God promises to bring the Israelites back to their homeland after 70 years of exile in Babylon. Unlike human promises that are often unfulfilled due to guilt or manipulation, God's promises are certain to be accomplished. God made this promise to bring the Israelites out of their sin, not to appease or bribe them. The purpose of God's promises is to fulfill his eternal dream of making his children perfect, as he is. In 2009, God called the congregation in Damascus to return to him through repentance so he could move them forward.

1. DECEMBER 6, 2009
“For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My
good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place…I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I
will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where
I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried
away captive.” (Jeremiah 29:10 & 14)
“The Promises of God”
Although the love of God is unconditional, the grace of God is unmerited, and the gifts of God are
unrepentant, the promises of God are unmodified (see Isaiah 40:8). God is faithful to all of His
The purpose of the promises (see Psalm 145:13). Every promise that God makes to his people is spoken directly out
Damascus Prayer of his mouth and He guarantees us that what He says he will do, He will definitely accomplish and
Ministry is to fulfill (see Isaiah 55:11).
provide
Many of us however are accustomed to promises which are unfulfilled, and often times
intercession for unattainable and unfathomable. The ever increasing unraveling of the family unit has caused
individuals as estranged fathers in our generation to make promises to their children out of a sense of guilt. A
prayer partners guilt that stems from not being actively involved in the child’s life due to parenthood outside of
(through ECCO marriage, divorce, or the taxing duties and responsibilities now erroneously attached to the role
Fervent Prayer); to of manhood in our societies pursuit for the “American Dream”. This guilt causes many fathers to
provide
speak out of a frantic and desperate fear of rejection by children who constantly berate their
fathers for their absence. As a result, fathers in our generation have set the precedent in society
intercession for the
that promises cannot be trusted, or that the outcome of a promise can be strong-armed through
Damascus
guilt and manipulation.
congregation as
Unlike us in our human fallibility, God is not moved by emotional blackmail, neither does He
they continue to
operate out of guilt. God is forever holy and perfect, and there is no wickedness in Him (see
mature and
Psalm 92:15). As a father, it His Eternal Dream that his children bear his image in spirit, thought,
develop into the
and action. Like the fathers of our generation, God desires a more intimate relationship with His
body of Christ that children. He too gives his children promises to draw them near, but His intent is different. Our
God desires, i.e. fathers make promises to appease and quench the brewing bitterness of their children. God the
loving and lifting Father makes promises to appease and quench the brewing judgment against his children.
(through ECCO In Jeremiah 29, the promise to bring the children of Israel back to their homeland is a promise
Focus Prayer); and made amidst a harsh rebuke against the nation of Israel.
to provide
Look closely. Has this ever happened before, that a nation has traded in its gods for gods that
intercession for the aren't even close to gods? But my people have traded my Glory for empty god-dreams and silly
pastoral family and god-schemes. "Stand in shock, heavens, at what you see! Throw up your hands in disbelief—this
leadership of can't be!" God's Decree – "My people have committed a compound sin:
Damascus they've walked out on me, the fountain of fresh flowing waters, and then dug cisterns — cisterns
that leak, cisterns that are no better than sieves.” (Jeremiah 2:11-13)
(through ECCO
Frontline Prayer). God did not make the promise because He was overlooking their sin. He made the promise to
bring them out of their sin. The purpose of God’s promises is not to manipulate or bribe his
children. The purpose of God’s promises is to fulfill God’s Eternal Dream for His children – to
make His children blameless, holy, and perfect, just as He is.
Throughout the year of 2009, God has been calling Damascus as a congregation to return to Him
so that He can move us forward. It is our corporate responsibility to seek God individually
through personal and sincere repentance. As we pray, let us ask God the question:
“Lord, in what way am I responsible for trading your glory?”
EFFECTUAL
CONTINUAL
COVENANTAL
OPTICAL