Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Promises, Promises Pt.8

Hallelujah! Lets turn to Romans 4. I think we're going to finish up with our study on the promises of God. I'm not going to promise, but we'll take a shot at it. Richard was admonishing me to go back into Genesis 22 again. He was excited about some things that the Lord had revealed to him out of the passages. He was sharing that he thought that it was one of those life-transforming things, I know, from his perspective. Trusting that each one of us is able to see that all that we're going through is preparatory for some of those great life changing experiences of the promise, the ultimate promise being fulfilled in our lives. All of the trials are preparatory. The times that promises seem to be "delayed" are all preparation for when we need that promise manifested that eternally changes us. It's seen in the faithfulness of Abraham as he went up Mt. Mariah.

God's comment—and if we go back too far we won't get done tonight¾ God's comment about Abraham in Romans 4 was, of course, our father Abraham was a man that was not weak in faith. He staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief. But being strong and giving glory to God. I want to talk about that part of giving glory to God somewhat tonight from another aspect. It's not the verbal glory. It's not the praise. It's not the worship. It's glorifying God in obedience. There is nothing that makes Father happier than our obedience to His word. The ability to act upon it without questioning. That is how you glorify your earthly parents. It's not a thing of having to go around and tell people how much you love them; but the thing of responding to your word. When you speak there is no questioning of your love for them, your wisdom, your motives for why you're asking it. They respond because of the relationship and the confidence that they have in you and your concern for them. That is what really brings the glory to God. So Abraham then, staggering not at the promise of God. Lets say it another way. Abraham, when the chips were down, was able to obey. He was able to bring all of his natural emotions under control and have trust in the integrity of God and in His ultimate purpose. Hebrews speaks toward that.

Lets run over to Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 for just a second. This is where we were leaving off Sunday night. The third chapter of Hebrews, we were talking about what was going on in Abraham's life there on Mt. Mariah, and the great difference between God's perception of what's going on in the trials in our life and our perception. Unknowingly, a lot of times what happens in the midst of a temptation, test, or trial—we said Sunday if you remember that we have a tendency through unbelief to put on trial. But the Scriptures says in Genesis that God did something. He tried Abraham. Okay? So these were trials in his life. We saw that the children of Israel, as we looked at the passages in Deuteronomy and Numbers, that God brought them into the wilderness to prove or to test them. Tragically, we saw that they didn't pass the test. A whole generation failed, questioning God's purposes and saying that "we had it better in Egypt; and that God brought us out to here to kill us in the wilderness;" but the promise of God was that he brought them out to bring them in.

In Hebrews, Chapter 3, we saw this. It said, verse 9, "When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years." Beloved, you're not going to wear God out. If you don't get the point he'll keep you there forty years. Many of us are saying, "Why aren't the promises manifesting? Why aren't the promises manifesting?" You haven't got the point yet of what God is trying to prove in your life. Ultimately, bottom line, is this: what God is trying to prove to you is whether or not you're going to trust in yourself, or if you're going to trust in Him. Period! It's that simple. That is what the walk of faith comes down to. It says that the fathers that have gone before us, then, tried to prove God, or they tested God. He said, verse 10 "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." Or my ultimate purpose for them to do them good all the days of their lives. Then the admonition to you and I in verse 12, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of [us] an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." That doesn't mean a total defection or apostasy. It just means that we begin to move in our own way or understanding. We think we know better how to apply God's attributes in a given situation. So, we begin to determine our own lives and the course that we're on; and, how God should respond in the circumstances. But He tells us, then, that we need to understand, verse 19, that they were not allowed, ultimately, to inherit the promise "...because of [What?] unbelief." Now what was this unbelief? Verse 2 of the fourth chapter tells us. The unbelief was the fact that they could not mix faith with the word that they heard. Faith: assurance, confidence, reliance. That’s what we're talking about. So the promise is spoken, the word is declared, and the issue at hand now is are you going to rest in that promise—the character of God? Are you going to rest in the assurance that what God has promised He’s going to perform, in his way; and his will, then, cannot be thwarted because of his power, his majesty.

They could not enter in because they couldn't bring themselves to believe that what was going on in their lives, at that moment, that was adverse, was for their good. Okay? I'll say it again. They didn't enter into the promise because they couldn't bring themselves to believe that what was taking place momentarily in their lives, these adverse circumstances, the trials, were for their good. That is what it comes down to as we learn this walk of faith. Because they questioned God's purpose for them, the ultimate promise of bringing them in, they had to die; and it was never God's intention. In fact, he goes on in the fourth chapter of Hebrews and tells us that this was not his intention for them. But He says in verse 6, "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of [What?] unbelief:" Their inability to understand the ultimate purpose. He then declared that it would manifest in another generation; but His promises are true. They are yea and amen to the glory of God by us. So it says "...To day [verse 7] if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." The hardening of the heart is that, again, unable to accept God's ultimate purpose for us. The good, the maturation that is taking place. The hardened heart is the one that will not, contextually here, will not cease from their own labors, or their own purposes, in trying to manipulate God, manipulate circumstances to affect their own will.

Look what he goes on and says. It's a beautiful passage in context here. He says in verse 9, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." How do we know whether or not we're in the rest mode, which is the only condition of our heart that allows us to be a recipient of the promises of God? You won't receive the promise while in anxiety, fear, doubt, or hardness of heart. So, we come into the rest mode, mixing what we've heard with faith. Or, a better way to say that is, mixing it with obedience. Ceasing from our own works and resting in the promise of God, just as Abraham—that that we've seen in a figure, or we understand from the parable, the declared purpose of God. It’s all going to come from this next couple of verses that I want you to see. It’s going to come when we begin to take the promises of God, that we have been studying, the declared purpose of God, the word of God, and truly believe that there is power in that word without your faith having to be added to it. Your faith is believing in the word’s power, not your ability to believe in the word. That’s where so many of us get into trouble. We seem to think that somehow we have to add to the word of God our faith to give it power to manifest. The word is alive and powerful! Amen? It was alive before you were. It did fine before you came on the scene. Because, the word is what brought everything that is into existence. Amen? Then why does it need you? Now, most of us wouldn’t sit down and actually speak and verbalize that, but it’s how we live. It’s how many of us approach life’s circumstances. So, as the apostle is speaking to us here in this fourth chapter, and talking about the need to cease from our own works, as God did from his—he says verse 11, "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest…" It’s hard to put aside our effort and our perception of what is right or wrong; or how this should be applied in any given situation. He said you’re going to have to labour to come into that rest. The word, "labour", as we shared in our study earlier, literally means to be diligent, or to study the word. Not just the ability to quote the word, but to study the word to understand how effectual this thing really is. The word, the promise of God, is true; and if it doesn’t manifest in you it will manifest in the next generation; But it will manifest! Okay? The promises of God are yea and amen. Every promise of God is sure to a thousand generations. Then why do we keep putting the focus on us as to whether the promise is true or not?

Than God for the power and the visitation in Tom’s life as Richard was sharing the testimony earlier. We thank God for that healing; 2but I want you to know something: healing is true whether any of us experiences it or not. Amen? So what we do, then, is we begin to doubt God, or test God, or judge God, because of our own pride, selfishness, fear and the Lord is unable to bring about the final determination because God wants us resting and trusting more than he wants us healed. So it’s vitally important for us to see, then, as we shared a couple of sessions ago, the sequence that God is more interested in our relationship with him, and wanting us to realize that we have confidence in him more than we’re wanting to judge him against his own integrity. You promised, God, so therefore you are obligated. It’s not an obligatory thing. It’s because he loves us that he demonstrates his power on our behalf.

So the word is alive, the Scripture says. Labor to enter into the rest; and if you don’t labor, if you’re not diligent about this the Scripture says, you’ll fall after the same example of unbelief. If you don’t constantly fill your mind and your heart with the truth of God’s word, then no matter what else you’re experiencing, the one thing you do know is this: God’s word is true. I may not understand it, I may not understand the application, I can’t see the eternal purposes; but the one thing I know is this: though he slay me, I’ll serve him. The judge of all the earth does right. That is the rest of God. That is where he is wanting us to function and then he moves in his own eternal purposes, and he is glorified as he manifests the promises to his purpose, to his glory. Now watch what he goes on to say, because this is important for us. Labor to enter the rest so you don’t fall into the same example of unbelief, the hardening of the heart, or not mixing the promise with trust. God promised, I understand that; but I have determined, because I don’t see any other way of this happening, that it’s going to be Eliezer who’s going to be the recipient. God promised, and I believe the word, and now I understand Lord that you said it’s not going to be Eliezer, it will be one of my own loins—it’s Ishmael.

Now the thing about Abraham is that he walked in obedience through the progressive revelation. He never staggered based upon what was revealed. He was having a continual progressive revelation, and though he was taking things into his own hands—he was moving in limited knowledge—as God would illuminate him he would move into a new realm of understanding and obedience. That is why the Scripture says he never staggered at the promise. The key, then, is the integrity of the promise in verse 12. "For the word of God is [alive], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword..." Now when you begin to look at this 12th verse, hold it up against—put your finger there and go over to Hebrews 10 and 11. I want you to see something in these passages.

Hebrews 10:35. "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward." Don’t cast away your confidence, your trust, or another word we can use is hope, the favorable expectation. I have confidence in God’s word, in his person. I’m not going to faint in the midst of these adversities. It’s not happening the way I would like to see it happen. It’s not happening the way I thought it would happen, but I will not cast my confidence. That confidence (trust, reliance, assurance) will manifest a great reward. Verse 36, "For ye have need of [what?] patience, [Remember that’s how we started this whole thing off.] that, after ye have [Say it with me.] done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Now, here’s the key to this whole thing tonight. Here is what I want you to understand. People seem to think that if we can have faith, the faith will bring the promise. If I believe God enough. If I study more. If I know more Scripture. If I speak the word of God more frequently. If I declare only what God says in a given circumstance, as part of the faith camp has taught, and don’t make any "negative confessions", then the promise will manifest! What I need to do is believe and the promise will come. That is not what the Scripture teaches us. If you obey, the promises will come. If you rest, and trust, and cast not away your confidence then the promise will come. Because, remember what we are sharing here. What God is more interested in is our relationship with him, our reliance on him and not the benefits of any "particular promise" evidencing itself, whether it healing, whether it’s miraculous supply, whether is financially or whatever it might be. That’s not the issue. After you have done the word of God—not been a promise hunter—done the word of God. Now the greatest commandment that you and I can fulfill is what? What is the first and great commandment? Love the Lord God. Okay? After you have loved his most. Let’s say it another way. Seek first the kingdom of God, his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you. That after we have kept the promise. That after you and I have done the will of God, we might receive the promise. Let me encourage you the next time you pray. Don’t believe God for the $19.95 special. "God, I’m just believing you. Lord, I need this. Oh God, if I don’t come up with that $19.95 the boat is going to sink and all’s lost. I’m going to have to file bankruptcy. Oh God, we need $19.95." You begin to go around and try to raise $19.95 to the glory of God. You begin to confess it, so people will hear and hope that someone will give you and give part of the $19.95 or all of it. "Brother, just pray with me. I’m believing God for $19.95." We’ve shared with you before how often we fall into that error. "We just want to you to know that it is $19.95 that I need. But I’m believing God for $19.95." We’re trying to deceive ourselves and manipulate others. We think that this is how faith works. But did you ever think that God might want you to experience bankruptcy so he can fulfill his promises in your life. Bankruptcy may be the best thing you ever experienced. I don’t know, but I’m saying this. We don’t know! The issue here is this: You have need of patience that after you have done the word of God, or the will of God—not your understanding of it, not "the word says this therefore, God, you are obligated. I am a tither therefore you will at this moment open the windows of heaven, in the name of Jesus, and pour out $19.95 in the name of Jesus." It doesn’t work that way.

First of all, God cannot be conned. He cannot be intimidated, and He is not worried about his reputation. Let’s work it backwards. The believers were told, the disciples were told, after Jesus had ascended—He told them something really neat. He said, go back to Jerusalem and tarry for what? The what? The promise. Healing? Go to Jerusalem and tarry for healing? Go back to Jerusalem and tarry for financial prosperity? Go back to Jerusalem and tarry for domestic tranquility? Go to Jerusalem and tarry and wait for the salvation of your Uncle George? I want you to understand beloved, that all of the other promises are subordinate to the promise. Now two promises in this whole scenario were made to us: The promise that came from the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world, who manifested himself and was personified through the incarnation, God becoming flesh and dwelling among us, taking our sin upon himself, through death destroying the power of death, was raised by the power of God through the promise, ascended back to the right-hand of God the Father and ever lives to make intercession for us and said, I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am you will be also. That is the promise.

The promise is the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in you and bring to your remembrance everything that Jesus said. Let’s focus on the promise, and the right perspective of the promise will bring about the promises. When you understand that there is an eternal good that is being worked in us. All of these other things, the "promises" that are here for our benefit—promises that are made to sustain us—the promise like no weapon formed against you that will prosper. That is a promise. How about this promise: A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand. It will not come neigh you. Is that a promise or not? Amen. Is it something that God orchestrates in his eternal wisdom? Yes! Are there times when we’re are battle and God has truly sustained us, and people are falling all around us and it has not come neigh us? Yes! Are there people who are believers, who are standing upon that same promise that died? Yes! Why? I can give you dozens of reasons why, but that is not the point! The point isn’t trying to figure out why. The point is confidence in the bigger promise, so that we know that none of the promises have ever failed. You’re being proven—not God. The word is alive and powerful; it’s working, praise God. Our confidence is in that. So look, after you have done the will of God you receive the promises. "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." That’s the promise. That’s what we’re looking for.

We were looking through a magazine. Robbie brought some magazine in with him yesterday. We were looking at it. I don’t know why he had it. I know his salary doesn’t allow this. He had this magazine that showed all these yachts and Lear jets and mansions and all of these things. I told him those books are fun, because those things are so far out of your reach it’s not even a temptation. So its fun to look at them and there isn’t any problems. So you can look at all those things and enjoy it. It’s the things that’s just beyond your reach that really bug you. So being able to look at those—it’s cool! You get to look at these seven million dollar houses and some really neat stuff that they had. There are a couple of nice Lear jets. So you’re looking at all of those things—beloved, if God were to bless you with that, if He was the source and blessed you with that, praise God! But it’s nothing compared to the place where he has gone and prepared for us. Amen? So what is all this. Why the focus on the temporal when we have the eternal promise at hand. Don’t get caught up in these things. It’s not the end of it. Yes, the Lord wants us to be in health and prosper as our soul prospers. So we believe that God is making us whole. Be believe that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed. We believe that God wants to financially provide for us abundance; and that abundance is all relative. Abundance, the blessings of God, prosperity, is having sufficient! So we as a people—of course we have talked about this before¾ In this country we’re a people that none of us is in need. Not a person in this room; and this will show you your heart. Hopefully, this will help you understand the spirit that I’m trying to get at here. Not one person in this room has a Biblical right to go to God and say, "I have a need." I’m talking about financially. Not one of us has the right to go to God in the area of finance and say, "God, I have a need. Lord, your word has said that you would meet all of my needs according to your riches and glory by Christ Jesus." I want to tell you something right now. Every need in this room has been met. Amen? Yet, how many of us want to go to God, take the word, and try to get into a wrestling match with God. Your word promises—Oh, God, I have a need. That Mercedes payment is coming up. You don’t need a Mercedes. You don’t need a car! Why don’t we focus on the fact that if we’ll do the will of God we’ll receive the promise? For yet a little while and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. That’s what I need. I need Jesus to come back. How about you? I need Jesus to come back. I am in need of Jesus coming back. I just want to see him. I want to be with him. I don’t need any of this.

"Now the just [verse 38 says] shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back to perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." It didn’t say the healing of the body, or the fatness of the wallet. How many us may be guilty of emphasizing the wrong promises? All it does is create discontentment, doubt, fear, judgement of God. The enemy, through the seduction of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, takes our eyes from He who is invisible, from the city built without hands, whose builder and maker is God. Then we begin to question why Father hasn’t blessed me like he blessed Bill Gates. You say, I don’t need to be as rich as Bill Gates. I just want a Yugo. You don’t need a Yugo. The only Yugo you need to concern yourself with is when God says, "You go!" Okay? Then you obey and go. However he provides it: Walk, drag a donkey, whatever needs to be done, you obey. Now watch this. If you’ll look at these verses here, verse 35 through 39 that we’re looking at, and compare them with 11:6, the very famous verse that all of us know. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a [what?] rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Rewards. I’ll have that reward, two of those and one to go. Okay? He is a rewarder, a fulfiller of the promise "to those who seek him." What are you seeking? Him or the promises? Him or the blessings?

So, back to Chapter 4 of Hebrews, we see this in closing. The laborer, or the diligent preparation of entering the rest, will keep us from falling into that same example of hardening the heart. Verse 12, "For the word of God is [alive], and powerful…." Now watch what it’s for. It’s not to be used, the word, to produce the promise. This word is alive, so when I speak it, the word will be declared and the promise will materialize. The word, and its main purpose, is to reveal the thoughts and intentions of your heart. It’s alive, it’s powerful, it’s one of the great weapons, it’s mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds; but this word that’s working in you and I, this word that Hebrews said is to be obeyed, and once its been obeyed and you've done the will, then you would inherit or receive the promise. This word, that the just subordinate to and live by and refuse to draw back from, is the power that saves our soul. See the saving of the soul back in 10:39. Just keep your fingers there for three-so you can go like that—between three, four, ten and eleven. The word saves your soul. The word is what discerns your thoughts and intentions of the heart, 4:12. The word is what saves your soul, the obedience to that where we don't draw back and faint because things aren't going exactly the way we thought they might. If we'll stand fast, our soul will be saved. Our intellect, our emotions, our will, will be governed, or made whole, by the presence of God and the trust in those promises.

So the word, then, back in chapter 4, judging the intentions of our heart. That word, "intents", means just the purpose, why we’re doing what we’re doing. What's the motive? Why are we trying to acquire this? Now we wouldn't be truthful if we said, "The only reason I want my loved one healed, or myself healed, is because God can be glorified." That is not true. You want the pain to go away. That is part of it. God doesn't have any problem with that. You don't want to hold the record at the pharmacy for the most spent per month. Okay? No problem with that. The compassion for the loved one. That's expected. But the intentions, or the purpose, can't be limited to those. Beloved, it has to be because it's what right, it's just, it's the word of God. It's the purpose of God for me and that's why I expect it; and if it doesn't, God has a better purpose for me and I glory in that. Our trust, reliance, and obedience in the eternal is what brings glory to God. That's when God is boasted in. I want you to understand something. Do you ever see God calling a meeting of all the human beings on the planet and saying, "What do you think about my servant Job?" God's glory is more discernable in the spirit realm than in the temporal realm. God is glorified when you obey him; and the angels rejoice, and the demons tremble when you and I obey our Father. Praise ascends into the heavens. It's just not the words of our lips that brings forth sweet incense; beloved, it's our obedience and right motives for why we're doing what we’re doing that honors God.

Chapter 4 says, look at it, you go in here and see that the word is "...a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Verses 13 and 14, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." Let us stand firm on the promise and rest, ceasing from our own labors, not trying to help God out. Not trying to explain him to others. For the fact of the matter is, beloved, we have a high priest who cares, who is able, and who is interceding. Verses 15 and 16, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy [receive the promise], and find grace to help in time of need." Look at verse 16 of chapter 4 and compare it with verse 6 of chapter 11. The faith without which it's impossible to please God¾ the faith is seen back in verse 16. A bold assurance, a coming to the throne of grace, obtaining mercy, and finding grace to help in the time of need. You see, it's not anything we can do. It's grace. It's mercy. The manifestation of the power of God, the promise manifesting itself, is based on mercy and grace, not works. Faith is not what we do, it's what we have assurance God will do. Faith is that rest that is giving substance to the things hoped for, it's the proof of things not seen. Faith is that that works in the patience of chapter 10:36. The consistent standing of knowing that I've obeyed, I will receive the promise.

So there are a couple of principles to put into effect in your life as you are praying and seeking Father, and not the temporal. Focus on the promise of the Father and not just the promises of the circumstances. Make it an issue of knowing your own heart and weather you're walking in obedience—and that it is you being tested, and not God. Seek the kingdom first and the righteous life and all of the other things, inevitably, are added to us, because every promise of God is sure. It's yea and amen to the glory of God.

Father, we thank you for your word. As we learn this rest, and learn how to rely on your presence alone, ceasing from our own labors; it glorifies you. What are you going to do about this? I'm going to sleep in the boat. How can you do that? Because Jesus said we were going to the other side. He didn't say go halfway and sink. So therefore, its not these waves and wind that dictate my hope; it's the word, the promise, the instructions that were made. I'm only in the middle of this mess because I obeyed. After I have done the will of God I will inherit the promise. What are we going to do walk on the water? Stand on the bow and say, peace be still, or just rest and immediately end up at the other side? I like God's mode of transportation. Immediately they were at the other side. Isn't it interesting how when you rest things get done immediately? When all's been proven, God bruises Satan beneath our feet with speed. How subtly we try to dictate our own lives and trust in the arm of the flesh. How subtly we try to manipulate circumstances and even God. How frequently we don't know our own heart; and God has to continually, through His word, reveal ourselves through these trials. His word, which is alive and powerful, begins to judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. The intention of the people to go back to Egypt. All they were looking for was momentary ease. Somehow, to get out from under this pressure, somehow, to go back to the familiar, somehow to be comfortable in my mind, to be able to comprehend and know the geography instead of going into a place where I don't know anything about. Without faith it is impossible to please him. If you come, you must believe that He is who he said He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. My Father wants to do me good. It's my Father's good pleasure to give me kingdom. If my God is for me, nobody can be against me. My God will bless those who bless me and curse those who curse me. My God has gone before me and prepared a way and His glory is my rear guard. My God has built a hedge around me and Satan has no access to me of his own volition. My God calls me His friend, because I do the things He has commanded me to do. I've been made an heir and joint-heir with Christ Jesus. Because I'm one with Him, every promise¾ every promise¾ is fulfilled in His obedience; and He is Lord, so He will disperse it at His discretion, and I just say 'Thank You.'

Thank You Lord, thank You for all You have given me. Thank You for Your concern. Thank You that You were touched by the feelings of our infirmities. Thank You that this pain I feel in my body was born by You first. You hurt before I did. You hurt now because I hurt. You desire my good, and I just rejoice in what You are doing in preparation for my spending eternity with You. I ask You to help me look beyond this that is temporal and joy in the eternal, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Lets stand before the Lord. Just take a minute and worship the Lord tonight. Thank Him for His promises being fulfilled in Jesus. Thank Him for the promise, the Holy Spirit. Go receive the promise. Then the Holy Spirit enters into you, praise God, and you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you will be witnesses unto Me. Wouldn't you rather be a good witness for Jesus than anything else? Isn't more important to hear 'well done' than to receive the praises of men?

If it is possible, Father, let the pain leave my body, the grief depart my heart, and the fear flee from my mind; but nevertheless, not my will. Thine be done. The promises are going to be done. If all of these other things can manifest, I say Lord, that is the way I prefer it. Thank You. Thank You that Your promises make provision for the absence of pain and sorrow and fear. We thank You for that, and it's Your declared will for us. We embrace them. We embrace them and hope against hope; but mainly we just want to see You and be like You. Mainly we just want to come out of this having glorified Your name. Your word knows that; it's the discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Your word knows what our heart speaks. I'd prefer to do it without the grief and pain. Just make me faithful. Prepare me to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." That's the real treasure. That's the real reward. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! You're our delight, Jesus. We worship You. Hallelujah.

Lets sing this together and worship him tonight. "To Your Majesty." Surrender to that majesty tonight. You are, Lord, mighty. You are worthy, Lord. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Just thank Him for His grace allowing the surrender of your heart, for Him working in you to will and do His good pleasure. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

It wasn't about the great wealth of Abraham or the miracles that they experienced, the birth of Isaac, his hundred-fold blessing in the time of famine, the trials of Jacob, the preservation through Joseph, the deliverance through Moses. It's all about Jesus. It was all pointing to Jesus, the seed. The promises were made through and fulfilled in Him. Do you believe that He does His job well? That is what it's all about. If you seek that first, all of the other will be added to you. Jesus, we just want less of us and more of You. Amen. Amen.

Before you go, turn to somebody and say, "Jesus is the promise." Amen. Go in peace. God's love go with you.

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