God Almighty
Genesis 17.1-22
Too often, far too often, our perception of the LORD is far too small. We are human so we do not have perfect understanding. Yet we can describe our problems with precision and great detail. Our need is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. The devil is often in the details (of our problems!)
I love the point here in Abraham's life when the LORD revealed Himself as El Shaddai, God Almighty. God is in control.
1. In Control Even When We Mess Up.
v.18- Ishmael was the result of Abraham and Sarah trying to help God out.
We mess up when we try to help the LORD out.
He doesn't need our help. We need his desperately.
After missing the mark, God confirms His Covenant to Abraham. This is amazing grace v.2
Abraham was 99 years old, older than any of us here this morning, and yet God said to him (v.6) I will make you very fruitful. In Psalm 92.14 speaking of the righteous, the Psalmist writes "They will still bear fruit in old age..." We are children of Abraham through faith. Jesus said, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples." John 15.8
God was fulfilling His promise to Abraham. He is faithful to all His promises. This is why we need to get into His Word and dig them out.
So in spite of mess ups, God still has a plan, His plan. He still works. He does what is impossible. Genesis 18.14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? God still had His plan and He was about to fulfill it supernaturally.
The consequences of Ishmael/ The fulfillment of the promise of Isaac.
Abraham was discovering God Almighty
2. In Control and Accomplishing His Will in Times of Great Wickedness. vs.16-21
I don't want to minimize the wickedness of our time. God is at work today and He is in control. He is working out His Sovereign will right now. Some have lost sight of that by looking too much at the wickedness.
Sodom and Gommorah were wicked cities- a result of having too much leisure time due to the easiness of the work there.
Today we are facing this problem in America. We are in an intense spiritual battle today. There is the battle of Babylon versus Jerusalem and there is the battle of Jerusalem versus Sodom.
Jerusalem, Salem, as it was called back then= peace
Sodom= burning
We need a contest of power today like Elijah had with Baal in I Kings 18
We need to hear this truth: In a time of great wickedness, God does wonderful things. Issac was conceived while Sodom was facing judgment. Jesus was born in the heyday of the Roman Empire. Great movements of God are birthed in times of great spiritual need. We have hope today because of God Almighty!
3. In Control in the past, present, and future!
From Creation to Revelation
From the In the Beginning to the Amen. The First and the Last.
I loved the way God worked in Joseph's life. This great grandson of Abraham was used by God, but not before some difficult and powerful trials and tests Psalm 105.16-22
v.19 "... till the Word of the LORD proved him true." I love that! God worked in the dreams He gave Joseph and at the proper time God gave proof through His Word in Joseph's life. Present Promises mean future hope.
Joseph's situation appeared totally hopeless. God gave Abraham a promise of a son through Sarah. Then the LORD let time pass- lots of it years, until it became laughable that it would happen. The LORD lets the impossibilities come not to overwhelm us but to show His power and glory and that He is God Almighty. He delights in keeping His promises to the faithful. $100 in my account in Bible College in 1977.
Today El Shaddai, God Almighty, wants to work in your life in wonder filled ways.
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