Have You ever felt like God let You down? What if I rephrase it: Have You ever felt like God didn't keep His Word? Think about it for a minute. Have You wondered and even complained, that He didn't come through the way You thought He said He would? We know, for instance, that God has promised to protect and care for His children in this world. He promised to make them strong, to fill their hearts with joy and peace that passes all understanding. We know that God has promised to answer our prayers. Yet at times those promises seems very empty. Our prayers for a rebellious child or an unsaved spouse seems to go unanswered. A friend dies of cancer, Inflation soars and literally chews up our paychecks. Neighborhoods that we all live in has crime gets very worse by the days. Terrorist plagues the world daily. And Jesus Christ hasn't come back yet. What has happened to God's Promises? Has God failed to keep His word? Have our own expectations exceeded God's Promises? ________________________________________________________________ What is a Promise? The way that some people use the term, a promise is nothing more than a good intention - easily discarded if it gets in the way. They see a promise a promise as something that is very broken. But when God makes a promise, He's doing more than just wishful thinking. He's giving His absolutely trustworthy word! The orgininal language of the Old Testament does not have a specific word for the concept of promise, but that doesn't mean the idea isn't there. The Hebrew words ( amar,dabar) that are translated by the English word "Promise" have the same meaning of "To Say" or " To Speak". When God and others in the Bible speak about what they will do in the future, the word promise fits very well. In each case, the speaker's word, honor, and integrity are at stake. _________________________________________________________ The Promises of God are the heart of the Bible 
The New Testament follows the same pattern as the Old Testament. God Stands behind what He says. Therefore naturally from the greek word" angelia" which means " an announcement" or " a message". The promises of God are the heart of our Bibles. Every single thing that God has spoken, every annoucement, every message, is really a promise on God's perfect, good, and very trustworthy character.Why is there so much confusion about the way God keeps His promises? At times, a gap develops between what we think God has said He would do and what we see happening in our daily life experience.This gap, however, say more about our own failure to understand than about God's ability to remain true. Our own confusion can be due to any one (or several) of the following factors.
(1.) Faulty Expectations: At times we may fall into a trap of thinking that God will keep His promises in the way we expect. We might assume that He will do it in ways that are immediately obvious rather than in a manner that becomes apparent only in time. We change our external circumstances and enviroment when what He really wants us to see is that His promises can be fulfilled through inner changes. We tend to be shortsighted. God is into long - range planning We see only the tip of the surface, here - and -now events, and we then do not know how God is working behind the scenes to fit the pieces together to form an overall patteren. The ways of God has acted in the past, through, shows that He fulfills some promises in stages or in unexpected ways.
(2.) Faulty Interpretations: We may simply miss the point of what God has said. Or we may understand a biblical promise accturately but fail to see that God gave the promise to someone else in a particular situation. A small book collected biblical promises states in the introduction: " Take each promise accurately to mean just exactly what it says. Don't try to read between the lines." That may sound good. We certainly must advoid "reading between the lines " of scripture, but it is dangerous to say that we should not try to interpret the promises. That can be a huge mistake. Failure to understand a promise in its context can lead to some very bad conclusions. Too many people go around quoting Bible verses as promise were given specific biblical characters, a nation, or only people of a certain time period.
( 3.) Faulty Feelings: Our emotions have a way of taking over (us) being in the drivers seat of our own lives!Wrong emotions can over rule right thinking! As a result, if we have been hurt, we blame God for not doing what we think He promised. The death of a loved one can cause us to lost perspective if we allow our feelings to over ride the truth about God. A failed romance or a marriage on the rocks can and will trigger doubts. Personal rejection, failure, loss of jobb, physical pain, or injustic can and will stir-up feelings against God that literally becomes stronger than any force of reason.
(4.) Faulty Memory: When it comes to remembering, we can all be like an absent-minded professor whom forgets how to get home. We can be all wrapped up in the details of everyday life that we forget more than just anniversaries, birthdays, phone calls, groceries and appointments. We even forget those things that maeans the most of us - the evidence of God's faithfulness in our very lives and how He has fullfilled His promises to us in the past. As a result, we lose confidence in His ability to remain faithful to Him in the future.
So now what do We do? How do we bring our own expectations and feelings in line with our Gods plans and truths? How do we live a fulfilling life by "faith" in our God's promises? Let's see how we can begin to resolve those issues! We've seen our nations political areas that often times run on simliar agendas in our nations, towns, cities, and in our small country towns that are off the beaten paths in our lives today. They have all of those for-told promises that they just don't often times stick to what they have said, or have literally expanded beyond themselves that just don't measure up at all. Most of all all of our nations candidates being national, or state seems to always break their promises to us as a whole body of a nation, or in our states, because if they were truthful enough inside of themselves they couldn't hold up to all of those promises and platitudes of what had been on their agendas when it comes down to hold all offices . Nor could or would intended to keep them, nor fulfiil them at all. Often times it's beyond their power and ability to fulfill those promises. Maybe it was an unseen string of events or the information had changed the politican's mind about their own wisdom of it's orginal intentions in the first place. Those poweful intersts groups may have extered pressure, making sure that get what was promised, while the less influential people seems to get lost totally in that kind of a crowd. God, through, is not like those people in the politican, corpirate executive, a supervisior, teacher, student, employee, coach, player, mother, father, or a child. Everybody - not just all of those politicans - has a problem in kepping promises. We have all those idfficulty following through in keeping them and have said them in keeping one's own word to others in our life. God, however, does Not! He has all the power and wisdom in our whole universe at His very own disposal. He will Never have to make an excuses for failing to fulfill All what He's promised us in the Word of God. Therefore, what is our own excuses for not fully - believing it or Him ! We've already seen example of those concepts and ideas, and reasons that others do before us today. Together, let us see some answers that very well give us answers so that can correct one's own views of God and All of His promises.
On God's Terms: God's terms for keeping His own advertised promises are always clearly stated. And what He promises, He will deliever them to us . Some of them has an unconditional guarantee. That is, He does promise to hold all of them up on His end of that agreement No matter what we do in our life. Then there are promises that that carry with directions ( conditions) that All of us Must follow if we are to fully enjoy All that He has offered to us in our life. These conditional promises are very dependent on us fulfilling certain requirements in our life. Remember psalms 100 it reminds us of the character qualities of the One whom makes them of All of the promises are on His terms.
Psalm 100
1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. He's the One who continually to be the Lord over All of His creations in the earth. By His nature God is good, merciful, and always forever true to His Word. The rest of our Bibles tells us how God's promises to (us) his manking reflect those qualities. Because He is ALL those things, we do NOThave to fear when We hear that God keeps His promises on His terms only. But if We continue to Sin. We then are continuing in having All of those results in those terrbile consequences. Our own experience of God's delievering power should be that motivator for us to live for Him with All of our strength.
What are the conditions, and what are they in being attached to God's Promises that He set down before us? Many of them are like all of those appliances that we have in our each individual homes that has come with those warranties that does hold true to those prepective buyers that come with them as we take them home. But if we don't do those things that come with all of those appliances then it becomes null- and void unto us, in which it contains in thier agreement. Here is some of the agreements that already have been listed in our scriptures: (1.) Adam & Eve in which were in the garden of which they had a promised life that they could enjoy life in the garden If they would follow God's rules, but they would suffer the daeth penalty If they disobeyed God. ( Gen. 2:16,17).
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Num.23:19). The Covenant that God made with Moses and all of the people in Isreal at Mount Sinai which had contained may conditions. Prior which to giving them all of those Ten Commandments, God had made that covenat agreement with Him snf obeyed Him fully. He would care for them as His special treasure. ( Ex.19:3-6). He did those simliar things when God handed down those things when it came in worshipping idols, but He showed them all the love to those whom loved Him. ( Ex.20:4-6). He promised to hold the guilty anyone whom spoke His name in disrespectful of God and His name, or in a contemptous way ( v.7). He promised long life in the promise land to those whom honored their parents (v.12). In Exodus 23:20-33, God said He would wipe out Isreal's enemies when they went into Palestine, He would take away sickness, and He would ensure long life and No miscarriages. However, the conditions included paying attention to obeying the Angel of God, worshiping God, and Not making a covenant with their enemies or allowing them to live in the promise land. The tempations of life within the promised land serves as a vivid illustration of how proper standards and bounderies can tragically be forgotton in one's own life. Just as the Isrealities were warned about their own tendency to make good, clean start and then they compromised their own values and goals, as they themselves made treaties with those people of Palenstine that was in the land. They were to be pushing them right out, then compromise, allowed certain practices to go unchecked. In the end, these things will spell disaster, erroding the new life that not only that they was going to build on, but with us just as those same prinicples. There are so many more conditions that God had laid out before us but just as they don't keep them in our life, we are so simliar to those people in the Word of God it's down right being disrepectful to God unless we come to His terms to change within us as His special people in this nation.He has given us His beloved promises to be keeping unto Him re-guard less how they seem or look unto us today. In having those unconditional promises in which God will do what He says He will do before us in our life. But we do need to relalize that they have a string attached to them and how are own faithfulness unto God. There is No way in stopping it from happening. The fulfillment of unconditional promises does not depend on the faithfulness of people, but only God. Even if we are unfaithful, God cannot only only be faithful to His Word (2Tim.2:13). Let's look at some examples of unconditional promises: (1.) God told Noah that He would never again send a world wide flood ( Gen.9:8-17). (2.) God prmosed Abraham a son, a nation from his descendents, and a land ( Gen.15). David recieved assurance that his royal line would last forever ( 2Sam. 7:16). God repeatedly toldIsreal of His unfailing love for them and His ultimate plan to restore their nation ( Jer.30-33). Jesus Christ said He would return to earth to reward the righteous and punish the wicked ( Mt. 16:27;25:31-46). Jesus Christ promised that after He ascended to heaven He would send the Holy Spirit (Jhn.16:5-15). Jesus Christ said that Satan's forces would never over come the church ( Jhn.16:18). Jesus Christ promised to save, keep, and resurrect to eternal life all whom trust Him ( Jhn.6:35-40). ___________________________________________________________________ Can God's promises ever be only partially fulfilled? Yes, Some of the promises may be fulfilled in part because only part of the conditions have been met, or the promises may be fulfilled in stages acording to God's plan. Example: (Dt.7:22) ( Isa.9:6,7;11; Jer.33:14-26; Zec.9:9,10); (Isa.53). ____________________________________________________________ The Proverbs are promises in the broad sense they describe how God rewards those whom fear Him and live wisely, and how He opposes those whom disregard Him and live very foolishly. We can interpret the proverbs within the context of the Old Testament of all those biblical truths. The proverbs offer practical wisdom about the effects of certain kind of actions. like violence, ignoring wisdom, will lead to a shortened life. (1:18,19); 1:19-33). Instead of having a life that enjoys God's favor (1:1-8). We do know within it's contexts of proverbs, though cannot be understood as a promise of here and now results.God does reserves the right to delay perfect justice until the day of His judgement. Many of promises verses at least 3 of them do promise wealth, healthsafety, and happiness to those whom follow the path of wisdom. In proverbs 10:3 says that the righteous person will not go hungry. A righteous person will not be touched by trouble, accordingly to (19:23).Not one of us would deny that these proverbs do reflect the general principles of how God has designed life to operate - we weep what we sow (Prov.11:2426; 22:8,9; 2Cor.9:6; Gal.9:6,7). But our lifes is not very predictable - as the experiences of Job, David, Solomon, the Apostle Paul, and the other Bible characters has demonstrated for us within the bible context. In many cases, God has something better in store for a person than immediate here - and -now blessings - such people are laying up treasures in heaven. Proverbs has a more down to earth principles for our everyday life. The person whom want to be wise and enjoy God's favor will read the proverbs and put their God- fearing instruction into practice. __________________________________________________ To His intended Audience: God has the ability to prosper anyone that He chooses to prosper. The author of Psalms 145 recognize that it truly belongs to us as a person and not be fooled in it's intended purposes by God., and whom it was intended and limited to whom it is adressed too. Like a selected person or group of people in whom God sends it to Himself. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.Psalm 145:9; Psalm 145:16; Psalm 145:18; Psalm 145:20. Before we can claim one of God's promises, we need to know if He is talking to us or not.
What has God promised to all people: A few of the promises that apply to all the inhabitants of the earth include: salvation to those whom believe and condemnation to all whom reject Jesus Christ ( Jhn.3:16-18); the assurance that the earth will never again be destroyed by a flood ( Gen.9:11) ; a continuation of the cycles of nature as long as the earth exists ( Gen.8:22); a history that will colminate according to God's master plan ( Dan.7-12); a day of judgement for believers ( 2Cor.5:10); and unbelievers ( Rev.20:11-15); a promise that God's character will not change ( 1 Sam.15:29; Mal.3:6; Jas.1:17); rewards for all whom diligently seek Him( Heb.11;6); and the certainty that everything He says will happen will happen ( Mt.5:18; 24:34,35).
What God promised to all believers: According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:_4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.2 Peter 1:3,4 . Among those great promises ( conditional & unconditional ) are the following : Provisions for needs: ( Mt.6:25-34). Answers to prayers: (Mt.7:7-11; 1hn.5:14,15). All we need to live 4 Him ( 2 Pe.1:3,4). Rewards for service: (2 Cor.5:10). Help in Praying ( Rom.8:26). Eternal Life: ( Jhn.3:16;5:24). A Home in heaven ( Jhn.14:1-4). Assurance of Salvation (Jhn.10:29). The Holy Spirit within : ( Eph.1:13,14). Spiritual Gifts: ( Rom.12:3-8; 1Cor.12). Forgivness for Daily Sins: (1 Jhn. 1:9). Peace of Mind ( Phil.4:7). A way to defeat temptation ( 1Cor.10:13). Wisdom in times of Testing: ( Jas. 1:5). Power for living ( Eph.1:19;3:20). Access to God through Prayer ( Eph.3:12). Mercy and grace in times of need ( Heb.4:16). The Illumination of the Spirit ( 1Cor.2:6-16). Freedom from Sins grip( Rom.6:22). Loving Discipline: ( Heb.12:3-11). Ability to make Satan flee( Jas.4:7). Ressurrection to glory ( 1Thess.4:16,17). Strength to do God's will ( Phil.4:13).
What has God promised to Isreal? The history of that nation has been one repeated promises and the people's failures to benefit from God's gracious offers. The Old Testament, the books of Moses, the writtings, and all of those prophets - are full of God's promises. The promises come in the form of assurances of God's love and care for them, as well as prophectic statements about Isreal's future of the surrounding nations. A few of the many promises to Isreal are: Possession of the Land of Palestine ( Gen.13:14-17); the law of blessings and curses ( Dt.28); judgement, exile, restoration, the prophets; a Messiah ( Isa.52,53).
Even though some of promises were given to specific people, can't the principles apply to us? Here is some examples; Pre-flood inhabitants death: ( Gen.6). Noah & family rescue ( Gen.7;1). Abraham descendants 9 Gen.12:1-3;15:1-6). Jacob's family blessings ( Gen.28:10-16). Jews: a land of "Milk & Honey" (Ex.3:8). Moses Mirculos signs ( Ex.4:1-7). Pharoah and his people plagues ( Ex.5-14). Joshua : a dry path through the river: (Josh.3). Gideon: victory in battle ( Jud..6:16). Saul: abilities needed as king(1Sam.10:6). David: a son to build the temple ( 2Sam.7). Solomon: wisdom and riches(1i.3:10-14). Hezekiah: 15 more years of life( 2Ki.20:5,6). Mary: a supernatural conception ( Lk.1:26-38). Disciples: Spirit- aided memory( Jhn.14:26). Paul: strength to endure infirmities ( 2Cor.12:9). Even through some promises were given to specific people, can't the principles apply to us ? In some cases yes, and in other cases No. If the promise reflects an unchanging characteristic of God and how He relates to us, then we can reasonably assume that God is unchanging ( Jas.1:17). He will continue to reflect that promise is relating to other people. For an example: when the Lord told the Apostle Paul " My strength is made in perfect weakness," He was addressing a specific situation in Paul's life - the "thorn in the flesh" of 2 Cor.12:7-10). Yet, that truth applies to all people whom recognize their weakness and reach out to God for strength ( Eph.1:9). An example of a promise that we cannot rightfully claim is the one given to Joshua when the Lord said, " I will give You every place where that the sole of Your foot shall tread upon, that I have given unto You, as I said unto Moses" ( Josh. 1:3). That might sound like a great promise to claim if we are looking for a home and didn't have enough money, but we would be out of order to do so. That promise could remind us that God can give us anything He in His wisdom and power chooses to give us - including a home that we can afford.
What is the danger of claiming for ourselves the promises that were given specifically to other people? Take the time to re-read that above list of promises given to believers. Thank the Lord for what He has promised.
By His Methods: While we sit and scratch our own heads trying to figure out how God is going to answer a prayer or fulfill His promises, He calmy and powerfully working out of His plans, oftentimes behind the scenes of life, in ways and for reasons that we ourselves cannot comprehend. In Isaiah 55, the Lord describes our own inability to understand His methods: 1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Although His reasons may elude us, and His methods may suprise us, God always fulfills His promises. As the Apostle Paul said:Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.( 1 Cor.1:25). God has already shown us His fulfilled Promises and prophecies of the Bible have already been fulfilled. In many cases the fulfillment of the Promises was clear and undeniable, just as expected. The Frogs(Ex.8). David's son would build the temple (2Sam.7:1-17; 1Kgs.5-8). When God said that Judah would be judged for her unfaithfulness and exled ( jER.25). God promised a Savior; The Messiah:( Isa.53;Mt.1). Jesus said He would destroy the temple in A.D.70 It was Demolished (Mt.24:2). Jesus Christ promised to build His church and it's been growing ever since. ( Mt.16:18). Jesus Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit, and the day of Pentecost the Spirit came.(Jhn.14:16,17; Acts.2:1-4). God told the Apostle Paul was not harmed ( Acts 18:9-11). Our Bible is full of those promises being fulfilled in very obvious ways, just as one would expect. At other times, through God's methods are a little harder to understand.
In what mysterious ways does God fulfill His Promises? Sometimes we may have a very hard time recognizing how God has fulfilled a promise or imagining how He will fulfill a promise. Few of the people in the Bible just couldn' see the promises that God has already told them about when Jesus Christ came in the higher ups couldn't even understand Him and got angry at Him and produced an angry mob to get Him to the Cross. But what it did do was bring the Jews and Gentiles togather into the body of Jesus Christ as the church. No one anticipated such a long time between Messiah's work as the Redeemer and His work as a Judge and King. Look at God's palns in Salvation, forgivness, resurrection, believers in glorified bodies, indwelling of Jesus Christ, established His church. Scriptures : ( Rom.11:25; Eph.3:2-6; Rom.16:25; Col.15:51-54), ( Col.1:27; Eph.3:8-10). At the center of God's mysterious fulfilment of promises about our salvation, our present life, and the life to come is Jesus Christ. ( 2Cor.1:20). Jesus Christ fulfills the heart of all that " the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms " spoke about (Lk.24:44). The Old and New Testament Covenant promises are based on and find their fulfillment in what Jesus Christ has done and will do ( Rom.9-11; Gal.3-5; Heb.7-10).
Thank You for stopping in this site,group Sites, web sites and other prayer sites as well in holding one another up for prayer's being totally united in everyone around this world, it's about Jesus Christ first and prayers,intecessory prayer's and at other times about this vast world we live in today which this old world as we all know it is slowly departing to be reaching our home in glory.
