Abraham is an Example of Real Faith
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I yield to you today and submit to your plans, have your way with my heart. Amen.
READ:
“Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” (James 20:21-24)
REFLECT:
Often, we get caught up with results. We want to see the finished product. We want to see something positive, and we want to know everything will work out. When it comes to faith, it’s totally different because we were never meant to have all the answers but instead to grow our faith by trusting. Growing our faith in Jesus comes down to one thing: surrender. The level at which you are willing to surrender and submit to Jesus is the depth of your faith in him. Faith is confidence. When Jesus leads us to do something, it’s on us to have confidence in him to take care of us even when we can’t possibly see what good could come out of the circumstance. Just as God did with Abraham by calling him to take a step of faith, he’s telling us to do the same. Our part is to be obedient, God's job is the rest, including the results.
APPLY:
Examine your life for a minute. Is there a particular area where you feel God nudging you to take a bold step of faith? Is there an area of your life that you’ve held onto and haven't given God access? When you yield to Jesus, it’s scary at first because you don’t know what’s going to happen, but Abraham yielded to God to the point of almost sacrificing his son and was blessed immeasurably more in the end. Don’t forget the key here: our faith is not just measured by faith, but by our willingness to surrender.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, whatever it is you lead me to, I surrender to you today and will take my next step. Amen.
WORSHIP: