What God Did Not Say Part 1 Series

What God Did Not Say

Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 3:10; 1 Samuel 16:12-13

Introduction:

Have you ever questioned or had doubts about something you believe God told you to do because you ran into problems when you started your journey to fulfill it? There are times when we begin to act on what we believe God has told us to do with all of the motivation necessary to complete it to the best of our abilities. But there are other times when we come to a point when while we are doing what God has told us to do and things happen that make us question if we truly heard God correctly. You see, somewhere along the way we have come to believe that if God has told us to do something that it will flow perfectly and those helping us will be in total agreement with it and life would be good. There is an expectation that when we act according to God’s will that things will go as planned and if there are ever any struggles then it must mean that we have missed the boat at some point. This morning in part one of this series I’ve titled “What God Did Not Say” we will begin our search to understand how the things that God chooses not to tell us will often strengthen our faith as we are walking towards the completion of what He has told us to do. Remember, when we walk with God, we walk as blind men/women allowing God to totally dictate our steps and path.

Before I get into the heart of the message, I want to remind you of Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” If you focus on the last part, the things not seen, it gives us the first glimpse of how there will be things that we do for God that will require that we walk without knowing everything that is going to happen. In our daily lives there have been many times that we needed the answer to everything before we would take an action. If we were going out, we needed to know where, the time, directions, how long we will stay out, etc. We had to make arrangement for a baby sitter if we had kids and make sure they knew everything that was going on also. This is how we operate in our lives on a daily basis but in our faith walk, this is impossible. God tells us what He wants us to know and then He allows us to make the decision to act on that knowledge without having or even knowing the rest of the story. We do not know how it will end or who all of the players will be, but what we have is a limited perspective of what our role will be. Once we know this we begin to take steps to walk with God…..until!

I. Old Testament Followers

In this message we will examine three Old Testament followers of God. Next week we will examine two New Testament followers of God. Turn with me to Genesis 12:1-3.

Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3 says “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” We read what God told Abraham: to leave his family and go to a strange land; that God would make a great nation of him and bless him and bless or curse those who blessed or cursed Abraham. This is what we know that God told him and we know that Abraham did just as God had told him – he left his home country to go to the place where God led him. Now, let’s consider what God did not tell Abraham at the time He told Abraham to go.

o That his nephew Lot would come with him and would eventually split from him to a city that would eventually be destroyed.

o That he would have to go into battle against other kings to rescue lot.

o That his wife would get so frustrated with not having a son that she would give him her handmaid to him so she could bear him a child in her stead.

o That his wife would get angry at her handmaid and send her and Abraham’s son away.

o That he and all of the males would have to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant between God and him.