Devotional ~ How Important the Promises of God!

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE PROMISES OF GOD?

This statement could be either a question or a profound exclamation!

Just how important are the promises of God?

Doubts often come when we experience difficult times, disappointments, and loss. Our human nature often tries to carry all on our own shoulders. We want to solve our problems with our own intelligence and good works. We have ideals as to what the Christian life should be like. If things do not work out that way, discouragement often follows.

How then should we meet these disappointments in life? Will we try to resolve things on our own? Will we become discouraged and allow our negative thoughts to separate us even farther from walking with our Lord?

Oh no, it does not have to be that way. Reach for your Bible; look for the promises of God. He has put them there to encourage you and build your faith. A woman writer who knew the Lord and found His words in the Bible a great source of strength wrote this challenge about what to do with our doubts.

“Exercise Faith; fight the good fight of faith; wrestle with these doubts; become acquainted with the promises.” Found in a series of books entitled TESTIMONIES volume 5, page 629

For your encouragement and comfort read the following chapter by Ellen White. The Promises of God's Word. You will get a new perception of how important the promises of God are to our daily life and the fight of faith.

  August 22, 1906 Our Great Treasure-House
By Mrs. E. G. White

XIII. The Promises of God's Word.

     We are pilgrims and strangers on this earth, looking for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The path in which we travel is narrow, and calls for the exercise of self-denial and sacrifice, but God has not left us without help. He has filled His Word with wonderful promises, to strengthen and cheer His children. In these promises He draws back the veil from eternity, and gives us glimpses of the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that awaits the overcomer. {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 1}

                          A Few Examples of Promise.

     "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 2}

     "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, tho the earth be removed, and tho the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; tho the waters thereof roar and be troubled, tho the mountains shake with the swelling thereof," "For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 3}

     "The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. . . . The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all His works. . . . The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. . . . The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 4}

     "Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. . . . When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 5}

     "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 6}

     "And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 7}

     "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads." {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 8}

     All along the pathway of life God places these fair flowers of promise, to brighten our journey. But many refuse to gather them, choosing instead the thorns and thistles. At every step they weep and mourn, when they might rejoice in the Lord. {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 9}

                              Rejoice Always.

     How much joy we might bring into our life here below if we would but make these promises our own. As we talk of the mansions that Christ is preparing for us, we shall forget the petty annoyances that we meet day by day. It is our privilege to sing the songs of Zion now, to turn our eyes to the light, to bring hope into our hearts and into the hearts of others. God desires us to gather up His promises, that we may be strengthened and refreshed. Let us take our eyes off the curse, and fix them on the grace so abundantly provided. {ST, August 22, 1906 par. 10}

     Comfort, encouragement, and support have been provided for every condition of life. Let us rejoice in the love of God. Let us praise Him who has made promises so royal. Let these promises keep our hearts in perfect peace. Jesus lives. His hand is guiding us. Constantly our hearts may be filled with the peace that passeth all understanding, even the peace that Jesus gives: Let us make the promises of God's Word our own. In times of test and trial these promises will be to us glad springs of heavenly comfort.
                                                                -
{ST, August 22, 1906 par. 11}