In vv. 17 & 18 of Revelation 1 Jesus comforts John, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and life.
You see John was completely overwhelmed with the situation he was in at the time – actually floored by the amazement of being in Jesus’ presence. And Jesus, having not changed, comforted John with the information/reminder that He, Jesus, was much bigger than the situation. That He was Omnipotent, that He had conquered death and now possessed the keys of death and life. Therefore John had no reason to fear because Jesus was in control and all things would be alright.
I know, for me, my situation these days can be completely overwhelming. All to often bringing me to my knees. Like John in the beginning of Revelation I often fall at Jesus’ feet as though dead. But as I remain in His Word He continually reminds me who He is in my life and comforts me with “Do not be afraid …”.
** For my dear readers who may still be looking to read, I’ve been gone for a LONG time. I tried to write after my husband passed, and succeeded a few times here and on A Widow’s Journey, however I was not able to sustain it. And then, after believing that no thing in the world could ever be worse than my husband battling and losing to cancer, I found that I was correct about the only thing I thought might top the level of sorrow I was experiencing, the loss of a child.
My youngest boy (man) lost his battle with heroin October of ’16 and I was slammed to my knees with the most devastating sorrow one could experience.
So I’ve been learning to breathe again. Learning to rise above the ever present grieving and live.
So here I am. I believe it’s time to write.
What has you on your knees today? Have you thought about How big God is? Have you remembered today that this is His plan and He won’t let it fail you? Have you looked up for help?
I encourage you today to open your Bible and get to know your Heavenly Father. I know that all my study of just the 1 chapter of Revelation brought me fresh understanding of just What and Who Jesus is to me … and who I am to Him. It’s comforting.
Five Minute Friday … All writing, no editing! Join our community over on Kate’s blog; where we share from the heart, throwing grammar and punctuation to the wind!
I’ve attempted this post three times in the past six days! The words come to me in God’s timing … and I wait on them before I venture forth. =)
Today’s (Friday, the 30th’s) Prompt is: Wait … Go!
There is a lot we wait for in our life times. We spend time waiting on line, on hold and on God. And there in lies the key.
Waiting on God and His perfect timing. For me this took much discipline over the years. I (we) want answers and guidance right now … but good comes to those who wait, and who wait on the Lord. Right? Do I hear your amen(s) echoing out there?
Lametations 3:20-26
My soul still remembers And sinks within me. This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
Hope … I will wait for Him.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.
There is much I (we) wait for here in Hutchland these days. The most pressing is healing and restoration! Cancer, Heart Issues, Obesity and Addictions; they all are what we are waiting for in all faith, trusting God at His Word. Knowing His promises are secure and our blessings are in the acknowledgement that healing and restoration was attained in our Salvation.
We have hope … in Jesus. Not the wishfullness that the world sees as hope. Our hope is in the Lord and we will do all that we know to do. We are utilizing every option that God has presented to us in these life trials we are struggling with.
And then … We wait …
and … Be still [wait] , and know that He IS God; He will be exalted among the nations, He will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10
And in the wait, in the hope, in the clinging to God’s Faith, I find myself assured of the Answer. I find control of emotion and wisdom in the wait when I rely upon Him for the answers.
He, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit is also Answer.
So as I (we, YOU) wait, rely on God and His perfect timing. And when you wander from the line, losing your place, repeat this …
I trust YOU, Jesus. I will wait on YOU, God.
STOP.
Thanks for reading my friends! This has been a FMF post (finally!). God bless YOU!
It’s me again. Andrea. Here to present my petitions and desires. I know I don’t have to present or ask. I know you are already on these things, but I needed to talk. And I know you already knew that too.
So why do I pray? Speak these epistles of my life to you. Spoken letters of request. Verbal thank you notes for all the blessings in this mess of a life of mine.
I pray because Dear, Sweet Jesus, it’s how I get to talk to you. I pray because it brings me closer to you. Brings me knowledge of you. Prayer is the intimacy of our relationship.
I guess I need to remind myself why I pray sometimes. In this storm it gets confusing and sometimes feels like I keep repeating myself in a desperate beg for some relief.
I pray, because I need answers and only You, Dear Lord, hold these precious treasures of knowing.
I need comfort in this storm that’s been blowing through our lives for the last 15 months. Yet, even as the storm rages and the emotions win their hostile takeover, if I remember and begin to pray my heart is calmed and my mind is cleared. I know this calm is mine in prayer, I just need to remember in the chaos to begin …
I try to sit still in your presence, but when I cannot, and attempt in my own power to enact some fleshly understanding, you wait patiently for me to surrender to the quiet of Your Spirit. And then you envelope me in Your Mighty Shadow, where I finally rest from my futile efforts, pressing my heart as close to yours as I can.
I sense You in my darkest moments. I hear Your whisper in the swirling chaotic thoughts of those moments; though Your Word says You are not in the storm. And You’re not, but yet, there You are and …
You whisper in my ear … I have not left You child. I AM right here, by your side, My Dearest One. Where I have been since I created you.
And then I can rest, when I’ve heard your voice, and know that in my alone-ness, I am never truly alone.
Love,
Amen.
STOP!
This has been a Five Minute Friday Post … Check out how it works here …
Welcome to my FMF post. Where I join Kate and the others in blogging from my heart for 5 minutes; unhindered by the need to edit or corrections. Just my heart to yours on this fine Friday. You can either follow the FMF link in the sentence above or hop on over to how it works from the button on my side bar! Join us!
His Laughter – My Favorite Sound.
Today’s Prompt is: Still. So lets ….
Today I honor this man, The Hubs.
If you’ve frequented my blog you know who he is because I mention him often! ❤ Today is his birthday!
So today I honor the most honest man I’ve ever known. He changed my life almost 26 years ago! Wow … 26 years. I actually met him when I was 19 (and thought he was old.) but our worlds would become one when I was 24.
This man’s honesty, integrity and character are evident in him everyday, without fail. It thank God that He made me discerning enough to choose the man He sent for me, and me for him.
I am awed by this man’s strength and dignity in all things, and I could not love him more. That is until tomorrow comes and I realize a new and wonderful thing in him.
O’ Lord this man. We declare and decree the Word of God. “Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.” “By His stripes you are healed.” “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” “You shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord.” “Don’t forget the benefits of God. He heals all our diseases.” “The Lord will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds.” “Affliction will not rise up a second time.” “The power of the Lord is present to heal you.”
I count our years together as blessings, having realized that our successful marriage and relationship was God’s plan . How much more wonderful can a life be, than to live the life that God unites between the two people he built for one another?
With all my heart and soul, I love this man STILL and always.
OOOOoooo! Quick update-add on! This is my 500th blog post here at HopeAnnFaith! Whooop Whooop!
Five Minute Friday Time! Joining Kate and the FMF Writers for today’s prompt:
Turn.
Follow the link in the graphic here to get the skinny on the FMF link-up and join us! We’d love to share this with you!
Now without any further delay … setting the timer …
Turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of this world will grow strangely dim.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ Hebrews 12:1-2
Turn away from those things that hinder and so easily entangle. Those things and people of the world who do not agree with the written will of God for our lives. What do we do when the doctor in our lives say things like: “We can never tell you you will heal” or “The chemo didn’t work, so ….”?
Or even better, professionals dealing with patients saying things like: “Oh! You’ve been doing this a year! Aren’t you one for the history books?!” What kind of backhanded encouragement (?) is that? My first thought was lady, get yourself some bedside manners before you speak to a possibly frightened patient again! Appalling in and of itself. But saddening when you think that these people don’t know God and His promises of healing for all of us.
So, yeah. I schooled them in the facts of The Hubs progress and in how BIG our God is compared to their knowledge and protocol. I was polite but firm and basically told them how they could speak about this malady in reference to our lives. The doctor just shook her head like I was a poor unfortunate imbecile; but the nurse, she knew about God, she’d obviously had some church in her life, praise God! She apologized and thanked me for giving her a different view about how her patients might be dealing with cancer in their lives. My response was thank you and not everyone owns their illnesses, some of us refuse to allow an illness or disease to take hold within us. WE here in Hutchand DO NOT take ownership of anything that did not come from God!
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ~ James 1:17
That’s just how we roll here in Hutchland, according to what God says about this life of ours. I’m not saying we got it down pat, we don’t. But when we get it wrong, the minute we realize it, usually at Holy Spirit’s correction, we pick up, dust ourselves off , repent and get back on that path called LIFE, God has set before us.
So where do you turn when things don’t seem correct in your day to day? Where do you look when the world tells you something upside down and inside out? Do you turn to Jesus? Do you look up? Join us and let us know where you turn.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
It’s Friday! That means I not only try to write this post in 5 minutes, with no corrections or edits, but I also attempt to fit Kate’s prompt to my 31 Day Writing Them of Healing Scriptures! Not an easy task sometimes … but hey, I’ll take the dare! 😉
Today’s Prompt is … Dare!
When I had my heart event 5 years ago I stepped into trusting God for my healing. I had that God experience on the gurney {you can read that here.} and dared to step out to change my lifestyle.
But that wasn’t the only DARE I encountered.
After I got “well enough” I dared to share healing with my family. My family who live with many, MANY, health issues, covering all areas of one’s life. From several forms of depression to addictions and various health issues. And their response was tantamount to …
HOW DARE YOU!
Yes, how dare I think I’m better than them, or that God would heal me and not them. They didn’t understand God the way that I did. They don’t enjoy the relationship I enjoy with Him. And if they read this, and some might, there will be issue with this.
But yet again, I DARE to share this, my understanding of what God says about my {OUR} healing!
Healing is a promise to us from God! We received it in our Salvation Package! I love calling it that. God bundled Salvation, Grace and Healing into our package contract!
And it cost us NOTHING! No monthly fee … no cancellation if we don’t hit the mark, or pay the debt. FREE … healing, like salvation and grace, came free when we came into Covenant with God!
1: a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement :compact
2a: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action
In the Hebrew scriptures, an agreement or treaty among peoples or nations, but most memorably the promises that God extended to humankind (e.g., the promise to Noah never again to destroy the earth by flood or the promise to Abraham that his descendants would multiply and inherit the land of Israel). God’s revelation of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai created a pact between God and Israel known as the Sinai covenant. In Christianity, Jesus’ death established a new covenant between God and humanity.
Jesus is the promise, He is the seal on the contract of our Salvation!
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains , yet we considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God . But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
I dare to believe God at his word. I dare to share, at the expense of being criticized by others, the amazing love that God had for us that He sent His only Son so that we could have life with Him. That we could experience what it means to be created in His likeness. To enjoy a life free of illness and pain. If only we would believe.
Yesterday’s post was about God’s Instructions and the instruction book … wherein He gives us the most vital instruction of all … To BELIEVE … that whoever believes … WHOEVER … that is you and me and everyone! Shall NOT perish but have eternal life … that, right there, is the promise of healing!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
I dare you to believe! Check it out … John 3 is an amazing Scripture.
The Psalms are filled with {mostly} David’s desperate cries for help, healing and deliverance! We often long for God to help us, heal us or deliver us. Be for all that longing we neglect sometimes to pray … to cry out our petitions.
David, before and after becoming King David, was one of God’s favorites. Even, as He sinned, in his human-ness God referred to this son of His as “A man after My own heart.”
Well I am here to tell YOU that that is true of each one of us today. We are His favorite, You are His favorite, I am His favorite!
“How?!”
You ask.
Well, it’s because He is LIMITLESS … His very essence is LIMITLESS … His Love for us is LIMITLESS!
We, in our human-ness, put God in a box. A box infinitely smaller than God, in all of His LIMITLESSNESS.
Like small children, we cannot fathom the limitlessness of this Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Infinite God; nor can we fathom that His love for us has those same qualities.
But He DOES!
He DOES!
I find deep and visceral comfort in that. I long for you to feel this, too.
I am writing this particular post after being inspired by a good friend’s struggle today. By this friends perseverance in staying in God’s Word and His presence, today.
This person is struggling with something deeply tragic and emotional; and while that is going on they are doing their level best to stay in God’s Word and presence, today; while feeling like they cannot even breath for the pain and fear. I wanted my friend to know that God LOVES them and while the circumstances are what they are, and regardless of the fact that they cannot seem to feel Him as close, today, that God is, in fact, right there with them.
This is one of those Jesus moments for this friend; that test that reaches within one, viscerally, and actually, when all is said and done, proves within one’s Spirit and Mind that God’s is ALWAYS faithful to His children and His promises.
I have experienced this Jesus moment on several occasions just this year. So I know it is what my friend is experiencing right now. My friend has described, in short, feelings and emotions and fears that I have felt many times this year.
Yet, I came to a place where when my limits on God were destroyed, I became assured of the vastness of His love for me, deeply and permanently. I want that assurance for my friend; for all my friends and loved ones. For everyone.
That place? True Serenity!
The psalmist realized the limitations of man and recognized the limitlessness of God. He expressed these concepts in Psalms 139:7-12: “Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there, If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there, If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Thy hand will lead me, And Thy right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,’ Even the darkness is not dark to Thee, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee.” (from: God’s Limitlessness).
So, as I cry out to God for my healing, { You changed my mourning into dancing. You took off my funeral clothes and dressed me up in joy so that my whole being might sing praises to you and never stop. = healing} I’ve added my friend and others in intercession …
I cried out to you, Lord.
I begged my Lord for mercy:
“What is to be gained by my spilled blood,
by my going down into the pit?
Does dust thank you?
Does it proclaim your faithfulness?
Lord, listen and have mercy on me!
Lord, be my helper!”
You changed my mourning into dancing.
You took off my funeral clothes
and dressed me up in joy
so that my whole being
might sing praises to you and never stop.
Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever. {AMEN} — Psalm 30:8-12
Stop!
What is it today that you need God to heal or deliver you from; what do you long for? I encourage you to pray God’s scriptures; pray what He says about your situation today. I have found and can testify to the fact that praying God’s scriptures to Him never fails.
It’s Five Minute Friday again … FMF + 31 Days of Writing = A Five Minute Daily Journey to Healing in the Word!
Check at the bottom of the post for links to ALL of the blog link ups for this 1st of these Very Special FMF posts! My plan for these special FMF posts in October is to do my best to use Kate’s prompt within my chosen 31 day theme ^^^.
Kate chose an awesome one this week …
Let’s Go with this weeks prompt! NEW …
Yesterday I shared my Heart Story with y’all. The scripture was Ezekiel 36:26 … the promise of a NEW heart! I actually first got that scripture when a dear friend had a heart attack a few years before my heart event. It was the first scripture the Holy Spirit ever “brought to my memory” as we are told would happen when we diligently re-NEW our minds with God’s Word, putting it into our hearts.
Ezekiel is now one of my favorite books. I actually did a term paper on the book for bible college, not easy.
Scripture says to re-New our minds: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
Romans is my other favorite book!
Renewing our minds in the Word truly creates in us a NEW heart. Re-Newing softens and strengthens our hearts simultaneously with God’s truths and promises. It creates us aNew. It changes our minds and our attitudes and our view of things. Bringing light to our understanding.
Re-Newing our minds helps us to see what God meant when he asked: ““Forget the former things;do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:18-19
You see illness is in the past. Healing was attained at the exact same time as our Salvation! When we accepted Jesus into our hearts, our hearts became NEW and we were completely healed. Restored … did you know that restoration means: NEW, better than the original!
OH! This healing promise … it’s truly attained in our body, soul and spirit by the re-NEWing of our minds in His Word.
Haven’t re-NEWed your mind today? Well, it’s a good thing God’s mercies are new every morning!
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:23-24
Stop!
Thanks for reading my friends! Now tell us what’s NEW with you! Join us … in any of the prompts below!
It’s Friday, almost, again and I’m joining the Five Minute Friday group again. Just five minutes of writing what’s on my heart, from my heart, without worry about the perfection of my words. No edits, no spell checks just my heart and this blinking cursor in this WordPress box!
You can join us! If you need the skinny on the hows and whys check here.
This weeks prompt is … Hold!
… and Go!
Holding on is what I do these days.
I hold onto my emotions and my faith. I hold onto The Hubs, for dear life. I hold onto the memories we have and the memories we are making each day.
I hold onto a lot …
While I let go of much. We all do, hold on as we journey through this life letting go of the excess and the unneeded and undesirable of our old selves. It’s an odd thing to become aware of the holding on and letting go simultaneously. Yet we must do both simultaneously, I find.
I let go of who I am today as I hold on for dear life of who I have become into tomorrow … with those mercies God gives us new each day. Mercies I believe relieve of me of who I was yesterday as I become the WHO God intended me to be, even as I get to know her today. And as I journey through the who-s of who I have been and come to terms with the who I am right now I HOLD ON to God promises!
Promises of hope and future and prosperity and abundance. Promises of healing and mercies anew in the mornings. His promise of His peace and His grace!
And there is no better place to find these promises and repeat them eternally to hold them within our hearts than Psalm 91
Psalm 91 holds every single promise God has ever extended to us as His children!
EVERY.SINGLE.ONE. … Amazing right? And there’s more! Verses 14-16 are a personal letter from Father God to us, each, individually!
A love letter to hold in your hand and in your heart!
Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
Psalm 91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
Now my friends … in verses 14-16 replace the “he” and “his” with your name and realize how dearly Father holds you! He holds you so dearly to Himself that He honors YOU … it’s right there in verse 15! Now hold onto that!
STOP!
This is my go to scripture … I’ve had a few over the years but was introduced to the reality of this Psalm by my pastor at a very scary time in my life [at the time]. Since then much scarier things have occurred so I continue to HOLD onto these scriptures, these promises that are for me and for YOU and for EVERY.ONE.
Thanks for stopping by and reading, again. What does the prompt this week hold for you? I can’t wait to find out. Now, go on … join us and share your heart. =)
It’s Friday [well almost] and I’m joining the Five Minute Friday group again. Just five minutes of writing what’s on my heart, from my heart, without worry about the perfection of my words. No edits, no spell checks just my heart and this blinking cursor in this WordPress box!
You can join us! If you need the skinny on the hows and whys check here.
This weeks prompt is … Ready!
Set … and Go!
Since September 3, 2013 I’ve been READY for this season to be over! Yes, from day one! And I ask, who would not be ready?
A cancer diagnosis does so much to a person in a years time; to a family, to a wife and to the afflicted! It changes everything!
For the most part The Hubs is doing amazingly well. I’ve read snippets and heard some about how lung cancer is a horrible thing. Well, duh! I’d say any cancer is a horrible thing! But he is really doing well. We’ve had some rough times here in Hutchland lately; this second round of chemo is rougher than the first round with the radiation. But they are being more aggressive because a “little” spot moved to his liver. Still … he’s up and doing his thing most days.
But we’re ready for this to be over! And God knows we are; though the docs are being the docs and saying what they have to say and it can be very discouraging! They see the improvements and raise their eyebrows in obvious disbelief when they hear his lung functioning normally when just a year ago it was completely closed. In fact they are more focused on the liver this round than the lung! Though it still causes them pause that the lung is functioning.
Yet their words are cautious and their prognosis is guarded.
They don’t know our God, I imagine. Their words betray their lack of knowledge of the promises. So we wait and see, they test and treat, and The Hubs is making his decisions whether or not to continue; which gives me pause.
But …. All in God’s timing right? We are ready whenever He is. Hopefully sooner than later!
O’ Lord this man. We declare and decree the Word of God. “Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.” “By His stripes you are healed.” “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” “You shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord.” “Don’t forget the benefits of God. He heals all our diseases.” “The Lord will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds.” “Affliction will not rise up a second time.” “The power of the Lord is present to heal you.”
Until then we hold firm to the promise of healing: “He sent out His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave.” Psalm 107:20
One Page at a Time. 