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Over Our Heads: Accept One Another (Rom. 15:7) Chris Altrock – Sept. 3, 2017

This entry is part [part not set] of 4 in the series Over Our Heads

All the Same

Last year at about this time of year I spoke at a retreat of church leaders up in the northeast. We were studying the gospel together. When I say “gospel” I mean what the Bible means–the story of Jesus and the significance of his birth, life, death, resurrection and return. This was core stuff we were plowing through together.

In the midst of our study, one of those church leaders stopped me and started debating my Bible translation. I was using the ESV. Others in our group had the NIV. But he had the KJV. In the midst of our study of the gospel, this church leader launched into an argument about why the Bible translations the rest of us were using were flawed and why the church must use the translation he was using. Everyone in the church, he demanded, must not only believe the gospel. Everyone must also read from the KJV.Over Our Heads: Accept One Another (Rom. 15:7) Chris Altrock – Sept. 3, 2017

When You Can’t See How You’ll Make It (Gen. 22)

This entry is part [part not set] of 32 in the series Genesis Devo

7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Gen. 22:7-8 ESV)

Abraham finds himself in a hopeless and inexplicable situation–having been asked to sacrifice his only son. The loss of his son will not only mean unspeakable pain to Abraham and Sarah. It will mean an end to the promise of the great nation that is to be born through them.

Still, Abraham believes that somehow God will provide exactly what is needed in this dire situation. God will provide in a way that will secure both this family and this promise.

In the end, Abraham’s faith is proven. God sends a ram to take the place of the son. In response, Abraham calls God with a new name: Jehovah Jireh. It means “The Lord who will provide” or “The Lord who will see to it” (22:14). This is a God who sees what we need and who will provide what is needed.When You Can’t See How You’ll Make It (Gen. 22)