What God Has Promised, He Is Able To
Perform
Rom.
When Abraham was an old
man and his wife Sarah was well passed the age of bearing children, God made
him a promise. He promised Abraham a son by his wife Sarah, through whom his
Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, would come, who would bring upon all the
nations of the earth the blessing of God's eternal salvation. And Abraham
believed it, because he believed that God was able to perform what he promised.
Many years passed. But Abraham still believed God. Many trials had to be
endured. But Abraham continued to believe God. The older he and Sarah got, the
less likely it appeared that they would have a son. The promise was
contradicted by all past history, all human reason, and all the apparent circumstances
of providence. It was "biologically" impossible for such an old
couple to have a son. And it was even more insane, (according to all human
reason), to expect that one of Abraham's descendants would be God in human
flesh, the Savior of the world. But Abraham "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 to perform."
Abraham acted according to his faith. He believed that God Almighty was able to
give him a son, that with him nothing is impossible. His faith had the
omnipotent God for its Object. And when he was a hundred years old God gave him
a son through the womb of Sarah, his ninety year old wife, according to his
promise!
This great work of God,
and Abraham's faith in him, is not recorded for Abraham's sake alone, but for
ours, that we might also believe God. All the promises of God to his people in
Christ Jesus are yea and amen (II Cor.
GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD YOU
II Corinthians 9:8
God makes his grace
abound toward his elect when he gives us any fresh discovery, enlarged
knowledge, or personal application of his eternal love and covenant mercy
toward us in Christ. And he is able to make all his grace abound toward you, no
matter who you are, where you are, or what you are. God can make his eternal
love and favor in Christ abound toward you. He can
bring you into the bond of his covenant (Ezek.
"Grace" is an
unlimited word. Like God himself, his grace is infinite and eternal. But in the
context Paul is dealing with believers in the area of giving, encouraging us to
be generous and cheerful in supplying the needs of our poor brethren and in
supporting those who preach the gospel. He is telling us that we will never
impoverish ourselves by being generous, even sacrificial, in giving. We must
never give hoping for or desiring reward. If selfishness and greed have any
part in motivating us to give, our gifts are an abomination rather than a
blessing. However, these two things are certain: (l.) God will always cause
what we give in faith to return to us with increase (Mal.
Don Fortner