As promised, here is the second part of my Valentine's Day gift to you. Actually, it's not really my gift...it's God's gift to you. Today, I'm just the messenger.
As I mentioned in Part I, I am so thankful that our God is the One true God. He is not duplicitous in nature like we are. Within ourselves, we battle with good and evil, right and wrong, good intentions and selfishness. God, on the other hand, is ALWAYS ONE - never two sided, always consistent, always goodness and love. He simply cannot deny himself.
When I go back and read all the promises God made in the Old Testament and I see how they ALL came true, I am encouraged. There is not one single promise that God didn't make good on.
Not one of the all the Lord's promises to the house of Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled. (Joshua 21:45)
This gives me hope and confidence that He will make good on all His promises to me. So here are four more promises (so hard to choose) with a little more depth added by my trusty concordance and commentaries. I also add in some of my own insights, but mind you they are human insights and not gospel truth.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 37-39)
It's interesting that the Greek word for "more than conquerors" is hypernikao. This is the only time this word is used in the Bible. It means to thoroughly conquer, or to go beyond conquest. In essence being a "hyper-conqueror".
So what's the big deal? In all the other versions of the verb to conquer the meaning is akin to: "push away", "take possession", "drive out", or "take over". In all of these versions of conquering - they can all be undone if you will.
If you push the enemy away, they can push back. If you take possession of something, someone else can take it back. If you drive out the enemy, they can return and drive you out. If you take over someone's territory, they can take it back.
Paul is saying that through Christ we are more than conquerors. We are hypernikao. What God has given us through the death of His precious Son can NEVER be taken back. Christ has thoroughly conquered our salvation and He has gone beyond conquest to ensure that we will NEVER be able to be separated from Him.
We can have absolute assurance that no matter what trials or sufferings befall us, we are stuck like glue - unable to be severed from our Lord and Savior.
We, through Christ, have supremely conquered death. There is no sting. Life eternal is insured.
Wow...what a promise that I will never be separated from God and He has conquered death and all adversity once and for all! We are hypernikao!! Print that on a t-shirt and wear it!!
Next we have Paul speaking after he talks about having a thorn in his flesh that the Lord had yet to take from him:
But he (Jesus) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
My impression is that the Lord had a better, perhaps more eternal purpose, for not removing the thorn in Paul's side.
Human weakness provides the ideal opportunity for the display of divine power.
Jesus is saying that His grace - His "charis" is sufficient. He is promising that we will live in a state of kindness and favor toward us...that He will extend benefits, blessings, credit, goodwill, gifts toward us.
Jesus promises that His "charis" will be sufficient (or "arkeo") for us.
His grace will enable us to be satisfied or content enough.
Notice that His grace doesn't make everything perfect. I believe that in this lifetime we may be content or satisfied, but will always have a homesick longing for the perfect life everlasting that awaits us when we are ushered into Christ's eternal presence.
In this life, Jesus will give us what we need to make it through and be able to give Him the glory.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Jesus speaking in Matthew 7:7-8)
Jesus is speaking to his disciples and He is speaking to us. He encourages us that we can apply to Him for supernatural aid. He is also reassuring the disciples/us that our perseverance will not be in vain. His promise is that if we seek Him (in all difficulties whatsoever) we will have the aids of His Spirit.
Provided what we ask for is agreeable to God's will...He will fulfill it!!
If only we ask...yes, all we have to do is ASK, and the door of mercy and salvation will be opened to us.
No earning, striving, being good enough needed. Just A-S-K period!
These words are binding on the side of God...bring Christ's word and His sacrifice with you and not one of Heaven's blessings can be denied you.
Ask ----with confidence and humility
Seek---with care and application
Knock- with earnestness and perseverance
The Bible talks about asking and bids us to ask over 700 times. I really think God wants us to just ask...what do you think?
And the greatest for last: (Jesus speaking)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
This promise has become so commonplace that we forget how truly magnificent it is; we even see it in the end zone at football games. Take a moment and let it truly sink in...God's great, unfathomable love...
God's great love motivated not only His plan for creation, but His plan for salvation.
No other promise in all the world was ever motivated by such pure love.
God promises that whoever "believes" = "pisteuo"="put one's faith in" Jesus, with a trust that believes that actions based on that trust will follow, shall not perish, indeed, and furthermore will have eternal life.
All I can say is Amen!
This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. (Lamentations 3:21-22)
As my Valentine prayer for you, I encourage you to go back and read through these scripture promises and insert the word "me" or your name as the recipient of the command, blessing, or promise. Make it personal to YOU...because it is. Happy Valentine's Day!!
Be blessed...
ps. Check our these Valentine notes of thanks to all of you who have prayed for and supported Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc. For more on how you can help, visit the "MISSIONS" tab above. **News flash** Website coming soon. Keep your eyes peeled!!
