God bless America. It’s a familiar refrain. Sometimes it’s used without even thinking of Whom we’re speaking. Here’s an alternative to asking/begging God to bless America. We can choose to bless God by declaring His Word with confidence about Who He is in our lives and in our country.
In return, we’ll see that He graciously blesses our nation.
Waiting…
It’s not fun.
In our American “get it NOW” microwave mentality, we tend to want what we want when we want it– immediately. We don’t like waiting!
But the old saying, “good things come to those who wait,” still rings true. Sometimes an incubation period is needed in order for us to see the desired end result.
For instance, farmers and gardeners have to wait before they get to see the fruit of their labor. The seeds they sow don’t produce immediately after they are planted. It takes time before the seed produces roots to establish an unseen system of drawing nutrients from the soil. The roots also provide stability for the plant as the first sprout forces its way through the soil to bask in the sunlight and continue to grow. Eventually, the sprout will become a seedling and grow into a mature plant ready for harvest.
Our desires can sometimes overwhelm us and even depress us in the season of waiting. Most times it’s because we’ve taken our eyes off the One with the solution and made our desire an idol–the think we think about most.
But here’s the thing…even God waits. He waits for His desires to manifest.How long did He have to wait on you to decide to see Him as your Father and to ask Him to save you through His Son? 🙂 He planted many “Word seeds” in the Earth through His prophets who predicted a Savior/Messiah would come. But He waited through many generations. He desired for Jesus to come to the earth and save mankind but it took thousands of years before Jesus was born. Sending Jesus was indeed the BEST thing that God has done for mankind but God patiently waited for the right time!
Like the farmer, you too must plant seed–the Word of God (see Luke 8:11). You may be waiting on a desired result that seems impossible to come through, only because it’s taking so long to manifest. But hang in there! The seed–God’s promise–is working in the unseen realm. It’s doing its thing underground and is about to sprout. There is HOPE! You’ll find it in Hebrews 10:35, 36:
“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”
I pray that you’ll choose to endure this season of waiting with hope, peace, and joy!
Get more encouragement in the waiting from my devotional,
A Seed of Hope: God’s Promises of Fertility.
As you celebrate the beginning of a new year, take a few moments to reflect and celebrate the good things you experienced in 2016. It’s important to make a decision to see the good, especially if 2016 was filled with disappointments.
If infertility was a factor in your 2016, what good came out of it? Are you closer to God? Closer to your spouse? Did you get better results by changing/removing some old habits?
If the death of a loved one infiltrated your life last year, what good came out of it? Did you learn that you are stronger than you thought as a result of that loss? Did love and support come from unexpected people?
No matter what your challenge may have been, there’s something good that came out of it…you just have to look for it.
Once you determine what those good things were, express gratitude for them. God always finds a way to show us His love in the midst of challenges and it’s a good practice to say, “Thanks” to Him.
And now as we begin a new year, let this year be the launching point of more good things experienced in your life–on an even higher level. Embrace what lies ahead and let go of 2016’s setbacks. Let your hope be reignited! Let what you say in 2017 reflect unwavering hope. Raise your expectancy for good things to come your way. Expect God to do wonderful, miraculous things in your life.
What are some of the things you’re praying will happen in 2017? Please share them below.
My prayer for you in 2017 is that you will:
May your 2017 be filled with abundance in every way!
Need help with clearing out old mindsets so that 2017 is filled with better results and more breakthroughs? I am here to help! Check out the scripture-based coaching services that I offer at iHope Coaching.
You crown the year with Your good blessings, and You leave abundance in Your wake.
~ Psalm 65:11 NET
The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.
~ 2 Corinthians 5:5 MSG
His favor lasts a lifetime! ~ Psalm 30:5 NIV
We all endure a trial of faith from time to time. Some last longer than others. Some are more severe than others. But they ALL challenge us in how we see God as a loving Father and the level of trust that we’re willing to put into His love.
Today, I simply want to share a quote from George Mueller, a man who stands as an example of how to unequivocally trust God:
“Now when the trial of faith comes, we are naturally inclined to distrust God, and to trust rather in ourselves, or in our friends, or in circumstances. We will rather work a deliverance of our own somehow or other, than simply look to God and wait for His help. But if we do not patiently wait for God’s help, if we work a deliverance of our own, then at the next trial of our faith it will be thus again, we shall be again inclined to deliver ourselves; and thus with every fresh instance of that kind, our faith will decrease.
Whilst on the contrary, were we to stand still, in order to see the salvation of God, to see His hand stretched out on our behalf, trusting in Him alone, then our faith would be increased, and with every fresh case in which the hand of God is stretched out on our behalf in the hour of the trial of our faith, our faith would be increased yet more.”
This challenges me to look at how I handle troubling circumstances in my life and encourages me to make an honest assessment of the level of trust I place in God’s love for me.
How does Georg Mueller’s quote challenge or encourage you?
It’s no secret, faith pleases God. But how do you STAND in faith with confidence, especially against the enemy’s consistent onslaught?
As you stand on the Word, it’s important to expect the manifestation of God’s promises. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus. He is a promise-keeper. Anticipate that you’ll see God’s goodness demonstrated in every area of your life.
Stand on His promises with an attitude of gratitude and with praise, even before you see your desire manifested. Choose to place your trust in Him and not in your circumstances. Focus on the Word. Affirm to yourself that in Christ you already have what you asked for. Let your thoughts be influenced by God’s promises, not your problems.***
After you’ve done all you know to do in order to stand, STAND!
Victory Verses—Psalm 71:14; Psalm 100:4; Mark 11:24; 2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Peter 1:4; Psalm 27:13
***Excerpted from Live to Win! 5 Essentials for Your Victory and Success
Sticky Note image courtesy of Boykung | FreeDitgitalPhotos.net
Over the last month, we’ve looked at some very effective tools God has given us to use to help us experience healing in our lives. Today, we’ll focus on Praying in Tongues. You can find the 4 previous posts by clicking the links below.
There is an experience following salvation in Christ that is called “being filled with the Holy Spirit”. Paul asked the believers in Ephesus, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?” (Acts 19:2). They needed to know of this important experience in order to live in their God-given authority and become a more powerful witness for Jesus.
Speaking with other tongues (an unfamiliar or heavenly language) is a supernatural sign of having been filled with the Holy Spirit. Rev. Kenneth Hagin wrote “the more I worship God in tongues, the more manifestation of the other gifts of the Spirit I have. The less I talk in tongues, the less manifestations I have. Speaking with tongues is the door into the rest of the spiritual gifts.”
Yes, speaking in tongues is a good thing; it’s a gift from God. It is nothing fear or look upon as being weird. Even in the 21st century, it is still one of God’s ways of empowering you for an abundant and healthy life. How? By revealing the wisdom of God to your spirit as it communicates with His Spirit. Speaking in tongues puts you in contact with the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 14:4, 2:10). It also allows you to pray God’s perfect will apart from your natural understanding and aids you in interceding for others. According to Jude 1:20-21, speaking in tongues also strengthens you and intensifies your personal relationship with God.
It is a gift supplied by the Holy Spirit and therefore, it is in line with God’s will. He has come to not only live in us but He also imparts this gift to help us live filled with His power (Rom.8:26, 27).
The tongue is the most powerful and influential member of the body (Proverbs 18:21; 1 Corinthians 14:2; James 3:1-12). God has provided, through the finished work of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection, a way for you to use your tongue that taps into His supernatural power. Praying in tongues is a means of accessing healing. There was a study done by Dr. Carl Peterson, M.D. at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a brain specialist, he researched what the relationship is between the brain and speaking in tongues. This study revealed that there is a healing power that can be released within our own bodies by speaking in tongues.
Dr. Peterson discovered that as we speak in tongues, there is an activity that begins to take place in the brain. As we speak our heavenly language, the brain releases chemical secretions that directly boost our immune system. These secretions promote healing within our bodies. They are secreted from a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which has major impact on our metabolism.
There’s also been a study done at the University of Pennsylvania by Dr. Andrew Newberg using MRIs to study the brain while speaking in tongues. The results showed that the brain is activated in a different way than when the person was speaking in his/her native language.
It is a good thing to pray in tongues often! When we pray in tongues, mysteries are revealed to our spirit man. The more we pray in tongues, the more we open ourselves to God, allowing Him to program our spirit with His wisdom. Our spirit will then be better able to influence our thinking and actions. Speaking in tongues is the greatest gift that Jesus gave believers because it activates God’s His power within us. It empowers believers to live the full life that God had planned for them.
The Holy Spirit lives in us as our Helper and our Intercessor. He helps us pray, but He does not do the praying for us. We are responsible for our prayer life.It’s our choice to yield our mouth and words to Him. I hope you’ll choose to practice the presence of God by daily speaking in tongues. Strengthen yourself through this gift of empowered prayer that God has provided. Yielding the tiny tongue to the power of the Holy Spirit is a huge step toward yielding our whole selves to God.
If Jesus is your Savior, ask God to fill you with His Spirit and give you a new heavenly language. He is faithful to give His children good gifts that empower them to live abundantly and in good health!
“And these signs will accompany those who believe… they will speak in new tongues.” ~Mark 16:17 NIV
How has this series changed how you view your health? How has it impacted the way you use the tools God’s provided for you?
Please let me know by leaving me a comment below!
For the past 3 weeks, we’ve been exploring five tools God has given us to use to affect healing in our lives. Today, we’ll focus on Scriptural Affirmations. You can find the previous posts by clicking the links below.
God framed the world using His words. He designed our universe to respond to words. He spoke words and big things happened (Genesis 1). That’s why He sent the prophets of the Old Testament— to speak the words that He spoke so that those words would cause His plan to happen within this earth realm.
Throughout the Old Testament, we see so many prophetic words about what was coming in the future through the Messiah. Those prophecies proclaimed specific things to come. Those words would set the things in motion that God included in His plan for mankind. All of those words were eventually fulfilled, accomplished, and completed through Jesus.
God has placed that same significance and power in our words. Our words are able to frame and change our personal world when we speak what God says about our situation. The act of speaking what He has said initiates, strengthens, and builds our faith. Believing and speaking His promises instead of our problems can change our personal world.
If God said it, you can choose to believe it and you can choose to say it. The Apostle Paul encourages us to do so:
“Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe.” 2 Corinthians 4:13 MSG
Paul was conveying to the Corinthians the thought that King David wrote in Psalm 116:10. David, known as a man who pursued the heart of God, encourages us to believe what God said, and then act on what we believe by speaking it.
“Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge: for it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind [believing them]; your lips will be accustomed to [confessing] them. So that your trust (belief, reliance, support, and confidence) may be in the Lord.” Proverbs 22:17,18 AMP
I am still learning how important my words are. Not only do they let others know what I think, but they are actually vessels filled with the power to change things in my life, including my health!
“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” ~ Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV
An affirmation is a definitive statement that you vocalize. It is a statement about something that you declare is already existent, even if you’re not currently seeing it or experiencing it with your other senses. Effective affirmations are positive statements, specifically crafted around the promises found in God’s Word. It’s important that they are framed in the present tense. Creating personal affirmations based on God’s Word is a way of increasing your belief that His promises are true for you.
Here are some tips about saying what God has said about your health. These should make it easier for you to develop the habit of crafting Scriptural Affirmations specific to your circumstances and then speaking them:
God’s Word is Truth. Speak it, believe it, and make it your truth. When you speak God’s Word about how He wants you to experience good health, you are releasing its power through your lips. Speaking it will help you believe what you say and you’ll grow to speak it with greater faith.
What is an affirmation that you speak over your health? Please share it in the comments.
Christian Meditation. Does that sound like an oxymoron to you? I’ll show you why it’s not. Even though you may connect the word “meditation” with eastern mysticism and New Age practices, in its proper form, it’s actually something that is God-approved.
In this series of posts on health, we’re exploring five tools God has given us to use to affect healing in our lives. Last week, we looked at communion.
Today, we’ll focus on Meditation.
You may be surprised that meditation is actually something God has called His people to do. During the time of the Hebrew’s Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land, Moses died. Joshua was to become the new leader of the people. God called Joshua aside for a little pep talk. He told him that he was strong and courageous. He told Joshua that He would equip him for the task ahead of him as leader of God’s people. The way that Joshua would get equipped would be through meditation:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” ~Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
This passage gives us great insight into what biblical meditation is. It is a means of focusing your thoughts on the goodness of God by using His Word. It is different from Transcendental Meditation or any other type of meditation. In the original language, the word for meditate is “hagah”. It means to ruminate, to speak (utter sound), to imagine, to speak with oneself (muttering) in a low voice (whisper). It is not simply reading the Word, thinking about it for a brief moment then quickly forgetting it. Biblical meditation is not about emptying your mind. It involves using your voice to affirm God’s Word for your life. It is an action you take repeatedly throughout the day. In this verse, God is instructing Joshua about how to succeed as the new leader of Israel. But we can also glean from this scripture about how to be successful in life today, especially as we look forward to the new year.
Notice that God didn’t tell Joshua to say anything and everything that came to his mind. He instructed him to meditate on the Book of the Law. God wanted Joshua to read, think about, and mutter God’s words! He wanted Joshua ruminate about the goodness of God and about His love for the people of Israel.
So how do we take advantage of this tool and use it to improve our health? By reading healing Scripture aloud, speaking it as an affirmation, and thinking about it repeatedly throughout the day and before going to bed at night. You can break down one sentence at a time, concentrating on one word at time.
For instance, Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” One way of meditating on this could mean that you say it many more times placing emphasis on a different word each time and giving it some thought. Here’s an example of emphasizing a word and a possible related thought:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [He’s the One Who never changes.]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [Presently, definitely, without question.]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [I have a personal relationship with Him.]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [He tends to me, cares for me, and is always with me.]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [This is about me–it’s personal!]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [This is definite. something I can count on.]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. [Lack is not His way. I don’t have a need He won’t meet.]
Use this process employing scriptures that specifically relate to improved health.
Meditation can help you adjust your mindset. It can keep you going even when the going gets tough. It can be an important aid along your path to success in life.
This process will bring great peace of mind as promised in Isaiah 26:3—God will keep in perfect peace all whose thoughts are fixed on Him.
“Focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy.” ~Philippians 4:8 (CJB)
Meditation of God’s Word is a means of focusing your thoughts on the goodness of God by using HIS words. It is a way of being dependent on God and He will view that as an expression of trusting Him.
Give it a try. Be sure to let me know what your results are!
Last week I started a series of posts about health. God’s desire is for believers to be healthy. I believe He has given us many tools to use so that we can enjoy living in good health. He gave them to us to use so that we can improve our health, increase our confidence in His love, and to take advantage of all that Jesus’ death and resurrection provided.
Today, we’ll focus on Communion.
Exodus 20:24 ESV states when we bring God to our remembrance, He will come and He will bless.
“In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.”
Jesus instructed us to take communion in order to bring Him to our remembrance. This is not an instruction to do something “in memory of” Him, as we would a dead relative. Jesus is telling us to affectionately remember His love that benefitted us in our body, mind, and spirit. His death and resurrection were great acts of sacrifice and love. They were so powerful, they still bring us benefits today in the 21st century.
As you continue this walk of faith to overcome infertility or some other condition, consider taking communion at home as often as you think about it. Communion is not just a religious ritual that must be done within the confines of a church building. Nor is it required that a priest or a member of clergy always administer it. You can get your own crackers and juice and celebrate communion in your home. After all, the Last Supper took place upstairs in a home, not in a synagogue or church. Jesus said to celebrate communion often (1 Corinthians 11:25). He knew that as we frequently remember Him and His love for us, we enable His grace to empower us and bless us.
“Take, eat: this is My body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” ~ 1 Corinthians 11:24
In Luke 22:19, Jesus said His body was “given” for you. That means He was delivering His body for your benefit and use. He presented Himself for you to literally take advantage of all that was in Him. Jesus took every sickness, disease, and “condition” onto his body so that we would not have to bear it. He gave us authority over all of that. He took the horrific beating on His body that satisfied the demand of us having to “live with” any form of being unhealthy (1 Peter 2:24). The Bible emphatically states that He has surely borne our sicknesses so we w be well. (Matthew 8:17).
Communion, taken in faith and not as a ritual, reminds us to see our sickness on His body, not ours. Taken often, communion reinforces the truth of His body bearing and taking away everything that comes to attack our bodies.
Need help with finding healing scriptures? Use the form below to request my free pamphlet, Speak the Word Over Your Physical and Mental Health.
YES! Please send me the healing scriptures pamphlet.
When I woke up this morning, one of my first thoughts was about the tools God has given us to use for improving our health.
A handyman, who’s able to fix so many things, has a variety of tools to use to make repairs. He or she has a hammer, a wrench, a screw driver, and a few other common tools of the trade they keep within easy reach by carrying them in their tool belt. Each tool has a specific purpose and the handyman knows how best to use each one. A hammer wouldn’t be ideal to use for turning a screw nor would a saw be useful in grasping a pipe like a wrench could.
God’s “tools of the trade” are for our well-being. He gave them to us to use so that we can improve our health and finances, increase our confidence in His love, and to take advantage of all that the finished work of Christ provided.
Just as God’s armor has many pieces that serve different functions in protecting us (Ephesians 6), His tools of the trade also serve different functions in our lives, especially when it comes to our health. Here are some thoughts about how scripture impacts our health.
Proverbs 4:22 (NLT) clearly states, God’s words “bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.” Search God’s Word to find the healing promises and then ask Him how to understand and use their inherent power.
Scripture has a divine purpose. God sent His Word to heal us and save us from destruction (Psalm 107:20).
The Bible shows us how God fulfilled His Old Testament prophecies through the finished work of Christ in the New Testament. What the prophet Isaiah spoke has come to pass–Jesus Himself took away our infirmities and bore our sickness (Matthew 8:17).
God’s Word also builds our confidence in His love for us. This confidence is hugely important if we are to take advantage of all that His promises have to offer us (1 John 5:14,15).
In the upcoming weeks, I’ll share about the advantages and usefulness of the other instruments in my list of God’s tools. In next week’s post, you’ll see how communion plays a powerful, relevant role in our health…even in 2016 and beyond.
Need help with finding healing scriptures? Click the link below below to request my free pamphlet, Speak the Word Over Your Physical and Mental Health.
YES! Please send me the healing scriptures pamphlet.