Lift Up Your Eyes 1/20/2019

Exodus 33:15 NKJV

Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.

Context: Ten Commandments given on Mt. Sinai. Moses stands between God and the people, asking for forgiveness.

God - I will do what I have promised. But I will not go with you.

Guests: Happy that you are here today. At the end of each sermon it is our practice at Branches Church to take time to open ourselves up to the Spirit of the Lord. We want Him to speak into our life, meet our needs, give us what we need for walking this life. Miracles happen, prayers are answered, people who want the baptism of the Holy Spirit receive it speaking in unknown tongues as the Spirit leads. You are welcome to join us at the front or to stay where you are, both are so normal no one will notice if you come forward or not.

Trying to impress a girl. Walking backwards talking to her, focused on her, and I turn to have a telephone pole smash me in the face.

Can anyone relate? Ever been walking talking to someone and run into something that you didn’t see coming?

Or looking at your phone and hit your head on something low hanging. Distracted driving and hit a curb or another car?

In some way this has happened to everyone of us. Why?

Our focus obscured our vision.

I want to preach a very simple thought that God has given me for you. Lift up your eyes, and look from where you are to where He is taking you.

Abram or Abraham as God would change his name to went thru some trials. I have always liked the message of Abrahams life. That you can struggle, falter, and even fall. But as long as you are making your best effort to walk with and follow God. God’s promises will be fulfilled in your life.

In we have the account of Abram and Lot coming to a place of needing to separate their families and possessions from one another.

Abram gives Lot the first choice. Lot looks at the rough terrain of the hills and mountains, then looks down at the well watered plain. Of course he chooses what appears to be the best choice.

Abram is given the hills and mountains. The rough terrain that was clearly not as well watered.

God is with Abram and God is going to bless Abram.

Did Abram believe God? Would you have believed God?

Abram had no children yet. Abrams experience so far has been that every few years God would say to him. “I am with you.” “Follow me and I will bless you.” “I will give you a great nation.”

I believe Abram had the same struggle we have. We have these experiences with God where we feel so close to Him. Then life gets in the way… we don’t feel that close. We may even feel left.

Let’s be authentic: You have promises from God that have not happened yet. I have some promises from God that have not happened. It can be very frustrating waiting on God to do what He has said He will do.

We want it now!

That is not how God works. First he prepares us. Sometimes that will mean losing some things. Losing some stuff that your life does not need. Losing some influences. Losing some people that act as anchors and not bridges or some people who are steering you wrong.

Look at what God had to do with Abram in...

Genesis 13:14–15 NKJV

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

Genesis 13:14-15

Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are.

Look beyond the wilderness.

Look toward what I am promising.

Look from the place where you are.

Look past your financial burden.

Look past your family struggle.

Look past the obstacle that sits in your way.

Look past your hurt.

Hear me today. 2019 is going to be the year of lifting your eyes and looking from the place where you are.

The importance of lifting your eyes.

Known problems can be more comforting than unknown destinations.

There is comfort in accepting things as they are. This is just the way it is and I cannot do anything about it… This is my lot in life.

What if God does not want you to accept the current place? What if God wants you to endure for a season. What if God wants you to embrace the struggle all while looking to the promise of a better thing.

What if God is calling you to a life of faith!

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

There are two ditches on either side of the highway of faith.

One ditch attempts to ignore current reality. Faith is not ignoring your struggles, problems, suffering.

Neither is faith only living with your head down looking at the reality you are walking thru in that moment.

Faith is living in the present while looking toward the promise!

2 Corinthians 5:4–7 NKJV

For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:4-7

We struggle with this life… But God has prepared us for this. We walk by faith, not by sight.

Lift up your eyes from the place where you are...

Skirting the Mountain

Israel became comfortable with their wilderness wandering.

God said to Moses in...

Deuteronomy 2:3 NKJV

‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward.

Israel was wandering and circling the Mountain where the Spirit of the Lord had descended into their midst. They were uncomfortable with the wilderness but satisfied with the Mountain experience.

Even though the wilderness was harsh. They needed daily miracles to survive it. It became a comfort zone for them.

God had promises for them but they would have to leave the comfort of the Mountain to fully embrace the promised land. The mountain felt safer than the unknown battles that waited.

Music for altar service.

Two ways I want to say the same thing:

As long as your problem takes priority you will never fully embrace God’s promise.

As long as your comfort takes priority you will never fully embrace God’s promise.

Faith is lifting your eyes from your problem. Faith is turning away from your comfortable thing.

God was saying you have been walking around this mountain for long enough.

You have been walking around this same experience for too long. There is more.

You have been focused on this unresolved issue long enough. God has promises he wants to keep.

You have been looking at the wilderness too long. Lift your eyes from the place where you are and see what God is going to give you.

See your family saved living a righteous lifestyle. See your health restored. See your healing. See your door being opened. See your marriage being restored. See your blessing. See your promise that you have walking with God toward.

See Him doing all the things He said He would do.

Lift your eyes from the place where you are!

Music for altar service.

What is the wilderness you have been walking in? Lift your eyes.

What mountain have you been circling long enough? Turn the direction you know God is leading you.

If you only look at the place where you are. You are going to miss what God wants you to see.

Altar Service:

We are going to take a minute and let the Spirit do a work. Branches Church will you come to the front? Let us gather together for a minute. His word says we are to bear one another’s burdens. There are people in this room that you would never know what wilderness they find themselves in, feel alone in it. God wants you to lift your eyes. Help someone lift up their spiritual eyes. Encourage someone by praying with them.