The Truth About the Road Back to God's Will

Series Intro: few men, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself have has such an impact on the history of the world as did the man introduced to us in this passage of scripture. This man is revered by over one-half the world’s population. In our day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and Christians. In ancient times the Jews considered Abraham to be almost worthy of their worship.

Consider This:

1. Genesis 1-11 deals with 2000 years of history-creation, sin, flood, languages changed.

2. All the rest of Genesis 12-50 covering about 400 years deals with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

3. The rest of the OT 39 books deals with the history of the nation which sprang from Abraham, the nation of Israel.

4. All of the rest of the Bible is occupied with and centers on Abraham’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. One man’s obedience and devotion impacted all of human history, and we don’t think it is important for us to obey God!!!!

In the Bible, Abraham is presented to us as a great example of a man who lived his life by faith, Heb. 11:8-19. James 2:23 records the fact that Abraham was called the “Friend of God.” This man’s life was a special life and a great portion of the first book of the Bible is devoted to it. Now, some may ask, “Why take the time to study a man who lived 4,100 years ago?” My answer to you is that, first, the Bible takes the time to speak about him, so we should take the time to study him. The second is that the life of Abraham teaches us much about the matter of walking with God by faith. That, after all, is the goal of the Lord for all His children. God is calling every one of His children to live a life of faith. This man teaches us how.

Introduction:

IN Genesis 12:10-20 Abram is seen leaving the Promised Land to journey DOWN to Egypt because of a famine (unpredictable circumstance). Anytime a believer leaves the place that God has for them they are on a downward path!!

Notice the life of Abram as he moved from God’s place for him to where he wanted to be:

1. He lied about his wife and encouraged her to do the same

2. He became self-centered

3. He doubted God’s promises

4. He created the potential for others to sin

5. He presented to the people of Egypt a poor image of a believer in God

6. He ruined his testimony in the eyes of the Egyptians

7. His lack of faith and fall into sin would have lasting consequences

8. His disobedience would impact Lot in a negative way.

Adventures in Faith: Studies in the Life of Abraham Back to Bethel

But the damage has been done. He has weakened his testimony and done irreparable damage to weak-kneed, worldly Lot, his nephew. For, mind you, he took Lot along into Egypt. The believer never backslides alone, he always craves company.

The good news is that failure in the Christians life does not have to be final!!!

Abram did take a downward path to go into Egypt but we see from our text that he took an UPWARD path to get back to the land of Canaan!!

It is always possible for the wayward, backslidden believer to come back to God, but there are certain requirements that must be met.

1 John 1:9 KJV 1900

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3 things that need to happen in order to get back to the place of God’s blessing and His Will.

I. It Involves Removing-vs. 1-2

A. He removed his person from Egypt

1. Abram separated himself from Egypt. He placed distance between himself and that place.

2. Separation is a requirement for those that want to serve the Lord:

2 Corinthians 6:14–17 KJV 1900

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Psalm 1:1 KJV 1900

1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Proverbs 9:6 KJV 1900

6 Forsake the foolish, and live; And go in the way of understanding.

RU Principle #6- Those who do not love the Lord will not help you serve the Lord.

3. It is only by God’s grace that He allowed Abram to leave Egypt at all: he lied to Pharaoh and could have been killed.

If we got what we deserved we would be slain in our sins but God deals with us in mercy and love and not in wrath and anger.

B. He removed his possessions from Egypt

1. He did not leave anything that he owned to be used by that evil system.

2. Many Christians talk about a love for the Lord yet they spend more of their resources on worldly pleasures than they commit to the control of the Lord:

Time-Social media/texting/You Tube/TikTok, etc. as compared to church attendance and Bible reading or visitation

Time- involved in many worldly amusements/activities but do not have time to come out to all of the church services.

Talents-many could sing in a choir, make visits, help clean around church, prepare the prophet chamber, sort out the baptistery stuff, etc.

Treasure- God blesses in direct proportion to our giving:

Malachi 3:8–9 KJV 1900

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, Even this whole nation.

Luke 6:38 KJV 1900

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Many do not think anything of spending $50-$75 dollars on a Colts jersey but would never give that to missions!!!! $30-$60 dollars a week to keep up a tobacco habit but balk at giving $10 a week to help a kid to camp!!!

$200 a month cell phone bill or $700 a month car payment but can’t tithe!!!

To get back on the path to God’s blessing it may involve to removing.

To get back out of Egypt it may involve some removing.

II. It Involves Returning- vs. 3

A. To the place of God’s worship

1. Notice two words-beginning-vs. 3 and first-vs. 4

2. When Abram was in Egypt there were no altars, there was no praying, there was no word from the Lord.

Hosea 6:1 KJV 1900

1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: For he hath torn, and he will heal us; He hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

3. The child of God will never be blessed until they return to where God can be encountered.

1 Peter 2:25 KJV 1900

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

B. To the place of God’s working

1. Abram returned to the place that God had previously worked in his life.

The Lord will always be found in the place that we left Him.

2. Many of the Lord’s people need to return to their altar and renew their walk with God

Isaiah 55:7 KJV 1900

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV 1900

22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.

C. To the place of God’s will

1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV 1900

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV 1900

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Peter 3:17 KJV 1900

17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

“The place where God can bless you the most is the place where God places you”

The path back to the place of God’s blessing and God’s will involves: Removing and Returning

III. It Involves Reviving-vs. 4

A. A revived devotion to God

1. He came back to the place of the altar-“which he had made there at the first”.

A renewal of a desire to be in the presence of God.

2. NOTE- there is something fundamentally wrong when a believer possesses a lack of desire to worship the Lord or to be involved in spiritual things!!!

3. God desires us to be in a place where devotion and worship are priorities: publically and privately.

My public worship is an outflow of my private worship.

John 4:23–24 KJV 1900

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Matthew 6:33 KJV 1900

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Note- the church altar is : place of sacrifice, surrender, seeking the Lord, place of repentance, thanksgiving, forgiveness, rededication, salvation, place of supplication, worship and praise!!! Ought to be visited on a regular basis!!!

B. A revived dependence on God

All of this happened because Abram chose fear over faith when the famine came. The famine represents an unplanned/unexpected event that happens in the life of the Christian.

It should shock us if we really consider how often we choose fear over faith when God brings an unexpected famine into our lives.

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV 1900

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

“called on the name of the Lord”

Abram is now through with Egypt and does what he should have done in the 1st place: calls on God!!! Not Running from God!!!

Jeremiah 33:3 KJV 1900

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Deuteronomy 4:29 KJV 1900

29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

2 Chronicles 15:4 KJV 1900

4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

Hosea 6:1 KJV 1900

1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: For he hath torn, and he will heal us; He hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

God wants us to be in a position of total dependence upon Him!!!

C. A revived dedication to God

1. Abram returned to his first love:

rev 2.2-5

Revelation 2:2–5 KJV 1900

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

2. So many of God’s children have allowed that original fire for God to turn into burning embers, we need revival!!

3. The days spent away from God are “wood, hay, and stubble” and are wasted and can never be redeemed!!!

Conclusion:

How many would have to admit that they are more “down” than “up” in their walk with God?

When we are in that “down” place out God cannot bless us or use us like He desires to.

We need to take the same steps that Abram did.

We need to determine in our hearts that Egypt is no place for us to dwell and that we are going back to Canaan, whatever the cost!!!

Remove, Return, And Revive!!!

Some have never called on God in the 1st place for salvation, why not do that today?

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