Precious Promises

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:4 ESV

We used to keep a little box on the kitchen shaped like a loaf of bread that was labeled “Precious Promises.” I would occasionally pull one out, quickly read it, then slip it back in place. It was cute and made me think of God’s word a little, but I was missing the great and very precious part.

That part has come in the battles of real life. When my back has been up against the wall like this week as we sit in my sister-in-law’s house waiting to hear the next phone call from the hospital. Peace that is more than I can understand is now more true and precious. Peace not given as the world gives is greater than ever. Peace that has walked with me as I clean the house, sort through the memories of old photographs and knickknacks. Peace from Jesus that promises that our real life is hidden with Christ in God.

And then we have been wonderfully surprised as God has been merciful and granted Diane a reprieve. What seemed hopeless to Doctors last week when we flew across the miles has now changed to gradual improvement and they have scheduled for her to come home. “Miraculous recovery.” They are saying and those promises of our great and precious God are more real than ever. Not because of our perfect faith or prayers but because of the power of the grace of Jesus we are each granted promises, each one drawn out of a heavenly promise box at our times of greatest need. How amazing and loving is our Father in heaven. His plans are so much more wonderfully complex and wiser than ours! Thank you everyone who has been praying for us. This Sunday that begins Holy week we are simply overwhelmed with our weakness and amazed at how God’s strength is carrying us along. I love to take photographs of wild flowers so I’ll post a few from my morning walks here in California as a cheerful reminder to us all of the care God has for each of our lives.

Jesus is Our Peace

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Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 KJV

After we received the news that my wife’s sister was given only weeks to live, I spent the night tossing and turning. It was not that I was not a Christian or that I did not know God’s promises of peace but transferring that peace from my head to my heart was something I just did not know how to do in that moment. And then Jesus came. No, I did not hear a voice or see any shining light; but suddenly I just knew that my shepherd was walking alongside me. Suddenly the rod and staff of His word comforted my heart.

“My peace I give you.” Imagine the peace which Jesus had when He slept in the storm, or when He meekly accepted arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. That is the same peace that He is now giving to you and I. We are not just getting a cheap imitation or a lower cost version. Jesus is giving us the real thing. He has promised us the exact same peace that He had with the Father. Notice also, that Jesus told us that He wasn’t giving this peace to us in the way the world gives. He won’t offer us something temporary, or ask for us to give it back. His gift is eternal and unconditional just like our salvation!

Maybe your battle is different than ours, but wherever you are He will come. He knows everything we are facing and He tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” And then His peace becomes ours!

Have You Been With Jesus?

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Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 KJV

After the resurrection of Jesus, His disciples went everywhere preaching the Gospel with boldness. These were not well known or politically connected men and women. None of them was wealthy or even had a formal education. What stood out to others was the fact that they had been with Jesus. If we were arrested and brought before a courtroom, what would people notice about our Christian lives? Might they be impressed with our nicely remodeled homes or the car we drive? Would folks be amazed by our educational credentials or the well-connected people we were friends with – or would they first take notice that we had been with Jesus?

Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com

In the book of Revelation, Jesus tells one of the churches that He was knocking on the door of their hearts. That’s right, Jesus was knocking on the church door, because as they lived their daily lives, they had left Him locked outside. Maybe this morning – with Easter right around the corner – we might pause and ask ourselves, What difference has Jesus Christ made a difference in our lives today? If we’re not sure then the good news is that He is still willing to change that. All we have to do is go to the door and invite Him back in. He has a peace to share that nothing in this world can touch and a joy that no one will take away. Stress and fear will not be able to stand in the presence of the one who loved us enough to give His life on the cross so that we could forever be with Him! Have you been with Jesus today?