“THE BLENDED FAMILY”
Genesis 12:1-3
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 . . . Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
1 John 3:8 . . . He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
John 16:33 . . . These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome theworld.
Matthew 16:18–19 . . . And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the “GATES” of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the “KEYS” of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth willbe bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
SATAN HAS THE GATES—WE HAVE THE KEYS!!!
I. The family is more than an institution, it’s a power
• The family has the power to perpetuate
Genesis 12:1 . . . Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.God called Abraham to leave his family because family is so powerful in passing on traits, he had to leave his own so that he did not continue receiving the traits of the old corrupted family.
• The family has the power to polarize
Genesis 12:2-3a . . . I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you . . .
• The family has the power to bless
Genesis 12:3b . . . and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Luke 6:27–28 . . . “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
II. Never underestimate the damage that can come from your impatience and the limitations of your human reasoning
Genesis 16:1–6 . . . Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she hadan Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid;perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said toAbram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
➢ They had a failure of faith
➢ They had a failure of reasoning
➢ They had a failure of consequence
III. Know God, Don’t assume you know God
2 Timothy 2:13 . . . If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
➢ He blessed Hagar in spite of her failure
Genesis 16:9–11 . . . The Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I willmultiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted formultitude.” 11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
➢ He blessed Abraham in spite of his failure
Genesis 17:6–8 . . . I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land ofCanaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
➢ He blessed Sarah in spite of her failure
Genesis 21:1–2 . . . And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.