Promises of God in Prayer

In this part of the sermon: The first imperative for dealing with promises is to identify who the promise is for. Martin illustrates this with a personal anecdote about a letter to his children, emphasizing…

Martin tells a story about writing a letter to his children promising them hamburgers. A neighbor child finds it and claims the promise for all neighborhood kids. This illustrates the error of claiming a promise not directed to oneself, highlighting the importance of identifying the proper recipient.

Whenever we find a promise, we must determine who is the proper recipient of the promise given. Who is the proper recipient of the promise given? Now let me illustrate. Suppose on one of these times when I'm away from my family and ministry elsewhere, I should write a letter addressed to Joel, Heidi, and Beth.

6:15 - 6:38 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin illustrates the danger of failing to determine the proper recipient by critiquing T.L. Osburn's 'pact of plenty' literature, which indiscriminately applies promises of…

Martin critiques T.L. Osburn's literature, which indiscriminately applies promises of prosperity and healing (e.g., Philippians 4:19) to anyone who sends money. This serves as a contemporary example of misinterpreting promises by failing to determine the proper recipient and nature of the promise.

Well, let me just illustrate what happens when you don't do this. Any of you received T.L. Osburn's literature?

18:56 - 19:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the difference between conditional and unconditional promises, providing scriptural examples for each, including conditional promises to Israel and the people of…

Martin uses the analogy of a conditional promise of $100 to Mr. John Jones, requiring specific conditions (time, attire), to explain what a conditional promise is and the right to claim it only when conditions are met.

Now let me explain the terms. I address a letter to a Mr. John Jones, and I say, Mr. Jones, if you will come to my house by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May the something or other, dressed in a red suit, I will give you $100. All right? We've determined. To whom is the promise given?

22:36 - 23:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the difference between conditional and unconditional promises, providing scriptural examples for each, including conditional promises to Israel and the people of…

He contrasts the conditional promise with a public notice offering $100 to anyone, anytime, in any garb, to illustrate an unconditional promise, highlighting the absence of specific conditions.

I have fulfilled the conditions. You must now release the $100. You must fulfill the promise when I have met the conditions. However, if I should put a public notice in the local newspaper and say, to whoever reads these lines, if at any time, under any circumstances, you will appear in whatever garb you choose at 25 Meadowbrook Lane, you will be given $100.

23:21 - 23:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that what the world calls evil is, in the life of a believer, turned to his own advancement in holiness.

Martin uses Job's suffering as a counter-example to a literal interpretation of Psalm 91:10 ('no evil befall thee'), arguing that Job's piety was high, yet he suffered. This illustrates that 'evil' in such promises often refers to spiritual harm, not necessarily physical immunity.

For instance, the commentary in Hebrews 11, 8 through 10 and 13 through 16 with reference to God's promise to the ancient patriarchs concerning a land, they understood to have its truest fulfillment not in an earthly temporal fulfillment but it says they looked for a city which had foundations whose builder and maker is God. They saw beyond and they saw that what God was promising had its truest fulfillment not in the terms in which the promise came but in something to which those terms pointed. And I believe this could perhaps be the clue to unlocking such problem passages as Psalm 91, 10. Le...

37:03 - 38:24 Read in full sermon

Driving home: They are statements of the general way that God deals with his people. They are not in the same category as the promises which touch upon the spiritual and the eternal.

Martin points to Christ having 'nowhere to lay his head' and Paul experiencing 'hunger oft' despite their godliness, to demonstrate that temporal/material promises are not absolute guarantees of abundance in every instance, challenging a prosperity gospel interpretation.

They are statements of the general way that God deals with his people. They are not in the same category as the promises which touch upon the spiritual and the eternal. There are people who have honored God with the firstfruits of their increase, who are still poor and who have never had full vats of wine and their barns overflowing with plenty. Now the two classic examples of this are our Lord Himself and the Apostle Paul, who more than our Lord sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

42:04 - 42:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Be concerned with the inward man, welcoming afflictions if they lead to a full and flourishing soul.

Martin quotes Hodge's commentary on Ephesians 6:1-3 to explain that promises for outward things are revelations of God's general purpose and usual providence, not absolute guarantees for every individual, and are fulfilled as they serve God's glory and the individual's good.

Yes, many of them. And Hodge comments on this in his commentary on Ephesians. If it be asked whether obedient children are in fact thus distinguished by long life and prosperity, the answer is that this, like all other such promises, is a revelation of a general purpose of God and makes known what will be the usual course of his providence. That some children are unfortunate and short-lived is no more inconsistent with the promise than that some diligent men are poor is inconsistent with the declaration the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

44:06 - 44:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Be concerned with the inward man, welcoming afflictions if they lead to a full and flourishing soul.

Martin quotes Richard Sibbes, who states that all promises for outward things are conditional, granted only so far as God's providence sees they will preserve spiritual things and advance inward grace, as God takes liberty to afflict for soul's welfare.

Diligence as a general rule does secure riches and obedient children as a general rule are prosperous and happy. The promise is fulfilled to individuals just so far and then he quotes and I believe he was quoting from Sibbes because I found this he doesn't give acknowledgment but I found it in Sibbes as it shall serve for God's glory and their own good. Now let me read the quote from Sibbes. Thus all promises for outward things are conditional.

44:42 - 45:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Challenging the notion that lack of fulfillment is due to insufficient faith, Martin turns to Hebrews 11, showing that some heroes of faith escaped the sword while others were…

He uses the examples from Hebrews 11 of those who 'escaped the edge of the sword' and those who were 'slain with the sword' to illustrate that faith does not guarantee temporal deliverance but enables believers to endure both, challenging the idea that lack of healing or deliverance indicates a lack of faith.

The hall of fame of the men and women of faith. Now running out of space and time as I'm doing this morning the writer says in verse 32 and what shall I more say for the time will fail me. See he was conscious of the clock as well. The time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah David, Samuel and the prophets who through faith subdued kingdom wrought righteousness, obtained promise stopped the mouths of lions quenched the power of fire.

47:38 - 48:08 Read in full sermon