Pure Faith

We have encountered this message in the scripture a lot of times, it is as if the Lord is trying to let this message sink not just in our heads but down into the depths of our hearts. It is because He knows. God knows that for each person born into the world we will have to face challenges and for a lot of us- not small ones either.  I don't think we will ever go through life without encountering any difficulty of varying degrees and there are mighty big ones that we will face- gigantic, scary and often when they get thrown our way- we find ourselves walking alone. We have to face it alone. I know the feeling my friend, I've been there too in the wilderness for a long time and I felt alone....for that lenght of time I thought I was alone. Only in retrospect did I realize that there was One mightier walking with me. In the darkest days of my life there was Jesus behind me. I cannot quite see Him, everything was quiet, I did not hear much from Him but I knew He was there. I saw Him in a stranger's smile, a friend's voice and sometimes in my dreams. His words stayed in my heart and during that walk in the wilderness it was what kept me alive.

But our God is faithful and that is an essential truth that we have to understand, we have to experience. Maybe some of you are going through very tough times and maybe the word 'tough' is even an understatement. Maybe you have just put the last meal on the table, maybe you just lost your job, maybe you just found out that your child is very sick or perhaps you are, maybe you are brokenhearted right now, maybe you are so bound in addiction and wanted to change but the solution the world offered you have been disappointments. Maybe you don't have long to live. Maybe you live in a country where there is no freedom and you feel oppressed. Maybe you are a criminal looking for a change of heart, a change of life.

My friend I can only say one thing- Jesus Christ is the answer. How simplistic you say and maybe it is abstract to you but that is it. God is the answer. In Him are all the answers, when you are in Christ all your questions and all the mysteries in your life will be answered. He is the healer not just of your body but also of your heart and your mind. He will heal all the wounds of your heart, all the aches, all the hidden tears, all the weariness of the soul He will heal and give rest. He is the only true hope and He is still calling out to you...God is calling you now. But you have to respond, you have to open your heart to Him and you have to repent of your sins and believe that He is God. Believe His words and surrender  your life to Christ. 

Just start with a simple prayer, even if you haven't prayed before- pour your heart to Him, talk to Him like you would a friend... Remember He is waiting on you, the Bible says: 

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18. 

He loves you. He wants to be with you and He only has good plans for you- to restore you, to uplift you, to heal you and bless you. Only God has the power to transform you my friend. The world and it's psychologies can only bring you so far...they can change you temporarily but only God can kill the old nature. Only God can bring about a genuine change- maybe not overnight for a lot of us but He will start to work in you and in His time you will be able to manifest that change and others will benefit from your fruit. 

Do not let the devil deceive you into thinking that you are too bad a man or woman for God to pay attention to you, do not believe the lie that you're not good enough for God...because my friend- no one is but that is not up to us. He chose us, He chose you. Right now He is here calling you...stirring your heart to repentance. Take this chance. Take it my brother, my sister. Eternal life is calling you to come up higher. Let go of the world and allow God to consume you, to change you and transform you. 

And for those who are discouraged, those who are backslid, those who gave up their walk- be strong and of good courage! Stand up soldier! be not downcast, look up! God is mightier than all our problems, He is mightier than all our sufferings and troubles, He is the Captain of the Army...He is our defender- He will not fail you and He will never forsake you.

Even if you are in the land of Canaan where all you see are giants wandering about, giants you think are very able to crush you- look through the eyes of Joshua and say 'WE ARE MORE THAN ABLE TO CONQUER!" Amen. Have faith my friend...have faith in Christ for He has given us the land. He has already conquered it for us, just claim it, claim the victory in Jesus' name. Let that be our battle cry- Jesus! Jesus! In the mighty name of Jesus Christ!

Nothing is impossible for those who believe. God keeps His promises my friend remember that. The scriptures are full of His promises and He keeps every single one of them. So, if you are discouraged today, if you feel like the whole world is tumbling down on you- look up. God is here, He is still in control. There is hope- you only have to accept it.
God bless and keep you all.

THE PAUSE

the humdrum of life

is a steady stream of

sounds,

the waking, the dreaming,

the series of in-between

abounds-

with orchestrated chaos

of throbbing hearts and

racing minds.

the delicate pauses which

I thriftily find-

sometimes late at night or in the

early morn

just a quiet, settled hush

like the calm before the storm;

And it is here within this

pause where I seem to hear

His voice-

a gentle nudge to remind

me to lift my head up

and rejoice-

to know that amidst this

madness

there is a divine order of things,

that life is not merely

a journey which consists of

mundane routines.

to understand that in His image

I was born and made,

as a reflection of Christ's life

to an erring world today.

Not that I may boast of it

or to fill myself with pride

but to express His unconditional love

wherewith we may abide.

The world does not even know it

but they have an aching need-

they try to satisfy themselves with

fruits from the wrong seed,

but when the pressure comes along,

when faced with great suffering or death

people suddenly realize how

finite we can get-

uncertainty and fear stares us

right into our face, there is no

escaping the truth that in the end

we go someplace...

so here I am, here we are-

right here within my pause,

let me tell you that there is Someone

who hath pleaded for our cause-

He stood between the gap and was

on His knees in Gethsemane

He did not pass the bitter cup that 

was meant for you and me-

instead He drank it wilfully and took

up the weight of our cross

He offered everlasting life 

to all souls who are weary and lost.

His love is unconditional,

His peace beyond compare

He is real- in the here and now

if you take the moment to care.

Jesus Christ is the answer- 

and I know you may have

heard it all before but truth

is I am not merely saying this

to convince you even more-

it is the truth from the beginning of time

and so it will be in the end,

but there is a call of mercy, 
a time of grace

for us my friend-

I hope we heed the call of God

and may these words never depart

for it is never too late to follow Christ

and experience light and love 

within our heart.