JC Blog

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!

Hollywood plays off the struggle between good and evil. Many epic movies have been created around this force that continually battles for dominance in the heroes lives. Each entity pulling in opposite directions until the stronger force wins and conquers.

We romanticize this idea and love to watch movies about it, but the idea behind the battle of opposites is not a new thing. The Bible records many such adversaries from the beginning of time. One example of this rivalry is that of faith and unbelief. We downplay this dichotomy in the modern day church, however doubt and distrust is the great antagonist of faith.

Faith and doubt move in opposite directions and fight to cancel each other out. Whatever substance is stronger will see the results. Jesus chided the disciples in Matthew 17, because their lack of faith. He told them that they needed faith as small as a mustard seed and then nothing would be impossible for them. However they let their doubt overpower their faith and rule the situation. It is possible to have both faith and doubt at the same time. So if all you need is faith as small as a mustard seed, then it is also true that your unbelief must be smaller than the amount of faith you possess to win.

How then, does this happen? How can we remove unbelief and exercise our faith when it matters most. We can learn a lesson of faith through Abraham. The scripture tells us that Abraham did not waver or question the promise of God. Because of it, his faith grew stronger. His faith was able to overpower any distrust and unbelief that he had. The Bible tells us that it was because he did not consider the circumstances, he only considered the promise and the one who had promised it.

Secondly we see an important truth, Abraham's faith rose up on the inside until he couldn't contain it and he started praising God in the midst of the situation. He considered the promise as fulfilled so it was a natural reaction to thank God in during it. Do you want to see faith win in your own life? Start praising the Lord for how he is moving on your behalf while he is moving. Do you have any doubt in your heart? Glorify God in the midst of it and that doubt will have no room to stay and occupy. Faith will take over and rise up on the inside of you until it fully conquers its adversary.

Lastly, from Abraham's example we see that he was fully persuaded that God was going to deliver what he has spoken. Have you ever tried to argue with someone who is entirely convinced that they are right? It is a mute point. It is impossible to argue with them because they won't consider any other possibility. To operate in faith, we must be like that. We have to be so convinced that God is doing what he has spoken that no one can talk you out of it. Circumstances do not matter because you are fully convinced. Chatter and opposition does not matter because you are fully convinced. Unbelief and doubt does not matter because you are fully convinced and persuaded that God has the power to do what he's promised.

Believe God's promise to you. Don't look to the circumstance, only to the promise. Let faith swell on the inside of you cancelling out all doubt. Praise God in the midst and be fully convinced that you will see the promise manifest in your life. This is how to operate in faith. Today, may these words bless you as you step out in faith and believe God, Amen!

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.

No matter what the circumstances around you, when you have a promise from God from his written word, then that promise is as strong and faithful as the guarantor of that promise. Abraham knew this and that is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham believed God, even though, what he was believing for had not yet come to pass.

The amazing thing from this passage of scripture is that Paul reminds us that this was written. Psalms 138:2 says, "...thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (KVJ) So the written word of God carries much weight. We know that everything in heaven, on earth and under the earth will one day bow down and confess that Jesus is Lord. He is given the name above every name. ( Philippians 2:9-11 ). However, the Psalms said that God himself magnifies his word above his name. Why? Because His name rests on his word.

You have heard it say that a man is only as good as his word. Meaning that unless one does what they say the will do, they cannot be trusted. God holds himself to the same standard. In other words, if a promise has been spoken by him and has been recorded in his word, then that promise is as good as the name he bears and you can consider the promise fulfilled. The name to which one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord.

Abraham believed God when he told him that he would be the father of many nations. No matter what the circumstances, he clung to that promise. It didn't matter that he was nearly one hundred years old. It didn't matter that Sarah was over ninety years old. No, didn't matter that she was barren. The scriptures tell us two things regarding this promise. First, God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. Secondly the scriptures tell us that Abraham believed God.

In fact, Abraham believe God before he believed his circumstances. He knew that when God spoke and promised something that he would deliver it. He reasoned that God would do what he promised even when, in the physical it seemed impossible. And Abraham saw the fulfillment of part of that promise through Isaac and had glimpses of the rest of the fulfillment through Jesus. His faith was the catalyst to bring the promise to realization.

The second half of this verse is so powerful. '...God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.' ( Romans 4:17 ) We see this example in creation. Nothing existed before hand, but God spoke and believed that what he had spoke would come to pass. As he spoke, things that did not exist, came into existence. He called things that were not as though they were, and suddenly the were.

Abraham believed God in such a way. Even though in the present physical condition, there was no heir to the promise, he believed God. He knew that God was able to call things into existence. All of this steams out of a personal relationship with Him and knowing him. It also comes from knowing his word and the promises within. When we know God in an intimate way, then we know who he is and what he will do. The more we know about him, the more we look to him and forward to the outcome rather than the circumstances.

This is so important for us today, because no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the doctor has said, no matter what we feel, we need to rest of what God has said about it. He is the one who 'gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.' ( Romans 4:17 ) When we believe him in such a way, then, like Abraham we operate in unwavering faith. Also like Abraham, we see the promises of God that are done and complete, called to manifest into the physical realm where we can interact with them.

Today, I praise God, that He is the one who gives life to the dead and changes circumstances. I praise God that the more we know him, the more we are able to operate in the faith that Abraham had. Because of this, 'He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believe' ( Romans 4:17 ) His faith has blessed us and will continue to do so for the many generations to come. Amen!

I find it amazing that the whole time, God's intention from the very beginning was to bestow grace upon mankind. This is truly the greatest story ever told. God didn't want to take any changes with his beloved creation, specifically humankind so he knew that to do this, salvation must be through grace.

The truth is, God always wanted relationship with us. His desired was a family. I Peter 1:20 tells us that Jesus was the spotless lamb chosen before the foundation of the world as the precious sacrifice for sin. His blood would be the atoning medium to bring us into right standing with God. Jesus was the promised Seed of Abraham. "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ." ( Galatians 3:16 )

So through Jesus, whether you are born into the natural line of Abraham or an heir to the promise through faith, the Bible says that Abraham is our father in the sight of God. God accomplished an amazing thing through the faith of one man. This man chose to believe God and because of it we share in the blessing that he obtained through faith. We choose to be a part of the family that God desired from the beginning and made possible through Jesus.

Today we can rest in the grace promised to Abraham, but provided through Jesus. It is by grace that we are saved and it has nothing to do with anything we can do. That my friend is wonderful news! That is why it is called the gospel or ‘almost too good to be true news!' Today I praise God that he has provided the means, the payment and the way to him through fulfillment of that promise.

The quickest way to make the Word of God of non effect in your life is to rely on your own goodness as a means to achieve or obtain anything from God. The Good news of the Gospel is that everything has already been done by Jesus. Jesus was the promise to Abraham, because he was the Seed that the promise referred too. ( Galatians 3:16 )

So the Law introduced four hundred and thirty years later in no way voided out the promise to Abraham. God in his faithfulness sent Jesus at the appointed time, according to the promise, to redeem mankind legally from the dominion of sin and Satan. Therefore, the fulfillment of the promise in our own lives, by faith is what translates us into the kingdom of God.

The Law was also given for an appointed time. But Paul stresses in Galatians 3:21, that the Law was never able to impart life. However, Jesus said in John 10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." ( John 10:10 ). So clearly, the Law brings death and the promise brings life.

If we live according to the dictates of the Law then it nullifies our faith. Because our faith is misappropriated in the works of the Law. We choose to rely on our good deeds or we choose to rely on Jesus. It cannot be a combination of both. The promise through Jesus is what brings about our justification in the sight of God.

In American, July 4th marks a special day. This is the day when we celebrate our Independence. This day marked the beginning of a new life, new hope and new direction for our country so many years ago. Independence Day is an important day to remember and celebrate because it changed the course of our countries history.

In the same way, what Christ did for us in reconciling us unto God, changed the course of history for mankind. But this revolution only comes to those who accept and believe it. How then does that happen?

Do you see that faith is the deciding factor in how one is reconciled to God? The promise came to Abraham before he was circumcised so that the promise could be offered to everyone who believed. The promise foretold that all nations would be blessed by Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." ( Genesis 12:3 ). The Scriptures foretold that God would justify the Gentiles by faith ( Galatians 3:8-9 ). So it only is reasonable that the Jews, or those of the circumcision should have the same faith as the Gentiles in order to be justified.

Paul clarifies this in later on the book of Romans, when he explains who the true child of Abraham are. "It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring." ( Romans 9:6-7 ) So the true descendants of the promise are heirs by faith alone, not by law or by natural descent.

This is important to understand because association, heritage or bloodline does not make you righteous before God. The only thing required of you is faith. "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." ( Genesis 15:6 ). In the same way, when we believe upon, trust in and rely solely upon what Jesus did for us in fulfillment of the promise, then we obtain the like, precious faith of Abraham.

Know that you are not saved because your parents are Christians. You are not saved because you belong to a church. You are not saved by anything you do. You are saved by faith in the promise of God's grace alone. When you put your entire hope in Him, and trust in him as your Savior, then you are heir of the promise that was given to Abraham. He is your father in the sight of God, and you are fully justified by Jesus. This experience is truly an Independence Day, and one to put into remembrance always!

Tonight at my small group, we were discussing the importance of hope. Several examples were use of how hope carried a person through a tough situation. The hope stemmed from believing a certain thing then that belief moved them towards that goal. In the end, we agreed that hope was the necessary vehicle to achieve desired results. Hope is a must!

Hoping in the promises of God will never disappoint us because God is faithful to deliver on the promises spoken in his word. Abraham's hope, activated his faith and became the catalyst to receive the fulfillment of the promise. In the same way, our hope can trigger our faith into action. For without faith we will never realize victory. Without hope for the victory we will never initiate our faith in the first place. The two work together hand in hand.

Hope is a crucial thing. Paul is reassuring us that we are hoping in something that won't disappoint us. He is basing this solely on God's love for us. Chapter five in the book of Romans delivers an amazing expose on God's love for us. That is evident in the first couple of verses by the fact that God has given us his Holy Spirit, deposited into our hearts testifying to this very fact. The Holy Spirit confirms with our spirit that we are his own. Knowing this should settle once for all any question about the depth of God's love for us.

Because God loves us and has demonstrated his love to us through his Son Jesus, we know that nothing stands in the way of relationship with Him. Through faith in Jesus we are completely justified by his grace. Today I praise God that he has given us this blessed hope and that hope is based on who he is. Just as the scriptures say, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." ( Romans 10:11 )

It is amazing to belong to the promise and subsequently be a part of God's wonderful redemption plan initiated in the garden, prophesied throughout prophets and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God chose us and His hope is that we will chose him. It is through the blood of Jesus that we have obtained this sweet and precious promise. Paul told us in Ephesians, "Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ" ( Ephesians 2:12-13 ). We have been brought near and made the true seed of Abraham because of the promise spoken to him centuries ago. The promise was Jesus. It was nothing we could do to obtain it and it was everything that Jesus did for us which brought us into fellowship with the Father. Paul said in Ephesians that He had an intense, wonderful and great love towards us so he reached out in mercy to include us in the promise and to save us by grace ( Ephesians 2:4-5 ).

Paul started out this chapter by expressing his sadness at the rejection of Israel on the account of Christ, he said in verse 4 and 5, "Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen" ( Romans 9:4-5 ). However, in today's passage he is saying that while Israel holds a wonderful heritage, their ancestry cannot bring them into right relationship with God. Paul said, it is not children of the body of Abraham who are God's children, but the offspring of the promise will be counted and Abraham's true descendants ( Romans 9:8 ). In other words, Israel still has to put their faith in Jesus Christ to be counted righteous, holy and blameless before God. To be God true child in this world can only comes through faith in the Savior. It cannot come through reliance on a natural lineage or the faith of the patriarchs.

The amazing thing about being born again into the family of God is that he dwells on the inside of you and fellowships with you in a personal, loving way. It is an intimate relationship. Peter said concerning this, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" ( I Peter 2:9-10 ). Just like the heritage that Israel shares, once we are born into the family of God we become part of a holy nation and royal priesthood. We may have started out in life with no hope, no future and no family, but we have been called out of darkness and into God's light. Now we belong to God and we have become the light to this dark world. He has equipped us, called us and loved us and all of this while we were sinners and separated from him.

Paul said in Ephesians, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit" ( Ephesians 2:19-21 ). Today, ours future is so bright in Christ Jesus. We are being built into a wonderful holy people where God lives and dwells among us. Through Christ our heritage is wonderful, built on the foundations of those saints who have gone before us which Christ Jesus being the cornerstone which holds everything together. I am so bless to be counted among the promise spoken to Abraham and I am so excited that by faith he believe God and so blessed the entire world. Today, I pray that the truth of how much God loves you will sink into your heart and your response to this will be faith. Faith is what pleases the Lord ( Hebrews 11:6 ) and faith is what will bless the world, amen!