Yes, no one of us, has it all together. We all have to face various types of challenges, from time to time. But you see, God allows 'mountains' to come in our life, so that we can climb them. God does not want us to face a 'mountain' of problems in our life, without climbing on the top of that mountain, with his help and direction. The Bible says that God will not allow temptation to come into our life, which we can not bear, but will give us a way out of that temptation.
There are many things in life, like people, illness, financial struggles, unemployment and other things, which will tend to bring us down, and make us feel miserable and disappointed in life, but God has promised, that he will always be there, with us, and he has promised to lift us up, when we fall down and wallow in all sorts of challenges, problems, and difficulties - Psalm 147. Jesus did not promise us, that we will not have problems in our lives. Just the opposite, he promised us, that we will have problems in this life, in John 16:33, but he also said, that he has overcome the world. What does that mean? Well, it means that if he overcame, all those challenges, and suffering, which he had to endure, while on earth, for our sins, then he can help us to overcome our own challenges and suffering, because the Bible says that Jesus can help, those who are tempted - Hebrews 2:18. When we look in the Old Testament and the New Testament, we can see many examples of people of God, who have suffered, and had all sorts of problems and challenges, and yet, God rescued them, or delivered them, from their troubles, just as he has said in his Word, that he will. In Psalm 34 it says, that the righteous man has many troubles, but the Lord delivers him, out of them all. But it says it clearly in that Psalm, that the righteous man will have troubles, and even it says that the righteous man may have many troubles. Well, that is one of the promises for us, like it or not. But how can God deliver us from all our troubles, and how can he get the glory for doing that, if we as righteous people, do not have any problems or challenges to be delivered from?
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The person who really trusts God about his protection and deliverance from trouble, is able to relax, and go to bed. What is the proof that a Christian really trusts in God, for his protection and deliverance from trouble? The proof is if that Christian, is able to sleep during the night.
When we read the book of Acts chapter 12, and verses from 1 to 11, we can see, that Apostle Peter, was captured by king Herod, and was put in prison. Now, the reason Herod did that, is because he had started to persecute some Christians, and he even killed James, the brother of John. Therefore, he also decided to find Peter, and shut him in prison. When we read what actually happened to Peter, while he was put in prison, we will find him relaxing, and going to bed, to sleep. What is important for us to notice here, is that Peter surely knew, that king Herod, was persecuting Christians, and that he even killed James, the brother of John. Now, just knowing that fact, would be enough for Apostle Peter, to start worry and be gripped with anxiety, about his own safety and about his life. Peter probably thought, that if Herod killed James, the brother of John, he could kill him too, in order to please the Jews. But what we find when we read Acts 12:1-11, is that Peter instead of worrying and being anxious about being killed by Herod, decided to go to bed. Now, that I believe, is a complete trust in God. I believe that Peter perhaps even did not care about his life anymore, but believed that whatever happened to him, if he was killed by Herod, he would go to heaven, but if he was not killed, he would continue to preach the Gospel, and that is what all mattered to Peter, at that time in prison. Remember that Peter, was scared for losing his own life, when he denied Jesus three times, and was trying to pretend, that he did not know Jesus. Peter did that, because he was worried that the Jews could crucify him too, just like his master Jesus was. But that was before the day of Pentecost, or before the day after the resurrection of Jesus, when the Apostles were filled and baptised, with the Holy Spirit. Since the baptism of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, Peter has become a different man, bold and courageous, by the Holy Spirit in him, and that is what made him not worry about losing his life, anymore. Could you as a Christian, be able to sleep, if you were put in prison, and if you knew that you could be killed, because of your faith in Christ? Peter did, and the proof that he was completely trusting God, no matter what happened to him, is in the fact, that he went to bed, and was sound asleep. And that is when God sent an angel, which took him out of prison, in a miraculous way. Faith and trust in God, will bring peace and a sound sleep to a Christian, even in the time of persecution, just like Peter was. But a lack of faith or trust of God, for his protection and deliverance, will bring plenty or worry and anxiety, and inability to sleep, and have a sweet dreams. You have to have a confidence in God, and believe him, in order to be like king David, who entirely relied on his God, to help him, in his troubles.
When you read the Psalms, you will find in many places, that king David, always went to God for help, in whatever trouble he was facing. He had that trust and confidence in his God, that God will help him and protect him. I mean, think about it. King David was involved in battles, on the battle field, where he could easily be killed. And that was not only once or twice, but many times, while he was a king. And yet, he trusted in God for protection, and God protected him. When you read Psalm 25:15, 16, 17, you can see, that king David, was suffering, and was in anguish, for whatever reason, and very often as you can read in the Psalms, the reason was his enemies. King David, was the man after God's heart, as the Bible says, yet, he was many times in trouble and anguish. You may be thinking, well, how can king David, be a man after God's own heart, and yet, suffer and be in anguish, so many times? Well, yes, he was a man after God's own heart, and God delivered him from all sorts of troubles and suffering, but God did not prevent king David, having troubles. It is obvious that king David had troubles and suffered a lot, as you read through the Psalms, and in the Old Testament. But God delivered him, and helped him, in all those troubles. So we as Christians, have a promise from Jesus too, that we will troubles in this world. That is one of the promises of God for us, and we like it or not. But yet, Jesus also said, that he has overcome the world, and he expects us, to do the same, with his help, and for his glory. Read John 16:33. Going back to king David, in Psalm 25:15, 16, 17, he was asking God, to release him from his anguish and his troubles of his heart. King David, the man after God's own heart, often felt squeezed and pressed, from various directions in his life, which made him feel alone, in anguish, helpless, afflicted and fearful. Do you find yourself in a similar situations sometimes? Do not despair. There is hope for you! Whenever you feel lonely, call on him, who is always with you, and promised to never forsake or leave you! Whenever you are full of fear, call to God to help you and release you from fear, just like king David did, and just as it is written, in Psalm 34. When you are in depression of despair, come to Jesus, who promised to leave his joy in us. Whatever ails you, come to God, because his hand is not too short to deliver, and comfort you in trouble. He has the answer, before you even had the problem. But he is not going to just pour out his answer to you, unless you come to him, and show and prove by your actions, that you are in trouble, even though, he knows it anyway. He just wants you to come to him, and pour out your heart, not because he does not know what is in your heart, because he does, but because he wants to see your willingness to come to him for help, and expressing your trust and believe in him, for delivering you, from your trouble. Some people say that God does not respond to pain, but only to our faith.
I am not sure about that! How can a merciful, loving, gracious and compassionate God, not care or respond when we are suffering? It just does not go like this! God responds to our faith, but also to our suffering! His great love for us makes him to response when we suffer! How many earthly fathers would not respond, if they see their children suffer! The pain of the child, is the pain of the father too! When we read Psalm 34 verses 6, 17, 18, 19, we can see very clearly that God has promised, that if we live in a way, that pleases him, he will deliver us from our suffering and troubles! We need to grasp that truth, because the Word of God is truth, and what God said, will not change. It is interesting to notice, that God does not say that we will not have trouble, but has said just the opposite, that the righteous man may have many troubles. That is what God says, that we may have many troubles, but also promises us, that God will deliver us from all of them, that includes depression, anxiety, illness, lack of money, job or other things we need. When we are depressed, sick or lack money and other things, that is a problem and a trouble for us. Not some troubles, no, he said in his Word, that he will save us from all our troubles. In fact, he says it three times in Psalm 34, that he will deliver us from all troubles! No matter how big or small, because everything is possible, with God, for the one who believes. Our belief in the Word of God will change our suffering and situation, but the Word of God will not change. Psalm 10:14, 17, Psalm 8:9, Psalm 9:18, Psalm 18:5, 6 |
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