by Leigh Ann Dilley on October 28, 2021
Do you have a favorite Bible promise? Last weekend Timberline Women’s Ministry was privileged to host a community event: Guided by Promise with Barbara Roose, a popular Bible study author, and speaker. Several promises to guide us through tough times were discussed.
Primarily the promises revolved around worry, permission to take care of our bodies, and the freedom and power of surrender. If you missed it, here is a brief review.
The promise concerning the worry was based on Joshua’s battle to take the Israelites to the Promised Land. You may remember, Moses sent 12 spies to check out the Promised Land and its inhabitants. Ten spies said the battle would be too difficult. Only two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said they could conquer it. Moses dies and Joshua becomes the leader, in charge of the army. God promises Joshua in Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. This command is repeated often to Joshua and one for us to remember as a guiding promise when we fight our battles.
When it comes to women taking care of themselves, think about the promise from 1 Peter 5:7 Give all of your worries and cares to God for he cares about you. If God cares about you, He has permitted you to care about yourself. By caring for ourselves, consider our clothes. They reflect our attitude, beliefs, and character. We must be aware of our appetites. Appetite for anything, not necessarily for food. Let's be careful to fill ourselves with satisfying things, not empty promises. We need rest and exercise, so our bodies are prepared for God to use them. Finally, smile. 1 Peter 3:15 says always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Jesus is our hope and that gives us reason to smile, and smiles draw others in.
Surrender promises involved Jesus’ time in the desert when He is tempted by the devil. We have desert seasons in our lives too. If we model Jesus’ behavior, he quotes scripture after each temptation. To quote scripture, we must know scripture. Matthew 4:4 We do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4: 7 Do not put the Lord your God to the test. In other words, be obedient to God’s word. Matthew 4:10b Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
There was a lot of sniffling in the auditorium when we prayed over the power of surrender. Surrender proves to be a powerful subject for everyone. Barb clarified that surrender does not mean giving in or giving up, but giving over the care, keeping, and trust of your situation to God. Many of us will surrender when we reach the point of knowing we are out of options anyway, but why not allow the promise of His provision to take over sooner, sparing us from much of the worry and stress. Jesus asks us to do this.
As we worked our way through the morning of being guided by God’s promises, we learned how God is consistently faithful to the promises he offers us. With each fulfilled promise, our faith and trust, and dependence on God increase. Allow God to show a great adventure by allowing Him to show you who He is. The stories referenced in the Bible, without fail demonstrate: God is our rescue and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
So, I’ll ask you again. Do you have a favorite biblical promise? We’d love to hear your story and have you share the promise.
