STANDING ON THE PROMISES
OR
SITTING ON THE PREMISES ?
JAMES W. MOORE
________________________________________
Standing on the PROMISESOR
Sitting on the PREMISES?
DIMENSIONS
FOR LIVING
NASHVILLE
STANDING ON THE PROMISES OR SITTING ON THE PREMISES?
Copyright © 1995 by Dimensions for Living
Study Guide and new chapters 11 and 14 copyright © 2007 by Dimensions for Living
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Dimensions for Living, P.O. Box 801, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37202-0801.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moore, James W. (James Wendell), 1938–
Standing on the promises or sitting on the premises? / James W. Moore.— [Rev. ed.].
p. cm.
"Study guide and new chapters 11 and 14"—T.p. verso.
ISBN 978-0-687-64254-0 (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. Christian life. 2. God (Christianity)—Promises. I. Title.
BV4501.3. M66455 2007
248.4—dc22
2007009350
Scripture quotations unless otherwise noted are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations noted KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations noted NEB are from The New English Bible. © The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press 1961, 1970. Reprinted by permission.
Some quotations are the author's own version.
Chapter 14 is from At the End of the Day by James Moore. Copyright © 2002 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.
"Ten Commandments for the Long Haul" by Roland Rolheiser on p. 71 are reprinted with permission from Celebration, P.O. Box 419493, Kansas City, MO 64141.
"On Eating Popovers" by Dr. Seuss on p. 112 is © Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. 1989 and is used by permission.
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In honor of the members and staff of St. Luke's
United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas
Contents
Introduction: Are You Standing on the Promises or Sitting on the Premises?
1. The Promise of God's Love The Greatest Gift
2. The Promise of God's Presence with Us Where the Risen Christ Meets Us
3. The Promise of a Rock-Solid Foundation Building on the Rock
4. The Promise of Peace Give Peace a Chance
5. The Promise of Victory From Victims to Victors
6. The Promise of Conversion Turning Inkblots into Angels
7. The Promise of the Holy Spirit Say Yes to Life
8. The Promise of Hope The Light Shines, and the Darkness Cannot Overcome It
9. The Promise of Resurrection When Easter Calls Your Name
10. The Promise of Happiness The Roads to Happiness
11. The Promise of Christlike Living Do the Teachings of Jesus Still Work?
12. The Promise of the Bible Superstars, Smug Spectators, and Sacrificial Servants
13. The Promise of New Life Launch Out into the Deep
14. The Promise of Prayer How Do We Pray and Why?
15. The Promise of Compassion Ways to Express Love
Epilogue
Some Things We Can't Repay, But We
Can Pass Them On
Study Guide
Introduction
Are You Standing
on the Promises
or Sitting on the Premises?
Let me begin with a question: "Are you standing on the promises, or just sitting on the premises?" That is, do you claim and embrace and celebrate the great promises of God, underscored again and again in the Bible? Or do you just sit listlessly on the remote edges of the church and respond halfheartedly to its message? Do God's promises inspire you, invigorate you, and strengthen you for the living of these days? Or do you forget those promises or ignore them, and consequently trudge sluggishly through life, with no zest, no fire, no heart, no excitement, no mission, and no purpose?
One of the problems is that some people do indeed seem to forget God's awesome promises in the Bible. Forgetting—not remembering—can be a real setup for embarrassing and frustrating experiences. And our "forgetfulness" becomes worse as we get older.
Let me tell you what I mean. Have you heard about the couple who discovered a new restaurant? They loved it. It was a great experience. The very next night, some friends dropped by, and as the wife went into the kitchen to prepare the coffee, the husband proceeded to tell the friends about this new restaurant they had found: "The food was sumptuous, the service outstanding, the decor was perfect, and the price was right."
The friends said, "That sounds wonderful. What is the name of the restaurant?"
"Oh my goodness," said the man. "I was afraid you were going to ask me that. I can't remember. I'm getting so forgetful, it's ridiculous. I can't remember anything anymore! Wait a minute," he went on, "I have an idea. What is that beautiful flower that has a long stem and a beautiful blossom, and thorns?"