Decide To Obey God

Decide to Obey God (Gen. 22:1-14) God tests our hearts What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do? Such things often involve faith? Unquestioned obedience is right. When tests come focus on promises, not explanations (Prov. 3:5, 1 Cor. 2:5) “Here I am, Lord” Abraham (Gen.22:1 & 11) Jacob (Gen. 46:2) Moses (Ex. 3:4) Samuel (1 Sam. 3:4-10, “Speak for they servant heareth”) Isaiah (Isa. 6:8) Mary (Luke 1:38, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” Ananias (Acts 9:10) We have to be careful to worship the Giver, not the gift (e.g. Isaac) (Matt. 10:3738) God identified Isaac as He did Jesus – “your only son … whom you love”. Ultimately, Jesus was the lamb that God provided (Gen. 22:8; John 1:29 & 36; John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10; 1 Pe 1:19-20) Jehovah Jireh: The Lord will provide (Gen. 22:8; Phill. 4:19) God responds to obedience with provision Do you believe this, or do you trust in yourself? Have you neglected spiritual matters in order to spend your time and energy on temporal pursuits? (see Haggai 1:5-11)

Faith and Works Faith is both a noun and a verb. Faith is perfected by works. (James 2:22) We worship God by both our faith and our actions Abraham expected he and Isaac would in fact “come back” (Gen. 22:3-8; Heb. 11:17-19) Shuwb Heb.: Come back, return, be restored Rabbinic scholars state that the story of Isaac teaches the resurrection of the dead, that there’s never a loss of descendants. Since Isaac’s birth was a miracle, so shall he return from death. With God, all things are possible (Gen. 18:14; Matt. 19:26)