2 Corinthians 3:18And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
I woke at 4 am to severe head and neck pain and a rare thing-hunger pain-that quickly went to waves of nausea, then feeling like I'm falling over backwards which is wild when you are lying on your back and on and on. I was on the roller coaster again--the big one. I imagined myself really on one and it softly came to me: sit back, raise your arms, scream out to God and ride it out. He'll keep you safe. You never are given more than you can bare. Your rescuer is only a call away.
Amusement parks are interesting. People pay money to be 'turned upside down'--sort of controlled chaos and when it's over we laugh and praise God we made it through. That's been my life for the last five years without leaving my house or mostly my bed.
The house of mirrors distorts the truth-God's word and promises. The enemy does this daily trying to tell me I'm not healed when the truth is my Jesus gave me that gift along with my salvation. It's totally laughable. My whole life as it appears in the mirror today is totally laughable. I pass many mirrors of fact and truth everyday. The one with purple legs and hands. The one where I am dancing in praise and worship. The one with purple bags under my eyes. The one where I am walking the beach holding Rich's hand. The one that I see the drooping face muscles talking slurs and drooling food and drink. The one where I am swimming with my grandgirls and making sand castles. The one where I don't have the energy or breath to get up to go to the bathroom. The one where I am driving my van going shopping and out to lunch with Janice and going to bible studies with Brenda and Michelle and prayer meetings at church--spending time with the precious sisters God has placed in my life. The one where I am standing for prayer, singing praises, dancing and worshiping, cooking and cleaning-not just for my husband but blessing others, going out for date night with my husband, going to visit friends, going to museums, aquariums, zoos, playing with Britney and Allison and doing fun stuff with Christi and Thomas. There is so much I see in those mirrors of things I want to do it could fill the Grand Canyon.
When you look in the fact mirror and then in the truth mirror, it's sort of like feeding 5,000 people with three loaves of bread and two fish. At first its laughter that spills forth at the thought of it but then I remember God can do anything. He can turn my situation around in a heartbeat. Just as things can go so wrong in an instant (like last week) they can be made right again. After all, one minute I was in sin and going to hell and then I found Jesus--the light was turned on and now I'm not stumbling in the dark and I'll be spending eternity in heaven when my time is done here. In the meantime, I'm going to avoid the lying fact mirrors and seek out the truth mirrors that tell me God has a good plan for my life-whole, healed and restored. I'm raising my hands and crying out to God in the loudest shouts possible. He's laughing at the lying symptoms because they are easily defeated. He can do anything--I just need to let Him. Then, the roller coaster ride can come safely to a stop.
1 Corinthians 13:12For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [ by God].
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Old or New?
Love Your Enemies
38-42"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
43-47 "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. Matthew 5:42-44 (The Message)
Now that's a level to aspire to.
Lord, help me to love the unlovable. Fill me with more of you and flush out all the unlovable things in my life. Teach me Lord. Teach me. In Jesus' name. AMEN
38-42"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
43-47 "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. Matthew 5:42-44 (The Message)
Now that's a level to aspire to.
Lord, help me to love the unlovable. Fill me with more of you and flush out all the unlovable things in my life. Teach me Lord. Teach me. In Jesus' name. AMEN
Monday, July 14, 2008
Happy Birthday!
16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18 NLT
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Today, July 14, is my spiritual birthday! Twelve years ago today, I found what I had been searching for all my life to fill that whole deep inside me. I found a way to take the edge off sometimes but just could not shake that emptiness. You know that longing you can't seem to fill with any vice as hard as you try. You know the one that seems bigger the day after you tried.
I found the way to fill it. I invited Jesus to fill it. I still get a yearning to seek more of the infilling but it's like having extra helpings of cake and ice cream--a never ending supply. If I want all 39 flavors in multiple helpings that's fine with Him. He is a never ending supply of joy, peace, wisdom, discernment, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, healing, prosperity, salvation, defense, protection, and on and on for many more than I can fathom. He is the whole filler-He completes me. He is my creator. He is my heavenly Father. The one I run to for whatever I need, want or desire.
I am reminded of a quote from Corrie Ten Boom, "You never know how much you need Jesus until Jesus is all you have." And may I add, "After knowing Jesus, how utterly wretched, meaningless and hopeless my life would be without Him!"
LORD, I thank you for first loving me and sustaining me with your favor and grace until I came to know you and love you with my whole heart. May Your face always shine upon me! In Jesus' name! AMEN!
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18 NLT
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Today, July 14, is my spiritual birthday! Twelve years ago today, I found what I had been searching for all my life to fill that whole deep inside me. I found a way to take the edge off sometimes but just could not shake that emptiness. You know that longing you can't seem to fill with any vice as hard as you try. You know the one that seems bigger the day after you tried.
I found the way to fill it. I invited Jesus to fill it. I still get a yearning to seek more of the infilling but it's like having extra helpings of cake and ice cream--a never ending supply. If I want all 39 flavors in multiple helpings that's fine with Him. He is a never ending supply of joy, peace, wisdom, discernment, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, healing, prosperity, salvation, defense, protection, and on and on for many more than I can fathom. He is the whole filler-He completes me. He is my creator. He is my heavenly Father. The one I run to for whatever I need, want or desire.
I am reminded of a quote from Corrie Ten Boom, "You never know how much you need Jesus until Jesus is all you have." And may I add, "After knowing Jesus, how utterly wretched, meaningless and hopeless my life would be without Him!"
LORD, I thank you for first loving me and sustaining me with your favor and grace until I came to know you and love you with my whole heart. May Your face always shine upon me! In Jesus' name! AMEN!
Monday, June 16, 2008
I am at Home with the Lord and He has all the keys.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Matthew 11:28 Amplified
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. Matthew 11:29 Amplified
Have you been unsettled? Homeless? Between or betwixt? Just felt like you were supposed to be somewhere else? You know that place where rearranging the furniture just doesn’t do it. You feel that pull on your spirit that you need to move but you have no idea where. You wake up with that feeling like you are supposed to do something today but you can’t remember what it was. You are determined to wear a certain outfit but when you go to the closet you discover it is still in the laundry. You find something else to wear and head to the kitchen. An omelet would taste great but when you open the fridge there are no eggs. You get ready to head out the door and can’t find the car keys. You sigh and say out loud, “God am I supposed to leave the house today?”
For the last four and a half years, it has felt like my whole life as I knew it had been misplaced. I have asked God every day where I should look for it. I searched the Bible, spiritual books, health books, doctors offices, the internet, godly people’s advice, soaked in praise and worship CD’s, godly tv shows and more. It has been a severe battle. I have persevered and continue to search for “that faith that makes a tadpole slap a whale.” I’ve cried buckets of tears, screamed at the devil until I was hoarse, and prayed and begged God for the knowledge, wisdom and discernment for the situation for countless hours. I’ve done everything anyone suggested, everything I knew to do and still I did not see the way out. While lying in my bed, I have stood on the word, rested in Him, got angry at the devil, trusted God, read the word, sought His face, journalized, read out load healing scriptures and healing confessions, prayed and tried not to doubt that the promises for healing so clearly stated in the bible are indeed for me too. I’ve asked where I missed it and tried to figure it all out. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out just what God wants me to do. Who does he want me to talk to? What medical treatment? What should my diet consist of and what supplements does he want me to take? How much rest? What activity and how much? What should I read and what to pray? What should I do LORD? What should I do?
I always get the same answer--rest.
And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease. Mark 5:34
In order to heal my body, He needs to first heal my soul. To do that, I need to give Him all the keys to my soul. Total surrendor (rest in Him) is required. I have always cringed at the thought of letting anyone ever have that kind of control over me again. But I am learning when the right one has control of my life, I am at peace and no longer in turmoil. He knows what is best for me and that is His only agenda. My LORD loves me and with an unending love. He knows the end from the beginning and the stuff in between. He knows all that I have been through and where I will come out. And He will definately work it all for His good for those that love Him. That includes me!
Lord, bless me so that I may be a blessing to others. I ask for a supernatural gift of faith to get me through this time of testing and the movement into the beauty of your rest. Heal my hurts and soul. You can pierce my heart to my soul and restore it all. I thank you Lord my healer. You are doing a marvelous work in me. Todah! I praise you for all you have done, are doing and going to do in my life. In Jesus' name. AMEN
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. Matthew 11:29 Amplified
Have you been unsettled? Homeless? Between or betwixt? Just felt like you were supposed to be somewhere else? You know that place where rearranging the furniture just doesn’t do it. You feel that pull on your spirit that you need to move but you have no idea where. You wake up with that feeling like you are supposed to do something today but you can’t remember what it was. You are determined to wear a certain outfit but when you go to the closet you discover it is still in the laundry. You find something else to wear and head to the kitchen. An omelet would taste great but when you open the fridge there are no eggs. You get ready to head out the door and can’t find the car keys. You sigh and say out loud, “God am I supposed to leave the house today?”
For the last four and a half years, it has felt like my whole life as I knew it had been misplaced. I have asked God every day where I should look for it. I searched the Bible, spiritual books, health books, doctors offices, the internet, godly people’s advice, soaked in praise and worship CD’s, godly tv shows and more. It has been a severe battle. I have persevered and continue to search for “that faith that makes a tadpole slap a whale.” I’ve cried buckets of tears, screamed at the devil until I was hoarse, and prayed and begged God for the knowledge, wisdom and discernment for the situation for countless hours. I’ve done everything anyone suggested, everything I knew to do and still I did not see the way out. While lying in my bed, I have stood on the word, rested in Him, got angry at the devil, trusted God, read the word, sought His face, journalized, read out load healing scriptures and healing confessions, prayed and tried not to doubt that the promises for healing so clearly stated in the bible are indeed for me too. I’ve asked where I missed it and tried to figure it all out. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out just what God wants me to do. Who does he want me to talk to? What medical treatment? What should my diet consist of and what supplements does he want me to take? How much rest? What activity and how much? What should I read and what to pray? What should I do LORD? What should I do?
I always get the same answer--rest.
And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease. Mark 5:34
In order to heal my body, He needs to first heal my soul. To do that, I need to give Him all the keys to my soul. Total surrendor (rest in Him) is required. I have always cringed at the thought of letting anyone ever have that kind of control over me again. But I am learning when the right one has control of my life, I am at peace and no longer in turmoil. He knows what is best for me and that is His only agenda. My LORD loves me and with an unending love. He knows the end from the beginning and the stuff in between. He knows all that I have been through and where I will come out. And He will definately work it all for His good for those that love Him. That includes me!
Lord, bless me so that I may be a blessing to others. I ask for a supernatural gift of faith to get me through this time of testing and the movement into the beauty of your rest. Heal my hurts and soul. You can pierce my heart to my soul and restore it all. I thank you Lord my healer. You are doing a marvelous work in me. Todah! I praise you for all you have done, are doing and going to do in my life. In Jesus' name. AMEN
I Worship You In Dance
Brenda J. Kuhlmann
March 7, 2008
I Worship You In Dance
Oh LORD I long to dance before You on my feet once again!
I don’t want any barriers to keep me from You!
Why this interruption has happened is not for me to question
other than to seek You more.
Change after repentance, dancing after mourning,
LORD I do not know how I could be so stubborn.
The words I speak of longing more of you—
Where does my desire come from?
How do You speak? Where do You stand?
How long must I suffer before the dawn breaks?
Speak, ADONAI, speak! Let me know You hear my pleas!
I can’t rest until I have heard from You!
I won’t rest without You!
Your presence is my breath.
Your Spirit is my pulse.
Your love is my strength.
Pull me up on my feet and lift me high above it all.
Hold my hands gently and twirl me in Your presence!
Again let me feel Your breath on my face!
Whisper to my soul so that my heart leaps for You once again!
Please my LORD, strengthen me in Your precious presence,
Once again, ADONAI, let me worship You in dance.
Pull me up on my feet and lift me high above it all,
As my soul worships You in dance.
March 7, 2008
I Worship You In Dance
Oh LORD I long to dance before You on my feet once again!
I don’t want any barriers to keep me from You!
Why this interruption has happened is not for me to question
other than to seek You more.
Change after repentance, dancing after mourning,
LORD I do not know how I could be so stubborn.
The words I speak of longing more of you—
Where does my desire come from?
How do You speak? Where do You stand?
How long must I suffer before the dawn breaks?
Speak, ADONAI, speak! Let me know You hear my pleas!
I can’t rest until I have heard from You!
I won’t rest without You!
Your presence is my breath.
Your Spirit is my pulse.
Your love is my strength.
Pull me up on my feet and lift me high above it all.
Hold my hands gently and twirl me in Your presence!
Again let me feel Your breath on my face!
Whisper to my soul so that my heart leaps for You once again!
Please my LORD, strengthen me in Your precious presence,
Once again, ADONAI, let me worship You in dance.
Pull me up on my feet and lift me high above it all,
As my soul worships You in dance.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between [wise and unwise] words, just as the mouth distinguishes [between desirable and undesirable] food? Job 12:11 AMP
2 "Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. 3 For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. 4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. Job 34:2-4 (New International Version)
This came from four friends talking to each other. Three came to comfort the one, Job. They sat with him in silence at first. On the same day he lost all his possessions, he had lost his 7 sons and 3 daughters. Three times I have sat with friends who have lost a child-the children were 7 (cancer), 17 (car accident) and 19 (car accident). I could not find the words to console that heartache from losing one child. I cannot fathom the grief from losing all 10 of your children. As a friend, it grieved me deeply that I couldn't make their pain go away. I felt their grief in my own heart. It has been years and as I think of it today my heart still swells with grief and tears stain my cheeks. When you care about someone, when you love your friends, their tests and trials touch your heart too. You can learn together.
The next day, Job became very ill as well. We would say, "stress and grief will do that sometimes." This is the point that the friends are visiting with him. After a time, they begin to talk to him. They are trying to help him out of this pit of affliction. They reason what God's role in all this is and how Job may regain His favor. After some time passed, I remember thinking that I needed to help my friend's get "back on track". It was so difficult to see them so deeply mired in grief. I just wanted to reach out a hand and pull them out of that mire that their tears could not wash away. I wanted their heartache to be healed instantly but these things take time and the scar never completely disappears.
Friends have good intentions. Thank God for their comforting arms and shoulders to cry on. I am so thankful for the special ones that will lie down on the floor with you when you have fallen flat on your face, take hold of your hands and pray. And, for those hands that reach out to pull you up off the floor when you need to draw from their strength in God to remind you of yours to get up on your feet again.
I have always desired to be a good friend like that. On many occasion I have tried to do and say what I thought God wanted but didn't get the results-at least not right away. I have always wanted the instant fix--but the bigger hurts require more than a "kiss" to heal. They require calling 911 or rather Psalm 91:1. 1HE WHO [a]dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. Or as Jesus said in Mark 9:29 And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.
Somewhere in this conversation I think Job's friends realized this was much too big for them to figure out and help him through. They realized it was only God who was going to be able to heal Job. Job 36 5 CJB "Look, God is powerful and despises no one, powerful in His strength of understanding. 22"Look, God is exalted in his strength; who is a teacher like him? 26Look, God is great, beyond what we can know; the number of his years is uncountable. They go on to list all the wonders of God and lastly say: 37:24 This is why people fear him; He does not consider those who think of themselves as wise."
Then the light bulb came on. Job 38:1 says, Then ADONAI answered Job out of the storm. He got a word. His ears tested and his heart heard. He listened to God and answered: Job 42:2, 5, 6 "I know that you can do everything, that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 5 I had heard about you with my ears, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I detest [myself] and repent in dust and ashes." And here is the rest of the story: 7After ADONAI had spoken these words to Job, ADONAI said to Elifaz the Teimani, "My anger is blazing against you and your two friends, because, unlike my servant Job, you have not spoken rightly about me. 8So now, get yourselves seven young bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering. My servant Job will pray for you - because him I will accept - so that I won't punish you as your boorishness deserves; because you have not spoken rightly about me, as my servant Job has." 9So Elifaz the Teimani, Bildad the Shuchi and Tzofar the Na'amati went and did what ADONAI had ordered them to do, and ADONAI accepted Job['s prayer]. 10When Job prayed for his friends, ADONAI restored his fortunes; ADONAI gave Job twice as much as he had had before. 11Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, also all who had known him before, and they ate a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evils ADONAI had inflicted on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12ADONAI blessed Job's later situation even more than his earlier one - he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. 13He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14The first he named Y'mimah; the second, K'tzi'ah; and the third, Keren-Hapukh. 15Nowhere in the land could women be found as beautiful as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritances along with their brothers. 16After this, Job lived 140 years, long enough to see his sons and grandsons, four generations. 17Then, old and full of days, Job died.
Job humbled himself before God. He stopped justifying all his actions and qualifying himself. He stopped questioning God and simply accepted his situation. Then he repented of all the things he had done and said, known and unknown, and laid himself at God's feet--now at his lowest point, Job was God's servant. Then God had something He could truly work with. He used Job to pray for his friends and blessed him for his obedience.
Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between [wise and unwise] words, just as the mouth distinguishes [between desirable and undesirable] food? Job 12:11 AMP Job learned that his friends deeply cared for him. Their intentions were good. They tried to help with their words but the wise and desirable words came from God. Some words are to be spit out and some savored. The true wisdom Job sought in his most difficult situation could only come from his master. He needed to hear the voice of his shepherd. As Job delighted in serving God he was lifted out of the ashes. When Job humbled himself and was obedient, God delighted in his servant Job.
I am sure Job was thankful that his friends stayed with him, encouraging him, until he finally heard from God. Maybe not so much at the time but later when he realized they didn't give up on him. They held him up until he finally got the word he so desperately needed from God. Sometimes, we can't see the forest for the trees or distinguish desirable from undesirable food. This is especially true when pain is dimming our eyes. I believe Job's friends learned a lot from this too.
LORD, I am so thankful for all my friends that have been encouraging me through my bodily affliction. The last four and a half years have been so difficult not only for me but for all my friends and loved ones around me. LORD, I pray for them all today. Comfort them as only You can. Bless each and every one that has physically tended my needs, prayed, asked others to pray and met all my needs as you directed with a blessing so big they cannot contain it. LORD, forgive me of all my transgressions. LORD, I repent. I lay before you a most humble servant. You know my heart and my deep desire to be a blessing to all your children. LORD, speak and let my heart hear your words. Fill me with your strength to do your will. Lord, I want to be able to minister to others as you direct in whatever capacity you command. In Jesus' name, I pray. AMEN
2 "Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. 3 For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. 4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. Job 34:2-4 (New International Version)
This came from four friends talking to each other. Three came to comfort the one, Job. They sat with him in silence at first. On the same day he lost all his possessions, he had lost his 7 sons and 3 daughters. Three times I have sat with friends who have lost a child-the children were 7 (cancer), 17 (car accident) and 19 (car accident). I could not find the words to console that heartache from losing one child. I cannot fathom the grief from losing all 10 of your children. As a friend, it grieved me deeply that I couldn't make their pain go away. I felt their grief in my own heart. It has been years and as I think of it today my heart still swells with grief and tears stain my cheeks. When you care about someone, when you love your friends, their tests and trials touch your heart too. You can learn together.
The next day, Job became very ill as well. We would say, "stress and grief will do that sometimes." This is the point that the friends are visiting with him. After a time, they begin to talk to him. They are trying to help him out of this pit of affliction. They reason what God's role in all this is and how Job may regain His favor. After some time passed, I remember thinking that I needed to help my friend's get "back on track". It was so difficult to see them so deeply mired in grief. I just wanted to reach out a hand and pull them out of that mire that their tears could not wash away. I wanted their heartache to be healed instantly but these things take time and the scar never completely disappears.
Friends have good intentions. Thank God for their comforting arms and shoulders to cry on. I am so thankful for the special ones that will lie down on the floor with you when you have fallen flat on your face, take hold of your hands and pray. And, for those hands that reach out to pull you up off the floor when you need to draw from their strength in God to remind you of yours to get up on your feet again.
I have always desired to be a good friend like that. On many occasion I have tried to do and say what I thought God wanted but didn't get the results-at least not right away. I have always wanted the instant fix--but the bigger hurts require more than a "kiss" to heal. They require calling 911 or rather Psalm 91:1. 1HE WHO [a]dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. Or as Jesus said in Mark 9:29 And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.
Somewhere in this conversation I think Job's friends realized this was much too big for them to figure out and help him through. They realized it was only God who was going to be able to heal Job. Job 36 5 CJB "Look, God is powerful and despises no one, powerful in His strength of understanding. 22"Look, God is exalted in his strength; who is a teacher like him? 26Look, God is great, beyond what we can know; the number of his years is uncountable. They go on to list all the wonders of God and lastly say: 37:24 This is why people fear him; He does not consider those who think of themselves as wise."
Then the light bulb came on. Job 38:1 says, Then ADONAI answered Job out of the storm. He got a word. His ears tested and his heart heard. He listened to God and answered: Job 42:2, 5, 6 "I know that you can do everything, that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 5 I had heard about you with my ears, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I detest [myself] and repent in dust and ashes." And here is the rest of the story: 7After ADONAI had spoken these words to Job, ADONAI said to Elifaz the Teimani, "My anger is blazing against you and your two friends, because, unlike my servant Job, you have not spoken rightly about me. 8So now, get yourselves seven young bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering. My servant Job will pray for you - because him I will accept - so that I won't punish you as your boorishness deserves; because you have not spoken rightly about me, as my servant Job has." 9So Elifaz the Teimani, Bildad the Shuchi and Tzofar the Na'amati went and did what ADONAI had ordered them to do, and ADONAI accepted Job['s prayer]. 10When Job prayed for his friends, ADONAI restored his fortunes; ADONAI gave Job twice as much as he had had before. 11Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, also all who had known him before, and they ate a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evils ADONAI had inflicted on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12ADONAI blessed Job's later situation even more than his earlier one - he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. 13He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14The first he named Y'mimah; the second, K'tzi'ah; and the third, Keren-Hapukh. 15Nowhere in the land could women be found as beautiful as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritances along with their brothers. 16After this, Job lived 140 years, long enough to see his sons and grandsons, four generations. 17Then, old and full of days, Job died.
Job humbled himself before God. He stopped justifying all his actions and qualifying himself. He stopped questioning God and simply accepted his situation. Then he repented of all the things he had done and said, known and unknown, and laid himself at God's feet--now at his lowest point, Job was God's servant. Then God had something He could truly work with. He used Job to pray for his friends and blessed him for his obedience.
Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between [wise and unwise] words, just as the mouth distinguishes [between desirable and undesirable] food? Job 12:11 AMP Job learned that his friends deeply cared for him. Their intentions were good. They tried to help with their words but the wise and desirable words came from God. Some words are to be spit out and some savored. The true wisdom Job sought in his most difficult situation could only come from his master. He needed to hear the voice of his shepherd. As Job delighted in serving God he was lifted out of the ashes. When Job humbled himself and was obedient, God delighted in his servant Job.
I am sure Job was thankful that his friends stayed with him, encouraging him, until he finally heard from God. Maybe not so much at the time but later when he realized they didn't give up on him. They held him up until he finally got the word he so desperately needed from God. Sometimes, we can't see the forest for the trees or distinguish desirable from undesirable food. This is especially true when pain is dimming our eyes. I believe Job's friends learned a lot from this too.
LORD, I am so thankful for all my friends that have been encouraging me through my bodily affliction. The last four and a half years have been so difficult not only for me but for all my friends and loved ones around me. LORD, I pray for them all today. Comfort them as only You can. Bless each and every one that has physically tended my needs, prayed, asked others to pray and met all my needs as you directed with a blessing so big they cannot contain it. LORD, forgive me of all my transgressions. LORD, I repent. I lay before you a most humble servant. You know my heart and my deep desire to be a blessing to all your children. LORD, speak and let my heart hear your words. Fill me with your strength to do your will. Lord, I want to be able to minister to others as you direct in whatever capacity you command. In Jesus' name, I pray. AMEN
Friday, June 6, 2008
Giants
For those who know the sound of a Goliath, David gives this reminder: focus on giants---you stumble; focus on God---your giants tumble. If you're ready to face your giants, let David's story inspire you. Max Lucado
Giants-we all face them. Many turn and run. Some stand frozen in fear. Some scream and some cry. Some close their eyes and pretend they aren't there. Some laugh hysterically. Some faint. And then there are the Davids. They stand erect knowing their covenant with God. They pray and listen. They take up whatever God has given them to fight that particular giant and hurl it with all the strength God has given them right between the eyes of that giant. They expect it to fall and ro cut off its head. They aren't accepting any thing less. They aren't hearing the lies of the enemy; they are only hearing the voice of their Lord.
Think about it. What giant are you facing right now? Are you going to be a Saul or a David?
Lord, I no longer want to be a coward in this fight. I want to stand erect in the knowledge of our covenant. With You on my side, what do I have to be afraid of? No one can beat You. Especially not satan who has no power to create only to destroy. You created him and You rule over him. You have given that authority to me as well. To speak the name of Jesus and he must flee. It is a powerful weapon the tongue--especially when You back it up. I pray for wisdom, knowledge and discernment in Jesus' Name. AMEN
Giants-we all face them. Many turn and run. Some stand frozen in fear. Some scream and some cry. Some close their eyes and pretend they aren't there. Some laugh hysterically. Some faint. And then there are the Davids. They stand erect knowing their covenant with God. They pray and listen. They take up whatever God has given them to fight that particular giant and hurl it with all the strength God has given them right between the eyes of that giant. They expect it to fall and ro cut off its head. They aren't accepting any thing less. They aren't hearing the lies of the enemy; they are only hearing the voice of their Lord.
Think about it. What giant are you facing right now? Are you going to be a Saul or a David?
Lord, I no longer want to be a coward in this fight. I want to stand erect in the knowledge of our covenant. With You on my side, what do I have to be afraid of? No one can beat You. Especially not satan who has no power to create only to destroy. You created him and You rule over him. You have given that authority to me as well. To speak the name of Jesus and he must flee. It is a powerful weapon the tongue--especially when You back it up. I pray for wisdom, knowledge and discernment in Jesus' Name. AMEN
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Convinced but is it the truth
Elihu went on to say: "Are you so convinced you are right, that you say, I am more just than God'? For you ask what advantage it is to you, How do I gain from not sinning"? Job 35:1-3 (Complete Jewish Bible)
Job was in a mighty sticky situation. He had lost his children, wealth, and health. Now that is definately a set of trials that none of us wants to go through. Any one of them would make you question how it happened. But, Job was truly devistated and yet he did not blame God.
I have learned a lot lately about how bad things happen to good people. God is just. He set some things up from the very beginning so He wouldn't have to deal with it all. So many have said or done things and made decisions that seemed like a 'mosquito' at the time and found out it really was an 'elephant' that trampled them in ways they had not imagined. I used to tell my children to be careful making decisions because they had potential to ruin the rest of their lives as they had planned in a matter of a few seconds. When my son gave me that "what you talking about" look, I asked him a few questions. Ok, how long does it take to swerve over the center line in a car? How long does it take to aim a gun and pull a trigger? How long does it take to swallow a pill or smoke a pipe? How long to conceive or contract a STD? Or, to get in the car with someone who may force a bad decision consequence on you?
These examples are easy to picture but what about the less obvious? What about all the words we have spoken that set things in motion? God's word tells us if you do this then I'll do this. If you don't do this or do that then it will bring this on you. All the promises are met with conditions. So many times I have heard people justify their not giving there life over to God by saying if God was a loving God why would He allow this to happen. It is simple, if you speed you get a ticket. If you steal you have to pay the fine or go to jail. That's if you get caught. God has placed gravity in place as a natural law and he has just as powerful but unseen spiritual laws. Then God doesn't have to be policing us all the time. The things that happen are consequences for things that we may not realize you or your ancestors did. Don't panic. He gave us the rule book. His word tells us how to clear debts and make positive changes. It tells us of His love and marvelous grace. It tells us how he shed His precious blood and gave His life so that we may be redeemed and live an abundant life hear on earth and spend eternity in heaven with Him.
Lord, I am so thankful for your gifts. Your gift of grace that held me until I found you. Your gift of forgiveness and salvation. Your gift of unending unconditional love. Your presence that will never leave not forasake me. Your blessing on my life. I have so much to be thankful for and yet my mouth does not utter a sound. I am in awe of all you have done for me. How could someone so magnificent take the time to care for me? Love me so much He would give His one and only son for me to have a second chance at life and an eternal life in heaven? It is humbling. It is exciting. It is comforting. It is God.
Job was in a mighty sticky situation. He had lost his children, wealth, and health. Now that is definately a set of trials that none of us wants to go through. Any one of them would make you question how it happened. But, Job was truly devistated and yet he did not blame God.
I have learned a lot lately about how bad things happen to good people. God is just. He set some things up from the very beginning so He wouldn't have to deal with it all. So many have said or done things and made decisions that seemed like a 'mosquito' at the time and found out it really was an 'elephant' that trampled them in ways they had not imagined. I used to tell my children to be careful making decisions because they had potential to ruin the rest of their lives as they had planned in a matter of a few seconds. When my son gave me that "what you talking about" look, I asked him a few questions. Ok, how long does it take to swerve over the center line in a car? How long does it take to aim a gun and pull a trigger? How long does it take to swallow a pill or smoke a pipe? How long to conceive or contract a STD? Or, to get in the car with someone who may force a bad decision consequence on you?
These examples are easy to picture but what about the less obvious? What about all the words we have spoken that set things in motion? God's word tells us if you do this then I'll do this. If you don't do this or do that then it will bring this on you. All the promises are met with conditions. So many times I have heard people justify their not giving there life over to God by saying if God was a loving God why would He allow this to happen. It is simple, if you speed you get a ticket. If you steal you have to pay the fine or go to jail. That's if you get caught. God has placed gravity in place as a natural law and he has just as powerful but unseen spiritual laws. Then God doesn't have to be policing us all the time. The things that happen are consequences for things that we may not realize you or your ancestors did. Don't panic. He gave us the rule book. His word tells us how to clear debts and make positive changes. It tells us of His love and marvelous grace. It tells us how he shed His precious blood and gave His life so that we may be redeemed and live an abundant life hear on earth and spend eternity in heaven with Him.
Lord, I am so thankful for your gifts. Your gift of grace that held me until I found you. Your gift of forgiveness and salvation. Your gift of unending unconditional love. Your presence that will never leave not forasake me. Your blessing on my life. I have so much to be thankful for and yet my mouth does not utter a sound. I am in awe of all you have done for me. How could someone so magnificent take the time to care for me? Love me so much He would give His one and only son for me to have a second chance at life and an eternal life in heaven? It is humbling. It is exciting. It is comforting. It is God.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
United We Stand--Divided I Fall Flat On My Face
Those who obey his commands remain united with him and he with them. Here is how we know that he remains united with us: by the Spirit whom he gave us. 1 John 3:24 TCJB
I really have been "on my face a lot lately." When I seem to have tripped and fallen on my face, I find I am in a perfect position to seek God for the forgiveness, repent and get the direction to get back up and persevere on the path again.
Have you ever gone for a long hike and got so weary that you found yourself tripping and lagging behind? Did you ever miscalculate and stay out too long without a flashlight making it tedious searching to find your way home? Maybe you were just going for a short little walk to clear your head and the next thing you knew you were miles from home. I have although it has been years but I remember those sudden feelings of despair, confusion, panic and embarrassment.
It is so important to keep your guard up and focus. So many times I have meditated on Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer." If you are always aware of His presence and seeking the Holy Spirit at all times-staying united-the path will be straight and smooth. The bumps will be less jolting, you won't notice the sand in your shoes and you'll always keep the spring in your step. I envision the path to even have reflectors along the sides for night walking, lots of benches, water fountains, port-a-pottys and ripe fruit trees with snacks. He meets all our needs when we stay connected. And best of all, my best friend is always there to listen when I need to talk and He gives the very best advice when I ask Him. He never leaves me nor forsakes me. Even when I step out on my own and fall flat on my face, He will be there to lift me up with His victorious right hand.
Thank you Lord for teaching me that although you would rather I listen and obey, if I step out in faith and fall, You will pick me up and set me aright when I ask for your forgiveness, repent, listen for your instruction and go forth in obedience. It is a process. For some of us it is a much longer process, I am so thankful You are so patient, loving, kind and merciful.
I really have been "on my face a lot lately." When I seem to have tripped and fallen on my face, I find I am in a perfect position to seek God for the forgiveness, repent and get the direction to get back up and persevere on the path again.
Have you ever gone for a long hike and got so weary that you found yourself tripping and lagging behind? Did you ever miscalculate and stay out too long without a flashlight making it tedious searching to find your way home? Maybe you were just going for a short little walk to clear your head and the next thing you knew you were miles from home. I have although it has been years but I remember those sudden feelings of despair, confusion, panic and embarrassment.
It is so important to keep your guard up and focus. So many times I have meditated on Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer." If you are always aware of His presence and seeking the Holy Spirit at all times-staying united-the path will be straight and smooth. The bumps will be less jolting, you won't notice the sand in your shoes and you'll always keep the spring in your step. I envision the path to even have reflectors along the sides for night walking, lots of benches, water fountains, port-a-pottys and ripe fruit trees with snacks. He meets all our needs when we stay connected. And best of all, my best friend is always there to listen when I need to talk and He gives the very best advice when I ask Him. He never leaves me nor forsakes me. Even when I step out on my own and fall flat on my face, He will be there to lift me up with His victorious right hand.
Thank you Lord for teaching me that although you would rather I listen and obey, if I step out in faith and fall, You will pick me up and set me aright when I ask for your forgiveness, repent, listen for your instruction and go forth in obedience. It is a process. For some of us it is a much longer process, I am so thankful You are so patient, loving, kind and merciful.
THE POWER OF ONE SENTENCE
I received this e-mail this morning and it got me thinking: "When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go, only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you fall, or He'll teach you how to fly!
God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close. I believe God can shift things around for you today and make things work in your favor. What are you believing for Him to do today?"
It had the usual send this on to everyone and you'll be blessed stuff that I deleted and added these scriptures at the end:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, And no mind has imagined What God has prepared For those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
"Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you!" I Samuel 12:24
I forwarded it to all the people I felt needed some special encouragement in this area today. Then God really began to percolate in my spirit about the power of His words, the strength in believing them and results of that combination.
Many times I have had a bottle of vinegar, a box of baking soda in my cupboard and a sink with a mountain of sludge. Although they are all in my kitchen and each one very useful and powerful in their own right, when they are put together the chemical reaction of the vinegar and the baking soda will unclog the drain. And it helps to run hot water down the drain afterwards.
A problem can clog up your thinking, stink up your mood and stop spiritual progress. Reading God's word out loud will electrify the atmosphere and lift your spirits. Then there is the catalyst for a miracle. Matthew 21:22 NIV If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Believing God's word can change your mood and attitude.
Dear friends, if our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God; 22then, whatever we ask for, we receive from him; because we are obeying his commands and doing the things that please him. 23This is his command: that we are to trust in the person and power of his Son Yeshua the Messiah and to keep loving one another, just as he commanded us. 1 John 3:21-23 TCJB Praying and asking God to intervene on your behalf may seem like a neutral task but without it He can do nothing.
And the hot water you ask--Todah--Praise Him and thank Him for all He has done, all He is doing, and all He is going to do. Keep the lines of comunication open and flush the lines daily.
LORD, I thank you for all you have done, are doing and going to do in my life. I thank You for today and the ways You will use me for your service. I thank you for your love, mercy, kindness, favor and grace. I thank you for all your sacrifices so that I may stand in Your presence, go boldly to your throne and ask in Jesus' name for strength, knowledge, wisdom, discernment and grace that is sufficient for all my trials and tribulations of this world. For You are my strength in everything. You know my needs and have made provision for them. You have loved me with an everlasting love and I thank you and praise you my LORD.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Heart Smiles
So, friends, take a firm stand, feet on the ground and head high. Keep a tight grip on what you were taught, whether in personal conversation or by our letter. May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 The Message Translation
Today has been another resty day. These are the days I need what I call heart smiles. They are little encouragements from God that He loves me no matter what I am going through. We have all had trials and difficult situations of various sizes. I have learned that no matter what the size, color or variety of your situation when you are going through it, your life gets consumed by it if you let it. Some are more difficult than others to lasso, pull down, hog tie, raise your victorious hand and declare God is in control. Plain and simply, if He wasn't, I wouldn't be here.
On many an occasion throughout my life, I have dealt or not dealt with my trials by shifting my focus from myself to needs of others. If I can't "fix" my unfixable problem then I'll just "fix" someone else's that is fixable. That's how I became a fixaholic. It started very early in life. Want to keep Momma happy? Be an overachiever. Want to make the teachers happy? Be an overachiever. Want to be the best wife and mother? That alone will wear you out. Want to make an employer happy? Be an overachiever. Want your business to be successful? Be an overachiever. You can see where this is going can't you? Especially when one of your biggest unfixable problems has always been health issues. Yep, in the toilet every time. And once again I have found myself swirling around in the blue water so to speak.
How did I get there this time? I stepped out of the boat and the wind and waves took me down. Evidently, my faith is just not strong enough to hold me up yet. I guess this time it is called don't let God down or the church family that is praying for you. It has been going on for about a month now. I had some very good upward momentum for a few weeks then it just started slowly sliding backwards. I ignored all the signs that I was depleting "my batteries" and pressed forward determined to have total victory. I kept pressing through the pain and various other symptoms. You know what they say "no pain-no gain". Well, I had enough pain and symptoms this past week to gain a baby elephant and nothing to show for it. Except, I know my LORD has been with me through it all and it is His will that I be healed. I am not giving up. I refuse to give in. That is what has got me through this far. All that determination and stubbornness along with God's unending mercy and grace got me through the first 36 years until I found Him. For the last twelve and the rest, His unending love will see me through. I am dusting myself off and without condemnation, this time, I will rest when He says rest--In JESUS' name!
But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Jude 1:20 The Message Translation
Lord, You alone are my strength. Fill me LORD with Your mighty presence. Holy Spirit comfort me. I will not waiver from the truth--I am healed by the stripes of Jesus, I am free from the bondage of sickness, pain and infirmity! AMEN
Today has been another resty day. These are the days I need what I call heart smiles. They are little encouragements from God that He loves me no matter what I am going through. We have all had trials and difficult situations of various sizes. I have learned that no matter what the size, color or variety of your situation when you are going through it, your life gets consumed by it if you let it. Some are more difficult than others to lasso, pull down, hog tie, raise your victorious hand and declare God is in control. Plain and simply, if He wasn't, I wouldn't be here.
On many an occasion throughout my life, I have dealt or not dealt with my trials by shifting my focus from myself to needs of others. If I can't "fix" my unfixable problem then I'll just "fix" someone else's that is fixable. That's how I became a fixaholic. It started very early in life. Want to keep Momma happy? Be an overachiever. Want to make the teachers happy? Be an overachiever. Want to be the best wife and mother? That alone will wear you out. Want to make an employer happy? Be an overachiever. Want your business to be successful? Be an overachiever. You can see where this is going can't you? Especially when one of your biggest unfixable problems has always been health issues. Yep, in the toilet every time. And once again I have found myself swirling around in the blue water so to speak.
How did I get there this time? I stepped out of the boat and the wind and waves took me down. Evidently, my faith is just not strong enough to hold me up yet. I guess this time it is called don't let God down or the church family that is praying for you. It has been going on for about a month now. I had some very good upward momentum for a few weeks then it just started slowly sliding backwards. I ignored all the signs that I was depleting "my batteries" and pressed forward determined to have total victory. I kept pressing through the pain and various other symptoms. You know what they say "no pain-no gain". Well, I had enough pain and symptoms this past week to gain a baby elephant and nothing to show for it. Except, I know my LORD has been with me through it all and it is His will that I be healed. I am not giving up. I refuse to give in. That is what has got me through this far. All that determination and stubbornness along with God's unending mercy and grace got me through the first 36 years until I found Him. For the last twelve and the rest, His unending love will see me through. I am dusting myself off and without condemnation, this time, I will rest when He says rest--In JESUS' name!
But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Jude 1:20 The Message Translation
Lord, You alone are my strength. Fill me LORD with Your mighty presence. Holy Spirit comfort me. I will not waiver from the truth--I am healed by the stripes of Jesus, I am free from the bondage of sickness, pain and infirmity! AMEN
Sunday, June 1, 2008
War
Focused on the Goal 12-14 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. 15-16 So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it. Philippians 3:14-16 (The Message)
That about the size, where you put your eyes, that's about the size of it. Those are lyrics from an old Seseme Street song. It has been going through my head this morning with pictures.
I believe God was saying that to us in His word in so many different ways. He says to keep your focus on Him and not on our trials and tribulations. To have strong faith in His power and not fear the hardships of this world. You shall reap the harvest if you faint not.
This week has been a real test and trial. The lesson was once again 'How to stay focused on Him and keep my focus off symptoms'. When the pain levels are high, fever us raging and every breath is a struggle it is a bigger battle to face head on with strength and courage and faith in the truth that "by His stripes I am healed!" We made it through the week and will make it through the next. Someone once said the "biggest battles of every war was the last one fought". In that case, I'll pack the food and ammo and dig a deep fox hole--I intend to win the war!
28-29"But if it's by God's power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God's kingdom is here for sure. How in the world do you think it's possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. 30"This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse. Matthew 12:29-30 (The Message)
That about the size, where you put your eyes, that's about the size of it. Those are lyrics from an old Seseme Street song. It has been going through my head this morning with pictures.
I believe God was saying that to us in His word in so many different ways. He says to keep your focus on Him and not on our trials and tribulations. To have strong faith in His power and not fear the hardships of this world. You shall reap the harvest if you faint not.
This week has been a real test and trial. The lesson was once again 'How to stay focused on Him and keep my focus off symptoms'. When the pain levels are high, fever us raging and every breath is a struggle it is a bigger battle to face head on with strength and courage and faith in the truth that "by His stripes I am healed!" We made it through the week and will make it through the next. Someone once said the "biggest battles of every war was the last one fought". In that case, I'll pack the food and ammo and dig a deep fox hole--I intend to win the war!
28-29"But if it's by God's power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God's kingdom is here for sure. How in the world do you think it's possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. 30"This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse. Matthew 12:29-30 (The Message)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
I Met God at Walmart Yesterday
Sure enough, I do think I met God at Walmart yesterday. No, the sky didn't open up with a bright light and the harmonious sounds of angels singing. No, I didn't hear a thunderous voice. No, I wasn't dropped to my knees by his ominous presence. Yes, He did send one of His "angels of mercy" to meet my needs. Or, so it seemed.
My husband, Rich, and I went to Walmart on a mission to procure a grill and fixings for the much anticipated Memorial Day feast. We were expecting "the girls" and they were expecting a grilled delight and much fun filled day. The plan was going great until Rich reminded me of the last time he "fired up old Betsy." Fired up was exactly what happened with flames leaping to the height of about three feet. We just didn't have the heart to let her go. She was a blessing from someone who was moving about 7 years ago. Rich patched her up and put in new "guts" and she blessed us with many a satisfying meal. During the years Rich had replaced the rocks, burner, and rack. She has had many a "transplant." But, there comes a time when you just have to let your loved ones go. Today was the day for new beginnings.
So, we loaded up Jazzy on the back of the van and away we went down the trail to Walmart. (For those of you who don't know, Jazzy is my motorized wheelchair.) We are very thankful they built a new Walmart two miles down the road. It makes it so much easier to justify a shopping trip when you don't have to waste gas driving across town.
We went to the lawn and garden center. We looked over the selection and compared how many hoops they each could jump through and the number of Somalians required to watch them do that in our backyard and chose the most excellent replacement for Betsy. Then we looked like we were at a tennis match. We looked in unison at the box encasing our new acquisition and the then at the cart, then the box and then the cart. Nope, not going to fit no matter how many times we size it up. We looked from the cart to each other with that desperate deer in the headlight look and then it happened. He limped into our lives. A whitish haired man with a jolly belly that had definitely seen many a grilled feast and glasses lit up our lives with a smile and the warmest "may I help you" I had ever heard. He had a flat bed cart and just the right answer about which cover to protect our new treasure. He put it all aside for safe keeping for us while we went on a grocery safari. We procured the hamburg, brots, rolls and homemade ice cream fixings including fresh strawberries and headed back to the lawn and garden department. We found our friendly helper and he got our cart to the check out and brought it outside for us. I waited while Rich walked to the other side of the parking lot to get the van and drive it over to this side of the store. The friendly man said if I needed anything else he would be close by inside and went back in the store. As I sat there admiring the beautiful day God has made just for our feast, a woman pulled up and went back in and came out with a cart of dirt and flowers. I was thinking about our trip there a few weeks ago when we got dirt and flowers too. I thought about coloring with my grandgirls and how God must like to color too. Look how much fun he had with the flowers, sky, grass and yes even the dirt. As I was sitting there admiring God's handy work, the friendly man with the warm smile appeared and handed me a bag with the grill cover in it that he rescued from the check out cashier. He stayed outside with me, this time and as if he knew what I was thinking said, "People don't praise God enough for the wonderful things He gives us like this day!" That is when I felt it more than ever. It was like the orchestra had been tuning up--each section separately--the strings, the wood winds, the brass, the percussion and then "the conductor" lifted his baton and with the down stroke it all came together beautifully--each part came together to form a harmoniously pleasant symphony.
That' s God for you. He can take lemons and make lemonade--He adds a few ingredients that wipes away my tears and puts a big smile on my heart. Sometimes, those ingredients are family, friends or a blessed man at Walmart. Rich could have grumbled about the trek across the black tundra to get the van, I could have fussed about the wait or expense of a new grill but we found joy in His day and He put joy in our hearts by reminding us He is always there with us no matter where we go or what we are doing.
Well, Rich got the grill together without grumbling. The grilled grub was delicious and we all had a great time. I pray the friendly man at Walmart who helped us had some good quality time with his family too. He deserves lots of blessings.
17Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You-- Amplified Bible
Lord, I thank you for all the beautiful things you have placed in my life. Not just my family and friends but the sunny days, flowers, trees, grass, sky, dirt, rainbows, back yard, house, ocean, beach, animals, childrens' smiles, giggles & hugs and everything too numerous to mention that has touched my heart. O sovereign LORD! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! Jeremiah 32:17 NLT
My husband, Rich, and I went to Walmart on a mission to procure a grill and fixings for the much anticipated Memorial Day feast. We were expecting "the girls" and they were expecting a grilled delight and much fun filled day. The plan was going great until Rich reminded me of the last time he "fired up old Betsy." Fired up was exactly what happened with flames leaping to the height of about three feet. We just didn't have the heart to let her go. She was a blessing from someone who was moving about 7 years ago. Rich patched her up and put in new "guts" and she blessed us with many a satisfying meal. During the years Rich had replaced the rocks, burner, and rack. She has had many a "transplant." But, there comes a time when you just have to let your loved ones go. Today was the day for new beginnings.
So, we loaded up Jazzy on the back of the van and away we went down the trail to Walmart. (For those of you who don't know, Jazzy is my motorized wheelchair.) We are very thankful they built a new Walmart two miles down the road. It makes it so much easier to justify a shopping trip when you don't have to waste gas driving across town.
We went to the lawn and garden center. We looked over the selection and compared how many hoops they each could jump through and the number of Somalians required to watch them do that in our backyard and chose the most excellent replacement for Betsy. Then we looked like we were at a tennis match. We looked in unison at the box encasing our new acquisition and the then at the cart, then the box and then the cart. Nope, not going to fit no matter how many times we size it up. We looked from the cart to each other with that desperate deer in the headlight look and then it happened. He limped into our lives. A whitish haired man with a jolly belly that had definitely seen many a grilled feast and glasses lit up our lives with a smile and the warmest "may I help you" I had ever heard. He had a flat bed cart and just the right answer about which cover to protect our new treasure. He put it all aside for safe keeping for us while we went on a grocery safari. We procured the hamburg, brots, rolls and homemade ice cream fixings including fresh strawberries and headed back to the lawn and garden department. We found our friendly helper and he got our cart to the check out and brought it outside for us. I waited while Rich walked to the other side of the parking lot to get the van and drive it over to this side of the store. The friendly man said if I needed anything else he would be close by inside and went back in the store. As I sat there admiring the beautiful day God has made just for our feast, a woman pulled up and went back in and came out with a cart of dirt and flowers. I was thinking about our trip there a few weeks ago when we got dirt and flowers too. I thought about coloring with my grandgirls and how God must like to color too. Look how much fun he had with the flowers, sky, grass and yes even the dirt. As I was sitting there admiring God's handy work, the friendly man with the warm smile appeared and handed me a bag with the grill cover in it that he rescued from the check out cashier. He stayed outside with me, this time and as if he knew what I was thinking said, "People don't praise God enough for the wonderful things He gives us like this day!" That is when I felt it more than ever. It was like the orchestra had been tuning up--each section separately--the strings, the wood winds, the brass, the percussion and then "the conductor" lifted his baton and with the down stroke it all came together beautifully--each part came together to form a harmoniously pleasant symphony.
That' s God for you. He can take lemons and make lemonade--He adds a few ingredients that wipes away my tears and puts a big smile on my heart. Sometimes, those ingredients are family, friends or a blessed man at Walmart. Rich could have grumbled about the trek across the black tundra to get the van, I could have fussed about the wait or expense of a new grill but we found joy in His day and He put joy in our hearts by reminding us He is always there with us no matter where we go or what we are doing.
Well, Rich got the grill together without grumbling. The grilled grub was delicious and we all had a great time. I pray the friendly man at Walmart who helped us had some good quality time with his family too. He deserves lots of blessings.
17Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You-- Amplified Bible
Lord, I thank you for all the beautiful things you have placed in my life. Not just my family and friends but the sunny days, flowers, trees, grass, sky, dirt, rainbows, back yard, house, ocean, beach, animals, childrens' smiles, giggles & hugs and everything too numerous to mention that has touched my heart. O sovereign LORD! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! Jeremiah 32:17 NLT
Friday, May 23, 2008
Stepping Out
Matthew 14:22-36AMP
22Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.
23And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.
24But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright. 27But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid! 28And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. 29He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. 30But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! 31Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God!
34And when they had crossed over to the other side, they went ashore at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent around into all the surrounding country and brought to Him all who were sick 36And begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored.
It seems like this is my life story. I spend so much time in that boat (bed, wheelchair). I pray Lord if it is You call me out! I step out daily. The few steps to the bathroom and back can be met with a light breeze or hurricane force winds. I never know to what intensity the storm will come at me or how quickly it will intensify. I believe each time that the wind and waves will cease. Oh, but I must be doubting somewhere because the waves have knocked me over if I don't grab onto something. I have many a bruise, scrape, swelling and breathless moment to attest to not reaching out soon enough. I refuse to give up. Lord if I could just touch the fringe of your garment I know I will be perfectly restored. It is getting closer and closer. I can feel it in the spirit.
Lord, give me eyes see, ears to hear and discernment to know all that You are speaking to me. I only hear the voice of my master, recognize and obey it. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
22Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.
23And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.
24But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright. 27But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid! 28And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. 29He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. 30But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! 31Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God!
34And when they had crossed over to the other side, they went ashore at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent around into all the surrounding country and brought to Him all who were sick 36And begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored.
It seems like this is my life story. I spend so much time in that boat (bed, wheelchair). I pray Lord if it is You call me out! I step out daily. The few steps to the bathroom and back can be met with a light breeze or hurricane force winds. I never know to what intensity the storm will come at me or how quickly it will intensify. I believe each time that the wind and waves will cease. Oh, but I must be doubting somewhere because the waves have knocked me over if I don't grab onto something. I have many a bruise, scrape, swelling and breathless moment to attest to not reaching out soon enough. I refuse to give up. Lord if I could just touch the fringe of your garment I know I will be perfectly restored. It is getting closer and closer. I can feel it in the spirit.
Lord, give me eyes see, ears to hear and discernment to know all that You are speaking to me. I only hear the voice of my master, recognize and obey it. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Getting Ready
A man pacing back and forth glanced at his watch and yelled upstairs to his wife, "Honey, are you ready yet? We're going to be late for the party." Shouting back, the woman replies, "For crying out loud, Ed, I've been telling you for the last half hour that I'll be ready in a minute!"
When I read that humor for the day message, I immediately thought, "That's how it is with us awaiting Jesus' return." You know the conversation you have with the Lord from time to time that goes something like this: "Lord, how much longer before you come? How much longer must I endure all this stuff? When will we hear your trumpet blow? When Lord, when? He answers from His word: 27For just as the lightning flashes from the east and shines and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 36But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:27, 36 AMP
He is coming back and will I be ready? Will I be dressed, packed and ready to go? What is the proper attire? What will I need to bring with me? Do I need a ticket? Where will I be picked up? What about my family? Who will water the plants and feed the dogs and birds when I am gone? What do I need to leave behind? What about those left behind? What if I miss it and I am one of them?
So many questions and I get from the Bible that I wasn't the only one with questions. Jesus' disciples had questions too. So, He gave them answers in Matthew 25. The whole chapter is answers to their questions about His second coming and how to live our lives until that day.
Matthew 25 (Amplified Bible)
1THEN THE kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).
3For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them;
4But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps.
5While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.
6But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!
7Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.
8And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.
9But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.
10But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.
11Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us!
12But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].
13Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.
14For it is like a man who was about to take a long journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his property.
15To one he gave five talents [probably about $5,000], to another two, to another one--to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country.
16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five talents more.
17And likewise he who had received the two talents--he also gained two talents more.
18But he who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20And he who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, Master, you entrusted to me five talents; see, here I have gained five talents more.
21His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.
22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you entrusted two talents to me; here I have gained two talents more.
23His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.
24He who had received one talent also came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a harsh and hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed [the grain].
25So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is your own.
26But his master answered him, You wicked and lazy and idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather [grain] where I have not winnowed?
27Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest.
28So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.
30And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
31When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;
33And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.
34Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,
36I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.
37Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?
38And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?
39And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?
40And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.
41Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
42For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
43I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.
44Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
45And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.
46Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.
When I read that humor for the day message, I immediately thought, "That's how it is with us awaiting Jesus' return." You know the conversation you have with the Lord from time to time that goes something like this: "Lord, how much longer before you come? How much longer must I endure all this stuff? When will we hear your trumpet blow? When Lord, when? He answers from His word: 27For just as the lightning flashes from the east and shines and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 36But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:27, 36 AMP
He is coming back and will I be ready? Will I be dressed, packed and ready to go? What is the proper attire? What will I need to bring with me? Do I need a ticket? Where will I be picked up? What about my family? Who will water the plants and feed the dogs and birds when I am gone? What do I need to leave behind? What about those left behind? What if I miss it and I am one of them?
So many questions and I get from the Bible that I wasn't the only one with questions. Jesus' disciples had questions too. So, He gave them answers in Matthew 25. The whole chapter is answers to their questions about His second coming and how to live our lives until that day.
Matthew 25 (Amplified Bible)
1THEN THE kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).
3For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them;
4But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps.
5While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.
6But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!
7Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.
8And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.
9But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.
10But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.
11Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us!
12But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].
13Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.
14For it is like a man who was about to take a long journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his property.
15To one he gave five talents [probably about $5,000], to another two, to another one--to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country.
16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five talents more.
17And likewise he who had received the two talents--he also gained two talents more.
18But he who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20And he who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, Master, you entrusted to me five talents; see, here I have gained five talents more.
21His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.
22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you entrusted two talents to me; here I have gained two talents more.
23His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.
24He who had received one talent also came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a harsh and hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed [the grain].
25So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is your own.
26But his master answered him, You wicked and lazy and idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather [grain] where I have not winnowed?
27Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest.
28So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.
30And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
31When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;
33And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.
34Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,
36I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.
37Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?
38And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?
39And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?
40And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.
41Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
42For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
43I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.
44Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
45And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.
46Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.
There seems to be three parts to this story. Get knowledge and wisdom from reading His word and in relationship with Him. Second, He expects us to be good stewards not only of money but also to multiply the body by preaching and teaching His gospel. Third, nourish the sick, be compassionate to His people and set the captives free. Luke 4:18-19 AMP 18The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.
He didn't come just to fellowship with His disciples; He came to heal the sick, set the captives free and teach His disciples to duplicate the process. He expects us to do the same. He has given us Holy Spirit to equip us with what we need to accomplish the mission. It is time to strap on the armor, pack the provisions, and start marching. We are in the army of the Lord and from what I read in Matthew 25, He definatlely is not tolarant of slackers.
Lord, I repent of procrastination. I see now that every day is to be treated as if it could be my last for only You know the number of my days before Your coming. Each morning I wake is a new opportunity to add to Your kingdom. I seek You LORD! I seek your wisdom, knowledge, discernment to do Your will. I have been given yet one more opportunity to fullfill your commandment to love and to spread it to all the nations. It may be one individual that needs to hear that you gave your life just for this person to have eternal life and an abundant life here on earth. While others are taking that message to thousands, this may be the thing for me to do today. Whatever you assign me to do Lord, that is what I will do. You can use me however You choose. I want to be a willing and obedient servant. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Source of Our Love
God has poured out His love into our hearts.
ROMANS 5:5 NIV
In all things, may Jesus be the strength of our marriage, the center of our lives, the guide of our future, the source of our love.
I have heard it said so many times that God should be my source. It is usually in a financial context. Today more than ever, I realize that God needs to be my source in every area of my life--starting with His love.
Mark 12:30-31 (Amplified Bible) 30And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. 31The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these. Love is the the primary element of my walk with God. He is love and to be in Him and Him in me I need to be filled with His agape love and exude it to all around me. If you saw some of the people God has placed in my life, you would understand that's a tall order. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and on my own I can do nothing" makes perfect sense in this situation. Every test is refining me into what God has planned for my life. He is using so many people and situations to mold me like clay into the image of His dear Son. As our relationship grows, so do my coping skills. His love changes me, matures me spiritually, grows my patience and understanding of the hurts others are battling. He gives me strength as I draw it from Him. I draw from my never ending Source in every breath and prayer.
Without Him, how can I walk uprightly? Without His love, how can I minister to others? Without His love, how can I be a light to those stumbling in the dark? Without His love and example, how can I ever be expected to know how to love anyone else? Without His unconditional love, how can I love unconditionally? Without His grace, mercy and love, how would I have ever made it this far?
Lord, as I plug into You, my Source, pour out your love on me. Let it run down my head and shoulders and permeate my entire mind, soul and body. Pour out your love into my heart. Let your love burn in me, radiate and warm all those around me. Teach me how to love everyone around me as You do. I thank You for your constant presence, guidance and love in all my relationships. I praise You for all You have done, are doing and are going to do in my life and my loved ones lives. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
ROMANS 5:5 NIV
In all things, may Jesus be the strength of our marriage, the center of our lives, the guide of our future, the source of our love.
I have heard it said so many times that God should be my source. It is usually in a financial context. Today more than ever, I realize that God needs to be my source in every area of my life--starting with His love.
Mark 12:30-31 (Amplified Bible) 30And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. 31The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these. Love is the the primary element of my walk with God. He is love and to be in Him and Him in me I need to be filled with His agape love and exude it to all around me. If you saw some of the people God has placed in my life, you would understand that's a tall order. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and on my own I can do nothing" makes perfect sense in this situation. Every test is refining me into what God has planned for my life. He is using so many people and situations to mold me like clay into the image of His dear Son. As our relationship grows, so do my coping skills. His love changes me, matures me spiritually, grows my patience and understanding of the hurts others are battling. He gives me strength as I draw it from Him. I draw from my never ending Source in every breath and prayer.
Without Him, how can I walk uprightly? Without His love, how can I minister to others? Without His love, how can I be a light to those stumbling in the dark? Without His love and example, how can I ever be expected to know how to love anyone else? Without His unconditional love, how can I love unconditionally? Without His grace, mercy and love, how would I have ever made it this far?
Lord, as I plug into You, my Source, pour out your love on me. Let it run down my head and shoulders and permeate my entire mind, soul and body. Pour out your love into my heart. Let your love burn in me, radiate and warm all those around me. Teach me how to love everyone around me as You do. I thank You for your constant presence, guidance and love in all my relationships. I praise You for all You have done, are doing and are going to do in my life and my loved ones lives. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
Monday, May 19, 2008
North, South, East, West, Above and Beneath
Monday May 19, 2008
I had a dream this morning just before I awoke. One of those dreams that you know deep inside is a breakthrough. I makes you want to search the bible for the answer or more appropriately the question.
My husband and I were standing next to each other in a reddish mud filled with debris. It rose up as we stood there with an innocent unknowing look on our faces as if we were oblivious of it rising around us. When it was chest level, we realized we couldn't move. We were stuck in it unable to raise or arms or move our legs. A very fine warm misting rain began to fall and it felt good on our faces. It kept our small thirst quenched by opening our mouths and turning our heads upwards. It was sustaining but not nurturing or growing. The water smoothed the top of the mud and pooled on it but we still couldn't move. It wasn't washing it away or loosening it so we could get out. It was still ugly underneath no matter how good it looked on the surface. I heard the words being spoken over us, "I will protect you on all six sides but you must use the armour."
I said, "Is it the front, back, sides, top and bottom?" Nothing changed and it was silent. I said, "Is it north, south, east, west, above and beneath?" The sun became intensely bright and warm. That feeling of everything is going to be alright overwhelmed me and I had a fervor to search for the right words to speak. A new hope has dawned this day.
And fervently search is exactly what I did--for hours.Literally, I read hundreds of scriptures on north, south, east, west, above and beneath. I went to the bible dictionary and the concordance. I prayed and still it eluded me. I just knew there was something the Lord was trying to tell me. Finally, late afternoon I asked a trusted friend what she thought about the dream and my exhaustive search. She said maybe it is the armor you should be seeking.
The armor? Isn't that what the words are? What are the right words to form the armor? David had a slingshot and a prayer for armor and Saul was trying to put that heavy metal stuff on him. David couldn't move in the heavy metal stuff but slew that giant with the word of God and a simple slingshot. Lord, I need the right words from You and the right weapon to defeat the enemy--to evict the demons of disease from my body once and for all. As your word says in Nehemiah 1:9, "the affliction will not rise up a second time!"
Lord, I want to strap on Your armor and wield a mighty two-edged sword that pierces to the bone rightly dividing Your Word. I no longer want to be deceived by the enemy. My body belongs to You Lord--not me. It is consecrated to do your will. Lord, I pray for discipline in all areas of my life. I want to live wholly consecrated for You. You have bought me with a price-a very costly price-the blood of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, body, emotions, soul, heart, desires and will. It is Your will and not mine that I desire. Mold me into what you plan for me. I know your plans are for good. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear what you are speaking to my heart and the discipline to carry it to completion. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
I had a dream this morning just before I awoke. One of those dreams that you know deep inside is a breakthrough. I makes you want to search the bible for the answer or more appropriately the question.
My husband and I were standing next to each other in a reddish mud filled with debris. It rose up as we stood there with an innocent unknowing look on our faces as if we were oblivious of it rising around us. When it was chest level, we realized we couldn't move. We were stuck in it unable to raise or arms or move our legs. A very fine warm misting rain began to fall and it felt good on our faces. It kept our small thirst quenched by opening our mouths and turning our heads upwards. It was sustaining but not nurturing or growing. The water smoothed the top of the mud and pooled on it but we still couldn't move. It wasn't washing it away or loosening it so we could get out. It was still ugly underneath no matter how good it looked on the surface. I heard the words being spoken over us, "I will protect you on all six sides but you must use the armour."
I said, "Is it the front, back, sides, top and bottom?" Nothing changed and it was silent. I said, "Is it north, south, east, west, above and beneath?" The sun became intensely bright and warm. That feeling of everything is going to be alright overwhelmed me and I had a fervor to search for the right words to speak. A new hope has dawned this day.
And fervently search is exactly what I did--for hours.Literally, I read hundreds of scriptures on north, south, east, west, above and beneath. I went to the bible dictionary and the concordance. I prayed and still it eluded me. I just knew there was something the Lord was trying to tell me. Finally, late afternoon I asked a trusted friend what she thought about the dream and my exhaustive search. She said maybe it is the armor you should be seeking.
The armor? Isn't that what the words are? What are the right words to form the armor? David had a slingshot and a prayer for armor and Saul was trying to put that heavy metal stuff on him. David couldn't move in the heavy metal stuff but slew that giant with the word of God and a simple slingshot. Lord, I need the right words from You and the right weapon to defeat the enemy--to evict the demons of disease from my body once and for all. As your word says in Nehemiah 1:9, "the affliction will not rise up a second time!"
Lord, I want to strap on Your armor and wield a mighty two-edged sword that pierces to the bone rightly dividing Your Word. I no longer want to be deceived by the enemy. My body belongs to You Lord--not me. It is consecrated to do your will. Lord, I pray for discipline in all areas of my life. I want to live wholly consecrated for You. You have bought me with a price-a very costly price-the blood of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, body, emotions, soul, heart, desires and will. It is Your will and not mine that I desire. Mold me into what you plan for me. I know your plans are for good. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear what you are speaking to my heart and the discipline to carry it to completion. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
Not one left behind
Luke 13:5-9 AMP 5I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. 6And He told them this parable: A certain man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find [any]. 7So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]? 8But he replied to him, Leave it alone, sir, [just] this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure [on the soil]. 9Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not, you can cut it down and out.
How many years have you been praying for salvation of loved ones? I have been praying for almost 12 years for most all of my family. I just keep praying and believing that not one will be left behind and not only that but will live abundant lives here on earth. I have prayed for the laborers to be placed in front of them. God send the people who can speak to them and they will hear. I have spoken the word over them and prayed and prayed and prayed for their protection in the meantime. I am confident they will confess their sins and confess Jesus as Lord of their life. Everything that is named musst bow to the name of Jesus. I am believing that all that watering and fertilizing will produce good fruit.
It is also important to remember that the Lord never does things the way we plan. His thoughts are higher than mine. He also has a sense of humor. He can use a donkey to do his work and by all means he can choose to use someone other than me to get the job done. That is difficult for the mother in me to comprehend it isn't my job to get them taught and converted. I know how much difference it can make in their lives. A whole new path of wonderful events will enfold and the whole in their hearts will be filled. That unsatiable longing for peace will be satisfied. It will be a fabulous day when I hear those words, "Mom, I found Jesus!" And how much more will Jesus be thrilled to write their names in the Book of Life?
He loves us all with a never ending, unconditional love that will never leave or abandon us--even when we had turned our faces away from Him. He longs for all to come to Him and not one be left behind. I hear all the time why doesn't the Lord come now? I believe He is waiting for his children to come to Him so that not one will be left behind. The longer He waits the more can come. I believe He will not be waiting much longer so I have stepped up my prayers for all His children to come to Him.
Lord, Jesus! I thank you that you loved me first. I thank you for your patience with me and all my loved ones! I thank you for the laborers that will bring them in to your kingdom! In Jesus' name. AMEN!
How many years have you been praying for salvation of loved ones? I have been praying for almost 12 years for most all of my family. I just keep praying and believing that not one will be left behind and not only that but will live abundant lives here on earth. I have prayed for the laborers to be placed in front of them. God send the people who can speak to them and they will hear. I have spoken the word over them and prayed and prayed and prayed for their protection in the meantime. I am confident they will confess their sins and confess Jesus as Lord of their life. Everything that is named musst bow to the name of Jesus. I am believing that all that watering and fertilizing will produce good fruit.
It is also important to remember that the Lord never does things the way we plan. His thoughts are higher than mine. He also has a sense of humor. He can use a donkey to do his work and by all means he can choose to use someone other than me to get the job done. That is difficult for the mother in me to comprehend it isn't my job to get them taught and converted. I know how much difference it can make in their lives. A whole new path of wonderful events will enfold and the whole in their hearts will be filled. That unsatiable longing for peace will be satisfied. It will be a fabulous day when I hear those words, "Mom, I found Jesus!" And how much more will Jesus be thrilled to write their names in the Book of Life?
He loves us all with a never ending, unconditional love that will never leave or abandon us--even when we had turned our faces away from Him. He longs for all to come to Him and not one be left behind. I hear all the time why doesn't the Lord come now? I believe He is waiting for his children to come to Him so that not one will be left behind. The longer He waits the more can come. I believe He will not be waiting much longer so I have stepped up my prayers for all His children to come to Him.
Lord, Jesus! I thank you that you loved me first. I thank you for your patience with me and all my loved ones! I thank you for the laborers that will bring them in to your kingdom! In Jesus' name. AMEN!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
His master's heart was moved with compassion
Matthew 18:27 AMP And his master's heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [cancelling] the debt.
That's the way I like to think of God. I love to think about his words in Exodus 34:6-7 (Amplified Bible)6And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, 7Keeping mercy and loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,. It is the rest of that verse that sticks in my throat, "but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and fourth generation."
Every promise comes with a condition that is why it is so important to constantly guard my heart, renew my mind and feed my soul with the word of God. Relationships have to be nurtured lest they shrivel and die. My relationship with Jesus is the most important one in my life. Why wouldn't I want to spend time with Him everyday? I want to spend quality time with my husband every day and the LORD is to come before any other. Is it a nonchalant attitude that 'God loves me no matter what' that leads people to think 'God will understand if I don't take the time to consult Him first about the events of my day'? Do they rationalize that 'He is too busy to care about the little details so He leaves them up to me?' Is there a little pride in that thought?
Song of Solomon 2:15 [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom. That takes on more meaning when you remember Jesus said. "I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser."
Oprah was all upset about the scripture "God is a jealous God." But taken in context it makes perfect sense. The first commandment says to put nothing before God. They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to anger. Deuteronomy 32:16 The people had turned away from God and worshipped man made idols no longer seeking God. Do we not do the same if our precious loved ones would rather spend time elsewhere than with us? How many tears have I shed because my children have gone against what I taught them and caused themselves great pain? When those you love and care for hurt or shun you, what emotions rise up in you?
Usually you can guage a persons reaction to scripture by the condition of their heart or the time they spend in relationship with Jesus-praising, worshipping, praying, reading and meditating the word. She was young and instead of talking to someone about what she was feeling she let it harden her heart and turn from the One she should have been running to. Young Chrstians need good teaching and fellowship just like our toddlers need us to hold their hands while they are learning to walk. Sometimes they stumble and need us to hold them up. Sometimes they fall and need us to pull them back up. Sometimes they take off running and need us to slow them down lest they fall flat on their face. When they get the hang of it and take off running on strong legs, they need our encouragement and praise. The race goes on for many years and we all need encouragement to run the race set before us. Life can be a marathon of tests and trials. God has graciously given us friends, loved ones and acquaintances to help cheer us on, give us water and cheer us to victory! He is such a loving God. He has made provision for our every need. It is our complaining and ungratefulness that causes us to stumble and fall. Looking up and drawing our strength from Him is the way to run a good race. My master's heart is moved with compassion as He sees me striving for the prize. He looks for ways to gently guide me along the path and I am so thankful that He loves me more than I could ever imagine. I want more than ever to delight my master and to receive His love.
Lord, thank you for Your compassion, love and patience. Fill me so that I may pour it out on all those around me. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
That's the way I like to think of God. I love to think about his words in Exodus 34:6-7 (Amplified Bible)6And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, 7Keeping mercy and loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,. It is the rest of that verse that sticks in my throat, "but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and fourth generation."
Every promise comes with a condition that is why it is so important to constantly guard my heart, renew my mind and feed my soul with the word of God. Relationships have to be nurtured lest they shrivel and die. My relationship with Jesus is the most important one in my life. Why wouldn't I want to spend time with Him everyday? I want to spend quality time with my husband every day and the LORD is to come before any other. Is it a nonchalant attitude that 'God loves me no matter what' that leads people to think 'God will understand if I don't take the time to consult Him first about the events of my day'? Do they rationalize that 'He is too busy to care about the little details so He leaves them up to me?' Is there a little pride in that thought?
Song of Solomon 2:15 [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom. That takes on more meaning when you remember Jesus said. "I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser."
Oprah was all upset about the scripture "God is a jealous God." But taken in context it makes perfect sense. The first commandment says to put nothing before God. They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to anger. Deuteronomy 32:16 The people had turned away from God and worshipped man made idols no longer seeking God. Do we not do the same if our precious loved ones would rather spend time elsewhere than with us? How many tears have I shed because my children have gone against what I taught them and caused themselves great pain? When those you love and care for hurt or shun you, what emotions rise up in you?
Usually you can guage a persons reaction to scripture by the condition of their heart or the time they spend in relationship with Jesus-praising, worshipping, praying, reading and meditating the word. She was young and instead of talking to someone about what she was feeling she let it harden her heart and turn from the One she should have been running to. Young Chrstians need good teaching and fellowship just like our toddlers need us to hold their hands while they are learning to walk. Sometimes they stumble and need us to hold them up. Sometimes they fall and need us to pull them back up. Sometimes they take off running and need us to slow them down lest they fall flat on their face. When they get the hang of it and take off running on strong legs, they need our encouragement and praise. The race goes on for many years and we all need encouragement to run the race set before us. Life can be a marathon of tests and trials. God has graciously given us friends, loved ones and acquaintances to help cheer us on, give us water and cheer us to victory! He is such a loving God. He has made provision for our every need. It is our complaining and ungratefulness that causes us to stumble and fall. Looking up and drawing our strength from Him is the way to run a good race. My master's heart is moved with compassion as He sees me striving for the prize. He looks for ways to gently guide me along the path and I am so thankful that He loves me more than I could ever imagine. I want more than ever to delight my master and to receive His love.
Lord, thank you for Your compassion, love and patience. Fill me so that I may pour it out on all those around me. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
Friday, May 16, 2008
Love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart and soul.
Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
The whole Bible is great but I especially love those words in red-the ones Jesus spoke. They really get my attention when I am seeking specific instruction. This morning I woke up and heard "renew your mind." You see, I had one of those regressive days yesterday when I was wollering in lies. You know the ones that keep reminding you of how many severe challanges you have rather than to be thankful that you are breathing.
So, I did a word search on mind and this scripture stood out: Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
Mind according to Merriam-Webster:
1: recollection, memory
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
The whole Bible is great but I especially love those words in red-the ones Jesus spoke. They really get my attention when I am seeking specific instruction. This morning I woke up and heard "renew your mind." You see, I had one of those regressive days yesterday when I was wollering in lies. You know the ones that keep reminding you of how many severe challanges you have rather than to be thankful that you are breathing.
So, I did a word search on mind and this scripture stood out: Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
Mind according to Merriam-Webster:
1: recollection, memory
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
His armor-bearer said, "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."
1 Samuel 14:7 NIV
"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."
Ephesians 6:10-17 (Amplified Bible)
10In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
11Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
12For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
13Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
14Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
15And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
16Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
Wycliffe Bible Dictionary Armor Bearer-Spiritual Armor
In the well-known passage in Ephesians 6:10-17 the Christian is exhorted to put on the whole armor of God (panoplia tou theou; 6:11, 13). the word panoplia, "full armor" (NASB), is a fusion of two Greek words, pan ("all") and hopla ("weapons"), and refers to the full combat equipment of a soldier. It is used figuratively to indicate the complete provision of spiritual virtues with which God endows His child for the war against evil (see also Romans 13:12 AMP The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.; II Corinthians 6:7 AMP By [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [to attack] and for the left hand [to defend]; 10:4-6 AMP 4For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), 6Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.). Every believer is inextricably engaged in the warfare that rages in the spirit realm between Christ with His angels and Satan with his demonic forces of wickedness.
The apostle Paul symbolizes vital elements of Christian character for one's defense against the accusations of the devil (cf. Rev 12:10 AMP 10Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come--the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out!) by various pieces of the Graeco-Roman armor of his day. Truth in the sense of personal honesty, sincerity, and dependability must be girded on the loins, the biblical seat of one's emotions (cf. Isaiah 11:5 AMP 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of His waist and faithfulness the girdle of His loins.). The breastplate of practical uprightness in daily life protects the heart, the biblical seat of one's personality, conscience, and will (cf. Isaiah 59:17 AMP 17For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak.). The sandals are equated to preparedness in, or a skillful working knowledge of how to apply, the promises of the gospel of peace, so that one need not be anxious but have firm footing on the slippery ground of external circumstances. The large(four-by-two-feet) rectangular shield (thyreos), which could interlock with those of the soldiers on either side to form a solid wall, suggests one's faith acting together with that of fellow believers to present a united front against insidious, devilish attacks. The helmet of salvation perhaps symbolizes assurance of salvation, so necessary to protect one's mind from doubts and fears. The only offensive weapon listed by Paul is the sword of the Spirit, here described as the Word (rhema) of God, i.e., every spoken command or prophetic utterance coming from God through one of His servants (Luke 1:37 [ASV]37 For no word from God shall be void of power. , 38And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. ; 5:55 And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets.;
Matthew 4:4 AMP 4But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.;
Hebrews 1:3 AMP 3He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [a]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,; cf.
Hosea 6:5 AMP 5Therefore have I hewn down and smitten them by means of the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; My judgments [pronounced upon them by you prophets] are like the light that goes forth.;
Matthew 10:19 AMP 19But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and [a]moment, f.;
I Corinthians 12:8-10 AMP 8To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit; 9To another [[a]wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues.)
Ephesians 6:10-17 is a powerful piece of scripture! I could camp out here for days! And the statement in the first scripture, "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." If God is my armor-bearer and He sends me to do battle--I win! Nothing is too hard for Him! Oh this is getting good! Who is setting the limits? If you believe the words of Jesus in Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." then the only thing limiting a believer is his faith. Do you fear failure or have faith to receive from God? Are your hands open or closed? You can't receive a blessing if your hand is in a fist; it must be open. The same goes with your heart. What is the condition of your heart? Is it open to receive things from God and closed to the ugly influences of the world? Or, is it more open to the worlds way of thinking? There is always fruit from the root of your heart. Is it pleasant or putrid? How is your attitude? How is your attitude under pressure? What comes out of your mouth when the enemy squeezes you? I ask again, "What is the condition of your heart?" God knows. Do you?
Lord I know your word says that you measure a person not by the outward appearance but by the condition of his heart. Search me Lord, show me the ugly roots of ungodly beliefs that need to be uprooted and burned. Lord, heal my heart. Mend the holes from hurts and wounds. Drive out all that is not of You and fill the void with your agape love. You are my armor-bearer and You go before me. I thank you Lord for your love, mercy, kindness, wisdom, correction, and instruction in all You do to mold me and shape me. In Jesus' mighty matchless name I pray. AMEN
"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."
Ephesians 6:10-17 (Amplified Bible)
10In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
11Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
12For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
13Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
14Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
15And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
16Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
Wycliffe Bible Dictionary Armor Bearer-Spiritual Armor
In the well-known passage in Ephesians 6:10-17 the Christian is exhorted to put on the whole armor of God (panoplia tou theou; 6:11, 13). the word panoplia, "full armor" (NASB), is a fusion of two Greek words, pan ("all") and hopla ("weapons"), and refers to the full combat equipment of a soldier. It is used figuratively to indicate the complete provision of spiritual virtues with which God endows His child for the war against evil (see also Romans 13:12 AMP The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.; II Corinthians 6:7 AMP By [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [to attack] and for the left hand [to defend]; 10:4-6 AMP 4For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), 6Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.). Every believer is inextricably engaged in the warfare that rages in the spirit realm between Christ with His angels and Satan with his demonic forces of wickedness.
The apostle Paul symbolizes vital elements of Christian character for one's defense against the accusations of the devil (cf. Rev 12:10 AMP 10Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come--the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out!) by various pieces of the Graeco-Roman armor of his day. Truth in the sense of personal honesty, sincerity, and dependability must be girded on the loins, the biblical seat of one's emotions (cf. Isaiah 11:5 AMP 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of His waist and faithfulness the girdle of His loins.). The breastplate of practical uprightness in daily life protects the heart, the biblical seat of one's personality, conscience, and will (cf. Isaiah 59:17 AMP 17For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak.). The sandals are equated to preparedness in, or a skillful working knowledge of how to apply, the promises of the gospel of peace, so that one need not be anxious but have firm footing on the slippery ground of external circumstances. The large(four-by-two-feet) rectangular shield (thyreos), which could interlock with those of the soldiers on either side to form a solid wall, suggests one's faith acting together with that of fellow believers to present a united front against insidious, devilish attacks. The helmet of salvation perhaps symbolizes assurance of salvation, so necessary to protect one's mind from doubts and fears. The only offensive weapon listed by Paul is the sword of the Spirit, here described as the Word (rhema) of God, i.e., every spoken command or prophetic utterance coming from God through one of His servants (Luke 1:37 [ASV]37 For no word from God shall be void of power. , 38And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. ; 5:55 And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets.;
Matthew 4:4 AMP 4But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.;
Hebrews 1:3 AMP 3He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [a]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,; cf.
Hosea 6:5 AMP 5Therefore have I hewn down and smitten them by means of the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; My judgments [pronounced upon them by you prophets] are like the light that goes forth.;
Matthew 10:19 AMP 19But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and [a]moment, f.;
I Corinthians 12:8-10 AMP 8To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit; 9To another [[a]wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues.)
Ephesians 6:10-17 is a powerful piece of scripture! I could camp out here for days! And the statement in the first scripture, "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." If God is my armor-bearer and He sends me to do battle--I win! Nothing is too hard for Him! Oh this is getting good! Who is setting the limits? If you believe the words of Jesus in Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." then the only thing limiting a believer is his faith. Do you fear failure or have faith to receive from God? Are your hands open or closed? You can't receive a blessing if your hand is in a fist; it must be open. The same goes with your heart. What is the condition of your heart? Is it open to receive things from God and closed to the ugly influences of the world? Or, is it more open to the worlds way of thinking? There is always fruit from the root of your heart. Is it pleasant or putrid? How is your attitude? How is your attitude under pressure? What comes out of your mouth when the enemy squeezes you? I ask again, "What is the condition of your heart?" God knows. Do you?
Lord I know your word says that you measure a person not by the outward appearance but by the condition of his heart. Search me Lord, show me the ugly roots of ungodly beliefs that need to be uprooted and burned. Lord, heal my heart. Mend the holes from hurts and wounds. Drive out all that is not of You and fill the void with your agape love. You are my armor-bearer and You go before me. I thank you Lord for your love, mercy, kindness, wisdom, correction, and instruction in all You do to mold me and shape me. In Jesus' mighty matchless name I pray. AMEN
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