Message: Living According to Faith
Time: Genesis is the first book and Moses is credited as authoring. The book spans 2400 years of time. It was originally written in Hebrew.
What the Lord is Saying:
Today I looked at Matthew 5:11 and it speaks of the promise that we will be reviled for our faith. It is not the sort of promise that we are looking for in our life. The promises we gravitate towards are those in which we are going to receive a blessing and yet persecution and being reviled for my faith is a blessing. It joins me with Christ's sufferings and the sufferings of saints in the past and looks me forward to a future reward. But often we present the gospel with this idea that it will make life easier in some way. We try to sell it before people like we would a new cell phone plan or a new TV or air conditioner, to make life more comfortable. But the reality is the Christian life is about suffering. There is obviously great peace in knowing we are saved for eternity and God has looked down on us and chosen us and we will continue to rejoice and sing those praises, but we must look at our faith as work, hard work to be Christ in me, God with us, and live and work and die for His glory.
Jesus promises that trials will come. What makes life different with Jesus is how he works through us to stand up under those trials. We have a hope that never blemishes. Our hope is sure.
In this lesson today is Genesis 22 and test put forth to Abraham to offer up his long awaited son Isaac. He had had a son, Ishmael, but that was through his wife pushing the maid on him in an impatient manner, rather than waiting for God. God kept his promise though. Even though they sought out other avenues for children, God still kept his promise to provide them a son. It was in old age. And now in Genesis 22 the unthinkable is thrown at Abraham. Take your son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. Here is the son he had waited for and God calls him to make a sacrifice. Abraham delayed in his departure to do this (Gen 22:2 says "Go now" and in verse 3 he waits till morning.)
But then, upon seeing Abraham's faith, God does what He will always do, offering a substitute. God wants our faith in him. Faith is the calling card in our life to renewal. We must live this sort of life continually with God. We live in faith, trusting in Him, that He will come through. With Abraham, the substitute was told to him in advance. He was told to do something - sacrifice - and yet God interceded. God will intercede in our life. What is important is living daily by this faith. This is the faith that marks my salvation and this is the faith that needs to chronicle my life. Abraham was not a superhuman. He struggled. I struggle. But Abraham did trust. And I can trust.
Promise: From Tabletalk -- Authentic faith does not trust God when times are good. It also believes God and acts upon His Word when difficulties come. Life will be hard. But the Lord will be with me, with us, even if the cost is high. A reward is waiting.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you so much for this morning of being in Your word and the last year of the lesson in BSF in Genesis and spending that time going through Genesis with other men, learning from them and from you. Thank you for faith and that in you I have all I need. Life is hard. It has been and will be and I don't chagrin this because you told me it would be. But you are near. You are with me. And you will take me through all difficulties. Just help me to not guard myself from difficulty and acquiesce into the mold of this world that seeks freedom from trials, safety at all costs, and entertainment. I want to only be about faith. Thank you for providing the substitute of Jesus that changes my life always. I do praise You.
No comments:
Post a Comment