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Genesis 16-17
By Skip Heitzig
Genesis 16-17

It's a common problem; trusting our feelings rather than trusting the Lord. But feelings are misleading, and as we learn from Abram and Sarai, trying to help God fulfill His promises can be costly. Their spiritual detour from the will of God produced ramifications we are experiencing today. God is faithful however to fulfill His promises, His plan is perfect, and His will will be accomplished.

From the teaching series Genesis

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Genesis 16 (NKJV™)
1	Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.
2	So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.
3	Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan.
4	So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.
5	Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me."
6	So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
7	Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
8	And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."
9	The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand."
10	Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude."
11	And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
12	He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
13	Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"
14	Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15	So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
16	Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 17 (NKJV™)
1	When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
2	"And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."
3	Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:
4	"As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
5	"No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.
6	"I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
7	"And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
8	"Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
9	And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
10	"This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;
11	"and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
12	"He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.
13	"He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14	"And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."
15	Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.
16	"And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."
17	Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"
18	And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!"
19	Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.
20	"And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
21	"But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year."
22	Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23	So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him.
24	Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25	And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26	That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael;
27	and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

<p><strong>Genesis 16-17 - Genesis 16-17</strong><br /> From the Series, Genesis<br /> <em>By Pastor Skip Heitzig </em><p></p> <p><strong>MESSAGE SUMMARY</strong></p> <p>It's a common problem; trusting our feelings rather than trusting the Lord. But feelings are misleading, and as we learn from Abram and Sarai, trying to help God fulfill His promises can be costly. Their spiritual detour from the will of God produced ramifications we are experiencing today. God is faithful however to fulfill His promises, His plan is perfect, and His will will be accomplished.</p> <p><strong>DETAILED NOTES </strong></p> <p><p>In our text, Abram and Sarai take a detour from the will of God. Abram displays a shallower faith than what we expect and we are still experiences the ramifications of his detour.  Feelings are misleading.  Sometimes when we trust the Lord it feels unsafe.</p><ol type="I"><li>Following God is the safest way to travel through life <ol type="A"><li>It was a mistake for Abram to heed Sarai's voice</li><li>"God helps those who help themselves" not in the Bible.  Ben Franklin said it.</li><li>We think if we start a work in motion that God will carry us through .</li><li>Abram and Sarai try to help God fulfill His promise.</li> </ol></li><li>Abram and Sarai (assume good intentions) <ol type="A"><li>Sarai is past 75, <ol> <li>She thinks the promise is not going to happen through her body.</li> <li>What exactly did God say? (through Abram, but not through her)</li> </ol></li><li>Sarai proposes that her younger, Egyptian maid, Hagar, carry the child</li><li>They had waited 11  years, it's hard to wait "Hope deferred makes the heart sick"</li><li>We impose our own design in the flesh </li> </ol></li><li>Hagar (vs 3) <ol type="A"><li>They must have picked her up in Egypt (the past has a way of catching up with you)</li><li>Abram goes in to her and she gets pregnant <ol> <li>Means the problem was with Sarai's body, not Abram's. </li> <li>In ancient culture that would mean Sarai was cursed.</li> <li>Hatred between Hagar and Sarai</li> </ol></li><li>What had begun in the Spirit they tried to complete in the flesh (Galatians 3)</li><li>How many times have we tried to step in and help God keep His promises? Given him advice? <ol> <li>Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in His ways, don't try to fulfill His promises in the flesh.</li> <li>Better to ask for the right road ten times than to take the wrong one.</li> <li>Hagar was Sarai's property </li> <li>Sarai is very angry. </li> <li>"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Victor Hugo  </li> <li>The seed of Ishmael and Isaac are still at war with each other 4,000 years later. "Whatever man does without God, he'll fail miserably or succeed more miserably." -George MacDonald</li> </ol></li><li>Hagar leaves and is travelling toward Egypt in the barren desert. (vs 7)</li><li>The Angel of the Lord meets her there - First Mention of Angel of the Lord - Gabriel? <ol> <li>The story of failure, yet the mercy and grace of God meet her there.</li> <li>She should name him Ishmael, means God hears, every time she spoke she'd be calling out God's mercy.</li> <li>They go back</li> </ol></li><li>When God can't rule, because we won't let him, He overrules.  (Romans 5:20)</li> </ol></li><li>Blessing in spite of disobedience (13 year gap between chapters 16 and 17) <ol type="A"><li>Sarai is 90 years old, Abram is 99, and the son of promise is not yet born.</li><li>El Shaddai - Almighty God, God the most sufficient - first mention <ol> <li>This name for God is used more in Job than anywhere else in the Bible</li> <li>Acadian word means mountain or breast, represents the earth flexing its muscle</li> <li>God is saying "I'm strong, you're weak, I can do what no other can do"</li> </ol></li><li>Walk before me and be blameless <ol> <li>When you are being watched you act differently, know I am watching you</li> <li>Reminder because of Abram's history <ol type="a"> <li>He walked before his family and went to Haran for 15 years</li> <li>He walked before his servants and  went into Egypt</li> <li>He walked before his wife and went into Hagar</li> </ol> </li> </ol></li><li>A new walk with God can begin at any age.</li><li>Abram humbled himself before the Lord</li> </ol></li><li>Abraham <ol type="A"><li>Abram means exalted father, <ol> <li>but he had no children, must have been embarrassing</li> <li>When Ishmael was born he may have felt better about his name</li> </ol></li><li>Abraham means Father of a multitude <ol> <li>Named that before he fulfilled the promise</li> <li>God declares His purpose before he makes it happen</li> <li>Stretches the faith of Abraham</li> </ol></li> </ol></li><li>Covenant Established <ol type="A"><li>Land <ol> <li>The borders of the land given equaled 300,000 square miles</li> <li>Israel never occupied it all</li> <li>At their peak they occupied 30,000 square miles under Solomon</li> <li>What God promised they only took a tenth</li> <li>God promised every place your foot walks, they didn't believe God for all of it.</li> <li>What about the promises God has made you? What portion of his promises do you enjoy?</li> <li>Israel will possess all of the land during the millennium.</li> </ol></li><li>Posterity <ol> <li>Nations - plural</li> <li>13.3 million Jews</li> <li>22 Arab nations (300+ million people)</li> <li>5% of the Earth's population today traces heritage back to Abraham.</li> </ol></li><li>Circumcision <ol> <li>Sign of the covenant</li> <li>Had been practiced in the Middle East, Egypt, Rome</li> <li>Social practice given a spiritual meaning, God redeems it (like baptism)</li> <li>Outward sign of covenant <ol type="a"> <li>Noah and the rainbow</li> <li>Moses and the Sabbath</li> <li>Church and baptism</li> <li>Abraham and circumcision</li> </ol> </li> <li>Eighth day, perfect day because of clotting of the blood </li> <li>The symbol <ol type="a"> <li>Cutting of  the flesh life which dominates </li> <li>Flesh of what gives life is cut</li> <li>I'll live in the Spirit, not in the flesh</li> </ol> </li> <li>Jews turned it from a symbol to a sacrament, supposed to be inward not outward Deuteronomy 10</li> </ol></li> </ol></li><li>Sarah <ol type="A"><li>Sarai means domineering and contentious</li><li>Sarah means princess</li><li>God promises the son through her <ol> <li>Abraham believes him, excited</li> <li>Reality brings him back down to earth,  and he says take Ishmael, let him live before you. <ol type="a"> <li>The covenant must be thru the son of promise not the son of flesh</li> <li>Do we say "bless my thing"</li> <li>The death of your vision is sometimes required. </li> </ol> </li> </ol></li> </ol></li><li>Two Kinds of Covenant <ol type="A"><li>Conditional - Bilateral <ol> <li>God does His part, man does his part</li> <li>Edenic</li> <li>Law of Moses Deuteronomy 28-30</li> <li>Their occupation of the land is conditional  (captivity, Diaspora, Is 11:11)</li> </ol></li><li>Unconditional - Unilateral <ol> <li>Dependant on God alone</li> <li>This covenant with Abraham, for the land and for the people</li> <li>The land is theirs unconditionally</li> </ol></li> </ol></li></ol><br> <strong>Figures Referenced</strong>: Benjamin Franklin, Victor Hugo, George MacDonald<br> <strong>Cross References</strong>: Deuteronomy 10, 28-30,  Proverbs 3:5,6, Romans 5:20, Galatians 3 <br> <strong>Hebrew Terms</strong>: El Shaddai (Almighty One)<br> <strong>Greek Terms</strong>: Diaspora (dispersion of the Jews to countries after the Babylonian captivity)</p> <p> </p>

Our Mission

Who We Are:
Calvary is a Christian fellowship where we gather for the purpose of knowing and glorifying Jesus Christ. We desire to see all people become committed to live as followers of Jesus Christ.

As the church is growing our vision also is growing. Consequently, we are a fellowship in the process of constant development by God.

Our Three-Fold Purpose:

1. Upreach
We believe that loving God is man's highest calling and our relationship to Him is our highest priority. All ministry flows out of this relationship.

2. Inreach
As members of a spiritual family, we seek to equip one another for service and to grow to spiritual maturity. Thus, we seek to be trained according to the Bible, which we believe is the "owner's manual" for our lives.

3. Outreach
Our desire is to go out beyond the "Christian camp" into the world to expand the kingdom of God through evangelism. We believe God has given every Christian a "sphere of influence" in which to make an impact for Christ.

Our Beliefs

We Believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.

We Believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired, without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice.

We Believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in Holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

We Believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit.

We Believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teaching, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth.

We Believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all that believe in Jesus Christ for ministry.

We Believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide.

We Believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We Believe that all people are sinners by nature and choice and, therefore, are under condemnation; that God regenerates by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

We Believe that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and empowers the believers for service, often subsequent to regeneration.

We Believe in the universal church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head, and all regenerated persons are members.

We Believe that Jesus committed two ordinances to the church: 1) Baptism and, 2) the Lord's Supper. We believe in baptism by immersion and communion open to all believers.

We Believe also in the laying on of hands for baptism of the Holy Spirit, for ordination of pastors, elders, and deacons, and receiving from the Holy Spirit through the believer the gift of healing.

We Believe in the personal, visible return of Christ to the earth and the establishing of His Kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.

We Believe in what is termed the Apostles Creed as embodying the fundamental facts of Christian faith.

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Genesis 16-17
By Skip Heitzig
Genesis 16-17

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From the Series:
Genesis

The book of Genesis is rich with theology including creation, the fall of man, and justification by grace through faith. Genesis, the book of beginnings, provides foundational truths from which we can learn who God is and how He operates in the lives of His people.

In this "lineOnline" approach to the book of Genesis, Pastor Skip Heitzig presents an in-depth examination and fresh perspective of familiar stories like the creation, Adam & Eve, Noah and the Flood, the call of Abraham, and Sodom and Gomorrah. This series offers solid information to equip believers with truth in today's battle against the lies of evolution, the basic goodness of man, and a "fairy tale" approach to the Bible.

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