AUGUST 6, 2009: "PUTTING ISAAC ON THE WOOD PILE"
Greetings, family! Today is Thursday, August 6, 2009, and I want to share an incredible essay from Emmet Fox's book Claim Your Good, entitled, "Putting Isaac On The Woodpile:"
"And God said, take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Genesis 22:2
Everyone knows the story of the temptation of Abraham. The important point is to realize that it is not just an incident that happened thousands of years ago, but that it happens to everyone on the spiritual path in all ages, right down to the present day.
Abraham was required to sacrifice the thing that he loved best on earth, his only son, the child that had come to him by a miracle. No other conceivable sacrifice could have caused him as much grief, and undoubtedly he had a dreadful struggle with himself before he could decide to do it. However, he won the struggle and having overcome his fear and doubt, through faith, it turned out that he did not have to make the sacrifice after all. On the contrary, an angel spoke to him and an extraordinary blessing, which he could never have expected, was bestowed upon him. "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the seashore." This refers to future demonstrations or answers to prayer, and to rapid growth in spiritual understanding.
The above promise is followed by a still greater one, "Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." You know that in the Bible enemies are always our fears and doubts, our troubles and problems. The gate was the most important place in the cities of the ancient world. The gate was where the enemies would naturally attack, and whoever possessed the gate would be in control of the city; and so you see the importance of this promise for the city which is your soul.
The account says that God tempted Abraham. Of course this is figurative. It was Abraham himself who had to prove his own faith.
If you are on the spiritual path there may be particular thing which is keeping you back from demonstrating and from your overcoming. It may be anything, as no two people have quite the same weaknesses, but whatever it is, it must go. Cost what it may, IT MUST GO. Only thus can you prove your own faith, and then you will find it is no sacrifice at all, much as it seemed to be, but only the prelude to great triumph.
In Harmony, Unity, Peace & Love,
Janis
www.janis-kelly.com
"And God said, take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Genesis 22:2
Everyone knows the story of the temptation of Abraham. The important point is to realize that it is not just an incident that happened thousands of years ago, but that it happens to everyone on the spiritual path in all ages, right down to the present day.
Abraham was required to sacrifice the thing that he loved best on earth, his only son, the child that had come to him by a miracle. No other conceivable sacrifice could have caused him as much grief, and undoubtedly he had a dreadful struggle with himself before he could decide to do it. However, he won the struggle and having overcome his fear and doubt, through faith, it turned out that he did not have to make the sacrifice after all. On the contrary, an angel spoke to him and an extraordinary blessing, which he could never have expected, was bestowed upon him. "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the seashore." This refers to future demonstrations or answers to prayer, and to rapid growth in spiritual understanding.
The above promise is followed by a still greater one, "Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." You know that in the Bible enemies are always our fears and doubts, our troubles and problems. The gate was the most important place in the cities of the ancient world. The gate was where the enemies would naturally attack, and whoever possessed the gate would be in control of the city; and so you see the importance of this promise for the city which is your soul.
The account says that God tempted Abraham. Of course this is figurative. It was Abraham himself who had to prove his own faith.
If you are on the spiritual path there may be particular thing which is keeping you back from demonstrating and from your overcoming. It may be anything, as no two people have quite the same weaknesses, but whatever it is, it must go. Cost what it may, IT MUST GO. Only thus can you prove your own faith, and then you will find it is no sacrifice at all, much as it seemed to be, but only the prelude to great triumph.
In Harmony, Unity, Peace & Love,
Janis
www.janis-kelly.com
Labels: Emmet Fox, faith, Janis Kelly, sacrifice
posted by Janis Kelly at
7:53 AM
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