How to Be Strong in the Faith

The liver fighting Studios in Memphis Tennessee. Byron Tyler herewith. Born the CEO of liver fighting. We continue with Adrian Rogers today foundations for our faith. A series which I believe is a total of 27 messages carried us through the book of Romans. That's correct about three volume so we have parked here in the book of Romans, it is impossible to please God without faith and carry this today's message with Adrian Rogers how to be strong in the faith, that of Romans chapter 4 will faith alone enables us to live out the Christian life is the bedrock what is the better at what you standing on and Adrian Rogers poses that question by asking what are you standing on was here. We had to say. You know, nobody in this day and age is going to have anything to stand on. Apart from the word of God and the word of God is not going to mean anything to any individual until they have faith and truly believe God. So when we learn the truth of God's word, those truths are applied to us by the Holy Spirit, then we have solid ground to stand known and when everything else is moving in. Believe me, everything else today is moving how we need to clear off a spot where we can stand in that spot is the word of God received by faith. This sub this chapter is a great great chapter because it talks about faith believing God and having a firm foundation of the best thing we can do is believe that God is who he says he is and he can do what he says he can do. We take him at his work we do carry your strong faith in God is much more than merely hoping that things will turn out okay. Unshakable faith in God is based on the very character of God in Scripture tells us that God is all-powerful. It also tells us that God is good he is wise, full of love and what you believe in these together omnipotence and goodness and wisdom of the love of God, you end up with God, who is worthy of trust. He is worthy of our praise and our adoration. There's one purpose in the Bible to glorify God and that's the overall theme and that is the message of today.

Later, Rogers said the greatest thing you can do to glorify God is to believe God a man will carry. We always enjoy hearing from our love were finding listeners. Here's a response. Pastor Rogers has been a huge inspiration and constant in my life even after he is passed I listen to his message almost daily and read the devotionals pastor Rogers had a way of bringing the word like no one else. I can attest to that. You I was saved as a nine-year-old boy, but when I came under the preaching teaching of Adrian Rogers. It was like somebody had turned the light on for the first time this listener alluded to devotionals and I want to remind those who are listening that you can go to LWF.org and find devotionals. You can find series like the one were in foundations for our faith at exactly right. Everything is at your fingertips even go to LWF ministries. The app it's there use it for personal growth.

Use it for your family.

Well today's message how to be strong in the faith. Here's Adrian Rogers, God's word and refining Romans chapter 4 Azure. Finally, Romans chapter 4 I want to imagine something I want you to imagine two letters that have been placed in the mailbox. One letter his own Chris lost stationary, very expensive, stationary, it is typed in equitably. It is full of cogent thoughts. Not one word is misspelled, modest module. That letter, but it has no stamp on its placed in the mailbox another letter written in pencil written own inferior paper with many misspellings, smudged and dirty is dropped into the same mailbox but this letter has a stamp on now which letter is going to be delivered.

The one that is beautiful with no stamp on the one, though inferior, has a stamp on what you know the answer now, folks in the spiritual life in the Christian life. Faith is that stamp now some of us may look better than others, but you know what God looks for God looks for the stamp of faith upon our lives. I want to talk to you about faith strong faith and how to have we been study about Abraham and when God called Abraham, God said, Abraham, Abraham, through you. All the nations of the world are going to be blessed by God did not want to make the Jewish nation simply a reservoir blessing.

He wanted to make them a channel of blessing that through them all nations of the world would be blessed in the same way that God made Abraham a blessing God will make you a blessing. And God made Abraham a blessing by faith and the Scripture that we go to study today talks about Abraham's faith in the Bible tells us that it was strong faith. Would you like to be strong in faith. Were you now why his fate so important friend you can't please God without faith. The Bible says not faith it is impossible to please him.

And if you please, God, and that matter whom you displays and displays got a really doesn't matter. Please, and the way to please God is to believe God. Hebrews 11 and verse six. But you can't be saved. Apart from faith. For by grace are you saved through faith, therefore, be justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and anybody can be saved if they will put their faith where God put their sins upon the Lord Jesus Christ was saved by faith. It's faith friend that enables us to live the Christian life.

Some folks here stumbling and failing other folks are victorious. What is the difference. It's the difference in those two letters I told about the differences by faith. The Bible says this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our summer overconfidence and some overcome.

What is the difference's his pain some folks have a bright hope for heaven to some people. Heaven is very real to others is not real but for those who have faith they is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Heaven is just as real to some folks as if they were already there.

What makes the difference. Faith makes the difference. Now what is faith, listen carefully, listen carefully what is faith.

Faith is not a hunch. Faith is not positive thinking. Faith is not believing everything will work out faith is taking God at his word. Are you listening did you hear that faith is taking.

God had his wire faith is not responding to emotions, feelings icicles up and down your spine, the miracles and signs. Faith is not believing simply that God can they is knowing that God will real faith strong faith is to doubt it is done to discouragement.

It is why dim possibilities. It knows that God will now this is a kind of faith we need and we're going to learn the kind of faith that Abraham had and then we get to learn that what Abraham experienced. We can experience if we believe as Abraham believed, we will achieve as Abraham achieved. That's what this passage is all about and what an encouragement this ought to be to us now. The Bible says that Abraham was strong in faith. Would you like to be strong in faith. Would you mention about five things that are true about Abraham's faith that I won't be true about your faith. First of all, write down the word gift G.I. FT C. Strong faith is received as a gift of strong faith is a gift of God. I look at the will, in verse 16. Chapter 4 and verse 16. Therefore, it is of faith that it might be by grace what is grace where grace is God taking the initiative grace is the unmerited favor of God given to sinners such as we where there is no merit whatsoever. Now folks, salvation is the greatest gift of God, but so is the fate that we have to receive that salvation. Now grace is not the reward for our faith is grace that takes the initiative to give us that faith, you don't generate faith. You are totally depraved time. Make sure there is nothing in you that could generate faith as a matter fact the Bible says in Ephesians 2, verse one and you hath he quickened the word dad in trespasses and sins, not just that your sick focus who allowed Jesus, you are dead your dad to learn this now grace is not a reward far faith.

Our faith is the gift of God's grace is an amazing thing. You see God must give us faith. Where does he give us faith and deeded us what is he give faith to some people but down Romans 12 verse three it says God has dealt to every man a measure of faith God dammit man I measure of faith.

The only reason that we could have faith is that God takes the initiative and God puts that faith in our own hearts.

Now faith is a gift of God. Faith receives the gift of God. Faith receives the gift of God. Now listen very carefully. They faith is your response to the promises of God's word of God.

And that's the reason the Bible says in Romans chapter 10 verse 17.

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by what were God you never have faith if you don't get a word from God. You got to get a promise from God in order to have faith and frame the Bible is chock-full of the Bible is chock full of promises. You see, God gives you the loans that's the promise and God gives you the air, but you've got to believe you got to receive.

It's a gift of God, but I don't really said something about faith and I want to listen very carefully because a simple he said I used to close my Bible and pray for faith, God give me faith.

God give me faith.

God give me faith please a set faith never would grow a set I read in the Bible and Romans chapter 10 verse 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God and he said I stop praying for faith and started reading my Bible and faith just burst of flame in my home.

You see, faith is a gift of God, you got to get into the word of God and by the way, and soul winning when we bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. If you want them to believe you got to give them something to believe But where of God the promise. The promise. The promise, so first point, strong faith strong faith receives the gift of God, and you got that second thing strong faith releases the grace of God. It receives the gift of God and then it releases the grace of God. Look in verse 16 again. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end that the promise might be shown this evening. Faith links us to grace were not saved by faith were saved by grace, but it is faith that links us to grace the only way that grace can ever operate is through faith that Jesus died on the cross he paid for your sins, but that does you absolutely no good until you put your faith. As I've said, where God put your sins upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see grace is released by faith, believe holes grace a prisoner. I believe holes grace a prisoner.

Matthew chapter 13 verse 58.

It speaks of the Lord Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth Maza and he says he could do no mighty works there because of their belief because of their unbelief they had fettered the grace of God in their own lives using only way that the promise can be sure is if it's by grace look at in verse 16 again. Therefore, it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end of the promise might be sure is a are you sure that your say yes.

How can you be sure you got a lot of confidence in yourself. Don't you have any confidence in myself. Yes, if I had any confidence in myself.

I can never be sure I don't know if I'm good enough or not it is by grace than I initially that's what it says right here. You see, faith receives the gift of God. Faith releases the grace of God, you know, if you think that you got it get to heaven by your good works, I'll guarantee that you will never be sure you always be wondering, have I done enough you not have a notice of salvation.

You have hopes of salvation rather than being in! You be? Do you understand this by grace in your safe place. I know that I'm say I heard about a group of people who were queuing up to get into heaven and they were checking them in the pearly gates was a long long line people standing at the end of the line hurts him. Jubilation at the front of the line they were leaping and dancing and cheering and they said the friend said run down their way to the front of the line and find out what all the good news is he came back he said it is wonderful news is and what is it he said there not counting prayer meeting attendance malice" you only come to prayer meeting, but you don't get saved by come to prayer meeting by Sunday school by giving your Kyla what it is you will never have the assurance of your salvation. If you do that, but to say thank God. I know that I know I'm say it is by grace that it might be show so what is faith do strong faith that receives the gift of God. What a strong faith do it releases the grace of God.

Strong faith respects the greatness of God. Now here's the key to a strong faith. He had respect to the greatness of God begin reading in verse 17 as it is written. I've made the father of many nations before whom he believed the whom refers to God he refers to Abraham, even God, watch this quick and the dead.

That means he gives life to the bed and call those things which B is not as though they who fought her mouth once he saying about this. He saying our God specializes in two things that affect is going to mark at least two things going today.

What two things that nobody else can do that only God can do, because the many. But these are the to the dimensions right here. Number one God raises the dead. Number two he make something out of nothing and he's going to market their head that this is what Abraham believes look at it, it says here that he believed, even God, who quickens the dead and call those things which be not as though they were is saying God. This is your specialty. I know what you can do.

Yeah, the one Almighty God who brings life out of death and something out of nothing. Why was this very important what you have to remember now that Abraham was 100 years old when God spoke to it and his wife was 90 years old and they were both past the age of procreation that is having children is no way that I have a baby.

But he says the way to limit God, your God, who brings life out of death bed bring something out of nothing, and what strong faith does. It doesn't look at the problem. It looks to go. Almighty God is so Abraham coming out of the maternity ward will again say it's all can you imagine can you imagine how you explain that a miracle God. Now the Bible says that Abraham had respect to the greatness of God. You know that people with weak faith just have a small God. This if your faith is weak. You need to get to know God, the Bible says they that know thy name will put their trust in the client sector problem. Gaze at your God. Notice here in verse 18. Look at it speaks of Abraham.

Now watch this to argue against hope believed and hope to mask a question you think you're hopeless doing this think is no hope for you think God is finished with you and never got started with you, listen to you think that other people can know God, but not you, friend. Let me tell you, God sent me here to tell you that God has hope you listening to watch it like it now in verse 18 who against hope that is human hope believed and hope that is there is human hope impossible.

There is heavenly hope with God all things are possible.

Now the difference is that Abraham now looked at God. God who can bring life out of death and make something out of nothing and Abraham said I am going to believe in that God that don't you look at yourself, don't you look at your problems. Don't you say that you're hopeless. You are not God can bring life to you. Gotta make something out of you. By the way, the only thing God make something out of his nothing. So if you become nothing. You make something at you when you stop trying and let God. You see, Abraham was faced with two impossibilities.

First, impossibility that he can have a child impossible so I can impossibility that God can tell a lie for just I'll forget that impossibility. And I'll take this one that impossibility became possibility because God did exactly what he said he would do because God cannot lie, and Abraham had a promise from God. Faith is more of a verb and a noun. You know the difference between belief and faith.

Faith is belief the legs on strong faith believes that God can, but he believes that God will and God will do it by me is very clear focus that Abraham and Sarah did something because of their faith is a faith response to the guidance of God, faith is acting upon what we know to be true. We faithfully owe Bay. Now here's the last thing they reflects the glory of God. Look in verses 20 and 21 again. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith. Now watch this giving glory to God. Would you like to give glory to God.

You think you unbelief glorifies God no faith reflects the glory of God.

The greatest thing you can do to give God glory not give $1 million not give your body to be burned not go overseas as a missionary. The greatest thing you can do to glorify God is to believe God. He was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Faith says God your trust is not God and made him a liar. Don't write about your belief in a great got a good God strong got all rested and then favorably leave God strong strong faith glorifies God a great word today. Maybe you have a prayer request that you'd like to share with us that love worth finding is one of our great honors to come alongside, you would pray with you and for you if you can go to our website LWF.org/radio and scroll down to find our prayer wall to find the option to either submit a prayer request or pray for others. This is one of our favorite ways to keep the ministry in the community praying continually for one another's needs.

Let us hear from you today again go to LWF.org/radio and scroll down to our prayer. Adrian Rogers said the greatest thing you could do to glorify God is to believe God, you have a strong faith believing in him taking him at his word to join his next time more profound truth. Simply stated, right on love worth