I was thinking about some things that have been going on in my life and around me in the past few months and I thought that some of the insights God has been teaching me would be an encouragement to the few people who read this little blog.
In the small group I am leading we are going through the "Experiencing God" study. This has been really eye opening even for someone who is doing it for the second time. In the study, they talk a lot about Abraham. He is a great example of someone who rearranged his life to join the work God was doing in and around him.
One of the points the authors make about Abraham has really stuck with me more than any other, perhaps because of how it applies in a few situations I am very familiar with. The point they make is that even though God promised Abraham a son, it was many excruciating years before the promise came to fruition. Why is this? Why does God tell us what he is going to do, and then make us wait for it?
Abraham was pretty messed up, he pimped his wife off on two different occasions, had sex with his daughters, had a son by his wife's maid, not to mention all that went on with his protege' Lot. Now I'm not saying that you are that bad, I'm also not saying you're not. To God, sin is sin, there is no degree, no points for greater sin like on your driver's license, its just sin. What I am saying is Abraham needed some work. He was let's say...a little rough around the edges. If he was going to be the "father of many nations," he needed to be molded into a great man. It took a lot of work by God to create Abraham out of Abram.
We are the same way. God has plans for us, great plans! He has made promises and He will keep them. But don't expect that you can just do these great things He has planned for you as you are. No way buddy. You have to adjust your life to Him. It goes beyond excepting Christ, it goes beyond taking the first step toward change. You have to be the man or woman He wants you to be in order to accomplish these goals. Once you reach that level of relationship with God, He will have something else for you and you will have to adjust again. He is refining us all. There is too much sin in our lives for us to ever reach "totally refined" that's where the sacrifice of Christ comes in.
So, don't worry if what God has promised you isn't happening. He is working in your life to make you better at whatever He has planned for you. Whether you are to be a parent, songwriter, evangelist, missionary, successful businessman, or whatever He has promised you. "The Lord is faithful and He will do it." Now we just have to trust that He does what He says.
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In the small group I am leading we are going through the "Experiencing God" study. This has been really eye opening even for someone who is doing it for the second time. In the study, they talk a lot about Abraham. He is a great example of someone who rearranged his life to join the work God was doing in and around him.
One of the points the authors make about Abraham has really stuck with me more than any other, perhaps because of how it applies in a few situations I am very familiar with. The point they make is that even though God promised Abraham a son, it was many excruciating years before the promise came to fruition. Why is this? Why does God tell us what he is going to do, and then make us wait for it?
Abraham was pretty messed up, he pimped his wife off on two different occasions, had sex with his daughters, had a son by his wife's maid, not to mention all that went on with his protege' Lot. Now I'm not saying that you are that bad, I'm also not saying you're not. To God, sin is sin, there is no degree, no points for greater sin like on your driver's license, its just sin. What I am saying is Abraham needed some work. He was let's say...a little rough around the edges. If he was going to be the "father of many nations," he needed to be molded into a great man. It took a lot of work by God to create Abraham out of Abram.
We are the same way. God has plans for us, great plans! He has made promises and He will keep them. But don't expect that you can just do these great things He has planned for you as you are. No way buddy. You have to adjust your life to Him. It goes beyond excepting Christ, it goes beyond taking the first step toward change. You have to be the man or woman He wants you to be in order to accomplish these goals. Once you reach that level of relationship with God, He will have something else for you and you will have to adjust again. He is refining us all. There is too much sin in our lives for us to ever reach "totally refined" that's where the sacrifice of Christ comes in.
So, don't worry if what God has promised you isn't happening. He is working in your life to make you better at whatever He has planned for you. Whether you are to be a parent, songwriter, evangelist, missionary, successful businessman, or whatever He has promised you. "The Lord is faithful and He will do it." Now we just have to trust that He does what He says.
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