30 Days of Thanks & Praise! - Day #7

30 Days of Thanks & Praise! - Day #7 – God Keeps His Promises (II Peter 1:4)

II Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

An elderly Christian lay on his death bed and called for the pastor. As the man of God entered into the room, the dying man said, “Preacher, all of my life I have relied on the promises of God, but now, in the hour of my death, I cannot recall one promise by which I lived”. The pastor took the man by the hand and said, “Dear brother, it may very well be that we forget the promises of God. But the One who made the promise has no trouble at all remembering what He said”. It is true. God keeps His promises regardless of our ability to remember or embrace them. The apostle Peter said it this way, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward” (I Peter 3:9). As children of God, on any given day we receive promises, many to which we did not even ask. The Lord fulfills His promises out of love and desire to provide for our needs. Often we do not know what is best for our lives; at times, we do not know what to ask for. But regardless, we are recipients of His care and provision. Therefore, don’t be dismayed. The Lord knows what is best for our life and He is weaving His promises through every situation. We may forget to claim them, but He never forgets to keep them.

As we come to know and understand the Word of God accurately, there unfolds unto us great and precious promises. In other words, there are mega promises hidden for us in His Word as we become familiar with it. Due to this truth, this should encourage the believer to take out their spiritual shovels and begin exploring by digging deep for His riches in the Bible. The Bible is full of promises which give us insight and help in the issues of life. These promises are called precious. It is used by Peter several times where he speaks of our “precious faith” (I Peter 1:7; II Peter 1:1), Christ’s “precious blood” (I Peter 1:19), and here, “precious promises”.

If you feel overwhelmed or insufficient today, I challenge you to identify a promise from God’s Word—and claim it! When we stand on the promises of God, we stand on solid ground. Do you ever feel inadequate for the demands of the day? I do—every day! The longer I serve the Lord, the more I recognize my need for His power. Also, the longer I serve Him, the more I recognize my need to trust His power. Through God’s Word, He has given us “exceeding great and precious promises” (II Peter 1:4). But we often trust our fears and our feelings more than we trust His Word. In many cases, our thinking runs directly opposite from God’s promises.

We say: God says:
I can’t figure things out. I will direct your steps. (Proverbs 3:6)
I’m too tired. I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28–30)
It’s impossible. All things are possible with Me. (Matthew 19:26)
I don’t have enough faith. I have given everyone a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)
It’s not worth it. It will be worth it. (Galatians 6:9; Titus 2:13)
I can’t go on. My grace is sufficient for you. (II Corinthians 12:9)
I can’t do it. You can do all things through Me. (Philippians 4:13)
I can’t manage. I will supply all your needs. (Philippians 4:19)
I’m afraid. I have not given you a spirit of fear. (II Timothy 1:7)
I’m not able. I am able. (II Timothy 1:12)
I’m always worried. Cast your cares upon Me. (I Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6)
I feel all alone. I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
I’m not smart enough. I give you wisdom. (James 1:5)

Which of God’s promises are precious to you? Which ones are you storing up in your heart and mind to carry with you into the future? Perhaps you should start a list of God’s promises as you read His Word. Make it your intention to believe His promises are precious and very great. Commit to start knowing them by heart. Then you'll be ready to hang on to them through whatever challenge comes next. What five promises of God can you write down right now? How did each of them become memorable to you? Where are you tracking how God is keeping His promises? If you aren’t, how will you put that into practice? God's love never fails and His promises never cease. We can always trust what God says, no matter what may be going on around us. Thank Him today for His promises to you.

PRAYER: LORD, we thank You already for what You are going to do for us. For Your Son’s promise to always be with us. Thank You for the confidence to face the uncertainties of the year ahead because I can have confidence in You. We commit ourselves anew to believe Your Word and to listen to Your Spirit’s prompting. Your promises are precious and I thank You for making them available so I can lean on them and rest in them every day. Once Your Presence and Your Promises are presented to us, our lives cannot be the same. Without You, we can do nothing. LORD, abide in us. In the power of Jesus name, Amen.

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