By Faith Abram

Hebrews 11:8-10

I want to look at the circumstances that came about in Abraham’s life, to cause him to grow and to change into this man that is written about in Hebrews.

Abram has been given a promise to become a new nation. What is he called to do? Leave his homeland, this shouldn’t be to difficult, right?

Trouble strikes in v.10. There was famine in the land.

Testing of Faith

Abram’s faith is about to be tested.

Abram, uncertain of what to do, he heads down to Egypt.

v.11-13

Abram asks Sarai, to tell the Egyptians that she was his sister.

This shows the faithlessness of Abram.

He doesn’t trust in the promises of God; and as such he shows himself a coward by asking his wife (who he is called to protect) to do a detestable thing in lying, and also possibly being married off to a Egyptian.

Faithlessness will:

Crush those who are close to you.

The points when you are in need of faith are always times of trying.

You will place expectations on others around you to fill the void that only God can fill.

What tragedy waits anyone who has such a low view of God that they believe they must accomplish the tasks set before them in their own power. They will destroy themselves with the anxieties and worries of this life, and those closest to them as they place the burden’s of their anxieties on them. This is a weight that only God can carry. We must have a high enough view of God to know He is the one who will sustain us through the hardships we might face in this world.

Do you not know that God, the sovereign one has led you into the storm? Do you not know that the one who led you to the storm, is sovereign over the storm itself?

Faith means when you are faced with trials, you look to God in the midst of the trial, knowing whatever might happen is in accord with His will.

Faith mean when you are scared, you don’t become paralyzed with fear. But you courageously look for the next right thing that God has called you to do.

When we have trails that we face, God has an intended purpose for those trials, He is using them to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ.

Do not be broken by them, enter into the school of suffering. Allowing God to teach you and train you.

Don’t be like Abram, acting in an unrighteous way to save your own skin.

If & when you do fail, and your faith becomes weak. Go back to the starting point of your crisis to remember the origin of your faith.

Go Back

13:1-4

Abraham is having a point of crisis in His life. He realizes the extent of his doubt. He sees how he has failed.

He goes back to to “the beginning” (v.3). To the place where God had called him.

Abram is going back and remembering the promise that God had made him.

When we have faithless points in our lives. We must go back to the foundations of our faith:

Why do you believe in God?

What have you seen God do/how has he revealed Himself to you?

Remember that God is sovereign.

What calling has he placed on your life.

We can only move forward when we have confidence (faith) in God.

The way to build faith is to remember that God has been steadfast through all our trials.

Growth of Faith

13:8-9

Abram has realized that God is the sustainer of his life. Therefore he is placing confidence in God for the outcome of his life.

Here Abram is looking at two options and saying it doesn’t matter what the choice is. God is his sustainer and God will uphold Abram no matter which direction he goes.

I have seen Christians who are unable to move, unable to proceed unless they have recieved a sign from God that this is the direction He desires you to go.

Though on the surface this may have the appearance of holiness, it is a supreme lack of faith.

God’s natural way for us to realize His will, is to search his word, come to him in prayer, maybe get counsel so we don’t miss our blind spots. Then proceed forward in righteous action trusting that He will direct our paths.

If you are waiting for God to speak to you through a bumper sticker on a passing car. A bird flying overhead. Some great sign, then you are saying “God’s word isn’t sufficient, I need more” which is faithlessness.

Websters definition of that is divination.

divination: The art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

Deuteronomy 18:10–12 ESV

10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.

Trying to divine the will of God by external sources is condemned by God, and an act of faithlessness. For you are trying to create a shortcut to get around God’s ordinary means.

This is a trap that as believers we can fall into. This is a warning to not do it.

Abram, his trust in God had grown. He can see that both area’s were in the area God had told him to live. His faith has grown where he know’s God will provide. He can move forward with confidence knowing that whichever direction he goes, he will be in the will of God.

Proverbs 16:9

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

The Boldness of Faith

So, in chapter 14 we see 5 kings (the king of Sodom where Lot was living being one of them) who were tired of serving king Ka-door-la-om-air, king of Elam. They decided to rebel and these 5 kings faced off against Ka-door-la-om-air and 4 other kings in the valley of Siddim.

14:10-12

It’s kind of hinted that Lot may have fallen into a bitumen pit.

He is taken captive.

14:14-15

Abram hears about Lot being taken, he pursues!

We see that Abram has turned from, kind of a cowardly man, who will give up his wife to save his skin. To a man who is ready to pursue and do battle when it is the right thing to do!

Some might say, “he had 318 men…against 5 kings.

Abram knew that it would not have been right to let his nephew be drug off. So he pursued, and battled to win Lot back.

Abram had the courage that comes from knowing that he serves a sovereign God. We are called to live righteously before God regardless of the consequences.

The same thought that Abram had would later be reflected by Esther when she says “I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.

It’s reflected in Daniel when knowing that he would be executed for praying, he prays anyways.

In the 1550’s John Calvin had an academy founded in Geneva. Graduates would serve as evangelists and church planters in France. The average life expectancy of a graduate of that academy was six months. Yet they were bold in preaching the gospel.

They were persecuted for living in righteous ways.

In America today, surprisingly the reason you will face persecution isn’t as much becasue you say that Jesus is the only way. (There are many who call on the name of Jesus and don’t know Him)

But you say there are only two genders, and they are assigned at birth.

Marriage is between a male and a female.

Men are called to lead their families.

Chopping up babies, is wrong.

It astounds me, but these are things today that you will face backlash for.

By the way, if you are involved in one of the sins I have mentioned, there is forgiveness, and love waiting for you. We will not say that the way you live is right, but there is forgiveness if you go to God and ask for it and turn from the way you were living.

There are many in this world who are deceived by the enemy. You must stand for what is righteous.

Baby Steps

If you want to stand strong later, you have to start now.

If you want your faith to be strong, you need to begin trusting God in the little things now.

The only way for us to grow, is to go through trials.

But through those trials, God will cause us to grow.

We must place our trust in Him as we move foreward.