Promises of God

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.

God Still Answers Prayer

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

When you think about prayer; have you ever stopped to consider all the prayers of the Bible that God is still answering? Maybe it would help to think about them somewhat like going out to eat or stopping at the grocery store to buy milk and eggs. The first thing that happens whenever we start out in the car is that my wife begins rummaging through her purse for coupons. Somehow, whether we are going to Olive Garden, Pizza Hut or Walmart she finds one that we can use, then she looks to see if the date is still valid. Prayers in the Bible are somewhat like those coupons. We only get to take advantage of them if we ask to redeem them and the good news for us is that there is no expiration date!

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This morning as I was reading Paul’s prayer of blessing for the Corinthian church I stopped and went back over the words realizing that in my own life I desperately need the grace, love and fellowship that Paul asked for. These blessings are much more than just words on a page or the sound waves generated by our pastor as he prays them over us at the end of a Sunday service. This 2,000 year old prayer is a valid coupon, redeemable in our prayer closet to whoever presents it by faith to God.

God still wants you and I to experience the Grace of Jesus Christ every day. The love of God is more than a gift given long ago; it is valid and waiting for us to experience it this morning. And just as they say on television; “But wait there’s more!” remember that in these days of stress, fear and change; the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit is a gift that God longs to put into our hearts if we will only ask.

So why not put aside a moment right now as you are reading and ask God for:

Grace for every weakness, sin and sorrow

Love for all people you will meet in every place and hour

Fellowship In every conflict, disappointment or disaster

These are God’s precious promises; still active in the words of this ancient prayer. They never die but they wait on our faith to remember and believe!

Promises of God

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

 By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust    2 Peter 1:4

When we were first married I remember on our kitchen table we had a promise holder shaped like a loaf of bread. In it were many promises yet we rarely actually pulled one out and read it. Now, imagine that you were invited to stay at a friend’s house. He gives you a room that has a dresser drawer filled with one hundred dollar bills. Imagine further that your friend tells you that he has specifically put that money there for you to use any time you want. Wow! I think you would want to stay at that friend’s house as often as you could! That is exactly what God has chosen to do for us. He has sent us an invitation, but not just to visit. God has invited us to become members of His family. As family members we have access at any time to all the resources of His family. Whatever we need is in that dresser drawer of promises which Peter calls exceedingly great and precious.

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Every day on the streets of San Francisco; one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S. are people begging for money. No matter their motives, by their very act of begging they are confessing that they have less than they need. Their life is dependent on the generosity of strangers. But our God is no stranger. We do not have to beg for His spare change. God has loved us, chosen us, brought us to His home and adopted us as children. There in the top dresser drawer in our room He has placed exceedingly great and precious promises. They will always be available to us any time we gratefully put them to use in our life!