To Gain the Whole World – See through the Contradictions

中文請點擊這裡

The 18th MTC gathering is only six weeks away.  Please register today for MTC 2012.  Please also join us for the 3rd week of intercession for MTC by clicking here for the prayer guide.  This week’s prayer theme is: Jesus, the Author and Perfecter.

Please note, because we are traveling, there will not be a live prayer and message sharing this week.  We will resume our Skype gathering next week.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.  I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” – Genesis 17:1-8

As we ponder deeper into Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, we see God work in astounding ways to prepare His vessels for increasing kingdom authority*.  In qualifying Abraham’s heart through an offering, God revealed His great passion for setting our hearts in the right place.  This passion is so great that He will even turn His desires “upside down” just to get our attention.

With Abraham, God demanded an offering that defied all conventional understanding of sacrifice.  For many people today, to abstain from a sinful lifestyle may be deemed as a tremendous sacrifice.  For most Christians, the giving of our time, finances, and talents are seen as honorable acts of offering.  For those who give up financial opportunities and lifestyles to do God’s work, we commend them for their sacrificial faith.  But these acts of offering do not come anywhere near the realm of Abraham’s test for kingdom authority.  What God demanded from Abraham was not just the sacrifice of his son, but also the very Kingdom call God gave him as the father of many nations.

In God’s interchange with Abraham from Genesis 17:1-8, He left absolutely no room for doubt.  God’s desire to raise up Abraham as the father of many nations is so strong that He tied its fulfillment to the confirmation of His covenant.  And to seal His desire into Abraham’s destiny, God even threw in a name change.  As an affirmation of God’s heart and desire, this ranks right near the top!  Abraham thought that he can never go wrong.  Right?  Wrong!

In the course of confronting our personal ambition, God’s operating principle may take us through shock, confusion, disappointment, and even circumstances that seem completely contrary to His promises.  It seems that God’s greatest test for kingdom authority lies in our ability to see the “road of the cross” through the contradictions – to walk, in faith and humility, the only path that leads to true kingdom authority.

For many of us today who are going through the process of offering up our “Isaacs” and working through confusion, disappointment, and even anger, please take comfort…for the greater the call, the greater the contradiction.  And when we have finally settle our hearts to the test, look for the “ram”!

Market Place Reflection and Prayer

  1. Has God ever spoken to you promises similar to those in Genesis 17:1-8?
  2. How has God led you to places of blessing in relationships, finances, career, education, company strategy, ministry, investments, or partnerships – only to see them taken back, leaving you confused, disappointed, and angry?

Lord, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to understand the principles of your contradictions – in gaining the world.

* “Kingdom authority” is defined as:  capability, influence, and wealth in places where we work, live, learn, and govern (from message on Sept 20th).

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.