Today’s post on God’s Promises for Living takes a look at Romans 8:28 as it relates to the call God has placed on your life.
Has God called you for a special purpose? If you are a child of God, the answer is “Yes!” But … do you seem far away from meeting your Heavenly calling?
If you feel far away from that goal, here’s a look at Romans 8:28. God is right now behind the scenes of your life, training and preparing you for amazing things for His glory! Consider this your official “training ground” and be encouraged to press on! Watch this video:
26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Do you have a question about living a life based on God’s promises? Or, do you have a special promise that you would like to share that has impacted your life in a significant way? If so, I want to hear from you!
Post a comment to share your question or special story! Watch this quick video for more:
Here’s a question for you: Do you worry too much? Do you find yourself awake at night, stewing over a certain challenge in your life or the life of a loved one? Are the first thoughts of your day about a difficult situation you are facing? Are you often anxious, filled with anxiety over something that seems beyond your control?
Our English word for “worry” comes from a Middle English word, “worien” which literally means “to strangle.” Isn’t that exactly how it feels to be overloaded with worry? I can feel my chest tighten up, and my throat seems to close as it worsens!
If you are dealing with worry and anxiety, then this promise is for you: Luke 12:22-23
22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
Let’s take a closer at this promise in this video:
A Red Flagfor Doubt
Worry is a red flag that our faith needs a boost. How do we get that boost? Read the scripture, and then in prayer, ask for more faith. Another great thing to do is take 15 minutes and remember all of the times that God has been faithful to you in the past.
Keep a Record of God’s Faithfulness:
Now is a good time to start a journal recording each act of God’s faithfulness in your life. So often, we forget that He has carried us over bigger storms in the past. The Israelites built stone monuments to help them remember God’s faithfulness. We, too, need to create a record of God’s work in our lives. Then when we find ourselves overwhelmed with worry, take it out and praise God for His faithfulness to you.
Do you see God as distant? Uninvolved? Do you ever wonder if God really cares for you? If so, then take a look at the promise found in Zephaniah 3:17. In this video, I look at an exciting promise in one of the lesser known books of the Bible:
The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.
Not only does He delight in us–in the same way that we delight whenever a beloved child of our own walks into the room–but He is also a warrior fighting for our good. He is with us at all times, ready to save us in our time of need.
Watch this video for more on this amazing promise:
The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.”
Jerusalem will be told:
“Don’t be afraid.
Dear Zion,
don’t despair.
Your God is present among you,
a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
and delight you with his songs.
The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.
Have you wondered what Christianity is all about? Or, have you feared you have “lost” your salvation? If so, then God’s promise – in the very words of Jesus – found in John 10 is for you:
“The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.”
The question is….do you recognize His voice?
The following video takes a look at this promise and why the Good Shepherd will never lose a single one of His flock:
The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand.
Jesus answered, “I told you, but you don’t believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”
My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish —ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
To be in the hands of Christ, is to be high in his esteem and favour; the saints are a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of their God; they are a signet on his right hand that shall never be plucked off; they are engraven on the palms of his hands: to be in the hands of Christ, is to be in his possession, and at his dispose, as all the elect of God are; and to be under his guidance, care, and protection, as they be; they are fed according to the integrity of his heart, and guided by the skilfulness of his hands; they are always under his care and watchful eye, who protects them from all their enemies, and hides them in the hollow of his hand: hence, because they are so, they are called “the sheep of his hand”, ( Psalms 95:7 ) . And none shall ever pluck them from thence; no man can do it, not any false teacher can remove them from Christ, by all the art and cunning he is master of; nor any violent persecutor, by all the force and power he can use; nor can any sin, or snare, or temptation, draw them out of Christ’s hands; nor any adversity whatever separate them from him: they must be safe, and always abide there, who are in the hands of Christ; for his hands have laid the foundations of the heavens and the earth, they grasp the whole universe, and hold all things together; and who then can pluck any out of these hands? Moreover, Christ, as Mediator, has all power in heaven and earth; and even as man, he is the man of God’s right hand, made strong for himself.
Ever feel like giving up? Have you ever wanted to throw in the towel? Most of us have. I know I have…even today. Today’s promise gives us a reason to keep going, and promises a harvest … at just the right time … if we don’t.
This year, I will be starting a series of short videos focusing on the promises of God. I am a strong believer in promised-based living. Each of these short video posts will feature a single promise. I will also be posting scriptures with discussion on why we can trust the Promise Maker.
So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith..
And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.
So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people [not onlybeing useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God's family with you, the believers].
“We are all very apt to tire in duty, particularly in doing good. This we should carefully watch and guard against. Only to perseverance in well-doing is the reward promised. Here is an exhortation to all to do good in their places. We should take care to do good in our life-time, and make this the business of our lives. Especially when fresh occasions offer, and as far as our power reaches.”
Conditions:
The “proper time” may be in this world…or the next. The condition of a harvest is that we do not give up.
We all set goals for ourselves, especially at the start of the new year. But what happens when we experience failure or when we slip up? If we love the Lord, then we can depend on a promise found in Roman Chapter 8, one that gives us the grace to strive for our best without performance anxiety.
This year, I will be starting a series of short videos focusing on the promises of God. I am a strong believer in promised-based living. Each of these short video posts will feature a single promise. I will also be posting scriptures with discussion on why we can trust the Promise Maker.
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
I peered from my bedroom window into the ominous gloom of a storm that had blown into my hometown of Charlotte, NC.
The sky grumbled with thunder and the wind whistled through the trees in my backyard. Awed by the storm’s might, I watched as branches rose and fell sharply, the wind plucking leaves from tree limbs to send them dancing through the air. Dangerous flashes of lightning lit the sky.
So it is in my own life right now, I thought as a sharp burst of lightning cracked overhead causing the foundations of our home to tremble.
In these hard economic times, our future is as dark and ominous as this storm.
I winced at the memory of the uneasy expression my husband carried home each night for over two years now. Day after day, he chased new development projects–projects that had all but disappeared in the dwindling housing and development market–as a harsh economic storm rolled across America. Over the course of time we watched this financial tempest pluck away the simplest of comforts of life, comforts that we once took for granted.
The economic storm had taken away all but the necessities of life. Gone was our cable television subscription. We no longer scheduled weekend trips or vacations, and money for new clothing was a struggle. Our children did not attend piano lessons or sports camps. We struggled to find money for dental visits and medications for our autistic son, Alec. We paid off our car debt on our two old cars and watched as the mileage on our old van crept well above the 170,000 mile mark. We were one major car repair bill away from going under.
As our family teetered on the edge of financial ruin, we prayed, watched and waited to see if God’s promises were true. Could we really depend on Him to sustain us in the storm?
Peering out of my window, my eyes fell to an impossibly tiny shape perched solidly at the end of a branch: a hummingbird. I watched as it swayed and pitched with the violent wind, but not once did it stagger or stumble.
Incredible! How does that miniature bird remain standing on that branch in these winds? As I watched the bird, I heard His answer:
I AM the God Who even the winds obey! Just as I hold this hummingbird, I also hold fast to you! So do not fear the storm. Know that I AM with you, even in the midst of it!
Oh sweet Jesus, help us to remember how powerful You are! May we never forget that you are faithful to Your promise to care and sustain us through the biggest storms of life!
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Does the Bible have anything to say about autism? Have you ever wondered if God cares about it? In this two part video, I share a little-known Bible story with fascinating details that will be extremely familiar to people who love someone with autism. This Bible story changed my life. Listen in, and please share it with anyone you know who cares for someone on the autism spectrum:
Yesterday was not a good day. I won’t rehash it, but you can read about it in “Authenticity Challenge: Reality Stinks.” While today was somewhat better, tonight, my worship team rehearsal night, was fantastic. Why? Here is the secret that turned an ordinary day into a great one: the power of praise.
Yeah, just a little singing and music, right? That’s all worship is really about, right? Not so special, you say?
Yes, Christians are well familiar with worship in services. Corporate worship, or worshiping together with others as in church, comes in all styles: contemporary, traditional, latin, and with hymns, chimes, choirs, praise bands, orchestras and even acappella. Typically, Christians know the routine. We enter the sanctuary, pick up the bulletin, scan it, stand up, sing a song, sit down, stand up, sing, sit, stand (sigh) again, sing, sit, stand… well, you get it.
I’ve been singing with a praise and worship team for 19 years. You would think that singing worship would become somewhat ordinary to me by now. It’s not. Participating in worship is anything but ordinary! I never fail to get nervous each Sunday my team is up. I never feel prepared, and I am always anxious that I will forget the words or sing the impromptu solo (you know, the one that you blurt out when no one was supposed to sing), or forget a harmony. I feel this way every time I sing on the team.
You would think I would get over this nervousness, but I don’t. You see, I have come to understand that I am helping usher the congregation into the very presence of the Holy One! Worship is serious business to me! Above all else, knowing this truth is what makes my hands shake each Sunday as I grip the microphone. The sanctuary will be Holy Ground…and I know I am not worthy of being there!
Listen, I am not a spectacular singer. I have no doubt that Simon would usher me on, and not without a snarky comment or two. But while Simon won’t be in the congregation, God will be. Frankly, Simon would be far less fearsome!
So as I am standing there quaking in my shoes, I repeat this promise to myself:
“I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Then something happens inside. I find peace. My voice stops quivering, and I am ready to sing. My hands still shake, but the words are there.
Sometimes I look out into the congregation and see someone yawn, looking quite bored. Hey, I am not judging anyone because I have done this, too. It is so easy to let your mind wander during a worship set! It’s early, and people are tired. But sometimes when we are singing about the power of the resurrection, I wonder if those words are really sinking in. I wonder if people are truly aware of the power of those words. Yes, there is a great power in the words!
The next time you are in a sanctuary and the worship set begins, no matter if is it is a hymn or a contempory song–whatever the style of your particular church–really focus on the words of the music. The lyrics. What are you singing? To Whom? Forget about the person in front of you with the weird shirt, the lady behind you who is so off key, or even that the vocalist may be off-beat. Just focus on what you are singing. I promise you, something special will happen.
You see, there is an incredible power in praise music. When you worship with all of your heart, or, as the Bible says, “in Spirit and Truth,” you have entered the Holy Place. The presence of the Most High God!
True worship lifts a depression. It restores a broken heart. It unites the most ill-matched group of people as they honor God together. It is powerful, focused, and full of the Spirit. As you worship, remember where you are, and not just physically, but spiritually. You are approaching the very altar of God!
As you sing, don’t worry about how good you sound. Listen, God doesn’t care if you are on pitch or off. (Believe me, I’ve been off many times!) He doesn’t care if you blunder a phrase. He only cares about your heart.
Are you worshiping in Spirit and Truth? God is worth our whole-hearted worship. Do you know that He sings with us, too? The verse below is one of my favorite passages. He is not hesitant about rejoicing over you….so give Him your very best!
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.“
Comments from Readers … or your turn to talk!