Pastor Tony was hired at Life Church in Round Rock as an assistant pastor. Please feel free to check out that church at www.lifechurchrr.com.

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1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. 2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 ”Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 ”And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 ”because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” 6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.” 8 Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. 9 Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ” 10 And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.” 11 So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” 12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. 13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; 14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. 15 Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” 17 Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. 19 Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” 23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba. 24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.” 25 So he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well. 26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army. 27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 But they said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you, 29 ’that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.’ ” 30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 Then they arose early in the morning and swore an oath with one another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. 32 It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day. 34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.

My Thoughts

Water was obviously very important. Isaac had his team continually looking for water and drilling wells. He needed it for him, his family, his livestock, and everyone else with him. It was crucial he find water. And it was crucial it was readily available.

In our lives, like physical water, we need spiritual water. The zeal that Isaac had for finding this physical water is the same zeal we should have finding spiritual water. We should continually be digging for God to speak to us, direct us, recharge us, and fill us up. Jesus said that He was the living water and that we needed it.

In the same way we need to consume water all through the day, we need spiritual refreshing through the day. In fact, I would say we need to receive from the Lord hourly. So how do we do that? Here are a few ideas.

– Every time the clock hits a new hour, take a moment and thank God for something.
– Read your Bible when you wake up and just before you go to sleep.
– Pray often. Just be in the habit of praying all the time.
– Look for God in every situation. Dig for the presence of God.
– Have a song you like to sing continually coming out of your mouth.
– Ask God to continually fill you and give you a desire to want more of Him.

Your Questions

1. Would you say you are full right now or dehydrated?

2.  Are you in the habit of digging for spiritual water?

3.  If our bodies get sick if they go to long without water, what happens to our spiritual lives if we go too long without being with God?

4.  Is there anything on the list above you will try in order to dig wells in the Spirit?

1 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east. 7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. 11 And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi. 12 Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13 And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations. 17 These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren. 19This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” 24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.  29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

My Thoughts

What we see Esau doing is something we all do from time to time. Esau made a rash decision based on his physical want and need. He was hungry. And he didn’t care what he had to do to eat. He was impulsive. He didn’t think through his decision. He was exaggerative. He wasn’t really going to die if he didn’t eat right that moment.

We often make decisions too quickly. We don’t think them through. We need something now and will often sacrifice the future for the immediate. Instant gratification can be a very real downfall. Often times, when we are in need or crisis, we will try to solve our problems on our own without help from God or others. When things heat up, we need to slow down. Esau was hungry, but he didn’t have to give up his birthright just to eat. Here are a few ideas to remember:

– If at all possible, wait 24 hours before making decisions in crisis mode
– Think about what will happen as a result of your decision
– Get counsel from others. Find out what others think
– Weigh out every option. Is there another way?
– Above all else, pray and follow the Bible’s instruction
– Trust God to provide what you need
– Preserve what God has given you and cherish it

Your Questions

1. When have you made a rash decision in crisis mode?

2.  Why do we often not make great decisions in the heat of the moment?

3.  On the list above, which of those do you need to remember most?

4.  How much do you think the devil tries to get involved with our lives when we are in a crisis situation?

Genesis 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”  2 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.”  3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, 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.  4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.  5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”  6 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.  7 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?”   8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.  9 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.  10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 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.”  13 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.  14 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.”  15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,  16 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 –  17 ”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.  18 ”In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”  19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.  20 Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, “Indeed Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:  21 ”Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,  22 ”Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”  23 And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.  24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

My Thoughts

This story always challenges my thinking. I can’t believe just how obedient Abraham was. And I can’t even begin to know what must have been going through Isaac’s mind. But I have some scattered thoughts about this passage.

God may provide something to us, but we can’t idolize it or clutch it as if we are the owners of it. God promised a son to Abraham and delivered. But God did not want Abraham to idolize Isaac. It can happen in our lives with people or stuff.

God blesses obedience. If you obey God, you will not be able to escape blessings. We obey God because we love Him regardless of the outcome. God blesses us when we choose to obey Him and follow Him.

God was testing Abraham. God at times allows us to go through challenges that reveal to Him and to us what we are made of. This test revealed Abraham was loyal and obedient and unwavering in his devotion to God. When we go through trials and tests, God is measuring us. And it’s not so much that He wants to see, but He wants us to see.

Abraham had to build the altar on which Isaac would be sacrificed. In the Old Testament days, altars were often built so that sacrifices would be made. We don’t do that so much today, obviously, because we no longer sacrifice to God in this way. But God still likes for us to create places and times to give Him what He wants. To read your Bible, you have to create space in time for that. To worship God, we have to make time for that. Whatever God is asking for, we have to create time and space for it.

Your Questions

1.  What has God given you that is of great value to you?

2.  Has God ever asked you to give something up?

3.  Why is idolatry such a bad thing?

4.  What kinds of thoughts do you think went through Isaacs head before, during, and after this event?

1 And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him — whom Sarah bore to him — Isaac. 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” 7 She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” 8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.”  11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 ”Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 ”Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. 20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 ”Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?” 30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

My Thoughts

Abraham’s son is born. And now Sarah is disturbed by seeing Abraham’s other son. She wants that son gone. And God sides with Sarah. And so the son is sent off.

What strikes me is that God earlier on made a promise to bless His son, the one that would be born to Sarah. However, this other son gets God’s blessing because a promise is a promise—it was Abraham’s son also. God’s exact words were “because He is your seed.” Once God put the blessing of Abraham into motion, and inked it, He was bound to it.

God just can’t go back on His word. And even when what He promised is fulfilled in an unusual way, He still seems to honor His word. There are words that God has spoken to us in the Bible that, if we grab them and speak them, God will fulfill on our behalf. God is so tremendously faithful. He is not at all wavering when He makes His word come alive and when it is inked. Abraham had God’s word, God’s promise. He had instructions on how to walk faithfully towards God. And because He did, his children were blessed.

Your Questions

1. What promises has God made that you are holding on to?

2.  What has God told you to do that you are being obedient in doing?

3.  Do you agree that this child should have been blessed just like Isaac was?

4.  Why is God’s word and promise so important to us?

1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” 4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 ”Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 ”Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” 8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?” 11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 ”But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 ”And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ‘ ” 14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked. 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

My Thoughts

If ever there is a picture of God’s grace, it is painted here. Abraham tries to avoid death so he portrays Sarah as his sister. I am sure he was afraid. I am sure he was scared for his life. But he simply lied. And she lied. And God has to step in and save the day. But there’s more. God causes Abimelech to give Abe and Sarah all kinds of stuff. And in return, Abimelech finds healing on his entire group. Grace.

God often tells us what to do. Then we set out to do it in our own way without considering God’s idea. And so God has to bail us out time and time again. But Abraham comes out so much better coming out of this situation than he went in. That is just like God. He takes a bad situation, injects His master plan, and brings great blessing out of it. He protects us, blesses us, and keeps us on track. There are so many times when God has probably done this for us and we had no idea.

A few directives. Do what God says. Don’t freelance. Look for the blessing of God. Never lie. Never ask someone else to lie. Be courageous. Have a backbone.

Your Questions

1. Why is lying such a bad thing?

2.  Why do you think God bailed out Abraham and Sarah?

3.  What would have happened if Abimelech would have taken Sarah for a wife?

4.  What are some blessings you received after a bad situation?

We need to know you are coming, how many, and what you are bringing. Simply leave a comment on this post, or send an email to tonyc @ legacyfellowship . org.  This will make sure we don’t have 10 pounds of potato salad.

The door will open at 10. Food is served starting at 11:15. Everyone leaves when they start to fall asleep!

Inflatable pool for the kids

Drinks
Soda
Tea
Lemmonade
Ice

Side Dishes
Potato Salad
Bread
Salsa
Chips
Jalepenos
Cole Slaw
Desserts
Watermelon
Brownies
Cookies
Popsickles
A Blue Bell Ice Cream Truck

1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 2 And he said, “Here now, my Lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.” 3 But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.” 6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8″See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.” 9 And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.  11 And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. 12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city — take them out of this place! 13 ”For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. 15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” 18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my Lords! 19 ”Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20 ”See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” 21 And he said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 ”Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. 30 Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. 31 Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. 32 ”Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 34 It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” 35 Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.

My Thoughts

This story is not an easy one to read. We have men in a city who want to do vile things to angels. We have a father willing to give his daughters up to save the angels. We have the complete destruction of a city by God with no more mercy being given. We have Lots wife who ignores the instruction of God and becomes salt. We have Lots daughters getting their father drunk and sleeping with him. This is a complete Jerry Springer season.

I can’t help but think that Lot and his family have been heavily influenced by the debauchery in Sodom and Gomorra. He was the one that chose to live close to those cities. And there is no doubt his wife, his daughters, and even he himself were influenced by this sinful and demonic area.

We cannot assume that we are not affected by the people we hang around with, the media we consume, and the trends in our culture. We can get comfortable with anything if we saturate ourselves in it long enough. And the more something is embraced in a culture, the number we get to the dangers of it if it is Biblically wrong.

Our main objective is to know God’s word and what He expects. And we have to let go and push away from anything that does not line up with God’s word. It’s our words, our entertainment, our friends, our attitudes, the jokes we laugh at or tell, or anything else. We have to decide to be Biblical. And when we live Biblically authentic lives, we will steer clear of danger and God’s punishment or discipline.

Your Questions

1. What are some things going on in our world that are against God’s word?

2.  Think about your friends. How are they influencing you?

3.  Are you doing anything that is culturally acceptable but Biblically wrong?

4.  How much time is enough for you to read your Bible?

1 Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.  2So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,  3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.  4 ”Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.  5 ”And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.”  6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.”  7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.   8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.  9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.”  10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)  11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.  12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my Lord being old also?”  13 And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’  14 ”Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”  15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”  16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.  17 And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,  18 ”since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  19 ”For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”  20 And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,  21 ”I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”  22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.  23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  24 ”Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?  25 ”Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  26 So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”  27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:  28 ”Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”  29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”  30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”  31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”  32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”  33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

My Thoughts

Is anything too hard for the Lord? I have lived now probably over half of my life. I have seen answers to prayers and I have seen prayers go seemingly unanswered. I have seen people healed and have watched people die. I have seen people blessed immeasurably and I have seen businesses close. I have seen love bloom in marriages and I have seen marriages end in flames. To be honest, I find I don’t always understand how God makes decisions, why He makes them, and what is the benefit of how He was working things out.

But one thing I cannot escape is the knowledge that nothing is too hard for God. There is nothing outside His capability. He can heal, fix, repair, bless, direct create, and restore. He can master the weather and the earth. He can move humans and animals to do whatever He needs. He is completely in control. Nothing at all is too difficult for Him.

What I am constantly working on is why I have difficulty dealing with the way God does some things. We often pray for the miracles of God. But we don’t often pray for the mind of God. His mind, the way He rationalizes, is more complex than the most powerful computer. Everything on the planet moves together. If He makes it rain, the grass and plants get watered but the kids sporting events get cancelled. If a person gets a job, someone else doesn’t get that job. We may have had to work late at the office, but just long enough to avoid an accident. If we are looking at a house and want to find a cheap foreclosure, someone lost their home to make that possible. He has to manage it all. Everything has to be supervised. And while it’s not too difficult for Him to do, sometimes it’s too difficult for me to grasp. I recognize I am shallow in my thinking, self serving and self centered. My prayer requests for God to do something huge could severely impact someone else if God answers my prayer.

The point is, I need to pray a lot more to have the understanding and mind of God so that I understand the delays to my answered prayers or when He flat out does not answer my prayer. He is, after all, managing from a bigger perspective than mine.

Your Questions

1.  Do you have prayers that are unanswered right now?

2.  Would you say you are looking for God’s understanding in your prayers?

3.  Why should we often remember that God is managing a complex universe?

4.  Why doesn’t God just force everything to be perfect?

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 ”And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 ”As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 ”No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 ”I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 ”And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 ”Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” 9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 ”This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 ”and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 ”He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 ”He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 ”And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” 15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 ”And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!” 19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. 20 ”And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 ”But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.” 22 Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23 So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; 27 and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

My Thoughts

It’s one thing to hear what God says either in our hearts or in His word, the Bible. It’s something completely different to do what it says. Hearing is easy. But to act on the hearing requires a lot from us.

In this case, God told Abraham a few things. One thing He said was that Sarai would have a name change and bear a son. Another thing He said was to circumcise the males. That’s a lot to listen to. It’s a lot to believe. But it’s a HUGE lot to act on. And so Abram goes about and circumcises every male including himself.

The Bible is not an encoded document. What God is asking us to do and be is pretty clear. We can make excuses or justify our actions, but when we know what we are supposed to be doing or not doing and do the opposite, we are walking in sin. For Abram, there was surely a sense of reservation. But he chose God and he chose to obey God and he chose to believe God. Following God can be easy at times or difficult at times. But there is never a bad time to follow God. There is a reward for obedience. There is less trouble and regret to wade through. Someone always benefits when we hear God and obey. It may seem crazy. It may seem wild. It may even be difficult. But God knows so much more about what He is doing than we do.

Your Questions

1. Why do you think God wanted Sarai to change her name to Sarah?

2.  In verse 1, what do you think it meant when God told Abram to walk blameless before Him?

3.  Are you 100% committed to following God, no matter how easy or complex?

4.  What are some challenging things God has asked you to do?