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Daily Voice Devotional with Niyi AdekunleThe Faith Framework 6Tuesday, 6th MayFrom the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18, Jesus asked an important question that is still relevant to us as believers today, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” The answer is yes—He will find people who believe in Him. But Jesus was referring to another kind of faith: the kind that believes in His finished work on the cross and stands firm until the promises of God are fully manifested.Many people, overwhelmed by life's challenges, have settled for mere survival, focusing only on making it to heaven while having little or nothing to show for their time on earth. It's important that we keep our hope not just for the things in heaven but reach out in faith for the things God has already made available for us on earth now. Remember, “God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” That means there are rewards to be received in this life as we persist in faith. Like the widow, we must know our rights in Christ and be willing to stand our ground.In Mark 10:28–30 (NLT) Peter asked Jesus, what reward would come from following Him:“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake... will receive now in return a hundred times as many... along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.”This confirms that God blesses us both now and in eternity. The issue is not whether rewards exist—it's whether Jesus will find believers exercising the faith required to receive them.So, ask yourself: Do I have the kind of faith that stands until God's promises manifest? I pray you will do all you have to do to grow in that faith and receive all that Christ has made available for you in Jesus' Name.God bless you, enjoy your day.
How important is our salvation to God-- It took the whole triune Godhead to make our salvation a reality. the Father thought it, the Holy Spirit wrought it and the Son brought it.-If we are saved today it is because God initiated our salvation and enabled us to be saved. Could we have rejected Him-- Yes. Did the Spirit of God sanctify and made us pure before God-- Yes. Is obedience a natural outflow of what God did in us-- And cleansed us-- Yes.
How important is our salvation to God- It took the whole triune Godhead to make our salvation a reality. the Father thought it, the Holy Spirit wrought it and the Son brought it.-If we are saved today it is because God initiated our salvation and enabled us to be saved. Could we have rejected Him- Yes. Did the Spirit of God sanctify and made us pure before God- Yes. Is obedience a natural outflow of what God did in us- And cleansed us- Yes.
All of His 7400+ promises are in Him Yes and in Him AMEN....not in Him...maybe this time it won't work....No!!Another short but power packed message straight to someone from the Holy Spirit!!Start your trial today with this amazing community for only $1https://www.racheltucker.com/group-coaching-packagesWant to get some traction on your podcast? Try Podmatch out!! Free trial available! https://podmatch.com/signup/coachracheltuckerReal talk with Coach Rachel is a LIVE Call in show where Rachel will talk with live caller's on all areas of struggle. Her years of experience in coaching and her own time in the school of hard knocks has led people to freedom in all area's of their life!! To participate on a LIVE show call in to 1-312-626-6799 use meeting code 260987788#The show airs LIVE at 12 PM EST. This episode is brought to you Gym Growth Experts. visit them at www.gymgrowthexperts.comBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Psalm 18:29, "For by thee I have run through a troop; And by my God have I leaped over wall." For ever problem there is a solution. The Holy Spirit is here to help us. The amazing thing about GOD, is that there is nothing to hard for HIM when you yield every situation to HIM = YES. What problem you're facing? Have the confidence that GOD makes it fail. Most of King David's problems were enemies who wanted to defeat him. But he had confidence in GOD. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tasha-mack9/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/tasha-mack9/support
Christmas music from Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, Byron Cage and more award winning Black gospel artist. Pastor Michael X. Richardson of Grace Place COGIC in Lancaster teaches on the faithfulness of God and the blessings of being blameless before Him Yes, it's alright to dance in the Spirit and call out His name. Don't forget […]
What is God going to do about it? If you're in a great relationship with Him; if you rely on communication with Him… Yes, you have problems, but… You have goals, but… You have concerns, but… You know your limitations, but… What is He and will He do about it? We are not alone and He graciously helps His people through their lives. Trust Him. Submit to Him. Watch Him lead as you walk in faith. #SmallYouTubers #BibleStudy Have a Bible question? Ask it here: https://theaveragechristian.net/qanda Become a Ministry Partner and help spread the Word! https://theaveragechristian.net/patreon Web Site: https://theaveragechristian.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaveragechristianzk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragechristian_zackkrug
Lilac Kim Dancefloor Starts HereProducer QuestionsA Phone call from Seth Finkelstein(He's got) the Magic (in Him)Yes, Girl! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How can she know if he's telling truth? After she find out about his porn addiction, it makes her question everything.. Listen to today's episode to hear my thoughts and how you can avoid the dreaded back and forth of: Her: "I can't believe what you're saying." Him: "I'm telling you the truth." Her: "No, you're not." Him: "Yes. I don't know what else you want me to say..." And as always, this episode is for both her AND him, because it's important for him to know how to navigate these moments too – Many times he IS telling the truth, but she can still have reservations and not believe it. >>> Get in Touch! >> Free Course
“They have set up kings, but not by Me (the Lord): they have made princes, and I knew it not” (Hosea 8:4a NASB). The idea that all government officials are always in authority because God put them there is contrary to what the Lord spoke to the prophet Hosea. Some leaders were put in power by people outside the will and plan of God, and not by His direction or authority. The prophet Hosea recorded what God said about it, something that literally goes against traditional interpretations of Romans 13. Most commentators believe Romans 13 teaches that all government leaders and institutions are ordained of God, or else they would not be in authority because all authority is from God. I disagree with most commentators on this subject, but I did not reach my conclusions out of thin air. One must ignore many other Scriptures that oppose the idea that God authorizes all leaders. The truth is that God anoints some to lead, but that does not include ALL. The biggest mistake has been to isolate Romans 13 without looking at numerous other Scriptures that can lead to right interpretation on governmental authority. Most Christian circles have accepted Paul’s teaching as a blanket statement about all government and officials. Paul carefully outlines the subject by including some necessary limitations. Let’s read Paul’s statement objectively: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by Godʼs appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment. (Romans 13:1, 2 NET) Notice the following statements in these verses, and let’s unravel it some: 1. Authority… by God’s appointment.2. Authorities… instituted by God.3. Resists such authority. (That is, those appointed and instituted by God.)4. Resists the ordinance of God. (When God appoints and institutes an authority, to resist that kind of authority is to resist the ordinance of God!) Paul was teaching about government officials that God puts into places of authority by His appointment. Read that the previous statement slowly and purposely to get it. I did not come up with that on my own. I believe that Lord gave me this truth from the phrases I excerpted from the verses, and the explanations given in parenthesis. I believe these clearly highlight the fact that Paul was referring to those leaders in government that were a force for good. Paul was not referring to government alone as a separate entity from the ruler. He was not referring to evil individuals that sit in government offices that want to bend the rules and slant them for evil purposes. If a government official is a force for good, then God had something to do with their ordination or appointment. We should respect them and obey them. We should submit to that kind of authority. Paul is correcting and rebuking those that rebel against good authorities ordained and appointed by God. Look at the verses that follow. Paul qualifies whom he was referring to. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil (Romans 13:3, 4 NASB). What kind of rulers were these? What was the criteria? • Rulers that cause fear for those practicing evil behavior.• Rulers that are ministers (servants) of God for doing what is good.• Rulers that are ministers (servants) of God to bring wrathful vengeance by the sword on those that practice evil. How could we have missed the qualifications Paul gives for government officials? Paul’s lead-in to this entire subject of government officials ordained to praise the good and destroy evil was Romans 12:21, the last verse of the previous chapter. The chapter division between chapters twelve and thirteen was arbitrarily injected into Paul’s consecutive train of thought. This last verse (12:21) qualifies our subject matter in chapter thirteen. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21 NASB). Paul was speaking about government officials that take a stand for good and overcome evil with it. Paul was not telling us to submit to evil rulers that want to impose their ungodly way of life on the people under their rule. He was telling us to obey and respect those God ordained into a position of government authority because they are doing what they are doing to reward the good and punish the evildoer. That means that if some ruler, like Obama and his administration did (and state government officials), told us to make same-sex marriage themed cakes to honor the homosexual lifestyle, that we should do that? Absolutely not! Why? That governmental leader and his administration were in opposition to the Word of God. We do not obey that contrary to Scripture and carry out Satan’s wishes! I’ll bring it home in a minute, because the church has disobeyed God and His Word in order to obey government. To maintain order in the land, certain speed limits are placed to control the speed of vehicles on different roads. Should we obey that? Yes, because they do not violate the Scripture but are put in place to protect the populace. What about paying taxes? Who loves to pay taxes? Probably none of us. Should we do it? Yes, it does not violate Scripture, and we are told to do it by Jesus and Paul. (Matthew 22:17-21; Romans 13:7) I am pointing out that there are many parts of law and order we must comply with, BUT there are some parts we should never obey because they violate the Word of God. (Acts 4:19, 5:21) We should be law-abiding citizens and honor leaders in government, but we must NEVER compromise the Scripture. (See 1 Peter 2:13-17.) Get that straight once and for all! If the government forbids the preaching of the gospel, and orders us to shut our doors, should we obey? Absolutely not! If they commanded us to stop making altar calls, casting out demons, and praying for the sick, should we obey? What about if they tell us it is forbidden to have church services? Again, we must not obey IF we are believers and followers of Jesus! We have the great commission and the example of the Church in the book of Acts. That is our authority. Religious or governmental leaders do not have greater authority than the Scripture. We will do the Word regardless of their rules and regulations to the contrary. (See Matthew 16:15-19; Matthew 28:16-20; Acts chapters 2 through 5.) The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! (Acts 5:27-29 NIV) (Dan’s NOTE: This article was originally written and published in 2012 but has gone through a few corrections of grammar or sentence structure. It can still use work but here it is. The message has remained unchanged. It was published under the title, “Does God ordain all Human Government.” Was this prophetic? You judge it. How many churches disobeyed the Word by shutting their doors when ordered by local government to do so during the Coronavirus pandemic?) Having the qualifications as presented by Paul How many of our government officials in America can qualify based on Paul’s criteria above? There are not many. How many American government officials sit in opposition to God’s moral commandments and what He calls as good? How many have rejected God’s standards for marriage, sex, human life, child rearing, money, education, and business? How many oppose prayer, Bible teaching, and Christianity? How many are pushing to remove all mention of God and Jesus from the government, schools, monuments, and everywhere they can spread their evil influence? What about people in government that are not a force for good but are evil rulers or governors? What about government officials placed by popular vote that support laws and agendas that favor evil in society? We desperately need them voted out and replaced by good government and godly people. WOE TO those [judges] who issue unrighteous decrees, and to the magistrates who keep causing unjust and oppressive decisions to be recorded (Isaiah 10:1 Amplified Bible). The prophet Isaiah pronounced a woe on judges because they opposed God and His commandments. Were they placed in a position of authority with God’s approval and blessing? Hosea teaches that this is not always the case. There are some kings and princes (including judges, governors, mayors, etc.) that God did not appoint or approve. They are usurpers of authority that God neither knew nor anointed for office. Just because someone wins the presidency or becomes prime minister by popular vote does not mean that God set them into a place of authority. Just because someone wins a Senate seat or governorship (or some local government official) does not mean that God set him or her there. The same can be said for all government appointees everywhere. Again, my foundation for stating this is Hosea 8:4, but there is much more evidence in the Scripture. A divided kingdom cannot stand What happens when a kingdom is divided by enforcing some righteous laws, but it then establishes and promotes evil laws that clearly violate God's commandments? Do you know? What did Jesus say about this? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand (Mark 3:24 NET). What happens to a divided kingdom? It cannot stand and will eventually be judged. It will be given over to two opposing governments. Do you need an example? As for peres- your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:28 NET). A divided kingdom that doesn't get its act together will eventually get split apart. There must be some form of agreement between the parties, because a divided kingdom will fall or be destroyed, and at times, it can be split into separate countries. World history gives us numerous examples. Can two walk together unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3 KJV) I know that this is an appalling thought for our great nation of America. Right now, America is, basically, split down the middle between those that love God or His moral principles, and those that hate anything related to God. I trust that America comes to repentance and this nation turns back to God and the Lord Jesus. Let me show you by another prophetic example what we are seeing, and what we could witness in the future in America unless there is drastic spiritual change and renewal. I am not being pessimistic, and I am far from being a doomsday proponent. America can turn around, and I believe 2016 started bringing some godly changes into leadership and our government, though it is certainly not perfect. It never will be perfect until Jesus comes to rule and reign! What if we fail to vote in leaders that care about Christianity and God’s idea of morality? What if things continue with bad leaders and evil judges? What could happen if America does not repent and come back to God? Here is the terrible truth: In that you were seeing feet and toes a partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever… (Daniel 2:41-44 NET) I am using this for prophetic instruction. I understand the implications of this text for Babylon, Assyria, Medes-Persians, and ancient Rome with its historic division into the Eastern and Western Roman empires. I believe we can gain prophetic insight into how God sees things because He is always the same. He never changes. Right now, our country is divided. It is partly strong because of righteousness, and partly fragile because of sin. Everybody can see it today. It is not something mysterious “revelation.” You don’t need prophetic insight to get it. America today is like iron and wet clay that can never mix. The people of God are in a mixed society of righteousness and sinfulness, and one cannot agree with the other (see 2 Corinthians 6:14-17). They are opposed to each other along strict lines of division, and if it continues that way, the nation cannot stand or endure in its present state. I am praying (as many thousands of others are) that the country continues to lean towards righteousness and away from immorality, if not, our country will be in BIG trouble. In the case of Daniel's vision, he begins to see the kingdom of God that cannot be destroyed because it is eternal. It is the only eternal kingdom. All others are temporary and will fail eventually. Babylon, Assyria, Medes-Persians, Greece, and Rome were all destroyed. God's kingdom breaks in pieces the other (ungodly) kingdoms and brings about their demise. That is why we must have a spiritual awakening in America. Read this closely because I am approaching this prophetically. God's people are praying and trusting God for revival, repentance, and godly change in the land. It’s happening slowly but surely from sea to shining sea. God's kingdom is a force in our nation that will bring about judgment. America gets with the program, coming to repentance, and serving the Lord, or it could be broken into pieces. It's unavoidable prophetically and scripturally. I vote for America getting with the program, coming to repentance, serving the Lord. How about you? That is what I am praying for, and I trust that you are too! Once again, let me remind you that God said: “They have set up kings, but not by Me (the Lord): they have made princes, and I knew it not” (Hosea 8:4a NASB). Without a question, we have seen that God only appoints good leaders. Men have elected corrupt leaders, and God had nothing to do with it. My statements are correct but too sweeping because it gets much more complicated than that on certain occasions. Sometimes God will do very unusual things to get a task done. He may use very unlikely people. You will see what I mean. There have been many demon-inspired and evil rulers throughout history. Take for example Caligula, Genghis Kahn, Henry VIII, Ivan IV (the Terrible), Maximilien Robespierre, Joseph Stalin, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot (of Khmer Rouge infamy), etc. Did God ordain them to stand in their positions of authority? Did they have divine, God-given authority, or was their authority coming from demonic power? To all these evil rulers we have to add the terrorist organizations that have taken over cities and countries, such as, Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL), Boko Haram (Islamic State’s West Africa Province), Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and many others. Did God put those evil organizations in power and ordain them to kill, steal, and destroy (see John 10:10)? Of course not! Many, because they take Paul’s words in Romans 13:1-7 as a blanket statement, would not know how to answer my question. Spiritual battles in the unseen realm The book of Daniel chapter ten shows us a spiritual battle in the unseen realm. There were spiritual forces (the prince and kings of Persia) aligned against God’s angelic messenger that came to bring the answer to Daniel’s prayer. These demonic forces opposed the heavenly messenger for twenty-one days. Michael the archangel came to help the angelic messenger fight and open the way so he could reach Daniel. After the divine messenger had finished delivering his message, he was going to return to combat the spirit princes and kings of Persia, and then another demonic “prince” was coming, the wicked spirit, and prince of Greece. There are authorities, powers, and wicked spirits in high places arrayed against God’s people and His plans on earth (Ephesians 6:12). These demon forces work to set up Satan’s kingdom on the earth. They stand behind the evil governments, rulers, and people on our planet. Believers have authority in the Name of Jesus over the wiles of the devil as they submit to God (Mark 16:17, James 4:7). As the Lord leads, and by His power, we can exercise influence against these wicked spirits in high places (Ephesians 6:10-18). We do not have authority over every situation on the planet, or over other people, but as the Holy Spirit leads us in prayer, we can have a powerful impact over demonic activity. There are many things to say here about this, and I address it later in this article. In the end, at the coming of the Lord Jesus to rule and reign upon the earth, the people of God win it all. NOBODY will resist His rule and reign for a thousand years! He will rule with a rod of iron, and He will be King of kings. It will not be a democracy, but all will serve and obey Him willingly for a thousand years. For the interim, there are demonic influences in the earth that stand behind certain people, governments, and rulers. Believe it because it is true whether we like it or not! The ultimate “government official” that will have demonic power behind him will be what many have called the antichrist! Paul called him the man of lawlessness whose coming will be “in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10). Deception, wickedness, false signs and wonders, with full Satanic backing, will earmark the government of the man of sin. It will be evil government to the maximum degree! We have the first fruits of this antichrist spirit already operating in many of the politicians governing the world today, and some are right here in America! As far as the world is concerned, the worst is yet to come for them! Here is another point on this subject of rulers that complicates matters further. Some rulers began with an anointing and ordination of God. They started good and right but messed up their rule through rebellion and the practice of sin. Some examples in Scripture are Kings Saul and Solomon. Saul lost his anointing and rule over Israel when he disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord. He went so far as to persecute God’s next choice for king, the sheepherder David. Saul ended up following soothsayers, committed suicide, and did not repent. Solomon was anointed to be king after his father David died. He was, possibly, the richest and wisest king to ever live. In old age, Solomon allowed foreign wives to turn away his heart from the Lord and to idolatry. He came to a sad end and evidently died in sin because there is no record of his repentance. These leaders started right before the Lord, with a special anointing on their lives but ended up wrongly. (See Ezekiel 18:24, 26.) It’s not how you start your race that counts at the end of your life. How you finish at the end of your life is what counts before the Lord! (See Ezekiel 18:19-31.) Why is “how you finish at the end of your life is what counts before the Lord” so hard for many to believe? Not only was this taught in Ezekiel 18:19-31, but Jesus taught this same truth in the Gospels. I am aware of how tragic that can be, especially if there was a family member or friend that left this life unrepentant. I have lost some former friends that departed this life after refusing repentance and some even denying Jesus. I’ve known some preachers like that. It is an extremely harsh and painful truth, but a very real one. It is inescapable. Read it from the lips of Jesus. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? ’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23). Do we know anybody in the ministry of Jesus that started out right with an anointing to heal the sick and cast out demons, and later abandoned the Lord and even was a traitor against Him? Yes, and his name was Judas Iscariot! Judas began with the commission given to the twelve disciples (later called apostles) to go in the authority and power of Jesus to do miraculous works. (Matthew 10:1-4) Initially, Judas sat at the feet of Jesus and followed Him. Judas became a part of the “inner circle” of disciples and was a recipient of a glorious ministry. Judas was among the disciples that received a powerful anointing to go and represent Jesus. He went with supernatural power to heal every sickness and disease and cast out demons just as the other 11 did. Judas Iscariot was one of them, but he betrayed the Master, committed suicide, and died in his sin. Judas Iscariot was a classic example of starting out in righteousness, but ending in lawlessness or unrighteousness, as we see in the words of the prophet Ezekiel (18:19-31) and the Lord Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23). Judas will be among those that use the excuse of past supernatural exploits they did for the Lord, but the Lord will reject them because when they died they were rejecting Him. They will be dismissed from His presence because they were practicing lawlessness up until the moment they died. That is the wrong way to be caught dead! Another type of leader is the one called upon by people to lead them back to bondage. That happens in the political realm as well as in the religious realm. We could give you many modern examples, but I am sure you can come up with some on your own. They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion, they appointed a leader to return to their bondage (Nehemiah 9:17 NKJV). Government officials that God calls and ordains to serve in office: Kings like David, Josiah, Hezekiah, and others were examples of anointed leaders in Israel. They were by no means perfect, but they were humble and would repent of their sin (as did David in the Bathsheba incident), and these (and some others) did their best to follow the Lord. Oddballs in Bible history Nebuchadnezzar found out that God would ordain people for leadership in government, sometimes to everybody’s surprise (Daniel 4:17). Sometimes, they were the most unlikely candidates. Judgment came to Nebuchadnezzar for refusing to do what God ordained. For seven years, he ran around like a wild goat, completely out of his mind. After he had repented for his pride and refusal to obey, he was restored to a sound mind and recognized the God of heaven and His rule over the realm of mankind. There are certain occasions when the hammer of divine judgment falls because God has given His Word. His must fulfill His promises to His people, via one way or another. Sometimes, when God’s Word is on the line, severe punishments, great miracles, or adverse judgments happen when people refuse to comply. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar found out through a very harsh judgment! Pharaoh found out in the book of Exodus that terror comes upon those who want to restrain God’s promised outcome! When God gives His Word, He will have His way, and nothing will be able to stop Him. Cyrus received a special anointing from the Lord to help the people of Israel, and he did not even know God (Isaiah 45:1-5). Cyrus was an oddball! That goes against all conventional understanding of the anointing, but God can do as He pleases, if He does not violate His principles and laws. God’s sovereignty That last phrase is very controversial for those that believe God can do as He always pleases, and no matter what because He is sovereign, and nothing can withstand His will. I strongly disagree in the sense that God cannot violate His own Word! God’s real power as a “sovereign” or ruler is not the usual definition of “sovereignty”! Let us settle this issue of sovereignty in our minds. To many the word sovereignty means that your will is immaterial because when it’s God will, it will be done no matter what. Let’s go to the Word to answer that VERY wrong assumption on God’s sovereignty. God’s sovereign will is that not one human being perish and go to a devil’s hell (2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 25:41). How many have died and gone to hell because they refused to line up with God’s will? How many have perished because they refused God’s gift in His Son? (See John 3:16.) God wants to save all men (1 Timothy 2:4), but those that refuse to repent will perish! (Luke 13:3, 5) Daily, people disobey God’s plan and will upon the earth. Many are disobedient and do not cooperate with the Lord. That means that God is not “sovereign” as people think. God is not controlling everything. If He was, then He would make everybody receive salvation right now and we would enter the millennial reign before nightfall. Yet, some things are non-negotiable. God will have His “sovereign” way in some matters. Some things, like the coming of the Lord to rule and reign upon the earth will happen. Nothing will stop it. The book of Revelation declares many end-time events that will be unstoppable. That is “sovereignty,” but we must qualify this further. God is not sovereign like the mythical gods of Rome or Greece that could do anything they wanted to do, even if it was immoral or evil. The heathen gods could commit adultery, fornication, murder, treachery, and lie, steal, covet, etc. Regardless of what these “gods” said, they could twist their words at will because they were sovereign and in control of all human actions and activities. People were like puppets on a string or chess pieces on a playing board. Our God is not like that! Never believe that He is! Firstly, our God gave us the right to choose between life and death, blessing and cursing (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20). We get to choose whom we will serve and obey (Joshua 24:14, 15). We get to choose between two masters. Either we will choose to serve, love, and be devoted to the Lord Jesus, or we will serve, love, and be devoted to mammon (Matthew 6:24). To believe or disobey the gospel means that we have a choice (Romans 10:9-16). Secondly, Jehovah God cannot violate the Word that has come out of His mouth. He will never violate His moral commandments, judgments, or ordinances. If He did renege on His Word and did as He pleased in violation of it, then it would make Him a liar like men. The truth is this: • God is not a man that He should tell a lie (Numbers 23:19).• It is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18).• Nothing can nullify the faithfulness of God (Romans 3:3).• His Word of promise will never return to Him without accomplishing His desired result (Isaiah 55:10).• Not one of His promises have ever failed (Joshua 23:14, 1Kings 8:56). That is why we can always trust Him! God’s sovereignty cannot include the unscriptural idea that He can violate His Word or promises. He will not fulfill His plan by violating His principles. Get that straight! Recap Here is a summary of the five scenarios concerning rulers in Scripture. 1. Ungodly rulers put in place by people without God’s approval. (Hosea 8:4, Neh. 9:17)2. Rulers that through murder, war, conquest, or by some other way usurped a seat of authority. Examples are Absalom, Tibni, Athaliah, man of lawlessness-sin-antichrist.3. Godly rulers operating with God’s authority called and anointed to carry out His will and plan. Examples are David, Josiah, Hezekiah, and others.4. Rulers that received the anointing to rule but messed it up through rebellion, sin, idolatry, etc. as did Saul, Solomon, and other kings of Judah and Israel.5. People anointed to rule for a special task ordained by God even though they are not technically followers of God and did not even know Him. Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Hiram (2 Chron. 2:3). All these facts prove that Romans 13:1-7 has been grossly misinterpreted for centuries. We need to see rulers in government according to all the Scriptures on the subject and not attempt an isolated interpretation. I pray this teaching sets you free from the lies of the enemy! Not all government is good, and not all government agrees with the Scripture. We MUST obey God and take a stand against government WHEN (and only when) they want to impose something contrary to Scripture on us. At all other times, we should obey rulers. That is the bottom line to all this, but now you are armed Scripturally to take a stand. Church it is time to repent! Let the Repentance Revolution Begin! Be blessed with the following podcast- Repentance Part 6!
Does God stand with those who stand for Him? Yes! And today's study looks into Hezekiah's faithfulness to the Lord, and the Lord's faithfulness to Hezekiah. Join us! As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 30 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com (https://blog.feedspot.com/bible_podcasts/).
Does God stand with those who stand for Him? Yes! And today's study looks into Hezekiah's faithfulness to the Lord, and the Lord's faithfulness to Hezekiah. Join us!
This week Michelle begins a new series with commentary on the CoVid19 Pandemic from a biblical perspective and talking the next few weeks about turning the posture of our hearts to fasting and prayer. Today, we will look at how perfect love casts out fear and how turning our hearts to receive God’s Perfect Love helps us to in turn love others well. Show Transcript: You are listening to the Blooming Inspired Podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network. We exist to empower the voices of women who live their lives #BloomingAlive through Podcast Community. Now, here is your host. Blooming Inspired Podcast equipping and empowering the voices of women who live their lives Blooming Alive. Introduction Good Morning! This is Michelle Bentham, host of Blooming Inspired Podcast. Review Over the last 6 weeks we’ve been having a conversation with Karen Dearmand Gardener sharing her testimony about walking out of a 30 year marriage where she suffered Domestic Abuse and Violence, and how God spent the last 15 years redeeming her past and her pain as she has learned to heal and overcome those years of trauma and abuse. Be sure to keep up with Karen and the publication of her book on the subject scheduled for publication in 2021. Her Facebook Page is: facebook.com/crackthesilence This Week’s Reading Let’s Pray, Father God, I ask that you would give each person within the sound of my voice eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to know you more. I pray that every person would encounter your living presence and power through the Scriptures today and that as we do we would be changed by them. Let our hearts be inspired to believe for more, to live for more and to experience more so your glory may be known upon the earth. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to know! I ask these things in Jesus’ Precious Name, AMEN. The title for this episode and series is “Fasting & Prayer” It comes from Daniel 9:3 (ESV) “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Today we’re going to look at this posture of Fasting & Prayer represented in Daniel’s prayers throughout the book that bears his name. A posture of mourning, solitude and prayer where he allowed himself to be afflicted in order to draw near to God. Before we jump into Scripture I’d like to speak a bit on the CoVid19 Pandemic and just how I plan to spend my days in solitude as we watch for God’s healing power to overcome this deadly disease and bring peace and healing to all the people afflicted by it’s symptoms. I’ve been watching the “panic button” type fears as our stores are emptying with shoppers stocking up on anything and everything concerned about quarantines, and reading the posts of individuals who are living in what is now more than 50 days of isolation in Wuhan. Watching the “Flash Mob” on balconies in Italy and the ever darkening reports of increasing numbers of those who are testing positive, being hospitalized and the climbing death toll. I returned home with my husband last Friday night after going to the store to pick up groceries to get us through a couple of weeks and wept in his arms. Not because I am afraid, but because I am dismayed. Dismayed by people so selfish in their thinking that they would buy up all the toilet paper in the county daily. I mean really, toilet paper? I understand staple food products like bottled water, powdered milk or juice concentrates, flour, sugar, rice, beans, milk, cheese, bulk meats like ground beef, chicken and sausage. But the first thing to disappear is toilet paper? Dismayed by the mainstream media and Fox News for their fear mongering, politicizing and downright irresponsible reporting. Everything is exaggerated, dramatized and criticized. It is crazy out there. And as I felt myself spinning with all this dismay, wrapped in my husband’s arms - we prayed. I turned my heart to God, the Father whom I affectionately call Poppa, and I wept over the state of the people around me, and prayed for my family and those I love, my community, city, state nation and the entire world who is so affected by this pandemic: a word that has given much anxiety and fear in recent days. I wanted to take a moment to read a few posts from Facebook to you. Two of my own and one of the woman I read about in Wuhan. Rebecca Franks posted: March 8 at 1:42 AM WUHAN. It's roughly day 48 of the city's quarantine. We've been locked in our apartment complex for many weeks. I haven't eaten out since January 19. We're living in such strange times. After my last post, which was all about locks on doors and further restrictions, my husband asked me if I've posted any of the good. But...but... well, but nothing. That convicted me. So from the epicenter of the coronavirus, here is just SOME of the good we have been experiencing because of the lockdown: (Be warned - there is no way this post could be short.) Our family life has never been better. Usually one weekend is long enough before I'm ready to send each of us back to school or work. But for SEVEN weeks, we've been home together with very little outside influences or distraction, forced to reconnect with one another, learn how to communicate better, give each other space, slow down our pace, and be a stronger family than ever before. We've learned how to accept help from others. During this time, we've HAD to rely on others to show us how to get food and other things we need. People here are so good, and they want to help. It's satisfying to accept the help. Shopping is so much easier now. It comes straight to our complex, and we just pick it up. Simple. Right now I hear birds outside my window (on the 25th floor). I used to think there weren't really birds in Wuhan, because you rarely saw them and never heard them. I now know they were just muted and crowded out by the traffic and people. All day long now I hear birds singing. It stops me in my tracks to hear the sound of their wings. Spring in Wuhan is absolutely stunning. God has been giving us glimpses of the beauty to come with near-perfect weather. Because of lockdown, we get to watch spring slowly unfold right in front of us with no work, traffic, pollution, or other distractions. I have pulled up my chair and am ready for the creator's show. My cooking has gotten way more creative. I'm cooking like a homesteader. Housekeeping hasn't suffered, either. We take naps in the middle of the day sometimes. We've all been reading so much more than before. I've reconnected with lots of old friends. We've talked with our families more than ever before. We still work and do school, but all from home and all on flexible hours. It is not perfect, but it is fairly productive and good. We are exercising more. Because we borrowed a rowing machine from school right before the lockdown, Edgar Franks has been rowing regularly at home and has lost several kilos already. I still walk in the morning as usual, but I do so with no time restrictions and now with friend Erika Carlson. In my yoga world, I have finally done a forearm stand. I also share goofy yoga photos each day with a local friend/yogi. This keeps us connected in spirit and movement. I could devote a whole post to the amazing community we've been blessed with because of this lockdown. We live near 4 other staff members, most of whom we didn't know well at all prior to this. Because of this quarantine, we have bonded with and supported each other in ways that I've never experienced in 9 years of living here. (Crowd sourcing for feminine products and coffee, creatively sharing overstock of carrots and squash, etc) Friday night, we four staff women celebrated Julia Marie Roehrkasse's birthday together. We four have never before been together without husbands, kids, or larger community. But that night, I felt like I won the lottery in the friendship department. Our gathering was genuine in a way that can only be shared by people who are experiencing the same thing at the same time and understand what each other are going through. This bond we have may lessen when our world gets back to normal, but for now I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is good. My prayer life has never been better and my study time has been much more real. I have quiet time that is actually (usually) quiet - and I can devote real time to it. Most days I have so much more time to think, to listen, to process, and to discover. I am discovering the good gifts that God has given me and my family. More than anything, I am bowled over by his goodness at every turn. He overwhelms me with his goodness. We had "church" by Zoom this morning at 10:30, as usual. My husband just woke up from his nap. My kid is reading quietly on the couch. I have the luxury of writing uncensored here on FB. We are about to go pick up a ham that a friend is giving us, taking her our coffee and cranberries to share. God is providing so many opportunities for good while we are here, and he is showing us his goodness every single moment. We are at peace in the epicenter of the virus. We are at peace in the epicenter of his will. Fear is a faithless coward and has no place in the lives of believers. Fear and worry have no seat at our table. We're here because he wants us here, right now, for his purpose. Coronavirus wants you to isolate and stock up and take care of your own first. Instead, look to him first while you take care of others. In community, we can do so much more than we can do on our own. God is caring for us so richly and showering us with SO MUCH GOOD each and every moment. And the song just plays nonstop in my head - Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. It chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99. I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Psalm 118:6 - The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Pray.” And my response was to consider in all this what I am grateful for in spite of all that dismays me in this world. And so I also wrote, after putting the groceries away and reading Rebecca’s post at 12:08 am March 14, 2020: I don't know what else I have to offer, but I'm offering Jesus and gratitude tonight. For a Good God still in the miracle business. Grateful for friends and family to share life with. That Scott and I have life's necessities tonight. Food, Clothing, Shelter Community and Family. I'm grateful for the conversations we had with our girls this week planning for our first grandbaby and other milestones that are just too good and joyful... But cannot yet be spoken of in public. I'm grateful for the privilege of taking my nearly 75 yo Momma to the gym and shopping for workout clothes which have not disappeared from the store racks this week. I'm grateful for air to breathe and that another day to awaken to life is another day to reach into the lives of others with Jesus' truly good news!!! I'm letting you know He came to save you, but that's not all... He also came to transform you, heal you, deliver you, set you free, equip you, empower you, and to give you His joy, His peace, His love, His life and His abundance. Nothing in life scares me when I remember Who He is, all He has promised, all He has done and all He will come back to finish this with us!!! Do you know Him? Yes, I'm grateful for Him most of all. Nothing is impossible for those who believe!!! And all those things He will do for you - He wants to do through you in the lives of other people. "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world." - Jesus (John 16:33) "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and petition - with thanksgiving - make your requests known to God, and His peace which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." - Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:6-7) He is love. Love casts out fear. Love Never fails. Take heart indeed. March 14 at 9:08 am As I become more and more dismayed by humanity... I have one hope: Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes in His disciples hands. He is the God of more than enough. Praying for peace and rest over you today as we watch our world feeding a hysterical panic. Let's get better at expressing the only Love that saves. "God is Perfect Love. There is no fear in love... Perfect Love casts out ALL Fear." -The Apostle John (1John 4) Now for today’s reading, found in 1 John 4, The New King James Version (NKJV) The heading for Chapter Four Reads: Love for God & One Another Verses 1-3: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. As I have been praying over this virus God began to show me the governments of this world that oppose Him and operate in an Anti-Christ Spirit. He bid me pray for these government leaders and for the repentance of nations, especially governmental leaders who oppose Him. Many of these countries have been heavily afflicted by this virus. Now mind you, I’m not saying the people are of the Anti-Christ spirit - but the governments oppose God through the Anti-Christ Spirit. China, North Korea, Iran, Italy - except for Italy the other three countries oppose Jesus Christ as the Son of God. They persecute believers and seek to destroy anything that opposes their government, especially Jews and Christians - and in China, more recently Muslims. And in Italy the Pope recently met with a leader of the Islamic faith and agreed to an accord that stated that whether one serves the God of the Bible or the God of the Koran, Allah, that we serve the same God. How does that ring to you? And now CoVid19, also known as the Coronavirus, has spread to the United States of America where the church has largely surrendered her influence to the government, expecting the government to do for us what God has called us to do in Him. In case you’ve missed it, our government is failing miserably at honoring God in most every way these days. Even with President Trump, who allows for weekly worship and prayer. Who is standing by faith to protect religious freedoms and calling the nation to prayer. Still. Failing. Why? Anything we put our faith in that is not God, will surely fail us. It has to - or else why would we need God. We can buy every roll of toilet paper in the world, and still not save ourselves or our family from this deadly virus. We should remember that God’s adversary Satan is one whom Jesus called a liar, the Father of lies actually, and Satan trafficks in scarcity, lack and fear as he rules this world - the prince of the air, with authority from God - as he comes to kill, steal and destroy. But, my question is… Will you let him win this battle? Will you give in to fear, scarcity and lack - allowing Him to steal from you, to destroy those around you and even seek to take the lives of those you love? Or, Are you willing to take your position, stand your watch upon God’s wall and not give Him rest day or night until He makes this nation, every nation for that matter, a praise declaring His glory upon the earth. (Isaiah 62) You see the Coronavirus may seem new, but it’s been around since the mid- 1960s when it was first identified. The CoVid19 strain may be more potent than previous strains, but it is not new. And the enemy of God is using it to destroy people. The world has turned further and further away from God because the church has not risen to the occasion. We are right now in a moment where the clarion call of Heaven is for the church to rise up and take her place. Reclaiming for God the nations, the people, she is called to preach the Gospel to and make disciples of… The nations she serves. God is calling His Church to rise in this hour above the fear and the dismay, into a place of battle. Do you have your armor on? When I say none of this is new: Think about it… John likely wrote these books toward the end of his life. Many date the writing to between 70-90 AD. And John writes during the end of the first century that the Anti-Christ Spirit had already been released in the world. The Anti-Christ spirit has been opposing God and His people for generation after generation. And we’re still here. We may be barely breathing, but if we’re breathing He will strengthen us for the fight. Verse 4: You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Do you hear that beloved of God? If you are in Christ, you are of God - His Children - and you have already overcome them. How? Jesus. HE is in YOU. And He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Amen? Verses 5-6: They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. We have to be careful what we agree with, partner with and confess with our mouth. We are of God. And He is about to tell us what part of fear we should have… Where we line up will tell us if we believe in truth or in the lies of the enemy who is seeking to devour us. Heading: Knowing God Through Love Verse 7-10: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (meaning the substitutionary sacrifice that paid the price) for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. God’s love is identified by the Greek word, agapē (Strong’s G26) which is most commonly translated simply love, but may also be translated as benevolence - a word commonly associated with charity - but herein actually refers to the sacrificial nature of God who is love. A love so lavish we may feast upon it. Some say it is the highest form of love, a love that desires the very best for others and pursues that best on their behalf - sacrificing itself, believing the best, expressing affection and kindness, bearing up in patience, refusing to be rude, never jealous of - but jealous for, a love free of envy, boasting, anger or the like. 1 Corinthians 13 concludes it’s ode to love saying, “Love bears all things, believe all things, hopes all things. Love Never Fails.” If God is love - HE NEVER FAILS. Do you get that? Why should we fear if we belong to God? He will not fail us. He is love - He sacrifices so we can experience Him as love. That is a beautiful thing to consider. Heading: Seeing God Through Love… Do You See God through Love? Verse 12-16: No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. First of all, I would be remiss if I didn’t seize this opportunity to ask… Have you confessed Jesus as the Son of God, who died as the sacrifice paying the price for your sins? Well, beloved, no time like the present. If you want a relationship with Jesus and to surrender to him as Love, then today’s the day. Just confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart (See Romans 8:9-10). “Lord God, I believe that Jesus is your only Son who died on a cross for my sins and rose in power to be the Lord of my life. Today I surrender myself to your love, fill me with your eternal life and your holy spirit.” That’s it… now all you have to do is learn to abide in Him as Love and be an expression of that love to the world around you. Isn’t that good news? Do you know God, do you see Him as love? Not just a God who loves, but our God who is Love. That’s a capital L. It was His love for us that compelled the Father to send the Son to die on a cross for us. It was His love for us and His Father that compelled Christ to the Cross to willingly die on our behalf. Jesus died so we don’t have to live in eternal punishment, separated from God for sin. And if we know Him and abide in Him then we abide in love. Now let me ask you, How are you doing at abiding in love? Sacrificing on behalf of others so they may know Love, too. Heading: The Consummation of Love Verse 17-19: Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. The Love that is God is consummated in us when it casts out all FEAR. Fear involves torment, but when God comes to us as Perfect Love - it casts out all fear. Not some, not part - but all. If I am responding and reacting in panic to fear then I am not abiding in God who is perfect love. Do you get that? I cannot possibly love others selflessly without first abiding in the only Sacrificial love there is the Love who is God, Himself. The Common English Bible (CEB) renders verse 18 this way: “ There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love.” And if I give place to fear, allowing anxiety and worry to keep me from abiding in God, then I am living in fear. You see, fear is not of God because it is not God’s desire to punish us. He will chasten those He loves to teach us discipline - the root word of discipline is disciple. But, He will not willingly bring harm to us or torment us with fear. It is not in His nature. To fear God is to live in awe of His glory, to be reverent of His holiness, and to honor Him as Good. But, this fear is not the same as fear of punishment or torment. A healthy caution and a holy reverence are often called fear, but in fact they are true wisdom. A healthy caution understands that danger and evil exist in this world and lives proactively pursuing God in reverence, walking in His wisdom and love - which casts out fear. When we live with the wisdom of healthy caution and holy reverence - fear will have no place in our lives because the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit - who lives inside of us will guide us into all truth when we yield ourselves to Him. When we love God, we yield ourselves to Him which brings us to our conclusion. Heading: Obedience by Faith Verse 20-21: If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. Bill Johnson is the Senior Leader of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. My friend, Tracy, and I have been to Bethel for prophetic and healing schools and follow their services regularly online. She reminds me often of something that Bill says, “Obedience is the love language of the Holy Spirit.” To walk in fear is to walk in disobedience to the love of God. Do you see that? To walk in hatred toward others, to mock them or believe deception and live by it - confess it - means you do not live in obedience to the Love of God. I mentioned 1 Corinthians 13 earlier and here is how the Apostle Paul defined love: “Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up...Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13 TPT) You see if I am going to love as God loves, I have to first live in Him as Love. And as He lives in me, and expresses Himself through me - when I yield myself to His perfect love - only then will I be loving others with incredible patience, through gentle and consistent kindness to ALL, not just believers, but everyone - even those who despise me, insult me, persecute me and seek my life - ALL. Only then will I be able to refuse jealousy when I see the blessing in other people’s lives. Only then will I not be concerned with bragging about my achievements or inflating myself in self-promotion or importance, but rather I will bow low, and humbly serve even if I am never recognized. I will gladly promote others and their welfare beyond my own. If I live in the Perfect Love that is God, and that Love abides in me then I will not traffic in shame or disrespect toward others, nor selfishly seek my own honor. I will not be easily irritated or angered, and will not be quick to take offense. YOU SEE.. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and doesn’t glory when others or even itself is found wrong. When I walk in God’s Love toward others I become a safe place of shelter, never failing to believe the best for others. I never take failure as a sign of defeat, and I never give up! Paul assures us that in the end three things will remain: faith, hope and love - and LOVE will be what surpasses them all. So let’s do it friends. Let’s overcome the present evil, and this plague of Coronavirus with Love - for it is the most beautiful prize we run toward. Jesus Himself, our God is Love. I pray over the next week you’ll find yourself fasting from judgments, criticisms and fear as you turn your heart toward Perfect Love and become an expression of that love to everyone around you! Poppa God, we come today humbled by your words of exhortation toward perfect love. Make us vessels of your perfect love, and turn our hearts to dwell in you, the God who is Perfect love. Keep our minds from anxious and worried thoughts, keep our hearts set on you and your perfect love through these trying days, seeking ways to sacrificially love others more than we love ourselves. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Closing Remarks Thank you for tuning in with us. I pray this is some encouragement to you as you seek to set your heart in a posture of love through this grievous time of solitude, mourning and despair. May His joy be complete in you and you walk in His steadfast love for you. Next week we’ll dig deeper into this idea of turning our hearts to God, grieving over the state of His people and our communities as we seek His face in Fasting & Prayer. I also want to ask you if this podcast has been a blessing to you: would you consider subscribing to it and share it with your friends and family? We’d love to partner with you in sharing messages that encourage and inspire. If you’d like to be a guest on this show or get more information about hosting your own podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network - please reach out to michelle.bentham@bloominginspirednetwork.com. I’d love the opportunity to connect with you and figure out how we can share your voice with the world around us. Join Us Through Facebook Live for Bible Study on Saturday at 10am (CT)! We’ll continue reading Luke 14 this week and digging into the life of Christ Verse-By-Verse considering what we would believe if reading the Scriptures was the primary way we inform our faith! You can learn more and catch up on last week’s study by visiting facebook.com/bloominginspired. If you need encouragement of any kind, prayer or would just like to stay connected with us here at Blooming Inspired Network, please reach out by visiting us on Facebook, @BloomingInspired or bloominginspirednetwork.com and click the Direct Message or Contact link at the top of the page. 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This week Michelle begins a new series with commentary on the CoVid19 Pandemic from a biblical perspective and talking the next few weeks about turning the posture of our hearts to fasting and prayer. Today, we will look at how perfect love casts out fear and how turning our hearts to receive God’s Perfect Love helps us to in turn love others well. Show Transcript: You are listening to the Blooming Inspired Podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network. We exist to empower the voices of women who live their lives #BloomingAlive through Podcast Community. Now, here is your host. Blooming Inspired Podcast equipping and empowering the voices of women who live their lives Blooming Alive. Introduction Good Morning! This is Michelle Bentham, host of Blooming Inspired Podcast. Review Over the last 6 weeks we’ve been having a conversation with Karen Dearmand Gardener sharing her testimony about walking out of a 30 year marriage where she suffered Domestic Abuse and Violence, and how God spent the last 15 years redeeming her past and her pain as she has learned to heal and overcome those years of trauma and abuse. Be sure to keep up with Karen and the publication of her book on the subject scheduled for publication in 2021. Her Facebook Page is: facebook.com/crackthesilence This Week’s Reading Let’s Pray, Father God, I ask that you would give each person within the sound of my voice eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to know you more. I pray that every person would encounter your living presence and power through the Scriptures today and that as we do we would be changed by them. Let our hearts be inspired to believe for more, to live for more and to experience more so your glory may be known upon the earth. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to know! I ask these things in Jesus’ Precious Name, AMEN. The title for this episode and series is “Fasting & Prayer” It comes from Daniel 9:3 (ESV) “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Today we’re going to look at this posture of Fasting & Prayer represented in Daniel’s prayers throughout the book that bears his name. A posture of mourning, solitude and prayer where he allowed himself to be afflicted in order to draw near to God. Before we jump into Scripture I’d like to speak a bit on the CoVid19 Pandemic and just how I plan to spend my days in solitude as we watch for God’s healing power to overcome this deadly disease and bring peace and healing to all the people afflicted by it’s symptoms. I’ve been watching the “panic button” type fears as our stores are emptying with shoppers stocking up on anything and everything concerned about quarantines, and reading the posts of individuals who are living in what is now more than 50 days of isolation in Wuhan. Watching the “Flash Mob” on balconies in Italy and the ever darkening reports of increasing numbers of those who are testing positive, being hospitalized and the climbing death toll. I returned home with my husband last Friday night after going to the store to pick up groceries to get us through a couple of weeks and wept in his arms. Not because I am afraid, but because I am dismayed. Dismayed by people so selfish in their thinking that they would buy up all the toilet paper in the county daily. I mean really, toilet paper? I understand staple food products like bottled water, powdered milk or juice concentrates, flour, sugar, rice, beans, milk, cheese, bulk meats like ground beef, chicken and sausage. But the first thing to disappear is toilet paper? Dismayed by the mainstream media and Fox News for their fear mongering, politicizing and downright irresponsible reporting. Everything is exaggerated, dramatized and criticized. It is crazy out there. And as I felt myself spinning with all this dismay, wrapped in my husband’s arms - we prayed. I turned my heart to God, the Father whom I affectionately call Poppa, and I wept over the state of the people around me, and prayed for my family and those I love, my community, city, state nation and the entire world who is so affected by this pandemic: a word that has given much anxiety and fear in recent days. I wanted to take a moment to read a few posts from Facebook to you. Two of my own and one of the woman I read about in Wuhan. Rebecca Franks posted: March 8 at 1:42 AM WUHAN. It's roughly day 48 of the city's quarantine. We've been locked in our apartment complex for many weeks. I haven't eaten out since January 19. We're living in such strange times. After my last post, which was all about locks on doors and further restrictions, my husband asked me if I've posted any of the good. But...but... well, but nothing. That convicted me. So from the epicenter of the coronavirus, here is just SOME of the good we have been experiencing because of the lockdown: (Be warned - there is no way this post could be short.) Our family life has never been better. Usually one weekend is long enough before I'm ready to send each of us back to school or work. But for SEVEN weeks, we've been home together with very little outside influences or distraction, forced to reconnect with one another, learn how to communicate better, give each other space, slow down our pace, and be a stronger family than ever before. We've learned how to accept help from others. During this time, we've HAD to rely on others to show us how to get food and other things we need. People here are so good, and they want to help. It's satisfying to accept the help. Shopping is so much easier now. It comes straight to our complex, and we just pick it up. Simple. Right now I hear birds outside my window (on the 25th floor). I used to think there weren't really birds in Wuhan, because you rarely saw them and never heard them. I now know they were just muted and crowded out by the traffic and people. All day long now I hear birds singing. It stops me in my tracks to hear the sound of their wings. Spring in Wuhan is absolutely stunning. God has been giving us glimpses of the beauty to come with near-perfect weather. Because of lockdown, we get to watch spring slowly unfold right in front of us with no work, traffic, pollution, or other distractions. I have pulled up my chair and am ready for the creator's show. My cooking has gotten way more creative. I'm cooking like a homesteader. Housekeeping hasn't suffered, either. We take naps in the middle of the day sometimes. We've all been reading so much more than before. I've reconnected with lots of old friends. We've talked with our families more than ever before. We still work and do school, but all from home and all on flexible hours. It is not perfect, but it is fairly productive and good. We are exercising more. Because we borrowed a rowing machine from school right before the lockdown, Edgar Franks has been rowing regularly at home and has lost several kilos already. I still walk in the morning as usual, but I do so with no time restrictions and now with friend Erika Carlson. In my yoga world, I have finally done a forearm stand. I also share goofy yoga photos each day with a local friend/yogi. This keeps us connected in spirit and movement. I could devote a whole post to the amazing community we've been blessed with because of this lockdown. We live near 4 other staff members, most of whom we didn't know well at all prior to this. Because of this quarantine, we have bonded with and supported each other in ways that I've never experienced in 9 years of living here. (Crowd sourcing for feminine products and coffee, creatively sharing overstock of carrots and squash, etc) Friday night, we four staff women celebrated Julia Marie Roehrkasse's birthday together. We four have never before been together without husbands, kids, or larger community. But that night, I felt like I won the lottery in the friendship department. Our gathering was genuine in a way that can only be shared by people who are experiencing the same thing at the same time and understand what each other are going through. This bond we have may lessen when our world gets back to normal, but for now I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is good. My prayer life has never been better and my study time has been much more real. I have quiet time that is actually (usually) quiet - and I can devote real time to it. Most days I have so much more time to think, to listen, to process, and to discover. I am discovering the good gifts that God has given me and my family. More than anything, I am bowled over by his goodness at every turn. He overwhelms me with his goodness. We had "church" by Zoom this morning at 10:30, as usual. My husband just woke up from his nap. My kid is reading quietly on the couch. I have the luxury of writing uncensored here on FB. We are about to go pick up a ham that a friend is giving us, taking her our coffee and cranberries to share. God is providing so many opportunities for good while we are here, and he is showing us his goodness every single moment. We are at peace in the epicenter of the virus. We are at peace in the epicenter of his will. Fear is a faithless coward and has no place in the lives of believers. Fear and worry have no seat at our table. We're here because he wants us here, right now, for his purpose. Coronavirus wants you to isolate and stock up and take care of your own first. Instead, look to him first while you take care of others. In community, we can do so much more than we can do on our own. God is caring for us so richly and showering us with SO MUCH GOOD each and every moment. And the song just plays nonstop in my head - Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. It chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99. I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Psalm 118:6 - The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Pray.” And my response was to consider in all this what I am grateful for in spite of all that dismays me in this world. And so I also wrote, after putting the groceries away and reading Rebecca’s post at 12:08 am March 14, 2020: I don't know what else I have to offer, but I'm offering Jesus and gratitude tonight. For a Good God still in the miracle business. Grateful for friends and family to share life with. That Scott and I have life's necessities tonight. Food, Clothing, Shelter Community and Family. I'm grateful for the conversations we had with our girls this week planning for our first grandbaby and other milestones that are just too good and joyful... But cannot yet be spoken of in public. I'm grateful for the privilege of taking my nearly 75 yo Momma to the gym and shopping for workout clothes which have not disappeared from the store racks this week. I'm grateful for air to breathe and that another day to awaken to life is another day to reach into the lives of others with Jesus' truly good news!!! I'm letting you know He came to save you, but that's not all... He also came to transform you, heal you, deliver you, set you free, equip you, empower you, and to give you His joy, His peace, His love, His life and His abundance. Nothing in life scares me when I remember Who He is, all He has promised, all He has done and all He will come back to finish this with us!!! Do you know Him? Yes, I'm grateful for Him most of all. Nothing is impossible for those who believe!!! And all those things He will do for you - He wants to do through you in the lives of other people. "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world." - Jesus (John 16:33) "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and petition - with thanksgiving - make your requests known to God, and His peace which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." - Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:6-7) He is love. Love casts out fear. Love Never fails. Take heart indeed. March 14 at 9:08 am As I become more and more dismayed by humanity... I have one hope: Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes in His disciples hands. He is the God of more than enough. Praying for peace and rest over you today as we watch our world feeding a hysterical panic. Let's get better at expressing the only Love that saves. "God is Perfect Love. There is no fear in love... Perfect Love casts out ALL Fear." -The Apostle John (1John 4) Now for today’s reading, found in 1 John 4, The New King James Version (NKJV) The heading for Chapter Four Reads: Love for God & One Another Verses 1-3: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. As I have been praying over this virus God began to show me the governments of this world that oppose Him and operate in an Anti-Christ Spirit. He bid me pray for these government leaders and for the repentance of nations, especially governmental leaders who oppose Him. Many of these countries have been heavily afflicted by this virus. Now mind you, I’m not saying the people are of the Anti-Christ spirit - but the governments oppose God through the Anti-Christ Spirit. China, North Korea, Iran, Italy - except for Italy the other three countries oppose Jesus Christ as the Son of God. They persecute believers and seek to destroy anything that opposes their government, especially Jews and Christians - and in China, more recently Muslims. And in Italy the Pope recently met with a leader of the Islamic faith and agreed to an accord that stated that whether one serves the God of the Bible or the God of the Koran, Allah, that we serve the same God. How does that ring to you? And now CoVid19, also known as the Coronavirus, has spread to the United States of America where the church has largely surrendered her influence to the government, expecting the government to do for us what God has called us to do in Him. In case you’ve missed it, our government is failing miserably at honoring God in most every way these days. Even with President Trump, who allows for weekly worship and prayer. Who is standing by faith to protect religious freedoms and calling the nation to prayer. Still. Failing. Why? Anything we put our faith in that is not God, will surely fail us. It has to - or else why would we need God. We can buy every roll of toilet paper in the world, and still not save ourselves or our family from this deadly virus. We should remember that God’s adversary Satan is one whom Jesus called a liar, the Father of lies actually, and Satan trafficks in scarcity, lack and fear as he rules this world - the prince of the air, with authority from God - as he comes to kill, steal and destroy. But, my question is… Will you let him win this battle? Will you give in to fear, scarcity and lack - allowing Him to steal from you, to destroy those around you and even seek to take the lives of those you love? Or, Are you willing to take your position, stand your watch upon God’s wall and not give Him rest day or night until He makes this nation, every nation for that matter, a praise declaring His glory upon the earth. (Isaiah 62) You see the Coronavirus may seem new, but it’s been around since the mid- 1960s when it was first identified. The CoVid19 strain may be more potent than previous strains, but it is not new. And the enemy of God is using it to destroy people. The world has turned further and further away from God because the church has not risen to the occasion. We are right now in a moment where the clarion call of Heaven is for the church to rise up and take her place. Reclaiming for God the nations, the people, she is called to preach the Gospel to and make disciples of… The nations she serves. God is calling His Church to rise in this hour above the fear and the dismay, into a place of battle. Do you have your armor on? When I say none of this is new: Think about it… John likely wrote these books toward the end of his life. Many date the writing to between 70-90 AD. And John writes during the end of the first century that the Anti-Christ Spirit had already been released in the world. The Anti-Christ spirit has been opposing God and His people for generation after generation. And we’re still here. We may be barely breathing, but if we’re breathing He will strengthen us for the fight. Verse 4: You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Do you hear that beloved of God? If you are in Christ, you are of God - His Children - and you have already overcome them. How? Jesus. HE is in YOU. And He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Amen? Verses 5-6: They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. We have to be careful what we agree with, partner with and confess with our mouth. We are of God. And He is about to tell us what part of fear we should have… Where we line up will tell us if we believe in truth or in the lies of the enemy who is seeking to devour us. Heading: Knowing God Through Love Verse 7-10: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (meaning the substitutionary sacrifice that paid the price) for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. God’s love is identified by the Greek word, agapē (Strong’s G26) which is most commonly translated simply love, but may also be translated as benevolence - a word commonly associated with charity - but herein actually refers to the sacrificial nature of God who is love. A love so lavish we may feast upon it. Some say it is the highest form of love, a love that desires the very best for others and pursues that best on their behalf - sacrificing itself, believing the best, expressing affection and kindness, bearing up in patience, refusing to be rude, never jealous of - but jealous for, a love free of envy, boasting, anger or the like. 1 Corinthians 13 concludes it’s ode to love saying, “Love bears all things, believe all things, hopes all things. Love Never Fails.” If God is love - HE NEVER FAILS. Do you get that? Why should we fear if we belong to God? He will not fail us. He is love - He sacrifices so we can experience Him as love. That is a beautiful thing to consider. Heading: Seeing God Through Love… Do You See God through Love? Verse 12-16: No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. First of all, I would be remiss if I didn’t seize this opportunity to ask… Have you confessed Jesus as the Son of God, who died as the sacrifice paying the price for your sins? Well, beloved, no time like the present. If you want a relationship with Jesus and to surrender to him as Love, then today’s the day. Just confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart (See Romans 8:9-10). “Lord God, I believe that Jesus is your only Son who died on a cross for my sins and rose in power to be the Lord of my life. Today I surrender myself to your love, fill me with your eternal life and your holy spirit.” That’s it… now all you have to do is learn to abide in Him as Love and be an expression of that love to the world around you. Isn’t that good news? Do you know God, do you see Him as love? Not just a God who loves, but our God who is Love. That’s a capital L. It was His love for us that compelled the Father to send the Son to die on a cross for us. It was His love for us and His Father that compelled Christ to the Cross to willingly die on our behalf. Jesus died so we don’t have to live in eternal punishment, separated from God for sin. And if we know Him and abide in Him then we abide in love. Now let me ask you, How are you doing at abiding in love? Sacrificing on behalf of others so they may know Love, too. Heading: The Consummation of Love Verse 17-19: Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. The Love that is God is consummated in us when it casts out all FEAR. Fear involves torment, but when God comes to us as Perfect Love - it casts out all fear. Not some, not part - but all. If I am responding and reacting in panic to fear then I am not abiding in God who is perfect love. Do you get that? I cannot possibly love others selflessly without first abiding in the only Sacrificial love there is the Love who is God, Himself. The Common English Bible (CEB) renders verse 18 this way: “ There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love.” And if I give place to fear, allowing anxiety and worry to keep me from abiding in God, then I am living in fear. You see, fear is not of God because it is not God’s desire to punish us. He will chasten those He loves to teach us discipline - the root word of discipline is disciple. But, He will not willingly bring harm to us or torment us with fear. It is not in His nature. To fear God is to live in awe of His glory, to be reverent of His holiness, and to honor Him as Good. But, this fear is not the same as fear of punishment or torment. A healthy caution and a holy reverence are often called fear, but in fact they are true wisdom. A healthy caution understands that danger and evil exist in this world and lives proactively pursuing God in reverence, walking in His wisdom and love - which casts out fear. When we live with the wisdom of healthy caution and holy reverence - fear will have no place in our lives because the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit - who lives inside of us will guide us into all truth when we yield ourselves to Him. When we love God, we yield ourselves to Him which brings us to our conclusion. Heading: Obedience by Faith Verse 20-21: If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. Bill Johnson is the Senior Leader of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. My friend, Tracy, and I have been to Bethel for prophetic and healing schools and follow their services regularly online. She reminds me often of something that Bill says, “Obedience is the love language of the Holy Spirit.” To walk in fear is to walk in disobedience to the love of God. Do you see that? To walk in hatred toward others, to mock them or believe deception and live by it - confess it - means you do not live in obedience to the Love of God. I mentioned 1 Corinthians 13 earlier and here is how the Apostle Paul defined love: “Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up...Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13 TPT) You see if I am going to love as God loves, I have to first live in Him as Love. And as He lives in me, and expresses Himself through me - when I yield myself to His perfect love - only then will I be loving others with incredible patience, through gentle and consistent kindness to ALL, not just believers, but everyone - even those who despise me, insult me, persecute me and seek my life - ALL. Only then will I be able to refuse jealousy when I see the blessing in other people’s lives. Only then will I not be concerned with bragging about my achievements or inflating myself in self-promotion or importance, but rather I will bow low, and humbly serve even if I am never recognized. I will gladly promote others and their welfare beyond my own. If I live in the Perfect Love that is God, and that Love abides in me then I will not traffic in shame or disrespect toward others, nor selfishly seek my own honor. I will not be easily irritated or angered, and will not be quick to take offense. YOU SEE.. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and doesn’t glory when others or even itself is found wrong. When I walk in God’s Love toward others I become a safe place of shelter, never failing to believe the best for others. I never take failure as a sign of defeat, and I never give up! Paul assures us that in the end three things will remain: faith, hope and love - and LOVE will be what surpasses them all. So let’s do it friends. Let’s overcome the present evil, and this plague of Coronavirus with Love - for it is the most beautiful prize we run toward. Jesus Himself, our God is Love. I pray over the next week you’ll find yourself fasting from judgments, criticisms and fear as you turn your heart toward Perfect Love and become an expression of that love to everyone around you! Poppa God, we come today humbled by your words of exhortation toward perfect love. Make us vessels of your perfect love, and turn our hearts to dwell in you, the God who is Perfect love. Keep our minds from anxious and worried thoughts, keep our hearts set on you and your perfect love through these trying days, seeking ways to sacrificially love others more than we love ourselves. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Closing Remarks Thank you for tuning in with us. I pray this is some encouragement to you as you seek to set your heart in a posture of love through this grievous time of solitude, mourning and despair. May His joy be complete in you and you walk in His steadfast love for you. Next week we’ll dig deeper into this idea of turning our hearts to God, grieving over the state of His people and our communities as we seek His face in Fasting & Prayer. I also want to ask you if this podcast has been a blessing to you: would you consider subscribing to it and share it with your friends and family? We’d love to partner with you in sharing messages that encourage and inspire. If you’d like to be a guest on this show or get more information about hosting your own podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network - please reach out to michelle.bentham@bloominginspirednetwork.com. I’d love the opportunity to connect with you and figure out how we can share your voice with the world around us. Join Us Through Facebook Live for Bible Study on Saturday at 10am (CT)! We’ll continue reading Luke 14 this week and digging into the life of Christ Verse-By-Verse considering what we would believe if reading the Scriptures was the primary way we inform our faith! You can learn more and catch up on last week’s study by visiting facebook.com/bloominginspired. If you need encouragement of any kind, prayer or would just like to stay connected with us here at Blooming Inspired Network, please reach out by visiting us on Facebook, @BloomingInspired or bloominginspirednetwork.com and click the Direct Message or Contact link at the top of the page. 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There were many miracles associated with Jesus, including his birth and resurrection. Below is a partial list of miracles that Jesus performed during his ministry, as recorded in the New Testament of the Bible. 1. The virgin birth (See Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38) In the Bible's New Testament, Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ) who was promised by the Bible's Old Testament prophets. Jesus is fully God and fully human. God allowed himself to be born as a person, to live among people and to teach people about God's plan of salvation and to die for our sins. Because Jesus also is human, he can be called the Son of God and the Son of Man. Jesus was born to a woman named Mary about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, Israel. Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant with Jesus. The miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus is recorded in the New Testament books of Matthew and Luke. 2. Changing water into wine (See John 2:1-11) Before Jesus began his public ministry, he performed a miracle of changing water into wine at a wedding banquet in the village of Cana, in Galilee, which is a region in the land of Israel. Jesus, his mother, Mary, and his disciples were guests at the wedding. The supply of wine ran out, and through the urging of his mother, Jesus had six water pots filled to the brim with water and the water was miraculously turned into wine. The master of the banquet then called the bridegroom over "and said, 'Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now' " (John 2:10, NIV). In the next verse, John the Apostle wrote: "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him" (John 2:11, NIV). 3. Healing of the royal official's son (See John 4:46-54) A royal official, who had a sick son in Capernaum, heard that Jesus had traveled to the town of Cana. The official went to Cana and begged Jesus to go to Capernaum to heal the official's son, who was about to die. Jesus told the man that his son would live. The man believed Jesus and left Cana. While the man was returning to Capernaum, his servants met him on the way and told him that his son was alive and that the son's fever had gone away at 1 p.m. the day before. The man realized that that was the same time that Jesus had told him that his son would live. 4. Healing of the possessed man in Capernaum (See Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:33-37) As Jesus was preaching in a synagogue in Capernaum, a man possessed by a demon was present and began shouting "Why are You bothering us, Jesus of Nazareth - have You come to destroy us demons? I know who You are - the Holy Son of God!" Jesus commanded the demon to say no more and to come out of the man. The evil spirit screamed and convulsed the man violently and left him. The news of this miracle spread quickly through the entire area of Galilee. 5. Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (See Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38-39) After Jesus healed the possessed man in the synagogue in Capernaum, He and His disciples went over to Simon and Andrews home, where they found Simons mother-in-law sick in bed with a high fever. Jesus took her by the hand and helped her sit up, the fever suddenly left, and she got up and prepared dinner for them. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SITE Proof of the accuracy of Bible prophecy See how the Bible accurately predicted the history of the Holy Land, the future of the world, the fall of empires and the rise of a Messiah. 6. Healing the sick during the evening (See Matthew 8:16; Mark 1:32; Luke 4:40-41) After Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law in Capernaum, Jesus healed many people during the evening of all kinds of illnesses. As explained in the Gospel of Luke: "At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, 'You are the Son of God!' But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah" (Luke 4:40-41, NIV). So why would Jesus want to prevent the evil spirits from proclaiming him as being the Messiah? A Bible scholar named Victor Prange wrote the following: Jesus did not want the witness of these evil spirits. They witnessed from evil intent and with the purpose of undermining the true purpose of Christ's mission. Too easily people would come to think of the Messiah only as a miracle worker and not as the Servant of God come to redeem sinners from eternal death and hell. Source: Prange, Victor H.: Luke. Milwaukee, Wis. : Northwestern Pub. House, 1988 (The People's Bible), S. 52 7. Catching a large number of fish (See Luke 5:3-10) Stepping in Simons boat, Jesus asked Simon to push out a little into the water, so that He could sit in the boat and speak to the crowd on shore. When He finished speaking He told Simon to go out in the deeper water and let down his nets. Simon replied "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if You say so, we will try again". And this time the nets were so full, they began to tear. A shout for help brought in another boat and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. It was during this miracle Jesus told Simon "Do not be afraid, from now on you will be fishing for the souls of men. 8. Healing a leper (See Matthew 8:1-3; Mark 1:40-42) After preaching the "Sermon on the Mount" (Matt 5-7), Jesus came down the hillside followed by a large crowd. A leper approached Him, knelt before Him worshiping, and pleaded, "if You want to, You can heal me". Jesus touched the man, and said to him "I want to, be healed". And instantly the leper was healed. 9. Healing a centurion's servant (See Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10) In Capernaum, a Centurion came to Jesus asking to have his servant, who was close to death, healed. When Jesus said He would come and cure the servant, the Centurion answered that he was not worthy to have Jesus come under his roof, but to only speak the word, and his servant will be healed. Jesus was amazed at this and told His followers, that not even in Israel had He found such faith. Jesus then told the Centurion "Go, let it be done for you according to your faith". And the servant was healed in that hour. 10. Healing a paralytic (See Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:18-26) There was a large crowd around the house Jesus was staying, in Capernaum. With no room left in or outside the house, four men dug through the roof and lowered a paralyzed man on a mat, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw how strongly they believed that He would help, Jesus said to the sick man "Son your sins are forgiven!" Some of the Jewish leaders thought this was blasphemy, for only God can forgive sins. Jesus let them know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, and said to the paralytic "I say to you stand up, take your mat and go home". The man stood up took the mat and went out before all of them, so that they were all amazed and Glorified god, saying, "We have never seen anything like this". 11. Healing a withered hand (See Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6) In a synagogue Jesus entered, a man was there with a withered hand. Being it was unlawful to work on the Sabbath, they watched to see if Jesus would cure him. Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to them "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?" He then told the man to stretch out his hand, and as he did so, his hand was restored. The Pharisees then left and conspired against Him. 12. Raising a widow's son (See Luke 7:11-17) Approaching the town of Nain, the dead and only son of a widow, was being carried out. When Jesus saw this He had compassion for the widow and told her not to weep. He then touched the bier and said "Young man, I say to you, rise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. The people seeing this, glorified God, and the word about Him spread throughout Judea, and all the surrounding country. 13. Calming the stormy sea (See Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25) Jesus got into a boat with His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee. A great windstorm arose, causing high waves. The waves beat into the boat so that the boat was being swamped. Jesus was sleeping on a cushion in the stern, when His disciples, fearing they will die, woke Jesus. He rebuked the wind and said to the sea "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased and there was a dead calm. Jesus said to them "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" The disciples were filled with great awe and said to one another "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" 14. Healing the Gerasene demoniac (See Matthew 8:28-32; Mark 5:1-13; Luke 8:26-33) After Jesus calmed the wind and sea, He and His disciples landed in the country of Gerasenes. A man full of demons, who lived among the tombs met them. He bowed before Jesus and shouted "What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me". Jesus asked the demon what was his name. The demon answered "My name is Legion for we are many". He begged Jesus not to send them back to the abyss, but into a herd of swine that was nearby. Jesus told the demons to leave the man and gave them permission to enter the swine. The unclean spirits came out and entered the swine, and the herd, numbering about 2000 rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. 15. Healing a woman with internal bleeding (See Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48) A woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, and had spent all that she had on many physicians, and was no better, but rather grew worse, had heard about Jesus, and came up behind Him in a crowd and touched His cloak. For she said "If I but touch His clothes, I will be made well". Immediately her hemorrhage stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Jesus was aware that power had gone forth from Him, turned around and asked "Who touched My clothes?" The woman knowing what happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. Jesus said to her "Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace, and be healed of your disease." 16. Raising Jairus' daughter (See Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25; Mark 5:22-24, 35-43; Luke 8:41-42, 49-56) A leader of the synagogue named Jairus came to Jesus, and begged Him to come and lay hands on his little daughter who was near death. As Jesus went, the crowds pressed in on Him and He felt power had gone forth from Him. It was at this point He healed the woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years (see miracle 13). While He was still speaking to the woman, someone came from Jairus' house and told him his daughter had died. When Jesus heard about this He replied "Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved." Jesus entered the house with Peter, John, James, and the child's father and mother. The people in the house were all weeping and wailing for her, but Jesus said "Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping." He then took her by the hand and called out "Child get up." Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then He directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded, but He ordered them to tell no one what happened. 17. Healing two blind men (See Matthew 9:27-31) Two blind men followed Jesus, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" Jesus said to them "Do you believe I am able to do this?" They said to Him "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes and said "According to your faith let it be done to you." And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them "See that no one knows of this." But they went away and spread the news about Him throughout that district. 18. Healing a mute demoniac (See Matthew 9:32-33) After the two healed blind men in miracle 15 left, a demoniac who was mute was brought to Jesus. And when Jesus cast the demon out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed and said they had never seen anything like this in Israel. 19. Healing a 38 year invalid (See John 5:5-17) Jesus saw a man who had been ill for 38 years, laying by the pool of Bethesda. Jesus knew the man had been ill for a long time and asked him if he wanted to made well. The sick man answered Him that he had no one to put him in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while he is making his way, someone else steps down ahead of him. Jesus told the man "Stand up, take your mat and walk." The man was made well at once, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Note: Crowds of sick people lay on the platforms by the pool, waiting for a certain movement of the water, for an Angel of the Lord came from time to time and disturbed the water, and the first person to step down into it afterwards was healed. The Jewish leaders started persecuting Jesus for He worked on the Sabbath in doing this miracle, and telling the man to carry his mat. Jesus replied "My Father is still working, and I also am working." 20. Feeding 5000 men and their families (See Matthew 14:16-21; Mark 6:35-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-14) A large crowd gathered around Jesus at a deserted place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was late and the people had no food. Jesus told His disciples to give them something to eat. They replied there is nothing here but five barley loaves and two fish that was carried by a boy. Jesus had the food brought to Him, and ordered the crowds to sit on the grass. Then He took the five loaves and two fish, and looked up into Heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people, and He divided the two fish among them all. The food was multiplied, and all 5000 men and their families ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces. This miracle is recorded in all four Gospels. 21. Walking on water (See Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21) After feeding the 5000, Jesus made His disciples get into a boat and go ahead to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He then dismissed the crowds and went up the mountain by Himself to pray. By this time the boat was far from land, and was being battered by wind and waves. Early in the morning He came walking towards His disciples on the sea. When His disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying "Its a ghost." But Jesus spoke to them "Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid." Peter answered Him "Lord if its You, command me to come to You on the water." Jesus told Him to come, and Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened and beginning to sink he cried out to Jesus to save him. Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him, saying to him "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying "Truly You are the Son of God." 22. Miraculous healing of many people in Gennesaret (See Matthew 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56) After performing the miracle of walking on water on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and his disciples anchored their boat on the shore at Gennesaret. The residents saw Jesus and went to him to be miraculously healed of a variety of ailments. Even the people who touched Jesus' clothing were healed: "When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went-into villages, towns or countryside-they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed" (Mark 6:53-56, NIV). 23. Healing a demoniac girl (See Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30) Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Jesus and she came and bowed down at His feet. The woman was a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin. She begged Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. Jesus replied "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." But she again asked for help and Jesus replied "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." The woman answered "Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table." Then Jesus answered "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done as you wish." She went home, found her the child laying on the bed, and the demon gone. 24. Healing a deaf man with a speech impediment (See Mark 7:31-37) Jesus left Tyre, and in the region of Decapolis, a deaf man who had a speech impediment was brought to Him. He took the man aside away from the crowd, put His fingers into the mans ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to Heaven, He sighed and said to him "Ephphatha", that is, "Be opened." Immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one, but they were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well, He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak." 25. Feeding the 4000 men and their families (See Matthew 15:29-39; Mark 8:1-10) Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, and went up into the mountain, where He sat down. Great crowds came to Him, bringing their sick, and He cured them. The crowd was with Jesus for three days and had nothing to eat. Feeling compassion for the crowd, He asked His disciples if they had any loaves. They came up with seven loaves and a few small fish. Then ordering the crowd to sit down, He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled, and the scraps were picked up, filling seven baskets. Those who had eaten were 4000 men, besides women and children. 26. Healing a blind man (See Mark 8:22-26) In Bethsaida some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the blind man out of the village. Jesus put saliva on the man's eyes and Jesus put his hands on the man. Jesus asked the man if he could see. The man answered he could see people but they looked like trees walking around. Then Jesus put his hands on his eyes again, and the man's sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. 27. Healing a man born blind (See John 9:1-41) Jesus saw a man who was blind from birth. He then spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, telling him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The man did this and was able to see. The people who had known the man were astounded and they brought the Pharisees to him. After many questions, which also included asking questions of the man's parents, the Pharisees still could not accept the fact that Jesus cured a man who had been born blind. Jesus made the statement "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." 28. Healing a demoniac boy (See Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:37-43) After the Transfiguration in which Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on a mountain, Jesus, Peter, James and John came down from the mountain and were met by a man who pleaded with Jesus to remove the demon from his son. The disciples at the base of the mountain had tried to cast out the demon, but could not. Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. When His disciples asked Him why they could not cast out the demon, He said to them "This kind can come out only through prayer." 29. Catching a fish with a coin in its mouth (See Matthew 17:24-27) When they reached Capernaum the tax collectors came to Peter and asked "Does your teacher not pay the Temple tax?" Peter said "Yes He does." And when he came home, Jesus spoke of the tax first and told Peter to "Go to the sea and cast a hook, take the first fish that comes up, and when you open his mouth, you will find a coin, take that and give it to them for you and Me." 30. Healing a blind and mute demoniac (See Matthew 12:22; Luke 11:14) A demoniac was brought to Jesus who was blind and mute. Jesus cured him so that the man could speak and see. The crowds were amazed and said "Can this be the Son of David?" 31. Healing a woman with an 18 year infirmity (See Luke 13:10-13) Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. A woman appeared with a spirit that crippled her for 18 years. She was bent over and unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free of your ailment." When He laid hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 32. Healing a man with dropsy (See Luke 14:1-6) Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath. Just then, in front of Him there was a man who had dropsy. Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, "Is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath, or not?" Everybody was silent. So Jesus healed him and sent him away. Then He said to them "If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a Sabbath day?" And they could not reply to this. 33. Healing 10 lepers (See Luke 17:11-19) On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus entered a village and was approached by 10 lepers. Keeping their distance, they called out to Jesus for mercy. When He saw them, He said to them "Go and show yourselves to the Priests." And as they went they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself and thanked Jesus. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked "Were not 10 made clean? But where are the other 9. Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except for this foreigner?" Then He said to him "Get up and go on your way, your faith has made you well." 34. Raising of Lazarus (See John 11:1-44) Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus of Bethany, sent Jesus a message that His friend Lazarus was ill. Jesus stayed two days longer in the place He was, before setting out for Bethany. When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Martha told Jesus that if He had been here, her brother would not have died, but Jesus said to her "Your brother will rise again." Jesus asked where Lazarus was laid out. Jesus began to weep as they walked to the tomb. The tomb was a cave with a stone laying against it. He asked to have the stone removed. Martha said to Him "Lord already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus answered "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the Glory of God?" When the stone was removed, Jesus looked upward and prayed to the Father. He then cried out in a loud voice "Lazarus come out." The dead man came out with his hands feet and face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them "Unbind him, and let him go." 35. Healing Bartimaeus of blindness (See Mark 10:46-52) As Jesus and a large crowd was leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth passing by, he shouted to Jesus to have mercy on him. Although he was told to keep quiet by many, he shouted louder. Jesus stood still and called Bartimaeus to Him. Throwing off his cloak the man sprang up and came to Jesus, asking Jesus to let him see again. Jesus said to him "Go your faith has made you well." Immediately Bartimaeus regained his sight and followed Him on the way. 36. Jesus curses the fig tree with no fruit (See Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-25) The Gospels of Matthew and Mark describe a miracle in which Jesus curses a fig tree that was producing no fruit even though it was sprouting leaves. When Jesus' disciples saw the same fig tree the next morning, they noticed that it had already withered and seemed surprised. Jesus told them to have faith: "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark 11:22-25, NIV). 37. Restoring a severed ear (See Luke 22:45-54) Jesus and His disciples were on the Mount of Olives after the Passover dinner. After He prayed a short distance from His disciples, He came to them and found them sleeping. While He was awakening them, a crowd came led by Judas. Judas approached Jesus to kiss Him. Jesus said to him "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?" When those around Jesus saw what was coming they asked "Lord should we strike with the sword?" Then one of them struck the servant of the High Priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus said "No more of this!" And He touched his ear and healed him. They then seized Jesus and led Him away, bringing Him to the house of the High Priest. 38. The resurrection of Jesus (See 1 Corinthians 15, Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20) After Jesus was crucified - nailed to a cross made of wood - he died and was buried in a tomb. On the third day, he was resurrected, meaning that God had restored Jesus to life. In 1 Corinthians 15, which is part of the New Testament, the significance of the resurrection is explained. It says that Jesus died for our sins (see 1 Corinthians 15:3). It also says that our faith would be meaningless if there had been no resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15:17). And it proclaims that Jesus was resurrected (see 1 Corinthians 15:20). 1 Corinthians was written by Paul who was one of the people who encountered Jesus after the resurrection. Paul traveled more than 10,000 miles by land and by sea, telling people about Jesus, his resurrection, and the promise of eternal life in the presence of God for those who have faith in Jesus. 39. Catching a great number of fish (See John 21:4-11) After the Resurrection, Jesus stood on the beach of the Sea of Galilee while several of His diciples were fishing, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. He called out to them and asked if they caught any fish. They answered "No." He then told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, and they will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. Realizing the Man on the shore was Jesus, the disciples brought the boat to shore with the net full of fish. There was 153 large fish in the net, and though there was so many, the net was not torn. 40. The ascension of Jesus (See Acts 1:1-11) Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after he was resurrected. During those 40 days he appeared to his followers and continued to teach them. The most detailed account of the ascension is recorded in the Bible's New Testament book of Acts, which was written by Luke: In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Pastor Helen Price Podcast -Setting The Standard of God's Excellence
On our last podcast we looked at two more examples of how the Precious Holy Spirit can and will move in many different ways to meet the healing and spiritual needs of the people of God. Let us look at a few more examples. In Matthew 8:1-3; & Mark 1:40-42 After preaching the "Sermon on the Mount" Jesus came down the hillside followed by a large crowd. A leper approached Him, knelt before Him worshiping, and asked Jesus, "if You want to, You can heal me". Jesus touched the man, and said to him "I want to, be healed". And instantly the leper was healed. Then in John 4:46-54 A royal official, who had a sick son in Capernaum, heard that Jesus had traveled to the town of Cana. The official went to Cana and asked Jesus to go to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die. Jesus told the man that his son would live. The man believed Jesus and left Cana. While the official was returning to Capernaum, his servants met him on the way and told him that his son was alive and that the son's fever had gone away at 1 p.m. the day before. The man realized that that was the same time that Jesus had told him that his son would live. In Matthew 9:27-31 There were Two blind men who followed Jesus, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" Jesus said to them "Do you believe I am able to do this?" They said to Him "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes and said "According to your faith let it be done to you." And their eyes were opened. One of the questions Jesus is asking us today: “Do you believe I am able to do this?” When we do, we will not be anxious, nor will we worry or fret! Again today, these were very different ways that each one received their healings. This is so important so that we will remember to Never Get Stuck On One Move or Operation of the Precious Holy Spirit and truly know that He can and will move in many different ways to meet the healing and spiritual needs of the people of God. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pastorhelenprice/support
Do you know it doesn't matter what you've done or didn't do, God will forgive you when you simply ask Him? Yes, it's true. He's a compassionate and caring God who is real. His spirit still dwells over this magnificent earth He created. Don't underestimate the power of the Lord, because if we do that, we are limiting what He will do in our lives. Blog: insharonsheart.blogspot.com/ Webinar: in-sharons-heart.thinkific.com/ facebook.com/InSharonsHeart/ instagram.com/insharonsheart/ twitter.com/insharonsheart
What do we mean when we say we "want more of God?" Don't we already have Him? Yes, but sometimes he doesn't have all of us. We want more of His revelation to bring transformation to our own hearts, and in so doing restore the broken places in our souls.
Throughout the Bible, we see a cyclical pattern of behavior. When people have a Reliance on God, they prosper. After a time, they begin to take responsibility for their prosperity, losing interest in following God, and they fall away. When they become weary, they begin again to seek, finding their way back to God. Repentance happens, God forgives and restoration takes place. How can we break this cycle? Can this cycle be broken? Can we just have a relationship where we seek, find, and prosper in Him? Yes, according to Paul, if we cease to live in the realm of the flesh and begin living in the realm of the Spirit.
Daily Devotions from Charles Spurgeon, read by Doug Smith. To read the entire book online, visit spurgeon.org. For more information about the program, visit brotherdougsmith.wordpress.com. May 9 Trust Means Joy For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. (Psalm 33:21) The root of faith produces the flower of heart-joy. We may not at the first rejoice, but it comes in due time. We trust the Lord when we are sad, and in due season He so answers our confidence that our faith turns to fruition, and we rejoice in the Lord. Doubt breeds distress, but trust means joy in the long run. The assurance expressed by the psalmist in this verse is really a promise held out in the hands of holy confidence. Oh, for grace to appropriate it. If we do not rejoice at this moment, yet we shall do so, as surely as David's God is our God. Let us meditate upon the Lord's holy name that we may trust Him the better and rejoice the more readily. He is in character holy, just, true, gracious, faithful, and unchanging. Is not such a God to be trusted? He is all wise, almighty, and everywhere present; can we not cheerfully rely upon Him? Yes, we will do so at once and do so without reserve. Jehovah-Jireh will provide; Jehovah-Shalom will send peace; Jehovah-Tsidkenu will justify; Jehovah-Shammah will be forever near; and in Jehovah-Nissi we will conquer every foe. They that know Thy name will trust Thee; and they that trust Thee will rejoice in Thee, O Lord.
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Was it important to Jesus who His followers thought He was? Is it still important to Him? Yes! In this new dynamic series Life Coach Paul Williams helps us find out what knowing Jesus as king will do for your faith walk in His kingdom. Listen carefully as Paul teaches the message that Jesus Christ preached!
Everyone has a story. Everyone's life has a tale to tell. Will it be a story of redemption, faith, grace, mercy and love found only in Christ, or a story of failure, rejections, sin, guilt and judgment found in a life separated from Him?Yes, everyone has a story to tell. And that story is often portrayed as the light of our life.Consider the words of Jesus:"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" - Matthew 5:14-16.So what's your story about? What light of His are you shining? And do those who don't know Christ glorify Him because of your light and good deeds? Something to think about, isn't it?The following is a study on Matthew 5:14-16.
At the end of the podcast there are a few Urdu words, loose translation: Tarek: Go find your (future) kids a 'white school' - oh but all schools here (in Canada) are white Me: Oh yeah ... all schools here are white... whatever should i do now (sarcasm) Him: Is there anything left? (to talk about) Me: Whats left? Nothing. Tell me, do you at least now believe i'm a Pakistani woman? Him: Yes, yes I believe that. Me: Excellent. [Hopefully that will put all my, "Eiynah is probably a white man" trolls to rest] Anyhoo, if its possible, i think this convo is more bizarre than the last. We discuss Tarek self Id-ing as muslim, whether Pakistanis are comparable to racists and nazis, how my parents and Ali Rizvi's parents are supposedly genocide supporters (because Pakistani). His pro India/Hinduism bias....and... beef. link to Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/politeconversations/episode-12-part-1-tarek-fatah ---sorry there were some tech difficulties with the sound.. first ten minutes u might hear a slight echo in places. My apologies. If you want to help this podcast grow, please consider supporting via patreon https://www.patreon.com/nicemangos (or PayPal)
Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-13, Do you believe that God wants to use you to do something for Him? Yes, God wants to use you if you are available. God is not interested in your ability or inability but in your availability.
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