Endure .. Do good .. Follow the Shepherd .. Be Safe

In the book of 1 Peter 2, the Apostle talks about doing good, even it means suffering, just as Christ suffered. Yes, when you follow Christ don’t think everything is going to be fine and good. Christ suffered in this world and we who are followers are sheep and He is the shepherd. Sheep will follow its shepherd.

Some characteristics Jesus showed in the midst of suffering.

·        He never sinned

·        Never deceiver anyone

·        Did not retaliate when he was insulted

·        Did not threaten revenge when he suffered

Only thing he did in the midst of suffering was he left everything to God. The God who sees everything lifted him above all and the same place where he was insulted and suffered, he is going to come back to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We are called to follow our shepherd (John 10). When hard times hit your life, don’t get emotional and react instantly, but pull yourself together, show patience, always think about Christ who suffered the same. Follow him and do the same, God will restore your lost and help you to overcome all situations.

In early church, Apostles and believers had to suffer because of following Jesus. But they met together and praised God with great joy and generosity (Acts 2). What happened as a result was, each day Lord added to their fellowship. People were getting saved each day. Same is being going through many parts of the world. Followers of Jesus are persecuted and humiliated. But in the midst of all, they are praising God and worshiping him and people are being saved and are added.

At this time, when the world is going through tough time, economy going down, people losing jobs, relationships breaking down, it’s time to remember that you are sheep and you need to follow your shepherd to be safe.

Now days, all prayer requests that come are from believers who lost their jobs. According to 1 Peter 2, endure and do good, follow your shepherd in faith. You are going to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, if you don’t know this shepherd and sheep reference, just understand sheep follow their shepherd to be safe. Jesus Christ is the shepherd and everyone sheep. All sheep that follow Christ is going to be safe. If you don’t know this Jesus, and want to know him, just repent all your sins to him while reading this, ask him to forgive you, and accept him as your saviour who took the punishment for all your sins. Download a Bible, start reading from New Testament and know about Jesus. Pray all your needs and ask everything in Jesus name. Follow him, hang in there, Do good and Be safe.

Be a Fool

            As the world celebrates Fools day on April 1, people are enjoying sending and receiving funny and fake messages having the tag – April fool.

                In life we see some people are so foolish that sometimes we feel even the Almighty cannot change them. There are people who get cheated in money related things and some getting abused and cheated in relationships. The common denominator problem of these people is simple – choosing friends.

                There is a famous hymn – “What a friend we have in Jesus”. People sing this song and cry that they don’t have any friend. So they try to impress the worldly friends by doing whatever they tell, and the result – they get cheated, or they are fooled.

                In the Bible we see some people who had friendship with God. Moses was a friend of God (Exodus 33: 11). When you have God as your friend, you won’t bother to impress the worldly people to gain their attention.

                The difference between a friend to God and a friend to world is, you give everything to impress or gain a worldly friend and get fooled, but you follow God like a fool and you gain everything. When you follow Christ, even if you are labelled a fool, God chooses you and bless you accordingly. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” – 1 Corinthians 1: 27.

In this April fool’s day, I urge you to be a fool for Christ and it will become the wisest decision you have ever taken. May God bless you.

“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak but ye are strong” – 1 Corinthians 4: 10.