God is Awake!

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” NKJV

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” Corrie Ten Boom

Two very powerful quotes against worrying! We know that we shouldn’t! We know it’s not good for us, yet we often find ourselves worrying.

Recently I had a conversation with someone who told me that she was a Christian. She expressed that she knew that she shouldn’t worry or be fearful, but she was afraid of getting the coronavirus. When you look at the growing number of people who contract the virus, and the ones who pass away, you can easily see that her “concerns” aren’t far fetched. However, worrying about whether or not something is going to happen to you or is not going to happen to you, isn’t going to stop the thing from happening. So worrying is unproductive.

Corrie Ten Boom was a survivor of the Holocaust. I read her autobiography as a teenager. If ever there was an individual who had things to worry about, it was Corrie. She encouraged her family to “build” a refuge for hiding Jews and Dutch resistant fighters in their home, in her bedroom. She was later reported for saving the lives of 800 Jews and numerous Dutch resistants. In undertaking this task, she knew that she was putting her life and lives of her family members in danger; but she also knew that she couldn’t worry about that. One day, someone came to her for assistance, but that person really came to set her up. When her home was raided and her family was arrested, (and most of them died), she had people hidden in her room, but they were later freed by others in the network. I would say that she had much to worry over. But she understood that worrying about what could happen would only zap her strength from doing what needed to be done in that moment.

The apostle Paul wrote that we are to be anxious for nothing, but to pray about everything. I am sure that Corrie, a Christian who apparently lived out her faith, knew this verse. Paul said prayer would bring about a peace that would guard our hearts and cause people to not understand it.

I may have shared this in another post, I’m not sure. But when our middle daughter was born we had to live in this verse. We had prayed that she would be born naturally, she was not. We had prayed that she would be born healthy. She was not. We had prayed that the expenses would be minimal, they were off the charts. Nothing seemed to be as we asked. My husband said that he was reminding God about all of these prayers that hadn’t been answered when God spoke this verse into his heart. He shared that with me while I was still in the hospital and I was encouraged.

I won’t go into all of those details, but I will bring up another point. The thing that was wrong was her larynx was damaged in the womb. My contractions were so severe for so long that she was injured. They said she might die. We took her home and she did have difficulty breathing, but we just continued to pray. One night, while listening to her breathe, I was on the point of tears when God spoke to me. He said, “Why are you awake?” And I responded that she could die while I was asleep. He said, “Your being awake can’t stop her from dying and neither can you being asleep cause it. I’m awake and there’s no point in the both of us being awake.” I went to sleep. And she was made whole!

There was nothing to be done about the prayers about having a natural birth, or about her being born healthy. But God healed her and took care of all those bills! He’s just good like that! My point is this, worrying truly doesn’t change a thing, but it does rob us of our strength and joy for today. In the gospels, Jesus said that we are to let tomorrow take care of itself. It was my mother’s favorite saying! A reminder that is as needed today as it was when Jesus said it!

This coronavirus is set up to be here for a while. We can’t afford to spend our time in worry. But we can spend our time in prayer and gain an assurance that God is awake and there’s no reason for us to be up worrying about anything. Even COVID-19! And as we pray, we are causing things to change in this natural world that they think is just a result of social distancing. I’m all into social distancing, but I’m placing my confidence in Jesus!Wonderful Jesus!

I Married My Delilah!

Judges 16:6 – “So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.” NKJV

If you read my previous blog, “Flee Delilah”, then you already know that Delilah is not God’s perfect will for any of us. He doesn’t want us to marry the Philistine whose heart is not towards Him and who is oftentimes sent by the enemy to bring destruction in our lives. Having said that, what do I do if I am already married to Delilah?

Well, first and foremost, you probably need to spend some time repenting to the Lord. Your Delilah, if it was the case of a Delilah and not a “chameleon” hasn’t changed. Let me explain. A chameleon would have hidden his or her true motives and character from you, making your “choice” one that you could say “I didn’t know” about them. Where as, the Delilah would never hide. You knew from the beginning who that person was and yet you married that individual anyway. You are as responsible for your situation as Samson was. Therefore, you need to repent before the Lord.

After repenting, you need the counsel of God. Spending time in His word, His Presence, or becoming a responsible member of a faith teaching church will be necessary in moving forward. Even if you have already been considering divorce, you still need to redirect your heart and affections to the Lord before making this life altering decision. But here is why I chose this topic today. As I completed my last blog, I heard in my spirit, “Oh no! I’ve married my Delilah!” And I thought, I don’t want people to think that I am encouraging them to get a divorce. Divorce doesn’t have to be the answer. There’s another way!

Years ago, in a couples fellowship, where we gathered to discuss what the Bible teaches regarding marriage and to be with other couples, I heard an amazing testimony. Now because it was some time ago, I won’t remember all the details, but I remember the impact it had on my marriage.

The couple hosting the fellowship showed a video of Andrew Wommack sharing this testimony. This lady worked in a grocery store. A customer somehow developed an interest in her, I believe he even told her that they were supposed to get married. He was into all kinds of stuff, but mostly demon worship. They got married and during the course of the marriage, his experiences with demonic manifestations increased. Even to the point of him leaving his body. Well, one night he tried to kill her. The police was called and things were bad. I believe her neighbor was a member of Brother Andrew’s church and somehow he was called to the scene. When he got there he began to talk to her about her options, one of which was trusting God to work the situation out. She decided to trust God with her situation. I wish I remembered all the details! But here’s the point: God saved that couple and turned that marriage around and I believe he became a pastor or evangelist. Now that’s deliverance! As a young wife, I decided that nothing could ever get that bad in my marriage, so I had no excuse to ever entertain thoughts of divorce.

Even in the midst of our mess ups, God can bring victory and total deliverance. That’s what He did for Samson. In his mess, God allowed his hair to grow and he brought greater destruction on the Philistines in the end than he had in his lifetime. I don’t think God wants all of our answers of victory to end in our demise. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure that He doesn’t. He’s a good, good God! And His mercies endure forever!

Don’t think there is no hope for you, your marriage, or your future. Jesus has promised that He is our Blessed Hope! If you can believe that He can turn this situation around, then you will have to trust Him to do it. You may go through some more difficult times and even feel like giving up, but He can turn it around! He has strategies untold and in His Presence are the answers that you need.

I’ve seen marriages restored. Not because of the Delilah syndrome, maybe more of the chameleon syndrome. But the marriages were not good. But God is! And I have seen Him do the impossible with the impossible situations and make them the better!

I’ve seen divorces. I’ve seen few people rejoice over a divorce. It’s hard on the family, on the couple, on friendships, and especially on a church body. But it some times can’t be avoided for a variety of reasons. I don’t believe in divorce, I’m not advocating divorce, but I’ve supported loved ones through the process and know that some people absolutely refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. That’s their choice to make. I’m just making the point that I am not encouraging you to divorce your Delilah! That’s between you and the Father!

But should you choose to believe God in the midst of everything that is happening, you will need fortification for the battle. And it will be a battle. But with Him, who can be against you. There’s hope for Delilah! And you just have to trust God that He will deliver you and your Delilah and give you a brighter tomorrow! Wonderful Jesus!

Flee Delilah!

Judges 16:6 – So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.” NKJV

Let me begin by stating that Samson is mentioned in the hall of faith chapter in Hebrews. So even though he got it wrong, he got it right! That is an encouragement right there! But in today’s blog I want to address the single people who read my blog and what Samson got so wrong!

In this verse, Samson is a grown man. He’s had many victories in his life as well as many defeats. He is judging Israel, defending them from the Philistines, over and over again, but he does some really “dumb” things along the way. Some of those things, scripture tells us, was divinely led even in their acts of stupidity, but it just goes to show that God can use us just as we are to accomplish great things.

The thing I want to address today is Delilah’s and Samson’s relationship. I want to start out by saying, it was a horrible relationship! He is definitely unequally yoked. He has a calling on his life and she is a prostitute. That’s equivalent to the saved individual getting attached to the unsaved individual. This is the start of a bad situation that keeps getting worst.

The scripture doesn’t enlighten us as to how long they were together before she started nagging him, but nag him she did. She was an instrument of the devil to bring his life to an end. And the really sad part of this whole scenario, she didn’t make it a secret! What’s up with that? How do you spend time with someone who makes no bones about the fact that they are truly not interested in your well being, whether it is by their words or actions?

Delilah went straight to the heart of the matter. She first asked him to tell her what makes him strong and then how can he be bound that he might be afflicted? Shall I translate that it today’s vernacular? What makes you anointed and how do I destroy that anointing in your life that I might destroy you? Whoa!! Or, are you a virgin because my thing is that I like being the first of the women I date?! Or, do you have a house and a job, my women have to be able to show me that they don’t need my money? That’s pretty shocking to me to think that she boldly asks him this question and he doesn’t see it as a sign that he needs to run! Nope! Not Samson! Because he thought that he was invincible and that nothing could hurt him. He thought that he could toy forever with sin and still walk in the anointing. Again I ask, “what’s up with that?”

Christian singles!! Don’t sell yourself or your God short! Yes, God used him and he ended up in the hall of faith, because in the end he humbled himself and died with his enemies. But I can’t believe that was God’s plan for his life! Something good came out of something ugly, but it didn’t have to be. You are precious to God and He wants to give you the best life that you can have. But you are going to have to trust your relationships to Him and live by His guidelines in the word to make that happen!

I was dating a young man who asked me a question (of course this was many years ago). He asked, “What would you do if you got pregnant for me?” My response to him was, “I’m not going to get pregnant for you so there’s nothing to discuss!” He said, “No, seriously! What would you do?” See, this young man was testing me to see if I was open to the idea of having sex with him. He was letting me know this by his question. I had to shut that mess down! I told him that in order for me to get pregnant for him, we would have to have sex, and since we weren’t going to have sex, the question was pointless! I dissolved the relationship!

I don’t believe that people fall into sexual sin. I believe that we put ourselves in a position to get involved in sexual sin. One young lady was asked by a guy to go out with him. She told him that people date for sex and marriage. She didn’t want either with him! Delilah told Samson what she wanted. His destruction. She spelled it out for him. And instead of him shutting it down by leaving and not returning to visit her, he just kept going back and playing the game until it got his eyes put out and eventually brought his demise. Dating the wrong person can be so detrimental to the believer. It is so important that male or female, as believers, learn to walk away from ungodly relationships that the enemy sends to bring destruction and devastation in their lives.

Maybe your Delilah isn’t out to kill you. But your Delilah could most certainly be sent from the devil to destroy you. And your Delilah could draw you from the Lord. Evil communications still corrupt good morals. It’s interesting how the word repeatedly let us know that in a relationship that is unequally yoked, we would be more inclined to be led astray than for us to win that person to the Lord? Missionary dating is a bad plan. Watch the person get saved, live for God, then you can take a chance on dating.

Your Delilah could use you, break your heart, leave with a child to raise alone, and never look back. Your Delilah could use you to take advantage of free rent, the benefits of “marriage” without the commitment, and then take your possessions. You just don’t know! But the saddest thing is that your Delilah is not God’s best plan for your life. He could turn it around and use it for His glory, He’s good like that! But He’d rather you just flee the Delilahs that come along.

Over and over again, she let Samson know she was no good. When a person lies to you over and over again, that’s not a good relationship, flee Delilah! When a person hits you over and over again, that’s not a good relationship, flee Delilah! When a person stands you up over and over again, that’s not a good relationship, flee Delilah! When a person pressures you over and over again to drink, to do drugs, to have sex, to give them money, or any number of things these are your clues that you are in a situation just like Samson was with Delilah. This is your clue you need to run for the hills and thanking God for the strength to do so. It’s where your help is!

You will not be the lucky one that makes it out on the other side with no side effects. You will not win that kind of person to the Lord. No matter how many Christian romance books you read that say differently. You need to break that ungodly tie and trust God with a mate that is for you.

Is that hard? Yes! Does that mean that you might be without a mate for a while, or forever? That’s a real possibility! But it’s better to be single and whole, with your relationship with God in tact, then to be broken time and time again because you just couldn’t walk away anymore than Samson could. I don’t get Samson, and I don’t get staying in a relationship that’s a train wreck waiting to happen. Love yourself and God enough to walk away while you still can. He’s there to be your Way to a better relationship in Him. Wonderful Jesus!

What Won’t You Do For God?

Jonah 1:2-3 – “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.” ESV

Jonah was a prophet of the Lord! I am sure that he had a very solid relationship with God, until he didn’t. God gave Jonah an assignment. He told Jonah to go to Nineveh and to call out against it because they were a bunch of wicked people. Apparently Jonah agreed that they were wicked because he decided that the thing that God had asked of him was too much. He was so determined not to do it, that he thought he could run from the assignment that God had given him. That’s deep!

Now if we looked at the commentaries, they would probably give us some history of the Ninevites that could give us a possible motive for why Jonah would disobey God. (I think I heard something about Jonah saw what the Ninevites would do to the children of Israel and didn’t want to see them spared). They could even share some insight into Jonah and what he could have possibly been thinking, but here’s the bottom line, he felt that he had come to a place with God where God just asked too much of him. He just couldn’t do it!

The interesting thing about God is, that He often asks “too much” of all of us. He will eventually require of us the things that keep us from His presence, from a deeper walk with Him, from fully committing our lives to Him. And that can seem like “too much”.

I can remember praying about the direction I was to go in when I had to leave college with an associate’s degree because I could no longer afford it. I’ll never forget waking from a dream, or being in that in-between sleep stage when I had a conversation with the Lord. He told me to join the Navy. I said something like, “God, you know I don’t like the military, I don’t watch any of the movies about the military, I don’t like dressing like other people, and besides all of that, when they sent me a letter it was addressed to a mister not a miss.” But He continued to talk to me about the Navy and even told me why I should join the Navy. I so didn’t want to! So I said, that’s the devil!

Then I visited my pastor and shared my experience, but only shared that I was wondering if God had really spoken to me and if I should join the Navy. He said yes, and then proceeded to give me every single reason that God had given me. I want you know, I did not, let me repeat, did not want to join the Navy! Vanity kicked in and I told the Lord that I didn’t want to cut my hair off to join the Navy! I wasn’t happy with the Lord, giving me this assignment.

You see, God has a plan for each of our lives. And He has things that need to be done for the advancing of His kingdom. And He wants to use us. But!!!!!!! He wants to test our level of obedience to Him. He wants to know, or wants us to know, what is that thing we won’t do for Him, or give up for Him!

Some people won’t go to church! No matter how much you quote the Bible to them about not forsaking the assembling together, they aren’t going! Not for God and certainly not for you! Some people won’t tithe! They have a million arguments why they won’t. Not can’t, won’t! Some refuse to abstain from certain “known” sins. They are absolutely not giving up their man, their drugs, their profanity, their lying, their gambling, and whatever else in their life that they know He isn’t pleased with! It just isn’t going to happen! That’s called bondage!

Jonah ended up in the belly of a large fish. All because he refused to go to Nineveh and give them a message from God. We aren’t given details of what that was like, but I am pretty sure it was dark, stinky, claustrophobic, and even humiliating. Like some of the places the disobedient end up today! And while they are there, in that place that they hate, they blame God for their “lot” in life when it is simply their absolute refusal to do what He has asked of them! Go figure!

Well, even though I had no desire whatsoever to go to the Navy, I immediately contacted a recruiter and became a member of the US Navy! I am so grateful that I obeyed. I met and married my husband while I was in the Navy and discovered that I actually liked being in the Navy. (Not the cutting of my hair-which grew back; and not the dressing like everybody else!) It wasn’t always easy to live in a foreign country so far from home, or to not be able to attend a good Bible teaching, faith believing church; but it was the right decision, because God had told me to go! Actually, when I filled out the application and they asked me why I was joining, I put on the application that God told me to join! You can imagine the psychiatric tests I had to undergo; but I figured if He was sending me, He could overcome that obstacle!

Jonah discovered in that dark place an awareness of who God is. He said that those who pay regard to vain idols, forsake their hope of steadfast love. That thing that you won’t do, that you won’t give up has become an idol in your life and it keeps you from a hope in Jesus! It hinders His steadfast love from being available to you! It keeps you from the presence of the Lord! Jonah bowed his will, his idol, his disobedience to the obedience of God and was spit out of the fish’s mouth! Are you ready to be vomited out of your dark situation?

Obeying God isn’t always easy. We heartily think that we, like Abraham, can forsake all to go where He calls us; but let me tell you, most of us really couldn’t do it! You see, if you can’t obey in the small things, you will not be able to obey the hard things that He asks of you. None of us will! And some of these things are just our reasonable service. (Romans 12)

I hope that there is nothing in my life, no person, no amount of money, no status that is more important to me than obeying God. I don’t know if I have yet been tested in that “one” thing, although I’ve had many tests. In my heart I don’t believe that there is any thing that I won’t do for God. There are a whole lot of things I won’t do for a person, but I trust that I have a yes to His will and to His way resounding loud and clear! And when I miss it, I repent! Some things we don’t get a second chance at like Jonah did.

Think about it! Is there any thing that you just won’t do for God? Is there anything in your life more important to you than obeying God? Any person? Everything God asks us to give up isn’t because of sin. Sometimes He just wants our “Isaac” so that we can demonstrate that we will do anything for Him! What won’t you do for God? Think about it! It may change your life! Wonderful Jesus!

Get a Picture!

2 Corinthians 5:7- “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Coronavirus is ongoing! Some have perished, and hundreds of thousands are sick with it. And there’s no cure in sight. As a matter of fact, I heard on the news that they are not expecting to have a vaccine until 2022. What are we to do? I believe that this is the time to learn to trust God like never before.

I like to read the classics, and one of my favorite is, “Christ, the Healer” by F.F, Bosworth. In his book he wrote, “Walking by faith is walking by sight of a better kind…We see with the eye of faith the glorious things that are invisible to the natural eye. Faith is the most rational thing in the world, because it is based on the greatest of facts and realities. It sees God; it sees Calvary, where disease and sin were canceled. It sees the promises of God and His faithfulness.”

Years ago, when I was a youth minister, one of my teens was involved in a terrible accident. Her skull was cut up to relieve swelling, and all kinds of things were going on. But when we went to visit her in the hospital, her mom had a picture of her posted to her hospital machines and she said basically, “That’s who I see. My daughter completely whole.” I want you to know, that’s what she got! Her daughter completely whole. She refused to believe what she saw in the natural as the end of her daughter’s life and embraced what she saw by faith!

Dr. Sandra Kennedy shared a similar testimony on Sid Roth. She said her dog accidentally bit her in the face. I don’t remember all the details, but her face was not normal and her speech was impaired. She placed pictures of her smiling face every where in her house and decreed that she was completely restored. And one day she was!

We did a similar thing in our own life. Our daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis. She was even placed in a body brace to correct it. But then we placed her X-ray on our refrigerator so that every time we say it, we would say her spine was straight, in Jesus’ name! Or we would command it to be straight. And she went for a check-up and the doctor said it was straight. Glory to God!

These are serious times. They are challenging all of us in ways we couldnt’ imagine, but God was not caught off guard and neither is He worried! He said the just shall live by their faith! Even in a pandemic!

I like how John Osteen explained the walk of faith. He said basically that you don’t deny the facts of what is happening because they are real. You just choose to agree with what God has to say about things. That’s walking by faith!

I think about the woman with the issue of blood. She went to see Jesus that she might be healed. I don’t think the Bible tells us all of the details, so let me just add what I think could have happened. When she got there she saw the crowd, and actually heard Jairus ask Jesus to come and heal his little girl. He’s leaving, what will she do now! At that point she could’ve said, it is just not for me to be healed. But she didn’t. She had come to be healed and she was going to be healed. So she said within herself, if I could just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed. He doesn’t have to see me, He doesn’t have to talk to me or lay hands on me. If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed. So she pressed through the crowd until she got near enough to touch His hem, and she reached out with the hand of faith, touched it, and was made whole. She saw herself, in her mind, touching the hem of His garment and being healed. And so she was.

Maybe it is time for you to get a picture. What are you believing God for? Is it healing, get a picture of you completely healed. Is it a spouse, get a picture of your honeymoon spot, or a wedding dress! Maybe it’s your finances-well get a picture of your bank book see a balance on it you want to see! Maybe you can’t get a physical picture, but you can see a mental picture of you working, of you pregnant, of you in your new home. Whatever it is, it’s time to look through the eyes of faith. It’s time to see God, to see His promises, to see His word come to pass in your life. Wonderful Jesus!

You Are God’s Garden!

1 Corinthians 3:9 -For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building. AMP

The phrase, “you are God’s garden” has been turning over in my mind for the past few days; and you’ve guessed it, I had to blog about it.

In verse 6 of this same chapter, Paul wrote, “I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but it was God who gave the increase”.

Look at the image of the garden! It’s gorgeous! I wouldn’t want the responsibility of it, but I would love to view it every day. That’s an image of you, from heaven’s point of view. It’s how He sees you! Growing more beautiful every day, with vibrant colors, and a variety of flowers, you are a God’s garden!

Who decides what is planted in this garden? Paul said that he did the planting. Paul was the one who sowed the seed of God’s word to the Corinthian believers. God’s word, His promises, are the seed for your garden. The planting in your garden is based on the word that you hear, read, study, or embrace. Although He sees the end product, beautiful, luscious, vibrant, and well groomed, ultimately, you are responsible for the seed that is planted in your garden. Remember, Jesus said that the seed sown was the word of God.

Another important ingredient to the well being of a garden is water. Paul said Apollos watered. Apollos came after Paul and watered that seed that Paul had planted. This analogy was based on the ministry they were cultivating in Corinth; but for us, it’s about our own personal garden, our heart. So your garden needs water. This is where you allow the Holy Spirit to help you in the growth of the word. As you meditate on the word of God, rehearse, pray it, sing it, rejoice over it, you are watering your garden. David loved God’s word! He was always watering his garden with the word, “oh how I love your law, it’s the meditation of my heart, thy word have I hid in my heart, your word is forever settled in my heart.”

When you plant God’s word in your heart, His promises, you need to water that seed to see it produce what you are expecting and believing Him for. The word for healing could be, “Father, you wounded Jesus for my transgressions and with His stripes I was healed. I’m so grateful for that. I rejoice in that truth and accept that truth over my symptoms! Thank you! Thank you for driving sickness and disease away from me. Thank you for saying healing is my bread! You are so wonderful to me like that! I receive your medicine, oh God, and I know it is done!”

Then, God gives the increase! When we are cultivating the word of God in our hearts, and watering it with praise, thanksgiving, and meditation, that’s the end of our responsibility. Now, you trust God to bring increase into your garden. Healing, peace, blessings, favor, mercy, whatever you are believing for! He watches over His word to perform it!

Right now, you don’t see the beautiful garden of your heart, that God sees. You may only see a dry and parched land. But it’s not too late to begin sowing seed and pouring water into your garden. Trust the Holy Spirit to assist you in the redesigning of your garden. Let Him help you pick out your plants: healing, peace, deliverance, love, joy, and whatever else that will cause your garden to be something that others will enjoy! That you will flourish within!

You! Are! God’s! Garden! Work with Him to make you something that will last for all eternity! Wonderful Jesus!

Even When You Don’t See It!

Numbers 23:11 – Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!” NIV

If you read my blogs on a regular basis, then you know that I have started working on reading the Bible to see how fast I can read it. I heard one woman say that she took some time off to spend with the Lord and I believe she said she read it in a week. That’s amazing! I’m not quite that dedicated to getting through it, but I am making progress and in the last last two weeks I have been on a steady path and have just completed the book of Numbers.

Another thing you might remember me mentioning is that I have started viewing the Bible project on YouTube which one of my followers suggested to me. I had seen it before, but had forgotten how much I enjoyed it and now I watch it before I begin every new book of the Bible. It really helps to set the tone and increases my understanding.

The Bible project brought out a point about Balak’s attempt to curse Israel, and I decided to look at it again and then to blog about it.

The song, “Waymaker” written and sung by Sinach, has become a favorite for many, especially me. Michael W. Smith also sings this song and he sings an additional part to the song:

Even when I can’t see it, You’re working,
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working,
You never stop, You never stop working!
You never stop, You never stop working!

If you have not heard either version, they are both wonderful. You should check the out!

In Numbers chapter 22, we find Balak, king of Moab stirred up over the children of Israel passing through his land. He gets the bright idea to send for Balaam to curse the children of Israel that he might be able to overtake them in war and stop their progression to the promised land.

What Moab didn’t know, or didn’t hold much credence to is that God had already blessed Israel and promised them the land. He had already given them instructions to wipe out the inhabitants of the land, so there was really nothing that Balak could do to stop it.

Balak sent for Balaam. Balaam was obviously known to bless or curse people. In my readings, I have found comments stating Balaam was a prophet of God, wanting only to do his will, and other side, Balaam was crooked and kept saying he would only do His will to up the monetary gifts, thus his value. Balak, in the meanwhile, has allied himself with the Midianites with the goal of stopping the Israelites, and he doesn’t care about any of that, he just wants Israel cursed.

As Balaam heads to meet with Balak, he encounters God. This has always been a little puzzling to me. God gives him permission to go, then God says He’s going to kill him for going. According to a commentator on the matter, it was to demonstrate that if he was such a one who could spiritually discern what God was doing, why did his donkey have to let him know that God was present to kill him? I’m not sure about this, but I do know that the donkey talks to him and reveals that God is there with a sword in his hand. According to the commentator, this is also God’s way of letting Balaam know that His word is law, and to say anything other than what he is told to say, will not end well for him. (My paraphrase!)

Balak is so excited that Balaam has come to curse the people that he meets him at the Moabite border! He lets Balaam knows that he should’ve come at the beginning and that he will surely be rewarded if he curses this people; but Balaam reminds him that He can say no more than what he is told to say.

When he gets started, he instructs Balak to prepare seven altars and he steps to the side to wait on God. God does speak to him and instructs him to bless the people, but when he does it, Balak is furious! Three times, Balak asks Balaam to curse them, and three times, Balaam blesses them! Now here’s the point:

They were on the mountains overlooking the hundreds of thousands of Israelites who were in the valley just wanting to pass through. And as they were in the valley, they had absolutely no idea that there was someone overlooking them to curse them. They couldn’t see Balak, the Moabite officials, or Balaam overhead. They didn’t realize that anything was going on, but God was working on their behalf! The enemy was trying to curse them, to bring about their demise, and God was right in the middle of the situation, working things out for their good! And guess what else? The Moabites were worried about the Israelites, when God had already given them strict orders not to touch them! Worried for no reason whatsoever! Sounds like so many of us!

I thought this was a beautiful picture of that statement, even when you don’t see Him, He’s working. Some times we forget that our Heavenly Father is looking out for us. That when He told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless my people. and I will curse those who curse them too,” that this promise is ours to accept. Even now in this pandemic, God is working! We can’t see it! It may not even feel like it! But He’s working!

Hearing that this stay at home order is expected to last until summer may seem daunting at best, but we should not allow that to be our focus. If we do, it will overwhelm us and cause us unnecessary anxiety. That’s why it is important to know that even when things looks bad, God is working on the behalf of His people. We can’t see it! We can’t even imagine what it could be, or even how it can be, but He is! By faith I understand that is just how He works sometimes! Behind the scenes, in the midst of troubles, without us even knowing it, but before it is all over, we will know that He is still a Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness! Wonderful Jesus!

Breaking News!

Revelation 1:18 -I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. NKJV

As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, let’s not get caught up in the fact that we couldn’t go to church, we couldn’t get dressed up in our new clothes, and we couldn’t be with family and friends for dinner. These things are all wonderful traditions that make this time a special time. Especially being in church with people of like precious faith!

Let’s take time to rejoice that He is alive! That’s the most important truth of the Bible. Paul said that if Christ was not raised from the dead, then our faith is a delusion and we are yet in our sins; if in this life only we have hope in Christ, then we are of all people the most miserable! (1 Corinthians 15)

So, let’s rejoice that He is risen and is alive forevermore. And if you have a loved one, friend or family, who has recently left this life because of the coronavirus or for any reason, and that person died in Him, then know that they also have life eternal and you can and will see them again, for He is the Resurrection and the Life!

Rejoice! Our Savior is risen! And He is alive! Wonderful Jesus!

The Passion of the Christ!

Mark 15:15 – Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. NIV

One day, in my prayer time, I asked the Lord if He could give me a visual of His crucifixion. I had read it for many years, but didn’t really understand what He had gone through, and being a visual learner, I desired to see the crucifixion. In my own mind I think I had envisioned a dream or a vision, or even a clearer picture of what happened to my Lord, but nothing happened.

Then one day I heard about a movie coming out, “The Passion of the Christ,” about the crucifixion and I was excited about it. I felt that the Lord had Mel Gibson had put this movie together, led by God on my behalf, in order for me to see what the crucifixion was like! (I know, it wasn’t because of me, but since it was an answer to my prayer, that’s how I feel!)

I don’t think there are too many Christians alive today who have not seen the movie, and if you haven’t seen it, you should! I promise you from the time they starting beating the actor portraying Jesus, to many hours later, I was completely messed up. I was horrified at the whipping and it broke my heart. I cried uncontrollably and I could not be comforted. They just kept on beating him and beating him and I knew that what my Savior had suffered for me, for mankind was much greater than we could have imagined! Spoiler alert: There was one point when they had beat him so bad, he fell to the ground. But then he picked himself back up for them to continue the beating. I just knew that I knew that the “strength” portrayed was the strength that Jesus would have conveyed through it all! Now that blessed me to no end!!

What is the passion of the Christ? I most certainly did not know the answer to this question, until I asked it after the movie. You have to cut me some slack, as I wasn’t in a “religious” church and this phrase was new to me. Anyway, the Latin word for “passion” is “passionem” and literally means “suffering, enduring”. And therefore, the passion of the Christ is all about the sufferings He had to deal with after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem all the way to the cross.

So what were some of these things:

* He was betrayed by Judas, one of the 12
* In the Garden of Gethsemane, no one prayed with or for Him
* He was arrested in front of His disciples, and they fled the scene
* He was before the Sanhedrin and they falsely accused Him, spit on, and beat on Him
* He was disowned by Peter three times, one of the 12
* He was condemned when a murderer was freed
*He sustained an intense scourging, including a crown of thorns
* He was made to carry His own cross in His weaken state
* And then He was nailed on a cross between two thieves

Let me tell you what I thought it meant! I thought it meant that Jesus was so passionate about saving us, that He was not willing to let anything keep Him from the cross. His passion was revealed in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed so intently that He sweat drops of blood. His passion was revealed when He said that He could have called 12 legions of angels to deliver Him, but He wouldn’t. His passion was revealed, when they beat Him and He said not a word. His passion was revealed as He hung on the cross and extended mercy to the thief! Now that’s passion!!! Not suffering passion but a passion to redeem us from our sins, our diseases, and all that would hold us captive to will of Satan. He was so passionate about dying, because He couldn’t wait to get up out of that grave and return to the Father!! Wonderful Jesus!!!

Which ever view that you have, know that you are special to heart of God! He loves us so much! Since I’ve already mentioned a song this week, I’ll mention another:

Oh, how He loves you and me!
Oh, how He loves you and me!
He gave His life, what more could He give,
Oh, how He loves you, oh, how He loves me,
Oh, how He loves you and me!!

I’m pretty sure that you can find this song in another blog. It’s one of my personal favorites. I’m so glad He loves us and I’m so glad that His passion drove Him straight to Calvary that I might have the opportunity to return that love to Him forever! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

The Best Thing That Happened!

Acts 4:12 – Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” NIV

I wasn’t going to blog today. As I was going through my morning routine, listening to a playlist I found on YouTube, old gospel music began playing. I found myself reminiscing about some things, thanking God for some things, and worship began to flow out of my mouth, and out of my heart! Then I heard this song, rewritten by the Reverend James Cleveland, that Gladys Knight sang, “Jesus is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.” Then I began to weep, because He is still the best of the best that has happened to me.

If you don’t know the song, I’ll share the first part of it:

I’ve had my share of life’s ups and downs
God’s been good to me, and the downs have been few
I would guess you can say, God has blessed me
But there’s never been a time in my life, he didn’t bring me through

If anyone should ever write, my life story
For whatever reason there might be
You’d be there, between each line of pain and glory

Jesus is the best thing that ever happened
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me

I can’t call Jesus the best thing, because He’s a person, not a thing, although I can call His great salvation to me, the best thing that ever happened in my life. Even now, as I blog, thinking about how good He’s been to me, how good He is to me, how my life has absolutely changed because of Him, all I can say is Jesus is the best!

Of course, I remember when this song actually came out. I was in college, living for God, being a witness, excited about Jesus! He kept me from so much of the “college” life and helped me to be a light to some many people. I’m grateful! When this song came out, it resonated with me then as it does now, reminding me that the very best decision that I ever made was accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I remember sponsoring an event for the fraternities and sororities, and my pastor and church members came to the university, and they heard the gospel and many got saved. Wonderful memories!

Over the years I’ve experienced many great things. I have a great home life! My husband and I have been married for over 30 years. During this time, we have developed a genuine friendship, a deep love, and loving home; and although marrying him was a great decision, choosing Jesus was a better decision. Our wedding song was, “Only God Could Love You More” and that was true then and is still true today; but we are where we are at today, doing what we are doing, because God’s been so good to us! And because He’s been in every facet of our lives!

I heard on the news that people are fighting more in their homes because of this pandemic. People are getting on each other nerves. Suicide and depression is on the rise. And all I can think is, Jesus can work that out! He can bring peace in your storm and calm the raging seas. He can be the anchor of your soul, of your family, of your home!

I must admit that in close quarters, people can get on your nerves. I recently heard a song by Jonathan McReynolds named, “People” that asked God if He can heal of us people? Yes, He can! There’s nothing too hard for Him! And He specializes in dealing with people. I’m a living testimony.

At this time of year when we rejoice in the truth that our Savior is alive and well; that He was dead, but now He lives and is alive forevermore, remember how good He has been to you! I have always felt that this time of year should be filled with more rejoicing and celebration than Christmas. True, His birth was a marvelous, miraculous time, for God brought forth His Son! But His resurrection, the reason we believe, the reason we are changed, the reason we have fellowship with the Father, the reason we are blessed is Powerful! One couldn’t happen without the other, I get that! However, I love this time of the year because it is only about Jesus!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! There’s something powerful, wonderful, freeing in that Name. I encourage you today to realize how amazing He is! He truly is the absolute best that ever happened to me. Not the best thing, just simply the Best! And I am eternally grateful today! What about you? Have you made the decision to accept Him today as your personal Lord and Savior? Have you opened your heart to Him? Have you received forgiveness for your sins, thinking that you could live without Him? I can tell you today, when He becomes real to you, you’ll be echoing along with us, that giving your life to Him is the best thing that could ever happen to you!!

I am praying for all of you who read my blog. Truly! I am praying that you make it through this pandemic, and when you get on the other side, that you will not only know Him better, but that you will be the better for having experienced it. He causes all things to work together for our good! Wonderful Jesus!!