Only By Faith #115

Romans 4:1-5
1 What should we say about those things? What did our father Abraham discover about being right with God?
2 Did he become right with God because of something he did? If so, he could brag about it. But he couldn't brag to God.
3 What do we find in Scripture? It says, "Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham's faith, and so his faith made him right with God."— (Genesis 15:6)
4 When a man works, his pay is not considered a gift. It is owed to him.
5 But things are different with God. He makes evil people right with himself. If people trust in him, their faith is accepted even though they do not work. Their faith makes them right with God. (New International Reader's Version)

How important to you is your faith? What are you trusting in to give you a right relationship with God. You may believe how you live, things you do or don’t do, or your own performance would cause God to accept or reject you. Let me encourage you. You are right with God by faith and faith alone. Our father, Abraham, received a relationship with God because he believed in God and God’s promises.

Abraham was justified or made righteous by his faith and his faith alone. If he could have done works or deeds which could have given him a right relationship with God then he could have bragged or boasted of himself and not given glory to God.

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, Genesis 15:6.

Your relationship with God is based not on keeping laws or rules, or on your deeds and works, or your performance. It is based on your faith in God Himself, Jesus Christ. We all have sinned and fall short of the glory and holiness of God. The only way for that sin to be forgiven and a relationship with God to be established is faith in God the Son, Jesus. He died for you on a cross and arose from the dead to give you life. But life, forgiveness and right standing with God is received only by faith.

Your faith determines not only your right relationship with God, but your faith keeps you daily assured of your relationship with God. Trusting God brings hope and encouragement. Trust God with your life today. He loves and cares for you and desires to save you from your sin and guide your life.

__________________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from San Diego, CA!

Sandy and I have taken a few days to enjoy one of our favorite places on the planet, San Diego, CA. We have been here almost a week. We will be back in Tempe on Wednesday afternoon. We have met new people. I was able to share a testimony at First Baptist Church of Clairmont on Sunday morning and have lunch with Pastor Alan Thompson and his wife, Beth. What a great time.

We have had some really exciting things happen in our family. Our daughter Mandy and her husband, John, have been married nine years and unable to have children. They announced to us recently that we will be grandparents again in May. They are excited and so are we. Mandy and the baby are doing fine. They saw the heart beat on ultra-sound last week. We praise the Lord for an answer to prayer. Continue to pray that all will go well.

Our other daughter, Susan and her son, Collin, have bought a condo and will be moving out of our home and on their own in the next couple of months. We again praise the Lord for finding them a great place to live.

Sandy and I leave early Sunday morning for Salem, VA where we will be leading a "Celebrating Life" conference on October 23-24. Pray for us that we could be an encouragement to the Tabernacle Baptist Church. Pray for that church and Pastor Rick Elmore and his wife, Lynne. They have been close friends for over forty years.

What a great God we serve. He has so blessed our lives with family, friends, faith and hope. To Him be the glory.

I pray for you that God would bless you this week. ~ DGW