Ishmael vs. Isaac, Part 1 (cont'd)

As you are trying to be justified by your own strength and power.

You to access the grace of God that will allow you to live in the freedom God has ordained for your life.

The Old Testament law was given to us for many reasons, one of them was this to show us how badly we needed a Savior hello and thanks for stopping by for today's destined for victory message with pastor Paul Sheppard what was true. 10,000 years ago is still true today. We cannot earn salvation by behaving well.

We cannot forfeit salvation by behaving badly.

God wants to move upon our hearts to conform us to the image of his son Jesus Christ today. Pastor Paul takes us back to the story of Ishmael and Isaac remind us that our salvation does not come by her own might or power by the Holy Spirit, stay right here, or download the podcasts on demand@pastorpaul.net that's modified or wherever you get your podcasts and stay tuned after the message Pastor Paul joins me in the studio but first let's join him for today's destined for victory message Ishmael versus Isaac imagine a childless man being told that you see all the math I want to just walk with me I will establish my covenant with you and your descendents and you all have a kid when God is speaking to him.

He's already an old man and his wife is 10 years younger than him, but sees all to see, though he's older. They are past childbearing years and they would've assumed a long time ago I got one point in their conversation.

Abram said to God somewhere in those chapters, beginning in Genesis 12 in proceeding, he said to him you have not blessed us with children more regular. What have you but we had children, you know, sometimes God will shut doors and close opportunities in your life for his own purpose and for all normal childbearing years they were unable to have children but now he's in his 80s. His wife was in her 70s and God says through your seed. I'm going bless the world and they have no children so if you read when you get down into Genesis 16.

This is has been spoken into their lives. They been following God, but they say what you know what God sounded serious so we better get down to the business of having this baby and that's where his wife said well I don't know how God planned on going to know how he's not going to do it. I know I'm in my mid-70s I am unable to help you understand you and God had a talk in all, but I am unable to help you but diligent she is so willing to be part of what God has been saying. She believes God and she is willing to be part of it, but they don't have a frame work for a that takes you pass what you can understand, so she's assuming I'm out of the running must mean somebody else in their culture it was possible for woman to have her maidservants, persons who come to get impregnated by her husband, the child would have to be credited to the woman of the house so she says I think I know what God wants to do. I believe I am to give you Hagar, my young Egyptian maidservant and I will give her to you as a wife. For the purposes of procreation and then I will build a family through her. That's what Sarah said not gotten say that without the result of assuming I'm out of the running must be God's way God wanted that. He just said that knowing my good King James English. Thou shalt take on device so Hagar. I shall build a family for several God meant that he is about everything else. At one point he looked up in the sky. See all stars on how your seed's going to be left out a detail like that but you know I believe some funny things in your mind and they decided that apparently got to do it this way and so pretty pretty but you see arms for the purpose of the woman who was really seeking to bring the path even though personal, some diligent, diligent, that is you lives anxious to see God's will come take some men don't get that article will get happy now limit clear all said going on the day. No I did not know threesomes in the kingdom hallelujah thank you Jesus know nobody and miss represent what I say go home to my baby I know would have a job but now you like please go somewhere to know that that is completely against every Wednesday, but that's how anxious she was to be part of what God was doing in their lives, but the fact is, that was not God's will. Well long story short, she does it when you read in Genesis 16 where this is occurring is idea and the Bible says Abraham goes along with the shore.

Imagine Abraham you know how you doing marriage counseling. Sometimes the Council would tell you that what you need to learn to do is listen more actively to each other and so I won't want to express your desires and what you want your spouse to hear and get from them and then after they speak, then okay now I want you to speak back and go to make sure that you heard it one of the techniques and perhaps cannot baby I think I hear you saying that you say it's okay for Hagar to marry me for the purposes of procreation sold God's will can be done is that what I'm hearing you say rightly they get pregnant.

Now here's the point that happened. Paul points out, when he is writing the Galatians wasn't God's will is that that child that Abraham had through Hagar was a child he had what slave and the second one the child a promise that comes years later shot with a free woman.

He says you will know from redemptive history that God is not trying to us in any form of slavery. God saves us to live the life he has ordained us to live.

You will not be bound by trying to observe the law. God promises trying to get your act together.you couldn't get your act together so you into the kingdom doing to the kingdom was the son of a 40 woman full. Paul's point in this section is that Christ offers us freedom, not slavery that the point is trying to make Christ offers us freedom, not slavery.

If you are moving more and more in the slavery and you will have to kind of mentality you're not understanding that God has a plan and purpose for your life that is not all you and to restrict anything good in your life reading you to accept the best in your life so we'll start by saying notice that the first child was not the son of promise came through a slave woman meeting he would be a slave, she would always be a slave not look at the context Hagar is Sarah's maidservant. She is herself and she is she only got this child by mission and is so funny because in Genesis 16. Once she knows she's pregnant she got funny when Sarah she stopped once she knew she pregnant. Maybe start to show a little bit feeling good about herself and the Bible says she messed around and started despising her mistress bad idea because you're a slave so Sarah went and said is you all follow Genesis 16 this is you all will and she said May the Lord is between you and I know not to fight why a certain point in your marriage. You learn to quit trying to fight those battles so fight that battle. What anyone would know you saw a baby bottle baby is in your hands do with her whatever you will. Sarah said that's what I'm coming right back with more of today's destined for victory message from Pastor Paul Shepherd, senior pastor, destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California listen to the broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.we'll find a host of great resources online store.

As long as we try to justify ourselves through the law diminish the work of Christ on the cross and rob ourselves of his grace is Pastor Paul. The rest of today's destined for victory message Shamil versus Isaac, and the Bible says she missed went out in the wilderness had to go track down to read Bob, I'm sorry down you come from and where are you going to and from Mr. she's mistreating me love God when we are at our worse, he still faithful. He said I want you to go back and submit to her and then he gave her a promise, he said, brush you, bless your child to but right now I want you to go back and submit and she went on and behaved herself. Paul's point in bringing that up in Galatians is, she was a slave was always going to be nothing but a slave to understand that Christ offers freedom, not slavery. As long as you all you are trying to be justified by your own strength and power. You will be able grace of God that you live in the freedom God has ordained for your life.

In fact, gives a very descriptive nation of what happens when you and I own power. Try to obey God and try to do the things that we believe God wants us to do what were trying to do a mineral strength. Look at how we describe it when he writes the church at Rome, Romans chapter 7, beginning with verse 14.

Here's how he describes you living in spiritual slavery. He says we know that the law is spiritual, but I am unspiritual sold as watch this slave to sin before you get your slave to sin means that you are God don't have the life of God in you. So the only thing you can do with sin. That's why the Bible says all of us of sin. Don't take it personally like you speaking so much about your lifestyle and speaking more about what your lifestyle is emanating from its talking about the just live sin expresses itself in different ways in our lives but we all have the same problem with slayings. Paul said to sin. That's what we all need a Savior.

He goes on to say Romans 715. I do not understand what I do what I want to do. I do not do, but what I do. You have been there, I know you got a big Bible, but the four-minute open when you are even if you have now accepted Savior until you learn how to live the life of what you can tap into God's power vision for your life. All you can do is come right back to the same old simple pattern. He said not finding this curious thing that I now want to do certain things, but I don't have the power to do he says. And I'm also finding that things I really want to avoid things I hate.

I find myself doing and you been there we've all been there. After receiving Christ realizing that it's not just a matter of having come to Christ first necessary step, but now have to learn how to live like we called the power to do right will reside in me will say why God called us to live right power that never resides in you. It only resides in the Christ who lives in you. Learn to walk the walk to get in the more detail takes us further in Galatians and talk about walking in living by the spirit because of you will not only by the spirit we have no power to live right power to be the people God wants us to be. We are so these to sin unless the Lord himself lives his life through us. So Paul is making the point by using this Sarah Hagar and Ishmael Isaac analogy is using the point that God has allowed Hagar and her son Ishmael and never bring the promise for we will all state slaves in sin because there's no hope within ourselves pulses in one place here in Romans seven in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing. You know that your flesh is getting saved. Paul called it in Romans eight he says it is against God, and is the enemy of God and always will be. If you are left to your own devices about my own devices, we will accomplish the will of God. So the Lord and save us according to the flesh, he saved us, by the power of the spirit wanted to do instead of allowing redemptive history to come. Ishmael, a child of the flesh when Ishmael was born Abraham was 86. Sarah was 76.

The next time they hear from God. Abraham is 99 and Sarah is 89 years since they didn't pass the first test of faith.

God let a lot of time pass. He just said nothing for long. Because he wanted to show them what I'm going to do has got to be something that is impossible to you, it would've been a heart at 76 button to push and Sarah magically taught at Kaplan.

At one point it talks about her laughing. Abraham left at first and then later on you see in Genesis. Sarah cracked up at the thought that you don't have a job when she got the 11,000 now you're ready know Minnetonka was shipped about 110 that the clear and present. I get what I really got I got no job for me. If you get this done in that second time they believe God not bring in some low cute young foe notice of the work of God from start to finish. Guess what, what the Lord has for your life and mine is going to be a work of God from start to finish. He doesn't need you inserting your self called to do is obey him do his will do is keep our focus on you to get your focus off God will begin to see Ken your old way seniority doesn't count in the kingdom will happen, say 40 years.

You can mess up in your 40th year, BMC and have nothing to do would longevity your flesh isn't getting saved. Your class is always enmity against God.

The key to living in the freedom God has ordained for our lives is to walk in the spirit to follow God to put our trust in him. The ourselves of trust enough got one. Trust me, to live right. That's why Jesus came about trust.

It's about to show it's not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord.

Many will come preaching a different gospel but as Jesus said, you can know the truth and the truth will set you free. Thanks for joining us for today's message Ishmael versus Isaac before we wrap up things on today's destined for victory. Pastor Paul has joined me from a studio in California special encourage that listenership seems to be up people are turning to Christian radio. Turning to destined for victory for answers to the hope they been seeking. That's encouraging.

I'm so grateful to know that that's happening. People really are tuning in. We heard not long ago from a person who is probably an agnostic, but it gives us an opportunity to simply share the faith. I am not an expert apologist. I try to learn as much as I can to defend the faith intelligently.

But one thing I rely on is the power of the Holy Spirit as he simply lets me share the testimony God's given me that in the midst of times like these, we have not in circumstances is firmly rooted in Christ himself is our hope and I want to encourage people just put your trust in him, you will never go wrong. Thanks Pastor Paul. I'm reminded of Hebrews 10 verse 23.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful know there's a growing number of people who not only need to hear the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They want to hear it and you can help for your prayers and financial support to destined for victory. When you give your generous gift today would love to send you by request a study guide from University press called fruit of the spirit, the book of Galatians list nine qualities that make up the fruit of the spirit in this outstanding resource will walk you through all of them. It's a great way to find out where your strengths and weaknesses may be so that you can go out and bear fruit in the lives of those around you. That's fruit of the spirit.

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Again, the address destined for victory. Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 situation go bad to worse before he comes to the want you to be a big that's next time and Pastor Paul Shepard's message Ishmael versus Isaac. Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory