WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.000 Today I want to preach a message in time. 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:06.480 It's going to be dedicated, first of all, to everybody who is impatient. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.919 Some of you are, why you why'd you just look at the person sitting next to you like this is for you? 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:16.559 Turn and tell somebody right now, waiting is the worst. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.280 Turn and tell your second choice, waiting is the worst. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:26.399 I found out I'm not a patient person. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:28.879 Thought I was, but I'm not. 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:33.119 And I'm not typically the guy who yells, I'm not flipping tables over. 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:40.399 But but I did go to reheat up leftovers at a microwave, and I found out you have to stand there for a minute and 30 seconds. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.640 I'm standing there in front of a microwave like I'm watching a season finale TV show. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:45.520 You know what I'm saying? 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:51.759 I'm staring at this microwave like it might change its mind on how long it told me it would take to cook. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:56.399 And I'm there standing there, and 30 seconds in, I open it. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:58.399 I don't know why I opened it. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:00:59.920 It's not because it was done. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:01.119 It wasn't. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:03.600 I just wanted to see how it's doing. 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:05.680 It's working hard. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:10.480 Twirling, it's pushing in the radiation, doing its job. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.879 And I open the door, I interrupt the whole working day. 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:19.760 Just just for me to peek my head in and be like, hey, hey, buddy, you good in there? 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:20.640 You need anything? 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:22.560 I'm impatient. 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:24.400 I'm impatient when it comes to stoplights. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:25.120 How about you? 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:31.599 And the car in front of you, when that light turns green, I don't know about you, it means something to me. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:34.560 I hold that deer like and I honk. 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:36.000 I honk right away. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:37.680 Uh, not because I'm aggressive. 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:40.560 In my mind, I'm just thinking, we all saw that, right? 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:43.120 Like we're all here for the same reason. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:47.760 And then, and then, like, if a web page takes longer than three seconds to load, forget it. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:49.120 I've moved on emotionally. 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:51.040 Like, I've I can't stand it. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:54.799 Now, I I don't think that I hate waiting. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:57.760 I think I've I've self-diagnosed myself, okay? 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:04.319 I think the problem is I just don't like not being in charge when something could be happening. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:06.319 You know what I'm talking about? 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.560 Which is tough, because apparently that's most of life. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:14.800 You're waiting on people and things that you have no control over. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:20.960 So I don't, I I hate knowing something could be happening, but it's not happening, and it just bugs me. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:24.800 Wave your hand if uh if you can relate to me right now, so I know I'm not crazy. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:26.159 Okay, there's a lot of us. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:28.000 Yeah, we all need help. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:33.120 Here's what I've realized waiting exposes something in us. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:42.960 You've seen it on the freeway at a line in Disneyland, the happiest place on earth, and people lose their mind when they have to wait too long. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:44.960 And here's what I've realized. 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.560 We don't mind the outcome, we hate delay. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:57.199 And the longer that we are living, the more we realize it's not impatience, it's not so much about time, it's about control. 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:02.400 But if you're gonna follow Jesus, here's what nobody else tells, nobody tells you this. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.560 If you're gonna follow Jesus, you need to know waiting is part of the promise. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:08.879 Did you hear what I said? 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:11.520 Waiting is part of the promise. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:14.960 So today I want to look at a guy in the Bible named Abraham. 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:24.159 And my wife and I, it's so fun because this year we've decided every weekend to take a Bible character and try to unpack their story in detail, kind of an overview. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:30.159 So you're gonna get a lot more detail about a Bible character that maybe you grew up hearing but not knowing. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:33.439 So write a lot of notes down, write something that sticks out to you. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:41.199 But we're starting with Abraham, and you need to know this Abraham's name was not always Abraham, it started off as Abram, and God changed it. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:46.479 So this is a story of a man who followed God with no Google maps. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:51.599 And what you'll find out with all of these characters in the Bible is God, He calls them. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:04:00.080 First of all, there's a call, and based on how they respond to that call, then comes blessing and further direction. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:05.919 The direction is not made clear until they first respond to the call of God. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:08.879 So go with me to Genesis chapter 12, first book in your Bible. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:10.000 Genesis 12. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:11.840 I'll give you a second to flip there. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:19.600 This is the first book of the Bible, so if you can't find that, um you're not gonna find Exodus, or you know, Leviticus. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:26.639 Okay, Genesis 12 says, leave your country, your people, your father's household, and go to the land. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.519 Watch this, watch this, that I will show you. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:33.120 Not that I have shown you, I will show you. 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:34.959 This is this is like that. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:36.160 That's all it gets. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:41.199 Can you imagine God saying, Leave your country, your father's house, everybody, and just go. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:48.720 There's no there's no timeline, there's no directions, there's no zillographics, just go. 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:53.120 It's like God is saying, Hey, I got a great place for you, Abraham, and he's like, Cool, where is it? 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.399 I'll show you when you get there. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:58.720 Can you write this down? 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:01.040 Clarity often follows obedience. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:04.560 Clarity follows obedience. 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:08.000 And I know a lot of people who don't ever grow. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:08.959 Here's why. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:12.079 Here's a problem with a lot of people's growth patterns. 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:18.160 They don't grow because they get overwhelmed with not knowing every step before they start. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:20.319 I've seen this in business people. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:24.480 They don't take a step because they don't have all the steps in place already. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:25.759 I've seen this in education. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:27.439 I've seen this in following Jesus. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:28.959 But can I ask another question? 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:33.279 Why would God give you another step when you have not been faithful to take the last one? 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:36.879 We want all the steps before we take one step. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:38.480 That's not how God works. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.360 He wants to know do you trust me enough? 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:43.279 Like Abraham moving forward. 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:46.720 This is not because he's he's he's he has clarity. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.519 He's moving forward simply because he has trust. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:50.399 That's it. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:52.160 And I want you to think about this. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:54.720 He did not have a lot of stuff we have today. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:06:07.199 He didn't have a church, he didn't have a small group, there's no growth track, there's no dream team, there's no podcast, there's there's no worship albums that when he's having a lone moment, he could listen and be inspired in his chariot while driving to work. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:08.560 He didn't have any of that. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:10.319 And yet he obeyed God. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:14.959 So here's the promise Genesis chapter 12. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:18.720 I will make you into a great nation. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:23.279 I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:25.279 I will bless those who bless you. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.000 Whoever curses you, I will curse. 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:32.319 And all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:34.240 Okay, look at me, everybody. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.800 Big promise, small problem. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:40.240 This brother's 75 years old at this time. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.800 God's like, you're gonna have a lot of kids, it's gonna be great. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:46.079 Nations will come from you, it's gonna be awesome. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:50.240 75 years old at this, this is retirement age. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:57.120 Like he's got his AARP card, he's the he's downsizing, his wife is barren. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:05.040 So, biologically speaking, at their baby shower, they would need a miracle and a defibrillator. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:06.399 Come on, somebody. 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:08.800 Are you seeing this? 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:12.480 So the promise of God comes, he's 75 years old. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.680 God's promise is greater than your biology. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.560 He gives a promise that looks impossible. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:21.040 How many know it's never too late to start obeying God? 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:28.319 I'm gonna jump over to New Testament, Romans 4, and it reaches in the Old Testament and it quotes it, brings it over. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:29.600 What does the scripture say? 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:31.199 Abraham, what's that word? 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:32.959 Come on, say it out loud. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:37.279 He believed God, and it was credited him as righteousness. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:39.839 Wouldn't that be a great statement over your life? 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:41.759 Hey, they just believe God. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:44.160 Now, here's something you may have never seen before. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:49.839 The word believed in Genesis 15, 6 is this Hebrew word he amen. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:57.680 And it's from the root word amon, which is the same root word for watch, watch. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:01.360 When Abraham believed God, he amen God. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:10.079 Every time you give a good amen in church, you are echoing the promise and the covenant between God and Abraham. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:12.000 Can I hear a good amen, somebody? 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:13.600 It means let it be. 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:14.240 I agree. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:14.959 I'm with that. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:15.680 Yes. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:19.600 It's not just because the preacher needs a good amen to hurry up. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.839 You're amening God. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:29.839 So there's the call, then there's a promise, and then comes the waiting. 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:31.920 And the call is scary but exciting. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:33.840 The promise, scary but exciting. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:36.080 But waiting is the worst. 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:38.000 It's the absolute worst. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:48.480 And Abraham, he we're looking at this great man of God, but this is where it gets relatable because he has a promise, he has no kids, time is ticking, and it's just taking forever. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.039 And here is a major issue that we struggle with. 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:57.600 Oftentimes, we feel like the day of promise is the same as the day of fulfillment, and typically that's not the case. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:03.200 When we hear from God, we we want God to do something, we want him to do it right now. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:05.120 And that's not typically how it happens. 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:10.480 God's typically preparing you so you can handle the promise when it comes. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:13.440 He's gonna have to go through some tests. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.320 In this first test, he just blows it. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:17.840 Here it is, the fear test. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:23.679 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt, lived there for a while because the famine was so severe. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:28.799 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, I know what a beautiful woman you are. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:34.639 And when the Egyptians see you, they will say, This is his wife, then they will kill me, but let you live. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:38.320 So he says, Say you're my sister, girl. 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:45.039 Like, let's lie, so that I'll be treated well for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:50.080 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was fine. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:57.519 And when Pharaoh's officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:04.720 He treated Abram with, well, for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, and male and female donkeys, and male and female servants, and camels. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:09.759 But the Lord inflicted serious disease on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife, Sarai. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:10.080 Watch. 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:13.840 So Pharaoh summoned Abram one day and was like, What have you done to me, bro? 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:16.399 Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:18.159 Why'd you say she was your sister? 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:20.240 So that I would take her to be my wife. 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:21.759 Now then, here's your wife. 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:22.879 Take her and go. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:29.919 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, and they ever took everything that they had with them. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:30.799 Okay, look at me. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.279 The man of faith panics. 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:36.000 Panics. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:37.919 He's like, say you're my sister. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:38.639 Lies. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:39.759 Why? 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:41.519 I'll tell you why. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:44.240 Because pressure reveals trust gaps. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:49.519 You feel like you trust God? 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:51.600 Wait till pressure comes. 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:54.240 We'll see how much you really trust God. 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:57.440 Pressure reveals where the gaps are. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.559 And so there's the call, there's the promise. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:01.679 But can I tell you this? 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:07.360 God calling you does not remove your insecurities, it magnifies them. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:16.159 But what happens is fear comes in our life, and if we're not careful, we begin to try to protect the promise of God in an ungodly way. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.279 Thank God God protected Sarai and Abram. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:27.679 But the problem occurred in Abram's life because this would be a pattern that he would wrestle with in the future and would be passed down to his kids. 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:29.279 His kids would do the same thing. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:32.960 Now, having said that, look at me, look at me. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:36.480 Your failure does not cancel out God's faithfulness. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:40.480 You need to know that. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:42.000 So God blesses him. 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:44.080 Let's flip over to chapter 13 now. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:48.159 Abram went up from Egypt and Lot, the first name Parking. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.919 Hey, Lot was his nephew. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.039 Did y'all catch the joke? 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.120 His lot, his, his, yeah, that was a dumb joke. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:04.159 It's okay. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:07.200 All the dads liked it. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:09.600 That's what counts. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:11.200 His nephew went with him. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:20.159 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold, which business people, you you need to know the Bible has a lot to say about building wealth, a lot to say about business strategies. 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:21.279 Come back to the scripture. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.320 God will help you. 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:29.679 So he went from place to place until he came to Bethel to the place between Bethel and Ai, which is not an artificial intelligence, it's actually a city. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:31.440 But watch this, watch this. 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:37.360 Where his tent had been earlier, and where he had first built an altar. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:41.759 There, Abraham called on the name of the Lord. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:42.720 Watch, watch, watch. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:50.399 Abraham returns, not just geographically, but spiritually, to the very first altar he had ever built to God. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:13:01.440 He'd messed up, he'd sinned, he lied, but he comes back to a place of covenant and a place of worship and a place of surrender. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:06.080 How many know it's good to come back every once in a while to the place where you first met God? 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:14.000 To the place where you need to re-up and recommit and come back to the covenant and say, God, I know we strayed, but I'm coming back to who you are. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.879 Do you remember that moment when you first gave your life to God? 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:18.639 How taken you were with him? 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:26.559 Never lose the wonder and the awe of that and revisit that every once in a while to re-up with God. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:38.639 Now Abram's wife and and and Lot, they all begin to move, and Abram's nephew Lot came with him, and Lot is now blessed because of Abram. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:39.840 So here they are. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.639 They're both growing, their herdsmen are growing, their herds are growing, but they run out of land. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:47.200 So now his workers are fighting each other. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:53.840 And so verse 8 and 9, Abram comes over and he says, Look, bro, to Lot, uh we need to split ways. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:54.639 It's cool though. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:55.840 You picked the land. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:57.279 If you go left, I go right. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:58.559 If you go right, I'll go left. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:02.000 And so Lot, man, he was the dude was a little punk. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:04.399 He picked, the Bible says, the better land. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.440 He gave his uncle the jacked up land. 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:11.120 And he took the like he, bro, you wouldn't even have anything without him. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:12.960 And now you're gonna take the best land. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:16.559 But how many know God still blessed Abram anyway? 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:18.720 Business people, pay attention. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.879 It doesn't matter if you've been slighted in a deal. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:22.320 That deal's not your source. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:34.000 It doesn't matter if they give you the rest, the worst region, the worst area, the worst city, if you've been done badly in a deal, it does not matter because God's your source, not them. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:41.360 Then we see Lot get in a lot of trouble. 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:43.440 Was that better? 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.480 And he's taken by another king. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:47.840 So Abram hears about it. 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:49.440 He's like, oh heck no, that's my nephew. 00:14:49.600 --> 00:15:09.679 Gets 318 guys, and with God's help, goes and rescues Lot, his family, and all this stuff, comes back to the priest Melchizedek, and the Melchizedek blessed Abram and uh he said this uh blessed be Abram by God most high, creator of heaven and earth, and praise be to God most high, who delivered your enemies into your hand. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:10.720 Watch, watch, watch. 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:13.840 Then Abram gave a tenth of everything. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:14.720 What is that? 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:15.919 He tithed. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:20.799 He took a 10% and gave that to God because he wasn't about to just tell God, thank you. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:23.279 He was going to show him, Lord, you are first. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:25.759 Look at chapter 15 now. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.399 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.919 Do not be afraid, Abram, I'm your shield and very great reward. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:36.000 But Abram said, Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless? 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.919 And the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:42.399 And Abram said, You have given me no children. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:45.039 So a servant in my household will be my heir. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:51.600 Then the word of the Lord came to him and said, This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:55.039 He took him outside and said, Look up at the sky. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:59.440 Count the stars, if indeed you can count them. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:03.600 Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:06.639 Abraham believed God. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:11.360 He amen God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:13.600 I never forget Jack Hayford. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:22.960 He has gone on to be with the Lord, but he preached our very first conference here at our church, and he preached a sermon entitled, On This Text, The Deal Is Still On. 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.279 He tells a story about he and his wife. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:31.759 They all saw in the newspaper that there was a dining room set that was on sale for Labor Day, but they couldn't go to the furniture store on Labor Day. 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:33.759 And so they said, We'll go a few days after. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:39.279 A few days after they take the newspaper in and they ask the sales guy, Hey, could you honor this price? 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:42.159 We couldn't come on Labor Day, but here we are a few days later. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:44.639 Sales guy said, I'm so sorry that deal has expired. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:45.200 Jack A. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:46.240 said, No problem. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:46.879 We understand. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:48.000 And so they begin to leave. 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:52.879 And as they turn to leave, the sales guy said, Let me go talk to my manager real quick. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:17:02.559 Goes and talks to the manager, five minutes, comes back and says, Hey, I know the deal has expired, but my manager told me to tell you the deal is still on. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.400 Can I tell you? 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.160 I don't know where you have been. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:08.319 I don't know what you've been walking through. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:10.880 I don't know what failures you have in your life. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:17.759 But this guy, Abram, had blown it royally, and God said, Abram, come out of your tent for a second. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.759 I want you to look at the sky, look at the stars, not for astrology's sake. 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:22.880 Just try and count them. 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:23.359 Do you care? 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:32.160 All right, when you're done counting, I want you to know that's what your offspring shall be, even though you've messed up and blown it, the deal is still on. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:34.400 Oh, somebody needs to hear this today. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:39.920 Because you think that failure ecked you out and you you feel like God's promises have expired. 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:45.279 I'm here to tell somebody the deal is still on when you make God the Lord of your life. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:47.519 Come on, clap your hands one more time. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:51.920 Genesis 15 goes on. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:59.519 He also said to him, I'm the Lord who brought you out of the Ur, the Chaldeans, to give you this land to take possession of it. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:03.119 But Abram said, Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it? 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:10.240 So the Lord said to him, Bring me a heifer and a goat and a ram, and each three years old, along with a dove and a and a young pigeon. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:15.119 And so this is what was this is what will begin as the Abrahamic covenant. 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:17.359 And here's what the covenant included. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:20.960 Look, it included land, descendants, and blessing. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:25.440 God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants included land, descendants, and blessing. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.559 So here's what would happen. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:30.799 In a treaty, way back in biblical times, you wouldn't just sign your initials on a contract. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.839 You know, we get that right now. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:34.079 Hey, put your initial here, initial here, initial here. 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:34.960 That's not what they did. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:40.240 They would take these animals, slice them all up, lay them out, and then they would walk in a figurate around them. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:47.279 And as they were doing that, they were saying, May my body be pulled apart like these animals if I go back on my word in this covenant today. 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.799 Serious. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.960 Oh, watch this, watch, watch. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:53.680 Typically, both parties walked through. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:57.759 In this only God walked through and put Abraham asleep. 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:03.440 This was not how amazing Abraham was in committing to God. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:11.279 God was unconditionally committing himself to Abraham and his descendants forever. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:15.920 He said, I give you this land. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:35.599 On that day the Lord made a covenant, say covenant with Abraham and said, To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenesites, Cabanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Raphites, Amorites, Canaanites, Gergeshites, Jebusites, even the Termites, everybody. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:37.680 He's given a list. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:41.759 And he said, I give you this land. 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:46.319 Now I want you to write down in the margin of your Bible somewhere, Numbers chapter 34. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:47.759 Numbers 34. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:48.880 This is important. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.519 Numbers is a book of the Bible, Numbers 34. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:20:00.079 This is the most specific and detailed boundary description in Scripture for the land that God's gonna give Abram and his descendants. 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:00.880 It's so detailed. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:05.759 And it's almost like he's walking us clockwise through all of these, these, all of the land. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:07.440 So we're gonna see this. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:13.599 Genesis 15 says, From the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates, and then 10 people groups that are included. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:14.480 Okay, watch this. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.359 This is not, this is way more than just a surveyor's report. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:21.920 This is a title deed God's giving to his people 4,000 years ago. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:26.240 So Numbers 34, God specific, and it reads like a surveyor's report. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:32.559 I'm gonna read based on Numbers 34, and I want you just to listen to the boundary lines God gave 4,000 years ago. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:36.960 The southern border from the Dead Sea through the wilderness of Zin to the brook of Egypt. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:44.880 The western border along the Mediterranean, the northern border, up through Mount Hor, the Lebanese Range, which by the way, that's that's not the one where Aaron died. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:53.839 To uh Labohamath, across from Zedad to Zephron, and then the eastern border running south along the Sea of Galilee down the Jordan to the Dead Sea. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:21:02.079 Okay, this is one of the most specific and detailed boundary markers for the land God's giving Abraham and his descendants. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:09.759 And then Joshua 15 to 19, they subdivide it all to all the different tribes, and then and then Ezekiel 47, write that down. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.319 Ezekiel 47 and 48. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:19.759 God gives a future boundary, and this is a description of the of the redistribution of land. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.519 Okay, I'm gonna show you a map. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:22.079 Okay, watch this. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:23.359 This is gonna blow your mind. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:27.039 Based on what we just read, 4,000 years old. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.720 4,000 years old. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:33.119 This is the boundary line for Israel. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:34.319 This is where they are now. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:35.680 This is what God said is theirs. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:39.440 How many have never seen that? 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:41.200 Just reading the Bible. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:42.799 So he has a call. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:44.640 He has a promise. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:48.160 And then the waiting starts. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:51.519 And waiting is the worst. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:53.759 Here's the problem with us. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:59.839 If we're not careful, if we wait too long, we start trying to help God out. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:02.880 How old is he now? 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.079 86. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:06.559 Still, no kid. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.079 86 years old. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:10.000 He got the promise at 75. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:12.000 Here's where things get sticky. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:17.599 Now, Sarai, Abram's wife, had not been able to bear children for him, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:18.480 Say Hagar. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:22.240 So Sarai said to Abram, The Lord has prevented me from having children. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.759 Go and sleep with my servant. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:26.319 Perhaps I can have children through her. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:28.480 And Abram's like, Alright. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:32.880 So are you seeing this? 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:37.519 So Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar, the Egyptian servant, gave her to Abram as his wife. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:40.880 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar and she became pregnant. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:45.599 But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress Sarai with contempt. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:48.799 This is where it gets real soap opera, real quick. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:51.599 Sarai's like, God's taking too long. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:52.799 We need a plan B. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.160 We need to speed things up. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:55.680 Take my servant Hagar. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:01.200 And she becomes pregnant, and then when she gets pregnant, she starts giving side eye to Sarai. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:06.000 And now we have the first recorded moment in the Bible. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:12.640 Not the last, the first recorded moment where somebody said, I know God made a promise, but we need to speed some things up here. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:16.319 So she would give birth to a son named Ishmael. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.279 Okay, watch it. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.559 Write this down, everybody. 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:22.960 Um, by the way, Sarai said to Abram, This is your fault. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:30.640 I put my servant in your arms, but now she's pregnant and she treats me with contempt. 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:33.440 Say, so now there's a mess. 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:37.839 Can we all agree that when you rush the promise, you also multiply the problem? 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:43.680 How many have ever been guilty of rushing God? 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.920 Rushing the promise. 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:50.799 So now Ishmael is born, but so is tension. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:55.440 And here's what's dirty Sarai kicks Hagar out. 00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:57.359 That's cold. 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.000 Hagar didn't volunteer. 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:02.640 She didn't ask to be a part of this family. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:05.279 She was not interviewed. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.759 It was not like she had a choice in the matter. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.599 So here's this girl. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:26.799 She follows along, she becomes pregnant, gets kicked out of the household, she's running into the wilderness, she's distraught, she's crying, and in that moment of not knowing what to do, God met her right there in the wilderness, ministered to her, and in that moment, she turned around. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:30.480 She's the first person in the Bible who gives God a new name. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:33.039 She called him El Roy. 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:34.319 Look at this in the Bible. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:39.279 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her and said, You are the God who sees me. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:43.920 For she said, I have now seen the one who sees me. 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:47.759 It's one thing for God to see you. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:52.960 It is a great day in your life when you begin to see the one who sees you. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:54.960 I don't know what you've been through. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:57.200