The Journey To Fulfilled Promises

It might be cold outside in Arkansas today, but it is warm in my home and in my heart.

This is my favorite time of the year. It is the CHRISTmas season and there is a bit of a nip in the air...ok, a lot of nip in the air today. I've been thinking about how much I love CHRISTmas, the decorations and the music but with so many people and businesses taking CHRIST out of CHRISTmas...I refuse to let Him be forgotten in my home and in my heart.

As I was doing my Bible reading one morning, my heart was drawn back to the times in my life that God has given me a promise about something I had been praying about or longing for.

When we trust Him, there is a peace that comes along with His promises even in the midst of the storm. God has given me promises through His Word and He has spoken other promises into my spirit. Many of those promises have already come to pass and God honored the promises that He made. But, there are a few others that I am still clinging to His promises when the circumstances say it is impossible.

Has God ever done that for you? Have you ever questioned yourself as to whether that was really God speaking peace and promises into your spirit and heart?

I know that I have. I have always been afraid that I would "miss" God, not really "hear" Him or not be walking close enough to Him to "know" when He was trying to get my attention. Ever been there?

I am so thankful today that when I "listen", God "speaks" and I can "hear" Him when He "calls".

As I was reading in Matthew about the birth of Jesus, God spoke very loudly into my spirit that what He says, He will do, what He promises, He will bring to pass because He cannot lie.

Hebrews 6:18
God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

Matthew 1:20-22
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (21) "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (22) Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet

Matthew 2:13-14
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." (14) So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON."

Matthew 2: 19-23
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, (20) "Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead." (21) So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. (22) But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, (23) and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: "He shall be called a Nazarene."

God prompts us, leads us and guides us every step of the way through our life's journey. Through the valleys, mountains, rough terrain, peaceful meadows and storms...God is there with us. He leads us and if we follow Him...His promises will be fulfilled in our lives.

Just think what would have happened to Baby Jesus if Joseph hadn't heeded God's warning each time. Joseph listened and God provided.

God didn't promise Joseph that it would be easy, that he would never have his sleep disturbed, that he wouldn't have enemies who wanted to harm his family but what God promised was that he would watch over them, lead, guide and protect them regardless of the circumstances that surrounded his family.

Everything is done according to God's timing. If Joseph had been a day early or a day late...the outcome might not have been the same.

God has a plan and a purpose for everything that He allows to happen in our lives. If we lean on Him, trust in Him...He will take what was intended to harm us and use it for His good.

Genesis 50:20
Don't you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now--life for many people. (Message)

Hold tight to whatever promise that God has given you...He will fulfill all that He has promised you.

Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year!