What is in a promise?? There are realistic promises & unrealistic promises ...conditional promises & unconditional promises. What are some other promises??

Yes, let me count the ways:

• Practical promises
• Painful promises
• Pathetic promises
• Political promises
• Presidential promises
• Passionate poetic promises ---the language of romance
• Partner promises ---whether business, or marriage

Political usually involves lower taxes, more social programs, and a balanced budget.  But, since those goals are incompatible, the promise is often disingenuous.  And often can be listed in the pathetic promises category also.

We often view a balanced budget as 'painful', social programs as 'practical', and lower taxes as 'pleasing'.

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

• "Love is a promise; love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear." – John Lennon

• "If I had to choose between breathing and loving you, I would use my last breath to say, I love you.

• "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward ..."

• "For you, I'd climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest ocean ..." 

• "I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach ..."

• "Promise you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave."

A few years ago it was said that 50% of marriages end in divorce. So, what can be said of those romantic and lofty promises?

Well, they say the divorce rate in decreasing ever so slightly ...but add the statistic of increased numbers of people living together who are not married, lends one to believe that less people believe in marriage and the ones who do believe in it are more likely to hold that commitment.

Sadly, it seems less people believe in God also ...and show limited commitment in many areas of life.  If any promise can be believed, it is God's promises to us.


"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." ---do you know who said that?  The next quote should make it clear.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Yes, each of us can see, know, and receive these truths that Jesus promised us:  "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

Those who allow truth to dwell with them, can understand what the earliest disciples knew:

• Love is kind
• Loves is patient
• Love bears burdens
• Love believes what the Bible says
• Love places its hope in what the Bible says
• Love endures
• Love is not envious
• Love does not boast
• Love is not arrogant
• Love is not self-seeking
• Love is not indecent
• Love does not quickly get riled
• Love does not dwell on worldly things
• Love does not seek advantage
• Love rejoices in truth
• Love does not fail