My son is back in the USA from a trip overseas. I can’t say much, but I can tell you that the underground Church in China have 9,000 new Bibles thanks to a group of very brave men. As he was leaving, the Lord reminded me of when he and his brother were young. My ex-husband had decided to move 500 miles away to go back to college, and the boys thought it would be a great adventure to go with him. For 6 months I had no communication and no idea where they were. I finally did track them down through the school district, but it was of little comfort. That Sunday I went up to the altar at church and literally turned both my hands palm side down and gave my boys to the Lord. I knew He loved them much more than I ever could, and that He would watch over and care for them if I couldn’t. So as he flew off for this uncertain trip, I once again gave him to the Lord for safe keeping.
Tag: spirituality
Philippians 4:9 ” And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
We look at this verse and suddenly we’re a little kid looking through the Sears Christmas catalog exclaiming…” I want this, and this, and this, OH, and this!!” It says that God will fully supply all your needs, but what we think are needs and what He thinks may differ greatly. Our needs could be just selfish wants, therefore, if we allow the Lord to supply all our needs we will lack nothing in accordance to His kindness and patience towards us. These magnificent riches of His glory will be made known to us, and we shall not want.
Exodus 15: 26 “…for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
If a close friend approached you right now with a beautifully wrapped present and said, “Here’s a gift that I specially picked out just for you that I know you can use.” Would you turn it down? Most of us would be tearing at the wrapping paper almost before the last word was out of their mouth! So it continues to perplex me as I see sick people refuse this gift called healing. Having worked as a Nurse for over 30 years, the Lord has given me a unique understanding of this which I’d like to share with you. There are some who enjoy being ill. They get positive strokes and attention from their illness thus don’t want to be healed and lose the attention. The illness defines who they are. Then there are those who love to be miserable…or make someone else miserable. They have a “victim” mentality and can recite to you dates and details of past illnesses and hurts. Misery and bitterness are so intertwined in their life that they know nothing else and would be lost without it. Finally, there are those who refuse to give up what’s making them sick in the first place….alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, over eating, noncompliance in medications,and not watching their blood pressure or blood sugar all are hindrances to receiving healing. He’s offering the gift, the question is, will you receive it?
Luke 8:50 ” Fear not, just believe…”
We lie in bed at night with the “what ifs” reeling around in our heads. They are always the worst case scenarios for whatever is worrying us at the time. God hard-wired us humans to recognize danger, it’s called fight or flight, and it keeps us safe. But when we allow fear and anxiety to rule over our lives we suffer. These emotions aren’t new, in the Old Testament the Lord commanded the children of Israel many times… “Do not be afraid.” And in the New Testament, Jesus repeatedly said… “Fear not.” to the crowds. So what are we to do? Fear and anxiety can be channeled for the positive in our lives. They can challenge us to be wise, prudent, and a good steward of our resources. They can cause us to look at our current situations and make changes for the better. …and Jesus said, “Fear not.”
Acts 19: 11-12 ” God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”
Today I found the handmade aprons I had been bequeathed from my Grandmother. Both my Grandmothers were resourceful, strong farm women who grew Victory gardens and families in the Illinois dirt during the Great Depression. They learned to make do with what they had and never lost faith during the dark times. As I look at these aprons and ponder this verse, I do agree that Paul was truly anointed of God, but the faith of the woman wearing that apron he had just touched was even more incredible. As she ran home, this woman had unwavering faith that when she laid the apron on the sick family member they would be totally healed. As I contemplate the aprons, I am thankful for the unfaltering faith of my Grandmothers… forever tied to me by these apron strings.
Ezekiel 8: 12 ” He said to me,’son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? ‘ They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’ “
Why do we humans think that just because we can’t see in the dark, God can’t either? In this blackness of spiritual blindness we arrogantly think that not only can’t God see us, but that He can’t perceive that we’re doing. These shrines of ours are many…addictions of all kinds top the list. You’ve probably heard someone say-“What I do in the privacy of my own home is my business.” Or that “I’m not hurting anyone by what I’m doing.” But indirectly others are being hurt with the idol we worship in the dark. Children are deprived of their parents by the shrine of drugs and alcohol. Wifes lose their husbands to the idol of pornography. They are the innocent victims of our pride that thinks God can’t judge through such darkness.
Proverbs 17: 28 ” Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”
Just think, if we would only keep our mouths shut, we’d be perceived by others as intelligent and clever. We would appear as if we had great understanding and insight if we merely restrained our lips. But unfortunely what happens most times is that we open our mouth and take all shred of doubt away!
Romans 15:13 ” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Just after my sister began chemotherapy for breast cancer they found a suspicious nodule on my mammogram. My first inclination was to call everyone I knew to pray, but the Lord stopped me cold…”Trust in Me” He whispered. ” Alright”, I countered, “but what about just a few of my prayer warrior friends?” Again God’s reply was “Trust in Me.” That evening Landy and I prayed, and the next morning this scripture in Romans jumped out at me. “Lord, my trust is in you and no one else, please fill me with all peace and joy as I wait on you.” I prayed. The Ultrasound showed just a benign fluid filled cyst, nothing worrisome at all. As I thanked God for this good report I pondered what lesson He wanted me to take from this all. By putting all my confidence in Him I was filled with hope,joy,and peace as I trusted in Him. I then could overflow with that same kind of faith and confidence every time I prayed for someone else. My faith has grown by this experience, my confidence in my God has only deepened.
Luke 10:41 ” ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered,’ you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ “
This verse comes from a very familiar story…Jesus and the disciples have come into Bethany, where Martha has invited them in for a meal. She is distracted and worried about feeding 13 hungry men, while her sister Mary sits at the feet of Jesus listening. Martha’s focus becomes the meal not the Messiah. Getting the food on the table takes her attention away from who will be sitting at the place of honor eating it. Distraction and worry give way to frustration and anger. “Don’t you care Lord?” Mary laments. I can just see Jesus smiling and shaking His head saying “Martha, Martha, there is but one necessity and Mary has selected it.” But what exactly did Mary choose? She chose time with the Lord. And so I encourage you to not allow distraction, worry, and the things of this world to rob you of this “better” thing. Mary chose what was eternal…what would you choose?
Daniel 6:17 ” A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den and the king sealed it with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.”
Sometimes God will do just that to us. He will take away our control over a situation. He will orchestrate circumstances that will hem us in and cover us over like a large stone. Then finally, He will seal it all up…so that our situation might not be changed…by us or other human hands. But be encouraged, this is the time when miracles happen. Miracles that baffle doctors and logical thinking. Things that only a mighty God can accomplish. So do not despair the stone over your life today, instead anticipate a miracle!
Safetypinlove 