God - the Maker and Keeper of Promises
Dear Friends,
When I was a child, back in the seventies, (yes, I really am that old!) our family had a Promise Box. In this box were many small pieces of paper rolled up and tweezers. Some mornings, during our family quiet time we would take it in turn to choose one of these scrolled papers. On each paper was a Bible verse - a promise of God. I used to enjoy it when it came to my turn to pick one and read what was written on it.
The Bible is full of God's promises. God is a promise maker and a promise keeper. He is always true to his word. Always trustworthy. Always dependable. There are so many examples in the Bible of the promises he made to his people and the fulfillment of those promises.
God makes unconditional promises - they are based on who he is, on his faithfulness and not on our actions or faithlessness. He is a God who cannot lie.
Keep in mind that the LORD your God is [the only] God. He is a faithful God, who keeps his promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9 (GW)
We read in Hebrews 11:13 All these died in faith (you can read about them in the earlier verses of that chapter) [guided and sustained by it], without receiving the [tangible fulfillment of God’s] promises, only having seen (anticipated) them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (AMP)
I recently read about a woman who would write down a promise of God in her notebook whenever she read one in her Bible. Sometimes she would write next to the promise the name of someone she believed the promise was for, such as a spouse, child, friend etc.
I thought this was such a good idea I've decided to implement it in my own life and keep a notebook next to my Bible and pen, ready for when I have my daily devotional time. I'm going to include the date with it so that I know when I read it and also a second date next to it when it is fulfilled.
I'm not talking about randomly writing down any promise verse. What I mean is, when I read my Bible each morning, if God shows me a promise within that reading or if he reveals it through another source (such as a daily Bible verse, or email devotionals, or a friend), then I shall write it down.
It will be a great resource to have. To be able to go back through it and re-read God's promises will encourage me and strengthen my faith and help me in my prayers, both for myself and for others. It will also be something I can leave behind for my children. Part of my legacy to them.
If any of my friends want to join me in this new adventure with God revealing his truth in his Word, then it would be great to get together regularly to share what we have in our notebooks. 😄
I'm excited to see what will be written down in my notebook over the coming year. I already have two promises for starters. If you've read my earlier blogs this year, you will know that they are Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 41:10.
To Think About:
Are there any particular promises of God which you are holding on to?
Do you continue to trust God even though you may have waited a long time for his promise to be fulfilled?
Will you join me in keeping a notebook and writing down the promises of God as you read them in the Bible? If you don't want to keep a notebook you may like to highlight the promises you read in your Bible and mark the date beside each one. If you're especially creative, you may like to start making your own Promise Box.
Vicki
When I was a child, back in the seventies, (yes, I really am that old!) our family had a Promise Box. In this box were many small pieces of paper rolled up and tweezers. Some mornings, during our family quiet time we would take it in turn to choose one of these scrolled papers. On each paper was a Bible verse - a promise of God. I used to enjoy it when it came to my turn to pick one and read what was written on it.
The Bible is full of God's promises. God is a promise maker and a promise keeper. He is always true to his word. Always trustworthy. Always dependable. There are so many examples in the Bible of the promises he made to his people and the fulfillment of those promises.
God makes unconditional promises - they are based on who he is, on his faithfulness and not on our actions or faithlessness. He is a God who cannot lie.
Keep in mind that the LORD your God is [the only] God. He is a faithful God, who keeps his promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9 (GW)
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. 21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (NLT)
Some of God's promises to his people were only partially fulfilled in their lifetime. For example, some of the promises God made to Abraham were fulfilled during Abraham's lifetime, whilst others came to pass many years later. Yet Abraham kept believing in the promises God had made to him because he knew God was faithful to his Word.We read in Hebrews 11:13 All these died in faith (you can read about them in the earlier verses of that chapter) [guided and sustained by it], without receiving the [tangible fulfillment of God’s] promises, only having seen (anticipated) them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (AMP)
I recently read about a woman who would write down a promise of God in her notebook whenever she read one in her Bible. Sometimes she would write next to the promise the name of someone she believed the promise was for, such as a spouse, child, friend etc.
I thought this was such a good idea I've decided to implement it in my own life and keep a notebook next to my Bible and pen, ready for when I have my daily devotional time. I'm going to include the date with it so that I know when I read it and also a second date next to it when it is fulfilled.
I'm not talking about randomly writing down any promise verse. What I mean is, when I read my Bible each morning, if God shows me a promise within that reading or if he reveals it through another source (such as a daily Bible verse, or email devotionals, or a friend), then I shall write it down.
It will be a great resource to have. To be able to go back through it and re-read God's promises will encourage me and strengthen my faith and help me in my prayers, both for myself and for others. It will also be something I can leave behind for my children. Part of my legacy to them.
If any of my friends want to join me in this new adventure with God revealing his truth in his Word, then it would be great to get together regularly to share what we have in our notebooks. 😄
I'm excited to see what will be written down in my notebook over the coming year. I already have two promises for starters. If you've read my earlier blogs this year, you will know that they are Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 41:10.
To Think About:
Are there any particular promises of God which you are holding on to?
Do you continue to trust God even though you may have waited a long time for his promise to be fulfilled?
Will you join me in keeping a notebook and writing down the promises of God as you read them in the Bible? If you don't want to keep a notebook you may like to highlight the promises you read in your Bible and mark the date beside each one. If you're especially creative, you may like to start making your own Promise Box.
Vicki
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