Faith and Faithfulness

As we come again toward the end of another year, and we prepare for what lies ahead in the coming year, there are a good number of us who find ourselves making resolutions and goals for the coming year.  I have done this several years, and have sometimes found this to be a very powerful time to make goals for life accomplishments and changes.

When we consider what the Bible has to say on this issue of resolutions and goals, it is often our tendancy to focus on either the importance of my obedient faithfulness of my disobedient failures. 

Considering our faithfulness, as humans to want to be faithful, and not drop the ball.  We don't want to fail.  Many Christians that have focused on the gospel and grace have downplayed to some degree the importance of our faithful obedience.  Consider that there are over 380 of God's promises that require faithful obedience either as a condition to be eligible or as an expected response.  This is no small issue.  Many of the blessings God offers require our faithful obedience.

Considering our failures, we are told that we've all dropped the ball.  When we are honest with ourselves, we know this to be true.  Further, we know that this is not a past tense (once upon a time) problem, but that we still continue struggling to live in faithful obedience, and that this struggle won't end while we are alive on earth.  This can be discouraging for sure.  BUT, there is such an amazing balancing side of this that is the Grace of God.  God's promises also contain a collection of over 180 promises that the only condition is that I believe in Him, trust in Him, hope in Him.  These promises are not tied to my performance, they only require that I trust in the faithfulness of God.  It is among this group of promises that we find forgiveness, healing and salvation. 

While our love for God must lead to obedience, His love for us was such that He offered promises of blessing to us even when our obedience fails.  So whether we resolve and succeed or resolve and fail terribly, let us consider the amazing faithfulness and love of God as we close out the new year and start the next.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Take Comfort

One of the greatest promises that we have been given in the Bible is that "the best is yet to come".  We are promised that for all who enter heaven: we will be in God's presence, we will see and experience amazing things, we will be free from pain and death.  Check out some of these amazing promises!

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:3-4

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  II Cor 4:17

There are more too, but I am so drawn at this time to consider the comfort of God.  As families, communities and even our nation suffer loss, feel death and grief, it is so GOOD to know that GOD will bring comfort.  He promises it in Isaiah 51:12 and Matthew 5:4. 

Children, families, communities that now suffer loss.  I cannot bring you healing, but I pray for your healing. I pray for you to receive comfort from the Comforter, and that His gentle hand would this week wipe away the tears.  Let us be reminded together of the day when indeed there shall be no more death and no more pain.

 

A Christmas Promise

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Let's take a few minutes away from the cookie baking, shopping, and party planning to remember the promise that made this season possible!!  He has truly given us such an amazing gift in sending Jesus Christ to live with us and die for us.  Enjoy the words and the music of this song; it has sure been a blessing to me this last few weeks. 

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.   Isaiah 9:6-7

God's Faithfulness

I had a pastor during my college years who several times I heard state the following quote:  "God's past faithfulness demands my present trust in Him."  It actually took me several times hearing pastor Rob speak on this topic for it to sink in, but once it sunk in it has become one of my favorite quotes. 

It is so important to consider the faithfulness of God.  It is seen in so many ways.  You can see it in creation.  You can see it in His described desire for an intimate relationship with us.  You can see it by His patience and forgiveness.  You can see it in how He has pulled you or others through a very difficult situation.  You can see it in answered prayers.  You can see it in His supplying for your needs.

 

So, when you and I are in a tight spot... depressed... alone... confused... in need... and wondering if God will come through, one of the greatest weapons that we have against doubt is the past faithfulness of God.  It is a great exercise to look back over your life and just consider the faithfulness of God.  It is this unfailing faithfulness of the all-powerful God that now DEMANDS that you trust Him with what you are going through. 

Check it out in the "Promise Project".  There are 37 of God's promises Bible specifically on God's Faithfulness.  (There are actually plenty more that weren't listed under this category, but could have been.)  Here is one of my favorites...

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  Heb 10:23

How Can I Help?

On the chance that you have been reading through this blogsite or looking at the "Promise Project" Excel file, and are wondering how you could help expand the use and benefit of this tool, I would invite you to help out in any of the following ways:

• Comment back on posts and your views on promises.  I have envisioned this blogsite to be a place where people could engage in dialogue on God's Promises. 
• Sign-up to receive the blog, and get involved in the dialogue.
• Share this blogsite with your friends.  I would love to expand the reach and audience of this tool.
• Excel file development on the "Promise Project".  There are several features I could see potentially adding to the "Promise Project" to aid in usefulness and user-friendliness.  I'd love to have a few Excel whizzes to bounce ideas off of and assist here.
• Blogger/Google: Help out with Google Docs, Google Analytics, or Blogger to help me better manage the blog site and file sharing.

If you are interested in helping out, I welcome the help and feedback.  Please feel free to drop me a call or e-mail, and let me know.  Thanks again for your interest and help as we make much of the promises of God.

A Rainbow Around the Throne

"...and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald." - Rev 4:3b

While the description of God's throne room in heaven sounds beautiful and really magnificent, there is something else that we see in this description found in Revelation chapter 4.  We are told that there is encircling the God's throne a rainbow. 

To get the significance of this, we must remind ourselves what the rainbow's significance is.  It was the sign of God's promise with men that he would not again destroy the earth with water.  God voluntarily gave a promise to men, and gave the rainbow as a sign of this promise.  This was really the first of God's global promises given to men that he gave a sign for all to see

Now in God's throne room we see a rainbow encircling God's throne.  Not only is it a thing of beauty and light, but it is a sign of His promises.  I believe that it is a reminder that the ONLY way to approach God is on the basis of His promises, to come both humbly and boldly, believing in His promises.  If we come before God on another basis, we will miss Him. 

This is yet another great reason to focus on the promises of God and to make much of His promises.  They are the very key to approaching Him and knowing Him.

Better Than Disneyland

We just recently took our first ever family vacation to Disneyland.  And let me tell you, boy was that a neat experience for all 5 of us.  We had a blast!!  We had begin telling the kids about our plans to make a trip to Disneyland for over a year now, and as the plans for this trip got closer and became more and more a reality, the kids got more and more excited about it.  However, Anni and I had purposely kept back a lot of information about what we'd see and do while we were there.  This really made the trip all the more fun, because there was a real element of surprise and wonder with a lot of what Disneyland is.  Although our kids eagerly waited for the trip, there was still a great deal of mystery to it.

So too, we have been given some awesome promises about the eternal life that we have been given, and the inheritance we're offered in heaven.  Yet there is so much that we don't know.  We're told that no eye has seen, and no mind has comprehended the things God has in store for us.  Paul was given a vision of heaven, and then stated that he could not describe in human terms the things that he saw.  I really believe that the promises are there to whet our appetite for things eternal.  However, no matter how excited we get about heaven or how much attention we devote to it, it will never be as much as we should.  I believe that if we really knew firsthand what awaited us there, we would not wish to think on or focus on anything else.  It would be central to our decisions, the primary topic of our conversations, and an amazing motivator to live godly and righteously in this present age.  Let's cling to His promise of Christ's heavenly kingdom that is (despite marketing efforts to suggest otherwise) better than the happiest place on earth.

Is That A Promise?

One of the challenges that I have faced in building this list was deciding which verses are promises.  Some are very plainly stated as promises and intended to be read as such.  Others are much less direct in the way that they are stated.  You may read some of the verses that are included in the list and wonder why they are there.  I wrestled with this a fair bit too.

A big part of my decision in how I have read these verses and included them into the Promise Project has to do with the character of God.  God, the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present Creator and King of the universe is said to be immutable (He does not change).  This means that a statement of fact about God or His character is as reliable as a promise that we can cling to.  Many of these statements in the Bible are stated about God rather than by God.  However, knowing that God inspired and authored every word of every verse, He intended for these facts about Himself to be included and known.  So, when you and I read a statement of fact about the faithfulness of God or His forgiveness of sins, I believe that we are on solid ground to cling to these promises just as much as the verses where God says, "I promise".

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?   Numbers 23:19

God is With Us

Several years ago while out on a business trip, I was jogging through a college campus, and caught sight of a memorial with the inscription "And the best thing of all is, God is for us."  I mulled on that over and over for the rest of that jog, and really like this thought.  Truly, this is the best thing of all, even better than an In-N-Out double-double or vanilla ice cream with fresh sliced mango on it.

As much as I love the fact that "God is for us", I am truly blessed to know also that "God is with us."  This is amazing when you stop to think that the Creator of all things, the all-powerful God of the universe is with you, with me, right now.  There are 72 promises in the Bible where God makes promises that He is with us (or with a certain individual).  Among all of these, my personal favorite is the promise that He makes to Joshua in the first 6 verses of the book of Joshua.  Check them out!  A focus on the reality of the promise that God is with me will lead me to live very boldly and follow God's commands.

One of the other stories that I love about God's presence is the nation of Israel and their 40-year journey through the desert wilderness of Canaan.  It is during this journey that we see God visibly leading His people by His presence in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night.  These pillars must have been an amazing comfort to the people in a difficult place.  Oftentimes I have thought how nice that must have been to have a clear sign right in the sky indicating to me "head over this direction" or "you're going to camp here for the night."  Not only was God's presence helpful in providing direction, God was comforting the people with His presence.  How perfect was that?  A pillar of cloud in the day!  That must have been great; a little protection from the heat of the relentless desert sun.  A pillar of fire at night!  They didn't have a nightlight with them, but could still see, and even keep warm by the fire as the desert cooled off at night.  God's presence is indeed very good!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.    Isaiah 43:2

With Apologies (part 2):

This may be more of a disclaimer than an apology, but the "With Disclaimers" sounded odd.  So, this is addressed to everyone who has taken the time to study the Promise Project and has disagreed with the way a promise has been interpreted or analyzed.

It hit me in doing this project how many of God's promises require interpretation about who it was spoken to, what it means, what conditions it is contingent on, etc.  Much of this interpretation is very subjective and is influenced by doctrines and beliefs.  You may see some or many of the promises differently than I have written them.  In providing the analysis in the project, there have been many promises that I really had to stew on and mull over in context to write what I have.  That doesn't mean that I am correct in each of them.

I am no more qualified than most people that will view this, and much less qualified than some.  My only true qualifications in this is are love for God and His promises, and time spent with Him studying them.

That said, I welcome your comments and suggestions about the promises as currently written in the project.  Please feel free to voice your opinion over where you disagree or feel that my presented view is not correct.  I would like to keep the project living and updated.  The very purpose of this blog is to help open up this dialogue between many people who would begin to study God's promises in a new depth, and to share what they are learning.  I would love to incorporate your feedback to make the project better than it is today.

With Apologies (part 1):

In the creation of this blog, there are really two apologies that I feel I must make.  I will break them up into two parts as they are really for very different reasons.

The first apology goes out to every visitor to this site who knows me personally who is thinking something along the lines of:  "Wow, this guy really offended me or hurt me." or "What is he doing writing about God's promises when I've seen him do this or heard him say that?"  To every one of you who are thinking something along these lines, let me sincerely say "I'm sorry."  

My apology here is personally that I'm sorry that my actions have offended or hurt you, whether this occurred 20+ years ago, two years ago, or just the other day.  The other part of this apology is that such a beautiful project as this with as amazing of content that I have set to explore is tainted with my own shortcomings (both past and present).  

Along with my two-part apology here, I would like to extend to you a two-part invitation.  I invite you to dialogue with me personally about anything you feel I have wronged you.  Secondly, I invite you to challenge me to live in faith, to walk in the light, to live for His glory.  As we head down this road together of making much of the promises of God, we will be challenged to change how we live, what we say, where we focus, and who we are.  I am forever in debt to God's grace, and this project will not change that.  Actually, to the contrary, this project has reminded me all the more how thankful I am for His grace.

IRREVOCABLE: ἀμεταμέλητα

This has been one of the most awesome promises that has meant so much in my life.  The verse is Romans 11:29  "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."  Your bible translation may read "without repentance", which is a very accurate translation of the Greek verb used here.  Here is how this verse is stated in the Amplified Bible:

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]    - Romans 11:29

This is all such good news for you and I when we blow it, when we feel like a failure, when we wonder if we've made a wrong turn and are not sure if God's gifts or calling on our lives still hold true.  In addition to what is directly stated in this verse, character studies into lives like Moses and David are so great for building faith in God's holding true to His promises.

In a world where everything is based on our performance, or our bringing something to the table, it is so very wonderful and refreshing to have a God who will not revoke His promises.  I encourage you to take a look at the "Unconditional" promises of God that have no strings attached, no performance expectations, no loopholes or qualifiers.  Praise God for these promises that are founded and fulfilled in His good and complete character. 

The Promise that Started the Project:

I would like to share a little bit about the promise that started this project, as these are the verses that really got me fired up about studying and sharing the promises of God.

 "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."                 II Pet. 1:2-3 (NKJV, emphasis mine)

So there were three things that really hit me about these verses.  As I was meditating on what they mean one evening, the inspiration arose to begin an in-depth study of the promises of God.

1. God has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness.  You and I have been given everything that we need to live a good and godly life.  No deficiencies, no handicaps, no excuses.
2. The promises of God are "exceedingly great and precious".  Do I treat them as such?  Do I rely on them as situations arise?  Do I quote them to answer fear and doubt?  Do I share them with friends in need?  I am afraid that so many times the answer to these questions is that I do not give enough place and value to the promises of God.  These promises are truly great.  They are life-changing in so many ways.  May you and I come to see them as they are, great and precious.
3. The collection of God's promises have two stated valuable results:  allowing me to share in the divine nature, and providing me escape from the corruption that is in this world.  As God's promises take their proper place in my heart, they naturally build faith, they deepen my love for Him, they bring wisdom for daily situations, they destroy lies of the enemy, they bring about a deeper obedience.  I begin to see in many of these promises both the need for and the source of personal holiness.  God's promises to me allow me to partake of His own divine nature.  God's promises to me provide a means of escape of both the outer corruption that presses in and the inner corruption that grows from within.

So as you and I focus on God's promises, we will find that we are not wrong in making much of them.  Rather, their worth will shine through, as they change who we are.  We will take on a new personality.  They will take proper place in our hearts, as we begin to see them for what they are, "exceedingly great and precious".

Creation of a first blog:

So the idea came to me that creating a blog might be a great venue to share with friends and family and coworkers and customers and neighbors (and maybe even a few strangers) about a project that I began working on almost 2 years ago.  I have called this blog and the 2-year study prior to it the "Promise Project", and the project has become a very important part of my life.  This blog is what I believe will begin the next phase of the project, and I am excited to see what it will become, and where the Lord will have it go.  I would like to thank you for coming to this blog, and invite you to check out the posts and other comments.  More importantly, I want to come out up-front saying that much of the information in this project is my interpretation of Scripture, and this influences how I am posting much of the information.  I invite you to challenge me in this.  It is my heart to create a community where people are focusing on, analyzing, and comparing their understanding of the promises of God.  These some 2500 promises catalogued from the Bible are truly amazing and life changing.  I would like to invite you to join me in "making much of the promises of God."  You and I will be changed!