Promises (updated)

"Standing on the Promises" -- We don't sing this great old hymn in our church services as often as in years past. Times have changed. The new worship and praise songs have taken the place of the old, tradition hymns.

Now please don't get me wrong! I love the fresh, new faces of our christian music world. I love the awesome spirit of worship that the music lends to a service. But there's still a generation (or two) that the old hymns reach.

As Jackie Stanfield, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Linden, Texas, said in one of his devotionals, "Every time I hear the hymn, "Standing on the Promises", I think of that old saying that we are to be standing on His promises and NOT just sitting on the premises!"

In his devotional he states that there are over 7,000 promises of God to us in His Word. Now, I'm not going to question that number; I'm sure he has done his research. I do agree that "we too often don't even take time enough to read it and discover them, much less claim them."

Pastor Stanfield goes on to say that most of His promises are conditional, meaning there are conditions we must obediently meet and THEN He will do what He Promised.

For example, in Proverbs 3:5-6 we are told to trust in Him with all our heart and NOT to look to our own understanding for answers. It says to acknowledge Him in all our ways, and THEN He promises to direct our paths.

In the Hebrew understanding of that promise, it literally means He will "make our paths straight". I don't know about you, but I don't mind if the Lord wants to take a few curves out of my road! When the path is straight we can see farther up the road to know what's coming.

With the condition our world is in today, we need to get into His Word and find and claim the promises He has put there for us by being obedient "to the instructions He gives us."
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Thanks to crabby of A Patriot's Heart for trying to keep me on a straight path!! And, of course, credit for the subject matter must be given to Pastor Jackie Stanfield!

Peace to your household....

After KsCowboy's comment, I decided to post the words to the great old hymn, "Standing on the Promises". Thank you, Dennis!

KsCowboy said...
According to R.K. Carter (author of the song) he had spent most of his life (40 years) hearing from his folks about the many promises of God ... but finally he decided to "Stand On Them" and his life changed... you can see it especially in verse 4. It's a good hymn with great meaning .... and in Carter's case, a personal conviction.


Standing on the promises of Christ my King,

Through eternal ages let His praises ring,

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:

Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see

Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;

Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,

Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,

Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,

Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,

Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,

Resting in my Savior as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God.