What do you do when what is happening looks completely the opposite of what God has promised?

You believed He was a provider but to this day, you don’t have a baby.
You trusted His promise but up to now, you still didn’t get your promotion.
You prayed that things would get better, but things have gotten worse.

Abraham received his promise – Isaac. But he was going to face another test. In Genesis 22, God asked him to sacrifice his son on top of Mt. Moriah. There are 5 things I’d like to mention as lessons from this narrative.

1. Our faith is going to be tested through our obedience.

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” – Genesis 22:1

Not very many love taking tests. Do you? I don’t. But tests reveal what we have learned.

There are tests that produce faith.
But there are tests that reveal faith.

When tests come, what does it reveal about you?

2. We can either reason on the basis of our circumstance or on the basis of God’s character.

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” – Genesis 22:5

“I and the boy will come again to you.”
What a faith statement!

But did he know God’s plan- that God wasn’t going to really make him do it?
I don’t think so.

But Hebrews 11:19 gives us a clue to what his through process was.
“He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”

Abraham wrestled but came to a conclusion the night before. He logically concluded that God cannot lie. He made a promise (that he will be a father of many nations) and He will not turn back from that promise.

So he did not reason on the basis of his current circumstance but on the basis of the character of God – that He is faithful to fulfill His promise.

3. The promise given is as good as the Promise Giver.

Genesis 22:7. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

When he resolved in his heart that God cannot lie and will not lie, he made this declaration: God will provide. He didn’t know how and he didn’t know when. But he was sure of it for some reason.

But since there is no one greater than God, He swore by His own authority and power. Genesis 22:16-17, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you.”

Because He is the ultimate authority and power, therefore, what He says, we can trust.

4. Obedience has to be immediate, persistent and ultimate.

Abraham woke up early.
He continued walking up the mountain with Isaac.
He drew the dagger when it was time.

His obedience was immediate, persistent and ultimate.

I love what John Calvin said, “We pay Him the highest honour, when, in affairs of perplexity, we nevertheless entirely acquiesce (yield) to his providence.”

5. God’s infinite provision is always greater than our finite problem.

Genesis 22:14. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Yahweh Yireh or the Lord will provide is a title given to God by Abraham. It does not only mean God being the One who supplies. Yahweh Yireh also means “God will see to it.” He will see to it that His plans and purposes will prevail in our lives.

Will it always be in the way we desire Him to provide? Will it be according to our timing or His? Not really. But one thing is for sure. He will see to it that what He has planned will be accomplished.

WILL YOU SETTLE OR WILL YOU BELIEVE?

What you tolerate, you will never change.

Years ago, our bathroom faucet was broken. Instead of filling up a glass in a couple of seconds, it would take at least 30 seconds. But since we got used to it, we just tolerated it.

After a couple of months, we were able to get a plumber who can fix it and boy, we were grateful. Brushing our teeth was quicker and easier.

The human is very adaptable. We can make the adjustments quite easily. But when we adapt, we actually begin to settle. Because we got used to certain things, we are okay if our situation doesn’t change.

– “Because I already have 2 kids with him, though I wanted to get married, I guess, I’ll just settle with what we have.”
– “At least my job provides for my family. It doesn’t matter if it is hurting other people or disobeying the laws of the land as long as I’m being a good provider to my family.”
– “We’ve gotten used to it. I know we weren’t supposed to have pre-marital sex. But I don’t want to lose him.”
– “This wasn’t what I felt God called me to do. But I don’t know how to start. I’ll just settle for this.”

These and many more statements have been said. When we adapt, we begin to settle.

Abraham in Genesis 17 started settling. “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” (17:18, NIV). It’s as if he was telling God: “Lord, I know you promised but it’s taking quite a long time (about 24 years). You know what, Lord, I’m okay with Ishmael. Just bless him. I can work with him.”

God said it was going to be through him (Abraham) and Sarah that their descendants were going to come. But they were beginning to settle.

God didn’t want them to settle. That was why He reveals Himself through a different name – El Shaddai which means God Almighty (Genesis 17:1). His name means that He is not subject to physical limitations like us. His power is infinite, unlimited and all-sufficient. He doesn’t need our help and advice to accomplish what He said He would.

Job declared in Job 42:2, “I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

He is El Shaddai, God Almighty. He reveals Himself during impossible situations where He would get the greatest glory.

Allow Him to reveal Himself to you in the midst of your impossible situation as El Shaddai.

The question is – will you settle or will you believe?

 

WHEN GOD SEEMS SLOW TO ANSWER

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“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God.” (Romans 4:20)

When facing a daunting challenge ahead, we have two choices – to press on with faith or to give up in unbelief.

I remember one of our pastors from Mindanao giving his testimony of God’s faithfulness. He and his wife have been praying for a baby for years. They wanted to enjoy the first couple of years of their marriage so they felt it was fine not to have a child yet. But as year 3 came, they realized that it wasn’t happening. Year 4 and 5 came and they were getting worried regarding what might be the concern.

Year 6 and 7 came and still no baby. At this point, when you go through this type of situation, what do you do? Do you accept that it’s the will of God or continue persevering in faith? For my two friends, they kept trusting God.

Similar to Romans 4:20, they stayed the course and allowed “no unbelief to make them waver concerning the promise of God.”

And here’s an important truth:
“A promise is only as good as the person who makes the promise.” (Dare To Believe Manual)

Because God said it, then that settles it!

If you have a promise from God, hold on to it. Don’t let go. Keep on keeping on because He who promised is faithful.

What happened after year 9? My friends got their answer to prayer. Baby Rania was born.

I can’t explain why Rania came on the 9th year of their marriage. Some answers to prayer come on the 5th or 9th or 15th year. But as you go through the journey, embrace the process for God is bringing about something you and I may not fully understand at the moment. But in time, we will realize that God makes all things beautiful in His time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

ARE TESTS NECESSARY?


There are moments when God tests us with the very provision He’s given.

Take Abraham for example in Genesis 22.  God told Abraham to take his son, his only son, to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice him up there.

Tests are necessary.  We don’t like it.  Some actually hate it.  But we need it.  It shows what’s really inside.

You want doctors tested and take their board exams.  You want cars tested for safety.  You want computers tested so they work well.

Tests are there to bring to surface what’s really inside.  For a medical student, the test shows what’s inside their brain.

Tests are not punishments but preparations.

They prepare us for future promotion. Grade 2 students take their final exams to get promoted to Grade 3.

For many of us, God tests to bring promotion – because He DOES have something HUGE in store for the future.

God tested Abraham with the very provision given.  The very thing that was promised was now the very thing being taken away? It didn’t make sense.  However, at the end, it all did.

When God tests us with the very provision He’s given, He wants to see if…

We’re so focused on the provision that we miss the Provider.
Or we seek His hand rather than His face.
or we pursue the blessing rather than the Blesser.

Tests bring up what’s really in there.

After everything, God’s verdict “NOW I KNOW…  that you fear God…”

“NOW I KNOW…”

When God looks inside our hearts, what will He find out?