Can't Help But Get Excited

Okay. So I was going to wait until after tonight to post a blog. I figured that two in one day might be a little much for me (this is all new ya know). But, after preparing this morning for the service tonight at the prison, I'm just too excited to wait. God laid Romans 4:20-25 on my heart to preach tonight. I had read it before a few times, but had never really sat down and studied it. WOW!!! After about 5 minutes I broke. Paul goes back to the faith that Abraham had when God promised him in Genesis 17, "and thou shalt be a father of many nations" v4. What really got my attention was what God said in v5-"for a father of many nations I have made thee." In God's view, this wasn't a promise to be kept, but instead, a promise that had already been fulfilled! How awesome is that? God doesn't make promises like we do-you see, we say something that we hope we'll be able to keep like, "I promise I'll never say that to you again" or "I promise that I won't be late" or "I promise that I'll do better next time". But the truth is that you and I can only really try to keep those promises which we've made. And, honestly, we end up breaking most of the one's that we made sooner or later. God though, treats His promises quite differently. When He says it, it's as good as done-money in the bank! He doesn't have to worry about circumstances or barriers that may be in the way. God never has and never will break a promise that He has made. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, that's some encouraging stuff. Abraham, was 99, Sarah was 90, and no child had yet been born. But "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith; giving glory to God" Rom. 4:20. Abraham did something that you and I normally don't do: He didn't let the circumstances sway his belief. I take God's promises a lot of the time and treat them as if they will only be kept if certain things happen. I allow the barriers to influence my faith. But Abraham "being fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised, he (God) was able also to perform" v21. Talk about conviction! I have to start taking God at His Word and not at my doubts. James 1:6-7 says, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (same Greek word as "staggered" in Rom. 4:20). For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." If we are going to ask for something in prayer, we've got to be firm in our belief that God will provide. We can't ask Him to do a great work, only to doubt His ability and willingness to perform that which we have requested. I'm going to put something on my wall in my office that says "he staggered not at the promise of God" to remind me of my need to believe God! I hope that these verses bring you some encouragement as they have me. Please pray for the service tonight. There are so many prisoners there who need to believe that God has made a way for them to be forgiven and redeemed; and that His name is Jesus Christ! I'll have an update later tonight when I get back.