Our text tells us that Abraham accepted God’s invitation to travel by faith into a new land. This journey and what sustained him became the cornerstone of the new testament believer's life. Abraham is known as the father of the faithful. In verse four we see where faith begins. In verse five we learn about the character of faith. Beginning in verse seven we see what it is like to live a life of faith. Saying that we live by faith is entirely different than actually living by faith. It is this working out of faith with which we struggle. Living by faith sometimes puts us to the test. When we live by faith, sometimes we have to live without other things. By definition, living by faith means not knowing. Faith can only be exercised in the element of the unknown or unseen. We question things that we do not understand, but it is often the process of God exercising our faith. This is where life tries to challenge our beliefs and questions our passion. It is in these moments that we struggle with doubt because we do not understand what we feel like we should understand. The story of Abraham is a picture of what walking with God really looks like. Sometimes we have to live with silence. Sometimes we have to live through a season of barrenness. Abraham’s life was changed forever by one conversation with God. He received a word of great blessing and a long lineage. Abraham begins with a spirit of obedience. The promises that God spoke into Abraham’s life were so unbelievable, but the bible says that Abraham was not staggered by them. If God said it, He can do it. God already sees the end. God calls us something before He makes us something. He calls us something to help us understand our potential. Then He has to navigate us through the path to get us there. Living by faith is not knowing, but still going. Human nature does not like the unknown. Abraham embraced the promise in the midst of his trouble and adversity. The key to living by faith is in where we are looking and what we are looking for. Abraham saw a city while he was living in a tent. Living by faith is not easy, but in Abraham, we have an example of what living by faith really looks like.

Our text tells us that Abraham accepted God’s invitation to travel by faith into a new land. This journey and what sustained him became the cornerstone of the new testament believer's life. Abraham is known as the father of the faithful. In verse four we see where faith begins. In verse five we learn about the character of faith. Beginning in verse seven we see what it is like to live a life of faith. Saying that we live by faith is entirely different than actually living by faith. It is this working out of faith with which we struggle. Living by faith sometimes puts us to the test. When we live by faith, sometimes we have to live without other things. By definition, living by faith means not knowing. Faith can only be exercised in the element of the unknown or unseen. We question things that we do not understand, but it is often the process of God exercising our faith. This is where life tries to challenge our beliefs and questions our passion. It is in these moments that we struggle with doubt because we do not understand what we feel like we should understand. The story of Abraham is a picture of what walking with God really looks like. Sometimes we have to live with silence. Sometimes we have to live through a season of barrenness. Abraham’s life was changed forever by one conversation with God. He received a word of great blessing and a long lineage. Abraham begins with a spirit of obedience. The promises that God spoke into Abraham’s life were so unbelievable, but the bible says that Abraham was not staggered by them. If God said it, He can do it. God already sees the end. God calls us something before He makes us something. He calls us something to help us understand our potential. Then He has to navigate us through the path to get us there. Living by faith is not knowing, but still going. Human nature does not like the unknown. Abraham embraced the promise in the midst of his trouble and adversity. The key to living by faith is in where we are looking and what we are looking for. Abraham saw a city while he was living in a tent. Living by faith is not easy, but in Abraham, we have an example of what living by faith really looks like.

Paul spent his life trying to help people understand the principles and promises of God. People misunderstood his life, his ministry, and his passion for the gospel. He begins the chapter with an explanation of all of it. There were four things that Paul prayed that the Ephesian church could experience. First, he prayed that they would have an encounter that would change their life. Second, Paul prayed that they would experience the fullness of God’s power. Third, Paul wanted them to embrace the eternal purpose of God’s plan. Finally, he wanted them to enjoy the blessings that God wanted them to have.

Paul spent his life trying to help people understand the principles and promises of God. People misunderstood his life, his ministry, and his passion for the gospel. He begins the chapter with an explanation of all of it. There were four things that Paul prayed that the Ephesian church could experience. First, he prayed that they would have an encounter that would change their life. Second, Paul prayed that they would experience the fullness of God’s power. Third, Paul wanted them to embrace the eternal purpose of God’s plan. Finally, he wanted them to enjoy the blessings that God wanted them to have.

After spending hundreds of years in slavery, God freed the children if Israel in one night. He brought them to the border of the promised land, but because of Israel's choices, they were not able to possess the blessing that God had for them. Despite their unbelief, God protected and provided for them during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Out text is taken from the end of that wondering and Israel is at the border of the promised land again. Moses took time to instruct and prepare them for what would come. Moses knew that he would not be able to enter the promised land himself. The entire book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell address to Israel. He tried to equip them with the wisdom and knowledge that they would need to move forward. The land had everything that they needed. Their enjoyment of these things was tied to something that only they could control. If they did not make the right choices or decisions, it would jeopardize all that God had delivered to them. He is a God who will provide and supply, but our access to those provisions are affected by the choices we make every day. Moses was trying to make the children of Israel understand that the law of God was not restrictive, but it was liberating and freeing so that they could truly enjoy the blessings He had provided. The victory and blessing of Israel were tied to their response to His covenant. The lesson of His law is this: When we appropriately respond to that law, blessings will automatically come. The bible says that if we obey HIs covenants, the blessings WILL come. The fighting of daily battles and conquering of our enemies is all wrapped up in our choice to honor God’s covenants daily. It must be a daily choice. It is not a Sunday only thing. We cannot live one way on Sunday and live contrary to that the rest of the week. If it does not govern our lives daily, then it does not matter what God has provided. If we make the wrong choice, the bible is clear, that we will not be blessed. Every day we live, we are blessing or cursing our life dependant upon the decisions and choices we make that day. We are releasing the hand of God to bless, or restricting that hand.

After spending hundreds of years in slavery, God freed the children if Israel in one night. He brought them to the border of the promised land, but because of Israel's choices, they were not able to possess the blessing that God had for them. Despite their unbelief, God protected and provided for them during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Out text is taken from the end of that wondering and Israel is at the border of the promised land again. Moses took time to instruct and prepare them for what would come. Moses knew that he would not be able to enter the promised land himself. The entire book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell address to Israel. He tried to equip them with the wisdom and knowledge that they would need to move forward. The land had everything that they needed. Their enjoyment of these things was tied to something that only they could control. If they did not make the right choices or decisions, it would jeopardize all that God had delivered to them. He is a God who will provide and supply, but our access to those provisions are affected by the choices we make every day. Moses was trying to make the children of Israel understand that the law of God was not restrictive, but it was liberating and freeing so that they could truly enjoy the blessings He had provided. The victory and blessing of Israel were tied to their response to His covenant. The lesson of His law is this: When we appropriately respond to that law, blessings will automatically come. The bible says that if we obey HIs covenants, the blessings WILL come. The fighting of daily battles and conquering of our enemies is all wrapped up in our choice to honor God’s covenants daily. It must be a daily choice. It is not a Sunday only thing. We cannot live one way on Sunday and live contrary to that the rest of the week. If it does not govern our lives daily, then it does not matter what God has provided. If we make the wrong choice, the bible is clear, that we will not be blessed. Every day we live, we are blessing or cursing our life dependant upon the decisions and choices we make that day. We are releasing the hand of God to bless, or restricting that hand.

The water system in our community is capable of supplying millions of gallons of water per day to our residents. There is a massive supply of water available, but the size of the pipe into the house limits the amount of water we can get into our homes. If we want to get more water into the building, we must install a larger pipe. There is a spiritual parallel. God’s possibilities are immeasurable, but most of us live a life limited by the capacity we have to receive it. The problem is not whether God can do it, the problem that we no not have the capacity to receive it. Our text introduces us, Jabez. We know very little about Jabez, but what we do know is that he was more honorable than his brethren and more respected than his kin. We also know that he had some pain in his past. God singled Jabez out for a specific reason. Jabez was not satisfied being known by his past. When Jabez began to pray over his life, he didn’t dwell on his past. He concentrated on the future that God had for him. He had great faith that God, not fate rules the affairs of man. To realize the fullness of what God has for us, we must increase the pipe that connects us to Him. The only way to do that is through prayer.

The water system in our community is capable of supplying millions of gallons of water per day to our residents. There is a massive supply of water available, but the size of the pipe into the house limits the amount of water we can get into our homes. If we want to get more water into the building, we must install a larger pipe. There is a spiritual parallel. God’s possibilities are immeasurable, but most of us live a life limited by the capacity we have to receive it. The problem is not whether God can do it, the problem that we no not have the capacity to receive it. Our text introduces us, Jabez. We know very little about Jabez, but what we do know is that he was more honorable than his brethren and more respected than his kin. We also know that he had some pain in his past. God singled Jabez out for a specific reason. Jabez was not satisfied being known by his past. When Jabez began to pray over his life, he didn’t dwell on his past. He concentrated on the future that God had for him. He had great faith that God, not fate rules the affairs of man. To realize the fullness of what God has for us, we must increase the pipe that connects us to Him. The only way to do that is through prayer.

Intellect can only take you so far in finding God. In order to find a place or a greater place with God, we have to be drawn there by the spirit. When the spirit moves, we too often try to analyze it from a human perspective. Reason and logic have their place, but we have to be very careful in applying them to spiritual things. When we start applying logic and reason spiritual things, we run the risk of missing the purpose God has for us. On the day of Pentecost when God’s spirit was poured out, those watching asked the meaning. The upper room could not contain the spiritual movement that was happening. Those that received the Holy Ghost followed their heart out of the upper room and into the streets of Jerelesum. When the spirit moves in our heart, we have to move.

Intellect can only take you so far in finding God. In order to find a place or a greater place with God, we have to be drawn there by the spirit. When the spirit moves, we too often try to analyze it from a human perspective. Reason and logic have their place, but we have to be very careful in applying them to spiritual things. When we start applying logic and reason spiritual things, we run the risk of missing the purpose God has for us. On the day of Pentecost when God’s spirit was poured out, those watching asked the meaning. The upper room could not contain the spiritual movement that was happening. Those that received the Holy Ghost followed their heart out of the upper room and into the streets of Jerelesum. When the spirit moves in our heart, we have to move.