Saturday, 7 January 2017

Devotions for 8th Jan 2017




Matt 11: 28  #bible studies #daily devotions #word of God #scriptures


Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.


It is so often that when I am in Church that the Lord will reveal to me that there are people inside the Churches that have so heavy burdens. Sadly these are the ones who are not walking by faith and trusting Jesus who had invited us to hand over all our heavy burdens to Him.

This week while I was in Church again the Lord spoke that there were a few people who came with such heavy loads, they knew that Jesus can take away their burden but they could not exercise their faith in giving their burdens to Him. They still needed to wait for the pastor or leader to pray from them.  

In my ministry the Lord has revealed various types of problems of people who have been struggling on their own, some had to deal with domestic problems where family relationship are at breakdown point. Others are problems in their businesses  and some are problems at work. In fact there are problems in every aspect of life in the world. These are not unknown to God because He already knows what we have to go through.

This is why Jesus made this call for all believers to come to Him and give Him all our problems and to find rest in Him. How can we do that? Firstly we must have a regular prayer life because it is through prayer that we communicate with Him. It is through prayer that we hand over all our problems and needs to Him.  

The apostles and early disciples were the people who had experienced the most problems and hardship but they knew how to trust in God and gave all their burdens to Him. Paul said in Acts 26: 22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God…. 

Learning from the apostles no others would have suffered as much as them but also no one would have been blessed as much as them as well. They lived in persecution on a day to day basis, they had to face the burden of basic needs, they did not draw a pay, they had no financial security, they had no permanent home, and there was no guarantee of any sort.

These were the conditions of the life and ministry of the apostles as Paul said in 2 Cor 11: 26 ..in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

The price of ministry is very high, sufferings, hunger, dangers of all sorts are the rewards of ministry then and even now as in some countries. The truth is in these last days, there will be many troubles in the world, times will be very challenging and many will be tested to the fullest for their faith. Many will even be challenged to renounce Christ at the cost of death.

From what we have seen of the martyrs of the pastors/leaders/ believers in the persecuted countries, all of them held on to their faith like the apostles and early believers and died happily for Jesus Christ and they have inherit the Kingdom of heaven.

The key is because they know their Saviour and Master Jesus Christ personally and they handed over their burden and their lives to Him.



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