Our first promise is found in 1st Peter 3:12: “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers.”
Here is an answer to our dilemma when we feel that we cannot draw near to God. If we are righteous, and all of us hope that we are counted as such in the eyes of God, then the eyes of the Lord are over us, and He hears our prayers. Is it not indeed comforting that the eyes of the Lord are always over us? He sees all that we do; keeps us from accidents of various kinds, and from sin if we are living close to Him. Yes, His ears are open to our prayers. This doesn’t mean that He is always going to answer our prayers in the way that we would like to have Him answer them; but in the way that is best for us even if the answer is “No”.
Some of us have no doubt prayed earnestly for something we wanted very much without adding the qualifying clause, “Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” If we have and we received what we prayed for, did we not sometimes find that it was not after all what was good for us, and wished we had not received it? God gave it to us to teach us a lesson, to always ask for what we wish If It Is His Will to give it to us.” We may need to walk by faith and not by sight, but, after all, is that not what the follower of Christ is supposed to do? Did not Abraham walk by faith when he offered his son Isaac to God? God was testing Abraham’s faith, and He will test ours, but if we are faithful and believe that His ways are best for us, He will transmit the tests into blessings, as He did with Abraham.
Let us have the faith of the faithful ones mentioned in Hebrews 11, and we will Know that His eyes are over us, and His ears are open to our prayers.
Our second promise is found in 2nd Thess. 3:3: “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”
This is somewhat along the line of the first promise. We know that there are many evils existing today that will overwhelm us if we are not living close to God. We are not being burned at the stake or thrown to the lions, at least not at the present time, but the Bible tells us that in the last days, if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived (Matthew 24:24). Some of the evils today are so subtle and “sugar coated” that often it is hard to distinguish them from the Truth. We are not influenced by the more flagrant evils, such as the statement of so-called ministers and others that God is dead, that science has taken His place, and we no longer need Him. We know that God is very much alive, and is merely abiding His time to make His presence felt; and we also know that we need Him every day.
We are aware, too, that immorality is at an all-time high; law and order are being flouted in the name of right, and crime and rebellion are sweeping the entire United States and some foreign countries as well. But there are other things such as certain statements by scientists and religionists that are causing doubt of some parts of God’s Word. Some of their pronouncements seem so plausible that many, not too well grounded in the faith, are being carried away by them. These are the things of which we must be aware and the Bible tells us to always “watch” (Mark 13:37). God will keep us from all these evils if we are consecrated to Him and pray constantly to be guided in these evil times. Otherwise we may be drawn into something that may seem perfectly innocent, but which, if not discerned and checked, could wreck our faith. (Read Psalms 88:1-14 for comfort and help when in doubt or in time of need, also Psalms 116:1-14). There are many, many other precious promises of comfort and help, and if we read at least some of them daily and apply them to ourselves there is no need for us to be deceived by false doctrines or other evils.
Our third promise is found in 2nd Tim. 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
If we are afraid of anything, we know that this fear is not from God. It is from a lack of faith in His promises. What has He given us to combat this spirit of fear? He has given us power, love, and a sound mind. If we have power we can say to fear, “Be gone, I will not allow you in my thoughts”, and if this power is God’s power fear will depart and faith take its place. The author read this statement in a recent magazine and thought it quite to the point: “Fear knocked at the door; faith opened it, and there was nothing there.” Yes, indeed, if we have faith in God and His promises, we will have the power to eliminate this enemy from our lives. If we have love in our hearts, we can easily win the battle, for where love is, fear and doubt cannot exist. “We love God because He first loved us” (1st John 4:19. He loved us enough to send His only begotten Son into the world to save us. If we have even a measure of the love that God had for us in sending His Son, or that Jesus had in suffering and dying for us, then we need not be afraid of anything, no matter what befalls us. If we have a sound mind, we are not going to allow these doubts and fears to remain with us. God has given us a sound mind, and we should use it with faith and His power to overcome the foes that would destroy us if they possibly could. So—if we have power, love and a sound mind, there isn’t a thing in the world for us to be afraid of.
Our fourth promise is found in Hebrews 1:14: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
Here is more help for us, very definite help. We remember how Elisha was surrounded by a great army and how frightened his servant was when he asked Elisha what they were going to do (2nd Kings 6:14-17). Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes, and when they were opened he saw horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. “They that be with us”, said Elisha, “are more than they that be with them.” And so it is with us. God does not literally open our eyes today that we may see the ministering spirits about us, but, by faith, we know they are there, always protecting and helping us.
Our fifth promise is found in Hebrews 4:16 : “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
The word “boldly” should read “confidently”. We are never to be bold in the presence of God, but we are to be confident. If we come to Him confidently He will have mercy, and forgive our unintentional sins. Let us not be timid in approaching God and asking for what He has promised to give us.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One