Aren’t you glad we are dealing with a God who keeps His word? Wouldn’t it be both horrible and pathetic if the God of this universe was a God who didn’t always keep His word? What terrible uncertainty would fill our hearts whenever we sought His help or assistance in some matter. We would always be plagued with the thought, “I wonder if He will keep His word this time.” Yes, the God we are dealing with always keeps His word, but He fully expects that we keep our word to Him, too.
“Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth, therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 4:2). Yes, let your words and your vows to God be few as He fully expects you to keep YOUR word.
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of promises in the scriptures, promises God makes to His faithful and obedient children. All too many try to claim and cash in on God’s promises while walking in disobedience or while exhibiting little if any faith. Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” Faith and obedience are conjoined twins. They cannot be separated for if they are separated they both die. True faith cannot exist apart from full obedience. Full obedience cannot continue apart from living, vital life-changing faith.
A promise of God needs the energizing catalyst of faith to be joined with it in order to be claimed. The catalyst of faith is generated only through total obedience. True God-inspired faith is not merely believing. It is the certainty of knowing. Living faith is quite literally the very substance of things hoped for and the absolute evidence of things not seen. Substance and evidence denote something real and tangible.
Jesus is either who He said He was or He is the anti-Christ. If He is who He said He was, then every word He spoke was absolute, eternal truth. He said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” If you are not with Jesus Christ, saying what He said and doing what He said to do, then YOU are anti-Christ. You are not one of His sheep, rather you are scattering His sheep, bringing division, discord and confusion. If you ARE one of His sheep, then you hear His voice and hearing His voice you obey. Your obedience is then the key that unlocks the storehouse of God’s promises.
Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley