A few months ago, I visited the replica of Noah’s Ark The Ark was the length of one and a half football
fields. The internal volume of the Ark was the equivalent of 569 train boxcars.
Walking the Ark, from top and bottom, is like walking a football field nine
times.
It took an incredible amount of faith to build the
Ark. Who builds a boat in the desert? Who hammers away for 120 years on
something they may never need? Who banks their entire future on something that
has never happened before? Noah’s act of obedience literally changed the world.
And obedience will change our world, too.
Noah built the Ark because God commanded it. Day after
day, he hammered and sawed as his act of obedience. With each daily act of
obedience, he glorified God. The Bible tells us, “Whatever you do, whether in
word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17
DO
WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. He
walked with God, a step-by-step process. We are afraid of doing what we have
never done because it’s unfamiliar territory. So, we leave the new
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2 Corinthians 5:7 |
gifts
unclaimed, the new authority, new anointing, and new dreams and visions God
wants to give us. We want a money-back guarantee before we take a leap of
faith, but that eliminates faith from the equation. We are called to “walk by
faith and not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7
“What is the favor of God?” It’s God doing for you
what you cannot do for yourself. It opens doors of opportunity. It turns
opposition into support. The Bible says, “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and
in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52
Instead of being content with the level of favor you
enjoy today, ask God for an increase. How do we find favor? Obedience! It
begins by surrendering your life to Christ. “No good thing does He withhold
from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11
Favor s not limited to the spiritual realm. In Noah’s
life, God’s favor translated into ingenious inventions. It doesn’t matter what
you do, God wants to help you do it well. He will bless you beyond your ability
and your resources. As long as you need
man’s approval, God is limited in what He can do through you. Faith is the
willingness to look foolish. That’s why faith and humility go hand in hand.
Noah looked foolish building an Ark on dry land.
Sarah looked foolish believing she would conceive a
baby at ninety years of age.
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David and Goliath |
Moses looked foolish asking Pharaoh to let the
Israelites go.
David looked foolish attacking Goliath with a
slingshot.
The results speak for themselves. Noah stayed afloat
during the flood. Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Moses delivered Israel out of
Egypt. David defeated Goliath. Faith is acting as if God has already answered
our prayers, even if it takes 120 years.
Success is not just about getting where God wants you
to go, it’s about who you become in the process.
DO
WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO
Victoria Logan
Originally presented to the Leadership Council
11/8/17
CBS – Rutherfordton Day Class