Over the course of the summer we will be looking into men and women that had one simple

thing in common, each of them were empowered by God. The truth of the mater is, each of us desire to be empowered by God. The problem is we usually dont know how to, what do look for or what to do in the event we do encounter God. So over the next several weeks we will do mini case studies on men and women who have encountered God and we will look to each story and see what we can learn so to better create God opportunities. We will start off right in the book of Genesis. Allow me a few moments to introduce a man by the name of Abraham. We dont know a ton about all the people groups during this time period but we do know that sometime: 1. Around 2,000 years after what scholars call The year of the World or creation, Abraham was born. 2. We know when Abraham was75 God began to unfold a plan unlike any other. He planned to segment a group of people in which we would call His Own. The purpose would be that he would shape them, speak to them and lead them so that they would live a life that would both accurately reflect Gods heart and therefore draw men and women to Him. 3. We know that as God layed out this plan, he would choose Abraham to start this group of people with his wife sarah. 4. We know that they were Sarah was around 90 and Abraham 100 when they finally gave berth their child that was start the new tribe of people. We know all these things from a glance, but in order to be empowered by God to do great things, it would take many encounters and growth periods. The message that we need to hear today is that in order to be empowered by God you need to encounter God. By encounter God I dont just mean be aware of him rather allow him to really move and change the way we live. This would happen over and over again in Abraham's life thus allowing him to be used and experience God. As I surveyed Abrams life the one word that kept jumping out at me was sacrifice. Abraham had an ability to sacrifice that was second to none. In fact as we look at his life Im convinced that it was Abraham's ability to sacrifice that allowed him to both encounter and be empowered by God. Lets take it from the beginning and observe how Abraham was able to sacrifice. Abraham was able to sacrifice security.

The truth is comfort is the best place for us to be if we NEVER want to experience God. This may not be popular and this certainly does not mean God wants to send us all to China to be missionaries. But this is true. When we are comfortable, we are settled in WE MISS GOD! We dont have the need to be dependent, we dont have the need to be comforted and we dont have the need to listen. Abrams first test to see if he could/would be inspired was, CAN YOU SACRFICE SECURITY? Genesis 12:1-2 - 1 The LORD had said to Abram, Go from your country, your people and your fathers household to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing I cant get over how clear God was here. Hey Abram, MOVE, move away from everything you know, everything thats safe everything that allows you not see me. Allow me to note some simple observations. - Can you Move away from YOUR things. We are comforted by OUR things, things we have, things we can control. It was no mistake that God was making it clear. Move away from the things YOU call Yours. This is the first step in letting go the things that empower you and allowing ME to empower you. I think this is a fascinating thought. Most of us find our comfort and security in things. The problem with this is, things are designed to bring us fun, not soul fulfilment! - Can you Move away from things that arent bad Some of the greatest things that get in the way of being empowered by God are not bad, in fact their good. Their things God has made and even given us to enjoy. Often we only pay attention to things that we call bad. The problem with viewing the world this way is that we can go though life being blinded by some of the most powerful things that are limiting our dependence on God. Fathers Household Can you Be a blessing over being comfortable

This is deeply wild thought and one that even this last week hit me. I dont like being inconvenienced, im working on this, but none the less. Illus - Waterman As I drove away, rushing to my next meeting the thought hit me. This morning really was a terrible inconvenience but the but brief moment in which I felt I was being even a small blessing completely overshadowed and it hit me... this is what God is challenging is to MOVE TOWARDS! Abraham did and it would give him the strength he would need to make his next move!

Abraham was able to sacrifice selfishness

When Ab moved from comfort his Nephew went with him. Gods word says that they began to acquire wealth and possessions so much so that their employees began to fight and argue. This began to lead to tension; tension that was distracting to the vision that God had given Ab. Now the question would be, Can you sacrifice possessions? Genesis 13: 7-12 - 7 And quarreling arose between Abrams herders and Lots. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 8 So Abram said to Lot, Lets not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Lets part company. If you go to the left, Ill go to the right; if you go to the right, Ill go to the left. 10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom Think about this moment for one second. Ab was called by God and Ab was the older statesman. Why would he be willing to allow the younger man to choose and then when the kid choose the good land, just let it go?

Abraham had already learned what would bring him true joy and hope, it was being empowered by God, not land or possessions. In fact as the two men parted ways Ab had a God moment... Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. You get the sense that Ab new very deeply that this verse was all about. May the God of hope FILL YOU, may he be your OVERFLOW, may He be YOUR POWER 14-18 - 14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you. 18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the LORD. I love this, As Ab walked away you wonder if he whispered to himself, I know something that you dont know... I know its not land, not possessions and not power, no its being EMPOWERED... and AB walked with the EMPOWER! AB established himself in this new place and then built an Alter to the Lord. He sat in this amazing moment and said, God thank you for revealing to me what real life and power is ALL about. Now for Ab this would be an EASY sacrifice for he new something that most of us never will.. And this prepared him to take on the great sacrifice.

Abraham was able to sacrifice what was most important!

For some us its comfort, for some of us it possessions for some of us its something totally different. In the case of Abraham he would be tested on ALL fronts. God told Abraham to take his son up to the mountain and sacrifice him unto God. This is one of those OT what the heck??? But God had to see if this man could be trusted with be the forerunner of his great people.

Genesis 22:6-12 - 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, Father? Yes, my son? Abraham replied. The fire and wood are here, Isaac said, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? (if this was a comedy....)8 Abraham answered, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son. Abraham was able to be obedient but not lack trust, not for one minute! And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, Abraham! Abraham! Here I am, he replied. 12 Do not lay a hand on the boy, he said. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. This last sentence completely sums up what God is after! Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. Withheld = restraint I honestly believe this is Gods big deal. When we get to a place in which we exercise no restraint towards God, it then that we begin to experience the deep freedom and power of God Genesis 22: 15-18 - The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies.
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