WISDOM FOR LIFE FROM DAILY DEVOTION
JANUARY 05, 2023
HE:OBEDIENCE TO GOD: FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM
BY T.O.ALLEN
"Then the angel of the LORD called Abraham a second time from heaven and said, 'By myself have I sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son - I will bless you, bless you, and multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand of the sea; and thy seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:15-18 New Version King James).
Galatians 3:13-14it says,“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, and was made a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed are all who hang on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might keep the promise of the Spirit received by faith” (New King James Version).
This scripture uses the phrase "the blessing of Abraham". Christians often sing about Abraham's blessings being theirs, and this is true, as this scripture says. Because of the Gentiles' faith in Jesus Christ, the blessing of Abraham belongs to those who are not Abraham's biological descendants..Galatians 3:29it says,“And if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (New King James Version).
As Abraham's descendants, we should try to emulate his obedience that came from his faith in God. Abraham demonstrated obedience to God in a unique way, which brought God's blessing upon him. If we also obey God, we will receive blessings from him.Tiago 1:25it says,"But he that beholdeth and holdeth the perfect law of liberty, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, blessed shall he be in his doing" (New King James Version).
The Amplified Bible offersTiago 1:25This way:“But he who looks into the perfect law, thatLeiof freedom, and faithfully adheres to not having become a [careless] listener who forgets, but[an]an active practitioner [who obeys] he will be blessedefavored of God in what he does [in his life of obedience].”
As Christians and descendants of Abraham, our lives of obedience should be just as blessed as Abraham's lives of obedience. We must follow in his footsteps as we appropriate his blessings - the blessings of Abraham.
Genesis 12records Abraham's call by God and his obedience.Verse 1-3to say,"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your family, and your father's house, for a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (New King James Version).
God's requirement of Abraham was neither easy nor comfortable for a 75-year-old man, but because of Abraham's faith in God, he obeyed. God is more concerned about his will for your life, what is best for you, than his comfort. Abraham left his comfort zone in obedience to God.
Genesis 12:4-5it says,“So Abram went as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. So Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their goods that they had gathered and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they departed for the land of Canaan. Then they arrived in the land of Canaan” (New King James Version).
Are you willing to obey God when His command takes you out of your comfort zone? Abraham obeyed God by faith.Hebrews 11:8it says,“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he was to receive as an inheritance. And he left not knowing where he was going" (New King James Version).
Years later, God made another demand of Abraham that tested his faith in God. If one did not believe in God, there would be no way he could obey God's command to go and sacrifice his son, whom he had waited twenty-five years before God's promise to him about his birth was fulfilled. God's command to sacrifice Isaac seemed to be at odds with His promise to make Abraham the father of many nations and Sarah the mother of nations.(Genesis 17:4, 5, 16). How could that be possible after killing the only child they both had together? But he chose to believe and obey God, even if he didn't understand it.
Genesis 22:2it says,„Then he said, 'Take now your son Isaac, your only son, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you'" (New King Version James).
Again Abraham obeyed God.Towards 3it says,“Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place which God had told him" (New King James Version).
Abraham had strong faith in God, so he obeyed Him, but before he could sacrifice Isaac, the angel of the Lord stopped him.“And He said, 'Don't lay your hand on the boy and don't hurt him; for now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld your son, your only son'” (verse 12, New King James Version).God provided a ram as a sacrifice in place of Isaac(Towards 13).
Isaiah 1:19it says that if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land. Because Abraham obeyed God, he blessed him."Then the angel of the LORD called Abraham a second time from heaven and said, 'By myself have I sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son - I will bless you, bless you, and multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand of the sea; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed shall all the peoples of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice'" (Genesis 22:15-18 New King James Version).
Abraham obeyed God even when he did not understand why God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac.“By faith Abraham, being tried, sacrificed Isaac, and he that had received the promises sacrificed his only begotten Son, of whom it was said, 'In Isaac shall thy seed be called,' with the inference that God was in power to raise him up. the, yea, from the dead, from whom also figuratively she conceived” (Hebrews 11:17-19 New King James Version).He obeyed God by faith and believed that if he sacrificed Isaac as God had commanded, he would bring him back to life.
The Apostle James invites us to enterTiago 2:21-22question„Was not our father Abraham justified by works when he sacrificed his son Isaac on the altar? Do you see that faith cooperated with his works, and his faith was perfected by his works?” (New King James Version).Show your faith in God by obeying him.
The prophet Samuel says in1 Samuel 15:22that obedience is better than sacrifice, and mindfulness is better than the fat of sheep. Obedience will release God's blessings on your life just as it did on Abraham. Abraham is an example of faith and obedience to God in the Bible. The Bible uses the phrase "the faith of Abraham" inRomans 4:16and calls him the father of us all. It is likeRomans 4:12says believers are to walk in the footsteps of faith "which our father Abraham had when he was uncircumcised."
NoGenesis 17, God commanded Abraham to circumcise all the boys in his family as a sign of his covenant with him. Abraham and his descendants would continue to do so. In his characteristic way, Abraham obeyed God. The Bible says that Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of the foreskin.(Towards 24).How comfortable do you think it was? A ninety-year-old man going through the pain of circumcision!
He also obeyed God by circumcising Ishmael, the son born to him by his wife's handmaid, Hagar. Ishmael was then thirteen years old. Abraham also circumcised every male born in his house and everyone bought with his money, as God had told him.(Verse 23, 25).
To show how obedient Abraham was, the Bible says he obeyed God the very day he commanded him.(Verse 23, 26).Abraham did not delay his obedience.Verse 26-27to say,“On the same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; and all the males of his household, whether born at home or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him" (New King James Version).Are you guilty of disobeying God? Delaying obedience is disobedience. The psalmist says:"I immediately make haste to obey your commandments" (Psalm 119:60 Gospel translation).
The hallmark of Abraham's life was obedience to God. God said Isaac“And I will increase your descendants like the stars of heaven; I will give all these lands to your descendants; and through thy seed all nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my law, my commandments, my statutes and my laws" (Genesis 26:4-5 New King James Version).
Believe in God and obey Him.Galatians 3:6-7says that just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, so only those who are of faith are Abraham's children.Tiago 2:23eRomans 4:3it says that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham rejoiced at God's command and obeyed Him. Therefore he was blessed. You too will be blessed as you obey God.
Salmo 112:1-2it says,"Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who takes great delight in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty in the earth; the generation of the righteous shall be blessed" (New King James Version).
Don't disobey God. Paul defended himself against the accusations against him and told King Agrippa about his conversion:“Therefore, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision, but I announced first to those who are in Damascus and in Jerusalem and in all the territory of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God and do the right deeds for there is repentance” (Acts 26:19-20, New King James Version).
Show your faith in God by obeying him.Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because whoever approaches God needs to believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.(Hebrews 11:6).obey God; do not disobey him.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your life to Jesus now. Please follow these steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself and not repent of your sins. * Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. * Renounce your former way of life - your relationship with the devil and his works. * Invite Jesus into your life. *As a sign of seriousness about growing in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church.There they will teach you how to grow in the kingdom of God.
Please say this prayer now:O Lord God, today I come to You. I know that I am a sinner and cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised him from the dead on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I now give my life to Jesus and invite Him into my heart. Through this prayer I know that I am saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you prayed this prayer with all your heart. Congratulations! You need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church near you where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you will prosper like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all that God wants you to be. I'm happy to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS:Father, forgive me for the many ways I have disobeyed you. Holy Spirit, help me to obey God's Word in the Bible and His instructions to me, even if they don't make sense to me. I will not disobey God in the name of Jesus.
(For 900+ profound and powerful messages from T.O. Banso, visitwww.cedarministry.org).
T.O. Banso is President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone number: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp-Nr.: +2349081295947
E-Mail: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Site: www.cedarministry.org
FAQs
What is the obedience of Abraham to God? ›
Abraham modeled obedience to God for Isaac to see. If his father said that God would provide, that was enough. They did not know God's plan, but they trusted God to be in charge.
What can we learn from Abraham's obedience? ›His obedience: His respect for God, his love and trust in God was demonstrated in his obedience. Obedience is a function of respect.
What is the moral lesson of the story of Abraham and Isaac? ›Like Abraham, we should have confidence in God, trusting Him with everything and being willing to sacrifice our best to Him. Though we may not fully understand His plans, He, in His providence, supplies all our needs. All He asks is that we have a willing heart.
How Abraham demonstrated his faith and obedience to God? ›He believed against all odds, and he endured in his faith. Abraham's faith was an obedient, believing faith—a faith that genuinely obeyed and believed God. Abraham obeyed God, left his home, and went without any directions from God as to where he was headed. When God called, Abraham acted.
What does it mean to walk in obedience to God? ›By obeying in all things, even the mundane, you are showing God that you are willing and able to obey whatever he asks of you. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
What is the message of Abraham's story? ›Abraham and Isaac point beyond themselves to the Messiah. This story is a prophetic reenactment of the greater redemption God would someday accomplish through one of their descendants, Jesus. , the ram goes in place of Isaac.
Why did Abraham listen to God? ›God asked Abram to respond in obedience to something that seemed to have no reason or logic behind it. But, because of God's goodness and the relationship between them, Abram chose to trust God and follow His instructions without knowing what the result might be. Thus, God blessed him mightily.
What does the Lord promise Abram would become if Abraham would obey his commandment? ›You may remember from a previous lesson that earlier in Abram's life, the Lord had promised him that his posterity would be as numerous as the “dust of the earth” (Genesis 13:16).
How can say that Abraham's faith allowed him to be obedient? ›ABRAHAM'S OBEDIENCE WAS PRODUCTIVE.
By simply hearing God's voice and doing His will, Abraham produced something for the glory of God and for the blessing of millions (Genesis 12:2 and 22:18). Here we learn that God wonderfully multiplies our simple acts of faith and obedience.
What we can learn from Abraham is that his focus was on God's power to fulfill his promises and not on the circumstances he was facing. Abraham knew that God was willing and able to keep every promise he made to Abraham.
What were the three promises God made to Abraham? ›
The covenant between Abraham and God consisted of three separate parts: the promised land. the promise of the descendants. the promise of blessing and redemption.
Who is Abraham in the Bible and why is he important? ›Why is Abraham important? Abraham was the first Hebrew patriarch and is revered in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to the Bible, he was called by God to journey to a new land, where he founded a new nation.
What were God's 5 promises to Abraham? ›God asked him to leave the city he knew, leave his family, and go to a land that I will show you. If you do this, I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, and make your name great. Did I mention that Abraham is 75 years old at this time, and his wife couldn't have kids?
What is the importance of walking in obedience? ›The more we walk in obedience to God the more powerful is the work of God in our lives. However, when we begin to walk in disobedience, the power of Holy Spirit is lessened within us. He doesn't leave us; He just goes quiet. This is the cycle of obedience/disobedience.
What are the 2 types of obedience? ›Two types of obedience are constructive obedience and destructive obedience.
What was the covenant between God and Abraham? ›The covenant is a promise that God made with Abraham. According to the covenant, God would offer protection and land to Abraham and his descendants, but they must follow the path of God. God then commanded Abraham and his future generations to perform the ritual of circumcision (brit milah) as a symbol of the covenant.
What is the relationship between Jesus and Abraham? ›Almighty God appeared to Abram (before renaming him Abraham) and spoke to him about his future seed (descendants). And in the New Testament Paul explains that all believers through Christ are Abraham's seed, and therefore are God's children and heirs. The old covenant with Abraham is fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
What lesson do we learn from Genesis 22? ›“The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give,' brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us.
Why does God bless Abraham? ›Why did God bless Abraham? God has chosen descendants of Abraham to demonstrate His own kind and promise-keeping character to the world. And, to bless all the families of the earth! When it comes to blessing all nations, God keeps His promise to Abraham.
In what ways can you show obedience to God's will? ›- Be in prayer. A way to know that you are following God's plan for your life is by being in prayer. ...
- Be actively reading in the Word. ...
- Follow the commands He puts on your heart. ...
- Seek a godly community. ...
- Obey the Truth.
What are the lessons that Christians learn from the call of Abraham? ›
Lessons Christians learn from the call of Abraham
Christians should obey God. They should have practical faith in their lives. They should ask for blessings from God. They should be ready to face challenging situations as a fact of their faith.
The Bible itself tells us this: “Because I [God] have known [loved, chosen] Abraham because he commands his children and his household after him to observe the way of the Lord to do compassionate righteousness and moral justice.”
Why is Abraham called the father of the faithful? ›He is often called the “father of the faithful.” Abraham received the gospel through baptism, or the covenant of salvation. The higher priesthood was conferred upon him, and he entered into celestial marriage, the covenant of exaltation, gaining assurance that he would have eternal increase.
What does God of Abraham mean? ›In both the Old and the New Testament, God is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because with them God's relationship of promise and purpose was fixed for all those who descended from them.
What are 2 promises God made to Abraham? ›When Abraham arrived in Israel, God made him a promise. He said, “ I will give you this land for your descendants. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.”
What verse is the blessing of Abraham? ›Bible Gateway Genesis 12 :: NIV. The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
What Scripture says walking in obedience? ›2 John 1:6. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
How do I stay obedient to God? ›We must focus to obey the greatest commandment of Jesus and love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, giving thanks to Him continually. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself: Continuing with the teaching from Matthew 22, our next example of obedience is to love your neighbor as yourself.
What is the meaning true obedience? ›What does OBEDIENCE mean? In simple terms it means hearing the word of God and acting on it. It implies aligning our will to God's will; doing what God has asked us to do. It is when we completely surrender to His authority and base our decisions and our actions on His Word.
What are the principles of obedience? ›“Obedience must be voluntary; it must not be forced; there must be no coercion. Men must not be constrained against their will to obey the will of God; they must obey it because they know it to be right, because they desire to do it, and because it is their pleasure to do it.
How do you trust and obey God? ›
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: YE BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.” God commands us to trust in Him. PROVERBS 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” JESUS also commands us to have faith in God.
What is God's call to obedience? ›Obedience means doing what you are told to do. It is to comply with the rules and regulations at home and at school, and with the laws in the community. It is to adhere to instructions given to us or to act upon any order or command given to us.
What is first level of obedience? ›First level of obedience: During this stage, typically when children are under three years old, a child can only obey an instruction if that instruction lines up with their developmental needs.
What are the 3 factors that affect obedience? ›- The perception of legitimate authority: Perceived status/prestige of the setting: what happens when the study is performed in a run down office building? ...
- Observation of disobedient/defiant others. What happens when the participants has witnessed acts of rebellion?
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
What do Christians believe about Abraham? ›For Christians, Abraham is seen as the “father of the faith” and is honored for his obedience. The Apostle Paul expands the concept of being a descendent of Abraham when he writes in his letter to the Galatians: “So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteous- ness.”
Did Abraham ever meet Jesus? ›First, Abraham saw Jesus face to face and was filled with delight that he had the opportunity to do so. Second, at some point after seeing this day, Abraham rejoiced. A close look at the verbs used in John 8.56 discloses that Jesus was careful to reveal when both of these incidents occurred.
What is the meaning of Genesis 22 2? ›In a test of Abraham's faith and obedience, God commands Abraham to do a terrible thing: kill and offer his son Isaac, whom he loves, as a burnt offering. Abraham sets out to obey without hesitation, having finally learned to trust God's goodness over his own misunderstandings.
What does Genesis 22 verse 5 mean? ›God commands Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son as a burnt offering. Abraham sets out to obey without hesitation, acting in complete trust that God, somehow, will make all things right. Abraham stops the sacrifice only when the Lord intervenes.
What is the story of Abraham and Isaac sacrifice? ›In the biblical narrative, God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Moriah. As Abraham begins to comply, having bound Isaac to an altar, he is stopped by the Angel of the Lord; a ram appears and is slaughtered in Isaac's stead, as God commends Abraham's pious obedience.
What is the story of Abraham offering Isaac? ›
Although Sarah was past the age of childbearing, God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son, and Isaac was born. Later, to test Abraham's obedience, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice the boy. Abraham made all the preparations for the ritual sacrifice, but God spared Isaac at the last moment.
What is the lesson of Genesis 22? ›“The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give,' brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us.
What did God say to Abraham about Isaac? ›Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.
What did God promise Abraham for his loyalty? ›“The Lord gave the promise to Abraham that he should have Palestine, or the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession.
How many times was Abraham tested by God? ›The ten-times-tested Abraham motif appears again in rabbinic literature, particularly in Pirkei Avot and interpretations thereof.
Who stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac? ›Abraham bound his son Isaac on an altar at Moriah, as he had been instructed by God. An angel stopped Abraham when he was about to slay his son and replaced Isaac with a ram; this is the last of the 10 trials to which God subjected Abraham.
Why is Abraham called the father of faith? ›For Christians, Abraham is seen as the “father of the faith” and is honored for his obedience. The Apostle Paul expands the concept of being a descendent of Abraham when he writes in his letter to the Galatians: “So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteous- ness.”
What is the conclusion of Genesis 22? ›Genesis 22 ends with a list of the 12 children of Abraham's brother Nahor. One of those children, Bethuel, will become the father of Rebekah. Abraham's son Isaac will eventually marry Rebekah (Genesis 24), and they will father Jacob, whose children will form the tribes of God's chosen people, Israel.
What does Genesis 22 1 19 teach us? ›With this story, our ancient Jewish leaders explained to us that, as the creator of all life, God hates human sacrifice, hates seeing a life needlessly destroyed. That belief alone set the people who would become the nation of Israel apart from the cultures around them.
What is God saying to us in Genesis 22 1 19? ›Suddenly like a thunderbolt from the sky comes this word from God. Abraham can hardly believe his ears: God says, "Now take your son Isaac, your only son whom you love, (I know you love him) and go to Mount Moriah and offer him up on that mountain."
How did Abraham put God first? ›
We see Abraham putting God first in his separation.
We know that he partially obeyed the Lord's command. 2. He kept his father and one nephew with him (Gen 11:31).
Genesis 22:1–2
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”