Let Everything Go – Part 1

This is anagram lots. God is looking for good men and women he's looking for those who believe that what he says is more important than what anyone else says extraordinary men and women. Another Noah another asked another Abraham are you what he's looking for.

Thank you for joining us for living in the light with speaker and author and grandma and is presenting a series of messages from the book of Genesis and the life of Abraham is her desire that this in-depth study series of the life will encourage you to pursue. Knowing God, and making him known that he will become your magnificent Obsession now hears and with today's message from Genesis chapter 19 chapter 19 we pick up as these two men, these angels disguises not coming to Sodom and not sitting on the city gate.

He sees these two men coming and he doesn't realize something that their angels, but he knows that they're not sodomites and their strangers as they jumps up and he says please come to my home for dinner. Come stay in the home tonight and then says no, we really are on assignment were going to walk to Sodom and see what's going on a lot is all know don't do that. Please come to my home and spend the night. No going to walk all please I insist, and lot insisted that they come to his home because he knew the streets in Sodom went safe at nights and so these two men came into his home and not serve them dinner and after dinner.

There's this enormous commotion at the door banging, screaming, yelling and lot goes outside and there's a gay-rights demonstration at his door and everybody demonstrating for their right to sin and lot says in verse six of chapter 19 he goes outside to meet them and he says no my friend, look at that these people all weather onesie played golf with and played cards with and did business with and these were his neighbors.

These are his friends know my friends don't do this wicked thing because these people outside his door were demanding that lot. Send the strangers out to them so they can harm them and not the don't do this wicked thing and then lot show you how sorry the standard of righteousness the Lord so I have two unmarried daughters you can have them but don't hurt these men because of claims protection under my roof. Can you imagine anything as disgusting as that you think you would never stoop that low, but you know something when you drift from God, and you stop reading his word and you measure yourself other people that live around you pretty soon our standards get lower and lower and lower. But God standard seven change so a lot is low it is that is appointed for his daughters and they wouldn't accept that as of the strangers in his home pulled them back inside, shut the door. The men outside from breaking down the door and they said lot judgment is coming. God's going to destroy this place you go tell your family and let me go back to friends for a minute because this is what the friend said to him in verse nine, they said get out of our way.

You've come here as an alien. Now you want to play, the judge will treat you worse than them and just the way his friends turned on him and you think you have friends in the world and their really wonderful friends and you do business and you play golf you do all of these things bro listen to me. Amos said two people can walk together and less their greed and in your heart if that person doesn't also belong to Christ and how can you be best friends with a person like that because sooner or later the rubber will hit the road and they'll make a choice and Jesus said if you not for me or against me lot lost his friends and then we see him losing his family because the strangers pulling back in the house. They say judgment is coming. If you have any family in Sodom warned that judgment is coming so lot goes and he runs to tell his sons-in-law really there men that are engaged to marry his daughters in verse 12 and the two men told him go tell your sons on anyone else because were going to destroy this place and in verse 14, lot went out and he spoke to his sons-in-law who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said hello I get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city, but is sons-in-law thought he was joking lot you know if there is a God in heaven, and if he's so important. You have told us about him before, and if there was really an accounting first then if there's going to be judgment for sin you want to been living the way you been living and so lot you know we think you're just hysterical. Maybe that gay-rights demonstration is upset you suck go home turn on the TV get something to drink, just chill out. You feel better in the morning. If we raise our children.

Example, the say that God is not first in our live that God is just not important enough to really like leave everything behind and let everything go for you know the message I children get message I children get is that he's not important at all and the little bit of faith. Maybe we had in our generation is going be lost in the next generation lots sons-in-law thought he was joking.

They wouldn't believe him. And so the Angels he went back to tell me couldn't get a sons-in-law on in verse 15 with the coming of the dawn. The Angels urge lot thing hurry take your wife and the two daughters that are here will be swept away when the city is punished and look at verse 16 when he hesitated he just couldn't let go and so the Angels had to literally drag him out of the city with his two daughters and with his wife and they come out of the city and the angel said don't look back just shake the dust off your feet and get out of there and lots wife looked back longing for Sodom. All of her beautiful things are beautiful home, or beautiful friends should work so hard to position yourself in the community and she came under God's judgment and Jesus said, remember lots wife because she despised God's gracious offer of salvation is something not only to take the heart do something to motivate us as we share God's word. As we teach the Scriptures. These people sometimes you come with people. Our friend comes with a friend or wife of somebody or husband of somebody and and they seem to be on the periphery. All we need to bring them into the kingdom they despise God salvation. The going to come under judgment and lots only wife came under judgment.

He lost his family and all the other extended family members in Sodom so he lost his friends he lost his family.

He lost his fortune. Verse 24 then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens and of the cities were you born to live in the pleasures and the prestige in the position all that had built up and he overthrew those cities and the entire plane including all those living in the cities and the vegetation line. The pasture land. The lot a grab for himself. It's all gone totally distraught.

He lost his friends he lost his family lost his fortune lot lost his future generally end up. This is disgusting.

He ended up in a cave with his two daughters in an incestuous relationship.

His grandsons were his son, Moab and Ammon and God said they were so wicked that when he gave the law to Moses. He said you won't allow a more vibrant Ammonite into my presence until the 10th generation lot lost everything. So when you get worried or feel a little put out by the lots in your life in your class and your family and your business in your neighborhood. Would you remember lots he was successful. He was prominent he had built up a reputation he had what he wanted, but in and it turned to ashes and is saying that you Abraham on the other hand, separated from it all. He just let it all go separated from the world.

Paul says in Corinthians that we are to be separate come out from among them, and I think that's for own benefits and what I mean you know we live in the world. So I want to say that before somebody misunderstands me.

We live in the world. We work in the world our children go to school in the world. We minister in the world not talk about going into the world and living in the world for your own fulfillment your own pleasure your own satisfaction.

You know you cross the line and pretty soon you're wanting the world more than you want the things of God. You might not admit it, but you can see in the decisions you make pulses to come out from among them be separate and we need to separate from it because everything that's immersed in it is going to be lost and has no eternal value at all. God may not rained down fire and brimstone on but not now but there's coming a day when everything is going to be burned up and it's going to be lost. So what does it profit if you gain the whole world and lose your soul because your soul is going to last in the world is passing away. April separated from Sodom. Chapter 13 going back to verse 11. After lot chose for himself the whole plane of Jordan set up from the east.

The two men parted company and Abram lived in the land of Canaan. While lot lived among the city in verse 14 God came to Abraham and I think Abraham is sitting in the tents in the desert under the tree and he knows where lots gone and he knows the way. Lots living and he knows that lot has become wealthier, more prominent, built up your reputation now an important person on the city Council in Sodom and Abraham sitting there and he's let it all go and he's a man of God who is been called of God to be a blessing for God, and he has nothing just attempt in the desert alone never feel like that is you look at the lots in your life, and they seem to have so much and you're the one who's been right before God and you've put them first, and you've embrace the magnificent Obsession and you left everything behind me. Let everything go in order to know God in the making known and receive his blessing that you might be a blessing. Can you find out in a tents under a tree in the desert all by yourself does it hurts. I think Abraham was a little hurts feeling somehow like you got walked over and lot had abused him and used demands. God comes April and he says right at that time when lot a parted company you not so sweet.

God knows what time it is in our lab, and he knew Abram was sitting there wondering I got walked or what do I have to show for it. And God says Abram you lift up your eyes from where you are and you looking north and south and east and west all the land you see I will give you and your offspring forever.

I'll make your offspring like the dust of your of anyone to count the Dexter offspring will be counted. Go walk through the length and breadth of the land for Abraham I'm giving it to you just can't out give God. Jesus said in Matthew 19 that's whoever for steakhouses, land, sisters, brothers, you know, whatever, for my sake will receive in this life and the next hundredfold, and you may not get it back exactly the way you gave it up, but he's going to pour out his blessing on you lot lost everything.

He insisted on getting what he wanted, and in the end he lost it all. Abraham was willing to let go of what he might have wanted. In the end he got it all. You see, you willing to lose your life you find if you not willing to lose your life you going to lose it in the long run. Abraham was willing to give it all up. Want to close just of the little story haven't told the sinner probably love to tell it because it's so precious I don't ever want to forget the story in my life had happened years ago I gone to Amsterdam. I was planning to go to speak of International Congress on evangelism and before I went. I was planning with a friend was also going and we were going to make the trip together and after would been at the conference in Amsterdam going to take a week and were going to go down through Germany and Europe and just sightsee so we made our plans together and made our reservations and arrangements and I had too much on with me. Jonathan went with me and my daughter, Morrow, and Jonathan had a friend asked Jonathan what about six weeks before me to work at the Congress and with his friend and then Morrow and I came later and we join them for the Congress and we went through that we can. Jonathan, his friend working so hard I just told us that Jonathan don't spend your money this week. Not that he would have time because is working so hard to save your money because afterwards were going to take this trip through this part of Europe were going to go through Germany and and will have some time to sites and you want to save your money for them. So he and his friend worked really hard and my daughter and I enjoyed the Congress, and I spoke on the last day it was Sunday and I spoke Sunday morning and then Sunday afternoon I went back to hotel room just to rest before the closing meeting that evening and Morrow was asleep and the phone rang and it was my friend and she said and our plans have changed and with decided were not going to go down through Germany were not going to tour Europe with had a special opportunity to go to Switzerland so were going to fly to Switzerland and I'm sorry, that means we won't be able to do things with you but I hope you get along okay and I told her I was glad that she could go to Switzerland on you how much it meant to her and I hung up the phone I felt like somebody hit me in the stomach and I got down on my knees and said God, and I was stunned and asked if what am I going to do my hotel reservation runs out tomorrow and this place is booked on not going to have a hotel room if I could rent a car if there was one available. I can even drive a block in Amsterdam on if you been there so many bicycles I would've killed myself and about 50 other people with a block I can't drive by myself and I have three children or three teenagers now. Jonathan's friend Amar depending on me to take them on a special trip by plane reservations onto the end of this week.

I can't change the plane ticket of the be a huge benefit edges of the box for more plane tickets which I couldn't afford. What am I going to do, and I began to cry and I was just I was desperate everybody was leaving was nobody I could turn to enter my mind. God brought a verse, and I want to do for you more abundantly than you can think do I ask and I said well God, let's just say this is Sunday afternoon. The fire will hit the fan in the morning.

Monday morning would have to check out of this hotel.

I was just so upset and I said God just to see if you're going to do this on to tell anybody. So we'll just see if you can do for me more abundantly than you. You know can get any help from me.

And when Morrow woke up shared with her what my friend Adina. She was so angry, so I shared with mar the verse that if I got a given. We got down on her knees. We prayed together and I went to the Congress.

That night I had to tell Jonathan his friend. They were so sweet about it and I just gets in God.

You see, you know, and so we went to the meeting that night after the meeting because I've spoken that morning. People recognize me and they caught me and I stayed there, probably about midnight Miss Mariah mar and I had to walk back to hotel in the rain. Not as rainy as this morning but drizzling thought about till after midnight and hadn't eaten supper were walking past the dining room and my friend was there with a whole long table full of people so I'll be a dozen people sitting at this table I was trying to tiptoe past the door of the dining room and and she called out to visit and come join us for supper and I said no. I'm just tired I want to go to bed and come on join us and they all called in and I was hungry so mar and I went and we sat at the table. Also the man that I had met that morning that I really didn't know who he was anything about him and so after we ordered and everything. The mantle and when you going back to America is like a stamping nest when not to. Later, the end of this week and he said what you going to do between now and then and I looked out my child look at him and I said you know I don't know my plans or just change and that changes. I just didn't want to talk about it and after a few minutes he said and why don't you come to London where having a wedding. Prince Andrew is married Lady Sarah and its festive time in London. I think you would enjoy coming on. Want to come to London for this week and I said no thank you I can't come to London and inside I was getting angrier because I think God I can't go to Switzerland. I can't go to Germany I can't get what you going to do for me more abundantly than you think to ask them where can I go and so you know this is going on inside, but made of the conversation.

The man came back to me in a human and he said amen.

I tell you what he said why don't you come to London and I was mad so I said all right I give you three reasons I'm not going to London. Number one, I've got three teenagers with me and myself, and that would be three plane tickets and all the expense of being there for what I can afford it. I will have the money and number two, even if I had the money I wouldn't barely get plane tickets. This faster bailment, transportation, hotel reservations, I just practically I couldn't carry out three I'm too tired to talk about and so I just I was rude and I meant to be rude because I wanted to be quite hurt so bad. So after fuming this very persistent man came back and he said and I'll take care of your first two reasons.

If you take care of the third and looked down. So what did you say and he said and I will have first thing in the morning for prepaid plane tickets at the front desk in your hotel.

I give you spending money I provide my chauffeur driven car for you to meet you at the airport. You can stay in my club in London. If you just make the decision to come and at that point my heart softens and that Roscoe said no because I said I can't accept the gift like that from a perfect stranger. I promise you this is what this man said amen God is wanting to do for you more abundantly than you can and we went to London the end it was a life lesson. I never ever want to forget that when you're willing to let go of everything. Your rights and I could've jerked my friend upside down and you know and held her to her word. Instead I let it go and look what God did for me and maybe won't be as dramatic in your life and Abram didn't really have possession of all that land. In fact, today we still don't have possession of all the land early one day they'll have all but God poured out his blessing on Abram. Abram on the inside had the freedom of knowing he was right with God and he was in the place of God's blessing and God's blessing last forever its eternal and lots was insisting on what he wanted.

In the end he had nothing but ashes in his hand. So this is my challenge to you, would you stop looking at them in their houses near Golden, there possessions or prestige. The reputation their success just put your focus on cot and remember his personal command. Do you believe everything in the radical promise that if you leave everything up or out his blessing and you'll be a blessing in the process you come to know you can make them known and other people in your life and the life of your family will see Jesus reflected and you keep your focus on God and his word to you and you just let everything go that you might receive what he wants to give you and let me tell you from personal experience what he wants to give you is more than you could ever think to want for yourself, would you pray with me. Place just in the quietness of this moment. I just don't want to make an assumption that's too broad. In the event there someone here, clutching something you won't let go of and it's keeping you from embracing the magnificent Obsession for yourself totally holy God says if you seek him with all your heart, you'll find but you can't seek him with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and all your strength.

As long as you're holding onto whatever that would you let go and actually can create a little resentment.

Deep down because they live so well and they seem to have it all. Not only the worldly things but God tacked on to their lives in a Christian reputation, maybe even have a little ministry sort of an here we are living by ourselves under a tree in a tent in the desert getting walked over and what's it for listen to me it's for him. He had all deadening throne in heaven.

I have only palaces he left it all and came down the just walk sandal shot feet homespun the dust of Judea gave it all up her eyes. It's a privilege to give it all up for you. So Lord, we just bow before you now and we thank you that for whatever reason, is just by your grace you've given us there lifted up past the world the heavenly things, and the longing and the desire in our hearts is not for what this world offers it's for what the next world we live our lives with eternity in view.

So Lord, we just apologize for. Sorry.

When we get distracted and out of focus and we thank you for using this lesson to refocus us on you and your calling our lives.

Never mind the lots. Oh dear God, we choose to follow you, put you first in our lives.

We want to know you and to make you known. We want to receive your blessing and be a blessing. We want other people to see Jesus in us.

We want what you want to give us more than what we want. So Lord if we go through some drivetime some hard times and difficult times import time something that's we know how the story and we look forward to walking to those pearly gates on the streets of gold, and receiving the reward and the treasure that you've laid out for home, heart really the treasure chest you and would rather have you been anything else. So, we commit ourselves to let it all go for the joy of having you in a fresh way and it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You've been listening to living in the light with grim lots. She invites you to embrace the God filled life and give you a hand in doing that.

There were a number of helpful and encouraging free resources available to you@andgrahamwants.org Joan is here again next week for living in the light now hears and with this final word.

Trust God embrace him and what he has for you. Let go of everything else and let him do you more abundantly than you can think to ask