Transforming Tuesday: Making Room For God's Promises

Have you ever been promised something that hasn't come to pass? Has the failure of that promise ever left you questioning the faithfulness/credibility of that person? It's happened to me plenty of times and truth be told, the failure of those promises has caused me to doubt people. Has God ever promised you something? Has that promised happened yet? Sometimes it's so easy to get discouraged by a promise that has not been delivered, but when God makes promises they ALWAYS come to pass. He is perfect so he doesn't fall short, he delivers right on time which is something that I need to learn.

In Acts (finally in the good book of Acts!!!) we see Jesus being taken up to heaven on a cloud, but it's only temporary because he will be back soon =) Immediately the disciples become worried but then they remember the promises that God delivered to them before he was crucified. More importantly, God gave the disciples (us), his power through the Holy Spirit. What an amazing gift! Through that gift we can draw nearer to God and draw others nearer to him as well! Also, we see a new disciple who takes the place of Judas, Matthias and he got the job because of his heart. He was sincere when he came before God and he believed in God from the very beginning.

In Deuteronomy we see God revealing his promises to the Israelites.  He states, ¹³ So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— ¹⁴ then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. ¹⁵ I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (NIV). Everything that God stated to the Israelites shall come to pass as long as they keep God first and worship no one but him. 


The Israelites were just like us. They were delivered from captivity. How many of us has God delivered? They complained day in and day out. How many of us find anything to complain about? They were often ungrateful. How many times do we look for the negative instead of finding the positive? They saw people destroyed before their very eyes and yet they struggled in their faith. How many times do we fail to learn from the experiences of others? They questioned the leadership God gave them. How many of us fail to follow leadership, especially in the church? They even worshiped other gods. How many of us make time for anything else but God? Even after all of that, God continued to give them promises. These weren't just any promises, these were promises of prosperity that all of their needs and wants will be met. If God can do that for the Israelites, I know that God can do that for both me and you.

Another component of being blessed by God's promises is knowing who God is. I think we need to comprehend how BIG, how effective, how loving, how real, and how powerful God is. He is not a force to be reckoned with and although he creates he also destroys. I think that Job understood exactly who God is.  He states:

• Verse 10: He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
• Verse 12: If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
• Verse 13: God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
• Verse 15:Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy
• Verse 19:If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him

(NIV)

God is all of these great things! He shows us mercy even when we don't deserve it and he also gives us promises when we don't deserve it. So before you start to question God's ability to deliver his promises, ask yourself if you're keeping God first and also ask yourself if you even understand who God is. If you understand who God is just as Job did, then you'll be more content with waiting. God delivers not when we want it, but right on time. Don't give up on God because he won't give up on you.

Prayer:

Dear God, I am expecting one of your promises to come to pass. Allow me to keep you first in my heart above all else, so that I can be ready for your promises. Also allow me to understand who you are to me and to this world. I am nothing without you and I am not deserving of your grace, mercy, love, and promises but you always see fit to bless me anyway. I ask that you enlarge my territory and in the process give me the desires of my heart. I pray that they line up accordingly so that your will be done in my life and that you use me for your glory. You know my needs and wants and I ask that when you are ready to bless me that I am ready to receive. Thank you for loving me despite my faults and I pray that you continue to keep me. I love you and I thank you. Amen.

"He's Able" by Deitrick Haddon

It's never too late to TRANSFORM YOUR TUESDAYS!!!

TRANSFORMING TUESDAYS: JAMERA