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weekly sermon 2-8-09 Time For Him Good Sunday morning everyone. This week I want us to cover something that slips from us and we are totally unaware until it has passed. This thing that I am talking about is time. Time is something we have on our side and against us. This just depends how we look at it. Time is of God and strictly His. We are put here to enjoy a little of it to do the things asked of us by God.
We, as all of us are aware, are in some very rough times. I want us to look at something that will show us time and how we are to accept and deal with times that are not so great. The scripture I want us to look at has nothing to do with bad times, but it is a great lesson teaching us how to handle things that we can not see in front of us.
I want us to look at how things do not always happen in the time frame we want and how to handle and not handle it when it is not in our control. Let us remember one thing first and foremost, NOTHING is in our control. I know that many folks believe they choose their own destinies and things are in their control or they have the ability to control certain happenings. Just as it states in Jeremiah; He (God) knew us and our path before we were even born. Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." As you can see, we where known, sanctified, and had our paths laid out for us before we were born. Knowing this, tells us that nothing is really in our control. It is totally in God's control and we are just along for the ride.
Turn with me if you will to Genesis 17:1-5, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (2) And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. (3)And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, (4)As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. (5)Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."
Let us take a minute to set the scene. Abram was a man that trusted and obeyed God to the fullest. Abram was married to Sarai, who was unable to give Abram any children, as she was barren. Now God had blessed Abram with much wealth, but Abram had no one in his line to inherit his household. God then came to Abram, changed his name to Abraham (meaning father of a multitude), and told him that he would be the father of many. Well as we can see from the first verse, Abraham was already ninety nine years old, and was a little too old to be having children. How did Abraham handle this?
Turn with me to Genesis 17:17, "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" Abraham laughed at what God had told him. The thing that Abraham had not understood was that God would make all of this happen in His time, NOT Abraham's time. All Abraham would have to do is perform the will of God as God gave it to him and when God knew the time was right, He would cause the blessing to happen that He had promised Abraham.
Many will say that women are more sensible thinkers than men. Of course we all know I am joking with that statement to an extent. Women in general do tend to have calmer minds, with the ability to think in a more sensible manner. God went back to Abraham in order to see Sarai, who's name was changed to Sarah (meaning princess), who was now eighty nine years old, to tell her she would be having a child for Abraham. How did Sarah handle this? Genesis 18:12, "Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" As we can see, Sarah handled the situation the same way Abraham did. Both of them laughed. This is a common response by many, even today. Neither here were really laughing the funny type of laugh, but more the nervous laugh. This is the response I am talking about that many commonly use.
Well Abraham and Sarah did eventually, at the ages of 99 and 89 respectively, have a child named Isaac. Long ago I did a message on humor of the Bible. I will eventually have to do another. This would be added to the "humors of the Bible" message. Yes I do find this next passage funny. Genesis 17:19, "And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him." Just looking at this verse you would not be able to understand how I would find it funny, so I will explain. Remember that Abraham and Sarah laughed at God when He told them they would have a child at such an old age. God told them they would have a son and name him Isaac, what I find funny is the name that God chose. Isaac, as we see it, is not a funny name, but the meaning of his name is what really caught my attention. The name Isaac means laughter. This shows us that God really does have a sense of humor. As Abraham and Sarah were laughing at God, He so named their son.
As we can see from these passages, Abraham and Sarah followed God's will and the directions God had laid out for them, and were rewarded with what God had promised them.
Things happen when God makes them happen. In our times we have to remember one thing, no matter if the times are great or the times are bad, they will change. God makes our lives have change just as the seasons have change. If life was always great then we would not have lessons to learn or stories to tell or things to refer to when teaching others. The difference is how we handle it. As I stated time is God's and is something that we can not see in front of us.
Remember the first verse that was given in this message that God already has our fate planned for us. God promised us sanctification and ordination. If we wait our time and follow the directions God has given us, then we too, in God's time, will be rewarded with the promises God has made for us.
How do you want to handle time? Have you come to know God and what His directions are for you? If you have never given your life over to God and started following Him and living in His time, but you would like to, then all you have to do is say a simple prayer with me.
Say this simple prayer with me, Dear Lord, I want you to be the Lord over my life, forgive me of my sins, and give me the gift of everlasting life. Amen.
If you have said this simple prayer, then we believe that you have received salvation. We would love to rejoice with you, so please drop us a note, in our link, to let us know and confess Jesus before man, so that we may send you a few things that we hope will help you in your new Christian walk.
With Love in Christ, Pastor Stone
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