This morning I continue our new series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” Yesterday I introduced you to the call of Abraham. I want to go back to it today to highlight a few things about this call that also pertain to us.
(Gen 12:1-3 ERV)
The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country and your people. Leave your father’s family and go to the country that I will show you. I will build a great nation from you. I will bless you and make your name famous. People will use your name to bless other people. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you. I will use you to bless all the people on earth.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Abraham did nothing to earn or deserve his call. God did not call Abraham based on his performance. The call had nothing to do with anything Abraham did. God called Abraham based on his unearned grace. Guess what? The same can be said of you.
2. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul helps us get a better understanding of God’s amazing call. Paul spent his early years becoming someone he was not called to be. You can make the argument that he was actually fighting against God’s call. He did many things that, humanly speaking, should have disqualified him from the call. But Paul told us that despite all the bad he did, God called him from his mother’s womb (Gal 1:15). Paul then told us that we have been called as well. Paul said that God saved us and called us with a holy calling (so our lives would not be just about us). God did not do this because of anything we did. We did not earn it. We certainly do not deserve it. God called us by His own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus, and God did it before the world began (see 2 Tim 1:9). So while you think you PICKED God the day you gave your life to Jesus. The truth is God PICKED you for your purpose before you were born!
3. God’s purpose is God’s idea, not yours.
a) If you look at Abraham’s call, it has everything to do with God. This was not Abraham’s idea. God told Abraham to leave his country. God said that He would tell him where to go. God said that He would make his name great. God said that he would bless all the families of the earth through him. This was God’s idea, not Abraham’s. Likewise, the call on your life is God’s idea, not yours. God called you before the world began.
b) Purpose cannot be decided, because God decided your purpose before the world began. Therefore purpose must be discovered.
c) You don’t choose your purpose. You must discover it, because God chose you before you were born.
4. Pursuing purpose can only be done by faith.
a) God will not give you all the answers. He told Abraham to leave without telling him where he was going. The dream was so big that it was not going to get done unless God did it. And God led Abraham to get to a place where he had no one else to rely on but Him. This is the life of faith. Faith is journey of discovery. On one hand you can see this as a bad thing and dread it. But on the other hand, you can see this as an exciting thing and enjoy it! Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the discovery.
b) If God gave you all the answers you would not need faith. How fun would that be? There is a certain level of mystery involved with walking with God. ENJOY IT! Embrace it! Have fun with it. If you are in Christ you are going to heaven, but God also wants you to ENJOY THE RIDE!
c) God will do everything He said He would do in your life. Stand on His promises. Believe God. IT SHALL COME TO PASS if you don’t quit before your harvest comes due (Gal 6:9).
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. You made plans for me before the world began. You did not call me because of my performance. You called me by Your unearned and amazing grace. I embrace the call. I pursue it by faith. I know You will not give me all the answers up front. I know You will lead me to a place where I have no one else to rely on BUT YOU! I know You will get me to the point where IF YOU DON’T DO IT, IT WON’T GET DONE! But instead of dreading those situations, I welcome them. I embrace the life of faith. I look forward to the journey. I enjoy the ride! You PICKED ME and I thank You for it! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
