Blocks Conference - Night 1

Whatever it looks like, I’m all in.

Genesis 22:1-14 

1.Abraham was present

“Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”

The true scarce commodity of the near future will be human attention.

Fasting helps put your flesh in silent mode.

It is only when we slow down our lives that we can catch up to God.

2.  Abraham was punctual

Genesis 22:3 

Ephesians 5:15-17 

The pages of Scripture will give you your assignments- your coordinates for the week. The pages of scripture give you your Moriah. 

3. Abraham was prepared

Genesis 22:6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together.

All in people do their part to prepare in the natural and expect God to show up with the super natural.  

Fire = Holy Spirit

If the Spirit of God isn’t animating your personality your practical preparation won’t matter much.

Knife = Severance  

4. Abraham was positive

Genesis 22:7-8 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

Mark 9:22-24 Have mercy on us and help us, IF you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

5. Abraham was presenting

Genesis 22:9-10 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.

Knife =  I will sever/separate from anything that keeps you from having all of me. 

Luke 14:25-27 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 

When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.  - Bonhoeffer

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

There was a day when I died... utterly died. I died to George Muller — his opinions, his preferences, his tastes, and his will — died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends — and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God. - Muller

6. God is Provider

Genesis 22:11-14 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”