Have you ever made a promise?
Have you ever made a promise?
Have you ever stood next to your friend and locked pinkies, promising to __________?
Have you ever made a vow that you struggle to keep?
Have you ever made a promise that you wish you could break.
Have you ever made a promise?
God’s Word says:
“Now the LORD said to Abram,
“Go from your country,
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you into a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And I will make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing,”
(Genesis 12: 1-2 NASB 2020)
Have you ever made a promise that was just difficult to complete?
Hannah dedicated her child to God—as she vowed.
Peter left his career as a fisherman—to follow Jesus.
Paul was blinded by the light—to open his eyes so he could finally see.
What have you promised God?
I promise, God . . .
To Pray.
To Read My Bible.
To Attend the Local Church.
To Witness & to Testify of Your Greatness.
To Follow You!
I promise, God . . .
To Go Where You Lead Me.
To Give Unselfishly of My Time & of Myself.
To Love You More than I Love My Life.
I promise God . . .
To Give You the children You have given me.
To Offer Them Up to You.
To Be Satisfied and to be content when they go . . . far away.
To Be content when they live in other continents, other countries.
I remember, God . . .
I remember my vow I made to You;
I remember, God, how I dedicated her life to Christ.
I remember, God, how I offered my life to You, to Your purpose, to your will.
I remember, God . . .
My vow, despite the limitations and hardships and struggles I face within this life,
I remember.
I promise God to stay faithful to my promise.
I promise!
Sometimes God barges into our lives.
Sometimes, He allows for drastic measures to gain our attention.
Sometimes God says, Nancy, do you remember how you vowed to give your live to Me?
Is God trying to get our attention?
I am plagued with back pain, and whenever I try to return to the things I once loved (walking, hiking, running, be spontaneous, enjoying life in the moment) that’s when I remember—I am not who I once was. Thank You, GOD!
Go!
Leave for a land!
I will show you as you go!
I will make you into something greater than you will ever know apart from me!
And I will bless you as you follow Me!
And I will make you well-known—loved—as you follow Me!
And as you go where I lead, you will be a blessing to others because of the vow!
A promise is two-sided: The one promising & The One Who is Promised To.
Who are we trusting in this life and not just for this life but for our eternity?
Who are we trusting in for our presence in heaven once our life is complete?
What are we waiting for?
God’s goal: to develop our character so that we look more & more like His Son—Jesus.
This life—a breath.
Eternity—forevermore!!!!!!!!!!!!
What are we waiting for?
Once we arrive in heaven, time will be irrelevant.
Once we arrive and stand in the presence of God, our time on earth will be forever insignificant.
Once we arrive . .
James, the earthly brother of Jesus & James, the son of God proclaimed:
“And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
(JAMES 1: 4 NASB 2020)
- May we start packing—for our eternity!
- May we start packing—for our lifetime with God!
May we realize as Dwight L Moody said:
“Why don’t your turn your life over to Christ?
He can do more with it than you can.”