Healing

A Red Motor Bike Moment

Red motor Bike

Psalm 121:8 “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

A red motor bike!!!! Merry Christmas!! At 13 years old, he couldn’t wait to try out his new gift. But there are rules: don’t do this, and be sure to do that. Sure enough, the young teen breaks the first rule on the first day and tries a risky stunt that his daddy specifically told him NOT to do.

Ya see, he had reasoned it all out in his own mind. In his mind, it would work. But soon: instant regret, right along with instant pain.  His first thought was to hide the pain so he wouldn’t get caught.

So far-so good, he thinks. No one has come rushing out of the house. No yelling or screaming. The conclusion….. no one saw it. He felt like he was in the clear. All he had to do was hide his pain. That pain could give him away.

That little boy, was my husband Mike. He didn’t know it at the time, but his daddy had been watching from the window the entire time. His father had watched to ensure his son’s safety: ready to run to his rescue should he need it. Mike hid his pain for nothing!

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Psalm 32:8)

Remember how Mike’s dad was watching him through the window?  We can see from God’s Word that our Heavenly Father is doing the same. He loves you and wants the best for you. No need to hide your pain, shame or guilt anymore. We all have mess ups. Thank God that He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)

Then we can rely on this, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” Jeremiah 30:17. If you’ve had a red motor bike moment in your life, God already knows, and He wants to restore you! Oh how great the Father’s love is toward us!

 

 

 

Feeling like Jupiter

The planet Jupiter’s iconic red spot is actually a storm of monumental proportions. This red spot has become a distinguishing characteristic for children trying to identify planets. Imagine three Earth’s put together….that’s how big this storm is. Furthermore, it’s been raging for hundreds of years with winds that reach 425 miles per hour!!

In 1969, Camille, a category 5 hurricane brought 190 mile per hour sustained winds when it made landfall in Mississippi. And who can forget 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast states with winds reaching 174 miles per hour.  Just days ago, Hurricane Florence hit our Southern East Coast with wind gusts up to 105 miles per hour.

These furious winds, combined with atmospheric pressure changes, force the ocean to rise beyond its borders creating what we call storm surge.  This results in devastating and destructive flooding. These catastrophic storms are deadly and costly, but thank God they do not last for hundreds of years like Jupiter’s red spot.

Over the years many scientists have pondered not only the size of the red spot, but they are curious as to why this storm hasn’t fizzled out after a few centuries. From start to finish, the average hurricanes here on Earth are measure by hours or days.

Hurricanes always form over the sea, and take days to develop, and grow in size and strength. The warm moisture from the ocean actually fuels the storm. So what eventually stops the hurricane? Without fail, the moment it makes landfall, the storm begins to degrade and lose momentum because it has lost its fuel. Secondly, the solid ground creates friction, further compromising the storm’s structure. Conditions become unfavorable for the storm. Simply put, it falls apart, and will soon come to an end.

Solid ground! That’s the answer! That’s the reason Jupiter’s storm has been raging for centuries. Jupiter: this giant ball of gas, has no solid ground and no defense against the raging storm.

Thank God that HE is our Solid Rock! He is our defense and safe place!

“The Lord is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock—I take refuge in Him!—He’s my shield, my salvation’s strength, my place of safety.” Psalm 18: 2 ceb

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” Psalm 40:2 nlt

“He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I’m set for life. My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for Him. God is a safe place to be.” Psalm 62:6-8 msg

Are you feeling a bit like Jupiter?  You may be weary from the storm, and your flesh and your heart may fail….. but God will be your Rock and He will give you strength….. always.  (Psalm 73:26 ampc)

Draw near to God (your solid ground), and He will draw near to you, and the pressures of your storm will dissipate. “He will heal your broken heart and He will bind your wounds!” (Psalm147:3)

I thank God that He is our firm foundation, and our solid ground! He makes our storms fall apart!

No Need to Get Worked Up Over Old News

Me: (My 18year old daughter calls my cell phone while I’m at work) Hello?

Daughter: Hey, are you okay? Breaking news just interrupted my show; there’s a shooting near your work.

Me: Really? I’ve not heard anything, and we normally do (I work downtown).

Daughter: Yup, it’s on right now, and says it’s near your work. I just wanted to call and make sure you were okay. Love you.

Me: Love you too.

I go next door and mention this to my co-worker, who promptly begins searching the news for more information. I work at a child care center located downtown: if there is an active shooter in the area, our school goes on lock down. My coworker’s concerned look became puzzled when she couldn’t find any news about it. Once I got home, I asked my daughter if there were any updates on the shooting.

Daughter: Yeah……about that…..Breaking news DID interrupt my show today, but then I realized I was watching an old recording of Dr. Phil.

We had a good laugh, and I couldn’t wait to get back to tell my coworker. I loved, and appreciated the concern my daughter had for me, but the truth was: she had gotten worked up over something that happened weeks ago, if not a couple of months ago. The emergency was long over. The immediate crisis had been handled, and was now under control.

We’ve all experienced hurts in our life, right? Well, some impact us more than others. There was one particular hurt that cut me deep, and I wept and grieved over it. Days passed, and it was all I could think about. Weeks passed, and it was all I could think about. Months passed, and this situation would randomly stab my thoughts, causing a twinge of pain. Though the matter had been dealt with, prayed over and forgiveness given, those hurtful moments were still camping out in my mind. It was old news!! Yet, the recording of my hurt would replay MY breaking news over and over.

This continued to happen on and off for months. It begin to make me mad: to have my thoughts invaded with old news as if it had just happened. Every time I thought I had moved on: BOOM! Replay! And the truth is, sometimes I would entertain the flash back of “breaking news,” even though it ripped the bandage right off my wounded heart. Re-living those moments made my anger and hurt fresh, even though it was old news that had already been dealt with.

One day, after another unauthorized replay of old news: I heard something in my spirit that even *I* thought was odd. It was something I’d never heard before: only a dog goes back to his vomit. Wait, what?? Is that a scripture? I looked it up, and much to my surprise…..I found it was a scripture that appears only twice in the entire Bible.

Proverbs 26:11 “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.”

2 Peter 2:22 “They prove the truth of this proverb: A dog returns to its vomit. And another says, A washed pig returns to the mud.”

The light bulb finally clicked on: if my hurt didn’t go down good the first time, why would I keep returning to it over and over the same way a dog returns to his vomit? God was showing me that replaying those hurtful events that were already dealt with, was foolish! A waste of His time and mine.

I had washed my mind in forgiveness and prayer only to make it dirty again with unhealthy thoughts about those that hurt me. God wanted me to stop responding to old news!!! It was over! I needed to let it go.

This wasn’t the first significant hurt I had experienced, and it may not be the last. But I have learned a valuable lesson. “Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise” Philippians: 4:8 .

Wildfires Part I: The Condition

The year: 1950.

The place: Capitan Mountains of New Mexico.

The problem: a fire tower operator spots smoke that quickly became a major wildfire. Forest Rangers, army soldiers, Native American firefighters and civilians assembled their resources to quickly gain control and fight the fire.

The casualty: a baby bear. Rangers spotted the little guy and hoped his mother would return for him, but she did not. Being caught directly in the path of the fire storm that had become amplified by increased winds, approximately 30 firefighters survived by lying face down on a rock slide for more than an hour while the fire burned passed them: singeing their hair and clothes. Nearby the orphaned animal, who we would later know as Smokey Bear, suffered burned paws and hind legs.

The condition: Drought!!

Wildfires are more probable during times of drought. During this dry condition, there is less resistance to the dangers that cause fire, and more devastation is likely to occur.

A drought is a deficiency or lack of rainfall, and can have devastating effects from thirst, famine to disease.  A drought is not a sudden occurrence like an earthquake or a thunder storm, rather it develops slowly over the course of time. Nor does drought have an immediate effect like and earthquake or thunder storm.  As a matter of fact; weeks, months or years could pass before people even know that a drought is occurring.

In Wildfires Part I, I want to address a dangerous condition that can sneak up on us unaware, and put us at risk for wildfires: a spiritual drought. Remember, the effects are not immediate; we can slowly fade into this condition without even realizing it.

We have a vital need of Jesus the way our physical bodies require water. Without Jesus, our spirit man will become weak and wither, and can become virtually defenseless. Without Jesus, we are susceptible to the wildfires of trials and tribulations.

How can you tell if you are headed for a spiritual drought? You may experience some of  the following symptoms:

  • Less spiritual growth
  • Less joy & less interest or excitement for the things of God
  • Less prayer & Bible time
  • Less frequent church attendance over time
  • Less desire for praise & worship music
  • Less connections with Christian friends

Notice the word LESS. When we take in LESS of God on any level, we are headed for a spiritual drought. Having LESS of God makes us MORE vulnerable to wildfires. And it can happen to any one of us: from newly saved Christians to long time Preachers. So how do we stay spiritually hydrated?

Isaiah 41:17-18 asv “The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I, Jehovah, will answer them, I, The God of Israel, will not forsake them.  I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”

Water is the answer to any drought, so drink up!! Drink of the Living Water (John 7:37-39) that never will run dry!

Don’t let drought sneak up on you and put you at risk!

His answer to our need is to give us fountains of water in our dry and drought ridden places. All we have to do is seek Him. Ask Him today to saturate and heal your spiritual dry places. The answer is Jesus! It’s as complicated and as simple as that.

CLICK HERE TO READ Wildfires Part II: The Cause

CLICK HERE TO READ Wildfire Part III: The Countermeasure

Here As In Heaven

“Here as In Heaven” is a phrase that God kept bringing up in my spirit, earlier this year. It’s in the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew chapter six beginning with verse nine:

“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come.Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

So how is it in Heaven, I began to wonder?  The first thing that came to my mind is there is no sickness or disease in Heaven. The take-away: I can live a disease free life here on earth because it is that way in Heaven. Here as in Heaven. I began to claim my healing and I began to see it manifest in my life knowing without a doubt it is God’s will for my life to be free of sickness and disease.

Jesus walked this earth healing people. Why would He do such a thing? To tease us? To dangle a carrot in front of our face that we could never obtain? No. Jesus healed people on earth because that is how it is in Heaven. “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”

About a month or so after this phrase was dropped in my spirit, I went to the Outcry concert and heard Elevation Worship. One of their songs was titled “Hear as In Heaven.” I had to buy that CD. That song resonated with me, and I couldn’t get away from it. The song talks about how miracles can happen in the Presence of God.

CLICK the link to listen.

 Here As In Heaven by Elevation Worship

Be assured God never changes. He is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow. If He wanted people healed back then, He wants people healed today. He loves each one of us, and has planned good things for us. Be encouraged and pray as Jesus instructed: here (on earth) as in Heaven!

Mathew 6:9-13