A few days back my pre-teen daughter asked me about my worst fears. I told her about my fear of heights. I fear when I stand in a tall place, which has a low guard rail. The next thing she said was surprising. She said most people in the world fear death. Don't you have a fear of death, she asked. I explained to her that we have the assurance of resurrection through Jesus Christ. We live on the earth focusing on the hope we have on Christ. He will raise us up from death and take us to heaven. Death is not the end of our life. It is the end of our physical existence. Jesus will take us to heaven where we can find everlasting rest.
Isn't it true in everyone's life? Dear friend, are you going through the fear of the future today? Are you anxious about what will happen to your future? Jesus wants to take away all the fear from your heart. He wants to fill your life with new hope and direction.
God Providences Vs Human Predictions:
A person who puts his hope in Jesus need not worry about his future. The biggest worry about the end of life is already taken care of. But what about the current life on Earth? We have many fears and anxieties, which are specific to our current situations. Interest rates are constantly rising all over the world. There is inflation which is not coming down for the past two years. The Rentals have increased. Over the last two years, the potential of what money can buy has reduced due to price increases across the world. Recently, the world economic forum declared that an increase in the cost of living is going to push many people into debt. The debt in turn will push many to mental strain.
But these are human predictions. Though we fully respect all human predictions, we chose to rely on God's providence. Moses led 600,000 men and their families through the desert. They were slaves till a few days back. Then God miraculously freed them from the clutches of slavery. Now they need food. They need water. Not in small quantities but enough to feed 600,000 families. They are traveling through a desert. The possibility of getting food and water is low according to human predictions. The predictions are absolutely right. The future is dark and impossible for these 600,000 families. But God knew how to turn impossible situations into possible ones. The Bible says, "Then the Lord said to Moses, I will rain down bread from heaven for you." God himself fed them. We don't have fear about the future when we put our trust in Jesus. He will provide for our needs and take away the fear of the future.
How to receive God's providence?
Jesus has the deepest care for our future. He wants to wipe away anxieties. But God is not an ATM machine, where we put our card and key in the pin to receive money. He is a person in spirit. He has a personality. He cares, he loves, and he does get hurt when we disobey. He weeps and cries when humanity does not understand his love. When the people of Jerusalem rejected Jesus, the Bible says, "He wept over it". Please do not approach Jesus with the mindset to grab blessings from Him and run away. He is very kind. He loves us unconditionally.
Here are some of the steps to follow as we approach the God who created heaven and earth.
1. Reconcile with Jesus
If you have no relationship with Jesus, please reach out to Him. He knows more about you than anyone else in this world. Even beyond your dear parents. He knows your heart and He values you more precious than everything in this world. You are the precious possession for which Jesus died on the cross. Are you ready to go to His presence and pray today? It does not matter what happened in the past. It does not matter how dark the past is. Jesus wants to forgive you and accept you as you are today. He knows how to mold you and make your life pure and holy. He is the God who created heaven and the earth. He can create a new man in you. We are going to pray together in a few minutes. Please prepare your hearts to let go of all the past. The Bible says, "He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever. he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
2. Ask and receive:
Unless we ask we do not receive from God. Jesus knows everything. He knows all about our sufferings. But the fallen world is not the perfect world. It has famine, diseases, and sorrows. It is not owned by God. Hence we ought to ask and lift up our voices toward heaven. Unless we ask we do not receive. Jesus said, "For everyone who asks (and keeps on asking) receives. He who seeks (and keeps on seeking) finds. To him who knocks (and keeps on knocking) the door will be opened." You don't have to be shy. It's between you and Jesus. There is no one else. You can write down your needs and ask. He does not ask for money. He does not ask us to visit a holy place to receive his blessings. Wherever you are now, right there and right at his moment, Jesus wants to talk to you. He wants to answer your prayers. Everything is free. It is free because Jesus already paid for everything on the cross. He carried the cross so that we do not have to carry the burden of life. He died so that we do not have to die in sin. Jesus wants to help. Your help is just a prayer away. Please hold on to Him. Today is the day.
3. Do not doubt:
Please do not doubt, when you ask. There are many who want to receive from God. But they do believe that God can provide what they ask. Jesus asked us to publish testimonies for those who have doubts. Does God really exist? Will he save me? Oh, my problems are much bigger. Will I really find the solution? We do not have answers to these questions. But God has. He does answer prayers. We have evidence for it. That's why we created the testimonies section. You can read all the testimonies in the link here => Testimonies. It was written by people like you and me. They wrote it to glorify what God has done in their life. Please do not doubt when you pray.
Jesus said, "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Jesus will provide for your needs. He will hold your hands and lead you. He will wipe away all your tears.
4. Wait on His presence:
Please wait on the presence of Jesus and continue to hold on to Him. Please love Him with all your heart and follow Him. Do not treat the God of heavens in disrespect. Please wait for his answers. Sometimes the waiting period is the most difficult time in our life. It is difficult when we do not get quick answers from Jesus. He knew when to give, how to give, and How much to give. The Bible says, "But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." We all have to learn to wait. We may be willing to wait to meet a high official or a prime minister of our country. Most of us tend to get impatient with God. He is more than all the high officials of this world. Let's learn to wait and receive from His hands.
5. Give thanks to God
When you receive what you intend to receive, please do not keep quiet. Let others know about this great provider. Let them know about the providence you have received in your life. So that they can also go to Jesus. So that they knew there is a God who cares for them. Let your joy overflow. The psalmist said, "Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits". Let your heart never forget all the good things Jesus has done for you. Praise him from the bottom of your heart. He is a good shepherd. He cares for all of us.
Jesus will release you from all the fear about the future. He wants to hold you in His powerful arms. The Bible says, "If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.". Jesus will take away all the fear. Put your trust in Him.
Let's go to the presence of Jesus and pray to Him. He is our loving father. He is a God who listens to our prayers carefully and answers every one of them.
Please place your hand on your heart and call upon the name of Jesus. Pray the below prayer in your own words from the bottom of your heart.
Dear Jesus, I come to your presence with a humble heart. Please forgive all my past mistakes. Wash me with your precious blood. Cleanse my heart. You are so good to me. But I did not follow you with all my heart. There are times I walked far away from your presence. I indulged in mistakes willingly. Please come and touch my life. Give me a new heart. A heart that will always follow you and hold on to you. Jesus, come into my life. I want to be with you. I need you. Fill my life with your glorious presence. You know all my needs. You know my past, present, and my future. No one understands my heart as you do. Let your presence fill my heart with heavenly peace. Please take away all the fear about the future. Let me trust you and follow you. You are my God. I will wait in your presence. Jesus, I believe in you. I put all my trust in you. You are my hope and my future. I surrender my life into your hands. Please lead me. Release me from all my problems. I want to follow you with all my heart. I believe that you will answer all my prayers. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Dear friend, thanks so much for joining us today. Jesus loves you. He will answer the prayers and wipe away all the tears. Do not worry. May Jesus bless you and make you a blessing for many. Keep in touch.
