God Keeps His Promises
February 19, 2012 Evening Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: God keeps His promises in His timing; not ours.
Focus Passage: 2 Samuel 5:1-12
Supplemental Passage: For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:20 NASB)
Introduction: Peanut’s cartoon: Lucy and Linus were sitting in front of the television set when Lucy said to Linus, "Go get me a glass of water." Linus looked surprised, "Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me." "On you 75th birthday," Lucy promised, "I’’ll bake you a cake." Linus got up, headed to the kitchen and said, "Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to."
I. Valid Promises (see below for additional promises)
a. Everyone has a favorite promise of God
b. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b ESV)
II. Mis-understood Promises
a. Historically, the Jews have misunderstood God’s promise of the Messiah. They were looking (and still are) for a political king, not a spiritual one.
b. "Praying God's Promises" also means to respectfully hold God to His Word" For example: God you said in your Word that I have healing through the stripes of Jesus; therefore, I am expecting you to honor your Word by the healing of my body. Amen.
i. Here, there is a mis-understanding of “healing”. It is supposed by the writer that God was talking about physical healing. He was talking about spiritual healing, or salvation.
III. God’s Greatest Promise – Eternal Life
a. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 NASB)
b. Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, (Titus 1:1-2 NASB)
c. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7 NASB)
Invitation:
OTHER POPULAR PROMISES
Peace of mind. Philippians 4:6-7
Renewed fellowship with God. Jeremiah 29:13
Forgiveness for all sin. I John 1:9
More than we have dreamed. Jeremiah 33:3
The power of the Holy Spirit for witnessing. Acts 1:8
