EverPsalm

Tag: bible

  • “Praying for your Children” – Part I

    An unsettling event involving my son over Christmas break really shook me up and let me to some deep reflection. As I looked back over the past few months, trying to figure out what might have led to it, I realized just how far I had strayed in my quest for biblical knowledge and how much I needed to reassess my priorities. 

    During the last few months, I had been pouring my time and energy into understanding the Scripture and planning for my church’s ministry, as well as my own evangelistic work. In the process, I completely overlooked my most important role at the present time: being a mother to my young children. Even worse, I had researched dark demonic topics – something I now seriously regret.  I thought I was “equipping myself with the knowledge of the enemy” but I didn’t realize that the dark side of the spiritual realm isn’t something we should be exploring.   

    In the aftermath of my son’s incident, I visited a Christian bookstore, where I unexpectedly met a stranger, leading to a meaningful conversation. After sharing the details of my son’s experience, Winnie, also a Christian mom of young children, showed me a book from her shopping basket titled “Praying for Your Children. (Elmer L. Towns) ” Before parting ways, we exchanged WhatsApp contact. While I am not sure what prompted her to talk to me, she felt like an angel sent at just the right moment. I needed someone who would truly listen, and she not only offered me a compassionate ear, but also directed me to a resource that was precisely what I needed. 

    Below I would like to share some of the most important points from this book (Part 1): 

    Victory Over Danger 

    Because children are defenseless, the enemy target them more than any other age group, using addiction to drugs, alcohol, pornography, video games, etc. to keep them in bondage. 

    “ … the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” ( 1 Peter 5:8)

    Lord, protect my children from evil enemies that I don’t even know are attacking them.

    When God the Father fight against Satan, the father of lies, it’s spiritual warfare. Trust that God has victory over Satan and count on Him, 

    “  Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” ( 1 John 4:4 )

    Lord, you are much greater in power than the devil. 

    I pray for you to stop his evil influence on my children.

    God uses people to help others. He will use you to help your children. 

    “… Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children… “ (Lam2:19 )

    Lord, I will read and learn to intercede for my children. I pray for you to guide me. I promise to do everything within my power to lead them to Christ and train them in righteousness. Help me keep my promise to you and bless my children. 

    Why Pray for Children

    • Parenting is challenging 
    • Praying for Children Makes a difference, as seen in the Bible. 
      • 1 Samuel 1-6 
        • Hannah prayed for a not-yet-conceived son. Her sincere, selfless, stubborn, sacrificial prayers resulted in the birth and life of the great prophet, Samuel.
      • Matthew 15:22-28 
        • A Canaanite mother prayed for her daughter who was possessed by a demon. The mother’s persistent, resilient, faith-filled prayers brought about a miracle on behalf of her daughter. 
      • Matthew 9:18-28 
        • The simple, direct, faith-filled request of a government official touched the heart of God and brought his dying daughter back to life.  
    • Prayer is omnipotent and omnipresent.
      • You can’t be with your children 24/7, but you can pray for them wherever they are. 

    Pray for wisdom when praying for your child 

    • Praying for wisdom is a request God likes to answer.
      • If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ( James 1:5 )
    • Solomon is considered the wisest man who ever lived. When he assumed the spiritual responsibility for the “children of Israel,” his response was to pray for wisdom.
      • Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” ( 2 Chronicles 1:10) 

    Lord, give me divine wisdom to pray more effectively for my children.

    You are responsible for praying for your children 

    • Do not reply on other people, like pastor or Sunday school teacher, to pray for your children. God tell parents that they are the ones accountable for the spiritual development of their kids.
      • These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) 
    • Father, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) 
    • As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. ( 1 Samuel 12:23) 

    Lord, forgive me for the times I have been guilty of worrying about my children when I should have been seriously praying for them. Help me begin today to pray for my children more consistently than I have at any time in my life.

    Praying Scriptures gives divine power to your prayers 

    • God’s Word has life giving power.
      • For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.(Hebrew 4:12) 
    • Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) 

    Lord, help me to learn to pray the scriptures for my children in such a way as to make a positive, life-giving, powerful difference in their lives. Show me what it is You are working to accomplish in the lives of my children and help me pray for that to be occurring in their lives. Please parent them, especially in times and in ways I can’t.

    The Prayer of Hannah for Her Future Son ( 1 Samuel 1:1-17) 

    1. Surrender (1:Samuel 1:11) 
      • Hannah surrendered her future son to the Lord in prayer. 
        • God will be the giver and receiver of the son. Hannah just wanted to have a part in the middle. 
      • One advantage of waiting for answers is that it helps clarify our intentions. The longer we have to grapple with frustrating delays, the more we can shed any impurities in our motives.
        • She wants a son who could be used by God to influence a nation for God. 
    2. Persistence (1: Samuel 1:12) 
      • Hannah was shameless, stubborn and persistent. Her faith refused to yield until her request is answered.
        • Jesus promised that if we keep asking we will receive ( Matt. 7:7) 
        • “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. “ ( Matthew 7:7) 
    3. Passion (1: Samuel 1:13-16) 
      • Hannah poured her soul out to the Lord, claiming to be praying “out of freat anguish and grief.” 
      • If we lack enthusiasm in our prayer, why should God be interested in responding?   
    • Sacrifice (1: Samuel 1:7, 17-20) 
      • Hannah fasted until she was assured that she had broken through. 
      • As parent, there are times when the needs of our children are greater than our need to eat. Prayer along with fasting can be powerful. 

    The Prayer of the Canaanite Woman for Her Daughter ( Matthew 15:21-28) 

    1. Petition (Matthew 15:21-23
      • The mother cried out to Jesus for mercy. Yet, her first request was ineffective 
    2. Perseverance (Matthew 15:23)
      • Instead of quitting, she preserved in crying out to Jesus for help, refusing to give up easily or go quietly. 
    3. Pleading ( Matthew 15:24-25)
      • Jesus made a comment to His disciples, but the woman refused to be denied even though she knew that she had no right to ask a Jewish man to help her. With all of her faith, all of her emotions, and all of her love for her daughter, she pleaded “Lord, help me !” 
    4. Prevailing ( Matthew 15:26-28)
      • Her prayer again goes without a response. But she was not going to give up until Jesus did something for her daughter. Finally, Jesus did something and commended her on her great faith. 

    This woman was a Canaanite, a non-Jew, a not yet fully devoted follower of Jesus. Her faith was great because it was not based on a sense of her own merit, wisdom, or strength. It was based completely on her strong conviction that Jesus was able and willing to help those in need.

    Lord, I believe that you are willing and able to work on behalf of my children. I will keep on asking until I receive.

    Read slowly through the following list and ask yourself which of these practices you need to take into your own prayers for your children. 

    1. I have fully surrendered my child/children to the Lord. 
    2. I am stubbornly persistent in my prayers on their behalf. 
    3. I pour out my heart to the Lord in prayer for my children. 
    4. I will sacrifice food (fasting) or other things to pray most effectively for my children.
    5. I pray for my children with as much faith as I can possibly express. 
    6. I refuse to quit until the Lord responds. 
    7. I keep praying because I know I don’t have all the answers, but the Lord does. He is willing and able to answer. 

  • The Blood That Speaks Mercy

    I recently watched a CBN News interview with a former satanic member who spoke about Halloween rituals. According to him, most human sacrifices take place during that time – which, sadly, didn’t surprise me to hear.

    But one line stood out to me: “Blood is a currency in the spiritual realm.” He likely meant it metaphorically, but the phrase stayed with me and made me curious enough to look into it further.

    Not long ago, I taught my Sunday School kids that “Jesus’ blood is special because it covers all our sins.” But truly, I hadn’t really stopped to think deeply about what that meant. I knew His blood was precious because He was sinless and fully God – but hearing someone say that blood has spiritual value made me see it differently.

    It even brought back a memory from elementary school. Some kids played this weird “spirit plate game” at recess – they’d prick their finger, put a drop of blood on a bowl, and try to “summon” a spirit. I never took part, but I remember hearing that the kid who led it ended up really sick.

    If what that man said it true, it makes sense why blood has always been part of spiritual practices. In the Old Testament, animal blood was repeatedly offered as atonement whenever people sinned against God. But in the New Testament, Jesus shed His blood once and for all, as the final sacrifice for all humanity’s sin.

    Sadly, I’ve also read that in some dark occult practices, human blood is offered in attempts to “sell one’s soul” to the devil, or to empower spirits to fulfill certain desires.

    So, what does the Bible say about blood?

    Leviticus 17:11 (KJV)

    For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

    Below I’m going to summarize what a Nigerian pastor Joshua Selman had spoken about the power and significance of blood, as it is the most insightful sermon on this topic I could find.

    • The blood of every creature holds its life within it. In Scripture, blood is the very symbol of life.

    • From Scripture, blood has always been the price of ransom – the currency of the spiritual realm, just as money is the currency of the natural world.
      • This means that when a demonic curse is spoken, it cannot take effect unless there is a legal or spiritual reason that allows it. If a curse does seem to work, it means there was a cause – a legal ground that gave it permission to operate.

    • There is a legal system in the spiritual world.

    • Proverbs 26:2: As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
      • This means that when a demonic curse is spoken, it cannot take effect unless there is a legal reason that allows it. If a curse does seem to work, it means there was a cause – a legal ground that gave it permission to operate.

    • When mankind fell into sin, we handed over our life and submitted ourself to Satan, coming under Satan’s captivity

    • In the divine legal system, redemption (to regain possession) required blood that did not come from a human man, since all mankind carried the sin passed down through Adam. That’s why the Holy Spirit took the fatherly role in the birth of Jesus. Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit – not through the natural process of man – so that Jesus would be born sinless, pure, and set apart to redeem humanity.

    • When Jesus gave His blood that is the representation of his life, He was sinless, which mean he was not deserving of judgement. Even though it was God who allowed Jesus to die, Jesus made sure Satan played a role in His dying so Satan can be blamed.

    • When someone kills an innocent person, Scripture teaches that the blood of the victim cries out to God. And when that blood cries, God hears — and whatever the blood calls for will be carried out.

    Genesis 4:10 (NIV) – When Cain killed Abel

    The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”

    Hebrews 12:24 (NIV) – When Jesus was put on the cross

    “...to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

    • When Jesus died, His blood did not call for revenge, but for mercy – releasing all of humanity from the guilt of sin.

    • Through the blood of Jesus, every curse and covenant that stood against us because of sin has been broken. His blood fulfills the justice of heaven and sets us free, leaving Satan with no legal ground to hold us captive.

    I hope this summary will help you understand and appreciate the power and significance of Jesus’s blood !!! Remember to check out this powerful sermon shared below.

    Colossians 1:13–14 (NIV)

    “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

    Hebrews 9:12 (NIV)

    “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

    Looking back now, I can’t help but think about how real the spiritual world is with both the darkness that seeks blood, and the redeeming power of the blood Jesus shed for us.

    Thank you, Jesus ❤

  • Daily Writing Prompt : Success

    Daily writing prompt
    When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?
    View all responses

    During my senior year of college, the pastor from my campus fellowship sponsored me to attend the National Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values in Washington, D.C. I was reluctant to go at first, mainly because I wasn’t in any leadership position at the time and didn’t feel qualified. But out of respect for him, I went anyway.

    Though it’s been more than a decade since then, the words of one of the speakers — U.S. Representative John Zimmerman — left such a deep impression on me that I still remember them to this day.

    He said, “Do not measure success by how much money you make, but by the positive impact you have on people’s lives.”

    If I had to choose the first person who comes to mind when I think of the word “successful,” it would be the Apostle Paul, because his actions and words have made a positive impact on millions of people’s lives. (and “millions” is probably an understatement).

    It still amazed me how Paul, a zealous prosecutor of early Christians, had turned into one of the most devoted follower and servant of Christ. He worked tirelessly, traveling from place to place to spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. He willingly endured suffering and persecution worse than what he had once inflicted on other believers. Even God said, “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15–16) Yet he continued to preach despite every hardship and setback.

    The New Testament alone contains thirteen epistles written by Paul to early Christian communities and individuals, in which he offered heartfelt guidance, encouragement, and wisdom. Nearly 2000 years have passed since Paul’s death, but his words continue to guide and strengthen believers like me. Paul’s life reminds me that true success is not measured by status or achievement, but by a purpose-driven and impact-filled life fully surrendered to God.

    Below are a few of my favorite verses written by Paul.

    Philippians :13


    “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

    Paul wrote this while he was in prison. Even though he didn’t have much – no freedom, no comfort, and sometimes not even enough food – he was still thankful and content because he trusted that Jesus would give him the strength he needed for every situation. No matter what happened, good or bad, he kept going because Jesus gave him strength.

    Romans 12:2

    “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” 

    This verse has become a backbone of the principles I live by. Paul reminds us not to blindly follow what everyone else in the world is doing – especially when it goes against biblical values. Instead, we should let God transform the way we think so we can recognize what is good and true. When we allow Him to guide our thoughts, we begin to live in a new and better way – one that isn’t swayed by cultural trends.

    1 Corinthians 13:14

    “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

    True love isn’t just about feelings – it’s about choosing to be patient, kind, and humble every day, just like Jesus loves us.

    Philippians 1:21

    “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

    Paul is saying that his whole life belongs to Jesus – everything he does and everything that makes him happy is for Him. And even dying isn’t something to be afraid of, because it means he would get to be with Jesus forever.

    If you asked me who my favorite Bible character is besides Jesus, I’d say without hesitation – Paul ! ( My second-favorite is Daniel :] )

  • From Belief to Disbelief

    After the First Opium War, Britain took control of Hong Kong under a 99-year lease. Christian missionaries arrived soon after Hong Kong became a British colony. They provided education, medical care, and social welfare to local Chinese people. Even today, a large number of schools – both private and government-subsidized – are Christian-affiliated.

    I grew up attending one of those schools and had the blessing of learning about Jesus from a young age. Back then, I never really questioned whether the Bible stories we heard in class were true, and simply believed them with a child’s heart. I prayed to God every night and even addressed my diary entries to Him. As a quiet, introverted kid, it brought me so much comfort to have someone I could talk to silently in my heart – especially during the two years when my two older sisters were away in the US.

    I did eventually reunite with my sisters in U.S at 7th grade.

    However, my innocent and peaceful relationship with my Heavenly Father was shattered after a global history class in high school. It was a lesson touching on the historical background of Jesus. I can’t remember my teacher’s exact words, but I still recall the message clearly. He said something like, “Christianity is a Jewish religion. Jesus was a Jewish man who never left Israel. He only preached about his Jewish God to Jewish people.”

    I was stunned. Those claims were completely new to me, and I didn’t know how to process them. In that moment, I thought to myself, So Christianity is just like Buddhism — a religion made for a certain group of people. So Jesus doesn’t actually love me; He only loves people of His own race.

    Deep down, I wondered if I had misunderstood everything I was taught as a child. If Jesus only loved a certain people, then where did that leave me? 

    From that day on, I drifted away from the faith that once felt so simple and pure. I stopped praying to God and even began mocking Christianity with my atheist friends and family members.

    I might share in another future post how I eventually found my way back to faith. I wanted to write this particular incident in this post because, this week, I’ve been reading the book of Acts. Reading about Paul being chosen by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles reminded me of my high school history teacher’s message. I couldn’t help but wonder: If I could go back to that day, knowing what I know now, how would I respond to my teacher’s claims?

    I would tell my teacher that while Jesus was born into a Jewish family and lived in Israel, His message was never meant to stay within one nation or culture. From the very beginning, God’s plan of salvation was for ALL PEOPLE. Take a look…

    Acts 2:1-4

    When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
    Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
    They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
    All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

    Through the power of the Holy Spirit, people from every land could hear and understand the message of salvation in their own language. It shows that God’s love truly knows no boundaries — it reaches across languages and nations. Have you ever wondered how the Holy Bible, a book written thousands of years ago, could be translated into so many languages? There must be something supernatural at work — a divine power enabling people to understand and communicate in languages completely different from their own.

    And later, in the book of Acts, we see God choosing Paul – a Jewish man – to bring the gospel to the Gentiles,

    Acts 13:47

    For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

    Acts 22:21

    Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’

    These verses together show that Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles wasn’t his own idea – it was God’s plan from the beginning, confirming that Jesus’ salvation was meant for everyone.

    And I will share one more verse that is the driving force behind missionary ministry. It was Jesus’ final command before ascending to heaven.

    Matthew 28:19

    Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

    If I could stand in that classroom again, I would tell my teacher that Jesus didn’t come for just one ethnic group – He came for the whole world. His arms are wide enough to welcome anyone who believes in Him – including me and you.

  • Pray for Christians in Nigeria

    Photo source:https://www.christianitytoday.com

    I opened YouTube this morning and the first video that popped up was titled: “Nicki Minaj LOSES Followers for Standing With Persecuted Christians in Nigeria.”

    If you haven’t heard about it, there has been a very real, ongoing genocide in Nigeria since 2009 — and it has only gotten worse. Yet mainstream media has remained almost completely silent all this time. I only learned about it myself about a month ago from a video posted by CBS News, a Christian news channel.

    I’ve never been a fan of Nicki Minaj, and I’ve never really followed her work. But she earned my respect for this act of courage and kindness.

    One of the biggest problems in our society – especially here in the U.S. – is that so many minds have been brainwashed by the main stream media to place politics above basic humanity and empathy. The backlash against Nicki Minaj for simply speaking up for persecuted Christians was immediate and vicious, all because some assumed that her action somehow means aligning with a particular political party.

    Regardless of someone’s religion or political stance, when we hear about innocent people being brutally slaughtered in large numbers, I hope we can pause for at least a moment of empathy – rather than rushing to click “unfollow” or leaving hurtful comments toward someone who is simply showing compassion for a humanitarian crisis.

    As for Nicki, I say this: Rejoice when you are “canceled” for standing for the right cause. It is a sign that you are walking in the right direction. May the Spirit of God guide her toward the truth and lead her to Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

    And for any brothers or sisters in Christ reading this, may we remember to pray for the Christians in Nigeria that God would strengthen their faith, protect them, and comfort those who have lost loved ones in this senseless and heartbreaking violence.

    At last, I’d like to share a documentary – ” Faith in the Fire – Christian persecution in Nigeria” (Full Documentary)

  • The Last Breath

    Having been an oncology nurse for over a decade, I’ve, unfortunately, witnessed many patients pass away and have performed post-mortem care countless times. Over the years, I began to notice two recurring patterns that seemed to appear again and again.

    The first is something we used to call “death comes in threes.” I first heard this phrase from a colleague. Often, we would go a long stretch without losing a patient, and then suddenly, when one passed, two or three more would follow within the same week. Some might say it’s just coincidence – but when you see that pattern repeat itself time after time, you can’t help but wonder if there’s something more than meets the eye.

    The second phenomenon is what I’d like to reflect on in this post – something I call “the last breath.”

    End-of-life patients often display distinctive breathing patterns. One is called Cheyne–Stokes respiration, characterized by alternating periods of deep breathing followed by gradually shallower breaths and temporary pauses in breathing altogether. The other is agonal breathing, a more erratic pattern with moments of rapid breaths followed by periods of slowed or irregular breathing.

    Regardless of which pattern a patient exhibited, there was always an unmistakable moment — a final, audible gasp, as if they were letting out one last heavy breath. Immediately after that, a wax-like pallor would come over the patient’s face , and you would know that a life had just slipped away.

    Each time I witnessed that final breath, I couldn’t help but imagine the patient’s invisible soul leaving their body along with that very last breath. By the way, did you know that the Greek word for soul is psychē, which literally means “to breathe” but was understood to be “soul, inner being or life”? That brought me back to the Bible verse in Genesis that speaks about God giving us breath — the very source of life.

    Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

    Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

    The same God who breathed life into Adam still breathes His Spirit into us today, sustaining us until the day He calls us home. Friends, may we live each day mindful of that sacred breath within us, and praise the One who breathed life into our souls!

     Job 33:4

    “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

    Thank you, Lord.

  • Daily Walk : Quiet Time with God

    I recently started a new daily routine – walking for an hour each day.

    At first, it was about lowering my blood sugar and clearing my mind. But after a few days, this was becoming more than a health habit, as I began to treat it as my daily quiet time with God. Every minor sound of nature reminded me that God’s presence doesn’t only meet us in church. He meets us in the quiet places, where our hearts finally slow down enough to listen.

    Psalm 46:10

    “Be still, and know that I am God.”

    Some mornings I pray to God; other times, I simply walk quietly and take in my surroundings. When you really pay attention, you begin to notice striking similarities between human beings and elements of nature. Take trees, for instance – their root systems mirror the intricate pathways of the vascular system of our human body. Even certain nuts, like walnuts or pecans, resemble parts of the human body, especially the brain. How can anyone see such patterns and not wonder whether we were all created by the same creator?

    Romans 1:20 (NIV)

    “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…”


    I’ll end this post with a few photos taken during my walk. There is beauty everywhere in nature. Put down your phone for an hour and go outside for a walk. Let God restore balance to your body, mind, and soul. 🙂

    And a song that goes well with this post 🙂

  • Scriptures Study – Genesis 22

    Today I reread Genesis 22 and had an “Ah-Ha” moment I wanted to share.

    If you’re reading this chapter for the first time, you might feel the same shock I once did. I remember thinking, “What kind of craziness is this? Why would God ask an elderly man to sacrifice his only son just to ‘test’ his faith? And if God is all-knowing, why even test Abraham – wouldn’t He already know his heart?”


    Right?

    Let’s look at a few scriptures from Genesis 22.

    Genesis 22:2

    “Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

    Genesis 22:6

    “Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.”

    Genesis 22:7 -8

    “Issac spoke up and said to his father Abraham […] “The first and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, ” God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

    Genesis 22:9

    “When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.”

    And then of course, the Angel called out to him and stopped Him.

    Now, if you’ve read the Gospels and understood the meaning behind it, the whole scene might start to sound familiar in a different way. Try replacing Isaac with Jesus, and Abraham with God Himself. That’s my “Ah-ha” moment.

    In Genesis 22, God asks Abraham to offer his beloved son – the son of promise – as a sacrifice. It feels unthinkable… until we remember that this is exactly what God would one day do Himself. 

    John 3:16

    “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son…”

    Abraham was asked to surrender what was most precious to him, but in the Gospels, God actually gives up His only Son for the salvation of the world. Isaac carries the wood for his own sacrifice up the mountain; Jesus carries the cross. Abraham tells Isaac, “God Himself will provide the lamb,” and centuries later, God fulfills that very promise through Christ, the true Lamb of God.

    John 1:29

    “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

    The story of Abraham and Isaac is a prophetic picture pointing forward to the greater sacrifice God would make out of love for us.

    But why did God have to test Abraham? God tested Abraham not because He was unsure about Abraham’s loyalty to Him, but to reveal and strengthen Abraham’s faith.

    1 Peter 1:6–7

    “You have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

    Great faith grows through great testing. Abraham showed his faith by valuing God above the very gifts God had blessed him with. He truly deserves the title “Father of faith.”

    As you think about this story, I hope it reminds you that God doesn’t just ask us to trust Him, but he has already shown His love for us through Jesus. I hope that truth would draw you a little closer to the One who provided the Lamb.