What's In A Name?

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“What’s in a Name?” - Pastor Joe Ricchuiti
Reference: Genesis 17:1-15 and Psalm 107:23

I. A new name vv. 1-8

II. A new sign vv. 9-14

III. A new son vv. 15-22

IV. A new obedience vv. 23-27

Recap of July 27, 2008:
1. “God’s opportunity does not come until man’s extremity is reached. This is a lesson we sorely need to take to heart, for it is of great practical importance. The Lord has a reason for all His delays. God not only does that which is right and best but He always acts at the right and best time.” (A. W. Pink)
2. God had to wait to fulfill His promises until Abram and Sarai had gotten to the end of themselves, “at their wit’s end” (Psalm 107:23-32), so to speak.
3. God introduced Himself to Abram with the name “God Almighty” (El Shaddai), which means “the God Who is sufficient.” He has the might to accomplish all He promises, so that He is sufficient for my crisis/challenge, my marriage, my family/children, my needs, my career, and my hopes and dreams.
4. God calls Abram to complete surrender. He is not interested in half-hearted obedience.
5. Abram’s obedience was immediate (vv. 23-27). It is not enough to say that we love God, to sing it or to pray it. We must show it in our actions. (Lawrence Richards)

Waiting Inpatiently

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Today's message is from Genesis 16:1 - 15
A recap of the notes is as follows:

July 20, 2008:

1. Dr. Allen Ross identifies in Abraham, in Genesis 1,6 a cycle of events which occur when we get impatient over God’s delays:
-there are moments of weakness, which lead to
-alternative plans (to God’s) not characterized by faith, which result in
-human efforts to assist God in fulfilling His promises, which causes
-complications in our lives

2. When we take matters into our own hands and do not wait for God:
-we fail to take proper leadership
-we hurt those we love
-we hurt those we use
-we cause lingering complications in our lives and the lives of others

Faith Conquers Fear, Part 2

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The sermon recap from July 13, 2008:

1. In tough situations of delay or discouragement we must remember Whose we are. God will protect us and provide for us. “God is our protection and provision, so we need not fear the enemy without or our feelings within.” (Warren Wiersbe)
2. God had to once again get Abram to look up (vs. 5 cp. with Genesis 13:4). We are too often focused on ourselves, our circumstances, or those around us; all the while God is trying to get us focused on Him and His blessings/promises.
3. The Hebrew word translated “believe” in vs. 6 is related to the word translated “amen.” To believe is to say amen to what God has said.
4. Paul uses Genesis 15:6 in Romans 4:1-5,20-24 and Galatians 3:6-9 to illustrate the great truth that justification (a standing of positive righteousness in God’s sight-God sees us with the righteousness of Jesus) on the basis of faith, not on the basis of works. We began the Christian life by faith and we continue to please God by faith, not by works.
5. “Faith gave Abraham his security. God would be Abraham’s protector; God would prosper his life; God would take fear from Abraham’s heart and give him courage.” (Life Application Bible)

Faith Conquers Fear

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Selecting today's sermon will open a file of the July 6th sermon already in progress.

Recap from July 6, 2008:

1. In Chapter 15 Abram is fearful. His fear may have been caused by: fear of reprisal by the Eastern Kings he had just raided; by second thoughts about having refused the spoils of the victory of Chapter 14; or by the delay of God giving him a child, on which the promises of God hinged.
2. As God does throughout the Scripture for His people, He encouraged Abram (other Scriptures where God encouraged the discouraged are John 9:35 and Acts 23:11).
3. God told Abram to focus on Him. He was his shield (protection, safety) and his reward (no earthly material gain could compare with what Abram had in God).
4. When we find ourselves fearful and discouraged we are, in effect, doubting God’s character and His provision for us. Abram was “… as safe as God Himself could keep Him” and “… as happy as God Himself could make him.” (Matthew Henry)

What's Appealing About Right Living? Part 2

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Recap of the message from June 29, 2008:

1. Lot illustrates the futility of living for riches. Though he chose the best of the land (Genesis 13) here he and his family and possessions are taken captive. (Matthew 6:19-21,24)
2. When Abram learns of Lot’s predicament he springs into action to rescue him, despite their negative earlier dealings.
3. We must be ready to restore fellow Christians caught in sin or carrying crushing burdens. We must be ready to restore even those who have wronged us. As we have opportunity we must do good to believers first and then unbelievers. (Galatians 6:1-4,9-10)
4. At the moment of temptation God will send a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:16). The King of Sodom attempts to compromise Abram and at just the right moment God sent Melchizedek (King of Salem, King of Righteousness) to remind Abram who gave him the victory and to whom he was committed.
5. Abram made sure that only God alone would receive credit for his successes. God alone would receive the glory.

What's Appealing About Right Living?

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The June 22, 2008 message is taken from Genesis 14:1-24
Recap:

1. The historicity of Genesis 14 was questioned until archaeologists found evidence supporting the content of the chapter. “This story, perhaps more than any other from patriarchal times, was challenged by liberal scholars for its historical value until recent years. The thinking was that kings as far away as lower Mesopotamia did not make military expeditions this far from home. However, archaeological research has prompted marked change in the viewpoint today. The facts of the story are now found to fit conditions of Abraham’s time.” (A Survey of Israel’s History,” p. 51).
2. The reliability of the Bible is verified by six lines of evidence illustrated by the acronym UFACTS: Unity & consistency, fulfilled prophecy, archaeology, canonicity, transmission, and self-testimony.
3. The Bible warns the believer against: friendship with the world (by “world” we mean the world system which is anti-God and under the control of Satan) (James 4:4); loving the world
(1 John 2:15-17); and being conformed to the world (Romans 12:2).

The God of New Beginnings, Pt 2

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Recap of June 15, 2008 message:
1. One thing that we can count on in our Christian life is that our faith will be tested. God allows tests to bring us to maturity (James 1:2-4) and to purify our faith and prove its genuineness.
2. Living by faith allows us to be generous with others, generous in forgiveness, in love, and in material things. Living by sight causes us to be grasping and stingy.
3. “Eyegate is one of the avenues through which temptations assail the soul…” (Arthur W. Pink) “Eve saw that the fruit was good for food, pleasing to the eye, desirable for gaining wisdom.” (Genesis 3:6) Achan in Joshua 7:21 explaining his disobedience: “I saw…I coveted…I took.”
3. The choice that is best for us in the decisions of life is the one that is best for our souls. Our decisions are often made on the basis of economics, promotion, opportunity, temporal advantages.
4. What God has to offer to us is better by far than anything the world has to offer.
5. How faith resolves conflict: faith trusts God’s Word; faith doesn’t demand its’ own way; faith doesn’t manipulate or scheme; faith calls us to risk being wronged.

The God of New Beginnings

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Recap of the 6/8/08 sermon:
1. Genesis 13 is a comparison of two ways of life; the way of faith (Abram) and the way of the sinful nature (Lot). The way of faith leads to growth, success, peace, and generosity. The way of the sinful nature leads to going away from God, failure, scheming/manipulating your way through life, and selfishness.
2. Abram’s recovery following his failure in Egypt illustrates that our God is a God of new beginnings. No matter how we have failed, a new beginning is available to us if we will confess our failure (sin) to God and accept His restoration (1 John 1:9). We will suffer the consequences of our wrong choices but God will restore us to usefulness. Peter is a prime illustration of this truth (see the aftermath of Peter’s denial of Jesus in Mark 16 and John 21).
3. Peace should always be our objective, but God can use even conflict to accomplish His purposes. A New Testament example of this principle is found in Acts 15:36-40.

Genesis 13:1-18

I. Abram returns vv. 1-4

II. Lot departs vv. 5-13

III. God speaks vv. 14-18

Faith and Failure, Part 3

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Part 3 of the Genesis series from June 1, 2008
(To the left are 2 fragments of pottery that a member acquired when he was in Ur, thought to be about 4,000 year old.)

Recap of June 1, 2008 sermon:
1. The only worthy and reliable object of a Christian’s faith is the Word of God, backed up by the character of God.
2. Our faith is often tested following a new obedience.
3. Our faith is tested as a means of spiritual growth. (James 1:2-4)
4. A test of our faith should lead us to a new appreciation for God and for His Word.
5. Failure in the test of faith: will lead us away from God; into sin; into humiliation.

Faith and Failure, Part 2

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This sermon is part 2 in the Genesis series. Scriptural references are taken from Genesis 11:27 through 12:20. The outline is as follows:

1) From Ur to Haran - 11:27-32
2) From Haran to Canaan - 12:1-9
3) From Canaan to Egypt - 12:10-20

Recap of 5/25/08:
1. Abram was called by God when he was still in Ur of the Chaldeans (Acts 7:2-5) to go to a place which God would show him.
“The human race had chosen to go its own way without regard for the God who created them. Then God stepped in. He interrupted the normal routine of Abram’s life with a startling call.” (Larry Richards)
2. Dr. Francis Schaeffer writes: “Abraham was not just some strange wanderer, a Bedouin from the back side of the desert who didn’t know anything.” Excavations of Ur show us that Ur was a highly advanced civilization with whitewashed two-story high homes with well-equipped kitchens, good sanitation, and a high level of learning.
3. The call of God to Abram meant then (and still means to us today) a call from the comfortable, familiar and safe to the uncomfortable, unfamiliar and challenging. God calls us out of our comfort zone to follow Him by faith.

For copies of any message in this series on CD - just e-mail the church office!

Faith and Failure

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The How to Maintain Your Spiritual Edge series is complete. For a CD of the entire 15 part series in mp3 format, email the church office at office@delriobiblechurch.com.

Today's first in the Genesis sermon series (actually a continuation from the 2001 study of chapters 1 through 10) is taken from Genesis chapter 11, verse 27 through chapter 12, verse 20. This is a review of chapters 1 through 10 and an introduction to the upcoming Genesis series.

Here's the recap of the sermon notes from the Sunday service, May 18:

1. Hebrews 11:6 says: “And without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
2. Abraham is an important figure to study in regard to the life of faith. He is cited as one of the most prominent “heroes of the faith” in Hebrews chapter 11. In fact, three times in Scripture Abraham is called a “friend of God” (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23).
3. Dr. Allan Ross says of Abraham in Genesis 12: “The passage points up the faith of Abram, and teaches that faith obeys God. Abram was middle-aged, prosperous, settled and thoroughly pagan. The word of God came to him—though it is not known exactly how—and he responded by faith and obediently left everything to follow God’s plan. That is why he is the epitome of faith in the Bible.”

How to Maintain Your Spiritual Edge, Part 15

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Recap of “Maintaining Your Spiritual Edge” series
1. Do I have a regular daily time with God where I replenish my spiritual resources? Mark 1:21-35
2. Is there someone I need to forgive? Am I holding a grudge? Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:22-32
3. Is there something in my life (an attitude, an activity) of which God cannot approve? Romans 6:2, 11-14
4. Do I yield daily and regularly to the Holy Spirit’s control in my life? Ephesians 5:15-27
5. Do I take reasonable care of my body (food, rest, etc.)? 1 Kings 19:1-8
6. Am I dealing successfully with the frustration and adversity in my life? 2 Corinthians 1:8-12; 12:7-10). Do I face life with enthusiasm?
7. Do I share what God is doing in my life with others? John 7:37-39
8. Do I fellowship with other Christians? 1 John 1:1-10
9. Am I a creative and outgoing person?
10. Do I spend time meditating on the Word of God? Psalm 1; 119:9-16
11. Is a “hidden agenda” ruling my life? Am I “called” or “driven?” Philippians 3:13,14)
12. Am I pre-occupied with myself or with Jesus? Hebrews 12:1-3

How to Maintain Your Spiritual Edge, Part 14

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Recap of 5/4/08
1. According to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13,14, issues from our past have a way of making their way into our present and become a hindrance to spiritual growth. Selwyn Hughes calls this a “hidden agenda.”
2. A “hidden agenda” is “an unresolved issue from the past, a negative experience in your past which is influencing your behavior in the present.” (Hughes)
3. According to Gordon MacDonald sources of these hidden agendas (what he calls “drivenness”) are:
- unresolved parental conflicts (homes where “well done” is never heard)(Hughes talks about “mottoes” from our past which drive us today. He gives two examples: “Big boys don’t cry.” “Measure up. The better you do, the more we will love you.”)
-an early experience of deprivation or shame
-being raised in an atmosphere of drivenness

How to Maintain Your Spiritual Edge, Part 13

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Recap of 4/27/08
1. Gordon MacDonald defines meditation as “ruminating over spiritual food” or as Selwyn Hughes says, “when a Christian takes a text or phrase from Scripture and turns it over and over in his mind, the truth that is contained in that Scripture is fed into his spiritual digestive system and soon becomes part of his personality.”
2. The Navigators 2:7 series suggests the following six methods of meditation over Scripture:
-Paraphrase, put the passage into your own words
- Questions, ask questions about the verse, who, what, when, where, why, how, or random questions
-Prayer, pray about each phrase or thought in the passage, about it’s implications
-Emphasis, emphasize different words or phrases each time you say the verse
-Cross-reference, find other verses which express the same concept as your passage
-Application, apply the truth of the passage to your life in specific, positive steps

How to Maintain Your Spiritual Edge, Part 12

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Recap of 4/20/08
1. We need fellowship with other Christians (source: A Compact Guide to the Christian Life)
-to help us grow more like Christ (Christlike character traits are formed in relationships)
-to help us testify to the truth of the gospel (John 13:34,35)
-to help us do the work of the Kingdom (our gifts complement other’s gifts in the Body)
-to worship with us (“… [God] can be adequately worshipped only by a gathered community of His people”)
-to be Christ for us (though God loves us, there are times we need “love with skin on”)
-to help keep us on track (about what the Word says)
-to help us surrender to God
2. Rather than focus on our limitations, we must creatively approach life.
3. Creativity is not a question of whether I am or am not a creative person, it’s a question of how much of my creativity am I using? We must read, grow, take on new challenges. Creativity is a matter of resources/information, attitude, experimentation, variety, wisdom, and time.