In Touch - Oct. 20, 2010
- Sign Up for Email?
- Published Oct 19, 2010
October 20
The Promises of God
Our heavenly Father has made many promises in the Bible. But there is confusion among Christians about which verses we can claim as a definite commitment from God. Three questions are useful in evaluating whether divine promises apply to our own situation:
1. Is this promise limited to a specific person or circumstance, or does it apply to all believers? For example, the pledge made to Abraham and Sarah about giving birth to a child (Gen. 18:10) is restricted to them, whereas Hebrews 13:5 contains a guarantee to all Christians that Jesus will be with them forever.
2. Are we asking the Lord to meet a need or a desire? A need is something that we must have in order for God to complete His work in our lives. A desire is something we want for satisfaction or enjoyment. If we lose our job, then an essential—an incoming wage—is missing. But if we want a new position for personal reasons, it's a desire.
3. Before fulfilling a promise, does the Lord require some action on our part? Proverbs 3:5-6 is a conditional promise, which pledges God's direction on the basis of our trust in Him. On the other hand, Jesus' assurance of His presence with believers (Heb. 13:5) is unconditional; it does not depend on anything we do.
By evaluating Scripture on the basis of these questions, we will know which promises apply to our situation. What confidence we'll have in asking our Lord to fulfill them in our lives. For, as 1 Corinthians 1:20 (niv) says, "No matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ."
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Watch Online Videos of Dr. Charles Stanley and In Touch Ministries at LightSource.com
and
Listen to Dr. Charles Stanley Online Broadcasts at OnePlace.com.
Some days it seems as if a spirit of anger is permeating the entire world. News stories of violence, road rage, and international discord fill the airwaves. If that were not enough, our families are also being torn apart by unresolved conflicts. Where do we turn for peace in this angry world?
Click here to order
Join Dr. Charles Stanley and In Touch Ministries as we intercede for our great nation. It is immensely important for believers to seriously consider where we are as a nation and understand the dangerous spiritual tide that is engulfing us. By clicking "Yes!" you are making the commitment to pray for our nation. In response to this pledge, we will be sending you a weekly e-mail to help you in this important endeavor. Each e-mail will include Scripture and prayer points to help unite us as a body of believers. There will be one e-mail per week for the 140 days, beginning July 5th.
Please click here to join this nationwide prayer effort.
Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.
