Don't Rule God Out
“Don’t Rule God Out” by Pastor Kent Munsey
October 13, 2019
Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its
width and what is its length.” And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and
another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” - Zechariah 2:1–5 (NKJV)
When God is working and moving, we try to impose our systems of measurement onto God. We tend to measure ourselves out of miracles. We tend to measure ourselves out of blessings. We tend to measure ourselves out of God’s purpose. We tend to measure ourselves out of God’s plan.
We look at who we are and what God is asking us to do, and if we are not careful, we can measure ourselves out of what God is doing. There are three thoughts around this idea:
1. A measuring line mentality limits God’s provision in our life.
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’” John 6:5–7 (NIV).
Philip is measuring here. He heard what Jesus asked him to do, and he immediately began to measure how much money it was going to cost. Then he thought about the money in terms of how long it would take him to earn it. But, then, Andrew said, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:9 (NIV).
God took what was really not enough, which is our contribution, and then he blessed it and distributed it. Luke’s gospel says that after all of the food was distributed, everyone had leftovers. That means that God was able to take what was not enough and make it more than enough, not because of anything that they had done, but because of who he is. God lives outside of our measuring system.
We tend to limit God’s provision in our life when we take out of the equation that God is God. Somewhere in the three years that they were hanging out with Jesus, the disciples forgot that God was God. Don’t rule out God.
Plan, steward, be faithful, and honor God, but do not try to put a box around God, because he is still God. God is able to do whatever he chooses to do. He is outside of the rules, outside of the measurement, and outside of the box. God is able to provide however he chooses to provide.
2. A measuring line mentality limits God’s personal design for our life.
“Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.” - 2 Corinthians 10:12 (AMPC).
Paul wrote this before social media. This was a letter written nearly two thousand years ago. Paul is addressing something that we see on a regular basis today on social media –comparing and classifying ourselves with others. This is something that we have done since the beginning of human history. What God wants to do in you is unique to you. Do not rule out how God wants to use your specific gifts, your talents, and your abilities.
3. A measuring line mentality limits God’s power in our life.
“But Moses said to God, ‘I am nobody. How can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’” Exodus 3:11 (GNT). Moses is measuring. He is measuring who he is; he is measuring who the king is. He is also measuring who the Israelites are, and he is measuring Egypt. But, who did he rule out? He ruled out God.
We serve an all powerful, omnipotent God. He may have measured himself correctly, but he ruled out God. With man, it was impossible, but with God all things are possible (Luke 1:37).
The gifts of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). When God made a decision about the gifts, talents, and abilities he was going to give you, those gifts became irrevocable. That means that there is nothing that you could do to earn your gifts. Moreover, there is nothing that you could ever do to disqualify yourself from bringing God honor and glory with your gifts. Don’t rule God out. If you do, you may limit his provision in your life.
Discussion/Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ruled out what God can do in your life? Have you measured yourself out of opportunity and blessing?
2. What is something that you feel that God is leading you to do, but you cannot do it without God’s help?
3. Think of a time when what you had was insufficient, but God multiplied the little that you had to meet the need.