Why should a Christian believe in an invisible God? If we step back in time, we will not only learn why Abraham Believed God, but we will also understand why we should Believe God as well. Although Abraham
could not see God, The Lord could see him, not only did God see Abraham, He was also involved in Abrahams affairs. Remember it was God who told Abraham to get out of his country, from his family and from
his father's house to a land that God will show Him(Gen.12:1-4).
God’s promise Abraham five blessings.
God said to Abraham, if you obey Me, and get out of
your country, from your family, then I will:
(Gen.12:1-4).
1) Make you a great Nation.
2) I will bless you.
3) I will make your name great.
4) I will bless those who bless you.
5) I will curse them who curses you.
Can you imagine leaving the comfort of your home, your country, and your family with nothing in your pocket but a promise from a God you can’t
even see?
Obedience is what’s important
God promised Abraham that He would make him a great Nation, and not just any nation, but, a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people (1-Peter 2:9-10).
A promise is like a contract
A promise is like a contract, and both parties had agreed
to fulfill their part of the agreement.
God’s part of the agreement
1) To make Abraham a great nation.
2) To bless him
3) To make his name great
4) To bless those who bless Abraham
5) To curse those who curse Abraham
Abraham’s part of the contract:
1) To obey God’s voice
2) To get out of his country
3)
To leave his family
4) To get away from his father’s house
Listen!
Listen,
God never told Abraham to try and make his name great, nor did the Lord say to Abraham, try to make a nation for yourself. God gave Abraham only ten percent of the contract to fulfill which was: “Obey God’s voice.” To obey God’s
voice, one must listen carefully To God’s word, and do only those things the Lord said you should do and leave the rest up to God.
Stop trying to do it yourself:
As Christians, we often try our hardest to do God’s part of the contract. Example, When I, pastor Dennis, bought a new car, I prayed and asked God to provide the extra money needed to pay the monthly payments on the new
vehicle. Well, shortly after I prayed, I found myself looking through the help wanted ads in hopes of finding a part-time job so I could make the car payments myself.
What’s
the since of praying?
What’s the sense of praying and asking for God’s help if you never intended to trust Him to grant your prayer request? Instead of thanking God in advance for answering my prayer
request I was to busy trying to fulfill God’s part of the agreement by trying to scrape up the funds myself, and that was right after I prayed, and asked God to provide the necessary money I needed for the monthly car payment.
Are you doubled minded?
James, the brother of Jesus, said Christians like me are double-minded, and unstable in all their ways
(Read James 1:1-8).
Is your faith weak?
I did not like the hurtful words coming out of James' mouth because his words were exposing my faith, in which now
I know it was weak. However, James words were correct. One minute I was full of confidence, trusting in the scripture that said, God, will supply all your needs (Phil.4:19). And the next minute I was full of fear, doubt, and anxiety concerning God’s
promise. “James said when a Christian ask anything from the Lord, let them ask in sincere faith, with no doubting”
In which I am guilty (Mark 11:23-25).
Speak
the truth in Love
The apostle Paul tells Christians to speak the truth to one another, and not harshly, but out of brotherly love for one another (Eph.4:1-32). So, out of love James was pointing out the things that
make a Christians faith weak, things such as:
Fear (Matt.8:26).
Doubt (Matt.14:31).
Worry (Matt.6:25).
Anxiety, Or, Anxious
Question?
How can a Christian fix their old conduct, or behavior, if they are not aware that their behavior is destructive
Not only to others, but to themselves as well?
(Eph.4:23-32).
Examine yourself
The
apostle Paul reminds Christians to examine themselves as to whether they are in the faith
(2-13:5).
I Thank God for James letter
I thank God for Christians like James who are not afraid
To speak the truth to his brothers and sisters. We need more men and woman in the churches like James who will tell others where their faith is lacking
or falling short. At first, I was offended by James word’s when he called me a double-minded man, but I would rather have my feelings hurt if it means improving my prayer
Life, and especially when I
pray for others, I want God to respond to the peoples request that I pray for.
A Christians responsibility
James said if a brother or sister wanders
from the truth, Or their faith falls short of the glory of God, we are to show them where their faith has fallen short.
Our part of the contract
Like Abraham, a Christians part of the contract is not to Fear, doubt, worry, or be anxious about anything they cannot change themselves.
Our part is to:
1)
Pray without ceasing (Lk.18:1)
2) Have faith in God (Jn.6:28-29)
3) Wait upon the Lord (Psalm 27:14)
Fear
is not from God
The apostle Paul reminds Christians that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2-Tim.1:7).
Abraham Believed
God
The Bible said Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (James 2:23).
What did Abraham believe?
Abraham believed God that the Lord would keep every one of the promises He had promised Abraham.
Don’t judge God’s capabilities
Don’t
judge God’s capabilities because of your circumstances, nor, pick and choose the scriptures
You believe, or you don’t believe. If you believe Jesus is Lord, believe also that He heals, that He can
supply all your needs no matter how big or small they may seem. Our part is to wait on the Lord, and not try to do or fix it ourselves.