My parents were just taking me into the doctor’s office for a check-up. What they didn’t know was that my doctor had discovered I had a heart murmur, which is an abnormal sound he shouldn’t be able to hear. The hospital staff ran a few tests and determined a parent’s worst nightmare: their baby needed open-heart surgery. My actual diagnosis was called an atrial septum defect. That basically means that I had a hole the size of a half dollar in one of the walls of my heart. That led me to contracting congestive heart failure, which is an inability to pump enough blood to meet my body’s need for oxygen.

I was too young for surgery just yet, so I lived with my problem for a year before they decided to perform it. My mom told me later on that I was sick for a really long time after that. Honestly, even though it put a tremendous amount of stress on them, I’m glad it happened so early so I didn’t have to remember having to go through that situation. Knowing what I know now, it has made me understand that so many other people are living like that without ever realizing it. Let me explain.

Although everyone may not have the same physical diagnosis as I had, everyone does have the same spiritual diagnosis: a hole in their heart. Even I used to have a spiritual hole in my heart that I tried to fill with everything except the love and grace that comes through a personal relationship with God and His Son Jesus. I tried to fill that hole with cursing, greed, pride, lust, and even pornography. For years, it began to open this already gaping hole even wider until it got to the point where I lost a lot of things that I had built up for myself. Relationships, trust, my reputation.

So often, people think that they can do this on their own; they are independent and don’t need anyone else’s help or support. They are self-sufficient. If they can’t fill this hole by themselves, then how is someone else going to fill it for them? They don’t understand what it means for someone else to intervene on their behalf in order to save them from themselves. That is exactly what God does for each of His children that allows Him to take control. I am alive today not because of my earthly doctors, but because of my Heavenly Father, the great Physician. He loved me enough to want to fill a hole that I single-handedly tore open in order that I may give the same heart back to Him someday. He has that same love for you.

I have a scar on my chest to remind me of God’s grace, and I used to have a hole in my heart that God miraculously filled with the power of His Holy Spirit. Isaiah 53:5 says this…

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

The punishment He endured was for you and it can bring you peace if you will allow it. By the scars on Jesus’ body, you can be healed, if you will allow Him to fill that hole that keeps you from making you whole,  that keeps you from knowing Him wholly.

We all have our holes. We also all have the same God. In whom we can trust to make us a new creation. I’m a living testament of what God can do with a broken heart and a broken life.

You can be too.

Out of darkness you made it light.

Out of sadness you made me smile.

I remember you very well.

You took my heart in your hands.

You loved me and gave me strength.

You smiled and I felt warm inside.

You kissed my wounds and I was healed

You touched me and I was whole.

You spoke and I understood.

You walked and I followed.

You showed me the way.

You gave me rest.

And I found freedom.

You let me believe and I was saved.

You forgave me.

And I cried.

You died and I was found.

You gave me everything.

And I praise your name.

When all was lost you were there.

When everything was dark.

You brought me into the light

And I believe in you.

You said that because I did I will be forgiven.

That is all I need.

Nothing more.

Just you.

James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

By Andrew Ryan Duckworth

My heart is bleeding fast

So much blood has drained out

From breaks that I can’t mend.

On god do I depend?

 

As I walk this strange path

I hold my heart’s pieces.

And how can I contend?

On life do I depend?

 

I’ve thrown my life away.

No more can I pretend

That I’ll be healed again.

On me I can’t depend.

 

Luke 5:12-13

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

¹² In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

¹³ Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

Great! Jesus has healed another bloke that we don’t know. He seems to do this time and time again to the point where we get bored of reading about it. We get it. Jesus has power to heal. There is one later on where he heals TEN men of leprosy (Luke 17). So, what is there to learn from this story? Where is Jesus when he preforms this miracle? He’s in “one of the villages”.

Now this is Israel about two thousand years ago. I’m certainly no theologianist but I don’t need to be to know that a village in that part of the world is hardly the most glamorous place to be. No power, no prestige, no political impact and it could well be a very unpopulated village as well. Why then would a man, who has come to save the entire world, choose to go to a place like this? 

There are many reasons I can think of and I’m sure you can think of many more. Jesus sets us an example. He goes in search of one person. One person who desperately needs a touch from God. Who’s physical and spiritual life depends on that one touch. All too often we have desires as Christians to reach as many people as possible. We desire to preach to a large crowd, or to worship lead thousands of people. These desires are not bad. But Jesus desired to help this one person.

Verse 16 tells us that Jesus often spent time in prayer alone. He spent time searching for Gods will in His life. At this point in His ministry, crowds were beginning to follow Him. He could easily have been satisfied and justified in teaching and healing those who came to him. Lets relate. You are part of a Church. You help/lead a ministry within the Church. It’s successful and people come to you to find out more about God. God then directs you to go to a remote village because there is someone who does not know Him. Someone who needs a touch from Him. Do you leave your ministry and go?

I hope your answer would be yes. I’d hope mine would be too. People with leprosy were avoided in those days and considered unclean. We may not meet people with leprosy these days but we will certainly meet people who are considered “unclean” by society. The homeless, the drug dealers, the gang members, the prisoners. All people that need a touch from God. They need Jesus to reach out and touch them.

Jesus isn’t on earth any more. We are. We need to be Jesus to the world. We need to go. We need to reach out. We need to give people a touch from God. Just like Jesus did.

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After letting go of all my baggage at the retreat, I began to think about this problem again, but in a new light. After months of feeling unworthy and angry at myself for caring too much, I finally realized that caring too much isn’t a bad thing. Sure it makes you vulnerable and makes you feel like people leave all to often, but in the end I would choose  caring too much over not caring enough any day. The whole reason why I care so much for other people is because I want them to know that they are loved and someone out there cares for them. I don’t want them to feel alone or like no one cares about them enough to listen to there problems. Because I will listen. I will listen at 2 a.m., I will listen at 3 p.m., I will always be there to listen to you and to what you have to say. Sure it sucks when it seems that no one cares for me in return, but I like to think that I am affecting their lives in a positive way and then they will affect someone else positively and thus in the end, someone will come around and affect me in a positive way.  The key is to care as much as you can, but don’t lose yourself along the way. Care for people, but don’t forget that you are important too. Don’t spend too much time caring for someone else, that you forget to care for yourself first.

For those of you with the same problem that I used to have, all I can tell you is that, if you really do care for others, keep on “caring more” because chances are there are some people out there that need you to care for them and maybe they aren’t strong enough to reciprocate that love back to you, but the best you can do it to keep caring for them simply because they need you to. There will be times where you just want to give up because people don’t care as much as you do, but hang in there because the whole point of caring for others is to make sure that the other person is okay and to let them know that you are there, even when they aren’t there for you. People will come and go, stand your ground and love like you’ve never been hurt. If you stop caring and loving, then you never know how many great people you could have met and gotten to know.

-Kim

We all are, in our own way, and although sometimes I feel like I’m the only Saint in this World… I AM a sinner.

I feel hopeless. I feel lost. I know what it is that I’m doing wrong. I know it’s a sin. But I do it anyway. In fact, just today, I was committing the same sin that I thought I’d conquered months ago. I’m not saying what it is, but as far as I know, it’s a bad sin, and I know it’s wrong, but I do it anyway. 

Yes, I do pray.

Yes, I try to be good.

Yes, I feel awful afterwards.

No, I don’t stop. I carry on, begging God for pardon afterwards, but still doing it now and then. I’m so bad, aren’t I?

But that’s where Jesus comes in. Yes, with the beautiful, luscious locks, which fly in a breeze that seems to surround only Him, with His glorious smile, and His love shining as a bright Halo around His head. 

“I’m lost for good.” I say, standing there in the shadows, too afraid and embarrassed to show my face. He takes my hand and gently leads me out. “Ah, but that’s where you are wrong, little one.” He says. “I’ve come, not just to save you once, but to help you conquer for good. You’ve got your weapons of Faith, Hope, and Love? Good, you’re just a few miles from victory.”

He scrutinizes me. Yup, there they are, the ugly stains of all my sins. Some darker than the rest. Jesus shakes His head, picks me up, and dips in His wounds. And I’m cleansed, in His blood, His sweat, His tears. I’m clean. I’m pure. I’m all set to start again. 

“Oh, you are so little.” He says, looking at me. I see in His eyes the same expression that my mom used to make at me, whenever I would attempt to do something that only grown ups could do. “But by my blood, you are saved.” Jesus reminds me, and I actually comprehend it. 

In the olden days, as it is mentioned in the Holy Bible, people would make sin offerings. Either a calf, or a bull, or some or the other kind of offering. Following this, they were pronounced forgiven and absolved from their sins. But God noticed how our sins kept growing. There was no point in making all those sacrifices. (Plus, wouldn’t the animals become extinct? Sorry, I’m an environmentalist. I just HAD to put that in.) God decided that there had to be a sacrifice that, once and for all, would save us and remove the scars of our sins. And for this reason, in the little area of Bethlehem, a shivering little baby was born to a Carpenter and his young wife. This baby was destined to carry out God’s plan. Years later, He bled every last drop of blood from His weak body. And that blood is what saves us now.

“Jesus, I try.” I say, then stop as I’m overwhelmed with self-pity. I can’t really talk with all the tears flowing out. But my Jesus understands what I mean to say. “I know. I’m watching. Imagine MY plight, having to watch you sin like that? That too KNOWINGLY?”

I really sob now. I ‘m a very bad little girl…

“No, no, I’m sorry.” Jesus says, coming over to comfort me. “I know how weak you are. But think about this – Did you know that the devil loves to tempt those who are actually on the right path? He just wants to push them off again.”

I consider that. That’s true, I was comparatively better than before, and as I’d mentioned earlier, I’d completely overcome the main sin in my life… Which came back to me today. “Was I really a good girl?” I hiccup.

“Yeah, you were the saying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy!”

I sniffle the tears away.

“You started the Fifteen Prayers of Saint Bridget again!”

I smile a little.

“You, um, made a confession just last Friday.”

I smile a little more.

“What else did you do?” Jesus asked Himself, but unfortunately, I heard that too. I frowned again. Jesus hastened to stop me before I began crying again. “Okay, well, you were going on the right path. A little temptation from the Devil, and you embraced it and jumped to the wrong path again…”

“It’s my weakness!” I exclaimed, helplessly. “He knows I fall for it…”

“Yes, we all know that. Let me tell you something. Do you know how Dominic Savio, Gemma Galgani, Laura Vicuni, Alphonsa, and all of the others became Saints?” Jesus paused dramatically. Wow, He’s good at public-speaking. He must have been there to help me when I nervously spoke on the mic at school. Everyone else thought I was great – only I knew that I was a nervous wreck. “They all overcame their temptations.” Jesus continued.

That’s true, I realized. They became great Saints because they not only avoided sins which COULD have tempted them, but they OVERCAME THEIR OWN GREATEST SINS, despite the fact that committing those sins would have caused them pleasure. I remembered how St. Dominic Savio was wrongly accused of messing up their teacher’s stove, and even though He was actually  innocent, he took the blame. Wouldn’t he have been angry at the accusation? Wouldn’t he have loved to just to beat up all those classmates who blamed him? I know I would’ve gotten mad and yelled my head off to prove my innocence. But the humble little boy understood God, and so he overcame his anger and kept silent, even through his punishment of kneeling in the corner. 

“Don’t just accept that this sin is your greatest weakness, and then commit it!” Jesus told me. “When an angry dog is charging at you, you don’t run straight towards, accepting that you are too slow to outrun it! You run away anyway, and you shout for help. Do that now too. When the temptation comes at you, call me. Come to my Cross, cling on, and hold tight. Take it as a chance to pray, for yourself, for the World, until the temptation has given up and gone away. But don’t succumb to the sin. DON’T EVER GIVE UP. Remember child, you are weak on your own. But with me, you are strong. You can conquer.”Jesus looked at me again, those big, beautiful eyes describing how much He loves me. My unclean eyes felt almost too miserable to look at Jesus, but our eyes locked, and I was trapped in His gaze. Jesus held me close to His Heart. 

“Don’t worry,” He said soothingly. “I won’t let you be away from me even for a moment.” I looked up at Him, and He still had His comforting gaze fixed on me. “I’m here for you.”

We need to let Go while We keep holding On 

Purging a new word, I have been dealing with this past month. I have a garage full of containers with practically my whole life in them. I need to go through and toss the majority of the stuff but just cannot bring myself to do it. It is memories. Memories of when the kids were young and we were all each other had. Not much has changed but Jon has moved on and Harlee will be soon. She is my last and in five short months, she will be 18. My babies are grown and now I am looking at…. Purging.

We also have this purging in our Spiritual Life. Purging old habits that cause us to sin and come short of God’s glory. Purging of new habits we had no clue we had and Purging of forgotten habits we thought we had already dealt with. God has a way of reminding us when we need to start purging by pulling not so pleasant things up and allowing them to rest rather unpleasantly on our hearts as well as our minds.

I have some things God has shown me in the past few months and I am so reluctant to allow them to be purged. Things I think I need because they feel a void in my life. A void that God totally wants to fill. Things that bring me pain although they seem to bring me comfort at the same time. These things are called memories or in spiritual terms Strongholds. They sneak in on you when you are not looking after you thought you had gotten rid of them. They attach themselves to your heart and they grow and grow until you realize they are BACK.

 It is hard to let them go because we grow so dependent on them. They are sin because they give us a false sense of hope and they come between God and us. Sin is anything that comes between God and us. Strongholds are tools of the devil that cause us to take our eyes off God and place them on ourselves. They cause us extreme pain because they are so familiar, so comfortable we do not want to release them. Just like my containers full of memories, I want to keep them packed up nice and neat and carry them around with me wherever I go just IN CASE I might need them.

 Strongholds like these containers are weighing me down making me unable to move forward. They are things that really do not matter much anymore and need to be PURGED. Is God dealing with you today about your Containers? You are not alone and I am willing to come up beside you and go with you and help you PURGE yourself of this unnecessary weight so we can move on together.

So many days in the past few months have I felt like getting out of bed let alone going to work or writing and keep up with my blog. I know you know what I am talking about and I am here to tell you without God I would not make it and I would probably not be here. Living with full blown FMS is sheer hell and I will be the first to admit it. God has sustained me and has kept me while I battle this disease. I am so thankful I have a God who has my back. Trusting Him as there is no other who understands what I and others like me go through in the bad times.

This sounds quite silly if you do not know about the spiritual dimension to all our lives, however it is a very positive state of mind to live by.

We exist in a physical realm, however we also live in a spiritual realm.

Right now even though I am sitting at my desk in my study I am also sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2 v 6).

Right now even though I have wants and needs and indeed suffer some illness I have everything I can ever need including healing, wholeness and prosperity already given to me (Ephesians 1 v 3).

How can this be?

It is possible because part of us is spirit; we are made of spirit, soul and body.

In our spirit man we have been created new (2 Corinthians 5 v 17) and been created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4 v 24) and indeed possess everything already that we need for a life of super abundance.

We may not be able to see this yet in the physical realm with our physical eyes but it can come to pass if we “see it” in the spiritual realm; that is if we trust, believe and understand these spiritual truths.

This is what Dave is talking about when he says he is “fixing his eyes on what he cannot see”.

We cannot physically see the spiritual realm however we can see it (understand it) if we focus on these truths that we see in the Word of God; if we focus on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

I urge you today, start fixing your eyes on what you cannot see; is it healing, or is it acceptance, or is it prosperity; fix your eyes on the truth that God has already placed inside of you in your born again spirit.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for the understanding that I am part spirit and thank you for the super abundance that you have already given me within”.

Hebrews 11 v 1…..Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

It was the middle of the session spent talking about my childhood and relationships. I had just finished telling stories of my past. Stories filled with facts, but empty of feeling.

After I finished, Dr Tan locked eyes with me. I saw wisdom, strength, and grace in her. She saw the lie in me.

Photo Credit: youremysilverlining

And she wasn’t afraid to say it. “You keep your emotions in a suitcase. You carry them tight to you. You decide when to open them and when to keep them shut. You need to stop doing that.”

Ouch. The truth hurts.

Like many people, I carried hurts from my past. Low self-esteem. Loneliness. Broken promises. Bad relationships. A shattered heart.

With each new hurt, I packed my suitcase and grasped it tighter. Knowing that others could not be trusted. Knowing that if I let my feelings out, they would get stomped on. History had proven it. I wasn’t going to make those mistakes again.

I didn’t even do it on purpose. Holding my emotions locked tight in a suitcase was instinctual. It seemed to be a type of self-preservation.

It was actually a type of self-destruction.

Keeping my suitcase locked up not only prevented hurts from coming in, it prevented hurts from going out. I needed to let go of some of those old wounds. I needed to let the anger escape so it would not turn into bitterness. I needed to let the grief escape so it would not turn to misery. Inside the suitcase, they were festering. Without open air, these emotions were like mold spores, slowly ravaging my heart.

My suitcase was also a barrier. In effort to protect my heart from being broken, I was keeping my heart from being expanded. I was 26 years old  then and in danger. I had so much life in front of me. So much potential for love and joy. But only if I let them in. Only if I was willing to open the suitcase.

Perhaps the biggest problem with my suitcase was that it kept my hands full. I was not created to cling to my emotional control. I was created to cling to God. I had to learn to hand the suitcase over to Him.

I had to learn that my heart was better off in God’s hands than my own.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

I was trying to create my own peace. By never truly being open, I would never truly be hurt. But humans were made for community. Any peace that comes at the expense of love is a false peace. I needed the peace that comes only from God.

The Bible does not promise that we won’t be hurt by others. It does not promise that others will always be trustworthy. What it does promise is that God is always trustworthy. That He can give us the strength to do things that are difficult. That He can give us rest. That He can give us security.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:5-8)

An amazing thing happened when I learned to give more and more of my suitcase to God: He opened it for me. And it wasn’t scary. It was natural.

It makes sense. My Creator knows my story. He knows how I have been hurt. He knows how I think. He knows how I feel. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows how to love me. He knows how to help me. He knows how to change me.

I joined SFC. I’ve got beautiful friends who fear and love the Lord. They have made a big impact in my life. Some of them gave me letters, there were a few common words used to describe me by one of my closest friend in the community (SFC). Women who had only known me a few months/year. They used words like vulnerable, authentic, real.

They had no idea how remarkable it was for me to read those words. Words that never would have been used to describe me before I sat on the psychiatrist’s couch four years ago. Words that never would have been used to describe me before I learned to hand my heart to God.

I think the suitcase has been destroyed.

Praise God:)

For me it used to be for not praying enough or not tithing or not attending enough church meetings; that was when I lived under religion and legalism.

Now that I am free from this type of condemnation there is a different type that can sometimes creep up on me; and I think this may also be true for other believers that have discovered the message of grace.

I preach and teach that we have been given all that we need into our born again spirit through our trust and belief in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

This, among many other things, includes healing.

Yet, I have been ill for a number of days now, unable to write my DIG since Wednesday.

As a born again believer with all the healing I need in my spirit already and with the Living God inside me, surely I should be condemned that I have been ill and not appropriating what Jesus has provided for me.

Well, that is what the devil wants me to feel and is also what he wants you to feel if you are not seeing the full manifestation of the Lord’s provision in your life, but it is not what the Lord wants.

He does not want you to be overcome by condemnation (Romans 8 v 1).

Yes, we all have the potential for full healing to be manifest in our bodies through His finished work on the cross (Isaiah 53 v 5 and 1 Peter 2 v 24) and even in my time of illness I saw a number of victories and manifestation of healing.

However we are all on a journey of study, understanding and revelation about His Word of truth and we are all at different stages. We see different levels of victory and yes we do still have set backs.

But please do not let this condemn you; let yourself be encouraged that God is not holding anything back from you and that you can change your situation.

If you are ill today do not condemn yourself; focus on Jesus and on the truth in His Word and press on for the manifestation of your healing.

Do not allow the devil to force you into condemnation.

Speak this out today….”Thank you Lord that I am on a journey of understanding and revelation; thank you that I can choose to remove condemnation from my life”.

Romans 8 v 1…..There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit

PS – I will fill in the gaps in my DIG over the coming days…….

Time to Reflect

So many days we just go through the motions. Spring has been long coming and the winter months have been merciless. What I have found is we need more then just everyday activities or friends or even family. Sometimes the sadness and loneliness get us down and we need help to get back up. If your suffering from Seasonal Depress and/or stress and Anxiety I can help. I am offering sessions for these and any other type of distress you are going through. Please feel free to send me an email so we can go ahead and set up your free evaluation and make some plans to Nip this Seasonal Depression in the Bud. 

Who I was – is irrelevant.  That person is dead and buried.  That person is no longer present.

Who I am not – I am not sick or dying, I am not meek, I am not overwhelmed, I am not anxious, I am not fearful, I am not doubtful, I am not who satan says I am.

Who I am  – I am full of health  & excited about life.  I am bold in what I believe.  I am confident in Whose I am & what authority I have.  I am strong.  I am secure. I am protected.  I am a New Creation. I AM who God says I am.  I am forgiven & redeemed – I am Loved & Blessed.  I am a Child of a King with an inheritance that I don’t have to fight for because I am secure in my standing. That is who I am……

I was also processing Jesus not being in the tomb anymore and what He left behind.  He left His grave-clothes behind.  So I thought about what that would look like in my life.  If I got out of bed, left my grave-clothes behind, and placed a New Wardrobe on…what would it look like?

Well, my old wardrobe was full of labels that the enemy had given me.  Sickness, disease, hopeless, abandoned, forgotten, neglected, victim, etc, etc.  This wardrobe was doing nothing but killing me….so it had to go.

Now, I am allowing God to choose which labels I wear.  He wants me clothed in Righteousness; with Garments of Praise; and with the Best Robe.  He wants my labels to project that I am Chosen, Saved, Blessed, Restored, Redeemed, Healed, Adopted, Anointed, etc, etc.  These are the labels a Child of the King should be wearing.

So on Easter I received a New Wardrobe.

I walked out of the tomb, left my old grave-clothes behind, and clothed myself with labels that have been fashioned specifically for me.  For the first time in my life, my clothes fit perfectly & and I will never have to worry about them going out of style.

I have been given the greatest gift this Easter…..A New perspective.  The old is gone and this time & I will not roll the stone away to resurrect it.  That is one ‘self’ that needs to stay in the tomb. 

As we gather today to rejoice and celebrate the life of Christ and His  all-powerful resurrection from the dead, the Holy Spirit has put a message in my heart this morning to share.

As I am sure you have read in the Word of God at some point that we (those who are in Christ), have passed from death unto life! Glory to God. And remember we are New creations in Christ , old things have passed away and all things have become New. 1 Cor. 5:7.

But some days we don’t seem new, we let our tempers flare out of control, we let our eyes & ears see or hear things that are not exactly pure and wholesome. We seek out revenge. We fall back into our old ways before we were in Christ. Then we feel terrible, and so God please help me!

Well let me share with you something today. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit who Jesus sent to help us that we can overcome sin. If you read in Eph. 1:19-22 You will see that God’s power is directed toward us who believe. This is the same power that He manifested when He raised Jesus from the dead! Glory to God, because when God raised Jesus from the dead His power overcame death, sin, sickness and every ungodly force for all time for you and I!! Do you understand what God has done?! Remember we are joint heirs with Christ, and when Jesus was resurrected God set Him above every name that is named! That means we can overcome the devil at every temptation, at every moment of this wonderful new life Jesus has given us. We are not helpless in the fight against evil ! With the mighty name of Jesus and faith in His name we are more than conquerors through Christ! Hallelujah, glory to God!

So what must you and I do when we are in one of those moments when the old ways are the ones that are trying to be resurrected? I ministered to someone one time who was a Christian but had let their guard down and fell prey to the temptations of the enemy, and although they felt terrible over it and would cry and ask God to forgive them. Yet time and again, they went right back to the same sin over and over again. Then one day as they came forward for prayer, this person just did not seem to be able to overcome this weakness. As I ministered to them the Holy Spirit gave me a special word for them. He said , ” Now God has forgiven you and washed you with the blood of Jesus, you are free and clean! But my child do not resurrect this sin!”

Wow, how powerful! You and I have power to resurrect these things that we left behind in our old life, the sins that since we have been born again we gave in to. Beloved on this resurrection celebration of Jesus, purpose in your heart and mind to put all sin back in the grave today. Let it die once and for all!

How you may ask, #1 1John 1:9 says God is faithful and just to forgive us of sin and cleanse us of all unrighteousness if we confess our sins and repent. Turn around and go the other way. # 2 Once you have got these sins whatever they may be under the blood of Jesus, remember God washes them away into a sea of forgetfulness, He no longer remembers them. Those sins are dead! And as the Holy Spirit spoke to the person, I referred to early, you are the only who can resurrect them. How would you resurrect them ? By dwelling on them in your mind, thinking on them , speaking about them. This is how you resurrect them. Just say NO DEVIL , YES JESUS! You have power in Christ!

You are the only one who can do this, I can pray with you and for you. But I cannot do this for you. You have to take a stand, dare to trust God. Forget about your feelings, such as; I just feel so ashamed over it and I feel so terrible. Yes you should be ashamed of sin. But once it’s under the blood of Jesus it’s not your sin anymore. You  were cleansed of it, remember don’t resurrect it!

Today is a new day! Let’s start fresh again, thank God He is a God of second chances! He longsuffering and merciful. So on this celebration of life in Christ today beloved, throw those sins down at the feet of Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and step forward into this glorious resurrection power in the mighty name of Jesus!

Right now if you have not ask Jesus to come into your heart and save and give you eternal life, Jesus loves you and is calling you to come into the family. Ask Jesus to save you and forgive you of your sins. It’s just that simple if you mean it from your heart when you ask! So welcome to the family!

My dear ones now if you have sickness, pain, disease put your hand as close to that area as possible its your moment of Glory. Right now in the name Jesus, I rebuke every sickness and disease and curse it at the roots in Jesus mighty name! Father, now let your healing power flow into each one reaching out to you now and make them whole, deliver them from bondages and set them free! I thank you Father for theses mighty works right now in Jesus name!

Beloved if you’ve been touched by the power of God today begin to thank God daily for the work He is doing in you! Then tell me about it.

Now as I go, remember it’s your turn to start fresh today. Then go forward without guilt or shame,  once God forgives He forgets. But Don’t Ressurect that sin by thinking on it or speaking about it. Once that sin is in the grave leave it buried and go forth to celebrate the true life and new life full of God’s power and love in Christ!

Until next week, continue to live expecting a miracle because it’s your moment of glory!

Remember, Jesus loves you personally and so do I!

jcm70@me.com

1 Peter 2:24

Isaiah 53:5

Reviewing the Master Cleanse
The Lemonade Detox diet first became effective, strangely, when its creator, Stanley Burroughs, recommended it for the healing of stomach ulcers. In his book “The Master Cleanser”, he goes on to share how he first came to test the Master Cleanse diet on a patient who was suffering from ulcer for three years. Left with no other recourse, the patient approached Stanley who recommended that he undertake the cleanse. After eleven days, the patient was totally healed to the amazement of the doctors. Many other cases followed with same consistent and astounding results corrected within ten days. Of particular note also was that those undergoing the Master Cleanse also experienced a reduction in weight.

If there have been doubts as to the veracity of Stanley Burrough’s claim of the Lemon Detox diet’s effectively, there have been testimonies over the years of its efficacy. Of recent vintage is Tom Woloshyn’s work, “The Master Cleanse Experience”, published by Ulysses Press in 2009. This book briefly mentions Woloshyn’s experience in advising clients who has undergone the Master Cleanse program and provides among other insights health benefits which include better sleep, positive outlook, clarity of mind and freedom from addictions. He, thus, advocates keeping a journal to monitor developments as well as a reference for future use when undergoing the program for the second or many more times over.

The Master Cleanse operates on the principle that, for disease to be addressed, cleansing must be undertaken. Simplifying and correcting disorders through this process is actually a way of correcting every disease. Developments in nutrition and science have clearly identified improper diet, negative mental attitudes and inadequate exercise as the factors that create the conditions to produce toxin build up over time. That is why the Master Cleanse is not an end to itself. It is actually just the tip of a long chain of healthy decisions of those who wish to undertake it. Observing a healthy diet, regular exercise as well as stress reduction is essential in maintaining the gains that the Master Cleanse Detox diet can offer.

Surrendering to the process
Undergoing a detox diet is just like preparing for a marathon. It is necessary to keep sight of your goals or you stand to be cast in the wayside, a victim of your doubts. Tom Woloshyn offers this delightful insight when encouraging first timers who wish to undertake the Master Cleanse, fully knowing its side effects firsthand. Defining the outcome after having identified where you are, and what you want to achieve is the next step to achieving the goal you have set for yourself.

According to Woloshyn, some people prepare themselves before undergoing the detox by going on a vegetarian diet. It’s less stressful on the body and makes the transition to the Master Cleanse easier. For those who regularly take coffee or soda drinks, a gradual reduction in intake are recommended as well as taking pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) to help prevent the onset of headaches brought about by caffeine withdrawal.

People who have undergone organ transplants as well as those on immune suppressant drugs cannot take the fast. Woloshyn warns that the cleanse stimulates the immune system while effectively inhibiting the results of the drugs, this combination will most likely lead to the organ transplant being rejected by the body.

How to do the Master Cleanse
The Lemon Detox diet is a cleansing program and encourages only the intake of lemonade made from the following ingredients: lemons, pure maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water for a minimum of ten days only.

To create the mixture, mix the ingredients in the amount instructed by Burroughs and drink a minimum of at least six to twelve glasses of the concoction daily through out the day. Drink the lemonade whenever hunger pangs strike.

A laxative must be taken in the morning and then in the evening. Using a salt water flush instead of a morning laxative can also be availed of instead. However, be sure to observe at least three bowel movements in a day. This will ensure that the waste accumulated in the intestinal walls is totally removed.

Always enjoy the Master Cleanse lemonade drink fresh and do not subject it to microwave as doing so will minimize its effectiveness. For each successful day, the psychological need to eat is slowly overcome full, providing confidence and a sense of control that motivates the person undergoing the diet.

Breaking the Master Cleanse is just as critical as starting it. On day one coming off the fast, immediately after the end of the master cleanse, slowly introduce orange juice into the diet. Day two will see the introduction of vegetable soups and broths. Day three observe a diet of fruits and vegetables. Be careful not to overeat or eat too soon and drink plenty of water. Slowly ease your self to a normal diet and avoid meat, fish, milk and eggs.

After undergoing the Master Cleanse, it is advisable to eat wisely. The gains derived from the Master Cleanse diet will surely be a powerful foundation to change old habits and start a life free from disease.

The lemonade recipe
The original recipe by Stanley Burroughs produced fantastic results for almost 50 years. However, some have been promoting alterations of the original recipe. The problem with this arrangement is that they are done without understanding why the original ingredients work. Since the Master Cleanse is essentially a juice fast, adding shakes, cayenne pepper capsules or protein powder in an attempt to improve its efficacy is self defeating because it reduces the efficacy of the diet.

The purpose of the program is to give the digestive tract a ten day vacation, so adding things to be digested does not contribute to the objective of the diet. Stanley Burroughs in fact discourages the intake of supplements and vitamins during the program because it interferes with the body’s elimination system. Furthermore, the natural sources of vitamins and minerals already found in lemon and the maple syrup already provide for the body’s needs during the detox program.

Other alterations include mistakes in the ratio of water through modification of the original recipe and dilution. This modification defeats the purpose of the minimum 6 drinks a day because it is more than the amount of water required. It is best to remember that variations on the process and especially in the recipe will not produce the results that originally worked for the many that faithfully followed the original Master Cleanse program and lemonade recipe.

This is the classic single serve recipe provided in Stanley Burrough’s book:

2 (tbs). of lemon or lime

2 (tbs). of genuine maple syrup

1/10 tsp cayenne pepper

10 oz. water (hot or cold as preferred)

For those who cannot enjoy their lemonade, Tom offers this alternative:

1. Mix equal parts of lemon juice and maple syrup as a concentrate in a dark container. Keep this mixture cool.

2. Make enough concentrate for as long as you are incapable of making the fresh lemonade juice.

3. Every time you want a glass of lemonade, measure 4 tbs. of this mixture in a glass.

4. Add water and cayenne pepper, stir and drink. The maple syrup preserves the lemon juice and prevents oxidation of the vitamin C and enzymes.

Tom Woloshyn fondly recalled Stanley Burrough’s remarks. He was said to have repeated many times over a phrase most technical people use when instructing frustrated customers, “When all else fails, follow the instructions.” In order to ensure success and experience the benefits of the Master Cleanse Detox diet, it is essential to understand how to do the program properly. Faithfully following what has been prescribed is the first step in this direction.

I have been broken.  It has happened once in my life.

Busted-up, bruised, beat down, torn apart, anxiety and fear-ridden and in despair … I’ve seen a lot of those things in my life.

One day, I knew I was completely broken.  I never denied Christ when it came time as a young adult to walk – or spring – to the altar for the first time.

But once, in a country not my own, in a house temporarily my living quarters, on a carpet that I was happy to have, I was broken.

It was the day when I knew only God could work the miracle I needed and for the first time in my life I felt compelled to hit the floor.

I poured out everything I had harbored and asked God to show me what else was in His way of healing me.

“I want you to have it God – all of it.”

Broken became repaired.

Broken became healed.

It started that day, in my soul.

A week later I walked into my military hospital to return my records from the German Neuro Surgery clinic.  My legs walked and my face beamed as I “accidentally” ran into my doctor.  His face lit up and he knew I had been healed.

I said, “God did this.”  He said, “I can see that.”

After a big hug of thanks, I turned on my heels and left to wander the hard cobblestone and brick streets of the city with my family.

Broken, healed, and free.

*******

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At one point I just sighed Jesus’s name. And there was no embarrassment felt, since the surroundings, the singing, everything was so solemn.

I could just imagine Heaven being that beautiful, that angelic-sounding singing, that incense burning. It was so traditional and solemn.

And when we did the Our Father prayer and held hands, again I almost lost it. Because if there’s one thing I long for, it’s unity. Unity…

Not to say that worship at Bible churches or Baptist churches isn’t super holy and solemn and beautiful, but… I don’t know. Tonight was just really special. I was so completely just lost and on a whole other level.

Oh Jesus…

And how did I get to St. Mary’s? I was walking to the Commons to get milk, and I ran into Joel and Nico, who were on their way to mass.

…

God, You truly are sovereign.

I had told Joel that I wanted to go to St. Mary’s. For quite a few Sundays, I’ve been meaning to visit St. Mary’s. I need healing, I need to completely let go of that grudge and anger towards the Catholic Church.

And after tonight, I’d say Jesus pretty much took away a lot of that ugliness. I wouldn’t say I feel angry anymore, but there is still that sour taste lingering.

But while I was there, I just focused on the fact that I was there to worship Jesus. His week. His time. Not mine.

Plus, my God is the same everywhere, whether it be in a Catholic, Methodist, Protestant, Lutheran, Bible, Pentecostal, or Presbyterian church.

Except Mormon and Jehovah’s Witnesses churches. And Islam.. Because Jesus is God.

P.S. When I’m at Bible churches and Baptist churches, I feel like I’m at a lecture or something. It isn’t a bad feeling, because I really enjoy learning and actually understanding what’s going on.

P.S.S. I was left wondering if attending a traditional mass/service every now and then can help us evangelize more effectively.. I’m trying to figure out a formula, the ingredients, that will result in a super motivated Christian anxious to tell the world about Jesus.

I was a normal kid growing up.  I played sports as a youth and thought I was going to the Major Leagues or NBA.  However, I wasn’t that good.  I was tall for my class but I lacked the speed necessary to be of any significant value to a team.  My major setback: I was born pigeon toed.

I didn’t think much of it except when I tripped over my own two feet.  When I did, it was embarrassing, especially when another classmate pointed out that I “walked funny”.  So I just ignored it and lived to deal with it.  I wore insoles for my shoes that helped “correct” my walk.  I certainly didn’t lose sleep over it.

I was raised in a home unaware of the availability of Jesus’ healing power to move in and through believers.  We went to church but it was pretty boring compared to what I see and experience now.  I never saw miracles, healing, signs or wonders.  I never heard a prophetic word or someone speak in tongues until I was a junior in high school.  Being saved was all there was.  Heaven was something we waited for, never something we bring to earth.  God’s will was more of a guessing game rather than being realized through a relationship with Him.  Being raised in a church like this, I never had anyone in my life that was baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit to pray for healing.  I, being ignorant of the power for God to heal today, never sought this kind of help from a believer.

When I finally learned what was available through the finished work of the cross (beyond the forgiveness of sin), I felt robbed.  I felt robbed that I had no teaching growing up about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I was clueless.  It wasn’t my parents’ fault.  They were clueless too.  Nobody had ever taught them either.  When I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, a passion was stirred to make sure others who wanted everything God had for them were not robbed any longer like I was.  Ever since, the power of the Holy Spirit has wrecked me.  Now, I want it to wreck my generation, the next generation, and every generation to follow.  Our influence isn’t limited to our generation.  Our mission is to affect nations and generations.

By this time, I have seen many people healed.  But I never received healing for my pigeon toed self.  One morning, at Destiny Church in Spruce Pine, NC, my friend Aaron was healed of the opposite problem I had.  Rather than having feet that turned in, his feet turned out.  Our friend Richard spoke a healing word over Aaron and his feet began to straighten out.  Later that night at Immersion on Appalachian State’s campus, I heard the testimony.  If it happened to Aaron, I wanted healing too!  God is not a God of favorites – He loves us all equally!

I asked Richard to speak a healing word over me and I began to feel my feet turn out with sensations moving all the way up to my knees.  I stood up, moved around, began to walk, and my walk turned into a run as I thanked Jesus while getting used to my “new feet”.

The Lord wants your lost years restored.  He wants you stirred to believe for your own miracle, healing, and breakthrough.  Don’t be robbed another second.  Receive the fullness of His love now!

Jonathan Fawcett

Jonathan (left) with his first cousin, Ryan (right).

Click here to read a great testimony of miracle healing from autism. Praise God!