Momentum - Learning to Give God What He Wants the Most, Part 2

Do you ever feel like God is not exactly happy with you like no matter what you do, you just don't measure up. Down deep he asked. Well, what does he really want. What does God want from me, you might be surprised by the answer. That's where the talk about today. Stay with thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge children Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry. The Bible teaches this program to continue this message on the life of Abraham showing us what it really looks like to walk with God. Mr. Lutz program will give you some context catch up later, tripping below with part two of his message. Learning to give God what he wants. The most pierced you imagine being Abraham in your following and in your learning is okay or not his.

I want you to circumcise yourself all your servants all the men and your boy what you could you give little instruction on this one. Yeah, that it hurt yet. I mean, you know, we kind of glad I don't get too graphic here, but I money think how weird that that would like are you kidding me what's this got to do with worship.

I'm telling you God on your journey of faith will ask you to do some things that don't make sense and he'll make it clear that may not be as well for anyone else but for you it is we trust. Chapter 20 which he goes back and revisits test number one on security any details that one and here's the are you getting to see it to journey to human. It's a God who loves and filing it to the final exam and the question is will you trust me with everything and everyone in your life in my life. You don't get to the final exam like this until you realize all these things leading up to and so God makes an outrageous. Absolutely outrageous request and from the culture of the day and the way that other deities were worshiped. This was not too bizarre, because many of the Canaanites and others were practicing these kind of things. It's an outrageous request is okay Abraham I was take your son, your only son. I want you to sacrifice him. I'll show you on about little show you and then it's very interesting he's really grown the boys about 13 now he seen that God keeps his promises will learn from the book of Hebrews a little bit later that he he believed that if God promised it's going to come through Isaac that if he does this guy would actually raise him from the dead and then he takes after his obedient response. He takes a long walk to three day journey a lot of time to think about.

Do I really want to follow the Scott or not. This is way too hard. I mean this is the pinnacle see what God knew is is that that boy that he longed for.

Little by little by little, was usurping the place and the role that only God can have for us to be healthy and that boy just like can happen in our marriages or with our kids are with their jobs with our money, it becomes an idol and God knows it. Anytime you have an idol anything or anyone that takes his rightful place as the king and master Lord and CEO in your life. What he knows is futile destroyed. I don't destroy you industry relationship with him so he brings a test insensate.

I want the boy and then they built an altar moment of truth. He takes the knife and he brings it up. That's where God comes through when we surrender everything and everyone and then listen to the reason the Lord said because you have obeyed me have not withheld. Even your beloved son. I swear by my own self that I will bless you richly, I will multiply your descendents into countless millions like the stars of the sky in the sand on the seashore they will conquer their enemies and through your descendents. All the nations of the earth will be blessed. All because you have obeyed me have a friends had a tremendous impact on my life as a writer, and he wrote about this issue of obedience and faith.

And he said that when God calls us to risk he means risk and it can cost us all that we have, but when we take risks with God, we gain all that he has. We can never know God and his power and love without taking risk with them. It's impossible. Risk commands trust.

In fact, risk is another word for trust. I trust that calls for us to give up our control and our security to rest in his control and his security before we fully know what that means it wouldn't be trust if we knew what the risk means for us and then Bill Lawrence writes that the key to knowing God. We have to trust him before we know what trusting him means what did Abraham know what happened in his heart.

What happened in his journey where he actually came to the point that he could believe that God is so good and so powerful and so kind and so faithful to his promises that it was safe to even sacrifice his son and I want to suggest that you look on your notes that Abraham's confidence in God's promises in God's character with the secret to his surrender and reward.

It wasn't that he was better.

It wasn't that he's fire wasn't that he's different than you was like Abraham brought up a knife and then the movie script stopped. Kenny pulled off his robe about Superman you know you S on his chest is not really like you. He can just do it. That's not it. Abraham had a great God. He learned the lessons even the ones that he failed what he believed was God's promises are always true.

God's character is always trustworthy. No matter what he ask whether it's about protection, whether it's about my possessions.

Whether it's about waiting whether it's about a relationship whether it's about a decision no matter what he ask the safest, best response is to trust the New Testament picks up the theme, speaking of Abraham is that he staggered not the promises of God through unbelief. Number two can stumble. He staggered out of the promises of God through unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Notice, being fully persuaded that what he promised he God was able also to perform.

That's what I need to believe that's what you need to believe when it gets scary with your finances when it gets scary when your kids get scary in your single and you keep getting older we get scary when you feel God nudging you to relocate, but you don't want to need listen to no success without faith. Hebrews 11 six summarizes without faith it's impossible to please God. We we developed this phony Christianity around American many parts of the world where we think being a Christian is being a little bit nicer than most people being a little bit more moral than most people can going to religious services and pat each other on the back think that's a Christian I'm a Christian, but nice because it used to.

I went on a mission trip.

Want I gave the money to Haiti are not good.

Being a follower of Christ is believing in God's promises, and God's character to the point of risk. First and foremost, accepting the biggest risk that you cannot turn from your sin and allow him to forgive it and receive eternal life, and then Sam to go on a journey of actually following him.

Without faith it's impossible to believe it's risk it's trusting. But notice that the passage goes on to explain, for he that comes to God must believe two things.

First that he exist but he really exist and not just that he exists, but who he really is that he is faithful that he is good that he is powerful, but not just believing that he exist but he is would you circle in your notes that word a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. I dare you to read Genesis chapter 12 through 22, and every time Abraham takes a step. In fact, even when he blows it when he messes up, God appears to him each time.

What's he do, he expands the blessing answers Abraham to trust me, the number one goal of God in your life is that you would learn to trust him, it's progressive but with everything and everyone in and here's the deal. Here's how this really works surrender is what we learn from Abraham surrender is the channel through which God's biggest and best blessings flow surrender is not like the few, the problem range that one kidney youth group is willing to really stand up for Christ and one business God is willing to step out and the people going short-term missions and some guy that leaves the business world, or someone you going to full-time ministry surrender is for every single follower of Christ, and if you can imagine a kind and benevolent loving God is already demonstrated by dying for you and imagine an ocean full of blessings because he's your father, and he cares about you and knows you and where you been and where you hurt and what you need and has all these blessings because he's your father, and he wants a relationship. He wants to help you… Huge PVC pipe okay really big and the blessings flow through it and what you need to hook it in your heart so you receive them you at the PVC pipe is surrender. Surrender is the channel through which God's biggest and best blessings flow the greatest compliment you ever give to God and what he wants. The most's view to say dad, Poppa Abba, I trust you I trust you with my money. I trust you with my singleness. I trust you in my marriage.

I trust you with this troubled child. I trust you, give me wisdom. I trust you with this relocation. I trust you, even though I'm out of a job. I trust you and so what I want to do is unlock and read two chapters the keep the devil way.

I trust you. I want to know you and I want to I want to talk to you and Anna read this book is all I want my heart in your heart to be connected.

I want to know what your promises are, to love you and get to know you. I want to share my life.

I want to see what you want to do in me and through me.

I want to fulfill your purpose in my destiny in this world and God says the channel through which that happens is trust. The apostle Paul would really summarize it in one verse using to say I urge you, therefore, my brothers and my sisters in view of God's mercy.

11 chapters of grace and love in Romans to offer your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable.

This is your spiritual service of worship. Would you underline in your notes offer your body. We started with the question, what does God really want from me if there is a God.

What's he really want. Here's what he wants you dummy your actual physical body. He wants you your eyes your hands your heart and then notice what to say this, underline the word.

This is your spiritual service of worship.

And when he has all of you, the dominoes will follow him show you what to do with your future, your time, your relationships, your money, but why for your good and so that you fulfill his purposes. Jesus put it this way, he said, surrender is the key to true spirituality and he gave an agricultural example in John chapter 12 he says, unless of grain of wheat fall into the earth and die it remains by itself alone never to take grain wheat keep it out here, but if you bury it, let it die. Then it brings forth much fruit they says that's a picture of the spiritual life and then he goes on in verse 25 to say there are some people, but even though I think I got. I love you and want to follow you this.

I got Mike, Mike, here's Mike.

Mike this in their claims.

I want to follow you my way, my time, my conditions my agenda unlock it without my girlfriend might let you mess with my money and I got my future pretty well laid out, but I'd really like to get into heaven, and if I didn't I see you I could really use some help, but is on my terms. Of course knew what happens to the PVC pipe valve just got shut off seat. You can either allow him to be God or you can be God. And if you're God you get to rely on all the resources you have and what I'd say is good luck or you let him be God is all-powerful, have a stack of emails about like that. We in almost all of them said Rebecca got one appearances ship on which I'm all in. Come scared to death. You know what I think that's being honest. If you're single and you're living with someone you know, the relationship isn't right and you know going all in means you can break off that relationship is scary and it is your all in and really when you're honest your kids of captured your heart and you look for your kids and there's a light on your life but if you come to God with you and take good care of them me that doesn't make sense logically, but emotionally does, doesn't see.

I think what I see in Abraham is a man who chose to believe, and he did it very imperfectly. He had good days and bad days. He passed some test he failed in others, but the intent of his heart was I want to know you.

I want to trust you and he risked and got honored. What is it that God wants from me. Number one. All I am in all I have. It's kind of a summary, got that one already did number two for those who love Texas hold 'em. You can probably complete this one for me. God says he wants my faith. He wants me to say Lord I am all in what you imagine the chips of your life every area and pushing to the center of the table.

God, I'm all in. I was thinking about what that really means and I came across something a from Chuck Swindoll that was really encouraging. It was a something that he read and passed on, and it's a story of a man, a best I can figure he's middle-aged and his wife is died. Let me just read it to you. It's told through the lens of his brother. He said my brother once opened the bottom drawer of his wife, Janet's Bureau and he lifted out a tissue wrapped package. It was an exquisite silk handmade piece of lingerie with the trim of lace around the top price tag carried an astronomical figure was still attached to it. You see, Jane had bought it in their first trip they ever went to the New York City, eight or nine years ago, but she never worn it. She was saving it for really special occasion. Well my brother thought himself. I guess this is the occasion. He took the lingerie, put it on the bed along with the other close that he was taking to the mortician's hands lingered on the soft material that he slammed the door of the drawer shut and screamed. Don't ever say anything for special occasion. My fear is the great majority of all the Christians are saving yourself for special occasion and the subtle lie that someday some way when finances are better when the markets different when our kids are little older. When I finally get married. I'm really gonna step out and have a radical faith to minimally follow Jesus like never before and someday some weight and you're just like this wrapped in tissue paper with the price tag still on it and we will bury you and you will have never had the courage or the faith to unwrap the package that God placed in your heart to become the man or the woman with the parent. The God want you to be because he wanted to change your world through you and I think that would break God's heart surrender is the channel through which God's biggest and best blessings flow and so you have in your a little action step. It's a blank check in for some your eyes and your body language of told me. I've already done this, but I need to commemorate it and for others.

Today's going to be one of those defining days and you'll say I can still remember where I was and I told God I was scared to death. I'm all in, and I remember I told God I think you could take better care of my wife.

I surrender. I signed the check. A moment so let me ask you willing to sign the check. Are you willing to say to God, I'm all in. Are you willing to take the chips of your life. Your future, your family, your money, your dreams and believe today by faith that God is so good and so kind and so loving that the smartest wisest thing you could ever do is to push the chips to the middle of the table to sign that check and say God I am all in surrender is indeed the channel through which your biggest and best blessings flow. I will tell you, you will never regret this. I will tell you that your life will make some major major changes and I will warn you, we will be with several tests and challenges.

You'll never regret it. Let me just give you an action step. Are you ready because you know unfortunately we couldn't be in the same room together go to LivingontheEdge.org and click on the time all in button and you can sign that check printed out and remind yourself just like we did to the people church on this day you said to God, I'm all in. And God's biggest and best blessings are going to come your way and is can it do a great work in you and then he's gonna do great work through you. God bless you go to the website LivingontheEdge.org click the I'm all in button and let us help you keep your commitments to God. You'll never regret it will be back in a minute but let me just remind you that his message today is from a series momentum how to ignite your faith in momentum. Chip develops his outline for Romans chapter 12 and shows you how to live out a life of real faith no matter what's going on. Learning how to overcome the evil aim to do in understanding how to give God what he wants the most is guaranteed to make a difference in your life, starting today, access chips entire series momentum how to ignite your faith with the Chip Ingram up or download the free MP3s from our website. LivingontheEdge.org tribunal. We have thousands of people who emailed who writes or talk to our team and often what we hear is I really want my life to make a difference but I don't feel like I'm doing that right now I don't know how know what would you say that person will what I'd say is way to go. I mean that's the kind a heart that God is looking for and we have a brand-new resource that I think will help people go from I'm walking with God, and I think I think I'm where God wants me to be that I'm just not making a difference is by a friend of mine named Lance which is called leaving ordinary behind 25 days to an extraordinary faith in my extraordinary faith. It doesn't mean that your bigger or greater more wonderful.

It just means that when you study the lives of people with an extraordinary faith. You know the Abrahams the Daniels the Joseph, the Moses, the regular people in Scripture.

What was it, how did they see God. How did they catch the kind of faith that allow those ordinary people to do extraordinary things. That's this devotional if you want to make a difference. You really just long to say God use me, use me in ways greater than right now. This devotional take you 25 days to an extraordinary faith.

Check it out. Thanks to this devotional called leave ordinary behind is written by chips friend and fellow pastor Lance Witt for limited time, you'll find this brand-new resource discounted when you go to LivingontheEdge.org or tap special offers on the Chip Ingram map for additional information. Just give us a call a triple late.

333-6003, just before we close, would you stop for a minute and offer up a prayer for Living on the Edge we've never seen a greater need for God's truth to go out them right now and by God's grace Living on the Edges been able to provide encouragement, teaching, and personal discipleship resources to more people than ever before.

So thank you to those who support us through your prayers. Prayer moves God's heart and were very grateful on behalf of Chip and the entire staff saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge