STANDING ON GOD’S PROMISES

Hebrews 10:23

    Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

                We live in a challenging world. The very foundations of civilization seem to be crumbling. The rise of violence, the erosion of morality, the fragmentation of our world, all work together to undercut our sense of security and well-being. Our faith in Christ is being attacked from multiple directions. Satan constantly sows the seeds of doubt and discouragement. Satan would have us believe that God has abandoned us, but He has not!

                In the face of all that is going on in our world, we need a solid place to stand. That place is on the promises of God. What God promises, God will accomplish. The more that we hold onto the promises of God, the better equipped we will be to face the challenges of life. So here are just a few of God’s promises for you to contemplate today.

                In Christ, we are secure for all of eternity. We have the very life of God within us. We have been made new in Christ and have been given the gift of eternal life.

                Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

                And this is what he promised us--even eternal life. 1 John 2:25

                Nothing can separate us from the love of God. One of the ways Satan undermines our faith is to suggest that God does not really love us. He causes us to doubt God’s sincerity. But the Bible makes it clear that God’s love is constant, abundant, and always available.

                Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

                No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

                We are not victims of our circumstances. Temptation is the common experience of all people. We are all tempted in different ways. Satan is constantly looking for some way to trip us up or sidetrack us. We do not have to become victims to Satan’s tactics. If we will turn to Christ, he will lead us out of temptation. Remember that temptation is not sin. It is when we yield that we have crossed the line.  

                No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

                When we do sin, there is forgiveness. Just as we all face temptation, we all, from time to time, fail and fall into sin. When that happens, Satan puts the pressure on us. He accuses us of our sin, and then suggests that we have crossed some line, and God will no longer forgive us. At those times we must remember that Christ dealt with our sin on the cross. The door of forgiveness of always open to us.

                If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

                God has promised to lead us through the challenges of life. Life can be confusing at times. It is easy for us to lose our way. God has promised to be present for us to guide us in the way we should go. He has given us the Holy Spirit as our constant companion to help us know how to respond to our world.

                Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

                There have been several times in my life when I was feeling spiritually disoriented. Satan had bombarded me with doubts that loomed large. At those times, I sat down with a piece of paper and I began to list all of the things I knew for sure. As I rehearsed the many promises that God has given to us, my doubts subsided. God does not want us to give in doubt and uncertainty. He has given to us many promises that we can hold onto. It is in those promises that we can find courage and strength.

This is the Lord's sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Isaiah 38:7