Promises

2 Peter 3:9 says:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

This is talking about ‘The Day of the Lord’, or the day of Jesus’ 2^nd coming. The day all of us Jesus Lovers/Followers look forward to because this Earth is not our home; and on that day we’ll be going home. Some might say “Jesus promised he’d come back, but he hasn’t, and he’s taking forever, therefore I conclude that he lied and he’s not actually gunna do what he promised.” Peter is reminding us here, though, that Jesus’ promises are true—according to our timeline, it may be “taking forever” but Jesus is not “taking forever” just because he’s got something better to do. He’s “taking forever” with a purpose and intention in mind...with our best interest in mind. 

In this context specifically, he’s “taking forever” because he doesn’t want anyone to perish and wants everyone to accept Jesus into their heart so they can know him and go to Heaven and have everlasting life. 

Lesson: When you get on your knees or do whatever you do and question if God really promised you that or question why god is taking forever to fullfill this or that. Or when it seems like Jesus is "taking forever" and our patience, endurance, and hope is waning  remember:

1. His timing has purupose…no matter how confusing or discouraging or difficult it is for us to grasp, deal with or understand. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens)

2. God doesn’t turn back on his promises, he is faithful and true.

Don't believe me?

Joshua 2:45

Not one of the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; ever one was fulfilled.

1 Kings 8:56

Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.

2 Cor 1:20

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “yes” in Christ.

Joshua 23:14

You know with all your heart & soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

Pslam 145:13

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

So hold tight to what God has promised you. Don't let the devil or any other human being convince you to do anything else. You and I will see his promises come to pass.

Truth to speak

At work we have this cool thing that happens every other week—we get together and watch an Andy Stanley teaching. Right now we’re going through his series called Guardrails. It has been REALLY encouraging, inspiring, thought provoking, and challenging.

One thing that Andy said last week that caught my heart was “Kids are a welcome addition, but you are already a family.” (talking about married people and about a marriage centered family, opposed to a kid centered family.)

WIth that statement rolling around in my brain, thinking about Zach and I and our future kids, I collected the following scriptures while reading my word this morning. Scriptures that pertain to us....my family. Grab 'em for your family, too!

But they're verses that I want to pray over us. Verses that are promises from the Lord or ways to raise our kids or things to strive for as individuals and as a family. Verses that I want to live my life by and teach my kids someday. Verses that I want to describe us.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6



The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 (don't incur debt, or get outta debt)


Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. Proverbs 22:15

Do you see a man who excels at his work? He will stand before kinds, he will not stand before unknown men. Proverbs 22:29 (translation: hard work pays off!)



Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words or knowledge. Proverbs 23:12 



Do not withhold correction from a child. For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod and deliver his soul from hell. Proverbs 23:13-14 (NKJV)

Okay, I am not going to abuse my kids. The Message version is a good, modern translation for this verse: Don't be afraid to correct your young ones; a spanking won't kill them. A good spanking, in fact, might save them from something worse than death. Proverbs 23:13-14

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day. Proverbs 23:18

Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4

For a righteous man may fall 7 times and rise again. Proverbs 24:16

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Proverbs 24:17

As I noted all of these for future reference, I thought, "wouldn't it be great to start a collection of these verses as I run across them and put them into some kind of book?"

YEAH!

More like a dedicated file on my laptop! :)

Before I got married, I didn't have my own family, But now that I am married...Zach and I have to make decisions on what our family will be, what our standards will be, what we will and won't do, what we will and won't say. I think these things are just as important now as they are when we have little ones. 


Andy Stanley also said this: "Nobody plans to mess up really bad. But most don't plan not to."