By Asking for Great Sacrifices, God

"By Asking for Great Sacrifices, God" - Psalm 7:9 Let the wickedness of the wicked (mean, evil, wicked, infamous, vile) cease now; strengthen (to affirm, stabilize, bind, subdue) (to strengthen) instead, You to the just. Is this not the universal longing of the whole company of the elect? C.H.S.

I. The Righteous God is the shield and protector of the upright in heart.

A. Of the one who does not lean to one side or the other (church, account of my life).

1. (Genesis 22:1-2) "God leads us "by great sacrifices."

2. Being a pastor is not a luxury: it is great sacrifices so as not to fail a living God.

3. The supreme test of Abraham's faith came when God commanded him to "offer" Isaac "as a burnt offering in the land of Moriah."

4. Moriah is the mountain range where Jerusalem is located (2 Chronicles 3:1) and is also the site of Calvary.

5. God's words, "Your son, Isaac, whom you love"; must have been harsh words to Abraham, "like a deep wound."

6. Isaac was Abraham's only son in the sense that he was the only son of promise, the only begotten son, "the son of the miraculous birth."

7. Spiritual test: by leading men on a difficult path.

8. (Deuteronomy 8:2) To test them and to know what was in their heart.

9. They must remember the discipline they have been subjected to during the past years and the method God has used to "bring them to maturity of a chosen people" "to serve Him" in "holiness."

10. The desert had been the school, not the punishment.

11. It was the place (desert) that was to train and feed them for forty years, under tutors (guardian, guide him) and principal heads (the figure that represents the highest authority both at the administrative level); and now was the right occasion to remember it.

12. To do the Lord's service you must know what is in your heart that is deceitful.

13. To give opportunity to choose (1 Kings 3:5).

14. Which was what Solomon wanted most.

15. God wants to know what our desires are.

16. The king called for a "wise heart" (expert, knowledgeable, prudent, able, acting wisely) for the great work of judging and leading the people of Israel.

17. This request "pleased the Lord" and was granted to him, along with "riches and glory," as well as long life, if Solomon would walk in "obedience to God."

18. (John 6:5-6) Jesus was not angry when He saw the "great multitude," as if thinking that they would hinder His rest in His time with His disciples.

19. His first thought was to get something for them to "eat."

20. So, He turned to "Philip" and asked him where they could get "bread" to feed the "multitude."

21. When Jesus asked a question, it was never to add to His knowledge, "but to teach others."

22. He knew the answer, but Felipe didn't.

23. The Lord was going to teach Philip a lesson of great value and was going to "test" his faith.

24. Jesus knew "that He was going to perform a miracle to feed that huge multitude”.

25. But did Philip realize that He could do it?

26. Was Philip's faith great, or small?

27. It seems that Philip's faith did not rise to great heights.

28. (Acts 16:23-24) By allowing men to suffer "when they are faithful."

29. The crowd reacted violently, and the magistrates, tearing the garments "of Paul and Silas; they ordered them to be beaten with rods."

30. After the flogging, the missionaries were thrown into prison, with special orders to the jailer to guard them safely.

31. He acted by putting them in the inner dungeon and secured their feet in the stocks.

32. (James 1:2-3) By allowing temptation.

33. In this part, James deals with the question of temptation.

34. Temptations are what we might call holy "trials," or problems sent by God that "test the reality of our faith" and bring about greater identification with Christ.

35. They are not ungodly temptations like (13-17) that arise from within and lead to sin. The Christian life is full of problems.

36. They come uninvited and unexpected.

37. How many times do we hear it said that some great crisis has happened: "It was not easy to live through it, but I would not give that experience for anything!"

38. (3) The test of your faith, said James.

39. It presents faith as a precious metal that is being tested by the Tuner (God) to see if it is genuine.

40. Metal is subjected to the fires of persecution, disease, suffering, or pain.

41. Without problems we never develop patience.

42. "Problems are the price of progress."

43. Someone said, "Don't bring me anything except trouble."

44. The good news weakens me. Amen