Giving God Our Best By: Rev. James Torrence
Genesis 22:1-19 Text: Verse 9
Hebrews 11:17 – By faith Abraham, when he tried was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Here in these scriptures we find something that most or all of us have never really tried…….That is GIVING GOD OUR BEST!!!!
But that is what God called upon Abraham to give and also each of us to give.
There are to many of us who try to get by with a half love.
You remember Jesus asked Peter 3 time… “Peter do you love me more than…”
To many times we want to be like Peter in saying yes Lord I like you, God didn’t command us to like him but to LOVE Him. And love means sacrifice.
Lets look at four great experiences which came to Abraham in this supreme test of his life. Bare in mind God permitted him to pass through this test.
Abraham’s testing call – Verse one says..” Take now thy son..and offer, WOW what a call!! What a test!! Abraham has only one son and God is asking for him. See when God calls for your service not only does he want your love but trust ole Brother James on this one be ready to sacrifice.
God asked for NOTHING less than Abraham’s Best!!! God could have asked for his best cow or sheep, or even himself, But when he laid his hand upon his only son, brother he was touchin old Abe’s heartstrings.
See sometimes God has to SNAP the strings that keep us from our best. (Maybe God was using Isaac as a excuse for not serving God in some way.
He calls for the best of our love!!!
Matt 22:35-40
35Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37Jesus said to him, ""You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[1] 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[2] 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Boy Jesus sure is plain on how we should love ain’t he? Then what in the world is wrong with the Christian people today and fightin and bickerin. I mean we expect it from sinners.. Why do heathen rage…BECAUSE their heathen!!! But what about God’s people?? We have no excuse cause Matt 22 knock anyone of them down.
What if we loved God with all hearts?? That would sure weedout the heathen from the holy!!!
What if we loved God’s house like we do our own? Then you might see the holy out weeden. GOD CALLS FOR OUR BEST!!!!!!!! B_e_s_t
Not 2nd best not leftovers but our 1st string starting BEST!!!!
He calls for the best of our gifts – Lev. 27: 30 –33
30And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD. 31If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. 32And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. 33He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed."’
God does not, will not, can not and WON”T play second fiddle to anyone or anything!!!!
He calls for the best of our labors – Matt 19 : 27 – 30
27Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?"
28So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[1] or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
There ain’t a coach in this country that will allow a player to stay in a game with anything less than his best effort. Why do we expect God too??
God call for our best loyalty Luke 9:57-62
1) 57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
59Then He said to another, "Follow Me."
But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
60Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
61And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."
62But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
II – Abraham’s ready response – Gen 22:3-8
THANK GOD FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL OBEY GOD!!!!!!!!!! In spite of the great cost, Abraham unhesitatingly and ungrudgingly gave God his best! Praise God he did not Murmur or complain, did not question God – shear pure and simple obedience!!! Folks let all take a lesson from Abraham!
Do you realize what this was gonna cost Abraham and Sarah????? No longer would the footsteps of Isaac be heard in their house or Isaac saying “Dad can I borrow the chariot to go out tonight” His child, His personal incentive to life, But more than that:
It cost him God’s special promise, which Abraham had deemed so high, Remember God promised him to use his seed which was Isaac.
Abraham had to be thinkin the classic human response: “WHY? WHAT DID DO TO DESERVE THIS?
Folks their was no EXCUSE, No ALIBIS, No WAITING!!!!!!!!
WHY! Abraham knew what us holy people need to learn God don’t except EXCUSES, ALIBIS, OR WAITING!!!!! Offer any of the three and you miss the blessing, you lose!! God will find someone else and the sad fact is he may never ask us again!!!!
Talk about putting legs on your FAITH… here it is!!! He did exactly what God ask of him and told him to do Gen 22: 3&4
How can we witness to others and have proof what God can do if we don’t use Him!!!!! (Jerry Falwell building and beggin)
Abraham didn’t have another kid at home to take Isaac’s place, He found out that God can make a way where there is NO way!!!! That’s Faith!!
God knew all along the way out but ole Abe didn’t!
God had that Ram there before Abe ever told Isaac to get up on the altar,
It’s no wonder the vessels of Christian life are clogged!! It’s no wonder God’s hands are tied!!!
There are tithes withheld that God said to prove him by, there is sin in our lives and hearts we refuse to ask forgiveness for because we don’t think it’s our fault that we gave so and so a piece of our mind they had it comin. (You know I have found that the people most willling to give you a piece of their mind couldn’t spare what they gave) It is better to remain silent and think a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt.
It’s time we launch out and obey God FULLY and put HIM to the test!!!!!
You ready for a BLESSING???????
Abraham found out that what one places on God’s altar is NOT lost!!!
Not a hair on his son’s head was harmed, Abraham received the child back that he gave God. Hebrews11: 17-19
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"[1] 19concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
God kept His promise to use Abraham’s seed!
Abraham’s New Beginning Gen 22:14-19
From the hour he placed his best on the altar, He began to receive God’s best. This is always true, Give it and it shall be given to you.
Most of us live and die and never receive God’s best things in our lives, ONLY because we never give God our Best.
Ill: The poor widow who gave $50 towards a building project and said: “God gave it to me, I can give it back”.
Three things happened to Abraham here 1.) God brought new meaning of himself to Abe’s life. VS.14 2.) Abe got into a larger circle of God’s grace. VS. 15-18. 3.) He made it possible for him to live in front of the world by blessing him. VS. 18
Say Christians, why don’t you turn your resources over to God? Walk up to the Altar and make a deposit and you to will be blessed for it.
OR what if you hold back, live a selfish life and gain the world…what exactly will you really gain? Hell? To gain the world and lose you soul the choice is yours…
