The Lord has gifts for you!

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” (1 Cor. 12:4-5 NIV)

When you become born again by receiving Christ, (John 1:12 & John 3:3) God gives you at least one spiritual gift, and sometimes several. (1 Cor. 12:11)

To help you and others!

These wonderful gifts are provided to help you grow in your relationship with God and to help you be effective in helping others, too.

You can find these gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30, Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11, and 1 Peter 4:11.

God gives these gifts for a number of great reasons:

To equip His children for service. To build up His church. To bring unity in faith. To bring knowledge of Jesus. To bring spiritual maturity. And, to bring the whole measure of fullness in Christ. (1 Peter 4:10 and Eph. 4:11-12)

Therefore…

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…” (2 Tim 1:6a NKJV)

You must “stir them up” and then put them to work, so both yourself and others can benefit from them!

Quote:

“Some people have a warped idea of living the Christian life. Seeing talented, successful Christians, they attempt to imitate them. For them, the grass on the other side of the fence is always greener. But when they discover that their own gifts are different or their contributions are more modest (or even invisible), they collapse in discouragement and overlook genuine opportunities that are open to them. They have forgotten that they are here to serve Christ, not themselves.“ - Billy Graham

Mike Frenchbible promises, spiritual gifts
Cast all your care upon God!

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 KJV)

George Muller (1805-1898) built many orphanages at Ashley Down, England. Without a personal salary, he relied only on God to supply the money and food needed to support the hundreds of homeless children he befriended in the name of Christ. A man of radiant faith, he kept a motto on his desk for many years that brought comfort, strength, and uplifting confidence to his heart. It read, “It matters to Him about you.” Muller believed that those words captured the meaning of 1 Peter 5:7, and he rested his claim for divine help on that truth. He testified at the end of his life that the Lord had never failed to supply all his needs.

Cast “all” cares

Sometimes when a HUGE problem comes suddenly and unexpectedly, (this happens to everyone from time to time) you need to remind yourself of this great promise! “cast ‘all’ your care upon him!” This means every care, no matter how small or how big!

Where you will get the best results 

The word “cast” means to throw something in a specific direction. A fisherman casts where he believes he will get the best results. In the same way, our best results (solution) to any and all problems will always come from God! When you “cast” your care on him, He will help you! And, He even gives the reason why He will help you; “Because he cares for you!”

Therefore…

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10)

“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” (Isa. 41:13)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4) 

Quotes:

“God’s strength behind you, His concern for you, His love within you, and His arms beneath you are more than sufficient for the job ahead of you.” - William Arthur Ward

“The same everlasting Father who care for you today will take care of you tomorrow, and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it…” St. Francis de Sales

Mike Frenchbible promises, cast all your cares, god cares, cares, all
Open your eyes and see your glorious riches of inheritance

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Eph. 1:18 NIV)

You don’t know

It’s a problem that has been around for a long time and still is the same today! You don’t know what you don’t know! And if you could see into the spiritual world you would be astounded at what you would see!

Army of Angels!

There is a story in the Old Testament, that tells how the king was mad at the prophet Elisha, and sent his armies to attack him. When Elisha’s servant saw the armies coming he was afraid. But Elisha wasn’t concerned or alarmed because he knew something that his servant didn’t know. “And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17 NIV)

They were surrounded and protected

In the same say, our promise is saying “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Eph. 1:18 NIV)

Open your eyes 

You have so much readily available to you as a follower of Christ! Open your spiritual eyes and see!

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Eph. 5:8 ESV)

Therefore…

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (Psalm 119:18 ESV)

“The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.” (Psalm 146:8 ESV)

“To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Psalm 26:18 ESV)

Quotes:

“We need a baptism of clear seeing. We desperately need seers who can see through the mist–Christian leaders with prophetic vision. Unless they come soon it will be too late for this generation. And if they do come we will no doubt crucify a few of them in the name of our worldly orthodoxy.”  A.W. Tozer

“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.” - Helen Keller

Mike Frenchbible promises, open eyes, see
Get your prayers answered!

“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.” (1 Chron. 4:10 NIV)

This short, heartfelt prayer by an old testament man named Jabez, was answered positively by God.

Why God granted what Jabez was asking

First, he asked God! That’s right, he actually brought his request to God in prayer! Sadly, many don’t receive blessings from God simply because they don’t bother to ask Him! “You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2 KJV) In order to receive from God, you must actually ask him!

Second, he “cried out to God” passionately. His prayer was sincere, heartfelt and genuine! God’s word says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16 KJV). The wonderful advantage we have as New Testament believers, is we are made righteous through the blood of Jesus!

Third, he was very specific and clear about what he wanted and asked God for. Because he asked clearly and specifically, God could answer clearly and specifically as well.  Unfortunately, many don’t ask that way. The Bible says, “Let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6b NKJV).

To recap (with one addition)

1) Pray!

2) Be genuine, passionate and sincere.

3) Be specific. Make it very clear what you are asking for.

4) Use Jesus’s Name. As New Testament followers of Jesus Christ who have been given the right to come “boldly to God.” (Heb 4:16), you must pray in Jesus’s Name! That seals it! And, that is another great promise you can thank God for!

Therefore…

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark. 11:24 ESV)

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7 ESV)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4.6 ESV)

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Rom. 8:26 ESV)

“Pray without ceasing,” (1 Thess. 5:17 ESV)

Quotes:

“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” – Jesus Christ (Luke 11:9 ESV)

“Prayer honors God, acknowledges His being, exalts His power, adores His providence, secures His aid.” - E.M. Bounds

“There is no need to get to a place of prayer; pray wherever you are.” - Oswald Chambers

Mike Frenchbible promises, jabez, prayer, prayer of jabez
You are God's handiwork!

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph.2:10 NIV)

This is a promise that I personalize and say to myself as part of my daily routine.

I say it this way:

“I am God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works which He has prepared in advance for me to do!”

By repeating this passage in first person, I am doing several things. First, I am making this promise mine! Secondly, I am stating it as though it has already been done for me (and it has been done already “in advance.”) Thirdly, I’m recognizing in this promise that God has created me for a specific purpose that I am able to do because he has prepared both it and me to do it.

Activate your faith

Believing and confessing these things personally is an active part of faith! It activates the promises and makes them happen!

Therefore…

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV)

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1 NIV)

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NIV

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NIV)

Mike Frenchbible promises, god’s handiwork, faith
Nothing can separate us from God's love!

“For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38-39 KJV)

The Love of God

 A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on “The Love of God.” As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the chancel. There was nothing else to say. (Source Unknown).

God loves you unconditionally

God’s unconditional love is a fact! His love for you was paid for and guaranteed for you by Jesus’ death on the cross! The payment was made and it can never be “unpaid!” There is absolutely nothing that can separate you from His great love! That’s a promise!

God loved you even while you were yet a sinner

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 KJV)

God’s love was manifested among us through Jesus

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10 ESV)

Therefore…

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16 ESV) 

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 ESP)

Quotes:

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” – C.S. Lewis

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us” – Augustine

“God bestows His blessings without discrimination. The followers of Jesus are children of God, and they should manifest the family likeness by doing good to all, even to those who deserve the opposite.” – F. F. Bruce

Mike Frenchbible promises, love, god’s love, unconditional, unconditional love
You have been brought to fullness!

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” (Col. 2:9-10 NIV)

You have fullness

I have often heard people say that they “want more of Jesus”. But, I think they are asking amiss. They don’t need more of Jesus because, actually, He has already given His all! Instead, they need to give Jesus more of themselves. The above passage explains that we have fullness through Jesus Christ Himself. In Him “the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.” 

You can’t get fuller than full

The fullness of the deity lives in bodily form and in Christ you have been brought to fullness! You cannot get fuller than full! And, because He is the head over every power and authority, you can rest, assured that you have more than enough of His provision to cover every possible thing!

Therefore…

“From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13 NIV)

Quotes: 

“A good decision is our will to do everything we can within our power. It means to serve God with all we’ve got, be it little or much. Every person can do that.” - Soren Kierkegaard

“Thats what I love about serving God. In His eyes, there are no little people...because there are no big people. We are all on the same playing field.” - Joni Eareckson Tada 

“God takes that which is nothing and makes something out of it. When you become a Christian, you cannot patch your Christianity onto your old life. You are to start over. Accept God's call as a promotion. Burn the old bridges and fix it so you cannot go back ; then serve God with all your heart.” - Aiden Wilson Tozer

Mike Frenchbible promises, fullness, fullness of christ
Overflowing with thankfulness

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Col. 2:6-7 NIV)

By faith overflow

You received Christ as Lord by believing in Him and coming to Him by simple faith. You must continue to grow and to be built up and rooted in Him in exactly the same way, by faith. And, you do this by reading and meditating on His Word every day. As you meditate (think deeply and personally about) His Word, your thoughts and your behavior begin to change. You will begin to spill over (overflow) with thankfulness! And, because of what He has done for us, we have a lot to be thankful for!

What he learned after being hit by a train

Back in 1988, a Polish railway worker named Jan Grzebski was hit by a train. He lived ... but only barely. For the next 19 years (until the year 2007), Grzebski was in a coma. He awoke in 2007 to a whole new world. Nineteen years earlier, Poland was a communist state. Grzebski noted that back then meat was rationed and there were huge lines at nearly every gas station. And, “there was only tea and vinegar in the shops.” But 19 years later, he awoke to a free nation where he said there were “people on the streets with cell phones and there are so many goods in the shops it makes my head spin.” But something puzzled him. “What amazes me is all these people who walk around with their mobile phones and yet they never stop moaning.” These people had freedom, and food and wealth greater than Poland had had for decades ... and yet Grzebski woke from his coma to find that ALL they seemed to want to do was grumble! If you don’t get into the habit of thanking God for what you DO have, you’ll soon become ungrateful because what you DON’T have. - From a sermon illustration by Jeff Strite

Therefore…

“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 106:1 ESV)

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:18 ESV)

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (Psalm 109:4 ESV)

Quotes:

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” - Harry Ironside

“How divinely full of glory and pleasure shall that hour be when all the millions of mankind that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God shall meet together and stand around Him, with every tongue and every heart full of joy and praise! How astonishing will be the glory and the joy of that day when all the saints shall join together in one common song of gratitude and love, and of everlasting thankfulness to this Redeemer! With that unknown delight, and inexpressible satisfaction, shall all that are saved from the ruins of sin and hell address the Lamb that was slain, and rejoice in His presence!” - Isaac Watts

“God wants to see prayers that are filled with genuine praise and thanksgiving for what He has done in the past. He wants our hearts to be filled with awe and gratitude for His blessings. He wants us to set up memorials in our hearts testifying to the provisions He has given us.” - Michael Youssef

Mike Frenchbible promises, thankfulness, overflowing with thankfulness
Let the peace of God rule in your heart!

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” (Col. 3:15 NIV)

A command 

The above passage says to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart. Using the word “let” means that we can control whether we have peace ruling in our hearts or not. We are also told that we are “called to peace”. This is a command, not a suggestion. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”. Notice that, here also, Jesus uses the word “let” indicating that you have control over allowing your heart to be troubled or afraid because He gives you peace. 

Perfect peace comes from keeping your mind stayed on God

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isa. 26:3 ESV)

Therefore…

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thess. 3:16 ESV)

Quotes:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (Jesus Christ – John 16:33 ESV)

“ In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that "underneath are the everlasting arms," (Deuteronomy 33:27) full of support, provision, comfort and strength.” - Oswald Chambers

“An unpeaceful mind cannot operate normally. Hence the Apostle teaches us to "have no anxiety about anything" (Phil. 4:6). Deliver all anxious thoughts to God as soon as they arise. Let the peace of God maintain your heart and mind (v. 7).” - Watchman Nee

“Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace.” - Charles Spurgeon

Mike Frenchbible promises, peace, oeace of god, rule, heart