Simple Thoughts On Promises

[Shiloh62]

I promise to uphold and correct the constituition

[jeremiah7]

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Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. (Deuteronomy 6:18)

Why is it so important to do what is right and good in the Lord's sight? Moses, here says that, it is intimately related to your wellbeing and the Lord's promise being fulfilled in your life.

Regarding a couple of kings of Judah, the Bible says,

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.(2 Chronicles 14:2)

This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.(2 Chronicles 31:20)

All the years that these kings did good and right, the Lord blessed them abundantly, rescued them from their enemies and gave them peace. But later on when they did wrong and did not trust in God, they paid the price for it.

In his latter years as king, Asa chose to befriend a wicked king and God sent a prophet to him who said,

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."

King Hezekiah did an foolish thing of showing off all his treasures and riches to the envoys of a wicked Babylonian king and God had this to say to him,

The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.(2 Kings 20:17)

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Philippians exhorts them in this manner:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

To the Church at Thessalonica, he again writes,

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.(2 Thessalonians 3:13)

Surely, doing good and right is a pleasant sacrifice in the sight of the Lord and his blessings will be upon them that do so.

[jeremiah7]

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Sovereign LORD, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.(Luke 2:29)

During the days of Jesus' birth, there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the LORD's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign LORD, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Notice the part where it says, "Sovereign LORD, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace." Simeon indicates that he was just a servant waiting for a promise to be fulfilled in his life and then he could die peacefully. In other words, he wouldn't die till the promise was fulfilled. So he had to pray that it would happen. God made him pray.

Sometimes God does press upon some believers to intercede for others and their blessings would depend upon how they go about interceding for the people that God had asked them to intercede for. If you have been called to pray and intercede for others and you are slack in doing so, your own blessings may be hindered. There are others who when called to intercede, live the "Jonah life" and then undergo the "Jonah experiences".

Job, the Old Testament saint, was an intercessor.

God told Job's friends, "My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." So Eliphaz, Bildad,and Zophar did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer. After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.

If you are called to intercede, be faithful. Your blessings depend on your intercession.

[jeremiah7]

Simple Thoughts On Promises- 316

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. (Hebrews 6:12)

"Imitate them who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." That's what the author of Hebrews prescribes us as medicine if we happen to be lazy.

Here's some more pep talk from the author of Proverbs for the lazy...

Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. (Proverbs 10:4)

The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.(Proverbs 12:27)

Some believers dilly-dally a lot with regard to worship, prayer, meditation of the Word and eventually stagnate in their spiritual lives. They never seem to make up their minds regarding building their spiritual lives.

King Solomon wrote,

If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks. (Ecclesiastes 10:18)

There are many a leaking spiritual houses these days. Like Jonah who disobeyed God's command to go to Nineveh. When he was asked who he was, while on his way to Tarshish on a ship, he replied,

"I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."(Jonah 1:9)

Mostly true, but there are a couple of hidden things in that statement...like his disobedience and rebellion.

So, how's your spiritual life? Are the rafters sagging?

The Bible exhorts us,

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:8)

Jesus exhorts us,

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Revelation 3:11)

Let's give ear to the Holy Spirit's voice in these final days....and......"Imitate them who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

[Guest]

Amen!

[jeremiah7]

Simple Thoughts On Promises- 317

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? (Numbers 11:12)

Frustrations come easily in this earthly sojourn of ours, and Moses, the man chosen by God to lead the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan, was no exception. The constant bickering that he had to endure from the Israelites in the wilderness frustrated him no end and the dam burst forth one day and Moses cried out to the Lord........

"Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give us meat to eat!' I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now--if I have found favor in your eyes--and do not let me face my own ruin." (Numbers 11:11-15)

Quite pithy statements, I would say.

I think we have all felt like Moses sometime or the other in our lives too. He told God that the burden was too heavy upon him. He wanted to die. And there were several occasions where he desired to die....for several reasons.

But God had some instant answers for Moses.

The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone. (Numbers 11:16,17)

Wow! That would have been a big relief to Moses.

God saw his plea for assistance justifiable and provided a wonderful solution.

Is your plea justifiable in the Lord's sight? If yes, "Do not worry." He has a solution at hand. And you will see and experience it in your life very soon. Praise God for what you are about to receive. Yes, "Praise God."

[jeremiah7]

Simple Thoughts On Promises- 318

But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:22)

Have you read this verse before? It very clearly states the condition of the present world; meaning it's inhabitants collectively....A PRISONER OF SIN. Not all are prisoners though. There is a minority for whom the promise of eternal life will be fulfilled because they believe in salvation through Jesus Christ.

Long ago, during the days of Noah, the world had become a prisoner of sin and God destroyed it with a flood. The Bible says,

The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them." (Genesis 6:5-7)

And now again, the world has become A PRISONER OF SIN. And this is what the Bible has to say regarding this prisoner.

"By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:7)

Judgement and destruction is definite. So what must one do?

The Apostle Peter exhorts us in this manner,

"The LORD is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the LORD will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming."(2 Peter 3:9-12)

Summing it up, he writes,

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13)

The promise will be fulfilled for those who have trusted in Jesus and are living for him. Praise the Lord.

[jeremiah7]

Simple Thoughts On Promises- 319

You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. (Leviticus 25:20, 21)

The faithfulness of God is revealed in this promise from him to the Israelites. The Lord had earlier given this command to the Israelites through Moses:

"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you - for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you,

While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in. (Leviticus 25:2-6)

The seventh year was to be a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. The Israelites perhaps asked this question among themselves, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" It would have been a natural question so as to say, nothing unusual. Something like, if the Lord told you not to work for a year, when you have been living on your hard earned wages all through the past several years. "What will we eat if we don't work?"

Perhaps the Lord heard them asking the question and he spoke to them, assuring them that he was a just God when he asked them to keep his decrees. He said,

You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.

Now, you can't beat the Almighty when it comes to "giving". As someone said, "You can't out give God."

"A blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years." Isn't that wonderful....And God also promised,

While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in. (Leviticus 25:22)

No doubt, all this is from the Old Testament. But remember, God has not changed. He loves you. He asks for obedience even today. He will surely bless you if you obey him without questioning. Praise the Lord.

[Guest]

Amen!

[jeremiah7]

Simple Thoughts On Promises- 320

O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever. (2 Samuel 7:29, 29)

King David was overwhelmed with the plethora of promises that the Lord gave him through the prophet Nathan and here he acknowledges God