Scripture
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech (beg) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ask your neighbor, do you gave the Mind to Expand?
(pray)
Today we begin the series, Expand. God spoke to us in 2013, a year of trials that his promise will come to pass. And he has manifested himself true to his word. Numbers 23:19 says...
"God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
God delivers. So here we are today standing on a promise, despite many obstacles in 2013, which 13 represents promise. We celebrate his word. And he brings us to a place not only of promise, but Expansion.
Expand: to increase in size or volume. expand may apply whether the increase comes from within or without (external) and regardless of manner (as growth, unfolding, addition of parts)
Expansion is about exponential increase, or extension of what already exists. It can come in the form of finances, being able to make a dollar out of $0.15. It can be that your business clientele has really picked up because of the most simple form of advertising, which is word of mouth.
It's movement, a forwardness, a word of action, specifically a verb for those English scholars here today. But what is the value of Action if stagnation is present? In order to EXPAND in your life you must identify the blockage. Why can't I get to the other side? Why do you have two islands where one represents the present and the other your future and no bridge in between?
The answer is, our way of thinking.
Leaders do not fit in (not conformed)
God spoke to Abram in Gen 12:1..."Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee."
For you to be at the edge of the island with no bridge means your mind is still conforming to this world with no hopes of getting to your future.
The great Apostle said, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed."
In other words, be in the world but not of the world. God had a plan for you before the foundation of the world and he needs to separate you from your current environment to carry it out. Before we began the 9 month journey in our mothers womb, his plan was already taking place.
In order to separate yourself, there must be revelation of being chosen.
(Matt 24:14)
"Many are called but few are chosen." And you have been chosen. Say, I'm chosen.
We are all in the same fight, but certain ones are called for a certain reason.
GET THEE OUT ABRAM. I have called you.
That's why you never felt that you fit in anywhere. The way you lived didn't follow the way others did. Making friends was not the easiest thing in school. Finding the right mate was even harder.
Because he has a "plan to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
And in the plan everyone can't come along for the ride, Lot. (Gen 13:5-13).
They can enjoy the blessing of Abraham for so long. Not everyone will agree with the vision. Some may plug in, some may wither away, some may all out abandon the vision of God.
You can only go as far as your mind can take you
Feet can't go where the mind has never been. You see yourself through the lid but can't break through the lid. Living in a glass box. All blessings lay outside. It's there before your very eye, yet unattainable.
God speaks to us through Dreams and Visions, but will also have a one on one conversation as well.
(Ephesians 1:9)
"He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ."
Now that God has removed the hindrance in his life, he can speak to Abram on a whole different level. He comes to the Father of many nations from a scientific view.
(Gen 13:14-16, 15:5)
Metaphorically speaking, imagine the desert land and one grass seed planted with a drop of rainfall added and see a lush growth, sprouting from the valley floor to the mountain top, stretching beyond the visibility of the natural eye.
That's Gods promise.
