The Faith of Abraham
Romans 4:1-3, "Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from God's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the scriptures tell us, 'Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous'."
I like the way this talks about Abraham. I like that it points out that God sees things from a different perspective than we do. It says that from God's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. God judges us by different standards. He is looking at different things than we are. His values are very different from the worlds values.
Let's continue on through Romans 4: 13-14, "It is clear, then, that God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not based on obedience to God's law, but on the new relationship with God that comes by faith. So if you claim that God's promise is for those who obey God's law and think they are "good enough" in God's sight, then you are saying that faith is useless. And in that case, the promise is also meaningless."
I often struggle with feeling like I need to be perfect- everything I say and do and how I look must be perfect for me to be loved and accepted. But I know that is not what God requires of me. That is such a lie and deception from the enemy that the world tries to present to us as truth- but it is so far from the Truth and so far from how God perceives us.
We can never and will never be 'good enough' for God- it is impossible in and of ourselves and our own efforts. We will never measure up and we will never be perfect or holy enough. That is exactly why we need His promise of salvation that comes by believing in the finished work of His Son Jesus Christ. Faith is essential. We are justified by faith. We are made perfect by faith. We are more than 'good enough' -BY FAITH. With faith the promise is completely meaningful.
But when we try to obey God's law and be perfect and 'good enough' in our own strength and in the ways we think are right- apart from Him and His grace- we act as though faith is useless and thus what Christ did for us on the cross was useless and as a result meaningless.
This should not be! Christ work is so meaningful and beneficial and essential!
His work is sufficient for me and thus His grace is sufficient for me!
Christ is my sufficiency! He is more than enough for me and with out faith and with out believing that it would not have meaning and it would not be true to me.
Faith without works is dead. Actions speak louder that words. I can tell God I believe His promises but if I don't live in a way that shows Him that than it means nothing. How can I show God I believe His promises you might ask? I can live by faith. I can live a life of faith. I can live victoriously and with joy and hope because I know He will provide for all my needs. Like it says in Matthew 6:30 and Luke 12:28, "If God cares so wonderfully for the flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!"
Romans 4:16, "So that's why faith is the key! God's promise is given to us as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it, whether or not we follow Jewish customs, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe."
God's promise to us is free and undeserved and all we have to do to receive it is believe it to be what it is. We simply have to receive it and it is ours.
Romans 4: 20-25, "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham's faith, God declared him to be righteous. Now this wonderful truth- that God declared him to be righteous- wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was for us, too, assuring us that God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God."
This is amazing to me that Abraham NEVER wavered in believing God's promise. What God promised him seemed impossible and by the standards of the world it was impossible- but Abraham did not question or doubt God. He had a simple trusting faith. He had the faith like a child that does not need to know all the 'whats' and 'whys.'
I am believing God's promise and what His word says is true of Him. I am believing that He will provide for all my needs and that He does love me and long for me. I am believing that He does work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
I am inspired by the faith of Abraham. I am trying to live a life by faith and in the way I have learned that Abraham lived his life. There are a lot of questions I could be asking God about my life and about why AJ died and about God's faithfulness and love and sovereign plan- but there is really no use in asking any of those questions. The answers would not change anything today. I am still called to live the same life to the same standards with or without all the answers and explanations to things I don't understand.
I am still called to rejoice in the Lord always. I am still called to love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. I am still called to seek first the kingdom of God. I am still called to live by faith and that is what I want to do.
Likewise by faith I can have rest and peace to know that I have been made right with God and that I don't need to be perfect and 'good enough' to receive His love. Romans 5:1-2 makes this clear. "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory."
Because of my faith in what Christ has done for me I can have the high priviledge of standing and walking and being with God. I can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing in His glory- He wants to share His glory with me and wow that is such an inconceivable privledge. So in the words of Hebrews 4:16, "Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."
Think about those words. We should come boldly and forcefully. When I think of that I think of being intentional about coming into the presence of God. We should be excited about it and diligent. It is not something to be taken lightly or by any means taken for granted. It is the highest priviledge that we have to be able to seek Him and come into His presence and throne room. When we come we find all that we need when we need it- we find Him and He is all that we need when we need it!
Hebrews 6: 15; 18-19, "Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. So God has given us his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven and into God's inner sanctuary."
And yet again we are invited to be with him and intimately and boldly know Him. He longs for us and has made it possible for us to satisfy our longing for Him. We simply need faith and need to act on and by faith by coming to be with Him. Hebrews 10: 22-23, "Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."
God is good and He is faithful. We can trust Him. Let us hold tightly to that truth. Let us live boldly with the hope we say we have- let's not just talk about hope and faith but let us show God by how we live that we believe Him and have hope. For God can be trusted to keep His promise. He will never leave us, fail us or forsake us. His plans for us are good- to give us a hope and a future, not to harm us but to prosper us. His plans are for peace and life. His plans are for us to know Him and to know the wonderful life He has called us to and prepared for us.
Come and embrace that with all that you are. By faith I encourage you to come- it takes faith to come, purpose in your heart to come to Him and believe that He is able to meet you right where you are at. He can, He is able and He always is with you and He always does meet you when you come to Him whether you can feel it or know it or not.
Hebrew 11:1, "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." Come with confident assurance and seek the Lord while He may be found. Come by faith. Come into His open embrace.
COME!!!
posted by Kellie # 11:11 PM
