Over the past few months, I have been dealing with a company that is not doing or providing any of the services they said they would upon purchasing their product.  Sound familiar?  Promises made at the sales table to get you to buy what they are selling, while saying yes to every question you ask, then later “gaslighting” you is becoming so predominant, most of us develop trust issues with all companies. 

We look for someone, anyone, to tell us the truth, but it is getting harder to find.  We look into their eyes looking for some form of honesty; but find only blank gazes for they know not what they are doing.  Sigh.  All we get are empty promises.

Empty promises made by all kinds of people, in and out of the “church,” are bad, sinful behaviors that have been around for ages.  People who lie to us fall into our “enemy category” and become people to avoid because we allow them to rob us of our peace.  Love, mercy, and grace are not usually on our agendas when relating to “enemies” who hurt us deeply.

Jesus addresses these problems in the “Greatest Sermon on Earth”! 

Matthew 5:33-48, The Message

Empty Promises

^33-37 “And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.

Love Your Enemies

^38-42 “Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

^43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

⁴⁸ “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Above all, as believers in Jesus, our true, God-created identity is in Him!  To live out our true identities we must “grow up” as one who thinks, talks, and walks like a member of His family.  To become like Jesus in his Kingdom of God thinking, we pray for help and He gives it to us generously—as promised!

The company I spoke of required a lot of praying on my part to deal with them without losing my identity in Christ.  Resolution didn’t seem to be in sight until I gave generously, expecting nothing in return, with knowing God would take care of the rest.  Yesterday, the issue was finally resolved, mostly in their favor, but my peace is restored.  Peace is priceless. 

Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, those who Satan uses to spitefully use and abuse us, hurt, and demean us, for a reason—to regain His peace in a fallen, broken world so we do not lose our identity with Him.  Keep the communications lines open at all times!

Empty promises, gaslighting, along with narcissistic behaviors that make us wonder who we are and question what we should be doing all come from our real enemy who is working overtime to destroy our identity with God.  He does this by first distracting us from God. 

Jesus’ sermon clarifies how we should respond as Kingdom of God thinkers.

• The enemy confuses with empty promises and placates us with pride.  Jesus gives peace that passes all understanding and teaches us to be humble.
• The enemy hates.  Jesus loves friends and enemies—without conditions.
• The enemy rushes to judgement.  Jesus, who has every right to judge, came to save us.
• The enemy is tight-fisted with resources.  Jesus is generous beyond our wildest dreams.
• The enemy abuses us.  Jesus abides with us, filling us with power, wisdom, and love.

Take Note:  Our “enemies” are used by God to refine us, knocking off the rough edges, so our identity with Jesus is more defined! We become more like Jesus as we listen to Him while trusting and obeying His Spirit.  Our identity in Christ fleshes out as we begin to develop His character and bear the fruits of His Holy Spirit.  And what are those behaviors we grow into and what does our identity look like in Jesus?  Paul created a list for greater understanding—

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”  Galatians 5:22-26, NLT

If we identify with Jesus, we behave differently, in unexpected ways by worldly standards.  We go the extra mile, give of ourselves generously without thinking what we will receive in return.  We love graciously as if our lives depended on it, while walking humbly with God.  Jesus is who matters to us most.  Jesus changes everything about us as we identify with Him as our Savior and Lord of our lives.

Lord,

Your promises are true.  We can depend on your relentless, unconditional, unchanging love for us.  What you say, you will do.  Who we are is who you are in us.  Lead me on, Lord, lead me on…Great is your faithfulness, Oh Lord.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

And I’m singing “Promises” by Maverick City—

God of Abraham
You’re the God of covenant
And of faithful promises
Time and time again
You have proven
You’ll do just what You said

Though the storms may come and the winds may blow
I’ll remain steadfast
And let my heart learn, when You speak a word
It will come to pass

Great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me
From the rising sun to the setting same
I will praise Your name
Great is Your faithfulness to me

When the seasons change
You remain the same

God from age to age
Though the earth may pass away
Your word remains the same, yeah
Your history can prove
There’s nothing You can’t do
You’re faithful and true

Though the storms may come and the winds may blow
I’ll remain steadfast
And let my heart learn, when You speak a word
It will come to pass

Great is Your faithfulness to me, oh
Great is Your faithfulness
From the rising sun
From the rising sun to the setting same (I will praise Your name)
I will praise Your name (oh, praise Your name)
Great is Your faithfulness to me, yeah, yeah (oh, oh)

Your faithfulness, it never runs out (yeah)
It never runs out
Oh-oh, Your faithfulness
Oh, it never runs out (it never runs out)
It never runs out (it never runs out)

I put my faith in Jesus
My anchor to the ground
My hope and firm foundation
He’ll never let me down, no
I put my faith in Jesus
My anchor to the ground (my hope and firm foundation)
He’s my hope and firm foundation (He’ll never let me down)
He’ll never let me down, oh, I put (oh)
I put my trust (faith) in Jesus (yes, I do)
My anchor to the ground
My hope and firm foundation (my hope and firm foundation)
He’ll never let me down (He’ll never let me down)
Never let me down…