Message God!Loving 15 LIFE CHURCH Smyrna Genesis 17:15-17 “Then God said to , “Regarding Sarai, your wife - her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be . Wednesday, January 6, 2016 | 7:00pm 16And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, Pastor Shell Osbon and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” 17Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age 1 Genesis 18:1-10 “The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety

Notes| belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his years old?” (NLT) tent during the hottest part of the day. 2He looked up and noticed three 1 men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and Genesis 21:1-3 “The Lord kept His word and did for Sarah exactly what He

Loving People!Loving Life! Loving welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. 3“My lord,” he said, “if it had promised. 2She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for pleases you, stop here for a while. 4Rest in the shade of this tree while Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it water is brought to wash your feet. 5And since you’ve honored your servant would. 3And Abraham named their son .” (NLT) with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue Beli on your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.” 6So Abraham Genesis 21:5-7 5“Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. 6And ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7Then Abraham eve For Greater ThingsPart | One laugh with me. 7Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!” (NLT) quickly prepared it. 8When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Ephesians 3:20-21 20“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees. 9“Where is Sarah, your than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied. 10Then 21to Him be glory in the church and in Christ throughout all one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (NIV) wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.” (NLT) Matthew 17:14-18 14“At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15‘Lord, have Genesis 18:11-12 11“Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12So she laughed fire or into the water. 16So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy heal him.’ 17Jesus said, ‘You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I such pleasure, especially when my master - my husband - is also so old?” be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ (NLT) 18Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.” (NLT) Genesis 18:13-15a 13“Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14Is Romans 10:17 “...faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and (NKJV) Sarah will have a son.” 15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” (NLT) Jude 20 “But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and Genesis 18:15b “But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.” (NLT) strength of the Holy Spirit.” (LB)

Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes and He is the one to whom we are The big idea: You can believe for greater accountable.” (NLT) things even while you are experiencing doubt.

1/6/2016

part one

Genesis 18:1-10 1“The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. 3“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while.

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4Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.” 6So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.”

7Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees. 9“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

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10Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.” (NLT)

part one

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While it may seem a contradiction, doubt is actually a part of every one of our beliefs.

In order for us to believe something, the very thing that we believe must be doubtable in order for it truly be believable.

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1. With which one of the video stories can you most relate?

Your choice is between doubt and belief but sometimes we first doubt before we move on to belief.

Genesis 18:11-12 11“Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master - my husband - is also so old?” (NLT)

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Sarah doubted God’s promise that she would have a child and she even laughed about it!

2. Have you ever laughed at God or a promise from Him that just seemed ridiculous?

Sarah’s doubt seemed reasonable after decades of barrenness, with Abraham being one hundred years old and with her being ninety years old but God’s faithfulness was greater than her doubt or those realities!

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Genesis 18:13-15a 13“Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” (NLT)

Sarah felt so guilty about laughing that she even tried to cover it up by lying.

3. What are some ways people cover up their doubts?

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Genesis 18:15b “But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.” (NLT)

Despite the best efforts by Sarah to cover up and deny the fact that she laughed, God knew better and He called her out!

4. Do you think God knows us better than we know ourselves as well as that He sees and hears everything?

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Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes and He is the one to whom we are accountable.” (NLT)

God doesn’t miss anything. Period.

5. How did the individuals in the video overcome their doubt in order to believe God for greater things?

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Genesis 17:15-17 15“Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife - her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. 16And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” 17Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief.

“How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” (NLT)

While it’s true that Sarah laughed and doubted, it’s equally important to realize that Abraham laughed and doubted, too.

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Genesis 21:1-3 1“The Lord kept His word and did for Sarah exactly what He had promised. 2She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3And Abraham named their son Isaac.” (NLT)

God miraculously fulfilled His promise to give Abraham and Sarah a son despite their ages and even their lack of faith.

6. Why does God perform miracles for which we have no faith to believe that He can perform?

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Genesis 21:5-7 5“Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. 6And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. 7Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!” (NLT)

Abraham and Sarah laughed because they doubted, Sarah laughed when Isaac was born and other people laughed at them for being parents in their old age!

7. In what ways might your doubts be getting in the way of what God wants to do in and through you?

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Ephesians 3:20-21 20“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (NIV)

The good news is that God is able to do way more than we could ever ask Him to do or even imagine that He is capable of doing!

8. Is there a possibility that God still wants to birth an “impossible” dream in your life despite all your limitations, doubts and fears?

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Matthew 17:14-18 14“At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15‘Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.’

17Jesus said, ‘You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ 18Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.” (NLT)

God is still able to work miracles even when we have very little or no faith at all.

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Romans 10:17 “...faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (NKJV)

One of the ways to increase your faith is by reading and hearing the Word of God.

Jude 20 “But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.” (LB)

One of the ways to increase your faith is by praying in the Holy Ghost.

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the big idea You can believe for greater things even while you are experiencing doubt.

We’re all about… Loving God! Loving People! Loving Life!

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part one

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