Wednesday June 22, 2022

I cry out to the Most High God, to the God who brings everything to a good end for me. He will send me his salvation from heaven... God will send his benevolence and his truth. Psalm 57. 3, 4

In my distress I called on the Lord, and he answered me. Jonah 2.3

Jordan's testimony

"It was inconceivable to me that anyone could wish me well. After seven years of detention, where the incessant waves of despair and death overwhelmed me, the Word manifested itself. One evening, in my cell, at the when I was determined to end this life of suffering, I began to write a letter in which I confided all that was in my heart. Then, I deposited the envelope between the pages of a book : the Bible. Instinctively I went towards it. I immersed myself in these Scriptures not really understanding what I was reading, but at each page, at each word, a pleasant feeling came over me. For the first time in my life and while I was in the midst of the chaos, I experienced an unknown serenity, disconcerting, but extraordinarily beneficial.I heard the call of Jesus.

In the following weeks, great changes began in my life. Little by little, disorder gave way to order, and darkness to light. I finally found stability. However, even if I continued to read the Bible daily, doubts settled in me, because I did not understand why Jesus did not appear to me. One evening, I began to pray. I asked God to guide me and help me find meaning and direction to follow. His response was surprising and quick. I understood that he reveals himself and casts a unique gaze on each of us, imbued with a love that goes beyond the limits of human understanding. A love full of life and eternal."

Source (The Good Seed)

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Jesus said to them : The light is still a little while among you. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness does not overtake you. John 12. 35

Jesus, the light of the world

It's summer. The sun rises early and hits the half-open shutters of my bedroom window. There is too much light to continue sleeping. I decide to fully close the shutters to quietly fall back to sleep. But a small slit still lets in a powerful ray of the morning sun, which hits me square in the face.

It reminds me of the light of God in my soul. The Bible, the Book of God, tells me that Jesus, his Son, is the light of the world. He is the true light which, "coming into the world, enlightens everyone" (John 1.9). The light of Jesus Christ comes to reveal all that I hide in the shadows, my unavowable tendencies, the sin that is in me, but it also comes to bring me life : "He who follows me will not walk in darkness , but he will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

How many times have we closed the shutter to this light ? But who will be able to prevent the Lord from reaching his heart through a slit, during his life ? Didn't he come to speak to us many times by a single ray of light, when everything was closed ?

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). The poet once said : "They looked towards (God), and they were enlightened" (Psalm 34. 5).

Let us open to our God the door and the shutters of our heart, and everything will soon be full of light in our life !

Source (The Good Seed)

Monday, June 20, 2022

The Lord... is God in heaven above, and on earth below. Joshua 2. 11

Thus says the Most High, whose abode is eternal and whose name is holy : I dwell in high places and in holiness, but also with the oppressed and the humbled in his spirit, to revive the humbled spirit, in order to revive the oppressed hearts. Isaiah 57. 15

God, where are you ?

The unbeliever replies : "Nowhere, it does not exist". The Bible shows the folly of this response. “The fool says in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Men are inexcusable for not believing in God. He gave many testimonies of his existence : the universe he created (see Romans 1.20), his Word (see Psalm 19.7), the many fulfilled prophecies which show that he knows everything advance.

Above all, Jesus Christ revealed God perfectly when he was on earth (John 1:18). Those who have received Jesus into their hearts have the right to be children of God (John 1:12). They know God as their Father.

However, even for the believer, God sometimes seems distant, and seems not to be interested in the sufferings of men. Job, in a very great trial, felt this deeply : "Oh ! if I knew where to find him, if I could reach his residence" (Job 23. 3). Job had to learn that through difficulties, God wanted to teach him. "God shows himself sublime by his strength ; who could teach like him ?" (Job 36.22).

Like Job, we are in the school of God. The apprenticeship can be long and painful, yet it is with love and grace that he takes care of us. We can sometimes doubt the validity of his action, or like Job, question the usefulness of the test. But let us remember : Job thus learned that "the Lord is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:11).

Source (The Good Seed)

Sunday June 19, 2022

I love you with an eternal love ; this is why I preserve my goodness to you. Jeremiah 31. 3

The love of God has been manifested towards us in that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live through him. 1 John 4. 9

Nobody loves Me !

What child has not one day uttered this cry, out of anger or out of spite! Most of the time, the child thus desperate quickly finds comforting arms. But when an adult manages to despair of the love of others, who will be able to restore his confidence and touch his heart ?

Today, without any hesitation, we tell you : God loves you ! If you think you are alone in the world and uninteresting, think again. It is not by chance that God decided one day to create you ! It is because he wanted you to discover all his marvels, and his project of happiness for you. Isn't it worth accepting his love ?

It's true, God loves you. He loves you because he knows you can't get by on your own, he sees that you're neither happy nor satisfied nor so sure of yourself. He loves you as you are, in a completely disinterested way, as he loves each one of us.

How do we know that God loves us ? It's because he proved it ! He sacrificed his Son, dead crucified, as a culprit, in our place. We can now discover God, talk to him, listen to him and soon be close to him. His love is infinite and eternal.

Yes, God loves you. Tell him, in turn : "Thank you for your love ; I love you back". And prove to him that it's true by submitting your whole life to him !

Source (The Good Seed)

Friday, June 17, 2022

(Jesus said) : Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11.28

I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me. You will have tribulations in the world ; but take courage, I have conquered the world. Matthew 16. 33

Fatigue, the evil of the century

This title is taken from a newspaper article. The English word "burn-out" often appears in medical diagnoses. Could this fatigue be the consequence of our hectic modern life, of all our daily or recurring worries, and of so many difficulties that assail us ?

When Jesus was on earth, he sent his disciples on a mission to preach the good news (Mark 3:14, 15). Even if they did it with joy, they were certainly tired by these activities which require a lot of energy. Jesus, who knew everything, knew that his disciples needed rest, encouragement, and comfort in spending time with him. This is why he said to them : "Come apart into a deserted place, and rest a little" (Mark 6. 31).

For each of us, this hectic world tires us and can even exhaust us nervously and psychically. The Lord Jesus wants us to find rest for our souls, even when we are burdened or depressed, and He wants us to draw near to Him. On the cross, he expiated our sins so that God would grant us his forgiveness. Now, he wants to support his children, to encourage them despite all the difficulties they are experiencing, the depression that gnaws at them, the discouragement that overwhelms them... Let him carry our burdens. “Cast all your worries on him, for he himself takes care of you” (1 Peter 5:7). Let us trust him, he will bring peace to our hearts.

Source (The Good Seed)