THE IMPORTANCE OF OBEDIENCE

TEXT: GEN. 22: 1-8

INTRODUCTION
Scholars have suggested various views as to the main intention of this text. Some believe it is a polemic against child sacrifice. So God told Abraham to use an animal instead of his son. However, this theory does not take into consideration the fact that God Himself told Abraham to offer Isaac in the first place.

Others think that the primary purpose is to emphasize the importance of obedience to God, and this is certainly a significant point in this. In Genesis Chapter 2-3 there was curse due to man’s DISOBEDIENCE, and Chapter 12-50 is the details of how God planned to reverse the curse through Abraham’s DISOBEDIENCE.

GOD’S PRIMARY GOAL IN CALLING AND COMMANDING ABRAHAM
A. To test his faith in God’s purposes and promises.
1. Abraham’s call in Ur and Haran (Gen. 11:31; cf Acts 7:2-4. He had to give up his country, kindred and his father’s house.
2. In Gerar (Gen. 20: 10-14): He had to give up his concubine Hagar and his son Ishmael.
3. Now he is to give up Isaac, his only son by Sarah (Gen. 22:1-19)

B. To discover how firm was this man’s faith in the ultimate divine purpose.
1. Abraham had to cut himself off from his entire past when he left his homeland and now is summoned to give up his entire future.
2. It was one thing to start resolutely for the Promised Land, but it was again a different thing to maintain confidence in the promise when all appeared lost.
3. Abraham had to project his faith far into the future.

GOD”S TEST OF ABRAHAM (GEN. 22:1-19)
A. The Hebrew word ‘nissah’ means ‘to put to test.’ God may with good motives allow one to be tested, but will never place inducement before one to lead into temptation ( 1 Cor 10:13). His ultimate motive is what is good and not what is evil.
B. The test to go a long journey and perform- Vss 1-9
1. The journey of about 50miles/80km took him three days.
2. “ Land of Moriah”, a place of many mountains- one of the hills on which Jerusalem now stands ( possibly the temple hill itself- 2Chron. 3:1).
3. Without hesitation, Abraham obeys God’s commands; he has lost one child and now to loose another child.
4. Abraham himself had his faith exercised and developed while learning a new lesson that God will provide.
5. His faith was that same God who had given Isaac to both of them could certainly provide a ram for the burnt offering.
6. He made a detailed preparation because this he had frequently done it elsewhere (cf Gen. 12:7-8; 13:4,18)
C. Obedience resulted in God-fearing- Vss10-19
1. ‘The angel of the Lord’ is the Lord himself as the context shows (vs 12, 14,16-18; cf Gen 18:2,22; Gne. 19:1)
2. An anthropomorphic statement; God speaks as if He were human ‘now I know’ doesn’t mean God does not know all things.
3. The swearing of God Himself is to express his most solemn promise.
4. He promised to bless Abraham as He said, because he had obeyed His voice.
5. The divine intention of God also included the presentation to the world of a genuine God-fearing patriarch for whom obedience was the rule of conduct (vrs 18), and gave foreshadowing of the divine sacrifice to be made by the heavenly Father and His only Son.
6. Really, God has sacrificed His only begotten Son, which is more meaningful than that of Abraham.

LESSONS TO LEARN
A. Obedience must exclude hesitation.
B. Faith must work alongside obedience.
C. Ultimate obedience results in God-fearing attitude.
D. Abraham allowed his faith to be tested.
E. God test to strengthen and enlarge believer’s faith.


CONCLUSION
God keeps His promises when we obey His voice and follow His commands. Therefore, we should have faith in whatever we hear and do so that God bless us in abundance. Lets be very much aware that our faith can also be tested by this same God of Abraham. So let’s try hard to pass when it comes to our turn.

LOVE FOR THE DEAF

Thanks be to God for granting us another week. Its a pleasure to have you read this portion concerning the love we all should exhibit towards deaf people around us. Note and share the following points.

1. Even though they are disabled, they are human beings like us.

2. They were born by mothers like our own mothers.

3. They grow like we grow as human beings.

4. They can secure jobs and work as the same as able persons.

5. They can contract marriage through traditional or ordinance law.

6. They can worship God like any other able person.

7. They can communicate to us in many ways namely: writing, signing, texting messages through phones, etc.

8. They can become Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

9. They can dance to a music, watch films and understand them, and sing too.

10. They can cast their votes perfectly during national elections.


DEAF MINISTRY
I started deaf ministry in the year 2006. I started with two deah people and as at now, their number has been increased to thirty-one. I am both a signer and interpreter.

From my experience, deaf people are lovely, curious, neat, kind, hardworkers and teachable- if only they are handled with knowledge and proper care. I thank God so much that I am endowed with deep knowledge about deaf people.

Early next year January 2009, Two deaf instructors/ interpreters and I are going to innaugurate Deaf Association in my municipality joined with other two Districts at my area in Ghana.

We aim to find them jobs, provide them with good education, educate their parents concerning their responsibilities towards their deaf children, educate society on who deaf people are, what they can do to contribute toward the growth of their society.

My dear readers, I wish you understand and show love to the deaf as I am, an your bleesings will come in abundance.

Do you have any deaf person around you? I love him/her very much. Let him/her have access to my blog: http://helpingstone-ebenezer.blogspot.com/ and my e-mail: korsaheben@yahoo.com or ebenkosee@gmail.com

Come 24th-28th December, 2008, we are attending Deaf Bilble Camp. The outcome will be brought to you. Hope to meet again next Week. God bless you for reading. You can send Questions and contributions.

TWELVE MISTAKES EVERY LEADER MUST AVOID

Dear Brethren,

God has blessed us with another time to meet again and share experiences. I want to touch on leadership responsilities and see how it can help us move along with people as leaders or when there is an appointment to take a leadership role. You are a leader today. Somebody will also become a leader tomorrow. Its good and interesting!

Note this, that, a leader is a person with a given capacity, agiven responsibility to influence the purposes for a group. If care is not taken, he can impact the lives of the subordinates or the members positively or negatively. So should leaders be very cautious indeed?The big answer is YES! Lets reflect on the following.

TWELVE MISTAKES EVERY LEADER MUST AVOID


Every leader makes mistakes, but some of the mistakes can be costly. The following mistakes could be landmines. Watch them!

I. COVERING UP MISTAKES
A. Because of the fear of being disgraced or others thinking a leader is incompe-
tent, mistakes may be hushed up.
B. Instead of covering your mistakes, disclose them in a very professional way so that others could assist without any malice.

II. INCONSISTENCY
A. In executing ,it is very important to do so without looking at faces
B. Favoring some people breeds bitterness.
C. It needs no gainsaying that bitterness in people counteracts any effort you may make in building a strong team.

III. INFLEXIBILTY
A. A leader needs to be fair and firm, but not unbending.
B. Some leaders take very entrenched position when it even threatens their very existence. This is not to suggest that the truth must be compromised even in very tight situation.
C. The point being made here is that one shouldn’t always think that because one is the leader, whatever one says must be obeyed.
D. Dictatorship no longer thrives, although it may sometimes be useful.
E. Listen, listen and listen a lot to your followers and take advice.

IV. PRIDE
A. Pride ,goes before fall
B. Snubs, and command those we are suppose d to influence to get tasks accomplished
C. Leading is about being humble and serving others, instead of being arrogant and inconsiderate.

V. LEADERSHIP IS NOT FOREVER
A. Some refuse to know that they will one day cease to be leaders or leave office. This is a grievous mistake.

VI. SELFISHNESS
A. Think of themselves first.
B. Deny the majority of their followers of such “good things” too.

VII. WRONG TIMING
A. Some leaders ignore appropriate times for implementing policies.
B. They enforce anything, anywhere, any time, because they have the power.
C. This way of reasoning is also faulty.

VIII. FRAUSTRATING PEOPLE
A. Its rather better not to frustrate people, because when those frustrated get support in
your team they could overthrow you or seriously unsettle you. Rather, encourage peopleto blossom

IX. ASSUMING EVERYBODY LOVES OR SUPPORT YOU.
A. There is the tendency to think everybody loves you, because they all smile with
B. You can’t know what is behind every smile, so don’t take everybody for granted.

X. COMPLAINTS
A. Disclose the challenges you face, but should not complain too much.

XI. PROCRASTINATION
A. Although it is in order to bid for the right time to make decisions, it is equally
useful to strive to be decisive.
B. Procrastination paints a lame picture of you as a leader.

XII. VISSION/MISSION
A. Don’t portray yourself as the only one who knows the work you are in , where
you want to and how you want to get there.

B. Your team members may end up pulling in one direction, whilst you are also
pulling in another. This can wreck your institution.

Brethren, is not so easy to. But I want to encourage to prove yourself a good leader now and a leader tomorrow.

All contibutions or comments are mostly and warmly welcomed. Thank you so much for reading.

NEXT WEEK AGAIN!

PREACHING MINISTRY

15 YARS PERFORMANCE ON THE FIELD OF PREACHING



SHORT PROFILE

NAME: EBENEZER KORSAH (GOSPEL MINISTER)

AGE: 40 YEARS

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 1993-2008 (15 YEARS)

NATIONALITY: GHANAIAN

NAME OF WIFE: PATIENCE KORSAH

NATIONALIY: GHANAIAN

NUMBER OF CHILDREN: 3 SONS


CONGREGATIONS SERVING PRESENTLY
Assin Juaso Church of Christ.
Assin Brofoyedur Church of Christ.
Stationview Church Of Christ- Assin Fosu.
Fosco Church Of Christ-Assin Fosu.
Adjetey Camp Church of Christ.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND
Western School Of Biblical Studies (Takoradi-Ghana)-Diploma
International School Of Biblical Studies (South Africa)- Advanced Diploma
Heritage Christian College (Accra- Ghana)- Bachelors Degree


ACHIEVEMENTS

CHURCHES PLANTED
Church Of Christ (Fosco Branch)-1994
Church Of Christ (Assin Kushea)-1997
Church Of Christ (Assin Brofoyedur)-2000
Church Of Christ (Bimponso)- 2001
Stationview Church Of Christ (Assin Fosu)- 2005

MINISTRIES
Women’s Ministry (1997-2008)
Deaf Ministry (2006-2008
Campus Ministry (1994- 2008)

MY MOTIVATION
I accept that I am a chosen vessel for the gospel and that leaves with me a sense of responsibility. I simply can’t afford to quit preaching completely.

May God sustain me to preach in season and out of season.

The Begining

Hurrey!!!!! thanks to techonology for this opportunity to also share with you my weekly activities both in my schooling, ministry and family. It is my desire to share with all of you who will have the opportunity to visit this blog. I will also be sharing with you some Ghanaian recipies which you might try to cook and enjoy.
It is at this moment that we should all be thinking about how best we would get ourselves involved in the Christiandom. As an experience minister of the Gospel and at the same time a student of the Bible, expect wonderful inspirational message from this blog.

This is my first time of coming to this far, but there is a saying that; the last person is most a time the best.

To c0nclude, this column I want to say a very big thank you for having the time to read this short message of mine hope to meet you here again nest week

Ebenezer Korsah
ebenkosee@gmail.com
+233 276 793 622 / +233 244 932 685