God’s Promises

Ever feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you?

Unexpected illness? Lose a job? Sewer back up? Surprise announcement that doesn’t go your way?

Those things can make us lose our footing and stumble, maybe even fall. It can have a physical, financial, emotional or spiritual effect on our lives in many ways. And may take effort to recover our footing.

One thing that can help is to remember that in Christ, we have a firm foundation, a stable place to stand. And standing on His promises, we cannot fall.

I’m kind of old school…I love singing the hymns that I learned as a little girl. A favorite is Standing on the Promises of God – all the verses. Here’s the second one:

Standing on the promises that cannot fail

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail

By the Living Word of God I shall prevail

Standing on the promises of God

Russel Kelso Carter 1886

Father we know that your promises are true. And so we claim the promise that you are Healer. Many of us need healing or have loved ones who need Your healing touch. Thank You that we can put them completely in Your hands and trust their lives to You. We do that now, name by name, trusting in Your promise that You have a plan for them. Thank You that You love them even more than we can.

We claim the promise that you are with us always. Many of us are facing challenges, some so big that our faith is stretched thin and doubt and fear have found their way into our thoughts and emotions. But in reclaiming Your promise to be with us always, we are strengthened. If you would change our circumstances miraculously, we would see Your hand at work and give You thanks and praise. But if You choose to help us abide, bear up under the circumstances, this too will provide the encouragement we are looking for. And we thank You and give You our praise.

We claim the promise that you who began a good work in us and in our loved ones will carry it on to completion. That means You won’t leave us hanging, and that we can have the confidence that You will do Your part, and will guide and encourage us to do our part.

Thank You for Your promises!

Thank You for Your Living Word!

Now I can stand!

Live in the Light

Spring is coming!

 

This is my favorite time of the year.  Maybe because the First day of Spring is my birthday!

But also because it brings me out of the cold and dark time of year and into the warmth and light.

Especially this year, I am ready to be delivered out of the darkness of this last year and into the light of new promise.

Last year saw much illness: the diagnosis of an auto-immune disease that came with unkind medications and breast cancer, and my father’s last battle with lung disease and then his death.  It saw diminishing energy, fatigue, and discouragement over many losses.

God was good to give me some bright spots. Two sons’ weddings and a trip to Hawaii were very joyful.

But I am ready for life in the full sun.  Just as teachers and kids everywhere are enthusiastically counting the weeks till school is out, I am ready and eager for being done with cancer, and medication’s side effects.

2 Peter 1:4 tells me “I have given you very great and precious promises.” So, I am ready to draw my strength from God and those promises.

The first thing that gives me strength is my identity in Christ.

 

Contrary to that little voice I sometimes hear reminding me how stupid I’ve been and how worthless I am, I know that in truth, I am a daughter of the King of the universe!

Among other things, Scripture tells me:

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.  Colossians 3:12

I am a daughter/son of light and not darkness.  I Thessalonians 5:5

I have been made righteous.  2 Corinthians 5:21

I am free forever from condemnation.  Romans 8:1

Next I need to know His promises.

 

Some promises are for all Believers, so I can draw strength from knowing that:

I may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence.   Ephesians 3:12

I have been given the spirit of power, love and a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:7

I am God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do the work, which He has prepared in advance for me.  Ephesians 2:10

To know His personal promises to me, I need to be in His Word so I can hear Him speak them.  Sometimes a new meaning becomes evident in a scripture I haven’t noticed or understood before. Or maybe a familiar passage suddenly has a unique application to something in my life.  Sometimes I feel a conviction telling me to pay attention, that this is for me.

And finally, I need to live and act as if I believe those promises.

So since I believe I am a daughter of the King, I need to think and behave that way.  Because I believe I have been given a spirit of power and love then I will act in love and be empowered when I come up against a challenge.

Knowing that I am God’s handiwork gives me confidence to step boldly into the light this Spring.  And like Paul, be ready to “take hold of that for which God has taken hold of me.”  Philippians 3:12

I pray that you too will be energized and empowered by the light that Spring brings.  And will live and walk in the light of your true identity from God and in His promises.