“The Future Is As Bright as the PROMISES of God” 2 Peter 1:2-4

Dr. Gary M. Barker

Gary Barker 1 of 1bw 1
Dr. Gary Baker is an independent columnist for The Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email him at pastor@gracebaptistpaso.org

A Christian who believes that the Bible is the Word of God can have faith that gives positive confidence about the future. The saying is true “Our future is as bright as the Promises of God.” We really need this confidence to offset all the setbacks we are experiencing due to the virus pandemic. Our confidence in God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises will enable us to endure and overcome the problems and difficulties we are all experiencing.

Christians have the responsibility to LIVE BY FAITH in God (Romans 1:17). Our faith is based on the historical and factual statements of the Bible, which is God’s Word (Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:4). In Hebrews 11:1, Faith is defined as having confident assurance of the things we hope for and expect to happen. Living by faith will manifest itself with confident expectations about the future instead of being troubled with worry. I have learned by many years of experience that worry never solves any problem but only makes things worse.

Jesus clearly taught His disciples in Matthew 6:25-34 that they were not to worry about anything because their Heavenly Father would provide all their needs. God takes care of the birds. His children are worth so much more than birds, so we know He will take care of us. A disciple is to seek to promote God’s Kingdom, live righteously, and believe that God, in response to Faith, will provide everything needed. The apostle Peter told believers that they were to cast their worries on the Lord because He cares for them (1 Peter 5:7). What a great blessing it is to know for sure that the Lord cares for us in a personal way and will provide all we need as we trust in Him (Philippians 4:19). The cure for worry is believing that God will listen and answer our prayers (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 3:10-12).

The reason we can be confident and hopeful about the future is because the promises of God are “exceedingly GREAT and PRECIOUS” (2 Peter 1:4). A promise is as great as the person who makes it. God is omnipotent, omniscient, true, and loving and is able “to DO exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). May I encourage you to just hope, dream, and pray about what God can and will do for you if you trust in His promises. The apostle Paul stated that God is able to do far above anything we can ask or think.

Your future will be as bright as your TRUST IN GOD.