Hebrews 5:8-10 - Obedience in Suffering

Hebrews 5:8-10

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 

Message: Obedience in Suffering

Time: Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who had suffered in the past and were now threatened with even more suffering. They'd done well years ago, but the author of Hebrews feared that they might now turn away from Christ to avoid further persecution.The opinions on the author of Hebrews has varied. The strongly Jewish character of the letter to the Hebrews helps to narrow down its date of composition, most likely AD 64–69.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Again, as a review, this study I have been working on is on Christ Alone, solus Christus. Christ Alone saves and during this study I have looked at Christ's Divine nature, as God's incarnate Son (God became Man), the Human Nature of Christ in which I saw Jesus being hungry, needing rest, is tempted, and was ignorant at times of events; Jesus the Last Adam in that like Adam he shared the federal head whereby all humanity is sinners because of Adam's sin, and Jesus is the federal head to all the redeemed, for all in Christ are made alive; and just as in the Old Testament, Israel is called by God and chosen to be His representative and to make the truth of Him known to everyone, but Israel failed, while Jesus fulfilled this; Jesus is Messiah, as the office of messiah includes delivering and rescuing people; the root of our Salvation is in Christ's active and passive obedience - his active obedience is living a perfect life and being obedient to the Law of God and his passive obedience is dying on the cross for our sins, paying the penalty for our sins, from childhood on, he showed his obedience, and this obedience includes being baptized, even though he did not need to be made clean, obedience in temptation as he was tempted in the same way we are and he shows us to always respond to temptation with God's truth, and then Jesus also was obedient to the Law, fulfilling every commandment. 

Christ's active obedience means his active obedience to the commands of God so that Christ could be our righteousness. But we also need his passive obedience, His suffering God's curse in order for us to be cleansed of the mark of sin on our lives. 

Jesus suffered - other men beat Him and crucified Him. He was actively involved in this. Today's text, Hebrews 5:8 says - He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Jesus, in His divine nature had no need to learn anything, but as man he can grow in knowledge. In this passage the idea of learned obedience means that Jesus came to understand suffering by experiencing it Himself. 

I wonder if my life is obedient in suffering. Do I complain, question, and grow impatient through suffering, wanting it to be over as quick as possible? Yes, I think that is normal, but as I go through it, I need to be dependent on God and His word, His promises that He has made to me. These kidney stones I have had have been marks of suffering, as well as the back pain I now have. Do I grow impatient with others? Probably. I need to rest in the confidence of God and let him use the suffering to grow me more dependent on Him. 

In Christ's suffering, He learned what it was for a sinless man to suffer for sinners. I find in life that I had to suffer when I feel like I have done nothing wrong. I am quick to question these and throw temper tantrums almost. Often I want vengeance. 

Jesus was made perfect, offering Himself as our atonement and became the source of eternal salvation. 

Promise: Christ endured unjust suffering. There are times when I need to endure this type of suffering. 

Prayer: Lord, give me discernment in knowing when I am to fight back and when I am to endure suffering. Thank you Jesus always for suffering for me and my sin so that I can live with God for eternity and have the peace of God in my life. Remove pride from me and give me a thankful heart always. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism, Obedience in Temptation, Obedience under the Law, Obedience in Suffering

Galatians 4:4-5 - Obedience Under the Law

Galatians 4:4-5 

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 

Message: Obedience Under the Law

Time: Paul wrote to the churches in Southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey. He wrote a few months prior to his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49. The churches had fallen into error, with Judaizers gaining a presence speaking that adherence to the Mosaic Law was a requirement of the Christian faith. Paul wrote to make sure they were on the path of truth. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

As I have mentioned, I have been studying Christ Alone or He alone saves and have looked at the Divine Nature of Christ, that Jesus is the God incarnate creator; Jesus having a human nature, is the last Adam according to the principle of our Federal Head and that of being in Christ now, is the True Israel fully obedient to His Calling, the Messiah or God's anointed, rescuing or delivering us from the discord between God and Man, always obeying His Father and never failing, discharging our debt before God and paying the penalty for our sins. This obedience included baptism, resisting the schemes of temptations from Satan, and now obedience under the Law. 

Christ's death and Christ's obedience saves us. They go in tandem. All mankind is born under the Law, which means they are obligated to keep the law perfectly in order to enjoy a right standing before God. I think natural man likes to hope that he/she does not have to be perfect, but good enough or at least on the trajectory of obedience to the Law. As this verse states in Galatians, Christ was born under the Law so that He would be submissive to it and therefore redeem His people. While the Law specifies that adherence to it is meant to be complete, mankind has never been obligated to it for the Mosaic covenant was given to His people which meant redemption prefaced the Law.  Exodus 20:2 states prior to the giving of the Law that the Lord had already redeemed his people - I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery and now therefore, here is the law to keep it in thankfulness to what God has done. 

Leviticus 18:5 says, "So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord." The law promises life to those who keep it and keep it all. God knew it would not be kept perfectly so he provided sacrifices that would be done to atone for sin. But doing sacrifices was a temporary seal or temporary fix as they had to be repeated each year. What Christ did was live a perfect life and then pay the penalty incurred by man not being obedient to the Law. As it is recorded in I Corinthians 1:30 - But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus. 

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Promise: The Law is a guide to Holy Living. In Christ, we are redeemed from the law. 

Prayer: Thank you God for your plan and for liberating and redeeming your people so that they would always be in fellowship and relationship with You. In this life, we lose loved ones and we are reminded that our lives on this eaerth are temporary and no matter how much we love theose people, they are for a moment, but You God have made sure that our relationship with You is permanent, by redeeming us and paying the penalty for our sins and living an obedient life on this earth. You have made a way where there seems to be no way. Help me now Holy Spirit to live in a righteous manner. Forgive me of my sins and the constant reminder that I am unworthy and in need of Your Grace. My sin reminds me of this continually. I want to live in a Holy manner in my life. Give me Your strength and endurance to do just that. Give me your wisdom so I now how to conduct myself properly. Keep me humble. Thank you. Thank you. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism, Obedience in Temptation, Obedience under the Law

Luke 4:1-13 - Obedience in Temptation

Luke 4:1-13

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, he became hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone.'" And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'" And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here, for it is written, 'He will give His angels charge concerning You to guard You.' and 'On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.'" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 

And when the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. 

Message: Obedience in Temptation

Time: Luke, a non-Jew, written in Theophilus, by a physician, is a careful chronological rendering of the events of Christ's life. Luke takes his writing from primary sources - those people who had witnessed the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Luke wrote this probably from 58-60 AD as he accompanied Paul. His second volume was Acts. He writes of salvation to all men. 

What the Lord is Saying:

Christ Alone or He alone saves. In this we have studied that Jesus is the God incarnate creator, has a human nature, is the last Adam according to the principle as our Federal Head and that of being in Christ, is the True Israel, Messiah or God's anointed, rescuing or delivering us from the discord between God and Man, and always obeyed His Father and never failed, discharging our debt before God and paying the penalty for our sins. This obedience included baptism. And now this obedience included resisting temptations. 

All of Jesus' days He kept the commandments of God. Hebrews 5:8-10 says, "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." 

Paul called Jesus the new Adam, and as we have discussed He is the last Adam. Like Adam, Jesus faced temptations. Adam, in the garden, was tempted by Satan. God had given Adam the command of all that he was in charge of in the garden but not to eat of one tree. Satan came to Adam to tempt him to be like God. The alternative is to trust God. 

It is clear and obvious that after not eating, we are at our weakest. In my lifetime, I have only gone without food I can think of, for 1 day. Jesus went without food for 40 days. The danger when facing temptation is to try combat it alone. The model Jesus has given us is to resist it by looking to scripture. God's word is the only thing that can shield us or protect us from temptations that we experience. We must stand on the authority of scripture, as Jesus did. In resisting temptation, Jesus quoted scripture and succeeded where Adam had failed. 

Only looking at Jesus' answers is (1) we need food, but we need God to live, (2) we shall worship God and serve Him only, (3) you shall not put God to the test. Take God as He is. 

Promise: If we want to grow stronger against sin, we must grow in our understanding of God's Word. 

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for helping me return to Your word and rest in it. I need you Jesus and thank you for saving me and saving me alone. You are perfect and lived a perfect life. You paid the penalty I have incurred, discharging my debt before God. Thank you for showing me what it means to be obedient and resist what Satan throws at me and he continues to do this. He continues to try to forge an opening in my life, but keep me closet to You and Your word, reminding me of truths that I need. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism, Obedience in Temptation

Matthew 3:13-15 - Obedience in Baptism

Matthew  3:13-15

Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. 

Message: Obedience in Baptism

Time: Matthew, one of the 12 apostles, is credited with this book, despite the fact that he did not sign it. Dating it's writing is difficult, but most agree it to be AD 60-65 since it does not mention the destruction of the temple in AD 70. A Jew, he includes 50 direct citations and many other indirect citations from the Old Testament. 

What the Lord is Saying:

In this study of Christ Alone, Christ alone saves, we have studied that Jesus is the God incarnate creator, has a human nature, is the last Adam, is the True Israel, Messiah or God's anointed, rescuing or delivering us from the discord between God and Man, and always obeyed His Father and never failed, discharging our debt before God and paying the penalty for our sins. 

Man is saved by being made clean. Cleanliness before God has always been an expectation, from Old Testament days to now. The Law included many specific instructions for someone that was unclean. Not being clean separated one from the community. A leper, for example, had to get special permission from the priest to re-enter the City, once clean (Mark 1:40-45). 

Priests had to be ritually clean to serve at the tabernacle. Exodus 30 speaks of a laver that priests had to wash their hands and feet prior to making an offering. Leviticus 15 talks about discharges a man or woman may make and the need to be completely clean, bathing one's entire body. And then when the temple was built, a mikveh (ritual bath) was used for everyone to get ritually clean prior to entering. So immersions at the time of Jesus were common.  

Jeremiah 17:13 says, "O Lord, the hope (mikveh) of Israel, all who forsake Thee will be put to shame, those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord." Mikveh in the Strong's Concordance is a pond, a gathering together. Thus, the text is saying those who turn away from the mikveh or gathering together of Israel will be put to shame. And says the Lord is the fountain of living water. 

When asked about baptism or immersion, Jesus responded that it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Active obedience refers to Jesus keeping the law of God, perfectly, on our behalf - obeying every statute the Lord gave to humanity. In other words, Jesus was saying here that in addition, to keeping the Law of God, John had prescribed that baptism was needed for each new believer. Though Jesus did not need to be baptized, the baptism is a command and His doing it continues to complete the process of fulfilling all righteousness. In addition, Jesus was aligning Himself with those He came to save, by doing the same that was asked. Thus, at baptism, Jesus began His journey as our substitute.

Promise: We are called to obey every command God has given us, but only the obedience of Christ can secure our salvation. Our obedience is an expression of gratitude for what Christ has done for us. 

Prayer: O God, thank you for taking me to this understanding of the baptism and the washing and cleaning that was needed for the Jew as well. Thank you Jesus for doing the same that you ask of me and practicing what you have asked me to practice in being baptized. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism

Luke 2:52 - Obedience In Childhood

Luke 2:52 

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. 

Message: Obedience in Childhood

Time: Luke, a non-Jew, written in Theophilus, by a physician, is a careful chronological rendering of the events of Christ's life. Luke takes his writing from primary sources - those people who had witnessed the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Luke wrote this probably from 58-60 AD as he accompanied Paul. His second volume was Acts. He writes of salvation to all men.  

What the Lord is Saying:

Thus far, we have seen that Jesus is the God incarnate creator, has a human nature (gets hungry, lacks complete knowledge of events, is tempted, and sleeps), is the last Adam (as the last federal head, in Christ all can be saved), is the True Israel in that He completely got the message to all people and was successful, and as Messiah or God's anointed, Jesus frees or rescues or delivers us from the discord between God and Man, completely. Now, we look at His obedience. 

Many people throughout history have seen Jesus as a great man, coming to deliver a message of God to all men. But it is something quite different to say that 'Jesus Saves.' To say that Jesus Saves is to say that Jesus delivers man from the enmity man has with God. Thus, how can a man do this? God is a judge and God hates sin. God is holy. Man's sin separates himself from God. This began in the garden and continues to this day. Either man redeems himself through his own obedience or through the obedience of another. What we know is that man is always a sinner, so what man needs is a go-between to get him to God. 

Theologians have classified Christ's obedience as active and passive. Active obedience refers to His keeping the law of God, perfectly, on our behalf - obeying every statute the Lord gave to humanity. Passive obedience refers to the suffering and death by which He paid the penalty for the sins of His people. Passive obedience discharges the debt we have incurred, while active obedience gives us the status as covenant keepers so that we can inherit eternal life. Jesus always followed the Lord's will in His life. 

Today's verse reminds us that even as a young man, Jesus was increasing in favor with God and men. There was never a decline or a standstill, but each day his obedience grew and his favor with God continued. 

Promise: Jesus was committed to doing what was necessary for our salvation, from birth to death. He was committed to our salvation, so we can be committed to Him no matter what comes our way. 

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your obedience in never sinning, remaining in perfect obedience to the Law of God and then paying for my debt on the cross. I receive eternal life because of your perfect obedience and my debt is paid in full. Help people to see that this matters. That this is not simply a story, but our life. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood

Isaiah 45:1-13 - Jesus The Messiah

 Isaiah 45:1-13

Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him, and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will be shut; "I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze, and cut through their iron bars. And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. For the sake of Jacob My servant, and Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name, I have given you a title of honor though you have not known Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God, I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these." 

"Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, and righteousness spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it."

"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker--an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, "What are you doing?" or the thing you are making say, 'He has no hands?' Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' Or to a woman, 'To what are you giving birth?'"

Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and His Maker: "Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons, and you shall commit to Me the work of My hands. It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands, and I ordained all their host. I have aroused him in righteousness, and I will make all his ways smooth; he will build My city, and will let My exiles go free, without any payment or reward," says the Lord of hosts. 

Message: Jesus the Messiah

Time: Isaiah, the prophet, the writer of this book, in Jerusalem. The year is 739-681 BC. Isaiah lived during the time of four Judaen kings and pronounced judgment on the people of Judah as they did not love their neighbors and serve God with humility, but offered meaningless sacrifices in temple. Isaiah asks them to return to Him. 

What the Lord is Saying:

Solus Christus - Christ alone saves His people for the sake of His glory. One of Jesus' titles is Messiah, the English translation of the Hebrew word mashiach, or the "anointed one." This Hebrew word comes into the Greek as Christos, which we get Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ is Jesus Messiah or Jesus the Anointed One.  

The passage today begins with, Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed. Thus, the title of messiah is applied here to Cyrus. Who was Cyrus? Cyrus is a king who reigned over Persia between 539-530 BC. Cyrus, conquered Babylonia in 538 and gave the Jews permission to leave to Palestine. The Jews had been forced into captivity in Babylon (known as Babylon Captivity), around 70 years prior. The Jews were then able to restart their temple practices. Cyrus did not know the Lord (I have given you a title of honor though you have not known Me), but God used him as an instrument to release or deliver His people from captivity. In the Lord calling Cyrus His anointed or Messiah, the office of the messiah includes the work of deliverance or rescue. 

The purpose of this deliverance is described later in the passage - that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. He proclaims - I am the Lord, and there is no other and besides Me there is no God and there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these. He remarks - Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker and the Lord continues His remarks to let everyone now that He is Lord, He is deliverer, He is creator.

Cyrus was God's instrument for God's glory and through him communicated His work as our Lord and King. Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed, and like Cyrus, He was commissioned to deliver God's people. Yet, Jesus' work of deliverance or rescue is far greater as we are freed for all time from the enmity or discord that exists between God and Man, namely sin. Jesus saves us from our wickedness. Cyrus freed the Jews from captivity, from the hands that held them. Jesus frees man from his/her own captivity with sin. Yet, this passage provides a great example of deliverance by the Lord's anointed one. 

Promise: Martin Luther stated, "Just as Cyrus would by his power and his expanse set them free, so Christ would redeem us by His Word and grace, without cost." 

Prayer: Lord, I am reminded today, once again, of my own deliverance, my own captivity with sin and how you have rescued me and allow me following rescue to live free from the burden. What you did for me is the greatest and thus, I continue to worship you in any and every way that I can in my life. Let my life be lived in such a way that it is a worship song to You. You God are God and there is no other and besides You there is no God. You formed light and created darkness and cause all well-being and calamity. I yield my life to You. You are in control and I can always trust You. 

  

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of April is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah

A Decision that Led to Disaster - Abraham, Friend of God, Charles Swindoll Study Guide

Genesis 13

In my own words - Abram and Lot separate. They were traveling together and both had become very wealthy with many flocks and many tents. Seeing this, Abram mentions they should separate. Abram gives Lot first choice as to where to settle. Lot went to east, possibly because of the fertile, well-watered land, but he also ended up close to Sodom - a very evil place; the land was attractive, the people were evil. Abram went to the west, to Canaan. Following their separation, the Lord speaks to Abram, giving him a blessing of this land to Abram as far as his eye can see. His descendants, God says, will be numerous, as far as the eye can see. Abram followed this up by building an altar to the Lord. 

Wealth tests our decisions

The text says "and the land could not sustain them while dwelling together." Lot and Abram were between Bethel and Ai and as they grew in property something caused them to struggle being together. In our world, our borders are clearly defined - property lines do this to denote the separation of property and land. Where I grew up was at first an open area (Sandia Heights at the base of the Sandia Mountains) but as people came more in abundance, settled property lines were present but not clearly marked and I saw some people feeling a need to build walls while others left the open space as long as there was a clear distance between their area and others. 

Consequences follow our decisions

The text states that Abram stopped to spend time at the altar of the Lord (13:4). At times Abram has not made wise decisions but here the text brings attention to the fact that Abram goes to the altar of the Lord. He stops and spends time with God. Following this and the anxiety that he sees tells Lot he can choose the land he desires. And even after Lot chooses his land (looks good, but is near Sodom which will be an evil city), Abram then goes the other way and settles there and once again builds an altar to the Lord (13:18).  Application - I am encouraged to go to God when I am a crossroads and after sensing God's provision. Start with Him. End with Him. 

The title of this lesson is 'a decision that led to disaster' which speaks of the decision that Lot made in choosing the abundant that looked good to the eye. The decision he made on his own led to disaster. But Abram sough the Lord several times, before decisions and after decisions and God blessed him. In this text, both parties were already wealth with possessions. But what Abram received from God was a blessing of descendants and that the land that he would dwell would be fruitful. Abram received something that went beyond wealth. And again, what is most important to me in this passage is he went to God. 

Start with Him. End with Him.