April 22, 2025 • 26 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Connect with Skip Heitzig, and we're so glad
you've joined us for today's program. Connect with Skip Heitzig
is all about connecting you to the never changing truth
of God's Word through verse by verse teaching. Before we
get started, we want to invite you to check out
connect with Skip dot com to find resources like full
message series, sermon outlines, and more. While you're at it,
(00:22):
be sure to sign up to receive Skip's weekly devotional
emails right in your inbox. When you do, we'll send
you Skip's booklet Hell No, don't go. This insightful resource
will help you gain a deeper understanding of what awaits
believers in heaven and unbelievers in hell. It's an encouragement
for those who've said yes to Jesus and a sobering
(00:43):
picture for those who have not. Get your coffee when
you sign up today at connectiskip dot com. That's connect
with Skip dot com. Now let's get started with today's
message from pastor Skip Heitzig.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Here's King of Bimelek. He's sleeping at night. He does
not know what's happening. He does not know the relationship
between this man and woman. He did not take her
that night, which was typical when a new woman was
brought into a harem. He just went to sleep that night.
While he was sleeping just on the pillow, sawing logs,
(01:18):
God spoke to him and said, you're a dead man.
I'd call that a nightmare because the woman whom you
have taken for she is a man's wife. But a
Bimelek had not come near her, and said, Lord, will
(01:38):
you slay a righteous nation? Also, it's interesting that he
said slay a righteous nation. And we'll learn the full
impact of that when we get to verse eighteen, and
we discover that all of the wombs of the Philistine
women had been closed by God. So not only was
God threatening king of Bimelek, but God had closed all
of the wombs of the women, so they were unable
(02:00):
to bear. Well, if you can't bear little Philistines and
have little philistines running around your tent, who will grow
up to be big philistines, you won't have a nation
of philistines. And so would you slay a righteous nation?
Interesting that he calls it that. Did he not say
to me, she is my sister? Even she herself said
(02:20):
he is my brother in the integrity of my heart
and in the innocence of my hands, I have done this.
And God said to him in a dream, Yes, I
know that you did this in the integrity of your heart,
for I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore
I did not let you touch her. Now, every time
(02:44):
there is a first mention of something in the Bible,
I've been telling you that principle of first mention, Right,
the very first mention of the word integrity is found
here from the lips of a philistine, a man of integrity,
and says, you're right, I actually agree with you. You are
a man of integrity, and that's why I'm keeping you
(03:07):
from further sin. Now, here's a principle. If you are
a person of integrity, honesty, you're not covering up, You're
not hiding anything. You are who you say you are,
what you are in private and public are the same.
If you're a person of integrity, God will keep you
(03:27):
from further plunging into those kinds of activities, sins that
would destroy families and destroy relationships. But if you are
a person who lacks integrity, you're on that dangerous road
of going further into areas that will destroy. You're right,
(03:48):
You're a man of integrity. That's why I'm not letting
you do this. In fact, there's something I find interesting.
In verse six, he says, for I also withheld you
from sinning against who me. Now, now, wait a minute.
Abraham sinned against his wife Sarah by doing this. Abraham
(04:11):
sinned against king of Bimelech by doing this. A king
of Bimelec took Sarah not knowing what it is. And
even if he did know what it was, and he
was going to do it anyway, wouldn't that be a sin,
first of all against Sarah or first of all against Abraham. No,
here's the important principle. Adultery is first and foremost a
(04:36):
sin against God. And that's what most people forget. Oh
the poor children, true, Oh the poor wife. She was
a victim or husband.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
True.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
But first and foremost it's a sin against God. And
why would that be? Because God was the one who
invented the institution of marriage.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
That's why.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
For this reason, a man will leave his father and
mother and cleveland to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh. Jesus will say amen to that by
saying what God has joined together let not man separate,
so to commit adultery. According to God, here is first
to sin against him. That's where we ought to look.
(05:19):
That's where the fear of God begins, is with thoughts
like this. Now, later on you're going to read about Moses.
And Moses was Egyptian. He was at least a Hebrew,
but in the Egyptian court. And one day he goes
out and he's angry at an Egyptian and it says
he looked this way, and he looked that way, and
he killed the Egyptian.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
What was his problem?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
He didn't look that way. And so we look around
to see who's looking or not looking. God's always looking,
And in his sleep God reminds a bi molec of
that truth. Therefore I did not let you touch her. Now,
therefore restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
He's a what this is shocking to me.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
And he will pray for you and you shall live. Okay,
back to the rule of first mention. The very first
time the word prophet is mentioned in the Bible is
in this verse, and it's used of a disobedient Abraham. Now,
I say, I'm shocked at this, because if there's one
time you would think that God would not want to
(06:34):
even be related to Abraham would be here. You'd think
he would say, for this man is a problem. This
man is a problem child of mine. I've had problems
with him for years, ever since I called him.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Or I don't know who this joker is. But God
owns him as his prophet. Isn't that interesting?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
He says he's a prophet and he'll pray for you.
Luck's probably thinking I don't want him to pray for me.
I'll tell you why this is good. It's good because
whenever we fail, whenever we blow it, and we all
do in our own thinking, we we ruin our future
(07:19):
ability to serve the Lord. So often by these thoughts,
Oh I've blown it. Oh that was a bad mistake.
I can never be used by God again. Oh boy,
you don't understand our God. You don't understand the great
grace of our God, the mighty mercy of our Maker.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
He's a prophet and he's going to pray for you.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
In fact, the Lord's going to hear his prayer and
going to heal him. Now, I don't want you to
misunderstand me, because you're some of you may be thinking,
oh so great, So if I've blown it, and I have,
I can just keep blowing it. Nope, shall we can
tell you to send that grace may abound? God forbid,
said Paul, because even though you can get up there
(08:08):
and still teach a Bible study, or preach a sermon,
or play the notes on the piano or guitar, there'll
be something you will be lacking the whole time life,
real life. You'll shrivel up inside. They'll be pain and
sorrow and repercussions in you and around you with relationships
and family. You'll just be drying up inside. The Bible
(08:32):
says in Proverbs thirteen, I believe that the way of
the unfaithful is hard.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
It's hard, it's miserable.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
So you'll be operating out of an empty well instead
of a full well that never runs out. But he
calls him a prophet, and he said, he'll pray for you,
and you shall live. But if you do not restore her,
know that you shall early die.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
You and all who are yours.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
So Abimelek rose early in the morning and called all
of his servants and told all of these things in
their hearing. And the men were very much afraid. Of course,
God just said they're going to be dead men unless
they give her back. And a Bimelek called Abraham, well,
this is going to be interesting, and said to him,
you jerk. No, he didn't say that, It's perhaps what
(09:28):
I would have said. He said, what have you done
to us? How have I offended you? That you have
brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?
You have done deeds to me that ought not to
be done. How he's rebuked by him. Charles Hadden Spurgeon said,
(09:48):
God will not allow his children to sin successfully, and
so he does it. He goes through with the plan. Man,
we made it down here. God reveals something in a dream,
unwitting to Abraham's knowledge until the next day. What have
you done to us?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
He says. Now, there's a.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Scripture in Proverbs twenty five that says, when a righteous
man falters before the wicked, he is like a murky
spring or a polluted well. A very picturesque, isn't it.
When a man or woman of God, known to be
a man or woman of God, known to be a
Christian man or woman, when they stumble before the unbeliever world,
(10:33):
they're like a murky spring, no refreshment, there a polluted well,
Abraham has done exactly that. Well, when you stretch the truth,
it's apt to snap back right, and here we find it.
A bi malexa to Abraham, what did you have in
view that you have done this thing? And Abraham said,
(10:56):
because I thought, up right there, what was the problem?
Because I thought that's where he goofed up.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
He started thinking.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You're listening to connect with Skip Heitzig before we get
back to Skip's teaching. In his book Is God Real?
Lee Strobel, author of the New York Times bestselling book
The Case for Christ, provides a rational exploration the proof
of God's existence and the basis of our eternal hope.
Writing to skeptics and believers alike, Strobel turns his critical
(11:32):
mind and expert interviewing skills to perennial questions like how
do we know which God is real? And if God
is real, why does he seem so hidden? Is God Real?
Along with two messages preached by Lee Strobel at Calvary Church,
are our thanks for your gift of at least fifty
dollars today to help share biblical teaching with more people
around the world through connect with skip Heitzig. Go to
(11:55):
connect with skiff dot com slash offer or call eight
hundred and ninety two to eighteen eighty eight and request
your resources when you give at least fifty dollars today
to reach people around the world through connect with skip Heidzig.
Let's continue with today's teaching with pastor skip.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Now, don't jump to conclusions. Finish it out and I'll explain.
Abraham said, because I thought, surely the fear of God
is not in this place. Well, really, they seem to
be more attuned to the fear of God than Abraham,
and they will kill me on account of my wife.
Notice he doesn't say, well, I'll tell you what I
(12:33):
had in mind here because I prayed, and when I prayed,
I felt that the Lord was telling me give your
wife to this man.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
That's not what he says.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
In fact, if he would have prayed, God would have
spoken to him and said, what are you thinking? Of
course not, so he doesn't say because I prayed, I
felt led or the spirit told me. But it's because
I thought. And that's where we so often get into trouble.
Is we think it true, and we strategize and we
get our buddies together and we plan and we do
(13:06):
everything but pray. There's two categories of people, which do
you find yourself in most a thinker.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Or a prayer.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Some of you are quite bright, you maybe have a
Maybe you have one hundred and forty four IQ.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You're considered genius. Don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Maybe you're above average, you're one hundred to one hundred
and fifteen or twenty. Wow, you're an idiot in comparison
to the mind of God. Do you recognize that if
you are living just by your own thinking and your
own strategizing, in your own planning, and not consulting the creator,
that's ignorance, that's stupidity.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Well, you know, I thought.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Wrong, answer, buddy, that's your problem. And yet I find
people in ministry. I find them having conferences around the country,
strategizing for church growth and strategizing for the next level
and strategizing. Why not just get together and pray and
(14:13):
ask God for his wisdom. That's where the power is.
It's because I thought, And boy did he think wrong?
He assumed it was Assumption is the lowest form of communication.
You assume, you just probably don't do that, he assumed,
And he assumed wrong. He was clever, and it got
him into trouble. Now watch this, but indeed she truly
(14:38):
is my sister. And watch she is the daughter of
my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And
she became my wife. Okay, so technically it was true, right,
it's it's a half truth. A half truth is a
(14:59):
total It was meant to mislead. Right, you can say, well,
technically it was the truth. Now here's the problem. If
we start living on these little technicalities and verbal you know,
statements that aren't meant to fully disclose, that's bearing false witness.
(15:22):
If we start saying, well, it depends on what is
is That is a statement purposely meant to deceive, not
to disclose. It's bearing false witness. Now it's interesting that
(15:43):
that term finds its way into the New Testament, bearing
false witness. By the way, that's one of God's top
ten that he thundered from Mount Sinai that day, you
shall not bear false witness. Yes, we find it in
the New Testament. When at the trial of Jesus they
couldn't find anything. Again, so it says they brought in
false witnesses who said, pointing to Jesus, this man said
(16:10):
that he would destroy the temple and in three days
he would build it back up. Now did Jesus say that, Yes,
he did say that. He did say that. Technically it
was true. In John chapter two, he said, destroy this temple.
In the three days, I'll build it back up. But John,
in an editorial comment, says, but he was speaking of
the temple of his body, not the temple in Jerusalem.
(16:33):
So yes, it's what he said. But what he meant
was his own body. So to bear false witness is
more than just giving information. It's all about the implication.
It's the spin you put on it. And if you
are meaning to deceive, which is what Abraham was doing,
he is born false witness, and he's in trouble. And
(16:59):
it came to pass when God caused me to wander
from my father's house that I said to her, this
is your kindness that you should do for me. In
every place where we go say of me, he is
my brother. Okay, now just stop right there, and I
don't care if we'd make it into twenty one or not.
(17:23):
Now we have some information that is valuable in verse thirty.
Now we are privy to some information where the picture
comes together, it all makes sense. We didn't have full
understanding when in chapter twelve he goes to Egypt and says,
say to Pharaoh, you're my sister. But now we have
some information. It wasn't that Abraham was pressured into saying this,
(17:50):
or he panicked and he just said it spur of
the moment. Now we understand it's been a pattern. He
planned to say this when in chapter eleven and on
into chapter twelve when we read the first read about
Sarah and Abram leaving ore of the Caldis and going
to Haran and then down into the Promised Land. Now
(18:12):
we understand that ever since we were married, part of
the pre nuptial agreement was wherever we go, she's gonna
say this now, So can you imagine their wedding vows?
Will you have me as your lawfully wedded husband to
happen to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse,
for richard, for poor and sickness and in health, and
wherever you go. If I'm in trouble, say you're my sister,
(18:37):
I will. I don't know. Maybe she looked at Abram
and thought, honey, whatever you want, sweetie, baby, I love you.
I'm crazy about you. Yeah, I'll do it. Whatever it was.
They made a pact in agreement thirty years before. So
when in chapter twelve he does it and now he
(18:58):
does it, we understand it's in a pattern. He never
broke from sin, he never made a break from it.
It's been a pattern and a pattern. And he could
have done it more than twice. It's mentioned twice. He
could have done it all the time. Whenever you see
a Christian fall and you're initially shocked, I can't believe
(19:21):
that what would possess that person suddenly out of the
blue to do that. It wasn't sudden, It wasn't out
of the blue. They fell in the very spot they
were most vulnerable and weakest and unguarded, and over time
sewed into that area. We made a pact thirty years ago.
(19:43):
It was the kindness that I asked her to do
for me. It's a pattern and a Bimelech took sheep
and oxen and male and female servants and gave them
to Abraham, and he restored Sarah and his wife to him.
And Abimelech said, see my life, and is before you
dwell where it pleases you. Now you might say, well,
This is kind of weird. Why would he bless him
(20:05):
and reward him? Because God woke him up in the
middle of the night and spoke audibly to him and
said he's a prophet. So he understands. Not that he's
impressed with Abraham. He's not impressed with Abraham. He's very
impressed with Abraham's God. And he knows that Abraham's God
is connected to Abraham. So I'm gonna bless him. You know,
(20:27):
it's like, where does an eight hundred pound gorilla sit
wherever he wants? Where's Abraham connected to this great God?
Going to go wherever he wants? Take the land, go for.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
It, and he leaves.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
So Bien Malek said, see, my land is before you
dwell where it pleases you. Then to Sarah he said,
now wat's what he says. Behold, I have given your husband.
No he didn't say that, does he. Oh, yeah, you
want to call him your brother. I'll call him your
brother too, because I'll tell you one thing, sweetheart, he
(21:08):
sure didn't act like a husband to you. So he
didn't even call him a husband, but a brother.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I could see a brother doing that, but not a husband.
So I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Indeed,
this vindicates you before all who are with you, and
before everybody. Thus she was rebuked. So Abraham prayed to God,
and God healed a bimelek, his wife and his female servants,
(21:38):
and they bore children. For the Lord had closed up
all the wombs of the house of a Bimelech because
of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Abraham could not preach to a Bimelek. He couldn't. He
couldn't get him a message. He couldn't say.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
No, a bimelek, do you know that God loves you
and has a wonderful plan for your life. Here's a
four spiritual law booklet a bimla. Let me just go
through this with you really quick. He wouldn't have listened
to him, right, he had ruined his testimony. Yes, he
couldn't preach to him. A bimelech wouldn't receive anything from him,
but he could pray for him.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
All of us.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Have somebody in our lives that we have hurt. Don't
know what it was. Maybe it was just some dumb
sin we committed. You can't preach to them, you can't
share anything with them. They won't receive it. They won't listen.
If you call on the phone, they'll hang up. If
you send them a letter, they'll send it back unopened.
(22:39):
They won't receive from you.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
But you can.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Secretly pray for them. You can secretly pray for them.
You say, why would I want to do that? Two
reasons you'd want to do it. Number one, because it'll
free you from being bitter. They may be bitter at you,
but you can be free from bitterness by praying for them.
If you put your enemies on a prayer list, won't
(23:05):
you won't have a grudge against them. I will guarantee
that if you pray for them, if you daily bring
them before the Lord and ask God to bless them,
you can't harbor a grudge. If it's an old colleague,
or an ex spouse, or some brother or sister who's
erreed against you, and you pray for them, man.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
You're free. You sleep well.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
You're asking God to bless them. Number two, you'll bless them,
they'll be blessed. You go, I don't really want them blessed.
Oh yes you do, Yes, you do. Because here's what's
going to happen. They're not receiving from you now, but
you're praying for them and you're getting free of it,
(23:49):
and you're watching them get blessed. And they won't even
know that you're the instrument of that blessing. They won't
know the source of it until you get to heaven,
and in heaven it will be revealed and they'll be
blown away. I mean, you were the source of all
(24:10):
of that blessing you prayed for me. Yeah, there will
be such a wonderful reunion. It will be so grand
and glorious. So you can't preach to everyone, but you
can pray for everyone, and you'll be free, and others
will be blessed, and eternity will tell those stories.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Thanks for listening to connect with Skip Heizig. We hope
you've been encouraged in your walk with Christ by today's program.
Before we let you go, we want to remind you
about this month's resources that will help you confidently respond
to questions and challenges to God's existence. It's Lee St.
Trobels book Is God Real, and two messages he preached
on the topic at Calvary Church. Request your resources when
(24:56):
you give fifty dollars or more to support connect with
Skip Heitzig eight hundred ninety two two eighteen eighty eight.
That's eight hundred nine two two eighteen eighty eight. Or
visit connectiskip dot com, slash donate and did you know
that you can get a weekly devotional and other resources
from pastor Skip sent right to your email inbox. Simply
(25:18):
visit connect Withskip dot com and sign up for emails
from Skip. Come back next time for more verse by
verse teaching of God's word. Here unconnect with skip Heidzig, Make.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Connect, make a connects.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Of the Cross, chats songs, Make.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Next.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Connect with skip Heidzig is a presentation of connection communications
connecting you to God's never changing truth in ever changing
times
This is Connect with Skip Heitzig, and we're so glad
you've joined us for today's program. Connect with Skip Heitzig
is all about connecting you to the never changing truth
of God's Word through verse by verse teaching. Before we
get started, we want to invite you to check out
connect with Skip dot com to find resources like full
message series, sermon outlines, and more. While you're at it,
(00:22):
be sure to sign up to receive Skip's weekly devotional
emails right in your inbox. When you do, we'll send
you Skip's booklet Hell No, don't go. This insightful resource
will help you gain a deeper understanding of what awaits
believers in heaven and unbelievers in hell. It's an encouragement
for those who've said yes to Jesus and a sobering
(00:43):
picture for those who have not. Get your coffee when
you sign up today at connectiskip dot com. That's connect
with Skip dot com. Now let's get started with today's
message from pastor Skip Heitzig.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Here's King of Bimelek. He's sleeping at night. He does
not know what's happening. He does not know the relationship
between this man and woman. He did not take her
that night, which was typical when a new woman was
brought into a harem. He just went to sleep that night.
While he was sleeping just on the pillow, sawing logs,
(01:18):
God spoke to him and said, you're a dead man.
I'd call that a nightmare because the woman whom you
have taken for she is a man's wife. But a
Bimelek had not come near her, and said, Lord, will
(01:38):
you slay a righteous nation? Also, it's interesting that he
said slay a righteous nation. And we'll learn the full
impact of that when we get to verse eighteen, and
we discover that all of the wombs of the Philistine
women had been closed by God. So not only was
God threatening king of Bimelek, but God had closed all
of the wombs of the women, so they were unable
(02:00):
to bear. Well, if you can't bear little Philistines and
have little philistines running around your tent, who will grow
up to be big philistines, you won't have a nation
of philistines. And so would you slay a righteous nation?
Interesting that he calls it that. Did he not say
to me, she is my sister? Even she herself said
(02:20):
he is my brother in the integrity of my heart
and in the innocence of my hands, I have done this.
And God said to him in a dream, Yes, I
know that you did this in the integrity of your heart,
for I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore
I did not let you touch her. Now, every time
(02:44):
there is a first mention of something in the Bible,
I've been telling you that principle of first mention, Right,
the very first mention of the word integrity is found
here from the lips of a philistine, a man of integrity,
and says, you're right, I actually agree with you. You are
a man of integrity, and that's why I'm keeping you
(03:07):
from further sin. Now, here's a principle. If you are
a person of integrity, honesty, you're not covering up, You're
not hiding anything. You are who you say you are,
what you are in private and public are the same.
If you're a person of integrity, God will keep you
(03:27):
from further plunging into those kinds of activities, sins that
would destroy families and destroy relationships. But if you are
a person who lacks integrity, you're on that dangerous road
of going further into areas that will destroy. You're right,
(03:48):
You're a man of integrity. That's why I'm not letting
you do this. In fact, there's something I find interesting.
In verse six, he says, for I also withheld you
from sinning against who me. Now, now, wait a minute.
Abraham sinned against his wife Sarah by doing this. Abraham
(04:11):
sinned against king of Bimelech by doing this. A king
of Bimelec took Sarah not knowing what it is. And
even if he did know what it was, and he
was going to do it anyway, wouldn't that be a sin,
first of all against Sarah or first of all against Abraham. No,
here's the important principle. Adultery is first and foremost a
(04:36):
sin against God. And that's what most people forget. Oh
the poor children, true, Oh the poor wife. She was
a victim or husband.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
True.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
But first and foremost it's a sin against God. And
why would that be? Because God was the one who
invented the institution of marriage.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
That's why.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
For this reason, a man will leave his father and
mother and cleveland to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh. Jesus will say amen to that by
saying what God has joined together let not man separate,
so to commit adultery. According to God, here is first
to sin against him. That's where we ought to look.
(05:19):
That's where the fear of God begins, is with thoughts
like this. Now, later on you're going to read about Moses.
And Moses was Egyptian. He was at least a Hebrew,
but in the Egyptian court. And one day he goes
out and he's angry at an Egyptian and it says
he looked this way, and he looked that way, and
he killed the Egyptian.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
What was his problem?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
He didn't look that way. And so we look around
to see who's looking or not looking. God's always looking,
And in his sleep God reminds a bi molec of
that truth. Therefore I did not let you touch her. Now,
therefore restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
He's a what this is shocking to me.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
And he will pray for you and you shall live. Okay,
back to the rule of first mention. The very first
time the word prophet is mentioned in the Bible is
in this verse, and it's used of a disobedient Abraham. Now,
I say, I'm shocked at this, because if there's one
time you would think that God would not want to
(06:34):
even be related to Abraham would be here. You'd think
he would say, for this man is a problem. This
man is a problem child of mine. I've had problems
with him for years, ever since I called him.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Or I don't know who this joker is. But God
owns him as his prophet. Isn't that interesting?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
He says he's a prophet and he'll pray for you.
Luck's probably thinking I don't want him to pray for me.
I'll tell you why this is good. It's good because
whenever we fail, whenever we blow it, and we all
do in our own thinking, we we ruin our future
(07:19):
ability to serve the Lord. So often by these thoughts,
Oh I've blown it. Oh that was a bad mistake.
I can never be used by God again. Oh boy,
you don't understand our God. You don't understand the great
grace of our God, the mighty mercy of our Maker.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
He's a prophet and he's going to pray for you.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
In fact, the Lord's going to hear his prayer and
going to heal him. Now, I don't want you to
misunderstand me, because you're some of you may be thinking,
oh so great, So if I've blown it, and I have,
I can just keep blowing it. Nope, shall we can
tell you to send that grace may abound? God forbid,
said Paul, because even though you can get up there
(08:08):
and still teach a Bible study, or preach a sermon,
or play the notes on the piano or guitar, there'll
be something you will be lacking the whole time life,
real life. You'll shrivel up inside. They'll be pain and
sorrow and repercussions in you and around you with relationships
and family. You'll just be drying up inside. The Bible
(08:32):
says in Proverbs thirteen, I believe that the way of
the unfaithful is hard.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
It's hard, it's miserable.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
So you'll be operating out of an empty well instead
of a full well that never runs out. But he
calls him a prophet, and he said, he'll pray for you,
and you shall live. But if you do not restore her,
know that you shall early die.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
You and all who are yours.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
So Abimelek rose early in the morning and called all
of his servants and told all of these things in
their hearing. And the men were very much afraid. Of course,
God just said they're going to be dead men unless
they give her back. And a Bimelek called Abraham, well,
this is going to be interesting, and said to him,
you jerk. No, he didn't say that, It's perhaps what
(09:28):
I would have said. He said, what have you done
to us? How have I offended you? That you have
brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?
You have done deeds to me that ought not to
be done. How he's rebuked by him. Charles Hadden Spurgeon said,
(09:48):
God will not allow his children to sin successfully, and
so he does it. He goes through with the plan. Man,
we made it down here. God reveals something in a dream,
unwitting to Abraham's knowledge until the next day. What have
you done to us?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
He says. Now, there's a.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Scripture in Proverbs twenty five that says, when a righteous
man falters before the wicked, he is like a murky
spring or a polluted well. A very picturesque, isn't it.
When a man or woman of God, known to be
a man or woman of God, known to be a
Christian man or woman, when they stumble before the unbeliever world,
(10:33):
they're like a murky spring, no refreshment, there a polluted well,
Abraham has done exactly that. Well, when you stretch the truth,
it's apt to snap back right, and here we find it.
A bi malexa to Abraham, what did you have in
view that you have done this thing? And Abraham said,
(10:56):
because I thought, up right there, what was the problem?
Because I thought that's where he goofed up.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
He started thinking.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You're listening to connect with Skip Heitzig before we get
back to Skip's teaching. In his book Is God Real?
Lee Strobel, author of the New York Times bestselling book
The Case for Christ, provides a rational exploration the proof
of God's existence and the basis of our eternal hope.
Writing to skeptics and believers alike, Strobel turns his critical
(11:32):
mind and expert interviewing skills to perennial questions like how
do we know which God is real? And if God
is real, why does he seem so hidden? Is God Real?
Along with two messages preached by Lee Strobel at Calvary Church,
are our thanks for your gift of at least fifty
dollars today to help share biblical teaching with more people
around the world through connect with skip Heitzig. Go to
(11:55):
connect with skiff dot com slash offer or call eight
hundred and ninety two to eighteen eighty eight and request
your resources when you give at least fifty dollars today
to reach people around the world through connect with skip Heidzig.
Let's continue with today's teaching with pastor skip.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Now, don't jump to conclusions. Finish it out and I'll explain.
Abraham said, because I thought, surely the fear of God
is not in this place. Well, really, they seem to
be more attuned to the fear of God than Abraham,
and they will kill me on account of my wife.
Notice he doesn't say, well, I'll tell you what I
(12:33):
had in mind here because I prayed, and when I prayed,
I felt that the Lord was telling me give your
wife to this man.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
That's not what he says.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
In fact, if he would have prayed, God would have
spoken to him and said, what are you thinking? Of
course not, so he doesn't say because I prayed, I
felt led or the spirit told me. But it's because
I thought. And that's where we so often get into trouble.
Is we think it true, and we strategize and we
get our buddies together and we plan and we do
(13:06):
everything but pray. There's two categories of people, which do
you find yourself in most a thinker.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Or a prayer.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Some of you are quite bright, you maybe have a
Maybe you have one hundred and forty four IQ.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You're considered genius. Don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Maybe you're above average, you're one hundred to one hundred
and fifteen or twenty. Wow, you're an idiot in comparison
to the mind of God. Do you recognize that if
you are living just by your own thinking and your
own strategizing, in your own planning, and not consulting the creator,
that's ignorance, that's stupidity.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Well, you know, I thought.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Wrong, answer, buddy, that's your problem. And yet I find
people in ministry. I find them having conferences around the country,
strategizing for church growth and strategizing for the next level
and strategizing. Why not just get together and pray and
(14:13):
ask God for his wisdom. That's where the power is.
It's because I thought, And boy did he think wrong?
He assumed it was Assumption is the lowest form of communication.
You assume, you just probably don't do that, he assumed,
And he assumed wrong. He was clever, and it got
him into trouble. Now watch this, but indeed she truly
(14:38):
is my sister. And watch she is the daughter of
my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And
she became my wife. Okay, so technically it was true, right,
it's it's a half truth. A half truth is a
(14:59):
total It was meant to mislead. Right, you can say, well,
technically it was the truth. Now here's the problem. If
we start living on these little technicalities and verbal you know,
statements that aren't meant to fully disclose, that's bearing false witness.
(15:22):
If we start saying, well, it depends on what is
is That is a statement purposely meant to deceive, not
to disclose. It's bearing false witness. Now it's interesting that
(15:43):
that term finds its way into the New Testament, bearing
false witness. By the way, that's one of God's top
ten that he thundered from Mount Sinai that day, you
shall not bear false witness. Yes, we find it in
the New Testament. When at the trial of Jesus they
couldn't find anything. Again, so it says they brought in
false witnesses who said, pointing to Jesus, this man said
(16:10):
that he would destroy the temple and in three days
he would build it back up. Now did Jesus say that, Yes,
he did say that. He did say that. Technically it
was true. In John chapter two, he said, destroy this temple.
In the three days, I'll build it back up. But John,
in an editorial comment, says, but he was speaking of
the temple of his body, not the temple in Jerusalem.
(16:33):
So yes, it's what he said. But what he meant
was his own body. So to bear false witness is
more than just giving information. It's all about the implication.
It's the spin you put on it. And if you
are meaning to deceive, which is what Abraham was doing,
he is born false witness, and he's in trouble. And
(16:59):
it came to pass when God caused me to wander
from my father's house that I said to her, this
is your kindness that you should do for me. In
every place where we go say of me, he is
my brother. Okay, now just stop right there, and I
don't care if we'd make it into twenty one or not.
(17:23):
Now we have some information that is valuable in verse thirty.
Now we are privy to some information where the picture
comes together, it all makes sense. We didn't have full
understanding when in chapter twelve he goes to Egypt and says,
say to Pharaoh, you're my sister. But now we have
some information. It wasn't that Abraham was pressured into saying this,
(17:50):
or he panicked and he just said it spur of
the moment. Now we understand it's been a pattern. He
planned to say this when in chapter eleven and on
into chapter twelve when we read the first read about
Sarah and Abram leaving ore of the Caldis and going
to Haran and then down into the Promised Land. Now
(18:12):
we understand that ever since we were married, part of
the pre nuptial agreement was wherever we go, she's gonna
say this now, So can you imagine their wedding vows?
Will you have me as your lawfully wedded husband to
happen to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse,
for richard, for poor and sickness and in health, and
wherever you go. If I'm in trouble, say you're my sister,
(18:37):
I will. I don't know. Maybe she looked at Abram
and thought, honey, whatever you want, sweetie, baby, I love you.
I'm crazy about you. Yeah, I'll do it. Whatever it was.
They made a pact in agreement thirty years before. So
when in chapter twelve he does it and now he
(18:58):
does it, we understand it's in a pattern. He never
broke from sin, he never made a break from it.
It's been a pattern and a pattern. And he could
have done it more than twice. It's mentioned twice. He
could have done it all the time. Whenever you see
a Christian fall and you're initially shocked, I can't believe
(19:21):
that what would possess that person suddenly out of the
blue to do that. It wasn't sudden, It wasn't out
of the blue. They fell in the very spot they
were most vulnerable and weakest and unguarded, and over time
sewed into that area. We made a pact thirty years ago.
(19:43):
It was the kindness that I asked her to do
for me. It's a pattern and a Bimelech took sheep
and oxen and male and female servants and gave them
to Abraham, and he restored Sarah and his wife to him.
And Abimelech said, see my life, and is before you
dwell where it pleases you. Now you might say, well,
This is kind of weird. Why would he bless him
(20:05):
and reward him? Because God woke him up in the
middle of the night and spoke audibly to him and
said he's a prophet. So he understands. Not that he's
impressed with Abraham. He's not impressed with Abraham. He's very
impressed with Abraham's God. And he knows that Abraham's God
is connected to Abraham. So I'm gonna bless him. You know,
(20:27):
it's like, where does an eight hundred pound gorilla sit
wherever he wants? Where's Abraham connected to this great God?
Going to go wherever he wants? Take the land, go for.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
It, and he leaves.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
So Bien Malek said, see, my land is before you
dwell where it pleases you. Then to Sarah he said,
now wat's what he says. Behold, I have given your husband.
No he didn't say that, does he. Oh, yeah, you
want to call him your brother. I'll call him your
brother too, because I'll tell you one thing, sweetheart, he
(21:08):
sure didn't act like a husband to you. So he
didn't even call him a husband, but a brother.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I could see a brother doing that, but not a husband.
So I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Indeed,
this vindicates you before all who are with you, and
before everybody. Thus she was rebuked. So Abraham prayed to God,
and God healed a bimelek, his wife and his female servants,
(21:38):
and they bore children. For the Lord had closed up
all the wombs of the house of a Bimelech because
of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Abraham could not preach to a Bimelek. He couldn't. He
couldn't get him a message. He couldn't say.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
No, a bimelek, do you know that God loves you
and has a wonderful plan for your life. Here's a
four spiritual law booklet a bimla. Let me just go
through this with you really quick. He wouldn't have listened
to him, right, he had ruined his testimony. Yes, he
couldn't preach to him. A bimelech wouldn't receive anything from him,
but he could pray for him.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
All of us.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Have somebody in our lives that we have hurt. Don't
know what it was. Maybe it was just some dumb
sin we committed. You can't preach to them, you can't
share anything with them. They won't receive it. They won't listen.
If you call on the phone, they'll hang up. If
you send them a letter, they'll send it back unopened.
(22:39):
They won't receive from you.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
But you can.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Secretly pray for them. You can secretly pray for them.
You say, why would I want to do that? Two
reasons you'd want to do it. Number one, because it'll
free you from being bitter. They may be bitter at you,
but you can be free from bitterness by praying for them.
If you put your enemies on a prayer list, won't
(23:05):
you won't have a grudge against them. I will guarantee
that if you pray for them, if you daily bring
them before the Lord and ask God to bless them,
you can't harbor a grudge. If it's an old colleague,
or an ex spouse, or some brother or sister who's
erreed against you, and you pray for them, man.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
You're free. You sleep well.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
You're asking God to bless them. Number two, you'll bless them,
they'll be blessed. You go, I don't really want them blessed.
Oh yes you do, Yes, you do. Because here's what's
going to happen. They're not receiving from you now, but
you're praying for them and you're getting free of it,
(23:49):
and you're watching them get blessed. And they won't even
know that you're the instrument of that blessing. They won't
know the source of it until you get to heaven,
and in heaven it will be revealed and they'll be
blown away. I mean, you were the source of all
(24:10):
of that blessing you prayed for me. Yeah, there will
be such a wonderful reunion. It will be so grand
and glorious. So you can't preach to everyone, but you
can pray for everyone, and you'll be free, and others
will be blessed, and eternity will tell those stories.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Thanks for listening to connect with Skip Heizig. We hope
you've been encouraged in your walk with Christ by today's program.
Before we let you go, we want to remind you
about this month's resources that will help you confidently respond
to questions and challenges to God's existence. It's Lee St.
Trobels book Is God Real, and two messages he preached
on the topic at Calvary Church. Request your resources when
(24:56):
you give fifty dollars or more to support connect with
Skip Heitzig eight hundred ninety two two eighteen eighty eight.
That's eight hundred nine two two eighteen eighty eight. Or
visit connectiskip dot com, slash donate and did you know
that you can get a weekly devotional and other resources
from pastor Skip sent right to your email inbox. Simply
(25:18):
visit connect Withskip dot com and sign up for emails
from Skip. Come back next time for more verse by
verse teaching of God's word. Here unconnect with skip Heidzig, Make.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Connect, make a connects.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Of the Cross, chats songs, Make.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Next.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Connect with skip Heidzig is a presentation of connection communications
connecting you to God's never changing truth in ever changing
times
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!