A young man was rebelling against his parents. When he lost his job and his girlfriend, he complained that God was being unfair. He didn't think the Lord was being very loving or was giving him the help He  promised in the Bible. What he didn't realize was that Jesus promised a sense of His love and presence only to those who keep His commandments (Jn. 14:21-24; 15:9-14).

We read in 1 Kings 3 that God was pleased when Solomon valued "an understanding heart" over wealth, honor, and long life (vv.9-11). So He promised the king those blessings in addition to the wisdom he requested (vv.12-14). But Solomon, who was 20 when he became king, died at the relatively young age of 60 (11:42). What happened to the promise of long life? Remember, a condition was connected to it: "If you walk in My ways" (3:14). Because Solomon "did not fully follow the Lord" (11:6), God did not give him long life.

If you are God's child by faith in His Son, He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5). Yet you can still expect His loving discipline if you disobey Him (12:5-11). In such times you can turn to His promise to forgive when you confess your sin (1 Jn. 1:9).

Hold on to God's promises, but don't twist them.  — Herbert Vander Lugt