Seek God’s Purpose

(Gen. 12:1-7, 10-18)

Abram was chosen by God (Neh. 9:7) and asked to leave/give up/relinquish the
familiar for the unfamiliar (Gen. 12:1; Ps.45:10; Luke 4:26; 2Cor. 6:7; Heb. 11:8;
Rev. 18:4;)

Ur was prosperous, cultural - and idolatrous.

This was a call to “come out” of a worldly environment, to be “set apart” and to
dwell in a place of God’s choosing, in order to accomplish His purpose.

Following God’s plan for our lives requires faith and courage

He was summoned to a life of faith, of obedience and total commitment

The pig asks the chicken, “What shall we have for breakfast?” “Let’s have
ham and eggs,” replied the chicken. The pig said, “Oh no, not ham.” “Why
not,” said the chicken, “I will supply the eggs and you supply the ham.”
The pig then responded, “For you it only means involvement, but for me it
will take total commitment.” In the same way the summons to a life of
faith is not a summons to involvement, but a summons to total
commitment to the Lord.

Faith embraces obedience as the ground embraces rain

God’s plan for your life always includes change

We can react to change by blaming God or trusting Him (Phil. 4:4-8)

Alvin Toffler, who wrote the best-selling book Future Shock says that
when people go through rapid times of change they need what he calls,
“islands of stability”. Those are things that do not change in your life.

Though many changes will occur in our lives, God’s faithfulness remains
unchanging (Mal. 3:6) as does His love (Jer. 31:3; Ps. 119:159; Rom.
8:38), as does His Word (Isa. 40:8), as does His plan (1 Sam. 15:29; Ps.
33:11; Prov. 19:21; Rom. 8:28)

God’s faithfulness will sustain us in trying times

“Family” can help each other survive trying times as well

He was offered blessing, to Abram and through Abram

Following God’s plan leads to blessings for ourselves and others

 The faith of one can bless a nation!

The provision of fame and character is found in the Lord’s statement, “and
make your name great.” The Lord’s statement in this promise is in contrast
to humanities statement in chapter eleven verse four at the Tower of Babel,
“Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach
into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name.” Humanity strives to
make name and become successful, but true success is found in a life of
faith. It is only by trusting in the Lord and following the Lord that one can
truly have a great name. The idea of a great name goes beyond fame. In
ancient times a great name was a “revelation of character.” A great name
referred to one who had “superior character.” A life of faith produces a life
of righteous character, a character that can only find its source in God.

The Lord told Abram that he would make his “name great” or “famous,”
and Abram’s response was to make the Lord’s name famous to all around
him.

God’s call involves both a personal and a global plan

It’s tragic when a worldly person must rebuke a Christian for their unbelief (Gen.
12:18; 20:9-10)

Abram’s failure of faith serves as a lesson for us (1 Cor. 10:11)

We sometimes operate like Abram. We receive God’s promise and vision, we

pursue God until a specific situation enters our life. Suddenly we take matters into
our own hands, we begin to operate out of fear or pride rather than faith. Before
long, the walls start caving in all around us.

Now there is the question of why Abraham was not punished. The answer is
revealed in the same story found in Genesis chapter twenty concerning
Abimalech. In Genesis 20:7 God reveals that Abraham was not punished because
he is a prophet. Does this mean that righteous people go unpunished? Perhaps
God spared Abram from harm because He planned to use him for a great purpose?