Tuesday Night Light
Topic: What are we taking on our journey?Gen 22
Please read Gen 22 https://new.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+22&version=NKJV
Part 1 of 3
Can we sacrifice the very thing we love most in this world if God asks? God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. When we trust God, we will do anything he asks. If God gave it to us we should know that he can give us even greater and God has a purpose. When Jesus takes us on a journey he desires to test us. God had taken Abraham on a journey. Abraham received his instructions and hastily responded to the call (Gen 22:2-3). His instructions were to go out of town and offer his only son as a sacrifice. He had to offer him upon one of the mountains as instructed.
Mountains represent obstacles or struggles in our lives. If Jesus sends us on a journey and he says:
1. Give up what we love…
2. Go through a few mountains (struggles, heart ache pain).
How do we respond? Abraham responded in faith.
On his journey he had faith, discernment, wood, knife, fire, and string.
Stay with me as we see how the tools he carried with him brought him through his test to be a testimony for us.
His faith caused Abraham to trust God and not delay. He quickly answered the call. Abraham’s discernment or sensitivity to hearing the voice of the Lord provided him with the exact location for his destination. It is important to be in the right place at God’s appointed time by listening and obeying the voice of the Lord.
Abraham arrived there on the 3rd day. On the 3rd day Abraham was able to “see” where God say go.
God created light on the third day. Gen 1:13-14
Jesus is light. John 8:12
Jesus rose on the third day, that we would have light and be able to “see” and never walk in darkness.
When Abraham’s eyes were lifted he discerned he had to take the rest of the journey on foot and alone. He had to leave his servants and donkey behind. He had to complete the journey alone, with his sacrifice, following the Lord’s instructions.
Often God has given us an assignment and we desire to take others along for comfort and support. God has assignments for us that we must complete alone. Our cross we must bear alone. God wants us alone so he can test our faith and teach us on to seek him for comfort and support. God also desires teach us how to listen to him and know his voice. He has to remove distractions so we can be totally dependent on him.
Part 2 of 3
Abraham’s journey Cont’d
Abraham also had wood, knife, fire, and string. We should have the same items with us when we answer God's call.
Jesus said follow me, take up your cross. Matt 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”. Abraham’s cross was offering up his son as represented by the wood. We each have a cross we have to bear and we should quickly answer the call and take up our cross. Yes it is sometimes hard but when we trust God we know no good thing would he withhold from us (Psa 84:11).
Gen 22:10 “ And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” At that moment he heard from the Lord. The only way we are going to hear from the Lord is when we use our two-edged sword and read the word of God. We need the word of God to minister to our hearts as we face our mountains. Remember Abraham had to journey up a mountain to offer up his son. There was some rough terrain he had to endure before he reached his destination.
We often have to endure rough terrain as we face our mountains. Abraham went to worship and we can believe he was worshipping The Lord as he journeyed. When we face our mountains are we worshipping The Lord?
Abraham also had fire. We know when we are baptized by Jesus it is with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt 3:11). We need to be sure the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding us. God’s word is like fire shut up in our bones. We have to carry the fire with us on our journey. That fire will lead us and guide us to all truth.
Abraham also had some type of string as he bound his son to the wood. Those things in our lives that God says "give to me", and we struggle with giving them up, we need to bind them up, tie them to our cross and place them on the altar. We need to trust that God will provide.
Part 3 of 3
Abraham’s Journey cont’d
Often when we place our situation on the altar it begins to speak back to us. It begins to try our faith. Abraham’s situation began to speak back to him. Gen 22:7 ” And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son.
"And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
When God has given us an assignment and we are looking for God to show up in our lives, our situation begins to speak to us. Isaac said you have the fire and the wood but where is the lamb.
“He said you have the Holy Spirit and he hasn’t provided a way out?”.
“You believe God, where is your provider, where is your lamb? As subtle and innocent as Isaac inquiry sounded; that is as subtle as it sounds in our day to day lives when we are faced with challenges. Where is God? You serve him, is he going to show up?
What will our response be when our situations that we have given to the Lord begin to speak back to us? Abraham’s response was: God will provide! He didn’t just say it he believed it! Do we believe God will provide? Are we in a situation praying for God to provide? Are we praying believing that he will? When God provided for Abraham he memorialized that moment so he would never forget. We need to journalize our prayers and when God answers we will see God provides daily, hourly, minute by minute, second by second. We pray for safe travels and he grants. We pray for protection and he grants. Even in our darkest moments we can still see God’s provision if we lift our eyes from the ground to the hills.
**********************************************************************************Recap!
When Jesus calls what should we do and what should we bring?
Answer the call: Gen 22:1 “Here I am” Receive your instructions
Make haste in following the Lord’s instructions: Gen 22:3 “Abraham rose early in the morning…..and went to the place God told him”
Abraham was a worshiper, always pray before, during, and after your journey.
Pack your spiritual bag
Faith: Go believing God. Gen 22:4 “….Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go worship and come again to you”: Abraham believed God would provide. He didn’t complain he knew his cross was an act of worship. We should all view our pain as an act of worship!
Discernment: Gen 22:4 “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw” Discerning is an act of seeing and hearing God. God will give but we have to spend time with him.
Knife: Abraham’s knife was a blade our knife is the bible, the word of God
Fire: Abraham’s fire was used for an burnt offering our offering of fire is allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us and offering up a sacrifice of praise, prayers & obedience.
String: Abraham’s string was used to bind his son to the wood. Our string is our prayers to bind and loose the things we need to give up and the things we need to receive as divinely instructed by the Lord.
Answer the call, hastily respond, have faith in God, Discern, take up your cross trusting Jesus, read the word of God, submit to the Holy Spirit, pray, and give it all to the Lord!
God Bless you and be blessed!
