What is faith? week 33

“It is that which connects you to heaven’s resources so that you get all you want and be all you should.” All you want? Was that the faith of Abraham the father of faith? “Of course! What more did Abraham want than a son? It was faith that enabled him have one when he was past age and Sarah past child bearing Heb 11:11.” I agree with that passage of scripture, it is repeated a number of times, but Abrahamic faith did not start or end simply with getting what you want from heaven. It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going Heb 11:8(GNB). Genuine faith is obedience...
“Look God told him He would bless those who blessed him and curse those who curse him. He wanted that. Faith gets you what you want.” Hmm, I say faith is what made Abraham differ from the crowd. “Now you are talking.” Am I? Faith led Abraham to live as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, Heb 11:9(GW). Imagine a rich man living in tents rather than houses. I hope you know there were houses then (Gen19:2-3)? Faith makes you live differently, not following fashion or being trendy. Sadly many of us who have a claim to faith struggle to be like the rest in dressing, housing and appearance. “Should we then be poorly clothed?”
Don’t deviate from our point; we haven’t reached the ultimate manifestation of Abrahamic faith. “The sacrifice of Isaac, not so?” Yes. By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; Heb 11:17(ASV).
You said he obeyed and left his father’s house because he wanted the promise God gave him. What promise did God give him if he offered up Isaac, what new blessing was he supposed to inherit? “That was tough; God had said to him, "Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name." Heb 11:18(GNB) Ishmael had been sent away by now.” Yes, He was certain that God could raise people from the dead, and figuratively speaking he did get him back in this way Heb 11:19(ISV). Such faith made him obey fully. That’s why I say faith is prompt obedience not knowing the place you are going, but knowing the One you have believed. For the which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day 2Ti 1:12(RV). Do you have faith?