First of all, I started thanking God for the peace that I have with this whole looking for a house to buy ordeal. You know we sold our house several months ago but still haven't found the house that is right for us - we are being choosy - we don't want a huge house payment or a huge house - we just want a little more space and a reasonable house payment and most importantly, we want to find the house that God HAS PLANNED FOR US. This make some time and, as a family, we have been very patient and have such peace with the whole situation. You see, God worked out the selling part of our house perfectly - we never put a "for sale" sign in the yard, we never went through a home inspection, we never had to repaint - we were approached with someone who wanted to buy it for the EXACT price that we wanted to sell it AND is allowing us to rent it from them for as long as we need to. So, in the process, we were able to use the money we made from our house to get COMPLETELY out of debt, which, of course, being debt free is a Godly principle. God had it all figured out for us and led us right down the road of His plan. If He did that for the first part of the process, why wouldn't He do that for the buying part of a house? HE WILL - in His time and I am so thankful that I have a Father who wants what is best for my family - He doesn't want me to settle for just any house, He doesn't want me to get in a harmful, full of debt situation, He wants what is best for our family ALWAYS. We are trusting Him and look forward to seeing what the future holds.
Next, I started thanking God for being a Father that wants me to KNOW Him and for a Savior who desires to be my FRIEND. You see this flesh that I live in can send moments of doubt into my mind. There are times when I think I feel distance between me and God - it's hard to explain and I know that it's not God pulling away from me, it's me planting distance for a reason I can't understand. And, just when I begin to feel lonely or distant from God, God uses his gift of the Holy Spirit to give me a revelation of His love. Just the other day (after being sick for several days), I was frustrated, felt distant from God, had several questions going through my mind and, all of a sudden, as I was driving in my car, scriptures that I had read (encouraging scriptures) came alive inside of me. I began to understand the scriptures in a deeper way than I had ever understood them before. It was like I had a friend beside of me explaining God's love to me using God's own words (the Bible) to describe it. And, at that moment, I remembered, it WAS a friend beside of me - IN ME - showering me with His love and peace and comfort. Oh friends, there's nothing like it! My Father in Heaven loves me - not because of what I've done - but because of the sacrifice of my savior, Jesus. What joy that floods my soul!
Let me pause here and encourage anyone out there reading this that has felt distant from God or lonely. My hope is that my testimony that I just shared is an example to you of God's love and how He reaches out to us. You see, God respects His Word (the Bible) and when you diligently put the Word in you (read it, study it, pray through it), the Holy Spirit will bring it to life inside of you when you need it the most. It's never God leaving you alone - it's us that pulls away. God always wants to hear from His children. Just remember that....
Third, I began thanking Jesus for healing Luke of his seasonal allergies. Last year during the spring season, Luke's allergies acted up so badly that he kept a constant rash on his face. His tongue itched, his face itched, and his nose ran constantly. He had to take allergy medicine each day. Well, Jesus healed him. This year, Luke hasn't had one runny nose! Some people will say - he outgrew it, allergies aren't as bad this year - call it what you want, I call it a miracle and I am so thankful that Jesus heals.
Speaking of healing, I am also thankful that after I had the yucky stomach virus, no one else in my family got it. As soon as I got sick, I began praying the blood of Jesus to protect Luke and Landis from the attack of the enemy through the sickness and God has been faithful. Luke and Landis have been healthy as can be! That's not by chance and not because of Germ-X - it's a miracle! Believe it or not, I did not disinfect my whole house like some people would - I just trusted the Lord.
I could go on and on about the miracles that God has worked in my life....I really could...but for today, I will stop here. Through my thankfulness and the miracles that God has worked in our family, my prayer is that you see that Jesus still heals today. God still SPEAKS to His children today. Yes, Jesus sits at the right hand of God in Heaven but He also lives in us (through the Holy Spirit) and He is wanting to change lives (through us) - EVERYDAY!
You know, I sometimes wonder - why don't some churches see healing anymore? Matter of fact, why doesn't most churches see healing anymore? I have my thoughts - one part of that thought is this - people have quit believing that Jesus heals. I have even heard people say that healing stopped when Jesus died. Sad, sad, sad - this unbelief is keeping people in churches all over the US from receiving the healing power of God. Gang, Jesus STILL heals - He heals physical bodies, He heals minds of fear, anxiety, and depression, He heals hearts of being bound by sin and regret - Jesus IS a healer. If you aren't sure of this - read the Book of Acts. Acts was written after Jesus ascended to Heaven and the growth of the Church and the healing that took place through Peter and the apostles was in abundance.
In Acts, you see the Holy Spirit at work - example after example of the power of the Holy Spirit using our fleshly bodies as a vessel to heal and restore others. You see, it's not us that heals, it's Jesus in us that heals but we have to believe in His power. Read Acts - Study Acts - pray through Acts, and watch the Holy Spirit come alive in YOU! It's awesome, gang, awesome!
So, I leave you today, with this...when the Devil attacks you with annoying thoughts of doubt, sickness, or loneliness, don't dwell on it - if you have received salvation through Jesus, let the Holy Spirit rise up inside of you and attack those thoughts with the presence of God. When the Devil tries to creep into my mind, body, or household, that is what I do - I call on the name of my loving Father, my trusted friend and Savior, Jesus, and the presence of God arises so strong that I immediately KNOW who is in control - I KNOW to whom I belong - I am a child of God - through Jesus' sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection, I am in the family of God and my brother, Jesus, has already defeated the Devil, death, and sickness so I can boldly walk on in comfort and peace KNOWING that my Father God loves me and is watching over me!
Gang, if there is anyone out there reading this post and you want to KNOW that you are a child of God and you want to KNOW how to receive eternal life through Jesus, the Holy Spirit and I would love to share the Gospel of Jesus with you. It will change your life - SAVE your life. Just contact me at bumgarnernatasha@gmail.com.
Have a super Sunday! Thanks for reading!
Toddy
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