Introduction :We all want to know the will of God and live according to it. However, if we have only a little greed, we easily leave His will and turn to our ways. If we have truly decided to live according to His will, we must make ourselves nothing before Him. Yet, it is not so easy to make ourselves nothing. Only after we go through many trials and troubles can we make ourselves nothing. Now let us learn about the will of God and the process of greed, trials, and obedience through the life of Abraham, our ancestor of faith.


1. Abraham was called by God.
    1) He was an ordinary old man in the countryside and made a living raising cattle.
    2) At 75, the God of glory appeared to him and gave him a mission (Ge 12:1-3).
    3) In order to fulfill his dream, he had to give up his life.
        - We should also give up this world and our love for it (1Jn 2:15-16).

2. The incomplete obedience of Abraham who did not make himself nothing.
    1) He set out with all he had - his servants, possessions, and his nephew Lot.
    2) A severe famine in Canaan - so he would give up the secularism that he had
        (Ge 12:10).
    3) A sacrifice is required to follow God (Jas 1:2-4, 2Pe 1:10).
    4) He had greed for his beloved nephew Lot (Ps 119:36, Col 3:5).
        - Everything for which we disobey the will of God is greed and an idol.

3. Abraham was turning to his way.
    1) He went down to Egypt because of his nephew Lot.
    2) He introduced his wife as his sister (Ge 12:11-13).
    3) He was put to shame in Egypt (Ge 12:19).
        - However, he didn´t give up greed (Ge 13:1-2).

4. Troubles will not leave us unless we give up greed.
    1) Abraham had a quarrel with his nephew Lot in Canaan (Ge 13:5-7).
    2) Finally, he made himself nothing (Ge 13:8-9, Lk 12:15).
    3) God revealed His will (Ge 13:14-17).
        - Look north and south, east and west.

5. Another deviation.
    1) God promised to give Abraham offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky
        (Ge 15:5-6).
    2) Greed and unbelief - Abraham deviated from God´s will because of Sarai´s urging and
        Hagar´s temptation (Ge 16:3).
    3) Eternal tragedy: greed - sin (deviation, transgression) - death (Jas 1:14-15).
        (1) A household lost peace (Ge 16:4, 21:5).
        (2) The Middle East has lost peace (Ge 16:12).

6. Abraham finally made himself nothing.
    1) He gave Isaac as an offering (Ge 22:1-2).
    2) He gave up a strong love for his child (Ge 22:12).
    3) When He made himself nothing, God´s will was accomplished
        (Ge 22:15-18, Heb 6:14-15, Php 2:7-11, Gal 2:20).


Conclusion : When we recite the Lord´s Prayer, we thoughtlessly say, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." However, there is a tremendous Cross in that prayer. In order for God´s will to be done, we have to crucify all of the greed in our lives. That is, we must make ourselves nothing. In order to accomplish God´s will, making himself nothing, Jesus was mocked in the courtyard of Annas and Caiaphas, flogged bitterly in Pilate´s courtyard, and crucified on the Cross. That´s why He could achieve redemption for humanity and receive the glory of resurrection according to the will of God.