The Majestic One

For the LORD is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies is his name! 

- Amos 4:13 (NLT)

I love Scriptures about the might & power of the LORD God Almighty! Oh, how majestic, powerful, yet beautiful & compassionate is He! It's a mind-blowing phenomenon that the omniscient, one & only God would have such great love for us that He would send His one & only Son to save us from the bondage of our sins, to set us free once & for all from the law & sin & death for all. This gift is freely given to all who will believe & accept Christ & obey His Word. When you get a chance, read Habakkuk 3. It shakes me up to hear about HIS POWER! Job 38 is another magnificent Scripture about the infinite wisdom, power, & sovereignty of our God! Oh, may we be filled to the measure with all the fullness of God! May we press on to know Him more and more every day, never remaining satisfied with where we are of Him because He is just so good we need HIM more and more. HE must become greater and greater, we must become less & less! May we present our bodies as a living sacrifice before Him. May our lives, worship, prayers, and study of the Word be a pleasing aroma to Him daily. May we all set aside time daily to spend alone with Him! May we come to know the power in His Name: Jesus! May we have the power, together with all God's holy people, to know the height, depth, width, and length of the love of Christ! May we be more than just hearers of the word, but actually do what the Word of God says. We may work to enter into that rest. We know the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few-- we ask The Lord to send laborers into the field. Light the flame to a never ending, all consuming fire that will forever burn in our hearts to fall more in love with The Lord JESUS Christ daily & strive to bring a smile to His face.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

In His Amazing Love & Compassion,

Rachel Marie 

Christmas Blessing

Because it is so powerful and moving, I wanted to share a few of the lyrics to probably my very favorite Christmas song, titled, "Mary, Did You Know?". I am not sure who originally penned these words, but I do know that God's anointing was upon the author's hands.

Mary did you know that your baby boy

Will one day walk on water?

Mary did you know that your baby boy

Will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered

Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Will give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Will calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby

You've kissed the face of God?

One of my very favorite Christmas songs! What's your favorite Christmas song? This one is so powerful. My favorite line is, "Mary, did you know when you kiss your baby boy, you've kissed the face of God?" Oh, what a glorious privilege Mary had to get to kiss the face of God in her earthly life! She didn't have to wait until she got to Heaven to kiss our Beautiful LORD & Savior. Can you fathom kissing the face of the all powerful, one & only God? The God who LOVES, saves, heals & delivers all who are willing to commit their lives to Him.. Seeking His beautiful, Pure, and holy face.. Keeping His commands.. Diving into His Presence not just on Sunday but every single day, we need to DIVE INTO HIM: into His Word, in prayer & pure worship. Oh what a beautiful surrender it is when we give all of our hearts, all of our lives, all of our worship over to Him. 

Father, in the name of Jesus,

I pray over everyone who will receive this message. May those who aren't saved or those who have strayed come running into Your Awesome Presence, your loving arms once again. May their spiritual eyes, ears, & hearts be opened unto to Your Truth, your light, Your peace, love, mercy, & grace. I pray that all their friends and family would be saved bc we know that the GRACE OF GOD is so merciful that He offers salvation to ALL PEOPLE (Titus 2:11). God, let Your servants draw nearer to You so You will draw near to them. Help us fall more deeply in love with Jesus every single day. Make us willing to obey You & surrender every aspect of our lives to You. Thank You that by Jesus' stripes we are healed: physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually! Thank You for the birth of Jesus.. That When He died & was resurrected, He redeemed us from the terrible bondage of sin & sickness. The veil was torn & we do not have to endure the agony of separation from God when we submit to You. Thank You that we are fulfilled by You. Nothing will ever satisfy the restless hearts until they surrender to Jesus.

Help my brothers & sisters in their times of trials & encourage them & lift them up.

Help them To be a blessing to others & guide them to show Others the infinite love of Christ! I pray Your will be done in the lives of my family & loved ones, just as Your will is done in Heaven. Help us bring more Glory to Your Name. Bring healing & restoration & please restore the years the locusts have eaten.

Remind them they are Never alone. May they all be filled to the measure with all the fullness of God.

In Jesus' Holy Name I pray,

Amen

Remember that the Birth of Jesus is the real reason we celebrate. He came to this earth to be an example of how we should live & to redeem us from all of our sinful ways. He bore away our shame, guilt, sin, sicknesses. Glory be to God! We have so many reasons to rejoice in HIM. He has given us so much to be thankful for: Salvation, Peace, Healing, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Comfort, Compassion, Freedom... & so much more. Through CHRIST, comes EVERYTHING good. He wants you to let Him be your everything so He can fill you up to the measure with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). Like a loving Father, He gives you everything you needs & cares for every meticulous detail of your life. Don't forfeit our loving Father, God, for the things of the world that Satan tempts you with. Surrender & celebrate Christ. Oh, He has given us so much.. May give to others, just as He has given unto us..

Think of & pray for those in need this season. It is a very lonely time of year for some. Most of us can do something to help someone out this Christmas, something to give to someone in need. Here are a few suggestions: visiting the nursing home, hospital, or serving in a local soup kitchen. You can make a donation to a soup kitchen if you cannot volunteer. Think of those who are starving, orphaned, & widowed this Christmas. Ask the LORD to show you how you can help these people in desperate need of love this Christmas & help supply needs to them that are taken for granted by most. Show the love of Christ this Christmas season & in every season.

God Gives Freely & Graciously

Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?

- Romans 8:32 (NLT)












Also wanted to share the Amplified version:

He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, 

will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things? 

- Romans 8:32 (AMP)




Glory to God! He gave up His Son so that if we accept Him, we have our ticket to 

Heaven. Not only that, but He has given us so much more & believe me: the benefit of going to Heaven rather than Hell is beyond miraculously amazing in itself. But HE HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH MORE!

---

*** A little off the overall subject but the most important piece of this blog. Bear with me for a few paragraphs & I will get back to the main topic.. but please don't skip over this. IT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE. ***

Note: You may think you are a good person and God would never send you to Hell. However, all of us would be going to Hell if it wasn't for the beautiful, finished work of Christ on the cross, because no one who has ever walked this earth or ever will has been without sin, except for Christ. I am going to share this to demonstrate:

I love the way it was put in one of the movies in the Left Behind series. This clearly demonstrates that no matter how "good" of a person you are, you are still required to have a relationship with Christ to get into Heaven. While hearing a message preached on salvation, one man walked out of the church. The character Kirk Cameron played followed behind him, trying to reason with him. He was desperate for this man to be saved. When he talked with him, the man said something along the lines of, "I'm a good person. I've never killed anybody or anything. How could God send me to hell?" Kirk Cameron explained that our standards of being "good" are different than God's standards (The 10 Commandments & other things God asks of us in His Word). So Cameron asks, "Well, have you ever told a lie?".. the man reluctantly says, "Yes, who hasn't?". Cameron continues, "Then you are a liar. How many murders do you have to commit to be a murderer? Just one. If you have told even one lie, that makes you a liar. The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). You may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin, but God does." (Note: God has the final say on whether or not you get into the Kingdom of Heaven, so we have to go by His standard's if we don't want to spend eternity in hell, because you don't get to live any way you want and then call the shots of where you go when you die - only if you repent & turn from your  sin can you enter the Kingdom of Heaven.) In the movie, he goes on to ask the man if he has ever looked at a woman lustfully, because God is so holy that even if someone looks at another person with lust, he/she has already committed adultery in his/her heart. He asks one more question (I can't recall). Anyway, the point is, he used this to show him that he had already broken 3 of God's commands, at minimum. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Without Christ, we would have little to no hope of going to Heaven. But BECAUSE OF HIM, we can rest assured that as long as we walk in Him (in obedience to His Word) & with Him personally (Seek Him with all of our hearts).. we can go to glory with our Savior and be eternally rewarded for living for God. 




THINK OF IT THIS WAY: Many say it's too hard to change, that they would have no friends if they changed, people would judge them because they "knew them when..". It doesn't matter what others think, although I know it's hard when you lose friends (been there, done that!). But what is worse? Live for Jesus & go to Heaven or live like the world & spend eternity in permanent turmoil with most of the world. You decide. For me, the decision is easy when you consider eternity. And you don't get to choose when you leave this life. You never know when it might be. God alone knows. How you live your life here determines where you spend eternity, which lasts infinitely longer than anyone lives in this live.




We ALL need to be forgiven by God. He is willing to forgive all your sins, when you come sincerely to Him & willing to turn from your sinful ways. Then, He will save you. When we get truly saved, we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Some people will use the lies of Satan to tell you that you cannot be saved because you've done this or that or the other. But when you give your life to Christ & truly change your ways, your spirit is re-born.. which means you become a completely different person on the inside. The change will be evident and a testimony to all who know you. Whether they acknowledge it or not, they will see through your example that anyone can be saved and if you can be saved, they can too (God offers the gift of salvation to ALL PEOPLE - see Titus 2:11).





To further demonstrate what it means to be "a new creation in Christ", I'd like to share this story with you. I shared it in my previous post, but it is very profound & worth sharing again, in case you missed it. At one of our revivals at my home church, Evangelist Dr. Peter Dobie shared this story. He lived in South Africa for a long time. While ministering there, he witnessed this. The tribal people take Scripture very literally, and I believe we would do well to follow their example. This is about a man named Joe. A group of a Joe's friends (well, his ex-friends, I guess) was mocking him for getting saved by reminding him of all the things he used to do. He said, "Are you talking to the old Joe or the new Joe?" May we grasp this literal revelation of how God has changed us and restored us so completely. So when I am ashamed at things I refused to give over to God in the past, I have to remember, that was the old Rachel. This is the new Rachel who is completely sold out to God. I am a changed person. And you can be, too..

---

 In addition to the gift of eternal life, we have His peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:6-7), His healing for any possible way we might need it: whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual (Matt. 8:17, Isaiah 53:5, Deut. 7:15, 1 Peter 2:24, Heb. 13:8, Malachi 3:6), His Love Unending, His compassion: The Holy Spirit feels our every emotion & struggle right along with us. We also have His mercies that begin afresh every morning (Lamentations 3:23), the Safety of Abiding in the Presence of the Almighty (Psalm 91). 




The blood of Jesus has  covered our every sin, shortcoming, sickness, disease. His blood paid for the sight of the blind, to make the lame walk, deaf hear, mute speak. He haspurchased everything we will ever need on the cross & with the resurrection. He provides all of our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). He redeemed us from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13). He freed us from the awful & terrible bondage of sin, so we are no longer bound by sin & therefore do not have to pay the eternal consequence of sin.  We are able to show our love and affection for Him by keeping His commands (1 John 5:3): not some but all, though His grace covers us when we do make a mistake. He delivers us from all our fears. When we have laid down our own lives & evil desires at the cross, forsaking everything by dying to ourselves to be alive in Him. Ohhhh.. only then can we have all the wondrous things He has planned for us. You may think you have to go out there & find yourself.. but when you live your own life & continue on in your sin.. all you will find is the devil's work displayed in your life because you chose to allow it. As the saying goes, "Satan will take you farther than you want to go & keep you longer than you want to stay".. Don't let him keep you in sin & lead you into eternal torment forever. Discover the freedom there is at the cross. Sadly, so many think they are free by doing what they want.. but they are deceived by Satan into doing what he wants them to do. And there are consequences on the earth at the least for that, but eternally if you do not turn from those ways.



Merry Christmas to all of you! Remember to do something to give back, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus & all that He gave to us.






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In His Mercies that are New EVERY Morning,




Rachel Marie

True Worship

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.

- John 4:23-24 (NIV)

Oh, I had a wonderful time worshiping the LORD this morning. You do not have to be at church to worship the LORD (though that is fabulous too). You can worship God anytime, anywhere.. because wherever you are, HE IS THERE. I have a wonderful time worshiping the LORD with my church family. I also have a phenomenal time worshiping God right at home or in my car. Sometimes, it's much easier to "let loose" and worship God more freely when God is the only one watching. He loves it when we pour out & give it all to Him. I love to start my time with the LORD in the mornings with worship music. I have had some of my favorite worship sessions alone with God. Twice in the last week, I have been so filled with the Spirit of God that I was dancing in the Spirit across the living room floor. If you have not received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, you are missing out. There is nothing in the world like it. And I'm not crazy, either. This is all 100% Biblical. Read the book of Acts. Also, check out 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, & 14 (This is explains several different manifestations of the Spirit. i.e.: speaking in tongues, interpretation, prophecy, etc.). God desires that all of His people receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. He says that in the last days, He will pour out His Spirit on ALL PEOPLE.. But God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8), desires that we all be filled with His Spirit continually, like those in the Early Church in Acts. In Mark 16, Jesus says the speaking in tongues is a sign that will follow believers. Nothing can fill you up as wonderfully as God's Spirit can when you let Him have His way. Oh, there is unspeakable joy, comfort, peace. There's no words in Webster's dictionary that can describe this phenomenal feeling. I imagine that being filled with the Holy Spirit is the closest we will ever get to experiencing Heaven in our earthly lives.

A little something I wrote when I was so overcome by the Beauty & Majesty of our LORD this morning:

Oh, my God, I am overcome by You this morning--- by everything that You are. By the depth, height, length, and width of Your love that envelopes the hearts of those who seek You, those who pour out their heart's perfume upon you, who have given it all up that they may gain Christ. After all, after we have tasted and seen the goodness of the LORD, everything else pales in comparison. God is irreplaceable. Nothing can fill me up like His Spirit. No person or sin can satisfy like the one who created You can, if you let Him. 

Thank You God, that those who seek You find You & that You love those who love you (Proverbs 8:17). We know that we demonstrate our love for you by keeping your commands (1 John 5:3). It's not that complicated to keep Your Commands when we indulge in Your Presence every day.. when we make diving into You our first priority.. nothing else can hold a candle to you. We know that when we sin, we are separated from You.. even if only temporarily (temporarily if we repent & turn back to God .. eternally if we don't turn back to Him). After we have fallen head over heels in love with Jesus Christ, the absence of Your Presence is excruciating. No. No sin is worth such agony.

Thank You that You do not show favoritism (Acts 10:32). Thank You that you do not reject any one who comes to You with a heart full of repentance, those who turn from their sinful ways because they realize knowing You is immensely better. What is greater than Your Love? Is life? Is death? Is drunkenness? Is pleasure? Is temptation? NO! Sin is not great at all, though social media glorifies it. Those who indulge in sin believe living in sin is more fulfilling than serving You. Oh, my LORD, these people have not even caught a glimpse of You! They have not seen a portion of Your vast holiness, Your Never-Ending Love, Your mercies that are lavished upon us anew every single morning. They have failed to taste and see how good, loving, and forgiving You are. Oh, how it brings me grief that they have not known my Lord. They have not allowed Your Spirit to fill them, because if they had, they would see that there is nothing else that can fill the void in their hearts. Oh, if they had only given my Lord a chance, they would see that they can only be complete in Him. You alone can save them, heal them, deliver them. LORD, You alone, can give them the desires of their hearts when they delight themselves in You (Psalm 37:4). 

It saddens my heart that those who let sin rule over them believe they are "living it up". The righteous let you rule them & we are not deceived, for we know Your Word. We know what the world has taught "living it up" & "enjoying life" by living according to sinful ways only leads to destruction (hell). We know the only way to truly live is to be alive in Christ, to be a new creation in Him, to fulfill Your Will for our lives. Only in the center of Your good and perfect and pleasing will can we find joy unspeakable... peace in every situation... fulfillment & contentment.. all these things come from knowing You alone. Oh, the world is desperate for happiness, peace, to be fulfilled.. but because they are looking for it in all the wrong places, they remain unhappy... and will continue to come up empty every time until they take heed to the voice of the Lord God & repent. They seek these things the ONLY You can give.. in a bar, in the bottom of a bottle, in pleasure.. oh but they always come up dry & do not know why! May the eyes of their hearts be opened to the way sinful pleasures drain them & take them farther away from You! Show them how sin only enslaves them, how the devil only betrays them. Reveal to them the goodness of Your Love, Mercy, and Grace. Let them understand how You yearn to set them free from the bondage that has entangled them. Show them how You can change them if they come to You.
In JESUS' Powerful Name,
Amen. 

I heard an awesome TRUE story based off the knowledge of 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says,
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!" At one of our revivals at church, Evangelist Peter Dobie shared this story with us. This happened in South Africa, where the tribal people take the Word of God very literally, as we would do well to learn from. A man named Joe heard the Gospel and got saved. His friends mocked him & reminded him of his past, of all the things he used to do. Joe boldly inquired, "Who are you talking about: the Old Joe or the New Joe?". Let us all learn from Joe. Your past does not have to be your future. You can become new in Christ. New on the inside. A changed person. Sometimes, I feel so much guilt when Satan reminds me of who/how I used to.. but I have to remind myself that he is referring to the old Rachel. I am a new creation in Christ. I have been made new. The old Rachel has gone! The new is here! Believe me, I never thought I would be a preacher.. But God changed me. And He can change you, too, if you let Him.

In His Overwhelming Love,

Rachel Marie

THE END OF WAVERING FAITH

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
- Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)

When we doubt, we act like God is not faithful to His Word. Our faith often teeters like a see-saw, from high to low, strong to weak in the faith. How do we balance this out? We have to hold onto our confession with no wavering. No more wavering allowed. I declare in the Name of Jesus it ends today. Make the decision today to stop praying without believing. In Mark 11:24, Jesus teaches us that ANYTHING WE ASK IN PRAYER IN FAITH, BELIEVING, THAT WHAT WE ASK WILL BE DONE.. WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN. Several weeks ago, a man named Brother Phillip at my church preached a powerful message on BELIEVING WITHOUT DOUBTING. It has really stuck with me. If we know Jesus promised us, why do we all slip & slide in this direction and that with our faith? Some days, we believe it so strongly we can almost taste what we are praying for. Other days, our faith is so weak we are hanging on by a thread. 1 Corinthians 5:7 says WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT! If we were putting our trust in some idol who has no power, we would have plenty of reason to doubt. But we put our trust in the LORD JESUS CHRIST. The one true God. The only name through whom salvation comes! The only Name through which healing of every sickness & every disease comes! The Only Name that gives sight to the blind, makes the deaf hear, the mute talk, the lame walk! The Only Name of the one who bore your sins, shame, guilt, sickness away! Jesus is the only one who walks with you through every second of every day, who is so filled with love & compassion for you that He feels your every emotion, knows your every thought. Our God parted the Red Sea, shut the mouth of lions & delivered Daniel without even a scratch, took His servant through the fire with not even a singe of hair burnt! He made an elderly couple first time parents. He rescues His people, regardless of what lengths He has to go to in order to do so. He performs incredulous miracles for His people.

Even when there was NO REASON for hope, Abraham kept hoping-- BELIEVING that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!"
- Romans 4:18 (NLT)

We have to hold onto our confession without wavering. God is faithful & shall bring it to pass! The Bible says that in the natural Abraham had NO REASON FOR HOPING! Not even one!!!!! Verse 19 says "And Abraham's faith DID NOT WEAKEN, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead-- and so was Sarah's womb". 

Imagine the oldest couple you know. The husband is 100% convinced that his wife, who has never before had a child, is going to bear him a son. He doesn't stop there. He believes his descendants will be as numerous as the stars! You would think he was out of his mind! After all, when he "claims" to have heard this message from the LORD, it was 25 years ago. Nothing has happened. Still no baby. You would think this man preposterous! Every time the town gossips pass him by, they whisper, "That old man is sweet, but he is absolutely nuts! Thinking Sarah is going to bear him a son after all these years. And poor Sarah! She has to put up with him. He got all her hopes up all those years ago & still, she has no baby! How dare he put her through further embarrassment by persistently telling her these lies for the last 25 years!" But this is exactly Abraham's beautiful story. Abraham faithfully believed God's Promise even when it seemed he should have given up, and God came through!

Maybe the doctors have given you no reason for hoping. No more reason to hope to recover. No more reason to believe you will survive. But God's Word says He forgives ALL our sins and HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES (Psalm 103:2-3), that BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED (1 PETER 2:24, ISAIAH 53:5), that HE WILL RESTORE YOU TO HEALTH & LET YOU LIVE (Isaiah 38:16, Jeremiah 30:17 ) (& numerous other promises for physical, mental, emotional, healing because His blood is sufficient!!). Though we are all thankful for doctors and all have desperately needed them at some point, if the reports are negative, accept the Word of God for your healing & do not let the doctors have the final say.. Let God do what He does.. He heals all who come to Him in faith for healing (Heb. 13:8, Malachi 3:6). Maybe you see no possible spouse in sight, but you know God has promised you. Maybe your marriage is hanging on by a thread & you think there is no way God can restore it now. Maybe your finances have all but completely disappeared, yet GOD says He shall supply ALL YOUR NEEDS according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). DARE TO BELIEVE  GOD LIKE ABRAHAM.

FAITH VS. FACT

In faith, Abraham believed that God would do what He had promised. He did not dwell on all the facts that were all 100% contrary to God's Promise. Verse 20 says, "And Abraham NEVER WAVERED in believing God's promise. In fact, HIS FAITH GREW STRONGER, and IN THIS HE BROUGHT GLORY TO GOD. It glorifies God when we do not waver in our faith. Our faith should be steady. When we start to get discouraged and begin to doubt, we have to combat the devil's scheme and begin to speak the Word of God aloud. We have to remember Abraham & the fulfillment of God's Promise to him, although it didn't happen in the Timing Abraham would have chosen. I am sure if Abraham had his way, he would have already had children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren by the time he actually he had his first child. But he knew a little something about God's Timing. His Timing is perfect. God used this situation to display his miraculous power. His power could not have been properly displayed even he immediately began having children not long after he & Sarah married. That would have been ordinary. God had an extraordinary plan for Abraham. So if God is making you wait, remember that He also has an extraordinary plan for you. So, don't wrestle back and forth between letting belief win half the time & doubt win the other half. When we give in to the temptation of doubt, we let the devil have a field day. Satan loves fear, discouragement, doubt, depression, anger, impatience. He eats that stuff up. He thrives off of it. He has built his wicked kingdom on the basis of these negative things.

Like Abraham, stand firm on God's Promise, regardless of how long it takes. The fact that he waited patiently for 25 years almost astounds me as much as the fact that he had a son at 100 years old. From reading the Word & being taught this story, we knew this came to pass & are obviously in awe of God's power. But what about the fact that Abraham waited so long? God's power is also displayed in Abraham's trust, I believe. He knew a little something about God's Faithfulness. He knew a little something about God's Word, which never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). He knew that HE who promised never lies, never slacks, never forgets. He could have EASILY given up after the first 5 years (If we are honest, most of us would have given up sooner than that!). He could have given up and thought, "I guess God forgot" or "I guess God wasn't really serious" or "I was so incredibly stupid to believe Sarah & I could have a son, even now" & concluded that there was no hope left. BUT HE DIDN'T. He was FULLY PERSUADED that God had the POWER to do what He promised (Rom. 4:21, NIV). The Amplified Version says in v. 21 No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, (Note: Because he was not moved by these negative things, he was able to mature in the faith and praise God while He waited!). Instead of getting all bent out of shape about WHEN God was going to do it, verse 21 in the Amplified Version says, Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His Word and to do what He had promised. He didn't sit around in discontentment asking God WHY He was taking along. He was fully satisfied in the season God wanted him in right then. It sounds like he even enjoyed his life while he waited on the LORD. Imagine that! It seems all too often we get so caught up in waiting for God to do this and that, we forget to live and be content where we are. We think we can have joy & contentment ONLY when we get what we want. However, when God makes that thing happen, there's something else to wait on God for. So if you get so caught up in wondering why & when God is gonna do it, Satan is successful in robbing you of the right now. I talk about this a little more on this topic in my YouTube video, "DON'T LET SATAN STEAL THE JOY JESUS GAVE YOU". You can watch by clicking on the "My YouTube" tab above or by going to youtube and typing in: Rachel Marie Ministries. You can also subscribe, if you feel so led, because I will continue making more as God directs me!

It is also important to take note of the fact that he did not argue with God & try to manipulate Him into bringing him that son He promised, RIGHT NOW. Hebrews 6:15 says: Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised (NLT).

Note: The above is the KJV of this verse.

He was not demanding. He did not get caught up in the details of how and when. You never see Abraham praying, "HELLO GOD, everyone thinks I am completely insane. Even my wife, Sarah, doesn't believe me. She laughs at Your Promise. So if you're really going to give us a son, could you please hurry up so I can quit looking like a fool?" He could have said that. He could have walked away from God, thinking He isn't really "legit" & doesn't keep promises. He never thought he was wrong to put all his trust God. 1 year passed by, then two, then three, then four, then five... then 10, then 15, 20, & 25 & Abraham remained faithfully believing God. Abraham never walked away from God or gave it a thought. Instead, he never wavered. He had complete faith that God would give him a son & waited on God's Perfect Timing to do so. We seem to barely be able to hold on for a few weeks, months, or years for God to do what we are believing Him for. After a certain amount of time has passed, we think it isn't gonna happen. Too often, we give up & give in to Satan's lies all too easy. We should take such great delight in the LORD & His Word that we believe Him no matter how long it takes, no matter how impossible it seems, no matter what the circumstances are in the natural. The person who delights in the LORD, His Word, & meditates upon His Word will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:3, NIV). Let us all be like a tree planted by streams of water, for then in the right season, God will produce fruit!

Oh, the faith it took for Abraham to believe! May we get so deep into God's Word that we begin to operate in Abraham's strength in the faith. Abraham desperately longed to have a son. How beautiful it is that he dared to believe. Oh, the joyous way he must have felt the day Isaac was finally born, the day he heard that beautiful first cry from the lips of Isaac, the moment he first took Isaac into his arms. I doubt there's ever been such a proud first-time daddy! As a devoted child of God, he remarkably held onto faith for 25 years. In that moment, it finally all felt worth it. He held in his arms the reward, the promise at last.

Then, God later challenged him. He wanted to make sure even though Abraham had believed so long and loved Isaac with everything in him, his faithfulness was first to God. He was faithful enough to give up his son. The internal agony he must have felt thinking he was going to have to sacrifice his beloved son!!! But God spoke just in the nick  of time and showed Abraham a sacrifice. God never intended for Abraham to kill Isaac (God is totally against murder). He just wanted Abraham to prove that his first love & priority remained where it should. This request from God seemed incredibly absurd to him, I have no doubt. Yet, Abraham was still as faithful as ever, reasoning that God could raise Isaac from the dead.

How is your faithfulness to God? Are you gonna stick with Him only until He heals your broken heart, until He heals you, until He brings you the right one? Are you gonna be faithful to God only until He meets your needs, until you get that promotion, until you heal from the past? Dare to believe His promises. He is a rewarder of those who DILLIGENTLY SEEK HIM (Heb. 11:6, NKJV). Seek Him all your heart. Let Him fulfill His plan for your life in His timing. Be faithful to Him & hold onto your confession without wavering!

I hope you are all enjoying the beauty of the Christmas season & remembering what it's all about: the glorious birth of Jesus that forever changed the lives of all who will submit to Him. Also, it's about giving back. I would like to encourage all who are able to donate whatever they can to charities that help feed those who are starving this Christmas season & those who do not have finances to buy their children gifts.

I pray you would all receive the joy unspeakable that only the LORD can give. I pray that you all have a very Merry Christmas! May we all patiently endure, so we can receive the promise! :)

In God's Crazy Love,

Rachel Marie

Happy Thanksgiving: No Greater Blessing

Give thanks to the LORD for He is good;

His faithful love endures forever.

- Psalm 107:1

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day with your family and friends! Many of us have come to think that Thanksgiving has come to be a holiday to "get through" and really more about Black Friday than Thanksgiving. Most people, if they were honest, are more busy getting together their shopping lists for tomorrow than counting their blessings today and every day. (My family and I do not participate in Black Friday, just for the record.)

So you as you go about wishing everyone "Happy Thanksgiving" today, are you really giving thanks? Are you really thankful for all that God has blessed you with? Or are you so stressed by the storms of life that you just don't? Have you become so absorbed in your problems that you have forgotten to stop and truly have a grateful heart toward the love? To stop and pray every day? To read your Bible daily? To live according to what the Word of God commands? To thank the LORD for saving us, filling us with His Spirit, and paying the price to deliver us from every sickness and every disease (Matt. 8:17)?

While you're complaining about how you ate too much, there are people right here in this nation, in your state, in your city starving; people who would be grateful to have a stomach that was "too full" instead of aching from the emptiness. It truly pains me to thank of how people all across America are over eating today (HEY, I LOVE FOOD & CAN THROW DOWN WITH THE BEST OF THEM!), while there are people longing for just one good meal. That should bother you. If it doesn't, you need a heart check. It breaks my heart. It just doesn't seem right that the majority of people have spent hundreds of dollars making a feast, while there are people hungry. People with no family or friends to eat with. People without a home. People without a vehicle. People without clothing. It brings tears to my eyes. What a joy it would be to serve in a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and just because (any day)! To feed the hungry, as the Bible commands us to do (My meme, Mom, & I would love to make this a family tradition ASAP!!)

While you're making your Christmas list, there are people who cannot buy for the immediate members of their families, much less anyone else. If you have food to eat daily, a home to live in, have met  & given your life to Jesus Christ (TOP PRIORITY), clothes to wear, heating and air conditioning in your home, you have a lot to be thankful for. If you have a car that you can depend on not to break down, you are blessed. If you have health insurance, you are blessed. If you have a job, you are blessed. If you have an education, you are blessed.

If you are able to speak, hear, and see, you are blessed. If you are healthy, you are blessed. Before the LORD healed me, I had 6 miserable Thanksgivings and Christmases. When you are as sick as I was, you cannot enjoy anything. I couldn't enjoy food due to the constant nausea, and later severe food allergies. I was so sick, my family had to beg me to even eat a few bites of food. I lost so much weight that at one point, doctors considered putting in a port for daily IV fluids (due to the constant dehydration) and IV nutrition daily. There were Thanksgivings & Christmases where I was confined to a wheelchair or a walker. Or in the hospital. It took so much effort those holidays to smile for pictures and sit up for the meal and to spend time with the family (I was often bedridden and even sitting up was a huge feat for me during those years. It was exhausting). I spent a couple holidays where I was in so much pain I was not even able to be touched or hugged (any touch intensified the pain x 1,000). The holidays and birthdays never really felt special (though my family did everything in their power to make them special), because I was just critically ill & had little to no quality of life. Six birthdays where I could plan nothing special because my life totally revolved around whatever I felt "up to" doing, which was never much. This is my 2nd Thanksgiving healed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I GIVE GOD ALL THE PRAISE, HONOR, and GLORY for HEALING ME! HE RESTORED ME TO HEALTH AND LET ME LIVE! OH, MY LIPS WILL PRAISE HIM FOREVER! HE HEALED ME and SET ME FREE FROM THAT LONG LIST OF MEDICATIONS, OF THOSE LIMITATIONS, THE PAIN, AGONY, & MISERY of having 2 debilitating diseases. GLORY TO HIS NAME! PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS-- WHO FORGIVES ALL OUR SINS and HEALS ALL OUR DISEASES!!!

Don't forget about the soldiers who cannot be with their families! We are fre because of their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their families!!! God Bless our troops!!!

The greatest blessing of all time is the opportunity to have a relationship with Christ. In God's abounding mercy, He sent His one and only Son to the cross to die and be raised again to pay the debt for our sins & sicknesses.... so that if we would only believe & live for Him, we could be free from sin & sickness! Glory! We are all infinitely blessed that Christ would do this, though not one of us is worthy. He did this BECAUSE HE LOVED US. HE WANTS US. Crazy amazing how God doesn't need us, but HE WANTS US. The Holy one.... wants us to be a part of His family. Did you know that once you get saved, Jesus calls you "Brother" and "Sister"? :) God calls you "Son" or "Daughter"! And there is no greater blessing than that.

Insanely Loved & Crazy Blessed,

Rachel Marie

WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING

And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. 

- Isaiah 29:13 (NLT)

Note: If this applies to you, please remember that God wants all of you! He will forgive your sins when you ask and turn from those ways!

Could the LORD say this of you? Do you honor God with your lips, when in reality your heart is far away from the LORD? Do you boast about the goodness of God while continuing to indulge in sin? Maybe your think you're right with God because you abide by man-made rules. Maybe you post Scripture on Facebook for everyone to see, yet in the dark, you commit adultery. Maybe you go to church every Sunday, when you know you got rip roaring drunk Friday and Saturday night. Maybe you sing songs of worship to The Lord at church, yet as soon as you get in your car, you turn up the tunes of the world that rave about their sinful actions. Maybe you profess to live for God with your words, while denying Him with your actions. No matter how many people you have fooled, God is not fooled. He sees everything.

If this is you, God desperately wants you to serve Him with all your heart. God wants you to turn from the sinful ways of the world, and live for Him. You will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart! Not part of it. Not by giving Him some of your life. By giving it all to Him and earnestly seeking Him, you will Find Him. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their evil ways and LIVE IN HIM (Ezekiel 33:11). 1 John 5:3 says, "This is love for God: to keep his commands". We show our love for Him not just by doing what looks like a godly life on the outside in front of others, but by living according to His Word in the light and in the dark... When everyone is watching and when no one is watching but God himself!

If God used this to convict you, please repent and turn from all the ways that do not please Him.

In His Amazing Love & Forgiveness,

Rachel Marie

Live Like Jesus

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

- 1 John 2:6

Live like Jesus. How did Jesus live? He stayed in communication with our Father, God. He lived according to God's commands. He lived in obedience to God, even unto death. He healed the sick, made the lame walk, the mute talk, the deaf hear, & set the captives free. He raised the dead. Think you can't do that? Think the age of miracles is past? No, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6). If Jesus was moved with compassion for the sick in the Bible, He is just as moved with compassion for the sick now. He is just as ABLE & WILLING to heal the sick now. However, faith is required. In Nazareth, Jesus could do no miracles because of their lack of faith. If He required faith then, He certainly requires faith now. 

In John 14:12, Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." Jesus didn't say just the disciples or the apostles. He said WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM will not only do the same but GREATER works because He is with the Father!!! Glory! Release your faith for your miracle by believing in Jesus Christ who never changes! Many of you already know I can attest to this because Jesus healed me of 2 life-threatening, debilitating diseases! Praise Jesus for healing me and freeing me from that miserable life of limitations! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits-- who forgives ALL your sins and HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES (Psalm 103:2-3).

HOW SELFISH WOULD I BE TO KEEP HIM TO MYSELF?

But if I say, "I will not mention His Word or anymore in His Name," His Word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed; I cannot.

- Jeremiah 20:9

Oh, many times I feel like Jeremiah, with a fire shut up in my bones!!! I cannot hold in my love and passion  for the LORD, even if I tried. And WHY WOULD I WANT TO? Salvation comes from His Name alone: Jesus Christ. Only through HIM can all men be saved (who are willing to accept Jesus & live their lives for Him). Only through HIM can we get to Heaven. Oh, my God, with tears in my eyes, I declare with David, "I DELIGHT TO DO YOUR WILL, O MY GOD (Psalm 40:8)!!! 

JESUS is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through Him (John 14:6).

This verse is not plural. IT DOES NOT SAY that Jesus is one of the ways, one of the truths, one way of life... It does not say that He is one of the ways to Heaven, contrary to popular belief. The Word of God says Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. SCRIPTURE SAYS JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY. HE IS THE TRUTH. THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN IS THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. Not through religious traditions, but through having an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. 

********* Note: If you do not have a relationship with Jesus and would like to, it is so simple. Do not be ashamed to want this. It is the only way to Heaven. Right now, wherever you are, you can just say a simple prayer, like this: "Jesus Christ is Lord. God, I believe you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to die for my sins & heal me from all sickness & disease & that you raised Jesus from the dead. Please forgive me for my sins. I dedicate my life to you."

That prayer of salvation is only the beginning. Now, get to know God. You can purchase a Bible or begin reading daily in the Bible app (it's free! or at Bible.com). A good place to start is in the Gospel of John (in the New Testament, the 4th book). You can also get involved in a good Bible-based church to learn more. Begin to learn what God asks of you and more about who He is through reading His Word & doing what it says. **************

I couldn't continue with this post without telling you all how to be saved.

WHY WOULD I WANT TO KEEP GOD & HIS WORD TO MYSELF? Through Christ, we can make it into the Beautiful Kingdom of Heaven & forever soak in the presence and majesty of God. In Heaven, there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).. But in Hell, (if you die without a relationship with Jesus), there will be weeping and gnashing of the teeth (Luke 13:28) in a lake of fire forever. Through Jesus, we can be healed from every sickness and every disease (Matt. 4:23, Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6). Through Jesus, the lame can walk, the blind can see, the deaf can hear, the mute can speak. Through Jesus, the captives are set free. Jesus sets us free from all sin, all sickness, all forms of evil bondage!!!! GLORY BE TO GOD!

Oh, God, I would be selfish to keep the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to myself. Oh, I would be selfish to keep the Name above all names locked up deep inside my heart: never to tell of your salvation, healing, forgiveness, mercy, grace, comfort, and love. Never to release the electrifying power that raised Jesus Christ from the grave. Oh, how selfish I would have to be to keep the commands of God to myself. How selfish would I be to not speak in the Name of Jesus & release the salvation, healing, and freedom that comes from Him?? OH, THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS TO BREAK EVERY CHAIN!!!!!!!!! How selfish would I be to remain silent & allow people to go to hell because I refused to speak about Jesus? How selfish would I be to not tell how Jesus saved me, changed me, and healed me & let others perish eternally, to let them be sick & in pain & suffer through this life, to rob them of the comfort that comes from the Holy Spirit? Oh, how selfish would I be not to share my testimony of how Jesus healed me when doctors couldn't? & tell of how Jesus is willing and eager to do the same for others, as well as save them & give the gift of the Holy Spirit & eternal life because GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM (Acts 10:34). What He has done for me, He is able and willing to do for you!

Burning with a Passion to see people Saved, Changed, and Healed through my Savior,

Rachel Marie

I DELIGHT TO DO THE WILL OF MY GOD! :)

I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

- Psalm 40:8 (ESV)

This is a screenshot from one of my YouTube mini-sermons. Oh, how I truly delight to do God's Will! What a joy it is to do the work of the LORD! What a privilege it is to spend time with HIM, to read/teach/preach His Word! Oh, His Word is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). There is no end to what we can each accomplish for the Kingdom of God when we fall in love with Jesus & commit to spending time with Him daily & be DOERS of the WORD, not hearers only (James 1:22)! God is not impressed if you listen to what He has to say & fail to put it into practice. We must do more than just hear and read the Word, we have to actually do what the Word says! His commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3)! Oh, when you delight yourself in The Lord & grow closer to Him & grow deeper with HIM: nothing makes you happier than He does!!!! Nothing makes you happier than doing what He asks you to do; living the way He wants us to!!! Living according to His Word is how we stay pure (Psalm 119:9). Living according to His commands is how we show our love and devotion to Him.

As the Church, we are the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). To be HIS BRIDE, we have to be committed to Him. We have to love Him with all of our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:5). We have to seek Him every day, for His Word says we will ONLY find Him when we seek Him with all of our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). We have to really want Him with all of our hearts & search for Him, then we will find Him! :) GLORY!! 

We have to continue falling deeper and deeper in love with Him with each passing day. We have to be DOERS of the Word and not hearers only. You are not really serving God if you only hear the Word (at church) or merely read it...you are really serving God if you actually do what the Word of God says.. If you actually do the will of our Father in Heaven. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter".

Attending church is wonderful. Reading the Word of God & spending time in prayer are vital to your nutrition for a healthy relationship with Jesus.... but unless you put into practice what it says, you are merely going through the motions. Going through the motions will NOT get you into Heaven. A relationship with Jesus Christ will get you into Heaven. Keeping God's commands is the way we show our love for Him.

For demonstrational purposes, let's look at an earthly marriage. Let's say the bride constantly talks about how amazing her husband is and the way she loves him more than anything. She says she is in this marriage for life, no matter what. She says she couldn't be any happier. Let's say she's been having an affair with another man & continues to cheat on her husband, all the while professing her undying love and devotion to her husband. Doesn't sound like she's too devoted to her husband, does it? She's only in this marriage as long as she still gets to do what she wants, disregarding her vows & disrespecting God & her husband, sinning against them. Doesn't sound like she actually loves her husband the way she claims she does, otherwise, she wouldn't betray him like that. ...but how many of you do this to JESUS? How many of you go through all the motions and speak of the beauty, wonder, and majesty of our Lord & how dedicated you are to Him.... All the while not actually living the way He has asked you to? Not living in obedience to HIS WORD?

I challenge you all today to dare to live in full obedience to God & His Word. I challenge you to not merely go through "religious motions", which profit you not BUT to actually seek The Lord with all your hearts & demonstrate your love for Him, not only with your lips but in your everyday life: by reading His Word & putting into practice what it says. Jesus came to the earth, not to do His Will, but the will of our Father, God. Our job is the same: to do God's Will, not our own; to fulfill HIS WILL for our lives, not what we think His Will should be.

In the Love of Christ,

 Rachel Marie

THIS RIVER NEVERS RUNS DRY

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

- John 7:37-39 (NIV)

I wouldn't trade the Baptism of the Holy Ghost for anything in this world!!!!!!! There is absolutely nothing like it! I cannot get enough of being filled with His Spirit! Thankfully, the river of Jesus' Living Water NEVER runs dry!!! I love getting filled up by HIM continually, day by day! Glory be to God!!!!! Praise the LORD! You never find true contentment, joy, peace, love, and happiness until you find Jesus Christ. Don't mistake: I'm not saying everything will be perfect, but you can find peace, joy, love, and comfort in every circumstance through Jesus Christ!! I'm so thankful to be filled with the Holy Spirit!!! Though I have been a Christian for quite some time, I didn't receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost until about a year and a half ago & my life has never been the same since. I don't want anyone to miss out on this phenomenal gift from Jesus. My life is forever changed to a million times (PLUS!) better because of this wonderful filling of the Holy Spirit that the LORD God Almighty has given unto me! One of the greatest gifts God has ever given was pouring out His Spirit upon His people. To find out more about being filled with the Holy Ghost, check out the book of Acts in the Bible. Also, you can learn more about the spiritual gifts He gives in 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, 14. In 1 Corinthians 12:1, the Holy Spirits tells us He does not want us to be uninformed concerning spiritual gifts. So, I would like to greatly encourage & urge you to please start learning about them through reading what God's Word says about it through reading the Scriptural references listed above. 

In His Loving Kindness,

Rachel Marie

OUR GOD IS A GOD OF RESTORATION

If you are a child of God whom has been robbed of something: whether time, finances, innocence, etc.: GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW HE WILL RESTORE ALL THAT WAS LOST. Be faithful to God & He will do it! MAY HE BE TO YOU A RESTORER OF LIFE (Ruth 4:15)! I declare restoration over God's Faithful Servants all today! If you've been used and abused, let the wonderful Shadow of the Almighty God cover you, heal you and restore you. May He rejoice over you with shouts of joy (Zephaniah 3:17) as He heals you from all your hurts! Remember, what the devil meant for evil, God can bring good out of it (Genesis 50:20). He can make you victorious and use you as a living testimony of His wonderful love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, restoration, & healing (physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually). He can use your story of what HE brought you through, delivered & healed you from to be that Light that someone else in the same or situation needs! Let Him heal you and free you. It's freely offered through Jesus Christ alone. Then, go out and be a blessing to others! There are so many people that would be impacted, saved, healed, by you being obedient to the LORD & sharing YOUR STORY!! 

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 

- Joel 2:25-26 (KJV)

LAUGHING WITHOUT FEAR OF THE FUTURE

SHE is CLOTHED with STRENGTH and DIGNITY and LAUGHS WITHOUT FEAR of HER FUTURE.

- Proverbs 31:25

This is difficult when stress, worry, anxiety kick in. I often struggle with putting this into practice: "laughing without fear of my future". But as Women of God, clothed with STRENGTH and DIGNITY, we should be lighthearted. We should not be like a tea kettle, screaming on the inside with constant worry. We have to cast ALL our anxieties on HIM, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Philippians 4:6 says, "BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING". When the devil tempts me with worry, I sometimes have to remind myself that God didn't say "Be anxious for nothing EXCEPT.. This, that, or the other [insert your personal situation here]. He said to be anxious for NOTHING. HE HOLDS EVERYTHING IN HIS HANDS. HE cares for our every need. He cares about everything we are going through. Yet He says to His children: BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING... because He wants us to give it all to Him. And if we do, we don't have to worry.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in hoping and praying certain things will or will not happen that it becomes our focus. The devil can trick us into yielding to our fears. We get caught up into that state of panic, where we are paralyzed, terror-stricken, unable to entertain any thoughts except the "what-ifs". But instead of giving in, we have to LET GOD BE GOD & DELIVER US FROM ALL OUR FEARS (Psalm 34:4). 

Think of it like passing a basketball to and fro. Your mind is the gym. Let the basketball hoop signify Jesus.  The devil keeps bouncing the basketballs labeled, "fear", "panic", and "anxiety" your way. You've got to see past the devil's evil schemes and look up, toward the Light [the basketball goal: Jesus]. When Satan keeps bombarding you by bouncing all the basketballs to you, you may forget to look up to the place where all the basketballs go: in the hoop [Jesus]. So, no matter how many basketballs almost knock you over, you can only solve the problem by tossing each one into the hoop. All you have to do is keep throwing the balls in the hoop.. Keep bouncing them to JESUS. And DON'T pick them back up.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

- James 4:8

God never wants us to live in fear. "God has NOT given us a spirit of fear but of POWER and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND (2 Timothy 1:7)." He wants us to live in his safety, protection, and perfect peace. "YOU WILL KEEP IN PERFECT PEACE, all who trust in You, whose THOUGHTS ARE FIXED ON YOU" (Isaiah 26:3). We need to read and pray Psalm 91 daily for protection over our families, loved ones, and ourselves. We have to remember that as we dwell in the secret place of the Most High, we abide in the shadow of the Almighty. He protects us & covers us with His feathers. Because we have made the LORD our refuge, NO EVIL WILL BEFALL US; NO PLAGUE WILL COME NEAR OUR DWELLING.

Thank You, Jesus, for pointing all this out to me today, not just for me, but for my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ who also need this message.

Too often, we make the negative emotions seem bigger than God by zoning in on them instead of zoning in on HIM.

May we all work to enter that REST IN JESUS.

May we all work to throw all our anxieties to Jesus.

May we all work to take His yoke upon us, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

May we be able to laugh easily, without fear of the future.

In the Love of Christ,

Rachel Marie