Sunday, March 12, 2006

Run the Race With Patient Endurance

I stole some of this from Steve Brown of Key Life...only he preached it better.

Genesis 12: 9- 20 And Pharaoh commanded [his] men concerning him: and they sent him (away, and his wife, and all that he had. There are many things about the Bible that I like, but one thing that I really appreciate is that these great men of God are presented without make up and lights. These biographies are for our example to encourage us to holiness and also to let us realize that in us, even the greatest among us, we still need to rely on the Father in all things. And here a man called "the friend of God" forgets to trust God. Forgets God's promise.

In the first 9 verses of this chapter we see a man sold out to God, a man who trusted God enough to pack up and move lock stock and barrel without so much as a backward glance. This kind of faith is admirable and looked up to and it is this faith that gets Abram into the honor roll of faith in Hebrews 11 8 -12 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

As we go on we will notice a trend with God, He recognizes faith and not failure when all is said and done.

Let’s go with Abraham a minute as he begins this trip. Abraham is somehow spoken to by God and instructed to "Get out from these relatives and get away from Daddy's house and go to a land that I will show you." We have exhausted the theme of Abraham not knowing from step to step where he was headed, but he went. He took his lovely bride (remember as this tale unfolds that this beautiful lady is 65 already) and his nephew Lot and His servants and all his trinkets, it seems, as well as Lot 's servants and goods. And this huge entourage begins to migrate.

And they came to the land of Canaan (in verse 5) and then God told Abram, "This is it Bud, These are your new digs”. And here God promises that He will give this land to Abram's progeny and Abraham accepts that and builds an altar.

Now this is faith folks, this is real faith because at 75 Abram and Sarai have not been able to have any children. Yet without question Abram worships God by his faith. Faith in what God has said.

I love examples of faith like that, don't you? Let’s scoot up to Hebrews 11 again. Now listen to this it can really build us up: Please read verses 1-34 But look at verse 35-40 and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of [cruel] mocking and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Isn't that amazing? These people, common people, shepherds, harlots, farmers, soldiers, prophets, even kings all made this honor roll why? Because they had a faith that made them drop what they were doing and say,"OK God, what's your plan." And they stuck to God through their ups and downs because, even in lapses, they really were God's people as demonstrated by active faith.

I don't want to make Abraham's faith sound like its out of reach. I want to make you know that it isn't, at least not if you know God. He gives those of us who are ordinary, extraordinary faith. And when we make some honor roll of faith it will all be to His glory because it’s His faith.

So Abraham, mighty man of faith, sets out and finds Canaan land. What an experience! What a fulfilling thing to trust God and walk on in somewhat blind faith.

But then hard times fall on the family and What happens next is so typical of us humans . We are on a faith walk and things are going well and then someone pushes the right button. [We go with what we are feeling & not with the word] With Abram it was his pretty wife and fear that HE would get in trouble because someone wanted this fox.

Look at what happens 11-13 Behold now, I know that thou [art] a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This [is] his wife: and they will kill me but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou [art] my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. What a man huh?. “Hey babe, I am not worried about you too much, they can take you into the harem and stuff BUT Man I don't wanna die.” AND HE FORGOT THE PROMISE.

Remember God promised a son to Abraham and Sarai? And it is rather obvious to us, looking back, from our lofty view; from the outside, safe and 7000 miles from Egypt , that Abram had forgotten the promise.

[Side note here: When we get away from trusting God enough to do things his way, we get self centered.

See that here? Abram should have trusted God and thought more of his wife than his own life. But fear and a self preoccupation come when we forget to trust.]
This incident is not an isolated incident in Abraham's life, he has a weakness , this man of faith, this man who will later not withhold his very son from God because of his great trust, a weakness for not trusting God with this matter.

I want you to notice in Chapter 20: verse 13 that Abraham made this a common practice from the time he left home in Ur . Here he has done the same thing to another king named Abimelech and listen as he explains v.11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God [is] not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake 12 And yet indeed [she is] my sister; she [is] the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This [is] thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He [is] my brother.

Here we see a man of great faith with a weak spot. Abraham was a man of faith and trust yet here his weakness is revealed, an area where he finds it hard to let God be God. I think many of us have areas where we find it hard to let God be God. Some area of sin that we can't quite turn over, an area where we can't quite trust. Sometimes we make excuses and justify our sin. Do you know your weak spot” No? Maybe that is your weak spot. Ponder that.

Abraham told Abimelech, "She really is my half sister you know."

And we say, “its my personality, I can't help it, God will understand." But He doesn't really; oh HE rescues, look how he treated Abraham in this chapter: 16-20 And he treated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he donkeys and menservants, and maidservants, and she donkeys, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What [is] this [that] thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she [was] thy wife Why saidst thou, She [is] my sister? So I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take [her], and go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded [his] men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Great financial blessings and a rescue by the dream maker Himself. But that is still not God's ideal. God's ideal is for us to trust his word in every Situation. Trust develops in our lives through trial and as we all see that God is faithful in trial even when we blow it, we begin to slowly develop trust in Him.[not a quick fix] So I think it was with Abram.

It is hard to trust. Abram lapsed, But get this straight , Abram became Abraham and was called a friend of God because of his great faith. And through this and other trials, through failures ( and he had his share) and victories, and he had his share of those too, Abram developed an abiding trust in his creator that brought him to total faith .

And when God called to Him to offer the greatest sacrifice he willingly and trustingly obeyed. Why? Because he remembered the promise. Listen to this in Hebrews 11: 17 -19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son], Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure .

Do you see? He had remembered God's promise that in Isaac will thy seed be called. And that simple faith brought forth the obedience to God that pleases God.

We tend to be all or nothing people and that is good, but we forget that trusting God is a process of growth look at these verses with me: Ps 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Here a fearful recognition of reality. A knowledge that God is near but that we will be afraid. Maybe the kind of statement Abraham could have made after the situation was over, tentative, realizing that, “yes, fear and lack of trust will come, but I will try to remember this next time."

But now let’s look at another statement. This is the statement of a man like Abraham, friend of God would make after years of testing and trial had proven his faith and tempered his trust and shown him God is faithful. Maybe this statement is one he could be saying as he strode sadly and silently up mount Moriah looking forward with some trembling to the sacrifice of his own son I Sam. 12:2 Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation

Two statements two stops on the road of faith. One tentative but willing, the other of a faith grown strong by trial and failure and rescue.

Martin Luther said,” Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace. It is so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.

But I think D. L. Moody's quote is appropriate as well: A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul. Isn't that RICH?

Do you see the progress of faith as we first accept a new Lord, then learn to trust and yield and grow? And those trials will come, and though we may not understand them, we must remember the promise of God that He will never leave us and that "there is a way of escape that we may be able to bear it." The trials truly can and will help us grow.

Charles Spurgeon said, “I am certain that I never did grow in grace one-half so much as I have upon the bed of pain."

Abraham might have said, “I am certain that I haven't grown so much as I did in that moment of self sufficiency that left God out." Without faith it is impossible to please God for he that comes to God must believe that HE is, and that he rewards diligent seekers. (Hebrews 11:6)

Where are you on your walk of faith? Are you even on one? You see faith in faith is not enough. Having faith is nice but faith is only as good as the object of your faith. What are you relying on for salvation? Is it your own goodness? There are None righteous the bible says. Is it your standing in the church? Not enough the bible says. Or is your faith in the cross of Jesus. Have you asked Him to come in and be Lord? Is that the Object of your faith? If it is, if you, like Abraham are a follower of God in Christ, then your faith is in the right place.

2nd, what are you relying on in your walk? Christian, follower of Jesus, are you discouraged because your faith seems weak? Remember the verse in Psalm "What time I am afraid I will trust?" And fix your mind on Him and abandon yourself to His righteous care and grow in trust as you walk step by step with Him.

It is the walk, the enduring walk with God that shows you trust: So run the race with the patient endurance of faith DO NOT SAY,"I feel this is right,” Instead, look at the objective revealed truth of God's word and stand KNOWING what is the proper action.

I recall my daughter Sonya running cross country. Now Sonya is a beautiful girl but she isn’t really a runner. But she ran. Every meet she ran putting one foot ahead of the next, step by step by step. And nearly every meet she wound up in last place, but EVERY RACE SHE FINISHED. I was so proud of her that season. And you know what? I think God was too. At the end of that season the few extra points she had garnered by finishing, finishing near the end yes but finishing, had tipped the balance enough to get her school team into the state meet.

Paul the Apostle said it like this, "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Looking unto Jesus The Author and finisher of our faith.

Now Ponder That. Amen