Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: testimony

• Are You Drawing God?

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

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

  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• The Gift of God!

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

  Matthew 1:21 – “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” NKJV

  

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  My heart is overflowing at this moment with joy, amazement, and excitement. Jesus is so good to me and my family, on purpose! When God sent Jesus, He sent us the very heart of His love for us. Who wouldn’t want to serve a God like this? Once I was watching a Christian program as an Arab believer shared of his faith in the Lord Jesus. He said words like this: All my life I was taught that I would have to die for my god. Then I met Jesus and realized that my God died for me! Glory Hallelujah!

  Today’s blog is called the gift of God. Six times in the word of God we will find this phrase, and I thought that it would be the perfect ending to the gifts we receive from the Lord. It’s not the end, or the complete list, just the way I am choosing to end this series of blogs.

  In John, chapter 4, we find this phrase:

  John 4:10 -Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” NKJV

  In Bethlehem, over 2,000 years ago, God gave us a gift- Jesus! He is the gift of God that just keeps giving and giving and giving. He told the woman at the well, that if she knew the gift of God, she would have asked Him for living water and He would have given it to her! When we know the “the gift of God” He continuously supply us with life giving water. He is the gift above all other gifts and should treasured everyday of our lives.

  In Romans and Ephesians we also find this phrase:

  Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NKJV

  Not only is Jesus, the gift of God, but also through Him we receive another precious gift. The gift of salvation! Remember He is the gift that keeps on giving! What do I value in life more than my salvation? Only my relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. When we are born again, it is the gift of God.

  Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NKJV

  In the book of Acts:

  Acts 8:20 – “But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” NKJV

  Simon was a sorcerer in Samaria when Philip went there to minister to the people. As the message went forth, Simon believed. Then Peter and John went to see all the things that were going on in Samaria and prayed for the believers to receive the Holy Spirit. When the people were filled with God’s Spirit, Simon was so excited that he wanted to pay for that power. Then Peter told him, “your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.” The Holy Spirit is the gift of God as much as Jesus is. He is to be treasured, not shunned. We should all desire His being poured into us as much as we desire salvation. He is from God, He is the gift of God!

  Lastly, in the book of Ecclesiastes we have this verse twice:

  Ecclesiastes 3:13 – “And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. NKJV

  Do you enjoy the benefits of your labor: bills paid, food on your table, roof over your head? It is the gift of God! You thought it was the result of your labors, but it is the gift of God that you have a house and you get to enjoy it! It is the gift of God that you bought a car, and you get to enjoy it! It is the gift of God that you can retire, and you get to enjoy it, and not someone else! You!

  Ecclesiastes 5:19 – As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. NKJV

  People complain about prosperity preachers. But did you know that having riches and wealth, and the ability to enjoy those things are the gift of God? Well, you know it now. Some might feel embarrassed to be wealthy, or even well off, but don’t be. God gave you this gift. Receive your heritage and rejoice in your labor. It is the gift of God!

  We serve such an awesome God. He shares so much of Himself with us. He wants us to be prosperous, to enjoy life, to experience Him and His salvation. It’s all available to us, as a gift. He won’t make us take any of it, but He has made it all available to us.

  This holiday season is unusual already with the COVID-19 restrictions in place. Let’s just go ahead and make it really unusual by opening our hearts to receive all the gifts that He has provided us with. On this Christmas Day when your natural gifts may be limited, know that your spiritual gifts are yours for the asking! I truly pray that you and your family will stay safe, celebrate responsibly, and enjoy each other in the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Gifts, God, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus | 3 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, Gifts, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, miraculous, Peter and John, prosperity, Salvation, Simon the sorcerer, testimony, the gift of God, wealth

• Inspiration Gifts!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 21, 2020

  Luke 1:67-68 – “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people…NKJV

  

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  This week is the Christmas week. Schools have dismissed for the holidays, and stores are having their “biggest sale of the year” to make as much money as they can before Christmas Day! All month, I have used a verse from the account of the birth of Jesus as we have approached this exciting holiday. Whatever we feel about it, He is still the reason for the season for most of us!

  Today, I will conclude my look at the manifestation gifts, or the charisma gifts of the Spirit. We have already gone over the power gifts, and the revelation gifts. The gifts that remain are the inspiration gifts, the gifts that say something. Just a reminder that all of the gifts are supernatural in their administration, and should not be used for any purpose other than what He intended, to benefit the Body of Christ.

  1 Corinthians 12:10 – “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” NKJV

  The inspiration gifts: prophecy, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues, are the most controversial gifts of the mix. Why? I don’t know for a fact! But I believe it is because tongues is so misunderstood in the church, and having a gift that includes tongues, for some, may be a little much. Anyway, I am a staunch believer in the “whole” counsel of the word, so I believe in all of the gifts, and have seen them operate under the anointing enough to know they are real.

  The gift of prophecy. In our key text, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and he prophesied. This is how the gift works. In his case, it could have been a once in a lifetime manifestation, but the gift of prophesy is activated by the Holy Spirit, as are the other eight gifts. Zacharias suddenly began to speak what was placed in his spirit, or his heart, as the Holy Ghost moved upon him, and he prophesied. Throughout the Bible there are many such instances where individuals prophesied. These people were not considered prophets, but the Spirit moved upon them and gave them a word to “speak” to the people. As such, they prophesied. In order for this to be a gift, and not just a response to the overwhelming presence of God, it must occur frequently in the life of the believer.

  I want to veer for a moment and point out that Zacharias didn’t get everybody’s attention by saying, “Thus says the Lord!” Or by saying, “The Lord is saying to me…”. I’m not mocking people who do start out like this, I’m just pointing out that the gift is not to bring attention to the individual, but always, always, to God. This gift has been released in the body to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort to men (1 Corinthians 14:3).

  The gift of tongues. I have already written about the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. That isn’t this gift. It looks the same, yet it is different. Another thing about tongues, is that it’s one of two gifts that is only seen in the Church age, because the baptism of the Holy Spirit happened after Jesus’ resurrection. The other one is the interpretation of tongues. Maybe this is another reason is it not widely accepted as genuine, because we only learn about it from the early Church.

  A person who has been given the gift of tongues, will receive a message from God in a tongue. That tongue is not known by the individual, and thus it is supernatural. However, during the Azusa Street Revival, people who received the gift of tongues was said to have miraculously gained the ability to speak and understand a new language they had never learned. These individuals would then go to that country and become a missionary. On a more “normal” understanding of the gift of tongues, a person would receive an unusual language, or a known language, that would have a prophetic message within it.

  This brings us to the interpretation of tongues. Whenever the gift of tongues is in operation, someone with the gift of interpretation of tongues must be present to let the people know what is being said. The same person can have both gifts and can speak in the tongue and interpret it. These gifts operating together equals the gift of prophecy. Again, they are for the edification, comfort, and exhortation of the hearers.

  One man shared this testimony: He was invited to church by a friend. He didn’t realize it was a Pentecostal service, but when he did realize it, he didn’t want to be there. Suddenly someone began to speak in tongues. As the tongue went forth, it was his native language. The message that was given really ministered to him. After service he went to the person and began to speak to him in his language thinking the man knew his language. But he did not. He realized then that God had set it up for him to receive that message, resulting in his salvation and in him receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have heard this type of testimony on many occasions.

  When a tongue is interpreted, it is not word for word. The tongue could be long, the interpretation could be short. And vice verse. But the message, from God, will encourage and bless those who hear it. It could even be a direct message for a particular person, like in my example.

  After I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was given a message both in tongues and in English. We were in Bible study, and the Spirit of the Lord moved on me to speak in tongues. After I finished speaking in tongues, I heard a clear word in my spirit and just said what I heard. When our pastor got up to teach his lesson, it was on the very thing that I had spoken or interpreted from the tongue. The Spirit confirmed his teaching for the evening. It shocked me. I knew I hadn’t made it up at that point, and I knew I didn’t have prior knowledge of the message, so the Holy Spirit encouraged me to trust Him when He moved on me. That night, the church was eager to hear what the pastor had to share and we had a move of the Spirit during the service.

  These gifts of inspiration, or utterance, are designed to encourage the Body of Christ. People leave refreshed, comforted, and strengthened after these gifts are in operation. They can be abused, but again, that doesn’t give us the right to throw them out.

  As I come to a close on these gifts, I want to remind you that I know I have not shared all there is to know about the gifts. I also know that I have been very general in what I have been sharing. Again, my intent was just to think about Christmas, not only as gift giving time, but as a time to receive and enjoy the gifts that Jesus has given to us through His Spirit.

  When we were growing up we used to say, what you don’t know can’t hurt you. But that is so not true. If you don’t hear that a flood is coming to your area, and it comes, you most definitely can get hurt. If we don’t have the information we need to be successful in our walk with the Lord, it most definitely can hurt us. It can also stunt our growth, or keep us in bondage to fears of the unknown. I’ve never experienced the pleasure of skiing down a mountain, but I know for many it is a wondrous experience. When I think of sliding down a mountain on two skis at a slow pace, it feels me with dread. Therefore, I would avoid this experience at all cost. But the people who experience it, anticipate it and highly recommend it. Just because we have not experienced something, like the gifts in our life, or we have not even had a positive experience with them, doesn’t negate them, or the blessing that they are in the lives of others. And can be in yours!

  This Christmas, let’s open our hearts to all of who Jesus is and to all that He has for us. Praying you and your family will have a very safe and happy holiday celebration! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Spiritual Gifts | 0 Comments | Tagged gift giving, gift of interpretation of tongues, gift of prophecy, gift of tongues, gifts of inspiration, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony

• Power Gifts!

  Posted at 6:40 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on December 16, 2020

  Luke 1:35 -And the angel answered and said to her, “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. NKJV

  

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  I know this isn’t traditional Christmas blogging, but I’m not traditional! Christmas is special, but it is nothing without the reality of who Jesus the Christ is today!

  The emblems of Christmas, all represent baby Jesus, but when I celebrate my birthday, or when you celebrate your birthday, we don’t go and find baby pictures and focus on the day we were born! The one thing that I do want to point out in regards to His birth is that “the power of the Highest” overshadowed Mary to bring about His birth! That very same power was evident in His life and ministry and is available to every believer today!

  I’ve been meditating on this title, “Power Gifts” for a few days now. I’m excited to share what the Holy Spirit has been sharing with me. First, let’s check out a few of those scriptures that talk about the power associated with Him:

  • Matthew 9:8- the people marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
  • Mark 5:30- The woman with the issue of blood touched Him, and He perceived power had left Him
  • Luke 8:46- the multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all!
  • John 10:18- He had the power to lay down His life and to pick it up again!

  These scriptures just reference the truth of the power, but when you take a shallow look at His life, reading about all of the miracles that followed Him, you get a real solid picture of the truth, He walked in power!

  The beautiful truth about Jesus is that He was not stingy with that power. As a matter of fact, when He called the twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease (Matthew 10:1). When He returned to heaven He sent the Holy Spirit to earth, and again, He gave us access to power.

  Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; …” NKJV

  In 1 Corinthians 12, the power gifts are mentioned: faith, gifts of healings, and the working of miracles (vv. 9-10). They are taken from the list of gifts that are also referred to as the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. These “charisma” gifts are gifts bestowed upon mankind because of the grace of God. In this chapter in Corinthians, we learn that He gives them as He desires, but everyone is given at least one of them.

  The doctrine of cessation states that while God can still perform miracles, He no longer uses individuals to do so. I don’t agree with this view for a couple of reasons: there is no scriptural proof that these gifts have ceased, and yet scripture does state that He has given them to us! Also, I have read many wonderful testimonies over the years of these gifts operating in the lives of individuals. But let me just say this, if I had never seen one single miracle performed in my life, I would still believe that He is the same today, that He was yesterday, and will be forevermore. Therefore, I really believe that the doctrine of cessation came from people who never saw a miracle, and this is how they explained that they had a relationship with God, yet had not experienced Him!

  If you don’t have electricity, and you have never experienced it, does that nullify the fact that I use it all day everyday? If you have never seen a great marriage, and have not experienced it, does that nullify the truth that I have a great marriage? No, and again I say no! A lack of experience with something doesn’t become a validation for if it is real. It just says that you haven’t experienced it! I’m just saying!

  Each of these manifestations of the Holy Spirit can happen in an individual’s life without another person being involved. However, the Holy Spirit has chosen to use people, to manifest His power through, and so that’s where I stand! With the word! Can it be abused? Yes! But the internet is abused, and yet I still use it. Doctors abuse their positions, teachers abuse their positions, even parents abuse their positions, but we don’t avoid these people in life or declare all of them as being rotten; because we understand that the abusers don’t represent the whole! So those who abuse the gifts of the Holy Spirit don’t get to represent those who do not!

  The gift of faith! Operating in faith, does not equate to having the gift of faith. The gift of faith turns the invisible into the visible; the intangible to the tangible, the impossible into the possible, on a regular basis! I think of Smith Wigglesworth when I think of this gift. Actually, all of the power gifts were evident in his life. Here’s a testimony I will never forget:

  A man came to one of Wigglesworth’s meeting and he had no feet. Wigglesworth didn’t pray for him, didn’t lay hands on him, but said that the man should go buy a pair of shoes. He went to the store, bought some shoes, and as he placed his limb in it, his feet grew! You don’t believe it? Not my issue to make you believe it! I’m just sharing! That’s how I understand the gift to operate. It’s like God speaking into your situation and it can be no other way but as it is said.

  Gifts of healings. I probably heard this somewhere and I’m just repeating it: All divine healings are miracles, but not all miracles are healings! All of these gifts are controversial. It takes faith to operate in them and faith to be a recipient of them. In other words, had the man with no feet not believed Smith Wigglesworth, and had not gone to get shoes, would he have gotten feet? Probably not! Does that make Wigglesworth a false prophet? Not at all.

  Matthew 13:58- Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief!

  If unbelief hindered Jesus, it will most certainly hinder us!

  Back to gifts of healings. This gift needs no explanation. People understand that this gifts of healings means that people who operate in this gift, get people healed on a regular basis. John Lake operated masterfully in this gift. Even the newspapers in Spokane, Washington wrote about the healings that took place in his healing schools. You’ll just have to look him up to hear some amazing testimonies of healings!

  This gifts of healings is plural for a reason. It is believed that no one individual has the power over all sickness and diseases, so the Spirit gave gifts of healings, instead of the gift of healing. It is taught that one person can have the gift to heal cancer, and another person can have the gift to heal diabetes, and so forth and so on. My belief on that take isn’t solidified!

  Lastly, the gift of miracles. These miracles are not limited to healings, but include all types of miracles. I like Heidi Baker for this category. As I have followed their ministry over the years, I hear of the dead being raised, food being multiplied, blind eyes seeing. All three of these individuals truly can be accredited with operating in all of these power gifts. Sometimes they operate simultaneously. Heidi spoke of a time when she had only enough food to feed her immediate family, but she had an orphanage of children who were hungry. They prayed over the food and began to serve it, and didn’t run out of food. That’s miraculous! Do they eat like that at every meal? No! Iris Ministries relies on donations like all other ministries. But they have seen God step in when man wasn’t available.

  These power gifts were given to the Church as an extension of the work and ministry of Jesus, through His Spirit. I’m not interested in looking for that which is phony, but I am hungry for that which is God! He did it before, He’s doing it now, and He will continue to do it until He comes back to get us. Faith accesses the power of God! It always has and it always will. This holiday season, let’s begin to open our heart to the power gifts He has made available to us! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Spiritual Gifts | 2 Comments | Tagged cessation, Christmas, Faith, healings, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miracles, power, power gifts, Spiritual Gifts, testimony

• 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

  

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  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

• The Acts of the Holy Spirit!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 21, 2020

  Acts 4:33 – And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. NKJV

  

  the-acts-of-the-holy-spirit_.mp3

  Traditionally, the book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Apostles. I’m not trying to rewrite biblical theology, but I am suggesting that this book, is more than the Acts of the Apostles, but it reveals the Acts of the Holy Spirit!

  From His great entrance in Acts 2, throughout the remainder of Luke’s writing, we see many scriptures filled with examples about what the Holy Spirit came to the earth for. It’s not surprising that we feel the apostles were the ones with power, who went about doing these greats things, because they did. However, the Holy Spirit had filled them full of Himself, distributing His power through gifts, to accomplish His will in the earth!

  Peter explained to Cornelius and his family how Jesus was able to do the wonderful miracles He did:

  Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” NKJV

  This is the same method that the Holy Spirit used in the book of Acts. He was with the the disciples, allowing the power of God to flow through them, that they may be used by God to expand the kingdom of God, and He is doing the same thing for us! Let’s look at some things the Holy Spirit enabled some of the people in Acts to accomplish:

  • Peter’s first message, after receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit resulted in a great conviction coming upon the people and three thousand souls were added to the church. (Acts 2:41)
  • Peter and John went to the temple and a man who was lame from birth was miraculously healed when He looked upon Peter. Yes, the glory goes to the power of the Name of Jesus, but it was the Spirit of God who did the healing through the disciples. (Acts 3)
  • Peter gives another powerful message (because he was filled with the Holy Spirit) and was noted as having great boldness. (Acts 4) Remember, this is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, and then went fishing after the resurrection. Now he’s boldly proclaiming His name, being that witness with power!
  • The disciples gather, after Peter and John’s arrest, and pray for boldness and that miracles will happen when He stretch out His hand. How? By the power of the Spirit through them. And He filled them again! (Acts 4:31)
  • Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter about how much they sold their property for, and Peter said that they had lied to Holy Ghost. They dropped dead at that proclamation! (Acts 5)
  • These disciples were walking in so much power of the Holy Spirit that people brought the sick into the streets that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them so they might be healed. (Acts 5)
  • Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people! (Acts 6)
  • Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to do many miracles, including casting out demons and seeing the lame walk. (Acts 8)
  • The Holy Spirit told Philip to overtake the chariot that the eunuch of Ethiopia was in. After he completed his assignment, the Holy Spirit translated him to Azotus. (Acts 8). The commentators don’t agree on the distance, claiming it to be anywhere from 34 miles to 400, but however far apart they were, he was miraculously translated from one place to a different location.
  • Paul was miraculously converted and commissioned by Jesus to take the message to the Gentiles, but not before he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And Paul received a miraculous removal of the scales falling off his eyes.
  • Aeneas was healed of paralysis after being sick in bed for eight years. (Acts 9)
  • Peter was used to raise Dorcas from the dead. (Acts 9)
  • Handkerchiefs from Paul’s body were sent to others and they were healed, and evil spirits left them. (Acts 19:12)
  • Prison doors were opened, crippled people were able to walk, the dead was raised, demons were cast out, and a host of other things happened through the apostles, but by the work of the Holy Spirit!

  The point of the matter is this: that the disciples, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit became bolder in their life for Christ; and began to do the same things He did as the Holy Spirit moved upon them. This Holy Spirit is still alive and available to the Church today!

  I have personally seen the Holy Spirit do miraculous things. I have heard powerful testimonies of so much more. God is real! Jesus is real! The Holy Spirit is real!

  The whole reason for my blogs on the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to remind us that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. What He required of the apostles and prophets in the Early Church, He is requiring of us in the last days Church. That we be filled with the power from on high! We can deny this is truth, but can we deny our continual inability to see a miracle because we don’t believe this? We can deny the tongue, but can we deny the supernatural testimonies of those who speak in tongues?What I suggest is this, let’s join Him in what He wants to do in these last days and believe for a great outpouring of His power upon all flesh! It’s time to see miracles! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, miracle, speaking in tongues, supernatural | 2 Comments | Tagged God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Kingdom of God, miraculous, Salvation, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony

• A Variety of Tongues!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 19, 2020

  1 Corinthians 12:28 – “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. NKJV

  

  a-variety-of-tongues_.mp3

  prayer-for-salvation.m4a

  I understand that the topic of “speaking in tongues” is as controversial as the topic of the candidates for the presidency. Unfortunately, a vote won’t decide the outcome of tongues. It may not even decide the controversy over the presidency!

  In my previous blog, I shared about tongues as the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, that is not the only “tongue” that the Bible references, and I would like to shed some light on that in this blog.

  In our text, Paul makes mention of a variety of tongues. First, let me just say that “speaking in tongues” is supernatural. The Holy Spirit speaks through us. There is a documentary, filmed by ABC, that shares some amazing truths about the aspect of speaking in tongues. I have included that link for you. Suffice it to say, they have scientifically proven that when we use our natural language, our frontal lobe is active; however, when we pray in tongues, it is silent. This proves that the genuine “glossolalia” Hebrew for “speaking in tongues” is not babbling, as some say. I encourage you to check it out! If this link doesn’t work, just type in documentary about speaking in tongues in YouTube.

  A variety of tongues, includes speaking in a heavenly language that communicates with God, receiving the gift of “tongues”, as well as the initial tongues that’s evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I’ll try and separate them for you. My last post spoke of the initial tongues, so I will address the other two today.

  The disciples in the book of Acts, not only received tongues, but they also spoke in languages they had not previously learned, but others understood. When I read about the Azusa Street revival that happened in the early 1900s, there were many testimonies of people experiencing this same ability. Only with some of them, the language remained with them and they would go to that country as a missionary. For example, if they received a Chinese dialect, they would go to China as a missionary. So I have heard of people experiencing tongues to this degree.

  There is a pastor in Africa who went on an interview to enroll in Bible College after getting saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit. The knowledge of English was required, and when he sat down for the interview, he opened his mouth and out came English. He had never learned it, but he knew it, and understood it. As a matter of fact, I think he said that he thought he was speaking in his native tongue the whole time.

  Another wonderful testimony was of a young lady in Mexico. She was in a service when they asked if anyone could speak English well enough to translate for the speaker. I believe she knew a little, but not enough for translating. She had recently been baptized in the Holy Spirit and felt His prodding for her to go up. She was instantly downloaded with English and has been fluent ever since. I would love to be able to speak every language known to man, so I’m hoping for that ability one day!

  Another person, was led by the Spirit to stand up and speak in tongues in church. He obeyed, then sat down. After service, there was a man in the audience who spoke that language and received a word that encouraged him. Thinking the man spoke his language, he approached him after the service. The man had no idea how to speak that language, but it convinced the other person that God had spoken to him; and not only did he give his life to the Lord, but he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit!

  Our prayer language, truly can be an unknown tongue, or “glossolalia”. This is the tongue that Paul refers to as a language spoken to God:

  1 Corinthians 14:2 – “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.” NKJV

  For the most part, this is a private language to be enjoyed in fellowship with the Lord. If in a prayer meeting, where you are encouraged to pray in the Spirit, this language will come forth at will, and the Spirit will give you utterance.

  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Jude 1:20 NKJV

  This is my favorite, the prayer language. It is a time of communion with the Father that is personal and intimate. Mysteries are truly opened up to you during or after this time and can be a strength. You can pray for 5 minutes to 5 hours in the Spirit, and enjoy the peace and blessings of praying in the Spirit!

  Nadia went missing from her front yard in Florida, in 2010. When the family couldn’t find her, they sent in a prayer request to the church. Four days had transpired, and she hadn’t been found. King, a member of the Church, was praying in the Spirit. As he prayed, He felt the leading of the Holy Spirit and went looking for her. God began to give him directions through a part of the swamp that was alligator infested. He found the girl. It was supernatural! It was in the newspapers and Christian magazines. Google it!

  When you don’t know what to pray, when you can’t find the words, pray in the Spirit! He knows!

  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 – NKJV

  Then there’s the language of tongues that is associated with the gift of tongues:

  1 Corinthians 12:10 – “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” NKJV

  It’s been my understanding that this gift is different from just speaking in tongues in the sense that this gift comes with a variety of tongues, and can be interpreted with the gift of interpretation, to give a prophetic word to the Body. The individual with this gift may speak in tongues in an Asian language one time, then French, then Native American, or many others. This may be the gift operating in some of my above examples. Whatever the case, the gift of tongues is the one that Paul brings caution to the church about, when he shares a lot of warnings. If you speak in tongues in a church setting, and you don’t have the gift of interpretation, nor does anyone else, then his encouragement is that you keep silent. Trust the leading of Spirit, and you’ll be fine!

  I’ve tried to be thorough, while remaining brief and to the point. However, if you have questions or an interest to learn more, there are many great books out there to assist you as you pour over the Scriptures. If I can recommend one to you, I’d be happy to do so!

  What we don’t understand, we reject or criticize. What we need to do is ask God to lead us to truth. That will help you get the right answer. Don’t accept my word, or anyone else’ word. God’s word can stand alone. Check it out! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues | 0 Comments | Tagged documentary on speaking in tongues, glossolalia, Holy Spirit, miracles, miraculous, Prayer, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony, victory, word of God

• Hello Holy Spirit!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 12, 2020

  John 14:16-17 – “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” NKJV

  

  hello_-holy-spirit_.mp3

  It was a typical school day, but it changed my life forever! I was already a believer, and I enjoyed reading the Bible, even though I didn’t always understand it. Going to church was not just something that I did, but somewhere I enjoyed being; although few people could actually answer my questions about God. I taught Sunday School, I sang in the choir, and I had preached my first sermon. However, I was crying out to God for more of Him. I wanted to know Him, understand Him, and see the God of the Bible in my life. I was ripe for the Holy Ghost and didn’t even know it!

  I still remember walking down the walkway and running into my classmate and high school friend. She was different, yet the same. She went to a holiness church, and although she had a lot of restrictions about her dress, when she got to school she became “normal”. So here we are talking, and she says to me, “You need the Holy Ghost!” What? I thought! Where did that come from? I probably ragged her about that fact that she must need it too, because she didn’t believe what she was being taught, hence, the changing of the clothes. You know how we do, when we are uncomfortable with something, we deflect!

  That statement rang through my head so much, that I begin to try figure out, what did it mean to “need” or to “get” the Holy Ghost? Of course, as a Bible reader, I knew the Holy Ghost was in the Bible, but I didn’t know I could “get” the Holy Ghost!

  Not long after that, a different classmate invited me to his church. I agreed to go, and when I got there, these people also believed in “getting” the Holy Ghost, and “needing” the Holy Ghost! Instead of running, I started asking questions, and paying attention, and there was something special about these people who “had” the Holy Ghost.

  I tried to get the Holy Ghost. I went to the altar and tarried for the Holy Ghost. The things that I was told to do were pretty ridiculous in hindsight, but my heart was genuine. However, I didn’t “get” the Holy Ghost. I was saddened, thinking that it was so special, and I must be pretty unworthy. But I didn’t say anything.

  Time went by. Then one weekend our choir was invited to sing at another church. I really wanted to go, but I had a serious toothache. My dear sister in the Lord convinced me to go anyway. While we sang, I was completely pain free, but after it was over, the pain was pretty intense. We had arrived back at our church, when she asked the choir members to pray for me. As they laid their hands on me and prayed for me to be healed, I was filled with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues. It was amazing! Immediately, fluent words of a language I had no prior knowledge of, flowed from my lips. As these words flowed, I was healed. I didn’t understand all that was happening, but I felt so honored by God that I was filled with the Holy Spirit. Finally! I didn’t “need” Him, or have to “get” Him, because He just filled me with Himself and literally changed me.

  I know there’s a huge debate in “Christendom” about the authenticity of “speaking in tongues” and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but it matters not. All that matters is what God’s word says about this aspect of His Being! And I am a witness that it is true. When I was baptized, I didn’t become weird and flaky, I became solid and strong in my faith. Not only that, I began to “experience” God in new ways. Ways that I later discovered were “manifestations” of the Holy Spirit that Paul discussed in 1 Corinthians 12. I have been desiring for a while to write about the amazing possibilities that can happen in your life and through your life when you open yourself up to the Spirit of God. However, I didn’t feel it was the right time. Today, I will begin!

  My classmate was right! I did need the Holy Spirit! However, I think she spoke more prophetically than experientially! Having this second important experience in the Lord, has been rewarding, fulfilling, and life impacting for me. Here are a few things I now understand that I did not know:

  1. I didn’t have to tarry for the Holy Spirit to fill me. In Luke 24:49, Jesus told His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. This He told them because the Holy Spirit hadn’t yet come. However, no one needs to tarry now because He has come! We just open our hearts and receive Him!
  2. Your initial “baptism” will be amazing, but He will fill you again and again! Why? In Acts 4:31, Luke wrote that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. These are the same people who were filled in Acts 2. After we minister, and as we live, we will find ourselves operating in our own strength, or no strength. This is a great time for a re-filling of the Holy Spirit for He adds strength, power, and even encouragement to the weary.
  3. Originally I thought that I could only speak in tongues when the Holy Spirit initiated the action, but Paul wrote that it was his wish that everybody spoke in tongues, even encouraging that we sing and pray in the Spirit.

  I would like to take some time to take the fear out of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and to introduce you to a more intimate fellowship with our God. For those of you who are already filled, but not as expressive, or new to communing with the Father through the Person of the Holy Spirit, I would like to help you walk with Him. I wish someone would have taken that time with me. I learned things about Him through trial and error at first. Later, I eventually met my sister in law who shared many wonderful truths with me about this communion with the Holy Spirit. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn, so I have read many books about Him, trying the Spirit by the Spirit and the Word of God.

  I won’t use religious terms or cliches that I don’t explain, and I won’t belittle you into thinking you have to agree with me. However, I will share the word, and then you be the “Berean” and search the Scriptures for yourself! I look forward to sharing my dear Friend, Holy Spirit, with each you! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Baptism, Holy Spirit | 0 Comments | Tagged Baptism, Healing, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, tarrying, testimony, witness

• His Name is All That!

  Posted at 4:31 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on October 3, 2020

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

  

  his-name-is-all-that_.mp3

  Years ago, Donnie McClurkin sang a song, “I Call You Faithful”. It was a hit with the church and the world alike. In the song, he called Jesus holy, righteous, awesome, faithful, healer, and savior. And then he summed it all up by singing:

  I call You All That, Your name is All That
  You have been all that to me
  I call You All That, Your name is All That
  All that You are and all that You’ll be
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

  As I was thinking of how to end this week, while staying on the same message, I thought of this song again. So I will end it with this, His Name is All That!

  I’m sure I mentioned this in another blog, and it bears repeating, that names, from the biblical perspective meant something. It either disclosed something about the state of God’s people, the identity of God, or the hope for the child. In the case of Jesus, His Name not only speaks of who He is, but of God’s hope for His people, and the state of mankind. That’s truly a name that is All That!

  Jesus means “to deliver, to rescue,” in the Hebrew. His name tells us that He is the deliverer, letting us know “who” He is. As deliverer, His Name tells us that God’s hope for His people is that we are delivered from the bondage of sin. His Name deliverer tells us that mankind was in a place where the Deliverer was needed to provide a rescue! Glory, Hallelujah! That’s powerful!

  As Deliverer, Jesus most certainly had to be All That! In order for Him to be the deliverer for God, He had to be holy, a Lamb without blemish. His Blood was needed to settle God’s requirement for sin. No other blood would do! One song said, “His blood was not just blood of another spotless lamb, but His Blood was precious Blood, for it washed the sins of man”!

  As Deliverer, Jesus not only had to be holy, but He had to be prepared to meet the needs of those who were delivered! I read Christian military fiction. Every time there is a rescue, the deliverers prepare for every contingency. They make preparations to extract the individual as efficiently as possible. They have medical supplies in case the person is sick or wounded. They have food, in case the individual has been starved. They have clothing in case the individual is not properly dressed. And lastly, they have the weaponry needed, to withstand the enemy during the extraction. In other words, they plan for the “worst case scenario” and hope for the best!

  Our Deliverer is even better than that! He is the preparation for every contingency. Whatever we need, He doesn’t have to find it and bring it along, He is it! He’s efficient in what He does, because He only had to die on the cross, one time, for the sins of the entire world, from Adam til He returns. He doesn’t have to gather medical supplies because at His Word, by His Blood, through faith, we are healed! He’s not worried about food, because He can multiply whatever is around, turn water into wine, or just cause the stones to be made bread! He clothes us in righteousness, making us presentable for the Father! And lastly, He defeated the enemy, and the devil is under His feet! He is the perfect Deliverer!

  You haven’t come up with a need that Jesus cannot meet. I received a comment this week calling Him, Everything! He truly is! The latest song about who He is, calls Him:

  Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness,
  My God! That is who you are!

  This is Jesus! This is who we call Lord, Savior, Messiah, Master, King of kings, Lord of lords! This is who He is! It is an honor to know Him. An honor to be in a relationship with Him. An honor to be known by Him. He is the greatest person to ever live! He has the highest throne! He has the most followers! He answers to no other person! He doesn’t need us for anything, He just wants to love us and love on us!

  No enemy can withstand Him! Not cancer, not coronavirus, not poverty, not lack, not inferiority, not superiority! Sin doesn’t overcome Him! Trouble isn’t too much for Him! Your past isn’t too much for Him! Your failures doesn’t overwhelm Him! Your challenges, don’t challenge Him! Your victories don’t outshine Him! His Name is the still the Name above every Name! He is still awesome, amazing, God!

  I can’t even begin to recall all of the times Jesus has shown up for me. Maybe today you can say the same thing! The list would really be long! The most important thing I want you to think about is that, these Names have become who He is in the lives of so many people. I don’t just read about Jesus the Healer, I have experienced Him time and again. I don’t just read and dream about Jesus the Provider, I have experienced Him on many occasions. I don’t just sing about Jesus, my Deliverer, I have been delivered and kept from much!

  When I was teaching the youth many years ago, I challenged them to ask Jesus to be real to them. I challenged them to experience Him for themselves so that no one need ever to convince them that He is real. They are adults today. Many of them have solid relationships with the Lord. Why? Because He walked out of the pages of the Bible and straight into their hearts. And guess what? He’ll do the same for you!

  It’s time out for just singing about how wonderful Jesus is! It’s time to experience Him! It’s time out for declaring He is a healer, to embracing Him as your healer! It’s time out for religious platitudes and cliches, it’s time to know God through the Person of Jesus, the Christ! He is All That! He’s whatever you need! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in His Name, Jesus, the Name of Jesus | 2 Comments | Tagged All That, Faith, Forgiveness, God, Healing, holy, hope, Jesus, protection, provision, Salvation, testimony, the Blood of Jesus, trust in God, Waymaker

• His Name is Mighty God!

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

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

  

  his-name-is-mighty-god_.mp3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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