“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time”- Psalm 34:19
There can be a mistaken perception that Christians are immune to troubles. On the contrary, troubles are much common to God’s children, except that they have a deliverer. King David was a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13:14), but he faced many troubles, from being persecuted by King Saul, losing a child, to being overthrown by his son in a palace coup.
As Psalm 18:2 says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” God delivers us from the troubles we face. It is God who delivered Abraham and Sarah to have a child in their old age (Genesis 21:1-7). When the Israelites where stuck in the Red Sea and pinned down by an invading army, God parted the sea and let them cross to dry land (Exodus 14). After the prayers of the saints, the Lord sent an angel to free the Apostle Peter who had been held in prison (Acts 12:1-19).
Sometimes God uses the troubles which Christians faces to bring them closer to Him. The Apostle Paul says, “ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). Often so, God uses the troubles brought on to us by Satan to make us more like Him (Romans 8:29. In fact, for believers, the fact is, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs all” (11 Corinthians 4:17).
If we are not delivered here, believers know that God delivers us from all our troubles in the next life. Sometimes we see the sick die even after much prayer. Believers are persecuted in godless nations and lose jobs for standing up for Christ in secular societies. But if believers do not see breakthrough in this life, they will see deliverance in the next life (Revelation 21:4).
Today, if you are facing any trouble, take heart, that the Lord the deliverer, will not fail, but deliver you from all trouble!
Prayer for today; Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, you are my rock and deliverer, so today I pray that you deliver me from any trouble I face, because of the faith in Christ Jesus!
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
