Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Abraham’s Breach - 9/16/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Abraham’s Breach - 9/16/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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with your friends. Now, let's join
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Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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God.
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Genesis chapter 16. next portion of our
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study uh tonight and a I want to say a
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difficult portion. It's not difficult in
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the uh study of it or the preaching of
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it, but it's just difficult uh in the
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nature of what it's talking about. And
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so I'm asking you to pray for me tonight
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as we look at this. Genesis chapter 16
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verse number one. Now Sarah, Abram's
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wife, bare unto bear him no children.
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She had an handmade, an Egyptian whose
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name was Hagar. And Sarah said unto
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Abram, "Behold now the Lord hath
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restrained me from bearing. I pray thee,
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go in unto my handmmaid, unto my maid,
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it may be that I may obtain children by
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her." And Abram hearkened to the voice
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of Sari. And Sarai, Abram<unk>'s wife,
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took Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian,
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after Abram had dwelt 10 years in the
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land of Canaan, and gave her to her
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husband Abram to be his wife. And he
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went in unto Hagar, and she conceived.
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When she saw that she had conceived, her
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mistress was despised in her eyes. And
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Sarah said unto Abram, "My wrong be upon
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thee. I've given my maid into thy
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bosom." When she saw that she had
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conceived, I was despised in her eyes.
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The Lord judge between me and thee. But
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Abram said unto Sari, "Behold, thy maid
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is in thy hand. Do her as it pleaseth
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thee." When Sarai dealt hardly with her,
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she fled from her face. And the angel of
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the Lord found her by a fountain of
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water in the wilderness by the fountain
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in the way to shure. And he said, "Hey,
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Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? And
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whether wilt thou go?" And she said, "I
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flee from the face of my mistress
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Sarai." And the angel of the Lord said
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unto her, "Return to thy mistress, and
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submit thyself under her hands." And the
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angel of the Lord said unto her, I will
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multiply thy seed exceedingly that shall
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not be numbered for multitude. And the
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angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold,
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thou art with child, and shalt bear a
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son, shalt call his name Ishmael,
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because the Lord hath heard thy
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affliction. He will be a wild man. His
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hand will be against every man, and
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every man's hand against him, and he
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shall dwell in the presence of all his
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brethren." She called the name of the
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Lord that spake unto her. And she called
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the name of the Lord that spake unto
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her. Thou God seeest me. For she said,
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Have I also here looked after him that
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seeth me? Wherefore the whale was called
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Bear Lyro. Beholdest between Kadesh and
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Bere. And Hagar Hagar bare Abram a son,
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and Abram called his son's name, which
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Hagar bare Ishmael. And Abram was four
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score and six years old. when Hagar bare
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Ishmael to Abram. Now, Father, I'm
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asking you, God, tonight that you would
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help us as we look into this passage of
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scripture. And Lord, I realize, Father,
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I'm unworthy tonight to share these
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truths with this congregation. Lord, I'm
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the least uh thy servants. But Lord, I'm
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thankful, God, that I am one of thy
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servants. Lord, to be numbered uh with
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that crowd. I'm thankful for it. And
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God, I'm asking you tonight to help me.
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I pray you'd speak through me tonight.
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And Lord, I pray you'd hit the nail on
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the head with the word of God. I know
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you will get glory to yourself and do
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all that's in your will tonight. And
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we'll ask we'll give you thanks for it
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because we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Genesis 16 begins the account to us here
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of Abram's probably greatest failure.
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And when I look at this text tonight, I
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want to review uh reveal a couple of
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things here in this passage of
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scripture. And uh I want to review just
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a minute if I can. In chapter 15, there
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were the three great events that we
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looked at in chapter number 15 when we
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considered in verse number one when the
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Lord spoke to Abram and that God gave
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Abram a shield for his fear. And then
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God would promise Abram in verse number
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five, a seed for his faith. And then we
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looked at our last uh study there. We
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pro he we saw that God provided Abram a
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soil for his family. And God has given
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Abram, if we could all agree on this
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tonight, I think by the scriptures uh
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implication tonight, we could definitely
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agree that Abram has been given much.
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Amen. And let's just be real tonight.
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We've been given as much, but a whole
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lot more than Abram. And when I look at
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this text, we're quick to throw Abram
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under the bus because of chapter 16. But
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I want to remind you, he was called the
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friend of God. Nobody else was ever
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called that. And when I think about this
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chapter in the word of God, it reminds
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us, one writer put it this way. He said
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that the Bible never just highlights the
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successes of an individual, but it
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highlights the life of an individual.
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And what you find in the word of God is
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everybody other than Jesus Christ has a
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failure at some point in their life. Now
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we, you know, many people say when you
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look at the life of Joseph or when you
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look at the life of Daniel, you'll find
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no failures. Well, I just want to say
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this tonight. We could say and be honest
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that we know that they're men just like
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us. And somewhere along the way, no
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doubt they had a failure. Amen. But we
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know Jesus never failed. Amen. But I'm
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thankful the Bible highlights failures.
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I'm thankful the Bible highlights this
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failure in the text. It gives us hope
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tonight. Cuz if there was hope for
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Abraham in this sin, there's hope for
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you and I tonight. And I want to lay a
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few things on your heart. Four things.
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And then I'll give you three things
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tonight simply straight out of the text.
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Kind of just an overview. Not really a
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jump through the verses if you will, but
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let's look at this. I want to note you
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notice first of all verse number one
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tonight. Notice the dilemma that's at
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hand. In verse one, the Bible says,
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"Now, so presently at this present point
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in time, and the Bible puts that word,
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every word of God is in there for a
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reason." Amen. We believe it's inspired.
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And so at this present time, the writer
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is going to highlight the dilemma. Look
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at this. Now Sarah, Abram<unk>'s wife,
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bear him what? No children. So the very
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same problem that Abram had in his
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family that he had when he left the
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Caldes is still present. In spite of
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every promise, in spite of every
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revealed word of God to Abram, the
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problem is still present. And seemingly
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we would we could say tonight it would
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seem that Abram and his wife are
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becoming discouraged. And out of that
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discouragement, they're getting antsy.
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And you notice what the Bible says that
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she buried no children. But it says she
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had an handmade, an Egyptian whose name
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was Hagar. And so the dilemma at hand is
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that Sarah is still barren. But the
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promise of God still stands. And we know
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that God's going to come through on his
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promise tonight. We're assured of that.
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Amen. But Abram in this text, like many
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of us, and Sarah, his wife, is becoming
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impatient. And we must also put this in
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our mind. all of these promises that
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were given to Abram, God never spoke
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directly to Sarah about these promises.
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And so what what Sarah knew about the
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promise of God was what Abram told her.
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And no doubt she trusted her husband.
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But I just want to say this, I want to
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remind you this. God's not speaking
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audibly to Sarah. And so out of this, we
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see the dilemma at hand brings about a
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desire that gets hearkened to. Notice
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verse number two. And Sarah said unto
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Abram, "Behold now, the Lord hath
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restrained me from bearing. I pray thee,
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go in unto my maid, it may be that I may
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obtain children by her." And the Bible
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says, "And Abram hearkened to the voice
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of Sarai." And so this great failure
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ensues in the text. Now, in this day and
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time, all right, just simply to give you
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some information, what is going on in
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this text was not frowned upon by
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society. This was a normal occurrence.
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When a woman had a maid, it was off that
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she would give that maid to her husband.
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And out of that, the family line would
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be extended. And that was a normal
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practice. Society did not frown upon
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this event. But we know the truth. God
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frowned upon it. Amen. And I'll say more
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about that in a minute. And so we see
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this desire. Abram hearkens to the voice
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of his wife in verse number two. And out
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of that, there becomes a decision that's
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harmful. Verse three. Sarah,
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Abram<unk>'s wife, took Hagar, her maid,
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the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt 10
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years in the land of Canaan, and gave
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her to her husband, Abram, to be his
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wife. So, the decision is made. Sarah
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puts the offer on the table. Abram
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hearkens under the voice of his wife.
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They decide that this is what they're
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going to do. And Hagar becomes his
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bride. And out of it is the story that
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we all know, the part of this that we
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are all aware of. Verse four, the Bible
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says, "And he went in unto Hagar and she
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conceived." And when she saw that she
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had conceived, her mistress was despised
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in her eyes. So out of this decision,
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this harmful, you say, "Preacher, why
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was this decision harmful?" You see in
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verse number four, their homes divided.
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You say, "Preacher, how is that
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harmful?" Let's just be real tonight.
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God has never intended by any decision
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of the man, the woman, or even the
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children that a home be divided because
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the Bible says what Jesus said, "A house
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divided against itself cannot stand."
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And so tonight, we see the end of what
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they have done. Now, we know naturally
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there is much implication this text. Not
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going to deal with that tonight. But I
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want to give you three things out of
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these verses tonight concerning this
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story, this event that transpires. Now,
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number one, when I think about this text
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here tonight, we have to look at it in
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light of the sin that's mentioned in
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this text. And I want to tell tell you
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tonight, the thing that is most
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prevalent in this chapter is the sexual
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immorality that's present in these
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verses. And there are principles that
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follow. Every time there is sexual sin,
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there are principles that are presented
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to us in this chapter. I want to give
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you three of those tonight if I could
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here out of this text concerning sexual
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immorality. Now, we know that God is his
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design was one man for one woman. He
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said there in the beginning of the book
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of Genesis said, "A man shall leave his
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father and his mother and shall cleave
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unto his wife." We know that that's
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singular. That's not plural. God has
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never condoneed polygamy. There's an
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uprising of that in our country in this
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day and time. It may be not on this end,
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but out in there in the West, uh we know
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the Mormons, they practice that. Many
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other groups practice that, but I want
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to say this, the mind of God has always
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been one man and one woman for life.
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>> Amen. That's the mind of God. Now, I
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know that sin has marred that image, but
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I want to say this. It does not change
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the word of God. And there's some
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principles in this chapter about secular
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immorality. Now number one I want to say
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this where there is sexual immorality
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there is always what that precedes that
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act there is always conjecture say what
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do you mean well notice verse two
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there's an assumption look what he said
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look what she says and Sarah said unto
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Abram notice this statement behold now
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the Lord hath restrained me from bearing
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now I want to examine that statement for
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just a little bit now when when you look
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at what Sarah is saying in this text, we
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know that the Bible teaches that it is
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the Lord that closes and opens the womb
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of woman. We know that that's what the
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scripture teaches. All right? And I'm
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not going to go against what scripture
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teaches. But I am going to go against
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the assumption that Sarah makes in this
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text. You say, "What do you mean?" Well,
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notice what she says. She says, "The
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Lord hath restrained me from bearing."
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What in other words, what Sarah is
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saying is is the Lord is keeping me from
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having a child. Now I want to ask you
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something. When was Sarah buried?
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The first description that we have of
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Sarah, turn back with me to chapter
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number 11.
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Genesis chapter number 11. The first
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description that we have of Sarah in the
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text is verse number 29 of Genesis 11.
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Abram and Naor took them wives. The name
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of Abram<unk>'s wife was Sarai. And the
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name of Naor's wife, Mila, the daughter
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of Haran, the father of Mila, and the
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father of Iska. Verse 30. What does it
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say? But Sarai was barren.
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So let's let's draw this back into the
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assumption here for a minute. Why is
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Sarai saying that the Lord hath
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restrained her from bearing? Now what
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she's doing is is she's blaming God for
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her problem.
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You see that? Notice it. Behold now the
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Lord hath restrained me from bearing. In
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other words, God's kept me from having a
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child. Now you see how prideful that
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sounds. You see, Sarah could have had a
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a condition that caused her to be
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barren. And matter of fact, it may not
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be that God's kept her from having a
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child, but it may be that God's waiting
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for the time to allow her to put inside
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of her what's what's needed for her to
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have a child.
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See, we're too quick to blame things on
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God. We blame our ailments. We blame our
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infirmities. We bl we blame our
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arguments and our disagreements on God
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at times. Say, "Lord, why don't you fix
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this when maybe he's waiting on us?"
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And I notice here, you say, "Preacher,
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what does that have to do with sexual
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immorality?" Will you think about it
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tonight? Anytime there is somebody that
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steps outside of the bonds of marriage
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to commit lwdenness or sexual immorality
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in this sense, there's always
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conjecture. What does it normally
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contend to? Well, it tends to conjecture
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about self. Young man and a young lady
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before they get married, they decide
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that they're going to commit the act
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outside of marriage. And this is
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something they'll conjecture about.
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Well, everybody will understand.
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We Everybody does it.
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And then it's not only a conjecture
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about self. God made us this way. So,
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not only is a conjecture about self,
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it's the conjecture about the sovereign.
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Well, God made us this way. He put this
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desire in us. He knew we would be this
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way. But it does not change the command
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of God. And so you know what you do? You
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blame your sin
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on God. What sir I do? The Lord hath
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restrained me from bearing. And so out
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of that she says, I pray thee, go in
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unto my maid, and it may be that I may
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obtain children by her. So the
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conjecture is not only about what God is
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supposedly done to her, but there's also
15:07
conjecture. Notice this in the text. It
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may be that I may obtain children from
15:11
her. There is a desired goal in mind.
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All right? And the thing about is Sarah
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is assuming the fact that Hagar is going
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to let her have her child.
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Let me ask you something. You say,
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"Preacher, well, Hagar was her servant."
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And you're exactly right about that. But
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do you think Sarah would have took this
15:28
child from her by force if Hagar
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wouldn't allow her to? I'll say this. If
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God hadn't intervened, we'll look at
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that a little later. If God hadn't
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intervened, Hagar would have left with a
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child and a Abram wouldn't even been
15:38
able to see him. And so all of this
15:40
comes together. You say, "Well, what
15:42
does it bring about?" Well, notice verse
15:44
number three. There's conjecture in this
15:46
immoral action, but there's also
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coercion.
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Notice verse three. And Sarah Abram's
15:52
wife, what's that next word, church?
15:55
Took. Verse three, let's look at it
15:57
there with me. And Sarah, Abram<unk>'s
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wife, what's it say? Took Hagar her maid
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the Egyptian after Abram had dwelt 10
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years in the land of Canaan and gave
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her, notice that, to her husband Abram
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to be his wife. Now, I know the laws of
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slavery. I'm full aware of that. I
16:19
understand everything that's going on in
16:21
this text in that realm. But let me tell
16:23
you this tonight. What do we know about
16:25
marriage? This is in evidence and this
16:29
is evidence of arranged marriage. That's
16:30
what this is. But let's just take look
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take a step back from slavery and look
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at this from a normal perspective. This
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is Sarah forcing her will
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upon another individual. You say, "What
16:43
is that?" That's coercion.
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You know, anytime there's sexual
16:47
immorality, there is always coercion.
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There's always somebody that's forcing
16:54
somebody else to do something. You say,
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"Preacher, but they were both
16:58
consensual." Well, here's what you're
16:59
going to find. Deep in the heart of one
17:00
of those individuals, there's a desire
17:02
to not do that thing. But because of
17:07
sweet talk, what we call flirting,
17:11
they go on and do that thing because one
17:14
party wants it and the other says,
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"Well, I'm just going to go on with it
17:18
because it's not going to cause any
17:20
conflict."
17:21
And anytime you say, "How is that?"
17:24
Well, if you look at every adulterous
17:27
relationship that happens, there is
17:29
always a withdrawal by some part of that
17:33
marriage union. I could preach this
17:35
tonight, but I'm not really going to.
17:37
I'm just going to tell you, we know this
17:38
is in every case. In every time it
17:41
happens, you say, "Preacher, but they're
17:42
consenting." It's still not the same
17:44
thing. You say, "What's consenting?"
17:47
Consenting is when two individuals come
17:49
to the marriage altar
17:51
and they stick those rings on each
17:53
other's hand. You say, "Preacher, but
17:55
what if it's if it's adultery and th
17:57
both of those individuals are consent?"
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Well, let me ask you something. Do you
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think that wife that was left at home is
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consenting?
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Do you think that husband that was left
18:09
at home is consenting? I'm saying,
18:11
friend, there is a there's an opposition
18:13
to that because never in any case, you
18:16
say, "Preacher, but what if it's two?"
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If it's a young man and a young lady and
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they've never been married and they're
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and they're getting outside of marriage,
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they're doing things outside of
18:25
marriage. You know who's not consenting?
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God isn't.
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You ever thought about that?
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>> Marriage is not two becoming one.
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>> It's three.
18:38
>> I've heard people say this. Well,
18:40
marriage is not 50/50. It's 100 100.
18:43
Now, let me tell you something.
18:44
Marriage, you you two can't make it
18:47
work.
18:47
>> That's right.
18:48
>> You going to have to have him.
18:50
>> And two people giving 100% to each other
18:52
is not enough. Because if you're not
18:55
saved by the grace of God and marriage,
18:56
you might hold it together for the rest
18:58
of your life. But the truth is your
19:00
marriage will never function until you
19:03
have God on both ends of that thing
19:05
because it is not a struck one-way
19:07
street. It's a triangle.
19:09
>> And it's not between you and your
19:10
parents. It's not between you and your
19:12
friends. It's between you and your
19:14
husband, you and your wife, and God.
19:17
>> And so there's always coercion involved.
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So we see there's conjecture. Then
19:23
there's coercion. And what do we notice
19:24
out of this verse four? And he went in
19:27
unto Hagar and she conceived. And when
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she saw that she had conceived, her
19:31
mistress was despised in her eyes. So
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thirdly, we see not only is there
19:36
conjecture, there's assumptions that
19:39
lead to the act. There's the coercion.
19:41
There is the apprehension that leads to
19:44
this act. And then there is contention.
19:47
Say, how is that? Well, here in this
19:49
text, when Hagar bears a child to Abram,
19:53
she despises Sarah. Why does she do
19:55
that? Because now she feels like the
19:57
Lord has favored her and now that she is
19:59
going to take the place of Sarah. Let me
20:02
ask you something. Was that wrong of her
20:04
to feel that way? By all means, that
20:07
Sarah did this to her. I want to say
20:09
this to you. When you look at this text,
20:11
you think about this from a perspective
20:13
of a young lady who has been violated.
20:16
Somebody who's been forced into
20:18
something they wanted nothing to do
20:20
with. Now they have the child and now
20:22
she's going to be thrown away. See, how
20:24
is that? Notice the text. Verse 5. She
20:27
said, I by wrong be upon thee. She tells
20:29
Abram, I've given th my maid into thy
20:31
bosom. When she saw that she had
20:33
conceived, I was despised in her eyes.
20:35
The Lord judge between me and thee.
20:37
Listen to what Abram says. Abram said
20:39
unto Sarah, "Behold, thy maid is in thy
20:41
hand." Let me ask you something. Why was
20:43
Why was Why was he why is he calling her
20:46
his her maid? Now, no, that's his wife.
20:52
>> You know what he's doing? He's turn he's
20:53
throwing her away.
20:56
See, this is what happens. Sexual
20:58
immorality always lead to contention,
21:00
but it also always leads to corruption.
21:04
You say, "Preacher, but Abram and Sarah
21:07
were okay." But you think about it,
21:08
Hagar is going to be left alone.
21:11
I'm thankful the scripture teaches us in
21:13
this chapter, she wasn't left alone
21:14
because the angel of the Lord went and
21:16
found her. Amen.
21:18
But the principle is this. Sexual
21:19
immorality always leaves a broken mess.
21:23
Always does. I had some young people
21:27
here at the church a while back and they
21:30
they were living they were shacked up
21:32
together. And it's it's it's a shame to
21:35
me. I'll be honest with you. That
21:36
stuff's all that's celebrated in this
21:38
day and time. I can't stand that. We
21:40
have no business. A young man, a young
21:42
lady, they shack up together. They
21:44
decide to start living together and then
21:45
they have a child out of wedlock and
21:47
everybody just treats them like they're
21:48
married, just normal, like just like
21:50
everybody else. No. Sin has shame to it.
21:54
>> Sin still deserves judgment. You say,
21:57
"Preacher, it ain't your place to pass
21:59
judgment." No, they're supposed to pass
22:00
it on themselves. There's a separation
22:03
that comes involved. They're not ashamed
22:05
of it because they DON'T BLUSH ABOUT IT.
22:07
THEY DON'T EVEN THINK OF IT AS WRONG
22:08
ANYMORE.
22:10
And the reason that is because preachers
22:12
quit preaching about it. It's still
22:15
wrong.
22:16
>> And the thing about it is people say
22:18
something like this, "Well, it's already
22:20
done. Nobody can do nothing about it
22:22
now." Well, let me say this. I don't
22:24
have a problem with you having somebody
22:26
a uh um a gift gathering for somebody
22:30
that's got pregnant out of wedlock. I'm
22:31
fine with that. But you don't get
22:32
together and celebrate that.
22:35
Have baby showers and they put all big
22:37
stuff up and celebrate. Man, it's and
22:39
it's derived out of sin. You say,
22:40
"Preacher, well, that don't change the
22:42
baby's life." The baby's not even born
22:44
yet.
22:46
>> Common sense comes into play somewhere.
22:49
>> I know it's quiet, but I'm going to
22:51
preach it anyway. I'm telling you, this
22:52
is where we're living at. YOU SAY,
22:54
"PREACHER, THAT'S HARD." WELL, IF YOU'RE
22:56
NOT CAREFUL TO BE YOUR DAUGHTER OR YOUR
22:58
son there,
23:00
>> if everybody just celebrates it, there's
23:02
no there's no there's no recourse for
23:04
that. There's no judgment for that. I'm
23:06
saying it's embarrassing.
23:08
>> It ought to be embarrassing.
23:11
I don't say this, their their contention
23:14
brought about a national You think about
23:16
what we're dealing with, and I said I
23:17
wasn't going to talk about this, but I'm
23:19
going to. You think about what we're
23:20
dealing with that crowd in the Middle
23:22
East. It's out of this very situation.
23:27
>> Notice this sexual immorality. Number
23:30
two, I want to give you the spiritual
23:31
implication out of this text. That's
23:33
enough about that. The spiritual
23:35
implication. You say, "What do you
23:36
mean?" Well, it's found in this word
23:39
that's repeated in this chapter. Notice
23:41
verse one. Now Sarah, Abram's wife, bare
23:44
no children, and she had an handmade,
23:45
what's the next two words? An Egyptian.
23:49
Verse number three. And Sarah
23:52
Abram<unk>'s wife took Hagar. Notice
23:54
this description. Now, the Bible, I tell
23:56
you this all the time, but the Bible
23:58
goes at lengths to make this
23:59
description. Listen to this. All right?
24:01
Sarah Abram's wife took Hagar, first of
24:04
all, what's it say? Her maid. Second of
24:07
all, the Egyptian.
24:10
The Bible says Sarah Abram's wife took
24:12
Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian. And then
24:15
notice the next statement. This one
24:17
right here really grabbed my gooza when
24:20
I was studying today. Listen to this.
24:23
Hagar her maid the Egyptian after Abram,
24:25
listen to this now, had dwelt in the had
24:28
dwelt 10 years where in the land of
24:31
Canaan. Now I don't know about you, but
24:33
it don't take a smart man to figure out
24:35
that the Holy Ghost is trying to draw a
24:37
distinction there. You say, "What do you
24:39
mean?" Well, the spiritual implication
24:40
is this. Number one, you need to be
24:42
aware of the world.
24:45
said, 'What do you mean? That's Egypt.
24:47
You know where this woman showed up in
24:48
Abram's life? She showed up in Abram's
24:51
life when he in a lack of faith went
24:53
down to Egypt. Turn back with me.
24:56
Chapter number
24:58
12.
25:00
Chapter number 12,
25:02
verse number 10.
25:06
Chapter 12, verse 10. There was a famine
25:08
in the land. Abram went down into Egypt
25:10
to sojourn there for the famine was
25:12
grievious in the land. And then you
25:15
remember the story. He tells Sarah to
25:17
lie.
25:19
You're my sister.
25:22
You tell them that you're my sister. So
25:24
that when we come into the land, they
25:25
don't kill me and take you. Well, now
25:28
that's coming back to call because what
25:29
happens? Chapter number 12 verse number,
25:33
let's look here, verse number 16.
25:37
They tell the lie. Sarah goes to
25:39
Pharaoh. Verse 16. Pharaoh, notice it.
25:42
He intreated Abram well for her sake. He
25:44
had sheep and oxen and he assasses and
25:46
men servants and made servants and she
25:50
assasses and camels. And the Lord
25:52
plagued Pharaoh and his house with great
25:55
plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
25:59
Abram tells his wife to tell a lie.
26:02
Because of that lie, Pharaoh gives Abram
26:06
servants, not just male servants, but
26:09
woman servants. And the Bible says she
26:12
is what? An Egyptian. So evidently, she
26:16
could she showed up while they were down
26:18
in Egypt. Let me say this. When you go
26:20
to the world, the world will follow you
26:22
back. See, how is that? What happens is
26:25
if we're not careful, we'll go out in
26:26
the world. We'll live all week because
26:27
we have to. Amen. Cuz we have to. If
26:31
we're not careful, we'll bring that
26:32
world from out there in here. And you
26:34
know what it does? It defiles here. But
26:36
let's let's let's get this down to real
26:39
terms. All right. What has Abram done?
26:41
He has went to the world. And what is
26:42
He's brought the world back to his home.
26:45
His home. Hey friend, where you go, you
26:48
better you better know just cuz you get
26:50
out of there alive don't mean that you
26:51
got out of there unscathed.
26:54
Or let's just put it this way, you got
26:55
out of there alone.
26:57
You'll bring things with you that you
26:59
wish you could have got rid of a long
27:00
time ago. But I notice this. You say,
27:03
"What do you mean?" Well, I I notice the
27:05
spiritual implication. Number one, you
27:07
need to be aware of the world. Number
27:09
one, in spite of who promotes it to you.
27:11
Say, "What do you mean?" Well, notice
27:12
verse two again. And Sarah said unto
27:14
Abram, "Behold now, the Lord hath
27:16
restrained me from bearing. I pray thee,
27:18
go in unto my maid, it may be that I may
27:20
have obtained children by her." And
27:22
Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarah.
27:24
Now, think about this. Who's telling
27:26
Abram to do this? His wife,
27:31
his closest friend, the one that he
27:35
should trust more than anybody else. I
27:38
read this quote this afternoon. I
27:40
thought this was great. Listen to this.
27:41
All right. FB Meyer said this, or maybe
27:45
it was John Butler. I don't remember
27:46
exactly. He said, "It is hard to find a
27:49
temptation more appealing than one that
27:52
pampers the appetite of the flesh, yet
27:55
seems also to obtain the goals of
27:58
faith." You think about what Sarah is
28:00
doing here. She knows the promise of
28:02
God. Abram knows the promise of God. And
28:05
she says this. She says, "All right, you
28:07
go get Hagar. You go in under her. We
28:09
have a child. By her, she'll be my
28:12
child, and that'll fulfill the promise
28:13
of God." But that's the problem. You
28:15
don't take the promises and plans of God
28:17
into your own hands.
28:20
>> But when you have your wife, the closest
28:23
person, and it may not be your wife or
28:25
you, but it may be that best friend that
28:27
you have, that closest individual in
28:30
your life, and they are telling you to
28:31
do something,
28:33
and also at the same time, you have a
28:36
desire within to do that. There's no
28:40
temptation heavier than that.
28:43
I want to say this. You need to be aware
28:45
of the world in spite of who promotes it
28:46
to you.
28:49
>> The person you love more than anybody
28:50
else in this world can tell you it's
28:52
better out there. But you just know it
28:54
doesn't matter who's saying it. It
28:55
matters what's being said.
28:58
Are you listening? It matters not who
29:01
says it, but it matters what is being
29:05
said. You cannot afford to listen to
29:08
everything from everybody.
29:11
>> Let me tell you this, and I'm being an
29:12
honest from my heart. If I ever say
29:14
something that would cause somebody to
29:16
sin, you better take that and you throw
29:17
it out. It's not worth listening to. It
29:21
don't matter who it's from. It don't
29:23
matter how much you love them, how much
29:24
you listen to them, how much you like
29:26
them AND THEIR ADVICE, HOW MANY TIMES
29:28
THEY'VE BEEN RIGHT BEFORE. YOU THINK
29:30
ABOUT SARAH. She could have been right
29:32
every time up to this point, but this
29:34
time she's wrong. And Abram should have
29:37
said, "Nuh-uh." One writer put it this
29:40
way. He said, "If somebody else would
29:42
have offered this to Abram, Abram would
29:44
have said, "No, that's crazy." But his
29:46
wife offered it. And you think about
29:49
this. Sarah's turning over her rights.
29:54
One man, one woman. She's turning over
29:57
her rights to another woman. Abram's
30:00
thinking in his head, and this is what
30:02
this is as righteous as I can make it.
30:04
All right. Abram's thinking in his head,
30:06
"Well, she's trying to be sacrificial
30:07
for the plan of God.
30:10
You better be careful about sacrifice.
30:13
You say, "Preacher, how is that?" Well,
30:15
Samuel told Saul, "Obedience
30:17
is better than sacrifice."
30:21
>> Just because something's going to, you
30:23
know, make you look like a martyr, that
30:25
don't mean it's right.
30:26
>> Right.
30:28
>> You need to beware of the world in spite
30:32
of who promotes it. I want to say this.
30:34
You need to be aware of the world in
30:36
spite of the period that it's been with
30:37
you. Notice verse three. Sarah,
30:39
Abram<unk>'s wife, took Hagar, her maid,
30:41
the Egyptian, after Abram, notice it
30:43
again, had dwelt how long? 10 years. So
30:48
evidently, for best of my knowledge,
30:49
Abram's been out of Egypt for at least
30:51
10 years at this point in time.
30:54
Hagar's been with him the whole time.
30:56
What's what's Cananan a type of? It's
30:58
the land of victorious living. Let me
31:00
say this, sin can come at any point in
31:03
your life.
31:04
>> And it ain't just little sin either. I'm
31:07
talking about dark, gross, wicked sin.
31:09
It can come at any point. I I've heard
31:11
people talk about this and and I wish I
31:14
could to could relay it to you how it's
31:16
in my heart tonight, but I've heard
31:17
people talk about their marriage, you
31:18
know, uh you know, they say, "Well, if
31:20
you can make it past the first year,
31:22
I've heard some people say, "If you can
31:23
make it past the second year, I've heard
31:25
some people say, "If you can make it
31:26
past the fifth year, you'll be all
31:27
right." But you know what I'm finding
31:29
out? It's really not any of those.
31:34
Cuz you know what? these people that
31:35
have been married 20, 30. Was talking to
31:38
a man of God last night. Preacher that
31:40
was a missionary for 30 or 40 years. Him
31:42
and his wife split up when they come off
31:44
the field. Been married 40 years.
31:47
It's no respector of persons. I'm saying
31:50
you need to be aware of the influence of
31:51
the world in spite of the period, how
31:53
long it's been with you. Hagar's been in
31:56
our house the whole time. She's never
31:57
played a played a part. But you know
31:59
what has happened? Circumstances.
32:02
Sarah's impatience
32:04
and Abram's well, let's just be real
32:07
about it. His lack of of uh discipline.
32:11
Sarah's impatience and Abram's lack of
32:14
discipline and Hagar's presence. You
32:16
know, this is what makes me so sad.
32:18
There's some people that just their
32:20
presence makes them part of a problem.
32:23
You say, "How is that?" Well, notice the
32:25
text. Hagar wasn't doing anything. But
32:27
you know what? Sarah comes and gets her.
32:31
Again,
32:34
I want to say this. You ought to be
32:36
careful. You say, "Preacher, we we've
32:38
we've been in the I've lived in the
32:39
world my whole life. I'm not going to
32:41
allow the influences of the world to get
32:42
me." Well, you going you you can't tell
32:44
me that
32:46
>> cuz you know what? I can't tell you
32:47
that.
32:48
>> Man, I'm telling you, these men dropping
32:50
out like flies. I never thought I'd see
32:52
it. They're loosening, letting go of
32:55
everything under the sun. And I ain't
32:56
better than none of them. I'm telling
32:58
you, it's we it COULD HAPPEN TO ANY OF
33:00
US.
33:02
>> YOUR MARRIAGE COULD BUST. THIS CHURCH
33:03
COULD BLOW UP. WE ARE NOT ABOVE THAT.
33:08
>> GOD HELP US. PAUL SAID IT THIS WAY. He
33:10
said, "Let a man that thinks he stands,
33:12
TAKE HEED, LEST HE FALL." AMEN.
33:17
>> You need to beware of the world in spite
33:19
of who promotes it, in light of who
33:22
promotes it, however you want to say
33:23
that. In spite of the period, how long
33:25
you been in the land of victory? I want
33:28
to say this. This is what you going to
33:29
be aware of the world. You say,
33:30
"Preacher, how do I determine that it's
33:33
the world?" Well, notice verse four.
33:36
Bible says that he, Abram, went in unto
33:38
Hagar and she conceived. When she saw
33:40
that she had conceived, her mistress,
33:42
notice this, was despised in her eyes.
33:44
And I say this again, all right, the
33:46
illustrated purpose is this.
33:49
We see the promotion by Sarah. We see
33:51
the period that Abram had been in the
33:53
land, but we also see the pride of Hagar
33:55
in this text. You say, "What do you
33:58
mean?" Well, when she saw that she had
34:00
conceived, you know what? She decided
34:02
she's better than the boss.
34:06
Here's what's going to happen. You say,
34:07
"Preacher, what what are you saying?"
34:09
I'm saying because the world is getting
34:12
more results than we are. You know what
34:15
the temptation for the world to do is?
34:17
They frown on us.
34:19
You say, "What do you mean by world?"
34:20
I'm saying all of the ones that are
34:22
adapting the worldly methods and their
34:24
ideologies and trying to throw a little
34:27
gospel tinge in there with it. Try to
34:29
make it suitable, make a relevant
34:32
gospel. You know what? The gospel's
34:34
never been relevant.
34:36
Not to the world's standards. It's not a
34:39
relative thing. And so, it's not ever
34:40
going to be relevant to the world.
34:42
Because here's the thing about it. The
34:43
gospel takes a man from what he is to
34:45
what he's supposed to be.
34:48
And the world will never receive a
34:49
gospel that lets them that wants them to
34:52
change.
34:53
And so what happens is because she's got
34:56
a baby and her boss don't. Well, I'm
34:59
better than she is now.
35:02
Here's what happens. I've seen it. It
35:04
fits a lot. I see it. And I This is the
35:06
comparisons in my mind because I'm a
35:08
preacher. Preachers compare results with
35:10
results on the physical realm. How many
35:12
people's in the church? How many
35:14
people's in the choir? How much money's
35:15
in the offering? All of that. and that's
35:17
what they compare by. But what do we
35:19
know about that? That's not how God
35:22
judges.
35:23
>> Let me say this to you on your
35:25
standpoint. Just because your marriage
35:27
don't look like somebody else's don't
35:28
mean that that's
35:30
their stand their marriage is God's
35:32
standard.
35:35
>> Let me bring it down to all of us. cuz
35:37
your life
35:39
don't look like somebody else's and they
35:42
frown on you because you're not doing
35:43
what they're doing or they're better
35:45
than you because you don't have what
35:47
they have or you're not as far along as
35:49
they are. You just remember in this text
35:52
Hagar in this text has been defiled and
35:54
it's brought her to this point. You've
35:56
heard the illustration that growth many
35:59
times is it's growth all the time is a
36:01
slow process. But when we think about
36:03
when we think about growth, you've heard
36:05
it said most time growth is not actual
36:07
real growth, but it's just swelling.
36:10
Think about those animals that lay on
36:11
the side of the road. They get real big
36:13
real fast on a hot day. But the truth
36:15
is, it's not growth. It's death.
36:18
>> And sooner or later, that death's going
36:19
to come to the surface, isn't it? I'll
36:22
say this and I'll be done. We see that
36:25
there is sexual immorality expressed in
36:28
this text. We see the spiritual
36:29
implication that we cannot allow the
36:31
pride of this world, the period that
36:34
we've been in the world or even the
36:36
promotion of those that we love dearest
36:39
to cause us to succumb to temptation.
36:42
But I'm also know I also notice in this
36:44
text that there is a great picture of
36:45
salvation. You say, "What is that?"
36:48
Well, I call this the sovereign
36:49
intervention. Say, "What do you mean?"
36:52
Well, what do we know about Hagar? Hagar
36:54
is going to be thrown away.
36:59
Say, "What do you mean?" Well, that's
37:00
where every one of us was at before we
37:01
got saved.
37:03
>> Look what the Bible says. Verse six,
37:05
Sarah dealt hardly with her. She fled
37:07
from her face. Verse number seven,
37:09
notice this. And the angel of the Lord
37:12
did what? Found her. Found her. Look at
37:16
this. By a fountain of water in the
37:18
wilderness. By the fountain in the way
37:20
to shure. I read this this afternoon.
37:22
You know what I immediately started
37:23
thinking about? I started thinking about
37:24
that woman at the well.
37:26
What better place for the angel of the
37:29
Lord to find her than at the well. I was
37:32
thinking about this. The Bible says that
37:33
the the uh the angel asked verse number
37:36
eight, "Whence camest thou
37:37
whetheritherwilt thou go?" And she said,
37:39
"I flee from the face of my mistress
37:41
Sarah." Verse 9, notice this. The angel
37:43
of the Lord said unto her, "Return to
37:45
thy mistress and submit thyself under
37:47
her hands." Now, not dealing with all of
37:49
the ins and outs of this text, I can
37:51
simply say one thing. You know what the
37:52
angel instructs her to do? to go to the
37:55
safest place for her.
37:57
>> You know what he wants for all of us?
38:00
For us to be in the safest place. And
38:01
you know where that is? It's the will of
38:03
God.
38:05
>> I know that's simple tonight. But you
38:07
know what sovereign intervention does?
38:10
When we start to get off the path,
38:13
it brings us back in line again, doesn't
38:15
it? And I know you say, "Preacher, Hagar
38:19
was going back to a place where she was
38:21
despised." Now, her pride was the reason
38:23
she left. Sarah, I run her off because
38:26
she was hateful. But you know what? God
38:28
said, "You need to go back where you're
38:29
safe." Sometimes our pride will get us
38:32
out of the place we're supposed to be.
38:34
But we'll find when we go back, we'll be
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received. And you know what we find in
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this story that they do make it a little
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while. And I'm not going to paint a rosy
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picture to you and tell you that it all
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works out. But I will tell you this, God
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protected her at this point in time. And
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I can say this, if you'll go with him,
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he will protect you.
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his interventions promised. And I know
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that's sort of three loose principles
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out of the text, but I just wanted to
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give you those tonight. Father, thank
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you for the word of God. And Lord, I'm
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thankful that you put these mistakes in
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the word of God for us to learn from.
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Lord, none of us are above temptation.
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And Lord, God, help us never to be a
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temptation to others. Lord God, help us
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never to promote wickedness in the life
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of others, Lord. because sometimes we do
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it not even realizing it. Lord, we try
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to be an encouragement, Lord, and
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sometimes we're influencing people to do
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things that you don't want them to do.
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God, help us to be right with you, Lord.
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Help us to make sure that we're prayed
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up, Lord, and filled with the Holy Ghost
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of God so that we're walking in your
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presence. Lord, I know that it was
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Abram's carnality and and Sarah's uh
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antiness, Lord, that brought about this
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event. Lord, I know that if Abram had
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been living in all that you had done for
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him in chapter 15, this would have never
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happened. God, help us to remember,
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Lord, how good you've been to us. Lord,
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that you have promised us a soul and a
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seed. But Lord, you are our shield. And
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Lord, I know that if we'll just walk and
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trust in you, Lord, you'll protect us.
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And Lord, I thank you for that. Bless us
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tonight. Help us as we go home. Please
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watch over us. And I pray, Lord, for
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those here tonight maybe that need help
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from you, Lord. Pray wouldn't leave till
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they get it. And we ask it all in Jesus
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name. Amen. I love you, church.
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Appreciate you. Thank
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>> Thank you for joining our service today.
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We'd love it if you'd join us in person
40:20
the next time you are able at Meadows
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Baptist Church. Our physical address is
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2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
40:29
Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
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school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
40:34
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
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worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
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evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
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information, visit us at
40:44
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
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Thanks again for tuning in.