Sunday Morning - November 23, 1997
Text: Genesis 12:4-9
Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience [endurance] the race that is set before us,"
2 Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, ..."
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
Luke 14:26 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Isaiah 51:2 "Look unto Abraham your father, ...for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him."
Genesis 12:4. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed [break escaped] out of Haran."
Acts 7:4 "...when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell."
Acts 27:40 "And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, ..."
Romans 4:20 "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;"
Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."
Genesis 12:1 "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee ... unto a land that I will show thee:"
Genesis 12:6-8 "And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem [Shechem], unto the plain [oak-grove] of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Deuteronomy 6:23 "And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers."
SHECHEM AND MOREH
"..unto the place of Sichem [Shechem means 'shoulder'], unto the plain [or oak-grove] of Moreh [means 'teacher'].
Zechariah 7:11 "But they refused to hearken [law], and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear."
Nehemiah 9:29 "And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear."
Proverbs 28:9 "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
Psalms 23:5 "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies..."
Hebrews 13:5-6 "...I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
TO KNOW...
Ephesians 1:19-21 "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20. Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:"
Hebrews 11:36-38 "And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38. ... they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."
"God tests us in order to build our faith and bring out the best in us, but the devil tempts us in order to destroy our faith and bring out the worst in us." Warren Wiersbe
Genesis 12:7 "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
TENTS AND ALTARS
Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
BETHEL AND HAI
BETHEL, the house of God, West of Abraham...
HAI, ruin, East of Abraham...
Psalms 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."
Genesis 12:9 "And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south."
Hebrews 11:13 "These ... confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
ON THE MOVE
Genesis 12:4-9 "So Abram departed, ... he departed out of Haran. 5. And Abram took Sarai his wife, ...and they went forth to go into the land ... 6. And Abram passed through ...7. ...there builded he an altar unto the LORD, ...8. And he removed from thence ...pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, ... 9. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south."
2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ..."
Hebrews 6:1 "...let us go on unto perfection [maturity]..."
Romans 1:17 "...from faith to faith..."
Psalms 84:7 "They go from strength to strength, ..."
John 1:16 "...and grace for grace."
James 2:20 "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."