WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE
HEBREWS 6:13
INTRODUCTION: PROMISES ARE OFTEN MADE FROM THE MOUTH AND NOT FROM THE HEART, THEREBY, RENDERING SUCH PROMISES FRUITLESS, FRAGILE, AND FRUSTRATING. MANY OF US, IF NOT ALL OF US HAVE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF BROKEN PROMISES. FAMILY, FRIENDS, YEA EVEN LOVED ONES HAVE MADE PROMISES THAT THEY DID NOT KEEP. BUT, AT THE SAME TIME MANY OF US HAVE ALSO MADE PRIMISES THAT WE DID NOT LIVE UP TO.
IN A REAL SENSE, “A BROKEN PROMISE IS A BROKEN DREAM, AND THINGS ARE NOT AS THEY SEEM, WHEN ONE FAILS THEIR PROMISE TO KEEP, WITH SADENED HEARTS OUR SOULS DO WEEP. BUT ALAS, THOUGH DISAPPOINTED OUR SOULS DO GLITTER, AS WE GROW BETTER THOUGH OFTEN BITTER.”
SOMEBODY HERE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE THE FLOORMAT OF PROMISE SNATCHED FROM UNDER THEM. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE IS ONE WHO WILL NEVER BREAK HIS PROMISE. THERE IS ONE WHO ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD. THERE IS ONE WHO ENDORES EVERY ONE OF HIS PROMISES WITH HIS HOLINESS. THERE IS ONE WHO NEVER FAILS, SLEEPS OR SLUMBERS. WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE, YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT HE CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS HE CAN DO.
I. TEXT
THE ENIGMATIC WRITER OF THIS EPISTLE REVEALS THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD IN KEEPING HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM. GOD MADE AN OATH AND SINGED HIS OWN NAME TO IT TO GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD COME TO PASS. AS A RESULT OF ABRAHAM’S FAITH, THE TEXT SAYS THAT HE OBTAINED THE PROMISE. WHILE HE DID NOT SEE IT IN IT’S TOTALITY, HE SAW ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT GOD NEVER GOES BACK ON HIS WORD.
I’M SO GLAD THAT GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT LIKE OUR WAYS. BECAUSE IF GOD ACTED LIKE US, WE WOULD NEVER RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS AND PROMISES THAT HE PROVIDES. ISAIAH 55:8 STATES, “FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS, SAITH THE LORD.” IN OTHER WORDS GOD IS SAYING, MY ACTIONS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS, I CAN FULFILL MY PROMISES TO YOU EVEN THOUGH YOU FAIL TO KEEP YOUR PROMISES TO ME.
SOMETIMES IT APPEARS THAT GOD TAKES US ON DETOURS BEFORE HE FULFILLS HIS PROMISE. IF HE DOES TAKE US ON DETOURS IT’S OFTEN BECAUSE OF SIN IN OUR LIVES. SO GOD HAS TO TAKE US THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, AND THE RED SEA BEFORE WE RECEIVE HIS PROMISE.
II. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND WHENEVER WE DON’T LIVE UP TO THE CONTRACT, GOD IS JUSTIFIED IN VOIDING THE CONTRACT. SOME OF GOD’S PROMISES ARE BASED ON CONDITIONS, OTHERS ARE FREELY GIVEN.
GOD DOES NOT MAKE PROMISES JUST TO MAKE PROMISES. HE MAKES THEM FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ONE, HE TESTS OUR FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM. GEN. 22:16-18 TEACHES, “BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN, SAITH THE LORD, FOR BECAUSE THOU HAST DONE THIS THING, AND HAST NOT WITHHELD THY SON, THINE ONLY SON: 17THAT IN BLESSING I WILL BLESS THEE, AND IN MULTIPLYING I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED AS THE STARS OF THE HEAVEN, AND AS THE SAND WHICH IS UPON THE SEA SHORE; AND THY SEED SHALL POSSESS THE GATE OF HIS ENEMIES; 18AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED; BECAUSE THOU HAST OBEYED MY VOICE.” TWO, HE MAKES PROMISES THAT WE MAY BE STRENGTHENED, WHICH IN TURN WILL CAUSE US TO GLORIFY HIM, PSALM 50”15 TEACHES, “AND CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE: I WILL DELIVER THEE, AND THOU SHALT GLORIFY ME. “ THREE, AS OUR FATHER IT IS HIS PARENTAL PEROGATIVE. HE TAKES PLEASURE IN FULFILLING HIS PROMISES TO US. PSALM 37:4-5 STATE, “DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD; AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE THE DESIRES OF THINE HEART. 5COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD; TRUST ALSO IN HIM; AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS. “
SO MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, IF WE WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE FULFILLED PROMISES IN OUR LIVES WE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO GOD. BECAUSE WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE, HIS PROMISE IS SURE. WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE, HIS PROMISE IS SOUND. WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE, HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN BRING IT TO PASS, WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE, HE DOES NOT GO BACK ON HIS WORD. WHEN GOD MAKES A PROMISE, IT CANNOT BE VETOED BY CONGRESS, SUPERCEEDED BY ANY AUTHORITY.
I’M GLAD TODAY THAT WE HAVE A PROMISE KEEPING GOD. HE GAVE US A PROMISE IN THE PROVISION OF HIS SON. AND IF GOD MAKES PROMISES, SO DOES THE SON. THE SON PROMISES THAT IN MY FATHERS HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS, IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, AND IF I GO, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU UNTIL MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.
THANK GOD FOR HIS PROMISES. I’M STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD.
