Beyond What You Can See

Building a Future (Part 2) (Beyond What You Can See) Word of Faith Version

Pastor Ricky Temple

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (, NKJV)

Thursday, February 9, 2017 Big Question for the Day: I love to ask people in challenging seasons, "Can You See?" Big Question last time: Whose job is it to build your future?

First Answer: • "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all

things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (English Standard Version)

Second Answer: • For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building

(KJV)

I. What Abraham Could Not See And Five Things That Happened Because He Could Not See (, )

1. He got trapped by short term thinking

• 1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.

2. He gave away what was meant for just he and his wife • 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband

Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.

3. They blamed and punished someone else for their choices • 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace;

and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”

4. They piled one bad decision on top of another bad decision

• 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.

5. They waited until late in life to be foolish (Abram was 86 years old; Sarai was 76)

• 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

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II. What Lot Could Not See and the Impact It Had On Those Around Him

Lot could not see how selfish and ungrateful he had become () Note: He was rescued by his uncle Abraham after his father died (, )

Lot could not see he was about to be taken captive () Lot could not see the danger of living in Sodom and Gomorrah () Lot could not see the danger going against his own convictions ()

• 2:7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked • 2:8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day

to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) Question: Are you blinded by people you are hanging around that don’t value what you value?

Closing Questions:

• Can you see beyond your immediate circumstances? • Are you tempted to be blinded by your frustrations and take matters into your own hands?

Next Time: Building a Courageous Future Pt. 3 (The Power of Courageous Determination)

Big Point: You must be Courageously Determined to build an amazing future (). People with Courageous Determination refuse to give up and settle for the easy way out. This

attitude empowers those with it to build amazing new opportunities and options into their

future.

There is a man in the Old Testament who models this kind of Courageous Determination. Next

time I come we will talk about him, his name was Joshua.