The Birth of Isaac
“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.””
Laughing with God
Why did Sarah get what so many have asked for? What is the process for receiving from God “the promises”? Many preachers encourage you to call on God with your demands of him, that he is somehow obligated to give you good things. They have simplified the message of life’s suffering to be comfort = blessing, wealth = favor, power = holiness. Jesus taught against this directly.
“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.”
Though God says he will bless those he loves with good things, such as children in old age, wealth, healing, etc. He also has a special blessing in store for those who suffer here on earth. We cannot see whether someone is blessed just because they have a successful life.
At the same time, Abraham was wealthy, not only because of his sister/wife situation with pharaoh and Abimelech, but because the blessing of God was upon him.
““I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.””
Isaac was blessed with wealth
“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.”
Jacob was wealthy as well, but with him it’s complicated.
“You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
God blesses his people, giving them healing, wealth, recognition, and success… except when he doesn’t.
“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
We don’t know what it was, but Paul prayed it be removed
It was not from God,
It was not just the natural result of fallen creation (the flesh),
It was allowed by God for Paul’s benefit
““Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.””
Job’s suffering was not from God, not just the flesh, and allowed by God for Job’s benefit. When you meet Job and Paul one day, they will say it was better that they suffered than that they would have been set free immediately.
“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”
But God does answer prayers and fulfill promises
“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”
A recipe for faith: Hear God’s voice, trust him, pester him, remind him, obey him, wait for him
Hear - Faith comes by hearing,
“He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.””
Trust - Faith creates action like force creates motion.
Newton’s laws
An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
Your faith tends to stay at stuck or keep going unless there are outside influences. Don’t lose your momentum.
The acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the amount of force applied. F=ma
The more you have to lose, the harder it is to get going. Kids believe easily because their lives are simple. As we age, we have more challenges to faith. God is big enough to move your life, but he’s also willing to use calamity to do so.
Whenever one object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first.
The people you’re with influence you for faith and for fear. Choose wisely who you’re with.
Pester God - persistent widow, fasting, reminding
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?””
Not by your many words, not by your efforts, but by relational pressure upon God
“4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules...
12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us,[a] by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. 13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth...
17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.””
Wait on the Lord
“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.”
The sum of the matter: God wants to bless you, and he will give you money, healing, children, and prestige to show you that he is a good father who loves you AND he will give you poverty, sickness, barrenness, and scorn to show you that heaven is your home, your confidence comes from him and not yourself, and that he is a good father who disciplines the child he loves.