2016.  A presidential election year.  Things are about to go into political high gear as candidates campaign and jockey for favor in the eyes of the voters.  Have you been watching the debates?  Listening to the candidates?  Don’t worry, I’m not going to get too political with this note, but I would like to make a point.  As I watched one of the debates last night, a thought struck me.  Whether it be on the local, state, or national level, candidates for public office will make promises.  Think “Read my lips; no new taxes.”  They hope those promises will sway the voters and carry them into office.  The problem is, whether the candidates truly intend to keep the promises or not (hard to tell sometimes), they simply can’t guarantee all the promises will be fulfilled.  Last night as one of the candidates looked directly into the camera and very emphatically made a promise to the American public, I turned to my son and said, “Sounds good, but there’s no way he can guarantee that.”  Later on, a thought came to me.  I don’t know that any mayor, governor, or president has ever been able to keep all the promises they’ve made, but I do know one King who has.  And He even wrote down those promises in a book.  That King is my Lord, and that book is the Bible.  Politicians have disappointed me.  So have a lot of other people.  In fact, there are times that I’ve disappointed myself in my failure to keep certain promises.  But the Lord never has.  And He never will.  Hebrews 10:23 tells us to “hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.”  When it comes to my president, I may tell my son, “There’s no way he can guarantee that”; but when it comes to my Lord and King, I can look at my son, or anyone else for that matter, and boldly say with the songwriter, “Standing on the promises of Christ my King / Through eternal ages let His praises ring / Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing / Standing on the promises of God.”  So can you!