Hi, this is Billy Taylor and welcome to the Daily Promise. Saturday is review day on the Daily Promise. Every Saturday we review the promises we learned during the week.

Here are the verses we covered this week.

Psalm 32:7
John 15:11
Psalm 62:1
Zephaniah 3:17
Ephesians 2:5-6

Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. - Ephesians 2:5-6

It may be a little hard to wrap your mind around, but right now, you are seated with Christ in heaven. Your physical location may be here on earth, but your spiritual position is with Christ.

When you placed your faith in Christ, you were united with Him. When He died, you died. When He was raised to life, you were raised to new life. Now He is seated at the right hand of God. Because of your union with Him, so are you.

So what does that mean for you today? Because you are seated with Him, your primary world is not here, but heaven. You live in the accomplished work of Christ.

Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. - Ephesians 2:5-6

It may be a little hard to wrap your mind around, but right now, you are seated with Christ in heaven. Your physical location may be here on earth, but your spiritual position is with Christ.

When you placed your faith in Christ, you were united with Him. When He died, you died. When He was raised to life, you were raised to new life. Now He is seated at the right hand of God.  Because of your union with Him, so are you.

So what does that mean for you today? Because you are seated with Him, your primary world is not here, but heaven. You live in the accomplished work of Christ. 

Most of us haven't spent much time in the book of Zephaniah. Even the most skilled Bible student may have a hard time finding this little book tucked in toward the end of the Old Testament. However, this little book backs a big promise.

I speak to so many Christians who feel God is mad or frustrated with them. They think their Christian life is just one big disappointment to God. They come to God in prayer, filled with regret, shame, and embarrassment. No wonder they spend little time in prayer. Few Christians realize just how excited God is about them.

This promise pictures a mighty warrior holding his newborn son or daughter. His powerful arms are wrapped tenderly around the child. He draws the newborn close to his chest and begins singing over that little one. He rejoices in this child and the joy of being near its presence.

That little child rests quietly because of the father's love.

Have you ever thought of God seeing you that way?

Most of us haven’t spent much time in the book of Zephaniah. Even the most skilled Bible student may have a hard time finding this little book tucked in toward the end of the Old Testament. However, this little book backs a big promise.

I speak to so many Christians who feel God is mad or frustrated with them. They think their Christian life is just one big disappointment to God. They come to God in prayer, filled with regret, shame, and embarrassment. No wonder they spend little time in prayer. Few Christians realize just how excited God is about them.

This promise pictures a mighty warrior holding his newborn son or daughter. His powerful arms are wrapped tenderly around the child. He draws the newborn close to his chest and begins singing over that little one. He rejoices in this child and the joy of being near its presence.

That little child rests quietly because of the father’s love.

Have you ever thought of God seeing you that way?

If you are like me, my first response when faced with a major problem is to gather up all my resources and do everything I can to fix it. The bigger the problem, the more frantic and anxious I become.

This psalm was written in a particularly difficult time in the life of King David. He was facing constant attacks from his son, who is trying to overthrow his rule as king. Instead of gathering his army and advisors, the first thing he did was to come before the Lord. David understood that trusting in men was foolishness. It was not about his strength or wisdom, but about God's deliverance.

David saw God as his only true source of salvation. He stops everything to get before the Lord. David didn't come before the Lord with loud cries or pleas for help; he came before God in silence. He waits before the Lord without speaking. When I face a problem, I want to tell God all about it. Too often, I come before Him filled with fear and anxiety. David comes before God in complete rest.

If you are like me, my first response when faced with a major problem is to gather up all my resources and do everything I can to fix it. The bigger the problem, the more frantic and anxious I become.

This psalm was written in a particularly difficult time in the life of King David. He was facing constant attacks from his son, who is trying to overthrow his rule as king. Instead of gathering his army and advisors, the first thing he did was to come before the Lord. David understood that trusting in men was foolishness. It was not about his strength or wisdom, but about God’s deliverance.

David saw God as his only true source of salvation. He stops everything to get before the Lord. David didn’t come before the Lord with loud cries or pleas for help; he came before God in silence. He waits before the Lord without speaking. When I face a problem, I want to tell God all about it. Too often, I come before Him filled with fear and anxiety. David comes before God in complete rest. 

Happiness is a fleeting illusion. When you attain whatever it is you think will make you happy, you often find a disappointing result. Happiness will never make you "happy." What we need is joy.

This promise centers on joy.

In the verses before this promise, Jesus described how He is the vine, and we are the branches. We cannot thrive outside of our union with Christ.

Jesus walked in complete joy because he walked in perfect obedience and union with God.

We rarely think obedience and joy go together. Obedience brings to mind a list of rules and regulations. The dos and don'ts of religion.

Jesus walked in joy because He walked in obedient intimacy with God. Our joy comes as we walk in obedient intimacy with Jesus.

Obedience to Christ is not following a set of rules and regulations. Obedience is walking as Jesus walked. We are called to be followers of Christ, imitators of Him.

Happiness is a fleeting illusion. When you attain whatever it is you think will make you happy, you often find a disappointing result. Happiness will never make you “happy.” What we need is joy. 

This promise centers on joy.

In the verses before this promise, Jesus described how He is the vine, and we are the branches. We cannot thrive outside of our union with Christ. 

Jesus walked in complete joy because he walked in perfect obedience and union with God.

We rarely think obedience and joy go together. Obedience brings to mind a list of rules and regulations. The dos and don’ts of religion.

Jesus walked in joy because He walked in obedient intimacy with God. Our joy comes as we walk in obedient intimacy with Jesus.

Obedience to Christ is not following a set of rules and regulations. Obedience is walking as Jesus walked. We are called to be followers of Christ, imitators of Him.

I love the way this promise begins. You are MY hiding place. The psalmist declares his confidence in God and God's desire to protect Him.

You have a hiding place; a place of refuge when problems and troubles come your way. That place of refuge is personal to you. God is not a hiding place, but your hiding place, When you enter that hiding place, it feels welcoming, strong and familiar. Your hiding place is safe and made just for you.

Sometimes troubles and difficulties seem to pile up all around you. You may be going through such a time right now. Troubles and problems feel like they are seeking you out. It is during these times you have a hiding place of protection and restoration. When stress and problems seem to be chasing you down, you can go to your hiding place.