There was a movie that came out in the late nineties, a sports Cinderella movie called JERRY MAGUIRE.  I remember watching it when I was a student in college. There were several lines in that movie that have later become as iconic as any other famous movie quotes out there. For example, you might be familiar with, “You had me at hello,” or “Show me the money!”.  But there is one quote I still remember that doesn’t get much attention as the others. It’s from one of the early scenes in the movie where Jerry Maguire, a sports agent, wants to sign a contract with the future number one draft pick of the upcoming NFL draft. Jerry goes to visit the family and when he presents a contract, the father of the future star quarterback tells him he doesn’t do contracts but promises him that he will sign with Jerry and with a handshake the father looks him dead in the eye and says,”my word is stronger than oak”.  Of course Jerry believes him and shakes on it but unfortunately for Jerry he has to learn the hard way, that in this fickle dog eat dog world called the NFL, there really is nothing as loyalty. The father backs off of his promise leaving Jerry out in the cold while his son signs with another agent instead. Betrayed, Jerry feels lost, and humiliated for trusting in a promise that was supposed to be “stronger than oak” but instead was nothing but a twig. Perhaps you can relate to Jerry, perhaps you too have felt betrayed by someone who gave you their word and went back on their promise? Maybe you have failed to keep your own word, maybe you have let someone down yourself? If I’m honest I admit I have been there too. I’ve unfortunately failed others by not keeping my word, and I’ve also been the victim of a broken promise or two. It can be disheartening that’s for sure.  Can we really ever be assured of anything in this world?  We are constantly bombarded with empty promises, from politicians, to commercials trying to convince us that their product or their agenda will change our lives for the better and some even guarantee it.  But time and time again we listen to them, buy their product, vote them in office believing them but as usual they never deliver like they were supposed to and we get jaded and let down once again.  It can be hard to ever trust again but praise God, when it comes to God’s promises for our lives including our hope of eternal salvation, we never have to doubt or lack assurance because unlike our fallible selves, God won’t ever go back on His word but will always fulfill it. Numbers 23:19, reminds us of this. “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” I know of some Christians who believe that assurance of our salvation is based on our spiritual growth. Yes, spiritual growth can encourage us but it is not where we get our full assurance.  No, if our assurance is based on us and how we perform for God, then how can we ever be fully assured we are saved? As Christians we don’t always get it right and spiritual growth is never complete on earth and will never be fully realized until we die.  Some days we will be living for God and on fire and the next we could find ourselves apart from God and suddenly we are no longer close and intimate but rather distant and cold.  No, our assurance is a hundred percent based on one thing and one thing only, His word. In John 6:47, Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”  How do you fully know that you are saved? Is there a contract we have to sign, a commitment that we have to live up to in order for His promise to be fulfilled? No, it is simply trusting in Christ without any doubt that what He says is true and that is all we need for us to be sure, that is all we need to be certain that what He says about us will come to pass. So when we mess up, return to His word, when we don’t measure up, return to His word, when we hear the voice of the enemy slandering us, reminding us of our past wrongs, when we feel overwhelmed by shame and guilt, return to His word. Remember, that we have an inheritance kept in heaven for us, we have a Holy Spirit that has sealed us until the day of redemption, we have a Savior who is the author and finisher of our faith, and we have a God who calls us His kids and no one can snatch us from His hand. How do I know this, what reason do I have to be able to stand here free of any shame, no matter how bad I screw up my life? Simply this, His Word. It is and always will be His word, and no amount of awesome things I may  happen to do for God nor commands I may fail to keep, will bend or break His immovable love for me and that is what I am trusting in.  But don’t take my word for it, take His.  1John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”  And those my friends are words of hope, words to trust your life with, words of a promise from a perfect God to an untrustworthy people.  Words we can count on to be true always, words stronger than oak.