Reaching into Their Future (Heb 11:20)

 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau. Heb 11:20

By an act of faith, Isaac reached into the future as he blessed Jacob and Esau. (MSG)

Jim gave me his pastors book "Reaching into Their Future", it's really timely because we are doing this every week at Teen Challenge with Alpha and the Prayer Course. Last week they started a new sermon series on the topic: Reaching Into Their Future Pt. 1 | Reaching Into Their Future | Dr. Nate Ruch

Emmanuel MN centers on worship, transformation, and personal responsibility for the spiritual future of others.

Pastor Nate welcomes the church family, online viewers, and guests, emphasizing belonging and connection. This reflects Hebrews 10:24–25, which calls believers not to neglect meeting together, and Romans 15:7, which urges mutual welcome as Christ welcomed us. Attendees are encouraged to take next steps such as water baptism and joining Growth Track groups. Acts 2:38 highlights repentance and baptism, while Acts 2:42 shows early believers devoted to teaching, fellowship, and community formation.

In the sermon, Pastor Nate emphasizes that ordinary believers can profoundly influence the spiritual destiny of those around them. He challenges listeners to see people through God’s eyes and to take responsibility for shaping their future through prayer, humility, and repentance. This aligns with 2 Corinthians 5:20, which calls believers ambassadors for Christ, and Matthew 5:14–16, where disciples are described as light in the world.

Key exhortations include asking God what He sees in others, repenting of selfish or limited perspective, and humbling oneself for the sake of others. Psalm 139:23–24 models a prayer for heart examination. 2 Chronicles 7:14 calls God’s people to humble themselves and repent. Philippians 2:3–4 urges believers to value others above themselves.

The sermon concludes with a call to visualize specific people in one’s life and pray for their transformation. Jeremiah 29:11 affirms God’s good plans (thoughts towards you), while 1 Timothy 2:1 encourages intercession for others. The overarching message is that God uses surrendered, humble followers of Christ to “reach into” the future of others by prayer, love, and faithful witness, trusting Him for lasting transformation.

I'm looking forward to the future!