“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see”
(Hebrews 11:1, NLT)
Our faith is having confidence by trusting ‘God’s Word of Honor’ about the things we hope for according to the promises of God.
But, what are the promises of God to us? When we are in the middle of negative, doubtful pulls in our minds where do we go?
I have found Psalm 34 as a solace to run to for hope building and strength to stabilize a sign of jeopardy popping up in my mind for a sign of Hope. Let’s visit together Psalm 34 and focus our view on a rainbow of hope for all circumstances of life.
1 I will praise the Lord at all times;
his praise is always on my lips.
2 My whole being praises the Lord.
The poor will hear and be glad.
3 Glorify the Lord with me,
and let us praise his name together.
4 I asked the Lord for help, and he answered me.
He saved me from all that I feared.
5 Those who go to him for help are happy,
and they are never disgraced.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear God,
and he saves them.
8 Examine and see how good the Lord is.
Happy is the person who trusts him.
9 You who belong to the Lord, fear him!
Those who fear him will have everything they need.
10 Even lions may get weak and hungry,
but those who look to the Lord will have every good thing.
11 Children, come and listen to me.
I will teach you to worship the Lord.
12 You must do these things
to enjoy life and have many happy days.
13 You must not say evil things,
and you must not tell lies.
14 Stop doing evil and do good.
Look for peace and work for it.
15 The Lord sees the good people
and listens to their prayers.
16 But the Lord is against those who do evil;
he makes the world forget them.
17 The Lord hears good people when they cry out to him,
and he saves them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.
19 People who do what is right may have many problems,
but the Lord will solve them all.
20 He will protect their very bones;
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will kill the wicked;
those who hate good people will be judged guilty.
22 But the Lord saves his servants’ lives;
no one who trusts him will be judged guilty.
(Psalm 34 NCV)
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Read, study, pray and have faith in God’s Word. Faith is the reason we remember great people who lived in the past. Read Hebrews 11 and call to remembrance the faith of some of the greats. Let faith grow in your heart to be ready to assist others when they need a reversal pull of jeopardy to hope!
thedailylily.com 
Thank you, Sara, for publishing the promises of God. How we take Him for granted when everything seems to be going our way but OH! when the crisis hits…we run to the Word, we run to God. Yet, the Word and the precious promises have been there since eternity. Oh, for the faith to keep them in our hearts always, in the good times and the bad times and the scary times and IMPOSSIBLE times.!
My brother Gene whom the Lord has brought back from a near death, back to being alive and determined to live and recover was comforted by this psalm which we studied at thedailylily.org Retreat. As I read this psalm to him at his bedside it strenghthened his spirit and his will to go on and it comforted him. And the prayers of faith were crucial in his situation.
Our God covers His people with His feathers and under His wings shall we trust. It is by faith, yes, that we receive the promises and hold them fast and believe that our God is on our side.
Thanks to the lilies who pray for him and for the support in the Lord.
Verses 9-10 “You who belong to the Lord, fear Him! Those who fear Him will have everything they need. Even lions may get weak and hungry. but those who look to the Lord will have every good thing.”
Read with me the footnotes, from my Bible regarding these two verses: “At first we may question David’s statement because we seem to lack many good things. This is not a blanket promise that all Christians will have everything they want. Instead, this is David’s praise from God’s goodness–all those who call upon God in their need will be answered, sometimes in unexpected ways. Remember, God knows what we need, and our deepest needs are spiritual. Even though many Christians face unbearable poverty and hardship, they still have enough spiritual nourishment to live for God. David was saying that if you have God, you have all you really need. God is enough. If you feel you don’t have everything you need, ask: (1) Is this really a need? (2) Is this really good for me? (3) Is this the best time for me to have what I desire? Even if you answer yes to all three questions, God may allow you to go without to help you grow more dependent on him. He may want you to learn that you need him more than having your immediate desires met.
Romans 8: 28 comes to mind here: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Read with me the footnotes: “God works in ‘everything’–not just isolated incidents–for our good. This does not mean that all that happens to us is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-range good. Note that God is not working to make us happy but to fullfill his purpose. Note also that this promise is not for everybody. It can be claimed only by those who love God and are called by him, that is, those whom the Holy Spirit convinces to receive Christ. Such people have a new perspective, a new mind-set. They trust in God, not in worldly treasure; their security is in heaven, not on earth. Their faith in God does not waver in pain and persecution because they know God is with them.”
Great footnotes! “Note also that this promise is not for everybody.” from notes above…
This comment should give all peoples a desire to know what they need to do to be one of the ones that can make a quick claim on these promises.
Needles’ footnotes said ‘this promise is not for everybody. It can be claimed only by those who love God and are called by him, that is, those whom the Holy Spirit convinces to receive Christ.’
One thing we learned about Psalm 34 at Retreat ’09 was that though it was full of promises, the promises were with conditions.
Some of the things I see above that we must do (action) to receive the promises:
vs 4 – ask for help to receive His answer
vs 5 – go to Him for help to be happy
vs 6,17 – call to Him and do good to be saved from troubles
vs 8 – examine and see in order to know His goodness
vs 13,14 – don’t say or do evil things or tell lies but do good
It is amazing when you start being more dependent on God,asking him for help and waiting and watching for his miracle to happen.I’ve witness this many times through my life asking him to show me his work. It just keeps getting better and better. THINK BIG ABOUT GOD and have NO FEAR about the world. He wants your faith,that leads to a personal,dynamic relationship.
Jamie, do you have an email address we could use to email you? Thanks for the encouragement on Faith. Love your ‘think big about God.”
Psalm 34, verse 7 says, “The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear God, and he saves them.” When we read the ‘angel of the Lord’, we think of Jesus Christ, the presence of the Lord Himself camping around us. What an awesome thought to sit still and think about.
If one has children readying them to return to school you might feel flashes of fear or just slightly uncomfortable thinking; how will things be for my child? How will their school year be? And, many other thoughts that run through a parent’s mind and heart. But, when you assure your child and yourself of this promise a bucket of joy, hope and peace should shower your being and the being of your child to leap forward with shouts of joy and happiness .
What a way to think of starting a new school year!
As I was reading Hebrews 11 as Sara suggested for us to read about the faith of the greats and then read the motivating words of what Jamie wrote, Enoch stood out to me because he had what Jamie talked about, ‘faith,that leads to a personal,dynamic relationship’. He walked daily with God, pleasing him with his faith. He must have really though big about God because he never saw death…one day God just took him home to heaven. (Gen 5:24)
I really appreciated Sara’s ‘comment’ to us from her workbook “Dressing for His Glory” at Retreat ’09 (pg 12)on walking with God:
“We may be going through adversity, or may go through adversity and affliction, but we must walk with Him on a daily basis – look to Him, and expect help from Him. He will enable us by His grace to trust Him.”
Hebrews 11:33 helps our confidence by telling us what the ‘Greats’ faith did: “…subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violece of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out od weakness were made strong, became valient in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens, women received their dead raised to life again…”
We may feel our faith is small, but even Christ’s disciples asked Him that he would increase their faith. (Luke 17:5). And our scripture form Psalm 34 above says “4 I asked the Lord for help, and he answered me.
He saved me from all that I feared. “
Psalms 34 is an awesome, encouraging promise from God. This should take away any insecurities we have. The more we pray, study, and act on God’s Word, the more Faith we will have. Our Faith will grow daily as long as we are willing and obedient to God’s Word. How can we say we have faith, if we are not connect to God’s power source? We must stay plugged in to God. We must talk to him, study his word and act on His word. God allows our faith to be tested. He wants to see how we will respond to what we have to face. If we are connected to the power source, we will be successful. Just like Daniel when he was tested in the lions den. Just like David when had to battle a giant. Now if we are not plugged into to God’s power source, we will have no power (but our own-which isn’t much) to get through the test. We will fail. Growing in God is Growing in Faith. Faith takes away insecurities and fear. It’s the key to getting through trials and tribulations of this world. We can only get faith through our relationship. If we only knock on God’s door when we need something or we are in trouble, we will be strangers to God. He will not open the door. We will be on our own. If we invite God over daily, eager to serve Him and please Him, He will be there for us. When we knock on His door, He will recognize us and open the door. We will be His children. Psalms 34 is a written promise to God’s children. As we stay connected, we don’t just think God will be there for us ( with a doubtful spirit), we will know that God will be there for us. There is no doubt. Knowing is FAITH.
I have a couple of footnotes to share for verse 1 in Hebrews 11. Read with me, “Do you remember how you felt when you were very young and your birthday approached? You were excited and anxious. You knew you would certainly receive gifts and other special treats. But some things would be a surprise. Birthdays combine assurance and anticipation, and so does faith! Faith is the confidence based on past experience that God’s new and fresh surprises will surely be ours.”
“The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character: He is who he says. The end point is believing in God’s promises: He will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.”
What you said about faith, chickenfarmer, is a good way to describe that ‘partnership’ with God that we learned about at Retreat ’09.
From what you describe about faith, it really is a two-way street, a give/give situation, a mutual investment and committment. When we do our part, God does His.
Needles, that’s an interesting footnote comparing faith to birthday and puts faith in a very positive experience perspective. When you think about God’s love and goodness for us and His giving us good gifts when we ask it boosts your faith.
“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matt 7:9-11
Debi,
The footnotes for these verses in Matthew sure will “boost your faith,” too. Read with me, “The children in Jesus’ example asked their father for bread and fish–good and necessary items. If the children had asked for a poisonous snake, would the wise father have granted the request? Sometimes God knows we are praying for ‘snakes’ and does not give us what we ask for, even though we persist in our prayers. Nor will God give us ‘stones’ or ‘snakes’ instead of what we need. As we learn to know God better as a loving Father, we learn to ask for what is good for us, and then he grants it.”
“Christ is showing us the heart of God the Father. God is not selfish, begrudging, or stingy, and we don’t have to beg or grovel as we come with our requests. He is a loving Father, who understands, cares, and comforts. If humans can be kind, imagine how kind God, the Creator of kindness, can be.”
“As we learn to know God better as a loving Father,…” from above footnotes
I love this idea, as we learn to know God better…..Father God, help us to yearn, learn and know you better….
Thanks Needles, your footnotes help to focus on who God is, His character…that’s ‘the Majesty of God’ we studied in Leeson 2 pg 10 “Dressing for His Glory, Retreat ’09. We learned it takes ‘practice’ to focus on His majesty so dialogue like your comments is a great focusing tool.
The memory scripture at end of that chapter confirms that when we learn about, talk about and understand His character it builds faith to have confidence in His ability and desire to fulfill these great promises to us.
“All those who know Your name will put their trust in You.” Psalm 9:10
vs. 4 ” I asked the Lord for help, and he answered me.
He saved me from all that I feared. … vs.9 You who belong to the Lord, fear him! Those who fear him will have everything they need.”
I had a real fear this week hearing what my family and I thought to be a terrible diagnosis about a family member. I got up in the middle of the night and ran to this website knowing I would find what I needed and I did. Psalm 34 and friends’ comments awaited my comfort. I made it through the night and in the am two of my dailylily friends, Debi and Chickenfarmer found me and helped me. I have been thinking about vs. 9 “those who fear the Lord, will have everything they need.” Wisdom, understanding, good friends to stand with you and pray for you. Family and friends to comfort you, find food for you, give drink to you, spend time with you and above all, love you.
Within hours things got better and they are getting better and better by the minute. God is with us and helping us and things are not as they first came to us. God is healing and the process is showing. Amen Amen and Amen. Praise to our Heavenly Father and thanks to my friends for being there when I needed them. Also, thanks to all the others that heard by the Spirit of God and dove into the pools of prayer on my behalf and those I care about.
I hope each of us will carry this Rainbow Psalm in our heart’s pocket wherever we go!
While on vacation I read Haggai. Although I had read it before somehow it seemed to jump off the pages at me this time, perhaps because of the Retreat ’09 that I had just been to. The preview of Haggai read: “Pressures, demands, expectations, and tasks push in from all sides and assault our schedules. Do this! Be there! Finish That! Call them! Everyone seems to want something from us – family, friends, employer, school, church, clubs.”. Without holding on to the promises above we soon would be spent. “We would find ourselves rushing through life, attending to the necessary, the immediate, and the urgent. The important is all too often left in the dust. Our problem is not the volume of demands or lack of scheduling skills, but values-what is truly important to us. “ I read this to a friend as she rushed from one school thing to another and then to one family member’s need to another. She seemed to shrug it off with saying what else can one do. Soon in this area teachers will be going back to school and activities will be penciled in on calendars for teachers, parents, and students. Vacations will have ended and employees will return to full schedules. Will we say the same as my friend without holding on to the promises of God. People of the time worked hard without seeing good things happen. Haggai 1: 6 says “You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes. “ Once they turned to putting God FIRST AND doing what God had requested of them they were blessed. God showed up even mightier than when Solomon’s constructed THE temple the first time. The people decided that with all that was within them to keep walking forward with God. The footnotes read for Haggai 2:23 “Haggai’s message to the people sought to get their priorities straight, help them quit worrying, an motivate them to rebuild the Temple. Like them, we often place a higher priority on our personal comfort than on God’s word and true worship. But God is pleased and promises strength and guidance when we give him first place in our lives.” As are calendars flourish with penciled in appointments may we stop – take time to worship and remember the promises listed above.
As Sara said above, “Our faith is having confidence by trusting ‘God’s Word of Honor’ about the things we hope for according to the promises of God.”
At The Daily Lily Retreat ’09, Dressing for His Glory’ we just studied ‘Lesson 6 – Clouds of Rain Bring Showers of Blessing’ all about Psalm 34’s Rainbow Promises.
I am again looking at the photograph by Chris Mar of a rainbow breaking through the clouds. What a sign of hope and comfort that God is honorable in keeping His words in Psalm 34 above, even when the storm clouds of problems have rolled in.
Our memory verse at the end of that lesson is very powerful and confirms ‘God’s Word of Honor’.
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
Thanks Debi for adding a stamp to my workbook. It made its way back to me through your comment above to strengthen the soul from shrinking faith to faith that grows when one reminds themselves of God’s promises.
Thank God for His promises and the hope they give us to stand on them. This reminds me of a hymn that encourages us to stand and continue to stand on those promises.
Standing on the Promises
R. Kelso Carter
1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
3. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
4. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)