Have you ever been rescued? Rescue has many definitions. Just a few include: defend, deliver, recover, escape, release, and to bring salvation. Being rescued comes in many forms. When I was very young, maybe four or five years old, my two older brothers and I lived with our mother in a small apartment. One night as we slept, an intruder broke in, intent upon hurting our mother. She was able to get us safely into another room, where she cried out for help, screaming as loudly as she could. The intruder ran away, and soon the police came. We had been rescued from probable tragedy. Thank you, Jesus! Our ministry received a letter a few weeks ago from an inmate who shared how God had rescued him through this magazine. Here is some of his story: “I am in prison for the first time. Like many of your readers, I had to reach the bottom before I could begin my way back to the top. I lost a 23- year career, a beautiful wife of 22 years, and three amazing children. They have not spoken to me for over a year. Not long ago, I was ready to give in to Satan; I attempted to end my life. It was a scary day, but God had other plans for me. I was taken in for surgery, and the bleeding stopped. “When I returned to prison, I was put in solitary confinement. The chaplain came by on my first day there and delivered a Victorious Living magazine to me. Three weeks later, I received another edition with many stories of forgiveness in Christ. Now, I have been rescued! Thank you for your ministry; it saved my life.” God will use anything, even a magazine, to rescue someone from the clutches and lies of the enemy. Psalm 72:12–14 reveals the loving heart of God: “He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.” Did you know that God is looking for someone He can rescue? When we cry out to Him, He thunders down from heaven to rescue us. Did you notice the last part of the above scripture? The reason why He rescues us? “For our lives are precious to Him.” Please let these words soak into your heart and mind. You are precious to God! Your heavenly Father loves you. He longs to come to your aid and deliver you from destruction. It is not in God’s nature to be mean or vindictive. He is not sadistic or cruel. Our heavenly Father is pure in His motives, His methods, His thoughts, His words, and His deeds. His plans are always for good and never for evil. So many times, we think that when bad things happen to us, God is punishing us. That is exactly what the devil wants us to think. Satan tries to imprint his own evil ways onto our Father’s faultless ways. He deceives our minds and hearts to make us think our problem is God, when God is our answer. He wants us to contemplate suicide, murder, and all manner of evil. Satan is like the intruder who broke into my family’s apartment that night. He looks for ways to steal from us, to destroy us, and kill any innocence in our lives. But Jesus came so we could have life to the full! (See John 10:10.) Our lives are so very precious to God. His goodness and His mercy follow us all the days of our life. He never stops pursuing us. Never! Second Timothy 4:18 says, “The Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God for ever and ever! Amen.” According to 2 Corinthians 1:3, God is the Father of compassion and mercy; the God of every comfort. Our heavenly Father is immeasurably kind and tender. His love is unfathomable. His mercies and compassions have no bounds. He is the Faithful One, and He is reaching out to you today. Will you say yes to Jesus and be rescued from the kingdom of darkness, to live forever in God’s kingdom of love and light? Call on the Lord today. Give Him permission to rescue you from the hand and the land of the enemy. Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–30). Come to Him and be rescued. �� He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him. PSALM 72:12–14 28 kojministries.org Issue 3 2017
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