Forgiven and Healed!

Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 NIV

Lord, You are great and greatly to be praised. There is no one else like You in the whole wide world. We could climb the highest mountain, or sink to the depths of the sea, explore the earth from east to west and north to south and still would discover, You alone are God!

With a heavy heart, but a determined faith, I am standing in the gap for a friend who has just been told she has breast cancer. She does not understand how great God is or His loving mercy so I’m praying on her behalf. I’m praying that God will reveal Himself to her greatly, that she’ll receive His love and mercy and commit to living for Him, and that God will heal her body and all traces of cancer will be eradicated. I’m also praying for strength and wisdom in knowing how to be a friend to her without overwhelming her.

I know The Lord as Savior, redeemer, friend and healer, provider of all my needs. I pray that I have truly pleased Him and that He’ll hear and answer my prayers for this woman and for all who are facing the challenge of fighting cancer.

We never know who or when this diagnosis will be presented to anyone, so I encourage all to pray with me during this time that if–we ever hear it–we’ll be strengthened by the knowledge of a loving-God who never abandons His children and that He will heal us of all diseases.

Father, prompt Holy Spirit to rise in all who love You and impart strength and wisdom to those who are battling disease and those who are praying for them. Help us to endure to the end–to see the victory that can only come from above. In Jesus’ name I pray and thank You, Amen!

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Eyes On Me!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you” (Psalm 32:8,9 NIV).

There are so many eyes–looking upon everything we do–judging, evaluating, assessing, criticizing, not knowing who we really are or who is guiding us. Or do they?

If the Lord is giving us instruction, and teaching us how to get to the destination He has planned for us, and counseling us as we journey in life, we have no need to be concerned about what others see–for they will only see our willing obedience to God, doing what must be done to obtain the goal. However, whatever we do, whatever others see–will determine whether we need to be “controlled or forced” to do something.

In spite of what many think, our obedience to God is out of a desire to please Him, not because He forces us to do anything. If we have a heart for God and we are hearing Him, we know that He only wants the best for us and we only want to please Him.

For those who do not understand God’s love or His plans, His Word will seem harsh and brash and controlling. But God–never forces or controls us to do anything–He gives us freewill to choose and to accept the consequences of our actions. When we choose not to understand or hear Him, we are left with those entities that will control–demonic spirits that lead us down the opposite paths of those God wants us to travel.

On the path to hell (and it is real), everything glitters and has much more appeal to our senses–sight, smell, feel, taste, hearing–it all looks good, smells good, feels good, tastes good and sounds good, but is it–all good? NO! The enemy deliberately makes everything that opposes God look better than anything God wants us to have because he–the devil–wants us to be miserable and to hate God.

Not convinced of the devil’s controlling influence? Take a good look around at our society--at those who are influenced by greed, drugs, and all other lusts of the flesh. The gambling looked good–easy money–until it’s all gone and now people have to steal to support their habit. The same is true with drugs and alcohol–controlling substances. On a personal level–hygiene takes a backseat to fulfilling the desires and cravings of those things which control the mind and behavior. Feelings and cravings in the lower extremities of bodies control–making sexual appeal for anyone more desirable and pleasurable than doing things God’s way. Even food controls–for those who lack discipline and self-control, overeating–which leads to health problems and early deaths. Oh, yes–the enemy controls, but God instructs, teaches, and counsels and leaves it up to us to hear and obey.

Whose eyes are upon you, today–the loving eyes of the Lord or the gleaming eyes of the devil? They know and we should, too–just by looking at what we do!

None Like Him!

“To you it was shown that you might know that the LORD, He is God; there is no other besides Him “(Deuteronomy 4:35 NASB).“Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39 NASB).

In this conversation with the Children of Israel they are reminded of the God of Heaven, how He remembered them because of their fathers with whom He had a covenant, and to make sure they knew that the other gods, had done nothing for them or anyone else.

This powerful reminder is just as relevant to us–spiritual Israel–as it was then. We need to be reminded from time to time of how great God has been, is and will be. No matter what we create or set up to worship–we are reminded there is none like Him. He is the God of Heaven and earth. He is the God who brought us back into relationship with Him through His willingness to die for us. He is the One who allowed us to experience Him first-hand through many trials and tribulations and He brought us through them all. He is the One, the only One who loves us enough to keep giving us chance after chance to get things right, before He returns.  How great a love is that? Of course He can do no more than what He is because He is Love. 

Be very careful in worshiping anything created by man or mankind himself. They are limited in what they can do and absolutely nothing we make with our own hands (or digitally) can ever do what God does. We need not get so caught up with achievements that we forget God. None of our technology has been created without Him since it is He who inspired all things created and without Him, nothing has ever been created.

People (who don’t know God) want to blame God for all the ills of the world, but they must first look to themselves and see if they have been willing to hear God. When we can hear God speak to our hearts and then to our minds, we can discover–cures for illnesses and means to convince others to obey Him so there won’t be unrest and confusion in the land. We know how to “ask God” for things, but do we know how to listen for His response. He has said, He will withhold no good thing from us. Finding a cure for illnesses is a good thing--He is not withholding the information, we are not hearing Him. Establishing peace in a world of unrest is a good thing–He is not withholding the means, we are not hearing Him.

None of the statues, or beads, or crystals or anything else we worship or use in worship will ever change anything. There is no candle that holds power. There is no piece of jewelry that holds power. There is nothing in the land that holds power other than our faith in Him who can and will do all things well. There is none like Him who can get the job done. It’s about relationship, not religions or religious observations! It is our faith alone that moves Him–not tears or emotions–to doing what He does in response to our communications with Him. Prayer is communication with God, but for most of us, it becomes a one-sided conversation. Stay quiet long enough to hear what He has to say. After all, He took the time to hear you. No, there is none like Him.

Father, in the name of Jesus, thank You for hearing and answering our prayers. Thank You for taking the time to respond to us on a level we can understand clearly. Thank You for reminding us, through Your Word that there is none like You and there never will be. We give You all the praise and glory for You are the only One worthy of it.

We’ve Got The Victory!

We’ve got the victory, hallelujah!  We’ve got the victory, hallelujah!

The phrases of a song mean so much more than a song in our lives today.  I’m not just talking about “us” as individuals, but more specifically, my husband and I.

For the past 10 weeks, when we were told that my husband had prostrate cancer, we have been in the battle–against depression, anger, and self-pity and the physical strain and stress of radiation treatments.  Like most human beings–his reaction was fear–the word cancer–has a tendency to ignite fear in the most devout believers.  I had watched my mother succumb to the disease and she died and 58 years old.  I was not about to lose my husband.  After the initial shock he looked as if he wanted to have a pity-party and I told him right then and there–if he tried, I’d put my size 10 up his hind parts.  We were going to fight this battle with the faith and understanding that every name is “beneath” the name of Jesus!  Not only did we pray in faith, we continued to “live” in faith.  Nothing changed!  We did exactly what we always did with the addition of his getting radiation treatments.  Even though I knew he was suffering, I said nothing, but thanked God for the victory each time he left out the door. Yesterday, 5/3/13, was the last treatment and we can shout–WE’VE GOT THE VICTORY!

The battle is The Lord’s, and we win every time we allow Him to do what must be done. No weapon–not cancer, not depression, not self-pity, not physical struggle, not fear, not doubt, nor financial loss, or anything else the enemy tosses our way–formed against us shall by any means prosper!  Hallelujah for the victory in Jesus!

Just One Thing!

If there was just “one” thing you could do to make a difference in the world, what would it be?

Would you feed the hungry?

Would you house the homeless?

Would you establish world peace?

Would you stop all the hatred in the world?

Would you encourage everyone to love one another?

Would you create riches for everyone?

Would you provide a quality education for every child?

Would you abolish gun manufacturing?

Would you create a potion to stop child molestation and abuse?

Would you create a mandate for “parent training” or licensing?

Would you supernaturally find a cure for all terminal diseases?

Would you encourage independent thinking and reward those for their consideration of mankind over personal gain?

Would you create a society of people who understood right and wrong and lived a righteous life?

Would you promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Would you share a testimony as to how good God is?

Would you share this post with others, just to make them “think” about just one thing?

While you’re thinking about that one thing, have a blessed day!