God's Promises of Refuge for You - Episode #186

Well hey there! Hello to you today and welcome to this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show. God’s promises are to be believed. We can rely on them, leaning the full weight of our concerns upon them, because they come from our God who is unchanging in His keeping of His word. Today I have some verses to share that will encourage you to fully believe all of God’s promises.

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You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, playing in the Edifi app. This episode is sponsored by Kerry Beck and her summit for homeschool families - Homeschool Superheros. For information about the summit or for a free ticket, click the link in the show notes. This is episode number 186.

 

Let’s look at a handful of verses today that are going to perhaps challenge us in our belief, or lack of belief, as it comes to God’s promises, and they will also spur us on to even great belief. You know, we don’t trust in just any old book, or in mere words, but in God’s very word, penned by men at the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is good news for us, because we don’t rely on something vague, artificial, or temporary (in fact Jesus said that the earth and all that is in it will pass away, but His words will never pass away). We are in a good place, in our sweet spot, when we fully believe God’s promises and apply them to our lives.

 

One way to apply God’s promises to our life is to take a particular promise and pray that promise about an exact situation or problem or relationship or issue we are facing. When we do that, we are literally applying the promises of God to our life and we can expect to see God’s movement in those parts of our lives.

 

1 Samuel 22 verses 2 and 3 say this 

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; You save me from violence.

 

What has God promised to be for you in these verses? Let me recap: your rock, your fortress, your deliverer, your God, the one in whom you need to take refuge, your shield, the horn of your salvation, your stronghold and your refuge, your savior. He promises to save you from violence. The definition of violence is this: physical force to injure or abuse, damage or destroy - intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force - vehement feeling or expression-a clashing or jarring quality

 

This is what God is promising to save you from. Violence isn’t just a punch to the face or a pile drive to the face. Violence can be, and often is, much more than a physical blow. Believe that He is going to keep this promise to you. Won’t He do it? 

Psalm 28:8 a - The LORD is the strength of His people

 

Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 

Psalm 34:8 - Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

 

Psalm 91:1-2 - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

 

Let me read to you words in red, words Jesus spoke, and let me remind you somewhat sternly that these words are meant for you to know only hear, but to believe, and to make your very own. Take them personally. These words, they are personal if you will believe that they are for you, personally.

 

John 8, verses 31 and 32 and then skipping down to verse 38 say:
If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

 

Are you truly free today? Free because the Son has set you free?

If not, do you want this freedom? And for God’s promises, all of them, every single one, to be true for you? It’s actually quite simple and quite hard, all wrapped up together, this gift of salvation Jesus offers. It demands allegiance to Him alone as your one true King, and it comes with a repentant heart, actually repenting to the Lord for your sins, and receiving the total forgiveness Jesus won for us on the cross. And then the followers of Jesus must actually follow Him on the narrow road that constitutes our life from this point forward. Simple and hard all at the same time, but the right decision for you and for me, to be sure.

 

Be sure to share this episode if it has been helpful to you, and thanks so much for listening to the podcast. God bless you, see you next time. Bye bye.