God will do the impossible...

       The following thoughts are, I admit, lengthy. However, as I sat down to write, the ideas, thoughts flowed and flowed and flowed. I pray that as you take the time to read them, they will encourage and inspire you in some way...
       Be careful to guard your dreams or visions. Be careful to guard what God has said to you. Know who in your life God is going to use to help realize that dream(s). Know who in your life is naturally a part of the fulfillment of that dream and those whom you may erroneously use to help fulfill that dream.
       Abraham received a Word from God that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4). Here was the problem: his wife, Sarah, was barren. How could God give such a word to a man whose wife was barren? How could God give such a word to a couple who was so old and past child-bearing age? Yet, God gave Abraham this promise. He promised that he would be a "biological" father. And Abraham "believed in the Lord and He accounted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).
       Sometimes God will give us a word or a promise that does not seem to line up with our ability to fulfill that word or promise. Yet, if we choose to believe God, if we choose to believe His word to us 1) that will please God (i.e. our faith) and 2) He will bring it to pass. When God gives you an impossible word which you can't do, just know that He can and will do it. It's not about your ability but His ability. What's impossible with man is possible with God. And when He gives you an impossible word that only He can fulfill it means HE gets the glory not you!
       But, here is the problem we may start to reason things out in our mind and start focusing on fact instead of faith. The fact is "I can't" or even "I don' have the ability." In Abraham's case, his wife could not have children, she was barren. She was also past child-bearing age. She was too old, her body could not physically handle bearing and giving birth to a baby. All of a sudden "fact" starts to outweigh "faith". In fact, it doesn't actually outweigh "faith" because Abraham still believed God would make him a father of many nations. But "how" God would fulfill His words becomes the issue. God surely can't use Sarah, a barren wife, so there must be another way. It is here, unfortunately, that man's interference steps in. Here, with all good intentions, man tries to bring God's word to pass.
       It is interesting that Sarah is the one who offers the suggestion that her handmaid, Hagar, be used to bear this child on her behalf. This act was in fact legal by man's standards but it was a violation of God's law. So, they were now leaning on man's opinion of what was right - man's law vs. God's law. Their faith here was therefore compromised.
       How many times do we too become "compromised" in our faith. We believe God will fulfill His word but we don't trust Him enough with the "how". So, we step in with our human understanding and intelligence and wisdom and try to bring God's word to pass  our way - a way that makes sense to our human mind and that may even appear wise. Here's the problem: man's wisdom is not God's wisdom. Man's wisdom is 'earthly, sensual, devilish' (James 3:15). God's wisdom is 'pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy' (James 3:17). When we step in and try to bring God's word to pass we can make things worse, not better, and may even have to live with long-term regrets and consequences. If God gives a word, vision, dream or promise, trust Him to bring every detail of it to pass!!!
       Now, let's get back to Sarah. It is interesting that Sarah is the one who offers her handmaid to her husband. Could it be that she loved her husband enough that she takes herself out of the picture and puts someone else in just so that he could be all God said he would? Abraham himself may not have made the suggestion out of love and respect for his wife. Yet, from the time the suggestion was made, they both jumped at the opportunity. They never consulted God; they probably just felt it their duty to "do their part." After all 'God helps those who help themselves.' However, there was only One who could bring it to pass and that was God. You see, God is not going to ask or expect us to violate His Law to fulfill His will. If what you feel the need to do violates God's law, even with the best of intentions, IT IS WRONG! God will not expect you to compromise, for example, your marriage vows and relationship to bring something "good" to pass. He does not expect you to start leaning on the "world's " laws and views to get something done. Inevitably, it will backfire on you. You either please God all the way or you don't please Him at all!
       Paul says in Galatians 3:3: 'Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?' Earlier in verse 2 he says: 'Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?' You see, Abraham and Sarah started in faith but when the reality of their limitations hit them they chose to rely on the "flesh" to bring God's promise to pass. Many times we do the same. God gives a word and we believe it. But when we start looking at our limitations, coupled with the possibility that He seems to be taking too long to bring this word to pass, we see it as a sign for us to step in and "help God out." Faith and patience go hand in hand. God will bring His word to pass BUT in His timing. God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son, Isaac, many years after He had given him the promise. They had to wait and trust Him. Our impatience can sometimes cause us to rush ahead of God and we can end up making a mess of things. However, it may not be able to actually cancel out God's word. It may just cause unnecessary problems and challenges for us and even future generations like the Jews and Muslims today.
       When Abraham and Sarah violated God's marriage law by bringing a second "wife" into the picture - legal by the world's standards but NOT by God's - this precipitated unnecessary challenges. One, Hagar was a slave and did not have rights and was therefore put into a position without any consideration for her personal desires and needs. Sarah had to make herself look good and Hagar was going to help her do it! This was a common and legal practice in their day, that a woman's handmaid could bear children on her behalf. But it was not God's way. Things went well at first but then started to go downhill. When Hagar realized she could do what her mistress could not, 'her mistress became despised in her eyes.' (Genesis 16:4) Sarah in turn felt the need and was given permission to deal with her and she 'dealt harshly with her (v. 6). Sometimes, those we turn to for help, because they are not in God's plan for the fulfillment of His word to us, can end up becoming a "thorn in the flesh." Pride could step in once they realize they can do what we can't and their attitude towards us can change. Jealousy and envy on our part also steps in and the whole thing becomes a huge mess. If you are in a position of leadership, this person may start to disrespect and usurp your authority and if you're not careful they may undermine you and render you ineffective in the eyes of others. If pride is present in the person's heart, an Absalom spirit may also step in and your position of authority may be challenged. Be careful with who is around you. Some will be there for good, some for evil. Learn to trust God to bring His word, vision, dream to pass. Wait patiently on Him. Where you can't, God can. The answer is not always "someone else" with more ability but God who is well able to enable you to do what He has called you to do and that you can't do on your own. 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' (Philippians 4:13)
      

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