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Dr. Ronald Powell
This Week's Message
What God Promises He will do!
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10; Psalm 103:1-7
Who is this God whom you and I serve; whom we worship? Who has promised to forgive us of our sins, who has promised to go and make a place for us? Who has promised to raise our physical bodies out of the grave? How would you describe Him? Many people do not understand who He is. In order to know our God, we must know His ways. Psalm 103:1-7
The acts of God are the things He does. The ways of God include why He does them.
One of God's ways: He keeps His promises.
Two types of promises:
- Absolute declarations: are unconditional and will come to pass without any act on a human's part
- Conditional statements: are dependent upon our cooperating with Him
- Deuteronomy 28:1-2
- Deuteronomy 28:15
- Sometimes people choose to sin, thinking they will be the exception to the rule.
- When God says, "I will," He will. There are no exceptions. We should take seriously what God says.
In a number of biblical incidences, God says, "I will."
1. Adam and Eve. Genesis 2:16-17. God gave them a clear warning that if they disobeyed Him, they would die. The results of their disobedience:
- Separation
- Shame
- Pride
- Suffering
- (Spiritual) death
- Labor
- When we disobey, people get hurt and it grieves the heart of God.
- He will forgive us, but usually, there are still consequences.
2. Noah and the Flood. Genesis 6:7-8,18. The world was so corrupt that God decided to wipe out everyone except Noah and his family.
- Genesis 7:1,5
- Genesis 7:21-24
- God kept His Word and destroyed everything.
3. Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3. God promised Abraham that He would bless him and make him a great nation.
- This was an absolute declaration of God. It was not dependent on Abraham's obedience. (In fact, Abraham did disobey.)
Genesis 17:15-19. God promised to give Abraham a child through Sarah.
- Sarah laughed at this declaration but asked, "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14)
- Genesis 21:1-2. Sarah bore a son; the promise was fulfilled.
- Sometimes we don't believe God is speaking to us because it seems impossible or impractical.
- God gave Abraham the land of Israel, and there is no indication He ever changed His mind about it.
4. Moses. Exodus 3:10. God told Moses to be his spokesman, and that God would deliver the people of Israel.
- This was an absolute declaration, but Moses argued with God! (Exodus 3:11-12)
- God promised to harden Pharaoh's heart. (Exodus 6:1)
- Through the death of the first born son, Pharaoh finally relented. (Exodus 12:30-33)
- At the Red Sea, God promised to deliver them without any fighting.
- We have to learn to be obedient to God, but not expect Him to give us all the details.
5. Joshua. Joshua 1:1-5. God promised to be faithful to Joshua, just as He was to Moses.
- The Battle of Jericho. Joshua 6:1-2. God told Joshua to march around the city, blowing trumpets.
- Pattern your spiritual life after someone who's following Jesus.
- Because Joshua was obedient to God, he went from victory to victory. He had learned from Moses to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
- The principle is true today:
- God's willing to speak to any of us if we'll listen to Him. For instance, God told Dr. Powell to come to Macon.
- If something is a crucial decision, God will speak to you, too.
- He has wonderful things in store for you, and He's just waiting for you to say "yes."
6. Jesus demonstrated that God keeps His word:
- Jesus predicted his death. (Matthew 16:21-23)
- Peter rebuked him, although Peter had been the one to declare that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. (Matthew 16:13-16)
- The church is built on the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. (Matthew 16:17-18)
- The gates of hell will not be able to withstand the attack of the church. (Matthew 16:18)
- The church grows the strongest under persecution and hardship.
- Jesus also predicted his resurrection and promised to send the Holy Spirit.
How does this apply to our lives today? God promises:
- To save us, if we believe by faith. (Romans 10:9)
- Never to leave us once we are saved.
- To return for us, and gather us in the air to Himself. (1 Thessalonians 4)
- To take us to live in the home Jesus has prepared in Heaven.
- We will reign with Him. (Revelation 22:3-5)
What God promises, He will do! |
