Precious One!

Are you heading back to school soon? If yes, then you might be feeling some anxiety. Are you worried you’re not going to really get along with someone at school or college? If so, then going back to studying this fall might seem tough; or perhaps the opposite is true for you. Maybe you have an excellent social life with lots of friends, but the idea of having schoolwork, tests, projects, and many other assignments makes you feel frustrated and overwhelmed. Have you ever felt that you've been judged? If your answer is positive, then you're totally so-called "normal." You might be judged based on the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the music you listen to, the glasses you wear, the perfume you use, the sports you do, the friends you hang out with and so many other reasons. More to ask, do you have siblings? If yes, then they just seem to irritate you more than other people do. Right? Last but not least, have you ever felt betrayed? Maybe you had a friend that you thought was trustworthy and always there for you. Then, all of a sudden, you found out that they had been talking about you behind your back. Ouch! It hurts.

Precious one! It's absolutely true that life can get crazy at many times. There can be moments when you just want to scream because things are not going your way, or you're stressed out about something that's going on, but it's out of your control.

Here are a few tips to help you overcome your struggles and end your battles victoriously:

Jesus Loves You, No Matter What... Even if...

"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." Romans 8:37

As you can see, despite all the things that happen, you can expect to have victory in Christ because Jesus loves you, and He has all you need to get through. He says, "I Am Who I Am.”

Jesus Sets You Free

"So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty. That is because in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free. It made you free from the law that brings sin and death."  Romans 8:1-2

You might have messed up, made bad choices, failed at school or in any other way. You might have lost heart and abandoned your faith or simply given your heart to comforters other than God. 

Dear friend, when you accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your life, you are not guilty. You're FREE from the sin and death of your old nature.

You're a new creation. No judgement, no criticism nor guilt can hinder this truth!

And for now, renew your love and devotion to Jesus. He's waiting for you impatiently. 

Jesus Has a Plan for You

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

Abraham believed God. Could you believe God against all odds and circumstances that seem impossible, hard to believe, or even contradict what God has spoken to you?

Remember: God has a great plan for you, regardless of what others do to you and how they think about you. 

Don't let others define who you are. Instead, choose to think thoughts about the kindness and the goodness of God. Think about His everlasting and unconditional love as is written in Jeremiah 31:3: "...Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love..."

Finally, my dear friend, choose to believe your value to God. Let the Holy Spirit be your helper, counselor, and comforter, especially when things are tough all around you and life seems crazy. Then, you will sense God's love, see that He will take you through, and use you in His kingdom in an incredible way. For He says, "I Am Who I Am.” That is, I exist, and I'm your deliverer. 

Amen

Sylva

Entering God’s Rest 

In the midst of my going-back-to-work season, I was overwhelmed by how hectic life was going to be, how little time I’d have to do other things, to serve and do things I usually did when I had time off work (summer vacation for teachers). I went to God seeking a hug and God’s Word was there to remind, rebuke and comfort me, especially when anxiety felt too much to handle and life’s events were piling up. My question was: Jesus told me, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11). He promised me that I will find rest when I come to him! So, how can I enter God’s Rest? 

Genesis 2:1-17 shows us how God works and rests because His works are complete (verses 1-3), God’s works are good and they provide for every need (verses 4-14) and that it is God’s works for us, NOT our works for Him, that lead us to our rest. My conclusion is because God has worked for me, I can rest in Him. 

What’s a practical way for me to do that? Psalm 127 is a great reminder that in order for me to find my rest in God, I need faith. I need to work and rest by faith for it is God who holds our future. 

Verse one highlights our focus, that whenever I build and keep watch I need to do that by faith, whether I’m serving or working, and that stopping one’s work to “rest” is an act of faith (verse 2). God is the Builder, the Keeper and the Provider, and the future is secure when the Lord is your God. (verses 3-5). 

Our heavenly Father, thank You because in You I can find my rest. Thank You that I can come to You with all my burdens and worries and You are always there to listen and comfort me. Help me keep my eyes on You alone and to work in faith to glorify Your name in everything I do but also rest in faith because You have the future secured. Thank You for loving me unconditionally and for giving me Your word to comfort and to heal. Amen. 

Serene Al Hinn

Turbulent Sea

It has been a challenging year. I tasted both the taste of ashes and that of beauty. I felt the miserable spirit and the garment of praise and joy. Poisons have crept into my life, almost killing me, such as rivalry, comparison, and complaining in my life.

It was like a turbulent sea. I was in a struggle to calm myself in front of Him in order to get rid of all this noise inside me. In all my conversations with God, He did not interrupt me, but rather listened to me. I cried in front of Him without embarrassment, and I was never ashamed to talk about my feelings, my complaints, my complaining, and all the chaos that was inside me. He organized my thoughts and rearranged them again in order to calm the noise inside me and return my positive feelings and my thoughts to thoughts of peace about myself and others.

Finally, I realized that God was the best helper and supporter, and closer to me than my breath; he was merciful. He felt my need and supported and still supports me to this day. 

Shireen Girgis

Egypt Church of Christ

Responding to God 

Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

Judges 13:8 KJV

Manoah and his wife were keen to know the way of the Lord to raise the next child. As their first reaction, the joy did not capture them a lot. This indicates that their hearts and trust were in the fear of the Lord and they surrendered to their situation without children in a time that is considered a shame.

And I thought about how to build my trust in the Lord at my time of need, and what is my response when fulfilling that need? Should I get distracted from the Lord, or should I glorify the Lord through it in my life and use it for His glory?

Nivine Bishry

Egypt church of Christ