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Encouragement Letters
Published by Barnabas International • PO Box 11211 • Rockford, IL 61126 • Volume XI • No. 4 • April 1997
LEE HOTCHKISS, Executive Director <> LAREAU LINDQUIST, Founder
When you think of the attributes of God, which one looms as your favorite? Perhaps your answer changes from time to time. In recent months I have been especially impressed with His faithfulness . . . His trustworthiness. Both the Old and the New Testaments stress this quality of God's nature. In recent weeks I have heard a number of Christians, in the telling of their personal stories, emphasize the faithfulness of God.
Lately I have been reading from the Book of Isaiah . . . especially concentrating on chapters 40-66. Very frequently I have noticed God saying . . . I WILL DO. My question is this . . . what will He do? Let's take a look at some of these phrases . . . especially focusing on those that stand out as POSITIVE PROMISES from God to His people.
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I will be with you (43:2). His presence is often promised to us. We may sometimes feel alone, forsaken, and abandoned but the reality is that we are never alone. Brother Andrew often urges us to practice His presence. Good advice.
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I will go before you (45:2). He is the One who not only travels with us but goes before us to prepare the way . . . to scout it out before we get there.
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I will help you (41:14). In this passage, He makes the point more emphatically by saying . . . I, MYSELF, will help you. That's direct intervention. Do you need a Helper?
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I will strengthen you (41:10). In our weakness, in our tiredness, in our weariness . . . God . . . El Shaddai . . . will prove Himself to be our Energizer. David's testimony was . . . The Lord is the strength of my life. Paul said . . . Christ strengthens me.
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I will carry you (46:4). The poem, FOOTPRINTS, comes to mind where the author speaks of two sets of prints in the sand . . . God's and mine, walking together. Then He mentions just one set of prints and explains that at such times, God has not abandoned us to walk alone but . . . He carries us. What a very special promise . . . and what a beautiful picture.
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I will sustain you (46:4). In this verse, He says it twice . . . I will sustain you. And to that I respond doubly . . . Amen and Amen.
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I will have compassion on you (54:8). He not only feels compassion for us, but at just the right time, He will also display His compassion to us. And we will assuredly know that we are loved by Him.
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I will rescue you (46:4). There will be some perilous times along the journey . . . times when we are not sure that we will make it. As we cross the ocean of life, the ship may toss frantically causing us to wonder . . . is my ship going to be torn apart . . . is my ship going to safely reach its destination? And then . . . God steps in to rescue us.
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I will take hold of your hand (42:6). It is good to know that He has promised to take hold of my hand . . . instead of the pressure being on me to take hold of His hand.
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I will keep you (42:6). This speaks of security and certainty. He is not going to discard me . . . not dispose of me. Thank God, I am not a throw-away in the hand of God. He has promised to hold me close to His heart (40:11).
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I will comfort you (66:13). The hymn, DOES JESUS CARE, asks the question and then answers with these words . . . Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares. His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are dreary, the long nights weary . . . I know my Savior cares.
What an impressive array of POSITIVE PROMISES. When God says I WILL, we can be assured that HE WILL. He makes promises . . . and He keeps promises. Paul clearly and convincingly states that . . . If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself (II Timothy 2:13, NAS).
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