Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: Prayer

• 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

  

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  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

• From Bitter to Victory

  Posted at 3:08 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 28, 2020

  Exodus 15:25 – “So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet…”

  

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  I’ve been writing about bitterness. The bitter water of Marah, and the bitterness of Naomi’s soul, and today I want to talk a little bit about the path to victory.

  In this chapter in Exodus, we read how the children of Israel were three days in the wilderness looking for water when they came to Marah. It was called Marah because of the bitter waters. After they discovered the bitter water they began to complain against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink”? I’m pretty sure they said more than that!

  In the verse above, Moses cried out to the Lord. That is key to getting the victory. Crying out to the Lord is a form a prayer. ( See Numbers 20:16, 1 Kings 17:21, Psalm 18:6). Getting the victory over bitterness will involve crying out to God! He is the only one who truly understands the circumstances and root of the problem; and He is the only one who can effectively deal with it. He doesn’t need a list of all the things that happened, He doesn’t have to be reminded of all the pain experienced to get to this place, He was there! The place of prayer should never become the place of complaining! This time can be better spent asking Him for forgiveness, acknowledging the need to be made free, and receiving healing!

  I know people just like Naomi. They may not ask to be called Mara, but their actions and attitude certainly make you want to call them that. Men and women alike who feel they have been dealt a bad hand by society, by their family members, by their boss, by the Lord. There seems to be nothing that you can say to help them to see that they have become embittered and they need to let this stuff go. Trust me when I say, I can understand a lot of these feelings. But when we allow bitterness’ roots to take over our life, they choke the life out of us. It’s time to be free!

  After Moses cried out to the Lord, the Lord showed him a tree. And when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. Before Moses cried out, God had already prepared the answer! A tree! God’s purification system for the bitter waters was a tree! Simplistic, yet just what they needed for their miracle! When Moses prayed (cried out) to the Lord, He was able to hear from God and to see the provision.

  As He had provided for the children of Israel, He had done the same thing for Naomi. She was complaining about her situation, and how bitter she was because of it, and God had already provided for her. Ruth! Ruth served Naomi by going out and reaping in the fields in order for them to have food. She catches the eye of the owner, Boaz, who just happens to be a relative of Naomi’s. Naomi decided that Ruth needed to marry Boaz, her kinsman redeemer, and tells Ruth how to make it happen. He marries Ruth, and then they have a son! Look at God, providing a family for Naomi!

  Ruth 4:14-15- “Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter -in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.’”

  These were probably the same women who asked, “Is this Naomi?” They watched, along with everyone else, as Ruth took care of Naomi. When Obed was born, they proclaimed to Naomi that Ruth’s love was better than seven sons. That’s some kind of love! Not only that, they spoke into Naomi’s life in regards to Obed, that he would be to her “a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age”. God placed Ruth in her life, led Ruth to her kinsman redeemer, and blessed them with a son. Look at God!

  Naomi didn’t recognize this when she was filled with bitterness. As a matter of fact, it is as if the women had to point it out to her! In other words, there’s no more reason to be bitter Naomi, look at all that God has provided for you! What a blessing Ruth was to Naomi, but what a blessing to have people around you who can help you see life through a clearer set of lens. Don’t rebuff them, for in doing so you might miss God!

  After God brings healing to the waters of Marah, He establishes a statue with the children of Israel that He is Jehovah Rapha the God that heals. He healed bitter water and He heals bitterness of the soul! He heals physically, emotionally, and mentally; and He evens heals nature when He needs to.

  In verse 27, they arrive at a place called Elim. In this place they discover twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees. Just as Naomi’s story ends on a high, the children of Israel’s story ends on a high. God provided them with more than enough! He led them to a place with plenty of water, and plenty of shade; an oasis.

  When we allow God, to “sweeten the water” of our lives, our future will be much brighter than our current situation. The tree of life still cleanses and purifies bitterness. That tree of life is Jesus!

  Don’t wait another day to cry out to the Lord. Then look for His provision in the situation. Whatever He shows you, whatever He asks of you, grab hold to it as your provision, and get the victory over bitterness! Let the rest of your life be the best of your life! Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Attitude, Bitterness, Deliverance, Jesus | 2 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Bitterness, Deliverance, Mara, Naomi, Obed, Prayer, Ruth, victory

• Our First Line of Defense!

  Posted at 2:06 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 25, 2020

  Revelation 12:10-11- Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. NKJV

  

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  This text is loaded with revelation, but for today’s blog we are dealing with a key weapon God has given us against the devil. John the Apostle has been exiled to the Isle of Patmos as a punishment or because of persecution for his faithfulness to the Lord. However, he is not sitting around whining about his isolation, he is communing with Jesus!Jesus takes this time to reveal to John, “things which must shortly take place”. It is at this time, when John is being given an opportunity to see and listen in on what’s happening in heaven, that we learn how to overcome the devil.

  Since we have already talked about him as the accuser of the brethren, I won’t focus on that. What I want us to see in this verse is, the weapon: “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…” They, meaning the ones to whom salvation was given, the children of God. Him, meaning the devil. So our most effective weapon against the devil is the Blood of Jesus. Let’s look at how it works!

  Salvation comes through the precious blood of Jesus. Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, it is our first line of defense against the devil. Satan knows that he has no way, whatsoever, to get back into God’s grace. And he doesn’t want you to experience it either. Therefore, he does everything he can to keep mankind from accepting Jesus and partaking of the grace of God. Once a person receives Jesus, they are born into the family of God (John 1:12). Paul wrote that at the time of salvation, we are also delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. (Colossians 1:13).

  This is important to note as a first line of defense against Satan. Before you or I became the children of God, we belonged to the devil. In Ephesians, chapter 2, Paul wrote that at that time, before Christ, we were strangers to the covenants of promise, we had no hope, and we were without God in the world. This is a terrible place to be because it’s Satan’s domain, and he is in complete authority. He can whip up on you and have full legal authority to do it. The only way you can stop him from kicking you around is the Blood of Jesus! You have to become born of the Spirit of God, through the Blood. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. There is no other way!

  Our physical bodies have a first line of defense. “The first line of defence (or outside defence system) includes physical and chemical barriers that are always ready and prepared to defend the body from infection. These include your skin, tears, mucus, and, stomach acid….” Once we become spirit beings, our first line of defense for us as spiritual beings is the Blood of Jesus, applied on the doorpost of our hearts. This salvation keeps us in a state of readiness against our enemy!

  A natural depiction of this spiritual principle is seen in Exodus, chapter 12, when the children of Israel is getting ready to depart from Egypt. Moses instructs them to kill a lamb and to reserve the blood of the lamb. The blood was to be placed on the two door posts and on the lintel of the houses they were in. (This was to be their first celebration of the Passover). In verse 12, God tells them that He will strike all of the firstborn in the land, of man and beast, and when He sees the blood, He will pass over them and their homes. The blood was a sign, that the people in the houses where the blood was applied was “off limits”.

  In the same manner, the Blood of Jesus is applied to our hearts on the day of our salvation. It is a sign to God and the devil, that we have been bought with the Blood of Jesus; and the devil has no legal right, or authority, to mess with us. It doesn’t stop his attacks! It makes him keenly aware that when he messes with us, he is messing with someone dear to the heart of God. It also let’s him know that in the past when he messed with us, we were on our own; but that is no longer the case. When we become born again, we gain a Heavenly Father, God, and He is in our corner! Not only that, to every one that is born again, Jesus has given authority over the devil! So that’s another reason why the devil works so hard to keep people from getting saved. Isn’t that exciting! The one who had authority over you is now under your authority! Glory be to God!

  Before you even think about going on the offense against the devil and using that authority, make sure the Blood of Jesus has been applied to your heart. Once that first line of defense is in place, you have nothing to fear from the devil. In my next blog, I’ll give more insight into the power of the Blood against the attacks of Satan. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, Jesus, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, the Blood of Jesus, weapons of warfare | 4 Comments | Tagged authority over the devil, Blood of Jesus, forgiveness of sins, Jesus, Prayer, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the devil, weapons of warfare

• The Hit List!

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

  Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” NKJV

  

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  I shared an encounter that I had with an angel, in a previous post, and today I want to share an encounter with a couple demons.

  Many years ago, I ran across books by Lester Sumrall, where I discovered amazing testimonies over the power and works of the devil and his demons. The wonderful thing about reading these books is that I learned that there is a spiritual world more real then the world in which we are living; and there are no baby angels, or demons with pitchforks. I also learned that in Him, we really do have authority over the devil!

  Let me say this, I am not a demon chaser! Nor am I an angel chaser! I am just living for the King and experiencing Him, and the kingdom.

  I was a teenager when the movie, “The Exocist” came out. I can tell you right now, I was disturbed in my spirit on so many levels. After watching several of those movies, trying to prove that I wasn’t afraid, I started having some real issues that aren’t even worth mentioning. If you want to walk in authority over the devil, I don’t recommend these movies. They will desensitize you to real world of spiritual warfare. Stick with the Word of God! Learn from godly men and women, but don’t ever think that this is a game or entertainment. It isn’t!

  I don’t consider myself an intercessor, although I believe strongly in prayer. This was a time in my life when I was quite busy raising kids, being actively involved in my church, and all my spare time was spent in prayer, reading the word, or reading books that encouraged me in my walk with the Lord. I won’t say that I was “ready” for this encounter, but I couldn’t have prepared better for it. I believe I had this experience to teach me a key truth: I have authority over the devil!

  I had a dream. A young lady I knew was having troubles. She came to me and told me about what was going on in her life. I responded, “That ain’t nothing but the devil and I know how to deal with the devil!” So I began to take authority over the devil, his works, the situation, and she was freed from the attack of the enemy. After that, still in the dream, two demons approached my bedside. They were upset with me for what I had done. One was tall and slender and the other was short and chubby. They were both in silhouettes. Then one of the demons pointed his finger at me and said something like this, “You’ve come to our house, now we’re coming to yours!” I woke up! I sensed their presence in the room as if they had just strolled right out of my dream and into my bedroom. I began to pray in the spirit until I was able to fall back to sleep.

  Time passed. Then one day a young lady came over to visit me. She was a married woman with young kids. She began to share an experience she had. She and her husband had gotten into a really ugly fight, name calling, profanity, yelling. Either that night or the next day, she was in the kitchen when stuff started happening. Cabinet doors were opening and closing, the oven door opened and closed, things were moving around in the apartment. She was frightened and didn’t want to be in the apartment with just her kids, and came to visit me.

  After listening to all she had to share, I told her, “That ain’t nothing but the devil! But I know how to deal with that!” So I began to pray! I took authority over those demons in her apartment and commanded them to leave! I took authority over the demons that had used her and her husband to open that door, and I slammed it shut in the Spirit! After I prayed, I counseled with her about handling conflict in a more godly way and we prayed again. When she left, I heard this whisper, “Now we’re coming to your house!” Immediately I remembered my dream! (Can I just add that young lady went home to a demon free apartment! Glory be to God!)

  As I said, I had small children. One was still in an infant carrier, and we had a three year old. So this was actually decades ago. Time flies!

  At that time, when I I took my shower, I would pray in the Spirit the entire time I was in the shower. Marilyn Hickey calls it an hour of power in the shower! Not long after the young lady had come to my house, my husband and I went shopping to look for a suit for him. We were in the Men’s Warehouse. I was standing in the store with my baby carrier in my hand, when all of a sudden it flipped over! My baby slipped out of the carrier and landed on a concrete floor, head first! I yelled, “Jesus!” I guarantee you that I had everybody’s attention! As I bent over to pick her up, I heard in my spirit, “You took care of this in the shower. She’s fine!” And she was! Instantly, I sensed a witness in my spirit that it was those demons attacking my home as retaliation. I began to praise God for His protection and His faithfulness. I didn’t take her to the hospital to get checked out because the Great Physician had already said that she was good. God had covered and protected her!

  I don’t have a lot of experiences of seeing demons. And I don’t need to have a lot of them. I just need to remember that I have authority over demons. I don’t have to be afraid of them, but I can make them really afraid of me. And so can you! Remember, in the book of Acts when the sons of Sceva tried to cast out the demons? Those demons said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” Well, as we learn about the authority we have in Jesus, and how to exercise it, they’ll be adding our names to that list! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in demonic activity, Jesus, Satan, the devil | 2 Comments | Tagged armor of God, authority of the believer, casting out demons, Deliverance, demonic attack, intercession, intercessory prayer, Prayer, protection, Spiritual warfare

• Jesus, Son of David!

  Posted at 2:40 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 27, 2020

  Matthew 1:1 – “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” NKJV

  

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  Whenever I read the word of God I am amazed at how God sets things in order. Nothing happened, just because. It was all part of His plan for redeeming mankind, displaying His love, developing us as His own peculiar treasure, revealing Himself. Just amazing!

  Such was the case of each leader in the Old Testament. They not only were a part of the grand scheme of God, but they point us to Jesus! Abraham was a prophetic demonstration of God’s love for us as the one who would offer up His only Son for us, Jesus, the Seed of Abraham. Moses was a prophetic picture of Jesus, the deliverer. And King David revealed Jesus as King of kings. Let’s look at King David.

  Although, Abraham was before David, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is mentioned first as the Son of David, and then as the son of Abraham. That’s because the Jewish nation understood that the Son of David, was their title for the Messiah to come, and Matthew purposefully declares Jesus to be, the Son of David, and then gives His genealogy to prove it.

  This was intentional on Matthew’s part because he understood that Jewish people placed a high value on a person’s ancestry. We know this to be true because of the long records in the Pentateuch, which give us great details of who fathered whom. When Ezra reorganized the temple worship, the Jews had to prove their family tree with records and those who could not, of the tribe of Levi, were not allowed to serve as priests. So lineage was extremely important and this is why Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus in this manner.

  In 2 Samuel 7:13, God said to David, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” God established the Davidic covenant with these verses. He promised David that his seed would be the one that would have a forever kingdom. Several of the promises made to David at this time were in fact related to Solomon, heir to the throne. But verse 13, was in reference to the Messiah, Jesus, who was yet to come! The forever King!

  Luke confirms that Jesus, the Son of David, was indeed the one who would have a forever kingdom. In chapter 1, verses 32-33, we read- “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Many prophecies in the Old Testament foretold of a kingdom that would have no end. We know that to be true today, and we know it to be fulfilled in Jesus!

  There are two important ways that David and Jesus are mirrored. David was a shepherd. As a shepherd he cared for the sheep and protected them when necessary. Jesus, Himself, declared that He was, and is, the Good Shepherd and He refers to His people as His sheep. He takes care of us, protects us, and provides for us, just as David did with his sheep. They are both kings. David’s kingship ended with his death, but he is known to be Israel’s greatest king. His kingdom was taken by force, and he ruled as one who loved the Lord. Jesus’ kingdom is taken by force. He rules as one who is God. He has established a forever kingdom and it is still in operation. He is Jesus, King of kings. From His birth, when the wise men came looking for the King who was born, to His death on the cross, where they nailed a sign King of the Jews, to today, He has been king! And guess what, He will still be King when we leave here, and when we meet Him in heaven.

  The Old Testament tells us some very important things concerning the Messiah, the Son of David:

  • He would reign forever
  • He would rule over all the people of the earth
  • He would be both King and Priest
  • He would bring a new covenant
  • He would provide forgiveness of sins

  Jesus fulfilled all of this and so much more!

  In the New Testament, Jesus was referred to as the Son of David on several occasions:

  • Matthew 12:23- It was written, “Could this be the Son of David?” – After Jesus healed the man who was demon-possessed, and was both blind and mute
  • Matthew 15: 22- Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! – The Syro-Phoenician woman who wanted the crumbs from the under the table for her daughter’s healing cried to Jesus.
  • Matthew 20:30- “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David”- two blind men cried for their sight!
  • Matthew 21-15- “Hosanna to the Son of David!” – the children cried in the temple when they saw Jesus during His triumphant entry!
  • Matthew 22:42- Jesus asks the Pharisees how could David call his descendant, his Lord? They responded that he was the Son of David, basically the Messiah!

  Why did they call Jesus the Son of David after these miracles? Because the Old Testament references to the Messiah declared that the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.” Isaiah 35:5 NKJV

  There are so many wonderful truths about Jesus, the Son of David, and how their lives were mirror images, but can I share some that are dropped in my heart?

  David, was the first Old Testament person who had the Spirit of God with him always. Jesus also had the Spirit of God with Him always, although, without sin. David also brought in the realization of a personal relationship with God, and Jesus was and is the fulfillment of that personal relationship with God. David was a man who sought the face of God, and Jesus was always praying. David was a great servant-leader, and Jesus was a greater servant-leader. David cared deeply for his people, and Jesus demonstrated great compassion for His people. And the list can go on!

  I will return to my first observation in this post. God is so intentional. Every detail has been well thought out! As I have been working on this post and thinking about these things, it has caused me to realize that He didn’t stop being intentional after Jesus. He is still just as intentional in our lives. I can’t explain delays, or disappointments, or how they fit in the whole tapestry of life; but I am confident that He misses nothing, and He is working out His own plan; for my life, for your life, for the sake of the kingdom, for the return of Jesus! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, King David, Messiah | 0 Comments | Tagged David, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, king, Kingdom of God, Prayer, provision, Salvation, shepherd

• Reaching Your Fullest Potential!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on June 11, 2020

  Matthew 18:23-27 – Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. NKJV

  This parable gives us insight to kingdom living at its finest. The king is calling his servants to him that they may give an account of all they owe him. A servant comes before him with a debt of 10,000 talents. That’s a lot of debt. If a talent is worth a dollar, that’s a minimum of 10 grand. At that time, it would have been significant. I looked up the value, but it isn’t as important as what is being said.

  The servant doesn’t have the ability to pay the debt, so the king’s orders are that he is to be sold, along with his wife, his kids, and everything he owns. But he begs the king to be patient with him and to give him a chance to pay. The king is moved with compassion and releases him of his debt!

  This parable follows a question that Peter asks of Jesus about how many times should he forgive his brother? Then in a magnanimous way he asks, “Up to seven times?” Jesus replies, “Up to 70 times 7”. Then Jesus launches into this parable.

  After the servant is forgiven his debt, he goes out and sees someone who owes him 100 denarii. This is significantly less than what he owed the king. However, when he was asked by the debtor to give him time to pay it, the forgiven servant wouldn’t hear it, and he had the man thrown into debtor’s prison. Those who saw it, reported his behavior to the king, the king was upset, and threw him into debtor’s prison canceling the forgiven debt.

  This parable is one of the easy ones to understand, although Jesus gives us insight to its meaning. Jesus concluded the parable by saying, “So my Heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

  It’s just that simple! We read it, we acknowledge that it is a truth, and then we have difficulty living it out. Notice, I said “we”. But Jesus is pretty clear on this! Some people are going to need forgiveness over and over and over again. No matter how many times they say they are sorry and they will never do it again, they do it again. And yes, we are to forgive them every single time because if we don’t, we won’t be forgiven.

  You know what? I don’t think people really believe that their lack of forgiveness, no matter how justified, will hinder them from being forgiven by the Father. But Jesus said it would. What pain, what hurt, what wrongdoing, is worth risking the Father’s unforgiveness? When He has forgiven much, He has no difficulty to ask us to do the same.

  There is no way that we can please the heart of the Father if we are always looking to have our debts forgiven, but we are not willing to forgive the debts of others. Jesus told us to pray that we are able to “forgive those who trespass against us”. He understood it wouldn’t be easy. But it is necessary, He said, if we want forgiveness.

  Don’t allow anything, or anyone to separate you from God. Don’t give them the power to hinder your precious relationship with Him. It may take an act of faith, and it may be slow in happening, but if you will make a step towards forgiveness, God will enable you to do it!

  Can I just give you a note of caution: If someone were to sexually abuse my daughter, I would ask God to help me to forgive that person. But I would not feel a need to become that person’s friend or to have them in my life to prove that I have forgiven them. We each must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. But I don’t believe that forgiveness means that we have to keep putting ourselves or our family members in harm’s way to prove that we have forgiven an individual.

  My husband and I loaned someone about two thousand dollars. They never did pay it back. We didn’t allow that money to hinder us from fellowship, or from helping when a different need arose. We forgave and kept it moving. But we probably wouldn’t loan that person two thousand dollars again. If the Lord prompted us to help that person financially, we would do it! But it would only be at His command, because we are wise stewards of our money. Forgive, that you might receive His forgiveness; because without His forgiveness, your life will never reach it’s fullest potential! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Forgiveness, Parable of Jesus, relationships | 6 Comments | Tagged Forgiveness, Jesus, obedience, parable, Prayer

• Plead Your Case!

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

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

  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• A Prepared Table

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 14, 2020

  Psalm 23:5- “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…” NKJV

  

  Years ago, I was stationed in Italy, while in the Navy. I lived on base and I had my own room. In the room I had a set of bunk beds, a table, a couple chairs, and a refrigerator. I didn’t do a lot of cooking, but I had set my table, prepared at any moment to eat alone, or with a guest. After washing dishes, they would go back on the table and I would be ready once again. I’m not sure where I got that from, but I’ve always loved looking at a table that was set for company or a special meal.

  As I mentioned before, the 23rd psalm is a favorite of mine. I remember a few years ago that I was invited to God’s table, prepared just for me. Here’s how: I was in the midst of some challenging situations and I was spending hours in prayer to keep from walking in my flesh! As I would read the word and pray, I would always find myself hovering around this psalm. Then one night as I slept I had a dream!

  In the dream, I was driving down a street when I saw a man standing on the steps of a church. He began waving at me to come over. I stopped and walked to the church. As he ushered me in the church I realized that I was in a fellowship hall. There was a long beautifully set table. I was escorted to the table that had looked empty when I entered, but was now heavy laden with all types of bread, freshly baked bread. A chair was pulled out and I was invited to sit. It was just me at the table with all this bread. And I knew in my spirit that a table had been prepared for me. Peace flooded my soul and I woke up. Nothing had changed in the natural, but I had a peace that God had prepared a table for me and that He was pleased to my response to what was going on around me.

  God prepared a table for David and anointed him king. He was out in the field with the sheep and a banquet was going on to which he had not been invited. But they didn’t understand that the banquet was in his honor. God had sent Samuel for him, and as the banquet was being prepared no one knew it had been prepared for David.

  It is said that eating and drinking at someone’s table creates a bond of mutual loyalty and could be a culminating token of a covenant, as in the Passover meal that Jesus had with His disciples. It is also said, to be an invited guest of the Lord’s is to suggest that you are more than an acquaintance for a day for it is an invitation to dwell with Him. (Logos)

  David had been talking in metaphorical language about the Lord as his shepherd. Now he is referring to the Lord as his friend. It is an honor to have Jesus as your shepherd, for as such, He provides protection, provision, and healing. To have Him as your friend is an even better position. Friends share with one another, what they wouldn’t just share with everybody. Friends like just being together. Friends are hard to separate, hard to break apart. Friends can be closer and tighter than family. The Bible talks about a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Every one needs one!

  In that difficult season of my life when I was really going through, He invited me to sit at His table and enjoy fellowship with Him over bread. He is the Bread of Life, and bread represents life in dream symbols books. He also told us to pray “give us this day our daily bread”. And here I was at this challenging place in my life and I am being offered bread at a table that has been set, just for me by my Friend.

  Life isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always easy; but Jesus makes it worth the living. He knows what we need and how to provide it. I could not have articulated what I needed at that moment, but He visited with me in a dream that felt so real I smelled the fresh bread. It was as if He had taken leave from His seat by the Father and come for a visit. It was beautiful!

  I have had so many times in my life when I have had similar experiences with Jesus. I get David. His relationship wasn’t about doing stuff as much as it was about time with Jesus. This pandemic has put all of us in a place where we can develop our friendship with Jesus. We certainly have the time! It may start off feeling a little funny, or even a little forced, but the more you take the time to be with Him, He will make the time to be with you. This dream has been on my heart this week and I thought that I would share it with you. My prayer is that you are having these special times with Him already; but if you are not, then I pray that you will begin to pursue that relationship with Him. And one day, you will be invited to sit at the table that has already been prepared for you. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Fellowship with God, Psalm 23 | 4 Comments | Tagged bread, David, encouragemnt, God, hard times, Jesus, love, Prayer, protection, provision, Psalm 23, word of God

• A Place of Refuge!

  Posted at 3:05 am by wonderfuljesus8, on May 2, 2020

  1 Samuel 22:1-2 -David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. NKJV

  

  I’ve been reading through the Old Testament and am currently ending Chronicles. I find that I am always amazed at David and his warriors. Those of us familiar with the scriptures know all about David and Goliath! I get excited when David tells King Saul that he had already killed the lion and the bear, so facing this giant would be just like facing them. When David confronts Goliath and tells him that he’s going to cut off his head and give the bodies of the Philistines to the birds of the air, whew! He is the Alpha male type that romance novels, suspense thrillers, war movies are written about. And yet, one day David realized that King Saul was after his life and he ran to the cave of Adullam.

  David ended up in the cave of Adullam. If you look at the picture that I found on Pinterest you can see it wasn’t a comfortable place to find oneself. As people heard about his whereabouts, they went to David. His brothers who had taunted him at the battle against Goliath and ignored him when he was watching the sheep, along with all of his father’s household went to David. Men who were in distress, in debt, and discontented went to him. And he became captain over them.

  How would you like to start a team, a ministry, or anything with a group of people who are distressed, in debt, and discontented? Can you imagine all of the attitudes you would have to deal with? Can you just see that David had his own issues, and now everyone with an issue is coming to him? It’s a recipe for disaster, yet David turned it into a recipe for success!

  Hurting people don’t all look the same. Some are hurting and because they are so miserable in their lives, they want everyone else to hurt, so they hurt others. Then there are those hurting people who have been abused and when they find someone to see their value, they can forgive, release the hurt, and grow to their fullest potential. Then there are the hurting people who wallow in their hurts, lock themselves away, and they just give up on living altogether, they are in a perpetual pity party. These men who came to David distressed (worried, dealing with great sorrow or great pain); in debt (owing everyone, having nothing to call their own); and discontented (unhappy, not satisfied with life or the way things were going) all showed up in the cave of Adullam, looking for refuge. A weaker person would have rent his garments, put ashes on his forehead and fell on his face, but not David.

  I’ve been watching the documentary of the Bulls, “The Last Dance”. We all know that Jordan was a special player and at first they tried to make the Bulls a one man show with Michael. Then Phil Jackson comes along and teaches Michael and the others about being on a team. Once Michael got the concept down, got over having a need to be the “star” all the time, he began working with his teammates, along with Phil Jackson, to help them to be the best players they could be. The Chicago Bulls went on to win six NBA championships! There’s is something about leaders who know how to develop their people. (A later blog!)

  In the place of refuge people are seeking safety from being pursued, from danger, or from trouble. That certainly qualified for David! David was on the run for his life because of the anointing and call from God. He was smart enough to know his safety wasn’t in a locale, but in the Presence of the Lord. He wrote Psalm 142 in the cave and he penned that he cried out to the Lord who was his refuge. In another psalm David wrote that the Lord was his saving refuge. In yet another psalm he wrote that the Lord was his rock of refuge. David had already been anointed king, he had already killed the giant, he had already killed his “ten thousands” and now he’s in a cave running from Saul. And yet David did what he had done when he was watching those sheep, he went to God and found refuge in Him.

  Then the people began to come to David. Those who were worried about their future with a king who was more bent on killing David then killing the Philistines found a captain who was secure in what God had promised and was able to help them to trust that things were going to work out. Those who were in debt were promised lands and great fortune as they conquered their enemies and took back what the devil had stolen from them. And those who were discontented found something “big” to be a part, something that they could do to help David, their country, and themselves. They saw their king in the place of refuge and pledged their allegiance to him.

  If you are in a stay at home situation, you are in a place of refuge. It is not a comfortable place to be. I don’t know about you, but there are some things I really miss; going to church, going out to eat, spending time with my other family members, and I’ll possibly miss my scheduled vacation! I get it! Things like this may cause you to feel distressed, not working could be putting you in more debt, and all of it can cause you to feel discontented with your current situation, but it doesn’t have to get the best of you. Not only are there others just like you, as it was with David, but God is with you, with us through it all! You don’t have to stay the way that you are. NO! You have a captain! His name is Jesus! And He is your refuge, your help in the times of trouble. Don’t spend your time in the cave wallowing in self pity, wasting time, and giving up. Get with your captain and let Him bring healing to your hurts, hope for the future, prosperity for tomorrow. He is more than able. He’s a great leader and have led so many others to victory. I can tell you that I am personally embarrassed over the joy I am experiencing! My heart is so filled with peace, while at the same time it hurts for the loss of so many lives and even livelihoods. But I am dwelling in the truth of Psalm 91!

  When we leave the cave of Adullam, we will once again be that warrior, that conqueror, that more than a conqueror that we were before the cave. Some of us are still waging war, as David did from the cave, on our enemy! He hates those of us who are using this time to pray more, to spend more time in the word, to be strengthened by our pastors and others in the body! We will be even better, after this! Continue to allow Him to train you to stand, to fight, to win, to keep your enemy forever running from you while you are in the cave. No matter how long we are at home, it won’t be long. It shall pass! And when the church, the Bride of Christ comes out of the cave, we are going to be a mighty army for the Lord! If we trust Him to be our refuge!Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in hard times, protection, trust in God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, coronavirus, David, debt, discontent, distress, encouragement, Forgiveness, God, hard times, Healing, Health, Prayer, protection, provision, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory

• God is Awake!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 28, 2020

  Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” NKJV

  

  “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” Corrie Ten Boom

  Two very powerful quotes against worrying! We know that we shouldn’t! We know it’s not good for us, yet we often find ourselves worrying.

  Recently I had a conversation with someone who told me that she was a Christian. She expressed that she knew that she shouldn’t worry or be fearful, but she was afraid of getting the coronavirus. When you look at the growing number of people who contract the virus, and the ones who pass away, you can easily see that her “concerns” aren’t far fetched. However, worrying about whether or not something is going to happen to you or is not going to happen to you, isn’t going to stop the thing from happening. So worrying is unproductive.

  Corrie Ten Boom was a survivor of the Holocaust. I read her autobiography as a teenager. If ever there was an individual who had things to worry about, it was Corrie. She encouraged her family to “build” a refuge for hiding Jews and Dutch resistant fighters in their home, in her bedroom. She was later reported for saving the lives of 800 Jews and numerous Dutch resistants. In undertaking this task, she knew that she was putting her life and lives of her family members in danger; but she also knew that she couldn’t worry about that. One day, someone came to her for assistance, but that person really came to set her up. When her home was raided and her family was arrested, (and most of them died), she had people hidden in her room, but they were later freed by others in the network. I would say that she had much to worry over. But she understood that worrying about what could happen would only zap her strength from doing what needed to be done in that moment.

  The apostle Paul wrote that we are to be anxious for nothing, but to pray about everything. I am sure that Corrie, a Christian who apparently lived out her faith, knew this verse. Paul said prayer would bring about a peace that would guard our hearts and cause people to not understand it.

  I may have shared this in another post, I’m not sure. But when our middle daughter was born we had to live in this verse. We had prayed that she would be born naturally, she was not. We had prayed that she would be born healthy. She was not. We had prayed that the expenses would be minimal, they were off the charts. Nothing seemed to be as we asked. My husband said that he was reminding God about all of these prayers that hadn’t been answered when God spoke this verse into his heart. He shared that with me while I was still in the hospital and I was encouraged.

  I won’t go into all of those details, but I will bring up another point. The thing that was wrong was her larynx was damaged in the womb. My contractions were so severe for so long that she was injured. They said she might die. We took her home and she did have difficulty breathing, but we just continued to pray. One night, while listening to her breathe, I was on the point of tears when God spoke to me. He said, “Why are you awake?” And I responded that she could die while I was asleep. He said, “Your being awake can’t stop her from dying and neither can you being asleep cause it. I’m awake and there’s no point in the both of us being awake.” I went to sleep. And she was made whole!

  There was nothing to be done about the prayers about having a natural birth, or about her being born healthy. But God healed her and took care of all those bills! He’s just good like that! My point is this, worrying truly doesn’t change a thing, but it does rob us of our strength and joy for today. In the gospels, Jesus said that we are to let tomorrow take care of itself. It was my mother’s favorite saying! A reminder that is as needed today as it was when Jesus said it!

  This coronavirus is set up to be here for a while. We can’t afford to spend our time in worry. But we can spend our time in prayer and gain an assurance that God is awake and there’s no reason for us to be up worrying about anything. Even COVID-19! And as we pray, we are causing things to change in this natural world that they think is just a result of social distancing. I’m all into social distancing, but I’m placing my confidence in Jesus!Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Prayer, trust in God, Worry | 6 Comments | Tagged anxious, coronavirus, encouragement, hard times, Healing, Jesus, miraculous, Prayer, trust in God, victory, Worry

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