Christ Is King Baptist Church

- Everyone in the story of the human race so far has failed-- Humanity is constantly trying to access the Divine on their own terms-- The genealogy of the blessed line of Shem ends with a family without much going for it- - Terah's family names are tied to moon worship- - From a human perspective, if God is going to do something He's chosen the wrong guy-- The LORD- Covenant - Blessing -v. 1-3-- - The LORD's Command -v. 1-- Leave everything - everyone you know to ARRIVE where God wants Abram to land- - God will take responsibility for getting us where we need to go- - The LORD's Promises -v. 2-3-- - I will make you a great nation -though Sarai is barren-- - I will bless you -- a promise of God's favor- - I will make your name great -- Abram will be a source of blessing to others- - The promise of Divine backing- - I will bless those who bless you- - I will harm those who harm you---God is saying to a fallen man- -I will do what's necessary to bring you where I want you to be---- Abram's Response- Obedience -

We must get away from the idea that wisdom is about making good decisions. Wisdom is to pursue knowing God. When we do that, He will fill in the rest of the blanks.

If you lack zeal for God, you are lacking wisdom.

- vv.1-4- Israel's privileged past- -- God loved and adopted Israel, rescuing them from degradation and deprivation in Egypt.- -- Despite how much God did and provided for Israel, they constantly turned to idols.--- vv. 5-7- Israel rejected God, so God will reject Israel- -- God gave Israel up to Assyria -the worst news possible because of how evil they were-, who decimated the ten northern tribes.- -- God continues to provide through creation, but the world attributes it to natural, impersonal forces.--- vv. 8-9- God's care, God's nature- -- Admah and Zeboiim were two cities destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah, never to be rebuilt- ---Israel knew better and had even done WORSE than those cities, but God can't bring Himself to utterly destroy them.- --- We struggle to forgive, BUT GOD IS NOT LIKE US.- -- God says -I'm not you- I'm not done with you,- despite the judgment Israel had earned.--- vv. 10-11- God condescends to dwell with us- -- Matthew applies Hosea 11-1 to Jesus.- -- Not only does God not jud

- The fear of the LORD is the right response to who God is in the context of who we are and what we are facing.--- Wisdom - Aligning oneself with God and His reality.--- Job 28-28 - And he said to man, -Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.----- Fear of the LORD - Wisdom

What is the fear of the LORD---- Prov. 1-29, 8-13 --- Hate Evil, Love Instruction-- Job 28-28 --- Turn away from Evil-- Psalm 33-8 --- Awe-- Psalm 33-18-19 --- Faith-- Deut. 5-22-29 --- Obedience - Terror-- Matt. 10-26-31 --- Terror- No Terror, but Trust

- LORD - I AM - covenant making, covenant keeping, Savior, Creator God-- The role of -shepherd- is a kingly one.-- Our Good Shepherd knows our deepest, truest needs, and provides for them.-- When we have no life in ourselves, He -restores my soul- - providing us with His life.-- Our Shepherd leads us along paths consistent with His covenant, allowing us to experience His grace.-- Sometimes life is awful - we're in -the valley of the darkest dark- - but there is never any reason for the Christian to fear, because our Shepherd is always with us and will always come after us when we stray.-- Jesus, our Good Shepherd, went into the dark valley ahead of us, going to the cross so we wouldn't have to.-- He has the tools necessary to deal with the enemy in time. The enemy will one day realize just how wrong they were.-- God's goodness and faithful mercy is always abundant, always enough, and always available.