03/10/2023
Lenten Season
Romans 4:16-18
“For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written: “I HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist. In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”
My desire has been to get people to know for themselves that God is real. More and more people tend to not believe in what they cannot physically see. Those who believe stand on their faith. God is not a genie in the bottle or a cosmic bellhop where you click your heels or snap your fingers and God gives you everything that you want. We work in partnership with God which means that we must put in the work. James 2:18-20, “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”
We must choose to talk better, walk better, be better. Faith says that you do not give up on your dreams; you pray about it but you also work toward accomplishing your dreams. God is inside of us to do a mighty work, to make all things new through us.
You cannot call yourself a child of God while inflicting pain or oppressing others. Looking down on people because of race, religion, culture, class etc., means that you oppose the reality of God. If we profess to be Believers then we must stand in the truth of our faith.
