For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “… whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye Zechariah 2:8b

Ever since I was a young girl, I have come to love the Lord with a passion, the more I read His Words, the more I fall in love with Him. The more I read about His only begotten Son our redeemer, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the more I revel in Him, the more I adore and cant understand why anyone will not give all to follow HIM. Its JUNE 2016, ‘half time of the year’, a time to reflect on the past 5 months and to make notes of what you have achieved and what you need to achieve. Or perhaps you are like me still wondering.. God when will there be open doors for me, where is the showers of blessing, where exactly is my destiny helper?, Is He really listening to my humble cry, others are being blessed, others are coming with testimonies, others are being healed, delivered and set free, Yet nothing, absolutely nothing is shifting in my own realm, it seems the more I pray, the more or even double becomes the trouble. From frying pan to fire will even be an understatement, Like Uche Jombo said in her film ‘Mrs Somebody’ its more like ‘Gear 4 of bad luck’!. .. Not only that, but you look around and the person who is even being blessed, is more of an unbeliever, non-tither, gossiper, adulterer, proud and pompous!.  Is Jehovah, passing me by, or is His ear deaf to my cry!…Why me, what have I done?.. This is what millions of us experience, so my brother, my sister ‘You are NOT ALONE’!..

Here is King David, who was the favourite to Gods heart!

Psalm 22:1-15: My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Why art Thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.

This is why I love this years Anniversary theme of Martha Band called ‘ Apple of God’s Eye‘!… Like in the time of prophet Zechariah when the children of God where in captivity for so long and recently returned from exile, their faith is weak and are not motivated, just like you and I, when our hope dwindles and we need inner strength to carry on day by day. The Bible says ‘His grace is sufficient for me.. Halleluyah!.. My favourite Apostle Paul says ‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2Cor 12:9 

I have found out that a walking talking relationship with ones Bible is the best remedy and therapy. The more you study the Word of God, the more Hope  you get, the more strength you receive and the more victorious you become.

The year 2016 is slowly going by, a lot of us have suffered financially, mentally, physically and spiritually BUT the bible assures us that HE remains in the midst of our troubles, for He that keeps us neither sleeps nor slumber. We must remember the world we live in is a world of chaos, trials and tribulations. Job 14:1 says: Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
Just as Jesus said ‘Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 . This simply means no one is unique to their problem, there is nothing new under the Sun, when you think you have a problem, listen to someone else and you will know yours is micro minute when it comes to problems..

Take courage in Gods words that  “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5. Help is truly on the way and I strongly believe so, just because it is happening big in your friends life today does not mean yours wont happen tomorrow and even more grander. King Solomon with all his wisdom and wealth says this “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all”Ecc9:11. So your friend has 11 houses, 6 cars, a yacht and children in Harvard university, your time will come too!, its just a matter of time. The way God does it is left to Him, you just trust Him, overnight you can end up being a developer of many estates, beating a hundredfold what your friends has. Dont be envious of anyone, dont be angry with anyone, bible says rejoice when others are rejoicing, for in doing so, yours too will come soon.  You WAIT ON THE LORD.

Remember You are the ‘apple of Gods eye’ He knows you, He separated you for His purpose and called you His own even before you were born, your life has a purpose, You have people to bless, people are praying for helpers of which you are one of them and the answer to someone else’s prayer.  Jehovah says ‘I have written your name in the palm of my hand’.  He orders the step of the righteous and delivers the weak from the hands of their tormentors.  Perhaps you are suffering from ‘spiritual enemies from your household, or familiar spirits, spiritual husbands etc, you call upon Jesus, just like Daniel called upon Him in prayer and fasting and He will surely send you Arch angel Michael our defender to deliver you and the god of Elijah will send thunder and fire to consume all your enemies of destiny IJN.  Soak yourself in the blood of Jesus, become a prayer warrior, know deliverance scriptures by heart, pray, fast and praise n worship the Almighty consistently, be addicted to HIM.  Ask God for the grace to keep going in time of weariness, to sustain you while you go through your desert, however, just like Joseph, remember ALWAYS that God is in the midst of your troubles and will not let it happen if it is not at the end to glorify HIM.

Bible says Gods ways are unsearchable, who can know it, dont let the enemy frustrate you, dont let the enemy intimidate you to give up and win over your life its only a little more time and you will come out shining. Bible says the plan God has for you is a good plan, to give you a hope and an expected end. Sooo WORRY NOT.

What do you do when trouble overwhelms and drowns you!

‘when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you’ Proverbs 1:27.

For David in Psalm 55, “Troubles around him (vv. 1–3), terrors within him (vv. 4–5), and treachery next to him (vv. 12–15, 21) combined made king David wish he could get away from it all (v. 6)”

When you have troubles around you, terrors within, and treachery next to you, what do you want to do? Do you know what you should do? Read a song from David. He knew what you would think and feel.

Psalm 55.1–3

God, Please Hear Me

1–3 Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication… God wants to hear our prayers, but we cannot take that for granted. We need to let Him know how much we want Him to hear us! David had a huge problem, that made him restless, making him moan out loud, because someone and something oppressed him, bringing down trouble upon him. They hated the man of God and poured out wrath toward David. Does David sound like you? Do you know how he felt? If so, do you go to God in prayer about it? Do you plead for Him to hear you, explaining to Him the deep trouble in your heart?

Psalm 55.4–8

I Want to Fly Away

4–8 My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me… In verses 4 and 5, David continued to show the pain of his troubles. He had severe pain within. The terrors of death had fallen upon him. He feared and trembled. Horror overwhelmed him. Now consider how great this man David was. As a teenager, he boldly attacked a lion and a bear, and he fearlessly confronted the almost 10-foot tall warrior Goliath. As a man in his 20s, he led his personal army in victory against every enemy of Israel. As a king from 30 years old to 70 years old, he won every battle. Yet, that man trembled at an enemy’s presence. While David did mighty things, at times he feared. What he really wanted to do was flee like a bird. At the slightest whisper of danger, the bird flies away and no one thinks anything of it. David wanted to be that bird. He would just get away from the raging storm he saw coming his way. Yet, he knew he should not do that. Therefore, he prayed earnestly to God for Him to hear. David knew that the Lord could do all things. David still had not made his request.

Psalm 55.9–11

Divide Their Tongues

9–11 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city… David knew how the enemy could be defeated. Therefore, David’s request to God was to divide their tongues. Even as the divided tongues at the Tower of Babel defeated the purpose of the world then, so, if the enemy had divided tongues, they could not unite against David. The enemy promoted violence and strife. Verse 10 says they were tireless, working day and night to accomplish their evil task. They filled the city with trouble and it did not bother them.

Psalm 55.12–14

When Friends Betray

12–14 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it…David revealed why this enemy troubled him so much. It was David’s friend. He expected support from his friends, not reproach. Not expecting it, he could not bear it. He did not know his friends as he thought he knew them. David had trusted this man for counsel. David treated this man as an equal. They worshipped God together. Those in leadership can be popular, then have friends turn against them when the leader becomes unpopular. David probably spoke of Ahithophel, who sided with Absalom. Second Samuel 16 shows the level of counsel Ahithophel gave to David, “Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom” (2Sa 16.23).

Psalm 55.15

The Great Silencer

15 Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell… For what they did to him, David made a second request. He wanted death to seize them, for more than one friend joined the conspiracy against David. God answered David’s prayer because they all died. David knew that if they died in their wickedness, they would go to hell.

Psalm 55.16–19

God Answers Prayer

16–19 As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me… While his former friends filled their homes with wickedness, David would call upon God, knowing that He would save him. Therefore, at evening, morning, and noon, he prayed about the matter, even saying his prayers aloud. His feelings about the trouble became so strong that he could not whisper in his heart, but he opened his mouth, not being ashamed of what others might hear. God had delivered David in the past, and he knew that God would do so again, because David trusted in God, shown by his relentless prayers, and because the enemy would not change or because his life situation does not change, and his enemies would not fear God.

Psalm 55.20, 21

Butter and Oil, War and Swords

20, 21 He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant… David had been at peace with these friends, yet, they put their hands against him, breaking their covenant. Oh, they could talk really nicely with words as smooth as butter, but inside, the friends plotted against David. Anyone else listening would say if the words of those men were softer than oil, why should David be all upset? Yet, David could see clearly that their words were unsheathed swords ready to cut him down.

Psalm 55.22

Never Be Moved

22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you… Having said the words of verses 1–21 to God, David then turned his attention to us. He cast his burden upon the Lord and found deliverance and relief. Therefore, let us cast our burdens upon the Lord and we will find that He will sustain us and never let us be moved. First Peter 5 exhorts us to do the same thing, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1Pe 5.6, 7).

Psalm 55.23

God’s Vengeance

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days… David had peace, because he knew what God would do to David’s enemies. He would bring them down to the pit of destruction. They were bloodthirsty and deceitful. Therefore, their days would be cut short. In the face of it all, David would trust in God. David feared, which tempted him to flee, but his faith moved him to fight. Trust in God and you can have the same confidence as David.

How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

• Find Distractions – Talk to someone, perhaps your pastor, counselor, friend or family

• Change overwhelm-inducing thoughts. Get a promise bible and highlight Gods promises to your problem, memorise it, sing it and believe it

• Focus on right now. See thinks in the NOW, read books like THE POWER OF NOW by Eckhart..  leave our analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, BEHIND Surrender to the present moment of NOW

• Take action..Seek experts, dont wallow in self pity, it might be as worse as you thought, doing nothing will only make it worse

ABOVE IT ALL, REMEMBER GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE, HE LOVES YOU AND THAT WHICH HE SAID HE WILL DO, HE WILL DO!..

I SAY ‘PEACE IN YOUR VALLEY!

I leave you my favourite song in times of trouble that consoles my soul, I hope it soothes yours too!

SHALOM!