Preserving His Promises

The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.’” So, he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. – (Genesis 12:7, NIV) 

The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” Abram built an altar to honor the Lord who appeared to him there. – (Genesis 12:7, ERV) 

God appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your children.” Abram built an altar at the place God had appeared to him. – (Genesis 12:7, MSG) 

 

What stood out to me is that Abram heard God, trusted Him, and built an altar to commemorate a promise spoken. How often do we hear a promise from God, and then carry on with our existence, just as before? Abram did not wait for the promise to be fulfilled to create a memorial, but rather, by faith, built an altar because God had spoken a promise. There is a lesson to learn from Abram’s faithfulness. He took God at His word, and moved forward accordingly. We too, ought to take time to signify the promises God speaks to our hearts, and place them where we can look back and remember what He has spoken to encourage our hearts to press on. Additionally, it is a reminder of His faithfulness, for we are able to look back, see what has been spoken, and celebrate with thanksgiving, the fruition of promises fulfilled. Though I am a writer, I am not sure that I am intentional enough to commemorate the promises spoken for me, so that I have something tangible to look at and remind me to press on, even when what has been promised seems out of reach. In hindsight, I can speak of the Lord’s faithfulness for days, yet I seldom have something to look back upon to identify the promise that has now been fulfilled. All of us have promises from God. He speaks to our hearts and His word is for all who trust in Him. God has a plan to prosper us and not harm us, to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) He promises to: never leave us nor forsake us… (Deuteronomy 31:8) The list goes on as we dig into His word and discover His heart for us. May we seek our Savior with all of our heart, and mark out the promises He places in our hearts. As we do, we will have reminders of what is true and will be able to look back in awe, at the faithful way that He has worked things out in our lives. 

 

Promises spoken,

Will surely come true; 

For God is for us, 

And makes all things new. 

What God speaks to us, 

He’s faithful to do; 

His word’s forever, 

He will see it through. 

Perhaps we should mark, 

What He says He’ll do; 

Reminders to trust, 

The Lord for breakthrough. 

As His word is kept, 

And we see the truth; 

Our trust ever grows, 

Fulfillment in view. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises spoken and Your faithfulness to fulfill. Thank You that despite what we see, You are ever moving on our behalf and are always true to Your word. Forgive us for our fearfulness and doubt, despite the promises You have made. Teach us to trust You more and to find way to commemorate that which You have spoken, so that we may look back and be encouraged to press on and then give You praise for Your faithfulness as Your word is fulfilled. Show us how to love those around us when they grow weary in the waiting. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we record the promises that You have spoken and look to Your words to encourage and strengthen us as we press on in faith to their fulfillment. All praise to You for Your eternal faithfulness. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing,May 2011 – present

 

Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. – Joshua 21:45

The Power of the Tongue

Yesterday morning, we continued in a series entitled, Be Light – Faith in Action, as modeled in the book of James. The topic of the day was The Power of the Tongue. We began the morning by reading James 3:1-12 out loud, together, to create a common foundation and point of reference, as our Administrative Pastor, Paul Zimmerman, spoke. The three main points that he highlighted from this passage were:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   1) Our words affect others. What we say has the power to change us and others, and there are always people listening.
2) Our words take us where our heart leads. For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks… (Luke 6:45b)
3) Our words either build up or burn down. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
(Proverbs 18:21)

                                                                                                                                                                                                  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. – (James 3:9-10)

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Words matter. They always have. As a writer, I think I have always been particularly sensitive to the impact of words. From a young age, I learned the power of words through reading, observing, and understanding how they made me feel – for better or worse. On our own, we will say that which we ought not to say, and harm those we long to help. So what can we do? The three take-aways from yesterday’s message were great reminders of how we can best be certain that the words we use build up, rather than burn down.

                                                                                                                                                                                                            First, we must be slow to speak. James 1:19 tells us: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. If we slow down, and think first, we are able to hear His voice, and speak the words that He has for us to say.

                                                                                                                                                                                                            Next, we need to put into our heart what we want to come out of it. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. – (Philippians 4:8) Good in, good out; enough said.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Finally, rebuild what has been burned down. This means that we must repent when we hurt another with our words. Repentance goes beyond simply saying I’m sorry, as it is a turning away from the old patterns and moving forward into a new way of speaking. An apology is empty words if there is not a demonstrated heart change that follows.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Though a small muscle,
such power it holds;

able to speak life,

or make a man fold.

We each have the choice,

the power to speak;

to offer great strength,

or make others weak.

Let us choose the words,

that extend His hope;

a lifeline to save,

those with no more rope.

Strength to the weary,

peace for those in pain;

may our mouths declare,

all praise to His Name.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, we have the power to speak life into others. Thank You that when we are slow to speak, invest our heart in things of You and are quick to repent, others may be built up and pointed toward abundant life in You. Forgive us for the times that our words have affected others negatively and we have spoken without listening first. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will slow down and listen first, trusting that You will provide that which we are meant to speak in all situations so that light and life are passed on to all. Lead us to love in such a way that others may too burn brightly in the light of Your lavish love. Be glorified O God, as we speak life to all whom we encounter. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:1