FAITH CAPSULE: What is it that you hold against God?
GENESIS 22
A reasonable sacrifice before God will gain the blessing of God.
The obedience of Abraham to the word of God made him gain from God.
Genesis 22:2 records the word of God to Abraham: “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
The word of God for Abraham is a costly command, a sacrifice, and very challenging to engage.
God demands a sacrifice that can be emotional.
Obedience sacrifice is to honor God to become elevated for good.
Are you obeying God as the Lord leads?
God asked for Isaac as an offering, but Abraham could not question or disobey.
Abraham rose early in the morning to obey God without consulting anyone.
When God calls for you, count out the whole world.
At the ground of the burnt offering of his only son Isaac, the obedience of Abraham, God calls as stated in Genesis 22:11-13, “But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.”
What are you withholding from God to disobey His command?
What is it you cannot give to God that is in a position to give back to you beyond expectation?
With understanding, know that all you have, all that you are, and all that you can be is in the hands of God.
The Bible records that every reasonable obedience sacrifice will provoke the blessing of God.
Will you consider the kind of sacrifice that you are rendering unto God?
If your sacrifice is reasonable, God will give unexpected reasonable visitation.
Obedience of Abraham gained the blessing of God.
Genesis 22:16-18 record the blessing of God over Abraham, “…By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed My voice.”
Obeying the word of God is a sacrifice that will provoke the unexpected blessing of God.
In obedience to God, gain and retain the uncommon blessing of God.
Prayer for today: Ask for the heart of obedience to God in all your ways of life.