[0:00] Well, in this class we're studying the very great and precious promises, the precious things of God, and we've saved for last the precious promises.! And we saw last week that they are precious, they are great and precious because of the great number of them, not just a few, but hundreds of promises of God.
[0:21] And they're great because of the great matters that they deal with. Everlasting life, huge matters, being right with God, knowing His blessing, His help in this life and in the next.
[0:39] So, very great and precious promises. Now, before we leave this theme in the next couple weeks yet, I want us to think then very practically how to make use of the promises of God.
[0:54] We've seen how great they are in number and in matter, but now how do we make use of this great treasure that God has given us?
[1:04] We've been using Spurgeon's teaching aid of viewing a promise as a check, a promissory note. So, let's say your employer gives you a check every week and there your name is written out on it, the amount promised is filled in, and he's got all the money he needs to stand behind that check.
[1:26] And so, each week you take your check home and you look at it and you read it and you smile. You say, ah, that's mine, that's mine. And then you stick it in your drawer and you go back to work.
[1:40] And next week you look at your promise and, oh, what a wonderful thing. And you put it in the drawer and after a year you've got 52 checks in your drawer. Are you any richer for having those checks?
[1:54] Are you any better off? Not yet. Something else has to be done, doesn't it? What is it that needs yet to be done? Pardon?
[2:07] Cash the check. Take it to the bank. Endorse it. Put your name on it. Make a claim at the bank for the amount that was promised to you. And only then is the money transferred into your hand or into your account.
[2:22] And Spurgeon says, some fail to place the endorsement of faith upon the check and so they get nothing. The scriptures are full of these checks written out to us.
[2:35] But if we don't endorse them, if we don't take them to the bank of heaven, he says, so often we get nothing. And this is not the fold of the promise but of those who fail to make a believing use of it.
[2:47] And so we're to put our name on the promise. We're to personally own it. By faith. As mine. Count it as mine.
[2:59] Claim it as mine. Even as Jesus, when he spoke to that man in the gospel, it says that he took Jesus at his word. That's what we need to do with the gospel promise.
[3:11] To take him at his word. Yes, I'm putting my name on it. That's like the amen to his promise. I'm putting my amen to it. I'm claiming it. Even so, we stand on the promise.
[3:26] We present it to receive what it has promised to us. And so Spurgeon just said, why do we do that with a check but not with a promise?
[3:41] There's a disconnect here. He said, we treat a check with such matter-of-fact reality but we treat the promises as something altogether different. Shouldn't be so.
[3:51] We should treat it in a very business-like manner. That our employer promises that amount and our God promises. Then take the check to him and cash it in.
[4:02] So you see, there's something for us to do with the promise. We must know how to make use of them. So that's our aim. Open to Hebrews chapter 4.
[4:13] We claim the promise by faith. Now, God made promises to Israel that they would enter into the rest of the promised land.
[4:29] Didn't he? I'm going to not ditch you in the wilderness. I'm going to take you into the promised land. That was his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their offspring.
[4:42] But he was angry with a whole generation of Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness and swore to them that they would never enter into his rest.
[4:55] That they would never partake of the blessing that he promised to Israel. And so every one of them, 20 years and older, at the time of the first offer of the promised land, every one of them but Joshua and Caleb died in the wilderness.
[5:16] Because God swore. He made a promise and he added an oath to it that they would not enter into his rest. Now, the question is why? Why were they not allowed to cash in the promise?
[5:28] And to enter into the promised land. Let's begin at chapter 3 and verse 19. Well, verse 17.
[5:39] And with whom was God angry for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed?
[5:52] So we see that they were not able to enter because of their unbelief. Therefore. Therefore. Now, before we go to the therefore, you understand what he's saying then.
[6:08] The promise was made, but they didn't believe the promise and so they had none of it. They died in the wilderness. It was because of their unbelief. And they showed their unbelief by their disobedience.
[6:21] God says, go in and take the land. And they said, no. There's giants in the land. We're not able. And so they showed that they had no real faith. Their faith was useless.
[6:33] Whatever faith they possessed or professed, it was useless. It was devil-like faith. It did not work. Faith will always be proven by obedience. Now, these things were written for us now.
[6:44] And that's what the writer to the Hebrews is going to say next. This isn't just a story in history. A history lesson. Isn't that interesting that that happened to those people? Now the Spirit of God is going to put the bead on us.
[6:58] And so he says, therefore, verse 1 of chapter 4, therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands. It wasn't just a promise about entering into some land in Palestine.
[7:11] That was just typical of the eternal rest that is ours in Christ and the eternal rest in heaven. And since that promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
[7:28] For we also have had the promise preached to us, just as they did. But the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard it did not mix it, combine it with faith.
[7:44] Now we who have believed enter that rest. Even now, we come to him and he gives us rest. And we still have that eternal rest to follow.
[7:56] So, the promise still stands. But it must be combined with faith. So, faith is just taking God at his word.
[8:10] It's believing his promise. And so we bring the promise to him to have him make it good. He's made the promise to whoever comes to him.
[8:20] He'll give them rest. I'm a sinner. I don't deserve eternal life. But you've promised that whoever comes to you, you'll never cast away. And so I come.
[8:31] You promised whoever comes to you, you'll give rest. Whoever calls on your name will be saved. And so I call. Lord, keep your promise to me.
[8:42] That's faith in the promise. And that's what brings the promised rest. So you see that the promises, as great and precious as they are, require us to make use of them by faith.
[8:56] In John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and if you're not familiar with this, I would encourage you to get a copy of it. Find one in the library if you'd like to start with that. It's a story of a man that's born in the city of destruction.
[9:08] And God, Bunyan, traces out his conversion, and he makes his way to the celestial city and all the trials along the way. Well, Christian is the main subject, and he meets up with a fellow named Hopeful.
[9:21] And the two of them were on their way to the celestial city of heaven. And they got off the narrow road, and they were captured by giant despair and his wife, Gloom, and thrown into his dungeon.
[9:35] He beat them daily. He threatened further torture. He told them they would be better off to end their lives. He took them out and showed them the skeletons of other pilgrims that had passed this way. Dark and depressed, without light, without food and water, They were given every reason to give up all hope.
[9:54] And Christian was thinking of ending his life. And Hopeful, true to his name, encouraged Christian to wait and hope for the Lord. Now, they had been in the dungeon since Wednesday.
[10:07] And about, Bunyan writes, and about midnight Saturday night, Christian and Hopeful began to pray. Anything wrong with that picture? It's true to life, though, isn't it?
[10:20] We're cast into some dungeon on Wednesday, and it's not until Saturday that we begin to pray. And they continued to almost break of day.
[10:31] Then, Christian, suddenly broke out in amazement. What a fool! What a fool I am to lie here in this stinking dungeon when I might walk free on the highway to glory.
[10:44] I have a key in my bosom called promise, which I am sure will open any door in Doubting Castle. Hopeful. That is certainly good news, my brother.
[10:58] Get out your key and try it. And then Christian took the key of promise, pushed it into the lock of the dungeon door. The bolt fell back, and the door came open. And so it was with every other door in Doubting Castle.
[11:12] And in this way, they made their escape. How many times do we have to say, oh, what a fool I've been? Sitting here in my depression and discouragement, when all the while I've got this promise that would bring me back to rejoicing in the Lord.
[11:31] The treasures that are mine in Him. Well, there are promises, you see, to open every door of trial and trouble, depression, discouragement, that we could ever get ourselves into or find ourselves in.
[11:49] So when we talk about making use of the promises, what I want you to see this morning is the very first thing, is to find a pertinent promise. Memorize it and meditate on it.
[12:03] Now I've thrown three things into one. Find a fitting promise. Memorize and meditate on it. Spurgeon refers to Bunyan's allegory.
[12:14] He says, and this may teach us the extreme value of searching the scriptures. There may be a promise in the word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it.
[12:25] And therefore, you miss its comfort. You're like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free. But if you will not look for it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand.
[12:40] There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacy of scripture, and you may yet continue sick, unless you examine and search the scriptures to discover what he has said.
[12:54] Should you not, besides reading the Bible, store your memories richly with the promises of God? You can recollect the sayings of great men.
[13:05] You treasure up the verses of renowned poets. Ought you not be profound in your knowledge of the works of God, so that you may be able to quote them readily when you would solve a difficulty or overthrow a doubt?
[13:18] Since he has said is the source of all wisdom and the fountain of all comfort, let it dwell in you richly. As a well of water springing up into everlasting life, so shall you grow healthy, strong, and happy in the divine life.
[13:32] Spurgeon. So you see, the promises, they're there, but do we know them? It's only as we know them and exercise faith in them that we enjoy the promise comfort of them.
[13:46] Now, did Jesus ever promise his disciples that he would rise from the dead? Yes or no? Yes. Yes. And the closer they got, the more he promised them and told them of it, didn't he?
[14:01] Many times. That on the third day, he would rise again. Now, did they make use of that repeated promise? No, they didn't, did they?
[14:13] Why not? They didn't believe it? They didn't understand it. And those two often go together.
[14:23] You read the parable of the four soils, and you'll find that those that don't understand the word, it gets washed away, and it goes no further. So they must understand it and believe it.
[14:34] Well, they didn't either, and they didn't understand it, and they were afraid to ask Jesus for some reason. Maybe just to own their own ignorance. It's humbling, isn't it, to say, I don't understand. That's what they should have done, and he would have explained to them, as he did whenever they came to him.
[14:51] Explain the parable to us, Lord. We didn't get it. Well, they didn't understand, and they didn't ask Jesus, and so they forgot about it.
[15:02] Isn't it peculiar that they forgot about the promise even when their enemies remembered it? Remember after Jesus was taken down from the cross and put into the tomb?
[15:13] Matthew tells us, 2763, that these rulers of the Jews went to Pilate and said, We remember that this deceiver said, After three days, I will rise again.
[15:25] The enemies remembered the promise. The friends of Jesus forget it. Now, what difference would have it made in the disciples' lives had they lived on Jesus' promise during those three intervening days between his crucifixion and his resurrection?
[15:45] What difference would have it made had they remembered and lived and took their stand upon the promise? What do you think? This is hypothetical. They didn't do it, so we're going to have to just use our imaginations, Jim.
[16:00] They wouldn't have dispaired as much as they did. They were all hoping. They would have been doing the opposite. Good.
[16:11] Anything else? I think they'd all have been lined up outside. They'd have been lined up outside of the tomb waiting in expectation. The countdown, yeah, just like a rocket ready to take off.
[16:23] Ten, nine, eight. They would have three, two, one, with anticipation. Wasn't it they? Already rejoicing in what was coming. No fear.
[16:35] No hiding out in fear. But the glorious confidence and strength that comes from joy of the Lord to know that our Savior is going to rise from the dead.
[16:48] Remember those two on the road to Emmaus and Jim referred to it. The gloominess of the disciples. Here these two were and their faces were downcast when Jesus drew up alongside of them on the day of his resurrection.
[16:59] And they didn't know it was him. A sad face gives away a sad heart. That sadness of heart would have been obliterated in the joy of the certain hope of the resurrection.
[17:15] Had they held on to the promise. They further went on to say we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. As Jim said, despair, hopelessness now.
[17:28] We followed this Jesus of Nazareth. We hoped he was that Messiah promised and the one to save us. But they crucified him. And now we're without him.
[17:39] And all because they had a key of promise but forgot it. Didn't use it when they most needed it.
[17:49] What a difference a promise makes when mixed with faith in the midst of our problems of life.
[18:00] Because the promise leads us to the promiser. And that's how we are to run this Christian life. Looking unto Jesus. Well, we must know the promises to make use of them.
[18:12] That's the point. We're pounding home this morning. Finding a pertinent promise will be easier for you if this is a lifestyle habit.
[18:25] If you're always on the hunt for a promise. As you're reading the word of God. And always laying up in the cupboard. This promise.
[18:36] Don't necessarily need it today. But this is a precious promise. I'm putting it in my cupboard. Seeing them. Memorizing. Meditating on them.
[18:47] So make it a life's habit. A lifestyle habit. To ever be storing up the medicine chest. Filling the pantry. You do this with food for the body.
[18:59] When you go to the store. You don't just buy food for the next meal. Do you, moms? You buy for a whole week. Some of you can and freeze produce for a whole year. You're laying up.
[19:10] And that's what we're to do with the promises of God. So the Christian. Profiting from the word. Loves to take inventory then. Of his promises.
[19:24] A.W. Pink says. We must first take the trouble to become really acquainted with them. It is surprising how many promises there are in scripture. Which the saints know nothing about.
[19:36] Let me suggest. If you mark your Bible. That as you bump into a promise in your daily reading of scripture. You just put a P in the margin. And you better have your pen ready.
[19:47] Because there's going to be a lot of P's in your margin. God has stooped. To obligate himself to his people. Over and over. He's made promise after promise.
[20:00] And no matter how many there are. There are ours in Christ. So. Have an eye for the promises. If you don't mark them with me. At least have an eye. Maybe keep a promise notebook. A checkbook of your own.
[20:12] To write down the promise. Note them. Treasure them. Categorize them. But familiarize yourself with them. And then after we find the promise. We ought to memorize it.
[20:23] Spurgeon mentioned that. We memorize famous quotes. Old wives tales. Or old proverbs. We can just let them roll up. As like father like son.
[20:34] We know these things don't we? We just quote them. And he says why not memorizing the promises. Why is it helpful to memorize a promise?
[20:49] There? Because when you need it. God's spirit brings it back to you. Okay. When you need it. God's spirit brings it back to you. Someone else have something to say? Dan?
[21:01] Truth that guides us when we need it. You know what is true. What we should be focused on. Okay. Yeah. There it is. The very nugget of truth that I need in this situation.
[21:12] Because I've laid it up. There it is in my medicine cabinet. And I bring out the medicine for this ailment. And I find help. The word of God. And isn't that what David says to do with the word of God? To hide it in our hearts.
[21:24] That's code language for memorize it, isn't it? To put it in the heart. Where you hold on to it. You make it your own. Not just admiring it at the store.
[21:36] Why? Look at these. All these products at the store. No. You bring it home. And you put it in your pantry. Well there's a little bit of work involved. There's some cost involved, isn't it? To get it from there into your pantry.
[21:49] Well there's some cost involved. To get the promise out of the Bible. And into your heart. And it's just the work of memorizing. That's why we seek to do it week by week.
[22:00] To hide it in our hearts. So that we'll have it ready when we need it. A warning when we need it. Which is really just a promise threat. And all the other promises of blessing. That there might be handy.
[22:14] Have you not found it true that when you bump into a problem. You don't always have your Bible with you. Have you found that to be the case?
[22:27] In other words. It's not when you're in church. Perhaps with your Bible. That you have all of your problems in life. Some of them happen on the fly.
[22:38] And you don't have a Bible with you. You say oh I got it on my phone. But you may not have time to dial it up on your phone. You're in need now. You need the medicine now. Memorize it.
[22:49] Make it your own. That it's there. Christian and hopeful. They suddenly found themselves waking up. And looking at this giant. And they're thrown into despair. Weren't counting on that.
[23:02] But thankfully they had a promise in their bosom. They had hid. And sadly they spent three days in the dumps. Before they remembered it. Three wasted days.
[23:12] Days they could have been rejoicing. Instead of pining away in sadness. So when we memorize the promise. We're making them our own. We're bringing it home from the store. And we're putting it in our pantry. Pink.
[23:24] Pink. It's only as the promises are stored up in our minds. That the spirit brings them to remembrance. At those seasons of fainting. When we most need them. So. Write them down on a card.
[23:36] Memorize them. I challenged you last week. And I'll throw it out again. To find a promise in the scriptures. That is matching. One of the current trials. And difficulties in your life.
[23:48] If you didn't do that. I'm sending you home again. And I want you to help me. Because we're planning that the next memory pack. Will be on the blessed promises. We've looked at the promises of threat.
[24:00] Of threatening. The promises of ill. If we don't take the warning. But now. We're going to have a memory pack. On the gracious promises of God. So. If you would help me.
[24:11] To put together the next memory pack. Just. Write it down on a piece of paper. Just the reference. That's all we need. And stick it in the offering. And we'll ask the deacons. To pass that on to me.
[24:22] And we'll get the next memory pack. But. Let's treasure the promises. And. Begin to identify them. And make them our own. By way of memory. We not only need to keep our pantry.
[24:36] Full of promises. I think we need to maintain. An attitude. That is always. Living. Upon the promises. Let the word of Christ. Dwell. In you.
[24:47] Richly. And so. You go out the door. In the morning. And. And you go to your task. You rise to a new day. And you see. Surely.
[24:59] Goodness and mercy. Is going to follow me. Today. And you're. You're hanging on to that promise. And then. Then you bump into a problem. In the midst of your day. And you. You look for a promise.
[25:10] What has God said. To help me in this. This situation. You run to the promise. And. You make your way. Through the day. Looking for. A word of promise.
[25:21] From your king. Making it your own. Crying out to God. Our dear friends. In the far east. Whose ministry. Came to an end. Earlier in the week.
[25:32] Were writing. Daily. Emails. Asking for prayer. Sharing. The fearfulness. That this is all. Coming to nothing. The government. Cracked down.
[25:43] And at the end of his letter. He said. We trust him. For grace. During this trial. Which he has promised. To all that follow him. So during this trial. We're trusting him.
[25:54] For grace. That he has promised. To all. Who trust in him. So they were. Looking to the Lord. Praying for.
[26:06] And expecting. Promised. Grace. Grace. You see. They were doing something. With the promises. They were. They were leaning on the Lord. For the keeping. Of them. Now this all happened.
[26:17] So suddenly. As I said. And. They found. The promises. Of grace. Precious. To them. Now. What promises.
[26:29] Has God made. In the Bible. For grace. In our trials. He said. God has promised grace. Can you. Can you. Give me one.
[26:41] Promise grace. My grace. Is sufficient. For you. Okay. Yes. We'll come back.
[26:51] To that one. Give me promises. That have grace. In them. That's right. That's the greatest grace. Of all. That his presence. But. Verses. That have grace. In them. Grace is God's power.
[27:01] That the power. Of Christ. Might rest. On you. My grace. Is sufficient. For you. What other promises. Of grace. Will. Okay.
[27:17] That's a promise. Will. I'm looking. For a promise. That has the word. Grace in it. Okay. Karen. Ah. Yes.
[27:28] He gives grace. To the humble. James. James. Talks about. This sinful nature. Within us. That. That. Desires.
[27:39] To envy. But he gives more grace. More grace. Than my. Sinful. Flesh. Puts forth. He gives more grace. Yes.
[27:50] Verse 416. Let it be. For the throne of grace. We need. To find mercy. And grace. To help. Amen. A throne of grace. To find mercy. And grace.
[28:01] In our time of need. So. You bump into a situation. Lord. I believe this is a time of need. I come to you. And I'm. I'm putting my name on the promise.
[28:11] I'm saying. Give me that grace. That I need right now. In this time of need. Okay. Many promises. Familiarize yourselves. With them. We received.
[28:23] We received. A word. Then. Later in the week. Saying that the whole thing. Had to be shut down. And. The letter. Finishes. We're greatly grieved.
[28:33] By all of this. But are trusting him. For peace and grace. This ministry. Is apparently terminated. And we. Plan to pray. Regroup. And seek further direction. For future labors. Our gratitude.
[28:44] To all who have stood with us. Over these 18 years. This labor. Has not been in vain. How can he say that.
[28:54] With such. Matter of fact. Certainty. This labor. Has not been in vain. Anybody give me a reference to that. Is there a promise. It's not because it looked promising. It's because he had a promise.
[29:07] What is it. There's one. Isaiah 55. The word. Of God. Whatever he. He sends out his word. It never comes back empty.
[29:18] It always accomplishes what. He sent it for. There's one that says. Your labor is not in vain. In the Lord. First Corinthians 15. It's the resurrection passage.
[29:30] Now without the resurrection. A lot of our labor. Would be in vain. Be for nothing. But that's the point. Of the passage. Jesus rose from the dead. And we too will rise. And that's why.
[29:41] Our labor in the Lord. Though unrewarded. Here. It's not being forgotten. And. In the resurrection. We will. See. The fruit of our labor.
[29:53] And we will be rewarded. For faithful labor. No labor in the Lord. Is in vain. First Corinthians 15. 58. So. Again. You see. It meets the believer. In the time of his need.
[30:05] If he has. Hid these words. In his heart. Well. Just. Very briefly then. We find the promise. That fits our need. We. Memorize the promise. And lastly.
[30:15] We meditate on the promise. Psalm 119. 148. I wish. You. You might just read. Psalm 119. And look for all the ways.
[30:26] That David speaks. About a promise. In there. He speaks a whole lot. About promises. In Psalm 119. But this is what he says. In verse 148. My eyes stay open.
[30:36] Through the watches. Of the night. Any of you identify. With that? Sleepless nights. See if you can identify. With the last part. Of the verse. My eyes stay open. Through the watches.
[30:46] Of the night. That I may meditate. On your promises. Not that I may meditate. On all the things. That are going wrong. In my life. That'll keep you awake.
[30:58] All night. But why not spend. That time. Awake at night. Meditating on. The promises of God. For you. In your. Sorely tried.
[31:09] Condition. Why is meditation. On the promise. Important. We talked about. Why. Memorization is important. Why is it important. That we meditate. On the promises. What help do we get.
[31:24] From that. What do you do. When you meditate. On a verse of scripture. You know. You're soaking.
[31:35] In the truth. You're. You're breaking it down. Word. By word. And I trust. You're. Applying it. To yourself. How is this verse. True of me.
[31:46] In my condition. You see. You're bringing it now. Out of the cupboard. And you're bringing it. Right into where you're living. And you're saying. Okay. Surely. Goodness. And mercy. Will follow you.
[31:56] All the days. Of your life. Of my life. Well. This is the day. Of my life. I don't see any goodness. I don't. Feel any goodness.
[32:07] And mercy. But God. You've said. Surely. This is one of those. Sure things. And I hold on. To your promise. Goodness. And mercy. You see. You meditate. Upon it.
[32:17] To bring it home. To yourself. And see how. It affects you. And how that makes a difference. In your own. Life. Spurgeon's promise.
[32:32] For June the 21st. In faith's checkbook. Is from Judges 4. And verse 9. This phrase. The Lord shall sell Sisera. Into the hand.
[32:43] Of a woman. Doesn't that just bless your soul? Well it might. If you meditate upon it. The Lord.
[32:55] Shall sell Sisera. Into the hand. Of a woman. Look what Spurgeon. Sucks.
[33:06] From that flower. By identifying. The core principle. In it. That applies. To him. As much. As it did. A couple thousand.
[33:17] Years earlier. The Lord shall sell Sisera. Into the hand. Of a woman. Rather. An unusual text. But there may be. Souls in the world. That may have faith.
[33:29] Enough. To grasp it. Beric. The man. Though called to the war. Had little stomach. For the fight. Unless Deborah. Would go with him. And so the Lord. Determined. To make it a woman's war.
[33:40] By this means. He rebuked. The slackness. Of the man. And gained. For himself. The more. Renown. And cast. The more shame. Upon the enemies. Of his people.
[33:51] The Lord. Can still use. Feeble. Instrumentalities. Now that's. The core principle. That he sees. In this text. The Lord. Can use. Feeble.
[34:02] Instrumentalities. Why not me? You see how he's. He's bringing it out of the cupboard. And bringing it right into his situation. He may use persons. Who are not commonly called. To great public engagements.
[34:14] Why not you? The woman. Who slew. The enemy of Israel. Was no Amazon. No. She'll have that line. She was no Amazon woman. But a wife. Who tarried in her tent.
[34:25] She was no crater. But a woman. Who milked the cows. And made. She was. I'm sorry. She was no orator. But a woman. Who milked the cows. And made butter. May not the Lord.
[34:36] Use any one of us. To accomplish his purpose. Somebody may come. To the house today. Even as Sisera. Came to J.L.'s tent. Be it ours. Not to slay him. But to save him.
[34:47] Let us receive him. With great kindness. And then bring forth. The blessed truth. Of salvation. By the Lord Jesus. Our great substitute. And press home. The command. Believe and live. Who knows.
[34:58] But some stout hearted sinner. May be slain. By the gospel today. Well that's just to give you. A flavor. Of what I mean. When I say. By meditating. On the scripture. We can get to the very core.
[35:09] Of the thing promised. To Israel. So many years ago. And see. What is that principle. And how does it apply. To me. How can I draw.
[35:20] Strength. And courage. From it. The Lord. Often brings. Great deliverance. Through a weak instrument. You remember. J.L. Put the tent spike. To Sisera's head.
[35:31] And when he slept. After she. She put him to sleep. With her milk. And curds. And then she. Drove the tent peg. Through his temple. And the Lord. Won. The victory.
[35:43] By the hand. Of a woman. So the devil. Would rob us. Of the comfort. And the help. Of the promise. By making us feel. That it doesn't apply. To me. It doesn't apply.
[35:53] To this situation. Not this little thing. Spurgeon really. Takes people to task. And himself as well. Who. Who think that the promises. Don't have to do. With the things of this life.
[36:05] You lose the keys. Do you ever pray. That you'd find your keys. You say. Well that's just an earthly thing. Godliness. Godliness has promised. Both for the present life.
[36:16] And the life to come. It has to do with everything. In our lives. We can take them to the Lord. And cast our cares upon him. Spurgeon says. If you don't have enough faith. To trust the Lord.
[36:27] For earthly things. How will you ever have faith. To trust him for heavenly things. And so. We often. Steal from ourselves. The promises. But oh. This can't. This can't be for me.
[36:37] And this. This little thing. Yes. And don't let the devil. Rob you by. Saying oh. That just applied to Israel.
[36:47] In the Old Testament. It doesn't apply to us anymore. Second. Corinthians 6. 14 to 7. One. Quotes a whole bunch.
[36:58] Of Old Testament promises. That were made to Israel. And then. Applies them to. Gentile Christians. In Corinth. And says. Therefore having.
[37:09] Such promises. You. Having such promises. Let us cleanse ourselves. From all defilement. Of flesh and spirit. Perfecting holiness. In the fear of God.
[37:20] What with these promises. That were made to Old Testament. People of God. Yes. There are promises. In Christ. Take them. Use them. They ought to be a motivation.
[37:32] To perfecting holiness. In your life. Evie mentioned. That precious promise. We looked at it last week. I will never leave you. Nor forsake you. Evie. How can you use that promise? That was made to Joshua.
[37:44] 3,000 years ago. What are you doing. With that promise? That was made to Israel. Back in. In the promise line. What in the world. Are you as a Christian. Doing with that Old Testament? Well you've learned.
[37:55] That. That in Christ. We are children. Of Abraham. And the blessings. Promised to Abraham. Are ours. We are his spiritual children. And those spiritual promises.
[38:06] Are ours. And we. Take them to the bank. And we are not disappointed. Well. The first lesson then. Is to.
[38:17] Find a pertinent promise. Memorize it. Meditate on it. There is something for us to do. With the promises. If we would.
[38:28] Glean. The. Comfort. The encouragement. The strength. From those promises. Any questions or comments. Before we dismiss. Yes. Dare. I just. I'm ready to burst. Because.
[38:39] This last week. Sharon. With my neighbor. A young Christian. Promises of God. He shall. Provide for all of her needs. She's a single mom. She has two huge dead trees.
[38:50] The whole neighborhood. Is to turn around. And. She has checked with everybody. Next Coast. Three department. Insurance. Blah blah blah. And. Nobody. Do anything. And I said. This is a need.
[39:01] God says. He will provide for all of our needs. Let's pray. About God. Taking down those trees. And through. A few quick. Circumstances. They're taking down the trees. And they're. They not only are taken down.
[39:13] They put them at the top of the list. And she saw that. She saw. A lot of answers. That prayer. Her young son. Her daughter. I mean. This was such a testimony to them. In a real practical way.
[39:24] God is promising. To meet their needs. Thank you. Amen. Well. That's where we're headed. There's more to do with the promise. Than just memorize it. And get it into the cupboard.
[39:35] It's now what? And. And one of the things will be. To pray the promises. So. We're dismissed. Let's go. And find those promises. And please. Put the references.
[39:46] In the. In the offering box. If you would. We'll get the next. In the offering box.