Keep Your Promises by Riding the Wave of God’s Enabling Grace

Robert Orben said the last completely accurate weather forecast was God telling Noah about a 100% chance of precipitation. You have promised things that did not happen, right?

Making promises is easy. After the Last Supper, Jesus predicted His disciples would desert Him. In verse Mark 14:29, Peter said, “They might, but I will not!” 

All the other disciples also promised loyalty to Jesus (Mark 14:31). They did not know how weak they were. Making promises is easy. Keeping them is not.

Fulfilling promises is hard. At church services and Christian camps, people rededicate themselves to Christ. Rededication implies a previous dedication. It admits a broken promise.

Fulfilling promises was not always easy for Jesus. He predicted He would be struck down and then rise again (Mark 14:27-28).

He endured trouble, distress, and crushing sorrow to fulfill His promise. In the olive orchard of Gethsemane, He was tempted as no person before or since. He struggled mightily to keep from sinking in a sea of sorrow.

The thought of separation from His Father was almost unbearable. He prayed for the cup of God’s judgment and punishment to be removed if possible. He preferred another way. But He submitted to the Father’s will, the way of the cross.

Fulfilling promises was hard for the disciples because of their human weakness. When Jesus left them to pray, He told Peter, James, and John, “Stay here and keep watch” (Mark 14:34 NIV).

All three were sleeping when He returned. Jesus rebuked Peter, who said he was willing to die with Him, but could not even stay awake for one hour.

Faithfulness in the fire is built on daily faithfulness in little things. For that, you need God’s grace.

In Mark 14:38, Jesus rebuked Peter, James, and John. He warned them that severe testing was on the way.

He said their spirits were willing, but their flesh was weak. Flesh refers to human nature apart from God’s influence. It does not and cannot serve God.

Obeying God is against its nature. It is like choosing a thief to be the church treasurer and expecting honesty.

Jesus’ prescription to overcome temptation is to watch and pray (Mark 14:38). We rarely pray about things we think we can handle ourselves. We save prayer for emergencies. Our prayerlessness demonstrates our independence. Self-sufficiency is self-deception. Without Jesus, our best efforts make no eternal difference (John 15:5).

To overcome temptation, keep watch. On December 7, 1941, a young lieutenant and two of his soldiers saw a radar screen filled with dots about 50 minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The lieutenant dismissed it and carelessly failed the nation.

The temptation to be untrue to God hits like the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor. But there is usually a warning for the watchful. Keep your promises by riding the wave of God’s enabling grace. What is your takeaway? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.   #freediscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources

God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,671 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,636 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting. 

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