Good Morning!

Here we are, almost at the end of February already! Can you see the end of winter yet? I can! We are winding down our study on the promises of God. I’ve made broad categories, although, as I look at them, they are inadequate. Folks, God wants to take care of us. Not only that, he is capable. You and I can make grand promises, but we do not have the means to fulfill them. When God promises something, he can do it.

Today, we’re going to expand on yesterday’s promises – that we have not been left alone. Not only has God given believers the Holy Spirit, he has blessed us with everything we need until that day we meet Jesus face to face, either in our spirit or at the rapture with our resurrected bodies. Indeed, he desires good for us. Let’s look at some foundational scripture to back that up:

Jeremiah 29:11-14a For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord,

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Ephesians 1:3-4, 3:20-21 Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him….Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We can see, therefore, that God desires good things for us. Plus, we’re seeing the means by which he provides. This is no small fact, although we certainly have minimized all this to the point that we take it for granted. Can we all agree on that?

Let’s take a look at some other promises. I’m going to try categorizing some of these:

PROVISION:

Philippians 4:19-20 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Malachi 3:6-12 “For I the Lord, do not change; therefore, you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

PEACE OF MIND AND REST

Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

WISDOM

James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

SPIRITUAL PROTECTION

1 Corinthians 10:12-14 Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hears, you double-minded.

Ephesians 6″:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

My Gosh! Where do I stop? Do you get the point? God provides EVERYTHING we need if we simply go with the program. I’ve included verses here around familiar verses that you typically don’t see quoted, just so that you might get a flavor of what is required of us to enjoy the gifts that he gives to us. And this is the nutshell of what he requires to fully enjoy his blessings – our heart. Plain and simple, folks. What is our tithe other than our heart? What is our purity other than our heart? What is our time other than our heart? What is our rest other that our heart? What is anything holy other than our heart?

We have gifts that money can never hope to buy! Seek the Lord. Delight in Him. Trust Him with all your heart, mind, body, and strength. Make your body a living sacrifice, and enjoy the fruit of the Spirit.

Father, really rock people’s boat with these promises. Let them completely be stopped in their tracks and fall on their knees to worship you. Father, we are nothing without you; dust. We can do nothing without you. Please open our eyes, unstop our ears, melt our hearts, open our wallets, and send us out to proclaim your glory! Amen!

Copyright © 2018 Scott Powers