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

Matthew 6:3-4,6,17-18   But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you……..But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you……….But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.   And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  (ESV)

Promise:  God promises to reward right motives and actions regarding giving, praying and fasting.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  Holy, Righteous, Judge, Just, Father, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Guide and Sovereign.

Promise provides me with:  guide lines for right living, knowledge that God knows my motives and desires me to be righteous, knowledge that God desires my actions towards others to be genuine and not full of pretense and self promotion, knowledge that God rewards (blesses) those who walk in His ways.

These verses are from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  He was instructing the people on how to live righteously without pretense.  Even though others cannot or may not see why you do something, God knows your heart motive.  He know if we are looking to better ourselves or if we are acting out of love for Him.  This time of year many people give to be recognized as the ‘good’ person, generous, humble, righteous or gracious.  God can see into our hearts and knows what is motivating our actions.    Take a look at your attitude and actions and make sure you are giving, helping or thanking others for the right reasons and not just to further yourself.  God rewards the truly humble and selfless giver with blessings beyond what we could ever imagine.

Blessings as you do, give and help others this season!

Linda

Mount of Beatitudes as seen from the Lake of Galilee.  It is a beautiful pastoral setting that must have calmed and rested the crowds as they listened to Jesus teach them how to live rightly.

Psalm 46:1-3  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with surging.   Selah   (NIV)

Promise:  God promises to be my refuge and strength and to be available 24/7 to help me.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  His Accessibility, Omnipresence, Power, Might, Protector, Comforter, Sovereign, Love, Almighty and Hope.

Promise provides me with:  assurance of His presence, access to Him day or night, knowledge that the creator of the universe desires to comfort and protect me, assurance that I can turn to Him and He will give me strength and courage, knowledge that God desires that I live a life without fear, knowledge and assurance that nothing I face is bigger than Almighty God!

I love these verses, in fact I chose them to be on the book marks I had made for Fearless Living.    Reading them always bolsters my courage and makes me feel loved by God.  Christmas is known to be a time of great stress, turmoil and heartache for those that remember former times in their lives, grieve for loved ones or feel a general hopelessness with their current lives.  Jesus wants us to cling to Him and be surrounded by his strength and comfort.  He is our refuge and will never leave us or forsake us.  These verses tell us that NO MATTER WHAT God is bigger than anything we can ever face.  Even if it looks like all is lost and falling apart, He stands eternal and will see us though.  All we need to do is turn to Him and trust Him with our worries and problems.   Be comforted and encouraged by these verses today and know He is the Source of all things and He stands ready to help you and answer your cries.  Seek Him today and feel His love.

Blessings as you hide yourself in Him,

Linda

  John 11:25-26  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Promise:  God promises that belief in Jesus gives eternal life and that physical death is not the end of our life.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  His Sovereignty, Creator, Hope, and Eternality.

Promise provides me with: assurance that there is life after death, knowledge that Jesus conquered death and that though Him we can too, that Jesus in the source of eternal life and that faith in him will give me eternal life.

I love this promise with it’s bold question about my faith.  Jesus wants us to know that He is the source of eternal life and that it is available to us through faith in Him.  He also states with certainty that He is greater than death and will provide life for me now and into eternity.  In a day and age when doubt is king and absolutes are fuzzy, I take great comfort in knowing without a shadow of a doubt that God is in control and though his son Jesus I can spend eternity with Him.  Do you have that saving faith?  Know him today and seal your future for eternity.  Check on your status with John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, and know 2Corinthians 1:21-22.     Let’s move forward and face this day with saving faith in the assurance that God is with us and will be with us for eternity.

Blessings,

Linda

Luke 1:28-33   And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.   And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.   He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”   (ESV)

Promise:  God promised  that the Messiah, Jesus, who was to reign forever was coming to earth through his servant Mary.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  His Omnipotence, Sovereignty, Compassion, Care, Knowledge of all things- Omniscience and His Eternal existence.

Promise provides me with:  hope, salvation, assurance of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind, knowledge that God uses his people for his work and his glory, knowledge that God cares about me and wants me to be unafraid and  knowledge that God keeps his promises as he sent Jesus just as He said He would.

I had the privilege last March to visit the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth where the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary.  It was a sobering experience to visit this site and imagine the young girl, Mary, and how she must have felt when confronted by an angel.  The angel showed real compassion on her and told her not to be afraid.  God does not want us to be afraid and assures us that He has a plan and purpose for our future just as he did Mary.  God showed her favor and blessings as she obediently submitted to God’s will.  Do you submit willingly or do you fight and struggle with a rebellious heart?  Be like Mary, submit and open yourself to untold blessings this season as you get ready to receive the Christ child.

Blessings,

Linda

The home of Mary is now under the Church of the Annunication and below current ground level.  Over the centuries the level of the city has risen as homes were built upon homes.