Strength for the Journey. In this series of messages, Pastor Lutzer opens a window into the life and experience of Abraham. In the process, he answers the question of whether God’s promise of the land and the seed should be applied to Ishmael or Isaac—a controversy that divides the Middle East to this day. Most important, Abraham, who is called “a friend of God,” is presented as a model for us of intimate fellowship with the Almighty.