Devotional

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TRUSTING GOD's Promises: Faithful Through the Ages

A 6-day devotional to remind us to continue to Trust God's Promises for our lives. As He has been Faithful Through the Ages! by Gbenga Ajakaye

Introduction

At Ignite, our January 2021 theme was titled: A Brand New Song (Psalm 40:3). PWal and PYem spoke about the different songs that have brought them hope in different stages of their lives. One of their favorite songs is “Made A Way” by Travis Greene. In keeping with the theme, I started to think about songs that have given me solace in times of uncertainty. Maverick City’s song “Promises” comes to mind. I remember the first time I heard that song, I was transfixed! I ended up listening to the song for hours – completely losing track of time. Days past and I still kept humming the song out loud at home.

Maverick City’s Promises song goes like this:

Faithful through the ages

God of Abraham

You're the God of covenant and faithful promises

Time and time again

You have proven

You'll do just what You said

Though the storms may come

And the winds may blow, I'll remain steadfast

And let my heart learn when You speak a word

It will come to pass

Great is Your faithfulness to me

From the rising sun to the setting same

I will praise Your name

Great is Your faithfulness to me, oh

Yeah, God from age to age

Though the earth may pass away

Your word remains the same, yeah

The song calms my spirit and helps me to shift my focus from all the distractions of life. It provides a reprieve from the thought that goes through my mind daily. The phrase Faithful through the ages is not just a saying or words in a song. It’s something that I hold in high regards. The phrase speaks of our Mighty God, who changeth not from age to age. He remains ever faithful. Through the storms, through the wind, through anything that life brings, He remains faithful.

The Bible is replete with incredible stories of God’s faithfulness. He was faithful to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the midst of fire. He was faithful to Daniel in the lion’s den. He was faithful to Joseph when he was sold as a slave, in Potiphar's house, and while he was put in prison. He was faithful to Abraham and Sarah when they were trusting Him for a child. The list goes on.

As we start this devotional, think about your current life, the current season that you’re in, and the things that are important to you. Think back and find a song that means so much to you. Not just a song with a catchy beat that you can dance to, though there will be a time and a place for those types of songs. But, think of a song that awakens your spirit, that takes your focus from everything that’s going on and helps you to refocus your attention on God. Think about a song that helped you to get out of the lowest of lows and that has given you hope in the midst of despair.

Now, think of all the times that God has shown Himself faithful in your life. I don’t mean to look at when He did something really significant. But, the times He has been faithful in your life. Some of us don’t take the time to appreciate the little things that we have, but instead we spend years worrying about one significant thing, while God is busy working on us daily – changing us from inside out, rewriting our story and moving us closer and closer to Him.

Day 1: Faithful Through the Ages

I know personally the faithfulness of God. Since I was a little child, my dad took time to tell me about his dad – my grandfather. Though I never meant him, I know a lot about him and the life he lived. He was a devoted man of God, and he was blessed richly with 18 kids. Yes, I came from a big family! My grandfather wasn’t rich in material riches, but he was rich in blessing and grace. God helped him to raise his kids, and he lived to see over 100 years. As the bible says in Psalms 100:5 – For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. God’s faithfulness didn’t end with my grandfather, it also extended to my dad. I saw first hand how God worked. My dad wasn’t materially rich either, but God blessed him with healthy kids and a loving wife.

Now, as a husband and a Dad, I see God’s work and faithfulness daily. A look at my daughter and my wife tells and assures me that God doesn’t change. The weather changes, the sun rises and sets, but God forever remains God. He changes not.

The bible tells us in Psalm 102:25-27 about God’s faithfulness – of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. Regardless of what comes or passes, God will remain from eternity to eternity. Our assurance as Christains is found in the Lord and His strength. The bible let us know in Psalm 37:39 – But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in times of trouble. So, no matter the situation you’re in or the storm you may face, know this one thing – that God will be there with you through the storm, and He will bring you out whole with His mighty hands. When in doubt about God’s faithfulness, let the verse below minister to your soul.

Great, great is Your faithfulness to me (great is...)

Great is Your faithfulness

From the rising sun (from the rising sun to the setting same)

(Hey) I will praise Your name (from the rising sun)

From the rising sun to the setting same (let's go)

I will praise Your name (from the rising sun)

From the rising sun to the setting same (let it go up, and let it go down)

I will praise Your name (I still bless You, I'll still praise You)

From the rising sun to the setting same (let it go up then let it go down)

I will praise Your name (and I'll still bless You, Lord, I'll still bless You)

Exercise:

Try and recount the Faithfulness of God from your youth to the present day.
Think about all the big and small life situations that God has brought you through. Give Him thanks and Praise His holy name for those situations.
Read Deuteronomy 7:9 and 2 Timothy 2:13 and meditate on the word. What do the verses tell you about the faithfulness of God?

Day 2: God of Covenant and Faithful Promises

Faithful through the ages

God of Abraham

You're the God of covenant and faithful promises

Time and time again

You have proven

You'll do just what You said

Though the storms may come

And the winds may blow, I'll remain steadfast

And let my heart learn when You speak a word

It will come to pass

Great is Your faithfulness to me

Jeremiah 31:31-34: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

The Bible is clear that God’s covenant with us can never be broken. No situation, no plague, including Covid19, can break God’s covenant with Us. We read in Genesis 12:2-3 that God made a promise to Abraham saying “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.[a] 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. Reading those words gives me assurance, especially about what is to come in the future. Do you trust God to make true with His word in your life? Do you trust Him to bless you, to be your protector and to fight your battles? Do you trust that nothing can revoke His covenant with you? His covenant is not conditional on you, on what you do, on what you have to give, or on the trials that you may face in this life. What is stopping you from trusting in the promises of God? Men may fail you, friends may fail you, your loved one may fail you, but God will never fail you. Take some time to meditate on that passage from Genesis and let the promises of God saturate your mind and soul.

Numbers 23:19 reminders us that God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? The bible makes it clear what type of God we serve. An unchangeable changer! A God that can not lie or go back on His Words. Romans 4:21 reminds us that we should be fully persuaded that God has power to do what He had promised. What is that mountain in your life, in your career, in your relationship, or in your business? Speak to that mountain, and stand firm on the promises of God to protect and guide you.

Further Reading:

Philippians 4:19
Philippians 4:6
Ephesians 1:7
John 15:4-5
Ephesians 2:7-8

Day 3: Though the Storms May Come

Though the storms may come

And the winds may blow, I'll remain steadfast

And let my heart learn when You speak a word

It will come to pass

Great is Your faithfulness to me

Speaking of storms, 2020 can be termed a perfect storm. 2020 was nothing like any storm that we’ve experienced in our lifetime. Another storm that came to mind was Hurricane Katrina – a tropical cyclone that struck the southeastern United States in late August 2005. The hurricane took about 1,800 lives, and it is estimated to have cost $161 billion in damages along the U.S. Gulf. It is considered to have been the most destructive and costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Katrina wasn’t something that happened suddenly, it was initially observed and labeled a tropical depression on Tuesday, August 23, 2005. Scores of news channels spoke about the coming storm and meteorologists gave their own take and provided ways for people to keep themselves and family safe. The storm of 2020 was different. Little was known about it and those with insight into Covid19 chose to downplay it instead of doing something about it.

Currently, Covid19 cases stand at a staggering 27M positive and 486k deaths. 2020 was a difficult year for many people worldwide. People’s lives, livelihood, business, health, and jobs were adversely affected. In the middle of all the things that went down in 2020, God remained ever so faithful. He provided protection, He provided comfort, He provided food, shelter, and love for many all over the world. As I’m writing this devotional and as you’re reading it, we’re both examples of God’s faithfulness, kindness and protection. The storm of Covid19 brought about confinement to some, it brought loneliness to some, and togetherness to others who are married.

In Psalm 119:90-92 we read about God’s faithfulness. “Your faithfulness endures through all the ages; you have set the earth in place, and it remains. 91 All things remain to this day because of your command, because they are all your servants. 92 If your law had not been the source of my joy, I would have died from my sufferings.” These verses tell us that God is faithful and that seasons and natural occurrences are not enough to stop God’s faithfulness, protection, or grace over our lives. His faithfulness doesn’t just stop with us. It extends from generation to generation. As believers, we should hold on to God in times of good, bad and in between. In Hebrews 10:23, we learned that God is the one who holds the planets in their place. As believers, we have an assurance that though seasons change, life circumstances happen, struggles or whatever else comes our way, we can rest assured that our God will remain forever faithful. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that we should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. One thing constant in this life is change, but our faithful God is always the same. We are His own chosen people through Christ and we have an assurance that He will never forget, neglect, or abandon us. No matter the situation you face, however insurmountable, God is able to bring you through it. Hold on tight to His promises and never let go.

Exercise:

Keep a list of daily blessings to remind you of God’s faithfulness.
Make thanking God for His faithfulness a part of your daily life.
Read the story of Joseph and Noah see God’s faithfulness

Day 4: Your Word Remains the Same

Isaiah 40:8 – “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."

God’s promises are kept through the ages and through generations. He never fails. As a young man, I always knew that one day I would get married and become a dad. I didn’t have to think about how it would happen. I trusted that God who made it possible for others was able to do the same for me. God was faithful and He continues to be faithful.

Do you take God's word literally or do you just read them because it’s what you’re supposed to do as a Christian? The Bible tells us in John 1:3 that with His Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word. Everything that was created received its life from Him, and His life gave light to everyone.

Trusting in God’s time and His process is one of the best things we can do. Yes, things may be hard, but the Word of God reminds us that God’s plans are to prosper us and not to harm us. He plans to give us hope and a future. Not just a future filled with struggles and doubts, but a future in which we can be proud of. A future where we can live our days in joy, happiness, and abundance lacking nothing that is essential for us to live the life that He has planned for us, even from the beginning of time.

Do you turn to the word of God to find solace in your time of need? If not, I implore you to start doing so today. Search high and deep into the Word of God. Locate the promises of God and hold on tight to those words. Memorize and live those Words out loud in your daily life, business, and relationships. Ask God today to help you to learn how to read His word to understand and make it a permanent part of your life.

Psalm 19: 7 – 9

The law of the Lord is perfect,

refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever.

The decrees of the Lord are firm,

and all of them are righteous.