Standing on the Promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20)

God’s promises recorded in His Written Word from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:20 are “Yes and Amen”. Psalms 119:140 says “Your promises have been THOROUGHLY TESTED, and your servant loves them”. Therefore the saints in the Old Testament used to cite God’s promises that they had received from Him (Genesis 28:15, 20-22; Nehemiah 1:4-11). God’s promises bring balm to our wounds, help to our infirmities, rest to our weariness, encouragement to our prayers. Therefore let us learn to trust and to stand on the unfailing promises of God. 

Here is a wonderful testimony from Carter (1849-1928) the composer of the hymn “Standing on the Promises of God.” His meditation on 2 Corinthians 1:20 which says “For all the promise of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” inspired him to make wrote this Gospel hymn. Carter was a star athlete of a military academy and later became successful teacher and coach where he studied. He served God several years as an ordained Methodist minister, spend last of his professional years as a doctor of medicine. Poor health and hopeless condition due to cardiac issues made Carter to turn to God for help and healing. He knelt and made a promise whether God heals or not he would consecrate rest of his life totally to God’s service. Over the course of the next several months his strength returned, and his heart was completely healed! Carter lived another healthy 49 years. The hymn Carter had written several years before his miraculous healing became more than words and music to him. Standing on the Promises became an integral part of his life.

Dear friends we must learn to stand on God's exceeding great and precious promises. Our faith in His promises will keep us from the world and its corruption and lusts. Our faith in His unfailing promises will help us to go forward in spite of all obstacles that we face in our day to day life.  Therefore let us not allow the sufferings, sin and sickness to keep us from holding fast to the precious promises of God.