DO YOU HAVE THE FAITH TO STAND ON GOD’S PROMISES?

AIRLINE BAPTIST CHURCH GAINESVILLE GA. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19 ESV (PHOTO BY PASTOR DAVIS)

DO YOU HAVE THE FAITH TO STAND ON GOD’S PROMISES?

Is there any such thing as “a sure thing?”  In this world nothing appears to be certain; many of us come to discover that our sense of being in control is only an illusion-we cannot control the outcome of even a single day.  There is only One who exercises sovereign control over all, and if you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, it is a promise that is made out to you on a blank check for you to fill in the details, take it to the bank and be guaranteed it will never bounce.

When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, “I promise that I’ll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!” Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they’ll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.

We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.  (Hebrews 6:13-20 MSG).

Now let me point out that this passage of text tells us that there are two reasons why God’s promises are certain: the “unchanging nature of his purpose” and the fact that he cannot break his covenant.  Thus, the only stable and unqualified ground of hope is the immutable character of God and the promises that flow out of his character.  Many people have an ill-defined or unbiblical hope; they look to the world and not to the Lord as the foundation of their security and confidence.  Such people, whether sooner or later, find that their feet are standing on shifting sand.

Nevertheless, as inhabitants of this world, it takes real courage for us to risk everything on the promises of God.  At least those who hope in the promises of the world have something tangible and visible to bolster their confidence.  But those who hope in God’s promises are staking their lives on what is not seen and what is not yet.  “For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”  This is why the Word directly links faith to hope: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  (Hebrews 11:11 NIV).

It takes no faith to believe that ten out of every ten people dies.  In view of the certain brevity of our earthly journey, and in light of the strong evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, our hope and trust in him are not a leap in the dark, but a step into the light.  Those who have taken this risk discover that this is the only firm and secure anchor for the soul.

Now I conclude this with the same question as the subject of this lesson, “DO YOU HAVE THE FAITH TO STAND ON GOD PROMISES?”  Let me encourage you to think GLOBALLY and work LOCALLY.  Today, we have ministered to you from the position of peace, purpose, power and prosperity.  I remain your brother in JESUS CHRIST, PASTOR DAVIS/MASTER TEACHER!

http://vineandbranchworldministries.com/2013/08/20/do-you-have-the-faith-to-stand-on-gods-promises-2/