October 14, 2014
Inheritance through Faith
A reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 4, 13 – 25:
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law produces wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.”
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as already dead for he was almost a hundred years old and the dead womb of Sarah. He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do. That is why, “it was credited to him as righteousness.” But it was not for him alone that it was written that “it was credited to him”; it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.
It is a fact that many young adults today do not go to church. When they were children they would go to church with their parents but once they reached about 18 years of age, many stopped going to church. They become so involved in the things of the world that they did not have time to pray or to go to church. What the young adults need is the Holy Spirit. It is important that they go to a Holy Spirit seminar and be filled with the Holy Spirit so that their faith may grow and their love for Jesus may be strong. In that case they will continue to go to church and be people of prayer.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“You have to believe even if you do not see My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who have great faith. Look at Abraham. He lived for many years with his wife Sarah but they did not have any children. The Father told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations but how could this be if he does not have any children.Yet Abraham believed what the Father had told him and after many years, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy. He was called Isaac. That was the only child that she had. This child would be the father of many nations as he was the son of Abraham. It is a fact that Abraham did not see that he was the father of many nations but it came to be after many years. He is the founder of Israel, the Jewish State. You too are the children of Abraham because you believe what he believed. I too your Redeemer am a descendant of Abraham and also of David. Faith is believing in all that the Father has told you even if you have not seen it. You are called to believe in Me, your Savior, yet you have not seen Me. However, the Apostles and others have told you of Me and they told you that I came forth from the tomb alive never to die again. You also believe that you too will rise from the dead at the end of the world. Believe with all your heart and come and follow Me and you will be blessed. I love you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. What a beautiful day we have for Thanksgiving. It was sunny all day.