The bible, God’s word, contains thousands of promises. According to one person, who in my research is unnamed, there are 3573 promises. In his book “All the Promises of the Bible”, Dr. Herbert Lockyer's (1886-1984) says
“It has been computed that there are 30,000 Bible promises. No indication is given as to how this colossal number is reached. Altogether, there are 31,173 verses making up the Bible; 23,214 verses compromising the Old Testament, and 7,959 — the New Testament. Doubtless this total of verses gave rise to the 30,000 — every verse being a promise. The magazine Time, of Dec. 4, 1956, carried an item to the effect that schoolteacher Everet R. Storms, of Kitchener, Canada, reckoned the 30,000 figure to be off the mark. During his 27th reading of the Bible, this devout student tried to tally up the promises, a task which took him a year and a half. Storms came up with 7,487 promises by God to man, 2 by God the Father to God the Son, 991 by one man to another (such as the servants who promised to interpret king Nebuchadnezzar's dream), 290 by man to God, 21 promises were made by angels, one by man to an angel, and two were made by an evil spirit to the Lord. Satan made nine, as when he promised the world to Christ if He would fall down and worship him. Storms then gives us the grant total of 8,810 promises. Scattered throughout the Bible are hundreds of definite explicit promises forming the category Peter names as "the exceeding great and precious promises" (II Peter 1:4).” In that quote from his book he identifies, from an article in Time magazine in 1956, that someone did some research and came up with 7,487 promises by God to man. Whether it was 3,573 or 7,487 or 7, God who is Holy didn’t have to make a single promise to sinful man but he made lots of them. How Do We Know That God Will Keep His Promises?
We’ve all had people make promises to us and broken them. We hear promises from politicians all the time before an election and then after they are elected they evidently don't remember making them. How about promises from a boss or an employee? Most painful are broken promises from spouse or relative. God is not like that. He keeps all His promises because He is control of all things so His promises can’t and don’t fail. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV) 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Exodus 34:6 (NKJV) And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, Every promise that God made that relates to the past He has kept and that gives us the confidence to know that he will also keep those promises that relate to the present time or the future. Here are a few of those past related promises: Genesis 22:17 (NKJV) blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. Exodus 15:17 (NKJV) You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established. Joshua 23:14 (NKJV) "Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed. Micah 5:2 (NKJV) "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 11:25-26 (NKJV) 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 1 Corinthians 1:2 (NKJV) To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: There are many more promises than this that have been fulfilled but this is enough to show you the God is not only a promise maker He’s a promise keeper!! |
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He Who Promised is Faithful
Hebrews 10:21-23 (NKJV) 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
God is faithful and He keeps all His promises but we sometimes misapply those promises. We take our preferences and turn them into His promises - even when those aren't actually things He has promised to do. Many times we pick things out of the Bible completely out of context and try to make them fit our situation and claim victory because, after all God said it. Then when it doesn't happen the way we thought it should happen, let's be honest, we think that God or wouldn’t, or worse yet couldn’t, keep His promise. We get angry then we don’t trust God.
Here are some examples of a couple of those we take and try to fit our situation:
Romans 4:17 (HCSB) in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.
The one who calls things into existence is God not us.
Isaiah 53:5 (HCSB) But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.
The healing here is of our soul not our physical body. Jesus did heal people but what happened leading up to and during the crucifixion was for our soul not our physical bodies.
So when we quote those things and they don’t happen then we are disappointed and think that God has not kept His promises, when He in fact did keep them and will keep them. We have just misinterpreted them or took them completely out of context. Many times what we thought He said was really what we said.
The way to keep ourselves from making the mistake of saying or feeling that God doesn't keep His promises is to really know what His promises are. The only effective way to do that is to get it from His word the Bible. You should read and study God’s word for yourself so that you really know what God says about you and His promises.
Hebrews 10:21-23 (NKJV) 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
God is faithful and He keeps all His promises but we sometimes misapply those promises. We take our preferences and turn them into His promises - even when those aren't actually things He has promised to do. Many times we pick things out of the Bible completely out of context and try to make them fit our situation and claim victory because, after all God said it. Then when it doesn't happen the way we thought it should happen, let's be honest, we think that God or wouldn’t, or worse yet couldn’t, keep His promise. We get angry then we don’t trust God.
Here are some examples of a couple of those we take and try to fit our situation:
Romans 4:17 (HCSB) in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.
The one who calls things into existence is God not us.
Isaiah 53:5 (HCSB) But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.
The healing here is of our soul not our physical body. Jesus did heal people but what happened leading up to and during the crucifixion was for our soul not our physical bodies.
So when we quote those things and they don’t happen then we are disappointed and think that God has not kept His promises, when He in fact did keep them and will keep them. We have just misinterpreted them or took them completely out of context. Many times what we thought He said was really what we said.
The way to keep ourselves from making the mistake of saying or feeling that God doesn't keep His promises is to really know what His promises are. The only effective way to do that is to get it from His word the Bible. You should read and study God’s word for yourself so that you really know what God says about you and His promises.
Which Promises Can We Claim as Definite Commitments from God?
There is often confusion among Christians about which scriptures we can claim as a definite commitment from God. The following are some questions to ask to evaluate whether specific promises apply to your situation. These questions are from In Touch Magazine “The Promises of God”
Three questions are useful in evaluating whether divine promises apply to our own situation:
1. Is this promise limited to a specific person or circumstance, or does it apply to all believers?
For example, the pledge made to Abraham and Sarah about giving birth to a child (Gen. 18:10) is restricted to them;
Genesis 18:10 (NLT) 10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.
Whereas Hebrews 13:5 contains a guarantee to all Christians that Jesus will be with them forever.
Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) 5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
2. Are we asking the Lord to meet a need or a desire?
A need is something that we must have in order for God to complete His work in our lives. A desire is something we want for satisfaction or enjoyment. If we lose our job, then an essential—an incoming wage—is missing. But if we want a new position for personal reasons, it’s a desire.
3. Before fulfilling a promise, does the Lord require some action on our part?
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a conditional promise, which pledges God’s direction on the basis of our trust in Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
On the other hand, Jesus’ assurance of His presence with believers (Heb. 13:5) is unconditional; it does not depend on anything we do.
Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) 5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
By evaluating Scripture on the basis of these questions, we will know which promises apply to our situation. What confidence we’ll have in asking our Lord to fulfill them in our lives. For, as 1 Corinthians 1:20 (niv) says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”
God’s Most Precious Promises to You
Here are some of God’s most precious promises to you. From God’s Precious Promises on In Touch.org.
1. Our reconciliation to God through the death of Christ
“While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” —Romans 5:6-10
2. The daily forgiveness of our sins
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9
3. The Father’s continued presence wherever we go
“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8
4. A constant Helper through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” —John 14:16
5. The Lord’s strength in whatever difficulty we face
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10
6. God’s provision for our daily needs
“Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” —Matthew 6:25-32
7. God’s comfort in our distress
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” —2 Corinthians 1:3-4
8. Peace regardless of the troubles we face
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7
9. The desires of our hearts
“Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” —Psalm 37:4
10. The absolute guarantee of God’s love
“I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:38-39
11. Eternal security
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” —John 10:27-30
12. Heaven as our eternal home
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” —John 14:1-3
2 Peter 1:4 (NLT) 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Charles Spurgeon in his Morning and Evening Devotions gives us this thought "But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God."
Morning Verse
"Exceeding great and precious promises.
If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises, and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their fulfillment. While you are musing upon them, the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.
But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God. Speak to thy soul thus, "If I were dealing with a man's promise, I should carefully consider the ability and the character of the man who had covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye must not be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy—that may stagger me; as upon the greatness of the promiser—that will cheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of His which thou art now considering is as true as His own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out of His mouth, nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth He lack any power; it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can He fail in wisdom as to the time when He will bestow the favours, for He knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God so true, so immutable, so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the promise." If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfillment.
Morning and Evening.
Here are some of God’s most precious promises to you. From God’s Precious Promises on In Touch.org.
1. Our reconciliation to God through the death of Christ
“While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” —Romans 5:6-10
2. The daily forgiveness of our sins
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9
3. The Father’s continued presence wherever we go
“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8
4. A constant Helper through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” —John 14:16
5. The Lord’s strength in whatever difficulty we face
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10
6. God’s provision for our daily needs
“Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” —Matthew 6:25-32
7. God’s comfort in our distress
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” —2 Corinthians 1:3-4
8. Peace regardless of the troubles we face
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7
9. The desires of our hearts
“Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” —Psalm 37:4
10. The absolute guarantee of God’s love
“I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:38-39
11. Eternal security
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” —John 10:27-30
12. Heaven as our eternal home
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” —John 14:1-3
2 Peter 1:4 (NLT) 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Charles Spurgeon in his Morning and Evening Devotions gives us this thought "But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God."
Morning Verse
"Exceeding great and precious promises.
If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises, and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their fulfillment. While you are musing upon them, the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.
But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God. Speak to thy soul thus, "If I were dealing with a man's promise, I should carefully consider the ability and the character of the man who had covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye must not be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy—that may stagger me; as upon the greatness of the promiser—that will cheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of His which thou art now considering is as true as His own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out of His mouth, nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth He lack any power; it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can He fail in wisdom as to the time when He will bestow the favours, for He knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God so true, so immutable, so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the promise." If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfillment.
Morning and Evening.
Are These Promises To You?
All of the promises in this blog post are to believers, to those who are in the family of God. Those who have been reconciled to God and justified by Him. If this description fits you then these promises are for you. If this description doesn’t fit you then these promises are not to you but they can be. God wants them to apply to you. In fact He sent His Son Jesus to the earth so that He could take the punishment due you for your sin. He wants these promises for you. All you have to do is acknowledge that you need a savior because you can’t fix yourself. You will never be able to satisfy God yourself. All you have to do is accept the free gift of God’s grace then all these promises will apply to you.
Here’s all you have to do;
Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Then and only then can you say that all of the promises of God are available to you.
If you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior now’s the time. You may never get another chance. Here’s all you have to do.
Pray this prayer in all sincerity. Don’t just say it if you don’t really mean it because if you do you will just be speaking words but if you are tired of trying to do change things by yourself and you are ready to turn your life over to the one who can change things pray;
“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”
If you truly understand and believe what you just prayed then please find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers. Welcome to the family of God.
All of the promises in this blog post are to believers, to those who are in the family of God. Those who have been reconciled to God and justified by Him. If this description fits you then these promises are for you. If this description doesn’t fit you then these promises are not to you but they can be. God wants them to apply to you. In fact He sent His Son Jesus to the earth so that He could take the punishment due you for your sin. He wants these promises for you. All you have to do is acknowledge that you need a savior because you can’t fix yourself. You will never be able to satisfy God yourself. All you have to do is accept the free gift of God’s grace then all these promises will apply to you.
Here’s all you have to do;
Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Then and only then can you say that all of the promises of God are available to you.
If you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior now’s the time. You may never get another chance. Here’s all you have to do.
Pray this prayer in all sincerity. Don’t just say it if you don’t really mean it because if you do you will just be speaking words but if you are tired of trying to do change things by yourself and you are ready to turn your life over to the one who can change things pray;
“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”
If you truly understand and believe what you just prayed then please find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers. Welcome to the family of God.