The Rock Church

According to one of my family’s favorites shows – The Dog Whisperer – dogs get themselves in trouble when they aren’t fulfilling their calling.  I think we’re the same way!   

“Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham…  So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.  For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.’  Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘The righteous man shall live by faith.’  However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘He who practices them shall live by them.’  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law… so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”   - Galatians 3:6 - 14

1. Being right with God is about connecting with purpose.

Righteousness is not a clean trophy we someday receive – it’s being a channel through which God can pour His purpose into the earth.

“And He took him outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’  Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”   – Genesis 15:5 – 6

It wasn’t Abraham believing God for righteousness that made him righteous – it was his faith in God’s promise concerning God’s purpose for Abraham. 

2. We fulfill the purpose of God through faith, not through performance.

“And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith...”  
– Romans 4:19 - 22

We often think purpose will be fulfilled by a flawless performance.  But God’s way says that purpose is fulfilled by faith – and not even flawless faith! Abraham proves this! 

Abraham, in his humanity, wavered in his faith at one point.  He and Sarah became impatient with God’s plan and devised a plan for Abraham to sleep with Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid.  They gave birth to Ishmael.  

That is a significant waver in faith!  However, in God’s hand one bad chapter does not become the whole book. 

I love the GPS in my car – even when I take a wrong turn, it immediately starts  recalculating my route!  God is just like this!  He’s not thrown off by our wrong turns.

Think about the mighty plans God recalculated even as these men took wrong turns:  David sinning with Bathsheba, Moses killing Egyptians, Peter denying Jesus…  Don’t let regret over wrong turns in the past ruin your heart today.  Trust God to finish what He started in you and for you.

3. The curse is broken and we are blessed for a purpose.

Whatever I set my hand to prospers for a purpose.  God does not prosper me just so I can sit there blessed, but for me to go out into the earth from a place of strength in order to fulfill His purpose.

4. We will never fulfill God’s purpose by being good enough.

God blesses us because He’s good – not because we’re good. 

Law-based living is performing – and this is cursed living!   

God is not focusing on our capacity to perform.  The issue with God is – do you trust me to do what I said?

5. The faith that clings to God’s promise shapes our lives for His purpose.

It’s impossible to really hold to the promise and blessing of God while  living a life inconsistent with what would please His heart. 

Living by faith, and not by law, does not give me an excuse to throw off all restraints.  It’s forming me into what God wants by another method. 

When you believe you are a world changer you start acting like one!  When you believe you are on the planet for a purpose you start acting like it!