This transcript is auto-generated.

Okay, lets try and draw some conclusions from this story. When the Lord appeared to Abraham and announced to him that his wife would bear a son, Sarah his wife listening in the tent laughed. God then exposed her unbelief and the Lord called her out and reminded her that with God all things are possible. But what I want you to put in your pocket and exit this 18th chapter of Genesis is this simple but invaluable piece of truth. That is, the way to deal with doubt whether it's your own or somebody else is to remember God's promises and God's power. You see we doubt because we look at our circumstances. The solution to any doubt is to look at His word, His promises, and His power. Not our own circumstances.

At the beginning of this section, we have covered in the first half of chapter 18 I brought up the fact that most people think doubting or unbelief is all about the big theological tenants of our faith. I’m not talking about that, for that is the domain of unbelief, not doubt and only non-Christians have to contend with unbelief. They will have unbelief about whether God is real, of Jesus is God’s son, or the Bible is his word. Those issues can all addressed by the Holy Spirit through evangelism and discipleship, by first of all getting people to hand over their lives to Christ in repentance and faith. Then followed by discipleship, training them in the faith through the study and application of God’s Word. What I am talking about here is the very real problem of Christian believers and that is doubt and the main doubt that Christians struggle with I think is doubting that the Lord has forgiven them.  I want to end this section by quoting you one more bible verse.

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”.

(1 John 1:7)

Isn’t it great if you ever doubt that God has forgiven you, this reminds us that;

“The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from most of all you sin?

Isn’t that great?” Did you notice it didn’t say the blood of Jesus cleanses you from 95% or 99% of your sin? There is no sin the blood of Christ does not cover? The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son cleanses us from all sin. Just in case you though there is something in your life that is not covered by God’s forgiveness let me remind you of a few people that God not only forgave but used greatly afterwards. Moses was a murderer, remember that wow, but he was forgiven. David was an adulterer, and he was forgiven. Peter denied the Lord, and he was forgiven. The Apostle Paul approved the killing of Stephen and found grace sufficient for his forgiveness. You see if you look at your Sin. If you focus on your sin, if you concentrate on your situation…. You will doubt. But if you focus on the Lord and his word you need not be afraid or doubt, because the blood of Jesus cleanses you from all our sin. Let me remind you of the last verse of this passage.

“Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

(Gen. 18: 15)

The story appears to end on a sad note doesn't it  Sarah lied. Do you think she ever got it? Do you think after she got past that huge initial lie? Was she ever able to face up to it and get over it? Let me read you Hebrews Chapter 11. A section out of what is sometimes called the roll call of faith. When all the great heroes of the faith are listed one after another

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore”.

(Heb. 11: 8-12)

That’s great stuff that's the solution to doubt Sarah doubted then she made it worse by not admitting she doubted, and she even lied about it. But in the end, God still judged her faithful, and he fulfilled all his promises through her.