The God Of His Word

The Lord God is always faithful to His word. Unlike a parent who voices a threat of punishment or offers a promise of reward and then fails to follow through, we can count on our God to honor what He says without fail. 

"God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" Numbers 23:19 (NLT)

What many seem to miss though are the requirements connected to His promises that have to be met in order to realize the fruit of what He's offering. There's a key - a prerequisite, that activates every promise God has made. Without the key, the power and fulfillment of the promise might never be realized. Once I acknowledged and understood that for myself, things began to change in my own life and heart and I began to pay attention to those things that essentially untie the Lord's hands and allow Him to fulfill what He's promised. If God has made a promise He's always faithful to His word, but we most often hold the key to allowing Him to fulfill it in our lives. Missing this has led to so much disappointment - even among believers, and has brought some to question God's faithfulness ... when the truth is that it wasn't God who failed.

For example:

"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)

The word "if" and others like it connect our response to what the Lord gracefully offers us repeatedly and appear frequently in the promises we're so fond of remembering. But like a kid at a candy counter with just enough money to buy a candy bar, we won't receive the candy without laying the money on the counter.

Likewise, there are warnings that God has given us against behavior that can have serious negative consequences that will impact our lives and relationship with Him. And like the perfect, unwavering parent that He is, our Lord means what He says, so knowledge of what He's said and our attention to it are critical to the quality of our own lives and potentially to those around us.

For example:

"In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." 1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)

Knowing the complete power and sovereignty of our God over everything - including every detail of my daily life, I need Him to hear me, but if I'm abusive or neglectful toward my wife, I may have negated my own urgent prayers before I've even had the chance to offer them up. 

Knowing and paying close, obedient attention to what God has said leaves the power of realizing the difference between reward and punishment in our hands because our God ... is the God of His word.

"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8 (NLT)