but you promised
I can remember saying that growing up to my parents. During summers when I was a kid, I would often pester my parents to take us somewhere to swim. I grew up in North Augusta and summers were the same as they are now in this area: brutally hot and humid. For us it was either one of four places: Misty Waters, Anderson’s, Ascauga Lake or Hammond Hills Pool (the first three are either shut down or non-existent now). I would remember my parents saying that they would take us “sometime” later on in the week or day, and I would just cling to that hope saying “but you promised” :) Now I’m sometimes on the receiving end of that with my own kids.
I’ve been reading through Romans in my time with God and just came across a passage that just nailed me. It is out of Romans 4 and is speaking about Abraham’s faith and it was his faith that made him right with God. God made a promise to Abraham (an old childless man with a barren wife) that he would be the father of “many nations”. This was a promise that he and Sara had to wait for years to come to pass…but it did.
Speaking of Abraham, in 4:20-21, the Bible says:
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Here are some thoughts and questions that really stuck out to me:
- For all of us, there is a promise. A promise of a plan, a will, a purpose for what we are to be about. (Jeremiah 29:11)
- There are times when that purpose or plan is very clear. There are times when it is just a dream, or we can only see “snapshots” of what it might be/could be. There are times when we have NO clue.
- That doesn’t change the fact that the promise is still there.
- Question: Do I believe God will keep His promise? Abraham had to wait 25 years for the promise to be fulfilled (from the time when God first gave him that promise till Isaac’s birth)….now munch on that….25 years. Yet he still believed.
- Question: Do i really believe God has the power to make that promise happen? My words say yes, but too often my actions say “I’ve got this God. Let me help you out on that.”
- I’m just hoping and praying that the above verses will be true in me. I’m asking God for that kind of faith that is unwavering to trust his promise and his power.



When it comes to doing small groups in churches, there are two paradigms that exist: Churches OF Small Groups and Churches WITH Small Groups. Churches WITH small groups see small groups as another ministry that their church does. Churches OF small groups view them as core essential of who they are. It plays out in all phases of that church (everything from children, student ministry and beyond). Cedar Creek is a church OF small groups. That’s been a reality that was in our DNA from day one. In fact, it would be easier to count the messages that don’t have any mention of being plugged into a small group vs the ones that do. The pastor of a church of small groups doesn’t see it as a burden or non essential but rather champions the importance of getting plugged into one.
Today I was reading through Proverbs 4, and there was a series of verses that just grabbed me….I mean as soon as I read them it was like a tractor beam. These are verses that I had read and even underlined. I knew them well. Before I tell you what they were, I need to confess something: I lack wisdom..or at least I feel like I do a lot of the time. I’m not sure if you can relate, but sometimes my prayers are, “God, I’m an idiot. Show me what you want me to do.” I’ve been claiming and praying
Alan Jones is the media pastor at 






Recent Comments