September 2 – Here Are Six But There Are More

 “[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” -  2 Timothy 1:9 -  (ESV)

Six Promises for those saved and In Christ Jesus. Pause for a moment and think how incredible it is to be united to Christ. Bound to Christ. If you are “in Christ” listen to what it means for you:

1. In Christ Jesus you were given grace before the world was created. (2 Timothy 1:9)
2. In Christ Jesus you were chosen by God before creation. (Ephesians 1:4)
3. In Christ Jesus you are loved by God with an inseparable love. (Romans 8:38–39)
4. In Christ Jesus you were redeemed and forgiven for all your sins. (Ephesians 1:7)
5. In Christ Jesus you are justified before God and the righteousness of God in Christ is imputed to you. (2 Corinthians 5:21) 
6. In Christ Jesus you have become a new creation and a son of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17) 

The unbeliever is not in Christ Jesus but an enemy of God’s truth as revealed in the Bible. Declaring that one believes in Jesus is real does not save. True belief is saving faith, a gift of God. In the next few days we will look a little closer at each of these six promises in God’s Word. 

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February 11 – Mercy on Me

“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Psalm 57:1 (NIV)

“Mercy me!” These days it is the name of a band and/or the name of a song sung by a different band. It is an exclamation with the same meaning as the words David wrote in this Psalm. He was calling on God for mercy and for protection. Twice David had an opportunity to dispatch King Saul who was hunting to kill him.  What is interesting about this verse is the fact that when David wrote this song he was recalling when he was hiding in a cave where he had an opportunity to be rid the threat of death by killing Saul and being rid of him permanently. Instead, David hid in the cave and trusted God. David, anointed to be King after Saul, knew his own need for a refuge for his soul, and he found that in God. He could be secure and safe spiritually. He didn’t have to kill Saul. David chose to trust in God who promised to keep Him safe forever. We need and have the same refuge. God has promised us a safe place with Him for our souls, for eternity. So we can say with David, “We have our refuge in our God."

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December 24 – Time Out of Mind

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”  Micah 5:2 (NIV)

When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem to ask where the King of the Jews had been born, King Herod called together those who would know.  Those who had studied the prophets replied that it would be in Bethlehem and quoted from the prophet Micah. “They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’””  Matthew 2:5-6 (NASB)  So, Herod gave the wise men directions to Bethlehem.  But none of Herod's advisers read for him the last part of the prophecy from Micah. They are very significant words and a promise for all  of us.  They tell that Jesus came from eternity. The word that Micah used translated in our verse as “from ancient times” means literally “from time out of mind” or from a time beyond our minds ability to comprehend – from eternity.  And that He would be ruler over Israel. This promise which begins thousands of years before Herod hears the prophecy was now being fulfilled in Jesus. 

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November 18 – Before, Now and Future Time

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,  to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”  -  Jude 1:24-25 (NASB)

Our verses today are the doxology found at the end of the letter written by Jude, a half-brother of Jesus and full brother to James.  There is only one chapter in this book, and it is packed full of warnings against a life of sinful living and in rebellion to God and Jesus Christ our Savior.  But Jude ends the rather harsh letter with these encouraging words and promises. We have the promise that Jesus Christ is able to keep us from stumbling into the life and actions Jude previously warned us off of.  And the promise that Jesus gives us a rightful standing in the very presence before God.  Not just a standing but a standing in His glory and in a blameless state, filled with joy. There is so much here that the next time we hear it recited at the end of a message or service, we should think deeply about these promises and not let them just roll off our tongue.  We can acknowledge that Jesus Christ our Lord has glory, majesty, dominion, and authority from eternity past, before all time, now in time, and forever into eternity future for all time.    

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October 11 – The Hope of Eternity

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ”  - Ecclesiastes 3:11  (NIV)

What an awe inspiring promise we have in today's verse which comes from the writings of King Solomon.  First the promise that everything has been made by God. This is every activity or event for which a culmination point may be fixed. And it all has been made beautiful or appropriate for its time.  Then we see the promise that God has made us for His eternal purpose.  We will finally see this fulfilled in eternity for nothing in this post-Fall time can fulfill that purpose.  In the time where we are now our understanding is unable to comprehend the work of God.  We try but it is only through God ultimately revealing to us in eternity the mystery of His glory. We carry these promises with us and they give us hope for a future beyond the end of this world, a future that is worth holding on to our faith while we are here.  

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August 13 – A Place, A Return, A Gathering, Forever

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:3 -   (NASB)

The Gospel of John give us an account of what Jesus said to His disciples at their observance of Passover Seder. We believe that Jesus' words in John 13-17 were spoken before they went out to the garden where Jesus was arrested.  Many promises were given at this time and much encouragement was offered because Jesus knew they would need it.  Judas was planning a betrayal for a bounty.  Peter was soon going to deny that he even knew Jesus and he was going to do it three times. Most of the rest would run for their lives and hide in fear. We believe the promises and encouragement are intended for all who have believed in Jesus as Savior and Lord.  Our verse today has four promises, or maybe we might say, four parts to one promise.  Jesus promises to prepare a place for us.  Jesus promises that He will come again.  Jesus promises that He will take us to Himself.  Jesus promises that we will be where Jesus is and that is for all eternity.  A place prepared, He comes again to gather His believers to have them with Him for the rest of time without end.  Let these promises be front and center today as we each attend to our responsibilities and duties.  

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July 28 – Eternity Past, Eternity Future

“For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.” Psalm 48:14 (NASB)

When we look for descriptions of our God to know better what God is like, we find answers in verses like today's verse.  We also find promises because almost every time the Bible describes attributes God and His character, it does so by revealing what He is and what He does for His people.  Sometimes the promises are a blessing and sometimes a warning.  The Psalm we get our promise from today was written by the sons of Korah, decedents of the son of Moses who were singers and song writers during the time of ancient Israel.  This song affirms that our God is eternal and his attributes are eternal.  The promise is that our God from eternity past to eternity future will guide us until we reach our physical and earthly end.  We can be blessed to know if we have believed and trusted in Jesus Christ that we will be a part of God's eternity future after our death because even when we die, we will live with Him.  In the meantime on this earth, God will Guide us, never leave us, never forsake us.  

 

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September 17 – Personally Revived

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)

If we take a moment each day we can reflect and remember how blessed we are to have the assurance that our God who is in heaven also lives with us.  He abides in the high and holy place and he is with us when we are perplexed and dismayed.  He knows our situations and is very anxious to be a part of our lives.  Even though we are so small and so weak in comparison to God's greatness, and His power, yet He desires and promises to be involved in our lives.  And our verse today tells us why. He wants to revive us, to revive our spirits and our hearts.  Remember the times when we are low and feel ashamed or regretful, even in those times, God wants to lift our spirits and boost our confidence in His love for us.  So, today, let us remember to be humble and recognize our weaknesses and our need for His help.  And let us walk through the day rejoicing that we have such a Holy God who loves us so much. 

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September 7 – No Pity But Hope Eternal

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 1 Corinthians 15:19 (NIV)

You might find this verse we have chosen to be a bit different – especially when we spend each day thinking about promises God has made.  This verse is a part of the teaching of the apostle Paul about God's plans for His people to be raised from the dead and to enter heaven.  So we understand that what this verse is saying is that we DO have a hope, and expectation that goes on into eternity. It would be tragic for our soul if our hope ended when our time on earth ended.  If we are believing in Jesus just for the years we're living here on earth it would only be for a short time.  But our hope and expectation is for all eternity.  That is an immeasurable period for it never ends.  When our short time on earth comes to an end, God has promised us a life that will last forever in His presence.  This is what makes the Christian life so much more worthwhile.  We are not to be pitied, but we are to rejoice in this promise.

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August 16 – Holding Things Together

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”   Colossians 1:17 (NASB)

God is our creator and the creator of all things in the universe. Our Bible tells us that the Son of God participated in the creation and He is the One who died for us on the cross.  This verse selected for today is a promise of God's attributes and can be applied to eternity past, before the creation and the beginning of time.  It can also be applied to the way the Son of God is involved in keeping the universe together today and in the future. However, we want to bring the application closer to ourselves today.  We can rejoice that Jesus, the Son of God has always existed and that He continues to hold things together for us. As things around us seem to be falling apart, let's remember that our Lord knows what is happening and more than that, He is involved in our lives.  He'll continue to hold things together for us, He won't let things fall apart as we trust Him.   As our creator, He created the means that holds all things together, He is the 'glue' that holds everything together*.

*What Holds Atoms Together

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May 30 – Sustaining To The Very End

“who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:8 (ESV)

We often come here to be reminded that our God is actively involved in the lives of His children – us who believe and have received Jesus Christ as our Savior by faith. Today's verse is one such reminder and it is a promise from God's Word. This promise was not only for Christians living in Corinth almost 2000 years ago. It is for all Christians living today. If you are a believer in Jesus it is for you today and it is for you as long as your are living here on this earth.  God is active in our lives in preparation for our time in eternity. Our verse reminds us that He is strengthening us every day to keep us strong to the end of our lives here. His purpose is to prepare us for the time we will be with Him in eternity. He wants to purify us so that we will be blameless when our life on earth is over. It is His doing, not ours, and we are called to have faith, believing the promises He has given to us. Let's rejoice that we do not have to face the hours, days, and years ahead alone, God is with us and He will sustain us to the end. 

May 19 – Beyond Our Imagination

“However, as it is written:  “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.”  1 Corinthians 2:9-10a (NIV)

For some of you reading this today, you find this verse very familiar. That is good because recalling these truths are good for our daily walk. We need to be reminded. If today's verse is new to you, that too is good because we all need to know the power and extent of what God has done and plans to do for all who have received Jesus Christ as Savior. Our God has great plans for each of us. He has plans for each of us for this very day as well as plans for us that extend into eternity. Our God is personal and is directly involved in each of our lives. The amazing thing is that His plans are beyond anything we can imagine or conceive.  If we think of the best thing that God might have planned for us we can rest assured that his plans exceed what we have just thought of. As we go through each day of our lives, one day at a time, God reveals those plans to us through the Holy Spirit. 

January 22

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” Psalm 48:14 (NIV)

It is interesting that this one verse speaks of our relationship to God during time and for eternity. Our God is eternal and that means that He will never end – and that he had no beginning. But our verse says that He will be our guide even to the end. So, of course this means that He will guide us as long as we are living on earth – as long as we need his guidance. But then when our lives here are over, God will still be our God. He will bring us to Himself and we will be with Him throughout eternity. Our relationship with Him will last forever. He will always be our God. So let us rejoice in this truth today and say with the psalmist, “this God is our God for ever and ever.”

November 5

“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”  1 John 2:17 (NIV)

God is working out His purpose in this old world. He is eternal but the things around us that He has created are not going to last forever. He has a purpose, however, to bring His people into eternity. We are reminded of this in this scripture. What a wonderful prospect there is in this gift of eternal life promised to those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. Although God made the world that we see around us, it will pass away some day. But God is working among His creatures to find those who fit in His pattern of eternity. He wants you and me to enjoy eternity with him. Let’s follow His will and not get entangled in the world. Let’s follow eternal things – the spiritual things. 

October 28

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”  2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

This tells us why Jesus came and gave His life for us. What was His purpose? It was that we might become rich. I believe it is beneficial for us to examine our experience in the light of this stated divine purpose. Can we really say that we have become rich by believing in Jesus? Of course this is not talking about being rich financially. It does not promise a huge bank account or large material possessions. We need to recognize the great spiritual wealth that has come to us – spiritual blessings, the peace and joy God gives, and the assurance of an eternity with Him.

August 21

“Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”  Hebrews 11:16 (NIV)

I am impressed by the statement that God is not ashamed to be called their God. This is a significant statement that is good for us today, too. If you have accepted God’s offer of eternal life, then you are His today. But it is also true that He is yours. You can know that you have a God in heaven. And you can call Him yours and He will agree. What is it that makes this true? It is because you are living for eternity – with eternity’s values in view. So, if you are looking for a heavenly city, then you are included in the words of this verse. 

July 23

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  Psalm 23:6 (NIV)

These words may be new to you, or they may be very familiar. Maybe we have memorized them in childhood. The psalmist had come to know his Shepherd and here expressed his faith in the Lord, His Shepherd. He had the assurance that he would be taken care of as long as he lived on earth. The goodness and love of God would be a part of his daily experience. And this is true for us who follow the Shepherd even now. We can experience His goodness and love each day, and can have the same assurance David had about life in eternity. There is an eternal home awaiting us too. So, let’s be encouraged!

March 31

“…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:10 (NIV)

There is a big difference between the human way of thinking and God’s way. We see the contrast in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. This contrast is what makes it worthwhile to live for God. While most of us may not suffer as much persecution as Paul did, or have to get along with as little as he did, we can thank God for taking care of us. And we can appreciate how much we really have as His children. Although we may not have much of this world’s goods, yet we do have the blessing of God in this life and the prospect of being taken care of through eternity. So we can think of ourselves as Paul did in this verse – “having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”

March 16

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”  Revelation 5:9 (NIV)

Yesterday we read that John, the Baptist described Jesus as the Lamb of God. Today John the apostle in a vision saw Him as the Lamb. When Jesus died on the cross it was no accident. Nor was it an event of minor importance. Even in eternity, when we are there in the presence of God, the death of Christ on the cross will be a theme of the singing in heaven. So when we are reminded of His suffering, remember the great and eternal meaning of it all. Jesus, the Lamb of God will be praised because He was slain and purchased man with His blood.

February 29

“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Psalm 57:1

These are interesting words especially in view of the fact that when David wrote this song he was hiding in a cave. Yes, David needed a place to hide from those who wanted to kill him. He hid in a cave to save his physical life, to keep his body safe. But David knew that he needed a refuge for his spiritual being too, for his soul, and he had found that in God. He could be secure and safe spiritually. No matter what happened to his body he could trust in God to keep Him safe forever. We need the same refuge and God will provide us a safe place for our souls for eternity. So we can say with David, “God is our refuge.”