When we face trials, it’s easy to focus on only our own problems. While we wait on the Lord to answer our prayers or while we search for answers, we often become impatient and ask God when, why, or how? Instead, we could simply search for opportunities to serve and bless others. When we take on a “towel mentality” and humble ourselves, we become the hands and feet of Christ.
Brad Richardson
When Jesus launched His ministry on earth, he laid aside His garments. That’s what ministry is all about. It requires you to lay aside your personal ambitions and visions of grandeur. True ministry is birthed when you are stripped down to your heart’s desire, when something inside says, “I want my life to count for God.” It is the kind of prayer that pleads, “O God, don’t let me try to impress anyone but the One to whom I give my life.” If you work in the Kingdom trying to bring souls to God, you need to be sure you’ve given yourself to the God you teach about.
Your garments are the personal agendas you have set for yourself. The Lord often uses trials to realign us with His plan. Everyone who finds real purpose will, sooner or later, go through some adversity that will cause them to let go of the temporal and cleave to the eternal. Job discusses this terrible stripping that seems to be characteristic of the call. He goes through a brief but painful period that yanks away everything that appeared to be important in his life. (see Job 19:14-20). His only shade beneath the blistering sun of adverse circumstances is the fact that he can only be stripped down to what he started with before. He can be stripped of the temporal but not of the eternal.
It is possible to lose your money, your health, your friends, and your social status. But these are mere imitations of life. It is your character, your class, and your Christianity that will survive.
T.D. Jakes
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” ...John 16:33
We have freedom to pursue our faith today because of choices people made yesterday. We have the freedom to attend church, to read the Bible, and to share our beliefs. While enjoying these privileges, some people today face rejection and death threats from their own families for following Jesus Christ. Others are persecuted, Imprisoned or killed for their faith.
Knowing all this, we should pick up our Bibles with renewed reverence. Sing with a grateful heart and pray for fellow believers in other countries who are suffering for their faith.
Ruth L. Snyder
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.” ....Matthew 7:7
