Ecouragement

Good things happen when you trust God

To trust God takes more than lip service. It requires strong faith, dedication and confidence; and knowing within your heart that God loves you and He wants to help. And only He alone can help. Many Christians think one has to be a follower of Jesus Christ for God to help you. Wrong. Some people follow Jesus, yet they do not trust God.

Learning to trust God takes some form of transformation which could take years to develop. But it could also take a moment or an occurrence of some sort. For instance, from all accounts, neither the Centurion nor his dying trusted worker referenced in Luke 7:1-10 were followers of Jesus. Still yet the Centurion was confident that Jesus could heal his worker. So, he sent for Him.

But while Jesus was on His way, the Centurion exercised strong faith. He sent word telling Jesus to stay put, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof”. He then suggested Jesus just say the word, from where he was, and his servant would become whole again. Jesus then commented that He had never seen such strong faith.

And the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48), proved once again that good things happen when you trust God. Perhaps she learned about Jesus through friends and relatives. Still, she believed that her age-old problem would get solved if she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.

Friends, contrary to popular belief, extraordinary things happen when you trust God. And you need not be a follower of Jesus before tribulation comes. Like the Centurion, you can confess your unworthiness to Him in that dark moment, and life changing results will happen.

Of course, it is better to have an ongoing sincere relationship with God before trouble starts. That way you will be more confident that the God you serve and trust will deliver you.

The three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3), had a relationship with God. So, when Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon threatened to throw them in a furnace seven times hotter than usual for failure to worship his golden image, they never flinched.

The boys were trusted servants, so the king gave them the option to escape his wrath. But they refused. Instead, the group told the king that they would not worship his gods or bow to his golden image. And they were confident that their God would deliver them.

The Bible says Nebuchadnezzar commanded his mightiest soldiers to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. But something extraordinary happened. Instead of three men, the king saw four men walking in the midst of the fire unhurt. Those boys knew whom they serve. And they knew the God of their ancestors never fails.

Indeed! Good things happen when you trust God. Not just for your benefit. But also for the glory of God. Nebuchadnezzar would later embrace the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

How much have you grown as a Christian?

Before you start to measure your Christian growth, it’s important to understand that the Christian journey is like running a 10K marathon. It is gruelling, and you are likely to stumble many times. But that’s OK. Your goal is to conquer the journey. The Bible tells us that, “The one who conquers, I (Jesus) will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also have overcome and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21).

But, unlike the temporal marathons, everybody starts with the same advantage, and there is no preparation time. The day you gave your heart to the Lord, that’s when your journey begins. And it is not an annual or four years event. It is continuous.

Still, despite the rough and tumble. There are cool things about running a Christian marathon. For example, everybody is allowed to bring all their baggage along with them. And the more ground you cover, the easier the race gets. Temporal marathons get harder as you run the course, and runners avoid excess weight.

Now, as you navigate your course, you will come upon different baggage stations with labels unique to the baggage you carry. God strategically marked each Baggage station according to His Commandments. And all the stations are mistake proof.

So, my friends, it is reasonable to agree that how much we grow as Christians are directly proportional to the baggage we shed permanently. Everyone has baggage, even if you do not want to admit it. The Bible says, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Jesus is our High Priest

Isn’t it a beautiful thing to know that we have a real impartial High Priest in heaven, who is acting on our behalf? He pleads our cases equally, to the Father. And nobody has to worry that He might sell you out.

Jesus is our High Priest and defender, and although sometimes it seems He is not listening; the truth is, He is working hard to declare your case null and void and to redeem you of your trespasses.

So, my friends, though your valleys are deep and wide, and your hills and mountains are steep and rocky hang tight. Rest assured that our High Priest is doing the right thing for everyone.

Fill my cup Lord

When I was a child, my mother would drag my brother and me with her to Church three times per week. Sunday night service was fun. Liked to listen to people testify about what God did for them. And I could not get enough of the songs they sang. One of my favourites from back then is: “Fill my cup Lord.” It was known as the altar call song. People would run to the altar to get their spiritual cups fill. I did not understand much of what was going on then.

Years later when I gave my heart to the Lord, I realise that it did not matter how saved you think you are; there is a time when you feel empty. You cannot put your finger on the reason. But you know there is a sense of emptiness within. And the fire you once had in your belly suddenly lose its fury. So, you start to look for answers, but nothing seems to help.

That is when you run to the altar and ask God to fill your cup.

 

 

Inspirational Bible verses

Life is a long winding and sometimes lonely road with lots of signs. Often many of us follow the wrong sign, and before we realise, our world comes crashing down. Some of us have little or no problem getting back up and starting all over. For others of us, it is not so easy to get back up.

If you are a victim of life’s curve ball, and you are searching for encouraging words, here are a few inspirational Bible verses that will help you get back on the right track.

1 Samuel 30:6
And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because all the people were bitter in the soul. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. (ESV).

Isaiah 40:31
Those that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint. (KJV)

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are call according to his purpose for them. (NLT)

Romans 8:38-39
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is reveal in Christ Jesus our Lord.(NLT)

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (NLT)

James 1:2-4
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (NASB)

Hebrews 10:19-23
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest, who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (NLT)