Abraham

      There is a path for us to find, & only God can find it, if we want to find that path, we have to find God (In Him).

      I. Abram departed in faith  GEN 12:4c says, ....

This was about the Half way point. I call it "The half way point of compromise." Abram was only half obedient.

                  A. The word "Haran" means "A parched place, burn, dry."

                              1. When you're in a place of compromise you're in a parched place you'll fell burnt out, you'll fell dry.

                              2. The idea is to depart from the place of compromise, just like Abram did, he departed from Haran, his place of compromise, he departed in faith.

                  B. Faith is always based on the Word of God. (ROM 10:17) Says, So then faith ....     JAMES says that there has to be an act of faith or a working of faith, obedience is the act of faith.

ABRAM HAD GOD'S WORD. LOOK AT. GEN 12:1

      II. So Abram went.-- GEN 12:5c Now Abram went by faith, he didn't know what was ahead, the Lord told him to go & that was enough for Abram.

                  A. GEN 12:7a The land was God's gift to Abram & his seed.

                  B. When we're walking in faith, we enable God to bless us. God wants to bless us, He's not a respecter of persons, but in a sense he is a respecter of faith.

                              1. When you're standing in faith or you could say trusting God for something, you give God an opportunity to meet that need.

                              2. EPH 1:3 God has already blessed us w/ every spiritual blessing, but it takes faith to receive them.  You might be saying, "Well, I don't see them manifesting yet." It takes faith to cause those things to manifest.

      III. Many times those things won't manifest because we don't spend enough time in Praise & Worship. ACTS 16:25-26 [The words "Sang praises" in (V. 25) means "Sang songs"

                  A. One of the interesting things about worship is that we have to do it by faith. Faith that God hears us, faith that God receives it, faith that we're doing it right.

                  B. Abram worshiped the Lord in faith, 3 times in the Vs. we read. Abram worshiped the Lord. Each time he was in a different place in his life.

                              1. 1st, When the Lord gave him the land, in GEN 12:7

                              2. 2nd, When he was restored after his backsliding into Egypt. [Egypt type of sin]  GEN 13:4

                              3. 3rd, As he progressed on his journey. GEN 13:18

      C. Each time Abram worshiped the Lord, it refers to an alter.

An alter is where they sacrificed an animal to the Lord in worship. The animal sacrifice would provide for their temporary restoration.

                              1. Now Jesus is our Lamb slain for our permanent restoration.

                              2. (HEB 9:14) In referring to animal sacrifices says, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

                              3. Before Jesus was slain for our sins, we couldn't worship God the same way we do today.

                                          a. (V 14) Said "We are purged to serve the LIVING GOD.

                                          b HEB 4:14-16a We now can come boldly to the throne of grace to worship God.

      IV. Now I want to look at Abram's declining faith. [WENT DOWN TO EGYPT]

                  A. In (GEN 12: 7), ABRAM WAS IN GOD'S PERFECT WILL, IN THE PROMISED LAND. IN (.V 8), HE BUILT AN ALTER TO THE LORD.

                  B. BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN V. 9. (GEN 12) WHY DID HE KEEP ON GOING? HE WAS IN GOD'S WILL BY BEING IN CANAAN.

                              1. But look what happens when your out of God's will V.10

                                          a. I Think it was more than a food famine.

                                          b. It was also a SPIRITUAL FAMINE.

                              2. Because of the famine he was FORCED TO GO TO EGYPT.

                                          a. REMEMBER THAT EGYPT IS A TYPE OF SIN.

                                          b. Because of a spiritual famine he was forced to go to SIN.

                                          c. Not that God forces a person to go into sin, but just as the flesh forced him to seek out Egypt, a spiritual famine causes the flesh to seek out sin.

                              3. IN (Vs. 11-19) ABRAM IS INVOLVED IN A LIE & POSSIBLY SELLING HIS WIFE TO PHARAOH. [STILL CONSENTED]

                  C. V. 20 AT LEAST ABRAM WAS LEAVING EGYPT

                              1. NOW LOOK WHERE HE WENT. GEN 13:1-4

                              2. BACK IN FELLOWSHIP W/ GOD.

      V. After Abram came out of Egypt {sin} he began to operate in faith again [vision of faith].

                  A. GEN 13:14-16 T LORD TOLD ABRAM TO "LOOK" '

                  B. Lot also looked around & he chose t land that looked t best to him  [plains of Jordan] but it wasn't long before he was in Sodom. He went after his own will.

                  C ABRAM FOLLOWED T DIRECTION OF T LORD. WHEN WE FOLLOW T LORD'S WILL WE WILL ALWAYS FIND BLESSINGS.

      VI. ABRAM HAD QUITE A JOURNEY OF FAITH.

                  A. From his departure of faith to his destination of faith.

                  B. From his destination of faith to his worship of faith.

                  C. FROM HIS WORSHIP OF FAITH TO HIS DECLINING OF FAITH.

                  D. FROM HIS DECLINING OF FAITH TO HIS VISION OF FAITH.

                  E. FROM HIS VISION OF FAITH TO HIS ADVANCE OF FAITH.

      VII. GEN 13:18 ABRAM DWELT W/ T LORD IN HEBRON.

                  A. T WORD "HEBRON" MEANS "FELLOWSHIP", ABRAM DWELT W/ T LORD IN FELLOWSHIP.

                  B. AFTER T HINDRANCES WE'RE GONE, FAITH ADVANCES.

                  C. WHEN FAITH ADVANCES IN T WAYS OF GOD, IT ENJOYS God's best & we stay in fellowship w/ t Lord.

TFC 9/10/89 & WOLCC 11/10-91 SUN AM