MONDAY, September 1st, 2008

Hey Guys! I have already typed a bunch today, because this is a long passage... so I will not write much more up here, I don't want to give you too much reading! This is a great passage! Make sure you take the time to read it thoroughly and grasp it!


Genesis 18

1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.
4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”They said, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.”
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.
8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.
17 And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,
18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 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.”
20 And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”
33 So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Wow! I really hope that you took the time to read this a truly grasp what is being said. There are two stories going on here, first. The Lord reminds Abraham that He and Sarah will have a son... Guess who is laughing now!! Sarah! Unbelievable. But, I would probably be doing the same thing... I would probably be laughing histerically at the idea of having a child at the age of 90 as well.

Then God says: Hey Sarah, why are you laughing? Dont you believe me? And what does she say? I was not laughing!! Unbelievable!! We often do the same thing... We might get an attitude or something and then when someone comfronts us about it we say... WHAT!!!!!!! I DONT HAVE AN ATTITUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [could you sense the attitude in just the way it was typed?]

Well, let's trust God when He wants to do something great in our lives. I am reminded of the missionary last night. If they had responded to God the same way that Sarah and Abraham did, then they would have just laughed at God whenever He told them to go around the world to share the Gospel... Instead of laughing, they jumped into action, and made plans to go around the world to obey God!!

God will do great things through them, because they trusted and obeyed God enough to ACT instead of Laugh!

What has God been calling you to do, that may seem impossible?? Do you just say: "YEAH RIGHT" In your heart? or do you OBEY?

If God has laid missions on your heart! DO IT! If God has laid Bible College on your heart or mind: THEN GO!! Don't Hesitate! Just Obey!

The Second Story we see here is one of my favorite stories in the Bible! I love the fact that Abraham HUMBLY approached God and caused GOD to change His plans!! WOW!! Think about the power we have through prayer, we can ask God to change His plans, and He just might do it! He considered it when Abraham asked!!

God says that He will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham says: Will you kill all of the righteous in that city just to punish the wicked??? Then Abraham specifically gives God a number. If there are 50 righteous then will you spare the city??

First: I must say: It is natural for me to relate to Jonah, not Abraham... In my flesh I would rather see the Wicked Scorched instead of shown mercy. But I must remind myself that If it were not for God's mercy then I too would be scorched!!

Well, Abraham would have been a great car sales man, because He continues to try and negotiate with God. He says will you spare it for 45? 40? 30? 20? 10? and the story will ocntinue tomorrow... :) make sure you read it! It is pretty amazing!

TRUST GOD and HAVE MERCY on the people around you... AND PRAY... you never know what your conversation with God could change!