PROMISE KEEPER

Joshua 21:45

“Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”

Pastors and teachers spend a lot of time and energy trying to get the Word of God into the hearts and minds of the people.  I guess the big question is, why?  I might ask: “Why is it so important to know what God says?  I studied trigonometry in high school and it doesn’t seem to have had much effect on my life.  How do I know that Bible study will be any different?  And anyway, how do I know that God’s Word can really be trusted?  If it can’t, then knowing it really doesn’t matter all that much.  It only matters if what God says and what God does match up.” 

Joshua knew that trusting God and taking Him at his word really is a practical matter.  Being able to do it depends on God’s record of faithfulness, because the first time a promise is forgotten trust begins to erode.  And if unfaithfulness is seen as a pattern, then trust is destroyed. 

So how is God’s track record of faithfulness?  As we look at the text above it seems like Joshua was pretty impressed.  Not one of the LORD’s promises has failed . . . every one was fulfilled.  You can’t really miss the absolutes in that statement. He says God is batting 1.000!  In 1 Kings 8:56 we find a similar statement from Solomon:  “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.”   Jesus gave us this assurance in Matt. 5:18: “I can guarantee this truth: Until the earth and the heavens disappear, neither a period nor a comma will disappear from Moses’ Teachings before everything has come true” (GWV).

The fact is, the more we walk with God, the more we put our trust in Him and the truth of His Word, the more convinced we become that He is faithful.  Of course, we can’t know that until we take Him at His word.  We can’t recognize His faithfulness until we understand His promises.  As for me, I would rather put my hope in God’s faithfulness than in mine!  My prayer for all of us is found in 1 Thess. 5:24-25:  “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

--- Pastor Keith Andrews