The bitter becomes sweet

'The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those who are crushed in spirit' (Psalm 34).

Whatever your problem, pray your way through! Whoever you are, Jesus will always hear your cry! Jesus gave His life to break the curse and bring healing. Call upon Him in your day of trouble - and He will deliver you!

You may be in a difficult situation right now, but God will answer. In Exodus 15, the Israelites had travelled three days without water, finally they came upon some, but it was bitter. Moses cried out to the Lord for help - and He answered! God showed Moses a branch which he took and threw into the water - this made the water sweet to drink.

My time in a communist prison was a 'bitter' experience. I tried to pray, so many times, but there was no answer. I prayed for food, and there was none; for help, and there there was none; when I prayed for deliverance, no one came. But yet God turned that 'bitter' time in to a sweet answer to prayer. He will do the same for you - the bitter will become sweet.

Who is this Jesus?

In Matthew 8:23-27 'Jesus entered into a ship… and behold there arose a great storm in the sea, so much that the ship was covered with the waves, but Jesus was asleep. His disciples woke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us, we've going to die!' And He said 'Why are you so afraid, O you of little faith?' Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. The men marvelled and said, 'What kind of Man is this?''

That is the challenge, who is this Jesus of the Bible? Don't despise the Bible. This Book changes men, destroys demons, breaks the curse of evil, gives life to the dead and healing to the sick. It's the power of God! It's the Word of the living God!

In this story, Jesus was asleep. A storm arose, so the disciples woke Him saying, 'We're all going to die! It's the end of the world…' But Jesus just got up, bound the storm, the winds stopped, the boat was safe, nobody died - and when those strong fishermen saw the demonstration of the power that the Man had over the elements, they said, 'What kind of Man do we have in the boat?' Wherever I go, Jesus is in the boat. I'd rather be in a 'storm' with Jesus than live at peace without Him. I want you to know this real Jesus in your life. Most of us, even as believers, experience some powerful storms in our lives. That is why we need the reality of the Man who can conquer them!

In the midst of the storm Jesus asked the disciples 'Why are you afraid?' I believe that is the challenge to every one of us today. Why are you afraid? What are you afraid of? The same Jesus who calmed the winds and the waves 2000 years ago is the same Jesus who can calm the torment in your life. Why be afraid, God is in control.

Listen to today's podcast: 'God is in control' 
http://davidhathaway.podbean.com/e/god-is-in-control-featuring-vinesong/

Blessed and Broken

Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! (Mathew 10:27)

There are times when God puts us through an experience of darkness to teach us to hear and obey His voice. When we are in the dark our senses are heightened, we hear sounds and detect movements that otherwise would be non-existent in the light. In the dark our deepest fears prey on our minds, we become vulnerable to the slightest movement, our imaginations run wild. Yet the darkness is a deliberate act of God, it is His divine will, for it is only in the dark that He teaches us the greatest lessons. Contained within darkness are treasures and secret riches (Is 45:3), but they can only be learnt in silence and stillness. There is hope in realising that before Jesus broke the bread He blessed it, for it is only in the breaking that multiplication took place. The bread was not blessed after it was broken and torn, but the blessing was in the tearing (Matthew 14:19).

When you are in darkness wait until God brings the light; never try and help Him bring better times, for they will surely come at the appointed time. Even in Genesis 1:1 after God had created the heavens and the earth, darkness covered the deep; but yet in this void and desolation the Spirit was hovering, waiting for the next instruction.

Oswald Chambers said of dark times: 'Pay attention when God puts you into darkness, and keep your mouth closed while you are there. Are you in the dark right now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? If so, then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will speak while in the wrong mood - darkness is the time to listen. Don't talk to other people about it; don't read books to find out the reason for the darkness; just listen and obey. If you talk to other people, you cannot hear what God is saying. This is a time of discipline and instruction not displeasure.'