Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: coronavirus

• He’ll Make it Better!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 13, 2021

  Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed” NKJV

  

  he’ll-make-it-better_-1.mp3

  I have to admit that my blog was kind of long on yesterday, but you should’ve seen all that I had to cut out! I’ll try and do better today, but this is a topic that people from all walks of life, every tongue, and every nation can identify with: a broken heart! I look at the person in this picture and think, what would cause a grown man to stand in a shower, fully dressed, and cry his heart out?

  You don’t have to live long to experience a broken heart, but if you’ve lived for any number of years, you have probably had your share of experiences that have caused your heart to break! Well, I have great news for you today! Jesus was sent to heal the broken heart!

  I decided to go online tonight, and I found that there is actually a condition called broken heart syndrome! That was a little surprising, but realizing the many instances of how a heart can be broken, I can see that!

  What’s broken your heart? Maybe you had a loved one who got in trouble with the law, and their lives were essentially ruined as they were hauled off to jail? Or maybe you went to work one day, and when you returned your spouse had taken all of his/her personal items and didn’t even leave a note? Or maybe it wasn’t that drastic, it was just that your spouse lied to you about something that you thought was important? Or your best friend turned out to be your worst nightmare? Maybe your dream job was given to the person you like the least in the company, or the promotion you thought you were getting turned out to be a demotion? The list can go on and on and on, because as long as we interact with people, there is the potential for a broken heart!

  This pandemic has claimed almost 380,000 lives here in America, and almost 2,000,000 lives worldwide. I can assure you that there are a lot of broken hearts today. There are those who have lost their businesses, their homes, their livelihoods, their churches, their health, all because COVID-19 showed up unexpectedly and stayed way longer than we could have imagined. Heartbreak!

  Here’s what the psalmist wrote about the situation:

  Psalm 147:3 -He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]. AMP

  And again,

  Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart…NKJV

  The disciples come to mind at the moment, of those with a broken heart. Can you imagine the way their hearts must have felt as they saw the Savior being crucified? Can you wonder what it must have felt like to see Him so disfigured on the cross? The One who had healed so many, brought life to others, and gave hope to them all hung there lifeless before them. Don’t you think their hearts had to have been crushed with each pounding of the nails into His hands and feet? Oh my, how I cried when I watched it portrayed in “The Passion of the Cross”. I might have fainted away and died had I witnessed it in person.

  And Peter! What about his heart? As he heard that cock crow for the last time and realized that he had done the very thing he said he wouldn’t do? He wept bitterly! Why? His heart was literally breaking into pieces.

  But Jesus didn’t leave them there with that overwhelming pain. And He doesn’t want to leave you there. Just as He went to them and healed their broken hearts, He will come to you, if you let Him.

  I well remember a time when He came to me. Unfortunately, I wish I could say that it was only once, but it was several times through the decades of my life, that He has healed me. One night, I lay in bed a sobbing mess! As I lay there, hurting over a deeply painful situation, I could hardly breathe. Snot running from nose, tears flowing my eyes, balled up in pain. All I could think was, “O God, help me!” I even whispered that I wish He could just wrap His arms around me and hold me. Not moments later, I felt as if arms were being wrapped around me and I was being held close. I knew it was His Presence. As He held me, He healed me. The pain just began to be absorbed into Him as it was drained from me. The experience was so supernatural, it’s truly unbelievable. But since I experienced it, I know it to be true.

  The disciples asked Jesus one day, “Don’t You care that we are about to perish?” Your heart may be hurting so badly right now that you are wondering if He cares. I can truly assure you that He does. He not only cares, but He came to heal you of that pain!

  Stop carrying around that albatross! It’s too much for you to bear! But it’s just the thing for Him to bear! He truly wants to heal you of all the hurt that you are experiencing, even right now! He wants to remove the guilt, the shame, the paralyzing fear that comes with it. He wants to remove it all! So that you can be free!

  All you need to do is to give it to Him! Cry out to Him, not just in pain, but in faith; believing that He can and He will heal you. For only He can! He will make it better for you! He promised! Wonderful Jesus!

  prayer-for-salvation.mp3

  Posted in Healing, Jesus, Luke 4:18, supernatural | 3 Comments | Tagged coronavirus, God, Healing, heartbreak, Marriage, miraculous, pain, pandemic, Peter, Prayer, psalm, relationships, supernatural, trust in God

• Time to Sing Again!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 30, 2020

  Psalm 137:1 – “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. NKJV

  

  time-to-sing-again_-1-1.mp3

  The year of 2020 has been a year that many can’t wait to see come to an end. Don’t you remember the excitement for 2020, about a year ago? So many voices were shouting out that this year would be the year of greater vision, greater insight, greater anointing. Maybe for some, this was true; but as a nation, not so much!

  COVID-19 reared it’s vicious head on December 31, 2019. By the end of January it was declared a global health emergency. As we enter the year 2021, unfortunately, it is still dominating the news, our lives, the way we interact with one another, and basically, the way we interact with the world around us. Millions have been infected, hundreds of thousands have lost their lives, and they said there is more to come. Jobs and businesses have been dissolved, mortgages and rent payments have been missed. It’s a lot to take in. Thankfully, we now have vaccines, as we try to find a new normal amidst the pandemic and hope for getting our lives and economy stable again.

  Apparently that was not enough to throw our world into a frenzy, because in the midst of the pandemic came the riots against racial injustice. Not just in America, but around the world. People piling into the streets to demonstrate their anguish and frustration over the systemic racism became the norm for a greater part of our summer. In Australia, America, Europe, and Canada, citizens took to the streets to demonstrate their inability to sit around and continue to watch it happen to them and those around them.

  With all of that going on, can you believe that we still had the normal things to come at us: hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, fires, and earthquakes? Normal life situations in the home and on the job. Stuff just kept coming at us! It’s a lot to take in. It’s a lot to think about. It’s a lot to have to deal with!

  And then in America we had the election of all elections! Trump versus Biden! We have never paid such close attention to all the steps involved in the transitioning of power from one president to another as we have this time. Lawsuits, attacks on our democracy, Republicans against Democrats, and Democrats against Republicans. Accusations of a stolen presidency and claims to not give up the White House! Suicide bombing in a major city! Whew! I don’t know about you, but for me it has been a bit much! And 2021 isn’t looking to start out a whole lot brighter!

  The children of Israel were headed to captivity in Babylon. They stopped by a river of Babylon to rest for some reason, and while they were resting, the psalmist said they wept! They couldn’t believe they were in captivity. They couldn’t believe they had to leave Israel. They couldn’t believe that God hadn’t protected them although the prophets said that He would. (God actually said that they had been lied to). They experienced a lot of loss themselves. Loss of home and ancestral lands, loss of positions, finances, community standing, family members, and their freedom. They were stunned, overwhelmed, and sadly disappointed. Anybody feeling like that today? It was too much!

  Psalm 137:2-3 – We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” NKJV

  The children of Israel was in such a bad place, they didn’t want to sing anymore. As a matter of fact, their captives asked them to sing a song, but they had hung their harps on the trees and asked how were they supposed to sing the Lord’s songs in a strange land? Can you imagine the defeat they must have been experiencing at that time? The situation was real, the pain was real, the frustration was real, the loss was real, it was all real. And they didn’t have any reason to sing from their point of view!

  Situations, people, and life may change, but there is really nothing new under the sun. There are many people around the world today, after going through this year, feeling the same exact way. I was just reading someone’s Facebook post where she wrote that she hated 2020. I have heard people say they can’t wait til this year is done. They want it so over with! I understand the emotions behind the words. I understand the sentiment.

  But in Jeremiah 29, God told the children of Israel, through a letter:

  Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. Jeremiah 29:5-7 – NKJV

  In other words, keep living! There’s nothing you can do about your current situation, He goes on to say in the letter. It’s going to last for 70 years. So don’t diminish, increase!

  These words spoke to my heart this week and I haven’t been able to shake them. With all that has been happening, and may continue to happen, (and God knows we don’t want to see this for another year, let alone 70 years) as believers, we can’t afford to sit down and weep. We can’t allow the circumstances of our world to get us so depressed that we lose our ability to sing praises to God. This has truly been a turbulent year, in many cases, we have experienced a lot of losses, but we made it through and can boldly look forward to the future with hope.

  It was in this letter that these words of encouragement are found:

  Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. NKJV

  Whatever 2021 holds, God has thoughts of peace towards us and not of evil. He has a future filled with hope in it for His people. That alone will give us a reason to sing again. Or maybe you need to hear these words from the Savior:

  “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. -John 14:27 -NKJV

  There are plenty of verses in the word that can bring you comfort, encouragement and strength. It’s time to hold tight to them and to sing like never before. You may be wondering, like the Israelites, how can we sing under these conditions? We may not know what 2021 will bring, but we know the One who will bring us into 2021. We have suffered in 2020, but, we can by faith, expect great victories in 2021. We’ve lost some things and some loved ones, but as we continue living in the midst of our challenges and adversities, we can look forward to greater things in Christ! And that’s reason enough to sing right there! Jesus, whom we have just celebrated for coming into the world, is still alive and well, and on the throne. He hasn’t left us, and He never will. We may not understand it all, but when we trust Him, we know He will bring us through and cause our hearts to sing again. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in coronavirus, encouragement, Holiday Celebrations, Hope in God | 7 Comments | Tagged attacks, Attitude, coronavirus, encouragement, hard times, pandemic, Peace, praise, race riots, racial tensions, systemic racism, world pandemic

• The Spirit of Christmas!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 7, 2020

  Matthew 1:18 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” NKJV

  

  the-spirit-of-christmas_.mp3

  As we approach the Christmas season, I decided not to focus just on the birth of Jesus, but rather, on Jesus Himself. Whether you are a participant of the holiday season or a spectator, you have to admit that there is something exciting about this time of year. As much as we look forward to Thanksgiving Day, we immediately begin thinking that the holiday season has begun, meaning the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

  People begin decorating their homes and businesses, radio stations begin playing Christmas music all day long, and everyone begins vying for our money to become their money. Even with all that, we have the attitude of B. B. King, in his hit song, “Christmastime Comes But Once a Year!” This time of the year is so different from the rest of the year, that we have even heard much talk about the Spirit of Christmas. Today, I want to talk about the true Spirit of Christmas.

  In our text for today, Matthew summarizes the birth of Jesus in a few short verses. He writes that after the betrothal of Mary and Joseph, and before the wedding night, Mary is found with child of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t elaborate on what happened, he just tells us that it happened.

  Luke on the other hand goes into more detail. He lets us in on the visitation of the angel Gabriel to both Zachariah and Mary. Both visits are life altering for the individuals involved, but only one visit would impact the world for all eternity! The angel told Mary that she was about to become pregnant and give birth to a Son. Not just any son, but the Son of the Highest. His name was to be Jesus, He was going to be great, and He would be given the throne of His father David! Wow! That’s a lot for someone take in at one time. But Mary did it!

  Here’s where things get really interesting. Mary is single but not quite. She is an upright young woman and getting ready to finalize her betrothal to Joseph with culmination of the wedding night. God interrupts their plans and their lives to bring Jesus into the natural realm. This had to be pretty unsettling. Yet, all Mary wanted to know was how would it happen? The angel said,

  “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God! Luke 1:35

  The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, causing the Seed to be implanted in her womb, that she would bring forth the Son of God, in the flesh. The true Spirit of Christmas is not in the music, not in the decorations, nor in the excitement that permeates the atmosphere; it is in the Spirit of the Living God who gave life to Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit! Most men would have been outraged with the turn of these events, and Joseph was no exception! When Joseph did find out, he wanted out. But the Spirit of God was the Conductor of all that was transpiring. He knew He could trust these two young people with a difficult, never have ever happened, and never will ever happen again, event! Remember our key text, “she was found with child”. Joseph knew it wasn’t his child, and he had difficulty believing that she was pregnant by a means other than the natural channel. So much so, that he sought a private annulment of the marriage. But God spoke to Joseph in a dream and told him what the Holy Spirit had done to bring this baby about, and Joseph surrendered his will and his pride to the will of the Father. That had to be tough on these two, they knew people would talk, but Joseph took Mary immediately into his home and six months later, Jesus was born. You guys know we are forever doing the math! They were worst in Joseph’s and Mary’s day! The Spirit had a hard time keeping everything a secret. He was excited about Jesus coming into the earth. He told two of His faithful followers about this exciting birth! Simeon was one of them.

  Luke 2:26 – And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. NKJV

  So on the day that Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple, the Spirit caused Simeon to go to the temple at that exact moment. He not only saw Jesus, but he took Jesus in his arms and blessed God for letting him see Jesus before he departed the earth. Then Anna came in, at just the right moment, to witness the reality of the Messiah, her Savior. He had come to set His people free! Glorious day!

  Let’s go back to Jesus. He’s all grown up now, and has had at least 30 birthdays. He is getting ready to be released into ministry to accomplish the task God has set before Him.

  In John chapter 1, John the Baptist makes this declaration:

  John 1:32 – “And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.” NKJV

  The Spirit of Christmas, God’s Holy Spirit, wasn’t just available to Jesus at His birth. He was available to Jesus throughout His life. After all, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Father, was Jesus’ true Father. Therefore, before Jesus began His public ministry, His Father, once again, sends His Spirit to Him. This time, the Spirit doesn’t give Him life, but He releases an anointing upon Him to fulfill His assignment. Luke writes about it in Acts:

  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

  All that Jesus accomplished in His physical body, He accomplished because of the Spirit of God that gave Him life, and anointed Him for ministry. His Spirit is just as active today, in His Bride, and in His Church.

  Too often when we think of Christmas, we forget or miss what God was really doing in bringing Jesus in the form of man. It was even more exciting at that time, then it is today. When Jesus was born, the angels were so excited they had to step into the earthly realm and shout,

  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:13-14 – NKJV

  The angels were excited about that first “Christmas” experience. They were excited about the greatest gift ever given, the gift of God, Jesus! They were excited from heaven’s perspective of all that He would accomplish for the Father. They were excited!

  I believe that even though Christmas has become so commercialized in our day, there is still excitement surrounding the commemoration of the birth of our Lord. It’s not His actual birth day, but it is when the Christian community and thus the world, remember it.

  As you celebrate Christmas this year, things will look different for most of us. Some of us will do what we want irrespective to what is happening with the virus. But most of us will comply, thereby, having a different kind of Christmas. The Spirit of Christmas, God’s Holy Spirit, is available to make this Christmas, one of the best, if not the best, you can imagine! Invite Him to you celebration and watch Him breathe life into your celebration! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, birth of Jesus, Christian, coronavirus, Elizabeth, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph, miraculous, Salvation, the Spirit of Christmas, Zachariah

• His Indescribable Gift!

  Posted at 4:44 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on November 25, 2020

  2 Corinthians 9:15 -Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! NKJV

  

  his-indescribable-gift_.mp3

  It’s the holiday season! Thanksgiving Day kicks the season off! Traditionally speaking, Thanksgiving Day commemorates the support that the Native Americans provided to the first English settlers, that literally saved their lives. However, it has evolved into so much more, as most people take this time to be thankful for their friends, family, and the wonderful things that have happened in their lives. For the believers, it’s another day that we have an opportunity to give Him thanks!

  In this blog, I want to stop and give my personal thanks for His indescribable gift, Jesus! Thank you, Father for Jesus!

  When Paul wrote this particular part of his letter to the Corinthians, he felt a need to remind them of the benefits of being generous supporters to those in need. He had boasted to other churches, according to his writing, about their plans to give this offering, to those in Jerusalem who were struggling. Since he was writing them anyway, he wanted to let them know that he was fully expecting them to do what they said they would do, otherwise, they would all be embarrassed throughout the Church.

  Paul continues to write that when we give of our substance, it causes people to give thanks to God, for the giver, for the gift, and for His blessings in their lives. While at the same time, it’s the giver’s opportunity to demonstrate how blessed he has been by God, causing the giver to give expressions of gratitude. So let’s talk plain!

  Every believer should be a giver. Not just in tithes and offerings to the church, but as a lifestyle. When we are givers, meaning no one has to beg us to give, we are an expression of the abundance of blessings that have come to us. Not only that, with our giving, we say thanks to the Father for giving so much to us, that we have to give to others. This is what being blessed truly looks like! We bless others because He has blessed us!

  I learned the blessing of giving as a young person. I was attending Bible school and was struggling financially, but I had made up my mind that I was going to trust God to provide. One weekend a group of leaders in our church went to visit another church in Georgia and I went with them. As we were leaving Georgia, someone slipped some money in my hand. I really needed that money and I was so thankful to God for providing it. As we traveled back to Tennessee, we saw a young lady on the bank of the highway. We pulled over to offer her help, and I was chosen to go and speak with her. Long story short, she didn’t want us to take her anywhere but she was in a tight spot in life. Worst off than me. I slipped that money in her hand and got back in the car. It was an amazing feeling to help someone who needed it more than I did. I thanked the Lord for Him setting things up so I could be a blessing to someone with a greater need. Whatever my need was, it was supplied. And He hasn’t stopped supplying! Thank you, Lord!

  Paul gets so excited about this circle of blessings and thanksgivings that he ends this section of the letter by saying, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” If we read this too fast, we may think that Paul is thankful for the money, and be that as it may, it isn’t what he is talking about. He is thankful for Jesus!

  Paul uses the word, “anekdiegetos” (an-ek-dee-ay’-gay-tos) which means indescribable or unspeakable. This word is found only in this verse. It is, as if while he was writing about the blessings of being a blessing, he came to a personal place of thanksgiving, and had to stop and give Him thanks! And since in his mind he couldn’t think of an appropriate word at the time, the Spirit of God gave him one! Anekdiegetos! A word that began to be used after the Spirit gave it to Paul!

  I remember a time when I was talking to the Lord in prayer and he taught me a new word. I got to the point when I realized I had said so much that I was speechless, and didn’t know how to proceed. And this word came to my spirit: encapsulate! For some odd reason I not only heard the word, but sensed its meaning. For those of you who already know this word and its meaning, you may not be impressed, but I was. Encapsulate means to express the essential features of (something) succinctly, or to give a good wrap up. So I can identify with how Paul was writing about the power of giving and a new word came to him, anekdiegetos!

  Jesus truly is indescribable. I am in a bible study with a young lady, and as we were talking about Jesus this week, she said that she didn’t realize that Jesus had done so much in so little time on the earth, or that He was so young when He died. In her mind He had lived forever and ever! Precious to hear some of the things people say when they are first learning of our Savior!

  I love Thanksgiving Day! The food, the fellowship with friends and family, the sense of gratefulness that permeates the atmosphere. Although we can’t celebrate it in our usual manner, we will still celebrate! My heart is filled with gratitude for all that He has done since the last celebration: new babies in the family, new jobs, loved ones who recovered from the coronavirus, and His amazing protection over us all. But more important than that, I am thankful for Jesus!

  His amazing love, His sacrifice on the cross, the wonderful miracles He performed and are still performing, the souls that He saved from hell who now know the Father and have access to His amazing love! His abundance of grace and mercy, His patience, His steadfastness, His glory, His comfort…There is so much to be thankful for when we think of Him. Because of all that He has done, and does for us, it should be easy to be people filled with gratitude and people who willingly give.

  As we officially enter the holiday season with this great day of Thanksgiving, let us remember to give not just to those who can return it, but especially to those who can’t! This pandemic has caused many to be without their jobs and some to be without their home. When He presents an opportunity to you to be a blessing, don’t let it pass you by! It truly is more of a blessing to give then it is to receive. And if the opportunity presents, give them Jesus! They will be eternally grateful for this Indescribable Gift! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Giving, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus, Thanksgiving | 0 Comments | Tagged blessing to others, coronavirus, encouragemnt, Giving, hard times, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus, pandemic, Paul, thankfulness, Thanksgiving

• Healed By the Word!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 9, 2020

  Psalm 107:20 – He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. NKJV

  

  healed-by-the-word_.mp3

  I know that I have been writing about grace, but tonight I am thinking about healing. The pandemic is raging war in our world, and we need to understand, like never before, that God is our Healer!

  In this verse, the psalmist wrote that He, God, sent His word and healed them. I want to look at what this means for us. Let’s look at the literal word of God in relationship to healing.

  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

  If we are looking at the literal meaning, when the psalmist states that He sent His word, it is validated here in Proverbs that the logos, the written word of God, has healing in it. Look closer at this verse in Proverbs. The writer is referring to the word of God when he states that it is life to those who find them and health to all their flesh! The written, literal word of God is life and health to those who find them. When we are attacked in our body, with COVID or anything else, we can stand on the word of God for our healing, and for our health.

  Another way of looking at “He sent His Word”, is looking at Jesus!

  John 1:1,14 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV

  God sent Jesus, and Jesus came with healing. Malachi 4 prophecies that He will have healing in His wings! Jesus was the embodiment of healing. When He was present, He was to heal! The New Testament is filled with examples of Jesus bringing healing. The miracle of healing that I want to mention is the one with the word.

  A centurion went to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant. Jesus told the centurion that He would come and heal the servant. This is what the servant said to Jesus:

  Matthew 8:8-9 – The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. ” NKJV

  And guess what happened? You’re right! The sending of His word healed the servant! However, we choose to “interpret” this verse in Psalm 107, the truth of the matter is that the Word of God brings healing!

  Hear what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:

  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

  Again, we see the word giving life! The logos of God’s word and the Word made flesh gives life! What a truth to hang on to in these times when the virus seems to be out of control. Fear won’t keep us healthy or get us healed, but the Word will!

  I want to pray for you right now and release healing over you:

  Father God! I thank You today that You are our Healer! You have said that Your word is life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh! In the precious name of Jesus, I release Your word right now that declares that “by Your stripes we are healed”! I release Your word today that says “You heal us of all of our diseases, just as you forgive us of all of our sins! I pray for everyone who read this blog, that they will covered by the Blood of Jesus to keep them from the attacks of the devil. For those who are already under attack, I release my faith in Your word, to bring healing to their body. Do what only You can do through the power of Your word today! I release healing, health, restoration, and wholeness to your people, and especially to those who follow this blog. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen! And thank you Jesus! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Healing, Health, Jesus, the Word of God | 3 Comments | Tagged centurion, coronavirus, Healing, Health, Jesus, life, pandemic, prayer for healing, the Blood of Jesus, the Word of God

• God Our Refuge!

  Posted at 4:28 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 20, 2020

  Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” KJV

  

  god-our-refuge_.mp3

  The image you are looking at is the Castillo de San Marcos, in St. Augustine, Florida. It is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. Spain built it in the late 1600s, to protect and defend the possessions, people, and city of St. Augustine. This fort was impenetrable because of the materials used to build the walls and it’s architectural layout. The soft limestone, called coquina, was composed of broken shells. It is said that this material absorbed or deflected the enemy attacks every time. The United States eventually purchased the fort from Spain, using it until the 1900s. If you visit St. Augustine, Florida, you can take some time to tour it and learn more of its history.

  The Bible tells us that God is our refuge! He is the protection of our lives, our possessions, our health, and everything that concerns us. His protection is impenetrable by the enemy when we understand that truth and allow it to give us peace in the midst of a storm. The Hebrew word for refuge is, “machăçeh”, and it means a shelter (literally or figuratively), a place of refuge, a place of hope. Throughout my life I have experienced this truth on many occasions. He is truly my refuge! Today, we the people of God, need to understand, like never before, that God is our refuge.

  The coronavirus hasn’t diminished it’s attacks on the world. The effects of the virus are worldwide and has left many grieving over the loss of loved ones, jobs, shelter, peace, and hope. Not only that, we have to still be concerned about tornadoes, earthquakes, violence, and a host of other things thrown at us in the course of living. If we are not careful, we, the Body of Christ, will find ourselves disillusioned, disappointed, and fainting, as if we don’t truly believe that God is our refuge.

  What the psalmist is really saying about God is that He is our only real security in this life, not our job, not our bank account, not our family tree, not our connections! Only God!

  I’m an educator. I haven’t been thrilled in my position for a lot of reasons, but one of the things that colored my view of education was the lack of job security. Every single year for the first four or five years, I had to find another job because my position was cut. This was very frustrating. Then I begin teaching at a school where I was able to put down some roots and feel a part of the school community. After six years, I lost my position again. This could have been another time of frustration for me had not God forewarned me of the fact, and then reassured me that He had me. He was my refuge at that time, as He has been at so many other times in my life!

  The psalmist went on to say that because God is our refuge, we will not fear! The psalm continues in this light:

  • Though the world is falling apart all around us, we will not be afraid!
  • Though the mountains crumble and fall into the sea, we will not be afraid!
  • Though the waters roar and rage and tsunamis are coming at us, we will not be afraid!
  • Though the mountains shake, and there are earthquakes all over, we will not be afraid!

  It’s an attitude of trust that knows the God, who is a refuge, is there for us and is with us, no matter what comes our way!

  There are many places in the Bible where God, as our refuge, is mentioned:

  • Psalm 9:9- God will be a refuge for the oppressed. Is there any amongst us who are oppressed today? God is our refuge!
  • Psalm 14:6-God is a refuge for the poor! Is there any amongst us who are poor? God is our refuge!
  • Psalm 59:16-God is a refuge in the day of trouble! Is there any amongst us who are having trouble? God is our refuge!
  • Isaiah 25:4-God is a refuge from the storm! Again, I say, is there any amongst us who are in the midst of a storm? God is our refuge!
  • Jeremiah 16:19-God is a refuge in the day of affliction? Is there any amongst us who are afflicted? God is our refuge!

  Here are some things that will give you confidence in God as your refuge:

  • Psalm 46:7- He is the God of the angel armies and He is with us!
  • Psalm 91:9- When we make Him our dwelling place, our shelter, He will be our refuge!
  • Psalm 14:26- As we fear Him, (reverence Him), we have a strong confidence in Him as our refuge!

  David wrote in Psalm 91,

  “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” KJV

  David continues this psalm by giving us an entire list of situations he found shelter from in God. It’s a great psalm to commit to memory and to meditate on in this time of so much uncertainty. What is certain, is that God is our refuge and He is with us! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, hard times, Refuge, trust in God | 2 Comments | Tagged attacks, Attitude, Castillo de San Marcos, coquina, coronavirus, fort, God, Healing, protection, provision, Refuge, shelter, the enemy, trust in God

• Consider Job’s Wife

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 13, 2020

  Job 1:1-3 – “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.”

  

  consider-jobs-wife_-1.mp3

  A couple years ago I was asked to speak at a women’s fellowship and to share on the topic of difficult times. As I sought the Lord for a direction, He led me to Job’s wife. Today’s post will be a snippet of that message.

  In the text, we see that Job was a very wealthy man. He had 10 children, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen (1,000), 500 female donkeys, and a whole lot of servants. And of course, since Job had all of this, so did his wife. The Bible tells us that Job was a man who feared God and shunned evil, a man who was blameless and upright; and I am willing to bet that his wife had the same testimony.

  But in one day, Job lost all of his possessions, most of his servants, and all of his children. But so did his wife. Everything and everyone she held dear, except her husband, was gone in a single day. The Bible tells us that Job bowed and worshipped the Lord, but I believe that here is where they differed. In his difficult time he turned to the Lord, but in her difficult time, she embraced her grief and sorrow. And before we start judging her, let’s be honest and say that most of us would have followed her example and not his.

  The devil attacks Job’s body, after all of these other things, and now his wife is angry and becoming bitter. “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”-Job 2:9

  It is at this point that I believe that many people give his wife a bad rap. I am not excusing her words, nor condoning them as the proper response for difficult times, for they are not. But I also don’t believe that these are words that sum up her whole life before God. They are words spoken in the midst of grief and heartache. An extremely devastating time for her, for anyone!

  I have seen wonderful men and women who love God have difficult experiences with the Lord. I have heard them make stupid remarks that was nothing more than their grief and flesh talking. I have heard care givers speak words about their loved ones and vice versa that was nothing more than fatigue and weariness expressing itself. And I sincerely believe that was the case with Job’s wife.

  And allow me to give her one more benefit of the doubt: She was not born again and she certainly didn’t have a Bible to comfort her during her hardship. She was serving God to the best of her knowledge, but when this tsunami of difficulties flooded her life, she had nothing to lean on except Job. And where was Job? He was outside dealing with his pain and sorrow the best way he knew how, while listening to well meaning friends who were “most miserable comforters”.

  Loss of children, extreme poverty after great wealth, loss of many servants (all who were a part of her household and probably her heart) loneliness, despair, a very sick husband, and a withering faith in God: this was Job’s wife. When God asked Satan if he had considered His servant Job, I believe He was including Job’s wife.  And I believe that just as He knew that Job would pass the test, He knew Job’s wife would.

  So the next time you see someone going through, and they are not behaving like you think they should, pray for them! Your prayers can be used to bring about their deliverance. This is a repost, but I couldn’t help but think that in the midst of this coronavirus, it would be timely. People are losing loved ones, finances, businesses, dreams, and hope. It is easy to judge them, but it’s harder to walk in their shoes. Let’s remember what the word teaches us about bearing one another’s burdens and ask the Lord how can we help during this time! More on Job’s wife next time. Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Discouragement, hard times, Job, Job’s wife | 6 Comments | Tagged attacks, Attitude, Believer, coronavirus, Discouragement, encouragement, Job, Job’s wife, offense

• Can I Get a Witness!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 4, 2020

  Revelation 12:11 -They gained the victory over him on account of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witness. Love for their own lives didn’t make them afraid to die. CEB

  

  can-i-get-a-witness.mp3

  I’ve been blogging on the spiritual weapons given to us to overcome the devil. This week will be my last week dealing with the subject. What I am realizing is that Jesus gave us so many ways to be victorious, that to live a life of defeat would be a slap in His face!

  Today I want to look at the phrase, “the word of their witness” as our spiritual weapon against the enemy. When I think about this phrase, it brings to mind, “what are we saying about Jesus?” Have you thought about the fact that what you say about Jesus can cause you to be either victorious or defeated?

  John wrote that they overcame the devil by the word of their testimony, or in this version, by the word of their witness. One commentator wrote that every single time we say no to sin, to temptations, to the lies of the devil, we are overcoming him! That’s what the end of this verse is reflective of when it says we overcome by the word of our testimony.

  The way we live as Christians, going back to holiness, will determine how adept we are at overcoming the devil. In the Bible we have two great men of God, who were totally different in their walk with the Lord, yet alike! Peter and Paul!

  Paul is one of my favorite people in the Bible, outside of Jesus! His life, speaks to me. He was a persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, arresting them and consenting to their deaths. Paul was zealous for the Law he had given his life to learn about, but ignorant of the God who sent His Son to die for him. I believe that every time he arrested one of the disciples their lives were a witness to him. He just couldn’t understand why they were so passionate, and some times, so willing to die for this Jesus! After watching Stephen die, I believe his life was changed. This young man had just used the very Law Paul had studied to explain his devotion to Jesus, and as Stephen dies, he cries “Lord, forgive them!” This was on his mind as he traveled on the road to Damascus. Now he was ready to encounter Jesus, and when he did, Paul recognized Him and called Him Lord. The same energy that Paul used to persecute the believers, was the same energy that he used to serve the Lord. He was strong in faith, strong in power, and strong in his teachings. There is no record of him ever straying from Jesus. He was passionate about his faith in Jesus, and he loved not his life, even to the death. Paul’s witness is an encouragement to me to live for Jesus. His life demonstrates that we can live a devoted, separated, victorious life with the Messiah.

  Peter was so enthusiastic in his service for Jesus that he sometimes got ahead of himself! When Jesus asked His disciples what were they saying about who He was, Peter spoke up, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Yet, Jesus rebuked Peter on several occasions, and Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. But Jesus saw Peter’s heart, and restored him, and Peter went on to be used mightily of God. Peter then stumbled in his relationship with the Gentiles, not wanting to eat with them when the Jews were around. It wasn’t that he was a flaky Christian, he just showed a more human side, a fear for what people thought of him. His enthusiasm and passion, sometimes got the best of him, trying to block out his godliness. Yet he still remains a powerful witness that we can all look up to! God knows we aren’t perfect, that we will stumble, and through Peter’s life we have a witness that we can overcome, even when we don’t always get it right!

  Can you imagine the impact these men lives had on the people they came into contact with? By his witness, Paul overcame the devil, and God used him to write most of the New Testament and to take the gospel to the Gentiles! By his witness, Peter impacted the Jewish community for Jesus every time he preached, winning thousands of souls to Jesus at a time. Their witness, in their life, and with their words, caused them to overcome the devil, time and time again!

  I think of the Voice of the Martyrs magazine at this time. The powerful testimonies I have read over the years of these same type of Christians who, in spite of intense persecution, continue, even in the midst of trials to deepen their relationship with Jesus. One such man comes to mind that I read about. I don’t remember his name, but I remember his witness. He was arrested for his faith in the Lord Jesus while living under a communist regime. During his arrest he would witness to the prisoners. One day, the guards took him outside in the wintry weather, naked, as a means of torturing him. However, each time he was brought back inside, he was without sickness, frost bite, or even pain. I believe I also read that the Lord clothed him in warmth while he was outside. His witness was even stronger after the intense persecution and he led many to Christ. I don’t remember the end of his life, but he overcame the devil and his attacks, with his witness!

  We won’t all be a Peter or a Paul, but we can all be a witness. The devil will constantly do things to try and tempt us from our faith in Christ Jesus, but we must be determined that nothing will separate us from God. He will lie to us about God’s character, but we must be diligent in letting our words speak of God’s faithfulness, His goodness, His mercy, and His love. Even in these challenging times with the coronavirus, we must remain true to Him, remembering always, that people are listening to our words and watching our lives.

  We overcome the devil! Jesus made it clear that we do so! He gave His Blood as an overcoming weapon. We have praise to silence the enemy. We have the word of our testimony to testify that God is good and the devil is a liar! We have our holy, consecrated lives that give no place to him. We must live free of any fear of the devil! And now, we just have to live like we know these truths, believe these truths, and operate in these truths. Can I get a witness? Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, Jesus, the devil, weapons of warfare, witness | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, coronavirus, freedom, God, Jesus, king, Paul, Peter, Revelation 12:11, Satan, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the Blood of Jesus, the devil, weapons of warfare, witness

• There’s Power in the Blood!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 28, 2020

  Revelation 12:11 – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. NKJV

  

  there-is-power-in-the-blood.mp3

  Lewis E. Jones wrote the hymn, “There is Power in the Blood” in 1899. It is still sung today. The questions he asked are:

  • Would you be free from your burdens of sin?
  • Would you, a victory over evil win?
  • Would you be free from your passion and pride? Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide!
  • Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? Sin stains are lost in it’s life giving flow!
  • Would you do service for Jesus your King?
  • Would you live daily His praises to sing?

  Then Lewis repeatedly answers the questions by saying, “There’s power in the Blood!” I’m sure you have heard, and know this hymn, but here’s the chorus:

  There is power, power, wonder working power
  In the Blood, of the Lamb!
  There is power, power, wonder working power
  In the precious Blood of the Lamb!

  Jones understood a basic, yet profound truth, that whatever you need, there is power enough in the Blood to bring it to pass. My previous post on the first line of defense being the Blood of Jesus, through provision of salvation is where it starts, not where it ends. The Blood of Jesus will not only lift your burdens of sin, wash you whiter than snow, and destroy the bondage of passion and pride; it will also give you victory over evil, empower you to live daily for the King, and enable you to serve Him. It’s in the Blood!

  I’m re-reading a book, written by Billye Brim, “The Blood and the Glory!” It’s one of the best books I’ve read on the subject. In her book, she gives testimony after testimony of the power of the Blood for protection. She writes about the principle of applying the Blood and pleading the Blood over our lives, our families, our properties, and our businesses. Basically, over everything!

  I want to share one of her testimonies. I will generalize it so that I am not copying from her text. This happened pre-cell phone days. There was a minister who had to go to Canada to conduct some services. The power of God was moving and people were getting saved and set free. The devil spoke to him and told him that he was going to kill his children. He responded by saying, “Devil, you’re a liar! You cannot kill my children.” The devil told him that he was going to use rabid foxes to kill his children. He remembered that someone had mentioned to him, they had seen foxes on his land before he had left. So he and some friends drew a blood line of protection around his property. A week later he received a letter from his brother saying that he had found five dead foxes on the boundary of his property and they were all tested and had rabies! Now that’s power!

  She also shares testimonies from Mrs. C. Z. Nuzum’s book, “The Life of Faith”. Mrs. Nuzum was a missionary in Mexico and she trusted the Blood of Jesus would protect her from violence, from a bulldog, a raging fever as she went to help a family, a drunk man who followed her to bring her harm, and a number of other instances. There is power in the Blood!

  I’ve already talked about the protection at Passover. Today, I will remind you of Rahab, who was protected with a token of the blood. When she hid the spies, she had a conversation with them about saving her and her family. The spies told her that if she and her family stayed in the house, they would be protected, as long as she kept her end of the bargain. As she lowered them from her window, using a scarlet cord, they told her that she should tie that cord to the window, and when the Israelites came, and saw the cord, her home would receive protection. That cord was a token of the blood. It saved her entire family from destruction when the walls of Jericho fell. As a matter of fact, her walls didn’t even fall. You’ll have to go back and read the story in its entirety, but there is power even in the token of the Blood.

  What does that mean for you and I. When we are born again, we have the Blood applied to our hearts, but we can also apply it, or plead it over us and our family for protection. I have done so on numerous occasions for myself and my family, and it works! I have gotten lax, but I am thankful for this reminder, during the coronavirus outbreak that there is power in the Blood to protect us.

  Let me say this! Smith Wigglesworth, a man whose life and ministry I greatly admire, was used mightily by God to heal the sick, and to restore life and limb to individuals. But when it came to health, he did the natural things necessary to stay healthy. When it was cold outside, he wore a coat, scarf, and a hat. When it was raining, he used an umbrella. He understood the authority he had over sickness and disease, but he didn’t give place to the devil. Jesus, the Son of God, said that we are not to tempt the Lord our God. Just because God has given His angels to protect us, doesn’t mean we go about defying death. So with the coronavirus, just because we are covered in the Blood, and can apply the Blood, doesn’t mean we need to walk around like we are untouchable. We don’t operate in fear, and we don’t run from life, but we walk in faith, trusting God, not trying to prove that we are invincible.

  How does it work? You say, “In the Name of Jesus, I plead the Blood of Jesus over my body against ___________________”! This is not prayer! It’s a decree, based on the Word of God, and done in faith! You can, by faith, apply the Blood to your vehicles, to your home, over your business. You can by faith, draw a bloodline, in the same way. As you go, the Spirit of God can prompt you, or you can operate by faith! I am out of space, but for more on the Blood, check out the scriptures in the Bible related to blood, and check out those books I mentioned. When you finish them, you will be more equipped to use this weapon, and to overcome the enemy, by the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus! He cannot fail! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, supernatural, the Blood of Jesus, weapons of warfare | 4 Comments | Tagged apply the blood, Believer, coronavirus, Deliverance, draw a bloodline, Faith, Family, Jesus, plead the Blood, protection, Rahab, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the Blood of Jesus, the devil, trust in God, victory

• But Then God…!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 19, 2020

  Psalm 34:19 – “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” NKJV

  

  The word afflictions is translated from the Hebrew word, “ra” and can be used to mean adversity, calamity, distress, harm, hurt, misery, sorrow and trouble, to name a few. What type of evangelism experience would you have if you walked up to an unsaved person and said, “Hey! I want to tell you about all the trouble, the hurt, the misery, and sorrows you are going to go through as a believer”? You will be ineffective in your attempt to win that person to the Lord! No one wants to buy into trouble. But the wonderful thing about affliction, is that the Lord delivers us out of all of them!

  Jesus said it like this, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In other words, we as Christians are inevitably going to experience some things, but the promise of God is that He has already overcome the world, and that includes its troubles!

  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; but then God gave Pharaoh a dream that only Joseph could interpret, and he was moved from the prison to second in command of Egypt. Moses’ mom had to put him in a basket in the Nile River because she couldn’t bear to see harm come to him; but then God had Pharaoh’s daughter find him, fall instantly in love with him, and she raised him as her own. The children of Israel were standing at the Red Sea, with the sea before them and the Egyptians behind them; but then God parted the sea, that they could walk over on dry land. And then God drowned the Egyptians in the sea! The children of Israel came to a place where there was no water; but then God told Moses to strike the rock and water gushed out to meet their needs.

  Job lost every thing he had except his wife and his life; but then God stepped in and blessed him with double for his trouble! The Hebrew boys were thrown in a furnace that was turned up seven times hotter; but then God stepped into the furnace and not a hair on their head was singed. Daniel was thrown in the lions’ den; but then God closed the mouths of the lions, and Daniel went to sleep. Jonah was swallowed by the large fish, but then God made the fish throw him up!

  Goliath had the Israelites shaking in their boots, but then God sent David to the camp and he killed Goliath! David was in the cave of Adullam seeking encouragement from the Lord, but then God sent him 400 men who became his mighty army! David was running from Saul for his life; but then God took care of his enemy, and gave him the kingdom.

  Five thousand people went to hear Jesus preach, and ended up staying so long they missed their dinner; but then God multiplied two loaves of bread and five fish, and fed them. Taxes came due, and Peter was concerned about how to pay them; but then God had a fish find a coin, and led that fish to Peter’s net. Saul was a persecutor of the church; but then God stopped him on his way to Damascus, and turned him into Paul the apostle. Jesus was crucified and hung on the cross; but then God raised Him from the dead, giving salvation to us all.

  You see, I can’t think of a single person who sees a trial and then shouts, “This is going to be a good one! Let me at it!” I know I don’t! But we should! The minute we see the devil prowling on the attack, we need to start looking for the “but then God” moments! It is in the midst of all of these troubles, trials, difficulties, hurts, sorrows and disappointments of life, that we see God stepping in on our behalf, bringing mighty miracles of deliverance! Andrea Crouch sang these words in a song, “If I didn’t have any problems, I wouldn’t know that God could solve them!” This is so true, and yet many of us struggle through our difficulties, barely able to believe that God could possibly loves us, since we are hurting so much! I want you to know He most certainly does!

  Am I saying that we should ask for, look for, or even desire afflictions? Absolutely not! My pastor likes to say, “You are either going through a trial, you just came out of a trial, or you are about to go in a trial!” Every time I hear it, I cringe! I don’t like trials! But I love the victories! I love the testimonies! I love the shouting and the dancing that follows every time! Guess what? You can’t have one without the other!

  This pandemic feels unreal! It’s hard to comprehend all that has happened in such a short period of time. In just a couple months there have been over 320,000 people who have died as a result of this virus, while almost 5 million have contracted it worldwide. That’s mind boggling! On top of that, millions are unemployed! Not what we were looking for in 2020! But I am confident, and I am so convinced, that there is going to be a “but then God” moment in the lives of all who can believe! Hopefully, even in the world!

  This is not panic time! It’s time to believe like never before! It’s time to trust in the faithfulness of God like you have read about in the examples above, even in God’s word! It is time to say, and continue to say, that this is a great time and place for a…but then God! Trials and tribulations that we will face may not be a wonderful place to start an evangelism opportunity, but it most certainly can be a wonderful place to end it! Whatever Satan has up his sleeve, hang in there for your “but then God”! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, hard times, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged coronavirus, Daniel, David, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Hebrew boys, Jesus, Job, miraculous, Moses, protection, testimony, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory, witness

• Search for:

• Recent Posts

  • Removing the Blinders!
  • Spiritual Sharecropping!
  • He’ll Make it Better!
  • The Gospel to the Underdog!
  • America! Divided We Fall!

• Categories

  • Victorious Living (104)
  • Jesus (83)
  • Christian (67)
  • Believers (57)
  • Faith (36)
  • God (33)
  • encouragement (31)
  • Healing (22)
  • testimony (20)
  • the Word of God (18)