Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: Deliverance

• DNA of God

  Posted at 2:20 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on April 2, 2021

  

  2 Peter 1:3-4- “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” NKJV

  

  Creator of the Universe

  My husband and I took a cruise to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary. It was fabulous! Every morning I would find him sitting on the balcony, reading his Bible or praying. He found it to be so relaxing. Not being an early riser, I would join him and enjoy the serenity of the morning. For some reason, although I believe God is truly omnipresent, He felt closer to me on the waters of the Pacific.

  Paul understood the majesty of creation because he wrote:

  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse

  Romans 1:20 NKJV

  As I conclude my discussion on these verses in 2 Peter, I want to look at the remainder of the verse: “partakers of the divine nature”. Peter clearly states that we, believers in Christ, can partake of the divine nature and power of God. Religion persuades us to believe that we are mere mortals, subject to whatever whims God may have because we can never know what He will do. Yet, Peter wrote just the opposite in these verses: we can know God, we can partake of His power, His glory, and His nature, and it is what He wants us to do!

  Let us go back to the beginning.

  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

  Genesis 1:26 NKJV

  God didn’t make Adam a god, although He made Adam in His image. Adam was a genius. He named all the animals of the garden. He was perfect and without sin. He talked openly and freely with God. He had dominion over everything in the garden. His life was a life of peace, joy, fulfillment, godliness, and holiness. He was like God! Until he allowed sin in. As we choose to become Christians, we are spiritually restored to the state that Adam was in, with the intent for us to be more like God and less like man. Not because man is so horrible, but because God is that good to us!

  How can we partake of the divine nature of God? Let’s understand what partaker means. According to the Vine’s, one of my favorite resources, it means “a partner, or sharer”. So we don’t get ownership of His nature, He invites us to share in His nature. Therefore, the first thing we most do is, we must be born again! I know! I keep repeating it, but it is ever so true! We must be born again! Once we are born again, we are able to escape the corruption that is in the world. Peter wrote that when we are born again we are called out of darkness into His marvelous light! Paul penned that we are delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. This is the first step in partaking of His divine nature. If we are going to share in His nature, it starts with salvation!

  Going back to other parts of the verse, as we get to know Him and embrace His exceedingly great and precious promises, we can share in His nature. We can forgive, because He is a forgiver by nature, and empowers us to forgive. We can love, because He is love, and His divine power enables us to love the unlovely. How many times have you found yourself loving when others didn’t understand it? It His nature you were partaking! Who did you forgive, that you didn’t think it was possible for you to forgive? It was the Divine Nature of the Almighty (DNA) inside of you!

  I was in a situation where I overheard a conversation. There was a misunderstanding that caused several people to be at odds with one another. The person I overheard was expressing the hurt that they felt over the situation, but more importantly, the desire to get things out in the open so they could move on. I heard that person’s wisdom in handling the situation. I heard that person speak of making things right so they could move forward unhindered. Forgiveness was extended, and that person even took responsibility for the mix up. When the conversation was over, I told that person, I had just witnessed Jesus! It was the greatest testimony that individual could have shared with me about the genuineness of the faith she had in Him (the Divine Nature of the Almighty God in operation)!

  Sunday I went to visit at my former church. When I got there, one of the members was really excited to see me. She had prayed the night before, telling God that she wished she could see me at church so that I could pray for her. God manifests His healing nature at different times when I pray, especially in the area of pain. Sure enough, I was there. She was so excited! I prayed for her briefly and went my way. Later that night, there was no change. (I generally check up on people I pray for). When she told me that, I just said, “Check yourself in the morning”. Sure enough, the next morning was a different story. Did I heal her? No! But God allowed us to share in His nature as healing was manifested in her body, because He’s the Healer! The Great Physician! (Again, the Divine Nature of the Almighty God working as we laid hold to the exceedingly great and precious promise in regards to healing).

  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

  Mark 16:17-18 NKJV

  The part of His divine nature we struggle most with is His supernatural power. We fail to realize that anything we do with Him is supernatural. Forgiveness, love, giving, kindness, serving. Therefore, we tend to separate that part of His divine nature from the other part of His divine nature: releasing power!

  As we live this life in Christ, and He lives His life in us, I can assure you that He doesn’t want to be stifled. His greatest joy is seeing the kingdom become a reality in our lives. He left us with many precious promises that we might realize the greatness of the love and grace He has for us, the power He has made available to us, that we can partake of Him! It’s really time for us to dare to believe that every promise in His word belongs to us! As we step out in faith and begin to take Him at His word, we will begin to see things happen. When it doesn’t work, trouble shoot and try again; but don’t ever give up! He purposefully shared His divine nature with us that we may know Him more completely!

  It’s the Passover/Easter season! A time to rejoice in all that Calvary, and more precisely, the resurrection affords us! I end with Paul’s prayer for every believer:

  “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come! Amen and Amen! Wonderful Jesus!

  Ephesians 1:17-21 NKJV

  Posted in 2 Peter 1:3-4, Divine Nature, God, Jesus, Knowing God | 0 Comments | Tagged Creation, Deliverance, divine nature of God, Easter, Forgiveness, Healing, new life, Passover, Paul, power of God, Salvation

• That’s All We Can Do

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 19, 2021

  Acts 16:25 – But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. NKJV

  

  As I was thinking about prayer, and how I could conclude this topic, I had a sudden flash in my mind. I was inquiring of the health of a certain individual when I was told, “All we can do is pray”. Now, if you have ever been in a situation when you heard these words, you know that these were not faith filled words; but words that were saying, “Things are looking really bad and everything has been exhausted, and we’re at the point where all we can do is pray and see if God will do something!” Does anybody know what I’m talking about?

  Paul and Silas were on their way to a prayer meeting. In route, a girl possessed with a spirit of divination met them crying out, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Luke wrote that she did this for many days until Paul became greatly annoyed with her. Paul then turned to her and rebuked that spirit of divination out of her. He and Silas were dragged into the marketplace to the authorities, beaten, and thrown into jail. This is at the point where some religious people would say, “All we can do is pray”! However, for Paul and Silas, it was more of a, “Let’s take some time to pray and give God glory!”

  Hardships come to us all. We all experience terrible times in our lives. Those times may look differently, but the sense of hopelessness, or desperation that accompany the hard times are felt the world over. It is during these difficult times that we may find ourselves in a place where we may feel that all we can do is pray. I can tell you from experience that is exactly what you should do! Pray!

  Luke wrote that at midnight they were still awake, and they weren’t complaining or blaming God, or feeling rejected by Him. Just the opposite is true! They were in the midst of a prayer meeting which involved a time a praise and worship to the God whom they loved and served. And they were not quietly praying, for scripture let’s us know that they were heard by the other prisoners who were listening to them!

  James, the brother of John, one of the Sons of Thunder, was murdered by Herod.

  Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. Acts 12:1-2 -NKJV

  When Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter. We don’t know that the Church wasn’t praying when James was murdered, but we do know that when Peter was arrested, the saints were praying. Unlike Paul and Silas who were up praying themselves, Peter was fast asleep. As a matter of fact, the angel had to shake him to wake him up.

  Both situations involved prominent, well-known men of God who found themselves in jail with the likely outcome of death being a reality. Paul and Silas were praying, and Peter was asleep. But the saints were praying for him.

  Both situations caused an angel to be sent on their behalf to bring deliverance. Peter was guided out of the jail, stopped by the prayer meeting, and then went on his way. It could have been a regular time of meeting for them, and that’s why Peter knew where to go. It could also explain why he fell asleep, because he trusted that they were praying. Or Peter could have prayed and then went to sleep because he wasn’t concerned. Whatever the case, Peter was delivered.

  Paul and Silas were also delivered, and in the process, so were all of the other prisoners. The keeper was so shocked to see the door open that he prepared to kill himself, for he knew that Herod would surely have him put to death. But no one had left the prison, although they had all been made free. This had such an impact on the jailer that he and his household were saved.

  Prayer should never be done from a standpoint of “all we can do is pray” because that isn’t faith, that sounds like you’ve given up. Prayer works, and prayer changes things. The Bible recorded many instances when prayer was offered and things happened. Not because prayer was the least that they could do, but because the person or group of people praying knew the power of prayer!

  The early Church believers were known to pray. In the upper room after Jesus ascended, they were praying together. Not because that was all they could do, but because they knew it was what they should be doing! And they were obviously not just going through the motions, because things were happening! As people prayed in the New Testament:

  • The power of God descended from on High and filled them with His Holy Spirit and they spake in tongues for the first time in history!
  • Thousands were getting saved and coming into the kingdom at one time!
  • They received the dead back to life!
  • Wisdom was given to them to do the work of the ministry and to know who to work with in ministry
  • Signs and wonders followed them as they preached the gospel.
  • Doors of opportunity were open to them to share the gospel!

  In both the Old and New Testament we have example upon example of what happens when people pray. As I have grown in Christ, when someone say that all they can do is pray, I remind them that is the best thing they can do, pray!

  Prayer is always the one area that I feel I can improve in and don’t do it enough. I never ever really feel that I have spent enough time with the Lord in prayer. I have prayed all night, I have prayed faithfully for years at our prayer meetings, and I have my private time of prayer. And I still feel I can pray some more. Sometimes I don’t feel like praying, but I know that the devil always feel like creating problems! Sometime I don’t want to pray, but I understand that the devil loves it when I am not praying. I’m not praying out of compulsion, I pray because I know the importance of prayer!

  Prayer brings peace into your heart and mind about the things going on in life. Prayer allows you to give your problems to Someone more capable of handling them. Prayer brings you into the Presence of God. Prayer stops the enemy in his tracks. Prayer releases the Spirit of God into your situation. And most importantly, God hears and answers our prayers!

  Thank you for going on this journey with me about prayer. Again, I have not exhausted it, but I am being led in another direction. I trust you’ll continue to see the necessity to pray, and enjoy the benefits of developing a prayer life centered around the word of God! Stay safe and be encouraged! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, hard times, Prayer | 3 Comments | Tagged attacks, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, household salvation, Paul and Silas, Peter, Prayer, protection, supernatural, the devil, the jailer

• Once, May Not Be Enough!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 10, 2021

  Isaiah 62:1 -For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. NKJV

  

  once_-may-not-be-enough_.mp3

  Today, instead of blogging about another type of prayer, I want to discuss prayer itself. As most of us know, prayer is simply talking to God. In our desire to understand prayer, and how to pray effectively, we have studied prayer and found many different types of prayer. In our quest to understand prayer, we have found that there are certain “times” of prayer. We have even found that there are patterns to prayer. With all of this in mind, we have even had teachings on how often to pray.

  Some highly respected teachers of the word, at least respected by me, have done a phenomenal job at dissecting these areas of prayer, to the point one might ask, “What else can be said?” I don’t pretend to be amongst that group, but as I was praying tonight, I felt this scripture rise in my spirit, and I heard the words, “once may not be enough”. Hence, my topic for this blog!

  The journeys of life are quite interesting. Years ago, as I was praying to the Lord about a situation that was not changing, I asked Him how long was I supposed to pray about this thing? Amazingly, He responded immediately with our key text. Although I have known this scripture for decades, it never really dawned on me as a prayer scripture. (That just goes to show that we can know something without understanding it). But if the Holy Spirit showed it to me in regards to praying, then I’m not going to argue with Him.

  For Zion’s sake I won’t hold my peace! Are there some situations in your life or the lives of others that you can’t hold your peace about? You just can’t be silent? You have to talk to God about it? And for some reason, it seems like you have hurt your knees, drained your tear ducts, and used every scripture imaginable on the subject with no change? Do you feel faithless, because you just keep praying about it? Have others tried to make you feel like you just need to give it up? Well, if so, this blog is for you!!

  Isaiah wrote that for Zion’s sake he wouldn’t hold his peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake he wouldn’t rest. That meant that he intended to cry out to God for as long as he felt he needed to because he was greatly concerned about the Church and his beloved city, Jerusalem! As a matter of fact, he even told us how long he intended to keep this prayer vigil going-until he got results! Some people believe and teach that when you pray in faith, you only have to pray one time. I can tell you for a truth that in many cases, this is absolutely true. Sometimes, you just know, that you know, when you finish praying, the thing is done!

  But there are some other times, the Spirit of God whispered to my heart, when once is not enough! Let’s look at Jesus, because we can all agree that He knew how to get a prayer through!

  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” – Luke 22:41-42 – NKJV

  This prayer was on the night that He was betrayed. He went to the garden to pray, as was His custom. Jesus had spent the day encouraging His disciples, praying for them, and even giving them last minute instructions. And now He is going to spend time in prayer. He even told His disciples how deeply grieved in His soul He was, and asked them to pray with Him. While He was crying out to the Father, they were sleeping!

  For this blog, I’m not concerned so much with the topic of His prayer, but there are a couple things to note. First, according to Matthew, He prayed hours about this situation. During the course of His hours of praying, He actually stopped praying and went to check on His disciples. They were falling asleep. Not once, nor twice, but three times. After He checked on them, He went back and prayed twice more for a total of three times. And another thing, He prayed the same thing! For those who feel that praying about something over and over is a lack of faith, I give you Jesus!

  Now, let’s look at Paul!

  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. – 2 Corinthians 12:8 – NKJV

  Paul writes that he had been under attack by the messenger of Satan himself. He was so sick and tired of this messenger who kept coming at him, again and again that Paul called him a thorn in his flesh. I guess after some time Paul got tired of this foolishness and he prayed asking the Lord to allow it to depart from him. As a matter of fact, Paul said that he prayed this same prayer on three different occasions. He didn’t get the answer he sought, but it wasn’t because he prayed more than once. It wasn’t because Jesus liked watching him get attacked over and over again. Jesus simply responded to him that His grace was sufficient for Paul, for His strength was made perfect in weakness. A truth that we all need to understand. Sometimes we will be delivered from the attacks of the enemy, and sometimes He will walk with us in the fire!

  Final point about praying more than once about something:

  Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to His people who plead with Him day and night? Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying*?” -Luke 18:6-8 – TLB

  The very first thing Jesus says in this chapter is that men ought always to pray and not faint. Then He shares this situation with us about the woman who wearied the unjust judge in her continuous coming. The point I want to look at is what Jesus said in the end: But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying*?” This woman, going to judge over and over again, was symbolic of us going to the Father in prayer over and over again. Jesus didn’t call this a lack of faith, He actually called it faith! She was so convinced that if she kept asking, that she would receive! This reminds me of one of my husband’s favorite sayings: “The squeaky wheel gets the oil!”

  Okay! I absolutely have to add this point, so forgive the length of this blog:

  Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. Daniel 10:12 – NKJV

  For three full weeks, Daniel fasted and prayed about the same situation. Then one day, an angel appeared to him and told him that he was heard on the first day! God hears you the first time. It doesn’t take Him 21 days to hear, but sometimes, it takes “earthly” time because the devil is fighting on every hand. And your continuous praying will bring angelic help, if needed, to get the job done!

  It’s not a lack of faith that keeps you going back to the Father for a concern on your heart, it’s your desire to see your prayer answered that keeps you going back. You are saying, “I need some oil!” Or, “I need some justice!” Or, “I need some help!” Don’t give up on your confidence in God’s willingness and His ability to answer your prayer! Pray until you get what you want, because once may not be enough! Wonderful Jesus!

  prayer-for-salvation-2.mp3

  Posted in Faith, Jesus, Prayer | 0 Comments | Tagged angels, attacks, Daniel, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Paul, Prayer, Satan, Spiritual warfare, supernatural, the enemy

• Life in the Blood!

  Posted at 2:13 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 19, 2021

  Leviticus 17:11 – For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ NKJV

  

  life-in-the-blood_.mp3

  There is no way to have a real discussion on the imagery in the word of God without talking about the blood. There was a time in church history when many people thought that the topic of the blood was too graphic for them and their children. Sadly to say, they made a great effort to remove the blood from the churches. But they did so without realizing that there is life in the Blood! Not only to all flesh, but to the people of God! So as they removed the topic of the Blood, and all references to the Blood from their churches, they caused their churches to die!

  In Leviticus, Moses explains that there is a connection between life, blood, and flesh. When he says the life of flesh is in the blood, he was inferring that without the blood, there is no life! Physically or spiritually! There is no way to touch on all the spiritual aspects of the blood in a simple blog, and I won’t even try, but I do have something I want to say.

  Acts 17:26-27 – And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; NKJV

  Paul made this statement to the Athenians, when he declared that the “unknown god” they were worshipping was the One he wanted to tell them about. As he began to preach to them, he began by making mention of the truth that all the nations on the face of the earth came from one blood. Although we may be of different skin colors, speak different languages, and live in different locales, we are of one blood. Shakespeare wrote in his play, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” Everyone one of us!

  The same is true spiritually! We all receive spiritual life through the Blood of Jesus. Nothing else!

  Ephesians 1:7 – In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace…

  Every believer on the planet, all those who have gone before us, and all who will come after us, access eternal life through the Blood of Jesus!

  The imagery of the Old Testament, with the blood, was all done to prepare mankind for the truth of the Blood of Jesus! We know this to be true because in the same verse in Leviticus, it is written, “I have given it (the blood) to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls…” God’s whole purpose for establishing the ceremonial practices of blood sacrifice, was to help us to realize that spiritual life, which is a result of being reconciled to God, was connected to blood.

  But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:11-12 – NKJV

  Here are my favorite Old Testament examples of the blood:

  • The Passover instituted in Exodus. This is a beautiful picture, and an excellent example, of the power of having faith in the blood.

  ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:12-13 – NKJV

  Every believer should understand the significance of the Passover. God made it absolutely clear that the only reason they would be spared from the plague, was because of the blood!

  One of the last events that Jesus shared with His disciples was the Passover meal, called the Seder.

  Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:20 – NKJV

  That first Passover, was our example of the shedding of Jesus’ blood. Death has no power over us, when the Blood has been applied. His Blood gives us eternal life, for there is life in His Blood!

  • The scarlet cord that Rahab used when she let down the spies:

  So the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. Joshua 2:17-19 – NKJV

  Rahab thought nothing of the scarlet cord as she used it to let the spies down and required a promise of safety from them. But when they saw the red cord, it reminded them of the Passover, and of the blood. Therefore, they told her that if they saw the scarlet cord in the window, and her family was in the house, they would find protection. If not, then they were free of their oath. Rahab, not knowing the true significance of that scarlet cord, made sure it was there, and she and her family were delivered!

  In both of these examples, life was found in the blood. As the people obeyed God’s word in applying the blood, He supernaturally protected their natural lives. It wasn’t just spiritual life that the blood spoke to, but natural life!

  Today, we as believers have been promised eternal life through the Blood of Jesus! It’s the greatest of all of the promises of God. The many references to blood in scripture was to assure us of the power of the Blood of Jesus to give us life, purify us from sin, and most importantly, reconcile us to God. If you have not applied the Blood to the doorpost of your heart, I encourage you to do so today! Wonderful Jesus!

  prayer-for-salvation-3.mp3

  Posted in Blood of Jesus, God’s Symbols, Jesus, Salvation | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, blood sacrifice, Christian, Deliverance, God, God’s Symbols, imagery in the Bible, Jesus, life, life in the blood, Passover, Salvation, the Blood of Jesus

• Jesus is the Rock!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 12, 2021

  2 Samuel 22:32 – “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” NKJV

  jesus-is-the-rock_.mp3

  Imagery can be seen in the way we talk, and even the way we write, which we call figurative language. Imagery can also be used in the form of symbolism, as in the instances that I have been using it. Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and the well symbolizes our person. Sometimes when I read the Word of God, and I run into metaphors, or symbolism, it makes me stop and think about what is being said in a particular verse. Or it helps me to see a greater truth, simply because of the imagery. Such is the case with the rock!

  Psalm 18 holds a favorite verse that causes me to stop and think about the Lord:

  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 – NKJV

  That’s a mouthful! If you are anything like me, when you think of a rock, you don’t think of a mountain. But I chose this picture because of the mountains of rock that were captured in it. When looking at the word for rock in the Greek, we see the word “petra”. Petra denotes “a mass of rock,” according to the Vine’s, which is different from “petros” which is “a detached stone or boulder”. When I think of God as my rock, I can assure you that I am not thinking in terms of “petros”, but in terms of “petra”.

  As I write this blog, I am reminded of many verses on the Rock and I just feel like sharing some that really cause my heart to be stirred:

  “No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2 – NKJV

  This verse was part of the prayer that Hannah spoke after delivering her son Samuel to Eli the priest. God have given her the son of her heart’s cry. And as she released him into service to her Lord, she declared these heartfelt words. There is none besides Him, and no other Rock like our God! There are times in prayer when I have to stop and utter similar words to these, so I can imagine how she felt!

  “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation! 2 Samuel 22:47 – NKJV

  Words of praise David uttered after the Lord had delivered him from Saul and all of his enemies. Blessed be my Rock! Have you ever been delivered from something? Are you thankful for the salvation He has given you? Yes! Your soul cries! And again it cries, yes!!

  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 – NKJV

  David knew that there was One who was higher than him, and called Him the Rock! Solid, strong, dependable! And higher than him and each of us! More than strength and beauty comes from the Rock, for when I am overwhelmed, David cried, just lead me to the Rock! That’s still the best course of action when we are overwhelmed, even today. We just need to be led to the Rock!

  In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Psalm 62:7 – NKJV

  What precious promises the Word holds for those whose trust is in God. He is the rock of our strength! Strong, unyielding, is our God. And there is none like Him!

  Jesus shares this truth in a familiar verse filled with imagery:

  “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25 – NKJV

  Jesus is the Rock of our salvation, and He reminds us of this: If we hear and obey His word, it is equal to building our house on a rock. Have you ever seen a house built in the sides of the mountains? Doesn’t it look well protected?

  The Anasazi people were called cliff dwellers. Their homes were caves built in cliffs or under a cliff overhang. Many still exist today, although they were built thousands of years ago. Not a house you or I would want to buy, but it makes Jesus’ point! The passage of time, and the harshness of the weather over the years couldn’t cause them to be destroyed.

  What a blessing to know that we can build our homes on the Rock! Many people marvel when I say that I have been happily married to the same man for almost 35 years. I get that! It is so, only because we built on marriage, our home, on the Rock! Not only are we to build our homes on the Rock, but Jesus built His Church on the Rock! There may be times when it doesn’t look like “the gates of hell will not prevail against the church,” but just keep watching. Nothing will prevail against it! It’s built on the Rock!

  These are challenging times for the church and for us as individuals, but if we are in Christ, our foundation is sure! Nothing will cause us to be blown away because we are built on the Rock! Not floods, not pandemics, not harsh winds and rains; not even the current state of our political governments! Nothing!

  We must take comfort and find strength in the truth of the solidness of the Rock of our Salvation! He can not be moved! He can not be overcome! He can not be defeated! Even if we are done with this life on tomorrow, He would still be standing strong. Jesus is the Rock! He is the Rock of my salvation and I’ll never be ashamed! He is the Rock of your salvation, and you have no reason to be ashamed. Steady, strong, and unmovable is our Rock! Wonderful Jesus!

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  Posted in encouragement, God’s Symbols, Jesus, Strength | 0 Comments | Tagged David, Deliverance, encouragement, God, hard times, house on the rock, Jesus, Jesus is the Rock, Marriage, obedience, pandemic, protection, rock of salvation, Salvation, trust in God

• What’s That About?

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 3, 2021

  James 1:19-20 – “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” NKJV

  

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  Have you ever witnessed someone who was so angry that they were out of control? Have you been that someone?

  One morning, as I was entering the school building, a fight broke out. It was pretty intense as kids were shouting, using profanity, and dodging in and out of the ruckus. My first thought was, “It’s too early in the morning for this!” I wish that I can say that this was abnormal, but the harsh reality of it is, over the 16 years that I have been in education, it has been way too common.

  So much anger in the world today. Unfortunately, many of our kids see and hear so much in their homes, in their environments, and even on television that fills them with anger. What’s that about?

  Well, I’m not a psychologist, and I can’t say for sure, but here are some reasons anger is prevalent in our society:

  • Stress – from many avenues
  • Family problems – too many to name
  • Financial woes- joblessness, debt, poverty, homelessness
  • Illness – self or loved one
  • Grief

  While each of these things are real, we have a word from the word about how to handle anger: we are to be slow to anger. James doesn’t leave us hanging with just telling us to be slow to anger. He tells us that this anger doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

  I’m not writing to the unsaved. I am writing to the person who I believe is a Christian; a Bible believing, Bible toting, Bible quoting Christian, dealing with uncontrolled anger.

  There are times when we feel our anger is justified. Ask Esau. He was the firstborn of Isaac. His twin, Jacob was younger. As they grew, Esau had the heart of his father, and Jacob had the heart of his mother. Esau was casual about everything, and one day he made a trade with his brother: Esau promised his birthright to Jacob if Jacob would just give him something to eat. Later on, when Isaac was ready to pass the blessing on to Esau, Jacob stole it. (But did he really? After all, Esau had given it to him). This angered Esau so much that he promised to kill his brother! The Bible even goes so far as to say that Esau comforted himself with these thoughts! What’s that about? He was so angry that he wanted to kill his brother, and this brought him comfort? That’s bizarre! Yet, he felt justified in his anger! But nothing righteous will come from this type of venting of our anger.

  The Bible has a lot to say about anger. For example:

  Romans 12:19,21 – Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NKJV

  This is a tough truth to live by when you have been deeply hurt. I know that, and more importantly, God knows that. But look at the promise in this verse: vengeance belongs to the Lord and He will repay! You may not see it happen, but I can promise you this, if you will trust God with your anger, He’s got your back!

  Here’s another truth:

  Psalm 37:8 – “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret— it only causes harm. NKJV

  Ain’t that the truth! Harm to your physical body, harm to your mental state, harm in your relationships, harm at your job, and the list goes on. I knew someone who was so angry, that person couldn’t keep a job. Several someones. Harm!

  This is what I try to teach my students about anger. If it isn’t dealt with, in a positive way, it will cause more harm than good. Fighting leads to suspension. Every single time! Angry outbursts lead to loss. Loss of time in school, loss of learning, loss of trust, loss in relationships, just so much loss. In the end, was it really worth it?

  People are incarcerated today because they didn’t control their anger. People are in the grave because they never dealt with their anger. And just because we are saved, doesn’t mean that we won’t experience these exact same results if we persist in our anger.

  God offers this solution to your anger issues:

  Matthew 6:14 – “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” NKJV

  If you are going to live free of anger, you are going to have to learn to forgive. Forgiveness is more freeing than you think. It doesn’t let the person get away with anything, because God is a righteous judge. But it does release you from the prison of all that pent up, negative emotion called anger.

  Proverbs 19:11 – The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. NKJV

  Sometimes, we just have to learn to overlook the things that make us angry. It isn’t easy. It very well may be impossible for you to accomplish, but not with God. With God, all things are possible! Even being free of anger.

  When Jacob returned home many years later, He asked God to deliver him from Esau’s anger. And guess what happened? You already know! God did just that! But let’s look from Esau’s point of view. He wanted to kill Jacob the last time he saw him. But at some point, he obviously let that anger go. When he saw Jacob, Jacob was bowing before him in humility. He rushed to his brother and embraced him. The rest is history!

  Even perceived justification of anger can be released. God wants us to be whole before Him. He knows that nothing righteous will come of it. He knows the damage of anger and doesn’t want us to go through that. If you are struggling with anger, for any reason, God has you reading this blog, so that you might be free. Go ahead! Release the anger, offer forgiveness, and receive the forgiveness and peace of God that has been waiting for you. Wonderful Jesus!

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  Posted in Dealing With Emotions, Forgiveness, God, Healing | 2 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Believer, Deliverance, encouragement, Esau, Forgiveness, freedom, God, Handling difficulties, Humility, Isaac, Jacob, offense, relationships, trust in God

• A Forever Promise!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 27, 2021

  Psalm 89:34-37- My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah NKJV

  

  Most people enjoy a great love story. Or at the very least, most women do! One of my favorites is the movie, “Ever After” with Drew Barrymore as Danielle, and Dougray Scott as Prince Henry. It’s another spin on the story of Cinderella, and it’s a joy to watch. In this version, the mean stepmother gets her just rewards, and Danielle gets her Prince Henry in a way that is entertaining and heartwarming. If it’s not a classic, it should be!

  Forever after seems to truly be a storybook fantasy in many of our lives. On my second date with my husband, he asked me if I knew of any marriages that had lasted. Sadly to say, at that time, the pickings were really slim. Today, however, I know many couples who have been together for decades, and seem to truly be on the road to their personal forever after! We’re included in that number having celebrated 34 years this month! Here’s a place for a “Wonderful Jesus” shout!

  God is a forever God! There’s nothing temporary or flaky about Him, or what He says, or what He does. His promises are sure and they are true!

  David was minding his own business when he was called to dinner with Samuel and his family. Unbeknown to him, they were waiting for the next king of Israel. Or so we think! Could it be that while David was watching sheep, fighting off the bear, and ripping the lion apart that God had already spoken to him about being king? Is it possible that he had already received the promise? I don’t know, but I know this, God made Him a forever promise.

  From that day, David was the king of Israel. He was favored of God, a warrior who won many battles for the Lord. He took back territory from the Philistines, established worship in the temple, united the kingdom, and won the respect of those near and far. But one day, he wanted to build a house for the Lord. It was not to be because God said that David had too much blood on his hands. But then God said this to David:

  “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”’ ”. 2 Samuel 7:12-13,16 – NKJV

  David was so delighted. He just wanted to build a place for God. He wasn’t looking for anything in return. God had been so good to him already that he just wanted to do something to show God how much He meant to him. But you can never repay the generosity of the Father. David responded to the Lord by saying:

  “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” 2 Samuel 7:28-29 – NKJV

  David knew the integrity of God’s promises. When he was anointed king that day, he returned to the sheep, not to the palace. As a matter of fact his journey to the palace was a long and arduous one. He went from the one who was heralded as a hero after killing Goliath, to the one who hid in the cave of Adullam, and was found weeping at Ziklag, and finally to kingship. But through it all, God was faithful to David, and gave him exactly what He had promised him.

  We see David later in years, about to transition to glory, as he turns the kingdom over to Solomon. We see a man who slept with another man’s wife, and had the man killed. We see a man who ran from his son who took the kingdom from him. We see a man who had children killing each other. A hard and often difficult life. But God had blessed David richly and said He would have given him more if he would have just asked. This David! The one who seemed to have lost his way! This David, was promised a forever kingdom!

  Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore. Psalm 18:50 – NKJV

  Not only did God promise David a forever kingdom, but He also promised David and his descendants great deliverance and mercy forever! Isn’t that something? Well, that’s just like God. He didn’t change His promise based on David’s actions, but He kept His promise based on His word.

  Let’s return to our text.

  My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah NKJV

  God promised that He would not break or alter the word that had gone out of His lips to David. He even said that He would not lie to David! (Do you want to know something else, God isn’t lying to us!). God promised that David’s seed would endure forever and that is so through Jesus, and also through many in the nation of Israel who trace their ancestry to David. God said that his throne would be established forever, and again, this was made a reality through the throne of Jesus! God made a forever promise to David, and He kept His word!

  This week I have an objective, if you haven’t noticed. Two in fact. The first is to remind us of the surety of the promises of God. The second is to remind us of the faithfulness of God to His word. Scripture lets us know that He watches over it to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12)

  As we journey through 2021, let’s do so, learning to trust in His promises like never before. Let’s set our face to know what those promises are and learn how to receive them in our lives. Let us determine that we will say like the song of old:

  Standing, standing
  Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior,
  Standing, standing
  Standing on the promises of God!

  Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, God’s Blessings, Jesus, Promises of God | 2 Comments | Tagged blessings, David, Deliverance, descendants, faithfulness, favor, God, hard times, Jesus, kingdom, Marriage, promise, trust in God, word of God

• Shattered!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 20, 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

  

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  Today’s topic will probably not be a feel good topic, but I refuse to ignore it, since it is part of the ministry of Jesus. When Jesus read the list of things that God had anointed Him to do, dealing with oppression was in the list. He said it this way, “to set at liberty those who are oppressed”. Most people don’t even think about oppression, but today, we will take a quick look at what oppression is. First, we will look at natural or physical oppression.

  Oppression is real in our society. No matter how much we wish for it to not be so, it is so. Oppression was at the heart of the women’s suffrage movement during the 1800s. Women were tired of being ornaments on their husbands and fathers arms, doormats in their homes, and being kept “barefoot and pregnant”. They wanted to have a real place in society, with a voice, and opportunities.

  The Civil Rights movement during the 50s and 60s, was a cry for social just because of the systemic oppression Black people faced on a daily basis. Low paying jobs, segregated schools, stores, communities. Giving honor to whites on the bus, on the sidewalk, in the line. They just wanted the same rights, freedoms, and job opportunities of their white counterparts.

  Black Lives Matter, is the millennials cry to unfair treatment of non-whites by police and the justice system. As they watch individuals being murdered on the streets, on video, and it being called justifiable. For them, that is unacceptable!

  Many Christians, Black and white, are confused as to how they should view situations and organizations like Black Lives Matter. We are told, by Blacks and Whites alike a variety of things: “If Black Lives Matter, why is there so much Black on Black crime”? I ask you, ” Don’t we have a lot of white on white crime? Surely killing inside of your own race is not just a problem with Blacks?” We are told that if we really care about Black lives, we should care about the Blacks in the ghetto who are being killed in gang violence. I say to that, “If you are really pro-life, you should care also”. Gang violence is a societal issue that is being ignored because it involves Black and Brown individuals, not because it is unsolvable. We most certainly, as a nation, could do more to stomp out gang violence. And we should! But one really does not have anything to do with the other.

  A definition of oppression is prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control. That is what the Women’s Suffrage movement complained about, the Civil Rights Activist complain about, and what Black Lives Matter complain about. Cruel and unjust treatment or control.

  Whenever God’s people, the Israelites, found themselves under oppression, they would call out to God and He would deliver them! Therefore, it’s no surprise that part of Jesus’ ministry would be to set the oppressed free.

  When Jesus said:

  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34 – NKJV

  He was giving us a key to handling natural oppression. Where we have godly, or agape love for one another, we will have genuine concern for them, their needs, and their well-being. Love isn’t a commodity we throw around to control people, it’s how they will know that we are truly His disciples.

  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”John 13:35 – NKJV

  Then there is spiritual oppression that we can experience in life. The Bible refers to this oppression as being demonic. It’s just as cruel in nature, and equally as controlling in the individual’s life, and we must be healed of it. Acts 10:38 states:

  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. Acts 10:38 – NKJV

  Can I just say, that I had to look up the difference between oppression and those who are bound by chains? I thought they were one and the same, but the definition for oppression in the Vine’s dictionary gives us a different meaning altogether:

  The Greek word “thrauo” means bruise:

  “to smite through, shatter,” It is used in Luk 4:18, “them that are bruised,” i.e., broken by calamity.

  This oppression, that is brought on by the devil, is what we experience after great calamity and trouble. The loss of a loved one through violence, sudden death from COVID-19, floods, hurricanes…unexpected, inexplicable things that causes us to feel as if we are being shattered by the event that has taken place. In the Young’s Literal translation, Luke 4:18 reads like this:

  `The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because He did anoint me; to proclaim good news to the poor, sent me to heal the broken of heart, to proclaim to captives deliverance, and to blind receiving of sight, to send away the bruised with deliverance..Luke 4:18 – YLT

  Jesus wants us to come to Him with these bruises, not to run away. He says, He will heal us, send us away delivered and put back together. He is still saying, “Come to Me”.

  Isaiah 53 is where we find a powerful verse on healing:

  Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 – NKJV

  But right after that, we have this verse:

  He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. Isaiah 53:7 – NKJV

  Jesus understands physical and spiritual oppression. He didn’t avoid any of it, because He wanted us to know that He understood what we were experiencing. Today, if you find yourself bruised, shattered, and hurting over the cruel actions of others or events, know that you are not alone. Jesus has been where you find yourself, and He gets it. And the greater words of encouragement for you are: He can heal you. It is what He was anointed to do! What He is still anointed to do!

  Some experiences in life are shattering. I wish it was not so. So does the Father! I promise you He isn’t responsible. He said that the devil is responsible and Jesus is the cure. Trust Him today to put all the pieces back together again in your life. So whether you are experiencing a natural or spiritual oppression at this time, you can experience freedom and healing. The way to that freedom may be different, but if you’ll trust Jesus, you can experience it in the natural and in the spiritual realm. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, Healing, Jesus, Luke 4:18, Social Justice | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, calamity, coronavirus, Deliverance, God, hard times, Healing, Jesus, love, oppression, shattered, Social Justice, the devil

• Spiritual Sharecropping!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 15, 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

  

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  Every aspect of the ministry of Jesus focuses on people. What He did, and what He said, during His earthly ministry, testifies to that truth. But this ministry, the ministry to set the captives free, is the launching pad of all of His ministry. He came to “break every chain” and to make us free.

  We can really get ourselves caught up in stuff. Drugs, alcoholism, sexual immorality, lying, stealing, hating, backbiting, and everything in between. Some of this stuff is of our own choosing, while some of it comes with the territory of our lives. And then there is that, which seems to have traveled through our bloodlines. So much baggage, so many chains, and Jesus came to free us from them all.

  I love the words of the Savior in John 8:

  John 8:36 -Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. NKJV

  Yet, many believers are still walking around in the chains of their past, with sins weighing them down, as though they have never heard this declaration of the Savior.

  Paul wrote in Galatians:

  Galatians 5:1 – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. NIV

  When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He died to set us free from the bondage of sin. When He set us free from the bondage of sin, it was that we could live a life of freedom, and still, there are chains in many people lives.

  Let me clarify for you, I am not sitting in judgment and making light of the trials and struggles that we face in this life. However, the truth of the Word is that Jesus came to set the captives free, and if we are captive to anything in this life, He wants us free!

  My daughter wrote a series called, “The Salis Plantation”. One of the things I truly love about the series, besides the fact that she wrote it, is the way she portrayed the slaves who ran for freedom. In her novels, these ex-slaves had to learn to be free. Although, they had escaped slavery, and was no longer bound in the physical sense, they had to become free in their spirits, their minds, and the way they lived.

  It’s the same way in Christ Jesus. He sets us free from the bondage of sin when we are born again. It’s our spiritual liberation day and we become new creatures. Outwardly we look the same, and so does our environments; but inwardly we are not the same people. Therefore, we are not to do the same things we did before, or to live the same way.

  It starts with the understanding of His message to the captives. We can be free. How is that even possible? Listen to what Jesus said:

  John 8:31-32 – Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” NKJV

  As we begin to read and study the word, we begin to abide in Him. As we begin to abide in Him, we learn of the truth of His power over sin and the evil one. As we learn to trust Him and His word, we realize that we can truly be free. Truth opens our eyes to the possibility of being free. When we embrace that truth, and can see ourselves free, it will happen for us! Chains are broken!

  You say, “It’s not that simple!” I agree, for many, it is not! For others, when they are born of the Spirit of God, they are immediately set free from addictions, from hate, from guilt and shame. I don’t know the whys of it all, I just know that He came to make us free, and He is well able to do what He said that He would do!

  The things that hold us in bondage are weighty chains. They affect every area of our lives. The alcoholic desperately wants to be free. The damage that comes into the family of an alcoholic can be pretty traumatic. The family of the drug addict cries for the freedom of their loved one, because the pain of watching a life self-destruct, is heartbreaking! (Remember yesterday’s post, He can heal that broken heart)! The point is, people need to be free, and only Jesus can truly set us free! He is just as anointed today to set the captive free, as He was when He walked this earth.

  Matthew tells us of a couple men who needed to be set free. They were demon-possessed, and they hung out in the tombs. Matthew described them as being extremely fierce, and they were obviously very dangerous men, because he said no one could pass their way. But one day, Jesus did! And at His word, they were set free!

  Every ministry that Jesus walked in, because He was anointed, is a ministry we are to walk in. I’m not saying that I have arrived, but I am saying that I need to know all that He did and expects of us as His body. Getting people free, is as much a part of our responsibilities, as Christians, as helping the poor, and the broken-hearted. But it’s not for the faint of heart or the individual who is not anointed.

  All chains are not broken the same way. There are some great programs, started by believers, that are effectively assisting people in getting free. Here’s a truth I never want to stray away from:

  Matthew 9:29 – “According to your faith let it be to you.” NKJV

  What you believe about your situation and how you can be made free, or not, plays a significant role in getting free. Slaves who were afraid of running away to obtain freedom remained in bondage. Even after their freedom was secured nationally, some stayed in the yokes of slavery, as sharecroppers. Not being owned, but not being able to live a life much different then when they were slaves; still bowing to the plantation owners with next to nothing to call their own. Still afraid of upsetting them and making them mad, or of not showing up and working when they said. Working hard, like a slave, and being given pennies a day, while being charged dollars a minute for everything. Always in debt, (another bondage), and never a way to get out of it! A horrible lifestyle!

  That’s what a believer, who Jesus came to set free, but who still lives in bondage is, a spiritual sharecropper. Living in bondage to the devil, as if there is no realization that freedom has been granted! Living as if the devil’s bondages are more powerful than Christ’s freedom! Living as though there is no hope for a different lifestyle, when the Savior has said we have become children of God and can be free!

  Not criticizing! Just saying what Jesus said! He came that we might be free from the bondages of sin! He came so that, in obtaining freedom, we might actually live in that freedom. As we minister to people, it is our responsibility to tell them this is part of the gospel message: they can be free! Jesus said it, and didn’t change His mind; that whom He sets free, is free indeed.

  If you or someone you know is yoked in spiritual sharecropping; free without the benefits of being free, it’s time to believe God for a change. The word of God says that you can be free and you should be free. As you study His word, even reading the truth in this blog, begin to see yourself free of every yoke. As you begin to see yourself free, ask God for a plan, or to lead you where you can learn more about being free. Go after it, and then dare to believe it can be yours! I’ll be praying for you or your loved one. And if you drop me a comment about a specific situation, I will add my faith and prayers to yours.

  Jesus is anointed to set you free, and if you look, you will find one of His anointed servants, who can help you get free! Wonderful Jesus!

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  Posted in Deliverance, freedom, Jesus, Luke 4:18 | 2 Comments | Tagged Deliverance, demonic activity, encouragement, Faith, free, freedom, Jesus, Luke 4:18, sharecroppers, the devil, Victorious Living, victory

• His Name is Mighty God!

  Posted at 5:43 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on September 26, 2020

  Isaiah 9:6 – “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. NKJV

  

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  It was about twenty years ago, when I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing the Hubble telescope exhibit at the Adler Planetarium, here in Chicago. I was on a field trip with one of my daughters and I wasn’t all that interested in seeing the exhibit. When the show started, what I saw was God, Mighty God. If I remember correctly, the Hubble allows scientists to see beyond our galaxy to the billions of galaxies in the universe. Not only that, it also helped them to realize that Earth is the only habitable planet in the universe. It is as He said!

  In the Old Testament we see God, the Father, display His might against Pharaoh, against the Philistines, and against the many enemies of the children of Israel over and over again. In the New Testament we can also see, Mighty God Jesus, display His might over the enemies of mankind over and over again. I want to share some of my favorite displays of His might and power.

  Immediately what comes to mind is the crucifixion. Don’t judge me if I am not sequential today! He demonstrated great strength, control, and dedication to His end goal of saving us. He could have called angelic hosts to deliver Him, yet He endured physical and emotional trauma to deliver us from hell’s eternal torment. And just when the devil thought he had silenced God’s Son, He rose from the dead! Jesus, Mighty God, demonstrated His power over sin and death! Mighty God demonstrated His might, with creation of the natural world, and Mighty God Jesus demonstrated His might with the new birth, or recreation of our very being!

  Another favorite of mine is when He walked on water! Now that’s miraculous! Even his disciples, who were able to follow in His footsteps and do many of the things He did, was not able to walk on water. How many times do you think Jesus, Mighty God, walked on water? As many times as He needed to! This demonstrated His might over His creation. He didn’t bow to the limitations of creation, He made them bow to Him! Mighty God! God parted the waters that His people might walk on dry land, but Jesus just walked on it when He needed to get across!

  He turned water into wine! Six large water pots, approximately 120 gallons of water was transformed before Him. How did He do it? What transpired to make it happen? How can it be duplicated? I’ve never heard of it being duplicated. He did the impossible! Without touching it, without praying, without speaking words over it, He caused that water to turn to wine! He said, fill the pots with water, draw some out, and take it to the master of the feast. Voila! Top quality wine was made! Might demonstrated just because! True, it was His first sign that He was God, but He could have chosen something different, more earth shaking to do that! God turned water into blood, and He turned it into wine! Mighty God! Are you seeing this? I’m getting excited just writing about it!

  His authority over Satan! One of the funniest things Jesus said, in my opinion, was when He said that He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven! That is so funny to me! Satan has most of the world afraid to mention him, but Jesus let it be known that Satan was nothing to Him. He saw him fall! Every experience Jesus had with Satan, He walked away in victory. Every single one! Demons bow in His presence! When He cast them out, they asked permission of Him to go into a herd of pigs. They asked Him not to torment them before the appointed time. They were utterly afraid of Him. They understood His might!

  There is no sickness, there is no disease, there is not situation, that His might cannot explode upon and bring great victory! None! The Bible only shares about 34 different miracles with us, but over and again he healed the multitudes, making it thousands upon thousands. He caused the people to marvel at Him time and again, as they watched Him operate like the God of their fathers. Whether He was calming the raging seas, or raising the dead, there was no doubt that He was and is Mighty God!

  Now, having said this, what hinders us to believe? Many people confess Him as Savior and Lord, and yet, have not realized that He is still Mighty God! He didn’t stop being Mighty God because He ascended to heaven! His purpose for coming, was to redeem us, and to allow us to see the great lengths He was willing to go to in order to help us! Mighty God saved us, not just that we would miss hell, but that we would know Him and His love well enough to trust Him to show up!

  Can I just say that each of our three daughters are a walking miracle? Can I just say that I am a walking miracle? Can I just say that neither of us would be here today if Mighty God, Jesus, hadn’t shown up? The miracle of my healing isn’t more spectacular to me than their healing miracles. They are all just testaments to His might! He is still the Healer!

  Years ago, we were traveling from Florida to Chicago. It was during the winter and we ran into snow. Our car wasn’t suited for the snowy highway and we found ourselves slipping occasionally, as we traveled. My husband expressed his desire to get to a town where we could stop, before it got dark. He didn’t want to have to navigate through snow and darkness; but the nearest town was quite a ways away. In the name of Jesus I decreed that the One who made the sun stand still could do it again. I don’t know if it stood still for the world, but we had light for the duration of our journey until we reached a city. You don’t have to believe it! It matters not to me; because I know it’s true!

  Another time, when I was a teenager, I was driving in the hills of Tennessee, when He demonstrated His might. It started to rain as the sun went down. My problem was that the car I was driving didn’t have working windshield wipers. It went from raining to torrential rain, causing my vision to be impaired. I finally said to Jesus that I could close my eyes and drive and it would be the same result. The next thing I knew, I was in my parking space in front of my apartment. Clueless as to how I got there, knowing I had experienced a miracle. Mighty God!

  I am learning that there is no greater relationship than the relationship I have with Jesus! It’s why I daily call Him Wonderful! It’s why I daily tell Him there is no other God like Him! I love Him for all He has done in my life, but I mostly love Him because He, Mighty God, loves me. I know that my blog isn’t read by the masses, but my heart is that everyone who does read it, will come to realize a deeper love and intimacy with the One who loves us so much! Just think of this, Mighty God loves you and has demonstrated His love in dying for you. Since He was willing to that, we ought to be able to believe that He is willing to move heaven and earth on our behalf! Won’t you trust Him today? Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, His Name, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Believer, Deliverance, Healing, Jesus, love, Mighty God, miraculous, relationships, testimony, the devil, trust in God, victory, witness

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