Many times we feel God cannot use because we are ordinary. Abraham was not a perfect man, he failed, many times God is patient and will continue to mold us.

Example: of child who left home because he hated authority. God will not kick you out. She married a marine sergeant. She thought she could run away from God. But God is committed to us. sometimes we need to take 2 and take 3. But God is committed to us.

Review outline of Genesis

Chapter 1-11 – Creation

Fall

Flood

Nations

Gen 12-50 – 4 Great people

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

Joseph

God uses ordinary people like Abraham.

Failures of Abraham

Gen 16: = don’t be critical of one another. Begin looking at yourself.

Gen 16:1 – Hagar, Egyptian maid.

Gen 16:2 – what is happening here? God promised Abraham children.

Gen 13,14,15 – Abraham has no children.

Mrs. Abraham in her impatience, she was barren. Took matters into her own hands.

Gen 16:2 – Go into my maid, culturally go into my maid.

He was 86 years old when Ishmael was born.

What were his mistakes? We are free to choose but we are not free to choose the consequences of our decisions.

What were Abraham’s mistakes?

Gen 16:3 – Shortcuts – instead of waiting

After waiting 10 years, he became impatient. Beware of short cuts. Short cut can become long cut. When we desire promotions in our career, material prosperity, and financial blessings.

Abraham’s second mistake – He did not consult the Lord. When we have problems, we need to be honest with Him about our feelings.

Example of singles waiting on the Lord. Don’t be in a hurry. Consult the Lord by heeding the advise of your parents, elders. Impateince can lead to more difficult problems. Come to the Lord and bare yoru heart to him.

Abraham listened to his wife (her idea of giving Abraham Hagar to bear a son)

Gen 16:4 – diea came from Mrs. Abraham. Then she blames Abraham. Abraham instead of solving the problem..

Gen 16:6 – abraham became passive, he did not solve the problem head on.

Men need to learn to become invovled. Our God is not passive. There are many stiuations, domestic turmoil caused by the uninvovlment of the father or husband.

How did Hagar despise Mrs. Abraham? Polygamy – 2 wives – very dfficult to deal with one already, what more 2?

What were Abraham’s mistakes?

1. impatient
2. took short cuts
3. did not consult the Lord

What were the conseuqences?

Turmoil. Remember that peace and tranquility is not necessarily the absence of problems. It is being in the will of the Lord.you can be in the will of the Lord and have ltos of problems and still have peace.

God got himself invovled int ehl ives of Abraham and Sarah.

Gen 16:7 –8 – what ws the msitake of Hagar? She became proud, disrespectful towards her master, Sarah.

Gen 16:0 – What was God’s remedy? Submit tyourself to the authority.

What was the msitake of Abraham? He did not consult with the Lord. There are always consequences to decisions,. Every time I disobey the Lord, he will allow me to experience the consequences. Soemtiems, I have a tendency to ask the Lord, Lord why are you so strict with me, and not with others? Others do the same thing and somehow get away with it. but me, only once and there are immediate consequences.

Logging. I only overshippedo nce. Years ago – once. All my friends were over shipping. The lord loved me so much he dealt with me. 4 wheel drive turned turtle. Time to sellt eh business. Listen to the Lord and learn from your mistakes.

Prvo 27:1 – principle #1 – do not boast about tomorrow fo ryou do not know what tomorrow may bring

Prov 29:1 – a man who hardens his nick after much reproof will suddenly be broken. The grace and mercy is amazing however it has a time limit. He will always forgive you. The problem is difficult. Time duration – it is not unlimited. There is a limit the day will come when his neck will be broken, beyond remedy.

Old Testament minor prophets – about Israel –e ven if you want to repent the eday willcome when your neck is broken and it will be beyond remedy.

What were the consequencesof Abraham’s mistake?

Gen 16:12 – Ishmael.

One compromise, entire Arab race quarrelign over the seed of Abraham through Hagar.

Gen 16:12- as a principal (although not generalizing a race), middle east entire Arab race fighting each other.

Aplication: my foolishenss will always affect my family. Implication of our choices as staggering. Will my children suffer because of my misbehavior? It’s never too late to repent.

Gen 16:15 – Ishmael – Abraham was 86 years old.

Just because you failed once does not mean it is the end.

Eze 18:14 – Behold he has a son has observed his father’s sin and does not do likewise. What happenes to the son?

Eze 18:15-16 – he keeps his hands from the poor

Eze 18"19-20 – the person who sins will die.

Eze 18:21 – All his – principle of copying, but does not always follow

A father asked his daughter for forgiveness.. He noticed his daughter had some bitterness towards him because she would always leave the room everytime he would enter. But he humbled himself and asked for forgiveness. Today there is healing and they are enjoying each other.

Be willign to repent.

Did Abraham make mistakes? Yes but he continued to fix hiseyes and trust in God.

The greatest chapters on the faith of Abraham

Gen 15:1

Remember what we have been discussing?

Last week:

God knows our fears

God is our shield

Gd is our rewarder

Faith of Abrtaham – what can you learn about God?

Gen 15:1 – We all have made msitakes in the past. Do not fear, first statement of God.

This is the first time this phrase appears int eh Bbiel.

Last week, we were about to get another space in our fellowship. I got scared when I talked to the other people because they were threatening us. However, I learned that God is our protector.

Highlihts of gen 15 is the faith of Abraham

Gen 15:2 – Eleazar. Abrahanm was considering him becaue he was still childless.

God told Abraham in Cahtper 12, you will have children. Lord, I don’t have a single child. What about Eleazar?

Gen 15:3 – God assures him, "Look at the stars. So shall yoru descendants be.

Gen 15:6 – Abrahanm believed in the Lord’s promises.

God reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Reckoned – credited, believed, righteousness. An accounting term.God credited to Araham as rihteousness the basis odf rightesouness as early as the book of Genesis, was faith. The greatest insult my son can do to me is not to beileve or trust in my and my promsies anymore.

We well God we don’t believe His Word nor his proimsies. The Bubkle says we are saved by grace.

If Abraham were to be judged by his behaviour, would he go to heaven?

Looking at his life, he was a liar, a sinner. But Giod still declared him righteous.

Satan also believes yet he is not saved. Tehre is a belief that saves and one that does not. Genuine faith is anchored on God’s promises.

Gen 15:7 – 2^nd promise – Land

Gen 15:78 – principle of covenant in the Old Testament, it was a contract.

Lawyers today 2 dies sign, notarized. In the Old Testament, blood compact. I will defend this treaty even if means death. Gets animal – 3 yars old, cuts them in two.

God tells Abraham, if I canm be cut, I will fulfill my promise and defend my promise to you.

How do you know go dkeeps his prmose? 2m,000years later, Jesus came and died for our sins on the cross.

Bring namial, cut into 2 – blood covenant.

Gen 15:12 – dreanm of Abraham, God says, "I know your future"

5 prophecies made

Gen 15:13 –

1. you will be strangersi n a land
2. you will be enslaved
3. for 400 years – how many years were they enslaved?
4. judge