Great devotional by Gary Wilkerson

POWER BELONGS
by Gary Wilkerson


“Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power” (Luke
9:1).

Jesus gave his disciples power not because they were ambitious but because they
were his. Belonging to Christ is a non-negotiable to receiving his power. Power
is birthed out of belonging. Belonging brings real power.

So many Christians lead powerless lives—having habitual sin practices, a poor
testimony, a weak spiritual life; lacking a fervent, radical prayer life and any
answers to their prayers.

Do you feel powerless? This one short verse is loaded with words of power:

“Called”—meaning, in essence, not our own agenda, direction, self-will or
resource of power.

“Disciples”—those who abandon all to follow the life, teaching and
direction of the teacher.

“Together”—that power is not to be contained in singular vessels but
expressed in community, in work toward kingdom purposes.

“Gave”—showing we can do nothing unless Jesus gives us power to do it.

“Power”—it is not what we desire, work for or strive after, but comes
only and exclusively through His giving it. We never outgrow this part of our
history as Christians. Every follower of Jesus is commanded to wait until we
are endued with (given) power from on high.

Are you lacking power? There is no other way to obtain it than to have it given
to you by the One you belong to. Jesus has power to give to those who are
totally and fully His.

Don’t strive for power. Desire to belong—fully, passionately, humbly,
ambitiously, to the One your heart yearns for. Then power will come to you
beyond what you can imagination.

THE SPIRIT OF GRACE

by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

The Bible says the Holy Ghost will be poured out as “. . . the Spirit of
grace and supplication” (Zechariah 12:10).

The book of Titus tells us that grace is given to us as power over sin, to
enable us to live sober, holy lives: “For the grace of God that brings
salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present
age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13).

There has been a marvelous measure of this grace in God’s people since
Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has sent conviction of sin on all nations, teaching
believers of every race and tongue how to forsake ungodliness and worldly
lusts. The result has been a people who live soberly and righteously in this
present world and who long for the coming of Jesus.

I believe Zechariah 12:10 prophecies that in the very last hour, the Holy
Spirit will fall mightily on God’s people with a spirit of grace that turns
them completely from all worldliness. It will produce in them a cry for purity
of heart!

A dear brother in the Lord, the head of a ministry, called to tell me that
leaders in his ministry had been gathering to seek the Lord. The Holy Spirit
began exposing sin in their midst and several of the ministry team had to be
dismissed. The brother told me, “Now that the Holy Spirit has come down,
there is a pressure to do right.”

His phrase struck me and I couldn’t shake it off: a pressure to do right.
When the Holy Spirit comes down and exposes sin, those who have been lukewarm
or in compromise become convicted. Ministers will wake up to true “grace
preaching,” the kind that convicts people of every hidden thing in their
lives.

Beloved, the pressure to forsake sin and to do right is going to get hot and
heavy in God’s last-day church!

PEACE & JOY! (Great devo by David Wilkerson)

If you want the peace of God to reign in your life, you have to quit several
things:

* You must quit trying to figure out how God will work everything out.

* You must quit worrying and fretting: “Be anxious for nothing...”
(Philippians 4:6).

* You must quit telling God what you think is right for you.

* And most of all, you must quit thinking you are a failure; stop
thinking you do not please God!

One of Satan’s most effective traps for robbing Christians of peace is to
convince them they must strive in the flesh to please God. He springs this on
me all the time!

Sometimes when I need a quiet place to pray, I get in my car and drive to a
secluded spot. I can praise the Lord and enjoy His presence while looking out
over green fields and forests. But sometimes the thought hits me that I am not
doing anything for the Lord!

I pray, “Lord, I’m just not accomplishing much for Your kingdom. All I do
is pray, get messages for sermons, and go to church and preach. The whole world
is going to hell, and I’m not doing anything for You!”

Have such thoughts ever hit you? You do everything you can in order to please
the Lord, yet you do not feel holy. I hardly ever feel holy. That is true even
in my best times—even when I am preaching under the Spirit’s anointing!

You say, “You, Brother Dave? You feel at times as if you’re not doing much
for God?” Yes! The devil comes in and makes us all feel unworthy,
unfulfilled. And we lose our peace by giving in to these awful feelings!

Listen to Paul’s prayer for us: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Trust in His goodness. Believe in His love and mercy. Do not accuse Him of
being angry or upset with you or of not speaking to you. Let His peace rule in
your heart and over your whole life!

Great article on "Time" by John Maxwell

Between the Extremes: Learning to Spend Time Wisely
The phrase “spending time” isn’t a metaphor. Each of us is allotted 24 hours per day, which we have no choice but to expend. We can neither stockpile time, nor buy back hours already spent. In his book, What To Do Between Birth and Death, author Charles Spezzano offers the following observation about time:

You don’t really pay for things with money. You pay for them with time. ‘In five years, I’ll have put enough away to buy that vacation house we want. Then I’ll slow down.’ That means the house will cost you five years — 1/12 of your adult life. Translate the dollar value of the house, car or anything else into time, and then see if it’s still worth it. Sometimes you can’t do what you want and have what you want at once because each requires a different expenditure of time.

We construct our lives on the basis of how we invest time. Thus, the question, “Am I living wisely?” can be answered by looking at how we consume the minutes in our day. With regards to time, wisdom, as in many other arenas, comes by moderating between extremes.

1) Between Unthinking and Overthinking

Important decisions deserve time spent in research and deliberation. However, as Eva Young said, “To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.” Eventually, we must exercise judgment and take action despite uncertainty and incomplete information. Leaders must avoid the extreme of paralysis-by-analysis.

Yet, leaders must also avoid the opposite extreme of thoughtless action. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, “What are we busy about?” In spending time unreflectively, our lives veer off course, taking us away from our deepest values.

2) Between Idleness and Hyperactivity

In the writings of America’s founders, particularly those of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, exhortations abound to make the most of time. As Jefferson wrote, “Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much can be done if we are always doing.” Such sayings weren’t empty slogans for these men. By stewarding their time effectively, Franklin and Jefferson were able to make an astonishing number of influential contributions to society—as writers, politicians, and inventors.

The motivational mantra, “carpe diem” or “seize the day,” has merit but can be carried to an unhealthy extreme. For example, American workers chose not to use 67 billion dollars worth of vacation time in 2010! Meanwhile, most people know a spouse, colleague, or friend burdened down by job-related stress. The attempt to maximize every single moment of the day can degenerate into a life-sucking obsession. A relentless quest for optimization and efficiency kills spontaneity and serves as a recipe for burnout. To be suitable and sustainable, a person’s drive to succeed must recognize boundaries and be balanced by periods of rest and relaxation.

3) Between Tasks and Relationships

Balancing time spent on tasks and time spent with people can be tricky. In general, we tend to overemphasize tasks at the expense of relationships. Early in life, we chase after career accomplishments only later to realize that life’s greatest treasures are our loved ones.

Yet great leaders, while prizing people, also get things done. Job-related relationships have the purpose of accomplishing something: leaders don’t connect merely for the sake of connection. One rule of thumb for valuing relationships while achieving results is to spend your greatest amount of time with the smallest number of people. Guard against spreading yourself thin with superficial social acquaintances, and instead choose to cultivate trust and influence in the few relationships that matter most to you

Not Ready to Fight!

Suppose a boxing trainer took his fighter to an isolated training camp and then
spent the whole training session psyching up his man for the big fight. He tells
him, “I will be with you at ringside—I will never leave your side. Here is a
list of great boxers of the past, so study their every move. You do not have to
suffer through hard workouts. I told you that you are a winner and my word is
all you need! I will give you some diagrams on how to defeat Monster Man when
you step into the ring with him!”

What kind of trainer is this? Absolutely foolish! What would a good trainer do?
He would find the best boxer he could, put his man in the ring with him, and let
them have it out!

Beloved, how many Christians call themselves warriors without ever being tested
or trained? We hear so much about the many prayer warriors in this nation. But
the sad truth is, the vast majority of them have never been in battle! They
have not been trained and they are not ready to fight!

Recently I asked the Lord why so many true believers are going through such
heavy, hard times. Why such deep suffering? I asked, “Why are so many being
tested to their limits?”

God knows that Satan is going to be loosed on the earth for his last hour of
warfare. And the Lord is going to need well-trained warriors who will prevail
over all the powers of hell. Right now He is doing a quick work in His
remnant—it is called crisis training!

These suffering, deeply tested saints are becoming the captains of His
last-days army. God is putting Holy Spirit fight in them and He is bringing
forth warriors who are tested and tried, because they have wrestled with God.
The more they suffer and the more intense the trial, the greater the work He
has for them to do!

This kind of training calls for physical discipline as well as spiritual. Jacob
threw his whole body into the battle, all his human ability. A fighting spirit
had risen up in him and Scripture says, “In his strength he struggled with
God” (Hosea 12:3).

This verse has great meaning for all who want to prevail in prayer. It says
Jacob won the battle “in his strength.” Dearly beloved, if you are going to
prevail in these last days, you are going to have to put all your body and
strength into it!

EVERY WORD AND PROMISE WAS FULFILLED

by David Wilkerson

[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]



Joseph was in one of his darkest hours—lonely, downcast, about to give up his

dreams, questioning his place in God. Suddenly, the call came from one of the

king's guards: "Joseph! Get cleaned up—Pharaoh is calling for you!"



In that moment, I believe the Spirit of God came mightily upon Joseph and his

heart leapt with excitement. He was about to understand what it was all about!



As Joseph shaved and trimmed his hair, he probably thought, "This is the

beginning of what God promised me. Now I know I heard from him! The devil has

not been in control and my life hasn't been wasted. God has been directing

everything the entire time!"



In a matter of minutes, Joseph was standing before Pharaoh, listening to his

dream. Joseph gave the interpretation of the coming famine and told Pharaoh he

had to gather and store the nation's grain: "Someone must be in charge of the

storehouses. You have to find a man who's full of wisdom to oversee it all"

(see Genesis 4l).



Pharaoh looked around and then turned toward Joseph: "You! Joseph! I appoint

you second ruler. Only I will have more power in the kingdom than you. You will

oversee it all!"



How quickly things had changed! The day came when Joseph stood before his

brothers and was able to say: "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but

God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much

people alive" (Genesis 50:20).



"God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save

your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither,

but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house,

and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt" (45:7-8).



Dear saint, very soon you're going to understand your present fiery trials. God

is going to bring you into the promise he gave you and suddenly it's all going

to make sense. You'll see that he has never forsaken you. He had to take you

this way, for he has been training you, preparing you, teaching you to trust

him for everything. He has planned a time for you to be used—and that time is

just ahead!

Wonderful devo by David Wilkerson

JESUS HAD A PLAN
by David Wilkerson

“When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him,
he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this
he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do” (John 6:5-6).
Jesus took Philip aside, and said, “Philip, there are thousands of people
here. They are all hungry. Where are we going to buy enough bread to feed them?
What do you think we should do?”

How incredibly loving of Christ. Jesus knew all along what he was going to do;
the verse above tells us so. Yet the Lord was trying to teach Philip something,
and the lesson he was imparting to him applies to each of us today. Think about
it: How many in Christ’s body sit up half the night trying to figure out
their problems? We think, “Maybe this will work. No, no…. Maybe that will
solve it. No….”

Philip and the apostles didn’t have just a bread problem. They had a bakery
problem…and a money problem…and a distribution problem…and a
transportation problem…and a time problem. Add it all up, and they had
problems they couldn’t even imagine. Their situation was absolutely
impossible.

Jesus knew all along exactly what he going to do. He had a plan. And the same
is true of your troubles and difficulties today. There is a problem, but Jesus
knows your whole situation. And he comes to you, asking, “What are we going
to do about this?”

The correct answer from Philip would have been, “Jesus, you are God. Nothing
is impossible with you. So, I’m giving this problem over to you. It’s no
longer mine, but yours.”

That’s just what we need to say to our Lord today, in the midst of our
crisis: “Lord, you are the miracle worker and I’m going to surrender all my
doubts and fears to you. I entrust this entire situation, my whole life, into
your care. I know you won’t allow me to faint. In fact, you already know what
you’re going to do about my problem. I trust in your power.”

Great devotional on FAITH

MAY THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEART
by David Wilkerson

The Spirit has been making it so clear to me that all my praying is totally in
vain unless I pray in faith. I could weep, fast, intercede, agonize and travail
in prayer, yet make no impact with the Lord at all – unless I was doing it all
with simple, childlike faith.

God will not act on our behalf without faith. The Word says, “Let not that
man [the doubter] think he shall receive anything from God” (James 1:7).

The Lord commands us to trust him. Yet often we have so little confidence in
him, so little faith in his willingness and desire to answer our heart-cry.
When we get to heaven, we will be amazed to discover all the blessings, peace
and power we had at our disposal but did not appropriate because of our weak
faith.

I AM GREATLY MOVED UPON BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO INCREASE YOUR
FAITH. Ask the Lord to forgive your unbelief and to flood your soul with
confidence in his willingness to over-answer your sincere prayers.

Do you want an increase faith? When you go to prayer again, use the following
Scriptures to reason with the Lord. He will not deny his own Word. Lay hold
upon these:

• Psalm 62:8
• Psalm 91:4
• Psalm 56:3
• Proverbs 30:5
• Jeremiah 29:10-14

Hold on by faith! He will answer you, and soon.

GIVE ME ALL YOUR TOMORROWS

GIVE ME ALL YOUR TOMORROWS
by David Wilkerson

The Lord appeared to Abraham one day and gave him an incredible command: “Get
thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house,
unto a land that I will show thee” (Genesis 12:1).

What an amazing thing. Suddenly, God picked out a man and told him, “I want
you to get up and go, leaving everything behind: your home, your relatives,
even your country. I want to send you someplace, and I will direct you how to
get there along the way.”

How did Abraham respond to this incredible word from the Lord? “By faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after
receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went” (Hebrews 11:8).

What was God up to? Why would he search the nations for one man, and then call
him to forsake everything and go on a journey with no map, no preconceived
direction, no known destination? Think about what God was asking of Abraham. He
never showed him how he would feed or support his family. He didn’t tell him
how far to go or when he would arrive. He only told him two things in the
beginning: “Go,” and, “I will show you the way.”

In essence, God told Abraham, “From this day on, I want you to give me all
your tomorrows. You’re to live the rest of your life putting your future into
my hands, one day at a time. I’m asking you to commit your life to a promise
that I am making to you, Abraham. If you will commit to do this, I will bless
you, guide you and lead you to a place you never imagined.”

The place God wanted to lead Abraham is a place he wants to take every member
of Christ’s body. Abraham is what Bible scholars call a “pattern man,”
someone who serves as an example of how to walk before the Lord. Abraham’s
example shows us what is required of all who would seek to please God.

Make no mistake, Abraham was not a young man when God called him to make this
commitment. He probably had plans in place to secure his family’s future, so
he had to be concerned over many considerations as he weighed God’s call. Yet
Abraham “believed in the Lord; and [God] counted it to him for
righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

The apostle Paul tells us that all who believe and trust in Christ are the
children of Abraham. And, like Abraham, we are counted as righteous because we
heed the same call to entrust all our tomorrows into the Lord’s hands.
by David Wilkerson

The Lord appeared to Abraham one day and gave him an incredible command: “Get
thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house,
unto a land that I will show thee” (Genesis 12:1).

What an amazing thing. Suddenly, God picked out a man and told him, “I want
you to get up and go, leaving everything behind: your home, your relatives,
even your country. I want to send you someplace, and I will direct you how to
get there along the way.”

How did Abraham respond to this incredible word from the Lord? “By faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after
receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went” (Hebrews 11:8).

What was God up to? Why would he search the nations for one man, and then call
him to forsake everything and go on a journey with no map, no preconceived
direction, no known destination? Think about what God was asking of Abraham. He
never showed him how he would feed or support his family. He didn’t tell him
how far to go or when he would arrive. He only told him two things in the
beginning: “Go,” and, “I will show you the way.”

In essence, God told Abraham, “From this day on, I want you to give me all
your tomorrows. You’re to live the rest of your life putting your future into
my hands, one day at a time. I’m asking you to commit your life to a promise
that I am making to you, Abraham. If you will commit to do this, I will bless
you, guide you and lead you to a place you never imagined.”

The place God wanted to lead Abraham is a place he wants to take every member
of Christ’s body. Abraham is what Bible scholars call a “pattern man,”
someone who serves as an example of how to walk before the Lord. Abraham’s
example shows us what is required of all who would seek to please God.

Make no mistake, Abraham was not a young man when God called him to make this
commitment. He probably had plans in place to secure his family’s future, so
he had to be concerned over many considerations as he weighed God’s call. Yet
Abraham “believed in the Lord; and [God] counted it to him for
righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

The apostle Paul tells us that all who believe and trust in Christ are the
children of Abraham. And, like Abraham, we are counted as righteous because we
heed the same call to entrust all our tomorrows into the Lord’s hands.

Hope in the Coming Storm

David gives us a clear picture of Jesus’ attitude in the face of the coming
storm. He speaks prophetically of Christ, saying, “I foresaw the Lord always
before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved” (Acts
2:25). The literal meaning here is, “I was always in his presence, beholding
his face.” David quoted Jesus as saying, “Therefore did my heart rejoice,
and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope” (2:26).

Here is the secret: Jesus kept the Father always before his face! Jesus
continually sought out secret places to be shut in with his Father. And it was
only after being in God’s presence that Christ came forth to minister, fully
persuaded that his Father was always with him. “He’s at my right hand—and
nothing on this earth can move me.” The Greek word for move here means
“agitated or shaken, disturbed.” Jesus was saying, “None of these
problems, evils or coming events can cast me down or shake my confidence. My
Father is in complete control.”

Beloved, if we’re going to face the coming storm, then we need to be prepared
so nothing disturbs our spirit. And the only way to do that is to spend time in
the Father’s presence beholding his face. We have to be shut in with him—on
our knees, practicing his presence, seeking him—until we’re thoroughly
persuaded he’s at our right hand.

God is clearly telling us, “Don’t be moved or agitated by anything you see.
Keep your eyes focused on me and you’ll retain your joy.” And, according to
David, Jesus testified, “Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy
countenance” (Acts 2:28).

It’s as if Christ is telling us, “I faced everything you’re going to face
in the closing days of time. I had the same foreboding feelings, because I saw
the coming storm. But I ran into the presence of my Father, and he lifted all
my concerns. He showed me the outcome to it all. And in his presence I found
all the joy, hope and rest I would ever need—to the very end. I have peace
and joy because I’ve been with him.”

“My flesh shall rest in hope” (2:26).

DISCOURAGEMENT!!!

When we hurt, when we are lonely, afraid, and overwhelmed by circumstances

beyond our control—we quickly turn aside from our true source of peace and

victory and look to human ways and resources. How tragic! We know God is still

on the throne waiting for us to call on him. We know the answer to all our

needs is to be found alone with God, shut in with him. We will even confess to

our spiritual friends, "I know I need to pray! I know God has the answer! I

know I need to cry it all out in his presence!



It is discouragement of the worst kind to give in to fear and despair while

ignoring the majesty and faithfulness of a loving Father. God said to Israel,

"...I have talked with you from heaven…in all places where I record my name I

will come unto thee, and I will bless thee" (Exodus 20:22.24). But Israel

answered, "God hath forgotten to be merciful” (Psalm 10:11). "But Zion said,

The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14).



Are you a discouraged Christian? You are if you ignore the Lord's majestic

promises and doubt that he means what he says! He promised, "Can a woman forget

her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?

Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee

upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me" (Isaiah

49:15-16).



You will be downcast if you go on carrying unnecessary burdens of guilt, fear,

loneliness, anxiety, and turmoil simply because you refuse to rest on the

Lord's great and precious promises.



God is not mocking his children when he promises, "And we know that all things

work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called

according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).



God is not lying when he promises, "The eyes of the Lord are upon the

righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry…. The righteous cry, and the

Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34:15 and

17).



Let’s not become impatient and act according to our feelings. When we get

into trouble and cry out to God for mercy and help, all heaven goes into motion

on our behalf. Should the Lord let us see into the spiritual world to behold the

good things he is preparing for those who call on him and trust him, it would be

an incredible sight for our eyes.

PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS

“They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing
of thy righteousness” (Psalm 145:7).

We cannot deny God’s claim to praise him in all his excellencies, but we are
especially called to praise him for his goodness.

Note that the Psalmist insists on an abundance of praise in memory of the
Father’s goodness—they sang the Hebrew for abundant utterances: to gush out
like water rushing from a fountain.

In Psalm 107:8-9, David writes, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth
the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

This truth of praising God for his past goodness struck a cord in my heart and
I have been moved upon to do as David did. We are called upon to celebrate his
goodness.

David opens up the goodness he speaks of—God is inclined to use mercy, as he
sympathizes with our affliction and miseries. David borrowed from Exodus 34:6,
where God spoke to Moses: “The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The
Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth.”

Beloved, look back over the past and remember how good the Lord has been to
you. Remember his compassions that never failed to bring you through. I am
finding pleasure in praising God for all things, but especially for his
goodness. Not only for past goodness, but for those I see daily—the goodness
I see all around me now in the present.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I
will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psalm 23:6).

Great devo by David Wilkerson

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS TENDER MERCIES

I have a short message for those who are experiencing a painful, overwhelming
situation. I am not speaking to those who now enjoy a time of rest from
suffering, who are not in any kind of pain or sorrow. Thank God for those times
of quiet rest.

Rather, I receive so many letters from precious followers of Jesus who are
living with incredible inner sorrow and crisis situations: divorce, children on
drugs or in jail, the death of a spouse. A woman who is so in love with the Lord
grieves over the death of three of her children, who suffocated in a fire. A
pastor grieves for his wife, who left him and his children for a lesbian lover.
It goes on and on, as so many godly people are burdened with grief and pain.

I have a message for you who suffer sorrow, who grieve or live with pain. In
Psalm 40, David cried, “Innumerable evils have compassed me about… Be
pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me” (Psalm
40:12-13). “Let all those that seek you rejoice and be glad in thee… But I
am poor and needy; the Lord thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my
deliverer; do not tarry, O my Lord” (40:16-17).

I have been so blessed and comforted by this one line in verse 17: “The Lord
thinketh upon me.” Imagine that. The Lord God who created all things, the God
of this universe, is thinking about me.

Even now, at this very hour, his thoughts are about you, in your hour of need.

When Israel was captive in Babylon, mourning over the loss of homes and
families, enduring grief and trouble, God sent word to them through Jeremiah:
“For I know my thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of
peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). God said
to his people, “Your nightmare is going to end. I have only good, loving
thoughts toward you, and if you seek me with all your heart, you will find
me” (see Jeremiah 29:11-13).

God is not mad at you. Saintly people do get afflicted, so do not waver in your
trust in him. In times of stress and feelings of loneliness and regrets, go to
prayer. Pour your heart out to the Lord. He is thinking of you – and he is at
work for you.