Copyright (c) 2014 Forerunner Ministries, Inc.

What is the most hard hitting promise in scripture? I'm sure each of us could call out our favorites. Until fairly recently I would have instantly said Romans 8:28. I have hung 95% of my life on what I call its "magnificent promise" of redemption.

Nowadays, however, the Holy Spirit has been pointing at Romans 10:13 in front of me, like a coach trying to seize the attention of everybody on the field. What it reveals is uncomplicated, yet tremendously far-ranging: "All who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved." There are at least two ways to make good use of this promise.

1) Ever since I came upon it thirty years ago, I have been making the most of it to secure my hope of getting to heaven in a combined circle with John 3:16 and Romans 10:9. This is massive! If you have those "three witnesses" you can have blessed assurance that you are saved eternally. This application of Romans 10:13 made my hope for the next life like a guarantee, but I mistakenly narrowed what it was saying by supposing it was primarily about the next life.

2) This promise of God in fact made its first appearance in the Old Testament (Joel 2:32) where it was a pledge about deliverance for this life--not the next! People weren't thinking that far in the future. They wanted and looked for God to be rescuing them in every "right now" instance of misfortune or oppression!

Paul was broadening God's work, stretching Joel's word into a pledge of eternal life. Give thanks to God for that, but have we contracted the promise? As New Testament believers we are pretty much obsessed with salvation as an eternity concern. It is that, but it is also considerately more than that. Anything, little or large, in your life that doesn't compare with heaven needs God's redemption--and He would like to offer it to you. Saving help is also for right now!

Don't leave this promise "on the shelf" as a "been there, done that" eternity issue. We need it on a daily basis! At any time you are tempted, at any time you lose Christ's peace, each time you are oppressed, each time you need direction, at any time you need forgiveness or saving help, call on his name!

His obligation is that you will be saved if you call. Beyond a shadow of a doubt His help is guaranteed to go to you, if only you keep calling on Him. So call and persist in calling. His rescue is certain to arrive. See how valuable this is? Lay it on everything and luxuriate in the on-going salvation of the Lord!