Shortcutting the Will of God

Today’s Text: Genesis 16:1-6

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)Verses 1-3

Words of Ministry

We live in a fast-paced culture and are accustomed to quick results. Waiting appears to be an activity of past generations.

It's no surprise, then, that we have a hard time if God doesn't answer a prayer right away. But when we refuse to be patient, our only option is to step out of His plan. Today's passage tells how Abram and Sarai (later Abraham and Sarah) took matters into their own hands because they did not like the Lord's timetable.

Ten years had passed since God promised them a son, and Sarai was aging. So she and Abram decided to let her servant Hagar bear a child for them. Sarah eventually did give birth in her old age, but that lack of patience led to great strife—for their family and for us today. Much of the tension in the Middle East can be traced to two people groups: the descendants of Hagar and of Sarah.

Why would a godly couple choose a path of self-sufficiency?

First, Sarai's intense desire clouded her thinking. She desperately wanted to provide her husband with a son—which was a basis of women's worth in that culture.

Second, she succumbed to wrong thinking. After years of childlessness and longing, she began to think that perhaps the Lord needed human help.

Third, she influenced Abram to believe this faulty reasoning, and both gave in to impatience.

These traps still pose danger today. We're not immune to strong desire, human reasoning, or the influence of others. Impatient by nature, we could easily justify taking action in our own strength. The best advice is to listen, obey, and wait. God's timing is perfect, and we don't want to miss His best.

Communication and Commission

Today’s Text: Luke 24:15, 32

As [the two disciples] talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them… [Later:] They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 

Words of Ministry

Prayer seems to have many sides. Actually there are only two sides - Communication and Commission. The rest are phases of these two. These are the heartbeats of a prayer life. And the heart must keep beating in two directions or death will ensue. Communication without commission equals death, but together equals life.

First there is communication. Have you ever seen on television or maybe you’ve had the opportunity to see for yourself, sap being freshly tapped from a tree? Imagine holding a cup nestled up against the wound of a maple tree and taking the sweet sap from the heart of that tree, think of pray in that way. We press our empty lives, like the cup, up against the wounds of the Eternal God and take from Him life, power, and redemption. Everyday let us nestle up against His wounded side, for we our empty without Him. And everyday let our cup be emptied in living to help others.

In calling the disciples Jesus appointed twelve that they might “Be with Him,” that He might “Send the Out” to preach the Good News, and “Have Authority” to cast out the devil.


1.Communication – to be with Him


2.Commission - sent out to preach (telling others the Good News)


3.Communication + Commission = Moral Authority

If the call to be with Him holds together then everything else will follow. Neglect one and the other fades fast. And the Moral Authority depends on the other two.

Empty prayer closet, empty heart, empty hands, - this is the spiritual history of many. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

If Jesus needed to pray, how much more we need to pray!

PRAYER: O Christ, You showed by Your example the source of payer, may we tap that power and Communicate it to others. Amen

  

Further reading John 20:19-20, Acts 1:4-8