From Gary V. Womack... Lot Pitched His Tent Toward Sodom

Lot Pitched His Tent Toward Sodom

Life is full of choices - small & great. In making those choices, we look ahead to an end

What is our focus? The outcome of our choices depends on our heart; fleshly or spiritual

Where do our choices lead us? We can't see that far ahead. But God knows.

Therefore, let's listen to God's warnings on making right choices:

Gen. 13:1-7 Abram & Lot become prosperous - More than the land supported

Beware of covetousness & greed:

Lk. 12:13-21 Life does not consist in abundance of things.

Right choices must come from a heart pointed toward heaven:

Lk. 12:33-34 "Where your treasure is, there your 

                     heart will be also."

Where is your treasure? What the heart values most, it will pursue.

All else follows its leading - & choices will be influenced to that end.

Gen. 13:8-9 Abram's solution - a generous offer.

Was Abram more interested in good pasture & prosperity or doing right?

Heb. 11:8-10 "By faith Abraham obeyed when he 

                     was called to go out to the place which 

                     he would afterward receive as an 

                     inheritance. And he went out, not 

                     knowing where he was going. (9) By 

                     faith he sojourned in the land of 

                     promise as in a foreign country, 

                     dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 

                     the heirs with him of the same 

                     promise; (10) for he waited for

                     the city which has foundations, whose 

                     builder and maker is God."

Gen. 13:10-13 Lot's poor (selfish) choice. His focus on physical gain.

What Lot did not consider - The wickedness of the land.

When we move or travel. When we choose whom we will work or play with- Do we plan ahead to be where we can be near God's people? Do we consider the influence of what we expose ourselves to?

Lot did not foresee the result of his choice: The toll of sin's influence.

Some say that others' sins don't effect us - Sin effects the innocent - Consider 9/11

In the mean time - the Lord appeared to Abram: His plan to destroy Sodom

(Gen. 18:16-ff) Would He save it for 50, 45, 40, 30, 

                       20, 10 ?

Gen. 19:1-5 The wickedness & depravity of 

                   Sodom.

Gen. 19:11-14 Lot lost his sons-in-law. 

                       Daughters suffered due to his 

                       choice

Are we protecting & preparing our children to resist the world?

Gen. 19:15-22 Notice their reluctance to leave - 

                       Too comfortable near sin?

Are we becoming desensitized to sin's ugliness?

Gen. 19:23-26 Lot lost his wife due to his choice 

                       - She looked back longingly?

Are husbands considering the soul of their earthly soul-mate?

What do we learn from Lot's choice? - CAUSE & EFFECT

1. Can we embrace (be indifferent to) sin & not be effected by it?

Prov. 6:27-28 "Can a man take fire to his bosom, 

                       and his clothes not be burned? (28) 

                       Can one walk on hot coals, and his 

                       feet not be seared?"

1 Cor. 15:33 "Do not be deceived: Evil company 

                     corrupts good habits."

Eph. 5:11 "And have no fellowship with the 

                unfruitful works of darkness, but rather

                expose them."

1 Cor. 10:12 "Therefore let him who thinks he 

                     stands take heed lest he fall."

2. Can we become indifferent to sin so it no longer appears ugly and drift away from God without realizing it?

Heb. 2:1 "Therefore we must give the more earnest 

              heed to the things we have heard, lest we 

              drift away."

Heb. 3:12-14 "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any 

                     of you an evil heart of unbelief in 

                     departing from the living God; (13) but 

                     exhort one another daily, while it is  

                     called 'Today,' lest any of you be 

                     hardened through the deceitfulness of 

                     sin. (14) For we have become 

                     partakers of Christ if we hold the 

                     beginning of our confidence steadfast 

                     to the end,"

3. If evil associations can corrupt us, good 

    company can improve us.

If you want to be like the world, live close to it. If you want to be like God's people, live close to them.

Prov. 13:20 "He who walks with wise men will be 

                    wise, but the companion of fools will be 

                    destroyed."

4. We need one another - Lord's church is an oasis in the desert of sin.

Heb. 10:22-25 "let us draw near with a true heart in 

                        full assurance of faith, having our 

                        hearts sprinkled from an evil 

                        conscience and our bodies washed 

                        with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast 

                        the confession of our hope without 

                        wavering, for He who promised is 

                        faithful. (24) And let us consider one

                        another in order to stir up love and 

                        good works, (25) not forsaking the 

                        assembling of ourselves together, as 

                        is the manner of some, but exhorting 

                        one another, and so much more as 

                        you see the Day approaching."

5. We need to live close to the Lord. 

    Want to be like Christ? Live close to Him.

Jas. 4:4-10 "Draw near to God and He will draw 

                   near to you."

Where do we pitch our tent? Nearer to God or man? To heaven or earth?

Rom. 6:3-10

From Gary... THE NIGHT OF THE... IMPOSSIBLE

THE NIGHT OF THE...

IMPOSSIBLE 

 Bible Reading Judges 7:19-25

Introduction:

A. Guessing game Wednesday: Bannana 

   Splits's song.

B. Good grief Commander Mcbrag----

   CUSTER

C. Gideon's great victory over the 

   Midianites----IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

BODY:

A:VICTORY THROUGH GIDEON - JUDGES 6-7

1. A man plagued with doubts and fears

   a.Israel's situation 6:13

   b.Doubted himself 6:15; 7:9-11

   c.Demanded a sign 17-21;36-40

   d.Doubted GOD 13,15

2. A man who responed to God

   a. Recognized God 6:22

   b. Responded with worship 6:24;7:15

   c. Reacted to God 6:25-27

   d. Refused kingship later on!!! 

      HUMILITY-- In us?

B:VICTORY THROUGH COURAGE - JUDGES 7

1. Delivered Israel in spite of odds 

   7:12

2. Directed confidence (courage) led to 

   planning

   a. Division of companies

   b. Directed an attack at night.

   c. Dumbfounded enemies with tricks.

3. Directed by GOD

C:VICTORY THROUGH GOD

1. God sought out Gideon to use him---- 

   -us???

2. God encouraged and directed 

   Gideon!!!--us???

3. God showed his power 6:21;

   6:36-40 ; 7:13-14

4. God's assurance--IMMANUEL-- = 

   CONFIDENCE

CONCLUSION

A. Gideon proves that GOD not numbers 

   or human power yields victory.

B. GOD makes the impossible ---

   POSSIBLE---

From Gary V. Womack...GOD AMONG THE NATIONS

GOD AMONG THE NATIONS

If I asked you what you were doing 6 weeks ago at 9:15 AM - would you know?

Remember where you were and what you were doing at 8:45, Sept. 11, 2001?

8:45 - North tower of world trade center hit

9:05 - South tower hit About an hour after the first tower was hit, both towers collapse

9:40 - Pentagon hit

We thought we were not vulnerable - but found out otherwise

A SIMILAR EXAMPLE

Oct. 29, 539 BC - On this night, "...all the Babylonians drank and reveled the whole night."

(Xenophon, VII.5.15) as they celebrated in a drunken festival.

Babylon - "The golden city" - "The glory of kingdoms" - as Jeremiah put it, "The

praise of the whole earth." (Jer. 51:41)

Also thought they were not vulnerable:

Hanging gardens - one of the 7 wonders of the world.  260 ft. wide mote  Walls 75 ft. thick and 300 ft. tall.

Jer. 51:3-40 God would punish Babylon for its 

                    wickedness against His people. - 

                    Foretold 90 yrs. before the event.

Isa. 45:1-4 Even before Jeremiah - During the 

                 Assyrian empire 90 yrs before 

                 Babylonian empire Isaiah foretold this 

                 event 160 yrs prior to the event. 

                 Names king Cyrus by name.

On this night, the king's general, Gobryas, stationed soldiers outside both ends of the city where the Euphrates river entered and exited under the walls of the city, while the waters were being diverted into a huge 40 sq. mile, 35 ft. deep marsh to the west of the city.

Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream, declaring God's power:

Dan. 2:20-22 "Blessed be the name of God forever 

                     and ever, for wisdom and might are 

                     His. (21) And He changes the times 

                     and the seasons; He removes kings 

                     and raises up kings; He gives wisdom 

                     to the wise and knowledge to those 

                     who have understanding. (22) He 

                     reveals deep and secret things; He 

                     knows what is in the darkness, and 

                     light dwells with Him."

ALL OF THIS WAS FORETOLD BEFORE JUDAH WAS TAKEN INTO BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY.

Jer. 19:1-ff Jeremiah foretold Jerusalem's doom 

                  before the Babylonian Empire

HABAKKUK'S DESPAIR AFTER BABYLON'S ATTACK

Hab. 1:1-13 God's justice uses the wicked to 

                   admonish His own people.

THE LESSON WE ARE TO LEARN. - What can I do? Be good citizens:

Prov. 14:34 "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin 

                    is a reproach to any people."

Rom. 13:1-7 The powers that be are ordained of 

                    God - honor them.

Mt. 22:15-22 Pay your rightful taxes.

1 Pet. 2:13-17 Submit to govt. authorities.

INVITATION

Jn. 14:1-6 Jesus went to prepare us a place in 

                 His Father's kingdom Christ is the 

                 way.

Mt. 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is 

                   the gate and broad is the way that 

                   leads to destruction, and there are 

                   many who go in by it. (14) Because 

                   narrow is the gate and difficult is the 

                  way which leads to life, and there are 

                  few who find it."

From Gary... LIGHT

LIGHT

I. INTRODUCTION

A. THE FAVORITE ONE ON THIS CASSETTE: "THE 

     LIGHT OF THE WORLD" (HANDOUT)

B. THE FUN OF LISTENING (AND SINGING IF YOU 

    CAN) TO THE CASSETTE

C. THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF LIGHT:

    QUESTION AUDIENCE.. WHAT IS IT?

II. BODY

A. WHAT LIGHT IS

1. PHYSICAL:

    a. DEFINED: "SOMETHING THAT MAKES 

                          THINGS VISIBLE OR AFFORDS 

                          ILLUMINATION"

    b. DESCRIBED: DAYLIGHT, MOONLIGHT

    c. DEMONSTRATED: FLASHLIGHTS, CANDLES, 

                                         BULBS, XRAYS, INFARED.

2. SPIRITUAL: INSIGHT, PURITY, LIFESTYLE

B. WHAT LIGHT MEANS

1. GOD'S CREATION ! Gen. 1:3, Isa. 45:7

2. GOD HIMSELF! 1Jn. 1:5

3. GODLINESS IN ACTION ! Josh.10:12-13, 

                                                 Psa. 119:105

C. WHAT LIGHT MEANS TO YOU

1. A SIGHT OF LIGHT: UNDERSTANDING JESUS !  

    2 Cor. 4:6, Jn. 8:12

2. A SEEING OF LIFE: NOT JUST WITH PHYSICAL 

    SIGHT ! JOHN Chapter 9

3. A STYLE OF LIFE: LIVING LIKE JESUS 

    Matt. 5:1-16, 1 Jn. 1:7

III. CONCLUSION

A. DON'T LOOK AT LIFE THE SAME, NOW!

B. DO LOOK AT JESUS!

C. DO LIVE DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE AROUND 

    YOU!

From Gary V. Womack...Easter - Where it Began

Easter - Where it Began

1 Cor. 5:6-8

                  After Jesus had spoken to His apostles 

                  on the Mount of Olives (on Tuesday), 

                  His disciples would prepare & observe 

                  the Passover on the following Thursday.

Mt. 26:1-5 Jesus tells His apostles when He will 

                 be "delivered up" - on the Passover.

The Passover commemorated Israel's freedom from Egyptian bondage on the night of the death of the first-born in Egypt.

Ex. 12 It marked the beginning of their year.

Passover observed on 14th. day of the first month at twilight.

Feast of unleavened bread was the following 7 days (15-21)

Lev. 23 God specifies the feasts Israel was to observe.

Ex. 12:14 "So this day shall be to you a memorial; 

                and you shall keep it as a feast to the 

                Lord throughout your generations. You 

                shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting 

                ordinance."

Ex. 12:26-27 "And it shall be, when your children 

                     say to you, 'What do you mean by this 

                     service?' (27) that you shall say, 'It is 

                     the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, 

                     who passed over the houses of the 

                     children of Israel in Egypt when He 

                     struck the Egyptians and delivered our

                     households.'..."

This was the Passover that Jesus & His apostles were about to observe Its purpose was to "Remember"

Mt. 26:17-30 Jesus, after the Passover, instituted the Lord's Supper.

Later, after Jesus' death, burial & resurrection, He instructed His apostles regarding His authority & what they were to teach others:

Mt. 28:16-ff "teaching them to observe all things   

                    I have commanded you."

Later, we find the church at Troas observing this memorial on Sunday

Acts 20:7 "Now on the first day of the week, when  

                the disciples came together to break 

                bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, 

                spoke to them and continued his 

                message until midnight."

Before going to Troas, Paul had gone to Corinth. Later, he wrote to them rebuking them for their abuses in observing the Lord's Supper:

1 Cor. 11:23-26 "For I received from the Lord that 

                         which I also delivered to you: that 

                         the Lord Jesus on the same night in 

                         which He was betrayed took bread; 

                         (24) and when He had given  

                         thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, 

                         eat; this is My body which is broken 

                         for you; do this in remembrance of 

                         Me.' (25) In the same manner He 

                         also took the cup after supper, 

                         saying, 'This cup is the new 

                         covenant in My blood. This do, as 

                          often as you drink it, in 

                          remembrance of Me.' (26) For as 

                          often as you eat this bread and 

                          drink this cup, you proclaim the 

                          Lord's death till He comes."

We are to remember Christ's death, burial & resurrection weekly

Almost 300 years later, we find the beginnings of an annual observance of Christ's resurrection. There was much confusion regarding the time of its observance.

The reason for such confusion was because there was no scriptural teaching or authorization to be found for it- either by command, example, or necessary inference

At the council of Nicea (325 AD) it was decreed that "Easter" be celebrated on Sunday, but did not fix the particular Sunday.

This was the first such world council - It as called by Roman emperor Constantine. The only mention of "Easter" is in the older King James version:

Acts 12:1-4 "Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. (2) Then he killed James the brother of John

with the sword. (3) And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of

Unleavened Bread. (4) So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after (Easter) Passover."

"Passover" [pascha ] appears 29 times in the NT - Why not here?

By 1611 this observance was deeply entrenched - It is said that translators used the then-familiar name "Easter" so English speaking people could more easily identify when Peter's imprisonment took place.

"Easter" = The name is derived from the pagan goddess of the spring or dawn & was associated with the accompanying pagan festival that was

celebrated in the spring.

Not until the 7th. century was that determined (due to no scriptural authority) 1st. Sunday after 1st. full moon following 1st. day of spring (March 21st.)

(So it can fall between March 22 - April 25)

The church has no legislative authority - but is subject to Christ

Eph. 5:22-24 "Wives, submit to your own husbands,  

                      as to the Lord. (23) For the husband 

                      is head of the wife, as also Christ is 

                      head of the church; and He is the 

                      Savior of the body. (24) Therefore, 

                      just as the church is subject to Christ, 

                      so let the wives be to their own 

                      husbands in everything."

Paul warned about a "falling away" 

(2 Thess. 2:3) also (Acts 20)

1 Tim. 4:1-3 "Now the Spirit expressly says that in 

                    latter times some will depart from the 

                    faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits 

                    and doctrines of demons, (2) speaking 

                    lies in hypocrisy, having their own 

                    conscience seared with a hot iron, (3) 

                    forbidding to marry, and commanding 

                    to abstain from foods which God 

                    created to be received with 

                    thanksgiving by those who believe and 

                    know the truth."

Gal. 1:6-9 The Galatian Christians were already 

                 turning away.

Gal. 4:9-11 They were going back to observing 

                  OT holy days - Passover?

Jeroboam's presumptuous sin of changing the worship of God to something similar is a lesson that we must not repeat:

1 Kings. 12:25-ff (32) "Jeroboam ordained a feast  

                               ...like the feast... in Judah."

                               Jeroboam set in motion the 

                               eventual downfall of Israel 

                               as a nation.

Nadab & Abihu offered "unauthorized " fire in worship to God - and died.

Lev. 10:1-4 "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of 

                   Aaron, each took his censer and

                   offered profane fire before the Lord, 

                   which He had not commanded them. 

                   (2) So fire went out from the Lord and 

                   devoured them, and they died before 

                   the Lord. (3) And Moses said to Aaron, 

                   'This is what the Lord spoke, saying: 'By 

                   those who come near Me I must be

                   regarded as holy; And before all the 

                   people I must be glorified.' So Aaron 

                   held his peace."

Lev. 16:12 specified the fire to come from the alter of God.

People become upset about such matters - even as Cain killed Abel because his worship was rejected by God and Abel's was accepted. (Gen. 4)

But we must be subject to Christ

Col. 3:17 "And whatever you do in word or deed, do  

               all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving 

               thanks to God the Father through Him."

We must give an accounting of our submission to His will

Mt. 7:20-21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, 

                   Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of 

                   heaven, but he who does the will of My 

                   Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to 

                   Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not 

                   prophesied in Your name, cast out 

                   demons in Your name, and done many

                   wonders in Your name?' (23) And then I 

                   will declare to them, 'I never knew you; 

                   depart from Me, you who practice 

                   lawlessness!' "

Christ is indeed our Passover & we must glorify Him in obedience.