Month: August 2015 - RCCG Miracle Centre

Bible Reading: Isaiah 31:1-5

I watched the sorrows and grief upon the face of a brother from a parish of Redeemed Christian Church of God and a Deacon for that matter. Of course his story suggested that he has been in the faith for almost two decades. As I listened to him when he was recounting his several agonies and ordeals he was passing through, his emotion betrayed his faith, perplexities of disappointments and shattered dreams. The expression on his face suggested a question ‘why me? He was depressed with little or no further will to live. In the course of our discussion, he asked a shocking question- ‘Is GOD really existing? And my quick response was that yes HE exists forever and ever. I asked him, how much of confidence has he reposed on the living God and his response made it clear that GOD has never be the first on his priority list in his attempts to get out of his troubles.

The causes of human pain and grief are as numerous as the sand of the earth. ‘.. as sparks fly upward…So man that is born of a woman is a few days and full of trouble.’ When in trouble, the hearts of men everywhere yearns for some liberation. In the hours of your life crisis, this message will guide you and give you hope and courage provided you have a responsive soul and will allow God speak to you and let His word impress on your soul and spirit.

In the days of your trouble, what you do, where you go, how you react and who you see are all important especially when you happen to be a child of God. And why are they important? In the history of mankind, these issues have made differences in the aftermath of going through troubled hours.

Where come evil? “And God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good” Gen. 1:31. All the problems that perplex human kind, all the pain that pursues us and all the yearnings of the soul that drive us-every great problem is answered in the book of GENESIS, but then God has made a way out.

At times, what we call problems, challenges or troubles, we find out that they are due to human ignorance, folly or sin not possibly in the person who suffers but caused by some members of the great family.

At times, GOD can make storm to direct your way. Storm makes you to move faster in life; make you to think. When you face crisis everything loses its value. To HIS children, GOD can use storm to inspect us to know the kind of person we are – James 1:2-3

At times, the problem in your life may be there to protect you from destruction. Even many times God allow us to walk through the storm to perfect us; a typical life example is Joseph. He was pitted, imprisoned before enthroned.

At times, GOD often let His people reach the shore as on the planks of a shipwrecked vessel. He deprives us of the cisterns in order to make us drink out of the fountains of water. He frequently takes away our supports, not that we may fall to the ground, but that He may Himself become our rod and our staff. A typical example is Jacob when he was to confront his brother after twenty years of supplanting his brother. He devised all means to appease his brother who has determined to revenge but God came as rescue.

Every misfortune that happens to men can actually be blessings in disguise. They are often God’s instruments of transforming a man into His purpose and destiny. At times most of the grand truths of God have to be learned by trouble; they must be burned into us with the hot iron of affliction; otherwise we shall not truly receive the truths.

God brought Israelites out of the land of Egypt so that they will worship and serve him, yet He led them through the red sea instead of a shorter way of the land of Philistine, lest they see war and return to Egypt. God may be taking you gradually to somewhere.

In any case, the fact still remains that Jesus Christ will not lead any of His children through darker rooms than HE went through before. That is why He came as flesh to understand our pains.

Many in life have lost hope, even their salvation in the day of their trouble. Are you about losing yours? Don’t give up. God is thinking about what to do in respect of that situation of your life. There is also new thing about them. Many Biblical Characters experienced evil days and made God their resort. My question to you is that: at what point do you consider Jesus Christ in your present situation? You have probably elongated your sufferings because you have not resorted to Jesus Christ, the owner of your life.

The psalmist said “In the day of my trouble l sought the Lord …” Ps. 77:2. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heavens and earth” – Ps. 121: 1-2. In Ps. 23: 1-3 he says “The lord is my shepherd … He restored my soul …” These were the ways and attitudes of the Psalmist.

How do you react in your own situation? Look up. don’t look around because looking around is a sign of confused man and don’t look back because it is a sign of fearful man. God says “Call unto me and l will answer thee … “Jer. 33:3. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble” Ps. 46: 1. God said, “Behold l am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Jer. 32:27. Also in Jer. 31:16-17, He encouraged us thus “… Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded – and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end …

It is important to let you know that as much as God is ever willing to come into your situation, you have a sacrifice to make which is – SEEK. Mathew 6:31-34 commanded us to seek first the kingdom of God and all its righteousness and all other things including peace, comfort, deliverance you are looking for shall be added unto you. In Isaiah 1:18, God made express demand from you saying “Come now, let us reason together, though your sin be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow …” This is an invitation for your total deliverance and emancipation from your present situation.

However, if you have already accepted Christ, He demanded you wait on HIM. Psalm 27:4 says ‘ one thing have I desired of the Lord, that will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in His temple”. The period of waiting is usually the critical point in our lives. If not well managed, we can miss God altogether. The period of waiting is challenging and can be very difficult, but it is the promise of God to strengthen us. How soon do we forget this all time needed promise and began to help ourselves? Those of us not helping ourselves are busy complaining to whoever cares to listen. The more we complain, the more our spirit is troubled and any “advice” given us at such time, if not properly examined, will lead us into real trouble.

When you can’t hear God’s voice on that issue that bother you so much, whom did you resort to seek afterward? The Bible says “their sorrow should be multiplied that hasten after another god ..” Ps. 16: 4.

What happens if you have already gone astray; do not lose hope, only do the right thing by returning to the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘For ye were as sheep going astray: but are now returning unto the shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” I Pet. 2:25. It does not really matter how deep, or the extent, you have gone or are involved in some devastating occurrences, if you genuinely return unto the Lord Jesus. He promised to wipe away all your errors. If you have gone the wrong way in the day of your trouble, and more evil had come upon you, take a bold step today and return unto your maker. He will receive you and grant you deliverance and the liberty in His Holy spirit.

THIS DAY IS THE DAY OF YOUR SALVATION. DON’T POSTPONE IT TILL TOMORROW BECAUSE TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME YOUR WAY. DESIRE A NEW BEGINNING AND SEE HOW GOOD THE LORD IS.

Remain Blessed

Dcn. Wole Bodunde

Workers-in-Training and Baptismal Class

Sign Language Class

Morning Prayer Meeting

IN THE DAYS OF TROUBLE, by Deacon Wole Bodunde