Tonight we are in prayer for a family close at hand. We are reminded of our own struggles in similar areas and we are reminded of the very real battle we all do face as saved believers. I am reminded of the battle that was waged for me eleven years ago and of the hard fought victory that was won by the mighty hand of Jesus, through the prayers of the church, the faithfulness of the saints.

My wife reminded me tonight of the dire need to not "move from the wall", the hedge of protection that must be mounted around our children. We must be firmly planted on the wall, not allowing the cares of this world to distract us, not allowing the wiles of the enemy to move us off our God appointed post.

Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, Chapter 6, verses 10-18, from the Amplified Bible:

"In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].". (Amplified Bible)

Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.

Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people)

As the people of God, as His children, as His chosen and bonded saints, we fight. We fight or we are defeated in this world.

All armies have a purpose, to overcome the enemy. We, saved believers, have a purpose as the "Army of God", to stand against the enemy.

Satan and his troops fight, not against God, but against you and me, God's army in this world. We have a need to resist the strategies of the devil. The war is real.

Put on the armor God prepared for you to use in this battle. Use it. Use it in the confident knowledge that Jesus won the victory, but we must maintain the peace, in the power of the Holy Spirit, using the weapons and strategies God left here for us.

It's a real war and there are very real casualties; our children, our spouses, our families, our friends, our cities, our countries.

Some deny the existence of Satan and his demon warriors as myth, fantasy, metal illness, or as some aspect of the bible long gone and "not for today". He is real, he is here today and he will be with us to the "end of the age". We have a need to be mindful, to be prepared and to not waiver; to stand.

Stand, hold your ground, lift up the shield, swing the sword.

Chuck Swindoll mentions 1 Corinthians 16:13 as a charge to men, to dads.

Verses 13 and 14 state, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.".

This is a man in the faith, alert, standing rock solid, not confused about who he is, strong and unwavering, uncompromisingly filled with the love of God for those around him.

I want to be like this. Father God, help me to be like this.

Help me to keep my mind, my eyes, my ears open to the truth and to not be misled in any thing, by anyone. Help me keep watch over my family and friends.

Help me keep my feet firmly planted on The Rock. The Truth has set me free, hold me up that I may not waver in any direction.

Father, I want to be the man You designed me to be, confirmed in You.

Give me the strength to endure the trials that beset me and to give a solid arm to those who need the same from me.

Help me to love, my God, with a pure and undefiled passion that overflows of Your love. Help me to be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Help me show my wife and my children You, working in me.

Help me Lord, to be a man.

Git R Done!

Long before Larry the Cable Guy lifted this bit of southern dialect from Ben Johnson's character in John Wayne's "Rio Grande", Jesus reminded us to be about our Father's work.

In John 9:4 Jesus states, "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.".

We have work to do and we need to be steadfast about it.

As we begin our new year, I challenge you to keep Jesus' challenge fresh in your mind, and ask you to hold me accountable to the same.

Our Lord has given to all of us the discipleship commission found in Matthew 28, the task of spreading the Good News, to be a specific light to and in a dark and dying world.

Each one of us will also be given specific tasks from our Lord, using our personal spiritual gifts, to further accomplish His will in a variety of arenas.

We are designed to be involved, to be participants in God's plan for this world. Each one of us has a responsibility to seek out and discover the Lord's specific call on our life and then to "Git R Done" to God's glory!

superheroes

"Superheroes are strong, cool, helpful men and women. You can depend on them in every kind of way to help when you need help, to fight for justice, to protect the weak, and to defend the world."

My young friend Caleb wrote these words in a recent essay, and as I read them I considered some of the roles of the church.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

In Matthew 25:34-36, Jesus said, Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me."

In our American culture, we often look to the government to provide care for the sick, the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the misguided and the lost; but that's not what our Father in heaven had in mind. We, the church, are blessed to be a blessing.

God gave Himself for us. He desires us to give ourselves to others, to be super heroes to those in need, "in every kind of way to help when you need help, to fight for justice, to protect the weak, and to defend the world.".

We who call ourselves by the Name of The Lord have a mission. Let's work together to fulfill that mission.

it's all His

Psalm 24:1 (NAS) "The earth is the Lord's and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it."

Each one of us is a caretaker. We are provided by God with the things of this world and are expected to be good stewards of these provisions; we must carefully consider how best to serve God and give glory to His name with them.

I must purpose to be a faithful tither, cheerfully returning to God the "first fruits" of His provision.

I must be watchful for opportunity to bless others with my abundance and with my lack.

I must be faithful in praise and in thanksgiving to the Giver of all creation.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NAS) "And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work."

The first instance I have found recorded in the Bible of one person praying for the healing of another is found in Genesis 20.

God tells Abimelech in a dream that he should return Abraham's wife to him and that Abraham will pray for him, God's curse against him will be removed and he and his family will live.

Gen 20:7 "Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.

Gen 20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could bear children, Gen 20:18 for the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife."

Our Father has long used the prayers of His children to affect the lives of others in this world.

Why do atheists expend so much energy railing against something they believe not to exist?

Then He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will never harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well." (Mark 16:15-18)

"… they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well."

Jesus said that I will get well; that's a promise.

Several weeks ago, as I prepared to begin a new set of treatments for swollen lymph nodes brought on by leukemia, four believers laid hands on me and prayed for my healing. During their prayers I recalled this verse and grabbed on to the peace that came with the remembrance.

I have received a variety of interpretations on this verse. Some say, "It is not for today" but I can't find anything in the Bible that supports their view.

Others say, "Only the 12 apostles had that power" but Jesus said "these signs will accompany those who believe" and I count many more than 12 believers in the world; at least five were in my dining room that day.

Some would argue that I am taking the verse out of context. In the preceding verses Jesus is rebuking the eleven apostles because of their unbelief.

Then after this, He appeared in a different form to two of them walking on their way into the country. And they went and reported it to the rest, who did not believe them either. Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected. (Mark 16:12-14)

Hardness of heart affects our level of belief.

Strong's Concordance tells us that the Greek word used for believe is pisteuo, "to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one's spiritual well being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.".

A believer is one who has placed their faith, their trust, in Jesus; in what He said and in what He did; one who believes and trusts that Jesus is true. A believer trusts that Jesus has paid the price for their sins. His shed blood covers them from the cross. A believer trusts that Jesus's promise to give them an eternal life is true. A believer commits himself to Jesus as Lord of his or her life.

I know the four who prayed for me that day would fit into this category. I know they believe that Jesus is true.

Earlier in Jesus' story, He gave specific authority to the 12 disciples to heal (Matt 10, Luke 9)

Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. (Matt 10:1)

As you go, announce this: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge. (Matt 10:7-8)

Later He expanded the authority to include 70 others.

After this, the Lord appointed 70 others, and He sent them ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself was about to go. (Luke 10:1)

Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near you.' (Luke 10:9)

He gives it to us.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: (Mark 16:17a)

He gave a commission to the eleven to be passed on.

Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matt 28:18-20)

The authority was passed on to others and signs and wonders followed.

Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8)

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and preached the Messiah to them. The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. (Acts 8:5-8)

I can't find any times limits on this authority, nor can I find any cause to believe that it was a short term assignment. Jesus told us that those who believe will manifest signs, among them the laying on of hands and of healing.

I have seen it, it has been done through me and it has been done to me. Why will I doubt it now?

Why do we struggle with sickness? Why do we tolerate illness among us? Why is the church not a vibrant, healthy testimony to an unbelieving, unhealthy world?

"Repent," Peter said to them, "and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, "Be saved from this corrupt generation!" So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers. Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.

Now all the believers were together and had everything in common. So they sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. And every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved. (Act 2:38-47)

The key to our receiving the promises of God lies in, I believe, the "simplicity of heart". We struggle to lay hold of God's promises because our world, our culture, our minds rebel at the very notion that Jesus is speaking to us across the sands of time and that it is, should be, can be, will be, just that simple.

Jesus said "these signs will accompany those who believe".

Why is it so hard for us to believe that line?

When they reached the crowd, a man approached and knelt down before Him. "Lord," he said, "have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."

Jesus replied, "You unbelieving and rebellious generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to Me."

Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was healed. Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

"Because of your little faith," He told them. "For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matt 17:14-20)

Faith, the size of a mustard seed, is required. We must grab on to the promise of God and not let it go! This miniscule portion of faith required to see God work is sometimes overwhelmingly huge in our eyes and in our minds!

I have seen sick bodies healed and restored. I have received this same healing in my own body and have seen others healed as God worked through the touch of my hand. In moments of uncompromising faith, I have seen God work, Jesus' promise fulfilled.

The norm, however, is that I think too much and doubt God's Word. I don't believe it every time. My faith is weak, unstructured and lazy.

Then He asked them, "What are you arguing with them about?"

Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."

He replied to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me."

So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

"How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father. "From childhood," he said. "And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

Then Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' Everything is possible to the one who believes."

Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief." (Mark 9:16-24)

Oh Lord, help my unbelief!

Herein lays the difficulty most of us face; we do not believe God's Word all the time, or we do not believe all of it all the time! We struggle with unbelief.

Jesus said ""these signs will accompany those who believe"".

Why do I have a problem believing that 24/7?

Unbelief. A weak heart.

"On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation.

Now the Scripture says, No one who believes on Him will be put to shame, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How welcome are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!

But all did not obey the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ." Romans 10:8-17 (HCSB)

Faith comes through hearing and hearing through the Word of God.

Ten years ago, shortly after I came to know our Lord, I was continuing to struggle with sinful thoughts and desires, impurities that I thought should have been "washed away". I cried out to God and asked Him when these thoughts and desires would leave me.

He let me know that it had taken 44 years to fill my mind and my body with the knowledge of and desire for sinful things and that it would need to be gradually washed out, flushed out, by the filling of His Word.

I received a picture of my body, filled to the brim with sin. The lid, my mind, was now off and ready to receive new information, God's Holy Word. His Word would gradually flush out the filth within me until I was full of Him instead of sin. His promise to me that day, was that a new mind would accompany a new body, the new creation, but that I needed to do the work and allow Him to do His work in me.

I have not been faithful over these ten years, to allow this work to proceed as planned, to allow myself to be consistently and continually "flushed out and filled up".

"Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one." Rom 12:1-3 (HCSB)

My faith level has not grown according to what God has designed for me to have. My "measure of faith" is weak because I have not allowed my mind to be "transformed" according to the plan God gave me. I have not been faithful in daily study, prayer and fellowship with God.

A weak will performs weakly.

In understanding the weakness of my faith, however, I am jubilant in that understanding.

Ten years ago, God gave me a message of renewal. That formula is good for today.

I can still be "transformed by the renewing of (my) mind" and my faith will become stronger by the hearing of the Word. In that strengthened faith I have the hope of seeing God's promises lived out in my life and in the lives of others.

Can we "move mountains" today? Can the sick be healed with regular consistency through the hands of believers?

Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Then Peter remembered and said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed is withered."

Jesus replied to them, "Have faith in God. I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for--believe that you have received them, and you will have them." Mark 11:20-24 (HCSB)

I believe, based upon my understanding of God's Word, that healing is available to us today through prayer and the laying on of hands of faith filled believers.

Lord, help me to not doubt!

I believe that God's Word is true, from cover to cover.

Lord, help my unbelief!

I believe that I have been healed of my leukemia through the laying on of hands of faith filled believers.

Lord, help me to see that which is!

My wife asked me why I was continuing treatment if I believed that I had been healed.
Why indeed?

Lord, help me to walk in my belief!

My white cell counts have returned to normal and the pain I have been experiencing is almost gone.

I thank God and I praise Him for his mercy to me.

Greetings everyone,

Some folks have missed some of the information concerning my current condition and I wanted to get everyone up to date on what is actually going on in my physical life.

I was diagnosed last year with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). The condition remained relatively dormant, with a slow growth rate until recently when I began experiencing sharp pains in my abdomen, resulting in a trip to the hospital and a variety of tests. The concurring diagnoses were that my lymph nodes on both sides had grown to the point of applying significant pressure to nerve endings, resulting in the pain. The pain randomly fluctuates from a dull "pressure" to acute.

I have been receiving chemotherapy for the last 2-3 months, with the goals of reducing my white cell count back to normal and reversing the growth of the lymph nodes.

So far the pain remains; I will see the Doc next week to test my white cell counts.

While I have been blessed to not have any of the side effects of the treatment itself, I am experiencing general weakness and fatigue, some nausea, some loss of appetite (might be from the treatment, might be from the disease) and I must be cautious to avoid situations where I might pick up lingering bacteria, germs, viruses, etc.. This makes life interesting and I thank God for Purell, spray disinfectant and disinfectant wipes!

I am working, having to miss work sometimes due to extreme fatigue or pain, but for the most part life goes on, much more slowly than I like, but, it is what it is.

I am learning that this is not a life ending experience, but instead an opportunity to examine my life and to evaluate those things that have real purpose.

God has blessed me and my family with an abundance of faithful friends and family and the prayers that are lifted on our behalf are too wonderful to believe. God is faithful.

I am hopeful that, in God's time and according to His purposes, this burden will be completely lifted and all will be well. In the meantime, we adjust.

I thank you again for all your prayers and for your support.

Smelling the roses,

Steve

I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Psalm 23, A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Surely my cup overflows!

I have been blessed with an abundant life. I have a family, a home, a job, food to eat, clothes to wear and a roof over my head.

I have two hands, two feet, two eyes, two ears and a mind that may be fashioned to Christ's own!

I have this body, that while suffering wear and tear, is restored from time to time.

I have time and opportunity to serve. I have resources beyond measure to use for God's glory and to advance His kingdom on this earth.

I have heard the good news.

I have believed and received His great gift.

... and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Amen