Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11
Testimony
I was there for a faceoff with God...to say to Him that I have tried but You were silent. Now I will die and it will be Your fault God. You ignored my cries....but God showed up and saved my life..... Read More...

Seeds of the Kingdom

An Ever-Present Help

by Malcolm Wood

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

The words of Jesus are always a source of comfort and encouragement but perhaps never more than they are now in these days of worldwide fear, panic and uncertainty. There are so many scriptures that can help comfort, support and strengthen us when we need it. One such example is Psalm 46 which begins with the words, ‘God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble’, and later refers to the nations being in chaos (verse 6), but further on reminds us that, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress’ (verse 7). The Psalm finishes with an encouragement to ‘Be still and know that I am God!’ (verse 10). When all seems to be in turmoil around us this is surely a word we all need to take to heart.

Another example of encouragement found in the Bible is in Isaiah 41, where in verse 10 we read, ‘Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand’, and in verse 13, ‘Don’t be afraid I am here to help you.’

Before Jesus went back to heaven, He described to His followers some of the things that would take place in the world which would signal his return (Matthew 24). Considering the increase in the number of famines, floods, earthquakes, fires, diseases, wars and unrest that are occurring at this time around the world and in the UK, is it any wonder that many Christians believe that we are beginning to witness some of those signs now? However, Jesus warned His followers that, ‘Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33). What hope and assurance those words bring to us right now!

In these troublesome and uncertain days it is so important that we do indeed take refuge in the rock of our salvation (Psalm 18:2), keeping our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) as we wait upon Him (Psalm 27:14). For it is He who is Sovereign, steadfast and sure and is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hallelujah!

As we take heart from the scriptures and the knowledge and experience of the daily presence of Jesus with us, we can agree with the thoughts expressed in a song written by A.B Smith and E. Clarke, the refrain of which contain the words, ‘I know who holds the future, and He’ll guide me with his hand,’ and finishes with ‘So as I face tomorrow, with its problems large and small, I’ll trust the God of miracles, give to Him my all.’

As we face the challenges and uncertainties of the future may we all draw closer to the One who is our ‘ever-present help in times of trouble’.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You promised never to leave us and that You are always with us to help us in times of need. In these challenging times please help us to keep our eyes on You and to draw close to You and find in You the comfort, help and strength to face the uncertainties of the future. Amen.

Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.

 

Sign Up Now

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.

In this book, Bob Gordon teaches what the Bible sa...
Traumatic events leave a scar on broken lives. Unhealed trauma is one of the primary reasons why some people do not easily heal from the consequences of accidents or sudden shocks. This ground-breaking book is the culmination of thirty years of experience...
This is the remarkable story of a very remarkable lady! Faced with crippling rheumatoid arthritis as a child and having to have dozens of operations, Beatriz Benestad did not let her disability obliterate her vision – both for practising medicine and...
In David Cross’s A – Z Guide to the Healing Ministry you will find answers to almost every question you could ever have about the healing and deliverance ministries. This is much more than a reference book for occasional use – Peter Horrobin describes...
This book not only addresses the nature of relatio...
The true story of Harris, a black Labrador with ch...
Ratty, Mole and Badger get caught up in life-chang...
Master Builders is an important resource book writ...
Getting right to the core of the Apostle Paul’s ...
This story traces the series of disastrous decisions Andy made that almost destroyed his life. It also reveals the extraordinary love of God to rescue those who are utterly lost. If your life seems out of control, this book offers you the same hope that...