“Troubled? Rest Often Under Beautiful Lord's Emancipation! (T.R.O.U.B.L.E)” 

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

June 04, 2008

Editors Note: The devotional has a background song  which can be heard if you use Internet Explorer.

Observation:
I asked myself what we learn about Jesus?

1. After leaving the disciples, Jesus went up on a mountainside to pray.

2. When evening came, Jesus was alone on land.

3. Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them.

4. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

Interpretation:
I asked myself what is significant about finding out that Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them?
Jesus had dismissed the crowd of 5000+ and went up on a mountainside to pray. By now, evening had come and the disciples’ boat was in the middle of the lake but Jesus was still on land. However, Jesus saw what the disciples were going through in the middle of the lake. He was attentive to their surroundings even though He was not with them in person. As they were struggling against the wind, Jesus did not leave them alone but did a profound thing. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

I asked myself the significance of mentioning ‘fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them?’
It is so significant that Jesus stayed on land and spent time alone with the Father until 3:00 a.m. That was a lot of time spent on prayer. From the land, Jesus saw his disciples in trouble but Jesus did not immediately rescue them nor did He let them be overtaken by the winds. Instead, in His perfect timing, after He saw what was happening, Jesus goes out to them. Jesus had His perfect timing and followed it. It means so much to me to know that Jesus went out to them.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. Jesus sees what I am going through. Jesus knows when I am in trouble and face trouble. Jesus can intervene right away if He chooses but there are times, He waits. Jesus waits not because He does not love me or he wants me to suffer but because He knows the perfect timing to come and rescue me.

As I look back these past months especially since October 08, 2007, it was a turbulent time for our family when my dad went into cardiac arrest and then went to be with the Lord on December 17, 2007. Through the pain and confusion, the Lord Jesus never abandoned us but always intervened in His timing. Even the Bible verses that I prayed were so uplifting for I waited on the promises of the Lord. Jesus saw what our family was going through and intervened. Jesus still does.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Jesus knows the troubles we are all faced with even now. The greatest trouble each of us face is the state of our heart without Jesus. The heart is wicked and who can know it. Only the Lord knows the wickedness of our heart. It is wicked because of sin.

It is like a bridesmaid wearing a beautiful white gown for her marriage but then it is ruined by black ink blots that make a stain on her dress. Her dress is not purely white anymore even though 99% of the dress looks clean. Yet, those black marks of stain are visible.

That is how God sees the sin in us. We can do 99% of good things but that 1% bad thing we have done has not made us pure anymore. Because of that we are in great trouble because God in His holiness cannot allow sin to enter His presence so when we die with sin, we cannot enter Heaven but be bound to Hell unless God acted.

God in His unfailing, abounding, and great love for us acted. While we were yet sinners, God sent Jesus Christ to die for us seeing the trouble we were in. God sent Jesus at the right time. Jesus went to the cross at the right time fulfilling prophecy. Jesus did that for you and me.

Just as Jesus went to rescue the disciples, Jesus came to rescue us from the bondage to sin. Jesus died on the cross for you and me, was buried, and came back to life on the third day to save us.

We need to accept the help Jesus offers from the trouble we are in. Jesus will not force us to accept Him. No, Jesus has given us Living Water for the thirst mankind has without God but mankind has to open the Living Water and drink it. In other words, we need to accept Jesus as our Living Water by opening our heart to Him.

We need to acknowledge Jesus alone can save us because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. Now when we believe God will see us and see the righteousness of Christ washing away our sins by His precious cleansing blood giving us access to God. Amen!

You know when the waves are rolling high and there is panic and confusion, it can be easy to be succumbed by it but Jesus was not going to let that happen in my life. I am so thankful to the Lord Jesus has taught me and  reminded me that I need to solely depend on Him and He has the answers to my life. I am so overwhelmed with gratitude to Jesus for bringing me and my family through and continuing to work in my life. More than anything, I am so grateful for experiencing what I have experienced so I can be better equipped to help others who maybe experiencing what I had gone through! Praise the Lord!

I ask you now dear friend, what trouble are you facing?
Dear friend, whatever trouble you are facing, you are not alone. Yes, friend you are not alone. Jesus who went out to pray on the mountainside and the one who appeared to me in a dream is the same Jesus who saw His disciples in trouble and went out to them in His perfect timing. Jesus will do the same for you. Jesus will come to you and help you in His perfect timing. Do not give up friend! Life is full of troubles and they can be like the wind beating against us and even making us feel like we are going to drown but we will not because Jesus is there. Yes, He is friend!

Even when we do not get what we want and feel troubled, He will give us what we need! Jesus will cover us in His love and direct our paths. He will give us strength to bear through what we go. He will equip us and what we face is nothing compared to the glory, He will give us later.

If God be for us, who can be against us, He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how much more will He do for us. (Romans 8:31-32, TLB)

Jesus is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Banner! You can rally to Jesus. Jesus loves you and sees you in your pain and trouble. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Yes, bring it all to Jesus. Rest in Him and He will carry you. The disciples could not reach Jesus in their troubles but Jesus reached out to them. Jesus knew what they were going through. Jesus knows what you are going through and will help you.

Whether you are facing a crisis in a career, academia, relationships, etc, Jesus will carry you. If you are wondering why these three are mentioned the most, it is because most troubles fall under those situations especially they fall under relationships but there are other areas of trouble too that the Lord can carry you through.  Depend on Him and turn to Him. Let Him take care of you. You do not have to go it alone. Come as you are and find rest for all your trouble.

Am I saying, with Jesus you will not face trouble?
No friend, not at all! That is not what I am saying because even the disciples faced trouble on the lake but Jesus was not far away to help them through it. Whatever you face, Jesus will help you through it. The key is ‘THROUGH IT’. At other times, you will see a direct rescue. Jesus decides when that should happen or if the trouble should be allowed for reasons we cannot know at the time. Jesus is the only One that can do that and not Muhammud, not Krishna, not Buddha, etc.

I know for I can speak from experience. Years ago, I had gone through a lot in the past but Jesus used those troubles I believe to change the direction path of our life. If I did not face troubles, I do not know where I would have been. Because of what I went through, I did not want anyone else to go through it so I went into the ministry to reach out to students with the love of Christ as I majored in Psychology before becoming a campus minister. Jesus has given me opportunities to minister in areas that I have never experienced but through His help, I have seen lives being impacted. I have written counseling poems on some of the deepest issues that students face or may have faced and have seen those poems change people’s lives around through God’s grace. I hope they will change your life too!

Though, I am not doing full-time campus ministry as a job, the Lord has given me a wonderful full-time job that I love! It is filled with opportunities to continue to do ministry. My job is like tent-making to me. Anytime, I pondered about moving on, I have seen things happen that made me stay and continue to do ministry whether it is meeting one-one with students and praying with them, taking them through a study, presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them, answering their tough questions for them, etc, Jesus has used me in my own trouble to help others. He will do that for you too. Jesus helped me through the past and will continue to help me through these days even through my troubled times.

You and I can take comfort in the words of Jesus:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV)

Jesus has overcome the world and promises to help us. There will be times you will see a direct rescue and other times help through it and comfort through it.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, NIV)

“O God, listen to me! Hear my prayer! For wherever I am, though far away at the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help. When my heart is faint and overwhelmed, lead me to the mighty, towering Rock of safety. For you are my refuge, a high tower where my enemies can never reach me.” (Psalm 61:1-3, TLB)

Friend, Jesus will be your Rock of safety and mine. He will carry you! Do not fret or worry for it only leads to harm. Even through the trouble, our Lord can give us bright moments.

More than anything if you are in trouble and do not know Jesus you need to come to know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior for He alone can help you overcome your sin.

You do not just come to Jesus so your earthly troubles can go away but because you can escape the trouble Satan will continually give you without Jesus in your life. Satan is out to keep you in bondage to sin and only Christ can deliver you by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, if you have never given your life to Jesus Christ, now is the the time of Salvation.

May this counseling poem with a problem-solution make you think about what you are facing and through it all, what Jesus Christ can do for you!

Overcoming Life’s Obstacles
By Ramesh C. Reddy

Your life seems to be going nowhere?
No one seems to care?
Life is not fair?

Tears roll down your cheek?
You feel so weak?
No where to hide or sneak?
Life is taking you on the wrong peak?

Your life is on hold.
That's what Satan's lie told.
Truth is into sin's slavery, you are sold.
Nothing can make you happy, even gold.
You feel so cold?
Scared to face the world?
Please be strong and bold.

For the Lord your God is with you. (Isaiah 41:10)
Delivering you from Satan's grasp, He will do. (John 10:29)

You were purchased by His Precious Blood (Matt 26:28)
So, you can be rescued from sin's flood. (Romans 3:24-25)

Jesus will let you do, your best each minute, (Phil 4:13)
Helping you in each of life's situations to win it. (Psa 32:8)
His love and promises are infinite. (Matt 26:28)

His mercies and blessings are new each sec, min, hour.  (Lam 3:23-24)
Depending on Him and His Word, you can gain spiritual power
He has your best interests in mind. (Psa 34:8 & James 1:21)
This you have to yourself, each day remind. (2 Tim 3:16-17)
Amen!

May you be reminded of the Lord’s love for you for you will get through! Yes, you will friend!

"Troubled? Rest Often Under Beautiful Lord’s Emancipation! (T.R.O.U.B.L.E)/”What trouble are you facing?”

Listen to the background song 'He will carry you'

PRAYER:
Father God thank you, you love us so much that you sent your only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. I love you Lord. Thank you Father God for your Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus thank you for loving me so much. Thank you Jesus, you will take care of my problems. Nothing is too hard for you. For many of us Lord, we face many obstacles in life whether it be Spiritual, financial, marital, emotional, physical, or educational problems. We turn these problems and the prayer requests to you. Thank you Lord you never fail to answer our prayers. Just because we don't understand does not mean you didn't answer our prayers. Thanks Lord for cleansing us by your precious Blood. Please come into my heart Jesus. Please forgive my sins. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart. Thank you Jesus for making my heart, your home. Thank you Jesus for living in me. I will live for you Jesus and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I pray right now for the one who is so troubled that only your presence and love can meet them where they are at. Come Lord Jesus and please intervene in their life. Cover them with your awesome presence and help through what they are going through. Thank you Jesus as you saw the disciples in trouble and came to their rescue, you can come to our rescue to. We entrust our lives in your care. Thank you for the answer and you will carry us! IN YOUR NAME, I PRAY JESUS THANKING YOU FOR EVERYTHING. AMEN.

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life, digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life. I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit! I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I do need your Spirit to reside in me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way to Eternal Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!