STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY ACTION PROVES FAITH

GENESIS 22:9-12 This was the triumph of both Abraham and Isaac. Faith was now a proven fact. God said, "Now I know that thou fearest God" (Gen. 22:12). Abraham had passed the supreme test, and God's voice broke into the awful silence and said, "Now I know." Faith is always...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY THE RESPONSE OF FAITH

GENESIS 22:3; GALATIANS 1:11-17 Even though Abraham could not understand why God would command him to offer his son, he was not slow in responding. Genesis 22:3 says, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY TESTING HAS A PURPOSE

GENESIS 22:1-2; 1 PETER 1:3-7 God wanted Abraham to prove that he loved Him more than the things of this life and more than any other person. For this test God chose the person who was the dearest object of Abraham's life— Isaac. God may sometimes test you this way...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY GOD LOVES ORDINARY PEOPLE

GENESIS 21:1-7 The birth of Isaac was the second great step toward the fulfillment of God’s purpose. The first was the selection of Abraham to be the father of the chosen nation. Isaac’s birth marked a crisis in connection with the history of the chosen line of Christ. Even though...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY OUR HIGHEST GOAL

GENESIS 25:1-8 Genesis 25 records the closing events in Abraham's life. In his last days, he made provision that Isaac would receive all of his inheritance. In addition to Isaac, Abraham had a son by Hagar and six others by Keturah. Abraham had married Keturah after Sarah's death. Abraham wanted...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY WITNESSING TO UNBELIEVERS

GENESIS 23:1-16 Abraham had daily contact with his unbelieving neighbors, but he was always careful that they knew where he stood with God. Especially was this true at the time of Sarah's death. Sarah lived 37 years after Isaac was born and died at the age of 127. Abraham mourned...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY CONSTANT GRACE

GALATIANS 5:16-26 There are also many contrasts in the life of Abraham. By faith he left his country; in unbelief he stopped short at Haran. By faith he entered the land; in unbelief he forsook it for Egypt. By faith he returned to the land to sojourn; in unbelief he...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY A FRIEND OF GOD

GENESIS 18:16-21 Abraham's faith grew and developed through the spiritual exercise of testing. This is also why God permits our faith to be tested. First Peter 1:7 says the purpose of testing is so "the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY GOD HONORS HIS OWN

GENESIS 18:1-5 Genesis 18 records how God greatly honored Abraham: "He lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now...

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STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY FLESH AND SPIRIT IN CONFLICT

GENESIS 17:9-21 God did not refuse to bless Ishmael, but He caused Abraham to clearly understand that the covenant would be established with Isaac, who was not yet born. Ishmael was not to be an heir with Isaac. The Scriptures build on this principle in showing that the flesh (Ishmael)...

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