Tag Archives: fear God

DIARY OF THE FATHER OF FAITH – 7

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How do we know when we have finally graduated from the “University of hard knocks”? Does our faith continue to be tested to the end of our days? For some, I think the answer to the second question is “Yes” because they never learn the lesson of faith that trusts and obeys without question whatever the situation.

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:1‭-‬2‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” [2] “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

So, Abraham spent the night agonising over God’s instruction? Cutting off every male’s foreskin was bad enough. Now God was telling him to murder his son! This son, this precious young boy who was born through a miracle! Kill him! “God, you must be crazy!”

No, not one word of resistance, argument, or refusal. Abraham’s faith, years in the growing, must leap this final hurdle. God wanted his best. Would he give Isaac willingly without a moment’s hesitation?

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:3‬ ‭NLT‬
[3] “The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about.”

How could Abraham comply without putting up a fight?

‭Romans‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭NLT‬
[17]”That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.”

The promise! Abraham’s faith was securely anchored in God’s promise.

‭Romans‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NLT‬
[16]” So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.”

No matter what God asked him to do, even to kill his son, the son of promise through whom God’s
nation would be born, it was okay with him. So strong was Abraham’s confidence in God’s promise, a covenant ratified by blood, that he would even kill Isaac because he believed that God would raise him from the dead.

Abraham’s implicit faith is expressed in his words to his servants and to his son…

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:4‭-‬8‬ ‭NLT‬
[4] “On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [5] “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” [6] So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, [7] Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” [8] “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.”

No fuss, no resistance, no fury, just quiet confidence in the One who is utterly trustworthy. “We will go and worship, and we will come back…”

And so, when they arrived at the spot God had chosen, Abraham got on with the job of building a rough stone altar, tying up his son in case Isaac decided to make a run for it, and lifting the knife to plunge into Isaac’s heart, a quick and merciful end to the agony.

Why Mount Moriah? This was the very spot God had chosen, before the world began, for the sacrifice of His own Son whom He did not withhold from death, as He did Isaac. Isaac’s death could not save the world but, through Isaac would come the One who would save sinners from eternal death.

A voice from heaven calls out,

‭Genesis‬ ‭22:10‭-‬12‬ ‭NLT‬
[10] “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” [12] “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

Now I know! Of course, God knew the details and depth of Abraham’s trust. He didn’t need a physical demonstration, but Abraham did. “Don’t tell me, show me!” This event would, forever, be etched on Abraham’s mind, God’s verbal approval of the greatest quality any believer can acquire, a trust so implicit that no adversity, no hardship, no trial, not even an instruction from God can overcome. No reasoning, no questions asked. Just simple, implicit, unhesitating obedience. That’s the fear of the Lord!

From this moment on, it’s all plain sailing for Abraham – no more tests, just a life of quiet confidence in a faithful God.

How can we acquire a faith like that, a trust in God that puts an end to the constant crises that God allows to see what we will do? Yes, we will have trouble in this world but… how do we handle trouble? Faith in God’s promises.

‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:3‭-‬4‬ ‭NLT‬
[3] “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. [4] And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

When we can keep sailing, no matter how hard the wind blows, God will say of us, as He said of Abraham, “Now I know that you fear God…”

To be continued…

Don’t Be Afraid of Religious Bullies

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DON’T BE AFRAID OF RELIGIOUS BULLIES

“‘I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by religious bullies. True, they can kill you but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life – body and soul – in His hands.'” Luke 12:4, 5 (The Message).

Always, always, Jesus put life into its correct perspective. For Him, life includes this life and the life to come. If our concern is only for this life, we will make decisions and choices which will adversely affect us in the eternal realm.

Had He only considered preserving His life for the short time He was on earth, the outcome would have been very different for us human beings. But He didn’t. The writer to the Hebrews puts it like this, ‘…who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross…’ (Hebrews 12:2b NIV)

Jesus was never afraid of the truth. He spoke it and He lived it fearlessly. Truth cannot die and those who hold to the truth cannot be destroyed. The body is destructible and will die, be it by natural or unnatural means, but the inner being will never die. It will continue to live, either with God or without God, depending on what we do with the truth.

Pilate asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’ He didn’t even wait for an answer but, unknowingly, he was standing in the presence of the one who said, ‘I am the truth.’ So, what is truth? Everything that God is, says and does is the truth. Jesus came to represent the Father, and to reveal the Father and He is therefore the embodiment of truth. Look and listen to Jesus and you have an accurate representation of the truth.

Religious bullies come in many subtle disguises. Some kill people who don’t subscribe to their religion. Others kill people’s names in the media and especially on the internet in the name of ‘truth’. Character assassination is a common way of destroying the opposition, especially in political circles.

But Jesus assured us, ‘Don’t worry about people like that. They may kill your name or even your body but they cannot kill you. Only God can do that and you are safe with Him forever if you stand on the side of truth.’

It is neither pleasant nor easy to face the hot breath of lies that is often used against us, especially when we are a threat to people as Jesus was. We either want to curl up or shut up but the counsel from God’s word is, ‘Stand up, speak up and look up.’ You may pay a price for your courage but the reward far outweighs the cost in the long run.

Ungodly people think nothing of using revenge to vindicate themselves when they cannot get their own way, but God’s Word says, ‘Don’t be like them. Let God do your vindicating for you.’ It may not happen in this life but God is a righteous judge. He will always have the last word, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ That question has only one answer – no-one.

A man of God once said, ‘Fear God, and you will have nothing else to fear.’