Stay The Course

We had a great Lords day yesterday.  Our text was in Jeremiah 31.31-33 concerning God’s new covenant with Israel.  It speaks of the born again experience that Isreal will have.  A new covenant, with a new heart, that has new desires for Jesus.  We spent some time on God’s covenant keeping ability.  Our whole Christian experience is based on his promises he has made to us.  Our Salvation, not based on our performance, not one bit, but entirely on the Solid Bedrock of the veracity of his statements!  The forgiveness of sins, the atonement, being washed in the blood - we believe those statements!  We know, that we know that we know that Jesus is coming again, we believe all that he’s said about his return, he promised!  If we can believe those “mega-promises”, the really big ones, like he’ll take care of my eternity, then why do I struggle believing that he’ll help me pay my bills tomorrow?  The point is, there are so many “great and precious promises” for us as believers, that if we would live by them, we would have a quality of life that Jesus wants us to have.  Here are three we discussed in Church yesterday:

1. 1 Cor 10.13 - “…but will with the temptation give you a way to escape…”.  Here is the promise that for every temptation that has ever been encountered, no matter how Satan has packaged it, disguised it, God has provided an exit route.  A promise to endure temptation.
2. 2 Cor 12.9 - “…My grace is sufficient for you…”.  This promise for Paul is also a promise for us.  Of course the timing of this promise was for his trial.  There is a particular graciousness that only comes from our Lord during our Trials, and when I live by this promise I glorify him in a better way.  A promise to endure trials.
3. Phil 4.19 - “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus.” .  What a promise for our daily necessities.  Sure I believe that there is an inheritance in heaven waiting for me.  Sure I believe that there is a Crown for me, since I love his appearing.  My big problem is the way in which I fret over the short term needs.  I think if I poll 100 Christians and ask them whether or not the believe Jesus has enough to provide, 100 would say “Amen”!  Where we struggle is whether or not he will provide.  But again, he keeps his promises, he is faithful, I have only to trust him at his word.  A promise when things are tight.

It’s encouraging to read the scriptures and find the many, many promises that are in obscure places for our daily Christian experience.  Here we have noted just 3, a promise in temptations, a promise in trials and a promise for when times are tight.  May God work these into our hearts in a greater way and like King Solomon say “there has not failed 1 single promise of all his promises…”  Maranatha!