Romans Chapter 4:16-20

You have in your ability to believe God for incredible. You have also in your ability to delve God you choose what control you to because when you are anxious when you're fearful when you're freaked out friend. You are not trusting God welcome to cross a bridge with David McGee in life. Things are going to happen. Then don't really understand what we should believe and trust in God.

Things don't make sense today. Pastor David encourages us with this thought as he continues in the book of Romans chapter in his teaching entitled to announce a date. Romans chapter 4 Paul is a writer of this book is writing to the church at Rome is not yet been to Rome so is writing a letter in the well ahead of himself, not what the book of acts resolve it as he went into Rome.

They greeted him and they knew him. How did they know it was a new and because he already sent the letter circulated all around the church now really pick it up in Romans chapter 4 week ended with verse 17 last week, but for context, sake, let's go back to verse 16 and start their Romans chapter 4 verse 16 says therefore it is a faith that it might be according to grace so that the promise might be sure to all the seed not only of those durable, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham was the father of us all for 70 as it is written. I've made you a father of many nations in the presence of him whom he believed God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist so that it verse 18. Contrary to hope, and hope believed so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, so shall your descendents be your attention please. This is a pretty amazing passage. It always teaching here in writing because he speaks a little bit about Abraham talks about David how was David Wright just comes back to Abraham who you know. Course the Jewish people consider him love the father of the faith that he will and send hate Abraham was not justified by works. Abraham was not justified by his own righteousness. Abraham was justified by faith in this passage is speaking about here is God made a promise to Abraham that is just incredible. Abraham was about 84 years old and God said to be the father of many nations you have a lot of children if you will, 84.

What's interesting is that it happened as 80s and between A4 and A6 didn't happen, 14, 15, 16 years later he's 100 years old and it still hasn't happened and Sarah his wife is now 90 now.

We talked a little bit about this last week let my grandparents didn't live to be that old, but I can only imagine him. They had lived to be that old, and they came to me and they said were going to have some kids, I would be more than a little troubled ideogram monogram chocolate that you hurt yourself. Filming is just right and and here's an interesting thing God waited, God promised in God waited, God could've easily told him when they were in the 20 or their 30s or 40s or 50s or 60s 70s 80s 90s. Abraham was 100 years old before God came through an interesting me is often times we think will having faith is sin.

Some appear like that will not, often from its often weight not this coming.

Interesting that God often wait until we know it can only be here they come through.

Think maybe if Abraham was 40 he could've taken some regret making 50 maybe 60 and 100, you would look back at them so you know I have six has got to be God that is gotta be God. I know what I found in my life is very interesting is God often waits the often waits until we know we can't do it, and then he comes through in fact interesting enough, a lot of times God actually will place us in a position or place that looks impossible to see will have faith on faith in the remember what happened with Moses. Moses goes easy to get out of Egypt goes and there's a mountain on each side of the Red Sea is at his back and Pharaoh's armies bearing down on all of you saw the 10 Commandments.

Remember, but you you'll Brenner comes upon the scene in the goes all your God is a poor military strategist, knowing that Moses was following the Lord to that position five a night for cloud by day. God placed him in that impossible position putting their Moses, we do now Moses trusted God trusted God turn to the Red Sea.

Some of you know the story. The Red Sea parted not heard liberal theologians say well you know that part of the Red Sea is not very deep to begin with. Only probably about 6 inches deep in the know of a good gust of wind just blew it. It parted so they could walk through it.

So there's really no miracle there with and I guess the miracle is the fact that all of Pharaoh's army drowned in 6 inches of water there is a miracle in there somewhere. And Moses turned to the people. He says some differences stand still and see the salvation of the Lord the way it reads in the English and in the Hebrew. It's interesting that work for salvation is the word yes you that's the word that we've translated through the Greek and whatnot into Jesus just kind of prophetic using standstill and see salvation or Jesus of the Lord. The water parted but got people in these impossible positions so that when he came through. They knows there was no doubt friend that day in Moses my that it was God who came through, it was not him. Life lesson here is we should believe and trust in God even when it doesn't make sense.

We should believe and trust in God even when it doesn't make sense. One of the joys of traveling you know is traveling teaching and doing music is seeing God come through, over and over and over again element beyond early in the ministry. I would get a situation I would get anxious all get freaked out not be on all and then God would come through and I would feel really silly and sheepish as it be like oh well okay came through.

I couldn't really say I knew is going to comfort time and time again that happened and I got to really, to be honest I didn't like it's thinking, feeling of feeling like that you got to be like look, I know you can well I thought you come through okay. Was hoping maybe come through, I didn't think you were coming through but but you know now you come through.

And now my faith is been ill by senior come through and the more that happens, the stronger your faith becomes what your faith grows throughout through trials.

I wish there was another way. I wish you know you can say hey you know, faith, and that I could sprinkle pixie dust on your something in your house and you get fixed ways I can encourage you in your faith as faith comes by what comes by hearing the word of God as I sit here and read the Bible with quote versus guess what your faith is being said. Abraham's faith.

It was third. Understand you have in your ability to believe God for incredible things you have also in your ability to doubt God for the simplest of matters. So you have to have to choose you have to choose what's going to control your life because when you are anxious when you're fearful when you're freaked out friend. You are not trusting God. That's evidence that you're not trusting God because of her trusting God is, the opposite of those things is the opposite of fear is the opposite of anxiety noticing should be red flags that you're not really trusting and you can turn and doubt your emotions and trust God because God sees. He saw Abraham as a father when he didn't have children when he was 100 years old. Think God sees our lives in a different way and he will tell like a parade is fastened by and if you're looking through like a little slot in a cardboard box, watching just a little bit of the parade, but God is like. If you will, over the parade and helicopters and he sees the beginning he sees that and he sees which way it's going sees the whole thing and he can speak to you and speak the word saying things to you have to choose to be controlled by faith be controlled by fear Abraham believed he would be a father when it didn't make sense. God says we can be righteous when it doesn't make sense.

Thank you for listening to cross the bridge with David McGee will return to David's teaching in just a moment the tragedy in Benghazi. The bombings in Boston in the current unrest in Egypt are all vivid accounts of terrorism each time an event like this occurs, it often causes us to respond with fear. But it doesn't have to because God knows your future and you can to with David McGee's teaching entitled know your future immune to terrorism. You'll come to understand the realities of radical Islam while rejoicing in God's promises for your future.

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Now let's return to pastor David's verse by verse teaching in the book of Romans were slanting and not being weak in faith. He did not consider his own body already dead. Since it was about 100 years old and the deadness of Sarah's world. It seemed possible evincing possible and still believed still believed didn't consider somebody already did he say and in the in a reproductive way.

The deadness of Sarah's womb I think is a way of saying she was past her reproductive face and and yet he still believed. Now you know there came a problem familiar with the life of a ramp. He came up her Sarah came up really came up with together this wonderful plan where Abraham was going to be with his maidservant or her maidservant lay they did. They had all spring didn't go well malpractice really the cause of why the fighting is over in the Middle East so they tried to help God when it would happen. Not having a monarch must help God. Did God say Abraham I need your help. No. When God created this earth. He didn't consult me. I'm still in therapy over time to content that he didn't need to. He didn't need to ask my permission. He did it. He didn't need my help Lordsburg.

This two minute wonderful way was out in California and we were in the bus and motorcoach and and and walking and I was getting ready go in and teach stuff and have three children and Benjamin from about two year and 1/2 two years old. Some like that and so were trying to get ready and then deceived that particular even if became my duty to put his socks and she is and I wasn't usually my duty and so you know when I knelt down in front of been with the socks and shoes in a low trouble trouble and so I began to try to put the socks on his feet and will Benjamin.

He was convinced I didn't.

I had no idea what I was doing and heat when I was looking at mom and alarm you know and and and got to be a real struggle because as I put the socks on his feet. He kept trying to put his feet in the socks at the same time and it was just like this big tug-of-war and I was like Benjamin could try and help this, take longer to be harder about if you feel like you finally held his leg swelling to go ahead and you guys come cross was a large lots are handled bit, work slot in the still small voice, and that that is exactly like Munir said, I don't see it yet can be can be spiritually thick at the end of the Lord was that you know what I am conforming you to the image of my son is not something you can do something on doing in you and through you.

You couldn't do it before you got safe you in your own strength can do it now all you can do is submit my will, my authority in my power in your life and I will do it in. I was so humble is that as I was finished talking to the church. Those words had said the Benjamin rang out in my head. Quit trying to help them be harder on both those is going take longer to go to see God is doing something in us. Once you come to ask you to ask him to forgive you of your sins, God begins a work in you. But make no mistake, is not your work. It's his work is what he does in you and through you, you're no more able to follow Jesus, and act like Jesus than you could at any point in your life, except that God is working through life lesson here. We are not limited by our abilities or about the abilities of those around us to see God achieve great things in our life were not limited by our abilities about the abilities of those around us to see God achieve great things in her life, she will often look at problems look at situations and we waive them by our abilities, but again understand God will allow us and even sometimes place us in these positions that seem impossible where we cannot trust our abilities were. We have to lean on his face that not like those places now as I follow the Lord. Now I cherish. As you know, I know God's get me to do something incredible when I get in one of those places when it cut when he comes through.

I know it's going to be him and not me. This Genesis passage. It will keep referring to is this after these things were the Lord came to Abram in a vision sent do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward. But Abramson forgot what will you give me saying I go childless narrow my house is a laser of Damascus and Abram said look you have given me no offspring. Indeed one born in my house is not as much air, and behold, the word Lord came to him sent this one shall not be your but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir. Then he brought the mouse brought him outside and said, look now toward heaven, and countless stars if you are able to number them and he said to him, so shall your descendents be.

And he believes in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness God and just say Abraham you have a son. God said, Abraham looked up and the stars of the heaven. Can you, you're going to have more descendent than that was intentionally, I think, trying to if you will blow Abraham's mind and when what he was going to do nothing. God takes it takes Julian Abraham believed them know Abraham believes because Abraham went there several things that showed his faith. Probably one of the greatest test of his face of his faith was in Genesis chapter 22, when God said I want to give me your son Isaac. The greatest test any parent could ever go through. Now it's interesting because I grew up in church and Sunday school. You always have these little coloring things you know were Isaac looks like he's about 10 or 12 or 14 I can actually prove a Scripture that he was about 30 years old when Abraham took him up that hill. Can you imagine hearing that of your Abraham, your hundred years old before you have the child now he grows up he is 30 now Abraham is 130 years old and he's blessed God is thanking God because of Isaac, and then God says alone.

Isaac and Abraham in an incredible statement of faith is okay.

Why was it such an incredible statement fixed because he knew of God took him. He would see him again through the resurrection from this faith. That's incredible faith if you will. Abraham passed the test. Verse 20 says he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith given glory to God so he's believe in God.

He did not waver. Look at verse 20 and he did not waver at the promise through unbelief mean and he didn't think all well this is never. He believed God strengthen and faith given glory to God babysitting away. Yeah, I do believe part of me downs. That's what you should be honest with God. Mark chapter 9 verse 23 says is in the Scott had a sick son and Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes God's response 24 immediately the father the child cried out to what I believe, help my unbelief that we read what he was aiming he believes would help us unbelief.

Don't even believe you don't not know you believe in some time to my hand. But those moments of doubts as moments of this very good guide to God, please place, help my unbelief.

God will honor that. I'm sure many times it when I went hiking the Lord first time I had a lot of doubts. I really wondered if God could forgive me for all the things I had done and God honored the belief that little spark that I have and I had at that moment's again in you and your mind and your heart is the ability to believe God for incredible things at the same time, there's disability the downtime over the most basic of things which will you trust your doubt, your faith, we trust God as a passageway whenever the chapter or so ago. In Romans chapter 3 resources. Indeed, let God be true, but every man a liar now.

What this means is let God's word be true.

Let what God says to you, be true and let everybody else feel are let me fix that little bit because maybe you don't have problem calling other people wires but according to the first every body that says something against the word of God's lien so friend in love at times you may be that liar. You may say, why don't I don't feel like God can come through you know what your feelings are lined your feelings will lot your feelings have a lot to at some point your life your feelings of logic you were in school and maybe you saw girl is all she's the one you just knew she was doing what in the juvenile your feelings lied to you many times have you felt sure the situation only to find out you had a completely wrong what you felt was completely wrong. We don't basis holding on for you we base it on faith. That's what's important. You have opportunity to share the Lord's money and lead somebody in a prayer that they're asking Jesus to forgive the mother sent after they say amen do not have her look at them see now how do you feel because maybe they feel awesome.

Maybe they're weeping and all but maybe they felt nothing when you say how you feel ago watching feelings then work on Stilson mouse is now that if you confess your sins to the Lord your forgiven and we trust her circumcision in our circumstances or situations.

Life lesson here believe in God instead of in your circumstances. Your circumstances will change. God will not believe in God instead of in your circumstances. Your circumstances will change.

God will not, here's the tough part because you are tempted to believe in your circumstance to look around or will this is a way to the Bible has a phrases as it came to pass, you don't mean it means an income estate just came to pass. It came for a little while and instantly got I believe God heals people believe he does it sometimes instantly on sometimes the medication, surgery does a lot of different white, but I believe God heals people. I believe God heals every believer, without exception, and here's how I can say that is not a question of if he will hear and heal them.

The question of when, may not be here.

You may take sickness or disease or stars or whatever, up to the gates of heaven limit promise you you not taken a man, you will be healed. It's a question of when. Don't trust your circumstances.

Circumstances change. Trust in God.

I grew in denominational, religious background and and I was pretty much talk, will you know you your you you just go through life and you hope you good outweighs your bat good outweighs your bed. You get to have and have the concept that will that you know good people go to heaven that way. This Scott system, the more I learned about the Bible come to the understanding actually opposite is true that people go to heaven. Good people go to hell. Here's what I mean about if you think you're good enough in your own works on your own righteousness. Guess what you're going to do. Refuse you I don't need your help. I got it covered.

Guess what, you're not going to heaven. But if you realize that your bad enough that you need forgiveness then you come to Jesus and Jesus.

I really need your Savior. Forgive Mona Jesus said, I don't income to save the righteous can save center.

Those who understand that they've messed so what are you trusting trust and in your works for you trust in him, friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion. A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you if this was your first time praying that prayer with Pastor David we would love to hear from you. You can call us toll-free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Also, if you been blessed by cross a bridge ministries would you consider supporting us with a financial gift when you call with your gift. Make sure to ask them about this month's special offer entitled know your future be immune to terrorism. This insightful teaching will fill you with hope and also help you understand the truth about Islam donate today and will send you a CD or DVD copy right away as a way of saying thank you for your support. Our number is 877-458-5508 677458508 or go online to cross a bridge.com. While there, take a moment to sign up for David's free email devotional or browser large library of teacher again. Our website is cross a bridge.com. Thank you for listening and we hope will join us again next time. As we continue to cross the bridge