Today I am reminded of the power in speaking the Name of Jesus. As I sit here in my home and type, I am currently battling a sickness in my mind, body, and spirit that can only be healed by Jesus!!! There is a song I have begun to memorize and sing over and over again that reminds me to Speak the Name of Jesus over every situation. In Jesus name there is Healing, Power, Life! I must shout Jesus from the rooftops! I speak Jesus in my Home! I speak Jesus in my workplace! I speak Jesus over my mind! I speak Jesus over my Family! I speak Jesus over my complete healing! I speak Jesus over the decisions to made in my life in the days ahead. Only He can give me complete peace and healing. I speak Jesus over my little life here on this earth. I am believing Jesus. His Word, His Name, His Holy Presence, will never let me go.
If not for Jesus I would be completely lost. It is the name of Jesus that breaks every stronghold in my life that keeps me from being content. Jesus moves the things in my life that are unmovable. Jesus humbles me and reminds me today of where my strength comes from. Without Jesus, I can do nothing, I am nothing.
So I declare today that I will be back on my feet again soon. The battle that is raging will be won through Jesus and only through Jesus! He will get the glory when this battle is over and I will be stronger than ever. I speak this into existence in the might name of Jesus. I am His beloved! Thank you Jesus!!!!!
Today I am reminded of how quickly my focus can be side tracked. Here it is June and I am just writing a new post for this blog. It’s not that God has taken this ministry from me or that I have given up. I just simply got busy and lost track of what I enjoy, writing. I love this little church mouse saying. The best days of my life are yet to come. I am not ready to say what the Apostle Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith”. I am ready instead to say,,,,,”watch out world, here I come”. I am ready to have a fresh start again today. It’s a new day and I am ready for it. I will live my dream to write again and continue this blog.
In the days ahead I really want to be real with you. I desire to have an openness that can say, Hey friend, here I am, This is me, this is what you get! In all of my realness, the ugly fact is,,,,i have and continue to mess up. I need forgiveness. Will you join me in being real and share with me how you forgive yourself when you mess up? How do you move forward one step at a time? What are some tools in your arsenal to overcome?
What out folks!!! The fire and desire in me has been stirred. Let’s see what God does!
I am very excited to begin my very first blog. It is my hope and prayer this blog will help myself and others to find joy 4 this journey called life. Let us find joy together.
“The Joy of the Lord is my Strength” ……Nehemiah 8:10c
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me and my heart is filled with JOY. I burst out in songs of Thanksgiving.” Psalm 28:7
As I awoke around 2am this morning I was quickened in the Holy Ghost about how a rear view mirror on a car works. I actually found myself chuckling a little.
How often do I look back in the rearview mirror of my car and it causes me to slow down? Then the next thing I know, the car I passed a few miles back is now passing me. I then realize I am going too slow and bam, you guessed it, I am now passing that same slowpoke car again. (Someone in that car was yelling at me, I am pretty sure.) ..At this point you may be wondering, “ Where is this going?”. This Spiritual reality hit me right between the eyes. I felt like popping myself on the forhead and saying “ I could of had a V8!”. (If you are 50 or older like me then you probably remember that old commercial.)
My friend, we must stop looking back at our past! Yes, we occasionally have to look back for those sirens, the warning signs, that our past is sneaking up on us . Yet, if we /keep looking back, the past will sneak upon us and overtake us. The next thing we know, we are slowing down and fretting over the past failures, mistakes, and sins!
The Apostle Paul said it plainly:Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV[13] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, [14] I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.He also reminds the church in Corinth they are made New in Jesus Christ!IICorinthians 5:17-18 NKJV[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. [18] Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
So, when you see the past trying to overtake you, Hit The Gas! Put the Pedal to the Metal! This is not the time to slow down. It’s time to Increase your speedinstead! Pray, fast, dive into God’s Word. Let the Word of God project you forward. Then you must stay steady with your speed, be consistent. Consistency will Keep you steadily moving forward and put more and more distance between you and your past.
I encourage you today; decide on a reading plan for reading your Bible through in a year. Notice, I said in a year not this year. Whether it’s January, July, or October, now is the time to start. Set aside time early in the morning to pray. How about starting with getting up 15 minutes earlier in the morning? Whatever fits you and works for your life, just do it. There is no one size fits all here. Find what works and Just do it!Don’t Wait my Friend! Put the pedal to the metal and GO!! I,ll see you on this road called life or I’ll see you when we reach our heavenly destination. Be blessed !
Submitted by Sabrina Holmes – Written by Idelette McVicker
“I am a Dangerous Woman. I am here and I’m awake. I pay attention to the rumblings in my soul I listen and watch for how the Spirit leads. With each humble choice, I take a step closer to my Destiny. With each strong Yes, I become more of myself. I am a Dangerous Woman. I draw deeply from the Life that beats in my blood. I have a place in the story of God. Large or small, my capacity is mine and I will move in it to make change in my world. I am a Dangerous Woman. I have a voice that needs to be heard. No need to rage or raise a fist. My Love will speak My arguments are strong. My life itself is a protest towards great Love. I am a Dangerous Woman. I may start with tiny steps and My ankles may roll with the weight of the task But I am determined. I refuse to let Fear hold me back. I choose Love. I am a Dangerous Woman. My ducks may never be quite in a row, The laundry may never be done. I may never feel strong enough, capable enough or smart enough. I will do it anyway. Shall we go together? I am a Dangerous Woman I embrace small beginnings and Show up in small pockets of Love, But I don’t think small. I step over the obstacles that tell me I should quit. And so I start. I am a Dangerous Woman, I am tired of spending my choices on myself. I will let my privilege and my power Speak for good. Aligned with the purposes of the Almighty, My strength roars. I am a Dangerous Woman I am part of a vast network I recognize how we are all connected. My choices affect a world of people, plants and animals. What a big responsibility, you may say. But O, What a great adventure! I am Dangerous Woman I refuse to do nothing. I choose to listen to the gladness of my soul And the hungers in our world. And where these meet, I will plant a garden. I am a Dangerous Woman I refuse to let shame hide me. I refuse to let old boundaries hold me back. I refuse to let what’s-always-been-done create the future. I refuse to be silent about the things that matter. I refuse to be afraid. You may ask: Who do you think you are? So I will tell you: I am a Dangerous Woman, Loved by God, empowered by God. I am a Dangerous Woman, Devoted to a Dangerous God. I am a Dangerous Woman And I will beat my drum, as we dance into the Land of Freedom and Promise together. ~ Idelette McVicker
I have always struggled to complete a task. I start it, then my mind drifts to the next thing. I have good intentions but I need to follow through with those tasks. If my friends were a physician, I believe they would diagnose me with a short attention span. Good thing they love me through my flaws! My mind is filled with so many things I want to achieve in life. I dream of becoming a Christian motivational speaker someday. Will it happen? Only God knows, but I think HE gifted me the talent of writing for a reason. No matter Yahweh’s plan, I want to honor HIM in all I do. When I was asked to participate in writing for this blog, I immediately accepted the invitation but soon came to realize I had no clue what I should write! I have written several things I could easily share but I kept hearing the word no. Immediately, I started to talk with my heavenly Father and asking for clarity. The Lord kept leading me to Yahweh-Nissi, “The Lord Is my Banner.” John 16:33 explains that ALL people will face many trials and sorrows here on earth. As humans, when they come, they hurt, and we don’t like the unbearable pain it brings to the pit of our stomachs—sometimes feeling as if we are Pilgrims on a journey with no direction. It is during these times we can miss hearing God speak because we want to control the situation, especially amid a storm. I find myself guilty of this quite often. I am a mom of two girls. One is twenty-three, and the other just hit eighteen this past July. Our family is not traditional. Our oldest daughter belongs to me from a previous marriage, and the youngest is my current husbands. We are a typical blended family. During COVID-19, when families were battling with the Pandemic. Our family was not exempt from tragedy. At the time our eighteen-year-old daughter was just a little over fifteen. Her biological mother unexpectedly passed away. Which forced swift changes for her; she had to relocate where she lived and moved in with our family full-time. She went from an every other weekend visit to dramatic changes of life for her. Life as she knew it was hit by what I am sure felt like hurricane winds that flipped her world entirely upside down. Not only losing her mother, she lost the freedom that allowed her to get into trouble and fall into temptations that could have ruined her future or even her life. God allowed us to have her full-time for the next three years, and eventually I adopted her as my own child. She has been a part of my life since she was six months old, and I will always love her as any parent could. The trials of losing a parent is difficult enough as an adult, but for a fifteen year old, I am sure it is much harder, and finding acceptance can be a great enigma. Our family lacked understanding, but from John 13:7, we can trust one day we will understand his plan. After she moved in my husband and I prayed that we could get her on track to making significant changes in her choices, and drawing her closer to God. As parents, our desire was to see her succeed and become a true child of God. After all, if Jesus’s ministry ran for a span of three years and gathering many new believers, we believed HE could do great work for her over those three crucial years with our family. I know our children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3), but at times, they can be pretty challenging, and our family is not spared from them. My husband and I are currently enduring some hardship with our eighteen-year-old that has made our hands feel tethered and our hearts worn. Sometimes, we feel like we are roaming in the wilderness, with armies all around, just like the Israelites, afraid of what is to come. Our daughter has recently cut off all communication with her Father and I, making parenting feel as if we failed her. We do not know her reasoning behind her actions, but we trust God does. At first, my tears flowed daily. Now, they are starting to get less. I learned our battle was not with the flesh; it was with a thief, and we all know him as satan! He is here to steal, kill, and destroy families (John 10:10). My husband deals with his hurt in a different way than I do, and we talk about our hurt, but at times, it fuels anger. We both are battling a hurt that we know only our heavenly Father can heal. As the days pass, we can move forward, but she is our missing link to our family unit, and we will continue to pray and give God thanks through this test (1 Thess. 5:16-17).I have been asking God to guide me and help my husband, and I to find acceptance and leave it at the feet of Jesus. I have prayed daily, and I still do ask for help and healing. At times I feel as if I could not hear what God was trying to say to me because my hurt is so deep. I wanted to hear God speak directly to me; it made me weep and ask God directly why I could not hear him. The thunder was too loud, and it felt as if the lightening was hitting directly to my heart. Then, while listening to The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble, I heard a part of the scripture that had not registered before. It was as if a giant light bulb just lit over my head! With excitement and tears of joy! I immediately stopped the audio and replayed it. I opened my Bible, looked it up, and read it over and over. Then, I researched it using Google. Yes, Google. I wanted to make sure what I was hearing was a word from God directly to me. I immediately started crying and called my husband to share the good news. The story God shared with me came from Exodus 17: 8-14; the Israelites were free from Egypt and faced a battle with the Amalekites. Moses had told Joshua to gather men and go fight the army of Amalek. Moses would stand at the top of the hill and hold the staff of God in his hand. Joshua obeyed. Moses did as he said and held the staff up. Each time the staff was held up, the Amalek would lose, but Moses’ arm grew tired, and with the help of Aaron and Hur, they would help him hold it high so they could defeat the Amalekites. After their victory, Moses built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the Lord is my banner’). It made me realize this battle my husband and I are in, we can claim victory! He told us to surround ourselves with other Christian believers and allow them to help us hold our staff up high. Other believers will be there to pray for our family, and when we are tired and feeling weary, they are right there helping us claim victory! Did this end the battle? No, it certainly did not! There was more for our family to endure. In the mix, my other daughter’s father passed away. My heart shattered all over again. It was like I was grieving our marriage ending once more. I also hurt for my daughter, his current wife, and his family. They remained special to me and to my husband. Our marriage may not have worked out, but we worked together as a family unit for our daughters benefit. The grief at times feels unbearable because the storms collided, and caused a deeper grief within my heart. I know God has reasons for all of this, but during the grief, my heart aches. A dear friend (believer) understood my grief and shared a Bible verse, Exodus 14:14: “The LORD will fight for you; you need to only be still. (NLT).” It was then I realized God was speaking to me again; he reminded me that other believers are there to help me through; I need to be still and allow him to do the work for me. We all face many difficulties in our life, and at times it feels as if there is no end, but we ALL who are children of God, can remain steadfast under trials, because our father has promised the crown of life to those who love him (James 1:12-14). I will be excited to share the victory story, when Gods timing allows for it to be. Until then, I need to remember, “The LORD is my banner.” When I feel down about everything, I say, “Yahweh-Nissi.”
Yes, I said it. GET OVER IT, YOU ARE NOT PERFECT! Now don’t be offended here. Listen to what I have to say. I know you are already trying to tune me out. LOL
I am talking to myself while making this statement. I am now sharing my self conversation with you. I just had to say it out loud so I could hear myself and be reminded of this simple truth. If it steps on your toes, just know, It CRUSHED my entire foot. Let me tell you, this has been a hard lesson learned and one I find myself being reminded of over and over again. Just when I think I’ve got it all together, BAAM!!!, it happens again. The Lord reminds me how imperfect I am.
Oh, I’m not talking about my hair, or the way I walk. I’m not even talking about my body shape, which happens to be like an apple! I’m not talking about my home or work place. No, what I’m talking about is something so much more important than any of this. I’m talking about hurting others and being hurt by others. I’m talking about being offended and offending others.
Recently I have been seeking ways to set boundaries with others in my life. I started a daily devotional that my cousin introduced me to titled “Good Boundaries and Goodbyes” by Lysa Terkeurst. It is actually a Bible Study and Book for those who wish to look it up. About 4 chapters into the book, I had a wake up call! I realized how easily I am offended by others. I stopped the study for a moment and began to seek God about this. I have never thought of myself as someone who is offended easily. Recently God directed me to a Bible Study series by Sister Carla Burton titled “Overcoming Offenses”. Boy oh boy are my feet and toes hurting right now! Sis Burton hit the nail on the head and that hammer went to the floor and crushed all the toes on my size 8 feet. My feet are slowly recovering but they will take some time to heal.
In working through this study God has revealed to me just how easy it is to become offended and to cause offenses to others. Sister Burton makes a powerful point in this study. She states in her study that one of the biggest battles we will face in our entire life is offenses. Offenses are going to come and we must prepare for our reaction to them. We are going to offend and be offended at various times in our life. Matthew 18:7 says, “Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come;.,,,,,”. So there it is, offenses are going to come. The Bible says it, I believe it. It’s just that simple.
Now what is not so simple is the question, What can we do about it? Ephesians 4:1-3 gives us some of the best guidance in answering this question. The apostle Paul is speaking to the church at Ephesus and giving them spiritual guidance as the body of Christ. He says to them, “I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
The very first step here is to humble oneself. I must learn to realize that I am not perfect nor do I have all the answers. Hence, the title of this blog, “You are not Perfect! So Get Over it”. I now realize that how I speak to others and react to what they see to me is what makes the difference. When I think of others first, I will always make a better choice in my words and actions. This in turn allows me to be gentle in my response to their words and actions. I can then have more patience and my love for others will grow in this action. Love, after all, never fails (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love never dishonors others, it never seeks its own self satisfaction, it is not easily angered and never, ever keeps records of people’s wrongdoings.
Today I pray this prayer based on James 3:17-18:
“LORD JESUS, FILL ME WITH WISDOM FROM ABOVE! LET ME ALWAYS HAVE A PURE HEART, MAKE ME A PEACEABLE PERSON, LET ME BE GENTLE, MAY I BE EASY TO APPROACH, FILL ME WITH MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS. LORD JESUS, LET ME NEVER HAVE PARTIALITY OR HYPOCRISY IN MY LIFE. MAY I BARE THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND BE A PEACEMAKER. AMEN”
I do hope this blog brings encouragement to each of you in that you are reminded that your words and actions make a difference. Remember Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger”. Choose your words wisely. Fall in love with people! Get to know them. Build relationships with them. Get rid of all prejudices and see others as Jesus sees them and you. May your “love abound more and yet more in knowledge and in all judgment. That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. ” see Philippians 1:9-11
Recently I listened to a 15 minute devotional by Bro Ken Gurley. The title was “I See a Divine Reckoning”. I was intrigued by this message as he talked about the three great old sins in the Bible. He also spoke of how they are so prevalent in America. They are the Sin of Hezekiah, the sin of Molech, and the sin of Sodom. The sin of Sodom really gave me a new perspective on my Daily walk.
The sexual immorality in Sodom was a result of the sin in Sodom. It was not the ultimate sin of Sodom but because the people of Sodom were filled with Pride, Lots of food, Prosperous and Idle, the sexual immorality was the result. They had no self control because they never needed it. If they wanted something, they got it. Now I don’t know about you but that sounds like a spoiled child to me. If you know a spoiled child then can i get an amen!!! Ezekial16:49 says “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom; she had PRIDE, EXCESS OF FOOD, & PROSPEROUS EASE but did not aid the poor and needy”. I immediately felt the Holy Spirit quicken me and bring me to repentance.
One definition of pride is: Pride – pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.
I begin to think about all the pride I have in my possessions and how I’ve never gone without food or a roof over my head. This thought was humbling. What I take pride in can altar where my heart is. If I take pride in my stuff I will find myself wanting more stuff. But if I take pride in the things of God, or in other words, if I take pleasure in my relationship with God, I find peace and joy.
Prosperity – the condition of being successful or thriving. Prosperity is not a sin. The ease, or as another Bible version puts it, the idleness, that results from prosperity is sin. There is such a thing as good prosperity. An example of this is to prosper in the Holy Ghost and in wisdom and knowledge in God’s Word. If we are only finding Prosperity in our possessions and wealth however, we are not focused with a kingdom mind. We will become distracted and unfocused. Unfocused people get disoriented and confused. I read about a family last year who got lost in a storm. They wandered in circles for days. They were found not even ½ a mile from a rangers station. They became disoriented from storms that blew in suddenly. They lost their focus. This caused great confusion and ultimately caused them to vear off the hiking trail.
When I am so wrapped up in myself, I completely miss out on seeing the needs of others. The storms of life and my focus on my own selfish needs will cause me to ultimately become disoriented and unfocused. I too will vear off the daily walking trail of prayer and Bible reading. Daily life events and selfish desires will begin to BECKON me and draw my attention. If I’m not careful to put Jesus first in my life I will begin to lose sight of the need others have. As a child of God, I am commanded to love God and love others as myself. It’s my desire for others to see Jesus in me.
My Purpose in life must always be determined by the Word of God. Romans 8:28 says this;“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
So how about this: let’s all work together and not become like the sin of Sodom. As God prosperous us in so many ways may each of us set aside selfish pride and seek God. We are designed with purpose. When we love God he works everything, every situation in our life, for his good purpose.
May we set aside our pride, use our Prosperity for kingdom advancement, and walk daily in his Purpose.
Today I began to ponder on how trees and plants grow. I live way out in the country and I see a variety of plant life and types of trees as I look around me. Some trees flourish and grow very tall. Some trees flourish but stay much closer to the ground. Plant life is abundant and beautiful.
Today happens to be a very stormy day. As the wind was blowing I began to watch the trees sway back and forth. They danced beautifully with a lovely rhythm and grace. Often I wonder how they keep from crashing to the ground and landing on my home. As I looked out further, I saw a tree that is no longer alive, yet it still stands. I know it will fall soon if it’s not cut down. The thing is, if I let it fall on its own it will land on my garage. As large as this tree is I am pretty certain there will be nothing left of my poor garage if that happens. If I hire a professional to cut it down it will come down at just the right angle and not hit my garage. I can’t help but wonder what may have killed this tree. Did a disease in the ground it’s planted take it out? Was there some type of parasite that was attached to it? What I do know is, it must come down!
1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain”.
“Stand Firm” what does this mean? When trees are swaying back and forth, the only way they keep from crashing to the ground is if their root system is deep, strong and spreads out wide. After having some tree work done last year I found out a little more about a tree’s root system. The professionals explained to me that a good solid root system spreads out far and wide, along with going deep. Some tree root systems are 2 – 6 feet into the ground. In South Africa there was a tree with a root system that was 24 feet deep! However, the deeper roots go, the less oxygen and nutrients they receive. The largest amount of oxygen and nutrients in the dirt are located more towards the surface.
The deep roots of a tree are called Anchor Roots. They work to give the tree stability. Trees also have what are called Lateral Roots. These are the roots that stay the closest to the earth, directly under the soil surface. These are the roots that absorb water and nutrients and help to anchor and nourish the tree.
I began to compare these root systems to spiritual systems in my life. The Bible stood out to me as the Anchor Roots. The Word of God is what I must be rooted and grounded in to stand firm in my daily walk. As I read the Bible I gain understanding that gives me a firm foundation so nothing moves me. My prayer life and daily walk with Jesus are the Lateral Roots. These give me nutrients and nourishment to sustain me each day. Both work together to help me remain rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus. The Word of God is considered the Bread of Life as well.
In conclusion; I am determined that I must study the Word of God, have a daily prayer life, and walk daily with Jesus, in order to not be moved! If I continually do all three, my “anchor roots” and “lateral roots” shall be firm and strong. This will keep me from being moved when the winds of life blow. This will keep me healthy and strong. No one will need to call a professional to cut me down because I will be alive! I want to be the tree who stands strong and tall in every storm. Even when the winds blow and bend me I will stand back up tall and strong because my roots run deep and wide!
God is love. To know God is to know love. When we turn our eyes on Jesus, we are looking at love! The old hymnal “turn your eyes upon Jesus” has a verse that tells us God’s Word will not fail us. He promised! We can believe this and then go out and tell the world about his perfect salvation.
When the struggles of life come at us we can face them with Jesus. We cannot face them in our own strength but by His strength we have hope.
We have all had disappointments and discouragements in life. These things can distract us. When we dwell on the disappointments and discouragements we become lonely, depressed, we begin to feel sorry for ourselves. We can even begin to doubt Jesus and his love for us.
When we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ we can be lifted above the sadness and depression that comes from these disappointments. It is this faith in Jesus Christ that gives us peace and joy. We must turn our eyes away from our worries and frustrations and put them back on Jesus!
When we look upon Jesus we can then see God’s complete gift of love for us. We can then also offer hope to others. In Jesus we can see the pure, powerful, everlasting love of God. It shines bright. When Jesus went to the cross for our sins he showed his full passion and love for us. He bore our sins so we could have salvation.
When we turn to Jesus and look full upon his face we can see in his eyes the freedom from guilt he so graciously has given us. We find forgiveness, mercy, and all the love we need in the eyes of Jesus. Jesus is all we need for our salvation.
Jesus desires to work in our heart. He desires to give you total victory and an everlasting peace and joy.
Don’t look back on the failures of life and the disappointments. Instead, choose to look full into the face of Jesus and move forward.
No matter where you are in your life here on earth, you have a beautiful gift to give to others. You are a child of God, created in His image. And remember, God is love. Therefore you have love within you to give to every person you come into contact with if you have Jesus!
Conclusion: The arms of Jesus are forever open to you and your name is on his lips. He knows you by name! Close your eyes and embrace Him today and let him comfort you. Put your faith in what he has promised you. He will never leave you or forsake you. His Word will never fail you.
“Pray in faith believing”. This is a statement I have heard throughout my entire church life. I have often wondered exactly what this means? If I am praying to God I do so believing he hears me. But do I pray with the faith to really believe he is hearing me and will answer me? For that is truly the question. James 5:15 says “And the prayer of Faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven”. The author of the book of James is believed to have been James, the brother of Jesus. James really begins to make his point in chapter 5 verse 13. He tells the reader to pray if they are suffering, to praise if they are cheerful, and if they are sick, call on the elders of the church to pray over them in the name of the Lord and anoint them with oil.
Now I don’t believe for a minute these verses are just there as a reminder. Although they definitely remind us to pray. These verses are giving us very detailed guidelines to follow if we want to see results from praying. We are talking about praying in a faith to believe the God of this universe cares enough about us to hear us. And to not only hear us, but he actually listens to us and answers us.
Verse 16 says “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective”. As we begin to read at verse 13, we first see the directive to pray. The verse then moves into praise. Verse 14 goes on to tell us to call upon others to pray with us and also to pray for us. In prayer and praise we find a powerful weapon is formed. In both actions we are talking to God almighty. He provides others in our life to use their weapon of prayer for us. This is an awesome realization!
Praying is a beautiful act of conversation with God. Praying in faith believing is a powerful conversation with God. When we pray in faith believing we get God’s attention. He takes notice. This is how the sick are healed (vs.15). This is how we see the sinner restored (vs.20).
I encourage you today to find a quiet spot to pray. Get the conversation with God almighty rolling and see what happens. Begin to praise him for his goodness and mercy. Begin to worship him and thank him. And then just sit in his presence and listen to what he is saying to you. Let him speak to your heart and heal you. Let him bring you peace and hope. He is waiting to hear from you as you pray in faith believing he is going to answer. He will meet you in the moment.
Today I imagine a beautiful love story as I gaze upon this picture. The love between a mother and daughter. A mothers love is one that carries us through life with a smile. Anne Wilson sings a song called “Momma’s”. Her words reside in my heart and mind. They cause me to ponder the importance of my own mother and mother in love in my life.
Here’s why God made Momma’s according to Anne Wilson and Hillary Scott
“For the open arms to fall into, For the when you don’t know what to do For the phone call saying, “Don’t forget, I’m always in your corner” For the heart that makes a house a home, For the knowing that you’re not alone For the “Darling, don’t you dare give up even when you wanna” Yeah, that’s why God made mamas”
As I read the story of Ruth and Naomi in the book of Ruth, I see a beautiful love story. Naomi must have been an amazing women. I say this because Ruth chose to follow her into an unknown world. You see, after Naomi’s husband died and she lost her sons who were married to Ruth and Orpah, Naomi made the decision to go back to her people in the land of Judah. When Naomi heard how good things were going in Judah and how the Lord was providing for his people, she decided to return. She released her daughters in law to go back to their families in Moab. Orpah returned but Ruth made the decision to stay with Naomi.
Ruth made a commitment to Naomi in Ruth 1:16. She told her “Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be mine”. I can only imagine the impact Naomi had on Ruth’s life over the years for Ruth to make this commitment to her. The love she had for her mother in law was unconditional. I would venture to say there is much more to this story. I hope to really dive into this story in the near future and study about this beautiful relationship. I want to see every detail of this beautiful Portrait of Love! Because of Ruth’s dedication and love for her mother in law, she had the privilege to part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. This beautiful love story lead to the greatest love story ever, my Lord and Savior, My God, Jesus Christ!
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, Where? down in my heart, where? down in my heart to stay!
I remember singing this song in Sunday School many years ago as a child. Today I find myself singing this little tune on many days when I just need to remind myself of the Joy of Jesus! The news all around the world is so negative that it try’s to steel my joy. Many who watch the news for long periods of time find themselves suffering from a depressed state. Listening to the evil of child abuse, murder, homeless, drug addiction that runs rapid, and the list goes on,,,, all of this negative news causes a great spirit of depression to come upon us. But this is not God’s will for his children. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay. 11 You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures. Psalms 16:10-11(HCSB)
“A Joyful heart makes a face cheerful:…..” Psalm 17:22(HCSB)
3 But the righteous are glad; they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy. 4 Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds — His name is Yahweh — and rejoice before Him. Psalms 68:3-4 (HCSB)
Take the time right now to begin to play some music that will uplift your spirit! Click on the song here by “for King & Country” for starters. The author of the song JOY they sing states that he’s “Gotta get that fire, fire back in my bones before my hard heart turns to stone”. Don’t let the enemy still your joy and turn your heart to stone. I pray that everyone reading this today will receive a joyous victory in Jesus name. I pray you begin to sing in the power of the Holy Ghost and your joy is restored. I pray each of you get that fire back in your bones and it burns away every bit of depression and sadness. Rejoice my brothers and sisters! Let the King of Glory come in!
Joy4theJourney Ministries 