Christmastime is here. In just a few days we will be celebrating the birth of our King. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I can say with confidence, this year 2020 has been a disappointment to most of us. Many have suffered great loss, great hardship, to the extremes. Our country has been turned upside down and inside out. We have a president who put our country and her needs ahead of his. Yet he also suffered greatly. President Trump and his family have been put through a living hell. But he never stopped fighting for us. We had hope that our election would prove how much the American people support him. But instead fraudulent acts, theft, lies have robbed us of the victory we voted for.
Oh, and yes, the world was polluted with a virus. I think we all know about that.
Then we remember we have the greatest hope of all, Jesus Christ. Regardless what the enemy tries to do, it cannot and will not take our hope away. This week many looked to the skies to view the “Christmas Star”. Two planets, Jupiter and Saturn were to be very close to one another, giving us the image of the Christmas Star in the sky. For so many it was a reminder of our hope that was born over 2000 years ago. That hope doesn’t disappoint. It never fades, or disappears. It may not seem as vibrant at times, but it remains. It is steadfast and always there for us.
“The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 HCSB
The Word became flesh, and took up residence.... Yes, He took up residence. He came to live amongst us. He didn’t come for a season and then move away. He came and stayed.
I gift this to you faithful readers. The promise of hope, our living hope, who lives amongst us, forever.
We will face trials and turmoil. Our world will seem upside down at times. Our government will disappoint us. Will we ever be able to trust the government? We must remember, they are flesh, like the rest of us. There is only one perfect among us. Our Lord Jesus Christ. He will never disappoint us. He is always here for us. Always here for us.
I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas season. I pray you take time to reflect what Christmas really means to us.
Christmas Time is nearing. But this Christmas is unlike any other. We feel like we are on house arrest. We are being told who to socialize with, if at all. We are being told how many we are to have in our own homes, and the list goes on. All of this because of a virus called “COVID-19”.
This lousy virus is robbing us of life. It is killing many people. It is causing severe illness in many others. It is causing many small business owners to lose their business and livelihood. Then we have the things we do not see with our own eyes like depression, suicide, bankruptcy, hatred, disrespect, no schooling for the young children. And again, the list goes on. All because of this lousy virus.
As desperate as it seems, we must not lose hope. We gain strength from our hope in Jesus Christ. In His word we read about hardships and disasters that the godly men and women went through. Yet they held on to hope. God never promised a life without trials, but He promises to help us through those trials step by step.
When Jesus was born the wisemen and shepherds followed the bright star in the sky. In the news this week we hear of Jupiter and Saturn passing very close to each other. The first time in hundreds and hundreds of years. Causing the brightest star in the sky since then. It will remind many of that star that shone when Jesus was born. They ran to that star in hope.
It makes you wonder, will many look to this bright star as a sign of hope? Will we see it as a sign of promise from God? Will we rise up out of this frightening time of a killer virus and stand firm in our promises from God? I sure hope so. God is the only one who can save us and rescue us.
He may use man to deliver those promises. Are you willing to be used by God to bless others? To help others come out of the dirt and onto a dry and firm foundation in Jesus Christ?
“I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.”
Isaiah 43:2 HCSB
I pray for you as Christmas nears, that you can stand tall, with the hope we have in Jesus Christ, and hang on tightly to His promises. He came as a baby, walked this earth as a man, was beaten and mocked for love’s sake, all for us. So that we could live in freedom, and in victory on this land He created for us. Look to His light .
I think we can all agree, 2020 has seemed like a year from the twilight zone. None of us could even imagine going through a global pandemic. And here in the United States we are seeing our voices shut down in our election for President. We voted thinking our vote counts. But instead fraud and greed has taken hold.
Even though it’s been a year most of us would care to forget, there is something the enemy cannot steal from us. That is our faith, hope, and the love of our Lord Jesus. This is how we can persevere. One day at a time. One foot in front of the other. One step at a time.
I believe we all would agree, in any given day we are apt to hit obstacles in our way. It could be financial, spiritual, physical, emotional, or any other reason that could get in our way. It is how we face those obstacles that count. Will we turn around and run the other way? Will we cower down in fear? Will we stand tall and face it boldly? Will we rely on the strength we have from our Lord Jesus?
The Scriptures tell us not to give up. To press on, dig in deep, and run right past that obstacle. Also we have a couple of tools to help us. Prayer, and singing praises to our Lord.
James 5:13 HCSB
“Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.”
Prayer during those times of suffering . And singing praises with thanksgiving when we are victorious.
“Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
James 5:14-15
It is easy to be cheerful and sing when we are victorious. But how about other times? Let’s think again about this year, 2020. Many have been through devastating times. Shortage of food, and other products. People hoarding selfishly. There are thousands who have lost their lives because of this deadly virus. Those families certainly don’t feel like rejoicing. But we still need to. Not just when things are going our way, but in those dark times also.
We cannot afford to sit and sulk in our own self pity. But we must stand tall, and fight for truth. Remember, you are not alone in the fire. There is someone much greater, much stronger, much taller than we are, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is always with us.
“Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.””
Deuteronomy 31:6 HCSB
“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””
Joshua 1:9 HCSB
I encourage you faithful readers, stand tall and fight, like never before. Our world is being attacked, but Jesus reigns and rules. He is with us all. He gives us strength.
I pray you find that strength, and persevere through your trials, having faith your victory awaits you. May the Lord bless you all.
Right now my country is in turmoil. We had a presidential election that was filled with malicious hatred, lies, cheating, and the list goes on. No matter what side you are on, you could make your claim. Do you notice love is missing from that list?
This is not going to be a blog about politics. There are many on that subject, this is not one of them. But this blog is about the love of Jesus. All through the Scriptures we read about God’s love. His love for us, His love for the sinner, the lost, the deceived, and even the liars.
Proverbs 6:16-19 HSCB “The Lord hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to Him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.”
It is clear in the above Scriptures the things God hates. He spells it out for us. When examining ourselves we often see areas we’ve slipped. Thankfully we have a loving God, who loves us unconditionally and forgives us. Knowing God’s forgiving power, should we be forgiving to those who have wronged us? I’d boldly say yes. However, just because we forgive someone doesn’t mean they do not have to “pay up”. The person may have repented, but they are still responsible of their wrong.
That goes for our leaders of our country. The leaders of the world. Kings, Queens, Presidents, Senators, Congressmen and women. This list is unending. This election was full of cheating and stealing, liars, even murderers. They are responsible for their words and their actions.
Let me clarify murder. My opinion is anyone who does an abortion is a murderer. You may be thinking WOW, a bold statement. Yes it is. Because I consider it murder and sin. The intentional killing of a tiny baby is sickening and murder.
You see, I hold the leaders of this country accountable. Whatever side you are on, you have that same obligation, hold them accountable. Whatever country you live in, I am sure you have your own battles within. But what we all have in common is the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ, His forgiving power, and His amazing love for us. Even if we stumble or fall, Jesus is right there to pick us up.
As I wrote in previous blogs, I was facing surgery for breast cancer. So I could not write a new post for a few weeks. Now I am back!I had the surgery, and I am recovering very well. This is a testament of God's love and protection for our lives. Surgery can be very "scary", and then add cancer to it, it is even more scary. A whole new batch of emotions creep into your life. You find yourself praying with more determination. You dive into the Scriptures for wisdom, guidance, strength. All of these things are very important whether we are facing surgery or not. We need God's Word in our lives, we need His wisdom and guidance, and we need His Holy Spirit to help us and strengthen us.These do not apply only to having a surgery, or having a crisis in our lives. They apply to every thing we face, they apply for our family, they apply for our country.
Right now our country, The USA, needs prayer like never before. Our very core, our values, our Godly principles are at stake. We are being attacked from within. There is an overwhelming amount of disrespect for our country, our flag, our President, and our Vice-President. The beliefs our country was founded on are in jeopardy. There are very bad groups of people destroying our country from the inside.
God calls the church, the body of Christ, to pray. He wants us to call upon Him and ask for His help.
We are to put on the full armor of God, stand firm in the strength He has given us, and fight! Fight for our country.
I am not referring to fight as in a physical battle, but as a spiritual battle. We are in a battle against darkness. We are in a battle to save souls from destruction. This kind of battle is only won by the power of God, and by His Holy Spirit.
We have access to all of the power and strength we need through His Word, and the Holy Spirit. I encourage you, pick up that Bible, and pray the scriptures. Call on Jesus, ask Him to save our country, and save His children.
2 Chronicles 7:14- and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
I totally believe God has this coming election in His hands. He can protect us from the enemy and its ways. But we must have faith and believe.
This applies to our personal lives as well. I just went through a life changing ordeal and surgery. I was in the fire, but came through it smelling like a sweet fragrance of pleasant flowers. Yes I have scars, I have a few parts missing. But my heart is the same, and my spirit is still the same. And I am still filled with the Holy Spirit.
Our God is a mighty God. He wants to use you for His glory. He wants to use all of us. No matter what you are going through, God can use you and your situation to help and encourage others.
That is my prayer, that He continues to use me for His glory.
I pray for you friends, that you feel God's power in you. I pray that God continues to hold this land and the whole world in His hands. He is a Waymaker. Blessings my friends.
Is it possible to have peace when you have a stressful situation in your life? I say yes. However for that to be, I say you must have faith as well. This is something we've been taught from the time we were little children. But it is not something we all have been through.
The most important thing to remember is our Lord Jesus will never leave us out in the wilderness to face trials alone. He is always with us. When I think of that I feel deep in my heart the love Jesus has for me and the faith I need to face trials.
As you know from my last blog, I am facing a new health battle. That is breast cancer. When I met with my Dr last week she was talking about all of the "medical terms", and treatment options, along with protocols, and so on. She stopped at one point and said I have such a good attitude. I simply stated "I have to". I cannot afford to be negative, or be without faith. After all, faith is the hope of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1a
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
When we have that tiny seed of faith, the Lord meets us with that hope. That hope helps us to keep moving forward. It helps us conquer our fears. And when we have that, we have peace.
So we have stress and trials, then we feel the love Jesus has for us and that elevates our faith, which brings us to hope. That hope leads us to peace.
Philippians 4:7 (AMP)
And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
It is often hard to put into words how you stay positive, or how you keep faith in your heart. Often our actions or attitudes speak those words for us. My Dr didn't have to hear me say I have faith, I have hope, I have peace. She saw the evidence of all three in my face, my voice, my actions.
Do I still have stress? Yes I do. Anytime you are facing major surgery and a cancer diagnosis, it gives you stress. However, the hope and faith I have out weighs the stress, and enables me to walk in faith, My faith is in my Lord Jesus Christ. I stand tall in His promises. He will not disappoint, He will not leave my side.
And because of all of that, I can walk in confidence in the peace He covers me with.
Faithful readers, I pray that whatever you are going through, whether physical, emotional, or any other way, that you feel that hope deep in your heart. I pray you can walk in the faith and peace that He has for you. Jesus has been "Good to Me".
This is a very important election year here in the United States. The results of this election could very well determine the fate of our freedoms we have had for many generations. Our country was founded on those freedoms. Most important is the right to worship God how we choose. I hear so many say if a certain candidate gets elected, our freedoms will be taken from us. That is devastating for many people to hear. I certainly do not like the sounds of it. However, if your candidate doesn’t win, will your life go on? It certainly will. Maybe not the way you desire, but regardless our lives will go on.
During these times of facing a global pandemic, turmoil and violence in our world, and an election year, most of us are battling our own personal battles. These battles probably have nothing to do with a pandemic or election. Your battle may be financial, or health related, or relationship issues. Whatever “your” battle is, it is important to you, and to our Lord Jesus. Just because there is turmoil in the world doesn’t mean Jesus has left you on the back burner to simmer all alone.
Not only does God care about your troubles, but He has given us a helper, His Holy Spirit, and His Word. He has given us tools to use that enable us to be victorious.
If you remember on a previous blog I said we must be pro active, not passive. That goes for our lives and our battles as well. He has given us life, He has given us strength, and He has given us the tools to use in battle.
We must persevere. We must stand tall and fight. We must be pro active. After all, LIFE GOES ON.
#lifegoeson #persevere #standtall #bestrong
“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.” Ephesians 6:10-20 HCSB
THIS IS A REPEAT FROM A FEW WEEKS AGO. But it is so vitally important for our country and our freedom. We cannot afford to get lazy. Have another look.
If there was ever a time for the Body of Christ to stand strong, together in prayer, it is now.
Our world is turned upside down and inside out. Our freedom as we know it now is in grave danger and at risk of being gone forever. We, the children of God, must take a strong stance and pray for our country and our President. We must not take a passive role, but an active role.
What do I mean by active versus passive? Passive is sitting back and watching every one else do the work. You may be in agreement, but you are not actively taking part. While being active is just that. Actively praying, actively doing. We all are created with a purpose. We all are created to pray.
There are many people disagreeing in our country currently. But one thing for sure is there are at least 3 groups of people who are terrorizing our country. These people do not care about our country or about us. They are set on stealing, killing, and destroying. Especially anything that is relating to our Lord Jesus and His Word. These groups HATE Christians, HATE God, and HATE the United States of America. “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10 HCSB
What are we to do? PRAY! God has given us the most powerful weapon there is, prayer. A good portion of this war is spiritual. Evil vs good. God vs the devil. Righteousness vs sin. (By the way, God already won the war, this is the devil’s way of trying to take it back. But it cannot!)
And many other factors are a part of this war. Many people from different walks of life are involved as well. A few things they all have in common, a lying tongue, hatred, evil in their hearts. They will not stop for anyone or anything. Including harming or killing young children.
I cannot understand how anyone with a sane mind would agree with these terrorists.
As the church, the Body of Christ, children of God, we must take our stance, stand tall, linked together, and pray, pray, pray. This is an urgent plea, needed now, not in 2 weeks, or 2 months, or for 1 day. But now and continually.
As part of the church, are you willing to stand with me? Are you willing to pray? You can pray in your own closet, or wherever you are. We must actively pray. God can save our country and our freedoms. But He wants His children involved. “A wise heart accepts commands, but foolish lips will be destroyed. The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out. A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses. Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense. The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction. A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; the poverty of the poor is their destruction. The labor of the righteous leads to life; the activity of the wicked leads to sin. The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray. The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.” Proverbs 10:8-19 HCSB
#pray #faith #hope #powerinprayer #theworldneedsprayer
These are very rough times we are living in. Our world is turned upside down and inside out. We have a deadly virus that is running rampant. We have activist groups that hate God and anyone who serves Him so much that they are even killing little children. We have people who are more concerned about what people look like on the outside than on the inside. Those more concerned about color than character. I hear the term “person of color”. That makes me cringe. The way I see it, we are all a person of color. Just different shades that’s all.
God does not care about our color or what we look like. He is concerned about our character. Who we serve. “We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 HCSB
This is the Word of God. He knows we go through difficulties. But He promises us we will not be destroyed. He never leaves our side. He guides us, protects us, and He leads us. But we have to be willing, and ready to serve Him. If we choose to leave Him out of our lives then we are closing the door on Him, and the blessings He has for us. He loves us more than anything. But He made us with free will. And able to choose who we decide to serve. We can choose what we will defend, good or evil.
That’s it, plain and simple, good versus evil. God or the devil.
I choose God and good. Am I perfect, of course not. I will make mistakes. The same as the rest of you. But I choose to serve God. I know my purpose here on earth is to serve Him with all my heart. My goal is to see the glory of God flow across this globe and encapsulate it. My goal is to see evil wiped off this earth and be thrown into hell for eternity.
I know my time on earth, as is all of yours, short compared to eternity. I know I will spend eternity in heaven with our Lord Jesus.
I pray that you decide to choose God, and good, and can look forward to eternity with Him in heaven.
Let’s not get hung up on color. But instead see everyone as a child of God. Choose to define your character as godly. Not filled with evil and destruction, with no respect to life. “Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 HCSB
It has been a few weeks since my last blog. I have been recuperating from hand and wrist surgery. It was quite intense, I could not get my thoughts together to write an encouragement to you all.
I’m still using one hand, but I am confident I can get this done.
A memory came up on Facebook today, I knew this was what I needed for this blog.
This was something I wrote in 2009. My health was declining rapidly from the spinal cord damage. I did not have leukemia yet. I needed to hang on to the hope I have in Jesus. -There were 10 men in the Bible days. They had been sick for so very long. Then one day Jesus passed their way, their diseases were healed. But only ( 1 ) came back to say....he said "thank you, Lord. I just want to thank you." I shall never stop praising You.
I have always tried my hardest to thank Jesus for His loving touch on my life. No matter what circumstance I am facing, or what pain I may be enduring, or what the doctors tell me, I know I must always thank Him for His love for me. I want to always walk in hope.
I do not know what He has in store for me. But I do know He has plans for me, my life, my future. These plans do not include calamity or defeat. But for victory, joyfulness, peace, comfort. And the list goes on. So it doesn’t matter if I am still struggling. I know without a doubt that Jesus has His best for me. And I never want to be in a place when I do not thank Him. He is worthy of my praise and my thankfulness to Him no matter what.
In these days of turmoil in the world, we, the people of God, the children our Lord Jesus Christ, need to stand tall and secure in our Lord. We need to be firm in our trust in Him, and declare the glory of our Lord.
And we must always remember to thank Him.
“While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, 10 men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! ” When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were healed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not 10 cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner? ” And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.”” Luke 17:11-19 HCSB
Faithful readers, the Lord has amazing plans for your life. He always deserves our thankfulness. Be blessed in our Lord Jesus.
It was almost 4 months ago when we all began learning about the “corona virus”. At first it was something we could not grasp. The thought of so many people dying or so gravely ill was mind blowing. The rapid spread of such an illness was frightening. We all needed hope.
Then the reality was setting in. We were told we had to stay home, confined to our homes. Only those “essential” workers were allowed to go to work, with many restrictions. We weren’t even going to doctor appointments. That was done by way of video. And our children were to stay home from school.
This was something we would see in a movie. Never thinking it was possible to experience this in reality. How long would this last? What would we do? Toilet paper and paper towels were no where to be found. Food items were limited. And the list goes on.
Unbelievable! Was this real? We needed hope. A hope that is real. A hope that would be there for us. A hope that would not disappoint. People were afraid. Many did not know how they would get through such a thing. They desperately needed an everlasting hope.
There is only one way to get that hope. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. He promises us hope is real. He will never desert us or leave us helpless. He will always come through for us. Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
This hope is ours. We persevered, endured, and came through this ordeal of a plague. Many did lose their life. Many lost loved ones. We were not prepared for that great of a loss. But as we pushed through, hung on to faith, and clung to the promises of Jesus, we made it through this ordeal. And the hope of Jesus strengthened us. He will never disappoint us.
My friends, I pray that you continue to persevere and rebound from this time. I pray as a family you learned more about each other. I pray you are closer than ever before to our Lord Jesus.
And I pray for those needing their broken hearts mended, that Jesus meets you in your need and helps you heal.
Until next time faithful readers, hang on to that hope.
Who would have thought we would still be under “quarantine “? Or still restricted in so many ways.
It has been weeks and weeks. So many are getting frustrated, angry, irritable, rebellious, and that lack of caring attitude. What is the answer?
There are many experts trying to figure this whole viral epidemic out. And of course we can choose whether to believe the experts or not.
I started out with this statement because so many are feeling the emotional strain from it. And I want to encourage you, we do have an outlet. We have someone in control and more powerful than this virus. That is Jesus. “Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”” John 8:12
Jesus was speaking to the 4 fishermen. He called to them to drop everything and follow Him.
I was praying about this verse. Those men dropped everything, gave their all to follow Jesus. And they died still believing and preaching the Gospel.
How does this apply to us today? When we give our all, and follow Jesus with our whole heart, He will flood us with His wisdom, peace, discernment, love, joy, and that inner desire to please a Him.
We want to live our lives to serve Jesus, and to follow Him. To walk in His footsteps. When we follow Jesus we are filled with that joy and love that honors Him, and only comes from Him.
So when we are faced with these circumstances, feeling like we are house bound, having to cancel our vacations, and many other inconveniences, we can draw from that well within us, of the love, joy, peace, and all other fruits of the Holy Spirit. We will be able to walk in the joy, and contentment that Jesus has for us.
Those gifts aren’t only for us. But for our neighbors and coworkers. For many others who are lost in this world, fearful of what comes next. So it’s important to treat others with love and respect just as Jesus would do. Whether they believe us, trust us, or just hate us, it doesn’t matter. This world today needs the love of Jesus. And Jesus wants us to “follow Him”.
I pray for you my friends, that you have that inner peace Jesus fills us with. I pray as our world tries to recover, you are strong and share His love with others.
Blessings to you all my friends.
Spring is in the air. At least the calendar says so. Here in the Northern States, it still feels like winter. We actually had some snow this last week. That alone can be discouraging. But this time of the year we usually have a little more bounce in our step. We are ready to be outside in the warm sunshine, enjoying the beauty God has given us. It just is a little late this year.
We have had a long hard winter. And add the corona virus to that. All of this can very easily discourage us, bring on depression, sadness, and irritability. But we have a choice.
We can choose to dwell on God’s Word, concentrate on His promises to us. The joy of the Lord is my strength. The Scriptures are full of this reminder to us. I encourage you, grab ahold of that promise, hang on tight to it, and allow the Lord Jesus to help you out of your discouragement, and receive His joy into your life.
I totally understand how discouragement can pull you down. Winter is hard for me, physically. Even before the corona virus I had to quarantine myself from the bad flu season we had. There were days when I didn’t think I’d be victorious with my “attitude”. It was a struggle. But I clung to God’s promises, and His Word. I continued to do my devotions everyday. And mostly, I prayed. And prayed some more. Psalms 18:1-2 “I love You, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Whatever it is you struggle with, no matter how hard it is, God is still greater, and He always will be.
He loves you, and me, more than we can imagine. He will never leave your side. He always has the answer. And that answer is for our own good. That answer brings us freedom, peace, deliverance, health, prosperity, victory, and love.
Jesus paid the ultimate price for us, death. He fought the war of all wars, for us. He came from that war victorious. He defeated the enemy, the devil. Because of that we have victory over our battles. We can walk with our heads held high, knowing Jesus already fought that war for us.
So we must continue to walk with Him, read His word, dwell in His word (live in His word), pray to Him everyday. Talk with Him. Soak up His love. Ask Jesus to fill you with His Holy Spirit, so that you can have the discernment, wisdom, and knowledge needed to walk victoriously.
I pray for you faithful readers, that you have that peace Jesus has for you. I pray you can walk in the victory He has for you. And know that He loves you most of all.
By now we all know what the word “quarantine “ means. We’ve all experienced it first hand. We’ve figured out how to manage with much less food in the house. Mostly because we do not feel like going out with a mask and gloves on. We have figured out “social distancing “. We are using our devices for social media now more than ever. And the list could go on and on.
I would say the majority of us are getting through this much easier than we had thought. Even parents home-schooling their children. Let’s look at that for a moment. Home-schooling, really now. The teachers are still providing the plan and work the student is to complete. And we still hear of parents struggling. I chose to home-school our son from kindergarten all the way through. And I have no regrets. We actually had fun. And plenty of time in a day to relax or do other things. If I wasn’t particularly good in a subject, my husband would do that one, like science. I cherished that time with our son. Was it always easy, absolutely not. We all have a bad day at times. When that was the case, we took the day off.
My point here, this doesn’t have to be a time of frustration, or being angry, etc. Ask the Lord to pour His grace over you. Ask Him for wisdom. Ask Him to guide you. This can be a very rewarding time for your family.
There are other areas of hardships also. The most important, financial. Many are not working. This is the time as the church to be creative and bless others. If you know of a need, spread the word, get your community involved. If you have a need, seek help from others. Notify your pastor.
We watch church online. This is totally foreign to most of us. It is hard for some to get into the mode of having church in this way. For me, I am used to this. I have been “ quarantined “ for months due to a severe flu season, and the fact I am immuno-suppressed because of the leukemia and treatment. Therefore I have been at home since last November. So I know how difficult this is, and I do understand.
But we can get through this. God is more powerful than any “coronavirus”. His plan for us is to be victorious. Yes,we will have struggles. But we can get through those struggles with victory. Our Lord Jesus is always by our side and waiting for our prayers. He wants to hear them, and He wants to answer them. The following verse, especially part B, tells of the power that is in our prayers. James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”
OurLord Jesus wants us to have joy and peace in our lives. The only way to have that is through our relationship with Jesus Christ, and through His Word, the Bible, and through prayer. Prayer-having a conversation with Him.
During this season we have seen many miracles, many hardships, and so much death. Does that mean God didn’t move or hear your prayers? No, it doesn’t. We may never know the reasoning, until we are in heaven with Jesus and we ask Him.
It doesn’t change the fact that we must stay in His Word, and in communion with Him. Because we cannot come through this life without Him, and be victorious. The enemy will make it seem like we have victory, to trick us. But we do not want the enemy’s kind of victory.
We want eternal life in heaven with Jesus.
My friends, hang in there. We will see the glory of God. We will experience the promises of God. Stay true to Him. Worship Him. He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:3-6 HCSB- Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.”
When we think about what our world is going through right now, it can be overwhelming. It is hard not to think about this plague that has affected our whole world. Many see it up close and personal. Many of you have suffered a great personal loss of loved ones. Many of you feel like you are a prisoner in your own home. We have so many restrictions placed on us. But for our own good.
With all of this staring us in the face, we reach Holy Week. Then we wonder, why is this happening now. After all, this is the most important time as a follower of Christ. This week reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. But has that hope been clouded over by this global pandemic?
On "Maundy Thursday", the day Jesus had the "last supper" with His disciples, Jesus told them about one who would betray Him. He explained about breaking bread and drinking of the wine, in remembrance of Him, to us we know that as communion.
Then Jesus went to the garden to pray to the Father. He knew what He was about to face.
He was betrayed by Judas, He was arrested. Then He was beaten beyond what our minds can comprehend. He went through the most horrible, physical beatings. Yet He would not deny His Father in heaven, or deny that He was Christ, the Messiah.
We ask, why did He do that? Why would He go through all of that. Why-all for love! He loves us so very much. He knew He had to save His creation, His children.
Jesus was hung on that cross, His blood ran down, He cried out "It is Finished". And He gave up His Spirit. Isaiah 53:3-5: He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.
Then Jesus' body was taken down and His body was prepared for burial, and placed in the tomb.
The tomb was guarded 24 hours a day, and a very huge rock was rolled in front of the opening. The officials didn't want anyone to come and steal Jesus' body from the tomb.
Even the guards remembered what Jesus had said, "in three days I will rise again".
Sunday morning came, The two Mary's went to the tomb. A violent earthquake came. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone. His appearance white as snow. The guards fell down in fear like dead men.
The angel told the women "Do not be afraid, Jesus is not here." "For He has been resurrected."
He told them to go quickly and tell the others.
When the women went to tell the others, Jesus met them. He said "Good morning."
They fell at His feet to worship Him.
I wanted to go through those days when the disciples wondered, where is hope?
I wanted to refresh our minds, how horrific it must have been for those followers of Christ to witness the beating and death of Jesus, their Lord.
Hope must have seemed like a million years away to them. Then in three days hope returned, in glory.
Jesus promised to be with us always. We have His Holy Spirit with us always. We can talk to Him, and He hears us. He loves us more than we can comprehend.
I write to you this Easter weekend to remind us all that we have hope. We have the promises of Jesus, and the hope He gives to us.
The world is in turmoil presently with this global pandemic. But I write to you to say, Jesus is bigger than any pandemic. He is stronger, He is Lord over all, He is faithful in His promises to us.
Jesus already fought for us and won the battle between life and death.
Yes we have seen a great loss.The enemy will "try" to use this pandemic to wipe us off this earth. But it cannot. Jesus already has victory. Why have we lost so many? I do not know. However, we must continue to pray.
This, I do know, we cannot lose hope. We have to hang on to Jesus with all of our strength. Grab ahold of His hand and hold tightly. Call out to Jesus. He is our Savior, our redeemer, our hope.
If you have not asked Jesus into your heart, and for redemption and forgiveness, please, grab ahold of Him this Easter. Let Him come in and be Lord of your life. Open your hearts and receive all that Jesus has for you, hope, love, faithfulness, healing, security, and most of all, eternal life with Him.
Another thought, we cannot meet in our churches, with the other believers. I would like to remind you, Jesus isn't a building. Church isn't a building. Church is the Body of Christ. We are the Body. He lives in us. We can still worship Jesus this Easter Sunday in our homes. We can watch services on line. Jesus will be here with us, with you, in our homes.
I pray for you all, that you have a beautiful Easter, and that hope fills your hearts and your homes.
Who would have thought at the beginning of April we would still be under quarantine.
Some of us are under mandatory quarantine. Some of us choose to quarantine. Either way, we all are in the midst of this global crisis.
However, we all have the same choices. We can choose to listen to those in authority and hope we can soon return to the normalcy we all desire. Or we can choose to rebel and not listen to those who have much more wisdom than we do in regards to this crisis.
Whatever you choose, I think I can be assured we are all feeling a bit cramped and tied down at this time.
I am at a level of quarantine that is more detailed than most of you. I have had to cancel appointments, cancel any social time with others, and absolutely stay out of public places. I must wear a face mask when I am out of my home. This has been all winter for me. The regular flu can be just as dangerous for me. So trust me, I know how frustrated you all feel.
With those points being made, let's take a look at how we can make the most out of this time.
My first thought is we have no excuse to keep us from reading God's Word and praying to Him. This should be top priority for us. This war we are in, this unseen enemy, is fierce. The enemy wants to wipe us off the face of this earth. But it cannot! Jesus already won that war. He is in charge, not the devil. The devil has no authority, but Jesus has ALL authority.
With that being known, it doesn't excuse us from spending time with Him. Now more than ever, we must be on our knees in prayer. We must pray for protection that our Lord Jesus has for us. We must pray for our families, our jobs, our country, our President and leadership. We must pray for those who have lost loved ones from this virus. Pray the Lord comforts them.
We all are familiar with this verse: 2 Chronicles 7:14: ... and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
We are not exempt from this. Take advantage of this time together as a family. Teach your children this verse. Say this verse several times a day. Write it down. Have it sealed in your hearts.
Here we are just a week from Easter week. And we cannot attend Easter services. We cannot worship with the church on this very special day. As Christians, it is our most important holiday.
But why can't we? We can, from our own homes.
Every church these days has the ability to post their service on line, or through a live feed. If by chance your church cannot do that, there are plenty of others you can worship with. You may be thinking it's not the same. Why isn't it? Jesus says "where two or more are gathered, He is there also. Matthew 18:20: For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.”
Jesus is still there amongst you, in your living rooms. There is no need for us to be discouraged. We can still worship with the Body of Christ. We can still receive from the spoken word on Easter Sunday. Jesus will meet you wherever you are.
Faithful readers I pray for you all, that you remain encouraged. I pray that the Lord gives you something special during your time with Him. Our Lord Jesus will take what is meant to destroy us and turn it around for His glory. I totally believe that. Hang on to those promises the Lord gives you. Write them down. Go back and read them over again. Pray those words out loud.
I am excited to sit back and watch what our Lord God is going to do. I cannot imagine the greatness He has planned. In the midst of the devastation, in the midst of this storm, I fully believe we will see God's glory.
I pray for you all, hold on to your faith, hold on to Jesus, He is in charge.
The world as we have always known has drastically changed with the spread of a deadly virus. You can call it a pandemic, a plague, a drastic situation. There are feelings of panic, hysteria, fear. And then there are feelings of hope, faith, peace. How can this be? The same exact situation, yet totally different mindsets. This is the world we live in.
Many do have faith and hope because of our belief and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. Others are hysterical and panic stricken because they have no hope or faith. And then we still see those walking is disbelief that anything is wrong. To me that's just plain ridiculous.
And one more mindset, those thinking it doesn't matter if someone gets it, they will probably live, if not, oh well. Let me tell you, I am one of those who would probably not survive the virus because of no immune system because of Chronic Leukemia.
This is when I have to check my own attitude. I could very easily get very angry at those people and the lack of concern for the safety of others. I do not want to be swallowed up in anger. Instead I want my faith, hope, and trust in my Lord Jesus to define who I am.
I have a family member who is in ICU fighting for his life, not from Corona virus, but other reasons. He is in a battle for his life. A fierce battle. The concern is the hospitals will get flooded with very ill patients. Will there be enough room for those patients. Or will my family member be rushed out before it is time and risk a relapse because of this pandemic. We do not know those answers. But one thing I know for sure, we cannot let our guard down. We must continue to pray and believe for all who are struggling to survive. Whether it is this virus, or another acute illness, or a chronic illness, we must be on our knees and praying to our Father in heaven. He is in charge.
The Bible is full of stories of plagues, disasters, etc. It tells us the enemy(the devil) wants to kill us and destroy this world. I have news for you, the devil can try all it wants, but our Lord Jesus reigns. He holds the victory in His hands. He is in control and He will have His way. If you do not believe, just go on the internet and look up the Bible and start reading it. It is the Word of God, it is truth, and full of hope for all of us.
I believe the Lord Jesus will cover us. This doesn't mean people will not die. That is what happens. But we can have an attitude of hope.
I encourage you faithful readers, please listen to the guidelines given to us by our leaders, and please-please-please pray for protection, pray for those affected and suffering, pray for our leaders and officials to have wisdom and knowledge of how to handle this crisis, and pray for our world to see the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
As you listen to the song below, put your name in there, or the name of your loved ones, let the power of the Holy Spirit flood over you and minister to you. Psalm 91 The Protection of the Most High 1 The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 He Himself will deliver you from the hunter’s net, from the destructive plague. 4 He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, 6 the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, the pestilence will not reach you. 8 You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place, 10 no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent. 11 For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. 12 They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the young lion and the serpent. 14 Because he is lovingly devoted to Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My name. 15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. 16 I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.
Springtime is coming. The birds are busy. The snow is melting. Soon we will see flowers popping up out of the ground, and buds on the trees. We will feel the warmth of the sunshine. It brings anticipation of new birth and new growth. I happen to love springtime. My Grandma used to say she needed the sunshine to warm her bones. I think I know what she meant. With every passing year I seem to be less tolerant of the cold winters.
When spring comes it usually turns our thoughts to Easter. The Lenten season has begun. Everyone has their particular way of observing lent. For me, I see it as a time of preparing myself to be ready.
Ready for what? Ready for what the Lord would have me do this season, or what He desires of me.
As we recall, God has a plan for each of us. Sometimes that means we need to gather our thoughts and spend some quiet time with the Lord, preparing ourselves to do what He asks of us.
In Matthew 4 and Mark 1 we read that Jesus approached Simon and Andrew, and James and John. He told them to "follow Him, put their nets down and follow Him". And they did. That tells me they were looking for something more. They were "ready" to go.
As I think about this, could I just drop everything and go? Or if Jesus asks me to do a specific task for Him, am I ready? Have I prepared myself to do what Jesus desires of me? I hope so.
Actually that is how this blog came to be. For several months I was feeling the urge to write something, like a blog. I had never considered myself "capable" of doing something like this. But the urge became stronger over the months. Finally I talked this over with a precious sister in the Lord who is in leadership at my church. She encouraged me and helped me set up this site. I was nervous.
But I knew this was to come to fruition. And so it began.
I write what the Lord places on my heart. It usually comes from something out of my devotions. And I seek confirmation in the Scriptures. Then I ask my husband to read it over for me.
I do not pretend to know all, because I do not. But I had to be obedient to the Lord Jesus.
Was I ready? Yes, I was. I was ready and willing. Those disciples were ready and willing.
Are you ready? Has the Lord placed something on your heart? It doesn't have to be big, or far away in a different country, or in a blog or book. It just has to be between you and God, and what He has asked of you. You do not have to compete with someone else. You do not have to "win". Jesus has the victory. You may be thinking how do I get ready. By reading the Word consistently, studying the Word, listening to the Holy Spirit, and obeying Him. Sometimes we have to sit back and wait. For weeks, months, or longer before we see the opportunity, or even to see the fruit. But this I know, Jesus will nurture what has been sewn. He will produce the fruit when the time is right.
I encourage you faithful readers, seek the Lord's will in His word, in prayer. Talk to Jesus, listen to Him. If you need encouraging, talk with a trusted friend, preferably in leadership (it is good to have that covering). It is okay to seek council. It does not mean you are any less capable of doing the Lord's will.
I pray you find your "to do orders" this season. And I pray you are encouraged as you walk through life with Jesus. It is the best ever! Matthew 4:18-22 (HCSB) The First Disciples 18 As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. 19 “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for[a] people!” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.
Last week I wrote about believing in miracles. Do you believe in miracles? Are you expecting a miracle, are you hoping for one? There are so many different scenarios, different ways we wait, and even different ways we ask. We may ask for ourselves, we may ask a friend to pray for the miracle, we also ask to be put on a prayer list through the church--believing the prayers of the body will help us receive the miracle we need faster.
The truth is, we all can have our miracle. It is the timing that we have no control over. The timing is up to our Lord Jesus. He has a plan. In His plan is the manner in which we receive our miracle, the type of miracle we receive, if He so chooses to use someone to help bring our miracle to life, and the timing of our miracle. Philippians 1:6 (AMP)- I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].
God has a perfect plan for us. It is not the perfection we have come up with in our own minds, it is the perfection God has planned out for us. Whatever it is we need, physical healing, emotional healing, financial help, our Lord Jesus has a plan. Nothing is too difficult for God.
Many times we think of ourselves as "stained", and not deserving. That is true, we have been stained by our sins. We don't deserve all that God has for us and freely gives to us. But we must remember, we have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus. Our stains have been washed away.
Jesus loves us more than words can express. He has saved His best for us. That best is Himself. He gave Himself up so that we can be washed clean. He gave His all so that we can be washed clean by His blood. And so that we can be healed by His grace and love He has for us.
We all have a need in our lives, we all need a miracle for ourself or a family member. We have an open phone line 24/7 to the Lord. We can call on Him anytime night or day and ask for our needs to be met. He is more than willing to accommodate us.
Can you believe or have faith for your miracle? If not, call on the body. Call on the church to step in and intercede for you or for your family member. There are plenty of times I have had a need and I just could not get the words to pray. My heart could cry out to God but my mind couldn't seem to get those words together. That's why we have the Holy Spirit to stand in for us. And the Holy Spirit to speak to the hearts of the body to intercede for us.
Remember, the Lord God has that perfect plan for us, for our loved ones. He will see to it that our needs are met. He will use His Holy Spirit and the church to bring that perfect plan to life. Or since He is God, He may just see what our heart cries for and touch us right then.
However God chooses, or whenever God chooses, we will receive our miracle. Hang on to that hope. Trust in the Holy Spirit, reach deep down inside and grab ahold of that faith the size of a mustard seed. Hang onto it tightly. Don't let go.
Today I am praying for a miracle for someone very special in our family. I pray that as you read this you are inspired to step out in that faith and hope to stand in the gap for someone you know needing that miracle. Ephesians 2:10 Amplified Bible (AMP) For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
Miracles, something we all know or have heard about. They maybe something we have never seen, or we may not even believe in. Miracles are needed by more of us than we can really fathom. As a matter of fact, I will be bold to say everyone of us need a miracle in one way or another, at one point in our lives.
I do believe in miracles. I need a miracle in my life. My husband could use a miracle in his body. Some other close relatives can use a miracle or two.
Does a miracle seem "unreachable" to you? Does it seem "unrealistic" to you? Do you know how to obtain that miracle you need? Actually many believe you just hope for one and that's it.
I am writing this blog today in hopes of making those miracles more realistic to you. Let's look at miracles for a moment.
A miracle my have the face of a financial blessing. Whether you receive a raise at work, or perhaps an extra bonus from work. Perhaps the miracle may appear to you in receiving a new job. Maybe someone blesses you financially because the Lord told them to do so. There are many ways you may receive a financial miracle.
Another look of a miracle may appear to you in renewing an old friendship from years past. Maybe you've been reunited with a childhood friend. I have had that happen. I have found a childhood friend. I have searched for years for her. And through social media, I found her. Yes, the Lord can even use social media.
And this is a widely needed type of miracle needed. Some are embarrassed to ask for it. Some lack the belief to receive such a miracle. I do believe in this type of miracle, and I need this type of miracle-a physical healing. Yes, I need to be physically healed, I have family members who need to be physically healed. And I believe! So I will focus more on this type of miracle.
For myself and many of you out there, we need some type of physical healing. For me, I know that will not come unless I am obedient. I know this for myself, it may not apply to you. But for me I know I must pray and earnestly seek the Lord's will. I pray and spend time in His Word. I want to know the characteristics of our Lord Jesus. To me, what better way than through His Word.
And His Word spurs me on to sit and talk with our Lord. Or even while I am doing the dishes, or birdwatching, enjoying warm sunshine(which is absent this time of year, where I am located), any time of the day or night I can have a conversation with God. Most call that prayer. That is one way we can pray with our Lord Jesus, have a conversation with Him.
By getting to know my Lord Jesus I realize more and more how much He loves me. And by knowing how much He loves me opens my heart to realizing how much miracles are possible. And adding to that, realizing how much I know the Lord desires to give me that miracle. So why haven't I received my physical healing yet?
Some miracles are instant. My husband received an instant healing. He has an Aortic Aneurysm. One day it began leaking at a rapid pace. I called the emergency squad. They were here with in a couple of minutes. By that time my husband was almost lifeless. He had no blood pressure. His heart was only beating 2-4 times a minute. They put him in a helicopter and flew him to the nearest trauma hospital.
I called for prayer from our church. By the time I got there, an hour's drive, I ran into his room, He was sitting up. The doctor told me they could not explain it. The blood that had leaked from the aneurysm into his abdominal cavity was gone. There was no evidence of an active bleed. His blood pressure and heartbeat returned to normal. They could not explain what happened. It was truly an instant miracle. And we have actual medical documents explaining that.
That brings me back to my miracle. My complete miracle has not happened yet. But many aspects toward a complete miracle have happened. Let me explain.
My life has been spared many times. I stopped breathing, I couldn't walk, my life was spared during child birth, and the Lord protected me and guided the surgeons hands three different times when surgery was performed on my spinal cord. It was after the last surgery that the leukemia was found. If that had not been found, a diagnosis may have been made too late. Because I was able to receive treatment within a reasonable amount of time, the leukemia is kept under control. My type of leukemia will never go into remission, but it can be managed. For me, this is another aspect towards my complete healing. I continue to believe, I continue to pray, I continue to talk with my Lord Jesus.
And most of all I continue to persevere. We all must persevere. Never give up. The Lord's promises to us will come to fruition. We must believe.
For all of you that need an instant miracle, or a long term miracle, or stages of a miracle, which ever it is you need, believe. Trust in the Lord.
Also I'd like to add, we may think we know what is best for us. We might think we need that complete healing immediately. But what we see and what the Lord sees may be different. It is a hard thing to do at times, but I'd rather trust in what the Lord sees than what I see. He knows all, and He sees all. How He chooses to heal me is the best way. I must trust that and believe in that.
I pray for you my faithful readers, trust in our Lord Jesus. Believe in the miracles He promises for us. Get to know Him more by reading His Word, and by having a nice conversation with Him. Whatever way works best for you, use it to get closer to Him. He loves us all in more ways than we can fathom.
Joy, just pure joy. Just plain joy. Just all around joy. Just joy.
However you say it, or however you think it, joy is what it is-joy.
What do I mean by that? Joy is something that is deep down in our hearts. Joy is something that is nurtured in us by Jesus. Joy isn't necessarily something we say, or do. Or isn't someway that we act.
Joy is in our hearts. That deep down joy that changes our hearts, changes our thinking, gives us hope, that joy is deep down in our hearts.
The fruit of that joy comes in many different ways. The way we act can depict the joy within us. The words we speak will clearly tell of our joy. The way we pray, the way we think, or the expressions on our faces will show others the joy we have within us.
When that joy is absent from us we tend to walk around with long faces. We do not speak words that are edifying to others or even ourselves. We may even drag others down emotionally, therefore they will not enjoy spending time with us.
How do we get this joy I speak of? The best way I know how is through our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. That is where we get true joy. True and everlasting joy. There is nothing in this world that can compare with the joy of the Lord. There is no other way to have this joy deep down in our hearts.
The best part of this is Jesus wants us to have this joy. He wants to give it to us so our hearts are full of His joy. Jesus doesn't want us walking around with a gloomy face on. He doesn't want us sulking in our own self pity. He doesn't want us to feel so sad that we cannot see the blessings that surround us.
When we read the word of God, it fills our hearts with joy. The word energizes us and fills us with happiness, hope, visions, direction, faith, and joy. When we pray to the Lord with hope, He fills us with joy. When we worship the Lord with our all, He fills us with joy. But not only that, it pleases the Lord and gives Him joy. Yes, He has joy over us. How awesome is that! Think about it, Jesus Christ has joy over us. Each and every single one of us is that important to Him.
There are countless scriptures that speak of the joy of the Lord. Joy gives us strength. Even the trees will shout for joy. Nehemiah 8:10 ASV- Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 1Chronicles 16:33 Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. Psalm 47:5 God ascends among shouts of joy, the Lord, among the sound of trumpets. Psalm 92:4 For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done; I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hands.
These are just a few examples. There are tons of verses in God's Word telling us of joy. No matter what your circumstance is, we can have joy because of our Lord Jesus.
I am not saying we will never be sad, or never crying out for help, or never needing encouragement. The truth is we are still flesh, and our flesh is weak. That weakness makes us vulnerable. So at times we will need extra strength and encouragement from the body of Christ. We will need that little extra lift to get ourselves up and moving forward. But even in those times we can find joy. The very fact that we are breathing, able to read His Word, able to pray, and the list goes on, these things are reasons why we can have joy, why we should have joy.
Even during our trials, during our disappointments, during our sickness, we can have the joy of the Lord. That joy will bring us strength when we most need it.
To my faithful readers all across this globe, I pray you can reach deep down within your heart and grasp ahold of that great joy the Lord has for you. No matter what you are facing, or what is dragging you down low, the joy of the Lord is much larger and much stronger than any of that. And it is yours.
I pray you are encouraged as you read these words, but more importantly, as you read God's Word.
The joy of the Lord is my strength, and your strength.
For most of us we are well into our routines of the new year. The holidays are over, the children are back to school, and work schedules have returned to normal.
This is the time when we tend to reflect about our relationship with the Lord Jesus. You may be starting a new Bible study. Or maybe a whole new routine of prayer and devotion time. Maybe you have decided to jump into a new ministry area, like worship, intercessory prayer, sharing the Word with others. I think we often are hard on ourselves because we didn’t live up to our own expectations for ourselves. We have a choice, feel like we have failed and give up, or pick ourselves up and move forward, praying for extra strength from our Lord to do better this year.
It is a commitment. If the Lord has placed something on your heart then you have to decide to be committed and give it your all. Sure, we all have bad days. Then just move forward the next day.
Our Lord God is a loving, gracious, and forgiving Lord. He is not going to leave us out there by ourselves without any help.
For one, we have His Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us His Spirit to always be with us, to help us, guide us, teach us, encourage us, and protect us. We gain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from Him.
Jesus does not hold our failures over our heads. Instead, He forgives us and helps us move forward. I have had several verses this year remind of the love and grace the Lord covers us with. We must set our eyes on Him, and focus on what He has placed on our hearts.
Our faces should reflect the glory of Jesus in our life. If we walk around looking defeated, how is that showing the love and forgiveness Jesus has for us?
Be encouraged my friends. Our Lord Jesus has a master plan for your life. Sure we will have some bumps in the road at times. Usually our own fault. But Jesus never leaves our side. He is always with us to help us to move forward.
“Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 HCSB
“We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7 HCSB
“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32 HCSB
