Date: February 11, 2011 12:21 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Promises Fulfilled in Jesus
Promises Fulfilled in Jesus
"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 1:12-22
All God's promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He lived them, implements them at the right hand of God (the place of power), and brings them to fruition through the indwelling Spirit. So how can any of His promises ever fail or not capture our hearts with authority and power?
Richard Sibbes, the 16th Century Puritan, said "For any good I hope from God, I must have a promise." That is why it is important we ask the Lord to show us His promises, both general and personal, in His Word. Otherwise our experience of God will not reach its full potential, and our trust in Him will not grow. Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." 1 Thessalonians 5:24 reminds us, "The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."
Sibbes also said that the promise is the plate on which the Bread of Life is found: It carries Christ who is the meal. The promise is the menu, but Jesus is the meal itself.
Insight: We gain no sustenance by eating the plate or the menu. Let us feast on the Bread of Life in the Word and in prayer.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
+DEV+ Poor Promises, Good Promises
Date: February 8, 2011 12:29 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Poor Promises, Good Promises
Poor Promises, Good Promises
"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he" (Isaiah 2:22)?
Scripture Focus: Isaiah 2:5-22
The essence of trusting God's promises is trusting the God who makes them. In the rather philosophical film "Revolutionary Road," someone says to the principal character, "You have put your trust in a promise no one ever made to you." That is a broken reed indeed!
Many put their trust in human promises. For instance, the remedies from self-help literature promise the earth and do not deliver. The thing about God is that He is the only one who can always deliver. He has the will, and He has the power to perform His promises. The 18th Century English writer, William Romaine, wrote to a friend, "As I was going along the road, I heard a voice saying, 'CEASE YE FROM MAN, from yourself, from others: put no confidence in them. Put not your trust in princes, not in any child of man, be he wise, or great, or good. Nay, look not at them, but with a single eye, look unto Jesus.'"
He set out on a new path of not heeding other promises but only the promises of God.
Insight: In difficulties do we look first to our own understanding or to others' advice? Put your fundamental trust in the Lord Jesus.
Topic: +DEV+ Poor Promises, Good Promises
Poor Promises, Good Promises
"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he" (Isaiah 2:22)?
Scripture Focus: Isaiah 2:5-22
The essence of trusting God's promises is trusting the God who makes them. In the rather philosophical film "Revolutionary Road," someone says to the principal character, "You have put your trust in a promise no one ever made to you." That is a broken reed indeed!
Many put their trust in human promises. For instance, the remedies from self-help literature promise the earth and do not deliver. The thing about God is that He is the only one who can always deliver. He has the will, and He has the power to perform His promises. The 18th Century English writer, William Romaine, wrote to a friend, "As I was going along the road, I heard a voice saying, 'CEASE YE FROM MAN, from yourself, from others: put no confidence in them. Put not your trust in princes, not in any child of man, be he wise, or great, or good. Nay, look not at them, but with a single eye, look unto Jesus.'"
He set out on a new path of not heeding other promises but only the promises of God.
Insight: In difficulties do we look first to our own understanding or to others' advice? Put your fundamental trust in the Lord Jesus.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
+DEV+ God's Gracious Promises
Date: February 6, 2011 8:39 PM
Topic: +DEV+ God's Gracious Promises
God's Gracious Promises
"For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless...Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace..." (Romans 4:14, 16).
Scripture Focus: Romans 4:1-16
Human promises are fallible. All denominations of English pound notes bear the caption "The Bank of England promises to pay the bearer on demand the sum of __ pounds." Especially in the current economic climate, they are unlikely to be of the same value in the future as they are today.
God's promises are gracious. That is, there is nothing we can do to earn them. God's gift of eternal life in His Son is all of grace (Great Riches At Christ's Expense).
The new covenant with us is not a contract: God does something for us if we do something reciprocal for Him. I spent a large part of my career in a business based on contractual relationships. No, Christ loved us and died for us when we were still sinners. That is the graciousness of God's dealing.
The Christian life is all about God's promises to us, not about our promises to Him. He is the Promise Keeper while our New Year resolutions fade before January is out! "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13).
Insight: Nothing devalues God's promises. They are free and infinitely valuable. We can confidently cash them right now at the Bank of Faith by prayer!
Topic: +DEV+ God's Gracious Promises
God's Gracious Promises
"For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless...Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace..." (Romans 4:14, 16).
Scripture Focus: Romans 4:1-16
Human promises are fallible. All denominations of English pound notes bear the caption "The Bank of England promises to pay the bearer on demand the sum of __ pounds." Especially in the current economic climate, they are unlikely to be of the same value in the future as they are today.
God's promises are gracious. That is, there is nothing we can do to earn them. God's gift of eternal life in His Son is all of grace (Great Riches At Christ's Expense).
The new covenant with us is not a contract: God does something for us if we do something reciprocal for Him. I spent a large part of my career in a business based on contractual relationships. No, Christ loved us and died for us when we were still sinners. That is the graciousness of God's dealing.
The Christian life is all about God's promises to us, not about our promises to Him. He is the Promise Keeper while our New Year resolutions fade before January is out! "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13).
Insight: Nothing devalues God's promises. They are free and infinitely valuable. We can confidently cash them right now at the Bank of Faith by prayer!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
+DEV+ God Gives Good Promises
Date: February 3, 2011 11:48 PM
Topic: +DEV+ God Gives Good Promises
God Gives Good Promises
"'Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses'" (1 Kings 8:56).
Scripture Focus: 2 Peter 1:3-21
"Promises, promises," we say when we know there is little hope of their fulfillment. That is the world's cynicism and perhaps our thinking, too, since people do often break promises. Likely, those were bad promises to begin with.
But God deals with us by good promises. He means us to fasten on to His promises, and He loves to have us claim them from Him in prayer. He loves to hear us ask for what He longs to give.
Solomon blesses God because God has kept the promise that He made to Israel through Moses "that he will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops...and your flocks...You will be blessed more than any other people" (Deuteronomy 7:13-14).
Solomon was dedicating the Temple, which itself had been promised, and saw that all God's promises to Moses had been kept. How humbling it must have been for God's often-grumbling people to hear these words. Their God - your God! - never fails.
Insight: Have we based our lives once and for all on the God who cannot lie? Will we stake everything on the promises of His Word?
Topic: +DEV+ God Gives Good Promises
God Gives Good Promises
"'Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses'" (1 Kings 8:56).
Scripture Focus: 2 Peter 1:3-21
"Promises, promises," we say when we know there is little hope of their fulfillment. That is the world's cynicism and perhaps our thinking, too, since people do often break promises. Likely, those were bad promises to begin with.
But God deals with us by good promises. He means us to fasten on to His promises, and He loves to have us claim them from Him in prayer. He loves to hear us ask for what He longs to give.
Solomon blesses God because God has kept the promise that He made to Israel through Moses "that he will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops...and your flocks...You will be blessed more than any other people" (Deuteronomy 7:13-14).
Solomon was dedicating the Temple, which itself had been promised, and saw that all God's promises to Moses had been kept. How humbling it must have been for God's often-grumbling people to hear these words. Their God - your God! - never fails.
Insight: Have we based our lives once and for all on the God who cannot lie? Will we stake everything on the promises of His Word?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
+DEV+ God's First Promise
Date: February 2, 2011 10:57 PM
Topic: +DEV+ God's First Promise
God's First Promise
"...a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time" (Titus 1:2).
Scripture Focus: Proverbs 8:22-31
This is Wondrous! God promised before the world began to give his people (not yet created) eternal life - everlasting joy in His presence! This was His purpose in creating us. And this was given us in Christ before all time.
This promise makes me keenly aware that my future is not dependent on my past or my present. Nor does it rest on any aspect of my life - my shortcomings and misdeeds, any virtues I may have. My future is founded entirely and securely on God's promise eons before I ever was. My eternal being is rooted in God's ageless plan. What security that gives us!
My destiny, therefore, is founded on God's character not on mine, on His promise, not on any I might make. And our aim in sharing this good news is that others might also become heirs of this promise, made before time began, in Christ.
As our hearts are warmed to Him for His tremendous love, we say with Paul, "O, the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of God!"
Insight: Do we grasp that God's promise of eternal life is not based on our doing? It was made in God's heart before we were created.
Topic: +DEV+ God's First Promise
God's First Promise
"...a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time" (Titus 1:2).
Scripture Focus: Proverbs 8:22-31
This is Wondrous! God promised before the world began to give his people (not yet created) eternal life - everlasting joy in His presence! This was His purpose in creating us. And this was given us in Christ before all time.
This promise makes me keenly aware that my future is not dependent on my past or my present. Nor does it rest on any aspect of my life - my shortcomings and misdeeds, any virtues I may have. My future is founded entirely and securely on God's promise eons before I ever was. My eternal being is rooted in God's ageless plan. What security that gives us!
My destiny, therefore, is founded on God's character not on mine, on His promise, not on any I might make. And our aim in sharing this good news is that others might also become heirs of this promise, made before time began, in Christ.
As our hearts are warmed to Him for His tremendous love, we say with Paul, "O, the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of God!"
Insight: Do we grasp that God's promise of eternal life is not based on our doing? It was made in God's heart before we were created.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
+DEV+ He Works Through My Weakness
Date: February 1, 2011 11:43 PM
Topic: +DEV+ He Works Through My Weakness
He Works Through My Weakness
"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be'" (Romans 4:18).
Scripture Focus: Genesis 22:1-18, Hebrews 11:17-19
God promised Abraham that He'd bless him and make his descendants a great nation which would be a blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:2).
Then Abraham had to wait until he and his wife were very old before the promised heir, Isaac was born. Imagine Abraham's feelings when he was then asked by God to sacrifice Isaac as an offering to God. How could that be? Was God breaking His promise that his descendants would bless the world?
But Abraham trusted in God. He didn't know how, but one way or another God was going to honor His promise. And God did just that. This faith, credited to him as righteousness, is the saving faith of Galatians 3:6-9.
The blessing is ours when we put our trust in Jesus as our Savior; we believe He is whom God's Word declares Him to be, and we receive Him into our hearts and are born again. His is the foundation promise, the gateway for us to become heirs of the promise of eternal life (see 1 John 2:25).
Insight: The faith that justifies us is the faith that trusts His promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Have you trusted in that promise?
Topic: +DEV+ He Works Through My Weakness
He Works Through My Weakness
"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be'" (Romans 4:18).
Scripture Focus: Genesis 22:1-18, Hebrews 11:17-19
God promised Abraham that He'd bless him and make his descendants a great nation which would be a blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:2).
Then Abraham had to wait until he and his wife were very old before the promised heir, Isaac was born. Imagine Abraham's feelings when he was then asked by God to sacrifice Isaac as an offering to God. How could that be? Was God breaking His promise that his descendants would bless the world?
But Abraham trusted in God. He didn't know how, but one way or another God was going to honor His promise. And God did just that. This faith, credited to him as righteousness, is the saving faith of Galatians 3:6-9.
The blessing is ours when we put our trust in Jesus as our Savior; we believe He is whom God's Word declares Him to be, and we receive Him into our hearts and are born again. His is the foundation promise, the gateway for us to become heirs of the promise of eternal life (see 1 John 2:25).
Insight: The faith that justifies us is the faith that trusts His promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Have you trusted in that promise?
+DEV+ Unexpected Answer
Date: February 1, 2011 1:42 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Unexpected Answer
Unexpected Answer
"Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door...she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it..." (Acts 12:13).
Scripture Focus: Acts 12:1-17
Do you sometimes pray with a degree of skepticism? Even while you're asking God to show the way out of your financial ruin or to take the cancer away or to grant comfort in the recent loss of a loved one, you don't actually expect to see "an answer" from God.
In today's reading, an angel miraculously freed Peter from jail. The fervent prayers of Peter's friends had been answered just as they'd hoped! Rhoda quickly recognized Peter's voice and God's answer to prayer. The other friends' cynical response when Rhoda told them he was at the door indicates their lack of faith.
How often do we pray for others, only to lose faith the longer we wait? The beauty of this story isn't just God sparing Peter's life; it's also God's willingness to allow skeptics to recognize His hand and share in the joy of God's answer.
Rejoice when God provides finances, healing, or comfort. Realize He may choose not to provide those. But above all trust Him and rest in His care.
Insight: You can believe in God's answers to prayer! Rejoice in His miracles, and tell others of His faithfulness.
Topic: +DEV+ Unexpected Answer
Unexpected Answer
"Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door...she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it..." (Acts 12:13).
Scripture Focus: Acts 12:1-17
Do you sometimes pray with a degree of skepticism? Even while you're asking God to show the way out of your financial ruin or to take the cancer away or to grant comfort in the recent loss of a loved one, you don't actually expect to see "an answer" from God.
In today's reading, an angel miraculously freed Peter from jail. The fervent prayers of Peter's friends had been answered just as they'd hoped! Rhoda quickly recognized Peter's voice and God's answer to prayer. The other friends' cynical response when Rhoda told them he was at the door indicates their lack of faith.
How often do we pray for others, only to lose faith the longer we wait? The beauty of this story isn't just God sparing Peter's life; it's also God's willingness to allow skeptics to recognize His hand and share in the joy of God's answer.
Rejoice when God provides finances, healing, or comfort. Realize He may choose not to provide those. But above all trust Him and rest in His care.
Insight: You can believe in God's answers to prayer! Rejoice in His miracles, and tell others of His faithfulness.
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