Simple Thoughts On Promises

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"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7, 8)

Where does our confidence lie? Is it in our acquired knowledge, acquired strength or acquired money? These can help us to an extent but people who rely on only these often tend to fail miserably after a while. God has some advice regarding this for all. He says,
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches." (Jeremiah 9:23)
Our breath is in the hands of the Almighty. He can give and he can take back this breath at his own discretion, so we do not have anything to glory in except in the Lord who has given us life breath.

Instead God advices us to boast about this: "let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,". (Jeremiah 9:24)

If your confidence is in Jesus, you will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31) Praise the Lord.

 

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I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Matthew 26:13)

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. (Matthew 26:6-12)

Whatever we do for the Lord Jesus and his kingdom with love in our hearts is like beautiful fragrance in his presence. Here, the woman brought very expensive perfume which she poured on his head. What we offer for the expansion of God's kingdom here on earth may not be as costly as what the woman brought, but it has great value in the eyes of the Lord.

And Jesus' promise that "wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." has been proved true. It has been read & it has been preached about countless times.

So do not consider the work that you are doing for the Lord to be trivial. Do it with all your heart. You will be rewarded in the Lord's good time.
The Bible says,
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
God bless you.

 

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When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."(John 8:12)

Do you have the light of life? If you are following the light of the world ‘Jesus’, you will be the light of the world. Jesus said,
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.(Matthew 5:14-16)

Darkness will have no dominion over you because the light of the “Son of God†will always shine upon you.
After Moses was in God’s presence for 40 days, his face was radiant because he was in the presence of eternal light.
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.

In Psalms 4, David prayed,
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. (Psalms 4:6)

In Psalms 31, he again prays,
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. (Psalms 31:16)

Asaph prays thrice in Psalms 80 for God’s face to shine upon the Israelites. (3,7,19)

It should be our prayer each day that God’s face which is brighter than the sun shines upon us, our families, our nation and the whole world so that darkness be dispelled continually. One of the blessings that God asked Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites with was this:
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

And may God’s face shine upon all you who read this. God bless you.

 

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For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him. (Psalms 109:31)

God is near to all who call upon him; all who call upon him in truth. In Psalm 109, David speaks about his enemies who wanted to destroy him with their words and actions. Though his life was constantly in danger for many years, God’s protective hands always saved him from disastrous situations and destruction. Finally David sang a song when God had given him victory over all his enemies. That is Psalms 18, the title of which says,
“For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.â€

In Psalms 16 & verse 8, David says,
I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Joseph’s brothers wanted him dead because they were jealous of him (Genesis 37), but God saved him and finally exalted him to become the second in command to Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt; a country where he had been brought to and sold as a slave at the age of 17. Imagine coming to a country with a new language, new culture, new people and new circumstances. Yet God helped and saved him in his time of need and after 13 years, he stood in the presence of Pharaoh to give him counsel.

If you have been living a life pleasing to the Lord, obeying his Word, the Lord stands at your right hand too, to save your life from the wicked plans of the enemy. Not only to save you, but also to exalt you in his divine time. God bless you.

 

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My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:27-29)

Jesus affirms that no one can snatch a believer (who listen's to his voice and follows him) from his hand or his Father's hand. But there’s always a possibility of a prodigal walking away from the hand of the Father and landing in grave trouble.

The protection remains as long as one abides in the shelter of the Most High, but once a believer moves out of the shelter, living a worldly life and indulging in things which are not pleasing to the Father, the shadows of darkness fall on his/her life and they suffer at the hands of the powers of darkness.

The story of the prodigal son as told by Jesus is relevant for our generation too. Believer’s desire to be blessed by God in every sphere of their lives and God does bless, but then some fall away being unfaithful to the Father who gave them their heart’s desire.

God blessed Israel and gave them promises that he gave no other nations.
He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape. (Deuteronomy 32:13,14)

But they backslid, grieving the Lord who had rescued them from slavery.
Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior. (Deuteronomy 32:15)

We have much to learn from these examples. There’s safety in the Lord’s hands. If we move out of his protection, danger lurks at every corner. So let us be firm in our decision to hear the Lord’s voice and follow him steadfastly. God bless you.

 

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But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

Jesus spoke about the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, defining his role in the lives of those who believed in Jesus and accepted him as Savior.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. (John 14:16)
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. (John 14:26)
"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. (John 15:26)

If you have trusted in Jesus and accepted him as Savior, the Counselor will start his work in your life. He will be with you always, he will teach you all things, he will testify about Jesus and he will remind you of what Jesus has said.

The Counselor has been given the task of helping us believer’s reach eternity in heaven. He is there to guide us all along the way giving us wise counsel and leading us in the paths of righteousness. Sadly, some believer’s do not know much about him, some others ignore him. He wants to fellowship with us and tell us what Jesus desires in our lives.

As a believer, do you fellowship with your Counselor? Though you can’t see him, he is always there to speak to you and guide you through the Word of God and through dreams and visions and will speak to you with his still small voice. It’s a great experience once you start having fellowship with him. Just speak to him as though he were your close friend. His power will manifest through your lives. He is the spirit of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. He will help you with all things, whether great or small. As the Israelites were led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night in their journey to Canaan, so also the Holy Spirit will lead us in our journey to the heavenly promised land. Praise the Lord.

 

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So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. (Isaiah 28:16)

If you have trusted in the tested and precious cornerstone Jesus, you will not be dismayed. People in authority often oppress subordinates and get away with their mischief. Often God doesn't punish the miscreants immediately, but that doesn't mean he favors them. He has his day of judging and when his time comes, he deals with them. But God's faithful eyes are always on those who trust in him.

Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. Isaac's servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen and said, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land." (Genesis 26:18-22)

Isaac trusted in God and his persistence despite opposition paid rich dividends. Trust in the Lord and look ahead. A shut door doesn't mean the end. It signals the opening of several doors for a child of God. God bless you.

 

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The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together." (Judges 6:16)

The Lord's call for service often comes in the most unexpected of places. Gideon was not exactly in a "fasting & praying" session when the Lord called out to him through an angel.
The following is what happened:
The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." (Judges 6:11-15)

To the question ""how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family", God answered and gave the promise--"I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

God's call for service in his kingdom can come at any age in a person's life. Jeremiah's call came when he was young and so also in the case of the prophet Samuel. But Moses and Aaron were called when they were in their 80's. I guess they were already in their retirement age.

If God calls you today, what will you reply? Hope your reply will be like what Isaiah said.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

 

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She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.'" (Judges 4:6, 7)

After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the LORD. So the Lord gave them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who had nine hundred iron chariots and cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. So the Israelites cried to the LORD for help. And help came in the form of this prophecy uttered by Deborah, the prophetess.
God was going to lure Sisera and bring about his downfall.

The Lord will give you victory over the evil forces that are causing trouble in your life. Many times the enemy brings impediments to even small matters that involve believer's lives. This is to bring discouragement and despondency. But the Bible exhorts us in this manner:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

The enemy will not win because Jesus is on your side. He says,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

Jesus loves you and he will give you victory. God bless you.

 

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Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

The Bible says that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. More than man, evil powers fear God, because they know that they are utter failures when they confront God. The Apostle James writes,
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder. (James 2:19)

Though we see people ignoring Jesus and the Word of God and some living in utter rebellion to God, a day will come when they realize the truth that they ignored but then it will be too late. Perhaps it will only be at the White Throne judgement that some will realize to their dismay how foolish they were not to confess the name of Jesus while they lived here on earth.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

But, how blessed are they, who, while living here on earth, confess the name of the Lord Jesus and live for him. About them the Bible says,
Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

Praise the Lord.

 

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As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10, 11)

God's word that goes out of the his mouth cannot be stopped in fulfilling what it has been sent to do; it accomplishes what God desires and it has been so from the beginning. When God said, "Let there be light", light just came into being; no questions asked. No arguments entertained, even if there were any.

We read the following in Psalms 107:
Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. (Psalm 107:17-20)

When we pray, God sends his word and that brings healing, deliverance and peace. The word that God spoke during creation brought everything into being and we read in Genesis 1:
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good........ (Genesis 1:31)

The "let there be..." and "let the..." words spoken by God were so powerful that what was once "formless and empty and dark" became "very good". God, by his awesome power is able to change what is "formless and empty and dark" even in our lives into something "very good".

It's my prayer for you today that he may do such an awesome miracle for you in the coming days, that you praise his glorious name even more all the days of your life. God bless you.

 

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But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

Doesn't seem too complex a strategy to receive rewards from the heavenly Father. Simple on the surface but tough as well, because some believer's find time for everything else but prayer. Victory lies in being in the heavenly Father's presence and being sure that prayer for a specific request has been made in totality.

Go into your room, close the door.....Close the door and keep it closed till there is inner satisfaction that "prayer" has been complete. Only then open. There's often a tendency to rush to other things when in prayer. The door bell rings, the children call, things in the kitchen and a whole lot of other things mundane to be looked into. So close the door and if need be inform others that the door will remain closed till prayer is done with. Prayer is serious business and the diligent are rewarded.

Personal prayer is very important. Family and corporate (church/fellowship) prayers cannot replace the necessity to be alone in the Father's presence. Jesus set the example.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

If one lacks a private room for private prayer, early mornings, when everything else is quiet, is the best time to get in touch with the Father.

The secret of success in Jesus' life and ministry was his prayer strategy and because he found it effective, he wanted all who believe in him, to follow it. The strategy is simple and if employed regularly can bring great rewards from the heavenly Father.
So shall we invest some more time in private prayer??

 

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Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Matthew 7:24,25)

Great crowds followed Jesus when they saw him do miracles. Sicknesses were healed, demons were driven out, food and wine were provided miraculously. They wanted more. But when Jesus started preaching about God's requirements to enter the kingdom of heaven, there were few takers. We read in John Ch.6:
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:66-69)

Hearing God's Word is not enough; Jesus said, we must put them into practice. But some believer's do not really grow in the Lord. Of these the writer of Hebrews said,
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. (Hebrews 5:12,13)

Is your spiritual life built on a rock solid foundation? If it is, then it will be stable when the wind blows against it. God will strengthen you and uphold you with his righteous right hand. God bless you.

 

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If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. (2 Peter 2:9)

While speaking of God rescuing godly men from trials, the Apostle Peter mentions a couple of examples- that of Noah & Lot.
If he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)... (2 Peter 2:5-8)

After Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, king Darius who gave permission for the same, spent the night restlessly.
At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" (Daniel 6:19,20)
And Daniel's answer was: My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (Daniel 6:22)

Yes, the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials. If you have been going through trials these days and you have been thinking why you are going through it even when you have been living close to the Lord, be strengthened this day. The Lord who rescued Noah, Lot and Daniel will rescue you too. God bless you.

 

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And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

The Bible is replete with examples of how God rewards them who have displayed their faith to the Almighty. One of the wonderful things that God does is that he uses simple things through which he displays his power. Things very ordinary, like the staff that Moses had been using for quite a few years. Little did he know about how God was going to transform that staff. While in Exodus 4:2 it is the "staff of Moses", by Exodus 4:20 it has become the "staff of God".

The "staff of Moses" did ordinary things like herding sheep and directing strays, but the "staff of God" helped to do extra-ordinary things like swallowing other staffs and splitting a sea. And imagine Moses' surprise when he threw his staff down at God's command. It became a snake; must have been some poisonous kind, for Moses ran from it.

How true then what the Apostle Paul writes to the Church at Corinth:
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, (1 Corinthians 1:27,28)

30 miracles with a staff. Wonderful. Excitement plus plus....
So what's that in your hands? the Lord asks. A pen, a guitar, a violin, a keyboard? Whatever! Give it into my hands, let me bless it, the Lord says and let the miracles flow..........

 

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Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:5, 6)

2 things: commit your way and then trust in him. Whatever the problem, first lay it at the Lord's feet and then trust in him that he will make a way where there seems no way.

The Israelites often fell into the hands of their enemies because of a lack of commitment to the Lord. During the times of Samuel, the prophet, they suffered at the hands of the Philistines. Samuel advised them to commit themselves afresh to the Lord.
And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." (1 Samuel 7:3)

If you need continual deliverance from the enemy, you need to remain committed to the Lord. The Apostle Peter writes:
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
And to escape his snares every believer needs to remain committed to the Lord.
Peter's advice to escape the devil's snare is this:
Resist him, standing firm in the faith...... (1 Peter 5:9)

And to stand firm in the faith, we need to remain committed to God and his Word.
The promise for today states- commit and trust- and the result will be- he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Let that be a reality in your life. Praise the Lord.

 

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commit your way and then trust in him. Whatever the problem, first lay it at the Lord's feet and then trust in him that he will make a way where there seems no way.

 

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For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

Great and wonderful are the ways of the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. If you are in Christ today, the matter written above pertains to you. You have been chosen before the creation of the world in accordance with God's pleasure and will.

Writing to the Romans and the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul makes this very clear:
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29, 30)

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11, 12)

You have been in God's plan always. In the fullness of time, things happened. You believed the Word and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Not for a day or two but for eternity.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13, 14)

This blessed hope is what should keep us going each day despite the troubles that we face day in and day out. May the Holy Spirit help and strengthen each of you who read this to wait patiently for that glorious day when you enter eternity and live with God forever. Praise the Lord.

 

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But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. (Numbers 14:24)

Of the 12 leaders who went to explore the promised land only Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun gave a good report to Moses and the Israelites. The other 10 dicouraged the people from going forth to possess the land. Instead they made plans of going back to Egypt.

Seeing that, Joshua and Caleb told the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

But the people wouldn't listen, angering God, who decided to destroy all the Israelites. But Moses interceded and thus God forgave their sin. Yet he sent a plague on the people who rebelled and they died.

God also made known his decision to the Israelites:
Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. (Numbers 14:30,31)

If God be for us who can be against us?
Have you the spirit of Joshua and Caleb? Willing to abide by God's Word? Being led by the Spirit of God?
If yes, you will enter the promised land (Heaven) in the fullness of God's time. God bless you.

 

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Simple Thoughts On Promises-248

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)

Balaam, the false prophet was recruited by Balak, the Moabite king to curse Israel. But try as much as he would, Balaam was not able to curse the Israelites because God only gave words of blessing for him to pronounce. Initially, God did not want Balaam to go with the Moabite leaders to meet Balak, the king, but later seeing Baalam's eagerness, God allowed him to go but commanded him to speak only what God told him.

Balak was angry with Balaam for uttering words of blessing for the Israelites.
Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!" He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will see only a part but not all of them. And from there, curse them for me." So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. (Numbers 23:11-14)

The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this message." Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?" Balaam replied,
"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it." (Numbers 23:19, 20)

No one's curse can harm you if God has decided to bless you. God will even bring words of blessing from the mouth of people who intend to curse you or have cursed you in the past. Our God is El Shaddai, Almighty God. Trust in him, he will never let you down. God bless you.