Most all of us have dreams, or goals that we hope to accomplish or obtain in life. But along with those dreams and goals we have anxieties. Anxieties that those same dreams and goals, won't come to pass, or that we won't obtain them. Ever.
Have you ever felt like though, no matter your fears, that God has promised you something? Perhaps you haven't actually heard the His voice wake you out of a deep sleep, or reveal himself and his promise to you in a vision...or perhaps you have...yet, maybe you were made aware of God's promise to you in another fashion; though the words of a friend, in your quiet time with God, in his word, a sign... confirming occurrences, or words that appear over and over again to you... However you were awakened to the "voice of God", He did "speak to you", and you know it...Sometimes you might 'doubt' the fact that God made a promise to you, but you know that He ‘did’. How do you know? Because even when you may fear that perhaps God didn't promise something to you, still, deep inside you keep 'waiting', you keep 'expecting' what you hope for, to one day happen. You haven't given up on your desire for ‘what’ God has promised...but perhaps you just don't know if God will really keep his word in 'fulfilling it'?
'Promise' definition:
Noun: A declaration of assurance that one will do a particular thing, or that guarantees that a particular thing will happen.
Verb: Assure someone that one will definitely do, give, or arrange something; undertake or declare that something will happen.
Ever read the story of Abraham in Genesis? If so, did you notice that almost in every chapter of his story God tells Abraham that he shall have his own son…but Abraham has to be constantly reminded of God’s promise to him, because what he promises seems impossible.
Genesis 12: 1-2 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your Father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a ‘great nation’ and I will ‘bless you’; I will make your name great….
Then in chapter fifteen:
Genesis 15: 2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I ‘remain’ childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir. “ 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir. “ 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you ‘can’ cunt them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be”. 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Then in Genesis seventeen:
Genesis 17: 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, “O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shall call his name Issac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him.”
Notice here how Abraham says unto the Lord; “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” There are a few ways one might take this, but when I read it I think of all our failed attempts to ‘bring about’ God’s “will” in our lives. We do this, and we ‘do’ that, and there comes a time when we look up and ask God “O if only my attempts, if only my works could bring about your will!” But that's not the way it goes is it? We cannot 'make' providence happen in our lives, only the Holy Spirit can do that. If it were 'us' that made all the good things in our lives come to pass, and our dreams be fulfilled, then life would be all about 'us'. And it's not. What I think is that, if a man can 'make' happen his dreams all without God's help, then there's good cause to believe that his dreams were never Christ Centered, or focused on anything but the gratification of 'self'. Worthless dreams, that will not live after the individual is gone. I don't know about you, but I want what I do, my dreams to make an impact on the world, and those around me. I don't want something that will only bring happiness to 'myself'.
In Genesis eighteen 10- 14 God's messanger tells Abram and Her husband again, that they shall have a son.
And in Genesis 21:1-3 God's promise is fulfilled: And the Lord visted Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.....5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Issac was born unto him.
Sometimes God's promises take a long time to be fulfilled, but wow, He 'always' keeps his word.
Notice it took 25 years in this case, for what God promised concerning Abraham to come to pass. He was 75 when the promise first came to him that he would have a son, and 100 years old when it was fulfilled. Isn't God amazing? His timing is perfect. He perhaps waited until there was no possible way Abraham could 'do it on his own', and did the "impossible". I tend to believe God likes doing that. He comes when we realize that we can't possibly make our dreams come true on our own. His promises are like tickets. Tickets that never expire, nor are made void by impossibility. The train will 'chug' no matter the weather, no matter what. God's promises are true 'garantees'.
Sometimes though we get tired of waiting for God to 'answer our prayers' or 'keep his word' and in result we go to other things, or go for 'second best' or even doing things the 'world's way' (sinning) to get what we want...to take the place of what 'God has promised'; like Sarah and Abraham did in involving Hagar in their desire for a son. Genesis 16: 2- 5. Notice though what happenes when we 'jump the gun' and don't trust in God's promises? We bare fruit that doesn't line up to God's perfect will. I feel like we have the tendency to do the same thing, we we go to things, or do things that we know 'isn't what we should be doing' because God has promised more to us. But when God finall does fulfill his promises to us and our lives...we regret our hasty actions that we did when we didn't trust God would act on his promises; just like Sarah and Abraham did in Genesis 21:9-11...
God always keeps his promises, and fulfills what he has promised.
So what sort of promises has God made to you? There are some promises that God has made to all of his children.
He has promsied that he will never leave us or forsake us.
He has promised that he will supply all our needs according to Christ Jesus.
He has promised that we will be taken care of.
He has promised that those who trust in Him, He will direct their paths.
He has promised us eternal life.
He has promsied to give rest to those who come to Him.
He has promised peace and joy to those who's minds are set on Him.
He has promised victory for those who surrender to Him.
He has promised strength to those who seek it from Him.
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/the-promises-of-god-10-powerful-bible-verses-1/
The list goes on, and on, and on!
Do you trust God to make good his promises to you as his child?
Sometimes peace seems unibtainable. Sometimes shadows hider your sight. Sometimes the night stretches long into the morning. But peace can be yours, and the light can penetrate the darkness that surrounds you.
Trust in God. And for those of you who feel God has given you dreams, goals, visions...made a promise to you of a better life, or a life of influence...Don't settle for less. Joy comes with the sun rise, and one day you will wake up and God's will has had it's way in your life. If God has promised anything to you, you can be asurred that he will fulfill it in your life. Trust in the Lord and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6
Go with God. And keep your eyes on Him. He is God over all impossibilty, He is God and you are not. Imagine all that you could do to make good possible, make your dreams possible...God can do far more. Have faith.
Philipians 1:6 - God will complete His good work in You.
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