God's Promises

Hebrews 11:18 and 24 – 25

Abraham trusted God that He would provide and that He would be faithful to His promise. We show that we trust God by obeying and praising Him. Obedience to scripture by sharing Christ with others—this is how we trust God. We obey Him, trusting that He will be faithful to His word and answer our prayers, in His good time and His own way. While waiting on God, in trust, we are to live as the salt of the earth, humble and giving (Matthew 5:13). Reach out to your fellow humans, bless strangers, study scripture to know how to respond to the questions of unbelievers (Colossians 4:6), and above all, share the joy you have that is freely provided by our God and King.

You may be a sibling, a parent, a hard-working employee or business owner; you may be rich or poor; you may lead a busy life, one filled with distractions and joys and heartaches, but you must be above all, a Christian.

The most important thing in this world is your relationship with God. It determines your eternity. If this relationship is broken or undeveloped, your relationships with the people in your life and with the strangers you meet will also always suffer. Your failure to put God first, to seek first His kingdom and righteousness, will prevent Him from using you and blessing your neighbors through you the way He wills.

On what do you place your daily priorities? Who or what comes first? How do you spend most of your time? Remember, a spirit of thanksgiving and praise to God can be employed even while you are working on earthly things. Keep your focus on Him and it will amaze you just how powerfully God will use you. First we study scripture to learn how to obey Him, and then we can put those principles to use. A life well-lived is one lived in obedience to God's commands. Know His love and joy, and share these things with everyone He puts in your life.

When you do this, you show you trust Him, and He will be faithful to His promises, which are many and wonderful. God Bless you

Seek First the Kingdom, and God will Provide the Rest

Luke chapter 12 shares a beautiful inspiring message about trusting God.

If you read and study verses 27 through 34 you will find that it is not God's will for His people to doubt or worry or fear. God tends to birds, makes the grass grow, and raises up the lilies into a beauty greater than that of King Solomon in all his glory. So why should those who claim to know God--who claim to believe in His power and love and authority--ever worry or doubt?

Verse 28 points out that if God tends to the grass, which is of little value, won't He take much greater care of those who call on Him? He clothes you, puts a roof over your head, provides work or substance, and repeatedly shields you from a multitude of dangers.

Many great disciples over the centuries, like Ruth Graham, kept journals where they recorded the times when God answered their prayers or simply provided. This is a nice method for teaching us to open our eyes to God's providence in our lives. It is very easy--especially with the devil whispering ingratitude and other evil filth into our ears--to forget all the times God has pulled us from the fire. This was the main problem with the Israelite's in the Old Testament; they would constantly forget all the miracles God had performed for them, all the times He protected them from enemies and hunger and thirst and from their own inadequacies.

Some good king or prophet would finally point out their ingratitude and forgetfulness of God's grace, and they would turn their hearts back to Him, and He would receive them with open arms.

It seems contrary for we 'believers' to doubt. We worry about everything and seem sometimes to believe for nothing. Sure we pray, but is there belief, unshakeable belief in God in your prayers? Verse 29 says: 'And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.'  Anxiety is prevalent in modern society. It should not be so in the lives of believers. The apostles suffered as much and more than all who have come after them, and yet they were filled with joy, even when they were persecuted, thrown in prison, and facing death for their belief.

They rejoiced, because they had no anxiety, because their hearts were right with God.

Verse 31 says: 'But seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.'
You see, God wants to provide you with the things you need, but of far greater importance to Him is where your heart lies. Is it in Him? Or do you yearn more for the things of this world, and do you seek to satisfy your concerns above honoring your Creator?

The bible makes very clear that the most important concern for believers in this world is their relationship with God. If your relationship with Him is right and proper, if your highest design is to glorify His holy name, then your heart will be right with Him and God will provide.

• Believe and he will provide
• Believe and He will heal
• Believe and He will save

Do not worry about tomorrow. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than them? (Matthew 6:26).

God loves you. His thoughts for you are of peace, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

So stop doubting like the wandering Israelite's. Stop worrying as if you were an unbeliever. You serve a mighty God. Believe He will do as He promises. Read Mark 9:14-23. Spend time in the Word and in prayer. You cannot add anything to your life by worrying. God calls us to believe, not to lead lives filled with anxiety. Joy and peace are 2 of the Fruits of the Spirit. They are yours for the taking. Choose belief, and God will account it to you as righteousness. Praise God! Amen