Wonderful Jesus!

Category: Faith

• Are You Drawing God?

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 4, 2021

  Luke 4:25-27 – But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” NKJV

  

  are-you-drawing-god_.mp3

  Welcome to 2021! I’m so thankful to see the new year, and I am looking forward to all that God has for us as His people.

  I was reading in the fourth chapter of Luke when I read our text for today. I was actually considering another portion of this chapter when these verses resonated with me.

  Jesus had just finished reading from what we call Isaiah 61. He then announce that this scripture had been fulfilled in Him that day. As usual, there were many who were opposed to Him and His words. Then He made the comment that a prophet is without honor in His hometown.

  After He made this comment, He said something very interesting that I would like to focus on today. Jesus told the listeners that when Elijah was the prophet of God and there was a famine in the land, God sent Elijah to a widow to be taken care of. He went on to say that even though there were many widows in Israel, God chose a widow in Zarephath. This was an insult to the Jews in that this widow was a Gentile. Let’s review her encounter with Elijah!

  God sent Elijah away from Israel to hide out from Ahab because Elijah told Ahab that there would be a drought in the land of Israel for three years, according to his word. Not a drop of rain, not even dew. Since the Israelites livelihood was based on agriculture, this lack of rain would create monumental problems in their society. Not only would there be a drought, but this would cause a famine that would affect this entire region. (1 Kings 17)

  When Elijah arrived in Zarephath he saw a widow gathering sticks and asked her for a cup of water. As she was going to get the water, he also asked for a morsel of bread. The woman replied that she didn’t have bread, and she only had a little flour and a little oil to prepare one last meal for her and her son. Then they would eat it and die. Things were really tight for her. By the time Elijah had arrived in Zarephath the drought was taking a toll on the land. Every one was feeling it. As a widow, with no one to support her, she was really struggling to find enough to keep her and he son fed. And since we know that she felt she was preparing her last meal, she had run out of options.

  Traditionally, we use this as an offering scripture. We talk about this widow as one who sacrificed for the prophet and therefore she was blessed. And this could be applicable to her story. But Jesus gives us another perspective on this woman.

  Jesus said that Elijah was sent to this woman. During the famine, there were a lot of widows who were struggling, but this woman in Zarephath was the woman that got God’s attention, causing Him to send the prophet on a very long journey to get to her and give her a miracle. Yes, this was about Elijah being sustained during the drought by her, but I believe it was about her as much as it was about him. And giving an offering was not the main point of the event.

  2 Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…NKJV

  What caused the God of the universe, the God who was in covenant relationship with the Jews, to bypass the widows of His people, and to send Elijah to Zarephath? God had told Elijah to leave Israel and to go to Zarephath. Before He sent Elijah to Zarephath, He sent Elijah to a brook to be fed by the ravens. He is a Jewish prophet, being fed bread and meat, twice a day, by an unclean animal. God is preparing him to be sustained by the Gentile widow since he probably had little dealings with the Gentiles. After the brook dries up, He sends Elijah to Zarephath. God could have easily protected Elijah and provided for him in Israel, as He did at the brook, but God sent him away. Back to why I think Elijah was sent to this particular woman: God saw something in this widow that drew Him to her.

  Here’s the point that I think Jesus was making. God passed a lot of widows in Israel to get to the one in Zarephath. And if that wasn’t enough, He went to a Gentile. All of the widows had needs in Israel, but only the widow of Zarephath got the attention of the Father, and therefore, the servant of God. Jesus was speaking to a crowd of Jewish individuals who were acting as if He, the son of Joseph, couldn’t really have anything of spiritual value for them. They knew Him, and His entire “earthly” family. Not only that, Joseph, His earthly father, was not a rabbi, but a mere carpenter. And yet, Jesus stood before them and said that He was their Messiah! What? And did He just slam them and their Jewishness by pointing out that God overlooked their widows and provided for a Gentile widow at the command of a Jewish prophet? These were stoning words!

  They took great offense at Him saying this. In the days of Elijah, when he declared a drought for three years, the people of God were in a spiritual drought. They weren’t listening to God, seeking God, or available to God, because their hearts had been turned towards Baal. So when God needed someone to minister to His servant Elijah, He just went to the Gentiles, where there was a woman who (for whatever reason) caught His attention.

  Due to the fact that she was preparing for her and her son to die, it doesn’t look like she had any faith. When she was asked by Elijah to make him something to eat before she made them something to eat, she probably wanted to keep walking. Then Elijah spoke these words:

  1 Kings 17:14 -For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”NKJV

  I don’t know what she had before Elijah spoke these words. I don’t know where she was at in her thinking as she stood there. But when she heard the words of the prophet, Elijah, I believe hope and faith kicked into high gear, propelling her to do as Elijah requested. The Bible states that she went and did as he asked; and it happened as he said. They had flour and oil throughout the remainder of the drought.

  God gave this widow a life changing miracle. He didn’t provide her with food for a day or even a week. He provided her with enough flour and oil to feed the three of them for the remainder of the drought! That’s something to shout about!

  We have seen some turbulent times in 2020, and we may see more in 2021; but they don’t have to be the focal point of our lives. We can decide for ourselves, if we are going to be people who will draw God’s attention and cause Him to move on our behalf, or if we will be the ones He will pass over.

  It doesn’t matter how long you have been a Christian, and it doesn’t matter what your denomination is. It matters only what you believe at the time you are before Him. Yesterday’s faith won’t take care of today’s situations. You need a right now faith to draw God’s attention to you. A faith that says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name”!

  Faith moves the hand of God. It moved His hand in Zarephath when He found no one worthy in Israel, and it will move His hand on our behalf. And another important truth, faith without works is dead! More to come in the next blog. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, God, Jesus, miracle, trust in God | 0 Comments | Tagged Faith, hard times, hope, Jesus, miracles, miraculous, protection, provision, stoning, testimony, the Pharisees, widow of Zarephath, witness

• Change Your World!

  Posted at 10:58 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on September 20, 2020

  Hebrews 11:3 -Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. KJV

  

  * When I posted this yesterday, somehow it posted for earlier this month and I had to search for it. My apologies for the late posting!

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  Have you ever had a situation in life that you didn’t understand? Well, if you haven’t, I have had enough of them to share some with you! It is doing those times of difficulties and confusion that we find it hard to believe God; however, if you remain true to Him during those times, you will find that He is truly God, and that He can change your world!

  Years ago, I was reading something Rick Renner wrote in regards to this verse, that has stuck with me. Rick said that when we look at this verse, we think about creation being formed by the word of God, where He caused something to appear out of nothing. He went on to explain, and you may need to read it from him to really get it, that it means something totally different. Basically, he stated that the Hall of Faith is written about people who changed their world, by faith in the word of God. I think that is not only an interesting point of view, but a biblical sound point of view.

  There was Abraham, the father of faith, and the patriarch of Israel. At God’s word, he left Ur and went into a land that he didn’t know. As he obeyed the word that God gave him, a whole nation of people were born, changing the world as he knew it. Out of a barren woman, came forth a nation that is still in existence today! Abraham chose to believe God, and the world was changed because of it.

  Take Joseph. God gave Joseph two dreams. In the dreams, his family bowed to him. Even being in slavery didn’t stop Joseph from trusting God’s plan for his life. Not only did his dream come to pass, but Joseph ended up saving his family, and thus the nation of Israel. But here’s something that jumped out at me, his brothers sold him into slavery, and his brother’s families were in slavery for over 400 years! God’s word to a young man literally changed his world, causing him to be the head and not the tail, in the land of his enslavement. And it changed the world in which he lived!

  My all time favorite world changer is Jesus. He’s still changing the world today! However, I will use my next favorite person to seal the deal. Paul! Paul didn’t start out with a love for Jesus, or His message. As a matter of fact, he persecuted the believers. But one day he was literally knocked to his knees by an encounter with the Savior. As a result, his world was changed, the church world was changed, and the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. God gave him a word, and that word changed everything about his life and in his life!

  World changers are people who are not encumbered with their past, or their present, but only in what they believe. Here are a few people from our immediate history I am sure you remember:

  George Washington Carver, born a slave, wasn’t moved by the fact that Black people were considered less than human, illiterate, and incapable of thinking for themselves. He was moved by his love for agriculture and his faith that he could help his people make a living. In the process, he changed the agricultural world. The records show that he was a man of faith who trusted God with even his scientific discoveries. Did he experience challenges and setbacks? You bet he did! But he changed his world, with a word from God!

  Harriet Tubman learned to hear the voice of God. One day God told her to run! As she obeyed His voice, she found her way up North, and freedom from slavery. His same voice, led her back South, enabling her to free over 300 others, never getting caught. She changed her world, their world, and eventually the world in which she lived. How? By a word from God!

  These individuals didn’t have an easy life. They didn’t have anything to start with. They didn’t even start out as world changers. They went through great challenges and setbacks, but they had a word from God. Inside each of us, is definitely the ability to change our world, and the possibility of changing the world for others. We just need a word from God.

  Faith, is about trust. It isn’t blind faith, but it is faith in the character and the word of the person you have placed your trust in. You will never experience a relationship with anyone who is more faithful to his word, then God! His favor doesn’t require a payback, or a scratch on the back! He just requires that you trust Him no matter what!

  I am truly training my heart and my words to understand that what I don’t understand in this life, I choose to understand by faith in a wonderful God! Faith in a loving God! Faith in a good God! I don’t know what you are going through today, or what you went through yesterday, but Jesus is the same! His promise to us remains the same, He is with us!

  You may not feel like, and it may not seem like it, but you are a world changer. If not the whole world, definitely yours. All you need is a word from the word of God to hold on to, to trust in! As you face the challenges of your life, put the word on it and begin to watch your world change. It’s time for us to realize that anybody can have faith when the going is good; but having faith when the going gets tough? That’s true faith! That’s overcoming faith! That’s Hebrews 11 faith! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, God, hard times | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, Faith, George Washington Carver, God, hard times, Harriet Tubman, trust in God, word of God

• Consider Job’s Wife-Part 2

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 15, 2020

  Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.-Job 2:9-10-NKJV

  

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  In my previous post, “Consider Job’s Wife” I wrote about all the adversities that Job and his wife shared at the hands of Satan. I ended with her comment in verse 9- “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

  Today, I want to pick up at this verse. I believe this statement was the statement of a woman in deep pain. As I mentioned before, she lost everything: children, beloved servants, finances, property, status in the community, all in one day. And when Job got attacked in his physical body, I believe she was making a “God, I can’t take anymore statement!” And not a ,”God is not really God,” statement.

  Job responded to her statement, “But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

  I believe that this is definitely a statement of correction to Job’s wife, but not a statement of judgment. Foolish women are women who do not believe in God, nor trust Him for their welfare. Job was telling his wife, that she sounded as one who didn’t know and trust God. He understood that he was married to a woman of high moral character and she was hurting. So when he told her how she sounded, he was basically saying, “That’s how a woman who doesn’t know God would talk. God has blessed us and now we’re having some hard times, should we reject Him because of that?”

  Now you might think I’m stretching here in my thinking. But let’s look at another key verse in this account of what happened to them. “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters.-Job 42:12-13

  Look carefully at this verse. The passage tells us that God blessed Job with cattle and with 10 more children. But it doesn’t tell us that God gave him another wife. I believe Job still had the same wife. The wife Job lovingly encouraged during their hard times. Had the Lord been displeased with Job’s wife, He would have given this godly man a more godly woman. Had Job been displeased, he would have put her away. But it doesn’t tell us that. Therefore, we can infer that Job, and the same wife he had at the beginning of this trial, were blessed together, by God, at the end of it.

  I have read this book on several occasions and have not seen anywhere in this account of all that happened to Job, the mention of a new wife. But he most certainly did have to have a wife in order to have 10 more kids!

  What am I saying? We have made snap judgments about his wife being cruel, insensitive, ungodly, and critical, to name a few.  But instead, she was just a wife who was hurting because of so many great losses at one time. And in a moment of weakness, she opened her mouth and made a dumb statement. But Job lovingly, helped his wife get the right perspective on what it meant to trust God.

  Trust isn’t just trusting God in the good times, but it is trusting Him in the difficult times. Any person can render trust to another or even to God, when things are going well. But when it looks as if you have been forsaken, as if you have been forgotten, or even as if you have been betrayed, and you still trust-well, that’s genuine trust! And that’s what I believe Job very effectively helped his wife to see; and when she saw it, she was strengthened. There is so much more I can share, about going through difficult times, the husband/wife relationship, being rash with our words, or raising children, but time and space is against me.

  Let me leave you with this thought: God is and always has been a good God. He didn’t set Job and his wife up to fail, but to be successful! And they succeeded. The next time you are hit with a trial, realize the devil is behind it, and if you will trust God, you too will succeed. Sickness and disease, loss of job and income, loss of loved ones, loss of all that you hold dear are painful situations in this life. Most of them are not at the hand of God showing the devil how great your love and trust for Him is. Most are simple a result of us living in a fallen world of sin, and having to navigate the life we live, by faith, in the God we trust! I trust we will never experience pain and difficulty to the level that Job and his wife did, but if we do, we already know that we can win it and receive double for our trouble! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, testimony, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged hard times, Job’s wife

• Plead Your Case!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 16, 2020

  Isaiah 38:3-5 – “O Lord, don’t you remember how true I’ve been to you and how I’ve always tried to obey you in everything you said?” Then he broke down with great sobs. So the Lord sent another message to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah that the Lord God of your forefather David hears you praying and sees your tears and will let you live fifteen more years.” TLB

  

  I was reading in the book of Isaiah, when I read the account of Hezekiah’s reign again. As I was reading it, I was reminded of his prayer that caused his life to be extended. God had sent the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah to tell him to get his house in order, he was going to die. When Hezekiah heard this word, he turned his face to the wall and cried to God and prayed. What he was actually doing in this prayer was pleading to God for mercy based on his obedience to the word of God. Isaiah had already left the king’s presence, so God had to send him back to Hezekiah to let him know that He had heard his prayers and had extended his life by fifteen years. That’s pretty impressive results.

  In Acts 9, we can read about Dorcas. She was known for her charitable deeds and good works. But one day she became sick and died. They sent for Peter and when he showed up they showed him some of the things she had made. In other words, they pleaded her case to Peter. Peter put them all out, prayed to God on behalf of the people for Dorcas, and God raised her from the dead. Glory!

  The question is, can we go to God, plead our case, and get help? I would say absolutely. Any principle in the word of God is established by two or three witnesses. I just gave you two. And there are a few times in the gospels where people pleaded with Jesus on behalf of another. One of my favorite is the woman who pleaded with Jesus for her daughter. Remember Jesus told her that it wasn’t right to give the children’s bread to the dogs. She pleaded with Him by saying, even the dogs get the crumbs from under the table. She was pleading for her baby to be delivered, and she got her request! So there is biblical proof that we can plead our case to God.

  I remember reading a testimony of a situation similar to what Dorcas’ friends experienced. The person who shared the testimony was called to the place where the individual was extremely ill. And as he was being told of the situation the people kept talking to him about the life of this individual and how dedicated the person was to the Lord. He got the inspiration to do as Peter did. He prayed and pleaded the case of that person before God and the person was raised from the bed of affliction.

  When I was single, I pleaded my case to the Lord. I was ready to settle down and for me that meant marriage. I went to the Lord in prayer and while I was praying I heard myself say something like this: “Lord, you said that if I would bring all the tithe into your storehouse that You would pour me out a blessing that I would not have room enough to receive. Lord, I have been faithful in the area of tithing. Where is my blessing?” Would you believe that God told me to call the man who is my current husband? Rather you do or not, it happened. I pleaded with God on the basis of my faithfulness in the area of my giving.

  Then there’s an even better way to plead your cause, when you plead the Blood! There are so many promises wrapped up in our covenant with God through the Blood. Promises of health, prosperity, soundness of mind, righteousness, peace…it’s covered in the Blood. I don’t know what you are experiencing right now, but whatever you stand in need of, plead your case to the Lord! Ask Him for a favorable answer on the basis of your faithfulness to Him and His kingdom; or skip over all of that and ask on the basis of the Blood!

  Our pastor says something like this, when you go into the court room of heaven, it’s fixed. Your attorney Jesus, your brother, goes to the judge, your Father, on your behalf! When you know that the One you are appealing to is already on your side, it doesn’t take convincing, it just takes faith in the truth that He’s willing to do that which you have asked.

  You may say, I’ve heard that before, I’ve tried that, and it didn’t work. Guess what? Stop siding with the devil, work out your unbelief issues, and try it again in faith! He’s for you! And it is His good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, God’s faithfulness, Prayer | 0 Comments | Tagged Dorcas, Faith, Hezekiah, Jesus, Peter, Prayer, testimony, trust in God, victory, witness

• Get a Picture!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 18, 2020

  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!

  Posted in Faith, God’s faithfulness, Healing | 1 Comment | Tagged Believer, coronavirus, encouragement, Faith, Healing, Jesus, miraculous, provision, testimony, trust in God, word of God

• A Bold Example!

  Posted at 3:52 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on March 26, 2020

  John 9:6-7 – “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” NKJV

  Jesus is amazing! And when He was on the Earth, there was none who compared to Him! And that is even truer today, although He uses us to keep His kingdom running smoothly!This account of the healing of the blind man could very easily be my absolute favorite! One of the things I love about this miracle is that there was so much going on and John told us all about it!

  For those of you who may not be as familiar with this miracle, I’ll give you a summary: Jesus was leaving the temple and as He did He passed a man who born blind. The disciples asked Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents? (The reason they asked Jesus this could be based on Exodus 15:26 where God promised that He wouldn’t allow sickness and disease to come upon them if they obeyed Him). I don’t know for sure, but it is pretty obvious that they felt the man was blind because someone sinned.

  Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that neither one had sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (Let me pause here and say that Jesus isn’t saying that this man was born blind so that God could get glory from His life! God is not the one who puts sickness and disease on people)! Many people wonder why sickness and disease is even in the world if it isn’t God’s will for His people, and that’s a good question. Just remember that sin entered the world through Adam’s treason and this world has not been redeemed! Sin is still in the earth and all of its consequences, humanity suffers as a result of sin and that’s why we need Jesus!

  However, more likely than not the rendering of this verse is incorrect in the NKJV. In one of my Logos commentaries, this verse is rendered quite differently. Here’s what I discovered: First of all, the commentator wrote that the phrase, “this happened” was added into the text. He also explained that since the original text didn’t have punctuation, it could have been punctuated incorrectly. Then he wrote, “It is possible to punctuate this so as to provide the following translation: ‘Jesus replied, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents. But so that the works of God may be revealed in him it is necessary for us to work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no-one is able to work.” ’ Punctuated in this way, the text implies not that the man was born blind so that the works of God may be revealed in him, but that Jesus had to carry out the work of God while it was day so that God’s work might be revealed in the life of the man born blind.” Now that will preach!!! And it better fits with the character of Jesus!

  Anyway, Jesus made clay with His saliva, anointed the man’s eyes with the clay and told him to go and wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. (I wonder sometimes what would happen if we made clay for someone’s eyes what would be their response)? If you read my blog “A Special Occassion” you will remember that I mentioned obedience is a first step in getting a miracle. This man had to obey Jesus’ directive to not only go and wash, but to wash in the pool of Siloam. What if a person had a jug of water nearby and had offered it to him to keep him from having to stumble about looking for the pool? Would he have been healed? I don’t think so. Jesus didn’t say go and wash, He said go and wash in the pool of Siloam.

  I believe we want to see miracles in our lives, but when we pray, and God gives us directions through His Spirit, we either change the directions or think the details are unimportant, That won’t produce a miracle. I had a friend who was attacked in her body and had gotten an evil report from the doctor. She was also losing her sight and was unable to drive anymore. The Lord told me to go over to her house, decree the healing scriptures over her and to then pray. I was really nervous about doing this because she had more years in the Lord then I did. But I obeyed God! And not long after, her health and her sight returned! He’s awesome like that!!

  I’ve prayed for a lot of people over the years. Most of the time I am just obeying the word that states if we lay hands on the sick they shall recover, or the vision that as I lay my hands on people, God’s power will flow into them and they will be healed. But there are times, when God speaks to my spirit and give me instructions and I am absolutely sure a miracle will take place. That’s when I am bold for the Lord! But then there are times God speak to me, and I struggle with doing what He asks. I wonder if it’s just me or if it’s the devil trying to make me look like a fool. So I have not yet perfected obedience in this area!

  If you want to see God move in your life or the life of someone else, you will have to be bold in the thing the Lord tell you to do! Faith is bold, faith is radical! And that kind of faith brings heaven to earth! Jesus was bold in everything He did! I want to be just like Him and do the things He did! But if I am going to follow Him in walking in the supernatural, then I understand that I am going to have to follow Him in being bold! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Faith, Healing, Jesus, miracle | 6 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, encouragement, Faith, Healing, Jesus, miraculous, supernatural, testimony

• Miraculous Provision

  Posted at 7:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 23, 2020

  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!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Faith, miracle, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, blessings, encouragement, Faith, feeding of five thousand, Jesus, miraculous, provision, testimony, trust in God

• A Special Occassion

  Posted at 7:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 21, 2020

  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!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Faith, Jesus, John 2, miracle | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, coronavirus, encouragemnt, Faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, obedience, supernatural, water turned to wine

• Faith That Grows!

  Posted at 1:00 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on December 31, 2019

  Matthew 17:20 – So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

  We’ve been looking at this verse and learning about faith that is like a grain of mustard seed. I won’t review what I have written, but if you are just getting in on the blogs, I encourage you to go to the beginning, “Mustard Seed Faith 1” and then come back to this post.

  Jesus talks about a faith that moves mountains. Many have, I believe in error, taught that a little faith will move mountains. Of course, you already know that I don’t agree with that. But here’s a point about little faith that I think is truly important, it can grow to become great faith!

  A mustard seed in a capsule around your neck is a dead seed. It isn’t doing anything. But had that seed been planted and cultivated, it would have grown. I learned recently that mustard seeds are grown into plants and they are grown for the seed. In the form of a seed it can be used to grow mustard greens, it can be used for medicinal means, and it can be used to make mustard. But a seed encased for a necklace is a dead seed.

  Using the simile that faith is like a mustard seed, I would first like to say that it must be used. Faith that is not used is faith that dies and becomes unfruitful. So if we want a vibrant faith that will grow, we must use it. And like a mustard seed, it will produce a variety of products. And when we use it, it grows!

  Some of the ways we can cultivate and use our faith is:

  1. The seed of God’s word. Faith must always start with the word of God. I once heard that faith begins where the will of God is known. Well, that happens by getting into God’s word and gaining insight to His will. As you study and meditate on what the word says about finances, healing, or anything else, faith will begin to arise in your spirit and then you can put it to work for you!

  2. Then you must begin to use your faith. The first time any of us will use our faith in God is when we receive Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. But after that, we must continue to use it. For the just shall live by their faith.

  3. Begin exercising your faith for things in your life that are not major but give you an opportunity to learn to trust God. For example, you are running late for work and you believe God that the traffic will clear up and that you will make it on time. I’ve done this on more than one occasion, making it to work with time to spare.

  Or you have a headache or pain in your body, exercise your faith, don’t reach for medicine, and believe that God will heal it. Again, I have done this and seen great results. This is how I started praying for the sick. Someone would get sick in the house and I would pray and ask God for healing. And the majority of the time, it would happen, without the aid of medicine. Just this week a woman came to the altar in intense pain in her right knee, but left free of pain! Glory to God! Faith increases!

  Word based faith that is exercised will grow. Paul said that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This is not some mystical, fanatical, hocus pocus stuff, for faith in God and His word is sure. But if you don’t know what His word says, and you don’t believe it and obey it, then you won’t see it come to pass. But if you get in the word, and obey the word, you will see it come to pass. And one day, your faith will move mountains in your life and in the lives of others.

  As 2019 come to a close and move into 2020, a new decade, make this decade the one that will find you exercising your faith and growing in faith! I know I plan to! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Faith, Matthew 17:20, Victorious Living | 3 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, Faith, Jesus, Matthew 17:20, mustard seed, word of God

• Mustard Seed Faith Explained!

  Posted at 4:39 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 24, 2019

  Matthew 17:20 – So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” NKJV

  

  mustard-seed-faith-explained_.mp3

  I’ve been reading everything I can find on the topic of mustard seed faith and I have listened to a lot of sermons on the subject, and I am amazed that so many theologians are stuck on the size of the mustard seed. I won’t pretend that I understand all of what Jesus said and meant, and I am still searching for answers, but I am absolutely certain that a small amount of faith doesn’t move mountains, trees, or Jesus!

  If we look at the situation that causes Jesus to make this statement in Matthew and again in Luke, we can hopefully get some more understanding of what mustard seed faith might mean.

  A man came to Jesus, knelt before Him and asked for mercy for his son who was epileptic. Now I don’t know if that catches your attention, but I have been a parent of a child who was diagnosed with abnormal seizure disorder, which from what I can tell, is epilepsy. As a two week old baby she was having involuntary shakes that led to the diagnosis. She was immediately put on phenobarbital and given an evil report of things only getting worst and of never having a normal life.

  I can tell you right now that this man’s son was not in a good place. So he goes to Jesus’ disciples and they could not cure his son. But Jesus could and He did! Thank God for Jesus! Then the disciples asked, “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus replied, “Because of your unbelief, for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you…”

  I think that because Jesus first mentions that the disciples were in unbelief, many have come to think that a little bit of faith is all we need to move mountains. I believe this is a trick of the enemy to keep us from receiving the things that we desire when we pray, as he knows small faith doesn’t move the hand of God, it only disappoints the individual.

  When we compare things in writing, we use similes or metaphors. As a matter of fact, in the YLT it states that Jesus is using a simile in Matthew 13, comparing the size of the kingdom of heaven to the size of a mustard seed. Let’s take a quick look at this passage:

  Jesus mentions the mustard seed in only three conversations in the word of God. In Matthew 13:31 -“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Here, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed. He talks about the mustard seed being sown into the land. He then makes the point that if you sow this seed, though it is the least (smallest) of all seeds, it will become a tree that birds of the air flock to. I do believe that in this instance Jesus is referring to the size of the seed. After all, the kingdom started with Him, then He included His disciples, and it has grown to billions of souls over the centuries. I get it!

  Now in our key verse, faith is compared to a grain of mustard seed. This is also a simile, where we compare two things using the words “like” or “as”. A familiar simile would be, “I am as hungry as a bear.” My hunger is being compared to the hunger of a bear, not to the bear itself. I believe that faith is being compared to a grain of mustard, not in size, but in its productivity.

  You see, when a grain of mustard is planted or sown, it produces a mustard plant and nothing else; so faith when it is sown should produce what it is sown for. In Matthew 17 Jesus was instructing the disciples to know that when demons manifest, sow faith to cast out demons.

  In Luke 17:6, “So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.”‘ As I was typing, I heard in my spirit, “If your faith is as a mustard seed” meaning, if you have the same kind of faith that a mustard seed has you will say…Meaning that a mustard seed will produce a mustard plant, and when it is sown, it knows it will produce mustard and not apples. And if you have that kind of faith, the kind that knows what it is producing, you will be able to say to the mulberry tree…or even forgive seventy times seven.

  After Jesus tells the disciples that faith as a mustard seed (this time He doesn’t say “grain”) will give them the ability to say to a mulberry tree to be uprooted, He goes on to talk about the role of a servant. He tells the disciples that a servant serves, even when he is tired and doesn’t receive thanks because it is his duty. I believe that Jesus is saying that faith has a responsibility to get done what we believe it will do, even if that means telling a mulberry tree to be uprooted or a mountain to be cast into a sea.

  When the doctors gave us the evil report about our baby, we put faith to work. Six months later, our baby was off the phenobarbital and given a clean bill of health. She has gone on to graduate from law school and has authored and published several novels. And she has never had another seizure. The seed of God’s word was planted in our hearts and we sowed it for her complete healing, and that’s what we received!

  What do you expect a mustard seed to produce? Mustard plants or trees! What should faith produce? The thing hoped for! Even today, I am still learning about faith. I can quote the scriptures and pull the books off the shelf, but I don’t always operate in mountain moving faith. But this blog has even opened my eyes to understanding faith in a different way. Faith, like a mustard seed, will produce what it is sown for: healing, finances, forgiveness, deliverance, a mate, a job…the possibilities are unlimited! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christian, Faith, Jesus, Matthew 17:20 | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, Faith, Forgiveness, Jesus, Matthew 17:20, miraculous, mustard seed

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