r/FaithTestimony

Take Time to Be with Your Good Shepherd

Let me ask you something today: when was the last time you truly sat with your Shepherd?
Not rushing in and out, not fitting Him in between meetings and messages. But staying long enough to be cared for by Him.
Our Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice.”
That tells us something very precious. Your Shepherd is always speaking. He hasn’t stopped. He hasn’t gone quiet.
But if we are constantly hurried, constantly moving from one thing to the next, how do we hear what He is saying?
Psalm 23 gives us such a tender picture of how our Good Shepherd leads us.
“He leads me beside the still waters.”
“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
In stillness, in quietness. That’s how He leads His sheep. That’s where His voice becomes clear.
Remember Elijah? The Lord was not in the fire, not in the earthquake, not in the whirlwind. Instead, He was in the still, quiet voice.
That’s right. The Lord’s voice is not on the frequency of hurry or noise. It is on the frequency of stillness. And that’s why it matters so much that we cultivate time to be still before Him.
Let me ask you honestly…
Are you too busy to sit? Has prayer become mostly one-way, where you’re rushing in with your requests and rushing out again?
You could be sitting in a pasture with green all around you and still be hungry if you never took time to graze and to feed. You could be right beside brooks of living waters and still feel parched if you never pause long enough to drink.
And that’s why I want to share this one simple encouragement with you today: schedule stillness.
You need time to be shepherded by the Lord. Time to wait before Him, time to sit with Him, time to listen to what He is saying to you personally.
Sometimes people tell me, “Pastor, I feel dry.”
“I’m not growing spiritually.”
“I came to church, but I didn’t receive anything.”
“I don’t feel like I have anyone guiding me.”
“My leader has no time for me…”
Now, there is a place for receiving from our leaders, or from other believers in the body of Christ.
But today, I want to point you to something that may seem so obvious, yet is so easily missed: You need to take time to be with your Good Shepherd so He can care for you… guide you… and feed you.
You have His anointed Word before you and access to good teaching. But have you taken the time to let Him personally tend to you?
If we don’t intentionally make room for that time with the Lord, it usually gets crowded out. So often, when our calendars fill up, time with Him is the first thing that gets compromised.
So mark it down. Put it in your calendar. Take time in your week to read His Word unhurriedly. Take a long walk and talk with the Lord.
And I want to leave you with this beautiful picture from the same psalm: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
Did you catch that?
Whatever you’re walking through right now, your Good Shepherd has already prepared what you need.
Not quick bites, not something on the run. But a table, a feast. And a feast requires time.
So today, don’t rush off. Sit with Him, feed on His faithfulness. And let this simple invitation stay with you: schedule stillness.

His Favor Makes All the Difference
Thank you for joining me this morning.
I want to ask you this: Have you ever felt the pressure to “measure up”? Maybe it’s in your studies, your career, or even your children’s future. There’s this voice that whispers, “If I don’t keep pushing, I’ll fall behind. Someone else will get ahead.”
I know how real that pressure can feel. Maybe you’re a student, burning the midnight oil, trying to stand out in a sea of competition. Or maybe you’re working long hours in a job that feels more uncertain by the day, fighting for your place, worried about being replaced.
But let me remind you of a truth that I pray will bring peace to your heart: You are in this world, but you are not of this world.
That means you don’t have to strive like the world. It’s not the best grades, the longest hours, or the most polished résumé that determine your future.
It’s the favor of the Lord.
You could work tirelessly for years just to reach a certain milestone. And of course, giving your best and persevering through challenges are important. But with one stroke of His favor, doors can open. He can cause you to be at the right place at the right time.
And when His blessings are upon you and on all that your hands touch, you can have supernatural results that exceed your natural abilities and experience.
That’s what our Lord Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
He didn’t say you have to earn them. He said they would be added as you keep your eyes on Him. When you seek the Lord first, His favor and every other blessing come running after you.
Now, let me be clear. This doesn’t mean we sit back, fold our arms, and do nothing. The Lord has given us gifts, talents, and assignments. He blesses the work of our hands. So yes, we show up. We stay faithful. We cultivate an excellent and diligent spirit that glorifies the Lord.
But here’s the difference: We work from a place of rest, knowing that His favor is what truly sets us apart. We don’t work from fear. We don’t compare or compete.
So instead of chasing after results, can I encourage you to chase after the One who holds all results in His hands?
Pursue the Giver of favor, not just the favor. The Healer, not just the healing. The Provider, not just the provision.
In all your pursuits, learn to pursue Him first. When you have our Lord Jesus, you have everything!

Don’t Just Read the Word—Let the Word Read You
How are you reading the Word today?
Is it something you’re ticking off a list as part of your quiet time routine? Or do you take time to slow down… to linger a little… and allow the Word to speak to your heart?
Because the Bible is unlike any other book. It’s not just ink on paper. 
It’s living. It’s active. It contains God’s very own words, which carry His very life and breath. 
And here’s something I want you to see today: As you’re reading the Word… the Word is also reading you.
Hebrews 4:12 says:
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit… and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
You see, the Word of God is living. 
Like a person, it is present with you. It sees you. It speaks to you. It reads you. 
In fact, Jesus Himself is called the Living Word (John 1:1, 14). 
So, when you open your Bible, you’re not just reading and simply accumulating knowledge. You’re encountering a Person—His love, His voice, and His thoughts toward you.
The Word is also a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. To discern means to separate… to split… to make a distinction between things. 
As you read, the Word helps you discern between what is truly the Lord’s leading, and what might just be your own fleshly desire or emotion; what is of our own will, and what is the Lord’s will for us.
Now isn’t that something we all long to grow in? To be sharper, clearer, and more attuned to His leading?
And you’ve probably experienced it. You’re reading something familiar—say, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isa. 41:10)—and suddenly, the verse “hits” right in your spirit. You hadn’t even noticed how anxious or heavy your heart was… until the Word spoke peace into it. 
That’s the Word reading you, discerning you.
Or you read, “Love is not easily provoked” (1 Cor 13:5), and in that moment, the Holy Spirit brings to mind a sharp word you spoke earlier. Gently, through the Word, He’s correcting you, not condemning you. He’s calling you higher in love.
Maybe you’ve been feeling burnt out in your work or ministry, and you come across the scripture, “Come to Me… and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). And suddenly, the Holy Spirit reveals where you’ve been depending on your own strength and how He is gently drawing you back to His grace.
This is one of the beautiful ways the Lord speaks to us. 
Through His living Word, He can show you:
“That thought isn’t from Me.”
“This desire—it’s Me leading you.”
“Wait here.”
“Take that step.”
“Let this go.”
“Trust Me with that.”
The Lord uses His Word to bring heaven’s wisdom into your everyday life.
So, don’t rush through it today. Slow down. Invite the Holy Spirit to breathe on the page and the verses you are reading. Ask Him, “What are You saying to me here?”
Let the Word read you. Let it go deep beneath the surface, beyond the noise. 
Let it bring to light what needs to be brought to the Lord, so He can wash you with His love and lead you forward with His wisdom and peace.

Your Weapon in Times of Crisis

When a crisis hits, the first question we all ask is, “What do I do now?”
Today, I want to share with you that one of the most powerful postures of faith in a crisis is simply this: to surrender to the Lord and worship Him.
Surrendering to the Lord is simply a humble acknowledgment that while we don’t know what to do in the midst of a raging storm, our eyes are fixed upon Him.
That’s what happened in 2 Chronicles 20.
With three armies gathered against him, King Jehoshaphat feared greatly. He looked at the opposition, and it was overwhelming. Yet his response was one of humility and surrender unto the Lord.
He didn’t first assemble the military strategists or call for a war council… he didn’t even pretend he had it under control… he gathered all the people to seek the Lord.
When crisis hits, seek the Lord! That’s what Jehoshaphat did that day.
Picture this with me: The king and every family in the nation, with their little ones in tow, gathered before the temple of the Lord’s presence.
And out of that place of deep vulnerability, Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord in surrender: “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
And I love what happens next.
The Lord didn’t leave them in silence. Scripture tells us that the Spirit of the Lord came upon the prophet Jahaziel, and he began to prophesy: “Do not be afraid… the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
In other words, “I, the Lord of Hosts, have got this…”
And the next day, in one of the greatest acts of dependence and trust, Jehoshaphat prepared the army not with his best warriors at the front… but instead, he sent the worshipers, the psalmists, and the musicians to sing praises to the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord.
And then the Bible says something that still stirs my heart: “when they began to sing... the LORD set ambushes against the enemy” (2 Chron. 20:22).
I love how it says, “when they began to sing… the LORD set ambushes.” Not before they sang, but as they sang.
That means while their praises were lifted up, something was happening in the spirit realm… Angels were deployed, and the Spirit of God was moving and orchestrating their deliverance from their enemies.
The Bible tells us that the enemy’s camp was in such chaos and confusion that they began to fight against each other, killing themselves, all without God’s people lifting a finger.
Oftentimes, when faced with a crisis, our natural instinct might be to panic, to rush, to control, or to start fixing things in our own might. And that’s precisely what the enemy wants. He wants us anxious, striving, and completely worn down.
Instead of remaining in fear and anxiety, can I encourage you to just come before the Lord and worship Him today? Trust that He is going ahead of you and defeating your enemies as you begin to sing and praise His wonderful name.
I want you to catch this today:
Your praise is a standard against the enemy.
Your melody is a weapon.
Your hallelujah is your declaration of victory.
Your worship isn’t “empty” or made up of vain words. It’s you magnifying a greater reality than any challenge that is before you.
It’s you laying hold of the Lord Himself, the One who fights for you and wins.
Whatever the “army” coming against you today—a family situation you can’t fix, pressure at work that keeps piling up, a health crisis, or those thoughts that show up late at night, trying to convince you that the worst is coming—can I encourage you to do what Jehoshaphat did?
Bring that situation before the Lord. Put on a worship song… invite His presence into the room right where you are today.
Lift your hands and tell Him, “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.” And then worship. Don’t rush, just linger in that anointing that breaks every yoke and lifts every burden.
There’s nothing more powerful you can do than to seek the Lord.

In that place of worship, you’re letting the Lord place into your hands what our Lord Jesus has already secured at the cross—peace for your mind, wisdom for your next step, and a confidence that He’s working even when you can’t see it yet.

More Will Be Given
There was a time I read the Lord’s words in Luke 8:18 and felt puzzled.
He said, “Whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
At first glance, it sounded harsh, almost unfair. But when the Lord opened my eyes, I began to see that the Lord was actually revealing something about how faith operates.
He’s not talking about material possessions here. He’s talking about our posture, about how we receive what He has already purchased for us through the finished work of the cross.
In the natural, people believe they have something only when they can see it or touch it. But in the kingdom of God, faith perceives the invisible as reality.
Faith is not pretending something is true. Faith is agreeing with what God says is already true, even before you see it.
That’s what our Lord meant when He said, “To him who has, more will be given.”
When you say, “I have peace,” not because you feel calm but because our Lord Jesus has given you His peace, more peace begins to fill your heart.
When you say, “I have healing,” not because your symptoms are gone but because Christ bore your sickness at the cross, more of His healing power is released.
When you say, “I am righteous,” not because your behavior has been flawless but because of His finished work, you begin to walk in the power of His righteousness.
Faith is not about ignoring reality but choosing to align with a greater truth. It allows you to look at the symptoms yet confess healing, to see challenges yet declare provision, and say, “I have peace in Christ” even when you’re fearful.
Now, listen closely to this. Faith works with wisdom.
Taking medicine, seeing doctors, undergoing treatments… that’s not a contradiction to faith. Many times, it’s a part of how God brings healing into our lives.
So when you take your medication, take it with faith. When you see your doctor, go with the confidence that our Lord Jesus is your healer and His wisdom is guiding your care.
We honor the Lord when we receive both the spiritual and the practical with thankfulness.
This is not about faking it. It’s about aligning your heart and words with heaven’s perspective. You are not trying to become blessed. You are not hoping to be righteous. You are not waiting to be healed. In Christ, you already are.
It is important you recognize that believers can speak in faith because we have a scriptural foundation based on the finished work of Christ at Calvary.
Faith has a foundation in Christ, and it is not the same as those who practice speaking positively!
The more you see our Lord Jesus in the Word, the more you believe it and the more you speak it. And the more you speak it, the more you begin to see your breakthrough.
So don’t wait for the perfect circumstances to declare the truth.
Say, “I have the mind of Christ.”
Say, “I have joy today.”
Say, “I have peace that surpasses understanding.”
Our heavenly Father is inviting you to receive what is already yours in Christ.

Heart Too Big for Small Things

We live in a world that’s constantly chasing after more.
Everywhere you turn, there’s this pressure to achieve, to accumulate, to get ahead.
The idea is that if you can just have a bit more success, more recognition, more things, you’ll finally feel secure, settled, and fulfilled.
And on top of that, we’re bombarded every day by ads—on our phones, our feeds, our screens—telling us what we need to wear, drive, or upgrade to.
The message may be subtle, but it’s relentless: “You’re not quite there yet. But if you just had this one more thing…”
And without even realizing it, our hearts begin to believe that a good life is defined by how much we have.
The neighborhood we live in. The car we drive. The bag we carry. The clothes we wear.
But is that really the measure of life?
In Luke 12, the Lord was speaking to a crowd, and someone asked Him a very down-to-earth, practical question. And He gave this profound answer:
“For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
That’s clear, isn’t it?
Life isn’t found in what we accumulate. It’s not found in the kind of lifestyle we lead or the things we own.
Then where is it found?
I love how David puts it in Psalm 4:7.
“You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.”
In other words, “Lord, what You’ve given me—Your joy, Your presence, Your love—has filled me far more than any material increase ever could.”
That’s true fulfillment. That’s lasting joy.
Because the truth is, your heart is too big to be filled by small things.
It wasn’t created to be satisfied by earthly things. It was created for something greater… Someone greater.
So, let me ask you today… Has your heart been caught up in the pursuit of more?
Have you been waiting for the next thing—that promotion, that breakthrough—to finally make you feel settled?
If so, you’re not alone. But the Lord loves you too much to let you keep running after what can’t truly satisfy. Today, He’s gently inviting you to center your heart. Not on possessions, but on Him.
And I want you to hear His words to you from Matthew 6:25–26.
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on… Look at the birds of the air… your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
The Lord sees you. He knows every practical need on your heart. He’s not distant or indifferent. In fact, He’s already gone ahead of you to provide.
But He doesn’t want those things to define your life. He wants Himself to be your portion. Your source. Your joy.
Because when you have Jesus… you truly have everything.
He is the One who satisfies your soul, and He fills you with gladness that the world can’t give, and can never take away.
And yes, He’ll take care of all the rest.

Realign Your Vision of Success with These Five Words
I want to ask you this important question: What does success look like to you?
Why is this important? Because whether you realize it or not, how you define success shapes the way you live. It guides your decision-making, what you pour your time and energy into, and what you choose to pursue.
Maybe you’ve been working hard… striving, pushing, trying to build a better life. And that’s not wrong. Because we all want to take care of our families. We all want to do well.
But just take a moment with me here. Pause and ask yourself, “Am I actually fulfilled?”
So often, amidst all of that chasing, all the pursuits in our lives, we end up carrying burdens we were never meant to carry. Stress creeps in. Our health starts to suffer. And even when the blessing is right there in front of us—our family, our loved ones—we’re too tired to enjoy them.
Now here’s something the Lord put on my heart to tell you today.
Don’t spend your life climbing the ladder of success… only to look back and realize the ladder was leaning against the wrong building.
Let me show you something powerful about what true success looks like from God’s Word.
Genesis 39:2 tells us, “The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man.”
Now think about this. When those words were spoken, Joseph was still a slave. No freedom. No influence. Nothing to his name. And yet, God called him successful.
That’s a whole different definition of success, isn’t it?
You see, true success isn’t about what you have. It’s about Who you have.
Joseph had the Lord with him. And that changed everything.
These five words, “The Lord is with me,” changed everything for Joseph. They turned a slave into a steward. A prisoner into a prince. And they can do the same for you.
Jesus is with you, too. Right now. Even if life feels a little messy or incomplete.
When you have His presence, you have His peace, His wisdom, His favor. That’s the kind of success the world cannot give.
So let me ask you again. What are you really chasing? And who are you becoming along the way?
Maybe today is a good time to fix your eyes back on Jesus. Not on what the world says success should look like, but on the One who right now walks with you.
So, here’s something simple I want you to do today and for the rest of this week. Speak this over yourself: “The Lord is with me.”
Declare it in the morning. Mutter it under your breath as you go about your day. Let it be the last thing on your lips before you sleep.
Every time you say it, be conscious of His presence right there with you.
And remember, because He is with you… you already have true success.

Put Down the Broken Ruler of Comparison
I remember when I visited New Zealand for the first time.
I saw this vast field that was lush, green, and beautiful. It looked like the perfect picture of peace and serenity. And I thought to myself, “Wow, the grass really is greener on the other side.”
So, I decided to walk across that field. But you know what I found once I got there?
Cow dung. Everywhere.
From a distance, it looked perfect. But up close, it was a very different picture.
And often, that’s what comparison is like.
The apostle Paul tells us plainly in 2 Corinthians 10:12:
“But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
This verse is such a timely reminder because it’s so easy these days to fall into the comparison trap.
Maybe you see someone on social media living what looks like a better life, or maybe it’s someone close to you—a friend, a colleague—who seems to be getting all the breaks. And without even realizing it, you start to measure yourself against them.
But that’s not wise.
Why? Because when you compare yourself with others, it is like you’re using a broken ruler. It blinds you to the blessings in your own life, steals your joy, and robs you of gratitude.
One moment, you might feel like you’re doing okay. The next moment, someone else’s success or blessing makes you feel small, disqualified, or not good enough.
And even if you do feel better by comparison, it never lasts. There’s always someone more talented, more accomplished.
Today, your heavenly Father is inviting you to put that broken ruler down.
There is only one accurate ruler to measure your worth, your value, and how deeply you are loved: the cross of Jesus Christ.
When you look at the cross, you see the truest reflection of your value.
At the cross, the Father didn’t just say He loves you—He demonstrated it. He gave up His most treasured, most beloved Son… for you. He didn’t hold back. He spared nothing.
You’ll never know how much your Father loves you until you realize how much He loves Jesus. And yet, He gave Jesus up… for you.
This is what John, the disciple whom Jesus loves, is telling us in 1 John 4:9,
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
So, if you’ve been comparing yourself lately… measuring your worth by someone else’s life or journey… stop for a moment and come back to the cross.
That’s where your worth was established once and for all.
And when you see what your Father gave up to make you His, you’ll begin to walk with a new confidence.
Not the kind found only at the expense of someone else, or the kind that is shaken when you see others getting ahead.
But the kind that comes from knowing, “I am fully known, completely accepted, and deeply loved.”