Title: When You Can't Smile
Content (Sunday sermon on February 13th)
Genesis 21:1-8
The Bible we have is made up of the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is called the Old Testament, the Old Testament, and the New Testament is called the New Testament. What the Bible contains is the living Word of God who says that He will fulfill His promises. The Bible is a story of promise.
And this word of God's promise was continued through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, through numerous people of God, one by one, and one by one. The first chapter of the New Testament begins like this. “The world of Jesus Christ, the son of Abraham and David” (Matthew 1:1) The world of God here refers to the world of Christ and the world of promise.
God's promises apply even in times of trouble. This is not responding to circumstances, but responding to God's promises. Therefore, “believing in Jesus is not responding to circumstances, but responding to promises”. And the secret to the victory of those who believe in Jesus is not to look at difficult situations and become discouraged, but to hold on to the promise, the promise of God.
And our life can be a waiting. It is waiting for God's will, voice, and guidance. Again, this waiting means to expect, to hope. The Bible says that patience and waiting are the way to prosper and to be blessed. And to those who believe in the word of God's promise, God will make Sarah laugh as in Genesis 21:6-7.
Also, to believe in Jesus is not to believe in the laws of nature or supernatural, but to believe in the spirit world, the laws of the spirit. And the law of the Spirit is that things that seem unchanging are changed. Our filthiness and ugliness are made clean as snow by the blood of the Lord.
Faith in God's Word is important. What is common to those who experience the work of God is that there is faith in it. For those who believe, nothing is impossible.
And the Bible says the same thing as faith, which is obedience. The way to experience blessings and miracles is through obedience. This is spoken of in Deuteronomy 28:1-6.
God blesses those who obey and wait patiently. Seeds only bear fruit over time. Waiting is a blessing.
Those who believe, obey, and wait for God's Word will turn their lives around. So I will let you be the people you want to be in your life.