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Torres Del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.
Daily Devotion

The Promises of God

How do we know which part of God's Word applies to our current situation?

October 23, 2024

Hebrews 10:19-23

God made many promises in the Bible. But there is confusion among Christians about which verses we can claim as a definite commitment from Him. Three questions are useful in determining whether divine promises apply to our personal situation: 

  1. Is this promise limited to a specific individual or circumstance, or does it apply to all believers? For example, the pledge made to Abraham and Sarah about the birth of their child (Gen. 18:10) is restricted to them. But Hebrews 13:5 contains a guarantee to all Christians that Jesus will be with them forever.

  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 life. A desire is something we want for satisfaction.

  3. Before fulfilling a promise, does God 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. On the other hand, Jesus’ assurance of His presence with believers is unconditional; it does not depend on anything we do (Matt. 28:20).

By evaluating Scripture on the basis of these questions, we’re able to know which promises apply to our own circumstances. And remember: As 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV) says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”

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