The Burt (Not Ernie) Show - Believing God’s Promises & Understanding Your Identity in Christ

Jan L. Burt - host of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show
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How can we apply God’s promises to our daily lives? Are God’s promises conditional? What does it mean to be a child of God? What are some key promises found in the bible? Are God’s promises for me? How can we be sure God will keep His promises? What‘s more important than getting a life-changing handle on what God has promised you specifically? Expect this podcast to help you know who you are...REALLY & to help you live fully believing God‘s promises to you...REALLY.

  1. APR 16

    Not a Series of Unfortunate Events - Mark 4 & How Jesus' Death & Resurrection Changes Everything - episode #207

    Well, hello there! Hope you are doing well, growing in grace, enjoying the Lord’s love, spending time with Him daily, and living a Kingdom focused life. I’m thankful you’re listening today. This is episode number 207 of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, featured on the Edifi app, iHeart radio, Spotify, Apple podcasts, and pretty much all the places. Let’s jump into today’s episode. The Power of God's Will - 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional now available on Audible If you were, say, looking at the last week of Jesus’ life, those days leading up to the crucifixion - if you were looking from the outside, those events leading would leave you with an entirely different impression than they do for us who know Jesus, who love Him and live for Him. In Him we live and move and have our being, it says in Acts 17:28. When you know that for yourself in a personal way, you look at the events between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday with thankfulness, gratitude, humility, awe, and hope for what comes next. When you look at it from the outside in, it probably doesn’t create those same emotions. It looks like a series of terribly unfortunate events from that perspective. Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion - those are gut wrenching moments in history and may be incredibly difficult to make sense out of for someone looking at the life of Jesus for the first time.    The week seems like it ended in utter hopelessness, like those three and a half years of the Lord’s life were all for naught. And that would be discouraging, if you only saw it from that perspective, from the outside looking in.    But when you are in Christ, you look at things from a heavenly perspective. You are seated with Him in the heavenly places, is says in Ephesians 2:6, and that means we don’t see things from the world’s point of view. We see everything in a different light, and not like the old Bangles song from the ‘80s (yes, I am Gen X and yes, the 1980’s produced a vast volume of songs, enough that there are references available for almost everything…and I wish the word of God was as easy to memorize as all those song lyrics from my teenage years were).    When we only see something in part, only have access or clarity on bits and pieces of a situation, it can easily feel pretty discouraging. Let me reiterate that: when we only see in part, we can easily become discouraged.   It makes sense that the last week of Jesus’ life could be discouraging to someone looking at the life of Jesus from the outside. But doesn’t it also make sense that you and I can also become discouraged about the things we can only see in part? And since we are not yet with the Lord, we do see in part. We don’t have the whole picture. But what we do have is actually far better; we have Jesus Himself, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, we have the promise of heaven with Him, we are forgiven, we have access to the Father via prayer directly, at any time, because the veil was torn at Jesus death and thanks to His resurrection, death and hell are defeated for us.    I say all that to remind you that when you start feeling discouraged about something, I hope you can pause and remember that just because you can’t see it all with total clarity, that does not mean things are hopeless. Sunday is coming, and for the Christian, Sunday always, always comes, into every scenario and situation and problem and pitfall. Always.    How can I say that and be so certain that it is true, no matter what is happening in your life? Because when you know Jesus, when your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, in the end you get eternity with Him. And that is, for you, the joy of Resurrection morning, the empty tomb, the defeat of death for you, and eternal hope.    We who know the Lord understand that Jesus accomplished the Father’s will, and we know absolutely that the tomb is empty, there is no body of Jesus entombed in Israel. No grave holds Him. That tomb? It was empty 2000 years ago, it’s empty rig

    22 min

  2. MAR 31

    You Will Keep in Perfect Peace the One Who Trusts in You - Isaiah 26:3 - episode #206

    Hey there, hello to you today and welcome to this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, where we look at what God has promised His people in the Bible, and we live like those promises are true… and thank God, they are!  Biblical Motherhood Pinterest Board You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, featured on the Edifi app and on iHeart radio. Today’s episode is all about God’s promise to give us peace, and more specifically, perfect peace, as it says in Isaiah 26, verse 3. And this is episode number 206.   Isaiah is a large book in the Old Testament. 66 chapters, I believe, and it covers a lot of ground. It is a record of the history of Israel and Judah, it is very prophetic - about specific nations and people groups and what would happen, at times even to the day, as we see in parts of Isaiah 18, that chapter comes to mind, and other portions of the book are exactingly specific, as well. And of course, about Jesus’ birth and life and death and resurrection, it holds so many prophecies that have indeed proved true, exactly true, to perfection. And then, of course, it holds a lot of prophecy about His second coming, His return that will be the most incredible event this world has ever seen.    Sometimes a book the size and the depth of Isaiah can be almost intimidating to read, overwhelming in it’s scope, some parts are historical record, and they read like much of the Old Testament does in Judges or 1 Samuel or the book of Ruth or Esther. But it is intermingled with these astounding portions that are not at all like reading through the book of Ruth or Judges. And we may shy away from it, because it is, frankly, a lot and we might feel like we’re  not learned enough or qualified to really understand it.    But is that a good reason to not read it? I don’t think so. God gives us such incredible promises in the book of Isaiah, and I do not think He made those promises so that we would never know them, let alone believe Him for them. Nope. That would not make sense. And a book that has so many powerful promises for us, a book that has been so spot on accurate regarding Jesus’ life on earth, well, that’s a very hopeful, hope-filled book. And we just don't want to miss what it has to say to us.    Which is why we’re going to look at one verse, one topic or theme, from the pages of Isaiah in this episode. You know, to get to the 206th episode of a podcast takes a bit of time, and as this show is focused on God’s promises, I have spent a fair amount of time the last few years reading and thinking about and writing about (as in the podcast show notes and my personal study time) and talking about so many of God’s promises for His dearly loved children (which is what we are, according to 1 John chapter 3, verse 1). And I have yet to be moved off my stance that all His promises are true. Ya know, you get the comments from people on different platforms when clips from the show are shared, and people can say things that are really heart wrenching to read…not what they say about me, because who cares, right? But also, usually what they say is about the Lord, and that is what’s heart wrenching. Maybe they’ve experienced serious hurt or disappointment, maybe they just have no idea who God is or how much He loves them, maybe something else entirely.    But those comments don’t move my needle regarding my belief in who my God is for me personally and as a whole, to all who will come to Him. It moves my needle with heartbreak but not my belief. In thinking about this, the comments and what’s possibly behind those comments, well I wonder if some of those commenters are lacking peace, maybe?  It’s a hard life, in a dark world, for a million different reasons in every stage and season. Inner peace, inner security, that’s missing in so many lives.    The verse from Isaiah that talks about perfect peace, that’s the verse that comes to mind. And that’s the verse I’m sharing with you as one of God’s most beautiful, life-giving promises

    22 min

  3. MAR 14

    God's Promise to Wipe Away Every Tear - Episode #205

    Hello there, and welcome to this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show. You know, hope is not something random. We don’t stumble upon it, trip over it, bump into it and viola - lookie there, life-change occurs. That’s not hope, especially not from a biblical perspective. The Bible has a lot to say about hope, and there is one book in particular that is brimming with hope for us today…if we’ll just take the time to read what it says, and, of course, to believe it. Looking for some hope? Then this episode is for you.   This is The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, available on the Edifi app, and this is episode number 205. I’m so grateful you’re listening, and I hope today’s episode encourages and blesses you.    When I am reading my Bible, and I see the word will or the word all in a promise God makes, I take it seriously. I usually underline it twice and often I will read it out loud and put emphasis on the word will, or on the word all. There’s nothing special about doing that; it simply reminds me that whenever God makes a promise, and says that He will do something, well, then He will. And I found that to be pretty significant, that decision to actively believe that He means what He says.    So, recently I was reading Revelation. Hold up. Don’t panic, it’s not just a scary book (although what is going to come upon the whole earth in the final days is very serious, I’m not denying that, not at all). But for the believer, for those who love the Lord, it’s a terribly hopeful book in the Bible. And, it kind of shouts about hope, because it’s not a past-tense, this already happened and it shows us God’s character, He’ll take care of me because He took care of, say, David, or Ruth, or Esther; those people inspire us to trust God all the more, and that is so important, such a blessing to have their real life stories to learn from, to be encouraged by, and to know God’s character, even in the dark times of life. But Revelation, well, there’s all this stuff that has yet to happen, prophecy to be fulfilled, and so much of what we read there is crazy encouraging. It’s profound. And we know it will happen, that what the Lord has promised will come to pass, well, that’s exactly what’s going to come to pass. So it’s a hopeful book, and a hope-filled book. Proverbs tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick (that’s Proverbs 13:12). But with Revelation, we need to bear in mind that even though it feels like so long since John received this revelation from Jesus, as Peter wrote, God isn’t slow in keeping His promise, but is patient, because He does not want anyone to perish. To spend eternity apart from Him. That’s from 2 Peter, chapter 3, I believe.   Let me read to you from chapter 21 of Revelation, verses one through eight.   Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”  And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then He said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And He also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega - the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars - their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

    29 min

  4. FEB 24

    Don't Live Like an Orphan When You're Part of God's Family - Episode #204

    Hey there, hello to you today. Thanks for listening to this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show.  Today’s subject matter is of the utmost importance, but not necessarily something that is talked about enough within the Christian community. And that’s our tendency to live like orphans even though we are now part of God’s family thanks to Jesus.  God's promises devotional on Amazon Good verses to read about your true identity: Psalm 17:8 Isaiah 43:4 Psalm 147:3 Psalm 18, verses 2, 18 & 19, 28, 32, 35 & 36 Romans 12 John 8   We have so many promises from the Lord to assure and reassure us of our new identity in Christ, and yet we struggle with feeling unseen, abandoned, alone, wondering about unanswered prayers and the things in life, big and small, that wear on us and weigh us down.  How do we reconcile the way we feel with the promises God has given us?  That’s the heart of this episode of the podcast.    You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, which can be found on the EDIFI app, an all Christian content podcast option - as well as anywhere else you listen to podcasts. This is episode number 204.    If I could give a definition of a believer living more like an orphan than like a child of the Most High God, I would put it like this: there is a strong and sometimes even extreme sense of aloneness and possibly abandonment that can at times define some aspects of a person’s character, their attitudes, thoughts, feeling, beliefs and intentions.    This sense of aloneness and possibly feeling abandoned almost seems to operate on its own, like it has its own life force or something, working to mold the person’s self-image, actions and reactions. Sometimes it may seem like the words someone speaks are misheard and interpreted very differently than what was being conveyed (which can lead to strong reactions). Decisions may be made based on feeling orphaned. This can also lead to rapid decisions and reactions, as in too quick and not thought out or prayed over. Ready, fire, aim sort of a thing.    We have a God who loves us and because of that love for us and because of our love for Jesus, we have an enemy, Satan. And I think our enemy works to get us feeling alone, abandoned, orphaned. The devil is in the details, isn’t that the saying? And the devil also works in darkness and tries to push God’s children into darkness as well. Operating in the darkness and pushing that orphan-like feeling on people is an attempt to manipulate people. And to keep the evil influence secret. Satan doesn’t want us to know that he is harassing us; he would like us to wrongly believe that the problem lies within us. The father of lies, the devil, always lies to us because it is his native tongue (that’s what Jesus said in John 8:44).    Some of the things our enemy often does is try to hide what’s actually going on from the Lord’s followers. He lies, he deceives, he manipulates. Now what if a person starts to counter the sense of aloneness with the truth from God’s word? Does the devil ever try to push back on the truth? Yeah, he probably does.  So what are we to do? One thing I know for sure; Jesus died to give us freedom, and when we bump up against areas in our life where our freedom has been stolen or where we maybe have given our freedom away, we don’t want to just give up. Pray and keep on praying, isn’t that what Jesus taught His followers in Luke chapter 18? It can be so hard to keep on fighting the good fight of our faith in prayer sometimes. But I really want to encourage you to keep fighting. Keep praying. Keep your Bible open. Keep believing, even if it feels like it’s hard to believe those promises. Pray and don’t give up. Paul wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians - pray without ceasing. God won’t lie to you, leave you or forsake you. And you are not an orphan.   When we read Galatians chapter five, we get this beautiful picture of freedom. Not just freedom like we celebrate on the Fourth of July here in Amer

    27 min

  5. JAN 29

    The God of the Impossible & the Mark of the Beast - Episode #203

    Well hey there and hello again to ya. Welcome back to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show.  Created for You Freebies at JanLBurt.com The Power of God's Will - 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional on Amazon Let’s go ahead and get started. God’s got good for you, and I am hopeful that this episode will remind you of that, no matter what kind of stuff life is throwing at you today.   You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, blessed to be part of the ministry of the Edifi app. That’s EDIFI, and you can find it in your app store. And if the show blesses or encourages you, I’d like to formally invite you to subscribe. This is episode number 203. Today I am going to read a bunch of Bible verses to you and let the promises of God sink into your heart and also into your mind (because when the word of God gets into our mind, it literally  changes the way that we think and that, my friend, changes the way that we live). And I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to prepare you right now, before I even quote one single verse, to ready you and prepare you to believe His amazing promises to you so that you can live from here on out like they are taking place, being accomplished, in your life. Live like His promises to you are true.   Because they are! God keeps all of His promises so I want to encourage you today to live like you know He is keeping all of His promises to you. To your family. And to His people all over the world.    Okay, so let’s dive into God’s Word and get some encouraging news in our ears, and into our thoughts, shall we?    First let’s start with some powerful and hopeful words that Jesus spoke. I am quoting the NLT for today’s podcast & let’s look at Mark 12:27 - Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”    Okay - this is where we are going to begin. It is so, so important to remember, when we are making the big bold decision to really, truly believe God’s promises - to live a believing life - that we don’t base our belief on anything other than the Lord. We don’t search out something in addition to Him in order to increase our faith. We aren’t mustering up more faith by trying to make ourselves have more faith. Rather, we are relying fully on Him. And we are simply deciding that we will believe what the Bible says to us. And so, this verse is just a great reminder that you don’t have to make God’s promises work out in your life, in your kid’s lives, etc. Nope. The pressure isn't on you to make happen what God has promised. But so often we live as if the pressure is on us, somehow, to do what is impossible for us. Only God is God, and only He can keep the promises He makes. Now only you can live by faith, believing God. But you and I have no ability or power to make it happen. We cannot get it done. But what we can get done is choose to believe Him, to take Him at His word, and to abide in Him moment by moment, even while we are expecting to see His promises fulfilled.    There are actually many, many things in this life that are impossible - for mankind. For humans. For wives and for moms and for employees and so on. Humanly speaking, there is gonna be stuff that is just not possible. But not with God! Aren’t these words from Jesus incredible?  Think for just a moment about what our Savior is actually saying to us. But not with God. EVERYTHING is possible with God.   So bring God into everything, then! Never intentionally leave Him out of anything. You want the God who turns the impossible into the possible  - you want that God doing all the things in your life, right?    Get a sense of Jesus, today, looking at you intently and reminding you, firmly but with great love and compassion, that it isn’t about mankind's ability to make this thing fly. Because  is is God and God alone who makes everything possible.    Psalm 37:23 (NLT) says this - The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of

    43 min

  6. JAN 9

    The Promise of a New Year (God's Promises for You) - Episode #202

    Well hey there, hello and a very warm welcome to this episode.  No need to dilly-dally or make small talk…let’s just jump right in and talk about God’s promises.         Link to the devotional mentioned in this episode     Link to the free No More Worrying digital download mentioned in this episode   You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, which can be found wherever you listen to podcasts, as well as on the Edifi app, a unique podcast app featuring Christian content only. That’s EDIFI, available in the app store. This is episode number 202. The Promise of a New Year - God’s Promises for You.   New year, new you? Ever heard that phrase? How does that usually work for ya? Dive into a new year, do the prep for whatever needs prepping in order to make the new you a reality. Plan it, map it out, might even pray over it. This time! This time, for sure!  Sound familiar?  Let me ask again, how does that usually work out for you?   It works so well for (can you hear my sarcasm) that I have decided not to do that anymore. New year, same God, not going to fixate on a new and improve me. He can mold me, shape me, make me again another as it says in Jeremiah 18:4, do His sanctifying work in me for His glory and His purposes and I’ve decided that’s enough for me. More than enough, because thus far has the Lord helped me, declaring my Ebenezer (not like A Christmas Carol, but like 1 Samuel 7:12 and the hymn “Come Thou Fount” which holds the line, “Here I raise my Ebenezer”. A far, far better way to start a new calendar year, in my opinion. I gain so much peace, I bend the knee and bend my will to God, I can rest in Him and also be expectant of all He will do in the coming weeks and months. As John the Baptist said, “I must decrease and He must increase.” Yes, please. This usually (or always) works well for me, whereas new year, new me…not so much.   The title of episode number 202 is “The Promise of  New Year - God’s Promises for You” because there is so much promise in every new season when we walk out said season with the Lord. A new calendar on the wall counts as a new season, and the promises I’m about to share today fit this new season. As always, these promises are God’s promises, taken directly from the Bible, and they are for you, my friend. Y.O.U.   Psalm 125, verses 1 and 2, from the NLT:   Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, both now and forever.   Now of course this psalm, which is a psalm of ascent, has to do with Israel and her people. No doubt about that. And it also is an encouragement for us, not as Jewish people, but as Christ followers. 2 Timothy 3:16 says all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, reproof, instruction, correction. Knowing what Scripture says matters, and that’s why Psalm 125 matters for you right here in this season.  In  Zechariah 14:4-11, Revelation 19:11-16 and Revelation 20:1-6, we read about the Messiah, Jesus, standing on Mount Zion when He returns the second time. So when Psalm 125 says that those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion, well that’s pretty secure, I’d say. If that is the place where Jesus’ feet will land, where He will stand, it’s an iron-clad guarantee that Mount Zion is going to be there right til the very end… If we trust in the Lord, we’re secure like Mount Zion is secure. This is an amazing promise. It’s an immovable promise. They will not be defeated, but will endure forever. God surrounds you like those mountains surround Jerusalem, both now and forever. Huge, huge promise. If the only promise I shared with you today was this one, it would be more than enough for the entire year. Isn’t God good? What a promise! You are as secure as that mount on which Jesus will stand at His return, and I do not know what more could be said to ensure that you trust God and know this promised se

    33 min

  7. 12/13/2024

    Waiting for Hope - Luke chapter 2 - Episode #201

    Hey there! Welcome to the podcast. In today’s episode, we’ll be taking a look at the hope and the promise of Christmas, from Luke chapter two. This is a time of year when hope is a watchword, and traditionally has been a season when people are much more open to receive kindness and blessings and when you say Merry Christmas and God bless you, maybe they don’t do that little uncomfortable wince that happens at times. This year, let’s take a few minutes and consider the hope we have because of Christmas, and because of all the promises God made and then fulfilled when Jesus came to earth as a newborn baby.    You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, now playing in the Edifi app. That’s Edifi, spelled E D I F I, and you can find it in your device’s app store. The hope and the promise of Christmas is our focus today, and this is episode number 201.    As I did some research for this episode, I read that there were at least eight specific prophecies that were fulfilled when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Now of course, Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies when He lived on this earth, and died and rose again. And the remainder will absolutely be fulfilled at His second coming. But regarding His birth in Bethlehem, we find the fulfillment of prophecies from Genesis 22:18, Numbers 24:17, Isaiah 7:14 (that one is a common Christmas card verse, for good reason), Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 9:25-26, Micah 5:2 (one of my favorite verses for this time of year), Jeremiah 31:15, Hosea 11:1 which does tie in with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.    The Bible truly is an amazing book, God’s Word is profound. And at Christmastime, I hope it has a profound impact and blessing on your life. I say this a lot, but I think it needs to be said often -  not only are God’s promises true…they are true for you. He loves you enough to make promises to you and then to keep those promises. And that’s where hope comes in for us - we have such great hope because we’ve seen Him keep His promises, and in the midst of tough times, we hold on to our hope that He will continue to keep His promises. This is not hope misplaced; it’s the opposite - perfectly placed hope. Hope in the Lord ends up being the kind of faith that yields results. It’s unseen at first, those results, but ends up being seen when our faith becomes sight. If you need some hope right now, well, this is for you.   From the Amplified, Luke chapter two verse 1 says: Now in those days a decree went out from (the emperor) Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited world (the Roman Empire) should be registered (in a census).  So this was more than just an emperor deciding he needed to take a census and get an accounting of all the citizens of his empire. This was done at the Lord’s behest, because of His will. One of the things that is easy to overlook in the Christmas story, to take for granted, because we’ve heard this passage so many times, year after year, it’s easy to overlook the significance of the way God’s hand, albeit invisible, was at work to move the heart of Caesar to order this census that required everyone to return to their own city, hometown, the town for their family’s official registration. And if we just read verse one, that single sentence, and move right on into the rest of the chapter, we can miss the reality that’s here for us, for our lives, right now. God moves in the lives and in the hearts of men, women, and children. He moves little people, and that’s like little in quotes because all mankind is so precious to Him, nobody is small or miniscule to Him. Our God is not in the business of marginalizing people. He created each one, knitting each in their mother’s womb, has engraved us on the palms of His hands, and no one is without value to Him. So that’s not what I mean when I say little persons. What I mean is, societally, the shepherds were not big wigs, power players, in that culture. And yet, they were given the message, the announcement

    27 min

  8. 12/03/2024

    What Matters More: Making a Promise or Keeping a Promise? Episode #200

    Well hey there! Hello to ya today. Welcome to episode number 200 of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast. I’m so excited and grateful that you’re listening today. Let’s jump right in!   You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, playing via the Edifi app. This is episode number 200, and we’re looking at some promises from 1 Peter.   So recently during my prayer time I started jotting down thoughts that I had while I was praying. It was for sure not just me thinking these things in my own mind - it was really the Holy Spirit encouraging me. Let me share what I wrote down.   Make a promise or keep a promise; which means more? Boastful speech with little love or fewer words and a God-honoring life; which is better? Loving God and loving others or making excuses for a cold, hard heart; which describes me? Dancing with the world or bowing at His feet; which do I do daily? Living for pleasure or living for Him; what do my daily choices reveal? Preparing for the King’s return or preparing by default for eternal hellish torment: there is no more time.   So, yeah. Very encouraging, very convicting, very sobering and that last bit, there is no more time, was somewhat heavy. I had the sense that I ought to share this on the podcast, because I’m guessing I am not the only one who needs to be reminded often that how I spend my time, how I love others, how I honor the Lord, what I live for matters and I only have so much time. My lifespan is not unlimited on this earth (although it will be unlimited in eternity). It’s important to pause, evaluate the condition of my heart, to discover yet again that there is a beam sticking out of my eye and I need to remove it before pointing out the toothpick in someone else’s eye.  Sharing this was not exactly what I wanted to do. It felt pretty personal, ya know? But obedience to the leading of the Lord is important, because Jesus said those who love Him will obey Him in John 14:23.    1 Peter 4:7-9 and 10-11 from the NLT:  The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.   In the Amplified Bible, verse 7 reads like this: The end and culmination of all things is near. Therefore, be sound-minded and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer (staying balanced and focused on the things of God so that your communication will be clear, reasonable, specific and pleasing to Him).    This is the passage the Lord led me to read after I wrote down what I read to you a moment ago. This is not a portion of the Bible that I have memorized, where I know by the reference exactly what it says. I ought to, because this is good stuff, but I didn’t just know in my knower what the passage said when the Holy Spirit led me to read 1 Peter, and in particular these verses from chapter four of 1 Peter.   And these words go hand in glove with what I wrote down during my prayer time that morning.   Listen carefully. God’s Word never returns to Him void but always accomplishes that for which He sends it forth. And so it will do what He wants it to do. God keeps His promises. He is unfailing in His faithfulness. His love and compassion know no bounds, His mercies are new every morning. He is a good God, a good Father. And this portion of Scripture says the end and culmination of all things is near…therefore, we need to be sober minded,

    34 min
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    How can we apply God’s promises to our daily lives? Are God’s promises conditional? What does it mean to be a child of God? What are some key promises found in the bible? Are God’s promises for me? How can we be sure God will keep His promises? What‘s more important than getting a life-changing handle on what God has promised you specifically? Expect this podcast to help you know who you are...REALLY & to help you live fully believing God‘s promises to you...REALLY.

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