Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist and thy exceeding great reward. I've always wondered a little bit in this passage why God didn't give us a couple of adjectives for shield.

You know, he describes the fact that he is an exceeding great reward, but he just simply says, I am thy shield. You say, well, what do you think preacher? I don't know, we're gonna open up in prayer.

All right, just wanted to give you that thought and make you think a little bit, we'll talk about it. Lord, I love you. And Lord, we have nothing to fear because of who you are and what you are to us. And Lord, I pray that you would bless and thank you for this passage, how it has encouraged me the things I needed to hear once again, and we love you.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. I today, instead of kind of giving you an alliterated outline, I wanna kind of just look at some phrases and point them out and let's just talk about them for a little bit as we approach this subject. If God has laid this on my heart, I would dare say that he didn't do it because nobody needed it, he just needed to fill a message for Sunday morning. I would dare say that this is probably because someone or some group or some different individuals have some things going on in their life right now, be it in the past or in the future, that is bringing some fear, that is bringing some doubt. And so we're gonna talk about these things. Notice the first phrase that if you read quickly, you'll go right over it, and yet the volumes in this phrase is this phrase, after these things. After these things. God came to Abram after these things. I assume that God knew that Abraham needed him to come to Abraham after what he had been through. After these things, you say, well, what were those things?

What were those circumstances? And I'll try to make it real just quick and brief, it's in the chapter before literally that there were some kings that decided to kind of go to battle against some other kings. And that's where it always starts, it seems. And one of those kings was the king of Sodom. And Abraham's family lived there, and they lived in that kingdom, his brother and his brother's son, whose name was Lot.

And you all are familiar with that. And so Abraham obviously hearing that this war was going on, and as this war transpired, it kind of caught Abraham's family in the middle. And as it did, not only was Abraham's family kidnapped, but a lot of Abraham's property was taken, it was stolen. And part of his land was compensated.

In other words, they kind of took it over. And Abraham realized that something had to be done. And so Abraham decided with the Lord's help to go into battle and he was gonna go back, he was gonna get his stuff, he was gonna get his family, and he was gonna get what belonged to him because it wasn't right.

And so that's exactly what transpired. And as this war raged, God did give Abraham the victory and his brother was killed, but Lot, his nephew, ended up coming with Abraham. And Lot ended up being a great hardship to Abraham in many ways. And this is another whole story, but it would have been prevented if Abraham had listened specifically to God. God told him to leave his country and leave his family.

But he didn't quite listen all the way. And because of that, there was some horrible things that happened in Abraham's life. And by the way, anytime you and I disobey God, you might not feel it right then. And it might not happen at that moment, but eventually there's gonna be some things in your life and nobody's gonna be there with a ruler ready to snap your hand and let you know what you did. God will quietly let you know.

This is because of this decision. And so Abraham gets the victory, brings back Lot, brings back his goods, and comes back. And then the king of Sodom and comes to Abraham and he wants to give Abraham some things and I guess to be thankful. And Abraham said, I don't want one thing you have to offer. And not only that, I don't want you to take or touch one thing that's mine. I want us separated, you don't owe me anything.

I don't owe you anything. I don't want to have anything to do with you, Sodom. But Abraham had gone back to get his stuff. So that brings us to Genesis chapter 15, verse one. So Abraham had fought a long, hard battle. Abraham had been done wrong.

Abraham had taken some hits. He had lost some family. Some family had been killed. Some servants had been killed. Some friends had been killed. And so there was some damage.

He got back some things that were his, but he lost a lot of things in the process. And so this is the setting of Genesis chapter 15, verse one. And after these things, then God came to him.

You say, well, what's your point, preacher? May I ask you today, what are the these things that you have been through? What are the battles that you have fought? What are a few of the victories that God has given you over the years?

I am, for all of you today that are here and you're breathing and you're alive, I want you to understand you have experienced the after these things. It shows that God brought you through it. It shows that somehow, someway, God gave you the victory. We're not saying that all of us have done everything exactly right.

We're not saying that maybe we haven't suffered some losses. But this very phrase after these things that the word of the Lord came means that somehow God brought Abraham through it. And I want you to understand today, whatever God leads you to, God can lead you through. Word of God says a phrase, this too shall pass.

It means that there is always an after these things. There's always a set of circumstances and difficulties that you and I sometimes have to go through, but isn't it nice to know that God is there that he brings us through. Now, there's always a skeptic in every crowd.

Even at home, I have it, so there's always a skeptic. It's because I have two dogs and they just are very, anyway. You might want to debate my interpretation of this verse today and you might want to say, preacher, I have some loved ones that I prayed for and God did not bring them through. There was not an after these things for them. It may be that your argument is they died anyway, although I prayed. It may be that, well, preacher, I've asked God for some things and I haven't seen it happen.

There is no after these things for me and I would maybe beg to differ with you a little bit. Some would say that victory was not given by God when you pray for a loved one and maybe they don't pull through and maybe there's a circumstance, but I am here to tell you that I believe differently. You're looking at a son that prayed faithfully for his mom for three years, that God would heal her.

It wasn't like my mom was out getting drunk. My mom was faithfully every night that my dad would preach singing behind a pulpit somewhere in some town in some church every night of their life and for over 40 years in evangelism, faithfully serving God. Many of you knew her, many of you loved her, many of you heard her testimony last week, whatever the case might be.

It wasn't like she wasn't giving every breath to the Lord and to the ministry of God when she was alive and yet cancer came her way as it does so many and we prayed for three years and some would say, see, preacher, you prayed for three years and there is no after these things for you and I don't see it that way. I see heaven as ultimate victory. I see heaven as the ultimate healing. I've met many people that after these things they walked out of a hospital.

Some of you are sitting right here in front of me. Some of you were told there is gonna be no after these things and yet you're here and sometimes there are folks that pray and that loved one walks out of the hospital or gets out of that bed and maybe there is some miraculous healing. In some cases, God was their shield over sickness but in my family's case, God was our shield over death. I'm here to tell you when you're a child of God, it really doesn't matter the end result. There is always an after these things.

Stay patient because when you're God's child, there is always an after. After these things, notice the second phrase, the word of the Lord came. The word of the Lord came. As you look at the phrase, you could say this, the Lord came, the Lord came.

Is that statement, is that not true? Well you and I need the most when we're facing our battles, facing our own personal wars, facing our own personal losses. What we need more than anything is a word from God. It's amazing all the places that you and I run to to get what we need, to hear what we need and yet what we really need after these things is a word from God.

How badly we need it, how desperate we should be for it. You and I should always be ready and starving for a word from the Lord. When you come to church, you don't need a word from your pastor, we all know that. But when you come to church, you need a word from the Lord. But you know what, Monday morning when you're driving in your car to work, you need a word from the Lord. You better make sure that the word from the Lord you're getting is not only on Sunday morning and maybe only on Sunday night and if we're fortunate, on a Wednesday night, you and I should be so desperate as we're facing these battles like Abraham was fighting. It should refresh us and it should remind us that even in the midst of these things that the word of the Lord comes.

May I explain this if I can? There are many times in God's word where the word of the Lord came. In this verse, if you'll notice that the word of the Lord came, the Bible says, in a vision. It means that literally Abraham could physically see the Lord in some form or fashion.

I don't know if it was spirit form, physical form, whatever the case might be. I know the word of the Lord came not through a voice, the verse says, but in a vision. Now you say, preacher, what is your point about this? Do you know that you and I have the word of the Lord now just like Abraham had the word of the Lord then?

Listen to me, I want you to get this, please. We know and believe now that God does not show up in a vision to us. You say, yeah, why is that? Why do we read in the Bible and if you haven't been here on Wednesday nights and many of you are in ministries as we've been teaching the last four or five weeks on dispensational truth in the Bible and the mystery of Christ's truth in the Bible and all that, you ought to get the CDs, get the things so you can understand your Bible better. But why is it that it seems that God would show up to somebody and tell them something here and why is it that God doesn't? Now be careful, you're gonna find somebody on TV that says that Jesus showed up on the foot of their bed and they saw him and whatever the case might be and they had nothing more than the wrong pizza on the wrong night. You say, well, you're being rude.

No, I'm not. I have a right as a pastor to tell you when somebody's lying to you. You say, well, why does God not show up in a vision nowadays?

Well, let me tell you why. Because God's word is now complete. It's what we call the canon of scripture. Everything that God has to say to man is now in here. So God does not have to bodily show up to tell you something or reveal to you something because it's already been revealed. Everything you and I need to know or hear from God is in here. So while Abraham had to wait till after these things for God to show up and encourage him, you and I can get a word from the Lord before these things, during these things and after these things.

Look at me. God showed up to Abraham in a vision. He shows up to you and I in a verse.

Maybe I'm the only one excited about that. You and I don't have to wait till we go through all the struggles to find out what God's purpose was and to find out that God was our shield and to find out that God's our reward. We know it already before we go through them because it's already been told us. The word of the Lord has come to you physically. The word of the Lord came to Abraham spiritually, but not visually, but it comes to us daily. God would show up every once in a while to Abraham.

God shows up to you any time of the day you want him when you're willing to open this up. Which means this, you get a word from the Lord as much as you want. I've met people say, well I just really need a word from God.

Well that says that you haven't been reading your Bible. Let me tell you what you do. You say preacher I need a word from the Lord today.

Well here's how we do it. Get that Bible, blow the dust off. You got a word from the Lord.

Listen you don't have to turn on the TV program. You don't have to send in $100 to get a word from the Lord. It's here. You know that Christ has made it possible for you and I to confidently daily go to him to get a word. The word of the Lord came.

Here's what's great. To Abraham the word of the Lord came. To you and I the Lord came.

And he died and was buried and rose again. Think about this. Here in verse one and I want you to get this before we move on to our next phrase.

Please get this. In verse one do you know, and let's put on your thinking caps just for a second. Abraham would not have known that God was his shield unless God had told him.

Now look at me. It's not like Abraham had the complete canon of scripture. So Abraham goes through these battles. God gives him victory but Abraham might not have fully realized that it was all God and that it was all God's doing but after these things God shows up to Abraham and literally in a vision and he tells them, Abraham fear not I am your shield. He would not have known that if he did not know and would not have known that if he didn't hear God say it.

Do you understand the difference in our day and his day? The only thing he could know is what God told him. How would Abraham know that God was gonna be his reward? He didn't know unless God told him that. So God showed up and told him. Guess how you and I know?

It's already there. Imagine how many things God has told you that you are not even aware of because you haven't been in here. The word of the Lord came. Let's look at this next phrase. He says this as he shows up, fear not Abram. Abram obviously is Abraham as we call it, same person, same, don't get confused by that. He says, fear not Abram. Now that's a bit blunt and a bit abrupt I think. You say well that's encouraging.

Well wait a minute. Abraham had just had to fight a battle along with the stress of trying to save his own family, trying to save his own possessions, having lost family, having lost, it was a rough day. Anybody ever had a rough day? He was probably stressed out, physically worn out.

He was victoried out. It's like ordering at a drive through for five people. Somebody made fun of me one day because I said I'd rather go snorkeling in a septic tank than do that. And the next question you'd be like how do you know? I don't know, okay, I don't know.

It's probably a bit of an exaggeration, but why they can't understand no tomatoes. I don't understand what goes on in a microphone from a, I'm gonna get off on things and I'm sorry about that. Told you if I invented a restaurant I'd put a speaker on both sides of the car.

So if you're not by yourself, then the other person, your job. You order, all them youngins in the back, you order. They don't want, I don't want onions and I don't want that, I don't want that, you know. Us guys are like, give me a number one. What would you like that, too many questions, number one. That is not in a woman's makeup.

There is no way, that is too simple. Fear not. I'm gonna need the shield when I get home. Do you know this is the first time in scripture, chronologically written, that God ever looks at an individual and says, fear not. So there must, you go, remember the principle of first mentions, you always go in the Bible the first place something is mentioned and that's how you learn about it. So God must have something he wants us to learn about this thing of fear not. The first thing I want you to see before we go any further is how personal God is. He doesn't just show up and say, fear not. He shows up after a rough, rough day and says, fear not Abraham.

It means you could put your name in there and that's exactly what he does to you every day. We're not a number, we're not a statistic, we're not just an illustration, it's personal. Fear not, I mean you would think God the creator of the universe could show up and just the message he would give him should be something that's applicable to all mankind. Fear not, but that's not God, it's personal. Fear not Abraham.

Let me tell you I think not only is it personal but it's pointed, it's literally full of principles. In other words Abraham, fear not, but let me tell you why. You see God understands us and he knows that right after fighting the battle that he just faced what you really need is somebody coming up and like hey you shouldn't be scared.

It's like you being at the doctor's office and them telling you as my mother-in-law Carol, her sister we found out yesterday called and the doctor says hey you have lung cancer. It's like getting that news and in the office as you walk out of the office here's brother Daniel having heard the news that you're going to receive and you come out of the office and I'm sitting there and it's like hey you shouldn't be scared of that. Get a little faith why don't you? Come on, hadn't God already been good to you? Hasn't God already been good to you?

But is that what you need right then? Do you need somebody that has really no clue what you're feeling right now to show up and say hey, fear not. God shows up when Abraham needed it the most and I'll tell you why.

I'll show you at the end. Abraham wasn't just nervous and worn out and frustrated because of the battle he had just fought. Abraham was concerned about the future. Because God had told Abraham that he would make a great nation out of him but Abraham did not have children. He had no heir. So all this stuff that he had just taken back and all the family he had just reclaimed he is thinking in his mind who is gonna take care of this now?

I've just fought this battle and you know what without an heir it's probably just gonna be taken back eventually. There's a lot going on in Abraham's mind and God shows up and says fear not Abraham. Now why would God tell him that? Notice this next phrase as he begins and this is the reasons he gives. Number one he says I am thy shield. For some reason at this time God knew that Abraham needed to know that God was his shield. Now if you think logically looking at this passage I think well you know what isn't it a bit late? I mean didn't he just fight all this battle and now God shows up and says hey I'm your shield.

Hey I would have liked to have known that before I took off. You see why didn't God show up in a vision beforehand and say hey Abraham guess what you're getting ready to go out I'm gonna be your shield. Look at me because that wouldn't have required faith would it have? I mean God shows up visually and says hey listen you're getting ready to go into battle I'm gonna take care of all this you're gonna be okay.

Just want you to know that. But Abraham had to step off into battle without that vision, without that confirmation. Because without faith it's impossible to please God. So God shows up after in this vision and says Abraham I am your shield. Now here's what is interesting and this word shield doesn't mean all that I thought it meant. Now this word shield does mean as I did think that it meant that it literally means our protector, a buckler, our defense, something that you know shields us, stops something from getting to us that's exactly what it means but here's what I did not know and Strong's Concordance and there's others too by the way on their definition of this word, this Hebrew word it literally means the scaly hide of a crocodile.

As I thought about that more I got really really excited. Because I'm from Florida. The scaly hide of a crocodile protects the crocodile from many things, protects them from water, brush, leaves, trees, even animals. Literally things roll right off a crocodile's skin.

In fact they're in high demand because people want alligator skin boots and alligator skin clothing and belts and all this other stuff, why? Because it's so tough and God was telling Abraham it's not just gonna be during this battle, I'm your shield. With my help and with the strength that I'm gonna give you Abraham, whatever you face and whoever you face and whatever criticism comes your way, it can roll off your skin like water off a crocodile's back.

You can be tough, you don't have to be the kind of individual that every time something's said that hurts your feelings, you're wounded. Wait a minute, then apparently God's not a very good shield. I meet people all the time, well I don't really go to church anymore, every time I went to church somebody did something and somebody said something and somebody did, well then apparently you're telling me that God's not a very good shield. I mean if God was a good shield, wouldn't it take a lot to discourage you? If God was a good shield, wouldn't it take a lot, a lot of comments to really hurt your feelings? But boy we walk around like we have rice paper as skin. God said Abraham, I'm gonna be your shield.

Do you know like water that bounces off an alligator's skin or a tree or a brush, words can bounce off your skin. The fear of today's burdens and tomorrow's battles can be repelled because God's my shield. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you. We'll see you next time.