Sermon Summary: The God Who Keeps Us

Father God can be trusted because his nature is sure. He is the God who keeps us.

Gold freshly extracted from the earth isn’t lovely. It’s clumpy, dirty and only slightly recognizable. Three ‘ingredients’ are needed for the gold to shine and and become luminous. Those three ingredients are: heat, pressure and time. The introduction of these elements to a clump of gold make the value more obvious and the worth distinguishable.

Often times we do not recognize the gold God has deposited into our life and calling. It may not glisten at first, but through time, heat and pressure God can use our life circumstances to bring it forth. Often, circumstances in our lives can seem overwhelming, leaving a residue of mud before the joy of reward surfaces in its due time. We know the time needed to invest before much reward surfaces. Across all avenues of life, we can relate to this dilemma. Joseph, from the Old Testament, would likely agree with us. The man, leader and brother he was in the mature season of life, was not the same as the boy who first blurted out the visions he saw.

Some notables from Pastor Tyler’s sermon:
Pastor Tyler suggests that it’s a far better option to focus on the Refiner (the person) and what he produces, not the specifics of his process. It may be our tendency to take flight or freeze when Father God allows heat or pressure to enter into our days, but a kingdom perspective that focuses on HIM rather than the process will allow for freedom.

• “God draws out the impurities because they silence the freedom he has called us to”

If we desire the product of freedom and we know the One who makes a way to get there, we can embrace his process because he is trustworthy, knows the plans he has for us and is able to redeem any of life’s circumstances.
When difficult circumstances strike, it is common to blame God for foul play. For some, it eases the discomfort of pain if blame can be piled elsewhere. In the midst of difficult circumstances it can be easy to doubt God’s character and his nature toward us.

• “It would be ‘bad theology’ to ascribe untrue motivations about God.”

Pastor Tyler shared, “If we allow our circumstances to shape our theology, it leaves us derailed and shaken” and “Circumstances do not dictate the promise nor do they dictate the Promise Keeper.”

The filter for knowing, relating, comparing, seeing or understanding God should be through his word and through the life of his son Jesus. When we look at our circumstances through a Kingdom lens, we can see impossible situations made possible, by our way-making Father God. He has answers to any problem we might face.

• “Refining is for increase; in faith, fruitfulness and freedom”

Refining is a purposeful process God can use in order to draw out and establish the fold within like faith, fruitfulness and freedom in order to maximize the potential dormant within us.

Be invited to enjoy the sermon (for the first time, or again) by clicking here: http://northlandschurch.com/watch/stories-of-an-awesome-god/the-god-who-keeps-us