Can you see past your present?

July 14, 2012

This is Part 10 from the Saturday Sermons series:

LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE.

 

Text: Genesis 13:14 – and the Lord said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him, lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
Genesis 13:18 – then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.

SCRIPTURE SETTING.

A. ABRAM HAS LEFT THE KNOWN FOR THE UNKNOWN.

B. OUT OF EGYPT WITH THE FEELINGS OF FAILURE. GOD ISN’T TALKING TO HIM.

C. LOST RELATIONSHIP WITH LOT.

D. LOOK FROM WHERE YOU ARE.

  1. Where you are doesn’t matter.
  2. Look every direction.
  3. Somewhere there is going to be a way out.
  4. Walk as far as you can see – then look again.
  5. Your present position isn’t your final destination.

SCRIPTURE SUPPORT:

 

HANNAH’S PT. OF VIEW.

I Samuel 2:8 – He raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill,

Doesn’t matter where God has to start.

Dung? Just fertilizer to God.

B. HAGAR

  1. Homeless, friendless, helpless.
Genesis 16:8 – and he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? And wither wilt thou go?
  1. Notice the angel never mentions anything about where she is.
  2. Wilderness, lonely, doesn’t matter to God. Where are you going from here?

WEEPER OR A WORSHIPPER?

  1. John has just received the revelation of the sinful 7 churches.
  2. He is now looking at what seems to be an unredeemable humanity.
  3. With these two pictures as his backdrop the Bible says he weeps.
Revelation 5:3 – and no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Revelation 5:4  – and I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Revelation 5:5 – and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 
  1. The weeper sees the impossible. The worshipper sees the Lion.
  2. Around the same situation but one could see beyond: the other was bound to the situation.
  3. Are you a weeper or a worshipper?

EZEKIEL 1.

  1. These people considered themselves captive the moment they left their homeland.
Psalms 137:3 – for there they that carried us away captive… 
Ezekiel 1:1 – now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar…
  1. You never have scripture where Ezekiel ever called himself a captive. Just said he was among them.
  2. Therefore He sees things they don’t see.
Ezekiel 1:1 – as I was among the captives by the river Chebar that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 
  1. Ezekiel sees some of the greatest revelation that any prophet ever sees.
  2. There isn’t bible that they ever saw what he saw.

NUMBERS 21- LOOK AND LIVE

  1. The symbol of modern medicine is the serpent on a staff. Going all the way back in History to O.T.
  2. In the wilderness venomous vipers afflicted the Israelites. The remedy?
Numbers 21:8 – and the Lord said unto Moses, make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Numbers 21:9 – And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass he lived.
  1. The remedy God gave Moses was to lift up a brazen serpent on a pole. Then shout look and live.
John 3:14 – and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: 
  1. You might have been bitten 50x or 1x. Look and live. The snake may be on your neck, another on your leg but look and live.
  2. I’m too far gone; there are serpents all around me. No friend if you can look up from where you are.
  3. Fiery serpents – referring to the burning affects of their venom. It heated and inflamed the blood so that every vein became a boiling river of swollen anguish… in spite of the pain can you see beyond the place where you are?
  4. There is brightness to brass. He could have chosen any other metal or wood even. But he chose the brightest.
  5. The Light of the glorious gospel. That’s what hell is afraid of. He doesn’t want the brightness to come. He tries to blind you to your circumstances lest you look and live.
  6. Brass is enduring. It lasts until the last sinner is saved and until the last diseased body is delivered.

BUILD TOWERS

  1. Uzziah steps in as King. Tears down walls. Strengthened himself exceedingly. And built towers.
II Chronicles 26:9 moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall…
  1. Towers will allow you to see further. Beyond.
  • Corner gate – backed in a corner.
  • Valley gate – When you’re at you’re lowest.
  • Turning of the wall – I thought I was coming to the end of this stronghold but its got no end in sight…see beyond the stronghold or barrier.

BEYOND BABYLON

  1. When you have been captive for so long that’s all you begin to see and feel.
  2. The mighty fortress Jerusalem is laid waste and ruin. Not many had hope for restoration.
  3. Devils tactic to tear down what you spent years building up.
Isaiah 49:16 – thy walls are continually before me.
  1. Really they were broken down. But God doesn’t look to the past failure but rather present promise.

JOHN 8: WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY

  1. The woman speaks of two things: Sinners: and anyone who has ever been publicly humiliated, defenseless, alone.
  2. God is willing to get down in the dirt to get you a miracle.
  3. Notice before Jesus ever addressed this woman He lifted Himself up.
John 8:10 – and when Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman where are those thine accusers?
  1. Why? So she would have to look up to see Him. And realize that staying down wasn’t an option.
  2. Go and sin no more.

JEPHTHAH

  1. Jephthah – God will set you free.
  2. The son of a harlot despised by his own but momma gave him a good name. God will set you free
  3. Born into unfavorable circumstances but somebody could see beyond those.
  4. Mighty man in valour.
  5. Bible says that Jephthah dwelt in the land of Tob – good land.

CONCLUSION: SCRIPTURE SETTING.

  1. Remove your tent. I’m not leaving anything to come back to. This isn’t my base camp. I’ll never be here again.
  2. Dwell in Mamre – fat place.
  3. Hebron – fellowship
  4. Make the place yours by returning to the altar.

 

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