This Generation.7

"Come unto me, 
all who are tired, 
oppressed, 
and sick of life, 
and I will give you wonderful rest! 

Receive my words,
and let me teach you, 
for I am gentle and kind. 
You will find rest for your souls. 

That which I ask of you, 
is for your benefit, 
and that which I demand of you, 
is light." 

-- Jesus

Do you believe Jesus because of His promises, 

Or do you believe the promises because of Jesus?

It is a vital distinction.

"What should I think of my child, if I found that he limited his faith in me and

hope from me to the few promises he had heard me utter! The faith that limits itself to the promises of God, seems to me to partake of the paltry character of such a faith in my child—good enough for a Pagan, but for a Christian a miserable and wretched faith. Those who rest in such a faith would feel yet more comfortable if they had God's bond instead of his word, which they regard not as the outcome of his character, but as a pledge of his honour. They try to believe in the truth of his word, but the truth of his Being, they understand not. In his oath they persuade themselves that they put confidence: in himself they do not believe, for they know him not.  

It is a dull-hearted, unchildlike people that will be always putting God in mind of his promises. Those promises are good to reveal what God is; if they think them good as binding God, let them have it so for the hardness of their hearts. They prefer the Word to the Spirit: it is theirs." --George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons I, The Higher Faith

 But what if, in our own childhood experiences, the promise maker was not a promise keeper?  What if we learn early in life that people say what they think we want to hear, or what they may intend to keep but can't or won't?  Gradually your childlike heart turns a little darker and you become...an adult!

As a school bus driver, it was painful to watch this grievous transformation: the merriment and curiosity of the childlike kindergartners to the wounded, dark-eyed, heart-hardened high-schooler.

Promises, then, are only as good as the one making them.  Broken promises produce broken people, while promises kept bring healing, strengthen faith and deepen our love for the PromiseKeeper!