Genesis 13 Abram and Lot Tuesday

Sue’s Notes:

Genesis 13 Abram and Lot

Who are you God and what are you like?

Abram went up from Egypt, after going “down” into Egypt, to the Negev, where he was headed before his detour.

Negev-parched, southern area of Judah. He had avoided this painful place and God has brought him back, walking him through.

This is our walk, we stumble, fail, God is faithful to bring us back! Faithful to refine us, transform us, and sometimes this involves walking through painful places with Him. That pain we go through with Him produces good fruit Galatians 4 fruit.

Pain of self-protection produces bad fruit, isolation, dysfunctional/harmful relationships, hard heart, disobedience.

Isaiah 30:1-3 went looking for help without consulting God. “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
    says the Lord.
“You make plans that are contrary to mine.
    You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,
    thus piling up your sins.
2 For without consulting me,
    you have gone down to Egypt for help.
You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection.
    You have tried to hide in his shade.
3 But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated,
    and by depending on him, you will be disgraced

God waits for us. He is faithful vs 30:18. Teaching Abram to wait for God’s help.

So the Lord must wait for you to come to him
    so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God.
    Blessed are those who wait for his help.

Prov 8:34 Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! Whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

Gen 13:1 Travel with Sarai, and everything accumulated and Lot.

Lot -covering. Lot was looking for a covering in Abram and God was wanting to be his covering now.

Back to place of beginning between Bethel (house of God) and Ai (heap of ruins/dump). Headed to House of God, left the dump. Now a little wiser, humbler. Pitched tent-soujourner again, relying on God step by step. Never pitched tent in Egypt.

Had become so rich that they were not able to stay in the land. God had brought them to separation. We’ve seen this before. Choice to listen or rebel and try to keep everyone together in false unity.

True unity is in receiving God’s promises and love, believing and following Him, surrendering to Him, even when living in separate lands. False unity that is destructive we saw at the Tower of Babel.

Canaanites and Perizzites also in the land. Others that did not know God were watching. There are always people watching.

Abram was being grown by God into a godly leader. Humble wisdom. Faces conflict head on with God, in Him. They were being watched! Peacemaker not peacekeeper.

We are brothers, more to unite than divide. He’s very respectful, shows dignity, putting Lot’s needs ahead of his own. Not pointing finger at Lot, but says it was his herdsmen involved too.

Jesus unites us. He is more than anything that divides us!!! Love covers a multitude of sins! 1 Pet 4:8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. This is the true covering, Jesus, He is love. Receiving His love first! When we know we are covered, we don’t need to defend.

Lot had stayed with Abram. Broken heart looking for a daddy. God was calling him to go out and find that he has always had a good daddy.

Abram thinking of needs of other before himself, in confidence of God being all the provision he needed.

Lot still thinking through broken heart, trying to fill what was broken with good things of the land. He didn’t ask God. Went east, away from God.

Abram built altars to God, Lot did not.

Lot took a long look, and chose to do it his way. Don’t look longingly on your heart’s desires, give them to God, otherwise your vision will be skewed. Eve looking long at the fruit 3:6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her, so she took some of the fruit and ate it.

But we can never leave the Presence of God. God already knows the choices we make and why. He has a plan. Yes, we can miss out on the true blessings of allowing Him to be Our Lord. Lot endured much grief because of his choices. 2Pet2:7 Lot was righteous in God’s sight because God is faithful and He has a plan. More to come on this.

Our faith is in God’s faithfulness, not our own ability to be faithful. He is the Author and Perfector of faith.

Lot moved his tents near Sodom and settled there.

Immediately after Lot takes what looks like the best of the land, God comes to Abram and reminds him of the promise, to look through spiritual eyes at the promise, all that God was giving him. It all belonged to him and his descendants. Go and walk through the length and breadth of the land in every direction! God is abundance. His love is abundant, lavish, long, deep, wide and high! Lot’s choice does not change that. Permanent possession. He and His love are our permanent possession.

Abram let Lot go! Obeyed God and left result to God. God is becoming the first in His heart, step by step, little by little. Deut 7:21-22 There comes a time we have to let go of others, even our children, fully into God’s hands. Even if we see them camping near wickedness. Believing He is faithful because He has shown us that, and they are safe in His hands, regardless of what we see with our eyes!

Faithful def: 1-Lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships. 2-The fact or quality of being true. 3-Being dedicated and steadfast in performing one’s duty.

God is Faithful

Deut 7:9 Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.

When we let God show us His faithfulness, we can believe He is faithful with those closest to us.

Isa 54:13 I will teach all your children,
    and they will enjoy great peace.

Isa 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isa 49:25 But the Lord says,
“The captives of warriors will be released,
    and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved.
For I will fight those who fight you,
    and I will save your children.

Make descendants like dust of the earth, too numerous to count. Same word dust and what we are made from in Gen 2:7

Abram moved camp to dwell, settle, by Oak Grove of Mamre (strength or fatness) in Hebron-association. God’s strength and abundance in abiding in Him! Settling into the tree of life! Abiding!

Jesus, the True Vine

John 15:1-2 I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

Abram is abiding, allowing the pruning, though painful, this produces more fruit. Jesus is the vine, we are just a branch. We have to be attached to the source. Vs 5 apart from me you can do nothing. Vs 6 not remaining in Jesus, branch is useless and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

I think when not in Jesus, we are prone to be entangled in sin and the chaos vine of lies of the enemy, or to be our own vine, wild vine. This chokes our heart, withering. Invasive, fruit is abundant but produces more entangling, chaotic vines!!! So chaotic we cannot see the path before us.

When we are our own vine, we our getting counsel from the enemy.

Jerimiah 2:21

But I was the one who planted you,
choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best.
How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?

God waits and knows when to intervene. He is always one cry out in prayer for help away!!!

Ps 18:4-6 The ropes of death entangled me;
    floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
    death laid a trap in my path.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry to him reached his ears.

Ps 116 I love the Lord because he hears my voice
    and my prayer for mercy.
2 Because he bends down to listen,
    I will pray as long as I have breath!
3 Death wrapped its ropes around me;
    the terrors of the grave[a] overtook me.
    I saw only trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Please, Lord, save me!”
5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
    So merciful, this God of ours!
6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
    I was facing death, and he saved me.
7 Let my soul be at rest again,
    for the Lord has been good to me.
8 He has saved me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling.
9 And so I walk in the Lord’s presence
    as I live here on earth!

Deuteronomy 8: We are called to remember and obey. Remembering all He has done for us, rescued us from, remembering His love and goodness to us!