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Isaac

Pastor Tom Kang Shares about the Father's love

Pastor Tom Kang Shares Bible Verse Where The Word ‘Love’ Appears For The First Time

by Kriza Jo Tanduyan April 9, 2024

written by Kriza Jo Tanduyan

Pastor Tom Kang shared the part of the scripture where the word “love” appeared for the first time.

Pastor Tom Kang

The lead pastor of NewStory Church, Tom Kang, preached about “love” in one of his sermons. According to him, the word ‘love’ first appeared in Genesis 22:2, “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.’” He explained that among all the places and situations in scripture, it was particularly striking to know that the first time it appeared was in the story of Abraham and Isaac. This story mainly emphasized the depth of a father’s love for his son, whom he was willing to sacrifice.

Eventually, he mentioned that this story was familiar not because it may be the first story recorded in the Bible, but because it was not the last. There were truths revealed at the beginning of the Bible that echoed like waves throughout the scripture — from the Old to the New Testament. One of those truths was hidden behind the story of Abraham and Isaac, a tale of a Father’s Love and a son’s willingness to follow his father.

NewStory Church. (Screenshot). (2024). Isaac, Retrieved March 14, 2024 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ebtO4rlpOY

Father’s Love

Furthermore, he discussed that centuries later, the gospel presented a new story of a Father’s love and the perfect Son’s willingness to obey even when it meant carrying a wooden cross. Only this time, instead of God providing the substitute, the Son became the sacrifice.

“Jesus, in this second portion. He is the sacrificial lamb. Who substitutes who? Substitutes you. He substitutes me. See, Jesus finished what Isaac started. Jesus finished what Abraham and Isaac never could,” he highlighted.

Moreover, he emphasized that what Jesus did on the cross was amazing and beautiful. Then, he read Romans 8:42, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Watch the full sermon here.

Reference | NewStory Church

Header Image: NewStory Church. (Screenshot). (2024). Isaac, Retrieved March 14, 2024 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ebtO4rlpOY

April 9, 2024 0 comments

Articles Faith Featured Video

Teenage Boy Leads Worship After Doctors Said He Won’t Live

by Rhoda Gayle December 14, 2023

written by Rhoda Gayle

A teenage boy in a wheelchair led worship for the first time when doctors told his parents that he wouldn’t survive birth.

Teenage boy in wheelchair

Isaac led worship for the very first time in Venture Christian Church. Prior to the worship service, he shared his testimony. While Isaac was still in his mother’s womb, doctors suggested to his parents to abort the pregnancy because he might not survive birth.

“When I was in my mother’s womb… the doctor had told her that I had extra toes and fingers and that I would have extremely fragile bones. Due to that reason, he said that I would not survive past birth. He actually told my parents that if I did survive, it wouldn’t be for long because my ribs were too weak to support my lungs.”

Iceman Sings [@IcemanSings7]. Isaac. YouTube, November 27, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgodWtPZwWM

Testimony

Thankfully, his parents’ faith are deeply rooted in the Lord. Upon hearing those words, they turned to God and asked for His wisdom. At that moment, his parents knew that God is calling Isaac to greater things and that he would survive birth.

“He encouraged termination multiple times but my parents didn’t receive that. They immediately turn to God in prayer… In that moment, God revealed to them that I would survive and had a great calling over my life. Nineteen years later, God has allowed me to share my testimony with you guys.”

Leads worship

Today, 19 years later, Isaac is now inspiring thousands of people with his testimony and his love for the Lord. On November 26, he led his church in worship for the very first time! He sang Cody Carnes’ “Firm Foundation” to declare that the Lord is His firm foundation and that no matter what he has been through, he will continue to put his faith in Jesus.

“I’ve broken bones over 300 times and I’ve had over 30 surgeries. I used to wonder why would I have to go through the things that I go through. I understand now that God wants to use my story to encourage others. He has given me the strenght to worship and praise Him through my trials and He has given me a heart of joy. I think that God is so great and He’s so faithful and He’s the firm foundation.”

Firm Foundation (He Won’t) | Venture Christian Church Worship Moment | Isaac’s Testimony

Watch this video on YouTube

Reference: YouTube | Iceman Sings
Header Image: Iceman Sings [@IcemanSings7]. Isaac. YouTube, November 27, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgodWtPZwWM

December 14, 2023 0 comments

Articles Israel

The Hebrew Word Study Of The Name ‘Isaac’

by Christa February 11, 2022

written by Christa

Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Out of the three, only his name did not change. So, what does his name mean in the Hebrew language?

Isaac, the Patriarch

Isaac was Abraham’s promised son. “And God said, Sarah, your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and you shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” (Genesis 17:19)

His name means “he laughs” in Hebrew because Abraham laughed. Genesis 17:17 says, “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”

Indeed, everyone laughed in great delight when Isaac was born. All of Abraham’s household rejoiced in the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Hebrew Word Study

Isaac is spelled: Qoof, Chet, Tsade, and Yood. And in the Hebrew alphabet, every letter represents a picture with its corresponding meanings.

So, Yood has a picture of a hand that means to work, a mighty deed, or make.
Tsade is a picture of a fishhook that means to catch, desire, and need.
Chet is a picture of an inner room. It means to separate, fence, or sanctuary.
Lastly, Qoof pictures the back of the head. It means behind, the last, or the least.

Based on its pictographic meaning, Isaac is also translated as a mighty deed, done out of a desire to separate and provide sanctuary for the last and the least.

We recall that Isaac was the father of Jacob or Israel. Then, they became a great nation because of God’s covenant with their forefathers. Deuteronomy 7:6-8 perfectly parallels Isaac’s pictorial translation.

It says, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord, your God, has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. ⁷It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

Reference: Living Word

February 11, 2022 0 comments

Articles Israel Israel Insider News

Spiritual Roots Behind the Afghanistan Situation

by Asher Intrater August 31, 2021

written by Asher Intrater

The conflicts in the Middle East have very ancient spiritual roots which have spread to the whole world. Therefore, part of the solution is also spiritual. Here are a few thoughts:

Isaac and Ishmael

Tension started all the way back with the first believing family: Abraham and his sons. Ishmael was called by name by the Angel YHVH before he was born (Genesis 16) and circumcised first (Genesis 17). Yet Isaac was born to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, through a prophetic promise (Genesis 18), and the Messianic covenant was established through him.

Over the years, racial hatred developed between Jews and Arabs. However, with the heart of Abraham, we Messianic Jews and Arab Christians have found true reconciliation through Yeshua. Our loving relationships demonstrate a divine resolution to this 4,000-year-old conflict.

Israel and the Church

Unfortunately, a terrible split also developed between the institutional Church and the Jewish people. This split was fraught with corruption, coercion, racism, and religious hypocrisy.

In this atmosphere of division and dispute, Muhammed brought his new and false revelation. In the latter half of the 7th century AD, Islam spread across the Middle East, then to central Asia, and eventually as far as Indonesia.

Reformation in the Church, revival in Israel, and a restoration of our common “Judeo-Christian” heritage is needed to heal this historic split.

Jihad Eschatology

Jerusalem is not mentioned even once in the Koran. However, over the years a triumphant, jealous Jihadism developed, in which a final Caliph will appear and conquer Jerusalem from the “heathen” Jews and Christians.

This Jihadi “eschatology” is foundational to Islamic extremist groups today, and its influence trickles down to many average, “mild” Muslims as well. The conflict is apocalyptic in nature, and therefore very scary. We are facing imminent wars in which huge numbers of people may be killed. The “future” is upon us now.

For this reason, it is so important to help prepare and empower people by presenting clear and balanced biblical teaching about the end times. May God give us the humility, wisdom, and courage to do so.

Moral Decadence

One of the reasons that Islam has prospered in modern times is the repulsion at the moral decadence of Western society. Sexual immorality, greed, disrespect for parents, rebelliousness, drugs, and filthy entertainment are portrayed by Islamicists as essentially “Christian and Jewish.”

We need a wave of true repentance and holiness. Our own carnality and worldliness have led to deception. There is a crisis in “prophetic” ministry. We need a major paradigm shift and the word of God for this generation.

May God grant us clear direction from heaven to adjust to this intense and disturbing time in history!

In Yeshua’s love,

Asher Intrater

President of Tikkun Global

August 31, 2021 0 comments

Faith

Triumphant Over Famine

by Dr Yinka Akintunde October 11, 2018

written by Dr Yinka Akintunde

Every believer in Christ is as much a seed of Abraham as Isaac was in the flesh. Children of promise made to Abraham while he was still barren. A promise that he was going to be blessed and become God’s platform of blessing to all of humanity.

The birth of Isaac is a very significant part of the fulfilment of God’s promises to Abraham. The Lord Jesus was born in the flesh as a descendant of Abraham through Judah, a son of Jacob, who was a son of Isaac. By new birth, you have been grafted into this same lineage of Abraham through Christ Jesus. You are now a seed of promise as Isaac was. You are now a joint heir with Christ in every blessing of God.

Of note in the promises of God is the promise of material blessing; otherwise known as financial prosperity. This is necessarily not reflected in how much money we able to pile up but an appreciable progress in life through the hand of God’s blessing. This guarantees our material sustenance, success in pursuit and all-round fulfilment with satisfaction.

Blessed Nevertheless

When you look around on many occasions, your circumstance may not yet reflect the blessing you read about in the bible. Everything may rather be hostile, unfulfilling and full challenges. At that point, you need to know that hostility and challenges can never disprove the blessing.

In the twenty sixth chapter of the book of Genesis, the same Isaac of promise was confronted with famine and hostilities. Even though he was the son of promise as you are, he was still faced with drought and famine. He was in a dilemma of what to do as you may be right now. He had a plan worked out in his head and was about to follow through when the God of the promise reached out to him as He is reaching out to you right now.

Isaac was instructed to stay put in Gera rather than moving to Egypt.
He was also inspired on how to conduct his business in the famine without incurring losses.
His Efforts was tremendously blessed by the Lord.
His prosperity was protected by the power of the Lord.

God Wants to Guide You Into Victories

God is restraining you from taking the wrong steps right now, even though you are in serious challenge. He will guide and inspire you into what bring you significant profiting and progress. He is about to bless your efforts with significant results and defend your success by the power of His spirit.

How God will accomplish all of these are His own prerogative. All He wants from you is a yielded hearth and a following spirit. He will turn the tides to your advantage this season.

October 11, 2018 0 comments