FUTURE BLOCKERS: Getting The Stuff That’s Been In The Way Out Of Your Way | Part 1 – The Past | Jordan Brawner

ERWIN MCMANUS –
“What is it that makes humans different than every other species? Humans have a super power that no other species have. Humans materialize the invisible. You may not even know that about yourself. In the same way bees create hives and ants create colonies, humans create futures. It’s so inherent to who we are that you don’t even know that you’re doing it.”

[1] When God thinks about the future… he thinks about !

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

[2] is about walking into the future with God

Romans 4:17 (LB)
¹⁷ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say that God made Abraham the father of many nations. God will accept all people in every nation who trust God as Abraham did. And this promise is from God himself, who makes the dead live again and speaks of future events with as much certainty as though they were already past.

[3] A can arrest our future

John 4:4-7, 16-18 (NIRV)
⁴ Jesus had to go through Samaria. ⁵ He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob had given his son Joseph. ⁶ Jacob’s well was there. Jesus was tired from the journey. So he sat down by the well. It was about noon.
⁷ A woman from Samaria came to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”…
¹⁶ He told her, “Go. Get your husband and come back.”
¹⁷ “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands. And the man you live with now is not your husband. What you have just said is very true.”

[4] Just because something happened doesn’t mean it was

Matthew 6:10 (LB)
¹⁰ We ask that your kingdom will come now. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.

• Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God’s will to be done… because often times it

• Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God’s will to be done… because we’re in a spiritual

John 10:10 (NIRV)
A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they may have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.

Luke 22:31-34 (NIRV)
³¹ “Simon, Simon! Satan has asked to sift all of you disciples like wheat. ³² But I have prayed for you, Simon. I have prayed that your faith will not fail. When you have turned back, help your brothers to be strong.” ³³ But Simon replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
³⁴ Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, you will say three times that you don’t know me. And you will do it before the rooster crows today.”

[5] God draws close to us in our and even our

Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

• When we need God most… he doesn’t hide from us

Genesis 3:8-9 (LB)
⁸ That evening they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden; and they hid themselves among the trees. ⁹ The Lord God called to Adam, “Why are you hiding?”

• comes when we stop hiding

1 John 1:9 (LB)
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.

[6] of the past changes everything in my future

John 4:28-30, 42 (NIRV)
²⁸ The woman left her water jar and went back to the town. She said to the people, ²⁹ “Come. See a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?” ³⁰ The people came out of the town and made their way toward Jesus…
⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said. We have now heard for ourselves. We know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Acts 3:2-7 NIRV
² A man unable to walk was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful. He had been that way since he was born. Every day someone put him near the gate. There he would beg from people going into the temple courtyards. ³ He saw that Peter and John were about to enter. So he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, and so did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man watched them closely. He expected to get something from them.
⁶ Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold. But I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.” ⁷ Then Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up. At once the man’s feet and ankles became strong.