2026.06.07 District Message Week 23
「God at Work」(Ge 13:1-18)
Genesis 13:1–18
01 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him.
02 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.
03 He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
04 to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
05 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
06 And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together.
07 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land.
08 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
09 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere — this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah — like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.
11 So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other.
12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom.
13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.
14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
15 for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever.
16 I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.”
18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Introduction
1. Salvation
2. Answer
3. Fulfillment
Main
1. Spiritual strength — God’s work
1) (spiritual) imprint — (immanuel)
2) Red Sea — Mt Carmel
3) Jordan — 2 Kings 19:35
4) Jericho — 2 Kings (19:35)
(Daniel) 6:10
2. Unbelief — Awakening
1) Lot — Excuse
2) Strife (Genesis 13:13)
3) Decision
3. Faith — Decision
1) Genesis 13:14
2) Genesis 13:15
3) Genesis 13:16
4) Genesis 13:17
Summary
What is supremely important to human beings is not visible. What is more important than a finger is the mind, and when the mind goes, everything goes wrong. Our soul leaves the body and we die — but even going to the hospital, they can only examine the body; they cannot see the soul. So the things in Scripture that are truly answers, the truly important things, are all invisible to the eye, and people have no interest in them. They do not know the work of the Holy Spirit, the work of God, the background of the throne, the help of angels. So tell the Remnant: know the spiritual things and pray while studying. If a household fights every day, disaster will certainly come; if there is a household always giving thanks, blessing will certainly come.
▣ Introduction
1. Salvation — He is still saving people today.
2. Answer — He is still answering prayers today.
3. Fulfillment — The Word is still being fulfilled today.
▣ Main
1. Spiritual strength — God’s work — Those who know spiritual strength are set to let go of unbelief, and God’s work happens to those who know this.
1) The Red Sea — When unbelief was abandoned, the Red Sea was split.
2) The Jordan — Carrying the ark of the covenant, the Jordan was split.
3) Jericho — Going around in faith, Jericho fell.
4) Canaan — The small number who had faith entered the land of Canaan.
5) Mt Carmel — The powerful King Ahab should have seen God’s work at Mt Carmel and come to understanding, but the opposite came out.
6) 2 Kings 19:35 When King Hezekiah said he could not send tribute to Assyria, Assyria came attacking with 185,000 soldiers. “That night” when Hezekiah prayed through the night, the angel of the Lord killed all 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Hezekiah knew this secret.
7) Daniel 6:10 Daniel was not only skilled, but he knelt three times a day toward the temple and prayed as before. So he gained wisdom enough to guide kings.
2. Unbelief — Awakening
1) Lot — Excuse — Abraham relied on his nephew Lot. This is not an ethical sin but a great sin. God said your seed would bring blessing to the nations, and he did not believe that Word. So he kept making excuses.
2) Strife arose.
3) Decision — He abandoned unbelief and chose faith (Genesis 13:1–13).
3. Faith — Decision — The very act of a decision of faith is the beginning of blessing.
1) Genesis 13:14 After Lot separated from Abraham, after Abraham made his decision of faith, God said: lift up your eyes and look north, south, east, and west.
2) Genesis 13:15 I will give this to your descendants, to you forever.
3) Genesis 13:16 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth.
4) Genesis 13:17 Walk through the land lengthwise and crosswise. Wherever you set your foot, I will give it to you.
4. A small difference makes a great result.
1) Sodom — Lot with eyes bright to the flesh chose Sodom. That is expensive land.
2) Altar — Abraham chose the mountain and began building an altar.
▷ A decision of faith creates what people cannot foresee.
▣ Conclusion_ Relationship
No need to worry, no need to calculate. What Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, and Esther did was not that they calculated well — it was their relationship with God. Paul said worry about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds. Today when we make our decision of faith, the darkness collapses.
Transcript
“God Who Works”
The title of this week’s district material is “God Who Works.”
Fortunately, what is important is invisible to the eye. Most women these days have a lot of plastic surgery, right? The reason they do it is because it’s something visible. But what is supremely important to human beings is not visible to the eye. What is more important than a finger is the mind, you see. When the mind goes, everything goes wrong. But this is not visible to the eye. Our soul leaves the body and we die — that’s what people say. But even going to the hospital, they only examine the body; they cannot see the soul. So the things in Scripture that are truly answers and truly important are all invisible to the eye, and people have no interest. The work of the Holy Spirit, the work of God, the background of the throne, the help of angels — they don’t know these things. Fortunately, right? If they knew, wealthy people would take it all. If people knew “God’s work is this important,” members of the National Assembly would take it all. Fortunately they don’t know. So they struggle and die.
I speak to the Remnant. “Know the spiritual things and pray while studying.” Without doing that, what is it that parents and school teach? Give it everything you’ve got, do whatever it takes — that’s what they teach. That’s right. So later when they go to companies they do whatever it takes. Even if others die — do whatever it takes. Even when they become politicians — do whatever it takes. Even if others die. Even if the country loses. Why? Because that’s what they were taught. So they don’t know the truly important things.
If, say, there is a household in your home that fights every day. Disaster will certainly come, right? Then there is a household that is always giving thanks. Then blessing will certainly come. Spiritual things that are invisible to the eye are tremendously important like this. So God is even now doing works of salvation, fulfillment of the Word, and answering prayers — but because it’s invisible to the eye, people don’t know its value.
▣ Introduction
1. Salvation
He is still saving people today.
2. Answer
He is still answering prayers today.
3. Fulfillment
The Word is still being fulfilled today.
These are the key things, but not knowing they are important, people grab hold of other things. So this is a chance. There are no competitors. If you receive blessing, you can save everyone else, so there is nothing to compete over.
▣ Main
1. Spiritual strength — God’s work
So those who know this spiritual strength are set to let go of unbelief. God’s work happens to those who know this, you see. People don’t understand it very well.
1) The Red Sea
At that time, through those who knew this, when unbelief was abandoned, the Red Sea split. Completely incomprehensible.
2) The Jordan
Carrying the ark of the covenant, the Jordan split.
3) Jericho
As you know, going around in faith, Jericho fell.
4) Canaan
And though many people were in unbelief, the small number who had faith entered the land of Canaan. Because it’s certain.
5) Mt Carmel
That so-powerful King Ahab should have seen God’s work at Mt Carmel and come to understanding, but he came out more shocked and went in the opposite direction.
6) 2 Kings 19:35
People don’t know. Assyria kept pressuring and taking from Israel, on and on. In the old days, China did that to us. They came to our country and interfered. Why would they interfere with us? They interfered. They even interfered with choosing the crown prince. Ridiculous. Hezekiah became king. He sent word to Assyria: “In my father’s day your nation received taxes from us, but there is no reason for us to pay taxes. So from today we will not send tribute to Assyria.” That’s natural, isn’t it? “Is that so?” Assyria came attacking with 185,000 soldiers. Naturally from their perspective — they would conquer and kill them. At first King Hezekiah wavered a little. He sent envoys. He sent some silver and gold. Didn’t work. So now they intended to eliminate Israel. King Hezekiah knew. 2 Kings 19:35. He staked his life and prayed through the night. In 2 Kings 19:35 it says “that night.” “That night” it says. All 185,000 Assyrian soldiers died. Scripture says “God sent His angel.” That’s right. Our lives and souls are all carried away by the angel of the Lord on His errand. King Hezekiah knew this secret. Ordinary people don’t know. Don’t be discouraged — pray.
7) Daniel 6:10
In Daniel 6:10, Daniel was not only skilled. “He knelt three times a day toward the temple and prayed as before.” That’s what it says. Ordinary people don’t see any value in this, you see. Daniel knew this. So he gained wisdom enough to guide kings. Right? You need to know this. That is why you are worshiping. What answer has come? Even if none comes, this itself is blessing.
2. Unbelief — Awakening
When unbelief is abandoned, amazing things happened. Abraham came to realize something late. What is it?
1) Lot — Excuse
He relied on his nephew Lot. But this is not an ethical sin — it’s a great sin. God said your seed would bring blessing to the nations, and he did not believe that Word. So to anyone looking from the outside, nothing looks wrong. Oh, what could be wrong with an uncle raising a nephew? Another person sees it that way. Abraham also has a good excuse. “Ah well, I have no children, so I should raise my nephew well.” The problem is not that. He didn’t believe God. He didn’t believe God’s promise. Think about it. Is that right? That’s how we do our faith life. So he kept making excuses.
2) Strife arose.
So strife eventually began to arise. At this point Abraham makes a decision.
3) Decision
He completely abandons unbelief and chooses faith. (Genesis 13:1–13)
So from this point, this passage is Genesis 13:1 through 13.
3. Faith — Decision
Now from this point, it is God — the very act of making a decision of faith is your beginning of blessing. When will the answer come? You don’t need to know that. Making a decision of faith is the blessing.
1) Genesis 13:14
“After Lot separated from Abram.” That’s what it says. This word means: after Abraham made his decision of faith. That’s what it says.
2) Genesis 13:15
What did He say? God said: “Lift up your eyes and look north, south, east, and west. I will give this to your descendants, to you forever.” That is Genesis 13:15. God did that.
3) Genesis 13:16
And what did He say? “Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth.”
4) Genesis 13:17
And what did He say? “Walk through the land lengthwise and crosswise. Wherever you set your foot, I will give it to you.” After making a decision of faith, things like this happen.
You may be sick and in pain. Whether you are healed or not, leave it to God, and make your decision of faith. Right? Like the three young men — even dying is fine, even living is fine. Nothing can stop this. The three young men said exactly that. Daniel said the same — even dying is fine. So what is this? It means: I will hold onto God’s covenant. Then from this point God began to work in Abraham.
4. Difference — Result
A small difference makes a great result.
1) Sodom
Full of greed, eyes bright to the flesh. Lot chose Sodom. That is expensive land.
2) Altar
Abraham chose the mountain and began building an altar. This small beginning makes a tremendous result.
Today your decision of faith creates something people can recognize. Right? Korea is a nation that needs to do world evangelization. There was a missionary named Thomas who came here with a Bible to evangelize, and was killed without being able to preach the gospel. He was seized upon entering Korea. But he said Korea must certainly receive the gospel, is a nation that needs the gospel, and is a nation that will do world evangelization. The result has changed tremendously. Your decision of faith today is exactly that.
▣ Conclusion
Now, for the conclusion.
[Relationship]
No need to worry. No need to calculate. What Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel did, what Esther said — it was not that they calculated well. It is not a matter of “will this way work better, or that way” — that’s not it. It is a relationship. A relationship with God. It is not calculation.
“Do not be anxious about anything,” Paul said. “But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds.” Today when you make your decision of faith, the darkness collapses. Right? That decision must be made. “If I perish, I perish.” A decision was made. At that very moment the darkness had already collapsed. While on the desert path there was much complaining, but there were people there making decisions of faith. All of that was conveyed as power and evidence into the land of Canaan. Without even fighting, their hearts melted. When you face difficulties, you must hold the covenant in faith and make your decision. The forces of darkness are set to collapse right then. But the answer is set to come on the exact timetable.
I bless you that you enjoy this blessing all day today, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer. We thank God. Please make today a day when the darkness collapses. Please let us make decisions of faith in the midst of difficulties. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.