Being the Person God Entrusts

Being the Person God Entrusts

If God were to tell you what He was about to do…

Could you be entrusted with it?

What does it take for God to come visit your house?

Who can God entrust His secrets?

Who has the right to negotiate with God?

Abraham was a man that found favor

with God in all three areas.

In Genesis 18:19,

God gives a reason for His decision

to bless Abraham.

God chose Abraham

because he would direct his children

and household in the same way

he lived out his life.

Abraham lived a life

that kept the way of the Lord

by doing what is right and just.

God proved Abraham and Sarah for nearly 100 years,

and now within a year,

they would have the son of promise.

What if God had kept all of us

from having children until we had a life like Abraham?

Maybe it wouldn’t be so strange

to have children at the age of 100,

if we had to prove ourselves

to live a life that kept the way of the Lord.

Our God has entrusted us with children

at a lot younger age. (Thank God!)

But how are we doing

as a model of keeping

the way of the Lord?

Are we using our influence in our home,

or do we allow the standard

of those in our home to slip?

Abraham’s standard was high

and that allowed him

a place of influencing God’s judgment.

The Bible says that an Elder

must rule his own house well

before he can rule the house of God.

God had set up a pattern

for us to first rule ourselves,

then win the respect of our family

and when you lead well at home,

God will hear you on matters beyond your home.

If we want the authority

God wants to give us in the spiritual realms,

we must prove ourselves in the natural realms. 

Be encouraged!

God wants to entrust more to you,

but He doesn’t want to give you more than you can bear.

If you have bit off more than you think you can handle,

God wants to help.

Scripture Reading

Genesis 18:16-33 NIV

16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom,

and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.

17 Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,

and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.

19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just,

so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great

and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down

and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me.

If not, I will know."

22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom,

but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.  

23 Then Abraham approached him and said:

"Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city?

Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place

for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?

25 Far be it from you to do such a thing — to kill the righteous with the wicked,

treating the righteous and the wicked alike.

Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom,

I will spare the whole place for their sake."

27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,

28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty?

Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?"

"If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."

29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?"

He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."

30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak.

What if only thirty can be found there?"

He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord,

what if only twenty can be found there?"

He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."

32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more.

What if only ten can be found there?"

He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham,

he left, and Abraham returned home.