ABRAHAM STAGGERED NOT:
A LESSON IN ABIDING & PERSEVERING FAITH
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
“He staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith giving glory to God; and being fully
persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.” (Rom 4: 20, 21
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE marched his armies
across southern Europe crushing all opposition in their path. Having reached
the outskirts of Milan in Italy he stopped and sent for the Archbishop of the
Roman Catholic Church. The archbishop looked small and insignificant to Napoleon Bonaparte who sat on his horse in a semi-circle of Military
Leaders.
Napoleon challenged: “Prove to me that there is a GOD and that
the Bible is true.” The archbishop didn't say a word. He pointed to the
Emperor's leading General, Messena, who was Jewish! If there were no God there
would be no Jews, because Abraham was impotent and Sarah being barren could not
have children.
Against the laws of nature, the aged pair
received physical miracles from God, allowing them to procreate. After Sarah's
death, Abraham married a young woman called Keturah and at 143 years of age was
still fathering children. Six sons were born to that union. (Gen. 25:1)
The Emperor got the message and immediately shouted a command, swung his
horse around and galloped away from Milan without firing a shot.
At 99 years of age Abraham was
impotent. Sarah was barren and 89 years old, with no hope of having children.
Yet, God had promised them a son and a great posterity. After 25 years of
waiting, God gave them the strength to copulate resulting in Sarah conceiving
and bearing a son called Isaac, whose son JACOB became known as Israel.
Can you imagine Sarah giving birth and breast feeding Isaac at the age
of ninety! No wonder she laughed when she overheard the conversation the Lord
was having with her husband, stating that it was time for the long awaited
miracle to happen! (Gen.18:1-15)
I can only surmise that Abraham was dumbfounded
when some years later, he heard that unmistakeable VOICE demanding that he take
his son to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. How he must have
struggled with such an unusual request from the Eternal God Who did not condone
human sacrifices and had promised Abraham that through Isaac the Messiah would come!
St. Paul gives us the reason he obeyed: "By faith Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac; and he that received the promises offered up his only begotten
son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting
that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he
received him as a figure." (Heb.11:17-19)
ABRAHAM TRUSTED GOD’S PROMISE!
Abraham’s belief in the Lord was solid.
He trusted in Him explicitly. He knew that if God could raise the dead He could
do anything. And he knew that if God had promised something He would deliver.
He would keep His Word, as He had done in the past. He had promised him and
Sarah a son and even though it took about twenty five years, God kept His
promise to them.
The relationship between Almighty God and Abraham was so amazing and far
above our comprehension to understand, however, a greater plan was being
carried out. Abraham offering up his only begotten son (in a figure) was a type of God,
Who would (in reality) offer up His only begotten Son Jesus Christ on the cross for the
sins of the world!
The difference is that God did not allow
Abraham to go through with it, by providing a ram as a substitute! Jesus of
Nazareth, God's only begotten Son is our substitute Whom our Heavenly Father
gave to die in our stead. Hallelujah!
JESUS CHRIST was the Only One who could fulfill
the TYPE that was played out in Isaac's life. Had Isaac, the only begotten son
of Abraham and Sarah been offered up, death would have had the right to hold
him, because he was NOT sinless! His blood was human and therefore contaminated
and without spiritual merit.
The Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
(Rom. 3:23); "The wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom.6: 23)
Jesus of Nazareth was able to fulfill the
prophetic type on Golgatha years
later, because His blood was not contaminated by sin. He was SINLESS and
therefore DEATH could not hold Him. His pure and perfect blood was able to
raise Him from the dead. He had conquered death for Himself and also for all
who believe in Him!
SECRET OF ABRAHAM'S FAITH!
The Bible states: “For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to
Abraham or his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith… Therefore
it is of faith that it might be by GRACE; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that
only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the FAITH of Abraham; who is the father of us all.
“As it is
written, I have made thee a father unto many nations, before Him who BELIEVED, even God, Who quickeneth the dead, and
calleth those things that be not as through the were. Who against hope believed
in HOPE, that he might become the FATHER of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy Seed
be. And being NOT weak in FAITH, he considered NOT his body now dead, when
he was an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
“He staggered not at the
promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith giving glory to God;
and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” (Rom
4: 13-22). An old Gospel Hymn says:
Standing on the Promises of Christ my
King
Through eternal ages let the glory ring
Glory in the highest, I will shout and
sing
Standing on the promises of God
Standing on the promises I cannot fall
Listening every moment for the Spirit’s
call
Resting in My Saviour as my all in all
I’m standing on the promises of God
D.L. MOODY stated: "Find a promise and tarry
there.” God's Word
is immutable and cannot be changed! He will keep every Promise He has made. Everet
C. Storm stated that God has made 7,959 promises in the Holy Bible, and He is well able to fulfill every one of them!
ARMIN GESSWEIN, who lived to be
93, stated that as a young Lutheran pastor, he learned about prayer from Ambrose Whaley, a 92 year old Methodist
blacksmith who told him: “Learn to plead the promises of God.” His
prayer chamber was a hayloft where he knelt between two piles of hay upon
which lay two Bibles. He placed one hand on each of the Bibles, while pleading the
promises of God and the Blood of Jesus Christ in earnest and intercessory prayer!
I have learned that pleading the Blood of
Jesus Christ over every prayer request, for lost, sick and suffering humanity, and
a need for more COMPASSION and FAITH are prayers that God will answer. By His grace, I daily plead the Blood of Jesus Christ and
the promises of God as I humble myself in His awesome presence!
Agonizing in Prayer for a REVIVAL of RIGHTEOUSNESS brings the greatest fruitful breakthroughs in God’s presence! Pastor Gesswein
stated: “Revival is Christians returning to normal. When God is about to do
something great, He starts with a difficulty. When He is about to do something
truly magnificent, He starts with an impossibility.”
LUTHER LOCKED
THE DOOR!
When MARTIN LUTHER found Philip Melancthon in the last stages of death,
he turned his face to the wall and prayed for about an hour for God’s
intervention. He writes:
“I threw my satchel against the door and
said: ‘Now Lord it’s between You and me. If You don’t heal Melanchthon I
do not know if I’ll have faith to ask You for anything again’. Then I shouted
in God’s ears all the promises He had given us for faith and healing.”
After calling upon the Lord for about an hour, he heard Melanchton
whisper: “Luther, stop praying. Let me die.” Luther replied: “You
shall live. If you die, I will excommunicate you.”
Then, he called the
nurse to bring some broth. Melanchton said: “Let me die, Luther. I don’t want
any broth,” to which Luther replied, “If you die before me, I
will excommunicate you.” He then took Melanchthon by the hand and
said, "Be of good courage Philip, you shall not die."
Melanchthon
immediately revived and soon regained his health. He later said, "I
should have been a dead man had I not been recalled from death itself by the
coming of Luther.” The words the Great Reformer spoke were
prophetic because Philip Melanchton did outlive Martin Luther!
By locking the door, Martin Luther was saying two things: “God,
You are not leaving here until we straighten out this problem, and I don’t want
any disruptions while You and I talk.” Luther wrote: “I
found Melanchton near death but by an evident miracle of God he lives.”
WHAT GREATER WICKEDNESS!
MARTIN LUTHER stated: "What greater wickedness, what greater
contempt of God is there than not believing His promise? For what is this but
to make God a liar or to doubt that He is truthful? - that is, to ascribe
truthfulness to one’s self but lying and vanity to God."
To
all who have prayed without receiving an answer, do not give
up! Keep on praying and don’t forget to PLEAD the PROMISES of God in your
prayers. This will do two things: It
will increase your faith in God and it will cause you to enjoy getting into
God’s presence more often.
And as you as plead His promises, don’t forget to PLEAD the BLOOD of
Jesus over those for whom you are praying. This will do two things: As you exalt the Blood of Jesus Christ,
it will make the Gospel more precious to you, and it will cause Almighty God to
come forth in mighty power through the blessed Holy Spirit to grant your
request!
HOW DO I KNOW THIS?
Jesus promised that if we love Him and believe that God sent Him as the Saviour,
the Father is obligated to LOVE us and to COME and live in us!
He said: “I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. Yet a
little while and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live ye
shall live also.
"At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me
and I in you. He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth Me:
“And he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest
Myself to him. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep
My words: And MY FATHER will love
him, and WE will come unto him and
make OUR abode with Him.” (John
15:18-21, 23)
Hallelujah to the Lamb of God for sinners slain! Here
are some great gospel truths:
Faith
in the Father and Faith in the Son
Faith
in the Holy Ghost, Three in the One
Demons
will tremble and sinners awake
Faith
in Christ Jesus will anything shake!
Faith
in God can move a mighty Mountain
Faith
in God will calm a troubled Sea
Faith
will turn a desert into a Fountain
And
faith in God will bring the Victory
So
have Faith, my Friend; Faith in God!
CHILDREN OF FAITHFUL
ABRAHAM!
It
is almost unreal to believe that we could be called “children of Abraham”. But that
is what the Bible declares! We can have that kind of faith also, if we walk in
his footsteps and put out trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham looked
forward to the 'Crucified Christ ' by faith, and we look back to the 'Crucified Christ ' by faith!
“And therefore
it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake
alone, that it was imputed to him; but FOR US ALSO to whom it shall be imputed, if we BELIEVE on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered
for OUR offences (SINS), and was raised again for our Justification.
(Rom.4: 22-25)
Again the Word of God states: “Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree: That the BLESSING of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive
the promise of the (Holy) Spirit by FAITH.” (Gal.3: 13, 14)
The Bible says: “Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is impossible
to please Him: For he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb.11: 1, 6)
FAITH is three things: First, it is coming to God with our
needs. It takes faith to confess that we need help and that we have a problem! By
coming to Him with our needs we are confessing that He is greater than we are
and therefore able to help us.
“The
first step in receiving forgiveness, restoration or divine healing is humility and repentance. We must therefore humble ourselves before
God, acknowledging our desperate need of His mercy and grace!
Second, faith is
believing that God exists and that He is the God of the Bible; Omnipotent, Omniscient,
Omnipresent, Infinite, Eternal, Immutable and Transcendent. He is incomprehensible,
unknowable and sovereign. He is perfect, pure, righteous, compassionate, just,
honest and trustworthy. And He is Love!
Third,
we must expect an answer when we pray, for He is a rewarder of them who diligently
seek Him! It is not enough just to ask. We must believe that He hears us and
that He will answer as He has promised. His Word is His bond! St. John states definitely
and clearly:
“And
this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according
to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we
KNOW that we have the petitions that
we desired of Him.” (1John 5: 14, 15)
FAITH is believing that the Bible is TRUE
and that God will keep His Promises to those who pray in sincerity and truth.
FAITH is believing God’s Word in totality, and trusting in His mercy and grace, love,
goodness and righteousness.
FAITH is believing the record He has given
of His Son Jesus Christ and receiving Him into our hearts and lives as Lord and
Saviour, Master and God. Faith is asking His blessed Holy Spirit to fill us
with His LIFE and to lead by His Word and according to His Will, with great joy
and peace!
God’s Word states: “So then faith cometh by hearing and
hearing by the Word of God.” (Rom.10: 17). Let us all fill our hearts and
minds with God’s pure and Holy Word and serve Him diligently in all things, and FAITH
will come into our lives. We then, will become living epistles of His mercy, love and
grace, spreading His glorious Gospel far and wide!
FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
The BIBLE declares: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. Being justified
fully
by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
“Whom God
hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in HIS BLOOD, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of
God; To declare, I say at this time His righteousness: That He might be
just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom.3: 23-26)
To be justified freely and
fully means that we are totally exonerated, forgiven and “accepted
in the Beloved” as children of God, heirs of God and joints heirs with
Christ, soley on the merits of the life-giving blood of Jesus Christ! (Eph.1:
6; Rom.8: 14-17)
The BLOOD of Jesus Christ
that was shed for the sins of the world - past, present and future - on
Calvary's Cross nearly 2,000 years ago will NOT benefit us, unless we
have FAITH in His BLOOD! Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ opens the door of
Heaven to us by bringing instant forgiveness for our sins, purity of heart and
a freedom from guilt, condemnation and shame!
Faith in the shed BLOOD of Jesus Christ
God's Pascal Lamb, breaks the bonds of Sin, opens the prison doors and
liberates the captives held by the chains of Darkness.
Faith in the blood of
Jesus Christ causes the Devil to flee in terror, destroys the shackles of
servitude and causes the heart to sing, rejoice and receive the Baptism of the
Holy Spirit.
Faith in the BLOOD of Jesus
destroys evil habits of lust, greed and pride. It breaks the bondage of lying,
stealing, gambling, fornicating and carousing! It liberates the spirit from
guilt and fear of the past, present and future. It prepares the spirit for
fellowship with God and an entrance into our eternal Home!
The Bible states: “Without shedding of blood, there is no
remission for sin.” (Heb.9: 22);
“For it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” (Lev.17: 11); “If we walk in the Light as He is in the
Light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ
cleanses us from all sin,” (1 John 1: 7)
BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH, IN CHRIST!
For nearly 2,000 years the Church's Rallying Cry has been: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again! And that is our Cry today as well and will continue to be until He returns. For many years my Rallying Cry has been: Christ's Victory, Satan's Defeat and Our Liberty!
BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH, IN CHRIST!
For nearly 2,000 years the Church's Rallying Cry has been: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again! And that is our Cry today as well and will continue to be until He returns. For many years my Rallying Cry has been: Christ's Victory, Satan's Defeat and Our Liberty!
An old hymn of the Church begins with these powerful words: 'The Church's One Foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord!'
Without the DEATH of Jesus Christ on the CROSS on the hill of Gogatha, there would be no salvation and had not Jesus Christ RISEN from the dead, there would be NO Saviour. And if He had not risen from the dead, there would be no Triumphant returning King to rule in Power and Majesty!
SAUL of Tarsus - the Jewish terrorist - met the RISEN Lord Jesus on the Damascus Road on his way to arrest Jewish believers in the risen Christ, and was blinded by His glorious presence. His life was totally rearranged, transformed and set apart for His Service through the shed blood of our Saviour, the blessed Holy Spirit and the living Word of God!
He stated: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal.2: 20)
"And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the CROSS. Wherefore God also has highly EXALTED HIM, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
"And that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of God The Father." (Phil.2: 5-11).
The Bible says: "God saith...And let all the angels worship Him." (Heb.1: 6); "The Father loveth the SON, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the SON hath everlasting life: and He that believeth not the SON shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3: 36);
This Scripture proves that whenever the Father receives glory the SON also receives glory and when the SON receives glory so does the Father, because the SON is also God! Jesus Christ was God the SON in human flesh through the incarnation!
"Therefore...Jesus said, Now is the SON of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him (Jesus), God shall also glorify Him (Jesus) in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him." (John 13: 31,32)
JESUS repeatedly said: "If ye shall ask anything in My NAME, I will do it." (John 14:14); "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My NAME, He may give it you." (John 15:16); "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall as the Father in My NAME, He will give it to you, Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My NAME, ask and ye shall receive." (John 16:23,24)
ST. JOHN was visited by the Glorified Lord Jesus Christ on the Isle of Patmos and fell at His feet as dead. Here is his marvellous testimony:
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and heard behind me a GREAT VOICE, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last...And I turned to see the VOICE that spoke with me. And being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks ONE like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
"His head and His hairs were as were white like wool, as white as snow;and His eyes were as aflame of fire; and His feet like as unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
"He that believeth on the SON of God hath the witness in himself: He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of His SON. And this is the record, that God hath given us ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is in His SON. He that hath the SON hath life and he that hath not the SON of God hath not life." (1 John 5: 10-12)
The Bible says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16) Amen.
Without the DEATH of Jesus Christ on the CROSS on the hill of Gogatha, there would be no salvation and had not Jesus Christ RISEN from the dead, there would be NO Saviour. And if He had not risen from the dead, there would be no Triumphant returning King to rule in Power and Majesty!
SAUL of Tarsus - the Jewish terrorist - met the RISEN Lord Jesus on the Damascus Road on his way to arrest Jewish believers in the risen Christ, and was blinded by His glorious presence. His life was totally rearranged, transformed and set apart for His Service through the shed blood of our Saviour, the blessed Holy Spirit and the living Word of God!
He stated: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal.2: 20)
GOD THE FATHER DEMANDS
WORSHIP TO THE RISEN CHRIST!
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the CROSS. Wherefore God also has highly EXALTED HIM, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
"And that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of God The Father." (Phil.2: 5-11).
The Bible says: "God saith...And let all the angels worship Him." (Heb.1: 6); "The Father loveth the SON, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the SON hath everlasting life: and He that believeth not the SON shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3: 36);
This Scripture proves that whenever the Father receives glory the SON also receives glory and when the SON receives glory so does the Father, because the SON is also God! Jesus Christ was God the SON in human flesh through the incarnation!
"Therefore...Jesus said, Now is the SON of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him (Jesus), God shall also glorify Him (Jesus) in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him." (John 13: 31,32)
JESUS repeatedly said: "If ye shall ask anything in My NAME, I will do it." (John 14:14); "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My NAME, He may give it you." (John 15:16); "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall as the Father in My NAME, He will give it to you, Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My NAME, ask and ye shall receive." (John 16:23,24)
ST. JOHN was visited by the Glorified Lord Jesus Christ on the Isle of Patmos and fell at His feet as dead. Here is his marvellous testimony:
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and heard behind me a GREAT VOICE, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last...And I turned to see the VOICE that spoke with me. And being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks ONE like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
"His head and His hairs were as were white like wool, as white as snow;and His eyes were as aflame of fire; and His feet like as unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
"And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of Hell and of death." (Rev.1: 10-18)
IT IS A MATTER OF ACCEPTING
OR REJECTING JESUS CHRIST!
It is a very serious mistake to ignore the claims of Christ and to put His Gospel on the back burner of your life. The Bible states:
"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that aknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." (1 John 2: 22,23)"He that believeth on the SON of God hath the witness in himself: He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of His SON. And this is the record, that God hath given us ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is in His SON. He that hath the SON hath life and he that hath not the SON of God hath not life." (1 John 5: 10-12)
The Bible says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16) Amen.
