Discipleship and Your Call

Discipleship and Your Call : Remaining faithful to the promise

Gen 15:1

I am your shield

Your very great reward

Comment:

Abram just saved his relative Lot from an invasion of Sodom, the king of Sodom wanted to reward Abram for bringing them salvation in a physical sense. The King offered him all the treasures of the war.   However, when offered the treasure of this war, and the spoils that he deserved Abram’s answer was shocking.

Gen 14:22

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me

Point 1:

Abram walked by faith

Abram recognized that in his life there was something far greater then riches, treasure and power.  Abrams life had a sense of call, a purpose and he wasn’t striving to achieve anything in the natural.  His heart, his actions, his righteousness, his conquering was all derivative of one thing.  Faith in God’s promises and his word!

1. Abram believed in Gods promise so much that he would not accept anything in the physical.  He would only accept that which could be offered in faith
   
   
2. Abram brought Salvation to a place that God ends up Destroying in chapters 19-20
1. The King honor Abram with treasures and brings him a Priest of Yahweh, but the King himself never receives this salvation, this deliverance, in any other sense but in a physical sense. He was still blinded by the flesh

                                                               i.      What would of Happened if the King would of accepted the God Abram

1. Lot who a couple chapters earlier walks away from the promise of God into the World of Sodom and Gomorrah is saved, but instead of staying with Abram returns to his Sodom and Gomorrah.

                                                               i.      How often we know and taste God’s grace, but our flesh takes precedent over the promises of God.

1. The King and Lot could only See and react in the Flesh therefore, there heart followed its desires rather than the Spirit  

Gen 15:1,2

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram… 2 But Abram said …

Comment:

Abram had acted, walked and live out his faith.  He had been tested by the things of the world, offered riches, and had chance for great personal gain.  These were all things that could be seen.  Things people could point to and say, “Look at his accomplishments,”   or “Look how great he is doing.”  Abram chose not to make his name greater but to make God’s name honored by his faith.  By looking to the Spirit and living on the Promises of God found favor in his eyes.  Abram became less and allowed God to become more.  So God rewarded him.

Point 2:

Faithfulness leads to a deeper relationship with God

1. Up to this point in Abrams relationship with God had been God telling him what do and Abram responding by honoring God through worship and faithfulness.  The Level of there relationship promotes into a conversation
1. Instead of being just guided into the process or the will of God Abram becomes actively interactive #. His relationship with God becomes more interment
2. God renews his Promises

                                                               i.      God’s desire is to promote

                                                              ii.      God’s desire is to bless

1. God still expected him to remain faithful to His word despite the promotion
   
   
2. Compare Abrams faithfulness to that of Lot
1. Abram walks by Faith

                                                               i.      Lot walks by the Flesh

1. Abram seeks out Gods promises

                                                               i.      Lot seeks out his own Way

1. Abram brings salvation                                                                i.      Lot needs to be rescued, not one but twice
   
   
2. Abrams faithfulness births Gods Kingdom                                                                i.      Lots faithlessness lead to the birth of Kingdoms that war, and attack Israel and rebel against God
   
   
3. Abram is know for his faithfulness to God                                                                i.      Lot is know in association with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, His wife unfaithfulness turning into a pillar of salt, and for the incest with his daughters that birthed the rebellious nations of the Moabites and Ammonites (19:37-38)
   
   

Gen 15:6
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Comment:

We see here in this famous scripture the first time righteousness and faith is mentioned together.  The insinuation is that faithfulness is from the heart.  When God takes of hold of us it changes our Heart and the fruit of his faithfulness is righteousness.  It is never the other way around.  Abrams righteousness was based on his stance on not accepting the fleshly gifts of a king and believing God’s promises.  In other words if God spoke it he believed it.   Abrams action was by faith which led to Gods favor, Lots actions, although he believe in God, was by the flesh which led to Gods judgment and ultimately his disgrace.

Point:

Actions are a result of the state of your heart.  Righteousness is therefore the sum of ones faithfulness to God

Conclusion:

How does this relate to discipleship or being a disciple.  We as followers of Christ have to walk in sincerity of our faith with the same type of passion Abram had for God.  We have to trust Gods faithfulness and walk by the lens of his word and promises.  Faithfulness leads to God’s favor and he promotes us into a deeper relationship with him increasing our faith in his word. Disciples understand that He doesn’t promote us in a self serving way but rather increases our faith to believe in his word further and with a deeper passion and sensitivity.  Sadly we also see faithlessness usually means placing the flesh before the Spirit and our will before his word.  A quick study on Lot will surely show that along with the King of Sodom and his kingdoms fate.  It ultimately brings God’s judgment which never turns out Good.  Finally disciples actions are a result of faith and not desire.  They are righteous by the gift that God placed in them and it is the fruit of our Faith.  In a true sense we see faith as an action and not just a phrase stated, not just a word said or even prayed.  Faith is our lens, it is our quilt, it is our jacket, it is our offense and it is our defense, it is our red light and our green light, it is our heaven or it will be our hell.  God credits his goodness to those who have it, it activates him, it makes all things possible through him because it taps into his goodness.  Faith brings God’s favor and ultimately his reward.  Faith never strives in the flesh for things of the flesh, but is confident in the Spirit to look past the things of the flesh to the promises of God.  That my friends is a disciple and that is how you will find your call.