Isaiah 43:1-3a  But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.  For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”   (ESV)

Promise:  God promises to redeem me, be with me and not let circumstances overwhelm or consumed me.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed: He is Redeemer, Savior, Creator, Possessive, Personal, Faithful, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Sovereign and Holy.

Promise provides me with:  assurance that God knows me completely, assurance that God is always with me, that He watches over me and will not let life’s circumstances overwhelm or defeat me, knowledge that He knows me by name and that I am important to Him and assurance that I am redeemed from my sins though Jesus’s work on the cross.

These words were first given to the children of Israel to encourage them as they were facing exile in Babylon for their idolatrous behavior.  God was assuring them that He loved them and would bring them back to their land.  The promises given here from our faithful God are available to believers today.  God loves and knows us by name,  redeems and promises to be with us each day. God’s promises to those who love Him do not change. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”   I find great comfort in knowing that God knows me so well and that I can depend upon Him to be with me no matter what the circumstances.  Matthew 28:20b reconfirms this in Jesus’ own words, “And behold, I am with you always, to then end of the age.”   So take heart today and call upon God’s loving character and presence to help you to face the circumstances of your life with full assurance that Jesus is with you.

Be assured of God’s faithfulness today,

Linda

   Psalm 91:1-2 and 14-15   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty, I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” …….  “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescues him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”   (NIV)

Promise:  God promises a relation with Him will provide me with a permanent refuge close to Him.  God also promises that loving Him will open a floodgate of blessings as He will rescue, protect, answer our prayers and cries for help, live eternally with Him and obtain salvation through Jesus.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed: He is Almighty God, Protector, Provider, Savior, Accessible, Rescuer, Omnipresent, Eternal, Trustworthy, the one who numbers our days, Hope, Promise Keeper, Caring and Merciful.

Promise provides me with:  assurance that He will always provide me with a refuge in his loving care, that he knows what is happening in my life and is available 24/7 to hear my cries, that God is eternal and has a plan of salvation to rescue me from my sins and assurance that in response to my love for Him there will be great blessings and security.

I can not say that writing each day during Advent has been easy.  However,  it has kept me focused on His word and provided me with an awareness of how much I love sharing God’s word with you!  I have a new book, Promises for Dynamic Living, that I will be publishing in 2015.  For this advent calendar blog I have used only 1 verse from my upcoming book and that was by design as I wanted to challenge myself to look at new promises.  Today’s verses are an example of definite hidden treasure within God’s word.  There is such assurance and hope in these verses.  God is a promise keeping God and what He says He will do for me- He will!  When I read about God being my refuge, I know it is true as I have felt his loving arms around me in times of loneliness and trouble and his peace and comfort within my soul on a daily basis.  For loving Him, I am showered with blessings for a life sustained and uplifted now and forever.  Our lives should reflect his love and joy especially in this season.  Glorify Him today and show His love to others.

Peace and Love to you today,

Linda

John 10:27-30 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.   My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”  (ESV)

Promise:  Jesus promises that He is my shepherd, gives eternal life, protects me in His hand and that He and God the Father are one.

Why is it important that I know this promise?

God’s character is revealed: He is Eternal, Shepherd, Guide, Accessible, Person, Protector, Faithful, Omnipotent and Sovereign.

Promise provides me with:  assurance of God’s love and care for me, safety in Him for eternity, knowledge that I am a gift from God to Jesus, that Jesus and the Father are one, knowledge that through Jesus I have eternal life, and that as a believer I can hear God’s voice and will recognize His guiding in prayer and though His word.

I love this visual picture that Jesus uses to assure me that nothing can take me away from Him.  I am held in His hands, cradled, cared for and protected against anything that may come in life.  I am also assured that I will hear his voice and recognize Him.  When I read the Bible and pray I can seek His guidance knowing that He hears and will answer.  The answer can take several forms- yes, no or wait.  I think ‘wait’ is the hardest as we do not know all the variables and can not see when things need to happen.  This verse also assures me of eternal life though Jesus and reconfirms his equality with God the Father.  Jesus has the power and authority to hold and protect me for eternity.  If we listen, he promises to speak and guide us.   Do you listen when you read the Bible for Jesus to speak to you?  Do you take the lessons and truths in His word and seek to apply them each day?

Have a blessed day that is open to His voice,

Linda

Romans 8:28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.   (ESV)

Promise:  God promises that he can and does work all things for good to those who believe in Him.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  He is Sovereign, Omnipotent, Good, Creator, Preserver, Savior, Merciful, Faithful and Trustworthy.

Promise provides me with:  assurance that no circumstance is beyond God’s control, that God intends good for me, knowledge that God has a purpose for me and assurance that any event that God allows to enter my life can produce good for me and can mold and shape my character so that I can better reflect Jesus in all I say and do.

After reading this verse, a good question might be- what is God’s purpose for me?  1Corinthians 6:19b-20 says “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.”   God desires that we live to glorify Him by showing the love of Jesus to the world.  He wants the world to know Jesus and come to claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  That helps to put our struggles in this sin-filled world into perspective as all the events or circumstances that come into my life can be used to mold and shape my character to better reflect Jesus and glorify God.  We also need to remember Isaiah 55:8 says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  We will not know until we get to heaven why the dark things God allowed to happen in our lives were as necessary as the bright and beautiful for molding and shaping us into the men and women He wants us to be.  However, we can rest in the assurance of this verse in Romans that God can and does use all things to bring about good in our lives.

Live with the hope and knowledge that God is good!

Linda

   Isaiah 49:15-16  “Can a mother forget the baby at her breasts and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”  (NIV)

Promise:  God promises He will not forget me, has me engraved on His hands and is always aware of where I am.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  His Longsuffering, Eternality, Personal, Caring, Protector, Compassionate, Omnipresent and Omniscient.

Promise provides me with:  peace in His eternal care,  knowledge that God loves me and knows who I am,  knowledge that God is always aware of where I am and what problems I am and will be facing,  assurance that He surrounds and protects me and knowledge that the God of the universe will never forget me-engraving is permanent, so I am permanently His!

I was involved in a study of Isaiah a few years ago and came across this verse for the first time.  I was brought to my knees when I considered the enormity of God’s love and care.  These verses show me a God that is personal and loves me so much that He has me engraved on the palms of His hands.  Engraving is permanent so the picture here is one of God’s love that holds me forever in his hands. He cannot and will not let me go.  But He does not stop there, He promises to always have his walls of protection around me and to go before me.  What blessed assurances God gives us in His word!  Be encouraged today as you consider our great God and how much He loves you!

May He be ever before you today,

Linda

Psalm 23:1-3  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.  He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  (NIV)

Promise:  God promises provision, guidance towards righteousness, good quiet places and restoration of my soul.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed: He is Sovereign, Provider, Restorer, Shepherd, Good, Guide, Caring, Comforter and Righteous.

Promise provides me with: assurance of restoration in Him when I am weary or discouraged, hope, provision of my needs, quiet rest for my soul- a refuge in a world of turmoil, guidance in His ways and teaching in righteousness, knowledge that my righteousness through Christ will bring Him glory.

For many people the 23rd Psalm is their favorite and one that many of us memorized when we were children.  When you look at the promises it contains and the comfort it brings, it is not surprising that it is so cherished .  God loves us and wants to provide for us whether it is guidance on how to live righteously or restoration from circumstances and problems.  God is sovereign and He know the situations that will cause us to be weary and in his infinite mercy He promises to restore us.  He desires that we walk and live righteously and is willing to teach us and lead us in His ways.  Thank Him today for His great provision, care and love.  As you meditate on this Psalm today, let God’s spirit of peace and restoration flow through you today towards those you meet.

Blessings,

Linda

Quiet places the Psalmist might have had in mind.

The Sea of Galilee at sunrise.

The Jezreel Valley from Mt Carmel.

Psalm 103:1-5  Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits —who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.   (NIV)

Promise:  God promises benefits to believers- forgiveness, healing, redemption, compassion, to satisfy me with good things and to renew my strength and vitality.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  He is Holy, Merciful, Compassionate, Redeemer, Good, Provider, Strong, Vital, Sovereign, Savior, Love, Omnipotent, Powerful, Almighty God.

Promise provides me with:  a savior who redeems me and who knows the circumstances and problems of my life, assurance of his forgiveness, healing, compassion, provision, renewal in times of great weakness, hope and a vital, vibrant life in Him.

When you say the word benefits today, what comes to mind?  Health care, retirement, provision of good things.  God promises these and more!   This is just a short list of all the benefits we have through Christ.  God definitely wants us taken care of and where else can we receive forgiveness, mercy, compassion, provision, redemption and renewal?  Ephesian’s 1:3 says “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”   Through Christ we have everything God wants for us.  Again we are reminded that Christ is the reason for the season and our blessed Hope.  Reread Psalm 103:1-5 and thank Him for all the blessings He so richly bestows on us through faith in Jesus.

Live with hope and assurance today,

Linda

Here is the link to the radio interview I had yesterday.  God is faithful.  Even though I felt good about it – there was much I wished I’d said.  the 15 minutes went by soooo fast!  God blessedly gave me way more to say than I had time to express.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lifelessonsnetwork/2014/12/16/author-linda-knight-debuts-fearless-living-on-life-lessons

John 14: 25-27  “All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (NIV)

Promise:  Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit to teach, remind, comfort and bring His peace to me.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character revealed:  He is a Promise Keeper, Faithful, Peace, Hope, Comforter, Teacher, Sovereign and the Source of Calm and Tranquility.

Promise provides me with:  a sense of calmness and peace in my life, hope that I will learn and remember what God teaches me about himself, knowledge that God keeps his promises and did indeed send the Holy Spirit, availability of an inner spirit from God that I can access 24/7 and that God does not want me stressed, worried , afraid or discouraged.

These are some of the most often quoted verses when talking about peace.  They are very reassuring and comforting as here God promises to be with us and provide us with the emotional support that we need to survive.  God does not want us fearful, distressed or worried.  He wants us to trust Him and allow Him to work in an though us in every situation.  With God as our source of peace, we can focus on Him and His provision and set aside those things that cause us to lose trust in His ability to provide.  This holiday season, don’t get caught up in the pressures of all the things you think you need to do.  Take some time to ask the Prince of Peace to dwell within you and give you His peace.

Have a peace-filled day,

Linda

Luke 2: 8-12  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and laying in a manger.  (NIV)

Promise:  God’s promised Messiah, Christ the Lord, is the Savior of all mankind.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  His Faithfulness, Sovereignty, Eternality, Savior, Redeemer, Lover of all mankind, Promise Keeper and Joy.

Promise provides me with:  assurance that salvation is for all who believe, knowledge that God has a plan of redemption to bring me into a right relationship with Him,  joy in Christ’s coming as Savior and good news for all people everywhere.

The Bible shows how God planned the coming of Jesus from the beginning. His plan is detailed to the exact place of Jesus’s birth, his parents and his purpose in coming.  It is indeed good news that Jesus came to save us from our sins as only He could.  Acts 4:12 says “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  This promise is for anyone who will believe- any gender, race or creed- all mankind.  The Apostle Peter wrote in 2Peter 3:9 ” The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise , as some understand slowness, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  The early Christian were anxious for Christ to return, but as Peter explained God has his own timing and wishes all to come to repentance.  This Christmas don’t keep Jesus in the manger.  Know that he came to save us and did so through his death and resurrection.  We serve a risen Christ!  Rejoice and tell others of our risen Savior. When we consider all the work Christ has done for us we too can proclaim with the angels , “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth ‘peace’ good will toward men.”  Luke 2:14 (KJV)

Have a blessed day,

Linda

The Judean hills outside Bethlehem.

Micah 7:18-19   Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.  (NIV)

Promise:  God promises to pardon my sin, forgive me and throw my sins into the deepest sea.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  His Mercy, Forgiveness, Holiness, Compassion, Omnipotence, Grace and Sovereignty.

Promise provides me with:  assurance that God can and does forgive my sins, that God loves to show mercy and compassion, God has the power to put my sins far away and totally out of my reach or sight- never to be seen or heard from again, knowledge that God is holy and cannot tolerate my sin yet He will forgive me if I seek him with a repentant heart.

These verses never cease to amaze me.  The grace of God is overwhelming when you consider our sin and the punishment we were due, yet God forgives and casts our sins into the deepest sea.  Jeremiah 31:34b also adds “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  How is this possible for our Holy God to forgive and forget our sins?  Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”   Only through the death and resurrection of Jesus are we forgiven and presented without sin before God.  Praise God for Jesus’ work on the cross!  Thank you Jesus for restoring my relationship with God the Father.  As a believer we can claim 1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  When we confess our sins, God buries them in the depths of the sea to be remembered no more.  Why then do we torment ourselves over past sins?  Why do we punish ourselves and dwell on past failures?  That is not God but the work of Satan.  God has forgiven you, so accept His forgiveness and look to the work He has for you to do.  God loves us and we need to live each day claiming and proclaiming His grace and mercy.

Walk today in His forgiveness,

Linda