Shhh! Don't Tell Nobody!

40A man with leprosy[f] came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." 41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. 43Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Luke 1:40-45 NIV)

I had to read this passage of text a few times before I could understand #1 why the leprous man blatantly disobeyed the Lord who had just healed him, #2 why Jesus told him to make no mention of the fact that it was He who healed the man and #3 why Jesus was unable to enter the town openly because of the miracle He had performed. Why wouldn’t Jesus want our Father in Heaven to be glorified in His good deeds? I thought to myself that if the townspeople knew that this man whom had been a leper all his life met Jesus one day and became whole that others would surely chose believe on Him too. Doesn’t that sound like the making of an awesome testimony? How many others would have flocked to the Lord seeking Him to perform miracles and meet their needs?

The leprous man went out and spoke openly about that which Jesus told Him to keep in secret no sooner than he was healed. If you’ll notice, Jesus told the man to go to the priest and offer sacrifices that were commanded for his cleansing as a testimony to them. Jesus clearly stated that He did not come to destroy the law or the prophets but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). I believe that Jesus wanted the man to follow the same protocol that would have always been in order had he been healed of his disease by God and not Jesus (God in the flesh). Jesus did not want the people to think that He was a fad or deviating from what the Lord had already commanded through the prophet, Moses. Thus, the man should have gone to the priest, made the proper sacrifice then this would have been more of a testimony to the people than his running through the streets speaking openly when he was commanded not to tell anyone. The man was out of order. Jesus wouldn’t want anyone bragging about how blessed they were for being out of order. The man should have gone to the priest and made the sacrifice that was required for his healing but he was bragging about how God had blessed Him. It makes me wonder about Christians bragging about financial blessings when they don’t pay tithes. (Ouch!) I have to assume that the leprous man didn’t want God the blesser but rather the blessings that flowed from Him. So he had no regard for the Lord’s word. He had already been healed so He forgot about their quiet time together. This reminds me of the times that I prayed earnestly for God to move and spent less than half the time thanking Him as I did petitioning Him.

Before Jesus came across the leprous man, He had prayed and sought the Father for instruction (verses 35-38) as He always did before He made a move in ministry. Jesus was on His way to preach in the nearby villages. I believe that Jesus wanted the people to hear the Word and believe. I believe that Jesus wanted the people to learn to walk by faith and not by sight. Jesus knew that He would not always physically be there with them so He wanted them to learn to trust Him and to believe that He would always be there for them.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Once Jesus healed the man, He was no longer viewed as a preacher or God in the flesh but a healer. Jesus described himself as meek and lowly at heart (Matthew 11:29). Based on what Jesus tells us about his character, I don’t believe that Jesus would have wanted to enter the town as a celebrity. I don’t believe that Jesus would have wanted people to believe in Him for the miracles he could perform but rather for who He was, Who He represented and the salvation He offered. There were others that performed magic and practiced primitive medicine in those days. If the people were to believe in Jesus only because they saw signs and wonders it is possible they would believe in everyone that performed signs and wonders. Jesus came not to draw attention to himself but rather to the Father. Jesus told the disciples that they would do even greater works in His name than He did. I believe that Jesus wanted the people to understand that the results were simply a manifestation of the power that all would have who believed in Him.


**My dear sister and fellow blogger, Spring brought this particular story to my attention and asked me why I thought Jesus commanded the man not to tell anyone that He healed him and asked me to blog about this. I would like to say that I am a huge fan of Spring’s Love Letters To The King and am honored that she wanted to know what I thought the answer to her question was. I am also flattered that she requested that I blog about something. I meditated on this scripture all throughout the day and have shared with all of you what the Lord revealed to me through this passage of text. I would also like to hear why you guys think Jesus told him not to tell anyone. There are no wrong or right answers. For the word of God says let God be true and every man a liar.**

New Year - New Thought Patterns

Happy New Year's Everyone! I am so excited about 2009 and all that God will do this year. I don't really believe in resolutions because I have never kept them. That's the thing, I can't keep them - not alone anyway. I need the power of God to help me. I can't do anything in my own strength.

As 2008 closed, my husband and I decided that we would join a new church by the start of the new year. We had been visiting a few churches and they were really great but we wanted to be sure that we were where God wanted us to be. Our old church was nearly 20 miles from home. The distance and time was really beginning to be overwhelming so we obeyed the voice of the Lord and moved on to our next assignment. It wasn't easy because we had grown to love the members and the ministry over the years we spent there.

Throughout the process of looking for a new church, I went through many highs and lows. Either it was too far, too traditional, my husband liked the place and I didn't or vice versa. There was always something. There were several times I found myself feeling discouraged and ready to give up. I reasoned that I could just continue to visit churches forever and it wouldn't matter as long as I went. What did I need to be a member of a church for as long as I was a member of the Body of Christ? As long as I tithed, it didn't matter if it was going to the same congregation as long as it was going to the Kingdom of God, right? I didn't really feel that way. I needed to make excuses to make myself feel better.

You see, I understood that it was time for me to leave my old church. There were parts of me that couldn't wait to leave but then there were other parts of me that wanted to stay because I was comfortable. I knew what to expect. I didn't have to meet new people and learn new ways of doing things. Things were the way they were and there was nothing I could do about it.

Then on the other hand I felt out of place, out of touch, out of fellowship even though I was in somebodies church every Sunday. I began to feel like we would never find "the right place". Well, this Sunday when the church we had been visiting for a few months opened the doors of the church, my husband led the way up to the alter. We decided to unite with International City Community Church. I am sure that this will be a new and exciting experience for us both.

I decided to share my testimony about finally finding a new church because there are a lot of us that are trying to decide which move to make, which way to go and want to start the new year off in the direction we hope to be headed in for the rest of the year. Sometimes we feel like God has promised us that there is more out there for us and that it's time to make a change but WE decide to stay where we are out of complacency and fear. My prayer is that we will all seek the face of the Lord for direction and allow Him to lead us by His Spirit.

We spent months searching for a new church home and then ended up going to the first church that we ever visited together which is less than 10 minutes from home. I couldn't help but feel a little like the Children of Israel. How could a trip that should have talked us 10 minutes take us 10 months? That's something for me to pray about.

How did you end up at your church? How did you know that was "the place"?

The Lord Has Need Of You...

1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." 4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5"Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "[a] 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.(Matthew 21:1-3 NIV)

Before I begin to share with you why I chose to write about this particular passage of scripture today, I would like to share with you a little bit of background information about me and what’s been going on in my life lately. (I hope you all don't mind). The past few days, I've been spending a lot of time talking to the Lord about my goals and dreams. I reflected on 2008 and what a grand year it was. I thought of all the things I set out to do that year and all of the things I completed. I also took some time to reflect on things I should have and could have done but I didn’t.

It is my hearts desire to live a life pleasing to the Lord and to complete the assignments that He has given me. I don’t want to "miss the mark". I’m running trying to make 100 because 99 just won’t do. I began to think back on what I thought God wanted me to. I saw the vision that He had given me clearly but I couldn’t see how those things which He showed me would come to pass. I began to wonder if I was just dreaming or if God has changed His plans for me. I began to wonder if I had done (or not done) something that caused me to miss my God given destiny.

As I stared at my own reflection in the mirror talking to Jesus with tear stained eyes, I heard Him say “The Lord has need of you”. I didn’t understand exactly what He needed me to do. God made the heavens and earth. What could He possibly need with me? I’m not perfect. In fact, I'm far from it. I don’t always do what I should do and sometimes I do things I shouldn’t. Why would He need me? Then the Lord had me to recall this story of Jesus needing a donkey. God showed me that if Jesus could use a donkey, one of the lowliest animals –He could use me as well. If a donkey had an assignment from God, surely I did too. You have an assignment as well.

My revelation didn’t stop there. This morning, a good friend e-mailed me to wish me a happy new year and she told me “God has need of you. You can’t sit”. My friend is always an encourager but today she was also a confirmer. I believe that God allowed her to catch a glimpse of the vision He had given to me to be sure that I understood clearly what He was trying to communicate with me. I hadn't shared my thoughts and the matters I had before the Lord with anyone. So I knew, this came straight from the Lord.

When Jesus sent the disciples to fetch the donkey, He already knew that people would question them and their motives with the donkey. He knew that there would be choices – the big donkey or the small donkey. So He made it plain. Jesus told the disciples (in so many words) to stay focused, take the adult donkey and don’t let anyone stop you because I need this donkey so that some things could be fulfilled. We have to learn to put on the same mindset that Jesus gave the earlier disciples. We know exactly what it is that we must do. We must follow the instruction of the Lord. What is the instruction? Be ye Holy for I am holy. Where are the instructions? Written in His Word - the Bible. Why? Because there are some things that the Lord has to fulfill.

He needs you. He needs me. No matter how big or small our jobs are – we have work to do. Sometimes God will lay something on our hearts and minds to do where we see no way of doing what we have been assigned to do. But it isn’t our jobs to try to figure it out. In fact, while we’re trying to figure it out Jesus has already worked it out. When God used the prophet to prophesy about the King riding in on a donkey, He didn’t know where the donkey would come from or how events would line up so that Jesus could be in the right place at the right time but it all worked out. We don’t know how we will end up in the right place at the right time but as long as we trust in the Lord and don’t lean to our own understanding He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6) and we will end up in the right place at the right time. Destiny will be fulfilled.

Lord, you are a great God. Help us to see the greatness you have placed within us. Help us not to look to the left or to the right but to look up toward the hills from whence comes our help. Help us to trust in you blindly walking by faith and not by sight. We thank you for your word becuase it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We thank you for direction and protection as we walk out this assingment you have given us. In all that we do in word and in deed, let bring glory to you. We thank you and praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.

That Time Of The Year

Praise the Lord! I missed all of you out in "Blog Land". I took a few days off to enjoy my mini-vacation and family. I hope that you enjoyed your holiday, spent some QT with your loved ones and got at least a little bit of rest and relaxation in all of the festivities. I don't know about you all but I need a vacation to recuperate from the vacation.

For many of us, the holiday season is a time to enjoy family and friends. For some of us, the only time of the year that we are able to see some of our loved ones is during the holiday season. But what happens when your holiday and family time doesn't go as smoothly as planned? What happens when you come to the realization that you don't have the "ideal" family? How do you keep "the peace" and your peace of mind if everyone doesn't get along as well as they should? What if you find yourself left holding the bag trying to be the peacemaker? Here's one more question for you: how do you handle such scenarios with the smile that everyone expects you to have?

Unfortunately, it is during the holiday season that we hear more stories about people falling into depressions, abusing substances, over eating and feeling an over all sense of emptiness. People experience these same problems all throughout the year but they seem to be magnified during the time of year when families are supposed to come together. It is during these times of the year that the lonely tend to feel lonelier. This saddens me because I can recall a time when the holiday season spelled out DRAMA for me. All thanks and praise be to God that I had peace this holiday season but my heart cannot help but to go out to so many others that experienced losses, sadness, and loneliness during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. So today, I've decided to dedicate this post to anyone that had a tough time this holiday season whether it be financially, spiritually or emotionally. Know that I am praying for. I love you and Jesus loves you more.

Some wise person once said that we don't get to choose our families. This is true. We don't get to chose who we are genetically related to but we do get to chose who we are spiritually connected with. You see, if you are missing your relatives, don't have many relatives or maybe not getting along so well with your relatives, remember that you are not alone. You have another family - a new family. Once you say yes to Jesus, you become the son or daughter of God. The bible says that we are grafted into the family of God. So regardless of what our DNA says - God says that you are His child. You future is not predicated by your past. If a man, woman, boy or girl be in Christ he or she is a NEW creature and ALL old things are passed away. You can change if you want. You can break the cycle. We do not have to accept generational curses. The buck stops here in Jesus' name!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.(Ephesians 1:3-6)

Lord, I thank and praise you for the many ways you have made for us. I thank you for getting us through yet another holiday season. Right now I ask that you touch the lonely, wounded, broken hearted and heavy laden. Comfort them in the name of Jesus. You called all the heavy laden and burdened to come to You because you promised that you would give them rest. I ask that you help us to all rest in you. We thank you for this new family you have provided for us. You said that when our father and mother forsake us that YOU would take us up. I ask that you mend every broken heart right now in the name of Jesus. Lord I ask that you have your way in our families and our lives. Send your peace to the north, south, east and west. I thank you in advance for healing, peace and prosperity in the name of Jesus. Give the weeping strength right now to hold out just a little while longer because you promised that Joy is coming in the morning. I bless you, thank you and praise You for I know that you are able to do above and beyond all I can ask for or think of.

Where Do I Go From Here?

Have you ever tried to make your way to church but just didn't feel like it or began to pray but just couldn't find the right words to say? Maybe you've been in a position where you felt as though you were at a "spiritual stand still". You know, the point where you don't see yourself growing and you don't see yourself backsliding but you're just...there? We've all been there before at that "spiritual fork in the road" where we don't know if we should go left or right and we're just standing there waiting for a sign from God.

What do you do when you feel this way? Do you alienate yourself and pretend like everything is everything? Do you call your prayer partner or church family for prayer or encouragement? Do you read your bible, pray, and wait patiently for God to speak to you?

These are all questions that I've asked myself at one point or another. I have found myself feeling spiritually stagnant a time or two. It was during these times that I learned to do three things: pray, praise and pay attention. Unfortunately, I've learned the hard way (and am still learning at times) that when things are "quiet" that I need to pray just as often and intensely as I do when things are going haywire. That way, if and when the storm does rise, I've already gotten enough vested so if I can't say anything other than "Jesus" I'm alright. I've learned to praise because the word of God tells us that God inhabits (or lives in) the praises of His people. When I find myself in a jam or immobile, I need some Holy Ghost fire to get me started again. And lastly, I've learned to pay attention because I know when I'm down to nothing that's when God is up to something. He loves to do the impossible.

Lately, I've been feeling a little "sluggish" in areas that I used to be excited about. I've been asking God if I'm somehow **missing** what He's been trying to show me. Of course God doesn't always answer when and as clearly as we would like Him to but I believe I got my answer while I was looking through my old notebook of devotions. There was a lame man in Acts 3 who was "stuck" as well. This man was physically cripple.

One day, while on their way to the temple at the hour of prayer, Peter and John saw a lame man begging outside of the entrance of the temple. Peter told the man that he didn't have any silver or gold but he gave him all that he had. All that he had was Jesus which is more than enough. God used Peter to give the man the ability to walk in the name of Jesus (Acts 3:1-6). The man rose with their assistance. Imagine how much progress others could make if we would learn to help them to stand on their own two feet. His feet and ankles were strengthened and the man leaped up and praised his way into the temple.(Acts 3:7-8)

The people saw him praising God. We must give honor where honor is due to the most high God - our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. God gives us strength daily. He gives us strength to rise, strength to resist temptation, strength to live right, strength to love our enemies, etc. He also gives us strength to strengthen others in His name as Peter did. We must never think that we have it all together and forget about that person that is at a stand still like the lame man. They may be able to walk physically but they could be spiritually lame.

Once the man was strengthened, he leaped and praised God. Nobody forced him to. No one had to ask him to shout 'Hallelujah'. The people saw him praising God. People are always watching. When we're blessed (and we always are), we must be ever so careful to bless the Lord not just when things are good but at all times. We have to bless Him when we can see our way and even more when we can't see our way because we know that just as He made a way for us in the past, He will make a way for us again.

The people saw the once lame man praising God. More importantly God saw him praising God. We are receiving strength right now through His word. We should all follow Christ as the lame man did - into the presence of the Lord praising all the way.

Please Don't Cut Me Off

I love the Word of God. It comes alive every time I read it. I can honestly say that the bible is the BESTEST (yes, that's a word here) book I have ever read. I can read the same stories over and over again and get a different revelation every time. This evening, I found an old scrap book of my devotions that I began writing when I first got "really" saved. This particular devotion dealt with idolatry and how innocently it can begin. As I read my own words, they struck a nerve and conviction began to set in so I decided to share this message with you all. Tonight's devotion will come from 2 Kings 17

I've been visiting a lot of blogs and reading about how many of you have become very busy with holidays, your families, jobs and blogs. You are not alone. I've been finding myself extremely busy lately yet I feel like I'm not accomplishing much. When I recap my day before I go to bed (I try to do this every night), I realize that I haven't accomplished half of what I purposed in my heart to do the night before. This discovery caused me to sit and think about my priorities . For the most part, everything listed on my "to do list" NEEDS to be done but at what expense? Could it be possible that I am so busy with life that I am forgetting to live? Can it be that I am too blessed to be stressed so now I don't pray as much as I should? As I read my devotion from the early days I once again began to see myself and how my behavior resembled the actions of the infamous Children of Israel. (They are one of my favorite subjects.).

The Children of Israel were blessed. God delivered them out of bondage from the hands of Pharaoh. He led them through the wilderness and met all of their needs. He fought their battles for them and defeated defeated their enemies. However the Children of Israel continued in their sin and constantly tried to commit secret sins against the Lord.

There is no place we can go that the Lord cannot see us or no thought that we can think that the Lord can not hear.

The Children of Israel had a tendency for worshipping other gods. No matter how much God blessed them, saved them or delivered them - they still wanderd. Now we know better than to bow down before a statue in worship but worship simple means to love unquestioningly, uncritically or in excess.

Hmmm... That's something to think about.

They built idols and offered sacrifices and burnt offerings. They even sacrificed their own children to their gods. They disregarded the fact that God told them that they were His chosen people, a nation of priests and set apart. They often imitated what everyone else was doing. I guess it was always a struggle of the flesh to be in the world and not of the world.

The Lord removed Israel from His presence (Verses 18-20). The Lord rejected all of the people of Israel. He afflicted them and gave them over into the hands of plunder until He finally thrust them from His presence. As Believers we do not and should not want to push God's hand to the point where He removes us from His presence. As I sit and think about all of the things I've been placing such high value on lately, I can't help but to repent as I think about the time I've been trading for God's presence. The Children of Israel had chances. God clearly told them what He required of them. However, they chose to do as they pleased. They did not put other gods and their evil wicked behavior away. They thought their idolatry was hidden from God.

We have to be ever so careful that we do not allow our mates, friends, habits or personal needs become our idols. We must put God first worshipping Him and only Him. God doesn't just cast us out for our first, second, or third offences. Only God knows when His mercy will turn to wrath. I don't want to find out how many chances I have. I want to work while it is still day because when night comes, no man will be able to work. I want to seek the Lord while it is early while He may yet be found.

The bible says that they Children of Israel were affliced and given to the hands of plunder until finally God thrust them from His presence. I don't need to be removed from God to understand that He is a jealous God.

So, Lord, I repent. I want to walk worthy of the vocation to which you have called me. I know that a life without you is nothing at all. Help me to better manage my time. Time belongs to you. My life belongs to you. My soul belongs to you. My praise belongs to you. My worship belongs to you. Lead me, guide me. Help me to be who you want me to be, where you want me to be for as long as you want me to be. Here I am Lord send me. I love you, thank you and praise you. Lord, whatever you do, PLEASE don't cut me off.

Haters Hate - Christians Love

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." (Matthew 1:1-4, 7-8)

I am SO glad today that I have a place of refuge I can go to when the storms of life rage. I’m happy to know that the Lord has plans for me that are good and not of evil. Sometimes as I’m going through all that I go through I can’t help but to thank God for being omniscient. There are some enemies and traps that lie ahead of me that I’m unaware of but He knows all about them. I am faced with grins everyday that appear to be smiles but in all actuality are wicked snares laughing at me and not with me. I thank God that I don’t have to worry about who’s for me and who’s against me because if God be for me, He’s greater than the world against me. I don’t know when the enemy is going to learn that no weapon formed against the people of God will ever prosper. Now, God didn’t say that the weapons wouldn’t form or even that they wouldn’t be launched but He did promise that they wouldn’t prosper and I thank God for that today.

As we approach this time of year, many people that normally wouldn’t think twice about the Lord are decking trees, buying gifts and singing Christmas carols and talking about the "true meaning of Christmas", the enemy is growing angrier and angrier by the day. There is just too much attention on Jesus for him. This is nothing new. The enemy has been mad for a very long time at the thought of Jesus. He knows at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. King Herod couldn’t accept that. So what did he do? He pretended to want to know where The Christ was. He pretended that he wanted to go worship Jesus but he really wanted to have him killed.

The enemy is always trying to invade our camp. He loves to set up shop in our congregations, on our jobs and in our homes. The enemy and his agents want to hang out where Christians are so that if we aren’t studied up, prayed up and fasted up he can use us against one another. As we strive to build the Kingdom of God, the enemy works just as hard (and in some cases harder) to do the opposite.

The enemy is subtle. He won’t out right tell you that he only wants to kill, steal and destroy your life. No, that’s too easy. Instead, he’ll use cunning and crafty ways. He or she (because he can take the form of a woman) will flatter you with words and pretend like they love the Lord just like you do so that after you let your guard down and take your attention off of Jesus he can go in for the kill. I pray that God will open our eyes so that we may see the traps the enemy has set for us. I pray that we, the Body of Christ will stay focused on Jesus in this season and every season thereafter so that we may not be caught up in the temporary joys and pleasures of the world but that we may set our affections on the eternal things of God.

As Matthew’s account of the Magi’s visit continues, God warned the Magi not to return to Herod. Herod had a plan but God’s was greater. So if you find yourself behind enemy lines and up against all odds know that God’s got your back. No weapon formed against you shall ever proper and every tongue that rises up against you in judgment- you shall condemn. This is our heritage as servants of the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17)

Are they “hating” on you? Do you have a "Herod" in your life that talks like he means you will but he really wants to take your life? If so, let “them” hate. Remember they hated Jesus first and as servants we are no greater than the master. For His sake we face death every day. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. The Word tells us so. Let’s not trade evil for evil and hate for hate but let’s bless those that curse us. That’s where the blessing is!