Participants: Shakeela Yasuf
Series Code: DOA
Program Code: DOA000002
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00:40 As-Salaam-Alaikum, to our Muslim brother and sisters,
00:44 Shalom to our Hebrew cousins, 00:47 peace be upon you our Christian friends. 00:51 Welcome to "The Descendants of Abraham." 00:54 We're blessed with your presence here with us today. 00:58 Today we'll look at Abraham's journey from Mesopotamia 01:02 to the Promised Land, the land of Canaan. 01:06 In our previous program, we learned a little bit about 01:09 Abraham's call to leave his country and his relatives, 01:13 who were caught up in idolatry. 01:16 At that time in history, idolatry was spreading quickly 01:20 and was incorporated into the worship of the one true God. 01:25 But Abraham was not a participant 01:28 of this form of false worship. 01:31 While his own father mixed the true with the false, 01:36 Abraham refused to follow in his father's traditions. 01:41 Scattered around the landscape were altars that Abraham built 01:46 to worship the God, the one true God. 01:51 Abraham looked forward to the time when the Messiah 01:54 should come to this earth to save humanity. 01:58 He was remaining faithful to his God. 02:02 We'll pick up our journey with Abraham and Sarah 02:06 as they leave Haran, continuing on to Canaan. 02:10 Remember, Terah his father had died in Haran 02:14 and was buried there. 02:16 Let us look at the book of the beginnings, Genesis 12. 02:24 Genesis 12:5-6, "Then Abram took Sarai 02:31 his wife and Lot his brother's son, 02:34 and all their possessions that they had gathered, 02:37 and the people who they had acquired in Haran, 02:40 and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. 02:43 So they came to the land of Canaan. 02:46 Abram passed through the land 02:48 as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. 02:54 Now the Canaanites was then in the land." 02:59 Under the beautiful oaks of the valley of Moreh 03:02 was one of the first places that Abraham 03:06 and his household set up their tents. 03:09 And we read again in the Bible 03:13 we get a description of this land. 03:15 In Deuteronomy, the Book of Deuteronomy 8:7-8, 03:23 "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, 03:27 a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, 03:32 flowing forth in valleys and hills, 03:35 a land of wheat and barley, 03:38 of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, 03:41 a land of olive oil and honey." 03:47 Even though the land was beautiful and fruitful, 03:51 this was not what Abraham expected. 03:54 The Canaanites were idolatrous people. 03:58 They had altars set up 03:59 in the groves to worship false gods. 04:03 And there were people that sacrificed 04:05 human beings on their altars. 04:09 This was not the way of the one true God 04:12 that Abraham worshipped. 04:15 Why would the Creator God have him leave his home, 04:20 his native land, his family and come to a place like this. 04:25 It did not make sense to Abraham. 04:27 But his faith was in his Creator. 04:31 It was at this time of great distress in the heart of Abraham 04:36 that the Lord God appeared to him. 04:41 We read in the book of the beginnings in Genesis 12:7. 04:49 "Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, 04:53 "To your descendants I will give this land." 04:57 So he built an altar there to the Lord, 05:00 who had appeared to him.'" 05:04 What a merciful God we serve? 05:07 He is aware, aware of our fears and our sorrows. 05:11 He knew that Abraham needed comfort and assurance 05:16 and He revealed Himself to Abraham 05:19 reminding him of the promise. 05:24 His faith in his God was strengthened 05:27 and he knew that he would not be left alone 05:30 in this sinful idolatrous land. 05:34 The Creator God is good and great. 05:39 He knows what we need and when we need it. 05:43 He never leaves us to wonder aimlessly. 05:46 His eyes are honest all the time. 05:52 God called Abraham and He blessed and honored him. 05:57 Abraham's loyalty to God was like a beacon to the inhabitants 06:02 of the nations he journeyed to. 06:05 He was not one to isolate himself from anyone. 06:09 He had excellent relationships 06:12 with kings of the surrounding nations. 06:15 And many treated him with great respect. 06:19 His integrity, unselfishness, his valor and his benevolence 06:25 represented the character of his God. 06:30 In Mesopotamia, in Canaan, in Egypt 06:35 and even to the inhabitants of Sodom, 06:38 the God of heaven was revealed 06:41 through the one He chose to represent him. 06:47 Abraham's life was a life of prayer and worship. 06:52 Wherever he set up his tent, he also set up an altar. 06:58 He would offer the morning and evening sacrifice. 07:01 And when he moved on from place to place, 07:04 the altar remained behind him 07:07 as a witness of his devotion to his God. 07:13 Many of the Canaanites learned about 07:15 the one true God from Abraham. 07:18 And in their travels around the land of Canaan, 07:21 they would come upon one of the altars and knew 07:25 who was there before them. 07:27 They would repair the altar and worship the God of Abraham. 07:33 God still wants each of us to represent Him 07:38 as father Abraham did. 07:42 Abraham continued to travel southward 07:44 when his faith was once again tested. 07:49 A drought came upon the land. 07:53 Abraham did not understand 07:55 the events taking place in his life. 07:58 He was obedient to the God's leading. 08:01 Here he is in the land that God promised him. 08:05 But the flocks and herds could not find pasture and Abraham 08:10 and his people were facing starvation. 08:14 The members of his household were watching and waiting 08:18 to see what Abraham would do in this situation. 08:22 After all he was known as the friend of God. 08:27 And they had put their trust in Abraham and his God. 08:32 Abraham would not allow doubts 08:35 and discouragement to overtake him. 08:37 He remembered the promise of God and held fast to it. 08:42 Again, in the book of the beginnings 08:45 in Genesis 12:2 we read, "I will bless you 08:51 and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." 08:58 With heartfelt prayer to his Creator, 09:02 he wondered how he could save his people and his flocks. 09:07 His faith in the promise of God 09:10 would not let him return to his Chaldean land 09:14 where food was plentiful. 09:17 And he would not turn away from Canaan, 09:20 the land that was promised to him and his descendants. 09:25 Even though drought and famine was ravaging the land. 09:31 So he traveled to Egypt where he could find food 09:35 and water for his people and his flocks. 09:39 This was a temporary refuge for Abraham. 09:43 He and his people would return to Canaan. 09:47 As we will see Abraham needed to learn 09:51 some very important lessons. 09:53 And God was showing him where he needed to improve. 09:58 He needed to learn about total submission to God, 10:02 about patience and faith. 10:06 These things are written for us today also. 10:09 We are to learn the same examples, 10:12 the same lessons of submission, patience and faith. 10:18 The life of Abraham is an example 10:21 for all of us, his descendants. 10:26 Sometimes the defects of our character 10:29 are hidden from our own knowledge. 10:32 Our merciful God will help us to form a right character 10:37 by bringing eccentric trials and conflicts. 10:42 When you're facing these times of trials, 10:45 when you're facing these times of testing, 10:48 it is because God loves you. 10:51 And He wants to mould you and use you 10:55 in His work for His purpose. 10:59 He sees in you what no one else sees. 11:02 He sees your heart. 11:07 He gives you the opportunity to work 11:09 on these defective character traits and get yourself ready 11:14 to be used by Him in a very powerful way. 11:19 He wants you to lean on Him. 11:22 He will help you through 11:23 the difficult times of your life. 11:25 He is your only safeguard. 11:29 Abraham was not without the same weaknesses and defects 11:34 of character that we face today. 11:38 When Abraham and his people were close to Egypt, 11:42 he became afraid and took matters into his own hands. 11:47 Let's read in the book of the beginnings 11:51 again in Genesis 12:11-13, 11:59 "And it came to pass, 12:01 when he was close to entering Egypt, 12:04 that he said to Sarai his wife, 12:06 "Indeed I know that you are a woman 12:09 of beautiful countenance. 12:11 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, 12:15 that they will say, 'This is his wife, 12:18 and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 12:22 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well 12:26 with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you." 12:33 Abraham made a choice that puts Sarah in danger. 12:38 She was taken to Pharaoh's palace 12:40 and was there to be made his wife. 12:44 Pharaoh treated Abraham well, 12:48 believing that he was Sarah's brother. 12:52 He gave him many gifts, sheep, oxen, 12:56 male and female donkeys, male and female servants. 13:01 But Abraham committed a sin by lying about 13:04 his relationship to his wife Sarah. 13:07 And as we see in the same chapter 13:11 Genesis 12:17 God had to intervene. 13:16 Genesis 12:17, "But the Lord 13:22 plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues 13:27 because of Sarai, Abram's wife." 13:33 God in His infinite mercy protected Sarah 13:37 by sending judgments upon pharaohs household. 13:43 God made sure that pharaoh learned the truth about Sarah 13:47 before he ignorantly committed a sin. 13:52 We're told again in the same book Genesis 12:18-20 13:59 "And Pharaoh called Abram and said, 14:03 "What is this you have done to me? 14:05 Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 14:08 Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? 14:11 I might have taken her as my wife. 14:14 Now therefore, here is your wife, 14:16 take her and go your way." 14:18 So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, 14:21 Abraham, and they sent him away, 14:25 with his wife and all that he had." 14:30 Pharaoh knew that Abraham was greatly favored by God. 14:34 And he did not want to keep him in his kingdom. 14:38 At this time laws were prohibiting, 14:42 laws were made that prohibited the Egyptians 14:44 from forming any kind of relationship 14:48 with foreign shepherds. 14:50 There could be no eating or drinking with them. 14:53 So by allowing Abraham to depart from Egypt, 14:57 pharaoh was being kind and generous. 15:01 But why did Abraham lie to the Egyptians? 15:05 What happened to his faith in God? 15:08 Did he think that God would allow any harm 15:11 to come to him and his people? 15:14 Did God not prove His faithfulness to Abraham? 15:21 In the Book of Ecclesiastes we get a little glimpse 15:26 of why something like this could happen to any one of us. 15:30 Ecclesiastes 7:20, "There is not a righteous man 15:37 on earth who does what is right and never sins." 15:44 No one in this world is righteous. 15:47 We have all sinned. 15:49 We're all born in sin. 15:53 At this moment Abraham's fear became stronger than his faith. 16:00 He might have convinced himself that he was telling the truth. 16:04 After all Sarah was his half sister. 16:08 She was his father's daughter from another mother. 16:13 Even though what he said was partially true, 16:17 it was partially untrue. 16:20 It was deception no matter which way we want to look at it. 16:25 Our Creator God expects from us the strictest integrity 16:30 and no slight deviation 16:33 from that is acceptable in His sight. 16:39 We are expected to always be truthful and trust in our Lord 16:45 that He will make all things right. 16:48 Abraham committed the sin against God by lying. 16:52 He still had much to learn and the loving and forgiving God 16:57 who continues to teach him. 17:01 When we fall, when we do sin 17:04 and Abraham did so, so many times. 17:08 We can be encouraged by the fact 17:10 that we have a God that understands. 17:12 The psalmist writes in Psalm 103:11-14. 17:23 "For as the heavens are high above the earth. 17:26 So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. 17:30 As far as the east is from the west, 17:33 So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 17:38 As a father pities his children, 17:41 so the Lord pities those who fear Him. 17:45 For He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust." 17:52 Our father in heaven is full of compassion and forgiveness. 17:57 He is a God of love, not a God of condemnation. 18:02 Abraham knew this God. 18:05 He did not live in fear of this God. 18:10 Abraham who was called a friend of God was in training. 18:15 God was showing him character defects. 18:18 Abraham needed to get to a point in his life 18:21 where his faith in God was unquestionable. 18:26 This lesson is not for Abraham only, 18:28 this is a same lesson that our father, 18:31 the Creator God is trying to teach you and me. 18:36 When you chose to follow God, you must expect and allow Him 18:41 to be active in your life. 18:44 He will love you, He will forgive you, 18:47 He will protect you. 18:49 He will supply all your needs and even some of your wants. 18:55 But He will also expect perfect obedience from you 18:59 and He will give us all the help 19:00 we need to be loyal and faithful to Him. 19:05 Our God knows that we are born in sin. 19:08 He knows that we can do nothing good except 19:12 He works it in us. 19:14 He does not ever leave us alone in our struggles. 19:17 He just waits for us to yield to Him. 19:21 Abraham's life is written in the holy book 19:24 for us to study and learn about loving and forgiving Creator. 19:28 A God that asks us to cal Him Abba, father. 19:35 We'll continue to study Abraham's life 19:37 and we will see how God was teaching and training him. 19:41 So that he could dwell with holy beings in heaven. 19:45 Join us next time to learn more about 19:48 Abraham and his descendants. 19:53 When you get to the Descendants of Abraham, 19:56 you can be sure that you're lighting the way 19:58 for all in search of the Creator God 20:01 and His message of love and forgiveness to all nations. 20:04 Thank you for your support and for your prayers. 20:08 All contributions are tax deductible. 20:11 Please visit us online today at www.descendantsofabraham.org 20:16 or write to us at the address you see listed on your screen. 20:20 All correspondence will be kept confidential. 20:45 [Singing in foreign language] 23:48 Today I would like to say a prayer with you. 23:51 Won't you join me? 23:53 Let's bow our heads. 23:56 Abba, thank You for the privilege 23:59 of being able to call you our Father. 24:03 Thank You for Your mercy and kindness, 24:06 shown to us each day even when we are so busy. 24:11 To be aware of Your care for each of us. 24:15 Open our eyes that we may see your blessings in our lives. 24:21 Open our ears that we may hear Your voice as You speak things 24:26 that are meant for our ears. 24:30 As each flower and snowflake is different Father, 24:35 You have created us, your children as individuals 24:41 not to be controlled by men or traditions. 24:46 You have rescued us from the bondage of sin 24:50 and originator of sin Satan himself. 24:55 For this we owe You our life and our gratitude. 25:00 Bless us as we continue on our journey to learn Your truth 25:05 for each of us individually Your children, amen. 25:14 Our Father is missing you. 25:17 He is calling you back to Him. 25:20 He wants you to come home. 25:23 Everyday He raises the sun to keep you warm 25:27 and to supply you with food to eat. 25:31 He sends the rain and in its season 25:35 so that your vegetables and fruits will grow 25:38 and your animals will be watered and fed. 25:43 Won't you acknowledge Him? 25:45 Won't you make a decision today 25:48 now to turn back to your father Abba 25:54 and allow him to direct your ways. 25:58 Only by following the God of Abraham can we find peace 26:03 and joy in a world ful of wickedness, 26:07 wars and corruption. 26:11 There is no one on this earth 26:14 that you can trust with your life. 26:16 But you can trust the One 26:18 who gave you life, the God of Abraham. 26:25 We would like to invite you also at this time 26:27 to go to our website, to check the website. 26:30 It's www.descendantsofabraham.org., 26:37 www. descendantsofabraham.org. 26:44 And you can email us, please we would like 26:47 you to email us or write to us. 26:50 Our address will be shown on the screen 26:53 and you can take that address and write to us. 26:55 But email us also with any questions you have, 26:59 with any prayer request that you have. 27:02 Our email address is info@descendantsofabraham.org. 27:09 info @descendantsofabraham.org. 27:14 All the correspondence will be kept confidential. 27:19 We would love to hear from you. 27:21 We would love to know if this program 27:23 is bringing the blessing to you. 27:26 We want to find out what you are looking for. 27:30 We want to know what you are feeling. 27:34 Share with us. 27:35 This program is here to meet your needs, 27:39 to answer you questions. 27:41 Please do that, contact us. 27:46 Next week we will be exploring the true son of promise. |
Revised 2014-12-17