Participants: Thando Malambo
Series Code: 10GYC
Program Code: 10GYC000008
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00:12 This morning I'm going to share with you a message
00:15 that I first shared with our students and stride 00:19 in Boston and it's entitled "Fully Persuaded." 00:23 Our title this morning is "Fully Persuaded." 00:30 And as we think about our theme, no turning 00:33 back, right. I think that many of us would 00:36 recognize that one of the things that temps us 00:40 to turn back is trials right. That often times 00:43 when we face trials, challenges, difficulties 00:48 or suffering that seems to make no sense 00:51 it's at those moments that we are tempted 00:53 to doubt the providence of God, 00:56 to doubt the leading of God and we're 00:58 tempted to halter. If not even shrink from 01:02 the path of duty. The book Sacrifice 01:07 and Commitments that I encourage 01:09 you to read. Tells of a time when James 01:14 White went through the streets of Brunswick, 01:18 Maine. With a bag upon his shoulder in which 01:22 were a few beans and a little milk and rice 01:25 flour to keep his family from starving. 01:29 Times were hard and the book tells us that 01:34 he entered the house singing the song 01:37 I'm a pilgrim and I'm a stranger. 01:40 And as he entered the house Ellen White 01:42 looked at him and asked has it come to this, 01:46 has God forsaken us, are we reduced to this. 01:52 And James White's answer was, hush, 01:57 the Lord has not forsaken us. He gives us enough 02:02 for our wants. Jesus fed no better. 02:09 And the one to pick up that question has 02:11 God forsaken us, has God forsaken me? 02:16 I know there's been times in my experience 02:19 when I have asked that question and maybe 02:22 that's true for some of us here this morning 02:23 as well. And in our study this morning 02:27 we are going to discover that the Bible paints 02:30 a completely different picture. The trials, 02:34 challenges, difficulties are not there to 02:37 weaken our faith or to make us doubt the 02:39 leading and the providence of God, 02:41 but the trials, challenges and difficulties are 02:46 there to cultivate in us an invincible faith. 02:50 And the fundamental question for us to answer 02:55 this morning is, are we fully persuaded, 02:59 are we absolutely convinced that what God 03:03 has promised, God is able also to perform, 03:08 are we fully persuaded? Let us pray together 03:13 as we begin our message. 03:20 Our gracious heavenly Father. 03:23 We are before you this morning, 03:29 we've come here again Father to hear a word 03:32 from you. And gracious Lord, how we ask that 03:37 as you've spoken to us already in so many ways 03:40 this week that He would speak to us once again 03:43 this morning. Gracious Father, we invite your 03:49 presence, we pray for a fresh outpouring 03:52 of your spirit. We pray dear God that you would 03:56 be here to bring conviction to every heart, 03:59 and Father yet again just claim the promise of 04:02 Exodus 4:12 that as you promised Moses 04:06 you'd be with my moth and teach me what 04:08 I shall see. Father, for the sake of our salvation, 04:13 for the sake of every soul that is here this 04:15 morning, for the sake of everyone who will hear 04:18 this message, please take possession of my heart, 04:21 my mind, my mouth. Let your word and your 04:25 word only be spoken, and teach us what it 04:28 means to be fully persuaded. 04:31 We ask believing in Jesus name amen. 04:41 If you have your Bibles turn them with me to 04:45 Romans chapter 4 and I'm going to let you know 04:49 that this morning yet again, please have your 04:52 Bible, the pens, your notebooks and we're 04:56 gonna turn the page and scripture this morning 04:59 and studying this theme fully persuaded. 05:01 So Romans chapter 4 we begin in Romans chapter 4, 05:06 and before begin just by, by way of a brief 05:09 background, many of us will remember that 05:12 God had given Abraham a very startling promise, 05:16 in promising him a son, and promising him 05:19 descendents that would be as numerous as 05:21 the sands of the sea shore, innumerable in fact, 05:25 great. And you may recall that the first time the 05:28 promise was made in Genesis 15 that Abraham 05:33 doubt led him to hearken unto the voice of Sarah 05:37 and taking Hagar and the results was the birth 05:41 of Ishmael and bitterness in the family, 05:44 right. And the promise was repeated in 05:48 Genesis chapter 18 and by the time that promise 05:51 was repeated, the second time around, 05:53 this time around Abraham and Sarah 05:56 were at a point, they had exhausted human 05:58 means in trying to help God fulfill his promise 06:03 and so by the time the promise comes again, 06:06 in Genesis chapter 18 they're at a point where 06:09 they can do nothing, but wait on God 06:12 and it's on this account, Roman chapter 4 writes 06:16 I'm reading from verse 13. Are we there? Amen, 06:23 and the Bible says for the promise, that 06:27 he should be the heir of the world, was not to 06:30 Abraham or to his seed through the law, 06:32 but through the righteousness of faith. 06:34 And as we read I'm gonna ask you to pay 06:37 attention to how many times the word promise 06:41 is repeated okay. Verse 14, for if they which 06:46 are of the law be heirs. Faith is made void, 06:49 and the promise of known effect. 06:52 Because the law worketh wrath. 06:54 For where no law is, there is no transgression. 06:58 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by 07:01 grace; to the end the promise might be sure 07:05 to all the seed; not to that only which is of 07:08 the law, but to that also which is of the faith 07:11 of Abraham; who is the father of us all. 07:15 As it is written, I have made thee a father 07:20 of many nations, before him whom he believed, 07:23 even God, who quickeneth the dead, 07:26 and calleth those things which be not as though 07:29 they were. Verse 18, Who against hope 07:33 believed in hope, that he may become the father 07:37 of many nations, according to that which 07:39 was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 07:43 Verse 19, And being not weak in faith, 07:47 he considered not his own body now dead, 07:50 when he was yet a hundred years old, 07:53 neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. 07:56 He staggered not at the promise of God 08:00 through unbelief; but was strong in faith, 08:02 giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded 08:07 that what he had promised, he was able 08:11 also to perform. Read with me again verse 19. 08:21 The Bible tells us that being not weak in faith, 08:25 Abraham considered not his own body now dead, 08:29 being about an hundred years old, neither yet 08:32 the deadness of Sarah's womb. 08:34 Let me paint the picture for you as the Bible 08:37 is painting it. Here is a man who was about a 08:39 100-years-old, physically dead in the 08:42 sense he could no longer had children then 08:44 you had his wife Sarah who first of all was 08:48 barren, then second of all she was past 08:51 menopause. And said with a double impossibility 08:55 right here you have these two bodies, 08:57 these two people who are physically dead 09:00 in a sense that no child can come out of their, 09:03 their bodies. And the Bible says Abraham being not 09:07 weak in faith considered not his own body now dead, 09:12 neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. 09:15 Now medical science would have declared this 09:18 impossible right? I mean you're beyond child 09:22 barring age, you're old, it's impossible for you 09:24 to have a son. But in Abraham's mind this 09:27 situation was not about medical science. 09:32 It was about the God in whom he believed. 09:35 And the Bible tells us in verse 21, being fully 09:41 persuaded that what he had promised, 09:44 he was able also to perform. 09:46 So Abraham was fully persuaded that 09:49 what God had promised, God was able to perform, 09:53 and I wanna submit you that the reason 09:55 Abraham believed that God able and was fully 09:58 persuaded is given for us in verse 17. 10:02 Two things will note about the faith of Abraham. 10:07 First of all he was fully persuaded that God was 10:10 able and second, he did not stagger at the 10:13 promise of God. Look at verse 17 of 10:18 Romans chapter 4. As it is written, 10:20 I have made thee a father of many nations, 10:23 before him whom he believed, even God, 10:26 who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things 10:29 which be not as though they were. 10:32 So verse 17 is telling us that Abraham believed 10:36 in a God who quickeneth the dead, 10:38 a God who calls things that don't exist as though 10:42 they were. The word quickeneth in the 10:45 King James Version that word in the Greek 10:48 means to give life to cause to live. 10:52 So in your minds reason with that Abraham 10:55 believed in a God who could cause the dead 10:58 to live. He believed in a God who could bring 11:02 life from the dead. A creator who could 11:04 call into existence that which was not 11:07 previous there, so when he looked at himself, 11:10 yes my body is physically dead, yes Sarah's womb 11:14 is beyond dead, but I believe in a God who can 11:17 bring life from the dead. So he was fully persuaded 11:22 that what God had promised, God was able 11:24 to perform, because God is creator, 11:27 He quickeneth the dead and therefore being 11:31 not weak in faith, He considered not his own 11:34 body now dead. He was fully persuaded 11:38 that God is able. Are we fully persuaded? 11:43 Is God any less able today? 11:49 The second thing to note about the faith of 11:52 Abraham is that verse 20 records, 11:57 He staggered not at the promise of God 12:01 and as you can see clearly in this verses 12:04 the word promise occur so many times, 12:06 the promise of God he did not waver at the 12:10 promise of God. Now you know human promises 12:14 are like ropes of sand. Somebody can promise 12:18 to marry you today and change his mind 12:20 tomorrow right. It's sad but it happens. 12:24 But friends, this was not just any promise was it? 12:28 This was a promise of God and there is something 12:33 special, something fundamentally important 12:36 to remember about the promises of God. 12:39 And in writing about this, the writer of the book 12:42 of Hebrews has this to say, turn with me to book 12:44 of Hebrews chapter 6 to read about how 12:47 Hebrews paints the picture of Abraham's not 12:51 wavering at the promise of God right. 12:55 Hebrews chapter 6 when you get there please 12:58 say amen? Amen. Here if you want pages turning. 13:03 Hebrews chapter 6 say amen if you're there? 13:07 Amen, amen. I'm beginning for you in verse 13. 13:12 And again see the word promise repeated here 13:15 and then remember what Abraham was fully 13:17 persuaded. Beginning in verse 13 of Hebrews 13:19 chapter 6, For when God made promise to Abraham, 13:23 because he could swear by no greater, 13:26 he swore by himself. Saying, Surely blessing 13:30 I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply 13:34 thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, 13:38 he obtained the promise. For men verily swear 13:43 by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is 13:46 to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, 13:50 willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs 13:53 of promise the immutability of his counsel, 13:58 confirmed it by an oath. That by two immutable 14:03 things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, 14:09 we might have a strong consolation, who have fled 14:13 for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set 14:16 before us. The writer of the book of Hebrews 14:21 is telling us here that you know often times 14:23 when man make a promise they swear by 14:26 somebody greater. But when God made His promise 14:29 to Abraham, God looked around and, you know 14:32 what there is no one greater than God. 14:34 And so God swore by Himself. 14:38 He made the promise and He confirmed it 14:41 by an oath that in these two immutable things, 14:45 when was it impossible for God to lie? 14:47 So understand with me that father Abraham 14:50 could be fully persuaded was because friends 14:53 it's impossible for God to lie. He gave His promise 14:57 and He swore by Himself confirmed it by an oath. 15:03 And Abraham did not waver at the promise 15:06 of God, he believed, fully persuaded and that's 15:11 verse 15 confirms that after he had patiently 15:17 endured, he obtained the promise. 15:22 And then in verse 12 the writer councils us you 15:26 and me, that ye be not slothful, but followers 15:31 of them who through faith and patience inherit 15:34 the promises. See how verse 12 is telling you 15:38 and me that the promises are there. 15:41 They are there to be inherited, but they're 15:43 inherited by those who exercise faith 15:47 and patience. Faith and patience. 15:54 And thus we find recorded in the famous chapter 15:59 on faith in Hebrews 11 the record. 16:03 In Hebrews 11 verse 11 and 12 where the Bible 16:08 confirms the faith of Abraham and Sarah tells 16:13 us in chapter 11 verse 11, are we there? Yeah. 16:18 Just a few chapters over. Hebrews 11 verse 11, 16:25 through faith also Sarah herself received 16:29 strength to conceive seed, and was delivered 16:32 of a child when she was past age, 16:34 because she judged him faithful who had promised. 16:38 And I think the logic of that verse suggest that 16:41 if it wasn't for her faith, if she hadn't 16:44 considered God faithful, if she had not believed 16:47 without wavering the promise of God 16:50 she may not have received strength to conceive 16:53 seed, but here's a woman, barren, beyond 16:57 child baring simply because she believed 17:01 the promise of God, she received strength 17:04 to conceive seed. And God rights the 17:08 impossible in her life, because she trusted the 17:11 promise of God. The fundamental word this 17:14 morning friends is promise, promise of God. 17:19 Now as you think of Hebrews 11 and it's a 17:22 famous topic that we read over and over again 17:24 is the chapter, the great hall of fame, 17:27 the great hall of faith as we call it. 17:29 In verse 3 of Hebrews 11 is something 17:35 fundamental about faith that I want us to 17:38 understand this morning. Because we're talking 17:41 here about a faith that is fully persuaded. 17:44 Hebrews 11 verse 3, the Bible tells us that, 17:49 Through faith we understand that the 17:51 worlds were framed by the word of God, 17:54 so that things which are seen were not made 17:57 of things which do appear. 18:01 So faith understands that the worlds were 18:06 framed by the word of God. 18:07 In another words, faith understands that 18:11 God commanded and it stood fast. 18:15 Faith understands that when God said let there 18:18 be lights as he pronounced those 18:20 words light was created. Faith understands the 18:25 creative ability of the word of God. 18:28 Faith understands that when God speaks 18:32 He transforms reality. In another words friends, 18:36 in the mind of somebody who has faith, 18:40 somebody who is fully persuaded when God 18:42 speaks it as good as done. God speaks therefore 18:47 it is. Do you understand friends that the word 18:52 of God just by merely speaking the word 18:55 God creates. God creates, He just speaks and it's 19:00 done. Let there be a firmament its done. 19:05 So I hope now you're beginning to see a 19:08 deeper picture of why I believe Abraham was 19:11 fully persuaded. Because friends, reality for a 19:16 Christian, reality for me and for you is not 19:19 defined by what we feel or what we go 19:22 through, it's defined by thus saith the Lord. 19:26 God speaks therefore it is, whether we feel, 19:32 whether we feel it or not, God speaks 19:36 therefore it is. And writing about this in the 19:40 Book Education pages 253 Ellen White has this 19:44 very profound statement to say. 19:48 Whatever gift God promises, is in the promise 19:54 itself. Are you listening to that? Whatever gift 19:59 God promises, is in the promise itself. 20:02 As surely as the oak is in the acorn, 20:05 so surely is the gift of God in His promise. 20:09 If we receive the promise, we have the gift. 20:15 The gift of God is in His promise. 20:19 And if we receive the promise we have the gift. 20:25 So now you consider by God's promise to Abraham 20:28 Sarah thy wife shall have a son. 20:32 God spoke the promise did He not and in, 20:35 in, in sense friends in a, in a very real sense 20:39 when God spoke those words, Sarah thy wife 20:41 shall have a son, in speaking the words God 20:45 in a sense gave Isaac to Abraham. 20:49 Because God pronounced the promise 20:50 and when God spoke it was as good as done. 20:53 So why would waver at a promise of God. 20:57 God said it, therefore it is. 21:07 The kind of faith that it believes in the 21:13 word of God. The kind of faith that is fully 21:16 persuaded is critical for us. Critical for us if 21:21 we are to have a not turning back experience, 21:24 because this kind of faith that we're talking 21:26 about this morning is the only kind of faith 21:29 that will endure trial without turning back. 21:33 The only kind of faith that will endure without 21:37 turning back and as you can see the rest 21:39 of Hebrews chapter 11, you read in verse 21:41 36 about men and women of faith in 21:45 verse 36, who had trial of cruel mockings 21:50 and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds 21:53 and imprisonment. And verse 37, They 21:56 were stoned, they were sawn asunder, 21:59 they were tempted, they were slain with the 22:01 sword: they wandered about in sheepskins 22:03 and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, 22:06 tormented. Their trial of cruel mockings 22:13 and scourgings, bonds and imprisonments. 22:17 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder 22:21 you know what that means sawn asunder? 22:23 Slain with a sword. And yet, verse 39 records 22:31 that they still obtained a good report 22:34 through faith. That in spite of their trails, 22:37 in spite of what they suffered, in spite 22:39 of the cruelty, the mockings, the bond 22:42 imprisonment, they still had faith. 22:44 And their faith did not waver, their faith did 22:49 not waver. Being fully persuaded, 22:54 being fully persuaded. And I want to submit to 23:01 you this morning that the reason many 23:05 of us are tempted to turn back when those 23:10 trials come upon us. Is because we're not 23:12 fully persuaded. But God's promises are as 23:16 sure as sure can be. We're not fully 23:20 persuaded. You see verse 13 of Hebrews 11, 23:30 tells us that these all died in faith right? 23:36 Not having received the things promised, 23:40 but having seen them afar off, and were 23:42 persuaded of them, and embraced them, 23:45 and confessed that they were strangers 23:47 and pilgrims on the earth. And the ESV translates 23:53 this verse this way. It says, these all died 23:56 in faith, not having received the things 23:59 promised, but having seen them afar off. 24:05 They didn't need to receive it to not it was 24:08 coming. They took the promise of God 24:10 and that was enough for them. 24:12 God had promised. And the Bible goes 24:17 so far as to say in verse 35, listen to verse 35. 24:22 And you, as you think about this faith that 24:24 radically trust the promise of God no matter 24:27 what. Verse 35 tells us that, women received 24:32 their dead raised to life again: and others 24:34 were tortured, not accepting deliverance; 24:37 that they might obtain a better resurrection. 24:41 What kind of person refuses deliverance from 24:45 torture. What kind of person does that? 24:51 They refuse deliverance, so they might obtain a 24:53 better resurrection. They hadn't seen the 24:57 resurrection physically. 25:00 The only way that they knew that there 25:02 was a resurrection was guess what, 25:04 the promise of God. That's all they had. 25:08 God had promised a better resurrection 25:11 and though they didn't feel it or see it 25:13 God had promised and God's promise 25:16 was enough. Are we fully persuaded? 25:21 That what God has promised, 25:23 God is able to perform. Are we persuaded? 25:30 Many of us trials come, we're tempted to 25:33 shrink back. Trials come we, 25:37 we doubt the goodness and the mercy of God. 25:40 we doubt the love of God. and then as I think about 25:44 it friends I, I just, I have to ask, 25:47 what are our trials? What are the things 25:51 that we consider trials? You get rejected by 25:54 a boyfriend or girlfriend that's trial. 25:58 Maybe you've got pimples or acne, 26:00 maybe you've got not queue to close 26:02 to work at GYC that's trial. 26:05 Are those are trials? You know I, 26:09 I keep my African hair natural in 26:11 all of its glory. One morning I 26:13 woke up and my hair was a mess. 26:16 and I remember I sit at the mirror 26:17 and I say to myself, what I'm gonna 26:21 do with my hair, life is so hard? 26:25 And you laugh 'cause it's ridiculous. 26:28 For me that was trial. Persecution, 26:30 my hair was a mess. God had mercy upon us. 26:35 Friends, we need to get over ourselves. 26:38 Because our trials are not as deep as we 26:40 think they are. They're not even 26:42 that deep. You know in the 26:49 book Cross Examination which I encourage 26:57 you to read because it goes over 27:00 reasons why we can believe right? 27:03 As far as establishing the evidence for our 27:06 faith and our belief. And I also wanted 27:09 to read it because I spend countless 27:11 days and nights editing it, 27:13 so you must read it. But in this book 27:18 the Author Dr. Pundit quotes for us 27:21 some of the things that the disciples suffered. 27:24 And he quotes for us how they 27:26 were slaughtered, how they faced arrest, 27:29 imprisonment, beating and horrible 27:31 deaths and not one of them, 27:33 not a single one of them turned back. 27:37 Listen to this, Peter was crucified 27:40 upside down. You know what 27:42 that feels like? Crucified upside down. 27:47 James was stoned to death, 27:49 Matthew was killed by the sword. 27:52 James, son of Alphaeus was crucified 27:56 Thaddaeus was shot through with arrows 28:00 to his death. Simon the Zealot 28:03 was crucified, Thomas killed with a spear, 28:06 Paul beheaded. And we think we have 28:09 trials! We think we have trails GYC? 28:16 Now let me be understood. Some of our trials 28:20 maybe deeper. We may lose a loved one, 28:25 we may face major health challenges. 28:28 Well my point here this morning is 28:31 no matter how big or small it is. 28:35 The trial is irrelevant if we're fully persuaded. 28:39 Amen. If we're fully persuaded of the 28:44 promises of God let the trials come 28:47 we will not turn back. Small or as big as 28:52 they are we shall not turn back, 28:55 because God has promised. God has promised. 29:03 Abraham was fully persuaded that what 29:07 God had promised, God was able to perform. 29:14 And I wanna submit to you that that's 29:19 the kind of faith you and I need to cultivate. 29:25 Wanna share with you an account that 29:26 the first time I read it brought tears 29:29 to my eyes. This from the book, 29:31 Tortured For Christ. Then again I 29:33 encourage you to, I'm a bookworm so 29:35 forgive me, I recommend a lot of book, 29:37 I love books. And well it's particular 29:39 book is a must read, to gain some 29:42 prospective on our petty trials, 29:46 because this book describes some trials 29:47 that will pierce your soul, 29:49 that Christians and Communist countries 29:51 have suffered for their faith. 29:54 The author Richard Wurmbrand writes 29:58 about how his son Mihai 11-years-old 30:04 seeing his parents arrested and tortured 30:08 for their faith in Christ. And I cannot recount 30:12 for you the kind of horrors that 30:14 they suffered. You know sometimes 30:16 they would have starving rats driven 30:20 into their cells at night. I don't know if 30:24 you can imagine that. When I was on mission 30:27 in Zambia this summer in July with, 30:30 the impact Zambia missionaries went to 30:33 this Island called Chilubi Island and I was 30:36 there for a couple of days doing ministry 30:38 going door to door, sharing Bible studies 30:40 with people, and just being a 30:41 missionary and sleeping on the floor, 30:43 the cold hard concrete floor in a room 30:45 with rats and mosquitoes. And I remember my 30:49 first night going to sleep in my sleeping bag, 30:53 hitting the rats moving in there 30:55 and then I thought to myself only for Jesus. 31:00 Only for Jesus would I do this right. 31:03 Just a couple of rats. These Christians 31:07 had starving rats driven into their 31:09 cells at night. And others were made 31:12 to stand for two weeks day and night. 31:17 Others were put into refrigerators 31:19 and repeatedly frozen and taken out again. 31:24 Women were raped, cruel horrors and 31:29 as Mihai. Young Mihai sees his parents 31:31 suffer he, he pointed in his mind 31:34 how can a good and loving God permit 31:36 my parents to suffer these things without 31:39 reason and he abandoned the faith 31:43 because he thought I cannot believe 31:45 in a God who would permit this to happen 31:47 to my parents, who have done 31:49 nothing wrong. And you know what happened? 31:53 He went to see his mother in prison 31:56 and he was allowed to see her. 31:58 And when he saw his mother behind 32:00 bars right, behind bars she was weak, 32:08 she's thin, she's bruised, 32:09 she is battered and she looks at 32:11 her son and the first thing she says 32:13 to him is Mihai, believe in Jesus. 32:17 Here's a woman who has suffered in, 32:20 incredible torture and the first thing 32:23 she has to say to her son, 32:25 please believe in Jesus. Her suffering, 32:29 her trials did not make her forget 32:32 or turn back her faith in Jesus. 32:35 And then Mihai looked at his mother 32:41 and he says to himself if my mother, 32:42 if my mother can still believe in Christ 32:44 even now, Christ must be a real savior 32:48 and he was converted right there and then. 32:52 His mother's faith, his mother's unshaken 32:56 faith won him back to Christ. 33:00 Here is a woman who was fully persuaded. 33:03 That no matter what I suffer right now 33:05 God has promised and God's promises 33:09 are sure. God promised He would never 33:13 leave me nor forsake me. God promised that it 33:17 was a blessed thing to suffer for Christ 33:19 say God promise these things. 33:21 And because God promised she 33:23 did not waver. Are we fully persuaded? 33:33 Are we fully persuaded? I want to remind us 33:40 this morning friends that the Bible 33:43 has told us, that in this world we 33:50 shall have tribulation. It does say that 33:53 doesn't it? Matter of fact Dr. Walsh 33:57 read for us from 2nd Timothy chapter 34:00 3 last night, that all who live godly 34:04 in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 34:10 It did not say that they may suffer 34:13 persecution, it say they shall. 34:17 It will come guaranteed. But when it comes 34:21 it calls for minds that are fully persuaded. 34:24 Young people who would say no matter 34:26 what I go through God is good 34:29 and God has promised. Because the trials 34:32 will come. Let me ask you 34:34 something friends. I, you know I, 34:38 the brain and my heart is just heavy 34:41 to how but understand who God is? 34:45 Does God lie? So if it's impossible 34:49 for God to lie, why is it hard to 34:52 believe to be fully persuaded? 34:57 Maybe some of us have believed in a liar. 34:58 I know I haven't, I know him 35:03 and whom I have believe it and I'm 35:06 persuaded that he is able friends. 35:09 I'm fully convinced that God is able. 35:14 And that God does not lie. 35:15 In fact God cannot lie. Even if He wanted to. 35:19 And you know why He cannot lie, 35:21 because His word creates reality. 35:25 So even if God wanted to lie 35:27 "suppose God were to lie" suppose, 35:31 he were to lie and say Thando is Asian. 35:36 The minute he says that I became Asian. 35:40 And it's funny but it's true that's 35:42 why God cannot lie. So if God cannot lie 35:46 and His word transforms our reality, 35:49 unbelief, it's senseless. 35:52 How do you not believe the spoken word 35:53 of God which creates your reality. 35:56 God speaks therefore it is. 35:59 Unbelief makes no sense and that's 36:02 why Jesus marvels. The angels marvel at 36:05 our lack of faith. They marvel. 36:09 How can we not believe? 36:18 In Conflict And Courage page 369, 36:25 the servants of the Lord writes 36:27 that the season of distress and anguish 36:31 before us will require a faith that can 36:40 endure weariness, delay and hunger. 36:41 A faith that will not faint those 36:44 severely tried. The times ahead 36:49 of us require such a faith that will 36:53 not faint those severely tried. 36:58 And friends, I submit to you 37:00 this morning that if we're not willing 37:02 to endure hardness as a good soldier 37:06 of Christ Jesus. We might as well 37:08 turn back right now. The kind of faith 37:13 that stands only in good times is 37:15 no faith at all. That's not faith. 37:21 The stony ground faith is good 37:23 for nothing, and I think it's about 37:26 time we show some backbone. 37:29 It's about time we show the world what 37:31 it means to believe in God even when 37:34 trials make no sense, backbone friends, 37:36 where is our backbone? The slightest 37:40 hint of trouble we're running away from God. 37:42 Almost like Israel in the wilderness. 37:45 When they left Egypt. Every time some 37:49 challenge came, oh well lets go 37:50 back to Egypt. As if Egypt were 37:52 better than Canaan, have mercy. 37:58 And you know how Hebrews 11 transitions 38:00 to Hebrews chapter 12 after giving us 38:03 these examples of faith. He then goes on 38:06 to say in Hebrews chapter 12 38:08 and verse 1. The Bible says, 38:11 Wherefore seeing that we also are 38:14 compassed about with so great a cloud 38:18 of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, 38:23 and the sin which doth so easily beset us, 38:26 and let us run with patience the race 38:29 set before us. Looking unto Jesus, 38:33 the author and finisher of our faith; 38:37 who for the joy set before him endured 38:40 the cross, despising the shame, 38:42 and is set down at the right hand 38:44 of the throne of God. For consider 38:48 him who endured such contradiction 38:51 of sinners against himself, 38:54 lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 38:58 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, 39:02 striving against sin. And if you faith is 39:10 tempted to faultier Hebrews tells you to 39:14 look to Jesus. Who is not just the author 39:18 but the finisher of your faith. 39:21 And who is an example of the kind of 39:23 faith that we must cultivate as well. 39:27 For the joy set before him, 39:31 he endured the cross. Will we for the joy set 39:35 before us endure the hardness of trial. 39:41 By the grace of God and after Christ's 39:44 own example. Abraham did not 39:51 stagger at the promise of God. 40:01 Turn back to Romans chapter 4, you know 40:08 I want to read again in your hearing 40:11 which is 20 and 21. Abraham staggered not 40:17 at the promise of God through unbelief; 40:20 but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. 40:23 And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, 40:27 he was able also to perform. 40:32 Friends, you can doubt any promise you 40:36 want to doubt, but please, please lets have the 40:41 common sense enough not to doubt the promises of God. 40:47 Let's not charge God with crimes He has not 40:50 committed. Think of your favorite Bible promise. 40:59 One of mine is Matthew 6:33 you know what that 41:02 one says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and 41:05 his righteousness; and all these things will be 41:09 added unto you. But you know how many of us do. 41:13 We waste our lives seeking things that God wants to 41:16 add on to us. Are we fully persuaded friends? 41:25 God says, just seek one thing, now add everything 41:29 else unto you. Be fully persuaded. 41:33 I think of the promise in John Chapter 14:1-4, 41:39 where he promised that in his father's house 41:42 are many mansions, but he went to repair a 41:45 place for us that he would come again to receive us 41:48 unto himself. And we look around it's been hundreds 41:52 of years we're singing the same song, 41:54 is he really coming? We doubt, 41:57 are we fully persuaded? I think of 1st John 1 verse 9 42:07 that beloved promise that if we confess our sins, 42:11 He is faithful and just to forgive us and to 42:14 cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 42:18 Everyone would come to God, we pray for 42:20 forgiveness then we rise from pressed through 42:23 burden by guilt as if we had no pardon. 42:29 Are we fully persuaded? I think of how in announcing 42:39 Christ birth to Mary in Matthew 1 verse 21. 42:43 The angel said you will call His name Jesus, 42:46 for He will save His people from their sins 42:51 that promise that Jesus will save. 42:54 Are we fully persuaded of that? Many of us go 43:01 through life struggling with the same sins over 43:04 and over again suffering defeat after defeat as 43:09 if we had no savior. And I'm afraid that in some 43:16 ways maybe we've come to think of Jesus as 43:21 somebody who just nurses chronic sinners. 43:27 Jesus saves friends. He doesn't just nurse 43:32 us in our sins. He saves us from them. 43:35 Are we fully persuaded of that? Jesus saves. 43:41 Are we fully persuaded? The writer of amazing 43:50 grace that beloved him is a man by the 43:53 name of John Newton. Some of you may know that 43:58 John Newton was a salve 43:59 ship owner before his conversion. 44:03 That he took an active part in that 44:06 horrible trade of men. When he was converted 44:10 he wrote the song amazing grace. 44:13 I once was blind, but now I see. In his old age 44:17 he's quoted as saying this, 44:20 "my memory is nearly gone, but I remember 44:25 two things very clearly, that I'm a great sinner 44:31 and that Christ is a great savior." Amen. 44:35 Are you fully persuaded? We could go on and on 44:48 listing his precious promises. 44:53 The question is are we fully persuaded? 44:57 You know in 2nd Peter chapter 1 writing about 45:02 these, these precious promises Peter says 45:04 this in 2nd Peter chapter 1 lets go there verse 4, 45:10 may I read verse 3 and 4. Verse 3 and verse 4, 45:19 are we there? 2nd Peter 1 was to 3 and verse 4 45:26 the Bible says, According as his divine power 45:29 hath given unto us all things that pertain 45:32 unto life and godliness, through the 45:35 knowledge of him that have called us to glory 45:38 and virtue. Whereby are given unto us 45:42 exceeding great and precious promises, 45:46 that by these ye might be partakers of a divine 45:49 nature, having escaped the corruption that is in 45:54 the world through lust. Do you see the little 45:58 word by in verse 4. It is by these exceeding 46:03 great and precious promises that we are to 46:06 partake of the divine nature in the promises of 46:10 God is contained everything we need. 46:14 Why then would we not believe in the 46:17 promises of God. It's by them that we have 46:21 to partake of the divine nature. 46:24 Friends, the promises of God are as sure as 46:27 sure can be. They are to be trusted no matter 46:31 what, they're to be believed no matter what. 46:37 Let's not do God the disservice of accusing him 46:41 as a liar. That's what the world thinks of God. 46:46 They think he's a liar, an imposter. 46:48 They think he is unjust, he is evil, 46:50 he is not good enough. Is there somebody here 46:55 today willing to believe in the goodness of God 46:57 no matter what they suffer. 47:01 Willing to believe the promise of God is shown 47:03 no matter what they go through. 47:05 That when there is a dissonant what I feel 47:08 and what I know in my mind, I will not trust 47:10 what I feel, but I trust what God has said. 47:14 Because reality is not what I feel or go through, 47:17 it's what has God said that's reality. 47:21 Is there somebody out there fully persuaded, 47:25 that yes there is pain, yes there is suffering, 47:27 but God has promised a better day. 47:32 God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. 47:36 God has promised that nothing, not even death 47:40 can separate us from the love of God. 47:43 God has promised. Now we fully persuaded 47:48 that what God has promised. 47:49 God is able to perform. Are we fully persuaded? 47:57 I'm afraid for us and I'm afraid because Hebrews 48:04 chapter 4 talks about a danger 48:06 when it's a God against. In our last scripture 48:10 Hebrews chapter 4 and I want to read this verse 48:13 and hearing as a sobering thought, 48:16 as a sobering thought. 48:20 I'm gonna read verse 1 and verse 2. Are we there? 48:30 The Bibles says, Hebrews chapter 4, 1 and 2 48:34 Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left 48:37 us of entering into his rest, any of you 48:41 should seem to come short of it. 48:43 For the gospel for unto us was the gospel preached, 48:48 as well as unto them: but the word preached 48:52 did not profit them, not being mixed with 48:56 faith in them that heard it. 49:01 Did you read verse two with me? 49:05 Talking about the wilderness experience 49:08 of Israel that the word they heard. 49:13 They heard the word or rights but did them 49:16 no profits, not being mixed with 49:19 faith in them that heard it. 49:22 And it says, let us therefore fear, 49:25 lest a promise being left us and we do have a 49:28 promise being left us of entering His rest. 49:31 Let us fear, lest by unbelief we fall short 49:35 of that promise. Unbelief is the most senseless 49:41 thing in the world. At least unbelief in God, 49:46 unbelief in the promise of God is nonsensical. 49:51 Because when God speaks it's done and 49:56 let us fear. Lets the promise being left 50:00 us of entering his rest we come short of it 50:03 through unbelief. Let us therefore fear. 50:13 In closing, I want to remind us of where we 50:17 begun in Romans chapter 4, where the Bible tells 50:21 us the Abraham was fully persuaded, 50:25 that what God had promised. 50:26 God was able to perform. You know how NLT 50:31 translates that verse, it says Abraham was 50:34 absolutely convinced, he was absolutely convinced 50:40 that God was able to do anything He promised. 50:50 And I think the final reason why we cannot 50:54 turn back is if we're fully persuaded of what God 50:58 has promised then victory is guaranteed. 51:02 How many things do you do in life where success 51:07 is guaranteed? What if you walk into your organic 51:11 chemistry class and you were guaranteed 51:13 an A plus. How would that feel? 51:19 The Christian journey, if we believe the word of 51:23 God. If we believe the promises of God victory 51:26 is guaranteed in Jesus. So friends, if you're 51:30 going to battle and you knew that your enemy 51:34 was defeated. Would you retreat? How can you 51:38 retreat from battle with a defeated enemy it 51:41 makes no sense. Friends, Satan is a defeated foe, 51:48 Calvary field the deal on this battle. 51:52 He's defeated and let him, let him bring 51:56 the trial, let him bring the temptations, 51:58 he is defeated. We are fighting a defeated foe, 52:03 if we believe in Jesus. If we belief the promises 52:05 of God. Revelation 21 verse 4 is still 52:11 true today. There's coming a day when God 52:14 will wipe away all tears from the our eyes. 52:17 When there shall be no more death, no more sorrow 52:21 or crying God has promised that and if we believe 52:25 the promise of God we cannot go back, 52:27 victory is guaranteed. Victory is assured. 52:34 We cannot go back. Let the trials come, 52:37 let the challenges come. We cannot, we must not 52:44 go back for we are fully persuaded that what God 52:48 has promised, God is able to perform. 52:56 The December issue of the voice of Madrid 53:00 newsletter tells the story of a woman by the name 53:04 of Gloria and her husband Manuel who had moved 53:09 to a remote village in Colombia that was 53:12 controlled by drug trafficking guerrillas. 53:17 They went there as missionaries to an area, 53:20 to villages where all churches had been closed. 53:26 Their work was hard, but they gave it all 53:29 their effort. You know one morning after family 53:33 prayer they heard somebody outside calling 53:37 Manuel's name. And when Manuel stepped 53:40 outside it's a group of guerrillas that shot him 53:45 through five times. And one of them shouts 53:49 at shoot him, again make sure he is dead. 53:53 And Gloria walks out of house to see her 53:56 husband lying in a pool of blood. 54:02 She picked up his body, tears swimming down her 54:06 face and sat by a nearby tree and then she went 54:12 into her house and she grabbed her Bible 54:14 she's crying, her husband is dead, neighbors are 54:17 gathering around what's going on Gloria. 54:20 She takes her Bible and she kneels by her 54:22 husband's dead body and she reads from the gospel 54:26 of John and she says, this is that my husband 54:30 believed and then she said, Satan did not win 54:35 the battle today, God did. Amen. 54:40 She got up and she kept on preaching the gospel 54:44 after losing her husband in such a painful 54:47 nonsensical way Gloria kept on going. 54:51 God won the battle. Now there is a woman 54:55 who's fully persuaded. The songwriter says I'm 55:02 standing on the promises of God. Standing on the 55:07 promises that cannot fail, though the howling 55:12 winds of doubt and fear fail, I'm standing on 55:16 the promises of God and by the living word of 55:20 God I shall prevail. Standing on the 55:25 promises of God. Who is standing with me? 55:31 Who is standing with me on the promises of God. 55:42 The promises that cannot fail. Standing on the 55:44 promises of God. And you know my experience 55:51 being here preaching at GYC has been a test 55:54 of my fully persuadedness. You know when they 55:58 first asked me to preach. I remember I almost 56:01 fainted. That's it myself Lord I'm only 24 years 56:06 old just graduated, I'm a chemist, 56:09 I don't have any theology training. 56:12 Barely a year of experience in preaching. 56:14 What I might gonna say to GYC. And God's answer 56:19 to me was Thando, are you fully persuaded that 56:23 in your weakness my strength is made perfect. 56:26 Amen. Are you fully persuaded? 56:29 And in front this shy 24 year old is preaching to 56:32 you today that's a miracle of the grace of God. 56:37 Are we fully persuaded friends, that what God 56:39 has promised even when we don't see it or 56:43 feel it. It's still true because God has 56:46 promised. And it's one promise you can be sure 56:50 will never ever fail. God has never 56:51 failed anybody. Don't accuse Him of failing you. 56:57 God never lied, it's impossible for 56:59 God to lie. We will overcome, 57:04 we'll go all the way. We'll have the backbone 57:08 to stand up and face the trials, because God 57:12 has promised. Show some backbone friends. 57:17 People in the world suffer for foolish causes, 57:21 who will suffer for Christ's sake? 57:24 And suffer and counted all joy because God 57:27 has promised. Yes, it hurts but count 57:29 it all joy, because God's promises as sure 57:34 as sure can be. God has promised. 57:44 And in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 12, 57:47 Paul fully persuaded writes, 57:53 that even though he suffers these bonds 57:55 nevertheless he is not ashamed. For I know whom I 58:01 have believed and I'm persuaded that he is able 58:07 to keep what I've committed unto him 58:09 against that day. May God help us to be 58:17 fully persuaded that he is able, 58:24 that he is able and if we believe 58:26 this there's no turning back. |
Revised 2014-12-17