When u live in sin u have no power with people Cf Abraham . Lot ‘s own sons did not want to listen to Lot.
Look who’s talking. They said . You are in Sodom, they probably said. Probably did not talk of God in house
Talk about God to wife and child . Might be uncomfortable at first . Or else seem like joking in future and too late.
Gen 19:16 he lingered !!! but god merciful
Angels took hold of Lot. So merciful drag us out of sin
Whatever you compromise , you end up losing
Sin will make you stay longer than you want to stay and take you further than you want to go
Even a defeated righteous man will not go through tribulation
We are all like Abraham on mountain
Gen 19:17. Escape to the mountains, God told Lot
That’s where Abraham was all the while
Lot only went to Zoar half way to mountains lest evil overtake him. Clearly deluded as in Sodom evil was overtaking him! Lot clearly did not know mountains as is where Abraham was blessed a lot. Later Lot went up mountain.
Remember Lot’s wife, Jesus shortest sermon
Often we have very short memory. Thought Egypt was great and good food. Forgot lashings
Lot wife looked back and lingered long and her past life and turned into salt not by God probably buried by fire and brimstone
Nothing wrong with these things but heart must be and trust Jesus
Gen 19:27 Abraham was in place of fellowship
Whole place was like atomic judgement but Ab was in safety and communion. Same during Rapture time- end days
We rather look downwards from mountain than behind . This is place of elevation .
Rather be in place where we pray for than be in place of prayed for
Don’t go down to Sodom like Lot.
Thank God we are coming to church . Don’t look down and say they are pew warmers. Majority have heart of God
Everything Lot had went up in smoke, even wife.
God said to Lot, go … I cannot do anything to Sodom until after you departed. That ‘s why Christians won’t go through great tribulation
Whenever you have fear, you drop your standards , lot ‘s daughters said ‘no more men’ and incest resulted. Lot ‘s daughters ‘ – whole world is sodom so that when sodom destroyed, said no more men. Daughters of Lot living in Sodom and had mentality of not enough men
It is raining men in church! Don’t compromise , trust God for spouse in Church
We have to have moral authority in home and say no to restricted movies etc
Lot lost the moral excellence of daughters
Gen 12:4 lot went with him
Abram departed because lord said so to him
Lot however no revelation. Lot followed abram not God. It was abram who followed god
Don’t ride on somebody else faith
Some day your kids must have own faith that God is good
There must be a personal encounter with Jesus
Cultivate taste . Just like u cultivate taste in sashimi, cultivate taste for Sunday school for kids even if they don’t like it now
Kids may dislike parents saying no now but will be appreciated in years to follow in retrospect
One man said he trusted daughter and later daughter ran off with a boy . Trust kids but dont trust their flesh . Pastors prayed for this man
Abraham always look to north (?)
Preach goodness of God so we will look towards Him
Gen 14:16-23
This is how abramham had victory ?
Why Melchizedek met Abraham only now ?
Because only now King of Sodom met him. This is after battle and open to temptations as tired. Sodom offered abraham people in exchange for goods
When tired and emotionally weary you tend to make mistakes and fall, this is probably why God came in to Abram at this time
Tithing and Communion is not for entire church — only to Abraham . To those with Abrahamic revelation which Lot did not have
No mention that Lot tithes or have communion . He was with Abram all the while and he could have but he did not
Gen 14:19
Those of abrahamic faith will partake of bread and wine and tithe
Now after reminded that God is possessor of heaven and earth and refreshed, he could stand up and decline Sodom and his goods , in fact , Abraham used same words and said God most high the possessor of heaven and earth
Abram had this revelation of abundant God so he could tell Lot you go this way and I go another
Sometimes we can say by God’s gifts to pastor, he has made this church rich. No other way round. By Grace of God.
Don’t want Sodom to say ‘… Lest They say Sodom made me rich
Psalm 23:6
Radaf – pursue , hunt down
Surely goodness and mercy shall hunt (radaf) you down ….
Retake authority as King in household and follow example of righteous Abraham
Abraham magnet always point north to God. Lot on the other hand had no moral compass and the moment he was separated from Abram , he fell. No personal foundation in God
It all begins in the root of unbelief that God is not good. Lot’s mistake and Eve’s
‘ I know Abraham, he will command his household after me … (?) …’
That is what God said of Abraham
May we all be believers like Abraham. Enjoyed family etc
