Greeting: I am glad to be with you once again. It’s Jesus doing and we are excited to give Him praise and glory (kindly jam those hands for Jesus. Make some noise body of Christ, people of God and shout hallelujah).I bring you greetings from my family and helpers and supporters of Weefree Ministries Inc. Let me surprise you! Despite what the perpetrators of the economy of the day and politicians are doing, God is saying “trust Me I shall end your sufferings/hard time. Habakkuk 1:1-5; 2:2-3:
Habakkuk 1:5: For am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. While going through it, it seems it shall not end. God is bringing an end to it. Habakkuk 2:1-4, just write it down as it is revealed. Make it simple and plain on tablets/book (permanent form) so that a herald/whoever read it may run with it. The revelation/manifestation is at an appointed time. It speaks of the end, shall be fulfilled. Though it delays, wait for it (because God cannot lie -It shall come to pass). It’s not a denial or refusal. Vs 4 – see, the enemy/wicked one is angry/puff off. His desires are deceitful, false, not upright but the righteous will be accomplished, settled, live faithfully and upright.
Malachi 4:1-2: Surely, the day comes…All the wicked, arrogant and evildoers will stumble. God will set them on fire, destroy/ break their chains. No one will be left/spared. But you who trust in the Lord, the sun of righteousness will rise, come with healing in its rays you will live like a well-fed calf, things will turn around, breakthrough, a new day.
We often pray: God, please end my suffering/hard time. I am a horrible despicable failure of a person. I am subject to condemnation and judgment. Will that be a better place.
The truth about life: Everyone suffers, Christians and non-Christian, emotional, financial, economic and spiritual. Job 5:7 -Yet man is born in trouble as surely, as sparks fly upwards. Read: vs 8-17.
Most Christian respond to suffering in 2 ways:
- We know that God has the power to end the sufferings and set us free but when he delays we are frustrated and tormented. We begin to get angry – Jesus. Why won’t you help me. He doesn’t care about my needs. His name is Savor, so why am I fail so helplessly. All you need to speak a word to my inner storm, and it shall end. Just say, “Peace be still” (Mark 4:39) -Quiet be still. And I shall be whole again – Psalm 46:1f or overwhelming guilt tearing myself to pieces.
- Or common reaction is to think the suffering because of concealed sin/sins. We spent hours praying, searching our hearts and minds, tearing ourselves to pieces as we tried to uncover concealed sin – that does not exist anywhere. God in Jesus has wiped it away/paid in full.
That brings us to: James: 1:2-4: Very hard to learn and practice when passing hard times. It teaches those trials/sufferings:
a) One going to come our way whether we like it or not.
b) and will do so for a reason.
Another passage: Romans 8:28 says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Well, we begin to ponder: what good could possibly come into life through this? But the word says, “All things” not “some things.”
James 1:2-4 – says “faces trials of many kinds.” It does not say, “all kinds.” It implies that we can avoid some trials/suffering by walking away from them.
Those two passages reveal: i) God has His sovereignty; ii) He is always in control; iii) May allow your suffering for your own good; iv) God has power for instant healing or turn around; v) He calmed the storm (Mark 4:35-41); healed the blind; restored the lame, – dump speak; Wake the dead. Are all these bible stories? Can God still do same today?
Why God: Mathew 26:39, 27-46; PSALM 22:1-2, even Jesus asked why? Sometimes, it’s necessary to ask:
- Allow trials/suffering to develop our faith and maturity and fashion us with the image of Christ. This can be painful but worth the pain at the long end which we may not see or know Job’s life, David, Joseph, etc.
- Teach us to rely upon Christ’s strength rather than upon our own.2 Cor 12:8-10 …my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
- Guide us into total surrendering of our lives to Jesus and to accept the suffering instead of fighting and pleading for it to end. A difficult lesson – very challenging. *Phil 4:12-13
- Sufferings equip us to help others – to comfort and encourage others who face the same/similar situation. 2 Cor 1:3-4.
Jesus our Lord and Savior endured trials/sufferings on earth for those very same purposes; Because Jesus went through them, He can comfort and support us. Jesus’ name in Isaiah 9:6 is Counselor or Comforter. Heb 4:14-16
Challenge facing us: Instead of complaining, getting angry, refusing to pray, hardening your heart:
- 1 Thess 5:16-18 say “pray without ceasing and give thanks.”
- Phil 4:6-7 –“Everything to God in prayers”
- 1 John 5: 14 – Ask in confidence in God.
Why God may not answer: You begin to say: God does not answer because He doesn’t see my needs; He doesn’t care me:
- You are not a child of God/have not confess Jesus as your savior and Lord of your life. Ps 34:15, 17; Prov 15:8, 29; John 9:31 and 1 Peter 3:12.
- Your have wrong motives/desires-James 4:2-3; Psalm 66:18; 1Peter 3:7 and 1 John 3:21.
- Misunderstanding God’s priorities – 1 John 5:14-15. God answers prayers according to His will.
- It could be not just yet time – Luke 18:1. Don’t lose heart while praying.
- Turning away from scriptures: Prov 28:9; Psalm 34:15; Prov 15:29 and Psalm 145:29.
Prayers for God to end your sufferings:
- You may be going through much sufferings in your life
- So much pain so much hurt, so much regret
- So much sorrow, so much rejection, so much loneliness, so much unforgiveness and so much curse and unanswered prayers
- Unfulfilled expectations, worries and anxieties.
Two 2 prayers:
1) Rededication ( surrender)
- Psalm 32:1 Blessed is the one whose sins are forgiven
- Psalm 66:18 Have inequities in your heart, the Lord will not hear your prayers.
- 2 Corinthians 1:3 You are the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort -I need comfort
- Isaiah 53:4 Surely Jesus bore our griefs and carry away our sorrows
Prayer: Dear God, this life of mine is not blessed. I need to have a blessed life. Please Lord, I know I have sinned, so please forgive me where I have sinned. Forgive me O Lord, I will be forgiven, comfort me and I will be comforted. Relieve me and I will be relieved of all my sufferings and pains. Bless me and I will be blessed. I turn my life over to you. I repent of all my sins. I receive your blessings according to your promises in the bible. Let your mercies speak on me and carry away all my sins and sorrow in Jesus’s name amen.
2) End my sorrow, griefs and sufferings now:
- Psalm 34:15 God’s eyes is on the righteous and He hears their cries/petition.
- Psalm 4:3 God sets apart the godly for Himself. He hears when they call.
- Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust Him.
- Psalm 145:19 fulfills desires of those who fear him and hear their cry and save them.
- 1 John 5:14-15 Have this confidence if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and answers us.
Prayers: I receive an end to all my pains and sufferings in Jesus’s name, amen.
I exchange my head with the blood of Jesus, I exchange my life with the blood of Jesus I exchange everything concerning me with the blood of Jesus amen.