Welcome to Hank’s Place –
Paul Ellis in his Escape to Reality series, made the pithy observation,
“Religion says, “Make promises to God.”
But the Good News says, “Trust God’s promises to you!””
Awesome! In Deuteronomy 5:27 the people said to Moses, “Go near and listen to everything that the Lord our God says; then speak to us everything that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will listen and do it.” You could say the Old Covenant was — quite religious. Man was given rules to obey. Man promised to keep the rules. Man broke the rules. Repeatedly. Religion sets the framework for failure, for there is nothing in religion that empowers a person to fulfill its demands.
In Deuteronomy 5:28 and 9 the Lord responded, saying of the Israelites, “They have done well in all that they have spoken. If only they had such a heart in them, to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it would go well with them and with their sons forever!” God knew outward rules do not affect the heart, and what Israel needed was changed hearts. And that would only come later through Calvary and what Jesus did there — for us!
Thank God for the Good News! Jesus our sin bearer, punishment taker, heart transformer, new creation maker, and so much more!
Some of the ‘so much more’ is that God has made promises to us — our part is to believe God will KEEP those promises. That’s faith! Promises like eternal life, never to forsake us, to dwell in us forever, to give us an eternal home in heaven, to answer our prayers.
Here’s another promise: to keep us from the ‘hour of testing.’ That’s found in Revelation 3:10. The entirety of the Good News speaks of patient endurance in the face of trials. Even the coming of Jesus “in the fullness of time,” Galatians 4:4, implies patient endurance of sinners by God. And consider the patient endurance shown by Jesus in every step of His earthly ministry where He experienced opposition, resistance, rejection.
The Philadelphians continued to believe the Good News in spite of opposition and rejection. They ‘kept the word of His perseverance,’ continuing to persevere, trusting in Jesus regarding their salvation. No going back to avoid difficulties.
My friends, Jesus keeping us from that hour of testing is a powerful promise! Keep believing Jesus continued through and purchased salvation — for you!
Yes, continue in the faith — you’ll COME ALIVE!
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