Thursday, April 26, 2018

When Saying "Yes Lord" Is Not Enough



Take now your son…and offer him…as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. —Genesis 22:2

{CHAMBERS} “A person’s character determines how he interprets God’s will (see Psalm 18:25-26). Abraham interpreted God’s command to mean that he had to kill his son, and he could only leave this traditional belief behind through the pain of a tremendous ordeal. God could purify his faith in no other way. If we obey what God says according to our sincere belief, God will break us from those traditional beliefs that misrepresent Him. There are many such beliefs which must be removed– for example, that God removes a child because his mother loves him too much. […] But if we will stay true to God, God will take us through an ordeal that will serve to bring us into a better knowledge of Himself. The great lesson to be learned from Abraham’s faith in God is that he was prepared to do anything for God. He was there to obey God, no matter what contrary belief of his might be violated by his obedience. […] Never declare as Peter did that you are willing to do anything, even “to go …both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33). Abraham did not make any such statement— he simply remained true to God, and God purified his faith.

{ELGIN} We should never agree to do something for God with the thought that if we do, God will give it back to us.  That is one lesson that you might take away from Abraham and Isaac.  The fact is that Abraham had already sacrificed Isaac in his heart.  He had fully yielded to the sovereignty of God. No stings attached.  Loving God with all your heart means that there is no room for anything else.  Although love for others is a product of your love for God it is not and should never come before your love of God.  And certainly your love of the things of this world .. those things that provide physical and emotional comfort should never come before God and others.  So let’s say that God asks you to leave your job or sell your home or be separated from your family for a while.  What would you say to God?  What you make the condition that God restore those things as they were before you acted on His calling?  Remember the rich young ruler who asked Jesus what he needed to do to have eternal life?  He was proud of what he had done with respect to the Law, but Jesus, knowing the man’s heart, said “Sell all you have, give it to the poor and follow Me.”  (Mark 10:21) Notice Jesus did not add – “If you do I promise to give everything back to you.”

If you know it’s God speaking and you hesitate to say yes and obey then it’s because what you have been asked to lay down is more precious to you than your love for God.  God is not enough.  Rick Warren said ”God is more interested in your character than in your comfort.”  Listen I have met a number of people who would fly to Haiti, a third world country, on a “mission” trip and expect to have air-conditioning and other comforts while they stayed there. Their willingness to serve others was conditional on their own creature comforts being preserved.  Are you will to abandon your comfort to follow Jesus?  I am not suggesting you turn your air conditioners off … what I am encouraging you to do is not put the love of comfort, being cool on a hot day, ahead of your love for God.  Jesus asked His followers ……

(Matthew 21:28-32) ""What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

Something to think and pray about. Saying “Yes” is not enough, it must be followed with obedience.

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