BROADCASTS.com

Brian Priebe | Executive Pastor | December 17, 2023\nGenesis 12:2 (NIV)\u201cI will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.\u201d\nGenesis 12:10-13 (NIV)Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, \u201cI know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, \u2018This is his wife.\u2019 Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.\u201d\nGenesis 15:5b-6 (NIV)\u201cLook up at the sky and count the stars\u2014if indeed you can count them.\u201d Then he said to him, \u201cSo shall your offspring be.\u201d Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.\nGenesis 16:1-2, 4a (NIV)Now Sarai, Abram\u2019s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, \u201cThe Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.\u201dAbram agreed to what Sarai said. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.\nTwo Main Areas of Control:\nControl of People\nControl of Environment\nGenesis 22:1-3 (NIV)Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, \u201cAbraham!\u201d\u201cHere I am,\u201d he replied.Then God said, \u201cTake your son, your only son, whom you love\u2014Isaac\u2014and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.\u201dEarly the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.\nGenesis 22:6-8 (NIV)Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, \u201cFather?\u201d\u201cYes, my son?\u201d Abraham replied.\u201cThe fire and wood are here,\u201d Isaac said, \u201cbut where is the lamb for the burnt offering?\u201dAbraham answered, \u201cGod himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.\u201d And the two of them went on together.\nJames 4:13-16 (NIV)Now listen, you who say, \u201cToday or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.\u201d Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, \u201cIf it is the Lord\u2019s will, we will live and do this or that.\u201d As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.\nReflection Questions:\n1. Read Genesis 22:1-18. Discuss Abraham's trust in God's provision in challenging circumstances.2. Share the areas of your life where controlling your own plan is easier than trusting God's plan.3. Read James 4:13-16. What is James' criticism and his expectation for how we go about day to day?4. Of the idols discussed in this series (money, comfort, relationships, reputation and control), which is the area you identify the most challenging for you? Is there any step you plan to take to move forward?\nNext Steps: Complete the Connect Card to receive more information, have us pray for you, or to ask us any question: http://journeybozeman.com/connectcardWant to worship through giving and support the ministry of Journey Church: https://journeybozeman.com/giveDownload our app: https://journeybozeman.com/app Join our Facebook Group to stay connected throughout the week: