The Holy Bible can be referred to as God’s Book of Promises.1 God's Word is chock full of things He will do for you. You may not know when God's hand is directing blessings your way or when His Almighty Presence thwarts the Devil's attempt to steal that which God has provided for you. You may not have noticed. You may have taken credit for it. You may have achieved things on your own, not wanting any help. But if you took a walk in the "wilderness"—in a desert of earthly existence without God—how would your efforts fare? Would it be clearer to you what your contributions truly are when you are all alone with no other resources at your disposal?
It takes a seed to start growth, fertile soil in which to plant the seed for the establishment of roots, and it requires water, sunlight and heat, properly balanced to sprout. The wise care of an experienced gardener is needed to guide the plant’s growth, prune the branches to produce an abundance of fruit, pull out weeds that sap its nutrients, and harvest the crop to fill the storehouses.2 Do you have the seed? Can you provide the nutrients for growth? Are you wise to the requirements for sustaining and providing life?
God - the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in it3—provides all that is necessary to fulfill these questions, questions that you may take for granted until you find yourself in the "wilderness"—the times in your life when it becomes evident that you must rely on Your Creator,4 the Almighty and one and only true God of the universe.5 All that you need to do to begin a relationship with Your Creator, our Father in heaven, is to love His Son, Jesus the Christ, our Savior, who gave His life willingly on that sacrificial cross.6 God the Father raised His Son from the dead on the third day following Jesus’ crucifixion. Christ glorified His Father while appearing to His disciples and hundreds of other witnesses for forty days before He ascended into heaven, and to this day is seated, living at the right hand of the Almighty God, our Father.7 We await His return to redeem those who love Him and call Him, Lord of lords, King of kings, and the Savior of all who believe in Him, the only begotten Son of God.8
When you find yourself in times of trouble, distress, or in the "wilderness" of life, rely on Christ to be with you to help in your hour of need. In His Book of Promises, there is a psalm—a song to God—that seeks Him as our deliverer. Begin a journey through His Promises and read and meditate on Psalm 91:
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare of the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I am trusting him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from the fatal plague.
He will shield you with his wings.
He will shelter you with his feathers.
His faithful promises are your armor and protections.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor fear the dangers of the day,
nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
But you will see it with your eyes;
you will see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your dwelling.
For he orders his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you with their hands
to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.
You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.
I will satisfy them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”9
God will answer you.
God will be with you.
God will save you.
God will honor you with a long, satisfying life.
Because… you love Him, “I will show you My salvation,” says the LORD.11
So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. 12 —Apostle John, reassuring us of God’s Promise
Praise to Our Father for the words He has given me. ~Jeff Cambridge
Copyright © 2004, 2005, Stellar Rhema Ministry; 2016, Jeff Cambridge
Footnotes
All Scripture quotations unless otherwise noted are from The Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.
Verses marked NLT are Scripture from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NIV are Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark office by International Bible Society.
1. Joshua 21:43-45, 23:14-16; 1 Kings 8:56-61; Psalm 106:7-12, 119:140, 145:13; Acts 13:32-39; Galatians 3:21-22; Hebrews 10:23, 36; 2 Peter 1:3-11; James 1:12, 2:5; 1 John 2:24-25
2. John 15:1-7
3. Acts 17:24
4. Genesis 1:27, 5:1-2; Colossians 3:10
5. 1 Kings 8:60, John 17:3
6. 1 John 2:24-25 NLT
7. Acts 1:1-3, 1:9-11, 2:22-36; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
8. Acts 3:19-21, 1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 2 Peter 3
9. Psalm 91 NLT
10. John 17:3 NLT
11. Psalm 91:16
12. 1 John 2:24-25 NLT
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