The portion of this instruction, which we often ignore, is one key to our success as a Christian Soldier. It is found in this same passage, but is overlooked because we stop when we come to the end of the description of the armor. Here it is:
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”; (Eph. 6:18 KJV)
The key, to making the whole armor effective, is prayer. A Christian soldier that doesn’t pray will have the same problems as the Roman soldier that didn’t drink water. Eventually both will become too weak to fight and will die. You cannot be a successful Spiritual Warrior without a consistent prayer life!
The Spiritual Warrior must be given to prayer. We are not talking about only praying when things are going bad and you are feeling overwhelmed. We are talking about praying always. This is praying in every season and on all occasions. Praying that builds up a reserve of strength and stamina to carry you through battle.
In James 5:16 the Apostle speaks of the “effectual fervent prayer” being of great force. The term, “effectual fervent,” means to be effective or to have power. It comes from the root word “energes” which we referred to with the sword of the Spirit. This word speaks of power, being active, and working. The word “availeth” speaks of being forceful and doing much work. We are not talking about “now I lay me down to sleep” type prayers. Nor are we talking about “God bless this mess” prayers. We are talking about prayers that are hot and powerful! These are the prayers that will make a difference.
Just putting on, the Whole Armor of God, will not be sufficient if prayer that is fervent and energized does not power the Warrior. He might as well be a statute in a museum for all of the effect he will have in spiritual warfare. His prayers must be Spirit driven! They must be prayers that he enters with the sole purpose of reaching the throne of heaven.
Jude encourages us to build ourselves up in our faith by praying in the Holy Ghost. Not only will, praying in the Holy Ghost, build us up in our faith, it will also keep us in the love of God. (Jude 20, 21) Again, this is speaking of prayer that is more than rhetorical prayer. This is prayer that enters the Spirit realm.
Paul, in Romans 8:26-27, tells us that as we pray in the Spirit we talk directly with God. To the point, when we don’t know how to pray or what we need to pray for, the Spirit of God will pray for us. Later, in 1Corinthians 14:4, Paul tells us that if we pray in the Spirit and speak in tongues we are building ourselves up or making ourselves stronger.
Accessing all of the resources that God has made available to us is incredibly important, for you and me, so we might be victorious. The promises to the overcomer are eternal. They go beyond relief and victory in this present life. These promises are eternal and include eating of the tree of life. Not being hurt by the second death. The overcomer will eat of the hidden manna and will receive a new name. He will receive power and rule with God. Overcomer, you will receive a white garment and your name will be in the Book of Life. To the one that overcomes is the promise to sit with God upon His throne. The overcomer will inherit all things and God promises to be his God and the overcomer will be His son.
So, Warrior, put on your breastplate of righteousness. Gird your loins with the belt of truth. Shod you feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Put on the helmet of salvation. Pick up your shield of faith. Arm yourself with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Strengthen yourself by praying in the Holy Ghost! Go into battle knowing that it isn’t our battle but the battle belongs to the Lord. Be victorious!
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Everyone Watched My Leg Grow!
This is the testimony of Natalie Dixon, who experienced a miracle healing in her life on January 14, 2012 at New Life in Osceola, Arkansas. Let her tell you about it...
Well, where do I start? From the time I was a baby I had a growth problem with my leg... When I was very young I started wearing a brace to hopefully stretch my ligaments to help me walk a little better. Although the stretching of the ligament was not going to grow my bones, it would help my leg some where I wouldn’t walk on my tiptoes. Which the length needed to grow too. But doctors cannot grow bones so they worked on the tendon.
Well my mom had to exercise my foot all the time and I had to wear a brace to school. The brace went up to my knees ...so it was very noticeable! So as a child I got all the jokes I could stand. Which we are human and we carry a lot of the bad comments into our adult life and after awhile you believe them.
After some time, I don’t remember my age.. My mother just got tired of the braces and exercising my foot so she just quit! So I’m a young child that is growing up walking on my tip toe and not to mention the length wasn’t the same.. So I really got the looks ridicule from all the people in high school.
I adjusted as life went on ... But my infirmity never stopped me from trying to live life to the fullest! I would run jump play anything I could! To make a long story short.. I have done a lot of things with this infirmity... I went to college, got married, became a mom...
When I got in church and God filled me with the Holy Ghost in on April 20 th, 1997!! Wow! How amazing! God loved me despite all the harsh words I had heard from people in my life!!! How that I was crippled and made fun of but inspite of all that the God of Heaven still loved me!!!
I really enjoyed church! I loved soul-winning and was on fire for God! The infirmity that I had in my leg never stopped me from witnessing! I was going to win people to God walking straight or not!! Now through life I always got prayer for my leg and my foot! Don’t get me wrong… I did! I did not make an issue about it.. just would always go get prayer. If God healed me… “Wonderful” and if God didn’t heal me,” Wonderful!” My infirmity never stopped my walk with the Lord!
On January 14, 2012 , like any other day , I got up getting ready to start my day. I knew that Bro. Doran’s in Osceola was having revival! I just felt an overwhelming desire to go, which I love to go to church anyways but this was like overwhelming! So , I went to church that night! I knew God must have something special and amazing in this service so I was on my way! I never dreamed that I would be the miracle that was so profound that night!
After the preaching, there was an alter call , so I went! I always go try to give things to God and to cleanse myself from the message being taught that night! People prayed for a while in the alter and God was moving greatly! Bro. Brandon Houseworth asked , “Is there a person here that has a problem with their right leg?” Well, I just raised my hands and said, “I do!” He asked, “What’s wrong with your leg? “ I said, well, my right leg is shorter than the left leg.” I think Bro. Houseworth said, Well, that’s a good problem.. lol.. or something to that nature. So, prayer began and then Bro. Houseworth wanted me to sit in a chair, so I did! Well, a lady laid her hands on my feet and prayer began again! I was enjoying just the presence of God , when all of the sudden, I here a “ahhhhhh” and people praising God! I was like that has got to be good!!! Are you ready? EVERYONE WATCHED MY LEG GROW IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES!!!! IT GREW 2 INCHES OR MORE! I was like such in shock to the miracle it never really came into my spirit till the next morning. I woke up and both feet hit the floor. NO MORE TIPTOEING! I tried to walk like I used to and when I did my right leg would raise up too high!!!There was no need to do that because God gave me new bones! I now walk flat-footed! My bones in my hip do not hurt!! It is truly amazing! Im still in awe!! I DON’T WALK LIKE I USED TO WALK..HE MADE THE DIFFERENCE!!!!
I was chatting with a friend.. she said , that the man that was at the pool of Bethesda was there for 38 years! Well, I am 39! A baby usually starts walking good after the first year! So, I was healed of an infirmity that I had for 38 years!! My story goes along so much with this story! When God healed the man , the Lord healed him “wholly” which is his body , spirit and soul!! Every since I have received this miracle, I feel like I have been healed entirely, “wholly” . All the pain from the past and years of emotional abuse from having an infirmity feel erased from my mind! Because humans are cruel and after years of hearing comments when I was young , you really feel like you are not good enough!! Or that you will never be good enough! But praise be to God, I’m healed body soul and spirit now!! God is amazing! I love Him!
Note: A little information about Natalie Dixon: I'm a blessed beyond measure! I have a wonderful husband! I have 3 wonderful children that I love with all my heart. I have the greastest church family. Im involved with the work of God as much as possible. I love Him , I love Him, I love Him!!!!!
I work with the deaf at our church. Christian Life Center in Brookland, Arkansas. Besides I think sign language is beautiful ..just another wonderful way to glorify God! Thanks for your goodness Lord!
Im just a good apostolic lady who loves serving God and being in His Kingdom! Anything to help His kingdom florish that is my desire! Im pretty easy going , love people , love soul-winning! Never meet a stranger.
Well, where do I start? From the time I was a baby I had a growth problem with my leg... When I was very young I started wearing a brace to hopefully stretch my ligaments to help me walk a little better. Although the stretching of the ligament was not going to grow my bones, it would help my leg some where I wouldn’t walk on my tiptoes. Which the length needed to grow too. But doctors cannot grow bones so they worked on the tendon.
Well my mom had to exercise my foot all the time and I had to wear a brace to school. The brace went up to my knees ...so it was very noticeable! So as a child I got all the jokes I could stand. Which we are human and we carry a lot of the bad comments into our adult life and after awhile you believe them.
After some time, I don’t remember my age.. My mother just got tired of the braces and exercising my foot so she just quit! So I’m a young child that is growing up walking on my tip toe and not to mention the length wasn’t the same.. So I really got the looks ridicule from all the people in high school.
I adjusted as life went on ... But my infirmity never stopped me from trying to live life to the fullest! I would run jump play anything I could! To make a long story short.. I have done a lot of things with this infirmity... I went to college, got married, became a mom...
When I got in church and God filled me with the Holy Ghost in on April 20 th, 1997!! Wow! How amazing! God loved me despite all the harsh words I had heard from people in my life!!! How that I was crippled and made fun of but inspite of all that the God of Heaven still loved me!!!
I really enjoyed church! I loved soul-winning and was on fire for God! The infirmity that I had in my leg never stopped me from witnessing! I was going to win people to God walking straight or not!! Now through life I always got prayer for my leg and my foot! Don’t get me wrong… I did! I did not make an issue about it.. just would always go get prayer. If God healed me… “Wonderful” and if God didn’t heal me,” Wonderful!” My infirmity never stopped my walk with the Lord!
On January 14, 2012 , like any other day , I got up getting ready to start my day. I knew that Bro. Doran’s in Osceola was having revival! I just felt an overwhelming desire to go, which I love to go to church anyways but this was like overwhelming! So , I went to church that night! I knew God must have something special and amazing in this service so I was on my way! I never dreamed that I would be the miracle that was so profound that night!
After the preaching, there was an alter call , so I went! I always go try to give things to God and to cleanse myself from the message being taught that night! People prayed for a while in the alter and God was moving greatly! Bro. Brandon Houseworth asked , “Is there a person here that has a problem with their right leg?” Well, I just raised my hands and said, “I do!” He asked, “What’s wrong with your leg? “ I said, well, my right leg is shorter than the left leg.” I think Bro. Houseworth said, Well, that’s a good problem.. lol.. or something to that nature. So, prayer began and then Bro. Houseworth wanted me to sit in a chair, so I did! Well, a lady laid her hands on my feet and prayer began again! I was enjoying just the presence of God , when all of the sudden, I here a “ahhhhhh” and people praising God! I was like that has got to be good!!! Are you ready? EVERYONE WATCHED MY LEG GROW IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES!!!! IT GREW 2 INCHES OR MORE! I was like such in shock to the miracle it never really came into my spirit till the next morning. I woke up and both feet hit the floor. NO MORE TIPTOEING! I tried to walk like I used to and when I did my right leg would raise up too high!!!There was no need to do that because God gave me new bones! I now walk flat-footed! My bones in my hip do not hurt!! It is truly amazing! Im still in awe!! I DON’T WALK LIKE I USED TO WALK..HE MADE THE DIFFERENCE!!!!
I was chatting with a friend.. she said , that the man that was at the pool of Bethesda was there for 38 years! Well, I am 39! A baby usually starts walking good after the first year! So, I was healed of an infirmity that I had for 38 years!! My story goes along so much with this story! When God healed the man , the Lord healed him “wholly” which is his body , spirit and soul!! Every since I have received this miracle, I feel like I have been healed entirely, “wholly” . All the pain from the past and years of emotional abuse from having an infirmity feel erased from my mind! Because humans are cruel and after years of hearing comments when I was young , you really feel like you are not good enough!! Or that you will never be good enough! But praise be to God, I’m healed body soul and spirit now!! God is amazing! I love Him!
Note: A little information about Natalie Dixon: I'm a blessed beyond measure! I have a wonderful husband! I have 3 wonderful children that I love with all my heart. I have the greastest church family. Im involved with the work of God as much as possible. I love Him , I love Him, I love Him!!!!!
I work with the deaf at our church. Christian Life Center in Brookland, Arkansas. Besides I think sign language is beautiful ..just another wonderful way to glorify God! Thanks for your goodness Lord!
Im just a good apostolic lady who loves serving God and being in His Kingdom! Anything to help His kingdom florish that is my desire! Im pretty easy going , love people , love soul-winning! Never meet a stranger.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Why the Rainbow?
Do you have a family altar? I think every family should have one. Wait a second, let me restate that again, this time correctly. I think every family must have a family altar! Not only is it Biblical but it is also a very good idea.
Altars get God’s attention. He stops and listens to what is said at an altar. He remembers those things that are laid on an altar before Him. It is not something He just passes over. He doesn’t just casually say, “Oh my, they are at the altar again, hummm.” No, when God sees a person at an altar His attention and memory become focused on that person and what they are saying.
Suddenly, right before his eyes, stands a man! This isn’t just any man. His appearance is totally different and within moments of being surprised by his appearance, Cornelius recognizes that he is seeing an angel of God. What the angel has to say probably surprises’ him as much as his sudden appearance.
“Cornelius, your prayers and your giving have gotten the attention of God!” He then instructed Cornelius to send for Simon Peter to tell him what more he needed to do.
The thing that stands out about Cornelius is he was a man with a family altar. The Bible describes him this way. He was devout, deeply religious, earnest and sincere. He feared God with everyone in his house. He taught his family to hold God in high respect. He gave alms. He showed his commitment to God by giving. He prayed to God always, leading his family in prayer as well as having his own private devotions.
Jesus stated in Matthew 18:19-20, “That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them . . . For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” That is what a family altar is all about! Two praying together in agreement! Two or three people who are gathering in the name of Jesus, worshiping the Almighty God.
More than one time in the Book of Revelations we are told that the prayers of the saints come up before God as an incense in heaven. Prayers get the attention of God! Families that pray together get the attention of God! Momma, your prayers are being heard and God is remembering them. Daddy, God hasn’t forgotten those tears you have shed for your son or daughter, you have His attention!
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have an altar. In the Old Testament the altar was a large box-shaped object that was in the Tabernacle. Many altars were built on sites as were needed. Abraham built an altar, on more than one occasion, to offer sacrifices to God. Isaac and Jacob followed in the patriarchs footsteps and built altars themselves. There are many other times that we find individuals building altars before God. However the writer reminds us, also, that our altar is different. It isn’t one that the animal sacrifice is to be made upon. This isn’t necessarily an altar built of stone so that it won’t burn when the sacrifice is offered. This isn’t an altar made of brass that is to be carried from place to place. This isn’t an altar made of gold and incense is to be burnt upon it. It is a place, whether a bench, or a chair, or a bowed head, it is a place where we can meet God and God will meet us.
If there is one thing that is missing in America it is the family altar! The place and time where the family gathers together to pray and touch God. If there is anything missing in the families of the Apostolic Church, it is the family altar! That place and time where the family unites together and touches God. Our hectic lifestyles have kept us from this a powerful spiritual communication with our God. We have allowed ourselves to become so busy with life that we have lost sight of the importance of praying together as a family and meeting with God.
The first place in the Bible that an altar is mentioned is in the Book of Genesis 18:18-20. Sacrifices had been made since Adam and Eve and they are mentioned as a sacrifice was made, however no mention of an altar was made until chapter eight. God has seen the sin of mankind and repented that He made man. He decides He will destroy mankind and start all over again. He finds Noah, a man who walked with God, and has him to build an ark or a large boat. When the ark is finished, Noah takes his family into the ark. Rain comes from heaven and the waters of the deep arise and the earth is completely cover by water. Every thing that breathed was destroyed, except those that were on the ark.
After many months the waters receded and Noah and his family walk off the ark with all of the animals that were on the ark. The very first thing that Noah did was to build an altar. This is the first mention of an altar in the Bible and it is built by a man whose righteousness had led to the saving of his family. With his family gathered together they come before God at a family altar and offer thanks to God for His salvation. What a way to start a new life! They built a family altar.
What I found to be so impacting about this story is what happened next. They offer their sacrifice on their family altar and the Bible says that God smelled a sweet smell and said, “I am going to change the way I deal with man in the future.” God makes a covenant or binding agreement with mankind. He promises never to destroy the earth by water again. As a sign of His covenant He placed a bow in the sky, a rainbow. Whenever you see a rainbow, it reminds us that God has made a covenant with us that He will never destroy the earth by water again. All because a family was thankful and built an altar.
Let me encourage you to build a family altar. Many of the friends and families have built and dedicated altar benches for their family altar. However an altar can be anywhere and anything. It isn’t really about the object. It is really about the time of agreeing together and praying together.
So the next time you see a rainbow in the sky, remember it is a sign of God’s covenant with man. The next time you see a rainbow in the sky, remember it is there because a family built an altar.
Hey, it’s just a thought!
Altars get God’s attention. He stops and listens to what is said at an altar. He remembers those things that are laid on an altar before Him. It is not something He just passes over. He doesn’t just casually say, “Oh my, they are at the altar again, hummm.” No, when God sees a person at an altar His attention and memory become focused on that person and what they are saying.
Suddenly, right before his eyes, stands a man! This isn’t just any man. His appearance is totally different and within moments of being surprised by his appearance, Cornelius recognizes that he is seeing an angel of God. What the angel has to say probably surprises’ him as much as his sudden appearance.
“Cornelius, your prayers and your giving have gotten the attention of God!” He then instructed Cornelius to send for Simon Peter to tell him what more he needed to do.
The thing that stands out about Cornelius is he was a man with a family altar. The Bible describes him this way. He was devout, deeply religious, earnest and sincere. He feared God with everyone in his house. He taught his family to hold God in high respect. He gave alms. He showed his commitment to God by giving. He prayed to God always, leading his family in prayer as well as having his own private devotions.
Jesus stated in Matthew 18:19-20, “That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them . . . For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” That is what a family altar is all about! Two praying together in agreement! Two or three people who are gathering in the name of Jesus, worshiping the Almighty God.
More than one time in the Book of Revelations we are told that the prayers of the saints come up before God as an incense in heaven. Prayers get the attention of God! Families that pray together get the attention of God! Momma, your prayers are being heard and God is remembering them. Daddy, God hasn’t forgotten those tears you have shed for your son or daughter, you have His attention!
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have an altar. In the Old Testament the altar was a large box-shaped object that was in the Tabernacle. Many altars were built on sites as were needed. Abraham built an altar, on more than one occasion, to offer sacrifices to God. Isaac and Jacob followed in the patriarchs footsteps and built altars themselves. There are many other times that we find individuals building altars before God. However the writer reminds us, also, that our altar is different. It isn’t one that the animal sacrifice is to be made upon. This isn’t necessarily an altar built of stone so that it won’t burn when the sacrifice is offered. This isn’t an altar made of brass that is to be carried from place to place. This isn’t an altar made of gold and incense is to be burnt upon it. It is a place, whether a bench, or a chair, or a bowed head, it is a place where we can meet God and God will meet us.
If there is one thing that is missing in America it is the family altar! The place and time where the family gathers together to pray and touch God. If there is anything missing in the families of the Apostolic Church, it is the family altar! That place and time where the family unites together and touches God. Our hectic lifestyles have kept us from this a powerful spiritual communication with our God. We have allowed ourselves to become so busy with life that we have lost sight of the importance of praying together as a family and meeting with God.
The first place in the Bible that an altar is mentioned is in the Book of Genesis 18:18-20. Sacrifices had been made since Adam and Eve and they are mentioned as a sacrifice was made, however no mention of an altar was made until chapter eight. God has seen the sin of mankind and repented that He made man. He decides He will destroy mankind and start all over again. He finds Noah, a man who walked with God, and has him to build an ark or a large boat. When the ark is finished, Noah takes his family into the ark. Rain comes from heaven and the waters of the deep arise and the earth is completely cover by water. Every thing that breathed was destroyed, except those that were on the ark.
After many months the waters receded and Noah and his family walk off the ark with all of the animals that were on the ark. The very first thing that Noah did was to build an altar. This is the first mention of an altar in the Bible and it is built by a man whose righteousness had led to the saving of his family. With his family gathered together they come before God at a family altar and offer thanks to God for His salvation. What a way to start a new life! They built a family altar.
What I found to be so impacting about this story is what happened next. They offer their sacrifice on their family altar and the Bible says that God smelled a sweet smell and said, “I am going to change the way I deal with man in the future.” God makes a covenant or binding agreement with mankind. He promises never to destroy the earth by water again. As a sign of His covenant He placed a bow in the sky, a rainbow. Whenever you see a rainbow, it reminds us that God has made a covenant with us that He will never destroy the earth by water again. All because a family was thankful and built an altar.
Let me encourage you to build a family altar. Many of the friends and families have built and dedicated altar benches for their family altar. However an altar can be anywhere and anything. It isn’t really about the object. It is really about the time of agreeing together and praying together.
So the next time you see a rainbow in the sky, remember it is a sign of God’s covenant with man. The next time you see a rainbow in the sky, remember it is there because a family built an altar.
Hey, it’s just a thought!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Gotta Have a Good Connection!
You gotta have a good connection! There is no other way if you are working with anything electrical and want it to work properly. If the connection isn’t good, you experience a lot of frustration until it is corrected. If the connection is good, you will find that you never think about it at all.
I have talked, in the past, about the adventure of fixing Jared’s car. We replaced the alternator and the car wouldn’t start. We replaced the battery, which had died when the alternator went out, and the car started but the battery light wouldn’t go off. We found there were fuses out and replaced those. Still the battery light stayed on and the battery would run down. We found there was a bad connection on the battery and fixed that. Still, we had the same problem. We had a diagnostic test done and found the new alternator was bad. We replaced that and drove it for a couple hours only to have the battery light come on again and the battery ran down.
Car problems are no fun! They are not even fun when your car is still under warranty and you have lots of time and money. When it is no longer under warranty and your time and money is limited car problems can be even more frustrating!
Sunday night we found the source of the problem was a small ground wire that connected to the alternator. It had become worn and frayed causing a short-circuit in the system. They just clipped the wire and crimped on a new connector. Three days later it is still working fine. All of these problems were because of a bad connection.
For some reason, at five A.M. this morning, I thought about that bad connection and couldn’t help but think about my connection to God. How much frustration have I experienced in my life because I haven’t made sure I have a "good connection" to God? How often have I struggled and became "spiritually rundown" because my "ground" wire has become frayed causing a spiritual short?
The Psalmist David wrote, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Ps 51:10 KJV) He spent some time talking about sin that had been in his life and asking God to cleanse him from those sins. He is exact in his request to God. He wanted a good connection, a clean heart! He wants to make sure there isn’t anything in his life that will cause a short in the circuit between himself and God.
How often have I let the things of life and sin bring a bad connection in my relationship with God? It isn’t always bad things that have caused me to have a short. It is sometimes something as simple as a distraction. So I began to ask myself what could cause a bad connection between me and my God?
One of the things that came to mind was distraction. Distractions are those things which divert your attention. Distraction comes so easy and appears in so many disguises. When Jared was young, I would tell him that he was easily distracted by shiny objects. It didn’t take much to make him forget what he was doing and he would be doing something else. I have found this to be so true in my spiritual life.
I go to pray and think of something I need to do first. The next thing I know I haven’t prayed and time is gone. I want to read my Bible but get caught up in answering an email that is important or even something else and time is gone. Pretty soon I realize it has been a while since I talked to God or allowed Him to talk to me and there is a bad connection.
I sometimes find myself struggling in my spiritual walk. I am not experiencing the joy that I know I should be feeling. My attitude isn’t really what I want it to be. Some of the "wonder" is missing in my relationship with God. When I begin to check the connections, I often find that I haven’t been as focused in giving praise to God. My worship hasn’t been as intense as it sometimes is. There is a bad connection between me and my God. It is time for me to stop coasting on what others are doing and make a good connection between me and God.
There are times I find myself stymied, at a stand still. In checking my connections I have found that I haven’t been applying the Word of God to my life. When I read His Word I need to ask Him to show me what I need to do with what I am reading. The Bible is more than a good book. It is the road map to life. If I don’t apply it and live by it the Bible just becomes another book. However, when I allow God to reveal His truth to me and begin to live truth the connection is made.
Now I don’t mind admitting that I am a "Jesus Fanatic." Just to make sure that I am, I looked up the word "fanatic" and this is the definition: Enthusiast; Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea: "rabid isolationist."
I was so excited because that is how I feel about Jesus! I am His biggest fan. I am not afraid that someone will say I go overboard in my lifestyle for Jesus. I do not go through life asking why I can’t do certain things in order to live for Him. I try to make my question, "What more can I do to have a better connection with Jesus?"
Let me encourage you to spend some time checking your connections! Go to God in prayer and ask Him to help you see the areas in your life and walk with Him that are becoming frayed and corroded. Get a good connection and watch the power flow in your life!
Remember. It is just a thought!
I have talked, in the past, about the adventure of fixing Jared’s car. We replaced the alternator and the car wouldn’t start. We replaced the battery, which had died when the alternator went out, and the car started but the battery light wouldn’t go off. We found there were fuses out and replaced those. Still the battery light stayed on and the battery would run down. We found there was a bad connection on the battery and fixed that. Still, we had the same problem. We had a diagnostic test done and found the new alternator was bad. We replaced that and drove it for a couple hours only to have the battery light come on again and the battery ran down.
Car problems are no fun! They are not even fun when your car is still under warranty and you have lots of time and money. When it is no longer under warranty and your time and money is limited car problems can be even more frustrating!
Sunday night we found the source of the problem was a small ground wire that connected to the alternator. It had become worn and frayed causing a short-circuit in the system. They just clipped the wire and crimped on a new connector. Three days later it is still working fine. All of these problems were because of a bad connection.
For some reason, at five A.M. this morning, I thought about that bad connection and couldn’t help but think about my connection to God. How much frustration have I experienced in my life because I haven’t made sure I have a "good connection" to God? How often have I struggled and became "spiritually rundown" because my "ground" wire has become frayed causing a spiritual short?
The Psalmist David wrote, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Ps 51:10 KJV) He spent some time talking about sin that had been in his life and asking God to cleanse him from those sins. He is exact in his request to God. He wanted a good connection, a clean heart! He wants to make sure there isn’t anything in his life that will cause a short in the circuit between himself and God.
How often have I let the things of life and sin bring a bad connection in my relationship with God? It isn’t always bad things that have caused me to have a short. It is sometimes something as simple as a distraction. So I began to ask myself what could cause a bad connection between me and my God?
One of the things that came to mind was distraction. Distractions are those things which divert your attention. Distraction comes so easy and appears in so many disguises. When Jared was young, I would tell him that he was easily distracted by shiny objects. It didn’t take much to make him forget what he was doing and he would be doing something else. I have found this to be so true in my spiritual life.
I go to pray and think of something I need to do first. The next thing I know I haven’t prayed and time is gone. I want to read my Bible but get caught up in answering an email that is important or even something else and time is gone. Pretty soon I realize it has been a while since I talked to God or allowed Him to talk to me and there is a bad connection.
I sometimes find myself struggling in my spiritual walk. I am not experiencing the joy that I know I should be feeling. My attitude isn’t really what I want it to be. Some of the "wonder" is missing in my relationship with God. When I begin to check the connections, I often find that I haven’t been as focused in giving praise to God. My worship hasn’t been as intense as it sometimes is. There is a bad connection between me and my God. It is time for me to stop coasting on what others are doing and make a good connection between me and God.
There are times I find myself stymied, at a stand still. In checking my connections I have found that I haven’t been applying the Word of God to my life. When I read His Word I need to ask Him to show me what I need to do with what I am reading. The Bible is more than a good book. It is the road map to life. If I don’t apply it and live by it the Bible just becomes another book. However, when I allow God to reveal His truth to me and begin to live truth the connection is made.
Now I don’t mind admitting that I am a "Jesus Fanatic." Just to make sure that I am, I looked up the word "fanatic" and this is the definition: Enthusiast; Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea: "rabid isolationist."
I was so excited because that is how I feel about Jesus! I am His biggest fan. I am not afraid that someone will say I go overboard in my lifestyle for Jesus. I do not go through life asking why I can’t do certain things in order to live for Him. I try to make my question, "What more can I do to have a better connection with Jesus?"
Let me encourage you to spend some time checking your connections! Go to God in prayer and ask Him to help you see the areas in your life and walk with Him that are becoming frayed and corroded. Get a good connection and watch the power flow in your life!
Remember. It is just a thought!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
How's Your Thinking Been?
Have you ever read a passage of scripture, or maybe just a verse, many times and one day read it only to realize you haven’t read it that way before? This happens to me on a frequent basis. In fact it just happened the other night. Let me share what happened.
Jared and I had been having a discussion. We had been talking about some different things, some of which were happening in our lives and some that were not happening. After several minutes of talking I told Jared, "I really feel like I need to spend some time in prayer, will you join me?" Of course he joined me and we enjoyed a good time of discussion with God about our concerns.
Many months ago, while in a prayer meeting, a passage of scripture had come very forcefully to my mind. I had looked it up and the verses had become directive and favorites in my personal arsenal of scriptures. In fact I wrote an article about the incident titled, "My Friend Said Don’t Be Careful!" As I was praying this passage came to mind and I felt to share it with Jared.
As I began to read the verses I was inspired that God would again use these verses for a reminder of the peace He offers and assures us of. Only this time I did not stop where I usually stop but continued reading the next several verses. That is when I realized I had missed something on the earlier occasions of reading the verses. In fact I had been missing something here all my life.
In Philippians chapter four and verses six and seven the writer Paul tells us, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Another word for careful is worry which is the main thing I needed to hear on the previous occasion. God, or my friend, told me to stop worrying!
Worry is simply the wringing of your hands wondering what you are going to do or what is going to happen. I have been around some worriers in my life. A really good worrier can create monsters out of nothing. Their minds will make mountains out of ant hills! It is the result of an undisciplined mind and Paul said we are not to worry but to take our needs to God in prayer. We are to ask of God, with thankfulness, those things which we are concerned about. When we do this, God will allow a peace to come upon us that will protect our emotions and our thoughts. To me this is exciting!
Here is where my last reading became even more interesting. I have found it to be true that when we pray we often undo our prayers because of a lack of faith which is evident through our verbal conversation. We ask God to meet a financial need, then talk about how poor we are, what a struggle we are in and how much we lack. We ask God for healing and then talk about all of the pain and suffering we are experiencing. Our conversation destroys our faith and also negates the peace of God which God has given us. Lookout, here come the ulcers!
Paul continues with his instruction in Philippians chapter four and verse eight by saying, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." HOLD THE BUS! I had never read this passage with the passages mentioned earlier. What a new thought this produced!
Jared mentioned how powerful scriptural principles will be to us if we read them as they are written, in the proper context. I have often read and quoted verse eight and given instruction that we should use it as a guide for living or thinking. However, I have never thought of it as a guide for believing!
So basically Paul is telling us to stop worrying. He is telling us to pray in a certain way. He is telling us that God will send an unexplainable peace to protect our hearts and minds. Then he is telling us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praise worthy. Wow! So instead of destroying my faith and tearing down what I am actually trying to accomplish, I will be strengthening them through this change of attitude. I will be continuing to reside in peace because I will be erecting a wall of protection around my heart and mind by my conduct.
Paul underlines this principle in verse nine when he said, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Do what we know is right. Follow Paul in as he follows Christ. Listen to the Word and apply it to your life. Doing these things will result in "the God of peace" being with us.
In a nutshell we need to stop worrying! Bring our needs to God in prayer, asking of Him with thanksgiving. We can enjoy the peace in the midst of turmoil knowing God will protect our emotions and thinking. We are thinking on the good things and pushing aside the bad worrisome things. We keep doing what we have heard to do from the Word of God. As a result God will be with us. God will, I know I already said it but I have to say it again, be with us!
Just remember, It’s just a thought!
Jared and I had been having a discussion. We had been talking about some different things, some of which were happening in our lives and some that were not happening. After several minutes of talking I told Jared, "I really feel like I need to spend some time in prayer, will you join me?" Of course he joined me and we enjoyed a good time of discussion with God about our concerns.
Many months ago, while in a prayer meeting, a passage of scripture had come very forcefully to my mind. I had looked it up and the verses had become directive and favorites in my personal arsenal of scriptures. In fact I wrote an article about the incident titled, "My Friend Said Don’t Be Careful!" As I was praying this passage came to mind and I felt to share it with Jared.
As I began to read the verses I was inspired that God would again use these verses for a reminder of the peace He offers and assures us of. Only this time I did not stop where I usually stop but continued reading the next several verses. That is when I realized I had missed something on the earlier occasions of reading the verses. In fact I had been missing something here all my life.
In Philippians chapter four and verses six and seven the writer Paul tells us, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Another word for careful is worry which is the main thing I needed to hear on the previous occasion. God, or my friend, told me to stop worrying!
Worry is simply the wringing of your hands wondering what you are going to do or what is going to happen. I have been around some worriers in my life. A really good worrier can create monsters out of nothing. Their minds will make mountains out of ant hills! It is the result of an undisciplined mind and Paul said we are not to worry but to take our needs to God in prayer. We are to ask of God, with thankfulness, those things which we are concerned about. When we do this, God will allow a peace to come upon us that will protect our emotions and our thoughts. To me this is exciting!
Here is where my last reading became even more interesting. I have found it to be true that when we pray we often undo our prayers because of a lack of faith which is evident through our verbal conversation. We ask God to meet a financial need, then talk about how poor we are, what a struggle we are in and how much we lack. We ask God for healing and then talk about all of the pain and suffering we are experiencing. Our conversation destroys our faith and also negates the peace of God which God has given us. Lookout, here come the ulcers!
Paul continues with his instruction in Philippians chapter four and verse eight by saying, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." HOLD THE BUS! I had never read this passage with the passages mentioned earlier. What a new thought this produced!
Jared mentioned how powerful scriptural principles will be to us if we read them as they are written, in the proper context. I have often read and quoted verse eight and given instruction that we should use it as a guide for living or thinking. However, I have never thought of it as a guide for believing!
So basically Paul is telling us to stop worrying. He is telling us to pray in a certain way. He is telling us that God will send an unexplainable peace to protect our hearts and minds. Then he is telling us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praise worthy. Wow! So instead of destroying my faith and tearing down what I am actually trying to accomplish, I will be strengthening them through this change of attitude. I will be continuing to reside in peace because I will be erecting a wall of protection around my heart and mind by my conduct.
Paul underlines this principle in verse nine when he said, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Do what we know is right. Follow Paul in as he follows Christ. Listen to the Word and apply it to your life. Doing these things will result in "the God of peace" being with us.
In a nutshell we need to stop worrying! Bring our needs to God in prayer, asking of Him with thanksgiving. We can enjoy the peace in the midst of turmoil knowing God will protect our emotions and thinking. We are thinking on the good things and pushing aside the bad worrisome things. We keep doing what we have heard to do from the Word of God. As a result God will be with us. God will, I know I already said it but I have to say it again, be with us!
Just remember, It’s just a thought!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Signs of the Believer in Osceola, Arkansas
"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;" Mark 16:17 KJV
On March 19, 2010, in a little northeast Arkansas town called Osceola, the signs of the believers were manifest. It was a Friday night that was filled with great anticipation. For the past forty days the United Pentecostal Church of Osceola had been praying and fasting. They had been reading the Book of Acts and asking God to do a supernatural and spiritual work in their lives. They were desiring to be released into the Spirit of Apostolic Revival. Their prayer was, "God we want the Spirit of the Early Church! We want what they had!" Now, for the next few hours they were determined to worship God with all they had and let God do His part.
The Osceola City Center had been rented to accommodate the expected crowd. Several slipped into a racquetball court that had been designated as a prayer room and began to seek God for the service that night. Little did those prayer warriors know God’s attention had already been captured by their desire.
The service started with a great Spirit of Praise and from the start people were caught up in the Spirit of Worship. A gentleman, seated toward the front, stepped out from his seat and began to walk back and forth praising God. It was just a few moments later that the Worship leader stopped everything!
Pastor Tim Doran, of Osceola, was leading the Praise and Worship. He came over to Anthony Brown, the worshiper, and said, "You have cancer, don’t you?" Anthony said, "Yes sir I do."
Pastor Tim said, "The Doctors said it is bad and don’t give you any hope, is that right?" Anthony said, "Yes sir, that is true!"
Pastor Tim said, "When we were in the prayer room, God saw how you worshiped Him in spite of your illness and pain. He told me to tell you that He is going to heal you of cancer!" As he said this Pastor Tim reached out to lay hands on the sick man and jerked his hand back and said, "I don’t even have to touch you! God has already healed you. In Jesus Name be made whole!"
During the twelve and some half weeks that have passed since that time, Anthony Brown has reported that he is getting stronger each and every day. On Sunday, June 6, 2010 he came to Pastor Tim Doran, who is now Anthony’s pastor, and told him that he needed prayer for his feet. One of the symptoms of the cancer was that his feet would itch so bad that he would actually scratch the skin off trying to get relief. Pastor Tim prayed for him and the itching is completely gone!
On Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Anthony Brown went to see his doctor for his scheduled cancer checkup. After the test and examinations were complete his doctor came in and sat down with Anthony and said, "I don’t understand how a man with pancreatic cancer taking four insulin shots per day has a blood sugar reading of 80? I just don’t understand. In fact I am going to go get another doctor to look at this."
He left and returned with another doctor who went over the reports and looked at Anthony and said, "I don’t understand how a man with pancreatic cancer who takes four insulin shots a day can have a blood sugar reading of 80? I just don’t understand!"
The first doctor pulled out his cell phone. He showed Anthony and the other doctor a picture that he had taken of Anthony earlier. There were sores from the cancer all over Anthony’s body. His figure looked sickly and gaunt. The doctor looked at the healthy looking energetic figure before him and said, "This is not the same man, I just don’t understand!"
Anthony told the amazed doctors, "I understand exactly what is going on. Jesus Christ has worked a miracle of healing in my body. He has healed me of cancer!"
Both doctors shook their heads in amazement and said, "It is a miracle, we can’t argue with that!"
These signs shall follow the believer. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover! However, sometimes God gets so excited about healing a worshiping believer that He doesn’t even wait for the laying on of hands!
On March 19, 2010, in a little northeast Arkansas town called Osceola, the signs of the believers were manifest. It was a Friday night that was filled with great anticipation. For the past forty days the United Pentecostal Church of Osceola had been praying and fasting. They had been reading the Book of Acts and asking God to do a supernatural and spiritual work in their lives. They were desiring to be released into the Spirit of Apostolic Revival. Their prayer was, "God we want the Spirit of the Early Church! We want what they had!" Now, for the next few hours they were determined to worship God with all they had and let God do His part.
The Osceola City Center had been rented to accommodate the expected crowd. Several slipped into a racquetball court that had been designated as a prayer room and began to seek God for the service that night. Little did those prayer warriors know God’s attention had already been captured by their desire.
The service started with a great Spirit of Praise and from the start people were caught up in the Spirit of Worship. A gentleman, seated toward the front, stepped out from his seat and began to walk back and forth praising God. It was just a few moments later that the Worship leader stopped everything!
Pastor Tim Doran, of Osceola, was leading the Praise and Worship. He came over to Anthony Brown, the worshiper, and said, "You have cancer, don’t you?" Anthony said, "Yes sir I do."
Pastor Tim said, "The Doctors said it is bad and don’t give you any hope, is that right?" Anthony said, "Yes sir, that is true!"
Pastor Tim said, "When we were in the prayer room, God saw how you worshiped Him in spite of your illness and pain. He told me to tell you that He is going to heal you of cancer!" As he said this Pastor Tim reached out to lay hands on the sick man and jerked his hand back and said, "I don’t even have to touch you! God has already healed you. In Jesus Name be made whole!"
During the twelve and some half weeks that have passed since that time, Anthony Brown has reported that he is getting stronger each and every day. On Sunday, June 6, 2010 he came to Pastor Tim Doran, who is now Anthony’s pastor, and told him that he needed prayer for his feet. One of the symptoms of the cancer was that his feet would itch so bad that he would actually scratch the skin off trying to get relief. Pastor Tim prayed for him and the itching is completely gone!
On Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Anthony Brown went to see his doctor for his scheduled cancer checkup. After the test and examinations were complete his doctor came in and sat down with Anthony and said, "I don’t understand how a man with pancreatic cancer taking four insulin shots per day has a blood sugar reading of 80? I just don’t understand. In fact I am going to go get another doctor to look at this."
He left and returned with another doctor who went over the reports and looked at Anthony and said, "I don’t understand how a man with pancreatic cancer who takes four insulin shots a day can have a blood sugar reading of 80? I just don’t understand!"
The first doctor pulled out his cell phone. He showed Anthony and the other doctor a picture that he had taken of Anthony earlier. There were sores from the cancer all over Anthony’s body. His figure looked sickly and gaunt. The doctor looked at the healthy looking energetic figure before him and said, "This is not the same man, I just don’t understand!"
Anthony told the amazed doctors, "I understand exactly what is going on. Jesus Christ has worked a miracle of healing in my body. He has healed me of cancer!"
Both doctors shook their heads in amazement and said, "It is a miracle, we can’t argue with that!"
These signs shall follow the believer. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover! However, sometimes God gets so excited about healing a worshiping believer that He doesn’t even wait for the laying on of hands!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
In Memory of Rose Daniel
I am reminded of a statement made by the Apostle Paul, "Seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us run with patience the race before us." That is not a direct quote but close enough. This past week another "Witness" has finished her race and is standing on the sidelines cheering us on.
I will never forget meeting Rose Daniel for the first time forty years ago this next December. I had heard so much about her and her family. They were taking a Home Bible Study and after each lesson Mike and Margie Power would come to our house and update us on what had taken place. Then one Sunday morning, in December 1970, Rose and her family came to Church. We were so excited to have a new family visiting the Church. Then I found out that I knew their son, David, having gone to school with him for three school years. David and I soon became close friends.
Just a few weeks later Rose and Slim, along with others from the Bible Study group, were water baptized in Jesus Name. A few months later, in March, she received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Rose began a different life than she had lived before.
Early in her relationship with Jesus Christ Rose developed a love for the Word of God. She loved good preaching. She loved good Bible teaching. As time passed, this love grew. I remember a Fellowship meeting not long after Rose had received the Holy Ghost. She had been studying her Bible trying to understand the Oneness of God. During this Fellowship meeting in Arcata, Brother John McDonald was preaching and began to talk of the Oneness of God. I was sitting behind Rose and suddenly, in a loud voice, she said, "I see it! I see it!" She had received a wonderful revelation of who Jesus Christ really is.
As a young person I spent a lot of time in Rose’s house. David and I were good friends so I was in and out frequently. I soon found out that Rose was a wonderful cook and so I tried to take advantage of that discovery. She was the only person who could bake a Blackberry Cobbler that I liked, and oh could she bake one!
I was a young man, just thirty-three when the United Pentecostal Church of Rio Dell asked me to be their pastor. I had grown up in this Church. Like I said, I hung out with David so his family knew me. I had some deep reservations about becoming Pastor to people who knew me "when" and could remember "what." However, I must say that not one time did I ever get the feeling that Rose Daniel did not look to me as her Pastor with honor and respect. I am sure there must have been occasions when she wondered if that "young fella" knows what he is doing, but she never voiced any doubts she might have had.
I was going through some pictures this week trying to find a good picture of Rose. I have stacks of them and it took several hours. Mainly because I was having to stop and wipe away tears and sometimes just cry. The memories were so precious. I was looking for some good candid shots of her. To my amazement I only found three. What I did find, however, spoke volumes of this precious woman. They were pictures of her worshiping her God. Her hands were raised! Tears were streaming down her face as she prayed as only Sister Rose could pray! Pictures of her with her hand on the shoulder of a fellow saint as she prayed with them. Encouraging them to keep praying until they received what they were needing from God.
Oh, I will never forget, in fact I can hear it right now in my mind, how she could pray and touch God. She had a voice that would ring with authority and familiarity as she would begin to pray in the Spirit, interceding for others before the throne of God. She wasn’t a stranger to God, you could tell they were on first name basis. In fact the song I remember her singing so often said it for her, "He’s my Lord and my God! He’s not just a stranger to me . . ."
There were several times when I would call the Daniel family, while I was their Pastor, to ask them to pray about a need. I recall one time feeling fearful and bewildered. I knew I had to have someone help me touch God. I called Sister Rose and just said that I needed her to pray about a situation with me, would she pray? There were no questions asked, just the assurance she was headed for her altar. What a peace that came over my soul knowing she was praying.
Melinda and I were talking one night and she reminded me that Sister Rose had been her Sunday School teacher for several years. I asked her, already knowing the answer, if she was a good teacher. Melinda, with teary eyes, told me of the love and dedication Sister Rose had for her class. She was teaching Junior Girls about the love of Jesus Christ and the importance of making Him first in their lives.
In many ways Rose was full of surprises. She was a private person. Yet she opened her home, for several years, to the Adult Sunday School Class to meet there each week. She took in a young man, Doug Giest, when he was in need of a place to live and she made him part of her family. She was giving to others, adopting some, mothering others. Rose was a precious lady. She was full of fun, a person who loved to laugh. She was a great friend with deep loyalty.
I, again, think of what must be going on in heaven. Another "Warrior" has gone home. There is a "song of sweetest praise drifting back from heavens shore" telling us that it is well worth the fight. The voice of Rose Daniel is assuring us that it is well worth every mile and every trial. Yes, there is a "Great Cloud of Witnesses" saying come on home! Sister Rose Daniel, we love you and will see you soon.
I will never forget meeting Rose Daniel for the first time forty years ago this next December. I had heard so much about her and her family. They were taking a Home Bible Study and after each lesson Mike and Margie Power would come to our house and update us on what had taken place. Then one Sunday morning, in December 1970, Rose and her family came to Church. We were so excited to have a new family visiting the Church. Then I found out that I knew their son, David, having gone to school with him for three school years. David and I soon became close friends.
Just a few weeks later Rose and Slim, along with others from the Bible Study group, were water baptized in Jesus Name. A few months later, in March, she received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Rose began a different life than she had lived before.
Early in her relationship with Jesus Christ Rose developed a love for the Word of God. She loved good preaching. She loved good Bible teaching. As time passed, this love grew. I remember a Fellowship meeting not long after Rose had received the Holy Ghost. She had been studying her Bible trying to understand the Oneness of God. During this Fellowship meeting in Arcata, Brother John McDonald was preaching and began to talk of the Oneness of God. I was sitting behind Rose and suddenly, in a loud voice, she said, "I see it! I see it!" She had received a wonderful revelation of who Jesus Christ really is.
As a young person I spent a lot of time in Rose’s house. David and I were good friends so I was in and out frequently. I soon found out that Rose was a wonderful cook and so I tried to take advantage of that discovery. She was the only person who could bake a Blackberry Cobbler that I liked, and oh could she bake one!
I was a young man, just thirty-three when the United Pentecostal Church of Rio Dell asked me to be their pastor. I had grown up in this Church. Like I said, I hung out with David so his family knew me. I had some deep reservations about becoming Pastor to people who knew me "when" and could remember "what." However, I must say that not one time did I ever get the feeling that Rose Daniel did not look to me as her Pastor with honor and respect. I am sure there must have been occasions when she wondered if that "young fella" knows what he is doing, but she never voiced any doubts she might have had.
I was going through some pictures this week trying to find a good picture of Rose. I have stacks of them and it took several hours. Mainly because I was having to stop and wipe away tears and sometimes just cry. The memories were so precious. I was looking for some good candid shots of her. To my amazement I only found three. What I did find, however, spoke volumes of this precious woman. They were pictures of her worshiping her God. Her hands were raised! Tears were streaming down her face as she prayed as only Sister Rose could pray! Pictures of her with her hand on the shoulder of a fellow saint as she prayed with them. Encouraging them to keep praying until they received what they were needing from God.
Oh, I will never forget, in fact I can hear it right now in my mind, how she could pray and touch God. She had a voice that would ring with authority and familiarity as she would begin to pray in the Spirit, interceding for others before the throne of God. She wasn’t a stranger to God, you could tell they were on first name basis. In fact the song I remember her singing so often said it for her, "He’s my Lord and my God! He’s not just a stranger to me . . ."
There were several times when I would call the Daniel family, while I was their Pastor, to ask them to pray about a need. I recall one time feeling fearful and bewildered. I knew I had to have someone help me touch God. I called Sister Rose and just said that I needed her to pray about a situation with me, would she pray? There were no questions asked, just the assurance she was headed for her altar. What a peace that came over my soul knowing she was praying.
Melinda and I were talking one night and she reminded me that Sister Rose had been her Sunday School teacher for several years. I asked her, already knowing the answer, if she was a good teacher. Melinda, with teary eyes, told me of the love and dedication Sister Rose had for her class. She was teaching Junior Girls about the love of Jesus Christ and the importance of making Him first in their lives.
In many ways Rose was full of surprises. She was a private person. Yet she opened her home, for several years, to the Adult Sunday School Class to meet there each week. She took in a young man, Doug Giest, when he was in need of a place to live and she made him part of her family. She was giving to others, adopting some, mothering others. Rose was a precious lady. She was full of fun, a person who loved to laugh. She was a great friend with deep loyalty.
I, again, think of what must be going on in heaven. Another "Warrior" has gone home. There is a "song of sweetest praise drifting back from heavens shore" telling us that it is well worth the fight. The voice of Rose Daniel is assuring us that it is well worth every mile and every trial. Yes, there is a "Great Cloud of Witnesses" saying come on home! Sister Rose Daniel, we love you and will see you soon.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Struggle of the Cocoon
I read a story a while back that really struck a chord in my spirit. I came across it again today and felt to share it with you. Hopefully it might put some things into proper perspective in your life.
A man came across a butterfly cocoon. Knowing what is inside his interest is captured and he sits watching it for a while. As luck would have it while he is watching the cocoon gets an opening and right in front of his eyes the butterfly begins the struggle of leaving the cocoon.
Watching for several hours, the man observes as the butterfly struggles to get out. Then it seems to have stopped making any progress at all. It seemed that the butterfly would be unable to go any further. The man takes scissors and snips off the remaining bit of cocoon. The butterfly is then able to emerge with ease. However, the butterfly is unable to fly. Its body is swollen and it has small shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch, expecting at any time the butterfly to stretch his wings and fly. Surely at any moment the wings would enlarge themselves and support the body which would contract with time. Neither happened, in fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
What the man did not know was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required of the butterfly to get through the opening were God’s way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we need to be. We would never fly.
Paul said three times he asked the Lord to take away his problem. Each time the reply from God was, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." Paul went on to say, "Now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me . . . for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2Corinthians 12:8-10)
Maybe this poem will help bring it into a better focus . . .
I asked for Strength, and God gave me
Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom, and God gave me
Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity, and God gave me
Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage, and God gave me
Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love, and God gave me
Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors, and God gave me
Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted, but I
Received everything I needed!
Author Unknown
It is the problems, the difficulties that will better prepare us for the victories of life. When the problem and test come our way, accept it is a divine test which has been sent by God. Then rely on Him to provide the power for the struggle and watch as He takes you to new heights!
It’s just a thought! God Bless . . .
A man came across a butterfly cocoon. Knowing what is inside his interest is captured and he sits watching it for a while. As luck would have it while he is watching the cocoon gets an opening and right in front of his eyes the butterfly begins the struggle of leaving the cocoon.
Watching for several hours, the man observes as the butterfly struggles to get out. Then it seems to have stopped making any progress at all. It seemed that the butterfly would be unable to go any further. The man takes scissors and snips off the remaining bit of cocoon. The butterfly is then able to emerge with ease. However, the butterfly is unable to fly. Its body is swollen and it has small shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch, expecting at any time the butterfly to stretch his wings and fly. Surely at any moment the wings would enlarge themselves and support the body which would contract with time. Neither happened, in fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
What the man did not know was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required of the butterfly to get through the opening were God’s way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we need to be. We would never fly.
Paul said three times he asked the Lord to take away his problem. Each time the reply from God was, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." Paul went on to say, "Now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me . . . for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2Corinthians 12:8-10)
Maybe this poem will help bring it into a better focus . . .
I asked for Strength, and God gave me
Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom, and God gave me
Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity, and God gave me
Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage, and God gave me
Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love, and God gave me
Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors, and God gave me
Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted, but I
Received everything I needed!
Author Unknown
It is the problems, the difficulties that will better prepare us for the victories of life. When the problem and test come our way, accept it is a divine test which has been sent by God. Then rely on Him to provide the power for the struggle and watch as He takes you to new heights!
It’s just a thought! God Bless . . .
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Won't Need E-flat
Auturo Tscanini, the great conductor, was sitting at his podium prior to a concert one evening. As the orchestra warmed up just minutes before the performance, a bassoon player approached him in a fearful panic. "Maestro, I am very sorry, but my instrument has suffered an accident, and the E-flat will not sound. I am afraid I will not be able to play tonight."
Upon hearing the news, Toscanini went silent and closed his eyes. The bassoon player cowered in fear of his fury. The great conductor put his hands to his head and continued in silence, adding to the poor bassoon players agony.
At last Toscanini looked up and said quietly, "Don’t worry, E-flat does not appear in your music tonight." Toscanini had played through the entire concert in his mind, reviewing every note the bassoon player would have to play. With his intimate knowledge of the music, the conductor was able to reassure the bassoon player that everything would be alright.
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:11
God already knows what notes you will need to hit in the concert of life. He is trying to equip you so that you can play and do well! Several translations us the word "Plans" for the word "thoughts." God has it planned, it is His desire that we experience peace. We just have to trust Him.
It’s just a thought! God Blesslll
Upon hearing the news, Toscanini went silent and closed his eyes. The bassoon player cowered in fear of his fury. The great conductor put his hands to his head and continued in silence, adding to the poor bassoon players agony.
At last Toscanini looked up and said quietly, "Don’t worry, E-flat does not appear in your music tonight." Toscanini had played through the entire concert in his mind, reviewing every note the bassoon player would have to play. With his intimate knowledge of the music, the conductor was able to reassure the bassoon player that everything would be alright.
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:11
God already knows what notes you will need to hit in the concert of life. He is trying to equip you so that you can play and do well! Several translations us the word "Plans" for the word "thoughts." God has it planned, it is His desire that we experience peace. We just have to trust Him.
It’s just a thought! God Blesslll
Monday, March 1, 2010
Umbrella of Protection and Power Part 2
Every one of us should have a desire to have more power with God and to come under His protection. Several years ago, God impressed upon my mind the importance of having this type of a relationship with Him. I want to have a relationship of protection and power with God. I called it “The Umbrella of Protection and Power.” This is the second blog in a series on this subject.
There is a relationship between pride and self-respect. Pride that leads to self-respect is controlled pride. We must have self-respect, which is a sense of self-value or self-esteem. This is seeing ourselves as God sees us. However, the pride that God hates is uncontrolled pride and it motivates the works of our flesh. This is the pride where the “I” is in control. “P-r-I-d-e” where the big “I” is in the center and dominates.
If I want protection from God, it will only come through my submission. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:5-7, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (KJV) It is better to humble ourselves than to have God humble us!
To humble myself requires self-discipline. It means that I must deny myself and bring myself under authority. However, by humbling myself to God I place myself under the “Umbrella of His Protection and Power.” Notice also that by humbling myself to God I am also now the recipient of a great benefit from God. The offer given to me is that I can cast my cares, my anxieties and worries upon Him. He cares about me. He will also take care of all my worries.
Submission does not know distinction. Peter tells us to submit ourselves to our Elders. We need to understand that Peter is writing to the Church and is not talking of age when he uses the terms younger and Elder. The word younger, as used here, speaks of one that is new or fresh. We would call them a Beginner, or Rookie. The word Elder speaks of those who would be the ministry and Spiritual Guides of the Church. He also directs us to submit to one another. We need to put humbleness on as a “cover-all!” By doing so we give ourselves protection from pride, arrogance and insolence. We must submit ourselves to God! This brings us under His protection. It makes us reliant on His power. It also allows God to exalt us.
I have noticed that when we read certain passages of the Bible, which have become familiar to us, we sometimes fail to read all the scriptures that pertain to the subject. For example, we often use 1 Peter 5:7 to say God wants us to give Him all of our cares. Yet we fail to include the condition to be able to cast our cares upon Him is our submission. We quote James 4:7 saying if we resist the devil he will flee from us. Yet we fail to include the first part of the verse that tells us to submit ourselves to God. By missing these key components, we set ourselves up for failure and frustration.
Paul gives us key instructions, in Ephesians 5:21-33, regarding our relationship as the Church with God. He likens the Church to the wife of Christ and likens Christ as the husband of the Church. In this instruction, he tells the wife to submit herself to her husband just as the Church submits to Christ. He instructs the husband to love his wife and give her the same sort of love that Christ gives the Church. We place emphasis upon the wife submitting herself to her husband. However, again, we often fail to read the first verse on this subject and here Paul tells us in verse 21, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (KJV) Paul tells us we need to submit ourselves to each other. That would be wives submit yourself to your husband. In addition, husbands submit yourselves unto your wife!
Paul is instructing us to submit ourselves unto each other because of our commitment to Christ. By doing so, we again bring ourselves under the “Umbrella of Protection.” Here is how the Protection works: Christ protects all under His “Umbrella of Protection.” Through submission to Christ and to his wife, the husband comes under the “Umbrella” of Christ and protects those under his own “Umbrella” which would be his wife and his children. Through submission to her husband and to Christ, the wife is under the “Umbrella” of her husband and the “Umbrella” of Christ. This submission protects those under her “Umbrella” her husband and her children.
Nothing can get to the submitted wife without passing through the “Umbrella of Protection” that her submitted husband has placed over her. Nothing can get to the husband without passing through the “Umbrella of Protection” that a submitted wife has placed over him. Nothing can get to their family without passing through these “Umbrellas” and the “Umbrella of Protection” that Christ places over those living in submission. He gave Himself for His bride!
The enemy of our soul would have us to live in fear of submission! This is a lie of the enemy. He refused submission choosing rather to rebel. When we hear the word “submit” he paints a picture of a mouse, a door mat, weakness and being timid. However, we find that true power comes to us as we submit ourselves to God. In fact, in Matthew 5 as Jesus is teaching what we call the “Beatitudes” His first one tells us they way to receive the Kingdom of God is to realize that we are nothing without Him. The third one tells us if we are meek, submitted, we will inherit the earth. We will be victorious! These are just the opposite of what we would naturally assume to be true.
God somehow help us to realize the power and protection that will come to our lives when we submit ourselves to you and to others. There is power in submission.
This is the second in the series “The Umbrella of Power and Protection.”
It’s Just a Thought…God Bless!
There is a relationship between pride and self-respect. Pride that leads to self-respect is controlled pride. We must have self-respect, which is a sense of self-value or self-esteem. This is seeing ourselves as God sees us. However, the pride that God hates is uncontrolled pride and it motivates the works of our flesh. This is the pride where the “I” is in control. “P-r-I-d-e” where the big “I” is in the center and dominates.
If I want protection from God, it will only come through my submission. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:5-7, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (KJV) It is better to humble ourselves than to have God humble us!
To humble myself requires self-discipline. It means that I must deny myself and bring myself under authority. However, by humbling myself to God I place myself under the “Umbrella of His Protection and Power.” Notice also that by humbling myself to God I am also now the recipient of a great benefit from God. The offer given to me is that I can cast my cares, my anxieties and worries upon Him. He cares about me. He will also take care of all my worries.
Submission does not know distinction. Peter tells us to submit ourselves to our Elders. We need to understand that Peter is writing to the Church and is not talking of age when he uses the terms younger and Elder. The word younger, as used here, speaks of one that is new or fresh. We would call them a Beginner, or Rookie. The word Elder speaks of those who would be the ministry and Spiritual Guides of the Church. He also directs us to submit to one another. We need to put humbleness on as a “cover-all!” By doing so we give ourselves protection from pride, arrogance and insolence. We must submit ourselves to God! This brings us under His protection. It makes us reliant on His power. It also allows God to exalt us.
I have noticed that when we read certain passages of the Bible, which have become familiar to us, we sometimes fail to read all the scriptures that pertain to the subject. For example, we often use 1 Peter 5:7 to say God wants us to give Him all of our cares. Yet we fail to include the condition to be able to cast our cares upon Him is our submission. We quote James 4:7 saying if we resist the devil he will flee from us. Yet we fail to include the first part of the verse that tells us to submit ourselves to God. By missing these key components, we set ourselves up for failure and frustration.
Paul gives us key instructions, in Ephesians 5:21-33, regarding our relationship as the Church with God. He likens the Church to the wife of Christ and likens Christ as the husband of the Church. In this instruction, he tells the wife to submit herself to her husband just as the Church submits to Christ. He instructs the husband to love his wife and give her the same sort of love that Christ gives the Church. We place emphasis upon the wife submitting herself to her husband. However, again, we often fail to read the first verse on this subject and here Paul tells us in verse 21, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (KJV) Paul tells us we need to submit ourselves to each other. That would be wives submit yourself to your husband. In addition, husbands submit yourselves unto your wife!
Paul is instructing us to submit ourselves unto each other because of our commitment to Christ. By doing so, we again bring ourselves under the “Umbrella of Protection.” Here is how the Protection works: Christ protects all under His “Umbrella of Protection.” Through submission to Christ and to his wife, the husband comes under the “Umbrella” of Christ and protects those under his own “Umbrella” which would be his wife and his children. Through submission to her husband and to Christ, the wife is under the “Umbrella” of her husband and the “Umbrella” of Christ. This submission protects those under her “Umbrella” her husband and her children.
Nothing can get to the submitted wife without passing through the “Umbrella of Protection” that her submitted husband has placed over her. Nothing can get to the husband without passing through the “Umbrella of Protection” that a submitted wife has placed over him. Nothing can get to their family without passing through these “Umbrellas” and the “Umbrella of Protection” that Christ places over those living in submission. He gave Himself for His bride!
The enemy of our soul would have us to live in fear of submission! This is a lie of the enemy. He refused submission choosing rather to rebel. When we hear the word “submit” he paints a picture of a mouse, a door mat, weakness and being timid. However, we find that true power comes to us as we submit ourselves to God. In fact, in Matthew 5 as Jesus is teaching what we call the “Beatitudes” His first one tells us they way to receive the Kingdom of God is to realize that we are nothing without Him. The third one tells us if we are meek, submitted, we will inherit the earth. We will be victorious! These are just the opposite of what we would naturally assume to be true.
God somehow help us to realize the power and protection that will come to our lives when we submit ourselves to you and to others. There is power in submission.
This is the second in the series “The Umbrella of Power and Protection.”
It’s Just a Thought…God Bless!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Umbrella of Protection and Power Part 1
Every one of us should have a desire have more power with God and to come under His protection. Several years ago, God impressed upon my mind the importance of having this type of a relationship with Him. I want to have a relationship of protection and power with God. I called it “The Umbrella of Protection and Power.”
There is a relationship between pride and self-respect. Pride that leads to self-respect is controlled pride. We must have self-respect, which is a sense of self-value or self-esteem. This is seeing ourselves as God sees us. However, the pride that God hates is uncontrolled pride and it motivates the works of our flesh. This is the pride where the “I” is in control. “P-r-I-d-e” where the big “I” is in the center and dominates.
James 4:6, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (KJV) James tells us that God resists or opposes the proud. This is because pride represents a direction that is opposing to God. It is like swimming against a strong current. God’s divine nature is not compatible with sin or pride. There is not enough room in the universe for God and the pride of man. God will eventually bring everything into submission to Him. (Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10)
You might ask, “Why does God resist and hate pride and why does He humble the proud?” This is a good question. The reason is that pride restrains the wicked from acknowledging God. Pride erects a temple; it constructs a throne and then places a person’s selfish ego upon the throne. Pride deifies the ego, making it God, and the ego demands that worship is given. God has commanded that we have no other God’s before Him.
God loves the person who is humble in their spirit. Pride creates a barrier that holds God distant from the proud. As gravity draws everything to it like a magnet, humility attracts God’s gracious attention. Humility brings the human spirit to the place where God can take our flaws and make something beautiful out of us. Where pride says “I am already perfect and do not need God to improve or help me!”
God elevates the humble. Luke 14:11 tells us that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. God always defeats the proud and He always promotes the humble.
Our attitude toward God should be to shun pride. 1 John 2:15-17 tells us, “15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (NIV) Pride is labeled as an objectionable attitude toward God and our fellowman. Shunning pride is to say no to its daily overtures.
I want a right relationship with God and with my fellow man. I want God’s blessings to be upon my life. I want His protection and power to be in my life. I can realize this if I am willing to humble myself before God.
First of the Series “The Umbrella of Protection and Power.”
It’s Just a Thought! God Bless…
There is a relationship between pride and self-respect. Pride that leads to self-respect is controlled pride. We must have self-respect, which is a sense of self-value or self-esteem. This is seeing ourselves as God sees us. However, the pride that God hates is uncontrolled pride and it motivates the works of our flesh. This is the pride where the “I” is in control. “P-r-I-d-e” where the big “I” is in the center and dominates.
James 4:6, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (KJV) James tells us that God resists or opposes the proud. This is because pride represents a direction that is opposing to God. It is like swimming against a strong current. God’s divine nature is not compatible with sin or pride. There is not enough room in the universe for God and the pride of man. God will eventually bring everything into submission to Him. (Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10)
You might ask, “Why does God resist and hate pride and why does He humble the proud?” This is a good question. The reason is that pride restrains the wicked from acknowledging God. Pride erects a temple; it constructs a throne and then places a person’s selfish ego upon the throne. Pride deifies the ego, making it God, and the ego demands that worship is given. God has commanded that we have no other God’s before Him.
God loves the person who is humble in their spirit. Pride creates a barrier that holds God distant from the proud. As gravity draws everything to it like a magnet, humility attracts God’s gracious attention. Humility brings the human spirit to the place where God can take our flaws and make something beautiful out of us. Where pride says “I am already perfect and do not need God to improve or help me!”
God elevates the humble. Luke 14:11 tells us that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. God always defeats the proud and He always promotes the humble.
Our attitude toward God should be to shun pride. 1 John 2:15-17 tells us, “15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (NIV) Pride is labeled as an objectionable attitude toward God and our fellowman. Shunning pride is to say no to its daily overtures.
I want a right relationship with God and with my fellow man. I want God’s blessings to be upon my life. I want His protection and power to be in my life. I can realize this if I am willing to humble myself before God.
First of the Series “The Umbrella of Protection and Power.”
It’s Just a Thought! God Bless…
Friday, February 19, 2010
Take Up Your Bed and Walk!
We experience emotions of despair! Those feelings that the situation we face is hopeless and impossible. The realization dawns upon our consciousness bringing with it the certainty that all hope is gone and we have arrived at the “Irr Home.” Everything that lives here is “Irreparable,” “Irremediable,” “Irretrievable, ““Irreclaimable,” “Irrevocable.” With this realization comes a perception of impotence, bringing with it the awareness of powerlessness and weakness. Struggling with the conception of thoughts that leave one paralyzed with fear, feeling very ineffective to face yet another day of the same.
These are the feelings of the real world. Products of a world that is determined to take the best we have to offer and to stomp on it crushing it beyond repair. We have tried our best, and our best is not enough! We have offered all that is sacred and dear to us, only to have it rejected. We have gutted it out until we feel that our guts are literally ripped from our bodies. The world looks at us with a look of contempt and scorn and says, "You made your bed now sleep in it!"
However, I have good news for you! The wonderful, glorious, marvelous and miraculous news of the Gospel and that is, "When the world says you made your bed now sleep in it!” Jesus says, “Take up your bed and walk!"
It is just another day like any other day for the past thirty-eight years. Somehow, he drags himself one more time down by the sheep market to the Pool of Bethesda. He is not even sure why he goes to all of the trouble, knowing that there is no possible way for him to get his self into the pool if the angel were to come today. With this acknowledgment also comes a feeling of despair. There is the realization that his situation is hopeless. Not only is he physically impotent; he is powerless to change his life! Into the midst of this chaotic jumble of embroiled emotions came Jesus!
Jesus came to this place, the Pool of Bethesda, which conveyed ideas of magical cures. Bethesda was a place where sometime during the year an angel would come and trouble the water. Hoping to be healed the infirm tried to be the first into the water. It was a place that was close to the sheep market, and like is the case with the local dairies, I am sure the emanation of the sheep gathered into that one small place would begin to attack the olfactory sense of those who came to the pool. There were also bodies of men and women who were sick with all manner of diseases, impotent people. They were people who were blind, the halt, the crippled, and the withered. It was a painful picture of the chief kind of human suffering and bodily disease. It was a place of hopelessness! It was feeling that must have permeated the air. It must have been like a cauldron of fear percolating out feelings that each situation is irremediable and irrevocable! Coming to the realization there is no hope!
Helpless, powerless, that was the atmosphere of the pool of Bethesda. Individuals grasping at the illusive, fragile dream that they might be the first into the pool the next time the water are troubled. Each person is struggling to hold on to that dream of healing through years of failure. Listening to a constant bombardment of doubt and fear come from those around them that had been at the pool for so many years. Their spirits, once high with hope and promise, have now shrunken in distress as realization dawns on them, their situation is hopeless.
Jesus looks on this impotent man, knowing how hopeless his plight is. He does not even require faith from him. Jesus just asks him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"
This individual might have come to the place in his life where he was doubtful of the blessing of healing because of the resulting responsibilities. Now he is hearing a question he might have heard from others. We hear him as he whines out, with a professional drawl, his oft-told story. He shows his loveless ness, quarrelsome ness, and ugly temper. He gives the melancholy recital of his frequent disappointment with an air of insolvent resignation. You might even sense a gloomy satisfaction with his lot in life. However, Jesus does not rebuke him for his lack of faith. He does not require anything special of him. All he simply says is "Take up your bed and walk."
We are the ones who determine how we are going to relate to God. The Psalmist asked himself the question, “Why am I so discouraged and sad? I have decided to put my hope in God. I have decided to praise Him again! He is my Saviour and my God!” (Ps. 43:5) We do not have to go to a “church” service and wait for God to “zap” us with a lightening bolt from heaven. We should not wait for God to change and solve our problems before we worship Him. We need to put our hope in God and worship because He is God! Hope in His Word! (Ps 119:81) When you feel that you have come to the end, gone as far as you can, you have tried everything there is to try. Your only hope is in His Word.
Many times we say, “I can't see it being any different, I can't perceive it changing, it will always be this way!”
Paul said in Romans 8:24-25 “It is not hope if I can see it!” Hope is waiting with endurance for that which we cannot see!
Jesus stood before the tomb and shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" "I'll resurrect you but you have to come out of the grave." "I'll give you hope, but you have to come out the tomb!" "I'll make a change in your life, but you have to make a change in your residence!"
Blind Bart was in a hopeless place in life, blind, begging, and sitting alone on a dusty road, when Jesus came down that road. Bart calls out to Jesus but others tell him to shut up! His situation seems to be even more hopeless. He cries out even louder, in his despair. Again, they tell him to shut up! Nevertheless, hearing the despairing cry, Jesus stood still! He stopped His world! He called for Bart to come to Him.
That blind man jumped up! However, before running to Jesus, he stopped and took off his coat, which told the world he was a blind man. He left his old life behind. He then ran to Jesus and told Jesus that he wanted his sight
We allow ourselves fall into traps and snares of the enemy as he desires to create a feeling of hopelessness in our lives, it works like this: We plant God’s Word in our hearts the same as we plant seed in the field. However many times we allow the cares of this life to choke, strangle, clog, retard, stifle, throttle, smother, suffocate, asphyxiate and gag the Word of God. It dies like a plant choked by weeds.
The bombardment of our lives by financial problems, many of our own creation and others that are just the circumstances of life, cause us to feel it is hopeless. We need to leave behind the clothes of a beggar and go to the king. Stand on his Word. Stop telling God how big your problems are; start telling your problems how big your God is.
Life brings us problems and heartaches. It delivers broken hearts and bruised lives. It binds us in chains of despair and blinds our eyes to the promises of God. We say I will worship God when He blesses me. I will shout when I feel like it. I need to get up out of my seat, shout and praise God because I want to... I want to because He is God! I need to take up my bed and walk!
I do not have to resolve to live this way; I can take up my bed and walk. It is time I realize the situation is not hopeless, God has walked into the stinking situation that I am dealing with and told me to take up my bed and walk. It is time to change locations.
Therefore, when the world tells me I have made my bed now I have to sleep in it! There is no hope! There is the assurance that Jesus is telling me to take up my bed and walk!
It’s just a thought! God Bless…
These are the feelings of the real world. Products of a world that is determined to take the best we have to offer and to stomp on it crushing it beyond repair. We have tried our best, and our best is not enough! We have offered all that is sacred and dear to us, only to have it rejected. We have gutted it out until we feel that our guts are literally ripped from our bodies. The world looks at us with a look of contempt and scorn and says, "You made your bed now sleep in it!"
However, I have good news for you! The wonderful, glorious, marvelous and miraculous news of the Gospel and that is, "When the world says you made your bed now sleep in it!” Jesus says, “Take up your bed and walk!"
It is just another day like any other day for the past thirty-eight years. Somehow, he drags himself one more time down by the sheep market to the Pool of Bethesda. He is not even sure why he goes to all of the trouble, knowing that there is no possible way for him to get his self into the pool if the angel were to come today. With this acknowledgment also comes a feeling of despair. There is the realization that his situation is hopeless. Not only is he physically impotent; he is powerless to change his life! Into the midst of this chaotic jumble of embroiled emotions came Jesus!
Jesus came to this place, the Pool of Bethesda, which conveyed ideas of magical cures. Bethesda was a place where sometime during the year an angel would come and trouble the water. Hoping to be healed the infirm tried to be the first into the water. It was a place that was close to the sheep market, and like is the case with the local dairies, I am sure the emanation of the sheep gathered into that one small place would begin to attack the olfactory sense of those who came to the pool. There were also bodies of men and women who were sick with all manner of diseases, impotent people. They were people who were blind, the halt, the crippled, and the withered. It was a painful picture of the chief kind of human suffering and bodily disease. It was a place of hopelessness! It was feeling that must have permeated the air. It must have been like a cauldron of fear percolating out feelings that each situation is irremediable and irrevocable! Coming to the realization there is no hope!
Helpless, powerless, that was the atmosphere of the pool of Bethesda. Individuals grasping at the illusive, fragile dream that they might be the first into the pool the next time the water are troubled. Each person is struggling to hold on to that dream of healing through years of failure. Listening to a constant bombardment of doubt and fear come from those around them that had been at the pool for so many years. Their spirits, once high with hope and promise, have now shrunken in distress as realization dawns on them, their situation is hopeless.
Jesus looks on this impotent man, knowing how hopeless his plight is. He does not even require faith from him. Jesus just asks him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"
This individual might have come to the place in his life where he was doubtful of the blessing of healing because of the resulting responsibilities. Now he is hearing a question he might have heard from others. We hear him as he whines out, with a professional drawl, his oft-told story. He shows his loveless ness, quarrelsome ness, and ugly temper. He gives the melancholy recital of his frequent disappointment with an air of insolvent resignation. You might even sense a gloomy satisfaction with his lot in life. However, Jesus does not rebuke him for his lack of faith. He does not require anything special of him. All he simply says is "Take up your bed and walk."
We are the ones who determine how we are going to relate to God. The Psalmist asked himself the question, “Why am I so discouraged and sad? I have decided to put my hope in God. I have decided to praise Him again! He is my Saviour and my God!” (Ps. 43:5) We do not have to go to a “church” service and wait for God to “zap” us with a lightening bolt from heaven. We should not wait for God to change and solve our problems before we worship Him. We need to put our hope in God and worship because He is God! Hope in His Word! (Ps 119:81) When you feel that you have come to the end, gone as far as you can, you have tried everything there is to try. Your only hope is in His Word.
Many times we say, “I can't see it being any different, I can't perceive it changing, it will always be this way!”
Paul said in Romans 8:24-25 “It is not hope if I can see it!” Hope is waiting with endurance for that which we cannot see!
Jesus stood before the tomb and shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" "I'll resurrect you but you have to come out of the grave." "I'll give you hope, but you have to come out the tomb!" "I'll make a change in your life, but you have to make a change in your residence!"
Blind Bart was in a hopeless place in life, blind, begging, and sitting alone on a dusty road, when Jesus came down that road. Bart calls out to Jesus but others tell him to shut up! His situation seems to be even more hopeless. He cries out even louder, in his despair. Again, they tell him to shut up! Nevertheless, hearing the despairing cry, Jesus stood still! He stopped His world! He called for Bart to come to Him.
That blind man jumped up! However, before running to Jesus, he stopped and took off his coat, which told the world he was a blind man. He left his old life behind. He then ran to Jesus and told Jesus that he wanted his sight
We allow ourselves fall into traps and snares of the enemy as he desires to create a feeling of hopelessness in our lives, it works like this: We plant God’s Word in our hearts the same as we plant seed in the field. However many times we allow the cares of this life to choke, strangle, clog, retard, stifle, throttle, smother, suffocate, asphyxiate and gag the Word of God. It dies like a plant choked by weeds.
The bombardment of our lives by financial problems, many of our own creation and others that are just the circumstances of life, cause us to feel it is hopeless. We need to leave behind the clothes of a beggar and go to the king. Stand on his Word. Stop telling God how big your problems are; start telling your problems how big your God is.
Life brings us problems and heartaches. It delivers broken hearts and bruised lives. It binds us in chains of despair and blinds our eyes to the promises of God. We say I will worship God when He blesses me. I will shout when I feel like it. I need to get up out of my seat, shout and praise God because I want to... I want to because He is God! I need to take up my bed and walk!
I do not have to resolve to live this way; I can take up my bed and walk. It is time I realize the situation is not hopeless, God has walked into the stinking situation that I am dealing with and told me to take up my bed and walk. It is time to change locations.
Therefore, when the world tells me I have made my bed now I have to sleep in it! There is no hope! There is the assurance that Jesus is telling me to take up my bed and walk!
It’s just a thought! God Bless…
Monday, November 9, 2009
Write a Message on Your Shoe!
Several years ago, actually about 3 decades back, my wife and I were at a concert and a song was sang by the group that stuck in my mind. I was able to find the song online, Let me share the words with you;
You're about to hear a truth that will loose you from the noose
The devil's been using to defeat you
To you it may be shockin', to him you will be lockin'
The power you thought he had over you
I learned that God put all things under Jesus' feet
And since we are His body, I'm sure we are His feet
I think you've got the picture and now know what to do
Write a message to the devil (devil) on the bottom of your shoe (shoe, shoe, shoe)
Chorus:Write a message to the devil on the bottom of your shoe
Tell him you rebuke him and he's a liar too
You've finished list'nin' to him, God's word you will do
And be sure to write this message on the bottom of your shoe (shoe, shoe, shoe)
When Satan tries to blind you by depression or confusion
He's trying hard to defeat you
To you he is lyin', tell him you're denyin'
The power you let him have over you
Remember God put all things under Jesus' feet
And since we are His body I'm sure we are His feet
Now that you've got the picture, remember what to do
Words and Music: Dianne Mays © 1979 Emmanuel Music
And do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:27
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
It's just a thought! God Bless...
Don Doran
TEAM Ministry
You're about to hear a truth that will loose you from the noose
The devil's been using to defeat you
To you it may be shockin', to him you will be lockin'
The power you thought he had over you
I learned that God put all things under Jesus' feet
And since we are His body, I'm sure we are His feet
I think you've got the picture and now know what to do
Write a message to the devil (devil) on the bottom of your shoe (shoe, shoe, shoe)
Chorus:Write a message to the devil on the bottom of your shoe
Tell him you rebuke him and he's a liar too
You've finished list'nin' to him, God's word you will do
And be sure to write this message on the bottom of your shoe (shoe, shoe, shoe)
When Satan tries to blind you by depression or confusion
He's trying hard to defeat you
To you he is lyin', tell him you're denyin'
The power you let him have over you
Remember God put all things under Jesus' feet
And since we are His body I'm sure we are His feet
Now that you've got the picture, remember what to do
Write a message to the devil (devil) on the bottom of your shoe
Words and Music: Dianne Mays © 1979 Emmanuel Music
Too often we listen to our enemy rather than the voice of our Savior! Let me share a couple of passages with you, I think the song says everything else that needs to be said:
"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:22-23
"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." Rom 16:20""And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:22-23
And do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:27
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
It's just a thought! God Bless...
Don Doran
TEAM Ministry
Friday, September 18, 2009
Prayer Needed for Little Jared
Last fall I was a member of a online social group and came across a post by a mother asking people to pray for her little boy Jared. The name caught my attention because I have a son also named Jared and have a huge soft spot in my heart for kids.She shared that Jared, at age 9, had been found to have a brain tumor. I won't go into all of the details, but this fella was just the bravest little guy. I wrote Lora and got permission to contact Jared and for the next several months, as long as I was able to remain active on that site, I contacted him almost everyday. He couldn't hear to well but loved pictures so I and many others began sending him pictures of animals and all other types of things that would interest him. Many members of the site were good to visit him on a regular basis, trying to encourage him.Since leaving that site I have remained in contact with Ed and Lora by email. We have started a group on FB that just prays for Jared and his family. Today I received a email from Ed, which I will share. I cannot even begin to imagine what Ed and Lora are dealing with and feeling right now. The Drs have said there is nothing more than can do for Jared, it is in God''s hands. My heart breaks for them, but at the same time I know we serve a God who is just and caring and will do what is best for Jared and his family. I know God can heal him completely and I also know there are times when God says that isn't my plan. Please join me in praying for them. Ed, Jared's father, wrote:"donald we went to Cincinnati.childrens today and they found the tumor growing its in last stages we so need prayer for jared please pray they said hes in gods hands which we knew but ask god for jareds life with us,its so so hard please pray"God Bless
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