RECEIVING PROMISES

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“And now, Lord, let the promise You have made concerning Your servant and his house be established forever. Do as You promised,  so that it will be established and that Your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of Your servant David will be established before You.”

 “You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him. So Your servant has found courage to pray to You. You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to Your servant. Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever in Your sight; for You, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

1 Chronicles 17:23-27

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As David concludes his prayer unto the Lord at the end of the 17th Chapter of 1 Chronicles, we find him displaying a principle of righteous living that we tend to not talk about too often, if at all.

I’m talking about the principle of receiving the Lord’s promises.

Looking to the scriptures, we find David speaking to the Lord regarding what He had said to David via his prophet Nathan. He said:

“And now, Lord, let the promise You have made concerning Your servant and his house be established forever. Do as You promised,  so that it will be established and that Your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of Your servant David will be established before You.”

 “You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him. So Your servant has found courage to pray to You. You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to Your servant. Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever in Your sight; for You, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

The Lord had promised to do the following for David:

1. I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth.

1 Chronicles 17:8b

2. I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.

1 Chronicles 17:9a

3. Wicked people will not oppress them (the Israelites) anymore, as they did at the beginning

and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. 1 Chronicles 17:9b-10a

4. I will also subdue all your (David’s) enemies. 1 Chronicles 17:10b

5. When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

1 Chronicles 17:11

6. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.

1 Chronicles 17:12,14

7. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.

1 Chronicles 17:13

Seven distinct promises made by the Lord. Seven promises that David willingly and thankfully received. But note an important aspect of what David had to say when he received those promises. For his focus and concern wasn’t about how exalted either he or his son Solomon would be while on the throne. Rather, David was most concerned about how the name of the Lord would be “great forever”, receiving praise and honor and glory from the people who would proclaim:

“The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!”

Friends, as we consider the many promises of the Lord, we, like David, should always see the fulfillment of those promises as an exclamation of God’s glory and grace, His supply and His faithfulness. God makes assurances and then He makes good on those assurances. No one else we experience in life does this as perfectly as He does. No one.

Here are at least 10 promises we should cling to:

1. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

2. Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

3. I am the vine; You are the branches. If You remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

4. God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

5. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2

Corinthians 12:9a

6. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

7. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

8. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

9. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

10. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Question: Have you, like David, received God’s promises today, fully seeing His majesty revealed in His steadfast consistency and unwavering fulfillment of all He said He would do? Have you praised Him for His reliability and dependability, for His truthfulness and trustworthiness? Have you rejoiced in His abundant goodness and love?

If not, why not do so right now and then make it a part of your daily spiritual discipline. For through the Lord, we are blessed far beyond what any of us deserve and those blessings are largely revealed in the Lord’s promises.

Receive them gladly today and every day.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com