When God Blesses, Part 1

I have a dear friend down in Orlando, FL Dr. Bob Willson. He is an optometrist. One time I remember us having a conversation about the requirement the medical profession has for continuing education credits. He said, “Dan, if I treated people today only with the knowledge, procedures, and tools that were around when I graduated medical school I would have my license revoked.” For Him to stay a leader in his field and for him to serve his patients, He needed to be willing to change. God’s blessings come when we change to conform to His will and plan for us. How might God be asking you to change?

Dr. Steve Brown says that only two things do not change: God and change. Change is always going to be with us. Change is a reality of life whether we like it or not. And more than that, change is in God’s plan for you and for me.

Maybe you have heard people say “God loves you just the way you are.” That’s nice. But it’s only half true. God loves you just as you are in Christ! God has no intention of leaving you as you are. He has no intention of leaving this church as we are. God told the Israelites before they entered into the Promised Land,

Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please, because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession. But you will soon cross the Jordan River and live in the land the LORD your God is giving you. When he gives you rest from all your enemies and you’re living safely in the land, you must bring everything I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—to the designated place of worship, the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored (Deuteronomy 12:8-11, NLT).

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLTSE) And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. Change is not simply a fact of life. Change is part of God’s plan for you and me.

A big part of leading like Jesus is in recognizing what God wants to change in your life, submitting to His leadership and authority to make change, and in leading yourself, your family, your group, your church—whoever—to make the change. Genesis 17:1-27, is a great illustration of this.

God had a plan for blessing Abraham. This plan included incredible blessing for himself, Sarah and all their descendants. The blessing needed to be accepted by Abraham in changing how he led his people by instituting circumcision for every male in his clan. Abraham did not believe that the blessing of a son when he was 100 years old was possible. He laughed!

God assured Abraham that He was indeed going to do what He said and his proof was going to be the birth of Isaac. Abraham obeyed, even though he did not understand how God was going to be able to make His promises come true. He trusted God and did what he was asked.

God greatly blesses His people when they are willing to follow His direction. The blessings that God promises His people are fantastic. They are hard to believe. Abraham experienced the blessing of God the way He did because his love for God resulted in three attitudes that guided his life and leadership: he was willing to change. He was willing to submit. He was willing to trust that God was going to do what He promised.

More tomorrow….