Do You Believe God?

Q: What does the Bible say about believing God?

Believing God means accepting His Word as truth, which is foundational to faith. The Bible emphasizes the importance of believing God as a fundamental aspect of faith. For instance, in Romans 4, Abraham is highlighted as the father of faith because he believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. This illustrates that true faith is not merely acknowledging the existence of God but trusting in His promises and His Word. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, as stated in Romans 10:17, indicating that a believer’s confidence is rooted in God's revelation given through Scripture.

Q: Why is believing God's Word important for Christians?

Believing God's Word is crucial for salvation and spiritual growth. Believing God's Word is fundamental for Christians because it is through His Word that we understand His character, His will, and His promises for salvation. The Scriptures are described as God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), meaning they hold divine authority and truth. For instance, Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 1:20-21 that prophecy comes not by human interpretation but through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This establishes the reliability of Scripture as the foundation for faith and obedience, guiding believers into a deeper understanding of God's grace and truth in their lives.

Q: How do we know that God's promises are true?

God's promises are validated by His faithfulness and the truth of Scripture. We know God's promises are true because they are grounded in His character as a faithful and sovereign God. Throughout Scripture, God fulfills His promises, demonstrating that He can be trusted. Romans 4:20-21 tells us about Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promise of a son, highlighting that he believed God was able to fulfill what He declared. Similarly, Jesus reassures us that all who come to Him will never be cast out (John 6:37), establishing a firm foundation for our faith in God's commitment to His Word and promises. Therefore, when we believe and trust in God's Word, we align ourselves with the certainty of His truth.

Q: Why is faith in Christ essential for salvation?

Faith in Christ is the means through which we receive God's grace for salvation. Faith in Christ is essential for salvation as it is through belief in Him that we enter into a relationship with God and receive the grace necessary for redemption. Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works, underscoring that our assurance rests entirely on Christ's finished work on the cross. Additionally, 1 John 5:12 states that he who has the Son has life, affirming that true life and salvation are found solely in faith in Jesus. Without faith, one cannot claim the promises of God regarding salvation, as it is the channel through which divine grace is bestowed upon us.

On Sunday morning, I'll tell
them what the message is going to be, what scripture I'll be
using Sunday night, and they like to read it and become prepared. So tomorrow night, I'm going
to preach from Isaiah 43, chapter 43 of Isaiah, the first 13 verses. I'll be speaking on the subject
of believer's confidence. I hope tomorrow night you'll
leave here with a little more assurance, a little more confidence
of your relationship with Christ by faith tomorrow night. Isaiah
43. I just, I think this message I'll preach
tomorrow night will be a special blessing to you if if you'll
come and read that first 13 verses of Isaiah 43, preparing for the
service tomorrow night. Now, tonight I have a question. I'm not asking this of you only. I'm asking this of myself. This
is a question directed to every one of us here. And the question
is this, do I, do you believe God? Do we believe God? Do we believe God? Now, did you
hear what I said? I didn't ask, do we believe there
is a God? I don't know many folks that
do not believe that there's a God. Acknowledge the Lord God in some
way. I didn't ask, do you believe
there's a God? And I didn't ask, do you believe
in God? You know, we use that so loosely. Well, I believe, I believe in
the Bible. I believe in God. I believe in heaven and hell.
I believe in these things. That's not what I asked. I didn't
ask if you believe in God or about God. What I'm asking is
this. Do you believe God? Now, there's
a difference, and I hope to show you the difference. Do you believe
God? Now, the Lord God has been pleased
to reveal himself in many ways. David said, as he looked at the
heavens, stars, and the moon, and the sun, the things that
God made, he said, when I beheld those things, he said, the heavens
declare the glory of God, but when I beheld those things which
thou hast made, I said, what is man that art mindful of him?
Those things that were created made him aware of the power of
God, the wisdom of God, the glory of God. But my friends, God himself
is revealed in two ways. God himself, his character, his
purpose, his will. His grace, His mercy, His truth. And it's not revealed by looking
at the stars, or the moon, or the sun, or the things that are
made. God has given us His Word. His Word. All Scripture is—what's
that word?—God-breed. That's what it says. All Scripture
is given by inspiration of God. That is, it's God-breed. This is God's Word. God's Word. You see, the Scripture came not
in old time by the will of man, but holy men spake as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit to write this book. This is God's Word.
We quote, like you mentioned something Paul said a while ago.
Paul did say it, and God didn't rule out his personality when
you said that, God forbid. Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid. That is characteristic of Paul.
He's one of the only writers that uses that phrase, God forbid. When he got upset, he said, God
forbid, God forbid. But yet, even using the characteristics
and personalities of the men, it's still God's Word. God. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in John
17, your pastor brought a series of messages from John 17 not
so awful long ago. And you remember one phrase in
that one sentence? He said, I have given them thy
word, and they have received thy word. I have given them thy
word, and they have received it. They have believed it. I
would like you to turn to 1 Peter, or rather 2 Peter, on this particular
point here. God reveals himself in his Word,
his Word. These are the words of God. And
Isaiah said, if they speak not according to the Word of God,
it's because there's no light in them, there's no dawning.
2 Peter 1, 2 Peter 1, 20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the Scripture is of any private interpretation, that is, not
of mine or yours or even in the light of itself, the Word of
God stands together, the writings of Moses, the writings of Paul,
all right of Christ. Moses wrote of me, or at the
next verse, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will
of man, but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost. This is the Word of God. Now,
I ask you, do you believe the Word of God? Do you believe the Word? Do you
believe it's God's Word? And do you believe it? God reveals
Himself through His Word. All right. Secondly, God has
been pleased to send His only begotten, well-beloved Son into
this world. to reveal his name. I have manifested, our Lord said
again in that prayer, I have given them thy word, and I have
manifested thy name to them. Our Lord Jesus Christ came into
this world to reveal the Father. No man has seen the Father save
the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. No man has seen
God at any time. The well-beloved, only the begotten
have manifested Christ came to reveal God's name, God's will,
God's purpose. Do you believe Christ? Do you
believe Him? Turn to Hebrews. Now, while you're
still over there in that section of the Scripture, Hebrews 1.
Listen to this. Hebrews 1, verse 1. Now listen
to it. Follow with me. Hebrews 1, verse
1. God, who at sundry times Hebrews
1.1, God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake
in times past unto the fathers but the prophets by the words,
by His Word, hath in these last days spoken to us, God has spoken
to us by His Son. And watch how He describes whom
he hath appointed heir of all things." Christ is the heir of
all things. The Father has given all things
into his hands. "...by whom he made the worlds." Verse three, "...who being in
the brightness of his glory." He's the very brightness of the
Father. The glory of God is seen in the
face of Christ. That's where it's revealed. He's
expressed or the exact image of his person. They said, show
us the Father. He said, you've seen me, you've
seen the Father. The exact image of the Father.
Listen, and he's the one who upholds all things by the word
of his power. By him all things consist. By
him all things are held together. What keeps this thing from blowing
apart? Christ. What holds every star
in its path? Christ. What, who gives every
man breath? Christ. He upholdeth all things. Listen, when He had by Himself
purged our sins, who did? He did. How? By Himself, without
any help. But that's not all that's said.
By Himself, by the giving of Himself. He not only purged our
sins by Himself, but by Himself. God will provide himself a sacrifice,
and he'll provide himself a sacrifice. By himself did what? Purged our
sins. There's no such place as purgatory.
My sins are purged by himself. Purged them. How many of them?
All of them. Watch it, Lee. Read on. He sat
down at the right hand of the majesty on high. That's who he
is. Well, I believe in Jesus. Do
you believe Jesus? Do you believe Him? I don't know many folks who...
The calendar tells you that such a person lived. B.C. Two hundred
years B.C. What's that say? Before Christ.
The times measured by His death on the cross. B.C. and A.D. A.D. Nineteen ninety-two A.D. And
Old Dominic in the year of our Lord. That's right. Oh, do you believe Him? Do you
believe His Word? Do you believe Him? Let me show
you another scripture while we're over here. 1 John. I don't know
if we're a few pages. 1 John 5. Listen to this. 1 John 5. My friends, this is
the essence and the substance of saving faith by which the
just shall live. It's not to believe about God.
It's not to believe in God. It's not to believe there is
a God. It's to believe to believe His Word. What does it say? I
believe it. Do you understand it all? Well,
no, but I believe it. I wouldn't believe it if I could
understand it all. If I could understand it all, it must have
been written by somebody like me. Martin Luther said, One thing
I don't need is a God I can comprehend. One thing I don't need is a God
I can understand. He understands me. That's what's
important. I don't understand God. I believe
God. I believe His Word. I believe
Him. I don't understand how the Word was made flesh to you. I
don't understand how God could become a man. I don't understand
how in one human body can dwell the nature of God and the nature
of man. But it happens. I don't understand how God could
die on a cross to you and be buried in line of tomb three
days. and rise again. I don't understand
how Jesus Christ can walk this earth and yet never leave the
bosom of the Father. Martin Luther one time sat at
his desk reading the Scripture. Sat there through his wife called
lunch, he said, don't want any. Sat there all afternoon. He was
a very volatile man, a very, I don't know how to explain him,
but one time He picked up an inkwell and threw it against
the wall, said he threw it at the devil. He kept aggravating
him. There was a spot on the wall in his study where he threw
the inkwell at the devil. But he finally, his wife said,
he got up from the desk and took his fist and just slammed it
down into the desk. He said, no man can understand
that. And his wife called to him and
said, what is it that no man can understand? He said, My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me? God forsaken God. No man can understand that. We'll
understand a whole lot of things, one of each takes. But now they're
received by faith. And don't argue with a simple-minded
that won't receive it because he can't understand it. God's Word and God's Son. Watch
this, 1 John 5. Verse twenty, And we know that
the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that
we may know Him that is true, and we're in Him that is true,
even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this
is eternal life. Do you believe this? Do you believe
it? You see, this is the very, as
I said, essence and substance of saving faith is to believe
God, to believe His Word, believe Him, believe His Word, believe
His Son, believe Him. You see, that was demonstrated
in Egypt. God said to Moses, tell the people,
God spake to our fathers by the prophet, by Moses. He said, tell
the people, I'm coming through the land of Egypt at midnight.
Now take a lamb, first thing of the flock, without spot or
blemish, put it up to three days, test it, try it, then slay it. Roast it with fire, eat the flesh,
put the blood on the door. I'm coming through in judgment.
When I see the blood, I'll pass over you." The people who believed
God put the blood on the door. God spoke and they believed,
and they were delivered. Is this not demonstrated when
Lot left Sodom? The angel of the Lord said, Lot,
God's going to destroy the city. Get out. Flee to the mountains.
Don't look back. And Lot believed God. His wife
didn't. She was a wife of a righteous
man. She was a wife of a godly man.
She saw and heard a lot of things. And she started the journey.
But she really didn't believe that. And she looked back. God destroyed her. Is this not
demonstrated in the experience of Rahab? Rahab hid the messengers,
and she said, we know God's with you. We know God's with you. We heard what happened at the
crossing of the Red Sea. We heard what happened in the
land that God gave to your hands. We know those things. And she
said, when you come to take this land, Will you spare me and my
family?" And the messenger said, if you'll do two things, go in
your house, bring your family with you. Stay in the house.
Don't leave the house. Stay in the house. If you're
on the streets, you're dead. Stay in the house. Put a scarlet
line out the window. That represents Christ. And when
we see the line, when God sees the line, That's the part of
the wall that didn't fall. You know, everybody talks about
the walls of Jericho all fell. No, they didn't. There's one
part that didn't fall. It stood right up there. It had
a red thread on it, and it didn't. Her house was in the wall. Isn't
that right? The entire wall fell except one spot, and that's where
somebody lived that believed God. She believed God. She believed And she was delivered. Now, let me tell you something. And don't misunderstand me. I'm
not being harsh, and I try not to be too critical, but I believe
this, that today's religion, today's religion with its excess,
excess and emotionalism, and its outward demonstrations of
the flesh is what it is. and its so-called experiences,
and what's going on today in the name of religion. Now, you
see it on your televisions. I turned the program on the other
day, watching this preacher, and there were 15,000 or 20,000
people there, and all of them were screaming and yelling and
waving their hands and swaying back and forth. I mean the whole
crowd, all 20,000 of them. And this man was leading them.
And he was the one that was pecking it up. He had the music going.
and the band playing, and all these things, and what he did,
they did. What he said, they said. What he wanted them to
do, they did. They were like so many puppets on a string controlled
by his hands. And that's excess, and that's
demonstrations. It was the flesh. And I'm saying
this. Now listen to me. I believe that
what's going on today in the name of religion, and God doesn't
help us, this country, spiritually speaking, is down the drain.
But what's going on confuses the issue of faith. It's not
helping people to come to God. It's helping people to come to
an organization, or come to an experience, or come to an emotional
experience, or come to a preacher, or come to a position, but not
come to God. No, it's not. It confuses the
issue of faith. Now listen, I don't have to shout
and scream and sway and wave my arms and do what you tell
me to do to believe God doeth. Abraham believed God. He didn't
even have a television set. Abraham was the only one who
did. He was by himself, but he believed God. He didn't have
anybody to pat him up or pump him up. He just believed God.
God spoke to him, he believed him. Enoch walked with God. He walked with God. I don't have
to, do I have to, you know, they expect people to respond in the
same way, they're like so many robots. They walk the same aisle,
they say the same thing, they pray the same prayer, they kneel
at the same altar, they have the same emotional experience.
Do I have to do that and have man's approval to believe God? I believe God. I believe His
Word, I believe His Son. I don't have to support every
religious program. I hear these fellows on their
programs, And I've been on television now in June 18 years. I've never
asked for one single dime. Not one dime have I ever asked.
And we've never missed a payment. God will supply the need. I believe
God. But I don't... And they make
you feel guilty because you don't support all their different programs.
They've got all these programs and you prove your faith by supporting
Him. by buying him another Mercedes
or Cadillac or a home in Florida. That's how you prove your faith.
I don't have to do that to believe God, do I? I don't have to support
every huckster and every high-pressure showman to believe God. I believe
God. I don't believe them. I believe
God. I believe that they're misusing
people. I believe they're abusing people.
I don't have to have a man lay his hands on me to believe God,
do I? I don't have to get in a healing
line to be healed, do I, and have some man blow in my face?
One fellow told a friend of mine the other day he'd been promoted
in his church. He was a catcher. I thought he
meant he was a catcher on a softball team or something. Honestly.
He said, I used to be an usher, now I'm a catcher. I said to
my friend, what's a catcher? Oh, he said, those are the two
fellows that stand behind those women and men that fall over
when the preacher blows on them. That's a catcher. That's horrible. Absolutely horrible. And it's confusing the issue
of faith. I'm calling on people to believe
God, not act a fool. I don't have to act a fool and
talk in language that's been recommended for me to believe
God. Can't I just believe God? Can't you just believe God? Those
people that work with you, do they have to get to be some sort
of a pattern that you cut out of a flesh to believe God? Can't they just believe God? You see, faith, faith is an individual
personal experience in the heart and soul of one to whom God has
been pleased to reveal himself in Christ through the Word. That's
faith. It's a personal heart experience. Paul said in Philippians 3, we're
the circumcision, we're true Israel, we're true Israel. who—of whom three things are
true. You know what I'm saying? We're
true Israel. We're the true people of God.
Number one, we worship God in spirit, not in form, not in ritual,
not in ceremony, not in tradition, in heart, in spirit. The woman at the well said, Well,
our fathers worshiped in this mountain. You Jews say the place
to worship is down there in the tabernacle. Christ said, You
don't know what you worship. David, worship God, worship God
in spirit. Secondly, we rejoice in Christ
Jesus. We don't rejoice in our works.
We don't rejoice in our merit. We don't rejoice in our worthiness.
We rejoice in Christ Jesus and Christ alone. And thirdly, we
have no confidence in this grace. We're not surprised when the
chief of centers is saying, We're not shocked when the chief religionist
falls. Want to hear that again? That's right. No confidence in
the flesh. We're not surprised when God
saves the chief of sinners. And I'm not shocked when the
chief religionist takes a nosedive, because I got no confidence in
the flesh. confidence and rejoicing is in
Christ Jesus. That's right. And you see, faith
is not dependent on atmosphere. I beg your pardon. I see these
folks, they go to these meetings and they start getting them worked
up with music, you see. It's a tactic. It's psychological. Atmosphere. That's what it is. It's atmosphere. It's a human
leader. It's an assembly. But faith believes
God at all times, not just in a building, not just when the
organ's playing a religious song or when the choir's playing.
Let me ask you this. How many hours do you spend a
week in church? Sunday morning, nine hours, Sunday
evening, Wednesday, three hours. Sometimes we spend just two.
How many hours are there in the week? 168 hours. What do you do with 166? Who's
there to pump you up? Do you just stop believing? Do
you stop rejoicing? Do you stop walking with God? You see how misleading this is? If I have to be in an atmosphere
or an assembly or under the leadership of a man to believe God, I'm
lost. I've missed faith. I made television tapes last
night. I said to that congregation, I said, when I drove up here
tonight to prepare this message, to preach this message, and sat
over there waiting for the cameramen and the lights and all the different
things. And then I come up here and start preaching. And I change
my voice or change my countenance into
a pious look and a whine and try to act religious. I'm a hypocrite. I believe God's Word here, and
I believe it sitting over in that chair, and I believe it
driving that car down the highway. That's where faith is now. And
I say to people, beware of this atmospheric religion. Beware
of any religion, or any kind of faith, or any relationship
with God that depends on a certain place, or a certain leader, or
a certain atmosphere. I'm telling the truth. This is the truth. Do you believe
God? Do you believe Him now? Do you
believe Him in the pulpit? Do you believe Him in the pew?
Do you believe Him in the kitchen? You ladies spend more time in
the kitchen than you do in church. No, you don't anymore, do you?
But you used to when you cooked on the wood stove. Spend more
time in the washroom. Take care of children. Believe
in God, believe in God. And faith doesn't need to be
recharged constantly by music, crowds, and special services,
because faith walks with God and sees God in everything. That's right, sees God in everything. that just shall live by faith.
You see, and the food of faith is not some music, not some instrument,
not some preacher, not some religious leader. The food of faith is
the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God. Comfort one another with these
words. Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow
thereby. Feed on the Word. Feed on Christ. What I want to
do at 13th Street, and I'm sure what Pastor Paul wants to do
here, and true servants of the Lord, they want to wean people
from themselves, and wean people from certain atmospheres, and
they want Christ to be—I prevail to Christ be formed in you, Paul
says. Formed in you. You know what
he's saying? formed in you, and you walk with Him. I believe
God. Spurgeon said to a man one time,
he said, What do you believe? He said, I believe what my preacher
believes. He said, What's your preacher believe? He believes
what I believe. He said, this is a true story.
Spurgeon said, Well, what do you and your preacher believe?
He said, Same thing. It's sad. I believe God. Here's what it
comes down to. I believe what God says about
the creation. In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth. I'm totally satisfied with the
record of creation. It sure beats anything else I've
read, doesn't it? I believe God, He created all
things for His glory. I believe God created the heavens
and the earth. I believe God's going to create
a new heaven and a new earth too. I believe what God says
about Himself. I believe what God says about
Himself. I believe what God says about man, about the fall. I
went in trouble with original sin, do you? Dead in trespasses
and sin. I don't have any problem with
that. I don't have a problem with election. If God hadn't chosen
me, I'd have never chosen Him. If He hadn't loved me, I'd have
never loved Him. If He hadn't called me, I'd have never called
on Him. I know that. You do, too. I believe what God
says about His law. Cursed is everyone that continues
not in all points of the law to do them. I don't believe His
law can be compromised, do you? I believe it's strict and straight
and true. I believe what he says about
his justice, he will by no means clear the guilt. But I believe
what he says about his grace, his covenant mercies in Christ
Jesus. I believe there's an everlasting
covenant. I don't understand it, but I believe it. that God
made with his Son before the foundations of the world, in
which he gave him a people from every tribe, kindred, nation,
tongue unto heaven. And they shall all hear his voice,
and they shall be one fold and one shepherd. And all that the
Father hath given to him will come to him. And him that cometh
to Christ, he'll never cast him out." I believe that. I believe
in the certainty of salvation, in the security of his salvation,
in the sufficiency of his salvation. Don't you? I believe it. That's
what the Word says. I believe what God Almighty says
about Christ's life, perfect life, holy life. By one man,
by Adam's sin I fell, by Christ's obedience I stand. I believe
what God says about his death on that cross. I believe he was buried and rose
again the third day. I believe after 40 days he ascended
back to the right hand of God where he ever lived to make intercession
for us. Old-fashioned? It's all right. Somebody said to this virgin,
you got a first century gospel. He said, no, it's older than
that. It goes back to the foundations of the world and before us. God's gospel. God's truth. I
believe Christ is coming back. I believe He'll reign, and we'll
reign with Him. I believe that we're all going
to be conformed to the image of His Son someday, all who believe
God. Don't you? I believe God. Where'd you get all that information?
God gave it to me in His Word, and I believe His Word. Paul
stood on that ship, you know, about to sink, and all those
Those sailors, those seasoned veterans of the sea, they were
getting ready to bail out, weren't they? And Paul said, Now, sirs,
be of good cheer. Be of good cheer. I mean, things
were bad. And he said, Be of good cheer. He said, There stood by me this
night the angel of the Lord, whose I am and whom I serve.
And he said, Paul, you won't lose a single life on this ship. I believe there's a God." No,
he didn't say that. Well, I believe in God, fellers.
No, he said, I believe, God, that it shall be exactly as he
told me. That's what I believe, exactly
as he told me, exactly as Christ told us. The centurion came to
our Lord and brought his little son. He said, disciples couldn't
do anything. If you can do anything, help
us. Our Lord turned to him and said, If you can believe, all
things are possible to him that believeth." He said, Lord, I
believe. Help thou mine unbelief. Can
you say that? I do believe. I believe this
Word. I believe His Son. Help thou mine unbelief. I want to show you one thing,
Romans 4. Will you turn over there a moment? Romans chapter
4. Just keep you a moment or two
more. Romans chapter 4. Listen to this. Verse 1 asks
a question. Romans 4.1. What then shall we
say? What then? What shall we say
then that Abraham, our father, as pertained to the flesh, hath
found? What did Abraham find? What did he find? He found justification. Not guilty. All of his sins pardoned. Abraham was a man just like you.
and a man of like passion, a man of sin, a man that could twist
the truth once in a while when he got scared, you know, stoked. Abraham was a man, but he found
pure justification before God. What else did he find? He found
acceptance with God. God called him, my friend. And
that's something. God said, Abraham is my friend. That's something, isn't it? God
speak to him as a man speaks to his friend. That's acceptance. Two can't walk together except
they be agreed. Thirdly, he found righteousness, holiness. I'm not talking about put-on
holiness now. I'm not talking about painted holiness. I'm talking
about holiness, the holiness of God, the very holiness and
righteousness of God. That's what Abraham found. Justification,
acceptance, and holiness. Where'd he find it? That's what
he's asking. Look at verse three. What's that
scripture? Abraham believed in God. No, it doesn't say that. It says
he believed God. That's the point I'm making.
That's the point I'm making. That's what I'm asking. That's
what I'm asking me. That's what I'm asking you. Did
Abraham believe God? And it was reckoned to him, and
that word is used about 9, 10, 11 times in this chapter, reckoned
and tooted and counted. It was reckoned to him for righteousness. What did he do? He believed God. He believed God. Now then, When did he believe? When was he justified? Now we
know, watch this, we know Abraham, 15 years later, was circumcised. And we know Abraham gave Lot
the best laying. And we know Abraham went down
and rescued Lot from the kings. And we know Abraham cast Ishmael
out. And we know Abraham offered Isaac.
But when did he find justification, righteousness, and acceptance?
You know when he found it? When he believed God, right back
down at the first. at that time. These are the things
he did because he believed God. But none of these things, Ellen,
contributed to his salvation. He was saved, justified, declared
righteous. When right in his mind, in his
heart, in his soul, he said, Lord, I believe you. I don't
know where I'm going. Get out of your house. I don't
know where I'm going. You're going to have a son. I
don't know how you're going to do it. Take your son and kill him. I
don't know why you want me to do that, but you say it, I believe
it." That's when he was justified. Read that in verse 10, Romans
4, 10. How was it then rectified? When
he was in circumcision or uncircumcision, that he was justified, righteous. Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision,
a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had being
uncircumcised. In other words, fifteen years
later, God gave him that covenant. And he had every male circumcised
in his house. He obeyed God. But that's not
when he was saved. That's when he received the seal
and the confirming of it. And Abraham was justified with
when God spoke to him the first time, and he believed. Everything
else is the outgrowth of that thought, isn't it? Everything
else. And that's when God saves a person. You can walk down the
aisle and rededicate and dedicate and do all these different things,
but a man will be saved when this issue is settled in his
heart, mind, and soul, individually, personally. Do you believe God? Do you believe His Son? That's
when you say. It's not how much knowledge you've
got. It's not how many years you've been in the church. It's
not how much work you've done or how much toil or labor or
giving. It's do you believe God? That's just so. Look at verse 17. I've got to
read this right here, verse 17. As it is written, I've made you
a father of many nations before him whom he believed. even God,
who quickeneth the dead, who calleth those things which are
not as though they were." Listen, your faith is only strong as
your God. That's right. That's the reason
people today have no faith. They got an impotent God. The
preachers are telling them about a God who wants to do things
and can't. Their God can't quicken the dead unless the dead let
Him. That's right. That's what they
tell me. God wants to do this and you won't let him. God will
be glad and bless you if you let him. God's got a wonderful
plan if you let him. If you let him, if you let him,
you don't let this God do it. Abraham's God did what he pleased
when he pleased with whom he pleased. Abraham's God gave the
orders and Abraham walked This God declares the end from
the beginning. He declares the things that are
not as though they were. He knows who's going to believe
on Him, and who's going to reject Him, and who's going to deny
Him, and who's going to betray Him. He said that. He knew from
the beginning who would believe. Before Him, whom He believed,
even God, even God, who quickly lit the dead, Our Lord Jesus
said, as the Father quickened at the day, so the Son had power
to quicken the day. Isn't that what He said? Even so the Son had power to
quicken the day. And He declares things that are
not as though they already were. Christ was a lamb slain before
the foundation of the world. He told who would spit on him,
who would betray him, how much Judas would send him for. He
told about the potter's spiel that buy with the money that
Judas would bring back to the temple, didn't he? He told that
pluck out his beard, pierce his hands and feet. How can you tell
those things? Only if you can determine them
and even bring them to pass through men doing what they want to do. And when they do what they want
to do, they do what you will to do. That's God. That was Abraham's
God. And that's the reason, verse
18, listen to this, "...who against hope believed in hope that he
might become the father of many nations." He didn't have a son.
He was 100 years old. His wife was 90 years old. And
God said, you're going to have a son and be the father of many
nations. And against all human reasonable
hope, He believed that. He believed God, who against
hope believed in hope. And listen, and being not weak
in faith, I tell you the reason he wasn't weak in faith, because
of the power of his God. the power of the one in whom
he believed. And being that weak in faith,
he considered not his own body now dead when he was a hundred
years old, nor yet the deadness of Sabaoth's womb. And he staggered
not at the promise of God. If he looked at Sabaoth, he'd
have staggered. If he'd looked at himself, he'd
have staggered. If he'd looked at some doctor, you know, to
do the deed, he'd have staggered. Impossible. When Abraham looked
to the mighty hand of God, he didn't stagger. He believed God. This being fully
persuaded, verse twenty-one, that what God had promised, God
was able to perform. That is the very essence of it. He believed God. He believed
God. He just didn't believe there
is a God. or somehow or other that it works out that way about
God, and he actually believed Him. Actually believed Him. It dictated the direction he
walked and the way he walked. It dictated what he did and how
he felt and his attitude. Everything rested on this thing,
I believe God. Verse twenty-two, and therefore
it was imputed to him for holiness, righteousness, acceptance. Now,
what's that got to do with us? Verse twenty-three, it wasn't
written for his sake alone that that was imputed to him, but
for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on,
trust, rest on, committed to him, enter his rest on him that
raised Jesus Christ from the dead. You reckon I could be raised
from the dead someday? You reckon I could, like Paul
really said, be conformed to the image of Christ? You reckon
that's possible? If I look at me, not possible. If I look at
one of you, not possible. If I can look to the baptismal
waters, it's not possible. To an old-fashioned altar of
prayer, to all this, that, and the other, whoop-de-doo in religion.
But I'll tell you, if God ordained it, then God wills it. And God
promised it. I'll be there. I believe that.
I will. And that's the foundation of
faith. So I ask you a question. You answer it. Do we believe
God? All right. Thank you. That's what you call preaching
the object of faith. Not just preaching about faith. Let's sing that song, My Faith
Has Found a Resting Place. I thought about that while he
was preaching. My faith is 228. 228. I think nearly everyone parked
down in this parking lot. Didn't anybody park out front?
Are you? Well, I'm just going to say,
it's hard to get him at both doors. Everybody, most everybody
goes down this door. But I want to have you stand
out here so folks can say hello to you on the way down. So go
out this door and greet him, Mrs. Lee. 228, let's stand up
and sing this song. A couple of verses. Let's just sing the first verse
and that'll be our benediction. My faith has found a resting
place, not in divides nor creeds. I trust the Ever-Living One. His wounds for me shall flee. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died
and that He died for me. I can only imagine. I can only imagine. It's almost like magical. It's
magical. It's magical. It's magical. It's magical. It's
magical. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm going to go ahead and get
started. Thank you very much.

Do You Believe God?

What does the Bible say about believing God?

Why is believing God's Word important for Christians?

How do we know that God's promises are true?

Why is faith in Christ essential for salvation?

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Do You Believe God?

What does the Bible say about believing God?

Why is believing God's Word important for Christians?

How do we know that God's promises are true?

Why is faith in Christ essential for salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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