Fruitful Living

Applying God’s promises to your life ( Part 2 )

When God gives us a promise, we can be sure He will do what He has said.

It is a matter of demonstrating His character and nature to us. Believing God, trusting God, studying His Word, and applying it to your life are elements of the Christian faith that must work together. God is not going to operate one way one day and then another way the next.

What He tells us in His Word will always line up with His nature and character. God is faithful. Therefore, His Word is trustworthy and His promises are too. He is faithful to keep everyone. Not one promise will fail — ever.

People will say one thing and then go and do something else. Many will be kind and supportive in your presence but later will oppose you. But God never will. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That is a promise you can claim!

Why does God choose to give promises to you and me? He wants us to learn something about His character.

God is faithful, true, loving, patient, forgiving, kind, and so much more. He gives promises to us so that we will see His nature and learn deeper truths about His character and personal care for us.

You may have a definite need and wonder what God is going to do. You have prayed and asked Him to give you His wisdom. While studying His Word, you find yourself reading the following:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. — Proverbs 3:5-6

Is this a promise you can claim? Absolutely. God is saying, “I’m aware of what you are facing. I know your need. Trust Me, lean on Me and not on your human knowledge, and I will provide all that you need and so much more.” Paul underscores this very thing when he writes,

My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:19

GOD IS FAITHFUL

In 1 Thessalonians, he simply tells us,

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. — 1 Thessalonians 5:24

God is honoured and glorified when we trust Him and when we pray, “Lord, show me in Your Word a promise that I can cling to in this trying time.” There is not a time when God refuses to answer the prayers of His people. He says call to Me and I will hear your voice (Jeremiah 33:3).

He wants to give us hope. All of us are encouraged when we know that someone is pulling for us — someone who wants us to cross the finish line victoriously.

You may be able to think of a time when you did not know whether you were doing the right thing or not. Then someone you admired walked up to you and said, “God has placed you on my heart, and I want you to know that I’m praying for you.”

God wants you to know that He cares for you.

He is cheering for you, and He has a plan for your life. Psalm 62:1–2 says,

My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

And Psalm 18:33–36 promises,

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great.

You enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.

God is faithful to keep each and every promise. He is all powerful, and we can trust Him to take care of all that concerns us. The prophet Isaiah emphasises His power and majesty:

Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing. — Isaiah 40:26

Not only does God take care of the heavens, He personally watches over you and me. Why do people doubt God’s ability? Usually we fail to trust God because we don’t want to lose control over our lives or our circumstances.

This is almost laughable because the God of the universe — the same God who created you and me and who has numbered the stars in the sky and holds each one in its place — certainly has the ability to take care of my life and my problems.

In Lamentations, Jeremiah writes, this I recall to my mind; therefore, I have hope. The LORD’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I have hope in Him’. —Lamentations 3:21-24

No matter what your circumstance, God’s Word has a promise of hope waiting for you.

You can try to figure out a way to encourage yourself, or you can say with the psalmist,

But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. — Psalm 71:14

He wants to develop our faith in Him. When we begin to trust God for simple answers to prayer, our faith increases.

The more we read and study His Word, the more aware we become of His ability. One lesson learned at the feet of God builds on another until we have come to a point where we are talking through every decision we need to make with Him.

We also discover that if we ask Him to show us what we should do, He does it! He speaks to us through His Word.

Then, when we meditate on Scripture, we begin to internalise His truth in our hearts. From this point, we express our needs and God responds by giving us insight and wisdom.

He also promises to move in certain ways and provide for the needs we have.

Whatever God calls us to do, He will confirm it in His Word and He also will provide all that we need to accomplish the task.

This is how our faith is built. He opens a door and we step through it. He opens another one, and once again we trust Him because we have learned that He is faithful, not some of the time, but all of the time!

Stay blessed!

For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel Nos. 0243588467 or 0268130615.

Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com

Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org

By Dr. Joyce Aryee,the author

Fruitful Living

Hope – seeing the unseen

As children of God, we eagerly anticipate this future glory. This hope motivates us to endure present hardships, knowing that they pale in comparison to the joy that awaits us. The ultimate hope of the believer is the eradication of sin and death, and the perfection of our souls in Christ.

The Example of Paul

The Apostle Paul exemplified unwavering hope. He was not afraid of death because he was confident in his eternal destiny. He declared in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8: “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

Facing the future can bring anxiety, but if we believe in Christ, we can share Paul’s confidence. This hope should inspire us to live faithfully, knowing that our eternal home is secure in Christ.

Hope and Personal Transformation

Many of us struggle with our past failures and sins. However, hope in Christ allows us to release our past and embrace the future. Philippians 3:13-14 encourages us: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Rather than dwelling on past mistakes, we should focus on growing in our knowledge of God and deepening our relationship with Him. Our sins are forgiven, and through hope, we can move forward into a life of greater purpose and fulfillment.

Seeing the Unseen

Living by faith requires us to see beyond the natural world. We are called to perceive the unseen reality of God’s promises. 2 Corinthians 4:18 reiterates this truth: “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

This perspective enables us to endure hardships, knowing that our ultimate reward is not found in this life but in the eternal kingdom of God. Hope empowers us to move forward, trusting that God is leading us to a place of fulfillment.

Conclusion

Seeing the unseen is fundamental to a life of faith. As believers, we are called to look beyond the visible and trust in the eternal promises of God. Hope strengthens us to persevere through difficulties, knowing that our present struggles are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us.

Just as Paul pressed forward, undeterred by past failures and present trials, we too must hold on to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. Our hope assures us that one day, all suffering will be replaced with joy, and every tear will be wiped away. Let us, therefore, live each day with unwavering faith, keeping our eyes on the unseen, and allowing God’s Word to guide us into His glorious future.

Culled from faithgateway.com.

Stay Blessed!

For further inquiries, please contact us:

Tel: 0243588467 / 0268130615Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com

Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org

By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author

Fruitful Living

Conditions, rules, regulations of fasting (Pt.2)

Who is Required to Fast?

Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for every Muslim who meets the following conditions:

Muslim – Fasting is only required for those who believe in Islam.
Mature (Baligh) – A person must have reached puberty.
Of Sound Mind – A person must be mentally capable of understanding the obligation.
Physically Able – A person must be in good health.
Non-Traveler (Muqeem) – Fasting is not required for those traveling long distances.

Who is Excused from Fasting?

Islam, in its wisdom and mercy, has granted exemptions to those who are unable to fast. These exemptions are categorised as follows:

Those Who Are Completely Exempt and Must Pay Fidya

Some people are permanently unable to fast due to health reasons. Instead, they are required to feed a poor person for each day they miss fasting. This is based on the Quranic verse:

“And upon those who can only fast with extreme difficulty, there is a ransom (fidya): feeding a poor person.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:184)

This category includes:

Elderly individuals who are too weak to fast.
Chronically ill patients who have permanent health conditions that prevent fasting.

Those Who Are Temporarily Exempt but Must Make Up Their Fasts

Sick individuals with temporary illness.
Travellers who undertake a journey that permits shortening of prayer (Qasr Salah).
Pregnant women and lactating mothers who fear for their health or their child’s well-being.

The Qur’an states:

“But if any of you is ill or on a journey, then the same number of days must be made up later.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185)

These individuals must fast later once their situation allows them to do so.

Women in Special Circumstances

Menstruating women: It is prohibited for them to fast, and they must make up the missed fasts later (Bukhari, 1951).
Pregnant and breastfeeding women: They are exempt if fasting poses a hardship. Some scholars allow them to pay fidya if they fear only for the child and not themselves.

Key Things to Observe Before Starting the Fast

Make Up Outstanding Fasts – Complete any missed obligatory fasts before Ramadan.
Confirm the Sighting of the Crescent Moon – Follow the method of local or global moon sighting.
Make the Intention (Niyyah) – It must be made before Fajr (Abu Dawood, 2454).
Eat Suhoor (Pre-Dawn Meal) – It is Sunnah and provides blessings (Bukhari, 1923).
Be Mindful of Suhoor Time – Stop eating at Fajr time.

Prohibited Actions During Fasting

Eating and drinking during fasting hours.
Marital relations (intercourse) during the day (Bukhari, 1936).
Taking nutritional injections that provide nourishment.
Smoking as it breaks the fast.
Engaging in sinful behaviour like lying and backbiting (Bukhari, 1903).

Recommendations for a Rewarding Ramadan

Increase in worship – Pray Tahajjud, recite Quran, and make Du’a frequently.
Give generously in charity – The Prophet (ﷺ) was most generous in Ramadan (Bukhari, 1902).
Observe I’tikaf in the last ten nights to seek Laylatul Qadr.
Strengthen relationships – Seek forgiveness and maintain ties of kinship.

In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, fasting in Ramadan is a divine gift and an opportunity for immense rewards. It is not just about abstaining from food and drink, but a means to purify our hearts, strengthen our faith, and attain taqwa.

Let us take this opportunity to repent for our past sins, seek Allah’s mercy, and strive for spiritual growth. May Allah grant us the strength to fast sincerely and accept our efforts in this blessed month.

Ameen.

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