Faith - Trusting God to Make the Right Decision!

Faith - Trusting God to Make the Right Decision!

OG’s of the OT

Abraham

Slide How many of you have ever made a bad decision?

Today we are looking at an OG in the OT who made one decision that changed the world. His decision was to listen and follow the Lord God.

So … here is a little behind the scenes of what was going on …

One portion of Shem’s descendants eventually moved into Ur of the Chaldees (Iraq of present day). And here, even today, still exist the remains of a temple that was dedicated to the moon god, Nanna (su-en, in Sumerian), and his wife, Nin-gal (the great lady). And Ur of the Chaldees of the ancient world was a sacred city, a city consecrated to the worship of Nanna and Nin-gal. And all the citizens of Ur were sacred servants of the moon god.

Within this city, Terah, a descendant of Shem, lived and worked, according to tradition, as an idol-maker. Terah had three sons: Nahor, Abram, and Haran. Haran had a son called Lot before he died. Thus, Terah and his family were moon worshippers. In some manner, "the God of glory" revealed Himself to Abram

in Ur of the Chaldees. At this point, God commanded Abram to leave Ur. For having discovered the Living God, Elohim, Abram had to separate himself from the moon worshippers. And Abram responded to his God.

Who was Abraham (Abram)

Abram - exalted father and Abraham the father of a multitude.

Strengths and accomplishments:

· His faith pleased God.

· Became the founder of the Jewish nation.

· Was respected by others and was courageous in defending his family at any cost.

· Was not only a caring father to his own family but practiced hospitality to others.

· Was a successful and wealthy rancher.

Weakness and mistake:

· Under direct pressure, he distorted the truth.

Lessons from his life:

· God desires dependence, trust, and faith in him—not faith in our ability to please him.

· God’s plan from the beginning has been to make himself known to all people.

Vital statistics:

· Where: Born in Ur of the Chaldeans; spent most of his life in the land of Canaan

· Occupation: Wealthy livestock owner

· Relatives: Brothers: Nahor and Haran. Father: Terah. Wife: Sarah. Sons: Ishmael and Isaac

Slide Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1

Slide And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3

We all know that there are consequences to any action we take. What we do can set into motion a series of events that may continue long after we’re gone. Unfortunately, when we are making a decision most of us think only of the immediate consequences. These are often misleading because they are short-lived. You might say …

Slide You make your decisions and then your decisions make you!

Abraham had a choice to make. His decision was between setting out with his family and belongings for parts unknown or staying right where he was. He had to decide between the security of what he already had and the uncertainty of traveling under God’s direction. All he had to go on was God’s promise to guide and bless him. Abraham could hardly have been expected to visualize how much of the future was resting on his decision of whether to go or stay, but his obedience affected the history of the world. His decision to follow God set into motion the development of the nation that God would eventually use as his own when he visited earth himself. When Jesus Christ came to earth, God’s promise was fulfilled; through Abraham the entire world was blessed.

You probably don’t know the long-term effects of most decisions you make. But shouldn’t the fact that there will be long-term results cause you to think carefully and seek God’s guidance as you make choices and take action today?

Key verse for Abraham is found in Genesis 15

Slide And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6

Abraham’s Faith

Slide Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. Hebrews 11:1–2

Slide A Dream

(age 75) Gen. 12:1-3 “(God) “I will make you into a great nation . . .”

Slide Decision

“So Abraham left as the Lord had told him to . . .” Gen. 12:4

Slide Delay (age 86)

“But Sarah still had not borne any children . . .” Gen. 16:1

Slide Difficulty (age 99)

“How can a son be born to a man my age?” Gen. 17-18

Slide Dead-end

“Take your only son, whom you love, and sacrifice him.” Gen. 21:1-6; 22:1-12

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” Hebrews 11:17–18

Slide Deliverance!

“(God) “Don’t hurt the boy . . . I’ve provided a lamb . . .” Gen. 22:12-14

Slide What does God want the most from us?

Slide Faith

Slide And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Slide For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17

for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

An Outrageous Promise made by an unseen person concerning invisible realities, which are of eternal consequence!

Slide Remember What God Can Do!

as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Romans 4:17

But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27

Slide Rely On What God Has Said!

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” Romans 4:18

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, Hebrews 11:17

Slide Face The Facts With Faith!

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, Romans 4:19–20

as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

Slide Expect God To Deliver You

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Romans 4:20–21

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 2 Corinthians 1:9–10

3 Kinds of Deliverance

Slide Circumstantial – from situations

Slide Personal – from ourselves

Slide Ultimate (Heaven) – from our sin and hell