Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

        “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Several weeks ago we had healing/communion services at church with a special request for healing for my 9 year old brothers eyes.
 The Dr. had said his eyes were bad (especially the one) and it seemed to us they were getting continuously worse. He couldn't see far and anytime he would watch a movie he would get as close as he was allowed to get and close one eye and squint the other eye.
  Yesterday he was with Dad in town and looking way ahead saw and recognized something in the distance that normally to him would have just looked like a blob!
 Today we had a "Kids Sing Praise" video on and he suddenly realized he was across the room from it and could see it very clearly!
 We have had other praise reports from that Sunday also! Praise God, praise God , Praise God!!!!! He's and awesome God! He loves us deeply and he DOES hear! Just believe it!
 "By whose stripes you were healed" (1Peter 2:24) Past tense. Already done! Just receive it!


 Believe that he did it already on the cross! It's done, now receive it!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases …” (Psalm 103:2)


“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.” (Psalm 34:19)

“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You have healed me.” (Psalm 30:2)

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds … Great is our Lord, and mighty in power …” (Psalm 147:3)

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

“But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” (Psalm 34:10)

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

“Yet you do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:2

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Gods Amazing Ways

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.Isaiah 55:8

This verse became very real to me a couple weeks ago when I was out with my children running a few errands.

I had gotten a few checks cashed at the bank then went to the library to drop of some books. I was then going to go to McDonalds drive-thru. It was in the middle of rush hour and the area I was in was very congested. Being stopped at a red light just a short distance from McDonalds I decided to go ahead and get the money ready that I had gotten from the bank. When I reached down to get it it was gone! My first thought was that my daughter had gotten the money caught in the books she took into the library. I started frantically searching, glancing up occasionally to make sure traffic hadn't started to move yet.When I saw the vehicle in front of me was moving foward I let off the brake then looked down again to try once more to find that money. All the while I'm thinking 'why am I not just waiting till I get to the McDonalds parking lot to do this? I'm probably holding up traffic behind me. All of a sudden we came to a jolting halt! I hadn't even realized I was moving! I had simply taken my foot off the brake and had not put it on the gas pedal. (And just for the record I do not have a history of bumping into cars or things!)

I looked up and saw a door fly open.A young lady jumps out and throws her hands up in the air as if to say "WHY did you just do THAT!!?" I had no words. What was I to say? I tried to stammer out an "I'm sorry!" but it sounded kinda lame. I really had no excuse to give for what had just happen.She was obviously very upset and pulling out her phone, began making a phone call. Then came the words that just about stopped my heart. She says,"My mom is in there having a heart attack!" I thought 'No! No, that can't be! I didn't hit them that hard! Please, God, what do I do now?' I then learned they had just come from the local hospital and had been sent to a hospital across the mountain who is better equipped for the bigger emergencies.That's where they were headed. Although that was a small relief since that meant I at least had not caused her heart attack I still couldn't believe it. Of all the vehicles to hit why did it have to be them? I just knew the trauma of the little bump was going to send this lady into a full-fledged heart attack.She was going to die right there and it was going to be my fault.

I don't know if my feeling of devastation showed on my face or what but this dear young lady who was in the middle of her own nightmare all of a sudden gives me a hug and tells me, "It's alright. Things happen for a reason and maybe God wanted her to go by squad instead of us taking her." Now that is grace! I did not deserve that comfort from her! I should been trying to comfort them!

I asked one of the women from the SUV if I could have her phone number to call her the next day to check how her mom was doing then went back to my van to wait for the police.

(To add a little humor to the whole thing I have to tell you a few minutes prior to rear-ending this person I was giving my daughter a speech on defensive driving!)


I wasn't back in my van long when one young women motioned me back out and said her mom wanted to see me. As I was walking to their vehicle I was wondering, what do I say to her? When I got to her she smiled and immediately reached out to give me a hug (more grace).I was standing there holding her hand when a little thought came to me "pray for her". As I thought about it I felt a sense of relief. Since it didn't feel quite right to pray out loud (maybe it was just lack of courage on my part)  I prayed silently for her. I'm not sure exactly what I prayed although I know I said that He(Jesus) had said "Whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13) and that I was asking for her healing. I asked that when she got to the hospital doctors would say there had been no heart attack.

The state police showed up and released me with no charges and I took my little crew of children to McDonalds drive-thru like I had originally planned to do. I'm not sure when my money came back into the picture. All I know is when I got into the McDonalds parking lot it was where it was supposed to have been all along.

And that's the end of my little incident.... But wait! It's not quite! This is the part that makes me want to shout for joy and sing praises to my Wonderful, Merciful, Almighty God!! I called one of the daughters the next day and asked her how her mom is doing. These are the words I heard.. "she didn't have a heart attack". SHE DIDNT HAVE A HEART ATTACK !!!! Even now those words are wonderful music to my ears!!

As I looked back on that whole thing I started wondering if there was more to this than I has seen at the time. Did God allow this whole thing to happen this way for a reason? After all, no one was hurt and there was no damage to any vehicles. I had to wonder how many times in the past I've gotten so wrapped up in the fact that I was in the middle of a bad situation that I didn't allow God to do through me what He would have if I would have turned the situation over to Him.

Again I go back to the verse, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." Isaiah 55:8

Don't Fear Failure and Rejection

  I have this fear of starting something and failing, making me feel totally inadequate and dumb. So rather than start and find out what I can't do I'd rather just never start and imagine that if  I tried I actually would be successful.  
 I have a fear of speaking. Speaking in crowds or speaking on a one-to-one level. I just know I'll fail at appearing to be the halfway intelligent person they might think I am if I just hadn't opened my mouth. Or I might offend someone or end up looking like a fool because maybe my ideas won't match the general run of popularity.
 I have a fear of writing, fear that I won't be able to do it properly or that what I write won't make sense or that it will read just plain stupid.
 As I was thinking about fear and what it can do to a person I realized- thats exactly what satan wants us to do! He wants us to fear failure so we never start, therefore thwarting any plans God might have for our lives, never fulfilling the dreams He has placed in our hearts.
 I think sometimes 'If God would just speak audibly to me and tell me what to do I wouldn't be so afraid of failing'. Probably not true. Moses apparently felt fear and inadequacy even though God was speaking directly to him. When God spoke to him from the burning bush he argued with God and said (Exodus 3) "Who am I that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? and God told Him, "Certainly I will be with thee." Moses says, But who am I supposed to say sent me? God said, Tell them I AM THAT I AM sent you. (chapter 4) Moses says, But they won't believe me. They'll say 'The Lord didn't appear unto you'. God said (paraphrased), If they don't believe you start showing them these signs I just showed you. Moses says, But Lord I'm not eloquent, I'm slow of speech and slow of tongue. God said, who made mans mouth, or who made the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind? Didn't I? Now go and I'll be your mouth and teach you what to say.
  After pondering over this I came to the conclusion that fear is the devils #1 tool and we so easily fall prey to it.
 God didn't tell Joshua- 'Be very careful you don't fail in this important mission I have given you'. He said (Joshua 1:6 )"Be strong and of a good courage..." (v.7) "Only be thou strong and very courageous..." (v.9) Be strong and of a good courage;be not afraid neither be thou dismayed..."
 God can't steer a ship that's not moving (well he can but He won't force us). If we never move off the spot because we're afraid we're not even giving Him the chance to show us the supernatural things He would do in our lives. Fear of failure and rejection paralizes! God gave us a vision bigger than we are so we have to grow to fulfill it but it takes Him to pull it off. If God put a dream in our heart than at some point it will require the supernatural to fulfill it. That's what satan does not want! He wants us to fear failure to the point that we just sit back and do nothing therefore not giving God the chance to work the supernatural.
 So if there is something in your life you fear- embrace it! That is probably the very area that you will succeed in and satan wants to stop you.
 There will be times when you will fail. But don't be defeated. God says, Be strong and couragous I will be with you.
 Failure doesn't mean you done for- it just means you figured out what doesn't work. One less thing to figure out before success. God says you stand up and I'll stand with you!

ANGEL BODYGUARDS

 The following story was taken from the book - Angel Stories by Robert Strand.

 The Christians in China during the internal uprising in 1927 were under all kinds of persecution. They were targets of looting, building burnings, executions, and more. Favorite targets of these vandals were mission compounds, hospitals, orphanages, and anything Christian.
 A lady missionary is our source for this story.


"During a night of burning, looting, and shooting, when anarchists ran through the streets, our compound, which sheltered hundreds of women and girls who spent the time in prayer, went untouched."
 But there's more to this story. The previous night, the missionary in charge of this particular mission, which was dedicated to sheltering homeless women and girls, had been laid low with a bad attack of malaria and a resulting high fever.
  Some of the neighbors asked, " What are you planning to do when the looters attack your compound? What about all those promises of protection you have been preaching to us? Who will you be trusting when the fires and robberies begin on your compound?
 Along with all the women and girls, this sick missionary spent much time in prayer. She pleaded, " Lord  I have been teaching these people for many years to believe and trust in the promises of God. If You and Your promises fail in this time of disaster, I shall never again be able to open my mouth. Than I shall have to return home to America."
  The next night when the anarchists came to the compound, she immediately was well enought to get up and walk among the frightened refugees in her care. She prayed with them and comforted them while disaster was taking place in the neighborhood all around them. But the mission compound and all who were inside were untouched.
 The next morning, people from three different neighboring families asked, " Who were those four people- three were sitting and one was standing- who were quietly watching from the top of your house at the front of your compound?"
 They answered " No one was on our housetop."
 The neighbors refused to believe the missionaries. We saw them with our own eyes. These men were awesome! When the looters came to the compound, they turned and ran because they were afraid. We saw it happen!"
 It was another teaching moment about the power of God that can send angelic gaurds for the prtection of His children in times of distress.

"Because he loves me," says the Lord. "I will rescue him; I will protect him for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him" Psalm 91:14-15

Help! We've Lost An Old Friend!

HELP! - We've lost An Old Friend!

I'm looking for an old friend - who seems to have gone on a hike and got lost.
Or maybe he took seriously the saying, "Evil Communications Corrupt Good Manners", decided he wasn't going to hang around any more and went into hiding.
There have been reports of sightings from time to time but these sightings are few and far between. I really would like to have him feel as welcome as he seemed to feel in the distant past.
It seems our Dear Old Friend's name has been all but forgotten. Maybe that's why he went into hiding. If - that's actually what has happen to him.
There's an old saying, "Birds Of A Feather Flock Together" maybe there have been too many Foul Feathered Birds around, and he decided to leave.
But then that seems to be a question similar to the question of -"Which came first - the chicken or the egg?" Did our Dear Old Friend take leave because of these Foul Feathered Birds? Or did these Foul Feathered Birds take up residence after our Dear Old Friend was sent on a hike and got lost?
The fact of the matter is - Our Old Friend was sent on a hike and got lost - then these Foul Feathered Birds settled in.

Our Dear Old Friend liked order and he was very good at helping to keep order. But these Foul Feathered Birds - that seem to have taken up residence - seem to all have the same last name- Disorder.
And by the way - they don't want you to know what their real name is, so they only give their initials such as - (A.D.H.D.) - (N.L.D.) - (A.S.D.) - (A.D.D.) - (O.C.D.) - (B.P.D.) - and who knows how many more there are. But if you will notice - they all end with the initial (D.) which stands for (Disorder).
All these seem to have taken up residence after our Dear Old Friend was sent on a hike and got lost.
I was really hoping that our Dear Old Friend wasn't dead! But then - the other day - I came across Our Old Friend's Obituary written by an Unknown Author. And I thought you might like to read it.
And Old Friend Passes Away!
Author Unknown
Today - we mourn the passing away of a once beloved friend.
This friend of old has been ill for many years. But it seems now to have passed away.
This old friend went by the name of - Common Sense.
Common Sense lived a long life in the United States, but has now died of a disease called greed - resulting in heart failure.
No one really knows how old he was, because his birth records were lost long ago in bureaucratic red tape.
He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools, hospitals, home, factories- helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and the unnecessary foolishness of protection insurances and laws.
For decades, petty rules, silly laws, and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense.
He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, and that - if you put your nose or fingers where they don't belong - they just might get cut off - and that you couldn't really - rely on every thing in this life to always be fair.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound principles - such as don't spend before you earn and don't spend more then you earn.
Common Sense also tells us that - adults are in charge, not the children, and that it's O.K. to not always win first prize - it's O.K. to not always come in first place.
As a veteran ,Common Sense survived the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression.
But his health declined when he became infected by the virus of "If it only helps one person (me) it's worth it.
In recent decades his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of well-intentioned- but overbearing - regulations.
He watched in pain as good people became ruled by self-seeking law makers and lawyers who live off those who are oppressed by the law.
The health of Common Sense rapidly deteriorated when schools endlessly implemented zero-tolerance policies.
Such as - a six year old boy, being charged with sexual harassment for kissing a six year old classmate, a teen-ager suspended for using mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student - on the claim that the reprimand only worsened the student's condition.
The health of Common Sense declined even further when schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin but were not allowed to inform the student's parents before administering an abortion to the student.
Common Sense lost all will to live when the very breath of Common Sense the "Ten Commandments" was squeezed out of all public places. And when churches became businesses, and criminals receive better treatment than their victims.
Finally Common Sense gave up the ghost when a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot and was awarded a huge settlement in a law-suit.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents - Father Truth and mother Trust, sister Discretion and brother Responsibility -there seems to be no surviving relatives.
P.S. - Common Sense was one of the links in the chain of life.
Common Sense wasn't just a link - it's a very important link - of life in the chain of all human life - even the carnal life - of the world.
Common Sense is needed to make important decisions. Decisions, that can determine whether you will fail or succeed in this life.
Without Common Sense there isn't much chance at all of succeeding in this life.
Common Sense takes into consideration everything involved in any decision being decided.
Common Sense takes into consideration not just what I get out of my decision today,but what effect will this decision have on tomorrow - what effect will this decision have a month from now or a year and maybe even ten years from now.
Common Sense could actually have an effect for generations to come.
But - there has actually been discovered by some diligent seekers, another one of the Sense Family. He is found in the Word of God, and goes by the name of "Holy Spirit" - which is - Un-Common Sense.
Common Sense, according to the World English Dictionary, means, - Good judgment: sound practical judgment derived from experience rather than study.
Ignoring Common Sense can have serious consequences in this life.
Then I wondered - Is Un-Common Sense the proper term to be used in relation to the Holy Spirit?
So I looked it up in the World English Dictionary and found this to be the definition of Un-Common Sense - "Very great: used to emphasize the great extent of something showing uncommon wisdom."
Ignoring Common Sense can have serious consequences in this life.
But ignoring the Un-Common Sense of the Holy Spirit will have devastating consequences in this life. And those devastating consequences will go on for all eternity.
Common Sense may do just fine for flying thru this life - but there is no 'Sense' in Common Sense for your landing in eternity.
Un-Common Sense From the Holy Spirit is Sensitive to God's voice in this life and prepares us - giving us all the instructions we need - for flying through this life and then - when this life ends and the time has come for our plane to land there will be a safe landing on streets of gold for all eternity.
Common Sense will die. But Un-Common Sense - Holy Spirit - never dies. In fact - He not only never dies - He brings life to all who will follow His (The Holy Spirit's) Un-Common Sense.
Un-Common Sense lives for the good of all.
Common Sense is what you were born - in the flesh with.
Un-Common Sense is what you will receive when you are "Born Again" in the Spirit. (It's that still small voice!) Many no longer hear that still small voice -there are too many other louder voices drowning out the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.
God's word says - Be still and know that I Am God. (Psalm 46:10)
It takes being still to hear the voice of Un-Common Sense - The Holy
Spirit.

The Power in Praise!

Hebrews 13:15 says, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Here praise is being defined as the fruit of our lips and in John 15;7-8
Jesus says,I If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.



I think "sacrifice of praise" is a good way to put this because there are times when it is really a sacrifice to keep praising. But yet we are told to praise "continually". Psalm 34:1 says, I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Now how is that possible?! Is there a secret here somewhere? I believe there must be some mighty power in praise. I have to think about how I react to my children when they whine and complain and demand and then how I react to them when they are full of thanks and praise for me. Hmmm. For me that really brings it close home!

Matthew 21:22 says, And in all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

If we ask believing, than I think we would follow the asking with praise for being heard and answered even before we see the answer!

I came across this poem in the book 'There's Dynamite in Praise' by Don Gosset ( this is a good book!)



Praise unlocks heaven's portals;

Praise causes doubts to cease;

Praise brings precious blessings;

Praise leaves the sweetest peace.



Praise breaks all bands asunder;

Praise sets the captives free;

Praise lightens every burden;

Praise is the master key.



Praise changes circumstances;

Praise establishes the heart;

When praise becomes perpetual,

Praise is a Holy Art.

~ Frances Metcalfe



I have found this to be very true!



Here are some of my favorite praise verses;



Psalm 9:1-2 I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoise in thee: I will sing praises to thy name, O thou most High.



Psalm 13:6 I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.



Psalm 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.



Psalm 29:2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.



Psalm 35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteaousness and of thy praise all the day long.



Psalm 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto out God: many shall see it and fear, and trust in the Lord.



Psalm 47:1 O clap your hands, all ye people: shout to God with the voice of triumph.



Psalm 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.



1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.



2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.



Ephesians 5 19-20 Speaking to yourselves in songs and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord: giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.



Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.



Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.



Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.



1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.



There are many, many more verses!



So next time when things are going all wrong and you feel like complaining or yelling at someone try saying, Praise the Lord,thank you Jesus! Even if you don't feel like it. I've done it and it works! Things around you start looking better!