What is the difference between serving in love and serving out of obligation? Merriam-Webster defines obligation this way: a formal contract, a promise, or the demands of conscience or custom that obligates one to a course of action, a duty.[1] When one serves out of obligation, it is a “have to” type of thing. On …
We see the sovereign timing of God as Jacob meets Rachel. Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, had sent Jacob away from his angry brother on the pretense of finding a wife. Jacob was going back to Rebekah’s family. Years before, Abraham had sent a servant to find a wife for Isaac, and the servant brought back Rebekah …
We see God’s mercy in covenant as God makes His promises from father to son to grandson. God had made a covenant with Abraham. Genesis 12: 2 I (God) will make you (Abraham) into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those …
The blessing of passing God’s test are different for everyone. These blessings depend on how God works out His plan. Just as the Lord’s plans are unique, so are His tests. God gave Abraham a challenging test when He asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. God had previously tested Abraham. At times Abraham …
The first Biblical usage of the word “obey” occurs in this week’s story. Genesis 22: 16 “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. [1] God tested Abraham’s faith by requesting that Abraham sacrifice his …
The first time the phrase “the Lord will provide” is first mentioned in the story of Abraham and Isaac. But will the Lord provide for me in the same way? We somehow think that people of the Bible are unique, and the Lord would not do the same for us. This is the message our …
The first Biblical usage of the word worship occurs in Genesis 22. There Abraham tells his servant that he and Isaac are going farther up the mountain to worship. The Hebrew word used for worship here is shachah.[1] This word means to “bow down.” It is used in Genesis 18 when Abraham bows in front …
Walking by faith is not easy because we must trust the Lord when we don’t always understand where we are going. We must have faith when the path ahead may look complicated. 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.[1] Is the Lord calling you today to walk by faith? Since my …
God gives the first Biblical mention of love when He gives Abraham a task to perform. Genesis 22: 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.”[1] The …
Why would the Lord test me when He is all-knowing? Although God is all-knowing, we are not, and tests of life reveal positive things and growth areas in our lives. God has unique plans for our life that He wants us to fulfill while on this earth. He prepares us along our journey with experiences …