It doesn't exist.
And that, makes me very happy.
Can you imagine if God called us to live perfect lives? Yikes.
Sometimes I think certain people would like that from us. I know I've expected it out of others at times.
Abraham is used as the Bibles classic example of a man of faith. He is known as "the father who believes." How awesome is that?! He messed up so much... but the Bible says, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." (James 2:23)
REFRESHING!
It's so awesome to read about ALL Abrahams blunders and know that God still loved him, still stood by His promises to him, still was very gracious and patient with him.
I love how Abraham, not only once, but TWICE, told two different Kings that his wife was his sister, because he feared they would take his life if they found out his BEAUTIFUL wife, was actually his wife. Crazy. His fear over-powered the fact that his wife, was HIS wife. He was willing to take the chance and give her to the kings to spare his own life.
And, God spared them both times. He spared Abraham's life and he spared Sarah's humiliation. In the midst of our fear and our not so wise decisions, God can still spare us! And, He does!
Thank God He is gracious and patient with US too... not just the crazy people in the Bible.
I find it funny that Abraham had faith for the really BIG things... like when God told him to sacrifice his ONLY son... but then when it came to things like telling a King his wife was actually his wife... he didn't trust God to take care of that situation.
Abraham trusted God with a lot of the BIG... but not always the little.
I find myself relating to him quite a bit these days. I find myself trusting God for the BIGGEST thing in our life... building this Church and building this ministry, beINVOLVED. Trusting God for some pretty crazy things... because heck, it does not make ANY sense whatsoever.
BUT... we need new tires on our truck and I find myself wracking my brain how this is going to work. How we can afford them? What if they blow out before we save up the money?... etc, etc, etc.
God wants our small stuff too. He wants it all!
All God asks for is that we have Faith in Him. Not perfect Faith... just Faith. As small as a mustard seed, actually. When we have Faith and Believe... we are made righteous. No works can give us righteousness. Doing the right "thing" won't give us righteousness. Looking the right way, won't give us righteousness. Saying the right thing, won't give us righteousness. Reading the Bible and praying, won't give us righteousness. It is a gift... by having faith and believing in our living, loving God.
That's it.
Plain and Simple.
Matthew 17:20 ~ So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
James 2:23 ~ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
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