God’s Promises

Bulletin

Dan Peters
03/09/25 - God's Word

God’s Promises

What have we learned about God through his promises? I know many people do not keep their promises and this can lead to heartaches. When a spouse or close friend fails to keep their promise it can lead to disillusionment. And this disappointment internally is probably greater when we don’t keep our promises to others and to ourselves. Have you kept your word? When you say it, do you mean it? Even though you don’t call it “a promise”, you should feel committed to keeping what you said you would do. Jesus taught us not to make oaths, but let our yes be yes and no be no (Mat. 5:36-37).
When we don’t keep our promises, it normally comes back to something like, “I didn’t expect…” to happen. But God is unique in this regard,
“I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

If you were like God, you could see the end of your life from the beginning. Plus, you could examine every day in between. And specifically, you would know - remember- everything you said in your lifetime, even before you said it.
    “Even before there is a word on my tongue,
    Behold, O LORD, You know it all.” (Psalm 139:4).
Secondly, we don’t know what we are capable of doing, in keeping a promise. We might think we are strong enough, smart enough, willing enough, but we don’t know ourselves quite as much as we think we do. Peter found this out when he said to Jesus, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you” (Mat. 26:35). It was only a few hours later, Peter will deny he knows Jesus, three times. A promise not kept. Jesus was not overly discouraged with Peter, but told him that after he failed, to return, and strengthen fellow Christians. Jesus knows how to heal our own self-disappointments.
But God on the other hand, not only knows the end from the beginning, he knows what he will not do, that is to “lie”. He has the power to keep his word even beyond a our short lifespan. He made a “land” promise to Abraham, and over 400 years later it came to pass, just as God said he would, “So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it… Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:43-45). Do you now see why Christians continue to live for Jesus? God keeps his word. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me,” says Jesus. Believe in Jesus more than you believe in yourself. Peter did.                                               Dan Peters