Psalm 103:2 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
I thank God for this opportunity to testify of His unfailing faithfulness and goodness, for His wonderful providential care in the past three years spiritually and physically for which I am pleasantly amazed and filled with gratefulness. The realization of God’s faithfulness in my life has been an exciting daily discovery.
On 4th March 2001, an item of our family prayer book was “Pray for God’s will be done or burden to serve God in full time ministry.” In July 2004, the Lord granted the first step when I entered Far Eastern Bible College as a full-time student upon officially leaving my job of 11 ˝ years. The uncertainty was sometimes very overwhelming yet the promises of God stand forever written to encourage the heart. Firstly, in Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Also, in Proverbs 3:5-6 , “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
On the Deity of Christ, Hebrews 1:1-4 state that Christ is Creator, Sustainer and Saviour. What does this knowledge mean for me? Dear brethren, the word of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has power (Hebrews 1:3b ). Its power created the universe out of nothing. It has the power to sustain the breath in our nostrils as much as it has the power to sustain our livelihood. This was the “deep-water” faith that the Lord wanted Peter in see for it gave him the courage to follow Christ fully. When we commit our lives to Christ, He will keep us. This is His promise and we are asked to experience His faithfulness, taking God at His Word.
In John 6:66-68 , after Jesus had fed the multitude and having taught them, one by one they left. “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” In a time of discouragement, the Lord wants us to learn the persevering spirit of Peter to know that we are following a living and true God who will not forsake us. Truly, outside Christ there is no hope. But abiding in Christ is sanctifying hope though sometimes it may seem very lonely, we are not alone in our Christian walk, for He is with us.
The observation of the Psalmist David holds true for us today in Psalm 37:25-26 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.” Amen.