A lot of us get upset if someone else is doing something similar to what we are. We may feel like there isn’t room in the world for us and another person doing the same thing. We may feel like they’re going to steal our customers or are going to encroach on our territory. Or maybe we were first and it irritates us when someone comes along and “steals our idea.” Have you ever wondered what Jesus thinks about competition?
In this short video I talk about Luke 9:49-50
“And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”
Have you been in a manna state where you’re just getting by day-by-day? Are you ready to enter your promised land? Are you ready to have good success? God tells us how in Joshua 1:5-9:
“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
As we read the Bible we see that Jesus rarely healed people in exactly the same way. Healing seems to be catered to the individual. One woman suffers 12 years and then touches the hem of Jesus’ garment and is instantly healed. Another man is healed without Jesus ever coming into contact with him. Another is healed by Jesus telling Him to arise, take up his bed, and walk.
The method is rarely the same, but there seems to be the common thread of faith. But, how much faith is enough? The woman who touched His garment may have had faith those twelve long years. The man whose servant was healed from afar may have had faith for his servant’s healing, but we don’t know if the servant himself actually had any faith at all.
Healing seems to come in God’s timing and way. It seems to be an individual process. This reminds me of a verse repeated in John, Acts and Matthew
“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Matthew 13:15-16
Like conversion, healing seems to be an individual process that has to do with us listening, seeing and understanding with our hearts. Each of us comes to this place of being able to open our eyes to see or opening our hearts to understand. My friend LaurieKae Banks once told me, “broken is open.” Many times it takes brokenness to get to the point where we’re open enough to see the loving healing God is offering us.
I know in my own experience, losing my mother, husband and my family property simultaneously took me to that broken place where I looked up to God with new eyes and new ears. I asked him to create a new heart in me because the one I had was demolished. There was nothing left of it and the only solution was to ask God to create a new heart in me. This process facilitated miraculous emotional, spiritual and mental healing.
Yet, I am fully aware that my experience is mine. Your road to healing may take completely different twists and turns. All we clearly know is that faith is a requisite. So whatever it takes, whatever happens, look to God and choose faith.
What do you do when you’re in a no-win situation and there seems to be no way out? You can take a lesson from Moses and the children of Israel at the Red Sea. Still and see the salvation of the Lord. This could be your miracle moment.
“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14
In some circumstances, I believe God wants us to use our own ingenuity and the minds He gave us to find solutions to our challenges.
There are times when He wants us to pray to have our eyes opened to see the solutions around us. In those times He can direct us which way to go.
Yet, there are other times when Pharaoh’s chasing us, the desert surrounds us, and the Red Sea looms ahead. We are in a fish bowl with nowhere to go. I believe in those times, when everything looks impossible, that God may be about to part the Red Sea.
If you find yourself in this impossible place, it’s important to drop the fear and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. This could be the moment where the cycles and chains of bondage are about to be broken once and for all.
This may be the moment of your deliverance where your oppressors (whether they be people, repeating challenges, or addictions) are about to be slain. This is a miracle moment when you’ll see those enemies “again no more forever.”
I had the exquisite pleasure of attending the Millennial Choir and Orchestra performance tonight. My friend Leslie Householder got me tickets to their Be Still My Soul production. The first song they performed was How Great Thou Art, and I have included a video below of their version of the song. I wish I had a recording of their version of Be Still My Soul, but it has not been released yet.
Be Still My Soul touched me profoundly. I’d played it on the piano at my mother’s funeral, so this put her uppermost in my mind. As I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me, a scene entered my mind of my mother arriving in heaven surrounded by concourses of angels, celebrating her return as she came into the presence of the Savior. Such joy filled my heart for her.
Here’s the video of the Millennial Choir and Orchestra performing How Great Thou Art. There’s no comparison to attending live but this gives you a taste.
I’ve often used this passage as a meditation visual to help me deal with anxiety and insomnia when life gets challenging. It comes from Luke 8:22-25
“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”
Luke 7:36-50 tells the story of a sinful woman who comes to Jesus at a Pharisees home and begins to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and anoint them with oil. The Pharisee judges both the woman and Jesus in his heart. He’s certain if Jesus were really a prophet he’d know this woman was sinful and wouldn’t let her near him.
Jesus, perceiving Simon the Pharisee’s thoughts, shares a parable about two debtors that illustrates how those who are forgiven much, love much. While we don’t want to sin judy so we can be forgiven more and love more, there is a way for any one of us to truly comprehend our own need for forgiveness and increase our love for God and other people — even our enemies.
In this video I share my experience with this principle and how I have applied it in my life. I hope you find it insightful.
I highly recommend Dr. John Demartini’s book, The Breakthrough Experience. It will transform your life, help you forgive, release judgement and increase your love for yourself and others. Most of all it will help you trust God’s divine plan for your life no matter what has happened or is happening.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
For the last week and for the next month I’m on an adventure in trusting the Lord and seeing how He provides and where He leads. I’ve been pleasantly surprised how everything is working out. I always have somewhere nice to stay with loving people. Both houses I’ve stayed in so far even have pianos for me to continue practicing my music and working on some compositions.
I felt very strongly I should take this trip to Utah even though I wasn’t exactly sure where it would lead or what would come of it. I’m still not sure what it’s all about, but it has already reconnected me to myself. I feel more like my highest and best self than I have in three years.
I’m also reconnecting to my divine purpose. Doing this 90 Day Light The World: Build the Kingdom Challenge in conjunction with the trip is working miracles in my heart and soul.
I’ll keep you posted on this adventure as it continues.
I woke up this morning thinking about how Jesus invites us to walk on water. Water symbolizes emotion. It’s unstable, it’s certainly not a sure foundation. It’s volatile and the sea is unpredictable.
Our lives get that way sometimes. When you feel like you have no foundation anymore and emotions brim at the surface, keeping your eye on Jesus and realizing He’s right there with you, helping you walk on the water, reduces anxiety and facilitates miracles.
That’s one thing I love about the 90 Day Light The World: Build The Kingdom Challenge. Each morning we ask God one thing we can do to be a light, to build His kingdom. Then we act on the inspiration and opportunities that come. This shifting of perspective to focus on the Master calms our hearts and minds, and before long we’re walking on water. Please join us! It’s incredible!
I taught a class in Utah on transforming your troubles into thought leadership and creating your online systems for getting your message out online. During the lunch break, I had a great conversation today with one of my students (soon to-be-best-selling author, Cosette Snarr) about the power of pain and how resisting pain actually prolongs it.
What we resist persists.
I think one thing that has expedited my healing is immersing myself in the memories, embracing the pain, shedding the tears, and seeing the blessings laced within the tragedy. God’s hand is everywhere when we take time to look for it.
The joy in this journey has been every bit as exquisite as the pain. It seems that pain hollows out a deeper crucible for joy.
I never thought such a thing would be possible, but through the grace and mercy of the Holy Messiah nothing is impossible. I’m incredibly grateful for what God is doing in my life.
As I’ve pondered on this further, I’ve thought about Jesus and the immense pain that went through — more than anyone, more than all of us combined. Then I think of the exquisite joy and glory He obtained as He now sits down on the right hand of the Father. I’m so grateful for what He endured for me and the rich blessings that are available to each of us through His grace.
(By the way, I wasn’t able to record a video for today because I was teaching all day and on the road to visit my grandson in Idaho all evening. But I hope this little thought gives you something to ponder.)
