"Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram......And when
Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect.”
Introduction: The interaction between God and Abram and later Abraham are well documented in Scripture. From his initial call to his name being change to Abraham, was nearly twenty-five years. God called Abram when he was 75 years old. Genesis 16:16 and Genesis 17:1 are some very interesting Scriptures. Most of us understand that the Bible has not always been divided into Chapters and Verses. We should be thankful for the divisions of the Scriptures because the divisions greatly assist us in our Bible study. Although there are times the Scripture break is an interruption of a thought. Such is the case, I believe, in our text today. Why does God make a point of telling us how old Abram was when Ishmael was born? Then in the next verse, tell us how old Abraham was when God spoke to him again.
I want to consider several things from the life of Abraham: (1) Abram began his journey with God at age 75 and God dealt with him until he died at age 175. In 100 years of communication with God, The Scriptures reveal that God spoke to Abraham only 7 or 8 times. Even though many people are constantly talking about how God is speaking to them every day, most of us do not hear from God that frequently. God spoke to Abram and called him out of his father's house, away from his kindred to seek a city whose builder and maker was God, only speaking to him 7 times. Think about the book of Acts, it sounds like miracles are happening every day, but it took nearly 30 years for those actions to take place. Throughout much of my personal journey with God, God sometimes has been a silent partner.
Genesis 12:1 God speaks to Abram at his Initial Call (At the time of his Commissioning) Genesis 12:7 God speaks to Abram when he built his first altar in Sichem (at the time of his sanctification) Genesis 13:14 God speaks to Abram after Lot leaves him (at the time of his crisis) Genesis 15:18 God speaks to Abraham when He makes a covenant with him. (at a time of reaffirmation) Genesis 17:1God speaks to Abraham after Ishmael was born (at time of redirection) Genesis 18:13 God speaks to Abraham when Sarah laughs at the promise of a child (at a time of visitation) Genesis 22:11God speaks to Abraham as he offered up his only son Isaac. (at a time of great sacrifice) On the long journey of life, we must know how to deal with discouragement. This present day pandemic has been a time of delays and discouragement. We need strength!
1. Strength to Deal with Delays and Discouragement. I believe discouragement is one of Satan's chief weapons against all Christians but especially those called into ministry. They have a call, a promise and a vision with no way to bring it to pass. When the progress is slow and task is hard, they become prime candidates for discouragement. (Illustration: The Day Satan Had a Yard Sale)
The songwriter, Civilla D. Martin, 1904 says it this way, “Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you; Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you. God will take care of you, through every day, o’er all the way; He will take care of you, God will take care of you. Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you; When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you. All you may need He will provide; God will take care of you; Nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you. No matter what maybe the test, God will take care of you; Lean, weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you.”
2. Strength to Deal with Decisions we make. The long journey can be complicated by the choices we make. A vision is a powerful thing. We must understand that men do not only have the vision, the vision has the Man. Abraham had a promise and a vision of having a son. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham meaning "father of many nations." A vision has the power to almost consume a man. It is all he can think about, all he can talk about, even if he gets frustrated with it, he cannot lay it down or give up. The vision has the man. Carrying the vision is sometimes painful, tiring, and discouraging. It can also be lonely. During those lonely, discouraging hours, there is the temptation to take matters in our own hands. Nothing seems to force our hand like delay! We understand that there are always consequences for any action we take. What we do can set into motion a series of events that may continue long after we're gone. Unfortunately, when we are deciding, most of us think only of the immediate consequences.
Abraham made a series of choices: (1) He set out for parts unknown (2) he moved his family to Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan (3) He brought his wife a slave girl companion (4) He take Sarah’s advice to have a son with Hagar while He was dealing with the delay of a promised son. How do we handle the delays of God? Do we wait on God or do we try to create success on our own? Abraham had no idea of the long-term effects of his decisions. You and I probably don't know the long-term effects of most decisions we make. Understanding the long term consequences of our actions should cause us to think carefully and seek God's guidance as we make choices and take actions today.
The decision made by Abraham and Sarah to have a son by their handmaiden, Hagar was crucial. Abram had waited 13 years, with no results. He had offered God his servant, Eleazar, but God refused him. Now they thought surely, God will use Hagar to produce a son for us. "Go in to Hagar, if she conceives we will know it's the Lord's will." Temporary success may not be the best measuring tool for God's divine will. Hagar conceived and had a baby boy. Do you realize the whole Middle East crisis would not exist today, if it had been a girl? If it had been Ishmaelene instead of Ishmael, there would be no conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
At 86 years old, Abram celebrated Ishmael birth and parades his baby boy around for 13 years. He was proud of his son and felt that God was just as proud, but then God spoke and said in essence, "Abram that's a fine boy. He looks just like you, but he is not the one I promised."
If we would be honest, many of the things we produced have been by our own ingenuity, planning, strategy, and strength. We thought it was God, said it was God, but it was really us. At the age of 99, Abraham is out of options. Sarah is too old; Hagar is too old and His body is virtually dead. He could not do it when he was younger at 75, at 86 he did the wrong thing, and at 99 he cannot do anything else. He has become the poster child for erectile dysfunction, even Viagra and Calais cannot help him now. But God speaks.....There is a still speaking God! Beyond our discouragement; beyond our bad decisions; God is still speaking, and God is still determined to fulfill His purpose. We need strength to deal with discouragement, bad decisions and choices and to deal with a determined God.
3. Strength to Deal with a Determined God. God speak to Abram as the Almighty God. God always speaks to us in relations to where we are and who he is. When God says, I am the Lord that Healeth thee....It is because we are sick. When God says, I am Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, it is because there is lack or a need, and so on. God comes to Abraham as the El Shaddai, the Almighty God, meaning the many breasted-one, or the ample supply. God know Abraham has a problem only God can solve. This determined God speaks for two reasons (1) to let Abraham know, you messed up, but the deal is still on. I cannot use what your flesh created but I will do exactly what I promised. (2) to let Abraham knows all that is needed I will supply. I am more than enough. I have not changed my mind. My word still stands. Discouragement, bad decisions, choices nor detours have changed my mind or my promise. The deal is still on.
Abraham struggled to believe the impossible, yet he chose to obey and believe God, and leave the impossible in God’s hands. We must keep obeying and trusting God. It is his vision, his ministry, and we are his servants. Even when we cannot make miracles, we can be faithful. We must go back to our assignment realizing that we are serving the Almighty God, the El Shaddai, the many Breasted One, who can do everything He has promised. Be Faithful until the Lord returns. God’s word does not expire. It is still good.
Ro 4:17-21 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. (18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. (19) And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: (20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Strength for the journey comes from knowing that God has called us and made us his ministers. The God who called us is able to quicken the dead and call those things which are not as though they were. We must be strong in the faith, believing that what God has promised will come to pass. I am fully persuaded God can perform everything He has promised. There may be discouragements, disappointments, and delays, but our God is determined to bring His will to pass.
Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.(10) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
When the businesses, schools and churches reopen, we must go back to the harvest field. Do not slacken in labor, do not relax in the face of opposition, because at the proper time, God has appointed a full reward.
Re 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.’
May God give you strength for the long journey!
