Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good to those who love God and to those called to His purpose.”

Acts 16:22-34 tells about when Paul and Silas were thrown into jail for preaching the Gospel. These were bad circumstances, however, they praised the Lord. They did not put their eyes on the pain, cold jail cell, chains, rejection, frustration, people, anger, hate or rage; they set their eyes on the Lord in praise. That took faith and God had something to work with. He mightily showed up in the form of an earthquake, shaking the building, loosed everyone and they all stayed put! There was another miracle!

When the jailer ran in, he was sure they had all escaped,but they were still there. The jailer fell before Paul and Silas in fear and asked how to get saved. We can’t look at the circumstances.

Esther had to be brave. She could not focus on the circumstances that were threatening her life. She had to draw courage from the Lord who had called her for such a time as this.

We could discuss many others who put their eyes on the Lord and took them off of the circumstances. Circumstances must change when they come in contact with a believer standing in faith who knows their rights in faith. Set your eyes upon Jesus. The circumstances around you will become amazingly dim when you look to Him.

Colossians 3:2-3, “Set your mind on things above where Christ is seated and not on things that are here on earth. For you have died and your real life is hidden in Christ in God.”

After praying a prayer like this, confusion is lurking…waiting to pounce on anyone with such passion. It is wise to stay in the middle of the road and don’t make rash decisions. God is so faithful and will open doors of opportunity.

Four pieces of advice:
1. Stay faithful doing the last thing He told you to do until you feel an unction to enter the next phase.

2. Never allow yourself to be confused. God is NOT the author of confusion but of peace and guidance. Say to yourself: I know exactly what to do and when to do it. You are saying that in faith of course, and that gives God faith to work with. A righteous man’s steps are ordered by the Lord.

3. Guard against jumping out in the flesh. Let me write that again: Guard against jumping out in the flesh.

4. Don’t grow discouraged. No matter how small your faithful task may be at the moment it is still important. David was tending his sheep when he was anointed to be king. I knew a man who was a janitor who was promoted to being an assistant pastor. I know a woman who cleaned lint balls off of cloth who went on to be an evangelist. You may be at the janitorial (fancy word for toilet cleaning) lint ball removing point in your life but God has promotion on His mind for you if you are faithful.

There is an entry in my last book entitled: Trusty Brown Bible. It is about a lady with two small children who has a prayer life and wonders if it is accomplishing anything. Her heart is to change the world but her task at hand is to change diapers. So, while they nap she travels the world on her knees in prayer. The only thing that brings her back from being in the Spirit is the laughter of her children waking up from their naps. She goes from praying for war torn countries in other parts of the world, to the diaper genie in about 5 minutes turn around time.

Have you been there? Are you there now? It may not be diapers you are changing… It might be waiting tables or working a desk job…whatever the task, do it all for the glory of God.

God has open doors of opportunity and is desiring us to be very consistent until He opens the door. Wait on the Lord…watch and pray…stay put till marching orders come….be sweet to those around you… Don’t grow weary in well doing… Pray out other minister’s ministries… Sow seed like crazy and watch what the Lord does!

You are on my heart. Wait on the Lord. I would rather us be a little behind God than to jump out in front of Him.

Joy is a word that is harder for some people to fulfill more than others. Some people are naturally happy. Problems seemingly roll off of them and they continuously have a positive outlook. Then others so easily get their eyes on the circumstances.

When you are more in tune with the problem than with Jesus, you will have your eyes on people and serving will be a task and not a joy.

The only people we are to have our eyes on is the one true King, Jesus. The King of kings and the Lord of lords. He makes us the head and not the tail, we are above and not beneath.

The Bible instructs us to forgive so that God can forgive us. Corrie Ten Boom knew this all too well. One day, one of the guards from the concentration camp where she had been imprisoned, came up to her after she preached a sermon years after the war. He stretched out his hand to shake hers and told her that he had been a guard at the very camp she had been held. He commented that after the war he had asked Christ into his heart and now was so glad to receive her forgiveness too.

She stood paralyzed with horrible memories of his cruelty from days gone by. She did not want to shake his hand as if all were well. She prayed, “God, I don’t have any forgiveness inside me of my own for him, so I receive your forgiveness by faith.” She stretched out her hand and took his hand. She said a rush of warmth shot through her arm and she genuinely shook his hand and forgave him.

Be encouraged to keep your eyes on Jesus, forgive and serve with joy.

I have an awesome husband who encouraged me so much and great friends who helped me with the final editing, graphic design and cover photo. God loves to surround you with the right people who can help you accomplish what you need to do for Him. I also have a great publishing company who has been tremendous to work with.

This is my second book. I was more intimidated publishing my first one. I had to research how to do everything. It is like the question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That is exactly how you write and self-publish a book… one detail at a time.

The end result is so rewarding. You have told a story that God told you to tell and others read it and enjoy it. They tell you that it felt like you were right there talking to them.

I don’t mean to display any pride in this accomplishment. If I had not been inspired, funded and encouraged by God every step of the way, it would still be on my computer. As far as writing, I can’t stop! It comes to me in the night, in the day, at church , driving in the car… all the time! Words of encouragement flow like a river on the inside of me. If I don’t write or speak them I will simply overflow.

You are very important to me! You are my friend either in person or in this world we call a blog. Be encouraged to pick up your dream and work on it a little at a time… One day it will be ready for the world!

They are waiting for the end time harvest. God is waiting for the precious fruit of the earth. For God so loved the world that He gave His son. He is very interested in your unsaved loved ones joining us all in heaven at this great party! He loves your unsaved relative more than you do. He knows the number of hairs on their head; He knit them in their mother’s womb; He watched Jesus be tortured for their salvation knowing they might never accept Him as Lord…He was willing to take that chance.

Jesus commanded us to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. He taught us that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.

God is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

I am excited for this party! I could type so many names of those who have gone on before, but instead I am going to go pray for the ones still on earth, that need Him, so I will see them on that great day!

Bondage of any form feels so permanent but it is like paper. It is very fragile when it comes in contact with the faith of a believer who is speaking the Word of God! You can walk right out of it.

Joseph was in prison but he refused to let the prison get on the inside of him. Paul and Silas were in prison and they sang praises. It was not long that they were not in prison anymore!

There are countless stories in the Word where men and women were in rough situations and it seemed like they were not going to be set free, however, God triumphantly delivered them!

And suddenly everything changed! An earthquake hit the jail and all the doors flew open and the chains were loosed; and suddenly the Red Sea parted and the children of Israel walked through on dry ground; and suddenly Lazarus walked out of the grave…

What do you need? What paper room are you in? Stay with the Word! Speak the Word! Believe the Word! It will not let you down!

Healing is from God; feeling good and enjoying life, pain free, is from God. Healing belongs to us.

There are hindrances put in the way of our healing that trip us up from receiving. The devil comes to do that with lies or thoughts he puts in our minds. The devil says:

“God will heal you in His good time.” The Truth is: 1 Peter 2:24 says that by the stripes of Jesus you are healed! Healed is past tense!

Devil says, “Are you sure it is God’s will for you to be healed?” The Truth is: Jesus answered a Centurian and said, “I will come and heal your servant!” Yes, it is God’s will to heal you.

Devil says, “That thing you did wrong, God will not heal you now! It does not matter that you asked for forgiveness!” The Truth is: 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Also, 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The devil taunts us, “If God wanted you to be healed He would have already healed you when you prayed!” The Truth is: John 14:13, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” You were healed the moment you asked in faith. If you are experiencing nagging symptoms that does not mean you are not healed.

The devil says, “This pain will never go away.” The Truth is: Revelation 21:4,”And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.”

The devil says, “God put this sickness on you to teach you something good you needed to learn from Him!” The Truth is: Isaiah 53:5, “But he (Jesus) was wounded for our trangressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

“You are going to die from this!” The Truth is: Psalm 118:17, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

Let me ask you a question: If you think that any of the above italicized statements were from the Lord, then can you find in the Bible where Jesus said any of those statements to the sick?

I can find Jesus saying, “Let it be unto you according to your faith.” He said, “Daughter your faith has made the whole.” He said, “I have come to do the works the Father has sent me to do.” He said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” “Be not afraid, only believe.” Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” Psalm 118:17, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

Sweet Friend! God wants you well! He wants you pain free! His Son took this sickness on the cross for you! Ask Him to heal you and receive it! This is not a “teaching blog” that has not been lived out… I have lived these Scriptures! I have hung my healing on them many times and watched them work!

She has travelled all over the world teaching and preaching the name of Jesus. When anyone speaks of her their one constant theme is her love of Jesus. Because of her friendship with the Master her prayer life is rich and genuine.

She taught that God will answer the prayer of a saint who is in faith and praying according to His Word. Her relationship with the Lord is one anyone could follow. She makes it very easy to step in line with her to follow Him. When I went to Bible School she was an instructor. She held a class after school about prayer and she would lead us in prayer. Her prayer was for the precious fruit of the earth, for laborers to be sent into the harvest, for nations to repent and sinners to know Christ.

She was confident and her prayers were filled with Scripture. Her prayers were not uncertain, doubtful or insecure. She prayed boldly and confidently and led us right into the Throne Room of God. Her boldness dripped with love for Jesus. When the class was over the room was so full of the presence of God no one wanted to leave.

We can pray that way too. When we have Jesus living in our hearts we can come boldly to His throne and ask for things according to His Word. He wants us to do that. He wants to fellowship with us!

Most often following His leading is not a whole new big event.. usually it is a step the Holy Spirit has been nudging us to do for a while. It might be as simple as going next door to a neighbor’s house with a plate of cookies.. the thought is not new, it has been there a while, we have not acted on it because we did not realize it was from God.

There are times the path may seem uneventful but when we are obedient He always opens doors of opportunity for us we could not have opened for ourselves. He loves to surprise us with “and suddenly!” To be in line for the “and suddenly He opened a door for us” we must first be where He wants us to be standing. We think, “God where are you? When, Lord, when?” He is asking us, “Have you been faithful with the little things I have asked you to do?”

So, enjoy new enthusiasm for old tasks, do them with joy, inspiring all around you to be their best in Him and promotion is on it’s way… you won’t have to look for it because it will find you!