Deception, Persecution & Loss

Wednesday 05/31/17

Message – Deception, Persecution & Loss

Series: Thru the Bible – Genesis 20-21

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Deception, Persecution and Loss

Genesis 20

Abraham does it again – he acts deceitfully.
Evidently Sarah is still HOT.
God warns Abimelech in a dream.
God closed all the wombs in his house until this was rectified.
Abimelech apparently “knew about” God. Of course, remember Shem was still alive and the dispersion was still a fairly recent event.
Notice, there seems to be a inner knowing that the true God of all the earth would NOT do wrong and destroy a nation that is innocent.
God kept Abimelech from Sarah and thus from sin.
God identifies Abraham as a prophet.
Even though Abimelech was innocent here – God still required Abraham to pray for him…what does this teach us about God’s relationship to Abraham?
- What is He attempting to instill in him and teach him?
Abimelech goes above and beyond – settle on any of my land that you want and he gave 1,000 pieces of silver for Sarah’s honor.

Genesis 21

V1. The Lord did FOR Sarah what He as promised.
V8. circumcised on the 8th day
Gen 21:6-7,

“(6) Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.” (7) She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

A feast the day Isaac was weaned.
Ishmael mocked him.
Sarah got ticked!
Gen 21:10-13, “(10) So she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave with her son, for the son of this slave will not be a co-heir with my son Isaac!” (11) Now this was a very difficult thing for Abraham because of his son. (12) But God said to Abraham, “Do not be concerned about the boy and your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac. (13) But I will also make a nation of the slave’s son because he is your offspring.”
EARLY IN THE MORNING!
Hagar wandered in the wilderness – ran out of water and sat down to die.
God shows up! He hears Ishmael and speaks to Hagar.
Ishamel’s descendants are more Egyptian than Chaldean (v.21)
A Treaty with Abimelech – Gen 21:22-34, “(22) At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. (23) Now swear to me here by God that you will not break an agreement with me or with my children and descendants. As I have kept faith with you, so you will keep faith with me and with the country where you are a resident alien.” (24) And Abraham said, “I swear it.” (25) But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the water well that Abimelech’s servants had seized. (26) Abimelech replied, “I don’t know who did this thing. You didn’t report anything to me, so I hadn’t heard about it until today.” (27) Then Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. (28) But Abraham had set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock. (29) And Abimelech said to Abraham, “Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?” (30) He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand so that this act will serve as my witness that I dug this well.” (31) Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba because it was there that the two of them swore an oath. (32) After they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines. (33) Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he worshiped the LORD, the Everlasting God. (34) And Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines for many days.”

There is much more information in the audio/video of the actual message. I hope you listen, learn and enjoy!

…Blessings!

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Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!