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Cecelia and I were in our late twenties when we were blessed with the news that we would have our first child. A few months later the doctor told us to expect a son. Again, we were delighted but faced the question of what to name him. We concluded that we would name him “Cos,” my given name and that of my father and his father before him. Cos is a very unusual name and can lead to mispronunciations and teasing by insensitive children and some adults. He would need […]

God often delays fulfilling His promises but He never forgets. Our patience and faith can weaken while we wait for God to act. This seems to be the case with Abram. Twenty-five years have passed since he came to Canaan but God’s promise “I will make you a great nation” isn’t developing as Abram expected. Please follow in your Bible as I guide you through this exciting part of God’s redemptive story. As we left Abram in Genesis 15 he complained to God that since he had no son, Eliezer would […]

God’s promises are closely linked to His purpose to save us! Keep this fact in mind as you study His promises. Every promise in the Bible relates to God’s plan to offer salvation and eternal life to all mankind, help us become like Jesus, bring final judgment on Satan and unbelievers, restore Eden, and establish His heavenly kingdom on earth. Today we look at critical links between the garden’s tragic events, the judgment of the great flood, and God’s promise to Abram. How do God’s promises link these events? Think about […]

Today we will look at a story most of us have heard since childhood. Perhaps you sat wide-eyed as a Sunday School teacher used a flannel graph to depict how Noah built the ark and saved his family and the animals. Or maybe you were introduced to the thrilling story through a picture like this. What is this story really about? Does it have a message deeper than what is evident on the surface? What we learned as children is true: Noah obeyed God, built the ark, and saved himself, […]

  Today we look at God’s second promise. Considering what happened regarding the first promise, God offers a hopeful and redemptive second promise to Adam and Eve. God’s second promise is His response to what happened to Adam, Eve, and eventually to us when they ignored His warning in His first promise. The initial promise was to Adam, “‘ From any tree of the garden you may eat freely, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you […]

What biblical promise means most to you? Is there one you call to mind when you are going through a rough time or feeling low? Several of God’s promises have buoyed my sagging mood at times when I have needed reassurance and hope. I’ll  share  some of the most meaningful ones as we extract them  from the teachings of Holy Scripture as weeks go by. I recall one that my then teenage daughter kept posted on her bathroom mirror as she was navigating the turbulent waters of later teenage years. […]

Why are biblical promises important to us? How are they different from promises we make to and receive from others? Biblical promises are important because they address our deepest needs: a sense of purpose, hope, comfort, priorities, instructions for righteous living, confidence, forgiveness, eternal life, and encouragement. Some life needs can be addressed in solid, faithful human relationships, but the big difference is that biblical promises are not human-to-human, but God-to-humans. Each of us has experienced disappointment when loved ones or friends have failed to keep their word. That’s what […]

For the next several weeks we will be exploring biblical promises. I look forward to searching the Scriptures for life-changing, hopeful promises God has made to those who trust in Him. Digging in the Word for things to share with you bolsters my faith in and love for God, and I hope what I discover will do the same for you.     Some estimates say there are as many as 8,000 promises found in the Bible. Some of the promises are between people or nations but the majority of them […]