Never Give Up!

Sometimes I feel flat, grey, uninspired. Maybe you do too. Don't be discouraged. God has given you life. You have potential. You have gifts. God created you for a purpose, to help people in a way that perhaps only you can help them.

My wife is always helping people and she likes gardening. The elderly lady across the road had a rose garden and my wife helped to look after her roses.

I love writing, so I write Christian blog articles to encourage people to believe, to give people hope.
A retired man in our church is a good organiser. He helps to manage a store room in our church to supply people with food when they can’t afford to go shopping.

Suppose you want to serve God. Find some way to help people in need. Visit a sick neighbour. Drive an elderly neighbour to see the doctor. If you are friendly and talk to people, you can find out what they need and how to help them.

Suppose you are serving God and helping people, but you feel discouraged and lacking direction. Maybe you need to take a break, go for a walk, read a good book, listen to beautiful music, but don't give up. Keep on doing good. Ask God for fresh inspiration and keep going.

Perhaps you reach a dead end. Ask God to give you fresh energy to keep going, or if God closes the door, ask Him to open another door and give you a new direction.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Gal 6:9–10 NIV 

Overcoming Weakness. Encouraging Others

 We all have difficulties in life. 
‘Be pitiful, for every man is fighting a hard battle.’ Ian Maclaren, 1897

I am someone who likes to help. I am happy when I can support someone.
But I am not always a model of selfless love. 

I am someone who likes to read, think and talk about my ideas. That is my gift from God. That is why I am a blogger.

But my strength is often also my weakness. 

My daughter once wanted to talk to me, but I didn't hear her. I was lost in my own thoughts.

She said, ‘Dad is visiting the moon.’

I can also be impatient in conversations because I want to say something. What does the Bible say about this?

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 
for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Jas 1:19–20 NRSV

My tendency is to make my voice heard. That can be good, but it can also be selfish. Some people are reserved when they should speak. I am not like that.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.  Mt 5:14–16 NRSV

We must let God's light shine in our lives, but we often have to overcome our weak human nature so that Jesus can be seen in our lives.

Today I must listen to my wife with compassion. Today I must listen patiently and compassionately.

He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. Rev 21:7 NKJV

Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Rev 21:7 NRSV

If you want to follow Jesus, you must use your gifts from God every day and overcome your own human weaknesses.

Jesus promises to reward you and me eternally if we overcome with His grace.

What difficulty can you overcome today? Jesus wants to help you.

How can you help someone today? How can you be an encourager today?

Some Miracles Take a Long Time

 Nowadays, some couples want to live without children. Some women only want to have one or two children. They want to pursue a career first and only try to get pregnant when they are 35. Many then have problems and end up paying a lot of money for artificial insemination.

In the biblical era, it was quite different. A woman was expected to be married, and there was great shame in being childless.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.
But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. Lk 1:5–7 NIV

Elizabeth was old and despite her strong faith and devotion, and her many prayers, she remained childless. Had God forgotten her? She was faithful, but was God not faithful?

But God had a plan for her. She was to be the mother of a great prophet. Her son was John the Baptist.

Sometimes our faith and patience must be tested for years before God can perform a great miracle and give us even greater blessings.

When Moses fled Egypt at 40 years old, he was not a prophet and was not at all ready to rule a nation. After 40 years as a shepherd in the desert, he was able to begin fulfilling his destiny.

Abraham was to be the father of many nations, but he received this promise at about 75 years of age. He had to wait until he was almost 100 years old, and his wife was over 90 before they had their promised son.

Sometimes we see miracles happen very quickly. I know of a family that had a baby who was completely deaf. Before the little boy was 18 months old, he and his mother attended a service where the preacher prayed for him. A week later, he could hear a little, and three months later, he had 100% normal hearing.

When Jesus performed miracle healings in the New Testament, it didn't take long. The sick recovered dramatically. This also happens today, especially in revivals, but there are also healings where the recovery time takes longer, but the healing is still miraculous.

For many years I was a member of a congregation with a wonderful pastor. The pastor became ill. He was very close to death because of cancer, but God healed him. His recovery took quite a long time and afterwards he was never strong, but he lived for more than ten years. His ministry after his healing was even better and more blessed than before.

Before the war, there were no antibiotics. A pastor in England became ill with tuberculosis, which at that time was incurable. The pastor believed in miracle healings and he prayed that God would heal him.

The Holy Spirit promised him that if he would pray two hours each day, God would heal him. He believed and obeyed. He prayed every day and he gradually recovered completely.

In the Bible, we read how devout Jews and Christians somehow, in some mysterious way, received messages from the Holy Spirit. God has not changed. He still speaks. It is part of His nature.

Do you know God's voice? You can learn to listen to God. Ask God to help you. He can heal the deaf ears and also awaken a listening heart in you.

You Need Help to Pray

 Do you pray again and again for healing, for months or years? You experience breakthroughs but then also relapses.

I experienced a complete nervous breakdown many years ago. My recovery took a long time, but I am grateful that I never gave up.

I know I exercised my free will by never giving up, but without God's grace and the faithful prayers of others, I would have been permanently ruined.

I know Christians with special gifts of faith. They pray for the seriously ill and disabled and they are instantly or miraculously healed.

I was there when a completely deaf toddler was prayed for. A week later I was there when he heard a voice for the first time in his life and visibly responded.

I know an ex-Muslim from Arabia who was a missionary for Jesus. An Arab gave him something to eat. A week later, the same Arab Muslim met him. He was amazed that the Christian Arab was still alive. He had put enough poison in the food to kill a camel.

Are you a father or a mother, a husband or a wife? Or are you a counsellor or therapist? You pray for weeks, months, years for someone who is seriously hurt or abused. This person is not a believer or is very weak in faith. You see God answer your prayers, but then you keep seeing relapses.

You ask yourself and also pray to God:
How long can I expend my energy to keep praying and expecting a miracle?  

You need help yourself. You cannot support your son or daughter on your own. Ultimately, only God can save, but how can you keep praying when your tank is empty?

What have I learnt in hard trials?

I find help in the Psalms. This is the prayer book of the Bible. I choose a psalm that meets my need and pray the verses of that psalm as a prayer for myself or for someone who is in deep need.

I love Psalm 3, Psalm 56, 57, 91 and 121. There are many others that can help you.

Please never give up. God is with you and your family.

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 57:1–2 NKJV

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. Ps 27:1–3 NKJV

The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Ps 121:7–8 NIV




 

Believe Patiently. God Steps In

 Sometimes we pray with confidence in God, but we don't see an answer for days, weeks, months or years, but sometimes we see an amazing answer from God in minutes or seconds.

I was converted in 1974. I prayed for my father for almost 36 years. At 88, he was bedridden in an aged care home and he gave his life to Jesus. He died at 91 and is now in heaven.

Faith without patience often doesn't work.

In 2011, I was in Germany with my wife. We visited a friend of ours in a clinic. When we left the clinic, it was dark and cold. It was drizzling. We urgently needed a taxi, but we didn't see a vehicle in this quiet suburb. Our host told us not to expect a taxi here. Nevertheless, my wife prayed for a taxi and one appeared almost immediately.

Everything can change in a short time.

Jesus had to die on the cross. His disciples gave up all hope, but three days later Jesus came back from the grave.

Moses was a refugee. He spent forty years as a shepherd in the desert, but then God himself appeared as a fire in a bush. Suddenly his life was totally different.

After his resurrection from the grave, Jesus spent forty days with his disciples, but then he returned to heaven. After that, the disciples stayed together for a week until, in an instant, God intervened dramatically.

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:2–4 NASB95

You may have been frustrated and disappointed for years, but God sees your heart and He cares for you. God has not forgotten you.

Don't give up hope. You can trust God. He will amaze us in the time to come.

Bible Texts to Help You Pray

 Here are some Bible texts with short comments to help you pray.

Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Ps 8:2 NIV

God hears the prayers of young children and newly converted Christians. Are you not a hero of faith? No matter, let God hear the cry of your heart. He wants to help you and perhaps surprise you.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Mt 7:7–8 NLT

• Maybe you're praying and you're not getting an answer. Don't worry about it. God wants to hear you. Please don't give up.

• Seek more help.

• Seek more wisdom in the Bible so that you can pray better.

• Ask other Christians to pray with you.

• Ask God to give you intuitive insight into how to pray.

• Ask God to reveal to you if you are clinging to a sinful attitude so that your faith is blocked.

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognise that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 1 Jn 3:1 NLT

Do you believe in Jesus? You must understand that God wants to bless you.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Rom 8:31–32 NRSV

There are some Christians who have a distorted image of God. They see themselves as wretched sinners who deserve nothing and therefore should not expect much from God.

When the prodigal son returned to his father in Luke 15, he asked for the grace to serve as a servant. How did the father respond?

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. Lk 15:22–23 NIV

Are you weak in faith? You know that nothing is impossible for God, but you doubt whether your weak faith is enough to get an answer.

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.

Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Mt 13:31–32 NIV

Start small and never give up. Your little faith can grow until you know God better and your faith becomes strong.

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4 NIV

Never Give up Believing

 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. Ps 91:7 NIV

Why do so many Christians pray for healing, protection or care but do not receive?

I have experienced miracles time and time again, but I don't want to be the kind of person who looks down on others because they haven't experienced a miracle.

We often don’t know why someone has not been healed, and we should not judge.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Mt 7:1 NIV

When I was healed from a terrible nervous breakdown more than 40 years ago, I often felt fear. I had many panic attacks. I often doubted and needed strong encouragement from Christians with stronger faith.

I also saw other Christians who were mentally ill and were not healed.

I needed strong medication, and for me medication and prayer were both valid and important.

But I kept praying for healing, and strove to trust God and expect healing.

Never give up! Healing doesn't often come immediately. Don't be discouraged by setbacks.

Don't let yourself think or talk for a minute about the disappointments of other sick people.

It's all about God's love and healing power for you, for yourself.

Do you believe that God forgives your sins? Some believe that, but are not sure if God wants to heal them.

He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. Ps 103:3 CSB

The same God who promises forgiveness of sins has also promised to heal all your diseases in the same Bible verse.

No matter who is not healed, no matter what other Christians believe, no matter how many times you yourself have been disappointed, just hold onto God's love and God's promises for yourself.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. Ps 91:7 NIV

So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Dt 5:32 NIV

Pay no attention to other Christians who remain sick. Do not look to the right or to the left.

God Understands

 Who understands the deep wounds in your soul? Only God.

Every heart has its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. Prov 14:10

Who understands the difficult path from your failure to the fulfilment of your destiny? Only God.

There is an old English hymn.

‘’What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.‘’
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Sometimes good counsellors or therapists can help, but only God fully understands all your deepest troubles.

But when we teeter helplessly on the edge of despair, we can be tempted to cling to the comfort and security of people as if human help can save us.

A pastor or counsellor with simple answers to all your problems can limit your potential. Canned food can never provide the same nourishment that comes from fresh food.

A well-known preacher illustrated this problem with this joke.

A Christian asked his pastor a difficult theological question.
The pastor gave an impressive answer and justified his teaching with a Bible text.
Father God in heaven listened in amazement.

‘’Jesus. Did you hear what that pastor just said? I would never have thought of it. Did you tell him?‘’

We don't get by in life by having simple answers for every question.
The crucial question is whether you have a living relationship with Jesus, because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

We are not saved because we are right in all theological questions.
It is not theology that saves us, but the Saviour.
There are secrets hidden in your soul, secrets that only you are familiar with.

There are some counsellors and therapists with whom you can uncover such secrets, and they will care for you with understanding and respect, but there are also counsellors who claim to know everything and to be right about everything. It is better to avoid such counsellors.

There are so many mysteries and secrets in my own life that I only partially understand. Even the best counsellors don't understand half of it, but I have learned to trust God more and more as my guide in my ignorance.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Ps 23:1–4 NKJV

Do you understand why God loves you? Maybe a little, or maybe not at all.

But if you can learn little by little to believe in God's care and guidance, and to hold on to His love, then Jesus will be your protection and shield.

God understands the secrets in your heart that you don't understand yourself. When you surrender your life into the hands of God, He will mould your life so that you can experience deep healing.

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NKJV

But please be patient. This healing can take some time.

Moses had to suffer as a refugee in the desert for 40 years before God called him to enter His service.

Abraham and Sarah were already very old when their promised son was born.

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. Jas 5:7 NIV

Healing. A Faith Journey.

You probably like some movies or novels a lot. When you see or read the happy ending, it makes you happy.

But imagine if you only saw the last fifteen minutes of your favourite movie, would you still love the movie?

If you only read the last chapter of your favourite book, how would you like it?
We love humour, uncertainty and adventure.

But in your own life, you'd often like just the happy ending.

In September 2018, I had a blood test. The GP said my prostate might not be in order. I had to see a urologist. I had an MRI scan and it showed two tumours. I prayed intensely for healing. Please no cancer!

On the way to the hospital for a biopsy, I prayed for healing and believed God answered.

You can well understand that the biopsy finding was a shock. Cancer!

"Dear God, I don't understand you anymore. I believed you would heal me and now you let this happen? How can this be?"

I was totally baffled. I didn't want to have radiation therapy. The side effects can be very distasteful.

Then I went for a walk. The presence of God came upon me like a comforting cloud full of peace.

I heard the voice of God in my thoughts. "I have allowed this to happen to give you a testimony."

I kept having blood tests. I was ready to have radiation therapy if the blood tests were alarming, but after a few months the blood tests findings got better and better.

Excitement and adventure are all well and good in a book or film, but your own body is no fun.

I attended several church services where they prayed for the sick. I always felt strong encouragement from the Holy Spirit.

I expected the malignant tumours to disappear. My blood tests were still good.

More than a year passed and I visited the urologist again. I asked for a second biopsy and I expected healing.

I believed God, but I was partly disappointed. The most dangerous tumour was gone, but there were still two small and not so dangerous tumours.

I waited a few more months until I was allowed to have a second MRI scan. Then finally came the result I was expecting. The tumours had completely disappeared.

If the happy ending doesn't come right away, please don't give up.

Your story is his glory. Your story glorifies the Lord.
A quick happy ending may not be the best outcome.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NRSV

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 

and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:3–5 NRSV

Then came a slight disappointment. In 2025 a biopsy showed the tumours were still there, but there had been no growth or progression in 4 years! 

The specialist said no treatment was needed and he was optimistic I would never need treatment. God helps us in strange ways.

JESUS IS PATIENT AND KIND ..

LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND ... 1 Corinthians 13:4
Jesus is patient and kind. No matter how long people frustrated and disappointed, He kept right on loving them.

"O you stubborn faithless people," Jesus said [to his disciples], "how long should I put up with you? ..." Luke 9:41 (TLB) 

If the twelve apostles were stubborn, perverse and faithless, I know I also disappoint and frustrate God, yet for forty years He has been leading me on in love.

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. 

• He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. John 13:1 (NLT) 

No matter how long people abused, accused and tormented Jesus, He never stopped doing everything He could to heal their sicknesses and deliver them from demonic bondages.

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 (NLT) 

Why are we often busy being Christian but we sometimes lose our appreciation of the deep love of God?

One reason is that we study and discuss so many other Christian issues and Bible themes but neglect to focus on the love of God. 

• What we study, think about, talk about, preach about or pray about is what shapes our experience. 

• Even our praise and worship can sometimes focus on something other than the LOVE of God.

God IS love.

Jesus is NOT jealous if you love your wife or your children, your hobby or your job.

This is partly true because God is a JEALOUS God who hates idolatry. He hates it when something else distracts us from enjoying HIS amazing love. 

• But in His love, He wants us to enjoy being human.

God does not want you to be focussed on your faith in such a way that your cannot relate to other human beings. 

• He was very critical of the Pharisees who allowed people to give money to God instead of giving support to their aged parents.

The JEALOUSY of God is a healthy jealousy, a loving jealousy, not the kind of selfish and insecure jealousy that sometimes ruins marriages.

If you try to be holy in a churchy or religious way, you can live in a cage of religious rules.

• Been there, done that!

If you really know the love of God, you can be incredibly free.

One religious rule is that you must not enjoy worldly music. Like many religious rules, it is partly true. 

• There is some very bad music around. Before Satan rebelled against God, he was Lucifer, the chief musician amongst the angels. 

• We must be careful what we listen to but we must not be legalistic.

Paul wrote:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NKJV) 

The Holy Spirit often speaks to me by bringing some music to my mind ... and not only Christian music. 

Recently this song popped into my mind. It was a Beatles song from the 1960s but it was a love song from God to me.

“If there’s anything that you want,

If there’s anything I can do,

Just call on me and I’ll send it along

With love, from me to you.” 

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. 

It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NLT)

A NEW START FOR DISAPPOINTED BELIEVERS.

God is calling failures...

• Hebrews 12:2-3 (TLB)  Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God.

• If you want to keep from becoming fainthearted and weary, think about his patience as sinful men did such terrible things to him.

In this life we need courage. A life without courage can only be full of disappointment and mediocrity.

Jesus was the Lord in Heaven, the Eternal, Holy, Almighty Son of the Heavenly Father.

• He dared to come into this world as a human being, to be born as a baby boy.

• He dared to grow up in a village of small minded gossips where he was tormented because they thought he was an illegitimate child.

• He dared to preach the truth and provoke the religious leaders, knowing this would lead to his arrest and cruel execution on the cross.

• He dared to trust a small group of followers to be the founders of a new movement which would transform the world for God.

• He dared to choose you and me before the foundation of the world, so that as Christians we would be His representatives on earth.

• He knew we would often fail but in spite of that he dared to entrust us with His name and His mission.

  We must not let Him down.

But you can trust Him, that He will not let you down. He was the originator and creator of your faith, not you. He called you and you responded by receiving Him.

• John 1:12 (TLB)  But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them.

Then you probably made a wonderful discovery, that the love of God was a great liberation, that you experienced a wonderful personal closeness to the Spirit of God, something you had no idea of before you knew Jesus.

But then you encountered hard tests and disappointments. You may have been badly misunderstood by friends or family or you had bad experiences in church or you experienced deep rejection from people you expected to support you.

You may have set out to do something for God but failed or other Christians let you down, perhaps even betrayed you. Perhaps you made some really bad mistakes. You may have chosen the wrong job, the wrong church to join or the wrong person to marry.

You husband or wife may have betrayed you or you were badly mistreated by you church leaders. Perhaps your parents or your children turned against you or it may be that your life is in ruins because of your own sins.

You may have struggled for years with failures and disappointments until you seriously doubted if you would make it to heaven. 

Or you may have lowered your expectations of success and fulfilment in this life while you grimly waited until the time when death would open the door to a merciful release into heaven.

But right now God wants to speak to you. He wants you to know that He still has a plan and a purpose for your life on this earth.

God wants to raise up and restore His disappointed children to a new life of blessing and breakthrough enabled by His power and perfect love.

Jesus suffered and died on the cross to save you from your disappointment. Jesus is right with you now, calling you to believe and hope again, to dare to love again.

He is calling you, as He called His beloved Peter long ago, to rise up from his shame and defeat to become the first great preacher of the Good News in the early church in Jerusalem.