Abraham, Father of Faith Part 4 “Saving Pennies”
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14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
Introduction
Introduction
Abraham was given a promise that he would be a possessor of all things.
Melchizedek identified Him as a possessor:
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Just because you have trials and tests, doesn’t mean you are not a possessor.
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Lot had been taken captive by enemies of Sodom.
A lack of separation in his life led to captivity.
11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Oh, what a horrible thing, the wages of sin is death! Lot realized, no doubt, walking along there and maybe with a rope or a chain around his neck, as a slave; his children, young girls to be ravished; and his wife, and everything, and probably die at any time he disobeyed one order, and maybe going into another kingdom somewhere to be a slave the rest of his days.
But Abraham, when he found out that Lot had been taken, that was part of Abraham’s possession. And Abraham might have said this, “God, You told me that if I would obey You and walk in here, in this land, You would give this to me. It belongs to me. And Lot’s part of this, and I’m going after him.” 62-0506 - "Possessing All Things"
As the elect of God, what should our mindset be towards those who are in captivity of sin, or the backslider, even if they are not the elect?
There are those who are in captivity, but they love their captivity.
(Man in Portland)
He wanted to harm God’s prophet. A person who would threaten God’s people doesn’t want to be helped.
They asked “Is he healed?”
I said, “No, sir. He worships that spirit, you see. And no way of helping him, at all, until he gets that out of his head.” I said, “But I wish you would roll him off of my feet, so I can move.” 64-0412 - "A Court Trial"
What was it? Did I hate that man? I loved him, a poor mortal in that condition. That wasn’t that man speaking; that was the devil. He was possessed of the devil. And the devil made the challenge, and the Holy Spirit challenged him back. 56-0614 - "God Provided A Lamb"
Look at the difference in that man and the maniac of Gadera:
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
The man wanted to be well, but demons had control of his body.
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Bro. Branham asks the question “He cares, Do you care?”
He cared when the neurotic called Legion cared enough, under opposition, to wiggle out from under those tombstones of devils and go out to meet Jesus, and throw hisself prostrate.
When, Legion! Them devils would have never come if Legion hadn’t have pushed his way out there to meet Him. And when he cared enough to make that effort, that stand in his belief, Jesus cared enough to cast out this legion of devils from him, and his neurotic condition was gone. He cared when you care. 63-0721 - "He Cares. Do You Care?"
He cares. Do you care?
Lot was just a penny, but he was Abraham’s penny.
Our sons and daughters belong to us.
The backslider belongs to us.
Those children who were raised in church but no longer serve God, they belong to us.
8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go?
9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord.
We’re taking all of them.
24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God.
26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.
What did he want to do, leave something back there so they knowed that they’d come back for it. That’s what Pharaoh, the devil’s still saying to the children.
But I like Moses’ statement. He said, “We won’t leave one hoof behind. We’ll go; everything that we’ve got will go.” 59-0612 - "All The Days Of Our Life"
He wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel. He believed the Gospel was for the children too.
Moses walked up before Pharaoh. He wasn’t ashamed to tell him that they would not compromise and take his so-many days out in the wilderness. He said, “Some of the women stay, by your children.”
Said, “We’ll all go! Not even one hoof will be left behind, we’ll take our cattle and all.” He wasn’t ashamed. Why? He had come into the Light of deliverance.
That’s the reason a man or a woman, sick or anything, once comes into the Presence of God, and knows that God has healed them, you’re stepping into the Light of deliverance. You don’t compromise on anything.
Deliverance was in his heart, for he had met the God Who said, “I am the God of Abraham, Who give Abraham the promise. And the time, time of redemption, of deliverance, is at hand. I’m sending you down there to take them out.” What’s to apologize, about that?
Pharaoh could have killed him. He was just a man. He was a slave. He could have killed him. But he wasn’t ashamed of the Word. He didn’t come down and get on his knees and beg to Pharaoh for nothing. He said, “I come to take them.” Pharaoh said, “Well, you can’t take them!”
He said, “All right, then there will be fleas upon the earth, till you will wade through them.” And there is what happened. Said, “Oh, Moses, take them away!” Said, “All right. Now do you repent?” Said, “Well, you can go so-many days in the wilderness.”
He said, “Then flies will come.” Amen. Said, “Darkness will come.” It was so dark you couldn’t see one place to the other.
And finally death come. From Pharaoh to the servant, it was death for the oldest child in the family. Didn’t have no apology to nobody. He was a son of Abraham, born in the Spirit of God, given commission by God, the Message of God, to go down and take those people out.
Well, can’t God call the same thing in this hour, to take out of the church a Bride? 65-0711 - "Ashamed"
I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because the Gospel is effective.
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Not every one is elect, but every one who wants to be saved can be saved.
Even Cain had no excuse.
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
You say “they are just pennies” but He needs pennies too.
Maybe some of them are silver dollars, you just don’t know it yet.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The Bride is the Elected of God. The church goes through…That’s the ones It says, “Whosoever will, let him come.” But the Bride is the Elected of God. 64-0823E - "Questions And Answers #2"
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Though you be in error, yet, in the righteousness of the projective of your heart that you desire to serve God, God will honor that.
So, therefore, denominations has no lines that they can set, that’ll stop God to any certain creed, because God will look upon the motives of the human heart, and there He will work from that spot. 57-1222 - "The Great Shining Light"
If you have a desire to serve God, that desire came from somewhere. Obey God.
And if you’ve got something in your heart for God, and you won’t express it, and so forth, and just keep putting it off, “Well, later on, later on.” And that little desire that you once had, to serve God, will be taken from you. The devil will come in and steal that away, and then you won’t have any desire to serve Him. 63-0803B - "Investments"
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
You want to be saved? Cry out to Him. Believe on Him.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
What should our attitude be towards the sinner?
What kind of people ought we to be? To realize that this day may be the last day that we’ll ever be mortal. Tomorrow we may be immortal. This is the only day we may ever have in our life, the last meeting we’ll ever set together, and work for the Kingdom of God.
How ought this meeting to be conducted tonight then? With the very highest of reverence, that with all of our hearts, we’re leaning to the Lord Jesus to give us every soul that’s here that isn’t converted, to help do something that’ll cause the unbeliever and the lukewarm to look on and receive the Lord Jesus Christ.
It’d be a selfish thing. If a man’s heart isn’t out to save his brother, there’s something wrong with his heart. No matter what condition, if his brother hates him, if his brother’s against him, if his brother’s tried everything he can to tear him down, yet that man’s heart pulls for his brother.
He can’t help it. There’s something in there that just calls out, “Oh, my brother, you’re wrong. But I want you to be saved.” And therefore you try with everything that’s in you to get your brother to believe with all of his heart and come into the Kingdom of God.
And now, that’s the kind of a meeting we want to have every time. I’ve preached to hundreds of thousands. And I’ve preached to just four or five people.
But I wouldn’t be any more sincere with five hundred thousand than I would be with five people, because one soul is valued to God as ten thousand worlds. 55-0120 - "The Seven Compound Names Of Jehovah"
Illustrate: Bro. Branham, Ed Byskal, and Bud Southwick’s brother with epilepsy:
TELL STORY
Do we care enough about our lost loved ones to go fight for them? Abraham did.
We are in the battle now. We’re after our fallen brother, that God, before the foundation of the world, saw and predestinated unto Eternal Life. And the things of the world has got him caught up in a whirlwind.
He’s out into societies and classes, him and his wife, walking up and down the streets, smoking and drinking and carousing, trying to find peace.
And the Spirit of Christ in us, as It would be in Abraham, we’re gone after him. With all the armors of God, the Angels of God encamped about, we’re gone to bring back our fallen brother. 57-0915E - "Hebrews, Chapter Seven #1"
Watch Abraham in the 14th chapter now, the blessed Spirit of Christ upon him, he went after his fallen brother. The Spirit of Christ on Abraham, he went after his fallen brother, and brought him back.
Abraham, the preacher of righteousness, went after his fallen brother, the denominational brother, and brought him back. Brought him back so he’d have another chance, after Satan had took him out, brought him back to have fellowship again.
And what great regards did Lot give to it? Did he go on out with Abraham saying, “Father Abraham, I been wrong. I know now, I’ve missed the blessings, I got carried away out there, went out in the world.
Now, I’ve…I know you’ve brought me back, I appreciate it. I’ll go and take the way with the Lord’s despised few.” No, he went right back down in Sodom again, and there, polluted, into Sodom. Is that right?
But watch Abraham, just in closing now, what a beautiful thing it was! When Abraham returned from the slaughter of the kings, watch what happened: Melchisedec come out to meet him. Melchisedec, which was the King of Salem, the King of peace, the King of righteousness. 61-0209 - "Jehovah-Jireh"
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Abraham had the right motives in holding the meeting, fighting the battle:
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
After the battle is over, we have a promise:
As soon as the battle was over, what did he bring out? Bread and wine, the communion. And they took communion after the battle was over. Let’s fight now, bring back the lost brother. Jesus said, “I’ll drink it anew with you in the Father’s Kingdom.” After the battle’s over. 59-0423 - "Abraham's Seed"
And when he separated himself, then God told Abraham, “Stand up. Look to the east, to the west, to the north, to the south.” Said, “Every bit of it belongs to you.” That was good enough. “It’s all yours; walk through it.” I like that, “Walk through it.”
That’s what’s the matter with the church today. When a man is borned again of the Spirit of God, every Divine blessing in this Bible belongs to you.
(Man buying a house)
And when I got saved, brother, I took this old treasure Book of God and looked through It to see what I possessed. I find out that every blessing that’s in that Bible belongs to me, and it belongs to every believer. Yes, sir.
You say “It’s out of reach”
If some of them seems to be a little out of my reach, I’ll pray till I get to it. That’s right. Every promise in the Book is yours. 57-0326 - "Jehovah-Jireh"
Conclusion
Conclusion
Lets save our pennies. Lets not leave a hoof behind.