Promises

Promises are important. Keeping promises are even more important. I don’t think anyone can say otherwise. Promises we make to our children and grandchildren show our integrity when we fulfill them.

 

In the beginning, as God made promises to Abraham and Jacob, He proved over and over that He would keep the promises made.

 

The promise of a son. The promise of land. The promise of great nations. The promise of wealth. These were all fulfilled within the lifetimes of these men. But the promise of the Messiah would take generations before fulfillment.

 

In the book, “A Newcomer’s Guide to the Bible,” the author has this to say about God’s promises.

 

“Just because what He promises seems impossible, that does not preclude it from happening.”[i]

 

The promises God made to these men far exceeded their imaginations. Some were quite possibly outrageous to them. But in the midst of their disbelief, God fulfilled the promises and kept His promises to each of them.

 

Another statement that caught my eye says this about trust and faith.

 

“To truly trust God, we must be willing to maintain our trust even when what He says exceeds our comprehension. That is the essence of faith.”[ii]

 

We sometimes struggle with the same feelings that Abraham and Jacob felt. We disbelieve the promises of God. Surely He doesn’t intend to bless me in such a way because of my sinful behavior.

 

But guess what? He does! So what are some of the promises God has given to us? Let’s look at just a few.

 

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV) reminds us of God’s promises. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

 

All that we need spiritually is provided to us through God. Through God’s Holy Spirit we are able to live good lives and escape Satan’s snares.

 

Philippians 4:19 (NIV) assures us of God’s provision. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

 

With this promise, we are able to offer all of our concerns to God. It is His desire to be engaged in each part of our lives. As we share our needs with Him, He will meet them.

 

Which leads me to Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV). “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

He wants to carry our burdens for us. And with that comes the promise of rest.

 

In 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV), we are promised grace…all-sufficient grace and strength. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

 

What powerful words for believers! In all times, in all situations, day in and day out, God is all we need. His grace is all we need.

 

You and I know there are many more promises in God’s Word for us. When we take the time to search for them, we can rejoice in the fact that He loves us more than we could possibly imagine. He wants us to receive His promises.

 

Of course at this time of year I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the greatest fulfilled promise of all…Jesus. How thankful we should be because of God’s integrity in fulfilling His promises.

 

Today I ask that you take the time to thank God for His fulfilled promises in your life. I pray that you’ll never take them for granted and that He would continually receive the glory for all that you’ve received.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna



[i] A Newcomer’s Guide to the Bible, Michael C. Armour, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, MO, 1999, p. 49

[ii] A Newcomer’s Guide to the Bible, Michael C. Armour, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, MO, 1999, p. 49

 

Share
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Promises”

  1. Kirra says:

    Yay for College Press! LOL.

    It’s so easy for us to break promises, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It’s so good to know that that doesn’t happen with God.

    I love the quote from the book. It’s great to know that what looks impossible isn’t!!

  2. dsisler says:

    Yes, yeah for College Press…and the book. A close friend and I wrote a Bible study to accompany the book (to get people into the Bible). I’m working through it again with a young gal. Thanks for the comment. I need to respond to your email. Been super busy!

Leave a Reply

Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On Linkedin