Today...somewhere between being asleep and awake these words rushed clearly into my mind--"HE BREAKS THE POWER OF CANCELED SIN." It was a liberating feeling...unbelievable. Can you imagine if every believer lived AS FREE AS JESUS DIED TO MAKE US? Can you imagine if we all lived with NO LINGERING AFFECTS OF CANCELED AND FORGIVEN SIN?
Then I googled "breaks the power of canceled sin" and the first entry of 844,000 that came up was a blog by a lady named Bonnie B. who on April 2, 2009 had the same thing happen to her right when she awoke!!! Like her I had to google the song...which was written by Charles Wesley...
He breaks the power of canceled sin
He sets the prisoners free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Day 106
6 months...that’s what the Doctor said...we had only a few months left with mom. All of us shocked...but the realism of a short window of time was upon us. Lunch at Fuddruckers...normal, but not. We all knew we had entered the final frontier on this earth with mom. I remember mom saying, “That means I won’t make Christmas.” She didn’t...at least not on earth. In fact mom went to heaven 3 months before the doctor projected, but not one moment before God had planned. Painful...and gracious. Sad...but better. Miss her...but all is well with mom.
Yesterday...I got another letter from a woman who mom’s love and life had forever transformed. “She’s the greatest woman I’ve ever known” was what she said about mom. Great words for a humble housewife who lived in the same house for 31 years, never finished college and who lived a very simple life. Simple but not simplistic. There is a huge difference. The power of mom’s life is found in what she did daily. Time with Jesus...day after day...book after book...study after study...prayer after prayer. No one watched...only Jesus. Mom’s time with Jesus enabled her to love like no one you’ve ever met. Daily she loved...dad...us...friends...strangers...new friends...young...old...rich...poor. A life of pursuing simply Jesus...a life of simple love overflowing.
106 days...That’s how long mom has been enjoying the jaw dropping beauty of Jesus and heaven itself. When you lose someone, you so miss them that you try to remember them the way they were and how they are now. I have so many beautiful pictures of mom in my mind...but to imagine who she is now is even more satisfying. The Bible says that no one has ever come close to imagining what we will be when we see Jesus face to face (see 1 John 3). Mom is now enjoying that privilege...one that she sought each morning in her time with the Lord...now that which she sought her entire adult life is her daily joy—seeing...loving...experiencing JESUS.
Forever...Enjoy it mom...I know it gets better every day...And remember we miss you now more than ever!
Yesterday...I got another letter from a woman who mom’s love and life had forever transformed. “She’s the greatest woman I’ve ever known” was what she said about mom. Great words for a humble housewife who lived in the same house for 31 years, never finished college and who lived a very simple life. Simple but not simplistic. There is a huge difference. The power of mom’s life is found in what she did daily. Time with Jesus...day after day...book after book...study after study...prayer after prayer. No one watched...only Jesus. Mom’s time with Jesus enabled her to love like no one you’ve ever met. Daily she loved...dad...us...friends...strangers...new friends...young...old...rich...poor. A life of pursuing simply Jesus...a life of simple love overflowing.
106 days...That’s how long mom has been enjoying the jaw dropping beauty of Jesus and heaven itself. When you lose someone, you so miss them that you try to remember them the way they were and how they are now. I have so many beautiful pictures of mom in my mind...but to imagine who she is now is even more satisfying. The Bible says that no one has ever come close to imagining what we will be when we see Jesus face to face (see 1 John 3). Mom is now enjoying that privilege...one that she sought each morning in her time with the Lord...now that which she sought her entire adult life is her daily joy—seeing...loving...experiencing JESUS.
Forever...Enjoy it mom...I know it gets better every day...And remember we miss you now more than ever!
Think On These Things
Paul tells his son in the Lord, Timothy, to "think on these things" and the Lord will give you revelation! My favorite "dead saintly mentor"--A.W. Tozer--said believers should think twice as much as we read. Why? If we don't, we will become passive readers who simply "read books" or even "enjoy reading" with little to no life change or growth. God's ideas (His Word) embraced transform us!!!
What was Paul talking about in 2 Tim. 2:7 when he said, "think on these things"? Paul had just finished talking about growing stronger in Jesus and making disciples when he gave three illustrations: one on suffering soldiers, another on integrity filled athletes and the final one on rewarded farmers (see 2 Tim. 2:3-6).
We "share in sufferings as good soldiers"; we are athletes who "compete according to the rules"; we are "hard-working farmers who have first share of the crop." As you suffer do not despair...you are a soldier and all soldiers suffer. As you refuse to cut corners do not be proud...you are an athlete and we all compete within the rules. As you are rewarded do not refuse the blessings...you are a farmer reaping the fruit of your labor.
Think on these things.
What was Paul talking about in 2 Tim. 2:7 when he said, "think on these things"? Paul had just finished talking about growing stronger in Jesus and making disciples when he gave three illustrations: one on suffering soldiers, another on integrity filled athletes and the final one on rewarded farmers (see 2 Tim. 2:3-6).
We "share in sufferings as good soldiers"; we are athletes who "compete according to the rules"; we are "hard-working farmers who have first share of the crop." As you suffer do not despair...you are a soldier and all soldiers suffer. As you refuse to cut corners do not be proud...you are an athlete and we all compete within the rules. As you are rewarded do not refuse the blessings...you are a farmer reaping the fruit of your labor.
Think on these things.
Monday, January 11, 2010
What Difference Do My Prayers Make?
Many...even established and sincere believers...ask WHAT DIFFERNCE DO MY PRAYERS REALLY MAKE? Listen to what the Holy Spirit says in His Word:
"For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance." Phil. 1:19
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16
"You do not have, because you do not ask." James 4:2
Paul highlights that the prayers of the Philippians along with the help of the Spirit will work together for his deliverance. Paul could have easily left that out...many of us do or would have. Paul could have simply said that because of the work of the Spirit I will be delivered. But, he didn't. He clearly stated that through "your prayers...and the help of the Spirit"!
James give us two clear admonitions to pray. He clearly says that our prayers, because we are righteous in Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21), have "great power" to work! Isn't Jesus great that when He saved us He also made us righteous so we could pray prayers of power!
James also exhorts us that many of us sit without...without answers...without joy...without provision...without breakthroughs simply because we "do not ask." What are we missing because of silence.
Recently I've asked God for things that I didn't have great faith for at the time...and God moved! I urge you to join me in ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING! What a privilege to pray!
"For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance." Phil. 1:19
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16
"You do not have, because you do not ask." James 4:2
Paul highlights that the prayers of the Philippians along with the help of the Spirit will work together for his deliverance. Paul could have easily left that out...many of us do or would have. Paul could have simply said that because of the work of the Spirit I will be delivered. But, he didn't. He clearly stated that through "your prayers...and the help of the Spirit"!
James give us two clear admonitions to pray. He clearly says that our prayers, because we are righteous in Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21), have "great power" to work! Isn't Jesus great that when He saved us He also made us righteous so we could pray prayers of power!
James also exhorts us that many of us sit without...without answers...without joy...without provision...without breakthroughs simply because we "do not ask." What are we missing because of silence.
Recently I've asked God for things that I didn't have great faith for at the time...and God moved! I urge you to join me in ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING! What a privilege to pray!
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