JC Blog

“People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” ( Hebrews 11:14-16 )

What the world looks at as strange, God looks at with favor. As in the examples from the patriarchs, these men and women of faith gave up everything in pursuit of something better. They left family, comfort and familiarity in to chase after of the promise God. They looked forward in faith, not looking back, to give themselves the opportunity to return to what they left.

Because of this God was not ashamed to be called their God. In fact, He the allowed the generations that followed to call these men of faith by His surname. Hence to be known and referred to as The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ( Exodus 3:6, 15, 4:5 ). This is amazing, that God aligned His name with these men because of their faith.

Admitting that they were strangers on earth freed them to pursue God by faith. Discounting the circumstances and what they left behind in hopes of a better life and a better future. And true to His word, God has prepared a city for them. They only needed to look forward in faith seeing what God had prepared so they would not become homesick and return to what they left.

In the same way, we too must look forward in faith to all that God has planned for us. We must disregard the pleasures of this world that we are leaving behind, in hopes of a better and brighter future. Just like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; God is not ashamed to be called our God and He is preparing a wonderful future for us. All we need to do is continue in faith believing God will remain true to His Word. He has planned a wonderful finish to this life and an amazing eternity with Him forever. What an amazing truth!

"Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged" ( Hebrews 6:16-18 )

Even in today’s society an oath is sacred. To take an oath is to swear that what has been promised is true, binding all parties by this vow. We even have notaries who mark their seal on the oath certifying the vow. In the legal system willingly giving false information when making an affidavit is the crime of perjury. In other words, making an oath is sacred and guarantees the oath taker's honesty and integrity in the matter under question.

When God made the promise to Abraham that he would have a son, make him into a great nation and the Messiah would come through his line, since there was no one greater for God to swear by, he swore by himself on oath ( Hebrews 6:13 ). He vowed the promise to Abraham would come to pass. He did this to show the unchanging nature of the promise. Meaning every blessing would be fulfilled and the promise would never be revoked. Even today we live under the blessings of this vow made to Abraham.

Amazingly both of these things, the promise and the oath, will always exist together because they are tied to God’s nature and integrity. Just like water, both hydrogen and oxygen must be present, otherwise it is just elements, not substance. The oath made to Abraham makes it impossible for God to lie, prove false or deceive us. This is because the oath rests on the character of God. In fact since the world was spoken into existence by Jesus and it is held together by His word of power ( Genesis 1; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2-3 ). If God lied, the world would cease to exist because the Word holds all things together. If God were ever proved false, His Word would be broken and there would be no power to sustain the universe. Which is why he confirmed his promise to Abraham with an oath. The stakes were incredibly high and he wanted to show the unchanging nature of the promise. What He said would come to pass.

We can draw strong encouragement from this since we too live under the blessing promised to Abraham. Everything God has said, has come to pass. Even in the midst of the trials of this world we have a hope that is unparalleled by any other. This hope is an anchor for the soul and it is guaranteed by both the promise made and the oath taken ( Hebrews 6:19-20 ). In the midst of life we can rest securely knowing that our future is secured, our hope sure and our God faithful.

Have you ever been in the shadow of someone great? Have you ever struggled to be noticed or valued for your abilities and strengths. Growing up in a large family, being the youngest of four, sometimes it was hard to be noticed. All great accomplishments and milestones in life had already been achieved by those who came before me.

I am so thankful that God does not show favoritism. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]. ( Romans 2:11 ) Recognizing this will release you in life to go after God's best for your life.

It is easy to look around at others and identify talent and appreciate the mighty ways that God can use that person. In the same way, it is easy to look at another and determine that they are hopeless to be used by God or to make a difference in the kingdom. We as human begins assign value to ability.

However, the truth is, God does not show favoritism, God is no respecter of persons. He has offered his Son and the free gift of salvation to every human being on this planet. Regardless of who they are, what they've done or what talent or ability they possess. That association is the benchmark of what makes one great, not natural aptitude.

Looking at the book of ACTS, you will see an example of this. God mightily used the men who had been chosen to serve and wait upon the New Testament church. It doesn't take a lot of skill to distribute food, but ACTS records that they were great men of Faith and tremendously used by God. Recognizing that he has called and invited everyone into fellowship with himself is key. It is God who calls and qualifies, all those who come to him. Nothing is of ourselves.

So today, be encouraged that you are blessed, loved and highly favored by God. He has chosen you, not for the value that the world assigns to you, but because He loves you and wants to have relationship with you. Your value has been assigned by God and by His Son and that far outweighs anything the world has to offer you!

Throughout my life I have heard many unbelievers express the question whether or not there is a God. They are constantly looking for the answer, so it seems, but in reality they are looking for an excuse for their unbelief. Many citing that if there was a God, then He would make himself known unto them.

However, Paul says, that what may be known about God is clear to see because God has indeed revealed himself to us. As the plan from the beginning God's desire was always to come into relationship with us and abide and fellowship with us. He choose us and in the same way, He wanted us to choose Him, therefore He unequivocally revealed Himself to us, so that we can know without a doubt that He exists.

On the other hand, countless times I have talked to believers and in sharing their testimony with me one theme rings loud and clear. Most every one I have talked to started with a desire as a very young child to know God. Many described how they knew from their youth that God was drawing them unto Himself and revealing Himself to them. They longed to know Him and fellowship with Him.

Some of them accepted God's invitation right away. Some did their own thing for a very long. But each one remembered back to that time when they knew that God existed and that He had made himself known to them. This bearing witness to what Paul declared, God has indeed made himself known unto all humankind.

It is God's desire that you know Him. Not just that He exists even though he has clearly revealed himself to us. His desire is to know you intimately and have relationship with you. He wants you to know Him intimately also. So much so, that He provided the way for you to come into fellowship with him, through His Son Jesus' dead on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Today, May you know without a doubt that God exists and that He loves you immensely.

A lot of times we don't move forward sharing the Gospel with friends and family because we are waiting for a specific word from the Lord concerning that individual. The truth is God has already commanded and equipped us to go out and share the Gospel and make disciples to the ends of the earth. We don't need specific direction or a word from the Lord to do that, we already have his blessing and the word to go.

Paul is a great example, he went around and preached the Gospel everywhere he went. When the got done in one city he turned and walked to another. We have accounts of the Holy Spirit forbidding him to enter certain cities, but don't see the Lord giving specifics about what cities to go to when. Paul already knew God's will to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth so he just went. The provision to receive the Gospel was already there when he got there because he was in the will of God.

Paul had always longed to go to Rome. And no wonder as it was the epicenter of the known world. He longed to share the message of Jesus to the ends of the world. In Romans 1:10, Paul is saying that he purposed many times to travel to Rome but had been hindered up until this point. In Romans 15:22 it tells us the reason that he had so many times been hindered from going to Rome. "Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand. "This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you." ( Romans 15:21-22 ) He was hindered because there were so many places in between him and Rome that needed the gospel too, so it delayed his trip to Roman.

Paul's desire was to go to Rome and he knew that it was in the will of God so he prayed and prepared to do so, but as he did, he didn't only look forward to the time when he would go. He was faithful and busy doing the work of his Father where he was currently at.

As the Lord is preparing you for greater things to come, remember that where you are right now is the best opportunity to be doing the will of God for your life. Remember the parable of the talents, when the master found the servant had been faithful with what he had been given, Jesus said, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"

So today, may God find you faithfully about his business right where you are!

Jesus accomplished so many things upon the cross. Through him, we have total victory over sin and death. Paul stresses in this verse, that there are three very important ideas and truths to take away with us and understand. First, Jesus was betrayed and deliver over to death as the payment for our sins. Secondly, as he was raised to life, he conquered death once for all. Lastly, he ascended to heaven to acquit us before God and declare us justified before him.

Although it is true that Jesus was betrayed and delivered over to death, it is equally important for us to recognize that he had authority in the matter. He life was taken, only because he had already laid it down for us. We were without hope before God because sin had corrupted us, but Romans 5 says, "... when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ( Romans 5:6-8 ) We were without hope and enemies of God but Jesus still laid his life down for us, to take away our sin once for all. ( Hebrews 9:28 ). Through his death, sin had been completely paid for.

The resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of history as we know it. Jesus is the first person to rise from the dead and conquer death permanently. Romans 6:8-9 says, "For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. " He conquered sin in his sacrifice upon the cross and then he conquered death in his resurrection from the dead.

Lastly, after his ascension, he now intercedes for us at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:14 says, "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." So the end result for us if we believe in Jesus by faith, is justification. Justification is the act whereby Jesus makes us completely holy before God. To do this he not only forgives our sin, but he imparts righteousness to us, so that it is as if we have never sinned.

Both Abraham and David saw glimpses of this incredible feat that Jesus would do for us and they called us blessed. Today, if you believe in Jesus as your savior then have complete victory over sin and death because he purchased it for you. Today, we are completely blessed having been redeemed from the curse of the law and made righteous and holy before God. Praise Jesus for his love and this precious gift to us.

Why was Paul so careful making sure he mentioned that the result of Abrahams faith extended to us? The Scriptures say that, "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." ( Genesis 15:6 ). Paul is noting that the same credit of righteousness is extended to everyone who firmly relies in Jesus as Lord.

Abraham's faith was a conduit of the righteousness that God bestowed upon him, but his faith rested in the promise. The promise extends to us because the promise referred to the Messiah. Abraham saw a glimpse of this and knew that the Salvation of the world would come through his heir. Fortunate for us, God extends this hope of salvation to everyone who believes in Jesus. Romans 2:11 says, that God is no respecter of persons (KVJ). This is a great thing because it doesn't rely on who we are or what we do, it only relies on the person and the grace of Jesus.

There is a caveat however. To have righteousness credited unto your account you have to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. To the natural man, this is utterly ridiculous and hard to understand. On the other hand, many people confess this, but their confession is merely words. The Amplified Bible explains what truly believing is... to believe you must firmly rely on, trust in and adhere to what you confess. We can take lesson from Abraham because he was fully persuaded in the promise and because of that any doubt that remain was overpowered by his faith. To have God's righteousness credited to us, we have to be fully persuaded that He raised Jesus from the dead, and we have to believe this by faith.

Today, I praise God that we have Abraham as a powerful example of faith. I praise God that the blessing he received extends to us. I am so thankful to have obtained this righteousness apart from the Law, which is by faith. The same faith working in all who believe in Jesus. What a marvelous thing!

Abraham was the only saint in the Old Testament who was called a friend of God. Abraham pleased the Lord greatly, but it wasn't because he was good or even because he was living a holy life. In fact Abraham did some things that would raise our eyebrows today. But nevertheless, he pleased the Lord because he lived fully immersed in faith.

Hebrews 11:6 says, ‘without faith it is impossible to please God..." so the opposite is also truth, with faith it is possible to please God. The rest of that verse goes on to say, "...because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." ( Hebrews 11:6 ) Abraham was a living example of this, he knew the Lord intimately and because of it, he was convinced that God was capable of everything he had promised to him. God loves that kind of faith!

The Bible is God's love letter to us. He has done everything that can possibly be done to redeem mankind. The Bible is God's promise to us. In the same way that Abraham believed what God had promised him and was credited with righteousness, we too, need only to rely on the promise within His word and what Jesus did to obtain right standing with him.

Abraham believed and exercised his faith in God and received right standing with God. In the same way, we also only need to put our faith in Jesus and firmly rely on him as our personal savior and then God credits us with that righteousness that solidifies our standing before him. Today if you have done this, then you, like Abraham, are also considered a friend of God! What a blessed thing!

This passage of scripture is utterly amazing and profound! We are witnessing the law of faith in action. Paying special attention to this will help us see results in our own lives. Abraham is the father of many nations because he had the kind of faith that stood firm until the promise was fulfilled.

The Promise was that Abraham would be the father of many nations ( Genesis 17:4-5 ) and that the whole world would be blessed through him ( Genesis 12:3 ). This promise also speaks of the Seed of Abraham as the Messiah ( Galatians 3:16 ). The problem was that Abraham was nearly one hundred years old and impotent. His wife Sarah, was and had always been barren and was also ninety years old. So this verse gives us amazing information to consider when the problem seems to outweigh the promise.

Like Abraham we cannot focus on the problem, instead we need to focus on the promise. The King James Bible puts it this way, "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb..." ( Romans 4:19 ) The facts were it was impossible for them to have a child. But the scriptures say, he did not consider the facts only the promise. In Hebrews 11, also known as the 'Faith Hall of Fame', it notes that Abrahams faith rose up because he 'considered him faithful who made the promise.' ( Hebrews 11:11 ) and by that he was able to overcome any doubt from the circumstances surrounding the problem.

Abraham, because he knew God, was able to disregard what seemed impossible. Instead of doubting the promise he let his faith override his unbelief. He did not consider why it was impossible he only consider the one who promised him and knew that he was faithful to deliver. To operate in faith, you and I must focus on God's promise to us and discount anything that hinders you believing in that promise.

When we look to God, and focus on him, then circumstances will fade into the background. Today, I pray that you trust God with what he has spoken to you. Believe and consider him faithful to perform his word. In doing so, you, like Abraham and Sarah will reap the benefits of your faith.

I have prayed for many people over the years for various things. One girl, in particular stands out because her body was sick and robbing her of life. The doctors could do nothing for her and as we talked, I looked into her eyes and saw that she had no hope. I remember thinking to myself, that this was a great place to be... fed up with the circumstances and hopeless for a solution.

No matter what anyone says, we all have faith. Because of this, we put our faith in what we believe. If we believe we will receive the answer from the doctor, then we will exercise our faith by seeking that answer, from the doctor. If we believe we have a chance at the million dollar jackpot, then we will buy a lottery ticket. If we believe the building we are in, is on fire, then we will leave the building. When we believe something, it show by how we appropriate our faith in that belief.

In this example from Abraham, he used his faith to believe God. The difference between us and Abraham, is that 'against all hope, Abraham in hope believed'. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be." ( Romans 4:18; Amp ). His human hope was gone because there was no possible way physically, that he should father a child by Sarah. Both well pass the age or capability. But the scriptures say, that he didn't hope with his limited understanding, instead he hoped through the supernatural hope imparted by God.

He took what had been spoken to him as fulfilled even before it had begun. To do that, faith first has to rise on the inside. Hoping with a supernatural hope in the promise of God. When we base our faith in God's word and what he has promised, then our faith is based in truth. Thank God that Abraham operated in faith because he saw the fulfillment of God's promise and we were also blessed through it. The circumstances surrounding him, ceased to exist when he clung to that hope, riding on God's word.

In the same way, the lady, whose eyes held disappointment and hopelessness, lit up at hearing this very scripture because all of a sudden her hope wasn't based on anything but God and his word. As we spent a couple hours pouring over this passage in Romans, faith rose on the inside of her until she couldn't contain herself. As we prayed together for her body to heal and the sickness to leave in Jesus' name, she showed that she believed God's word by her faith. And her faith made her well that very hour. Every day she grew strong and healthier until it was physically evident that her health was completely restored. She choose to operate in faith, believing God for the impossible according to human standards. She hoped in hope, and saw fulfillment of what had been promised her in the scriptures.

Today, I encourage you to find just one promise in God's word and believe it with all your heart, mind and strength. Whatever you are needing from him. Find it, read it, meditate on it until you believe it with all your heart. When you start operating in faith, based on truth, then you will be blessed and completely changed by it. And like Abraham, your faith and the fulfillment of the promise will also bless many others as well! Amen.