Wonderful Jesus!

Isaiah 50:4- “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…”
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    • He Gave Gifts!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 14, 2020

      Ephesians 4:8 – Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” NKJV

      he-gave-gifts_.mp3

      At this time of the year, there are several holidays being celebrated: Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza. Within each of these celebrations is the practice of giving gifts. The giving and exchanging of gifts make the holidays even more special as we share tokens of our love and appreciation to friends, co-workers, and family members. It can become a little overwhelming at times, for some, but the point that I want to make is that the holiday season is a time of giving gifts.

      When Jesus was visited by the wise men, they brought him gifts!

      Matthew 2:11 – And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. NKJV

      It is believed that each of these gifts held spiritual significance for Jesus. The gold represented His kingship, the frankincense represented His priestly role, and the myrrh was used for embalming, to signify that He had come to die. Now, I read this in several articles, and have no real evidence of such, but it sounds legit! For surely He is King of kings, He is our High Priest, and He did die for our sins. How would the Magi know this? They were led to choose these particular gifts by the Holy Spirit, and presented them with great reverence and faith to little King Jesus.

      That same Jesus, who is no longer in a manger, and didn’t stay there for very long, is now giving gifts to mankind. As I continue to look at the Christmas season, in light of our risen Savior, and not the babe wrapped in swaddling clothing, I feel a need to briefly discuss these gifts.

      In Ephesians 4:8, the word for gift, in the Greek, is “doma” and literally means “to build”. The interesting thing about this word, is that the focus is more on the character of the gift, then it’s beneficial nature. This is easily understood when you read what these gifts are called, and their purpose.

      Typically, in the Church, we call these gifts the ministry gifts, because they are the names of the titles of those who do ministry in the church. In verse 11, Paul informs us of these “gifts” given to men: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Most denominations agree with having evangelists, pastors, and teachers, but only a few acknowledge the gifts of the apostles and prophets. Today’s blog is not to validate, or persuade you in either direction, just to point out the fact that He gave them as gifts to the Body.

      Why did Jesus give us these gifts? Paul tells us in this same chapter:

      Ephesians 4:12-13 – “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; NKJV

      The ministry gifts were given to equip the saints for ministry. Isn’t that something? The job of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. I thought they were given for ministry? They were! But in giving us these gifts, these individuals, they exist to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.

      This word for perfecting of the saints is used only once in the Greek Bible. What it denotes is “to render, to fit, sound, complete. In others words, their job is to help make us sound in the word of God, and to help us to be complete in our life as believers.

      We come into the “Church” from every walk of life. We know how to do some things well, and others things are a puzzle for us. We may be CEOs in a corporation, doctors, waitresses, nurses, or a person off the streets when we come to Christ. As we enter into this new relationship with Him, this new life, we need someone to help us to navigate through the kingdom of God. This is where the gifts come in. Jesus gave gifts to certain members of the Body to assist us in our journey.

      The apostle starts churches and ministries. As he goes about his work, he leads the way in what it looks like to build a ministry from the ground up, in other areas, just as Paul did during his missionary journey. He looks amongst the people of God and recognize leadership and gifts in others and help to place them in the place where God wants to use them. He walks in a lot of foresight and is often a person a great vision. Starting churches and new ministries take skill and faith. An apostle has the ability to “not to despise small beginnings” and to see the great possibilities of planting ministries and churches. We need them to teach us how to do these things, and to sometimes pull us along in the building of new churches and ministries.

      We have the prophets. We don’t understand everything God is doing and saying to us as a church and as individuals. The prophet is in the body to exhort, encourage, and comfort us. Again, we can come into the church, emotionally broken, and struggling to make it in this life. God’s prophetic voice is there to encourage us, to help us to understand that we’ve made the right choice in choosing Jesus, and we will make it. She may even be used to give a word of exhortation to push us to become our true self. Or God can use her to bring comfort after a trying and difficult time in our lives. The way may seem clearer after the prophet has done his/her job to equip us, build us, so that now God can use us for His glory!

      We all understand the roles of the evangelist, pastors, and teachers. The evangelist stirs us up for evangelism, often leading us in the call to win the lost at any cost. The teacher expounds on the word, explaining it, breaking it down, or pulling it up, to meet our spiritual hunger for the understanding of the word. And the pastor may have the hardest job of all, watching over the sheep!

      The point is, as we come into the family of God, gifts are waiting to open our eyes and our hearts to the King. As we grow in the family of God, the gifts are still there to train us, build us, and steer us in the kingdom. These gifts are available to us until we all come to the unity of the faith. He hasn’t removed them, He isn’t withholding them, because He has given them to us for our perfecting and for our equipping.

      As gifts, these individuals are not our lords. We have only one, Jesus! Although, I believe they are to be honored and respected as we would anyone who is placed in our lives to make them better. They are there to be a blessing, and when they are functioning according to the will of God, they are a tremendous blessing. This holiday season, remember, He gave you gifts! We call them our spiritual leadership, to help us in this walk of life. This holiday season, encourage them by letting them know they have been a real gift to your walk of faith! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus | 7 Comments | Tagged apostles, encouragement, equipping the Body, evangelists, Gifts, God, Jesus, king, Kingdom of God, leaders, ministry, pastors, perfecting of saints, prophets, teachers
    • The Spirit of Love!

      Posted at 10:23 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 11, 2020

      Luke 2:11-12 -For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” NKJV

      the-spirit-of-love_.mp3

      In two weeks people all over the world will be celebrating the birth of Jesus. I know there are many who like to think of this time as just a fun holiday, celebrated with gifts, family, food and good times. They want to X Jesus right out of the season. They are more excited about teaching their children about a fairy tale man who will come down the chimney and leave them a bunch of toys. They don’t want to “lie” to their children about a Savior being born, but they will lie about Santa Claus coming to town! The logic of some!

      I remember when I first told my mom that I didn’t believe in Santa Claus. She seemed surprised that not only did I not believe in him, but that I didn’t have any desire to participate in the lie of a non-existent man bringing me toys. It hurt her more than it hurt me. He’s my least favorite part of Christmas! But that’s my personal bias!

      What makes this season so special, is the Spirit of love! Everything about the birth of Jesus was centered in the love of God for mankind.

      John 3:16-17 -For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NKJV

      Right here, in this most familiar verse, is the truth of what the Spirit of love is all about. God wrapped Himself in His love, placed His Seed into Mary, and birthed Him into this earth, that He might save mankind. I love verse 17 as much as verse 16! God didn’t send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him, might be saved! Spectacular! Love so freely released and so abundant, it was capable of being extended to the entire world, for ages to come.

      Here’s another power packed duo of verses about God’s love for us:

      In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

      On that day, when our Savior was born, the Spirit of Love was made manifest! God would now be able to tangibly touch His people with love in a way that He had not been able to touch them before. No more do we need to have a fearful, we can’t say His name because it’s too holy, outlook on the God of the universe! He is now touchable, relatable, and visible. No more standing afar off from Him because He came to be up close and personal. No more wondering what He meant, or if He could really love us, because He came to assure us of this truth! We are loved by God and He wants us to know it!

      Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 3, that his heart was that we would know the love of God which passes all understanding. That love brought Jesus from heaven to earth! That agape love, that is unconditional, not based on us, but on Him, was released in a profound way, on the day Jesus was born!

      Jesus was a wonderful example of love when He walked this earth. He demonstrated daily a new kind of love. When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus didn’t say, “I love you” with His words. But His actions spoke loud and clear of His love. When the widow of Nain was headed to the burial sight with her own son, Jesus didn’t say, “I love you” with His words, but His actions expressed His love with no problem. The way He cared for people, the way He embraced men, women, and children, the way He reached out to the “commoners” and the “sinners” without judgment; all demonstrated His love.

      Looking at Jesus’ life, He taught us how to love:

      • He said that anyone could love a friend, but when we loved our enemies, that was a real demonstration of love.
      • He said that there is no greater love, than the love of a friend, who will give His life for you. Then He died for us!
      • He said that we are not to just love our neighbors as ourselves, but love as He loved us. His love was without strings attached!
      • He taught us that forgiveness is steeped in love. That’s why He is so willing to forgive us.
      • He taught us that love will cause us to serve and obey Him, as it caused Him to serve and obey the Father.
      • He taught us that serving one another was an expression of love, and He washed His disciples feet!
      • And He said that if we want others to really believe that we are His, then we would show love to one another.

      Can I just say that in this climate, in which we find ourselves in America, with the political unrest, we need love sweet love. We have allowed our allegiance to political parties and individuals to override our love for one another. In the past weeks I have heard several different messages, from different ministers, reminding us of the words of Jesus: “By this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another!” John 13:5

      I believe God is speaking! I know He is speaking to my heart. I believe He is speaking to the hearts of His people. What we need right now in America is a move of the Spirit of Love, upon the church, then upon the land. We need to stop and think about how we look to Jesus, who taught us the true meaning of love, and how we look to the world, who don’t believe our God is real anyway.

      This holiday is full of the Spirit of love. Love for family and friends, and love for the Savior, who came to this earth for us. But if we aren’t loving one another, than are we truly loving Him? Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song, “Love Take Me Over,” asking God to allow His love to take him over. Here is part of the chorus:

      Love, take these words that I’m speaking
      Love, take these thoughts that I’m thinking,
      Love, take me over.

      Today, ask the Spirit of love to overtake our hearts, His church, and our land like never before. The very last thing we want to see is our nation is another civil war. The very last thing we want to see is a greater divide in the Church. Spirit of Love begin to flow like never before! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, God, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus, love of God | 0 Comments | Tagged civil war, encouragement, Forgiveness, God, God’s Spirit, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, love of God, obedience, Salvation, Spirit of love
    • The Spirit of Praise!

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

      Luke 2:13-14 – “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!” NKJV

      the-spirit-of-praise_.mp3

      I’ve been listening to Christmas music already! I am not a fan of the commercialization of Christmas, but I have to admit that I love the music of Christmas! There are a lot of anointed singers out there, but can I just say that I really enjoy listening to Mariah Carey’s “O Holy Night”? Don’t shoot me, if you don’t agree with my choice, but it is a beautiful song.

      Long ago, shepherds were watching their flocks at night. (I read a book recently of shepherds in Jerusalem in biblical times. It was a historical fiction, and I mention it because I never really thought much about this scene). In the book, the shepherds would bring the sheep in closer to their living space at night, and then someone would guard the sheep at night from predators.

      Imagine that it has been a long day, they have had dinner, and they are resting from their long day and preparing their minds for their long evening, when suddenly someone is standing before them. And not only has someone appeared before them out of nowhere, a stranger, but he is also surrounded by light. The Bible lets us know that the men were terrified. These men, who are out with a staff, walking the perimeter of their sheep pen all night to keep them safe, and they are suddenly terrified. This was no simple visitation of an angel!

      The angel speaks and says to the shepherds:

      “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12 – NKJV

      Don’t be afraid! Are you kidding me? You popped up out of nowhere, with a light shining around you, and you say don’t fear? I’m pretty sure that those words, didn’t calm the hearts of the shepherds. And if those words did, then the next thing that happened sent them right back into panic mode:

      Luke 2:13-14 – “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!” NKJV

      Think about this for a minute. Was the praise team invited to this announcement? Maybe! God orchestrates well! But what I believe really happened was that at the announcement of the birth of the Son of God, they couldn’t contain their joy and their praise was so glorious, God pulled back the curtains of heaven and allowed the shepherds to see and hear what was happening. It was a day of glorious high praise! The song, “Angels We Have Heard on High” pales in comparison to the song the angels sung.

      Now, my focus isn’t on Christmas per se! It’s on Jesus! I believe that this time of the year is filled with so many songs, special to the occasion, sacred and secular, because it’s a time of high praise! When we stop and think about Jesus coming into this world, all that He did, and all that He is still doing, it ought to cause our hearts to spring forth in praise, just as it did with the angels!

      Many times throughout Jesus’ time on the earth, people had the same reaction to Him. Let’s look at a few:

      Bartimaeus was blind. Because he was blind, he had to sit on the side of the road and beg for a handout. But one day Jesus passed by and changed his life!

      Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:42-43 -NKJV

      You don’t need your imagination to understand the overwhelming sense of praise that came upon Bartimaeus that day. Not only did he receive his sight, he also had an amazing encounter with Jesus, and he didn’t have to beg for bread anymore! That’ll get you up and shouting! I want to shout for him and his victory even now! Glory!!

      At another time, Jesus began ministering to the multitudes:

      Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:30-31 – NKJV

      This word “glorified” comes from the same root word that “praise” in our key text comes from, doxa. A spirit of praise overcame them as they watched God’s marvelous works happen right before their eyes.

      Recently, a friend called me and asked me to pray for her daughter who had a severe allergic reaction to something. They had already been to the hospital to have it checked out, but her daughter was still in great discomfort, and was actually the one who wanted me to pray. So I did! Not only did God relieve the itchy skin, but the very next day, her skin was completely cleared up. She texted me not long ago to tell me that she was still clear! I want you to know that I danced all day when I got the praise report! When God shows up, it’s time to praise!

      I just have to share one more, because Jesus is just so wonderful to me and I believe you’ll like this point:

      Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:37-38 – NKJV

      Even on his way to the cross, the people couldn’t help but give Him praise. As He entered Jerusalem, a spirit of praise swept through the crowd and they shouted with a loud voice the same message that the angels shouted at His birth! A praise of glory to the Highest, and peace this time in heaven!! They took up the cry of the angels without realizing it. It was so loud, that it made the Pharisees angry to think that a man could receive that much praise! First peace came to earth and now peace was returning to heaven! This is pretty awesome!!

      Of course, I couldn’t mention all of my examples in this one blog. It would be much longer than what I generally like to do. However, as I wrote about one example, another would come to mind. Not just biblical examples, but personal examples, of friends and family members, and church family members, and the body of Christ! He has done great things for us, and when we stop to think about Him in all of His goodness, the Spirit of praise is going to come upon you!

      I know some of us are having a tough time right now, but this blog was written with that in mind. Isaiah wrote, in a scripture that speaks of Jesus, that we are to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. I won’t see my extended family this holiday season either, but I won’t let that get me down. I miss engaging with friends and family in person. I may never use zoom again when this is over, but today I am truly grateful for it! I can’t change anything about this holiday season except my attitude and outlook about it. And the same is true for you!

      Let’s embrace the spirit of praise that flows throughout this season. Sing your songs louder and longer. Dance around your bedroom or your home. Give Him glory for all that you can think of in your life and the lives of others, and soon the spirit of praise will be flowing through you! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, God, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, praise, Prayer, spirit of praise, testimony
    • A Straight Path!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 23, 2020

      Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” NKJV

      He will make your path straight!

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      This verse is a great reminder of how we, as Christians, are to live our lives. We can’t afford to be as confused about life as the children of the world are. One minute we are thinking we should go in this direction, and the next minute, we are second guessing ourselves. It’s not of God. He is not the author of confusion!

      After we give our lives to the Lord, we are to start trusting Him, relying upon Him, and leaning on Him for the direction of our lives. Today’s blog will focus on “and He shall direct your paths.” The Amplified Bible states it like this:

      In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

      Proverbs 3:6 AMP

      The word “yashar” in the Hebrew covers a wide range of the direction that the Lord has for those who trust in Him. It means to be straight or even; to be (to make) right, pleasant, prosperous:—direct, fit, (make, take the) straight (way), be upright(-ly).

      In other words, the Lord will cause your path to be straight. His direction will even cause you to be right, to be pleasant, to be prosperous. He will direct you, make you fit, or make your way right. All of this point to one thing: when He’s leading you all will be straight in your path, or things will work out for you!

      David understood this principle to be true. He and his mighty men had gone out to battle with the Philistines. However, most of the Philistines did not trust David to truly be on their side, and did not want David and his men to go into battle with them against the Israelites. When David returned to Ziklag with his men, the camp had been raided and burned to the ground, and all the people had been captured and taken away. David’s men were furious with him and wanted to stone them.

      This was a hard time for David, just as it was for his men. However, he couldn’t afford to make a wrong decision about his next steps, so he inquired of the Lord.

      And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?’ “Pursue them,” He answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”

      1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV

      If you are familiar with this passage, then you know that David truly did overtake the raiders and did rescue them all. Not a life was lost, not a possession destroyed. He trusted God to lead him and his way was made prosperous, and his path was made straight.

      Ezra is another man who comes to mind. He asked the king’s permission to go to Jerusalem to help with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The king gave him permission and restored the treasures of the temple to him. When he left for Jerusalem he had many treasures and a host of individuals and their children; but no human protection. He said that he was ashamed to ask the king for help after declaring that God’s hand was on them because they were looking to Him. So on the way, he declared a fast to seek God, and God answered him. They made their way safely to Jerusalem without incident.

      I have found God to be just as faithful in my life. I go to Him about the big things and the little things, and the things in the middle. I will share only two:

      In my young adult years, it appeared that all of my friends were getting married. I really wanted to join them in the state of matrimony, and as I was praying about my life, God told me to join the Navy. I didn’t want to join the Navy. But I obeyed God. After I signed the papers, God spoke to me and told me that I would meet my husband and that he would be an officer. That gave me a sense of encouragement. As I obeyed God, He led me to my husband in an airport in Sicily. He was an officer, a gentleman, and a believer! And for extra measure, he was handsome! That’s how God operates! We have been married for over 30 years!

      My husband wanted our daughter to go to high school in the seventh grade. She would have to travel by bus or train to go on the other side of the city. I wasn’t happy about this. Not wanting to smother her, or be in disagreement with my husband, I asked Him what should I do. He gave me a dream, and in the dream she was taking the admission exam. I noticed a man kept going over to her and redirecting her as she answered the questions. I woke up troubled and said to the Lord, I don’t believe in cheating and neither do you, so what are you saying. He responded that He would be with her in that test, assisting her and she would excel. I knew that meant that she was supposed to go to that school, so she would get in. I had peace about the situation and it turned out to be a great school for her.

      Life was a little dysfunctional for me growing up. Maybe you can identify with that statement. One of the things I really needed from the Lord was some stability and a lot of guidance. Asking Him to lead me is no small matter in my life, in our lives. Praying about a situation is not the last thing we do, but the primary thing that we do. Over the years we have seen Him work out situations that seemed impossible. We have seen Him cause our way to prosper. We have had obstacles moved out of our path, and we have seen Him straighten things out that only He could straighten out.

      This blog didn’t necessarily go in the direction that I had intended when I started it, but the Lord knows. Maybe I will be able to share more on the subject later. My hope is to encourage you to begin to trust Him with everything in your life so that you can watch Him make your path straight! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in direction, Proverbs 3:5-6, trust in God | 0 Comments | Tagged direction, encouragement, Marriage, Prayer, proverbs, trusting in God, Victorious Living
    • Relying on Self!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 18, 2020

      Proverbs 3:5-6 -Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. NKJV

      relying-on-self_.mp3

      Have you ever just stopped to think of how amazing we are? Mankind has done some impressive things in this world. I’m old enough to remember the old black rotary telephone, which was pretty wonderful in its day, but now I use a cell phone that I can carry everywhere I go. And what about the television? Yes, I remember when it was black and white, with three channels, and it went off the air at midnight with the Star Spangled Banner playing! Now, we watch television on our phones, computers, iPads, and other electronic devices. We’ve come a long way baby!

      Just yesterday I saw SpaceX being launched to the International Space Station. We’ve surpassed a man walking on the moon to people being launched for a six month stay in space! That’s incredible! And of course, the World Wide Web is something pretty special. This blog is able to be read by people in more countries than I can imagine being able to travel to. Times are changing rapidly around us and man is inventing some great toys for our pleasure and tools to help us. Yet, with all of this head knowledge, the Bible clearly states that we are not to lean on our own understanding.

      The word “lean” in the Hebrew is taken from the word “shâʻan”, a primitive root that means to support one’s self:—lean, rely (on, self). Solomon cautions us in our verse for today that we are not to support ourselves with our own understanding, or we are not to rely on our own understanding.

      Solomon understood better than most what leaning on our own understanding will get us. After having a wonderful encounter with the God of the universe, who gifted him with wisdom, you would think that he would have followed his own advice to not lean on his understanding. But that wasn’t the case.

      Solomon had many wives and concubines. These wives led Solomon’s heart astray from God. He married them for political ties and for building allies; but they ended up being a snare for him, as he built temples for their gods. A man of great wisdom, who didn’t follow his own advice, but leaned on his own understanding in the end.

      There’s nothing wrong with understanding. As a matter of fact the Bible tells us

      …in all your getting, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 NKJV

      It’s just that when we lean on our understanding, instead of God’s understanding, things can quickly go south! As human beings, we can only see so far. We think we know an individual, or what’s going on in a situation, or even how to do a thing, but that is not always the case. Our knowledge is limited and our understanding can be flawed.

      Have you ever walked in a room and it got quiet, or people started whispering? In your mind, you may think that every one is talking about you, they know your secret, they don’t like you. You know what you see, but you don’t understand what is going on. If you lean on your own understanding, you could potentially embarrass yourself and leave with a wrong impression of the situation.

      Have you ever met someone who you thought was perfect for you? As time went on you found out they were using you for one thing or another. The person was already married with five kids. You had your mind on marriage, they had their mind on their next conquest. They wooed you until you let them move in and they stole all of your possessions. These are the kinds of situations our own understanding will land us in.

      We may be pretty smart, as people go, but we don’t have the inside track that God has. Relying on our own understanding in life is what causes so many of us to end up with issues and extra baggage. Living this life as if we are smart enough to figure things out on our own can result in harsh situations. If we are not careful, some of these things will seem impossible to recover from.

      This is why Solomon encouraged us to trust in the Lord and to lean not on our own understanding. There is no way, when we are trusting in the Lord, relying on Him, that we can also be relying on ourselves. They are polar opposites of one another. When you are trusting Him, you can walk in a room full of people, hear all conversation stop, see whispering, and know that if it’s something you have a need to know, God will let you in on it. You can meet people, be interested in a relationship, but when you are trusting God, He can show you a knuckle head before the first date. You don’t have to try and figure everything out all by yourself! You don’t have to operate on limited knowledge and your own understanding. You can access the unlimited understanding of the Father. And when things happen that you don’t understand, while trusting Him, you understand that He is thinking of your good and will get you through it.

      Don’t sit around trying to figure it all out! Don’t have a continuous conversation in your head about how to work it out, or solve the problem. Don’t call up everyone you know to gain understanding they don’t have. And don’t even think that you have all the answers and know what to do in every situation, because you don’t! Mankind may be pretty smart and capable of inventing some fascinating things, but there is only One who can create, inspire your creations, and give you the understanding that you need in every area of you life! His name is Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Proverbs 3:5-6, trust in God | 4 Comments | Tagged Dating, encouragement, leaning on self, relationships, rely on self, trust in God, understanding
    • Planted By Rivers of Waters

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

      Psalm 1:3 – “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” NKJV

      planted-by-rivers-of-waters.mp3

      When I saw this picture, it certainly reminded me of our text for today! Waters flowing, greenery on both sides of the river, and a call to the soul of anyone who loves the great outdoors! Unfortunately, that isn’t me! I can enjoy a beautiful scenery like this, or in a movie; but when it comes to this type of nature, let’s just say, I’ll pass! Having said that, I can see the imagery that the psalmist was painting when he said that a blessed man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.

      I pick up with verse 3 today, but I must revisit verse 2. We’ve already discussed that a blessed man loves God’s law. In our case, that would be the Bible. A godly man, who loves the Word, is a man who is planted, rooted and grounded in the Word. He draws his spiritual strength and nourishment from God’s word, much as a tree draws water and nutrients from a river, which is necessary for sustaining life and growth!

      The prophet Jeremiah, used similar words to describe the man who is blessed:

      Jeremiah 17:7-8 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord . For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” NKJV

      Jeremiah confirms that a man who is blessed, is a man with roots! Roots are important to the tree, but they are also important to the soil. Roots give stability to the tree and provide it with nutrients, but it also keeps the soil from eroding. Stable people have a way of keeping those around them, from falling apart. Their strength is easily transferable to those who may be in need, being a blessing because they are blessed.

      The psalmist tells us three important things about this tree that is planted, which we understand symbolizes a blessed man:

      First, it brings forth its fruit in its season. This sounds a lot like dependability. As a kid I ate a lot of fruit from the trees in the neighborhood: pears, plums, and figs, to name a few. We knew in the summer that we would be able to play outside all day without the need to go in for lunch, because we were surrounded by fruit bearing trees. Some neighbors would ask us to help them harvest the trees and would allow us to have access to them when we wanted them. And honestly, sometimes we would just go and take what we wanted! We depended on those trees in the summer time. When Jesus went to the fig tree and found no fruit, I can well imagine His disappointment in that tree! A godly man is expected to have good fruit in his season, just as we expect fruit to be on fruit bearing trees in their season!

      But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

      This blessed man, is an attractive man. I already shared my husband’s way with our girls, but let me tell you, I’m his number one girl. When we met, I saw the fruit of the spirit in his life, and was drawn to him. Are you looking for a husband? Make sure he is bearing fruit of godliness and not just talking it. Talk is real cheap, when you are thinking of committing yourself in a marital relationship! Look for the real deal!

      Second, its leaf shall not wither. Jeremiah helps us to understand this a little better. He writes that the leaf will be green and will not be anxious in a drought. He’s planted by waters. Photosynthesis is always happening within a tree that is well watered and filled with nutrients from that water. Therefore, the leaves are healthy, vibrant, and green. Even in a drought, because it doesn’t affect the tree by the waters. Blessed people are not concerned in times of famine or drought because they are planted near the flow of life; a river whose stream makes glad! The Word is a great source of nourishment in a drought. This pandemic has created a drought for many, but those planted in the Word, are still flourishing! Their leaves are still green and healthy! Does that mean that they don’t experience hardship? Not at all! But when things settle down, the blessed will be found standing!

      Lastly, whatever he does shall prosper. That’s what God told Joshua!

      Joshua 1:8 – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” NKJV

      The word of God causes us to prosper and to have good success! God said it several times and in several ways. The blessed man will be successful and prosperous! It doesn’t get any plainer than that! If you are a carpenter, then God will cause your carpentry to prosper and to be successful. If you are a teacher, like I am, then God can cause you to be successful and to prosper. What ever the arena, wherever you go, your way will prosper and you will have good success!

      Let me stop here and say what Jesus said many times, “Be it done to you according to your faith!” If you believe this is only about your spiritual well-being, then that’s where you will prosper and have good success. If you believer this applies to your finances and life, again, that’s what you will have. But if you believe it applies to everything that God has for you, including, “every spiritual blessing”, and every natural benefit, yep, that’s what you will receive.

      I just sensed that sometimes, we don’t feel like we are blessed because of a lack material things, or the trials we go through, or the fact that we are still single, or childless, or jobless. These things can mark the blessed person’s life. But what I wanted to help you to understand, is what God has helped me to understand: the most blessed person in the world, is the person who is living their life with God by His standards! And when you get these other things, they won’t pull you off because you know they are the benefits of you being blessed and not the things that make you blessed! Hope that makes sense! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged blessings, encouragement, fruit of the spirit, God, hard times, pandemic, planted, psalm, relationships, waters, word of God
    • Change Your World!

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

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

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

      change-your-world_.mp3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

      Posted in Faith, God, hard times | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, Faith, George Washington Carver, God, hard times, Harriet Tubman, trust in God, word of God
    • In Everything Give Thanks!

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

      1 Thessalonians 5:18 -“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” NKJV

      in-everything-give-thanks_.mp3

      This has been a challenging week. Getting back into the swing of teaching, add to that all of the challenges of virtual teaching, and the sum total is that I can truly say, blogging isn’t at the top of my list. Just as I was about to turn in, without a blog that I was pleased with, I remembered this post from 2018, so I am revising and reposting!

      I think it is interesting to note that Paul didn’t say that we are to give thanks for everything that happens to us. Religion has taught people to give thanks for being in all kinds of devastating situations, believing that it is God’s will for them to do so. But even common sense would say to us that when a loved one dies, only an insensitive individual will tell the grieving family that it was the will of God. When a child is born blind, or an accident leaves you maimed, or you lose your home, or your spouse walks out on you, is not anything to give anyone thanks for. And Paul understood better than most that things could be really tough.

      That’s why I believe Paul didn’t say, “For all things give thanks,” but in all things. And that’s a huge different!

      To give thanks to God the Father in all things, means to say, “Father, I don’t know why this is happening, but I do know that I can trust you! And I’m so thankful that I can.” The word of God is filled with scriptures on the blessings and the need to give thanks.

      Psalm 107:8- “Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

      The psalmist understood that God’s goodness is reason enough to give thanks. As a matter of fact, he went on to say that He satisfies the longing soul and fill the hungry soul with goodness. Even in a dark place, a troubled place, a place of despair, when you give Him thanks, He will satisfy the longing of your soul!

      Religious people believe, that because God is sovereign, He either does these bad things or He allow these bad things to happen. I cannot get in agreement with this line of teaching. I remember when my mother died and I was a little girl. Someone approached me and told that God needed my mother more than I did. Seriously??? How can anyone form their lips to tell a little girl something like that? All that kind of talk will do is make a person hate God. Let me just assure you, those are not encouraging words!

      If we will learn to trust God, then we will be able to say like David, when grief is trying to overwhelm us:

      You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Psalm 30:11-12 -NKJV

      Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) I like to think of it like this: If the thing going on is stealing from me, killing something in my life, or bringing destruction, then Satan is directly or indirectly involved in it. Also, we do still live in this earth realm and since Satan is the prince of this world, bad things do happen. And lastly, this one is tough but I have to mention it, some things happen because of the bad choices that we make. But, having said that, we have got to stop blaming God for all the bad things that happen in our lives. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever!”

      Paul wrote, “in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning you”. That’s it in a nutshell. God’s will for my life, for all of us, is that we learn to be a people with a grateful heart. I get that there are some things going on right now that are heartbreaking. I get that the challenges of life are difficult, that’s why they are called challenges. But God’s will for those in Christ Jesus is that we give thanks in everything!

      In the midst of this pandemic, instead of whining about our limitations, we are to give thanks to God for being with us during this pandemic. It’s bad, but it could be so much worst. We give thanks because there are more people recovering than there who are dying. We give thanks because He said for us to give thanks. He desires His people to be a people with a heart of gratitude. It’s His will for us!

      So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations. Psalm 79:13 -NKJV

      In the midst of this civil unrest, we are to be thankful! Despite the few who are looting, and the occasional violence, I’m thankful that the overall process is peaceful. I’m thankful that people of every nationality have joined together which demonstrates there is hope for us being united. In this, I can give thanks!

      In everything, I endeavor to give Him thanks! Not for what is going on, but because of His never failing love towards me. I want to encourage you to try giving Him thanks if you are in a difficult place right now. Not for the situation, but because you have access to an amazing God! He still heals, He still delivers, and His ear is still bent towards the righteous! He is still good! He is still amazing! He is still the Resurrection and the Life! He is still the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world! He is still God! Good times, bad times, challenging times, any time, is the right time to give thanks to God. It’s His will for you if you are in Christ Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Attitude, Thanksgiving, will of God | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Deliverance, difficult times, encouragement, give thanks, gratitude, hard times, Healing, pandemic, social issues, trust in God, will of God
    • Pray Without Ceasing!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 10, 2020

      1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” NKJV

      pray-without-ceasing_.mp3

      Praying without ceasing! I was a member of a Baptist Church when I first learned this scripture. Over the years, I have tried to be this person who pray without ceasing. I’m pretty sure that I haven’t arrived yet, but I believe sincerely in the discipline of praying without ceasing.

      There used to be a time in my life when I would get some really bad news and I would say, “All I can do is pray” as if every possible avenue had been tried and I was now left with trying prayer. I truly believe this attitude of, I guess I now have to pray, is the root behind many unanswered prayer.

      I spend a lot of time reading and studying about prayer, people who pray, and the impact of a life of prayer. I want to pray more effectively, I want to see my prayers answered instantly, I want to see God move in people lives and situations, and sometimes, I just want to deepen my communion with the Father!

      The phrase, “praying without ceasing” causes me to infer some things about prayer that will break through our traditions on how to pray: our posture, our voice, our place.

      If I am truly to pray without ceasing, then the posture of prayer doesn’t matter to God. Some people think that prayers must be prayed on bended knees, because it demonstrates humility, and it does. Some people think standing is the position of prayer, because Jesus said “when you stand praying”! These are certainly postures of prayer. However, you can also pray sitting in a chair, riding in your car, walking down the street (I love to prayer walk), or laying out before the Lord, just to name a few! And whichever posture you happen to be in when you pray, God will hear you!

      Lightfoot, a well-known commentator to many theologians, wrote that it’s not possible for us to spend all of our time with words of prayer on our lips; but, we can remain in the spirit of prayer, recognizing that we are dependent on God for everything! This leads to my second point. Some believe you are not praying, if you are not opening your mouth, for when Jesus taught the disciples to pray He said, “And when you pray, say…” While using your words are an important part of praying, your heart’s cry or desire, can get the job done! After all, if you go about praying out loud all day, you’ll look like a crazy person! I have prayed many prayers in my heart that I have seen God answer! Do I pray out loud? Most definitely! But, there have been times that words could not express what was in my heart, or I wasn’t where I could pray them, and yet God heard, understood, and responded!

      Praying without ceasing keeps us from being locked down to a location. My sister-in-law, Pastor Caren, teaches on “The Secret Place”. Whenever she does, it causes me to want to pray even more. Even still, you don’t have to be confined to praying in one place. Jesus’ instructions to us to pray in the secret place is vital in developing a personal prayer life. However, if that was the only place we could pray, we could not pray always. The car, the church, the bank, the restaurant, the shower, the garden, the beach, are all great locations for prayer. Any place, is a great place, to talk with God. Enjoy the secret place, but if you find yourself in the bathroom and someone is crying their heart out, it’s okay to stop and pray. God is in the bathroom!

      Smith Wigglesworth, an evangelist in the early part of the 20th century, walked in supernatural miracles which included the raising of the dead, and creative miracles of body parts being restored. Once he was asked how long did he pray? Here’s the discourse from a book written about him:

      “Tell us, how long do you pray every day?  “Well, the apostle replied, “I don’t ever pray any longer than twenty minutes.” What?” his questioners exclaimed. After pausing for effect, Smith Wigglesworth continued, “Yes, but I never go twenty minutes without praying”.

      I think we can all agree that Wigglesworth was a man who prayed without ceasing! It is even said, about his prayer life, that people couldn’t take being in the room with him when he prayed, because of the presence of God! That’s powerful!

      We should get to a place where we are talking to God about everything that is happening in our day. He wants to be involved in every part of our lives. Some say, it would be ridiculous to ask God what to wear! I have heard more than one testimony of someone asking, of Him answering, and of it being a benefit in more ways than one. But it’s not necessary to ask Him what to wear, He gives us free choice. However, throughout the day, there will be many times when talking softly to the Lord will make things go so much better!

      Is there a reason to pray continuously?

      • Luke 18:1-Jesus Himself said that if we are always praying, we won’t faint! That means constant communication with God, through prayer, gives us the strength to make it through the tough times in life!
      • Luke 21:36- Jesus says that we should not allow our hearts to be weighed down with the cares of this life to the point that we will miss His return! However, if we are praying continuously, we will not be drinking and carousing, but watching for His return and will not be caught unaware!
      • Ephesians 6:18 -Paul talked about the armor of God, then he said that we are to pray with all kinds of prayer! It is a strategic weapon against our enemy and his attacks, and praying always enables us to be watchful for all the saints! Have you ever been praying about one thing, when God interrupts your prayer, bring someone to your heart or mind, and you begin to pray? Then you find out that it was at a crucial moment that had a major impact on their life? Wow!

      I know some prayer warriors. They can be in the middle of a celebration, hear of a need, and go into serious combative prayer. My mother-in-law wouldn’t let you out of her sight without her praying for you. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many people in your life who can pray at the drop of a hat, because they live a life of prayer. I thank God for them! The word of God tells us to pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God concerning us! Let’s get started today! Wonderful Jesus!!

      Posted in Bitterness, Prayer, will of God | 4 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, God, Jesus, miraculous, pray without ceasing, Prayer, Smith Wigglesworth, Spiritual warfare, supernatural, testimony, the devil
    • Rejoice Always!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 8, 2020

      1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. NKJV

      rejoice-always_.mp3

      If you’ve been following my blogs, you know that I have been writing on the requirements that God has for us. In the following blogs, I would like to write about some of the things that we are encouraged to do as believers. For this blog, I will focus on rejoicing!

      I found the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary listening to Pastor Bill Winston, of Living Word Christian Center. He said it was a favorite of his and I have been using it lately. According to this edition of the Webster’s Dictionary, rejoice means to experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult.”

      Typically people rejoice at weddings. When we attend a wedding of a family member or a friend and we like the dynamics of the couple, we rejoice with them because we are happy for them! When a baby is born to someone we love, we rejoice with them at the birth of the baby; even at the news that a baby is about to be born. We rejoice at birthdays, and graduations, and some times at home goings, even when we are sad, because we know that person has transitioned to be with Jesus! Sometimes it is easier to rejoice then it is at other times.

      I’m amazed at how many people are struggling at this time. I know it isn’t easy, but some are finding it especially difficult to find any type of joy, let alone joy to a high degree. I have even heard pastors speak of the challenge they are having to not to become discouraged. Well, God saw this day afar off and His word to us is to “rejoice always”!

      Who better to write words of encouragement, then Paul? Paul wrote this letter to a group of saints in a city he was thrown out of! You’d think he would tell them to leave that place or even that he was sure they were struggling with their faith in such a sin filled city. But that’s not what he said to them. He told them “rejoice always”!

      Paul learned in the course of his ministry that his joy didn’t come from the situations and circumstances that he continually found himself in. They came from the Lord! He understood that even when there was nothing outwardly to find joy in, we could find joy in Christ.

      Paul was shipwrecked on several occasions, stoned, whipped, lied on, thrown out of cities, left for dead, and persecuted throughout his ministry! Yet Paul said, “rejoice always”!

      We used to sing a chorus with these words in it:

      This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
      This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
      This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
      O, the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away!

      But all too often in life, we live as though this is not a truth found in Jesus, and the world and its events really do take our joy away!

      Let’s look at a few scriptures about rejoicing:

      But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

      That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. Psalm 9:14

      But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:5-6

      I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, Psalm 31:7

      Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Psalm 33:1

      Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” Psalm 40:16

      Are you getting the message? I had another post scheduled to come out today, but as I was lying in bed thinking on the Lord and quoting scriptures in my spirit, this one resonated with me and I felt that I was to get up and change my blog. It’s one o’clock in the morning, my time, and I have to get up soon for work, but I had to obey the prompting in my spirit!

      The numbers for the virus is escalating. Politics are getting nerve wrecking. Jobs are being lost and loved ones are dying. If we are not careful, we will become complainers, but God is saying, Rejoice always!

      Rejoice in your salvation! Rejoice because God is magnified over all of this stuff! Rejoice because He is mindful of you and all your adversities! Rejoice because He favors you! Rejoice because you can trust Him! Rejoice because from His vantage point, your praise is beautiful! Rejoice because He loves you! And rejoice because it is His will for you! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in joy, rejoice, will of God | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, Handling difficulties, hard times, joy, rejoice, Salvation, Victorious Living, victory, will of God
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