Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
February 25, 1996
2 Peter 1:3-4
PROMISES, PROMISES
I. Something to hang on to.
A. Resources for confusion.
1) God's Word can give comfort and clarity in a confusing world.
2) God's promises have always been important for Christians.
Christopher Pylant, age 4, had malignant tumor in his brain.
Parents told Dr. Benjamin Carson they knew Lord was going to
use him to heal their son.
That morning Carson read his Bible and prayed.
He had grown up in Detroit's inner city, went to church with
this mom who was very religious.
She was also strict.
She made Benjamin study and read, and he couldn't watch TV.
Ben was religious on the outside, because his mom made him,
but his soul was something else.
He had a very violent temper and once almost stabbed someone
to death.
A verse from Proverbs popped into his mind -
"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man
who lacks self-control."
He prayed for God to take away his temper.
The Lord did, and his life turned around after that.
The operation on Christopher showed the tumor had destroyed
the brain stem.
The surgical team had to close it up, and Carson sadly told
the parents there was no hope of recovery.
They didn't want to hear of it - they were standing on
God's promise.
The little boy improved slightly, so Carson operated again
and found a thin brain stem left, flattened by the tumor.
This time the tumor came off in layers.
He remembered words of his mother,
"If you ask the Lord for something believing He will do it,
then He will do it."
Christopher is now 12 and doing OK.
Dr. Carson is also doing all right, and received worldwide fame
as the primary surgeon in a dramatic 22 hour operation on
German Siamese twins.
Every morning and night he reads the book of Proverbs.
#519
B. What promises are.
1) A promise is a word that goes forth into unfulfilled
time.
2) It reaches ahead of its speaker and its recipient, to
mark an appointment between them in the future.
3) Many promises in Bible aren't listed as such, but state
what God can do for us if we trust Him.
II. What we do with promises.
A. Promises can be taken several ways:
1) Rejection - We don't give it a second thought.
2) Skepticism - Maybe, maybe not.
3) Acceptance - We accept it and it gives us hope.
B. Our response usually depends on 2 factors:
1) Who is making the promise?
2) Does our mind think it is "do-able"?
C. A Bible promise is made by God himself.
1) Many people testify that God can be trusted; he has
proven himself to them.
2) But his promises are not universal - they are limited
to those who seek him and his divine nature. 1:4
a) Promises exist within a relationship of obedience.
b) Are you committed to God through Jesus?
III. God's promises are for us.
A. Find the promises.
1) God's presence and strength.
2) Forgiveness, mercy and pardon.
3) Blessings in daily life.
4) Comfort when times are hard.
a) Holy Spirit gives comfort, and is primary gift of
God.
5) Deliverance.
a) From sin, danger, and (ultimately) heaven.
b) He'll never leave us or forsake us.
B. Embrace the promises.
1) Don't just distantly acknowledge them.
2) Challenge your faith each day.
a) Situations of temptation.
b) Fears of future.
3) As God comes through for you, keep track of his faithfulness.
C. Search the Bible on regular basis.
1) (Not just in crisis situations.)
2) Purpose of "50 Day" journals.
IV. Figure them out carefully.
A. Keep promise in context.
1) Many Bible promises are not particular guarantees to us,
but are meant for certain people and specific times.
2) Other promises are only fulfilled completely in heaven.
B. Discover any attached conditions.
1) Example of James 4:7. Resist devil - and submit to God.
2) Example of John 3:16. Eternal life is conditioned on
believing in Jesus.
C. Even when we have doubts, continue trusting in him. Job 13:15
1) Some of best promises are long-term.
2) Joseph recognized God's plan in his past. Gen 50:20
a) Our circumstances may seem harmful, but God means
them for our good.
b) Joseph had so much confidence in God he arranged to
have his bones taken to Israel.
V. As God is faithful, we need to be faithful.
A. God's promises should bring out our own.
1) God has a plan for us.
2) His plan goes beyond us.
The African sky was a deep, brilliant blue.
White snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilamanjaro could be seen
from the window of the tiny Royal Dutch plane.
It was at this moment that Hiram Clay Kiser peered out his
window to see exactly the same situation he had made a
promise about 50 years ago in World War II.
It was in the early fall of 1944 when H.C. Kiser first saw the
African village of Imbengo aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress.
As the children waved from the village, the then-20-year-old
Kiser made a little promise:
"Lord, if I ever get the opportunity to go back to Africa and
witness for you, please give me the opportunity to do so."
Kiser had grown up in Baptist church in Virginia.
He had godly parents and believed in God, but his faith had
never been really tested.
It was the first prayer of many he would utter as a soldier --
and then as a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany.
His fierce trials began Oct. 12, 1944, aboard the B-17 bomber
en route to bomb General Rommel's army in North Africa.
It was a mission not even scheduled for his crew, but assigned
because of an ailing pilot of another crew.
Kiser said the Lord prepared his heart before going to bed on
the eve of Oct. 11.
In his Bible, he read the words of 1 Peter 4:12:
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials
which try you,
as though some strange thing happened to you.
But rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ's
sufferings."
Years later Kiser said, "Little did I know when I read that on
Oct. 11, the next day I would become a prisoner of war."
On Oct. 12, at 29,000 feet over Bologna, Italy, his B-17 Flying
Fortress took a direct hit from an anti-aircraft shell.
The concussion of the huge shell sent the plane upward,
pinning the airmen with tremendous centrifugal force.
The crew opened escape hatches, harnessed parachutes and
one by one bailed out of the spiraling bomber.
All jumped, except for Kiser.
During the hit, Kiser's parachute had opened and spilled out in
the plane.
"I got down on my knees and was crawling down through the
waist compartment to get my torn parachute back so I could
get out the door," Kiser said.
"I just wadded up all of the shroud lines and compressed the
big canopy of the parachute to make it small enough to get
through the door."
I said a little prayer.
I said, 'Lord, should I jump out knowing my parachute is
inoperable or should I ride this plane down?'
It seemed like the Lord just said to me, 'H.C., I'm a God of
miracles, and if you will just, by faith, leap out of this
burning bomber, I'll show you that I am a God of miracles.'
So, with that in mind, I jumped."
Kiser's parachute did not open.
Falling rapidly, Kiser prayed for his chute to open, promising
to witness for the Lord.
Nothing happened.
Again and again, Kiser prayed, "Lord, I'm probably 10,000 miles
away from home and my godly parents, grandparents and my
pastor.
It's just you and I here.
I want to live so badly.
It looks like this is the time for me to die.
Lord, apparently, you can't open this chute."
"When I told him he couldn't, he told me he could.
The parachute opened with a terrific jerk.
I bit my tongue, my boots about flew off, and I said, 'Lord, I
thank you for opening my parachute, but you've just about
broken my neck in the process.'"
Kiser landed safely in a marsh just inside the enemy lines of
Bologna, Italy.
He was greeted by two Nazi soldiers pressing a bayonet in one
of his rib cages and the nose of a machine gun in the other.
For seven months he was a prisoner of war.
At night, during bombing raids, he would use a pewter spoon to
dig a hole large enough to bury his head so he could endure
the tremendous concussion of the exploding bombs.
He was six-foot-two yet after those seven months he withered
away to 80-pounds.
He was spit upon and cursed by German soldiers.
They were forced to march cross country for miles in the dead
of winter, bedding down in barns and under trees.
They had to leave behind fellow soldiers who had frozen to
death during the bitter night, forbidden to even shake the
ice off them in the hope they were still alive.
From the dark interrogation cell with only the smell of human
waste and a thin shaft of cold light, the Lord spoke to
Kiser in a way he will never forget.
Reflecting on the dark, cold wall were two verses of Scripture
from Hebrews scribbled by previous soldiers.
"I read these words," said Kiser.
'Jesus will never forsake you,' was written on the wall.
And, then on down, it said, 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today, yes and forever.'"
It was this promise which held Kiser up and spurred him to
continue when he felt there was no hope.
Alone in the dark, damp and cold cell, Kiser worshiped his
Lord.
"I got up, raised my hands and told the Lord I wanted to praise
him, though it was difficult fearing execution.
I began singing, 'Praise God from Whom all blessings flow,' the
Doxology.
It was the only thing I could think of."
On April 29, 1945, at prison camp Stalag VIIA in Moosburg,
Germany, Kiser watched as two American soldiers pulled
down the German swastika, throwing it to the side.
"Then, this big, beautiful American flag went up," said Kiser,
recounting the liberation of his camp.
"We just stood there and bawled.
I said, 'Lord, how could we ever have doubted you?'"
Fifty years later he kept his own promise to God, and returned
to Africa with men from his church to build a mission.
#3530
B. Contentment in circumstances. Phil 4:11
1) Circumstances shouldn't limit us.
2) God is never caught by surprise.
VI. Do you receive strength from God?
A. No risk, no disappointment.
B. But also no advancement or growth.
C. Step out in faith in God's promises.
==================================================================
Spiritual Adventure original sermon:
Rev. Jim Autrey, The Baptist Church, Concordia, Kansas
I. Introduction.
A. Resources for confusion.
1) Life is often confusing.
2) God's Word can give us comfort and clarity.
3) It gives a promise for whatever situation we are in.
B. Reactions to promises.
1) How we react when promises are made to us:
a) Acceptance.
b) Skepticism.
c) Rejection.
2) How we assess promises.
a) Do we know the person?
b) Are they trustworthy and consistent?
3) How do we embrace God's promises?
II. Embrace the Promise-giver.
A. Know God.
1) Is it possible? 2 Pet 1:2-3
2) How do we come to know God?
a) Learn about him through Bible.
b) Move beyond knowledge to experience.
1> Know God on his terms, not ours.
B. Trust God.
1) Is God trustworthy?
a) Many testify God has proven himself to them.
b) His best demonstration of trustworthiness is the cross.
2) To embrace God, embrace his promises.
III. Embrace the promises.
A. Find the promises.
1) Types of promises:
a) Blessings.
b) Comfort.
c) Deliverance.
d) Forgiveness.
e) Mercy and pardon.
f) God's presence and strength.
2) Search the Bible on regular basis.
a) (Not just in crisis situations.)
b) Purpose of "50 Day" journals.
B. Figure them out.
1) Keep promise in context.
2) Discover any attached conditions.
a) Example of James 4:7. Resist devil - and submit to God.
b) Example of John 3:16. Eternal life is conditioned on
believing in Jesus.
c) Other promises are unconditional: John 14:27, Phil 4:19
C. Apply what's relevant.
1) Not all promises are applicable to our situation.
2) Yet God wants to give us wisdom and clarity.
IV. Experience the promises. (experience the results)
A. Communion with God (partake of his nature). 2 Pet 1:4
1) We are able to escape corruption of world.
a) World corrupts through lust.
2) With God's promises, all we need we find in him.
B. Confidence for the future. Gen 50:20
1) Joseph recognized God's plan in his past.
2) Our circumstances may seem harmful, but God means them
for our good.
3) Joseph had so much confidence in God he arranged to have
his bones taken to Israel.
C. Counting on God. Mark 1:7-8
1) God has a plan. (John the Baptist)
2) His plan goes beyond us.
3) (example of bedridden stroke victim)
D. Contentment in circumstances. Phil 4:11
1) Circumstances don't determine us.
2) God is never caught by surprise.
V. Conclusion.
A. Embrace God.
B. Embrace his precious promises.
C. Experience his marvelous results.
