GOD WILL KEEP YOU

“…for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” 2 TIMOTHY 1:12

“I The LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day” ISAIAH 27:3

 

That God is able and will keep all that pertains to His children is an assurance every believer should have. Scripture says that He who watches over us neither sleeps nor slumber. Nothing takes God by surprise. That which catches men unawares is always known of God throughout all eternity. The believer is always covered. God has protection and contingency plans in all circumstances. If you committed anything to God, rest assured you know He will keep it. For a believer not to dash his foot against a stone, God sets His Angels over him, “For He shall give His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone” PSALM 91:11-12. Many times in scripture you find God saying, “fear not for I am with you”. This is repeated over and over for the believer to know his position in God. When a man knows that he is not alone but has the protector of the universe with him, all fear evaporates. If you dwell in the secret place of The Most High, you abide under His shadow (PSALM 91:1). See, just like scriptures says, you cannot enter into a strong man’s house and possess his goods. You first of all have bind that strong man and afterwards possess his goods, “No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house” MARK 3:27. If you have God as the strong man over all that pertains to you, keeping guard over yours, who can be against you? Who can break through and dispossess you? They will have to walk through God before they come to you, and believe you me that is a tall order. I will like you to hear the personal testimony of Satan when he first went to Job to spoil his goods, and all that pertains to him, “Then Satan answered The LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” JOB 1:9-10. I should be able to rest my case on this. God Himself is an hedge to everything that pertains to all who fear Him.

You can trust God with all you have, job, family, marriage, whatever is so dear to your heart; whatever you feel is under threat of slipping through your hands. Sometimes we have fears of the unknown, but scripture says that God will keep our feet from being taken,” Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For The LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken” PROVERBS 3:25-26. Himself has promised to be a wall of fire around us (ZECHARIAH 2:5). Jacob had fears as a young man running away from his father’s house, and from the fierce anger of Esau his brother. God promised to protect him, which He did. He protected him from Laban, and even years later when he was faced with the threat of meeting his brother again. The Angels of God gave him a guard of honour, “And Jacob went on his way, and the Angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.” GENESIS 32:1-2. He committed his keeping to God at the beginning of his journey, “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall The LORD be my God” GENESIS 28:20-21, God duly obliged for which Jacob testified during the end of his life on earth “And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth” GENESIS 48:15-16

God is able to keep whatever you commit to Him. Evil tidings will not scare you because you have God as your confidence. As thousands fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand side, they will not come near you. You will only behold with your eyes the reward of the wicked (PSALM 91:7,8). Again, God is for you, who can be against you? Thinks on these things! You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

REST FOR THE TROUBLED SOUL

“He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us” PSALM 62:6-8

“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations” PSALM 90:1

 

Where can a man go to find rest for his soul? Once a friend told me something that almost tore me to pieces. You know those moments when people are in great pain and suffering so much that you wish you could do something but find yourself powerless to help? I heard this person say, ” if I had wings like a bird, then will I fly to a peaceful place to find rest”. She wish she could fly to a place where there was no more pain. In situations like that, seeing people suffer that much, you become speechless. It reminds me of what the bible saith about Job’s three friends who came to comfort him in his ordeal. Scripture says they wept when they saw him, and for seven days and nights, sat down with him on the ground saying not a word to him, because his grief was very great (JOB 1:13). What words can you say in these moments to such people who are brutally afflicted? No amount of words will be sufficient to ease their pain. It just just like the Prophet Jeremiah said of Rachel weeping for her children, “In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not” MATTHEW 2:18. Your situation may not be like the above mentioned but I think you have your own problems in various ways or forms that make you restless. Sometimes you wish there was somebody out there who could understand and feel your situation. You wish sometimes there was a place where you could go to find rest for your soul. Jesus said, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest (MATTHEW 11:28)

Whenever we learn to see God as our refuge, we find rest for our souls. If we learn to trust in Him and pour our hearts before Him rather than carrying the load ourselves we enter into His rest. There is no man on earth who can be touched with the feeling of your infirmities like He does. Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares, says His Word (1 PETER 5:7). Most of the times the anxieties and the instabilities we find in our souls are as the result of us carrying the burden by ourselves. Sometimes we even go to the extent of worrying over things we have no power to change. Someone said, if you trust you don’t worry, if you worry you don’t trust. If you find God as your refuge and your fortress, if you acknowledge Him as a very present help in times of need, you cannot be moved. Though the earth be removed and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, your soul will still find rest. You will not be shaken because God is in the midst of you. To find rest for your soul one has to make God his dwelling place. He is a strong fortress to all who take refuge in Him, “Because thou hast made The LORD, which is my refuge, even The Most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling” PSALM 91:9-10

The beast of the field finds rest in Him, so why can’t you? “As a beast goeth down into the valley, The Spirit of The LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name” ISAIAH 63:14. He hears the young ravens when they cry so why not you? Even the sparrow and the swallow have found a resting place, a place to lay their young so why won’t you? He said be still and know that I am God (PSALM 46:10). To be still is to find rest in days of adversity. You are still and can’t be moved because you trust in His refuge. Wishing you have wings to fly to a resting place, why not at His altars? In the time of trouble He shall hide you in His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle shall He hide you (PSALM 27:5). The Great Comforter will comfort you when man is lost for words. He is a refuge to all who put their trust in Him. Try Him and your life will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

GIVE GOD NO REST!

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of The LORD, keep not silence, And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” ISAIAH 62:6-7

“And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And The Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when The Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” LUKE 18:1-8

As we pray to God and wait on Him, we will have to hold on and keep believing, we will have to keep praying and never give up until we see the desired results. God doesn’t only promise that He answers prayers, He also teaches importunity and tenacity. That never say die, never give up attitude, is something God wants to cultivate in us, it is something He wants to instill in us. At the end of the day, God will never lie. He is not a man that He should lie. It is about whether you can hold on and wait on Him till you see what your soul desires, even when it tarries. A little advice from Habakkuk the Prophet might help. He said that the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry (HABAKKUK 2:3). In the end, it’s all down to your faith. Genuine faith is not bound by time, it keeps believing no matter how long, till it sees the desired results. It is going to be a big challenge, and will take a great deal of character to hold on. God will always keep His side and show up even though He tarries, but will you still be there when He shows up? Hold not your peace, give Him no rest, He said, until He establishes that which concerns you. The frailties of men is there for all to see, we faint and get weary all the time. But like the Prophet Isaiah said, have you not known, have you not heard, that the everlasting God, The LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? (ISAIAH 40:28). God has been working till now like Jesus said (JOHN 5:17), and He shows no sign of wear and tear.

The parable Jesus gave was to illustrate importunity and resilience in prayer. It demonstrates with the widow, how we ought to pray and never give up, how we ought to hold on and never be frustrated by lack of answers, till we have what we desire in prayer. It shows how we will always get what we want through prayer if we don’t give up. Unlike the judge who was getting worn out by the woman’s importunity, God never wears out by our continual and relentless cry. Matter of fact He desires that we keep pressing the same thing always and always just like the woman, till He makes His Name a praise. When it comes to God you never ask too much by asking too much. He never says, Oh, this person is giving me too much trouble! God said to Ahaz the king through His Prophet Isaiah, ask, either in the depth or in the height above, but he said he will not. He thought by asking too much over and over again, he was tempting God, he felt may be God might get weary and somehow snap, ” Moreover The LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of The LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt The LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?” ISAIAH 7:10-13.

I suppose you have some petitions before God. I believe that your heart cries out to God daily on certain issues. If so, He makes a direct statement to you; you who call on Him and make mention of Him, keep not silence, and give Him no rest.You always have to hold on in prayer and never give up. Call on Him and keep believing till He glorifies Himself in your life. Question is, will He still find you waiting when He shows up? Will He find faith on earth? May God give you the strength to travail in prayer till you see His glory in your life. You will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

ALL WE’LL EVER NEED, WE ALREADY HAVE

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue” 2 PETER 1:3

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” JAMES 1:25

 

It does seem to me, if we are to take God for His Word which we should, because He is not a man that He should lie, that everything we need and will ever need as pertaining to this life has already been provided for. Could it ever be possible that all we need to know and have in this life is already provided? Yes they are! God could never be more clearer than He is in the text above. Seeing and understanding something like this brings a whole lot of rest to my soul. Everything we need is already fixed waiting for their discovery. We understand from God’s Word that if it is revealed, then it belongs to us, which is to say we are meant to know, if not, then it is far from this life and belongs to God. That which belongs to God is His, and what belongs to us, revealed in His Word is ours, “The secret things belong unto The LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” DEUTERONOMY 29:29. The things that are revealed are that which pertain to this life, which also belongs to the living. The secret things however, the things not revealed is not for the living, they do not pertain to this life, and therefore should not be our headache. One may ask, how is it revealed? It is revealed through the pages of the scriptures. I like the way James the Apostle calls this revealed Word which pertains to life and godliness. He calls it the perfect law of liberty. This is so good enough to make you shout. I will like to state a few definitions of the word liberty from MERRIAM-WEBSTER:

-The power to do as one pleases

-Freedom from physical restraint

-The positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights, and privileges

Let’s try and give James’ label of the revealed Word a clear perspective.The Perfect law of Liberty could then be put in these ways,

(1) The perfect law which gives one freedom from physical restraint

(2)The perfect law which gives positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights, and previliges.

If liberty is a divine right of all created beings, if all men have the right to life and pursuit of happiness, then all men have rights to these things that pertain to life and godliness as revealed in the perfect law of liberty. Whether one knows of this divine right and liberty is another thing. One can be free and still don’t know he is free. One could be entitled to various benefits and still don’t know. There are times when you receive messages from various institutions like the revenue services telling you of certain amount of money you are entitled to. You rejoice upon hearing the good news, and sometimes think they are doing you favour. Fact is, they are not doing you favour, it is yours, you just didn’t know. Do you have any restraints, obstacles, and problems? Do you have needs and wants? Do you feel like there is something you need pertaining to this life which you don’t have? Look into the perfect law of liberty, find the things that pertain to you and have rest for your soul. Once you find it, pray and take heed, apply it to your life until the day dawn and the day star arise in your heart. Every jot of this perfect law of liberty has the power to fulfill what it said it would, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” ISAIAH 55:10-11

The Key is this, search for what pertains to your situation, look for all that the perfect law has to say about it, apply it and it works. Hear what Jeremiah had to say about this old path. Men of old have used this and have had rest for their souls, ” Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” JEREMIAH 6:16. That old path is revealed in God’s Word. His Word is a lamp to our feet, and light to our path (PSALM 119:105). You shall make your way prosperous, and have good success, if you walk in this revealed path which pertains to this life (DEUTERONOMY 1:8). One man told me this many years ago, he said, discovery brings recovery. God has not robbed us of anything which pertains to life, they are all there waiting to be discovered. All is revealed in the perfect law of liberty. Every privilege and right to this life is revealed in His Word. He never left us without a witness. I’m searching just like you are, looking for answers, but I’m glad to know that all is within my reach. Sometimes like Hagar, panting for water in the desert, we despair and give up not seeing the well of water around us. It takes God to open our eyes to these things that pertain to life, ” And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink” GENESIS 21:15-19. May God open our eyes to know the things that are freely given us. Our lives will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

CRAVINGS FOR REST

“And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” EXODUS 33:14

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” HEBREWS 4:9

 

Rest means to repose, it means to be exempt, remain, it means to refresh and be at ease. Rest means to settle down, it means to dwell, stay, let alone,withdraw, give comfort. Rest means freedom from war or battle, it means peace and tranquility, it means freedom from fear. Rest gives stability and fosters growth and development. Rest I believe is the greatest desire of the human soul. Rest could be within, on the inside of the human soul, or without, the external environment. I remember some years ago talking to someone who was grievously ill. This person said something to me that still rings in my ears even after all these year, ” I wish I had the wings of a bird so I could fly to a lonely place to have rest”. Now, this was what my friend meant, to fly to a place of peace, a place void of all the suffering and be at rest. My friend wasn’t making any reference to death in this instance, the will was to live but could there be any where in this world where rest may be found for this troubled soul. If you have never been in someone’s condition, you never know how they feel. There are millions and millions of people in this world facing battles one way or the other. Right from somewhere in Africa or Asia where people cannot afford to eat a meal a day, to glories of the western world where people live in affluence and fare sumptuously daily, all papering over the cracks of a void and empty souls desiring to end the war within, and in their souls. You can search deep down within yourself and realize that there is somewhere within you, a need for peace on certain things. Where can man find this peace and rest for his weary soul? You may come across people with smiling and seemingly joyful faces but within are wounded and bleeding souls. Within they say the same thing my friend said, If only I had wings… The words of Jesus Christ should soothe the soul of everyone in this instance, and I believe everyone of us, one way or the other have such need, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” MATTHEW 11:28. Are you laden and burdened with the yoke of suffering? Is anything stiring up your soul, giving you sleepless nights? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and cry your heart out? There remain rest for the people of God, and He is calling out to you and me. God gave King Solomon rest all his days, he fought no battle unlike his father David who was a warrior and fought all his life ” Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days” 1 CHRONICLES 22:9. It is no surprise that there was more development and projects accomplished during the reign of Solomon. He had peace and therefore could build. To build your life and accomplish the dreams and visions you have, you need the rest of God.

The presence of God brings rest, and refreshes. Israel on the wilderness, from Egypt to the promised land enjoyed peace and rest so long as the presence of God led them. Being small and seemingly vulnerable, they were a terror to their enemies and nations they walked through and possessed. Whiles the presence of God gave them the rest and confidence they needed, it created terror on the part of their enemies. Great is The LORD God among His people. His fame and awe goes before Him, the nations hear of His fame and are in awe. Gibeon were scared and made a league with Israel. Scripture says when the ways of a man pleases The LORD, He causes even his enemies to be at peace with him (PROVERBS 16:7). Your enemies being at peace with you means rest. The greatest desire of God I believe, is to give rest to His people. wherefore Jesus cries out to all who labour and are heay laden. He has promised to dwell among us, and give us peace. Even in death, we will not be separated, His presence shall lead us home, He has prepared a place for us. My prayer is that God’s presence leads your weary soul to rest and free you from all your battles. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. amen and Amen!

KNOWN OF GOD BEFORE TIME

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and calledme by His grace, To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood” GALATIANS 1:15-16

“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name” ISAIAH 49:1

 

One woman of God in our church sang a song yesterday during service. Some of the words in the song were, He knows my name, before even time began, my life was in His hands. It was such a simple song yet very powerful. Sometimes you know of a particular song and have sang it several times, but then one day you hear it again and it’s like God breathes through that song into your spirit and the words come alive to you. That was how I felt like when she sang. Could it be true that God knows our name? Could it be true that before even time began, our life was in His hands? If that is true, what a great feeling that is, what a relief it is to my weary soul! If that is true, our soul then should find a resting place in Him. We shall rest in hope if this is no meaningless song, if it has substance and some truth to it. King David said of The Lord, “I foresaw The Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope” ACTS 2:25-26. Our hope should be built on an everlasting and unshakable truth, and that our life was in His hands even before time began is of truth and very true. What then is this feeling of despair and uncertainty we feel on the inside certain times? If God knows our name, and if our life was in His hands before time began, He will lead us home safely, He will take us to our place of destiny. The Psalmist looked down inside to his despaired soul and said, why art thou cast down in me, ” Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” PSALM 42:11. The ancient words will guide us home. The path of the righteous is cut and designed by God, it shines brighter and brighter unto a perfect day. The race then is not to the swift,nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill. It is always of God who shows mercy. God will lead His people home for sure. The other day He said to His Prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” JEREMIAH 1:5. If so be it, then with God leading us home, all things will work together for our good. You understand this when you know the story of Joseph. All things worked together for his good. Being sold into slavery by his brothers because of his dreams, and being bound with fetters in a dungeon couldn’t stop God’s purpose. In the fullness of time, he was loosed from prison, he was made a prince and a prime minister, and destiny was fulfilled. What a testimony he had, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” GENESIS 50:20

God knows your name, your life was in His hands before even time began. Our hopes are built on an unshaken and everlasting truth. It always pays to wait on God. Time spent waiting on Him can never be a wasted time. Let them run that trust in their own chariots and horses, we will remember The Name of our God. He will give us the feet of the hind that we may walk in our high places. Although the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be in the vine, though the labour of the olive fail, and the field yield no meat, though the flock be cut off from the fold, and no herd in the stalls, yet we will rejoice. May God give you the strength to wait and trust on Him as He leads you home. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

REST AND REFRESHING FROM HIS PRESENCE

“And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” EXODUS 33:14

“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of” GENESIS 28:15

 

The path of the just is ordered by The LORD. It is like a shinning light which shines brighter and brighter unto a perfect day. He cannot be moved because God is with Him. To the righteous, God is a shelter from the wind, and a covert from the storm. He is always our strength and our salvation, The Shepherd of our souls who give us rest. Only a man with God by his side can say, yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. We are safe under the shadow of His wings even as the eagle spreads its wings over its nest. Rest belongs to the people of God. He keeps us in perfect peace because we trust in Him ” Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” ISAIAH 26:3. It is always important the heart of a man be established in complete serenity. There is an assurance that comes from knowing God is in the midst of you which nothing can compare. My presence shall go with you , and I will give you rest, says The LORD. How comforting and assuring this is! Knowledge of God’s presence with a believer brings an unparalleled peace surpassing all understanding. How can a man like Jonah sleep comfortably when a mighty tempest arose which nearly destroyed the ship? The mariners were sore afraid but Jonah was fast asleep. He must have known something they didn’t know, and have something they never had. Like a horse spurns and scoff at the sight of spears and swords in battle, so confident and sound he was in his sleep ” Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship: and he lay, and was fast asleep” JONAH 1:5. It is written in the third verse of the first chapter of the book of Jonah that he rose up and flee from the presence of The LORD, and got on board a ship going to Tarshish. But where can a child of God go from the presence of God, He is with us wherever we go “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me” PSALM 139:7-11. Do you remember Jesus falling fast asleep on the boat in the midst of a stormy sea? Great was the peace He had, and He even rebuked the disciples for being apprehensive of the storm. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, the Psalmist said, though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident” PSALM 27:3. His presence always brings rest, HALLELUYAH!

In these troubled times, we need rest for our souls. They that believe do enter into His rest (HEBREWS 4:3). His presence shall go with us, and give us rest. It is a promise, a covenant word of protection and rest. God is bound by His Word to perform and will make His Word good. Let not your heart be troubled, let not your heart fail for fear, for The LORD your God is with you. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night, He shall preserve your soul forevermore. Pray this prayer with me if you believe. Dear God, I know your Word is true, and I believe in you. I believe that your presence brings refreshing and peace beyond human understanding. May your presence go with me as I journey in this life. May my soul find a resting place in you even as i trust in you. I know my life will never be the same again. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

HOPE IN GOD IS REST!

“…for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” HEBREWS 13:5-6

“And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it : fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD” 1 CHRONICLES 28:20

 

It is impossible for God to lie! Now, this should be a strong consolation to those who have fled for refuge, as scripture says, to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Hope in The Everlasting God is rest, and this hope maketh not ashamed. I wish I could drum this in your ears till it assimilates into your spirit, till you come to the point where you can’t be moved by anything. Scripture says something very interesting, full of consolation, “As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name” ISAIAH 63:14. Even the beast which goes down the valley seeking for rest is led by The Spirit of God and given rest. You are of much value than the beast. Scripture says, even the swallow have found rest, a place to lay her young (PSALM 84:3). We are of much value than the birds of the air and the beast of the field. Jesus said to take no thought for our lives. Now, this should be a strong consolation to all in anxiety. Hope in God is rest, anxiety is taking the burden upon your own self and trying to help yourself. Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares, so says His Word. Animals have been able to exercise this care free attitude and live lives free from anxiety. Jesus pointed us to the birds saying, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” MATTHEW 6:26. God is a hope to the hopeless, and Help to the helpless. We are killing all anxieties today by looking up to The Everlasting Father. Nobody is saying it’s going to be easy but hope maketh not ashamed and the end will justify the means. In this world you shall have many tribulations, Jesus said, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (JOHN 16:33). I will never leave you nor forsake you says The LORD. When you feel like you have done all you have to do and there is no strength to carry on, when your back is against the wall and you are perplexed, lift up your eyes towards heaven and like the Psalmist, say, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber” PSALM 121:1-3. Your help comes from The LORD, and blessed is the man whose Help is The God of Jacob (PSALM 146:5). When Jacob was weary with his journey and pulled a stone for a pillow, God showed up in a dream of the night and said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Even when Laban cheated and changed his wages ten times, God was still with him. Well someone will say, how can God be with me when I am struggling this much. He promised to be with you through it all “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” ISAIAH 43:2. Herein our confidence is found, no matter what they say, no matter what we see, this God is our God, forever He will be our God, from now even to the end. He is not a fair weather friend but a very present Help in times of need (PSALM 46:1)

What shall I say more, for time will fail me to talk of all the goodness of The LORD. David had been there, done it, and seen it all. He had tasted of the goodness of God and His faithfulness. He was the same person who said, I have been young and now old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread (PSALM 37:25). On His death bed when he passed on the mantle to Solomon his son, he encouraged him in The LORD. Be of good courage, be strong, he said. Fear not, neither be thou dismayed, for The LORD God, even my God, will be with thee. HALLELUYAH! He will not fail thee nor forsake thee, he continued, until thou has finished all. You shall finish all and not give up half way through. The LORD your God is with you, be bold and be strong. One step after the other, we are moving on to victory. No demon from hell can put us down. Covered in the blood of the everlasting covenant, we shall be victorious. He will never leave nor forsake us. We have come too far to call it a day. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

REST IN PRAYER

“And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest…As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” PSALM 55:6-8,16-17

“So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore…Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him” 1KINGS 1:9-10,17

 

I know of a person years ago who was in so much agony, life and death situation. Sometimes I will call and realize the pains were very unbearable. We took sweet counsels together, and I did my best with all I had in me to encourage and give strength through God’s Word and prayer. There were times I received a Word from The LORD in the middle of the night, I pick up my phone to call and lo and behold, it was just as The Lord had revealed, we prayed and then encouraged ourselves in The LORD. One day when speaking with this person, a statement was made that really made me feel sad, If I had wings like a bird, I will fly to a lonely place and be alone. If I had wings like a bird, I will fly to a place far away, free from all this pain because my pains are unbearable, the person said. These are words that can make the strongest of men groan and weep. The Psalmist found himself in a similar situation and wished he would fly away if he had the wings of a dove, and be at rest. He wished he would wander far off and escape from the windy storm and tempest. You may not have been in a life and death situation like this friend of mine but I believe once in your life you may have found yourself in tight corners way beyond your strength and you wished deliverance came from somewhere. Your prayers should be like that of the Psalmist. Evening, morning, and noon, let your request be made known unto God, He shall hear your voice. In Him there is no shadow of turning. In this we have confidence that anything asked according to His will is granted “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” 1 JOHN 5:14. He shall hear your voice, you wont be forsaken.

Hannah’s pain was Peninnah her rival. She was a constant thorn in her side. She teased and provoked her not only at home for her barrenness, but also when they appeared before The LORD yearly in Shiloh. The house of God is meant to be a Sanctuary but unfortunately it is where sometimes we get harassed by the enemy. Hannah wished she were somewhere free from her pain, the sight and company of Peninnah was too much to bear. She rose up and went into the temple in the bitterness of her soul and prayed to God. She wept sore and cried unto God, and God heard her. Her petitions were granted by God just as Eli the priest said. There is power in prayer. The situation may be out of your hands but not out of God’s. It may be too much for you but nothing before God. Behold, says The LORD, I am The God of all flesh, is anything too hard for me (JEREMIAH 32:27). May God give you strength in your weakness and deliver you from all your troubles. May you fly like an eagle to His Holy Hill and find rest in His Sanctuary. May The Balm of Gilead soothe your pains and bring you relief. As for me I will call upon God, He shall hear my voice. May God cause His countenance to shine on you and bring you peace. In The Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen!

WHY FRET?

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ” MATTHEW 6:27

“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep” PSALM 127:2

 

Why worry over something you do not have the power to change? Anxiety is, I believe, the number one battle we will have to battle and deal with living under this sun. What to eat, what to wear, what the future holds, what tomorrow may bring, after all these the nations of the world seek. I know next to nothing about economics but i see the faces of stock brokers and the money men on wall street, london stock exchange etc in times of crisis and its a sad and awful sight. All it takes is one panic and billions of dollars are wiped off the stock market, people withdrawing for fear of the unknown. Mammon is a task master who lures people with all the blings and all the glories of this world and afterwards bind them with fetters and chains in everlasting bondage of anxiety, tying their souls to their money, with the money a deciding factor and a standard for measuring happiness and security. Anxiety therefore becomes inevitable. They that dwell in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, unto them have light shined. Christ Jesus shined on us and through us to deliver us who through fear and anxiety were all our life time subject to bondage. A child of God needs not fear nothing “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7. Some years ago, life was a nightmare. I used to weep in the night and hope dawn breaks not because I was scared of the breaking of the dawn. I will be thinking, O there we go again, what am I going to do, every night was a nightmare. I had no clue what to do with my life every single day, anxiety was was my closest neighbour who always showed up through the door day and night. One day in my fear The Lord said something which kept me till this day. He spoke to me through His Word, He said, take no thought for your life, behold the lilies of the field how they grow. They do not toil nor spin and not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like the lilies. It was like light came through the door, my fears and anxieties disappeared like vapour. God has the whole world in His hands, we are thrown down everyday but we rise and stand. We ride our storms and mount up with wings like the eagle. Tomorrow may be unknown but our God is known. The Ancient of days who from everlasting to everlasting remains faithful will guide our affairs in peace and harmony. We are not of this world, our citizenship is heavenly, He will give His Angels charge over us lest we dash our feet against the stone. We may be down but not out, cast down but not destroyed “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” 2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9

It is always vain like scripture says, to wake up early in the morning, sit up late , eating bread of sorrows, because he gives His beloved rest ” As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name” ISAIAH 63:14. Why worry over what you can’t change, roll them to God. You don’t change situations by worrying, you change them by prayer. Anxiety amplifies the situation but prayer diminishes and takes them away. God is merciful, and from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, His name shall be praised. May He take away our fears, shed His love abroad in our hearts, that our faces may be beam with the glory of his presence and joy forever more. In The Name Of Jesus Christ His Son. Amen and Amen!