2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity are eight qualities that Peter calls the great and precious promises. These eight qualities are a gift from God to enable you to be partakers of the divine […]

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Look at the world around you today. What does the world hunger after? They desire wealth. They desire health. They desire long life. They desire fame and popularity. They desire friendships.
In this passage, Jesus reveals to us the things […]

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Jacob was on his way back to the land of Canaan when his father-in-law Laban came after him with a band of men. Jacob was doing that which was pleasing to the Lord and as such, […]

Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Jesus has ascended to heaven and the disciples have returned to Jerusalem to wait for the filling of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had promised them. While the disciples were waiting, they […]

Lamentations 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Waiting is never easy, but in this verse we see that not only are we supposed to wait, but that we are to do so quietly. What does it mean to quietly wait? How does one […]

Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
The words wait and seeking do not seem like they belong in the same passage. A very quick glance at this passage would cause one to scratch their head and wonder what this verse means. Wait typically means […]

Psalms 105:8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
As you study scripture, you learn the importance of keeping your oaths to God. God requires that you keep your oaths to HIM because HE will fulfill HIS promises to you. God is faithful; HE will fulfill that […]

Psalms 81:10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
In order to receive God’s promise from this verse, you must first fulfill the condition that God lays out for you. It sounds so simple but you must first be […]

Psalms 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
You can say that you trust in the Lord, but does your actions demonstrate that you trust the […]

Psalms 55:22  Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
What burden do you bear that hinders your ability to fully serve God? Give it to God. Is it a job, positions, relationships, or your reputation? Whatever your burden is, God
desires that you turn […]

Psalms 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
To often Christians look at scriptures such as this and they claim the promises that God has made in the verse. In this case, you can hear a Christian say, Lord you have promised to give me strength […]

Matthew 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

For three years the disciples had followed Jesus wherever HE led them. Jesus was raised from the dead and HE had been appearing to HIS followers in Jerusalem. Since Jesus had been appearing in Jerusalem, the natural place for the disciples to see Jesus would be in Jerusalem. Nonetheless, they went to Galilee into a mountain because Jesus had instructed them. Because the disciples obeyed, Jesus met them in the mountain.

Because the disciples sought Jesus in the mountain, Jesus gave HIS disciples the Great Commission. The disciples were instructed by Jesus to go, teach and baptize. Jesus promised the disciples that HE would be with them always. The disciples had been commanded to go, and it did not matter how far they went, they could go to the ends of the earth, but because they were obeying God�s instruction, HE would be with them.

Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Satan tried to tempt Jesus with the entire world if Jesus would only bow down to him. Satan understood that while he would be giving up his territory, in reality, he would not since by Jesus bowing down to him, it would be the same as Jesus acknowledging that Satan was greater than God. Jesus being the Son of God understood that while Satan was the prince of the earth, that there was coming a day that HE would fight Satan and defeat him. At that time, the earth would properly return to the Lord.

II Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;

Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity are eight qualities that Peter calls the great and precious promises. These eight qualities are a gift from God to enable you to be partakers of the divine nature. However, these eight gifts are not passive in nature but require that you diligently apply them to your life.

For the last year, you have been studying the first of these eight precious promises, faith. It is your duty to God as HIS child to increase your faith to draw closer to HIM. However, faith is not the only precious promise that you are to obtain. All eight precious promises should be sought and obtained by you and applied to your life so that you might live a life pleasing unto God.

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

God has just told Moses that he is to go and tell Pharaoh to let the nation of Israel go. Moses argues with God about how no one will believe him or hear his voice and God gave Moses two miracles Moses could do; turn the rod into a snake and cause his hand to be leprous. After God gave Moses these two signs, Moses next excuse was that he was not eloquent of speech and as such, he needed an assistant.

God told Moses that HE made the mouth and that Moses was to go and God would teach him what to say. However, Moses was reluctant and he insisted that God give him an assistant. Moses simply did not have the faith to trust that God could use his weakness. God gave Moses Aaron as an assistant. It was Aaron who led the people into worshiping the golden calf. God�s perfect plan was to use Moses� weakness so that God would be glorified and receive all the glory. Moses had received a great calling and while he obeyed, he hampered his ministry because he did not have the faith to trust God to work through his weaknesses.

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

God is faithful, what HE has promised will come to pass regardless of your belief or unbelief. A good example of this principle is demonstrated by the life of Noah. Noah was told that God was going to destroy the earth with a flood. Just because no one believed God except for Noah, it does not mean that God was not faithful to fulfill HIS word. The world was full of unbelief but God was faithful and HE fulfilled HIS promise and because Noah believed, he was spared.

Jesus died upon the cross and we are instructed that if we believe on HIM, we shall be saved. How many millions of people have rejected the gift of salvation? Their rejection of Jesus as their personal Savior does not mean that Jesus did not die for all who will accept HIM. God is faithful, and just because some choose to reject the truth of the gospel, it does not mean that the gospel is untrue.

Genesis 21:3-4 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

It has been a year since God�s last recorded conversation with Abraham and it had been ten years since God made a covenant with Abraham. When God made a covenant with Abraham, he told Abraham that, Sarah�s son should be called Isaac. In addition, a part of the covenant between Abraham and God was that all of his seed was to be circumcised on the eighth day. Ten years after God made a covenant with Abraham and left specific direction for Abraham to follow, Abraham demonstrated his faith by obeying.

Genesis 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

Abraham had just visited with God where God informed him that within the year Abraham and Sarah would have a son. Abraham demonstrated his faith by continually petitioning God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham knew what God�s plan was for his life, yet he still did not have very much faith in God protecting him. Abraham had over 300 trained men to help defend himself, but still, something about Abimelech caused Abraham to look at the man and forget the power of the God he served.

Genesis 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

This is the second time in a very short period of time that God specifically stated that Sarah was going to have a son. Based upon Abraham�s age, it is clear that no more then a couple of months had expired since God told Abraham of the covenant between them which required him to circumcise every male in his house. It was during this conversation that God rejected Ishmael as the promise child and stated that Sarah would bear a son.

Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

Abraham may have been the father of faith, but he was still a man who fell short of the perfect will of God. Four times God came to Abraham and told Abraham that he was going to be a father of a great nation. Abraham had received the word of God and he believed. On the fourth occasion when God renewed HIS promise to Abraham, Abraham even asked God to prove the promise and God did. Nonetheless, Abraham was overwhelmed by the impossibility of God�s promise and as such, he found a way that he could make the promises of God happen in his own timing.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, and thy exceeding great reward.

God came to Abraham a fourth time to remind Abraham that he is going to be a father of a great nation and that his children were going to inherit the land. However, this time, Abraham did not simply hear the words of God, but he questioned God�s promises because he had no children. Abraham asked if his servant Eliezer was to be his heir since he was born of his house. However, God rejected Abraham�s solution to the impossible situation that Sarah could not conceive and said that Abraham would have numerous decedents and that they would inherit the promise land.

Genesis 14:22-23 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

Several kings chose to do battle against the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and they ended up capturing Lot. Upon hearing this news, Abraham took up his 300 trained servants and went to battle and rescued Lot and all the spoil that the enemy had taken. Upon Abraham�s return, the king of Sodom simply requested that Abraham return the people and that according to the rules of war, Abraham was entitled to keep the spoil. However, while we have very few details, apparently, Abraham made a vow with God that he would not take any of the spoil from this battle.

Judges 11:24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

Jephthah was corresponding with the King of Ammon asking him why he was trying to fight Israel. The King of Ammon tried to claim that the land Israel possessed belonged to his people and he was reclaiming it. Jephthah countered with how Israel had no intention of taking the land away from the people of Ammon but when Ammon attacked Israel prior to entering the promise land, Israel defended itself and took the land.

For three hundred years, the nation of Israel had possessed the land. Jephthah was willing to defend Israel on land Israel possessed because he understood God had given them the land. Since God had given them a possession, then God surely intended for them to keep it and as a mighty warrior, he was going to do his part to defeat the enemies of the Lord who were trying to take away God�s gift.

Jephthah understood the history of Israel and as such, he was prepared and able to defend the enemy�s claim to the land. Jephthah first tried to reason with the enemy, but when the enemy refused to listen, Jephthah led the nation into battle. Jephthah was a mighty man of valor. Nonetheless, he was educated in the history of God�s working with his country and he was willing to first see if he could handle the conflict peaceably. When he could not be solved by reason, then Jephthah led the nation into battle.

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Everyone is willing to be diligent and pursue that which they desire. If it is something they want, watch out, they are going to try every means possible in order to obtain. You will not have to worry about them being lazy. Furthermore, even if they run into some obstacles while they are trying to obtain that which they want, they will continue on because of the hope of obtaining that which they desire.

Hebrews 11:33c obtained promises,

It takes faith to hear the promises of God and believe that HE will give you that which HE has promised. God does not lie; HIS hand is not slack in performing HIS promises. However, HIS promises do not come on a silver platter; they are obtained by faith.

Some promises are not designed for you to obtain. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sojourned in the promise land but Joshua received the promise. Daniel understood that the nation of Israel would return home in 70 years but it was Ezra and Nehemiah who obtained the promise. David was promised that Solomon would build God�s temple.

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses by faith led the nation of Israel out of the land of Egypt. While God was rendering judgment upon Egypt, Pharaoh was angry with Moses. However, Moses endured these troubling times when both the nation of Israel and Pharaoh hated him. The reason Moses was able to endure is that he had seen God in the fiery bush and by faith he had the strength to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt.

It takes faith to endure the trials that are set before you. When you are going through a trial, there are going to be times when it seems like nothing you do is successful. However, it is during these difficult times that one must remember what God has done for them in the past and rejoice that this trial is only for a season and in time it too shall pass. Moses was able to remain steadfast because he had seen the Lord�s direction.

Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Abraham was called of God to leave his home and to dwell in the land that the Lord had promised to him. Abraham was not allowed to build a house but was required to simply sojourn in the land living in his tent. In verse eight of the same chapter, God commends Abraham�s faith for obeying the calling and leaving his home country. Now in these verses, Abraham is commended for his faith of continued obedience in staying in the land and for his faith in not establishing a permanent dwelling. Abraham had been told of God that the promise land was to be given to his descendents. However, he was told that they were to remain strangers in the land and that there would be a period of 400 years where his descendants would be afflicted (Gen. 15:13) until God giving them the land.

Matthew 16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

Jesus was warning the disciples about the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. However, the disciples were so concerned about the lack of bread that they were not really listening to Jesus. Jesus was trying to speak with HIS disciples, yet because they allowed fear and doubt to cloud their thought process, they were not able to hear Jesus.

Jesus told the disciples that they had little faith for two reasons. First, HE had taught them in the Sermon on the Mount that they should not worry about their provision. Second, HE had demonstrated to them twice HIS ability to take care of their substance. Now because they were worrying about food rather then listening to Jesus, they failed to hear the important lesson Jesus had for them.