Isaac meets his father's God

 *ISAAC MEETS HIS FATHER’S GOD* 

For some people, this message will be coming too late 

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. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Gen 22:9-11NIV

A senior pastor once asked me, “Pastor Emma, what did you do to your children that makes them show interest in the ministry?”

 This question will make more sense if you are aware that an undergraduate son of a senior pastor in my city committed suicide one Sunday morning. Another senior pastor has been in sorrow because of the wild lifestyle of his first son. Sons and daughters of servants of God are, generally speaking, showing lack of interest in kingdom business.

 Regarding Eli it was reported that all three young men in his house did not know the Lord personally. Yes, not only Hosphni and Phinehas but it was also said about Samuel,

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 1 Sam 3:7NIV

The reaction of Samuel was different but he was on the same spiritual frequency with the other young men; they did not know the Lord in the house of a man of God.

I want to believe that God could see Isaac in this predicament; even though his father Abraham had a long history of walk and knowledge of God, he did not know the Lord. God had trusted that Abraham will undertake the assignment to bring his children to know and worship Him

For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Gen 18:19NIV

Besides testing his loyalty in order to qualify him for the Promise, I believe that God was also interested in his next generation. It is important that we observe that when God’s angel spoke with Abraham, Isaac was listening to the conversation. Remember that earlier Isaac had worried about the absence of the lamb for sacrifice. 

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire 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 Gen 22:6-8NIV

I can’t describe Isaac’s state of mind when he discovered his father’s idea of God’s provision but he sure heard God call from heaven, he saw the sudden appearing of a lamb caught in the bush and of course, he felt in his body the freedom that came because the God of his father provided a lamb in his place. That was the meeting point between Isaac and the God of his father. He knew Him first hand as a deliverer and game changer. He would have heard his father talk about his God but on this unscheduled appointment on this mountain, he met this God by encounter. He had this encounter because his father passed the test posed by his God. It is interesting this encounter was on the altar of sacrifice to this God. This will leave an indelible print on Isaac’s mind.

Perhaps Isaac would never have met this God if Abraham refused to obey God. Perhaps if Abraham had opened up to Sarah and used her likely refusal as excuse to back out, Isaac could have ended up like the children of some of our Christian leaders today. It is sad to say but it is true that some of us are where God has asked us to leave. Some pastors rejected posting by their umbrella organization but bribed their way to stay in the city where their children joined bad gangs. Some believers used their connection to get contracts where their daughter became a prostitute because of exposure to strange big-men who were her father’s business colleagues. 

Yes, some of our children know more about football than the gospel because they have often stumbled into their father watching English Premier League when other believers are out for Home Cell Meetings. Perhaps they would have known more about God if they often stumbled into you while you were praying in the Spirit in your secret-place but they know about politics because that was what you talked about more. It is possible you go to church but you talked more about the Great Commission with respect to money made from Multi-Level-Marketing on food supplements and other products. Each time they stumble into your discussion, it is always on how to get plenty money. Now you are complaining that they don’t know how to win souls. Where do you expect them to learn it?

Is it not possible that the pattern your children have adopted is because of what you often said about servants of God in their presence? You abuse your pastors and that has given the wrong impression that pastors are foot-mats. No week passes without you pointing out in the family devotion the stupid things pastors do. Maybe you are a pastor but each time you talk to them about the ministry, you give the impression that ministry is suffer-head work and often encouraged them to get rich before they come for the ministry. Now, you are insulting other people’s children for not showing commitment to God’s business under your care. Where are your own children? You encourage them to do secular programs at school so they can compete with those you envy. When you get a more perfect example of hypocrisy please let me know.

Now, like I said at the beginning of this meditation, this will meet some people when there is nothing they can do to change the status quo. Yet, they can humble themselves before the Lord and ask for forgiveness. The Lord can give them back “yesterday” that they wasted. Joel2:25. It will take a miracle but that is why He is God. He can still reach those children in His own way and bring them back.

For the fortunate ones, I mean those who have not made the worst mistake; those who are still waiting for their “Isaac” or whose “Isaac” is still in the formative stage and under their watch, you already know what to do. Follow Abraham’s example and lead your Isaac to that mountain because he is safer in God’s hands. Let your Isaac have a firsthand experience of your God through your personal devotion to Him. Look around your house and office, what do those children see that mold their character? You have been in church for years now and you are not committed to any congregation and you are wondering why your children choose their role models from the Social Media. You can change all that from today.

God wants to meet your children but it will be easier for Him if you prepare the altar for this encounter like Abraham did. 

Let me also use this opportunity to warn parents who secret involve in occult and fetish practices. These evil spirits will go for your children when you are no more. When Abraham died God carried the Abrahamic covenant with Isaac. When Isaac was getting ready to retire, God started to prepare ground for Jacob

There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Gen 28:13-14NIV

We are glad that this meeting was not with a god who will demand human sacrifice and serving in a shrine. Those who are involved in these things know what I am talking about and many of their members are currently in regret for getting involved in them. In the same way those demons from occult societies and voodoo sites will begin to haunt your children after. You can do yourself and your future generations a favor by revoking those covenants now while you are alive.

You can read my book CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED TO THE FAMILY for more guidance. Available as soft copy PDF on Amazon Kindle Bookstore  and you can also buy from PNUR Bookstore directly. 

 I will like to get your reaction on this subject and let me know if you need some guidance.

I pray you have a Happy New Week in Jesus name.

Emma your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com