20250824 Bailey Promises

The speaker discusses the importance of promises made by God in the Bible. God's promises are reliable and will always be fulfilled. Examples of promises include guidance through his word, judgment through Jesus, and the reward of eternal life for those faithful until death. The speaker emphasizes the need to abide by God's standards to enter his heavenly house, drawing parallels to inviting guests into one's own home. Following God's rules, such as being baptized for the remission of sins, is essential for believers to be part of God's kingdom. The speaker highlights the faithfulness of Jesus and the importance of obeying and abiding in him to receive the promised blessings. Speak to you a few moments this morning concerning promises, the promises that God has made for us. You know, there's an old adage, you can take it to the bank. I mean, when God makes a promise, it'll take place, it'll come to be. Oxford Dictionary defines the word promise as a declaration or an assurance that one will do a particular thing. God has promised in his word in Psalms 119 verse 105 that his word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. God has made many promises to us. He promised also in John chapter 12 and verse 48 through his son Jesus that his word will be what will judge us. So we know what's going to judge us. It's found in the book. It's the word of God. Jesus said to the scribes and the Pharisees who were against him in John chapter 8 and verse 32, he said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. In 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 12, in the latter part of that verse, the apostle Paul, his last letter that he wrote on this earth, he said, I know in whom I believe and I am persuaded that he is able to keep what I've committed to him until that day. The very next verse in verse 13, Paul said, if we are faithless, he remains faithful and he will not deny himself. Jesus said to the church at Smyrna in Revelations 2 and verse 10, he said, do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison so that you will be tested and you will have tribulation for 10 days. That's a long period of time. And then Jesus said, be faithful unto death and then I will give you the crown of life. That's a promise. If we're faithful unto death, he'll give us that crown of life. You know, he said the devil is about to, notice he said in this verse 10, behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison. Ever since Genesis chapter 3, when Satan came as a serpent, after that he never came as a serpent again. He used his influence through man. You think about it, Cain and Abel. Whenever Cain killed, it wasn't the serpent that killed Abel. It was his brother Cain, influenced by the devil. And that's what happens today. You notice I thought of Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul. Was it he, notice what Jesus said. You'll be, some of you are going to be cast into prison. Was it Paul instrumental in doing that in Acts 8 and Acts 9? In Psalms 23 and verse 4, David said, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. That's a comfort. That's a promise that God has made to us. Just notice also what Paul said to Timothy about being faithful unto death. Notice what he says in 2 Timothy 4, verses 7 and 8. This is something familiar to us. Paul said to Timothy in New American Standard, I have fought a good fight. I've finished the course. I've kept the faith. In the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, talking of the judgment day, and not only to me, but also all those who have loved his appearance. You know, we want to see the Lord, but if you're not true to him, you don't want to see him. Paul said all those who have loved his appearance. That's a promise to us. Man makes promises and sometimes doesn't keep them. I try my best. I often say if it's the Lord's will, but often I try not to make many promises because I just don't know what will happen. But God, he can make promises because he knows what's going to happen. And Peter in Luke chapter 22 and verse 33, as Jesus was soon to die, and Peter said, Lord, with you, I'm ready to go to both prison and death. And it wasn't just a short time after he said those words that he denied him three times. In Luke chapter 22, 56 through 62, gives the account of Peter's denial of Jesus. Can you find one promise that God has made to us that he hasn't kept or will not keep? Not one. Everything he says will come to be. He promised Abraham, as we read and Tommy discussed this morning in Genesis chapter 12. He made a promise to Abraham. And we are involved. We're seeing that promise take place. He's made other promises. He's made promises. If you will turn with me to John chapter 14. I'll use the new King James version. And notice what it says here in John chapter 14, beginning in verse one. He's talking to his apostle. He said, let not your heart be troubled. If you believe in God, believe also in me. Then he says in verse two, in my father's house. I pondered on that. He doesn't say houses. He said in my father's house are many mansions. One version said many rooms. That house is heaven. That's the father's house. It's a plenty of room. They may be rooms there. You see, God, he didn't give this concept of a family and a house such as that to angels. You think about it. And Hebrews two in verse 16. Jesus didn't come to the earth. For the benefit of angels, but those of Abraham's seed. Hebrews two verse 16. And he says here in my father's house are many mansions are many rooms. He said, if it was not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there, you may be also. That's a promise. You know, God gives us the concept of a house. Because we have a house to live in. God has a house. Heaven. I believe that's what Jesus is referring to here in my father's house. That's heaven. So, you know, we have to do what the rule book says. If you're going to be invited into someone's house, you need to honor them, don't you? Don't. I mean, Don and I, we have our house. And we have many rooms in it. God has his house. He has many rooms in it. But if we invite someone into our house, there's automatically a certain standard that we want you to honor. I want you to think about this. When someone comes to our house, we don't want you smoking in our house. We don't want you using bad language in our house. That's just, that's one of our rules. We want you to respect those in our house, our children, my wife. Do you see what I'm talking about? If someone comes into our house, we expect certain things, don't we? Well, shouldn't God have the right for someone to enter in his house? To go by certain standards? And he's told us what those standards are. It's right here in the book. He doesn't want us living, sin won't be there. And so for us to be able to enter into his house on the other side after judgment, we have to be without sin. Because in Revelations 21 and verse 27, there's nothing going to enter it that will defile it, talking about God's house. It'll make it dirty. And the only thing that can make it dirty is sin. So what do we need to do? Well, God saw that we, man is, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God in Romans 3 and verse 23. So we must have our sins washed away and soap and water won't do it. Only thing that can wash our sins away is a sinless man to die for us and shed his blood. And that was Jesus. He's the only one that's ever lived to be over 30 years old with an accountable mind who never sinned, the only one. And he did that so we can be invited into his father's house. I mean, you see people here in the world that has such a vile reputation, you wouldn't want them to come into your house, would you? Doesn't God have the same rights? Sure he does. And he teaches us this concept in my father's house or many mansions. Notice with me also in Hebrews chapter three, in Hebrews chapter three, it says here in New King James version, therefore holy brethren, verse one, partakers of the heavenly calling, that means you become a Christian, you partook of the heaven, you've obeyed the gospel. You partakers of that heavenly calling. And he says, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession. Consider Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him, to God. Jesus was faithful to God who appointed Jesus as appointed him as Moses also was faithful in all his what? House. For this one has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses. Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses and as much as he, Jesus who built the house has more honor than the house. Who built the church? Jesus, Matthew 16 and verse 18. He's to be honored more. He's our bridegroom. And if we want to enter into his house, into the church, we have to do certain things. Doesn't he have that right? For to require us to do this, be baptized into him, into Christ for the remission of our sins. He said, he said for every verse four, for every house is built by someone, but he who builds all things is God. And says in verse five, and Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things, which would be spoken backward. But Christ as a son over his own house, the church, whose house we are if we hold fast. You know, there's a difference in obeying and abiding. Yes, to be able to abide in the Lord, you have to obey. But you, you know, I'm finding out more than, it's happened more than once that I've heard where people just go through the first principle. They obey, baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, and then they don't even show up anymore. There's a difference in obeying the first principle and then abiding in Christ. He wants to invite us into his house, the church, just like God, the father, he wants us to be in with him in his house in heaven. Just like you, if you had someone to come to your house, if you had someone to come to your house, you would want them to obey certain rules, wouldn't you? And the same is true with God. And he has, he has that right. Here is Paul, the apostle. He said, as he talked in Acts 26, verses 9 through 11, here Paul was bringing habit before he became a Christian upon the church. He's trying to destroy it. And he said to King Agrippa, he said in Acts 26, beginning in verse 9, the new American standard, he said, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem. Not only did I lock up many of the saints, he locked up many of them in Jerusalem, in prisons. Wasn't he doing the act of the devil? Just like we pointed out just a few moments ago, Satan uses man to do his evil. Satan will use man to come into a congregation and try to disrupt it, destroy it. He said, many saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priest, but also when they are, were being put to death, I cast my vote against them. You know, just because big religious leaders, the chief priest at that time doesn't make it right. And Acts 23 in verse 1, Paul said to the Sanhedrin council, I lived in all good conscience. He said perfectly good conscious before God until this day. When God makes a promise, it's going to happen. We know that by faith. We believe him. You know, whenever I live and I grew up, when I was small, I never had a concern that I'd have breakfast in the morning. You know why? I trusted my parents. I never even thought about it. We as parents provide for our children, a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear. Doesn't God provide for us? When you travel international, the ones that fare the best are Christians. As far as material things, they have nicer houses overall than others. God promises are better than anything man can do. If you will, let's look in Hebrews chapter 6, verse 7 beginning. Here's the writer, the Hebrew writers trying to convince it. Some of these Hebrew Jews are thinking about giving up Jesus and going back under the law of Moses. And the writer's trying to convince him that's not the way to go. In Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 7, for the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, received and blessed. But if it bears thorns and fires, it is rejected and near to be incursed whose end is to be burned. And notice what it says. But beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you. Yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your works and labors of love, which you have shown towards his name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise in verse 13, he made a promise to Abraham because God could swear by no one greater. He swore by himself, saying, surely blessing, I will bless you and multiplying, I will multiply you. And so after he had patiently endured, he, Abraham, obtains that promise. So God makes a promise and he expects us to obey his word to reap the benefit of that promise. In 2 Corinthians 1, in verse 18, beginning, but as God is faithful, Paul said, our word to you is not yes and no. For the son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us, to the Corinthians, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yes and no, but yes in him. For as many as are of promises of God in him, speaking of Jesus, they are yes, therefore also through him, Jesus, is our amen to the glory of God through us. Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us in God is God, has also filled us and give us the spirit of our hearts as a pledge. God cannot swear by anyone greater than himself. And he's done that. God promises us a relief from the burden of sin, being heavy laden. Jesus said in Matthew 11, in verse 28, he said, come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. God has promised all the nations of the earth that they will be blessed. He made that promise with Abraham, didn't he? And it's coming true. We are the seed of Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12, in verse 3. In Genesis chapter 22, in verse 18. In Galatians 3, in verse 16, now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. And he does not say unto seeds, God doesn't say unto seeds, but to seed, the seed, speaking of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus is not just limited to the Jews. It's to all of mankind. The Gentiles also are included. Ephesians 3, in verse 6, states this. God has made this promise. And no, God has promised the remission of our sins if we will obey. And you can't take your sin into his house. You can't take your sin to heaven with you because he has rules just like you have rules in your house. And God is to be honored. Hebrews 9, in verse 22, all things are purified with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there's no remission. Hebrews 10, in verse 4, for it's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats can take away sin. Some of these Hebrew Jews who had become Christians were thinking about giving that up and going back under Jesus, going back under animal sacrifices. And the writer says, it's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats can take away sin. In Revelation 1, in verse 5, it says, in the New King James Version, to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Who do we contact? I've had people talk to me, if you will, turn with me to Colossians 12, in verse 2, and I know it's elementary to you or most of you. I've had people say, well, I can't see any blood in that bad street. Well, turn with me to Colossians chapter 2. I can't either, literally, but I can figuratively whenever someone's baptized into Christ for the remission of sin. Notice verse 12 of Colossians chapter 2. This is the New King James Version. We're to be buried with him. We're to be buried with Jesus in baptism, in which you also were raised with him, raised with Jesus through faith in what? The work of man. Is that what it says? That's what people say. It's baptism is just the work of man. It says here's the working of God. Working of God who raised him from the dead. How do we, through our faith, through our faith, it's the working of God. We contact the blood of Jesus when we're baptized into Christ. It says we're baptized with him. Roman Ephesians chapter 6 verses 3 and 4. Okay. God promises life and life more abundantly. You can pillow your head at night as a Christian knowing if you do not wake. You know, you think about it. We're on the planet Earth. We're on a really a spaceship because we're moving. I'm telling you, moving. We circle the sun once a year. It's 93 million miles direct, but you go around, it's about 580 million miles. And to do that, we're traveling at tens of thousands of miles per hour. We've traveled that distance. We've traveled 10,000 miles or more since we've been here this morning. We're on the spaceship Earth. And not only that, we're turning. At a rate of a little over a thousand miles per hour as we turn, that's how you get the sunrise and the sunset. It's not the sun doing that. It's the Earth doing that as it travels. So at the second coming of Jesus, will there be darkness on part of the Earth? Yeah. There'll be darkness on part of it. So we need to be ready. We need to be ready to get off this spaceship and be with the Lord. God promises us life and more abundantly, even here. Life does not consist of the things that this world has, but life eternally. In Luke 12 and verse 15, New King James Version, take heed and beware of covetousness. For the one's life does not consist in abundance of the things that he possesses. In 1 John chapter 5 and verse 11, and this is a testimony that God has given us eternal life and this life is in his son. It's a gift. That's why it's grace. That's called grace. Verse 12, he who has the son of life, he who has the son has life and he who does not have the son of God does not have life. God promises us an inheritance. To me, it's this nine, Bob. The God of heaven, not only we are children of God and not only that, he's given us an inheritance. That's how much he loves us. He's given us an inheritance of eternal life. And notice what it says in 1 Peter 1, verse 3, blessed be the God and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy, has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance, which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away. That's an inheritance. He's promised us an inheritance. He also has promised us judgment. And Hebrews 9 and verse 27, it's appointed unto man to die once and after this the judgment. We better be ready. He's promised us that there'll be a judgment. He's promised us what will be the standard to grade our lives by. John 12 and verse 48. The words that I have spoken, Jesus said, the same will judge you. There won't be any gotchas. That's why we need to get our head in the book and grow in the grace and the knowledge of God, because he's going to use this book to judge us. Philippians 2 and verse 10. So that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow. This is the new American standard. That's a promise. And every tongue will confess. Bowing to someone is a sign of submission, isn't it? When you bow to them. And God said, we'll all bow to him. In conclusion, many of God's promises have already taken place. But some and many have not. Besides the Bible, secular history proves John 3, 16 has taken place even in secular history. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Even secular history does not deny Jesus. You know, you think about it. You think about it. This is 2025. That's a big deal. That's a big, big deal. Because it's based on Jesus Christ. Everywhere I've ever been on the earth. It's always the same year there that it is here. And came out in the 1600s. Now, man, you know, didn't want to accept Jesus as the savior of the world. So they came up with the BCE. The four common era. But you notice it right, corresponds right there with Jesus Christ. Man may try to deny it and undermine him. But the earth is influenced even by our calendars. By Jesus Christ. That's how powerful he is. If you're here today and you're not a Christian, we beseech you to become a Christian. You have an opportunity this side of this side of death. If you're not. And if you have, and you wonder back in the ways of the world, you have an opportunity. Because we have to have it right to go into the house of God. Into heaven. And our father's house.