The Bible: Standing On The Promises
(Hebrews 4:1-2)
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The last time I spoke, I emphasized the importance of learning God’s Word. Jesus Himself said in John 8:31-32 that only believers who study the Word of God are true disciples, or students of Jesus Christ, which is what the word "disciple" actually means in the original Koine Greek. I also explained that learning the spiritual things in the Bible is a spiritual process, as we’re told in 1 Cor. 2:14, and that it’s not a matter of human abilities or IQ.
Today I’m going to look at the benefits of learning God’s Word, of knowing and believing His promises in the Bible. The Bible is filled with wonderful promises, not only about blessings that we will receive in eternity, but also blessings that are ours while we are here on earth.
The writer of the book of Hebrews speaks about this in chapters 3 and 4. In chapter 3, we are told about the failure of the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, because they did not believe God’s promises. The Exodus generation of Jews knew God’s word, but didn’t believe it, they didn’t trust in it.
These Jews saw the 10 plagues in Egypt, including the killing of the firstborn son in each Egyptian household on the evening of the first Passover meal. They saw God lead them through the desert as the Shekinah glory cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. They saw God part the Red Sea as large walls of water on both sides so that they could cross over, and saw those same waters drown the Egyptian army. The Israelites saw God give them water from a rock, and produce manna for them to eat each day. However, despite seeing these glorious displays of God’s power and protection of them, they still had trouble trusting God when they reached the Promised Land, the land of Canaan.
When the 12 spies went into the Promised Land of Canaan and saw the size and numbers of the people who lived there, 10 of the spies convinced the people of Israel that they should not go in as God had told them to do. Only Joshua and Caleb trusted in God and said that the Israelites should move forward. Because the people sided with the 10 spies, God punished Israel by making them wander in the desert for another 40 years, until all of that generation of adults except Joshua and Caleb died. Then Joshua and Caleb led the next generation of Israelites into the Promised Land.
It is with this background that the writer of Hebrews then says in Hebrews 4, verses 1 and 2:
Heb. 4:1-2
1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. (NAS)
In Hebrews 4:1, we are actually told to fear being in a situation where God has made promises to us, and that we may fall short of obtaining those promises. When we look back at the Exodus generation of Israelites, it is easy for us to marvel at their unbelief, to wonder how they could actually lack faith after all they saw.
However, we are no different today. It is human nature to doubt God, the old human sin nature that is still a part of all of us even after we are saved. We can look back at Israel and say that if we were there, we wouldn’t have acted the same way. We can even say that Israel had advantages that we don’t have, because they actually saw and heard God in their midst.
But in fact, it is we believers today, members of the body of Christ called the Church, who have the advantages. We have the entire revelation of God, the Bible, at our fingertips in writing, and Israel didn’t. We have all three members of the Godhead living inside of us, and Israel didn’t. We have prophecies about the future that Israel didn’t have. Still, we all doubt God at times as Israel did.
Hebrews 4, verse 1, also uses the word "rest" to describe the state of believers who take advantage of God’s promises. When we hear God’s word and believe it, God promises us a state of rest. This "rest" is an assurance, a hope, that only Christian believers can have, and the unbelieving world can only look for, as they hopelessly try to find such "rest" in some other way.
That’s why I’m calling today’s message "Standing (or "resting") On The Promises" of God. A pastor who has taught me a lot about the Bible, calls this "faith rest", which is resting in faith on God’s word. I personally like the phrase "Standing On The Promises" because many Christians are already familiar with this term as a spiritual goal, and it’s even the title of a well-known hymn.
There are so many promises that God makes to us in His word, that I decided to focus on a few major areas that are a source of spiritual struggle for many Christians.
SALVATION
The first area of promises are those concerning the gospel of salvation. These are promises that help us to know that we are going to heaven when we die, and that our lost loved ones have a chance to go there too. The Bible gives the promise of salvation to all those who place their faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Some of the promises God gives us in this area are:
- Jesus death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. There’s nothing that we can do to add to His sacrificial and loving act.
1 Cor. 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (NAS)
- Salvation is available to ANY person. God does not choose to save only some people who will go to heaven, nor does He choose others to send to hell.
John 3:16,18
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (NAS)
- It is God’s will that ALL people be saved. People who accept the Calvinist idea of limited atonement, that God chooses who is saved or not saved and only chooses some, explain it something like this: "Well, God does WANT everyone to be saved, but no person left to his or her own free will is going to choose God. So therefore, in His mercy, God chooses SOME, and who are we to question that, since God doesn’t have to choose anybody!" This idea of limited atonement is not Biblical, and makes no sense at all logically. It begins by admitting that it is God’s will for all to be saved, something that has to be admitted because the Bible clearly says that. However, it then ends with the contradiction that He only chooses some. If it is God’s will that ALL be saved, and if the entire process is His decision and not ours at all, then God would save EVERYONE. Something that we all must agree upon is that the Bible definitely promises us that God wants all people to be saved.
2 Pet. 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NAS)
1 Tim. 2:3-4
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (NAS)
- Jesus Christ’s death on the cross paid for all of the sins ever committed by every member of the human race. It paid for all of our past sins, and all of our future sins. That’s a reason that believers can not lose their salvation. His death paid for even the sins we haven’t committed yet. To say that we can lose salvation is to say that we can commit a sin that Jesus Christ’s death didn’t or couldn’t cover. However, the Bible clearly tells us that His death paid for all sins by all people.
1 John 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for {those of} the whole world. (NAS)
1 Tim. 2:5-6
5 For there is one God, {and} one mediator also between God and men, {the} man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony {borne} at the proper time. (NAS)
- God makes the knowledge of salvation available to all people. No unbeliever will be able to say to God after their death, that they never had a chance to believe. No unbeliever can go to hell because you or I didn’t share the gospel with them. The Bible teaches that everyone has a chance to be saved, to believe.
John 1:9 There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. (NAS)
Rom. 1:18-20
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (NAS)
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (NAS)
- God gives all people the ability to be saved, to have the faith to believe in Jesus Christ. God makes the basis for salvation faith, believing, because He has given all of us the ability to do that. Therefore, no one has an advantage over anyone else, and God gets the glory.
Eph. 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (NAS)
So as my first area of God’s promises in the Bible, we have looked at a lot of the verses dealing with the area of salvation.
ETERNAL SECURITY
The second area of promises I want to address deals with the issue of eternal security. The term "eternal security" means that once a person is saved by believing in Jesus Christ, that person is saved forever. There is nothing they can do, no sin they can commit, that can make them lose their salvation. This is a very difficult area for many Christians to understand. Believers have a hard time dealing with those who profess to be born again, but continue to practice certain sins.
I was once in a Sunday School class being taught by the pastor. The pastor told us about an experience, where he shared the gospel with a man who prayed a prayer of salvation and then claimed to be born again. At that time, the pastor believed the man to be saved. However, the pastor said that a year later, the man was still living with his girlfriend, unmarried, and still doing many of the bad things he had always done. The pastor saw no changes in the man’s life, and so didn’t believe that the man was ever actually saved.
I pointed out to the pastor that when someone claims to be saved, but keeps practicing sexual sin, smoking, drinking, and bad language, that we don’t believe such a person to be saved. However, if the same person married his girlfriend, stopped drinking, quit smoking, and cleaned up his language, but then joined our church and became the biggest gossip and trouble maker our church ever knew, that no one would doubt their salvation!
The point I’m making is not that it’s alright for a believer to do those types of sins. Rather, it’s that if a person really makes a decision to believe in Jesus Christ, that he is saved no matter what kinds of sins he later commits. This is important for us to understand because after we are saved, we still have a sin nature and are going to sin. When that happens, Satan often uses these occasions to get us to doubt our salvation, to make us question whether we ever really believed, or whether God might take our salvation away from us.
Remember that God is Omniscient, He knows all things, and He knew every sin you would ever commit even before He saved you. Remember too, that God is Love, and He loves you in soite of the sins He knows you will commit.
There are many promises in the Bible to give us peace at those times, to assure us that, although God may discipline us for habitual sin, He will never take our salvation away. We didn’t have to work to get our salvation, and we don’t have to work to keep it. We are promised this in many verses:
- The first way in which the Bible promises us eternal security is that at salvation, every believer is placed into union with Christ, and we are kept there by Him.
Rom. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (NAS)
Jude 1 Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: (NAS)
- Another way the Bible assures us of eternal security is what I want to call the "much more" promises. God did the most for us when we were His enemies, and so He will do much more for us now that we are members of His family.
Rom. 5:9-20
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath {of God} through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, (NAS)
- The Bible promises us eternal security when it tells us that as believers, we are in God’s Hand, and no one can remove us.
John 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. (NAS)
Psalms 37:24 When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. (NAS)
- The Bible promises us eternal security by assuring us that if we no longer remain faithful to God, God still remains faithful to us.
2 Tim. 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny himself. (NAS)
- The Bible promises that we are children in God’s family and can not be removed from it. Once you were born into your earthly family, you were forever a part of that family. It doesn’t matter how you feel about that, or what you do or don’t do. By the fact of physical birth, you forever became a part of your earthly family. Likewise, by the process of spiritual birth, being "born again", you forever become a part of God’s family, and nothing can take you out of it.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name, (NAS)
Gal. 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (NAS)
- We are promised eternal security because we are part of the Body Of Christ. The Bible tells us that the Head (Jesus Christ) can not say to any member of the body (believers) that He does not need us.
1 Cor. 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." (NAS)
Col. 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. (NAS)
- We are promised eternal security when we view certain New Testament verses in the original Koine Greek language. The Greek tense of certain verses teaches that salvation is a one-time decision with results that continue forever.
Acts 16:31 "...Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved..."
The Greek tense for the word "believe" in this verse means to "believe at a moment in time" as a single act. The Greek tense for the word "saved" means to "keep on being saved" as a continuous action without ending. So in the original Koine Greek, Acts 16:31 actually says, "Believe (at a single moment of time) in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be (continually for all time) saved".
Eph. 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (NAS)
The Greek tense for "have been saved" in this verse means that you have been "saved in the past with the result that you keep on being saved".
- We have the Biblical promise of eternal security when we are told that all believers have an inheritance that can never perish or fade, kept in heaven for us.
Eph. 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (NAS)
1 Pet. 1:4-5
4 to {obtain} an inheritance {which is} imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (NAS)
- The promise of eternal security is assured in the fact that God is Sovereign in all things, and it is He who keeps us saved.
2 Pet. 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NAS)
Jude 24 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, (NAS)
- The eternal security of our salvation results from the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit, who guarantees our protection and safe delivery.
2 Cor. 1:21-22
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
22 who also sealed us and gave {us} the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. (NAS)
2 Tim. 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness."
Eph. 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, (NAS)
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (NAS)
There are just so many places in the Bible where we as believers are promised eternal security, compared to just a small few verses that are taken out of context and used to confuse believers about this wonderful promise. There are over a hundred verses assuring us of eternal security, and I’ve only covered a relative few in this message.
PRAYER
A third area of promises in the Bible concerns the subject of prayer.
- When we come to God in prayer and confess our sins to Him, He promises to always forgive us, and to restore us into the filling or control of the Holy Spirit.
Psalms 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear; (NAS)
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NAS)
- The Bible promises that God will always show us His mercy and grace when we come to Him in time of need.
Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. (NAS)
- God has promised to provide us with our daily needs if we stop worrying about these things, and instead, stand on His promises.
Matt. 6:31-34
31 "Do not be anxious then, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `With what shall we clothe ourselves?’
32 "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.
34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. {Each} day has enough trouble of its own. (NAS)
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A fourth area of promises in the Bible concerns spiritual gifts. God has promised in verses like 1 Corinthians 12 that every believer has at least one gift. These include pastor-teacher, evangelism, giving, helps, and administration. All believers have been given a spiritual gift with which to serve God, and to serve other believers in the Church. This is a topic in itself, and there is not enough time in my message today to address it. However, this is another area of promises in God’s Word, and I just want to highlight this promise that we all have at least one spiritual gift.
THE RAPTURE
A fifth area of promises concerns the return of Jesus Christ to someday rapture the Church. No one knows when this will happen, but it can occur at any time. All believers will suddenly be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air, and to go to heaven with Him.
John 14:1-3
1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, {there} you may be also. (NAS)
1 Cor. 15:51-52
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. (NAS)
Phil. 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; (NAS)
1 Thes. 4:13-18
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of {the} archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (NAS)
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (NAS)
ETERNAL REWARDS
A sixth area of promises are the rewards that believers will one day receive at the Judgement Seat Of Jesus Christ.
1 Cor. 3:8,11-15
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is {to be} revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.
14 If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. (NAS)
2 Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (NAS)
THE MILLENNIUM
A seventh area of promises is that Jesus Christ will one day return to earth, where He will rule for a thousand years. We call this period of time "the millennium".
See Matt. 24:15-31, 36-46
Acts 15:16-17
16 `After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
17 In order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’ (NAS)
Rev. 20:1-6
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut {it} and sealed {it} over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (NAS)
HEAVEN
The eighth and last area of Biblical promises I want to discuss are those that assure us we will have a wonderful, happy, eternal existence in heaven with Jesus Christ one day.
2 Cor. 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (NAS)
Phil. 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both {directions,} having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for {that} is very much better; (NAS)
Rev. 21:4 and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be {any} death; there shall no longer be {any} mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." (NAS)
CONCLUSION
These are just some of the areas of promises that we have in the Bible. But we as believers have a choice to make. These promises won’t do as any good if we don’t know what they are. They can’t benefit us if we don’t believe them and stand upon these promises.
That’s what all of life is about: choices. Some people in difficult situations become criminals and some don’t, because of the choices they make. Some people become addicted to drugs and some don’t, because of choices they make. We are born again, and most people aren’t, because we made a choice to place our faith in Jesus Christ. Unbelievers have chosen to take another path to what they think is God, and to risk being judged by Him based on their own merits instead of the merits of Jesus Christ.
A good illustration of this issue is a story I’d like to share with you about "choices". It’s a story called "Attitude Is Everything", by Francie Baltazar-Schwartz.
Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him,
"I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim ,or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining, or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right! It’s not that easy," I protested.
"Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line is: It’s your choice how you live life."
I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life, instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers.
While he was trying to open the safe, his hand was shaking from nervousness, and it slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.
"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.
Jerry continued. "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, ’He’s a dead man.’ I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. ’Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ’Bullets!’
Over their laughter, I told them, ’I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.’" Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.
That story is true in the spiritual realm as much as it is in the worldly one. We ultimately choose the way we want to live our lives. Spiritually, we chose to believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation. That was a one-time choice we had to make, and now we are assured of a place with Him one day in heaven.
But each day as we live our lives, we need to choose dozens of times how we are going to deal with situations we are in each day, good situations as well as bad ones. Are we going to trust God, or trust ourselves? Are we going to stand upon our own limited abilities, or rather choose to stand upon the glorious and limitless promises of God?
God has given us free will and choices to make. What are we going to choose to do?
Copyright © 2000, Frank J. Gallagher,
Abiding In The Word,
http://members.aol.com/abidingitw
All materials are written by me and are copyrighted. These materials may be freely copied and distributed for the purpose of study and teaching, so long as they are made available to others free of charge, and my copyright is included. These materials may not, in any manner, be sold nor used to solicit "donations" from others, nor may they be included in anything you intend to copyright, sell, or offer for a fee. God the Holy Spirit freely provides this knowledge in grace, and so do I. My copyright is exercised to keep these materials freely available to all.
