Barnabas Bulletin ~ 0100 GOD CAN TURN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCESAROUND!
In the Book of Esther (4:14) Mordecai puts the question to Queen Esther to take the initiative and go in to present herself before the king. It was a time of real discouragement for the Jews, as they had just found out a great plotting was against them to annihilate ("completely destroy") them. It seemed that wickedness was prevailing. Mordecai challenged Esther with these words: "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (NKJV). The big issue we Christians have to settle is the one of knowing who we are: Knowing that WE HAVE come to the Kingdom of God for such a time as this! A huge source of encouragement is in knowing who we are and that we have been raised up of God for such a time as this! YOU were born for the NOW! Don't be silent about this. Discouragement always increases when we doubt who we are as "Kingdom Kids." A negative, life-threatening situation was turned into a positive victory because Esther believed she held the answer in her own hand and actions. Her actions not only turned a negative, discouraging set of circumstances around for her and her family personally, but it impacted the whole nation! Her actions brought life instead of death! "Death and life are in the power of the tongue . . ." (Proverbs 18:21).
Oh, the power of encouragement when one knows who they are in God and knows they are in His Kingdom right now by His divine favour and purpose! So speak that out positively ~ again and again. Right now, regardless of your circumstances, rise up in the knowledge of who you are! Reach out to others ~ encourage them! See yourself as being in the right place at the right time with the right message (of encouragement) for the right person (or people). GOD HAS INVESTED IN YOU AND HE THINKS YOU'RE WONDERFUL!! In fact YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS TO HIM HE GAVE HIS VERY BEST in order for you to have relationship with Him throughout time and all eternity! Encourage others and encourage yourself. Remember David (1 Samuel 30:6)? When no one else encouraged him, HE ENCOURAGED HIMSELF! And that's another message in itself. ~ Rodney W. Francis. Bible Readings: Psalm 27. Please Pray This Prayer: "Dear Lord, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I thank You that You love me and are totally committed to my good. I lift my negative circumstances to You now and ask You to turn them around to Your glory. I want Your will to be done in my life, and so I submit myself afresh to You. Touch me at my point of need. Lift me up so I can lift others up. Teach me Your ways that I may walk in them, in truth and victory. For I ask this in Jesus' name, the name I love. Thank You for Your encouragement to me today. Amen."
The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry, New Zealand. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |