Unselfish Faith vs. Separated Faith

Welcome to this week's message from the Church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

I want you to turn with me this morning to Genesis chapter 13.

Genesis 13 · chapter mention

Genesis chapter 13.

Genesis 13 · chapter mention

This has been exciting all week around here.

By the way, Colton, Colton, got saved this week.

Amen.

Matthew and Ashley's son.

And that's so exciting.

It really is.

We have people saved every week here.

And it's exciting to see that.

By the way, baptismal service, our next baptismal service is going to be Easter.

So it's going to be a beautiful service.

You don't want to miss Easter.

It's going to be fantastic.

We're going to have a day to remember.

In fact, the whole weekend to remember.

We're going to have a good Friday service that night here, Friday night, Lord's Supper.

And one of my closest friends that I went to school with, uh, Dave Musselman, who's a concert pianist.

Oh, neither.

You're going to, you're going to, oh, a man can play anything.

He'll have all of you just get up and say, What's your favorite song?

He'll get five or six of you to do that, then he'll make a melody of it.

And uh it's just going his daughter's coming.

She's a great singer.

So he's going to be all uh all weekend with us.

So we're going to, Friday night, it's going to be special.

You don't want to miss the whole weekend as we celebrate the resurrection.

Amen.

It's going to be awesome.

Really is.

We'll be out on the new property with a pavilion on that Sunday afternoon eating and having a community Easter egg hunt.

It is just going to be phenomenal.

It really is.

So, and we'll be in our new building, new section.

So it's going to be exciting.

Well, we've been looking at this whole since January the 1st.

Can God trust us?

Can God trust us?

By the way, if you do not have, if you do not have a bulletin or a worship guide, we call it, a worship guide, raise your hand.

It's got the outline on the back.

We'll make sure to that you get one.

Todd's up here.

We need one up here.

A couple of people.

Jeremy, David, can you help us?

All right.

Or are we out?

We may be out.

Maybe not.

That's a good problem.

We can always, yeah, here they come.

There we go.

Keep your hands back up and we'll make sure you get one.

Because we've been looking at the school of faith and the outlines on the back.

And we've been looking at what faith really is.

In fact, we said that our whole life up here.

Amen.

The students have to have an outline.

I taught college students for 20 years when I was at Liberty University all those years, and then at Tennessee Temple.

And I always had them outline.

I always had them outline.

And especially for preacher boys.

When I was going to school at Liberty University, every preacher came through that had an outline.

I grabbed it, I put it in my file, and trust me, I preached them again.

Especially those first three or four years in the ministry.

You really will.

But anyway, we've said that the school of faith is our life.

And that Abraham was the dean of the school of faith.

And how exciting it's been as we've been looking at, uh, first of all, we looked at, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5.7, we walk by faith and not by sight.

And we said that when we're walking by faith, we are walking in that strong relationship with an awesome God.

We're walking by faith, but then when we start walking by sight, it's our weak faith, and we're walking by our leadership and our direction instead of God's direction, and we know where we're headed, we're headed for disaster, no doubt.

So, and then we looked at the second message was weak faith.

And we saw how God had called Abraham out of Mesopotamia, out of Ur, to go to Canaan, which is modern Israel, and that he began his journey, and then we saw, you know, because of weak faith, and by the way, once you get saved, it's a process of growing in faith.

That's why he says in 2 Peter 3.18, grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It's a progressive submission to the revelation that God gives us every day in our quiet time and in our studies and in our church when we're studying the Word of God.

So we see he started out, but then when they got to Koran, and by the way, when he left, God told Abraham, don't take any of your family but your wife.

And I meant Sarah, well, he wasn't going to leave his wife, but he said, I don't want anybody, any of your intimate family, stay there, leave them there, and you go.

Well, we know the story he didn't.

And he took his father Tarah, and you know the story when they got to Quran, they stayed there, ended up staying there about 15 years instead of going on to Canaan.

Then God gives him another call, he gets up, and then he makes it to Canaan.

He's living by faith, he builds an altar, he's doing what God's told him, and then a tremendous trial comes, a famine in the land, and instead of trusting God, when a crisis comes, he turned to his own understanding, to his own abilities, and he took off and he ran toward Egypt.

And we know the rest of the story.

We preached that last week.

He got in a lot of trouble, a lot of trouble.

He lied about his wife and all kinds of things.

He manipulative got a lot more wealth from Pharaoh.

And long story short, Pharaoh ran him out of town, so he went back.

In fact, he what?

Went out of Egypt, back up to where he ought to be, Canaan, the promised land.

And so we're gonna pick up that story now that he's left Egypt.

He's back in Canaan.

He's back where he's supposed to be.

And you heard me in the message last week.

When you're out of the will of God, what's the answer?

You remember from whence you have fallen.

You remember from whence you've left that first love, and you return back, and he went right back to his altar in Canaan, and he repented and he rededicated his life, and he started back on his journey of the walk of faith.

And don't ever forget that, because it's so important.

So, with that said, let's pick up the story in verse 5 in Genesis 13.

Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, and the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together.

And there was strife between the herdsmans of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock.

Now the Canaanite and the Perasite, not Parasite, but Perasite, what does it were dwelling then in the land.

Then Abram said to Lot, Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herds men, for we are brothers.

Is not the whole land before you?

Please separate from me.

If to the left, then I will go to the right, or if to the right, then I will go to the left.

And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere.

This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zor.

Then he said, So Lot chose for himself, that's a big word himself, in this passage, all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward.

Thus they separated from each other.

Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley and moved his tents as far as Sodom.

Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.

That's a powerful word, exceedingly there.

It means it's Mado.

The Hebrew word is Mado, and it means mighty, it means forceful, it means much, it means abundance, it means that they were sinful diligently, very much, exceedingly.

I meant as about as bad as it gets.

Kind of sounds a little familiar about America today.

Hello.

Hey, just remember there's nothing new.

Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Romans 15, 4.

So we're almost to the point now in America if we're not careful when we know what's going on right now.

Same-sex marriages and trying to uh I mean, I mean, hey, listen.

Hey, it was right here.

We're gonna see, hey, in Sodom and Gomorrah, right here, they were exceedingly going above the normal of sinning.

In fact, the creature was beginning to worship the creature instead of the Creator.

Amen.

So we're gonna see that, but we see that right here.

It was unbelievable.

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward, southward, eastward, and westward.

For all the land which you see, I will give to you and to your descendants forever, and I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth.

So that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.

Arise and walk about the land through its length and breadth, and I will give it to you.

Then Abraham moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Wow.

Separating from Egypt was not all the separating that Abraham had to do or needed to do.

And today we're looking at unselfish faith versus separated faith, or you could put on the top separated faith.

What is separated faith?

Well, it's either unselfish or selfish, and when it's selfish, hey, versus unselfish, when you have people that are unselfish and people that are selfish, sometimes there has to be a separation.

Amen.

And so we're going to look at this today.

The major portion in Genesis 13 here records the separation of Lot and Abraham.

Now let's look at the first thing.

First of all, let's look at the contention between Abraham and Lot that caused the separation.

Verse 5 and 6.

Lot also had flocks and herds and tents, and the lands were not able to bear them that they might dwell together, for their substance was great, so they could not dwell together.

In other words, there were so many animals and so many people.

Now remember when Lot left Canaan and went down to Egypt, there was over 300.

He had literally together, over 318 just people, servants and family, and were mainly servants.

I meant 318.

And Lot had some of the cattle, not counting the cattle, not counting all the animals that they had.

So we're talking about a huge caravan, okay?

Now, when they come back from Egypt, because Pharaoh fell, hey, was so enamored with Sarah, Abraham's wife, that he wanted to marry her.

And so he said, Hey, I'm going to give you Abraham one of the largest dowries I've ever given.

So now he gives more and more servants, more and more animals.

In fact, in the servants, one of them happened to be a female called Hagar that ended up bringing a lot of trouble to the nation Israel and, hey, our whole world today.

Through Ishmael.

So it all started right here.

Right here.

Very important we understand that.

So we see that, hey, it did not, in fact, what we see right here in the first, I think, should I say, controversial issue between Lot and Abraham, you know what the cause was?

Money.

Wealth.

Hello.

Greed.

And we see that right here.

That is why it is so important that we understand that money's not evil.

Hey, but the love of money is evil.

Amen.

In fact, I want us to look at what God's word says.

In fact, you know what I've learned?

Everybody that has a major problem seems to think that money's the answer.

Hello?

Our government really thinks money's the answer.

You see us have a problem in government, what do they do?

They just throw money at you.

That's the answer.

No, that is not the answer, church.

The answer is J-E-S-U-S.

It's Jesus.

Amen.

It's Jesus.

The government of this world should be upon his shoulders.

Amen.

It's all about the Lord.

The Lord will provide for our needs.

We saw last week that Abraham should have stayed in the famine, in the will of God, instead of going, hey, to the pastors that were green out of the will of God.

Amen.

But he didn't.

But bless God, he repented and he came back just like we do.

And here we see a tremendous situation.

I want you to see 1 Timothy chapter 6.

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

This is awesome.

1 Timothy.

Paul deals with the same issue, same issue with Timothy.

And look at what he says.

And we want to start at verse 6.

Pick up with me, verse 6.

And I think it's on the mag.

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

Now, in other words, he's saying, godliness is a lot, hey, hey, better for us.

We're more content when we're walking with God, and godliness living for right instead of living for the world and trying to live to make money.

Hello.

Amen.

Okay.

Now notice what else he says.

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are no hearse.

Hey, hey, listen, listen.

There are no U-haul trucks behind hearse.

Amen.

There's nothing you can do.

And if we have food and covering, clothing, with these we shall be content.

Now watch.

But those who want to get rich, look at it, fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires, which, hey, plunge men into ruin and destruction.

Man, that's self-explanatory.

That's what happens when we turn our hearts to the world and to the things of the world and to the riches of the world.

And then verse 10 for the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many a pain.

Wow.

And we see that happening right here in Genesis that's going to happen to Lot.

I've got a little track I keep with me all the time.

In fact, I kind of keep it in my Bible right here in that passage.

And it's called a money track.

And what money can buy?

Money will buy a bed but not sleep.

Books, but not brains.

Food, but not appetite.

Finery, but not beauty.

A house, but not a home.

Medication, but not health.

Luxuries, but not culture.

Amusement, but not happiness.

A crucifix, but not a savior.

A church pew, but not heaven.

Wow.

Amen?

So we see this first conflict with Lot over wealth and over prosperity.

In other words, he was more concerned about his herd, his people, his wealth than he was his uncles.

Or them together.

He wasn't interested in what?

Hey, about Uncle Abram.

That didn't matter.

Hey, he's looking out for him.

It's all about him.

Amen?

And you know, when people always, I I I dealt with so many people all the time with conflicts and all, especially if it's dealing with money.

Watch this.

Here's the first thing they say.

It's not about the money.

Duh.

It's all about the money.

So don't ever make that statement because that's a lie.

Hello, that's a lie.

It is all about the money.

Okay?

But the key is that we understand that the best way to handle money is to, hey, allow God's word through us to understand what we do with the money.

We use the money for God's glory.

The more he gives you, the more you ought to be given.

Amen.

Amen.

That's why he says, set not your heart on riches when they increase in Psalm 62.10.

That man, I'm getting, hey, Jesus said, Jesus said in Matthew 13, 22, it's the cares of the worlds and the deceitfulness of the riches that choke the word of God, and you become unfruitful.

God help us.

Notice the second thing.

Not only do we see the cause of this problem, but look at the concern of the problem.

Look at verse 7.

The Canaanite and the Perizite dwell then in the land.

Now, there's two things that Abraham was concerned about.

Well, or we see the two concerns in this passage, in this verse and in this passage.

One, Lot was concerned about the welfare of his flock and of his people.

He was, in fact, you can put in the side by the side of that.

He was very selfish.

You know what I've learned?

Selfishness is the cause of a lot of problems.

Amen.

The backslider, listen to what it says in Proverbs 14, 14.

The backslider is filled with his own ways.

What does that mean?

Hey, the backslider, the person who's getting out of the will of God, one of the reasons he's getting out of the will of God, he doesn't want to do what God wants him to do.

He wants to do what he wants to do.

Amen.

Ever been there?

Anybody guilty?

Amen?

We've all been there.

Some of us are there today.

Amen.

I have to crucify that every day.

Because I get up and there's some things that I want to do and I think I need to do, but before I do it, I need to check in with who's really ruling my life.

Lord, what do you think?

Lord, is this pleasing to you?

Lord, is this your will for my life today?

And does it agree with your word?

So we see that they were worried about the welfare of the flock.

Let me ask something.

Do you believe Philippians 4.19, my God should supply all your needs according to his riches and glory through Christ?

Don't you think he can take care of you and take care of your flock and take care of everything you have, take care of your business, take care of your family, take care of everything if you're doing what he tells you to do.

Or he would be a liar.

What happens?

We get out of his umbrella, we put our umbrella up, next thing you know, the first wind gust comes by, there goes our umbrella.

And we're in trouble.

Amen.

We have no more protection.

We are in trouble.

So we see that very clearly here.

Now, notice the second thing.

Lot was concerned about the welfare of the herd and his group.

Notice what Abraham was concerned about.

He was concerned about the witness of God.

Why?

He listened he's in Canaan.

He's trying to reach the Canaanites, he's trying to be a witness to the Perizzites.

He is trying to be a living testimony to those that are lost in Canaan.

He's living amongst the people that are lost, and God's called him to be a witness to them.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3, 2, we are, hey, he was talking to the church of Corinth, and what did he say?

You are our letter written in our hearts, known and read by all men.

In other words, if you're writing a gospel, a chapter each day, by the deeds that you do and the words that you say.

Men read what you write, distorted or true.

What is the gospel according to you?

You're a light that's set on a hill that cannot be hid.

Matthew 5, 16.

Amen?

So we see he's concerned about, listen, he's very concerned about the testimony.

Look at Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 and 4.

Philippians 2:3

This is what Paul said.

He said, Let not every man think on his own things.

Well, let nothing be done.

Uh-oh, watch.

You're gonna see this word again.

Through strife or vainglory.

In other words, don't do anything self-seeking.

That's what that means.

Don't be self-seeking for your own glory, for your own vainglory.

But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves.

Now look at verse 4.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man on the things of others.

This is exactly what you're gonna see the difference between Lot and Abraham.

Lot's looking on his own things, Abraham's looking on everybody else's things.

He's concerned about Lot, his nephew, but he's also concerned about About the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

So he really is.

Now notice the counsel that comes next.

We see the concern.

Then number two, the second thing.

Look at verse 8 and 9.

We see the counsel for the separation.

Now, so there's trouble, there's contention, it can't be sought resolved.

Sometimes, and I've been in the ministry 33 years, taught at the collegiate level for 21 years.

There's always conflict in life.

Can I get an amen?

You say, I don't have any conflict.

You will before you leave.

Because God's going to convict you about something.

And then you're going to have a conflict.

Hey, you know what the conflict's going to be?

Do I agree with God and ask him to forgive me and do what he says?

Or do I decide now that I'm not going to go with God?

I'm going to do what I want to do.

We all have conflict.

Amen?

And we always have conflict with what's right and what's wrong.

Every day.

We have a major conflict going on right now in America and in the world with what God's ordained family ought to be.

There's major conflict going on.

Amen?

But I got news for you.

I'm going to stick with God's definition of the family.

Amen.

I'm going with God's definition, not what my hey, what man says or or how they already have changed laws that were established in 1973 about anyway.

Don't get me running on that rabbit.

But notice, really, this is very important.

I want you to notice the second thing.

The counsel for this.

Notice the first thing.

There was a plea for peace.

Look at what Abraham said in verse 8.

Abraham said unto Lot, now watch this.

We be brethren.

He says, Don't you understand?

We are brothers in the Lord.

We are brothers physically.

We, well, you're my nephew.

I'm your uncle.

But more than that, we're brothers in the Lord.

We're ambassadors for God.

We have a testimony that people are watching us.

The worst thing, more people are out of church right now, hey, because of conflicts in churches.

They've been hurt.

They've been disappointed.

But let me say something.

Don't you dare, and I've been there too.

Look, look, I've been there.

I was there before as a pastor.

I've been disappointed as a pastor.

So don't get me wrong.

But look, don't you ever allow a problem of man's origination to keep you from worshiping and serving God.

Amen.

Yes.

Amen.

Don't you do it.

That's one of Satan's number one ploys is to get your feelings hurt or cause something to happen and cause a conflict instead of settling it.

You just quit going to church and quit worshiping God.

Oh, well, I can just worship at home.

No, you can't.

That's not what God says.

Yeah, you can worship.

But hey, God's not going to be there.

Hello.

Because God says you come together as love.

Now I know what you're saying.

You can worship God when you're walking with Him.

But when Sunday comes and He says that we're to come together to God's house, I was glad when they said, let us go into the house of the Lord.

And my brother here, the way we've been worshiping, could you have gotten that by yourself today?

Out there under the tree?

No, you'd have gotten a dropping from a bird.

That's about what you'd have gotten.

Hello.

Amen.

Man, I just got my truck washed and I hadn't been here five minutes.

There comes.

I said, thank you.

Amen.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some are, but exhorting one another so much more as you see the day approaching.

You can't wait to be in church.

Amen.

To worship him in spirit.

They desire.

Hey, he desires our worship, John 4, to worship him in spirit and in truth.

He desires that.

God desires your fellowship.

Yes, you can do it in your quiet time and all.

I'm talking about cooperative worship.

Amen.

Man, that's good.

On me, preacher, but that's still good.

But hey, he was concerned about the strife.

He was concerned about the testimony.

Hey, I put this down.

Abraham was more concerned about the peace of the family than, are you ready for this?

Than hey, than the possessions of the family.

Woo! That's good.

That's good.

He was more concerned about the peace of the family than the possessions of the family.

Can I get an amen?

The family is God's first institution that God established, ladies and gentlemen.

Listen to me.

As goes the family, goes the church.

As goes the church, goes the government.

Blessed does the nation whose God is the Lord.

Can I get an amen?

Psalms 33:12.

Psalms 33:12

When the righteous earn in authority, the people rejoice.

But when the wicked bear through, the people mourn.

That's what the book says.

Proverbs 29, 2.

Righteousness exalts the nation to greatness, but sin is a reproach to all people.

Proverbs 14, 34.

God help us.

We need revival in America.

We need revival today.

Oh, he says in Ephesians 4.3, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, we ought to exert every effort there is to solve our differences because we are a living testimony of what God is.

Amen.

When people talk about CCW or talk about your church, they ought to say, you know, that place loves God and they love people.

And they don't care what color, they don't care what creed, they don't care what race, they don't care what social class you walk in the door, they love you.

Amen.

For who God's made you.

Amen.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous are God's works.

God doesn't make junk.

That came close for some of us, but God doesn't make junk.

Amen.

He loves us all.

Praise God.

Build a church like it's going to be in heaven.

Hello.

A plea for peace.

When a problem arises, they're not interested a lot of people in solving the problem, but in how they can use the problem to their advantage.

Hello?

Is that not our government?

Do you realize we could solve every problem in America if our Congress and Senate and our president could get together for the good of the people?

It's not about the good of the people, it's about the good of them.

Sorry.

That's the way it is, folks.

And I pray for my president, my government, but I'm telling you, it's about them.

It's not about the people.

It's not about the people.

Could be solved overnight.

Overnight.

If the family fails, the church will fail.

You cannot build a healthy church without healthy families.

Amen.

You can't.

Joshua said, Choose you this day, whom you're going to serve.

For me and my house, we're going to serve God.

Joshua 24, 15.

Amen.

So we see that.

We see that.

Now notice the other thing.

Not only do we see the plea for peace by Abraham, but we see the price of this peace had to be paid.

Look at verse 9.

They separated themselves, I pray thee, from me.

Sometimes when you can't agree, but you can agree to disagree, but sometimes it has to be a separation.

Amen.

Lot was not interested in changing.

Lot was interested in doing it his way and worried about his people.

He didn't care what Uncle Abe said.

And he saw it getting worse.

Abraham saw it getting worse and worse and worse.

He said, Look, I love you so.

And you know he did.

He took him in when his dad died.

He raised him.

He's the one that gave him his business.

He's the one that started him out with the cows and the sheep and and and the servants.

He got him started.

He loved a lot.

In fact, he loved him so much he took him with him when he should have left him.

That's how much he loved him.

Love can make us do foolish things.

Hello.

Come on, let's look.

Nobody said amen.

So he brought him with him.

But he loved him.

And now he's he's looking at his nephew and he says, This is this is, you know what he said?

I believe this with all my heart.

He said, This is hurting God's testimony.

We can't continue this.

So I tell you what, you choose.

Whoo!

Now what about that?

Look at this.

He says, You Jews.

You Jews.

In fact, by the way, sometimes, and let me give you a couple of verses here.

Proverbs 22, 10, you need to see this.

Because this is a tough verse.

Churches very seldom use it, or church is discipline anymore, but there's a reason.

Sometimes you have to cast out the strife.

And watch what he says.

Cast out the scorner and contention shall go out.

Yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

Sometimes you have to part ways.

Amen.

Sometimes you have to part ways.

That's what it says.

That's what it means.

In fact, look at James 3:14.

James 3:14

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above.

But is earthly, sensual.

What?

Devilish, you think?

And then what he says, for where envying and strife is, there's confusion in every e what?

Every evil work.

And the fruit, but the wisdom that is from above, what?

Pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy, good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Wow.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

What a contrast between Abraham and Lot.

Abraham loved God and loved Lot, but what he loved more, what he loved more than even Lot was the reputation of God Almighty.

He loved God more than he loved Lot.

See, sometimes those of our own household can cause problems.

Hey, for our testimony.

Hello.

Matthew 10, 36.

Right at the beginning.

I should have quoted that.

I'll quote it to you.

A man's foe.

Matthew 10.36 says, a man's foe shall be they of his own household.

Hello?

Hello.

Have you ever been, God called you to do something?

First thing you did, you went and told one of your family members first thing they said.

Are you crazy?

Well, I'm going to the mission field.

Are you crazy?

You know what I had at Liberty all the time when I was a dean of the seminary there?

All the time.

We'd have young men, young ladies surrender to the mission field, and I'd have moms and dads come see me.

And they'd say, Oh, my children got excited in your evangelism plan.

Oh, and they want to go to the mission field.

But now, Dr.

Lovett, come here, come here, come here.

Tell them they need to really get a degree first in business or something, so that if they have something to fall back on.

I looked them in the face, I said, You mean to tell me you don't think God can take care of them?

Well, you you you you misunderstand, Dr.

Lovett.

I said, No, no, no, you misunderstood.

Where God calls, God provides.

My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches and glory through Christ Jesus.

Let me tell you, when God calls you, you take off and you burn the bridge behind you so you can't go back if you wanted to.

Hello.

Amen.

Now that's the call of God on your life.

And if God didn't come through for you, he'd be a liar.

And if God's a liar, all we're doing here today is for naught.

I got good news.

He's never lied, never will lie, can't lie.

And to God be the glory.

If God be for you, who can be against you?

You with me, church?

Are you with me?

Amen.

Nothing's impossible with my God.

Luke 137.

Nothing.

By the way, Greek word for that's nothing.

Notice the next thing.

Then notice the promise for peace.

Look at verse 9 again.

Is not the whole land before thee?

If thou wilt take the left hand, then I'll take the right.

The part to the right, I'll go to the left.

What a gracious gift from Abraham to Lot.

Now what?

Lot's first choice of the land.

He says yours, Lot.

Abraham could have insisted on his rights.

What's this?

He's a patriarch.

Who gave God, who did God give the command to?

Abraham, not Lot.

In fact, he told Abraham to leave Lot home.

I mean, he took to uh Haran, his brother, died, Lot's dad, he took Lot into his home, he loved on him, he he he nurtured him, he taught him how to do business, he gave him his servants and his first servants and his herds.

I mean, he started him out.

If anybody, if Lot, let me tell you what I hope you would do if that happened to you.

I don't care who you are.

I hope if there comes a situation that there has to be a choice made in a business situation, you turn to your uncle or your dad or whoever helped you, and you say, I would prefer you take the choice because I am thankful and grateful for how you have blessed me.

Now that's the right choice.

But he didn't.

Not at all.

Not at all.

Abraham was trusting God.

He had promised to give him the land.

Abraham wasn't worried about the land.

He was a worried, he was worried about the testimony.

There's a big difference.

I want you to see this.

Look at what Paul said in Romans 14, 19 through 23.

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for what?

Peace.

Peace.

And things wherewith one may what?

Edify another.

For hey, meat destroys not the work of God.

All things indeed are pure, but is evil for that man who eateth with offense.

In other words, he says there's some things that may be offensive to you, but don't do them.

But hey, don't use these things that that are petty to browbeat people over the head with, basically.

It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor anything whereby the brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak.

In other words, if you know it's going to offend your brother, don't do it.

And don't, ooh, don't do this.

I've I used to, I've lived my life with this, because there's a lot of things that, hey, I may, it may not be, now if it's in the word, it's always wrong or right.

But the gray areas, it's up to you, you know.

It's your conviction with God.

And let me tell you what you do.

We already said it.

What would Jesus do?

Hey, if, hey, if if you can't take Jesus with you to watch a movie, if you can't listen to music with Jesus listening with you, if you can't have a relationship that's pure because Jesus is with you, then you ought not to be doing it.

Whatever you do, Jesus ought to be able to sit right there with you and do it.

Can I get an amen?

Hello, hello.

That'll keep you out of a lot of trouble, folks.

I'm telling you, hey, you let me, you know why I wear that?

I'm not trying to be arrogant.

I'm not trying, you know why I wear Jesus awesome?

It's on my truck, it's on my motorcycle, everywhere.

It's Jesus.

You know why?

It holds me accountable.

It's hard for me to bless you out of the red light when I got Jesus awesome on the hood of my truck.

Hello.

I may be wanting to, but I can't.

Or you're sitting there and I'm ready, I'm impatient, and you're Jesus is awesome.

I'm about to go see a movie that I ought not to see, and I look down and say, uh oh, Jesus is awesome.

That means he's going in here with me.

Hello.

You don't know how many times I've just had to get up and walk out.

Why?

Because Jesus is awesome! Amen.

Hey, I'm telling you, it helps.

Psalms 101, verse 3.

Psalms 101:3

I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.

Hello.

That means you don't watch much anymore.

Hello.

Amen.

That's why I go to gun shows and car shows.

Just a thought.

All right.

Let's go.

Number three.

Third thing.

Look at the choosing in this separation.

Lot quickly took advantage of the offer Abraham gave him, and what did he do?

He chose the best land.

I want to I want to give you these these little points right here, bless your heart.

They'll help guide you in the right choices and right faith.

Look at the grace for the choosing.

Abraham said, Hey, you choose.

I'm not going to choose.

Oh.

He was senior to Lot in every way, but he graciously gave Lot the choice.

Now that's grace.

Can I get an Amen?

The greatest thing you can do in a conflict is to give grace.

Amen?

To give grace.

To give grace.

That's hard for me to do.

I have to really say, God help me.

Because my first inclination is, well, you made your bed, you lie in it.

Hello?

Anyone else?

Am I the only one like that?

See, I was raised that way.

When I got married, you know what my daddy told me, bless his heart?

He said, You marry off, not on.

You go to school, you pay.

I didn't know any different.

I just went to work.

Been working since I was 12 years old anyway.

It didn't matter.

You know, somebody said, Why do you try to go to work so early?

Can I tell you why?

I wanted some money.

My parents didn't have money.

They didn't give me money.

I like to, hey, I wanted to do things.

I bought my own little bicycle, made my own budget, bought my first motorcycle with a paper wrap.

I just decided, and I like to take girls out to eat, and it takes money.

College students, amen.

I just went to work.

By the way, work didn't hurt me.

Hello.

It's good for ya.

Work's good for ya.

Hello.

That was Lot's problem.

He didn't have to work for it.

It was given to him.

Ooh, that's my interpretation.

That's not in the book.

I want you to get that straight.

Now, notice the second thing.

The guide in the choosing.

Look at the guide.

All right.

Ooh, this is good.

Lot, look at how what God had guided Lot.

Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest into Tsar.

In other words, Lot, hey, hey, Lot does what he was normally accustomed to doing.

What did Lot do?

He looked up and saw the best and said, I'll take it.

He didn't, he didn't think about the consequences.

He didn't think about the other surroundings of Sodom over there being a very wicked city.

All he was concerned about was his material possessions.

He wasn't thinking about spiritual matters, moral matters.

He was thinking about material matters.

Most people, a lot of times, let me ask something.

I've moved three times or four times in 33 years in ministry.

But when you move in your jobs, and I know that's good and all, but you know what most people think of when they get ready to move or change jobs?

Okay, what's how much raise am I getting?

What are the benefits?

What about if you thought before you moved your family, let's go find a great godly church where God is so that, hey, we can come under the umbrella of protection of God wherever we move.

Hello, young people, please learn that.

That ought to be your first thought.

You say, Yeah, but I make more money.

It ain't about the money.

No, yeah, yeah, it is.

All about the money.

Hello.

Lot made that decision and listen to me.

It cost him his whole family.

It cost him his family.

Everything.

He lost it all.

He thought he was gay.

It all in reality, he lost it all.

Because he made the wrong choice.

You know what?

He lifted up his eyes of flesh.

Love not the world, neither things of the world.

All that is of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of eyes.

That's it.

So we see, hey, what guided Lot was, hey, the testimony of God.

Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the world, verse 10.

Hey, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the promised land, verse 14.

Big difference.

Big difference.

Notice the last thing.

The guile.

G-U-I-L-E in the choosing.

Two things that relate to this.

First, the selfishness of Lot.

I'm not going to deal there.

We've already been there.

He wasn't thankful for Abraham and what Abraham had done for him.

But notice the second thing in verse 13.

The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly, exceedingly much unbelievable.

What happened to Lot.

What he didn't realize, he ended up going to Sodom because he was living close to Sodom.

He got involved in Sodom.

In fact, he became possibly the mayor of the city.

We don't know, but he was a high official because he sat at the gates of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now let me tell you, you have to read it in Genesis 19.

I don't have time to go there.

I may end up there, though, before we call the war of faith.

But let me tell you what happened in a nutshell.

He ended up being a leader in a wicked city.

And it came to the point when God sent, hey, sent angels to his house.

Well, sent two men, I believe they could have been angels, to his house to stay with him.

Because the homosexuality was so rampant and so wicked there that the men wanted, hey, listen, are you ready for this?

Lot to send those two men that were in the house out so they could be with them.

And you know what Lot said?

No, I can't do that.

Because he knew they'd come from God.

But you know what he said?

What if I send my girls out?

Did you hear what I just said?

You said, oh, he didn't read it.

Yes, he did.

He offered his daughters to a bunch of men.

God help us.

That's what we talk about being exceedingly wicked.

It goes beyond our comprehension.

What dad would do that?

Lot did.

God help us.

Amen.

God help us.

It does matter.

Boy, does it matter?

I mean, does it matter?

So let's finish up.

So true.

The last thing, our choices matter.

Say that with me.

Our choices matter.

Come on, again.

They matter.

Be not deceived.

God is not mocked.

Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he reap.

Galatians 6, 7.

Amen.

Be not deceived.

Bad character, corruption.

Every time.

That's why we have to separate.

Number four, the compensation for the separation.

Hmm.

Abraham did not lose by giving to light.

The first choice.

Abraham was given much compensation in this matter.

Look, look at, hey, look at what.

Boy, I'm this will make a Pentecostal even have a spell, which they have them regularly.

I'm a little Pentecostal, I can't admit.

I got Baptist theology, Pentecostal heart, Jehovah's Witness feet.

I'm a Babdecostal witness.

That's what I am.

Lot looked up, lifted his eyes, and saw the worldly plains.

Actually, he saw Egypt.

But now watch this.

And he was compensated, all right.

In fact, there's a saying here.

Now, before we give Lot all that hard of a time to, okay, and we did, I gave him.

Remember, though, where he also saw somebody else do that.

Okay, dads.

Ready?

He saw Abraham do the same thing.

Well, Abram, his name had not been changed yet.

Abram.

Remember?

Famine?

He's a young man.

What does he see Abraham do?

Abraham looks up to Egypt and the plains and the grass and the waters of the Nile River.

Oh, that's gotta be suffice for us.

Let's go.

Okay, wait, wait, wait.

Then what else did he see us?

He's talking about selfishness.

What else did he see Abraham do?

Oh, when he gets to Egypt, he says, Oh no, oh, Sarah, you're so pretty.

People will kill me.

They'll kill me for you.

Why don't you just tell them that you're my sister?

So he saw him lie too and manipulate.

Hmm, hmm.

So there's a little trail here that we got to be careful with.

He saw Uncle do it.

Says, hey, hey, don't fall to the trick when you tell your children to do something.

Okay?

See, they don't do what you say, they do what you do.

Hello.

Hello.

You don't tell them to, hey, how can you tell them not to be drinking and you're sitting there drinking?

Hello.

And I could go down the list, but I'm not in the list.

I hate lists.

You know what I found out?

You fall in love with Jesus, you don't have to worry about list.

He'll take care of all that.

What would Jesus do?

Amen.

But notice, hey, he took the pasture.

He took the plains.

But Abraham took the presence of God.

Look at what he says.

Oh man, verse 14.

And the Lord said unto Abram, Abraham, hey, lost the presence of light and the precious land, but he didn't lose the presence of the Lord.

I got news for you.

In his presence is the fullness of joy, and his right hands are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16, 11.

Amen.

And then look at the next thing, look at the promise in this conversation.

He says in verse 15, 16, I'm going to give you all the land.

I mean, I mean, I mean, Lot's got this little section over here, you know, towards Sodom.

He says, Here's what about what you do, Abraham.

Look as far as you can see north.

Look as far as you can see south.

Look as far as you can see east.

Look as far as you can see west, and then it's yours.

Now, which devil would you want?

Huh?

Higgins.

Come see him in God's way and not himself.

Him, hey, hey.

In other words, here it is.

He got the promise, the land, hey.

Hey, and he got, I called it the promise, the soil, and the promise, the seed.

He got, hey, he got the land and he got the legacy.

Now watch this.

Abraham is the father of the faithful.

Lot is the father of the failure.

God help us.

God help us.

Let me wrap it up.

The precept.

Arise, walk through the land, in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto you.

You know what he's saying here?

Just walk through the land, Abraham, and be thankful for who you are and what I'm giving you.

Ladies and gentlemen, isn't it time that we start being thankful?

Hey, isn't it time that we quit complaining about our burdens and start giving thanks for our blessings?

Amen.

Amen.

We all have burdens.

That's life.

But look at all the blessings we have.

Amen.

Look at all the blessings.

God has been mindful of us to bless us.

Psalms 115, verse 12.

Psalms 115:12

To bless us.

He looks to bless us.

What a blessing.

And then he says, the place of the compensation, look at it.

I want you to see this and we'll wind it up.

Abraham removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre.

That's the way you pronounce that.

Which is in Hebrew.

Now, Lot may have thought he was getting the best, but he didn't get near what Abraham got.

Because let me tell you what Mamry means, the Hebrew word.

It means fatness.

Hebron means fellowship.

Abraham settled down into a place of blessings and closeness to the Lord.

In other words, he was so blessed and so, should I say, in the presence of an awesome God that he just couldn't stand himself.

You ever been there?

We were there a little, some of you there.

Some of these students were there singing a while ago.

When God shows up, he shows out.

Amen.

And when you get in his presence, you know it.

And there's a special anointing that comes with that.

That aura of pleasing God.

Being a sweet, you know what Paul calls it?

A sweet aroma to God.

Abraham was a sweet aroma to God.

Lot was not.

What a blessing.

And notice what he did.

Here he did.

The last thing, the praise for the compensation.

Abraham built there an altar unto the Lord.

Abraham's situation was a praise God for his blessings.

So today, which will it be?

Will it be unselfish faith?

Or will it be selfish faith?

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

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