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Christian Life Church
March 1, 2026 at 9am & 11am
God’s people have always been people of promise.
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 8:30 AM
THE BOOK OF ACTS MARCH 1, 2026
THE PROCESS OF A PROMISE
SCRIPTUREThen the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these accusations true?” This was Stephen’s reply: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he settled in Haran. God told him, ‘Leave your native land and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.’ So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live. “But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet.” Acts 7:1-7
God’s people have always been people of promise.
The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises. Psalm 145:13
TYPES OF PROMISES
Logos: a scriptural word from the Lord
God has said: “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
Rhema: a spiritual word from the Lord
“Let it be according to your word.” Luke 1:38
The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said: “Sovereign Lord, what can You give me since I remain childless… You have given me no children. So a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then God said to Abram: “So shall your offspring be.” And Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:1-6
THE PROCESS OF A PROMISE
Abraham’s promise did not come without trust.
“You do n’t need to understand the ‘how’ when you know the ‘who.” Jentezen Franklin
Abraham’s promise did not come without testing.
God tested Abraham. Genesis 22:1
Abraham’s promise did not come without work.
We don’t like this, but logos words and rhema words are often conditional.
Logos
If My people… 2 Chronicles 7:14
Bring your tithe into the storehouse… Malachi 3:10
If we confess our sins… 1 John 1:9
Rhema
There is a tension between doing our part and believing God for the impossible!
God would give Abraham a son, but he and Sarah still had to have relations.
God would save Noah, but he still had to build the Ark.
God would deliver Moses, but he still had to stretch out his staff over the waters.
Abraham’s promise did not come without waiting.
This isn’t uncommon. Joseph, David, Mary, and many others had to wait on fulfillments.
“I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait.”
C.S. Lewis
Abraham’s promise did not come without wondering.
Abraham didn’t waver, but Sarah did. She wasn’t a faithless person, just human.
THE PROCESS OF A PROMISE
SCRIPTUREThen the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these accusations true?” This was Stephen’s reply: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he settled in Haran. God told him, ‘Leave your native land and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.’ So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live. “But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet.” Acts 7:1-7
God’s people have always been people of promise.
The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises. Psalm 145:13
TYPES OF PROMISES
Logos: a scriptural word from the Lord
God has said: “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
Rhema: a spiritual word from the Lord
“Let it be according to your word.” Luke 1:38
The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said: “Sovereign Lord, what can You give me since I remain childless… You have given me no children. So a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then God said to Abram: “So shall your offspring be.” And Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:1-6
THE PROCESS OF A PROMISE
Abraham’s promise did not come without trust.
“You do n’t need to understand the ‘how’ when you know the ‘who.” Jentezen Franklin
Abraham’s promise did not come without testing.
God tested Abraham. Genesis 22:1
Abraham’s promise did not come without work.
We don’t like this, but logos words and rhema words are often conditional.
Logos
If My people… 2 Chronicles 7:14
Bring your tithe into the storehouse… Malachi 3:10
If we confess our sins… 1 John 1:9
Rhema
There is a tension between doing our part and believing God for the impossible!
God would give Abraham a son, but he and Sarah still had to have relations.
God would save Noah, but he still had to build the Ark.
God would deliver Moses, but he still had to stretch out his staff over the waters.
Abraham’s promise did not come without waiting.
This isn’t uncommon. Joseph, David, Mary, and many others had to wait on fulfillments.
“I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait.”
C.S. Lewis
Abraham’s promise did not come without wondering.
Abraham didn’t waver, but Sarah did. She wasn’t a faithless person, just human.