The Word To Live By: 1-5-26
Phil Waggoner
For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Romans 4:3
The Word To Live By: My question is, how did this righteousness work through Abraham to manifest the promise of God (“A father of many nations have I made you”)? It didn’t come by works; it came before the works. It came because he believed what God said and that produced the works. Ephesians 2 says that we are saved through faith (belief - see Romans 10:9) by the grace of God for good works. Romans 4:16 says, “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace (faith in God, believing what He said, on our part ignites the grace of God that bring the promises of God into manifestation), so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who Is the father of us all.” How does this work for us? We know from John 1 that God’s Word is life and light. Romans 4:17 says that God’s Word, “Gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” Notice He doesn’t speak of those that are as though they aren’t, that’s denial. When you get a negative report from the doctor and say I’m not sick, that’s denial. When you say, “By His stripes I am healed,” that’s speaking life into the situation. When your bank account is negative and you say, “I’m not broke,” that’s denial. When you say, “My God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory,” that’s speaking life into the situation. Romans 4:19 says that Abraham looked at the circumstances, “Yet with respect to the promise of God (He believed the promise over the circumstances), he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God.” How do you grow strong in faith? Only one way - by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). How do you give glory to God? By thanking Him for what you can’t see but believe. When Abraham did this, he became fully assured that what God had promised He was able also to perform (verse 21). Living by faith doesn’t start fully assured, it becomes fully assured when your confession fully lines up with the Word of God. Turn on the light every day and stick to what God says, not what the circumstances say.
Read through the Bible in a year: Luke 7:18-50; Genesis 11; Psalms 5;
Read through the New Testament and Proverbs: Proverbs 5, Matthew 3: 1-8, Acts 5:
The sum of Thy Word is Truth Psalm 119:160