He takes responsibility over us

Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat"

[Matthew 14:16, NIV]

Although Jesus sought to be by himself, multitudes followed him about to hear him speak and to receive miracles. This moved Jesus to compassion so that he wouldn't drive them away. The behavior of the multitudes indicated their need for and dependence on him. As long as they were with him, Jesus took full responsibility for their welfare, beyond just teaching and healing. He fed them.

As children of God, all believers become the personal responsibility of a sovereign, all powerful God who cares for each of His children. He invites us to cast all our cares upon him, rather than take matters into our own hands trying to manipulate and control our circumstances. Like the multitude we need to show our dependence on Him by humility.

As members of God's family, all believers have direct access to God as their heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. While God knows our needs before we ask (Matt. 6:32), we are to take our needs and those of others to God's throne of grace in prayer. God is not only concerned with our spiritual wellbeing, He is concerned about our day to day affairs and has made provision to step in and help us.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need ...by casting all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.

Prayer: Most high father, I humble myself before you and admit that i can't handle everything that comes my way. I submit myself to you alone, please represent me in all my affairs. When I am weak, you are strong. When I am poor, you are rich. When I am foolish Lord, you are wise on my behalf. I pray also for my friends and loved ones. We will continue to recount your everlasting faithfulness to us. Take the glory Lord, in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - June 17 2010 - Job 16-20 (OT), 2 Corinthians 6 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Pray for God's children engaged in essential and risky jobs. If you know anyone working in hazardous situations and is at risk, bring this person's safety up to God in prayer.

God's love and mine...

Acceptance From Those Who Know You

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”

[Matthew 13:57b, NLT]

Jesus Christ found it difficult being accepted by the people who knew Him and where He was coming from. Though they should have respected Him the more because he was one of them, they despised Him and did not believe in Him. As a result, He could not do many mighty works in His hometown, Nazareth.

For most people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal saviour, the hardest people to convince of their new birth are the people who knew them and where they are coming from.  These are the people who know their weakness. These are the people who can make them backslide. These are the people that can taunt and persecute them. These are the ones who will be the first to say they are Christians yet they have committed a sin. These are the people who will remind them of their past and keep record of any mistakes they may make. Yet these are the very same people God wants them to reach.

Do you find it difficult reaching out to people who knew you when you were less passionate about God? Do you encounter people who remind you of things you want to put behind? Be comforted in the knowledge that Jesus Christ has been there before and He knows how you feel. Take heart for He has overcome the world for you. It is not by your effort that you will make people see the light in you, but by the Spirit of God who is at work in you.

Prayer: My Loving Father, indeed you know how I feel about reaching out to people who will not accept me because they know my weaknesses or where I may be coming from. Thank You Father for going ahead of me and overcoming the world. I pray for the grace to press on should I encounter people who want to make me feel that I am not truly Your child. I pray that where my words are not sufficient, my life will minister to them. If You are calling me to reach out to these people, I pray for Your guidance and enablement. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Amen.

Do not worry

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

[Matthew 6:25, NIV]

Worry can be described as thoughts and images in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. It is mostly negative in nature as it distracts the mind from focusing on solutions to the problem at hand. Worry could have positive effect if it propels a person to take precautions such as fastening their seatbelt or avoiding risky behavior. More often than not, worry takes away a person's ability to tackle a problem objectively. It magnifies the threat out of proportion and places the person at risk of loss.

Our lives are like jigsaw puzzles. The aspects of our lives constitute the pieces of the puzzle; education, job, marriage, achievements, loss, pain, relationships, minute events or colossal circumstances. The final picture of who we are and what we are purposed to be is in the hands of God our father. By accepting to be His children, we give Him the mandate to put our pieces together. For the promises He's made in His word concerning us, we know the end picture designed for our life is a glorious one. He lovingly and faithfully puts our pieces together to this end.

Our Lord encourages us not to worry about the events of our lives especially as worry cannot add a single extra hour to our life. In every trying situation or moment define the worst thing that can happen and admit to yourself, even that thing will not break you. You will experience fear give way to faith, worry give way to hope, just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego decided that even if God does not rescue them from the fiery furnace, they'll not bow to the king's image, Dan 3:16-18. Let's cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us and will complete in us the perfect picture of His purpose.

Prayer: O Lord, I pour the weight of my thoughts and heaviness unto your shoulders. I exchange with you my cares and concerns for your peace and progress. My redeemer, save me from every worry that had held me back in the past or threatens my future. Use the unpleasant pieces of my life to mould glorious ones. Let my picture give you praise, my father I pray in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - June 15 2010 - Job 6 - 10 (OT), 2 Cor 4 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Pray for students in every class of learning. As many as look up to God for excellence may they find it in abundance. As many as do not know God, may they have an encounter with Him through the course of their study and find Him faithful.