When God says, “I Will”, He WILL!

In some Bible passages the Lord spoke to His people and gave them multiple assurances. They were nuggets of gold that the people could cling to in their lives which enable them to live with confidence and assurance from God that He was there for them! Those passages do the same for us today. Psalm 91:14-15 is one such passage. Let the truths of God’s words sink into your soul.

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

Promises: God promises to: rescue, protect, answer, be with us in trouble, deliver, honor, favor with long life, and save those who love and acknowledge His name.

Any time God says “I will”, we can take that as a truth. God does not lie, Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” God is not like us and will not ever lie nor will He change His mind! God is immutable, unchanging. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” So unlike us, God means “I will’ with certainty and will not change from it. We can totally count on those promised words.

What a wonderful long list of promises from God of how He intends to care for those who love and honor Him in faith. Which of these means the most to you right now? Do you need God to rescue you from a difficult situation? Pray. Do you need protection? Pray. Do you need answers? Pray. Do you need His presence with you right now? He is omnipresent- pray and ask for Him to comfort you and quiet your fears. Deliverance can be different from rescue. Do you need a new idea at work, something in working with your children, an extra job? Pray and be specific about what you need. Remember the promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” Ask God to show you your way of escape. It might be right through it though for only God knows what that escape looks like. How has God shown you favor? It may come as providential care, blessings in our lives or mercy. All of us our days are numbered and He determines the length of our life. He promises salvation for those who believe in Jesus. John 17:13 “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”

What we can know from these verses: God desires for me to love Him, God in His sovereignty can rescue, protect, defend and deliver me from life’s situations, God is accessible and will answer when I call upon Him (pray), God number’s each person’s days, God offers salvation with eternal life, Faith in Jesus shows our love of God and acknowledgement of His name.

Lenten Reflections: How am I showing God that I love Him? Where do I need to call upon God to receive His promised help?

These verses require us to think about the many things we take for granted about God. If we love Him, He is integral in our lives and is our partner in living for Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can call to God in faith with all the details of my life and He will be there for me. He is faithful and will not let me down.

Linda

Related verses: Numbers 23:19, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 17:13, Galatians 1:3-5, Hebrews 4:16, Proverbs 3:1-3, John 3:16.

I Can Know This…see Psalm 40

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can talk to God, accept His rescue and foundation, sing praises to Him and Have No Fear!

Psalm 40 shows us all those things we have in Christ and more.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

When has God rescued you or answered your prayer? Did you turn to Him in praise? Each act of God listening and answering, rescuing and standing us upright again are cause for praise. Be the large or small it shows us yet again how God loves us and seeks our good. In spite of myself, I see God working and learn to trust in Him and revere Him!

Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

David learned that the one who walks and depends upon God is blessed. Have you learned that too? We have to put aside things of this world and focus upon His goodness and the wonders He has done in our lives. Nothing in this world will compare to the things of God! Praise God!

I pray this psalm speaks to your heart and encourages you walk with Jesus.

Linda

Faithful God is There for me!

This final day before Thanksgiving, let us consider Psalm 91:9-16. The reason God protects us spiritually is because He loves us and we recognize Him. We claim Him and He claims us. Since we are not perfect we can cling to 2 Timothy 2:13 “if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” It is in God’s character to be faithful always. Let these words of promise sink in to your soul and give you more reasons to be thankful today.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

1For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

I have underlined our part in this- faith in Almighty God, holding fast to His love and calling or asking Him for help. The rest thankfully is all God’s part: being a refuge, protecting me with His angels, allowing nothing or no one to take our salvation away (John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”), rescuing me from trouble, long life and salvation (John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”.) These are things only Almighty God can provide for you and me. Let them be added to your thanksgiving list today!

Linda

Rescued and Redeemed for Eternity Thank you Jesus!

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have been rescued from Satan’s domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ.  These truths are stated by Paul in his letter to the Colossians.  He opens the letter with thanksgiving and prayer for the state that all believers find themselves in because of Christ.  Colossians 1:13 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin.”  Our state of being before knowing Christ is one of eternal darkness and sin.  Romans 3:23 tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Our sin separates us from God and Jesus tell us that He is the light in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Without Jesus we are dead in our sins and trapped in darkness.   Following Him bring us into the light, truth and knowledge of God.  Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, a man who was seeking to know if Jesus was the Messiah.  In John 3:5 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  Jesus went on to explain we have 2 births.  The first is our physical birth given by our mothers and then our spiritual birth that is given by God’s Spirit when we accept Jesus as our Savior.  In John 3:16 Jesus tells Nicodemus why God sent him, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Eternal life in His kingdom is ours when we believe in Jesus.  He further explains the difference between His light and darkness of the world.   John 3:19 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”   Jesus wanted Nicodemus and you and me, to know and understand that being apart from Him is darkness, sin and condemnation.  With Jesus there is light, love, hope and eternal life.  He has indeed rescued us from the domain of darkness ruled over by Satan and brought us into His light and His kingdom to be with Him forever.  His death on the cross and resurrection made this possible.  Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on my behalf to rescue me from the fate of death and condemnation.

Linda

Suggestion:  Spend some time in prayer thanking Jesus for your salvation and eternal home with Him.  Remember in prayer someone you know who does not know Jesus and pray that they will come to know Him.We can be assured that Jesus wants everyone to know and come to Him.  2 Peter 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.”