GOD'S PROMISES

Copyright Rosemary Bardsley 2004

GOD'S PROMISES #1

' ... to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ... ' (John 1:12).

If we assume, as the Bible does, that God is our Creator, then it true that all people are 'children of God' by virtue of creation.

The Bible also states that, though we were created by God and for God, we have cut ourselves off from him by our rejection of him, and thus identified ourselves as children of the devil.

But God is the eternal Father, whose Father-heart reaches out to us, calling us to return to him. This outstretched hand of God is most clearly demonstrated in his sending of his eternal Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.

In this Son of God, we are confronted by God himself. Here in Jesus Christ we are challenged, here in Jesus Christ we are given our one last chance to reverse our rejection of God.

It is at this point that the promise quoted above takes effect: if we receive Jesus Christ, if we believe in his name, God restores the privilege, the grace, of being true children of God, with all the rights of free access and acceptance in his presence - as if our sin had never occurred.

This, and every promise, contains two challenges: the challenge to believe the promise, and the challenge to put that belief into practice.

Do you believe this promise - that those who receive Jesus Christ are children of God?

And, have you actually received Jesus Christ - have you believed in his name?

Are you then living each moment with this grand assurance that you are God's child - loved, protected, secure?

Scriptures: Genesis 1:26-2:25; Romans 11:36; Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:2; John 8:42-27; 1 John 3:8-10; John 3:16; Luke 15:11-32; John 12:44-46; 14:6-9; 10:30; 1 John 3:1.