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May 25, 2005

Frustrating Promises

Read:
Psalm 37:1-24

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. -Psalm 37:4

Bible In One Year: Psalm 133-135

cover Do any Bible promises frustrate you? Some people say that Psalm 37:4 is a guarantee that you'll get whatever you want-a spouse, a job, money. This has made me wonder at times, Why don't I have what I want?

When a promise frustrates us because it seems that God is not fulfilling it, maybe it's because we don't understand what the verse really means. Here are three suggestions to help, using Psalm 37 as an example:

Consider the context. Psalm 37 is telling us not to worry or be envious of the wicked. Our focus is not to be on what they have, nor on what they seem to be getting away with (vv.12-13). Instead, we are commanded to trust and delight in the Lord (vv.3-4).

Consider other verses. We're taught in 1 John 5:14 that our requests need to be according to God's will for us. Other Scriptures on the same topic can give us a balance.

Consult a Bible commentary. In The Treasury of David, C. H. Spurgeon says this about verse 4: "[Those] who delight in God desire or ask for nothing but what will please God." Doing a little deeper study can help us understand frustrating Bible verses like this one.

As we learn to delight in the Lord, His desires will become our own and He will grant them. -Anne Cetas

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. -Carter

You can't break God's promises by leaning on them.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
How Does God Keep His Promises?

25 posted on 05/25/2005 7:13:39 AM PDT by The Mayor ( Pray as if everything depends on God; work as if everything depends on you.)
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To: The Mayor

Thanks, Mayor, for your giving us the reminder that God's promises never fail and never waver and will be in His own time and as He wills for us!


26 posted on 05/25/2005 7:18:45 AM PDT by luvie ((Freedom is on the march. Freedom is the birthright and deep desire of every human soul.GWB 3-29-05))
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To: The Mayor

I have always felt the power in the promise of getting the desires of heart (what we need) and not of the mind (what we want)... Thanks Rus!


31 posted on 05/25/2005 7:41:58 AM PDT by DollyCali ("Thank you for your ANSWERS". POTUS to press at end of Presser 28April05)
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