It has been just over a year since we have moved to Colorado. It has been a journey of full of mountain top experiences, hikes through the valley and even crawling through some dark places; however the Lord has been faithful through it all. I want to share just some of what I have learned over the past year and what I still learning to this very day. This will take several posts, so please be patient with me as I step through this journey.
I updated my playlist to start off with Rich Mullins' song Sometimes by Step. That song has been such an incredible guide for me. Our last Sunday at Living Springs Community Church back on Sunday, September 18, 2011 Pastor Kirk taught a message to us that he called "Step by Step: Abraham: Genesis 12-25". There were five key ideas he shared about vision and letting the Lord lead you step-by-step (Shared with permission from Kirk and Livings Springs Community Church). This has been a guide to me over the last year and has become more real to me that I ever could have imagined. I have experienced in some way each of the points covered below:
I. Being called & Led
a. Be available to be led by a vision
b. Build altars along the way
i. Serve as reminder of our vision
ii. encourage us to continue the journey
iii. inspire faith in us when times are dry
c. call upon the name of the Lord
i. make your vision about honoring God with your life
ii. worship the Lord along the way
iii. walk with God, step-by-step
II. Fighting for your vision
a. There are forces against your vision
b. there are allies standing with you regarding your vision
i. share your vision with these people
ii. have these people pray for you
iii. Allow the Lord to bring people into your life that He will use to help your vision along the way
c. Giving so the Lord gets the glory
i. A form of trusting God with your vision
ii. The way of honoring God with your blessings
iii. Generosity strengthens your vision but also the faith of those around you
iv. Makes our outcome reliant upon God’s blessing
III. Believing
a. Genesis 15
IV. Growing through mistakes as we pursue vision
a. Abram lies to Pharaoh about Sarai, Genesis 12:10-20
b. Sarai gives Abram Hagar to bear them children, Genesis 16
c. Sarah lies to the Lord about laughing, Genesis 18:13-15
d. Abraham lied to Abimelech, King of Gerar about Sarah, Genesis 20.
Proverbs 24:16 – for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity NIV
V. Living Your Vision
a. Carrying the marks of your vision, Genesis 17
b. The birth, Genesis 21
c. Growth, Genesis 22
d. Tests of obedience, Genesis 22:12 (The test of Abraham over sacrificing Isaac)
e. Even through loss, Genesis 23:1, 2 (Sarah died)
f. By passing it on, Genesis 25:5-11
Conclusion:
Proverbs 16:1-3
Proverbs 16:9
This sermon had a profound affect on us. I would encourage you to familiarize yourself with Abraham's story in Genesis 12-25 before continuing onto the subsequent posts. This journey has been and will continue to be step by step for Shannon and I.
