God Wants to Comfort You

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Mt 5:4 NRSV

Who can expect comfort from God?

According to some commentaries, this only applies to people who are sorry for their sins and want to repent, or to Christians who mourn in a close relationship with Jesus because of the sins in the world.

It is undoubtedly true that God forgives and comforts us when we hate our sins and want to repent.

It is also true that Jesus weeps over the sins of the world. When we weep in close communion with him, we experience the comfort of his tender love.

But can we only expect God's comfort when we mourn over sin?

When your child or sister dies, are you happy? No. You are devastated. This has nothing to do with sin, but God is love. He loves you deeply and wants to comfort you.

If your beloved dog dies, do you think your grief is not important to God?

I appreciate good Bible commentaries. I've been an avid student of the Bible for years.

But beware of pious sermons that focus on sin with a narrow religious view.

This religious mindset all too often leads to a critical attitude when dealing with neighbours and colleagues.

With a narrow focus on virtue and sin, one can become unconsciously judgemental, like the Pharisees in the Bible.

This way of thinking also often leads to unloving religiosity in congregations and painful guilt complexes in Christians who want to be holy.

Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered by the thousands, so that they trampled on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Lk 12:1 NRSV

He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NRSV

Whatever your reason for suffering, Jesus wants to comfort you. If you choose to believe in His love and trust Him, you will experience His comforting love.

Am I saying that your sin is not an issue for Jesus?

God forbid! Jesus died to take the punishment for our sin. Jesus feels your pain; He loves you unconditionally just as you are, but He not only wants to forgive your sins completely, He also wants to remove them.

He wants to help you live a whole new life and enjoy His loving friendship.

Finding the Love of God

What is God really like?
We can so easily get confused about this.

You look at your life, and you match what you see against the high standards of religious virtue. You start to think of God as a fearsome judge, and you hide from Him.

Or you look around, and you think, if there is a God, how could he be good, to make a world so full of cruelty and suffering?

You look away from humanity in horror and see the glory and beauty of nature, so you long to be in harmony with the mysterious spiritual essence permeating all that beauty.

Love and relationships always disappoint you, so you despair of finding a personal God. Often people let you down and sometimes the church that preaches a personal God is no better, sometimes but not always.

With the limitations of our faulty human nature, there is no way out of this confused mess.

As children, we enjoyed the love of our mother and father, or if not, we longed to have such a love. We heard stories where people lived happily ever after, and we wanted them to be true.
There is no way out and no way home to the dreams of our childhood.

But as I grew older, I found there were at least some people who had found love and peace and a heavenly hope that was not just shallow religion. Of course, I was confused and disappointed by much of what I saw in Christian churches, but I longed for something better.

I didn’t find it in the worship of natural beauty or in yoga or poetry. I didn’t find it in psychology or religion.

I found it in the lives of some people who followed Jesus.

They were full of love and they accepted me. When I was with them, I felt a warm glow like an aura, a spiritual fragrance in the atmosphere.

I felt a spiritual presence far warmer and sweeter and more comforting than the spiritual atmosphere around New Age people. There was a comfort that was real and inviting, far better than anything I had ever known.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Co 1:3–4 NASB95

The Never Ending Love of Jesus

• Have you been trying hard to do what God has called you to do?

• Have you sacrificed your time and strength for the people you help?

• Have you prayed with a sincere heart for the people God has given you to care for?

Yet you feel dry inside. The heavenly music that used to encourage you no longer stirs your heart as before. You no longer feel the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit as at other times.

You are fighting an ongoing  battle with problems in your family, in your job, with your health or your finances.

One or two problems would already be a challenge, but in so many areas of life you don't see a clear path, but messes on every side.

As if that wasn't enough, you see a world around you that is overwhelmed by crisis after crisis.  

And you see this not only in the daily news, but also in the high prices at the petrol station, in the supermarket and in the never ending pandemic.  

Sometimes you feel so weighed down that your fresh enthusiasm for God is compromised, though you never give up in your dedication and caring for others.

Jesus sees your daily struggle and his compassion is still a blazing fire. Jesus loves you and his grace is new every morning.

Jesus has a word for you today.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. La 3:22–25 NRSV

Jesus the best Therapist

 Many devout Muslims live under the dark clouds of fear. They never know if their obedience will be enough to save them from the flames of hell.

Some compare themselves to not so virtuous nominal Christians, and they feel proud and superior.

Others compare themselves to extremely religious Muslims, and they judge themselves as failures.

Then they can become extremely fanatical because they can never be sure if their religious virtue is enough to save them from hell.

Unfortunately, there are also some Christians who live in this kind of religious no-man's land.

There are Christians who are caught in pornography addiction. They feel helpless to escape from slavery and are full of fear of God's judgement.

There are other Christians who believe in Jesus, but they have never understood that they can only receive their salvation as a gift from God. They live rather like Muslims, with the feeling that they have to earn their salvation.

When you think like that, you can become very strictly religious, and look down on Christians who are not so strictly virtuous. That's exactly how the Pharisees were.

Or you can condemn yourself as inferior because you keep failing.

If you are addicted to pornography or gambling, you desperately need help, from God but also from people.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 NLT

Many Christians need deliverance from demons and many need good counselling or a good therapist. 

Jesus did not come to burden us with guilt complexes. On the contrary.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 NIV84

Such a life is only possible in close communion with God. God is love. Only those who experience the love of God daily have access to this abundant life.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NLT

How do these morbid religious attitudes arise, where legalism, pride or guilt complexes keep us away from the love of God?

Legalistic religion, tradition, unbending or manipulative parents or pastors, narrow-minded culture.
Sin, perversion, abuse, shame.

I know Christians who were seduced or abused as children. That can lead to all kinds of feelings and thoughts, all kinds of waywardness, so that we are full of shame.

If you cannot get rid of wrong thoughts and feelings, you need to know that Jesus loves you unconditionally. Let Jesus be your therapist. He wants to help you, not condemn you.

 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NLT

Healing for Broken Souls

Are you overwhelmed, or perhaps really traumatised?

Maybe you are in a church where they preach the Bible, where you see healings, where you hear good testimonies.

You have learned Bible verses by heart and you quote the promises of God.

But it doesn't seem to work for you. You have really tried to do everything right, but you are still deeply hurt. Your spirit is broken.

The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? Pr 18:14

You talk about your abuse and trauma, and they say you simply have to forgive. 

Simply forgive? What do you mean, simply?

Unfortunately, there is no simple prescribed method for healing your soul.

There are preachers and pastors who think their methods are from God, and if it doesn't work for you, you must be to blame.
But this is often not the case.

I believe in miracle healings, even for deep traumas.

In the Bible, Jesus met a demonised man who was running around naked. Jesus told the demons to leave the man and the man was instantly delivered and healed.

In the Acts of the Apostles we see how Peter and Paul performed amazing miracles in Jesus' name, and there are a few preachers today who call corpses back to life.

But please be careful. There are genuine preachers, but there are also false preachers.

Jesus promised that we can expect real miracles.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Jn 14:12

But Jesus also warned against false preachers.

Beware of false prophets. They come like harmless sheep, but in reality they are dangerous wolves who want to tear you to pieces.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 

By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Mt 7:15-17 

Paul warned against preachers who intimidate and dominate Christians.

You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:20 NLT 

But we must not condemn all preachers because of this, but it is important to mention this, because deeply broken souls are often manipulated by dominating ministers.

In the New Testament we find false preachers but also good preachers and it is the same today. Those who are spiritually hurt need real pastoral care and sometimes even deliverance.

• But beware of preachers who only see demons behind all the problems of the soul.

• Beware of preachers who demand to control your whole life.

• Beware of preachers who forbid their members to visit other churches.

• Beware of preachers who have only one method of dealing with all spiritual and emotional problems.

• Beware of preachers who claim to be faultless, because this is just not true.

If you are traumatised and cannot find a way out, please recognise that God loves you in spite of everything, that God stands by you, that God wants to accompany you as a friend. 

If you can find good pastoral care, all the better. But if it takes some time to find the right help, ask God to be your guide.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
 

God is Faithful

If you are faithful, you can always expect God's help. God never abandons his faithful children. How can you be more faithful than God?

David was God's faithful servant, but he was persecuted by King Saul. His life was in danger, and he had to find refuge in a cave. In his distress he prayed fervently.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. 

I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. Ps 57:1-3

When you are in deep distress, whether through your own fault or quite innocent like David, you need to get really serious with God.

He will never fail you.

If you fail but you are still committed to Jesus, can expect God's grace and mercy.

• God saved David again and again.

• God trained David through many hard trials, so that he became the greatest of all kings.

  Do you want to fulfil your calling from God? Then you can expect hard trials. 

  God always has a plan to get you out of any trouble.
  
  Often you do not know how to pray.
  Jesus has given you his Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.
  
  Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
  
  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26–27 NKJV
  
  Paul too was often in impossible situations, but God saved him again and again and healed him from terrible wounds, otherwise he could not have continued.
  
  Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
  
  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 2 Corinthians 11:24–25 NLT
  
  Paul suffered so much. Nevertheless, he wrote:
  
  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 NKJV
  
  God's invincible weapons in your hands.
  

  • Speak God's word.

  • Prayer in the Spirit. The miraculous gift of God to pray in languages you have never learned.

  
  
  

New Hope in the Darkness

This planet is sick. Nations are in fear of sickness, in fear of poverty, in fear of violence. There's a huge pile of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. Young people are desperate about climate change.

But God still speaks as he did in the beginning.
 
 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Gen 1:1-3 NKJ

God sees the darkness all around you, and he wants to give you His light to see by.

 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Gen 1:4 NKJ

God wants to take you out of your darkness into His light.

God spoke this world into being. God still speaks and he has not retired.
God was the creator, and he is still the creator.
He created. He creates and he will create.

Everything that man has ruined, God will do away with.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Rev 21:1 NKJ

The Greens warn that this planet is going to perish because of pollution and climate change, but God will make everything new again in the end.

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Rev 21:5 NKJ

And who will enjoy this New World? The very same people who ruined God's creation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16 NKJ

You may have hope in spite of everything, because God loves you in spite of everything.

 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:3-4 NKJ

That's nice, you might think, but I'm scared I’ll lose my job. What if I get sick? What will happen to my family? Right here, right now, I'm scared and struggling. How am I going to get through this crisis?

Unfortunately, I'm familiar with these problems, as are we all. Stress in the family, mega-stress at work, even rejection from other Christians.

But Jesus has never abandoned me and he is faithful. He will never abandon you.
“God will make a way, where there seems to be no way ... “ Don Moen.

Every morning you can say, "God has a good plan for me.”
“Something good is going to happen to me today.”

“God will bless me and I will be a blessing to others.”

Then get up, be blessed and be a blessing. God is with you wherever you go.

God Wants to Take Away your Shame

God loves you. He wants to encourage you today.

Have you messed up your life? Are you consumed by shame?

God wants to be your loving father, no matter how you've messed up.

God took your guilt and your punishment upon Himself by sending His Eternal Son to die on the cross.
 
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV) 


Imagine the trauma the Father God suffered when he saw his own Son tormented on the cross, how he felt the terrible pain and loneliness of his Son.

But Father God made all this happen, so that Jesus would bear your guilt and my guilt.

God is just. Crimes must never go unpunished, but Jesus took our punishment upon Himself.

But perhaps you suffer because you are a victim. So many children are sexually abused, sometimes by their own parents. Young women are lured by lies and forced to work as prostitutes.

Even if you see yourself as a victim, the shame is unbearable. Imagine you are a decent woman who is tricked and enslaved. The idea that you are or have been a prostitute is unthinkable.

There are also men or women who lose everything and go broke because of their own mistakes, or because of circumstances that were out of their control. Some are tempted to commit suicide.

When the mother of Jesus became pregnant, she was not yet married. Jesus had to endure the shame of a supposedly illegitimate child in a small town.

Then Jesus hung stark naked on the cross. He was despised. He bore your shame.

There are some Christians, some pastors and also some priests who want to help guilty or despised fellow human beings with genuine compassion and understanding, but many suffering people experience cruel rejection in churches.

A young woman wanted to attend a service, but she was not even allowed inside the church because she was wearing a miniskirt.

Some children are sexually abused by pastors or priests. When they later report the crime, they are often condemned by the church and treated badly.

But Jesus was not like these priests and corrupt church leaders.

The hypocritical religious leaders despised Jesus because he was kind to sinners and social outcasts.


The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."' Luke 7:34 (NIV)

Jesus lived as a human being, but he was also God. He died as a man, but he did not remain dead. Three days after his death he returned to his disciples.

Now Jesus is in heaven with Father God. He is the eternal Son of God, but he still remains human. He loves you with God's love, but also with the compassion and understanding of a fellow human being.

Jesus understands your guilt and your shame. He has carried all this so that you no longer have to carry this terrible burden.

As a man on earth, Jesus invited everyone to come to him.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NIV) 

Jesus lived a short time among men as a mortal man.

Now he is the risen Son of God. He has sent his Holy Spirit to activate God's love in your life.

Would you like to receive Jesus? He wants to comfort you with His love. He also wants to heal you with His unlimited power.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

He now stands as a priest before the eternal throne of Father God, pleading on your behalf.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV)

Expect Breakthrough at Pentecost

At the first Passover, the Hebrews were not in a temple or at large events. They were in family homes. They were sheltering from a deadly plague.

A few weeks ago the Jews celebrated Passover and the Christians celebrated Easter at home. The old story repeated itself. We have found refuge from the epidemic at home.

Jesus was slaughtered as the Lamb of God. When was that? Exactly at the same time when the lambs were slaughtered for the Passover.

It was at the time of Passover that Jesus took the punishment for our sins on the cross.

After this terrible time, the disciples withdrew from public ministry. When Jesus came back after His death, He spent 40 days, almost 6 weeks, in private fellowship with His chosen disciples.

Then Jesus returned to His Father in heaven. We call this the Ascension.

Not long after He said this, He was lifted up to heaven before their eyes and disappeared in a cloud.

While they were looking at him, two men dressed in white suddenly stood with them.

They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven.

"One day he will come again just as you saw him go away." Acts 1:9-11. Jesus will surely come back from heaven. The time is getting closer every day.

The disciples prayed in the temple for a while, but then they withdrew again and waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They were already saved, believing and faithful, but they were waiting for a great turning point from God.

We can read in Acts chapter 2 how the Holy Spirit came upon them, how they were filled and transformed by God's Spirit.

They delivered prophetic messages in languages they had never learned.

The Jews from different countries understood the messages in languages they knew, and 3000 Jews came to faith.

In 2020 we experienced something for the first time in 3220 years. Jews and Christians celebrated in private homes and found refuge from a terrible epidemic.

50 days after the first Passover, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

50 days after the death of Jesus on the cross, God did not give the law, but the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for all believers.

Today 2200 years later we have a new day of Pentecost.
Millions expect a new dramatic turning point in this time of crisis.

God will give many believers a dramatic breakthrough today.

Many will receive supernatural wisdom and revelation.

Many will be freed from fear, confusion and uncertainty.

After the resurrection 500 disciples saw Jesus, but only 120 were in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.

Let’s expect God's intervention today. Why not follow the example of the 120 in the Upper Room?

Simple Faith in a Crisis

In this crisis, we need to follow the news. Most of the news is about Coronavirus. It crowds out everything else. It can dominate your thinking.

We then hear rumours and dark speculative theories. Some may be true, but many not.
Anxiety and confusion takes hold of good people. People panic.

Very rich people can use the economic crisis to take control of nations and global systems.
In such a time, powerful people can manipulate us to offer false hope, or to instil fear and resignation.

Suicides will inevitably increase, but they are mostly not reported.
 
So what can you do?
Avoid risks. Wash your hands. Be sensible.

But if you believe in Jesus, this can be your hour. If the world around you is shaking, you can trust in an all powerful God with simple faith.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalms 103:2-5
It is time, not only to believe in God, but to seek His immediate presence. Jesus spoke to Christians in the Bible 2000 years ago. He is speaking to you and me today.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Rev 3:20 NLT
We use this text to reach out to unbelievers when we evangelise, but Jesus was not speaking to unbelievers here. We often invite unbelievers to invite Jesus into their lives, while we believe in Jesus from a distance.

Before this crisis, we hugged our friends and kissed our families, but we kept Jesus at a distance. Now we must keep our friends at a distance. It is time to be close to Jesus.

Coronavirus: Stopping the Pandemic

This epidemic does not come from God. It is not a punishment from heaven.
It is an attack from the prince of darkness who is desperate to prevent the coming worldwide revival.
 
Countless millions are isolated and intimidated. There is panic everywhere. If this continues, many will die of poverty and hunger, even if they don't die from the virus.

Our economic system will collapse and powerful people with sinister intentions will take power worldwide.

Jesus told us to go out into the world and win people over to Jesus, but now faithful Christians have to sit at home.

But when the devil attacks, God wants to call us to stand up with Jesus and win a great victory.

Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle-- Psalm 144:1 (NKJV)

We are in a terrible war against a cruel enemy. God can destroy the enemy with one finger, but God has given us humans the task of resisting the devil.

The enemy is much stronger than mortal humans, but our calling is to trust God in faith and in partnership with God to tear down the strongholds of the enemy.

We have to learn to fight, but we can only learn that in a real battle.

When a strong enemy invades, the warfare can be hard.

First, our own weaknesses are exposed. Then God can help us overcome our sins and weaknesses so that the enemy does not overwhelm us.

For example, if you live a good life, but mostly on a natural level, at cancer diagnosis can be a terrible challenge. The cancer doesn't come from God, of course, but you have to learn to fight with supernatural trust in God.

The devil's attacks are a challenge to get closer to God so that we can overcome the Devil with God’s power.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV)
 
Cancer comes from the devil. This epidemic also comes from our enemy.
 
Our own sins can make us vulnerable to such attacks because sins are an invitation for the devil to extend his power.

If abortion becomes commonplace, if a lot of Christians watch porn, if sex before marriage is accepted as normal among many Christians, we become very susceptible to evil attacks.

Then when the enemy invades, we have to fight, but how can you fight on God's side if you accept sin as normal?

Sin is always against God. We have to turn from sin.
 
We must also know where the attack comes from.

If the devil attacks with illness, we cannot win the battle if we think that the illness comes from God.

As a man on earth, Jesus was the complete revelation of God's character and intentions. 

He never tolerated illness, never spoke a positive word about sickness. Those who sought healing from Jesus were never turned away.

That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.

This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.” Matthew 8:16-17 (NLT2)

We have to repent and pray, but how can we fight with strong faith when we are passive Christians?

So many Christians rely on preachers and pastors instead of building a close personal relationship with Jesus.

When the enemy attacks, and we need God's help, our idolatry is exposed. The pastor cannot save you from an epidemic, only Jesus himself.

If your Christian life is focused on your pastor or church and not on Jesus himself, how can you win a tough battle in faith? Of course, I don’t deny that God often hears the prayers of faithful pastors for weak believers.

I believe the pandemic that is now prevailing everywhere must give way if we turn to God and pray together in faith.

A worldwide war of intercession is already underway. God is calling us all to pray.

Corona Virus and Your Faith

If I walk into the thick of danger, You will preserve my life from the anger of my enemies. You will extend Your hand; Your right hand will save me. Psalm 138:7 (HCSB)
 
Are you rather anxious right now? That’s a normal reaction.

We're threatened on all sides. Even if you're not infected with the virus, your job could still be in jeopardy.

The devil is cruel, and he is desperately angry now because he sees his end is near. Jesus is coming back.

But if you are a son or daughter of God, you are on God's side. When the enemy attacks with sickness, fear and death, you have God's authority to release the healing power of Jesus.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV)

Peter summarised the ministry of Jesus in this way.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT2)

Jesus had sent Peter and the first apostles as his representatives to continue his own ministry on earth.

So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21 (NKJV)
 
But this great commission was not given only to the first apostles or the first Christians.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Mt 28:19 (NLT2)

The apostles only reached some nations but Jesus spoke of all nations. There are still many people and many tribes who need Jesus.

Many Christians in China have given their lives to save others in times of intense persecution. 

We have the same truth as the faithful disciples in the bible time and also in our own time. We have the same Holy Spirit as Paul, the same healing love as Peter.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 (NLT2)

The devil wants to torment and torture people, but we have a good God who wants to heal and restore us.

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Psalm 91:5-7 (NLT2)

Do we pray for revival? Wake up! Let God Himself move in your own life to release His healing love and power.

Jesus Feels Your Pain

True compassion is an intense mixture of love and hate. Jesus had that kind of compassion. He loved people with an incomparable love, and at the same time He hated the circumstances in which they were trapped.
Hunter, Joan. Healing the Whole Person

If you truly love people, you will really hate disease. If you truly hate sickness as Jesus did, you will believe in God's healing power.

God really loves you. So how does He feel about you when you are sick?
 
People have different theories about it.

(The love of God) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor 13:7 (NKJV)

How are we to understand this?

``The love of God endures and tolerates illness. 
or
``The love of God believes in healing because God loves us and therefore hates our sickness.``

Jesus is our role model. What do we learn from Jesus in his ministry before the cross?

Jesus did not tell any sick person: ``I do not want to heal you because you have to learn holy patience in your illness.``

Jesus never said: ``God has chosen only some sick people to get healed and you are not one of the chosen ones.``

When we study the ministry of Jesus, we see that Jesus never rejected a sick or handicapped person seeking healing.

When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
 
This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." Mt 8:16 (NIV)
Jesus took our weaknesses upon Himself by renouncing His eternal divine omnipotence for a while. He became a weak baby and took our human limitations upon himself.
 
He took our illnesses upon himself by feeling such painful compassion.

But Mt 8:17 is a quotation from the Old Testament.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
 
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NIV)
These verses in Isaiah prophetically point to the cross, where Jesus took our sins upon Himself and suffered our punishment in our place.

If we look closely at the text, we see that Jesus took on not only our sins but also our sicknesses on the cross.

Why did Jesus take away not only our sins but also our sicknesses on the cross?

Because sickness came into the world through sin.
 
Therefore, Jesus wanted to abolish not only sin, but everything that is connected with sin: shame, guilt, inferiority, blindness, all kinds of handicaps and all kinds of diseases.

When Peter first proclaimed the non-Jew, he summarised Jesus' ministry with these words:

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT2)

Here we see that God not only hates disease. Disease here is equated with oppression by the devil.

If you are depressed, mentally disturbed or ill, God himself feels your pain.

God sent his son into the world to give you a new life.

He carried your sin, your shame, your guilt, your pain and your sickness on the cross.

God's Promise in Troubled Times

We live in troubled times. Do we have a future? Is our planet perishing? Even if we go to heaven when we die, what will happen to this earth?

Even the seasons are changing. We hear fierce arguments everywhere about climate change. But if it isn’t  climate change, what is it?

Recently, many Europeans have had to endure heat waves, with sometimes 40 degrees and very warm nights, like in California or Australia, but without air conditioning.

In Australia a terrible drought has led to the worst bush fires ever. An area larger than Belgium has gone up in flames. 

In some areas, people have fought for months against fires that could not be put out even with masses of water poured from big aircraft.

Many environmental scientists warn that our planet is in grave danger. Committed young people are shouting at us. 

Do we have to radically change our entire economic system to save the planet? Is that politically possible?

What does the Bible say?
Will the earth perish? Yes and no.

Jesus promised to save the souls of believers, even in dramatically hard times.
I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
 
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
 
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' Acts 2:19-21 (NIV)
We can expect a wonderful future in God's heaven. Christians have always had this hope.
But what is to come of this earth?

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. Mark 13:8 (NIV)
We see natural disasters and political unrest now, but there is more to come, and much worse.
In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. Revelation 9:6 (NKJV)
But in the end we can expect a new creation because God assures us that he has everything under control.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1 (NKJV)


"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. Isaiah 65:17 (NIV)

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13 (NIV)
When God declares the same promise three times in His Word, we can be completely reassured. It will come to pass.

But God has more to say to encourage us.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
 
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)
Will this dramatic event literally come to pass? Some would like to doubt that. But God does not want to keep us in the dark about it.

When God wants to emphasise something, he repeats his promise in another Bible passage.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
 
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NKJV)