Promises and Prophecies

Yesterday the weather prediction was for an 80% chance of rain. While my husband and I were out early running errands we got some misty sprinkles, and that was it for the day. NOAA recorded 0.08 inches of rain for the day. Somebody’s prediction was wrong. Predictions often fall short – prognostication is not an exact science. Ask Punxsutawney Phil.
That is why I am so thankful that the Bible is a book of promises and prophecies, not predictions. Whatever the Lord says will happen just as He declared. That is because He is operating from a position of sovereignty and providence. Those are words we don’t use much in our contemporary religion, but they are powerful and carry a rich and significant meaning. The word “sovereign” speaks to God’s rightful authority over every created thing – which covers everything that exists. Likewise, the word “providence” is speaking to God’s charge over everything He has made. I take great comfort in that.
We can see God’s supernatural hand in all through Scripture. The Lord promised Israel a land of their own and He gave them the Promised Land in Canaan – which is still their God-given territory no matter what men say. He prophesied exile in Babylon for Israel – and restoration after seventy years. Every word came to fulfillment. And He promised that, despite enemies, imprisonment, a shipwreck, and a snakebite, Paul would preach in Rome. Luke reported, “And so we came to Rome” (Acts 28:14). God does everything He declares.
When I come to passages that prophesy Christ’s return, I have one eye always looking to the east, anticipating His appearance (Matt 24:27). One day He will break open the sky and it will roll back like a scroll (Rev. 6:14). He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives and it will be split in two “from east to west, forming a great valley” (Zec 14:4). “The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name.” (v. 9).
Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev 22:7). If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, that is a frightening prophecy, but if you are in Christ, His return is an exciting promise. Beloved, you can take Him at His Word; He is on His way. Will you join me in declaring, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).

What About When You Run Out of Steam?

I took a couple of days off this week because I have been so tired lately – and because my house desperately needed some spring cleaning. We have been pushing hard at work since we came back from the holiday break. But I have also been emotionally tired. What do we do when we are more-than-a-day-off kind of tired?
Paul, who had every right to whine, also got tired. But he chose to look at his life from a different perspective. He wrote: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:7-9)
He acknowledged that his circumstances were hard – he was being pressed from many different directions by people with very different agendas. He was perplexed; he couldn’t understand why his own people were rejecting the Messiah they had so long sought. He was persecuted – his life was often in danger, his ministry was detested by the Jewish leaders and even by certain factions of the church. He was struck down – beaten and stoned more than once for his tenacious devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Despite all that, he refused to give in to misery. He knew no human could crush him because he belonged to the Lord. He reminded himself that his Lord and Savior would never abandon him, and had even come to stand beside him in prison (Acts 23:11). He knew that the Lord he served with all his heart would not allow him to be destroyed.
This is your testimony too if you are in Christ. You are not a victim—you are a victor! Yes, life gets very hard sometimes, but you and I need not give in to despair because our Lord will not let us be crushed or destroyed. He has promised to never abandon His own, not even in our darkest, hardest moments. Like Paul, we must learn to hold fast to Jesus and trust Him despite our circumstances or feelings.
Yes, I am tired, but the Lord promises to give me strength. Yes, I get overwhelmed, but He will carry my burdens. Yes, I feel weary, but He will sustain me. I can focus on my exhaustion and emotions, or my faithful Father. And I can take some time to rest. Isaiah declared “In quietness and trust is your strength” (Is 30:15). Beloved, get a little rest and trust in the Lord.

Reading Between the Lines

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)
“Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
These are two great verses and we love them. We put them on artwork and t-shirts and even tattoo them on our bodies. They speak beautifully of God’s purpose and His love – what more could you need? But maybe you missed the ten verses that lie between these two jewels. They bring 28 and 39 together like the covers of a beautiful book, bound up in one theme: Love.
In these verses, we see our purpose – to love Him and obey Him, and we see His purpose – to make us more like His Son. We could stop right there and be utterly blessed. But let’s continue on. We see the “golden chain” of His divine choice and calling. We see that He justified us and glorified us. We see His favor – that He is for us and no one can be against us. We see His mercy in giving up His own Son to save us and His promise to give us all things. We see His everlasting presence – no trouble or hardship or difficulty or danger will ever separate us from His love. In fact, nothing in all creation – and everything is His creation – will come between us and God’s love. We see His love defend us against every accusation of the enemy. We see the power of His love that conquers every foe, even death – and makes us more than conquerors. We see that His love that will last for all eternity.
Paul said he was convinced of God’s love because He saw the love of God in “all things” – working together with one purpose – to glorify His Son in our lives. By the way, did you notice that only one verse out of the twelve addressed our love for God and the rest focuses on His great love for us?
Beloved, are you convinced? Do you trust Him and His heart for you? Hear this again, loud and clear: If you are in Christ, nothing will ever separate you from God’s love. Not. One. Thing. What more could you ever need?

God’s Great Promise

We know that the Bible is chockful of promises from beginning to end – promises of His faithfulness and protection, provision, and presence. Promises to fight for us, to come near when we are broken, and to be our shield and sword in the heat of battle. Most of all, He promises salvation and eternal life and an eternal home with Him. All these promises are wrapped up in one beautiful statement: “I will be your God” (Genesis 17:7). And our faith finds its security in that promise.
That was what He told Abraham when He declared a covenant with the patriarch of the Hebrew people. He promised to make him “the father of many nations” (v. 4), to make him very fruitful (v. 6), and to give him the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession for himself and his descendants (v. 8). And He promised the old, childless man a son (v. 16). Then He put His seal on all those promises by saying “I will be your God.”
One of the most important lessons the Lord has been driving home to me in recent years is to trust Him. “For what?” you ask. First, that He will be God. That He is faithful. That He is good. That He is trustworthy and righteous in all His ways. That He will never change or contradict Himself. That He is completely holy. That His Word is true because He is Truth.
And from that foundation, I trust He will be my God. That He will love me with unfailing love (Is 54:10) and show me everlasting kindness (v. 8). That He will never leave me nor forsake me (Jos 1:5). That He will carry me (Is 46:4) and give me rest (Matt 11:28), peace (Jn 14:27), and Joy (Ps 16:11) in Him.
When I trust in His promise to be my God, it is enough. Because He is enough. I have staked my life on that promise. I believe that is the heart and soul of faith. When my life is hard, I return to that assurance: “I am your God.”
I could (and want to) go on and on and on. But most of all I want you to know that He will be your God too, if you trust in His Son. That Beloved, is a promise you can rest in.

Advent 2023: Waiting for Jesus

“Simeon’s Moment” Ron DiCianni

The old man shuffling through the temple courts was a common sight. You could tell exactly what time of day it was when Simeon came around. Same gait, same expression, the same sense of yearning. But today there was something different about him. He was excited, his eyes darted around and his feet moved as if every step was determined by a force outside of himself. Suddenly his weathered face lit up like a thousand candles as his arms extended towards a young couple. With Jesus cradled in his arms the old man began to speak in the sing-song voice of worship: “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Just then an old woman came up to the little group, her eyes bright with wonder and fixed on the infant in Simeon’s arms. “This is Him! This is the One! Oh, praise the name of the Lord – He has sent the Redemption of Israel!” Simeon smiled at Anna and nodded his head in agreement with her proclamation. They had both held tightly to the assurance that God would one day comfort and redeem His people and he was glad to share this glorious moment with his friend.

For the two elderly people, the baby was the fulfillment of a promise they had long held to and yearned to see. Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit, had been assured by God that he would see the Hope of mankind before he died. Anna, widowed early in her life, had dedicated her years to worship, fasting, and praying for the Messiah to come. It had been such a long time – not just their lifetime, but hundreds of years for the oppressed nation of Israel. In the temple courts that day, their faith was rewarded and they received the child with great Joy.

How do you hold on when the promise of God is a long time in coming? Just like Simeon and Anna did – with faith. They never wavered in their expectations. They never stopped believing that every promise God made was as sure as His name – El Emunah, The Faithful God. Beloved, His name still stands today. You can wait in faith because God is still always and forever faithful. Christmas is the blessed proof that He will never fail to do what He says He will do.

When I am Afraid

Fear not . . .”  Isaiah 43:1

Consider this: A fearful saint is not a faithful saint. Fear and faith stand in opposition to one another. But saints do become overwhelmed and anxious. I should know.  And like the father in Mark 9, we find ourselves pleading – “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (v. 24).  Lately my prayer has been: “Father, I know You’ve got this.  I know you are faithful.  I know You will never leave me nor forsake me.  But I’m anxious God.  I don’t want to be.  I’m trying not to be.  But I am.”  And He understands.  He doesn’t chide or rebuke me – He just gives me reasons not to fear.

Fear not . . . for God has heard (Gen. 21:18).

Fear not for I am with you (Gen. 26:24).

Do not be afraid, the Lord will fight for you (Deut. 3:22).

Do not be afraid . . . for the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6).

Fear not; I will help you (Isa. 41:13).

And one of my favorites from Isaiah 43: “This is what the Lord says – He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters” (v. 16); “I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (v. 19).

Faith tells me that God promises to make a way – a path through the waters of fearful thoughts and discouragement that threaten to drown me.  He promises dry ground to cross over to the other side. But I’ll be honest, the reality of the things we’re facing looms large and frightening. Yet even here God promises to make a way. And I trust Him. You can too. You don’t have to fear because God hears you, He is with you, He fights for you, He will never leave nor forsake you, and He promises to help you.  He knows where you are right now, and He knows what you need right here.  He will make a way.

Beloved, Here’s a a word of advice from my own experience: Don’t look for the path, look for your Father. Wherever He is is the way you should go.

[1] The NIV records some 110 references; other translations will have a slightly different word count.  Despite how good it sounds, there are actually not 365 “Fear not” verses.

You Only Get One Shot at Life

We had a fire drill at our office this week. Yes, even colleges have fire drills. We exited our offices and classrooms but we stood in the hallway asking. “Is this a drill or a real fire?” “Is this another malfunction?” The campus safety director came in the back door and hurried us out into the parking lot with a grin. “You are supposed to leave the building and not stand around wondering what’s happening!” To our credit, we had a recent malfunction of the system a couple of weeks ago and weren’t sure if this was the real thing or not. But, he was right – we should have taken the proper precautions and not waited around in a possibly burning building.

This life is not a drill. It’s the only one you get and despite what Shirley MacLain claims, there are no do-overs. When your life and mine are done, it’s over. The Scriptures say, “. . . man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Heb 9:27). But I’m not here to talk about dying – I’m here to talk about living.

Jesus said, “I have come that they [His sheep – His followers] may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). How can He give us life? Because He is life – He said “I AM . . . the Life” (Jn 14:6). And John said, “In Him was life . . .” (Jn 1:4). If you have Jesus, you have life – yes, for eternity, but also for today.

I had a coworker who constantly walked around saying, “I hate my life,” and I thought how awful it must be to feel that way all the time. And he was a Christian and a pastor. But he was always miserable. He had eternal life, but he didn’t have  Joy and peace and hope in this life. I can’t fault him because I spent many, many years in the same kind of misery until someone told me that I was wasting the precious commodity that God had given me. I was wasting my life and I wouldn’t get another one.

The secret to living is living in Jesus. It’s being washed in His blood. It’s full surrender to His will. It’s walking in His steps. It’s listening to His voice. It’s trusting His promises. It’s casting all our cares and doubts on Him. You only get one shot at this life, Beloved, live it well. Live it with Jesus.

Wherever You Go

I write all over my Bible. Some people think that is sacrilegious, but there are notes on almost every page and prayers jotted on many tear-stained pages. If you flip through my Bible, you will see underlines and highlights and stars and exclamation marks and names, and every time you come across the word Joy, you’ll find a pink heart. But I love the verses that are marked with dates because they tell the story of my life with God.

I came across one of those verses in the book of Joshua. When Moses died and the Lord God appointed Joshua to succeed him as Israel’s leader, it clearly terrified Joshua. The first nine verses of Joshua 1 are God’s repeated words of encouragement to Joshua.

“I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (v. 5).

“Be strong and courageous . . .” (v. 6).

“Be strong and very courageous.” (v. 7).

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged . . .”

And here’s where all the dates are: “. . . for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (v. 9). I took this verse very personally.

“Medart, 2011.” Medart was a depressing place in a depressing time for our family. We were in dire straits living in a run-down shack way out in the boonies. But I grew much in my faith because God was there.

“Woodville, 2013.” Woodville was a huge step up from where we were, it was a bright, open, peaceful place where much healing happened – because God was there.

“Tuscaloosa, 2015.” Our dream come true, living in Crimson Tide country. Until the dream turned into a nightmare. Still, through it all God was there too.

“Home, 2018.” After twenty-three years away, God brought us back home, put us in a great house that allowed us space for Joy, and set me in the best job I’ve ever loved. Granted, we’ve seen some very hard times here, especially this year, but I know with all my heart that God is here. I sense His presence every day.

God is with you too, Beloved, wherever you are. In a run-down shack or a brand-new mansion. In the place you’ve always wanted to be or a place you wish you could escape. In the darkest season of your life or the most Joyful. God is there. How can you be sure? He has promised to be with you wherever you go. And He always keeps His word.

Promise Keeper

Have you ever had someone break a promise to you? I am sure you have, and so have I. It’s part of life in this fallen world. But we have a God who always keeps His promises. Jeremiah declared of the Lord: “He has done just as He said He would” (Jer 40:3).

He promised the first man and woman that if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would die. They ate and became mortal with death in their future. He promised Noah that he and his family would be rescued from the terrible flood that destroyed all life on earth. And they were. He promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations and that his people would have a land of their own. Israel is the fulfillment of that promise. He promised to rescue Abraham’s descendants from slavery and 2 million plus Hebrew people marched out of Egypt and across a dry seabed between walls of water and into freedom. The Bible is replete with God’s promises and His fulfillment of them – to the nation of Israel and to the world.

Here is another promise God made: “He will crush your head . . .” (Gen 3:15). This promise is spoken to the evil one, the devil, satan himself – the one who threw all of humanity into chaos and sin. God promised to send Someone who would bring divine justice and break the enemy’s hold over humanity.  He was true to His Word. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.  

He also promised rest. Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). He wasn’t necessarily talking about physical rest, although David declared that God leads him to restful places to be restored (Ps 23:2-3). In this context He was speaking of spiritual rest – He promises us rest for our souls. You and I are sinners and the penalty of our sin is condemnation – eternal death. The heart of the gospel is that Christ bore the burden of our condemnation on the cross. He gives us rest from our burden and rest from trying to atone for our own sins.

Paul said, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ” (2 Cor 1:20). Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises God has made. Do you believe Him, Beloved? Do you trust the Promise-Keeper?

What Did God Say?

When God’s people were in bondage in Egypt, the Lord called Moses to launch a rescue effort. His first approach to the king was met with disdain and rejection from both Pharaoh and the Israelites. Moses was deeply dismayed and the Lord encouraged him with promises of His faithfulness. Then He told his reluctant servant “Because of my mighty hand, [Pharoah] will let them go” (Ex 6:1). And the Spirit said to me, “Hang on to that.”

I was reading ahead, skimming over the ten plagues that would come on the Egyptians as God worked to force Pharaoh’s hand. A plague of blood. A plague of frogs. A plague of gnats. A plague of flies. A plague on the livestock. A plague of boils. A plague of hail, thunder, and lightning. A plague of locusts. A plague of thick darkness. And finally, a plague of the death of every firstborn son.

Now, I’ve read these verses probably fifty times—I even wrote them out a few months ago, but they hit me differently tonight. After every plague the Scripture said, “Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not let the people go.” In my spirit, I heard a whisper: “6:1.” And then I understood. Nine times Pharaoh dug in his heels and said “NO!” But what had the Lord said?  “Pharaoh will let them go.” After the tenth plague, Pharaoh said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites.  Take your flocks and herds . . . and go” (12:31-32). Just like God said he would.

I don’t know who else needs to hear this right now but I sense strongly that God is asking: “What did I say?” What promise did He make? What calling did He place on your life? What vision did He cast in your heart? And what roadblocks have you hit? How many people are telling you this will never happen? Who or what is standing between you and the fulfillment of the promise? Beloved, this is when you and I must take God at His Word. If He said it – no matter how impossible it feels, no matter who is speaking discouragement to you, no matter how many obstacles get in your way – remind yourself “What did God say?” And get ready to go up into your Promised Land.