Thank Thanks we give You thanks for all You have done in my life, we are so blessed our souls has found rest O! God we give You thanks. Worthy, You are worthy, King of kings, Lord of Lords You are Worthy, Worthy You are worthy, King of kings, Lord of Lords, You are Worthy I worship You.
Blessed Redeemer, we worship You for Who You are. Thank You for lovingkindness towards us Your children, we are grateful to be called Your own. Blessed be Thy Holy Name forever and ever. Thank You for answers to prayers Lord, Whose Hand can do all things. Thank You for diverse miracles and healings that You wrought for us. Indeed You are a great God and Faithful is Your Name.
Beloved, how are doing this wonderful Thursday, good, I presuppose. Am glad to hear that and so shall it be all through this year in Jesus Name. I want to believe that you prayed as we were instructed “To know God more dearly.” When this becomes your ernst desire, God will manifest Himself to you through the help of the Holy Spirit, Who reveal the truth about your salvation in Christ Jesus to you.
Our topic today was a discussion between Jesus and his disciples, Where He cursed the fig tree on their way from Bethany to Jerusalem and upon their return from same way Peter saw that the fig tree had withered away. It was against this background that today’s topic merged.
In other words, Jesus was telling His disciple “you need to know God.” Jesus knew His Father therefore He speak and believed it is done. Let’s consider the book of John eleven with reference to verse forty-one and forty-two, and He said “Father, I thank Thee that Thou has heard me. and I knew that thou hearest me always:… and cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”
Beloved, did Lazarus came forth? Ofcourse He did. If I may ask you “why did this happened? Is because Jesus had faith? I am hearing many chorus answers. But let me give you my own answer but if you disagree, you can write in your own opinion. My answer to this miracle is because “Jesus Knows His Father.” His knowledge about His Father emboldens Him to speak and His Father confirms His Word. So His faith in God, His Father is not on assumption but on the assurance that it will done.
Beloved, why we something fail in our quest is because we are yet to know our God. We ask with wavering mind, we ask amiss, not with strong believe that it shall been done. But when you know who God is and what He does, you will always make declaration with boldness and not petitions with fear. Praise God.
God has taught me a lot in this area in my journey with Him. Before now I used to very afraid to desire something not to talk of asking for it even in prayer especially when I don’t have money to back it up. However, each time I am face with a need and I go conversing with God about it.
Someone is surprise at this statement, but you need not to be if you have been following me all these years, this is the fourth year of this ministry (devotional), your prayer time is not only “give me this and give me that time” your prayer should include discussion, meditation, studying, reading, praise and worship, all these are kinds of prayers.
The Spirit of God speak to your mind when you are doing all I have listed above and more, so is not only when you are sweating and wresting that you are praying, even in carrying out charitable acts, they are all prayers, my dearly beloved. Knowing God is so sweet and stress free. It take away anxiety from you. Things are yet to be done, yet you are not worried because you know that if it is a true need God will do it.
So back to my experience of who God is, in midst of our conversion the Spirit of God will ask me “what do you want? Name what you want and it is done, and so many other times that has been my experience “I will say my heart desire concerning the issue on ground and God will bring it to pass. He will direct my feet and my thought till is be done not only things that involved money but in so many other things like that I need His help. Having come to that knowledge of God, I have learnt to lay my needs before Him and once I receive an open cheque which is usually the case I am careful in filling it.
So until you know who God is on every matter concerning you, your faith will yet be strong. You will see yourself panting and fretting over issues in life.
Let consider the message as we continue in our devotion today:
“Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22
Faith is the foot of the soul by which it can march along the road of the commandments. Love can make the feet move more swiftly; but faith is the foot which carries the soul. Faith is the oil enabling the wheels of holy devotion and of earnest piety to move well; and without faith the wheels are taken from the chariot, and we drag heavily.
With faith I can do all things; without faith I shall neither have the inclination nor the power to do anything in the service of God. If you would find the men who serve God the best, you must look for the men of the most faith. Little faith will save a man, but little faith cannot do great things for God.
Poor Little-faith could not have fought “Apollyon;” it needed “Christian” to do that. Poor Little-faith could not have slain “Giant Despair;” it required “Great-heart’s” arm to knock that monster down. Little faith will go to heaven most certainly, but it often has to hide itself in a nut-shell, and it frequently loses all but its jewels.
Little-faith says, “It is a rough road, beset with sharp thorns, and full of dangers; I am afraid to go;” but Great-faith remembers the promise, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; as thy days, so shall thy strength be:” and so she boldly ventures.
Little-faith stands desponding, mingling her tears with the flood; but Great-faith sings, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:” and she fords the stream at once.
Would you be comfortable and happy? Would you enjoy religion? Would you have the religion of cheerfulness and not that of gloom? Then “have faith in God.” If you love darkness, and are satisfied to dwell in gloom and misery, then be content with little faith; but if you love the sunshine, and would sing songs of rejoicing, covet earnestly this best gift, “great faith.”
In Genesis one, we saw God says and came to past. Today God is looking for that man and woman who know Him, believe in Him to confirm their word even as they say it. Beloved may be the next message will do some little help:
“lt is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 118:8
Doubtless the reader has been tried with the temptation to rely upon the things which are seen, instead of resting alone upon the invisible God. Christians often look to man for help and counsel, and mar the noble simplicity of their reliance upon their God. Does this evening’s portion meet the eye of a child of God anxious about temporals, then would we reason with him awhile.
You trust in Jesus, and only in Jesus, for your salvation, then why are you troubled? “Because of my great care.” Is it not written, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord”? “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication make known your wants unto God.” Cannot you trust God for temporals? “Ah! I wish I could.” If you cannot trust God for temporals, how dare you trust Him for spirituals?
Can you trust Him for your soul’s redemption, and not rely upon Him for a few lesser mercies? Is not God enough for thy need, or is His all-sufficiency too narrow for thy wants? Dost thou want another eye beside that of Him who sees every secret thing? Is His heart faint? Is His arm weary? If so, seek another God; but if He be infinite, omnipotent, faithful, true, and all-wise, why gaddest thou abroad so much to seek another confidence?
Why dost thou rake the earth to find another foundation, when this is strong enough to bear all the weight which thou canst ever build thereon? Christian, mix not only thy wine with water, do not alloy thy gold of faith with the dross of human confidence. Wait thou only upon God, and let thine expectation be from Him.
Covet not Jonah’s gourd, but rest in Jonah’s God. Let the sandy foundations of terrestrial trust be the choice of fools, but do thou, like one who foresees the storm, build for thyself an abiding place upon the Rock of Ages.
The Rock that never fails. The Everlasting foundation. All other ground is sinking sand but Jesus is a solid ground. Beloved, Know Him, Trust in Him, Believe in Him and have Faith in Him and He will surely be God indeed to you. God is saying “fear not; have faith in Me.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
