A very good morning to you again my precious family and friends.
Romans 4:20-21 says, " Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."
A man remembers sitting in an Easter service, with tears rolling down his face. His heart cried for children but the constant waiting brought doubt to the surface.
He says that he remembers God’s presence in that moment. He told God that if he never experienced children, it wouldn’t change his belief.
We all experience brokenness in life but the pain of this world can never overshadow God’s goodness, even if we don’t always see it. Doubt can break something between us and God if we allowed it. We cannot have resentment or doubt His character.
Faith and doubt work together in opposite directions to strengthen our trust in God. Coming face to face with doubts, always results in deeper faith. God shows up in questions, even if we never get answers.
Abraham experienced this as well. He wrestled with reality. He was old, Sarah was old, she was barren (Romans 4:19). All reasons to doubt. Abraham also had to wrestle with God’s promise: “I will bless and make you the Father of many nations” (Genesis 12 verses 2-3; chapter 15 verses 5; chapter 17 verses 5-6).
The key is that Abraham gave Glory to God. He took his eyes off his own circumstances and onto God’s power. He gave glory to God by fully believing that God was able to do what God had promised.
How do we bring glory to God? We believe fully in His word. We put our trust in the promises of God and this brings glory to God. This is how we’re saved. That’s the whole point of what Paul is developing in Romans chapters three and four, how we’re saved by grace through faith, not our works, through believing in Jesus, through believing in God’s word, through believing in God’s promises. That’s how we’re reconciled to God. That’s how we’re made righteous before God, by belief, by faith in Him, by trusting in Him, and then it’s not just a one-time trust and then we kind of move on from that. It’s a life of trust in Him. It’s glorifying God every day through believing His promises, believing that God will do what He has promised to do. This is the Christian life. This is the life that brings glory to God. It’s a life of faith that doesn’t waver through unbelief.
Abraham did not waver in his trust of God. He knew of the promised Saviour, the seed of the woman that pointed to Christ and he believed implicitly that the Kinsman-Redeemer would be born through his lineage.
Although he did not understand how this was possible and he even tried to assist God in its fulfilment (Ishmael), Abraham became the forefather of faith, because he trusted what God had said; he believed what God had promised and he had faith that God would fulfil His covenant promise in every detail, even if he did not understand how or when.
We should not doubt the Lord’s promises in His word. He will carry them to completion, for God cannot lie and will never change His mind. He is faithful and trustworthy, and all His promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus.
Romans 4 is all about the faith of Abraham. God declared Abraham righteous because of his faith, not because of his works. A declaration of righteousness was God's gift, not a payment. This righteousness is available to everyone. God declared Abraham righteous many years before he was circumcised, making him the spiritual father of all who believe, whether circumcised or not, whether Jew or Gentile. God's promises to Abraham and his offspring can't be received by keeping the law, only by faith. Abraham's faith in God's promise of a son with Sarah did not waver even as he grew older. God will declare us righteous, as well, if by faith we believe in the God who delivered Jesus to die for our sins and raised Him back to life for our justification.
When we trust God to fulfill His promises to us—to work everything together for your good - Romans 8:28, to be with you to the end of the age - Matthew 28:20, to help, strengthen and uphold you - Isaiah 41:10, to meet all our needs - Philippians 4:19, and to bring you safely to heaven - Philippians 1:6. When we really trust Him for all this and more, it will profoundly affect the sacrifices we make for Him.
So my friends, choose to trust God because whatever happens along our life’s journey, He is bigger than anything we will ever experience. Be convinced that all things are possible with Him who never sleeps or slumbers. Remember that Jesus Christ was crucified and rose again for our justification, trust God’s promises and do what He is calling you to do. To Him be the glory, forever.
Let us pray.
Loving Father God, thank You for the example of Abraham. I pray that I will cling to You in trusting love and be strengthened in my faith in Your never-failing promises, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
Much love in Christ from Maurice and Margaret.
