Do not be afraid: God’s promises (Keith Nurse)

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God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?
Numbers 23:19 (NIV)
Someone has worked out that the Bible includes the phrase “Fear not” or “Do not be afraid” 365 times, a reminder for each and every day of the year of the importance of hearing this message. We can receive it in two ways. The first is as a command - don’t allow your thinking and actions to be governed by fear. But the second is as a promise - you don’t need to be afraid because … So often the Bible encourages us not to fear because of what God will do or because of what He’s like.
God always keeps His promises. If He didn’t, it would undermine the whole of His character. Just one failed promise would leave us not knowing when we could or couldn’t trust Him. But He is true to His word in every way. Many promises have already been fulfilled, while others have yet to come to be. But so many can be real for us today if we take them to heart and live by them. The impact they’ll have on our thinking and actions will be truly transformational. They will provide absolute certainty in uncertain times, and hope both for now and for eternity.
A prayer - Thank you, Lord, that you are a faithful God who we can trust completely. Please help us, more and more, to believe and live by what you say, and especially to find in you and the truths of your word a security and confidence that helps us stand firm in these troubled times. Amen
Keith Nurse

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