"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians 1:20
When a person makes us a promise, we expect him to keep it. Usually, we have no doubt that they won't. So, I ask you, "Why do we act differently concerning the promises of God?". If we can believe a person who has no control over circumstances that might hinder him from keeping his promise to do what he says he'll do, why do we find it so hard to believe that God- who does have control and can remove obstacles and hindrances- will keep the promises He has made to us?
"God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us." (Hebrews 6:17,18- NLT) The difference in man's promises and God's promises is:
1) Man doesn't always have the means, or resources, to fulfill his promise; God does.
2) Man has no control over factors that might hinder him from fulfilling it; God is in total control.
3) Man is limited in his ability; God is unlimited.
4) Man isn't always faithful; God is always faithful.
5) Man has good intentions but not always able to fulfill them; God's intentions always come to pass.
6) Man can lie; God cannot.
7) God holds Himself accountable to do what He has promised; man will often excuse himself from his obligation to fulfill his promise.
8) Men makes promises to appease, knowing they can't fulfill them; God never appeases anyone.
9) Man sometimes forgets that he made a promise; God never forgets!
So why do we find it easier to believe people than we do to believe God?
It's because of WHO God is that we can trust Him to do exactly what He said He would do and keep His promises to us. He is NOT a man, and He is NOT like man. He is God who is able, who is trustworthy, who is faithful, who cannot lie, who will uphold His word even above His own name. If we can trust people to keep their word to us, how much more should we be trusting God to keep His.
Have a great day. God is a promise keeper... so why aren't we trusting Him to keep His promises?
For further reading:
Psalm 119:89
Psalm 105:42
Psalm 138:2
2 Peter 1:4
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
"Trusting"
"O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." Psalm 84:12
A couple of months ago my sister had neck surgery. She has gone back to work and is driving. Occasionally, she still has soreness in her neck from the surgery and doesn't have full range of motion. One day I had something I needed to give her. We both were in town so we decided to just meet somewhere. She was coming from the bank and I was driving by so we pulled into parking spots to meet. I got out and went to her vehicle to give her what I had for her. This happened to be one of the days she was having some pain when she turned her neck. When we had finished our meeting and as she started to back out of the parking spot, she asked me if anything was coming and was it clear for her to back out. I directed her to back out when the coast was clear and stood there in the street motioning for her to go backwards. She never looked back, she never tried to turn around, she just took my word for it that nothing was coming and backed out into the street.
My sister never once hesitated to back into the street without looking when I directed her to because she trusted me. She knew that I was not going to direct her into a situation that would hurt her. She knew that I would not steer her wrong. She knows I love her and would not let her do something that would put her in harm's way. She knew that if I said the street was safe for her to backup, she could backup with no fear of something happening to her. She trusted me totally.
How trusting are we of God? Do we trust the fact of His love for us? Do we trust that He won't "steer us wrong"? Do we trust His word when He speaks to us? Do we trust that what He does in our lives is something that will not harm us? Do we trust that He has our best interest at heart, always? Do we trust that He knows what He is doing in our lives even when we can't see it for ourselves? Are we totally dependent upon His word to navigate us through places because we can't do it for ourselves? Do we trust that all He desires for us is good and that He is working all things together for our good?
If we can trust a person because we know that person loves us, cares about us and will not do us harm, how much more should we trust our Heavenly Father when He says something to us because He loves us more than we can even fathom.
Have a great day. Do you trust God to lead you in the right way, even when you can't see that way for yourself?
For further reading:
Psalm 118:8
Proverbs 3:5
Psalm 73:28
Psalm 115:11
Isaiah 26:3
A couple of months ago my sister had neck surgery. She has gone back to work and is driving. Occasionally, she still has soreness in her neck from the surgery and doesn't have full range of motion. One day I had something I needed to give her. We both were in town so we decided to just meet somewhere. She was coming from the bank and I was driving by so we pulled into parking spots to meet. I got out and went to her vehicle to give her what I had for her. This happened to be one of the days she was having some pain when she turned her neck. When we had finished our meeting and as she started to back out of the parking spot, she asked me if anything was coming and was it clear for her to back out. I directed her to back out when the coast was clear and stood there in the street motioning for her to go backwards. She never looked back, she never tried to turn around, she just took my word for it that nothing was coming and backed out into the street.
My sister never once hesitated to back into the street without looking when I directed her to because she trusted me. She knew that I was not going to direct her into a situation that would hurt her. She knew that I would not steer her wrong. She knows I love her and would not let her do something that would put her in harm's way. She knew that if I said the street was safe for her to backup, she could backup with no fear of something happening to her. She trusted me totally.
How trusting are we of God? Do we trust the fact of His love for us? Do we trust that He won't "steer us wrong"? Do we trust His word when He speaks to us? Do we trust that what He does in our lives is something that will not harm us? Do we trust that He has our best interest at heart, always? Do we trust that He knows what He is doing in our lives even when we can't see it for ourselves? Are we totally dependent upon His word to navigate us through places because we can't do it for ourselves? Do we trust that all He desires for us is good and that He is working all things together for our good?
If we can trust a person because we know that person loves us, cares about us and will not do us harm, how much more should we trust our Heavenly Father when He says something to us because He loves us more than we can even fathom.
Have a great day. Do you trust God to lead you in the right way, even when you can't see that way for yourself?
For further reading:
Psalm 118:8
Proverbs 3:5
Psalm 73:28
Psalm 115:11
Isaiah 26:3
Thursday, December 24, 2009
"The Next Time"
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 1:18
"Was on this wise"- in other words, Jesus' birth took place this way. Jesus' first coming took place in a certain way. He came as a helpless baby wrapped in the likeness of sinful flesh. He was born into this world through a virgin. He came as a sacrificial lamb to take away our sins.
The prophets told us in God's word that Jesus would come. They told us where He would be born. They told us how He would be born. They told us all about it. And it happened- every last detail- the way it was said. The prophets and Jesus Himself told us that He will come again a second time. And this time it won't happen in the same way as it did at His first coming.
When He comes the second time He will come openly so that every eye shall see Him. He will be riding on a white horse. He will be coming in full majesty, as the victorious King of kings and Lord of lords. He won't come as the Lamb that takes away sins, but as the One who will judge sin and sinners.
Jesus came the first time just like God said He would, therefore, He will come again a second time like God says He will. He came the first time so that we could be prepared for when He comes the second time. Are you ready for His return? To be ready you must go to the manger first. You have to meet Him as a babe and a Lamb before you can meet Him as your King.
Have a great day... and a blessed Christmas. He came the first time as the Lamb that takes away sins, so that we could be prepared for when He comes the next time as the King.
For further reading:
John 1:29
Revelation 1:7
John 3:16,17
Acts 16:31
1 John 5:13
Luke 21:27
"Was on this wise"- in other words, Jesus' birth took place this way. Jesus' first coming took place in a certain way. He came as a helpless baby wrapped in the likeness of sinful flesh. He was born into this world through a virgin. He came as a sacrificial lamb to take away our sins.
The prophets told us in God's word that Jesus would come. They told us where He would be born. They told us how He would be born. They told us all about it. And it happened- every last detail- the way it was said. The prophets and Jesus Himself told us that He will come again a second time. And this time it won't happen in the same way as it did at His first coming.
When He comes the second time He will come openly so that every eye shall see Him. He will be riding on a white horse. He will be coming in full majesty, as the victorious King of kings and Lord of lords. He won't come as the Lamb that takes away sins, but as the One who will judge sin and sinners.
Jesus came the first time just like God said He would, therefore, He will come again a second time like God says He will. He came the first time so that we could be prepared for when He comes the second time. Are you ready for His return? To be ready you must go to the manger first. You have to meet Him as a babe and a Lamb before you can meet Him as your King.
Have a great day... and a blessed Christmas. He came the first time as the Lamb that takes away sins, so that we could be prepared for when He comes the next time as the King.
For further reading:
John 1:29
Revelation 1:7
John 3:16,17
Acts 16:31
1 John 5:13
Luke 21:27
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
"Dwell With Us"
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:23
"Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." It has always been God's desire to be with His people. From the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, God would come down in the cool of the day to be with them. When Israel wandered in the wilderness, the Ark of the Covenant- representing the presence and dwelling place of God- was to be placed in the center of the camp. When the nation went out to battle against the enemy, they were assured that the Lord would be with them. And throughout the entire Bible we see God's desire to be with us.
But there were two places where God desired to be with us that was not possible. First He didn't just desire to dwell among us, He desired to dwell within us. He desired to make our lives His tabernacle/dwelling place. The second was to dwell with Him throughout all eternity in His house. But as we said, neither one of these were possible. Our sins had separated us from God.
Because God does not change, and neither does His desire, He sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to dwell among us and at the appointed time give His life upon the cross so that it would be possible. Through Jesus' death we were reconciled back to the Father, placed back in right relationship with Him, now our bodies can become the dwelling place of His Spirit and we can live in the place that He has gone to prepare for us in His house.
He has provided a way for us so that we can dwell with Him, but we have to provide a place so that He can dwell with us. Although this is His desire and although He has provided the way so that we can now dwell with Him, He will not allow us to dwell with Him throughout eternity if we don't allow Him to dwell with us while we are here on earth. Have you provided that place for Him? Have you opened the door of your life so that He could come in and dwell with you?
Have a great day. This great and glorious God desired so much to dwell with us and have us dwell with Him that He did not spare His only Son to make that possible.
For further reading:
Exodus 25:8
Psalm 68:18
John 14:2
2 Cor. 5:19
Rev. 7:15; 21:3
"Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." It has always been God's desire to be with His people. From the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, God would come down in the cool of the day to be with them. When Israel wandered in the wilderness, the Ark of the Covenant- representing the presence and dwelling place of God- was to be placed in the center of the camp. When the nation went out to battle against the enemy, they were assured that the Lord would be with them. And throughout the entire Bible we see God's desire to be with us.
But there were two places where God desired to be with us that was not possible. First He didn't just desire to dwell among us, He desired to dwell within us. He desired to make our lives His tabernacle/dwelling place. The second was to dwell with Him throughout all eternity in His house. But as we said, neither one of these were possible. Our sins had separated us from God.
Because God does not change, and neither does His desire, He sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to dwell among us and at the appointed time give His life upon the cross so that it would be possible. Through Jesus' death we were reconciled back to the Father, placed back in right relationship with Him, now our bodies can become the dwelling place of His Spirit and we can live in the place that He has gone to prepare for us in His house.
He has provided a way for us so that we can dwell with Him, but we have to provide a place so that He can dwell with us. Although this is His desire and although He has provided the way so that we can now dwell with Him, He will not allow us to dwell with Him throughout eternity if we don't allow Him to dwell with us while we are here on earth. Have you provided that place for Him? Have you opened the door of your life so that He could come in and dwell with you?
Have a great day. This great and glorious God desired so much to dwell with us and have us dwell with Him that He did not spare His only Son to make that possible.
For further reading:
Exodus 25:8
Psalm 68:18
John 14:2
2 Cor. 5:19
Rev. 7:15; 21:3
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
"No Ordinary Baby"
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14
The baby that was born in a manger that first Christmas morning was no ordinary baby. He was the Word that was there in the beginning. He was the Word that brought the whole universe and this earth into existence when He said, "Let there be". He was the Creator who came down from heaven and clothed Himself with the same "garment" that He clothed us His creation with.
This was no an ordinary baby. There was nothing about Him that was ordinary. There was nothing about His birth that was ordinary. There was nothing about His whole life that was ordinary. And He did not come for an ordinary purpose. He was on a mission that no one but He could accomplish-- to redeem His creation from their sins.
When you look at the baby in the manger, you are not looking at just another baby. This baby was the Word that was there in the beginning; this baby was the One who spoke everything into existence; this baby existed before the earth did; this baby saw satan fall from heaven as lightening; this baby formed man out of the dust of the earth then breathed the breath of life into him and he became a living soul; this baby has always been and always will be; this baby is the one to whom every knee shall bow and tongue confess that He is Lord; this baby is the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords; this baby is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the Author and the Finisher, the first and the last; this baby is the victorious Savior of the world; this baby will one day be the Judge of the world and all will stand before Him. Although, He may have looked like any other baby, He was not.
This Christmas don't treat Him as ordinary. Don't treat this time of celebration as ordinary. Don't treat it like just another holiday that you would celebrate. Don't give more attention to everything but the baby that was born that first Christmas morn. That baby was also a gift that was given for you. (John 3;16). Don't treat the gift as ordinary.
Have a great day. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11) --- No ordinary baby.
For further reading:
John 1:1-3
Genesis 1:1-3, 26,27
Isaiah 9:6
Luke 1:26-31
The baby that was born in a manger that first Christmas morning was no ordinary baby. He was the Word that was there in the beginning. He was the Word that brought the whole universe and this earth into existence when He said, "Let there be". He was the Creator who came down from heaven and clothed Himself with the same "garment" that He clothed us His creation with.
This was no an ordinary baby. There was nothing about Him that was ordinary. There was nothing about His birth that was ordinary. There was nothing about His whole life that was ordinary. And He did not come for an ordinary purpose. He was on a mission that no one but He could accomplish-- to redeem His creation from their sins.
When you look at the baby in the manger, you are not looking at just another baby. This baby was the Word that was there in the beginning; this baby was the One who spoke everything into existence; this baby existed before the earth did; this baby saw satan fall from heaven as lightening; this baby formed man out of the dust of the earth then breathed the breath of life into him and he became a living soul; this baby has always been and always will be; this baby is the one to whom every knee shall bow and tongue confess that He is Lord; this baby is the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords; this baby is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the Author and the Finisher, the first and the last; this baby is the victorious Savior of the world; this baby will one day be the Judge of the world and all will stand before Him. Although, He may have looked like any other baby, He was not.
This Christmas don't treat Him as ordinary. Don't treat this time of celebration as ordinary. Don't treat it like just another holiday that you would celebrate. Don't give more attention to everything but the baby that was born that first Christmas morn. That baby was also a gift that was given for you. (John 3;16). Don't treat the gift as ordinary.
Have a great day. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11) --- No ordinary baby.
For further reading:
John 1:1-3
Genesis 1:1-3, 26,27
Isaiah 9:6
Luke 1:26-31
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