Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: trust in God

• The Choice is Yours!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 30, 2020

  Joshua 24:15 – “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .” ESV

  

  There are some verses in the Bible that are just classic! This is such a verse. If you are looking for a plaque to put on your wall to express your Christian views, this would be an easy one to find. Some people have it “posted” on the door posts of their home. Hobby Lobby has it in many formats designed to meet every personal taste. And because of its high visibility, it can often lose the potency of its truth!

  Joshua has come to the end of his life. He has fought many natural battles for the Lord and has conquered many enemies. He’s led the children of Israel into the promised land, defeated Jericho, divided the land, and at 110 years old, it’s time to say good-bye.

  You would think that this would’ve been said at the beginning of Joshua’s life, but it’s at his end. Joshua knows the flightiness of the Israelites. He knows that they are bent towards serving other gods and he takes this time to warn them. He says that if it seems evil..How can serving God seem evil? He tells them that they need to make a choice between the false gods in the land they now live and the God who gave them the land. Seems an easy choice. But then he declares that he and his household would serve the Lord!

  During this pandemic we’ve heard and seen a lot of things. We’ve had encouraging words from pastors and leaders who remind us that in the midst of this pandemic, we can choose joy over sorrow, peace over worry, health over sickness and disease. The choice is ours. But we have also had the words that remind us constantly of sickness and death, lack of goods, lack of safety equipment, and an end that seems farther out than we can truly imagine. Did you know that the choice is yours as to whose voice you will hear and whose voice you will listen to?

  After six weeks of being in the house, under the orders of our leadership we’ve become antsy, frustrated, fearful, lonely, poorer, belligerent, and our emotions have run the gamut. But what we are still not seeing, and what we still need to see is a return to the Father.

  When 9-11 happened, we stopped as a nation and we prayed. It was almost as if prayer had been reinstated in the nation’s capital. That was a momentous time for us as we pulled together to help the people of New York, to fight the war of terrorism, to flex our military muscle before our enemies. Churches were seeing more people come and many stayed. All felt as if it must be the last of the last days! And yet, here we are with over 50,000 people who have died to the virus and there has been no climate of spiritual thirst ignited in the land. We have not felt a need to repent and even if we wanted to, we are not able to fill the churches.

  I heard a pastor say that this is not right that the people of God can’t come together to worship! And I’ve seen many break the order and many more honor it. But rather we go to church, listen or watch online, or haven’t decided that doing so makes much difference, the day of reckoning comes for us all when we must decide whom we will serve and why.

  Everyone wants a life of peace. Me included. But it’s through hard times, difficult times that we reevaluate our lives and the reasons for living. During a pandemic is a great time to decide, whom you shall serve? If it seems an evil thing for you to serve the Lord, then don’t serve Him. But truly, from all us who have decided and stand with our decision to serve the Lord, we highly recommend it!

  He is the only One who can give us the peace and hope that we need to ride out the storm or to speak to the storm. He’s the only One who can give us a reason to get up in the morning, even though we can only go to another part of our home, and be thankful we are awake! He’s the only One who can bring someone to our mind to encourage, or bring us to someone’s mind that they might encourage us. He’s the Only One who can take us through this pandemic and cause it to work out for our good. It’s a good time to decide to serve the Lord.

  As a matter of fact, it’s always a good time to decide to serve Him. When my husband and I were courting, we made that decision to serve the Lord. We agreed to worship together, to model our lives after the word, to raise our family according to the word of God. We took them to church, read the Bible with them, discussed it, had them memorize the word, taught them to pray. They have now chosen to serve the Lord for themselves. It’s a beautiful thing! You and your household have the power to choose. No one can choose for you! You must make a choice! It’s one you will never regret! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Choices, hard times, Serving God, trust in God | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, coronavirus, encouragement, hard times, Joshua, Salvation, trust in God

• 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

• I Married My Delilah!

  Posted at 4:14 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on April 25, 2020

  Judges 16:6 – “So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.” NKJV

  If you read my previous blog, “Flee Delilah”, then you already know that Delilah is not God’s perfect will for any of us. He doesn’t want us to marry the Philistine whose heart is not towards Him and who is oftentimes sent by the enemy to bring destruction in our lives. Having said that, what do I do if I am already married to Delilah?

  Well, first and foremost, you probably need to spend some time repenting to the Lord. Your Delilah, if it was the case of a Delilah and not a “chameleon” hasn’t changed. Let me explain. A chameleon would have hidden his or her true motives and character from you, making your “choice” one that you could say “I didn’t know” about them. Where as, the Delilah would never hide. You knew from the beginning who that person was and yet you married that individual anyway. You are as responsible for your situation as Samson was. Therefore, you need to repent before the Lord.

  After repenting, you need the counsel of God. Spending time in His word, His Presence, or becoming a responsible member of a faith teaching church will be necessary in moving forward. Even if you have already been considering divorce, you still need to redirect your heart and affections to the Lord before making this life altering decision. But here is why I chose this topic today. As I completed my last blog, I heard in my spirit, “Oh no! I’ve married my Delilah!” And I thought, I don’t want people to think that I am encouraging them to get a divorce. Divorce doesn’t have to be the answer. There’s another way!

  Years ago, in a couples fellowship, where we gathered to discuss what the Bible teaches regarding marriage and to be with other couples, I heard an amazing testimony. Now because it was some time ago, I won’t remember all the details, but I remember the impact it had on my marriage.

  The couple hosting the fellowship showed a video of Andrew Wommack sharing this testimony. This lady worked in a grocery store. A customer somehow developed an interest in her, I believe he even told her that they were supposed to get married. He was into all kinds of stuff, but mostly demon worship. They got married and during the course of the marriage, his experiences with demonic manifestations increased. Even to the point of him leaving his body. Well, one night he tried to kill her. The police was called and things were bad. I believe her neighbor was a member of Brother Andrew’s church and somehow he was called to the scene. When he got there he began to talk to her about her options, one of which was trusting God to work the situation out. She decided to trust God with her situation. I wish I remembered all the details! But here’s the point: God saved that couple and turned that marriage around and I believe he became a pastor or evangelist. Now that’s deliverance! As a young wife, I decided that nothing could ever get that bad in my marriage, so I had no excuse to ever entertain thoughts of divorce.

  Even in the midst of our mess ups, God can bring victory and total deliverance. That’s what He did for Samson. In his mess, God allowed his hair to grow and he brought greater destruction on the Philistines in the end than he had in his lifetime. I don’t think God wants all of our answers of victory to end in our demise. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure that He doesn’t. He’s a good, good God! And His mercies endure forever!

  Don’t think there is no hope for you, your marriage, or your future. Jesus has promised that He is our Blessed Hope! If you can believe that He can turn this situation around, then you will have to trust Him to do it. You may go through some more difficult times and even feel like giving up, but He can turn it around! He has strategies untold and in His Presence are the answers that you need.

  I’ve seen marriages restored. Not because of the Delilah syndrome, maybe more of the chameleon syndrome. But the marriages were not good. But God is! And I have seen Him do the impossible with the impossible situations and make them the better!

  I’ve seen divorces. I’ve seen few people rejoice over a divorce. It’s hard on the family, on the couple, on friendships, and especially on a church body. But it some times can’t be avoided for a variety of reasons. I don’t believe in divorce, I’m not advocating divorce, but I’ve supported loved ones through the process and know that some people absolutely refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. That’s their choice to make. I’m just making the point that I am not encouraging you to divorce your Delilah! That’s between you and the Father!

  But should you choose to believe God in the midst of everything that is happening, you will need fortification for the battle. And it will be a battle. But with Him, who can be against you. There’s hope for Delilah! And you just have to trust God that He will deliver you and your Delilah and give you a brighter tomorrow! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Divorce, Marriage, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Delilah, Divorce, encouragement, hard times, hope, Marriage, Prayer, trust in God

• Get a Picture!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 18, 2020

  2 Corinthians 5:7- “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

  Coronavirus is ongoing! Some have perished, and hundreds of thousands are sick with it. And there’s no cure in sight. As a matter of fact, I heard on the news that they are not expecting to have a vaccine until 2022. What are we to do? I believe that this is the time to learn to trust God like never before.

  I like to read the classics, and one of my favorite is, “Christ, the Healer” by F.F, Bosworth. In his book he wrote, “Walking by faith is walking by sight of a better kind…We see with the eye of faith the glorious things that are invisible to the natural eye. Faith is the most rational thing in the world, because it is based on the greatest of facts and realities. It sees God; it sees Calvary, where disease and sin were canceled. It sees the promises of God and His faithfulness.”

  Years ago, when I was a youth minister, one of my teens was involved in a terrible accident. Her skull was cut up to relieve swelling, and all kinds of things were going on. But when we went to visit her in the hospital, her mom had a picture of her posted to her hospital machines and she said basically, “That’s who I see. My daughter completely whole.” I want you to know, that’s what she got! Her daughter completely whole. She refused to believe what she saw in the natural as the end of her daughter’s life and embraced what she saw by faith!

  Dr. Sandra Kennedy shared a similar testimony on Sid Roth. She said her dog accidentally bit her in the face. I don’t remember all the details, but her face was not normal and her speech was impaired. She placed pictures of her smiling face every where in her house and decreed that she was completely restored. And one day she was!

  We did a similar thing in our own life. Our daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis. She was even placed in a body brace to correct it. But then we placed her X-ray on our refrigerator so that every time we say it, we would say her spine was straight, in Jesus’ name! Or we would command it to be straight. And she went for a check-up and the doctor said it was straight. Glory to God!

  These are serious times. They are challenging all of us in ways we couldnt’ imagine, but God was not caught off guard and neither is He worried! He said the just shall live by their faith! Even in a pandemic!

  I like how John Osteen explained the walk of faith. He said basically that you don’t deny the facts of what is happening because they are real. You just choose to agree with what God has to say about things. That’s walking by faith!

  I think about the woman with the issue of blood. She went to see Jesus that she might be healed. I don’t think the Bible tells us all of the details, so let me just add what I think could have happened. When she got there she saw the crowd, and actually heard Jairus ask Jesus to come and heal his little girl. He’s leaving, what will she do now! At that point she could’ve said, it is just not for me to be healed. But she didn’t. She had come to be healed and she was going to be healed. So she said within herself, if I could just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed. He doesn’t have to see me, He doesn’t have to talk to me or lay hands on me. If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed. So she pressed through the crowd until she got near enough to touch His hem, and she reached out with the hand of faith, touched it, and was made whole. She saw herself, in her mind, touching the hem of His garment and being healed. And so she was.

  Maybe it is time for you to get a picture. What are you believing God for? Is it healing, get a picture of you completely healed. Is it a spouse, get a picture of your honeymoon spot, or a wedding dress! Maybe it’s your finances-well get a picture of your bank book see a balance on it you want to see! Maybe you can’t get a physical picture, but you can see a mental picture of you working, of you pregnant, of you in your new home. Whatever it is, it’s time to look through the eyes of faith. It’s time to see God, to see His promises, to see His word come to pass in your life. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, God’s faithfulness, Healing | 1 Comment | Tagged Believer, coronavirus, encouragement, Faith, Healing, Jesus, miraculous, provision, testimony, trust in God, word of God

• You Are God’s Garden!

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

  1 Corinthians 3:9 -For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building. AMP

  

  The phrase, “you are God’s garden” has been turning over in my mind for the past few days; and you’ve guessed it, I had to blog about it.

  In verse 6 of this same chapter, Paul wrote, “I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but it was God who gave the increase”.

  Look at the image of the garden! It’s gorgeous! I wouldn’t want the responsibility of it, but I would love to view it every day. That’s an image of you, from heaven’s point of view. It’s how He sees you! Growing more beautiful every day, with vibrant colors, and a variety of flowers, you are a God’s garden!

  Who decides what is planted in this garden? Paul said that he did the planting. Paul was the one who sowed the seed of God’s word to the Corinthian believers. God’s word, His promises, are the seed for your garden. The planting in your garden is based on the word that you hear, read, study, or embrace. Although He sees the end product, beautiful, luscious, vibrant, and well groomed, ultimately, you are responsible for the seed that is planted in your garden. Remember, Jesus said that the seed sown was the word of God.

  Another important ingredient to the well being of a garden is water. Paul said Apollos watered. Apollos came after Paul and watered that seed that Paul had planted. This analogy was based on the ministry they were cultivating in Corinth; but for us, it’s about our own personal garden, our heart. So your garden needs water. This is where you allow the Holy Spirit to help you in the growth of the word. As you meditate on the word of God, rehearse, pray it, sing it, rejoice over it, you are watering your garden. David loved God’s word! He was always watering his garden with the word, “oh how I love your law, it’s the meditation of my heart, thy word have I hid in my heart, your word is forever settled in my heart.”

  When you plant God’s word in your heart, His promises, you need to water that seed to see it produce what you are expecting and believing Him for. The word for healing could be, “Father, you wounded Jesus for my transgressions and with His stripes I was healed. I’m so grateful for that. I rejoice in that truth and accept that truth over my symptoms! Thank you! Thank you for driving sickness and disease away from me. Thank you for saying healing is my bread! You are so wonderful to me like that! I receive your medicine, oh God, and I know it is done!”

  Then, God gives the increase! When we are cultivating the word of God in our hearts, and watering it with praise, thanksgiving, and meditation, that’s the end of our responsibility. Now, you trust God to bring increase into your garden. Healing, peace, blessings, favor, mercy, whatever you are believing for! He watches over His word to perform it!

  Right now, you don’t see the beautiful garden of your heart, that God sees. You may only see a dry and parched land. But it’s not too late to begin sowing seed and pouring water into your garden. Trust the Holy Spirit to assist you in the redesigning of your garden. Let Him help you pick out your plants: healing, peace, deliverance, love, joy, and whatever else that will cause your garden to be something that others will enjoy! That you will flourish within!

  You! Are! God’s! Garden! Work with Him to make you something that will last for all eternity! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Healing, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged 1 Corinthians 3:9, encouragemnt, God’s garden, Healing, Holy Spirit, praise, trust in God, word of God

• The Lord Has Need of It!

  Posted at 3:54 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on April 6, 2020

  Luke 19:30-31- “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”

  Palm Sunday, for centuries, has been considered by the church world, the beginning of Holy Week. Since “Holy Week” is predominantly a Catholic term, it’s not a phrase that I heard until I was a little older in life and the faith. However, having said that, many Christians the world over, celebrate Palm Sunday, as a precursor to the observance of Easter Sunday.

  The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is told in every gospel, just as the crucifixion is. Today, I would like to just point out some things that are interesting about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that we celebrate on Palm Sunday.

  Jesus, knowing that the Jewish authorities had plans to kill Him, knowing that His hour had come, did not go into Jerusalem through the back door. He made a grand entrance. Every student of the word knows that He was fulfilling Bible prophecy, but still He showed great strength and courage.

  Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus instructs two of His disciples to go into the village and get a donkey. Either He was operating in a word of knowledge, or He had a dream, or God just led Him by His Spirit, for He was able to tell them that the colt would be tied to the post and that it had never been ridden. He goes on to say that if anyone was to ask why they were loosing the colt that they were to respond that the Lord has need of it.

  How did the owners know? Quite possibly through a dream. The only important detail for me, is that the owners did know and that they were glad to release the colt to the disciples for Jesus’ use.

  The disciples place their garments on the colt, like one would place a saddle, and then they placed Jesus on the donkey. We know from reading the Bible, that Jesus was quite the walker, He and His disciples. But there’s something different about going to Jerusalem this time. Not only is Jesus riding a colt, but as He enters the city, people begin throwing their garments on the road, creating a “red carpet” effect for the donkey to walk on. They also begin throwing branches, (John’s gospel say they are palm branches) on the ground, all while rejoicing and praising God for His mighty works. (Quite possibly they have heard of the raising of Lazarus from the dead).

  Zechariah 9:9- “Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This could have easily been one of those situations where Jesus said that the scriptures were being fulfilled, for it happened just as Zechariah prophesied.

  Just some things to note: Kings usually rode on horses, but this King came on a colt, signifying that He is the Prince of peace and is not coming as a warrior. As He enters into the city in this prophetic manner, the citizens began to rejoice that they could now welcome Him as Messiah, as King. In Matthew and Mark, the crowd is noted as saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” But, in Luke and John’s gospels they add King. Whether they shouted it or not, their actions of throwing the garments down and throwing the branches down were actions acknowledging Him as King.

  Why palm branches? Palm branches were symbolic of a victory and of a king. In tossing palm branches before Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, they were acknowledging Him as their victorious King! He had come! The Messiah was here!

  They were also shouting Hosanna. We use it as a term of worship or praise, but it’s literal meaning is “save now”. It’s interesting to me, that this crowd was “caught up” in the Spirit and didn’t even know it. They were fulfilling or participating in the fulfillment of prophecy and yet they missed the very event they proclaimed. Their King had come!

  I want to return to my verse. Jesus was in need of the colt to fulfill His entry into Jerusalem. My thought today is “what do I have that Jesus is in need of to fulfill His kingdom plans today?” I know the things that I am willing to give to Him, but is there something that He is asking me for that I have not “loosed” into His capable hands of yet? I sincerely hope not!

  Jesus simply rode the colt of the owners, but once He reached His destination, He was finished with the colt. And yet, the colt was a vital part of the prophesy. What He is asking you for may seem insignificant from your lens and from mine, but this got me to thinking that from His perspective, it is needed and it is not insignificant.

  In today’s culture, people would have been fighting over that colt, offering thousands of dollars to the owners for the colt; just so they could say they owned the colt that carried Jesus. There’s no telling what benefits the owners received from having given the colt to Jesus that day. What we can be sure of is that when Jesus asks us for anything, it is not to bring loss into our lives, but to bring increase!

  What do you have that the Lord has need of? It could be your talents, your money, your home, your life, your all. What ever it is, if you give it to Him, you will be the better for doing so! Just loose it and trust it to the King! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, Palm Sunday, Resurrection Sunday | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, blessings, Easter, Jesus, king, Palm Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, Salvation, trust in God, victory

• An Amazing Opportunity!

  Posted at 4:20 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on March 30, 2020

  Genesis 5:21-24 -When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. ESV

  I’ve set for myself a new challenge. I want to see how long it will take me to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, no listening, just reading. On my last challenge I wanted to see how many times I could read the Bible in a year and I read it three times, about four months each time. So I started tonight in Genesis, because I’m on my “stay at home-cation” and as I was reading, something jumped out at me. So I am stopping to blog!

  The Bible tells us that after Enoch fathered Methuselah, he walked with God. I took a look at my Logos commentary of Genesis and discovered that the phrase “walked with God” literally means, “pleased God”. This correlates with Hebrews 11:6 that tells us that Enoch pleased God, for 300 years! He had no Bible, no church, no pastor, and he wasn’t baptized with the Holy Spirit and yet for 300 years, he pleased God.

  The time that God had with Enoch was so sweet, that He just took Enoch with Him. He was, and then he wasn’t! He was in a sense “raptured” or “caught away” to be with the Father! Now this isn’t news to me about Enoch walking with God and being taken by God and it probably isn’t news to you either. But let’s see what might be news.

  First, God was so blessed by Enoch’s decision to walk with Him after having Methuselah, that Methuselah is recorded as the longest living individual in the word. When we were growing up we all knew who the oldest person in the world was because we would often say that someone was as old as Methuselah. We may not have known who either of them were, but we knew he was the oldest person to live!

  Here’s another one I didn’t connect with. Enoch lived 365 years. We live 365 days in a year. Now, I found that to be interesting. One may have nothing to do with the other, but I think so. I think those 365 years of Enoch’s life blessed God so much that He made a memorial to him by making the year 365 days! Again, I can’t prove it, but it jumped out at me as I was reading.

  I wish I knew what caused Enoch to be able to walk so steadfastly with the Lord for so long. There is no record. I have seen people struggle to walk with God for weeks, or months at a time, so this is monumental for someone without an example. Adam didn’t do it! But in the midst of the genealogies in Genesis, the writer stopped at Enoch and made note of his pleasing God. There are no miracles noted and nothing he accomplished in this life, but he got God’s attention and kept it! What could it have been?

  When we read Hebrews 11, because it begins with the word “by faith” we automatically think that Enoch had great faith. I won’t even try and change our thinking on that. What I will say is this, I believe it was their relationship! It had to be! Enoch obviously decided after Methuselah was born that he was going to take every opportunity to get to know God. We see no evidence of Enoch moving mountains. We have no evidence that he saw, received, or did one miracle. (Although in 300 years there may have been plenty). But he walked with God in such a way that He was pleased and just took him to be with Him forever!

  When I think of walking with God, I think of Him walking in the cool of day with Adam and Eve. Surely it was for fellowship. And when I think of the ultimate purpose of salvation, to restore our fellowship with the Father, I again think, Enoch understood true fellowship! When the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, the first thing God said was, “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And Jesus hadn’t done a single thing at that point that is recorded in God’s word.

  I think we spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to please God. We know that it pleases Him when we read the Bible, when we pray, when we obey Him, and even when we fellowship together. But I think that He is simply pleased by our continual fellowship. Today it is called, cultivating the Presence the Lord. Simply put, acknowledging His Presence throughout the day, every day. Talking to Him at every opportunity without having a need to bring to His attention, or even a desire. Just enjoying the reality of Him! Singing a song to Him, listening to what He has to share.

  I’m going to spend more time just being with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I want to please Him. Not by my works, or how fast I can read through the Bible, but by my love for Him! What will you do with this “amazing” opportunity? Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Fellowship with God | 5 Comments | Tagged Believer, encouragement, Enoch, fellowship, Genesis 5, Jesus, love, obedience, Presence of the Lord, trust in God, worship

• Be Very Sure!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 25, 2020

  2 Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” NKJV

  This morning I awoke to a song in my heart, and as I was singing it I felt an urgency in my spirit to reach out to people I know about their salvation; then I felt an urgency to blog. As I was thinking about what I could say in this blog, I thought that I would look up the history behind the hymn. There were several blogs from years ago with a similar theme that I am writing about. Don’t know if I can say this any better than it has already been said, but I will just obey the Lord!

  In times like these, you need a Savior, in times like these, you need an anchor; be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

  CHORUS: This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the One. This Rock is Jesus, the only One. Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds, and grips the Solid Rock.

  In times like these, you need the Bible, in times like these, O be not idle! Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock. (Chorus)

  In times like these, I have a Savior, in times like these, I have an anchor; I’m very sure, I’m very sure, my anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock. (Chorus)

  How appropriate are these words today! It is said that Ruth Caye Jones, the author of this song was a pastor’s wife, and they ministered in Pennsylvania. She wrote this during WWII. My family loves history and watching documentaries of the wars is a favorite past time of my husband and oldest daughter.

  Recently, during dinner, they were watching a documentary of Normandy, and of course, I watched it too. I can still see the men rushing to the beach, knowing that they would probably die as the hundreds before them had died. But they just kept going and going until they breached the German defenses. I’m looking in the past, but I can well imagine the horror of the many Americans who lost loved ones during that invasion, during the entire war, knowing that this happened. Surely, they thought the end was near!

  Mrs. Jones, it is said, was reading 2 Timothy 3:1, that states, “In the last days perilous times shall come,” when the words to this song came to her spirit. So she wrote them down and at the same time she got the melody. The rest as we say, is history! I learned this hymn in my denominational church and have loved it through the years; but it isn’t a song sung in my circles anymore. So when it came to me today with a sense of urgency, I just sat down to write what He gave me.

  Almost a century later, these words ring true today! In times like these, when people are dying daily from COVID-19, and others are being hospitalized all around the world, we need a savior! Just this week, I heard a brother in the Lord died from the coronavirus. My heart is saddened with the news. Especially for the family and all this means to them. But I take great comfort in knowing that he left here assured of his eternity in the heavens, as his family does, and we’ll all see him again. I’m not trying to draw on your emotions, but this was so sudden as it is with so many people right now, and we can’t afford to just wake up and eat and drink and go to bed as if we aren’t in the middle of a worldwide crisis. Last week’s numbers for the virus in the US was around 6,000, but today, they are over 50,000 cases! That’s a serious jump!

  The time is short! Jesus is coming back soon! And even if He tarries, in this environment, we must truly understand that we need a savior to navigate us through this time in our lives.

  I urge you today, that if you are not sure, get sure! Your prayer doesn’t have to be long, just heartfelt. Tell the Father that you believe in Him and accept His method of salvation, through the Son who loved you and died for you. Tell Him you need Jesus as Savior and you need Him as Lord. Bow your heart and get real with God; then receive His grace as you become a new creation. Make a decision today! Not to escape hell’s fire, but to embrace a living, loving God! Then you will be able to say with Paul “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Evangelism, Salvation | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, encouragement, Evangelism, hard times, Jesus, Salvation, trust in God

• Miraculous Provision

  Posted at 7:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 23, 2020

  Matthew 14:18-21 – “He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” NKJV

  It’s really hard to give one verse and then to talk about a miracle. Especially since sometimes the details are the best part of the actual miracle!

  Many years ago, I sat in a service listening to a missionary. He spoke of the salvations and the many wonderful people he met and ministered to. But then he began talking about a miracle that he witnessed. He shared how they had prepared food for a certain number of people but as it came time to feed them, more than double showed up. So they began praying over the food and it turned out to be more than enough. He knew Jesus had multiplied food again! I knew I wanted to know that Jesus and was the first at the altar!

  By again, I’m referring to our passage for today! Jesus had a crowd following behind Him to be ministered to and He realized they were hungry. We know from other accounts that the disciples wanted them to go somewhere else and eat, but Jesus had a different plan. They saw a young lad with five loaves and two fish and Jesus said it was enough. The disciples had to have been thinking that there was no way that they could feed all of those people with so little. Yet, He did!

  Jesus took the meal and blessed it. Right here is a shouting moment! Anything that Jesus blesses is going to multiply! There’s no stopping that! Then He broke the loaves of bread and gave them to the disciples and they passed it out. But in the passing it out, they never ran out. They fed five thousand men, plus the women and children that was with the men. But even if they had only feed 5,000, that’s amazing. On top of that, there were twelve baskets of food remaining. The kid not only had more than enough for lunch, but quite a bit left over for his family and to share. That’s God! More than enough!

  So many people are out of work right now. We’re headed for some tough times if things don’t turn around quickly. But I just want to remind you that the One who performed this miracle in the book of Mark, is still capable of performing miracles of provision today!

  I heard another time, that a young lady had taken a suitcase of clothes to an orphanage to distribute to the children. Only she saw more children then she had clothes in the suitcase. But guess what? The clothes never did run out. How’s is that possible? Jesus! And I think she took that same suitcase to other orphanages and did the same thing.

  When I was in Bible school I had a roommate. We had to pay rent and tuition, and we had to eat. I was working at Pizza Inn making minimum wages and tips. (I think it was about $1.15 at the time). So we didn’t have a lot of extra anything! It was announced that we would be having a work week at the church. Men from all over the States came to work on the headquarters. I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t have any involvement with all of that. As I was leaving class, I waved to them and said hello to others, but then God spoke to me.

  God told me to take them something to eat for lunch. We didn’t have a lot, but I went to our apartment, found some bread and meat and made sandwiches and Kool-aid. It just happened to be enough for the men that were working. I hadn’t even stopped to count. It just was! For the rest of the week I took them lunch every day, at my expense, and met some really nice people. But the really special thing that happened was that God told me that I would never go hungry. And I never have, although I struggled to take care of myself for several years. He’s always provided!

  He may not multiply your fish and bread, but He can surely stretch your money. Or He can send you groceries. (I have heard several of those types of testimonies, also). Or someone can invite you over for dinner or pay for your food in the grocery line. He has so many creative ways of taking care of us. And I have experienced a few of them!

  Another time, after I got married, I wanted to give my daughter a birthday party. But I didn’t want to ask my husband for the money because he was the only one working and I thought it would be a good time to exercise my faith. So I asked God for the money. Not long after that, we went out for ice cream and my husband spotted a wallet near my feet. It was empty of everything but money. I told the workers there that they could have my number and if the person came back looking for the wallet they could call me and I would return it. But I made it perfectly clear that they would have to be able to tell me exactly how much was in the wallet. The call never came, and I had a party for my baby on Jesus!

  I am fortunate that although I am out of work, I am getting paid. (My pastor would say it is because I am a tither). I know this is nothing but God! I have experienced His goodness to me so many times that I would have just trusted Him to do some other wonderful thing in providing for us if I wasn’t getting paid. He hasn’t failed us yet, and He never will!

  If you are struggling at this time in your finances, because of the coronavirus, this is a good time to use your faith. Begin to talk to the miracle worker, who can turn a little into a lot or who can turn nothing into something. He sees it as His personal responsibility to provide for us, so ask Him today for what you need! Then trust Him to provide it! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Faith, miracle, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, blessings, encouragement, Faith, feeding of five thousand, Jesus, miraculous, provision, testimony, trust in God

• I’m Melting, I’m Melting!

  Posted at 3:14 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 14, 2020

  Joshua 2:11 – And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

  I had the privilege of ministering recently about the battle plans. I was so excited, because it’s a subject that has stirred in my heart for years. I will blog some more on the battles and maybe even update my previous blogs, because as I ministered, God showed me some other things that I feel are pertinent to the battles I have already blogged about.

  But as we were headed home, my husband mentioned to me that one thing he found interesting was that Rahab told the spies that their hearts melted when they heard about the children of Israel and what that must have looked like. And that got me to thinking about my next blog.

  Have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz? They used to play it every year and I made sure that I never missed it. There was something fascinating about the City of Oz. But the most memorable part to me was when they poured the water on the wicked witch and she yelled, “I’m melting! I’m melting!” I just got a kick out of the fact that someone who had caused Dorothy so much trouble, melted before her face!

  We never see what is happening in the spirit realm when we pray and take a stand against the devil, but I believe Jericho gives us a unique insight into that realm. Long before Joshua and the people of God entered Jericho, the inhabitants of Jericho had heard of the great victories that God had given His people. Rahab said that the terror of the people of God had fallen on Jericho and they had grown faint hearted because of the children of Israel and their God. She told the spies that the inhabitants of Jericho had heard how the Lord had dried up the Red Sea, about the destruction of the Amorites, and of the kings on the other side of the Jordan. And when they heard these things, their hearts melted and they no longer had any courage because God was on their side.

  I think we give way too much credit to the enemy. Notice, I said we! I think that when we know who we are and stand against the attacks of the enemy in the Name of Jesus, we cause demons to tremble, for we are their worst nightmare. People who know and trust their God!

  Moses prophesied in his song, Exodus 15:15, that all the inhabitants of Canaan would melt away and that fear and dread would fall on them. And that is exactly what happened. When I think of a heart that’s melting, I think of a person who has embrace total defeat. That person has no more strength and can’t see anything but the loss that they are expecting, so they are paralyzed in that state of fear and hopelessness.

  The battle of Jericho was really not a battle that Joshua can take credit for. He literally just walked in to finish what God had started. If you think their hearts fainted at what they heard about the Red Sea, the Amorites, and kings of Og and Sihon, what do you think happened while they watched the procession for seven days? People probably started having heart attacks and dying, suicide rate probably accelerated, and everyone was casting blame on everyone else for them being in this predicament of hopelessness. There was probably a lot of sacrificing to their dead gods trying to find some help, some relief. The place was probably in total chaos and fear was running rampant as the citizens of Jericho were wondering what was really happening outside those walls with all of that marching!

  Then came the seventh day! The Israelites didn’t go back to camp after the first round of marching and trumpet blowing. Something was going on! Aren’t they playing a new song? What could it mean? Neither did they return to camp after the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, or the sixth round! They just kept going around and around and around playing those trumpets until finally there was a loud, long blast and then pandemonium breaks out! The walls of the city started falling around them. But not at Rahab’s. Rahab and her family sat huddled together in hope, waiting for their deliverance. Forty years prior, the Canaanites had made many of the Israelites hearts to melt. They had felt like grasshoppers and had missed out on going into the promised land. But now, the Canaanites had become the grasshoppers, and the grasshoppers had become the giants!!

  In Daniel 11:32, the Bible states, “…but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits!” I believe it is sufficient to say that Joshua knew his God! The exploits that he led the children of Israel through are still talked about today with great awe. But Joshua is not an anomaly! We are the people of God also, and we are to cause fear in the heart of the enemy.

  When we get in the word, when we pray, when we praise God, when we come together, when we get out of bed, the enemy ought to become very worried about what is up with us today! Our hearts should never be the hearts that are failing. We should not be afraid of the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that walks in darkness! A thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, but our stand should be that it will not come near us! We may see it and hear about it, but it shall not come near us!!

  Decide today that you will not be like the people of Jericho. You will be like Rahab!Even though her heart melted at first, faith rose up on the inside of her and she determined that her fate would not be the fate of the people of Jericho. She reached out to the true and living God and found Him receptive to her plea. She saved herself and her family! Fear will bring you destruction but the hand of faith extended to the loving Father will bring hope, deliverance, and great exploits! Next time the enemy attack you, just see him saying, “I’m melting, I’m melting!” Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged battle of Jericho, Believer, encouragement, Faith, Joshua, Spiritual warfare, the devil, trust in God, Victorious Living, victory

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