Randall Fisher

What lesson is God teaching you out of Hagar's experience? God is teaching me that jealousy can be a very detrimental feeling, and the consequences of this feeling can become a very sturdy wall between God and myself. He is teaching me to be totally dependent on Him, and to submit totally to Him and His wonderful guidance. Which situation that God is calling you to is most difficult for you to submit to? To totally submit my family to him, to understand that my family belongs to Him, and that they are just "loaned" to me. God created my family, not through anything that I did, or have done, but through His wonderful grace towards me.

What is the significance of Hagar's name for God -- El Roi, the God Who Sees? The significance is that He sees everything, and that no matter what we think, we can't hide ourselves, or our actions, from Him. What does it mean to a person who is discouraged and losing hope? It means that God see what trials they are going through, and that they can have hope in God, turn to Him, and give their concerns to Him What does it mean to you personally? To me, it means that I am special, that God cares deeply about me. It means that I can turn to Him when I have concerns or problems, and no matter how trivial or how big I think they are, God can, and will, take care of them, in His own way, in His own time, which is all done in perfect time.

Why does the angel ask Hagar something that the angel already knows? ("Where have you come from, and where are you going?") I think it is because the angel is trying to bring Hagar back to reality, and to show her that your problems won't go away by running from them. Why does she send her back to Sarah? To allow God's plan to be completed. Have you ever reacted and got yourself out of the place God wanted you? On more than one occasion. When God brought me back to where He wanted me, I was quickly reminded of how God has a perfect plan, and how God can use "the bad that we do" and turn it to good for the Glory of Him and His Church.

Why does Sarah take her anger out on Abraham? Sarai feels like Abram is responsible for all the wrongs that she is suffering, that he is responsible for Hagar hating her. Why does she take her anger out on Hagar? Because she is jealous, and she feels that somehow Hagar has betrayed her. Is she trying to get rid of Hagar or the baby? I think both of them. Getting rid of the baby would be getting rid of the mistake that she feels she made by giving Hagar to Abram, and getting rid of Hagar would possibly, in her mind, get rid of the jealousy she feels. In what sense is Hagar's pride Abraham's fault? Because Abram laid with her, and probably he was paying more attention to her than he was to Sarai. What situation in your family does this reminds you of? Jealousy. Both my wife and I show jealousy at times, and, at least in my case, I know I have no foundation whatsoever to have this feeling.

Why did God go through the covenant ritual with Abraham with the divided carcasses? Because all of God's promises and covenants with man are made with the understanding that man has to sacrifice. Why does God bind Himself to a solemn promise? Because God is great, and God keeps all of His promises How does Abraham respond to God's promises? By believing and showing faith What promises has God made to us that affect our futures? The promise of eternal life in Heaven through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross What significance does blood sacrifice have in these promises? It has total significance, because the blood of Jesus was the only sacrifice that was sufficient for our sins. The sacrifice had to be the perfect sacrifice, and Jesus knew that this was why He was sent to earth, to atone for our sins For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Rm 3:23 NIV)

Have you ever been frustrated with God for not fulfilling his promise to you immediately? Yes I have been frustrated when I haven't gotten what I asked for immediately. Why does God sometimes delay the fulfillment of his promises to a future time? Because God knows the perfect time for everything to be done, according to His will, to glorify His kingdom. He isn't limited in His thinking, as we are.

What is so amazing about this verse? The amazing thing is that all we are asked to do is to believe! It's so simple, yet we make it so hard. On what basis does God declare Abraham a righteous person? Because of his faith, and that he has followed God and worked very hard to live his life according to the guidelines that God has for us. What significance does this have to our New Testament understanding of justification by faith? The significance is that the righteous live by faith, and are rewarded for that faith. The New Testament shows that the Messiah has come, while in the Old Testament, they were still awaiting the Messiah, which could have made faith even harder to have.

What does it mean to you personally to call God your "Shield"? To me, it means that you wear the "Armor of God". That you submit totally to God, and let Him be your protector. Abide in Him, have faith in Him that He can, and will, see you through any situation.

Q4. (14:21-24) Why does Abraham refuse to take the spoils of war that the king of Sodom offers him? Abraham didn't want to take the items from the King of Sodom because he was an evil man, and he didn't feel that God would want him to have these things. What does this tell us about Abraham's character? That Abraham was a man of God and a man of trememdous integrity. What is the lesson here for us to learn? Our true blessings come from God. There is nothing that man can give us, or do for us, that can come close to the blessings that we receive from God. We need to stay focused on God, and receive the blessings He has for us, and forsake worldly treasures.

Q3. (14:20) What is the significance of Abraham giving one tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek? This was another act of worship shown by Abraham Does tithing today represent the same kind of worship? Tithing today is the same as then, but I don't think everyone looks at it as a type of worship. I think some tithe because they feel that they have to. If we tithe for the reason of love of God, we can truly worship Him through it. Why should we tithe to God first (like Abraham did) before dividing up our paychecks to pay our bills? Because we should worship God first and foremost, and we need to realize that we wouldn't have anything if God didn't allow us to have it. As has been said, "Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's". Tithing is God's part of what He allows us to have.

Q2. (14:13-16) What does Abraham's military expedition to rescue Lot from the Mesopotamian kings tell us about his character? It shows us many things about Abraham, such as the fact that Abraham is willing to help friends in need, and as he has proven before, willing to follow the guidance he receives from God, no matter what it is. About his abilities? That his abilities are given to him by, and from, God About the way he deals with neighbors? Abraham is very peaceful and caring for his neighbors, and this is why they were willling to help him rescue Lot. What is here for us to emulate? Everything...that we should follow the guidance we receive from God, regardless of the situation, that we should be open to hear God's direction for us, that we should treat our neighbors as God has directed, help them when they need help.

Q1. (13:2) Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Even though material wealth isn't always a blessing from God, in this case I think it is. It is just another way for God to show Abraham how God can, and is, blessing him. Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing. No, material wealth doesn't always reflect God's blessings. Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse? No, physical poverty doesn't always reflect God's curse on anyone.

Q1. (13:2) Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Even though material wealth isn't always a blessing from God, in this case I think it is. It is just another way for God to show Abraham how God can, and is, blessing him. Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing. No, material wealth doesn't always reflect God's blessings. Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse? No, pahysical poverty doesn't always reflect God's curse on anyone.

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20? It proved to Abraham once again that God was in charge of this, and all, situations. Abraham quickly forgot the blessings and promises that God had given him.

What do you think about Abraham's and Sarah's ethics and faith? Abraham did what he thought would save him and his wife. It did, however, show a lack of faith in the face of trials. We all suffer from this, and show our lack of faith, more often than we should. Are they ethically and morally wrong? As far as the standards of today, the answer would be twofold. In the secular view, his actions would probably be accepted as much as they would be criticized. In God's view, yes they were both morally and ethically wrong. Does the Scripture intend to show that their actions as a lack of faith? Yes, I think so, because it shows us that Abraham was human, and that God can forgive all sins, and can use even a person who has sinned for the greater glory of His kingdom. What lessons should we disciples learn from these stories? To rely on God and His power regardless of our situation or trials, that God can forgive all sins if we truly ask for that forgiveness and truly repent, that God can use anyone for the greater glory of His kingdom, and that God is Love!you