COURSE CORRECTION!

Genesis 21:4–14 NLT

4 Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. 6 And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. 7 Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!” 8 When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. 9 But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac. 10 So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” 11 This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. 12 But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. 13 But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.” 14 So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.

…..OPEN IN PRAYER…..

I have heard it said that..

when people know better, they do better

this sounds really good and I often wonder...

is this true

because just because something sounds good

doesn't mean it's true

(BRAYDON, FOUND A 2018 FORD F150 FOR SALE…2500)

I HAD TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT IF SOMETHING SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE

IT PROBABLY IS

there's a difference between knowing better and doing better

(FOR example)

I know I don't have any business with dessert

I know I need to watch my carbs & sugar

I know i need to lose weight

I know I need to get up early and exercise every morning

I know what to eat and what not to eat

I know what is healthy and what is not healthy

oh come on...

I know i don't need to add a extra patty or

extra cheese to my hamburger

and I definitely know I'm not supposed to eat those french fries

OH COME ON....WE KNOW

sometimes the waitress asks me, "what side would you like?"

mashed potatoes

mac and cheese

fries

or a salad........come on really?

just because i know better

doesn't mean I do better.

on the other hand...

it is impossible to do better

if i don't know better

often times regardless OF THE FACT THAT WE know better

we still don't do better

the fact of the matter is...

doing better isn't always easy

sometimes it's really tough

OH COME ON…

doing better as a husband or wife isnt always easy

(WE'RE HEADING TO THE WEEKEND TO REMEMBER)

HERE’S THE THING....

when we LEAVE, we're gonna know better

we're also gonna know to expect that enemy will attack our marriage

WE KNOW THAT THE ENEMY IS ALWAYS TRYING TO DESTROY WHAT GOD IS TRYING TO DO.

THE PROBLEM IS.....

sometimes we don’t CHOOSE to do better

until we're already in trouble....

....OH COME ON....

I'm the worse at this one....

sometimes we don't do better until there's competition

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN??

you ever had a job where...

you were just kind of coasting through until...

competition showed up?

I heard someone say one time that

they were the worlds best at getting into trouble

and the worlds worst at getting out of it

I think the reason it’s sometimes so difficult to get out of trouble is because…..

our trouble becomes so complicated

What do you mean PASTOR????

I mean….GETTING OUT OF TROUBLE...

requires humility that most people don't have

a humility that requires us to quiet our ego enough to decide that...

I have to MAKE A change!

OH COME ON....I'M TALKING TO SOMEBODY

sometimes you have to go against what you said at THAT particular stage

in order to correct where you are at THIS stage

BUT,

THE PROBLEM IS THAT...

sometimes our EGO

will cause us to be loyal to our mistakes

OH MY LORD...

BUT PASTOR CHRIS...

sometimes its easier and requires less of me if....

I just learn to live with the mistake

WAIT.......WHAT?......

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DO THAT???

“Well….BECAUSE....”

our decisions to correct our mistakes can bring disruption

not just for us but for other people as well.....so instead of all of that....

we just decided NOT to make the correction

(I HAVE TALKED TO MEN, NOT IN THIS CHURCH)

MEN WHO THINK THAT IT’S BETTER TO NOT CORRECT THE MISTAKES THEY’VE MADE IN THEIR MARRIAGE

AND INSTEAD JUST LIVE WITH THEM, LIKE THEY NEVER HAPPENED

OH COME ON....YOU KNOW YOU’VE HAD THESE THOUGHTS..

THEN THEY WONDER WHY THEIR MARRIAGE IS FAILING

AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO BE INTIMATE WITH THEIR WIVES

OR VISE VERSA

CHURCH.....

Im telling you this morning, that

until you correct your mistakes you are not going to get the breakthrough that you need.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

HEALING AND RESTORATION DOESN’T COME UNTIL YOU REPENT

AND MAKE THE CORRECTION

OH MY LORD....

until you stop using shopping as therapy

your ALWAYS GONNA STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....

no matter how much he's Jehovah Jireh (my provider)

he cant be Jehovah Jireh to YOU because.....

as fast as he pours it in,

you leak it out

WE HAVE TO CORRECT OUR MISTAKES IN ORDER TO RECEIVE OUR BREAKTHROUGH

SOME OF US FEEL STUCK IN OUR MESS

AND YOU WILL BE UNTIL…A CORRECTION IS MADE

I’M TALKING TO SOMEONE....

SOME OF US ARE STUCK IN SURVIVAL MODE

WHEN GOD IS CALLING US TO THRIVE

BUT IT REQUIRES THAT WE COURSE CORRECT

LOOKING AT OUR TEXT THIS MORNING....IT'S LIKE A DREAM

ABRAHAM IS FINALLY GOING TO HAVE A SON

EVEN IN HIS OLD AGE

EVEN WITH SARAH AND HER WRINKLED BODY

SHE HAS FOUND HERSELF IN THE POSITION TO GIVE BIRTH FOR THE FIRST TIME

EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE, SHE IS PREPARING FOR HER PROMISE

OH MY LORD......

I DONT KNOW WHO IM TALKING TO THIS MORNING BUT,

GOD IS WANTING TO GIVE YOU A BLESSING THAT DOESN'T EVEN FIT THE SEASON OF LIFE THAT YOUR IN.

HE'S GONNA GIVE YOU A BLESSING THAT'S OUT OF SEASON

YOU BETTER BELIEVE....

IF GOD PROMISED IT,

IT'S GONNA HAPPEN

SARAH STRUGGLED TO BELIEVE IT....

SHE COULDN’T WRAP HER MIND AROUND HAVING A BABY AT HER AGE

CHANGING COURSE

REQUIRES 2 things ....

1. CUTTING

GEN 21:4

Genesis 21:4 NLT

4 Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.

#8 IS THE NUMBER OF NEW BEGINNINGS!

CIRCUMCISION IS - THE CUTTING AWAY OF THE FLESH ON A MAN THAT WAS ORIGINALLY A RELIGIOUS SIGN OF BEING A HEBREW.

ITS NOT THE COVENANT GOD MADE WITH ABRAHAM BUT

THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT

GOD MADE A PROMISE AND THE CIRCUMCISION WAS A SIGN OF THE COVENANT THAT WAS MADE

ANYBODY EVER ASKED YOU

"DO YOU HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME"?

(FOR Example)

IF I INVEST $5 IN A STOCK AND THAT STOCK STARTS TO TANK THEN...

It’s no big deal….why?

Because I lost $5

NOW IF I INVEST $1000 in the stock and it Tanks…

that’s gonna hurt…why?

Because now I have some skin in the game

YOU SEE GOD IS GONNA DO THE WORK BUT….

HE WANTS YOU TO HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME

BECAUSE WHEN YOU GOT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME

YOU DON'T VIOLATE THE COVENANT WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH BECAUSE.....

YOU HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME

MY SON WILL BUY HIS OWN CAR TIRES....WHY?

BECAUSE HE NEEDS SOME SKIN IN THE GAME

THEY JUST TAKE CARE OF THINGS BETTER, WHEN THEY PAID FOR IT.

OH COME ON.....

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING INVESTED,

IT'S EASY TO WALK AWAY

CIRCUMCISION HURTS.....

NOT A LITTLE BUT,

A WHOLE LOT

I WATCHED MY SON WHEN HES WAS JUST A WEEK OLD GET CIRCUMCISED.

I FELT HOPELESS

HE’S SCREAMING IN PAIN

AND I COULDN’T DO ANYTHING

CHANGING COURSE HURTS

HUMBLING YOURSELF AND....

ADMITTING YOU WERE WRONG HURTS

THERE'S NO WAY FOR YOU TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

AND IT NOT HURT

ABRAHAM GOT ISSAC CIRCUMCISED ON THE EIGHTH DAY

HE'S THROWING A PARTY

HE'S HAPPY,

HIS WIFE IS HAPPY….life is good

IT'S HARD TO BE HAPPY IF SHE AIN’T HAPPY.....

WHEN MAMMA AIN’T HAPPY

IT'S CONTAGIOUS

WHEN MAMMA AIN’T HAPPY IT'S WORSE THAN CIRCUMCISION

BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE SOME MEDICATION TO EASE THE PAIN

THEY ARE STILL IN THE LABORATORY TRYING TO CONCOCT SOMETHING

THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO LIVE WITH AN UNHAPPY WOMEN.

THIS ISN’T MY WORD…THIS IS GOD’S WORD....LOL

PROVERBS 21 TELLS US

IT’S BETTER TO LIVE IN A CORNER ON THE ROOF THAN WITH A CONTENTIOUS WOMAN.

MEN YOU CAN BE HAPPY BUT

WHEN YOU COME HOME AND SHES NOT HAPPY.....ALL THE SUDDEN

OH MY LORD......

I KNOW YOU CANT AGREE BECAUSE YOUR SITTING BESIDE HER

IT'S A GOOD DAY IN THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM...

SARAH IS HAPPY

SHES LAUGHING.....

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE LAUGHTER OF A HAPPY WOMEN

NOTHING MAKES MY HEART HAPPIER THAN TO HEAR MY WIFE LAUGH WITH JOY

WATCH THIS....

SHES HAPPY, BUT.......THE BIBLE SAYS...

SARAH LOOKED OUT AND SAW ISHMAEL (HAGGARS SON BY ABRAHAM)

ISHMAEL WAS MOCKING ISAAC

AND THE PARTY WAS OVER

SHUT THE PARTY DOWN.....

YOU WANNA MAKE A WOMEN MAD.....

THE NICEST WOMEN YOU EVER MET

WILL TURN INTO GORILLA WARFARE

IF YOU MESS WITH ONE OF HER KIDS

OH COME ON.....ANY MAMAS AGREE?

SARAH SAID, WHAT IN THE WORLD.....

THIS WOMEN DONE LOST HER MIND

SHE HAS GOT TO GO

SARAH TELLS ABRAHAM TO GET HER OUT....... NOW.

ALL OF THE SUDDEN HE HAS GONE FROM CUTTING TO......

2.CASTING

NOW HE HAS TO CAST OUT THE SERVANT WOMAN AND HER SON

WHICH INCIDENTALLY IS HIS SON TOO

SARAH TOLD HIM TO CAST OUT HAGGARS SON

HERE’S THE THING….

SHE KNOWS IT'S HIS SON TOO

The problem IS….

SARAH DON'T HAVE ANY SKIN IN THE GAME

IT'S EASY TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY SHOULD DO WHEN....

YOUR NOT THE ONE WITH SKIN IN THE GAME

HAGGAR WAS NEVER ABRAHAM'S IDEA

IT WAS SARAH’S IDEA.....WHY?

BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT IT WASN’T GONNA HAPPEN

SARAH THOUGHT SHE WAS NEVER GONNA HAVE A CHILD

WHEN SHE THOUGHT IT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN GOD'S WAY

SHE SAID.....ILL DO IT MY WAY

THEREFORE ISHMAEL BECOMES A CHILD OF THE FLESH

OH MY LORD....I WONDER......

HOW MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN BORN IN YOUR HOUSE

OUT OF THE FLESH?

OUT OF YOUR UNWILLINGNESS TO WAIT

OUT OF YOUR IMPATIENCE

OUT OF YOUR FRUSTRATION

HOW MANY DECISIONS HAVE YOU MADE WITHOUT GOD???

IMAGINE THIS HOUSEHOLD.....

YOU GOT 2 WOMEN IN THE HOUSE

2 SONS

1 BORN OF THE FLESH AND

1 BORN OF THE PROMISE

IT SOUNDS LIKE A MESS, BUT

ABRAHAM LIVED WITH IT

BECAUSE SOMETIMES CHANGE CREATES DISRUPTION

SO YOU DECIDE TO JUST MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION

HOW DID ABRAHAM GO FROM THROWING A PARTY TO...

THE BIGGEST FIGHT WITH HIS WIFE EVER RECORDED

COME ON SOMEBODY...

YOU EVER BEEN IN THAT PLACE?

EVERYTHING IS SO GREAT ONE MOMENT AND THE NEXT

YOUR HAVING THOUGHTS OF.....

I'M DONE WITH THIS

ALMOST TO THE POINT OF ABANDONING EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE

UNDERSTAND THIS CHURCH...

WHAT YOU BOND WITH

YOU BECOME BONDED TO

ABRAHAM AND HAGGAR HAD BONDED AND THEN CAME ISHMAEL

HERE’S THE PROBLEM…

HAGGAR HAS NOW BECOME UNNECESSARY FLESH

NOW ABRAHAM AND HAGGAR BOTH HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME

AND NOW THERE IS NO WAY OUT OF THIS WITHOUT BLOOD

THIS IS GONNA HURT

THE CUTTING AND THE CASTING OF HIS BOND SERVANT IS GONNA BE PAINFUL

WHY?

BECAUSE WHAT YOU BOND WITH

YOU BECOME BONDED TO.

IN ORDER FOR ABRAHAM TO GET HIS HOUSE IN ORDER

HE HAD TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO CHANGE COARSE

AMEN ?

NOW....

WE HAVE TO GIVE SARAH SOME CREDIT IN THIS SITUATION ….

YOU SEE....

SARAH IS TRYING TO MAKE A CORRECTION IN HER LIFE

BECAUSE SHE IS NO LONGER THE WOMEN SHE USED TO BE

YOU SEE...

MAKING CORRECTION IS HARD

ESPECIALLY FOR OUR EGO

BUT IT'S NECESSARY

WE ALL HAVE ISHMAEL'S IN OUR LIFE

WE HAVE MISTAKES THAT WE'VE MADE

BUT....

WHEN WE MAKE THE STEP TOWARD CORRECTION

GOD STEPS IN AND BRINGS RESTORATION

Watch this….

Genesis 21:11–13 NLT

11 This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. 12 But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. 13 But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.”

YOU SEE CORRECTING OUR MISTAKES

NOT ONLY BRINGS HEALING AND RESTORATION TO OUR HOUSEHOLD

BUT....

IT CAN ALSO OPEN DOORS FOR OTHERS TO BE BLESSED AS WELL

YES THIS WILL BRING PAIN,

PROBABLY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.....BUT

THE PAIN WILL BRING HEALING & RESTORATION

IT'S JUST LIKE HAVING SURGERY....

YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR BACK AND NEED SURGERY

WHAT DO WE DO....

WE BEGIN TO WEIGH THE BENEFITS...

LIVING WITH OUT SURGERY HURTS

GETTING THE SURGERY DONE HURTS

BUT THE PAIN FROM SURGERY

WILL BRING ABOUT RESTORATION OVER TIME

SOME OF US NEED TO BEGIN...

CUTTING THE FLESH OUT OF OUR LIVES

AND CASTING SOME THINGS OUT OF OUR HOMES

ITS NOT GONNA BE EASY

but it’s necessary

IT'S GONNA TAKE COURAGE TO CHANGE COARSE...AMEN

.......STAND TO YOUR FEET.........

IF YOUR HERE THIS MORNING AND YOU PASTOR CHRIS

I HAVE SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CORRECTED IN MY LIFE

IM SCARED OF THE PAIN IT'S GONNA CAUSE

LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING

IF YOU HAVE A TOOTH THAT CAUSES YOU PAIN

YOU INGNORE IT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE DENTIST

TIME GOES BY AND YOU FORGET ABOUT IT

AND THEN THE PAIN COMES BACK BUT WITH A VENGENGE

YOU GO IN TO THE DENTIST, AND THEY TELL YOU IT'S INFECTED

THEY CAN FIX YOUR TOOTH BUT BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING ELSE

YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THE INFECTION

ONCE THE INFECTION IS GONE

(WHICH IS WHATS CAUSING YOU THE PAIN)

THERE WILL BE MORE PAIN BUT THIS PAIN IS TEMPORARY AND OVER TIME

RESTORATION AND HEALING WILL COME.........BUT

FIRST YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE INFECTION

A PROBLEM NOT DEALT WITH,

CAUSES WAY WORSE PROBLEMS OVER TIME

NOW YOU KNOW BETTER, IT'S UP TO YOU TO DO BETTER!

THESE ALTARS ARE OPEN AND I INVITE YOU TO COME

ASK GOD TO HELP YOU WITH THE CUTTING AND CASTING OUT

THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IN YOUR LIFE

WOULD YOU COME THIS MORNING......