Paul Email -1Nov2013- Romans 4 Justified by Faith

How you doin? So the Phish crowd came in last night. It felt much different then 2 years ago. I actually felt bad for the people. I saw them as captives/prisoners. Some of them literally... as they were being carted off by the police in hand cuffs. I saw the demonic influence that was holding these people in bondage. Praise Jesus for my freedom. I love being free. Romans 4 today.

The heading in my Bible for chapter 4 is "Abraham Justified by Faith". Verse 13, "It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." We're his offspring. COME ON!!!!!!! God promises Abraham and me that we are heirs of the world. WOW!!!!!!! That's a promise to consider. Here's the catch, I receive the promise "through the righteousness that comes by faith". Faith is the currency of Heaven. Verses 14-15, "For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, ¹⁵ because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression." Living by the law takes faith out of the equation. It takes Jesus off the cross. NO GOOD. Verse 16, "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring- not only to those who are of the law but also who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all."  The promise to be heirs of the world comes through faith... got it.

It all sounds good, but why don't I seem to be living in my inheritance? Verses 19-22, "Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness." AWESOME!!!!!!! I want to allow that testimony to seep in on me. Abraham and Sara receive an unbelievable prophecy "yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God". SO GOOD!!!!!!! This is incredible. Verse 20 makes me think of something Bill Johnson said after loosing his father to cancer, "I'm about to sacrifice the glory of God on the alter of human understanding". SO GOOD!!!!!!!

Here's the best part... verse 23-25, "The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." WOW!!!!!!! YES & AMEN!!!!!!! If your not weeping or jumping up and down right now... check your pulse. Jesus did for me what I can't do for myself. That's a good word. Without Him I'm unrighteous. Faith in Him makes me righteous. WOW!!!!!!! Be fully persuaded that God has the power to do what he promised today.

PS I'm getting a little charged up over here.