Tag: pain

God is Our Help

God is Our Help

Today we’re meditating upon the truth that God is our very present help at ALL times, but especially in the times of trouble.

God is our refuge and strength, a help always near in times of great trouble.  (Ps 46:1 CEB)

In my distress I called on the Lord, and cried for help to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help came before Him to His ears.  (Ps 18:6 MEV)

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  (Ps 121:2 NIV)

Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.  (Ps 124:8 NKJV)

I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand, so don’t be afraid.  I am here to help you.  (Isa 41:13 CEV)

As these passages from the Scriptures remind us, God is not only our refuge and strength, but He is the One who helps us.

Whenever we are in trouble, pain or distress, the Lord wants us to turn to Him for help and for deliverance.  Who better to help us than the very One who created the heaven and the earth? Because the Lord is holding our hand, we need never be afraid.  We can be assured that He is ever with us to help us, deliver us, and to save us.  Glory be to God most High!

Where is God?

Where is God?

Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people—where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock?  Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them . . .  (Isa 63:11 NIV)

. . . just as I promised your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt. Don’t worry. My Spirit is right here with you.  (Hag 2:5 CEV)

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.  (Zech 4:6 ESV)

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.  (Heb 13:5 NKJV)

For all of us who wonder, “Where is God?”  The Scriptures have given us answers as we can see from the passages shown above.

The Lord, who created us in His own image, has promised that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us.  In the midst of sorrow, pain, and challenging circumstances, meditate upon these Bible passages. 

When we fancy that God is far from us, and is not moving in any way to help us—we must realize that we are mistaken.  We are in too much pain or in too much worry to see the truth.  The enemy of our souls will do everything within his power to prevent us from seeing the truth—that God is with us at all times. 

God is supplying His grace and His mercy to whatever our situation is.  He is operating in the spiritual, unseen realms to bring us to His victory:  for which Jesus has already paid the complete price.

Meditate upon the stripes that Jesus bore; the painful crown of thorns that were beat into His head by Roman soldiers; the cross that He carried for miles; and the ignominious death that He suffered all for you and for me.  After Jesus’ death, the mighty power of the Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead, and carried Him to the right hand of God in heaven. 

Jesus fulfilled His destiny, so that all human beings would be able to have a deep and abiding relationship with the Lord.  He has promised He is with us to the end of the age.  (Mt 28:20) Oh, joy!

Imparted Power

Imparted Power

Most of us who follow Jesus Christ don’t realize how much power the Lord has imparted to us, His people.  The word imparted means transferred, taught, or revealed. 

When we read the Bible, we need to think deeply about each and every passage that we read.  We should ask the Holy Spirit to guide us, teach us, and to give us revelations into the Scriptures.

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ . . .  (2 Cor 2:10 ESV) 

We have authority to forgive others on behalf of the kingdom of God!  Think about the significance of this, and don’t take it lightly. 

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.  (Joh 20:23 ESV) 

Jesus has given us the example, along with our Heavenly Father, of forgiving mankind of all sin through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.  It is our responsibility to follow His good example and His teachings.  Let’s advance the kingdom of God by being just like Him by extending merciful, and generous forgiveness to others.

And I tell you this—whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever you free on earth will be freed in heaven.  (Mt 18:18 TL B) 

We have power to bind on earth: 

  • to truss up or tie up;
  • to hinder or inhibit people, demons, or calamitous events; and
  • to deter or prevent situations—as God directs.  

We have authority to set free on earth:

  • to liberate (unshackle) people from bondage;
  • to emancipate human beings from every shame;
  • to release all those imprisoned by sickness, fear, pain, and the consequences of sin; and
  • to unshackle hurting ones from unhealthy situations and relationships.

The Lord Jesus has said clearly that He has given His followers power and authority.  This is an important truth upon which to meditate, and ask God to give us insight and wisdom into it.

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  (Lk 10:19) 

Later, in the book of Luke, Jesus talks again about our being given power from heaven.

I am sending to you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. (Lk 24:49 ISV) Recognize who you are and what you have been given.  Believers are children of the Kingdom, and we have been given the message of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.    It’s our job to bind or to set free the right things for the right reasons.  It’s time for us to listen to and obey the direction of the Holy Spirit.  Praise God!

How to Grieve After the Death of a Loved One

How to Grieve After the Death of a Loved One

These are some of the Bible characters who experienced loss and sorrow:  Job, Naomi, Hannah, and David.  We can see that grieving (mourning) is a normal human experience that comes to all people at some point in their lives.  There is nothing wrong with grief or mourning.

Grief can serve a purpose in that it can revitalize our assessment of life.   There is a boundary to grieving—after a season, it comes to an end.  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  (Ps 30:5)

One very important truth to remember is that God is always faithful, even in times of mourning. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  (Ps 23:4)

You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?  (Ps 56:8)

The Lord not only sees our tears, but He accumulates them!  He sees our tears and our grief, and does not disdain them.  Rather, He accompanies us in our grief.  He supports us with the knowledge that He is with us; He’s in control; He is praiseworthy; and that He will carry us through into a good place.

Be still, and know that I am God . . . (Ps 46:10a)

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night . . . (Ps 91:1-2) 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  (Rom 8:28)

Thankfully, the Lord is strong and He desires to carry our burdens, including this very heavy one.  (Mat 11:30) 

In the grieving process, it’s vital to communicate our grief to the Lord.  Feel free to pour out your heart to Him.  We can see this happening in various Psalms.  (Psalm 13; 23:4; 30:11-12; 56)  Note that the psalmist frequently ends in a different emotional state than when he began—often by praising God.  God hears us, and He understands what we’re going through.

You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  (Ps 139:2)

As we share ourselves with the Lord, we’re able to open our minds to His truths.  We come to sense His love, His faithfulness, and His comfort.  As we turn to the Lord and communicate with Him, His peace settles within us.

Another way in which we can help ourselves as we mourn, is to speak with trusted friends, church members, and relatives about our pain and loss.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  (Gal 6:2)  We, as members of the body of Christ, know that we’re called to “weep with those who weep.”  (Rom 12:15b)  As we share our stories with the Lord and with loved ones, we can actually lessen our grief.

The Lord is the One who is the anchor of our souls (Heb 6:19), and He cares for us.  (1 Pet 5:7)  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  (Heb 13:8)  So we KNOW that because the Lord never leaves us, He will forever be our anchor, our beloved, and our security—into eternity.  God bless you.

My Healing Testimony

My Healing Testimony

In the spring of 1974, I was experiencing severe pains in my left side. 

These pains concerned me because I had experienced similar pains in 1966, and they had been diagnosed as an ovarian cyst on my right side.  I was 18 years old in 1966, and my family doctor recommended surgery, since the pain was increasing.  When he removed the cyst, which was as large as a navel orange, he also needed to remove the right ovary because it had been distorted.  Later, the physician told me that if I had waited any longer, I would have gotten peritonitis because the cyst was beginning to rupture.  He also told me that he didn’t know if I’d be able to have children, because everyone’s body responds differently to the surgery and to having only one, remaining ovary.

In 1974, I was attending a good, Foursquare Gospel Church where miraculous healings were common.  I knew a number of Scripture verses concerning healing, and wanted the Lord to heal me.  I was a baby Christian, and this was a big step of faith for me to take.  First, I went to see my doctor who looked very worried, and told me I had a cyst on the left ovary.  Because I was young, he was reluctant to immediately schedule surgery for me because it would effectively sterilize me, so he gave me some medication to take for three months.

A friend (who later became my husband) and I prayed every day for three months for my healing. Our prayers were based upon: For I am the Lord who heals you.  (Ex 15:26 – as well as Mal 4:2; Mat 4:23; 8:17; & 1 Pet 2:24)  

One Sunday night, just before I was scheduled to return to my doctor for a checkup, our church was holding a Candlelight Communion Service.  We were taught regularly by our Pastor to expect to receive healing during the Communion Service, therefore I participated in the service with great hope in my heart. 

After receiving Communion, the congregation was quietly and worshipfully singing:  “Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by . . . you’ll find He’s not too busy to hear your heart’s cry . . .” Just at that moment, I became physically aware that the Lord Jesus was close to me, while I simultaneously felt His overpowering love, a sensation like warm oil flowing down over my body, and something like an electrical charge surging through me.  It all happened so very, very quickly.

Instantly, I turned to my friend to tell him that I was healed, as tears of joy and thankfulness streamed down my face.  He was astonished but rejoicing with me.  He told me that he had felt someone brush between us.  He had even opened his eyes to look because the impression was so vivid, but he saw no one.  After hearing my testimony, he understood that he had felt the presence of Jesus!

The next morning (the day after I was healed), I was scheduled to return to my doctor.  He completed the exam and confirmed that the cyst was gone!  And I told him that I had been instantly healed by Jesus.  He was happy for me, although I think that he was slightly skeptical.

I will remember this miracle forever.  I have honored the Lord for this breathtaking miracle every Thanksgiving Day since then by thanking the Lord for the gift of my four, beautiful children.  Without that miracle, I would have been sterilized and unable to have children.  I also recall and re-live the depth of the love and caring that Jesus communicated to me in that miracle moment, 43 years ago.  This memory will remain with me forever.

Additionally, I have personally experienced many, many miracles since then.  So have my husband and children.  My life with Jesus has been exciting, occasionally challenging, and incredibly worthwhile.  I’m a senior citizen now; and look forward to the days ahead because the Lord tells me that the best is yet to come!  Praise the Lord!