When everything you leaned on for stability shifts and changes, what can you trust in? Who will be there for you when nobody else is? In Part 2 of his series from a few years ago, Dr. Stanley points to the immovable promises of God and of the trustworthiness of the One who makes those promises. Bolster your faith as you get reminded of His promises.
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what would you think about a person who
was very very wealthy and yet was always
complaining about not having enough and
you look at them and you think wait a
minute
nobody’s wealthy but look how he dresses
oh look what he drives look what he
lives you wonder well it doesn’t quite
match in other words if you see if he
has all of that why does he act the way
he acts and so you have to ask yourself
the question well does he not know that
he’s wealthy does he not believe that
he’s wealthy does he not know how to
cash in on his will what’s wrong with a
person who lives that kind of life well
something definitely is wrong
but I know a lot of believers who the
same way they are very wealthy they
don’t act like it they don’t claim it I
think because they don’t believe it
because either they’ve never been taught
or somewhere along the way they missed
this awesome truth and when I think
about how clear God has made his word
and the awesome way he has provided for
us and yet people oftentimes act like
they’re paupers Oh act like he not just
never have enough God’s left me out
yah-yah-yah doesn’t understand what my
needs are I know that’s what the Bible
says but it’s not working for me or
what’s the problem it’s the problem with
God or is the problem with the fact that
I don’t understand what I have so I want
you to listen very carefully it’ll
change your way you’d think about
yourself and maybe the way you think
about God so won’t you turn to the
little book of 2nd Peter and look if you
will in Chapter 1 and this is the second
a message in our series on the promises
of God and we talked to last week about
why and we can trust this promises and
in order to trust someone’s promises you
have to look at their character first of
all and then you look at their bill
to fulfill what they promised and we saw
then looking at the attributes of God
that he certainly has the right
character that he’s always going to be
truthful and faithful and so forth and
certainly he has the ability because he
has all power in all mine and in this
particular passage of Scripture Peter
describes this awesome wealth that you
and I have listen to what he says he
beginning in verse 1 of this first
chapter of 2nd Peter Simon Peter a
bondservant an apostle of Jesus Christ
to those who have received a faith of
the same kind as ours by the
righteousness of our God and Savior
Jesus Christ grace and peace be
multiplied to you and the knowledge of
God and of Jesus our Lord
now watch these next two verses seeing
that His divine power has granted to us
everything pertaining to life and
godliness through the true knowledge of
him of Jesus who called us by his own
listen by his own glory and excellence
for by these he has granted to us his
precious and magnificent promises so
that by them you may become partakers of
the divine nature having escaped the
corruption that’s in this world by lust
that’s these last few verses I want us
to look at for a moment when he says
that His divine power has granted us
something that he’s has gifted us
something what’s that gift
he says everything we need and to live a
godly life and when he says look he has
granted to us he uses a form of a verb
which means that has rented to us in the
past and what Heath has granted to us in
the past is still going on it is called
a passive participle something happened
in past and still going on so God has
rented to every single one of his
children something that is still going
on in their life and what that is is he
know that he mentions here these
precious and magnificent promises so
that by them you may become to take
the divine nature having escaped the
corruption that’s in this world by lust
in which he’s simply saying is this you
know I trusted Jesus Christ as our
Savior we took upon ourselves the nature
of the Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t mean
they were exactly like him
but we have him living on the inside of
us now think about this for a moment if
you have Jesus on the inside of you
which he talks about abiding in him and
and he’s abiding in US and his Paul
talks about Christ in ours our hope of
glory if Jesus Christ is abiding in me
living in me then I have the most
valuable thing possible on the inside of
me and he puts it in this way he speaks
of he speaks of promises and describes
them as precious and magnificent now if
something is precious that means it’s
it’s very valuable of course and if it’s
magnificent it’s it’s superb if it’s
it’s beyond what it saw tonight by far
and it’s splendid and it’s Noble and
when he talks about something being
precious and then being magnificent
we’re talking about they precious
something precious is something I
cherish I adore I take care of it
and so he’s simply saying this that
every single believer has this
possession we have the promises of God
within us and these promises from God’s
viewpoint are very precious and they are
magnificent now the question is this why
should we believe that the promises of
God can be described this way that they
are promises that are cherishable
magnificent precious why and so most of
this message is going to be answering
that simple question and first of all I
would simply say that one of the primary
reasons that they are cherishable
magnificent precious is who gave them
all the promises in the Word of God came
from Almighty God he never gives
anything the second rate
he doesn’t almost do anything
he didn’t sort of create the world but
perfect design and every single aspect
of it so it is in your life in mind he
doesn’t do things halfway he does them
completely beautifully magnificently
and the problem is we don’t get that
message oftentimes and so when we talk
about his promises falling in that
category that here’s what it says to me
that means if I have these promises I
have something extremely valuable to me
personally because his promises are
given to every single one of his
children once you receive Jesus Christ
as your personal Savior it’s this
awesome sense of wealth that comes with
that that most people will never
recognize in fact most people are gonna
live out their lives and they gonna come
till the end of it and here’s what
they’re gonna start saying if either if
I had just made that decision if I had
taken that job if I’d have taken that
direction if I’d have said this if I had
not done that if I had not moved if I
had not made that decision so it’s if I
if I have done this if I have done that
if I was on the other and you don’t have
to come to the end of your life to start
thinking that I’ll meet people all the
time and of course the conversation that
conversation is long enough somehow
along the way if we get to talking about
spiritual things they’re gonna bring up
this whole whole idea well if out of
this and if out of that and I wish this
and wish that and so what you have to
ask is this how do you wanna live out
your life how you wanna come to the end
of your life and I’m going to show you a
wonderful passage in a moment how do you
want to come to India right thanking God
for what he’s done in your life thanking
God for what he allowed you to do are
you going to come in any like to think
well if out of this and if out of that
that that’s that’s the story of a
defeated man or woman and so what I want
you to see in this passage of Scripture
and then all these passages is this
watch this carefully I know that many of
you are not going to believe this but
listen carefully whether you know it or
not the day you receive Jesus Christ as
your personal Savior
you became this awesome wealthy person
they say well but I wonder why my why am
I where I am financially I don’t know
maybe you made some decisions that
weren’t very wise but let’s just stretch
the material things for a moment when
you think about what you own and what
your wealth is where is your wealth is
it in your family is it in your material
possessions or you wise enough to
recognize that your wealth isn’t a form
in a fashion that no one can take from
you you will never be able to spend it
all that it’s there given to you by God
and it’s given to you by God which he
will never change
because the moment you trusted him as
your Savior you inherited something you
became a child of God and with that
decision of becoming a child of God you
became a very valuable person now
where’s all this value
here’s where it is it’s in the promises
of God and I’m going to show you in a
few moments why I say that then when you
trusted him as your savior the promises
of the Word of God became your promises
you are a very wealthy person and there
are many believers who think when they
look at their lives they talk about what
they don’t have and they wish this and
God answered this friend and so forth
there’s a reason they’re thinking what
they’re thinking what I want you to see
is this simple truth how wealthy you are
as a child of God by the gift of his
magnificent and precious promises
they’re yours
but you much cash in on for example you
could be a multimillionaire
have a big checkbook and you can write a
cheque for anything you wanted but if
you just took the checkbook and you
looked at and you played with and you
ripped this one out and you filled out
this and fill it then that trashcan and
and you just sort of played with the
checkbook you can starve to death
because you don’t cash in on what’s
yours the money is in the bank under
your name and you talk about it you tell
other people about it but you never
present the check and you never cash in
on it
listen carefully as a child of God
your life has been bequeathed and and
when he says in this passage granted to
you these awesome precious promises of
his magnificent promises then the
question is this what is all that and
never once it’s like walk into this
treasure chest and opening it and saying
wow I didn’t know that I had all of this
so what I’d like to do is simply tell
you what you have now one of the
messages I want to preach about is
simply this and that is how do you claim
a promise that’s coming later right now
I want you to see what is that your
disposal what is before you to be
enjoyed to be claimed to call upon and
you have to ask yourself the question
number one do I believe this and
secondly how do I claim it so let’s
think about it for a moment and let’s
begin where God begins in all of our
lives and I’m gonna put on the screen
here there are quite a number of these
I’m gonna I’m gonna watch this I’m gonna
show you how wealthy you are because
every single one of these promises just
shows you about how much more wealthy
you are than you think now watch this
carefully you sit here or out there and
the devil will say to you oh you know
what that’s just some sermon about
something the Bible correct but you have
to make up your mind whether you want
God’s best that you want to keep living
in poverty if you’re wise you’ll listen
carefully and you’ll write down what’s
gonna be on the screen because it’d be
very simple on this point on and you can
follow so let’s begin with the first
evidence of God’s wealth that he
bequeathed to you so when you turn if
you will to Romans chapter 5 for a
moment and we’ll be going through
numbers of scriptures Romans chapter 5
tells us how it all starts and here’s
what he says he says in verse 6 but
while we were still helpless at the
right time Christ died for the ungodly
but one will hardly die for a righteous
man though perhaps for the
man someone would dare even to die but
God demonstrated his own love toward us
in that while we were yet sinners Christ
died for us much more than having been
justified by the by his blood we shall
be saved from the wrath of God through
him for if while we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of
his son we shall be saved by his life
and not only this but we also exult in
God through our Lord Jesus Christ
through whom we have now received the
reconciliation now watch this when you
trust in Jesus Christ as your personal
Savior he forgave you of all your sins
he brought you into a relationship with
himself a personal relationship that
from that point on watch this you can
call yourself a child of God that is
your possession you now have a heritage
and that heritage is that God is your
father Jesus Christ as your Savior your
brother and you are now a member of the
family of God that’s who you are you
cease to be who you used to be a child
of the devil you’re now a child of God
number one very important and until that
happens nothing else that I’m going to
save it apply to you but that’s the
beginning and that’s the foundation when
I tell him listen to Christians talk
oftentimes and I’ll say you ever been
saved yes I have Oh what about you
Christian life oh I don’t know somewhere
back yonder this and the other it’ll
even realize what happened to him God
invited them into his family and now
calls them a follower of Jesus that is
an awesome heritage and a promise from
God now that’s one thing so let’s think
about in this light also we’re talking
about there’s Tom but the wealth that
you have the second thing on what you
notice is this not only did he save you
and forgive you and cleanse you write
your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life
make it a part of the kingdom but he
gave you this promise this promise is in
first John 1:9 you all know it by heart
if we can
our sins he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness
what an awesome promise here’s what that
means it means that as I live out my
life in this filthy dirty world I can
stay clean every day because he says if
we confess our sins he’s faithful that
is you can trust him faithful and just
he has the right to do it forgive us of
our sins and to cleanse us from every
unrighteous thing that says I am very
wealthy that I have the privilege of
going to God Almighty asking him Lord
this is in my life it shouldn’t be I
recognize that I acknowledge it and I’m
asking you to forgive me of my sins that
is an awesome possession a third part of
that wealth is simply this and that is
his can his continued presence in our
life think about this
who else can promise you this this is
the sovereign God of the universe who
says I will never leave you nor forsake
you there in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5
I will never leave you nor forsake you
you know what that says see if you can
match this you have a traveling
companion in the person of Jesus Christ
who will never under any condition no
matter what ever desert you or forsake
you period now who can promise you that
nobody can promise you that and you see
it’s when people turn their eyes away
from the Lord God and when they start
looking at themselves in their situation
circumstances instead of asking what’s
the promise of the father the promise of
the father is you listen once you trust
Jesus as you save you you can never be
alone you may want to be you can’t be he
says I will not I will not forsake you
no never desert you under any condition
that is an unconditional promise of God
that belongs to every believer and
listen nobody can change that you could
go to prison or you can be here you
could be there doesn’t make a difference
he says I’ll never leave you nor forsake
you I’ll never desert your period so the
next time you get down in the mouth and
you’re alone then you think I need a
counsel on me this oh god help me
just stop and ask yourself
question-there what is that I possess
opposites Jesus is my intimate friend
who lives on the inside of me and who
promised that no matter what goes on in
my life he will never leave me you can’t
beat that for a promise off a friendship
that is an awesome possession which no
one else can give you and no one else
can promise you that
then of course he promises us that we
don’t even have to live this life in
their own strength and power but we have
the Holy Spirit who is called our helper
there in John chapter 14 verse 16 when
he says I’m gonna send you a helper and
when he comes he talks about what he
will do for us when he called you to
serve Him you have the Holy Spirit to
enable you to give you wisdom and
direction and guidance for your life and
to empower you in order to do well to do
good whatever he calls you to do nobody
else can do that listen people and
oftentimes passes them when they phoned
this trap they go on their eloquence and
they go on their education and all these
things the truth is none of us has
anything to say apart from the work of
the Holy Spirit it’s the Spirit of God
that takes the Word of God that drives
it home to people’s hearts you have
watch this you have the third person of
the Trinity living on the inside of you
listen and you have his guarantee that
he will never leave you and he will
empower you to do anything and
everything and God called you to do well
that’s being a godly mother of your
children or being the president of a
corporation doesn’t making it what it is
that’s his promise and it’s these
promises that make you wealthy so far
you’ve not heard anything that I’ve said
that anybody else can provide for you
other than God because of your
relationship to him then of course
there’s the whole issue of God’s
strength and there are lots of verses in
here but about all these but if you’ll
notice in this 41st chapter of Isaiah
listen to what he says he says you’re my
servant I’ve chosen you and not rejected
you do not fear for I’m with you do not
anxious and look about you for I am your
God I will strengthen you surely I will
help you
strengthen you listen what that promise
is the promise of God’s strength all of
us come to those times in our life when
we feel weak or we don’t feel like we
can manage I don’t feel like we can make
it he says I will strengthen you now if
your friends promise you that that just
depends on what they can do but listen
when the sovereign of the universe who
has all power and all might gives you
this wondrous precious magnificent
promise I will strengthen you I can tell
you that is a promise no one else can
promise you but it is an awesome
magnificent promise I think of it a few
times probably a lot of times in the
ministry when maybe the week’s been very
very full and studied and parade and all
the rest and yet come Sunday morning
maybe I’d be a little tired or for
example if I have had a flu or something
like that
thank God I haven’t had that many many
years but I can remember the times that
I haven’t thanked God I can hardly get
dressed and somehow think oh Jesus
you’re gonna have to help me and I’m
telling it what kind of shape I’m in and
I’ve done my best all week and
pity-party that’s that the other walked
out on the platform it’s like all that
disappears the power of God’s all over
the place that can only be to God doing
what he says I will strengthen you
listen that’s your possession it’s a
promise that listen and you said well
I’m not sure God will do that for me he
doesn’t mean he doesn’t make exceptions
that you’re living in sin
it doesn’t mean God won’t strengthen you
but what you do you foul up the issue
but he says I will strengthen you I will
help you I will undergird you I will be
for you whatever you need then he says
for example that he’ll supply all of our
needs
who can promise you that not one person
so there are lots of verses in the Bible
about that but probably one of the most
valuable ones in the 6th chapter of
Matthew for this reason I said you don’t
be worried about your life as to what
you’re gonna eat or what you will drink
or if your bodies – what you’ll put on
is not life more than food and your body
more than clothing he talks about the
birds are there and the lilies of the
field and all the rest and then he comes
down and he says do not worry then say
what would you eat where would you
drink what would you wear for your
clothing he says the unbelievers
thinking about these things your
heavenly Father knows that you need all
of these things so what is he saying
here’s his promise that it ought to meet
our daily needs
who else can promise you that nobody
said well – no no no no nobody can
promise you that they’re gonna answer
your prayer
but the Almighty God nobody can promise
you that whatever the situation the
circumstance that you’re in or whatever
you need you have here’s the promise he
says he knows what the need is and he
will provide that need no matter what
and so what about this whole issue of
answered prayer who can promise you that
they’ll answer your prayer
Oh somebody may be able to help you in
some issue but listen what he says in
1st John chapter 5 1415 this is the
confidence that we have in him that if
we ask anything according to his will he
hears us and if we know that he hears us
we know that we have the petition that
we desired of him who can promise you
that no one else and the many many
verses of promise and set free in the
Word of God but watch this people said I
have needs
are you cashing in you know what need do
you have well how do I cash in while
prayer is sitting in one of the ways and
so often times we feel needy and we want
somebody else to meet the need we think
I don’t know how it God’s gonna work
this out here’s the promise this is the
confidence that you have in him and so
he makes the Christopher for example he
says asking should be given you seek and
ye shall find knocking that she’ll be
open to you so this promise up the
promise up the promise of answered
prayer therefore if you don’t have what
you need it’s because you are not
claiming for yourself what he has very
clearly promised in the word of God he
said I’ll never leave you no forsaking
so he’s there and you so your loneliness
he handled that whether the material
needs you have he makes a promise
that he will absolutely supply that need
you see we’re not living we’re not
living on the path that God wants us to
live because we’re thinking about other
things he said I want you to see what
you possess this is what you have in you
this is what you have now that you have
you have the privilege you have access
to God the Father who would hear your
petition your cry whatever it might be
then he answer he gives us this awesome
passage in the 84th some look at this
for a moment love this 84 some because
of what he promises and the way God has
said it in this particular passage he
says for all of his children there’s the
only applies to his children he says in
verse 11 lady for the psalm for the Lord
God is a Sun and shield the Lord gives
grace and glory now watch this no good
thing watch that no good thing does he
withhold from those who walk uprightly
look at that promise nobody can promise
you that no good thing will he withhold
from those who walk uprightly that is a
possession you have that every single
solitary thing that you need God has
already provided for and he says none of
that
he won’t withhold it from you if you
walk up frightening that’s one of those
promises is conditional that is if you
won’t live a godly life whatever you
need he says he will not hold any
withhold any good thing from you so ask
yourself today what is it that you need
in your life or where do you go well God
says I won’t withhold it from you if you
trust me and you’re walking my way and
you and you will walk and in a godly
life so then he says and if you look at
the 68 Psalm and I want you to notice
again all of us have needs in their life
God knows about every single one of them
and here’s what he says in this 68 song
speaking of the burdens and so forth
that we bear all of us have burdens we
bear in life and here’s what he says in
verse 19 blessed be the Lord who daily
there’s a Burton’s listen to God who is
our salvation they’re people who wake up
every morning and if you could see them
internally this is the way they wake up
they have been over with burdens
heartaches and trials in their life they
can’t handle listen to what he says he
says daily the Lord bears a bird that’s
a promise we have we listen we don’t
have to go through any single day of our
life carrying burdens and heartaches and
some of this is well how much how much
how much weight can you bear watch this
I can I can put a few pounds right here
but lift a few pounds off listen lift a
few pounds off my shoulders
you can put 2,000 pounds on my back as
long it’s a quarter of an inch off my
body
you can’t come up with any amount of
burden that God can’t handle
he’s the burden bearer and here’s what
he says this is that rich you are you
have a relationship to God and here’s
what he says I will bear every single I
will bear every single burden that you
have and listen if he didn’t say once in
a while he said blessed is the Lord who
daily bears a burden the God who is our
salvation Jehovah Yahweh Elohim this is
that this is the god of this university
says Albania burden I don’t know what
you’re dealing with right now but here’s
what he says whatever burden you’re
dealing with
he’s the burden base oh well how do i
how do I give it to God you bring it
before him you laid before him and we’ll
talk about that how do you claim it
listen it is not his will for his people
to be down in the dumps and discouraged
in living with frown on their face he
talks about the joy of the Lord and
we’re to have that joy as long as I’m
bearing down with all kind of things and
all kinds of waited in my life and
frustrations and anxieties and worries
suppose this suppose that can enjoy a
mother you don’t have to live that way
that’s a promise from God then of course
he says that whenever you and I are
troubled he will comfort us we have a
comforter in second Corinthians and that
first chapter and not notice what he
says
and the reason he says is he says for
example blessed be the God and father of
our Lord Jesus Christ the father of
mercies and the God of all comfort who
comforts us in all our afflictions not
some of it in all of our flexion so that
we will be able to comfort others those
who are in any affliction with a
comforter with which we ourselves are
comforted by God that is no matter what
you’re facing in life and all of us go
through those trying times he says he’s
the great comforter now watch this he is
absolutely omniscient he knows all about
what I’m what I need comfort about he is
omnipotent he has all the power
necessary to comfort me and we could go
right down to the list of his awesome
attributes think about this when we go
through those difficult times we want to
talk to somebody who understands us
he says he’s the great comforter and he
will comfort us in innocent in every
affliction of whatever it might be
that’s part of our possession and this
is what he called the Holy Spirit
Parakletos which means the one who walks
by my side so God who is living within
me and the presence in the power of the
Holy Spirit he knows what I’m troubled
about he knows what brings me sorrow and
heartache and regret or whatever it
might be he says here’s one of my
promises to you I’ll be there and I will
comfort you no matter what and I’ve seen
that happen in so many people’s lives in
different circumstances when all of a
sudden they come to this passage of that
let me sort of explain it to him a
little bit and they say oh you mean you
mean God will take this off mate yes he
will he promises it no matter what you
and I going through whatever trial he
sets a limitation on in first greensburg
chapter 10 verse 13 look at that he says
no temptation has taken you but such as
is common to man that is in any
temptation or trial and he says but God
is faithful now watch this he says but
such as is common to man and God is
faithful that means you can trust him
you can depend upon it who will not
watch
who will not allow you to be tempted at
ride
beyond what you’re able but will with
the temptation he’ll provide the way of
escape so that you and I can and do it
yes what that means you know hit those
temptations those trials in our life we
thank God I can’t handle this I don’t
know what I’m gonna do about this God
why do you let these things happen you
know we would claim our promise what’s
the promise here’s what he said if
anybody else promise you this you could
doubt it but God says I will not allow
you to be tempted and tried more than
you are able to bear now that is only to
a believer what you can bear because of
relationship to him why well first of
all you have the Holy Spirit living on
inside of you one of his
responsibilities to comfort us to give
us direction for our life and so when it
comes to meetings those issues and
trials we see them all but God you
tempted me no he didn’t
Lord why did you let this happen to me
maybe then he wants to show you
something and he says mark it down you
have this possession
this is this is a promise that’s yours
if you claim it it’s yours whether you
claim it or not but it’s yours in action
it’s yours as an absolute promise of God
I have sent a limitation on everything
you have to face in life now that is a
very encouraging word that people had
gone through difficulties in situations
in their life and then he says for
example that he will grant us wisdom in
in James if you will notice in that
first chapter he makes the promise of
wisdom there’s nobody says for if any of
you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who
gives to all people generously and
without reproach and it will be given to
it somebody says I don’t know what to do
well you listen you may not know what to
do you want wisdom you have the promise
of wisdom watch this a promise of God
says that all of the sovereign power of
God is behind what he promises and he
will make it work
you need wisdom that is you need to see
things from God’s perspective you need
you need to make a wise decision here
you have that promise
that he will grant you wisdom in every
circumstance of life because that’s who
he is you have the wisdom of God
dwelling within you that you’re living
in sin here’s what that does it confuses
the issue and you listen you’ll not be
listen guess what sin does sin does what
sin crowds out the truth of the Living
God and it’s not that it’s not there
it’s that you don’t know how to seek his
wisdom or secondly you don’t believe
that God is absolutely sufficient for
that this is what the devil always does
the devil was to create doubt if he can
if he can create doubt within you then
he’s won a victory it doesn’t mean
you’ve lost the promise though in fact
is you refuse to claim the promise and
so what happens is you make very unwise
decisions and then people say well well
God should have stopped it no God has
offered you wisdom that’s a promise from
him listen in every single solitary
situation you have a promise from God
that he will give you wisdom to know how
to respond or how to react in that given
situation that’s one of the things that
makes us wealthy tell me anything
Endemol available in wisdom seeing
things from God’s perspective and
knowing how to walk in it and then of
course he promises us rest in this 11th
chapter of Matthew I noticed what Jesus
said in those days he said come unto me
all come unto me all you who are weary
and heavy-laden I’ll give you rest take
my yoke upon you take my teachings my
learning upon you and learn from me from
gentle and humble in spirit and you’ll
find rest for your souls my yoke is easy
my burden is light all of us find
ourselves in those situations where we
need we need listen not just physical
rest but emotional rest we need to be
able to rest on the inside what does he
say he says come unto me and he says
I’ll give it to you here’s what I want
you to see deposited within these
buddies of ours in these mines of ours
is every single solitary thing we need
given to us as a promise from Almighty
God
that no matter what’s happening he’s
there to make that provision whatever it
might be then we come to this whole
issue of peace and in the passage that
most of us know by heart and Philippians
listen to what Paul says he says now
rejoice in the Lord he says not just
that your gentle spirit be known to all
men the Lord is not be anxious for
nothing they don’t get upset about these
things but in everything by prayer and
supplication with Thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God and the
peace of God which surpasses all
comprehension will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus what is he
saying he says this no matter what’s
going on in your life God will give you
a garrison a wall that will separate you
from anxiety they will listen that will
fulfill your need of peace in your life
what did Jesus say the Bible says that
Jesus is our peace who’s living on the
inside of you the Lord Jesus Christ and
so we go through situations and
circumstances sometimes we hear bad news
and frightening news and whatever it
might be why don’t we get our peace from
often time it’s not from our friends not
from the doctor and not from the bank or
not from this it’s from him but think
about this your peace isn’t something
you get from him heard them your peace
abides within you it is an in dwelling
promise of God what did Jesus say my
peace I give unto you not as the world
gives give unto you let not your heart
be troubled one of the most awesome
promises he gives us as saying we can
have peace and whatever we’re faced in
life now I want you to get this one down
and we’re gonna turn to some on 92
because here is certainly one that a lot
of people need to think about because
here is the promise that many people are
certainly not living by because if they
were you could see it and that is the
promise that you and I can be listen
watch this that we can be strong and
fruitful in old age
now the lot of folks are getting about
55 or 57 or 16 special 65 well it’s time
to retire well know who said so number
one secondly well you know after I’m
getting tired and so I’ll just relax and
take it easy in and then just slow down
what does the word of God say in other
words is that is that reality as
everyone god wants because the many
people who do their best work after
they’re 65 years of age so what kind of
a promise do I have about getting old
well first of all let me ask you this
what is old I can tell you what it is
not as long as it used to be listen to
this passage Psalm 92 verse 12 the
righteous man will flourish like the
palm tree coming back to that he will
grow like a cedar in Lebanon now a palm
tree flourishes with fruit
Koko’s Calculus coconuts coconuts
flourish like a palm tree will grow like
a cedar in lebanon lebanese scene is a
straight up-and-down their limbs are
straight out like this they’re just
beautiful examples and pictures of
strength listen to what he says the
righteous man will flourish like the
palm tree he will grow like a cedar in
Lebanon planted in the house of the Lord
they will flourish in the courts of our
God they will still yield fruit in old
age they shall be full set and very
green to declare that the Lord is
upright he is my rock and there is no
unrighteousness in him
now here’s the promise of God here’s
what he promises first of all what’s old
it’s that person thinks and he says look
even in old age you can be like this
flourishing flourishing growing fruitful
palm tree blows or the wind doesn’t have
any roots but the Cedars of Lebanon
straight up powerful root goes straight
down stand all kind of storms he said
that’s the way God’s people can live out
their lives and that is that no matter
what your age may be you can be fruitful
he says and flourishing and when he
talks about the idea of self
he says they shall be full of SAP and
very green what does that means that
means the energy there isn’t a growing
plant the self is flowing something’s
going on so why do you want to get old
when you don’t have to get old because
old know if age doesn’t mean necessarily
old because notice how he says this he
says the righteous man will flourish in
the palm tree grows like a city in
Lebanon planned in the house of the Lord
flourish in the courts of our God still
yield fruit in old age full of SAP and
very green what is it saying
he says the righteous man the righteous
woman the righteous man and woman has
the privilege of living a life that is
fruitful no matter what the age may be
and they can be strong no matter what
the age is full of SAP means energy
strength bearing fruit still making a
difference whatever it may be so I would
just simply ask you when do you want to
get old we have to choose and we got a
winner claim his promise and if you
claim his promise today God I know that
you can call me home and time you get
ready but until then I want to give it
my best
I want to be strong I want to be
fruitful all my life to count for the
kingdom of God and then look in Psalm 37
and because here’s a wonderful promise
of God if I should say to you would you
like to have the desires of your heart
if I said you what are the desires of
your heart semester’s I want a husband I
want a boy if I want this I want there
what are the desires of your heart
here’s what God says this is a promise
from Almighty God who has all power and
listen he has unconditional love for you
did light yourself in the Lord and He
will give you the desires of your heart
in other words what does it mean to be
delighted in him look at that passage
read it a little bit as
to show you what does it mean to delight
yourself in him ultimate simply means
this above everything in my else in my
life that’s important my relationship
with him is the most important thing I
am delighted in serving him I’m
delighting in worshiping I’m delighting
and giving him I’m delighted and living
out a godly life
he says the righteous if the Lord he’ll
give you the desires of your heart then
you say well what about what about when
we face troubles real troubles difficult
and so forth
what’s his promise like in psalm 46 and
verse 1 God is our refuge and strength a
very present help in trouble therefore
we will not fear though the earth should
change and though the mountains slip
into the heart of the sea though its
waters roar and foam though the
mountains quake and swelling pride and
so forth the reason I remember that
verse in Scripture this is the this is
the influence one school with each a
head on me in the eighth grade that I’ve
never forgotten every morning we started
our class she read the 46 Psalm and a
number of verses but primarily she
always emphasized this and God is our
refuge watch this what do you run when
you’re in trouble
God is a refuge a place to run in time
of trouble and our strength what’s the
source of your strength hey watch this I
love this he didn’t say a help in time
of trouble he said a very present help
which means no matter when and where and
what present why living on inside of us
we have the promise of his presence the
promise of his strength the promise of
his health no matter what we are facing
in life no one can promises that but
Almighty God and then for example if you
go back to some started to listen to
what he says I love this passage because
we all need it he promises to give us
direction for a life in the eighth verse
I will instruct you and teach you in the
way which you should go
I will counsel you with my eye upon you
think about the think about what a
possession that is
promise that is that God will give you
direction any time in your life you need
it here’s the promise I will instruct
you and teach you the way which you
should go
I will counsel you listen this not from
a distance he says I will counsel you
with my eye on you that is I know where
you are I know where you’re headed
I know what’s ahead and other things you
have pitfalls I know the things it’s
dangerous he says I will give you
direction and guidance for your life
that’s an awesome promise of Almighty
God and every single believer has that
promise then he says for example a
passage that many people don’t believe
we have the promise of healing in time
of sickness thinking 100 and 3rd song
look in that first verse bless the Lord
O my soul and all that is within me
bless His Holy Name bless the Lord O my
soul and forget none listen and forget
none of his benefits
what are they who pardons all our
iniquities who heals all your diseases
let me ask you a question when we talk
about the attributes of God the
attributes of God is one of me is he’s a
he never changes he’s immutable he never
changes so did he heal people in the Old
Testament yeah did he heal people the
New Testament yes does he heal people
past the New Testament yes does he heal
people today yes then if we believe that
why do we have a little sore throat or
have a little sniffle we won’t run to
the doctor for antibiotics what about
running to Jesus you said are you
against doctors absolutely not God calls
them to be physicians and Paul had Luke
along with him but what I want you to
see is this I think God would heal many
things and many things about us if we
stopped and reminded him of what he said
he who heals all our diseases now either
he quit in Jesus day of Paul’s day or
he’s still doing it now the reason you
still doing is because you can’t change
and we’re just as much children of God
as the Apostle Paul or anybody else
think about how simple this is at this
part this part we believe who forgives
all our sins amen
that’s not love amen what about this
part who heals all our diseases sounds a
little bit low on that one you know what
we don’t even realize what we let the
world do to us we say well no no and
yeah mm-hmm I believe that well do we
believe that we believe the Hailie as
much as we believe the other part that I
hit they forgive our sin let me ask you
a question which cost God the most
healing my sins of my physical body all
of it you wrapped up and what happened
to Calvary I simply want to sent you to
see this we have possessions we have all
these promises and his promises he for
example he says I sent my word and with
my word I heal them my word will not
return to me void I’m simply saying we
have promises we don’t even think about
cashing in now most people want to pray
about something in some physical ailment
when the doctors have said it’s all over
or something very serious why don’t we
talk to him first because we have grown
up and we’ve been acclimated and we’ve
been told we’ve been warned and we’ve
been scared the truth is God is the
great healer does that mean that
nobody’s going to die no it doesn’t mean
that but it means we can be health and
is strong until the Lord finishes with
us then it doesn’t make any difference
what happens because think about this if
we have all these promises here what
about going to heaven
being the presence of God then of course
link in Romans 8 when I think about the
awesome promise in Romans 8 and that is
the fact that nothing can separate us
from the awesome love of God listen to
what he says in this passage and here’s
a promise and any people don’t really
believe this listen to this he says in
verse 38 for I am convinced that neither
death nor life nor Angels
no principalities nor things present nor
things come nor powers nor height nor
depth nor any other created thing will
be able to separate us from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
think about this you have the awesome
gift of God’s unconditional love within
your life
nobody can promise you that God now you
may want this person to love you of that
person but look who loves you
and he says besides that and he named
all these things nothing can separate
you from the love of God that’s a that’s
a possession you have you possessed the
love of Almighty God that will never
change
then if you will turn to John chapter 10
for a moment and here is his awesome
promise of eternal security there’s no
what he says my sheep hear my voice and
I know them and they follow me
and I give to them eternal life and they
will never perish
he didn’t say except if and but when
where they will never perish and no one
will snatch them out of my hand my
father who gave them to me is greater
than all and no one is able to snatch
them out of my father’s hand I and the
father want think about what you possess
you possess the gift of eternal life
watch this nothing no one no time
nothing can alter that under any
condition you are a child of God you are
eternally secure you live in sin then
there’s some other promises about
chastisement and discipline but we told
that the promise God has given you that
you are eternally secure and I spent
almost two hours talking with someone
this week who was totally convinced and
persuaded that when you die for example
that you did not believe in eternal
security in the morn when you die and
what happens is you go to the grave I
said you mean you don’t believe you done
you’re to be the Jesus no you die and
you go to sleep now where’d you get the
underwear they got it
and first thessalonians chapter 4 paul’s
him it talks about being sleep in jesus
but that’s the term he uses in order to
describe how a Christian dies that is
you went to bed last night you went
sleep you became unconscious woke up
this mornin O’Day some of you woke up
late but you but she woke up this
morning and so what did Paul mean by
that he was simply describing how the
Christian lives so we went on talking
about that not just let that other
person just go on and on and on telling
me why they believe what they believe
and so forth and I said well I wonder if
I could just give you one verse of
scripture maybe to listen to this Paul
said for me to live is Christ and to die
is gain which simply meant this for me
to live is for Christ to keep living in
and through me but for me to dies to me
my gain but if I’m to live on in this
flesh this will remain faithful labor
for me and I do not know which to choose
he says on the one hand I just wanted on
David Jesus on the other hand I want to
stay here and preach the gospel he says
for I have the desire to depart and be
with Christ but that’s very much better
yet to remain on the flesh is more
necessary for your sake and I said to
her I said listen do you think the
Apostle Paul meant that he wanted to die
and get buried and I casket and covering
up a six foot of dirt and be there
sleeping for 2,000 years that what he
meant it’s like the light suddenly
dawned no he said absent from the body
present with the Lord
this death business no it’s what we what
would the pastor’s say at a memorial
service if that were true that when you
die you get you go straight to sleep for
2,000 years and making them foot the
pastor say it but if you have to end up
saying well our dearly beloved one who’s
gone to be here something o going to be
placed in the grave covered up with six
feet of dirt one of these days maybe
2,000 years from now six months from now
we’ll see him again there would be
nothing consoling in that what’s
Paul said here’s the issue I want to say
and preach the gospel so you will keep
on to growing in the Christian life on
the other hand I want to die and live
with Jesus if he thought that had been
any other choice
even a name that he didn’t it’s to die
and they were the Lord that’s one of the
awesome promises you and I have then
well it’s absent from the body present
with the Lord listen who can give you
that promise only Almighty God could
then I would give you one last we could
do this all day long but I’m gonna stop
a few moments what I want you to see is
is what do you possess what you have
listen to what Jesus said he’s gonna let
your heart be trouble
you believe in God believe also in me in
my father’s house are many mansions if
you will not solve what I told you I go
to prepare a place for you and if I go
to prepare a place for you I’m coming
again to receive you to myself that
where I am there you may be also period
we have the promise of heaven now think
about this you possess as your own
awesome unchangeable eternal promises
from Almighty God who rules all things
and every single one of these promises
listen it’s given to every one of his
children the moment that they’re safe
then the problem is that oftentimes
people live their whole life and never
gain enough information enough knowledge
enough experience arise what’s theirs
what I want you to see is simply this a
promise from God it’s an awesome thing
and my challenge to you is simple this
claim what is yours and whenever
whatever you’re facing in life remember
who you are
I follow of Jesus and how rich you are
and listen and the awesome capacity you
have to serve him with all of your heart
in a way that you will never grow old
but you’ll be flourishing and fruitful
and strong all the days of your life
amen father how grateful we are this
morning well the wonderful promise of
your word and what makes it so wonderful
is the fact that we know it will never
change you’ll never change we can even
begin to think up anything we need that
you haven’t covered so we say thank you
this morning and I pray that you’ll show
us how to so live that people who are
spiritually in poverty will want to know
what is the source of our riches and we
can tell in Jesus name Amen
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