YOU WILL LIVE

In late 1999 God gave me two scriptures that I would live [as I had believed all along].

The first was in Psalm 116:
"Thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the Living--I was greatly afflicted--Thou hast loosed my bonds--

The second was in Psalm 118:
"The Lord is my strength and song and my salvation--I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord--He hath not given me over to death."

As I read them over again recently, I realize how far I've come from where I was. He has worked slowly and surely all this time.

One of the times He did a healing in me was around my birthday last year.

Each night Rod & I read the Bible and pray together. Our pattern is to read the scriptures, discuss our prayer concerns and then we alternate nights voicing our prayer.

This particular night we finished our reading and it was my time to pray. I was trying to organize my mind around all those for whom I would pray when suddenly my mind went blank. I don't mean like I would usually mean it, I mean really blank! I have no words to describe it adequately, but it was as if there was no brain in my head, only a great empty ball. It was like I was seeing inside the empty ball that was my head. A blue light came from everywhere inside the ball. I couldn't think, just exist in this blue lighted ball, inside my head. I don't know how long I sat there. Rod is used to me taking some time, just waited. Finally I was able to start thinking. The blue light remained as I made my mental prayer list. Then the blue light began to grow dimmer and dimmer and disappeared. I prayed until I came to the time where we wait silently before the Lord for Him to speak if He chooses. I quietly asked Holy Spirit what had happened. He said, "A brain anurism--" I interrupted and said I didn't know I had one. I realized He had continued to speak and I had talked over Him. "I'm so sorry, what did You say?" It had sounded as if He said was healed. He repeated, "A brain anurism was healed."

He is always working on our behalf whether in our body, our life or our family. I reaffirmed that my heart would not beat or my lungs expand without His having set them in working order. Thank You my Sovereign Lord God for Your constant care.

JESUS SPEAKS

My latest project is HUGE.

This was my thinking process in choosing it:
God is one God /Holy Trinity /God the Father / God the Son/ God the Spirit/
The Great Three in One.
Jesus came to earth to teach us Who and What God is as well as give His life to save us from our sins. Before He ascended into heaven He said several times that He would not leave us alone, that He was going to send Another like Himself who would live inside us and we could do everything He did when on earth, but even more.

Recently I realized most of what Jesus did, He accomplished through the spoken word. A guest speaker said she had learned to speak the word and let God work. I know what Jesus and the Trinity spoke came into being or was done. Therefore it made sense to me to study the words of Jesus. Then when I speak His words I know what He wants me to do will happen every time.

My project is to use the Gospels and Acts 1 and correlate the instances where Jesus spoke so I can see the whole picture and learn how to speak in a similar situation.

One of the speakers I recently heard said that if we learned to let the Holy Spirit work in our lives and learned to speak the Word that we wouldn't be so tired and stressed out all time. That sounded good to me!

Another speaker said that since God the Spirit is in us that our faith can cause us to dominate any mollecular object---that we can speak things into existence. Wow! I have so much to learn.

The reason I know I'm supposed to do this project is that the Spirit taught me in a dream how to use the computer [I used to be helpless--I just corrected my words] to keep from having to type all these scriptures. For those who do not know me personally, I used to have Rheumatoid Arthritis and my left hand isn't completely healed yet so I type one handed and usually with three fingers. That would have taken a looonnnggg time. Thank You Lord God.

I'll try to share what I learn. Thank you for dropping by tonight. Let's do it again.

THIS and THAT

Boy does time fly! I cannot believe it has been so long since I have been here. Some of you complained that you came and I wasn't here. Sorry about that.

Tonight I want to share a few of the short things I have been reading or learning during my absence. See I've really been thinking about you.

Frances J. Roberts is an older writer who I've read several times. I go back to her when I get so busy I feel distanced from the Lord. A few weeks ago I picked her up again and read:

I have asked thee to give in order that I may bless thee more, I have challenged thee to pray so that I may respond and help thee. I have asked thee to rejoice in order to keep thee from being swallowed up by anxieties. I have asked thee to be humble to protect thee from the calamities that fall upon the proud. I have asked thee to forgive so as to make thy heart fit to receive my forgiveness. I have asked thee not to love the world for I would have thee loosed from unnecessary entanglements and free to follow me.

I have been looking into different leaders ideas about the importance of the spoken word. I first heard this taught about 25 plus years ago by Charles Capp from England, AR who is a regular on channel 25. I was captivated for a time but didn't get it deep down inside me. Since then so many well known ministers have taught it that it finally has made a deep impression on both Rod and I. We help each other change our way of saying things.

Recently a minister, I don't remember which one, had an interesting presentation. He used Gen. 11 about the Tower of Babel. I'll just pick out phrases but you need to read from 1-8. "The whole earth was of one language and of one speech" "Let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach into Heaven and let us make us a name" Then in verse 6 "And the Lord said, 'Behold the people is one, and they have all one language and this they began to do and now nothing will be restrained from them which they had imagined to do." And he confused their languages and scattered them.

This minister said that God made this a "word planet." He created it with words, it is goverened by words and He set up spiritual laws that can be operated by words. These people all had the same goal, spoke the same thing and God said nothing would be impossible for them to attain.

It was suggested that if we would learn to control our tongue so much of our life would be better. We hang ourselves by our own tongue. We need to value our words more. No more, "my head is killing me, I can just look at food and gain weight, or I cannot remember-----no matter how hard I try." God has established it so that no one can control our lives except us. We must learn to value our words and speak, health, wealth, happiness, peace, etc. into our lives.

God created earth to show and share Himself with someone---an image bearer. It humbles me to know I am an image bearer. I'm sure I may hurt Him sometimes however He knows I am still working at it.

Recently I was praying for a particular thing for a person and the Holy Spirit spoke and said, "Don't call on me to do it. I gave you that power." I was stunned at first. Then I had to laugh. How many of us have said to our children, "Don't come whining to me, you can do that yourself,"? However, I soon lost my humor. Along with power comes responsibility. So I had to be careful as I spoke the answer to their need aloud and claimed it for that person.

One of the reasons I hesitate to write more sometimes, is because I don't want my words to be misinterpreted and lead someone in the wrong direction.

Thank you for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon.

The Arena of Life

Recently I subbed in an adult Bible study class. There were three things I thought about teaching. When I lay them before the Lord, He picked this subject.

In Paul's day the olympic games were tournaments of great honor and no one was permitted to take part without first submitting to a two-fold examination. A contestant's reputation in society and his physical health must both be approved. For the first, a crier was sent through the streets calling upon anyone who might have a charge against this man to speak up for the honor of Greece. If a man was found to be in debt, a slave or guilty of some misdeed, everything was made public to his shame and he was barred from the arena. However, if he was found to be healthy and his record was clean the crier led him through the streets with honor and he was admitted into the arena.

Paul in Romans 5:1-5 glories in the fact that we, as children of God, have been cleared of all accusations through faith in Jesus Christ and have been declared freemen, therefore we have been given admission into the arena of life.

God directs our preparation for the battle to come by providing the whole armor of God. We put on the helmet of salvation because the fiery darts are usually directed against the head or our thoughts; the breastplate of righteousness which is a conscience void of offense toward God and men; we gird our loins about with the belt of truth because no prevarication can be tolerated; shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace so we are ready as messengers to give the glad tidings; we hold the shield of faith to protect us from attack by the enemy and lastly, the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."

Jesus, our crier, leads us into the arena of life. We as Christians, take up our position in readiness for the fight and rejoice in the prospect of being worthy to battle for Christ and to wear the winner's crown.

Tozer said, "If our lives don't challenge the devil and invite the fury of hell, we probably aren't doing much that's going to penetrate very far into the enemy's territory."

Through the devils many years of experience, he knows just what to bring into our lives to make us ineffectual Christian soldiers. Some he brings great pain that so catches them up in their circumstances they have no time or energy to spend with the Lord. Some he brings great financial troubles that distract them from their Father Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Others he brings prolonged illness that develops bitterness, blocking fellowship with Christ. For some he brings strife in their marriage or business partnership that so hurts them that they become bitter. Then there are others that he gives so much money they get caught up just managing it, leaving little time to develop their relationship with the Lord. Some have so many positions or organizations they attend that keep them busy so there's no time to spend with the Lord Jesus. Whatever our weakness is, we need to be aware that satan's purpose is to keep us from being of use to God, thereby hindering His kingdom. Today he knows his time is short so he's working harder than ever to distract us from our service to God.

These things catch our attention and the alert enemy can obtain a footing and win the victory if are not prayed up.

When we are attacked our opponent takes hold and attemps to throw us down, only then does our strength appear. Our every muscle strains; we repel the enemy, each fierce attack inspires in us more determined resistance; we exert ourselves to the utmost, putting forth all our strength to remain standing and when we accomplish that, endurance is born.

We know the war is already won; that God has already conquered and won, but we must do our part in the battles.

When the first assailant slinks away, we have confidence to enter a second bout with an even stronger opponent. Thus the child of God, struggling against the forces of evil in and around him, discovers within himself the God-given Spirit which enables him to endure all assaults triumphantly.

The arena of life is different for each of us, but the goal is the same for all of us. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."

Israel in the Wilderness

God has a path for all of us to follow where He tests us to see if we will follow His instructions.

For the children of Israel the desert was the way to glory, but because they were not willing to follow their God through hardships and trials, the glory departed from them. They murmured and set themselves against His will, grieving the Holy Spirit. They refused to put their trust in God when they walked through the darkness.

This wandering was a trial to reveal what was in their hearts and teach them to look up to God and expect all things from above. Their 400 long years in Egypt they had received all the things they needed from the fertile earth in Goshen; but now they found themselves in the desert with the dry, hot sand under their feet.

Sometimes God has to take away all things from under our feet until we have nothing left but Him. Now it may be seen whether the heart and soul clings to the Lord--whether we really are or only appear to be--His followers. He always has our highest good in view. He wants to lead us to self-denial and on toward entrusting ourselves to Him.

Has God led you out into the desert? Has He plucked everything you depended upon from under your feet? He did me. He led me to about 12 years of illness where I was housebound and even in a wheelchair and bed rest part of that time. The doctors and my family thought I would not live, but God had promised me healing so I hung on. There is a saying: Take God's attributes, plait them into a rope and hang on until He lifts you up. That's what I did and it became a light unto my feet instead of darkness.

When you find yourself in that position, do not complain about what you have lost and do not yearn to have it back again. God will continue to lead you through days of darkness and difficulty until you put your trust in Him while in the desert.

Those who survived the wilderness found greater riches, a living hope, an undisturbed joy, a deeper understanding, a more inclusive peace, unbroken security, deeper soul-cleansing and an intimate fellowship with their God.

Moses saw beyond his reproach, the reward; Jesus saw beyond the cross, the crown. What do you see beyond your desert?

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction."

The Word is our Bread of Life. We should "gather it" every day that we may know God's instructions for us.

End Times

I listened to a news report last night about what has happened in Italy and was reminded that some of these same things have been foretold for our country in the End Times. We should make ourselves ready, make sure that we know positively that if we died tonight that we would go to heaven and live with Jesus Christ and other members of the Trinity.

I was reading in Revelation about a scene in heaven that thrilled me. I'm putting it into my own words starting with chapter four.

"A door was standing open into heaven and a voice told me to come up. I did and saw a throne where One sat that was as beautiful as a jewel and a rainbow like a halo was around the throne. There were 24 smaller thrones that surrounded the large throne where 24 elders sat dressed in white garments and wearing golden crowns.

Thunder and lightening came from the throne and before it was a sea of glass like crystal where four living creatures sang night and day, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God, Almighty, Who was and Who is and Who is to come."

Then the elders fell down before Him on the throne and threw down their crowns saying, "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they were created."

And I saw a Lamb standing and He came and took the book out of the right hand of the One Who sat on the throne. The four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp or a golden bowl filled with the prayers of the saints. They sang: "Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

Then myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands of Angels, the living creatures and elders were saying in a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessings."

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them were saying, " To Him that sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

The four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.

What a glorious peek into what heaven is like! Until Christ comes for us, we'll have to be satisfied with John's glimpse.

Thank you for joining me in my walk and sneak-peek into heaven.