In this season of Lent, it's worth our time of reflection, meditation and prayer to think about OUR faith. Faith is the means by which we come to God through Christ Jesus. Our faith therefore is vital, active, alive...not some dormant mental fact. Read these with me today.
Romans 4:1-3
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Romans 4:16-25
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Scripture defines faith itself: Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." In Romans 4 Paul highlights this principle and makes it clear, God did not "invent" the idea of faith with the coming of the church. Abraham, long before the incarnational coming of Jesus, the Church, the Apostle Paul, exercised "faith" in believing...trusting in the promise of God and scripture. That trusting is believing and it is the substance of faith.
Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised...that's Faith.
It is a simple prayer that I have learned to pray often, and I might add, it is one that is rich in substance: "Lord I trust you".
No matter what the situation, whether crisis or success; whether victory or loss; we need to come back to this simple position of "trust".
We don't trust in faith...no faith is simply the vehicle that leads us to God. It is he that is our life, our hope, our provider, and our future and the one we put our trust in, BY FAITH, every minute of every day. Peace
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Romans 4:1-3
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Romans 4:16-25
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Scripture defines faith itself: Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." In Romans 4 Paul highlights this principle and makes it clear, God did not "invent" the idea of faith with the coming of the church. Abraham, long before the incarnational coming of Jesus, the Church, the Apostle Paul, exercised "faith" in believing...trusting in the promise of God and scripture. That trusting is believing and it is the substance of faith.
Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised...that's Faith.
It is a simple prayer that I have learned to pray often, and I might add, it is one that is rich in substance: "Lord I trust you".
No matter what the situation, whether crisis or success; whether victory or loss; we need to come back to this simple position of "trust".
We don't trust in faith...no faith is simply the vehicle that leads us to God. It is he that is our life, our hope, our provider, and our future and the one we put our trust in, BY FAITH, every minute of every day. Peace
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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