How To Stand Firm In Troubled Times

Facing Live's Storms With Christ

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

Vision Of God (Claudia 13 June 2020)

Notice: Brethren, we are again sharing sad news, my (Brother Glenn) beloved stepmother passed away this morning (20 June 2022) around 10 AM South African time. The Lord willing, we will be sharing a message regarding her possibly after her funeral or when the Lord directs. Please continue to pray for us as a family.

I had a vision of God the Father and the Lord Jesus. While I could not see their faces, I knew it was Jesus and the Father because I addressed them so in the vision. In the vision I approached the Father and asked him if I could go somewhere (a place known only in the vision) and He said yes. I then went to the Lord Jesus asking Him if I should go, He also said you may go, but first read a scripture from the bible to encourage your faith and pray to receive strength and then go. End!

Brief meaning: After prayer, the Lord revealed that for every kind of thing we need there is scriptural guidance for it and if we have faith, we will receive what we ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22).

Many people around the world might be thinking that the Lord seems to be far and not concerned about the things the world is experiencing right now. There are some people who are even blaming God for all things mankind is facing and this includes some Christians. As a ministry, we have been receiving some emails from some angry folk implicating God for their personal failures and why the Lord allowed them to sink deeper into sin and hardship. As a result, they allow bitter roots of anger to separate them from the love God has for them (Romans 8:38-39). As it is, lives pressures lead us to complaining and when we complain we are looking for someone to blame (Numbers 14:2-4) and since there is neither Moses nor Aaron today people will naturally blame the Lord.

However, what we need to remember brethren when the Lord Jesus Christ was (on the earth, He suffered more than us and for our sins (1 Peter 3:18-20) yet He did not blame God out of frustration but accepted His cup of suffering (Matthew 26:39). Being in human form, He felt the pain of rejection, humiliation and violence yet He felt compassionate towards those who abused Him while we are willing to offer retributive revenge and feelings of strong dislike if not hatred in return (1 Peter 2:2; Hebrews 5:8; Luke 9:56). Besides the authors of scripture, today’s best Christian would not offer kindness when being persecuted except to offer complaints.

Suffering Reveals God's Glory

Now surely, we all have to contend with some unpleasant situations that we have to face daily and indeed as Christians we are called to carry our crosses and share in the sufferings of Christ (Romans 8:17; Matthew 16:24). We ought to remember that no amount of complaining has ever worked against God, if fact those who complained were met with wrath (Lamentations 3:39; Numbers 14:11-12). Biblically, most of the New Testament authors and most notably the apostle Paul suffered both emotionally and violently but that could not intimidate and silence their faith (Acts 16:22-34), instead of complaining they found courage in the Lord their God (1 Samuel 30:6). Thus, when difficulty strikes, faith has an answer and courage rise allowing us to be steadfast in our convictions. God is moved by prayer of sincerity offered in deep humility and sorrow (2 Chronicles 33:13) and not prayers offered with complaining that lacks conviction.

In conclusion, in this brief work our aim is to encourage the brethren who together with us are saddled to face the uncertainty of our times. Instead of complaining with the world, we offer hope and prayer knowing the Lord our God hear us when we cry out to Him in prayer (Matthew 7:11). Let us share a short testimony, when our daughter Claudia was just about nine (9) years old we taught her how to pray and during our family devotional times she had her turn of praying for the family and her ‘monotonous’ prayer was somewhat boring but God heard her. We can remember her favourite prayer line was, ‘Lord bless us with dreams and visions’ this was never left out in all her prayers, boring to us but useful to the Lord, He left us ashamed and He answered her simple prayer offered by faith. As a result today the Lord Almighty is speaking to her through dreams and visions for your and our good. Therefore as a family we can attest to that and similarly encourage you to persevere in prayer, faith and godly works to secure our salvation in Jesus name (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Philippians 2:12).

If you would like to accept the Lord Jesus and His abundant and unfailing love for you, here is a suggested Prayer of Sincere Repentance to get you started. For any questions or comments on this article or our ministry, please contact us.

Blessed Grace

Brother Glenn