This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with an emphasis on “Focusing on God’s Finished Work”. Yesterday we started looking at the promise Abraham received from the Father, in light of Ecclesiastes 3:15. Let’s go back to Romans 4 and Ecclesiastes 3 and continue further.
“As the Scriptures say, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is true before God, the one Abraham believed—the God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.
There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “You will have many descendants.” Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised.” (Romans 4:16-21 ERV)
Let’s now read Ecclesiastes 3:15 and then get into the message. The Bible says, “That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by [so that history repeats itself].”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Don’t come up with your own story.
a) Abraham did not come up with the story we all know him by. He was a 75 yr. old man with a 65 yr. old barren wife living in a land of idol worshippers in in Ur of the Chaldeans when God approached him and called him into his future.
b) Abraham’s journey was God’s will. Therefore, everything he needed along the way was God’s bill. The provision for God’s vision for your life is already stored up.
c) God is obligated to feed where He leads and to provide where He guides. But God is not obligated to provide for the projects you come up with without Him. So be very careful when you are launching out in what you call “faith”. If God did not start the project, then He won’t finish it! It will be your will and therefore your bill.
2. When it’s God’s story human limits don’t matter.
a) God calls the most unlikely to do His will. He does this so the emphasis will be on Him and not on man. He does this so He can get all the glory!
b) Our God is still a jealous God. He does not mind you enjoying His benefits, but He does not want you taking His glory. If you ever get to the point where you take credit for what God cleary did, you will put yourself in position for that blessing to be your last.
c) Not only does God call the most unlikely, but He then waits until situations get beyond human possibility. When God called Abraham and Sarah they were 75 and 65 (respectively). Abraham was capable of producing children, but he had not yet. Sarah had been barren all her life. She was 65 and she could not have children when she was 16. This is the couple God chose to be the parents of “many nations”. But God did not manifest what He promised immediately. If their situation were not bad enough, God waited ‘till it got worse. God waited ‘till Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 before blessing them with their promised child. Why? Because at that point Abraham’s body was past childbearing and Sarah’s body had never produced. It was at this point, when all human possibility was gone, that God did the humanly impossible. So never fear, there is nothing too hard for God. You may feel like you are being delayed, but if God promised it, you will not be denied.
d) Abraham had to believe in a God who could give life to the deadness of his body and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. His eyes were on God and God’s promise, not on human limits. Faith may acknowledge human impossibilities, but it chooses to consider God over them.
e) Abraham did not come up with his life’s story, God did. But Abraham still had to believe God. Likewise, God is not looking for you to come up with your story. He came up with your story before the world began. But for His story to be played out in your life He needs you to believe Him. He needs you to keep your eyes fixed and focused on Him, especially when your situation gets beyond human limits. So don’t be moved by limits, be moved by God!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I have brought my life into focus in 2016. My life is all about You. For years I tried coming up with my own story. All it got me was frustration. Those days are over. I am dead to self and alive to You. I am committed to living out the story You planned for me before the world began. My life is now Your will. Therefore the provision is Your bill. Limits don’t matter to You. There is nothing You can’t do IN, WITH and THROUGH me. As You do, You get ALL the glory! I give You the glory, You give me the benefits, and that arrangement is just fine with me! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
