Monday, January 16, 2023

Times and Seasons belong to the Lord

  

“So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord the one you love is ill.’ When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This illness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s son may be glorified through it (John 11: 3-5).

NOTICE: This week's article was prepared for us by our beloved Sister Precious. As a Ministry, we fully stand behind her as she has proven over the last 5 or more years to be a committed follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the work she provided this week serves as a strong encouragement. Knowing her and having listened to her personal testimony, this Sister is humble and moves with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Please pray that the Lord grows her more and more in Jesus' name!

Generally, at this time of the year or at the beginning of the new year, it is customary that most of us would make plans, and set goals and resolutions for the new year. While it is not wrong to have aspirations and to set goals to attain some accomplishments. We need to realize that times and seasons belong to the Lord (Acts 1:7). As Christians, we will have to know that our plans have to be pleasing to the Lord and in accordance with His will for our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6; Luke 22:42). In other words, nothing should separate us from the love of God (Romans 8: 35).

We can be assured of this, that if our plans are separated from the love of God, doubt and fear will dominate resulting in our plans failing and we know this may discourage and disturb our walk with God. Scripturally, God never fails and only He has the power to cause His counsel to succeed (Proverbs 19: 21).

Wait upon the Lord

According to the lead scripture above, Mary and Martha whose brother Lazarus was ill sent a word to our Lord Jesus at the time that they needed the Lord’s help for their brother. They believed in the Lord Jesus for their brother’s healing, and as believers and their service in Christ, they would have anticipated that the Lord Jesus was going to come right away to pray for their brother Lazarus as they did not want to lose their loved one to sickness. In any matter of urgency, it's natural that we would expect a prompt response to avoid any situation that might compromise another person's life. As it is, under all circumstances, when we call upon the Lord in times of trouble and suffering He provides relief immediately and without delay. The Lord's solution might not be according to our expectations the specific need would be met at the time when we required assistance. 

The Lord’s time, not the earthly calendar

What we learn here is that our Lord Jesus had responded already by the time he received the news about Lazarus although he did not go to see him immediately when he stated that “Lazarus ‘s sickness will not end in death” (John 11:3-5). The Lord responds to our prayers though it may seem he has not come through yet (Daniel 9:23). The Lord’s timing and His will are not subject to our earthly calendar. Please allow me to share a short testimony, there is a sister in Christ, Adel (not her real name) who was involved in a violent and abusive relationship, while she enjoys the Lord's peace her husband struggles with a hot temper and anger, and this badly affected their marriage. At times, the quarreling becomes so bad that any argument or misunderstanding would always end up in physical altercations and this went on for almost 10 years. Given her strong faith in the Lord, our sister Adel believed the Word of the Lord and did not seek a divorce and wanted to see the Glory of God in her home and her husband's deliverance from physical violence and bad temper. Through persistent prayers, intercessions, and supplications with the help of other believers, the Lord came through for her and healed her marriage. As a result, it has been almost two years since the physical violence occurred in their marriage (Matthew 7:24-25).

In another testimony, a believing sister in the Lord needed healing and deliverance from the Lord and wanted to have a child. She couldn’t get pregnant and struggled to have a child for years and was attended to by various physicians to receive all the help she could get including visiting various pastors for prayers. After persistent prayers for her, the Lord responded to her situation with the word that she will bore a child and the Lord has heard her prayers. It was almost the same word God spoke to Abraham and Sarah when he promised them a child Isaac (Gen 21:1-6). The sister instead of receiving the word with faith and waiting upon the Lord’s timing rejected the word by disbelief and decided to stray and tried other means that are not Lord’s way to get pregnant and it did not materialize. In a situation like this when one loves the Lord like our dear sister, one would perceive that the Lord did not come through and He has answered and we sometimes do not receive because we stray and step outside the Lord’s ways and plans a (Luke 10: 20, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isiah 55:8-9). 

According to Genesis 3: v7 & v21, We find Adam and Eve after they realized their nakedness trying to come up with their own way to cover themselves and by using leaves. Then when God saw them covers with leaves he offered them to skin as a cover for their nakedness. The difference between their way is that the leaves will fade and not endure longer than the animal skin offered by God would have. It shows that the Lord’s is better for His way endures forever when we surrender to 

His will.  Similarly, we may learn from the above that different experiences and circumstances give us insight and understanding that times and seasons belong to the Lord. We ought to keep believing in His plans and will for our lives that He come through according to his Glory and not our self–elevation and fulfillment.

In conclusion, have you given up waiting upon the Lord? Have you set your own plans for your own glory either the job you do for prestige and self-elevation instead of God’s glory to serve, provide and do good? Are you married for status and statistics or you are married for the Glory of God as marriage is the perfect picture that represents the holiness of the Bride (Church) and the Groom (Christ)? Are you planning to buy/change a car to fit in society? All the plans and aspirations we make should be intended to Glorify God?  

Blessed Love

Sister Thandazo

Reviewed by Brother Glenn


Monday, January 2, 2023

Comfort Is Promised On Time With God

 Some Unsaved Friends Lacks Sincerity

“In my distress, I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears” (Psalm 18:6 NIV).

During many struggles that plagued most of my week, I realized that human comfort is temporary and it is not enduring, like David I turn to God Almighty (1 Samuel 30:6; Lamentations 3:19-66). These are the scriptures God gave me after I experienced one tough week. Probably the hardest I’ve faced in the work environment to date.

During this tough week, I was faced with false accusations, I faced being betrayed by people with whom I thought I shared one understanding (Psalm 41:9) and being humiliated in public. All these things, accompanied by unwanted feelings of rejection and failure it slowly broke me into pieces, but the Lord kept telling me to read Lamentations 3:57, which reads ‘’You answered me and told me not to be afraid.’’

You Need God To Heal Your Broken Heart

Furthermore, being at home and in the presence of my loving and supporting family, I smiled and kept my composure, but behind closed doors when I go into my room, I was suffering from unwanted feelings following me. So penetrating was the humiliation I faced, nightmares had me screaming in my sleep! In the midst of this, I heard the Lord said, “You are human and so are those who are hurting you and you need not fear man”.

In conclusion, was I scared? Absolutely so! During this ordeal I kept everything to myself until I couldn’t bear it any longer (Genesis 45:1). I opened up my soul to Our Father in Heaven and by His penetrating Presence, His Peace and reassurance like a refreshing wind the pain in my soul was healed and I felt much better and renewed inside.

In addition, as an encouragement, Brothers and sisters, give vent to God. I cried before Him and he gave me an everlasting peace, such a peace that I prayed so hard for, and those who mocked me I felt like I could hug them!

Thus, as my prayer, I would want everyone to feel this kind of peace. In my own limited vocabulary, all I can say is that it’s simply indescribable it felt like a hug from God and he automatically instilled that peace and joy in me. Thus we ought to fear God only and not objects, man or even the devil but God alone (Romans 8:38-39).

By considering such soul-healing love this fresh reminder had me dancing last night around 19:00 pm, rejoicing and praising His name and as a result I am praying that the Lord be protecting  this joy He deposited in my heart and that He be protecting this peace surely the Almighty God is my defender.

Finally, I repeat fear nothing, for there is comfort in Him, on time, every time.  

With Love

Charis and reviewed by Brother Glenn