The One Who Came Back

 

Luke|17:11  And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he

passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

  Luke|17:12  And as he entered into a certain village, there met him

ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

  Luke|17:13  And they lifted up ®their¯ voices, and said, Jesus,

Master, have mercy on us.

  Luke|17:14  And when he saw ®them,¯ he said unto them, Go show

yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went,

they were cleansed.

  Luke|17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned

back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

  Luke|17:16  And fell down on ®his¯ face at his feet, giving him

thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

  Luke|17:17  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed?

but where ®are¯ the nine?

  Luke|17:18  There are not found that returned to give glory to God,

save this stranger.

  Luke|17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath

made thee whole.

Here in this setting of scripture Jesus was passing on ordinary day through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  There in a certain village, he met ten lepers which stood afar off. I’m so thankful I didn’t have to stand afar off like these ten lepers. Jesus couldn’t catch my sin disease of leprosy; he was the cure for my disease. Notice next they lifted up their voices and said Jesus, master have mercy on us.  I believe these lepers were not asking for sympathy they needed Jesus to change their life. They were tired of the lifestyle they were living. They lived in a time was not a lot of medical science going on no hospital or clinics as we know today. They just knew to say Jesus, Master have mercy on us. They were desperate for the touch of the master.  And he saw them. Jesus sees us were ever we are at, we just have to lift up our voice and cry Jesus, Master have mercy on me.  He told them to go and shew themselves unto the priest. And as they went they were cleansed. These lepers were obedient to what the master said, they went.  Then notice what happen one of them saw that he was healed turned back and with a loud voice glorified God.Oh if the church of the living God would publicize what Christ has cleansed us from, let the body of Christ not hide what the Master has cleansed us from. The one leper fell down on his face at Jesus feet giving him thanks. He took time to turn around stop everything he was doing just to give thanks. Jesus I give u thanks this Thanksgiving season let me join the millions over time to turn around and glorify you. I want to fall at your feet and worship you for all you’ve done in my life.  I was just like those lepers, one day Jesus passed by and I lifted up my voice and said Jesus Master have mercy on m!

    

Love Is

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 NKJV

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Why Fear Things, When Our God Is Bigger!

2 Timothy 1:7
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. "

When I was a little girl, I would always be afraid of Monsters in my closet, or things creeping in the dark. Then my Mother would tell me that when I was afraid, to say this verse over and over again, and my fear would go away. And you know what? It did. Sometimes in our lives we fear things that are unnecessary. Our God is bigger than any "Monster in the closet" or any drug addiction, or any hardship that you may be going through in your life. God has not given us the spirit of fear. He never intended for us to fear anything but himself. He gave us the spirit of power  and love, and a sound mind. Which means he never wants us to worry. Because in His hands, all things are possible, and if you just depend on Him, He will take care of all of your needs.  Our Father always has us in mind. He will check the closet for monsters and he will help you when you think no one cares. God loves you, always has, and always will. So next time you have any worry or trouble or tribulation, remember, God did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Hugs for Him!

Why do we lift our hands?

I was not raised in a church where people raised their hands. The first time I encountered this was when I was 19 years old. I went to a pentecostal church for the first time. I did not get saved that night, but God certainly had my number. I came back the next night and cried the whole service. Needless to say, I gave my heart to God that night. I was very eager to learn everything I could! I remember asking my husband about people raising their hands. I understand now. If you have always done something, and then one way someone asks you why, it might be hard to put it in words. So I thought I would tackle this question now that I know more about it.

We teach the children, raising your hands is an expression of your love to God. Simply put, it is like giving God a hug. We hug our children because we want them to feel our love for them. We raise our hands for the same reason. We want God to know our love for Him.

When do you raise your hands? How do you know when its a good time? Every time you think about it, do it! You can never show God too much love!

Psalm 63:4 KJV
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Genuine Love by Sister Norma Miles

It is very easy to tell your children, grandchildren, and family members you know, and even others you have come to know, that you love them. People think that to tell someone you don’t know that you love them is bizzar! How can you love someone you don’t know? The same would go for the question of how you can love God if you don’t know Him. When you are born again with the spirit of God dwelling in your heart, you can love as Christ loved. You are able to say “I love you” with the honesty that comes from the heart, and you are able to show love and compassion, even to those who seem unlovable!

John 13:34 

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Before Christ left the Disciples, He would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other the way Christ intended for us to love one another. Loving one another promotes the gospel, and people see the God that dwells in our hearts and a genuine love in the body of Christ. When we don’t have love for one another, then people really wonder who sincere, and reject the love that is demonstrated by those that ARE sincere!

To love those as God loved is to love and know God.  Have you ever told someone you didn’t know on a personal level you love them, and you automatically feel that spirit of rejection towards you, and get no response, or they act like they didn’t hear you?

That is exactly the way God feels when we don’t allow the love of God to rule and reign in our hearts, so that we can demonstrate the true love of God towards others.

1 John 4:7-8 

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

So if we have the love of God in our hearts, we can love all who cross our path, whether we know them or not! Because of the spirit of the Lord that dwells in our hearts, when we are born again of God’s Spirit. We can look through the eyes of God and say, “I love you!”

The Butterfly

1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

There is a theory in the science world called the “butterfly effect.” This theory says that the slight movement of the butterfly’s wings can affect the atmosphere in a series of motions that can lead to big results. Example? They claim that a butterfly flapping its wings can cause swirls of wind, that leads to other swirls of wind, and hundreds of miles away, it can lead to a violent storm.

So what am I getting at? Do you ever feel like you are just a tiny, insignificant creature in a giant universe, and nothing you are doing is changing anything, anywhere? Do you feel like you pour into someone day in and day out, pray for them, fast for them, believe God for them, and never see any results? I’m telling you, don’t get disheartened. You are working for the Kingdom of God, and you are sowing those seeds to the kingdom. You may not see the results. The results of your prayers may happen hundreds of miles away. Or even in another country. But God is taking notice.

I remember at Christmas one year, we had a Christmas party for the children. We had them all write a short note on a slip of paper for each person there, and put it in a bag to be picked up at the end of the party. When it was over, we were so exhausted, and still had to clean up. We were really just scraping bottom, if you know what I mean. I started reading the notes in my bag, and came across one, and I felt the presence of God come over me. It was like God Himself wrote it. What did it say?

KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

One of the children had written this on my paper. But what an encouragement. Keep going! Keep doing! Keep praying! You may not see the results, but they are there!

God's Desire

Psalms 27:8   

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

Do you set your heart to seek His face every day? Do you focus on Him? Do you long to come closer to Him? To be drawn? His eyes are fixed on you.  He wants you. He’s come for you. He wants all of you. Not just one day a week. Not just one hour a day. He longs to completely take you over, that you are not yourself anymore.

2 Corinthians_5:17   

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Become a new creature in Him. Let Him totally, completely, immediately take you over. Let Him change you.  Cry out to Him today! Change me, O God! Make me hungry. Make me thirst. Create a desire in me that cannot be explained.

He wants to show you His beauty, His glory. Focus on Him.  Spend time lying before Him in worship.  More of You, and less of me, God! The cry of my heart, is more of You. Let me be the fragrance of God on Earth.

He is calling out right now. Yield to His voice, and answer His call. Listen to His heart. Learn to worship Him. Learn to love Him more and more every day. Answer His call today. He longs for you. He loves you. He desires you.

Affectionately HIS

Colossians 3:1-2 KJV

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

We are told to set our affection on things above, not on things on Earth.  Set you affection.  This brings to mind a certain young man I know.  When he was in high school, he set his affection on a girl. Now at the time, she would have little to do with him. But he absolutely would not give up. He carried her picture in his wallet and showed it to us often saying, this is the girl I am going to marry. He had her name on his keyring. He was always talking about her with a smile on his face.

This is what we are called to. We should set our affection on our Lord Jesus Christ! His name should be forever on our lips. We should be smiling while telling everyone we meet, "This is the One I love!"

Get your mind off of this crazy sinful world! Stop looking at it with longing eyes.  I love a verse God showed me years ago when my eyes were beginning to wander.  It simply says "Remember Lot's wife"

Don't look back at the sin you used to be in. Stop wishing you could. Start living your life to please the Lord you serve. I want to bring Him glory!

So let's purpose in our hearts to set our affection on Him.  Read about Him. Pray to Him. Love on Him.