The service was a blessing. I went home with my wife encouraged. We did some shopping on the way. In the supermarket I felt foggy and empty. It was a bit like the depression of my youth.
Why is that? We can often sense the depressed moods of those around us. God often allows this so that we can learn to resist the devil and pray for the suffering people around us.
If you feel depressed or sad, you can pray quietly right away. Where is this oppression coming from, dear God? How should I respond? How can I overcome this darkness? Not only the darkness in me, but also the darkness around me and in others around me?
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Jn 8:12 NRSV
Every time you feel darkness, whether it is in your soul, or from the feelings of those around you, or from the presence of demons, or from the situation in the world, no matter where the darkness comes from, you can seek God's truth and God's presence.
Call to me, and I will answer you and reveal to you great and unsearchable things that you do not know. Jer 33:3 L17
When you belong to Jesus, there is an invisible mobile phone in your spirit. You are always in touch with Jesus. With God there is no mobile phone blackout.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 1 Jn 1:5 NRSV
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Ps 27:1 NRSV
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
There is no Darkness in God
Friday, November 8, 2024
Trusting God on Grey Days
Dear God, I feel grey and deflated. The sky is grey, but where is the rain?
It's warm, but not nice and warm.
What can I do when everything around me and inside me is grey? Never forget that God's love envelops me.
If you know Jesus as your Saviour, God's Spirit lives in you 24 hours a day.
You carry heaven within you.
Are you threatened by evil people?
I've been thinking about it since yesterday. I feel anger and no love, but I must love my enemies.
I pray for my enemy to meet Jesus before he dies.
I pray without tender feelings, but I pray anyway.
To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. Ps 25:1–2 NKJV
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. Ps 42:5 NKJV
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
God has Better Plans
Are you discouraged? Disappointed? Frightened?
Are you completely dejected?
Before the Last Supper, the apostles were disappointed and deeply shaken.
But how was that possible? They were Jesus' closest friends. They believed he was the Son of God, their Saviour and Redeemer. He was with them in the flesh. And they were dismayed?
A few days ago, Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem. The crowds had recognised him as the Messiah with jubilation.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Mt 21:9 NIV
The Jews, and probably also the apostles, expected that Jesus as the Messiah would then establish the kingdom of God in Jerusalem, that Jesus would rule the world.
But Jesus did not do this. Everyone was disappointed. The religious leaders were now able to manipulate the disappointed Jews.
Instead of the expected triumph, the disciples were staring disaster in the face.
What did Jesus say?
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Jn 14:1 NIV
You expected a great revival, prayed for it for years, heard wonderful prophecies.
Nevertheless, the corona catastrophe came. Then came the war in Ukraine, and another war in the Middle East.
Where is God? You no longer understand anything.
What does Jesus say now?
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Jn 14:1 NIV
You were expecting something wonderful from God. You have waited a long time for it and now you are shaken.
My father was 70 years old. He had smoked 40 cigarettes a day for many years and his lungs were almost destroyed. I had prayed for him for years but there was no sign of faith. But he was plagued by emphysema. That's a death sentence.
Then I started praying in a completely different way. ‘Please let my father live until he comes to faith.’
He made his peace with God at the age of 88. He was very weak but there was no sign of emphysema.
Finally he turned 91, he was nearly blind and life had become a burden to him.
Then I read in the Bible:
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Ps 91:16 NIV
I thanked and praised God. I then prayed boldly.
‘Dear God, you have answered my prayer. But now life is a torment for my father. How would it be if my father could pass away peacefully exactly 16 days after his 91st birthday?
Exactly 16 days later, Jesus took my father to heaven without pain.
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Jn 14:2–3 NASB95
God has good plans for us, including you.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Jn 14:1 NIV
Thursday, January 25, 2024
God loves you. You can choose to respond.
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. Jn 12:32–33 NIV
Jesus was not compelled to die on the cross. Although he was arrested, he could have escaped. However, he chose to sacrifice his life willingly to bear God's judgement for us.
Jesus was not coerced; he acted out of love. Jesus does not want to force you and me to accept his love and forgiveness. Instead, he desires to win us over through love.
Unlike conscripts in armies who do not obey voluntarily, Jesus does not want any involuntary slaves. He loves you and wants to win your love. True love is always voluntary.
God's love is always active.
So he told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” Jn 5:17 NET
Are you feeling discouraged or stuck? Where is God?
God is at work in your life even when you feel frustrated. If you ask where God is, it's a sign that God is whispering to your soul. Where does the thought of God come from? From God himself.
Remember that there is a good God who wants to help you, so please don't give up.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
YOU CAN TRUST HIM WHEN YOU ARE DOWN
We can easily lose sight of our dreams and lower our expectations of life.
But if we read the Bible, God tells us to keep on believing more and more, not less and less.
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 2 Cor 5:1-2 (NLT)
But we don’t have to live out our earthly days in mediocrity and weakness. On the contrary, in our weakness we can turn to God and He will demonstrate His power on our behalf.
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12:9 (NKJV)
This text is sometimes used to prove that the Apostle Paul suffered from a chronic illness and Jesus refused to heal him. It is used to teach that we should not confidently expect Jesus to heal us when we are sick.
A closer look at Paul’s story quickly shows this argument is quite wrong.
Five different times the Jews gave me their terrible thirty-nine lashes.
Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I was in the open sea all night and the whole next day. 2 Cor 11:24-25 (TLB)
... They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. Acts 14:18-20 (NIV)
Paul could not have continued his mission without repeated experiences of miraculous healing.
What should you do when you feel weak and burdened?
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Mt 11:28-30 (NKJV)
- Our life experiences are often far from easy and our burdens are often heavy but Jesus will add His strength to your strength.
- A problem may be far too heavy for you to bear alone but when Jesus carries your burdens, you can actually move forwards instead of being paralysed.
How can you turn to God?
- Have you put your whole life in His hands?
- Have you committed your life to following Jesus Christ? Have you believed and trusted that Jesus bore all your griefs and sorrows on the cross and your pains and sicknesses as well?
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6 (NKJV)
Jesus willingly carried all our burdens to the cross, our sin and guilt, our failures and disappointments, our sickness and infirmities, our weakness and death.
He died so that you and I could live.
Jesus is the miracle worker. He can turn your darkness into light, a tragic defeat into an incredible turnaround.
He can turn a mentally ill person into someone who changes lives with love and power and peace. I have seen it. I have experienced it.
If you are in darkness, call out to Him.