Life's Dead End Street
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Introduction:
Introduction:
When we are born into the family of God we become the object of His loving care. Now that may not mean what modern parents think - it does not mean that God runs around doing whatever His children ask or nag for.
It means that upon our entrance into God’s family, God begins to work with us, shaping us and modling us.
Occasionaly because of our arrogance or stubborness or pride this process is slowed down, but God keeps working untill:
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Sometimes the processes that God uses to acomplish this task can take us down some very scary streets. Seemingly dead end roads to nowhere but sorrow.
This is the road that God lead Abraham down, a road of testing and trail. a road that looked like it ended only in sorrow.
The peoplem is that when we read the story we know how it ends, we see Abrahams story from a God perspective. We know it all turn out ok. Abraham did not.
A Difficult Instruction:
A Difficult Instruction:
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Nissa - to put to the test.
“After these things...”
After God has proved His power and showed his greatness and displayed his providence. By this stage Abraham was ready for the test. God knows us and his tests are always in response to his grace.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
per-as-mos same as
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1
Simply:
God, after preparing Abraham was about to put him to the test.
God does not soften the blow or even offer explanation.
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
gen 22
What a test. and were it asked of anyone other that this great Patriarch of Faith is might have been a cruel request.
This instruction was not just:Offer Isaac, but offer him as a burnt offering.
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.
Notice that the key is that it was to be offered voluntary, freely - without complusion, not done out of fear, but out of trust.
Which makes God’s request so much more intense: You need to do this not out of fear of what will happened if you dont, but out of trust that i will look after you if you do.
Which makes Abrahms faith so much more incridible.
This is essencial in our walk in lifes tough streets.
We go through the trial not out of fear, but out of trust. Our attitude is vital. God’s wants us to trust Him and let that trust overcome fear.
What was Abrahams response?
Deliberate Obedience:
Deliberate Obedience:
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
gen
Let me say something: The bible is silent on what happened in the night so this is just my assumption: But if this was a test, then i would imagine that this was the longest night of Abrahams life. We dont know, but if i put myself in this mans shoes i oubt he slept at all.
Once again we must not think that Abraham knew how this would turn out, as far as he knew, this was the last sunrise he would ever share with his son.
Yes, maybe God had some plan, but there was no shred of evidence that would intervene at all.
We have nights like that, well at least i do.
Nights when i wonder what is going on. Why is this like that? Why did that happen? What is God thinking? How is this helping? Is God sleeping?
Just night of 100 questions and zero answers.
But Abraham tells us how to handle those situations:
Get up and Do what God told you to Do. Dont give up, dont have a pity Party.
The simplicity is overlooked:
“Even if you dont understand, even if it look hopeless, even if it makes no sense, even if its all going south - remain diligent in your walk”
Pray when you dont feel like praying, read when you dont feel like reading, sing when you dont feel like singing, give when you dont feel like giving, just slowing and surly, every day make your way to place God told you.
Patience, endurance, persistance - day by day plod.
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
james
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Where does this obedience lead Abraham:
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
Divine Compensation:
Divine Compensation:
God allowed this test to go full length to right before the moment of Isaac’s death.
Why?
And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
“Now I know...”
Know I know you love me. honour me. Trust me.
Faith that has not been test, cannot be trusted.
Faith that does manifest in works cannot be verified.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Abrahsm faith was tested. It was tried. and it was found to be genuine.
God stopped His hand and provided.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Amazingly this animal was stuck there this whole time, but it was not until “Abraham lifted up his eyes” that he saw it.
This is that moment when what you though was a dead end street, turn out to be highway of growth.
They are never easy, but God is always good.