Promises, Promises

Isaiah 55:3 (GNT) - “Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David.

Here, Isaiah relates God’s promises.

All are invited.

For those who thirst, their thirst will be remedied.

For those who hunger, their hunger will be satisfied.

Even those in need of mercy will be shown mercy.

For God is a keeper of promises.

His word can be trusted.

Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, tells of his own change in plans.

He planned to visit the believers twice.

Paul reminded them that Christ is not one who is both “Yes” and “No.”

When it comes to God’s promises, Christ is the “Yes”.

And God is to be praised for a “Yes” such as this.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (GNT) - for it is he who is the “Yes” to all of God's promises. This is why through Jesus Christ our “Amen” is said to the glory of God.

Unlike us, God keeps His promises.

And in Christ, His promises are fulfilled.

His promise of mercy is fulfilled.

As a result, our hope is fulfilled.

We are loved.

We are forgiven.

We have been shown mercy.

As Paul suggested, our lives should be lived as evidence to all,

They should be lived in praise of the One who gave His promise.

They should be lived in praise of the One who kept His word through Jesus.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 24, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, April 7, 2023

The Spectrum of Faith

Daniel 2:47 (NKJV) - The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him.

He even lost sleep over it.

None of the King’s inner circle was able to interpret the dream.

Daniel went before the king and explained that it is God who grants insight and wisdom.

Daniel then prayed to God.

With God’s help, Daniel succeeded in interpreting the dream.

So impressed was the king, that he acknowledged God’s omniscience.

He also made Daniel the ruler of an entire province.

Sometimes our faith is so strong that nothing can seem to shake it.

We are as convinced as King Nebuchadnezzar was that day.

But sometimes we allow our circumstances to impact our faith.

Like another king, we are not quite as convinced.

Paul discovered this in the presence of King Agrippa.

Paul told the king of his life before he met Christ.

He told him how he even persecuted Christians.

But then he told the king of his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.

Paul told him that this encounter changed his life forever.

Paul then told the king that he knew the king believed the prophets.

Yet King Agrippa’s level of faith was not on the same level as that of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Acts 26:27-28 (NKJV) - King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Sometimes our faith gets shaken.

Perhaps we have lost our job.

Perhaps our health is not what it once was.

Perhaps we have lost a loved one.

When circumstances shake our faith, it is important to remember that it is not gone.

In times like these, we can remember how much God still loves us.

We can ask God for restoration.

We can even ask Him to work within those who are in positions of authority.

Perhaps they will become as convinced as King Nebuchadnezzar.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 10, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, March 17, 2023