Promises of God – Part unknown

Promise 1

Psalms 30:5: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

God’s anger endures but a moment, and if, for a period of time, we may have forgotten Him, we have only to turn to Him in true repentance, and His forgiveness is instantly ours.

We will weep when grief overtakes us, when our loved ones are lost in death; and, as sometimes happens, when youth is gone and life has seemingly left us all alone.

But our tears need not be despairing, for earth’s sad night will soon be over, and the dawn that is just beyond the horizon will be ushered in. God’s glorious morning will then envelop the entire earth, and tears and sorrow shall be no more (Rev. 21:4).

Joy comes when the night is over,
When hope of day appears,
For the Lord shall banish sadness,
And joy shall shine through tears.

Promise 2

Psalms 31:24: “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

He will strengthen the hearts of all those that hope in the Lord ! How then do we obtain this hope? We obtain it by searching the Scriptures, by earnest, persevering prayer, and by placing ourselves in God’s hands when we know His will.

Fame and recognition might draw us away from God, and thus He sometimes permits us to go through deep valleys of sorrow and privation, that we may learn to live closer to Him.

But when we have this hope in the Lord, none of life’s most alluring treasures could possibly take us away from Him, for we have found the pearl of great price for which we had unknowingly searched for many years, and at last we have peace and happiness in our hearts.

A hope that whispers at nightfall,
Of joy that is to be,
Faint gleams of hope through the portal,
Your eves of faith may see.
Have courage, the time is coming,
When clamorous voices cease,
And the dawning of God’s presence
Shall bring sweet rest and peace.

Promise 3

Psalms 32:8: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” There is solace in the realization that we need not stumble uncertainly through life, for, if we are willing, God will lead us in the way that we should go. But even He cannot do this unless we fully surrender our wills to Him, and how difficult this is for the majority of us to do ! So often we are determined to follow our own inclinations until, finally, we come up against a wall where we must pause, because there is no way over or around it. Then we will reach out to the One who can guide us, and will know that, if we continue to follow Him, the path we are taking is the right one.

Oh, let me trust God as a child,
And give my life to Him,
And follow in my youthful days
Before my eyes are dim.

But even if my years are few,
Let us walk close to Thee,
And, Lord, forgive the barren years,
And come and dwell with me.

Promise 4

Matthew 28:20: “. . . Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

This text tells us that Jesus is with us always, not part of the time, but Always; every minute of every hour of every day and night. If we are in danger, all we need do is quiet our panic and fear, and realize that, since Jesus is there, no possible harm can come to us. He is the Master of every situation, and fires, storms, earthquakes, floods and violence need have no terrors for those who really love Him.

When we are sick, even if we are alone in some strange, unhappy place, we are really not alone, for Jesus is there. He knows all about pain, suffering, weakness and temptation. He has been through it all and so He can sympathize with us, ease our pain and help us to bear it. And don’t forget — even in the “lone watches of the night,” He is there.

If we lose a loved one, He is beside us when the tears fall and our hearts are in despair, telling us ever so gently that “we sorrow not as others who have no hope” (1st Thessalonians 4 :13 )

If we lose all of our possessions, what are they anyway but trifles in comparison to God’s love and our prospect of the glorious future to come? And we have the promise that the righteous will never be forsaken nor his seed begging bread (Psalms 37:25).

As to that dread enemy, death, what is there actually to be afraid of? Jesus will be there to comfort and reassure us, and we will know then for a certainty that He has been with us always, as He has prom­ised to be.

I am with you in far places,
In the jungle deep and wild,
Or the busy world where danger
Ever threatens you, my child.
I am with you in affliction,
And no evils can conspire
That will leave you at their mercy,
I am with you in the fire.
I will be with you when death calls you,
As through life I have been your guide,
Why should you fear when I shall lead you
With light through the eventide?

Promise 5

Luke 6:35: “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the highest: for He is kind unto the unthank­ful and to the evil.”

This promise of being the children of the Highest is one which we should treasure very highly. But note, it has a condition attached, we must love our enemies. Now it is easy enough to love our friends, but to love our enemies is a difficult stipulation. Of course, it isn’t possible to love our enemies in the same way we cherish our friends and dear ones, and this is not what Christ means. We are to love them in a Christian way, that is, we will never do them harm, but will forgive them and extend a helping hand when the occasion arises, as it nearly always does.

And, who knows, our persistent kindness in the face of their enmity may bring them at last to God. The Bible tells us that those who turn many to righteousness shall one day shine as the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3). But even if we have failed to change the lives of our enemies, we have won our own arduous battle, and daily grown more and more in the image and likeness of Jesus Christ who prayed God to forgive those who nailed Him to the cross.

This verse tells us that God is kind even to the unthankful and to the evil.

Can we not follow in His steps?
When friends betray with Judas kiss,
Or enemies assail
With unkind words that pierce the heart
And cause our soul travail,
Forgive the hurt, help if need be,
With all this may imply,
For our reward we will be called
Children of God Most High.

Promise 6

John 8:32: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

What is this Truth that we shall know, and from what will it set us free? The Truth is the knowledge of God’s plans and purposes, and will make us free because it will cause us to turn to Christ, and become new creatures in Him; old things shall pass away, and all things become new (2nd Corinthians 5:17). We then become heirs to all the precious promises of God, and we know how many and how wonderful they are. In darkness we saw a great light (Matthew 4:16), and we followed the light, so now we shall dwell no more in darkness, for “His Word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path” (Psalms 119:105). It may sometimes seem very dark indeed, but even in the deepest night there will always be at least a glimmer of light, for the “light of the world” is with us (John 8:12). O

Truth of God, pray set me free,
I offer now my prayer to Thee,
Thy Word, a lamp unto my feet
Will save from darkness and defeat.
And may I walk with Thee in grace
Until some day I see Thy face.

Promise 1

2nd Kings 6:16: “… Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that he with them.^“

These words were spoken by Elisha to his servant who was filled with fear when the great hosts of the king of Syria came to Dothan to take Elisha. The prophet knew that God was protecting him in a miraculous manner, and prayed that his servant’s eyes might be opened to see the horses and chariots of fire which were round about the city. The great Syrian army was smitten with blindness and defeated.

So, no matter how many enemies may confront us, “they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Invisible powers will fight for us, and the hosts of evil destroyed.

There are many that be with us,
We need fear no evil powers,
Pray to God, and His protection.
For the asking, may be ours.

Promise 2

Psalms 9:18: “The needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.”

It is a sad, but nevertheless true fact that the poor and needy are often forgotten by the majority of people, and even at times by some of God’s children. True, there is organized charity for the poor, hut there is a saying that “charity is as cold as the grave”, and anyone who has experienced it knows that usually this is the case.

God’s children should always endeavor to assist the poor, the needy and the sick, and say to them as did the apostle Peter: “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee . . .” (Acts 3:6). Yes, we can give them the most precious thing in the world, the water of life that Jesus offered to the woman at the well (John 4:6-15), so that they need never thirst again.

0 sad and weary, lift your heads,
Your troubles will soon end,
God sees you and remembers you,
He always is your Friend.
The oppressors soon will vanish,
Their place will be no more,
And you will know His peace and love
When His blessings shall out pour.

Promise 3

Psalms 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid ?”

The Lord is my Light. Through the deepening distress that overshadows the world today, my life is illuminated by God’s Word, and light streams forth on my daily path.

The Lord is my salvation. I have been redeemed by the Savior, and have been given a new existence in His love and divine protection, and some day I shall know His greater salvation which will be for all the ages to come.

Since He is the strength of my life, no weakness need overcome me, for He has promised to bear me up, whatever trials may overtake me. “Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you” (1st Peter 5:7). When we feel our strength failing, we need only to go in prayer to our Savior, who is a loving, tender and merciful High Priest, with His blessed hands always stretched out to help and

save us. We need not travel in an arid desert; springs of water are ever there to refresh us if we will but partake of them. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11: 28 ) .

God is my Strength, my Light, what then
Is there for me to fear?
He fills the dusky night with stars,
The shadows disappear.
Though whirlwinds fill the ravished land,
Secure within His love,
The tumult cannot dim my hope,
I lift my eyes above.

Promise 4

Matthew 11:28:30: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

These verses tell us that Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light. “Oh, no,” we are apt to protest, “our burdens are so heavy it is almost impossible to bear them.” If this is true, then it is because we are endeavoring to bear them alone, in which case they are indeed too heavy for our frail, human strength.

But those who serve God need never suffer under an unbearable yoke, there is someone who will bear the heaviest part of the burden with them. In His strength it will become light, and they will have the rest that has been promised. Why not “find rest unto our souls” when Jesus is so willing to give it to us?

If our lives are heavy laden,
We are precious in His sight,
Let us take His yoke upon us,
And our burdens will be light,
If we cast our cares upon Him,
And the Master’s hand controls,
We will find His yoke is easy,
And have “‘rest unto our souls.”

Promise 5

Matthew 17:20: “And Jesus said unto them . . . if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be im­possible unto you.”

This is the same theme again, faith and the reward of faith. Jesus had just cast out a devil from a child after His disciples had failed to do so. Then He rebuked His followers for their lack of faith.

We may argue that our faith is too weak to perform great deeds. The mustard seed is a tiny seed, but it grows into a mighty tree. So may our faith grow into a mighty faith that will remove the mountainous obstructions in our way.

We know that in the time of future blessedness, the “eyes of the blind shall be opened”; “the ears of the deaf shall he unstopped”; “the lame man leap as an hart”; and the “tongue of the dumb shall sing . . .” (Isaiah 35:5,6). We may not be able to accomplish all of these things now, but why not take advantage of prayer to do the things that we can do today? If faith as small as a grain of mustard seed can perform the things this text tells us can be done, how much more could a great faith accomplish! At least some of the “mountains” of pain, sorrow, grief and poverty would “remove to yonder place” and we would have a preview of the marvelous things to come. Let us ask God to increase our faith, and it will be increased in proportion as we believe.

A microscopic mustard seed
Will grow into a tree
Whose branches form a resting place
Of shade for you and me.
Our faith, just like the mustard seed
Must grow until we bear
The fruits of ,grace that may be ours
Through loving works and prayer.

Promise 6

Matthew 19:26: “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

Many things in these days have become possible to man. He has created instruments of destruction so fearful that the inhabitants of the world tremble when they allow themselves to think what might happen if somebody should become “trigger happy”, and inadvertently or willfully “press the button” that would spread desolation and death over a vast portion of the earth. They have produced planes with the speed of sound, machines that can perform many of the difficult feats formerly performed by man, and have brought into being mighty space ships which they think can one day conquer at least a portion of outer space. (Some of them have already reached the moon).

But there is one thing that, with all his might, man cannot do. He cannot give life to even the smallest creature. He has perseveringly endeavored to do this, and thinks he may still accomplish it, but this is God’s province and he will never be able to invade it. Many people today have left God out of their calculations. But they should remember that God gave them their marvelous minds, and in an instant He can and sometimes does take them away. Even the most skillful physician is often helpless in such cases, and their knowledge and power perish with them. They had not learned as others have learned that “in him we live, and move, and have our being . . . ” (Acts 17:28), and they, as well as we, are entirely dependent upon Him.

While man has accomplished seemingly greatly things, they are infinitesimal in comparison to the mysteries of the universe that are still impossible to him. God has accomplished all things from the beginning of creation, and at some time in the future He will finish His work as He tells us in Revelation 21:5: “Behold I make all things new . .

God, infinite, accomplishes
What man can never do,
So may we know in Him today
A life that is made new.
He can and often operates
With over-ruling skill
To bring about what can’t be done,
His purpose to fulfill.