Every now and then my son gets promised that if he’s good for a certain length of time or while we’re doing something, he’ll get a prize of some sorts. Some times it’s candy, sometimes it’s a cheap little toy that you wouldn’t spend a nickel on (but someone else would). Either way, he behaves for that time for 2 reasons: 1.) He knows if he is good, he’ll get a toy. 2.) He knows if he isn’t good, he’ll get in trouble. Probably more so though, it’s that promise of a surprise at the end of the excursion. That’s the thing that’s in front of him more so than than the thought of being disciplined.But he believes that whoever said he could have whatever it is when they’re done will give them whatever it is. He believes in them. He counts them trustworthy. He’s four. That’s what they do. They have a child-like faith and assurance that what you say is true and you wouldn’t lie.
2 Corinthians 1: 30 states, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” The Apostle Paul wrote this not so you would have faith in the promise. In fact, the promise itself is really nothing in itself. Promises are not judged by the promises, but by the Character and what is known about the one who has promised. The character of the person determines the weight of what is said.
Hebrews 11:11 says, “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Sara judged God as being faithful and trustworthy that what He had promised, He would do. Why? Because she knew Him, His character. Many people don’t believe what God’s Word says because they don’t know Him. They don’t know His character.
Just like our authority in Jesus Christ, a promise is not valid unless the one backing it is valid. We have authority over certain things in Jesus Christ because of Jesus Christ and what He did–the one backing it. We can believe the Word of God (the promises of God) because of the one backing it–God Himself.
We do this all the time and don’t even realize it. We sit in a chair and put all of our weight on it believing it will keep us up because we believe in the person who made the chair, the materials it is made out of, and our ability not to break it with our weight. We have judged those things faithful to do what they need to do so we can sit safely in that chair.
We use a piece of paper that has pictures of dead presidents on it to pay for stuff at stores across this nation. We do the same with metal coins. Why? Is this special paper? Kind of. It’s special because of the one backing it-the United States Treasury and the United States of America (not a certain political figure but the nation itself). We have counted it trustworthy because we know it’s character. It has a long track record of being faithful. It has proven that it will take that paper with a a number five on it, and it will actually be worth five dollars.
How more should we trust in God, who was faith that when we were enemies, He still dies for us and our sins. The character of God is without question. The problem people have is their point-of-view, their opinion, or their past experiences with others have already judged God one things that do not pertain to God or His character.
People don’t believe God’s Word, even when they speak it out of their own mouth because they themselves are liars and they can’t believe anything that comes out of their mouth already–even if it’s the Word of God. Some people can’t trust God as their Heavenly Father because their won earthly father was so terrible, or they didn’t even have one. Neither of those things are valid excuses and neither would hold up in a court of law if applied to any case. You can not judge the character of a man (or God) by someone else’s actions. Some people want to do this on every level, but you can’t. The truth is that God is faithful. His character has been proven over and over throughout ALL TIME and no one and no thing can prove Him otherwise. With the character at rest, it is only a matter of ability. God is the one who create the universe, Heavens and Earth, raised Christ from the dead, owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and silver and gold are His. God is able, He is will, His promises are yes and amen because they are true. We just have to put trust in Him to do so, and He will.
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