13 Jan Life’s Hardest Test and God’s Provision
Deacon Hui Zhen - 5 June 2014
The Covenant Of God, Foundation Of Our Faith
The reason why we always fall back on our own strength, wits and ways to live our lives is because we have not truly understood and confirmed that the God we claim to know is indeed a true and living God, one who creates us to love us. Yet it is a journey of repeated confirming through all things that are happening in our lives, because God is always constantly revealing Himself to us through our experiences, especially failures. God was always revealing to Abraham his entire lifetime, even when he was ignorant of God's covenant; similarly, God is also doing the same thing to us today, always revealing to us through our encounters, failures and people in our lives. When we continue to seek God's presence and see how He is always inscribing the covenant deeper and deeper into our hearts, only then we will be bound by Him and desire to follow Him and live by the Spirit.
From Series: "All English Service"
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Life’s Hardest Test and God’s Provision
Sometimes life gets hard, even as we walk with the Lord. Yet, with greater tests and trials comes greater divine grace. Often, we tend to feel that God is heartless or unhelpful during our trials. However, the faithful God will provide for us, not necessarily by helping us avert the trials, but His help comes within our trials, so that we can eventually pass the test. The most blessed relationship with God is one that is built not on what God can give us or do for us, but on God Himself. To the one who trusts and obeys God, He will give grace upon grace. Yet, though human obedience is important in the walk of faith, God’s grace will always surpass human performance, our works can never outdo God’s grace.
Verses to Read: <Genesis 22:1-18>
1. God is Our Provider.
1) God tests His people <v1>.
- But God is not unkind.
- The greater the test, the greater the reward.
2) God provides for us during the test.
- God’s faithfulness helped Abraham passed the test.
- God’s provision is not in the form of averting the trial, but divine help is found within the trial, when trial is at its worst.
- Greatest sorrow >>> greatest relief and joy*
***Ever felt the knife was already at our throats?
***No mood to complain, but only gratitude for not dying
- Ram >>> Isaac
- Jesus >>> Us
- The God who was offended by our sin actually died for us!
- The Judge died for the offender.
- We are so sinful
- God’s grace is so bountiful
- If God provided the most important Substitute >>> other smaller things too <Ro 8:32>
2. Abraham’s obedience of great faith
- Difficulty of the test >>> magnitude of Abraham’s faith and obedience
- Abraham’s relationship with and faith in God was not based on what God could give him, but on God Himself.
- He never felt entitled about having Isaac >>> knew the son was from God, for God.
- Passed the test of honoring God above all else.
- How are we handling the “Isaacs” in our lives?
3. Intricate relationship between grace and works.
- Grace is not earned by human works.
- Yet, clear causal association between God’s blessings and human obedience:
- <v16-17>: “because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you…”
- Grace does not negate works, but goes beyond works.
- GOD’S GRACE surpasses HUMAN PERFORMANCE.
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