Calvary Chapel of San Antonio

"Please understand that being brand-new is the whole point of this story! You were once lost in sin; you no longer are. You were once headed for an eternity of torment and torture; you no longer need be! That’s why being brand-new (as opposed to being an

improved version of the old-you) is the only way to start all over."

"Isaac’s faith is singled out only for blessing his sons. What’s the big deal in that? Listen carefully because we will learn that it takes faith to finally recognize that God really is in control because trying to do things your way has failed."

"He (Jesus) tells His followers (you and me today) that we are to watch/protect ourselves! From what? From falling into the same trap the Pharisees have fallen into. From judging people or imposing our own legalistic standards on others. From... holding on to

unforgiveness and from forgetting what the Pharisees had forgotten—that they were

servants of God! Every one of us in this room this morning needs never to forget that we are servants and, as such, our job is simply to do what we are told."

"Abraham was looking only for what God wanted. He set aside any personal ambitions in favor of God’s ambitions. Abraham was smart. He had an eternal perspective. He did not want to get ripped off by settling for less than everything God wanted to give him. That’s what too many of us do—because our faith is weak, we settle for way less than God wants for us. Abraham believed that God’s inheritance was far better than anything he might be able to accomplish on his own."

"Chapter 43 detailed God's judgment against those who fall into Idolatry. He still has plans to redeem His upright ones. Once again here in chapter 44, we have God establishing His Lordship over the people. I spoke at length last time about God creating us and redeeming us. The point here is that God is within His rights to demand our allegiance to Him—and only to Him. Here is the promise for those who get the message.."