Christ- Abraham's Hope.

 We have hope only because of Christ. We should never hope in our own ability to do a single thing. Our hope must be in Christ and His ability to do all things. 

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Christ will not strengthen us to do our own will. If you imagine the above verse means that you can do absolutely anything, you are sadly mistaken. It means that Christ will strengthen us to do all things according to His will, not ours. 

Paul said this -

Php 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 

Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 

Paul was hungry and he suffered need- both two states of being that are undesirable. One might say that if Paul could do all things through Christ then he had no reason to be hungry or in need of things to make his life comfortable. Yet Paul's idea of being comfortable was a spiritual comfort, not a physical comfort. We truly can do all things through Christ because no matter what we are to go through here and now, we will have eternal life in Christ. Saying I can do all things, means I can do all the things that come my way- because CHIRST strengthens me. Christ gives me the hope to get through all trials and tribulations. 

All by HIS amazing grace and love, all through Him, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Amen.

*******

'The fourth chapter of Romans is one of the richest in the Bible in the hope and courage which it contains for the Christian. In Abraham we have an example of righteousness by faith and we have set before us the wonderful inheritance promised to those who have the faith of Abraham. And this promise is not limited. The blessing of Abraham comes on the Gentiles as well as on the Jews; there is none so poor that he may not share it, for "it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed."

The last clause of the seventeenth verse is worthy of special attention. It contains the secret of the possibility of our success in the Christian life. It says that Abraham believed "God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." 

This marks God's power; it involves creative power. God can call a thing which is not as though it existed. 

If a man should do that, what would you call it? A lie. If a man should say that a thing is, when it is not, it would be a lie. But God cannot lie. Therefore when God calls those things that be not, as though they were, it is evident that that makes them be. That is, they spring into existence at His word. 

We have all heard, as an illustration of confidence, the little girl's statement that "if ma says so, it's so if it isn't so." That is exactly the case with God. Before that time spoken of as "in the beginning," there was a dreary waste of absolute nothingness; God spoke, and instantly worlds sprang into being. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . . for he spake, and it was; he commanded, and it stood fast." Ps. 33:6-9. This is the power which is brought to view in Rom. 4:17. Now let us read on, that we may see the force of this language in this connection. Still speaking of Abraham, the apostle says:

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 own body now dead,

when he was about a hundred years old,

neither yet the deadness of Sarah'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. 4:18-22

Here we learn that Abraham's faith in God, as one who could bring things into existence by His word, was exercised with respect to His being able to create righteousness in a person destitute of it. Those who look at the trial of Abraham's faith as relating simply to the birth of Isaac and ending there, lose all the point and beauty of the sacred record. Isaac was only the one in whom his seed was to be called, and that seed was Christ. See Gal.  3:16. When God told Abraham that in his seed all nations of the earth should be blessed, He was preaching the gospel to him (Gal. 3:8); therefore Abraham's faith in the promise of God was direct faith in Christ as the Saviour of sinners. This was the faith which was counted to him for righteousness.

Gal 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 

Gal 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 

Now note the strength of that faith. His own body was already virtually dead from age and Sarah was in a like condition. The birth of Isaac from such a pair was nothing less than the bringing of life from the dead. It was a symbol of God's power to quicken to spiritual life those who are dead in trespasses and sins. Abraham hoped against hope. There was no human possibility of the fulfillment of the promise; everything was against it, but his faith grasped and rested upon the unchanging word of God, and His power to create and to make alive. "And therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness." Now for the point of it all:

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 offenses

and was raised again for our justification.

Rom. 4:23-25

So Abraham's faith was the same that ours must be, and in the same object. The fact that it is by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ that we have the same righteousness imputed to us that was imputed to Abraham, shows that Abraham's faith was likewise in the death and resurrection of Christ. All the promises of God to Abraham were for us as well as for him. Indeed, we are told in one place that they were specially for our benefit. "When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself."  "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,  confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Heb. 6:13, 17, 18. 

Our hope, therefore, rests upon God's promise and oath to Abraham, for that promise to Abraham, confirmed by that oath, contains all the blessings which God can possibly give to man.

But let us make this matter a little more personal before leaving it. Trembling soul, say not that your sins are so many and that you are so weak that there is no hope for you. Christ came to save the lost, and He is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by Him. You are weak, but He says, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9.

And the inspired record tells us of those who "out of weakness were made strong." Heb.  11:34. That means that God took their very weakness and turned it into strength. In so doing He demonstrates His power. It is His way of working. For "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence." 1 Cor. 1:27-29.

Have the simple faith of Abraham. How did he attain to righteousness? By not considering the deadness and powerlessness of his own body, but by being willing to grant all the glory to God, strong in faith that He could bring all things out of that which was not. You, therefore, in like manner, consider not the weakness of your own body, but the power and grace of our Lord, being assured that the same word which can create a universe and raise the dead can also create in you a clean heart and make you alive unto God. And so you shall be a child of Abraham, even a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

"The just shall live by faith." Rom. 1:17.

Signs of the Times Articles - by E.J. Waggoner

October 13, 1890

Out of Weakness- Made Strong.

 'It was not physical foes alone that faith enabled the ancient worthies to conquer. We read of them that they not only "subdued kingdoms," but "wrought righteousness, obtained promises," and, most wonderful and most encouraging of all, "out of weakness were made strong." Heb. 11:33, 34. 

Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 

 Their very weakness became strength to them through faith, because the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness. Who, then, shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? since it is God that justifieth, and we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Rom. 8:35, 37.'

March 25, 1889  "The just shall live by faith." Rom. 1:17.

Signs of the Times Articles - by E.J. Waggoner

Restitution of All Things.

 

Weapons.

 "We cannot tell how Peter was enabled to walk on the water when the waves were rolling about him, but we know that at the command of the Lord he did it. So long as he kept his eye fixed on the Master, divine power enabled him to walk as easily as though it were solid rock underneath, but when he looked at the waves, possibly with a feeling of pride in what he was doing, as though he himself was doing it, fear very naturally took possession of him, and he began to sink. Faith enabled him to walk on the waves; fear made him sink beneath them.

Says the apostle, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days." Heb.  11:30. Why was that written? For our learning, "that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4. 

Why, is there any prospect that we shall ever be called upon to fight armed hosts and to take fortified cities? No, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,  against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph. 6:12. But the victories which have been gained by faith in God over visible foes in the flesh are placed on record to show us what faith will accomplish in our conflict with the rulers of the darkness of this world. 

The grace of God, in answer to faith, is as powerful in these battles as in those, for says the apostle:

For though we walk in the flesh,

we do not war after the flesh,

for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;

casting down imaginations and every high thing

that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,

and bringing into captivity every thought

to the obedience of Christ.

2 Cor. 10:3-5 "

(Excerpt- March 25, 1889  "The just shall live by faith." Rom. 1:17.

Signs of the Times Articles - by E.J. Waggoner)

2Co 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left

Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 

Weapons/Armor -- of righteousness, light, truth, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit, love, prayer.

Weapons. You envision a sword, a gun, a knife, a chain, a bow and arrow, a bomb, etc. If I ask you for a weapon instantly your mind would go to what would I need a weapon for, and then if I gave you a response that was acceptable to you, you'd ask me what kind of weapon I'd need, or you may even suggest what I might need to use as a weapon. The warfare would determine the weapon. What is needed in cyber warfare? Surely not a gun. You need cyber weapons. If the warfare were chemical, you'd need chemical weapons. If the war were infectious diseases, yes, you'd need infectious diseases to use in combat. In our world we try to match weapon for weapon, forever trying to outdo or at least keep up with the weapons our rival countries have- no matter what kind of weapons they have. In news recently I read about China amassing ships and weapons, and I read about Russia having a new never before kind of weapon out there that puts all other weapons to shame.  The more powerful the country the more powerful the weapons and we try to make agreements to not use these weapons that could literally destroy us. If one uses their weapons, another will use theirs and leave the world as we know it in complete and utter chaos. Weapons. Powerful things of destruction.

The weapons of God, the weapons given to us to use are SPIRITUAL.

Righteousness is a weapon.

Light (knowledge) is a weapon.

Truth is a weapon.

The Gospel of Peace is a weapon.

Faith is a weapon.

Salvation is a weapon.

The SPIRIT is a weapon.

Praying is a weapon.

Love is a weapon.

When we hear that word weapon we think weapons - the things used to hurt, to protect, to intimidate, to boast of possessing. Do you have any weapons? Some people have guns in their homes and they keep them there to protect themselves against others. Others have collections of weapons they've acquired as a hobby. Some use weapons to hunt wild animals for food. This small list tells of weapons that aren't used in an evil manner. We use knives daily in a non-violent way. Various items that can be used as weapons also serve very useful purposes. 

When I ask you to please pass me the knife that is next to you and out of my reach, you don't think that you are handing me a weapon but rather a piece of cutlery. When I ask you to give me the knife when I see a threatening person coming my way, that knife is now a weapon. The intention in the implement truly means something.

We don't normally consider righteousness, knowledge, truth, peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit, praying and love as weapons because that gives the connotation of using those things for purposes that aren't of God. Yet, it is God who tells us they are our spiritual weapons because we ARE fighting against things that AREN'T flesh and blood-

Principalities

Powers

Rulers of Darkness

Spiritual Wickedness

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

We CAN'T SEE THESE THINGS! 

We CAN'T TOUCH THESE THINGS!

THEY ARE ALL REAL!

Are these things real-- righteousness, knowledge, truth, peace, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit, praying, love?

Yes, they are all real. 

If they are REAL and UNSEEN- not tangible for the most part- why do we doubt the reality of their counterparts of evil?  We know there is evil, we live with it every day. We are exposed to evil all the time, it exists. 

We are TOLD to use the Spiritual Weapons against Spiritual Evil. 

The unseen evil that fills the lives of those who have abandon the truth of God. The unseen evil that swarms around us all seeking to enter our lives in any way possible. It's real.

We need all the weapons God provides. 

God's righteousness, knowledge, God's truth and peace, God's gospel, the faith and salvation that are God's, the Holy Spirit God, praying by God, loved by God, loving through God. All the GLORY is God's, all of it! It's through God these weapons are used. It's through God these weapons work. We must believe, we must trust- all in God. All through the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior we will use His weapons as He needs and wants us to, for His will, for His purposes, knowing all we do for His glory is righteous and good- for us, He only desires our ultimate good found only in Him. 

Overcoming.

 "All the promises of final happiness are to the overcomer. 

To him that overcometh," says Jesus, "will I give to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:21. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things," says the Lord. Rev. 21:7. An overcomer is one who gains victories. 

The inheriting is not the overcoming; that is only the reward for overcoming. The overcoming is now. The victories to be gained are victories over the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, victories over self and selfish indulgences. The man who fights and sees the foe give way may rejoice; nobody can keep him from rejoicing, for joy comes spontaneously as the result of seeing the enemy give way. Some folks look with dread upon the thought of having to wage a continual warfare with self and worldly lusts. That is because they do not as yet know anything about the joy of victory. They have experienced only defeat. But it isn't so doleful a thing to battle constantly, when there is continual victory. 

The old veteran of a hundred battles, who has been victorious in every fight longs to be at the scene of conflict. Alexander's soldiers, who under his command never knew defeat, were always impatient to be led into the fray. Each victory increased their strength, which was born only of courage, and correspondingly diminished that of the vanquished foe. Now how may we gain continual victories in our spiritual warfare?

Listen to the beloved disciple:

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.

Here is the secret of strength. 

It is Christ, the Son of God, the One to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, Who does the work. 

If He lives in the heart to do the work, is it boasting to say that continual victories may be gained? Yes, it is boast; but it is boasting in the Lord, and that is allowable. 

Says the psalmist, "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord" and Paul says, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." Gal. 6:14.

The soldiers of Alexander were reckoned invincible. Why? Was it because they were naturally stronger and more courageous than all their enemies? No, but because they were led by Alexander. Their strength was in his leadership. Under another leader they would often have been defeated. When the Union army was fleeing panic- stricken before the enemy at Winchester, the presence of Sheridan turned their defeat into victory. Without him the men were a quaking mob. With him at their head they were an invincible army. If you had listened to the remarks after the battle of the soldiers who served under those and similar leaders, you would have heard the praises of their general mingled with all their rejoicing. They were strong because he was; they were inspired by the same spirit that he had.

Well, our Captain is the Lord of hosts. He has met the chiefest foe of all and has vanquished him single-handed.  Those who follow Him invariably go forth conquering and to conquer. Oh, that those who profess to be His followers would put their trust in Him and then, by the repeated victories that they would gain, they would show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

John says that he that is born of God overcomes the world, through faith. Faith lays hold of the arm of God and His mighty power does the work. How the power of God can work in a man, accomplishing that which he could not possibly do for himself, no one can tell. It would be as easy to tell how God can give life to the dead. Says Jesus, "The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8. 

How the Spirit works in a man to subdue his passions and to make him victorious over pride, envy, and selfishness is known only to the Spirit. It is sufficient for us to know that it is done and will be done in everyone who wants that work wrought in him, above all things else, and who trusts God for the performance of it."

Php_1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

March 25, 1889  "The just shall live by faith." Rom. 1:17.

Signs of the Times Articles - by E.J. Waggoner (Excerpt)

What God Does With Our Sins.

Live ... By Faith.