Lessons Learned

Genesis 12:1-3 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Have you ever heard of the phrase “This is my lot in life”? The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines the word “lot” as: The part, division or fate which falls to one by chance, that is, by divine determination. This last Sunday, Pastor Kyle continued in his sermon series based upon the book of Genesis stating that bad lots in life are many times within our control. Either way, God is still there to pick up the pieces. It is the Lord that gives grace and opportunities to repent. Christians have to remember that we direct people to Jesus, but we cannot be Jesus for people. Abraham’s nephew Lot led the patriarch into one bad lot after another. Lot did not deserve to be saved, but Abraham saved him anyway. Ultimately, you and I do not deserve to be saved either, but God sent His Son Jesus to intercede and save us.

Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Kyle gave us three lessons learned from a “bad lot”. (1) There is grace for disobedience … and a high cost. Many times we deal the “bad lot” to ourselves by stupid choices we make and they follow us around. So many requests to God are to deliver us from our circumstances, then we go back to those same circumstances. Question 1: How many others would be saved if God granted all of our prayer requests? Question 2: How would you live differently if God granted all our prayer requests and started living them out? (2) Lot’s rescue is a picture of salvation, and starts with intercession. Knowing that God gives second chances, somebody stands in the gap for others. Who are you interceding for today? (3) Circumstantial deliverance does not always lead to life transformation when the same sin lifestyle lingers where we ought to be; when we are not rejoicing in our deliverance but knowing and willingly mourning the lose of our beloved sin.

Genesis 18:17-19 And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

Kyle gave us two keys to “bad lot’ proof our life. (1) Do the “right” thing – aligned with God’s perfect Word, Will and Way. You know it in your heart. He wrote it there. (2) Prayer changes things. Prayer to God is the first thing. “Almighty us” is pretty weak and cannot do much, but “Almighty God” is all-powerful and can do anything.

Matthew 6:9-13 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

In Christ, Brian