Finding Peace and Deliverance in the Midst of Tribulations
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Remember that you are sent out as sheep among wolves (Luke 10:3). The closer you are to the shepherd, the safer you are from the wolves. The Lord is your shepherd (Ps. 23:1). A good shepherd’s duty is to take care of the sheep (Ps. 23:1-2: Luke 2:8; John 10:2; 21:15). The shepherd loves his sheep so much, that he lays down his life for them (John 1:29; 10:11; 15:13; Heb. 13:20). The shepherd knows his sheep and they know him (John 10:3-4; 10:14-15; Ps. 100:3; 79:13). The shepherd keeps his sheep together, so that they are not scattered. He will search and find any sheep that is gone astray (Ezek. 34:11-16; Luke 15:4-7; John 10:16; Ps. 78:52).
Jesus is the head shepherd over the churches, which contain all his sheep. Jesus gave Peter a command three times to “feed my sheep,” in response to Peter’s admission of love for him (John 21:15-17). Peter obeyed Jesus’ command, and exhorted the elders in the churches of Asia to be a shepherd and feed the flock under their care (1 Pet. 5:2). This command was not only given to Peter, but to all the shepherds in the local churches, who would lead Jesus’ sheep.
I once heard a story of a man who was desperately down to his wit end of troubles. In his desperation, he went into his room and loaded a gun. He was about to kill himself!
As he sat there with the loaded gun, he decided that he had to pray before committing this suicide. He prayed and asked God to intervene to show He’s really there, and if He does, then he would not kill himself.
After praying, the man waited to see what would happen. Lost in his suicidal thoughts, he was startled by the ringing of the telephone. He jumped and quickly looked to see who was disturbing his intended mission. To his surprise, he saw the name “Almighty God” on his caller ID!
Seeing this, he sat there scared and shaking. In a state of shock, he couldn’t even answer the caller on the other end of the line. After a few minutes had elapsed, he finally got the courage to investigate. As he pressed redial on the telephone, he waited nervously to see who would pick up. The phone rang for a while, and just as he was about to hang up, he heard the husky voice of a male on the other end of the line. “How may I help you?” he asked the caller. The caller replied and asked, “Where is this?” The other male replied, “Almighty God Tabernacle.”
Coincidentally, the husky voice turned out to be that of a pastor, who was at his church that evening preparing his sermon for the next day. He had dialed his wife’s number to tell her that he was wrapping up for the evening, and would soon be home. Fortunately, he mistakenly dialed one of the digits, which happened to be the telephone number of the man about to commit suicide. The reason “Almighty God” came up on the suicidal man’s caller ID was because “Tabernacle” was too long to fit on the caller ID.
Well, to end this story, the man explained to the pastor what happened, and the pastor prayed and ministered to him. He was overcome with emotions, by seeing how God had intervened in his life when he was at his lowest point. Right there, the man accepted Jesus Christ as his person Lord and Savior. From that day on, his life has never been the same again. This man was telling his story from the pulpit while preaching a sermon one day. That’s how I came to know this story.
You see, when you are in your darkest moment, God is there with you. Jesus is the light that will guide you through the roughest time in your life (Psalms 119:105). It doesn’t matter how bad the situation appears, God is still in control. While there is life; there are hopes. Suicide is not an option, if you allow God to guide you. He can take whatever the situation is and turn it around for your good (Romans 8:28).
I have heard so many stories of people who were about to kill themselves for whatever reasons, but were prevented, and their lives have changed for the better.
I have a song that I love so much, and I sing this song when I am at my lowest. It might not be the song that you sing, but I will share the first few lines, along with the video with you:
Like a ship sailing out on a trip so rough and long
So far from shore, so far from home.
I SET OUT IN SEARCH OF A REASON TO GO ON
And I found it in the eye of the storm
No matter what storm clouds may rock this ship of mine
The light of my Savior will lead me safely through the night
Though my ship may be rocky and my sails may be torn
I shall rest in the eye of the storm.
I once heard a story of a man who was desperately down to his wit end of troubles. In his desperation, he went into his room and loaded a gun. He was about to kill himself!
As he sat there with the loaded gun, he decided that he had to pray before committing this suicide. He prayed and asked God to intervene to show He’s really there, and if He does, then he would not kill himself.
After praying, the man waited to see what would happen. Lost in his suicidal thoughts, he was startled by the ringing of the telephone. He jumped and quickly looked to see who was disturbing his intended mission. To his surprise, he saw the name “Almighty God” on his caller ID!
Seeing this, he sat there scared and shaking. In a state of shock, he couldn’t even answer the caller on the other end of the line. After a few minutes had elapsed, he finally got the courage to investigate. As he pressed redial on the telephone, he waited nervously to see who would pick up. The phone rang for a while, and just as he was about to hang up, he heard the husky voice of a male on the other end of the line. “How may I help you?” he asked the caller. The caller replied and asked, “Where is this?” The other male replied, “Almighty God Tabernacle.”
The husky voice turned out to be that of a pastor, who was at his church that evening preparing his sermon for the next day. He had dialed his wife’s number to tell her that he was wrapping up for the evening, and would soon be home. Fortunately, he mistakenly dialed one of the digits, which happened to be the telephone number of the man about to commit suicide. The reason “Almighty God” came up on the suicidal man’s caller ID was because “Tabernacle” was too long to fit on the caller ID.
Well, to end this story, the man explained to the pastor what happened, and the pastor prayed and ministered to him. He was overcome with emotions, by seeing how God had intervened in his life when he was at his lowest point. Right there, the man accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. From that day on, his life has never been the same again. This man was telling his story from the pulpit while preaching a sermon one day. That’s how I came to know this story.
You see, when you are in your darkest moment, God is there with you. Jesus is the light that will guide you through the roughest time in your life (Psalms 119:105). It doesn’t matter how bad the situation appears, God is still in control. While there is life; there are hopes. Suicide is not an option, if you allow God to guide you. He can take whatever the situation is and turn it around for your good (Romans 8:28).
I have heard so many stories of people who were about to kill themselves for whatever reasons, but were prevented, and their lives have changed for the better.
I have a song that I love so much, and I sing this song when I am at my lowest. It might not be the song that you sing, but I will share the first few lines, along with the video with you:
Like a ship sailing out on a trip so rough and long
So far from shore, so far from home.
I SET OUT IN SEARCH OF A REASON TO GO ON
And I found it in the eye of the storm
No matter what storm clouds may rock this ship of mine
The light of my Savior will lead me safely through the night
Though my ship may be rocky and my sails may be torn
I shall rest in the eye of the storm.
Have you ever found yourself so busy working for God that you neglect to spend time with God?
It can be easy to be deceived into thinking that doing religious works is just as good as spending personal time with God. However, you will not grow spiritually if you don’t spend time with God.
Good works will not get you into Heaven; you must have a personal relationship with Jesus. In Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus said, concerning Judgment Day, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” Those people thought that because they did good things in the name of Jesus they could get into Heaven. Instead, Jesus surprised them by saying, “I never knew you.”
Therefore, don’t get so caught up in your good works that you forget to know God. Make it your goal to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).
If all of your good works have made you so busy that you don’t spend any time with God, then those good works have become bad works, because they are replacing your time with God.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).”
Are you being attacked by demons and going through demonic warfare? You have to be aware of the different demons that the devil puts out there to attack you. Be watchful in the spirit. A lot of trials and tribulations that people face today can be an attack from the enemy. The enemy comes to kill, steal and to destroy (John 10:10).
The enemy sends different evil spirits on different assignments. Some of these demons are demons of warfare to cause mayhem, harm, confusion and strife. There are demons of sickness, who cause ailments and diseases in one’s body. There are demons of death, who will stop at nothing to take your life. In light of this, you have to be extra vigilant of strange spirits that lurk around your home.
Don’t think that demons cannot enter your home, because you are a Christian. Demons go to church too. This is so, because they want to try to create mayhem and paralyze the work of God. However, you need to have a spirit of discernment to detect demons and demonic forces around you. Notwithstanding, many people today are going through demonic possession and oppression, which cause a lot of destruction and setback in their lives.
By and large, God is greater than any evil or demonic forces that operate in the dark world. Jesus has already overcome the world (John 16:33). God has His servants whom He has equipped and empowered to deal with any demonic forces which cause destruction and oppression. Notwithstanding, God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Sicknesses, setbacks, limitations, and oppressions have no place in your life. If you have been possessed and oppressed by demonic forces, there is deliverance for you.
If you’re a pastor, a missionary, or serve in a church, you can’t avoid discouragement, disappointment, or hurt from ministry. The bible even uses the not-so-complimentary metaphor “sheep” to describe those we serve. And sheep get dirty and smelly and often kick and bite.
Sometimes those sheep in the church do the same to their shepherds.
So when you get kicked, forgotten, disrespected, ignored, mistreated, gossiped about, or misunderstood, how do you move forward?
The story recorded in 1 Samuel 30 gives great insight. David had just begun his career to fight the bad guys. Early on he faced a huge defeat. While he and his army were in battle far from home, the bad guys, the Amalekites, attacked the city where his family and the families of his army lived. They burned the city and kidnapped their wives and children. When David’s men discovered this, they considered removing him from his position, not by a vote of a board or a congregation, but with big rocks to the head by stoning.
The Scriptures then record one of the most beautiful verses ever written. The King James Version captures it well:
David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. (1 Sam. 30:6)
It worked because his guys didn’t stone him but marshaled their energy and once again pursued the bad guys under his leadership.
As I’ve faced discouragement in ministry, these simple choices have helped me encourage myself in the Lord.
Acknowledge your pain and emotion to the Lord, but don’t wallow in it.
Journal your thoughts. Writing them down helps me stop the tendency to incessantly mull over the hurtful situation.
Read God’s word, especially those verses that speak of hope and victory.
Do something pro-active. Take action to move forward. In David’s case he took specific action to resolve the problem. He rallied his troops to chase down the Amalekites.
Stop condemning yourself and remind yourself that you are a child of God, loved by Him with great intrinsic value regardless of whether your church is growing or whether people treat you with respect.
Pray for those who have hurt you. I’m amazed how God diffuses looming bitterness in my heart when I pray for the sheep that bite me.
If you get knocked down, sincerely seek the Lord and rise up in His strength to begin anew.
Contributed: The Ministry Advantage: A Weekly Mentoring Newsletter for Church Leaders.
Today marks another Labor Day holiday in the United States. In celebration of this holiday, there are many people who have toiled and labored at their jobs, in the churches, in their communities, as well as for their families and friends.
Speaking of labor, moreover, sometimes you have become weary and overburdened with a lot of cares and troubles that accompany this life. However, whether you are in the United States or another part of the universe, the Master of the universe is able to give you rest.
Jesus encourages you, “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28).
In light of this encouragement, you do not have to carry your burdens alone, if you are tired. Jesus is there for you, if you seek Him to help you lighten your load.
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.Matthew 27:55
The New Testament records the fact that many women were among the larger body of disciples that followed and served Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, we only know the names and stories of a few. They were more loyal to Jesus at the time of his crucifixion than his male disciples.
Despite the patriarchal society of that day, four women—two of them Gentile foreigners—were named in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel chapter one. It is significant that Jesus included women in his teaching putting them on equality with men. The same ethical and moral standards were demanded from both genders and the same way of salvation was offered for both.
Throughout the Bible, women filled significant roles—from leadership like Deborah to unique motherhood like Mary.
Excerpt from Standing Strong Through The Storm by Paul Estabrooks
As I reflect on these words, women have been very significant from biblical times in both ministry and the role of motherhood. Mary, the mother of Jesus had endured such horrific experience carry the Christ-child. Despite her horrendous tribulations, as well as the terrible experience she faced when her son was crucified, she displayed phenomenal strength and courage, that any caring mother would display for her child.
Today, I hail all the mothers in the world, including our ministry moms, and wish each and every one of these phenomenal woman a
I once heard a story of a man who was desperately down to his wit end of troubles. In his desperation, he went into his room and loaded a gun. He was about to kill himself!
As he sat there with the loaded gun, he decided that he had to pray before committing this suicide. He prayed and asked God to intervene to show He’s really there, and if He does, then he would not kill himself.
After praying, the man waited to see what would happen. Lost in his suicidal thoughts, he was startled by the ringing of the telephone. He jumped and quickly looked to see who was disturbing his intended mission. To his surprise, he saw the name “Almighty God” on his caller ID!
Seeing this, he sat there scared and shaking. In a state of shock, he couldn’t even answer the caller on the other end of the line. After a few minutes had elapsed, he finally got the courage to investigate. As he pressed redial on the telephone, he waited nervously to see who would pick up. The phone rang for a while, and just as he was about to hang up, he heard the husky voice of a male on the other end of the line. “How may I help you?” he asked the caller. The caller replied and asked, “Where is this?” The other male replied, “Almighty God Tabernacle.”
Coincidentally, the husky voice turned out to be that of a pastor, who was at his church that evening preparing his sermon for the next day. He had dialed his wife’s number to tell her that he was wrapping up for the evening, and would soon be home. Fortunately, he mistakenly dialed one of the digits, which happened to be the telephone number of the man about to commit suicide. The reason “Almighty God” came up on the suicidal man’s caller ID was because “Tabernacle” was too long to fit on the caller ID.
Well, to end this story, the man explained to the pastor what happened, and the pastor prayed and ministered to him. He was overcome with emotions, by seeing how God had intervened in his life when he was at his lowest point. Right there, the man accepted Jesus Christ as his person Lord and Savior. From that day on, his life has never been the same again. This man was telling his story from the pulpit while preaching a sermon one day. That’s how I came to know this story.
You see, when you are in your darkest moment, God is there with you. Jesus is the light that will guide you through the roughest time in your life (Psalms 119:105). It doesn’t matter how bad the situation appears, God is still in control. While there is life; there are hopes. Suicide is not an option, if you allow God to guide you. He can take whatever the situation is and turn it around for your good (Romans 8:28).
I have heard so many stories of people who were about to kill themselves for whatever reasons, but were prevented, and their lives have changed for the better.
I have a song that I love so much, and I sing this song when I am at my lowest. It might not be the song that you sing, but I will share the first few lines, along with the video with you:
Like a ship sailing out on a trip so rough and long
So far from shore, so far from home.
I SET OUT IN SEARCH OF A REASON TO GO ON
And I found it in the eye of the storm
No matter what storm clouds may rock this ship of mine
The light of my Savior will lead me safely through the night
Though my ship may be rocky and my sails may be torn
I shall rest in the eye of the storm.
Trust me, I've been there, I've looked, I've searched and I know now, that there are no answers to be found in the bottom of a bottle or on the edge of a blade! Fighting Hard, Recovering, Rebuilding, REBORN. Moving on from addiction to a new life.
Executive Chef Robbie Joseph brings more than 35 years of culinary experience to his Montego Bay, Jamaica based restaurants and bars: THE SEAHORSE GRILL and ROBBIES KITCHEN. Specializing in fresh seafood, steaks, pastas, local Jamaican favourites and world class, gobal cuisine with a twist of west indian flare. Combine this simply great food with the casual elegant ambiance of both restaurants and you have an experience you won't soon forget!!!
Enough Tribulations Peace & Deliverance Ministries 
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