“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” (Acts 2:39)

There are thousands of promises for you and your children found throughout the Bible. But there are only two kinds which fall in one of two categories, either unconditional or conditional. Learn to recognize them.

1)    Unconditional promises: They are exactly what they are without any conditions attached to them, period. No matter what you do, they cannot be undone. For example, here’s God’s unconditional promise about Israel: “Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, and whoever curses Israel will be cursed.” (Num. 24:9, Gen. 49:9, Gen. 12:3). You read this promise and then decide which side you’re on. It should be a no brainer!

2)    Conditional Promises: They are activated by your obedience. You recognize them because they include words like “if” or “but”. Or at some point in the passage God asks you to be involved in some way. Pay close attention! For example, look at the “if’s” in the following: “Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” (Matt 21:21-22 NLT)

So, in view of the above, what kind of a promise is the following?

“This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.” (1 John 2:35). That’s right, it’s unconditional!

Therefore

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)

The following passage from Psalms 91 has multiple promises for you to enjoy! How do you get them? The answer is found in the first sentence. It starts with the tiny little word “if”. Therefore, you must follow the instructions to receive what is promised. It’s wonderful!

“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalms 91:9-16 NIV)

“Casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 CSB)

A couple of days ago, I spoke about receiving perfect peace from God, no matter what happens. It’s a fact that everybody will have some kind of trouble happen from time to time, and Jesus said we would (John 16:33). And the Bible says what to do when it does happen.

When trouble comes

Yesterday, Susan and I were headed to another state in our RV to attend a funeral. About 90 miles from our destination, we had a blowout in a front tire. It happened next to a parking lot, and we quickly parked. I called AAA, and they came and changed the tire. But we found our spare was not very good and were told not to drive too far with it. So, we turned around and drove back home. Through all of this, we never got upset or lost our inner peace. That's because we knew God was with us and all would be well. One more thing we did was to cast that concern completely on Jesus. That’s exactly what the promise verse listed at the top tells us to do. The passage states both a command and a promise in the same verse. The command: “Cast all your cares on him.” Notice that it did not specify the severity of the cares or the size, but it says to cast all cares on Him! The promise: “Because He cares for you.” Just think about it. You are a product of God’s making (Isa. 43:7). The Bible says He even knows the number of the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7). The Bible says He will never leave or forsake you (1 Cor. 10:13). So, why wouldn’t He care about your everyday problems, concerns, and happenings? Of course he does! He said he even sees when a sparrow falls, and He says you’re more valuable to Him than they are (Matt. 10:29).

Therefore

Always include God in every area of your life, especially when troubling things happen; just immediately cast them onto Jesus. And watch how He will handle them, as only He can!

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33 NIV)

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)

This caught me by surprise!

At a recent conference I was attending, I spoke to a young man who stopped by my table where I was handing out gospel tracts. I asked him if he was a follower of Jesus, and he said, “I sure am!” And he looked down and pointed to the inside of his shirt. Puzzled, I asked him what he was doing. And he said, I have a Bible verse tattooed on my chest.” Surprised and a bit astonished, I asked him, “What verse?” And he said, “Luke 6:37.” That’s our promise verse at the top. We then spent some time discussing what it meant for his daily life as a representative of Jesus. Basically, the verse says not to judge or condemn others but instead to forgive them. And by doing so, the promise is that you won’t be judged, you won’t be condemned, but you will be forgiven! Now that’s a great way to live as Jesus did!

Therefore

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32)

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isa. 26:3)

Hit and run

Last week I was on a business trip in another state, and my phone rang at 1:00 in the morning, waking me up from a sound sleep. It was my granddaughter, Cedar. She said a car had driven through our front yard, took out our fence, hit a tree (now teetering dangerously toward the house windows), then fled the scene. The police were on the way. I couldn’t do anything from where I was. My grandson, Gabe, arrived, took charge, and spoke to the police. I went back to sleep.

Constant peace

It’s been about a week since the above happened. The rest of the uprooted tree was cut down, and my grandson, Gabe, dug up the massive stump its root, and it’s about to leave on a truck. The fence is mostly rebuilt, and everything is almost back to normal. Through all of this, I had constant peace. 

Trouble will happen!

Trouble comes in many forms, usually suddenly and without warning. But the fact is, you will have trouble from time to time; everybody does. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). Jesus said you will have trouble but to take heart; He has overcome the world! He’s got it all under control! And not only will he help you through troubles, He will give you perfect peace during them!

Therefore

“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)

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

All you need is love!

The Beatles had a massive hit with their song, “All you need is love.” And they were right! If they were singing about God’s type of love as defined in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, of the Bible, but I suspect they were not.

Here’s what it says:

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Cor. 13:4-8 ESV)

The verse at the top proclaims that love covers a multitude of sins. This is exactly what happened when Jesus laid down His life for us on the cross. From there, he cried, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:24). It was his love for us that caused him to say that!

Therefore

“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Cor. 16:14 ESV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8)

People change!

Have you ever attended a high school reunion? Some schools continue to have them every 25 years. And boy, do people change! That curvy cheerleader is now a pear-shaped grandma. You would never recognize the old, handsome, muscle-bound football star, who is now fat and bald. And the most likely to succeed is a used car salesman. The nerd who used to wear thick glasses, a bow tie, and carry a stack of books and was bullied by the poplar kids is now CEO of a major corporation and employs many of the old classmates. Yes, people do change. 

But not Jesus!

The verse at top states that Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever! You can count on that promise!

Therefore

““For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal. 3:6)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

“Delight yourself also in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

Transformed desires

The above promise is well quoted. Even so, it’s very much misunderstood by many who believe it is a way to get anything they desire from God. First of all, the human heart is desperately wicked and often desires things God condemns (Jer. 17:9). For instance, God won’t give you someone else’s spouse or give you a truckload of gold bars. He only gives things that are in line with His Word—what's best for you or what’s needed to enable you to perform the assignment He’s created you for. So, what actually happens when you delight yourself in the Lord? He transforms your desires into what they should be! Then, with new desires, you receive the corrected but perfect desires of your heart! It’s a wonderful thing to finally desire the right things in line with God’s very best!

Therefore

The next verse, right after the one at the top, tells you what to do. Not only must you make God your delight, but you must also commit to and trust Him. Then God will act! Wow, and watch what He will do in your life!

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm 3:5)

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30)

Trying to stay young is futile.

Have you noticed how movie stars age? They start off in their early film rolls as young, healthy, beautiful or handsome, and vibrant. Then, as the years roll by, you notice them aging. Then, you can tell that they’re having some “work” done. Not too bad at first, but some continue to do things to the point that they begin to look bizarre. It’s sad to watch! The truth is you cannot stop the aging process. You will continue to age until you reach the final stage, which is death. Its true for everybody. No matter how famous or rich you are, you cannot escape it. No one lives forever here on earth. The Bible puts it this way: “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Heb. 9:27) That’s a sobering thought!

There is a way to live forever!

Jesus said you can that live forever in the passage at the top: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” Even though there is nothing humanly possible we can do, God has made it possible through a very wonderful gift! He’s done everything possible to pay for your forever life in heaven; you just need to receive it in the right way, which is through repentance, which means turning from sin (Acts 3:19) and receiving it by faith (Eph. 2:8). That’s it! Many try to complicate it by adding a lot of religious steps and rules (works), but you can only be saved through complete trust in Jesus, believing in Him by faith!  

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” (Rom. 10:9)

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Therefore

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

“For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.” (Prov. 8:35)