Obedience and Sacrifice

Adapted from "True Worship in Demonstrations of the Spirit"
                         By B.R. Hicks
                         Christ Gospel Press
                         Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130
                         www.christgospel.org

"And it came to pass after these things,

that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him Abraham:

and he said, behold, here I am.

And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,

and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering

upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."

Genesis 22:1,2

"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 offereing?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:

so they went both of them together."

Genesis 22:7,8

What a story! What faith! Within this familiar story, I believe, is a lesson for us even today. We're talking about worshipping the LORD with demonstrations. What is a demonstration? Simply put, a demonstration is an example given to help explain a sometimes non-concrete subject matter. We make a demonstration to prove a principle.

When we make demonstrations before the LORD, we are showing on the outside, a tangible sign of what is happening intangibly on the inside of our heart! We make demonstrations like this all the time.

For instance, when we sing to the LORD, we are demonstrating, in a tangible form, our intangible love for the LORD and the joy with which we have been blessed with by the LORD. We can't help it! It has to come out.

When we weep before the LORD, we are demonstrating our brokenness, which, without tears, would be unknown to most of the outside world.

Even in a more elementary sense, we make demonstrations. We demonstrate we are angry when we clench our fists and tighten our face. We demonstrate our compassion whenever we soften our expressions and open our hearts to help someone in need.

We demonstrate our sense of responsibility and concern for our wives & families when we as men go out into the world and work! Holding down sometimes multiple jobs, just to make ends meet sometimes. When we do this in spite of obstacles that may make it hard and at times heart breaking.

Mothers demonstrate their unconditional love for their children by risking their own very lives and welfare, just to provide the best for their kids. Children, in turn demonstrate their love and appreciation for their parents by rendering due honor and respect and care for them as they age.

God demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins!

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish

but have everlasting life"

John 3:16

For God so Loved the world THAT . . . . this was the cause of God sending His son- LOVE. Jesus coming to save us was a demonstration of God's love!

Abraham made a powerful demonstration of love and obedience. After all of the years of believing, praying and waiting on God for this miracle child, he's instructed to offer him up to the LORD. After all, Abraham staggered not at the promises of God, so, he was not short on Faith!

This was not to prove whether or not Abraham believed God, for this had already been proven. This was not about building Faith, this was about proving LOVE!

Isaac was not just a mere son to Abraham. Isaac was the only hope of Abraham's seed being as the sand of the seahore. Ishmael had already been sent away. God was not going to allow him to take part in this inheritance. Isaac was the one. He and his children were the ones who would inherit the promised land.

Isaac represents in our lives, not only our gifts from the LORD, but the vehicle through which the LORD has provided to fulfill His master plan in our lives. This was big! It looked like, in the natural realm, that God had changed His mind about what He had promised Abraham. It looked as if Abraham's seed would have ended here! Yet, we don't hear any doubt in Abraham's words! No resistance or complaining. Nothing but surrender!

Do you realize that Abraham Loved the LORD so much, that he was not even going to let his promised child come between him and God! And yet, God never planned for any harm to come to Isaac.

Now, what about us? What about our ministries? Gifts? Talents? Are we letting them come between us and God? Have they become idols? Let's not be deceived into thinking that just because the LORD gave them to us, that we can't misuse them. They can be idols to us.

Let me make this clear once more, God never intended for any harm to come to Isaac. This was not about faith, but Love. Would Abraham love God enough to give back the gifts that God had given to him?

Are we willing to offer God back His gifts if He requires it? Will we still love and follow him without these gifts?

Let's make a demonstration of Love today by offering our lives to the LORD, our gifts, talents, ministries, everything!

Hallelujah!

Please comment! Share with me your thoughts!

God bless You!

Here's a song to accompany our study today: