The first thing we learned was from Isaiah 51:2,  “When he was but one I called him, then I blessed him and multiplied him.”  Abram was all alone when God called him.

We then journeyed with him from Mesopotamia (Ur of the Chaldeans) to Haran, where he settled.  We learned in Hebrews 11:8 that by faith, when he was called, Abram obeyed by going out to a place he was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Jeff made an interesting statement about this: “Faith overcomes skepticism.”  Jeff made the analogy to someone trying to promise something too good to be true.  Most adults take such offers with a healthy dose of skepticism, and disregard them.  Abram chose to believe God’s promises, and moved out in obedience.

In Genesis 12:10-20, We noticed that when Abram got into trouble in Egypt, he hadn’t sought the LORD in his decision making.  Marc asked Nichole what might have happened if Abram had included God.  Nichole realized that Abram might have left Egypt even more blessed, because God had already promised Abram many blessings.  Anne made the point that this is probably where Abram picked up Hagar, the Egyptian (Sarai’s maidservant).  Chuck made the point that if Abram was a faithful friend of God and messed up, then we have comfort knowing that Christ atoned for our sins!

In reference to Lot, we looked at Genesis 13.  Lonnie made the observation that Lot’s lust of the eyes contributed to his later downfall. In an earlier lesson, we learned that many sins are committed this way. We dubbed them the “Look and Took” sins.  See my blog on this.

Finally, we talked about Melchizedek, and discussed the possibility that he was the pre-incarnate Christ.  Our insights concerning him were from Genesis 14:17-24; Hebrews 5:5-6; 6:19-7:22; and Psalm 110:4.  In Genesis we learned that Melchizedek was the King of Salem, and brought Abram bread and wine (pattern of the Lord’s supper?). He blessed Abram, and blessed God.  He received a tenth of Abram’s possessions.  In Psalm 110:4, we learn that Melchezedek has a priestly order.  In Hebrews we learned that Christ is a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, that Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God, that he was a King of Righteousness, that he was without father or mother, no genealogy, and not beginning or end.  He was made like a son of God, and remains a priest perpetually.  He was of a new tribe, not the Levitical priesthood.

Pam made the point that Melchizedek makes such a great bridge of understanding from the Old Testament to the New.  He is a pattern of Christ.

We were hoping Kay Arthur would shed light on this mystery in her discussion of the lesson, but she only touched on the discussion lightly.

My husband once commented that when we finish studying a book of the Bible, we “own” it.  What’s really exciting is when members of our group share their insights concerning the scripture we’ve studied, and Kay Arthur brings out the same points in the accompanying video.  We look at each other, give “high fives” all around, and say: “We have the mind of Kay!”

We all go to church together.  When our Pastor is preaching a message about a subject we’ve covered, or a book of the Bible we “own,” we all look at each other and give smiley “high fives.”   We have the mind of Pastor Mark!

Recently I was listening to a “Way of the Master” radio broadcast. Todd Friel read a true story about a depraved act some teens in England perpetrated.  He then asked callers to call in to tell him the scripture he was thinking about which described the teens’ behavior.  I immediately thought of 2 Timothy 3, and dialed the 800 number to the show.  But at the last minute I changed my mind and offered Romans 1:18.  GONG.  Wrong Answer — on to the next caller.  Later, Todd said he had been thinking of 2 Timothy 3.  Mental “high five!”  I had the mind of Todd!

Isn’t that goofy?  I am a Christian!  I have the mind of Christ!  I have the Holy Spirit living within me, teaching me all about God’s Word, and bringing to mind everything I have learned.  You can have the mind of Christ too.  Trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and repent from your sins. Then read your Bible and “own” it!

1 Cor 2:16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

I’m pretty good at making it to the cashier without being tempted to thumb through a magazine that will show me Brangelinas’ latest tattoos, or new-found cellulite on an anorexic starlet’s thighs. But to make it the five feet without picking up a pack of gum, tic-tacs, or CHOCOLATE is quite a different matter. If there’s a refrigerator nearby, I’ll grab a Diet Coke to help wash it all down.

One local store adds insult to injury, because the cashiers are in some sort of competition to sell their customers “basket items,” which are usually deeply discounted CHOCOLATE (or dental supplies for those who gave in last month).

Grocery managers are in on a little secret about humans. Our sin patterns are remarkably predictable. We see what we want and we take it without thinking twice.

We can read all about it in the Bible, starting with the mother-of-all-sinners, Eve. Right after Eve and Adam did it, most of their offspring perfected it. I’ve been calling it the “look and took” sins.

Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make {one} wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Gen 6:1-2 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

Gen 34:2 When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.

Joshua 7:21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.”

2 Sam 11:1-4 Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. 2 Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

Judges 14:1-3 Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” 3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.”

Samson ended up paying a heavy price for looking and taking. He wasn’t going to be looking at anything anymore! God accomplished His purposes through Samson anyway, but it wasn’t pretty.

Judges 16:21 Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison.

Fortunately for the Christian, we aren’t chained to the pattern of the world anymore, and we aren’t powerless over the “look and took” sins. We are more than conquerors in Christ, and we have the mind of Christ to help us resist temptation.

Satan’s scheme is to isolate us and tell us lies. Once we’re alone and vulnerable, he whispers to our old nature that the “look and took” sins are a-okay.

Jesus showed us a different way. He dealt with the same type of temptations when He was in the wilderness and Satan approached him with different opportunities to sin. Satan specifically offered Jesus to look and to take:

Matt 4:8-11 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, `YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Ps 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to His word.

Now when I go through the checkout aisle, I think about what Job said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes.” No more eye candy for me.