Does God Keep His Promises?

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In a country where following Jesus can carry a cost, the church in Iran keeps growing in quiet ways. From house to house and living room to living room, the good news of the gospel spreads. In 2020, an independent survey of 50,000 Iranians found about 1.5% identified as Christians. The survey reported Christians in Iran number in the hundreds of thousands and growing beyond the million. That's not a rumor.

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It's data gathered inside the country. Could God really be building His church where many assume it can't be built?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger.

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Sometimes we look at the world and wonder, where is God in all this? God's promises are fading into the background. But Scripture reminds us that God's faithfulness isn't dependent on our headlines. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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And He keeps every single promise He's ever made.

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Deuteronomy 7.9 says, Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands. And Revelation 19.11 gives Jesus a title that sums it all up. Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war. When you and I look around at the brokenness in our world, or even at the pain in our own lives, it's easy to wonder if God's promises still stand. But history tells a different story.

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From Genesis to Revelation, God has never failed to keep His word. He promised Abraham a family, and He delivered. He promised Israel deliverance from Egypt, and He brought them out through the sea. He promised a Savior, and Jesus came right on time. And He promised to build His church. And He's doing it in places we'd least expect. That's what's happening around right now. Despite persecution, arrests, and fear of losing one's life, the gospel is multiplying quietly through friendships and family connections. Christians are praying, and God is answering by keeping His promise. It's proof that no wall or regime can keep God from reaching the hearts He intends to reach. And a reminder for you and me, when it looks like nothing is happening, God is still moving. He's working behind the scenes and keeping every promise. Even when we can't see how it will all come together, He's still working.

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You can trust Him because His character doesn't change. He is faithful and true. Look what's happening since that 2020 survey.

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Watchdogs who track persecution now estimate around 1.2 million Christians in Iran. In other words, even under pressure, people are meeting Jesus and finding family in Him. Jesus promised that He would build His church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

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God keeps His promises and proves Himself faithful in every generation. You may not see the headlines, but the shepherd is gathering people in unlikely places and bringing them to faith one new creation at a time.

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Think of one promise from Scripture that's hard for you to believe right now. Maybe it's something about peace, or provision, or maybe God's presence in your life. Write it down and pray something like this. Lord, help me see where you're already keeping this promise in my life. And when I can't see it, help me trust that you're still at work. Our faithful Father, thank you that your promises never fail. Even when I can't see you, you're working. I know you are. Help me to trust in you, in the waiting and to remember that you always keep your word. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, God's promises are as steady as His character. Even when the world feels uncertain, He remains faithful and true. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.