We all know that life has its good times and its bad times.

And all of us need to know that we will be able to get through the day at hand.  Fortunately, most of the time that is not a problem.  But problems do arise.  Difficulties can become so overwhelming that we cannot see how to survive, much less overcome.

Financial calamities, health disasters, the death of those close to us, conflicts at work, at school, at home.  We may face horribly bitter times.  How can we deal with such times?

Jesus Christ proved in the days of His earthly ministry that even death itself is overcome by the power of God.  On more than one occasion, Jesus interrupted funeral activities by bringing dead people back to life.  And when other folks suffered at the hands of demons, Jesus took charge, forcing the demons to leave, literally throwing them out.  Lepers also found that Jesus was able to help them.  Jesus would touch the untouchable leper, purging them of all disease and giving them new health.  Others who were paralyzed, crippled, on death beds from fevers, or facing other terrible circumstances were also healed, restored, given new life.

On several occasions, the Lord did not come along to help until after it would seem too late, as when the funerals or days of mourning were interrupted.  But even when it seemed too late, the Lord Jesus was ready and able to save, to give new life.  Impossible circumstances were changed when Jesus came along.

Out in the middle of nowhere, the Lord saw the need of a huge crowd of people to be fed.  Only a tiny amount of food could be located, and the people would not have made it to distant towns where food could be bought.  It seemed as though nothing could be done.  Yet when the Lord took a single child's meal and blessed it, dividing it up among the crowd, there was more than enough food to go around, until everyone was completely satisfied.

The Bible stories of what Jesus did would be little more than just that — nice little stories — and the Lord Jesus would soon have faded from the pages of history, had He not continued to do the very same kinds of things in people's lives.  In generation after generation, the Lord Jesus continued to come in answer to fervent cries for help, and everywhere He goes, the Lord Jesus makes things different.  Impossible situations work out, bodies are healed, the dead are raised to life again, and many other miracles follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus works miracles today.  And He does mysterious things, like making an incredibly small amount go on and on and on, until it is more than enough.  Only God can do that.

More than just the physical help, though, is the spiritual.  Jesus Christ gives us new life when we call on His for help.  He takes away years of old guilt and makes us clean inside.  He restores health and sanity and hope.  Human beings can get through just about anything when they a real and tangible reason to hope.  The promises of God in Jesus Christ are more than a good reason to hope.

I have a hope and confidence in Christ that extends beyond this earthly life.  I know that no matter what happens, Christ will save the day.  And when I lay this body down for the last time on this earth, I know that one day, Jesus will call it back to life again — in a brand new world where sin and death and sickness have no place.  I know because I have seen the faithfulness, the goodness and the tender love of God for human beings.  Even after I have died forever to this world, I will yet live again in Jesus Christ, and I will see the face of God in a new world, a new city, whose Builder and Maker is God.

Jesus has given me new hope and a new life.  And he will do the same for anyone who comes to Him in simple faith.  If you doubt that your faith is strong enough, then simply ask the Lord to help you, and He will give you hope and faith enough to trust in Him.  He will save you, restore you, heal your heart, soul and mind.  He will make you alive again on the inside, and that life will swallow up all death and pain and ruin — forever.  Amen.

God's best to you as you look to the Lord for life.

Jim Sutton

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