The Promises of Jesus
Look to God and Live by Dan Wilson
For the past few months, I have been searching. Searching for the promises of Jesus. Did I mention that I’m a type A personality? You know, the kind that wants everything in a row, categorized, and labeled. So, I did what any good type A would do - I started an excel spreadsheet. It’s a table with all of the promises of Jesus that I can find, and the scripture references. I think I’m about 30% of the way through and I now have 29 categories. Twenty-nine. That’s a lot of promises.
Maybe you’re like me, and at some point in life you learned not to trust in promises. Maybe your experiences have taught you that promises just aren’t kept any more, because promises are easy to make and hard to follow through on.
And maybe when you think about the promises of Jesus, you think: those are old promises, in an old book, made to someone else far away. I know what that feels like.
I want you to consider for just a moment, what your life would be like, if you lived like the promises that Jesus makes are not only absolutely 100% true, but they were written about you.
And you can come to depend upon them. Because you can. You can feel His comfort and healing and companionship at any time. What if He became a trusted ally? What if He became the brother you read about in the scriptures that: lifts, heals, strengthens, comforts, encourages, brings peace, eases burdens, understanding your hardships, binds up your wounds, wipes tears, and comes to you when your heart is breaking and breaks with you? The one who is your light in the wilderness of life, the one who revives, and who goes before you? Your rock, your high tower, your fortress, and your refuge? Because that’s what He promises, and so much more.
Forgiveness
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
-Ephesians 1:7
Deliverance
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” -Joel 2:2
Power and Strength
“Hast thou not known? has thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:28, 29, 31
Wisdom
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” -James 1:5
Mercy
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” - Matthew 5:7
Companionship
“Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” -Joshua 1:9
Support and Help
“Fear not: I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, thy shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee…Fear not, I am with thee.” -Isaiah 43:1,2,5
Guidance
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.” -Isaiah 30:21
Compassion
“Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.” -Matthew 20:34
Charity
“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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38-39
Protection
“The Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.” -Joshua 23:10
Advocacy
“For he hat answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men.”
-Moroni 7:28
Acceptance
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord.” -Jeremiah 29:12-14
Salvation
“And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice.” -Alma 34:15
Eternal Life
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” -John 3:16
Freedom
“The Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” -John 8:36
Healing
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” -Luke 4:18
Rescue
“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” -Matthew 18:11 (Parable of the Lost Sheep)
Peace
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” -John 14:27
Redemption
“Behold, I have come into the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin. Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive.” -3 Nephi 9:21-22
Joy
“These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you.” -John 15:11-12
Righteous Desires
“Trust in the Lord, and do goo; delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” -Psalm 37:3-5
Blessings
“Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” -Malachi 3:10
Spiritual Fulfillment
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” =John 6:35
Resurrection
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former tings are passed away.” -Revelation 21:4
Deliverance
“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.” -2 Samuel 22:2
Safety
“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.” -Deuteronomy 33:12
New Heart
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” -Ezekiel 36:26
Friendship
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” -John 15:13-14
