EPISODE 01: God Keeps His Promises

There are people who keep promises and people who don’t. There are also people who keep friends and people who don’t. Those 2 truths are connected.

Trust is the bedrock that deep, lasting friendships are built on. If you can’t trust what someone says, if someone makes promises that aren’t kept, a friendship with that person will eventually fail.

That’s why it’s so important to know—and trust—that God keeps His promises. Every time. Always. No matter what.

Today we’ll GET INTO the book of Joshua and see how God kept His promise to move His people from slavery in Egypt to a new home they could call their own. After the video, we’ll TALK IT UP and ACT IT OUT, discovering what God’s long-ago promise to His people means to us today.

So round up the troops, light up a screen, and watch “Entering the Promised Land and Conquering Jericho.” It’s an adventure!

In today’s video God showed up and kept His promise to His people. That’s huge—partly because it helps us trust that He’ll also keep His promises to us! Use these questions to TALK IT UP and dig into what God’s Word tells us about God showing up to keep His promises:

Where in today’s story do you see God keeping His promises?
Where do you see people keeping promises they made to God or one another?
Rahab believed the spies’ promise of protection. If you were her, would you have made the same decision? Why?
Where else in the Bible or in your own life have you seen God make a promise—and keep it? Have you ever seen God break a promise He made?
What’s a promise you’ve made to God—or are willing to make now? Brainstorm a list.

God’s chosen people, the Israelites, loved His promise to get them into a land of their own. But how God went about keeping that promise sometimes had them scratching their heads.

Like when they hiked over to Jericho to conquer the city.

You don’t normally attack a walled city by walking around it. In fact, that’s pretty much the opposite of what you’re supposed to do. You lose the element of surprise. You parade your troops so the enemy can count them. You wear out your soldiers while the enemy sits and watches you do it.

God always shows up to keep His promises, so it’s a good idea for us to do what He tells us to do and let Him keep His promises His way. When God’s people relied on God’s promises, Jericho’s wall came tumbling down! Let’s choose a way we will rely on God’s promises.

Pick a promise you brainstormed in TALK IT UP and prayerfully say it out loud so God, you, and someone you trust can hear you say it. Ask God to help you keep your promise!
Think of promises God has made in His Word? Plan a way you will share that promise with someone. Need help remembering God’s promises? Take turns looking up and reading aloud these verses: Psalm 37:23; Matthew 6:33, 11:28; John 3:16, 36; Romans 8:28; James 1:5; and 1 John 1:9. Which are most important to you today?
Or see what you can learn about keeping promises in a way nobody expects with a quick game of Betcha Can’t

These questions will help you connect the Bible story to your own lives. Use all the questions or pick 1 or 2—it’s up to you!

Tell about a time someone made a promise to you—a big promise. What was it and how did you feel when the promise was kept … or not?
How about a time you didn’t come through on a promise you made? What got in your way? How did it all turn out?
Given what you’ve learned about God showing up and keeping His promises, how might you think about God differently? How might you treat yourself, God, or others differently?

Here’s the sad truth: We won’t keep every promise we make. Even if we try hard, one day we’ll forget to follow through, or change our minds, or find we’ve promised more than we can deliver.

But God always keeps His promises—including His promises to you. Let’s thank God for keeping His promises. Have everyone stand and face toward the east. (You did check which way is east before starting, yes?)

Read Matthew 24:27. We’re promised that Jesus will return! Thank God for the promise of Jesus’ return and that He will return in a spectacular way.

Ask everyone to turn to the west. Read Psalm 103:12. Thank God that when He forgives, He forgives completely. We’re promised that, through Jesus, we can be forgiven of our sins!

Ask everyone to turn to the north. Read James 1:17. Thank God that He and His Word never change. He kept His promises in times past, and He will keep them today and forever. And thank God for the good gifts He gives too. If you have time, let everyone call out a few!

Finally, ask everyone to turn to the south. Read Romans 8:38, 39. Thank God for His endless, eternal love. Nothing can separate us from God’s love—God promises!

Ask everyone to say along with you, “In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Sharing what God’s doing in and through us encourages us to remember that He shows up. Plus, it encourages other people too! Here are some ideas for sharing what you’ve discovered about God showing up and keeping His promises.

Make a memorial like God’s people made. Pile up some rocks, bricks, or blocks where others will see your handiwork. When they ask about the memorial, tell them what God has done for you!
Pair up and make a list of promises God has made to you. Write down everything you can remember. Be sure to double-check those promises in the Bible. For instance, “God will always make you happy” isn’t a promise God made—no matter what you remember someone telling you!
Make a promise to someone in your family and then keep it—right away! If your promise is to clean a bathroom or pick up after a pet, capture the moment with a camera.

Use the hashtag #GodInAction and share it on social media so we can see what you’ve discovered too!

Numbers 13:1–14:45; Joshua 1–6