Grace and peace.
I've shared recently how music is the voice of God and so many times a song just ministers to my heart when God wants me to get something. The song is called "Say A Prayer" and it is by Donald Lawrence. You know we go through things and somehow we manage just to sit back and let them happen to us, without asking for intercession or saying anything to anybody. Not really wanting to say anything because we want to be what my husband and minister likes to term, "Super Christians" and put on the facade that all is well and NOTHING CAN STOP ME. And that is all well and good. It's a good thing to hold your head up and endure through your trails and tribulations. It's a great testimony when you are "growing through" something and the whole world does not have to know it. Glory to God! But you know what we are not here by ourselves. We are all just as much dependent on each other as we are dependent on Jesus, that is why the Bible says do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together in the house of the Lord. We feed each other. We nourish each other and we strengthen each other. And God has put that in each and every one of His children, (those who desire to do His will). This is what I heard, (just to tell you how good God is) "Lord, I come to You. I ask You to grant my request. The prayer I pray today is different from the rest. The enemy is threatened by the gift You placed in me. Hear my earnest prayer, cover me. Jesus say a prayer for me. You know what I need. Go before the Father and intercede for me. The enemy desires to sift me as wheat. But like You did for Peter, say a prayer for me." And this is what God spoke to me... He has placed gifts in His children. Gifts to encourage others, through whatever means He deems necessary. But if we ourselves are discouraged, others cannot be encouraged, because we are the ones that God has ordained to come across their path and to speak a word of life into their situations. To give them hope. To strengthen them in the journey. And God said to ask Him for help when we are down that we may continue strong in the faith that others may continue to develop in their faith. He said I need you to be where I want you to be. And then He reminded me that the enemy of my soul wants nothing more but to steal, kill and destroy me.
God had me listen to the song and then He directed me to the Scripture (Luke 22:31,32) it says that Jesus is speaking to Peter and the rest of His disciples and He tells them that He has equipped them to go forward and to declare the gospel and to do His works, and then He tells them that the enemy, Satan has asked for them, that He desires to sift them as wheat (the amplified says this "Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain," and then Jesus goes on with the remarkable part and He says, but be encouraged, because I have prayed for you." And then He goes on and He says, "But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren."
Get this in your spirit, because just as Jesus was speaking to Peter and His disciples back then He is speaking to us today. He has equipped us to go forward and to share the Good News of His gospel. He has put in us His heart to do His will and though we may get discouraged, we may get shaken along the way, we may "grow through" He is yet mindful of the wor that He has begun in us and faithful to complete it and He is interceding on our behalf. He is praying for us. He is praying for you especially! Isn't that a glorious thing!
Ask Jesus to pray for you. To say a prayer for you. Jesus, say a prayer for me. Say a prayer for me Jesus that the enemy won't rule over my soul, when my feelings get hurt. Say a prayer for me Jesus, that this setback, this disappointment, this sickness, this fall, won't kill me. Say a prayer for me Jesus that my failure to believe at this moment, won't destroy me. Say a prayer for me that my faith won't fail. That I may go on after myself being strengthened, encourage someone else. Say a prayer for me Jesus because the enemy of my soul wants nothing more but to steal, kill and destroy. He wants nothing more but to see me dead. And not just physical, spiritual. Pray for me Jesus. I know the enemy wants to tear me apart, he wants to break my spirit, he wants to hurt my body, and take my mind.... that I can't help anyone else.
Last week was a hard one for me, I suffered some emotional setback in the beginning of the week, I suffered an illness (BY HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED), and even took a fall (physical), but thank God Who always causes me to triumph in Christ Jesus!!!! Jesus said a prayer for me and He opened my eyes and helped me to see, the enemy has no hold.
The song goes on to say this, "For those that you called, you fully equipped. To fight the wind and the waves and captain the ship. So I don't mind the storm... I'm willing to sail. God, cover me, that my faith won't fail. Jesus say a prayer for me. You know what I need. Go before the Father and intercede for me. The enemy desires to sift me as wheat. But like you did for Peter say a prayer for me."
I shall not die but live to declare the glory the Lord! In Jesus' name!
God is good and He is real. Just in case you didn't know.
Be encouraged.
A servant of the Lord,
Si. E
http://sis.e.home.comcast.net
http://www.ongoodground.org
Testimonials to the goodness, faithfulness, and "realness" of God and His intervention in our lives.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Say A Prayer For Me, Jesus
Evelyn Fannell has the true heart of a servant. She spends a great deal of her time assisting friends, family, and others with a variety of plans and projects, always seeking simply to be of help; always going the extra mile. A writer since her youth, in 2008 Evelyn created the blog, But God Is Real, inspired by real life situations and circumstances that speak to the “realness” of God and His intervention in daily life. After the death of her son, Joseph, Evelyn started another blog, In the Shadow of Grief, created to chronicle the emotions and stages of grief so that she could help others through their journey of pain and sorrow. Along with the blog, Evelyn also started a grief support group on Facebook, under the same name, where members can share with one another in a supportive, non-judgmental environment
In her spare time, Evelyn enjoys jigsaw puzzles, photography, and planning and creating items for special events. She also serves as First Lady and administrator of her church, On Good Ground Christian Fellowship, now in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to Joseph, she and her husband, Jeff, have two daughters, Brandi and Jasmine, and a grandson, Christian.
Monday, August 16, 2010
In The Blink Of An Eye
One day recently I was driving back home from some errands and I remember stopping at the light and sitting there waiting for the light to change. Sometimes at lights we have a tendency (well, at least I do) to drift away into thought. We may take a glance at our surroundings and for a quick moment it may cause us to think about something else. I believe that is what happened to me, because in the next second, in the blink of an eye, coming right towards the left of me in the divider of the road was a car. As I looked the door of the car was dented in and partly off of the hinge. And it all happened so quickly, I did not see it coming.
In the blink of an eye, right there, right next to me, so close I could almost reach out and touch them. And I did not see it. Hear me, ‘I blinked’ and I did not see it.
I then saw the man in the car right in front of me (who turned out to be a cop in an unmarked car, because he then put his flashing light on top of the car) speak to the driver of the car in the divider. And as the light changed I saw another car about 10 feet away in the intersection completely damaged. Totaled. Front smashed in and all. So not only had they had an accident and made noise in doing so, in the blink of an eye, I did not hear or see a thing. Mind you, my windows were up, the music was playing, the air was blasting, but yet I did not even notice.
Now two things… first, it scared me that I could be in a thought so far away that this could have happened and I did not see it, given its proximity, and (2) just the utter quickness of it all. It was an actual blink of an eye. ‘How long,’ I have asked myself, ‘could the light have been?’
As I passed them I asked the Lord to cover the drivers and prayed that they would walk away from the accident “scratch-free,” and I thanked Him for covering me.
I went home and I told my children about it and after them “laughing at Mommy” I brushed it off and thought it was done. But then God began to speak…. In the blink of an eye. We take life for granted. Things are going well and all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye, the Lord said, it could change. All it takes is one moment for someone to stop breathing; one decision can change your life forever. In the blink of an eye. One second and life as you know it, is no longer.
God said treasure your life. Value your life. Every single moment that you have. Make wise decisions. Take the time to really consider them. He said, Value the good in your life. Value the people in your life.
And then He said, in the blink of an eye, there will come a day, where your time will be up. Your days are numbered. A man is appointed to die once. Make sure you are where you need to be with Me. He said in the blink of an eye, there will be a day, when Jesus will return, and those who are in Him shall be caught up in the sky to meet Him in the air. In the blink of an eye, no one knows the time or the hour that Jesus shall return but He IS returning. In the blink of an eye. And we need to be ready for it.
God said value your life. Value living. And live like there is no tomorrow. Make the right decisions today while you have the chance. Tomorrow may not come for you. In the blink of an eye, it can all be taken away.
God spoke so much to my heart with that simple phrase and that one incident. And if it wasn’t for His grace, I could have been gone in the blink of an eye. There is so much that can be said for this. So much more. But value life. Do not take right now for granted. Someone needs you. Someone loves you and someone needs to know that you love them. Time out for foolishness and unforgiveness and bitterness and resentment. And hostility towards someone because they don’t respond that you expect them to. Appreciate them anyway. Love them anyway. Oh, that the Lord would teach us to number our days!!!
God is good. And I thank Him for His grace. And I thank Him that He doesn’t blink! He’s real. Yes, deep in my soul, He’s real.
Be blessed.
A servant of the Lord,
Sis. E
Evelyn Fannell has the true heart of a servant. She spends a great deal of her time assisting friends, family, and others with a variety of plans and projects, always seeking simply to be of help; always going the extra mile. A writer since her youth, in 2008 Evelyn created the blog, But God Is Real, inspired by real life situations and circumstances that speak to the “realness” of God and His intervention in daily life. After the death of her son, Joseph, Evelyn started another blog, In the Shadow of Grief, created to chronicle the emotions and stages of grief so that she could help others through their journey of pain and sorrow. Along with the blog, Evelyn also started a grief support group on Facebook, under the same name, where members can share with one another in a supportive, non-judgmental environment
In her spare time, Evelyn enjoys jigsaw puzzles, photography, and planning and creating items for special events. She also serves as First Lady and administrator of her church, On Good Ground Christian Fellowship, now in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to Joseph, she and her husband, Jeff, have two daughters, Brandi and Jasmine, and a grandson, Christian.
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