A SPIRIT ON THE MOVE STAYS ON THE MOVE

I was thinking recently, having turned 70, how much harder it is to do the things we did in earlier years. It could be easy for some to develop the mindset of,  "Well, I can't do 'that' anymore so I might as well not even try." Then, before we know it, we are occupying the big easy chair more and more. I like the television commercial slogan, "A body on the move stays on the move." Even though it is more difficult than in the past to accomplish some of the same activities of our youth, our health depends upon our staying as active as we can. Some of this comes from several years of being a fitness coach and watching the rewards of those who learned this principle. Some struggle with arthritis or fibromyalgia or a number of other ailments. However, they would show up faithfully, sometimes at 5:30 a.m. to do their workout, leaving with a sense of accomplishment and a good rush of endorphins and a lot of times with much less pain. Our spiritual life is somewhat the same. A pastor friend of mine inspired my title last Sunday morning. "A spirit on the move stays on the move." In the same way we get tired and discouraged or apathetic in the physical realm we can experience the same in the spiritual. Sometimes I have to literally force myself to workout. When it was  my job, I was without excuse. Now I go from enthusiastic to lethargic. Taking that first small step... doing those stretches sometimes does the trick. Keeping that same idea in mind for the spiritual, I was thinking of the steps I take to enjoy a real "Spiritual Workout." The end goal is to connect my spirit with the Spirit of God who looks for those who will worship him in Spirit and in Truth. One thing I do when I feel sluggish is to begin to verbalize to my Heavenly Father all the things for which I am thankful. I may begin with thanking him for my "daily bread" and then move into the basics of a roof over my head, hot, running water, comfortable bed, my wood stove, my car. Next, my wonderful husband, my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, other family members, friends.... the air I breathe, for HEALING me, for SAVING me, for DELIVERING me! I humble myself in repentance. By this time I have gone beyond the "stretching" stage and into a full blown spiritual workout, singing and playing music or praising, down on my knees with hands lifted high or bowed low, hot tears of joy and gratefulness streaming down my cheeks. I have met the Master! His joy and peace flood in and I want to stay in his Presence and let the world go by! My goal is that of the Apostle Paul. Philippians 3:10 Amplified Bible: "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly..." With physical workouts, you don't stop with one. For the greatest benefits, you continue on a regular basis. The same applies for spiritual workouts. Unlike the physical which can be limited by sickness, injury or disease, the spiritual has no limitations. Only sin can separate us from God and He has given us the way out of sin by the Door, the Way, the Gate into the Holy of Holies by His only begotten Son, our High Priest, Jesus Christ, where we can exercise our spirits and fullfill what we were designed for: (continuing with) Philippians 3:10: "...And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers; and that I may so share His suffering as to be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness even unto His death, in the hope (vs 11) That if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while in the body." Seek Him as the early Disciples did to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:39 (Amp.) "For the promise of the Holy Spirit is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away even to as many as the Lord our God invites and bids come to Himself." Just as in any workout, you push through to obtain the best and stay in shape for the next. Pressing on with you toward the Goal! Blessings to you all!

MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY

"Make the World Go Away" is a song that was written by Hank Cochran in 1960. He was on a date at a movie theatre and while watching the movie he became inspired and in the 15 minutes it took him to get home, he had composed the song. This song was recorded many times throughout the years and was performed by many, many artists including Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, The Osmonds, Alison Krauss. The list goes on. A British Band added it to their album in 2018. What makes this song so appealing? How many of us have said, "I feel like I am carrying the whole world around on my shoulders."? The very first line of this song grabs you. "Make the World go away." The meaning in the song seems to indicate that if things would just be like they used to with the person of their focus, things would be perfect. If they would just love like they used to; forgive the wrongs that had been done; say the words they used to; all their problems would be removed. Many times we seek answers from all the wrong places. Some seek relief through love. Some through drugs or alcohol. Even throwing oneself into gaming, sports or other hobbies seem to bring some form of temporary respite. We turn to social media to fill the gap. The point is, it is all temporary. Jesus said, "In this World you will have trouble..." It is going to happen, albeit sickness, injury, death or whatever comes our way. Life happens on this earth. Existence in this realm will include troubles. None of us can escape. However, another song came to my mind as well. Scott Wesley Brown wrote it in 1995 called "He Will Carry You". Some of the lyrics are as follows: "If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders, I know my brother (sister) that he can carry you." It states that there is no problem too big that God cannot solve and no storm too dark that God cannot calm. We all suffer the weightiness of the World at times. If we have any amount of compassion, we feel the pain of those around us day after day. We not only endure our own sufferings; we turn on the National News and watch the suffering of others before our very eyes and our hearts hurt. We see hunger, violence, earthquakes, floods, disease and death. We agonize because we don't have the power to "fix" things. We start a non-profit to aid the needy and cannot keep up with the need. We donate our money here and there and it is only a drop in the bucket. The only way to get the weight of the world off our shoulders which we're not designed to carry in the first place, is to give it all to the one who carried the weight to the Cross and died to give us hope beyond this world. He carried every bit of sin, pain, sickness, suffering and agony to that rugged, splintery tree and shed his own innocent blood and was crucified, buried and resurrected to open the way for us to someday leave this planet of suffering for a new and perfect existence with Him for eternity. Until that time, Psalm 68:19 is our promise: "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." He is the Burden Bearer! He can lift us up above the things of the World to give us "Hinds Feet in High Places". Habakkuk 3:19 "The Sovereign Lord is my Strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to go on the heights." We can be above, looking down at our circumstances with proper perspective as opposed to being crushed under the weight of them. This is such "good news" it makes my heart leap for joy. I invite you walk on the heights with me and cast the weight of the world onto the one and only one who is designed and has the capability to carry that weight, the Lord Jesus Christ. King of Kings! Master! Son of God! Healer! Provider! After all... He did say to "Be of Good Cheer" because he has overcome the World and opened the way for us to be Overcomers! God Bless you richly my Friends! We are going through together! Join with me in sharing this great truth to others who are laboring under their own load! You will experience the reward of doing so. 

LIFT UP YOUR HEAD AND DO VALIANTLY

To "do valiantly" means to "do with courage and determination". Romans 12:3 tells us: "For by the grace given to me I (Paul) say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." He goes on to basically talk about recognizing your gifts to and in the Body of Christ. In other words... recognize what and how God has made you. You were made for a purpose! To build up the Body of Christ and be a witness to the world of who God is and that through him and believing in his son Jesus one can have eternal life. The enemy of our soul has a goal to ruin God's plan for us. The more he can disgrace and degrade us the happier he is in his sinister way. Last time I wrote to you about the woman who reached out and touched the hem of Jesus garment. She had dealt with an embarrassing infirmity for over a decade. You can describe her as either timid or bold. It depends upon how you look at the testimony. However, what stands out is the fact that she was "determined" to reach out and touch Jesus. The result, "Daughter, you faith has made you well, go in peace, and be healed of your disease." No doubt she didn't keep this to herself. This probably snowballed into the spreading of the truth about Jesus to those in her sphere of influence. So many things come against us in this life. I narrow it down to three forces: the Devil, the World and Self. The three work together a lot of times. Satan is the "god of this World" so naturally he is going to work through it and feed our "self" with all the lies he can conger up. And, frankly, they are never new. They have repeated throughout the ages. Our "self" has been called to greatness through the regeneration process or being "Born Again" through Christ Jesus. We who were earthly are now heavenly, God, "...raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." Ephesians 2:6. Once you are his, you are a new creation. Everything has changed. You are being created in his very likeness! Talk about greatness! As you walk with him you recognize your purpose. You can determine to not be beat down any longer by the "three forces". You can determine to be what you were made to be. It is like Proverbs 22:6 tells us. When training up a child, you not only train him or her in the ways of God but according to their particular "bent" as well. God does that with us. As a child, I had no training that way. Any encouragement I might have had was more according to what someone else thought I should do and be. I use the example about the time as a young girl, my stepmother wanted my brother and sister and I to take dance lessons. So, brother and sister got to take tap and I was to be her little ballerina. Well, for one thing, I was about as limber as a stick and as graceful as an ox. I loved the sounds the taps on those shiny little shoes made as they hit the floor. I knew I had rhythm. I believed I was a natural tap dancer! However, in her mind she saw me as she wanted me to be. Graceful and flowing and flitting around like Tinkerbell. That was just the way she pictured me. I am sure she loved me but she didn't understand God's ways nor seek him at that time. So, back to Romans 12, God knows exactly how he has designed us and for what purpose. Once you recognize what that is and ask him to "create" in you. He promises to complete the work. In the last days, which we are now in, the enemy wants to degrade us... bring us down to his disgusting level in any way he can. My husband and I like to watch the Cops shows on TV. It breaks my heart to see what sin can do to God's precious creations. The degradation is unbelievable. "Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, keep you there longer than you wanted to stay, and cost more than you wanted to pay." So sad; so true. We need to be bold enough to stand up and say "No!" 2 Timothy 3 tells us all about what Godlessness will look like in the last days. It will be all about the Devil, the World and Self or "Selfishness" brought on by not walking in the courage and determination God has given us. He commanded Joshua and the same command is for us today: "...Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." We are not to be like the "silly women (or men) laden with sins and led astray..." 2 Timothy 3:6. Our Father, Creator has greatness in store for us. He is just waiting to release us in our calling and gifting. When he does, we need to do it with all our hearts unto the Lord knowing it is him in us and it is for his purposes and glory. We can move forth "valiantly" recognizing we do not have to apologize for being who he has made us to be. There is nothing quite as exciting as watching someone move in complete confidence in the freedom of the Spirit of God. If God is with you, spread your wings and fly like the eagle. Don't hold back. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear (timidity) but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 Step out and let God take care of the details! 

TOUCHING THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT

It was just about forty-seven years ago when I reached out and "touched the hem of his garment". I was so timid and afraid. Afraid that I had no worth. Afraid that my sin was too great. Afraid that forgiveness was beyond me. The enemy of my soul had me in his grips. I was full of shame and disgrace and he had convinced me that my life was at the point of no return. The natural emotions that comes with being human had long left me. I felt empty and without hope. I had tried everything to heal myself of the guilt that had heaped up within my soul. Guilt from years of sin's destruction. I had sought love in all the wrong places and became vulnerable to the wiles of the enemy. The face of love often turned into the face of evil. I felt the shame of abuse having listened to the voice of the accuser who would speak to me over and over in my mind saying, "This is all your fault!" I believed the lie that told me that if I had only done this or that differently it wouldn't have happened. Even to the point that if I were just uglier I wouldn't attract the wrong attention. I became dead inside. There was no place to go. Love was illusive. Then came Jesus. He walked right into my awareness by His Spirit. I did not understand why this small spark was igniting; why these tears were beginning to flow. I only knew He held the answer to the disease of sin of which I was suffering. Timidly, through the thronging crowd of adversity, I reached out with fear and trembling and "touched the hem of his garment" of love and healing. He turned and faced me. I could feel him. He said, "Daughter: You are loved." "Daughter: You are forgiven." "Daughter: You are clean." "Daughter: Your sins are washed away." "Daughter: The enemy of your soul has been defeated." "Daughter: You have new life." "Daughter: Your Faith has made you whole because you have believed in me." Then he told me I was now on my way to Heaven! Oh, the brightness! Oh, the glory! Oh, the wondrous weightlessness of sin lifted. I had become one with the One who loves me with an everlasting love. A love beyond the comprehension and capability of this world. An unselfish love; a healing love; an understanding love; an unconditional love; a love that lifts you above this world and shines with such radiance it would blind us if we were not given Spiritual eyes. Yes, like the woman spoken of in the Holy Bible, Mark Chapter 5 verses 24 through 34, I knew Jesus was the only way. She pushed through the crowds to "touch the hem of his garment" and he turned to give her so much more than she had expected. After 12 years of a debilitating disease the doctors could not heal, he spoke, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease." Sin is a disease and rots our soul and robs us from the peace we were intended to have. As we reach out to Jesus, even if our efforts are timid at first, he responds with all the love of the Father in Heaven who loved us so much that he came as the man, Jesus the Christ and gave himself up to death on the Cross and rose from the grave in three days to give us Life Eternal.  That is the culmination of true love!

TOSSED BY THE WIND

I am not sure why it took fifty years for my Baby Boy to finally have a grave marker. It has been so long now that I cannot remember the circumstances that prevented it. Perhaps it was his father and my young age, lack of finances or the pain of it that kept us from it. One thing I do know is that now he will have one. When people walk through the cemetery searching for their loved one's grave they won't just walk over little Allen's plot of land but they will, perhaps gaze down to see that the remains of a sweet little boy lies beneath in a tiny blue casket. They will read the words "See you in Heaven" and "Our love is forever". The only comfort I remember receiving was from my dad as he drove me to that cemetery on a very blustery December day in Southern California. It was in the words he spoke to me, "We know where your baby is." He was meaning "Heaven". I had given birth to this little four pound thirteen ounce baby boy who was quickly whisked away after the doctor restored his breathing. All I could do was lie there and do nothing. I was put in a room in a bed to wait. It was all a blur when the doctor explained the problem with his lungs. The night before he went to Heaven, the nurses came in my room and asked me if I would like to see my baby. They quietly ushered me in to the Nursery and there in the incubator was this perfect little boy receiving all the aid possible to keep him alive. As I put my hand inside, he looked directly into my eyes as I spoke softly, "Mama's here". I was 19 at the time and had a beautiful little two year old girl. I had married at 16 hoping to have a wonderful life as a wife, mother and home maker. That was the dream back then. Little white house with a matching picket fence. I had thought in the beginning that this would heal me from all the horrors of the past, an alcoholic, extremely abusive mother and then another several years with an emotionally abusive step mother. However, circumstances only became worse throughout the years. My life was being "tossed by the wind" of adversity and I was completely out of control. The depression seemed often times unbearable but I know now that there was an unseen hand holding me. That word "Heaven" my dad had spoken was implanted within me as a flicker of light to bring a bit of hope to me that there was more. During my darkest times that small light kept burning to keep me from going off the edge. During the years prior to 1972, I was given to every gusting of the wind. I felt I had no choice but to succumb to every evil blow, every tugging in this direction or that. Sometimes as if I were clawing with virtual bloody fingers to pull myself out of the nightmares and the pain. I wanted desperately to escape but there was no place to go. I was trapped in the darkness within. My little girl was my  blessing but I could see life taking a toll on her as well. Then came another little girl two years after my little boy. I knew her tiny life was being impacted as well by the tossing of the wind. Then came Jesus! The Hero who was always there waiting for the perfect time to rescue this broken, hurting one and bring her out of the abyss. Oh, how indescribable! Oh, how amazing! Oh, how utterly breathtaking when His supernatural, all powerful, demon destroying, darkness shattering, all commanding, sin illuminating love broke through in my heart! I saw it all! He took this bruised, broken, helpless, achingly alone inside young woman and swooped her up and set her on a ROCK immovable. He wiped away every tear, awakened every dead emotion of life, brought joy instead of sorrow, hope instead of despair. Heaven became a solid promise and not just a flicker of hope amidst the darkness. I would absolutely be with my Baby someday! I was now and from that point on not an object to be tossed in the wind of adversity but a Born Again Child of God anchored securely on and in the Rock! Psalm 18:2: "The Lord is MY rock and MY fortress and MY deliverer, MY God, MY rock in whom I take refuge, MY shield and the horn of MY salvation, MY stronghold." Note the emphasis on "MY". I could not say that until Jesus came to dwell in my inmost being by His Holy Spirit. He came to me and I received Him and he gave me the right to become his child. John 1:12. The adversities did not leave. I have gone through many more trials including the death of my parents, other relatives, many friends, dear pets. I have gone through divorce, watching a husband pass from this life to the next. I have faced the diagnosis of lung cancer followed by major surgery for its removal. The difference now is that the JOYS outweigh the sorrows because I am no longer "tossed by the wind" but I am secure in and on the Rock of Christ Jesus with the Eternal Hope of Heaven and knowing I will not only see my Baby Boy there but all those who have said "Yes" to Jesus and His Great Salvation!

FRESHNESS IN THE NEW YEAR AND BEYOND

Of all things, I woke up from a nap in the middle of a “nightmare”. Maybe you would call it a “daymare”. My husband’s phone rang with a wrong number which awakened me. If I had not come back to reality, I was about to enter an emergency room surgery. I had witnessed a horrible accident due to an incident of road rage. A few cars less in front of me and I would have been one in the ER. I was drawn to pray for the individual who had been in the accident. I thought of my grandson as I had witnessed the eighteen-wheeler suspended end to end tipping back and forth on the side railing of the road. It was hanging precariously in the balance. I believe possibly in my dream I was questioning the identity of the victim. Just as I was to step through the large one-windowed doors of the operating room, I was brought to alert by the sudden ringing of the cell phone. Part of me wanted to go back into the dream to find out who it was in that hospital and the other part was thankful to be brought out of it.

This prior experience happened in this season that my heart is seeking more of the Lord. I do not want to settle for the “weak in the Spirit” feeling I am experiencing. I know the Spirit of God is not nor never will be, weak. So, the conclusion is that perhaps I am not pressing in as I could in our relationship. God never backs up; never becomes stale; never becomes lukewarm or apathetic toward us. He is alive as alive can be! Always wanting the fresh; always expressing His love in new ways toward His children. Sometimes it feels like He is actively thinking about and seeking new ways to excite us in His love. He is the Creator and is a creator. What keeps a relationship more alive than when the participants try to come up with new ways to express their love for one another. It keeps things fresh and alive with an adventurous excitement and redirection from the old to the new. Every day we can walk in newness of life! Every day we can be a New Creation in Christ! It doesn’t just happen. It is something we cultivate daily. It takes effort to “present your bodies a living sacrifice” unto the Lord. As we do, the rewards are great! From one degree of Glory to another, He is changing us. I desire in this new year and always to reach forward, to dream big and never lose my vision. There is life in vision. My greatest vision is to become more like Him; to become filled with the fullness of who He is until others see Him and not me. 

“Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. ³For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2&3. Everything will happen according to God’s appointed time. We need to walk close enough to Him to trust Him. As we focus on Him and becoming as the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10, “…more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him”. He promises to “know” us and to fulfill all that He has designed us to be in Him. At the proper time and times, He WILL be seen in us. As we endeavor to be “found in Him”, He will be “found in us”. Let it be Lord Jesus! Thy will be done!

Back to my previous dream. I am not a dream interpreter in the least. However, I believe some dreams come to get our attention. Especially the ones we can remember in detail. I believe many lives hang in the balance as the life inside that semi dangling in limbo on the rail between life and disaster. I want to be one of the ones to offer life to those in that position whether they put themselves there or circumstances dictated their dilemma. I want to rush into their “emergency room” directed by the Holy Spirit to render the aid that is so vital to save their lives. I have the answer. I have the power. I have the Savior, Healer, Deliverer contained within my Being! I can pour out into their hearts the very prescription and actually fill it by the Power of His Spirit within me! I have been given the credentials and the commission to “Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel”, to “lay hands on the sick and they will recover”. We who “Believe” and serve the Lord Jesus Christ have been given His Authority to do these things. I am going to ask Him more in days to come, “What do YOU want? What is YOUR will in this situation? What is Your plan?” and ask that He give me ears to hear and eyes to see into His Heart of Hearts to bring His Kingdom, His Will on Earth as it is in Heaven. He is Faithful!