Give praise with a thankful heart

In everything, give thanks to the Lord.

I remembered a testimony shared by Pastor Mark. He was, at that time, going through the worst season of his life. He was having a $16 million debt. He was dealing with health issues such as obesity. He was feeling helpless & possibly hopeless as well.

Then one day while "complaining" to God, God spoke to him. God asked Pastor Mark, then deacon Mark, to look up at the ceiling & asked him what did he see. Pastor Mark told God that he saw the ceiling fan. God reminded Pastor Mark that there were some who didn't have electricity at home just because they didn't pay their utilities bill.

God then asked Pastor Mark to look out of his house window. He reminded Pastor Mark that his car was still there. God told Pastor Mark that He was taking care of all the issues that Pastor Mark was facing then. He reminded Pastor Mark to give thanks in everything & to praise Him for His goodness.

In five years, God delivered Pastor Mark of his debt & healed all the illnesses that he was suffering from. There is deliverance when we give thanks to God. There is power when we praise & worship God. Hallelujah!

This is my beloved Son, hear Him.

At the mount of transfiguration, Peter, James and John noticed the radiance of Jesus as He was transfigured. His light shone forth so brilliantly that night that no word could possibly described. At the same time, Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus.

Peter, in his usual impulsive self, spoke to build three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. All of sudden, a voice came from heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him." Peter was afraid. So were James and John. They were probably terrified by the voice.

However, when Jesus came to them and touched them, He spoke, "Arise, and do not be afraid." What comfort did those words bring to the three disciples. Those words were not just words of comfort but also words of encouragement, assurance, and authority.

Today, whatever challenges that we are facing, when we hear Jesus, He is still speaking, "Arise, and do not be afraid." Jesus is saying that we can rely on Him to deliver us out of our predicaments. Jesus is encouraging us to be strong in Him. He is giving us His assurance that all things will work together for our good and He is speaking all these words with the authority that's vested in Him.

Hear Jesus today. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hallelujah!

Do not fear

What do we do when we had received a bad report about our health? How do we response when something bad just happened to us? What is our immediate response when we heard a loved one is injured?

How often do we think of the worst case scenario straight away when we received these news? We don't usually think that things will work out well in spite of what had happened. We were so quick to always expect the worst when something bad had happened that we forgot that sometimes things weren't as bad as the initial report presented to be.

Maybe that's why there are 365 verses in the bible that tell us do not fear or do not be afraid. One verse for each day of our lives. If something bad happens, for Christians, we can expect that it will work out for our good. Perhaps some of us had lost our jobs and we are thinking naturally how we are going to get a job , especially, if some of us are advanced in age. Perhaps a loved one is suffering from terminal cancer and we think there is no nope.

Do not be afraid when bad things happen. For we can look to Jesus for deliverance out of that bad happening. Jesus can turn things around for our good. Just remains at rest and God will take care of all our cares.