John 14:27 - Jeannie Waters, Writer & Speaker

Which Promise of God Does Your Heart Need Today?

August 23, 2022Jeannie Waters30 Comments

We can trust God’s promises because He’s faithful to keep them. Two symbols of promises touched my heart last weekend.

Here’s my story.

Late Friday afternoon, Ray and I drove twenty-five miles to our favorite restaurant, a quaint, upscale café. As we held hands to pray over our anniversary dinner, I noticed our wedding rings—symbols of the promises we’d made years ago.

After a delicious meal and dessert, we recalled and laughed about our early marriage misunderstandings. The first occurred several months after our wedding.

Ray had promised this ready-for-Christmas-in-September girl we’d get a Christmas tree when he returned home from work. Filled with seasonal cheer, I watched for his car. When he arrived, I climbed into the passenger seat. He looked puzzled. “Why did you get into the car?”

“You promised we’d buy a Christmas tree today. Aren’t we going into town to find one?”

He chuckled, opened the car door, and called me to follow him. We walked through a pasture on his family’s property where we lived and stopped at a fence. He pointed to a row of cedar trees. “I didn’t say buy a tree. I said get a tree—one of those.”

“Get a tree” to this city girl meant traveling to a store or Christmas tree stand. To my raised-in-the-country husband, the translation was “cut a tree we already have.” We finished our coffee and laughed at the memory of a promise made and kept before our first Christmas season.

We paid our bill and left the restaurant. A gentle rain quickened our steps to the car. Soon, my husband navigated a sharp curve in the road, and we spied the evening’s second symbol of promise.

Clouds obscured part of the rainbow’s arch, but the visible portion looked as if God painted one broad brushstroke of the spectrum’s colors onto a rain-soaked sky canvas. A striking sight.

After the flood, God described the rainbow to Noah as a symbol of His promise.

When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Genesis 9:14-15 ESV

The rainbow represents one of God’s promises, but His Word contains many. As we admired the beautiful streak of color for several miles, we thanked God for His faithfulness. No translation is needed for His promises.

When I fret about how I’ll accomplish my to-do list or which choice to make when decisions arise, God’s promises calm my heart and turn my eyes toward Him. He shows me whether I’m trusting Him or myself. Concerns about the future that trouble my heart, shrink in the light of His Word.

Here are truths about life with God I’ve studied lately.

We don’t walk alone. He promises His presence, strength, and help.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

He assures us of wisdom for trials.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

James 1:5 ESV

Jesus offers supernatural peace in a troubled world.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 14:27 ESV

Our wise Father knows our needs and provides for them.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.”

Psalm 84:11 ESV

Do you need a promise from God today?

On a card, write one of these promises or another you find in the Bible. Keep the card handy to read and pray when troubling thoughts arise. God’s Word is a symbol of His faithfulness you can cling to as you trust Him.

Ray and I noticed two symbols of promise last weekend—our wedding rings and the rainbow. Symbols are important, but they are only reminders of God’s faithfulness. We don’t place our faith in signs or in life events. Our heavenly Father asks us to trust Him.

We can trust God’s promises because He’s faithful to keep them.

We can trust God’s promises because He’s faithful to keep them. Share on X

How has a promise of God sustained you? What’s your favorite? Perhaps one of us needs the one you’ll include in your comments today. Let’s brighten each other’s day with God’s words.

A heart-felt thanks to each of you, reader friends, for reading and leaving a comment.

Follow Two Biblical Steps to Lighten Your Backpack of Cares

July 26, 2022Jeannie Waters24 Comments

Years ago, my dad helped Carson, my twelve-year-old brother, prepare for an overnight camping trip. “Son, now that your backpack is full, try it on and make sure you can manage the weight. It’s really heavy. You don’t need all these campfire pots and cans of food.”

“Oh, I can handle it, Dad. No problem. I’ve been swimming all summer, and I’m really strong. Will you put it on my back now?”

“Okay, but remember you’ll have to hike through the woods to the campsite.”

Carson slipped his arms through the straps. We watched as he rocked onto his toes and leaned forward, hoping to maintain his balance. Although his lanky arms boasted budding muscles, his slender frame was no match for the backpack’s weight.

I’m sorry to report this older sister laughed when the weight of the load pulled him backward and down. He wasn’t injured, but he landed on the kitchen tile and resembled a turtle who had the misfortune to land on his shell.

“You were right, Dad. I guess it’s a little too heavy. Maybe I should take out some of the pots and canned food. Will you help me repack?”

Lesson learned.

Sometimes as adults we carry around more weight than necessary and allow burdens to rob us of joy. We might insist we know best and struggle for a while leaning forward with determination to keep our balance. We often fail to take the next step—lightening our load.

Our heavenly Father offers wisdom in a passage about submission to Him.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride] …casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].”

1 Peter 5:6-7 Amplified

Two Steps

Ready for step one? The passage tells us humility is the first step toward a lighter load. When we recognize our inability and God’s strength, a humble heart positions us to seek and receive His help.

When we recognize our inability and God’s strength, a humble heart positions us to seek and receive His help. Share on X

The second step involves “casting all your cares” on God. The word casting in verse seven means letting go of something and pitching it to another person or location. Humbling comes first, and casting follows.

Like my brother, when we realize our load is too heavy for our limited strength, we abandon pride and humble ourselves before one who can help us.

God designed us to depend on His strength, not our own. He planned to bear our burdens before we knew they existed.

God designed us to depend on His strength, not our own. He planned to bear our burdens before we knew they existed. Share on X

Jesus bore the sins of the world on His shoulders. He’s certainly capable of carrying the heavy weights of our hearts.

Does the gravity of your burdens encumber a joyful walk with Christ? I hope the following idea will help you when your backpack weighs you down.

Try This

Draw a line down the center of a page in a notebook or journal. In the left-hand column, use a pencil to list burdens that distract you or weigh you down. In the right-hand column, list some of God’s promises. Consider these and others:

He promises to forgive us when we confess (I John 1:9).

He provides for our needs (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 7:11).

He offers peace (John 14:27) and wisdom (Proverbs 2:6).

Now imagine holding each burden in your hands. Read 1 Peter 5:7 and follow God’s instructions. One by one as you pray, erase your burdens and list them on His side of the paper beside a promise.

Encouraging Words

All your heartache and circumstances won’t disappear when you pray, but the burden of them, the weight that’s too heavy, will rest on His shoulders. Your heavenly Father is bearing them with you and for you.

Take a deep breath, my friend. Thank God for His hug of relief. Smile. Yes, smile even when burdens feel heavy because you won’t bear them alone.

With our Burden-Bearer beside us, let’s settle into our campsite for the day and rest in His promises. “He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].”

How does remembering God’s strength and 1 Peter 5:7 help you release burdens? I look forward to your comments.

A related post: https://jeanniewaters.com/blog/the-answer-to-anxiety-is-on-the-table/

The Undertow of Fear

March 31, 2020Jeannie Waters26 Comments

When a dangerous undertow at our favorite childhood beach pulled my little brother, Ed, under the water and further from the shore, he almost drowned. Inside the vicious swirl of water, an older cousin fought relentlessly yet futilely to free Ed from the monster’s grasp.

Nearby sunbathers and swimmers mocked the cries of my loved ones because they weren’t far from the shore. How could they be drowning?

A young man, unseen by people on the beach, saw my brother and cousin from the second-floor window of his apartment. From a high vantage point, he realized they were in peril.

He ran down the stairs, across the hot sand, and into the salty water risking his life to save my brother.

With hope of rescue, Ed grasped the hand of the stranger. The man who saw the whole situation from above, was a blessing from God.

As we navigate the waters of the Coronavirus, this vicious enemy threatens to ensnare our attention, fill us with fear, and rob us of peace.

Try as we might, we cannot escape the reality of the pandemic. Fighting the onslaught of the virus with knowledge and caution helps protect us. Health professionals and government officials work to stem the tide of this invisible enemy.

However, no human effort can turn fear into peace.

There is One who sees all aspects of our lives from a high vantage point and knows our need for rescue and peace. The Lord Jesus Christ gave His life on Calvary that we might have a personal relationship with God once we confess our sins and surrender our life to Him.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:9-10

He’s holding out His hand to you today. If you don’t know Him, He offers forgiveness of sin and a personal relationship with Him now and throughout eternity.

To believers, He holds out His hand to offer peace and freedom from the undertow of fear.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

When an overdose of news assails us with facts and predictions, what can we do to focus on the peace of Christ? When we hear of loved ones or others who are sick, how can we respond?

Here are ideas that help me:

Create a prayer list. Include those who are sick, healthcare workers, and government officials.
Incorporate physical activity into your schedule. Walk outside or exercise indoors.
Read Scripture daily and memorize verses about God’s protection and peace. Click the link to see a beautiful gallery of encouragement from my friend, MarilynNutter .
Share good news you hear in this difficult time. Here are heart-warming stories I’ve heard:

A neighbor ordered food for a hearing-impaired man who couldn’t call or pay. This act of kindness provided a nutritious meal and gave peace to a gentleman anxious about dinner.
Two friends of mine made fabric masks for my daughter who is a healthcare worker. The masks gave her an extra level of protection and lessened her fear.
With quantity limits and short supplies, one shopper purchased an item another person needed which relieved anxiety and resulted in gratitude.
A teacher friend spent eight hours today helping students via email. She cleared up misunderstandings and explained new content so the education of her students could continue.
My neighbor delivered groceries to an elderly couple relieving their fear of leaving home to shop.
Sunday School class members mailed restaurant gift cards to a lady who broke her leg enabling family members to purchase carry-out plates.

God offers peace to defeat the undertow of fear, and He allows us to minister peace to others.

Please share how you seek peace from God or good news you’ve heard about people reaching out to others.

Bible verses are from the ESV.