Tag Archives: promises

December 21, 2024 · 12:57 pm

Promises Given, Promises Broken

Robert Odom PhD

I love this season of celebration and the focus on the gift of Christ. In this Advent season, a little child reminds us of the love, hope, peace, and joy that is ours. These are not just empty promises but can be a present reality when we open our hearts and minds to receive them.

For some, when we talk about promises, we feel awkward sadness, or maybe there is distrust in any promise given. This comes because we are living with broken promises, rejection, and feelings of betrayal. For so many, this is a reality that must be lived out on a daily basis.

We can struggle in our lives when promises made become promises broken. People promise us that they will be there for us, but as soon as we need them, they are nowhere to be found. Your employer promises you a promotion, but it is never realized. You are promised that you will get a raise, and that never happens. A loved one says they will love you forever, but they leave you when things get rough. We can become frustrated when we do not see promises fulfilled.

While this is a truth we live with, there is also another reality that is true. While people let us down and make promises they will never keep, God, in His unwavering faithfulness, will fulfill His promises. The problem is that it is hard to believe someone we cannot see when those in our lives have let us down.

I recognize this dissonance and struggle to believe, so I ask that you try something. For one month would you ask God to bring life from the ashes of your life? Would you ask Him to fill you with the joy, peace, love, and hope promised in this season of miracles? Do this every day.

I share this not as some formula for success but as a way to focus our minds and hearts on what could be. As you pray, consider what joy would look like for you. What will peace look like for you? What will true love look like for you? What will hope look like for you? Invite God to reveal these to you. They are gifts, and as with any gift, we need to receive them.

As you do this, look more at what can be rather than what is. Again, this is not a formula but an opportunity to refocus on what can be. When Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi, he argued for a life filled with joy and peace.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8 ESV).

So let me ask you:

Where is your focus today? Is it on the broken promises, or the potential for what could be? Let’s shift our focus to the promises of God, the hope of a better future, and the joy that can be found in His love.
Which do you need the most? Is it joy, peace, love, or hope? Which one did you choose and why?
Are you willing for 30 days to focus on the gifts that God has given? What changes do you need to make to see this happen?
I encourage you to begin a gratitude journal. This will help you track your journey in these 30 days. In the journal, you can be honest and raw about your emotions and what you are feeling as you navigate this experience. It’s a tool to help you stay focused on the positive and the promises of God.

Waiting Patiently

Dr. Robert W. Odom

Two words in Scripture make me cringe. They are hard to deal with. These words trigger something I want to resist. My blood pressure goes up, leaving sweat across my brow. What are these two words? They are “waiting patiently.”

Impatience is a feeling we all experience at some point. It’s a common thread that binds us, a shared human experience. Like many of us, I usually consider myself a patient person. I can usually endure heavy traffic and long lines. But there are many times when I wouldn’t say I like to wait. I want things immediately.

For example, recently, I was in the grocery store. As I scanned my items at the self-checkout, something went wrong. The employee at the self-checkout came over to help but could not figure out what was happening. I got impatient and felt hurried because I had to wait for them to figure out the problem. By the way, I only had four items. He took almost 15 minutes to try and resolve the issue. The final resolution was to move to another register and ring my items again.

When I think of this subject, I think of Abraham, who had been promised to be the father of many nations. This promise was made when he was old and his wife Sarah was barren. He had this promise but no children to make it happen. He had a promise from God, but his circumstances did not match up. He had no children, and He and Sarah were too old by the standards of that day to have any children. I can relate to this waiting period when I was waiting for a breakthrough in my career. I had a promise from God, but the circumstances were not aligning. It was a challenging time, but I held on to the promise.

Unfortunately, Abraham became impatient and slept with Sarah’s handmaiden. She conceived and had a son named Ismael. This impatience led to complications and a deviation from God’s plan, teaching us the profound consequences of impatience and the crucial importance of waiting for God’s timing. His decisions then impacted this generation and were a powerful lesson for us all.

It is difficult to wait, but the benefits are worth the wait. In the end, God fulfilled His promise, and Isaac was born. Even though Abraham failed to wait on God, God used this moment to fulfill His promise.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD (Psalm 27:14)! In waiting for the Lord, we will experience God’s blessing. I have learned (and am still learning) that if we patiently wait on God, He will bring about some amazing things. While waiting patiently, staying connected with God through prayer and scripture is essential. It’s also helpful to surround yourself with a supportive community to encourage you during the waiting period.

Sometimes, it seems that God is silent or not concerned. But I have found that in His silence, He is working. Behind the scenes, He is at work, putting together exactly what we need.

I am reminded of when the Children of Israel were in captivity to the Egyptians. For 400 years, they prayed and waited. Sometimes, they experienced things getting worse. And they waited. They prayed. They suffered. They waited. They prayed. But God was working on a leader named Moses who would come to rescue and deliver the people of Israel. There was a promise, and that promise was to be fulfilled.

Where are you waiting today? What are you waiting for? Where are the promises you have been given that need to be fulfilled? The problem with waiting is that we can lose hope. I understand how challenging it can be to hold on to hope when the waiting seems endless. Lost hope causes us to become despondent and try things on our own. But I encourage you to hold on, for God’s timing is perfect.

It is hard to wait, but the benefits are excellent. The rewards of patience, of trusting in God’s timing, are immeasurable. So, even while waiting, knowing what is to come is worth the wait.

So, let me ask you?

What are you waiting for? Is it healing, finances, a significant other in your life, etc? Be specific.
Where are you rushing the process?
What are you doing while you wait?
What might God be doing in you while you are waiting?
How are you preparing for the promise?

By Faith: Is Anything Too Hard for God?

Peninsula Community Church

By Faith: Is Anything Too Hard for God?

October 16, 2016

Hebrews 11:11-12 – By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

Today, we continue our walk through the Hall of Fame of Faith. It is an amazing walk as we have already discovered that each person inducted into the Hall of Fame of Faith had one thing in common. They had faith in an unmovable, unshakable, and faithful God. Though God was faithful, we must understand that those inducted were not perfect people as they had their foibles and their failures. They were tested beyond measure and they failed many times. But they were always able to adjust and refocus on what was right and good. They were able to refocus on God and His faithfulness.

The story of Abraham and Sarah is no different. The story of Sarah which have in front of us today proposes a question that must be answered in the heart of every believer. Is there really anything that is too hard for God? How many times are we confronted with issues that seem too big, too costly, too expansive for anything good to come from them? If we were honest, how many times do we face issues that we believe that not even God can resolve or fix? How many people are in our life seem to live or act in a way that diminishes any hope for change or redemption? We are all confronted with events, circumstances, and people which can cause us to question the power of God to do the impossible. We can begin to believe that there is no hope as we see the physical evidence of that which is impossible or too hard. But in our study today we will find that even under the greatest of odds, God is able to do the impossible.

In Genesis 18:9-15 we have the rest of the story of Sarah. The Lord had visited with Sarah and Abraham and the Lord said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

When we consider the story of Sarah and Abraham we see that the odds were against them. It had been 15 years since God had promised them that Abraham would be the father of many nations. They were now in their 90’s and their bodies were beginning to show the signs of aging. I am sure that were becoming wrinkled by the force of the sun beating down on them. They grew tired more easily. They faced aches and pains that had not been there in their earlier years. We have a glimpse into their health in Hebrews 11 when the author states that “Abraham was as good as dead.” This was the man that God had deposited the promise and it was through this man that God would fulfill His purpose. He was almost dead but God was not finished with him.

One of the things I have learned through my years of ministry and life is that sometimes the promise has to die so God can resurrect it the way He desires. If you have read the entire story of Abraham and Sarah you will remember that they had lost hope in the fulfillment of the promise. They took things into their own hands. They tried to help God out. Sarah had given Abraham her handmaiden, Hagar, to have a child. While in those days that was considered a loving gesture, it was never God’s will. It was never the plan that God had for them.

We find that Abraham had sexual relations with Hagar and out of that relationship Ishmael was born. While Ismael was Abraham’s son it was through Isaac that God was going to bless and fulfill His promise. The turmoil in the home became so great that Abraham had to send Ismael and Hagar to the desert to live. The choices made at that time started a ripple effect that would impact the world for centuries to come and in fact is effecting us even today. You may not know this but Muslims preach that they are descendants of Ishmael while Christians and Jews alike believe they are the descendants of Isaac.

What began as a play for power, a heart of jealously, and a grab for authority has continued through the years. It reminds us that our choices in life have consequences. Our choices effect those around us. One decision by Abraham has effected almost every generation from that day until now. The conflict in the Middle East and the terroristic plots of our day have all been seeded by Abraham’s decision to try another way to fulfill God’s plan. His decision led to hatred between Ishmael and Isaac which reached across the centuries.

As we read this story, we find that although Abraham had been given Ishmael, he knew that Ismael was not the son of promise. God had given Abraham a dream but that dream seemed to be delayed and seemed to be just a pizza dream at best. But here is the truth we must hear today. Sometimes the dream has to die before God can bring it to pass. Abraham and Sarah tried to do it their way and now God gives them a chance to do it His way. He says I will do the impossible to show my grandeur and my love for you. One of the great missionaries to China, Hudson Taylor made the following observation. God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supply. And that is so true.

Secondly, we must be aware that God’s delay is not a sign that God has forgotten us. In living life, there are things we have prayed for and promises we believe God has given us. We can grow weary in waiting for those things to happen and we can begin to lose heart. But know, or at least be aware that God’s delay is not a sign that He has forgotten us. He is still there and He is still working. The problem for us is that we want immediate action and an immediate response to our need and desire. In Psalm 46:10 we are reminded that no matter what comes our way or what storm may blow, we must be still and know that God is still God. He never leaves us and He never fails us.

Thirdly, God wants us to be honest with our emotions and how we feel. As we read this story, we find Sarah does something pretty amazing. Sarah laughed and scoffed at the prospect of having a child. Her seemingly lack of faith was merited in the fact that the odds were against them. Both Abraham and Sarah were old. They were advanced in years and they were tired and weary. It is noteworthy that the Scripture says that “the way of a woman had ceased to be with Sarah.” There was no way for her to have children. She needed a miracle and that is just what they received. With that said there is a point that needs to be made here. Some may criticize Sarah for laughing at the prospect that she would give birth to a child. We might even be insulted that she would dare do that but her response was an honest response to an impossible dream.

The fact is, too often we attempt to hide our emotions. We try to distance ourselves from the pain in our life. We try to even hide our emotions and disappointments from God. Somehow we think that God will be upset if we are real with Him. But here is a secret that needs to be revealed. God already knows your emotional state. He knows your heart and He knows what you are feeling. For that reason it is ok to express your emotions. It is ok to be real with God. I believe that it is important to communicate our emotions because we get to hear the words and feel the release of the pain through our words.

Sometimes, we have to go through a negative season of doubt and fear so that we can grasp the value of trusting God and believe that He will do what He said He would do. I am amazed in this story that although Sarah doubted and laughed we do not see any condemnation or judgement being passed onto her. And yet how often do we live with guilt, worry, and fear because we have expressed an emotion that we spoke from our heart. I love what the angel of the Lord spoke. He simply said I know your heart and by the way I will see you in a year. I will see you at the birth of your child. He spoke with confidence and she was filled with promise, hope, and life. Even though Sarah tried to hide her emotions, the Lord looked right through her to see the reality of her heart. And today, He is looking through the facade of our life to see the emotions of our heart.

Fourth, we need to know that God keeps His word. The angel of the Lord spoke to Sarah and said to her. At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son. He is saying, “you will have a son.” You may not accept that. You may think that it is an impossibility but trust me it will happen. God keeps His Word.

Here is an interesting note about this story. We know that although the promise seemed impossible; Abraham and Sarah did their part. They had sexual intercourse. They had a sexual encounter at least once. By their faith, they moved beyond what they saw in the natural to believe God for the spiritual. They did their part and God did the rest. God touched her body and the seed of man joined the egg of woman and their son was born as promised. How amazing is that? God promised and He fulfilled His promise against the most amazing odds.

We began by asking the question, “Is there anything too hard for God?” We have looked at the issues with Sarah and have seen what God did for her. So the answer for us today is that there is nothing too hard for God. Nothing at all.

In the New Testament we find a similar story surrounding Elizabeth a relative of Mary. We find that she is pregnant even though she too was considered to be too old and she was barren which meant she could not have any children. This is the proclamation made in Luke 1:38. “for nothing will be impossible with God.” How much is impossible? Nothing at all is impossible with God. By the way John the Baptist was born to her just after this proclamation.

No one is ever too old. No one is ever too barren. We tend to measure God’s ability by what we see but God works the impossible and does what only He can do. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus reminds us that we don’t need big faith we just need faith. In fact, He compares the amount of faith that is needed to a grain of mustard seed. It is a small seed but that small seed has great potential. What Jesus is referring to here is that it is not the size of our faith that counts it is what we do with our faith that matters. Are we discouraged by the size of the need or the mountain in front of us? Whatever level of faith we have we can trust God. We can trust Him for answers to prayer. We can trust Him to do the impossible. That is God’s will. After all it is God we focus on on and not the mountain.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Tag Archives: promises

Promises Given, Promises Broken

Waiting Patiently

By Faith: Is Anything Too Hard for God?

Bob’s ramblings

Archives