Sellers Hickman – Page 2 – NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper: Honor, Love, Fear, Honor

Sellers Hickman on October 4, 2024

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

1 Peter 2:17 (ESV)

HONOR, LOVE, FEAR, HONOR

The final verse of this section feels like a locker room verse. I picture Tennessee, LSU, or Clemson running through the locker room, touching a sign above the door before they hit the field that says, “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

Alright… maybe the fourth statement is a stretch. But seriously, if any coaches out there are looking for a new battle cry for your team, 1 Peter 2:17 is a pretty strong contender!

Why does Peter end this section with these four quick reminders? Because they’re a perfect summary of what he’s just been teaching. It’s like he’s saying, “If you don’t remember anything else, remember this!” These four phrases capture what it looks like to live out our faith in the midst of a watching world, whether it’s with your family, in the workplace, or in your daily interactions.

Honor everyone – Peter isn’t just telling us to honor the people who think like us, act like us, or treat us kindly. No! He’s saying honor everyone. That includes difficult people, those who disagree with us, and even those who might mistreat us. Why? Because every single person is made in the Imago Dei—the image of God. That’s what gives each person inherent worth and value, whether they acknowledge it or not.

To honor someone doesn’t necessarily mean agreeing with everything they do or say. It doesn’t mean excusing sin or injustice. But it does mean treating them with dignity and respect, recognizing that they, like us, are image-bearers of God. Think of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, where He calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). This is the kind of radical honor Peter is talking about.

Love the brotherhood – This is a reference to the community of believers, the church. And this isn’t just about loving the people in your small group or the friends you sit next to in service. It’s about loving all who profess the name of Jesus, even when it’s hard, even when there are disagreements or differences of opinion.

Loving the brotherhood means having each other’s backs. It means carrying one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), encouraging one another daily (Hebrews 3:13), and forgiving one another as Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13). And yes, sometimes love means having difficult conversations, experiencing growing pains, or working through conflicts. But as 1 Corinthians 13:7 reminds us, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” This kind of love creates a strong, unified community that reflects the heart of God to the world.

Fear God – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” says Proverbs 9:10. Peter reminds us here that the foundation of all our actions should be a healthy, reverent fear of God. Not a cowering fear, as though we’re scared of what He might do to us, but a deep respect and awe for who He is.

When we have the right view of God, everything else falls into place. We start to live with a sense of purpose, knowing that our lives are ultimately accountable to Him. We also gain the wisdom to navigate life’s complexities because our actions are guided by a desire to honor Him above all else. If we fear God rightly, we won’t be swayed by the opinions of others or the pressures of this world. Instead, we’ll live with the freedom and confidence that comes from knowing who holds ultimate authority.

Honor the emperor – Peter understood that, regardless of how flawed or evil a leader might be, all authority ultimately comes from God (Romans 13:1). Honoring the emperor didn’t mean agreeing with everything Nero did or condoning his actions. It meant recognizing that God was still sovereign over the situation and that submission to earthly authorities was part of living out their faith.

If Peter could challenge his readers to honor a man as evil as Nero, then we can honor those in leadership over us, even when we disagree with them. Honor begins with submission, and submission starts with the heart.

As we wrap up this week, the question remains: How is your heart doing? Are you cultivating a heart that’s quick to honor others, quick to forgive, and quick to love? Are you developing a heart that fears God above all else, or are you more focused on what others think?

Living out these commands from Peter isn’t easy, but it’s part of what it means to live as a follower of Christ. It starts with our heart—how we see God, how we see others, and how we respond to the pressures and challenges of life.

As you reflect on this verse, ask yourself: Are you honoring everyone, even those who are difficult to honor? Are you loving the brotherhood of believers, even when it’s messy or inconvenient? Are you living with a healthy fear of God, allowing His wisdom to guide your life? And are you willing to honor those in authority over you, even when it’s hard?

If your heart is in the right place, you’ll find that these commands aren’t burdensome, but life-giving. You’ll be living in a way that reflects the heart of God to a world that desperately needs to see it.

Sellers Hickman serves as College Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their one year old, Emery. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.

Digging Deeper: People Who Are Free

Sellers Hickman on October 3, 2024

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

1 Peter 2:13-14 (ESV)

PEOPLE WHO ARE FREE

I believe that deep down, there’s something in us that always wants to have the last word. We want to defend ourselves, explain why we do what we do, or make sure people see us the right way. It’s a natural human instinct. But here’s the question: What example did Jesus set for us in this area?

When we look at Jesus’ life, especially in the moments leading up to His crucifixion, we see something remarkable. Despite all the false accusations thrown at Him, despite being slandered, beaten, and eventually sentenced to death, He didn’t defend Himself. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.” Even the Son of God, the One who had every right to speak up and defend Himself, remained silent. He didn’t feel the need to respond to the lies or to prove His innocence. He trusted God the Father to handle it.

So, if Jesus didn’t feel the need to have the last word, why do we?

I remember sitting in Jamie Maddox’s office years ago, wrestling with the cultural climate of our world and how I should best lead college students through it. I had a bunch of “what if” scenarios running through my head. “What if they say this?” “What if they think this?” “What if they disagree?” I was consumed with this need to defend my stance—what I thought was “right.” But I’ll never forget what Jamie told me that day. He said, “God’s seen us to this point, and He’ll see us through any ‘what if’ scenario. We can trust that He will defend His church, and He’ll do a much better job than we will.”

That stuck with me. God has always been faithful. He has brought us through every trial, every accusation, and every misunderstanding, and He will continue to do so. We can trust Him to defend His church because He is far better equipped for that job than we are. And as much as we can see that God defends His church, how much more precious are you to Him personally?

You are a child of God. You are His beloved, adopted into His family through Christ. If He will defend His church, don’t you think He will defend you too? God has your back, whether you’re facing accusations, criticism, or unfair treatment. You don’t need to step in and have the last word because God will take care of it.

That’s what makes verse 16 of this passage so powerful. We are free! We don’t have to be enslaved to the opinions of others or to the fear of “what ifs.” We’ve been freed by the grace of God, and that freedom allows us to live differently. It allows us to serve others without the need for recognition or validation because we know that God is the One who sees us and cares for us.

Imagine living out of that place of freedom. What if you didn’t feel the need to defend yourself every time someone questioned your faith or your actions? What if, instead of feeling like you had to prove yourself to others, you simply trusted that God sees you, knows you, and will take care of you?

That’s the kind of freedom Peter is talking about. It’s a freedom that comes from knowing we are secure in God’s love, no matter what others may say or think. It’s a freedom that empowers us to serve others, not because we’re trying to earn approval, but because we already have it from the One who matters most.

So today, as you go about your life, remember this: you don’t need to have the last word. You don’t need to win every argument or defend yourself against every accusation. God has you. He sees you. And He will defend you. You are free to live in that truth and to serve others from a place of peace, knowing that God is your ultimate defender.

Trust that God has you today.

Digging Deeper: Submission to Authorities

Sellers Hickman on October 2, 2024

¹³Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, ¹⁴or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

1 Peter 2:13-14 (ESV)

SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITIES

We have a lot of tension around politics today. Election seasons bring out the best and worst in people, and it can feel overwhelming to navigate through it all. But Peter writes to a group of believers living in an even more politically charged environment than ours.

When Peter writes these words, things were far from ideal. He was living under Roman rule. It wasn’t like he could vote for who was in charge. The Roman Empire was a dictatorship, and the last two emperors, Claudius and Caligula, had been awful rulers. Claudius was known for his cruelty, and Caligula’s reign was infamous for his madness and tyranny. And yet, as bad as they were, Nero, who was coming to power, made them look tame.

At the time Peter writes this letter, Nero’s rule is still early. It’s ironic that, for a short time, he might have seemed like an improvement compared to his predecessors. However, history shows how terribly wrong things went. Nero had an intense hatred for Christians. He would eventually order the great fire of Rome, watch it burn from his balcony, and then blame Christians. From there, persecution escalated. Christians were fed to lions, burned alive, and brutally executed for sport. This was the government Peter was under. This was the political climate he was writing about.

And yet, in the midst of all this, Peter writes these counter-cultural verses. Peter is telling believers to submit to authority, even to an authority as corrupt and hostile as Rome. Why? Because submission to earthly authority is an act of submission to God’s sovereignty. God has allowed this authority to exist, and our submission reflects trust in His greater plan.

I know times are tense right now as we head into election season. I don’t know where you stand politically, but no matter where you fall on the political spectrum, there’s a lot of anxiety, anger, and division. People are passionate about who they believe should lead, and every election cycle seems to carry more weight than the last.

It’s easy to think that everything hinges on the next vote, the next law, the next leader. And yes, politics are important because they affect real lives. But as Christians, Peter reminds us that we are called to something higher. Our ultimate hope doesn’t rest in an emperor, a president, or a political party—it rests in God. We can engage in the political process, but we do so with the perspective that God is ultimately in control, no matter who holds office.

Peter knew how hard this was for his readers, and he still encourages them to be subject to human authorities “for the Lord’s sake.” In doing so, they were bearing witness to God’s order and plan, even when they didn’t understand it. The same is true for us. We may not always understand why certain leaders come to power, but we are called to honor them—not because they are always worthy of honor, but because our actions reflect our trust in God’s greater sovereignty.

But what does submission look like in our context? Does it mean blind obedience? No. Peter doesn’t say we should follow government leaders into sin or violate our consciences. In fact, Scripture makes it clear that when human laws conflict with God’s commands, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). But in all things that don’t violate God’s law, we are to show respect and honor, even when we disagree with policies or the person in power.

This doesn’t mean we disengage or remain silent on important issues. Far from it. We are called to stand up for truth, justice, and righteousness. But we do so from a place of peace, not panic. We remember that no matter what happens in an election, God is still on the throne. Our allegiance is ultimately to Him.

Peter’s words challenge us to rethink how we engage with politics. Are we driven by fear, anger, and division? Or are we rooted in trust that God is ultimately in control?

So, as we head into this election season, let’s take a step back. Let’s remember that our hope doesn’t rest in an earthly leader. Let’s engage with wisdom and grace, submitting where we can, standing firm where we must, and trusting God in all things. Just as Peter called the early Christians to honor the emperor, we are called to honor those in authority today, for the Lord’s sake and for the sake of our witness in a world that desperately needs to see His peace.

Digging Deeper: A Testimony of Good Deeds

Sellers Hickman on October 1, 2024

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV)

A TESTIMONY OF GOOD DEEDS

Growing up, there was a certain set of rules my parents wanted us to follow. They weren’t overly strict, but they had expectations—curfews, manners, and respect. If we broke the rules, there were always consequences. These boundaries mattered because they shaped who we were. We didn’t just follow them for the sake of following rules; we followed them because they were about living rightly and representing our family well.

Peter gives us a similar principle when it comes to living as Christians. As we fight sin and walk through this world, he says we should look different, especially among non-believers (the Gentiles). Our goal isn’t just to appear different for the sake of being different or to gain others’ approval. We don’t uphold Christian standards to polish our image, fit in with church culture, or give ourselves a sense of moral superiority. We aim to live in a way that brings glory to God.

You’ve probably had moments in your life when others spoke down to you for what you believe in and stand up for. In those moments, it’s tempting to feel awkward, embarrassed, or like the odd one out. Maybe you’ve been in a situation where you were tempted to compromise just to fit in or not cause waves. Maybe you’ve thought, “I don’t want people to think I’m weird for my faith.” It’s easy to feel like our convictions make us outsiders.

But what if we saw those moments differently? What if, instead of feeling embarrassed, we saw them as opportunities to glorify God? When Peter says, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable,” he’s inviting us to live in a way that points back to God. When people question why we live the way we do, that’s a chance to speak of our love for God, not a time to shrink back.

This isn’t just about saying “no” to certain behaviors. It’s about doing so with purpose. Peter says that even when others “speak against you as evildoers,” our good deeds can stand as a witness. When people mock you, slander you, or question you, your commitment to live honorably has the power to make them stop and wonder.

It can be tough being a Christian today. The pressures we face are very real. Culture often pushes us to embrace values that contradict what we believe. The more we resist, the more we stand out. But here’s the thing: just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we should shy away. If anything, the difficulty should remind us how important it is to hold the line.

When others speak against your faith, whether it’s in a classroom, a workplace, or even in your friend group, what will your response be? Will you hide in discomfort, or will you let your love for God shine? We are called to be witnesses to the gospel. Part of that witness comes through the way we live. People are watching, and while we may not always see the fruit right away, we never know how God is using our lives to plant seeds in others.

I want to encourage you: don’t give up! The way you live matters. And not just because it makes you look good, but because your life has the potential to bring glory to God in ways you can’t even imagine. Maybe your neighbor notices how patient you are when things get stressful. Maybe your classmate sees how kind you are to those who are overlooked. Maybe, one day, that coworker who once thought your faith was a joke will come to you in a time of crisis, asking about the hope they’ve seen in you all along. Our good deeds, even in the face of opposition, can be a powerful testimony to the One we serve. Let’s live sent—with purpose and on purpose!

Digging Deeper: The War Within

Sellers Hickman on September 30, 2024

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

1 Peter 2:11 (ESV)

THE WAR WITHIN

If you grew up in church, you probably share the same memory I have of a church camp or D-Now weekend. The speaker would push all week, and in the final sermon, there was a call to die to sin and trust in God. Then there were usually one of three options (likely rotated between camps or speaking tours): to write your sin on a piece of paper, a rock, or a nail. After the sermon, there would be an altar call where you’d place your sin in a fire, throw your rock into the woods, or hammer the nail to a cross.

Why did that moment have so much power? Because the pastor woke you up to the reality that sin was real and prevalent in your life. He brought you face-to-face with the weight of sin. That simple symbolic action felt like the release of a heavy burden, a public declaration of your desire to be free.

But here’s the truth: while those moments are powerful and moving, we often find that once the camp high fades, the sins we tried to throw away find their way back. Why? Because the real battle is ongoing. It’s not just about symbolic gestures but about a daily war against the passions that wage war on our souls.

Notice Peter’s language in this verse. He is urging, pleading, practically begging. Have you ever been begged by someone? Maybe it was a fitness coach urging you to stick to your diet, a friend begging you to binge-watch the latest Netflix series, or an influencer recommending the next big product. Peter’s urging is different. He isn’t concerned with fleeting trends or temporary fixes; he is urging us to engage in the fight of our lives. Peter wants us to wrestle with the desires that pull us away from God.

Peter knew this was not a one-time battle. The language he uses suggests an ongoing struggle. It’s easy for us to be lulled into complacency, to let sin slide when we’re not in the emotional peak of a retreat or actively thinking about it. But sin is always lurking, always waiting for an opportunity to slip back into our hearts and minds.

If we’re honest, it’s much easier to set a plan for paying off debt, achieving a career milestone, or working toward a fitness goal than to wage war on sin. After all, paying off debt has clear steps: create a budget, stick to it, make payments. Gaining a fitness goal? Eat right, exercise, rest, repeat. But fighting sin? That’s an invisible war that requires not just external discipline but also internal, honest reflection.

Sin doesn’t show up on a neat to-do list. It’s subtle. It comes in when we least expect it—whether through a fleeting thought, a lingering temptation, or a moment of weakness. And Peter is urging us to recognize it, confront it, and fight against it.

Here’s the thing: sin is not just an external threat. Peter says these passions “wage war against your soul.” This is deeply personal. Sin wants to destroy you from the inside out. It attacks the soul, the very core of who you are. And as believers, we must take this war seriously. This isn’t just about avoiding bad behavior; it’s about protecting the purity of our souls.

So, what does it look like to fight?

It looks like confession: Regularly bringing our sins to God, acknowledging them, and asking for the grace to overcome them.

It looks like accountability: Having people in our lives who will lovingly urge us to stay on course.

It looks like prayer: Asking God to strengthen us for the battle and to give us a deep desire for holiness.

It looks like reading God’s Word: Filling our hearts and minds with God’s truth so that we can discern the lies of sin when they come.

When is the last time you thought about fighting sin? Maybe it’s time we start again.

Digging Deeper: The Better Isaac

Sellers Hickman on July 5, 2024

⁸Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”

Genesis 22:8 (ESV)

THE BETTER ISAAC

Our country is filled with some incredible signs. Many people will hike up Mount Lee to get close to the Hollywood sign. Anybody traveling through Chicago will take a detour to be photographed in front of the Wrigley Field sign. Then there is the world-renowned sign right in our backyard… the Varsity V sign. Each of these signs are iconic and tell a story, but the story isn’t about the sign. You visit the Hollywood sign to commemorate your trip out to L.A. You take a picture in front of Wrigley Field to show that you saw the Cubs play ball. You take picture of the Varsity V because you have been inspired by some of the kindest words you’ll ever hear, “What’ll you have?”

Now let me ask you. What makes these signs so special? Is it the branding or graphic design? Is it the location? Is it the lighting at these locations? No! The sign gains its significance from the object that it points to.

Throughout the Old Testament there are many examples of great people, but time and time again their main role was to be a sign pointing to the Messiah that was to come! We can easily get caught up in the faith walked out by these Old Testament heroes, but if you were to interview them today, they would all say that it wasn’t about them. They were just here to point to Jesus.

The story of Abraham and Isaac is one of the clearest examples of an Old Testament story foreshadowing what was to come. Let’s review!

In this story we see a father being willing to sacrifice his only son whom he loves. This son was the fulfillment to a long-awaited promise. We see the son being willing to carry the wood for the sacrifice up the mountain. The son is then willing placed on the wood without a fight in full submission. There is a confidence that the son will be raised from the dead after the sacrifice. We even see that on the third day the son is delivered.

Now let me ask you… as you read that paragraph did you read that through the lens of Abraham and Isaac, or God the Father and God the Son? If you did the former, go back and read it again! The story of Abraham and Isaac was meant to be a sign for us to see the fulfillment of the sacrifice that would come through Jesus.

Jesus is the lamb provided on our behalf! It was our sin that caused him to come to this world. It was our sin that placed the cross on his back. It was our sin that caused him to be sacrificed. But it was our God who willingly came. It was our God who willing bore the cross. It was our God who gave of His life to be delivered on the third day.

If you have never trusted in God before, cry out to Him today! He is the One who can meet your sin with His love, mercy, and grace! He has already willingly given Himself and defeated sin and death so that you can have right relationships with Him. All you have to do is believe and trust in Him!

Digging Deeper: When Obedience Leads to Blessing

Sellers Hickman on July 4, 2024

¹⁵And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, ¹⁸and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” ¹⁹So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Genesis 22:15-19 (ESV)

WHEN OBEDIENCE LEADS TO BLESSING

I vividly remember one day in the fifth grade when our teacher passed out our pre-test to see what we knew about the subject. She asked everyone to put their pencil down and to look at her as she began to tell us about good test-taking strategies. She made sure to remind us to read all the questions and then to begin answering them. Now, I was a fast test-taker and loved to finish first so that I could take a five-minute nap with my head down, so I began to frantically answer every question. I probably worked for 20 minutes or so and then arrived at the last question, which said something along the lines of “When you read question 20, please ignore questions 1-19 by leaving them blank so that I know you listened to my instructions. If questions 1-19 have no pencil marks, then you can have one piece of candy at recess.”

I failed my test miserably that day and learned a valuable lesson: listen to the person who is giving the instructions. Abraham knew that lesson as well from all of his conversations with God.

Because Abraham was willing to obey the Lord’s command, even when it did not make sense, he was blessed. Abraham’s offspring would be multiplied, not just to the number of stars (Genesis 15), but now also to the sand of the seashore. They wouldn’t just be great in number, but in possessions as well. These descendants would be so great that they would bless every nation of the world… all because of the immediate obedience of Abraham.

This has been the story of Abraham all throughout Genesis. He rarely knew WHAT he was being called to or HOW he would accomplish it, but he always knew WHO was calling him. His obedience did not come from a fully fleshed out plan, but it was fueled by trusting in the one who had called him.

Maybe you feel called to something that doesn’t make sense yet. Are you trusting in the One who called you or are you trusting in your ability to come up with a foolproof plan? I don’t want you to hear that planning is bad. We see many examples in Scripture where a great plan is made while dependence on the Lord is present. My favorite example of balancing faith and planning is the story of Nehemiah. He is in exile serving under King Artaxerxes and begins to pray that the Lord would grant him favor with the king so that he could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. While he is praying and seeking the Lord, he was preparing what he needed to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah prayed and planned.

I think each of us are wired to lean one way or the other. For the person reading this who leans toward trusting God but being passive in your walk… God can provide, but Abraham still had to walk to the mountain and build the altar. Faith is active. We should not be passive in the way that we walk in obedience to God’s Word just because we believe that God will work it all out. He will, but that doesn’t mean that we get the free pass on being faithful.

For the person reading this who leans toward trying to do everything yourself and then adds God into the plans that you’ve already made… He wants to be included from the beginning. You’ve probably heard it said, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” I want to present an alternative to that. Planning without God makes you the god of your planning. You may be the best long-term planner on the earth today, but without God it is meaningless. Trust God with your plans early.

Digging Deeper: The Lord Will Provide

Sellers Hickman on July 3, 2024

⁷And 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?” ⁸Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

⁹When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ¹¹But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹²He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Genesis 22:7-14 (ESV)

THE LORD WILL PROVIDE

We have finally arrived at the climax of the story. They finally make it up the mountain. Abraham begins to prepare the altar for the sacrifice and begins tying up Isaac. Remember, Abraham is old! We don’t know the exact age that this moment happens, but most scholars believe that Abraham is anywhere from 116-134 years old, and that Isaac is anywhere from 16-34 years old.

If we were taking bets, I would put all my money on Isaac to win in a wrestling match. How did he get overpowered by his dad? He didn’t! Isaac willingly was bound and placed on the altar. Why? Because of the faith of the man that had raised him! Abraham had so much confidence that the Lord would provide that it overflowed into Isaac. I’m sure growing up there were many moments when Abraham set the example of trusting the Lord with full confidence.

In Hebrews 11:17-19 we see Abraham’s thought process when it says, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead.” Abraham had so much faith in God that he trusted that if he plunged the knife into his son, that God would raise Isaac from the dead.

How is this possible? Because Abraham had confidence in the God who promised him a son. Because Abraham had confidence in the God whose character was proven to him time and time again. The command given to him seemed to contradict God’s character and promise, so he believed that God was going to do the impossible! Abraham knew that anything was possible with God and that it was impossible for God to break his promise.

A few months ago, my family was hit with an incredibly difficult moment where my wife’s younger brother had a stroke at the age of 26. I remember driving to Myrtle Beach not knowing what would come of it and trying to comfort Hannah. Those next few days we lived in the ICU and we genuinely did not know what would come of all of this. Would he talk again? Would he walk again? What would his life look like?

I lived with my AirPods in those days to have worship music on so that I could be reminded to cry out to God as much as possible. That week, Passion dropped their latest album and the song that I began to play over and over was “The Lord Will Provide.” If you have not heard that song, please go listen to it. There is nothing crazy deep theologically, the melody is simple, but the truth of the song is the same lesson we learn in our passage today… the Lord will provide. He’s got this! He sees you. He is Jehovah Jireh, which means “the Lord will provide.”

In your marriage, the Lord will provide. In your finances, the Lord will provide. In your health, the Lord will provide. Trust in Jehovah Jireh today to see you through whatever you’re walking through. If he did it for Abraham, he’ll do it for you!

Digging Deeper: When Obedience Trumps Feelings

Sellers Hickman on July 2, 2024

¹After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”²He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” ³So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. ⁵Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” ⁶And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. ⁷And 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?” ⁸Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

Genesis 22:1-8 (ESV)

WHEN GOD COMES KNOCKING

When I was younger, I was not one to take punishments well. The Hickman household is full of funny stories about my escape attempts when the wooden spanking spoon came out. We always laugh at the time I bolted outside and ran laps around the house trying to avoid my dad (well, most of us laugh). I could be pretty stubborn, and I remember one time my dad had asked me to take out the trash or clean my room, and when he came to check I still hadn’t done it. He checked again thirty minutes later, and it still wasn’t done so he asked me why I hadn’t done it yet. I told him “I didn’t feel like it.” Not a great idea! He responded as calmly as he could, saying, “I didn’t ask if you felt like doing it. I told you to do it, now get up or I’ll get the spoon.”

In our family obedience was a big deal! I hope that it was in yours as well. Today, we’ll look at the obedience of Abraham and how God values obedience from us.

If you read verse two out loud, it doesn’t seem to roll off the tongue. This verse is written as it is spoken. It’s slow and repeats itself to draw emphasis to what is happening for Abraham. God is asking him to sacrifice his son. But not just his son, his only son. But not just his only son, the son whom he loves.

Abraham responds immediately, “Here I am.” This is one of the qualities that I love most about Abraham (and truly one of my favorite themes that is highlighted throughout the Old Testament). He followed God’s devastating command with immediate obedience in verse three. The very next morning he woke up early and headed for the mountain. This wasn’t a mountain that was just around the corner either. It was a three-day journey!

I wonder how sleepless he was the night before leaving. I wonder how much of the journey was filled with tears about what was ahead. I wonder how Abraham felt when Isaac asked where the lamb was. Based on verse two, and all that we have walked through in our Abraham series, we know that Isaac was the greatest love of his life. In the Bible it took 22 chapters for the word “love” to be used, and it was to describe the love this father had for his son. And here he is looking to sacrifice the son before a holy God.

We know that Abraham loved Isaac, but his obedience to God trumped any feelings that he had.

This is hard to do. We live in a world where feelings drive a lot of our decisions. Whether it is stress eating, road rage, or isolating yourself from others, we can see the effects of our feelings pretty quickly. And feelings are not bad! God created us to have these feelings, but they never get the final say.

Maybe your feelings have driven a lot of your decisions lately when it comes to your walk with the Lord. I want to challenge you. Will you walk in obedience to what God’s Word says this week and fight the feelings that have been driving you to choose your plans or your own way of living?

Digging Deeper: When God Comes Knocking

Sellers Hickman on July 1, 2024

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 22:1 (ESV)

WHEN GOD COMES KNOCKING

There are two types of people in the world: those who love to celebrate Halloween, and the rest of us! Maybe your family was the type that decorated the whole house and bought out all of Walmart’s candy aisle (full-size bars, of course). That was not my family! We had a strict rule that all the lights in the front of the house had to be off and you were not allowed to walk by the front windows on Halloween night. Now, in reality, we were normally coming back late from our church’s fall festival; but after we got home, we did not want to be bothered.

If that doesn’t resonate, picture this. You just got home from a long day at work, you’re excited to pull into your neighborhood and kick your feet up on the couch, and you see a 19-year-old kid walking up to the door two houses down from you with an iPad, looking to sell you the latest pest control, doorbell, or technology that Mrs. Johnson from down the street just installed as well.

I think we can all agree on this: when we want to be comfortable, the last thing we want is for somebody to knock on the door. In this passage today, God comes knocking again in Abraham’s life. So far, God has asked Abraham to leave his home, his family, and his plan for his life. It seems like every time God came knocking, he asked Abraham to leave something that he loved to seek after God through doing the impossible.

Personally, I think I would be a little leery to answer the door when God knocked. This was not the case for Abraham. Why? He had seen God’s faithfulness time and time again.

In this passage, God knocks on the door with another impossible situation. God tests Abraham with the very thing he loved most – the son that he had been promised!

I love the fact that the word “tested” is used here. Sometimes I think believers early in their walk with the Lord feel like their lives will become easier and filled with less complications because of trusting in Jesus. There are two types of tests we can receive from God: Tests that grow our faith and tests that reveal our faith. This test was the former. In our Abraham series we have seen God’s slow, step-by-step, building of Abraham’s faith. His faith was grown through hearing from God. His faith was grown through waiting on a child. His faith was grown through hardships and mistakes. His faith was grown through the joy of the promise of a son coming to be.

Abraham didn’t just arrive as a man of faith but was grown through 25+ years of leaning on God and trusting His words. See, God was never interested in taking Abraham somewhere, but instead making him into someone. Our passage today shows the results of who God had made him to be.

And we get to see the fruit of Abraham’s faith in the back half of this verse: “Here I am.” This is not just a friendly “hello” or “peek-a-boo” with the Lord, but a statement of surrender. He is essentially saying, “I’m here God. How can I serve and glorify you”?

So let me leave you with this question. If the Lord were to knock on your door today, what would your response be? Here I am, or nobody’s home? Will you allow God to do the slow, faith-building process that Abraham walked through in your own life?