Miraculous Provision

Matthew 14:18-21 – “He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” NKJV

It’s really hard to give one verse and then to talk about a miracle. Especially since sometimes the details are the best part of the actual miracle!

Many years ago, I sat in a service listening to a missionary. He spoke of the salvations and the many wonderful people he met and ministered to. But then he began talking about a miracle that he witnessed. He shared how they had prepared food for a certain number of people but as it came time to feed them, more than double showed up. So they began praying over the food and it turned out to be more than enough. He knew Jesus had multiplied food again! I knew I wanted to know that Jesus and was the first at the altar!

By again, I’m referring to our passage for today! Jesus had a crowd following behind Him to be ministered to and He realized they were hungry. We know from other accounts that the disciples wanted them to go somewhere else and eat, but Jesus had a different plan. They saw a young lad with five loaves and two fish and Jesus said it was enough. The disciples had to have been thinking that there was no way that they could feed all of those people with so little. Yet, He did!

Jesus took the meal and blessed it. Right here is a shouting moment! Anything that Jesus blesses is going to multiply! There’s no stopping that! Then He broke the loaves of bread and gave them to the disciples and they passed it out. But in the passing it out, they never ran out. They fed five thousand men, plus the women and children that was with the men. But even if they had only feed 5,000, that’s amazing. On top of that, there were twelve baskets of food remaining. The kid not only had more than enough for lunch, but quite a bit left over for his family and to share. That’s God! More than enough!

So many people are out of work right now. We’re headed for some tough times if things don’t turn around quickly. But I just want to remind you that the One who performed this miracle in the book of Mark, is still capable of performing miracles of provision today!

I heard another time, that a young lady had taken a suitcase of clothes to an orphanage to distribute to the children. Only she saw more children then she had clothes in the suitcase. But guess what? The clothes never did run out. How’s is that possible? Jesus! And I think she took that same suitcase to other orphanages and did the same thing.

When I was in Bible school I had a roommate. We had to pay rent and tuition, and we had to eat. I was working at Pizza Inn making minimum wages and tips. (I think it was about $1.15 at the time). So we didn’t have a lot of extra anything! It was announced that we would be having a work week at the church. Men from all over the States came to work on the headquarters. I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t have any involvement with all of that. As I was leaving class, I waved to them and said hello to others, but then God spoke to me.

God told me to take them something to eat for lunch. We didn’t have a lot, but I went to our apartment, found some bread and meat and made sandwiches and Kool-aid. It just happened to be enough for the men that were working. I hadn’t even stopped to count. It just was! For the rest of the week I took them lunch every day, at my expense, and met some really nice people. But the really special thing that happened was that God told me that I would never go hungry. And I never have, although I struggled to take care of myself for several years. He’s always provided!

He may not multiply your fish and bread, but He can surely stretch your money. Or He can send you groceries. (I have heard several of those types of testimonies, also). Or someone can invite you over for dinner or pay for your food in the grocery line. He has so many creative ways of taking care of us. And I have experienced a few of them!

Another time, after I got married, I wanted to give my daughter a birthday party. But I didn’t want to ask my husband for the money because he was the only one working and I thought it would be a good time to exercise my faith. So I asked God for the money. Not long after that, we went out for ice cream and my husband spotted a wallet near my feet. It was empty of everything but money. I told the workers there that they could have my number and if the person came back looking for the wallet they could call me and I would return it. But I made it perfectly clear that they would have to be able to tell me exactly how much was in the wallet. The call never came, and I had a party for my baby on Jesus!

I am fortunate that although I am out of work, I am getting paid. (My pastor would say it is because I am a tither). I know this is nothing but God! I have experienced His goodness to me so many times that I would have just trusted Him to do some other wonderful thing in providing for us if I wasn’t getting paid. He hasn’t failed us yet, and He never will!

If you are struggling at this time in your finances, because of the coronavirus, this is a good time to use your faith. Begin to talk to the miracle worker, who can turn a little into a lot or who can turn nothing into something. He sees it as His personal responsibility to provide for us, so ask Him today for what you need! Then trust Him to provide it! Wonderful Jesus!

A Special Occassion

John 2:7-8,10-11 – “Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it…And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
NKJV

Have you ever stopped and wondered why Jesus’ first miracle was turning water to wine at a wedding? I remember when our children were younger they watched the Superbook cartoons. I believe in one of the episodes they portrayed Jesus and His disciples at the wedding in Cana; the bride and groom was upset about not having enough wine, and Mary went to Jesus. Then He turned the water to wine and the first miracle happened.

I don’t know if any of that really happened, but I do know that since this was the first miracle that Jesus performed and that this miracle is a sign that points to Him being the Son of God, that something else was going on. As I was thinking about this miracle, I had a thought that I want to share.

First, let’s begin with the miracle, water was turned to wine. Mary told Jesus of the need and He remarked that His time had not yet come, and what did this have to do with Him? (In my blog, “Faith is a Time Changer” I expound a little more on this). Mary responded by turning to the servants of the wedding and telling them to do whatever He tells them to do. This seems to be one of the first steps in getting a miracle. When you ask for a miracle, listen for instructions from Him, then obey them!

We are told that there are 6 water pots, each capable of holding about 30 gallons of water. Jesus told the servants to fill the water pots with water. They obey Him, filling the pots to the brim. He then tells them to dip water and take it to the master of the feast. (By the way, they have been celebrating for about a week already). From the time the water is dipped out of the pot to the tasting of the water, it becomes wine. Not only the water in the dipper, but in all the pots. A miracle has happened. No one has duplicated this miracle. If you want wine, you need grapes, not water!

However, I did hear a testimony of a missionary who was driving through some dangerous terrain when he ran out of gas. While praying about the situation he saw water nearby and the thought came to him that if God could turn water into wine, He could turn water into gasoline. He got out of the car, got the water and poured it into his tank! And voila! His car started and he made it safely to his destination! Please don’t do this without His instructions!!

The success of this miracle was in the obedience of the servants. Jesus gave instructions and they were followed to the letter. We don’t know why they obeyed Him, but we do know that they didn’t add to or take from His instructions. Neither did they stop to figure out why Mary asked for wine, and why He was telling them to get water. (Like some of us would gripe and complain about)!

Why a wedding for the first miracle? I was thinking about that when God reminded me of an assignment I had in Bible School. I was given an assignment to write about the motifs of the Bible. Of course, I was clueless to what a motif was and google was yet to be discovered. I waited until a few days before the assignment was due and approached my professor. (I am still a little put out with him for giving me a grade of a D, then writing on the assignment that it was because I procrastinated. Humm, my principal would have my head)!! Anyway, he explained to me that a motif is a theme or a pattern that is in the Bible.

When the Holy Spirit reminded me that He works in motifs I saw where He was going with that. Jesus started with a wedding because all that He did will end with a wedding. The wedding of the Bride of Christ! I have absolutely never thought of this before, so I will have to say I received revelation on this last night as I was thinking about this blog! And when you think about new wine, it is symbolic of the Holy Spirit! He provided new wine in abundance as He would release His Spirit in abundance upon His Bride! And water is symbolic of the word, Jesus! He can be so deep! All of this beautiful imagery of God the Father in what seems to be a simple answer to a need in someone’s life! Amazing!

This is why I believe that the first miracle, which points to Jesus as the Son of God happened at a wedding! Why did Mary have to say anything? I don’t know for sure, but I do know that she pondered every thing that she was told about her son! I believe that she recognized that it was His time and it was up to her to use her faith to help and push Him into His purpose.

This coronavirus is a terrible pandemic. What is going on around the world is hard to take in. But I believe that this is also a time of destiny for the Body of Christ. I believe that God will use all that is happening to strengthen His Bride in these last days. I also believe that for some of us, it is our time to step into our destiny for the time is getting short. If not now, then when? When we will begin to dare to believe in the Savior who gave so much for us? When will we step out into the unknown realm and dare to believe that a miracle is waiting on the other side!

I just made that leap of faith and have officially started a teaching ministry, Wonderful Jesus Ministries! The funny thing about the name is that I meant to put Ministry instead of Ministries. I had to laugh at myself and say to the Lord, “How did I make that mistake? I don’t have a ministry let alone, ministries!” Anyway, during this time off I am using it for good, to identify what I am being called to do with this ministry, to spend time in prayer and fasting about it, and to send out words of encouragement and teachings to those of you who read my blog. Thanks for your continued support and know that I covet your prayers for this ministry! Wonderful Jesus!

This is Such a Time!

Esther 4:13-14 -“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” NKJV

Today’s updates on the coronavirus are showing signs of decrease in China and increase in the United States, and everything in between around the world. In the natural, this virus is bringing the world to a solemn state of affairs. But there is good news! God saw this day afar off and made provision through Jesus!

In 1918-19, the world experienced a similar pandemic. According to the CDC website: “…efforts worldwide were limited to non-pharmaceutical-interventions such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use of disinfectants, and limitations of public gatherings, which were applied unevenly.” One hundred years later, with all the technological advances, we are still using the same methods? Go figure!

Mordecai and the Jewish people were facing a genecide of epic proportions and he needed the queen, his niece, to help with a solution. He asked her for help and she told him that it could cost her life to go to the king. Mordecai responded with the above verse, I’ll paraphrase: “Don’t think that you won’t be found out and killed also. This thing will affect us all. But if you don’t say or do anything, then God will just have to use someone else to deliver us. But have you even stopped to consider that God placed you in the palace for such a time as this?”

Where are you today? Are you in a business, a hospital, a university, a community, a church, or a government facility? ( I think most everything else is closed!) Are those around you antsy, wondering what will happen to them, to their families, to the world as we know it? Are they getting scared, worried, concerned about their finances or their eternity? Well, that’s okay, because you have the answer to the question! It was for such a time as this, that you were placed where you are! And since you know Jesus, your responsibility is to share the love of God and the gospel to those around you!

This is your time to let your light shine! To do what you have been getting equipped to do during all of those Bible studies and Sunday morning worship services! Shine! If someone is worried about their future, offer them Jesus, pray with them. If they are concerned about having enough provision, let them know that they will be alright! He still multiplies fish!

Sticking our heads in the sand and acting like nothing is going on, or worrying about ourselves (like Esther did at first) is not helping anything or anyone. We are in this earth to be a light set upon a hill. A candle on a candlestick. And we must be willing to hear the facts about what is going on and to share what God’s word has to say on the matter! No hiding allowed! And the beautiful thing is, you can do it with social distancing! It worked one hundred years ago and we are counting on it to help us now! Don’t over spiritualize this and feel that because you are a Christian or believe in healing, you are exempt from social distancing.

Maybe you can go and get groceries for someone who is in quarantine for the virus, you don’t have to stay and visit. Do a shop and drop, it’ll go a long way in sharing His love. Maybe someone has been infected that you know, you can tell them that you’ll call and check on them and pray for them, you’re available! Maybe someone just need to share what’s going on in their life, what’s on their heart, offer to listen, then give them God’s counsel! Whatever those in your sphere of influence need, know that you are placed there for such a time as this! Remembering that you also help as you adhere to the things we are being asked to do: washing our hands, sanitizing our areas and the things we use, staying at home! It’s not a lack of faith, it’s a blessing to not be a carrier of the disease or to be exposed to it!!! So if you don’t know, please keep your distance!

Daily, we’re checking on each, encouraging each other to keep the faith! To trust God with all the uncertainties. Don’t be flaky, or act superior, or like a religious nut, just be the best caring, praying, loving you, you can be for His Glory! And don’t get offended when people want to give you an air bump or just a wave. This is your opportunity to be an Esther in someone’s life. You can do it!!

I am going to begin looking at the miracles of Jesus! I love reading and talking about them. Come along with me in the days to come (I just found out my time home has increased!) while I begin to focus on the Miracle Worker and His works! Too much attention to what the devil is stirring up isn’t good for any of us and if I am going to look at the virus on a regular basis, then I have to look at the One who is greater than the virus just as much! Wonderful Jesus!

My Favorite Healing Scriptures

At first, I was just going to include a list of my favorite healing scriptures; but as I was editing them the Lord spoke to my spirit and told me to tell you why they are favorites of mine. He also reminded me that when I first started using them He had to teach me to use them, so instead of just a list, I will explain a few things.

Exodus 15:26 – “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” NKJV -This is the scripture in the Word where God first reveals Himself as Jehovah-Rapha the God that heals. Knowing and using this scripture is a foundation for divine health.

Exodus 23:25 – “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.” NKJV- I really like this scripture. I use it to command sickness to leave someone’s body, or my own, and I “see” God driving it out!

Psalm 103:2-3 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,” NKJV- This scripture is foundational. It reminds us that the same Blood that purchased our salvation, purchased our healing. I did a blog called “The Children’s Bread” that explains our benefit packet of healing. Check it out!

Isaiah 53:4-5 – “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” NKJV- This scripture is foundational also! We must realize that the Blood of Jesus purchased healing and salvation, and as simple as it is to receive salvation, it is just as easy to receive healing.

1 Peter 2:24 – “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.” NKJV-This scripture is a New Testament confirmation of what Isaiah 53:4-5 shared with us about healing and salvation. It’s in our covenant!

Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” NKJV-Some say healing isn’t for today, but Jesus went about healing because God was with Him. And if we are His, and God is with us, we should be seeing the same things Jesus saw! Also, the devil is the author of sickness and disease, not God. (If you think God gave it to you, then don’t pray to be healed from it because you are fighting His will!) Go figure! He wants you whole!

Romans 8:11 – “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” NKJV- I really love this verse. Since I am a believer in Christ, and His Spirit is on the inside of me, I fully expect His Spirit to quicken, or make alive my mortal body!

Psalm 107:20 – “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” NKJV- God sent His Word, and the Word became flesh, and that Word is Jesus. Both scriptures and Jesus is where we find our healing and deliverance! God sent both! Or one and the same!

Psalm 119:49-50 – “Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.” NKJV-God’s word-Genesis to Revelation- is what I have come to hope on. Although portions of it are specific to different needs, I hope in His Word. But I always remember Exodus 15:26 and Isaiah 53:4-5 and this point! It’s what I am standing; that He is my Healer and it is my comfort and my deliverance when sickness attacks!

Proverbs 3:7-8 – “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.” NKJV- Don’t think that you can live a life of sin and stand on the promises. God’s word, I say all of it, is health to your flesh and strength to your bones!

Jeremiah 33:6 – “Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.” NKJV- This verse demonstrates God’s willingness to heal!

Matthew 8:2-3 – “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” NKJV-This is another verse that demonstrates that Jesus was willing to heal and He still is. There is no verse that tells us that He changed His mind! Only verses that tells us that He wills to heal us!

Matthew 8:7 – “And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’” NKJV-Jesus will heal!

Matthew 14:14 – “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.”
NKJV-Jesus heals the sick. His compassion never fails us! We can call on Him and He will respond.

Mark 5:34 – “And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.’” NKJV-Faith is the currency of the kingdom. If you can believe it, you can receive it!

3 John 1:2 – “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” NKJV-This is the sum of it all! God wants us to be in health as our soul prospers! Think of it like this, your mind has to be transformed to believe that you can be healed and as your soul receives this truth, your body will respond with health.

The Medicine Cabinet

Proverbs 4:20-22 – “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.” NKJV

Have you ever stopped to really listen to commercials selling pharmaceutical drugs? It can really be laughable if it wasn’t so alarming. A well known drug for allergies can cause severe allergic reactions, severe dizziness and trouble breathing. A medication for high blood pressure can cause a loss of potassium, leg cramps, gout and the need for other medications. Other side effects are depression, cold hands and feet, insomnia, symptoms of asthma, and in some cases, kidney failure. Some times I have to wonder if we are not better off without the medicines since the side effects that accompany these medications are often worst.

Thanks be to God that there is a medicine that have long lasting, eternal side effects that are not harmful to your physical body! The Word of God! I’ll talk more about that in a minute.

Now all medications come with instructions. Some require that it be taken four times a day, while others may just be daily! The medicine of God’s word is the same. It comes with instruction! In our verse for today, the writer encourages us to pay attention to His words. Now we understand that we are paying attention to the word of God when we are reading and meditating on it. After paying attention to the word, we are to be willing to learn all that we can from it. If you have never heard this before, be willing to learn what the word teaches about healing. We are to keep the word in our sight and to keep it in the center of our heart. Again, this is not a passive or just for the moment attention to the word. It is a commitment to the word. All of these instructions are for how we are to take the word to get the best results!

Then he tells us what the results are for taking the word: they are life to those who find them, and health and healing to all of their flesh! Healing means I am getting healed from some attack on my body, and health means that I am kept from a need to be healed. So the word of God produces life, health, and healing to those who find them; both present and future results of allowing the word to be your medicine.

In God’s medicine cabinet, what we call the Bible, are countless scriptures regarding His promise to heal us. One of the most well-known scriptures on healing is found in Exodus 15:26-“…For I am the Lord who heals you.” Another favorite of mine and well known verse is Isaiah 53:5- “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” In this blog, I can only mention a few of my favorites, but you can do a search for healing scriptures and get an entire list of them. Also, you can probably look up a YouTube video of someone reading them, so I won’t redo what you can find elsewhere.

I do, however, want to return to the instructions on taking the word. No one told me anything but to get the healing scriptures and to confess them over myself. (I actually own Kenneth Hagin’s “Healing Scriptures” in hard copy and ebook.) But through the years I have developed some “techniques” for taking the medicine of God’s Word that I will share.

• First, I get a list of healing scriptures. I either grab a book off my shelf or google a list. Sometimes I just go from my memory of the scriptures.

• Then, I begin to worship Him and thank Him for the validity of His Word, for His faithfulness to His word, for His healing power throughout the years, etc.

• I then go through the list one verse at a time, making it very personal. For example: “ Lord, you promised in Your Word that if I would obey You and Your word that You wouldn’t allow the sickness and disease that is on the world to come upon me. That You would reveal Yourself and be to me the Lord that heals! I am so thankful for that and I receive that Word as truth. As I have endeavored to obey Your word, I have placed myself in right standing with you to be healed. I receive it for myself, or my family, or my friend right now in Jesus’ Name! And I continue to go through the list of verses in like manner.

• As I am going through the list, I will come upon a verse that will quicken me. It is at this verse that I will stop and camp. Let’s say that the verse is 1 Peter 2:24 today. Then I will begin to stand with tenacity on that verse. I will remind my body that Jesus hung on the cross and carried this thing in His Body on the cross so that I wouldn’t have to bear it, so I fully resist it! I will remind my body that when He died on the cross it was in order for me to be dead to my sins and therefore dead to sickness and disease! As I live in Him I am the righteousness of God and I live to righteousness. So irrespective to what sin the devil wants to hold charge against me, I plead the Blood and I decree that I am righteous! Now sickness and disease you leave my Body, you are trespassing and I command you to go!

• If the symptoms don’t leave immediately, I don’t say or think, this isn’t working! I just keep attacking each symptom with God’s word knowing that it will bow to the uncompromising word of God! This medicine is strong! It goes between joints and marrow, it is quick and powerful, it’s sharper than a two-edge sword. There is no defense against the Word of God. Nothing can withstand it when it is wielded properly. So start swinging the sword of the Word at this coronavirus today! I know I am!

Now back to side effects! The side effects of the word of God is that the more you use it, the more you will want to use it. The more you see it work in your life, the more you will apply it to your life. The more you take it, the stronger your physical and spiritual beings will become. And most importantly, the stronger your trust, and therefore, your relationship with God will become! Then as your faith grows, you will be able to reach out to others who are sick and share your medicine with them because your doctor, the Great Physician won’t mind at all. In fact, He will highly recommend it!

If I could write a blog that wouldn’t be extremely long, and potentially boring to you, I would go through all of my healing scriptures and tell you some things I have seen, maybe in shorter doses I can. But let me share this quick testimony:

Our daughter inherited eczema through her dad’s bloodline. And after years of us putting creams on it and praying over it, she had had enough. As a matter of fact, she came to me and said that I didn’t pray over her like I prayed over the people at the church and she wanted to be healed! So the Lord gave me the strategy of us combating it daily with the word. One day I would have a verse, the next day she would, and we would pray that verse over her. Then, one day we prayed and it was a wrap! No more was she tormented in her flesh with that skin rash. Not only that, but her skin cleared up! She was made free! The word works! Don’t let the devil try and convince you that it doesn’t!

At this time, while we are gearing up in America for more and more cases of the coronavirus, and other countries are dealing with the heart of it, I think we should gear up for our vaccine against it! Get into God’s medicine cabinet today, and get His word working on your behalf! He has carried your sins and diseases and with His stripes, you were HEALED! Wonderful Jesus!

*

There Is A Name!

Ephesians 1:21 – “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” NKJV

The News is buzzing every day, all day, on every channel about the coronavirus. I get that we need to be kept informed of all that is happening and am personally watching the news and listening for any changes that are taking place in the world. But there comes a point when we have to shut out all of the negative news and remind ourselves of the truth of God’s word!

This morning, as I was waking up, a song popped in my head, “There Is a Name” by Byron Cage. (I just finished listening to it for the fourth or fifth time today!) I’ve not been able to shake it from my spirit and so I knew I just had to remind you, as the Lord reminded me today, there is a Name, Jesus!

Paul wrote in Ephesians regarding Jesus, that He is seated in heavenly places far above all principality, power, might, and dominion, and above every name that is named! Coronavirus is a name, and He is above the name of coronavirus!!

Today, we have officially began our “at home” stay because of the coronavirus with the expectation of returning to work/school at the end of the month. However, before leaving the school today, the President gave a press conference in which he stated that this may go on til July! That is mind boggling!

We can accept all that he and the scientists of the world say as truth, or we can accept what God has said is truth. Jesus is the Name above every name. At His Name, every knee must bow! We can become afraid of coronavirus or we can command it to bow to the Name of Jesus! I believe that we can take a stand against this diabolical attack against our world in Jesus’ Name and command this virus to dry up and dissipate!

You might be asking, “What makes you think that it will be any different for America, then it was for the other nations?” I have an answer! Remember Sennacherib’s messenger to Hezekiah, and how he asked Hezekiah the same thing? Well, I do! He told Hezekiah that things didn’t work out too well for those other countries and so there was no point in him thinking that they would work out differently for Judah. But Hezekiah dared to believe that God was still keeping covenant with His people and cried out to Him. And God delivered him and Judah from Sennacherib!

I say to you tonight, stop focusing on the bad reports! Should you take precautions? I think you should! Should you honor the quarantine? I plan to because I believe it is the right thing to do. But am I planning on sitting back waiting to be struck down, or waiting for those I know and love to be struck down? I don’t think so!

We have what the world needs right now! This is our time to show that we are serving the One and True Living God and that we are readily placing our trust in Him! Jesus doesn’t have the answer to the coronavirus, Jesus is the Answer! His Name is above coronavirus, meaning that His Name has greater authority than the name of coronavirus.

As we were preparing to leave our class today I mentioned the coronavirus to my students. I wanted to make sure they understood why we were leaving school for the next two weeks. One of my students said, we need to pray about this! I wish I could’ve stopped and prayed right there on the spot with him but since he made an observation and not a request, I agreed and kept it moving!

Church of God….we need to pray! And we need to keep praying and speaking words of life over ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, and our nations! We’ve been given the Name that can counter what coronavirus is doing. Let’s use it in faith, knowing…there is a Name!!! And it hasn’t lost it’s power! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!!

The Miracle Worker

Luke 23:8 -Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. NKJV

In 1962, a movie was released called “The Miracle Worker”. This movie was based on Helen Keller’s life, a child who became both blind and deaf after a bout with a high fever in her infancy. When she became a young child, her parents were encouraged to institutionalize her, but they decided to try a tutor from a school for the blind as a last resort. As you know, if you have heard the story or seen the movie, Anne Sullivan, dubbed “the miracle worker” became Helen’s teacher and lifelong friend, after being able to reach through the deadness of her mind, teaching her to communicate through ASL and Braille. A life that was spiraling out of control became a great testament to the power of love and having the right teacher.

Isaiah 9:6- “For unto us a child was born”…, and He became the greatest teacher of all, the true miracle worker. In less than four years of earthly ministry, He did so many miracles that John said there were not enough books to contain it all. But in God’s word, we get a real insight into who this great miracle worker was and is, and we are left knowing that with a powerful love and an amazing ability to teach, He changed the course of mankind forever!

Herod was so excited to finally see Jesus. He had heard about Him from others, but now he would see Him for himself. The scripture tells us that Herod wanted to see Jesus because he was hoping to see Jesus perform a miracle: maybe He would open some blind eyes, or open some ears, or create a new limb, it didn’t matter, he just wanted to see something happen. But Jesus did not perform a miracle for Herod that day, leaving Herod disappointed, somewhat disillusioned, and even angry!

People have not changed today. They still want to see the Miracle Worker. They still want to see a performance or be awed, or even entertained by some great feat, some wondrous occurrence. Some chase around the world, others run from church to church, still others, chase behind an individual to glimpse the miracle worker, and when He won’t perform for them, they too walk away disillusioned, disappointed and even angry.

But can I tell you what Herod missed, that others are still missing today? Jesus was and is the Miracle! To have an opportunity to see Him, to hear of Him, to discover that you are loved of Him is a miracle. Herod didn’t realize that the One who came to save him from an eternity spent in hell was before him and he was looking for entertainment. He didn’t understand that knowing Him was far better than seeing Him do any kind of feat, and he was about to miss his moment of visitation. But that’s exactly what happened, he missed out on a relationship with the Living God because he was looking for the wrong thing, a performance!

Even in the church world, we are looking for a performance. We think that if we can do this, then God will do that! If we can get there, then God will perform that. We believers, and even those in the world, are still looking for the Miracle Worker to perform for us, when He is still waiting for us to just want Him!

I am one who believe in miracles. I look forward to hearing about the miracles people have received and those done through God’s people. I love the environment in a service when God moves on someone’s behalf and grant them a miracle. And I just love watching Him do Him and be Him. But a long time ago I met the Miracle Worker. He was more awesome than Anne Sullivan and still is. She pales in comparison! Jesus, the real miracle worker, reached through the deadness of my soul and, although I was blind, He didn’t teach me to operate in my blindness, but He gave me sight to see that I was in need of a savior, Him! I was deaf, and He didn’t teach me to hear with my senses, but He taught me to hear with my spirit what He has to say to me through His word! He took my life of chaos and dysfunction and turned it into a life of productivity filled with love, hope, and opportunities! And through the power of love and great teaching He has transformed my life and the lives of so many others. Isn’t that miraculous?!

At this critical time, when our world needs untold miracles to get us to the other side of this pandemic, I want to say that we serve the Miracle Worker! It’s not enough to come to Him for a divine intervention in this pandemic, although He should be your first point of contact; but you must come to Him because He is the only One who can bring you hope in the midst of so much turmoil! He doesn’t want to be known by you as one who seeks Him only for what He can do for you, for what He can show you, for what He can perform for you, no more than He was interested in performing for Herod. But He can and will do miracles, great things, amazing things for those who are seeking to know Him, the only true Miracle Worker, for who He is!

At this time of great panic and deep concerns for the well being of our world, seek the Miracle Worker! He can save you! He can heal you! He can set you free! And the greatest news of all is, He will! If you can believe! You may already be disappointed, disillusioned, and even angry over this pandemic, but I encourage you to turn you heart to Jesus, the only real Miracle Worker and watch Him move on your behalf and in your situation changing your heart and mind as He has done for so many others! Wonderful Jesus!

Healing of the Nations

2 Chronicles 7:14 -If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. KJV

I am finding it hard to conceptualize the far reaching arm of the coronavirus. It almost doesn’t seem real! But God’s word is as relevant today as it was when these words were spoken to Solomon! I am sure many are already praying, but I wanted my followers and readers to know that I am also praying:

Father God, You are as awesome as You have ever been and for that I say thanks! I give You honor as I lift up the nations in regards to this virus that is spreading worldwide.

You said that if Your people would humble themselves and pray…So I humble myself tonight Father and I pray against this terrible attack against mankind. It could be that we as a world have sinned terribly and have opened ourselves up for this onslaught against the people. It could be that the enemy is trying to stop the spread of the gospel. It could be a lot of things and unless you tell me, I don’t know.

But I do know that I can pray. I pray right now, in the Name that is above “coronavirus”, the Name of Jesus that You will bring this to end. I pray that as You give wisdom to those who are working non-stop to deal with this in the natural realm that You will also give us wisdom as we pray to deal with it in the supernatural realm.

I lift up the nations that have already seen so many become infected, even those nations where people are dying, and I pray that You will step in and bring relief, comfort and healing. I pray that You will protect those who have no way of knowing if they have been exposed to the virus and those who have no way of getting medical help. I ask that You, the Great Physician will step in with Your divine healing and protection.

I ask Father, that as we pray, that a spirit of peace will replace a spirit of chaos; that a spirit of faith will take the place of the spirit of fear; that You will do a worldwide miracle; and that as we, Your ambassadors are moving in our sphere of influences that we will be that light in the midst of this darkness, assuring others of Your Great Love, praying for the sick, assisting where needed!

I pray for those in quarantine that this will be a productive time for them of getting to know their families and even You better; that they will allow what is meant to bring them discouragement to bring them great joy and peace in Your Presence. I pray for quick recoveries of those who are ill and protection for those who are not! Let resources begin to pour into cities, villages, towns, and even nations!

I pray that as You reveal to us, what is going on, that we will hear, repent if need be, and embrace Your grace. And if we don’t get clarity that we will trust that You are working things out for our good! Then I ask that You bring healing not only to the people, but to our lands. Let not the enemy have his way in this situation, I pray, but arise and scatter him and his cohorts.

And Father, I want You to know that I believe that Your goodness is in full operation, even in the midst of this and if we dare to believe that and trust it, we shall see Your deliverance. In Jesus’ Name I pray! Amen! Wonderful Jesus!

A Matter of the Heart!

Key Text: Psalm 119:10-With my whole heart I have sought You…

When was the last time that you were able to say like David that you sought the Lord with your whole heart? I don’t know about you but I can say with a certainty that every prayer that I pray is not prayed with my whole heart. As I am studying, how to pray effectively, I am taking this time to be honest before the Lord about my prayer life. I am allowing the Holy Spirit to shed light on those prayers that have been answered and those prayers that have not been answered so that I have more answered prayers than not. I have decided that the fault of unanswered prayer lie at my door and not at His. It is with that in mind that I write this blog.

William Penn was an English Quaker best known for founding the colony of Pennsylvania as a place for religious freedom in America. He was a minister, missionary, lawyer, and a journalist. Charles Finney, in his autobiography quoted this saying from William Penn:

For nothing reaches the heart but what is from the heart or pierces the conscience but what comes from a living conscience.—William Penn

This quote resonated with me reminding me of the truth of God’s word regarding prayer. If it doesn’t touch my heart, it probably doesn’t touch the heart of God. David’s statement, in the above scripture, is an echo of a truth regarding prayer that is often overlooked: we are to pray with our whole heart! Not our physical organ of a heart, but with our spiritual heart.

The word “heart” comes from the Hebrew word “lebab ” and is used to depict the inner man. It is also used to refer to the seat of desire, inclination, or will of an individual. When thinking of the heart as the seat of my desires it causes me to think of praying being all in, or fully engaged. When I think of engagement in prayer, I am thinking of things like, is my mind fully engaged in this prayer or am I thinking about other things? Do I care if this prayer is answered or not; how important to me is the answer? Do I truly believe that I am communing with the Father, or am I just going through an exercise? These questions and some others you may think of are important in dealing with praying with our whole heart.

The psalms are songs, but many of them are also prayers. As I was looking at the subject of heartfelt prayers I came upon this verse written by David:

Psalm 35:13-14- But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth; I put myself out and fasted; I can pray that what I prayed for them might also happen to me. I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother; I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother. CJB

David is reminiscing about his times of prayer for others. He recalls how when they were sick, he fasted on their behalf and cried out to the Lord. David said that he prayed for them basically as if he was praying for himself. He wanted God to intervene on their situation as he would have wanted God to do it for him. This is praying with one’s whole heart. Most of us can probably go there when we have a serious situation going on in our lives, but how many of us can do that when something is going on in someone else’s life?

Through the years I have had the privilege of praying for many who were sick. When I pray for the sick at home, I am all in, asking God for greater anointing to get them healed, for a time when there is no sick amongst us, for miracles to break out amongst His people in a greater way. I recall one of my earlier times when I prayed for someone who was sick. I was in the grocery store when I came upon a woman having a seizure. She looked at me and was able to get that out to me. I caught her as she was falling, knelt beside her and began to pray with an urgency! I took authority over that demonic seizure spirit, bound his activity and commanded him to leave. The crowd was gathering and I heard someone say call 911; but I just kept my focus on her deliverance and kept praying. I remembered when my baby had been diagnosed with abnormal seizure activity and I got mad at the devil! So I prayed. A few minutes later her body calmed, she got up and thanked me and we both continued to shop for our groceries. Glory to God!

Another time I was at a conference when I passed a group of women praying for a lady who was in great pain; and I heard her say she was considering leaving the conference. I had to go to restroom and since I was just an attendee, I continued on my way. But I said to the Lord that I would go over there and pray if she was still there when I returned, because it looked like they needed help. I began to join my faith with them as I went to the restroom, praying in the Spirit. When I returned, they were still praying so I walked over, asked if I could pray, and they said yes. She was made free because of His faithfulness to His Word! He is the God that Heals! I believe those women were praying with all of their heart for their friend, I just know that sometimes we can all use a little help!

This isn’t always the results that I get. This is why I am studying prayer. Can I just be honest and say that I study it whenever I begin to feel frustration in my prayer life? I want to be more effective and get greater and more consistent results. Even now when I pray for people I see them get healed, especially of pain, but not all of them get healed. Some have died and gone on to be with the Lord. Some have had miraculous turn arounds! Thank God for that! But my heart is that not a single person live a single day longer in sickness than they have to, and they stop dying of sickness and disease. Just go to sleep and go home after a ripe old age and a fulfilled life! Glory be to God!!

I get what William Penn said that if prayer doesn’t touch my heart that it won’t touch the Father’s heart. I want to pray every prayer with my whole heart. Most often than not, that will be in my private time or in corporate prayer so that when someone needs me to pray for them, I can boldly stand in faith and decree their victory as if it was my victory! It’s simply a matter of the heart! Wonderful Jesus!

What Do You Want?

Matthew 20:32 – So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” NKJV

Jesus was leaving Jericho on this particular day, and of course He was surrounded by people. As He walked along the street there were two blind men sitting on the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing they cried out to Him for mercy. Some in the crowd told them to be quiet, but they got louder and cried out again for mercy.

How many times have you prayed for God’s mercy when what you needed was finances, or healing, or some other thing? God’s mercy is His compassion towards mankind. The Hebrew word for mercy is eleéō, and means “to compassionate (by word or deed, specially, by divine grace) (The Blue Bible). I personally believe that all of God’s responses to us is because of His compassion towards us. But His compassion or mercy is so endless that we need to refine our request for results that matter.

All too often when we pray we are general and have a tendency of being repetitive and full of religious sayings. We go through life wondering how we can be so faithful in praying and yet we lack results in our prayers being answered. We can get loud and emotional, we clap and stomp and say “Father God! In the Name of Jesus, and other phrases to fill our prayer time, and leave tired from the activity with no assurance of our prayers being answered. Jesus said that when we pray, we are not to use vain repetitions. Matthew 6:7- “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” When I read this verse, it helped me to see that I really did need to listen to make some changes in the way that I was praying.

In our scripture we have these two men, crying out for mercy. When Jesus stops and asks them what do they want Him to do for them they don’t ask for mercy! Isn’t that surprising that they have been yelling for mercy, but now that they have His attention, they are no longer asking for mercy? No! They ask for their eyes to be opened! And Jesus opened their eyes! He showed them mercy when He opened their eyes, but He could have shown them mercy without ever opening their eyes. They were specific in what they wanted and they got exactly what they wanted.

Our verse for today, share an important ingredient in praying effectively. That simple truth is this, that we are to be specific in our prayers. In dealing with my children when they were small, I often had to try and figure out what they wanted. My second born was a fast talker when she was a toddler and some times she would talk so fast I couldn’t understand what she was saying. On one occasion she was going at it and I kept asking her what did she want. Finally, her big sister said to me that she wanted some water. I said that she was not asking for water. Then my oldest turned to her and asked, “Didn’t you say you wanted water?” She said yes with her head bobbing enthusiastically. To this day, I still think that she just agreed with her because it was her big sister, but the point is that I couldn’t help her until I knew what she wanted.

1 John 5:14-15 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

It’s also important to ask. This word for petition is aiteo in the Greek. It means to be adamant in requesting and even demanding assistance in meeting tangible needs. This doesn’t mean being disrespectful to the Lord, but it does mean that you can respectfully ask God for what you want, and when you are specific in your request that is based on the word of God, you can boldly ask and expect that you will receive what you want from the Lord.

This type of praying is known as petition praying and it’s all about being specific in our request. The Greek word aitema is a form of the word ask, and it means specific, exact, explicit, precise, and detailed request. This request is so thorough that there is no misunderstanding of what is being asked and expected. This picture of prayer is so detailed that it is a bona fide petition that has been submitted to the Father.

Some in the Body teach that we should write down our prayers and be specific about what we want so that we can recognize when we get the answer. I am really bad at that and am working to get better, but the really important things are hard to forget.

Over the years I have learned two very important things about praying. The first is to ask! Jesus won’t always ask you what do you want! But He is always available to hear our requests! The second is to be specific. If you want to be healed of something, be specific about that. If you want finances for something, tell Him what you need. You might ask, “Doesn’t He already know what you want or need! Yes, He does. But asking is part of the receiving. Until next time! Wonderful Jesus!