Welcome and thanks
for visiting! We are in chapter 1 “Promises, Promises…I Need Something to Hold
On To” in Sheila Walsh’s book The Shelter of God’s Promises.
Savings and retirement accounts.
Life insurance.
A home, preferably paid for.
I don’t know anyone who’s not concerned about one or more of
these, including myself. Why? Why do we spend so much time and effort striving
for these?
Security.
We want to know that we will have something to live on in
our retirement years. We want to be sure our families will be taken care of and
have a home base to come back to.
We want to feel safe. And protected.
Yet, as much as we need to pay attention to these things,
we’ve learned in the past few years that they are not fool-proof.
The economy spirals downward. Jobs are lost. Homes are
foreclosed on. People feel lost and unsure of the future, even after we think
we’ve taken the necessary precautions.
Life happens and the solid foundation we thought we were on
suddenly doesn’t feel so stable any more.
Can I tell you something? We’re looking for security in the
wrong places.
Christ is the One place where we will find absolute
security. No matter what happens in this life, He is our shelter from the
storms.
Security in Christ can’t be built up like our IRAs. It’s
already there. God, in His immense love for us, did it all through the death
and resurrection of His Son Jesus.
When sin entered our world in the Garden of Eden, it
separated us from God. And even though we don’t deserve it, God promised not
only to never leave us, but to bring us back to Him. And He did. He kept His
promise through Christ.
God is the only One who can and will keep every promise He
makes. Even when we don’t keep our promises, God does. If He says it, we can
count on it. Every. Single. Time.
Promises like…
Do not be afraid or
discouraged, for the Lord will
personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor
abandon you.
Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT [emphasis mine]
The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my
name. When they call on me, I will
answer; I will be with them in
trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Psalm 91:14-16 NLT [emphasis mine]
”When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk
through the fire of oppression, you will
not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:2 NLT [emphasis mine]
“I—yes, I
alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
and will never think of them again.”
and will never think of them again.”
Isaiah 43:25 NLT [emphasis mine]
“And I will forgive
their wickedness, and I will never
again remember their sins.”
Jeremiah 31:34b NLT [emphasis mine]
We may not be able to believe promises made by others, but
we can absolutely believe God’s promises. And not only believe them, but
believe that His promises are for you. And for me. And He will keep them.
Which of God’s
promises do you find comfort in? Which do you turn to in times of trouble or
distress? Leave a comment to share your verses.
In Christ,
Laura
Linking up with On Your Heart Tuesdays, Just Write, Soli Deo Gloria, Word Filled Wednesday, Grace Cafe and Allume.
God gave me this one just recently on receiving some bad news about a family member;
ReplyDelete"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand" Isaiah 41:10 NIV
I felt such peace and I am constantly referring to it! What an amazing promise!
Oh yes! I have this one underlined in my Bible!
DeleteI am with you...
I am your God...
I will strengthen you and help you...
I will uphold you...
How blessed are we that God makes these promises to every single one of us!!
Thanks Lynda!
God bless,
Laura
Great verses, Laura!
ReplyDeleteOne that continues to pop up for me is Thessalonians 5:16-18: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
That plus remembering that He never meant for me to travel this world alone, that in my weakness He makes me strong.
I find the two verses together are powerful reminders for me.
I agree Kim, knowing that He travels with me brings me great strength and comfort.
DeleteGreat verse in Thessalonians! I've started counting blessings this year (even on days I don't feel like it!) and what a difference it has made in the way I see things!
Thanks for your visit & comment!
In Christ,
Laura
Proverbs 3:5-6
ReplyDeleteIsaiah 40:31
Hebrews 13:5
These are my 3 favourite promises which I turn to often (especially in the midst of life's storms).
Great verses! Proverbs & Isaiah are 2 I turn to often! Thanks Wendy!
DeleteProverbs 3:5-6 NIV 1984
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Isaiah 40:31 NLT
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Hebrews 13:5 NLT
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Isaiah 41:10 for me. So thankful for His Word, His promises. For Him! :)
ReplyDelete(visiting you from SDG)
Me too! Thanks so much for stopping by & for your comment!
DeleteGod bless,
Laura
Welcome to SDG!! You know, right now, security is not about money, but about another number -- number of people that attend my class, that are on my blog, etc. It's easy to want to crave worldly attention instead of resting in His gaze.
ReplyDeleteI hear you...Getting caught up in the #s is a trap that's easy to fall in to. It's so important to remember to praise God no matter what the #s look like! Thanks Jen!
DeleteAwesome verses.
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise! God bless!
Delete"We’re looking for security in the wrong places. Christ is the One place where we will find absolute security. ... If He says it, we can count on it" Amen!!
ReplyDeleteStacy, thank you for visiting and commenting! God bless!
DeleteSo many wonderful promises... The Joy of the Lord is my Strength, For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord..., Bless You!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathleen! Blessings to you!
DeleteYou are so right! Anything or anyone else we place our trust in is going to fail us, but He never does.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind comment on my photo and verse.
My pleasure Elizabeth! Thanks for visiting. God bless!
DeleteYou are so right! We can't count on anyone else but God! I've been struggling with this fact a lot lately! People fail us so often, even those who are closest to us! My prayer is that I will be able to truly know God's promises and to fully rely on them and to feel His love for me! I guess I've had so many disappointments in my life it's hard for me to trust! Thank you for hosting this group!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad we're studying together Coleen!
DeleteI know where you're coming from here. It's only been recently that I've realized that trust in God and trust in others don't go hand in hand. It helps me to verbalize it in prayer. "God, I don't trust _____, but I trust You." The circumstances may not change, but it gives me God's strength, peace, and perspective.
I've also found it helps me to personalize God's promises by inserting my name. "I know the plans I have for you Laura..." It makes it very personal between God and me.
Thank you so much for your comment!
In Christ,
Laura
Colleen, I have a little graphic saved on my computer that says this:
DeleteMan says, "Show me and I will trust You."
God says, "Trust me and I will show You."
Trusting people doesn't come that easy for me either but I have found it to be so true that if I trust God, He WILL show me!
Blessings!
Wilma
I love that Wilma! Where we're afraid of getting burned by man if we trust without proof, God doesn't work like that. He is the One we can trust no matter what. Without proof. But, being human, I still like proof...and God is gracious. He shows me proof...all I have to do it look back at how He's worked in my life.
DeleteWonderful post! I feel washed in the Word after reading so many promises... one of my most favorites is
ReplyDelete2 Corinthians 9:8 "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work"
I love that promise and I count on His grace in all things, and at all times! Blessings~
Thank you Danise! God's grace...unearned, undeserved, but freely given by Him...and cherished by us! God bless!
DeleteTwo verses come to mind. The first one is:
ReplyDeleteIsaiah 41:13, "For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
I had been away from God for 20 years and when I read this verse I felt like it was put in the Bible just for me. When I am down or troubled, I have at times, literally, asked God to take my right hand and lead the way because I can't do it by myself!
The other one is:
Psalms 46:10a, "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;"
When I asked God to give me a life verse or a verse that was special for me this year, this was the verse He gave me. In my head I heard it as three, short, 2-word sentences... Be still. And know. That I. Am God. I have started collecting things with that verse on it because they remind me that in my quiet time with God, I have to remember just that - to be quiet - to allow Him time to talk to me... (sorry I rattled on... lol!)
I love the image of God taking me by my right hand and leading and helping me! I will remember that. Psalm 46:10 also reminds me to listen for Him; He is God and He has it all under control.
DeleteThank you so much for sharing! God bless!
I'm here visiting from the Allume linkup. Thank you for this beautiful reminder! I think my favorite promise in this season is from Romans 8: "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
ReplyDelete