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'We ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [in Him]. But if anyone has this world's goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him? Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity)' (1 John 3:16-18 Amp)

David held church evangelism in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, East Ukraine over the weekend. These are pioneer churches with a vision to reach the drug addict, the alcoholic, the homeless, abandoned children and the very poor - the outcasts of society for whom Jesus died! The founder of these churches, Pastor Sergey Diomyn, found Christ more than 20 years ago when he was in prison for drug related crimes. Powerfully converted, he is driven by a vision to win the hopelessly lost for Christ. Every convert is trained to be a leader, an evangelist and a church planter. Pastor Sergey's work extends into Russia and even into Germany. In this desperate region of Ukraine, Pastor Sergey runs Alpha courses, not with fancy dinners, but with bread for the hungry! And he teaches his businessmen converts, not to go on and make money for themselves in order to pay their tithes to the church, but to serve the people and provide for their needs, much like the Quaker movement did in Britain many centuries ago.

The churches in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk invested their own resources into this local evangelism with the result that the very poorest and most disadvantaged and the young people came, gave their lives to Christ and were powerfully healed.

'A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity' (Proverbs 17:17).

Whatever the crisis in your life - whether it's sin, drugs, alcohol; a broken home; sickness or financial problem; whether you're crippled, blind or deaf - in the darkest moment of your life, in the moment of your greatest tragedy, in your moment of your greatest suffering, when you are hurting more than you have ever hurt before, Jesus is there. He's not forgotten you - He's walking nearer to you. Jesus said, "I will be with you always." Every day, every hour, in the middle of the storm, in the middle of every sickness, even in the hospital bed, or lying on the road as a result of a car accident, Jesus will come. Whatever the crisis, there's never a moment when He's not there.

Jesus loves us at all times - even when we are unlovely and do the unlovable. In John 8, a woman was caught in the act of adultery, the Jewish leaders demanded justice, yet Jesus offered compassion. He said to her: "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more".

'Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to Whom we send you with our plea. For if we obey Him, everything will turn out well for us' (Jeremiah 42:6, NLT).

We must go by faith, in obedience to what God is telling us to do. And God always makes a way. I have learned that everything God does is a miracle. If it's not a miracle, then you or I could do it! In my life I know that it is God working when the totally impossible happens. Whatever the problem, God never fails - it's impossible! The day God fails, He's no longer God. It's in God's Word, it's His character. He's the God of miracles! Yes, I have problems and these mean I spend much time in prayer and fasting. Why? Because you cannot have miracles without first having problems. Every problem drives me to prayer, which then brings another miracle! But people aren't prepared to pay the price. And because they aren't prepared to sacrifice through the problems, they don't see the miracles. The Bible says that the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

To me the greatest miracle Jesus did is the first, when He turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Mary, His mother, had never seen Him work a miracle, yet she went to the servants at the wedding and said to them, "Just do what He says". The real miracle wasn't turning water into wine; it was Mary saying, "Just do it!" In other words, if you want to see miracles, just do it. It's about obedience! - And when you do what Jesus says everything will be well with you.

'For God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life' (2 Corinthians 7:10, Living Bible).

God sent His Son to live as we do - to experience what we experience. Jesus is Son of God yet Son of Man. God allowed Him to suffer. He was rejected and despised. Isaiah said of Jesus that He would be a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Jesus was not born in a palace with all the advantages of wealth and privilege - He was born in a filthy animal stable. He never owned a house. He wore borrowed clothes. When He was killed, He was buried in a borrowed tomb. He had no salary, no pension, no state support. Jesus needed to suffer so that God could identify with you - so that He could understand and feel your pain. Hebrews 4:15 teaches that Jesus is able to sympathise with our weaknesses because He Himself was tempted and tried as we are, yet He was without sin. That is why we can boldly come before God to find mercy and help in our times of need.

The cross enabled Jesus to identify with us, and for us to identify with Him. Through Jesus we can understand that sometimes suffering leads us to God. If you are struggling under the weight of your circumstances let me encourage you, God promises to give beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He loves us too much to leave us in our pain. He came so that we would have a blessed life here on earth and in eternity. Through Him all things are made new.

'That You may give him the power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity...' (Psalm 94:13 Amp).

I have learnt after more than 60 years of ministry that God always answers prayer. And I want to encourage you, God never fails - He cannot fail. But to get an answer at the right hour we have to be ready, we have to be obedient, and God will answer. In my life it seems that God often answers one minute before midnight, at the very last minute. We all have many different kinds of problems, many different needs, but I believe in miracles.

If you want to see miracles, God is going to use your problem, your difficulty, your crisis - whatever the issue is, whether it is cancer, arthritis or financial problems, God will use it to create a miracle. When Jesus miraculously fed 5000, He first needed 5000 hungry people, as well as a boy with five loaves and fishes. When He walked on water, the miracle required a storm, the disciples, and one sinking person.

But for God to work a miracle, He requires two things: faith in Him, and for us to remain calm. In Exodus 14:13-14, Moses instructed the Israelites to hold their peace, for the Egyptians they saw that day would never be seen again. - But the miracle was dependent on them being in peace. So often, like the disciples on the stormy sea, we become so afraid that we don't realise Jesus is actually with us. The disciples were convinced the boat was going to sink and that they would drown, but yet the 'ghost' they were most frightened of, was actually Jesus walking towards them to solve the problem! Keep your eyes on Jesus and all the time your eyes are upon Him you'll never sink - you'll be at peace. The Apostle Paul prayed for all believers in 2 Thessalonians 3:16: 'Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation'.

'Jesus said: "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scattered seed on the ground. Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens' (Mark 4:26-27 NLT).

Many people are seeking a new anointing, a new power, something extra to what they already have. Fifty years ago I went to Jerusalem searching for a new touch from God. But when I got there, I discovered that what I was searching for was already within me! I am not waiting for something 'new' - I have all the power I need in my spirit now! How? Over sixty years ago I was seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When I received this baptism, I received all the power of God - the same miracle working power that raised Jesus from the dead came to live within me! There is only one Holy Spirit - He, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, who was in Peter and Paul - who was present during Creation - that mighty, miracle-working power of the Great God who spoke the world into existence, who parted the Red Sea, raised the dead, opened blind eyes - He is in me now! I cannot receive any greater power than that I already have. The Bible says of Jesus that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is the same with the Holy Spirit, His character is consistent - He will not manifest in a 'new' way. Paul wrote for good reason: 'Do not be attracted by strange, new ideas' (Hebrews 13:9).

That is why I do not seek a new experience, and that is why the FIRE has not gone out. Yes, I am different now to what I was sixty years ago. But notice HE is not different, I am! During the last sixty years He has cleaned out a lot of my self and pride - and because I am not perfect, He will continue to do so until I see Jesus face to face in Heaven. Sixty years ago the 'seed' of the Holy Spirit came into my heart, in that time it has 'sprouted' and 'grown'. This is why Paul said we are changed from glory to glory; with time, there has become less of me and more of Him. Jesus said, "He that believeth on Me, out of His inner being shall flow rivers of living water." The Holy Spirit is the source in us! External experiences are of the flesh. The inner experience is the fresh river source, the sweet blessing, the mighty power of God within you!

'This is what the Lord says: When people fall down, don't they get back up again? When they start down the wrong road and discover their mistake, don't they turn back?' (Jeremiah 8:4 NLT).

The Bible says that God did not send Jesus into the world to save the religious and the righteous, but for men and women like you and me. I want sinners everywhere to rejoice. Confess your sin and God will change your life! If only you would tell Him, 'I know I have sinned but Jesus I need You. Thank You that You died for my sin. I want You to come into my life and change me.' And Jesus will do it immediately.

I once met a man in Siberia and he was the happiest man in the service. He was dancing for joy. I couldn't understand why until he told me, "I've just come out of prison and there are two reasons I'm so happy. First, when I was in prison someone told me about Jesus. He forgave every sin and changed my life! Second, I've only been out of prison for two weeks, but because of the change in my life, everyone in my family has found Jesus, and He's changed their lives too!" Jesus said that our lives will be the evidence of the change in our hearts - we can't just say we have changed, we need to bear fruit consistent with the change (Matthew 3:8 Amp).

When we come to Christ, all our sin is forgiven: all the sins of the past, all the sins of the present, and all the sins of the future are under the Blood. Christ died once to deliver man forever. Even though we makes mistakes, all we need to do is 'turn back' - repentance is simply changing your ways for the better (Luke 5:32 Amp).

'If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption ... And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities' (Psalm 130:3-4, 7-8 NKJV).

Once you have made the decision to receive Jesus into your life and have asked for His forgiveness you are a new creation, your past is forgiven - you have a fresh start! God has not just forgiven, but He has forgotten all your past mistakes. - He has a new hope and a future for you! The Bible says in Romans 8:1 'There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' Condemning voices may remind you of your past mistakes, but those voices are not from God, He no longer remembers your sin. God's Word says as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us. At salvation we become new - a divine exchange takes place: Jesus takes our sins and we receive His resurrected, eternal life. There is no problem - no generational or ancestral curse - that can control you - you are a new creation in Christ with a fresh start in life. No matter what you have done with your life, or where you have been, you can be pure again in the sight of God. With Jesus there is abundant redemption.

Even though you sin and make mistakes after your conversion - and we all do - you must run to God and not away from Him. The Bible says to every believer, 'if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us' (1 John 1:9).

Each day ask God to search your heart, to highlight areas that you need to improve in. As you put your trust in Him, and your mind is renewed in God's Word, then over time your whole life will improve for the better - you'll have better relationships - and you'll be filled with peace, patience, joy and kindness.

'This is real love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love has been brought to full expression in us' (1 John 4:10-12 NLT).

For many people the only Jesus they will ever see and experience is you. Your life and character need to paint a picture of who He is and how He loves them. John says that the love of God is brought to full expression in us - our lives are meant to be a reflection of Jesus. Writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul said that we all, as in a mirror, reflect the glory of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). Let the glory and the beauty of the Lord be seen in all you do. Your smile, joy and love paint the most wonderful image of Jesus.

Last week we were sent this letter from Children of the Catastrophe - a Holocaust survivor group in Israel: 'The meeting with you has made an indelible impression on us. We saw a slender, strong, and purposeful man, whose soul is rich in warmth, who loves the Jewish people. We felt your deep compassion for us, children of catastrophe. The members of our organisation were warmed by your words and the power of the Gospel. Many people experienced wonderful physical and spiritual healings. People need your ministry so much. In our opinion, your ministry is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. We hope to maintain and develop our friendly relations with you.'

'The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving kindness. He will not always chide or be contending, neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge ... The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting' (Psalm 103:8-9, 17 Amp).

Jesus said we should ask the Father to 'forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us'. This is the condition of our salvation, this is the deal - we must forgive. Just as God is merciful towards us and doesn't hold grudges or keep records of wrongs, so we too must be the same.

Jesus said if we do not forgive others, neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us our sin. He then told the story of a man who owed a great debt to his master (Matthew 18:23-25). When he pleaded to be forgiven his debt, the master forgave him. But then this man refused to forgive the little debt a fellow servant owed him - he treated him harshly and threw him into the debtors prison. When the master heard this he said: I had compassion on you, why did you not have compassion on your fellow servant as I had pity on you? Jesus concluded the story by saying, if you do not forgive, you will be 'delivered to the tormentors'. - Your own life will become a prison and the 'jailors' - your own unforgiveness - will torment you! Jesus died to set us free - why end up in 'jail' again?

By forgiving others, we allow God to not only forgive us, but it enables Him to bring His justice into the situation. Unforgiveness doesn't punish the perpetrator; it wounds us and our families. James 5:16 says: 'pray one for another, that you [yourself] may be healed'. The only path to healing is to pray blessing upon those who hurt you (Job 42:10; Matthew 5:44).