How hard is it to live a godly life? Like everything else, it takes practice - probably more practice than we are comfortable doing. Maybe that's what really makes living a godly life so hard. But then, if we don't practice living according to God's rules now, how are we going to live in His Kingdom for eternity?
https://thebarkingfox.com/2025..../08/23/beard-in-a-bo
How hard is it to live a godly life? Like everything else, it takes practice - probably more practice than we are comfortable doing. Maybe that's what really makes living a godly life so hard. But then, if we don't practice living according to God's rules now, how are we going to live in His Kingdom for eternity?
https://thebarkingfox.com/2025..../08/23/beard-in-a-bo
We'll be talking more about this at our study today. You can join at 1pm on YouTube.
Among the most common public ceremonies of our lives are weddings. The vows of marriage are breathtaking in beauty and boldness, and are intended to be binding. Yet divorce statistics prove that today, even the most serious of human promises, are “made to be broken.” Not so with YHVH. YHVH’s promises are anchored in his unchanging character and steadfast love. The Bible is filled with promises upon which the believer can depend. Where even our most heartfelt promises sometimes falter, the Word of YHVH is His promise and never fails. So, promise is a declaration by one person to another that something will or will not be done. This declaration means that the person to whom it is given has the right to expect that it will be completed.
TYPES OF PROMISES
In the Scriptures there are scattered examples of promises that people give either to another person {Numbers 22:17; Esther 4:7} or to YHVH {Nehemiah 5:12}, but the promises that YHVH gives to man are far more significant. These divine promises are absolutely trustworthy because YHVH is completely able to keep His promises {Romans 4:21}. Divine promises in Scripture assure their recipients of many benefits, including sonship [2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1}, forgiveness of sin {1 John 1:9}, answer to prayer {Luke 11:9}, deliverance from temptations {1 Corinthians 10:13}, sustaining grace for difficult times {2 Corinthians 12:9}, provision for all needs {Philippians 4:19}, reward for obedience {James 1:12}, and eternal life {John 3:16}. YHVH’s promises are certain and sure, but participation in their blessing often requires certain conditions. Divine promises also are not always guarantees of blessing. There are promises announcing the certainty of judgment {2 Thessalonians 1:8-9}. In addition to the promises of YHVH, there are a great many promises that pertain to the unfolding of YHVH’s plan of redemption in the procession of historical events. Promises of this type become synonymous with prophecy. Along with their subsequent fulfilment, they are intricately woven into the history of redemption.
PROMISES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The highlights of the promise theme in the Old Testament can be seen in the first promise of the gospel {the protoevangelium} given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden immediately after the fall into sin {Genesis 3:15}. Subsequent promises are the Covenants YHVH made with Abraham {Genesis 12, 15 and 17} and with David {2 Samuel 7:1}, followed by the promise of a New Covenant {Jeremiah 31}.
THE PROTOEVANGELIUM
Genesis 3:15 says: “Your [Satan’s] offspring and her [Eve’s] offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel”. This statement is a promise that in the future the offspring of the woman will crush Satan. The offspring of the woman is individualized in the “he” of the last phrase. “He” shall strike you [Satan] on the head, although Satan will inflict a wound on the offspring of the woman. Here then, is the promise that gives Adam and Eve, as well as their descendants, the basis to expect the eventual destruction of their adversary Satan through their offspring.
THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM
In Genesis 12:1-7 Abraham is told to leave his people and country and to go to a land that Adonai would show to him. YHVH in turn, promises him that:
1 -- his offspring would become a great nation;
2 -- he would be blessed and his name made great;
3 -- through him other nations would be blessed; and
4 -- the land of Canaan would be given to his descendants.
Of particular significance among these promises given to Abraham is that through his offspring he will bless many nations. This promise is repeated five times in the book of Genesis {Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14} and points back to the promise of 3:15 as well as forward to the Moshiach.
THE PROMISE TO DAVID
In 2 Samuel 7, YHVH gave a promise to King David that his dynasty would endure forever {2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:34-37}. It is with this Davidic Covenant that the promised line, which had previously run from Adam through Seth, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, is now narrowed to the royal line of the house of David. David is to be the ancestor of the Messiah-King to come {Psalm 89:3, 27-37}.
THE PROMISE OF A NEW COVENANT
In Jeremiah 31:31-37, it is promised that in future days Adonai would make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. The content of this New Covenant reemphasizes and extends the basic promises of the former covenant: “I will be their YHVH, and they will be My people.... I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins” {Jeremiah 31:33-34}. It would appear that the “New Covenant” of Jeremiah is to be viewed as a restatement of the same basic promises included in the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants. The New Covenant was inaugurated with the first advent of the Moshiach, and believers in the Moshiach are now recipients by the Holy Spirit of the blessings of that New Covenant {Hebrews 8:6-13}. The complete and final realization of these blessings in all their fullness awaits the return of the Moshiach, the complete establishment of His Kingdom in its outward and final form, and the blessedness of life in the new heavens and new earth. In the intervening time, YHVH’s people live in a day in which some of the benefits of the age to come are a present reality but the fullness of the new age is yet future.
THE PROMISE THEME IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
New Testament writers refer to the Old Testament promises in a way that indicates that they did not view these promises as separate and isolated assertions but rather as portions of a unitary promise that is ultimately fulfilled in the Moshiach {Luke 1:54-55, 69-73; 2 Corinthians 1:20}. Yeshua is the fulfilment of the promises made to the patriarchs and David, and these promises are accordingly to be viewed as having a single focal point in Him. In the books of Galatians and Ephesians, Paul develops this idea in more detail, saying to the Gentile believers that they are made “heirs together with Israel, members together of One Body, and sharers together in the promise in Moshiach Yeshua” {Ephesians 3:6}. In fact, Paul says that Gentiles who trust in the Moshiach are incorporated into the seed of Abraham and are thus heirs according to the promise {Galatians 3:29}, and he even goes so far as to equate the gospel with the promise given to Abraham when he states, “The Scripture foresaw that YHVH would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you’” {Galatians 3:8}. These and other New Testament texts establish the close connection between the coming of the Moshiach and the fulfilment of the promise. The promises of YHVH find their point of convergence in the Moshiach and all that He accomplished, and will yet accomplish, for His people. One further aspect of the promise particularly emphasized in the New Testament concerns the coming of the Holy Spirit. Paul refers to believers as sealed with the promised Holy Spirit {Ephesians 1:13}, and as receiving the promise of the Spirit {Galatians 3:14}. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not only the fulfilment of an Old Testament promise {Isaiah 32:15}, and that of the Moshiach Himself {Luke 24:49}, but it is also itself a promise of something yet future. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit’s presence within the believer as a guarantee of our inheritance {Ephesians 1:14}. The Holy Spirit is the “first-fruit” of future glory {Romans 8:23}. One final aspect of the promise theme in the New Testament concerns the assurance of the Moshiach’s second advent and the establishment of the new heavens and new earth {2 Peter 3:4, 9, 13}.
WITH SO LITTLE TO DEPEND UPON IN LIFE, WHAT CAN I COUNT ON FROM YHVH?
Galatians 3:21-29: “The only way to receive YHVH’s promise is to believe in Yeshua Moshiach.” --- The of YHVH’s promise has always been the offer of salvation through faith.
Ephesians 1:13-14: “The Spirit is YHVH’s guarantee that He will give us everything He promised.” --- The Holy Spirit is YHVH’s guarantee that his promises are trustworthy.
John 14:1-6: “I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly.” --- Yeshua promises an eternal home in heaven for those who trust Him.
John 14:15-18: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit.” --- Yeshua promises to be with us forever in the form of the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 3:8-10: “The Day of Adonai will come.” --- The Bible promises that Yeshua will return to judge the world for its deeds.
Romans 8:28: “We know that YHVH causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called by Him.” --- YHVH promises to redeem all the events of our lives for our good if we look to Him.
Hebrews 6:18: “YHVH has given us both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable.
YHVH’s promises are completely dependable and trustworthy. This gives us great comfort in the present and assurance for the future.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR PROMISES?
Numbers 30:1-2: “A man who makes a vow to Adonai or makes a pledge under oath must never break it.” Keeping a promise is the basic foundation for trust in any relationship.
Matthew 5:33-37: “To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.” --- Yeshua said that if you are a person of your word, you shouldn’t need to strengthen your promise with a vow. Keeping your promises will establish your reputation as a person of your word.
WHAT DOES YHVH EXPECT OF US IN REGARD TO PROMISES?
1 Samuel 1:11: “She made this vow.” Proverbs 20:25: “It is dangerous to make a rash promise to YHVH before counting the cost.” --- YHVH expects us to keep our promises.
Genesis 12:1-7: “Go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation… So, Abram departed as Adonai had instructed him.” --- YHVH expects us to respond in faith to His promises.
Thought for Today: Shabbat August 23
There is a story of Martin Luther going through a period of discouragement and depression. For days his long face graced the family table and dampened the family’s home life. One day his wife came to the breakfast table all dressed in black… When he asked her who had died, she replied: “Martin, the way you have been behaving lately, I thought YHVH had died, so I came prepared to attend His funeral.” As a result, Martin Luther resolved never again to allow worldly care, resentment, depression, discouragement of frustration to defeat him. So, when was the last time you praised YHVH in the midst of your despair? Make today a day to do it! Shabbat Shalom everyone.
Join us tonight on Sabbath Keepers Fellowship's YouTube channel at 8:30pm for prayers and music!
http://youtube.com/post/Ugkxd2....nDe3gGCIfNABnBZYkoep
Another week of learning to love Yah under our belt. Hopefully, we all grew this week. If one didnt, may Yah grant that one another week to try again.
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