“Detours To Our Dreams”

Lead Pastor, Stephen Macaluso

 

By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered Him faithful who had made the promise                                                                                                           Hebrews 11:12

 

Abraham’s life was defined by his

Dreams

not his

Detours

 

How we handle God’s promise:

 

1. Eliezer= I’ll have to          settle for less

 

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward.”  But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”  And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”  Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.”  He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.”  Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

                                                                        Genesis 15:2-5

 

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”                                          John 15:4, 5

 

*Sometimes we settle for less

 

because we’re afraid of more!

2. Ishmael= I’ll have to         get it myself

 

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.  But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children.  Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”  Abram agreed to what Sarai said.  So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.            ..So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.               Genesis 16:1-3, 15

 

*Sometimes our big ideas

 

are shortsighted

 

 

3. Isaac= I’ll have to choose to trust God

 

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.  Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.  Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. Genesis 21:1-3

 

Abraham waited patiently for this to happen, and he received what God promised.                                                                                                   Hebrews 6:15

 

           

*Sometimes we need

 

 

to simply let God be God

 

 

 

~ Don’t Settle For Less—

pursue The Best! ~