Throughout history the church has been more effective as a persecuted minority than as a dominant power.
In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain!
For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:1-3)
David, before he became king, was in trouble. As if it wasn't enough to be arch enemy of the Philistines he was relentlessly pursued by king Saul, whose jealousy
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drove him to ruthlessly crush all opposition to his despotic leadership. David had friends, loyal companions who were looking out for him, and who therefore were advising him to flee for safety. But their well-intentioned warnings were motivated by fear, so David would have none of it, choosing instead to take refuge in the Lord. The fear was of secret attack from unknown adversaries lurking in the shadows; the antidote to trust in God who alone can be trusted.
The 'foundations' refer to the fundamental principles that hold society together. When these norms of community behaviour are torn down there is no longer any protection for the innocent. Anarchy breaks out and chaos follows, and upright citizens can do nothing to halt the declining ethical and moral standards.
So when cultural correctness crumbles, can righteous people still make a difference?
In David's time power struggles and revenge killings were the order of the day, but when he became king he was able to establish justice and equity, because he let the Lord rule. In the following generations apostasy prevailed, standards dropped, and eventually the whole nation found itself in exile. Was it all a waste? Could the righteous do nothing?
God allowed Israel, then Judah, into exile as a punishment for their disobedience, but not without the hope of restoration. There in captivity, yet culturally and creatively free, the greatest and most influential writings were produced. Babylon marked the end of leadership by corrupt and idolatrous kings but allowed a resurgence of Jewish tradition. Here the Torah took its final shape, study halls were established, and leadership passed to God-fearing rabbis. We gentiles owe our biblical understanding to texts preserved and copied during exile. It is true that some for a while 'sat down and wept by the rivers of Babylon, refusing to sing the songs of Zion' (Psalm 137), but later adapted, flourished, studied and became 'a light to the gentiles' (Isaiah 60, Luke 2). In the books of Esther and Daniel we get glimpses of how exile gave rise to influence, opportunity and to hope.
Here is a paradigm for our own times. The foundations of British culture, once built on Judaeo/Christian standards, have been disintegrating, perhaps even deliberately destroyed. The symptoms don't need spelling out - just listen to ten minutes of any news bulletin and all the signs of a broken society are evident. What boiled over on our streets recently has been simmering for decades with no moral compass to restrain it. While Moslem clerics were able to demonstrate calm leadership the church was effectively silenced.
The Christian church in the UK is entering a kind of exile. Sidelined and muted, under duress from competing religions, no longer representing a majority, considered to be culturally irrelevant, consigned to a social ghetto, pressurised, but being purified. Just as God used exiled Jews to preserve His word and be a light to host nations, He will also use a repressed and subverted remnant of faithful followers of Jesus the Jewish Messiah. Power and influence by the church may have waned but God's authority has not. This story is far from over.
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Throughout history the church has been more effective as a persecuted minority than as a dominant power. 'Christendom' brought complacency and heresy, with a distorted evangelism that emphasises a social rather than a saving gospel. Political correctness outweighs prophetic confrontation, and eco-credentials are rated higher on the agenda than biblical principles. This kind of compromised church has little influence on the world because it has allowed in the world's influence, permitting, even welcoming, unacceptable and unbiblical moral and ethical standards.
So it's time for God's people to be driven into exile, into a wilderness to be purged of institutions, denominations and traditions, pursuing holiness rather than happiness, righteousness rather than reputation. There to be purified and empowered for the task of gathering lost souls into the Kingdom of God. We live in the certain hope that Jesus will return and will reign forever. In that hope we, his 'ekklesia', - his 'called-out assembly' - must encourage one another to continue in repentance and faith in Christ, being filled with Holy Spirit to equip us for mission.
Lord we thank you for being our refuge. We thank you for these days of opportunity and for the coming revival. We thank you that even when the foundations fail the righteous prevail. By Your grace we will serve You today. Jesus, You have our 'yes'.
Author: John Plumb
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The person who can cheerfully hand over his life work for God to others and still fully support them in it has become a true worshipper in spirit and in truth.
John 3:30 'He must increase, but I must decrease.'
When the crowds left John the Baptist to follow Jesus, he said "this is the assigned moment for Jesus to move into the centre, while I slip off to the sidelines". John 3v30 (KJV) John thought like a steward.
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A steward simply manages something for the owner until he comes to take it back. John knew that the crowd leaving him for Christ was never his to begin with. God had simply placed them under his care for a period of time to accomplish certain purposes. With John this was apparently just fine.
John's view of stewardship presents us with an important principle. For his crowds, maybe our careers, our assets, our natural and spiritual gifts. Are these things owned or merely managed in the Name of the one who entrusted them to us?. Our answer depends on whether we are called or driven. Driven people consider them owned, called people don't.
When driven people lose things, it's a major crisis (ownership, position, possession), however, when called people lose them, it's not a crisis, why? because their calling is (stewardship to a person) the person being the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing who he was not, was the beginning of John knowing who Jesus was, and john being a steward he didn't aspire to anything beyond that.
In 2 Samuel 7:1-13. Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around. 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "see now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains." 3 then Nathan said to the king, "go do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you." 4 But it happened that night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying. 5 "go and tell my servant David, thus says the LORD; "would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 "For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 "Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying 'why have you not built me a house of cedar?'" 8 "Now therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, 'thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. 9 "and I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 "Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously. 11 "since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. 12 "when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 "He shall build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
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Whilst king David had set his heart on building the house of God, for years his thoughts had being centred on this project and his savings dedicated to it's fulfilment. He had prayed about it and had even been given a heavenly plan of how it should be constructed. Then came the disappointment, you may think when Nathan the prophet had to tell him that the LORD said that the work will be done by someone else.
King David accepted this disappointment as God's appointment/will, as he continued preparing the materials, handed over the plan to Solomon his son, and encouraged him to complete the task which had being his life ambition/stewardship.
This was true worship for it proved he was not at all concerned for himself, but to be a good steward only for the glory of God. The person who can cheerfully hand over his life work for God to others and still fully support them in it has become a true worshipper in spirit and in truth.
So my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ may I just encourage you by saying what is success as God counts success, it's when others hear you, but follow Jesus, it's when others see some quality in you that causes them to fall more in love with Jesus, only when that happens and feel like you've lost nothing in the process, you can truly say father I've done what you called me to do.
I pray may the Lord richly bless and keep you as you in faith run the race, finish the course that He may say well done my good and faithful servant in Jesus Name. Amen
Author: Herbert Jean
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We don’t want in our comfortable 21st Century Western Christianity to be brought to our knees weeping and wailing before almighty God when faced with the challenge of His goodness. But when we really see His goodness that is precisely where we find ourselves
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Here is a quote from an unexpected source – The ‘Atheists for Liberty website’: “On March 31 this year, Richard Dawkins appeared in an interview with Rachel Johnson on LBC, where he made headlines after identifying himself as a cultural Christian. After stating he was “slightly horrified” to hear about when Oxford Street in London began promoting Ramadan instead of Easter, he explained his belief that England is a culturally Christian country. “I’m not a believer, but there is a distinction between being a believing Christian and a cultural Christian. I love hymns and Christmas carols and I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos, and I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense.”
I guess, firstly, I never thought that I would be agreeing with Richard Dawkins about anything! However, I can empathize with the sentiment that he expresses about the absence of public signs of our Christian heritage - he mentions Easter – with me it was both Easter and Christmas. Notably, I was deeply saddened that after having listened to “Messiah” at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham last Christmas, Jan and I walked the length of New Street amidst the decorations and symbols of several other religions, but not a single Christian emblem anywhere to be seen.
I first came across Richard Dawkins as a student as the author of a book “The selfish gene” (published in 1976) which explained evolution from a gene’s point of view. Genes contain our DNA and the code that instructs our cells to make us what we are physically – for example: an ant, a rabbit or a human being. The code also predetermines some aspects of behaviour – so for example male lions who have just taken over leading a pride will often kill all of the young cubs – you could say that this behaviour was ensuring that the new leader’s genes were past on to the next generation rather than the outgoing leader’s genes.
Dawkin’s theory was that gene’s force creatures to work in their own self-interest – they are “selfish” and predispose living things (including us) towards ensuring their own survival for future generations. This of course gives a problem when it comes to explaining altruism (willingness of someone to sacrifice themselves for someone else’s benefit). In the natural world there are many examples of altruism – take worker bees that have “given up” the right to reproduce in the “interests of the colony” – how is this “selfish genes” at work?.
His theories were the source of much vigorous debate both scientifically, ethically, and as a well-known and “evangelical atheist”, with followers of Jesus. In an on-line essay Neil Shenvi summarises Dawkin’s approach like this: “What is it, (Dawkins) goes on to ask, that leads some individuals to be loving and altruistic to the degree that there is no possible benefit to themselves and rather the certainty of permanent loss? What can we learn from individuals whose behaviour is simply not explicable in terms of maximization of their own fitness? And this brings him to Jesus. Not, Dawkins would hasten to add, because he considers Jesus in any way unique, but because Jesus seems to embody precisely this standard of selflessness, compassion, and universal love”.
So here is someone who confesses that they are not a believer but do value “cultural Christianity”. I would say that many want the benefits of being in a Christian country without wanting to actually participate in the faith or follow its author. It’s a bit like parents wanting the benefits of a church school but not the God from whom those blessings and benefits originally flowed – or the trappings of a church wedding without belonging to the community of faith and body of belief that makes the covenant between God, a man and a woman real.
As we are now seeing, day after day and week after week, the dilution of active participation in the Christian faith but still expecting its blessings and benefits does not work and in the end even those good things that “cultural Christians” treasure will be no more. These shadows of treasured blessings cannot exist without the substance. Without the reality there are no shadows.
It reminds me greatly of some lines from the BBC adaptation of “pride and Prejudice”. One of the Bennet sisters (Jane) has just agreed to marry the person that she is in love with (Mr Bingley). She is speaking to her sister (Elizabeth) saying something like “Oh Lizzie! I’m so happy! Can you believe that everything would work out in such a wonderful way”? She then expresses a wish for her sister to be similarly blessed and happy. But Elizabeth, knowing her own heart replies: “If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness”.
And that’s it – Elizabeth is right – without following Jesus, without a transaction with the Holy Spirit, apart from experiencing God’s goodness and kindness, we cannot have the blessings, they are beyond our reach. The trappings, sentiments and practices of Christianity cannot on their own save our souls. There is a cry for the church to be relevant today – the world wants us to modernise and “fit in” and go along with a sham godliness; the world wants to tell us what to think and what to believe – It wants to tell us what “goodness” is and what is “good”.
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Richard, a brother in our church who spoke recently about the message of the gospel of Mark reminded us that Jesus has pointed us to what is good. In Mark 10 v 18 Jesus says: “Why do you call me good?” … “No one is good—except God alone”. When Richard spoke about this I felt both the conviction and excitement as the Holy Spirit gave power to those words. This is Jesus reminding us through scripture: “No one is good—except God alone”! As Richard says it is understanding this goodness and contrasting it with everything we are, which brings us to repentance. Many want a bloodless and repentance-free gospel. A nice feeling, good singing, being assured of God’s love. We don’t want in our comfortable 21st Century Western Christianity to be brought to our knees weeping and wailing before almighty God when faced with the challenge of His goodness. But when we really see His goodness that is precisely where we find ourselves.
In scripture Job, who had been through such sorrow at the end of it has a revelation of God’s goodness. He says: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Who could imagine God’s goodness woven through what Job went through? But there it is - Job is overwhelmed by his encounter with God and seeing how His goodness transcends all that we are and all that we can do… What can we do in the face of such overwhelming goodness? Well, when we come to the end of ourselves, our arguments and our justifications, we can throw ourselves on His mercy. He wants us to be partakers of His goodness as well as brought to repentance by it – but we can’t be partakers until we have been convinced and convicted. Then just when we are in despair of any hope God the Father shows us His ultimate goodness – Jesus…
Romans 2 v 4: Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
This is the message for all humankind. In the story in Mark 10 Jesus remarks that it is very hard for comfortable, rich people to enter the Kingdom of God – because as Richard says “why would they want to repent”? Paul add to this other kinds of comfort and in 1 Corinthians 2 v 26 - says:
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
Everyone – even academics capable of mental feats that most of us can only dream of – if they want the “happiness” that goes with “Christianity” must come to terms with God’s goodness through repentance, and become followers of Jesus. Without this its like chasing shadows… you think that you have something – but not really….
Author: Chris Pearson
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Joy does not depend on what happens outside of us, it comes from the inside
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I just want to start by saying that I read Jan’s brilliant blog that was posted last Sunday and found that it was a similar message to the one I had on my heart to bring this week, which was already underway. I began to wonder if I should change it but felt in the end it was actually confirmation that it was a message for this time.
I have used this anecdote before in a blog but I feel it is worth repeating as it illustrates what I want to say.
My grandmother was a lovely Christian lady whose faith was strong and simple. She just accepted that Jesus was looking after her and didn’t understand why people wouldn’t believe in Him. As a young woman she had been a downstairs maid in a rich family and had worked long hard hours. She got married but her husband died young so she took in first orphans and then lodgers to make ends meet. My dad was her only child but he was brought up with various foster children. She was in her late 60’s when I was born and she was a great role model when I was a child. In her 80’s she lost both of her legs through diabetes and when we went to see her she would always be joyful and at peace. She would say that lots of people were much worse off than she was. She would crack jokes like: ‘I am playing for Aston Villa this afternoon.’ She died peacefully and much loved and missed at the age 89. She was an amazing lady, who had much suffering in her life but was always full of joy, never complained and never gave up on her faith in Jesus.
I just put that as a prelude to what I want to say about suffering. I love the book of James. It is full of wise words. In James 1 he talks about the way we should think of suffering. In verse 2 he says: ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds’
Firstly, in this scripture James was talking to believers. He says ‘my brothers and sisters’. As Christians we are not immune to suffering as some false prophets preach. In fact, James says ‘whenever you face trials.’ He does not say ‘if you face trials’. Jesus himself said in John 16 verse 33: ‘In this world you will have trouble.’ That sounds pretty definite to me.
I believe that one reason we have to suffer as Christians is to be witnesses to the world by the way we act, react, persevere, trust in the Lord and live our lives in the midst of suffering. God wants us to be better at facing trials than the world. In one of his sermons Charles Spurgeon said this: ‘I believe the hardest hearted, most unlovely Christians in all the world are the ones who have never had much trouble and those who are the most sympathising, loving and christlike are those who have had the most afflictions. The worst thing that can happen to us is to have our path made too smooth.’
Trials can be joyful. Joy is not happiness. Happiness is a passing emotion depending on the circumstances. Joy does not depend on what happens outside of us, it comes from the inside. It does not come from feelings it comes from our will. James says we have to consider it. Consider means calculate, evaluate. It does not mean feel. Feelings have nothing to do with it. We have to think about and decide that we will embrace suffering, learn from it and be determined to benefit from it. It is like deciding to have an operation because you know that your health will be better if you go through it. The joy of the Lord is supernatural. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers cannot have it when they go through their troubles. If this life is all there is for them and they don’t believe in a life with Jesus after death, then they have no hope and therefore no joy. As Christians we have the hope of glory, the hope of eternal life with our Lord so we have every reason to be joyful. That is why we must tell the good news to those around us.
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In verses 3 and 4 James goes on to say: because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. So, our faith is being tested by our trials. The way we handle our tribulations shows how real our faith is. In 1 Peter 1 verses 6 and 7 puts it like this: ‘In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.’ I heard it recently summed up like this: A faith that can’t be tested is a faith that can’t be trusted.
Suffering can transform our characters. It produces perseverance, staying power, fortitude, an ability to endure no matter what we are going through. Most of us, in the flesh, would prefer to run away. We don’t like the idea of being refined in the fire, we want to cut the process short but if we try to do so we won’t have learned all the lessons God wants us to learn or be the person He wants us to be. The scripture says: ‘Let perseverance finish its work’. It says we must allow it to complete the job.
Then in verse 5 and 6 James says: ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.’ If we ask for wisdom in a trial it will help us not to ask God ‘Why me?’ but ‘Give me wisdom to know what you are trying to teach me’. We have to do it without doubting and be prepared to accept the answer and say ‘Your will be done’.
Joseph in the Old Testament is a great example to us all of how we should be in the midst of hardship. His brothers hated him because he was their father’s favourite so they sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt, and worked for Potiphar, whose wife falsely accused him and he was sent to jail. He interpreted the dreams of Pharoah’s baker and cup bearer in jail, who after a while recommended him to Pharoah to interpret his dream and he eventually became the second most powerful man in Egypt. When his brothers came to Egypt for grain in the famine, they were terrified what he would do to them but he told them not to worry because even though they had meant it for evil, God had meant it for good. He went through all that hardship, continuing to do the right thing in every situation he found himself in. In the scripture it never once mentions him complaining about his lot. On the contrary he made the best of every circumstance and even forgave his brothers and recognised it was all in God’s plan. What an amazing role model for us all!
As ever I am writing this blog to speak to myself as well as those reading it. I know that what I have written is true but have to confess that I don’t often consider it pure joy when I am facing trials. However, writing this has helped me think about it more deeply and make me trust in the truth of Romans 8 verse 28: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes.’
I just want end with another couple of quotes from the wise words of Charles Spurgeon:
‘Mark then, Christian, Jesus does not suffer so as to exclude your suffering. He bears a cross, not that you may escape it, but that you may endure it. Christ exempts you from sin, but not from sorrow. Remember that, and expect to suffer.’
‘A high character might be produced, I suppose, by continued prosperity, but it has very seldom been the case. Adversity, however it may appear to be our foe, is our true friend; and, after a little acquaintance with it, we receive it as a precious thing - the prophecy of a coming joy. It should be no ambition of ours to traverse a path without a thorn or stone.’
Father, we want to commit our various trials to you. Teach us to trust that everything works for good for those who love you and to consider it pure joy when we face trials knowing that it will be to our benefit in the long run. Help us Lord to persevere and endure our times of adversity and pain, with your supernatural joy and transform us into the people you want us to be. In Jesus name. Amen
Author: Thelma Cameron
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He harnessed how he had experienced Gods deliverance in the past and used it as the strong foundation to fight the current battle
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Recently we have been doing some decorating in the house, and although we had a lovely man come and do our woodwork preparation and paint the walls and ceiling, I decided it would be therapeutic (and less expensive) if I painted the woodwork myself. Why am I telling you this? you ask. Well, I love soft encouraging music on when I paint woodwork as it calms me down and I paint better. Usually, I choose a Christian artist called Twilla Paris, she was my favourite during my 20 and 30`s and for me her music is still very inspirational. One song came on that made me get down my ladder and play again, because it sums up where I am in my life right now. The song is called do I trust you (and I`ve included the lyrics and song at the end of this blog).
It is about the times when life hits us hard and we are tempted the ask God, Why Lord? We all have these times, it can range from – Why did I drop the bag of flour on the floor and now have half an hour clearing up job, to why are the people I love (or even myself) going through such pain and difficulty. These times can cause us to really search our souls for just how much we trust the Lord`s will and plan for our lives, and although they can be very challenging and unwelcomed, they are also very necessary if our faith is to mean anything. The song caught my attention because (like so many people I know) things seem difficult and challenging just at the moment.
Recently I was speaking to someone who`s loved one is going through cancer treatment. They said that he was amazed at how strong their loved one’s trust in the Lord was, and when they had both talked it over, they reflected on other times in their lives when things happened that seemed so difficult and challenging to their faith and trust in the Lord and yet He had drawn them close and carried them through in an amazing way. They reflected that these seemed like preparation times for the situation they were now facing. But this time they now had experience of Gods amazing grace, provision and deliverance. Also, the learned knowledge that He is Sovereign and does have a plan even in the difficult times when it’s hard to understand what is going on! This reminded me of King David's experience when he told King Saul he wanted to fight Goliath and King Saul questioned his ability, David said “I have been taking care of my father`s sheep and goats. When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears and I`ll do it to this pagan Philistine too for he has defiled the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” (1 Samuel 17:34-37 NLT) David used the terrifying faith challenging experiences of fighting lions and bears, to prepare him for the major battle in his life, that of fighting the enemy to his and his whole nations freedom. Goliath! He harnessed how he had experienced Gods deliverance in the past and used it as the strong foundation to fight the current battle. And of course, with the help of the Lord he won!
When our circumstances suddenly change for the worse, our faith and trust in the Lord can be really challenged. It can throw us into a state of fear and panic, and we can feel like all is lost and we are sinking beneath the experience. But it is at this time we need to do two things. Firstly, bring to mind times in our life when we know the Lord has bought us through difficulties and use experience as a springboard to faith. And more importantly we need to seek Gods word for his eternal truths which are backed up by Gods sovereignty and His love for us and are therefore solid and immovable.
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I was pondering all this and declaring my trust to the Lord as I was praying when the Lord chose to show me something I had not grasped fully before. About the faith journey our dear Lord Jesus took while he was here on Earth. How like us He suffered many things and used them to secure himself to the Father, every day. Hebrews 5:7 – 9 NLT declares “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was Gods Son, he leaned obedience through the things he suffered. In this way God qualified him as a perfect High Priest and he became the source of eternal salvation for those who obey him.” Even Jesus went through testing times and had to learn trust and obedience to the Father through the things he suffered. Why should it be any different for us, we need to secure our faith in God by learning and depending of His word, and by being obedient to His will in our lives. This is real surrender to God. To stand on His unmovable truth, and depend on His unconditional love and to declare it in the face of whatever lion, bear or Goliath we are facing today. The way that Jesus was obedient to the will of God qualified him for the role God had for him to fulfil `the perfect High Priest and the source of eternal salvation`. We may not know, (when we decide to put our whole faith and trust in Gods will through testing and difficult times,) what the Lord is qualifying us for, but we do know that He has promised that – “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NLT).
I pray that whatever you are facing today or even tomorrow your faith will be strengthened by Gods word and His unconditional love as He perfects you day by day so you can be a source of encouragement and comfort to others.
Song Lyrics to Do I trust you Lord:- Sometimes my little heart can't understand What's in Your will, what's in Your plan. So many times I'm tempted to ask You why, But I can never forget it for long. Lord, what You do could not be wrong. So I believe you, even when I must cry. Do I trust you, Lord? Does the river flow? Do I trust you, Lord? Does the north wind blow? You can see my heart, you can read my mind, And You got to know that I would rather die Than to lose my faith in the One I love. Do I trust you, Lord? Do I trust you? I know the answers, I've given them all. But suddenly now, I feel so small. Shaken down to the cavity in my soul. I know the doctrine and theology, But right now they don't mean much to me. This time there's only one thing I've got to know. Do I trust you, Lord? Does the robin sing? Do I trust you, Lord? Does it rain in spring? You can see my heart, you can read my mind, And You got to know that I would rather die Than to lose my faith in the One I love. Do I trust you, Lord? Do I trust You? I will trust You, Lord, when I don't know why. I will trust You, Lord, till the day I die. I will trust You, Lord, when I'm blind with pain! You were God before, and You'll never change. I will trust You. I will trust You. I will trust You, Lord I will trust You
Be blessed today.
Author: Jan Pearson
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