Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today we’ll close our week of memorials of faith, by looking at the ultimate role model of faith.

Today’s scripture, Galatians 3:6-9 (NLT) says…
[6] In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” [7] The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. [8] What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” [9] So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

Consider…
Abraham is probably the most notable person of faith in the Bible.

His faith is memorialized in Hebrews 11:8-10 (NLT), which shares…
[8] It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. [9] And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. [10] Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

We know about Abraham going without knowing, but the Holy Spirit highlighted verse 10. Notice Abraham confidently looked forward to the eternal place God had prepared for him.

Abraham’s resolve makes me hear Patrick Love’s lyrics…

With a made up mind
With a made up mind
I’m willing to go all the way through
If it cost my life
I’m willing to pay the price
I’ve got heaven, I’ve got heaven
I’ve heaven in my view

Living with this heavenly focus is emphasized in Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT), which exhorts…
[1] Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. [2] Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. [3] For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

Like Abraham, by faith confidently go to places you don’t know because God told you to go.

The Holy Spirit also told me to read Joshua 1:9 (NLT), which encourages…
[9] This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Then He pointed out, where you’re going is not as important as who you’re going with.

With that revelation, the Holy Spirit hit play on Danniebelle Hall singing…

I’m going through, I’m going through
I don’t care what the rest of the world decides to do
Made up my mind and I ain’t gonna turn around
Walkin’ with my Jesus and I gotta go through

Walking with Jesus will get you to the place Abraham was looking for.

John 14:6 (NLT) affirms…
[6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Another notable example of Abraham’s faith is highlighted in Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT), which shares…
[17] It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, [18] even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” [19] Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

Most of us know the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac. And I have heard many messages about God testing our faith to see if love the Promiser more than the promise. But what the Holy Spirit pointed out to me today is the fact that Abraham modeled a ‘reasoned’ faith.

Recall Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) says…
[1] Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing faith is substantive. That means we knowingly believe. The example that the Holy Spirit gave me to illustrate this, is the simple act of sitting in a chair that you’ve never seen or sat in before. It’s ‘reasoned’ faith that makes you believe the chair can hold you, and leads you to sit down.

I believe ‘reasoned’ faith comes from fulfilled faith experiences. Recall, Abraham was looking at Isaac who was the fulfillment his faith, and God’s promise.

This makes me pause to acknowledge, Abraham had to have sex with Sarah as a hundred year old man, which required faith. Thus we see, because God promised, and Abraham believed, he did what was required accordingly. That’s a wonderful picture of faith…

• God promises
• We believe
• We do what’s required accordingly

As we know, God kept His promise by giving Abraham his son Isaac.

I believe that as Abraham looked at Isaac, God’s fulfilled promise, he hearkened back to how God brought life through Sarah’s dead womb. Therefore he could raise Isaac from the dead.

Indeed, I imagine as Abraham walked up the mountain to the altar of sacrifice, he remembered sacrificing the home he knew to go the home promised to show him. The blessed home he now lived. Thus, God honors sacrifices made for Him.

Yes, I believe as Abraham heard God tell him to sacrifice Isaac, that he remembered God never lied to him or led him astray. Accordingly, he could rely on everything God promised him.

It’s from this backdrop that I believe Abraham ‘reasoned’, God was going to keep His promise of blessing the world through his son of promise, Isaac.

The message is simply, pay attention to God’s promises made and kept, and follow His future instructions ‘reasoned’ by faith in His faithfulness.

The Holy Spirit showed me the fact that God builds our faith before He tests it.

Thus, no matter what the rest of faith is, like Abraham, the Lord wants us to sing with Carlton Pearson…

I know the Lord will make a way
Yes He will
I know the Lord will make a way
Yes He will
He’ll make a way for you
He will lead you safely through
I know the Lord will make a way
Yes He will

God wants us to always trust Him to do what He said, regardless of what He asks.

The last thing the Holy Spirit showed me was the fact that ‘reasoned’ faith could also be seen as keeping the faith.

So today, like Abraham, confidently go where God tells you to go and do what he tells you to do. And, when your faith is tested remember Abraham and KEEP THE FAITH.

Today’s song is…
Keep The Faith

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)