Revival of Dead Things

Luke 15:1-10 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? and when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

and when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. either what woman having ten peices of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

REVIVAL: THE ACT OF BRINGING BACK TO LIFE, RESTORING

DEAD: VOID, USELESS, FORGOTTEN

It's time for revival! No, not a three night gig where we have a special speaker, evangelist, or gifted man or woman of God come by and fire us up. No, I mean a revival that brings back to life the things that are deep in our spirits that need to come alive. God is hungry for honest people. He wants people in hot pursuit of his presence and when he finds them, he has the avenue through which revival can flourish.

The parable Jesus mentions here has to do with lost things. The first was a smelly sheep. The second was a piece of silver. Both things were valuable to the owner but just as good as dead. Why? Because if you cannot find what is yours, it is like you never had it and its value to you is nothing. That is exactly what we were to ourselves and our family and friends without Jesus. But now we are washed, justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord and by his spirit. There is a revival in dead things.

When you are born of man, you were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. You acted just like the ignorant devil. We were all rebels at heart. Our Dad was the devil. We were doomed for hell. But when Christ came into our heart, we became righteous. The Bible says that righteousness is imputed into the heart of every believer by faith. We are made righteous and made alive in him. Simply put, we are revived.

God loves revivals. He came in the flesh and died on the cross just to hold a revival in our souls. In fact, Jesus loves revivals so much we even went to hell and held a three night revival. Why? It was a revival of dead things.

In the story of the prodigal son, the youngest son asked for something that was already his to begin with. He simply says, to his father, give me what's mine. Notice the father divided to them his living. The boy got exactly what was his and nothing else. It was his inheritance. The son then gathers all his belongings together having no intentions of ever coming home and leaves his family. It didn't take long to lose everything that was given to him and ran right into a famine and became a citizen of another country. He even reached an all time low by feeding pigs.

The son went from a man with a heritage to a living like a pig. He lost it all. It was as though he wwere dead. When we are out of the will of God, famine comes. You lose everything and even feed things you once called sin and you become defiled. You need a revival.

There are dead things in our lives that God wants to bring alive tonight. We are his people and he wants to restore our souls. Thank God for our heritage. The son finally came to himself and realized he was worse off than his father's servants. He made the decision to go back, not for restoration, but for service. You want God to resurrect some dead things in your life? Then be willing to let him do it by making yourself a servant. Remember, servants have no agenda or opinion. They just want to serve by pleasing the master. It is time for a revival of dead things.

The son knew exactly what he was going to say to his father. He was going to admit he had sinned and knew he was unworthy. HE was going to apply for the job of a servant. He was going to spend the rest of his life repaying his father and filled with condemnation. But the father had a better plan for him. Our heavenly father knows us and has seen all our failures. Yet, in spite of it all, he still awaits our return.

There are four things that the father did when he saw his son coming home.

1) He saw him (The eyes of the Lord are upon us.)

2) Had compassion (A passion to help the hurting)

3) He ran (God runs to us, not from us, when trouble comes.)

4) Fell on his neck and kissed him (He covered and anointed him by the avenue of forgiveness.)

When dead things come to life, it can bring out the best and worst in people. That son had a brother. He was a jerk. There are some people who don't want revival. All they want is the status quo. They serve and expect everybody to do it like they do. When something different comes along, all they want to do is talk about the way it used to be or what they would have done different. There are some people in the body of Christ that never worship unless they initiate it. I don't care who starts it and who God uses, I just want revival. I want to see some things that are dead come to life and I want to see a fresh move of the Holy Ghost like I have never seen before. It is time for a revival of dead things.

The father says to the eldest son, "Anytime you wanted to throw a party, I would have thrown one. Anytime you wanted a dance, I would have had one. Anytime you wanted to kill the fatted calf, I would have had it done. All that I have is yours!"

You want a party in this church? Then throw one! Want a dance? Then start dancing! Want to eat the bread of life and rejoice in the truth of the word of God? Then eat, drink and be merry. You have been repented, baptized in Jesus Name and filled with the Holy Ghost. It's time to party. It's time to dance. It's time to eat of the word of God and it's time for a revival of dead things!

The son was dead and now he is alive. He was lost but now he is found. Lost anything and want it to be found? Lift your hands and worship God and watch God do his stuff. There is a revival in dead things.

Ezekiel 37 shows us a valley full of dry bones. The valley represents a low place someone's life. It can be a place of restoration as well. The valley was full of dry bones. Not just dry, very dry. All possible chance of revival had gone away. By man's standards, there was no hope.

One question started a revival in the valley. The question was, "Can these bones live?" Lord Thou knowest! (Revival time).

Here is the pattern for Apostolic Revival:

1) Speak to the dead things in your life

2) Let the Holy Ghost (Breath of God) move in your valley

3) Revive the inner man (Speak to the bones).

4) Renew your mind (Restore the flesh to the bones)

5) Let the Holy Ghost breath into your life!

God told Ezekiel, "You prophesy to the wind." Stop asking God to speak, you speak. Open your mouth and pronounce a blessing to your family, friends and church. When we lift up the name of Jesus, the Spirit of God starts to move and anything can happen even a revival of dead things!

Look what the Holy Ghost will do. When breath came on that valley of dry bones, they stood up on their feet and became an exceeding great army. God told Israel that they will come out of their graves and not be cut off. He was going to restore them and put His Spirit inside them. Revival! Revival! Revival! Revival in dead things!

Ps 23:1-6 (A Psalm of David.) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Revivals start in odd places. Mangers, caves, deserts, wilderness, valleys or dark prison houses. Revivals can even start in church. However, the best place to start a revival is in the heart. David had a heart for worship and it led him from a shepherd's valley to a king's palace. When you are into reviving dead things in your life, there are two things that will always follow you and that is goodness and mercy.

The entire chapter of Luke 15 deals with restoration and repentance. There is always room for repentance in our lives. God's goodness and mercy cannot be measured. It is renewed every day. The Bible says that the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner that repents. Wonder what angels do when someone receives the Holy Ghost. How about someone who is baptized? Or, how about a church full of people who revive dead things? It is time for the greatest revival man could ever have. It is time for a revival of dead things!

DO YOU HAVE RELIGION OR RELATIONSHIP?

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-5

3: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5: But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

These scriptures paint for us what I believe is a very accurate picture of the times that we live in. It gives us an example of what we are seeing everyday around us. Even though Paul here is specifically speaking to Timothy, a preacher. I believe this passage is also a relevant word for the body of Christ as a whole. Even though Paul is trying to tell Timothy about the church of his day, I believe this scenario would fit comfortably right in the middle of some of our congregations today.

Many people in the church:

Live right here in the midst of our text

Are prime examples of what Paul was talking about.

Have the same biographical profile of these people that Paul was trying to warn us about

And as I looked at this text, the Lord began to show me a picture of the church today. As I looked at this, I began to realize that many folks don’t want to hear the Word They just want to be entertained Amused Pacified

They want to shout and cut a step, just for the sake of doing it and then say, “We had church!”

They want to shout and holler for the preacher, and they can’t tell you what he was talking about at the end, but say, “Wow, he preached!”

I’ve discovered that these people have religion, but not relationship! They have gravy, but no meat! The question that I want to ask is, “Have You Got Religion Or Relationship?” It’s an important question, because you need to know the difference between religion and relationship. You see;

Religion is what you do over and over

Religion is what you do continuously

Religion is your rituals, your customs, your habitual activities… (Let me help you) Even the devil is religious!

The Bible says, “He walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour” (1 Peter 5:8) IOW He’s constantly (religiously) going around looking for you and for me so that he can take us out! (“He’s on the prowl”)Religion is that which you do habitually but relationship is something altogether different

Relationship is a connection, an association between you and something else

Relationship is the kinship that exists between you and someone else

Relationship is the camaraderie/ companionship that exists between you and those that you are close to.

And in order to have relationship, there must first be a fellowship. What I’m trying to say is that you need more than just religion; you need more than just a habit. You need a relationship with God!

Why? Because there are some dangers in just simply having religion and no relationship.You see, when you only have religion and not a relationship, you

Can’t handle storms

Can’t deal with tough times

Won’t be able to persevere in the midst of adversity

Won’t be able to deal with the attacks of the enemy

Your faith will become faulty

Your praise will become passive

Your witness will become weak

Your testimony will become tired

And so Paul paints for us in our text, a picture of what happens to those who only have religion and no relationship He says that the problem with having only religion and no relationship is that

I. THEY REFUSE THE WORD

“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine”

·Endure: anechomai (an-ekh’-om-ahee); to hold oneself up against, i.e. (figuratively) put up with; tolerate, accept

·Doctrine: didaskalia (did-as-kal-ee’-ah); instruction (the function or the information): learning, teaching, policy

They only want what makes them feel, look, and sound good and instead of learning the Word, they get caught up in meaningless discussions and disputes.

But the Bible says (1 Pet 2:2) that we should be “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” The reason most folks can’t progress in God is because they refuse to learn and live by His Word And many of those that do are satisfied with the ‘milk’ of the Word only. They want to stay on the basics and not delve off deep into the Word.

(Ps 1:1-2) “Relationship involves getting to know the one you have the relationship with…! IOW Relationship requires intimacy (Not always sex, But a time of closeness, familiarity, confidence) And the only way to have a relationship with God, is to KNOW Him and KNOW His Word! (They Refuse The Word)

II. THEY RELISH WHAT IS WRONG

Relish: Enjoy, delight in, savor, and take pleasure in.

The pleasures of this world are like cotton candy: It looks good, tasty, and inviting; but when you bite into it, you discover it’s nothing but air! (Problem) The World Pleases Us Too Easily!

(1 Jn 2:15-17) “Love not the world, nor the things in it. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh. And the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever”

The world pleases us too easily. That’s why we spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t even like. Because THE WORLD PLEASES US TOO EASILY! (Text) “They will have itching ears and heap for themselves teachers”

·They flock to conferences, seminars, and teachings just to “get a word” (Just study your Bible)

·They buy tapes and books to get “knowledge and revelation…” (Just develop a prayer life)

·They are easily impressed by theatrics, showmanship and charisma.

·They want somebody to impress them instead of impart into them.

But God said that He would give us pastors/teachers after His own heart. You need to make sure that you’re at a place where you can receive correct instruction and sound doctrine from the man of God that is teaching sound doctrine according to the Word of God, rightly dividing the Word (The days of just cruising are long gone) There is a danger in having religion but no relationship (They Refuse The Word They Relish What Is Wrong)

III. THEY RUN FROM WISE COUNSEL

“They will turn away from the truth and turn aside to fables”

IOW they will turn to:

They to that which looks and sounds good

They cling to that which is false (fables)

Fables: muthos (moo’-thos); a tale, i.e. fiction ("myth"): it sounds good, has a happy ending and makes you smile

Truth: will hurt sometimes, crush ego, make you reevaluate

Folks who are caught up in religion (and don’t have a relationship) will:

I. Refuse The Word

II. Relish What Is Wrong

III: Run From Wise Counsel

But God is looking for a people who are willing to develop and maintain a meaningful, productive, and fruitful relationship with Him. And if it is your desire to have relationship instead of religion. Paul says that there are few things they you need to do Paul says that you need to (v5)

1. Be watchful in all things: nepho (nay’-fo); of uncertain affinity: to abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figuratively) be discreet: be sober, watch (observant, attentive, on the lookout) in all things

Watch the company you keep.

Watch the things that you say.

Watch the places that you go.

Watch the example that you set.

Paul said; “Whatever things are true noble just pure lovely of good report if there is any virtue if there is anything praiseworthy meditate (think) on these things” (Phil 4:8) (If you’re going to have a relationship you need to Be Watchful)

2. Endure afflictions: kakopatheo (kak-op-ath-eh’-o); stand, to undergo hardship, be afflicted, endure afflictions (hardness), and suffer trouble.

Endure hard times

Endure heartache

Endure heartbreak

Endure persecution

Endure scandal

Endure being misunderstood

Endure being unappreciated

Endure suffering and affliction

(Why?) Because Paul tells us that; “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (1Cor 4:17)

3. Do the work of an evangelist: ergon (er’-gon); work; toil (as an effort or occupation); by an act: deed, doing, or labor. Work involves

Getting active in your local church

Getting active in witnessing to unsaved friends and relatives

Because Jesus said; “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

4. Fulfill your ministry: plerophoreo (play-rof-or-eh’-o); to carry out fully (in evidence), i.e. completely assure (or convince), entirely accomplish: most surely believe, fully know (persuade), make full proof of.

Why? Because God has called you to a new leveling Him

A new level of life

A new level of service

A new level of giving

A new level of prayer

A new level of praise

A new level of worship

A new level of stewardship

A new level of commitment

A new level of holiness

A new level of relationship

(Don’t know about you…) But I want a relationship and not just religion. I want to know Him and not just know of Him. And if you’re going to have relationship instead of religion. You’ve got to do what Jesus did.

He Watched- As they turned their backs on Him

He Endured- As they falsely accused Him…

He Did The Work- Even while He hung on the Cross

He Fulfilled His Ministry- By giving His life so that we might live

Let me add in closing of this reply that you cannot have a relationship with Jesus Christ By accepting him as you Lord and saviour or Repeating some kind of “sinners Prayer”

Peter answered the question in what must we do (Acts 2:37) This is God’s plan of salvation as spoken by Jesus in John 3:3-5 (please refer to my discussion on what must I do to be saved in the forum section) John 3:16(confirming what Jesus said in John 3:1-8 )and Romans 10:9-10 (talking about faith and not salvation) are not God’s salvation plan

Hot Sand, No Water Just Grace

Genesis 21:8-21:19

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."

6 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"

"I’m running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.

9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."

11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:

"You are now with child

and you will have a son.

You shall name him Ishmael,

for the LORD has heard of your misery.

8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."

11 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 offspring will be reckoned. 13 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.

15 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, she 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. 18 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.

Go with me this morning to the hot desert. As far as the eye can see to the north, south, east or west all that is visible is sand, sand, and then more sand!

The sun is beaming it’s brilliant rays earthward and the reflection of the brightness has elevated the surface temperature to a degree far to hot for the sole of a human foot. Now almost as if arrows of fire are coming from the sky, your eyes squinted as they must still frantically search to and fro…somewhere you think, surely somewhere there must be some relief.

Occasionally the wind will blow just enough to cause a swirling effect on the sea of those endless grains of sand, and the more you look the larger the vastness of the area appears.

You again stop and listen, almost being consumed by the vastness of a deep and profound silence.

Your alone, civilization seems so abandoned, there’s no one, no wildlife, no life period, just you and sand, hot sand…and an occasional burnt bush dwarfed and scraggly from the abuse of the heat and wind.

THEN, suddenly almost out of nowhere the silence is broken. At first it is almost hard to recognize, almost as if a moan, you pause…was it just your imagination, and then you hear it again followed by the sound of a person crying, well more like weeping.

The more you listen the more you recognize that weep; it’s the one that comes from a heart that is broken. Now realizing that you are no longer alone in the middle of this desert you find yourself racing to locate where the sound is coming from and who might be in the middle of the desert with you.

Almost running now you pass one shabby old bush and then, nearly tripping over the lifeless figure there much to your surprise you find a young man maybe 15, 16 years old, curled in the fetal position, attempting to hide his rather piteous body beneath the few thin lines of shade that the nearby bush provides.

A quick glance reveals a crisis…his lips are cracked and broken, as blood oozes from raw sores that are starting to develop, his tongue is swollen and his eyes are bloodshot and starting to almost it seems sink into his forehead.

You listen closely as you see his lips move to form a sound, with all his physical he gasps no louder than a forced whisper; “Water, I need water”

And just as you prepare yourself to attend to his need, you hear the weeping again and you turn…

There just a bow-shot away you see her; disheveled, matted hair, very distraught and she obviously is exhausted from both the heat of the day and the emotional pain that is causing her to weep.

Why is she crying so much, what has happened, and why has she turned her back to this young boy who obviously is nearing death at rapid speed?

Oh the scene is so taxing, you want to help and in your feeble attempt you look down and spot the water bottle, but you find it empty and now it is slowly filling with the hot blowing sand.

AS you ponder on the situation you begin to realize that she is not waiting for help, no this lady is waiting for death. She has lost her way. Hour after hour she has wandered in this vast desert to no avail.

Her water supply is gone, her strength has been all but spent, and her hope has already died; now there she sits on the hot desert floor, just crying, waiting and slowly…dying!

Then, right at the moment when it seemed like it was almost over, His voice breaks through the silence, and God spoke to this woman.

Lost, hopeless, and dying but yet He spoke to her: "What is the matter, Hagar?”

To that point she thought she was all alone, but now He has found her and he asks “"What is the matter, Hagar?”

Let me ask you this morning, What do you suppose was meant by this question?

On the surface it seems somewhat a rather strange question for God to be asking. I mean isn’t it rather obvious what her problem is. As you listen and watch you almost expect her to be filled with rage. But somehow that isn’t the case at all: in fact you are more amazed by the minute as this encounter unfolds. For what one might have taken as an insult, this lady hears as an answer to her weeping and she gives the appearance as id somehow she has detected hope in His voice…

Lets look together at what this question really did for Hagar…

First I would suggest to you that;

1. This question caused Hagar to realize God had not lost track of her!

HE knew right where she was. Oh she had lost herself; She had wandered here and there until she had no earthly idea as to where she was. By now the east looked just like the west, her sense of direction was gone, but ALL THE WHILE GOD KNEW OF HER WHEREABOUTS!

She was in a lost condition, but He had found her! Yes she had traveled far, but not so far as to be beyond his watchful eye!

She no more knew her way back to Abraham’s tent than you know your way to a foreign country, but God had His eye on her all the while!

Did she deserve it, probably not…

Could she make it on her own, not on her life…?

BUT HIS GRACE!

Yes she had wandered, but not farther than His grace could go, and my dear friend the good news this morning is ….NEITHER HAVE YOU!

You may have strayed, you may have wandered, but you haven’t dodged him!

The Psalmist David said; “7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Hagar had lost herself: but God had not lost Hagar!

You may feel so far away from anyone this morning: but Good NEWS, Good News…through HIS GRACE HE HAS NOT LOST TRACK OF YOU!

Secondly I see that not only did God know where Hagar was, but He also…

2. God Knew Hagar’s sorrows:

HE knew her wrong doings, HE knew she was suffering, he even knew why she was suffering!

Oh dear friend might I suggest that God was actually saying “Hagar: there is something wrong with you!

You have more heartache than you know how to handle!

You have a heavier burden than you know how to carry!

You have a wound that is bigger than you can mend!

Hagar: you have an illness for which YOU have no cure!

Hagar: there is something wrong!

Oh Hagar: You know it, and I know it!”

Thirdly I think:

3. God wanted her to confess to Him her story;

He was eager to hear from her! He wanted her to tell Him everything! All the hurting of her heart! All the torments that she had endured, all the pain she was going through…

All the broken promises, all the future plans that seemed marred and ruined…all the unfulfilled dreams…

He wanted to hear it all!

Oh dear friend: HE IS THE SAME TODAY!

HE wants to hear you answer the question: “What is wrong______?”

What secret wound have you never shared with anyone, and this morning it is eating you alive?

What heartbreaking burden are you continuing to carry?

What addiction are you losing the battle to?

Oh this morning why not tell it to Jesus?

He is eternally interested in your story, in your confession!

He patiently waits to hear what aileth thee?

When no-one else can understand what you are facing…HE CAN!

When no –one else has the patience to listen to your story…He will!

Oh this morning that someone would decide:

“I must tell Jesus all of my troubles;

I cannot bear these burdens alone

I must tell Jesus; and he will help me

Jesus can help me, Jesus Alone!”

Finally this question implies that if Hagar would only tell her story;

4. God was willing to help Hagar;

He wasn’t asking her to bear her soul for nothing, He was willing to help!

HE doesn’t ask us to share just to satisfy his curiosity, rather his question simply means that if you will only come and tell Him; He will help you!

There is no need that He cannot meet!

There is no bondage, no addiction from which he cannot set you free!

There is no sin but what he can forgive!

No knot he cannot untangle; no tear he cannot dry!

No sorrow he cannot comfort; no scar he cannot heal!

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH MY GOD!

It’s called GRACE!

Dear friend this morning; no matter how dark your future may look; let me remind you “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin!

And praise God that includes yours!

Oh we must hasten on this morning;

How did Hagar respond? Her answer is not printed in scripture. One has suggested that the reason is her answer would not merit print; but may I suggest her response could have sounded like this…

A few years ago, I became a servant to Abraham and Sarah. Almost immediately upon my arrival, I knew this was a peculiar family. They didn’t worship Like I was used to doing. The gods of Egypt that I worshipped they denied. In fact they claimed that the only God was the Lord God Jehovah. It took a while but finally I too came around to their way of thinking.

Later one day I learned of their great dream that they shared as husband and wife. One day Sarah shared with me that they had been promised a son, and not just any son but their son was to be an inheritor of all the promises that God had made to my master Abraham.

In fact Sarah even went as far as to say that through this boy, all the nations of the earth were to be blessed.

Well time went by, and to be honest I at times almost forgot that conversation. But little by little I noticed in them both, Sarah especially…I noticed their faith started to diminish.

And I remember that evening so well, suppertime seemed almost rushed, I felt an unusual need to leave the two of them alone, and I could not believe my ears when Abraham, my master told me the next morning what Sarah had suggested.

WAS I TO BLAME? WASN”T HE THE MASTER AND I THE SLAVE?

So when my son was born, I held him and felt as proud as any mother would. I dreamed of the day when he would inherit the promises of Abraham. His future seemed so certain, NOTHING I thought could destroy this dream!

But years later I noticed that Sarah seemed to be gaining some weight. I first ignored the obvious, told myself it couldn’t be; and then that night I heard the sound coming from their tent that any mom quickly recognizes… A baby was here!

I instantly I knew that my hopes were ruined! No way could two boys be heirs to their dad. I knew this day would come! Sure enough just a few days ago Sarah, the one I worked for… Sarah the one who had dreamed up this God awful arrangement… She ordered me and Ishmael to leave at once!

And now God here I sit; Hot sand and no water! Just me and my boy here we are to die having been robbed! Robbed of our hopes, our dreams, our literal lives!

Wow what a story she has, but I hasten to add…What a story you might have!

Oh the road of anger and bitter rebellion… its there, it was in her story, and perhaps it is in yours as well. But dear friend that road will not lead you out of the desert!

It will only lead you deeper into its horror and captivity!

Lets wrap this up this morning by considering what God said next to Hagar…

It’s in the last part of verse 17 & verse 18 “Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."

You not doomed he says, your not forgotten, Oh Hagar I have heard your sons cry for help too!

I know his cries for water have broken your heart, but remember my heart is even more tender than yours!

Hagar you grieve has been great; but my grief is even greater; but fear not Hagar for I am here to meet your needs…

And notice verse 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.

Why hadn’t she seen the water? It was already there!

While she was drawing her breath in agony, while his lips were parched and cracking; all the while; RIGHT BESIDE HER was the remedy but she could not see it!

Oh my lost friend God has already made the provision for your needs this morning as well!

His grace is greater than all your sin!

Maybe Hagar couldn’t see the fountain for some of the same reasons you haven’t seen the fountain!

Maybe her eyes were blinded by her feelings of hopelessness and despair, maybe she was too busy deciding that she was doomed, to busy thinking that her failures were beyond repair…

Oh, but when she saw what was there for her; She didn’t wait for a second invitation…no rater she ran and filled her water bottle to the brim, and here and the boy drank and drank and drank!

God had provided! And she took advantage of His provision!

What about you this morning dear friend? Are you ready to have your eyes open and discover what his grace has already provided for you?

Are you thirsty enough to come to this fountain? THERE IS A VAST SUPPLY!

He longs to meet your need this morning; He longs for you to dedicate your all to Him!