Forgotten Promises

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd June 9, 2016 - Filed in Devotional - 11,159 views
  Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you. All have happened to you. Not one thing has failed of it. Joshua 23:14 WEB
  
  My wife tells me that I like it when God makes the decision for me, so that I don't have to. Yes, I do. When I was young, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me that one day, I would be in the ministry, and to begin to prepare myself for it. I made a vow that I would not go into ministry unless the Lord opened the way Himself, so that I would know without a shadow of doubt that it was Him. No networking and making connections for me, if God has called me to do it then He will make a way for it. I believe that it is 'Who you know' that opens the door for you, and it is Jesus.
  
  So I began to prepare like He said and eagerly went through Bible college, working during the day, going to school at night, and playing in a band on the weekends. I had one evening a week free, the other six required me to be at school, a gig, or church where I served on the praise team.
  
  When I finally graduated and became ordained, expecting to go into ministry, I found that every single door in ministry was supernaturally closed. Even when people would schedule me to speak, they would cancel right before, often the night before and usually after I had prayed and fasted about the message for a week. Time marched onward.
  
  I found myself working on computers for the majority of the next twenty years. I decided that I had just misinterpreted His message and missed Him, or perhaps I had ruined His plan for me somehow. I had a list of reasons why it hadn't happened. Maybe I had been found lacking somehow, possibly I had one sin too many and He had just gotten someone else. I had given Him plenty of reasons.
  
  Long after I stopped thinking about ministry and forgot His promise, the computer business door closed, and suddenly I was pushed into the ministry like cattle herded through a loading chute. Like Moses, by now I had given up and just wanted Him to send someone else, so He made it the only path available to me. At the beginning of the week, we were out of work and preparing to move out of our home. At the end of the week, I was a pastor. It was not what I would call a choice, but here I am today in ministry using the skills that He taught me along the way.
  
  Be encouraged. The Lord loves you, and if He makes a promise to you about something, you can count on it coming to pass. It began as an 'I just know that I know' type of thing at first and then He confirmed His word through several other people that prophesied over me. Though it may take a while in our time, it is so beautiful to see His plans come together in your life and well worth any delay that you may face. Keep putting God first in your life and watch His word come to pass.
  
  Prayer: Father, I thank You for always remembering Your promises. You are the Promise Keeper and I trust You with my life. Walk with me today and teach me to recognize Your voice, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.