Today we're in Genesis chapter 21. And I'm going to call this particular chapter or study when people of God live by the power of God. When the people of God live by the power of God. And I'll talk about that in a moment, but here on the table with me instead of a mug today, I've got my trusty orange Nalgene bottle. Why orange you ask? Well, I just find that I lose this one so much less often than all the previous Nalgene bottles that I've had. And it just gives me the good vibes with my Lake Tahoe sticker on there, just all year long. I think about Tahoe. It's important to stay hydrated. I recommend it highly. All right, let's get into Genesis chapter 21 together.

Now in this passage, in this movement, something's going to happen that is going to sound eerily similar to an episode that we've already covered in Genesis chapter 12. You might remember there that God had delivered to Abraham for the very first time the massive promise that through him and through his seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. And that Abraham himself would be a blessing. But eventually, a famine came upon the land. And because of that famine, Abraham moved with Sarah down into Egypt, which was fairly immune from famines because of their situation being positioned around the Nile River. It was fear. It was famine. It was worry. It was need that drove Abraham down into Egypt.

All right, Genesis chapter 18 is where we're at in the word today. And the word that I'd like to start out this teaching with is the word, grace. The word, grace. You see, in our last episode in Abraham's life in chapter 17, God re-established His promise with His man, Abraham, and his wife, Sarah, communicating to them that Ishmael would not be the promised seed from whom the promises of God would flow, but that God would give to Abraham and his wife, Sarah, not Ishmael's mother, Hagar, but his wife, Sarah, that God would give them a child. And the reason why I want to say the word, grace to start this teaching is because that's exactly what God is extending to His people. Though they have interfered with God's best for their lives, though they have allowed themselves to get off track, God by His grace is still taking them to the ultimate destination that He has for them…

Tonight we're in Genesis chapter 17, which is a moment in God's Word where God is going to deal with his man, Abraham, by bringing him more deeply into his plans and his covenant for and with this man. We're going to read in the first verse tonight that Abraham is 99 years old at the point of this movement in his life, chapter 18 or excuse me, 16 ended with Abraham at 86 years of age. [this teaching was recorded and transcribed on 5/26/20]

Genesis 3 -- The Fall

Genesis 1 -- The Creation, pt. 1