Epistle for February 3, 2005
Posted by: info <info@...>
of the office
for a month and am just now getting back to sending it again. I hope that
you will enjoy
the new format. These are interviews with people from Biblical times. Just
kind of like
talking to your friend and asking how he/she is doing. The first is with
Abraham. ENJOY!
E-pistle
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation
February 3, 2005
Curt Scarborough's HOLY GROUND INTERVIEWS
Featuring today's special guest ABRAHAM
CS Abraham, how does it feel to be acknowledged
internationally as the
father of three great world religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity . .
.
all of which trace their roots back to you?
Abraham I am not the father of any religion. In fact, any religion
founded by a human
being is a false religion. Only Almighty God has
the authority to establish a
system of worship for Himself.
CS But for centuries you have been called "Father of the
Faithful" and even a
friend of God." Surely we ought to look to your
life as an example of
genuine faith.
Abraham My faith often wavered . . . especially in those early
years. Oh, it took some
measure of faith to pack up my family and
possessions and head out when
God said, "Go west, young man." But it was more of an adventure
in
obedience than a great step of faith.
CS Still, to hear a mysterious voice telling you to move,
that must have
required a special depth of faith.
Abraham Perhaps, but where was my faith when I tried to pass off
Sarah as my
sister . . . twice! And what faith did it take to
try to fulfill God's promise
of a son by suggesting my servant, Eliezer, could
fill that role.
CS Not to mention the episode with Hagar! That didn't
turn out very well
did it?
Abraham Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and I certainly became a
dysfunctional family,
I admit. But I learned two valuable lessons there.
Don't try to "make"
God's promises happen. In due time, He'll do what
He said.
CS You said two valuable lessons!
Abraham The other lesson is that doing exactly what your wife says
does not
guarantee that she'll always be happy with the
results.
CS Tell me, Abraham, about the most important "Holy
Ground" spiritual
experience of your life . . . the most significant
and/or life-changing
encounter you ever had with the Lord God Almighty.
Abraham It was on Mount Moriah. As I have reflected over the
centuries, I
recognize that the Lord was testing me in several
ways there.
CS What do you mean?
Abraham God was testing my spiritual discernment . . . Did I really
hear what I
thought I heard Him say, "Sacrifice your son Isaac."
Also, it was a test
of my obedience. Frankly, it was with fear and
doubt that I made
preparation for our trip that morning.
CS Fear and doubt?
Abraham Of course! Isaac was our son of promise, through whom God
had
promised we would have a multitude of descendents.
But if I killed him,
how could this happen? I had no clue . . . maybe
God would raise him
back to life. Isaac was conceived out of two dead
people.
CS You mentioned it took place on Mount Moriah? That's
recognized as a
holy place even today, isn't it?
Abraham Yes. King David purchased that property centuries later,
and Solomon
built a temple there. Most importantly, that hill
was Calvary, where the
Messiah was crucified on a cross.
CS Moses wrote that you "lifted up (your) eyes and saw
the place afar off."
How did you know it was the right place?
Abraham I just knew because I knew . . . somehow God had
enlightened my
perception to recognize His site of destiny.
CS So, the highest "Holy Ground" experience of your life,
then, was when
the angel spoke to stop you from plunging the sharp
knife into Isaac's
heart? Or, was it . . .
Abraham That was no ordinary angel! That was the Son of God, the
Messiah in
human flesh! He was standing on the very spot where
centuries later
Almighty God would sacrifice His only Son to take
away the sins of the
world. The ram in the thicket was a picture of the
Lamb of God.
CS You built an altar and worshiped the Lord on that
"Holy Ground" spot . . .
Abraham I named the place "Jehovah-Jireh" meaning "God is our
Provider."
CS Indeed, He does supply all our needs!
Abraham That whole event on Mount Moriah had to do with His testing
my spiritual
priorities. The question was: "What's more
important . . . trusting God
enough to obey, or preserving my personal dynasty?"
CS That's one test you passed, giving us a great example
to follow. Do you
have further practical words of wisdom and advice to
pass along to
contemporary believers?
Abraham Two things. First, know that God has a divine purpose for
each and every
life. Seek diligently to find His personal vision
of destiny for you. This will
become your life's greatest discovery.
CS And the second thing?
Abraham Realize that, not often . . . but at least once in each
lifetime . . . there
comes an occasion when you are called upon by the
Lord to be willing
to sacrifice all that you are, all that you have, and all that you can be .
. .
including your dreams, your hopes, your aspirations, your future . . . all
these must die.
CS The Messiah said something like that in John 12:24,
about a grain of wheat
dying in order to bear fruit.
Abraham Correct, son. Remember this: Jehovah is the God of the
living. He
delights in bringing dead thing to life! No relationship, no dream, no
situation is so dead that His power cannot bring resurrection to it! This
truth can become your life's greatest faith-builder.
CS Thank you, Abraham, for sharing these deep truths and
spiritual insights
with us today.
Abraham JEHOVAH-JIREH!
I hope that you enjoyed this interview with Abraham. Of course, I guess you
realized
that CS is Curt Scarborough!
This is only the beginning of these lessons with great people from the
Bible.
"The right word may be effective, but no word was
ever as effective as a rightly timed pause."
- Mark Twain
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