@*@*@*@ Pigeon Missions @*@*@*@

AN AMAZING FACT:  Because there are so many pigeons in the world, we sometimes fail to appreciate these remarkable birds. Pigeons mate for life, make excellent parents, and have been known to live over 30 years! The racing pigeon is the marathon athlete of the air. It has the ability to beat its wings up to 10 times per second, and maintain a heart rate of 600 beats per minute for up to 16 hours without rest, while flying 50 to 60 mph! In addition, it can fly nearly straight up. These skills have made homing pigeons a valuable communication tool for carrying messages in wartime. During WWII, 98 percent of pigeon missions were successful, often despite enemy fire. A famous WWI homing pigeon named Cher Ami delivered a vital message—the location of the famous Lost Battalion. The mission of that pigeon alone is credited with saving nearly 200 human lives! Cher Ami was awarded a medal for his heroic service. He died from his extensive battle wounds.  The French, Swiss, Israeli, and Chinese armies still use homing pigeons today because their messaging is not affected by electronic jamming. In the 17th century, King George of England decreed all pigeon droppings to be property of the Crown—and the lofts were policed to enforce the law! The reason? Pigeon manure was used in making gunpowder.  Advanced studies at the University of Montana and at Harvard have concluded: “Pound for pound, the pigeon is one of the smartest, most physically adept creatures in the animal kingdom.” They have been taught to use tools and were found to retain hundreds of objects or images in their memory! Knowing this, the pharmaceutical industry in Australia employed pigeons trained to identify anomalies in pills on a moving conveyor. The birds did outstanding work, but authorities soon ended the practice, fearing backlash from the perception that pigeons were more efficient workers than people. And, of course, they would work for chicken feed!  Did you know there was a prophet in the Bible whose name was pigeon? Jonah’s name means “dove” or “pigeon.” Unlike the faithful homing pigeons, Jonah tried to flee from duty. God mercifully spared his life, and Jonah went on to preach God’s message of warning, which saved an entire city from destruction. KEY BIBLE TEXTS Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,Jonah 1:1 Subscribe to the  AF Daily Devotional by Email

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~*~*~*~*~ I Give THEE Thanks O YAH! ~*~*~*~*~

Saying, We Give Thee Thanks, O LORD GOD Almighty, Which Art, And Wast, And Art To Come; Because Thou Hast Taken To Thee Thy Great Power, And Hast Reigned.

Revelation 11:17

*** Under HIS Wings ***

AN AMAZING FACT:  In the spring of 1977 in northern Wisconsin, several ornithologists were making an aerial survey of bald eagle nests. As they flew over one particular nest, they noticed something in the nest that didn’t look right, and they guessed that it might be a dead adult eagle.

The next day the men visited the same nest from the ground to determine what had happened. When they arrived, two adult eagles began flying around and scolding, and it was obvious that there was at least one young bird alive in the nest. Now the men were really confused—if what they saw was really a dead eagle, why were there now two living adults scolding them? Climbing the tree to get a closer look, they found an eagle that had been dead for about a month, yet a very healthy chick about five weeks old was sitting in the nest. How could this have happened?

Upon further investigation, the men discovered that lightning had struck the tree: large limbs from the tree were strewn around on the ground, and there were burn marks near the nest. The men surmised that the lightning strike had killed the mother, but by some miracle the young bird had survived. Perhaps the mother was still incubating the egg when the storm hit, or perhaps, during the fury of the storm, the mother stretched out her wings to protect her newly hatched chick. Either way, it was apparent that soon after her death, the father had been able to recruit another mate to help with the very demanding task of feeding a growing eagle.

What a perfect example of the love that Jesus has for us! The Bible, describing Jacob’s experience in the wilderness, says that the Lord led Jacob just like an eagle spreads its wings over its young (Deuteronomy 32:11). Just as God saved Jacob, He will save us: when we deserved death for our sins, Jesus was willing to spread His protective wings and take our death to save us.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalms 91:1 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Psalms 91:3 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalms 91:4

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*~* You Must Show Compassion *~*

Every act of kindness you showed to

 someone in need, as well as every time you

 turned a blind eye, you’ll account for when

 you stand at the judgment 

(see 2 Corinthians 5:10). 

Jesus will recount them one by one - one

 deed done to improve the lot of another

 person, even small ones. 

Indeed, everything Jesus mentioned

seems small: ‘I was hungry

 and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you

 gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took

 Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was

 sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and

 you came to Me’ 

(Matthew 25:35-36 NKJV). 

The early Church father Chrysostom

 pointed out, ‘We do not hear “I was sick and

 you healed me,” or “I was in prison and you

 liberated me.”’ So that does away with the

 excuse, ‘How could I heal a sick person or

 liberate someone who’s enslaved?’ Jesus

 said, ‘I was sick and you visited Me; I was in

 prison and you came to Me.’ These works of

 mercy are simple deeds, and yet in these

 simple deeds we serve Jesus. 

Astounding, this truth: 

we serve Christ by serving needy people. 

Some of them are refugees, or living

 on the streets. Maybe they've made mistakes

 or been caught up in circumstances they

 can’t control. You can’t help all of them, but

 you can help some of them!

And when you do, you serve Jesus. 

That’s what Jesus will talk to you about 

when you stand before Him one day.

2 Sam 12-13, John 19:1-22

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: THE VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN

O #YAHWEH YOU Are My #Healer And My #Salvation

HEALTH IS THE GREATEST WEALTH

O YAH Empty Me Of Me So I Can Be Filled With YOU

HEALTH AND WEALTH

~ An Eye For An Eye...... ~

YOUR INSIGHT OF THE DAY

 

An Eye For An Eye Leaves Everybody Blind!

 RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: THE HEALING POWER OF FORGIVENESS

~ What Are The Different Names Of GOD And What Do They Mean? ~

Each Of The Many Names Of GOD Describes A Different Aspect Of HIS Many-faceted #Character. Here Are Some Of The Better-known Names Of GOD In The Bible:

EL, ELOAH: God "#Mighty, #Strong, #Prominent" (Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 139:19) – #etymologically, #El appears to mean “#Power,” as in “I have the Power to harm you” (Genesis 31:29). El is associated with other qualities, such as #integrity (Numbers 23:19), #jealousy (Deuteronomy 5:9), and #compassion (Nehemiah 9:31), but the root idea of “#might” remains.

ELOHIM: God “#Creator, #Mighty and #Strong” (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33) – the plural form of #Eloah, which accommodates the doctrine of the #Trinity. From the Bible’s first sentence, the superlative nature of God’s power is evident as God (#Elohim) speaks the world into existence (Genesis 1:1).

EL SHADDAI: “God Almighty,” “The Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5) – speaks to God’s ultimate power over all.

ADONAI: “Lord” (Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15) – used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles.

YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH: “LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, “Lord.” The revelation of the name is first given to Moses “I Am who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an #immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for #deliverance (Psalm 107:13), #forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and #guidance (Psalm 31:3).

YAHWEH-JIREH: "The Lord Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14) – the name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be #sacrificed in place of Isaac.

YAHWEH-RAPHA: "The Lord Who Heals" (Exodus 15:26) – “I am Jehovah who #heals you” both in body and soul. In body, by #preserving from and #curing #diseases, and in soul, by #pardoning #iniquities.

YAHWEH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner" (Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert #victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17.

YAHWEH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who #Sanctifies, Makes Holy" (Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) – God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, can cleanse His people and make them holy.

YAHWEH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" (Judges 6:24) – the name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.

YAHWEH-ELOHIM: "LORD God" (Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) – a combination of God’s unique name YHWH and the generic “Lord,” signifying that He is the Lord of Lords.

YAHWEH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16) – As with YHWH-M’Kaddesh, it is God alone who #provides #righteousness to man, ultimately in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us “that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

YAHWEH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a #shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares, “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord Is There” (Ezekiel 48:35) – the name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once-departed #glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8—11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4).

YAHWEH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" (Isaiah 1:24; Psalm 46:7) – Hosts means “ ,” both of angels and of men. He is Lord of the host of heaven and of the inhabitants of the earth, of Jews and Gentiles, of rich and poor, master and slave. The name is expressive of the #majesty, #power, and #authority of God and shows that He is able to accomplish what He determines to do.

EL ELYON: “Most High" (Deuteronomy 26:19) – derived from the Hebrew root for “go up” or “ascend,” so the implication is of that which is the very highest. El Elyon denotes #exaltation and speaks of absolute right to lordship.

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" (Genesis 16:13) – the name ascribed to God by Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness after being driven out by Sarah (Genesis 16:1-14). When Hagar met the Angel of the Lord, she realized she had seen God Himself in a #theophany. She also realized that El Roi saw her in her #distress and #testified that He is a God who lives and sees all.

EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (Psalm 90:1-3) – God’s nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time, and He contains within Himself the very cause of time itself. “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

EL-GIBHOR: “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) – the name describing the #Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this #prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a #powerful and #mighty #warrior, the #Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the #destruction of God’s #enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15).

Recommended Resources: MIRACLES HAPPEN And THE VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN And SATISFIED And IF MY PEOPLE PRAY And THE HEALING POWER OF FORGIVENESS And BATTERED TO BLESSED

~*~ What Are Your Real Motives? ~*~

~ THE WORD FOR TODAY ~

'The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive.' 1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV

When Ananias and Sapphira saw others selling their land and giving the proceeds to the church so the poor could be cared for, they thought it was a great idea—in theory. However, when they sold some land they withheld part of the money and then lied about it. They wanted increased visibility and spiritual status without paying retail for it. They wanted to ‘look the part’ without having to pay the price. But Peter exposed their sin, saying, ‘You didn’t lie to people. You lied to God!’ (Acts 5:4 CEV) Not only were their motives exposed, they both dropped dead. And as a result, ‘Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.’ (Acts 5:11 NLT) One pastor says: ‘Numerous Sundays I’ve preached a message that deeply moved the members of my congregation. But ironically I’d “prepared” by arguing with my wife on the way to church, or making life miserable for my children. Years of practice came to my rescue and I easily morphed into “the pastor”, becoming instantly compassionate, holy and spiritual. I was faking… [because] feeling needed, respected and wanted can become as great a motivation as love for Christ.’ When it comes to examining your motives, here are two Scriptures you need to read and consider carefully and prayerfully: (1) ‘The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you.’ (1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV) (2) ‘I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.’ (Jeremiah 17:10 NIV)

SoulFood: Hos 11-14, Luke 22:63-71, Ps 55:1-11, Prov 8:17-18

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2016

*~* The Promises of God *~*

~ By Pastor Doug Batchelor ~

An Amazing Fact: William Penn, the founder of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was well-liked by the Indians. They once told him he could have as much of their land as he could encompass on foot in a single day. Early the next morning, he started out and walked until late that night. When he finally went to claim his land, the Indians were greatly surprised, for they really didn’t expect he would take their word seriously. But they kept their promise and gave him the large tract that today is part of the city of Philadelphia. William Penn simply believed what they had said. Should we do less with God?

You have heard the expression, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.”

In the Bible, we’re told over and over again that God’s promises never fail.

That’s in stark contrast to the situation in which the United States currently finds itself: We’ve got an epidemic of bankrupt business and credit crises because of a failed financial industry that was built on the gelatinous foundation of men’s promises.

In the resulting monetary morass, people have lost their jobs and businesses. Ironically, they also signed contracts to make payments that they can no longer make. Cars are being repossessed. And in the wake of immense financial strain and blame, couples are rescinding their promises of “through good times and bad” and are seeking divorce.

It’s enough to make everyone wonder if we can trust anybody’s word these days. Does a promise still mean anything?

A Perfect Credit Record
A number of companies today evaluate our credit scores to determine our dependability in keeping covenants. I have some very good news: God has a perfect credit score. Even in this world of broken contracts and violated vows, you can still completely trust God’s promises. When God says something, it never fails. That’s why my goal is to encourage you to read your Bible more and help you believe in and take advantage of the wonderful array of promises found throughout His Word.

Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; … hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” We humans are pretty weak-willed. Sometimes out of fear we’ll make an impulsive promise, even though we know we can’t keep it.

But God doesn’t need to do that. For one, He never feels threatened or pressured. But most important, the Bible says He simply cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). In Matthew 24:35, Jesus explains, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

In fact, God goes out of His way to guarantee Himself for all eternity: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips” (Psalm 89:34). Then He backs it up by doing what He says.

You might be thinking, “Lord, you said you’re coming back; where are you?” Has His promise failed? Not at all. He promised to come the first time, and He did. It’s now about 2,000 years after that, and I think He is just about to come again. We might forget what He promises because we’re so impatient. But God is very patient. He doesn’t measure time the way we do. “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8 NKJV).

You can trust the promises found in the Word of God — they are a solid, immense, immovable rock that we can stand on forever (Luke 6:47, 48).

My question is: Why do so few of us do so?

Unbelief in God’s Promises
Failure to believe God’s promises insults Him, His Word, and His character.

For example, after all the Lord did to bring the Jews out of Egypt, they wouldn’t believe He could take them all the way to the Promised Land. “In this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day” (Deuteronomy 1:32, 33). These fortunate souls had seen the Red Sea part, a fiery pillar lead them through the wilderness, and bread rain from heaven, but they still lacked faith.

When God brought them to the borders of the Promised Land, they sent in scouts to get a feel for the condition of the land. Ten of them came back to express overwhelming doubt about what God could do. But the Promised Land was called the Promised Land for a reason!

Their faithlessness ended up costing them dearly: “The LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth … saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers” (vs. 34, 35). They were not permitted to enter “heaven on earth” for their unbelief.

In the same way, if you want to get into the heavenly Canaan, you must believe in God’s promises. Without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). The ironic thing is that if I were to ask a group of Christians whether they think Jesus was preparing a room for them in heaven, most would say yes. But if I were to ask how many believed they could have victory over sin, they would express doubt, even though God specifically promises it to them. (More on this promise later!)

I’m worried that many who have experienced the truth of God will get to the border of the Promised Land only to lose faith in the Lord. We’re often good at believing that God can do anything around us, but not in us. But if God can rain down brimstone and part seas, He can keep His promise of giving you a new heart. Hebrews 4:1 warns: “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” We need to fear falling into an attitude of unbelief. We need to be “fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” in our hearts and minds (Romans 4:21).

Cashing in on His Promises
One of the most successful gimmicks of retailers is selling gift cards. They make a lot of money off people who fail to use the cards or lose them before they use all the funds on them. Retailers can make a 50 percent profit from them and, worse, sometimes they go out of business rendering the purchased gift cards useless!

By God’s grace, His promises have no expiration date. So how do we cash in?

For one, we have to know what those promises are. That means reading His inspired Word regularly. It’s thrilling to track the Lord through biblical history by His promises; His actions are always following His promises. So often we miss out on these stirring gems of hope because we don’t read them and wrap ourselves around them in study. The Word of God is everything; it must come alive in our minds and hearts. It must be seen and heard before it can be believed.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were threatened with incineration by Nebuchadnezzar, I believe they remembered and claimed a Scripture found in Isaiah 43: “When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you” (v. 2 NKJV). I imagine these faithful servants learned of this promise at their mothers’ knee, and when Nebuchadnezzar said, “I’m going to throw you into the fiery furnace,” the Holy Spirit reminded them of it.

Are you going to redeem His promises, or are you going to let His “gift card” disappear somewhere in your pile of papers?

Ask for and Believe in His Promises
Have you ever heard the ABCs of prayer — ask, believe, and claim? That’s a pretty good nugget of advice in experiencing God’s promises in your life. And there are literally thousands of promises in the Bible. I would have loved to include a list for you here, but there simply isn’t enough room. God’s promises are an inexhaustible mine filled with wealth. (I will list a few promises for you later, but you really need to search His Word to learn as many as you can. You have all the reason in the world to read your Bible.)

Next, you need to ask. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego claimed God’s promise when they said, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from your hand, O King.” Did God honor His word? I can see it now — as they were being tied up by soldiers, the three men were probably muttering the promise to each other: “Remember the promise in Isaiah. When we go through the fire, it will not burn us. Lord, you hear that? You said it.” They presented it to the Lord, and the whole world would have had to pass away before God failed in that promise. God miraculously protected them.

To receive a promise, we also need to pray in Jesus’ name. “All the promises of God in [Jesus] are yea, and in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Then you need to believe that God will come through for you. Of course, we don’t deserve a promise based on what we have done, but we can have it on the good name of His Son. How wonderful is the righteousness of Jesus Christ!

Your prayer can be as simple as, “Lord, I believe in your promise. I am asking you, in the name of Christ, to fulfill it. Thank you.” When you approach the Father like this, believing in the integrity of His Word, you honor Him, His promise, and His Son. What do you think your chances are of God honoring your faith? I think they are pretty good. Hebrews 11:33 proclaims that His people “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises.”

Now, while I have a little room left, let me share some of God’s most powerful promises. The more you read your Bible, the more you will see that the promises of God are like stars. The darker the night, the brighter they will shine for you.

The Promise of His Spirit
It’s our most important need as Christians: God’s Spirit dwelling within us. In Acts 2:38, 39, Peter says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (NKJV). God has promised us His Holy Spirit.

When anyone sincerely calls upon the name of the Lord in baptism, God offers the Holy Spirit in the same way it was given to Jesus when He was baptized. Indeed, part of the reason the Spirit came down was to empower Jesus for a life of holiness and ministry. God will also do that for you.

I wonder how many people have been baptized but have never received the Holy Spirit because they went through a baptism but neglected to claim His Spirit. Have you prayed and asked for His Spirit? Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13 NKJV). If you don’t think you have received the Spirit, it’s not too late. God can provide it even before baptism, as He did with Cornelius, or after baptism, as He did with the Apostles. If you’re still waiting for the Holy Spirit to come, maybe God has been waiting for you to ask.

The Promise of Everlasting Life
An elderly Christian was in much distress as he lay dying. “Oh, Pastor,” he said, “For years I have relied upon the promises of God, but now in the hour of death I can’t remember a single one to comfort me.” Knowing that Satan was behind this poor man’s doubt, the preacher said, “My brother, do you think that God will forget any of His promises?” A peaceful smile came over the face of the dying believer as he exclaimed joyfully, “No. No! He won’t!”

Of course, one of the best promises we can claim is the gift of eternal life. “This is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life” (1 John 2:25 NKJV). Just in case one witness is not enough for you, here is a second: “For this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant … that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15 NKJV).

“Oh,” you might think, “I’m not good enough!” If that’s your fear, stop trembling. God promises to fix that too. He knows you’re not good enough, but He promises to change your heart and prepare you for eternity. And if you lack the faith — well, He promises to give you faith.

The Promise for Holy Living
While you are believing in the promise of eternal life, believe this: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). This is a powerful promise — He has given power in all things that pertain to life, practical living, faith, and godliness.

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill promises; these aren’t even just great promises. They are “exceeding great and precious promises.” Through them, we can be “partakers of the divine nature.”  Whose nature is that? The nature of Christ Himself. Imagine that!

Sadly, many want to brush this aside and suggest it means that God merely looks upon you as if you had the nature of Christ. But that’s not what it says. “By these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4, emphasis added). Is that clear enough? Maybe it hasn’t happened because you don’t believe it, but the promise is right there. You can live a holy life.

Just to belabor the point, Jude 1:24 says, “Unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (emphasis added). Do you believe the devil can tempt you to sin? If so, do you believe that Jesus can keep you from sin? If not, then you actually believe that the devil is more powerful than God! Yet if you believe, all things are possible — even sinless living. Of course, you’re not trusting in your own word or abilities or promises. You’re trusting in God’s promises and depending on Him to see you through all things.

Total Trust
When the Apostle Paul was on his way to Rome, a horrible storm overtook his boat. Everyone on board thought they were going to die … except Paul. For 14 days, the crew had been lost at sea, and now it looked like the ship was going down. They even threw tackling overboard in an attempt to save themselves. Yet here was Paul, totally unfazed.

They wondered, “Why are you so calm?” Paul answered, “God said I have to talk to Caesar, and I haven’t talked to him yet — so I know I’m living through this storm.” God made a promise, and Paul was totally fearless. Instead of trembling in fear, he prayed for everyone else on the boat, and God heard his prayer and saved them. Not one perished because of the intercession and total faith on the part of Paul. You might have been jaded from promises from family members, friends, or even politicians. We sometimes break our covenants with one another, but God does not.

He’s in the Next Room
Robert Murray McCheyne once wrote, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.” How true is that? If you could know, right now, that Jesus is in the next room praying for you, would you be afraid of anything?

Yet McCheyne concluded his statement this way: “Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.” Christ lives to make intercession for you. Just because He’s a little farther away and you can’t see or hear Him, He is praying for you to trust in and to receive God’s promises.

There is an old rabbinical legend that when Joseph was prime minister to Pharaoh during the Egyptian famine, he emptied the chaff of his granaries into the Nile River. It floated far away on the moving currents. When the people on the shoreline saw it pass by, they were filled with comfort. It was only chaff, but it meant that there was plenty of corn somewhere. They only needed to trace it to its source. God has promises of plenty for you, but you must track them.

I hope you will bank everything you have on that truth and begin to read your Bible to locate God’s promises. You need to read them — underline them — and start asking, and believing, and claiming them in your life. No matter what your challenges are, you’ll experience a complete transformation and even total victory. Do you have a problem with your character, a problem with your child, a problem at work? God can take care of those. Don’t underestimate the power or range in the arsenal of His promises.

Finally, they say that in the contracts of men, “The big print gives, and the small print taketh away.” So what is the fine print of God’s promises? “All things are possible for those who believe!” If you’re not in the Promised Land, it’s because you didn’t believe that He could take you there. Unlike the disbelieving spies, Joshua and Caleb did believe. They said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30 NKJV). And God rewarded them the same way He wants to reward you.

Site Map  Copyright 2015 by Amazing Facts Inc.