THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU
Gen
21:11-21
LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH
V:11-12.
The
matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to
him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen
to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspringb will be
reckoned.
A. When God starts moving in your life,
He will
begin making some changes.
1. Your life in Jesus is stages of growth and development.
a. The call: Abraham was called out of Ur
b. The gifting of the call: He had a wife, many servants and
resources.
c. The promise of the call: Father of many nations
d. Study of the Word: Lived under God’s direction for 25
years.
e. Understanding the purpose of the call: Abraham and
Sarah had to learn to trust God to
see the fulfillment of the
promise.
f. Separation from distraction: Distance from some family
members and friends; Lot and Ishmael.
B. God’s directions will not always be
pleasing to you.
1. Abraham was directed by Sarah and then God to send Hagar,
Sarah’s maiden and his first born son out of the camp.
2. Ishmael would have been 17-19 years old when he and his
mother was sent out of Abrahams camp.
3. Abraham loved his son and did not want to see him go.
4. The problems with Ishmael and his mother were two folded.
a. They had become a constant aggravation to Sarah because
of their constant and never ending
mocking.
b. Even though Ishmael was Abraham’s first born, he was
not the promise son of God’s
covenant with Abraham.
MAKING DECISIONS UNDER GOD’S GUIDANCE
V:13-14. I will make the
son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."
14 Early the next
morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He
set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her
way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba
A. Even though Ishmael was not part of
the covenant God made
With Abraham, he was part of the plan that put the promise
of the nation of Israel
1.
It was the Ishmaelites that brought Joseph, the great
grandson of Isaac from his brothers and took him into Egypt
Genesis 37
2.
Joseph was sold as a slave to the
captain of Egyptian army.
3.
This was the start of the 400 years of slavery
of Abraham
descendants promised by God in
Genesis chapter 15.
B. We may not know the propose of God’s
directions in our lives,
But we can be sure that they are part of God’s master plan.
1.
God’s provisions for us is always
enough.
2.
Hagar and Ishmael left Abraham with
food and water that
lasted a few days until the next visit
by God.
PRAYER WORKS
V:15-17. When the water
in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went
off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot
watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, shec began to sob.
17 God heard the
boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her,
"What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying
as he lies there.
A. Disappointments and rejections are part of God’s
plan for our
lives.
1. God uses the trouble
in our lives to manifest Himself and
His glory.
2. It is usually, not
until we are in need before we have serious
Prayer with God.
a.
We do not hear of Hagar’s prayer until she is in
trouble.
b.
Most of her life after the birth of Ishmael was
proud and
Disrespectful.
c.
It was when Hagar was put into a life or death
situation
that she began to pray.
B. In spite of our short comings, God hears our
prayers.
1. God uses
our ugliness to show how beautiful He is.
2. We serve
an on time God.
a. God
came to Hagar after the water and bread ran out
and
she began to pray.
b.
Sometimes God has to put us in to the desert of life before
we
will listen to Him.
c.
It was 15-17
years earlier, that God met Hagar in the desert with Ishmael and sent her back
to Sarah.
3. God is still God,
even when we are wrong.
4. God’s plan for our lives
does not change because of our
disobedience.
5. God continues to
direct us into situations that gives Him glory.
6. He comforts us in our time of sorrow.
CONFIDENCE IN LIFE THROUGH
TRUSTING IN GOD
V:18-21. Lift the boy up
and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
19 Then God opened
her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with
water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with
the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was
living in the Desert of Paran Egypt
A. God, from time to time reminds us of His promises
to us.
1.
Sometimes He chooses the time when we are discouraged
to
lift us up.
2. Hagar
was lost, but God showed up to show her what
she
missed when her mind was not focused on Him.
B. We are
blinded to the blessing of God when we are focused
on our
misery.
1.
Every believer will be put in situations where learning
to trust God is the only way out.
2.
We should find confidence in the Word of God.
3.
God’s Word has the power to lift us up.
4.
In God’s Word is direction for our lives.
C. After hearing and believing in the Word of God,
Hagar’s
weeping stopped and she began to move under
the
directions of God.
1. She found a wife for
her son to began the fulfillment of
the promise of God.
2. God puts each of us
in situations that grows us into the
what He has purposed for our lives.
3. Hagar was
transformed from a disrespectful servant of
Sarah to a respectful mother of Ishmael by learning
to
Trust the Word of God.
THANK GOD FOR HIS DIRECTIONS
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst. Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and
Visit my blogs; remmitchell.com and
goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com.
NIV
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