Exceeding Great

[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections, Exceeding Great Genesis 15, 1 After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.

[0:19] Ephesians 3, 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Jude 1, 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

[0:40] Do you know what it is to exceed? In Genesis 15, Abram needed to find out what that meant. Abram had God's promise, and he had correctly put all of his eggs in that basket.

[0:53] However, just at this moment, Abram wasn't sure how the cherished promise would ever come about. God's solution? To show Abram something that exceeded beyond the limits of himself.

[1:08] To exceed means to proceed beyond any given or supposed limit, measure, or quantity. To go beyond. God's message to Abram in a time of fear and doubt was to declare to Abram that there is something that goes far beyond his fear, and something that proceeds past the limits of his doubt.

[1:28] The Lord's solution for Abram's fear and doubt was to point Abram to the exceeding greatness of himself. To the I am.

[1:39] Genesis 15, 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them. And he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

[1:54] Look up, Abram. Look beyond the limits of your understanding of who God is, and see that he exceeds all expectations and boundaries that you have placed upon him. Abram did just that, and he believed that God was able to exceed in his life.

[2:11] Abram was a Hebrew, literally, one from beyond. And at this critical moment of his relationship with God, he needed to be reminded of that. Are you exceeding?

[2:23] Does your life exemplify that of one who is from beyond? More importantly, are you looking for God to exceed in your life? Do you recognize that the limits your fear and doubt place upon him do not in any way constrain him or prevent him from exceedingly and abundantly fulfilling his promise to you?

[2:45] Go to the place beyond. Look up, and let God show you the exceeding greatness of his love for you. Jeremiah 31, 3 The Lord appeared from afar, the place beyond, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting, limitless love.

[3:06] Therefore I have drawn you with exceeding great loving kindness. Father, eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the exceedingly great things which you have prepared for your people.

[3:22] And the greatest of all things is yourself. Thank you for showing us your limitless love by the exceeding act of the cross. Thank you that all fears and doubts have found an answer in the person of the I am, Jesus.

[3:40] Amen.