Q3. Obeying before We Can "See" the Destination

[pastor neal]

Why does it take...when we are asked by God to do something before we see how it will turn out we are being pulled from our comfort zone and the people or routines that we are familiar and love and placed into a position of uncertainty. This is where the special faith comes in. As difficult as it may be, we must maintain faith that God has our best interest in His heart and that He is leading us unto new positions to fulfill His will.

Have you ever had...I have had several where I was going unto unknown situations, alone, for the first time ever, but I kept in my mind and heart that this was what God wanted from me.

Am I in the midst...I am not totally sure, but I am in a position, as previously stated, where my multitude of medical challenges have left me without my last employment, so mayhap this is similar to this situation as I await to see what new opportunities will open for me and I must have a strong faith that they will and know that God is working on my behalf.

[mc'el4life]

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

Because what God is saying at that moment might not be what we think is the solution to our problems and so might be meaningless to us. At times the fear of falling, failing, rejection or uncertainty stops us from obeying God. But we should always realize that He is the all knowing and all seeing God who has seen and known the end of our journeys in life from the beginning and can make things happen for us. He is the God of all flesh and there is nothing too hard for Him, we cannot do anything by our power, when we work by sight we don't see beyond our vicinity and things don't move we need to keep launching into the deep whenever He says so.

I sure have had this opportunity in the past some I obeyed and His power manifested and some I used my brain and did not work.

I am really in the midst of one now and asking for His leading and knowledge and wisdom I know He will and something great is coming forth. Amen

[SISMONZICA]

That special faith separates us from others for we trust/believe,have faith in Yahweh without seeing, while others belief breeds from seeing.

Yes I have,

Yes I have, for that was and is the Ministry.

[royk]

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to beginto do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

God called me to leave my Chicago home to go live in France for 15 yrs. Then He called me to go to Atlanta and more recently to Virginia where I met my Christian wife and maried this year. He has called me to learn Spanish, her native language; it has not been easy. I let myslef be distracted by life events and have not ben able to focus enough to make much progress in the language. But her brother's are preachers, and sing Hispanic songs. They are called "Duo Salem." You can Google these two words to see how blessed I am to be slowly growing in faith. stumbling, even falling, but He picks me up and will not let me go..

He wants me to start doing "legal Shield" in Virginia like I did in Atlanta, to help others learn how develop their own business and be able to serve others while seking growth in Christ. I praise God and beg Him to continue, dispinte my fears and failings. I know He will continue to test me and grow me. He loves me so much, and you too.

God bless!

[joy irowa]

it takes special faith because you can`t be going where you don`t know in the name of God has spoken, in the physical sense, it is not wise but for to obey and move on you must be endowed with the special faith

no i am not in any now because i don`t have anything doing now excepting working for God

[Old Jerry]

It takes special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God because it really is unknown what we are doing. When we leave everything behind and strike out with nothing that takes faith in God to see how it will turn out.

I have had some of these “opportunities” but I always approached them with caution. I am in such an adventure now.

[Craig]

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

 

 

Most people want some kind of control in their lives.  In fact, they want control of their lives.  They want certainty and to be in the know.  So setting out on a mission project in obedience to God without all the details goes against the grain of human instinct and does require a special trust in God.  In reality faith/trust in God should not be special, but the norm in a Christian's life. 

 

I have been called by God to ministries that were adventures into the unknown.  I am not currently in one of these adventures.  On the other hand life itself is this sort of adventure.

[Ernie's Son]

I sort of like to see how things turn out before I make the move.  In this case, that is not the way it works.  I have to make the move first without knowing how it will turn out if it is of God.  If it is of God is the big thing.

 

Heb. 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (NRSV).

 

Our author says that "God has put the faith of Father Abraham within you!  You are his spiritual son or daughter" (Dr. Wilson).

 

The way I take our Author's words is that I have a faith like Abraham.  If I am that spiritual son, I should have the faith to go where He (the Lord) sends and do what He bids.  Our author is right "that takes real faith."

 

The "support system" is not so easy to turn loose of: First, it is seen and I know it is there because of experience.  Second, the family and my love for them is paramount; yet, I know that Christ has to come first.  Third, it's not easy to dethrone self and enthrone Christ, but it has to be done ("let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" Mt. 16:24).  These are just three things of many, but Christ has to come first.

 

Heb. 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (AV).

 

It has to be of God with absolute surrender for He sees where I don't.  Christ is to be my all in all.

 

B.

Yes.  This study is an opportunity and adventure to bring me closer to the Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lighthouse2014]

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

We take faith and obedience for God before we see how it will turn our because only God knows what his will well be if we obey him, in time his glory will be reveled.

I have not had any of these opportunities at the present time.

I am in the midst of the adventure in which God has appointed for me if I continue to obey him and his commands. 

[Rosesam]

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

When God says to do something He doesn’t give us the full plan or the outcome/result of that obedience. It is like stepping out into the unknown without any clue of how things will turn out to. So this requires faith. Biblical definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1 which states, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So faith is like having the evidence beforehand. It is the unreserved confidence in the goodness of the Lord who is able to make all things work together for my good.

Yes I have had opportunities where I had to step out into the unknown, not knowing what to expect, but over the years when I look back I have seen the goodness of the Lord upon my life.  

[William Richardson]

On 8/23/2004 at 11:37 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Everyone, at least in America, has heard of the very old adage about "finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel."

Clearly, the implication is that we entered the tunnel (as in a car/truck) when it's fairly dark but we most certainly did NOT see the end of the tunnel until we approached the half-way point or more and of course we're all relieved when we see that daylight at end point of the tunnel. The point is we all enter a kind of "mental tunnel" when we start a new project, a new relationship or some kind of adventure with our family, we do so with a small grain of faith, maybe at least half the size of a "mustard seed." We need to apply this same kind of thinking to ALL of our endeavors, new and other-wise with our faith in God, knowing that "all things work together for good to those who love God." After all, the air we breathe, the food we eat and liquid we drink, we do so with much less faith. 

Also remember, Paul encourages us with these words,

 

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col 3:17

Edited September 21, 2019 by William Richardson
Remember an applicable Scripture.

[Godswriter]

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

It takes a special faith to begin do something in obedience to God because in order to know what happens we need to trust God for the outcome and believe that He knows best. Yes I have had several.  Yes I am. 

[Paula Price]

I want to address this question while it is fresh on my mine.  I usually finish my study before answering my questions but this one is heavy on me..  We tend to try to interpret what we read as "physical" rather then "spiritual".. I mean the bible....Most of us read with images in our minds of what God is saying...In this lesson on Abraham, God has made promises to him that were full filled over a vast period of time...which all these things promised were "physical"... The old testament is God's written word on how He wants us to worship, trust and obey Him, in order to receive the promises he has made to us..  We were created In His image to worship Him...our whole existence is to glorify God and to do His will... God choose a people in the old testament to be the ones to show us how He wanted it done.  They are our examples to follow....The old testament teaches us Gods way to salvation.  The promise He made are fulfilled through Abraham.."the blessings of Abraham"...  When we choose to become Christians and follow the footsteps of obedience that are outlined in the scriptures , we are inheriters of these blessings which is eternal life, through  Jesus the Christ....which was fulfilled in the new testament... for all people who accept Him as the Son of God and are baptized and repent of sins and walk in the word and the will of God.  The old testament teaches us of a faith of a people who believed in God who they could not see, yet those who obeyed, were blessed.  the new testament gives us the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ, who fulfilled the old testament and was the sacrificial lamb, crucified for forgiveness of our sins, so that we might have eternal life through Him.  So when we study about Abraham or any of the old prophets and kings and leaders that God chose to lead His people, we should focus on their obedience to God, on their doing the will of God, whether they understood it or not, rather than the "physical" or material things that we see are given to them because of their obedience.  We may experience different things in our lives, in our walk with God, but the one thing we all have in common is the promise of Eternal Life, which is the promise to all who trust and obey the will and the word of God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Irmela]

God does not necessary give us the complete picture when He calls us to do something. Stepping out in faith and doing it in obedience is what is required. 

Yes I have had to do things without knowing the outcome before. And am in the midst of it all again. 

God knows and is with me on this walk (thank goodness) 

[Krissi]

Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now?

Speaking autobiographically, it makes sense to want to know exactly which path I'm supposed to walk on, even if I don't know where that path leads. I need a minimal amount of information to go forward, not all of it, but some. I need to know where to take that first step, the location of the path.  Abraham was given a cardinal direction -- go South, or whatever it was. That was his minimal information.

Taking that first step is hard because it's possible to get it wrong. I know, for myself, that I fear that first step: was it made out of obedience to His vision or out of my own desires. I doubt, in other words, if I'm on the right path, even as I take that first step.

There have been many "coincidences" that could be God, or could be my own mind putting together events. I'm reminded of how primitive people first saw constellations. Stars can be mere points of light in the night sky ...  those dots of light could also be signs from God that, together create an image or pattern. I'm never sure if what I'm seeing is God, or my mind connecting the points of light into constellations. Thus, believing that God will direct my thoughts in order to make them His thoughts, is a form of faith in itself. I have to believe that God is bigger than my imagination, can control it and wants to guide me. I have to believe in HIs goodness, which is difficult for me.

I've done a few of Pastor Ralph's studies and the answers to this question have been the most interesting, so far. I'm struck by how many people are afraid of change. I'm not afraid of change at all, but rather am afraid of wanting change so badly that I force it prematurely.

I'm in the midst of such an opportunity now, that is, to obey God not knowing where the path leads. 

Faith is fraught with the possibility of failure. That's what makes it faith. Not only that we don't know His intended results (our ultimate goal), but that we don't even know, for certain, where to make the first step. I pray that God overwhelms me, not merely drops little hints. I am very afraid of making another big mistake in life and have told Him this repeatedly. I believe He will protect me from myself.

[Bianca]

 

God is a faith God. Without faith it is Impossible to please him. If you don't keep your faith in God the promises will not get accomplish. We live in our flesh bodies and sometimes we can allow our flesh or circumstances to dominate or try to dominate us which can hinder faith. Sometimes things can seem so unbelievable you will need special faith in order to believe God will accomplish that in your life. But God specializes in the unbelievable and the impossible. So it's a good idea to study his word on the subject faith and meditate on the scriptures that talk about faith to increase our faith more and more. 

 

Yes I have had opportunities to use special faith when laying hands on others and praying for others. I had to have faith before I even see the physical outcome. My husband had an issue with his arm and was getting ready to go to the hospital the next day because his arm started to feel worse after a couple of weeks. And it was very painful. I told him to let me pray over him for the issue and believe for it to go. He went to the bed that night feeling the same. He woke up the next day totally heal, no pain and no more crackling in his bones. God is Awesome! Just only one of the things I have experienced with God's goodness in this way. What's awesome is it's not just for one person we can all experience God's goodness in that way. Praise the Lord for his goodness.

 

Yes I am still in the midst of this adventure and God has been training me in different ways.