promises

December 5, 2019

“The Best Is Yet to Come”

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. — Hebrews 11:39 NLT

Hebrews 11:32-40 NLT

All the people mentioned in Chapter 11’s Faith Hall of Fame were used greatly by God because they remained faithful to God through all of their trials and temptations. They earned a good reputation while they were here on earth, but none of them received all that God has promised them and us. The total fulfillment of the promises is yet to come. More of the promises were fulfilled at Calvary and after the resurrection. But the “better” thing that God had in mind for them and for us will only be given to all of us when Jesus returns to take us home to live with Him for eternity. By faith, we hang onto the hope of the complete fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Now we only get to see glimpses, but one day we will see all of it clearly.

12 Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me. — 1 Cor 13:12 NIV

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

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December 2, 2019

“Abraham, Who Had Received God’s Promises”

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac ​– Hebrews 11: 17 NLT

​Hebrews 11:17-22 NLT

Can you imagine the thoughts that must have gone through Abraham’s mind when God told Him to sacrifice his only son? Surely he wondered how God was going to fulfill His promise to make him a father of many nations, if he killed his son. But this matter was already settled in the mind of Abraham. This was the statement Abraham made in Genesis 22:5 ​

”​Then Abraham said to his servants, “You stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go over there. We’ll worship. After that we’ll come back​”​ (GW) (emphasis mine)

At that moment, Abraham didn’t know how God would do it, but he trusted God to provide and take care of both he and his son, Isaac. Isaac trusted God to carry out His promise through his sons, so he blessed both of them. Jacob believed the promise and blessed his 12 sons. Those 12 sons would become the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph believed that God would rescue his people, so he made them promise that when God led them out of Egypt that they would carry his bones back to the Promised Land and bury them there. All these promises were fulfilled and written down for us so that we might be believers as well. God is faithful!!

1 Kings 8:22-24 NLT

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous”

Post 12-02-2019

May 14, 2019

“Great and Precious Promises”

4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. — 1 Peter 4:4 NLT

Divine Nature

God created Adam and Eve in His image.  They did not have the advantage of having the Holy Spirit abide within them. After we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are daily being transformed by the Holy Spirit.  As we learn to follow His leadership more closely each day, we become more and more like Jesus.  In this way, we can share in His divine nature.  It is only as we learn to listen to that still, small voice and heed its teachings that we slowly escape the corruptions that are caused by our human desires.  As we grow Spiritually, we become less like the world around us and more like Jesus.  We are a part of the body of Christ.  He is the head and the same blood that flows through the head flows through the body.  So, we are “partakers of His divine nature”.  We are forever connected to the Divine source.  Just as a branch can produce nothing without the nutrients that flow from the root through the vine to the branch, we can do nothing in and of ourselves.  It is only as we drink and eat the goodness of God that we can become more like Him each day. If we are what we eat then we need to feast daily on His word and drink deeply of His Holy Spirit.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 05-14-2019

January 8, 2019

“God Can and Does Deliver On His Promises”

19 The king’s officer had replied, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!” And the man of God had said, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!” 20 And so it was, for the people trampled him to death at the gate! –2 Kings 7:19, 20 NLT

 2 Kings 7:1-20 NLT

Everything that Elisha had prophesied about the famine and then the abundance of food came to pass.  Not one thing was left out.  God had defeated an army by confusing them until they fought each other and then the rest ran away leaving all of their supplies which included the abundance of food they had stored for their sustenance during the siege.  Israel did not fight the battle and they did not lose one single soldier in getting the supply that God had promised.  The only person lost was the king’s assistant and he was trampled by his own people before he could get a bite of food. Every detail was fulfilled.  God has made us many amazing promises in His Word. We can believe those promises, access them and enjoy the benefits of living in His presence or we can try to make it on our own and experience defeat and death.  God is not a man that He should lie and He is not slack concerning His promises.  There is no fine print or legalese to interrupt, just promises made in simple langauge that anyone can understand. Don’t be like Pharaoh and choose to live with the frogs one more night.  Just believe God’s Word and start enjoying the benefits of lving in His resurrection power today.

Psalm 103:1-5 NKJV

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 01-08-2017

January 7, 2019

“Can God Deliver On His Promises?”


2 The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!”  But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!” — 2 Kings 7:2 NLT 

2 Kings 6:24-7:2 NLT


King Ben-Hadad of Aram had laid siege to the city of Samaria. When armies laid siege to a city, they completely closed off all entrances to the city.  No one was allowed to leave or enter.  In those times, the fields and pastures were outside the walled cities, so once the siege was laid, the people were isolated form their food supply.  This siege had continued for so long that people were eating donkeys’ heads and dove dung.  The famine was so bad that two women had even made a pact to eat their sons.  After one son had been eaten, the second Mother refused to fulfill her part of the contract.  The king of Israel blamed all of this misery on Elisha and God.  Of course, the real problem was the sins of the king and the people of Israel.  They refused to repent so God allowed exactly what He said would happen to happen. The refusal of the king’s assistant to believe Elisha’s statement is just more proof of their refusal to repent and accept God’s message and deliverance. How many times do we refuse to believe the word of the Lord and fail to see the fulfillment of His promises in our lives?  When God has revealed Himself as Jehoavah-Shammah, why do we feel abandoned?  When God says He is Jehovah-Jireh, our provider, do we still worry and fret over whether we will have enough of everything we need to sustain us?  When God says His name is Jehovah-Rapha, do we doubt that He can heal us? When we know His name is Jehovah-Shalom, do we refuse to access His peace?  Is God not able to deliver on His promises?   Can and does God deliver on His promise of abundance of food and the fate of the king’s assistant?  Check back tomorrow for the rest of the story.
“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 01-07-2019

December 9, 2018

Keep Your Promises to God

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4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. — Ecclesiastes 5:4 NLT

Eccl. 5:1-7
When we are having problems in our lives, we often make statements to God that we will do such and such if He will answer our prayers with a “yes”.  Then, when He has fulfilled His commitment and the seas are calm, we often forget to perform our part of the contract.  Perhaps, we have said that if God would bless us financially, we would increase our tithe and we haven’t done that yet. Or, perhaps we have felt that we were in physical danger and God delivered us in answer to our prayer but we have yet to fulfill the contract.. This puts our very lives and souls in danger. When we make a vow to do this or that for God, we must be careful to fulfill this vow as quickly as possible. Take the case of Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts.  They sold a piece of property for an amount of money, how much we don’t know.  Ananias and his wife had agreed to keep part of the money but to tell the apostles they were giving the full amount. Ananias brought some money to the apostles and told them that it was the full amount of the purchase price. This was not true and when Peter pointed out that Ananias had not only lied to them but to the Holy Spirit, Ananias was struck dead immediately. The same thing happened when Sapphira came in and told the same story.  
Acts 5:1-10
We must be very careful when we make vows and promises to God. He is not a man that He should lie and we cannot keep secrets from Him.  If we have made a commitment to Him, whether the commitment is financial, more time spent with Him or a change in our lifestyles, we must be careful to make sure that our actions are consistent with our promises.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 12-09-2018

May 30, 2018

“Always Yes”

even-smaller-bug-light1

20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. – 2 Cor. 1:19-22 NLT
 
 1 Cor. 1:19-22 NLT
There are testimonies upon testimonies of God’s faithfulness, not just in the Bible, but in the lives of Christians since the first century until today.  I am constantly amazed when reading the personal testimonies of our brothers and sisters who are persecuted, imprisoned and questioned by the authorities on a daily basis.  They tell story after story of how God strengthens them and comes to their rescue.  We have all of these testimonies plus the stories of modern day miracles with which God still so richly blesses us.  Then, of course, each of us have our own stories of how God saved us from eternal punishment and condemnation, the miracle of resurrection power. We can look back over our own lives and see how the hand of God has delivered us from bad situations and even saved us from physical death. If we don’t see any, perhaps, we are looking for what we consider to be “big” things.  Every good thing that happens to us is a fulfillment of the promises of God. The fact that we are alive today is a gift from God.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. — James 1:16-17 NIV

He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us and He has kept that promise. Because He put His Spirit in our hearts, we can never go anywhere without Him. We are constantly surrounded by angels who watch over us and protect us.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. — 2 Kings 6:16, 17 NIV

We thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and your mercies which are new every morning!

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 05-30-2018

May 6, 2016

Gift After Gift After Blessing

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16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. — John 1:16 NLT
16 Because he was full of grace and truth, from him we all received one gift after another. — 1 John 1:16 NCV
John 1:14-18 NLT
All the blessings and gifts that we receive while we are here on earth are because Jesus was and is full of grace and truth. There is nothing we can do to earn these blessings.  If we could earn them, they would not be called gifts.  Every blessing and every gift is given for one purpose and one purpose only.  They are to be used to further the works of the Kingdom of God.  We do not need to be worried or concerned that God will run out of blessings and gifts.  No matter how much He gives, there is always more to be given.  As we use these blessings and gifts to further God’s work, we lay up our rewards in heaven.  God has given us everything we need to live a Godly life here and has given us promises of an eternity with Him.  The fulfillment of those promises is the hope that helps us to endure persecutions and to share His Divine nature while we are here on earth.
1 Peter 1:3-7 NLT
Let us be thankful for all of the blessings He pours out for us and rejoice that we can share in His goodness every day.
Post 5-6-2016
April 14, 2016

No Secrets

even-smaller-bug-light14 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. — Ecclesiastes 5:4 NLT

Eccl. 5:1-7
When we are having problems in our lives, we often make statements to God that we will do such and such if He will answer our prayers with a “yes”.  Then, when He has fulfilled His commitment and the seas are calm, we often forget to perform our part of the contract.  Perhaps, we have said that if God would bless us financially, we would increase our tithe and we haven’t done that yet. Or, perhaps we have felt that we were in physical danger and God delivered us in answer to our prayer but we have yet to fulfill the contract.. This puts our very lives and souls in danger. When we make a vow to do this or that for God, we must be careful to fulfill this vow as quickly as possible. Take the case of Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts.  They sold a piece of property for an amount of money, how much we don’t know.  Ananias and his wife had agreed to keep part of the money but to tell the apostles they were giving the full amount. Ananias brought some money to the apostles and told them that it was the full amount of the purchase price. This was not true and when Peter pointed out that Ananias had not only lied to them but to the Holy Spirit, Ananias was struck dead immediately. The same thing happened when Sapphira came in and told the same story.  
Acts 5:1-10
We must be very careful when we make vows and promises to God. He is not a man that He should lie and we cannot keep secrets from Him.  If we have made a commtiment to Him, whether the commitment is financial, more time spent with Him or a change in our lifestyles, we must careful to make sure that our actions are consistent with our promises.
Post 04-15-2016
March 28, 2015

Truly Blessed

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.—Gal. 3:19-22 (NIV)
​Why, then, was the law given at all?​ It was given because the people were living lifestyles that were displeasing to God and opened themselves up to total destruction. God, moved with compassion gave them the law that they might know exactly what He expected of them. The law was their teacher to show them that they were unable to live the life God desired. In giving the law, did God nullify His covenant with Abraham? Absolutely not, He could not and would not do that. But at the same time, the law had no life in it, therefore when the people transgressed the law, there was no Redeemer to reconcile them with God. Ever since Adam sinned, the world was under the control of sin, Therefore, until Jesus the perfect lamb without blemish was sacrificed on the Cross, the promises that God had made to Abraham could not be fulfilled. So, the promise that “all nations would be blessed through the Seed of Abraham” is fulfilled by the New Covenant of living under grace. Now, anyone who comes to the Throne of Grace and asks for forgiveness can receive it. So, people of every nation are truly blessed to become children of the Most High God.
Post 03-30-2015