Revelation 22:13

Verse of the Day Devotion: Revelation 22:13

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” – Revelation 22:13

Revelation is the last book in the Bible, God’s Word.  Chapter 21 through 22:5 describe the future abode of the redeemed, starting from the revealing of the new heavens and earth through the declaration that this life will endure forever with no end.  Then we read the following. “And he said to me, these words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation 22:6-7.  Jesus speaking through the angel, declares that He is coming soon.  And blessed are those who believe the words of this book and keep them, living the life that shows they truly believe.

Then He declares the words of our focus verse.  Before we start, something needs to be clarified.  Any time a word is repeated three times, this denotes something very important, absolute and complete, something that needs to be emphasized.  For example, “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8. Holy declared three times denotes His holiness is absolute and complete.  It will remain for He cannot be less then holy.

Ok, now back to the focus verse.  Note the three parts.  He says He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  For those not familiar with the Greek alphabet, Alpha is the first letter and Omega is the last letter.  This is the same as the Holy, Holy, Holy in that it is the same idea expressed three times: “First letter” to “Last Letter”, “First” to “Last”, and “Beginning” to “End”.  These denote His eternality is absolute and complete, and it will remain that way because He cannot be less then eternal.

Only an eternal being can declare what is our everlasting future with complete accuracy.  Therefore, let us rejoice.  No matter how difficult things get here, or the trials we go through, or the persecution we endure, there is a beautiful life in store for us.  One that is wonderful beyond words, and endless beyond our comprehension.  So, stand strong and uncompromising.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Romans 12:21

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 12:21

“Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12-21

This verse lays out one of the more important attributes of Christianity; that being love.  And not just love in return for love, but love for all, no matter what.  There are many times when people will attack us, both physically and verbally.  Paul said a couple verses up, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.”  Romans 12:17. We must always do what is right in the sight of God and not simply acceptable in the eyes of men.  We must never take into our own hands any recompense for evil.

Paul goes on to say, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” Roman 12:18. Our goal throughout our lives should be peace with all.  No matter what people do to us, we should show love for them.  Our positive reaction to attacks may be the very light that brings our attacker to Christ.  Remember, Jesus said the following, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16.

Furthermore, it is not our place to give recompense.  “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19.   We must stand aside and let God handle it.  Moreover, we are to go to the opposite extreme.  “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap hot coals on his head.”  We are to return kindness for evil.  Jesus once said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” Matthew 5:38-39   He also said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:43-44.

Now with this foundation laid, let’s go back to the focus verse.  We must never let the evil of another cause us to return evil to them.  We must never let evil take control of us but on the contrary, we must overcome evil with good.  We must let our good deeds vanquish the evil in another.  Many times, by simply showing someone love, they will stop the evil they are doing to us.  They normally expect you to respond with hatred, which will only feed their anger and make it stronger.  We must not let their actions win the battle.  We must strive to be a witness of the love of God to them.

I know firsthand this is not easy.  However, we have a God that walks with us, who never leaves or forsakes us, and works through us to do His good pleasure.  We just need to submit fully and let Him give us the strength.  I have been amazed by how good does overcome evil.  Who knows what impact we can have on another, simply by submitting to God and humbling ourselves.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 19:26

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 19:26

“And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

A rich young ruler came to Christ and asked Him what good He needed to do to attain eternal life.  Jesus answered him saying, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.“.  Matthew 19:17.  He was not telling him that salvation is attained by works, but He answered him based on what the Law said.  He has not, at this time, died and paid the penalty, thus the reason as I understand it for His answer.  He then listed a subset of the laws to follow.  The young man then replies, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”  Matthew 19:20b.  Jesus then responds with this, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matthew 19:21.

What Jesus was saying was that nothing can take precedence over Him.  Salvation comes through giving up everything to follow Him.  When the young ruler heard these words, he walked away because He could not place Jesus above his belongings.  Then we read the following, “And Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  Matthew 19:23-24.

So, what was Jesus saying referring to camel through the eye of a needle?  There are several thoughts on this, however, the most likely explanation is that it is a hyperbole.  The Persians expressed the idea of impossibility by declaring that it would be easier for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle.  The use of camel was a Jewish form of this phrase, using the largest animal in Israel, that being the camel.  So, what Jesus was saying was simply it is seemingly impossible for a rich man to be saved because their riches mean so much to them.  Few if any would be willing to give up everything for Him.

“When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, ‘Then who can be saved?”  Matthew 19:25.   Then we come to our focus verse.  “And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26.

Man cannot save himself because it is impossible to be perfect.  Jews believed that through sacrificing an animal to God, their sins would be removed.  However, it is really through giving everything to God and following His Word and obeying His commands.  “but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17b.  However, we cannot keep them perfectly, Jesus, the Son of God, came here and lived that perfect life for us.  And by doing so, and us accepting His work on the cross, we are justified, declared righteous.  He said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17.  He came to do what we could not and applied it to our situation if we believe in our hearts, mind, and lives.  What a mighty and loving God we serve.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Mark 12:43

Verse of the Day Devotion: Mark 12:43

“Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;” – Mark 12:43 

This scripture is about giving to God.  Here are the contextual verses.  “And He sat down opposite the treasury and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.  A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.”  Mark 12:41-42.  It is important to note these were voluntary contributions by the worshippers which were used to buy wood for the alter, as well as other necessities not provided for in any other way.

Jesus sat and was observing the giving that was taking place in the treasury.  As He watched, he called the disciples to Him and gave them a lesson in giving.  He saw many rich people giving large amounts of money.   By the fact Jesus saw them from a distance, this was probably being done in a way that was intended for others to see.  They were making it clear how much they were offering and was proud of the amount they dropped in the containers.  Then He watches as a poor widow came and dropped in two small copper coins, the smallest denomination of coins back then, worth less than a cent in todays value.

Many would say the rich gave much more than this woman.  They would only see the amount that is given.  However, that is not how Jesus saw it.  “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”  Mark 12:43b-44.  Jesus is not as interested in how much we give, but in how much we sacrifice.  Notice the words describing the offerings.  The rich gave of their surplus, the widow gave out of her need.  The rich gave what they had left over, the widow gave all she had to live on.  Charity should not be judged by its appearance; what we see with our eyes, but by the spirit in which it is given.

God sees everything we do, both our deeds and our intentions and motives.  He sees what we do in public and what we do in private.  There is nothing hidden from Him.  He sees the circumstances and our heart, whether we act with care or negligence.  With a heart of compassion and love, or of arrogance and greed.   The poor widow gave more because she gave her all.  She gave out of her love for God, giving because she wanted to honor Him.  She also gave out of trust because I think she knew she would be taken care of.  “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11

We must check our motives and ensure our giving is to honor Him and not ourselves.  Our motives and compassion decide the value of our gift.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Corinthians 16:13 

“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13

There are times when the enemy makes it difficult to stand strong in the truth.  Have you ever been in a position where staying true to God would end in persecution or humiliation?  I will say I have, and in my earlier years I had not always taken a firm stand for Christ.

The idea this verse alludes to is that we should always be on our guard.  We need to look out for the enemy and his wiles.  He does not want us to be successful in this Christian walk.  He is constantly putting stumbling blocks in our way, desiring that we fall away or at the least, compromise.   Have you ever been with people who subtly get you thinking of things you know are wrong?  Or in desiring to fit in, have you spoken badly about someone or nodded in agreement when someone else has?

These times can be hard to see, which is why Paul is adamant that we be on the watch.  We must always look at everything to ensure we do not fall victim to the temptations brought our way.  What I have found true is the things we desire often are the areas he attacks us in.  If we are looking for friendship, we must not desire it more than staying true to God’s commands, for it would be easy to compromise our beliefs if we are not careful.  If we desire to go away somewhere, would we be willing to lie in order to get out of another commitment we made earlier, even if that would result in harm to another?  We must stand firm in the faith; for our sake and the sake of others.  “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;” Philippians 2:3.

We must never yield to anyone or anything that desires us to sin, showing the world we are not serious about our faith.  We must always stand for what we know is the truth, not wavering at all.  We must hold firm to our confidence in God, notwithstanding all the deceit, insinuations, and those of our friends who try to get us to follow their false ways.  As it says, we must be that man or woman who does not act cowardly but stands boldly before all no matter the consequences.  This is what we are called to do.  This is who we are called to be.  I want to encourage us all to be willing to give all, up to and including our lives for the sake of the gospel.  And we can only do this through His Spirit.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:10-12.

He gave His life for us.  Should we not be willing to give ours for Him?

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

1 John 2:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 John 2:1

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” – 1 John 2:1

In the first chapter, John lays out how we are to view sin in our lives.  “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10.  In summary, John is saying if we say we are fellowshipping with Jesus and yet continue in sin, we are lying and there is not truth in what we say.  But if we live and walk in holiness and purity and thereby shine the light of Christ into the darkness, then we shall have fellowship with Him and each other.  Notice the two things John says about the declaration of no sin.  1)  we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us, and 2) we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

John states in our focus verse that he wrote those things that we would not sin.  The idea here is to strive for a life of holiness.  To make the purpose of our life to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.  Unfortunately, we are all tempted to sin, and there are times when we succumb to the temptation.  However, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus, who lived the life of perfection we could not and through His death, burial and resurrection we were justified, declared righteous, for the penalty was paid for us on the cross of Christ.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9.

This to me is a very encouraging verse.  We are called to live a holy life, and we can only do this through the power and agency of the Holy Spirit.  Unfortunately, we get distracted from this calling and we fall into the trap of doing what we want as opposed to what God wants.  This, to me, is the definition of sin; following our desires rather than his.  The encouraging thing is that we have that advocate with the Father.  The definition of advocate in the Merriam-Webster dictionary Is one who pleads the case or cause of another before a judicial court.  Jesus pleads our case before the Father for mercy and forgiveness, which is granted, again, because of the work of Christ on the cross.  He does not just forgive, but He also cleanses us from all unrighteousness.   How great is the father’s love for us!

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Hebrews 12:3

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 12:3

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” – Hebrews 12:3 

This can be a very difficult verse to accept.  What the writer of Hebrews is saying is we should be as Christ in our strength and fortitude regarding the hostility and suffering we experience.  “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. Jesus freely came here to suffer death for us, knowing through His own death we could be counted righteous and able to enter into the kingdom of God.  And this was a great joy to Him.  In fact, we would be joint heirs with Him.  “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:16-17.  As Jesus suffered, we must also be willing to suffer for in so doing we will be glorified with Him.  We should look at these trials as a precursor to great joy promised to us by Him, just as He, in joy, sacrificed Himself for us.

The Apostle Peter had a few things to say about this.  “Servants be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.  For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it; this finds favor with God.” 1 Peter 2:18-20.  We are to be kind to all, no matter what anyone does to us.  If we are treated harshly, we are to endure it with patience.  This is what we see in how Jesus dealt with unjust suffering.  He could have saved himself but chose not to.  “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?’” Matthew 26:52-54.

We are called to follow this example.  Paul again says here, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”  Ephesians 5:1-2.  We are to be like Him, walking in love to the point that we would sacrifice our very life as well.  This seems impossible; however, our focus verse shows us the way.  We need to look to Jesus; see how He endured even more than we have or ever will.  How He was treated even more harshly for no cause then we ever will.  We must, through the Holy Spirit, suffer for the cause of Christ.  We are not to compromise but be steadfast under every circumstance.  And when we begin to faint and lose heart, go to God.  “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

We are not alone.  God will be with us, helping us to follow the ways of Jesus, so that we will not grow weary and lose heart when persecuted.  This is a great promise that we must grasp with all we have.  And the harder the persecution, the more we can count on Him.  What a great and loving God we serve.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Revelation 21:4

Verse of the Day Devotion: Revelation 21:4

“And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4

This verse denotes a time of rejoicing.  A time when the old order is done away with, and the blessed future eternal order will become the norm.  We all know the trials and tribulations that come to us from the enemy.  It seems like there is no rest from the hardships prevalent here on this earth.  People weeping from broken hearts, loneliness, hunger and constant pain, both physical and mental.  However, things will change, all will be made new, promised by God who is faithful in all things.

So, let’s look at what this life will be like.  First, God will wipe away every tear we weep.  This will be a wonderfully blessed state where sorrow and mourning will fade away and there will only be love, joy, peace and contentment.  There no longer will be any pain caused by illness, sickness and calamities because they no longer exist.  And even death will be done away with.   Isaiah wrote regarding this time, “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 25:8.

Such a different life then we have now.  We cannot fathom such a life.  In fact, we cannot even begin to understand what God has planned for us.  “But just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

There are a lot of gorgeous things on this earth.  Flowers that leave us speechless by their beauty.  Mountains that soar into the skies producing a wonderful landscape in the distance.  Birds just exploding with colors that work so well together.  The sounds of a flowing creek, the chirping of a bird, or the incredible echoes from the valleys as the words bounce off the hillsides back to our ears.

I am sure you have sights and sounds that just amaze you and allow you to relax in total contentedness.  I am sure we have thought of things that truly do not exist, but if they did would be beyond beautiful.  However, look what Paul said in the above verse.  Nothing we see here will come close in comparison to the beauty we shall see in the new heaven and earth.  No sounds here will ever compare to what is coming in our eternal existence.  And even our imaginations cannot conceive of what God has in store for us.  And the amazing thing is that there will never be an end to this wonderful life.

Yes, things may not be perfect here.  There is a lot of ugliness, anger, hatred, and pain in this life.  But a better time is coming.  The effects of the fall in the garden will be done away with.  All of creation will be remade.  Imagine, “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also, the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9.

It is hard to imagine, but this, and infinitely more will be our life forevermore.  Praise God, I cannot wait.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 6:24

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” – Matthew 6:24

Jesus, in His famous Sermon on the Mount, is telling His listeners that they cannot be divided in their devotions, specifically if their demands are contrary to the other.  Imagine a man who is subject to two masters, and they desire the house exterior to be painted.  Master 1 tells the man in the morning to paint it blue because blue is his favorite color.  He then goes off on a business trip.  On the same day, master 2 tells him in the afternoon to paint it green because green is his favorite color.  He then goes off on a business trip as well.  Both ordered him to have it completed by the time they get back.  The slave is now in a predicament.  He obviously cannot please both.  If he paints it blue, master 1 will be pleased and master 2 will be angry.  And if he paints it green, master 2 will be pleased and master one will be angry.

This is the idea that Jesus is trying to get across.  We cannot obey two masters.  First, He said we would either hate one and love the other.  According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the meaning of ‘hate’ here is the idea of loving less.  Therefore, what He is saying is we will love one more than the other.  In the above example, depending on who the man loves more will determine the color the house will be.

He also said that he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  In other words, He is saying that regarding opposing commands, we will hearken to one of the master’s and neglect the other.  We will respect the command of the one master and disrespect the other.  Either way, we will anger one of them.

Then He completes this idea by alluding to the reason for this verse.  We cannot serve both God and wealth.  The word translated wealth here actually is deeper than just wealth.  It signifies wealth, but also money, riches and things.  Basically, worldly goods.  There is nothing wrong with worldly things like money, jewelry, cars, etc.    However, which do we love and follow after?  Since we can only serve one or the other, would we give up things for God, or give up God for things?

Jesus gave this very choice to the rich young ruler.  “And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?  And He said to him, Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’  Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Matthew 19:16-20.  This ruler asked Jesus what He needed to do to be saved.  Jesus responded with, because he was no doubt a Jewish ruler, items found in the ten commandments.  The young ruler responded by telling Jesus that he has kept all these things, what else is there?  “Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.  But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.’”  Matthew 19:21-22.

Jesus basically asked the ruler, “would we give up things for God, or give up God for things?”  Unfortunately, he chose the latter.  I believe that we, as Christians, have chosen God over things.  However, it is always good to follow the suggestion of the writer of Lamentations where he wrote. “Let us examine and probe our ways and let us return to the LORD.”  Lamentations 3:40. Are there things we love more than we should?  Can we honestly look at all we have and say there is nothing here I would not give up for Christ?  Maybe so, but the verse above says it is a good idea to examine ourselves periodically.  If everything is good, praise God.  If there is something, pray and determine what you need to do and do it.  This is pleasing to God and of great benefit to us.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Hebrews 10:23

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 10:23

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23
Many times, I have been disappointed by people who have promised things that were not fulfilled.  I can be confident I am not the only one who has experienced this.  Once when I was growing up, I wanted to play baseball for the High School team.  I attended the first meeting and was given a list of things they expected of us.  One was that we had to have short hair, and since I had long hair, I agreed to get it cut.  My parents had agreed that I could play that year, so I went out and got my hair cut short.  After I did, my parents said that they would not let me play.  I asked why because they had promised.  Their answer shocked me, for they only promised it till I got my hair cut.  They would not put out the money needed to participate.  This hurt me terribly because I was not popular and had few friends, and I was hoping that playing baseball would change that. In our focus verse, the writer of Hebrews is saying that with God, a promise made is a promise kept.  (By the way, I cannot take credit for the line “A promised made is a promise kept”, it is the title of a song by Randy Stonehill.)   If God promises us something, he will bring it to pass.  And we can be assured that there is nothing that God cannot do.  “‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,” Jeremiah 32:17.  Therefore, if God promises us something, we know it will happen because He is a faithful God who can do all things. Let’s look at a few of these promises.  “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you, Surely, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 We have nothing to fear, for God has promised to strengthen us and uphold us.  Then there is “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” Exodus 14:14. In our struggles, we can relax for God has promised to fight for us.  Then there is, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. We can be sure that if we do sin, if we confess this sin to Him, acknowledging it as sin, and we repent of it, He promise is His forgiveness and the washing away of the unrighteousness in us.  And finally, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19.  He has promised if we have a need, He will meet it.  We can relax and just wait for Him to supply. These are but a few of the many promises He has made to us.  Each one of these, and all the ones not mentioned, we can be assured they will be a kept promise.  Therefore, we are called not to waver but be steadfast, not wishing, not hoping, but knowing He is faithful.  This is the faith He calls us to. And as an extra, here is the chorus from the song by Randy Stonehill, “A Promise Made is A Promise Kept”.   “A promise made is a promise kept, there is a love so true. Just hold on, God is holding on to you. Day by day, Prayer by prayer, oh, don’t you ever forget that a promise made Is a promise kept.” William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.