Download audio file (cb100307a.mp3)

Intro: Biographical. God wants to use real people to teach us.

I. The family of Abraham (Abram, see Genesis 17:5).
A. Abraham’s family tree, see Genesis 11:10-26.
B. Abraham’s family ties, see Genesis 11:27-31. Abram was raised in idolatrous home, see Joshua 24:2 and Acts 7:3.

II. The faith of Abraham.
A. God’s call to Abraham, see Genesis 12:1.
B. God’s unconditional covenant with Abraham, see Genesis 12:2-3. God is going to do it no matter what.
C. God’s commitment to Abraham, see Genesis 12:4-5 and Hebrews 11:8.
(Unless God first speaks you can have no faith)

III. The faithlessness of Abraham. (He doesn’t go to his knees)
A. The famine that tested him, see Genesis 12:10. Egypt – a metaphor for “running off into the world”
B. The falsehood that ensnared him, see Genesis 12:11-13. Abraham is operating out of flesh -lying about his wife.
 (½ truth is a whole lie – lying is a sin)
C. The failure that overwhelmed him, see Genesis 12:17-20. Abraham became a plague to pharaoh because of his wife.

Personal Application:
1. When out of God’s will we miss the benefit of trial and will exchange the temporal for the eternal.
2. When out of God’s will we damage our testimony for the Lord.
3. When out of God’s will we hurt other believers around us. Abraham got his wealth outside of God’s will and that is how he hurt Lot.
4. When out of God’s will we hurt an entire nation. There is a tremendous price to pay when we are out of God’s fellowship.

Download audio file (cb100228a.mp3)

Intro: One of the most important records of how the nations of the world began, see Genesis 10:32. Noah had died, see Genesis 9:28-29.

I. The completeness of man’s dispersal, see Genesis 10:1.
A. The descendents of Japheth see Genesis 10:2-5.
B. The descendents of Ham see Genesis 10:6-20.
C. The descendents of Shem see Genesis 10:21-31.

II. The cause of man’s dispersal.
A. The rebellion of man, see Genesis 11:1-4.
B. The response of God, see Genesis 11:5-7.
C. The results on society see Genesis 11:8-9.

Personal Application:

1. I am reminded of the total depravity of man.
2. I am reminded that history repeats itself.
3. I am reminded of our need for a Savior.

Download audio file (cbc100221a.mp3)

Intro: Somehow we believe when someone walks with God along time that they are immune to sin. There is no immunity to sin.

A. Noah as a father, see Genesis 9:18-19.
B. Noah as a failure, see Genesis 9:20-21.
C. Noah as a forecaster, see Genesis 9:22-26.

Personal Application:
1. Past godliness doesn’t guarantee future godliness.
2. It is important to honor your parents even if they failed.
3. When we choose not to yield to temptation we and our posterity will be blessed in the Lord.
* God records the defeats so we can learn from them.

Download audio file (cb100214a.mp3)

Intro: Book of beginnings—so very practical!

A. The blessing of the Covenant.
1. The blessing of procreation, see Genesis 9:1 and Genesis 9:7.
2. The blessing of preeminence, see Genesis 9:2.
3. The blessing of provision, see Genesis 9:3 and Acts 15:29.
4. The blessing of protection, see Genesis 9:5-6.

B. The promise of the Covenant.
1. The promise God made to Noah was unilateral, see Genesis 9:9.
2. The promise God made to Noah was universal, see Genesis 9:10-11.
3. The promise God made to Noah was eternal, see Genesis 9:12.
4. The promise God made to Noah was marked, see Genesis 9:13-17.

Personal Application:
1. God’s new covenant is a symbol of both God’s judgment and grace.
2. God’s new covenant is unconditional.
3. God’s new covenant is eternal redemption.
4. God’s new covenant is only to believers.

Download audio file (cb100207a.mp3)

Intro: The Lord Himself compared His own coming to the coming of the flood—Matthew 24:36-38.

I. The sinful days of Noah, see 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

II. The sincere decision of Noah. Noah found Grace in the sight of God, see Hebrews 11:7.

III. The secure destiny of Noah.

Personal Application:
1. God has only one sure way of salvation so I should confess it. One way to be saved, see 1 Peter 3:18.
2. God has only one sure way of salvation so I should worship Him.
3. God has only one sure way of salvation so I should fear Him.
* See Hebrews 11:7, have you warned your children?

Download audio file (cb100131a.mp3)

Intro: A parallel between Noah’s day and our day.
Genesis chapters 1-11 are historical and chapters 12-15 are biographical.
Catastrophe is the word to characterize Genesis 6:1-22.  

I. Noah lived in days of gross apostasy. In Genesis 6:1-2, sons of God refer to angels.

II. Noah lived in days of godless anarchy; see Genesis 6:5. People are openly mocking God now: homosexual rights, abortion, and living together before marriage.

III. Noah lived in days of great apathy. See Matthew 24:38-41 and Luke 17:27-30.
* Genesis 6:6: How can God be sorry? Sorry is a human characteristic to help us understand God.
* Genesis 6:8: Noah is like a breath of fresh air!

Personal Application:
1. I know I am ready if I am not being shaped by the culture.
2. I know I am ready for HIS return when I’m walking by faith.
3. I know I am ready if I have a godly fear.

Download audio file (100124_the_days_of_enoch.mp3)

Intro: A look at the crown of Christ; A picture of God’s sovereign plan for the coming future. Enoch is a type of rapture; The Rapture of the Church foreshadowed.

I. The days of Enoch, see Genesis 5:21-24.
A. He lived in days of indifference; see Genesis 4:13-15. God gave 2^nd chance to Cain. Cain leaves the presence of God; see Genesis 4:16-17.
B. He lived in days of immorality/infidelity; see Genesis 4:19.
C. He lived in days of industry; see Genesis 4:20-22.
D. He lived in days of insolence; see Genesis 4:23-24.

II. The dedication of Enoch. Enoch lived righteously; Enoch walks with God.
A. His walk with God was based on revelation of God; see Genesis 5:21-22. Enoch’s life to age 65 was a normal life then God gave him a spiritual revelation.
B. And after…His walk with God was pleasing to God; see Genesis 5:24. Adam and Enoch were contemporaries.

III. The disappearance of Enoch.
A. His departure was preceded by faith; see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
B. His departure was preceded by preaching; see Jude 14-15.

Personal Application:
1. God wants us to understand there were mockers then; see 2 Peter 3:3-7. Just as there will be mockers in the Last Days; see 2 Peter 3:11-15.
2. No one has faith until God has spoken.
3. A Christian life is a marathon; knowing and believing God’s revelation.
4. What if Christ raptures the Church today?
5. You can respond today!

Download audio file (100117_worship_based_on_gods_revelaion.mp3)

Intro: We are from one blood, interrelated with Adam. By faith Abel came by way of blood atonement; see Genesis 4:4.  Cain’s offering was from the ground; (see Genesis 4:3) it was his best so he thought. We can see the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin and how it affects us.

I. What Abel sacrificed in faith.
A. The nature of Abel’s sacrifice; see Genesis 4:1-2.
B. The basis of Abel’s sacrifice.
C. The faith of Abel’s sacrifice.

II. What Abel secured in faith; see Romans 4:5.
A. Abel in faith admitted his bankruptcy.
B. Abel in faith believed in the Lord.
C. Abel in faith was declared righteous.

III. What Abel speaks through faith; see Hebrews 11:4.
A. Abel preaches that false religion is deadly; see Genesis 4:5-8, John 16:2 and 1 John 3:15.
B. Abel preaches that false religion is deceptive; See Genesis 4:9-10. There are people today who lie about the Living God; see Proverbs 14:12.
C. Abel preaches that false religion is destructive; see Genesis 4:11-12 and 1 John 3:11-12. We cannot evade the consequences of sin.

Personal Application:
1. It costs the believer to live by faith.
2. The blood atonement wasn’t thought up in the Old Testament; see Revelation 13:8.
3. There is no cleansing of sin for the believer apart from blood; see 1 John 1:7.

Download audio file (100110_lazarus_come_forth.mp3)

The synoptic Gospels present the life of Christ; they complement each other.
The Book of John was written primarily for Christians.
The Book of John is showing the Deity and Glory of God, see Exodus 3:14.

Jesus loved Lazarus like a dear friend; see John 11:1-5.
Jesus knows Lazarus is dead, see John 11:11-15.
Lazarus has already been in the tomb 4 days.  Jesus purposely waits four days to get to the tomb.
The basis of hope: see John 11:17-18; Jesus helping people to deal with the problem of death.
Jesus yielded to God’s timing.
God has set a boundary on our life; time waits for no one—God has a plan!
Many Jews came to console Mary and Martha, see John 11:19.
Jesus works in the here and now, see John 11:25. Martha knows that Jesus is the Christ, see John 11:27.
There are many people to see this miracle, see John 11:31.
Jesus was deeply moved, angry at man’s sin and troubled by the mourners with no hope see John 11:33-36.
Jesus’ raises Lazarus (miracle #7) showed Jesus’ absolute power over death, see John 11:43-45.
The disciples will see God’s omnipotent power!

Download audio file (100103_good_news_for_exhausted_christians.mp3)

Intro: Be successful in the New Year! Why do so many of God’s people seem so overloaded? Victory should be increasingly more but many remain baby Christians. God wants to change us from the inside out. See Hebrews 3:7-9, they lost their way because they lost their perspective.

I.  The warning of missing God’s rest.

• We must fear God. See Hebrews 4:1.
• Not to fear God leads to failure. See Hebrews 4:2.
• The answer to fear and failure is faith. See Hebrews 4:3.

Note: We are right on the edge of the Promised Land and if we don’t fear God as we should we are missing out on the best God has for us!

II. The availability of experiencing God’s rest.

• Entering God’s rest requires abandonment. See Hebrews 4:3-4 and Psalms 95:1-11. God rested and continues to rest but He doesn’t intend to be alone—He’s inviting us to enter into His rest!
• Entering God’s rest requires abiding. See Hebrews 4:7-10.

Note: Rest is not only for Moses generation; day of rest remains for us who walk by faith today.

Personal Application

1. Ask yourself, do I fear God?
   Our God is Holy and one day we will give an account – see Philippians 2:12 and 1 John 4:18.
2. Do I have rest or am I restless? Hearing + Believing = Resting.
3. Am I employing the rest of the Holy Spirit? See Hebrews 4:11-13.