A Promise Is A Promise

--A Promise is a Promise!--

I. Introduction

Opening Scripture Reading

Psalm 105:39 He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. 40 They asked, and he brought them quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; like a river it flowed in the desert. 42 For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. 43 He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; 44 he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for-- 45 that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD.

At the beginning of our church service I read Psalm 105:39-45. In those verses it talked about the LORD remembering and sustaining the Israelites in the desert during the 40 years of wandering. It also spoke of the LORD remembering the promise He had made to His servant Abraham. When we read about the LORD, YAHWEH, remembering, we have to remember that the Lord only forgets one thing, and that one thing He forgets on purpose. That one thing is your past sins. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, your sins are remembered no more by the Lord. The Bible says they are cast away from Him as far as the east is from the west. But, on the other hand, when the Lord makes a promise or a covenant of blessings, protection, love, etc., you can be sure He won’t forget.

The Lord had made a promise that He would bless Abraham and His descendants, and, in Genesis 27 we are beginning to see the nation of Israel develop. Yea, yea, it seems a little on the shady side because of the deception of Jacob, but,

(Romans 8:28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Some things are put into motion by the Lord before a person is born. Knowing everything, the Lord is capable of Romans 8:28. Knowing your reactions today, the Lord paved the way for you thousands of years ago. Knowing your heart at this very moment, the Lord enabled history to ‘mesh’ together to work for the good of those who love him. If things are not going your way, AMEN, because they need to be going HIS way.

Your promises to your loved ones, your friends, and your co-workers are important to your testimony and to the Lord. They are important to your testimony because people know, or may be aware that you are a Christian and they may be thinking about putting their faith in Christ. And, that move may be based entirely upon your promises to them, or promises that they see you break with other people.

If you are a man or woman of your word, it will become known by people. If you are not a man or woman of your word, it will become known by people. Yes, your promises to your loved ones, your friends, and your co-workers are important to your testimony, and, they are important to the Lord. Your promises to the Lord are part of your Christian walk. Essentially, when you put your faith in Christ, you promised to follow and to walk in His ways. Essentially, when you put your faith in Christ, you promised that you would live your life according to His will and way for your life. And, if you don’t think you made that promise, well, then, I think we need to call your salvation into question.

Promises are important to God, and they are important to us. When the Israelites were wondering around in the desert, and preparing to enter the promise land, they were specifically told not to enter into any agreements with the people of the land. They were told not to promise or make a covenant with the people that occupied the land they were to claim. However, in Joshua, Chapter 9, though they were tricked, the Israelites entered into an agreement with the people of Gibeon and without the counsel of the LORD. They wound up losing many men in defending Gibeon against a battle by the five kings of the Amorites.

Promises are important to God because they should not be made without properly consulting the Lord’s will. In Joshua, 9:14, it tells us that they listened to the men of Gibeon tell them the lies about where they were from and what they wanted but the Israelites did not inquire of the LORD.

In chapter 25, of Genesis it talks of Esau ‘selling his birthright’. It says there,

(Genesis 25:33) But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.