Joint Heirs Adult Bible Fellowship Genesis, Week 37, Genesis 16:1-16 November 9, 2014 Tim Powell, Teacher

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Chastity Welch
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1 Joint Heirs Adult Bible Fellowship Genesis, Week 37, Genesis 16:1-16 November 9, 2014 Tim Powell, Teacher Do You Have the Patience to Walk the Faith-Rest Life? Introduction: How long does it take for you to go from the Faith-Rest walk to Where is God? Hopefully over time we are experiencing greater patience in trusting Him instead of questioning His intent. I. The Dilemma. (Ge. 16:1) Nothing was happening for Abram and Sarai concerning the promised blessing from God of descendants. Abram-85; Sarai-75 they were aging Sarai blamed God for her barrenness. She devised the idea to use Hagar, her Egyptian maidservant. o Abram agreed o This was OK in the view of their culture, but it was never authorized by God. II. Man s answer: Help God out. (Ge. 16:1-3) Even though they had seen God s miraculous provision in the past, they failed to trust Him here. III. The Immediate Result of Their Lack of Faith in God. (Ge. 16:4-5) A. Hagar became haughty; Sarai became jealous, slighted, and hurt. (Ge. 16:4-5) Sarai felt despised in Hagar s eyes. So Sarai treated Hagar harshly. Hagar fled from her presence. God s laws prevent these kinds of difficult situations. B. Sarai was wrong; she sinned against God. 1. What do we have in today s society that says it is ok to do, but is against God s laws? 1

2 E.g., abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage, living together outside marriage Principle: It is never right to do wrong to do right. 2. Why does God have laws of behavior? Principle: God gives you laws because He loves you and wants to protect you from pain and messes. Scripture is God s love letter to man. Its principles are designed to protect us from harm. When we violate God s directives, we will have pain and messes. C. Abram s spiritual leadership was broken. (Ge. 16:5-6) 1. Abram should have gone to the Lord directly and asked Him what to do 2. Abram should have stood up for what is right. He lost his spiritual leadership He let his whole family down. 3. Discord in their marriage was created. (Ge. 16:5) 4. Abram allowed Sarai to do wrong to Hagar and Ishmael. (Ge. 16:6) IV. God intervenes with Hagar. (Ge. 16:7-12) A. God is a God of compassion. The Lord has heard your affliction. He responds in love. Jehovah El Roi the God who sees. B. Submission to person in authority is important. (Ge. 16:8-9) Hagar should have had a humble, submissive attitude toward Sarai. C. God reveals Hagar and her offspring s future. (Ge. 16:10-16) Ishmael means God hears, but sin has short and long-term consequences. D. Hagar returned to Abram and Sarai and restored a right relationship. 2

3 Application: Make everything a matter of prayer. After we have been a Christian for a long time, we can have a tendency to think that we understand it all. As a result, we often go along making our own plans without checking with God first before we do things. Mt. 7:7-11 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (NKJV) Jas. 1:5-8 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (NKJV) Pro. 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (NKJV) Do these things, and you will avoid many problems. All of your decisions have consequences. Some don t show up for years, so BE CAREFUL! Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (NKJV) How big is your God? Infinite! Big enough to trust. He specializes in the impossible. Why aren t you trusting Him? Walk a little slower. Wait upon the Lord. Sarai and Abram rushed ahead instead of waiting on God. 3

4 Jas. 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (NKJV) Note that it says to LET patience. This is passive and not does not mean you are to make it happen. Heb. 6:12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (NKJV) Ps. 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (NKJV) Isa. 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD; Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. (NKJV) Jn. 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (NKJV) Ro. 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (NKJV) God loves the whole world! Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NKJV) Jn. 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV) It is never right to do wrong to do right. Follow God s laws no matter what the world says. The failure to follow God s directives can have consequences for years to come Husbands: Be the spiritual leader in your household IN LOVE!!! Eph. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. (NKJV) 4

5 Eph. 5:25-29 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. (NKJV) 5

Mercy Despite Doubt Genesis 16 May 19, 2013

Mercy Despite Doubt Genesis 16 May 19, 2013 A. Introduction What would cause anyone to doubt God s promises? Lamentations 3:25-26, Acts 1:7, Matthew 14:31 Delay in God s fulfillment of a promise leads