Speak Truth To Power!

Good morning to all on this Monday morning. It was pretty hectic this weekend. Waine and I snuck off to Orlando to see the Munchkins. It's been pretty cold in Georgia. Last week it was down in the single digits in the morning. Its supposed to be warmer this week so we are back to having a typical winter. The practice is going fine and now that school is back in session fro the winter break we have a lot of sick kids coming in daily.

I am continuing my journey in Acts 9 verses 32-42 "As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda.  There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.  “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.  All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.  In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.  Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon." Amen and may he Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Signs and wonders! Christ promised His disciples that they would be able to do all He had done and then more and it would appear that the "ACTS" of the Apostles described just that. Peter and the other disciples were able to convert large numbers of Jews and Greeks because of the miracles they performed--healing the lame and infirmed. Raising people from the dead. They were able to do this through the power of Christ. This account specifically states that Peer prayed and THEN commanded Dorcas to rise. Peter enlisted the power of the Holy Spirit and then SPOKE TRUTH TO POWER. Many people both Christians and not often voice why these powers are not with us today. I am not one of those. I don't need to know why some things happened in the time right after Christ ascension to believe that there is a God and our salvation comes through Christ, His Son. I KNOW that the redeemers lives and that He is here to assist me today with my own "Dorcas and Aeneas" issues. I am to ask believing and not doubt the power of God to provide the PROVISION for His VISION. I am to ask as if what I am praying for has already happened. Not compromise His power through my actions which means my unbelief. When I take matters into my own hands, I am not exercising my faith. My job, our job as Christians, is to channel the love and thus the Power of God through our obedience. I think these accounts are reminders to us that God is real and He provides real solutions so that others might come to know Him through our obedience.

To know Him is to Love Him. To Love Him is to serve Him. To serve Him is to love you. Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

The WORD!

Good morning to all on this Sunday morning. Waine and I are in Thomaston, GA just getting back from Kingston, JA. We had a lovely week there and got a lot accomplished. Its good to be back stateside and good to be home. Waine has said that it has taken me a while to call Thomaston home but it is that. I feel right at home here in this house my beloved chose. It is home base for now and we have hunkered in. Georgia had a VERY cold spell while we were gone. Temperatures down to 9 degrees. Our patients still showed up to the office though. Couldn't add a picture this morning. My Blog has been acting weird but we will prevail.

I am continuing my journey in Acts 9 verses 1-31 "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.  He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers." Amen and may the Lord ad a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Where God gives you a Vision, He will also give Provision. What an example of this phrase. God had a plan for the spreading of His Word, not only to the Jews in and around the Roman empire where Jesus lived, preach, died and was resurrected but to all the world and for this task he needed a Jew who could speak Hebrew and other languages. In comes Saul the tax collector who was both Jew and had Roman citizenship. Saul was well known among the Jewish hierarchy that sought to suppress the Word of God and the new church. He was chosen by Jesus because of his unique pedigree and also, I believe, was chosen because he had been so against the preaching of the Gospel. His conversion would draw many to this new faith because when some one so anti-anything is then converted the truth is then established much faster. What the early Church needed were converts that never new Jesus but was touched by the message He left behind. In Saul's case Jesus spoke to him directly.

This has been my EXPERIENCE as a Christian woman. In many instances in my life God has spoken to me directly; has given me visions of my future and the outcome of y prayers. It didn't mean that He always took a bitter cup from my lips; even in trials He gives me hope by reminding me that no harm will come to me or my seed. That everything that I touch and bless will be blessed. That I would not be given anymore than I can handle. My job through the trials is to leave the future to Him and to pray for direction moment by moment. It is during these times that I profess that I need not know the future, only the One that controls the future. It is during these times that I grow in m faith. I am going through a growth phase as we speak and I am encouraged by these scriptures.


It was true of Saul's time and it is true today. Remember that the early Hellenistic Church was rocked by Stephen's death and what God gave them to replace Stephen was Saul--a firebrand. Oh that we could have the faith to embrace that God has a plan for His Church and a plan for each of us individually. When we submit our will to Him and live within the confines of "the Church" we are not only safe we are blessed beyond measure. There are those who embrace the blessings of God through Christ but who have not turned their lives over to Him. They have a sad future. I have family members and friends who always ask for prayer in tough times but then don't remember the God of their deliverance in their "good times". Bad times and good times come in a twinkling of an eye and just as He got Saul's attention He will get the attention of all who are chosen. Wouldn't it better to come without having to be "blinded" to see? As Christians we are commanded to spread the Good News of the Gospel--unadulterated or altered. It is the inspired WORD of God and if He had wanted the message changed I am sure He would have done so. Our job is first to believe and then to spread.


Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.


Stephanie

Cross references:

1. Numbers 6:24 : S Ge 28:3; Dt 28:3-6; Ps 28:9; 128:5
2. Numbers 6:24 : 1Sa 2:9; Ps 17:8
3. Numbers 6:25 : Job 29:24; Ps 4:6; 31:16; 80:3; 119:135
4. Numbers 6:25 : Ge 43:29; Ps 25:16; 86:16; 119:29
5. Numbers 6:26 : Ps 4:6; 44:3
6. Numbers 6:26 : Ps 4:8; 29:11; 37:11, 37; 127:2; Isa 14:7; Jer 33:6; Jn 14:27

Worship in Spirit and Truth-Take on the whole Armor of God!

Good morning to all on this 1st Sunday morning of 2014! Waine and I are in Kingston, Jamaica and as I write this blog entry my beloved is off playing golf and I am enjoying this morning in  our "love nest" in  a sleeveless shirt sitting in 75 degree weather. My devotion for the week has been to give thanks for all things and my outlook has improved greatly. Its great to give thanks and to witness the glory of God!  There is record cold temperatures throughout the country and I am thanking God for the wonderful, warm weather on this little island that we love!

 

I am continuing my journey in Acts chapter 8 verses 1-40 "And Saul approved of their killing him (Stephen). On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.  Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.  But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,  because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.  When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that He may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” After they had further proclaimed the Word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. 

 

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”  And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. " Amen and may God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

All through the scriptures we encounter both true and false prophets. It was common that magicians could amaze people with tricks and feats. I know most of us believe that these accounts of people appearing and disappearing are not literal, but I believe in a Spirit world. Christ talked about it a lot. In the old testament God would talk with Satan all the time about the protection of His chosen. I believe in the "spiritual warfare" that Christ and the early church disciples talked about. I believe that what we see with our eyes is just a small portion of the LIFE that exists. I think the bigger part of our lives exists in the spiritual life that cannot be seen with our physical "eye"  but can be "sensed" and felt in our souls.  This is the essence of this chapter. The acts of the apostles as told in this chapter is in terms of the power of the Holy Spirit and also they meet Simon that channels the power of the dark spirits.

 

As Christians we are to arm ourselves daily with the whole armor of God. In Ephesians 6:10 we are told "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." We are told to expect spiritual battles daily and how to overcome and be victorious!

 

We were having dinner with a friend last evening and this topic of conversation came up. I am a firm believer that our struggles are  not just in the flesh. I believe that the bigger struggle is the spirit battles that assail us daily. That's why we are instructed on how to guard ourselves properly. Have you engaged in something you knew was inappropriate only to say "why did I do that" or "why was I so mean" or "why did I speak so harshly". These are the spirit battles we must guard against. Remember you cannot see Satan and his minions but they are there  none the less so guard yourselves.  Bless yourselves also. You have the power to do that as well. You can bless your life daily, Bless all of your endeavors. Bless everything you touch. The disciples did and we can do even greater things. We just have to believe. This is why I always end my Blog entries with" May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."

 

Stephanie