Jan 29 23
God’s Healing Touch
“She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.” Mark 5:26 NIV
Years ago, the Lord led me to this passage when I was concerned about some medical treatment I received, that I thought might have done me permanent harm. Perhaps you know about this biblical account of the woman who had been “subject to bleeding for twelve years.” (Mark 5:25 NIV) All those years, she was getting medical treatment from “many doctors,” and her health was getting worse instead of better.
Now, you would think that twelve years of damage to her health would be pretty impossible to reverse. But this woman put her faith in Christ to make her whole again, and she did, in fact, receive her healing. (v. 29) God led me to this encouraging passage to reassure me that He can, and will, undo any harm that medications or medical treatment might cause me, if I will look to Him for restoration. And I rejoice that I can tell you in all honesty that the Lord did, indeed, restore me to health.
Perhaps today, you are concerned about what harm a medical person might have caused you. Whether it was a doctor or a dentist – or a member of their staff – or a medication or treatment that was ordered for you, the Lord can redeem that situation for you, and He can work it out for your good somehow. (Romans 8:28) God is still in the miracle-working business. Ask Him for His healing touch today!
Lord, today I ask that You heal me from the top of my head to the soles of my feet – inside and outside – and enable me to walk in divine health and wholeness all the rest of my days. Reverse and remove all harm that has been done to any part of me by doctors, dentists, or health care personnel – or treatments, drugs, or remedies of any kind. Remind me often that You said, “What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27 NLT) Thank You that as I look to You first for my healing needs —and for wisdom – You will lead me along Your perfect pathway of healing and wholeness!
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Jan 22 23
Are You Still Confident?
“I am STILL CONFIDENT of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 NIV
I have to confess that I earnestly prayed for some very specific needs and desires in 2022 that have remained unanswered and unfulfilled until this day in 2023. If you are in the same boat today, then I would like to share with you the words of encouragement that the Lord imparted to me when I was feeling disappointed and discouraged, and I sought His perspective in the matter.
He led me to the shepherd-king, David’s, words in Psalm 27:13 (NIV): “I am STILL CONFIDENT of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The Holy Spirit impressed upon me the importance of still being confident in receiving the answers to my prayers, even though they may be delayed for a time. He reminded me of some words of encouragement that I received from a godly man many years ago that said that “delays are not necessarily denials.” And if I would keep my expectations high, and keep my confidence in the Lord and His faithfulness, I would not have to forfeit any of the blessings He has in store for me in 2023 and beyond.
David’s next words in this psalm urge us to stay in faith. “Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.” (Psalm 24:14 AMP) The author of Hebrews says it this way: “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the GREAT REWARD it brings you!” (Hebrews 10:35 NLT) The devil knows that if you absolutely refuse to “throw away” your confidence in the Lord and His promises, then there is nothing he can do to stop the blessings and breakthroughs that are on their way to you right now. So, let me ask you today – are you STILL confident?
Lord, whenever I am faced with disappointment or discouragement, comfort and strengthen me as only You can. Fill me with a fresh sense of hope, and show me which promises of Yours You want me to pray and stand on in faith. Thank You that as I refuse to cast away my confidence in You and Your faithfulness, my blessings and breakthroughs will show up at the best possible time for me!
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Jan 15 23
Lost Opportunities
“Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.” Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG
A dear Christian lady wrote me and asked me to agree in prayer with her that she would get the job she was being interviewed for the next day. She despised her current job, where she was clearly being overlooked and mistreated. A few days later, she wrote me back and said that she didn’t get the new job. She was fretting and fuming, and disgusted with the injustice of it all.
So I told this lady a true story that I hoped would encourage her heart. Years ago, my husband, Joe, worked two jobs and went to college classes at night to get his degree in Accounting. When a door opened up in the Accounting Department of his company, he applied for the job, but lost it to another man. We were devastated because we had two little children and lots of debt at the time. Less than a year later, the Accounting Department at Joe’s workplace was completely eliminated. Then we were very grateful to God for closing that door. And the Lord was faithful to provide for us throughout the years in so many ways.
I told this woman that if she would keep her trust in God, and believe that He had better opportunities up ahead for her, then He would cause the loss of that job to work FOR her, and not against her. It is with good reason that the Bible says: “Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG)
Ask the Lord to help you to trust Him with all your heart – and to refrain from trying to figure things out on your own – so that He can direct your steps in the paths of His greatest blessings!
Lord, when I am faced with disappointment over lost opportunities, remind me of Your promise that says You will work ALL things together for my good. (Romans 8:28) Guard me from using faulty reasoning and rationale that can confuse me and work against me. Help me to always base my faith on Your Word and promises, and not on my experiences. Thank You that as I make a quality decision to trust You and seek You with all of my heart, You will send me open doors and opportunities that will delight and amaze me!
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Jan 8 23
Blessed in Your Sleep
“It is vain for you to rise early, to retire late, to eat the bread of anxious labors – for He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:2 AMP
Here’s a promise from God for us when we are tempted to think that wearing ourselves out to earn a living is the right way to provide for ourselves and our loved ones. While the world’s system will tell us to work longer hours to make more money, the Lord tells us that there is a better way. We can seek Him daily for divine wisdom and guidance – based on His ability to see the future, and to know what it is we truly need.
Jesus said: “Your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well the things you need, and He will give them to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to.” (Matthew 6:33 TLB) God has promised that when we give Him first place in our lives, and live His way, He will supply all our needs. But when we, instead, seek THINGS, His divine supply will elude us.
I pray and stand on Psalm 127:2 every night for myself and my loved ones, and I trust the Lord to keep His Word, and to shower us with His “blessings” “even in [our] sleep.” Life is too short to be spending more time than absolutely necessary earning a living.
If this promise is not operating in your life, ask the Lord if you are truly putting Him first, and if you really are expecting Him to keep His promise. He wants His “blessings” to flow freely in your life!
Lord, help me to continually seek You and Your Kingdom above all things. Remind me that when I live for You, all of my needs will be abundantly supplied. (Philippians 4:19) Teach me how to worry about nothing, and to pray about everything, so that I may walk in the peace which is my inheritance in Christ. (Philippians 4:6-7) Thank You for proving Yourself faithful to Your promise by showering me with blessings even while I sleep!
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Jan 1 23
I will Give You Back what You Lost
“The Lord says, ‘I will give you back what you lost…and you will praise the Lord your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced.’” Joel 2:25, 26 NLT
These verses in the Bible have special meaning for me because I didn’t become serious about my relationship with God until I was almost 40 years old. There have been many times when I have lamented over the fact that my children weren’t raised in a true Christian home from the time they were born. And I have often regretted that my relationship with my husband and our marriage didn’t get off on the right foot because of our lack of devotion to the Lord from the very beginning.
If I allowed myself to dwell on things like these, I could come up with a multitude of regrets. Thankfully, God gave me the verses above as a personal promise that He would work wonders for me by restoring the blessings I forfeited during all those years I was living for myself instead of Him. And He has been true to His Word. As I live this new life in Christ daily, I am continually amazed by the marvelous works of restoration that the Lord performs for me and my loved ones on a regular basis.
If you will ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you as the God of Restoration, He will restore things in your life that you thought were lost forever. I have seen Him restore broken families and relationships. I have also seen Him breathe new life into lost dreams and visions. And I have witnessed His miraculous power working in people’s lives to restore their health and finances. But I think the things He restores that mean the most to me are our faith, joy, peace and HOPE.
The Bible makes it abundantly clear – our God is in the restoration business. And my life and the lives of many others are living proof. If you are a child of the King, you don’t have to assume that all the losses that come your way are set in stone. If you will give the Lord a chance to have the final Word, You will be amazed at what He can do to make your whole life shiny and new!
Lord, today I believe and receive Your precious promises of restoration. I ask that You work wonders in my life by transforming my losses into blessings. Help me to do my part by seeking You daily and putting my trust in You. Thank You for making my whole life bright and beautiful for Your glory!
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Dec 26 22
The Cure for Discouragement
“You are my refuge and my shield, and Your promises are my only source of hope.” Psalm 119:14 TLB
I learned for myself many years ago, when I first began walking closely with the Lord, that one of Satan’s most effective tools against us is discouragement. If the devil can’t keep us out of heaven, he will do his level best to keep us from fulfilling our God-given purpose and potential. Why? Because the more spiritual progress we make, the more we will threaten his kingdom of darkness.
I’m here to tell you today that one of God’s best tools against discouragement is the Word of God. There is no pit so deep that the promises of God cannot get you out of it. If you dig into the Scriptures when you are feeling down and defeated, and you ask the Lord to encourage your heart, He will use His Word to lift you above your circumstances, and there won’t be a thing that the devil can do to keep you from moving forward.
Years ago, I heard a godly man say that the promises of God will give us hope in hopeless situations. I have found this to be true. The psalmist declared, “You are my refuge and my shield, and Your promises are my only source of hope.” (Psalm 119:14 TLB) But I have also found that we can miss out on the fulfillment of many of the Lord’s promises because we don’t really believe in God’s faithfulness to His Word.
Hebrews 11:11 reveals that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was empowered to bear a child in her old age “because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” (NKJV) Sometimes, when I am praying and standing on a promise from God that is simply too good to be true, I say over and over, “I judge You faithful, Lord. I judge You faithful.” Then, when I have to wait a long time for the fulfillment of His promise, I am strengthened to keep on believing His Word.
I have written entire books declaring how the Lord has proven Himself faithful to His promises time and time again. Dare to put Your hope in God and His Word, and allow Him to show Himself strong on your behalf!
Lord, whenever I begin to struggle with discouragement, remind me that it is not from You. Teach me how to resist and rebuke all discouragement that comes my way, so that it will not defeat me. Show me how to pray and stand on Your divine promises, so that I can gain the victory You have in store for me. Thank You that as I judge You faithful to Your Word, I will witness You working miracles on my behalf!
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Dec 18 22
Expect Much from Your God
“Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.” Psalm 33:22 AMP
The Lord has used this verse to challenge me time and time again over the years. Here, the psalmist pleads in effect, “Lord, pour out Your favor and blessings upon me to the degree that my hope is in You and Your promises, and I am expecting their fulfillment.” One Bible commentator called this posture of faith “believing expectation.”
The key phrase in this verse is “in proportion to.” It reveals that if we expect little from the Lord, we may have to settle for receiving little from Him. On the other hand, if we have great expectations, we are likely to have our needs and desires fulfilled – and then some.
In Chapter 9 of the Gospel of Matthew, when two blind men cry out to Jesus for mercy and healing, Jesus pointedly asks them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” When the men answer, “Yes, Lord,” the Savior declares, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” (v. 28-29 NIV) Jesus makes it clear in this passage that our level of expectation can affect our outcome.
A favorite verse of mine in Hosea 12:6 (TLB) reads: “Live by the principles of love and justice, and always be expecting much from Him, your God.” Hallelujah! Are your expectations limiting God’s involvement in your life today?
Lord, forgive me for the times that I have doubted You and Your desire to work mightily on my behalf. Help me to cooperate with You to increase my faith and confidence in You and Your promises. Remind me to feed on Your Word on a regular, consistent basis. Thank You that as I call upon You with “believing expectation,” You will do “exceedingly abundantly” above all I ask or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV)
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Dec 11 22
It’s Not Too Late!
“For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.” Romans 9:28 NKJV
Whenever I see this promise from God, I can’t help thinking about how He moved supernaturally to provide the perfect new home for my family and me when my sons were very young. Back then, we became the talk of realtors for miles around because we were able to secure a mortgage, buy a new home, and move into it in only nine days. Nine days!
Perhaps you have been waiting a long time for a certain blessing or breakthrough, and your hope is fading. Let me assure you that the Lord is able to do a very quick work when He has a mind to. He can not only “finish the work,” but He can “cut it short” and “make a short work” of it, so that everyone will know that it could only have been done by God Himself.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (TLB) reminds us: “Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want Him to do for you all that He has promised.”
Maybe you prayed for some special blessings before the end of this year, and it looks now as though it’s too late for them to come to pass in 2022. Let me just say that this year isn’t over yet. Stir up your faith, and ask the Lord to speed up your answers, and watch what He will do to make your dreams come true!
Lord, when I am tempted to talk myself out of Your blessings, please fill me with a fresh sense of hope. Renew my faith and confidence in Your Word, and teach me how to resist and reject all doubt and unbelief. Remind me that You are more than able to speed up the fulfillment of Your promises on my behalf. Thank You that as I keep on patiently doing Your will, my breakthroughs and rewards are guaranteed!
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“In the days to come you will understand all this.” Jeremiah 30:24 NLT
Almost 50 years ago, my husband, Joe, was in an auto accident that demolished the small sports car that he loved with all his heart. The collision wasn’t his fault in the least, and this fact made it even harder for him to bear. Joe’s insurance company considered the car totaled, and issued him a check for it right away. When he went to a dealership to pick out a new vehicle, he settled on a beautiful new Pontiac LeMans.
While all this was happening, Joe and I happened to be at the same college, and in the same Sociology class. We hadn’t said a word to each other until our professor put us in a skit together, and we had to spend some one-on-one time with each other. That’s when Joe told me that he was going to pick up his new car later that week, and he asked if I would like to go for a ride in it. When he told me that it was a Pontiac, I jumped at the chance, because it was my favorite kind of car, and I owned one myself. I fell in love with that car as soon as I laid eyes on it, and I eventually fell in love with Joe. When he asked me to marry him on our first date, I laughed, but I couldn’t deny that, even then, there was something special between us.
Today, if you hear Joe tell the story about his heartbreaking car accident those many years ago, he will say that he believes that God allowed it so that he could buy the car that would capture my attention when we finally met. Only seven months before, I had gone through a painful breakup with my high school sweetheart, and at the time that I met Joe, my heart was seriously hardened. God knew that this new car would be the icebreaker that was needed to begin the process of softening my heart again.
Perhaps you are in a situation like Joe’s today, and the Lord is saying to you, “In the days to come you will understand all this.” (Jeremiah 30:24 NLT) You are wondering what the Lord is up to, and you can’t imagine how any good could come out of what you’re going through. You are not reading this by chance, dear one. God wants you to know that your disappointment and pain are not in vain. He is going to transform them into something beautiful before your very eyes. Trust Him. Call out to Him. And watch Him do what only He can do!
Lord, when You allow me to suffer in ways that threaten to rob me of the peace and joy that belong to me in Christ, speak words of comfort to me, and help me to hear and heed Your voice. Guard me from a hard and unbelieving heart, and fill my mind with thoughts that will bring healing to my hurting soul. Thank You for transforming my troubles into my greatest triumphs in Jesus’ name!
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Nov 27 22
