Hi to all my pals.
Working doing Jail/Prison Ministry via mail and going to a facility locally. This is a sample of the Bible lesson I send and the jokes to brighten the day.
HELLO to each & all of you! As you guys & gals have known, Satan has tried to hit hard to bring destruction, but he can't where God covers & protects through Jesus.
The medical issues bring fear yet God tells us "fear not". When He states this in His word, He's not making a suggestion but a command, just like a stop sign is a command to be obeyed for our safety. 365 times in the Bible you can find the phrase, "fear not". This tells me I have a choice and a decision to make. Since I can choose as well as decide, I need to do exactly as told to live the wonderful life God has planned for me. (LUKE 12:6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.) (Sparrows were sold in Jesus day 5 for 1 penny. You paid for 4 and they sellers would throw in the 5th one free. They were considered worthless.)
Seeing the specialists (notice the "s" which means more than 1 specialist) in Ohio, they couldn't understand why we were there. Yes, eldest child is "fine" but still being watched. Was told by specialists that we shouldn't be there and my child should be dead when the medical situation showed up. Since no death had occurred, I knew God had answered prayer in a mighty way to show His love & power. This truly was my family's WAKE UP call that I'd been praying for!! PRAISE THE LORD!!
One of my family asked when this started, "How do you know?" referring to the fact I wasn't freaking out but remained calm. I know this is when a lot of people question God but I knew the prayers I'd been praying to wake my family up to their need to be saved by asking Jesus to forgive them & live in their hearts.
I told them, "It's simple. I know. If you had a light & it didn't come on when you turned the switch, you'd check the light bulb. If it still didn't turn on, you'd check to see if the lamp was plugged in. If it still didn't come on, you'd realize that you never phoned the electric company to ASK for service." They then understood. I knew the “Owner” of the Electric company and talked to Him regularly & listened carefully."
Now don't misunderstand, God didn't do this illness to my child but since Satan can't see the future, only the present, he didn't know how God would work all things out good for those that love him, just as His word states (ROMANS 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,.)
Yes, this has been quite the year medically for my family. 1 ICU visit -- Told it was critical BUT GOD was there! Member released to go home as drs couldn't find a reason to keep. ER visits -- 2 being a fear of heart attack, 1 regular emergency if there is such a thing, 3 major surgeries-- 2 where death could occur, and my own health issues where the drs are at a loss. Yes, fear was where Satan wanted me, but I chose NO. God states I have a choice & a decision.
Fear is the opposite of faith. (HEBREWS 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.) You notice the words "sure of"? I was sure when I prayed that my Father in heaven was listening, cared about me, loved me, and was working things out for my good. Did I understand how or why? No. I knew He knew the beginning to the end and all in between. I knew He loves me and would never leave me. (HEBREWS 11:5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”) I had spent time alone reading the word of God, praying and being with Him as He called me and where He called me. I KNOW MY GOD & SAVIOR!!! I prayed without ceasing in faith not doubting. (1 Thess. 5:16 Always rejoice, 17 constantly pray, HEBREWS 11:6 Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.)
If you think Satan leaves folks alone, you are wrong. He wants me destroyed as much as God wants me alive & serving Him. Satan attacked for a year and after this, just like Jesus, I thought Satan would leave me alone "for a season"( LUKE 4: 13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season) but I was wrong. Satan, after attacking my family & loved ones, turned to where he works best, in thoughts using fear.
As Eve in the Garden of Eden, I heard Satan's taunts. "Do you really believe Jesus is God's only Son? Do you really believe He was born of a virgin? How could Jesus be the Messiah, perfect & blameless?" and on went the horrid thoughts like hot darts in my mind screaming at me to be logical. I'd never been attacked like this. The winning of the war remained the same...stay next to Jesus, repeat His truth from the Word of God, and hang on.
Jesus tells us how to deal with this as well. 1 CORNITHIANS 3 For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down argument 5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. Again, I used the word of God that I've memorized to do battle. Satan cannot take me as long as I stay in Jesus, doing as Jesus states. He can make a lot of noise & try to get me to be afraid, but whether to be afraid or not is my decision & choice. (2Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.) Notice FEAR is a Spirit? Notice that Spirit is NOT from God?
F = FALSE E = EVIDENCE A = APPEARING R=REAL. See? It's like little children who don't know any better. Children hide and run from the loud noise of the thunder thinking the noise will get them. Children also have "boogie men" under their bed or in their closet. We, as adults know better and can give them comfort from their fear. So, why do we not run to God our Father instead of going through life afraid? Prayer is simply talking to God. There is no special words but there is a required attitude of FAITH for prayer to be effective.
Working doing Jail/Prison Ministry via mail and going to a facility locally. This is a sample of the Bible lesson I send and the jokes to brighten the day.
HELLO to each & all of you! As you guys & gals have known, Satan has tried to hit hard to bring destruction, but he can't where God covers & protects through Jesus.
The medical issues bring fear yet God tells us "fear not". When He states this in His word, He's not making a suggestion but a command, just like a stop sign is a command to be obeyed for our safety. 365 times in the Bible you can find the phrase, "fear not". This tells me I have a choice and a decision to make. Since I can choose as well as decide, I need to do exactly as told to live the wonderful life God has planned for me. (LUKE 12:6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.) (Sparrows were sold in Jesus day 5 for 1 penny. You paid for 4 and they sellers would throw in the 5th one free. They were considered worthless.)
Seeing the specialists (notice the "s" which means more than 1 specialist) in Ohio, they couldn't understand why we were there. Yes, eldest child is "fine" but still being watched. Was told by specialists that we shouldn't be there and my child should be dead when the medical situation showed up. Since no death had occurred, I knew God had answered prayer in a mighty way to show His love & power. This truly was my family's WAKE UP call that I'd been praying for!! PRAISE THE LORD!!
One of my family asked when this started, "How do you know?" referring to the fact I wasn't freaking out but remained calm. I know this is when a lot of people question God but I knew the prayers I'd been praying to wake my family up to their need to be saved by asking Jesus to forgive them & live in their hearts.
I told them, "It's simple. I know. If you had a light & it didn't come on when you turned the switch, you'd check the light bulb. If it still didn't turn on, you'd check to see if the lamp was plugged in. If it still didn't come on, you'd realize that you never phoned the electric company to ASK for service." They then understood. I knew the “Owner” of the Electric company and talked to Him regularly & listened carefully."
Now don't misunderstand, God didn't do this illness to my child but since Satan can't see the future, only the present, he didn't know how God would work all things out good for those that love him, just as His word states (ROMANS 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,.)
Yes, this has been quite the year medically for my family. 1 ICU visit -- Told it was critical BUT GOD was there! Member released to go home as drs couldn't find a reason to keep. ER visits -- 2 being a fear of heart attack, 1 regular emergency if there is such a thing, 3 major surgeries-- 2 where death could occur, and my own health issues where the drs are at a loss. Yes, fear was where Satan wanted me, but I chose NO. God states I have a choice & a decision.
Fear is the opposite of faith. (HEBREWS 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.) You notice the words "sure of"? I was sure when I prayed that my Father in heaven was listening, cared about me, loved me, and was working things out for my good. Did I understand how or why? No. I knew He knew the beginning to the end and all in between. I knew He loves me and would never leave me. (HEBREWS 11:5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”) I had spent time alone reading the word of God, praying and being with Him as He called me and where He called me. I KNOW MY GOD & SAVIOR!!! I prayed without ceasing in faith not doubting. (1 Thess. 5:16 Always rejoice, 17 constantly pray, HEBREWS 11:6 Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.)
If you think Satan leaves folks alone, you are wrong. He wants me destroyed as much as God wants me alive & serving Him. Satan attacked for a year and after this, just like Jesus, I thought Satan would leave me alone "for a season"( LUKE 4: 13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season) but I was wrong. Satan, after attacking my family & loved ones, turned to where he works best, in thoughts using fear.
As Eve in the Garden of Eden, I heard Satan's taunts. "Do you really believe Jesus is God's only Son? Do you really believe He was born of a virgin? How could Jesus be the Messiah, perfect & blameless?" and on went the horrid thoughts like hot darts in my mind screaming at me to be logical. I'd never been attacked like this. The winning of the war remained the same...stay next to Jesus, repeat His truth from the Word of God, and hang on.
Jesus tells us how to deal with this as well. 1 CORNITHIANS 3 For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down argument 5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. Again, I used the word of God that I've memorized to do battle. Satan cannot take me as long as I stay in Jesus, doing as Jesus states. He can make a lot of noise & try to get me to be afraid, but whether to be afraid or not is my decision & choice. (2Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.) Notice FEAR is a Spirit? Notice that Spirit is NOT from God?
F = FALSE E = EVIDENCE A = APPEARING R=REAL. See? It's like little children who don't know any better. Children hide and run from the loud noise of the thunder thinking the noise will get them. Children also have "boogie men" under their bed or in their closet. We, as adults know better and can give them comfort from their fear. So, why do we not run to God our Father instead of going through life afraid? Prayer is simply talking to God. There is no special words but there is a required attitude of FAITH for prayer to be effective.
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