By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY
THEME: JESUS WILL STAND FOR YOU IN YOUR TRIALS
SCRIPTURE: Luke 21:18
“But not a hair of your head shall be lost.”
REFLECTIONS
Unless we understand and put our trust in God, there will always be a cause for fear, panic, and anxiety. When we are under the care and providence of God, our safety, joy, peace, and prosperity are guaranteed. However, the guarantee for protection, deliverance, and safety does not imply there will not be pain, struggles, deprivation, persecution, and even death. But in the context of God’s ultimate plan, our experiences on earth are to dovetail into our eternal glory. We have the assurance and certainty that Jesus will guard the extremes of the test of our faith.
Jesus mentored and trained His disciples to empower them to take up the mission of preparing people for eternal salvation. He foretold them the challenges and persecutions they would face but also reiterated heaven’s readiness to take care of them in each situation to save them for the glory of God. In the context of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place by AD70, Jesus revealed in Luke 21:12-13 – “[12], But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. [13]But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.” He implied that our faith in Christ could cause our hatred and suffering. But for such, God promises His swift intervention to save, and where He allows the believer to die, they die with the reward of eternal life in sight (Hebrews 11:13-16).
Jesus also mentioned that when Christians face trials and tribulations, it is an occasion to testify to the power of truth and God. Thus, even in troubles, we must give evidence of our faith in God. Our conviction and the manifestation of God’s power will be a witness. In walking with God, understand that He does not think about us only in terms of our short life here on earth. For Him, the relationship is everlasting and establishes its foundations and fundamentals in this world. We go through pain, trial, disappointments, loss, regrets, and sorrow and have thorns in our flesh as part of a process of refinement and a test of faith, which every child of God will have to experience and demonstrate our total commitment to God and our fitness for heaven. It highlights the “No cross, no crown” concept.
Jesus affirmed His support for every believer who stands for the truth and suffers in His name. He continued in Luke 21:14-17, “[14]Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; [15]for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. [16]You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. [17]And you will be hated by all, for My name’s sake. [18]But not a hair of your head shall be lost.” God will stand by you in your current or impending trial. “Not a hair . . . shall be lost” implies that even if anyone dies (see verse 16), that person’s life is preserved for eternity. Beloved, the point is to be faithful to the end for the crown of glory.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
“Farther Along” – Rendered by Brad Paisley
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His watch care; thank God for standing with you in your trials; pray for your trials to be a testimony to His glory;
– Pray for evangelists and preachers of truth who face trials, persecutions, and resistance in carrying out their mission; pray for the gospel to reach the unreached;
– Pray for Christians to remember they are pilgrims and should act as such, and their lives should brighten the world with hope; pray for those who have lost their first love for Christ;
– Pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation; pray for the young unemployed in society, financially distressed families, farmers, and artisans; pray for divine healing for the sick.
