Life Lessons: God’s Promises Genesis 21:1—23:20

Life Lessons: God’s Promises

Genesis 21:1—23:20

SITUATION:  Even though Sara doubted, God demonstrated his faithfulness by providing a son for her. God also took care of Hagar after she was forced to leave Abraham’s camp. God fulfilled his promises when conditions appeared hopeless.

OBSERVATION:  God will fulfill his promises, no matter how difficult our problems. Even when we don’t know how God will act, we must trust that he watches over us.

INSPIRATION:  Consider the case of Sarai. She is in her golden years, but God promises her a son. She gets excited. She visits the maternity shop and buys a few dresses. She plans her shower and remodels her tent . . . but no son. She eats a few birthday cakes and blows out a lot of candles . . . still no son. She goes through a decade of wall calendars . . . still no son. . . .

     Finally, fourteen years later, when Abram is pushing a century of years and Sarai is ninety . . . when Abram has stopped listening to Sarai’s advice, and Sarai has stopped giving it . . . when the wallpaper in the nursery is faded and the baby furniture is several seasons out of date . . . when the topic of the promised child brings sighs and tears and long looks into a silent sky . . . God pays them a visit and tells them they had better select a name for their new son.

     Abram and Sarai have the response: laughter. They laugh partly because it is too good to happen and partly because it might. They laugh because they have given up hope, and hope born anew is always funny before it is real.

     They laugh because that is what you do when someone says he can do the impossible. They laugh a little at God, and a lot with God—for God is laughing, too. Then, with the smile still on his face, he gets busy doing what he does best—the unbelievable. . . .

     He changes their faith. He changes their names. He changes the number of their tax deductions. He changes the way they define the word “impossible.”

     But most of all, he changes Sarah’s attitude about trusting God.

APPLICATION:  When you’ve made big mistakes and your life appears to be headed for shipwreck, who can help? Are there any promises more comforting than God’s? When you feel anxious today, STOP. Pray: “God, I trust in your faithfulness to change both my attitude and my circumstances.”

EXPLORATION:  God’s Promises:  Genesis 9:8-17; 15:1-6; 50:24; Exodus 6:6-8; Joshua 21:43-45; 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Life Lessons: God’s Judgment Genesis 18:1—20:18

Life Lessons: God’s Judgment

Genesis 18:1—20:18

SITUATION:  God planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their many sins. Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom in order to save Lot’s life. God completely punished the city but rescued Lot by sending two angels to escort him away. 

OBSERVATION:  God punishes sin but protects righteousness. God destroyed entire cities because the evil practiced in them was great.

INSPIRATION:  Though God’s people often forget their God, God didn’t forget them. He kept his word. . . . He could have given up. He could have turned his back. He could have walked away from the wretched mess, but he didn’t.

     He didn’t give up.

     When he became flesh and was the victim of an assassination attempt before he was two years old, he didn’t give up.

     When the people from his own home town tried to push him over a cliff, he didn’t give up.

     When he was accused of blaspheming God by people who didn’t fear God, he didn’t give up.

     When Peter worshiped him at the supper and cursed him at the fire, he didn’t give up.

     When people spat in his face, he didn’t spit back. When the bystanders slapped him, he didn’t slap them. When a whip ripped his sides, he didn’t turn and command the awaiting angels to stuff that whip down that soldier’s throat.

     And when human hands fastened the divine hands to a cross with spikes, it wasn’t the soldiers who held the hands of Jesus steady. It was God who held them steady. For those wounded hands were the same hands that had . . . brought light into thick and dreadful darkness. They had come to do it again.

APPLICATION:  Does the place where you live resemble Sodom? Stand against evil in your town or city. Be a voice for righteousness. Brainstorm with a friend how you can make a difference.

EXPLORATION:  God’s Judgment: Deuteronomy 7:2; Judges 2:1-3; 1 Samuel 2:25; 1 Kings 22:34-38; 1 Chronicles 13:10-14

Justification by Faith

Life Lessons: Justification by Faith

Genesis 15:1—17:27

SITUATION:  God promised descendants and land to the aging traveler, Abram. Despite God’s promise to him, nagging doubt caused Abram to waver between shortsighted compromise and obedient faith.

OBSERVATION:  God keeps his promises and rewards our obedient faith. When God promises to direct our paths, we can be confident he will carefully lead us.

INSPIRATION:  I grew up in Southern California and my favorite activity was swimming. There was only one time I had to be rescued. When I was in ninth grade I went with some older friends to Tamarack State Beach near Oceanside, California, for a day of bodysurfing. The waves were great that day. I decided to swim a little farther from shore in the hopes of catching some larger waves.

     I was so intent on catching the waves that I didn’t notice the waves were beginning to break in a pattern that can produce rip tides. As I was swimming farther out, I dove underneath a wave that was breaking right in front of me. Rather than immediately coming back up to the surface, I felt tremendous pressure pushing my body down and pulling me out to sea. I had no idea what was happening. My feet touched the bottom. I tried to push myself up but couldn’t. I was almost out of air and I panicked. I also prayed.

     I forgot what I said to God but obviously He heard me. Suddenly I found myself on the surface of the water. I was exhausted and afraid it would happen again. I heard a voice shouting to me. I turned towards the voice to see a lifeguard throwing a life preserver and hung on for dear life. With the rope in one hand the lifeguard pulled me in.

     When I made it to shore I was a bit embarrassed, but most of all I was grateful. The lifeguard said he had been watching me. He could see there was a rip tide condition and knew I wasn’t aware of it. Before I had gone under he was already swimming towards me to warn me and, if necessary, rescue me.

     Over the years I’ve realized that living the Christian life is a lot like the experience I had that day. Even though I wasn’t aware of it, the lifeguard had his eyes on me and knew I was moving into dangerous water. He was in the water before I needed him—just in case.

     God is our lifeguard. . . . God’s promises are like life preservers. They keep the soul from sinking into the sea of discouragement.

     When your perspective becomes distorted and your problems begin to consume your entire field of vision, you need a perspective preserver. When it feels like God has deserted you and you begin to get discouraged, you will find that God’s promises will always pull you out and bring you back to safety. 

APPLICATION:  Make a list of seven key promises to you from God’s Word and commit them to memory, one a day for a week. Make one promise your motto for the week. Have confidence that God will do what he said. Use the promise to share your faith with someone.

EXPLORATION:  Justification by Faith:  Romans 4; Galatians 3; Hebrews 11

Tests as Part of God’s Will

Life Lessons: Tests as Part of God’s Will

Genesis 13:1—14:24

SITUATION: In response to God’s promise to give land and descendants, Abram’s family traveled from Haran through Canaan and Egypt (Genesis 11:27-12:20). God told them to avoid the land of Sodom, whose name became synonymous with gross sin (Genesis 13:13; 18:16-19:29). God would destroy that city, and Lot would barely escape.

OBSERVATION: Our decisions in life bear spiritual consequences. Lot selfishly chose the lush Jordan Valley and got in trouble (captured by a gang of marauding kings). Abram was willing to take second choice and God blessed him.

INSPIRATION: Jim spent eight years in prison for murder. He was a drug dealer. In prison, Jim found a second chance in Christ. Now a minister, Jim often speaks to high school students about the decision to take drugs. “Don’t let anyone kid you,” he tells them. “Drugs are fun, drugs make you feel good, and getting high is fun. You know the beginning of drugs, and it’s fun. But I know the end of drugs. . . .” And then Jim tells them about the decisions that nearly ruined his life forever.

     While most of us will never self- destruct in the way Jim did, we all face the choice of doing things that look like fun, but which result in a life of pain—divorce, financial disaster, disease, and relationship problems. . . . .

     The big question for most of us: “Is life in the fast lane where God wants me to be?” 

APPLICATION: Would what you watch on television be popular in Sodom? Turn off shows that program you to lust or to enjoy violence. Rent movies carefully. We cannot serve God wholeheartedly and eagerly fulfill our sinful desires at the same time.

EXPLORATION: Tests as part of God’s Will: Exodus 17:1-7; Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; 2 Timothy 2:14-3:9; Hebrews 4:12-16; and James 1