Three Faith Phrases:
I want to take a moment and look at three statements about God and the results of each on the faith of the beholders.
Let’s start with Sarah. She was past the years of giving birth until God gave her one question that changed everything. It is recorded in Genesis 18:14; “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”
The result is recorded in Hebrews 11:11; “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.” This was a faith building phrase.
Second, let’s look at Mary the mother of Jesus. The Angel Gabriel told her she was about to conceive and give birth to the Messiah. In Luke 1:34 she expressed her doubt; “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
Then Gabriel gave he a faith building phrase; “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) What was the result? Nine months later Jesus was born!
Now I want to compare these two phrases with the motto of much of the modern church; “God no longer does miracles today.” That is not a faith building phrase. By contrast, that is a faith killing phrase and cannot be anchored in any biblical text.
I travel and work in many churches and in many countries. In some places I find courageous believers of faith and God is working in powerful and miraculous ways just as in the Gospels and the book of Acts. In other places the believers are dead and nothing beyond mere naturalism occurs.
Why? What’s the difference? Every time it comes down to their core foundation of faith and view of God. It is happening to them according to their faith! If your core belief is God no longer does miracles today, it will happen to you according to your faith!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
I want to take a moment and look at three statements about God and the results of each on the faith of the beholders.
Let’s start with Sarah. She was past the years of giving birth until God gave her one question that changed everything. It is recorded in Genesis 18:14; “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”
The result is recorded in Hebrews 11:11; “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.” This was a faith building phrase.
Second, let’s look at Mary the mother of Jesus. The Angel Gabriel told her she was about to conceive and give birth to the Messiah. In Luke 1:34 she expressed her doubt; “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
Then Gabriel gave he a faith building phrase; “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) What was the result? Nine months later Jesus was born!
Now I want to compare these two phrases with the motto of much of the modern church; “God no longer does miracles today.” That is not a faith building phrase. By contrast, that is a faith killing phrase and cannot be anchored in any biblical text.
I travel and work in many churches and in many countries. In some places I find courageous believers of faith and God is working in powerful and miraculous ways just as in the Gospels and the book of Acts. In other places the believers are dead and nothing beyond mere naturalism occurs.
Why? What’s the difference? Every time it comes down to their core foundation of faith and view of God. It is happening to them according to their faith! If your core belief is God no longer does miracles today, it will happen to you according to your faith!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
