Process or Promise

Process or promise.

God makes a promise.

God reveals to you certain things in your life.

God talks to you through His Word, through His people, through the songs, through we pray.

God speaks to you.

God gives you a promise, "This is what I'm gonna do in your life." I told my daughter, Abigail, a few years ago, maybe one, uh, not a few, but one or two years ago, when she came to me and she said, "Dad, I wanna drive, and I'm 15," I told her, "You will drive, but I won't give you the car keys just like that.

Maybe many parents will do it, but I will not give you a car key just like that.

I will not let you have a license just like that.

If you are able to earn it with your effort, that's a different story.

But if you need it from me, there is a process.

There is a process.

With the government, there is a process.

That's a different story.

But with your dad, the process is different.

You will learn to first clean this car that's parked in the parking lot.

Learn to clean it both in and out.

Learn to maintain this car first, and then you will learn how to take care of your own car." And so she wants to drive a car, and I promised her, "I will help you do that, but for you to do that, you must be capable of driving a car and maintaining the car.

You should know the in and out, at least the in and out, something about this car before you own one, before you drive one." And that's exactly what God tells us this morning.

"I would love you to have the promise.

Have it.

But before you have it, I want you to know my promise is as big as me." Are you with me? You may have not realized that.

The promise that God makes is as big as God.

And so for you to take hold of God's promise, it's not that easy.

If God gives it to you beforehand, you and I are immature, we will mess it up.

And so God wants you to become ready to handle His promise.