Rev. Brian K. Brown, Pastor, St. Mark M.B. Church
Sermon Series: Facing What’s Forward | Scripture Reference: Genesis 12: 1- 3
How many times have you and I stopped to ponder what God requires of us in our daily walk with him or how can we make our lives impactful for others from God’s perspective? May I take the liberty to suggest that as we continue to seek forward movement with God and through faith-based strides, God is saying something profound? Undoubtedly, God reveals forward moments in terms of ‘more.’ As will matriculate through life going about our daily business and giving God what we’ve always given Him in praise, conversation, time, and devotion is no longer enough. God Almighty is a God of more than enough and calls us to produce and provide more. So we can expect more to come to us, and through us that we may be a blessing to others. As we delve into Genesis 12: 1- 3, we can begin to unpack what God is saying through the life of Abraham.
Point 1: More Needs Us Walking with God – “Now the Lord had said unto Abram get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, into a land that I will shew thee” (Genesis 12:1). Notice the importance of the text in terms of Abram journeying, walking with God. Perhaps unknown to Abram and sometimes you and I, God calls us to walk with Him towards “better.” The lesson is clear and ours to willingly accept; when we are close to God, He will allow us to commune with him profoundly, promoting forward movement without noticing what has been left behind for our benefit. In other words, we can walk out of things no longer appropriate for our lives because they were at one time holding us back, such as our past mistakes; loneliness; anxiety; a broken heart; whatever holds us from moving forward.
Point 2: More Needs Us Waiting on God – (Genesis 12:1) Here we note the need for patience in our walking and living with God. Our downfalls happen when we become so overwhelmed with impatience, “When will this happen?” or “Is this what ‘more’ looks like for me?” If we are walking with God, as He invites us to do, we must stop trying to get to “moreville” on our own. God knows our appointed destination, for goodness sake, we must resolve to abandon impatience. More is not illusive; we are simply impatient people! Waiting is a cautionary measure that sometimes causes us to abandon the mission as we start to believe getting to “more” should already be happening and thus taking too long.
Point 3: More Needs Us Working for God – (Genesis 12:2) There are two options on this level: working for oneself and working for God. We must not be our own goal, but rather helping others as we are on God’s page, He will make us great. He alone will cause the right people to notice you, you won’t need to work as hard, “and I will make of a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12: 2).
Point 4: More Needs Us Winning With God – “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be bless” (Genesis12:3). God is not going to allow anyone to stop you from winning when you are with God. God is not going to allow you to lose! There is nothing that can stop God, He will make certain we walk to success. Beloved friend, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Winning is in your future because you are walking with God, and you will be blessed by those who see God in you; others will present the opposite ideals and will be cursed. As long as we include the Lord, He will provide for us and bless us according to His promises. The only failure is excluding God and trying to make our lives work without consulting and communing with Him.
Finally, know that God will keep you and me at a pace appropriate to where we are on our path to “facing what’s forward.” God’s greatest desire is our success; He never sets us up for failure! As long as we are committed to giving God more each and every day in our walking, waiting, working, and winning with Him. Yes, God is expecting more from our lives to allow good and more to flow through us and from us to bless others through the concept of being a blessing. God is a God of MORE.
Join us Sunday mornings in the sanctuary or via live stream on YouTube @ St Mark MBC at 10:20 for Sunday School, worship service at 10:45 a.m., and bible study on Wednesdays @ 7:00 p.m.
