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Talking Like Your Dad

Posted on September 17, 2015 ·

Talking Like Your Dad

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage. Acts 4:30-32 (AMP)

Think back to when you were a little baby. Most of us had parents who patiently taught us how to speak. Little by little we built a vocabulary and then learned how to make sentences. The Lord speaks things into being. “Let there be Light”. He wants to teach us how to speak like Him. He has given us His words in the Bible.

When we speak out the word we begin to talk the language of our Father. As time goes on and we learn more and more of His word, it is easier to speak it. Speaking words of life to our children, words of healing and hope to others. Speaking out loud the promises of God. That is Father God’s language.

As children we practiced with our parents repeating over and over the words they were teaching us. We need to practice speaking the Word of God. Little by little His words become ours.

Let’s talk like our Father.

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

Filed Under: Holiness, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
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Let’s Be Honest

Posted on March 11, 2015 ·

picture of woman pouring out heartLet’s Be Honest

8 Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 62:8

I have always seen myself as a resilient person, somebody who bounces back easily from adversity. I used to say I was like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. But I have had some truly difficult trials in my life that I could not bounce back easily from. I “suffered in silence”. But I made a mistake when I did that because I did not run to the one who could really help me.

Just last week I was reading Psalms at the breakfast table. I came across Psalm 62. I was reading Psalms because David was somebody who had many trials in his life but was dearly loved of the Lord. I wanted to see what he had to say about how to manage a trial. As I read, the words “pour out your heart” came flying off the page at me. I knew that the Lord wanted me to pour out my heart to Him.

What does that mean to pour out your heart? I think it means to let out in words all that you are feeling to the One who loves you. So I did. I told the Lord all that I was feeling – my fears, my needs , anxieties, worries and sadness. I put it all out there. I poured out my heart to the Lord. And a wonderful thing happened. I felt better! I felt calmer, relieved and safe again. By pouring out my heart I had taken refuge in Him.

Jesus is Lord!

Filed Under: Uncategorized ·
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Wait a Minute!

Posted on February 28, 2015 ·

picture of clock131Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.3Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.5The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand   chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.11“What have you done?” asked Samuel. 1 Samuel 13: 1-11

                                               

It was by the Lord’s choice that Saul became king. It was the Lord who established him as ruler, but something happened to Saul’s perspective of things.

Notice that when Saul called the fighting men to come and join him in the fight against the Philistines they were very afraid! When they saw the might of the Philistines they quaked with fear, hid in caves and some left. Samuel had told Saul he was coming to offer the sacrifice. Saul saw that the men were starting to scatter. He had his eyes on his troops, not the power of the Lord! It is the Lord who wins our battles, not people. So Saul decided to take matters into his own hands and offer the sacrifice to speed things up and hopefully keep the men who were left from leaving before the battle. As a result of his impatience and lack of faith he lost his crown and the Lord selected David.

 

Aren’t we like that? How many times have I decided to “do something” instead of patiently waiting for the Lord because things were taking too long? When the Lord keeps us waiting it is hard – but He is worth it! He has the solutions to our problems. When we pray for help let’s lean on, rely on and trust Him to do it.

 

I had prayed for a job and I had to wait for it. Later I learned that the girl who had the job before me had left three days before I applied. The Lord had me there just at the right time to get the job. During my “waiting time” she had still been in the job.  Also they had decided during my “waiting time” that a three month training period was needed for anyone taking that job. Guess what? I had no experience that matched that job, but the Lord gave it to me and it was in His perfect timing!

 

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, patience, Uncategorized · Tagged:
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Trial to Triumph or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 4

Posted on October 13, 2014 ·

picture gold being poured into ingot shape 

11 Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Hebrews 11:1

I was told to go for my interview for the State of Florida job to Tampa GeneralHospital. It is a huge trauma center and hospital. I thought “I hate working in hospitals”. After an initial intake with Human Resources I was sent downstairs to: The Emergency Room! Oh. NO! Yes, the job was for Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner. The very job I had thought to myself when the Lord put it in my heart – NO WAY! I had what I can only call a backwards interview. I was asked “Can you suture?” “No”. I replied. “Can you read x-rays?” Again I replied “No”. Then the doctor who was interviewing me said “Looking at your resume I see that you are an administrator!” “Yes”, I answered, but I can do the job!” What?! Did I just say that? The doctor left the room. I was left sitting there with the Nurse Manager. “Uh, should I go now?” I asked. “No”, he answered, “You got the job!”

During a trial our faith is being proved with the resulting fruit of patience, steadfastness and endurance. Faith has to be tried to remove other things which can mix with it making it ineffective.

 Like:

Faith in God plus faith in money, people and things

Faith in God plus doubt

Faith in God plus fear

Or Faith in God plus faith in our own abilities.

Have you ever opened an electric cord? If you have you will remember seeing several pure copper wires intertwined. But what if one of the cords was made of lead? Putting the plug into the wall would avail nothing because the pure copper was mixed with something else. That is the way it is with faith. If it is faith plus something else we will not be able to access the power of the Lord.

6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

A faith that is mixed with any thing else will cause us to be double minded.

I am glad that the Lord cares enough about us to purify our faith.

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Holiness, Uncategorized ·
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Lemonade from Lemons

Posted on September 15, 2014 ·

picture lemonadeAnd we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28.

“Lori, you look like a manager – but you aren’t one. So we are letting you go.” When I heard those words I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I was a single mom with three teenage children. I had been working hard to provide for my children and give them a happy life. I had just bought a little house for us. How could I lose my job now? What was I going to do? Jobs were scarce in Upstate New York at that time.

Later that night I remembered the words of the Lord – that He would make all things work together for my good. Even losing my job. I decided to trust in Him and told Him that I was expecting some great things to come from this and that something good was going to come from it. It did.

One month later, the Lord provided me with a much higher paying job in Florida. A few years later I met my husband – a wonderful man of God. My children had a better life. The Lord made all things work together for good for me. Praise the Lord!

Jesus can take our lemons and make it into lemonade.

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Hope, Peace, Uncategorized ·
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My River and Your River

Posted on September 8, 2014 ·

picture converging riversHe who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor). John 7:38-39

I went to prayer night at church last evening. There were about ten of us there.  I have been studying about the rivers of living water that Jesus promised would flow from the innermost being of those who believe in Him. But last night I saw those rivers in action!

 As we prayed for each other for healing, some sharing a word; someone having a reading, I felt the Holy Spirit come like a soft, sweet cloud in our midst. He ministered to all of us.

Later, as I was driving home and thinking about the wonderful experience of being in His Holy Presence the Lord reminded me of the rivers he had promised. We had been in the Holy Spirit Rivers flowing from each one of us. That river flowing from me – flowed to the other people there. And the rivers flowing from them refreshed and ministered to me.  Converging Rivers of Living Water!

 Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Holy Spirit, prayer, Uncategorized ·
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Rivers of Living Water

Posted on September 1, 2014 ·

picture spring and riverHe who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of livingwater. John 7:38

  But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life. John 4:14

 My husband and I went canoeing a few years ago. We traveled to the RainbowRiver in Florida. It is a crystal clear spring fed river. We paddled upstream until we came to the end of the river. There bubbling up from the river bed we saw fresh water coming up from the riverbed overflowing to what looks like a very large pond shaped area and then flowing out as a crystal clear river. When we canoed it felt like we were floating in the air because the water was so clear. It made me think of the rivers of living water that flow from our innermost being when we follow Jesus.

 I have noticed how stressed out even seasoned Christians can get. Some go for massages, some over eat, some share their worries with friends, some watch a lot of TV, or read novels. None of these are necessarily bad, but there is a great place to get rid of stress.

It is in the rivers of living water. Not just wet water. Living water. Water that is alive with the Presence of God. Where is it? It is flowing from our innermost beings. We are overflowing with the life of Jesus! Wow!

 I want to float in the living water river! I want to be refreshed in the living water river! The good news is that I can, every day of my life! I can go to the Lord in prayer in my quiet place and soak in the river of His presence. Even if I don’t feel it I can still go there. Why? Because it never goes away. The bubbling living water flows eternally from my innermost being. Not just a little stream but rivers plural. Have you ever seen the Mississippi River? – bigger that that!

 I’m going to have a good soak in the rivers of living water.

 Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Holiness, Holy Spirit, Peace, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
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More Than Sufficient

Posted on August 25, 2014 ·

 picture oil jarsNow the wife of a son of the prophets cried to Elisha, Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. But the creditor has come to take my two sons to be his slaves.2 Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me, what have you [of sale value] in the house? She said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.3 Then he said, Go around and borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels—and not a few.4 And when you come in, shut the door upon you and your sons. Then pour out [the oil you have] into all those vessels, setting aside each one when it is full.5 So she went from him and shut the door upon herself and her sons, who brought to her the vessels as she poured the oil.6 When the vessels were all full, she said to her son, Bring me another vessel. And he said to her, There is not a one left. Then the oil stopped multiplying.7 Then she came and told the man of God. He said, Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons live on the rest.2  Kings 4:1-7

 I used to live out in the foothills of the Adirondacks on a dirt road. It was beautiful and remote. My husband told all our friends if they were in the area to just drop by. No one took the offer up until one Sunday afternoon when three families dropped by at the same time at supper time! They were hungry and there were fourteen of them. I needed to grocery shop and my cupboard was woefully bare.

I prayed to the Lord. Take what I have and make it sufficient for everyone.  A recipe that I had learned from a Vietnamese patient came to mind. It was rice and stir fried vegetables topped with an one egg omelet. I had eleven eggs and fourteen to feed! I needed a miracle.

I proceeded to prepare the dishes, making the omelets one by one. One of my daughters helped me by bringing out the food to the guests who were sitting in the living room. I just kept cranking out the dishes. I knew that three people were only going to get rice and vegetables. My daughter came in the kitchen and said “Mom, everybody has been served”. What? Fourteen people got omelets from eleven eggs! Everyone had enough and I had left over vegetables and rice. I got my miracle!

Jesus takes what people have and makes it more that sufficient – loaves and fishes, water to wine, and in the Old Testament jars filled with oil.

I also knew a woman who was down to her last meal – pasta and sauce- for her family and was days from her next paycheck. She prayed over the food and they ate from that bowl of pasta for a week!

One more. Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch woman who was in a German concentration camp for hiding fleeing Jews in her home. In the camp one woman  had secreted a small brown bottle of vitamins into the camp for her children. Corrie prayed over that bottle and they gave vitamin drops to all the children for several years! The bottle dried up when they were released from the camp! God is good!

 We can trust the Lord for all our needs. He can use even what little we may have to bless us.

 Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Uncategorized ·
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Patient and Steadfast

Posted on August 18, 2014 ·

picture steadfast

Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

 It’s hard when you have a loved one and pray for the Lord to heal him or her and as far as you can see the illness is still there. Maybe you have prayed numerous times, had the prayer team lay hands on the loved one, Skyped a church known for it’s miracles for  prayer and still the loved one remains ill.  OK, that was me, These are a few of the things I have done for my husband who suffers with Parkinson’s disease. He is a super great guy who is hard working, loves the Lord and his family and has continued helping others even while he has been ill. He became ill about two years ago. I did everything in “my” power to help him.

 But I have seen people healed miraculously. I have seen my patients healed from gangrenous limbs and restored to pink healthy tissue where nothing but dead tissue had been. I have seen several of my patients with cancer healed. I have known someone in the throes of death miraculously restored to vibrant life.

 I went up for prayer a few weeks ago and one of the Pastors prayed for me. She gave me a word from the Lord “Stop fighting”. Yes, I had been fighting a battle on my own. Fighting with everything I had for my husband. I was getting exhausted. Those words went right to my heart. How often have I encouraged others to go to the Lord with their worries and let the Lord do the fighting?! I needed to hear it myself. The Lord says to be anxious for nothing but by prayer and petition make our needs known unto the Lord. Not fight like a tiger in my own power but simply trust in the Lord.  I know that the Lord loves my husband and that He is willing and able to heal.  But now I am leaving all my worries with the Lord again.

 

When I am weak, He is strong. I’m going to be patient and steadfast.

 

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized ·
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Right Place, Right Time

Posted on August 4, 2014 ·

25 Now when [the apostles] had borne their testimony and preached the message of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the glad tidings (Gospel) to many villages of the Samaritans [on the way].26 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Rise and proceed southward or at midday on the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza. This is the desert [[g]route].27 So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship.28 And he was [now] returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.29 Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, Go forward and join yourself to this chariot. Acts 8:25-28.

I love this story about Philip. He was a man who obeyed the Lord without arguing. Because he was quick to obey the leading of the Lord, a man who had great influence with the Queen of Ethiopia was saved. Who knows how many people that eunuch was instrumental in bringing to the Lord? How many families did he impact after his salvation?

picture man with suitcaseLet’s go back and look at Philip. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Holy Spirit, Obedience, Uncategorized ·
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