The Tests Are Going To Come

June 24, 2007

Sunday School Lesson: God Is In Control

We've been studying the last few weeks the Old Testament and stories where God was always in control but we keep asking the same question, "Why does God allow it to happen?" For instance, we studied the book of Job for 3 weeks and how Job never questioned God no matter what was happening. In fact, his mindset was always to praise God because he never doubted God was in control.

Here's what I was wondering: We believe God is always in control and we all could point to times in our life where God bailed us out when there was nothing we could do in the situation. But why is it so hard for us to let go of stressors or anything that we are afraid to hand over to Jesus when we know it's the ONLY thing to do and that it's the RIGHT thing to do? We know He's in control, yet we have this pride that we can't let someone else be in control of our life.

So, here's what I came up with: The Bible is full of God's promises for our life. God has never broken those promises and never will. But I think we struggle with relating to the difference between a Godly promise and a human promise. Let's face it, human's can't keep promises. I can't, you can't, none of us can. So, when we think of God keeping a promise to never leave us or forsake us, I think we treat that promise like it's coming from a human. And since we know human promises can't hold water, that God's promise is going to fail as well. And that false thinking is the same as knowing a human is in control of a situation. If I can't trust myself to get through a situation, I'm certainly not going to put it in the hands of another human being for two reasons. 1) I have a better chance of handling it than someone else. 2) If I think I will fail, then I'll really think someone else will fail quicker giving them the situation. If we believe those two scary thoughts, then we hesitate to trust God will be in control of the situation. We put God in a human box that He can only do so much.


Anyway, Pastor was speaking yesterday on the "tests" we will all face in life. But we've never been tested like Abraham, especially in this story.

Genesis 22: 1-19
Abraham was asked to use his son Isaac as the sacrifice.

Notes:

Temptations are satan's way. God doesn't tempt us. He's not trying to "trip us up." God uses tests and trials. In this case, Abraham's loyalty was tested.

Isaac was old and strong enough to carry enough of the needed wood to build an alter. He was also old enough to understand how sacrifices went.

Abraham knew God's promises and had been standing on them.

v. 14: "The Lord will provide."
v. 18: "...because you have obeyed my (voice) promises."

If we haven't been standing on God's promises, we will not pass the test.

Application: Here is what God is asking you: When things get really tough, is he going to stand on those promises? And how long will he obey? How far can I test him?

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain